A Bridge Too Far

[DKH]

As the Bruins prepare tomorrow to welcome the rookies to their new facility in Brighton to signify the beginning of the 2016-17 season the reaccurring concern is the current status and eventual composition of the defense.

In December 2009 then Red Sox GM Theo Epstein realizing many of the core of the WS teams of 2004 & 2007 were getting along in age, leaving through retirement, trades, free agency- and knowing his Farm System was starting to produced players he commented that 2010 could be a 'bridge year'.

Oh the uproar. Sox fans didn't want to hear it. They had tasted Championships and wanted more and now. Bridge? That's not what they want to hear and sadly with the Monster that the Red Sox had become it was only a matter of time where overreaction and instant gratification merged.

The owners including President Larry Lucchino got involved and before you knew it expensive low reward free agents were signed and prospects like Anthony Rizzo bundled.

Theo and ownership spent much time back tracking on the infamous 'bridge' comment and the media debating this distasteful concept. But it was true and in hindsight they should of let Theo draft and develop. The end result is he bolted due to the meddling, and muliple last place finishes- except for that bizarre pot of gold in 2013. Certainly history has proven was an anomaly. One of the most 'out of left field' championships in professional sports

The current Bruins are in that bridge right now specifically on defense as they transition from Cup teams of

Chara
Seidenberg
Boychuk
McQuaid
Krug

To some combination of

Krug and...Carlo, McAvoy , Zboril, Grzelcyk, Lindgren, Millers, OGara, Lauzon, Arnesson, Morrow and who knows who else

It's a tough spot to be in and fans don't want to hear it but the good part of this bridge plan is there is another side to reach. The alternative is you get to the edge and there is nothing but a drop.

The bridge also connects groups with different styles. The place they hope to be going has players who are significantly better skaters, puck retrievers, and much much higher pedigrees coming into the draft overall

John-Micheal Likes is a human symbol of getting from where they were to where they are going

As much as 2013 Red Sox championship was incredible it was a fluke surrounded by last place finishes, over reaction management decisions fueled by impatience and trading away a great prospect or two.

I also see the bridge as not too far- many of the group are going to be professional albeit it young and inexperienced.

Jacobs and Neely need not do what Henry, Werner, and Luccino did. It's tough because the older Jacobs isn't getting younger and that summer of 2011 I'm sure is something they all want to experience sooner rather than later

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[Ratty]

Great film with an outstanding cast; Dirk Bogarde, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman. Accurately portrayed Operation Market Garden in WW ll.

Present team strategy appears to be contend while building for the future. Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere".

 

[Fenway]

Theo and ownership spent much time back tracking on the infamous 'bridge' comment and the media debating this distasteful concept. But it was true and in hindsight they should of let Theo draft and develop. The end result is he bolted due to the meddling, and muliple last place finishes- except for that bizarre pot of gold in 2013. Certainly history has proven was an anomaly. One of the most 'out of left field' championships in professional sports

Jacobs and Neely need not do what Henry, Werner, and Luccino did. It's tough because the older Jacobs isn't getting younger and that summer of 2011 I'm sure is something they all want to experience sooner rather than later

2013 was indeed improbable for both the Red Sox and you can include the Bruins as well. If April 15, 2013 had just been a normal Marathon Monday the Red Sox don't win the World Series and I'm not sure the Bruins make the SCF either.

The Red Sox have a luxury the Bruins don't have as they can try to buy themselves out of trouble which for the most part has failed badly for them. The Bruins have to focus on development and try to make a smart trade or two. The Atlantic Division is going to get harder as Buffalo is maybe a year away and they look like they will be good for a long time. Toronto for the first time in 50 years seems to have a plan.

 

[ODAAT]

Great post friend. Patience will be the key. I`m so concerned that Ownership and/or Neely won`t allow the time for DS`s plan of attack to be seen through.

 

[TheBigBadB]

Patience is not wasting draft picks at the deadline to get marginal upgrades for the sole purpose of getting playoff gate tickets. That slows down the development path. Since drafts are crapshoots, more picks means better probability of a good player.

I understand what they are doing, but not a fan of it.

 

[DKH]

Great film with an outstanding cast; Dirk Bogarde, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman. Accurately portrayed Operation Market Garden in WW ll.

Present team strategy appears to be contend while building for the future. Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere".

Great line

They are clearly trying to multi task be good now and build

They are good enough to make playoffs

 

[roflstomper]

These defensive prospects aren't half as good as some of you think they are.

 

[DKH]

Patience is not wasting draft picks at the deadline to get marginal upgrades for the sole purpose of getting playoff gate tickets. That slows down the development path. Since drafts are crapshoots, more picks means better probability of a good player.

I understand what they are doing, but not a fan of it.

Problem was they were in first place in division and second in Conference

No team in the history of sports that I know became sellers at the trade deadline when they were in first or that close

I went back and looked and found some of the biggest critics today were ecstatic mid March with Sweeney's move - hilarious

 

[DKH]

These defensive prospects aren't half as good as some of you think they are.

Link?

All 8-10 are busts?

 

[Fenway]

Great line

They are clearly trying to multi task be good now and build

They are good enough to make playoffs

Last year they missed the playoffs by ONE point.

If they had made it and the way the bracket wound up they could have made it as far as the ECF against Pittsburgh - a team they SWEPT last year. Tampa was on life support in the first round but had enough to beat Detroit as they got healthier. Bruins might have beaten them. Bruins would have beaten Brooklyn. That alone must keep Cam awake at night.

The only thing I am confident about for this year is the Bruins will earn more points than Poutineville.

 

[hoss75]

Great film with an outstanding cast; Dirk Bogarde, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman. Accurately portrayed Operation Market Garden in WW ll.

Present team strategy appears to be contend while building for the future. Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere".

Or 'Bridge Over the River Kwai"

 

[EverettMike]

They got their ***** kicked in Game 82. I'm not sure I have them in the ECF if they made it in. They weren't very good. March and April was always going to be their toughest stretch, and they sucked during it.

 

[Era of Sanity]

I think that most fans can understand the concept of not being a contender while developing prospects for the future. We've missed the playoffs two years in a row, few if any think we are a contender right now. I think what fans fear is compromising this future by signing some vets and wanting to remain in the playoff race while trying to build to be an elite team for the future, it is hard to have your cake and eat it to.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

As there is a history of the 8 seed winning it all I believe last year's team would of been one and done if they squeaked in.

 

[remer]

Playing the first part of the year will tell us a lot about the Bruins. If they are not in the playoff picture by Christmas it's over for the year and hopefully there would be a plan to sell off existing assets and build for 2017- 2018.
Some big trades need to go in favour of the Bruins at some point.
Maybe dealing Chara or Krejci for some good young players on the defense will help.
This team still lacks top end talent and they need to address that.

 

[DKH]

Or 'Bridge Over the River Kwai"

Team song 'Bridge over Troubled Waters'

 

[Fenway]

As there is a history of the 8 seed winning it all I believe last year's team would of been one and done if they squeaked in.

But if they had made the playoffs they would have had the gorilla off their backs. They would have given Tampa a series and then who knows?

 

[Salem13]

 

[Ratty]

Or 'Bridge Over the River Kwai"

Another good analogy. In the first case, billions were poured into a project that was doomed from the start. In the latter, the project was blown up by the people who built it.

 

[Fenway]

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

But if they had made the playoffs they would have had the gorilla off their backs. They would have given Tampa a series and then who knows?

By getting in they would of traded one gorilla on their back for another. Still knowing how crappy they were playing down the stretch and having that in the back of their mind starting the first round.

 

[Gee Wally]

one of my all time favorite movies!

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I think most of us understand a rebuild.

Don't waste 2nd round picks on the likes of Liles and Stempniak, while not trading Eriksson at the deadline then!!

 

[Fenian24]

One of my favorite movies as well. Eastwood and Sutherland were great in this.

 

[Spanky185]

I think that most fans can understand the concept of not being a contender while developing prospects for the future. We've missed the playoffs two years in a row, few if any think we are a contender right now. I think what fans fear is compromising this future by signing some vets and wanting to remain in the playoff race while trying to build to be an elite team for the future, it is hard to have your cake and eat it to.

Many Yankees fans had this fear too, in fact more than a few were rooting for the team to lose just so the FO wouldn't buy into fool's gold and hold onto assets or even buy at this year's trade deadline.

To the great relief of many, the FO allowed for a sell off of assets and calling up kids to play. The Yankees have played their best baseball since the TDL, the youth completely reinvigorated the team.

Likewise the bruins need to cut the crap with the "compete while rebuild", it leads to nothing but mediocrity and near PO misses or one and dones.