Around the League 36-But Who's Counting...

[MinJaBen]

Their older core will not hold up come playoff time. If we are top 3 in Metro and they are top 3 in Atlantic I really can't see them winning 2 rounds and meeting us in the conference finals, so only mildly concerned about them if one of us drops to a wildcard and we get them in round 1 but that seems unlikely.

Yeah. Signed: Staal, Patches, Burns, Stazny, Stephan

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Yeah. Signed: Staal, Patches, Burns, Stazny, Stephan

Those aren't our core players, lol. Aho, Svech, Necas, Slavin, Pesce, Skjei, Jarvis, Turbo

 

[chaz4hockey]

Yeah. Signed: Staal, Patches, Burns, Stazny, Stephan

patches will have new tires come playoff time

 

[Stickpucker]

McDavid has McFinish on this one!!

Stastny did a really bad job fighting through the screen from 22 on that play. He got pushed back a good 6 feet to make tons of room for McDavid.

 

[MinJaBen]

Those aren't our core players, lol. Aho, Svech, Necas, Slavin, Pesce, Skjei, Jarvis, Turbo

I know. But my point was more that core only matters when you are talking how the team will progress/fare in your future seasons. In THIS season, it doesn't matter if a guy is core or not, what matters is that he plays for you. So if you think they have old players that will play poorly THIS playoff season because they are old, well, we have old players too. Whether they are here next year or not on either team has nothing to do with this year's playoffs.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Eichel absolutely dunked on Buffalo last night. Holy shit it must suck to be part of that fanbase.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

I know. But my point was more that core only matters when you are talking how the team will progress/fare in your future seasons. In THIS season, it doesn't matter if a guy is core or not, what matters is that he plays for you. So if you think they have old players that will play poorly THIS playoff season because they are old, well, we have old players too. Whether they are here next year or not on either team has nothing to do with this year's playoffs.

Core can refer to future but also current. The Bruins' most important players for competing right now are Bergeron and Marchand. Krejci is up there too. Their only players who are very important for them and right in their prime are McAvoy and Pastrnak. When Bergeron and Marchand slow down late in the year and are banged up at the end of the season, like they have been the last few years, the entire team's chances suffer because of how important those guys are.

We don't have that issue with anyone except maybe Staal and even then I'd argue he's not as important as the guys I listed above and he's still quite a bit younger than the Bruins guys. Burns too maybe but he's really only important to the PP and also he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down in recent years and even if he did it should hinder him too much passing and shooting from the point on the PP.

 

[MinJaBen]

We don't have that issue with anyone except maybe Staal and even then I'd argue he's not as important as the guys I listed above and he's still quite a bit younger than the Bruins guys. Burns too maybe but he's really only important to the PP and also he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down in recent years and even if he did it should hinder him too much passing and shooting from the point on the PP.

See, this is where I find that you are most incorrect. Staal is as critical a piece as we have, given the way he is used and counted on. And Burns is on our top PP, plays the PK as much as any defender, and is on our first pair....I don't see how you can say he doesn't fit your definition of "most important for competing right now". And if you are going to use the "hasn't shown any signs of slowing down in recent years"...where are your signs that Bergeron and Marchand have "slowed down"?

I agree with you that their hot start may not last, but I don't agree with your hypothesis that their situation is any different than ours when it comes to age related risks this season. If we are talking over the next 3 years, then your argument has weight, but for any single year, not so much.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

See, this is where I find that you are most incorrect. Staal is as critical a piece as we have, given the way he is used and counted on. And Burns is on our top PP, plays the PK as much as any defender, and is on our first pair....I don't see how you can say he doesn't fit your definition of "most important for competing right now". And if you are going to use the "hasn't shown any signs of slowing down in recent years"...where are your signs that Bergeron and Marchand have "slowed down"?

I agree with you that their hot start may not last, but I don't agree with your hypothesis that their situation is any different than ours when it comes to age related risks this season. If we are talking over the next 3 years, then your argument has weight, but for any single year, not so much.

I’ve watched a lot of the Bruins the last several years and live here and talk to a ton of Bruins fans. Many agree with me that Bergeron and Marchand’s play has tailed off later in the year in recent seasons. Using the eye test not stat watching. We can agree to disagree and we’ll see what happens

 

[sabremike]

Eichel absolutely dunked on Buffalo last night. Holy shit it must suck to be part of that fanbase.

Unfortunately that's what happens when two of your top 4 d are injured and replaced with AHL For Life guys who have no business being anywhere near an NHL roster. Losing Samuelson in particular has absolutely killed us.

 

[bleedgreen]

Hamilton, like TDA, are very good regular season defenders. They crumble when its going gets tough. Yay for 9 million of regular season success.

That’s a pretty weak argument, honestly for both of them. Both TT and Aho despite putting up production have been disappointing in terms of impact in their playoff performances….especially the first couple of seasons. They had to grow into the role, they both still have room to grow. No one seems to really care, and we just focus on putting better players behind him instead of labeling them as players that “crumble”.

Dougie had one “bad” series where he was counted on to do way more defensively than he had to in his Canes time, without the best defensive defenseman in the game helping out. Dougie actually had one amazing game against Nashville, with two key plays that won us the game but we forget that.

Do you seriously think Burns could handle the full load of being the top pair guy without Slavin better than Tony or Dougie in the playoffs? I highly doubt it.

As far as the nine million, with the cap going up 9 is the old 7 and with Dougie playing to the level this season I hardly doubt anyone gives a crap over there, just comes off as sour grapes from you.

Why not just appreciate how great both players were for us, and accept the truth that the team wasn’t deep enough and got what it deserved for that? Teams focus on the players who impact the game individually x2 in the playoffs. Not unusual for key players to struggle to replicate regular season success point wise.

 

[Svechhammer]

Unfortunately that's what happens when two of your top 4 d are injured and replaced with AHL For Life guys who have no business being anywhere near an NHL roster.

I feel like I've seen this episode before

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

That’s a pretty weak argument, honestly for both of them. Both TT and Aho despite putting up production have been disappointing in terms of impact in their playoff performances….especially the first couple of seasons. They had to grow into the role, they both still have room to grow. No one seems to really care, and we just focus on putting better players behind him instead of labeling them as players that “crumble”.

Dougie had one “bad” series where he was counted on to do way more defensively than he had to in his Canes time, without the best defensive defenseman in the game helping out. Dougie actually had one amazing game against Nashville, with two key plays that won us the game but we forget that.

Do you seriously think Burns could handle the full load of being the top pair guy without Slavin better than Tony or Dougie in the playoffs? I highly doubt it.

As far as the nine million, with the cap going up 9 is the old 7 and with Dougie playing to the level this season I hardly doubt anyone gives a crap over there, just comes off as sour grapes from you.

Why not just appreciate how great both players were for us, and accept the truth that the team wasn’t deep enough and got what it deserved for that? Teams focus on the players who impact the game individually x2 in the playoffs. Not unusual for key players to struggle to replicate regular season success point wise.

Dougie was destroyed by Washington and Boston in 18-19, what are you talking about? He was less than ideal in any series that wasn’t Nashville or Islanders.

Hardly a weak argument when you look at his production offensively compared to defensively over his career in the playoffs.

Plenty to seem to care that Aho hasn’t performed in the playoffs.

 

[bleedgreen]

Dougie was destroyed by Washington and Boston in 18-19, what are you talking about? He was less than ideal in any series that wasn’t Nashville or Islanders.

Hardly a weak argument when you look at his production offensively compared to defensively over his career in the playoffs.

Plenty to seem to care that Aho hasn’t performed in the playoffs.

The money didn’t work for Tony and Dougie and that’s why they aren’t here. The moneypuck game. It ain't because fans think either choked in the playoffs. I could easily see us winning the cup with either guy, but especially Dougie if we surrounded him with the right team and were reasonably healthy. Same as Aho.

 

[chaz4hockey]

 

[bleedgreen]

I like it for them long term, they aren’t ready for prime time yet. Adding a top five pick from this coming draft to their group would be huge.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

The money didn’t work for Tony and Dougie and that’s why they aren’t here. The moneypuck game. It ain't because fans think either choked in the playoffs. I could easily see us winning the cup with either guy, but especially Dougie if we surrounded him with the right team and were reasonably healthy. Same as Aho.

You think we wouldn’t have paid for either if they were known to be playoff performers? Yea okay

 

[Bub]

I feel like I've seen this episode before

It's a show from 2006. Was pretty good, too.

 

[bleedgreen]

You think we wouldn’t have paid for either if they were known to be playoff performers? Yea okay

If they were proven playoff performers they would’ve been even more expensive. Regardless, we don’t have any playoff performers…silly to tag those two with the blame. Unless you think Staal is a playoff performer, and over his career you could say that. Everyone else?

They weren’t signed because we don’t re sign guys who make it to ufa in their primes to top market prices. If Dougie had crushed it in the playoffs he’d still be gone.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

If they were proven playoff performers they would’ve been even more expensive. Regardless, we don’t have any playoff performers…silly to tag those two with the blame. Unless you think Staal is a playoff performer, and over his career you could say that. Everyone else?

They weren’t signed because we don’t re sign guys who make it to ufa in their primes to top market prices. If Dougie had crushed it in the playoffs he’d still be gone.

I like how your are ignoring the issue by pivoting to other players. Cool, cool

 

[bleedgreen]

I like how your are ignoring the issue by pivoting to other players. Cool, cool

I’ve already addressed the issue.

 

[CanesUltimate11]

I like it for them long term, they aren’t ready for prime time yet. Adding a top five pick from this coming draft to their group would be huge.

Yeah but adding another top5 pick to our division... woof

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Yeah but adding another top5 pick to our division... woof

I fully expect both Bedard and Michkov to wind up in the Metro

 

[AD Skinner]

Hamilton had 6 points in the 7 games against Washington in 19. Only Ovechkin, Backstrom and Slavin had more in that series

 

[DaveG]

During the flat cap, absolutely not. When the cap is going up? I can see it.

Ehhh, unless it goes up like 30m between now and the tail end of that deal it's going to take a Brent Burns retention style deal. I'll never say a contact is unmovable, just that it will take major retention and a mediocre return.