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Management Charlie Jacobs, Bob Sweeney and Cam Neely speak to the media from the Bruins Black and Gold Gala

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Healthy Wrap said:
Yeah I’m not a fan of that answer. The team is 26th in the league in goals per game. Their power play is anemic and could benefit from a player who excels at zone entries.

If the team was winning despite a lack of offensive output, I could understand wanting to lean into that more straightforward, defense-oriented style of play. But they haven’t been.

What makes this answer all the more frustrating is the fact that after losing to the Panthers, Neely himself highlighted team speed as an area they needed to work on. He’s got what could be a potential answer in Lysell but he’d rather claim other teams’ unwanted players and call up the likes of McLaughlin than give the guy more than a 1 game showcase. How does that make any sense?
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I understand your frustration. I also want to see Poitras, Lysell, and Merkulov get extended looks and opportunity with the big club.
I also understand the need for these player’s to develop physically along with their overall game.
The average weight of an NHL player is a little over 200lbs.
Look up Lysell's and Poitras body weight from the time they were drafted to where they are today.
Lysell weighs about 181lbs, Poitras around 180lbs ... Merkulov at age 24 weight 176lbs ... those weights are from several internet searches, could be wrong and not accurate. Idk, but if close ...
Even by AHL average weight 195lbs ... they all need to add body weight or at least develop a heavier stronger core and stablizer mucles or they run the risk of getting crushed in the NHL.
Yes, that could happen in the AHL, but players in the NHL tend to be quicker and finish their checks with more force than in the AHL.
We saw what happened with Poitras last year with his shoulder. Shoulder history aside.
I have no problem with letting talented kids develop physically in Providence.
I know we need them to be ready now.
But it's a greater risk in the NHL than in the minors.
I just hope they don't rush them out of desperation.
Way too often young player’s have their careers sidetracked or ruined by being rushed before they are ready and prepared to handle the physical abuse of the NHL.
Just my two cents.
 
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whatsbruin said:
Please do not trade their round 1, or round 2 picks.
While they haven't been drafting very good lately, these should be the highest picks they have had for quite a while .
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Bruins do not have a 2025 2nd round pick.Do not have a 4th either they dealt that to Redwings and Montreal now controls that option.They have a choice of picks and could take one Bruins traded .
 
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Ladyfan said:
IMO they want to win the cup because that means more $$$. IMO winning the cup means more than $$ to Cam.

Everyone wants to win the cup. Too bad there are not just 6 teams anymore :sarcasm:
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Amen, Susan. People have a right to question Neely’s performance as President by all means. However I hope hope hope that no one doubts what I bolded in your post above.
 
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Ladyfan said:
I am a long time Bs fan too.

#1 on my bucket list is to see the Bs win the cup on home ice with me there. I am 72 and the expense of the tickets is wearing me down...Plus the ride to and from NH is OK for now...but I am old.

They had better hurry....and I know this is not the year
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I’m with you guys. Closest I’ve come was seeing Gretzky skate the Cup around the Garden in person. Super exciting to see Cup awarded and paraded in all its glory. Fantastic. Beyond that IT SUCKED THEN. STILL SUCKS NOW because now I’m thinking about Glen Wesley. Uggh
 
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badbrewin said:
You'd think that a 7 figure salary and the prospect of retiring at 35 would be more than enough inspiration, but alas...
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Yes, money is crazy. But show me a player who primarily worried about money and retirement who is also a Stanley Cup Winner and I’ll show you a Unicorn.

Yet, we can all list dozens and dozens of guys who HATE/HATED to lose and majority also Cup Winners. Oh what Cam Neely would do to be in the Cup Winners of that group. I’m honestly not sure any of us can actually imagine.

They are all human. Humans react to different motivation and sometimes need it from the outside.

Super glad I’m not an NHL Head Coach these days.
 
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22Brad Park said:
It's a cap world now ,so unless he is spending under it by alot then no he is not any cheaper then any other owner.
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Agreed. Only thing I’d say is it is largely HIS cap world. Fair play now, but those years cost me great heartbreak as a Bruins fan and anger over shutdowns/strikes as a general hockey fan. He was singularly focused on that Cap (not a typo) even over The Cup for a long time and it was first and foremost focus, IMO.

The fact that he spends to the cap now is good, but lets not crazy. Given it’s HIS legacy to the economics of hockey (and I’m not necessarily saying the cap is a bad thing) and he’s in an original six city like Boston??? He doesn’t really have much of a choice.

Again, not arguing economics of hockey. Just will always sad over what it cost this Boston Bruins fan.
 
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Number8 said:
I'm going to tread carefully here. Nobody wishes anything but good health for Jacobs Sr., but as you say time does run up on all of us. I wish him and his family good health and nothing but.

I agree that it seems that Jacobs wanted two Cups and probably isn't going to get them. However, IMO that is nothing to lament as far as he goes. (By the way, I'm not suggesting that is what you are doing here).

50 years is a long time. Several HHOF players came through Boston. Couple of near misses over that time. But any fan (or player) worth his or her salt knows that Championships are special, rare, require total dedication, and sometimes for the stars to align just right.

Requires singular focus.

In the meantime, for years JJ fought an almost solo battle for his Holy Grail -- the salary cap and that carried a non monetary cost. He succeeded, and owners across the league benefited greatly, as did he. We all make choices. Some owners want to win. Some owners want to make money. Some want both. JJ is one of the later two in my view, with an emphasis first and foremost on $. As I say, choices.

Just my opinion as a 50 year witness to Jacob's ownership track in Boston.
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Yeah I agree 100%. For JJ I don't think it's ever just been about making money, nor has the goal ever been as simple as 'just make playoffs'. When Charlie says repeatedly that they want a Cup I believe him. BUT the way they want to go about winning that Cup has always had two non-negotiable conditions - the franchise must consistently make a good profit and it must remain consistently competitive year on year if at all possible, because the latter assures the former. With very rare exceptions (2023 perhaps), long term profitability and financial security cannot be sacrificed chasing short-term on ice success. So management have had to operate and handle the roster mostly within those restrictions. As a business model it makes a lot of sense, in terms of winning trophies though it has some limitations.

I sometimes wonder how Sweeney would operate if he had absolute free rein. He strikes me as someone who's innately quite cautious and conservative, which is of course partly why he's so suited to managing Boston. But despite that he would perhaps do some things differently if he could. Unless he one day winds up as GM somewhere else, we'll probably never find out.
 
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I was listening to NHL Radio today and they had on Shane Malloy their draft expert. He states this is the weakest draft post lock out and the weakest he can remember since 1999. I don't have a huge problem using what will hopefully be a pick in the 20's to improve this team, ideally for a player with some term on his contract but I can deal with a rental, It sounds like the normal gamble that is drafting is going to be even more of a gamble this year to find a guy that will have any value. I really don't need another Duran or Kuntar in the organization.
 
Ahhhh. The Black and Gold Gala.

snooty guy.png
 
Number8 said:
I’m with you guys. Closest I’ve come was seeing Gretzky skate the Cup around the Garden in person. Super exciting to see Cup awarded and paraded in all its glory. Fantastic. Beyond that IT SUCKED THEN. STILL SUCKS NOW because now I’m thinking about Glen Wesley. Uggh
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I saw both Chicago and St Louis skating on the Garden ice with the cup.
 
Aussie Bruin said:
Yeah I agree 100%. For JJ I don't think it's ever just been about making money, nor has the goal ever been as simple as 'just make playoffs'. When Charlie says repeatedly that they want a Cup I believe him. BUT the way they want to go about winning that Cup has always had two non-negotiable conditions - the franchise must consistently make a good profit and it must remain consistently competitive year on year if at all possible, because the latter assures the former. With very rare exceptions (2023 perhaps), long term profitability and financial security cannot be sacrificed chasing short-term on ice success. So management have had to operate and handle the roster mostly within those restrictions. As a business model it makes a lot of sense, in terms of winning trophies though it has some limitations.

I sometimes wonder how Sweeney would operate if he had absolute free rein. He strikes me as someone who's innately quite cautious and conservative, which is of course partly why he's so suited to managing Boston. But despite that he would perhaps do some things differently if he could. Unless he one day winds up as GM somewhere else, we'll probably never find out.
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Why don't you think he does?
 
TCB said:
Since 2018 they’ve had 36 picks with Lohrei and Beecher being the only regulars. Poitras no doubt will be, maybe Lysell.

I don’t think they’ve reached the very well level quite yet.
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So you are counting last year's draft where no one has even played in the NHL outside of Celebrini.

Of those 36 picks, only 3 were first rounders: Beecher (30th), Lysell (21st) and Letourneau (27th).

Also, 3 second rounds: Lohrei (58th), Poitras (54th) and a complete miss Axel Andersson.

Also got Lauko with a third rounder.

19 of the 36 picks were taken in rounds 5-7.

That is indeed doing very well.
 
Dennis Bonvie said:
So you are counting last year's draft where no one has even played in the NHL outside of Celebrini.

Of those 36 picks, only 3 were first rounders: Beecher (30th), Lysell (21st) and Letourneau (27th).

Also, 3 second rounds: Lohrei (58th), Poitras (54th) and a complete miss Axel Andersson.

Also got Lauko with a third rounder.

19 of the 36 picks were taken in rounds 5-7.

That is indeed doing very well.
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Well last years draft would count under lately even though it only constituted as 4 of those picks.

I wished I had you as a teacher in High School
 
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Dennis Bonvie said:
Why don't you think he does?
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Because he is an employee with bosses who are not 'hands off'. Neely for starters clearly has an input in roster management and an ability to at least contest things with Sweeney if not completely override him if he really wants to. And the Jacobs family, Charlie especially, pretty obviously maintain a close interest in the management side of things. And most of all, Don remains subject to the two conditions I outlined above. Charlie Jacobs hasn't exactly been shy in making his expectations and opinions clear on that front.

I do think Sweeney has a lot of trust and latitude. He is ultimately in charge of roster management and I would say is mostly just left to get on with things as he sees fit. His judgment is valued. But those basic expectations and oversight remain and he must operate within them. Were he to stray too far I'd wager he wouldn't last long.
 
I`m not, in any shape or form a massive supporter of Neely as Prez and have said as much often over the years but I agree with this statement

“We’ve got to be smart,” Neely said about proceeding as full-fledged buyers. “If you do it again, you’ve got to know that you’re a team that has a good chance to have a deep run. You don’t want to go all-in and then not really feel confident that you’re going to have a deep run.”

I`m also a fan who believes for anyone on the boards thinking this team needs to rebuild, be aware of what those rebuilds look like and the years of pain they often require

Pasta, Marchand, Zacha, McAvoy, and a few others as a core, you want to rebuild, it starts with subtracting those players, how the B`s looking then? Rebuilds don`t happen by removing the Frederic`s, Wotherspoon types, those are the players that are often still with the team in a rebuild
 
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