confused???

[High five Tom]

I really don't get it. So many people are writing off the Bruins this upcoming season. Why? There is not too much on the current roster that makes them significantly worse then last season. We finished with 96 points and just missed the playoffs. Highest point total to miss the playoffs in NHL history. If Krejci and Chara are healthy the whole year, then we would of been fighting for top spot in the east.

The was I see it is:
Hayes>Smith
Lucic = Belesky ( though Belesky could be a bust)
Spooner = Soderberg
Hamilton we will miss but he is definitely replaceable for this season.

I think we still are one of the better teams in east. Am I crazy?

anyways....

Click to read more...

 

[Fire Sweeney]

I really don't get it. So many people are writing off the Bruins this upcoming season. Why? There is not too much on the current roster that makes them significantly worse then last season. We finished with 96 points and just missed the playoffs. Highest point total to miss the playoffs in NHL history. If Krejci and Chara are healthy the whole year, then we would of been fighting for top spot in the east.

The was I see it is:
Hayes>Smith
Lucic = Belesky ( though Belesky could be a bust)
Spooner = Soderberg
Hamilton we will miss but he is definitely replaceable for this season.

I think we still are one of the better teams in east. Am I crazy?

anyways....

Well if you truly believe your points 2 and 4 you just may be... Beleskey will never be more than a 30 point guy or so and I'd like to know who will take on the tough defensive minutes while contributing offensively. Not McQuaid, not Krug, not Irwin.

 

[Dr Quincy]

I really don't get it. So many people are writing off the Bruins this upcoming season. Why? There is not too much on the current roster that makes them significantly worse then last season. We finished with 96 points and just missed the playoffs. Highest point total to miss the playoffs in NHL history. If Krejci and Chara are healthy the whole year, then we would of been fighting for top spot in the east.

The was I see it is:
Hayes>Smith
Lucic = Belesky ( though Belesky could be a bust)
Spooner = Soderberg
Hamilton we will miss but he is definitely replaceable for this season.

I think we still are one of the better teams in east. Am I crazy?

anyways....

1) The "highest pt total to miss the playoffs in history" thing is totally misleading since more games now end up with 3 pts than ever.

2) I'm not a huge Hamilton fan but he's better than whoever will be replacing him in the top 6, nevermind the fact that they never bothered to replace Boychuk, never mind the fact that Chara and Seidenberg are another year older. The defense is really weak.

3) One of the better teams in the east? No. They aren't. They can certainly make the playoffs, and I like what Sweeney has done this offseason, but this is absolutely the definition of a bridge year.

 

[High five Tom]

I see them finishing in the 3-6 range. Certainly not 11-15 like some have predicted. That's what baffles me.

 

[Kaoz]

Beleskey's career high point total is significantly worse then Lucic's career best. How do they equal?

Beleskey is a significant downgrade.

 

[High five Tom]

Beleskey's career high point total is significantly worse then Lucic's career best. How do they equal?

Beleskey is a significant downgrade.

Have you been watching Lucic the past two seasons?? Just awful and so inconsistent. Belesky did have a great playoffs and a decent year. Sure he could be the next Martin Lapointe, but I can see him putting in 20 this season playing with a healthy krejci.

 

[Dellstrom]

Too many question marks. If all of them go well, yeah, we'll be a good team. But that's very unlikely.

I don't think we'll be competitive this year. We'll fight for a playoff spot. But I love the direction we're taking. No more laziness, work or you're out. If we have to sacrifice a year to get there, fine by me. It'll be worth the wait.

 

[Dizzay]

Lucic is my favorite player......but how effective was he without Krejci last season? 18 goals?

There are a ton of players who have become snipers in the league after getting a premier set up man. Yeah, he spent time with Getzlef but maybe Krejci is the guy who gets him to the 30 goal mark consistently?

I agree with the OP, I think we're going to surprise a lot of people this season.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

The 14-15 Bruins played like crap all year and missed the playoffs by a hair for so many reasons.

Who really knows how this 15-16 team will do. That's all predictions right now. For me, I wouldn't be surprised at all if we get more pts in the standings than last year.

Just Rask make this team competitive enough to fight for a playoffs spot. 82 games from Krejci (hopefully) is much better than 47.

A full year of Spooner+Pasta.

Forward group won't have many problems scoring more than the 171 goals the F had last year.

Big question mark on Chara+Seids: was their play last year more about injuries or age?

Overall, I like the makup of this team. Should be an interesting team to Watch. Big chance from last year... Not a Cup contender without huge luck but I see them making the playoffs. Something that "better 14-15 team on paper" wasn't able to do...

 

[BB88]

Tampa,
Rangers,
Islanders,
Washington,
Montreal,
Detroit,

Pens,
Columbus,
Ottawa
Boston/Florida/Flyers.

Buffalo,
Devils,
Carolina,
Toronto.

- weaker D offensively
-slower D
- less physical D
-less top talent
- huge amount of IF's around top players.

Big problem is that none of the teams ahead of us have gotten weaker, only teams near us have gotten better or teams that were behind us.

 

[DKH]

I really don't get it. So many people are writing off the Bruins this upcoming season. Why? There is not too much on the current roster that makes them significantly worse then last season. We finished with 96 points and just missed the playoffs. Highest point total to miss the playoffs in NHL history. If Krejci and Chara are healthy the whole year, then we would of been fighting for top spot in the east.

The was I see it is:
Hayes>Smith
Lucic = Belesky ( though Belesky could be a bust)
Spooner = Soderberg
Hamilton we will miss but he is definitely replaceable for this season.

I think we still are one of the better teams in east. Am I crazy?

anyways....

100 points lock

Krejci and Seidenberg and Chara should be healthier

Pasta & Soooner full year

No Soup & Pie offensive black whole

Connoly replaces Smith on RW

Backup G has to be better

We lose Dougies points but he takes his turnovers with him

Better team

 

[DKH]

Beleskey's career high point total is significantly worse then Lucic's career best. How do they equal?

Beleskey is a significant downgrade.

Lucic trending down Belesky up. That simple

Even as motivated as Lucic will be they will finish within 5 even strength goals of each other If same games played

 

[LSCII]

The Bruins have gotten weaker overall this off season (after not being good enough last year to make the playoffs), while most of the teams already ahead of them and several behind them have all vastly improved. This is going to be a transitional year, no matter how badly you think it's not. They're not a good team. They have glaring holes. They need everyone on the roster to have career seasons just to be close to making the playoffs, and that doesn't happen very often.

 

[Fenian24]

Tampa,
Rangers,
Islanders,
Washington,
Montreal,
Detroit,

Pens,
Columbus,
Ottawa
Boston/Florida/Flyers.

Buffalo,
Devils,
Carolina,
Toronto.

- weaker D offensively
-slower D
- less physical D
-less top talent
- huge amount of IF's around top players.

Big problem is that none of the teams ahead of us have gotten weaker, only teams near us have gotten better or teams that were behind us.

Better than Detroit and Ottawa. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Pens implode with the stay puft marshmallow man playing with Malkin or Crosby. Count on Kessel and you are in trouble.

They should contend for a playoff spot with the lineup as it is now, add a top 4 D and they make it easily, team is built for the grind of the playoffs and could surpise some teams in April/May.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

The Bruins have gotten weaker overall this off season (after not being good enough last year to make the playoffs), while most of the teams already ahead of them and several behind them have all vastly improved. This is going to be a transitional year, no matter how badly you think it's not. They're not a good team. They have glaring holes. They need everyone on the roster to have career seasons just to be close to making the playoffs, and that doesn't happen very often .

If everyone on the roster has a career year, we end up 1st in the East.

 

[LSCII]

If everyone on the roster has a career year, we end up 1st in the East.

Doesn't matter because it won't ever happen.

Some guys will over perform while others under perform. It's the nature of the beast.

 

[BB88]

Better than Detroit and Ottawa. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Pens implode with the stay puft marshmallow man playing with Malkin or Crosby. Count on Kessel and you are in trouble.

They should contend for a playoff spot with the lineup as it is now, add a top 4 D and they make it easily, team is built for the grind of the playoffs and could surpise some teams in April/May.

Detroit added Green their biggest need and have lots of potential prospects pushing into lineup and being ready to step up.

Ottawa is a mystery and Pens got in last year with a lot worse team and they had a lot lot more injury problems than we did.

Their top6+ 1st pairing will carry them into playoffs, not far but into the playoffs.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Doesn't matter because it won't ever happen.

Some guys will over perform while others under perform. It's the nature of the beast.

I know. Just pointing out that they don't need career years from everyone on the roster just to be close to making the playoffs like you pretended...

 

[LSCII]

I know. Just pointing out that they don't need career years from everyone on the roster just to be close to making the playoffs like you pretended...

Meh. I beg to differ. You have a roster full of really what are second tier scoring types with low 20 goal potential. If you want to be a top team in the east, you need a legit scorer. Since this roster won't have that, I think claims that they can be a top team in the league if everyone has a career year are dubious at best, and completely misguided at worst. I'd even go so far as to say they could have 4-5 guys all score 20 goals and still easily miss the playoffs.

 

[alg363636]

I really don't get it. So many people are writing off the Bruins this upcoming season. Why? There is not too much on the current roster that makes them significantly worse then last season. We finished with 96 points and just missed the playoffs. Highest point total to miss the playoffs in NHL history. If Krejci and Chara are healthy the whole year, then we would of been fighting for top spot in the east.

The was I see it is:
Hayes>Smith
Lucic = Belesky ( though Belesky could be a bust)
Spooner = Soderberg
Hamilton we will miss but he is definitely replaceable for this season.

I think we still are one of the better teams in east. Am I crazy?

anyways....

Smith>Hayes. But it's a good trade because Hayes + cap space >Smith
Lucic>Beleskey
Agree
Disagree

The issue is there are so many question marks. Will Hayes be anything useful? Will Connolly be anything useful? Is Beleskey really a 20+ goals guy? Will Pasta or Spooner regress? Who plays where? Will Chara and Seids continue to regress? Can Krug play top 4 minutes? Are any of Trotman, Morrow or Miller NHL ready?

So if everyone of those questions ends up with a positive answer, then yes we would be a top team in the east. But if every one of those has a bad answer, we are going to be horrible. So I don't judge people for thinking we'll be okay but I also don't judge people for thinking we're going to suck.

But based on last season there is a lot of reason to be negative. A ton of things have to go right for us to be good.

We're not going to be tanking. Rask, Bergeron, Krejci and Marchand are too good for that. But if our defense is as bad as it has the potential to be this is going to be a long season.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Meh. I beg to differ. You have a roster full of really what are second tier scoring types with low 20 goal potential. If you want to be a top team in the east, you need a legit scorer. Since this roster won't have that, I think claims that they can be a top team in the league if everyone has a career year are dubious at best, and completely misguided at worst. I'd even go so far as to say they could have 4-5 guys all score 20 goals and still easily miss the playoffs.

Are you really beleiving that we need a career year from everyone on the roster to only have a chance to making the playoffs?

15-16

Loui 37g-74pts
Bergeron 32g-74pts
Krejci 24g-74pts
Marchand 29g-56pts
Chara 20g-52pts
Krug 15g-41pts
Rask 1.96gaa, .932, 8SO
etc for everyone else...

Like I said, if everyone has a career year, unlike what you pretend, we are not a bubble playoffs team. We are #1 in the East.

In fact, only one player could have a career year and we would be in the playoffs even if all others are average or below. You know this player?

#40

 

[PatriceBergeron]

I see them finishing in the 3-6 range. Certainly not 11-15 like some have predicted. That's what baffles me.

New York Rangers
Tampa Bay
Montreal
Detroit
Washington
New York Islanders
Columbus
Pittsburgh
Ottawa
Florida

Which of these teams are we better than? Maybe Florida? We are sitting at 11th with Philadelphia right now IMO.

 

[OConnellsProtege]

The potential to be a playoff team is there, but we haven't this machine in motion yet. Questions surrounding our new guys and the vets coming off of injuries last year makes everyone's opinion valid. At this point, it's pessimism vs optimism.

 

[Fenian24]

New York Rangers
Tampa Bay
Montreal
Detroit
Washington
New York Islanders
Columbus
Pittsburgh
Ottawa
Florida

Which of these teams are we better than? Maybe Florida? We are sitting at 11th with Philadelphia right now IMO.

Already better than the bolded teams and if Kessel is as much of a bust in Pittsburgh as I suspect they will be better than them as well.
Also wouldn't be surprised to see Tampa or Montreal slip. Montreal got weaker by adding Semin and Price shouldn't have as good a season again.

 

[BMC]

IMO if all of the defensemen don't rebound from last season this upcoming season will be very long and not in a good way.

Everybody's screaming about the top 9 forwards it seems like but the Bruins aren't sniffing the playoffs without better D. Rask can only do so much.