I was at work and missed the game.
I can only say I am pleased that Cassidy chose to go with the post January 1 lineup to begin the game. This was the lineup that got them to the playoffs, and they earned the trust of the coaching staff and deserved a final shot.
It didn't work out, and of course many will question Cassidy's unwillingness to go back to the top heavy first line when desperate for a goal. I get that, and it's a legitmate debate.
Nonetheless I'm glad Bruce and his staff gave the full crew their due. It didn't work out, but at least they weren't a one line team, too easily contained and snuffed out by another club's smothering defense. We have seen that too many times. I didn't want to see it again.
Whatever happens with Bergeron, the time has come for Sweeney to go. And Neely.
They've had six years.
This isn't about 2021-22. This is about their entire run, characterized by plugging one hole after three spring, doing so to expensive and frequently ineffective result, crap trades, bad free agent signings, and (surprisingly to me) poor player development.
Acquiring Lindholdm was an excellent, excellent move. I love Curtis Lazer. I'm rooting for Taylor Hall. Linus was better than good. Charlie is a $9 million truck, and deserving of every penny.
Craig Smith, Nick (an obvious buy out candidate), Derek ("though I liked his game in this series") Forbort, Matt Gryzlick, banged up for sure but a player who did not, could not, step in for Torey, who never would have left had Sweeney and Neely valued him properly and gave him the raise he deserved.
Brandon Carlo. Apparently at least thrice concussed (some here count them at FIVE), he has not developed into the shut down defenseman Bruins management counted on. At this point he is a liability in pretty much every catagory. Yet, to my knowledge, the Bruins are married to him for the foreseeable future.
I won't blather on, but there is a great deal of work to be done, and it must be done by someone other than Don Sweeney. Or (tell me what he does for the thousandth time, please) Cam Neely.
Both must go.
Cassidy is, again, an excellent, excellent coach. Yet five plus years is past the expiration date, and given that the Bruins face a future without Patrice Bergeron, sooner rather than later,
and a new direction toward rebuild/serious retool, it would perhaps be best to cut the cord now.
I don't know if Charlie Jacobs can grasp all of this (and I've spared you, dear reader; there's much more I left out).
He did when entrusted by the old man with finding a new GM in Peter Chiarelli, and, after the Dave Lewis debacle, hiring Claude Julien to lift the Bruins out of No Way am I Coming to Boston/Sinden and handmaiden OC, reliably pooh, reliably awful management). Mr. Burns as.. Mr. Burns.
Charlie went to BC. Charlie knows what people think of the old man.
It would be great if he could pull off something similar going forward.
The Bruins need a new approach, "a fresh voice," blah blah blah.
The also need a SERIOUS, MAJOR RETOOL, IF NOT A COMPLETE REBUILD. Boston has several very good players. They also have an unacceptable number of "Okay" to "Out of his depth" players.
*Especially on defense.* They've got a premium first pair and a bunch of spare parts.
The Carlo thing has to be dealt with. So does the Grezecyk disappointment.
As Michael Hurley pointed out on Evan Marinofsky's post game 7 podcast (sic), you don't just sign three defenseman over the summer and all is well. The D corps needs a systematic overhaul.
So, I guess we'll see.
There are several major questions about this club, but
as Hurley correctly notes, the fact that the Bruins didn't win their first round series, or go on to win another, removes ambiguity ("Well, we got to the Conference final; we're just a few players away") and makes plain the need for management change.
Again, there are many, many questions.
Sleep well, B's fans.
The sun will rise tomorrow.
