Post-Game Talk: ECQF GAME 7 - That's All Folks - It's Over - THANK YOU BERGIE

[Zillah]

Simple fact, I don't see how this team gets any better than what we just saw. Everything points to the exact opposite in fact given Time's undefeated record.

If Bergeron is gone this team is not a playoff team. Buffalo, Detroit and even Ottawa are poised to make the next step forward and Charlie Coyle is lining up as the 1st line C.

Either get the #1 center via a huge trade and push Bergeron to the second line with Marchand and a rookie or sell off assets and let a new GM draft.

Hall - (TRADE) - Pastrnak
Marchand - Bergeron (ROOKIE)

Lindholm - McAvoy

Swayman
Ullmark

...or blow it all up and only keep Hall and Pastrnak up front and the top pair. Nothing we've seen over the last couple years points to anyone on the current roster developing further than what we just saw.

Time will add more to every single one of the names not above in a purely negative way.

Reality sucks . You are not wrong . Tough times ahead . Teams behind us are poised for big improvement .

 

[whatsbruin]

My guess is they bring Krejci back and try again. If that's the case I will be pretty disappointed. This team needs a major overhaul from top to bottom, management especially.

If Bergy comes back, that overhaul won't happen. Maybe if he leaves. But I don't think Donnie would do a major over haul either, just my opinion. Don't think Donnie can get this team to the promised land. He has kept the team competitive but has not gotten them better. He rebuilt the 4th line entirely this year and it too was a non-factor.
If Bergy comes back, they need a #1C, push Bergy down, and rebuild the D with no Gryz , Reilly,
and maybe Carlo. Bring in players built for the playoffs.

 

[McGarnagle]

I don't care for Jacobs and don't believe he cares about hockey.

That being said, IF the Bs play well and win the cup that is more money for JJ.

I understand why most fans don't like him, but I feel like JJ is not respected enough for how he's kept the organization in a healthy financial state for the last 30 years. People don't realize how leveraged the Leafs and Rangers are because of their expenditures, that despite the revenue they bring in they're still at the whim of corporate overlords. Hence those teams tend to go through 4-year cycles of all-in and tank mode, where the Bruins chug along as perennial contenders with only generational transition moments (like we're about to go into).

Since 2007, the Bruins have always spent near the cap and he was willing to eat contract years on Dave Lewis, Chiarelli, Julien, as well as the buyouts Sweeney has had to make. I don't think the old blaming Jacobs being cheap for them not winning any more cups narrative still holds up anymore.

I'd like a front office change for sure. But there's something to stability which is good for an organization and helps bring more success than cleaning house every 4 years like the Leafs. That said, Neely's had a long run, Sweeney's also been with the org a long time and in his current role for 7 years, and as Bergeron likely retires I think it's an acceptable time for a wholesale generational organizational direction shift

 

[chizzler]

If Bergy comes back, that overhaul won't happen. Maybe if he leaves. But I don't think Donnie would do a major over haul either, just my opinion. Don't think Donnie can get this team to the promised land. He has kept the team competitive but has not gotten them better. He rebuilt the 4th line entirely this year and it too was a non-factor.
If Bergy comes back, they need a #1C, push Bergy down, and rebuild the D with no Gryz , Reilly,
and maybe Carlo. Bring in players built for the playoffs.

Not opposed to this.

 

[whatsbruin]

Don't feel to bad folks. These guys go home to their mansions and months off with family as we all go to work Monday and struggle with inflation

I hear you, but they don't have months off. Best guess, it they take a week, then start working out.
An not just for an hr a day, but hours, and they aren't eating brownies with ice cream or fries with cheese, but yes they don't have to worry about $5 gas.

 

[Coach Parker]

The scary part is perhaps Bergeron is ready to retire because his passion for winning has passed.

I am the biggest Bergeron fan out there. He is my all-time favourite NHL player (I have his jersey framed in my office, and two Canada jerseys including being the only guy in the arena wearing a #37 in 2010 lol) but if he doesn't want to fight and dig and put it all on the line then that also seeps into the team culture.

In 2011, he was the silent leader with a rookie LW and a retiring HHOF RW. They were the perfect secondary scoring behind a team overflowing with passion, intensity and emotion.

Thornton, Chara, Lucic, Kelly, Campbell, etc. Guys that were so pumped up and feisty that the balance of Bergeron was perfect.

This team on the other hand doesn't have the balance to offset Bergeron's calm and perfect play. They all follow his lead (outside of a quarterly outburst from Marchand).

McAvoy brings some passion but the rest of the list all follow the 'Keep Calm and Bergeron' mantra and have had varying degrees of success under it. Cassidy also follows this (as we see often other coaches calling out refs in the media and emotional outbursts as ploys in a series') but this team seems to be missing the counterbalance of an emotional and intense C.

If Patrice wants to come back and lead this team I expect him to want a guy above him who also brings an emotional level that can balance with him.

JT Miller is too perfect of a fit for me for many reasons but I just don't see the Bruins having the assets to make that trade happen.

 

[UncleRico]

Agreed. I’d even go so far as to say that Bergie retires and they don’t find at least one bonafide 1/2 center the chances of ‘23 PO’s are slim. If they don’t find one, then chances are extremely good they don’t come anywhere near PO and are a lottery team.

How about Mark Scheifele, he may want out of Winnipeg

Id rather blow the team up and get assets that can make the rebuild quicker than spend on Schiefele, be an 8th seed again, lose in the first round and prolong the inevitable rebuild.

 

[whatsbruin]

I'm not sold on Pasta. Love the kid, but there's just something that makes me think...not core.

He is a scorer and thats about it. He did seem to take the body more in the playoffs than I ever remember. He coughs the puck up a lot. No problem trading anybody, provided they get equal or better return. By equal, I'm not saying the same type of player. Trade Pasta for a guy who can score 30 and is a lot more physical and better defensive can be an equal trade.

 

[nORRis8]

Montreal is not contending with him.They just finished dead last and are drafting a stud centre to pair with Suzuki
.If habs waste cap there I will be shocked and be fast here to pat you on back with great call.

Good point.
I'm just suggesting that I cannot see Patrice retiring.
Montreal needs to cut some baggage which includes Gallagher and Price (damaged as bad as Tuukka) That's about 18 million right there.
Price has far more reasons to retire like Tuukka did. He came back this year but his knees flared up and he had to sit out some games.

 

[Si Hopkins]

Honestly if the Bruins had one ONE more cup in the last ten years, I could swallow their current downhill slide better, but this loss only makes '19 sting harder. I can't handle watching passengers and I'm tired of the management team. Watching Bruins teams with virtually no physical presence, I don't know, I can't stomach it.

I'm genuinely curious though: what do we need to do to feel satisfied? Is it Cups every year? Conference finals? Make the playoffs? We're passionate, we gotta complain, I'm complaining, but what's better, a competitive team that makes the playoffs or blow it up and start again? What do you need as a fan to feel like this team is alive and well and like your time and money is well spent?

 

[CAW1313]

I will never understand how people can talk about rooting for one team or another after the Bruins are out. I want nothing to do with the NHL once the Bruins are eliminated. especially these days when the NHL product is so awful and watered down. the only thing that keeps me interested is loyalty to the Bruins. when that's out of the way the NHL and all these other teams can f*** off.

You have a good point, me personally I don’t root for any other team to win except Boston. However, at this point I root against the teams I hate. (Tampa, Carolina, St. Louis, Rangers and Penguins). I’d be ok with Calgary or Dallas winning.

 

[khanomcat]

I hope they clean house, tired of all of this up and down crap, the one and done has to stop.

Huh? Boston Bruins Playoff History | 1925 - 2022 look at the last 15 years or so. They’re hardly the Leafs.

 

[bruinsfan]

If Bergy comes back, that overhaul won't happen. Maybe if he leaves. But I don't think Donnie would do a major over haul either, just my opinion. Don't think Donnie can get this team to the promised land. He has kept the team competitive but has not gotten them better. He rebuilt the 4th line entirely this year and it too was a non-factor.
If Bergy comes back, they need a #1C, push Bergy down, and rebuild the D with no Gryz , Reilly,
and maybe Carlo. Bring in players built for the playoffs.

I am on board with this only problem is Sweeney had to get a 2nd line center this year going as far back as last offseason perhaps before (I don't buy that he had no idea Krejci was leaving) so I am really not confident in Bruins getting that #1C hell it took them was 5 or 6 years to get a winger for the 2nd line. Sweeney's a mess and it's frustrating just thinking about how passive he is to address issues with this team, and when he finally does it becomes apparent that the he didn't even have to do any legwork to get the players over here (Hall and Lindholm) they both wanted to come over here and pretty much forced their previous GM's hand. I could probably go on all day about how bad Sweeney is at this but at this point I am pretty sure it's already been said on these boards.

 

[bruins19]

You have a good point, me personally I don’t root for any other team to win except Boston. However, at this point I root against the teams I hate. (Tampa, Carolina, St. Louis, Rangers and Penguins). I’d be ok with Calgary or Dallas winning.

Unless we are hoisting the Cup, I turn off the tv before the handshake line and will not watch another minute until next season.

 

[mjhfb]

deleted

 

[Bruinfanatic]

You have a good point, me personally I don’t root for any other team to win except Boston. However, at this point I root against the teams I hate. (Tampa, Carolina, St. Louis, Rangers and Penguins). I’d be ok with Calgary or Dallas winning.

Pretty much my take also ,although wouldn’t say I hate the Rangers .I don’t really watch entire games ,just check the scores,other than with Bourque when he went to Colorado.

 

[BruinsJoe]

They need a top C and top 4 D. Debrusk, Carlo, Studnicka need to go maybe they re trade chips for a top C ( Scheifele is gonna be available just saying). Sign a ufa RD. Trade Grezlyck for pick to cap space. Buyout Foligno. Bergy s gonna be back for at least one year for cheap ( 3mil??)

Marchy ???? Pasta
Hall Bergy Lysell
Haula Coyle Smith ( last dance)
Frederic Blidh Nosek Steen Beecher

Lindholm Stallion
Zboril ???? ( Klingberg, Manson are good options)
Forbort Cliffy Reilly Achan

Need a new GM and new voice in the room, some one who can bring motivation to players when its time to performe at 150%

 

[Meusoc]

Pasta is part of the core.

The core of what? A non-playoff team next year.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Huh? Boston Bruins Playoff History | 1925 - 2022 look at the last 15 years or so. They’re hardly the Leafs.

Yeah the Leafs don’t even get a sniff what have they made it to the Conference finals once since 67 .

 

[DarrenBanks56]

The core of what? A non-playoff team next year.

everyone said they were a non playoff team this year and they had 107 points.
they will be right in the mix again next sesson. no doubt.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

everyone said they were a non playoff team this year and they had 107 points.
they will be right in the mix again next sesson. no doubt.

As long as Bergy stays ,without I have my doubts

 

[missingchicklet]

everyone said they were a non playoff team this year and they had 107 points.
they will be right in the mix again next sesson. no doubt.

In all fairness, in the preseason poll on this forum asking where the Bs would finish this season, less than 6% voted that the Bs would not make the playoffs. 94% voted that they would make the playoffs.

 

[Ladyfan]

The core of what? A non-playoff team next year.

They were IN the playoffs and Pasta IS part of the Bruins core going forward.

No one knows about next season.

You do know that Pasta scored 40 goals this season, right?? Don't be a dope

 

[TCB]

Agreed. I’d even go so far as to say that Bergie retires and they don’t find at least one bonafide 1/2 center the chances of ‘23 PO’s are slim. If they don’t find one, then chances are extremely good they don’t come anywhere near PO and are a lottery team.

How about Mark Scheifele, he may want out of Winnipeg

Scheifele or Dubious would be nice but the odds of Sweeney making any major off season deal is slim to none, and as much as I want him gone, I don't see it happening. I see the Bruins as a lottery team and a chance at drafting Bedard, way before I see Sweeney pulling off any off-season trade for a legit top number one center.

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

Yep that is why depth comes in line... saying the contrary is simple dumb imo. 37 and 63 is the reason it got to game 7. 7 th game Bergeron and the first line has 1 goal +1 and missed a couple of opportunity. Stay on your agenda boys!

Ultimately Hall didn't deliver either. He does a lot of good things and has a lot of skill but he's the definition of a complimentary player and desperately needs a good center to play with. I know nobody wants to hear it, but everybody thinks it, if we have Krejci playing as good as he did the year before we are moving on to the second round.
That's not to fault Haula, he's a decent hockey player, but he's just not Krejci, and we didn't replace him adequately.