Sportsnet Elliotte Friedman " 32 Thoughts " Column ( Updated October 30 - 2024 )

BostonBob

4 Ever The Greatest
Jan 26, 2004
14,616
7,907
Vancouver, BC
Of course the only Bruin news is about the Swayman contract situation.

5. Otherwise, not a ton from the weekend on the RFAs. Quiet around Jeremy Swayman as everyone tries to bridge the philosophical differences. I stick to my prediction Dawson Mercer builds a bridge deal. The most stress-free negotiation so far is Thomas Harley’s, but we’ll see what happens this week.

6. One thing that’s definitely happened with Swayman: it has reminded teams why you should move mountains before taking cornerstone players to arbitration. Every few years there’s a case — Tommy Salo, P.K. Subban, Shea Weber — leaving lasting bitterness on someone’s part. (I always admired Brendan Morrison for not losing his mind when the NHL’s lawyer called him the mouse to Todd Bertuzzi’s elephant.) The best news for the Bruins is their No. 1 goalie still wants to sign long-term.



Full column: www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/32-thoughts-where-remaining-rfas-stand-as-training-camps-near/
 

BostonBob

4 Ever The Greatest
Jan 26, 2004
14,616
7,907
Vancouver, BC
No Bruin news this week but still a good read.

 
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Hookslide

Registered User
Nov 19, 2018
5,277
4,613
No Bruin news this week but still a good read.

Igor will set the market for goalies and Swayman will pout that he is not getting the credit for setting the market.
 
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BostonBob

4 Ever The Greatest
Jan 26, 2004
14,616
7,907
Vancouver, BC
Nothing major but Friedman squeezed in a bit of Bruin news in this week's column:

6. I watch a lot of Boston (shoutout Sophia Jurksztowicz, hope to see you back on-air soon). The eye-test isn’t pretty, the underlying numbers are unusually poor. Theory from 900 km away: the Bruins' two games with Florida messed them up. The playoffs are for “taking numbers” and dealing with things next season. The Bruins desired that, it was a pointed topic of discussion. But the Panthers beat them twice, while not allowing Boston to gain any satisfying measure of physical payback.

There’s been a lot early: Jeremy Swayman’s lengthy contract stalemate; Jim Montgomery going hard at captain Brad Marchand on the bench in Utah. That yelling wouldn’t bother me, as long as it was a rare occurrence. I’d be more worried if it happened often, that’s a sign of things coming unglued. A couple sources pointed out that they don’t like coaches who only make examples of young players or fourth-liners, and Montgomery isn’t afraid to criticize his stars. (The tap to Marchand was the only thing that concerned me, but didn’t cross a line and surely won't happen again.)

They don’t look like themselves, but repeatedly made us look like fools for anticipating their demise. High-IQ team that isn’t itself right now and needs a re-start. Again, personal opinion, but I thought those Florida games really threw them (and reminded us the Panthers are still a force).


 

Kalus

Registered User
Sep 27, 2003
2,086
1,441
Florida
Nothing major but Friedman squeezed in a bit of Bruin news in this week's column:

6. I watch a lot of Boston (shoutout Sophia Jurksztowicz, hope to see you back on-air soon). The eye-test isn’t pretty, the underlying numbers are unusually poor. Theory from 900 km away: the Bruins' two games with Florida messed them up. The playoffs are for “taking numbers” and dealing with things next season. The Bruins desired that, it was a pointed topic of discussion. But the Panthers beat them twice, while not allowing Boston to gain any satisfying measure of physical payback.

There’s been a lot early: Jeremy Swayman’s lengthy contract stalemate; Jim Montgomery going hard at captain Brad Marchand on the bench in Utah. That yelling wouldn’t bother me, as long as it was a rare occurrence. I’d be more worried if it happened often, that’s a sign of things coming unglued. A couple sources pointed out that they don’t like coaches who only make examples of young players or fourth-liners, and Montgomery isn’t afraid to criticize his stars. (The tap to Marchand was the only thing that concerned me, but didn’t cross a line and surely won't happen again.)

They don’t look like themselves, but repeatedly made us look like fools for anticipating their demise. High-IQ team that isn’t itself right now and needs a re-start. Again, personal opinion, but I thought those Florida games really threw them (and reminded us the Panthers are still a force).


That’s a reasonable take by EF. This team will be fine. They’ll make the playoffs, maybe win a round if we are lucky.
 

22Brad Park

Registered User
Nov 23, 2008
47,451
26,580
Calgary AB
Nothing major but Friedman squeezed in a bit of Bruin news in this week's column:

6. I watch a lot of Boston (shoutout Sophia Jurksztowicz, hope to see you back on-air soon). The eye-test isn’t pretty, the underlying numbers are unusually poor. Theory from 900 km away: the Bruins' two games with Florida messed them up. The playoffs are for “taking numbers” and dealing with things next season. The Bruins desired that, it was a pointed topic of discussion. But the Panthers beat them twice, while not allowing Boston to gain any satisfying measure of physical payback.

There’s been a lot early: Jeremy Swayman’s lengthy contract stalemate; Jim Montgomery going hard at captain Brad Marchand on the bench in Utah. That yelling wouldn’t bother me, as long as it was a rare occurrence. I’d be more worried if it happened often, that’s a sign of things coming unglued. A couple sources pointed out that they don’t like coaches who only make examples of young players or fourth-liners, and Montgomery isn’t afraid to criticize his stars. (The tap to Marchand was the only thing that concerned me, but didn’t cross a line and surely won't happen again.)

They don’t look like themselves, but repeatedly made us look like fools for anticipating their demise. High-IQ team that isn’t itself right now and needs a re-start. Again, personal opinion, but I thought those Florida games really threw them (and reminded us the Panthers are still a force).


That's on Montgomery.He should have been marking days as soon as schedule came out.I am not a big Friedman fan but he nailed this.
 

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