News Article: Fluto: Bruins GM Don Sweeney hasn’t ruled out a coaching change

[Era of Sanity]

I don't know. The team isn't underachieving, the roster just isn't that good. Does anyone think we would be doing significantly better with a coach that is out there to be hired?

 

[Dr Hook]

The B's are heading for their 3rd consecutive playoff miss and people are acting as if firing Julien will irreparably damage the franchise. No guarantees that the next coach will be the answer, but if things continue as they are, it's obvious that CJ is no longer the answer and management cannot stand still and do nothing. People forget that 3 years ago when the B's missed the playoffs we had a team that was supposed to compete for the Eastern Conference title and last year we had an epic late season collapse, so everything cannot be blamed on the roster.

A coaching change might be an answer, but every time its happened since Milbury took the team to the finals in 1990 nothing got better, even though every change was sold as "just what the team needed to reach the next level."

I don't disagree that a change might be helpful or even necessary at some point-you are right, management will have to be seen trying to do something and you can't fire the roster- but I really don't want to go back to the carousel days. If the next guy comes in and doesn't perform to expectations, it's too easy to sack him and move on to the next. At the end, you get an unstable team, unhappy players, angry fans, and no more points in the standings that where you started from.

If they were to bring in a new coach, I would love it to be someone with a vision and the time and slack necessary to bring into operation. at least three years, but management will never make that guarantee (and probably shouldn't you could argue).

 

[LevelingSolo]

What if he is replaced with Gerard Gallant?

 

[Dr Hook]

What is MOC and Ftorek up to lately?

/kill me now

Ftorek is coaching in the ECHL No idea what became of MOC!

 

[DKH]

Claude is making excuses not good

Last two years have been the worst in 40 years

Go with Cassidy and at end of year if they suck bring up Dean

I want Cassidy so I can do a 180 and defend him

Cassidy would be like finding out Snape was really good

Oh please oh please

Best part of Cassidy will be having blow hards call me out on a message board like it will effect me

 

[DKH]

What if he is replaced with Gerard Gallant?

Stop it now

Cassidy please Milt deliver him to us

 

[ranold26]

What if he is replaced with Gerard Gallant?

A great coach. Someone is going to snag him up.
He is beloved here in Saint John.

 

[DKH]

I would think if Claude loses a few more and compounds it with a 'what he doesn't have or he's trying to play all these kids' we are looking at the Joe Sacco Era

 

[DKH]

A great coach. Someone is going to snag him up.
He is beloved here in Saint John.

Yes yes yes

He would be amazing but during the season would be tough - it would be a great move but my take is Sacco

 

[Greek_physique]

If this happens it'll be a huge mess.

Instead of actually providing Julien with legit talent we think firing him would be better for the Bruins.

Ugh

 

[Replicator]

I would think if Claude loses a few more and compounds it with a 'what he doesn't have or he's trying to play all these kids' we are looking at the Joe Sacco Era

I just threw up a little in my mouth.


But I don't see Claude pointing fingers at the roster. The defense has been fine, Tuukka has been good, the Bergy line could be scoring more, but they've been great. The 4th line has been good.
So is he going to complain that Krejci, Backes, Beleskey & Kudobhin were not good roster choices?

 

[Bread and Circuses]

I'm not excusing Claude here but I have been absolutely baffled that Sacco has not been fired for about a year now.

 

[Spoon fed]

I seriously cannot imagine any scenario where firing Claude (right now) would do anything to improve the team. Maybe, you get a couple of wins as the team is pissed off, but that's about it.

I'm not advocating to keep Claude, but if I'm Sweeney, I keep the coach for as long as possible. I'll bet that the ownership supports this choice anyway and If Sweeney is smart, he'll know that he has one last fall guy (Claude) before he goes. Doubt that he fires Claude in season. I just don't see it.

Who is out there that you really want to have coach this team? Do you really believe that Gallant is a better coach for this team? This is a TALENT issue, not a coaching issue. Could Claude do a better job right now? Sure, but how many wins does a coach really account for when the players are the same?

If Claude were fired he would instantly be the best coach available without a job.

 

[catsmasher]

Everyone should be fired. Sweeney should either do something or keep his mouth shut in the meantime.hes been a total disaster himself.

 

[DKH]

I just threw up a little in my mouth.


But I don't see Claude pointing fingers at the roster. The defense has been fine, Tuukka has been good, the Bergy line could be scoring more, but they've been great. The 4th line has been good.
So is he going to complain that Krejci, Backes, Beleskey & Kudobhin were not good roster choices?

Claude's going off the rails a bit and it was pointed out to me even. His comment on Colin Miller was absurd and subtle stuff like having to play with all these kids (seriously the Bruins core is one of oldest and battletested in league)

The public comment on the goalies was uncalled for it reeked is not being a team player

Claude talks about Belichick but his throwing players under the zamboni is 180 from his hoodieness

Wins will save him and as long as he doesn't run Rask into the ground he can pull it off

To me the Colin Miller comment would have pissed me off if I was GM

 

[TheBigBadB]

Both GM and coach have to be at odds here. We just heard Julien in an article basically critizing young players about putting them in important roles that may not be ready for.

Sweeney says that the young players need to be in critical roles to learn.

Something isn't right...

 

[xStanleyCupsFor]

Good. And who's to say that firing Julien will lead to a carousel of coaches?

It's either a carousel or Julien. There will never be another coach to stay more than 2 years in Boston. So we need to stick with Claude.

 

[JAD]

I would think if Claude loses a few more and compounds it with a 'what he doesn't have or he's trying to play all these kids' we are looking at the Joe Sacco Era

Oh please NO!

(What's Kasper doing these days? Maybe he could coach. At least he will bench people who are not playing to expectations. Oh, wait, forgot Cam is pres.)

 

[World of Wardlow]

What's the point at the mid-mark? It won't solve anything. Unless the players unanimously want Julien canned, it's a bad move.

You do this sort of stuff around the 20 game mark, not mid-season. If there were an abundance of good candidates better than Julien, maybe you take a look. But there aren't right now.

 

[JAD]

What's the point at the mid-mark? It won't solve anything. Unless the players unanimously want Julien canned, it's a bad move.

You do this sort of stuff around the 20 game mark, not mid-season. If there were an abundance of good candidates better than Julien, maybe you take a look. But there aren't right now.

I don't know if there are better coaches than Julien, but there are definitely different coaches and systems than Julien.
Not saying Claude should be fired, but to say no one can do better ... I don't know.

Edit to add: I said this 2.75 years ago after the game 7 loss to Montreal ... there is no way a team should come out so flat and play with such indifference as the Bruins did in games 6 & 7. Totally unacceptable. Players have changed, most of the core is the same - some changes, head coach remains the same. Yet over the last 2.5 years their has been far too much indifferent play at critical times to be acceptable. Yeah, at times they play hard they try for a few games and then they just come out flat end up losing games and giving up points to teams with less talent. At times just appearing to just go through the motion.
Something is wrong somewhere and it needs to change. Coach? Core? System? It's more than just talent. If it was only talent then they should not have played games 6 & 7 with such indifference against Montreal. It has carried over.

 

[bruinsfan1970]

So let's say the Bruins make the play-offs,Does Julien stay next season??

 

[trenton1]

No band-aids.

Sell the team.

 

[Mpasta]

What's the point at the mid-mark? It won't solve anything. Unless the players unanimously want Julien canned, it's a bad move.

You do this sort of stuff around the 20 game mark, not mid-season. If there were an abundance of good candidates better than Julien, maybe you take a look. But there aren't right now.

Mike Sullivan and many other coaches would disagree with you.

 

[Spanky185]

Anyone But Claude (I'd prefer Gallant over Cassidy)

 

[LSCII]

Both GM and coach have to be at odds here. We just heard Julien in an article basically critizing young players about putting them in important roles that may not be ready for.

Sweeney says that the young players need to be in critical roles to learn.

Something isn't right...

Yeah, Claude. Part of the reason they're in this situation is because of Julien's reluctance to dress the kids and live with their mistakes. The fact that Colin Miller and Joe Morrow are still question marks is all on him. They've been here for years. They should more than know what they have in both of them, yet they don't.