Post-Game Talk: GAME 16 - Advantage Linus - Ottawa 3 BRUINS 2 OT

[BruinDust]

I see no reason why it can't be both. This team has had a significant leadership drain since 2020 and the guys who are left and been promoted internally don't seem to be doing enough to fill the void. That's not me hating on Brad and the rest, just there does seem to me to be an issue in that regard, and frankly in context it's not that surprising.

But for sure there is a talent problem too, and a roster construction problem more broadly, and a coach who can't seem to get to grips with how to manage this particular type of roster. They're all factors IMO. The talent issue is probably the most significant, I won't dispute that, but it's a combination of things currently dragging the team down.

I think on the ice there could be better leadership by example than what we are seeing right now. It's a fine line though. You want your leaders to play the right way but you also don't want to suck the creativity out of them either.

You could bring Sidney Crosby here and I still don't think it changes the results very much just based on his leadership alone, no different than his leadership can't mask the fact the Penguins (like the Bruins) are just not very good.

 

[Sevendust]

When Sweeney went absolutely all in on that 2023 team with trading multiple years' first and second round picks, the shell game of cap allocation with Bergeron and Krejci's bonuses rolling over to future years, so on and so forth, they were going to have to pay the piper at some point, and even though the guys Sweeney brought in like Geekie and Coyle massively overachieved last year, everything has come down to earth this year.

I'm not mad at Sweeney, when you load up for a run, eventually it catches up with you, and that was part of the plan. Maximize everything you can while Bergeron was still here. And he built one of the best damn rosters in NHL history. Monty was the guy who blew it that spring with his unhinged panic attack of a playoff series.

IMO while Sweeney's choices in 2021 and 2022 brought us to here, I am of the opinion that he's earned the right to build another core up from the embers of the old one. I'm less and less convinced that Jim Montgomery has earned the right to coach a second one.

I think Sweeney still gets to much credit for the trade deadline 2023. Did he went all in? Surely, he did but did he target the right area to improve the team? My opinion is no. Team went into the offseason with a third pairing defensemen Forbort, Gryz and Clifton. Players that showed before that the would struggle in the playoffs and they did again ... He didn´t improve the fourth line center position and went with Nosek who was alright but wasn´t better then the fourth line center of their opponents.

Personally I think Sweeney should be fired because the team showed in every playoffs of the last years that they lack the drive to win big time and he didn´t improve the team in that. If the Maple Leafs wouldn´t be their very own worst enemey you would look at horrible playoff results of the teams Sweeney had put together. Sweeney still beneftis about the fact that the team reached the Stanley Cup final in 2019 and that his teams often played really well in the regular seasons, but if you look at all the playoffs individually, his team didn't really achieve anything, in fact, they were often pushed around and physically punished (Florida 23´, Carolina 22´, Islanders 21´). I don't see any improvement in this direction, in fact, they no longer even have the drive to play well and win in the regular season ...

 

[Jorah Marshmont]

I think past versions of the team have often had numerous players with "strong character" or leadership qualities. I'm not sure that is the case this year.

I think it’s telling they just decided on their best forward and best defenseman wearing the As. Don’t think Marchy has much help.
Remember when they had so much leadership they would rotate letters for home and away games? The good ol’ days

 

[bruinmann77]

Disappointed 3rd period absolutely horrible and the head coach without explanation 0 shots that on the players. Something has to change give it to thanksgiving.

 

[HumBucker]

Zero shots in the third period. Even a bottom-feeding team in this league should be able to muster a few shots on net in 20 minutes of play.

Is it coaching? I find it hard to believe that coaches are advising players not to shoot more. In fact, we've heard in the past players and coaches talk about players needing to shoot more and just get more pucks on net. I think that's on the players for trying to be too smart, and not simplifying things.

Is it leadership in the locker room or bench? Hard to know. Is Marchand really the right kind of captain? What about others: McAvoy, Coyle, Carlo, Pasta? I dunno. I suppose they all provide leadership in their own ways. Some people like to scoff at the notion that player X is "good in the locker room". Guys like Foligno. But I wonder how much of this team's current malaise is due to a lack of leaders of a certain quality.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

In my view, Sacco is certainly not the answer. It's an open question as to whether Leach would be much better, though I suspect so.

Who are your top five candidates?

I don't see how it can be Sacco. He's been with the Bruins for a decade. What can he possible have to offer that he hasn't already? Is Monty really that much of a dictator/one man show that he's simply ignored all Joe's bright ideas and they're just waiting for their chance to be unleashed? Seems very unlikely to me.

Amongst the current assistants, Leach is the only one that interests me for the top job. Also been around the Bruins for awhile, but only a short time with Monty plus he went off and got experience elsewhere. So could well be there's solid potential there that needs/deserves an opportunity.

 

[badbrewin]

Not having a go at you, but I could truly give no shits what JJ thinks or feels right now.

From a business standpoint JJ gets his return everytime someone shells out $$$$$$ on watered down beer or buys an 88 shirt at probably 100% margins.

He is rich, gets richer every day, and will continue to do so for the duration.

f*** him. I’m more worried about me and what I get in return for the investment of my time, attention, and interest.

As a Bruins fan of 47 years, I feel your pain man. As someone who has worked in the hockey industry for nearly 10 years in a senior finance role (where all the NHL teams and thousands of retailers were our clients), my JJ comment was purely from the business standpoint the way I saw it up close.

All decisions are driven by investment and the expected minimum return on them. As a fan, I get concerned when I think about how JJ perceives a GM who is given free reign to max out the cap, yet is having less success than the majority of other teams who spend nowhere near as much....ex:, inefficient investment in assets 73, 88, 28, etc. My concern has more to do with his willingness (or lack thereof) to spend in the future when they start to see the correlation between lack of success and diminished revenue, which they haven't had to worry about for 13 years.

But yes, he can keep riding the wave from the last 13 years for a while still, but the underperforming assets need to get their s**** together fast or we will all be in store for a long, miserable season.

 

[GordonHowe]

What's Larry Robinson doing these days?

What's Mike Keenan doing these days?

Perhaps they might exhume Punch Imlach.

Or Eddie Shore.

I don't see how it can be Sacco. He's been with the Bruins for a decade. What can he possible have to offer that he hasn't already? Is Monty really that much of a dictator/one man show that he's simply ignored all Joe's bright ideas and they're just waiting for their chance to be unleashed? Seems very unlikely to me.

Amongst the current assistants, Leach is the only one that interests me for the top job. Also been around the Bruins for awhile, but only a short time with Monty plus he went off and got experience elsewhere. So could well be there's solid potential there that needs/deserves an opportunity.

Possibly.

Mike Sullivan, Peter Laviolette and Bruce Cassidy all went on from the Bruins organization to win Cups.

Maybe Leach can too.

 

[Guelph Bruin]

Agree with others...team needs more leadership guys....love Brad ..he's on my fantasy dinner invite list with Denis Leary ...Brad can't do it all...needs support but outside leadership coming in...not the kids that grew up in the organization ..they really don't know true adversity and how to overcome...been there mainly for good days with no experience with overcoming the bad....not sure who that is ....Foligno would have been nice to keep.. thank God we didn't PTO Wheeler ...not a good leader ...Bergy or Chara as an assistant would do the trick

 

[GordonHowe]

I mean for f***’s sake.

What he said.

And I've been saying it for awhile, too!

 

[GordonHowe]

With how the cap is generally in the NHL, it’s so hard to make a trade vs 20 years ago. So this is the roster unless they go out on a limb and make a move. But half the team has no trade clauses, so that leads to Monty getting the boot. If that happens I have a hard time believing whomever takes over can turn this around. It’s a poor roster with too many of the same type forwards (3rd and 4th liners), little offence and a D that look like the keystone cops at times. LY our goalies bailed us out more than we realized I think.

The kids

 

[ON3M4N]

Usually you look and there's 1-2 areas the team is strong. You think, if we can shore up (the teams weakness) we'll be in good shape.

.....this team just isn't good is any area right now

SF/GP - 24th
Sa/GP - 21st
GF/GP - 27th
GA/GP - 23rd
PP% - 30th
PK% - 24th

 

[BruinDust]

Usually you look and there's 1-2 areas the team is strong. You think, if we can shore up (the teams weakness) we'll be in good shape.

.....this team just isn't good is any area right now

SF/GP - 24th
Sa/GP - 21st
GF/GP - 27th
GA/GP - 23rd
PP% - 30th
PK% - 24th

What's scary about these numbers is their GA/GP is 23rd with their goaltending holding up their end relatively speaking. For the most part, Swayman/Korpisalo have stopped the shots they are suppose to stop.

And their GF/GP includes the 10 spot posted in Games 1 and 2 vs. Florida and Montreal. Since Game 3 their GF/GP is roughly about 31st.

 

[ON3M4N]

What's scary about these numbers is their GA/GP is 23rd with their goaltending holding up their end relatively speaking. For the most part, Swayman/Korpisalo have stopped the shots they are suppose to stop.

And their GF/GP includes the 10 spot posted in Games 1 and 2 vs. Florida and Montreal. Since Game 3 their GF/GP is roughly about 31st.

The goaltending is the only thing I have no major complaints about. Korpi has come in and done exactly what I'd hoped he would. Swayman hasn't been playoff Swayman, but he's giving this team chances to win games.

 

[BMC]

I didn't see the third period. I know there were zero shots on goal for the Bruins

My question is why? Was it a case of Ottawa's defense denying shot opportunities? Or were the Bruins just failing or refusing to take advantage of shot opportunities? Both? Neither?

 

[BruinDust]

I didn't see the third period. I know there were zero shots on goal for the Bruins

My question is why? Was it a case of Ottawa's defense denying shot opportunities? Or were the Bruins just failing or refusing to take advantage of shot opportunities? Both? Neither?

I would say it was more a case that Boston could barely get the puck into the Ottawa zone with possession or win a foot race for a dumped in puck. When they did get in, Ottawa just pushed everything to the perimeter and blocked their weak shot attempts.

Supposed to be this big strong forward group and yet can't seem to gain inside position with any consistency.

 

[PaulD]

If you are this disappointed in Bruins u must be absolutely disgusted with habs

Absolutely. Its like grieving. Taking it in stages.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

I didn't see the third period. I know there were zero shots on goal for the Bruins

My question is why? Was it a case of Ottawa's defense denying shot opportunities? Or were the Bruins just failing or refusing to take advantage of shot opportunities? Both? Neither?

The Sens were playing stingy in their own zone. No doubt about it.

But to have zero shots for an entire third period in a tie game? The Bruins were trash. Execution was non-existent.

One thing I’ll disagree with most people about, is that aside from that Flyers game (most glaringly) the team looks like they’re trying to win. Their decision-making though, and their ability to make plays, and the puck support… They’re lost. This third period, they were battling. It was just mostly themselves rather than their opponents.

It’s frustrating.

 

[The don godfather]

I didn't realize bruins got 7 points in their last 5 games. That's pretty good . What's all this doom and gloom? Have some doritos.

 

[Boston Bandit]

 

[PaulD]

I didn't realize bruins got 7 points in their last 5 games. That's pretty good . What's all this doom and gloom? Have some doritos.

They are on play off spot while playing poorly.
Bs will be fine. But Monty might be this seasons Woodcock.

 

[bruinmann77]

the bruins do need to make changes either players or Behind the bench.

 

[The don godfather]

They are on play off spot while playing poorly.
Bs will be fine. But Monty might be this seasons Woodcock.

Who cares about regular season points as long as they get a spot. Wildcard is fine. All teams playing in the 1st round is tough. Just get in. I think they will.

 

[PaulD]

Who cares about regular season points as long as they get a spot. Wildcard is fine. All teams playing in the 1st round is tough. Just get in. I think they will.

Exactly

 

[The don godfather]

the bruins do need to make changes either players or Behind the bench.

Nah they will be fine watch. Mark this post.