Pre-Game Talk: GAME 21 7:08 PM - The Joe Sacco era begins - NESN, ESPN+, SNO, 98.5 WBZ-FM

[Dennis Bonvie]

You missed the part on his bio that 27 points on the PP , He still has no place in designing a power play,Never mind coaching one.

People wonder why it smells like old chicken

Winnipeg is ranked #1 on the power play at the moment. Last season they were 22nd. New assistant coach Davis Payne is being credited with the turn around. Payne played 22 NHL games (with the Bruins!). He had zero power play points.

Power play is all about execution, not strategy.

Ability as a player doesn't automatically translate to coaching. Most of the very best players have been failures as coaches.

After we fire Sacco. I think it’s time for a new coach to be brought in and let him bring in his own assistants. Sweeneys had his old boys club run through the bruins assistant coaching roles and it doesn’t work. The coach needs to have the choice on who gets hired to support him.

Seems to me it has worked pretty well.

 

[Yeti34]

Winnipeg is ranked #1 on the power play at the moment. Last season they were 22nd. New assistant coach Davis Payne is being credited with the turn around. Payne played 22 NHL games (with the Bruins!). He had zero power play points.

Power play is all about execution, not strategy.

Ability as a player doesn't automatically translate to coaching. Most of the very best players have been failures as coaches.



Seems to me it has worked pretty well.

In regards to the PP I couldn’t disagree more. The strategy has been the same for years now and it’s predictable and slows the team down. You have the dman rush in while everyone else is flat footed on the blue line with no chance to keep up with the play.

In regards to management selecting the assistants and working out pretty well by that same logic we should have kept Monty with his 120-40ish record. Success is measured in the playoffs not regular season.

 

[Therewolf31]

I'll be looking at the defensive structure tonight. That's presumably Sacco's strength and what they need to strengthen. This team doesn't have the guns to play an open style. They need a tactician.


This is also surprising to me. An Adam Oates or Marc Savard type would make more se

Savard runs the PP for the Leafs. 13th overall

 

[BMC]

If Joe fails to elevate the team in the next 10+ games...Cam and Don will be furiously on the blower looking to make some deals.
They used all their coaching cards, their asses will be on the line next if the results are poor.

As they should be. They've thrown 3 coaches to the wolves. Guess who's next to be eaten.

 

[BMC]

All I want to see tonight is the Bruins make an honest effort for 3 periods.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

In regards to the PP I couldn’t disagree more. The strategy has been the same for years now and it’s predictable and slows the team down. You have the dman rush in while everyone else is flat footed on the blue line with no chance to keep up with the play.

In regards to management selecting the assistants and working out pretty well by that same logic we should have kept Monty with his 120-40ish record. Success is measured in the playoffs not regular season.

I take it you don't watch the Bruins games at all.

The Bruins, for some time now, employ what most teams use for zone entry on the PP. McAvoy leads the rush and drops the puck back to a forward (usually Pasta) and they try to enter as a unit.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

As they should be. They've thrown 3 coaches to the wolves. Guess who's next to be eaten.

In what way?

Julien was here when Sweeney came in. He was coach for 10 seasons! His time was up.

Cassidy was here for 6 seasons. He'd seemed to have lost the team when he was let go.

Monty? Pretty sure the consensus was he had to go.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

123 NHL goals is a lot scored with the wrong end of the stick.

The final six seasons that could explain what happened.

 

[dugg133]

All I want to see tonight is the Bruins make an honest effort for 3 periods.

This is all anyone should really expect. One practice is too little time for Sacco to make any systematic changes, and he's keeping the lines the same. But the players need to show up and play like they understand that their lack of execution/effort just got a coach fired.

 

[dugg133]

In what way?

Julien was here when Sweeney came in. He was coach for 10 seasons! His time was up.

Cassidy was here for 6 seasons. He'd seemed to have lost the team when he was let go.

Monty? Pretty sure the consensus was he had to go.

Mart St Louis is the 5th longest tenured coach in the league rn, and he was hired in Feb of 2022. Coaches just don't last long anymore unless they win a cup, just the reality of the league these days. Cassidy lasting 6 years is an outlier, Monty lasting 2.5 is kinda the norm.

 

[JCRO]

All I want to see tonight is the Bruins make an honest effort for 3 periods.

Amen to that.

I want to see wins against bad teams over this next stretch, but really I just want an interesting product on the ice. I want to see that these guys are engaged for a full 60 and are ready to get the **** out of this rut.

LFG Bs.

 

[Yeti34]

I take it you don't watch the Bruins games at all.

The Bruins, for some time now, employ what most teams use for zone entry on the PP. McAvoy leads the rush and drops the puck back to a forward (usually Pasta) and they try to enter as a unit.

Except the rest of the team is still flat footed on the blue line. It’s the most predictable play in the world and it’s they do it every single time. I have yet to see another team employ this strategy as much as the bruins do. It’s like the creativity was sucked out of the PP in favor of structure.

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

Did Sacco do any line changes?
Haven't seen anything online.

Curious if it's more of the same or if he'll be trying to find some chemistry and maybe give Pasta a little more to work with?

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Mart St Louis is the 5th longest tenured coach in the league rn, and he was hired in Feb of 2022. Coaches just don't last long anymore unless they win a cup, just the reality of the league these days. Cassidy lasting 6 years is an outlier, Monty lasting 2.5 is kinda the norm.

Teams used to shakeup the teams when things were going bad by making trades,but with the cap and no trade contracts it pretty difficult to do anymore so the coaches get axed.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Except the rest of the team is still flat footed on the blue line. It’s the most predictable play in the world and it’s they do it every single time. I have yet to see another team employ this strategy as much as the bruins do. It’s like the creativity was sucked out of the PP in favor of structure.

So you don't watch other NHL teams play either.

 

[BamBamCam]

I see it two ways. Korpi has been better so you start him. Or Sway won't work through this sitting on the bench so you keep going to him

Swayman got called out last game, so you have to massage his ego and start him.

 

[KWbruin]

What message does it send your supposed No.1 goalie if he doesn't start this game tonight? First game with new coach on home ice. I wonder how many times a brand new coach in-season didn't start his top goalie in his first game.

Then factor in Swayman played well vs. Utah earlier the season (2-1 OT loss), and it's not like what happened on Monday night can all be hung on his neck. Just brutal defensive play from the Bruins.

But they need wins/points and Korpisalo has been the better goalie thus far (even though Swayman has gotten most of the hardest match-ups).

Tough call.

Absolutely start Sway, but with a short leash. He gives up 2 and either one of them smell in any way ... Korpi comes in. And you tell them that before the game. I'm no coach, but I'm quite good at being a bit of an arse.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Absolutely start Sway, but with a short leash. He gives up 2 and either one of them smell in any way ... Korpi comes in. And you tell them that before the game. I'm no coach, but I'm quite good at being a bit of an arse.

Yeah, don't think that's a good idea for the brand new head coach.

 

[HockeyMomx2]

It's been quite the eventful week since I've stopped checking every day...maybe I should do this more often. Let's Go Boys. Can we play a game of hockey like we actually know how to hockey tonight? I won't be watching, I'll be at the Coast watching the King Tides. They will probably win LOL

 

[Absurdity]

Did Sacco do any line changes?
Haven't seen anything online.

Curious if it's more of the same or if he'll be trying to find some chemistry and maybe give Pasta a little more to work with?

Only changes are on defense

https://x.com/i/web/status/1859628154861613483

 

[duffy]

I'll be looking at the defensive structure tonight. That's presumably Sacco's strength and what they need to strengthen. This team doesn't have the guns to play an open style. They need a tactician.


This is also surprising to me. An Adam Oates or Marc Savard type would make more sense.

other teams like Toronto and Tampa pick these smart people up, the Bruins only go after someone who was in the league at one time! No real credentials needed!
what is poor Sacco going to do with this group of low talent underachievers that Monty couldn't get done?

 

[BruinsFanMike82]

Korpisalo announced as starter.

 

[wintersej]

If Joe fails to elevate the team in the next 10+ games...Cam and Don will be furiously on the blower looking to make some deals.
They used all their coaching cards, their asses will be on the line next if the results are poor.

I suspect that people will be up in arms if there aren’t immediate drastic changes after one practice. But you gotta give it ten games.

 

[BamBamCam]

Hoping Sacco can get a Heartbeat, out of them tonight.

 

[22Brad Park]

If Joe fails to elevate the team in the next 10+ games...Cam and Don will be furiously on the blower looking to make some deals.
They used all their coaching cards, their asses will be on the line next if the results are poor.

Hopefully deals with lottery pick in mind at that stage.