Post-Game Talk: GAME 53 - Winterpeg 6 BRUINS 2

I can’t believe I’m saying this again but, hire Clode. He preaches board play. They are confused.
He’s had a heart attack

I’m his cardiologist no bleeping way are you coaching the Boston Bruins

Sweeney, some middle 1st round picks, and a “retool”. What could go wrong?
Chara doing the draft picks if he can get a draft guide in Prague
 
We have become very accustomed to playoff hockey.

In a 32 team league, half of the clubs missed the playoffs.

The last time they missed, they were in the mix until the very end of the season, and that was coming off of a presidents’ trophy, and a cup final appearance.

Life comes at you fast. I’m not big on scapegoats, nor am I looking to crucify any player or executive for that matter.

You have to look at the organization on paper in terms of the talent, and building blocks in place. You also have to look at the culture and identify if you have the right building blocks, or if you want to change the foundation moving forward.

This organization is at a crossroads. How they proceed at this point and moving forward is critical.
 
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You let DeBrusk walk and deal Ullmark.

You let some of the fringe players that performed well or in some cases over performed last year walk away as well.

You bring in Lindholm as your number one center to fill a need, and Zadorov to add some size on the blue line.

With the core you have in place, the argument is you are no worse than wildcard one, and possibly top three in the Atlantic.

So it’s either that the supporting cast is entirely miscast, or something is rotten with the core.

Which one is it?

Or is this all on the coaching? I don’t buy that.

In other words, can you run it back next year with the same core? Do you even have a choice at this point?

Their franchise forward just won 1st star in the NHL for the previous week and is one of the most productive players in the NHL the past month.

Problem is, they have just one forward that I would term a core guy. Sorry but Brad Marchand at his age is no longer a core piece. His production tailed off around the same time last year and you can't expect to compete if he's your 2nd best offensive player. Still a useful player to have around, but expectations need to come down, as do his expectations of him as captain. I don't see how D-men running around, out of position, trying to over compensate for each other is the fault of Brad Marchand. He didn't compile this mish-mash group of mediocre forwards.

On D it's been a disaster many games. How did McAvoy/Carlo/Lohrei look just fine last year and now don't seem to know how to play positional defense? Zadorov has his moments where he looks like an all-star, and other moments where it looks like he should be playing on the wing. Same with Lorhei.

I'm tired of seeing the goaltenders blamed for this mess. It's the low-hanging fruit. I'm amazed they've won as much as they have quite frankly given the circumstances. As far as I'm concerned, their are only two reasons the Bruins are even sniffing a playoff spot, Pastrnak's production and the two goalies.

As for the coaches? Who knows? Chris Kelly is a former Bruin internal hire who was gifted a job. Jay Leach left the organization and came back. I really don't know how it went for him in Seattle. Joe Sacco seems like a mediocre coach beholden to playing certain players in certain roles based on what they are being paid. Listening to him speak he certainly doesn't sound like a guy who is going to inspire his team or grab this group by the jugular.
 
We have become very accustomed to playoff hockey.

In a 32 team league, half of the clubs missed the playoffs.

The last time they missed, they were in the mix until the very end of the season, and that was coming off of a presidents’ trophy, and a cup final appearance.

Life comes at you fast. I’m not big on scapegoats, nor am I looking to crucify any player or executive for that matter.

You have to look at the organization on paper in terms of the talent, and building blocks in place. You also have to look at the culture and identify if you have the right building blocks, or if you want to change the foundation moving forward.

This organization is at a crossroads. How they proceed at this point and moving forward is critical.

Exactly and it really should be a retool. Identify who of the core are winners and who are not and those you trade. Disrupt the happy place and move forward. Target young players in the trades you make. Carlo is absolutely gone. Frederic, how can somebody even think about paying him anything north of 4 Million? Gone. Coyle, gone. If they move forward in the state they are they will do more damage to their future.

Pettersson has been outed by his own management as lazy and is currently riding a sub-standard 32-point season on an $11.6m salary. Hard pass. I don't want him or Miller. Just stay away from Vancouver unless it's Brock Boeser.

Yeah, thanks no to Pettersson and Miller.
 
Lohrei is a disaster in his own end. He should only be playing sheltered minutes on the 3rd pair.

Coyle, Carlo, Freddy, Brazeau.........i cannot wait until I don't have to see you in the Bs uniform ever again. Complete trash. Carlo might be the biggest p***y in the league, Brazeau a close 2nd.

Not even remotely enough top 6 talent on this team. Also the last thing we need to do is overpay to keep Geekie because of his backdoor tap ins in January that Pasta fed him on a silver platter. Sell high if the organization is actually doing a retool on the fly.
 
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Cant trade sway solid number 1.
I really question if he is. Just an opinion ,but I do question Swayman. I think he plays for the name on the back of his sweater, far more than for the crest on the front. For me I feel there are several players in that locker room that do . I feel the Swayman contract is one of the biggest issues with how this team ended up the mess of a team they are.
 
This is the game that broke me. My wife got laid off and we have to do some belt tightening.

When I said “why don’t we cancel NESN 360” this morning, I felt relief.
 
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If Sweeney lasts the week with no trades he simply must go.

Send Sacco as well. Terrible coach, emotionless as well. Pulled the goalie tonight? Embarrassing.

The rest of the coaches and a handful of players must go. Change the culture. It is stale.

Keep Pastrnak.
Kind of Patrick Roy like icky.

I must say my view on Marchy has changed substantially in the last little bit.
The A looked better on him than the C.
But his attitude makes me wonder if he even wants to wear the B.
 
Their franchise forward just won 1st star in the NHL for the previous week and is one of the most productive players in the NHL the past month.

Problem is, they have just one forward that I would term a core guy. Sorry but Brad Marchand at his age is no longer a core piece. His production tailed off around the same time last year and you can't expect to compete if he's your 2nd best offensive player. Still a useful player to have around, but expectations need to come down, as do his expectations of him as captain. I don't see how D-men running around, out of position, trying to over compensate for each other is the fault of Brad Marchand. He didn't compile this mish-mash group of mediocre forwards.

On D it's been a disaster many games. How did McAvoy/Carlo/Lohrei look just fine last year and now don't seem to know how to play positional defense? Zadorov has his moments where he looks like an all-star, and other moments where it looks like he should be playing on the wing. Same with Lorhei.

I'm tired of seeing the goaltenders blamed for this mess. It's the low-hanging fruit. I'm amazed they've won as much as they have quite frankly given the circumstances. As far as I'm concerned, their are only two reasons the Bruins are even sniffing a playoff spot, Pastrnak's production and the two goalies.

As for the coaches? Who knows? Chris Kelly is a former Bruin internal hire who was gifted a job. Jay Leach left the organization and came back. I really don't know how it went for him in Seattle. Joe Sacco seems like a mediocre coach beholden to playing certain players in certain roles based on what they are being paid. Listening to him speak he certainly doesn't sound like a guy who is going to inspire his team or grab this group by the jugular.

I believe the defense can be fixed with better coaching and one or two moves. Monty was never strong on the defensive side but the Julien/Cassidy system held things more or less together for quite a while, and Sacco is just blah in general. So it's been some time since the D had proper input from behind the bench and it shows. The right changes there can make quite a difference I think.

On the personnel side, McAvoy is highly unlikely to ever hit the highs many of us hoped for, but he's still a solid top pair defender. Lindholm is very good. Peeke is ok. Lohrei is such an unusual prospect but I just want to see him under a coach who actually knows what they're doing. I still think he'll turn out fine. Zadorov is overpaid and we're stuck with it but use him properly and he's serviceable.

Carlo has done some great service for the Bruins for a very long time but for whatever reason he's struggling right now and I think he is the most logical back end piece to move to change things up. It also doesn't help that he can't seem to play consistently well with anybody except Lindholm but Hampus' best natural fit is with McAvoy, IMO, and that should take priority. So make Lindy-McAvoy your top pair, and find a new 2RD who will fit well with either Zadorov or Lohrei. Keep Peeke on the 3rd pair with the other of those two and I think that plus the right depth pieces should put you in business as long as the coaching is sound. That to me is achievable.

The forward group is where the real challenge lies. The top 6 is two players short and even that's assuming Marchand sticks around and doesn't completely fall over the aging cliff and Elias Lindholm does eventually become at least a vaguely capable 2C when he's fully fit. And the bottom 6 is just a mess. The whole thing has no real identity or sign of any coherent plan. It's just a bunch of guys thrown together that you hope somehow work things out for themselves. So you need to not only add better personnel but find players who will complement each other and be able to play with particular purpose and direction. And bring in the right coaching to drive all that.

Tough ask. The path to a re-tool that actually works is crazy narrow. Not impossible I think but really difficult. Are Sweeney and Neely the right people for that task? I doubt it, but I care less about who runs the show than about the fact that they at least make an honest go of it rather than clinging on to false hope or simply playing things too safe and timid. This is a real sliding doors moment for the franchise. Who's got the stones to step up and drag it out of the mire before it sinks too far?
 
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Ten pages, 10. Don't see the letters "Korpi" anywhere in there . . .I likely missed maybe one, but if Swayman was in net, Lohrei's bonehead play would be a save Sway HAS to make for at least 3 of those pages.

All season been baffled by the lack of defensive cohesion. What has Leach brought?

This team is not this bad.

It's gotta be the room. One of Brad or Pasta has to go and given he's one of the Top 10 scorers and passers in the NHL, Pasta stays on my team.

Sway and Pasta are elite and Core pieces. I don't like moves for moves sake, but their are too many players who feel their position on this team is cemented in stone.
 
There was one play in second he went hard to the net and as it was happening I was thinking he’s not doing a snow shower to Hely is he?

He didn’t but he stopped so close he was in his space - figuratively & literally.

The Jets guys surround and Pionk has the look like the paper boy threw the newspaper in the bushes again. He’s not overly aggressive but more like ‘come on’ and Pionk not forcefully but moves in to get him away. Brad kinda throws a face shot and I feel like I know exactly what they were thinking.

He’s still very skilled but he needs to stop the antics ~ I dislike Nick Cousins as much as the next guy but you can’t go open hand to neck in a hockey game.

He’s got to get his thoughts together because he’s not playing like ironically the Winnipeg Jets play
You think they deal him? I really don't want to put 6+ million into him
 
I believe the defense can be fixed with better coaching and one or two moves. Monty was never strong on the defensive side but the Julien/Cassidy system held things more or less together for quite a while, and Sacco is just blah in general. So it's been some time since the D had proper input from behind the bench and it shows. The right changes there can make quite a difference I think.

On the personnel side, McAvoy is highly unlikely to ever hit the highs many of us hoped for, but he's still a solid top pair defender. Lindholm is very good. Peeke is ok. Lohrei is such an unusual prospect but I just want to see him under a coach who actually knows what they're doing. I still think he'll turn out fine. Zadorov is overpaid and we're stuck with it but use him properly and he's serviceable.

Carlo has done some great service for the Bruins for a very long time but for whatever reason he's struggling right now and I think he is the most logical back end piece to move to change things up. It also doesn't help that he can't seem to play consistently well with anybody except Lindholm but Hampus' best natural fit is with McAvoy, IMO, and that should take priority. So make Lindy-McAvoy your top pair, and find a new 2RD who will fit well with either Zadorov or Lohrei. Keep Peeke on the 3rd pair with the other of those two and I think that plus the right depth pieces should put you in business as long as the coaching is sound. That to me is achievable.

The forward group is where the real challenge lies. The top 6 is two players short and even that's assuming Marchand sticks around and doesn't completely fall over the aging cliff and Elias Lindholm does eventually become at least a vaguely capable 2C when he's fully fit. And the bottom 6 is just a mess. The whole thing has no real identity or sign of any coherent plan. It's just a bunch of guys thrown together that you hope somehow work things out for themselves. So you need to not only add better personnel but find players who will complement each other and be able to play with particular purpose and direction. And bring in the right coaching to drive all that.

Tough ask. The path to a re-tool that actually works is crazy narrow. Not impossible I think but really difficult. Are Sweeney and Neely the right people for that task? I doubt it, but I care less about who runs the show than about the fact that they at least make an honest go of it rather than clinging on to false hope or simply playing things too safe and timid. This is a real sliding doors moment for the franchise. Who's got the stones to step up and drag it out of the mire before it sinks too far?

I think the D has the pieces overall to be fine. Whoever the next coach (coaching staff) is I want him to reign in McAvoy and get him playing less risky/aggressive hockey. Teach him to pace himself and let the game come to him. His lateral mobility is all-world he should be next to impossible to beat one-on-one. Totally agree that Lindholm+McAvoy needs to be your top pair moving forward, which also means moving out Carlo for a different style of right-shot D-man. Calgary seem to be re-tooling more than rebuilding is there a deal the for Andersson in exchange for Carlo + if Andersson wants out.
 
as far as roster, I keep McAvoy (if I could deal him for similar top RHD I do (Adam Fox, change of scenery?), Pasta, Swayman...everyone else fair game although I want to keep Geekie, Poitras and Lohrei (can't lose hope yet)

I decide what I am doing with Freddy and Marchand (personally I actively try to move them, but not going to cry if both re up, just make a decision now).

I kinda look at the Bruins right now as a long winter by me in Northern NJ. You just gotta kind of hunker down, get extra supplies and wait for spring, which for them could be a couple years away. Still will hold out hope they sneak in and Swayman steals a couple rounds, but when you are good for this long, these valleys will happen eventually.

I think the D has the pieces overall to be fine. Whoever the next coach (coaching staff) is I want him to reign in McAvoy and get him playing less risky/aggressive hockey. Teach him to pace himself and let the game come to him. His lateral mobility is all-world he should be next to impossible to beat one-on-one. Totally agree that Lindholm+McAvoy needs to be your top pair moving forward, which also means moving out Carlo for a different style of right-shot D-man. Calgary seem to be re-tooling more than rebuilding is there a deal the for Andersson in exchange for Carlo + if Andersson wants out.
I was going to bring up Rasmus as well, but in the summer. A smart play could be to deal Carlo for a center and sign Andersson, but it will cost you double probably on what you are paying Brandon.
 
I was going to bring up Rasmus as well, but in the summer. A smart play could be to deal Carlo for a center and sign Andersson, but it will cost you double probably on what you are paying Brandon.

Isn't Andersson signed for one more year after this one? UFA in 2026. Carlo is signed for one year longer, both are basically the same age.

His interaction with Wilson the other night was hilarious. Andersson has attitude the Bruins need more of that.
 
Ladyfan did you break up a Neely fight in the stands? We were all concerned. Curious what happend?

Was the fanbase calling for Don to be fired?

I felt like the bruins were going to win this game after the Lindholm game. So discouraging. Don't dispair...I truly believe a healthy Hampus will make a big difference for this team. We just need to give him 3 or 4 games to get back up to speed.

I still believe.

Get some young guys in and pray
Ageed...you do this when Hampus comes back. DOM mentioned this could be the case when both Charlie and Hampus are back. The cap is preventing this from happening...Not sure why. Hopefully DOM can chime in.
 
Trent Frederic back in his camouflage out there again. I guess he had like 2-3 decent games in a row, time for him to take 9-10 off now.
He had more of an impact when he was out sick!

This management team salivated at the notion of acquiring him for two years they loved this player so much and handed him what might be one of the worst contracts of the salary cap era.


Sleepy Joe Sacco and the rest of his brain dead staff make me want to cry.
Yeah Joe's not the guy!
 

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