Pre-Game Talk: Game # 73 Bruins at Florida March 26, 7 pm Watch on: NESN, BSFL, ESPN+

[ODAAT]

proof will be in the pudding tomorrow night if the boys got the message but I think they will, Monty isn`t the kind of coach whose always on the boys to the point they have blocked out his message

Still think this team has nowhere near team toughness to go deep but they also lost a 1 A and B centreman in the offseason with no cash to spend, a miracle they are where they are now

 

[Otherworld]

We'll be embarrassed next game if we play like we did against Philly.....

 

[Gee Wally]

 

[Aussie Bruin]

How many practices like that has it been now under Marchand's leadership? 3? 4? Feels like I have heard more about bad practices in 3/4 of a year than Chara's and Bergeron's captaincy combined. Certainly never heard the team wasn't ready for the play-offs 70 games in,

Some of the Bruins' performances in Cassidy's last year when Bergeron was captain were dire. That team mailed it in on multiple occasions. I'd be shocked if that didn't translate to poor practices sometimes. Butch just handled it differently to how Monty has of late, so we didn't hear so much about it. Not better or worse, just different. So I think it has little if anything to do with Marchand as leader.

Cassidy got criticized for public comments made about the team and for benching of certain players, but the fact is that Monty is a harsher and more obviously vocal critic and he benches more often. Where Cassidy erred was in calling out particular guys, at least a couple of times in situations where it was unwarranted. Monty has not yet made that mistake. But otherwise he's easily more fierce, and publicly so, when he wants to be.

 

[jgatie]

Cassidy got criticized for public comments made about the team and for benching of certain players, but the fact is that Monty is a harsher and more obviously vocal critic and he benches more often. Where Cassidy erred was in calling out particular guys, at least a couple of times in situations where it was unwarranted. Monty has not yet made that mistake. But otherwise he's easily more fierce, and publicly so, when he wants to be.

Cassidy also fed his pet reporters dirt behind the player's backs. I've not heard any of that about Monty.

 

[Ozzy Osbourne]

How many practices like that has it been now under Marchand's leadership? 3? 4? Feels like I have heard more about bad practices in 3/4 of a year than Chara's and Bergeron's captaincy combined. Certainly never heard the team wasn't ready for the play-offs 70 games in,

There’s definitely a leadership issue with this team since the big guy left.

swap beecher with louko
put gryz with peeke
wotherspoon with carlo
lindholm with mcavoy

I agree with most of this. Gryz needs to watch until he signs with another team two weeks before camp.

 

[Ozzy Osbourne]

Cassidy also fed his pet reporters dirt behind the player's backs. I've not heard any of that about Monty.

I don’t remember Cassidy doing that. It it speculation or fact. I’m not doubting it, just wondering.

 

[bobbyorr04]

Isn't Monty overreacting a bit?

Playoffs are over 3 weeks away....isn't it too early to be in playoff mode??

I'd think that being healthy, hungry and ready to go just before playoffs start is more important than being in playoff mode 3 weeks before

Normally I would trust Monty, but after last years round 1 debacle ....I don't have much faith in him

 

[Ozzy Osbourne]

Jim Murray just called them out for not sticking up for Marchand. Called them soft and said the only chance they have of winning one round is if the play Toronto.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Cassidy also fed his pet reporters dirt behind the player's backs. I've not heard any of that about Monty.

I know you don't make that claim lightly but I have a really really hard time believing it. It's just such a low, and frankly pointless and counter-productive, thing to do. Which isn't to say it didn't happen, just....it seems so wrong. Sometimes reality is harsh though and people do really dumb things.

Anyway, yes, Monty is pretty up front and even-handed in how he handles criticism of his team. I think he still plays favorites a little bit, but most coaches do, so he's not unique in that.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

Cassidy also fed his pet reporters dirt behind the player's backs. I've not heard any of that about Monty.

Not sure what was true or not under Cassidy but the player comments that training camp were not kind and he went on to take a new team to the cup year one while these guys shit the bed in the playoffs. Seemed to show the issue may not be the coaches or GM

 

[Sheppy]

Jim Murray just called them out for not sticking up for Marchand. Called them soft and said the only chance they have of winning one round is if the play Toronto.

It's been an issue for a long time.

The other team could two hand one of the Bruins heads off their shoulders and this team would be like "hmmm, damn, ok... well" - I've said it several times. We're the team we used to make fun of, except those teams were actually tougher than this current Bruins team.

 

[bobbyorr04]

I don’t remember Cassidy doing that. It it speculation or fact. I’m not doubting it, just wondering.

Butch was bad for throwing players under the bus his last couple of seasons in Boston....especially Jake

I think the players started to resent him for it, which made for a toxic locker room, and he was eventually fired for it

He obviously learned from it, and won a Cup the next season

 

[ProdigalFan]

I'm wondering how many NHL teams with 97/98 points are needing to be screamed at by their coach and forced to do sprints to get their heads into a practice with 10 games left before playoffs?

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

I'm wondering how many NHL teams with 97/98 points are needing to be screamed at by their coach and forced to do sprints to get their heads into a practice with 10 games left before playoffs?

So, Is Montgomery an a-hole or are you saying the Bruins point total is artificial and inflated?

 

[BMC]

Montgomery Rips Bruins On And Off The Ice

Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery has had enough of his team’s inconsistent efforts and lackadaisical play that has become too frequent over the last two games. The Bruins’ second-year bench boss ripped into his team on the ice at practice Monday before the Bruins took off for the second...

bostonhockeynow.com

IMO he is 40 games too late for this

 

[Aussie Bruin]

I'm wondering how many NHL teams with 97/98 points are needing to be screamed at by their coach and forced to do sprints to get their heads into a practice with 10 games left before playoffs?

I wonder how many coaches with that many points feel the need? Every team has flat or poor games, I see little evidence that the Bruins have more than anyone else. But Monty has an insatiable appetite for wins and he comes across as quite demanding. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, nor to say that the players don't deserve it, but it's there for sure.

The psychology here is fascinating too. There's no doubt that the coach was scarred by the Panthers series and is at the very least concerned, if not outright terrified, of a repeat. He'll have worked out what he thinks went wrong last year and will be doing everything possible to make amends. How hard he goes and how effective he is in achieving that is going to be interesting.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

I wonder how many coaches with that many points feel the need? Every team has flat or poor games, I see little evidence that the Bruins have more than anyone else. But Monty has an insatiable appetite for wins and he comes across as quite demanding. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, nor to say that the players don't deserve it, but it's there for sure.

The psychology here is fascinating too. There's no doubt that the coach was scarred by the Panthers series and is at the very least concerned, if not outright terrified, of a repeat. He'll have worked out what he thinks went wrong last year and will be doing everything possible to make amends. How hard he goes and how effective he is in achieving that is going to be interesting.

I think it's smart for him to "overinflate" the issues this late in the season, I think he desperately wants this team going in on a strong note.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

Years back I asked for advice from a very respected coach and he told me that its more effective for a coach to first be a jerk, then show signs of decency as the season progresses, rather than be their buddy first, and then try to scream and be tough when things fall apart later on.
Hope Monty can do it.

I learned this the hard way in my first leadership position.

 

[lopey]

Monty coaches and some here still aren’t happy. He knows his team and rightfully gave them shit for a bad game against philly and now a bad practice. Cant win

 

[Aussie Bruin]

I think it's smart for him to "overinflate" the issues this late in the season, I think he desperately wants this team going in on a strong note.

For sure, as he should. As long as he doesn't burn them out too soon in the process.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

I wonder how many coaches with that many points feel the need? Every team has flat or poor games, I see little evidence that the Bruins have more than anyone else. But Monty has an insatiable appetite for wins and he comes across as quite demanding. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, nor to say that the players don't deserve it, but it's there for sure.

The psychology here is fascinating too. There's no doubt that the coach was scarred by the Panthers series and is at the very least concerned, if not outright terrified, of a repeat. He'll have worked out what he thinks went wrong last year and will be doing everything possible to make amends. How hard he goes and how effective he is in achieving that is going to be interesting.

Well yeah the coach is always the fall guy regardless if it's his fault or not. Especially in Boston.

 

[NDiesel]

This team has a very hard schedule left, I think how they respond down the stretch here will show us a lot about what we can expect going into playoffs

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

This team has a very hard schedule left, I think how they respond down the stretch here will show us a lot about what we can expect going into playoffs

I'm sure Ottawa will find a way to end up f***ing us seeding wise game 82.

 

[Shaun]

i’m going to be honest i thought the game was tonight and i was prepared to bet the house on the panthers after i saw they were doing sprints at practice today