News Article: Harry Sinden remains active in Bruins’ hockey operations

[BMC]

but never good enough

This. The Bruins were always a player or two short of being a true Cup contender. Yeah they got to the Final twice (88 and 90) during Sinden ' s tenure but it was usually 2 rounds max and then off to the golf course. And don't get me started on the way he treated the players.

 

[GordonHowe]

Lady. Sometimes

Please see my apology in reply to Wally's amendment.

But really, thanks for holding the coat. One can't be too careful.

 

[GordonHowe]

This. The Bruins were always a player or two short of being a true Cup contender. Yeah they got to the Final twice (88 and 90) during Sinden ' s tenure but it was usually 2 rounds max and then off to the golf course. And don't get me started on the way he treated the players.

And that's why I hate the guy, Dennis.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

This. The Bruins were always a player or two short of being a true Cup contender. Yeah they got to the Final twice (88 and 90) during Sinden ' s tenure but it was usually 2 rounds max and then off to the golf course. And don't get me started on the way he treated the players.

They got to the finals 5 times with Sinden as GM: 1974, 1977, 1978, 1988, 1990. Not to mention 1979 when they lost in 7 to Montreal in the too-many-men game. From 1968 to 1996 the Bruins made the playoffs every year.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

And that's why I hate the guy, Dennis.

5 times in the finals.

Always a player or 2 short to who? For a stretch of 13 years the Cup was won by either the dynasty Canadiens, dynasty Islanders or dynasty Oilers. Tough time to win any Cups.

Keeping a team near the top of the league for about 25 years should get the guy a little respect.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Whats sad and I guess funny at the same time is that Harry Sinden did waaaaaaaaaayyyyyy more to help the Edmonton Oilers win their last 2 championships than Chiarelli ever will. Sather could always rely on his pal for that last missing piece.


Im (barely) too young to remember the Cup losses to the Oil though so I shouldn't ***** about it but man he hooked Edmonton up frequently in the 80s on trades that sucked for Boston.


Can't stand the guy. A couple less ugly holdouts in the 90s and I'd be OK with him but it was every f-ing year that he refused to pay a top line player and since the guy wasn't 31 yet you could 100% guaranteed count on Sinden not having him signed by camp. I get that none of them were future hall of famers but a slight overpayment to guys like Allison in the absolute peak prime of their career in a non cap NHL in a big market which this f-er conned all of us into thinking we were a Florida/Arizona of the world was just not fair to the fanbase.

Sindens thinking 'What spend money on players...you must be crazy who do you think we are one of those rich marketslike Detroit? Were mroe like Hartford and were going to have the same payroll as Hartford if you don't like it learn to yodel.'

We are very lucky that a Harry Sinden type approach to the Hamilton situation was the correct move given the holes in Dougies game. And that replacing Lucic/Smith/Soderberg with cheaper replacements such as Kemp/Hayes/Beleskey didn't destroy the team.

Could you give me maybe 3 or 4 of those frequent sucky trades that helped the Oilers so much in winning cups?

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

we agree

here is my problem with you. I think you are very smart and know your stuff so when you disagree with my so much I can't deal with it.

seriously though Sinden would have been a great GM with a hard salary cap A-N-D told to spend to the max

Sinden playing by the same rules would be sick

the biggest mistake Sinden made was leaving the organization after the 1970 Cup- no bleeping way the Bruins don't win the 1971 Cup if he isn't behind the bench

brilliant hockey mind but like all creative folks the number one hits eventually stop, and the Don Shula's and Chuck Noll's and Tom Landry's stop winning championships

overall Sinden was a first ballot HOF hockey coach, GM, and executive

but he started getting old and while it was happening the game was changing

See that.

We agree more than you think.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Can you expand on why you loved it?

To me, it comes across as (1) Sweeney tried, more than once, to re-sign Hamilton, and wasn't successful; (2) thought he had a deal in mind that would enable him to move up to a spot high enough to draft a kid this year that would potentially (probably, even?) help the team this year, and wasn't successful; so (3) settled for picks that might help the team in a few years. Literally the third option.

I can see being satisfied with the result, but loving it is a feeling that I'd need some input on to really understand.

1) I am not as big a fan of Hamilton's as most here. I thought he was trash defensively last year.

2) Once Sweeney tried to re-sign Hamilton, and it became apparent that he didn't want to be here, he acted.

3) I would have preferred the rumored deal to move up to get Hanifan, but every GM needs to have contingency plans, and I am fine with Sweeney's Plan C.

4) It's hindsight, but with Dougie's play in Calgary, and the performance of the three prospects the B's got, I am very happy with the deal.

I am not a fan that operates only "in the now". I try to look at the next few years, and how this will impact the team. While I think losing Hamilton hurts this year, the benefits of the three guys picked will pay off down the road.

That's why I loved the way Sweeney handled it.

 

[lextune]

Yes.

Claude has "control" of the players.

Sweeney couldn't have handled the Hamilton thing any better than... Harry.

Peter stayed away from him, restored the life Sinden sucked out of the club & its fans for 30 plus years, made Boston a place where players wanted to come, built an elite team, and won a Cup.

Harry must love the fact that his two former employees & honorary sons now run the show, and his input is once again valued.

And Huzzah! The Bruins are **** mediocre again. Imagine.

Excuse me. I have to go puke now. Be a dear, BMC. Hold my coat.

Next order of business is to put up all the old Adams Division Championship banners again.

 

[jgatie]

Harry is Don Corleone chasing his grandson through the vegetable garden at this stage.

Drinking scotch instead of wine, and in a bigger glass.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Let's compare the respective records when Sweeney gets the boot.

Sweeney's record with the Bruins to Chia's record with the Oilers? gladly.

 

[Ratty]

Good to see Harry still a part of the organization. He's got a lot to offer with all his experience. Drafted Sweeney and traded for Cam. He was the voice of reason trying to keep salaries at a reasonable level. Now, with contracts for ordinary players going out of sight, I can only afford a game or two a year where I had season tickets for about 15 years. We're paying for the league's caving in to the PA.

 

[BMC]

They got to the finals 5 times with Sinden as GM: 1974, 1977, 1978, 1988, 1990. Not to mention 1979 when they lost in 7 to Montreal in the too-many-men game. From 1968 to 1996 the Bruins made the playoffs every year.

My bad.

So they were 0 for 5 during his tenure instead of 0 for 2. This is supposed to make me feel better?????

The longer he got into his time as GM the worse things got for the team.

 

[BMC]

Could you give me maybe 3 or 4 of those frequent sucky trades that helped the Oilers so much in winning cups?

The deal that sent Bill Ranford to Edmonton, for one.

 

[GordonHowe]

Sweeney's record with the Bruins to Chia's record with the Oilers? gladly.

No. Chia's record with the Bruins, beginning to end, v. Sweeney's record with the Bruins, beginning to end.

 

[DKH]

No. Chia's record with the Bruins, beginning to end, v. Sweeney's record with the Bruins, beginning to end.

So you think Sweeney is going to be a bad GM and Chia good?
Trying to follow you here around the 'I hate Sinden.'

 

[GordonHowe]

So you think Sweeney is going to be a bad GM and Chia good?
Trying to follow you here around the 'I hate Sinden.'

That's tough to do, admittedly, so I should probably absent myself from Sinden-related threads.

I'm not being fair to Don, because his tenure is just beginning. Given the chance, he will likely turn out to be a fine GM.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

The deal that sent Bill Ranford to Edmonton, for one.

The only one, I believe.

Certainly Ranford's playoff run in 1990 was amazing. Can't argue that.

But, hardly a trade that sucked for the Bruins. They did get Andy Moog, who was the better goaltender. Outside of that one big season, Ranford was mediocre at best.