Management Montgomery fired - Sacco named interim coach

[Ozzy Osbourne]

Didn't want to play for noted big meanie Bruce Cassidy.
Didn't want to play for Nice guy Jimmy.

Who the do these guys want to play for?

Themselves. Pasta in particular.

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

Couldn't disagree more. Culture is huge and has been a huge part of their success.

This year, their culture is broken. I don't know why that is, but it is.

This organ-eye-zation has let culture trump talent. See: Seguin, Tyler

To quote Alec Baldwin: “Njce guy? I don’t give a sheet. Good father? FU, go home and play with your kids. You wanna work here, then CLOSE.”

Coffee’s for closers. Bruins are tea drinkers.

 

[Bodit9]

Couldn't disagree more. Culture is huge and has been a huge part of their success.

This year, their culture is broken. I don't know why that is, but it is.

Because of Swayman.

 

[PlayMakers]

So you're in agreement that Sweeney should be fired if they don't make the play-offs?


OK so they see it as purely a coaching problem. If they don't rebound and make the play-offs and win a couple rounds surely Sweeney will pay the price, right?

I think Sweeney's 9 years of winning probably buys him more than one DNQ.

If the team is struggling next season as well, then he'll get the gate.

 

[NDiesel]

I see this brought up quite a bit. Who are the “bigger, slower, less skilled guys” they brought in that suddenly makes this teams top players stop playing the way they’re capable of?

Brazeau, Geekie stay, Zadorov comes in and they lose better skaters in Gryz, Debrusk and Heinen and only really bring in Koepke who has speed. It's not the slower, less skilled guys fault, but the problem is they let fast and skilled guys walk and replaced them with similar types of players to what they already have. They are a team with no balance right now

 

[EverettMike]

I think Sweeney's 9 years of winning probably buys him more than one DNQ.

If the team is struggling next season as well, then he'll get the gate.

Chiarelli had more success and lost his job after one DNQ.

 

[mar2kbos]

I hope for your guys' sake that he basically relearned absolutely everything, because the last time he was coach he was an appalling menace. His goto excuse after every loss was 'well, whatcha want me to say, we didn't start the game on time' to the point that it's still a meme over on the Avs' board. If he doesn't turn your season around there's good news, though, because I'm sure we've got lots of 'Joe Sacco, tank commander' memes left over from a decade ago buried somewhere in the archives of HF.

It’s literally the same Monty attitude. How is this a coaching change? I expect a couple of games of good hockey and then right back to how they are playing now

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I do hope Sweeney is continuing the coach search and a significant trade rather than relying on Sacco to spare his job through the offseason.

 

[UncleRico]

I think Sweeney's 9 years of winning probably buys him more than one DNQ.

If the team is struggling next season as well, then he'll get the gate.

Chiarelli was more successful and it didn’t save him.

 

[the negotiator]

Brazeau, Geekie stay, Zadorov comes in and they lose better skaters in Gryz, Debrusk and Heinen and only really bring in Koepke who has speed. It's not the slower, less skilled guys fault, but the problem is they let fast and skilled guys walk and replaced them with similar types of players. They are a team with no balance right now

Agree and

They employed a system ( well at least a semblance of one) that clearly wasn't aligned to the line-up they have

I am hopeful - although the raven of doubt on my shoulder is significantly bigger than the raven of confidence - that Sacco has some changes in mind because continuing on the current course is insanity

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I am with Felger. They could trade any player on this team right now and I would be fine with it.

I keep Pastrnak. Anyone else, even McAvoy can be traded for the right price. Question is if we trust Sweeney to be invested enough to make the trade or if he knows his time in Boston is dwindling as well.

 

[LouJersey]

Their culture led to how many game 7 home losses? How many talented young players pushed out because they didn't "fit" the culture? How many coaches quit on?

Like I said, Bruins culture is the most overrated thing in sports. They had prime Patrice Bergeron, prime David Krejci, prime Brad Marchand, Zdeno Chara, and great goaltending. Talent was a huge part of their success and nothing else came close.

Zadorov and Lindholm both said they signed here for the "culture" and they suck. Then they see the goalie hold out until the deadline and their new coach fired after 20 games.

Julien gone because they didn't want to win 1-0. Bruce gone because he was mean and players got him canned. The same "culture" just either apparently quit on their coach or are too butt hurt to play well because they are mad at their goalie for getting what he felt he deserved, so much for "it's a business".

The team lived off Bergeron and Krejci from the O'Connell era, then Gorton/Chia signed Chara and Savard and traded for Rask all while drafting Lucic, Kessel and Marchand. Chia made some FANTASTIC trades for Horton, Boychuk, Seidenberg, Peverley, Kelly, Ference, McQuaid, Campbell and Paille. Great UFA signings like Ryder and Thornton...Then the "culture" pushed out guys like Kessel then Seguin, then Hamilton, then Smith, getting worse and worse with every trade.

 

[Fenway]

 

[PlayMakers]

Chiarelli had more success and lost his job after one DNQ.

Fair point. I think that was more about a power struggle though, between Chiarelli and Neely. They were at odds and contradicting each other in the media. Both claiming to have ultimate say on player moves, etc.

Neely and Sweeney are like this

 

[DaBroons]

He didn't deserve to be fired, but he did because the team looks like a bunch of beer leaguers playing in the NHL. I think he deserves some blame for the way the Bruins are playing. They didn't take training camp seriously, they haven't practiced the PP, they can't make passes, they can't breakout with the puck, they can't get in position to shoot the puck in the offensive zone, they skate slow, they can't execute at all etc. etc. etc.

But a lot of that blame is on the players. Sacco is whatever, maybe they play better under him, but a lot of that is dependent on how the Bruins come out and play now that Monty is gone. For some on the team, they have quit on 3 coaches now. They don't deserve the benefit of doubt. If they continue to suck, Sweeney has to be let go so someone else can make the roster decisions.

I wouldn't say that they haven't practiced the PP, but it's clear that half-way through last season, teams had cut off the cross-ice passes that Pasta was one timing into the net. The coaches never implemented and/or the players didn't adapt to another approach to the PP. That's a prime reason this team went from a fantastic season and a half to a 37-37 team.

I have no clue what happened to the PK.

I love Monty, but it was his time to go, just as it was Clode's turn to go, and Bruce's turn to go. All 3 are great coaches, but all coaches have shelf lives.

If they miss the playoffs, I predict that Don and Cam will go as well. Ownership won't stand for losing playoff gates and concessions.

 

[Pia8988]

Chiarelli had more success and lost his job after one DNQ.

Depends if Cam is on the hot seat. Chia lost the political battle with Cam. Donny seems to toe the line as team sycophant with Cam, Harry, and Donny. Shame all three are Curly

 

[Fenway]

Ward: Ward these are not the Bruins I recognize

Former NHL defenceman Aaron Ward on the play fo the Bruins so far and what he makes of Jim Montgomery paying the price and highlights how the Habs were able to manage the Oilers forwards and pull out a dominant 3-0 win

www.tsn.ca

 

[NDiesel]

I think Sweeney's 9 years of winning probably buys him more than one DNQ.

If the team is struggling next season as well, then he'll get the gate.

I dont know, this team doesn't have a bright future outside of their established stars. They also don't seem to be one or two guys away from being cup contenders either to me. If you let him stay you're letting him draft for the future GM in my eyes and I'm not sure he should get the chance.

Maybe I'm wrong and they turn it around though.

 

[UncleRico]

Fair point. I think that was more about a power struggle though, between Chiarelli and Neely.

Well all the more reason to fire Neely if the only reason he wants to keep Sweeney around is because Sweeney is more easily controlled.

The nepotism in the organization needs to end.

 

[bwunderlich]

Zadorov and Lindholm both said they signed here for the "culture" and they suck. Then they see the goalie hold out until the deadline and their new coach fired after 20 games.

Julien gone because they didn't want to win 1-0. Bruce gone because he was mean and players got him canned. The same "culture" just either apparently quit on their coach or are too butt hurt to play well because they are mad at their goalie for getting what he felt he deserved, so much for "it's a business".

The team lived off Bergeron and Krejci from the O'Connell era, then Gorton/Chia signed Chara and Savard and traded for Rask all while drafting Lucic, Kessel and Marchand. Chia made some FANTASTIC trades for Horton, Boychuk, Seidenberg, Peverley, Kelly, Ference, McQuaid, Campbell and Paille. Great UFA signings like Ryder and Thornton...Then the "culture" pushed out guys like Kessel then Seguin, then Hamilton, then Smith, getting worse and worse with every trade.

THIS

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Too much of the "should have kept Cassidy" theme gaining traction.

He was coaching in fear towards the end.
Afraid to change.
Afraid to call time out.
Afraid to defend the players against game management penalties.
Afraid to show emotion.
Afraid of his own image by rotating the player he threw under the bus on a nightly basis.
Afraid to allow his players be tough.

Issue is, in hindsight, is Sweeney went far too extreme in the other direction. He should have found a coach in the middle of the two.

 

[LouJersey]

Fair point. I think that was more about a power struggle though, between Chiarelli and Neely. They were at odds and contradicting each other in the media. Both claiming to have ultimate say on player moves, etc.

Neely and Sweeney are like this

Not sure if I ever shared this story here but my bro in law lives in Florida and early 90's went to bar and two Bruins were there, Cam and Don. He talked to them for a bit and then Cam told him to beat it lol

 

[Forester65]

I didn't like Montgomery's system that encourages D-men to jump up on plays to provide added offense. It isn't well-defined and simple to grasp, and has resulted in odd man rushes against us. Linus and Swayman stood on their heads many nights stopping multiple high-danger chances in games that we won. Easy to forget how suspect our D was at times during those seasons. Our goaltending was our best asset and it covered up a lot of flaws.

I would like this team to adopt more of a trapping style under Sacco. We are not particularly fast and I think we should concentrate on making it more difficult for opponents to cross through the neutral zone, turn pucks over and try to convert on them. The current approach isn't working with the players we have. We need to slow the game down and get organized and more structured.

 

[BruinsFan37]

When a group of people (players) making millions of dollars is being led (coached) by an individual making a quarter (or less even) of what they make it becomes very easy to start turning that individual out when things start going awry -- and a bad situation turns worse. (i.e. "I make twice what you make, why am I listening to you")

Monty wasn't the sole cause of the Bruins woes, and arguably not even the source, but he had lost the room and couldn't right the ship, so he needed to go.

 

[LouJersey]

Too much of the "should have kept Cassidy" theme gaining traction.

He was coaching in fear towards the end.
Afraid to change.
Afraid to call time out.
Afraid to defend the players against game management penalties.
Afraid to show emotion.
Afraid of his own image by rotating the player he threw under the bus on a nightly basis.
Afraid to allow his players be tough.

Issue is, in hindsight, is Sweeney went far too extreme in the other direction. He should have found a coach in the middle of the two.

Cassidy was not getting fired until the players complained directly to management. Then 180 regular season games later they quit on the nice guy coach,

Thats some culture.