Speculation: What are the Bruins' needs?

[Kegs]

Fans to wait til the season starts before stating the "needs" of the team

Kiddin, the 3rd line hoopla has me headshaking, the majority of teams around the league would love to have this "issue".

What they need most is health

They could require some vet depth on D
They could require scoring help if Horty doesn`t produce

Other than that, I`ll revert back to my first sentence, gonna wait til the games actually begin

scoring help? please they have three lines that can score and a 4th that dominates the puck possession game. top notch defence too...


the only real "weakness" id say is the powerplay.

 

[LouJersey]

Who is?

Seriously, I see this as a constant refrain and I keep wondering - how many teams in the NHL have this vaunted depth that will allow them to lose a top six forward and not miss a beat?

Who cares who is? You need some scoring from your bottom two lines, and the six forwards I mentioned had a combined 42 NHL goals last year. The Bruins have proven they cannot overcome it. They do not have top end goal scoring..guys you can really really lean on to score more to make up for it. They lost Horton last year, in their top six, and they were a mediocre team. We heard all year how Chiarelli had the ammo to add scoring if he needed with cap room, and then when it came time to upgrade all we heard about were the prices being to high. Many people said we didn't have the depth or talent last summer to overcome injury, and were proven correct. Hopefully this year, God forbid if it happens again maybe it's more of a priority..we have the cap room to add, and maybe we will before the prices get out of hand. Hopefully they won't need it.

 

[LouJersey]

scoring help? please they have three lines that can score and a 4th that dominates the puck possession game. top notch defence too...


the only real "weakness" id say is the powerplay.

They are very good when everyone is there. As far as the 4th line, last I looked they got dominated by Aucoin, Knuble and Ward, and one of them even was scratched because he was so ineffective. I'm sure they will come back hungrier this year.

 

[Pie O My]

scoring help? please they have three lines that can score and a 4th that dominates the puck possession game. top notch defence too...


the only real "weakness" id say is the powerplay.

Braden Holtby mocks you and farts in your general direction.

 

[Artemis]

Who cares who is? You need some scoring from your bottom two lines, and the six forwards I mentioned had a combined 42 NHL goals last year. The Bruins have proven they cannot overcome it. They do not have top end goal scoring..guys you can really really lean on to score more to make up for it. They lost Horton last year, in their top six, and they were a mediocre team. We heard all year how Chiarelli had the ammo to add scoring if he needed with cap room, and then when it came time to upgrade all we heard about were the prices being to high. Many people said we didn't have the depth or talent last summer to overcome injury, and were proven correct. Hopefully this year, God forbid if it happens again maybe it's more of a priority..we have the cap room to add, and maybe we will before the prices get out of hand. Hopefully they won't need it.

AFAIK there are no teams in the NHL that have a standout goal-scorer among their bottom six. You keep harping on the Bruins needing depth; I'm just attempting to point out that nobody has that kind of depth. Why should the Bruins be different? I mean, sure, it would be fantastic if they were, but with the salary cap, a 30-team league, the KHL, and waiver rules, it's well nigh impossible these days to stash away a 20-goal scorer that you can move to the top six in case of emergency (though with Kelly and Peverley, the Bruins are probably as well off as anyone else).

 

[Bruinator]

Scott Gomez at his worst is still better than Ray's kid

All this BS criticism of Ray's Kid before he is even given a chance reminds me of the boards back when Tim Thomas was finally given a chance.

 

[Bruinator]

Braden Holtby mocks you and farts in your general direction.

Ken Dryden beat the 1971 Boston Bruins. Would you say they needed scoring help?

 

[thepootamis]

only thing the Bruins need right now is for their young players to keep developing. If Seguin and Hamilton each step up there game then the Bruins will be set

 

[LouJersey]

AFAIK there are no teams in the NHL that have a standout goal-scorer among their bottom six. You keep harping on the Bruins needing depth; I'm just attempting to point out that nobody has that kind of depth. Why should the Bruins be different? I mean, sure, it would be fantastic if they were, but with the salary cap, a 30-team league, the KHL, and waiver rules, it's well nigh impossible these days to stash away a 20-goal scorer that you can move to the top six in case of emergency (though with Kelly and Peverley, the Bruins are probably as well off as anyone else).

But some teams *seem* to have the firepower up top to make up for these loses...In other words their top 6 make score more to make up for it... Ours can't. or atleast for a season proved that they are a pretty mediocre team.

I see the cap brought up alot as well, but there was room last year and there was room this year to maybe add some scoring depth...I mean a cheap signing like Steve Sullivan on his one year deal would have been nice, even with a Bourque, no? We have already seen the ridiculous prices you have to pay to improve your team in season and at the deadline. Hopefully we won't need it though.

 

[LouJersey]

Ken Dryden beat the 1971 Boston Bruins. Would you say they needed scoring help?

So Holtby won the Cup last year too? I tell you what...he makes the Hall of Fame, all will be forgiven...

 

[Pie O My]

Ken Dryden beat the 1971 Boston Bruins. Would you say they needed scoring help?

Orr and Espo aren't walking through that door. And if they do they'll be old and gray. (and in Espo's case rooting for the Bolts)

 

[Artemis]

Orr and Espo aren't walking through that door. And if they do they'll be old and gray. (and in Espo's case rooting for the Bolts)

I get his point, though. Any goalie can get hot and steal a series or two. Dryden maybe isn't the best example, though I understand the context in that he was going up against one of the most powerful offensive teams in NHL history. But just recently, you can point to guys like Halak and Anderson as well as Holtby as series-stealers. It's frustrating for offenses, but it's not an unheard of occurance.

 

[Artemis]

But some teams *seem* to have the firepower up top to make up for these loses...In other words their top 6 make score more to make up for it... Ours can't. or atleast for a season proved that they are a pretty mediocre team.

I see the cap brought up alot as well, but there was room last year and there was room this year to maybe add some scoring depth...I mean a cheap signing like Steve Sullivan on his one year deal would have been nice, even with a Bourque, no? We have already seen the ridiculous prices you have to pay to improve your team in season and at the deadline. Hopefully we won't need it though.

Other teams "seem" to, because you're not watching them every day and putting them under a magnifying glass. You see their highlights (i.e. their triumphs), not their day to day struggles. It's part of the grass is greener syndrome.

As for signings, all I can say is that Chiarelli knows the ins and outs of the market and the cap situation for Boston and all that goes with it better than any fans do, and I think he does a pretty good job. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place last year with Horton, not knowing if he'd be healthy from one day to the next (similar to Pitt's situation with Crosby), which threw a wrench into the works. Fans want certainty - I'm certain GMs want certainty too - but life sometimes just doesn't work out that way.

 

[MarchandNoseBest]

To me, this team has 1 need and that's 3rd line LW. I know a lot of people over the years have wanted more talent on D, but I think Claude's system allows you to have a less than stacked D and still get great results.

I really don't see why they've put so little emphasis on stacking that 3rd line the last 2 years and going with a cheap option like Pouliot and Bourque. One of the biggest reasons we won the Cup was the emphasis Chiarelli put on having insane, unmatched depth, and we totally outclassed the much more hyped Canucks secondary scoring.

I like the idea of signing Gomez. Lots of people underrate what getting out of a ****** situation can do for a players game, as WBC8 pointed out. Look at Rolston, he was far less productive than Gomez, came here and played quite well. I think Gomez could thrive in a lesser role where he no longer has the burden of being the $7M guy that everyone (media and fans) targets. Unfortunately, I don't see any reason to think we are going to be aggressive in pursuing him as we haven't been aggressive pursuing anyone to fill that slot the last 2 years.

Maybe we'll fill that hole on the deadline, though I'm not a fan of the "let's wait until the deadline to fill our hole(s)" idea because that costs prospects and picks as opposed to just money in the off-season. I think chances are, prices will be ridiculous, and we'll have to settle for a cheap and far less than ideal option a la Rolston last year. Which at the deadline I'll be fine with as opposed to doing stupid stuff like a 1st rounder for Paul Gaustad, but I do question the complete lack of aggression the last 2 off-seasons.

The other obvious need for this team is for Horton to stay healthy, that's actually bigger than any 3rd line upgrade, but I was talking more what they need personnel wise.

 

[bruinsfan46]

But some teams *seem* to have the firepower up top to make up for these loses...In other words their top 6 make score more to make up for it... Ours can't. or atleast for a season proved that they are a pretty mediocre team.

I see the cap brought up alot as well, but there was room last year and there was room this year to maybe add some scoring depth...I mean a cheap signing like Steve Sullivan on his one year deal would have been nice, even with a Bourque, no? We have already seen the ridiculous prices you have to pay to improve your team in season and at the deadline. Hopefully we won't need it though.

You really think Steve Sullivan at this point is gonna do much of anything to replace Nathan Horton if he goes down? There aren't NHL teams out there who really can just seamlessy replace top line forwards. The year before the Bruins did beat the Presidents' Trophy winning Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup finals without Nathan Horton. And at least this year we don't have to worry about the starting goalie making his personal politics very public halfway through the season which may or may not have affected team chemistry and then his individual play dropping off the rest of the year. We do have to worry about how the new 25 year old starting goalie does who led the NHL in save percentage his rookie year does. That's the Bruins' main question to me, how Rask does his first year as the only guy. Are the Bruins the perfect hockey team? No, but the perfect hockey team is very difficult in a salary cap world. I personally quite like the group assembled in Boston this year. Also some of the doubters of last year's team, really don't seem to believe in the Cup hangover. That's a lot of hockey to play in a year and to me, being a little fatigued coming down the stretch is perfectly logical.

 

[LouJersey]

You really think Steve Sullivan at this point is gonna do much of anything to replace Nathan Horton if he goes down? There aren't NHL teams out there who really can just seamlessy replace top line forwards. The year before the Bruins did beat the Presidents' Trophy winning Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup finals without Nathan Horton. And at least this year we don't have to worry about the starting goalie making his personal politics very public halfway through the season which may or may not have affected team chemistry and then his individual play dropping off the rest of the year. We do have to worry about how the new 25 year old starting goalie does who led the NHL in save percentage his rookie year does. That's the Bruins' main question to me, how Rask does his first year as the only guy. Are the Bruins the perfect hockey team? No, but the perfect hockey team is very difficult in a salary cap world. I personally quite like the group assembled in Boston this year.

I'd rather have Thomas still ... no White House trips to worry about this year.

And Sullivan would stay on the third line with Kelly...to keep some hope of some offense...but if you'd rather have to rely on Bourque/Kelly/Caron, you are not alone, just like three quarters of the board weren't worried last summer / preseason when I brought it up.

 

[bruinsfan46]

I'd rather have Thomas still ... no White House trips to worry about this year.

And Sullivan would stay on the third line with Kelly...to keep some hope of some offense...but if you'd rather have to rely on Bourque/Kelly/Caron, you are not alone, just like three quarters of the board weren't worried last summer / preseason when I brought it up.

I'd take Thomas back in a heart beat too, but it's hard to really know what the whole White House thing did to the team locker room. The team was absolutely rolling, then the White House happened, then Horton went down and the team never got its mojo back. Hard to know what factor fatigue played at that point too after playing so many games. In my heart I still believe this is the same team that was crushing everybody last December and as good as the team that won the Cup the June prior. Is offensive (and defensive) depth a problem? Yes, but I just haven't seen a lot of UFA guys who would serve as good depth on good deals since July.

 

[LouJersey]

I'd take Thomas back in a heart beat too, but it's hard to really know what the whole White House thing did to the team locker room. The team was absolutely rolling, then the White House happened, then Horton went down and the team never got its mojo back. Hard to know what factor fatigue played at that point too after playing so many games. In my heart I still believe this is the same team that was crushing everybody last December and as good as the team that won the Cup the June prior. Is offensive (and defensive) depth a problem? Yes, but I just haven't seen a lot of UFA guys who would serve as good depth on good deals since July.

Horton got knocked out Jan 22nd and the White House was the 24th.

This team is great at 100%. Medicore when we lose so much as one key forward. That's a pretty fine line.

 

[Bruwinz37]

Other teams "seem" to, because you're not watching them every day and putting them under a magnifying glass. You see their highlights (i.e. their triumphs), not their day to day struggles. It's part of the grass is greener syndrome.

As for signings, all I can say is that Chiarelli knows the ins and outs of the market and the cap situation for Boston and all that goes with it better than any fans do, and I think he does a pretty good job. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place last year with Horton, not knowing if he'd be healthy from one day to the next (similar to Pitt's situation with Crosby), which threw a wrench into the works. Fans want certainty - I'm certain GMs want certainty too - but life sometimes just doesn't work out that way.

Why do you get so worked up when people want to improve upon what we have?

 

[Shaun]

All this BS criticism of Ray's Kid before he is even given a chance reminds me of the boards back when Tim Thomas was finally given a chance.

Thomas wasn't given a real shot in the NHL until he came to the Bruins while Bourque has failed to stick with 2 teams already. He's had his shot and hasn't made anything out of it.

 

[bruinsfan46]

Thomas wasn't given a real shot in the NHL until he came to the Bruins while Bourque has failed to stick with 2 teams already. He's had his shot and hasn't made anything out of it.

33 NHL games across three seasons with what kind of linemates (I genuinely don't know). Marchand wasn't quite so hot his first 20 games in the NHL. I don't think Bourque is gonna be anything special but am hopeful he can be serviceable (at least similar to Pouliot). I certainly wouldn't write him off completely before the season began.

 

[ODAAT]

scoring help? please they have three lines that can score and a 4th that dominates the puck possession game. top notch defence too...


the only real "weakness" id say is the powerplay.

you watch any playoff games?? our boys didn`t exactly light the lamp much, regular season scoring was great, Horty out, Bergy ailing, the boys had nothing offensively and our 4th line, who I agree usually plays to a higher level than their opponents 4th were outplayed by the Caps 4th too.

When healthy, this teams offense isn`t a concern, with injuries, I believe there are legit issues

 

[don]

I'm going to start by saying that I am satisfied with the team as it stands. Could it be improved upon, yes, but there is not much available and not much money to do it with thanks to the CAP (which I like). Now having said that, I think we need more depth od D. By that I'm not talking about a PMD. I'll take an all around D-man and a defensive D-man before a PMD any day. My rational is "D" means "D first". Secondly I would like to get a big, left shooting, Center. I like a balanced team and with the size of the forwards now days ............ well that's self explainatory. I say left shooting because we have 2 right shooting C in our top 2 lines. It would be nice to have that lefty for certain situations (and don't anyone say Kelly and Campbell). Anyway, those are the main needs as I see them.

GO BRUINS

 

[spokedB]

Fans to wait til the season starts before stating the "needs" of the team

Kiddin,

Agree - and not kidding. Boston fans can be brutal.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

No games played as yet, and people here pining for Kovalev?

He has been brutal of late and is exactly the kind of veteran influence you DON'T want to add. I would kick the tires on Gomez, but would prefer a kid from PRO up with either that player or Paille on 3rd line LW, until they prove they can't handle it.