What do you want em to do?

[Bruin4]

Bruins are years away from true contention. Would rather kickstart the rebuild than tread water in the middle of the league.

Imagine the Bruins regressing to the point of being like the Patriots the past few years or the Red Sox since 2018. At least those teams have some ace kids coming along.

As much as some would like to see a true rebuild, maybe even me, I think this could be a case of "be careful what you wish for." 2-5 years of being a bottom of the league team would be tough to take. Especially when most of the other Boston teams have a ways to go before being good again.

Whatever happens, Sweeney is under a lot of pressure to get it right, whichever direction he chooses. They are kind of tip toeing through a minefield right now.

McKenna would go a long ways in righting the ship or at least he'd make them fun to watch and give them hope for a bright future, although Pasta makes most the games fun to watch now, all by himself.

 

[Beyonder]

Bruins are years away from true contention. Would rather kickstart the rebuild than tread water in the middle of the league.

I probably agree.

BUT

1. Do you think this team will really go for a true rebuild?

2. Do you have faith in this GM to make it work?

3. Given what they have for draft picks and prospects, they would be truly starting at square 1 with any potential rebuild. The short term steps would be all about putting some pieces in place to start the process. Then waiting several years for it to pay off, with the usual missteps along the way.

I'll stop repeating the same thing but, right or wrong, I just can't see the current management group (Charlie, Cam, GMDS) signing off on a true rebuild.

 

[BruinDust]

Bruins are years away from true contention. Would rather kickstart the rebuild than tread water in the middle of the league.

They have one of the league's elite forwards still in his 20s.

A goaltender held in high regard around the league in his prime age.

I look at the names on D and there is no reason why it can't be a competent and contending D-corps when used correctly with the proper coaching. Might need a tweak (Carlo for a more well-rounded D-man) but the foundation is there.

They have to improve and modernize the forward group. Deeper, faster, better puck distribution, better shooting ability. But it's not like that is some monumental task if done correctly.

Do they have the coaches, front office personnel, and scouts to get that job done is the biggest question. If I was an out-of-work former NHL GM, I'd be salivating at the chance to re-tool this group.

 

[Beyonder]

McKenna would go a long ways in righting the ship or at least he'd make them fun to watch and give them hope for a bright future, although Pasta makes most the games fun to watch now, all by himself.

But McKenna is projected to go very high, maybe #1 overall. And that's 2026.

Seems very unlikely that the Bruins are falling to that pick or getting a pick that high in a trade. The only way would be to luck into winning the lottery pick for #1 OA. Maybe it happens but that's tough to count on.

Keep in mind Bedard in Chicago. Great talent, #1 OA, regarded as the best 1OA in several years. But that team still stinks and he is doing pretty good but it has become rough going for him too. They also drafted #2OA in this past draft and still stink. They will probably be #1 or 2 again this year - and they'll still be bad next year.

Rebuilds like that are an ugly process. I say no way are the Boston team or fan base really prepared to go through that for 5 years. Doesn't mean it's better to accept being a #10-15 team for those 5 years though.

 

[Beyonder]

Do they have the coaches, front office personnel, and scouts to get that job done is the biggest question. If I was an out-of-work former NHL GM, I'd be salivating at the chance to re-tool this group.

Right there is the biggest problem.

IMO as long as Charlie controls the fate of senior management, he will defer to Cam and Donnie. I don't believe it's in him to fire those 2.

Some think the Bruins senior management team is just fine. I don't happen to be among them. But I also don't believe it is changing until some extended, embarrassing failure happens. With the talent the team does have the next few years, I'm not expecting that. Nor do I expect them to be a top team with deep playoff potential.

That's the difficulty. They are not and probably won't be bad enough to compel massive changes as if there were no other choice. Yet they are probably not good enough to be a true contender. There are many teams in the NHL who are so-called middle of the pack and stay in that mode season after season. Unfortunately the Bruins probably have joined that group.

The consolation is that this comes after a long stretch where they were one of the top teams and had numerous top players. Cycle of life stuff. Maybe we get too spoiled. There are many teams that haven't had a good run in a long time and it has been misery for their fans. The Bruins may be on the other side of the mountain now and it's not the best of times but... we have some good times and players to remember and STILL there are a lot of teams today that are much worse off. I just hope whatever happens next is the right move, whatever that ends up meaning.

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

Trade Marchand to Vegas where he can play for a cup and be pals with Eichel and convince him to come to his childhood team when his contract expires. Then we re-sign Marchand in the off season and wait for Eichel Pasta to light up the league in 26/27.

 

[BruinDust]

Right there is the biggest problem.

IMO as long as Charlie controls the fate of senior management, he will defer to Cam and Donnie. I don't believe it's in him to fire those 2.

Some think the Bruins senior management team is just fine. I don't happen to be among them. But I also don't believe it is changing until some extended, embarrassing failure happens. With the talent the team does have the next few years, I'm not expecting that. Nor do I expect them to be a top team with deep playoff potential.

That's the difficulty. They are not and probably won't be bad enough to compel massive changes as if there were no other choice. Yet they are probably not good enough to be a true contender. There are many teams in the NHL who are so-called middle of the pack and stay in that mode season after season. Unfortunately the Bruins probably have joined that group.

The consolation is that this comes after a long stretch where they were one of the top teams and had numerous top players. Cycle of life stuff. Maybe we get too spoiled. There are many teams that haven't had a good run in a long time and it has been misery for their fans. The Bruins may be on the other side of the mountain now and it's not the best of times but... we have some good times and players to remember and STILL there are a lot of teams today that are much worse off. I just hope whatever happens next is the right move, whatever that ends up meaning.

I don't expect any significant changes after this season in terms of front office or scouting (particularly pro scouting). I see this sort of like when they fell back to earth in 2000 and 2001. I didn't result in any major overhauls in the front office.

I don't expect Sacco back if they miss. What happens to the rest of the coaching staff is anyone's guess. You can't 1-4 forecheck/Neutral zone your way to a cup anymore. They need a coach who can communicate and teach a more modern style of play. I think Sacco and Co. are trying to do that but just aren't successful translating what they want to the players. And they don't really have the horses to play that game anyways up front with the lack of footspeed so it creates this snowball effect.

I just think their vision is flawed. Too much emphasis on two-way/defensive ability, grit, height, weight, toughness, fighting, jam, versatility, face-off ability. Not focus on the offensive aspects of the game like passing/puck distribution, shooting, finish, puck possession, speed and skating, etc. Still hanging onto this mythical "Bruin-type" player that has brought 1 cup in half a century. Quite simply I think there needs to be a better balance of skill-sets if they want to win in today's NHL.

Then factor in they seem obsessed with guys who can play wing and center, creating this almost position-less type of style where guys don't know where to be half the time. In the offensive zone I don't have an issue with it, but they are getting crossed-up in the defensive zone all the time. We fans are watching from above and sometimes it's hard to know who is playing C and who is playing which wing in the defensive zone. If you can't tell from above, how can you expect your guys to make the right read down at ice level?

 

[Bruin4]

But McKenna is projected to go very high, maybe #1 overall. And that's 2026.

Seems very unlikely that the Bruins are falling to that pick or getting a pick that high in a trade. The only way would be to luck into winning the lottery pick for #1 OA. Maybe it happens but that's tough to count on.

Keep in mind Bedard in Chicago. Great talent, #1 OA, regarded as the best 1OA in several years. But that team still stinks and he is doing pretty good but it has become rough going for him too. They also drafted #2OA in this past draft and still stink. They will probably be #1 or 2 again this year - and they'll still be bad next year.

Rebuilds like that are an ugly process. I say no way are the Boston team or fan base really prepared to go through that for 5 years. Doesn't mean it's better to accept being a #10-15 team for those 5 years though.

Yes my comment was directed at the post that was talking a true rebuild and if your going that way, your going to want to tear it all down in hopes of getting a McKenna. Im not condoning one or want to see one. I want to see a retool to make that clear, but if they were to do one, do it full blast and get a McKenna, do not do it half @$$.

 

[jmon1313]

You can't rebuild with Pasta. He's too talented to give up on and rebuild. He is who you hope to get out of a draft.

Carlo, Coyle, Marchand, Brazaeu, Koepke, Freddy.

Trade them for under 23 year old players when you can.

 

[DKH]

Do you have a player in mind at 8th OA?

Carter Bear

Exactly what they need

Cabin the Woods script for me

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Carter Bear

Exactly what they need

Cabin the Woods script for me

How could they not take him if available.

 

[DKH]

How could they not take him if available.

He’s really good he’s is a top 6 F

Love him

He’s in that 8 area