What is the cause of the Bruins mediocrity?

[Fenway]

The Seguin deal still haunts, when all we have to show for it on many nights is Joe Morrow sitting in the press box and Jimmy Hayes. That sort of asset mismanagement can take years to overcome (hence why Chiarelli was fired).

I think it is important to remember that the team in their first Behind the B drove home the point the Bruins made the right move on dealing Seguin.

 

[22Brad Park]

I think it is important to remember that the team in their first Behind the B drove home the point the Bruins made the right move on dealing Seguin.

Worst move in Bruins history far as I have been alive..That Bradley should of been fired with Chiarelli for help talking him into it with Benning.Think about it.Boston does not have one player better then him and nothing to show for the move.How can anyone say it was right move with a straght face?? Edmonton were crazy hiring him.Hall they lost .lol

 

[Oates2Neely]

Worst move in Bruins history far as I have been alive..That Bradley should of been fired with Chiarelli for help talking him into it with Benning.Think about it.Boston does not have one player better then him and nothing to show for the move.How can anyone say it was right move with a straght face?? Edmonton were crazy hiring him.Hall they lost .lol

Let's hope Sweeney fares better in the Hamilton deal. Time will tell.

 

[Brucentric*]

Boychuk, Hamilton, Lucic have not been replaced. Two top four dmen and a 20-25 goal winger for Krejci.

If Sweeney steps up to the plate and gets us a Trouba type player and a Braden Schenn type player. We go very far. Guaranteed.

We can offer alot. We have many chips. Just gonna have to see who are sellers in a month or so. But with Rask in net. If we add, there is no reason we cant win it all with the right two add on's.

Only McAvoy and Gabrielle are un touchable for me in our prospect pool and maybe JFK. Anyone else is out there. So is Krug. Cant pay him that money. That money needs to go toward the Trouba type player.

 

[wintersej]

I think so far the injury situation has been alright, there's plenty of teams with worse situations fighting around the same spot.

It's tough to say what this team is right now.
Can't say it's highly skilled team, can't say it's a very fast lineup either or it's tough to play against.

I can't see that.
Just Metro has 4 teams clearly ahead of the Bruins, Montreal and healthy Tampa are definitely ahead of the Bruins, Florida, Philly, Carolina with healthy rosters are in the same tier.
Even Toronto is scarely close this year already.


I'm hoping injuries aren't the excuse they go with, this team needs changes and blaming injuries would set up for a boring next season as well.
Just look at the injuries Montreal/Tampa/Florida/Buffalo have been dealing with in this division as well.

I disagree completely. You are the ultimate 'grass is greener' fan, so you typically fawn over opposing teams. I think there are 4-5 teams in the East who give the (healthy) Bruins a good battle in a 7-game series. Florida Philly Carolina?? Really? Toronto Buffalo? No chance.

Tampa
Pittsburgh
NYR
Montreal
Washington

I think there is truth in all these statements. I love when BB88 posts, but he certainly has grass is greener syndrome. But, I also don't think you can just blindly blame the injuries, because other teams have overcome them.

I think a healthy Bruins team is an average playoff team if everyone else in the Eastern Conference is healthy. I also think that the Bruins are paper thin depth wise while they are waiting on the kids and so they have not been able to handle Krejci, Bergeron, Backes, Pasta and Vatrano being dinged up or out of the lineup for every single game this season. Injuries happen to everyone, so you can't use them as an excuse and the Bruins icing a lineup featuring two 4th lines supporting a banged up top 6 falls on Sweeney's feet.

But, to be honest, despite what Jacobs said about deep playoff runs, I don't think anyone has had blinders on about the fact that the plan is to try to get lucky (last year, too) and wait for the kids to re-enforce the lineup. And I am OK with that plan.

I also am dying for the day when Sweeney packages some of these future pieces for a bigger piece. He stuck out on Shatty. He struck out on Trouba. Of course, everyone stuck out on those guys. Eventually, he will have to hit on one of those deals or he will be elsewhere.

Where I don't think the blame lies is with Julien. Looking at the middle six from the Cup teams compared to now is night and day.

 

[Fenway]

Worst move in Bruins history far as I have been alive..That Bradley should of been fired with Chiarelli for help talking him into it with Benning.Think about it.Boston does not have one player better then him and nothing to show for the move.How can anyone say it was right move with a straght face?? Edmonton were crazy hiring him.Hall they lost .lol

Another thing none of us know. Was that discussion the real one or was what we saw on tape a scripted version to fit the narrative? The people that shoot and edit that show have all signed very strict NDF's.

I consider the night Iggy vetoed the trade to Boston and chose Pittsburgh instead as the first domino in everything that has happened since. If Iginla comes here in 2013 who knows how it would have played out but it is safe to say he would have had more of an impact than Jagr did and maybe with him they win the Cup. Then they don't need Seguin as a whipping boy.

In 10 days management meets with the STH's and they will have just returned from a 4 game road trip which will be challenging ( @FLA, @CAR, @STL, @NSH ).

 

[finchster]

Another thing none of us know. Was that discussion the real one or was what we saw on tape a scripted version to fit the narrative? The people that shoot and edit that show have all signed very strict NDF's.

There is nothing real about reality TV

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Another thing none of us know. Was that discussion the real one or was what we saw on tape a scripted version to fit the narrative? The people that shoot and edit that show have all signed very strict NDF's.

I consider the night Iggy vetoed the trade to Boston and chose Pittsburgh instead as the first domino in everything that has happened since. If Iginla comes here in 2013 who knows how it would have played out but it is safe to say he would have had more of an impact than Jagr did and maybe with him they win the Cup. Then they don't need Seguin as a whipping boy.

In 10 days management meets with the STH's and they will have just returned from a 4 game road trip which will be challenging ( @FLA, @CAR, @STL, @NSH ).

I don't think adding Iginla would have been enough to defeat Chicago in 2013 assuming all other factors remained the same . The Bruins were just too banged up . Then again if Horton had of been completely healthy

 

[Fenway]

I don't think adding Iginla would have been enough to defeat Chicago in 2013 assuming all other factors remained the same . The Bruins were just too banged up . Then again if Horton had of been completely healthy

Who knows how it would have played out. As it was the Bruins with a couple of bounces could have swept the Hawks.

 

[Fenway]

There is nothing real about reality TV

Of course not

Losing Boychuk 2 years ago was the killer as it destroyed the room. The Bruins will say it was only a flesh wound.......we know better.

 

[JetsFan815]

There is no mediocrity and there is no need to panic.

Bruins have the #1 Corsi % in the entire league.

Bruins have the #1 CorsiFor/60 rate in the entire league and are generating shot attempts better than any team in the league.

Bruins have the #3 shot attempt suppression rate in the league, their CorsiAgainst/60 rate in the league is behind only the Blues and the Kings and it's very close (difference between #3 and #1 is less than 1 shot attempt every 60 minutes).

By all accounts it's an elite team going through some rough shooting luck. Results will catch up to the quality of the numbers posted by the Bruins and they should be an easy playoff team that can contend for the cup. Claude Julien is doing a great job, whatever system he is using this year is producing brilliant results.

 

[22Brad Park]

There is no mediocrity and there is no need to panic.

Bruins have the #1 Corsi % in the entire league.

Bruins have the #1 CorsiFor/60 rate in the entire league and are generating shot attempts better than any team in the league.

Bruins have the #3 shot attempt suppression rate in the league, their CorsiAgainst/60 rate in the league is behind only the Blues and the Kings and it's very close (difference between #3 and #1 is less than 1 shot attempt every 60 minutes).

By all accounts it's an elite team going through some rough shooting luck. Results will catch up to the quality of the numbers posted by the Bruins and they should be an easy playoff team that can contend for the cup. Claude Julien is doing a great job, whatever system he is using this year is producing brilliant results.

That corsi to me is way overcrated around here .I go by the EYE TEST.Toronto 2 pts back with 3 games at hand and Bruins have a losing record again on home ice and lost games vs alot of very weak teams .Elite you say? I would bet against that.sorry.

 

[Fenway]

There is no mediocrity and there is no need to panic.

Bruins have the #1 Corsi % in the entire league.

Bruins have the #1 CorsiFor/60 rate in the entire league and are generating shot attempts better than any team in the league.

Bruins have the #3 shot attempt suppression rate in the league, their CorsiAgainst/60 rate in the league is behind only the Blues and the Kings and it's very close (difference between #3 and #1 is less than 1 shot attempt every 60 minutes).

By all accounts it's an elite team going through some rough shooting luck. Results will catch up to the quality of the numbers posted by the Bruins and they should be an easy playoff team that can contend for the cup. Claude Julien is doing a great job, whatever system he is using this year is producing brilliant results.

Friedman wrote at length about this yesterday.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-manage-bad-luck/

The idea is the farther you get away from 1.000 the more (or less) lucky you are. Eventually, you are supposed to come back to the middle. In theory.

I say “in theory†because we’re going to go back to the phone conversation mentioned above. A couple years ago, I was talking to a GM about this stat. His team couldn’t shoot. Well, they could shoot but not score. Their other stats were good, but their PDO was terrible.

He knew about PDO. But the more I mentioned it, the angrier he got. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that until too late.

“What the $%&#@ am I supposed to do with that?†he finally yelled. “Am I supposed to tell my owner everything is going to be okay because our percentages are due to climb to the &%$@# median? I’m sure that status report will go over well.â€

 

[CDJ]

They can't score


Solution: don't play 4th liners in the top 9. They have internal options so they should do that


I actually don't think they've played bad hockey. Last game was terrible, but aside from that a lot of the time I feel they are snake bitten. I think they are a backend playoff team.

There aren't a lot of players on this team that I feel are terrible. McQuaid and K. Miller in the same unit is an issue, Nash/Schaller getting top 9 run is an issue, Khudobin is an issue...but these aren't permanent I don't think

 

[22Brad Park]

They can't score


Solution: don't play 4th liners in the top 9. They have internal options so they should do that


I actually don't think they've played bad hockey. Last game was terrible, but aside from that a lot of the time I feel they are snake bitten. I think they are a backend playoff team. A lack of a top pairing bonafide d man with good hands is hurting too.

There aren't a lot of players on this team that I feel are terrible. McQuaid and K. Miller in the same unit is an issue, Nash/Schaller getting top 9 run is an issue, Khudobin is an issue...but these aren't permanent I don't think

The reason they are snake bitten is because they are a team up front with to many muckers.Them type of players need 4 and 5 or 6 good chances to bury one.Till they add more skill up front its going to continue.

 

[JetsFan815]

That corsi to me is way overcrated around here .I go by the EYE TEST.Toronto 2 pts back with 3 games at hand and Bruins have a losing record again on home ice and lost games vs alot of very weak teams .Elite you say? I would bet against that.sorry.

No team with Corsi numbers in the same ballpark as the 2016-2017 Bruins has missed the playoffs (on the contrary cup contender have historically posted numbers like this). The only one that comes close are the Devils teams of 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 but they did that by playing a stifling defensive system that suppressed the opponents shots, but also suppressing their own shots as a result not producing enough goals. Bruins don't have this problem as they lead the league in shot attempt generation. If Bruins management doesn't make a panic move and Julien sticks to whatever system he has the Bruins using. Playoffs are pretty much guaranteed.

Edit: To put this in perspective:

 

[finchster]

While it would be unprecedented, I don't think these CORSI numbers mean much for the Bruins. I think Claude has the team playing a good system which is giving them a chance to win but I don't think a high CORSI number will mean much for this team.

Our top players, Bergeron/Krejci have been playing hurt this year along with Krug and now Backes. They aren't going to be at their usual levels of performance.

Two, the Bruins bottom six is full of guys with very little talent. Guys like; Czarnik, Schaller, Hayes, Blidh, Acciari, et al. aren't going to get it done (Moore has been a great 4th line guy however).

We have seen Calgary make the playoffs with the third worst CORSI in the NHL a few years back. It's entirely possible a well coached team with injuries to their stars and AHL level talent on the bottom six miss the playoffs despite a good CORSI.

 

[Blowfish]

Still no waivers or call ups...Just a matter of time. PS please no more Heinen. He needs more time in the AHL.

 

[BruinDust]

No team with Corsi numbers in the same ballpark as the 2016-2017 Bruins has missed the playoffs (on the contrary cup contender have historically posted numbers like this). The only one that comes close are the Devils teams of 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 but they did that by playing a stifling defensive system that suppressed the opponents shots, but also suppressing their own shots as a result not producing enough goals. Bruins don't have this problem as they lead the league in shot attempt generation. If Bruins management doesn't make a panic move and Julien sticks to whatever system he has the Bruins using. Playoffs are pretty much guaranteed.

Edit: To put this in perspective:

While I appreciate the optimism, the playoffs a far from guaranteed for this club.

Looks to me like the Bruins are going to take a large dump all over this advanced stats stuff, corsi and this PDO nonsense.

Because this is a bad hockey team. 6 regulation wins in their last 22 games, most regulation losses in the eastern conference, tells a more accurate tale of what this Bruins team is than any ridiculous advanced stat ever would.

 

[JCRO]

Still no waivers or call ups...Just a matter of time. PS please no more Heinen. He needs more time in the AHL.

He really does. Both brief stints in Boston he was simply a filler. Didnt do much of anything. Needs time to develop his game at this level.

 

[BruinDust]

Still no waivers or call ups...Just a matter of time. PS please no more Heinen. He needs more time in the AHL.

We've seen enough of Heinen for this season.

He needs to work hard on his skating to have an impact at the NHL level.

 

[ODAAT]

He really does. Both brief stints in Boston he was simply a filler. Didnt do much of anything. Needs time to develop his game at this level.

he does and it`s things like this which leave me feeling the same way about calling up other players (Cehlarik/Debrusk most mentioned). I`m not against either being called up, but it feels some on this board think a call up for either will change the fortunes of this team offensively.

Is it worth a shot? Sure, will they have impact where Heinen, at this time, didn`t? I wouldn`t put money on it

 

[mikelvl]

he does and it`s things like this which leave me feeling the same way about calling up other players (Cehlarik/Debrusk most mentioned). I`m not against either being called up, but it feels some on this board think a call up for either will change the fortunes of this team offensively.

Is it worth a shot? Sure, will they have impact where Heinen, at this time, didn`t? I wouldn`t put money on it

And this is where years of poor drafting in the Chiarelli regime has caught up to them. The promising young players just aren't ready for prime time yet. And we are left with flotsam and jetsam to fill out the bottom six forwards. Couple that with a slow, aging D corps, and the results are what they are. Neely's biggest challenge, other than to stop coercing Sweeney to trade for the Rinaldo types, is to convince Mr. Burns that he should keep both he and Donnie on until the kids are ready.

 

[BMC]

Of course not

Losing Boychuk 2 years ago was the killer as it destroyed the room. The Bruins will say it was only a flesh wound.......we know better.

I will hate, loathe & despise that trade until the day I die.

Love the movie though

 

[Sharp Shooting Neely]

Wrong guys kept

Quaider (love him but not worth his money)
kevan miller
Rask (will love the hate post I get for this one)

.

This SN article quote below is on Veniza candidates this year. Article listed Price, Bobrosky and Dubnyk and Rask. It does support the decision of which tender to keep. To date have not seen or heard anything to suggest it was ever a consideration for the B's. Tuukka is their guy.

No hate directed at you in the slightest for your opinion though. Hope no one else here would do that to you either.

Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins
"The Vezina winner of 2013-14, Rask had a bit of a down year last season (which was still pretty good by the way), but has bounced back into prime form for a Bruins team that's been just a little unlucky this season. Throughout his career, Rask has always posted Vezina-caliber numbers, but lost time to Tim Thomas at the start of his career. He's not a surprising candidate here at all."