Where is the offense going to come from?

[Pia8988]

Pastrnak - 11-4-15 PPG, 22% of Bruins goals. Easily the best forward on the year
Marchand - 6-12-18 9 in his first 4 games, 9 more in the next 16. Easily 2nd best forward
Bergeron - 3-2-5 playing with the best two offensive players on the team
Krejci - 2-10-12 3rd best forward so far, he's okay but still need to be better
Backes - 4-4-8 Needs to be better, does not look good with Krejci
Spooner - 3-4-7 Where does he fit on this roster, currently bumped down to the 3rd line
Beleskey 2-3-5 Was awful to start the season, slowly getting a bit better but playing above his head on the 2nd line
Czarnik 2-3-5 Looked real bad after the Gudas hit, Has been good as the 3rd line RW as a rookie
Moore - 5-3-8 Who had Moore as the 3rd best goal scorer on the Bruins.....?
Schaller - 3-2-5 Part of a much improved 4th line, pleased with what he has brought so far
Nash - 1-3-4 Holds the 3rd line back offensively. Should be 4th line RW, but Claude doesn't have a great 3rd line option atm.
Hayes - 0-0-0

Chara - 1-5-6 Looked great until the injury, Leaves a big hole in his wake
Carlo - 2-2-4 Didn't expect much offensively from him, overall has been great this year
Krug - 1-5-6 He needs to be better, still has been the 3rd best defenseman on the roster
McQuaid - 0-0-0 Never look to McQuaid for offense, he's been respectable for the most part but should be on the 3rd pair
Morrow - 0-1-1 Probably had his best stretch as a Bruin this year
Colin - 1-1-2 Some bad turnovers, some good plays. Still bad on the PP and not great at fully utilizing his cannon of a shot.
Liles - 0-4-4 Meh, Kept Chara of the PP but not a whole lot 5 on 5 from him

The top players need to start scoring. Two players can't carry an entire team offensively. The lines need a major shake up

Marchand-Bergeron-Czarnik
Spooner-Backes-Pastrnak
Beleskey-Krejci-Cehlarik
Schaller-Moore-Nash
Hayes

Whichever line looks the most dangerous gets the play the most that night, make these forwards start earning their time on the ice.

Click to read more...

 

[wintersej]

Ooo. Cehlarik. Thats interesting.

 

[BruinDust]

Pastrnak - 11-4-15 PPG, 22% of Bruins goals. Easily the best forward on the year
Marchand - 6-12-18 9 in his first 4 games, 9 more in the next 16. Easily 2nd best forward
Bergeron - 3-2-5 playing with the best two offensive players on the team
Krejci - 2-10-12 3rd best forward so far, he's okay but still need to be better
Backes - 4-4-8 Needs to be better, does not look good with Krejci
Spooner - 3-4-7 Where does he fit on this roster, currently bumped down to the 3rd line
Beleskey 2-3-5 Was awful to start the season, slowly getting a bit better but playing above his head on the 2nd line
Czarnik 2-3-5 Looked real bad after the Gudas hit, Has been good as the 3rd line RW as a rookie
Moore - 5-3-8 Who had Moore as the 3rd best goal scorer on the Bruins.....?
Schaller - 3-2-5 Part of a much improved 4th line, pleased with what he has brought so far
Nash - 1-3-4 Holds the 3rd line back offensively. Should be 4th line RW, but Claude doesn't have a great 3rd line option atm.
Hayes - 0-0-0

Chara - 1-5-6 Looked great until the injury, Leaves a big hole in his wake
Carlo - 2-2-4 Didn't expect much offensively from him, overall has been great this year
Krug - 1-5-6 He needs to be better, still has been the 3rd best defenseman on the roster
McQuaid - 0-0-0 Never look to McQuaid for offense, he's been respectable for the most part but should be on the 3rd pair
Morrow - 0-1-1 Probably had his best stretch as a Bruin this year
Colin - 1-1-2 Some bad turnovers, some good plays. Still bad on the PP and not great at fully utilizing his cannon of a shot.
Liles - 0-4-4 Meh, Kept Chara of the PP but not a whole lot 5 on 5 from him

The top players need to start scoring. Two players can't carry an entire team offensively. The lines need a major shake up

Marchand-Bergeron-Czarnik
Spooner-Backes-Pastrnak
Beleskey-Krejci-Cehlarik
Schaller-Moore-Nash
Hayes

Whichever line looks the most dangerous gets the play the most that night, make these forwards start earning their time on the ice.

I'm onboard 100% with those lines.

Something needs to be done. And soon, as in tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath.

The D is the D. Morrow will play until Chara returns, then he and Colin will get to know each other's deepest secrets given the amount of time they'll likely spend together watching from the upper deck.

Kevan and McQuaid will continue to play with immunity to glaring errors. The possession and transition game will slowly revert back to 2015-16 levels.

D-to-D-to-D-to-D passes will be the order of the day, along with a solid helping of bank passes up the board onto the other teams awaiting sticks.

It's happening folks.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

I thought (this summer) that Cehlarik might steal a spot out of camp --at this point it seems like Hayes is immune to demotion but Cehlarik should be brought up. Mixing lines -working in Providence- isn't exactly Julian's strength.

 

[JOKER 192]

The Bruins have 4 top six centers and are using them on the 1st two lines.

I get that we are short a few wingers but it's not working.

Spooner isn't a good winger. He's more effective as a center and the 3rd line could use him.

Hayes needs to go. He isn't contributing anything. Bring up anyone from Providence, can't be worse.

Has there ever been a team with so many 5/6 defensemen on their team? After Chara and Carlo it's all 3rd liners and sadly, that includes Krug. Now with Chara out we have one top 4 Dman and he's in his rookie season . We need to stop relying on Chara the way we do, his injuries seem inevitable at this point and we are poorly equipped to deal with his being out of the line up. A move needs to be made. We can't continue to have Chara as part of plan A.

 

[nmbr_24]

I want Spooner centering the 3rd line with Backes as his RW. I want to see Czarnik and Vatrano with Krejci
Eventually. I don't know how well those lines will work but I want to see them tried when possible.

 

[BruinsPortugal]

When Moore is one of your best scorers, Beleskey is playing 2nd line you have a problem.
I agree with this. Cehlarik needs to get a shot. Backes needs to play center and Spooner and Hayes IMO need to go. Period.

Cant believe we have such a great 4th line and they are playing all abover their spot. This team is so dysfunctional it hurts my brain.

 

[Blowfish]

Pastrnak - 11-4-15 PPG, 22% of Bruins goals. Easily the best forward on the year
Marchand - 6-12-18 9 in his first 4 games, 9 more in the next 16. Easily 2nd best forward
Bergeron - 3-2-5 playing with the best two offensive players on the team
Krejci - 2-10-12 3rd best forward so far, he's okay but still need to be better
Backes - 4-4-8 Needs to be better, does not look good with Krejci
Spooner - 3-4-7 Where does he fit on this roster, currently bumped down to the 3rd line
Beleskey 2-3-5 Was awful to start the season, slowly getting a bit better but playing above his head on the 2nd line
Czarnik 2-3-5 Looked real bad after the Gudas hit, Has been good as the 3rd line RW as a rookie
Moore - 5-3-8 Who had Moore as the 3rd best goal scorer on the Bruins.....?
Schaller - 3-2-5 Part of a much improved 4th line, pleased with what he has brought so far
Nash - 1-3-4 Holds the 3rd line back offensively. Should be 4th line RW, but Claude doesn't have a great 3rd line option atm.
Hayes - 0-0-0

Chara - 1-5-6 Looked great until the injury, Leaves a big hole in his wake
Carlo - 2-2-4 Didn't expect much offensively from him, overall has been great this year
Krug - 1-5-6 He needs to be better, still has been the 3rd best defenseman on the roster
McQuaid - 0-0-0 Never look to McQuaid for offense, he's been respectable for the most part but should be on the 3rd pair
Morrow - 0-1-1 Probably had his best stretch as a Bruin this year
Colin - 1-1-2 Some bad turnovers, some good plays. Still bad on the PP and not great at fully utilizing his cannon of a shot.
Liles - 0-4-4 Meh, Kept Chara of the PP but not a whole lot 5 on 5 from him

The top players need to start scoring. Two players can't carry an entire team offensively. The lines need a major shake up

Marchand-Bergeron-Czarnik
Spooner-Backes-Pastrnak
Beleskey-Krejci-Cehlarik
Schaller-Moore-Nash
Hayes

Whichever line looks the most dangerous gets the play the most that night, make these forwards start earning their time on the ice.

Won't be from Clode.

 

[LSCII]

I have it on good authority that all will be well once Frank "Mr, Offense" Vatrano returns. He's the proverbial straw that stirs the offensive drink, so to speak...

 

[Spanky185]

I have it on good authority that all will be well once Frank "Mr, Offense" Vatrano returns. He's the proverbial straw that stirs the offensive drink, so to speak...

Frank the Tank!

I've been dying to see Pasta and Spoons back(es) together

 

[ReggieMoto]

I have it on good authority that all will be well once Frank "Mr, Offense" Vatrano returns. He's the proverbial straw that stirs the offensive drink, so to speak...

There is some stirring going on, that's for sure. If we can move passed the sarcasm...

Vatrano is not going to be a savior. I haven't seen any posts saying that but admittedly I don't read each and every one. I believe most see him as a bit of a spark plug though and are anxious to see him get back onto the roster for that reason. I take him over Hayes for such a reason. I'd also like to see Acciari back as well. Not as a savior but as a contributing piece.

Krejci's play concerns me and I don't think the problem is who he's playing with. I think Backes' play is fine and that separating them won't fix anything. Is he still hurt and not at 100%? Very real possibility.

Bergy has cooled off a little too much and that also concerns me. Makes me wonder if he's nursing an injury.

I'll simply add to the ongoing discussion that Hayes isn't working out and something needs to be done about it.

 

[rocketdan9]

Told you folks... Leave the Krejci Backes Spooner and Czarnik beleksky lines alone

Clode better go back to these lines soon

Also not a fan of Carlo and liles pair.... Pair carlo with K miller or even mcquaid...

 

[BruinDust]

Told you folks... Leave the Krejci Backes Spooner and Czarnik beleksky lines alone

Clode better go back to these lines soon

Also not a fan of Carlo and liles pair.... Pair carlo with K miller or even mcquaid...

I must of missed that part where those two lines were actually generating offense on a consistent basis.

 

[rocketdan9]

I must of missed that part where those two lines were actually generating offense on a consistent basis.

Well take a look at their stats ... Since beleksky has moved up to wing, no goals.... Czarnik no points... Spooner no pts,....

Spooner ads speed to that krejci line and beleksky is a better faceoff man than Spooner... Beleksky and czarnik had chemistry.... Czarnik and spooner have zilch... And too small too do anything around the boards

 

[BruinDust]

Well take a look at their stats ... Since beleksky has moved up to wing, no goals.... Czarnik no points... Spooner no pts,....

Spooner ads speed to that krejci line and beleksky is a better faceoff man than Spooner... Beleksky and czarnik had chemistry.... Czarnik and spooner have zilch... And too small too do anything around the boards

True, the current lines aren't very good I agree.

But that doesn't justify putting the previous two lines back together. It's not like those combos had any success either.

Fact is, the entire forward template needs to be thrown out with the bathwater. Bottom 3rd in the entire NHL in scoring, not that far off from 29th in scoring (Buffalo has 30th locked up right now).

No need at all to keep going with the current format of lines 2 and 3.

 

[rocketdan9]

True, the current lines aren't very good I agree.

But that doesn't justify putting the previous two lines back together. It's not like those combos had any success either.

Fact is, the entire forward template needs to be thrown out with the bathwater. Bottom 3rd in the entire NHL in scoring, not that far off from 29th in scoring (Buffalo has 30th locked up right now).

No need at all to keep going with the current format of lines 2 and 3.

The lines right now flat out stink.... The prior lines prior to pasta injury was on point...

 

[BruinDust]

The lines right now flat out stink.... The prior lines prior to pasta injury was on point...

The 3rd line with Belesky - Nash - Czarnik was coming around.

But Krejci and Backes together has stunk since Day 1 and the sooner those two are separated and Backes in a center again (where he actually produced both in the regular and pre-season) the better.

Everyone including Claude seems to think that because Krejci had success with large power forward wingers like Lucic, Horton, and Iginla, he'll have success with Backes. Doesn't work like that. So far it looks like a bad fit via the eye-test, and it has absolutely been a bad fit on the score-sheet.

Backes and Krejci have I think two even strength goals together in about 13-14 games now. Not good enough for a 2nd scoring line.

 

[BNHL]

The 3rd line with Belesky - Nash - Czarnik was coming around.

But Krejci and Backes together has stunk since Day 1 and the sooner those two are separated and Backes in a center again (where he actually produced both in the regular and pre-season) the better.

Everyone including Claude seems to think that because Krejci had success with large power forward wingers like Lucic, Horton, and Iginla, he'll have success with Backes. Doesn't work like that. So far it looks like a bad fit via the eye-test, and it has absolutely been a bad fit on the score-sheet.

Backes and Krejci have I think two even strength goals together in about 13-14 games now. Not good enough for a 2nd scoring line.

Backes is probably more suited for center and Spooner is more suited for center, Spooner probably has more offensive talent than Backes at this point. Krejci admitted he still wasn't 100% 2 games ago,so he was probably 50% to start the season and 80% now. So we don't know how it would look if it was 20 games in with a 100% healthy Krejci,but Krejci commented he liked playing with Backes and compared him to Lucic and Horton.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

I have it on good authority that all will be well once Frank "Mr, Offense" Vatrano returns. He's the proverbial straw that stirs the offensive drink, so to speak...

I was told to not worry, and that Belesky, Backes and before them Hayes would make the offence great again.

 

[BruinDust]

Backes is probably more suited for center and Spooner is more suited for center, Spooner probably has more offensive talent than Backes at this point. Krejci admitted he still wasn't 100% 2 games ago,so he was probably 50% to start the season and 80% now. So we don't know how it would look if it was 20 games in with a 100% healthy Krejci,but Krejci commented he liked playing with Backes and compared him to Lucic and Horton.

To be honest I wonder how Backes feels.

I see him being wasted in this system as a winger. He can't terrorize D-men on the forecheck the way he did in last year's playoffs, the way this team plays the 1-2-2 all the time last man to exit the zone typically becomes the forechecker, the other two forwards drop back.

And if he's not going to be forechecking as often as he would in a more aggressive 2-1-2 style, then I'd rather see him be a center so at least your getting more out of him in the defensive zone.

I think his numbers as a center in preseason and regular season combined are 9 pts. in 5 games.

He's got 5 I think in about 14 games as Krejci's RW.

So your getting more out of both ends of the rink at center.

Now I will say part of the issue, besides Krejci's health, is the LW fit seems to be poor as well.

But on a team that desperately needs to spread out the wealth, and you have pairings with proven chemistry in 63-37, 42-88, 46-39, that's what they need to strive towards, the fact that Backes and Pastrnak have showed very nice chemistry together to me makes this an easy decision.

 

[BNHL]

To be honest I wonder how Backes feels.

I see him being wasted in this system as a winger. He can't terrorize D-men on the forecheck the way he did in last year's playoffs, the way this team plays the 1-2-2 all the time last man to exit the zone typically becomes the forechecker, the other two forwards drop back.

And if he's not going to be forechecking as often as he would in a more aggressive 2-1-2 style, then I'd rather see him be a center so at least your getting more out of him in the defensive zone.

I think his numbers as a center in preseason and regular season combined are 9 pts. in 5 games.

He's got 5 I think in about 14 games as Krejci's RW.

So your getting more out of both ends of the rink at center.

Now I will say part of the issue, besides Krejci's health, is the LW fit seems to be poor as well.

But on a team that desperately needs to spread out the wealth, and you have pairings with proven chemistry in 63-37, 42-88, 46-39, that's what they need to strive towards, the fact that Backes and Pastrnak have showed very nice chemistry together to me makes this an easy decision.

Beleskey's a waste of time on the top 2. Bergeron's off to a poor start,Marchand came out on fire and has been spotty. Spooner has 55-60 point potential that seems to have been stalled. A lot of the blame goes to the PP,which simply sucks. I'd probably give Spooner back to Hayes and Beleskey and hold the fort on Krejci/Backes. Whatever they do,they've got to stick with for 10-15 games.

 

[BruinDust]

Beleskey's a waste of time on the top 2. Bergeron's off to a poor start,Marchand came out on fire and has been spotty. Spooner has 55-60 point potential that seems to have been stalled. A lot of the blame goes to the PP,which simply sucks. I'd probably give Spooner back to Hayes and Beleskey and hold the fort on Krejci/Backes. Whatever they do,they've got to stick with for 10-15 games.

It's too bad that right now there doesn't seem to be a solid option to try at LW with Krejci and Backes. Spooner and Belesky haven't worked out IMO. We know it won't be Marchand.

Schaller? Now I'm getting desperate but I'd almost give it a go at this point. Heck even Moore if they can handle Spooner and Nash as the 3rd/4th line C.

Cehlarik down in Providence wouldn't be a bad option to get a look in, but they have to call him up first.

 

[BNHL]

It's too bad that right now there doesn't seem to be a solid option to try at LW with Krejci and Backes. Spooner and Belesky haven't worked out IMO. We know it won't be Marchand.

Schaller? Now I'm getting desperate but I'd almost give it a go at this point. Heck even Moore if they can handle Spooner and Nash as the 3rd/4th line C.

Cehlarik down in Providence wouldn't be a bad option to get a look in, but they have to call him up first.

I only tapped Beleskey with Spooner since he and Hayes had the most minutes with him last year. All the mixing and matching and the poor PP is providing an anemic offense. Bergeron,Spooner,Beleskey and even Hayes are better than what we've seen.