Boston Globe DAN SHAUGHNESSY - What Harry Sinden thinks of these record-setting Bruins

[EverettMike]

Unless you're talking about adding Gretzky, Bruins aren't winning any of those series.

Up 2-0 before losing their best goal scorer. I'm thinking depth might have helped. But what do I know? I'm the dummy that gave you an actual answer to your question just so you could dismiss it when it didn't fit your narrative.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Well I certainly remember trade deadlines and him saying he was content with team they had and thinking man if you just added that 1 player.Sure enough come up short vs Montreal.Could probably Google those old interviews with Harry.Only time I ever liked that man was when he stood up for team in tunnel about penalty calls.

The 1970's dynasty Canadiens? I think you were being optimistic to think adding a player would have made the difference.

 

[22Brad Park]

The 1970's dynasty Canadiens? I think you were being optimistic to think adding a player would have made the difference.

Bruins had them in 79 everyone talks about that too many men call but forget ghost call on Middleton that got them within 1.Anyhow all in past hopefully get job done this time.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Up 2-0 before losing their best goal scorer. I'm thinking depth might have helped. But what do I know? I'm the dummy that gave you an actual answer to your question just so you could dismiss it when it didn't fit your narrative.

Neely played evey game of that series.

 

[Hookslide]

They always seemed to be one good player short of what was needed and that is all on Harry and his miserly ways. For example, I remember there was real interest in Keith Tkachuk coming to Boston (IIRC it was when was considering not re-upping in Phoenix) and after all was said and done, Keith's quote about why it didn't happen was something like "Harry wouldn't pay."

Harry would put out all kinds of rumors on players that they were going try and get , Thachuk was one along with Lanny Mc Donald . Joey Mullin who he did finally get when neck was in a brace , oh there was always the Jeremy Roenick annual rumors he would put these out to his lackies in the media . The guy was a fraud ...........

 

[Dr Hook]

Harry would put out all kinds of rumors on players that they were going try and get , Thachuk was one along with Lanny Mc Donald . Joey Mullin who he did finally get when neck was in a brace , oh there was always the Jeremy Roenick annual rumors he would put these out to his lackies in the media . The guy was a fraud ...........

Yes, I don't disagree, however, the point with Tkachuk was that it appears he actually talked to Sinden about signing and was not offered what he should have been.

Tkachuk was traded for 3 players and a first-round pick.

If Tkachuk said that he must have meant Harry wouldn't pay the price to acquire him, not to pay him.

I believe it was before that, when he resigned with the Yotes well before he was traded. I want to say 97 or 98, somewhere in there.

 

[DaBroons]

That kind of shit is why the Bruins could never have nice things when he was in charge.

Not only that, but I thought that Harry was hypocritical about the whole salary thing. He argued in arbitration that the league's dmen, overall, made less money than the forwards. Then, after winning in arbitration, from that point forward, no one on da Broons--including forwards--would be paid more than Bourque.

 

[DaBroons]

In fairness, you have an additional scoring option on the Bruins, and the dynamic of the entire series changes. They have to alter how they played, change their strategy. So simply taking their goal totals from what happened and saying nobody would have changed that is a little more than short sighted, IMO. It's an impossibility to say what would have happened because it's a hypothetical. Just about the only thing you can say is that they didn't have enough scoring to compete in those series, which kind of supports the other sides opinion. We'll never know though because Siden was a dick and even worse, he acted like Jacobs money was his own.

One more goal wins an OT game and can completely change the series. And so can preventing one goal for that matter, either by a save or a defensive play.

I see both sides, but the team hasn't had scoring DEPTH like they have this year in decades.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Yes, I don't disagree, however, the point with Tkachuk was that it appears he actually talked to Sinden about signing and was not offered what he should have been.


I believe it was before that, when he resigned with the Yotes well before he was traded. I want to say 97 or 98, somewhere in there.

Tkachuk was a restricted free agent in 1996.

Chicago offered a 5-year deal at $17 million. Phoenix matched it.

 

[LSCII]

One more goal wins an OT game and can completely change the series. And so can preventing one goal for that matter, either by a save or a defensive play.

I see both sides, but the team hasn't had scoring DEPTH like they have this year in decades.

Exactly. They’ve been a one line too heavy team for a long time. I think that’s why I’ve really enjoyed this season. So much balance and depth distributed across all 4 lines. What a luxury to have. Total wagon.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Exactly. They’ve been a one line too heavy team for a long time. I think that’s why I’ve really enjoyed this season. So much balance and depth distributed across all 4 lines. What a luxury to have. Total wagon.

Total miracle.

 

[LSCII]

Total miracle.

So you honestly think this team compiling a winning percentage of .823 was just happenstance? Honestly? I know you and I very rarely agree about anything here, but man that is one f***ing insane hot take. I'll give you credit for saying it, but to actually believe it, I have no words. You have a shit roster and you get above .500, that could be luck. But if you literally win 82% of the freaking games you played in, luck has zero to do with it. That's flat out execution and everyone invested and rowing in the same direction. If you want to say it's not sustainable, well sure, but that's a different argument. Total miracle implies they had no business winning games they won. Having watched literally all of them, they were the better team in nearly all of their games. So again, zero luck. Far more preparation and execution.

 

[jgatie]

B-b-b-but . . . unbiased!

 

[BMC]

That kind of shit is why the Bruins could never have nice things when he was in charge.

That was a flaming disgrace. Ray Bourque wasn't just one of the greatest Bruins defensemen of all time he was one of the greatest defensemen of all time period. At the time he'd been in the league for 14 years & was still at the top of his game. And Sinden took him to arbitration instead of trying to work it out with Bourque's agent. It was a dick move all the way. I have a hard time believing this didn't leave Bourque with a bad taste in his mouth yet he remained a Bruin for another 7 years. Sinden sure as hell didn't deserve that kind of loyalty.

Exactly. They’ve been a one line too heavy team for a long time. I think that’s why I’ve really enjoyed this season. So much balance and depth distributed across all 4 lines. What a luxury to have. Total wagon.

I forget now how many seasons there was a black hole at 1LW to play with Oates & Neely but it was a parade of mediocrity at the position for quite awhile. No second line to speak of either.

 

[Dr Hook]

Tkachuk was a restricted free agent in 1996.

Chicago offered a 5-year deal at $17 million. Phoenix matched it.

Whatever. Maybe it was 2001 or so. The point stands that Harry was a cheap bastard at the end of the day and refused to spend what was needed to put some good Bruins teams over the top.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

So you honestly think this team compiling a winning percentage of .823 was just happenstance? Honestly? I know you and I very rarely agree about anything here, but man that is one f***ing insane hot take. I'll give you credit for saying it, but to actually believe it, I have no words. You have a shit roster and you get above .500, that could be luck. But if you literally win 82% of the freaking games you played in, luck has zero to do with it. That's flat out execution and everyone invested and rowing in the same direction. If you want to say it's not sustainable, well sure, but that's a different argument. Total miracle implies they had no business winning games they won. Having watched literally all of them, they were the better team in nearly all of their games. So again, zero luck. Far more preparation and execution.

A miracle is not the same as luck.

Before this season started, if someone said the Bruins were going to have the best regular season in the history of the NHL, what would have been the reaction?

Not likely anyone would say they would have to be really lucky.

More likely they would have said that would be a miracle.

In no way did I imply they were lucky.

Whatever. Maybe it was 2001 or so. The point stands that Harry was a cheap bastard at the end of the day and refused to spend what was needed to put some good Bruins teams over the top.

Right, whatever.

Anyway, Harry wasn't the GM in 2001.

 

[Dr Hook]

A miracle is not the same as luck.

Before this season started, if someone said the Bruins were going to have the best regular season in the history of the NHL, what would have been the reaction?

Not likely anyone would say they would have to be really lucky.

More likely they would have said that would be a miracle.

In no way did I imply they were lucky.


Right, whatever.

Anyway, Harry wasn't the GM in 2001.

Well argue with Tkachuk then if it is important for you to be right. He said it and he wasn’t the only one to imply or flat out state Harry was cheap.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Well argue with Tkachuk then if it is important for you to be right. He said it and he wasn’t the only one to imply or flat out state Harry was cheap.

Honest question:

Can you reference the Tkachuk quote? I've searched for it and don't come up with anything.

 

[Dr Hook]

Honest question:

Can you reference the Tkachuk quote? I've searched for it and don't come up with anything.

I remember it vaguely from 30 +/- as probably one of those "Bruins are in on X' rumours that you hear all the time. But that's a long while back. The most recently it was discussed on Spittin Chiclets 3 or 4 years ago- Ryan Whitney was talking about it and I have no idea if it was said to him in a conversation, part of an article, or what. It's definitely hearsay and would get tossed out by a judge

 

[GordonHowe]

Heck, one/third of the Flyers' team were former Broons or prospects.

Both Parent and Favell in goal; Joe Watson and Barry Ashbee on D; the entire 2nd line of Ross Lonsberry, MacLeish, and Dornhoefer, Reg Leach, and Terry Crisp. Favell wasn't on either cup team, having been traded to Toronto to get Parent back, whereas Leach was only on the 2nd one.

My argument is that Milt was a convenient scapegoat for the owners' lack of deep pockets. Also, much of what happened that summer could not have been foreseen. Perhaps if Milt had spoken to MacKenzie and Ted Green ahead of the draft, he could have prevented their reactions to being initially left unprotected. The real culprits were the WHA and the constant expansion.

For example, had Milt known that Cheevers would sign with Cleveland, he could have protected star prospect Dan Bouchard. Had he known that Orr's knees would last the season, he could have kept Reg Leach, who would have taken MacKenzie's spot with Bucyk and Stanfield. However, I did not like the Mike Walton trade. He was an upgrade on Wayne Carlton on the 3rd line LW spot, but not that much, and he could have kept MacLeish. Imagine winning the cup in 1970, having the 3rd and 4th picks in the draft, and selecting two future 50+ goal scorers with the picks.

Hap Ems was the GM who signed Orr to his first NHL contract on 9-3-65 at age 18, and Lynn Patrick was the GM who signed Orr at age 14 for their Oshawa Generals junior team, making him Bruins' property.

Always a pleasure to talk about old times with you, GH.

You too. Clearly, you know your stuff.

 

[quietbruinfan]

Bruins had them in 79 everyone talks about that too many men call but forget ghost call on Middleton that got them within 1.Anyhow all in past hopefully get job done this time.

It was Ratelle, which made it twice as bad.

 

[b in vancouver]

What were the chances that there would be any positive responses in this thread?

I personally enjoy hearing from Sinden. One of the best hockey minds of all time while giving most of his adult life to the franchise. Glad he's still with us and keeping up with the team. I respect him.

 

[Hookslide]

I personally enjoy hearing from Sinden. One of the best hockey minds of all time while giving most of his adult life to the franchise. Glad he's still with us and keeping up with the team. I respect him.

While being paid well most of his adult life and making everyone else's adult life miserable......

 

[b in vancouver]

In Sinden's time as GM, only the Canadiens and the Flyers had a higher winning percentage than the Bruins.

That's over 28 seasons.

Call him a terrible person, but please don't try to diminish his record as a GM.

I've got your back on this topic. There's a couple seasons I wish he had gone all in but the irrational disdain is ridiculous.
No Cups sucks but that had a lot to do with the team underperforming in the playoffs and running into some all time great teams.

Sinden was one of the best GMs of all time. One of the best hockey minds of all time. I don't think it's debatable.

 

[Hookslide]

I've got your back on this topic. There's a couple seasons I wish he had gone all in but the irrational disdain is ridiculous.
No Cups sucks but that had a lot to do with the team underperforming in the playoffs and running into some all time great teams.

Sinden was one of the best GMs of all time. One of the best hockey minds of all time. I don't think it's debatable.

He does not deserve to be put on a pedestal............Sorry his ass should have been fired before many that he fired coaches ,players . Bottom line he was POS that dis his job for what ownership paid him to do make money for them with know concern for the fans ,FJB and FHS.........