Boston Herald Jim Montgomery still bullish on the Bruins

[Hookslide]

So this is Monty's currrent proposed lineup before seeing how things play out in camp:

JVR -- Zacha -- Pasta

Marchand -- Coyle -- DeBrusk

Lucic -- Geekie -- Frederic

Boqvist -- Brown -- Chiasson


With the 3rd and 4th lines moving parts

No Lauko ...............big mistake........... This is why the young kids get discouraged and effects their development

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

No Lauko ...............big mistake........... This is why the young kids get discouraged and effects their development

Because posters don’t put them in their projected lineups? Lol

 

[Hookslide]

As much as I love Charlie Coyle he’s simply not a long term answer at 2C.
Monty is setting him up to fail and Charlie is in for a lot of abuse.

There are no two better players to serve a internship under than Marchand and DeBrusk , that means putting Geekie between them and find out what the kid has...you are also keeping Coyle on the third line which I feel was a strong suite for this team last year ................

 

[PB37]

No Lauko ...............big mistake........... This is why the young kids get discouraged and effects their development

He'll get his shot. Camp isn't here yet. If he brings it, Chiasson will be the 13th or sent to the minors. I like Lauko too but the message here is he ( and the other youth ) need to win a spot, not be given it.

 

[HustleB]

So this is Monty's currrent proposed lineup before seeing how things play out in camp:

JVR -- Zacha -- Pasta

Marchand -- Coyle -- DeBrusk

Lucic -- Geekie -- Frederic

Boqvist -- Brown -- Chiasson


With the 3rd and 4th lines moving parts

Flip Lucic and Boquist I think.

 

[Hookslide]

Because posters don’t put them in their projected lineups? Lol

Is that what it is .......haha....... that makes me smarter then most I guess.........haha​

 

[chizzler]

@Aussie Bruin

A year ago most of us thought the B's were a playoff bubble team and certainly didn't think they would win the President's Trophy.

2023-2004 they should remain a Top 3 team in the Atlantic but drawing most likely Tampa in Round One assuming Toronto locks up A1

BUT we have to watch Buffalo, Detroit and Florida.

Ottawa is a wildcard and Montreal

I think we’ll see a different coach this year. Monty came into a veteran team and didn’t create waves after they started winning. I remember that Dallas team. They were a tough team to play against.

 

[mjhfb]

I don't like the powerplay not being addressed again this off-season. I like Chris Kelly, but I'd prefer someone else to come in here and run it. Just promoting from within over and over does nothing, imo.

I see your point - a bottom six checking forward who averaged around a point every 3 games tasked to improve the PP. But other non PP guys have done it, and he was a smart player, so I think he'll be fine.

 

[ON3M4N]

He'll get his shot. Camp isn't here yet. If he brings it, Chiasson will be the 13th or sent to the minors. I like Lauko too but the message here is he ( and the other youth ) need to win a spot, not be given it.

Last camp & pre-season he played really well and earned a spot....then was sent to the AHL because he didn't require waivers.

 

[Bruinaura]

I already miss 37 and 46 lol

 

[Mione134]

I see your point - a bottom six checking forward who averaged around a point every 3 games tasked to improve the PP. But other non PP guys have done it, and he was a smart player, so I think he'll be fine.

I like Kelly a lot. But I just don't see how or what he can bring to a pp. He's very intelligent and don't doubt he's a good coach. But after years and years of a terrible pp. I really was hoping this year they'd FINALLY address it.

 

[BMC]

I like Kelly a lot. But I just don't see how or what he can bring to a pp. He's very intelligent and don't doubt he's a good coach. But after years and years of a terrible pp. I really was hoping this year they'd FINALLY address it.

IMO the way to address it is Marc Savard.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Monty can only work with what he has. The only even remotely viable alternatives to Coyle at 2C are Geekie and perhaps Merkulov down the road, but realistically Charlie has to get first opportunity. He's on a top-6 contract, money- and term-wise, and in his public statements he's never shied away from at least being open to taking on extra responsibility.

I agree - I am not confident that Coyle has what it takes to be an effective 2C. But in Marchand and DeBrusk he will be given as good a pair of wingers as can reasonably be asked for to build a capable line, so we can only hope he succeeds. If not then yeah some folks are going to rag on him, but that would be misguided. As usual, the buck ultimately stops with the front office.

For now, I don't have a problem with Coyle in the top 6 but I don't think Marchand is the ideal winger for him. Charlie likes to hang onto the puck for lengthy time periods and so does Brad . I don't see those two meshing well . Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

You confirmed what I said there goalkeepers stood on there heads most games ,especially early on in the games ,defensively they we’re playing like shit .I remember watching many of these games and thinking if they don’t clean things up in there own end ,it’s going to bite them in the rear end ,remember countless odd man rushes,breakaways.They didn’t clean it up and it did come back to bite them.

How the heck do you figure what I posted confirmed what you said?

Teams don't play like shit defensively and win 15 of 16 games. Nor do they give up only 29 goals in 16 games, no matter how good the goalies.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

For now, I don't have a problem with Coyle in the top 6 but I don't think Marchand is the ideal winger for him. Charlie likes to hang onto the puck for lengthy time periods and so does Brad . I don't see those two meshing well . Hope I'm wrong.

Pasta and Marchand both like to hang on to the puck. They did OK together.

Maybe Coyle needs to adjust his game a bit if he's playing with Marchand.

 

[Fenian24]

I'll be generous and say both.

I won't, I feel sorry for Coyle, he became a Sweeney binky after 1 good playoff and Sweeney, once again, wanted to prove he was the smartest guy in the room and signed him to a contract for length and dollars of a second line center. Coyle is not a top 2 center, that isn't his fault, it's managements trying to justify his salary. They tried it once already and it failed so now they will try again.

Only way Sweeney fixes this is letting this season play out and hoping a real top 2 center makes it to free agency or deals one of his few remaining picks for Lindholm and extends him. What I don't understand is that if Sweeney plans on doing this (trade for an upcoming UFA and extend him) why he thinks other teams with much, much better prospect pools and draft capital wouldn't do the same thing?

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Look I see things differently than you ,I was worried going into the playoffs with the way they had been playing defensively,whether they would be ready to play playoff hockey,they weren’t,I”m not going to argue if you seem things differently so be it.You say that teams don’t play shitty and win a lot of games ,well I say they did ,Ullmark was incredible probably every game he played and Swayman probably the second half of the season was even probably a little better.I don’t think we really give enough credit to how great their goaltending was ,and how many games they won,Or definitely kept them in it,because they were guilty of many slow starts. My opinion anyway.

 

[Absurdity]

I don't think JVR will work on a line with Zacha and Pastrnak, but I guess it doesn't hurt trying. I don't think it matters who is centering Marchand and DeBrusk since they will be the ones carrying the play, but with Coyle in the top 6, whether he succeeds in that role long-term or not is to be seen, it makes the bottom 6 weaker.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I see your point - a bottom six checking forward who averaged around a point every 3 games tasked to improve the PP. But other non PP guys have done it, and he was a smart player, so I think he'll be fine.

Agreed.

Not even sure coaching the power play is a big deal. Top power plays are almost always teams with the best offensive players. All teams slump on the PP occasionally but I'm pretty sure its an "in their heads" thing rather than a coaching thing.

Bruins slump in 2nd half on the PP but put up 11 goals in 7 games in the playoffs. All about the timing.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I like Kelly a lot. But I just don't see how or what he can bring to a pp. He's very intelligent and don't doubt he's a good coach. But after years and years of a terrible pp. I really was hoping this year they'd FINALLY address it.

Lets say bottom half of the league is terrible.

Bruins haven't been terrible on the PP since 2014-15.

 

[missingchicklet]

Have to respect Monty's positivity. Other than deciding to forget everything he knew about hockey at a key point in last season's playoffs, Monty has been masterful throughout his career at maximizing what he has been given. He's a flexible coach, which is a very good thing heading into this season. I think he will do a good job this season with the center situation. Will maximizing what the Bs have down the middle be good enough? Not sure, but I am confident that Monty will end up figuring out the best lines given what he has to work with. We can only hope that two or three centers can take their game to another level.

 

[Mione134]

IMO the way to address it is Marc Savard.

Yep. And he tried for a few years. Bruins brass said no thanks. So he's in Calgary now.

He was the perfect choice. And he wanted to be here. How or why the FO didn't want him blows my mind.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

JVR on the top line.
Kelly the PP coach.
Excitement for Chiasson.

It will be an interesting season.

 

[neelynugs]

career checker chris kelly running the PP is interesting. not good interesting, but interesting nonetheless.

 

[DominicT]

career checker chris kelly running the PP is interesting. not good interesting, but interesting nonetheless.

It's like asking PJ Axelsson to find offensive players in the draft for them