OT: 17-18 Bruins/NHL Summertime Talk

[LouJersey]

Feel good if it was posted on the Pens board, I guess?

PIT and MTL are neck and neck for my most hated franchise.

I'll be honest, I hate Pittsburgh more now, until Montreal actually does something relevant.

 

[sarge88]

[NHL2][/NHL2]

I think sarge88 and myself are about the only ones happy with this result. Here's a few random thoughts:

I just could never get on the Nashville bandwagon. I think the Preds' popularity was primarily fueled by hatred for the teams they played (mainly Chicago and Pittsburgh). As players, Subban and Neal are extremely unlikable. And while fast, as Pat Kane alluded to, they drop guys back a lot. Back to back shutouts against a depleted Pens defense.

And I asked in another thread and got no answer - but exactly how does publicists informing their 'country' clients to attend a hockey game translate to anything meaningful long term for the NHL?

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw make Nickelback sound like freaking Mozart. And every time they showed Keith Urban, I though it was Jon Bon Jovi (have those two ever been seen in the same room at the same time?). It reeks of the NHL's obvious desperation - 'Look at us, we're cool, too.' It fails, because outside of its demographic, most people think country music is awful.

The reffing and coach's challenges are a bad look for the NHL; but we were a double overtime bounce in a Game 7 away from a #12 seed having home ice over a #16 seed. The #16 seed went scoreless in their last two games; so what would've happened against Ottawa?

If the league is serious about growing the game, it will forget about pandering to lame entertainers that offer the league nothing, and make the game so the stars can shine. Yes, the extreme opposite of that is what's going on in the NBA right now; but there is a happy medium.

Yeah... we were among the vast minority about this for sure.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not doing handsprings because the Pens won, but I am enjoying the fact that Subban, Neal, etc. lost.

As for growing the game......I don't care where they are trying to draw new fans from, there are a few things I am convinced puts rear ends in seats and eyes on televisions and those are;

Tough, physical, well officiated games between teams that don't like each other.

Right now, that doesn't exist nearly enough.

So, IMO they should focus on;

Getting rid of the instigator.

Adjusting the schedule to include more intra-division games.

Doing something about the officiating --- (my wish, is that on ice official's "grades" would be made public, but that won't happen)

Promoting the rivalries and hatred between teams.

 

[smithformeragent]

Since 2001-02.

Points

Bruins 1411
Caps 1384
Hawks 1370
Pens 1365
Kings 1297

Top 5 draft position bottom finishes in the past fifteen years.

Penguins 5
Caps 3
Kings 3
Hawks 3
Bruins 1

Finished top 11 draft position bottom finishes in the past fifteen years

Penguins 6
Kings 6
Hawks 5
Caps 4
Bruins 2


So, trust me I get the disappointment for not winning more, but the Bruins have been a top franchise the past fifteen years and counting.

Yes, they have been and that's what's so infuriating.

They've been a consistently very good to great team for the past decade and have one Cup to show for it. I'd rather be the Red Sox with more championships and more last place finishes. Give me the peaks and valleys.

So sure, I'm upset this morning because Pittsburgh just cashed in for the third time during their window.
I'm angry about all the talk of "cap jail" over the last five.

I'm not going to say they've failed because they have the one Cup.
However, I cannot say it's been a success either.

Not good enough.

The wheels are coming off in Los Angeles, but they have two Cups to show for it.

 

[LouJersey]

Yes, they have been and that's what's so infuriating.

They've been a consistently very good to great team for the past decade and have one Cup to show for it. I'd rather be the Red Sox with more championships and more last place finishes. Give me the peaks and valleys.

So sure, I'm upset this morning because Pittsburgh just cashed in for the third time during their window.
I'm angry about all the talk of "cap jail" over the last five.

I'm not going to say they've failed because they have the one Cup.
However, I cannot say it's been a success either.

Not good enough.

The wheels are coming off in Los Angeles, but they have two Cups to show for it.

Sadly they were able to play NJ and the Rags in their wins. Bruins never seem to catch a break and play a pushover in the finals.

I hear you, I'm pissed too, but I look and say "Oh well, generational talents on that team because they were pathetic for a big stretch". Crosby and Malkin are two of the best players we will ever see in our lifetime. They have done a good job of surrounding them. We had a good run, with some over and underachieving mixed in there.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Refs were terrible this series, all playoffs and the regular season. Horrible reviews and tons of controversy. Im as about as excited for the future as I am a root canal.

 

[smithformeragent]

CLEARLY, there ain't no cure for the summer time blues.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Here's what I'm looking at if all goes well:

Krug = Ellis
McAvoy = Subban
Carlo = Ekholm

B's need to trade for or draft/develop their Josi.

Lauzon, Zboril, Lindgren? Or deal some of them off for a similar D.

 

[Fenway]

Hard to believe this is the same Mike Sullivan that I thought could've done more with a pretty decent nucleus in Boston before the lockout.

Sullivan's 2003-04 team finished as the #2 seed in the East (Tampa was #1 and won the Cup) but they were burnt by Poutineville in the first round after leading 3-1 but we found out later Thornton was hurt. His 2005-06 team never had a chance which wasn't his fault.

Amazing it took over 10 years for Sullivan to get another shot.

 

[smithformeragent]

Sullivan's 2003-04 team finished as the #2 seed in the East (Tampa was #1 and won the Cup) but they were burnt by Poutineville in the first round after leading 3-1 but we found out later Thornton was hurt. His 2005-06 team never had a chance which wasn't his fault.

Amazing it took over 10 years for Sullivan to get another shot.

He put his time in.

Fall guy for circumstances totally out of his control.

That team had no defensemen.
They got strung along by Modano and had to settle for the corpse of Alex Zhamnov.

Dark times...

Sturm-Bergeron-Boyes was a fun line to watch post trade and Thomas was a nice story.

 

[Fenway]

Since 2001-02.

Points

Bruins 1411
Caps 1384
Hawks 1370
Pens 1365
Kings 1297

Top 5 draft position bottom finishes in the past fifteen years.

Penguins 5
Caps 3
Kings 3
Hawks 3
Bruins 1

Finished top 11 draft position bottom finishes in the past fifteen years

Penguins 6
Kings 6
Hawks 5
Caps 4
Bruins 2


So, trust me I get the disappointment for not winning more, but the Bruins have been a top franchise the past fifteen years and counting.

Couple of puck bounces and the Bruins could have easily won back to back Cups in 2013 and 2014. In 2013 the Blackhawks should have been knocked out by Detroit but the Red Wings couldn't finish them off. 2014 the B's let the Habs get into their heads. At least the B's won a Cup during their window - Vancouver, San Jose and Washington did not.

The Atlantic Division is going to be very competitive the next few years. Toronto is going to become an elite team for the first time in 50 years. I am not as worried about Buffalo as the owner meddles too much and he also is trying to bring the Bills back to life. The 2 Florida based teams will bounce back. Detroit will be rebuilding for the next few years and I am not sold on Ottawa. Poutineville is going to crash and burn and likely not be a contender for a couple of years.

 

[LouJersey]

Couple of puck bounces and the Bruins could have easily won back to back Cups in 2013 and 2014. In 2013 the Blackhawks should have been knocked out by Detroit but the Red Wings couldn't finish them off. 2014 the B's let the Habs get into their heads. At least the B's won a Cup during their window - Vancouver, San Jose and Washington did not.

The Atlantic Division is going to be very competitive the next few years. Toronto is going to become an elite team for the first time in 50 years. I am not as worried about Buffalo as the owner meddles too much and he also is trying to bring the Bills back to life. The 2 Florida based teams will bounce back. Detroit will be rebuilding for the next few years and I am not sold on Ottawa. Poutineville is going to crash and burn and likely not be a contender for a couple of years.

I'm not trying to come across saying we should be holding parades with one cup and one cup loss, but I never was a huge fan of teams that were rewarded for sucking over such a huge period of time to accumulate these kinds of lottery tickets. The worst part about the Penguins is they managed their total suckitiude at the right times so they could get these generational hall of fame players.

 

[Fenway]

I'm not trying to come across saying we should be holding parades with one cup and one cup loss, but I never was a huge fan of teams that were rewarded for sucking over such a huge period of time to accumulate these kinds of lottery tickets. The worst part about the Penguins is they managed their total suckitiude at the right times so they could get these generational hall of fame players.

Pittsburgh was on the verge of moving to either Quebec or Kansas City before Crosby came along. I wonder how Roger Marino feels this morning.

Chicago was a complete disaster until Dollar Bill Wirtz died suddenly 10 years ago. The Blackhawks paid tribute to Wirtz at the home opener in 2007 and it turned ugly fast.

 

[Numbah4]

The Penguins are the hillbilly from West Virginia who won Powerball. That is all.

 

[mikelvl]

Pittsburgh was on the verge of moving to either Quebec or Kansas City before Crosby came along. I wonder how Roger Marino feels this morning.

Chicago was a complete disaster until Dollar Bill Wirtz died suddenly 10 years ago. The Blackhawks paid tribute to Wirtz at the home opener in 2007 and it turned ugly fast.

As it should have. Bill Wirtz was Alan Eagleson's right hand man when he was defrauding the players he was supposed to be representing year after year after year...

 

[DKH]

Here's what I'm looking at if all goes well:

Krug = Ellis
McAvoy = Subban
Carlo = Ekholm

B's need to trade for or draft/develop their Josi.

Lauzon, Zboril, Lindgren? Or deal some of them off for a similar D.

McAvoy is Josi

 

[Fenway]

As it should have. Bill Wirtz was Alan Eagleson's right hand man when he was defrauding the players he was supposed to be representing year after year after year...

The 1972 Canada/USSR series needed Bill Wirtz's approval to allow NHL players to compete. Wirtz told Eagleson he wanted 2 things.

1. No WHA players ESPECIALLY Bobby Hull could compete.

2. When Bobby Orr becomes a free agent - I WANT HIM.

Eagleson accepted the demands.

 

[Fenway]

The 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs in 6 minutes

 

[Sharp Shooting Neely]

And this was posed to make me "feel good" why?

For the players themselves. Perfectly fine for you to feel anyway you choose.

 

[Fenway]

Feel good if it was posted on the Pens board, I guess?

PIT and MTL are neck and neck for my most hated franchise.

I was rooting for Nashville because of my dislike of the Pens but I didn't realize how much I hated the Pens until they scored late in the third period. I was screaming NO NO NO at the TV

 

[Sharp Shooting Neely]

Feel good if it was posted on the Pens board, I guess?

PIT and MTL are neck and neck for my most hated franchise.

Did not realize there was a new rule of some sort added to the board that a poster cannot show a sign of being a hockey fan and point out story lines of the players who actually lived the dream. Not a fan of the pens either but I am a fan of hockey in particular and those that play it in general. See no reason to be bitter and perfectly comfortable to state something seen as noteworthy. Also respect your right to feel how you wish to feel.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Say what you want about Crosby, but he certainly have lived up the huge hype.

One of the best player ever.

 

[LouJersey]

Say what you want about Crosby, but he certainly have lived up the huge hype.

One of the best player ever.

Malkin is a better playoff player IMO.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Malkin is a better playoff player IMO.

It's a very tough duo to handle. Only Rask is able.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

McAvoy is Josi

If McAvoy is Josi, who is Subban?

Make whatever comparisons you want, the B's are one D short if they want to follow the Nashville model. I see more of Subban in McAvoy then I do Josi (RH shot, skating style, size). Hopefully, Charlie becomes better in his own end than PK.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Did not realize there was a new rule of some sort added to the board that a poster cannot show a sign of being a hockey fan and point out story lines of the players who actually lived the dream. Not a fan of the pens either but I am a fan of hockey in particular and those that play it in general. See no reason to be bitter and perfectly comfortable to state something seen as noteworthy. Also respect your right to feel how you wish to feel.

There is no rule against it, I'm just not sure why some celebratory soliloquy concerning the Pens needs to be on the B's board. You want to post it, go right ahead, but don't expect me to be throwing compliments and rose petals. Crosby is a heckuva hockey player. He also showcases a lot of what is wrong with the league concerning preferential treatment of certain players because of their name. The guy is only slightly less dirty than Marchand IMO, but has never been suspended for any of his cheap plays. That doesn't sit well with me...at all. You do the crime, then do the time.

If Marchand had done what Crosby did the other night (banging Subban's head into the ice and throwing water bottle), people would be calling for his head on a platter. Because it's Crosby, it gets written off as, oh well, that's just playoff hockey.

**** that.