The Athletic - Boston 2021 NHL front office rankings: Bruins #8

[Jean_Jacket41]

Great deadline additions? Who? Aside from last year with Hall, what else worked? Maybe Mojo and that's really it, no?

Perennial cup contender? Since when? Because they had an easy path to the finals and lost to STL? Yeah, no. Since Sweeney took over, this is what they've done:

2020-21: Second round exit
2019-20: Second round exit
2018-19: Finals
2017-18: Second round exit
2016-17: First round exit
2015-16: DNQ for playoffs

So what about winning a single round most years makes them a "perennial cup contender"? If you said perennial playoff qualifier, you'd have been spot on, but actual contender? Yeah, not so much.

Poor at scouting at the amateur level
Poor at scouting at the rofessional level
Marginal at developing young players

So you can be happy with the guy all you want, in reality he's a middle of the pack GM at best. He best moves by far are his undrafted free agent signings of college players and resigning his core players to team friendly deals. I'm not suggesting they fire him at this point, but I'm also not saying another person couldn't do a better job either.

Great deadline moves:

Hall
Coyle+Mojo
Nash

They won the deadline these 3 years.

As for Perennial Cup contenders, that’s what they were. Did they maximize their window and won like they should have? No.

But the team was good enough all those years. They just came short. Just like Colorado last year. Just like plenty of other Cup contending teams over the years.

 

[LSCII]

Great deadline moves:

Hall
Coyle+Mojo
Nash

They won the deadline these 3 years.

As for Perennial Cup contenders, that’s what they were. Did they maximize their window and won like they should have? No.

But the team was good enough all those years. They just came short. Just like Colorado last year. Just like plenty of other Cup contending teams over the years.

Nash was a bust because of injury. Can't call that a great move because he barely played. That would be like saying them getting Kase at the deadline was great since he also never stayed healthy enough to contribute.

Second round exits do not make you a cup contender. It makes you a middling playoff team.

 

[Lobster57]

I get Athletic and forgot to take poll

my vote puts them at 7

do they weigh your vote accordingly given that hockey is your 7th sport?

 

[DKH]

do they weigh your vote accordingly given that hockey is your 7th sport?

The funny thing is I got a bunch of friends many here who have Athletic and would have voted Bruins one - could have jumped a couple spots

 

[DKH]

Nash was a bust because of injury. Can't call that a great move because he barely played. That would be like saying them getting Kase at the deadline was great since he also never stayed healthy enough to contribute.

Second round exits do not make you a cup contender. It makes you a middling playoff team.

So the 1971 Bruins oe 2019 Lightning weren’t Cup contenders

interesting how many hockey players think Tampa Cups with an s a farce

 

[LSCII]

The funny thing is I got a bunch of friends many here who have Athletic and would have voted Bruins one - could have jumped a couple spots

Take off the black and yellow colored glasses buddy. This team isn't a real contender. It's a one line team, like it's been for the last 4 years. You go from the perfection line to 3 4th lines, essentially. What a giant f*** you this must be to Hall. Signs here and the next order of business is that he learns he's going to be playing with a bunch of grinders slotting up, via the old center by committee.

The real question is how long before Hall turns back into the turd in the punchbowl and forces his way out of town like he did in Edmonton, New Jersey, and Buffalo.

I say 3 months into next season, but maybe we should make a poll?

 

[KrejciMVP]

So the 1971 Bruins oe 2019 Lightning weren’t Cup contenders

interesting how many hockey players think Tampa Cups with an s a farce

Im sure Tampa cares about sour grapes and jealousy. heard the same about the 2011 cup, at the end of the day the bruins won

 

[DKH]

Im sure Tampa cares about sour grapes and jealousy. heard the same about the 2011 cup, at the end of the day the bruins won

I don’t really care what Tampa or their fans think

it’s fraudulent and to think otherwise you are on crack

 

[LSCII]

So the 1971 Bruins oe 2019 Lightning weren’t Cup contenders

interesting how many hockey players think Tampa Cups with an s a farce

The Bruins had just won the cup in 1970. In the examples @Dennis Bonvie and @Jean_Jacket41 used, the teams had been merely been early round knock outs. As for Tampa, they made the conference finals in 2 out of the 5 previous years, and the cup finals once, so they were clearly a real cup contender. Those are very different animals, no?

 

[LSCII]

I don’t really care what Tampa or their fans think

it’s fraudulent and to think otherwise you are on crack

Dan, in the last 7 seasons, the Lightening have been to the finals 3 times and the conference finals twice, and hoisted the cup twice. That's a real contender and a real cup favorite right there. Nothing fraudulent about it. You may not like this season where they manipulated the cap situation with their injuries, but the league didn't have any rules against what they did, so while it may suck, it's still legal. I'd put it on par with Red Auerbach drafting Larry Bird a year early. There was no rule about not doing it, so it happened.

 

[DKH]

The Bruins had just won the cup in 1970. In the examples @Dennis Bonvie and @Jean_Jacket41 used, the teams had been merely been early round knock outs. As for Tampa, they made the conference finals in 2 out of the 5 previous years, and the cup finals once, so they were clearly a real cup contender. Those are very different animals, no?

Tampa Cups are a joke

they came in third place playing with Cap

you can take mushrooms and listen to Jefferson Airplane White Rabbit and believe those Cups earned fairly

enjoy the trip just don’t drive

 

[BMC]

At the end of the day, cap management matters more than everything else combined.

Even if you're a terrible team, you can bounce back quickly with no good players or prospects in the cap world. But if you're like San Jose with a boatload of long, terrible contracts.... then you're doomed for years and years.

Even Sweeney's haters have to admit, the cap situation for the Bruins is extremely good.

Really? Let's look at what he did with all that cap space this season. He threw a ton of money (including an NTC!) to a young unproven goaltender in Ullmark who may become Rask's very expensive back up if Rask decides to return and from the sound of things he will. (What happens to Swayman then? Can he be sent down without clearing waivers??? We better hope so.) He signed Nick Foligno but at this stage of his career how much gas does he really have left? Then Sweeney spent a wad on bottom 6 players. There is still no true #1 LHD to help McAvoy. And then there are the upcoming expiring contracts of McAvoy and Pastrnak to make room for.

Having tons of cap space is worthless if you don't use it properly.

 

[DKH]

Dan, in the last 7 seasons, the Lightening have been to the finals 3 times and the conference finals twice, and hoisted the cup twice. That's a real contender and a real cup favorite right there. Nothing fraudulent about it. You may not like this season where they manipulated the cap situation with their injuries, but the league didn't have any rules against what they did, so while it may suck, it's still legal. I'd put it on par with Red Auerbach drafting Larry Bird a year early. There was no rule about not doing it, so it happened.

The got 2 fraudulent Cups

team in 12 years picked
1 Stranmah
2. Heds
3. Drouin
6 Connolly
10 slats

they have blown every other year

when there was no covid and no cap crap they got swept by Columbus who the Bruins wiped out

you guys here try way to hard but you are dealing with me remember- Hockey genius

imagine Bruins picking every other year in top 10

they forced Callahan into retirement when he was only forward who’s balls were outside his body vs Columbus

then they shopped for LTIR like they were in early at Cosco

the apologists here are hilarious

 

[LSCII]

Tampa Cups are a joke

they came in third place playing with Cap

you can take mushrooms and listen to Jefferson Airplane White Rabbit and believe those Cups earned fairly

enjoy the trip just don’t drive

You can say the same shit about so many of the Candien's cup wins since they were gifted so many great players because of the whole local draft rights bullshit that used to be in place in the league. It doesn't change who actually hoisted the cup. That was Tampa. They won it back to back. They also have been in the finals a bunch and in the conference finals a bunch. They're a cup favorite year after year, whether you like what they did this year or not. So far the league hasn't done shit about closing that loop hole either, so clearly it's only an issue with some bitter fans of other teams...

 

[LSCII]

The got 2 fraudulent Cups

team in 12 years picked
1 Stranmah
2. Heds
3. Drouin
6 Connolly
10 slats

they have blown every other year

when there was no covid and no cap crap they got swept by Columbus who the Bruins wiped out

you guys here try way to hard but you are dealing with me remember- Hockey genius

If I could love this post I would. Since there's only a like button, I may print it out and have it framed to hang on my wall. Can I send it to you for a personalized autograph?

 

[KrejciMVP]

are the Pens cups fraudulent too since they were gifted crosby and malkin?

 

[LSCII]

are the Pens cups fraudulent too since they were gifted crosby and malkin?

While I disagree with DKH about Tampa, I'll say yes to the Penguins being frauds because f*** the Penguins and f*** Mario.

 

[Kate08]

While I disagree with DKH about Tampa, I'll say yes to the Penguins being frauds because f*** the Penguins and f*** Mario.

And f*** Ulf.

 

[LSCII]

And f*** Ulf.

Amen to that!

 

[BruinsBtn]

Really? Let's look at what he did with all that cap space this season. He threw a ton of money (including an NTC!) to a young unproven goaltender in Ullmark who may become Rask's very expensive back up if Rask decides to return and from the sound of things he will. (What happens to Swayman then? Can he be sent down without clearing waivers??? We better hope so.) He signed Nick Foligno but at this stage of his career how much gas does he really have left? Then Sweeney spent a wad on bottom 6 players. There is still no true #1 LHD to help McAvoy. And then there are the upcoming expiring contracts of McAvoy and Pastrnak to make room for.

Having tons of cap space is worthless if you don't use it properly.

I think you misunderstood the point. You might not like the decisions for this year, but teams like SJ and Minn have made awful moves that will wreck their chances as winning for many years. Whatever his faults, the Bruins could fire Sweeney tomorrow and have very, very little mess to clean up if they wanted to start fresh. SJ, Minn, Buff and many others don't have that luxury.

And, yes, Swayman can go to Prov without waivers

 

[LouJersey]

Masters at contract extensions.

Great deadline additions.

Perennial Cup contender team.

High grades with undrafted FA.

Sweenius says eat that haters.

meh, other fans have the grass is always greener attitude IMO...

His extensions are generally sound, but the Coyle one may suck, time will tell. The goalie one doesn't make much sense unless you think Swayman is a flash in the pan, that money could have been best served else where IMO..but we will see.

Sweeney has had two very good deadlines out of six. Not paying the price for McDonagh and Miller cost them a Cup IMO.

By definition they are a cup contender but other than one season have continually under performed.

Who are these great UDFA? 4th liners and bottom pair defensemen?

I do think they are one of the better franchises for sure though, but can't get it done when it matters lately...there have been lots of franchises like that recently.

 

[LouJersey]

Great deadline moves:

Hall
Coyle+Mojo
Nash

They won the deadline these 3 years.

As for Perennial Cup contenders, that’s what they were. Did they maximize their window and won like they should have? No.

But the team was good enough all those years. They just came short. Just like Colorado last year. Just like plenty of other Cup contending teams over the years.

They blew the Nash deadline when they wouldn't give up "A" prospects like Frederic, Lauzon, Vaakanainen and Zboril in a deal for McDonagh and Miller. I didn't hate the Nash deal though, but I don't think they beat Tampa regardless.

 

[Over the volcano]

2021 NHL front office rankings: Fans weigh in on every team

​

“The kryptonite of this team has been their drafting. They are feeling the effects of the botched 2015 draft and are still scrambling to find the right mix to compete for the cup when they most likely would’ve achieved that goal had they hit on those three first round picks”

“I was super dubious for some time but I was kinda psyched with the trade deadline moves, and then they panned out pretty well and we were able to keep the players past free agency. I also think the drafting has improved compared to a stretch of a few years.”

“Bruins management will forever be defined by the 2015 draft. But, every year I think the team is poised to take a step back and they continue to develop good players out of nothing and keep near the top 1/3rd of the league. I can’t complain about that.”

Six years ago the Bruins had one of the biggest draft blunders in hockey history, striking out thrice with back-to-back-to-back first round picks in one of the strongest draft classes n recent memory. That was six years ago, but fans are still having a hard time letting it go, and it’s hard not to blame them given how much those three misses hurt. They very well could’ve been the difference between having one more Cup and not as the team has come close since, but unable to close the deal.

The public sees that as the Bruins’ front office’s worst trait, but not nearly to the degree the fan base does which still has not forgiven that blunder. The fan base itself is relatively harsh compared to the public, ranking the team 18th overall to the public’s fifth. It’s a matter of the grass not always being greener on the other side, but also the high bar the city has for its sports teams.

One thing both sides can agree on is Boston’s stellar cap management, brought about by having some of the league’s best contracts for its star players.

Sure looks like B’s fans are spoiled.

 

[BlackFrancis]

Second round exits do not make you a cup contender. It makes you a middling playoff team.

Not sure I get this. Being top-8 consistently in a league of 31, now 32, is not a contender?

Half the league is eliminated prior to the playoffs. Half of the rest go home after one round. Winning rounds makes you a contender simply due to the lack of other competition.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Nash was a bust because of injury. Can't call that a great move because he barely played. That would be like saying them getting Kase at the deadline was great since he also never stayed healthy enough to contribute.

Second round exits do not make you a cup contender. It makes you a middling playoff team.

Second round exit has nothing to do if you’re a Cup contender or not. This is more like achieving/underachieving and Bruins were too many times culprit of the later.

Colorado was a top Cup contender last year. They lost in round 2.

Habs were nowhere near a Cup contender. They lucked out even getting in the playoffs. They had a fluke run and were no match in the Final.