GDT: 9/23 Happy Preseason! Game 1: Boston Bruins @ Montreal Canadiens 7:30pm ET RDS, 98.5

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LouJersey

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According to hockeyfights.com, B's fight totals last few years:

2009-10 (47) Eliminated 2nd Round...Cup Winner (CHI) had 36
2010-11 (71) Cup win
2011-12 (61) Eliminated 1st round...Cup Winner (LA) had 33
2012-13 (32) Lost Cup Final...Cup Winner (CHI) had 16
2013-14 (46) Eliminated 2nd Round...Cup Winner (LA) had 27

So every year for the last 5 years, the B's have had MORE fighting majors than the eventual Cup champion. Tells me that there is zero connection between fighting an winning a championship.

In 2010-11, that was the makeup of the team, and the fights were an extension of that team, but as rosters change, so do the styles of the teams.

Mental toughness, will, and execution wins Cups, not fights.

2011 play-offs--- 5 fights, won SC
2012 play-offs--- 0 fights, lost round 1
2013 play-offs--- 6 fights, lost SC
2014 play-offs--- 0 fights, lost round 2

This team , when they are all in, emotionally invested, fight...It's part of their game... Lucic, Chara and the lot all seem to play better when they are involved that way...
 

Therick67

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According to hockeyfights.com, B's fight totals last few years:

2009-10 (47) Eliminated 2nd Round...Cup Winner (CHI) had 36
2010-11 (71) Cup win
2011-12 (61) Eliminated 1st round...Cup Winner (LA) had 33
2012-13 (32) Lost Cup Final...Cup Winner (CHI) had 16
2013-14 (46) Eliminated 2nd Round...Cup Winner (LA) had 27

So every year for the last 5 years, the B's have had MORE fighting majors than the eventual Cup champion. Tells me that there is zero connection between fighting an winning a championship.

In 2010-11, that was the makeup of the team, and the fights were an extension of that team, but as rosters change, so do the styles of the teams.

Mental toughness, will, and execution wins Cups, not fights.

I agree, but it sure feels like they went hand in hand in 2011.
 

Ace0813

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Roster expected for tonight:

Marchand, Bergeron, Gagne, Leino, Khoklachev, Fallstrom, Knight, Spooner, Florek, Lindblad, Griffith, Kearns, Chara, Hamilton, McQuaid, Bartkowski, Trotman, Breen, Rask, Smith (G)
 

GloryDaze4877

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2011 play-offs--- 5 fights, won SC
2012 play-offs--- 0 fights, lost round 1
2013 play-offs--- 6 fights, lost SC
2014 play-offs--- 0 fights, lost round 2

This team , when they are all in, emotionally invested, fight...It's part of their game... Lucic, Chara and the lot all seem to play better when they are involved that way...

I agree, but it sure feels like they went hand in hand in 2011.

Lou, think you are cherry-picking a bit? I chose the regular season because of the larger sample size and because nobody fights in the playoffs typically, even the toughest teams.

I think it seemed like they went hand in hand that year because it did :laugh: That was the 10-11 teams personality, so it does make sense. I love physical hockey, but my point was that you don't have to be overly physical to win Cups, and that the B's (as currently constructed) are tough enough...if the rest of their games are up to par.
 

MTaylorJ1

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I think the league is trending this way, so I would have no issue with the B's doing something similar. I think the B's may think that KoKo might be a better fit for a 4th line C spot (at least to begin with) because he has more of a "grinder's" mentality than Spooner (just speculation on my part, from watching KoKo play around the net).

I don't disagree about Koko, I just wouldn't make that the primary criteria for deciding. It would be more of a tiebreaker.
 

MTaylorJ1

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2011 play-offs--- 5 fights, won SC
2012 play-offs--- 0 fights, lost round 1
2013 play-offs--- 6 fights, lost SC
2014 play-offs--- 0 fights, lost round 2

This team , when they are all in, emotionally invested, fight...It's part of their game... Lucic, Chara and the lot all seem to play better when they are involved that way...

4 of those 11 were in the MON/TOR series, I wouldn't call the Bruins performance in either one "emotionally invested".

They also had 2 vs Carolina and I thought they were some combination of disinterested and statuesque in that series.

To me, the thing people are missing is that the big bad bruins mentally seems to work when the other team is mentally soft and gets involved. What this team needs is answers for when that doesn't happen, because that's what we saw against Washington and Montreal.
 

DBL

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According to hockeyfights.com, B's fight totals last few years:

2009-10 (47) Eliminated 2nd Round...Cup Winner (CHI) had 36
2010-11 (71) Cup win
2011-12 (61) Eliminated 1st round...Cup Winner (LA) had 33
2012-13 (32) Lost Cup Final...Cup Winner (CHI) had 16
2013-14 (46) Eliminated 2nd Round...Cup Winner (LA) had 27

So every year for the last 5 years, the B's have had MORE fighting majors than the eventual Cup champion. Tells me that there is zero connection between fighting and winning a championship.

In 2010-11, that was the makeup of the team, and the fights were an extension of that team's personality, but as rosters change, so do the styles of those teams.

Mental toughness, will, and execution wins Cups, not fights.

Like the research put into this.

Wish we could get rid of the staged fighting in those numbers. A fight that involves sticking up for a teammate or standing your own ground from being pushed around, think makes a better team on the ice.

Agree not needed, cause perfect teams don't exist, but to make the best team possible, would say, it's a team that doesn't back down physically in any regard.

And as Bruins fans we were and still are a bit spoiled. How many games in the last 4/5 years have the bruins dominated physically and with skill.
 

BadBruins

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GM's and front offices make mistakes all the time, but I think it's kind of ridiculous to suggest that the B's have not already thought of everything you are saying. At this point, if they have not played Spooner at wing, it's because they are CONVINCED he won't succeed there, at least not in this system. They could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they have considered it a great deal. The things that Spooner is inherently good at and the way he plays the game suggest that he will be far more effective at center than wing.

I think Spooner is a guy that needs to play in the NHL to develop, just not sure it will be in Boston, given the glut at C.

I'm not claiming they haven't discussed and debated this internally. I'm simply criticizing them for not attempting it. Whether or not he's more effective at center than wing is irrelevant to me. My concern would be if he's makes a better NHL wing than player X. His offensive tools will play anywhere IMO. His skating, vision, and passing touch are still there. They might not get as much usage on the wing where he has the puck less, but those assets are still there. Obviously the front office has a different outlook and are set on their approach. I don't agree with it.

Spooner is at a point where he has to adapt to the environment. Maybe even change the outlook on his career. I still think his best shot at a long NHL career is to become a versatile top-9 forward.
 

DBL

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Roster expected for tonight:

Marchand, Bergeron, Gagne, Leino, Khoklachev, Fallstrom, Knight, Spooner, Florek, Lindblad, Griffith, Kearns, Chara, Hamilton, McQuaid, Bartkowski, Trotman, Breen, Rask, Smith (G)

Wonder if that's going to be a line.

Nice to see Spooner back in. Will have to keep an eye on that defensive game.
 

BigGoalBrad

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Hate to be this guy but I shudder every time Campbell attempts to "drop them". I have no statistics to lean on here, but it seems like the guy loses 90% of the bouts he's involved in. Kudos to him for being a willing combatant, but it rarely ends in his favor.

With you.

I hate it when he fights.

To his credit he is almost always taking on someone who is in the league partiallly for their fighting prowess though he can probably handle guys who are skill players but those aren't the bouts he gets into.
 

member 96824

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The league also went the way of the cheap, ****** goalie for a few years.

Doesn't mean it was right.
 

RussellmaniaKW

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Hate to be this guy but I shudder every time Campbell attempts to "drop them". I have no statistics to lean on here, but it seems like the guy loses 90% of the bouts he's involved in. Kudos to him for being a willing combatant, but it rarely ends in his favor.

Oh I didn't mean to imply that he's a "good" fighter, but he is one of the most willing on the team and each fight Campbell takes is one less that someone like Lucic has to take. Losing him and replacing him with Spooner would definitely cost us more toughness.
 

GloryDaze4877

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The league also went the way of the cheap, ****** goalie for a few years.

Doesn't mean it was right.

What's wrong with eliminating useless plugs that skate for less than 5 min per game in favor of more versatile guys that can scrap a little, but also play hockey.

I don't see any scenario where that is a bad thing.
 

Sheppy

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Hate to be this guy but I shudder every time Campbell attempts to "drop them". I have no statistics to lean on here, but it seems like the guy loses 90% of the bouts he's involved in. Kudos to him for being a willing combatant, but it rarely ends in his favor.

5-48-15 is his fight record.
 

Kate08

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What's wrong with eliminating useless plugs that skate for less than 5 min per game in favor of more versatile guys that can scrap a little, but also play hockey.

I don't see any scenario where that is a bad thing.

I don't know that anyone would disagree with you. I certainly don't.

There's a huge difference between overall toughness and idiot plugs...and you know that.
 

BoyntBergie

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2011 play-offs--- 5 fights, won SC
2012 play-offs--- 0 fights, lost round 1
2013 play-offs--- 6 fights, lost SC
2014 play-offs--- 0 fights, lost round 2

This team , when they are all in, emotionally invested, fight...It's part of their game... Lucic, Chara and the lot all seem to play better when they are involved that way...

Off the top of my head, 3 of the fights in the '11 and '13 playoffs were Seidenberg (Kesler), Peverley (can't recall who, someone on TB?), and Marchand ('13 against Shaw).

Doesn't exactly bolster the idea that an enforcer is needed. As far as I can recall, Chara, Lucic, or Thornton didn't have any of the other 8 goes, though I could be off there.
 

Flannelman

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Off the top of my head, 3 of the fights in the '11 and '13 playoffs were Seidenberg (Kesler), Peverley (can't recall who, someone on TB?), and Marchand ('13 against Shaw).

Doesn't exactly bolster the idea that an enforcer is needed. As far as I can recall, Chara, Lucic, or Thornton didn't have any of the other 8 goes, though I could be off there.

11, Patrice vs Gorges.

I agree with Lou - better team when they're emotionally invested - and sometimes that takes teams provoking them (ie, Dallas).
 

Hali33

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It's also frustrating when anyone who has concerns about this Bruins team being too soft gets written off as "I want a knuckle dragging goon who can win fights".

I don't think it's unreasonable at all to think the potential for this team to get outhit, outmuscled and depending largely on Chara and Lucic to address problem players is going to be problematic for this team. Especially given the style we've been successful with and the fact other teams bring a physical game against Boston and we've got bad blood with other teams.
 

LouJersey

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4 of those 11 were in the MON/TOR series, I wouldn't call the Bruins performance in either one "emotionally invested".

They also had 2 vs Carolina and I thought they were some combination of disinterested and statuesque in that series.

To me, the thing people are missing is that the big bad bruins mentally seems to work when the other team is mentally soft and gets involved. What this team needs is answers for when that doesn't happen, because that's what we saw against Washington and Montreal.

Off the top of my head, 3 of the fights in the '11 and '13 playoffs were Seidenberg (Kesler), Peverley (can't recall who, someone on TB?), and Marchand ('13 against Shaw).

Doesn't exactly bolster the idea that an enforcer is needed. As far as I can recall, Chara, Lucic, or Thornton didn't have any of the other 8 goes, though I could be off there.

Just the attitude of the whole team... I think it shows when they are ready and willing to drop em they play better in the big spot... The last two exits the team was flat and emotionless and we even heard some players say so...

13 fights in two SC play-offs, 0 in two exits..I don't know, seems to have some credence ..
 

Mr. Make-Believe

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Just the attitude of the whole team... I think it shows when they are ready and willing to drop em they play better in the big spot... The last two exits the team was flat and emotionless and we even heard some players say so...

13 fights in two SC play-offs, 0 in two exits..I don't know, seems to have some credence ..

Agreed, Whammer.

Wasn't aware of this before you pointed it out. But it makes sense.
 
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