Are bruins going to struggle next season?

[ODAAT]

With all the teams improving and us losing key pieces.. Things arent looking very good

who of the true contenders improved?

Sure, on paper it appears the Panthers won`t be as bad, probably the Islanders as well, but in reality, do you believe they have improved to the point that they`d push the B`s further down the standings??

I still haven`t seen a team make additions that have me terribly concerned

 

[ODAAT]

Pick up Heatley for dirt cheap and put him with Krejci or Soderberg. Time to find some wallmart deals that payoff.

Heatley??? Then put him with Krejci?? Wow, I`d reach out to the retired Nedved to see if he`s pull a jersey over his head for one more year before Heatley

 

[Rebel Bruin]

We'll be competitive and make the playoffs. 3rd/4th in the conference.

Great goaltending (barring injury), solid d and enough scoring to get it done.

We could possibly make a deadline day deal for Bobby Ryan, if the Senators are out of it.

He's in his final year of his contract and I'll be amazed if he reups with them.

Price might be a bit too steep though for Chia.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Heatley??? Then put him with Krejci?? Wow, I`d reach out to the retired Nedved to see if he`s pull a jersey over his head for one more year before Heatley

1 mill or so for a former 50 goal scorer being set up by 2 of the best centers (Krejci and bergy) could be worth it. I only want him for his sniping abilities.

 

[Fierce1]

1 mill or so for a former 50 goal scorer being set up by 2 of the best centers (Krejci and bergy) could be worth it. I only want him for his sniping abilities.

I can't see any harm in taking a chance on Heatley for a year at the lowest possible price. I read that he trained improperly during an offseason, messed up his skating stride and lost a step or two. Not sure if that is true or if it can be corrected but it would be worth taking a look.

 

[remer]

Chia will need to find a top RW by trade. He has some pieces to work with in a trade. We have a few extra defenseman, NHL roster players and he will need to give up one of Spooner or Koko.

 

[81ragnaH]

Lottery pick!

Chia will just trade McDavid for depth anyway

IMO, they're still a lock for the playoffs. The division isn't overly good...Florida, Buffalo, and Ottawa are all non-playoff teams. You guys really think the Leafs are better than the Bruins?

I personally believe they're better than most, if not all, of the division. I believe the Lightning took a huge step back when they traded St. Louis, but they have good management and have been making good moves. The Habs still have some players to sign but getting rid of Gionta and Gorges, I think leadership and chemistry may be a thing with them. They weren't exactly world beaters last year, got the best possible first two round matchups they could have hoped for, then got smoked in the ECF. I think Detroit is status quo, good, one of the better teams in the conference, but beatable. One year older to boot.

Bruins will compete for the division and go from there. Certainly won't be a slam dunk like it was last year, but they'll be up there, and frankly i'm fine if they rank 2/3 in the division, even 4 if need be. They'll get into the playoffs, making any adjustments they feel necessary at the deadline, and see what happens in the playoffs.

 

[CptxMorgan]

Yarp.

 

[PlayMakers]

The Bruins took a step back but they're still a good team.

That said, folks need to stop thinking like the off-season ended just because the Bruins didn't do something on July 1st. A shrewd trade or two could put this team back on top. Deals have to be made to get cap compliant, let's see how this plays out...

 

[pgm16]

The bruins are still top 8 team in the NHL, I would have loved for Iginla to remain, however these team is sound defensively as long as Rask, Bergeron, Chara,Boychuck and Seidenberg are healthy. If we get 25 goals from Erikkson and PK returns to top 3 in the league & having Kelly back in the line-up ( despite the 3 million ) should help in that area, this team will be fine.

Hurry up October.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

The Bruins took a step back but they're still a good team.

That said, folks need to stop thinking like the off-season ended just because the Bruins didn't do something on July 1st. A shrewd trade or two could put this team back on top. Deals have to be made to get cap compliant, let's see how this plays out...

You're right that losing Iginla is a step back from last season. The good news is that we were 8 steps ahead of the competition in our division. And I'm kind of excited to see some forward graduate from Providence like we had last year on the blueline with Krug-Bart-Miller.

Who is our biggest threat for 1st in the division? TB? Det? Mtl? We are better than all of these teams. Buf, Ott, Flo are in a rebuild and Tor is in a no man land.

Bruins arhave 1st in their back pocket. Especially with their depth, the continuity, the best G, the best two-way F, the best shutdown D, Clode, etc.

Struggle?

 

[Ten Thousand Hours]

1 mill or so for a former 50 goal scorer being set up by 2 of the best centers (Krejci and bergy) could be worth it. I only want him for his sniping abilities.

Jason Blake scored 40 the last year Dany Heatley scored 50. It was a long time ago. He's just too slow to contribute. And it's not like he hasn't had a chance to play with good centers in Minnesota nor are Krejci or Bergeron capable of carrying his dead weight. The Krejci line was already too slow against Montreal with Iginla.

 

[Fenian24]

You're right that losing Iginla is a step back from last season. The good news is that we were 8 steps ahead of the competition in our division. And I'm kind of excited to see some forward graduate from Providence like we had last year on the blueline with Krug-Bart-Miller.

Who is our biggest threat for 1st in the division? TB? Det? Mtl? We are better than all of these teams. Buf, Ott, Flo are in a rebuild and Tor is in a no man land.

Bruins arhave 1st in their back pocket. Especially with their depth, the continuity, the best G, the best two-way F, the best shutdown D, Clode, etc.

Struggle?

Laugh it off when they are fighting for the last playoff spots in late April.

This is a mediocre hockey team with mediocre management. Chiarelli is an improvement over O'Connell but a homeless drunk would have been an improvement over O'Connell.

Chiarelli's panic point is so low that they will be out of serious contention before he realizes he needs to get off his *** and do something. If he really looks at this team as a serious contender he shouldn't be running a Taco Bell. Maybe he will do something, he has made good trades in the past, but right now, this off season and last season are abject failures. This coming season looks to be worse.

And please before I hear about the Presidents trophy or how all they needed was one of the hit goalposts to go in vs Montreal they would have won the bottom line is they lost, and it looks like last year is going to be their last shot at a cup for a few seasons at least.

 

[Ten Thousand Hours]

Laugh it off when they are fighting for the last playoff spots in late April.

This is a mediocre hockey team with mediocre management. Chiarelli is an improvement over O'Connell but a homeless drunk would have been an improvement over O'Connell.

Chiarelli's panic point is so low that they will be out of serious contention before he realizes he needs to get off his *** and do something. If he really looks at this team as a serious contender he shouldn't be running a Taco Bell. Maybe he will do something, he has made good trades in the past, but right now, this off season and last season are abject failures. This coming season looks to be worse.

And please before I hear about the Presidents trophy or how all they needed was one of the hit goalposts to go in vs Montreal they would have won the bottom line is they lost, and it looks like last year is going to be their last shot at a cup for a few seasons at least.

Chiarelli didn't lose to Montreal. He built a contender. That's all you can ask for. Krejci, Iginla, Chara, Rask, Lucic, etc... lost to Montreal. But just because those guys underperformed over a 7 game series doesn't mean Chiarelli failed or has to make a panic move. How does losing Iginla and adding Seidenberg turn the best regular season team in the league to one that's fighting for a playoff spot in the East?

 

[VanIsle]

If Eriksson scores close to 20-30 goals on the first line and whoever is on the 3rd line with Soderberg scores 10-15 is it really that different than last year?

Please give Spooner/Koko a chance with Soderberg and this team will be just fine like L.A. did with Toffoli and Pearson, the NHL of today you have to bring up young talent at a low cap hit to produce and stay cap compliant.

 

[Fenian24]

If Eriksson scores close to 20-30 goals on the first line and whoever is on the 3rd line with Soderberg scores 10-15 is it really that different than last year?

Please give Spooner/Koko a chance with Soderberg and this team will be just fine like L.A. did with Toffoli and Pearson, the NHL of today you have to bring up young talent at a low cap hit to produce and stay cap compliant.

Too bad the Bruins young talent isn't talented or in any way NHL ready. I doubt most of Providence's players ever play more than 40 games in the league. Best bet for a good career down there is Morrow.
I doubt Spooner/Koko ever amount to anything.

But I'm just a cynic that has no faith what so ever in Bruins drafting/development. I also hate small, soft players.

I also in no way can see Loui Eriksson ever scoring 20 goals again. Even if he does his intagibles on the top line are no where near Iginla's.

 

[Neely08]

Ask me in September.

 

[VanIsle]

Too bad the Bruins young talent isn't talented or in any way NHL ready. I doubt most of Providence's players ever play more than 40 games in the league. Best bet for a good career down there is Morrow.
I doubt Spooner/Koko ever amount to anything.

But I'm just a cynic that has no faith what so ever in Bruins drafting/development. I also hate small, soft players.

I also in no way can see Loui Eriksson ever scoring 20 goals again. Even if he does his intagibles on the top line are no where near Iginla's.

You are a cynic, if he plays on the top line he easily gets 20.

I thought to myself, self the Bruins are good at drafting and development so I went to look at what they have done recently.

After 2006 they have only 2 players that have really done anything.

Seguin and Hamilton, both were easy picks, my 4 year old could have made them, other than that pure garbage, you think they would have lucked out on one of the players.

2 very good NHLers (Seguin/Hamilton) but both top picks and a couple fringe guys (Caron, Colbourne) other than that, bupkis.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Laugh it off when they are fighting for the last playoff spots in late April.

This is a mediocre hockey team with mediocre management. Chiarelli is an improvement over O'Connell but a homeless drunk would have been an improvement over O'Connell.

Chiarelli's panic point is so low that they will be out of serious contention before he realizes he needs to get off his *** and do something. If he really looks at this team as a serious contender he shouldn't be running a Taco Bell. Maybe he will do something, he has made good trades in the past, but right now, this off season and last season are abject failures. This coming season looks to be worse.

And please before I hear about the Presidents trophy or how all they needed was one of the hit goalposts to go in vs Montreal they would have won the bottom line is they lost, and it looks like last year is going to be their last shot at a cup for a few seasons at least.

Fighting for the last spot come april? You mean that 3 teams in the division will end up ahead of the Bruins and we'll be fighting for one of the two WC spots?

Please name me these three teams and who will we be fighting for the last two WC spots so I can see through your world.

 

[Fenian24]

Fighting for the last spot come april? You mean that 3 teams in the division will end up ahead of the Bruins and we'll be fighting for one of the two WC spots?

Please name me these three teams and who will we be fighting for the last two WC spots so I can see through your world.

See breakdown on page 4

 

[Gargyn]

who of the true contenders improved?

Sure, on paper it appears the Panthers won`t be as bad, probably the Islanders as well, but in reality, do you believe they have improved to the point that they`d push the B`s further down the standings??

I still haven`t seen a team make additions that have me terribly concerned

who of the true contenders improved? uh, chicago, st louis, minnesota, colorado, pittsburgh. LA already has a stacked team. I would say Dallas is now a contender too. Fact is Boston has not improved and have actually gotten worse while most contenders have improved. Unless people are only talking about the East. But the goal is to win the Cup. So what if Boston wins the East. They will get crushed against any of the top 6 teams in the West.

 

[EverettMike]

Who is our goalie?

How does our D look?

Does our coach's system have a proven track record of keeping the team competitive even during down times?

How are we down the middle?

Do we have the types of players that all 30 teams would be happy to have?

Struggle. Give me a ****ing break.

Are they going to win the President's trophy again? Probably not, even with Iginla in the fold that would probably not happen.

Will they be the favorite to win their division? Yup. Will they be legitimate contenders to be first in the conference? Yup. Will they be considered a legitimate contender to win the Cup? Yup.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

See breakdown on page 4

You mean that gem of a post?

They will struggle to make the playoffs, the overrated rookies (Spooner, Koko) will prove to not be NHL caliber, Loui Eriksson will prove he is a third line winger at best, Bartkowski and Caron will somehow play regular minutes and reinforce their inability to play for a contending team, they will get pushed all over the ice because of Chiarelli thinking finesse and speed are the keys to winning, Lucic will break his hand in a fight and the heavy anti fighting crowd on here will bemoan the fact that fighting is still allowed as the Bruins try to become the Red Wings and some of the fan base follow along like lemmings, Rask will have a good season against everybody but the Canadiens, Svedberg will prove to be a solid back up, Bergeron will repeat as Selke winner and continue to be a great leader and two way player, Soderberg will continue to improve, Hamilton will continue to track as a future Norris winner, Chiarelli will again fail the deadline and make excuses when they are officially eliminated from the playoffs in late March.

Besides the delusional hate, there is no answer to my question. Who are the 3 teams in the division that will end up with more points than the Bruins and who are they fighting with for the two WC spots?

 

[Gargyn]

If, and its still an IF, the Bruins stand pat and Eriksson is on the 1st line and the 3rd line consists of Kelly and Paille or some other 4th liners, I really believe they will struggle. You cant hate on someone for their opinion. Its nice to see some optimism, just cant share in it. I think Tampa will improve, Montreal will again be neck and neck with the Bruins, the Wings are looking to make a big splash via trade...anyways, all that matters is that the Bruins are a lot weaker than the top 5-6 teams in the West. I could care less if they win the East, the Cup is the only thing that matters, and Eriksson on the 1st line, Smith on the 2nd, is not the looks of a legitimate cup contender. People are also seriously overrating Chara. The guy has been brutal 2 straight playoffs. Oh, he hurt his wrist...ok, that shouldnt prevent him from getting his doors blown off by every forward. And does ANYONE have any confidence in Rask against Montreal? Because neither does he.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Jason Blake scored 40 the last year Dany Heatley scored 50. It was a long time ago. He's just too slow to contribute. And it's not like he hasn't had a chance to play with good centers in Minnesota nor are Krejci or Bergeron capable of carrying his dead weight. The Krejci line was already too slow against Montreal with Iginla.

The leafs really paid for that 40 goal season dearly lol. Here is a good article on Heatley. The Wild had some great things to say about him

http://www.twincities.com/wild/ci_26048721/minnesota-wild-say-goodbye-dany-heatley-class-act