Boston Herald Bad Guys: Top villains in Bruins’ history

[LSCII]

To me he was more a disappointment than a villain.

I'd say that's really more of the team narrative than factual, but I get why some believe this.

 

[Sheppy]

I'll also toss Jimmy Hayes into the mix.

 

[RoccoF14]

I'll also toss Jimmy Hayes into the mix.

For what?

This is the Hate Thread, not the All-Time Suck Thread......

 

[LSCII]

I'll also toss Jimmy Hayes into the mix.

Aside from being a very ineffective player here and involved in what ended up being a bad trade, what exactly did he do that would cause you to cast him into the villain category?

 

[LSCII]

For what?

This is the Hate Thread, not the All-Time Suck Thread......

Just posted the same thing. Hating a guy for sucking doesn't make them a villain.

 

[BMC]

I'd say that's really more of the team narrative than factual, but I get why some believe this.

I had & have serious problems with his lack of intensity/drive/will to win whatever you want to call it and his career has confirmed those doubts. He's got 1 Hart Trophy and zero Cups in 20 seasons & it isn't like he played on crap teams either, some of those SJ teams were serious Cup contenders. Hall of Fame talent absolutely- size, strength, speed, hockey IQ etc. Everything you look for in a great player except heart.

Boston made their share of mistakes with him that's for sure, I think one of them was just handing him the "C" and telling him "tag you're it" before he ever demonstrated that he had any gift for leadership. He was too young. Also hiring a coach who had zero patience with developing young players (no, not Claude Julien ) was a dumb move as well.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

I'll also toss Jimmy Hayes into the mix.

Jimmy Vesey has not been anything close to a superstar even if Jimmy Hayes did tell him to not come to Boston it saved the bruins from an awful contract.

 

[RoccoF14]

OMG I can't believe I forgot about him. My bad, definitely my bad.

I could be wrong, but didn't Dallas once have Barnaby, Steve Ott and Sean Avery on their roster at the same time?

If so, that's gotta be an all time trifecta of shitbags in NHL history...

 

[BMC]

I could be wrong, but didn't Dallas once have Barnaby, Steve Ott and Sean Avery on their roster at the same time?

If so, that's gotta be an all time trifecta of shitbags in NHL history...

I think you're right. Not for very long but long enough!

 

[Therick67]

Steve Kasper. I'll never forgive him for benching Cam.

 

[LSCII]

I had & have serious problems with his lack of intensity/drive/will to win whatever you want to call it and his career has confirmed those doubts. He's got 1 Hart Trophy and zero Cups in 20 seasons & it isn't like he played on crap teams either, some of those SJ teams were serious Cup contenders. Hall of Fame talent absolutely- size, strength, speed, hockey IQ etc. Everything you look for in a great player except heart.

Boston made their share of mistakes with him that's for sure, I think one of them was just handing him the "C" and telling him "tag you're it" before he ever demonstrated that he had any gift for leadership. He was too young. Also hiring a coach who had zero patience with developing young players (no, not Claude Julien ) was a dumb move as well.

Sure, I get why you feel that way. I just look at Thornton's career in Boston in two parts. First one, he was the fun kid that was willing to hit anything that moved and would drop the gloves. Played with fun and passion. The second part of his career in Boston was after Lindros broke his face during that fight. After that he was tentative and passive. Either way, the team hoping and wanting him to be something he wasn't isn't his fault. Which is why I don't put him in the villain category.

 

[Sheppy]

Just posted the same thing. Hating a guy for sucking doesn't make them a villain.

It was a joke. I guess it kind of fell flat.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

It was a joke. I guess it kind of fell flat.

Some People did think Jimmy Hayes cost the bruins a future superstar at one point. Did Jimmy Hayes Dissuade Jimmy Vesey From The Boston Bruins

 

[BMC]

Sure, I get why you feel that way. I just look at Thornton's career in Boston in two parts. First one, he was the fun kid that was willing to hit anything that moved and would drop the gloves. Played with fun and passion. The second part of his career in Boston was after Lindros broke his face during that fight. After that he was tentative and passive. Either way, the team hoping and wanting him to be something he wasn't isn't his fault. Which is why I don't put him in the villain category.

I don't put him in the villain category either, like I said for me he's a disappointment.

 

[BMC]

Steve Kasper. I'll never forgive him for benching Cam.

You know I really didn't and don't have a problem with a coach benching a superstar. If a coach is going to bench a fourth liner for not doing something he's got every right to bench a superstar for failing to do the same thing. In fact the coach had better bench that superstar to make it clear that everyone will be held accountable. I think there are few worse things a coach can do than to have two sets of rules/expectations, that is a recipe for dividing the locker room permanently.

I remember that just about everybody disliked Kasper and loved Cam but that should have nothing to do with it. If Kasper decided Neely wasn't playing up to his capabilities then he had every right to bench him. Or was there something else at work here??

 

[Therick67]

You know I really didn't and don't have a problem with a coach benching a superstar. If a coach is going to bench a fourth liner for not doing something he's got every right to bench a superstar for failing to do the same thing. In fact the coach had better bench that superstar to make it clear that everyone will be held accountable. I think there are few worse things a coach can do than to have two sets of rules/expectations, that is a recipe for dividing the locker room permanently.

I remember that just about everybody disliked Kasper and loved Cam but that should have nothing to do with it. If Kasper decided Neely wasn't playing up to his capabilities then he had every right to bench him. Or was there something else at work here??

Cam was the leading scorer at the time, had battled back from the injuries that eventually ended his career. Dressing him and having him sit on the bench for the entire game without playing a single shift
embarrassed Cam - he didn't deserve that from a rookie coach who was clearly in over his head. He did the same thing to Stevens that night, not how you treat veteran players..

 

[LSCII]

Cam was the leading scorer at the time, had battled back from the injuries that eventually ended his career. Dressing him and having him sit on the bench for the entire game without playing a single shift
embarrassed Cam - he didn't deserve that from a rookie coach who was clearly in over his head. He did the same thing to Stevens that night, not how you treat veteran players..

The difference is that Stevens deserved to sit since he flat out sucked, while Cam did not.

 

[Therick67]

The difference is that Stevens deserved to sit since he flat out sucked, while Cam did not.

Agreed, but just scratch him if you aren't going to play him. Give the spot to another player who has earned a shot.

 

[LSCII]

Agreed, but just scratch him if you aren't going to play him. Give the spot to another player who has earned a shot.

I hated Kasper the coach so much, to the point where it made me hate him as a player as well. Now that I'm older and time has passed, I'd be curious to see how much of this idea was his versus Sinden's. This to me has that asshats finger prints all over it. Even more when you hear some of the stories from Milbury about how hands on Sinden was a the GM.

 

[jgatie]

You know I really didn't and don't have a problem with a coach benching a superstar. If a coach is going to bench a fourth liner for not doing something he's got every right to bench a superstar for failing to do the same thing. In fact the coach had better bench that superstar to make it clear that everyone will be held accountable. I think there are few worse things a coach can do than to have two sets of rules/expectations, that is a recipe for dividing the locker room permanently.

I remember that just about everybody disliked Kasper and loved Cam but that should have nothing to do with it. If Kasper decided Neely wasn't playing up to his capabilities then he had every right to bench him. Or was there something else at work here??

The thing is, Kasper didn't bench Cam because Cam wasn't playing well, he benched him simply to prove to the rest of the team that he had the balls to do it. That's the worst reason to bench a superstar, and it's why Kasper was reamed over it.

 

[Therick67]

I hated Kasper the coach so much, to the point where it made me hate him as a player as well. Now that I'm older and time has passed, I'd be curious to see how much of this idea was his versus Sinden's. This to me has that asshats finger prints all over it. Even more when you hear some of the stories from Milbury about how hands on Sinden was a the GM.

I think to some degree Harry was involved, had to be. I think both of those guys are lucky Cam didn't beat the bag out of them. To embarrass him like that after the work (and success) he put in to return is just pathetic. I think Cam was raised well, or that could have really gotten ugly.

While Stevens wasn't good here, dressing a player so you can sit him at the end of bench to make a point is reserved for someone who may have actually had some success...Kasper was just grasping at straws. It's no wonder he never coached again..

 

[Ludwig Fell Down]

I hated Kasper the coach so much, to the point where it made me hate him as a player as well. Now that I'm older and time has passed, I'd be curious to see how much of this idea was his versus Sinden's. This to me has that asshats finger prints all over it. Even more when you hear some of the stories from Milbury about how hands on Sinden was a the GM.

I am convinced that it was a Sinden / O'Connell move and Kasper was made to execute it. The press conference afterwards was one of the more uncomfortable media sessions I've ever seen. Kasper looked like he didn't believe a single word he was saying. That doesn't excuse him at all, it's just my hunch on how it went down based on the pre-game and post-game discussions.

 

[DiggityDog]

Maxim Lapierre is probably my least favorite player of all time. If not than definitely in the top 3. I despised him. He played for the Canadiens and the Canucks. When he scored in game 2 in 2011 I was absolutely devastated.

Just a smarmy diving little prick. I don’t believe in hating players that are great, I mentioned Kovalev early in the thread, but I admired his talent. Lapierre, while a decent grinder, was an appalling little puke.

 

[Dicky113]

Could Joe Thornton be considered a villain his attitude in Boston was not the best and he was a poor leader and captain.

Thornton played with broken ribs and a sternum cast, obviously did poorly (scored no points) and was flamed in the media, traded shortly thereafter. If fate had been different Thornton could have ended up being one of Bruins all time greats. Villain? He played hard here and was dealt a poor hand. Revisionist history doesn’t change that

 

[Dicky113]

For me, in order of hatred:
Cooke/Ulf (tied), Ribiero, Kovalev, Darcy Tucker, Komisarek, Alex Burrows, Steve Begin, Max Lapierre, Tie Domi,