Management Bruce Cassidy III

[Over the volcano]

Thought it might be worthwhile to have a thread for the coach.

Love what he’s been able to do while juggling so many injuries and working kids in to get a taste and learn on the fly.

Still think they’re leaning too much on the big guns in terms of minutes considering the short off season. Case in point Frederic and Carey got 10 min combined tonight on the second night of a back to back (I only caught the last half of the game and may have missed something - in which case please correct). As much as I love Marchand, it’s not sustainable to have him playing 25 min a night like they leaned on him tonight if they want to get where they really want to go.

Hoping they’re being overly cautious on bringing guys back from injury- but it would be good to see them able to ice a team that doesn’t include players getting 5 min a night or zero like Kampfer a couple games back.

Click to read more...

 

[The National]

His shootout strategy is questionable. Why is Wagner over Bjork, Senyshyn (the other night), Heinen, or even Mac and Grz?

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

His shootout strategy is questionable. Why is Wagner over Bjork, Senyshyn (the other night), Heinen, or even Mac and Grz?

It seems weird, I agree. I don’t get it. It seems like Wagner should be like the 10th option.

Maybe he’s awesome at shootouts in practice.

 

[Deuce17]

His shootout strategy is questionable. Why is Wagner over Bjork, Senyshyn (the other night), Heinen, or even Mac and Grz?

I think everyone is reading WAY too much into BCs shootout decisions. First of all don’t you think the coach would know who is and isn’t the best options (and probably knows better then fans who have seen them take precisely zero of these on practice)? Shootouts are an enormous crap shoot. The league average since they went to this format is in the low 30s for percentage and the very best individuals are around 50% (assuming have taken more then just a couple).

You mention Senyshyn....how many shootout attempts have you seen him taken?

 

[Chief Nine]

It seems weird, I agree. I don’t get it. It seems like Wagner should be like the 10th option.

Maybe he’s awesome at shootouts in practice.

His shootout strategy is questionable. Why is Wagner over Bjork, Senyshyn (the other night), Heinen, or even Mac and Grz?

I always say that we as fans have no idea what goes on day to day and it’s easy to second guess what coaches do and don’t do. We can second guess and question but we really have no idea what is really behind why things are done the way they are

 

[Tbrady12]

Shootout aside, my beef with Bruce is more about the last 2 minutes. Pasta and Marchand should not be on the ice, they're both looking jump the zone and to get empty net points, not play defense. Why is Oshie not covered in front. Marchand needs to be much lower on that play. Put your defensive guys on the ice and screw letting the 1st line pad their stats if they're not willing to play defense.

 

[UConn126]

I have no real problem with Bruce. Dude took over a verteran team that was in a rut and turned them around, and made them into one of the most exciting Bruins teams to watch in my lifetime. (Credit to Julien for all the Ws and the Cup, but there were several snoozer victories under him)

Bruce has also been great at integrating youth into the lineup. I feel like most of our prospects that come up from Providence at least look like they could hang on an NHL 4th line, if not better. Some credit goes to our drafting/development, but his system seems to work well for plugging and playing.

The shootout is whatever in my eyes. I think we just don't have the roster for it, and honestly, I'm fine with that. There's no shootout in the playoffs. Focus your practice on things that'll win you a game in regulation, don't waste time on a stupid gimmick.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

Shootout aside, my beef with Bruce is more about the last 2 minutes. Pasta and Marchand should not be on the ice, they're both looking jump the zone and to get empty net points, not play defense. Why is Oshie not covered in front. Marchand needs to be much lower on that play. Put your defensive guys on the ice and screw letting the 1st line pad their stats if they're not willing to play defense.

yup.
i also want carlo out there last minute.

 

[The National]

I think everyone is reading WAY too much into BCs shootout decisions. First of all don’t you think the coach would know who is and isn’t the best options (and probably knows better then fans who have seen them take precisely zero of these on practice)? Shootouts are an enormous crap shoot. The league average since they went to this format is in the low 30s for percentage and the very best individuals are around 50% (assuming have taken more then just a couple).

You mention Senyshyn....how many shootout attempts have you seen him taken?

There’s definitely a missing piece for us fans as were not there for practice but just seems strange how often he puts much less skilled players over more finesse players.

I assume part of his strategy is to surprise the goalie with a player he may not have studied much on, like a Wagner. Or Wagner is a practice hero in shootout drills.

I’ve seen no NHL shootout attempts by Senyshyn, but you knew that answer. Wagner only has 2 more than Senyshyn and both were denied. I believe he also rolled Wagner out there over Pasta & Bergeron last week against Florida.

Either way, I like Butch a lot he’s been great. Took on a difficult job in a veteran room, replacing a coach that was beloved by the core players.

Shootouts are stupid anyway.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Shootout aside, my beef with Bruce is more about the last 2 minutes. Pasta and Marchand should not be on the ice, they're both looking jump the zone and to get empty net points, not play defense. Why is Oshie not covered in front. Marchand needs to be much lower on that play. Put your defensive guys on the ice and screw letting the 1st line pad their stats if they're not willing to play defense.

I agree, but Marchand actually is an excellent defensive player. Pasta? Absolutely no reason for him to be out there with team protecting a lead.

As Michael Scott would say, "Fool me once, strike one. Fool me twice...……….strike three".

 

[ODAAT]

Thought it might be worthwhile to have a thread for the coach.

Love what he’s been able to do while juggling so many injuries and working kids in to get a taste and learn on the fly.

Still think they’re leaning too much on the big guns in terms of minutes considering the short off season. Case in point Frederic and Carey got 10 min combined tonight on the second night of a back to back (I only caught the last half of the game and may have missed something - in which case please correct). As much as I love Marchand, it’s not sustainable to have him playing 25 min a night like they leaned on him tonight if they want to get where they really want to go.

Hoping they’re being overly cautious on bringing guys back from injury- but it would be good to see them able to ice a team that doesn’t include players getting 5 min a night or zero like Kampfer a couple games back.

love him too but I think too often , as much as I appreciate him tinkering with lines or simply shortening his bench, he does so almost too quickly and leans too much on only a few lines and has players rotting on the bench when I think he needs to trust them more and personally, I would rather hear the players decide whose taking the shootout attempts than the coaching staff cuz it ain`t working apparently

 

[smithformeragent]

Assuming Bergeron is a go tonight, does Cassidy plug him back in on the top line or experiment with moving him down and keeping Krejci up there?

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Assuming Bergeron is a go tonight, does Cassidy plug him back in on the top line or experiment with moving him down and keeping Krejci up there?

Bergeron's going straight back to the top line. I simply can't see Cassidy doing anything else. Krejci's used to playing with different people on a frequent basis, Bergy's not. There may come a time when Bergeron's no longer the go-to 1C, but it hasn't arrived yet, so unless he's completely hobbled by his groin issues he's going to be top line come the playoffs if they make it.

Therefore I don't see the point in shuffling him and Krej around at this stage - we already know Krejci can play well with Pasta and Marchand if required, and Bergeron has nothing to gain or establish playing down the order. Even though Marchy-Bergy-Pasta doesn't fire all the time, it's still the kind of remarkable line that only happens in hockey once in a blue moon, and Cassidy's going to ride it for as long as he can.

 

[kthx]

He is good apart from shootout choices but we really suck at taking them sos maybe he flips a coin and sometimes Wagner shoots, sometimes Vaakanainen, sometimes McAvoy, Halak etc.
Shootout losses are painful but with a winrate of 70%+ cant really be mad at Cassidy. Love how he handles media.

 

[Alicat]

Dear Bruce:

Please sit Ritchie until whatever he's dealing with is 100% healed.

Also, please leave Bjork-Coyle-Heinen alone. The lack of consistency with the lines is starting to bite the team in the ass.

 

[BMC]

Dear Bruce:

Please sit Ritchie until whatever he's dealing with is 100% healed.

Also, please leave Bjork-Coyle-Heinen alone. The lack of consistency with the lines is starting to bite the team in the ass.

Quoted for truth. In this respect he is the complete opposite of Claude [with the exception of 63-37-88, that's his binky line] who kept his lines together too long at times.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Dear Bruce:

Please sit Ritchie until whatever he's dealing with is 100% healed.

Also, please leave Bjork-Coyle-Heinen alone. The lack of consistency with the lines is starting to bite the team in the ass.

I totally get what you're saying, but I really think we need to consider the possibility that Coyle is the solution at 2RW (if acquiring another 3rd line C is more practical), so I think it's important to get a multi-game look at Krejci & Coyle together to see if it's a viable option and November is the time to do it.

 

[Over the volcano]

 

[DKH]

Phenomenal (of course Krejci didn’t go to BU makes it better)

quote hall of fame

 

[Over the volcano]

Phenomenal (of course Krejci didn’t go to BU makes it better)

quote hall of fame

I’m half hoping he confused Krejci with JFK for a second.

 

[BMC]

Butch needs to step up his game when it comes to OT lines and SO shooters.

 

[ODAAT]

Butch needs to step up his game when it comes to OT lines and SO shooters.

I refuse to watch shootouts so I`ll comment only on the OT. With all that open ice, I want speed and skill , while I really appreciate Kuraly, when I see him on the ice in OT I cringe, I want to see a kid like Bjork out there before I see #52. Love Nordy`s speed but don`t like his hands in that situation either not that he puts him out often during the OT

 

[missingchicklet]

I refuse to watch shootouts so I`ll comment only on the OT. With all that open ice, I want speed and skill , while I really appreciate Kuraly, when I see him on the ice in OT I cringe, I want to see a kid like Bjork out there before I see #52. Love Nordy`s speed but don`t like his hands in that situation either not that he puts him out often during the OT

Agreed. OTs greatly favor the offense due to all the room to operate. You just have to go for it by getting possession, holding onto possession, and working for a great quality chance. Putting out 4th liners or grinders is beyond dumb in OT. I like who Bruce started with last night -- Marchy, Bergy, Krug. Those three give you a genuine chance to win in OT while at the same time can play good D. Pasta, Krejci, and Gryz/McAvoy would be my second OT line. Jake, Coyle, and Gryz/McAvoy would be my third OT line. Nobody else should see action in a 5 min OT unless absolutely necessary due to a matchup situation or injury. Basically everyone on those three lines has a solid chance of scoring (McAvoy will come around) and has speed. Relying on good D/weaker scorers is not a good formula for winning a lot of OT games. It's an offense and speed contest, as you say.

 

[ODAAT]

Agreed. OTs greatly favor the offense due to all the room to operate. You just have to go for it by getting possession, holding onto possession, and working for a great quality chance. Putting out 4th liners or grinders is beyond dumb in OT. I like who Bruce started with last night -- Marchy, Bergy, Krug. Those three give you a genuine chance to win in OT while at the same time can play good D. Pasta, Krejci, and Gryz/McAvoy would be my second OT line. Jake, Coyle, and Gryz/McAvoy would be my third OT line. Nobody else should see action in a 5 min OT unless absolutely necessary due to a matchup situation or injury. Basically everyone on those three lines has a solid chance of scoring (McAvoy will come around) and has speed. Relying on good D/weaker scorers is not a good formula for winning a lot of OT games. It's an offense and speed contest, as you say.

No argument from this fan on your post

 

[rocketdan9]

Has the team run into a wall after a hot start?

Bruins played extremely hard since game 1.

But might be running out of gas

If this is the case, team is on its way to emulate the disaster that happened to Tampa last season... but much earlier into the season

The break cant come soon enough

Cassidy also needs to relax a little... this is not a young team