Boston Herald Cam Neely weighs in on state of Bruins

[GloryDaze4877]

I fully agree that they were hoping to add a big FA during the off-season and it didn't pan out, which was a setback.

I couldn't see what you bolded for some reason....guessing it's about relying on the youth. Which I'll expand upon here.

First, once the FA's didn't pan out, my fear is that Sweeney was too reluctant to move prospects to get more established veterans when they had good value. Off the top of my head O'Reilly and Spooner would have been good targets. No idea what the asking price for either would have been, as every GM has guys he likes or dislikes more than others.

Second, I've always been frustrated with the fact that they have drafted so many similar forwards over the past few years, and while there are always nuances between players; Bjork, Donato, JFK, Heinen, even DeBrusk, who is the best of the bunch....are all very similar, with little physicality to offer. I'm not even going to lament skipping on Barzal or Connor, because I know teams miss, but without delving into every draft of the last 5 years, I just get frustrated that they don't seem to value big and physical forwards as much as smaller, less physical ones.

Now, I could be off base and look further into it to find that there wasn't anyone available that fit that description around their picks, but they seem to reach for guys anyways, at times (Zboril, Senyshyn). To me, when you make a reach, it should be for someone who is smallish, but tremendously skilled....like a Barzal/Gaudreau or big and physical that maybe hasn't fully developed their offense. Maybe a third category is reaching for a good leader --- of course they did that with Mark Stuart and while he was a solid player, he wasn't Parise.

Lastly, I guess of all the points I've made, the biggest issue I have is that he seems too reluctant to move the young guys. Maybe he's gun shy because of Seguin, but do we want a gun shy GM? I know don't.

There are always deals to be made IMO. You target a guy or three that can help and do what it takes to get them. If they are truly too expensive to get according to your management team, you move on to the next one.

There's a draft every year and a chance to get the next Pasta, Donato, Bjork, etc. Stockpiling all of these kids is really only good to a point. I cannot envision a successful Bruins team that has Bjork, Donato, Heinen and JFK all playing major roles. Last year I felt the same way, but it was only because I thought they were all too small and not physical enough. Sadly, this year it's that and that I wonder if 1 or 2 aren't even good enough to play in the NHL long term, which is troubling because at least last year they had trade value...now I'm not so sure.

In the end, maybe I'll be proven wrong...but most of us have been around here long enough to have seen the Cam Stewarts, Ivan Huml's, Ryan Spooner's and Cameron Mann's of the world flop....is it really that much of a stretch to think it could happen to these guys?

The part I bolded was this:

"they're now in a position where they may need to make moves they don't want to in order to improve....or even get to the point they hoped to be."

I already addressed this in my previous post. IMO, the B's process: try to sign a Top 6 FA, hope it could be filled internally, come to the realization a trade needs to be made is one that many organizations would have chosen. I don't think the put themselves in an unusual position in any way.

As far as the new bolded parts go (hopefully you can see these)...I like ROR a lot, but he cost a boatload and the B's had 37 and 46 heading into the year, so I think they would have been more interested in a wing. They supposedly had interest in Tavares, so I guess they could have done the same thing (from a positional standpoint) with ROR they were planning on doing with JT? Difference was that Tavares only cost money. Did you really say Spooner or did you mean "Skinner"?

I think in 2015, their top priority was to find some big, fast scoring wingers, and they felt they were in decent shape at center, hence the DeBrusk and Senyshyn picks.

I keep seeing people say this (presumably because Chabot has hit the NHL quicker), but Zboril was not much of a reach, if any at all. I believe the B's wanted one of the Big 3 D that year (Hanifin, Provorov, Werenski), and weren't able to get one. They really needed a D and there was a dropoff after those guys, but Zboril was very much in the mix of the next group of D.

Here's a link to the consensus rankings for 2015, which takes 7 sources and averages where those scouts have them:

2015 NHL Draft Prospect Consensus Rankings

Chabot and Zboril were 18 and 21 respectively, and Zboril was rated above Chabot in the 14-18 range by a couple of people.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Im still dumfounded that they havent even attempted to get Big Rick back into practice and maybe a couple million to play on the 2nd or 3rd line (depending if they trade for someone). He hasn't officially called it but jeez hes got to be a better option than the constant string of 4th line talent they shuffle around.

Who says they haven't?

I believe Sweeney said they had been keeping in contact with Nash all along? Nash was supposedly offered multi-year deals on July 1 by several teams, including the B's and Blue Jackets, which he turned down. His not playing was about health, not money.

 

[Sheppy]

Im still dumfounded that they havent even attempted to get Big Rick back into practice and maybe a couple million to play on the 2nd or 3rd line (depending if they trade for someone). He hasn't officially called it but jeez hes got to be a better option than the constant string of 4th line talent they shuffle around.

He comes in, gets hit along the boards, and is dead.

While I like Rick Nash, he's one hit away from signing autographs with crayons.

 

[Dr Hook]

Im still dumfounded that they havent even attempted to get Big Rick back into practice and maybe a couple million to play on the 2nd or 3rd line (depending if they trade for someone). He hasn't officially called it but jeez hes got to be a better option than the constant string of 4th line talent they shuffle around.

My guess is the "big Rick" at 34, with a multiple serious concussion history, and more money than he can probably spend in his lifetime is not super interested right now.

 

[easton117]

I’m aware your post is dripping in sarcasm, but do you not agree that it’s maybe time to get the players attention somehow? Yes this team is missing Chara & McAvoy on defense, yes their presence in the lineup helps the team offensively. I don’t see Bergeron returning and fixing all that ails this offense.

Bergeron retires a Bruin. I think the organization owes it to him to make every attempt to win another Cup while he’s still here in his prime.

I don’t see Bjork Heinen Donato improving to the point where this offense can hang and swap scoring chances with a Toronto Tampa or even Buffalo at this point. I’m not advocating moving them but something should be done to get the juices flowing in that locker room imo

If you want to get everyone’s attention just ask Krug for his list of locations he doesn’t want to live.

Then announce you’ve done it. Or just wait, that stuff seems to get leaked anyways

 

[Bumper]

....Donato....can impact future Bruins teams....cut away some of the deadwood....

trade him. his gaping minuses are drowning this team. Krug, too. the time is right now. add Acciari. dump a bunch of sexy problems on a team with an extra scoring forward. all three at once for a relative plus coming back. sieve plugged, more wins, better chances to advance. not immediate duckboats, but plug the freaking drain before the team water is gone and the "core veteran window" closes. call every team with a simple pitch of "Krug, Donato, Acciari, all ready to play -- send us a proper forward?"

 

[The Garden]

I don't agree with the negativity in this thread.

The Bruins are contenders now. Are they the biggest contenders in the league? Not even close, but once you make it to the playoffs it's about who is hot, not who was the best over the entire season. Just look at the Golden Knights last season.

Let's assume that none of the Bruins prospects right now will be anything special. The "trade just to make a trade"mentality is still going to lead to stupid moves like trading a 1st for Rick Nash.

The Bruins have one of the best defenses in the league, and that will shine in the playoffs.

 

[analyser]

I don't agree with the negativity in this thread.

The Bruins are contenders now. Are they the biggest contenders in the league? Not even close, but once you make it to the playoffs it's about who is hot, not who was the best over the entire season. Just look at the Golden Knights last season.

Let's assume that none of the Bruins prospects right now will be anything special. The "trade just to make a trade"mentality is still going to lead to stupid moves like trading a 1st for Rick Nash.

The Bruins have one of the best defenses in the league, and that will shine in the playoffs.

What playoffs? You cannot make the playoffs with no scoring when all other teams around yoiu have more available scoring.

 

[Sheppy]

I don't agree with the negativity in this thread.

The Bruins are contenders now. Are they the biggest contenders in the league? Not even close, but once you make it to the playoffs it's about who is hot, not who was the best over the entire season. Just look at the Golden Knights last season.

Let's assume that none of the Bruins prospects right now will be anything special. The "trade just to make a trade"mentality is still going to lead to stupid moves like trading a 1st for Rick Nash.

The Bruins have one of the best defenses in the league, and that will shine in the playoffs.

I just have to disagree with this.

I would agree had the Bruins got better in the offseason... but you could make the argument, they took a step back. Toronto and Tampa got better, Buffalo has improved drastically.

 

[BruinDust]

I don't agree with the negativity in this thread.

The Bruins are contenders now. Are they the biggest contenders in the league? Not even close, but once you make it to the playoffs it's about who is hot, not who was the best over the entire season. Just look at the Golden Knights last season.

Let's assume that none of the Bruins prospects right now will be anything special. The "trade just to make a trade"mentality is still going to lead to stupid moves like trading a 1st for Rick Nash.

The Bruins have one of the best defenses in the league, and that will shine in the playoffs.

They need to make it first.

If they don't find some way of increasing the current amount of secondary scoring, they will not make it.

The Bruins have just 17 goals in their last 10 games. They have 22 games between now and their by-week in mid-January.

If they average less than 2 goals per game for that 22 game stretch they will be hard pressed.

 

[BMC]

It looks to me like Sweeney bet the farm that the rookies would continue to produce and improve during their sophomore seasons. Oops.

In fairness I don't think any of us thought that all of them would shit the bed the way they have (with the possible exception of DeBrusk & McAvoy gets a pass due to the severity of his injury), sure you can expect one or two guys to struggle during their second season but all of them? No way.

 

[maxl7]

It looks to me like Sweeney bet the farm that the rookies would continue to produce and improve during their sophomore seasons. Oops.

In fairness I don't think any of us thought that all of them would **** the bed the way they have (with the possible exception of DeBrusk & McAvoy gets a pass due to the severity of his injury), sure you can expect one or two guys to struggle during their second season but all of them? No way.

Maybe not, but that's why you sign some veterans to cheap one-year deals as insurance. Those guys will always have warts but if the kids out play them, no biggie, either trade them or waive them. Wasting time on signing (and giving term to!) depth guys who can be had on the waiver wire or acquired cheaply like Wagner was a bad way to prioritize the offseason moves.

 

[ODAAT]

Im still dumfounded that they havent even attempted to get Big Rick back into practice and maybe a couple million to play on the 2nd or 3rd line (depending if they trade for someone). He hasn't officially called it but jeez hes got to be a better option than the constant string of 4th line talent they shuffle around.

why? You heard something nobody else has that "Big Rick" is ready or willing to play again in the NHL? I think the B`s probably have left the door open to a return if that`s what Nash wants but it would also be unwise for us here to think that if he were to return, he`d be the answer after missing so much time

 

[RoccoF14]

And it should get Sweeney fired in Boston, he badly overrated his forward prospects, it looks like there are some decent D prospects but Heinen, Bjork, Donato and JFK do not appear to be a contributing top 6 forwards going forward, in some cases NHL regulars is questionable. His inability or unwillingness to fill the holes that everyone knew were there in the off season is going to cost this team badly, not injuries, not bad calls, not excuses, inaction to fill needs because he over valued his prospects.

Sweeney isn't the only one around here who badly overrated our forward prospects. Just go back and read this forum's posts 6 months ago..

Until we get out of the mindset that all of our young players are the next potential franchise mainstay, don't expect many moves to be made. That Seguin trade still lingers like a bad fart, and its still messing with people's heads.

 

[Therick67]

Sweeney isn't the only one around here who badly overrated our forward prospects. Just go back and read this forum's posts 6 months ago..

Until we get out of the mindset that all of our young players are the next potential franchise mainstay, don't expect many moves to be made. That Seguin trade still lingers like a bad fart, and its still messing with people's heads.

That's just it. I don't mind attempting to be patient, but what if these prospects don't do anything - then what? I've been disappointed with what we've seen from the young forwards so far, but
they could still turn it around.

If they don't, this team is in trouble.

 

[RoccoF14]

You go over to the trade thread and its "You can't trade McAvoy", "You can't trade DeBrusk", "You can't trade Grzelcyk" etc. and then we wonder why no trades are being made.....

There's this misguided hope that if we package up the Donatos/Heinens/Lauzons of the world , throw in a few picks and we will be able to fill in the holes on our roster with established NHL producers....that ain't happening. There's just not a lot of value there (potential MAYBE) that we are giving up, and 99% of the NHL GMs out there know that.

 

[ODAAT]

It looks to me like Sweeney bet the farm that the rookies would continue to produce and improve during their sophomore seasons. Oops.

In fairness I don't think any of us thought that all of them would **** the bed the way they have (with the possible exception of DeBrusk & McAvoy gets a pass due to the severity of his injury), sure you can expect one or two guys to struggle during their second season but all of them? No way.

Good post, while I felt hopeful we`d see either sustained games from all of the rooks from last year with a hope they would improve on production, nobody could have seen this from all of them save Debrusk.

At the same time, I think DS has gone down the UFA road and was weary about using cap space on a guy while watching Beleskey playing in gawd knows where and #42 not exactly being what the doctor ordered after his signing so he put faith in the kids and likely crossed his fingers and thus far, been a disappointing year.

I tend to be or try to be a guy who looks at the positives but struggling right now. Heinen, a guy I love is just lost offensively out there, busting his arse in all 3 zones and more often than not, doesn`t hurt the B`s defensively and man do I hope something good happens for the guy but...

Donato seems to have learned a few things from his stint in the AHL but is far from a finished product but there`s little doubt he`s got an NHL shot and I think we`ll see him improve over time.

Bjork never had a summer to likely train the way he typically would have if not injured and recovering. Actually like his battle this year but again, he wasn`t signed to win board battles, he`s signed to provide offense and it wasn`t happening.

Debrusk, while he is putting up numbers, there are more than long stretches where his play is inconsistent but again, hard to make someone sit who is one of the very few who seems to be on the same offensive pace as last year?

Now, toss in McAvoy`s injury after a nice little start, Z, Miller,Urho and Krug, Bergy, Tuukka`s poor play. The fact this team has even held on to a playoff spot, albeit barely is nothing short of a miracle. I`m not one who believes for one minute that by season`s end we`ll see the Sabres or Habs in the playoff picture so I think the B`s will be fine.

Some cap space, some assets within so I think DS will be working the phones often this year, problem is, right now, he`s in a horrible position to deal from with the M.A.S.H unit he`s got. This team is beyond boring to watch right now but it`s also completely understandable why they are so boring as they have to play that way being so short handed.

The kids haven`t performed as one could have predicted within reason, but it`s also been a year where it felt like nobody was able to properly slotted into the ideal role for with the exception of the Bergy line.

I think DS knew there was a risk sticking with the kids, but I`m not sure anyone could have forecasted for the majority of them to be struggling nearly as much as they are.

Now, if there is something that I am a bit confounded with is Cassidy`s usage of Acciari, that is terribly problematic, maybe this Smith kid can jump in and bring more to the table than #55

The good news, the kids in the system have gotten a chance to taste NHL life and the B`s know where they are in their development

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

I don't agree with the negativity in this thread.

The Bruins are contenders now. Are they the biggest contenders in the league? Not even close, but once you make it to the playoffs it's about who is hot, not who was the best over the entire season. Just look at the Golden Knights last season.

Let's assume that none of the Bruins prospects right now will be anything special. The "trade just to make a trade"mentality is still going to lead to stupid moves like trading a 1st for Rick Nash.

The Bruins have one of the best defenses in the league, and that will shine in the playoffs.

If management agreed with you, then they wouldn't even talk about trades. And this conversation would look a lot different.

There wouldn't be excuses if they didn't feel there was anything that needed excusing.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

It looks to me like Sweeney bet the farm that the rookies would continue to produce and improve during their sophomore seasons. Oops.

In fairness I don't think any of us thought that all of them would **** the bed the way they have (with the possible exception of DeBrusk & McAvoy gets a pass due to the severity of his injury), sure you can expect one or two guys to struggle during their second season but all of them? No way.

I wouldn't have predicted the team wide bed-s*** from our young forwards, but I (and many others) cautioned it as a gamble. I think we all saw the issues our lack of reliable depth caused in the playoffs last year.

Some wanted a RW for Krejci. Some wanted center depth. But almost everyone saw it was a need that got ignored.

It's a problem only made worse by a contagious disease-like sophomore slump. But it would have been a problem either way.

 

[Blowfish]

Weight in after tonights game too,,,,,

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Weight in after tonights game too,,,,,

He is nothing more than a suit

 

[Coach Parker]

Feels like the 2017-2018 Canucks. This team could completely fall apart this year and be in real tough for a couple years if these kids don't start looking like NHL players.

Sad part is, my brother and I spoke this week and cancelled our Winter Classic plans; as much as the visit to Notre Dame seems like fun, the Bruins aren't really entertaining to watch as a product this year with the exception of 2-3 games.

 

[22Brad Park]

What Neely said sucks but he is right.However once healthy the results are then on them too.

 

[22Brad Park]

The teams around us in the standings are TRASH. Mtl, Buffalo, NYR, Carolina aren't good squads. Ever since the loser point has entered the NHL there has been so much parity that prior to the New Year 27/28 teams are in playoff contention only 2-3 are sellers. I don't think we could make a deal we'd like right now.

Weather the storm and let guys come back and shift the role players down.

Whats Stempniak doing? Didn't we keep him around after camp in case of a situation like this? I'd sign him tomorrow it was only 2 years ago we gave up a 2nd for him and he doesn't rely on speed I am sure hes better than Backes right now.

Buffalo is not trash bud

 

[rocketdan9]

I wonder how the door looks like in Cams office right about now

lets hear what he has to say after this loss

I hate tuning into 98.5 and listening to those two clowns (Felger and Mazz) make fun of the team =T