Clark Booth: The state of the Bruins

[rocketdan9]

I agree. Lack of identity like cam was saying. Also the Bruins have been known to be a strong team on the road but last year were a poor road team and easily intimidated by the home crowed.

This team needs to add toughness but also keep up with the new nhl speed, especially from our backend

 

[don]

I think the players being pissed at Chiarelli might have contributed to Neelys and Jacobs decision to fire him.

You already have two strong lockerroom guys in Thornton and Iginla gone. And then you go and trade a player, that was probably one of the most well liked players on the team, and don't make up for it down the road. That's a solid way to piss players off.

I'm sure that was factored in the decision but I think the determining factor was PC'c crappy trades. Iginla may have been a good guy in the locker room, and I know he played well for us, but his was a bad signing for the money. PC's fault.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I think this is a fantastic article, and right on. There really is no other tangible explanation (aside from Chiarelli) for why the team has devolved so rapidly.

That said, I watched that Calgary game last night and it's what the Bruins should become.

They are still tough.
Gritty.
Forechecking monsters.
Fast, smooth transition game.
Very skilled.
Young.

 

[GloveSave1]

God...

This just bleeds right into an argument against the refs and how they've "neutered" the Bruins by not letting them be violent or play the game hard.

I don't agree with any of it at all. It's a cliche argument, at best, that doesn't deal with any real facts...just sweeping generalizations that one ambitiously hopes sticks.

The Bruins were ineffective this year offensively, defensively, tough-ensively, everything...you can't pinpoint it on this general "philosophy" of today's "softer brand of hockey". They just weren't as good, for a number of reasons including poor personnel management, questionable coaching decisions, inconsistent effort, etc. I'm tired of being told to put stock into articles that could have been written the exact same way for every team that had a bad year.

Really? We had no idea where you stand on this.

I want SO badly to believe that...

But when I read:



I question whether that's true... WHY does a guy like Subban get MULTIPLE warnings from the powers that be in the NHL, but BM gets a suspension?

Why is Thornton suspended 15 GAMES for this:



But Subban receives nothing (not even a fine) for this (wherein he broke the guy's wrist):



Explain this to me... Why is Marchand suspended 5 games, while Raymond gets nothing? (same referee in each game, btw)



I HATE whining about the refs - and look at my post history - you'll see I don't do it... But I do think that when you look at things like this (and you watch enough Bruins - you know how many more of these I can post... Looch ejected from a playoff game four minutes in for a ref's mistake??...) - and then you look at the glaring disparity of PP opportunities, it makes you wonder.

I'm thinking it may be more than the "bruins are slow and undisciplined, and it forces them into desperate hockey".

Nice work. I can't say about the league...but with the refs...

I think it's much more simple than people make it...I think the refs generally don't like the Bruins because of repeated negative experiences with guys like Lucic and Marchand.

Both of those guys are absolutly blacklisted. Hated, ref wide. Stepped on whenever possible. You can see that Marchand made a serious effort to keep his mouth shut when it comes to the refs for a good part of the year. It's worth a try...but I don't think it's going to do any good. It's clear both Lucic and Marchand are hated...and they are the face of the Bruins when it comes to the refs.

There isn't a conspiracy. It just comes from simple dislike.

 

[JOHNNY V]

Broken B's: It's been a revolting developmen

http://www.csnne.com/boston-bruins/Broken-B's-Boston-Bruins-player-development-is-revolting


MOD - You can quote a few lines but not the entire article

 

[BklyNBruiN]

I think this is a fantastic article, and right on. There really is no other tangible explanation (aside from Chiarelli) for why the team has devolved so rapidly.

That said, I watched that Calgary game last night and it's what the Bruins should become.

They are still tough.
Gritty.
Forechecking monsters.
Fast, smooth transition game.
Very skilled.
Young.

Watching Calgary play last night gave me a kool aid smile throughout. That was one of the most entertaining games I have seen in a long time. It was just wow! Like you said, hope our Bruins can become that.

I would imagine someone in Bruins brass saw the game and probably felt that same way.

 

[Fenway]

Clark Booth wrote this today. He is very worried about the Bruins future.

http://www.dotnews.com/columns/2015/deal-should-be-losing-season-means-no-playoff-spot

In roughly the same vein, one senses a vague feeling of dread at the prospect of Charley Jacobs and Cam Neely being entirely in charge of the re-orchestrating of the Boston Bruins, which they apparently intend even if anything so sweeping is hardly necessary. Simply put, there is no way these guys are up to the task, even if it were necessary. Might this be the Original Amateur Hour that’s now in charge?

What, pray tell, qualifies young Jacobs, No. 3 son of Owner Jeremy, who, while hardly a charmer in his four decades here, was a fellow you under-estimated at your peril? Indeed, it’s reasonable to wonder if the shakiest decision Jeremy has ever made in his long ownership tenure was to put Charlie in charge. One holds to that notion until Charlie proves otherwise. At a minimum, it’s reasonable to point out that if his last name were Jones, Charlie would not be in charge of the Boston Bruins.

Nor does Neely, to whom young Jacobs clearly looks for guidance, inspire much more confidence. Granted, he was a wonderful player, a true warrior, and a great Bruin whose career was shamelessly curtailed by that nasty fellow, Ulfie Samuelson, whom Cam, for all his brawn and bluster, never found a way to subdue. But are we indebted to him for all that forever?

Neely seems to have wandered into his present eminence largely by accident, having no other meaningful alternative. It’s been a cushy post, short on challenges, with his main claim of late ostensibly being a gift for second-guessing. But has he coached anywhere, scouted, drafted, trained, negotiated, dealt with agents, been charged with grooming and motivating players – other than by threats, that is.
These seem to me important questions that have not been satisfactorily asked, let alone answered.

And it’s only the beginning. Hang on!

 

[bruins4thecup65]

The game is trending to a speed game. Boston needs to adjust.

 

[bruins4thecup65]

Watching Calgary play last night gave me a kool aid smile throughout. That was one of the most entertaining games I have seen in a long time. It was just wow! Like you said, hope our Bruins can become that.

I would imagine someone in Bruins brass saw the game and probably felt that same way.

LOVE that Johnny Geaudro kid.

 

[bruins4thecup65]

If only KOKO would watch some film.

 

[DitClapper]

I think this is a fantastic article, and right on. There really is no other tangible explanation (aside from Chiarelli) for why the team has devolved so rapidly.

That said, I watched that Calgary game last night and it's what the Bruins should become.

They are still tough.
Gritty.
Forechecking monsters.
Fast, smooth transition game.
Very skilled.
Young.

That Ferland kid is unbelievable. We need like 10 of him.

 

[PurpleShamrock]

It’s further interesting that while certainly tamer, the Bruins nonetheless remain among the league’s most heavily penalized teams while also getting the fewest penalty calls in their favor. There are teams that had up to 100 more power plays this season. How many goals, and thereby how many points, in the standings do you think that cost the team? Maybe enough to have put them in the playoffs? It’s their history and finely crafted image that haunts them still. The zebras look at them and still see the long gone “Big, Bad Bruins.” It’s a sub-conscious thing, methinks.

There may be an element of truth to that, particularly as it applies to the likes of Lucic, Chara and Marchand. But I think the more overriding factor is that this team lacks speed. And teams that are perennially a step behind simply have to take more penalties as a matter of course. I don't think this team needs to stop playing with its characteristic edge (if anything, they generally could have used more grit from what I've observed). What I think they do need is more youth and speed, as well as the ability to bury their chances with a lot more consistency.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Clark Booth wrote this today. He is very worried about the Bruins future.

http://www.dotnews.com/columns/2015/deal-should-be-losing-season-means-no-playoff-spot

Clearly no one here wants to listen to this voice of reason.

 

[Mathews28]

Really? They don't know how to play in the new NHL, they're somehow stuck between the old school and the new, and what they can or can't get away with?

I don't buy it for a second. They're on the ice for 82 games, they know exactly what it takes, and they know they can ramp up their aggressiveness to the level that their opponents do.

Bogus article.

 

[Gordoff]

Charlie Jacobs was instrumental in the interviewing and hiring of Chiarelli even though PC wasn't his first choice. Charley knew enough about people that he saw (in Chiarelli) a decent GM, one who could take the B's up to the level that they needed to be at to win the cup.
Neely pushed Chia to trade for Peverly, and Kelly during the last month or so prior to the '11 trade deadline.

No matter that Chiarelli lost his way in the ensuing years after that led to his firing, he did still have what it took to win the cup.

I have reason to believe, judging by the way Charley J handled the house cleaning of MOC and company with Chia and Co that he'll find a way to re-focus the teams goals.

I trust that Don Sweeney has ideas on what to do and how to fix things that I'm not worried about his experience PLUS his education PLUS his contacts within the front office and around the league to figure it out. Clark really is painting a prematurely negative picture, one that I'd be inclined to share IF Peter Chiarelli were still at the helm and throwing dolphins (as bait) overboard to catch Jelly fish.

 

[RaybCamn]

This team would have easily made the playoffs this year if they just showed up to play 60 mins every game. Thier heart was not in it. They gave away so much and got nothing back. Heck even I was disheartend by the Boychuk trade since it made so little sense.

 

[BMC]

Clark Booth wrote this today. He is very worried about the Bruins future.

http://www.dotnews.com/columns/2015/deal-should-be-losing-season-means-no-playoff-spot

I agree with his comments completely.

Be careful what you wish for you just might get it. Hard.

 

[Gordoff]

This team would have easily made the playoffs this year if they just showed up to play 60 mins every game. Thier heart was not in it. They gave away so much and got nothing back. Heck even I was disheartend by the Boychuk trade since it made so little sense.

After the Joe Thornton trade I thought that it'd be a COLD day in hell before we saw another such mistake and along came the Seguin trade and to top it all off the Boychuk trade.
Happily, I doubt that with Neely now having veto power from now on, we won't lose any more important assets such as JB traded for reasons other than to improve the team and not just the bottom (cap) line. With Chiarelli now in the rear view mirror it's time to look ahead and try not to let the JB trade upset us anymore. We know the answer to why he did it and it's past...
I look forward to a retooled Boston Bruins heading in the right direction with a more substantial house cleaning about to take place with the likes of JFJ and a few others that have no reasonable business being here.

 

[ODAAT]

There may be an element of truth to that, particularly as it applies to the likes of Lucic, Chara and Marchand. But I think the more overriding factor is that this team lacks speed. And teams that are perennially a step behind simply have to take more penalties as a matter of course. I don't think this team needs to stop playing with its characteristic edge (if anything, they generally could have used more grit from what I've observed). What I think they do need is more youth and speed, as well as the ability to bury their chances with a lot more consistency.

Bingo

There isn`t one team playing right now that can`t flat out fly, not one

 

[captain stone]

That's why if they both return I no longer want to see Lucic & Krecji together again. They gotta be the 2 slowest Forwards on the team.

 

[BruinDust]

That's why if they both return I no longer want to see Lucic & Krecji together again. They gotta be the 2 slowest Forwards on the team.

I'm with you on that. To slow to gain the zone on the rush, to slow to win races for dump-ins. So what if they are great together on the cycle, if they don't have puck possession while in the offensive zone what's the point.

Lucic himself stated he had a bad habit the last couple years of puck-watching Krejci. And this whole notion that the line will only be effective while flanked by another power winger similar to Horton and Iginla is bunk.

Lucic was far more assertive, with and without the puck, playing with the two speedy kids Spooner and Pastrnak. The Lucic-Krejci combo needs to be put to rest for good.

Sadly if Claude is back you know he's going to try Lucic-Krejci-Connolly first chance he gets.

 

[Fenway]

I agree with his comments completely.

Be careful what you wish for you just might get it. Hard.

The Bruins are hopefully trying to do the process without the twitterverse catching on.
Twitter didn't even exist when we had all the Fred Shero sightings before they hired Chia.

The entire front office and hockey ops was built by Chia after he broomed all the Sinden loyalists. Do they want to start from scratch again?

The 2014 team had they advanced past Montreal could have easily won the Cup as well. Chia went all in and lost.

Now - it is said Don Sweeney is too busy running Providence which is idiotic. I wish the Baby B's well in their playoff run but as we saw with the 1999 Providence team a good playoff run means little for the parent club. As far as I know the only 2 members of that 1999 team that have since gotten a Stanley Cup ring are the coach (Peter Laviolette) and the radio play by play announcer (Dave Goucher) - IF Sweeney is the guy say so now.

I got to know Sweeney when the cable TV station I was working at in 1988 televised Harvard hockey (with Ted Sarandis doing play by play ) and I bump into him from time to time. Here is the deal, in Don you will get a Chia clone because who taught him everything about NHL management.

It will be an interesting month.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

After the Joe Thornton trade I thought that it'd be a COLD day in hell before we saw another such mistake and along came the Seguin trade and to top it all off the Boychuk trade.
Happily, I doubt that with Neely now having veto power from now on, we won't lose any more important assets such as JB traded for reasons other than to improve the team and not just the bottom (cap) line. With Chiarelli now in the rear view mirror it's time to look ahead and try not to let the JB trade upset us anymore. We know the answer to why he did it and it's past...
I look forward to a retooled Boston Bruins heading in the right direction with a more substantial house cleaning about to take place with the likes of JFJ and a few others that have no reasonable business being here.

F that I like having an ex GM around you think he'd be joining in on the Seguin Behind the B trashing after having experienced getting burned badly as a GM (Rask for Razor?) JFJ isn't going to be our GM ever hes a good assistant and can help Sweeney transition into the role.


Maybe Im a little bit biased because I talked to JFJ right at the end of the night Providence won the National Championship though when they were kicking us all out of the bar.

 

[captain stone]

I want JFJ nowhere near Causeway Street, and if Sweeney is as big a ChiaPet tool as alleged,
then I don't want him either.