News Article: Fluto: With Hamilton out, Senators have upper hand

[Number8]

Time for the Bruins to man up

I wish I had a few bucks for each time I've said that over the past several weeks.

Regardless of whether they squeak in or not, one stretch of games told me everything I needed to know about this team.

March 15 - Washington LOSS
March 17 - Buffalo KISS YOUR SISTER POINT
March 19 - Ottawa LOSS
March 21 - Florida KISS YOUR SISTER POINT, BUT GIVE A REACH AROUND TO YOUR COMPETITOR IN PROCESS

Three absolutely critical head to head match-ups with the teams you are literally battling with for a spot in the playoffs and the worst team in the league for a slam dunk easy two. Win two of three outright against your competitors and snag the easy two from Buffalo and we are talking about 7th place or catching Detroit for a higher spot. Regular season done and playoffs effectively locked down solid.

What do we get? 2 points. And to add insult to injury we gave Florida a full 2 points in the process of our settling for our Participation Pin prize of one point.

Right now we are sitting at picking 13th. A few more heartless, gutless, crappy showings (in other words replicate the crap show referenced above) and we could be picking 9th. At this point that would be a huge huge success in my book.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Chara is either

a) hurt

or

b) healthy

If the rumors are true and he needs surgery, how can anyone feel good about him going into next season? A 39-year-old coming off of leg surgery? Didn't we just play this song this year with a younger defenseman in his 30s?

If he is healthy, then how can anyone feel good about him next year?

The futur looks good, doesn't it?

 

[EverettMike]

The futur looks good, doesn't it?

When you are down on the team that is a pretty telling sign.

 

[Hali33]

Not every teams.

The Habs had zero injury to any of their top players. Yet they have the 22nd best offense in the league, even worst than the Bruins. Imagine if Paciorrety, their only real treat offensively, was injured for 40 games?

Still, the injuries ain't the reason why the Bruins may miss the playoffs. They might miss them because they have played horrible hockey for most of the season.

The fact that they are still in contention for the playoffs with their play this year and all the key injuries tells two things:

1) The Bruins are so good that even their C game is good enough for the top-8.
2) The East suck bad.

That is what is frustrating with this season. Should have been so much more...

What is happening in Montreal is the exception, not the rule.

It is extremely rare for a team to stay as healthy as they have. Furthermore, Carey Price is having a career Vezina/MVPesque season and has been extraordinary this year. Pretty big gamble to bet for your team.

You are not going to find many Habs fans that believe they have a solidly built team that can continue having success if/when Price stops being extraordinary. They know the party only goes as long as Price does.

 

[Gargyn]

Chara's injury cost them, what, 10 wins? 5? 2?

Miller's cost them, what, 4 wins? 2?

Krejci's cost them, what, 6 wins?

Connolly's cost them, what, 1?

I don't fire my GM when that team misses the playoffs by a couple of points. I tell him that I expect a turnaround the next year. Does anyone think this core group would get worse?

How does a 6th or 7th dman like miller being out cost the team points? And chara being out didn't hurt either, the guy is horrible now. Injuries happen to every team. Good teams overcome the injuries. Tampa didn't roll over and die with Stamkos out last year. Rangers didn't go sour when lundqvist went down. Isles lost okposo and kept rolling. Pens have lost letang, malkin, martin, maatta, etc and have still been good. Detroit lost datsyuk, zetterberg, franzen, among others and are still good. End of the day this team just isn't good anymore. And won't be for a while now without big changes.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

When you are down on the team that is a pretty telling sign.

This year, I hope we can win games. I don't expect them to like in year past.

But I don't think this year bad season is a prelude to what comes ahead. I think they'll rebound next year and have the core group to compete for some years with the right tweaks.

 

[Seidenbergy]

How does a 6th or 7th dman like miller being out cost the team points? And chara being out didn't hurt either, the guy is horrible now.

By definition, if a starter goes down he is being replaced by someone not as good. Simple logic. If Chara is horrible, and he's our #1, what does that say for the guy replacing him?

 

[EverettMike]

This year, I hope we can win games. I don't expect them to like in year past.

But I don't think this year bad season is a prelude to what comes ahead. I think they'll rebound next year and have the core group to compete for some years with the right tweaks.

I actually think they have enough guys here to re-tool around and they don't need to tear it to the ground.

The question is who do you want doing that?

 

[LouJersey]

I actually think they have enough guys here to re-tool around and they don't need to tear it to the ground.

The question is who do you want doing that?

Also, the real way to rebuild, is to rebuild, and then you have the guys with the NMC ready and willing to wave to not be a part of it.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

I actually think they have enough guys here to re-tool around and they don't need to tear it to the ground.

The question is who do you want doing that?

i agree with the bruins having enough good players.

Give it another year, at next years deadline if the team still...well...sucks then look to make bigger moves. i am a huge Lucic fan, but wonder what he would fetch at the deadline.

 

[Over the volcano]

i agree with the bruins having enough good players.

Give it another year, at next years deadline if the team still...well...sucks then look to make bigger moves. i am a huge Lucic fan, but wonder what he would fetch at the deadline.

Or in the off season as part of a package for hall.

 

[Shoebottom]

Chara is either

a) hurt

or

b) healthy

If the rumors are true and he needs surgery, how can anyone feel good about him going into next season? A 39-year-old coming off of leg surgery? Didn't we just play this song this year with a younger defenseman in his 30s?

If he is healthy, then how can anyone feel good about him next year?

Or Chara still hasn't recovered from his earlier injury. I'm sure all he needs is some time to heal. He hasn't had it with all the pressure. Sieds & Chara will rebound next season.

 

[EverettMike]

Or Chara still hasn't recovered from his earlier injury. I'm sure all he needs is some time to heal. He hasn't had it with all the pressure. Sieds & Chara will rebound next season.

Sure, maybe he has an injury that just needs time.

Do you think a 38-year-old Chara that couldn't stay healthy is a question mark next year at 39?

Will this not be the third straight season he ended injured?

 

[Shoebottom]

Sure, maybe he has an injury that just needs time.

Do you think a 38-year-old Chara that couldn't stay healthy is a question mark next year at 39?

Will this not be the third straight season he ended injured?

Was a freak accident. Tavares ran into his leg. Nothing to do with age. Krejci & Bergeron have been getting injured yearly as well and they're 10 years younger. Everyone is a question mark when it comes to health.

 

[EverettMike]

Was a freak accident. Tavares ran into his leg. Nothing to do with age. Krejci & Bergeron have been getting injured yearly as well and they're 10 years younger. Everyone is a question mark when it comes to health.

Injured to end three straight seasons. Older guys are more likely to get hurt.

 

[bp13]

Was a freak accident. Tavares ran into his leg. Nothing to do with age. Krejci & Bergeron have been getting injured yearly as well and they're 10 years younger. Everyone is a question mark when it comes to health.

I think you're missing the big point though...it's not a question of whether age leads to the injuries (though I think it does)...it's a question of how age hampers recovery.

Look at Seids this year. The guy played monster minutes for us for a few seasons and was the consummate warrior. He gets knee surgery, ALMOST returns at the end of last season, and after a full offseason he is now a below average defenseman. He'd be a 3rd pairing guy if we had the horses of a real contender back there. And he's shown no signs at all of getting better as the year has progressed.

PC should have been less optimistic with Seidenberg's recovery (if it ever happens), and he better learn that lesson.

 

[compan]

Really not sure where the team goes from here. If Chia's answer at the deadline (which he's not making trades to miss the playoffs) is to add Connolly and Talbot, we have an issue. There is an identity crisis in management and they're seeing too many roses and not enough reality.

 

[Meusoc]

Chara's injury cost them, what, 10 wins? 5? 2?

Miller's cost them, what, 4 wins? 2?

Krejci's cost them, what, 6 wins?

Connolly's cost them, what, 1?

I don't fire my GM when that team misses the playoffs by a couple of points. I tell him that I expect a turnaround the next year. Does anyone think this core group would get worse?

So, with your math, the Bruins should be in first place over all by 15 points and have the best record of any NHL team in last 30 years if it were not for their injuries.
Jeez people, take off your blinders, this team is not good. They are between 16-22 best out of 30 teams; and next year it will get worse.

 

[Shoebottom]

I think you're missing the big point though...it's not a question of whether age leads to the injuries (though I think it does)...it's a question of how age hampers recovery.

Look at Seids this year. The guy played monster minutes for us for a few seasons and was the consummate warrior. He gets knee surgery, ALMOST returns at the end of last season, and after a full offseason he is now a below average defenseman. He'd be a 3rd pairing guy if we had the horses of a real contender back there. And he's shown no signs at all of getting better as the year has progressed.

PC should have been less optimistic with Seidenberg's recovery (if it ever happens), and he better learn that lesson.

No, I get that. As you age your recovery decreases. But the point he was making was that Chara is a question mark because he might get injured. And I agree. A 7' giant who plays 25+ minutes a game will have higher odds of getting hurt regardless of how much fitter he might be than the average player. But the crap shoot can be applied to much younger players like Krejci and Bergeron who have been getting injured yearly as well. Even the elite Boychuk has seen his share of injuries. IMO chara is as much a question mark as say Krejci or Hamilton.

 

[Meusoc]

Chara's injury cost them, what, 10 wins? 5? 2?

Miller's cost them, what, 4 wins? 2?

Krejci's cost them, what, 6 wins?

Connolly's cost them, what, 1?

I don't fire my GM when that team misses the playoffs by a couple of points. I tell him that I expect a turnaround the next year. Does anyone think this core group would get worse?

So, with your math, the Bruins should be in first place over all by 15 points and have the best record of any NHL team in last 30 years if it were not for their injuries.
Jeez people, take off your blinders, this team is not good. They are between 16-22 best out of 30 teams; and next year it will get worse.

 

[Latrappe]

Fluto had nothing to write about. To say that the Bruins are in trouble because Hamilton is out is stating the obvious.

 

[OutspokenMinority*]

Chara's injury cost them, what, 10 wins? 5? 2?

Miller's cost them, what, 4 wins? 2?

Krejci's cost them, what, 6 wins?

Connolly's cost them, what, 1?

I don't fire my GM when that team misses the playoffs by a couple of points. I tell him that I expect a turnaround the next year. Does anyone think this core group would get worse?

So, with your math, the Bruins should be in first place over all by 15 points and have the best record of any NHL team in last 30 years if it were not for their injuries.
Jeez people, take off your blinders, this team is not good. They are between 16-22 best out of 30 teams; and next year it will get worse.

many of the additional victories would have been a 1 point difference.

please recalculate and repost.

 

[LouJersey]

Chara's injury cost them, what, 10 wins? 5? 2?

Miller's cost them, what, 4 wins? 2?

Krejci's cost them, what, 6 wins?

Connolly's cost them, what, 1?

I don't fire my GM when that team misses the playoffs by a couple of points. I tell him that I expect a turnaround the next year. Does anyone think this core group would get worse?

So every single team we have played have been healthy and had their best 20 out there? I mean, can't every team do this ?