Pre-Game Talk: Game 20 - Big Zee returns to TD Garden - 3/3 7:10 PM - NBCSN, 98.5 WBZ-FM

[whatsbruin]

It's interesting the more you think about. Chara turned down more money, he's away from his family for long stretches and ended his tenure as Bruins captain because he didn't want to take less playing time.

And the reality of it was probably he wouldn't see less time. I remember for years they were going to reduce Rays time, and never did, and the last 5 years of Chara you heard the same thing about reducing his ice time.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I think it is important to remember the B's offered him more $$$ but told him he would play less.

Chara has played in all 21 of Washington’s games (2-4—6, plus-10) and his 19:24 average time on ice is second on the Capitals behind John Carlson (24:23). Chara is also second on the team in average shorthanded time on ice (2:42), behind Nick Jensen.

Yep. Some assumed he was going to be a #7 bench warmer type in Washington but it was clear they were going to utilize him as a top four defenseman.

Obviously the Bruins correctly gambled on their prospects but it shows Chara was indeed capable of playing those minutes all the same.

 

[BMC]

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Aiyeeeeeeee my eyes! My eyes!!!!

 

[Blowfish]

OMG this made me laugh....enjoy

From the Main Board "Leafs play in a weak division" thread. BTW the best free entertainment thread.

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Speaking of things that Shouldn’t have been awarded, I’m sure as Lightning fan you were upset that your team won the Covid Cup.
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Okay...1967 or whatever year it was...should we go through the history of what has happened since then? Man Walks On Moon...Beatles break up...Nixon visits China...ENd of Vietnam War...Disco...Home Computer Invented by Steve Jobs...Elvis dies...Jim Jones Mass Suicide...1st Star Wars released...Three Mile Island...Miracle on Ice...Disco dies...Lennon murdered...MTV launched...Reagan shot...Falkland Islands...First Mac sold...hole in the Ozone found...Live Aid...1st game boy introduced...Chernobyl...Challenger explodes...Simpson debuts...Berlin wall falls...Exxon Valdez...break up of Soviet Union...Germany Reunited...1st Iraq War...Apartheid ENDS...Cold War ends...Branch Davidians...1st text message sent...OJ Simpson Trial...Mad Cow Disease...1st Harry Potter Book...Oklahoma City Bombing...Monica Lewinsky...Google debuts...Y2K scare...Dot Com bubble burst...Enron dies...Sept 11th...IPOD craze...2nd Iraq War...Columbia explodes...Da Vinci Code Book released...FaceBook debuts...London bombings...YouTube debuts...Bonds hits 715...Mortgage sub prime collapse...Last Potter book released...Obama becomes first AA President...Lehman brothers dies...Deepwater Horizon...Occupy Wall Street...Trump...Brexit...Corona...

WIN IT ALL and then you can act like you've won something important.

I'll be the 1st to congratulate you.

Until then...please chill the hell out. Please.

 

[Alicat]

Trying hard not to cry making this gameday thread.

I miss the big man

 

[Dellstrom]

It's interesting the more you think about. Chara turned down more money, he's away from his family for long stretches and ended his tenure as Bruins captain because he didn't want to take less playing time.

And good on him for doing it. He’s a family man so I know being away from them must be the hardest, but any year could be his last. He wants to keep playing hockey and didn’t like the asterisk on his offer here.

He’s made enough money and from what I’ve heard he’ll do pretty well in Boston real estate once he’s truly done. I miss him terribly, even with a fully healthy defense. It’s wrong and I hate seeing him in another jersey. It must have been a really tough choice but I’m glad he’s doing well and is happy.

 

[Bruinaura]

View attachment 402665

Eeeww.

I own three bobbleheads. One is John LeClair Team USA. The others are Dany Heatley (Thrashers game giveaway) and I think Pavel Zubina? Lightning game giveaway.

I'm not a super big fan of bobbleheads anyway.

 

[RHR37]

It was Chara’s decision to walk. Did you miss the post above? They offered him a contract. He wanted to play more and chose Washington. Bruins defense has played well so it’s not like they’re missing him on the ice.

They offered him a contract but basically told him the kids would play first before camp even opened and offered a contract to a guy who hadn't played in a year and a half for more money with 2 broken knee caps. (Killer is a great player for the 10 games a year you get from him). I dont blame him for walking after that treatment.

Also I dont buy the story he left because he wasnt guaranteed a top role. It's the NHL nobody is guaranteed a role. You earn your spot and Z of all people knows that.

And again they have played 20 games. Let's see how the year finishes before we start talking about how great the kids are. At last glance we are 1 point from being on the outside and I still think this team as currently constructed is DNQ or at least an easy first round exit.

 

[Alicat]

IMO it's politics mixed up with pride. Chara as long-term Bruins captain and outright hero has a certain standing in Boston, certain things he could expect there because of his position and history with the team. This gave him a significant amount of leverage with Bruins management as to what he could request/expect in terms of role, playing time etc. As a man with immense pride in his performance, there are also things that probably he could not tolerate as existing or former captain of the team, a significant reduction in responsibility likely being among them. Had he stayed in Boston, it would have become very awkward for both he and management as they clashed over his ongoing role with the team.

Going to a different organization, those political and pride aspects largely disappear. He's no longer long-term captain of the team, he's just another player. The Caps offered him a very clear role, one that he liked the look of more that what was being discussed in Boston. But more importantly, it's wholly on the team's terms. There's no clash of authority as to how his role will be and continue to develop - it's entirely up to Caps management and therefore much simpler to deal with. Also in Washington, if his performance declines and he gets scratched, well so be it. Zee can just accept that his time has come. There's no awkwardness in that conversation between he and management, and much less loss of pride in being sent upstairs as just another player as opposed to the team legend he is on the Bruins.

So moving on was simply a better fit for him at this point in his career, even for less money and arguably with a higher risk of just being cast aside if he could no longer make the grade.

You hit the nail on the head Aussie.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

ask true Ottawa fans about when Chara left there when they elected to go with Redden.... the same thing here...... it doesn't mean that he's not a part of this organization.... it's just a different era.....

Chara is like Raymond, no matter what we thought of why this organization did to Bourque when he left for Colorado didn't change our perception of #7/77, because 7 WAS THE # He was originally assigned.....

did we change our perception on Bourque no matter what you thought this organization did, which it's fine to not agree with that decision... not knowing a decade+ later after Ray's Cup , we've had that 2011 banner the organization has celebrated even in a pandemic era

 

[Cronuss]

Zdeno Chara returns to (an empty) TD Garden for the first time with the Capitals

Why aren't there fans yet? Surely if NY can do it, Boston can...

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

And the reality of it was probably he wouldn't see less time. I remember for years they were going to reduce Rays time, and never did, and the last 5 years of Chara you heard the same thing about reducing his ice time.

They absolutely reduced Chara's ice time the last few seasons! Planning to use him on the 3rd pair (or less) and expecting Chara to accept that role was unrealistic... the only reasonable downgrade would be to pair #2 with Carlo as a pure shutdown duo, anything more and Chara deserved more at his current level of play.

The Bruins gamble paid off as Lauzon and Zboril have done very well. We will never know if it made the Bruins better, worse, or the same but at least we are seeing the youth develop on defense. I will never believe Sweeney saying he did it to put the Bruins in the best position to contend this season however. That was an outright lie, and he could have been more honest with the media in saying that it was about the long term success rather than short term contention.

Onto tonight's game... let us hope Tinordi plays a simple game and makes his presence felt. Even with Ovechkin a well calculated penalty can be a good penalty, such as an instigator.

The rest of the Bruins need to keep their heads up and play with a lead... another come from behind effort is not to be expected!

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Why aren't there fans yet? Surely if NY can do it, Boston can...

MA hasn't been cleared to do that yet.... it should change shortly or by mid month at a preset limit.

 

[jgatie]

Why aren't there fans yet? Surely if NY can do it, Boston can...

Stadiums and arenas are set to open for 12% capacity on March 22, as long as the numbers keep declining.

 

[13Hockey]

great news

massive boost to the lineup

 

[OV]

First line change for Z he mistakenly skates to the Bruins bench

Or INEXPLICABLY finds himself alone in front of the Washington net with the puck
and gets excited and fires it in his own net by mistake?

 

[Sevendust]

WORST bobblehead ever

View attachment 402664

Looks more like Zboril

 

[ChuckSurette]

Looks more like Zboril

Yep - Wagner back in - Bjork out.

 

[13Hockey]

McAvoy back to PP2

 

[veganbruin]

I don’t know if I like the idea of putting Tinordi in there on the same night Gryz comes back. That’s a lot of minute split between 2 relative question marks. Would have preferred to keep Vaak in one or two more games to make sure Gryz is AOK with the load. Otherwise, Zborils playing all night and Clifton is going to his offside.

 

[KlausJopling]

No complaint about the lineup. The only argument would be Bjork in for DeBrusk. I feel like unless DeBrusk has a impactful game they will be swapped next game.

 

[veganbruin]

No complaint about the lineup. The only argument would be Bjork in for DeBrusk. I feel like unless DeBrusk has a impactful game they will be swapped next game.

I don’t know if coaching feels DeBrusk has played enough games this season to bench him. Yeah I agree he hasn’t done enough but I don’t know if he’s been given much time since his injury to settle in.

 

[ODAAT]

I don’t know if I like the idea of putting Tinordi in there on the same night Gryz comes back. That’s a lot of minute split between 2 relative question marks. Would have preferred to keep Vaak in one or two more games to make sure Gryz is AOK with the load. Otherwise, Zborils playing all night and Clifton is going to his offside.

total guess but maybe just because the Caps throw out a heavier lineup? Not that Tinordi`s presence will have anyone on the Caps be shaking in fear but....

 

[bobbyorr04]

Just want to throw it out there Chara playing for the Caps is wrong and still 1000% dont agree with letting him walk.

Guy is still at top 4 and at 750k is a bargain.

Big Z is a legend and the fact his last game played wont be in a Bruin uniform is a disgrace.

I know we all tall about what a class act he is but here is a real story to prove it.

My son is a huge Chara fan and in Detroit we met the Bruins after a game just outside the locker room. Chara was last out of the room and was walking doing an interview. He double took, saw my son, stopped the interview and walked all the way over and spent a whole 5 minutes talking hockey, school and family with my son as the reporters waited for him.

A moment my son will never forget. He spent way more time than needed with an arm around my son the whole time (obviously crouched over lol)

Legend on and off the ice.

Great story and your son must've been in 7th heaven

I love Chara as a human being and loved his career with the B's, but it was time to reduce his minutes and let McAvoy's game evolve with the younger guys

..but they should add Zdeno Chára in the dictionary as the definition of CLASS

 

[Fenway]

It was Chara’s decision to walk. Did you miss the post above? They offered him a contract. He wanted to play more and chose Washington. Bruins defense has played well so it’s not like they’re missing him on the ice.

The Bruins needed to give the kids more time because they have to figure out who they protect in the expansion draft.