Post-Game Talk: GAME 52 - B's lose 4th in 5 games - Washington 2 BRUINS 1

[rfournier103]

I know this won't be popular but here goes...........What gets me most on these boards is how we are not allowed to call out Pasta's short comings, of which there are plenty. Other than being an elite goal scorer, he sucks at EVERYTHING ELSE, there, I said it and I'll go to my grave with it. Probably the most overrated player in the league.

I have a slightly higher opinion of David Pastranak than you do, but it takes some huevos to put that out there. I’m liking your post out of respect. I don’t know about most overrated player in the league, but I’ll go as far as to say there are certainly some areas of his game that need *ahem* “improvement.”

For pretty much my whole life, the Bruins have ALWAYS lacked scoring, and when they have had a decent goal-scorer, it often wasn’t enough. Maybe that’s where my soft spot for Pastranak comes from.

Shifting gears for a second…

I like Taylor Hall, and I like his game. I am NOT in favor of trading him. If the Bruins’ coaching staff is as good as I think they are, they’ll find a way to get him sorted out. The kid is fast and he does have a good shot. I just think the slump is in his head at the moment. Not only that, but as I’ve said before, I think he’s going to score a huge goal for the Bruins in the playoffs that will save their bacon. Maybe it’s my over-inflated sense of drama, but I just have a feeling about him.

 

[Mad-Marcus]

Pastas contract wont hurt the b's it just means sweeney gets to sign 1 less Foligno type deal

Agree to disagree. Let me be clear, I love Pasta and the B's have no choice but to sign him. He is our superstar.
But he is not worth McDavid/McKinnon money to a team that doesn't have it's back to the wall, talent wise.

It will take 2 or 3 years to recover from Bergs/Krech retiring and Pasta getting 12.5 to 13 mil/yr, before the team can compete for a Cup again.

Say your top line plays phenomenally, being Zacha, Pasta, Marsh, Hall, or Jake(not counting on Lysell, Poitras, Harrison, or Merkulov, etc to be responsible players on a team expecting to win it all).
Whose left at a decent middle 6 to keep the team competitive.

Pasta will get paid and overpaid, they have no choice, but the cost will be more than just the contract.(without significant performances from the kid pipeline)
I hope I'm wrong,

We all knew this was coming with the end of the 2011 leadership.

It will be interesting!

 

[Mad-Marcus]

I don't agree that Pasta sucks at everything else either. He tries very hard to be defensively responsible, he forechecks to the point of making me cringe sometimes that he will get the wrong end of a collision.

He just is prone to making bad choices on breakouts, entries and back cycling of the puck. Mostly based on thinking everyone is on the same page as him.
He probably is right more than wrong to try the plays he makes, but the other players don't expect some of the back or cross ice passes he makes.

I bet he or Marsh are responsible for almost all the shorthanded breakout attempts against.

11 mil makes him a top 10 player, which is what he is. Any more than that will impact the team financially in a negative way. He would still be the highest paid player on the team.

Maybe he sees the writing on the wall for what the next 8 years will look like, championship wise and wants to move on unless he is overpaid.

 

[Thefours]

Put him on the first line until DB comes back.

agree, rotate Smith to 4th line and have Fliggy join Coyle and TFred

 

[BruinsPortugal]

Some people need to get out and get some fresh air. good lord
I can understand anger after a loss, we all feel that but boy there are some incredible bad takes in here jeez.

 

[Orr Fourever]

2-1.
Comme ci, comme ca...

 

[BruinsJoe]

While Pasta is an "ELITE" scorer, which your stats highlight, he is "NOT" a complete player. Not yet.
He still makes a lot of mental errors, forcing plays that are not there. Marchand has a bit of the same issue.
He is worth big money, but not setting the new top of market money. That's why I say 8x11mil.
Either way his next contract will screw the B's without an effective pipeline of young forwards, on the cheap.

He's not McKinnon, or McDavid. They play chess while others play checkers. Teams have already figured out how to defend him on the powerplay. (Much like defending Stamkos or Ovechkin, takeaway the one-timer from the top of the circle)

I love Pasta, but not at > 11mil. The Cap will go up in 2-3 years. Are you accepting being a defendable offense with great defense till then. Without Bergs or Krech, lets see what Pasta's stat line looks like. It's not going to be like it is now. As a single threat, he will be defendable and will wear down trying not to be. 11 million is a lot of money, would you turn it down if that's the best offer, or go to a team with a younger foundation. B's got to pay him, but he has all the juice here.

Krazee thought, but if Bergs and Krecji don't come back, and Pasta won't sign. Do you trade him and a 1st for Connor Bedard and start over? Just causing trouble, hope it doesn't come to that!

This is not a reaction to a trap game, we lost. I expected them to lose their intensity. It was impossible to maintain the pace they were on and the 2nd half schedule it certainly against them cruising to a historical record.

No one in the world would trade Bédard for Pasta...no one!

 

[bruins19]

I have a slightly higher opinion of David Pastranak than you do, but it takes some huevos to put that out there. I’m liking your post out of respect. I don’t know about most overrated player in the league, but I’ll go as far as to say there are certainly some areas of his game that need *ahem* “improvement.”

For pretty much my whole life, the Bruins have ALWAYS lacked scoring, and when they have had a decent goal-scorer, it often wasn’t enough. Maybe that’s where my soft spot for Pastranak comes from.

Shifting gears for a second…

I like Taylor Hall, and I like his game. I am NOT in favor of trading him. If the Bruins’ coaching staff is as good as I think they are, they’ll find a way to get him sorted out. The kid is fast and he does have a good shot. I just think the slump is in his head at the moment. Not only that, but as I’ve said before, I think he’s going to score a huge goal for the Bruins in the playoffs that will save their bacon. Maybe it’s my over-inflated sense of drama, but I just have a feeling about him.

I agree Hall has wheels and a good shot. I especially noticed Hall was doing a good job digging for pucks and trying to create plays in the closing minutes as we were trying to catch up. He doesn’t float and appears to be doing the work. Just in a hellacious slump. I am also in favor of giving the coaches a chance to work it out.

 

[Blowfish]

meh can't win em all....

 

[Mad-Marcus]

No one in the world would trade Bédard for Pasta...no one!

Causing trouble that all! What if Pasta say I don't want to play here with this supporting cast?
That was my hypothetical. If--->then would you? So you can't say no one under these particular conditions.
Now, if your saying Bedard it more valuable under this situation, your correct. Anyone that is in position to draft Bedard would need more than Pasta to create a future.

This is why a McKinnon or a McDavid are worth top of the league money and Pasta isn't. Just my opinion.

He will get paid by the Bruins, they have no choice.

 

[KnightofBoston]

I believe that was a “I should be the highest paid player in the league” game by Pasta

 

[Trashpass]

I know this won't be popular but here goes...........What gets me most on these boards is how we are not allowed to call out Pasta's short comings, of which there are plenty. Other than being an elite goal scorer, he sucks at EVERYTHING ELSE, there, I said it and I'll go to my grave with it. Probably the most overrated player in the league.


I disagree with almost everything you post but you nailed this one.

I've said many times that I don't think I've seen a player look like trash for most of the game but somehow end up with 2-3 points by the end.

Idk what happened to his hands I remember he could dangle with the best of em, now it's just constant turnovers.

I want him re-signed because he flat out produces both regular season and playoffs but there's a limit I would go. I see people willing to go 12.5-13M? Anything over 11 and I'd be walking away.

 

[LouJersey]

I wonder what the feel is inside the Bruins front office? I loe Chychrun but I think they need to go for more depth scoring up front. As we see, one injury to a key guy (Jake) and one massive slump from another (Hall) and you don't look as hot (understandable) Guys like Marchand, Coyle and Freddy are ice cold the past 5. Remember, a series is only 7 games, so if you get a few slumps at the same time you could be in trouble. So guys you might want to look at are Nyquist (obvi if he will be back for the playoffs), Barabanov, Barbashev and Domi...Bjugstad and maybe Fischer to a lesser extent.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

This game was alarming ,

Reality check at the best time of year. Need some moves and not the Noel Accari's type either.

 

[Terrier]

 

[Gee Wally]

The Bruins tried to do too much on Saturday, and hope it’s a valuable lesson - The Boston Globe

"The start was slow. Slow to react. Hesitant in our decision-making," said Patrice Bergeron in the first game out of the All-Star break for both teams.

www.bostonglobe.com

The Bruins were too cute on Saturday. Too extra with their touches, too much with their creativity.

“I thought we overpassed on many occasions,” captain Patrice Bergeron said after coming out of the All-Star break with a 2-1 loss to the Capitals. “We have to learn from that. The start was slow. Slow to react. Hesitant in our decision-making. That was to be expected. That being said, it was their first game as well and they were sharper and simpler with their plays.”

The Capitals had more to play for, and the Bruins will face a lot of those teams down the stretch. Saturday, they say, will serve to remind them they have to put their heads down and get back to work.

“In general, not even tonight but lately, we have to have that playoff mentality. Pucks to the net, bodies to the net, and create havoc around there,” said Brad Marchand, who landed a game-high five shots and was around the net constantly. “You don’t usually score those highlight-reel goals in playoff time, and you don’t want to pass up an opportunity. Little more direct will definitely help.”

If you thought referees Jon McIsaac and Chris Lee were off their game Saturday, you weren’t alone.

“I think they had a tough night tonight,” Marchand said.

The Bruins and Capitals had four power plays each, and the calls weren’t as consistent as Marchand would have liked.

“They called a really, really suspect call on [Charlie] Coyle [for a tap to the hands] there early in the game,” Marchand said. “If you’re going to call it like that, you can’t let some of the stuff go that they let go. That’s part of the problem, the whole year it’s really inconsistent. They make a call like that, and [Taylor Hall] gets hauled down in front of the net and there’s nothing.”

“Guys have no idea what they can and can’t do,” said Marchand, who took a slashing penalty when he was jabbing at a puck he believed was loose, and then got hammered with a cross-check from behind fromEvgeny Kuznetsov.

“They just can’t win,” Marchand said of the refs. “Which we know. They have a very tough job to do.”

 

[KillerMillerTime]

I know this won't be popular but here goes...........What gets me most on these boards is how we are not allowed to call out Pasta's short comings, of which there are plenty. Other than being an elite goal scorer, he sucks at EVERYTHING ELSE, there, I said it and I'll go to my grave with it. Probably the most overrated player in the league.


I disagree with almost everything you post but you nailed this one.

Pastrnak can handle the puck and pass well, so I can't agree with you on his skills assesment. However, his propensity for horrible turnovers, does negate some of his
offensive value. If he took care of the puck as well as Panarin or Marner he would
absolutely be the 2nd best forward in hockey. Right now I take Point over him w\o a doubt.

He is frustrating because some of his TO are literally high school hockey level.

 

[ksp1957]

I suppose they were going to hit a bump in the road. Better now than in the playoffs

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Probably fair to say that Monty's honeymoon period is over. He's been able to come in, bring some fresh ideas and approach and tactics to a playing group that's been very receptive of them, and done a terrific job. But the novelty and freshness of that has worn off and now it's about getting into the grind of keeping the players dialled in and motivated day after day, countering the tactics being put in place by opponents to negate your plans and style, and addressing problems as they arise.

The Bruins' offense is stuttering, the PP is awful, the absence of DeBrusk has been keenly felt, Hall is struggling, the defense has still been pretty solid in its own end but is less effective in transition. None of these issues are insurmountable, nor have the Bruins overall been playing that bad. But they're challenges, and now we see how Jim and the rest of the coaching staff respond to them, and what sort of help Sweeney can bring in. Interesting times ahead.

Would be interesting experiment to put Taylor Hall at center for a few games once they
have PO position somewhat settled. I think he is better served with more open ice then
on the wing.

63-37-17 (sure as hell brings more than Smith)
74-46-88
11-71-18
Nosek-13-12

 

[22Brad Park]

Bruins 0 powerplay goals since Jan 24th (0-17 last 5 gms) is killing them.Joe Sacco has to be taking some blame here .Slow puck movement continues to be an issue as well as nothing to the inside nobody wants to fight to get pucks back out there.They had better fix it or it will be a short run.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Well they looked like a tired team before the break other than against the Leafs although if not for some terrible goaltending by the Leafs net minder it probably would have been a different outcome also.Now they looked out of sink yesterday,tried to be to pretty. I thought shoot the F’nn puck more,I guess we she’ll see what the next game brings.A turnaround win all is forgiven,another loss we may have some issues .I hope they do something to strengthen the team for the playoffs either way that they’re playing.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Pastas contract wont hurt the b's it just means sweeney gets to sign 1 less Foligno type deal

Come on now Uncle Nick has 8 goals, as many as Greer 5 on 5 in 15 more games played

I keep reading on here he's having a great season.

Need more of the Greer type of deals in your line up if you want to get bent over by Pasta's agent

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

I suppose they were going to hit a bump in the road. Better now than in the playoffs

Pasta scoring 1 goal against the iron in the league over the last 6 games will do that.

 

[ODAAT]

agreed with what Wally posted with quotes from Bergy and others , too many extra passes, didn`t start on time and the flow of the game hampered by far to many ticky tacky calls by the refs.

It was the kind of game I suspected we`d see having watched other teams now come back from the break, sloppy and not focused.

Move on and let`s go

 

[quietbruinfan]

2-1.
Comme ci, comme ca...

Oui Oui