Just got to see the Robinson quote after being reminded that I
am allergic to bee venom.
All those quotes did was reinforce what I have been saying since the finals, the tougher, bigger, more aggressive team who had a superior will to win beat the smaller team that offered little push back.
Brett Ritchie is not going to be enough to change this equation going into next season, the Blues handed the league a blueprint of how to beat the Bruins, much like the Bruins have in how to beat the Leafs.
The Bruins have responded by drafting bigger, grittier players with speed in Beecher and Frederic and have added some grit in guys like Olson and Hall but besides Frederic those players are years away if they ever make the NHL.
One of the "throw aways" for cap space or just to "clear room" from many this off season has been Kevin Miller, while I recognize Miller has an extensive injury history he is exactly the type of D they need in the bottom 3, Clifton will help as well.
At the end of the day they are not big enough or gritty enough to win it all, toughness and grit are easier to fill on a roster than the second line RW that has been missing since Horton left, Par Lindholm is not the answer, besides being a good face off man I don't even know what the question with that signing was, can't score, not physical and this is one of the moves Sweeney makes after watching his team not be tough enough (mentally or physically) to win game 7.
The best you can do at this point is move Frederic to wing, his shot and size and not having to worry about defensive responsibilities of a center may allow him to be productive and become at worst a slower Miles Wood at best Josh Anderson. Put Ritchie in the line up as well, those two along with Wagner and Kuraly will provide some aggressiveness. Gaunce, while not overly physical is big and very good defensively, he and Nordstrom can be your 13th forward working in and out of the line up.
The long term solution to me is to continue to draft bigger, aggressive, fast players with character. If given a choice between a player with questionable character/work ethic with a higher ceiling or a gritty, committed player who may only have bottom six potential take the better character player, which Sweeney seems to be doing. The other option is over paying with prospects for an Anderson/Bennett/younger Simmonds/Backes.
Sitting back and watching the Boston Bruins shy away from physical play should not be an option in any way, shape or form.