GDT: Gm 19: Boston Bruins @ Ottawa Senators | 11-15-13 | 730P ET | NESN (HD) | 98.5 FM

[ODAAT]

Last year's cup run might be giving us a false representation of the effectiveness in the make up of this team. We barely squeezed by the Leafs. The Rangers played some of the worst hockey I've seen in the POs in many years. And the Penguins were their own worst enemy.

Too many pluggers, too many passers, not enough pure goal scorers. Either that or we've got to get pucks to the net and muck out goals. I'd say acquire some more speed and/or pure (irresponsible) talent. But Claude wouldn't have it, and if he did, he'd turn them into hybrid versions of P.J Axelson.

So the Bruins had nothing to do with the way the Rags played or were forced to play??

The Pens missed their chances, any team eliminated from the playoffs do and when they became frustrated, they also became puck hogs who the B`s took care of.

Can`t take anything away from any team who`s made it to the finals, Bruins or otherwise. One could also say, it was a miracle that this team made it that far with Soupy done, Bergy a skating M.A.S.H unit, Seids with a groin issue all playoff etc...

It did show me something, it showed me that this team has crutons and in spite of obstacles, they took, on paper, a much more highly skilled and quick team to 6 games...shoulda been 7 but......

Pure goal scorers have a reputation for doing one thing well, and not having a clue where their own end is, that sound like the kind of player Chia/Cam and Julien like???

Whether we like it or not, chances are a pure sniper isn`t arriving in Boston anytime soon, the organizational approach is to have 4 lines who all play significant minutes who are defensively responsible. For all the warts many here think this team has (and there are a few), I`ll wager the majority of fan bases out there would die to have been able to watch their team play in 2 Cup finals over a 3 year stretch.....not here, entitled/spoiled to a fault IMO

 

[ODAAT]

If that "Seguin" speed could've mustered up more than one goal over 22 playoff games... or at least if "Seguin the generational talent" could've mustered even just a couple goals in the SCF, this team wins its 2nd cup in three years.

That is why your boy is gone. What went wrong??? He's too soft, and he doesn't get dirty in the kind of areas where Loui manages to jockey for good position constantly.

And Tyler being shown the door made way for the FO to lock up Rask AND Bergy (not just one of the two), and sign Iginla... who has fit the first line like a glove thus far.

What's done is done, at any rate. Tyler is gone and you can go to all the Stars games you want, if you so wish. I am on record opposing the trade but i am pleased with the team overall so far and my loyalties lie with the Bruins not with an underachieving stud who needed a reality check to play more to his potential.

It's too bad Segs couldn't motivate himself. Winning a Cup his rookie year was bad for him... a Cup is what players spend their entire careers longing for and he jumped right into a Cup-winning team. But i wish Tyler the best, he will be a much better player after the wake-up call now that he is playing with a chip on his shoulder.

People like you need to understand Seguin was never going to realize his full potential in Boston. In part because of our roster, partly because of Julien, and partly because of the way he conducted himself on and off the ice.

Once you understand this, and as Eriksson continues to warm up... you won't be so bitter that your own personal Justin Bieber is gone.

'personal Justin Bieber is gone'....absolute classic line

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

Man, that was terrible. How a team can look that good for 19:00 and then look that bad for 41:00 boggles the mind. They are the most frustrating good team in the league.



- We are slow.

- Brad Marchand looked good, in fact that line appears to be clicking.

- We are really slow.



-

- I'm worried about how we collapse when we are pressed by hard forechecking, fast teams. We can't seem to "create" a forecheck for long stretches because of the lack of speed.

This team is strange. I have a lot of faith in them when the playoffs start, they will be a tough out for any team in the league. At the same time, I don't know if they can score enough. The mix seems wrong right now, there is simply not enough speed on this team.

I love the lineup, but I don't. Does that seem strange?


Answer to some of our issues: SPEED, SPEED and more SPEED.

Too slow. Seids, Boychuk and Chara on the backend = pretty slow

Kelly = slow

Fourth line has been terrible this year. Paille only guy with speed on this line.

Thorton is really, really slow right now.

This is why so many people are on board the Spooner express. He was the fastest guy on the ice in his 2 games here, and with an assist in each of those games he deserves a closer look.

Soupy has looked pretty bad, but at least he has an excuse for now. Shawn has no excuse, except age and years of being punched in the head. I will continue repeating what i think would be a nice look, even if only for 5-10 games.

Call Spoons up, let him center our better-than-last year 3rd line... no this does not mean Kelly has to go. It means he centers an improved 4th line, with Campbell moving over the the wing opposite Paille. Thornton can be the 13th man in the rotation.

There is some risk, but it does not have to be permanent and the reward is VERY high.

It could potentially mean an upgrade to BOTH the bottom-6 lines. Soderberg continues to play well, he is driving to the net like a man possessed, throwing his body around, and making nice passes. Smith has been very impressive overall (that lazy turnover when he got his pocket picked by Bobby Ryan was as bad a play i've seen him make all year)... i think they could potentially be a real scoring threat with a lightning-quick playmaker (and scorer) like Spooner.

With this teams lack of speed... why NOT give Spooner his shot at some point BEFORE it becomes a necessity due to injury. Let him get his feet wet so he's more NHL-ready when his number is called.

 

[ODAAT]

This is why so many people are on board the Spooner express. He was the fastest guy on the ice in his 2 games here, and with an assist in each of those games he deserves a closer look.

Soupy has looked pretty bad, but at least he has an excuse for now. Shawn has no excuse, except age and years of being punched in the head. I will continue repeating what i think would be a nice look, even if only for 5-10 games.

Call Spoons up, let him center our better-than-last year 3rd line... no this does not mean Kelly has to go. It means he centers an improved 4th line, with Campbell moving over the the wing opposite Paille. Thornton can be the 13th man in the rotation.

There is some risk, but it does not have to be permanent and the reward is VERY high.

It could potentially mean an upgrade to BOTH the bottom-6 lines. Soderberg continues to play well, he is driving to the net like a man possessed, throwing his body around, and making nice passes. Smith has been very impressive overall (that lazy turnover when he got his pocket picked by Bobby Ryan was as bad a play i've seen him make all year)... i think they could potentially be a real scoring threat with a lightning-quick playmaker (and scorer) like Spooner.

With this teams lack of speed... why NOT give Spooner his shot at some point BEFORE it becomes a necessity due to injury. Let him get his feet wet so he's more NHL-ready when his number is called.

I`ve been pounding the drum for Thorty to watch some games from upstairs for a while now. I think with some rest, his game can still be effective, especially on a back to backer kind of situation. Now, whether that means it`s Spooner who`d get the call (I am guessing it would be him) or otherwise, I just think it would be a solid way to have Thorty recharge the batteries during the season and be a bit more fresh.

Soupy`s game I totally understand, have to think he didn`t have his usual off season preparation time as he normally would. He`ll be fine

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

'personal Justin Bieber is gone'....absolute classic line

Lol thanks

It just pisses me off that some people either refuse to move on now that their poor Tyler is gone. They constantly evaluate the trade totally prematurely, act like his stats in Dallas are the same as they would be in Boston, and make excuses for his disappearing act come playoff time... when it matters most.

I almost feel like these Tyler Seguin fanboys are literally rooting against Eriksson. And perhaps i am being overly optimistic, but i don't think Loui has been all that bad even with the lackluster start. I think he is starting to really get the system here and i am happy to see him jousting for position in front of the net with D-men and getting deflections.

Plus, his defensive instincts -- particularly the way in which he uses his stick on the backcheck and in the neutral zone -- have been above average for sure. I don't see why so many people are hating on him for what they consider "garbage goals".

IMO, only one of his goals was pure luck (the one off the knee). What is wrong with players being rewarded for going to the dirty areas and working hard in front of the net??

At the very least, Eriksson is battling in the dirty areas that Seguin rarely bothered to. And this coming from someone (myself) on record here as opposing the trade, i thought we pulled the trigger on Seguin too quick.

But there is so much more to the picture than just Eriksson anyhow. Even putting the Iggy signing (which seems to be working out) aside... if moving Seguin meant that Chia could lock up BOTH Bergy and Rask instead of just one of them... toss in Reilly Smith and that alone makes the deal a reasonable one.

Only time will tell, but this could easily be one of those win-win trades. And i hope it is, i've liked Dallas since the Modano years and i want to see hockey grow in the Dallas-Forth Worth area -- and really, the whole region -- since it can only mean more fans and revenue for the NHL.

More revenue = more cap space = more talented rosters, more competitive league.

Boston and Dallas were looking for different things in the deal. People have to look at the big picture. Dallas gets a young kid to pair with Benn as the future of their franchise, and Boston gets quality cogs, prospects, and cap relief NEEDED for other roster moves.

 

[Taz#24]

I agree with most of your views, however;

Man, that was terrible. How a team can look that good for 19:00 and then look that bad for 41:00 boggles the mind. They are the most frustrating good team in the league.

- Tuukka was awful BUT, it shows his value even more. This team should occasionally be able to win a game when they give up 3 ****ing goals.

- Matt Bartkowski was good tonight.

- The rest of the defense was ****ing dreadful, my lord. The only tollerable performance was by Hamitlon.

- We are slow.

- Brad Marchand looked good, in fact that line appears to be clicking.

- We are really slow.

- Carl Soderberg was good, he looks like he belongs now but damn, he is a ****** skater.

- Reilly Smith was garbage.

- Dennis Seidenberg gets a call, a fine and a history, that's all. It was an odd play and Bobby Ryan did an all World sell job.

- I'm worried about how we collapse when we are pressed by hard forechecking, fast teams. We can't seem to "create" a forecheck for long stretches because of the lack of speed.

This team is strange. I have a lot of faith in them when the playoffs start, they will be a tough out for any team in the league. At the same time, I don't know if they can score enough. The mix seems wrong right now, there is simply not enough speed on this team.

I love the lineup, but I don't. Does that seem strange?

I disagree regarding MARCHAND. He scored a beauty but other then that he still isn't playing 4.5 million dollar hockey. He's still fighting the puck, not as sharp on his edges as he's been in the past and he's been either selfish with the puck or blind. Tory KRUG's give-away was brutal but MARCHAND standing around beaking at the Ottawa bench didn't help.

My gut feeling is that MARCHAND is experiencing "fat cat" syndrome. He's making good money and is forgetting what earned him that salary. There's no doubt about his skill but he's not playing to the level he can and should.

 

[ODAAT]

Lol thanks

It just pisses me off that some people either refuse to move on now that their poor Tyler is gone. They constantly evaluate the trade totally prematurely, act like his stats in Dallas are the same as they would be in Boston, and make excuses for his disappearing act come playoff time... when it matters most.

I almost feel like these Tyler Seguin fanboys are literally rooting against Eriksson. And perhaps i am being overly optimistic, but i don't think Loui has been all that bad even with the lackluster start. I think he is starting to really get the system here and i am happy to see him jousting for position in front of the net with D-men and getting deflections.

Plus, his defensive instincts -- particularly the way in which he uses his stick on the backcheck and in the neutral zone -- have been above average for sure. I don't see why so many people are hating on him for what they consider "garbage goals".

IMO, only one of his goals was pure luck (the one off the knee). What is wrong with players being rewarded for going to the dirty areas and working hard in front of the net??

At the very least, Eriksson is battling in the dirty areas that Seguin rarely bothered to. And this coming from someone (myself) on record here as opposing the trade, i thought we pulled the trigger on Seguin too quick.

But there is so much more to the picture than just Eriksson anyhow. Even putting the Iggy signing (which seems to be working out) aside... if moving Seguin meant that Chia could lock up BOTH Bergy and Rask instead of just one of them... toss in Reilly Smith and that alone makes the deal a reasonable one.

Only time will tell, but this could easily be one of those win-win trades. And i hope it is, i've liked Dallas since the Modano years and i want to see hockey grow in the Dallas-Forth Worth area -- and really, the whole region -- since it can only mean more fans and revenue for the NHL.

More revenue = more cap space = more talented rosters, more competitive league.

Boston and Dallas were looking for different things in the deal. People have to look at the big picture. Dallas gets a young kid to pair with Benn as the future of their franchise, and Boston gets quality cogs, prospects, and cap relief NEEDED for other roster moves.

Loui has looked almost exactly like Pevs and Kelly did when they arrived, a bit lost and out of synch as to where to be, when to be there at times but far less lately...agreed, some here just cannot stomach the fact that Segs is putting up big numbers in Dallas, as though this was going to be a surprise playing on the #1 line and getting alot of TOI with an up tempo system in place, but as you said, this is the regular season and we`ve seen it before.

Would those here still be impressed by his game and bothered by Loui`s if and when Segs posts 85-100pts and his team is watching the playoffs and Loui puts up 50-60 and our boys are playin??

Loui has been fine, and I suspect he`s only going to get better. For a guy who`s played so poorly as some have suggested, for all the stat watchers here who evaluate solely on those stats, 9pts, 14 games with a concussion mixed in there to boot....pretty good

I thought Iggy would have an easier time assimilating to his spot on the first, a much more North/South game that is simpler to execute, with Bergy`s line, it`s a heavy emphasis on shutting down often the other teams best while trying to contribute itself. Loui, and that line will be fine

 

[ODAAT]

I disagree regarding MARCHAND. He scored a beauty but other then that he still isn't playing 4.5 million dollar hockey. He's still fighting the puck, not as sharp on his edges as he's been in the past and he's been either selfish with the puck or blind. Tory KRUG's give-away was brutal but MARCHAND standing around beaking at the Ottawa bench didn't help.

My gut feeling is that MARCHAND is experiencing "fat cat" syndrome. He's making good money and is forgetting what earned him that salary. There's no doubt about his skill but he's not playing to the level he can and should.

Yep, needs to simplify his game, and get back to that always agitating way

 

[disfigured]

So the Bruins had nothing to do with the way the Rags played or were forced to play??

It wasn't my intention to "take something away" from the B's success last year, but rather to illustrate the chances of a cup run happening in the same fashion are slim to none.

 

[nycbruins*]

They did it twice in 3 years, are those really slim to none chances?

 

[Oates2Neely]

Loui is currently on pace to score 23 goals (82 games). All while adjusting to a new team, system, line mates, & city. Not to mention a concussion.

If he continues to improve he'll score at a rate of 25 to 30 goals (exactly where he should be). He's getting better and more noticeable every game.

Did anybody even watch that Stars vs. Flames game? The Flames defense was atrocious. I've seen more skill and motivation in my Saturday night beer league.

 

[Bi Coastal Bawse*]

This team needs to re-discover their nastiness and snarl. Tuukka got ran more than once last game and they did relatively nothing. Kassian was pushing around non fighters and no one addressed it. Watch the Sens last night even when Anderson was wacked after the whistle they got involved and would say no don't do that. Tuukka is ran and smacked into and they don't address it.

I like Thornton but his main job is to enforce I can't remember if he and Kassian were on the ice at all but if they were he didn't address an issue with him.

Yeti has been getting more comfortable on the ice. Love watching him as he progresses.

IDK why when when the team is down by 2, there is 6 minutes left and the sens just score Claude puts out the 4th line.

 

[ranold26]

Turnovers by our defencemen.
That sums up the game.
That is all.

 

[Oates2Neely]

This team needs to re-discover their nastiness and snarl. Tuukka got ran more than once last game and they did relatively nothing. Kassian was pushing around non fighters and no one addressed it. Watch the Sens last night even when Anderson was wacked after the whistle they got involved and would say no don't do that. Tuukka is ran and smacked into and they don't address it.

I like Thornton but his main job is to enforce I can't remember if he and Kassian were on the ice at all but if they were he didn't address an issue with him.

Yeti has been getting more comfortable on the ice. Love watching him as he progresses.

IDK why when when the team is down by 2, there is 6 minutes left and the sens just score Claude puts out the 4th line.

I too noticed the lack of team toughness last night. Perhaps Ference is missed more than we thought he'd be..?

 

[Bi Coastal Bawse*]

Last year's cup run might be giving us a false representation of the effectiveness in the make up of this team. We barely squeezed by the Leafs. The Rangers played some of the worst hockey I've seen in the POs in many years. And the Penguins were their own worst enemy.

Too many pluggers, too many passers, not enough pure goal scorers. Either that or we've got to get pucks to the net and muck out goals. I'd say acquire some more speed and/or pure (irresponsible) talent. But Claude wouldn't have it, and if he did, he'd turn them into hybrid versions of P.J Axelson.

Yeah all those teams beat themselves

 

[SPLBRUIN]

This loss was on Rask, he must have had one of his easiest's 1st periods ever when then suddenly Neil scored on a decent scoring chance, one decent chance one goal, then in the 3rd period goals 3 & 4 were Junior B type goals, guy had a terrible night it happens. The other problem we had is an on going one, we can't score this year. Lines 1 & 2 are going to be fine, but line 3 needs some big changes, Kelly needs off of this line, he is a line killer offensively, not sure about Smith yet, I like Soderberg, he will score with better linemates and I love how he is using his body to hit people. I think Spooner is what this line needs, he gives it speed, creativity and will enable it to be productive offensively. Kelly can be moved to the 4th line in place of Thornton.

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

Last year's cup run might be giving us a false representation of the effectiveness in the make up of this team. We barely squeezed by the Leafs. The Rangers played some of the worst hockey I've seen in the POs in many years. And the Penguins were their own worst enemy.

Too many pluggers, too many passers, not enough pure goal scorers. Either that or we've got to get pucks to the net and muck out goals. I'd say acquire some more speed and/or pure (irresponsible) talent. But Claude wouldn't have it, and if he did, he'd turn them into hybrid versions of P.J Axelson.

All of that aside, you do know that the one Bruin last year who most aptly fit the description of "pure goal scorer" would be the same person who only managed to score a single goal for an entire 22-game Cup run??

And zero goals in the SCF... Tyler Seguin's effectiveness (even in the first playoff to a lesser extent) was diminished by the tighter, higher-intensity playoff atmosphere on the ice where there is less room to operate.

I would probably agree that the team is missing a pure goal scorer, although Looch is starting out looking like almost like Cam Neely clone this year.

But IMO Seguin would never realize his potential here, not to suggest you're saying that... just mentioning it.

 

[Trap Jesus]

- Brad Marchand looked good, in fact that line appears to be clicking.

- Carl Soderberg was good, he looks like he belongs now but damn, he is a ****** skater.

- Reilly Smith was garbage.

The Marchand and Smith comments seem like big overreactions, on both ends of the spectrum.

For Marchand, that goal was a beauty, but outside of a decent first period, I thought he really struggled (as did most of the rest of the team).

Smith literally had one bad play last night. Yes, it was absolutely awful, but how does that make his entire game "garbage"? I thought he looked pretty good otherwise.

Soderberg has been a bit frustrating to me. I don't mind the lack of speed as much because he's able to use his body to create a lot of space and is a great passer, which makes him a great puck-possession player, along with him have a very active stick on D, but my god, his hands just disappear when he's in a scoring position. I can't even count the number of opportunities he's squandered lately. For a guy that is credited for having great hands, and is supposed to be a factor in front of the net on the PP, he needs to start burying some of these chances he's getting.

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

The Marchand and Smith comments seem like big overreactions, on both ends of the spectrum.

For Marchand, that goal was a beauty, but outside of a decent first period, I thought he really struggled (as did most of the rest of the team).

Smith literally had one bad play last night. Yes, it was absolutely awful, but how does that make his entire game "garbage"? I thought he looked pretty good otherwise.

Soderberg has been a bit frustrating to me. I don't mind the lack of speed as much because he's able to use his body to create a lot of space and is a great passer, which makes him a great puck-possession player, along with him have a very active stick on D, but my god, his hands just disappear when he's in a scoring position. I can't even count the number of opportunities he's squandered lately. For a guy that is credited for having great hands, and is supposed to be a factor in front of the net on the PP, he needs to start burying some of these chances he's getting.

Agreed.

Soderberg has blown some chances, but he's also created at least as many chances as anyone else on his line. I do like the way he's been crashing the net with authority (very nearly earned him a goal last night) and throwing the body around... he is doing both better than i expected.

I also don't mind that he is pretty slow overall because he seems to have an unusually quick first step/stride for a bigger, slower player. Maybe it's just my eyes failing me, but there are times when Yeti accelerates with bursts of speed that make him look like he's a different player. I wonder if the ankle sprain is fully healed?

The thing that actually bothers me most is that he makes fancy passes in close (or with space for that matter) -- some of which his teammates aren't even ready for because they don't expect it -- when he should just take the shot, because his linemates are not quite skilled enough to convert some of his passes into goals.

Last night it was nice to see him throw it on net a few more times and then just follow his shot. And his stick has been active too so overall i'm not too worried about him.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

They kind of stopped trying hard it seemed like in the 2nd when it was 2-1.

 

[BklyNBruiN]

They kind of stopped trying hard it seemed like in the 2nd when it was 2-1.

Yea they stopped playing after the Krug error and it was 2-1. Its gonna happen every now and than this season. I just want them to continue to talk about consistency as we heard before they went on the last winning streak, and play consistent. Game in game out play 60 minutes, its that simple.

This team is hard to beat when they are all skating and playing a heavy 60 minute game.