Kirk On the B's at Center

[InterimGM]

How many times did Pasta get run with nothing? Tampa took numerous runs... Washington.... Was pathetic...

They were soft and ****** . How can you say they weren't soft ?

We are worse. And we still aren't tough.

Adding Rinaldo does not make you tougher. Kevin Hayes.

I'm saying if you are going to suck , which we will more than likely (holding out hope consistent effort pays off) go down fighting this time... literally and figuratively .. show you don't like to lose.

Well for starters. I've never watched a hockey game giving a crap if we were soft or not. Just win baby! haha.

Just because Pasta took some runs as an underweight rookie doesn't tell me a damn thing since, when we were allegedly the most intimidating team on ice Savard, Bergeron, Eriksson, Krejci all took runs. With nothing.

You know what shows me you don't like to lose? Actually winning the games. Fighting someone because you can't beat them screams our method for chasing the Habs for 80 years.

 

[BB88]

Yeah, most D who could be available are old and terrible defensively, not what a re-building team needs. The only way we're getting a franchise D is by drafting one in 2016 or 2017. Our picks should be high enough. 2015-2016 will be Kelly-Spooner-Pastrnak on the 3rd line and the current (lack of) defense...

We should be in the range of Olli Juolevi next year, said to be the 2nd best D of the draf and better than Ristolainen/Maatta/Honka, I would take those guys before Hamilton so he should be pretty good D prospect.
He's also 188cm so he is not the smallest guy.

 

[BB88]

Well for starters. I've never watched a hockey game giving a crap if we were soft or not. Just win baby! haha.

Just because Pasta took some runs as an underweight rookie doesn't tell me a damn thing since, when we were allegedly the most intimidating team on ice Savard, Bergeron, Eriksson, Krejci all took runs. With nothing.

You know what shows me you don't like to lose? Actually winning the games. Fighting someone because you can't beat them screams our method for chasing the Habs for 80 years.

Winning should be #1 and fight for win, not fight to lose so you can show you don't like losing, I'd guess winning brings more money to the owners too.

I don't know how other teams survive in the league when they don't have 15+ fighters on the roster and can anyone tell me a team that doesn't get hit? when McQuaid took stick to the throat Lucic was on the ice, when Pasta was a target Lucic was on ice, Lucic did nothing when those happened and Lucic on the ice didn't stop those, those will always happen.

We have Beleskey, Rinaldo, Hayes, K.Miller, McQuaid, Chara options to bring size and toughness, now if someone would like to do the list for top/elite offensive talent?
Sure let's bring in more toughness and lose talent because we have too much talent on the roster. Eriksson being a great example, we have to trade him and get more toughness.
Let's just tank then all the way to top3 pick.

 

[LSCII]

Well for starters. I've never watched a hockey game giving a crap if we were soft or not. Just win baby! haha.

Just because Pasta took some runs as an underweight rookie doesn't tell me a damn thing since, when we were allegedly the most intimidating team on ice Savard, Bergeron, Eriksson, Krejci all took runs. With nothing.

You know what shows me you don't like to lose? Actually winning the games. Fighting someone because you can't beat them screams our method for chasing the Habs for 80 years.

I wish I could print this out and frame it because it's so true. People want to talk about having enforcers to prevent liberties from being taken, but the reality is they don't stop anything. Players still get run, bad things still happen. The only consolation isn't whether your professional goon was able to throw 5 punches off the offender's helmet. It's whether you win enough games to be relevant come playoff time.

 

[LouJersey]

Well for starters. I've never watched a hockey game giving a crap if we were soft or not. Just win baby! haha.

Just because Pasta took some runs as an underweight rookie doesn't tell me a damn thing since, when we were allegedly the most intimidating team on ice Savard, Bergeron, Eriksson, Krejci all took runs. With nothing.

You know what shows me you don't like to lose? Actually winning the games. Fighting someone because you can't beat them screams our method for chasing the Habs for 80 years.

I'm saying lose emotionally. They were comatose and accepting of it all too willingly IMO...

 

[LouJersey]

I wish I could print this out and frame it because it's so true. People want to talk about having enforcers to prevent liberties from being taken, but the reality is they don't stop anything. Players still get run, bad things still happen. The only consolation isn't whether your professional goon was able to throw 5 punches off the offender's helmet. It's whether you win enough games to be relevant come playoff time.

Or you can do it like the 2011-13 teams and do both.

Save, 2012 of course.

 

[LouJersey]

Winning should be #1 and fight for win, not fight to lose so you can show you don't like losing, I'd guess winning brings more money to the owners too.

I don't know how other teams survive in the league when they don't have 15+ fighters on the roster and can anyone tell me a team that doesn't get hit? when McQuaid took stick to the throat Lucic was on the ice, when Pasta was a target Lucic was on ice, Lucic did nothing when those happened and Lucic on the ice didn't stop those, those will always happen.

We have Beleskey, Rinaldo, Hayes, K.Miller, McQuaid, Chara options to bring size and toughness, now if someone would like to do the list for top/elite offensive talent?
Sure let's bring in more toughness and lose talent because we have too much talent on the roster. Eriksson being a great example, we have to trade him and get more toughness.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/03/...ent-playing-as-physical-as-they-have-in-past/

 

[BB88]

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/03/...ent-playing-as-physical-as-they-have-in-past/

Is this a way of saying we'd be better if we traded Lou for 3rd line toughness?

Iginla is a 1st line player who can put up 60+ points per season still, scored 30 goals in Boston, Jb was a great top4 D who could play in both ends.

Just adding toughness doesn't improve us, it makes us worse. Put K.Miller on the 1st pairing and Glengross over Eriksson and we are looking at one great pick.

You see we lost top talent.

 

[mislysBB]

The way I see it? We only have to deal with one more year of Kelly, and then the B's can thank him for being a great team player and let him be on his way.
One more year of him being either on the 4th or possibly 3rd line isn't horrible. If we were a cup team, I might object, but I think this team has nothing to lose in the upcoming season (even if management thinks otherwise).

 

[BB88]

The way I see it? We only have to deal with one more year of Kelly, and then the B's can thank him for being a great team player and let him be on his way.
One more year of him being either on the 4th or possibly 3rd line isn't horrible. If we were a cup team, I might object, but I think this team has nothing to lose in the upcoming season (even if management thinks otherwise).

If we end up being sellers at the deadline and set us back for years then I would say it would be almost horrible.

 

[mislysBB]

If we end up being sellers at the deadline and set us back for years then I would say it would be almost horrible.

We more than likely won't be.

And one more year of Kelly, whether we sell or make a big move, really isn't that bad, especially if he's relegated to a 4th line role.

 

[BB88]

We more than likely won't be.

And one more year of Kelly, whether we sell or make a big move, really isn't that bad, especially if he's relegated to a 4th line role.

Sure on the 4th line Kelly can shine but if he is on the top9 we are in serious trouble.

We can have 3 scoring lines and 4 strong 2way lines, that will keep us probably/hopefully out of being sellers at the deadline.

But if we have Kelly in the top9 and we have 2 working offensive lines with this D group we right now have we probably end up being sellers at the deadline, it would show we weren't serious with the change.

 

[Mathews28]

I'm saying lose emotionally. They were comatose and accepting of it all too willingly IMO...

There were times last year that I questioned an individual player's desire to win, but generally when I think back to last year and the images of the B's losing games, I don't get a picture of them, as a team, accepting losing at all.

I do get a picture of horrible coverage in front of the net, backing in on their own goalie when attacked, falling behind and not having the offensive guns to battle back, etc.

More fisticuffs weren't going to help that situation. I'm ok with a break from the traditional "can't beat 'em, beat 'em up" routine we've seen all too often. I'd prefer to see fights break out as a result of hotly contested games, and they will if the Bruins get into meaningful tilts. In meaningless games, there's little sense and it can actually work against a team in the long run.

 

[Ice Nine]

I don't think the knock on Kelly has much to do with what he brings to the table as much as does that most see no room for him in the top 9 and he's way to expensive for a 4th liner with his 3M cap hit.

I guess most here don't see how he get's a spot over any of Eriksson, Krejci, Connolly, Marchand, Bergy, Hayes ,Beleskey, Spooner or Pasta.

So then he's a 4th liner, 3M cap is too much for a 4th liner. Most of us would like to see him moved for a 1st line D that would be much more useful.

This is pretty much my thinking. I don't hate what Kelly brings-- he'd be a decent fourth liner who is great on the PK. But he's just too expensive for that, especially when we have a lot of young C that should be getting a shot on the 4th.

But please, no more Chris Kelly on the third line. Please no.

 

[Era of Sanity]

That is a good question, I can't think of anyone that is "available" right now other than maybe Big Buff, which I have zero interest in. Things change over the course of the season one has to be ready to make a move when such an opportunity presents itself.

Possibly Yandle July 1, 2016. Local boy, plays at the Bruins captains practices every fall.

 

[LSCII]

This is pretty much my thinking. I don't hate what Kelly brings-- he'd be a decent fourth liner who is great on the PK. But he's just too expensive for that, especially when we have a lot of young C that should be getting a shot on the 4th.

But please, no more Chris Kelly on the third line. Please no.

If Kelly on the third line was something you could bet on in Vegas, it would be pulled because it's a ****ing certainty we see him handcuffing that line and relegating Spooner (and whomever else they play with) ineffective. Julien can't help himself, which is why you have this story floated out there. It's to soften the blow for when it actually happens. And it will happen. No question.

 

[LouJersey]

It will be interesting to see how the fourth line shapes up and who centers it.

If it's Rinaldo-Kelly-Talbot it's not all that much different than the post 2011 Merlot line IMO, and it's missing out on another opportunity to get some real exposure for young players.

If you give the coach these players, he's going to use them because he thinks he can win more with veterans down there. Can't blame him. But if you take them away , he doesn't have much of a choice.

I could really get into a Kemp-Koko-Ferlin 4th line. Those wingers would be great along the boards (from what I've read about Kemp) and give Koko more of a chance to learn the NHL game while getting stronger and seeing what we truly have.

I like Rinaldo, and hope to see him a lot, but going with a Rinaldo-Kelly-Talbot long is dopey on a 9th-12th seed and is basically the Paille-Soup-Gagne line part deux . Rinaldo-Kemp-Ferlin and rotate Koko in and out with injuries maybe... I don't know.

 

[LSCII]

It will be interesting to see how the fourth line shapes up and who centers it.

If it's Rinaldo-Kelly-Talbot it's not all that much different than the post 2011 Merlot line IMO, and it's missing out on another opportunity to get some real exposure for young players.

If you give the coach these players, he's going to use them because he thinks he can win more with veterans down there. Can't blame him. But if you take them away , he doesn't have much of a choice.

I could really get into a Kemp-Koko-Ferlin 4th line. Those wingers would be great along the boards (from what I've read about Kemp) and give Koko more of a chance to learn the NHL game while getting stronger and seeing what we truly have.

I like Rinaldo, and hope to see him a lot, but going with a Rinaldo-Kelly-Talbot long is dopey on a 9th-12th seed . Rinaldo-Kemp-Ferlin and rotate Koko in and out with injuries maybe... I don't know.

You don't have to worry Lou. Kelly will firmly be on the third line next year.

 

[LouJersey]

You don't have to worry Lou. Kelly will firmly be on the third line next year.

I would be OK with #23 taking defensive zone starts as Spooner's center but then he needs to get off the ice ...

 

[LSCII]

I would be OK with #23 taking defensive zone starts as Spooner's center but then he needs to get off the ice ...

He will, but he'll also be riding wing for them, stopping any offensive thinking they may have by never actually crossing over the offensive zone blue line...

 

[whatsbruin]

Being hard to play against, and playing a Boston Bruins style does not mean
throwing a bunch of lunk heads out there to smash some heads.

It means players that are: willing to go into the corners, willing to stand in front of
the net, take the hit to make a play, stand up for each others. But these players also
include skill. Think of the Stanley cup team. Skill and toughness.

I see an effort to get back to that with the moves they have made. Granted the skill
level isn't what it was on the SC team, but you have to take one step at a time.

In regards to Kelly, this team has enough leaders, and is not in contention for the
Stanley cup, unless everything comes together and some players take monumental
strides. That said, they do not need Kelly taking a spot away from someone like
Koko.

I'd rather loose a game 4 - 2 and get Koko experience than loose a game 3-2 with
Kelly getting 14 minutes that could have gone to Koko. I'd also rather give those
14 minutes a night to Koko who scores 15 for the year and loose 4 more games during the year than give them to Kelly who will score 5.

 

[BB88]

If Kelly on the third line was something you could bet on in Vegas, it would be pulled because it's a ****ing certainty we see him handcuffing that line and relegating Spooner (and whomever else they play with) ineffective. Julien can't help himself, which is why you have this story floated out there. It's to soften the blow for when it actually happens. And it will happen. No question.

It would be even worse if Pasta plays with Krecji and Spooner would have Kelly and Connolly/Hayes as linemates, that would kill that line completely and Spooner's best asset, it would have a huge effect on our players scoring.

It will be interesting to see how the fourth line shapes up and who centers it.

If it's Rinaldo-Kelly-Talbot it's not all that much different than the post 2011 Merlot line IMO, and it's missing out on another opportunity to get some real exposure for young players.

If you give the coach these players, he's going to use them because he thinks he can win more with veterans down there. Can't blame him. But if you take them away , he doesn't have much of a choice.

I could really get into a Kemp-Koko-Ferlin 4th line. Those wingers would be great along the boards (from what I've read about Kemp) and give Koko more of a chance to learn the NHL game while getting stronger and seeing what we truly have.

I like Rinaldo, and hope to see him a lot, but going with a Rinaldo-Kelly-Talbot long is dopey on a 9th-12th seed and is basically the Paille-Soup-Gagne line part deux . Rinaldo-Kemp-Ferlin and rotate Koko in and out with injuries maybe... I don't know.

I've said it many times but I have faith in Kemppainen, I think he will be a great 4th line C for us who can be played in every situation if needed, great pk guy and can bring scoring also.
With him the 4th line wouldn't spend every shift in the D-zone, he can take the puck to offensive zone and keep it.

 

[LSCII]

Possibly Yandle July 1, 2016. Local boy, plays at the Bruins captains practices every fall.

Ugh. No thanks. He's a defenseman who can't play defense.

 

[DKH]

Joonas Kemppainen will end the season as the fourth line center and a very valuable one

 

[BB88]

Ugh. No thanks. He's a defenseman who can't play defense.

Ranger fans seemed to be surprised by his skills.