Boston Globe KPD: Patrice Bergeron is taking a beating, so why aren’t the Bruins coming to his defense?

[Sheppy]

Look at the Leafs right now? They’re absolutely rolling while dressing Ritchie, Simmonds & Clifford. The shittiest of those 3 would work over any Bruin, all day.

Simmonds loves that role, Clifford loves and embraces that role. Ritchie, while not the most aggressive at seeking out fights is very, very good at it.

Hell, they had Jason f***ing Spezza go try to take a guys head off who made a dirty play earlier in that game. Even the Leafs are buying in. I’m not saying you need to decapitate a dude, but they got the message and responded to it. Sometimes being there for your teammates is more of a benefit than winning a game in December.

 

[duffy]

Look at the Leafs right now? They’re absolutely rolling while dressing Ritchie, Simmonds & Clifford. The shittiest of those 3 would work over any Bruin, all day.

Simmonds loves that role, Clifford loves and embraces that role. Ritchie, while not the most aggressive at seeking out fights is very, very good at it.

Hell, they had Jason f***ing Spezza go try to take a guys head off who made a dirty play earlier in that game. Even the Leafs are buying in. I’m not saying you need to decapitate a dude, but they got the message and responded to it. Sometimes being there for your teammates is more of a benefit than winning a game in December.

Cassidy does not like that type of hockey! He believes in letting the Refs handle it and feast off of the PP! The problem with that is your team gets disheartened and in the PO penalties are fewer. Not to mention if you don't score and your player who took the dirty/hard hit is now less than 100% it will snowball in a 7 game series like it did against the Blues. All should read the Backes story where he points out Cassidy's shortcomings.

 

[stocker]

Look at the Leafs right now? They’re absolutely rolling while dressing Ritchie, Simmonds & Clifford. The shittiest of those 3 would work over any Bruin, all day.

Simmonds loves that role, Clifford loves and embraces that role. Ritchie, while not the most aggressive at seeking out fights is very, very good at it.

Hell, they had Jason f***ing Spezza go try to take a guys head off who made a dirty play earlier in that game. Even the Leafs are buying in. I’m not saying you need to decapitate a dude, but they got the message and responded to it. Sometimes being there for your teammates is more of a benefit than winning a game in December.

Look at the Leafs right now? They’re absolutely rolling while dressing Ritchie, Simmonds & Clifford. The shittiest of those 3 would work over any Bruin, all day.

Simmonds loves that role, Clifford loves and embraces that role. Ritchie, while not the most aggressive at seeking out fights is very, very good at it.

Hell, they had Jason f***ing Spezza go try to take a guys head off who made a dirty play earlier in that game. Even the Leafs are buying in. I’m not saying you need to decapitate a dude, but they got the message and responded to it. Sometimes being there for your teammates is more of a benefit than winning a game in December.

I was just writing the same thing you did. You are absolutely right.