News Article: Mar. 31

[Gee Wally]

Blowing it
http://scoutingpost.com/2016/03/30/blowing-it/


Bruins’ scoring slump could be very costly
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/b...very-costly/OQU48cUbP11V9hKfwyJ9kN/story.html


Bruins find themselves shorthanded at practice
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/h...ed-practice/wZSnnAWKYCAj61YWjmoeuN/story.html


NHL ROUNDUP
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2016/03/30/wednesday-nhl-roundup/U1NuJkAzQkpYToPKRbsF0H/story.html


Bruins notebook: B's try goal-scoring exercise(s)
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bruins/2016/03/bruins_notebook_bs_try_goal_scoring_exercises


Krug backs Vesey’s decision of free agency
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bruins/2016/03/krug_backs_vesey_s_decision_of_free_agency


Borges: Throw blame toward players, B’s brass
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bruins/2016/03/borges_throw_blame_toward_players_b_s_brass


BRUINS 'HATE TO DEPEND' ON OTHER TEAMS TO BACK INTO PLAYOFFS
http://www.csnne.com/boston-bruins/bruins-hate-depend-other-teams-back-playoffs

Click to read more...

 

[KrejciMVP]

the sports writers have it correct today!!!

 

[Glove Malfunction]

I'm not generally a fan of Borges, but man did he hit the nail on the head with that one!

 

[bbfan419]

I'm not generally a fan of Borges, but man did he hit the nail on the head with that one!

I agree with that article as well 100%. I have never been one of the Bruins fans that scream for tough guy players etc. Give me some exciting offensive players that can really skate and put the puck in the net i.e. Seguin, after all this game is still about who has more goals on the score board at the end of the game. You would think B's management through the years would have learned this hard lesson by now. Not saying it is not good to have some physical players, but time to start bringing in some talent that can score as well.

 

[AlpineLager]

Krug backs Vesey’s decision of free agency
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/b...of_free_agency

lol... Krug talks about us not having enough guys that have a net presence. Wtf does it matter when his shots are always 4ft wide and high? He certainly shouldn't be complaining. Hit the damn net, low and hard. We'd probably have a couple more wins this season.

 

[ODAAT]

Krug backs Vesey’s decision of free agency
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/b...of_free_agency

lol... Krug talks about us not having enough guys that have a net presence. Wtf does it matter when his shots are always 4ft wide and high? He certainly shouldn't be complaining. Hit the damn net, low and hard. We'd probably have a couple more wins this season.

B`s had 40 shots against the Devils that weren`t "high and wide" and Krug, while many of his shots do just that, is far from the only D man who misses the net, I`d wager the majority of D men either have their shots blocked in this collapsing age of the NHL or fire it wide

I`ve said it for a few years now, when Loui is about the only consistent net front presence (yep, even when Looch was here) that`s an issue

 

[Spanky185]

Borges article confuses me. Don't blame claude - paragraphs about system not as important as talent - don't blame Claude

The system starts and ends with Claude. He may not be the one who trades players, but the system the players moved didn't fit is certainly his.

 

[remer]

Julien shares the blame. Too often this team has come out uninspired. Lost to teams they should have beat easily and have fallen flat on their face on big games. Example -Winter Classic
Too defensive of a hockey style, boring and not very creative. Don't forget the years that Julien has the top talented teams and still managed to lose in the playoffs. Plenty of blame to go around. Julien, Sweeney, Cam, high priced players and underachievers on this team.

 

[Boston BROin]

B`s had 40 shots against the Devils that weren`t "high and wide" and Krug, while many of his shots do just that, is far from the only D man who misses the net, I`d wager the majority of D men either have their shots blocked in this collapsing age of the NHL or fire it wide

I`ve said it for a few years now, when Loui is about the only consistent net front presence (yep, even when Looch was here) that`s an issue

You always need net front presence, but I don't think that's the issue with the Bruins' lack of goals lately. When the Bruins were scoring in bunches, the team was fantastic with puck movement in the offensive zone. They were patient and waiting for the right chances because they were playing with confidence. That confidence has eroded, and the guys are trigger happy on the point. They're taking bad shots from bad angles. Shots are getting blocked or they're an easy save for the goaltender.

It's a tough position. When you're snakebitten you think, 'just get pucks to the net', but at what point does that compound the problem? At what point are you just creating offensive zone turnovers by getting weak shots close to the net?

I don't think the team needs more net front presence, I think the team needs better puck movement, better player movement and some confidence back in their game. Don't shoot just for the sake of shooting. If the D is collapsing, look for a better shot. If the D is pressing the skaters on the outside, take a shot with someone streaking to the net. The goals will come, it's just a matter of when.

 

[AlpineLager]

B`s had 40 shots against the Devils that weren`t "high and wide" and Krug, while many of his shots do just that, is far from the only D man who misses the net, I`d wager the majority of D men either have their shots blocked in this collapsing age of the NHL or fire it wide

I`ve said it for a few years now, when Loui is about the only consistent net front presence (yep, even when Looch was here) that`s an issue

I certainly agree that it's most of their D missing the net or launching slappers into shin pads. Just stating that Krug is one of the worst, at least imo.

Oh.. and how about David Krejci. Infuriating watching him think he's Ray Bourque on the pp. Just awful lately.

 

[missingchicklet]

You always need net front presence, but I don't think that's the issue with the Bruins' lack of goals lately. When the Bruins were scoring in bunches, the team was fantastic with puck movement in the offensive zone. They were patient and waiting for the right chances because they were playing with confidence. That confidence has eroded, and the guys are trigger happy on the point. They're taking bad shots from bad angles. Shots are getting blocked or they're an easy save for the goaltender.

It's a tough position. When you're snakebitten you think, 'just get pucks to the net', but at what point does that compound the problem? At what point are you just creating offensive zone turnovers by getting weak shots close to the net?

I don't think the team needs more net front presence, I think the team needs better puck movement, better player movement and some confidence back in their game. Don't shoot just for the sake of shooting. If the D is collapsing, look for a better shot. If the D is pressing the skaters on the outside, take a shot with someone streaking to the net. The goals will come, it's just a matter of when.

I agree about better puck movement and better player movement. It was very noticeable last game. Yeah, they had 40 shots, but so many of those shots were awful shots that had no chance of going in. When this team has struggled to score during its cold stretches this season I've noticed that the players are failing to make the extra pass and are shooting low pct shots from the perimeter instead. Sure, there have been some missed opportunities in close when Bs players have simply just not finished a high pct shot, but overall the passing and movement has not been there like it was when the Bs were putting up high goal totals. Part of the issue is that the Bs lack good puck moving defensemen. Krug is capable of that but he's too obsessed with shooting perimeter shots into the shins of the opposition and/or taking stupid low pct shots with no chance of getting past the goalie. Some of the other defensemen just are not very good. The forwards are culpable as well. Where is the tic-tac-toe passing? Where is the ability to read the defense and not turn the puck over time after time? May be a confidence thing. May be a chemistry issue. May just be a talent issue. Hard to tell at this point if it's any one thing.

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

Claude deserves about 10% blame, max.

I really question the hockey IQ of those who constantly complain that Claude can't turn a sow's ear into a silk purse every night.

This team has been "ruined", to varying degrees, by bad trades, bad acquisitions, bad contract deals, bad scouting, and bad drafting. It has not been ruined by bad coaching, to a large extent.

True, we're not the Maple Laffs and we have had some mild successes/pleasant surprises mixed in. It's not ALL bad, BUT, this is a management failure much more than it is a coaching failure.

Borges is dead on.

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

Claude deserves about 10% blame, max.

I really question the hockey IQ of those who constantly complain that Claude can't turn a sow's ear into a silk purse every night.

This team has been "ruined", to varying degrees, by bad trades, bad acquisitions, bad contract deals, bad scouting, and bad drafting. It has not been ruined by bad coaching, to a large extent.

True, we're not the Maple Laffs and we have had some mild successes/pleasant surprises mixed in. It's not ALL bad, BUT, this is a management failure much more than it is a coaching failure.

Borges is dead on.

I'd say it's more of a 33% split.

33% coaching
33% players
33% management

The Bruins in actuality are about right where many pegged them. Being a wild card/fringe playoff team. They are right on the cusp of that considering the current climate. Sweeney staying the course he set out last draft would have eased this position; but instead we're stuck in limbo. being a 7-10th best team in a conference really is no good for the now nor the future. Looking like that 2 years in a row. 3 in a row wouldn't really seem nice. Pick a path and go on it.

Julien and the coaching staff: They have done admirable, but are far from infallible. He doesn't always put players in a position to succeed until he's forced to. Hell, Spooner could easily have been waiver fodder if injuries didn't force Julien to put him with decent linemates. Vet's get far much more leeway than younger players.

Players; our best players sometimes aren't our best players. That's on them. Some players are aging; some just aren't that good, that's not their fault. But some of our key players simply look like passengers until it's too late. Can't wait until 5 minutes left to play like we need to win. Tuukka's abysmal start was rectified, but some of those early losses that could have been wins would look mighty fine. Eriksson and Krejci on passenger mode too often. To be honest, I think Beleskey is the only guy I've seen with a relatively consistent effort level. Krejci or Eriksson with Beleskey's effort level would easily make a difference.

Management: Sweeney took a chance fixing up Chiarelli's mess. That said, inconsistent in terms of direction. Moving Hamilton for picks, moving Lucic essential for futures; but keeping Eriksson and picking up some rentals... that's doesn't seem like a team with direction; or at least one that's being influenced by outside forces.

 

[Strange Universe]

Krug backs Vesey’s decision of free agency
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/b...of_free_agency

lol... Krug talks about us not having enough guys that have a net presence. Wtf does it matter when his shots are always 4ft wide and high? He certainly shouldn't be complaining. Hit the damn net, low and hard. We'd probably have a couple more wins this season.

Perhaps when Krug is shooting from the point his shot is going towards where the B's players are placed and that is no where close to the front of the net, hence explains all his shots not getting to the front of the net......

 

[Gordoff]

B`s had 40 shots against the Devils that weren`t "high and wide" and Krug, while many of his shots do just that, is far from the only D man who misses the net, I`d wager the majority of D men either have their shots blocked in this collapsing age of the NHL or fire it wide

I`ve said it for a few years now, when Loui is about the only consistent net front presence (yep, even when Looch was here) that`s an issue

LOL, how many years has Jack Edwards been telling us that they miss the net on purpose to confuse the goalie and give them a chance at a deflection etc. Turns out that it's all BS and they're just
"shot challenged."