Management Maybe Cam and Don were right after all.....

[UConn126]

I voted yes. I think this roster is fired up, playing for what is probably the last chance at a run they'll have, and also playing with a chip on their shoulder knowing they're down two of their most important contributors. I attribute the start more to that and less to the coaching change. That said, I also believe the coaching change was the right move. I was fine with the Bruce firing, and I loved the Monty hiring. They picked the best available option IMO. That's definitely a huge factor in the start, but I think the players have been the bigger piece.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

The average difference between Boston and Calgary is 1 inch and 1 pound. Hardly something to worry about.

I didn’t say I was worried. Just disingenuous to say “the Bruins are one of the biggest teams in the league” when they rank out at 20th

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I didn’t say I was worried. Just disingenuous to say “the Bruins are one of the biggest teams in the league” when they rank out at 20th

Someone posted the updated numbers as of beginning of the year here. I can’t find it but they had a link and everything.

 

[CrownofThornton]

Things looks great for this season, but the prospect pool still remains as it is.

The future is still questionable.

 

[Blowfish]

I didn’t say I was worried. Just disingenuous to say “the Bruins are one of the biggest teams in the league” when they rank out at 20th

By a pound and an inch.

 

[LouJersey]

It's still early but the team has come out of the gate far better than anyone could have imagined especially with 2 key pieces not due back for at least another month.

Obviously, Ullmark has been a major factor but more importantly, the team is responding to Monty giving everyone a clean sheet.

Cam hinted that Cassidy was in trouble after the loss to Carolina

Management - State of the Bruins - Neely 5/19/22 (unedited)

BOSTON BRUINS PRESIDENT CAM NEELY… On an extension for Don Sweeney… “I started talking with Charlie [Jacobs] and Mr. [Jeremy] Jacobs after the deadline about extending Don, so that’s my plan, is to do that.” On if that is also Mr. Jacobs’ plan… “Yes.” On what’s left to do for the...

forums.hfboards.com

The timeline is important as even though Cam said Cassidy's future was Don's call, Sweeney was still in limbo as well.

Jim Montgomery was on their radar and they knew he had no issues working in St. Louis for the last 2 seasons as an assistant. More importantly, Monty was an outsider.

My gut feeling is Bergie would have retired if Cassidy came back.

View attachment 599022

Team is all in They are fun to watch for sure.

Two things must happen to be a successful season IMO. ECF appearance AND sign Pasta to a long term extension. If they bow out early and still re up Pasta I will live, season will be a failure, but at least they have him still. To not do either of those would be catastrophic. Everyone in management should be fired if that were to happen (which I honestly don't think it will).

 

[LouJersey]

I'm glad to see their playing well, Ullmark is a big part of that. I'm impressed with Zacha's speed and Taylor hall has been playing consistent, we have a chance at 3 strong scoring lines when everyone's back

However, I will not get duped by regular season play. There are specific matchups i'm waiting on to see during the season to see if this team will fair any better than they have over the last 3-4 years in the playoffs. I'll beat this dead horse all season long, we're too small for playoff hockey and not skilled enough to compensate for the lack of size. We're skilled enough to get into the playoffs, so i'm not too concerned about record or standings.

My fear is we'll still get pushed around, manhandled in our own end, and not be able to keep up with playoff tempo. So there are some games on our schedule that i'm more anxious about than others. But I think they'll give us a glimpse as to what to expect come spring.

I mean at this point it's funny people still do get duped. The past three years they won a round twice, which is great if you're the Maple Leafs, but it doesn't cut it in Boston, especially with the roster construction.

The start this year has been fun, and I'm certainly going to enjoy it, but I will proly pass on a Presidents Trophy t-shirt if they don't go far.

I am among the small group here that think Sweeney and Cam are fine.

You would think the Bruins were one of the worst teams on the NHL if you were to believe some here.

It is very early in the season, but it is difficult to not be pleased with the early success of our team.

I take this tact as well, but this is the year. They both have a lot riding on this run. You can tell this is going to be a very good regular season team. They are stacked, especially when all healthy. It's been fun and I think it's going to get even more fun when the big guns come back.

 

[LouJersey]

I'm happy to have DK back, tell me how that fixes the weaknesses I've shared, same for Zacha.

I've acknowledged we have a new coach, and we'll see if he can mitigate our weaknesses. 7 games doesn't tell me that, you're confident already. That's enough for you, not for me.

Some are happy to just make the playoffs...

That's how much the fan has changed from what I have seen. 09-14 was all about titles. Then the retool and it was happy to make the play-offs...then the Cup run and it was "they made the cup". SInce the 2013 cup run the Bruins have made it past round 2, once. That's the past nine years. Yes they have had a great record season record, and some President's trophies.... They got boned in 2020.. People just have different levels of satisfaction with the team. My other teams suck, the Bruins are my good team, so winning a round or losing in the SCF doesn't do much for me, I don't have other teams to fall back on like the Red Sox or Patriots.

 

[duffy]

The average difference between Boston and Calgary is 1 inch and 1 pound. Hardly something to worry about.

It's not heigt and weight that posters are talking about when they say the Bruins are small. St Louis are smaller than the B's in stats but are they smaller on ice? The B's are small because they play small. One Dman hits and he is under 6 feet, and 2 forwards hit somewhat consistent and they are both just over 6 feet so when we say the boys are small it points to the way they play not how tall they are. Just look at our biggest player, I think his rookie season was the last time he hit anyone!

 

[LouJersey]

What about Cam

Not Dom, but he's been to three Cups with two different GMs.... He always seems to get blamed for the bad moves but never any of the good.

 

[CamFan81]

I mean at this point it's funny people still do get duped. The past three years they won a round twice, which is great if you're the Maple Leafs, but it doesn't cut it in Boston, especially with the roster construction.

The start this year has been fun, and I'm certainly going to enjoy it, but I will proly pass on a Presidents Trophy t-shirt if they don't go far.

Precisely.

I'd like to add, David Krejci is a welcomed sight but lets not forget he was here in 2020 for that pres trophy 2nd round Bounce. This team is not that much better (or at all) than 2020. Same problems that caused that disappointing exit still exists today and there's a good chance they're worse.

But man, you mention the bruins have weaknesses and the peeps that are just happy to get to the playoffs come for blood lol

That's how much the fan has changed from what I have seen. 09-14 was all about titles. Then the retool and it was happy to make the play-offs...then the Cup run and it was "they made the cup". SInce the 2013 cup run the Bruins have made it past round 2, once. That's the past nine years. Yes they have had a great record season record, and some President's trophies.... They got boned in 2020.. People just have different levels of satisfaction with the team. My other teams suck, the Bruins are my good team, so winning a round or losing in the SCF doesn't do much for me, I don't have other teams to fall back on like the Red Sox or Patriots.

QF fn T

 

[KnightofBoston]

Cassidy was a great coach that hit his expiration date. The composition of the team needed to change, but his personality/approach could not.

Cassidy was a good coach that never evolved enough to become great, expiration dates had nothing to do with it. He was the same coach last year as the one that made no adjustments and lost the cup on home ice

 

[LouJersey]

Precisely.

I'd like to add, David Krejci is a welcomed sight but lets not forget he was here in 2020 for that pres trophy 2nd round Bounce. This team is not that much better (or at all) than 2020. Same problems that caused that disappointing exit still exists today and there's a good chance they're worse.

But man, you mention the bruins have weaknesses and the peeps that are just happy to get to the playoffs come for blood lol


QF fn T

It’s like that every year. You constructively criticize and the chest thumping starts, until it really matters and the team bows out. Then you hear nothing. There isn’t much debate in life in anything anymore.

I mean Krecjis last season here the bruins were on pace for 107 points. Last year with the immortal Erik Haula, you guessed it, they had 107 points. Don’t dare bring that up though.

I think the Bruins are going to be the best team in the east record wise. What happens after that is the important part. I really love watching 75 games or so per year, it’s great entertainment for me but I just put more stock in when the crappy teams aren’t allowed to play anymore

Cassidy was a good coach that never evolved enough to become great, expiration dates had nothing to do with it. He was the same coach last year as the one that made no adjustments and lost the cup on home ice

I liked him but Berube of all people abused him with in game adjustments during that ‘19 Cup

 

[McGarnagle]

Cassidy was a good coach that never evolved enough to become great, expiration dates had nothing to do with it. He was the same coach last year as the one that made no adjustments and lost the cup on home ice

It'll be interesting to see how Monty responds to adversity in the playoffs, especially when it regards officiating. Cassidy was always slow to react and let Brind'amour, Trotz, and Berube work the refs in their press conferences before he responded with something that came across as whiny like his New York Saints line

 

[LouJersey]

It'll be interesting to see how Monty responds to adversity in the playoffs, especially when it regards officiating. Cassidy was always slow to react and let Brind'amour, Trotz, and Berube work the refs in their press conferences before he responded with something that came across as whiny like his New York Saints line

The team is way more fun to watch for sure w Monty. Seems to let the players play to their strengths even if they mess up.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Read through the first page and no one has given me much to argue with, so I’ll just throw my thoughts down here.

If we had to categorize ourselves, I’d very much call myself have a Cassidy fan. Now I do think a lot of that stems from what I perceived as a lot of (forever Claude) fans shitting on him from then beginning regardless of what was going on. But I actually enjoyed the way Bruce broke down the game and it was clear to me he really loved flushing out the details. I think eventually it may have been to a fault as he seemed to lose a coach’s touch with a lot of players.

While I thought that Sweeney being out the door would have also been an appropriate step, I do think it was Bruce’s time to go this past summer. There were just too many rumblings about his relationship with the team going on for too long. You can only let that go on so long.

I really liked the Montgomery hiring. It carried/carries an element of risk and brings in a guy not previously associated with the team. Ie a totally fresh voice. I noticed a lot of people talking about the odd man rush issue. This was really standing out to me the first couple games, but given the style they are playing, I actually think it’s been reined in pretty nicely as they’ve played some more games. I expect (and so far am seeing) the coaching improving right along side the players as the season progresses. I also like the fact that at least early in the year, Montgomery is willing to shuffle the lineup and individual lines in-game, ie the anti-Claude.

For me, so far so good.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I was very much in favor of keeping Bruce and dumping Don and Cam. Can't argue with results though.

As much as we think we have access to everything that matters these days with statistics and twitter, it's pretty clear there's a lot we just don't know about. It's pretty clear there were some issues between Bruce and the players. Looking at guys like Debrusk in particular. He's a totally different player right now.

That said, it's still early. Teams will come out with a new coach playing well then the initial boost will wear out or the league will catch up to the new system, etc.

Hope most posters here realize we don't have all the info needed to make decisions that management needs to make.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

By a pound and an inch.

I don’t have any idea why you’re choosing this fight to have with me.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

It'll be interesting to see how Monty responds to adversity in the playoffs, especially when it regards officiating. Cassidy was always slow to react and let Brind'amour, Trotz, and Berube work the refs in their press conferences before he responded with something that came across as whiny like his New York Saints line

I don’t understand why that came across as “whiny”. What’s the non-whiny way for a coach to complain about refereeing?

Weak and somewhat manufactured? Yes. It ended up being more of a funny chant (at least I thought it was funny) from the Long Island crowd than anything.

 

[BNHL]

So far so good,hopefully the 20 games off? for Marchand and McAvoy help in games 83-98.

 

[Forester65]

Obviously we are all very pleased with the hot start, as well as surprised. But I think it's too soon to be taking victory laps or putting down the previous coach. Cassidy has Vegas off to a hot start they likely wouldn't have had under DeBoer; DeBoer has Dallas off to a hot start; etc.

NHL coaches have shelf lives and teams have hot and cold streaks, even at the starts of seasons.

Let's appreciate the great start, but let's also see how the B's fare against Carolina, NYR, Colorado, as well as how the team and fans respond when a losing streak inevitably comes.

Well said.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

But man, you mention the bruins have weaknesses and the peeps that are just happy to get to the playoffs come for blood lol

I don't think anyone here is just happy to get to the playoffs. This forum skews negative most of the time and is a cesspool of negativity after even a regular season loss. I think people just want to be positive for once and enjoy that they have a team that is both good and fun for the first time in a while. god forbid people want a little break from the negativity.

I'm enjoying the hell out of this right now but you can believe if they get bounced in the playoffs I'll be here livid and bitching.

With that said, they are one of the most successful teams in the league over the last 15 or so years. They are one of only 9 teams in the last 15 years to win a Stanley Cup and have 2 more Finals appearances in that span and have been one of the best regular season teams in that span. their only playoff misses in that span were by 1 point each so it's not like they've had tank years like Colorado or Tampa.

Acknowledging that we are one of the luckiest NHL fanbases in the salary cap era doesn't mean someone is content with playoff failure, but you have to be somewhat realistic about these things and recognize that only 1 team wins the Cup each year. If you can't find the positives in being a perennial contender then being a fan becomes extremely un-fun. That shouldn't be how we feel during one of the best times in this franchise's history.

 

[DiggityDog]

Things looks great for this season, but the prospect pool still remains as it is.

The future is still questionable.

The future is questionable for every team in the NHL, good prospect pool or not. No guarantees with anyone.

 

[smithformeragent]

@LouJersey spitting absolute facts in this thread.

 

[NDiesel]

That's how much the fan has changed from what I have seen. 09-14 was all about titles. Then the retool and it was happy to make the play-offs...then the Cup run and it was "they made the cup". SInce the 2013 cup run the Bruins have made it past round 2, once. That's the past nine years. Yes they have had a great record season record, and some President's trophies.... They got boned in 2020.. People just have different levels of satisfaction with the team. My other teams suck, the Bruins are my good team, so winning a round or losing in the SCF doesn't do much for me, I don't have other teams to fall back on like the Red Sox or Patriots.

In Cousins we trust