The Athletic - Boston Neely: "We have to be as brutally honest as possible"

[GordonHowe]

SHOULD know.

Do know?

 

[Gordoff]

Do know?

Ya think? We'll see.

 

[rocketdan9]

It's not a blow up.
The core is done.
Change is coming.

How is the core done? Marchand Bergeron Pasta, Coyle, Kuraly, McAvoy, Carlo, Rask is the core or new core

As long as you have this template, the team will still be a top 4 team from the east

Imo they want to see the river card - Senyshyn, Frederic, Vaaka, Stud

 

[BigGoalBrad]

What would a rebuild entail? Can’t see them moving Bergeron or Marchand. So they shop Krejci, let Krug walk, and don’t resign Chara? Is that really a rebuild?

Yeah.

Doesn't make sense to do anything other than let Krug and Chara leave and keep yourself in a good cap position. While still being the 3rd or 4th best team in the NHL.

We don't really have the assets to add that last piece either and it would change our cap flexibility.

People who want a rebuild play too many video games.

The intangibles for the team are pretty good too. They took 2 games to OT where they were trailing the hands down best team in the NHL late in the 3rd period. And won a game. With a really crappy goalie going up against a lights out one.

 

[BB88]

I hope this means they still have a shot but to increase the window/chances they need a new game breaker

 

[BigGoalBrad]

We have 25 playoff wins over the last 3 years.

 

[BruinDust]

We have 25 playoff wins over the last 3 years.

To put that into perspective....

Winnipeg/Atlanta (1999) - 12

Columbus (2000) - 15

Florida (1993) - 19

Minnesota (2000) - 27

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

I have a sneaking suspicion that we’re going to try to sign Borowiecki (sp?) who is a free agent this offseason.

 

[DKH]

Change?

well if Krug bolts and you move Grzelcyk up you get a different player BUT isn’t Grzelcyk a better defender and even better on retrievals? Certainly debatable

wouldn’t a Grzelcyk-Carlo all things be better defensively

I am probably in the minority but I think this a potential outstanding pairing

 

[DKH]

I have a sneaking suspicion that we’re going to try to sign Borowiecki (sp?) who is a free agent this offseason.

I can’t believe it makes no sense

 

[KrejciMVP]

Hopefully honesty equals a top 6 forward with size that score 25 plus goals and play on krejcis RW

 

[chrisab123]

Can't

Burns needs his revenue flow

Brutally honest probably means they don't resign Nordstrom and consider Brett Ritchie a possible loss.

This is where I'm at. Jeremy Jacobs is the real-life version of Mr. Burns. There is no freaking chance he's sacrificing his playoff gate especially after missing out on multiple games this year due to COVID. No shot.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Change?

well if Krug bolts and you move Grzelcyk up you get a different player BUT isn’t Grzelcyk better a better defender and even better on retrievals? Certainly debatable

wouldn’t a Grzelcyk-Carlo all things be better defensively

I am probably in the minority but I think this a potential outstanding pairing

I want to see it and I think we will next season and I'm betting that it's a very very good combo. Chemistry is a funny beast and perhaps they just won't gel, but otherwise I'm optimistic for it.

 

[member 96824]

How is the core done? Marchand Bergeron Pasta, Coyle, Kuraly, McAvoy, Carlo, Rask is the core or new core

If Kuraly is core, your core is done.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

"We have to be as brutally honest as possible"

Looking at the team this postseason will certainly make management think.

After being in isolation and lockdown for most of the year Don and Cam are looking a little pudgy.
Looking at the team playing in front of them is a piercing reminder that they need to get back in the gym.

It's time to be brutally honest here gentlemen, put down those donuts and Oilers cupcakes.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

I have a sneaking suspicion that we’re going to try to sign Borowiecki (sp?) who is a free agent this offseason.

I'd give this chance of happening about 10% for each tooth he has in his head...

 

[member 96824]

We have 25 playoff wins over the last 3 years.

That doesn’t mean anything going forward. They had 24 playoff wins the last 3 years in the summer of 2014, coming off a cup finals loss on home ice and a presidents trophy win where they lost in the 2nd round.

They missed the playoffs the next two seasons

 

[BMC]

"We have to be as brutally honest as possible"

Looking at the team this postseason will certainly make management think.

After being in isolation and lockdown for most of the year Don and Cam are looking a little pudgy.
Looking at the team playing in front of them is a piercing reminder that they need to get back in the gym.

It's time to be brutally honest here gentlemen, put down those donuts and Oilers cupcakes.

 

[Lord Ahriman]

I don't think it's a full rebuild, but it sounds like they are moving on from Chara and Krug, which is a big change already.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

The Bruins model is based around sustaining a long-term competitive team that will almost always be a playoff contender and ideally a participant. Of course the Jacobs' want another Cup, but their number 1 priority is and for a long time has been maintaining a team that will keep the fans coming through the gates and watching on TV, and retain the Bruins' place within the New England sporting/media landscape.

That's why they've never given this core as much support as they could have, because they refused to stake too much of the team's future on improving chances of short-term success. Sweeney and Neely have naturally had a remit to try and make the team better, and take calculated risks within set limits, but they've never been allowed to give up or risk too much, to in effect go 'all in' to land the big trophy.

As a strategy it makes economic sense and as a fan it's not entirely reprehensible either, as it is nice to support a team that is a perennial contender and which most of the time is good to watch. But it's also frustrating as you can see guys like Bergeron having their final years being wasted away when they deserved better support and reward for all their efforts and sacrifices, and you felt that another Cup was within reach (and just maybe still is) with a little more boldness in team building and management.

But it's also that strategy that makes me quite sure that there's no way that the team will go for a full rebuild based on a crash and burn, at least not yet. It would make a nonsense of their team management in the last 5 years and make the drawbacks of that strategy even more frustrating. I expect changes to address existing deficiencies, and I hope Sweeney is finally able and willing to be more ambitious this off-season, but I don't see them going for a significant modification of the team's core components. That will only happen if and when they feel they can do it without damaging the team's competitiveness for more than 12 months, or when things have become so bad that they may as well bite the bullet and go for a wholesale rebuild rather than linger in mediocrity.

 

[Gator Mike]

I wonder if "change" might involve moving Krejci, bumping Coyle up to 2C, and handing the 3C job to Studnicka.

I mean... I love DK46, but he's got a $7.25 million cap number, he's got one year left on his deal, and he only has a limited no trade clause in his contract.

Depending on what they got back in return, moving Krejci's money could open up a lot of possibilities. Taylor Hall, perhaps?

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

I wonder if "change" might involve moving Krejci, bumping Coyle up to 2C, and handing the 3C job to Studnicka.

I mean... I love DK46, but he's got a $7.25 million cap number, he's got one year left on his deal, and he only has a limited no trade clause in his contract.

Depending on what they got back in return, moving Krejci's money could open up a lot of possibilities. Taylor Hall, perhaps?

If they aren't 100% sure they are going to go all in to compete this season Krejci @50% retained would give us a really nice futures package.

 

[sarge88]

With the cap space they have and can easily increase, and the talent available via FA (possibly by trade as well) and the talent they have on the roster now, there is no reason to do anything other than load up for a cup run for the next 2-3 years.

 

[bp13]

Change?

well if Krug bolts and you move Grzelcyk up you get a different player BUT isn’t Grzelcyk a better defender and even better on retrievals? Certainly debatable

wouldn’t a Grzelcyk-Carlo all things be better defensively

I am probably in the minority but I think this a potential outstanding pairing

I agree completely. Gryz got muscled around vs. TB no doubt, but he's better on retrievals than Krug by a mile. Krug doesn't even try to win half the races he just concedes and then plays the guy. The difference is obviously that Krug WITH the puck is far superior to Gryz, not that Gryz is necessarily bad.

That's a solid 2nd pair. But who plays 1LD? And 3rd pair is what, XX-Clifton? If we assume one of those two LD is gonna be Lauzon or Vaak, this means they need to add a solid LD. IMO, that should be their primary offseason target. A LD with size who can play top 4. Our version of McDonagh.

 

[Gee Wally]

I’m not going to count my chickens just yet. If next year is in a bubble, which I believe it will, I’d be shocked they spend to CAP limit.

That in and of itself may cause a rebuild/reload. Or a factor along with aging core.