The Athletic - Boston One of hockey's biggest What Ifs involves the Bruins

[Fenway]

I read this tonight and it made me pause. It is hard to make a rebuttal.

Cherry is back as coach which means no Fred Creighton who Sinden fired with 7 games left in the season and took over as coach. Sinden was exposed as being rusty when they lost to the Islanders in 5 BUT keep in mind the B's lost the first 2 at home in OT. Maybe Cherry would have made a difference.



1. Boston beats Montreal in the 1979 semifinals: Let’s think this one all the way through.

If the Bruins don’t take that infamous too-many-men and they hold on to beat the Habs at the Forum, they 100 percent roll over the Rangers in the final to win the Cup. That means Don Cherry doesn’t get fired, which means he doesn’t have his failed season in Colorado that torpedoes his coaching career. That means he doesn’t take a job at “Hockey Night in Canada,” which means we never get Coach’s Corner, and an entire generation of fans grows up thinking about the game differently.

Love Cherry or hate him, his TV career was one of the three or four most influential developments ever in terms of how Canadian hockey fans perceived the sport. Take that away, and everything changes. We’re just not sure how.



Dumbest Lightning lessons, blockbuster trades and giving Gary Bettman a truth serum: DGB offseason mailbag

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[DKH]

I read this tonight and it made me pause. It is hard to make a rebuttal.

Cherry is back as coach which means no Fred Creighton who Sinden fired with 7 games left in the season and took over as coach. Sinden was exposed as being rusty when they lost to the Islanders in 5 BUT keep in mind the B's lost the first 2 at home in OT. Maybe Cherry would have made a difference.



1. Boston beats Montreal in the 1979 semifinals: Let’s think this one all the way through.

If the Bruins don’t take that infamous too-many-men and they hold on to beat the Habs at the Forum, they 100 percent roll over the Rangers in the final to win the Cup. That means Don Cherry doesn’t get fired, which means he doesn’t have his failed season in Colorado that torpedoes his coaching career. That means he doesn’t take a job at “Hockey Night in Canada,” which means we never get Coach’s Corner, and an entire generation of fans grows up thinking about the game differently.

Love Cherry or hate him, his TV career was one of the three or four most influential developments ever in terms of how Canadian hockey fans perceived the sport. Take that away, and everything changes. We’re just not sure how.



Dumbest Lightning lessons, blockbuster trades and giving Gary Bettman a truth serum: DGB offseason mailbag

The Lightning lesson will be third line composition which is 180 from Boston

my take Is Pageau is the gold standard for third line center

Gourde & Coleman a dynamic duo

these two different ways I would build

The third is puck possession

Coyle & Mojo were phenomenal

DeBrusk gets rid of it when feels pressure and Ritchie is horrible at puck possession for a big body

If Johanson is healthy I’d bring him back amazingly only 30

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Sinden loved to fire coaches Cherry is probably out sooner rather than later. Claude and Bruce are both good coaches but neither last nearly as long if Sinden is running things. Moving on from coaches sooner rather than later was the one thing he was correct about. The Bruins have been good enough to win the Cup every year since 2009 we could have won it all either of the 2 DNQ years under Claude and Cassidy's shameful cowardly performance vs NYI might be the worst coaching series I can remember I honestly think hes the reason we couldn't squeeze past them especially with Perfection line producing.

Interesting thing would be if Sinden were the one fired and we got someone who didn't hate the players as GM in the 80s (and 90s.) Every year we just needed 1 more guy. The Bruins probably had the best team in the NHL when Bourque showed up and it wasn't just him who was really good right away Kasper+Pederson were stars when they were 19/20 I think Kasper actually won the Selke as a rookie.

 

[Fenway]

Sinden loved to fire coaches Cherry is probably out sooner rather than later. Claude and Bruce are both good coaches but neither last nearly as long if Sinden is running things.

Interesting thing would be if Sinden were the one fired and we got someone who didn't hate the players as GM in the 80s (and 90s.) Every year we just needed 1 more guy. The Bruins probably had the best team in the NHL when Bourque showed up and it wasn't just him who was really good right away Kasper+Pederson were stars when they were 19/20 I think Kasper actually won the Selke as a rookie.

The odd thing is Cherry was not fired after the 1975 fiasco - Harry decided Esposito was the problem and he might have been right.

 

[DKH]

The odd thing is Cherry was not fired after the 1975 fiasco - Harry decided Esposito was the problem and he might have been right.

Harry was very close to trading Bourque & Juneau for Lindros & Foote when Lindros was drafted and wouldn’t go to Nordiques

lindros & a healthy Neely would hsve been epic

 

[bbfan419]

Harry was very close to trading Bourque & Juneau for Lindros & Foote when Lindros was drafted and wouldn’t go to Nordiques

lindros & a healthy Neely would hsve been epic

Lindros and Neely, wow would not have wanted to be the D facing that forecheck.

 

[RoccoF14]

.......Interesting thing would be if Sinden were the one fired and we got someone who didn't hate the players as GM in the 80s (and 90s.) Every year we just needed 1 more guy. The Bruins probably had the best team in the NHL when Bourque showed up and it wasn't just him who was really good right away Kasper+Pederson were stars when they were 19/20 I think Kasper actually won the Selke as a rookie.

You’re overrating those 80s Bruins teams......by a lot.

We didn’t have the best team in the NHL when Bourque showed up, and we were way more than being “1 more guy” away from a cup. Don’t get me wrong, those teams were good, they just weren’t close to being in the same class as those Islander and Oiler teams.....

 

[Banded Peak]

The Bruins have been good enough to win the Cup every year since 2009 we could have won it all either of the 2 DNQ years under Claude

I'm sorry... What?

 

[Fenway]

The Cups that got away

1971
1974
1979
1990
1991
2010
2012
2013
2014
2019

 

[KnightofBoston]

Bruins win a cup and potentially more from 79 through the 80’s and we don’t have to listen cabbage head rant and rave? Sounds like a win win to me, textbook even

 

[pgm16]

The Cups that got away

1971
1974
1979
1990
1991
2010
2012
2013
2014
2019

71, 74, 79 & 2019 sting the most

 

[smithformeragent]

The Cups that got away

1971
1974
1979
1990
1991
2010
2012
2013
2014
2019

As Felger often says: “chokey” franchise.

That’s why it’s hard for me to get overly invested in this off season. They’re at a bit of a crossroads, but the Cup feels very, very far away

 

[Mathews28]

The Cups that got away

1971
1974
1979
1990
1991
2010
2012
2013
2014
2019

1990 is hard for me to think of as having the cup get away. Lost 4-1 in finals to the Oilers. Oilers were winning that year regardless of opponent.

I think I would throw 1978 into the mix too. Heartbreaking playoff loss.

 

[Fenway]

1990 is hard for me to think of as having the cup get away. Lost 4-1 in finals to the Oilers. Oilers were winning that year regardless of opponent.

I think I would throw 1978 into the mix too. Heartbreaking playoff loss.

If they had won Game 1 in 1990 they would have won it.

78 they were closer than 77 but still, the Habs outplayed them in Game 6.

 

[Mathews28]

If they had won Game 1 in 1990 they would have won it.

78 they were closer than 77 but still, the Habs outplayed them in Game 6.

you mean if Wesley hits the gaping net they go on to a Cup win?

While a pivotal moment, and while I blamed Wesley for a short time, still felt like the oilers would have come back from a 1-0 deficit in the series. Who knows for sure.

 

[Fenway]

you mean if Wesley hits the gaping net they go on to a Cup win?

While a pivotal moment, and while I blamed Wesley for a short time, still felt like the oilers would have come back from a 1-0 deficit in the series. Who knows for sure.

The Bruins came back flat in Game 2 and looked beaten.

I remember later that night Don Cherry was in Charlie's Kitchen Harvard Sq as CBC was staying at the Charles Hotel and he kept yelling THEY'RE DEAD - THEY'RE DEAD.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

The Bruins came back flat in Game 2 and looked beaten.

I remember later that night Don Cherry was in Charlie's Kitchen Harvard Sq as CBC was staying at the Charles Hotel and he kept yelling THEY'RE DEAD - THEY'RE DEAD.

They were dead when Dave Poulin got hurt in Game 2.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Harry was very close to trading Bourque & Juneau for Lindros & Foote when Lindros was drafted and wouldn’t go to Nordiques

lindros & a healthy Neely would hsve been epic

I could see that.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Sinden loved to fire coaches Cherry is probably out sooner rather than later. Claude and Bruce are both good coaches but neither last nearly as long if Sinden is running things. Moving on from coaches sooner rather than later was the one thing he was correct about. The Bruins have been good enough to win the Cup every year since 2009 we could have won it all either of the 2 DNQ years under Claude and Cassidy's shameful cowardly performance vs NYI might be the worst coaching series I can remember I honestly think hes the reason we couldn't squeeze past them especially with Perfection line producing.

Interesting thing would be if Sinden were the one fired and we got someone who didn't hate the players as GM in the 80s (and 90s.) Every year we just needed 1 more guy. The Bruins probably had the best team in the NHL when Bourque showed up and it wasn't just him who was really good right away Kasper+Pederson were stars when they were 19/20 I think Kasper actually won the Selke as a rookie.

If there were no Sinden, there would be no Bourque.

 

[smithformeragent]

This thread is like reminiscing about one’s dysfunctional family history haha.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I read this tonight and it made me pause. It is hard to make a rebuttal.
Cherry is back as coach which means no Fred Creighton who Sinden fired with 7 games left in the season and took over as coach. Sinden was exposed as being rusty when they lost to the Islanders in 5 BUT keep in mind the B's lost the first 2 at home in OT. Maybe Cherry would have made a difference.
1. Boston beats Montreal in the 1979 semifinals: Let’s think this one all the way through.
If the Bruins don’t take that infamous too-many-men and they hold on to beat the Habs at the Forum, they 100 percent roll over the Rangers in the final to win the Cup. That means Don Cherry doesn’t get fired, which means he doesn’t have his failed season in Colorado that torpedoes his coaching career. That means he doesn’t take a job at “Hockey Night in Canada,” which means we never get Coach’s Corner, and an entire generation of fans grows up thinking about the game differently.

Love Cherry or hate him, his TV career was one of the three or four most influential developments ever in terms of how Canadian hockey fans perceived the sport. Take that away, and everything changes. We’re just not sure how.



Dumbest Lightning lessons, blockbuster trades and giving Gary Bettman a truth serum: DGB offseason mailbag

Do I trade a Bruins Cup for no Coach's Corner?

I'm really torn on that one.

Anyway, you cannot say the Bruins 100% roll over the Rangers. Rangers beat Montreal in Game 1 in Montreal. Being the dynasty Canadiens, no problem. Win the next four. If the Rangers win Game 1 in Boston, not quite the same scenario.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Sinden loved to fire coaches Cherry is probably out sooner rather than later. Claude and Bruce are both good coaches but neither last nearly as long if Sinden is running things. Moving on from coaches sooner rather than later was the one thing he was correct about. The Bruins have been good enough to win the Cup every year since 2009 we could have won it all either of the 2 DNQ years under Claude and Cassidy's shameful cowardly performance vs NYI might be the worst coaching series I can remember I honestly think hes the reason we couldn't squeeze past them especially with Perfection line producing.

Interesting thing would be if Sinden were the one fired and we got someone who didn't hate the players as GM in the 80s (and 90s.) Every year we just needed 1 more guy. The Bruins probably had the best team in the NHL when Bourque showed up and it wasn't just him who was really good right away Kasper+Pederson were stars when they were 19/20 I think Kasper actually won the Selke as a rookie.

Cherry was to popular with the players and fans and Sinden hated that ,he would have gotten rid of him one way or another.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Bruins win a cup and potentially more from 79 through the 80’s and we don’t have to listen cabbage head rant and rave? Sounds like a win win to me, textbook even

You could always have changed the channel.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Cherry was to popular with the players and fans and Sinden hated that ,he would have gotten rid of him one way or another.

Two too big egos.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Two too big egos.

Cherry also called him cheap ,don’t think Harry ever forgave that ,it was over the pucks .Lol