Management Ownership: Jeremy Jacobs & Family

[McGarnagle]

Anyway, the whole "They were one or two players away" narrative during the Middleton and Neely years is essentially moot. Lots of teams can say that - the Flyers, Jets, and Blackhawks of the late 80s/early 90s could also claim they were one or two players away.

Here's the thing, where were they supposed to get those players anyway? Unrestricted free agency didn't exist until the 1992 strike's CBA, and it didn't really pick up in the form we now know it until like 96 or 97 at best. Sometimes stars hit the trade block but you have to give to get. And Harry did go and acquire Adam Oates after he walked out on the Blues over money and signed him to a big contract. You can't blame cheapness for them being one or two players away in the 80s/early 90s. You can blame Harry for making bad trades, maybe if they didn't deal Tom Fergus for Derlago and if he didn't throw Geoff Courtnall into the Moog/Ranford trade then maybe they have the players to go over the hump in 88, etc. But he also made some really good trades, no GM's success rate on trades is 100%.

I just think it's way too simple to say they didn't win because they didn't go out and spend on high priced players. Where were they supposed to get them without giving up their entire depth or jettisoning the future?

 

[GordonHowe]

Anyway, the whole "They were one or two players away" narrative during the Middleton and Neely years is essentially moot. Lots of teams can say that - the Flyers, Jets, and Blackhawks of the late 80s/early 90s could also claim they were one or two players away.

Here's the thing, where were they supposed to get those players anyway? Unrestricted free agency didn't exist until the 1992 strike's CBA, and it didn't really pick up in the form we now know it until like 96 or 97 at best. Sometimes stars hit the trade block but you have to give to get. And Harry did go and acquire Adam Oates after he walked out on the Blues over money and signed him to a big contract. You can't blame cheapness for them being one or two players away in the 80s/early 90s. You can blame Harry for making bad trades, maybe if they didn't deal Tom Fergus for Derlago and if he didn't throw Geoff Courtnall into the Moog/Ranford trade then maybe they have the players to go over the hump in 88, etc. But he also made some really good trades, no GM's success rate on trades is 100%.

I just think it's way too simple to say they didn't win because they didn't go out and spend on high priced players. Where were they supposed to get them without giving up their entire depth or jettisoning the future?

Is it way too simple to say that the Canadians did, somehow? That the Islanders did, somehow? That the Oilers did, somehow?

Please.

 

[GordonHowe]

Anyway, the whole "They were one or two players away" narrative during the Middleton and Neely years is essentially moot. Lots of teams can say that - the Flyers, Jets, and Blackhawks of the late 80s/early 90s could also claim they were one or two players away.

Here's the thing, where were they supposed to get those players anyway? Unrestricted free agency didn't exist until the 1992 strike's CBA, and it didn't really pick up in the form we now know it until like 96 or 97 at best. Sometimes stars hit the trade block but you have to give to get. And Harry did go and acquire Adam Oates after he walked out on the Blues over money and signed him to a big contract. You can't blame cheapness for them being one or two players away in the 80s/early 90s. You can blame Harry for making bad trades, maybe if they didn't deal Tom Fergus for Derlago and if he didn't throw Geoff Courtnall into the Moog/Ranford trade then maybe they have the players to go over the hump in 88, etc. But he also made some really good trades, no GM's success rate on trades is 100%.

I just think it's way too simple to say they didn't win because they didn't go out and spend on high priced players. Where were they supposed to get them without giving up their entire depth or jettisoning the future?

No one said high priced players. Competent deals would have sufficed.

 

[quietbruinfan]

Anyway, the whole "They were one or two players away" narrative during the Middleton and Neely years is essentially moot. Lots of teams can say that - the Flyers, Jets, and Blackhawks of the late 80s/early 90s could also claim they were one or two players away.

Here's the thing, where were they supposed to get those players anyway? Unrestricted free agency didn't exist until the 1992 strike's CBA, and it didn't really pick up in the form we now know it until like 96 or 97 at best. Sometimes stars hit the trade block but you have to give to get. And Harry did go and acquire Adam Oates after he walked out on the Blues over money and signed him to a big contract. You can't blame cheapness for them being one or two players away in the 80s/early 90s. You can blame Harry for making bad trades, maybe if they didn't deal Tom Fergus for Derlago and if he didn't throw Geoff Courtnall into the Moog/Ranford trade then maybe they have the players to go over the hump in 88, etc. But he also made some really good trades, no GM's success rate on trades is 100%.

I just think it's way too simple to say they didn't win because they didn't go out and spend on high priced players. Where were they supposed to get them without giving up their entire depth or jettisoning the future?

You are wrong in a few ways: One, trades were easier in an uncapped league. Two Sinden didn't just make no trades, he made the wrong ones when he did, and not the ones you cited. Would you rather have late prime Langway or Propp and Poulin for example? Remember they had to deal with the offensive juggernaut Pens.
Courtnall was a handful both on and off the ice and was one shift away from being waived. We were lucky we were able to put him in a trade at all. Edm dumped him immediately, and though he started to score in WSH, he was allegedly involved in some nasty off ice business.
I was a big Fergus fan, and it was a bad trade, but not a difference maker.

To top it off, according to Garry Galley, Sinden would routinely lie to them, telling them they would get Langway or player x to squeeze out a few wins from the current team.

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

There is truth in this, because, among other things, many latter day fans weren't around when it was exceedingly difficult to be a Bruins fan. Were B's fans spoiled in the 80s? The 90s? The early aughts?

I don't think so.

Back then -- and I'm not kidding when speaking of the 1990s through 2006 -- meeting (and comiserating with) other Bruins fans around town was like knowing a secret hand shake. Not many Boston sports fans were part of that club, or wanted to be.

Well that's obviously true, and pretty much holds for every sports franchise. Ups and downs. Hard to stay at the top. For local Boston fans remember the Patriots used to suck bad before that Tom fella came along.

Bruins have had two really good eras in my lifetime and several respectable but not spectacular years as well. The one I started out with in the 1970s and the current one which is coming to an end for sure. How far they fall and how quickly they rebuild remains to be seen.

Still, everything's relative. Florida teams used to be a joke. Montreal used to be top of the league not bottom. Philadelphia used to have a hockey team. It all ebbs and flows and comparatively the Bruins have done better than most.

 

[GordonHowe]

Well that's obviously true, and pretty much holds for every sports franchise. Ups and downs. Hard to stay at the top. For local Boston fans remember the Patriots used to suck bad before that Tom fella came along.

Bruins have had two really good eras in my lifetime and several respectable but not spectacular years as well. The one I started out with in the 1970s and the current one which is coming to an end for sure. How far they fall and how quickly they rebuild remains to be seen.

Still, everything's relative. Florida teams used to be a joke. Montreal used to be top of the league not bottom. Philadelphia used to have a hockey team. It all ebbs and flows and comparatively the Bruins have done better than most.

For all of my criticism, I have to agree.

 

[Stephen]

Will McDonough smelled a rat

View attachment 573030

That's some really interesting history of hockey reading, thanks for sharing. I could totally see the Jeremy Jacobs-Bill Wirtz-Bobby Orr-Alan Eagleson maneuvering making some fantastic 70s corruption piece a la David Simon/The Wire. Business sure was done differently back in the day.

 

[DKH]

Top 5 in league
A- grade

This and
2019 7th game
2020 President trophy
2021 final 8
2022 107 points

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

View attachment 574614

Top 5 in league
A- grade

This and
2019 7th game
2020 President trophy
2021 final 8
2022 107 points

What? No banners for these?

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

You are wrong in a few ways: One, trades were easier in an uncapped league. Two Sinden didn't just make no trades, he made the wrong ones when he did, and not the ones you cited.

Would you rather have late prime Langway or Propp and Poulin for example? Remember they had to deal with the offensive juggernaut Pens.
Courtnall was a handful both on and off the ice and was one shift away from being waived. We were lucky we were able to put him in a trade at all. Edm dumped him immediately, and though he started to score in WSH, he was allegedly involved in some nasty off ice business.
I was a big Fergus fan, and it was a bad trade, but not a difference maker.

To top it off, according to Garry Galley, Sinden would routinely lie to them, telling them they would get Langway or player x to squeeze out a few wins from the current team.

A few good trades

Hodge for Middleton

Dwight Foster and 10th round pick for exchange of 1st round picks (Bruins get Gord Kluzak)

Ron Grahame for 1st round pick (Ray Bourque)

Barry Pederson for Cam Neely and 1st round pick (Glen Wesley)

Ken Linseman for Mike Krushelnyski

Janney for Oates

Where does Langway come into the picture?

 

[quietbruinfan]

A few good trades

Hodge for Middleton

Dwight Foster and 10th round pick for exchange of 1st round picks (Bruins get Gord Kluzak)

Ron Grahame for 1st round pick (Ray Bourque)

Barry Pederson for Cam Neely and 1st round pick (Glen Wesley)

Ken Linseman for Mike Krushelnyski

Janney for Oates

Where does Langway come into the picture?

I am well aware of Sinden's good trades you do not have to defend on that score, as you constantly defend the utterly incompetent Sweeney. According to Galley, Langway was half promised to the team by Sinden at one point. I do remember a point where Langway was available. ...It coincided. He was a NH boy after and was an assistant with the Providence Bruins later.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I am well aware of Sinden's good trades you do not have to defend on that score, as you constantly defend the utterly incompetent Sweeney. According to Galley, Langway was half promised to the team by Sinden at one point. I do remember a point where Langway was available. ...It coincided. He was a NH boy after and was an assistant with the Providence Bruins later.

Just trying to bring some reality to the conversations.

 

[quietbruinfan]

Just trying to bring some reality to the conversation

I was talking about lies and poor deadline work. Context must not be big with you, bringer of "reallity"

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Why are you attributing that post to me?

Try to get it together, eh?

 

[quietbruinfan]

Why are you attributing that post to me?

Try to get it together, eh?

i got it together enough not to listen or respond to several people.