Boston Bruins Resetting Expectations & Defining Success

[Mr. Make-Believe]

At the beginning of the year I would have taken a playoff qualification.

But when the kids were playing, it was exciting. And my expectations changed. I wanted to tune in to see their development.

Now Poitras is hurt and Lohrei and Beecher are deemed too much of a risk (best I've got) to play. The current iteration of this roster is a dud. And feels like a let-down even though they're currently playing to my pre-season expectations.

I'd vote other:
Go in to the playoffs with Lohrei, Beecher, Lysell and some added nasty to the roster. Sink or swim. That would be a success to me.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

ECF.

No expectations we buy at the deadline though. Let some of these contracts expire and improve the team after the season.

Unless you have the balls to try and fleece another playoff team for Ullmark.

Kind of prefer the guys in Providence to external options or some of the current lineup.

Toronto-Florida is gonna be tough.

 

[Eddie Munson]

I selected other.

My goal for them is to be realistic. Making a half hearted effort to win a round and wasting assets on a flawed roster are my main concerns. Identify your strength, weaknesses, and needs going forward. Don't kick the can down the road. Create a real 2-5 year plan to start building a real contender again.

This can be done while still being competitive and putting asses in the seats.

 

[JAD]

For me I always viewed it as a successful 'season' was 'making the playoffs' and then winning the cup.
Make the playoffs and once in anything can happen.
A successful playoff is ' winning the cup.'

Of course the term 'successful' is subjective to 'expectations' which will vary from franchise to franchise, player to player, and fan to fan.

Last year the Bruins had a very 'successful' regular season yet I'm willing to bet every one here feels they fell short.

The regular season is a qualifying round to make the playoffs.
The playoffs are the real season.
Winning the cup is the ultimate guide for 'success.'

For a team currently like Columbus just making the playoffs would be viewed as a 'successful' season.
All subjective.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

This year was always a punt in my mind. No depth and no 1st.

All I wanted was to get some kids playing time.
Success
Poitras got it and showed he is an NHL player.
Lohrei got it and showed he is an NHL player.
Beecher got it and showed he is an NHL player.
Now we are giving Richard a chance.

From here lets make a decision on Jake and sign Swayman.

Any playoff success at all to me is icing on the cake. A nice-to-have not an expected or needed.

 

[Fenian24]

I will be kinder in this post. 1 (one) Stanley Cup in 52 years is not spoiled. The only goal should be winning the Cup, not being competitive, not making the playoffs, winning the Cup. Nothing else.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Anything other than a conference final would quite embarrassing for them

 

[Aussie Bruin]

I had low expectations at the start of the season, considered this very much a transition year, and nothing has changed that opinion. Like some others here I was primarily interested in seeing what we had in the kids, in new guys like Geekie, in whether DeBrusk was worth keeping long-term or flicking, in seeing how Zacha and Coyle fared as top 6 Cs. Would have liked to see the prospects more than we have, but we've at least seen solid samples from Poitras, Beecher and Lohrei, so that is something. And other than that it's been quite informative.

For the purposes of the poll, I selected 'win a playoff round', because I think it would do this group a lot of good to taste a little postseason success, especially as they haven't won even a single round since 2021. There's just enough talent on this roster, combined with the excellent goaltending, that I do think that on their best day they can beat just about anybody, and who knows, maybe even take things deep. But I think the odds on that are very small, and I don't expect too much.

Roll the dice and see, and then we're in for a very important offseason that's going to have a big impact on whether this team will be contenders or pretenders over the next couple of years.

 

[sarge88]

Other:

Win or lose make me feel as if they gave their absolute best and played Bruins hockey.

The playoffs are a crapshoot.
Hot goalie, cold goalie, injuries, bad calls can all be the difference between winning and losing a series.

Control what you can: play hard, intense, and physical hockey and I won’t complain about the outcome.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

I can handle another loss.
It happens.

What I can't handle is yet aother loss while getting roughed up and run throughout the series while not hitting back at an equal level of ferocity.

 

[Ozzy Osbourne]

This team is not as good as their early-season. They are also not as bad as they have been recently.
I selected winning the cup because it’s always a huge disappointment when the season ends. It’s even more disappointing when they consistently get man-handled the way they have under current management.

 

[rfournier103]

It’s been a very long time since I’ve really had “expectations” for the Bruins. I suppose that after last year’s trade deadline I was expecting a deep playoff run.

When it comes to the Bruins, these days I just want to be entertained and watch a competitive game. As far as playoff expectations are concerned, I have none until the Bruins sign or develop a true Number One Center.

 

[smithformeragent]

Post trade deadline bump.

Have your expectations changed?

 

[rfournier103]

Post trade deadline bump.

Have your expectations changed?

No. Unless the Bruins are playing the Maple Leafs, I expect another first round exit. This is a “transition” year, and I expect the real improvements to be made in the offseason.

 

[Dr Hook]

No, success to me still means winning at least a round. I think we undersold the team in the off-season (I know I did) but clearly they are better than a bubble team. That being the case, they added a couple players that should help a little with depth and sturdiness for the playoffs, so at least getting to the second round should be achievable.

 

[ODAAT]

No, success to me still means winning at least a round. I think we undersold the team in the off-season (I know I did) but clearly they are better than a bubble team. That being the case, they added a couple players that should help a little with depth and sturdiness for the playoffs, so at least getting to the second round should be achievable.

well said, I envisioned a team fighting tooth and nail for a wild card spot and that would be only with staying healthy. They have exceeded my expectations in spite of many disappointing efforts on the ice. I`ll get hammered for this here but if I were a neutral fan who bet, I put money only on this team to get out of round 1.

That said, I`ve seen teams who were far more mediocre go deeper but I`m not expecting that, anything can happen come playoffs, few bounces, catch a team where injuries have banged them up etc..