Management Revisiting Julien/Sweeney

[Spooner st]

Let's take a look at the end of coach Claude Julien as the Bruins coach.
Imo he should of been fired 2 years prior than he was.
Sweeney played it safe by keeping Julien while he put his plan in place.
Transitioning from a slow and aging successful team to more faster and up tempo team .
While transitioning was underway the Bruins came up short for the playoffs.
Missing the playoffs was more on Sweeney than Julien .
Actually if it wasn't for Julien the Bruins wouldn't be missing the playoffs by a point 2 years in a row. Julien has the ability to take a bad team and make it look like their better than they really are. That's the real reason why Sweeney kept Julien for 2 extra years.

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[LSCII]

I think Sweeney was smart enough to realize what that team was that he inherited and that it would take some time to fix. I think he also thought that it would be a lot easier on Cam and himself to have a built in fall guy like Claude should the team struggle even more than expected. If they had hired a new coach and then started the transition, and the team struggled, people would be calling for his or Neely's head. Instead of that he had Claude to bear the brunt of the fan's ire when they crapped the bed 2 seasons in a row and failed to make the playoffs.

Smart move on him, even if it was a crappy thing to do to Claude. I personally wished they had moved on from Claude at the same time Chiarelli got canned, but I get why it didn't happen.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Claude did very well with a roster no where near the Bruins calibre last year putting up 249 goals compared to the Bruins 259. It's hard to tell if Cassidy can coach a roster to that production bc he inherited so many good players. Claude brought out career years in many players who weren't expected to produce the way they did. Domi's jump in production was evidence of good coaching

 

[Chief Nine]

Let's take a look at the end of coach Claude Julien as the Bruins coach.
Imo he should of been fired 2 years prior than he was.
Sweeney played it safe by keeping Julien while he put his plan in place.
Transitioning from a slow and aging successful team to more faster and up tempo team .
While transitioning was underway the Bruins came up short for the playoffs.
Missing the playoffs was more on Sweeney than Julien .
Actually if it wasn't for Julien the Bruins wouldn't be missing the playoffs by a point 2 years in a row. Julien has the ability to take a bad team and make it look like their better than they really are. That's the real reason why Sweeney kept Julien for 2 extra years.

I think it's safe to say that if they don't get past Montreal and win the Cup Julien would have been gone. That said, he was given a lot of latitude because they did win it all and that bought those extra 2 years

 

[McGarnagle]

It's obvious that things had gotten stale with the system and the roster as constructed by like 2015-2016, and if the Bruins pulled the trigger on replacing Clode with Bruce about 3 weeks earlier, I believe the difference would've given us home ice vs. Ottawa and we win that series and make the run to the ECF that they did.

But you know what? I don't blame the Bruins for waiting. If anyone deserved the rope to turn it around, it's Claude Julien, the best coach in the modern history of the Boston Bruins franchise. The only thing I blame them for is the cowardice of firing him quietly during the Patriots parade.

 

[BruinsBtn]

I don't mind how Sweeney did it. I just wish it was a month earlier because the Bruins would have made the playoffs that year.

 

[Spanky185]

Claude was well past his sell by date, and really should have been canned with Chia. I guess having him there as DS transitioned the personnel to play a different style was a smart move

I must say it is vindicating though, after two years of hearing "but who will do better than Claude?" To see them not just do better but absolutely excel under Cassidy

 

[LouJersey]

In 2015 you had the Hamilton and Lucic deals that cost them the play-offs that season. Which is ok, but hard to part that on Claude.

 

[Spooner st]

Claude was well past his sell by date, and really should have been canned with Chia. I guess having him there as DS transitioned the personnel to play a different style was a smart move

I must say it is vindicating though, after two years of hearing "but who will do better than Claude?" To see them not just do better but absolutely excel under Cassidy

They excel as a different team with different players playing a different game. Not the same style at all.

 

[smithformeragent]

The whole situation was awkward.

Letting Chiarelli go, but retaining Clode. Letting him dangle for a while before committing to keeping him,

It always felt like his days were numbered.

Now the Sox are in a position where they have a second year manager who has won a title, but are bringing in a new GM.

Bottom line, the GM should be able to bring in his guy.

 

[KnightofBoston]

Claude did very well with a roster no where near the Bruins calibre last year putting up 249 goals compared to the Bruins 259. It's hard to tell if Cassidy can coach a roster to that production bc he inherited so many good players. Claude brought out career years in many players who weren't expected to produce the way they did. Domi's jump in production was evidence of good coaching

Rarely do I think of Claude Julien and “career years” being put in the same sentence

Many had offensively low years under Julien, I appreciate and will never forget Julien for what he did here, but it was time and a huge part of it was that he wasn’t getting enough out of the players.

 

[KnightofBoston]

In 2015 you had the Hamilton and Lucic deals that cost them the play-offs that season. Which is ok, but hard to part that on Claude.

Eh, I found they missed that year due to team culture and execution

I don’t think pillow soft Dougie wuggie would have helped that nor cement foot past his prime Lucic. I can picture those guys still in there and still missing by a point. Team needed an overhaul and they got one

Win game 7 and we’re talking about one of the best turn arounds in Boston sports history


Goddamnit I just reminded myself again.

 

[LouJersey]

Eh, I found they missed that year due to team culture and execution

I don’t think pillow soft Dougie wuggie would have helped that nor cement foot past his prime Lucic. I can picture those guys still in there and still missing by a point. Team needed an overhaul and they got one

Win game 7 and we’re talking about one of the best turn arounds in Boston sports history


Goddamnit I just reminded myself again.

I agree they needed an overhaul but they got zero NHL back for those two and replaced them with Beleskey and Trotman,. Looch and Hamilton both had pretty good years and we only missed by one point...certainly we make it if they stay, but that indeed is short term thinking...point being hard to put that miss on CLaude. That 2014 team was a major disappointment

 

[Spanky185]

They excel as a different team with different players playing a different game. Not the same style at all.

That's true, there was just so much "omg we'll be worse if we change" posts, and well the Bruins changed in multiple aspects and are much better for it

 

[KrejciMVP]

Rarely do I think of Claude Julien and “career years” being put in the same sentence

Many had offensively low years under Julien, I appreciate and will never forget Julien for what he did here, but it was time and a huge part of it was that he wasn’t getting enough out of the players.

Probably 2008-2009. Krejci has 70 points in his 2nd year. Kessel broke out ..huge year for Savard. The loss of Kessel really set Claude back. They went from the best offense in 1 year to the worst

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Its unhealthy to coach for that long in this market and we had to go away from the players CJ prefers. But if we gave him McAvoy and Carlo a year sooner and a prime Kelly/Paille type or two he could have won. We probably should have made the move 20 months sooner after Rask sat out the finale.

I like Bruce but I don't think hes done an amazing job that other coaches couldn't have done granted getting outcoached by Berube in the finals has taken him down a few pegs in my book. Again I like him but I don't think its great that we just cemented him in his job for the next 5 years or rather the rest of our cores careers. Guys like Bergeron and Marchand will be very old if/when they play for another coach.

 

[crimsonace]

It's obvious that things had gotten stale with the system and the roster as constructed by like 2015-2016, and if the Bruins pulled the trigger on replacing Clode with Bruce about 3 weeks earlier, I believe the difference would've given us home ice vs. Ottawa and we win that series and make the run to the ECF that they did.

I’m not sure home ice mattered that much. The B’s were 0-3 at the Garden in that series and won twice in Ottawa. That entire series was bizarre, with every conceivable break going Ottawa’s way.

I’ve seen Bruce coach a completely undermanned team and win with it. I’m glad he got a second chance after the Washington stint. He seems to be the perfect coach for these players.

Had the B’s lost that Montreal series in 2011 or the Toronto series in 2013, there might have been a housecleaning (especially in 2013). Claude gave us the greatest moment of Bruins fandom in my lifetime. I’ll forever be grateful. But I’m thrilled that Bruce is having so much success.

 

[UncleRico]

While BC style is much different from Claude’s. It is undeniable the level of talent BC has during his tenure compared to the talent Claude has at the end of his. Claude has to deal with all the trades and the young guys weren’t ready yet. BC came in right at the point where they started to blossom.

Love what BC has done but Claude was the manager for a cup win and his system worked as well. I’ll never shade Claude.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

I agree they waited too long to let him go. It was past the expiry date and things got better

 

[Spooner st]

I agree they waited too long to let him go. It was past the expiry date and things got better

I understand why Sweeney kept Julien, who's better to take a team like the Bruins in those 2 last seasons in transition from aging slow team to younger speedy up tempo.

They should of never been in the race for the playoffs in the first place.

Of course when Cassidy took over a fire was lit under the players arse.

Imo Julien should of been fired with Chia.
But I do understand the reasons why he wasn't.
It was a great move from Sweeney, except for the way the firing was handled.
Criticizing Julien for the last 2 years is shortsighted.

 

[Spooner st]

While BC style is much different from Claude’s. It is undeniable the level of talent BC has during his tenure compared to the talent Claude has at the end of his. Claude has to deal with all the trades and the young guys weren’t ready yet. BC came in right at the point where they started to blossom.

Love what BC has done but Claude was the manager for a cup win and his system worked as well. I’ll never shade Claude.

If we could go back in history and have Cassidy instead of Julien, I don't think Cassidy would do a better job than Julien.

If Julien/Chia would be fired at same time, and Cassidy would be hired 2 years prior. I personally don't think Cassidy would fare that well with the horses in place. No way they could play an up tempo pace. It could work for the first part of the season,
But that couldn't be sustainable.

 

[Spooner st]

I think that 2/3 of the season under Julien, did wonders for Cassidy.

 

[JCRO]

At the time Chiarelli got canned- I was on board with keeping Julien. I didn't think he deserved to get canned at that point.

When Julien finally did get fired in Feb of 2017- I thought they waited a little too long into that season to do so. But I think everything has played out rather well and thus give Sweeney credit for that. It was time for a change even though Julien fared quite well IMO with what he was given.

Outside looking in, IMO, there seemed to be some players that weren't buying into Julien's game anymore and not performing to their expected level. Cassidy was a fresh voice. This seems to happen a lot in the NHL.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Let's take a look at the end of coach Claude Julien as the Bruins coach.
Imo he should of been fired 2 years prior than he was.
Sweeney played it safe by keeping Julien while he put his plan in place.
Transitioning from a slow and aging successful team to more faster and up tempo team .
While transitioning was underway the Bruins came up short for the playoffs.
Missing the playoffs was more on Sweeney than Julien .
Actually if it wasn't for Julien the Bruins wouldn't be missing the playoffs by a point 2 years in a row. Julien has the ability to take a bad team and make it look like their better than they really are. That's the real reason why Sweeney kept Julien for 2 extra years.

Losing #55 then dealing with knee injuries to
#44/#33 doomed them. Chara was never the same
after that PCL tear and Seidenberg wasn't either.

 

[Spooner st]

Outside looking in, IMO, there seemed to be some players that weren't buying into Julien's game anymore and not performing to their expected level. Cassidy was a fresh voice. This seems to happen a lot in the NHL.

Confidence is a very fragile thing. When players don't see new talent/players coming in to help carry the load... they know management doesn't believe in the team. Specially if they unload team mates for prospects and draft choices.