Some Bruins Info From Elliotte Friedman

[LouJersey]

LA won two Cups what was their point totals? One year I think they got in with low 90's.

Tampa had the 28th best record in 2013 and got a homerun with a Undrafted Johnson and 7th round pick Palat. Had they been so smart they would have drafted them in the first three rounds.

Problem is this team in nowhere near a 12 or 14 LA.... nowhere.

Tampa is great at drafting it would seem, unlike us. They were too busy drafting the three Russians in that draft the first three rounds..And we gave Alex Killorn lottery ticets away to draft Tommy Cross in 2007.. Plus, they don't deal their 2nd overall picks..

 

[JOKER 192]

So ,

Krejci missed 35 games and played half of the 47 he did play when he shouldn't have

Chara missed 19 games and played most of the games he played at way less than 100%

Hamilton missed 10 games at the most important stretch of the season

McQuaid missed 19 games at the same time that Chara and Krug were out. Leaving us with Bart,Trotman and Morrow to fill in.

Most of these injuries overlapped, it's one thing when you have a player out it's another when your 1st D and 1st C are out at the same time among others. The amount of man games is irrelevant, it's who those men are and how many at a time. While 20 percent was tanking the other 80% were more competitive than ever.

All Sweeny was trying to say was we missed the P.O.'s by one point not twenty, no need to blow it all up. What I' saying is you take anyone of those injuries out or even not have them all at the same time and we make the P,O.s. It's not a loser mentality it is fact.

 

[Kaoz]

LA won two Cups what was their point totals? One year I think they got in with low 90's.

Tampa had the 28th best record in 2013 and got a homerun with a Undrafted Johnson and 7th round pick Palat. Had they been so smart they would have drafted them in the first three rounds.

This was always going to be the danger. "LA won it all when they were the 8th seed so why can't we".

Long answer:
Since the NHL expanded from 6 to 12 teams in 67-68, only one 8th seed has managed to win the cup. One 8th seed in 46 years. Wait, it gets better.

Stanley Cup wins by seed:
1st seed - 24
2nd seed - 11
3rd seed - 6
4th seed - 2
5th seed - 2
6th seed - 0
7th seed - 0
8th seed - 1

In 45 seasons (no cup in the lockout year) only once has a 6th, 7th, or 8th seed won the Stanley cup. Awesome odds. Just making the playoffs isn't good enough. Unless you make the playoffs with home ice advantage, you're chances of winning are ridiculously low.

Then you look at the LA team that did manage to pull it off and ask "what makes them different". A perfect storm. They went from Terry Murray as a coach (13-12-4) to Darryl Sutter (25-13-11) and were obviously, as the records show a completely different team after that change. They also got significant added help at the deadline by acquiring Jeff Carter who had a significant impact on their success (funny sidenote, most people here didn't want to touch him with a 12 foot pole because he wasn't a healthy addition to a cup contending roster... apparently).

But why is this so? It is so because 98% of the time the best teams in the post season are also the better teams in the regular season. That's not an exaggeration.

Short answer:
Because that almost never happens, that's why.

 

[DKH]

Problem is this team in nowhere near a 12 or 14 LA.... nowhere.

Tampa is great at drafting it would seem, unlike us. They were too busy drafting the three Russians in that draft the first three rounds..And we gave Alex Killorn lottery ticets away to draft Tommy Cross in 2007.. Plus, they don't deal their 2nd overall picks..

I don't think they are far away at all. The team they have today can get 100 points.

Without making one move just playing with what they have no in Boston and Providence I'd go over 100 points.

they need a top 4 right shot defenseman- nothing spectacular just a strong steady guy

I said the day after the trade deadline they would miss the playoffs so not rose colored glasses here- I like this team and think they are going to bounce back pretty good

 

[Scotto74]

I think I'd be more concerned if the opposite happens. If the come out slow, it gives Claude a ready made excuse to limit their play or send one or both of them down. What the team needs is for a patient approach where they don't overreact if a mistake is made or the young guys struggle to adjust. This isn't just about spooner and pasta either. It can be said for any of their youth. They need to incorporate these guys in now to see what they have. They can't afford to wait any longer as it feels like Claude has already delayed the progress of several of their top prospects.

I am pretty sure that is the GM's call not the coach and from what I understand of Sweeney that is not something you should be worried about.

 

[BruinDust]

I don't think they are far away at all. The team they have today can get 100 points.

Without making one move just playing with what they have no in Boston and Providence I'd go over 100 points.

they need a top 4 right shot defenseman- nothing spectacular just a strong steady guy

I said the day after the trade deadline they would miss the playoffs so not rose colored glasses here- I like this team and think they are going to bounce back pretty good

After a NHL experienced back-up G, this is the teams biggest need.

Do you think they need to move Seidenberg to make cap room for a Top 4 right-shot D?

Or is this including Seidenberg as part of the group?

 

[DKH]

This was always going to be the danger. "LA won it all when they were the 8th seed so why can't we".

Long answer:
Since the NHL expanded from 6 to 12 teams in 67-68, only one 8th seed has managed to win the cup. One 8th seed in 46 years. Wait, it gets better.

Stanley Cup wins by seed:
1st seed - 24
2nd seed - 11
3rd seed - 6
4th seed - 2
5th seed - 2
6th seed - 0
7th seed - 0
8th seed - 1

In 45 seasons (no cup in the lockout year) only once has a 6th, 7th, or 8th seed won the Stanley cup. Awesome odds. Just making the playoffs isn't good enough. Unless you make the playoffs with home ice advantage, you're chances of winning are ridiculously low.

Then you look at the LA team that did manage to pull it off and ask "what makes them different". A perfect storm. They went from Terry Murray as a coach (13-12-4) to Darryl Sutter (25-13-11) and were obviously, as the records show a completely different team after that change. They also got significant added help at the deadline by acquiring Jeff Carter who had a significant impact on their success (funny sidenote, most people here didn't want to touch him with a 12 foot pole because he wasn't a healthy addition to a cup contending roster... apparently).

But why is this so? It is so because 98% of the time the best teams in the post season are also the better teams in the regular season. That's not an exaggeration.

Short answer:
Because that almost never happens, that's why.

good stuff....I still think the Bruins as presently constituted with the subtraction of the offensively challenged and aging Merlot line replaced by Spooner, Pastrnak, Connolly, Ferlin and a Khokhlachev is a huge upgrade is offensive skill and age.

Bergeron, Eriksson, Krejci, Lucic, Marchand are all still in the prime years- so the core is not old THE CORE IS THE PERFECT AGE.

The one guy who is old is Chara- they can cut his time back; both Hamilton and Krug are getting better or should be to help offset; We may get to see Joe Morrow full time who's skills play perfect to what Don Sweeney says they are going to play like.

I wish to make everyone happy I would think they suck and are going to come in near the bottom but I see the best players all in the prime years, a top goalie, some very good young forwards, and a new approach.

108 points, home ice first round and a strong run

they got one......one spot they are weak in and its fixable- a second pairing defenseman

this place couldn't handle third line RW in 2013 why am I not surprised we are now in the Dark Ages

 

[Hamilton Brian]

cause 96 points is GOOD in this era it is usually good for a 4-7 seed in the conference this was the first time in the history of hockey 96 points didn't make the playoffs

and usually teams that finish between 4-7 in a conference don't blow up there entire roster they have plenty of talent a few tweaks and a little bit of puck luck and health to there star players and next year they should be a 100 point team again

If they had 96 points in 2013-14 they would have been a 5th seed this was a very flukey year due to Connor McDAvid being in the draft

Good stuff! Perspective can be a hard thing to hold on to when we're in the bubble lens.

 

[thegodfather]

good stuff....I still think the Bruins as presently constituted with the subtraction of the offensively challenged and aging Merlot line replaced by Spooner, Pastrnak, Connolly, Ferlin and a Khokhlachev is a huge upgrade is offensive skill and age.

Bergeron, Eriksson, Krejci, Lucic, Marchand are all still in the prime years- so the core is not old THE CORE IS THE PERFECT AGE.

The one guy who is old is Chara- they can cut his time back; both Hamilton and Krug are getting better or should be to help offset; We may get to see Joe Morrow full time who's skills play perfect to what Don Sweeney says they are going to play like.

I wish to make everyone happy I would think they suck and are going to come in near the bottom but I see the best players all in the prime years, a top goalie, some very good young forwards, and a new approach.

108 points, home ice first round and a strong run

they got one......one spot they are weak in and its fixable- a second pairing defenseman

this place couldn't handle third line RW in 2013 why am I not surprised we are now in the Dark Ages

Biggest thing Dan...new approach. Will the big boys sitting up top force CJ to play a more up tempo style.

 

[DKH]

Biggest thing Dan...new approach. Will the big boys sitting up top force CJ to play a more up tempo style.

Julien knows the league is changing the rules the players

But it's easy- 'the Merlot Line' ain't back checking through that door

You want your kid to stop sucking on a pacifier you take it away

 

[LouJersey]

I don't think they are far away at all. The team they have today can get 100 points.

Without making one move just playing with what they have no in Boston and Providence I'd go over 100 points.

they need a top 4 right shot defenseman- nothing spectacular just a strong steady guy

I said the day after the trade deadline they would miss the playoffs so not rose colored glasses here- I like this team and think they are going to bounce back pretty good

I suppose and I will definitely root them on, just not sure we get a hungry squad with the same brass and same coach.

 

[Latrappe]

Biggest thing Dan...new approach. Will the big boys sitting up top force CJ to play a more up tempo style.

Keep seeing the " they will force Julien " thing but do Julien really had a roster to play uptempo or a run and gun style? Each and every time the team open up his game and tried to win a scoring contest, they end up losing so... until Sweeney give Julien a Di-corps and a group of forward who can play and win games under an uptempo style, I will reserved my judgment.

 

[patty59]

Keep seeing the " they will force Julien " thing but do Julien really had a roster to play uptempo or a run and gun style? Each and every time the team open up his game and tried to win a scoring contest, they end up losing so... until Sweeney give Julien a Di-corps and a group of forward who can play and win games under an uptempo style, I will reserved my judgment.

You make it sound like Julien was coaching the Sabres FFS. That's not case, he should have had that team in the playoffs. It's funny, but I went to a game in CGY where they were up 3-0 and lost because they sat back and didn't do jack ****, guess what, they missed the playoffs by a point, a point they should have gotten in that game.


Julien had a ****** year, just like a bunch of the players, but on talent alone they should have been in the playoffs.

BUt down the stretch when this team needed goals, we got force fed Greg Campbell 15 mins a game.

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

See my post in the Soderberg thread.

I completely get why the B's may not be able to bring him back (Chia's man-crush on Kelly is Exhibit A), but this type of post makes me wonder exactly how you rate your players? Over the past two seasons there is not another Bruin that comes close to giving the B's the value they got from Soderberg. Nevermind Boston, he was probably one of the best value players in the NHL with 94 pts in two years for a little over $2m.

You should be shedding some tears because the B's need more players like that and less like the ones that have produced less than Soderberg, but have been paid as much as 4.5 times the money (Loui). If they could get him back for less than $3m and dump Kelly, I would be all over that. It's unlikely because someone (EDM?) will probably overpay to get him.

Right on the money, Glory.

 

[thegodfather]

Keep seeing the " they will force Julien " thing but do Julien really had a roster to play uptempo or a run and gun style? Each and every time the team open up his game and tried to win a scoring contest, they end up losing so... until Sweeney give Julien a Di-corps and a group of forward who can play and win games under an uptempo style, I will reserved my judgment.

I'll keep saying it until I see that it's not being done.

Up tempo and strong fore check does not mean run and gun. These guys are not the flying Frenchman or the Red Army team. But they can skate and finish checks and still play responsible defense.

Players will have the thought of pulling up and not fore checking and tightening the game up defensively if they are up; it's up to the coaching staff to keep them on track and continuing the push forward.

 

[DKH]

I suppose and I will definitely root them on, just not sure we get a hungry squad with the same brass and same coach.

The big change is the subtraction of the Merlot line.....Claude wont have them to put out. Instead Don Sweeney has assembled the 'rootin tootin Raspberry Line' of Lucic-Spooner-Pastrnak.

refreshing with a kick

merlot out, rootin tootin in.....don't know how much more Sweeney can drive it home

 

[What The Puck]

Because Dan said Jesus...not holy *****...

A shame. You have no idea how qualified I truly am. I could do a better job, I just need an interview to get the opportunity.

 

[BNHL]

I suppose and I will definitely root them on, just not sure we get a hungry squad with the same brass and same coach.

This is a real concern as they have shown a lack of desire since the MTL series in 2014.

 

[Man Rocket]

LA won two Cups what was their point totals? One year I think they got in with low 90's.

Tampa had the 28th best record in 2013 and got a homerun with a Undrafted Johnson and 7th round pick Palat. Had they been so smart they would have drafted them in the first three rounds.

LA also has a prime Kopitar/Doughty/Quick, a much better D core, and better secondary scoring

 

[GoBs]

I don't think they are far away at all. The team they have today can get 100 points.

Without making one move just playing with what they have no in Boston and Providence I'd go over 100 points.

they need a top 4 right shot defenseman- nothing spectacular just a strong steady guy

I said the day after the trade deadline they would miss the playoffs so not rose colored glasses here- I like this team and think they are going to bounce back pretty good

Boychuk?

 

[BNHL]

A healthy Krejci and Chara and smarter use of Eriksson gets you 26 more goals,pushing the Bruins to 9th in the league. Full seasons of production from Spooner and Pastrnak should add 15 to last year's totals and now the Bruins are 3rd in scoring. Can Krejci score 20 (his full season average)? Can Eriksson add 8 more playing with Krejci? Can Chara add 5 more? Can Spooner score 15? (he had 8 in 34) Can Pastrnak score 15? (he had 10 in 49).

 

[LSCII]

A healthy Krejci and Chara and smarter use of Eriksson gets you 26 more goals,pushing the Bruins to 9th in the league. Full seasons of production from Spooner and Pastrnak should add 15 to last year's totals and now the Bruins are 3rd in scoring. Can Krejci score 20 (his full season average)? Can Eriksson add 8 more playing with Krejci? Can Chara add 5 more? Can Spooner score 15? (he had 8 in 34) Can Pastrnak score 15? (he had 10 in 49).

The problem with this type of assumption is that it's based on everyone you mention having totals that go up. Whereas the reality is some go up, but others also come down. It's why an exercise like this is interesting to do, but ultimately not useful or accurate.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

A healthy Krejci and Chara and smarter use of Eriksson gets you 26 more goals,pushing the Bruins to 9th in the league. Full seasons of production from Spooner and Pastrnak should add 15 to last year's totals and now the Bruins are 3rd in scoring. Can Krejci score 20 (his full season average)? Can Eriksson add 8 more playing with Krejci? Can Chara add 5 more? Can Spooner score 15? (he had 8 in 34) Can Pastrnak score 15? (he had 10 in 49).

By smarter use, do you mean that the coaching staff teaches him to bury the puck into gaping, wide-open nets on set ups from his center?...

 

[patty59]

By smarter use, do you mean that the coaching staff teaches him to bury the puck into gaping, wide-open nets on set ups from his center?...

No, I think he means playing him with Krejci. Might not have been a bad idea after Griffith, Fraser, Kelly, Paille, Smith and Gagne didn't work out in that spot.

 

[Era of Sanity]

Keep seeing the " they will force Julien " thing but do Julien really had a roster to play uptempo or a run and gun style? Each and every time the team open up his game and tried to win a scoring contest, they end up losing so... until Sweeney give Julien a Di-corps and a group of forward who can play and win games under an uptempo style, I will reserved my judgment.

I'll have to see it to believe it to. I don't see Julien changing styles. The team lacks identity to begin with. He is not known for his flexibility and really what is his motivation to change how he coaches? He has had success, Cam isn't a fan, if he gets fired he'll get hired by some team that wants him.

People are overestimating 'the game is changing' meme. A year ago LA won the cup with a physical defensive style and Benn just won the Art Ross with 80 something points.