The gap between us and #1 in the East

[RedeyeRocketeer]

Woke up this morning and was surprised to see Detroit first in the conference. I respect the franchise a lot, but was genuinely surprised to see their name there.

I started with a look at their team scoring. The usual suspects, their scouts did a wonderful job finding Tatar and Nyquist, and it's made all the difference given the age of the rest of their core. Nyquist's 12 power play goals struck me as something to note.

With regards to goals against, we're essentially tied. Boston and Detroit are within 2 goals of each other. Our PK's are within .3% of each other and we keep trending up. Worth noting that both teams have excellent PK's.

Looking at goals for, I started with 5 on 5 goals. Boston 98, Detroit 90. Slight edge Boston but nothing special.

At this point as you've already figured out, you don't have to look it up to know the whole gap between Boston and Detroit is going to be found on the power play.

Detroit has the #1 power play in the NHL, clicking at an absurd 25%. To make matters worse, they have the 3rd most opportunities in the league. 188 to our 122. Detroit has 48 power play goals to our 22.

So in the second half of the season, improving the Bruin's PP has to be a priority. All the calls for a top 4 D are justified. But I'd be even happier to see the PP start to click a bit closer to 19 or 20%. That in itself moves us into the next echelon of teams.

Click to read more...

 

[acr*]

I don't think that our PP is necessarily a personnel problem. In fact, I have quite liked some of the PP packages Clode has been deploying recently. The results have to get better though.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you pointed out that Boston is dead last in opportunities. This team just doesn't draw calls. I don't think there is a reffing conspiracy or anything in this regard, but this hasn't been anything new. We are consistently at the bottom of the league. It is hard to get rhythm and execute something well when you just don't have a chance to show what you can do in game situations very often.

We did win our cup without scoring a PP goal in the playoffs though. Not the easiest road for sure, but I'm more concerned with dominating 5 on 5 and continuing to PK very well.

 

[BB88]

Our PK is our weapon and it has to be on point. It has been lights out for the last month it has to continue.

We are not going to get as many PP chances so we have to use our PK skill to balance that out. I'm laughing with these nhl fans who say bruins are the favorites, but man watch these games.
How many times marchand can be knocked out and nothing gets called.

We don't have 1 elite line so we need 4 balanced hard working lines, that's how we can match up against the pens//tampa/isles/rangers.
Everyone needs to be willing to put their body on the line. In playoffs we need to give kelly the signment to save our 4th line so we are balanced throughout the 4 lines.

 

[LouJersey]

I still see a team that scores 2 or less goals in over half their games that relies on their goalie to do all the heavy lifting like we generally always do, allowing 30 shots per game... hence three Vezinas in what 6 years ?

Bruins have kind of earned their rep with the penalties..refs took a lot of heat for that nucks series for letting things go, plus they have Marchand, so they will let things fly more and more.

Plus, they've played great for a month now and are still in 8th. Just sit there and try to make a couple deals.

 

[Dr Quincy]

B's could absolutely beat any team in the East in the playoffs. Detroit still doesn't have the D corps it needs against the B's. That said, the B's also could lose to anyone in the East and I think this their weakest team in years. I hope they don't try to make any "go for it" moves at the deadline, and instead see if they can sell off a piece like Seidenberg. D is completely a sellers market and they may be able to get a nice package.

 

[ReggieMoto]

I think you hit the nail on the head when you pointed out that Boston is dead last in opportunities. This team just doesn't draw calls. I don't think there is a reffing conspiracy or anything in this regard, but this hasn't been anything new. We are consistently at the bottom of the league.

Not a conspiracy. However, refs pay attention when certain players take the ice, not so much with others.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

I think the main point I was trying to make is that I feel we have the time, assets and players to move that 17% closer to 20%. If and when that happens, the gap is going to get a lot more narrow. Having 30ish games to tinker there is going to help a lot.

 

[Trap Jesus]

The PP is fine. Not only is the B's PP% average, but they don't get enough opportunities for it to be a focal point of the team's success anyways. This core has proven to be a winner even without a good PP, and I see it more as a luxury than a necessity if it's firing on all cylinders.

Also, you can't just arbitrarily use Detroit as the standard for the entire league. Look at teams like Chicago, Anaheim, Nashville, Montreal, and Tampa Bay. Those are 5 of the top 9 teams in the league and they all have either a worse or slightly better PP than the Bruins.

There's no one formula to winning. If you look at a team like Pittsburgh, they've always used sublime special teams play (both PP and PK) to be an elite team, where as the Bruins have used fantastic 5-on-5 play. I'd say if anything though, 5-on-5 is the most important stat.

 

[Dr Quincy]

I'd say if anything though, 5-on-5 is the most important stat.

In the regular season, over 80 games, yup.

In the best of 7 or in just a game 7.... special teams become very important.

 

[NinthSpoke06]

B's could absolutely beat any team in the East in the playoffs. Detroit still doesn't have the D corps it needs against the B's. That said, the B's also could lose to anyone in the East and I think this their weakest team in years. I hope they don't try to make any "go for it" moves at the deadline, and instead see if they can sell off a piece like Seidenberg. D is completely a sellers market and they may be able to get a nice package.

I could live with doing that or even standing pat, however I wouldn't hate it if the Bruins tried to find a forward, specifically RWer that could have a long term future here too. Kind of like how we acquired Seidenberg a few years ago.

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

The PP is fine. Not only is the B's PP% average, but they don't get enough opportunities for it to be a focal point of the team's success anyways. This core has proven to be a winner even without a good PP, and I see it more as a luxury than a necessity if it's firing on all cylinders.

Also, you can't just arbitrarily use Detroit as the standard for the entire league. Look at teams like Chicago, Anaheim, Nashville, Montreal, and Tampa Bay. Those are 5 of the top 9 teams in the league and they all have either a worse or slightly better PP than the Bruins.

There's no one formula to winning. If you look at a team like Pittsburgh, they've always used sublime special teams play (both PP and PK) to be an elite team, where as the Bruins have used fantastic 5-on-5 play. I'd say if anything though, 5-on-5 is the most important stat.

I agree but IMO the PP is less of "a luxury" and more of a "big factor" (despite the personnel not being bad) than in recent years because this team is having to work too hard to score goals. Unless Tuukka blows up in the playoffs, i don't feel great about our chances in the Cup Playoffs.

There are too many variables to be comfortable. Hopefully Tuukka keeps up his level of play, he is on fire. But the PP needs to keep working at this, PK has been fantastic. Tavares' PP goal last night was unfortunate and easy to see coming a mile away...

 

[LouJersey]

Good thing about the PP is when it goes south , sometimes it lasts all series.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

The PP is fine. Not only is the B's PP% average, but they don't get enough opportunities for it to be a focal point of the team's success anyways. This core has proven to be a winner even without a good PP, and I see it more as a luxury than a necessity if it's firing on all cylinders.

Also, you can't just arbitrarily use Detroit as the standard for the entire league. Look at teams like Chicago, Anaheim, Nashville, Montreal, and Tampa Bay. Those are 5 of the top 9 teams in the league and they all have either a worse or slightly better PP than the Bruins.

There's no one formula to winning. If you look at a team like Pittsburgh, they've always used sublime special teams play (both PP and PK) to be an elite team, where as the Bruins have used fantastic 5-on-5 play. I'd say if anything though, 5-on-5 is the most important stat.

In this thread I learned that because in 2011 we managed to win without a good PP, that means we could do it again.

You know it's possible that with a team not as dominant in 5 on 5, not as deep, and perhaps with a goalie who may not have the all-time playoff run that Thomas had....that maybe we'd benefit a lot from an improved power play. If the goal of the game is to score more goals than the other guy, you'll want a functional PP when game 7 comes along, and you get a PP with 2 mins left. You're far better off with it, than without it...

The one team that seems to be able to defy that this year is Montreal. They are relying on God mode Price, which is why I'm 100% convinced they cannot win the cup. I don't believe in him being able to bandaid that team's short comings for a whole season + four rounds. But if he does, he is the true MVP of the league.

 

[Trap Jesus]

In this thread I learned that because in 2011 we managed to win without a good PP, that means we could do it again.

You know it's possible that with a team not as dominant in 5 on 5, not as deep, and perhaps with a goalie who may not have the all-time playoff run that Thomas had....that maybe we'd benefit a lot from an improved power play. If the goal of the game is to score more goals than the other guy, you'll want a functional PP when game 7 comes along, and you get a PP with 2 mins left. You're far better off with it, than without it...

The one team that seems to be able to defy that this year is Montreal. They are relying on God mode Price, which is why I'm 100% convinced they cannot win the cup. I don't believe in him being able to bandaid that team's short comings for a whole season + four rounds. But if he does, he is the true MVP of the league.

The Bruins do have a functional PP this year though, especially considering their best PP unit from last year (Krejci, Lucic, Chara, Krug, Iginla) was absolutely gutted for most of this year due to injuries and Iginla leaving, and will most likely start to improve now that they have an additional right-handed shot in Pastrnak (or if they acquire someone in a trade like Stewart).

18% is pretty respectable, and I think that number will keep going up due to the team being at full health. 18% usually gets you in the top half of the league anyways, and some years closer to top 10. The Bruins PP when they won the Cup was just flat-out bad; this year's is not. I just don't see it as a problem, and not something that they absolutely need to improve upon to have success.

 

[zaYG]

Can't say I ever expected to say this, but I sure as hell miss Ward after last year. Thanks Joe Sacco.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

The Bruins do have a functional PP this year though, especially considering their best PP unit from last year (Krejci, Lucic, Chara, Krug, Iginla) was absolutely gutted for most of this year due to injuries and Iginla leaving, and will most likely start to improve now that they have an additional right-handed shot in Pastrnak (or if they acquire someone in a trade like Stewart).

18% is pretty respectable, and I think that number will keep going up due to the team being at full health. 18% usually gets you in the top half of the league anyways, and some years closer to top 10. The Bruins PP when they won the Cup was just flat-out bad; this year's is not. I just don't see it as a problem, and not something that they absolutely need to improve upon to have success.

But you just skipped over the very point I was trying to make in response to you. If you're going to cite the 2011 PP as bad while winning the cup, you have to take the whole team into account:

-That team scored 3 goals per game in the regular season and lead the whole league 5 on 5
-That team had a very respectable 4th line, maybe the best in hockey
-That team got big contributions from the 1st line that could take over games
-That team was 2nd in the NHL in GAA, and come playoff time like I said, got the all-time best goalie performance of our generation from Thomas

So you can't just cite that PP% and say "see we didn't need it!" when you're backed by all those attributes.

Fact is with our current team, we could stand to benefit greatly from better special teams. When you're not dominating the nhl 5 on 5 and with depth, take the improvements where you can get them. Spinning it any other way based on 2010-2011 makes no sense to me.

 

[Trap Jesus]

But you just skipped over the very point I was trying to make in response to you. If you're going to cite the 2011 PP as bad while winning the cup, you have to take the whole team into account:

-That team scored 3 goals per game in the regular season and lead the whole league 5 on 5
-That team had a very respectable 4th line, maybe the best in hockey
-That team got big contributions from the 1st line that could take over games
-That team was 2nd in the NHL in GAA, and come playoff time like I said, got the all-time best goalie performance of our generation from Thomas

So you can't just cite that PP% and say "see we didn't need it!" when you're backed by all those attributes.

Fact is with our current team, we could stand to benefit greatly from better special teams. When you're not dominating the nhl 5 on 5 and with depth, take the improvements where you can get them. Slicing it any other way based on 2010-2011 makes no sense to me.

This has kind of been a freak year. Krejci, Chara, Rask playing uncharacteristically poorly, and the top line RW situation has thrown everything into flux, and the Bruins are only starting to rebound fairly recently. If it were on a scale of the 09/10 season and the 12/13 season (both down years), I'd put it closer to 2009/10 in terms of the Bruins just looking "off" for most of the year, but I think this year's team possesses a much greater ability to really turn it around, and do something like they did in 12/13 in the playoffs. While the Bruins' numbers certainly will not look very good overall this year, I still think the second half numbers will look similar to what we're used to seeing (maybe not quite as good, but fairly comparable).

I still believe this team needs to fix the top 4 D situation and add another RW (assuming Claude starts to treat Pastrnak like a rookie) to become a serious contender again, but the PP isn't even on my radar at all. I'm not saying we shouldn't try to improve the PP (you can always improve in all areas), but I just don't see it as something that should be the primary focus. You mentioning that you'd rather have the Bruins PP% tick up 1 percent rather than getting a top 4 D doesn't sync with my opinion of this team whatsoever.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

In the last 12 games it's been almost impossible to score on this team. If you projected out our last 12 we'd lead the league in GAA. A lot of that has to do with Rask, but the D is also playing well. So although I totally agree that a top 4D man helps (it would help any team btw...), there's just no denying that scoring more goals is helpful. That's all I'm saying.

I don't JUST want them on the PP, more goals 5 on 5 wouldn't hurt either. I'll take them any way I can get.

 

[LSCII]

In the last 12 games it's been almost impossible to score on this team. If you projected out our last 12 we'd lead the league in GAA. A lot of that has to do with Rask, but the D is also playing well. So although I totally agree that a top 4D man helps (it would help any team btw...), there's just no denying that scoring more goals is helpful. That's all I'm saying.

I don't JUST want them on the PP, more goals 5 on 5 wouldn't hurt either. I'll take them any way I can get.

You can say the same thing about any small sample size when projected out. It doesn't happen that way because there are peaks and valleys over the course of the season, so it's nonsensical to even suggest it. Just be happy the team is playing well and leave it at that. No need for fantasy land projections. Reality is more than enough. And the reality is this team is lacking a top line forward who can consistently score.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

I'm frightened we are going to have to face one of Detroit/TB/MTL in the first round, to be honest.

 

[acr*]

I'm frightened we are going to have to face one of Detroit/TB/MTL in the first round, to be honest.

Montreal is really the only one of those teams that I would feel like a true under dog against. Detroit and TB are just not built for the playoffs, imo. They are regular season paper tigers. They are either too young and all in on skill (TB) or too old and all in on skill (Det). I'm not saying Boston would sweep either series, or maybe not even win, but I don't think that either team is something to be frightened.

 

[hollafamer]

Whoops wrong place disregard this post.

 

[LouJersey]

In the last 12 games it's been almost impossible to score on this team. If you projected out our last 12 we'd lead the league in GAA. A lot of that has to do with Rask, but the D is also playing well. So although I totally agree that a top 4D man helps (it would help any team btw...), there's just no denying that scoring more goals is helpful. That's all I'm saying.

I don't JUST want them on the PP, more goals 5 on 5 wouldn't hurt either. I'll take them any way I can get.

30 plus shots in 9 of the past 12. The defense has not been good at all IMO. It's all Rask.

 

[LouJersey]

I'm frightened we are going to have to face one of Detroit/TB/MTL in the first round, to be honest.

Could easily beat any of the three. If they get over the Habs mental block

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

30 plus shots in 9 of the past 12. The defense has not been good at all IMO. It's all Rask.

I think we have to take into account the quality of the shots, not just the quantity.

That said, I agree that Rask has been huge in this recent stretch. The defense hasn't been as good as the GA suggest.