The Million Dollar Question

[DKH]

Who remembers goalie Ken Wregget? not his mask (best ever) and why he pertains to us Bruins fans.

Back in the late 1980's Bobby Clarke was watching the highly successful Flyers start to slide very similar to this Boston team and Clarke in an attempt to save his job (he didn't) sold out the Flyers future for Ken Wregget.

Those 1981-1987ish Flyers are as good a dead ringer of the 2008-2014 Bruins as any comparison of any team over time. Amazing similarities in style an personalities/characters- and the ending is looking just the same.

The Flyers gave up TWO number one picks for Wregget who not surprisingly did not deliver. The Flyers in the 1980's were very similar to this Boston 8 year run- fun, fast, and tough. Their only problem was Gretzky and Company were around.

It took years for the Flyers to recover from trading picks and prospects to try and save their glory.

The Flyers never recovered from their star young goalie Pelle Lindberg's untimely, and very unnecessary death.

The Flyers also never recovered from trading Brad McCrimmon to Calgary when 'Sarge' was a legit top two defenseman and an anchor for eventual great Flames teams.

It all came undone.

We are here.

This is the situation.

Boston should look in the mirror and realize they aren't the 2012 Kings. They may get an uptick at some point (hey, Buffalo won 10 of 13 in November) but they are riding Rask very, very hard, and Chara has to be hurt, Seidenberg is, and Krejci was dealing with a nagging hip that may lead him back to more surgery in 4 months or sooner even before whatever happened last night.

They should SELL and explore moving Seids, Loui, and get a definitive answer on Soderberg asap. Get picks and spread them out over the next 3 years.

That is what I am convinced Chiarelli would do if he was safe and secure.

He isn't.

So boy and girls- are we going to see Peter go all George McPhee?

You might remember McPhee to save HIS job last year made a 4 player deal built around giving up star prospect Filip Forsberg going to Nashville for the Czech version of Daniel Paille- and that would be Martin Erat.

Folks, I like entertainment but this is going to be 'slow the car down to get a better look at the roll over stuff' over the next 10 days

My intuition tells me Peter is gone if they don't get to the second round let alone the playoffs. So Chiarelli I would think would have to go against his better judgement and put his career, job whatever before what is actually the prudent path.

The instinct of self-preservation is the first law of nature.

Is there someone over there to stop a potential Wregget or Forsberg fiasco's. I sure as hell hope so. This is about the long term viability of this organization and not a (hope and prayer) short term career saver.

Bears (see what I did) watching

Click to read more...

 

[Johnmbs1962]

Is that not the reason for Cam Neely??? All trades need to be signed off by him so as far as I'm concerned if he lets Chia do something like that he can clean out his office too. Cam signed off on the seguin and boychuk trades, he should be feeling charlie jacobs breathing down his neck as well......

 

[DKH]

Is that not the reason for Cam Neely??? All trades need to be signed off by him so as far as I'm concerned if he lets Chia do something like that he can clean out his office too. Cam signed off on the seguin and boychuk trades, he should be feeling charlie jacobs breathing down his neck as well......

I expect so- but Neely does not make the deals, but from what I am hearing he is getting more power, and he is aligned with Charlie Jacobs NOT feeling his breath.

 

[ksp1957]

With trading Seguin and Boychuk, a lot of that has already happened. I'd be concerned that CHiarelli trades Hamilton or Pasta for enough veteran help to make the playoffs and the fans regret it for the next 20 years.

We should be dumping the hangers-on to any team that WILL be making noise in the playoffs, selling them as additional help for a team that needs it in the playoffs. I could see teams needing Paille, Chara and Seids to give teams a lift during the playoffs. I'm sure we could come up with others that the Bruins could trade for prospects/picks to reload for the next few seasons. If Chiapet could market it that way and say that he ****ed up this season, he might save his job or, at least, not tank the franchise for the next 10 years.

 

[Johnmbs1962]

I expect so- but Neely does not make the deals, but from what I am hearing he is getting more power, and he is aligned with Charlie Jacobs NOT feeling his breath.

Interesting.....

So if Cam is in good shape with the organization there should be no motivation on his part to allow a saving face move by Chiarelli.....if indeed his future is not in jeopardy if we miss the playoffs....

 

[Fenway]

I expect so- but Neely does not make the deals, but from what I am hearing he is getting more power, and he is aligned with Charlie Jacobs NOT feeling his breath.

I'm not certain Cam is 100% safe either.

My best guess is Charlie is listening to people from outside the organization. I think the Bruins knew they would be a little down from last season but certainly didn't expect to be in a death struggle with Florida for the 8 spot.

The season ticket renewal forms go out next month and while he would love to raise prices, how can he?

 

[MOOKER411]

This team has hit a wall. It was bound to happen. They have been through alot of battles starting from 2011. They are clearly done physically and mentally. There is no quick fix on this now that Krejci is going to be out.

They can try and make the playoffs and obviously that would be a plus but Chiarelli can't control injuries and hopefully the brass can take that into consideration. That many games without Chara and Krejci and then Campbell and Seids recouping from serious injuries ?

I have bashed this that and the other thing as well but now I just feel bad for the boys. They are spent and it has to be a terrible and helpless feeling.

Shake off some ageing bodies and start fresh next year.

 

[DKH]

Interesting.....

So if Cam is in good shape with the organization there should be no motivation on his part to allow a saving face move by Chiarelli.....if indeed his future is not in jeopardy if we miss the playoffs....

I don't know everything I just think I do

my educated take:

Neely and Jacobs are 'thick as thieves'

Neely doesn't like style and has said such on the radio-he wants team to play like his attributes- uptempo and physical

(I love Neely vision - that is exactly what I would go and what sells; at its basic core an attacking fast skating physical team with a bleep load of talent is the holy grail of hockey)

Neely wants more involvement in hockey operations ATLEAST the stylist approach (fine with me)

my guess is Sweeney who is there and is like a Black Labrador of the organization - everyone likes him and he's family; has the resume accept the contract stuff

but Sweeney went to Harvard, and he has been around watching this **** for years and seen the good, the bad, and the no movement clauses

fascinating stuff

 

[DKH]

I'm not certain Cam is 100% safe either.

My best guess is Charlie is listening to people from outside the organization. I think the Bruins knew they would be a little down from last season but certainly didn't expect to be in a death struggle with Florida for the 8 spot.

The season ticket renewal forms go out next month and while he would love to raise prices, how can he?

I think Cam is safe

 

[since76]

Who remembers goalie Ken Wregget? not his mask (best ever) and why he pertains to us Bruins fans.

Back in the late 1980's Bobby Clarke was watching the highly successful Flyers start to slide very similar to this Boston team and Clarke in an attempt to save his job (he didn't) sold out the Flyers future for Ken Wregget.

Those 1981-1987ish Flyers are as good a dead ringer of the 2008-2014 Bruins as any comparison of any team over time. Amazing similarities in style an personalities/characters- and the ending is looking just the same.

The Flyers gave up TWO number one picks for Wregget who not surprisingly did not deliver. The Flyers in the 1980's were very similar to this Boston 8 year run- fun, fast, and tough. Their only problem was Gretzky and Company were around.

It took years for the Flyers to recover from trading picks and prospects to try and save their glory.

The Flyers never recovered from their star young goalie Pelle Lindberg's untimely, and very unnecessary death.

The Flyers also never recovered from trading Brad McCrimmon to Calgary when 'Sarge' was a legit top two defenseman and an anchor for eventual great Flames teams.

It all came undone.

We are here.

This is the situation.

Boston should look in the mirror and realize they aren't the 2012 Kings. They may get an uptick at some point (hey, Buffalo won 10 of 13 in November) but they are riding Rask very, very hard, and Chara has to be hurt, Seidenberg is, and Krejci was dealing with a nagging hip that may lead him back to more surgery in 4 months or sooner even before whatever happened last night.

They should SELL and explore moving Seids, Loui, and get a definitive answer on Soderberg asap. Get picks and spread them out over the next 3 years.

That is what I am convinced Chiarelli would do if he was safe and secure.

He isn't.

So boy and girls- are we going to see Peter go all George McPhee?

You might remember McPhee to save HIS job last year made a 4 player deal built around giving up star prospect Filip Forsberg going to Nashville for the Czech version of Daniel Paille- and that would be Martin Erat.

Folks, I like entertainment but this is going to be 'slow the car down to get a better look at the roll over stuff' over the next 10 days

My intuition tells me Peter is gone if they don't get to the second round let alone the playoffs. So Chiarelli I would think would have to go against his better judgement and put his career, job whatever before what is actually the prudent path.

The instinct of self-preservation is the first law of nature.

Is there someone over there to stop a potential Wregget or Forsberg fiasco's. I sure as hell hope so. This is about the long term viability of this organization and not a (hope and prayer) short term career saver.

Bears (see what I did) watching

Perfect analyse
Chia and clode are dead men now with weapons to finish the destuction of the team in their hands. I pray neely control all move to prevent another stupid move. Chia will be remembred for the cup and seguin trade ! I see no reason to let chia and coach there from now, only reason to fire them.
Will chia put his body on the grenade and proteçt team or he will pitch it in the crowd and destroy everything. I don't trust him , he is too high on himself

 

[Number8]

The only concern I'd have is CJ is delusional enough to think this team has the potential to do something in the playoffs with a couple of band aids and pressures all to do something stupid. Which would truly be stupid as I seem to recall the team only keeps 35% of playoff monies so a one and done doesn't get them much.

Even if Chia is struggling to keep his job, a much much better interview answer for the new team (and there will be new teams for him) would be:

"I could have undermined the future in Boston to limp into the playoffs in order to save my job, but I don't believe that's right. We had a great run and, yes, made some moves that in hindsight maybe I'd take back -- welcome to the real world and the Cap world. Still a Cup, Cup Finals, and President's Trophy is a pretty good run, plus I've left Boston with a solid core which should be a contender for many years to come. Particularly with better drafting which we fixed. I guess what I'm saying is I believe a good GM needs to do what's right in a given situation for the TEAM not for self preservation in the short term."

In other words, I think Chia is a smart guy -- and won't make dog ***** trades just to save his scalp.

At least I hope so.

 

[Ratty]

I don't know everything I just think I do

my educated take:

Neely and Jacobs are 'thick as thieves'

Neely doesn't like style and has said such on the radio-he wants team to play like his attributes- uptempo and physical

(I love Neely vision - that is exactly what I would go and what sells; at its basic core an attacking fast skating physical team with a bleep load of talent is the holy grail of hockey)

Neely wants more involvement in hockey operations ATLEAST the stylist approach (fine with me)

my guess is Sweeney who is there and is like a Black Labrador of the organization - everyone likes him and he's family; has the resume accept the contract stuff

but Sweeney went to Harvard, and he has been around watching this **** for years and seen the good, the bad, and the no movement clauses

fascinating stuff

Agree. You can always bring in a geek capologist like the guy in "Moneyball", and leave the decision making to Sweeney or to whomever succeeds Peter.

 

[Fenway]

The only concern I'd have is CJ is delusional enough to think this team has the potential to do something in the playoffs with a couple of band aids and pressures all to do something stupid. Which would truly be stupid as I seem to recall the team only keeps 35% of playoff monies so a one and done doesn't get them much.

Getting into the playoffs will lessen the bleeding of STH's not renewing and NESN would have their first round games. CJ remembers how bad things were here 8 years ago (Atlanta has more STH's then the Bruins did) and will try to prevent that from happening.

 

[Johnnyduke]

Completely agree on being sellers this year. Not ideal but to me they should do it this year.

 

[LouJersey]

Is there anyone that we could possibly trade that would remotely upset anyone other than Pasta ?

 

[ksp1957]

The only concern I'd have is CJ is delusional enough to think this team has the potential to do something in the playoffs with a couple of band aids and pressures all to do something stupid. Which would truly be stupid as I seem to recall the team only keeps 35% of playoff monies so a one and done doesn't get them much.

Even if Chia is struggling to keep his job, a much much better interview answer for the new team (and there will be new teams for him) would be:

"I could have undermined the future in Boston to limp into the playoffs in order to save my job, but I don't believe that's right. We had a great run and, yes, made some moves that in hindsight maybe I'd take back -- welcome to the real world and the Cap world. Still a Cup, Cup Finals, and President's Trophy is a pretty good run, plus I've left Boston with a solid core which should be a contender for many years to come. Particularly with better drafting which we fixed. I guess what I'm saying is I believe a good GM needs to do what's right in a given situation for the TEAM not for self preservation in the short term."

In other words, I think Chia is a smart guy -- and won't make dog ***** trades just to save his scalp.

At least I hope so.

I am thoroughly unconvinced of that. I hope Chiarelli won't gut the future of the team to make a one-and-done playoff run this season, but given the pressures on his job, he may well do that and sink the Bruins for the next decade.

 

[smithformeragent]

I just don't see them selling.

Whether it's the smart thing to do or not, I just don't see it happening.

There's too much pressure there to make the playoffs; be it the playoff revenue, the pressure on Chiarelli to keep his job or the pressure of the fanbase to make it.

 

[DKH]

Is there anyone that we could possibly trade that would remotely upset anyone other than Pasta ?

Bergeron to me and Marchand has had his best year imo

 

[Marchy63]

I think that if Chiarelli makes trades that benefit the future of the team and the trades he makes put the Bruins back in line with the vision that Jacobs and Neely have for the team, that his job will be safe. I do not believe that Julien will however, given the fact that Cam really doesn't seem to like him.

I honestly think that the players are playing to get both the GM & Coach fired. I think the trading of Boychuk and letting guys walk away has hurt the locker room and these guys are saying to Jacobs/Neely they want a change. For as much grief that Julien gets for not making changes, what real significant change has Chiarelli ever done during a season? The players knew they needed help from the beginning of the year, yet no help has come in. I think the players know that league has figured out Julien's system and they have tuned him out, and they are either waiting to be traded or Management to get fired.

 

[DKH]

I just don't see them selling.

Whether it's the smart thing to do or not, I just don't see it happening.

There's too much pressure there to make the playoffs; be it the playoff revenue, the pressure on Chiarelli to keep his job or the pressure of the fanbase to make it.

Sounds like the 3 reasons that influence those that have been making the Leafs decisions

 

[smithformeragent]

Sounds like the 3 reasons that influence those that have been making the Leafs decisions

Oh, I don't disagree with you at all.

I think that your OP is extremely well thought and well written.
I just see this management group as being overly stubborn to admit their mistakes and instead insist on trying to fly the plane with parts falling out of the sky left and right rather than landing it and making the necessary repairs.

 

[remer]

I think Charlie/ Cam are smart enough to know that this team is under performing and change needs to happen.
Making trades just to make this years playoffs is short sited.
Making trades to other teams that think they have a shot at the Cup does make lots of sense.
Boston needs to sell off UFA's to these teams to get some returning assets like draft picks. Goodbye Paille, Campbell and McQuaid.
A decision needs to be made on Soderberg. Either sell him for a boatload or sign him.
Decide what to do with Seids and Chara. Sell at the deadline or later on at the draft.
I think the Bruins need to keep Eriksson, unless someone is stupid enough to overpay for him. The same can be said for Riley Smith.
Reshape the fourth line. Call up Spooner or Koko. Give them a shot. The organization needs these type of players who are fast, skilled and cheap.

 

[bruinsenator]

Who remembers goalie Ken Wregget? not his mask (best ever) and why he pertains to us Bruins fans.

Back in the late 1980's Bobby Clarke was watching the highly successful Flyers start to slide very similar to this Boston team and Clarke in an attempt to save his job (he didn't) sold out the Flyers future for Ken Wregget.

Those 1981-1987ish Flyers are as good a dead ringer of the 2008-2014 Bruins as any comparison of any team over time. Amazing similarities in style an personalities/characters- and the ending is looking just the same.

The Flyers gave up TWO number one picks for Wregget who not surprisingly did not deliver. The Flyers in the 1980's were very similar to this Boston 8 year run- fun, fast, and tough. Their only problem was Gretzky and Company were around.

It took years for the Flyers to recover from trading picks and prospects to try and save their glory.

The Flyers never recovered from their star young goalie Pelle Lindberg's untimely, and very unnecessary death.

The Flyers also never recovered from trading Brad McCrimmon to Calgary when 'Sarge' was a legit top two defenseman and an anchor for eventual great Flames teams.

It all came undone.

We are here.

This is the situation.

Boston should look in the mirror and realize they aren't the 2012 Kings. They may get an uptick at some point (hey, Buffalo won 10 of 13 in November) but they are riding Rask very, very hard, and Chara has to be hurt, Seidenberg is, and Krejci was dealing with a nagging hip that may lead him back to more surgery in 4 months or sooner even before whatever happened last night.

They should SELL and explore moving Seids, Loui, and get a definitive answer on Soderberg asap. Get picks and spread them out over the next 3 years.

That is what I am convinced Chiarelli would do if he was safe and secure.

He isn't.

So boy and girls- are we going to see Peter go all George McPhee?

You might remember McPhee to save HIS job last year made a 4 player deal built around giving up star prospect Filip Forsberg going to Nashville for the Czech version of Daniel Paille- and that would be Martin Erat.

Folks, I like entertainment but this is going to be 'slow the car down to get a better look at the roll over stuff' over the next 10 days

My intuition tells me Peter is gone if they don't get to the second round let alone the playoffs. So Chiarelli I would think would have to go against his better judgement and put his career, job whatever before what is actually the prudent path.

The instinct of self-preservation is the first law of nature.

Is there someone over there to stop a potential Wregget or Forsberg fiasco's. I sure as hell hope so. This is about the long term viability of this organization and not a (hope and prayer) short term career saver.

Bears (see what I did) watching

you bring up such a great point. this is the problem when you dont have organizational stability. chia looking over his back too much rather than doing whats best for organization. gonna hurt us if we do have to rebuild this team.

 

[MOOKER411]

I was just over trolling on the Hawks board. I find it amusing that they are saying the same issues with their team as we are with the Bruins. They are in no way shape or form in jeopardy of not making the playoffs and are 9 points out of 1st overall and yet they cry the same issues as us.

1. Coach overplays stars than under achieve ( Julien ? )
2. Their best d-man Keith should be taken off the PP because he can't catch a pass or shoot at the right time ( Chara ? )
3. Shaw sucks and shouldn't be in top 6 ( Smith ? )
4. Versteeg even when playing well can't catch a break ( Lucic ? )
5. Kane doesn't try on the PP. Just circles around,never shoots and always trying to make a nifty pass through traffic ( Krejci ? )
6. Crawford is overrated. Only looks good when team is playing good otherwise he shows his true colors ( Rask ? )
7. Trade Sharp. He doesn't have it anymore ( Eriksson ? )


Probably if you troll around, every fan base has the same gripes about their own teams. I just thought it was interesting that whether your team is near the top or near the bottom...it is never good enough. We play this terrible Hawks team on Sunday so I guess we will see how equal we really are.

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

Great OP Dan.

At this point, Chia's in the hole very deep, but he just needs to stop digging.

There's no point doing something totally foolish by trying to swing for the fences.

He needs to analyze the errors of his ways, remain cool, build methodically and not settle for marginal deals from a position of weakness.

I hope the Jacobs boys won't let the 30 pieces of playoff silver further complicate an already complicated situation.

The good news is that we can, and will, climb out of this hole, but, it will take time, patience and intelligence.