What's going on with Boston?

[nwaZ*]

As of now they're outside the playoffs. I expect them to make it and I think most do.

But it seems that like very few on the team is performing up to standard, if you lurk and read their sub-section on here. They have no player in TOP 30 scoring in the NHL.

So, what's going on up there? Down-year just generally? Injuries taking a toll? Julien losing the locker room?

Click to read more...

 

[JuJu Mobb]

All it takes is a 3-4 win streak and they're back on track.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

As of now they're outside the playoffs. I expect them to make it and I think most do.

But it seems that like very few on the team is performing up to standard, if you lurk and read their sub-section on here. They have no player in TOP 30 scoring in the NHL.

So, what's going on up there? Down-year just generally? Injuries taking a toll? Julien losing the locker room?

They usually dont have guys in the top of the scoring but do well with good defense and scoring by committee.

I think their poor results so far this season is a mix of lost identity and injuries to key players.

 

[Will Hunting]

If Ottawa wins their game-in-hand, Boston is 7th in Atlantic.. I mean, wow. They are gonna desperately fight for that last wild-card spot, imo. It´s gonna be CLOSE. They just can´t score now.

With some worse backup, their season could be done already. Svedberg earned some pts for that team and they are still alive. Imagine if Chad Johnson was still there..

 

[Suntouchable13]

They weren't going to be great forever. Why is it so hard to accept that they are in decline?

 

[Autism]

I see them bouncing back

 

[bolt thrower]

They suck! Clode and especially Chia are ****ing things up big time.

 

[jeangauthier]

Cap Hell City to boot...........major issues with keeping the core together next year.........$12 mil cap space and big names to be signed..............

 

[Romang67]

They've been missing their #1C and #1D for a significant portion of the season. I still think they make the playoffs.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Not elite anymore.

 

[Will Hunting]

They've been missing their #1C and #1D for a significant portion of the season. I still think they make the playoffs.

They have them now and are almost healthy. And in fact, they are still struggling. They will beat the Sabres tomorrow, though.

 

[Bread and Circuses]

They have them now and are almost healthy. And in fact, they are still struggling. They will beat the Sabres tomorrow, though.

Chara has only been back a few games and Krejci only back two.

I'll give them another couple weeks to warm up to speed.

Bruins still desperately need a top 6 RW though....

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Made some serious mistakes and they've had injuries. Trading away Seguin really hurt them.

 

[Jeffrey]

I know Bruins fans won't admit it but the Seguin trade hurt them right now.
They only had their view on the Stanley Cup last year and this year they had to forfeit Boychuk and Iginla from their regular squad.
Rielly Smith is a great hockey player but he is not Seguin.
I would also mention that other eastern teams have been catching up on them.

 

[BruinsNeedaRussian]

They have them now and are almost healthy. And in fact, they are still struggling. They will beat the Sabres tomorrow, though.

They have had Krejci for two games...

 

[BruinsNeedaRussian]

I know Bruins fans won't admit it but the Seguin trade hurt them right now.
They only had their view on the Stanley Cup last year and this year they had to forfeit Boychuk and Iginla from their regular squad.
Rielly Smith is a great hockey player but he is not Seguin.
I would also mention that other eastern teams have been catching up on them.

Think most will admit the Seguin trade was a disaster, need offense more than anything right now. Could have kept the cup contention window open another 10 years with him.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Chara is old, they've been bleeding talent for a few years now, and they've made some bad decisions. Hopefully they pick it up though, would rather not have to play them in the first round.

 

[andrewkent14]

they have injuries and their team is getting older, still make the playoffs and would beat any team but prob the pens in the east still

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Injuries have played the biggest role. I was watching one their games a couple weeks ago and they showed like 7 or 8 injured guys in the press box - it was ridiculous. Now they've gotten Krejci and Chara back they should start playing better.

Losing key players has played a role though too. Aside from the obvious blunder of trading Seguin for Eriksson, they've gone from arguably the best defensive unit to one that is not as good. When the Hawks played the Bruins in the 2012/13 SCF, they had Chara, Seidenberg, McQuaid, Boychuck, Ference, Krug and Hamilton - now Boychuk and Ference aren't there, McQuaid is injured and Chara is in decline.

They've also had a very effective bottom-6 which allowed them to roll 4 lines and that has not been the case this year.

I wouldn't count them out just yet though. They still have very good players who have won the Cup and won't quit.

 

[Will Hunting]

Chara is old, they've been bleeding talent for a few years now, and they've made some bad decisions. Hopefully they pick it up though, would rather not have to play them in the first round.

There are 2 ways of how to avoid them in R1 as a wildcard threat.

1)They finish high enough to not be a WC.
2)They miss the playoffs

I don´t know, but the second option might be more likely now than the first one. That said, they shouldn´t be viewed as nightmare anymore.

 

[Richiebottles]

Lack of top end scorning.

 

[Dellstrom]

This is a bridge year (like 2012, kind of) because Chia royally ****ed up the cap and our prospects need another year to be where we need them to be
Our #1D and #1B center have been out for the majority of the season
We got rid of Iginla and replaced him with no one
We got rid of Boychuk instead of Kelly.... why? We don't know
Seidenberg isn't half the player he was pre-injury
1/2 of our top-6 is/have been still on summer vacation
We suck offensively and you can't win games when you score 1/2 goals

Lots of reasons. Most notably we're slow and bad offensively. Last year we were slow, but still great offensively. Could cycle the puck for days. Now, everyone has no idea what the hell they're doing in the offensive zone. And we're slower than last year. They're shot on confidence, I expect them to go a month with only 1-3 losses like they usually do. Will bring us right back up there. Don't care what seed we are as long as we make the playoffs. With one 1st line offensive addition, a healthy team, and confidence, we're still one of the better teams in the league. Haven't shown it yet, though.

 

[mislysBB]

I know Bruins fans won't admit it but the Seguin trade hurt them right now.
They only had their view on the Stanley Cup last year and this year they had to forfeit Boychuk and Iginla from their regular squad.
Rielly Smith is a great hockey player but he is not Seguin.
I would also mention that other eastern teams have been catching up on them.

Actually most Bruins fans, including myself, can say that Chiarelli ****ed up big time on that one. I think Chiarelli did it with the intent that Eriksson would be better than he has been. Right now, the only bright spots for us from that deal are Morrow and Smith. Eriksson will probably be shipped out later in the season, and Fraser is an AHLer.
Basically, most of our problems are self inflicted.

 

[RiceCooker]

Can't stay on top forever.

 

[Le Tricolore]

They're not very good anymore. It's pretty simple.