Where are we at? What is the potential? What needs to be done?

[Mr. Make-Believe]

...

A LOT of people down on the team right now. I posed this question in... maybe the Gagne thread? But it was an important one, because I keep hearing things about the team like:
- they are too slow
- Rask isn't consistent enough
- our stars don't show up anymore
- our defense stinks
- there's no skill
So I asked... Do you think this Bruins team right NOW is one that could struggle to make the playoffs?

I didn't get much of a response. But surely one would have to agree that the team described above shouldn't even sniff at a playoff berth. I personally think the critiques are overstated.

..........

Where we at? (I'll answer my own questions here, but you can ignore my stuff and just post your own if you wish... The only agenda I intend to push is cutting through the garbage)
- We have a strong core of proven players who I love to root for. We have holes right now at first line RW and top four defenseman. My opinion is that the one at forward is the most glaring. If it is solved, this team will look SUBSTANTIALLY stronger than it currently does.

What is the potential?
- Cup caliber lineup IF something is done to fill the holes. But this team isn't very far from being one that could miss the playoffs either IMO. There is a tipping point for this roster and right now I think they're walking the line between being a not very good team and being what we're used to seeing. I'm not sure there's a place in say the New York Rangers area of quality that the Bruins could sit at. A very good team, or a fairly woeful one.

What needs to be done?
First and absolutely foremost, we have to see if the answer at RW is on this roster. It's not Gagne. It's not David Pastrnak. It's not Seth Griffith and it's not Matt Fraser. It's Eriksson or it's Smith or it's someone else elsewhere. The answer at top four is not Adam McQuaid. I love the guy and he hasn't played poorly. But he won't be able to keep Boychuk minutes and continue to look alright.

What I fear, is that the pairings and the lines we have right now are going to become cemented to some extent. The Bergeron and Soderberg units won't be touched and the second pair ditto. That either a move will be made that brings in someone who doesn't fit and isn't exactly needed OR no move is made at all and this club will continue to struggle.

I'm not doom and gloom. I think this team could be where we need it to without major moves at ALL. But I understand completely where the doom-and-or-gloomers are coming from and that scares me.

Click to read more...

 

[Blowfish]

Shake it up

Paille - Krejci - Smith
Spoon- Berg - Erik
Kelly - Yeti - March
Lucic - Soup - Winner/Griff

Paille deserves a shot
Berg can make it work with whatever
Spoons proved to be effective left wing pre-season
March needs new look
Lucic needs to heal

Shake it up!!!

Bosh can play. Give him a chance.
Always wanted Boychuk over Sieds however Sieds should come around
Perhaps give Morrow a shot over McQuaid

 

[Strange Universe]

You have certainly hit the two major concerns onb this club at this present moment.

I also believe that Gagne should not be the player to rely on the 1st line but it really looks like CJ will keep experimenting with him on it as the games carry on.

Personally, Smith would be a great option and move Loui to the 2nd line and have Gane play on the 3rd line.

Hopefully a trade can be made to acquire the RW for the 1st line because without the 1st line being established as a true 1 st line this team will struggle to make the playoffs this year.

On defense, they would need to acquire a body but I think it is a little less urgent than the RW position for the moment.
Nevertheless it remains a concern.

 

[xxxx]

fire Julien

 

[JOKER 192]

fire Julien

maybe you should start with at home.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

fire Julien

Yeah and doing that keeps this team a contender in the end how?

I don't want be an ass I'm just saying... Who is your replacement for Claude. . .

 

[DitClapper]

We need to make a move for a RW. Not a panic move, but a smart one. I look at it if we win tomorrow, we're 3-4. That's not that bad. And if we can string a few more together and get back over 500 we're in good shape. Still need some scoring help though.

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

You have certainly hit the two major concerns onb this club at this present moment.

I also believe that Gagne should not be the player to rely on the 1st line but it really looks like CJ will keep experimenting with him on it as the games carry on.

Personally, Smith would be a great option and move Loui to the 2nd line and have Gane play on the 3rd line.

Hopefully a trade can be made to acquire the RW for the 1st line because without the 1st line being established as a true 1 st line this team will struggle to make the playoffs this year.

On defense, they would need to acquire a body but I think it is a little less urgent than the RW position for the moment.
Nevertheless it remains a concern.

Loui and Bergeron showed no offensive chemistry. Loui should be with Soderberg or Krejci, end of story.

If they don't think Loui is the solution for 1st line right wing, they need to go outside of the organization or think outside of the box. Krejci on RW might be interesting.

Top 9 option 1:
Lucic - Soderberg - Krejci
Marchand - Bergeron - Smith
Kelly - Spooner - Eriksson

or

Eriksson - Soderberg - Krejci
Marchand - Bergeron - Smith
Lucic - Kelly - Spooner

Paille (sorry this isn't going to the message I quoted, but somewhere else in this thread), great guy and teammate, but he has absolutely no place being in our top 9. If he's there we are in trouble. Sans one season 6 years ago, he's basically an offensive blackhole. He plays hard, and he's defensively one of the best on the team, but he just doesn't have the offensive awareness or skill to get it done consistently. He's a fill in if a top 9 winger gets injured, but no more than that. With his speed and the chances he gets, if he even had a bit more offensive skill, guy would probably be pushing 25+ goals a season. Unfortunately, he's not. But he is, in my opinion, the perfect 4th line winger.

 

[Shaun]

until this team shows the potential of scoring and beating top teams its mcdavid or bust

 

[NightmanCometh]

I already made a poll about this. Everyone pretty much agreed that we need a RW more than a top-4 D. I agree.

That being said, we don't have the talent to acquire a top 4 wing without sacrificing someone big.

Spooner/other prospects/draft picks (or any combination of the bunch) is not going to net us a legit goal-scorer.

Either way, we're still too early in the season to be talking trade. Let the team find it's groove, let Lucic heal some more, and let's see how much skill Gagne has retained.

If by 30 games we're still in desperate need of a goal-scorer (and Gagne can be a suitable Eriksson replacement) I would see about something like this:

2 draft picks, Spooner and Eriksson for Eberle.

At the very least, Eriksson offers a quality 2-way player who has some good experience. Spooner is a young talented center who will give them desperately needed depth. 2 draft picks because I have a feeling the Oilers are about to nuke the roster.

 

[ElkabombKid9]

I don't think they miss the playoffs, but i also don't think they are even close to a lock to win the division like predicted before the season. I honestly see them finishing in the 5-7 range. I truly believed not having a solid replacement for Iginla would hurt them and that seems to be proving right. I definitely did not see them trading Boychuk for picks, and certainly didn't see it happening at the time it did. I thought coming into the season they would struggle a bit offensively, but a strong D would make up for it, now the D is more concerning to me then the offense, and i don't think they have the assets to acquire a top 4 dman and a top 6 RW. Forget about the assets. How can they make it work financially without moving a core guy that makes a lot?

I meant to add, and it's probably a dumb idea, but the position this team is in why the hell not. When Soderberg first joined the team he played wing right? I know how good he is at C and that's his natural position, but i seriously would like to see that tried out, but after Gagne gets a legitimate **** up there first. Go to a more traditional third line either moving paille up or even an eriksson-kelly-Griffith line. I think Soderberg is going to command a decent amount of money next year, and I will be B******* if they somehow can't /don't resign him. I've mentioned it before when they do resign him 3 of our 4 centers will cost close to 20mil in cap space!

 

[Kranium]

I think that they should use subban, spooner, warsofsky and someone from the core to trade for a RW.
I just dont se subban becoming the nr 1 here or anywhere...and spooner is a bust. Flame away!

 

[ElkabombKid9]

I agree, but i don't think Spooner is a bust. I just don't think there will ever be a spot for him on this team. He's not a 4th line center and apparently can't play wing. They need to move some salary somehow though with that package

 

[13Hockey]

Lucic-Krejci-Gagne
Marchand-Bergeron-Smith
Kelly- Soderberg-Eriksson
Paille-Campbell-Cunninghan

Make a trade for a D im not worried about our offense they will be fine

Tuukka will be fine!

If this team doesnt make the playoffs as a top 4 seed it would be the most shocking thing I've ever seen in sports

there is a reason were still the favorites to win the East

 

[13Hockey]

if the 2007 bruins which featured

axelsson savrard kessel (30pts)
sturm krejci (20pts) murray
schaefer metropolit kobasew
lucic nokelanien thronton
reich sobotka

chara Wideman
ward ference
hindy stuart
alberts hunwick

thomas
auld

can make the playoffs how are people honestly concerned that our current roster cant make the playoffs

 

[Mount Kramer Cameras]

Seids and McQuaid - coming back from season ending injuries
Krug - no camp
Hamilton - pressure of increased responsibility

These defensive issues are hitting Rask's confidence too. I expect us to be in full swing soon enough, it's just going to take a little time. The loss of leadership in the dressing room surely hasn't helped either

 

[remer]

Lucic-Krejci-Gagne
Marchand-Bergeron-Smith
Kelly- Soderberg-Eriksson
Paille- Spooner -Campbell

Give Spooner some vets to work with. Gives you an option for him to plan center and wing as he gets accustomed to the NHL

You don't trade away young cheap talent.

 

[ODAAT]

fire Julien

and hire your guy???

 

[DKH]

Saw Providence again last night and will go to my 30 Bostob games and am not even remotely worried long term. But I love this place most when it rains and we get all the good Ark talk

 

[SerenityRick]

Julien isn't the problem with this team. The system he employs is probably preventing them from getting completely blown out most nights.

And Chia doesn't seem like a GM who would fire Julien to scapegoat for a lackluster off season.

 

[BNHL]

Patience!

 

[GoBs]

The problem is not the coach.
Take a look at the Oilers, I think they are in need of some defensive help.
Chia should have waited. 1. to see what teams needed out there 2. To see if Sides has recovered sufficiently

Could have sent Bart and Johnny B west of a good young forward.
Stupid

 

[NightmanCometh]

The problem is not the coach.
Take a look at the Oilers, I think they are in need of some defensive help.
Chia should have waited. 1. to see what teams needed out there 2. To see if Sides has recovered sufficiently

Could have sent Bart and Johnny B west of a good young forward.
Stupid

Or just not trade Johnny B at all... :/

 

[TheBigBadB]

Honestly I can see this team going from either a contender or to imploding this season.

It will also help if two of our top 6 start actually scoring again. It's bad enough being down one top six guy, but compound that with Marchand and Lucic slow start and it's going to be a struggle.

The only scary thing is I get a weird vibe like something is just plain wrong with this team. Reminds me of when the Flyers were terrible and you look at the roster and say they shouldn't be that bad. Yet they were...I see the same characteristics here.

 

[NightmanCometh]

Honestly I can see this team going from either a contender or to imploding this season.

It will also help if two of our top 6 start actually scoring again. It's bad enough being down one top six guy, but compound that with Marchand and Lucic slow start and it's going to be a struggle.

The only scary thing is I get a weird vibe like something is just plain wrong with this team. Reminds me of when the Flyers were terrible and you look at the roster and say they shouldn't be that bad. Yet they were...I see the same characteristics here.

I know what you mean. I think last season's loss to Montreal hit the team hard. They were so close at times... how many posts did we hit? Then all of the ensuing drama after the series basically painted the Bruins as a team of sore losing **********.

Throw in the departure of Iginla, trade of Boychuck, and trade of Thornton and it's clear the team has lost a lot of it's mojo. Thornton is the exact type of guy we'd need right now in the locker room.

That doesn't mean it's all lost. If we can net ourselves a couple of quality wins (or even close losses against the top teams) I'm sure the flame will be back. Maybe not as bright as it used to be, but right now we barely have a spark.