This is between big z and Bergeron. Clode ain’t there for me. I think Clode success has alot to do with bruins leadership, starting with Z and Bergeron.
Imo Bergeron brought the defensive game to another level. His game IQ is just at another level as his determintation to play a 3 zones game.
Claude.
He set up the system that enabled every player to maximize defensively. Now, with Bruce they maximize offensively while still mastering the defense.
All elite or Hall of Fame players but I think the most credit goes to Claude. We owe a lot to him. Hell, Claude turned Savard into a player who could PK and buy into a team system.
If you go on the main board....
- Cassidy is no good because he coaches a loaded team.
- Rask is no good because he plays behind a great defense.
- The defense is no good because Chara is too slow, and Krug and Grzelcyk are too small.
- Bergeron is good, but overrated and is only a Selke nominee based on reputation.
Maybe and probably you are correct. But i think Bergeron was also a big help for Julien success in Boston. Remember, Julien got kicked out of Montreal and New Jersey.....I voted Bergeron but Julien was certainly a big help to Bergeron developing the way he did.
Maybe and probably you are correct. But i think Bergeron was also a big help for Julien success in Boston. Remember, Julien got kicked out of Montreal and New Jersey.....
alot of Julien success Boston is also on Bruins top players leadership and team culture!
Dave Lewis was Dave Lewis. Btw where is Dave Lewis now just to know...The year before Julien took over the Bruins had Chara (-21), Bergeron (-28) & Thomas (3.13 GAA) in goal. They were 29th out of 30 teams in goals allowed. Last in the Northeast division standings.
So where did that team culture come from?
This thread has me thinking back to this whole era. How lucky have we been!
Also reminded me of the epic 2011 team zoom call that feels like it happened in the 1980s with how much has happened in the world since then.
I've got to go with coaching. They had Chara, Bergeron, and Thomas in 06-07, but finished 29th in goals against. There weren't a bunch of major additions, but firing Lewis and hiring Julien improved their goals against ranking from 29th to 12th. They've finished in the top 5 every year from 2008-09 to current, other than the 2 year stretch from 2014-15 to 2016-17.
Chara, Bergeron, and the goaltending matters, but the system is key.
If you go on the main board....
- Cassidy is no good because he coaches a loaded team.
- Rask is no good because he plays behind a great defense.
- The defense is no good because Chara is too slow, and Krug and Grzelcyk are too small.
- Bergeron is good, but overrated and is only a Selke nominee based on reputation.
I think it's the team leadership that makes this wagon roll.
I don't watch the Canadians much but Claude hasn't seemed to have much impact there.