I was hoping that the early adversity would bring some good things to the Bruins and I think this has finally happened. With Savvy and Looch out Bergeron has escalated his game to an elite level. Through sheer will he has become a force to be reckoned with, making an impact on every shift. And with the injury to Thomas, Rask has been able to put enough games together to become confident in the net, bringing him another step closer to being a No. 1 goaltender.
So let's take stock, shall we? Last season Looch proved himself in the playoffs, elevating his game with timely hits and scoring opportunities until the very last moment. Thomas too proved himself an elite goaltender last season. Not just because he played consistently well enough to win the Vezina, but because of his strong play at critical times--something he has continued to do this season. Likewise Savvy has proven to be the rare player with passion, skill, and a magic touch with the puck.
So let's imagine for a moment: imagine if... Bergeron were to continue his hard play, his recklessness with a purpose, into the playoffs. Imagine if Chara were to not hold back, but to crush forwards every time they ventured into his zone (as we know he can). And imagine if he started to pick the corner of the net as well as putting the puck in the pads for a rebound and thus scored more goals (as we know he can). Imagine if the talented Dennis Wideman played every single shift with the same intense focus. Imagine if David Krejci were to play with the confidence he showed last season, which leads to nothing short of magic when the puck is on his stick. Imagine if Thornton and Begin played every shift with the intensity they brought early this season. If you imagine these things all happening at the same time, in every playoff game... it is not hard to imagine the Bruins being unstoppable; it is not hard to imagine a four game sweep to win the Cup.
For too long the B's have had a parade of heroes. Bergeron today. Thomas last week. Savvy the month before. In my opinion, the only thing holding them back from a Cup is to bring it all together at the same time; to become a team of heroes.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Getting Ugly
It's getting pretty ugly out there in Bruins land. Whether it be fans railing against Timmy for not playing defense as well as goaltender in front of his net in OT, or coach Julien telling the media, "I don’t think I should have to answer the question they (the players) should answer," when asked why they came out flat against the Islanders.
As far as the team's play goes, I think the recent Pittsburgh game pretty much summed it up. From a Hockey fans perspective this was a fun game. The B's were in it almost to the finish. Almost. They even managed a game-winning goal with two minutes left, taking the lead for the first time only when it really counted. How cool was that? But a broken stick here, and a loss of concentration there, and somehow they still didn't come out of it with two points.
Hey--here's the thing: unlike many fans this is actually what I wished for at the start of the season. I wanted them to see adversity and to learn from it so they would be stronger come playoff time. But that doesn't make it any less ugly, and the looming prospect of a total team meltdown from which they cannot recover is frightening.
That said, I still believe these guys have what it takes, from the GM on down. Just hang in there B's fans!
As far as the team's play goes, I think the recent Pittsburgh game pretty much summed it up. From a Hockey fans perspective this was a fun game. The B's were in it almost to the finish. Almost. They even managed a game-winning goal with two minutes left, taking the lead for the first time only when it really counted. How cool was that? But a broken stick here, and a loss of concentration there, and somehow they still didn't come out of it with two points.
Hey--here's the thing: unlike many fans this is actually what I wished for at the start of the season. I wanted them to see adversity and to learn from it so they would be stronger come playoff time. But that doesn't make it any less ugly, and the looming prospect of a total team meltdown from which they cannot recover is frightening.
That said, I still believe these guys have what it takes, from the GM on down. Just hang in there B's fans!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Bruins Cup is Half Full
It's actually pretty hilarious. The B's get off to a slow start to the 2009/2010 season and all of a sudden it's 2007 again. Ah, yes, the spring of 2007. The Bruins had no talent. According to many hockey pundits Chara had proven to be a waste of money. Savard was was a good setup man with nobody to set up and a lousy back checker to boot. Tim Thomas was a minor league journeyman goaltender who wasn't good enough technically to start in the NHL for a real team. Taken together, the team lacked the talent to score more than two goals per game. And so on. Of course, last season Chara won the Norris, Savard was in the top tier in points and developed a reputation for good back checking (+25), Thomas won the Vezina, and as a team they scored 270 goals and were second overall in the standings. Yet only a few months later I'm suddenly reading all the same things from 2007 again as if all of that was some sort of summer daydream.
Wow. Apparently Phil Kessel and Chuck Kobasew were the only reason the B's scored that many goals, and their superior defensive play made Timmy look way better than he really is. I say again, wow. Ok, so there is always some Boston "sports" fan who tunes in for the playoffs and two or three games each year who is going to comment on how the Bruins have no talent after a loss. And there is always the odd Habs fan in there too. But what really got me annoyed was this little video made after only seven games. I have no idea who Charlie Pierce is, but he's full of it. He claims that, "I watched them beat Detroit last year simply by outworking them and now they can work as hard as they can... they don't have any talent on this team." That doesn't even make consistent logical sense, much less reflect reality.
The Bruins have plenty of talent, even without Savard (injured), Kessel, and Kobasew. Their problem through game ten had been inconsistent effort. They failed to outwork other teams and failed to play physically. Last season, even with Savard and Lucic in the lineup, if the rest of the team failed to work hard and play physically they ended up losing. Hockey is after all the ultimate team sport. Compared to earlier on, I thought last night's game against New Jersey was a huge improvement. If they are going to lose a game, then that's the way to lose it. The team played hard all night long, won battle after battle along the boards, finished their checks, got up ice quickly, passed well, and made few mistakes. It's a shame they lost, but they could have just as easily come out the winner. Had the puck bounced the other way this nonsense I have been reading about how they don't have enough talent and how Thomas gave up soft goals would have likely been replaced by equally over-the-top praise. I also think the recent come from behind victories are good for the team. By the time the playoffs came along last year they had forgotten how to do that. Although they should not be digging these sorts of holes in the first place, learning to dig themselves out may come in very handy during the playoffs.
Now back to the Kobasew trade. It took a while, and I admit to being shocked by the move, but I finally got it. Not being privileged, I didn't realize how well Marchand had done in training camp. All I knew was that he was still playing with a spoked-P and I didn't give him much thought. But I see now that Chiarelli was sort of keeping Marchand in his back pocket. By moving Kobasew he was clearing space among the veterans to allow Marchand to come up. At the same time he was able to pick up Paille who at best has untapped potential, and at worst brings some grit to your third line. Far from pressing the panic button, this was a shrewd move on Chiarelli's part. I don't know how anyone could watch Marchand's play and claim he has no talent.
So am I worried about the Bruins? In a word: no.
Wow. Apparently Phil Kessel and Chuck Kobasew were the only reason the B's scored that many goals, and their superior defensive play made Timmy look way better than he really is. I say again, wow. Ok, so there is always some Boston "sports" fan who tunes in for the playoffs and two or three games each year who is going to comment on how the Bruins have no talent after a loss. And there is always the odd Habs fan in there too. But what really got me annoyed was this little video made after only seven games. I have no idea who Charlie Pierce is, but he's full of it. He claims that, "I watched them beat Detroit last year simply by outworking them and now they can work as hard as they can... they don't have any talent on this team." That doesn't even make consistent logical sense, much less reflect reality.
The Bruins have plenty of talent, even without Savard (injured), Kessel, and Kobasew. Their problem through game ten had been inconsistent effort. They failed to outwork other teams and failed to play physically. Last season, even with Savard and Lucic in the lineup, if the rest of the team failed to work hard and play physically they ended up losing. Hockey is after all the ultimate team sport. Compared to earlier on, I thought last night's game against New Jersey was a huge improvement. If they are going to lose a game, then that's the way to lose it. The team played hard all night long, won battle after battle along the boards, finished their checks, got up ice quickly, passed well, and made few mistakes. It's a shame they lost, but they could have just as easily come out the winner. Had the puck bounced the other way this nonsense I have been reading about how they don't have enough talent and how Thomas gave up soft goals would have likely been replaced by equally over-the-top praise. I also think the recent come from behind victories are good for the team. By the time the playoffs came along last year they had forgotten how to do that. Although they should not be digging these sorts of holes in the first place, learning to dig themselves out may come in very handy during the playoffs.
Now back to the Kobasew trade. It took a while, and I admit to being shocked by the move, but I finally got it. Not being privileged, I didn't realize how well Marchand had done in training camp. All I knew was that he was still playing with a spoked-P and I didn't give him much thought. But I see now that Chiarelli was sort of keeping Marchand in his back pocket. By moving Kobasew he was clearing space among the veterans to allow Marchand to come up. At the same time he was able to pick up Paille who at best has untapped potential, and at worst brings some grit to your third line. Far from pressing the panic button, this was a shrewd move on Chiarelli's part. I don't know how anyone could watch Marchand's play and claim he has no talent.
So am I worried about the Bruins? In a word: no.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Pressing the Panic Button
I wasn't that surprised about the B's start this season. They play like a team that spent the summer reading their own press releases. They seem to have their sights on the playoffs, something that is clearly a bit premature in October. A great game here, a great period there, a solid shift from time to time. But not much in between. But as I said I sort of expected it. They'd either get their acts together or they wouldn't, and if they didn't it would likely be at the cost of the coach's job.What I didn't expect is what happened on Sunday with the Kobasew trade. I mean, WTF? Kobasew is a solid 20 goal scorer who plays strong in the corners. We were, after all, led to conclude that the main reason that Kessel was let go was so that we could keep guys like Chuck on the roster. I was at the game in Phoenix on Saturday and it seemed to me that Kobasew was playing hard. Sure, his line with Bergeron and Rechhi is snake bit in the scoring department, but I figured they would work through it. I have now read something like five articles claiming that Chiarelli pulled the trigger on this trade to shake the B's up. Yet when somebody actually asked him about it he said that wasn't why he did it. In fact, he said that this was a trade that had been in the making for some time. So I say again, WTF? Chiarelli has replaced a proven 20-goal scorer in Kobasew with a big under acheving kid named Daniel Paille. This guy only managed 12 goals last season and he was basically given away for a song by Buffalo. Either Chiarelli is a genius, he knows something we don't, or he's completely lost it.
We're just seven games into the season. Going into the game tonight against the Preds I don't know who this team is anymore. Savy and Looch are injured--likely for a while. I miss PJ on the PK. Dennis Wideman is still out on defense. Bergeron works so hard in the corners, yet often gets double teamed off the puck because he gets no support (maybe that will change). Both goaltenders are playing "ok" when we need them to stand on their heads. Blake Wheeler is so slow that when he breaks into open ice with the puck he usually gets caught from behind before he can get a shot off. Krejci starts his nifty moves only to have the puck poke checked away. The PK is just plain pathetic and the PP is almost as bad. Worst of all--half the time nobody seems to remember how to check. Big and Bad my ass!
Friday, October 9, 2009
The Good and the Bad of Losing 6 to 1
Losing to the Ducks 6-1 at home was just plain ugly. But as an early-season game I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I think it underscores the teams greatest weakness, yet I am also left with the hope that this loss will begin the process of building a better team.
The Bad: this was a textbook example of how to beat these Bruins. In this loss I see the same Achilles heel that Carolina used to eliminate the B's in the playoffs just a few months ago. The recipe for beating the Bruins is to hold on for the first period. Keep the B's from scoring more than one goal, two at the most. This will frustrate them because they come out hard in the first and are used to getting a good lead. A hot goaltender can be a real asset against them. Just bide your time and stave off the attack until the second period. The B's have a bad habit of coming out flat in the second, and staying that way if you find success against them. This tendency can be traced way back to the Dave Lewis days. If they have a big enough lead going into the second then it's hard to spot, but if they fall behind they will always fall flat. So take it to them in the second and get the lead. By the third period (if not sooner) the B's will be in panic mode. Just be opportunistic. Wait for the turnovers and odd-man rushes (they will come) and extend your lead.
The Good: I find myself almost welcoming this loss, and the ones like it that will surely follow. Because if the B's are to go far into the playoffs they will need to overcome their weakness; they will need to learn to play hard in the second period and learn how to come back from behind without giving the game away in the process.
This may be a long fall. But my fingers are crossed that it will only make them stronger.
The Bad: this was a textbook example of how to beat these Bruins. In this loss I see the same Achilles heel that Carolina used to eliminate the B's in the playoffs just a few months ago. The recipe for beating the Bruins is to hold on for the first period. Keep the B's from scoring more than one goal, two at the most. This will frustrate them because they come out hard in the first and are used to getting a good lead. A hot goaltender can be a real asset against them. Just bide your time and stave off the attack until the second period. The B's have a bad habit of coming out flat in the second, and staying that way if you find success against them. This tendency can be traced way back to the Dave Lewis days. If they have a big enough lead going into the second then it's hard to spot, but if they fall behind they will always fall flat. So take it to them in the second and get the lead. By the third period (if not sooner) the B's will be in panic mode. Just be opportunistic. Wait for the turnovers and odd-man rushes (they will come) and extend your lead.
The Good: I find myself almost welcoming this loss, and the ones like it that will surely follow. Because if the B's are to go far into the playoffs they will need to overcome their weakness; they will need to learn to play hard in the second period and learn how to come back from behind without giving the game away in the process.
This may be a long fall. But my fingers are crossed that it will only make them stronger.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
New Season Brings Change
Every season brings change. We say goodbye to old friends, find new ones, and face different expectations. So I hereby present my top four changes to the Boston Bruins to start the 2009-2010 season:
No. 4 -- we say goodbye to PJ Axellson. PJ was one of the last reminders of the Joe Thornton / Mike O'Connell era. Number 11 played 11 years for the Bruins, his only NHL team. In that time he impressed me, as well as many head coaches, with his defensive play and versatility. When team Sweden won the Gold in the Olympics it was PJ out on the ice as the clock ticked down with a lead. I had always hoped that he'd see a similar role one day in a Bruins cup win. I am a huge fan. He was the unsung hero and the guy who the more ignorant and fickle Bruins fans loved to pick on. You know the type--the ones who would trade away the entire team for Dany Heatly or whomever the hot goaltender is this year. Like that alone would make the B's Cup winners. PJ was a player for the thinking hockey fan to appreciate. He didn't score a lot of goals, but man could he make a difference in the outcome of a game. This was no more apparent than when he played on the No. 1 PK unit. He usually played the high position in the slot. How many times did he craftily tip a pass out of the zone last season alone? The B's are going to miss him on the PK, that's for sure. But in the current era there simply wasn't a place in the lineup for a shutdown defenseman, and his departure was inevitable. The good news is that other players, particularly Bergeron, have stepped up and can fill much of his role on the PK. So in the end, although I will miss him, I don't think his departure will have a big impact on the team.
No. 3 -- we say goodbye to Aaron Ward. Wardo was a grizzled leader who played hard, tough and smart. He brought the perspective of a veteran player who had won a cup or two. He was an example of winning by giving your all, and then some. But the aging Ward wasn't the most skilled Bruin on the blue line. Hopefully the lessons he had to teach the younger players will remain after his departure. And what a departure! The respect that Chiarelli showed by sending him back to Carolina to finish his career was astounding. That's what was missing in the O'Connell era. To be successful today players must want to play for your team and you must treat them with respect for that to happen.
No. 2 -- the apparent departure of Phil Kessel. I think Kessel has a bright future ahead of him. I have watched him grow from a timid kid who looked like he was scared he'd get hit to a fearless player who is strong on the puck. And I am convinced that he still has a long way to go. He will never be Cam Neely, but you can't win a cup with an entire team of Neely's. You need a good mix of talent. And Kessel is no Samsonov either; he's not a one trick pony with speed and single curl move. Should Kessel stay in Boston I believe he will become one of the top players in the league. But to stay the Bruins would have to give up at least two other players (like Sturm and Kobasew) to stay under the cap. That would likely be a greater loss than losing Kessel alone, particularly come playoff time. Unfortunately I suspect that Kessel will never become the great player he was destined to be with another team, where the expectations will be to simply score. And the Bruins will miss his speed! Kessel gave them a second way to enter the zone against teams that were able to shut them out. That is going to hurt them, and without Kessel I see fewer goals in the B's future. But that may not be a bad thing, come playoff time. The fast, high-flying goal scorers don't usually win you a Cup. In one of the great ironies of the game, it is the third and fourth line guys who usually make the difference in the end.
No. 1 -- raised expectations. Some Bruins fans--particularly those riding the bandwagon late--forecast a cup win for the B's last season. But as last season opened most felt the B's would make it to the second round. Others suggested they would't even make the playoffs. This season the pressure is really on, for there is talk all across the hockey world of a cup run.
I caught a replay of game one against Carolina recently, and the reasons the B's lost that series all came flooding back. In my opinion, the Bruins lost to Carolina because they had become too accustomed to rolling over opponents with high scoring wins. The B's breezed to victories all season long, often running away with the score before the 3rd period, and they started the playoffs with five wins in a row. They were ripe to be thrown off their game by a strong defensive showing, and that's what happened in game 2. If not for a fluke they might have won game 7 in overtime, and I think they would have taken the Penguins. But it was not to be. In the end, the B's let that series get away from them by getting frustrated after game 1 and paid the price for it. They were learning on the job how to face a tough opponent, something they would have been better off knowing well before the playoffs began.
In my mind the perfect season for the B's would have more struggle to it, perhaps even finishing 3rd or 4th in the conference. Or maybe fighting their way up through the pack at the end. I'd like to see fewer goals and closer games. They have the goaltending. They have the coaching and system. They can play defense well, and move the puck up the ice. They can score. If it all comes together right, this really could be the year!
No. 4 -- we say goodbye to PJ Axellson. PJ was one of the last reminders of the Joe Thornton / Mike O'Connell era. Number 11 played 11 years for the Bruins, his only NHL team. In that time he impressed me, as well as many head coaches, with his defensive play and versatility. When team Sweden won the Gold in the Olympics it was PJ out on the ice as the clock ticked down with a lead. I had always hoped that he'd see a similar role one day in a Bruins cup win. I am a huge fan. He was the unsung hero and the guy who the more ignorant and fickle Bruins fans loved to pick on. You know the type--the ones who would trade away the entire team for Dany Heatly or whomever the hot goaltender is this year. Like that alone would make the B's Cup winners. PJ was a player for the thinking hockey fan to appreciate. He didn't score a lot of goals, but man could he make a difference in the outcome of a game. This was no more apparent than when he played on the No. 1 PK unit. He usually played the high position in the slot. How many times did he craftily tip a pass out of the zone last season alone? The B's are going to miss him on the PK, that's for sure. But in the current era there simply wasn't a place in the lineup for a shutdown defenseman, and his departure was inevitable. The good news is that other players, particularly Bergeron, have stepped up and can fill much of his role on the PK. So in the end, although I will miss him, I don't think his departure will have a big impact on the team.
No. 3 -- we say goodbye to Aaron Ward. Wardo was a grizzled leader who played hard, tough and smart. He brought the perspective of a veteran player who had won a cup or two. He was an example of winning by giving your all, and then some. But the aging Ward wasn't the most skilled Bruin on the blue line. Hopefully the lessons he had to teach the younger players will remain after his departure. And what a departure! The respect that Chiarelli showed by sending him back to Carolina to finish his career was astounding. That's what was missing in the O'Connell era. To be successful today players must want to play for your team and you must treat them with respect for that to happen.
No. 2 -- the apparent departure of Phil Kessel. I think Kessel has a bright future ahead of him. I have watched him grow from a timid kid who looked like he was scared he'd get hit to a fearless player who is strong on the puck. And I am convinced that he still has a long way to go. He will never be Cam Neely, but you can't win a cup with an entire team of Neely's. You need a good mix of talent. And Kessel is no Samsonov either; he's not a one trick pony with speed and single curl move. Should Kessel stay in Boston I believe he will become one of the top players in the league. But to stay the Bruins would have to give up at least two other players (like Sturm and Kobasew) to stay under the cap. That would likely be a greater loss than losing Kessel alone, particularly come playoff time. Unfortunately I suspect that Kessel will never become the great player he was destined to be with another team, where the expectations will be to simply score. And the Bruins will miss his speed! Kessel gave them a second way to enter the zone against teams that were able to shut them out. That is going to hurt them, and without Kessel I see fewer goals in the B's future. But that may not be a bad thing, come playoff time. The fast, high-flying goal scorers don't usually win you a Cup. In one of the great ironies of the game, it is the third and fourth line guys who usually make the difference in the end.
No. 1 -- raised expectations. Some Bruins fans--particularly those riding the bandwagon late--forecast a cup win for the B's last season. But as last season opened most felt the B's would make it to the second round. Others suggested they would't even make the playoffs. This season the pressure is really on, for there is talk all across the hockey world of a cup run.
I caught a replay of game one against Carolina recently, and the reasons the B's lost that series all came flooding back. In my opinion, the Bruins lost to Carolina because they had become too accustomed to rolling over opponents with high scoring wins. The B's breezed to victories all season long, often running away with the score before the 3rd period, and they started the playoffs with five wins in a row. They were ripe to be thrown off their game by a strong defensive showing, and that's what happened in game 2. If not for a fluke they might have won game 7 in overtime, and I think they would have taken the Penguins. But it was not to be. In the end, the B's let that series get away from them by getting frustrated after game 1 and paid the price for it. They were learning on the job how to face a tough opponent, something they would have been better off knowing well before the playoffs began.
In my mind the perfect season for the B's would have more struggle to it, perhaps even finishing 3rd or 4th in the conference. Or maybe fighting their way up through the pack at the end. I'd like to see fewer goals and closer games. They have the goaltending. They have the coaching and system. They can play defense well, and move the puck up the ice. They can score. If it all comes together right, this really could be the year!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Ward Traded, Chiarelli Tips his Hand
When the deal to trade Kessel blew up very publicly at the NHL draft, I was left scratching my head. With everyone talking about how Kessel might want $4 million or more, the word on the street was that Chiarelli needed to unload Kessel's salary primarily because he couldn't afford him. Yet Chiarelli attempted to trade Kessel for a defenseman who was under contract for about the same amount of money. That in itself left me scratching my head, let alone why the pundits didn't make much of it. But now that Ward has been traded we know what Chiarelli was thinking, and that means we know what he has been thinking all along.
It seems clear now that Chiarelli's plan has been to trade Kessel for an impact defenseman, dumping Ward's salary to cover the added cost. Now it's just a matter of the right deal for a defenseman coming along, whether it be next week or sometime during the season.
It seems clear now that Chiarelli's plan has been to trade Kessel for an impact defenseman, dumping Ward's salary to cover the added cost. Now it's just a matter of the right deal for a defenseman coming along, whether it be next week or sometime during the season.
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