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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2015 13:12:27 GMT
Hate that Lucic is gone, but I moved on. Was OK on Hamilton, but I'm not broken up about it that he's gone, but Calgary could very well have made the move of the summer if he turns out. I think DS's hands were tied once PC wouldn't give up Nurse in the deal for Doug. PC let it be known that he probably was going to bring up an offer sheet & end up with both Nurse & Hamilton. Sweeney said. "Fawk you old friend!" and sent DH 200 miles South.
The only team & I hate to say it that I hope the B's epitomize themselves after this year is the Calgary Flames. They won't get anywhere on talent. The Panther's & Sabers have more right now. The B's will only be able to win with a huge work ethic. Anything short of that it will be another long season for us as fans. They don't have a single superstar on their roster right now. They have some great players, but they don't have any standouts like the teams that they're going to be battling with just within their own division. The B's are stacked up the middle & right now it's probably their strongest suit where 3 out of the 4 centers are 55% or better at the dot. Their offense from the center position is middle of the pack at best & this team could struggle to score goals. Every other team in the league though pretty much at least matches, or is better on the wings. The only way this will change is if Belesky & Hayes have even better years than they had last year. Pasta, nor the Bruins can afford to have a sophomore slump. He's probably the teams Tyler Johnson, or Jonny Hockey. Most of the teams D are seasoned & experience & C Miller is the wild card right now. Rask? (with no backup) will need to be an all-star. (With a backup) will need to be an all-star.
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Post by UtahGetMeTwo on Aug 12, 2015 13:46:53 GMT
"They won't get anywhere on talent. The Panther's & Sabers have more right now."
More talent than who ? The Bruins or Calgary ?
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Post by 50belowzero on Aug 12, 2015 14:26:06 GMT
The only team & I hate to say it that I hope the B's epitomize themselves after this year is the Calgary Flames. They won't get anywhere on talent. The Panther's & Sabers have more right now. The B's will only be able to win with a huge work ethic. Anything short of that it will be another long season for us as fans. They don't have a single superstar on their roster right now. The B's didn't have a single superstar on their roster last yr either Nite. If you want the B's to live by the Calgary Flames model i can live with that, they came to work hard every night and didn't take a shift off, played their hardest in the 3rd period. It can be argued that the Flames don't have a single superstar on their roster either, unless you consider Johnny Hockey or Giordano a superstar. Personally i think the Bruins have a good mix, and can make the playoffs, but they won't make it if they think that can just show up and things will go their way. And of course the Senators can't count on going 24-3-3 down the stretch.
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Post by socca10 on Aug 12, 2015 14:54:45 GMT
If you don't think Patrice Bergeron is a superstar, I'd question your hockey IQ. Lucic was never a superstar. Hamilton wasn't either. Chara is an aging superstar, still not too far off of that. DK is one of the best centers in the league when healthy. Rask is one of the best goalers in the league. The grass isn't always greener "over there." Who are the "superstars" on the Sabres? Kane? Moulson? O'Reilly? Their D is meh and their goalkeeping features the oft-injured Lehner and Reacharound. The Panthers have some decent young talent but the closest thing to a "superstar" on that roster is 87-yr old Jagr. I'd pick the B's as constituted now over both teams, based solely on the rosters. On-ice events are a different matter, as we all know.
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Post by DrCC on Aug 12, 2015 14:57:39 GMT
I think there are more question marks to start this season than to start last. Last year it was largely "Who plays with Lucic and Krejci? Will it be Miller or Bartkowski who takes Boychuk's place?" Now it's "What will be the first line? Third line? Who plays with Bergeron and Marchand? How will Eriksson be used? What will be the D? Can Hayes produce regularly? Pasternak? Was Beleskey's production a sign that he 'figured it out' or a flash in the pan? Can Connolly do something other than take bad penalties? Speaking of penalties, how many games before Rinaldo gets suspended?"
Speculation over the team certainly lends a greater air of excitement than before, but I think the alchemy that goes into team building makes it almost impossible to predict where the team will finish. I think one young D stepping up and having an "exceeds expectations" season and one pair of forwards clicking in a nice bromance would be enough to get the team pretty high in the standings (provided no more significant injuries). Alternatively, there could be too many square pegs and octagonal holes or injuries and the whole thing will be a mess. Is it October yet?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2015 15:03:48 GMT
"They won't get anywhere on talent. The Panther's & Sabers have more right now." More talent than who ? The Bruins or Calgary ? I'll clarify both for you & 50. Looking on paper as far as talent goes both the Panthers & Sabers have players that can hit the superstar status. Barkov & Ekblad are both capable of hitting superstat status. Hurb & Bjstad both have the talent to match any B's forward in points. The Sabers also have a huge name in Eichel & could very well make Kane a more consistent point producer & if O'Reilly ever realizes that the team is bigger than any individual look out! So, the B's are going to have to refuse to not take nites off & play as hard as the Flames do in order to have a lot success.
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Post by The OC on Aug 12, 2015 15:08:39 GMT
Better, maybe, but it depends on Chara and Seidenberg.
I think your comparison to Calgary is a good one, but I disagree that the Flames or Bruins lack talent. Both have lots of skill. What Calgary was (and Boston was not enough) was very hungry and very solidly structured while also having a solid amount of talent. This is very much like Boston 2009-2013, with the peak being 2011 of course. Post-2013 Boston became arguably more talented with players like Hamilton, Krug, Iginla, Eriksson and Carlson replacing Ference, Horton, Bobychuck, Peverley, Thornton, etc., but they were less physical, hungry, hard-working and selfless.
So heading into this season I like the change to a little less talent but more physical play, more edge and more players who are really desperate to prove themselves. I felt the fourth line was a mess last year, with far too much time wasted with the poor-fit Gagne there. A Talbot-Kelly-Rinaldo/Ferlin trio could be marvelous in that role. Hayes is no goon or fighter nor a 30 goal guy, but it's been a full year since Boston had a big guy who hits and scores on RW, so I like this. Beleskey is no Lucic but he should lessen the blow of his departure. Spooner, Pastrnak and Connolly should all provide some good, solid pure skill mixed with desire to become true NHL regulars. So I like all of this. And Rask will be Rask.
But the real key cog in the engine here is the #1 and #2 D. Chara and Seidenberg were not up to par last year. If they were, Boston would have been in the playoffs regardless of everything else. This year I'm hoping for a return to form from both. If they are sub-par then the improved depth, physical play and hunger among the forwards won't matter a bit, and the Bruins will be on the outside in April.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2015 15:09:48 GMT
If you don't think Patrice Bergeron is a superstar, I'd question your hockey IQ. Lucic was never a superstar. Hamilton wasn't either. Chara is an aging superstar, still not too far off of that. DK is one of the best centers in the league when healthy. Rask is one of the best goalers in the league. The grass isn't always greener "over there." Who are the "superstars" on the Sabres? Kane? Moulson? O'Reilly? Their D is meh and their goalkeeping features the oft-injured Lehner and Reacharound. The Panthers have some decent young talent but the closest thing to a "superstar" on that roster is 87-yr old Jagr. I'd pick the B's as constituted now over both teams, based solely on the rosters. On-ice events are a different matter, as we all know. Bergeron is a very special player & can play with anyone, but a superstar is usually someone who's has superior offensive talent compared to most of their peers when it comes to talking about forwards. He's my favorite player, but he'd never be my go to guy if I needed a big goal. Those belong to the Ovie's & Crosby's of the league. If you don't think Ekblad isn't going to be a superstar I question your hockey IQ.
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Post by socca10 on Aug 12, 2015 15:15:36 GMT
If you don't think Patrice Bergeron is a superstar, I'd question your hockey IQ. Lucic was never a superstar. Hamilton wasn't either. Chara is an aging superstar, still not too far off of that. DK is one of the best centers in the league when healthy. Rask is one of the best goalers in the league. The grass isn't always greener "over there." Who are the "superstars" on the Sabres? Kane? Moulson? O'Reilly? Their D is meh and their goalkeeping features the oft-injured Lehner and Reacharound. The Panthers have some decent young talent but the closest thing to a "superstar" on that roster is 87-yr old Jagr. I'd pick the B's as constituted now over both teams, based solely on the rosters. On-ice events are a different matter, as we all know. Bergeron is a very special player & can play with anyone, but a superstar is usually someone who's has superior offensive talent compared to most of their peers when it comes to talking about forwards. He's my favorite player, but he'd never be my go to guy if I needed a big goal. Those belong to the Ovie's & Crosby's of the league. If you don't think Ekblad isn't going to be a superstar I question your hockey IQ. So, by "superstar" you mean "stat generator." I think of those guys differently. You think Kessel, Ovie, guys like that. I think Bergy, Toews, etc. I'd take Bergeron over anyone on either the Sabres or the Panthers, without hesitation. As for Ekblad, you said "...superstar(s) on their roster right now." not "potential superstars" so that's what I was going with. Pastrnak could be the next so-and-so superstar too, one day. Again, I think sometimes fans de-value their own team's players because they know them so well, while over-valuing guys playing on greener pastures (greener ice?)... I still say, even as constituted today, the Bruins are a solid, playoff-caliber team provided they don't go through another perfect storm season of injury and underperformance.
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Post by DrCC on Aug 12, 2015 15:17:48 GMT
?
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Post by The OC on Aug 12, 2015 15:20:46 GMT
I think in the modern term Bergeron is certainly a "superstar". So is Toews, who will likely never win an Art Ross. Today's game is so two-way intensive, and we didn't even get a 90 point guy last year. Boston also has Rask, who is certainly a superstar goalie, and Chara who has been (hopefully still is!) an undisputed superstar D. That's been Boston's build for year, defensive superstars.
In the past the term was more for Gretz, Mario, etc, but we don't get many big scorers anymore, and those that do are often viewed as one-dimensional and not as valuable as the Bergerons and Toews's's.
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Post by 50belowzero on Aug 12, 2015 15:22:41 GMT
If you don't think Patrice Bergeron is a superstar, I'd question your hockey IQ. Bergy without question is a special player and a heart and soul guy, a great teammate and leader, but i would not consider him a superstar in any definition. Superstars in my mind, are more likely to be high end offensive players, who can win a game, all by themselves. Ovechkin, Crosby, Doughty, Getzlaf, Perry, players along those lines, and that are paid accordingly. Just my opinion though, and i love Bergy.
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Post by fanonymous on Aug 12, 2015 15:29:12 GMT
the make-up of the team certainly will be very different ... new, fresh, perhaps compellingly interesting
that, in itself is enough to characterize them as "better" in my view
last season, regardless of "how close" they came to making the playoffs, they were just not enjoyable to watch
I stand optimistic
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Post by 50belowzero on Aug 12, 2015 15:30:25 GMT
? The ice is the colour it used to be when Shore & Clapper played for the B's or when Chow was in pee wee.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2015 15:32:29 GMT
BINGO!
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Post by chappy28 on Aug 12, 2015 15:35:28 GMT
Bergeron pre-concussion was on the path to be a superstar. Post-concussion is the best defensive player in the game, who also happens to be pretty talented offensively. I consider him a very good player, but not a superstar. Occasionally you still see him pull out some of his old moves but not like those first few years in the league when he put up 70+ pts and was still improving Bergeron Pre-Concussion www.youtube.com/watch?v=huvSeRshn7g
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Post by socca10 on Aug 12, 2015 15:37:27 GMT
The ice is *always* greener in that rink... what rink is that, anyway? The logo looks like a blimp...
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Post by NAS on Aug 12, 2015 16:05:15 GMT
"They won't get anywhere on talent. The Panther's & Sabers have more right now." More talent than who ? The Bruins or Calgary ? I'll clarify both for you & 50. Looking on paper as far as talent goes both the Panthers & Sabers have players that can hit the superstar status. Barkov & Ekblad are both capable of hitting superstat status. Hurb & Bjstad both have the talent to match any B's forward in points. The Sabers also have a huge name in Eichel & could very well make Kane a more consistent point producer & if O'Reilly ever realizes that the team is bigger than any individual look out! So, the B's are going to have to refuse to not take nites off & play as hard as the Flames do in order to have a lot success. I agree on Ekblad. He's the real deal. What are you basing your opinion of Barkov on? Huberdeau and Bjugstad do not compare to Krejci or Bergeron.
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Post by NAS on Aug 12, 2015 16:06:30 GMT
If you don't think Patrice Bergeron is a superstar, I'd question your hockey IQ. Bergy without question is a special player and a heart and soul guy, a great teammate and leader, but i would not consider him a superstar in any definition. Superstars in my mind, are more likely to be high end offensive players, who can win a game, all by themselves. Ovechkin, Crosby, Doughty, Getzlaf, Perry, players along those lines, and that are paid accordingly. Just my opinion though, and i love Bergy. And using this idea with the OPs thoughts, only Ekblad makes the list.
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Post by NAS on Aug 12, 2015 16:08:16 GMT
Bergeron is a very special player & can play with anyone, but a superstar is usually someone who's has superior offensive talent compared to most of their peers when it comes to talking about forwards. He's my favorite player, but he'd never be my go to guy if I needed a big goal. Those belong to the Ovie's & Crosby's of the league. If you don't think Ekblad isn't going to be a superstar I question your hockey IQ. So, by "superstar" you mean "stat generator." I think of those guys differently. You think Kessel, Ovie, guys like that. I think Bergy, Toews, etc. I'd take Bergeron over anyone on either the Sabres or the Panthers, without hesitation. As for Ekblad, you said "...superstar(s) on their roster right now." not "potential superstars" so that's what I was going with. Pastrnak could be the next so-and-so superstar too, one day. Again, I think sometimes fans de-value their own team's players because they know them so well, while over-valuing guys playing on greener pastures (greener ice?)... I still say, even as constituted today, the Bruins are a solid, playoff-caliber team provided they don't go through another perfect storm season of injury and underperformance. If the Panthers offered Ekblad for Bergeron, I think the B's might say yes.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2015 16:16:04 GMT
I'll clarify both for you & 50. Looking on paper as far as talent goes both the Panthers & Sabers have players that can hit the superstar status. Barkov & Ekblad are both capable of hitting superstat status. Hurb & Bjstad both have the talent to match any B's forward in points. The Sabers also have a huge name in Eichel & could very well make Kane a more consistent point producer & if O'Reilly ever realizes that the team is bigger than any individual look out! So, the B's are going to have to refuse to not take nites off & play as hard as the Flames do in order to have a lot success. I agree on Ekblad. He's the real deal. What are you basing your opinion of Barkov on?Huberdeau and Bjugstad do not compare to Krejci or Bergeron. 12 points in his last 13 games. He's not even 20 yet. Both Hub & Bjug have the capability in getting the same amount of points as Bergeron & DK Hub was only 1 pt off of Bergeron's 55 last season. Over all play the B's centers have a huge edge, but I'm talking about offensive numbers.
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Post by bookboy007 on Aug 12, 2015 16:18:57 GMT
If you don't think Patrice Bergeron is a superstar, I'd question your hockey IQ. Lucic was never a superstar. Hamilton wasn't either. Chara is an aging superstar, still not too far off of that. DK is one of the best centers in the league when healthy. Rask is one of the best goalers in the league. The grass isn't always greener "over there." Who are the "superstars" on the Sabres? Kane? Moulson? O'Reilly? Their D is meh and their goalkeeping features the oft-injured Lehner and Reacharound. The Panthers have some decent young talent but the closest thing to a "superstar" on that roster is 87-yr old Jagr. I'd pick the B's as constituted now over both teams, based solely on the rosters. On-ice events are a different matter, as we all know. On the current roster, Boston has 3 Selkes, a Norris, a Vezina, and two playoff scoring titles. If you measure "superstar" by league-wide achievement, I think you'd have to say they have four superstar calibre players. Eriksson was a first line winger for Sweden's Olympic team, Seidenberg a first pairing D for Germany's. Superstar doesn't mean Art Ross Trophy contender by default. The Bruins have 4 top end forwards (Bergeron, Marchand, Krejci, Eriksson), two international calibre D and a top 5 goalie. It's not 1997. Or 2005.
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Post by NAS on Aug 12, 2015 16:22:42 GMT
I agree on Ekblad. He's the real deal. What are you basing your opinion of Barkov on?Huberdeau and Bjugstad do not compare to Krejci or Bergeron. 12 points in his last 13 games. He's not even 20 yet. Both Hub & Bjug have the capability in getting the same amount of points as Bergeron & DK Hub was only 1 pt off of Bergeron's 55 last season. Over all play the B's centers have a huge edge, but I'm talking about offensive numbers. That was with Jagr on their line. What a fun line to watch, Jagr, Barkov and Huberdeau. Without Jagr? Blaaaaahhhhhhhhhh Bjugstad or Krejci on the stat sheet? Krejci all day. Bergeron's stats from last year's season don't apply in my view, because it was a shit season beginning to end for basically all Bruins.
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Post by bookboy007 on Aug 12, 2015 16:24:38 GMT
If you don't think Patrice Bergeron is a superstar, I'd question your hockey IQ. Bergy without question is a special player and a heart and soul guy, a great teammate and leader, but i would not consider him a superstar in any definition. Superstars in my mind, are more likely to be high end offensive players, who can win a game, all by themselves. Ovechkin, Crosby, Doughty, Getzlaf, Perry, players along those lines, and that are paid accordingly. Just my opinion though, and i love Bergy. Honestly, if that's the definition of superstar you're going with, then your using the "popularity contest" version of the term, which has less to do with nite's question - are the Bruins better. Better does not necessarily mean more capable of scoring bushels of goals. I'd add that if EA Sports puts you on the cover, then, in popularity contest terms, you're a superstar. EDIT: I should have added - does "winning a game all by yourself" include scoring game winning goals in game 7s? Because Bergeron's pretty good at that. How many game seven game winners does Ovechkin have? Crosby?
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Post by kelvana33 on Aug 12, 2015 16:28:39 GMT
Doughty is in there despite the fact he has never won an individual award.
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