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Post by kelvana33 on Feb 27, 2024 15:32:30 GMT
You are what your record says you are. The issue here is people wanting to kill them in the playoffs now rather than play the games. If every team that goes into dog says were disqualified from the playoffs, no playoffs would be necessary. They have their issues, but they sound a lot like 2010-11 when people still thought you couldn't win without a Savard like number one C who scores a point/game. I don't see a 3rd line center able to step up and lead the league in playoff scoring though. People seem to forget too, Bergeron was 3rd in scoring that year. They had depth, but, like you said, we did not know that at the time.
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Post by brewwins on Feb 27, 2024 15:51:09 GMT
I'm sorry, you guys are just way off base on Pasta...*dumb smile*...?? Who gives a shit how he reacts or how he looks, the guy is an elite scorer, HAS FUCKING CARRIED THIS TEAM OFFENSIVELY...WHEN IS ANOTHER FORWARD GONNA FUCKING SCORE IN OT EVER OTHER THAN HIM (63 once in a blue moon)...HIS 85 POINTS IS #4 IN THE NHL...HE HAS 60 FUCKING POINTS IN 34 WINS--AND HE STILL IS A POINT A GAME WHEN THEY LOSE!!!...JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, STOP THE FUCKING 88 BASHING...UNBELIEVABLE....WHEN IS 74 GONNA SCORE WHEN IT COUNTS? WHEN IS 18? Trade 74 and Gryz. Trade Ullmark. 2 starting goalies is a luxury not a necessity. Get some very good players in return. This is just going to be last year revisited if they don't. One and done. It still might be anyway but it's worth a try.
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Post by dannycater on Feb 27, 2024 15:59:03 GMT
I'm sorry, you guys are just way off base on Pasta...*dumb smile*...?? Who gives a shit how he reacts or how he looks, the guy is an elite scorer, HAS FUCKING CARRIED THIS TEAM OFFENSIVELY...WHEN IS ANOTHER FORWARD GONNA FUCKING SCORE IN OT EVER OTHER THAN HIM (63 once in a blue moon)...HIS 85 POINTS IS #4 IN THE NHL...HE HAS 60 FUCKING POINTS IN 34 WINS--AND HE STILL IS A POINT A GAME WHEN THEY LOSE!!!...JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, STOP THE FUCKING 88 BASHING...UNBELIEVABLE....WHEN IS 74 GONNA SCORE WHEN IT COUNTS? WHEN IS 18? Trade 74 and Gryz. Trade Ullmark. 2 starting goalies is a luxury not a necessity. Get some very good players in return. This is just going to be last year revisited if they don't. One and done. It still might be anyway but it's worth a try. Don't disagree on any trades...I think the hesistancy is on the goalies...at this point, no need to trade either goalie..but if the feeling is Sway can go the long haul (and frankly he looked good when he was on his own during Ullmark injury), then you could see it at deadline...it's Sweeney's call.
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Post by davinator on Feb 27, 2024 17:02:07 GMT
I'm sorry, you guys are just way off base on Pasta...*dumb smile*...?? Who gives a shit how he reacts or how he looks, the guy is an elite scorer, HAS FUCKING CARRIED THIS TEAM OFFENSIVELY...WHEN IS ANOTHER FORWARD GONNA FUCKING SCORE IN OT EVER OTHER THAN HIM (63 once in a blue moon)...HIS 85 POINTS IS #4 IN THE NHL...HE HAS 60 FUCKING POINTS IN 34 WINS--AND HE STILL IS A POINT A GAME WHEN THEY LOSE!!!...JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, STOP THE FUCKING 88 BASHING...UNBELIEVABLE....WHEN IS 74 GONNA SCORE WHEN IT COUNTS? WHEN IS 18? ...that escalated quickly...
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Post by bookboy007 on Feb 27, 2024 17:25:01 GMT
You are what your record says you are. The issue here is people wanting to kill them in the playoffs now rather than play the games. If every team that goes into dog says were disqualified from the playoffs, no playoffs would be necessary. They have their issues, but they sound a lot like 2010-11 when people still thought you couldn't win without a Savard like number one C who scores a point/game. Ummm not necessarily! Their record since last year in the playoffs is the inability to close out games UNLESS in most cases their goalies steal the game for them & that hasn't happened much since the New Year kicked in. BOTH goalies have been leaky, gaffs & no where NEAR what they were from Oct-Dec! Which again comes back to what Steve & I have been saying all season! They rely too much on their goaltending & if they don't get an awesome performance in 90% of their games they don't win! If you can't have your goalies have the odd off night & help them out more often than not? There's few teams that will succeed. So when they're having more off games then great games? That puts even more pressure on them not to fuck up! The # of quality scoring chances they give up hasn't changed. Just the # of times their goalies bailing them out has. Right, but that doesn't change that you are what your record says you are. Right now, they are a team with two elite goalies and a strong team structure that can and sometimes does get scoring up and down the lineup, but only has maybe two players who will reliably create offensive chance. Oh, sorry, I was looking at the roster for the 2011 Bruins that had Vezina winner Thomas, elite prospect Rask, and zero elite scorers but two second tier #1Cs and a raft of secondary scorers based on their career bests before that year. The goalies are part of the team. They don't "bail out" the team. When you have two elite goalies, one of the things you can do is take more offensive chances because you have faith in those goalies. So there's a chicken and egg question: did the scoring dry up and make this look like a team that can't win without goalies bailing out the skaters, or did the goalies start to waiver a bit right after Christmas, and as the team noticed, they tightened up and stopped scoring as much as when they led the league in goals for in January?
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Post by zamboni24 on Feb 27, 2024 17:28:11 GMT
***Mason with brick hands tonight; worst performance by a Bruin dman in quite some time. Even Brickley let out an audible gasp on one of his gaffes. ***Geekie literally stick handled it into the net and somehow got called for goalie interference. That is really fuckin hard to do and one of the worst calls I have seen on a legit goal in a long time. ***Pasta continues to mess with my head. I officially have a love-hate relationship with the guy. Tonight was love as they don't get any points without him. ***Would love to see more Boqvist and Richard on 3-on-3. These guys can fly. Give one less shift to Pasta in OT (his shifts are way too long in 3 v 3 and he really gets exposed defensively with all the open ice) and let Heinen ride Pinein. ***Ullmark with a gift that keeps on giving allowing Eberle to score his 200th goal against the Bruins. ***It feels weird that the Bruins did not lose a game on the entire road trip, but yet, it somehow feels deflating. ***The Bruins would be on the bubble for playoffs if there was no loser points. If this trend continues they will need lots of lucky bounces come playoffs if they keep getting to overtime. ***Not having Hampus hurts. Say what you want, but the guy is steady as they come. ***While I want the Bs to get a better Top 6 center, I would entertain a trade for another D-man if they don't do the center upgrade. Is it possible to add Hanafin for the remainder and then sign him for next year using the money coming off the books for Jake and Linus/JSway? Just go with the stacked D approach since you got the goaltending. Calgary winters have softened Hanifin and apparently he’s eyeing going as down south as possible…. Any available cap room come July needs to be spent mainly on upgrading the offense whether through trade or free agency…. Sweens not in great shape without involving bodies vs what's left of remaining draft choices. Look for teams like the Rags to play the old Bolts LTIR shell game with guys like Chytil and Wheeler to pick up Henrique and/or Vatrano. Would also be nice to limit how much a former team is allowed to continue paying salary to help against the cap.
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Post by bookboy007 on Feb 27, 2024 17:38:32 GMT
You are what your record says you are. The issue here is people wanting to kill them in the playoffs now rather than play the games. If every team that goes into dog says were disqualified from the playoffs, no playoffs would be necessary. They have their issues, but they sound a lot like 2010-11 when people still thought you couldn't win without a Savard like number one C who scores a point/game. I don't see a 3rd line center able to step up and lead the league in playoff scoring though. People seem to forget too, Bergeron was 3rd in scoring that year. They had depth, but, like you said, we did not know that at the time. Well, I think you'd have to admit that DK wasn't exactly a #3C. He was two years removed from scoring 73 points, second on the team, and he was the #2 in most respects with Bergeron coming back from concussion and taking time for is offensive game to return. Remember, Bergeron spent his fair share of time with Axelsson as a winger. Generally, though...this is my point. Everyone talked about the Bruins being screwed by the loss of Savard. You can't win a Cup with your top two C scoring 60ish points. That's the pace Coyle and Zacha are on, more or less. Coyle has raised his game in the playoffs in the past. Zacha has the tools, and the same "too cool" aura that people didn't like about DK until they did. On paper last year, they should have won the Cup. They crapped out. On paper this year, they look like potential first round fodder. I'm not going to bury them or make statements about what this roster "can't" do because I saw what's possible in 2011 and last year - one to the good and one for ill. Right now, they've lost once in regulation in the last 8 games. I have no idea what that means for the playoffs and I don't think anyone else here does either beyond not liking what they're seeing. You can usually tell when the sentiments are mostly angst rather than analysis because the commentary focusses on fringe players and wanting to play more like pricks.
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Post by thanx4memORRies on Feb 27, 2024 18:33:18 GMT
Calgary winters have softened Hanifin and apparently he’s eyeing going as down south as possible…. Any available cap room come July needs to be spent mainly on upgrading the offense whether through trade or free agency…. Sweens not in great shape without involving bodies vs what's left of remaining draft choices. Look for teams like the Rags to play the old Bolts LTIR shell game with guys like Chytil and Wheeler to pick up Henrique and/or Vatrano. Would also be nice to limit how much a former team is allowed to continue paying salary to help against the cap. Read where Seabass was asked what the B’S need come deadline and he said there’re looking for a physical d-man and some help up front…. Also said that they’re not sure how acquiring those pieces can be done…. The only body that could be moved to acquire a meaningful piece or two is Linus but I highly doubt that’s the route the B’S are going to take….
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Post by nitelite on Feb 27, 2024 19:19:23 GMT
Ummm not necessarily! Their record since last year in the playoffs is the inability to close out games UNLESS in most cases their goalies steal the game for them & that hasn't happened much since the New Year kicked in. BOTH goalies have been leaky, gaffs & no where NEAR what they were from Oct-Dec! Which again comes back to what Steve & I have been saying all season! They rely too much on their goaltending & if they don't get an awesome performance in 90% of their games they don't win! If you can't have your goalies have the odd off night & help them out more often than not? There's few teams that will succeed. So when they're having more off games then great games? That puts even more pressure on them not to fuck up! The # of quality scoring chances they give up hasn't changed. Just the # of times their goalies bailing them out has. Right, but that doesn't change that you are what your record says you are. Right now, they are a team with two elite goalies and a strong team structure that can and sometimes does get scoring up and down the lineup, but only has maybe two players who will reliably create offensive chance. Oh, sorry, I was looking at the roster for the 2011 Bruins that had Vezina winner Thomas, elite prospect Rask, and zero elite scorers but two second tier #1Cs and a raft of secondary scorers based on their career bests before that year. The goalies are part of the team. They don't "bail out" the team. When you have two elite goalies, one of the things you can do is take more offensive chances because you have faith in those goalies. So there's a chicken and egg question: did the scoring dry up and make this look like a team that can't win without goalies bailing out the skaters, or did the goalies start to waiver a bit right after Christmas, and as the team noticed, they tightened up and stopped scoring as much as when they led the league in goals for in January? Again like I said earlier in the season. This team will only go as far as their goalies can take them & with their inconsistencies since Jan it's very hard to judge where they will take them. If they can't fix their messes across the board & with the teams that are chasing them all playing .600+ hockey in their last 10 games. I don't see them beating anyone 4 out 7 right now. Even Detroit is looking far better than the B's right now.
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Post by The OC on Feb 27, 2024 19:43:38 GMT
I don't see a 3rd line center able to step up and lead the league in playoff scoring though. People seem to forget too, Bergeron was 3rd in scoring that year. They had depth, but, like you said, we did not know that at the time. Well, I think you'd have to admit that DK wasn't exactly a #3C. He was two years removed from scoring 73 points, second on the team, and he was the #2 in most respects with Bergeron coming back from concussion and taking time for is offensive game to return. Remember, Bergeron spent his fair share of time with Axelsson as a winger. Generally, though...this is my point. Everyone talked about the Bruins being screwed by the loss of Savard. You can't win a Cup with your top two C scoring 60ish points. That's the pace Coyle and Zacha are on, more or less. Coyle has raised his game in the playoffs in the past. Zacha has the tools, and the same "too cool" aura that people didn't like about DK until they did. On paper last year, they should have won the Cup. They crapped out. On paper this year, they look like potential first round fodder. I'm not going to bury them or make statements about what this roster "can't" do because I saw what's possible in 2011 and last year - one to the good and one for ill. Right now, they've lost once in regulation in the last 8 games. I have no idea what that means for the playoffs and I don't think anyone else here does either beyond not liking what they're seeing. You can usually tell when the sentiments are mostly angst rather than analysis because the commentary focusses on fringe players and wanting to play more like pricks. They're not as talented as last year, but a key advantage is they are bigger with more guys that will go to the dirty areas to score. That's an edge at playoff time that can help teams win when they don't otherwise deserve it.
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Post by The OC on Feb 27, 2024 19:45:42 GMT
You are what your record says you are. The issue here is people wanting to kill them in the playoffs now rather than play the games. If every team that goes into dog says were disqualified from the playoffs, no playoffs would be necessary. They have their issues, but they sound a lot like 2010-11 when people still thought you couldn't win without a Savard like number one C who scores a point/game. Please, bringing up the 2011 B’S and this year’s team in the same sentence needs to stop…. Yeah, this team is well ahead of them in the standings...
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Post by thanx4memORRies on Feb 27, 2024 20:00:35 GMT
Please, bringing up the 2011 B’S and this year’s team in the same sentence needs to stop…. Yeah, this team is well ahead of them in the standings... Let’s revisit once the playoffs are done…. Until then keep waving those pom poms and go easy on those jumps….
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Post by The OC on Feb 27, 2024 20:15:03 GMT
Yeah, this team is well ahead of them in the standings... Let’s revisit once the playoffs are done…. Until then keep waving those pom poms and go easy on those jumps…. Gold colored glasses and nostalgia make '11 seem like a juggernaut. They weren't. They were 5th in the standings (I think?) (scratch that, 7th, just looked). They almost lost in the first round, Claude would have been fired and would have been looked at as failures. But they didn't, and won a couple more game 7's on the back of extremely good goaltending, a great attitude and some clutch performances. But they were heavy underdogs. '24 is by almost all measures out-performing '11 to date, we just have to see if they can put it together when it counts and get a bit lucky. A key stat where they are close is goal-diff, which pushes aside some of the stat noise that comes with OT losses/SO wins, etc. '11 was second at +51 (VAN was #1 at +77). This year the team is fourth at +37 (VAN oddly leading again at +52). It's a great stat because it ignores how it's going with the ups and downs of games, and looks more at how things are going minute by minute of the season; are you scoring more goals than you are letting in? At +37 BOS is in solid shape and a legit contender in the playoffs. Much like '11 they just have to deliver when it counts.
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Post by thanx4memORRies on Feb 27, 2024 20:44:10 GMT
Let’s revisit once the playoffs are done…. Until then keep waving those pom poms and go easy on those jumps…. Gold colored glasses and nostalgia make '11 seem like a juggernaut. They weren't. They were 5th in the standings (I think?) (scratch that, 7th, just looked). They almost lost in the first round, Claude would have been fired and would have been looked at as failures. But they didn't, and won a couple more game 7's on the back of extremely good goaltending, a great attitude and some clutch performances. But they were heavy underdogs. '24 is by almost all measures out-performing '11 to date, we just have to see if they can put it together when it counts and get a bit lucky. A key stat where they are close is goal-diff, which pushes aside some of the stat noise that comes with OT losses/SO wins, etc. '11 was second at +51 (VAN was #1 at +77). This year the team is fourth at +37 (VAN oddly leading again at +52). It's a great stat because it ignores how it's going with the ups and downs of games, and looks more at how things are going minute by minute of the season; are you scoring more goals than you are letting in? At +37 BOS is in solid shape and a legit contender in the playoffs. Much like '11 they just have to deliver when it counts. Juggernaut or not, the 2011 B’S won the cup…. And that’s why they play the game…. If this team wins the cup I’ll be the first to say I never saw it coming…. Still, to compare the two squads is laughable…. Instead of bringing up stats, go back and check the cup winners’ roster with this one and tell me who’d you rather go into the playoffs with…. On second thought, don’t…. We know who you’ll be choosing….
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Post by MrHulot on Feb 27, 2024 21:13:53 GMT
I'm sorry, you guys are just way off base on Pasta...*dumb smile*...?? Who gives a shit how he reacts or how he looks, the guy is an elite scorer, HAS FUCKING CARRIED THIS TEAM OFFENSIVELY...WHEN IS ANOTHER FORWARD GONNA FUCKING SCORE IN OT EVER OTHER THAN HIM (63 once in a blue moon)...HIS 85 POINTS IS #4 IN THE NHL...HE HAS 60 FUCKING POINTS IN 34 WINS--AND HE STILL IS A POINT A GAME WHEN THEY LOSE!!!...JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, STOP THE FUCKING 88 BASHING...UNBELIEVABLE....WHEN IS 74 GONNA SCORE WHEN IT COUNTS? WHEN IS 18? Oh my God, Danny, I was wrong - not about fucking Pastrfuck, but about you.
You're worse than 82 years old or 84 years old or whatever (too lazy to pull up that thread - after all this is about lazy ass "I'm too cool for my skates" Pastrfuck).
The only things I care about are wins and losses.
I don't give the flyingest of fucks about how many points Pastrfuck has scored. (Just look at last night's penalty shot attempt by your hero - I think Guru Bauer hasn't recovered from his fit of laughter yet.)
Pastrfuck is a selfish dumb giggle-faced moron who happens to have some skills for the game of hockey. He's apparently not interested in playing hard/100% each game, not even every other game, because nobody holds him accountable. Ever. Instead they have made him "alternate captain". Bookboy's estimate that the idiot from Havirov plays about 6 games per season the way he should play sounds about right. Stop treating him like he's the only guy who can score goals out there. I don't think he has carried this team in any way, but I don't care, let's say he carried the team offensively - but he has also caused the team to be utterly one-dimensional and extremely easy to play against. For the umpteenth time: Pastrfuck = Million dollar skill set, five cent brain (if that).
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Post by dannycater on Feb 27, 2024 21:19:50 GMT
I'm sorry, you guys are just way off base on Pasta...*dumb smile*...?? Who gives a shit how he reacts or how he looks, the guy is an elite scorer, HAS FUCKING CARRIED THIS TEAM OFFENSIVELY...WHEN IS ANOTHER FORWARD GONNA FUCKING SCORE IN OT EVER OTHER THAN HIM (63 once in a blue moon)...HIS 85 POINTS IS #4 IN THE NHL...HE HAS 60 FUCKING POINTS IN 34 WINS--AND HE STILL IS A POINT A GAME WHEN THEY LOSE!!!...JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, STOP THE FUCKING 88 BASHING...UNBELIEVABLE....WHEN IS 74 GONNA SCORE WHEN IT COUNTS? WHEN IS 18? Oh my God, Danny, I was wrong - not about fucking Pastrfuck, but about you.
You're worse than 82 years old or 84 years old or whatever (too lazy to pull up that thread - after all this is about lazy ass "I'm too cool for my skates" Pastrfuck).
The only things I care about are wins and losses.
I don't give the flyingest of fucks about how many points Pastrfuck has scored. (Just look at last night's penalty shot attempt by your hero - I think Guru Bauer hasn't recovered from his fit of laughter yet.)
Pastrfuck is a selfish dumb giggle-faced moron who happens to have some skills for the game of hockey. He's apparently not interested in playing hard/100% each game, not even every other game, because nobody holds him accountable. Ever. Instead they have made him "alternate captain". Bookboy's estimate that the idiot from Havirov plays about 6 games per season the way he should play sounds about right. Stop treating him like he's the only guy who can score goals out there. I don't think he has carried this team in any way, but I don't care, let's say he carried the team offensively - but he has also caused the team to be utterly one-dimensional and extremely easy to play against. For the umpteenth time: Pastrfuck = Million dollar skill set, five cent brain (if that).
Pasta is on your shit list, I get it...but when you lose a game 4-3 in OT and he's responsible basically for all 3 goals, I'm a little perplexed at who you think is going to score for this team? I care about wins and losses too...except the B's still have 82 points and lead the East...and all the other great teams are somehow better than the B's? Okay. You get a hard on against certain foreign players on the B's. Not sure why. Swedes, Czechs...ummmm...anyway, Pasta scoring is how the team wins, so jump on board here with him.
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Post by MrHulot on Feb 27, 2024 21:37:02 GMT
Oh my God, Danny, I was wrong - not about fucking Pastrfuck, but about you.
You're worse than 82 years old or 84 years old or whatever (too lazy to pull up that thread - after all this is about lazy ass "I'm too cool for my skates" Pastrfuck).
The only things I care about are wins and losses.
I don't give the flyingest of fucks about how many points Pastrfuck has scored. (Just look at last night's penalty shot attempt by your hero - I think Guru Bauer hasn't recovered from his fit of laughter yet.)
Pastrfuck is a selfish dumb giggle-faced moron who happens to have some skills for the game of hockey. He's apparently not interested in playing hard/100% each game, not even every other game, because nobody holds him accountable. Ever. Instead they have made him "alternate captain". Bookboy's estimate that the idiot from Havirov plays about 6 games per season the way he should play sounds about right. Stop treating him like he's the only guy who can score goals out there. I don't think he has carried this team in any way, but I don't care, let's say he carried the team offensively - but he has also caused the team to be utterly one-dimensional and extremely easy to play against. For the umpteenth time: Pastrfuck = Million dollar skill set, five cent brain (if that).
Pasta is on your shit list, I get it...but when you lose a game 4-3 in OT and he's responsible basically for all 3 goals, I'm a little perplexed at who you think is going to score for this team? I care about wins and losses too...except the B's still have 82 points and lead the East...and all the other great teams are somehow better than the B's? Okay. You get a hard on against certain foreign players on the B's. Not sure why. Swedes, Czechs...ummmm...anyway, Pasta scoring is how the team wins, so jump on board here with him.
Are you accusing me of being racist? Do they pay you to post 100% certified bullshit like that?
I have absolutely nothing against Swedes or Czechs per se. Jagr was a great player (but unfortunately not while he was a Bruin). Salming was a great player, as was Lidstrom, Zetterberg, PJ Axelsson, etc.
Krejc was one of the best Bruins ever. If JT Beardfuck was just a tenth as clutch as Krejc, he would have at least three rings.
Pastrfuck wouldn't be "on my shit list" if he simply couldn't do any better. But he's content with playing the little kid in the slippery 200-foot Toys "R" Us store. Again: stop treating him like he's the only guy who can score goals. That's the problem, because it makes it so much easier to shut the B's offense down, and it makes an entitled little brat even more entitled.
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Post by dannycater on Feb 27, 2024 21:39:45 GMT
But how is him scoring hurting the B's? I mean it's not his fault no one else (save for Marchand and Coyle career year) stepping up in the goals department. If they got him another playmaker, like a DK, it would be great for the PP especially, but he has proven that he can score points at will and with anyone...JVR, Shat (he has great chemistry with him), Zacha (no help from him), DeBrusk (ditto), Marchand (did a lot more when it was Perfection Line)...As you can tell we agree on #46...he was one of the greats.
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Post by MrHulot on Feb 27, 2024 21:50:09 GMT
But how is him scoring hurting the B's? I mean it's not his fault no one else (save for Marchand and Coyle career year) stepping up in the goals department. If they got him another playmaker, like a DK, it would be great for the PP especially, but he has proven that he can score points at will and with anyone...JVR, Shat (he has great chemistry with him), Zacha (no help from him), DeBrusk (ditto), Marchand (did a lot more when it was Perfection Line)...As you can tell we agree on #46...he was one of the greats. I never said him scoring is hurting the Bruins. I have said multiple times that his lackadaisical "I'm too cool for my skates" attitude is hurting the Bruins. If he really could score points at will, he should have already broken Gretzky's single season points record.
If Bryce Harper didn't play hard for the Phillies, the fans in Philly would snatch him and slowly "shave off" his beard, plucking each single hair with their fingers. And rightfully so. But Pastrfuck gets away with playing like an entitled primadonna.
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Post by Fletcher on Feb 27, 2024 22:22:33 GMT
There were a lot of people in 2011 saying "there's no way this team is built for the Cup" though, especially when their leading scorer/#1 center went down for the season in the early spring. This team has a far better record than the 2011 team.
With that said, I think the 2011 roster was better. But it was better in ways that were not obvious in February of 2011 -- only in hindsight. Savard was in a dark room, unable to climb the stairs. Marchand was a rookie, trying to claw his way past the checking lines. He was not the player he became in the Finals. Thomas was still unconventional and unproven in the playoffs. Rich Peverly was regarded as part of a poor return on the Blake Wheeler trade. Milan Lucic was their leading scorer. Mark Recchi was 42 years old. Steven Kampfer was on the blueline. Michael Ryder was a whipping boy. Tyler Seguin was sleeping through team meetings and getting more tattoos than goals.
Lastly, they came within a c hair of getting knocked out in the 1st round by the hated Canadiens, who gave them everything they could handle.
I think the point is, you never really know what you have until it plays out. But being at the top of the standings is a better indicator than anything else that you have a shot.
The past month has been sort of maddening. Brutal nights off, weak efforts, multiple blown 3rd period leads, etc. But from a timing perspective, we don't know if this is a trend, or just a great time to get some bad hockey out of their system, and improve from the experience.
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Post by bookboy007 on Feb 27, 2024 23:08:30 GMT
Yeah, this team is well ahead of them in the standings... Let’s revisit once the playoffs are done…. Until then keep waving those pom poms and go easy on those jumps…. I think you're missing the point. The 2011 team hit the skids hard in November 2010. They went 6-6-2, shut out twice and scored 1 goal in 4 other games. The PP was at 12%. They also hit the skids in February, losing 4 of 5. The PK hit the skids this time and was 74%. No one was predicting a Cup win. And the team was coming off of 3-0, 3-0, uh-oh, after also losing in a game 7 in 2009 and in 2008, so the idea that they would win not one, not two, but THREE game 7s on the way to a Cup? No one was saying that without getting told to go easy on the pom poms. The point of the comparison is that there were no more profound reasons to expect the Bruins to win the Cup in 2011 than there are this year. Most of the reasons people might give are coloured heavily with hindsight. They only had two players with more than 60 points; they had one 30 goal scorer, and only 3 other players who hit 20. They had middle of the pack special teams, but elite goaltending with Thomas winning his second Vez. That formula seems similar in that Krejci hadn't led the playoffs in scoring yet - thanks to Mike Richards, but still - and Bergeron was a 20g guy at that point, and they were looking to get scoring from a bunch of players who people thought were playing too high up the lineup with Lucic being a 4th liner on the top line, Horton having no heartbeat, Recchi having an AARP card and Ryder being a disappointment as a UFA signing. They had no one in the top 30 scorers. Now...there are things you look at and say it was more possible for those 2011 Bruins to carve a path. Maybe. But given the failures of the previous two playoffs, how much faith did people really have? And how different is that from the current situation? It seems like they have a path and OC put his finger on it. They have gotten heavier. Bigger. They have more guys who score goals by going to the net and setting up camp. The theory is to be better at scoring the kind of goals you score in the playoffs. To be less dependent on special teams. And to play the kind of grinding team D that sucks the life out of opponents, sometimes better than simply playing physically. I used to say that one of the poorly understood impacts of the Bruins on opponents was that after two periods of having to do the physical give and take of just playing against Lucic (236), Chara (250), Horton (230), Boychuk (227), Thornton (217), and McQuaid (210), your legs don't work the way they're supposed to. It takes a toll. This group has much less snarl, less nasty, but they have the residual impact of being a pretty big team to have to carry around. To paraphrase Roger Murdoch: "Tell your old man to drag Frederic, Coyle and Zacha up and down the ice!" We'll see if there's anything to it. But I think it's fair game to say that there's not much difference between what we thought of the team in February 2011 and what we think of this team today, no matter how much hindsight suggests otherwise.
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Post by bookboy007 on Feb 27, 2024 23:11:57 GMT
There were a lot of people in 2011 saying "there's no way this team is built for the Cup" though, especially when their leading scorer/#1 center went down for the season in the early spring. This team has a far better record than the 2011 team. With that said, I think the 2011 roster was better. But it was better in ways that were not obvious in February of 2011 -- only in hindsight. Savard was in a dark room, unable to climb the stairs. Marchand was a rookie, trying to claw his way past the checking lines. He was not the player he became in the Finals. Thomas was still unconventional and unproven in the playoffs. Rich Peverly was regarded as part of a poor return on the Blake Wheeler trade. Milan Lucic was their leading scorer. Mark Recchi was 42 years old. Steven Kampfer was on the blueline. Michael Ryder was a whipping boy. Tyler Seguin was sleeping through team meetings and getting more tattoos than goals. Lastly, they came within a c hair of getting knocked out in the 1st round by the hated Canadiens, who gave them everything they could handle. I think the point is, you never really know what you have until it plays out. But being at the top of the standings is a better indicator than anything else that you have a shot. The past month has been sort of maddening. Brutal nights off, weak efforts, multiple blown 3rd period leads, etc. But from a timing perspective, we don't know if this is a trend, or just a great time to get some bad hockey out of their system, and improve from the experience. These are the dog days....
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Post by bookboy007 on Feb 27, 2024 23:42:41 GMT
Let’s revisit once the playoffs are done…. Until then keep waving those pom poms and go easy on those jumps…. Gold colored glasses and nostalgia make '11 seem like a juggernaut. They weren't. They were 5th in the standings (I think?) (scratch that, 7th, just looked). They almost lost in the first round, Claude would have been fired and would have been looked at as failures. But they didn't, and won a couple more game 7's on the back of extremely good goaltending, a great attitude and some clutch performances. But they were heavy underdogs. '24 is by almost all measures out-performing '11 to date, we just have to see if they can put it together when it counts and get a bit lucky. A key stat where they are close is goal-diff, which pushes aside some of the stat noise that comes with OT losses/SO wins, etc. '11 was second at +51 (VAN was #1 at +77). This year the team is fourth at +37 (VAN oddly leading again at +52). It's a great stat because it ignores how it's going with the ups and downs of games, and looks more at how things are going minute by minute of the season; are you scoring more goals than you are letting in? At +37 BOS is in solid shape and a legit contender in the playoffs. Much like '11 they just have to deliver when it counts. FWIW, the talking heads on TSN radio here were talking about the Bruins at the deadline, and specifically catching up on the Ullmark talk that we've been having for months. But they got there with the following statements that none of them even lightly disputed. The Bruins are a very good team and a legit top contender for the Cup. They have a very strong roster, but every team has needs. The only thing that might make sense for them would be to deal Ullmark if they could get a legit centre for him, but otherwise why would you weaken a key strength of your team? Unlike last year, there is no clear favourite right now. Everyone has warts. Maybe that's why the trade market is bound up - no one sees themselves as chasing the lead dog like they did with last year's Bruins.
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Post by thanx4memORRies on Feb 27, 2024 23:49:28 GMT
Let’s revisit once the playoffs are done…. Until then keep waving those pom poms and go easy on those jumps…. I think you're missing the point. The 2011 team hit the skids hard in November 2010. They went 6-6-2, shut out twice and scored 1 goal in 4 other games. The PP was at 12%. They also hit the skids in February, losing 4 of 5. The PK hit the skids this time and was 74%. No one was predicting a Cup win. And the team was coming off of 3-0, 3-0, uh-oh, after also losing in a game 7 in 2009 and in 2008, so the idea that they would win not one, not two, but THREE game 7s on the way to a Cup? No one was saying that without getting told to go easy on the pom poms. The point of the comparison is that there were no more profound reasons to expect the Bruins to win the Cup in 2011 than there are this year. Most of the reasons people might give are coloured heavily with hindsight. They only had two players with more than 60 points; they had one 30 goal scorer, and only 3 other players who hit 20. They had middle of the pack special teams, but elite goaltending with Thomas winning his second Vez. That formula seems similar in that Krejci hadn't led the playoffs in scoring yet - thanks to Mike Richards, but still - and Bergeron was a 20g guy at that point, and they were looking to get scoring from a bunch of players who people thought were playing too high up the lineup with Lucic being a 4th liner on the top line, Horton having no heartbeat, Recchi having an AARP card and Ryder being a disappointment as a UFA signing. They had no one in the top 30 scorers. Now...there are things you look at and say it was more possible for those 2011 Bruins to carve a path. Maybe. But given the failures of the previous two playoffs, how much faith did people really have? And how different is that from the current situation? It seems like they have a path and OC put his finger on it. They have gotten heavier. Bigger. They have more guys who score goals by going to the net and setting up camp. The theory is to be better at scoring the kind of goals you score in the playoffs. To be less dependent on special teams. And to play the kind of grinding team D that sucks the life out of opponents, sometimes better than simply playing physically. I used to say that one of the poorly understood impacts of the Bruins on opponents was that after two periods of having to do the physical give and take of just playing against Lucic (236), Chara (250), Horton (230), Boychuk (227), Thornton (217), and McQuaid (210), your legs don't work the way they're supposed to. It takes a toll. This group has much less snarl, less nasty, but they have the residual impact of being a pretty big team to have to carry around. To paraphrase Roger Murdoch: "Tell your old man to drag Frederic, Coyle and Zacha up and down the ice!" We'll see if there's anything to it. But I think it's fair game to say that there's not much difference between what we thought of the team in February 2011 and what we think of this team today, no matter how much hindsight suggests otherwise.  Much better depth all around on the 2011 team…. Maybe not the favourite going into the playoffs but was no major surprise that they came out of it champs…. B’S fans were maybe shocked since we had seen all that could go wrong the previous 38 years…. If this current squad wins it all, an inquiry will be needed…. Regular season stats don’t amount to a hill of beans once the playoffs start…. Tell me who you’d rather go to war with, this year’s lineup or: Bergy,Krejci,Marchy,Looch,Horton,Recchi,Ryder,Peverley,Kelly,Campbell,Paille,Thornton…. And that’s just up front…. On the back end, this year’s d-corps isn’t even on the same planet as Z-Man, Seidenberg, Boychuk et al, in terms of physicality and being able to take care of your own end…. The only comparable here is in goal…. Looking over that roster, I think even with their age today, that group of guys would stand a better chance at a prolonged run than the current team….
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Post by brewwins on Feb 28, 2024 0:53:05 GMT
Calgary winters have softened Hanifin and apparently he’s eyeing going as down south as possible…. Any available cap room come July needs to be spent mainly on upgrading the offense whether through trade or free agency…. Sweens not in great shape without involving bodies vs what's left of remaining draft choices. Look for teams like the Rags to play the old Bolts LTIR shell game with guys like Chytil and Wheeler to pick up Henrique and/or Vatrano. Would also be nice to limit how much a former team is allowed to continue paying salary to help against the cap. But Donny can trade players to get players in return. Gryz, Debrusk or Ullmark. Nobody cares what the Rangers do.
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