2008-09 Boston Bruins Thread

[rician blast]

The Bs are killing me right now they need to swing a deal for a defenseman and soon.

 

Bergeron is also flat out giving me an aneurysm.

 

No s***, it's getting painful. I see a big difference in the way teams are playing the Bruins as compared to earlier this year. In the early part of the season, the B's broke out of their zone with speed and confidence, often uncontended...now teams are putting much more pressure on their D-men and standing up forwards in the neutral zone. That's where your talent and skills...or lack thereof...really show up.

 

The B's aren't as bad as they've been playing (to be honest, some of the losses were fairly well-played games) but I think it is evident that they're not nearly as good as the record indicated when they were something like 36-8-6 or went 23-2 over a stretch. They're 4-4-2 in their last 10...not horrific, but not very good.

 

As for Bergeron, I recall pre-concussion (first one) saying that he was good BUT that there were a lot of teams that had 2 or 3 young players of that caliber on their squads, so I was never overly impressed. Now, post two-concussions, he's a shell of his former self. He's becoming a $5m liability. So why are they playing him so much?

 

Bergeron has 2 yrs left on his deal after this season. With Krejci and Kessel due significant raises this year, with Thomas likely commanding $4-5m after this season, they have little, if any, cap space. I'm wondering if perhaps the Bruins are desperately trying to display some value in Bergeron, so they can find a way to unload his contract. Nearly $5m for a third line center is a lot of cabbage.

[rician blast]

By the way, anyone see Bergeron throw a hit or two the other night? He surprised me.

 

Marty Brodeur should make his return tonight. Wonder when they play the Rangers next...and if the Rangers would call up Avery around then.

[Dojji]

I was more impressed by Bergeron's opportunism against Bouwmeester at the start of the game. Hoping this is more than just a flash in the pan.

[TheKilo]

Michael Ryder is clearly the glue that holds his team together.

[Dojji]

Bryon Bitz is starting to make a name for himself. Our 4th line now has a finisher -- and our 3rd line does not.

 

Try Bitz on the Bergeron line, Claude!

[rician blast]

Bergeron had a little extra hop in his step last night. He looked really comfortable out there. I'm still scared for him every time he is in a potentially vulnerable position.

 

I like the way Bitz has been playing, but I'm not ready to declare him a finisher.

 

Michael Ryder is playing fantastic hockey, he looks very fresh out there.

 

Wish the B's had Sturm in the mix...would make them a bit more flexible...and maybe I'd never have to see Axelsson on the PP again!

[TheKilo]

Yeah three goals in two games does not make Bitz a finisher.

[Dojji]

Nah but Bitz has been playing this kind of hockey since he came up -- the only difference is that the puck is going in right now. His game plan very usually involves him being a poor man's Lucic causing problems for the defenders around the net and he's starting to take advantage of the chances he's been getting (against weak goaltending, I grant you). I'm probably very hasty in talking about a finisher, but he certainly has been playing some good offensive hockey, and on a line that was never really counted on for offense.

 

If you prorate his performance as if it was a whole season, Bitz would have 15 goals. That's very respectable.

 

I do think he'd do well on a line with Bergeron and Kobasew. All three of them have the ability individually to cause a certain amount of havoc, and Bergeron and Kobasew have some weaknesses that I think Bitz would balance better than Axelsson does.

[TheKilo]

Nah but Bitz has been playing this kind of hockey since he came up -- the only difference is that the puck is going in right now. His game plan very usually involves him being a poor man's Lucic causing problems for the defenders around the net and he's starting to take advantage of the chances he's been getting (against weak goaltending, I grant you). I'm probably very hasty in talking about a finisher, but he certainly has been playing some good offensive hockey, and on a line that was never really counted on for offense.

If you prorate his performance as if it was a whole season, Bitz would have 15 goals. That's very respectable.

 

I do think he'd do well on a line with Bergeron and Kobasew. All three of them have the ability individually to cause a certain amount of havoc, and Bergeron and Kobasew have some weaknesses that I think Bitz would balance better than Axelsson does.

 

IE not a finisher

[YanksHater213]

I hope somebody smacks Ovechkin around tomorrow afternoon and lets him know he's our bitch.

[TheKilo]

Ovechkin is all kinds of awesome you can't hate the guy.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01252009/photos/spo07.jpg

 

If the NHL had a brain in its head they'd be marketing the hell out of Ovechkin and not Crosby.

[TheKilo]

No comments on the softie from Thomas the last game?

 

Thank God Manny is in net tonight.

[Dojji]

No, why should we comment about the leader in GAA and SV% letting in an uncharacteristic goal?

 

It's pretty much only people who have no minds, and thus cannot change them, that chomp at the bit to criticize Thomas now. I dunno if Brodeur has let in an 80-footer, but he's been made to look stupid on individual goals in the past. Everyone has. This one was just the worst possible time is all.

[BoSox21]

I remember Brodeur letting in a really bad goal a few years back. He went out to play the puck with his stick but it deflected off his stick and went in. It happens to the best of 'em

[Keeper]

No comments on the softie from Thomas the last game?

 

Thank God Manny is in net tonight.

 

s***** way to lose a game. But nobody's perfect.

[TheKilo]

No, why should we comment about the leader in GAA and SV% letting in an uncharacteristic goal?

 

It's pretty much only people who have no minds, and thus cannot change them, that chomp at the bit to criticize Thomas now. I dunno if Brodeur has let in an 80-footer, but he's been made to look stupid on individual goals in the past. Everyone has. This one was just the worst possible time is all.

 

I take offense to that as my biggest problem with Thomas is that his style of goaltending is not conducive to playoff success - which should be the #1 thought on all Bruins' fans minds right now.

 

That goal, along with many other Thomas softies, is the prime example of why the Bruins will struggle to win the Cup this year.

[Dojji]

EVERY goalie allows softies. ALL of them. It's not a protuctive post to say he lets in softies. And unless you bring in something that actually demonstrates Thomas lets in materially more soft goals than other elite goaltenders you don't have an argument.

 

And if you want to build an argument on that basis you have to first define a softie in a way that doesn't describe all goals in a league where the average save percentage is around .910.

[TheKilo]

He has terrible rebound control, and you don't need to look past games 6 and 7 of last year's playoffs to know what I am talking about.

 

He's a good to great regular season goaltender, but in a 7 game series when EVERY GOAL IS CRITICAL, I don't trust Thomas because of his streakiness.

[BoSox21]

New Jersey is gonna be the team to beat come playoff time. That deal they made for Havelid yesterday was great

[TheKilo]

New Jersey is gonna be the team to beat come playoff time. That deal they made for Havelid yesterday was great

 

Three horse race between the Bs, the Devils, and the Caps.

[BoSox21]

The Caps have no goaltending. That's gonna become painfully apparent during the playoffs. But I'll reserve all playoff thoughts until I see how every team looks 24 hours from now after the trade deadline

[TheKilo]

Theodore can get hot though. I like their goaltending over Philly's.

[BoSox21]

Yea, I'd take Theodore over Niittymakki or Biron but if Washington is depending on Theodore to give them good enough goaltending, they're living on a prayer. Nicklas Backstrom from Minnesota would've fit in great there but he re-signed with the Wild today

[TheKilo]

Coincidentally enough that deal may have signaled the end of Thomas's Bruins career 4/24 seems like a lot and that will be the benchmark used for Timmy's negotiations this offseason. Paying Thomas $6 million a year seems too much when they need to lock up Krejci and Kessel longterm.

[BoSox21]

There will be cheaper short-term solutions for the Bruins if Thomas' demands get a bit extravagant. Either way, I don't think anyone will pay a 36 year old goaltender $6 million, especially with the cap going down significantly in 2010-2011

[TheKilo]

It's pretty clear a move needs to be made, and soon.

[BoSox21]

I've heard a deal revolving around Bergeron for Chris Pronger could happen tomorrow and I think the Bruins would be best served trying to get something for Fernandez

[YanksHater213]

I think we should be extremely cautious with him. He's pretty one dimensional out there.

 

Kessel = the next Samsonov?

 

And please get rid of Manny. The guy was just obviously riding a streak, I'd rather take my chances with Tuukka behind Timmy.

[Dojji]

At least Kessel attacks the net. He could be smarter about how he does it, but he attacks the net. I don't recall Samsonov being that willing to go right in.

 

I see no reason why Tuuka with sporadic playing time is better for the Bruins than Manny with sporadic playing time.

[Dojji]

I've heard a deal revolving around Bergeron for Chris Pronger could happen tomorrow and I think the Bruins would be best served trying to get something for Fernandez

 

If you clear Bergeron's deal, Pronter makes sense and sets the B's up well for the future. Something tells me though that Bergeron is damaged goods and you'd have to see a couple Bruins prospects going the other way on that deal.