No Playoffs For the B's This Season
According to Espn Scott Burnside, the B's will finish 12th in their conference and will miss the playoffs. Burnside says that there are too many new faces to make the team successful this year. The funny thing about that is that Burnside says that Montreal will finish 4th in the conference. Yes, ladies and gentlemans, 4th in the conference without having a #1 defenseman in their lineup and a legitimate #1 goaltender (Huet cannot be consider as a #1 until he play a full season behind the pipes).
Latrappe's take: I don't know how Burnside analyzed the whole thing but I don't see how the signing of Chara, Savard and Mara should have a negative impact on the team. Burnside says that it's too much to ask for that team (too many new faces) to reach the playoffs? Why? Was Carolina was that good before the lockout? I don't think so and according to Burnside's theory, they shouldn't be in the playoffs because they had lots of "new faces" too. His evaluation of Dave Lewis is intriguing. According to him, Lewis is a soft guy who didn't find a way to make Detroit win in the playoffs. I don't know where Burnside was, last spring, because Babcock get an early exit from the playoffs in the first round.
Matt's take: Scott Burnside can shove it. Get out of your mom's basement Scott, smell the fresh air. These so called "experts" don't ever get anything right. They all go with what the majority thinks or that sexy pick (aka Dolphins to beat the Pats in the division). I'll tell you this, if the Bruins finish 12th in the conference, the TD Banknorth Garden will be in ashes.
Latrappe's take: I don't know how Burnside analyzed the whole thing but I don't see how the signing of Chara, Savard and Mara should have a negative impact on the team. Burnside says that it's too much to ask for that team (too many new faces) to reach the playoffs? Why? Was Carolina was that good before the lockout? I don't think so and according to Burnside's theory, they shouldn't be in the playoffs because they had lots of "new faces" too. His evaluation of Dave Lewis is intriguing. According to him, Lewis is a soft guy who didn't find a way to make Detroit win in the playoffs. I don't know where Burnside was, last spring, because Babcock get an early exit from the playoffs in the first round.
Matt's take: Scott Burnside can shove it. Get out of your mom's basement Scott, smell the fresh air. These so called "experts" don't ever get anything right. They all go with what the majority thinks or that sexy pick (aka Dolphins to beat the Pats in the division). I'll tell you this, if the Bruins finish 12th in the conference, the TD Banknorth Garden will be in ashes.
posted by Latrappe at 2:32 PM
11 Comments:
Typical media negativity towards the Bruins. If any other team had added the players the Bruins have they would be calling them cup contenders.
I don't know but his analysis doesn't make sense. Boston first two lines are better then Montreal's first two lines. Bergeron vs Koivu, Savard vs Ribeiro. I think Boston have an avantage there. This game is base on speed and special teams now. I just wondering how Burnside come to the conclusion that the B's are no better then a 12th place team...
Latrappe, like I said, these guys no nothing.
The hockey media doesn't like sinden or jacobs so the the team pays for it in the preveiews. If Pittsburgh added Chara and Savard the hockey writers would be planning the parade.
The Hockey News web site has the Bruins at 9th place, while ESPN's Bicigross has them 8th. I think 8th or 9th is fair as non-Bruins fans go simply because the Bruins have yet to prove anything and the conference is pretty competitive.
A lot of these people jumped on the Bruins Band Wagon last year and got burned badly, which doesn't help.
But I'm really getting tired of reading, "They are doing everything exactly right, but we're sure Jacobs will step in a ruin everything." That's just sour grapes. What's he going to do, demand they drop to the cap - $15 mil? Come on, get real.
The Bruins do have somewhat of a chance at making the playoffs in a decent spot. But those chances depend on their goaltending, which can be very inconsistent, or very good.
Matt its obvious you hate this this guys predictions, and i do believe he placed the B's WAY to far down the standings, but a playoff spot could also be a little far-fetched. Although they are doing in good in the preseason, which is probably why your hopes have gone way up, preseason means absolutely nothing. A team could lose every single game and still come out winning the presidents trophy. Every body has different predictions but I'd say they finish anywhere from 7th to 10th place.
I, obviously disagree. I think the way the division is, that the B's could finish anywhere from 3rd to 6th. They may not be the 3rd best team, but the best in their division, hence they get the 3rd spot. I am looking for a season of 90-100 points. Possibly optimistic, but looking at the division.
-Toronto, just plain horrible, will likely finish bottom of the division. Aging team.
-Montreal, overrated, did not improve, so will likely finish in the 7th-8th range in the conference.
-Buffalo, will miss Jay McKee, will be a tough opponent, could finish from 2nd-5th in conference depending on how things pan out.
-Ottawa, will definately be a dissappointment to many this season. Losing Havlat, Smolinski, Chara, Arnason, Hasek, and replacing that with Corvo, Gerber, and McAmmond.
Boston has a very good chance, if their goaltending pans out, to be atop the division. They are also playing, IMO, a weaker Northeast Division this season, so their record could be inflated.
I think the goaltending is a question mark in Boston. That's a fair and accurate statement. But, in the division, only Buffalo didn't have that question mark. All others have,somehow, a doubt about what their goaltending.
My biggest point against Burnside is his lack of logic. Boston will have: Bergeron, Boyes,Sturm,Savard,Murray,Chara and Stuart. That's seven very decent players. Those guys will produce; they are not unproven. that's why Burnside's 12th rank for the B's is Silly; especially when he rank Montreal in the 4th spot when that team didn't have what Boston have on the first two lines..
What are you talking about Matt??^^
A weaker northeast division? Ottawa has only gotten better offensively and worse defensively (not by much). The Sens will finish in the top 5 in the conference and about 2-4 in the division.
Buffalo still strong opponent, anywhere from 1-4 in the conference and 1-2 in the division.
Boston, improvements, but not enough. I'd say very slight possible chance they get in 7th or 8th but to ball park it, i say they finish out of the playoffs at no more then 9 or 10.
Toronto: one of the most improved teams on D, and their young blueliners are looking excellent in preseason, those include Wozniewski, Bell, etc. Their offense could still use a little improvement, but if Suglobov and the other rookies perform as well as they do right now, they could fill that empty spot. I'd say leafs finish 5 - 7 in the conference and 2-3 in the division.
Montreal, i agree not improved, but they do have the "playoff" contending team", however, i think 8th or 9th would be their conference finish and 4-5 will be their division finish.
Just opinion, but all and all to stay on topic, Bruins are NOT going to be as good as you think they are Matt.
Lets also not forget that in '97-'98 the Bruins were predicted not not make the playoffs after finishing last the year before surpassing all the hockey writers predictions. Hockey in my opinon is the hardest sport to predict because on any night hard work and heart can beat talent.
I disagree about the young D in Toronto.They will be good for sure but not this year. They will learn by their mistakes and it will be costly for the team. Toronto will have to rely on an aging offense to do the job and it will put lots of pressure on Wellwood and Stajan to overproduce what they should at their second NHL year. Toronto is not in a good position at all..
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