Where are the Bruins at?
I'm split. Could they make a playoff run? Or will they end up in the bottom 10? I don't know.
After a 6 game winless streak, the Bruins put back to back wins. They are still at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff standings, but they are separated by less than 6 points in most teams.
Now, if the Bruins were healthy, with Ward, Murray and Bergeron, I would feel very confident. But these injuries have killed them. It is not an excuse, Ryan Smyth of Colorado is out 8 weeks, Gagne from Philly has missed most of the season, Toews is out in Chicago.
Now, people who say the Bruins record is the same from last season, it is, BUT, they are definately playing better hockey. Instead of hoping we don't give up goals, I hope we score some goals.
The defense is not an issue, Once Ward comes back in a few weeks, everything will be fine. Wideman has been a huge surprise, and Chara's play has improved from last season. Mark Stuart and Matt Lashoff have made big strides. Ference and Alberts worry me, but I see them turning it around. Hnidy is a good role player who makes good decisions. Acquiring a guy like JM Liles or Adam Foote would be nice as well.
The offense is the main issue. There is a lack of skill overall. Kobasew, Sturm, and guys like that are good players, but they are a dime a dozen in the NHL. Sturm has 30 goal skill, but can't see to find the net without Bergeron. The old days of the power forward like Guerin and even Murray are gone. Murray is a sniper, but he isn't blessed with great skill. The new NHL is more of a skill sport, with guys like Kovalchuk, Hossa, Oveckin, Crosby, Malking, Heatley. Guys who can skate by 2-3 players and score. Kessel is the only player on the Bruins who can do that. Every time he gets the puck, he could score. Now he doesn't have great numbers, but he is progressing very well. Murray has been a disappointment. Until this team gets a winger who can score, they won't go anywhere. Savard is one of the top centers in the game, but there is no one to score. Schaefer has been a bum, the 4th cannot score with Reich and Thornton. The 3rd line rarely scores. Every good team has a scorer. Ottawa has Heatley, Atlanta has Hossa and Kovalchuk, San Jose has Cheechoo (before he lost it), Pittsburgh has Malkin and Crosby, Washington has Ovechkin (that's all they have), and so on. So based on my rant, I would fully expect the Bruins to go all out for Marian Hossa. The team needs a scoring skill winger.
I was watching Peter Chiarelli on NESN, and he said league wide talent is down. I took a second to think and I realized he was right. Right now, the NHL is in a weird spot. All the old players from the late 90s who were amazing are now fizzling out, and now it is a lot of young guys coming up, but very few are great players, and it will be 3-4 more years before there is a new crop of great players.
After a 6 game winless streak, the Bruins put back to back wins. They are still at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff standings, but they are separated by less than 6 points in most teams.
Now, if the Bruins were healthy, with Ward, Murray and Bergeron, I would feel very confident. But these injuries have killed them. It is not an excuse, Ryan Smyth of Colorado is out 8 weeks, Gagne from Philly has missed most of the season, Toews is out in Chicago.
Now, people who say the Bruins record is the same from last season, it is, BUT, they are definately playing better hockey. Instead of hoping we don't give up goals, I hope we score some goals.
The defense is not an issue, Once Ward comes back in a few weeks, everything will be fine. Wideman has been a huge surprise, and Chara's play has improved from last season. Mark Stuart and Matt Lashoff have made big strides. Ference and Alberts worry me, but I see them turning it around. Hnidy is a good role player who makes good decisions. Acquiring a guy like JM Liles or Adam Foote would be nice as well.
The offense is the main issue. There is a lack of skill overall. Kobasew, Sturm, and guys like that are good players, but they are a dime a dozen in the NHL. Sturm has 30 goal skill, but can't see to find the net without Bergeron. The old days of the power forward like Guerin and even Murray are gone. Murray is a sniper, but he isn't blessed with great skill. The new NHL is more of a skill sport, with guys like Kovalchuk, Hossa, Oveckin, Crosby, Malking, Heatley. Guys who can skate by 2-3 players and score. Kessel is the only player on the Bruins who can do that. Every time he gets the puck, he could score. Now he doesn't have great numbers, but he is progressing very well. Murray has been a disappointment. Until this team gets a winger who can score, they won't go anywhere. Savard is one of the top centers in the game, but there is no one to score. Schaefer has been a bum, the 4th cannot score with Reich and Thornton. The 3rd line rarely scores. Every good team has a scorer. Ottawa has Heatley, Atlanta has Hossa and Kovalchuk, San Jose has Cheechoo (before he lost it), Pittsburgh has Malkin and Crosby, Washington has Ovechkin (that's all they have), and so on. So based on my rant, I would fully expect the Bruins to go all out for Marian Hossa. The team needs a scoring skill winger.
I was watching Peter Chiarelli on NESN, and he said league wide talent is down. I took a second to think and I realized he was right. Right now, the NHL is in a weird spot. All the old players from the late 90s who were amazing are now fizzling out, and now it is a lot of young guys coming up, but very few are great players, and it will be 3-4 more years before there is a new crop of great players.
posted by Matt at 12:43 PM
38 Comments:
There seemed to be a ten-year lull in top-end talant coming out of the draft. The ones that did come out of the late 90's early 00's drafts, seemed to progress slowly. I'm thinking Thornton, Lecavalier, Nash, Kovalchuk. They are now top players, but it took a while to get there. If you look at those drafts you will also see alot of defenceman and and flops (I'm looking at you Stefan) in the first ten picks. Things are going to turn around quickly now. Ovechkin, Malkin, Staal, Phaneuf, Crosby, Kane, Toews, all these guys made an immidiate impact with more to come in the likes of Stamkos, Tavares and the youngest Staal brother. The future looks a little brighter for the NHL skill wise.
Don't forget Kessel. He also (someday) will be a top line forward. The kid is still young and will eventually get him game together.
It seems that the club had been holding onto some hope that Bochenski could have become a Murray-with-legs type of player that could score some serious goals for us. The final word on Bochenski must have been the same as it was in Chicago where the head coach vowed that Bochenski would never see the ice during his tenure. Bochenski is an opportunistic drifter that sort of needed to exist on a line where two other guys create the chances and he slams them home. His run is done here, and we can start looking elsewhere for goals.
I'll give Murray all the credit in the world that he really seemed to have miraculously grown legs of his own. I think that once he returns, it will have been a while that he has been playing this new style of game, and he'll soon find a way to work the goals back into the mix.
I think we may need to give Sturm a chance on Savard's line. Sturm has a scoring touch, but has not been hitting the twine lately despite creating his own opportunities. I'd like to see if either Kessel or Savard can help Sturm break his slump.
Until Muzzy comes back, I'd like to see this:
Sturm-Savard-Kessel
Axelsson-Metropolit-Kobasew
Lucic-Krejci-Schaefer
Reich-Nokelainen-Sobotka
I completely agree with your lines selection but axelsson has stepped it up and been 1st line worthy.
0/4 against Montreal, 0/2 against Ottawa and 0/2 against NJ - the Bruins have simply proven we are the best of the bottom of this league. Tonight against NJ, this week against Montreal - we need these two wins more than ever. More than for the playoffs. More than just points. We need to show we are a top team in the league. Bergeron is out, Pelletier is on fire in the AHL, Marchand just scored for Canada and Hamill is also coming. I don't want to wait another 10 years before we become a cup contender - playofss start this year and the Bruins will be there. Colorado is now hurting, see if we can land Liles. And there are rumors (NOT MINE) that the B's are shopping Axe and Kessel (yes Kessel). I also heard Ward is out when he's back but seeing how the D is crippled I really doubt that, unless we land another D. Final tonight Bruins 3 Devils 1. Goals by Sturm, Savard and Chara (EN).
"Where are the Bruins At"??? Ending your sentence with a preposition? Learn to write before you write. I thought I would be reading English after Latrappe left. At least he had the language excuse - you must be just plain stupid!!!
i dont think id get rid of kessel yet. we have a bunch of kids who are lookin good. marchand-hamill-kessel line in a couple yours looks pretty good. Liles would be nice here tho
Marchand is looking like he will make a serious run at making the team next year. Hamill will likely not, but hopefully he can play for Canada in '09. He was a late cut this year.
lucic-savard-hossa
sturm-bergeron-kobasew
marchand-krecji-kessel
Wouldnt that look good next year
xpunkrockelvisx
I'll give Murray all the credit in the world that he really seemed to have miraculously grown legs of his own. I think that once he returns, it will have been a while that he has been playing this new style of game, and he'll soon find a way to work the goals back into the mix.
I'm sorry but Glen Murray can't skate. My friends and I agree that he is slow. He is a waste of 4.2 million dollars. Now he is injured, which is nothing new for him. Murray is a washed up old geezer who is not going to help the Bruins, a team already stacked with mediocre players.
murray sucks
Murray's trade value is next to none, so it's either hope for the best and have Murray contribute like he needs to, or ride his contract out and ridicule him.
We know where the Bruins are at? Where are all the updates at?
Where all da white women at?
mckeon youre an idiot ... dont even try to be gangster you sound like an idiot and more than likely are an idiot
mckeon.. I was thinking the same thing.. that is a classic Blazing Saddles line... one of my favorites!! Notice though, how Ms. anonymous hides behind her name, just like the Axelson bashers do. Where are all the Axelson bashers at now?
haha, only a person who calls me gangsta for referring to that line has not seen Blazing Saddles and that is just a shame. Anyone who really knows me truly knows I'm the least gangsta guy in the bunch. This alllll makes me laugh. So, thanks anonymous and sweet jesus PJ, is rollin right now! Now, if only I could find a horse to punch in the face....haha! classic movie
Now the question is; should PC take advantage of PJ's good play and shop him at the deadline for prospects? Or should he trade Marchand, whose value must have went up over the last 4 games of the WJC, for an impace player? I hope niether, stay the course and sign PJ in the summer, and hope the lesson Marchand learned after his brutal giveaway, sticks with him for a career. What do you all think PC should do?
"impact player"
I just saw the following rumour....
To OTTAWA:
- Axelson, Thomas and Ward
To Boston:
- Eaves and Emery
I'm fine with Ward and Axelson (not to take away PJ'S great play lately, but I don't think it will last) but Thomas for Emery....not sure !!
Emery could be a guy that gets hot again with a new start !
We will see.......
I think that rumour to ottawa is a horrible deal. The Bruins, in my opinion would be the big losers in that one. Eaves has 8 points this year. He isnt going to solve the offensive problems we have and Tim Thomas is playing better than Emery.
This comment has been removed by the author.
that trade is awful, i could not agree more.
I dont know if anyone is an ESPN.com insider but they are reporting more muzzy trade rumors.
I've always been uneasy about the Axelsson rumours and trading him for prospects seems even more crazy. He's a great defensive player in a defensive system, so unless they're sure of losing him through free agency, why even bother trading him?
Big Z gettin the start in the All-Star game...dig it!
The Bruins just won 3 in a row, so PC will not pull the trigger right now. If stock is rising in players, than that gives PC more leverage.
Now that Tim Thomas is playing like he had before he was hurt (like how he has been playing ALL season), look for the Bruins to get back on track, and compete for the 4th playoff spot.
We just need to figure out how to beat Montreal.
Beating Montreal is easy - stay out of the penalty box. Montreal cannot compete or score 5-on-5. Hope Montreal wins big tonight against Chicago, might make them believe they are an elite team - come into Boston with some swelled heads. Nice 4-2 win against the 'Canes tonight. Sammy nets both for Carolina.
Thats b-cuz the Habs know how to get under the B's skin goading them into stupid penalties. I think Lucic or Reich has to set the tone right at the beginning and make sure they Habs have there heads up all night.
btw.. How cool would it be to see the B's-Habs play outdoors at Fenway??? It would definately be a once -in-a-lifetime event. Is there some way to lobby for that?
well that game was about as exciting as watching a cat lick it's butt. i'm glad i sat Ward in fantasy out of principle. 1-0? for real?
People say that a hab's game in Montreal (especially when it was the old Forum) is the hockey parallel to baseball at Fenway. A Habs - B's game at Fenway would be absolutely legendary. I bet tickets for that game would scalp for like a grand.
Although I bet they'd put seats in front of the monster since they don't need that space. It might be worth the loss in ticket sales to leave that area open just to be able to see the B's skate in front of the green monster.
THIS SITE SUCKS. THERE ARE NOT NEARLY ENOUGH POSTINGS... NOTHING IS UP TO DATE. IF PEOPLE WANT UP TO DATE RUMORS I SUGGEST WWW.HOCKEYBUZZ.COM. WHEN THIS SITE ONLY POST THINGS THAT HOCKEYBUZZ.COM AREADY POSTED A WEEK BEFORE. GET WITH IT OR CLOSE THIS SITE DOWN.
hey this just in retard...YOU DONT NEED TO COME TO THIS SITE!!! we dont want you here anyway youre probably one of those stupid PJ haters anyway. go to hockeybuzz.com...that site is eklunds nhl08 trades he pulls off posted online...bunch of crap if you ask me
Seriously, its easy to post somewhere else. And we wont have to listen to your dejective banter.
You kind of have to go out of your way to get here, like typing in a URL, then clicking on a link to post.
C-ya ya puke.
Go Bruins
montreal is just killing us. The bruins need to pick it up soon. They have been going down hill. Neely should try talkin chia into letting him pout the skates on and playin wing with savard and lucic.
I realize that people have lives other than hockey, and I feel bad jumping on the band wagon with people upset about this site, but there are multiple people responsible for this site. I don't really mind that the stats or games section are not updated but the actual content does bother me. The admin should let someone into the site so they can post, someone without a life, or someone with a lot of time on their hands.
zzzzzzzzzzz.....
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