Boston Bruins

[mister_mcgoo]

What's wrong with the Bruins this year guys? Not that I mind seeing them lose to the better team in Montreal

But to be fair, they haven't looked themselves so far this season...they're 2-4-0, dropping 4 of their last 5 and they're averaging just 1.83 GF while giving up 2.83 GA. Much was made about the lack of Seindenberg last year but that doesn't seem to have helped. Did they badly undervalue what Boychuk brought to the team? Or Iggy? What do you guys think? Is it just a slow start or indicative of something more?

[newfcollins]

Chara seemed slow last night. I haven't seen any other Bruins games, but it felt like the Habs players were going by him pretty easily and his reach wasn't as effective. I wonder if he's slower than normal, and teams can now use speed to make things tougher on the Bruins.

[wendelclark17]

I don't think Chara is the same dominant force he was 2-3 years ago and I think the Bruins are suffering from losing all the depth they have over the last 3 seasons. I mean if you look at their Cup winning roster compared to this year's roster it really has gotten worse.

[Bobby4Ever]

What's wrong with the Bruins this year guys? Not that I mind seeing them lose to the better team in Montreal

But to be fair, they haven't looked themselves so far this season...they're 2-4-0, dropping 4 of their last 5 and they're averaging just 1.83 GF while giving up 2.83 GA. Much was made about the lack of Seindenberg last year but that doesn't seem to have helped. Did they badly undervalue what Boychuk brought to the team? Or Iggy? What do you guys think? Is it just a slow start or indicative of something more?

well definitley some adjustments are being made with losing Iggy and Boychuk , one being the 1st line RW spot which for some reason Eriksson can't seem to fit in there.

Another reason for the slow start is Krejci missing the first few games and being the top center and playmaker affected the offense.

Third reason would be 4 rookies trying to fill these roster spots at center and rw, namely Spooner,Fraser,Cunningham and Griffith who just dont have the experience yet.
Getting back veterens Krejci and Campbell will/has already made a difference.

Once Claude figures out who is gonna work best at the top RW spot and that player sticks and the line can get some chemistry going i think we can get back to the Forum/Bell Centre and play our game!!

[4T2]

Boychuk makes his return tonight! I hope he lights up Svedberg for a hat trick (I own Boychuk but no Bruins goalies). Still obviously hope we win though.

Was unbelievably sad to see him go but recognize the necessity of it. Anyone who says Chiarelli mismanaged the cap is WAY off base. He has given out a few bad contracts (what team hasn't) but the Bruins worst season in the last 6 years was a first round game-7 exit when their goalie (and others) had all but given up. Couple that with two trips to the Cup Final including a win and I can't think of many teams other than LA or Chicago that you would want to trade places with.

Anyway, good luck tonight Johnny, just not better luck than the boys still wearing the spoked B.

[rainydrinkwater]

A look at what life without Chara may look like for the bruins.

http://causewaycrowd.com/2014/10/24/...t-zdeno-chara/

[4T2]

Had to post this pic somewhere.

[4T2]

Even better

[JHouly]

Rask cannot win any tight games. .909% save %, good, but Not elite...

Chara is not the glimpse of the dominant player he was.

The Boychuk trade hurts badly.

They are close to the salary cap.

They are looking for offense via trade (Tyler Seguin anyone?)

etc...

Do you hear the sound of the championship door slamming in the background?

[kovalchuk17]

for this season, yes. their cap overages severely hurt their team for this season. they should be able to re-tool for next season. boston is still top 10 in corsi and fenwick but their pdo has not been as favorable as years past.

chara doesnt look right, he did have a sprained knee after all. maybe his supreme tallness needed more time to heal.

[JHouly]

and Rask cannot win in the shootout either.

[newfcollins]

And Chiarelli is horrible at drafting. I'm seeing a lot of Bruins fans that are upset about his inability to select anyone outside the top 10.

He became GM in May 2006, but if I remember correctly, he wasn't allowed to help the Bruins with their draft as he knew the Sens game plan. So he doesn't get credit for that draft (which the Bruins took Kessel, Lucic and Marchand). Here's the rest of his draft history:

In 2007, he drafted Zach Hamill in the first round, followed by Tommy Cross, Denis Reul, Alain Goulet, Radim Ostrcil and Jordan Knackstedt.

In 2008, it was Joe Colborne in the first round, and then Maxime Sauve, Michael Hutchinson, Jamie, Arniel, Nicolas Tremblay and Mark Goggin.

In 2009, Jordan Caron in the first round, then Ryan Button, Lane MacDermid, Tyler Randell and Ben Sexton.

In 2010, Tyler Seguin in the first, then Jared Knight, Ryan Spooner, Craig Cunningham, Justin Florek,Zane McIntyre, Maxim Chudinov and Zach Trotman.

In 2011, Dougie Hamilton in the first, then Alexander Khokhlachev, Anthony Camara, Brian Ferlin, Rob O'Gara, and Lars Volden.

In 2012, Malcolm Subban in the first, then Matt Griffith, Cody Payne, Matthew Benning and Colton Hargrove.

In 2013, no first rounders, then Linus Arnesson, Peter Cehlarik, Ryan Fitzgerald, Wiley Sherman, Anton Blidh and Mitchell Dempsey.

In 2014, David Pastrnak in the first, then Ryan Donato, Danton Heinen, Anders Bjork and Emil Johansson.

So except for Seguin (second overall) and Hamilton (9th), he hasn't done a lot at the draft.

[Dutch]

I am starting to get the felling Rask never has been elite. Just a product of the system.

Lundqvist, Price, Rinne those are Elite. Rinne bumped up because everyone thought the Trotz effect.

Rask just pisses me off thsi year, and I am actively shopping him. Took the guy 6th overall and he is costing me a title as of this moment.

[JHouly]

Rask is not elite. Good but not elite. He is overated. Cannot win tight games, cannot win in the shootout, often out of position, has a tendancy to overpush his lateral movement. Does Boston have a goaltending coach to help him correct that? It's repeating way too often.

I'm being shopping him for a couple of days now....

[STLblues]

I sold Rask last week for Zetter OEL and R Miller.....I was thrilled.