Boston Bruins: 2014-2015

[chippa13 1844]

Rask has been better lately and while Svedberg has played well, I see him more as trade bait than a threat to Rask. All goalies have their ups and downs over the course of the season. I am more concerned about defensive zone giveaways than goaltending at this point.

[Jason Harris 31]

Three things I see as weaknesses on this team, two of which can be tightened up as formerly injured players return to form:

1) Rask is playing shaky and without the swagger of the past two years. My guess is that lack of confidence ties into number 2.

2) The defense is not as tight as previous years, allowing more scoring chances than I recall from recent years. Some of those have seemed stoppable with better angles by the goalies, but others resulted in perfect shots just within the bars. Still, I wonder if it's wearying to the goalies to be facing so many solid chances.

3) Krejci and Lucic need a scorer on their line better than Cunningham, Fraser or Griffith. It's a pipe dream, but I'd rather see Spooner or Pastrnak be given the chance, even though we know Claude would break out in hives. But the truth is that even one goal more per game could be the difference between winning in regulation or losing in a shootout.

[stick9 881]

#3 - I couldn't agree more. During last nights post game, it was reported that Pasternak will be brought up at the conclusion of the WJC. He's probably not the answer but he has a better skill set then the guys they've been using.

[chippa13 1844]

That spot has a revolving door. Even if Pastrnak isn't the answer right away I would like to see him there for a while to see if he can develop something with Krejci.

[chippa13 1844]

We're all set, they recalled Caron.

[Jason Harris 31]

I saw that. Maybe he could add to the fourth line but, without breaking up Bergeron's or Soderberg's lines, I still don't see anyone on the roster who's going to improve Krejci and Lucic.

[chippa13 1844]

Exactly.

[Chadd 916]

But the truth is that even one goal more per game could be the difference between winning in regulation or losing in a shootout.

Claude would rather focus on not giving up one more goal per game than scoring one more.

[chippa13 1844]

And that mentality can make some of his in-game decisions maddening.

[chippa13 1844]

Matt Fraser has been claimed off of waivers by the Oilers. I am not sure why he was exposed with the day to day status of both Lucic and Bergeron. I guess someone else will need to be recalled for tonight's tilt against the Red Wings unless they dress 7 defensemen.

[stick9 881]

Interesting the difference in outcome when everyone is giving 100% effort. I have to think some guys were playing for their jobs last night, Smith and Marchand looked extra motivated.

And the D tightened up their play in front of the net.

[Jason Harris 31]

What about Simon Gagne with Krejci and Lucic? If they don't bring up Spooner or Pasternak to create offense with those guys, because there's always the threat that Spooner's backcheck could lead to a 3-on-2 every fifth game, does Gagne have enough left?

Different topic: Has anything happened with the diving fines that were supposed to be handed out this season? While, yes, Kelly had his stick between Nyquist's legs last night, Nyquist clearly pulled his legs tightly together and jumped to the side to draw the call. I wouldn't imagine he'd do that if he had already made a couple of donations to the fine box.

[chippa13 1844]

I believe it is all being done behind the scenes, they aren't reporting them publicly. There was an interesting segment on one of the Behind the B episodes where Marchand visited the situation room and discussed a diving penalty that the NHL later deemed was inappropriate.

I think the problem they're having this season on Krejci's right side is that they don't have a strength option available for that spot. That line performs best when they're playing a heavy game and none of the youngsters have that kind of meat on them, yet. Pastrnak has plenty of skill but he is a weaver, not necessarily a guy who can handle a lot of the battling and puck protection needed for that line to play their game. Griffith has some speed but again is a little too slight at this point to play that game.

An odd thought just crossed my mind, with Anaheim waiving Heatley, what are the chances that the Bruins take a flyer on his cheap contract?

[start_today 757]

- If you're going to pick up a past his prime guy who isn't able to produce in the NHL, Derek Roy would have mad more sense for that wing spot than Heatley.

- I'm bummed they lost Fraser to waivers, especially because they did it to bring up Caron. That seems like really poor player/space management, and I don't think the Bs are often guilty of that. (I also feel bad for Fraser for going from the Bruins to the Oilers shitshow. Good luck buddy.)

[Chadd 916]

Bruins have less than a million left under the cap, I don't think Heatley is on the table for them. Unless they don't think they will be able to pick anyone up at the deadline and that's their fallback position.

[chippa13 1844]

Derek Roy was definitely not the answer for that right wing slot, he just doesn't have the size or strength for it. That is the difference in that line between this year and the last few when guys like Horton and Iginla filled that spot.

[stick9 881]

Wonder if they'd take flyer on Magnus Paajarvi. Has all the tools just hasn't been able to put them together.

I've been hearing little bits and pieces that maybe some guys were sulking a bit, no names were mentioned. Maybe Fraser was one of those guys. HIs exit presser made it seem like his career was over.

[chippa13 1844]

I wouldn't be surprised if Fraser and/or Bartkowski were pouting a little.

[Jason Harris 31]

No doubt losing the second point was disappointing — as well as a bad luck carom — and Ottawa isn't a great team, but I found yesterday's game encouraging. They may have played with better effort against Detroit, but I felt yesterday was possibly the first game all season when they mostly controlled the flow, particularly defensively, and it seemed to help Rask, who had one of his best games of the year.

If they can show any consistency, we may be seeing them begin to round the corner.

[chippa13 1844]

Another scuffling start against a weak opponent today. I am wondering if some kind of player move is forthcoming.

[stick9 881]

Something has to happen. This is the type of performance that gets coaches fired, since Julian was extended earlier in the season I doubt that's an option.

Today's start was embarrassing.

[Steve_v3 275]

I wonder if Julien is feeling any heat? I think his job is safe. Mainly because I think Chiarelli is still happy with him, plus like Mike said he just got the extention. This roster is more than talented to be in the top 6 in the east.

I just hope if they make any kind of trade they don't do anything foolish.

[Jason Harris 31]

Actually, I'm even more encouraged.

I said during yesterday's game that I anticipated today being tough due to being back-to-back with travel, and you could see during the game numerous duffed shots and passes, which are signs of players skating more upright from fatigue. And I said during today's game that I'd bet the league-wide number for back-to-backs has to be below a .250 winning percentage; then Jackie said the B's were 1-5 (soon to be 1-6). The B's have sixteen back-to-backs this year and all but two involve travel for the second game, which I think is crazy if the league is looking for better games, but I'm assuming some tightwads asked for it to lower travel costs.

Anyway, I'm encouraged because two U's and two K's had his best consecutive games of the season. He's been far less jittery and I assume it's because he finally has the top six D out there after missing them for nearly thirty games.

That said, they need more offense because their scoring is down .60 goals per game, although last year was kind of an outlier for them.

[Jason Harris 31]

Actually, I was wrong about the back-to-backs. The league-wide results a couple of years ago were .480 on the second night of back-to-backs, compared to .569 average winning percentage on non-consecutive nights.

I couldn't find the exact figure when a "tired" team plays a "rested" team on back-to-backs, and I'm too lazy to create the spreadsheet, although it appears to be a lower winning percentage. Still, the B's haven't been up to snuff this season.

[stick9 881]

I wonder if Julien is feeling any heat? I think his job is safe. Mainly because I think Chiarelli is still happy with him, plus like Mike said he just got the extention. This roster is more than talented to be in the top 6 in the east.

I just hope if they make any kind of trade they don't do anything foolish.

I'd like to think he's feeling something from his bosses, but what can they really do. I think this is part of the problem, no one fears for their job. Players are always resigned early at slightly above market value with no movement clauses added in. They enter training camp knowing they have a spot, even knowing what line they'll be playing on. When guys aren't performing, they aren't shipped to the 9th floor to watch, they are given the same amount of ice time, with their usual line-mates.

Things are just a bit too cushy over there and it's starting to affect the on ice product.

There needs to be a healthy amount of competition and there has to be consequences when things aren't up to snuff.

Just frustrating because they have the talent to be much better than this.