Bruins 2022-23

[maust]

Enjoy the game.



Does anyone remember who won the 7th man award last year? I was surprised two years ago that Craig Smith didn't win it.

IIRC it was Swayman

 

[RobertWeathers]

Enjoy the game.

They are definitely still playing well, but I've noticed them being a bit less fluid overall lately. passes are a bit off; shots are not on target as often and they are giving up way more prime scoring chances to the opposition. In other words, they are playing like a normal good team, instead of the otherworldly team they were earlier in the season. But the crazy thing about it is they are still winning and getting points almost every game. The goaltending has been phenomenal, and the offense is gutting it out when they need a goal. If they pick up one more goal scorer for depth (or maybe Marchand will kick it back into gear) and avoid any major injuries, they will realistically have a chance to set the all-time record for points in a season and obviously be a favorite to win the Cup.

Does anyone remember who won the 7th man award last year? I was surprised two years ago that Craig Smith didn't win it.

What you just typed was what happened today.

 

[Calhoun44]

What you just typed was what happened today.

Unfortunately...

They really blew it with their chance with the 2-man advantage and the following 5 on 4 PP. So many chances and no finishing luck today. Teams are motivated when they play the B's now. They want to take a bite out of the best team in hockey and it will be helpful that they are getting all these teams best shot for when the playoffs come.

Must've been an awesome game to be at despite the outcome.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Unfortunately...

They really blew it with their chance with the 2-man advantage and the following 5 on 4 PP. So many chances and no finishing luck today. Teams are motivated when they play the B's now. They want to take a bite out of the best team in hockey and it will be helpful that they are getting all these teams best shot for when the playoffs come.

Must've been an awesome game to be at despite the outcome.

It was a great game. Great time. Tough loss and they need to clean up a few things but at 28-4-4 i'm not crying too much....

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

I know as fans we like to play GM (probably more than most lol) but this Bruins team really has to make a trade at the deadline.

It would cost a 1st, future 2nd and then some but this move would be worth it imo. Go get Bo Horvat.

Your top 3 lines would be comparable to anyone or better than most. With two good goalies and depth. The future is now with this team and Pasta is a FA. So locking down another good C is never a bad thing.

Horvat would be an ideal get but one or two more quality players and this team is a real problem.

Still great game today. Buffalo is no pushover and could be very good for a while. If they are Tage Thompson will be a big reason why. Man what a player! Outstanding and utilizing his reach and length. Killer from the slot.


Just one of the many freaks playing today.

 

[maust]

Boston's cap situation may well make Horvat a pipe dream other than as a rental, he'd take $8-10M AAV to extend .

While at first glance next year appears to have ample room, that space is a mirage. As soon as the season ends Bergeron and Krecji's incentives will pull $7-8M off the top of the 2023 cap and a further $10M of the $22M they're showing for next year is likely reserved for Pasta. First and foremost he needs to be locked down and from everything I've seen the two sides are not close. Even if we go optimistic with our assessments it's hard to conceive 2023 will see more than $9-10M available. That's not much for a team with Bergeron, Krecji, Zacha, Cliffy, Foligno(?) and Nosek to get re-signed. Then there's Frederic as a RFA and while they're not bringing back Smith and may not keep Foligno those 3 roster slots will need filling one way or another.

Clearly the cap space doesn't exist for 2 $10m contracts and Pasta is priority number one. With Bergie and Krecji getting up there I can see the need for a top tier center, which Horvat clearly is, I'd need someone to explain how the B's could justify selling out their next draft class for a rental. Especially when the B's are currently the best team in hockey, there's no manifest need for a center this year. Their championship window is right now so I'm more than good with a rental but not a Horvat level roster busting type of acquisition. A Tarasenko or Toew's rental seems more likely from where I sit.

 

[captain stone]

You f ucking suck Swayman, you f ucking absolutely f ucking Suck.

 

[FCB02062]

perhaps the bruins should have been concentrating moron playing well today than wearing those stupid Red Sox uniforms to the game

 

[maust]

perhaps the bruins should have been concentrating moron playing well today than wearing those stupid Red Sox uniforms to the game

Yeah you got that all figured out, this team needs to figure out how to play well.

I don't know about anybody else but I'm relieved the Bruins stopped concentrating 'morons' today and played some hockey

 

[maust]

After placing their number 2 goal scorer on LTIR the B's went out west, played 3 games in 4 days and pocketed 3 comfortable wins. They outscored the opposition 16-5 without DeBrusk and barely broke a sweat doing it. In short, these Bruins have continued to win at a pace they haven't accomplished since 1930 in a 6 team league.

So why isn't this team the talk of the town?

 

[Boston Boxer]

After placing their number 2 goal scorer on LTIR the B's went out west, played 3 games in 4 days and pocketed 3 comfortable wins. They outscored the opposition 16-5 without DeBrusk and barely broke a sweat doing it. In short, these Bruins have continued to win at a pace they haven't accomplished since 1930 in a 6 team league.

So why isn't this team the talk of the town?

Boston media cant figure out what to complain about with this team. They have their hands full with the sox and now Pats.

 

[maust]

Boston media cant figure out what to complain about with this team. They have their hands full with the sox and now Pats.

They are asleep at the switch then, 'cause there are guys in this thread that have certainly managed to find axes to grind.

 

[Boston Boxer]

They are asleep at the switch then, 'cause there are guys in this thread that have certainly managed to find axes to grind.

Captain Stone doesn't count. He is a crazy MFer, but damn it, he is OUR crazy MFer!

 

[maust]

Captain Stone doesn't count. He is a crazy MFer, but damn it, he is OUR crazy MFer!

You're damn right he is! The Good Captain is alright with me. We understand each other just fine. Hell I posted prose in honor of My Captain's Grinch side a year or two ago. The Captain only draws blood because he straight up does GAF. In fact he gives a lot of 'em, unlike the posers who drop into this thread from time to time that don't know the Boston Bruins from the UCLA Bruins. *****in' from the Captain is like a Hallmark from anybody else, when you care enough to give the very best. Nobody b!tches with love like Captain Stone.
(Well, except maybe my wife but that's a completely different story)

 

[maust]

The B's ran into a smoking hot goalie (it happens) in Jones for the first regulation home loss of their season. It wasn't all just Jones though, the Kraken's forecheck stayed higher in Boston's zone than most and their backcheck was particularly aggressive between the red line and their own blue line, shades of Guy Boucher's system. That prevented a lot of the uptempo offense Boston has been taking advantage of in their transition game. If there's such a thing as being on the wrong end of a shutout this was it. Other teams are bound to look at that and employ it against the B's, now we shall see how well they adjust. Their team speed should allow for carrying the puck through the neutral zone, making that zone trap style D pay by getting through/behind it.

It will be interesting to see what follows. Good teams adjust and make no mistake, this is a very good team.

 

[maust]

Outside of Ullmark allowing a soft one on a 50 footer for the first goal and Lindholm getting his pocket picked to set up Matthews for a true goal scorer's tally the B's played some winning hockey in a great game against Toronto. You certainly don't see that kind of intensity in most mid-season games. A very satisfying W.

 

[maust]

The Flyers came in riding high, winners of 7 out of their last 8. In the course of their 6-0 victory the B's didn't just shut Philly out, they shut them up. A dominating performance The Bruins de-panted them so thoroughly I wouldn't be surprised if the Flyers go on a bit of a skid.

 

[Deus Irae]

I know as fans we like to play GM (probably more than most lol) but this Bruins team really has to make a trade at the deadline.

It would cost a 1st, future 2nd and then some but this move would be worth it imo. Go get Bo Horvat.

Your top 3 lines would be comparable to anyone or better than most. With two good goalies and depth. The future is now with this team and Pasta is a FA. So locking down another good C is never a bad thing.

Horvat would be an ideal get but one or two more quality players and this team is a real problem.

Still great game today. Buffalo is no pushover and could be very good for a while. If they are Tage Thompson will be a big reason why. Man what a player! Outstanding and utilizing his reach and length. Killer from the slot.


Just one of the many freaks playing today.

Big defenseman who can take punishment



Come playoff time, that always seems to end up being the #1 issue.

 

[maust]

There's nothing like tossing out a banality along the lines of 'big defenseman who can take punishment' (without any specific name) to betray a complete lack of any real knowledge about this team and how its front office has gone about building/working the roster. The B's have Zboril, Reilly and Stralman in reserve. They aren't just firing from the hip here, if they go after a defenseman he'll have to be one that can move the puck and play both sides.

Sweeney didn't carelessly rent Hall or Lindholm, he targeted them as players that could not just help in that moment but who wanted to play here and could be extended. Likewise bringing in Zacha and extending him as well. Neely and Sweeney understand the Bruins have to manage their diminished remaining trade assets carefully, any real play will be for a center or wing with an eye towards Krecji and Bergie nearing their expiration dates as well as putting them over the top now. Any 'big d-man' they might incidentally acquire would be no more than temporary insurance certainly not a focus.

OFC that's predicated on no other GM finding himself in desperate need and doing something stupid that presents too good of an opportunity to pass up.

edit: It appears Sweeney found a GM in MacLellan desperate enough for assets to present him with an opportunity he really couldn't pass up.

 

[maust]

Another dominating W last night against the Isles but these back to back road games are BS