Bruins 2022-23

[RobertWeathers]

That's THIS year's first rounder, which will be at the bottom of the round. We are watching a once in a generation team my man. Personally I'm more than pleased Jacobs/Neely/Sweeney are going all in to get Bergie's name on the Cup again, he's earned it.

A couple of deep cleansing breaths might be in order.

It's interesting....I'm an eternal-optimist Patriots fan but border on gloom and doom with the Bruins, Celtics and Red Sox.

This year has been so much fun. Feels so 2007 Patriots-like......and that's what scares me.

 

[Steve102]

It's interesting....I'm an eternal-optimist Patriots fan but border on gloom and doom with the Bruins, Celtics and Red Sox.

This year has been so much fun. Feels so 2007 Patriots-like......and that's what scares me.

I am a casual fan, I don't watch every game, but they sure are fun this year.

 

[maust]

This year has been so much fun. Feels so 2007 Patriots-like......and that's what scares me.

Interesting that. If I were equating this year's B's with a Pats squad it would be with 2004's version. Not a lot of flash and dash just an amazingly efficient, competent and remorseless win machine inflicting the death of a thousand cuts on their opponents. You can literally see teams wilt against the B's in the 3rd the same way they folded their tents in the second half when it was Clock Killin' Dillon time.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Interesting that. If I were equating this year's B's with a Pats squad it would be with 2004's version. Not a lot of flash and dash just an amazingly efficient, competent and remorseless win machine inflicting the death of a thousand cuts on their opponents. You can literally see teams wilt against the B's in the 3rd the same way they folded their tents in the second half when it was Clock Killin' Dillon time.

I felt that way about the 2011 team. Once they go a lead they were tough to score on.

 

[maust]

I felt that way about the 2011 team. Once they go a lead they were tough to score on.

Claude's scheme was all about trying to win every game 1-0, 2-1
Butch's was keeping everything to the outside and capitalizing when the other team f'd up
Montgomery seems more comfortable with keeping the heat on the other team, forcing them to F up

 

[bormio]

23-4-2 would be an amazing stretch of play. Bruins have just done it back to back

 

[RobertWeathers]

23-4-2 would be an amazing stretch of play. Bruins have just done it back to back

96 Red Wings averaged 1.6 points per game- lost to Avs in WCF
77 Canadians 1.65- Won Cup
2019 Lightning 1.56- swept by the Blue Jackets in the 1st round.

2023 Bruins 1.64.....?

 

[maust]

The Panthers and Kraken games didn't help but as a backup he kept them in it. His #s are still respectable on the road.

Agree. Swayman is fine but not a #1.

Swayman's level of play is tough to qualify. On the one hand, among goalies with 20+ starts he is 6th in goals against avg at 2.33 and 9th in save % at .916 which would certainly put him in solid "1-1B" territory. OTOH playing behind that same D Ullmark's GAA is 1.86 with a .938 SV %, both of which lead the league. Swayman's play took a dip in his first few games after injury against quality opponents (he got a soft reentry vs Chi), he was noticeably struggling vs the Panthers and Vegas. Since then he has been back in form minus that ****-show of team D breakdown vs Seattle. Yeah, everybody on the roster seemed to forget how to play D in that one (allowing 41 shots is inexcusable) but that doesn't change the fact 3 of those goals were weak, 2 of them inexcusably so. Still, every goalie has the occasional bad night just like every goalie has nights where the puck just hits him, Ullmark included.

One thing that sticks out to me about the B's goaltending this season is they are both playing a bit deeper in the crease area than they were last year. That allows for both less legal interference and just that touch more room for the D to make plays around the net. Ullmark is far and away doing better in that department. When Swayman has scuffled has been on those occasions when he has played higher, it's a small difference but if you watch it's definitely noticeable. Again, it's nitpicking but it's there.

Overall, the goaltending on this team is hard to fault. It has been damn good. OFC with the level of team D the B's provide it should be.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Swayman's level of play is tough to qualify. On the one hand, among goalies with 20+ starts he is 6th in goals against avg at 2.33 and 9th in save % at .916 which would certainly put him in solid "1-1B" territory. OTOH playing behind that same D Ullmark's GAA is 1.86 with a .938 SV %, both of which lead the league. Swayman's play took a dip in his first few games after injury against quality opponents (he got a soft reentry vs Chi), he was noticeably struggling vs the Panthers and Vegas. Since then he has been back in form minus that ****-show of team D breakdown vs Seattle. Yeah, everybody on the roster seemed to forget how to play D in that one (allowing 41 shots is inexcusable) but that doesn't change the fact 3 of those goals were weak, 2 of them inexcusably so. Still, every goalie has the occasional bad night just like every goalie has nights where the puck just hits him, Ullmark included.

One thing that sticks out to me about the B's goaltending this season is they are both playing a bit deeper in the crease area than they were last year. That allows for both less legal interference and just that ouch more room for the D to make plays around the net. Ullmark is far and away doing better in that department. When Swayman has scuffled has been on those occasions when he has played higher, it's a small difference but if you watch it's definitely noticeable. Again, it's nitpicking but it's there.

Overall, the goaltending on this team is hard to fault. It has been damn good. OFC with the level of team D the B's provide it should be.

Yep. Bob Essensa has done a nice job with both goalies.

Interesting....If you get into the advanced metrics, in general Sawyman gives up higher % of "save-able" goals than Ullmark but Sway has a higher save % on the "high danger" ones. That tells me there is a bit of a focus issue still with him...but getting better.

 

[maust]

Yep. Bob Essensa has done a nice job with both goalies.

Interesting....If you get into the advanced metrics, in general Sawyman gives up higher % of "save-able" goals than Ullmark but Sway has a higher save % on the "high danger" ones. That tells me there is a bit of a focus issue still with him...but getting better.

Essensa coached Swayman and Ullmark last year too. He has been coaching the B's goalies since Pat Burns was their HC (2000). Montgomery is the 8th HC he has worked under, the guy is a survivor if nothing else. The big difference this year is systemic. I'd been noticing all season the goalies have been subtly deeper than Essensa had them playing in the past. Just a couple of weeks ago I heard him in an interview with Bob Beers and he talked about how Montgomery had a plan coming in to have the goaltenders play back a bit from the outside edge of the crease only coming up in it to meet the puck. The idea being to give the D certainty of the positioning behind them as well as that extra millimeter to make a play. It has had the added effect of making the goaltenders harder to interfere with in ways that won't get called.

I get a kick out of some of the 'advanced metrics' in hockey, they used to fall under the 'eyeball test' and they are just as subjective as they ever were. Unless the person deciding on what's 'saveable' and what constitutes 'high danger' is/was a goalie and is judging shots from a goaltender's helmet cam their judgement is no better than an educated fan's. I can tell you this from having played net at the collegiate level, if a shooter sees a path for the puck to the net and can't see the goalies eyes then he should shoot immediately. 99% of what a goalie can see coming he can stop.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Essensa coached Swayman and Ullmark last year too. He has been coaching the B's goalies since Pat Burns was their HC (2000). Montgomery is the 8th HC he has worked under, the guy is a survivor if nothing else. The big difference this year is systemic. I'd been noticing all season the goalies have been subtly deeper than Essensa had them playing in the past. Just a couple of weeks ago I heard him in an interview with Bob Beers and he talked about how Montgomery had a plan coming in to have the goaltenders play back a bit from the outside edge of the crease only coming up in it to meet the puck. The idea being to give the D certainty of the positioning behind them as well as that extra millimeter to make a play. It has had the added effect of making the goaltenders harder to interfere with in ways that won't get called.

Essensa is the Dante Scarneccia of the Bruins. I remember when he was with those Winni Jets teams back in the early 90s.

Good info on how playing back is an actual strategic decision. I kinda noticed they weren't as aggressive as Rask but Tuuka wasn't that aggressive anyways.

I get a kick out of some of the 'advanced metrics' in hockey, they used to fall under the 'eyeball test' and they are just as subjective as they ever were. Unless the person deciding on what's 'saveable' and what constitutes 'high danger' is/was a goalie and is judging shots from a goaltender's helmet cam their judgement is no better than an educated fan's. I can tell you this from having played net at the collegiate level, if a shooter sees a path for the puck to the net and can't see the goalies eyes then he should shoot immediately. 99% of what a goalie can see coming he can stop.

It's like PFF for hockey. It's a data point but lacks context. The "focus" issue is my assessment of Sway and how it correlates to the stats.

 

[maust]

Essensa is the Dante Scarneccia of the Bruins. I remember when he was with those Winni Jets teams back in the early 90s.

Good info on how playing back is an actual strategic decision. I kinda noticed they weren't as aggressive as Rask but Tuuka wasn't that aggressive anyways.

It's like PFF for hockey. It's a data point but lacks context. The "focus" issue is my assessment of Sway and how it correlates to the stats.

I will say what I see as Sway being a bit too hyped up at times, especially very early in a game or start of a period could be construed as a 'focus' issue. The 1st goal he gave up last night is a perfect example. Sure it was McDavid but still the angle wasn't great and Swayman could see it the whole way. He came out too far and gave up a soft one through the 5 hole, should have trusted his D man there and stayed where he belonged. I was close to throwing something he played that in such a fundamentally flawed way. OTOH he absolutley stoned a sniper like Draisaitl from wide open in the slot.

Ullmark is very reminiscent of Rask, very sound fundamentally. Like Tuukka, there's not a lot of flash to his game but there's plenty of precision. Think Pete Peters/Dryden as opposed to Tim Thomas/Brodeur.

It's great to have a team playing so well to talk about isn't it?

 

[RobertWeathers]

I will say what I see as Sway being a bit too hyped up at times, especially very early in a game or start of a period could be construed as a 'focus' issue. The 1st goal he gave up last night is a perfect example. Sure it was McDavid but still the angle wasn't great and Swayman could see it the whole way. He came out too far and gave up a soft one through the 5 hole, should have trusted his D man there and stayed where he belonged. I was close to throwing something he played that in such a fundamentally flawed way. OTOH he absolutley stoned a sniper like Draisaitl from wide open in the slot.

That's a good point.

Ullmark is very reminiscent of Rask, very sound fundamentally. Like Tuukka, there's not a lot of flash to his game but there's plenty of precision. Think Pete Peters/Dryden as opposed to Tim Thomas/Brodeur.

It's great to have a team playing so well to talk about isn't it?

No kidding....i'm looking for things to complain about.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Patrick kane to NYR

Rangers trading for Patrick Kane as Stanley Cup hopes intensify

The Rangers and Patrick Kane, a pairing that was years in the making, are together at long last.

nypost.com

 

[maust]

4 games in 6 nights on the road out west and it showed. Schedule maker hasn't done them any favors with these road back to backs and the B's didn't do Ullmark any allowing 57 friggin' shots. And yet they still came away with the 2 points. 54 saves, King Linus for the W!

Concerned about Foligno's knee. Depending on the diagnosis for him and Taylor Hall Sweeney may have to put the Trader Don hat back on after all

 

[RobertWeathers]

4 games in 6 nights on the road out west and it showed. Schedule maker hasn't done them any favors with these road back to backs and the B's didn't do Ullmark any allowing 57 friggin' shots. And yet they still came away with the 2 points. 54 saves, King Linus for the W!

Concerned about Foligno's knee. Depending on the diagnosis for him and Taylor Hall Sweeney may have to put the Trader Don hat back on after all

Didn't catch all the game but from the replay i'm praying it's just a nasty thigh bruise and not ligament-related.

Last night was a bonus. 4-0 on the left coast trip.

Incredible.

 

[maust]

Last night was a bonus.

Last night was an outright theft.

 

[sb1]

Pasta extension for 8/90...and Bertuzzi is on his way.

That's quite a morning.

 

[RobertWeathers]

 

[maust]

The Bertuzzi deal probably doesn't bode well for the B's getting both Foligno and Hall back anytime soon. Guessing even with Detroit keeping some salary the B's will still need LTIR contract relief to get him in under the cap.

If the numbers, 8 years $90M is what everyone is currently reporting, are correct the NHLPA is probably not real happy with Pasta. They were anticipating he'd raise the bar not lower it. That's the second time Pastrnak left money on the table. He's said before getting every $ wasn't a priority for him, once again he's proven it.

I applaud the B's for going all in. Their time IS now.