Author Archives: @jeffdyerbruins

About @jeffdyerbruins

Knowledgable and rabid Boston sports fan for 40+ years...cynic first, optimist second. Bruins and Patriots, 1A and 1B.

The Bruins Should Have a Goaltender Controversy

Leave a reply

Anton Khudobin

Anton Khudobin put on a stellar performance last night at TD Garden versus the San Jose Sharks. Khudobin turned in a 36-save performance on 37 shots, with 15 of those in the third period. He is now 3-0-1 on the season, with a 2.52 GAA and a .926 save percentage. For a “back-up” goaltende, those are very good numbers in only five starts. He’s more than held down the fort during Tuukka’s absence, putting the team over .500 again. He even pulled a veteran goalie (more about this later) move last night by “inadvertently” bumping the goal off the pegs.  A move long used by many goalies to stop play so their team can regroup.

Tuukka 2017
On the flip side Tuukka Rask is 1-3 with a 3.30 GAA and a .882 save percentage. Those numbers would get a back-up goaltender a bus ticket to Medicine Hat. Tuukka has become a polarizing figure in Boston sports. You either love him or hate him, there is no in between. I’m not declaring where I fall in the polls, but I do know this: he needs competition, he needs to feel discomfort, and he needs to know his job holds no guarantees. Tuukka is your typical goaltender — competitive,  fiery,  but more importantly, he’s human.  Not immune to getting comfortable, he occasionally loses concentration and lets in a soft goal and sometimes doesn’t bring his best when it matters most.

Tim Thomas?
Anton Khudobin is 31 years old, he’s been around the block and obviously has not won a starting job in this league. Maybe he’s a late bloomer, like Tim Thomas. Thomas didn’t grab hold of a starting job until 2008 when he was 34 years old, and we all know what happened after that.

I’m not saying that Anton Khudobin is Tim Thomas, or even deserves the starting job with the Bruins. I AM saying that he deserves a chance to play more, if he and the team behind him are playing well.

In the end it should make Tuukka Rask uncomfortable.  And I think that’s a good thing.

SHOULD BRUINS TRADE DAVID KRECJI?

Leave a reply

The Youth and Low Expectations
First, let’s state the obvious – The Bruins are in full youth movement mode. As evidenced by the number of rookies in the lineup but even more importantly, their erratic and inconsistent play. Because of the move to the young guns, expectations for this Bruins team are low. At the top of expectation scale is the 7th or 8th playoff spot, and at the bottom, missing the playoffs altogether. Any lower and this would be an article on the top 2018 NHL prospects.

Injured Again
Now that the case has been stated, should the Bruins trade David Krejci. The oft injured center is on the shelf again, and looks like he’ll miss Thursday’s game, and who knows after that. When healthy and effective he’s a talent. Especially come playoff time. He can elevate his game to Tom Brady like heights. But during the regular season, he is just an above average center in this league.

Closing Argument
Normally I’d want to keep a guy that raises his level of play in the SCP, but what good is that to a team with low expectations like the Bruins. On top of that, a David Krecji deal could get you another good young player, maybe a draft pick or two or even a young defenseman that could play right now. It also allows you to play David Backes back at his natural center position. Something I’ve been pining for since his signing. Lastly, the organization could bring up Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson (JFK) and really dive in head first to the deep end of the youth movement pool.

 

Something to think about as the Bruins continue the 2017-18 NHL season filled with youth, erratic play and low expectations.

Bruins Notes: Bergeron and Edelman; Tuukka Rask

Leave a reply

The Bruins miss Patrice Bergeron like the Patriots miss Julian Edelman. They’re grasping at straws without Patrice Bergeron, their number-one center, not unlike the Patriots trying to replace Edelman’s production. For the Patriots, the result is a 3-2 start and an offense yet to really find their rhythm. For the Bruins and their 1-2 start, you’re witnessing the importance of  Bergeron to this Bruins team.

Back to the Bergeron. First it was Ryan Spooner centering the top line.  That didn’t work, and now the Bruins need to figure what to do with Spooner. He’s simply not progressing and you can’t keep a center on the team that only plays PP minutes. Last night it was Riley Nash, a career fourth-liner, and as predicted, not a good fit. Enter the real issue –  Bergeron’s natural replacemen, David Backes, is also on the shelf, David. Backes is a natural center forced to play wing for a team supposedly strong up the middle. Without Bergeron’s leadership, some of the younger guys will continue to struggle. If he is out a longer, look for the Bruins to recall JFK to the lineup.

Tuukka Rask

If you’re a Tuukka Rask hater, the season has started swimmingly for you.  Before you jump all over me, I get it.  The team hasn’t looked good, but that does not absolve Rask of his share of the blame. The puck he poorly played in Monday’s game is inexcusable. The player was not bearing down on him.  A terrible decision, making the game 3-0 and all but thwarted any chance of a Bruins comeback.  Soft goals continue to plague him, as they did in last year’s playoff series versus Ottawa. The season is young and maybe he just needs more time to find his game, but so far this season he is providing more fuel for his detractors.

Better Days Ahead

That’s the bad news. The good news? We’re three games into the season in which the entire league seems upside down. Vegas is 3-0, the Pens lost 10-1 and the Oilers, everyone’s pre-season Stanley Cup pick, is off to a slow start at 1-2. Bruins fans have zero patience — a staple of this fan base. But we’re going to have to dig deep and exercise some.  This team will right the ship.

Bruins Zap Us Right Back into Reality

Leave a reply

Like everyone else, I was feeling confident about the Bruins after their opening night win against the Predators. Who am I kidding?   I had them in the Eastern Conference Finals. With five rookies in the opening night lineup, they took the play to the Western conference champions all night. Jake Debrusk scored an impressive goal for his first of what looks like many.  Anders Bjork was all over the ice, registering an assist and generating plenty of chances. Charlie McAvoy picked up right where he left off, and appears to be an early favorite for the Calder. The rookies put David Krejci in the DeLorean. Krejci looked young again–registering three assists and easily keeping up with his faster, younger linemates.

Then something happened while I was planning the Duck Boat parade:  The Bruins reminded us how frustrating they can be, and zapped us right back into reality. With three days off between games one and two, they looked like the “youth-movement Bruins” most expected to see. Mental mistakes and missed passes made the goaltender’s job easy, all adding up to an abysmal 4-0 defeat for the home team.  Even Tuukka Rask looked like a rookie today, badly playing a puck outside his net and easily beaten.

I realize the Bruins mysteriously struggled against the Avalanche at home, but there wasn’t much to take from today’s “effort.”  They looked as though they really enjoyed the long fall weekend – pumpkin beer, spiked cider, apple picking, the whole nine yards.  Once again they were without Patrice Bergeron, who after today’s game, can’t get back in the lineup soon enough. Great to see Torey Krug back on the ice after a long layoff.  But he looked rusty and will most likely need a couple of games to get up to speed.

There is still much to learn about the 2017-18 Boston Bruins. Class begins Wednesday night in Colorado. Did I overreact after Thursday night’s game? Maybe. But I reserve the right to dust off my parade plans if we see more what we saw Thursday night and less of what we saw Monday.

The Bruins Strength This Year Will Surprise You

Leave a reply

The trendy opinion regarding the Bruins is that they will struggle on defense this year, just like the past few years.  But I’m here to tell you….that is “fake news”.

Sure, Zdeno Chara is 40 years old and certainly far from his prime, but you mean to tell me he still isn’t a difference maker?  With his training regimen and the shape he’s in, would it shock you if he released a book called ZC33 this year?  Most importantly, the infusion of youth on the back-end will allow Cassidy and the team to really manage his minutes this year as opposed to just saying they’ll manage his minutes.  If he is well rested in April, look out for the big man come playoff time.

Tory Krug had his best offensive season of his career last year with 51 points.   Six of his 8 goals coming on the PP while also improving his game in the defensive zone.  The Bruins went 3/14 on the PP against Ottawa in last year’s playoffs, and if Krug was healthy, I believe that series has a different outcome.

Did you like what you saw from Brandon Carlo prior to his injury last year? That’s rhetorical, so don’t answer that, of course you did. How about what you saw from Charlie “Norris TBD” McAvoy? At 18 years old, his first NHL action was in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and not only did he look like he belonged, he stood out in a series featuring the best defenseman in the world in Erik Karlsson. He will be a serious Calder trophy candidate, if not, the outright winner.

Kevan Miller was noticeably improved late last season on both ends of the ice, and looks to be a legitimate top 4 guy and his stay at home nature will allow Charlie to wheel and deal. Adam McQuaid is Adam McQuaid, love him or hate him his toughness and grit gives the backend some snarl, sorely lacking in today’s NHL.

Feel good about the Defense yet? Good, because you should, it’s the Bruins strength entering the 2017-18 season.

@jeffdyerbruins