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Who Will Win a Championship First: the Boston Celtics or Boston Bruins

On the surface it may seem as if the Boston Celtics are miles ahead of the Boston Bruins. At least in terms of contending for a championship. However the gap between the two franchises is not as great as it may appear. While the Celtics have a promising young pair in Brown and Tatum, the Bruins have their own franchise player in Charlie McAvoy and plenty of young promising players. Now which franchise will be able to piece it all together first and bring another title to the city of champions?

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Boston Celtics

Let’s start with the talk of the town, the Boston Celtics.

The green won the hearts and minds of the city with their impressive 16 game win streak. They have kept that level of dominance up on way to a 24-6 record. While most people point to Kyrie Irving when mentioning the success of the Boston Celtics, the thing that makes them a championship threat is their young talent. Both of the Celtics’ number three overall picks Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have flashed excellence in different ways. Tatum has been the more impressive and consistent of the two, averaging 13.8 PPG 5.6 RPG and 1.3 APG. The most exciting thing about the small forwards game is his poise and ability to make opposing teams pay when they leave him open behind the ark.

Brown on the other hand has always been a fantastic athlete. Now he is starting to learn how to use his athleticism. Brown has the length to be an elite defender and if he can develop a more consistent outside shot could be an absolute force on the offensive end. Along with having two superstars signed in Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward and a very talented big man in Al Horford. It seems like only a matter of time before the green bring home banner number 18.

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Boston Bruins

Only a few months ago many (including myself) thought that the Bruins should tank the season. But after a couple of adversity filled months all of a sudden the black and gold are showing they will not be slept on. Somehow even with the insane amount of injuries this team suffered they have fought their way into third in the Atlantic division. On top of that the Bruins have played the least amount of games in the division. Many may be thinking that the recent run of success by the Bruins is just a fluke. But that is not the case at all; similar to the Celtics the Bruins have a great mix of veteran and young talent up and down the roster.

Everyone knows about the future star of the Boston Bruins Charlie McAvoy. His importance to this franchise cannot be stated enough. McAvoy is the key to everything how good the young defenseman becomes will determine if the Bruins are able to win their second cup this decade. On top of that the promising young forwards Bjork, Debrusk, and Pastrank provide some creativity and skill on the offensive end. While Bergeron and Marchand continue to be the best one-two punches in the NHL. With Backes providing some much-needed snarl to the lineup. Along with Tuukka Rask being a solid enough backstop out of nowhere this Bruins team is starting to demand attention. Not just for this year but for years to come.

Verdict

Yes the Celtics are closer to a title and have a great future. However the Boston Bruins will win a title before the Celtics do. This is more of a reflection on the NBA then it is on the Celtics. LeBron and the Warriors have at least three more years of dominance in the NBA. While the Celtics are talented and promising they need a few more years to develop and for James to age. The Bruins on the other hand have the luxury of playing in the NHL where all you have to do is make the playoffs and you have a shot. Mark it up now your 2019 Stanley Cup Champions will be the Boston Bruins.

Were the Bruins Right About Tyler Seguin?

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Nobody in their right mind believes that trading Tyler Seguin was a smart decision. Taking a closer look at it, it’s one of the worst hockey trades in history. However, when the Boston Bruins as an organization decided to move on from Tyler Seguin it was because they believed he was to immature to win. Up to this point the Bruins have been right, as Seguin has not accomplished all that much is Dallas. But does this small sample size justify the decision?

Seguin’s Production

Since bursting onto the NHL scene in 2011-2012, Seguin has been a point producing machine. In each of the first four years in Dallas the 25-year-old center has eclipsed the 70 point mark. Along with three 30 goal campaigns, the promising prospect has developed into one of the most dangerous offensive players in the game. Playing alongside the likes of Jamie Benn has allowed Seguin’s offensive creativity to flourish. Something that was kept under wraps in Boston under coach Claude Jullian. Despite finishing with a +34 rating in the 2011-2012 season, Seguin could never seem to get out of the doghouse in Boston. But now that he has been provided more freedom on the ice Seguin has started taken on more responsibility as an alternate captain.

With the Bruins desperately looking for young offensive talent, they could really use the consistent point production that Tyler Seguin brings every single game.

Seguin’s Results in Dallas

The big reason that Boston moved on from Tyler Seguin was because they did not believe he was a winner. Similar to how they looked at Joe Thorton and Phil Kessel, who currently is a back-to-back champion. But up to this point the Bruins’ assessment of Seguin in the spotlight has been justified. The Stars have missed the playoffs in two of Seguin’s first four years. In the other two Dallas finished eighth in the conference and lost in the first round to the Anaheim Ducks in game six. While the Stars were the best team in the Western Conference only two years ago, they suffered yet another disappointing loss in game seven to the Blues. Granted at the young age of 25 Seguin should have a few more shots at a playoff run but up to this point the results have been underwhelming in Dallas.

Playoff Production

Another major question the Bruins had about Tyler Seguin was if he could thrive when the lights are brightest. So far Seguin has been quite lackluster in Dallas. In his first shot at a postseason run Seguin was only able to muster up three points and one goal against the Ducks. When Dallas needed their number one offensive weapon most Seguin could not produce granted against a much more talented team. In the last Stars playoff run, Seguin only was able to suit up for one game because of injury. But overall Seguin has not been able to handle the increased pressure that comes along with the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

So while the Bruins are not justified in trading away one of the most talented young players in the league. Up to this point the Bruins have technically been right about Seguin when it comes to his ability to win.

Why We All Secretly Want Lonzo Ball to Fail

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Despite his struggles and pedestrian stat line, Lonzo Ball isn’t an awful NBA player. But, his performance to date barely justifies a first-round draft pick, certainly not the #2 he was. Anyone can see that he would have benefited from another year playing college ball. That is, if UCLA would have even wanted him and his ridiculous father back.

Tyrannosaurus Dad

LaVar Ball represents everything that is wrong with not only sports parents, but everything else in this country. He is a talentless self-promoter who is more concerned with his own unjustified celebrity than in his children’s success.

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LaVar’s delusions of personal grandeur are well-known by now. He claimed he was a better player than Michael Jordan. He also said he was a better tight end in his brief NFL-Europe career than Gronk. And, he asserts at every turn he can coach better than Steve Alford at UCLA or Luke Walton with the Lakers.

He famously criticized UCLA for surrounding his son with “slow white players”, following their loss to Kentucky in last year’s Sweet 16. After the game, Ball lamented that “realistically you can’t win no championship with three white guys because the foot speed is too slow“. Besides the obvious racist nature of the comment, we should recall that in the game Lonzo was awful. He went 4-10 from the field for 10 points and the guy he was guarding, De’Aaron Fox, put up 39 of Kentucky’s 86 points.

And, of course, there was this timeless classic from his appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd in which he redefined misogyny.

LA Story

For all his many flaws, LaVar Ball did a great job marketing Lonzo to the NBA. He somehow managed to convince the Magic Johnson and the Lakers that Lonzo was something more than an average talent. That takes skill.

Prior to the draft, as he negotiated his way to getting Lonzo picked number two by the Lakers, he assured Magic that his behavior was all an act. It was marketing for his Big Baller Brand and promotion for his kids. Now that Lonzo was in LA, LaVar would tone it down and focus on LaMelo and LiAngelo.

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Considering that he continues to run his mouth criticizing Coach Walton and that the Lakers had to institute the “LaVar Rule” to keep microphones away from him in the aftermath of games, it’s pretty obvious that he has not toned down.

Ball can’t control himself. This is a man who thought he would win a Twitter war with Donald Trump. It’s obviously a psychosis, but it’s mostly our fault. LaVar is a Kardashian. He has neither talent nor substance. He is famous for being famous. Sports talk shows over analyzing his every outlandish comments and immature actions merely propagate his fake celebrity.

Lonzo in Perspective

Lonzo, in a vacuum sans his ridiculous father, seems like an almost likable kid. Almost. To date, he’s averaging 8.6 PPG, 7.1 APG, and 6.8 RPG. Not bad for a rookie. He is, however, an abysmal 47% from the free throw line which might play into why the Lakers don’t want him on the court down the stretch.

Celtics fans, ever willing to take joy in LA’s struggles, take added joy from the fact that Jayson Tatum, taken immediately after Lonzo, is already twice the player Ball will ever be. At 13.8 PPG, 1.3 APG, 5.7 RPG, and 82% from the field and 52% from beyond the 3-point line, Tatum is the clear candidate for Rookie of the Year and a key reason why the Hayward-less Celtics remain in contention.

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Tatum has always been a hardworking, quiet professional, and has risen to the challenge of the NBA. And, we haven’t heard a peep from his parents. Thank you.

Is Tuukka Rask Back to Vezina Form?

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This season has been a rocky one for starting goalie Tuukka Rask. After getting off to a horrendous start to the season, the former Vezina winner lost his starting job. Rightfully so considering how Khudobin was playing compared to Rask. But after taking a seat for a few weeks it seems like Bruce Cassidy may have gotten the Finnish netminder refocused. However can Rask maintain his Vezina caliber play or will he return to early season form?

Slow Start

In the month of October Rask went 1-5 with an .896 SV% and a 2.93 GAA. Along with the terrible numbers the team looked lifeless when Rask was in goal. Tuukka was constantly off his angles, allowing soft goals inside the post. Along with having a tendency to get in the butterfly to quickly allowing himself to get beat high farside practically every night. Even though Tuukka was costing the team games his play still was sub par in November. Rask followed up one of the worst months of his career with another terrible one. In November Rask went 3-5 with a .901 SV% and a 2.78 GAA and the team was playing so poorly putting Rask in net was almost a guaranteed loss.

Tuukka’s horrible play brought on even more concern when reports came out that the Bruins’ locker room may have been getting tired of all the finger-pointing Rask was doing. This report was backed up when Tuukka said that “I’m not going to comment on the team play anymore”. Rask went on to say that the focus was purely on goaltending for him. So not only was Tuukka struggling in goal, it seemed like he was isolating himself in the locker room.

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Emergence

If anyone deserves credit for Tuukkas reemergence in goal, it’s Bruce Cassidy. Cassidy sent a message to the team and Rask, saying that just because you have the contract does not mean you have job security. It seems like the early season statement may have been the best move of the season. Since Rask got his starting job back, both Tuukka and the team look dangerous. In December Rask has otherworldly numbers in 4 games, posting a 3-0 record with an excellent .967 SV% and an 0.85 GAA along with his only shutout of the season.

Now the question becomes can Rask keep up this level of play for the rest of the season? Yes and no, it’s a tough question to answer straight up. Mainly because while Rask has been excellent he has a tendency to be rather streaky as the minutes begin to rack up. But this year the Bruins have leverage over the Finnish goalie. Anton Khudobin’s performance early on has provided Rask some much-needed competition. Now that there is another goalie who has performed at a high level waiting in the wings Tuukka has no room for a long slip.

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Conclusion

While Rask can be frustrating to watch his talent cannot be disbuted. When Tuukka is focused and on his angles he can be a gamechanger for Boston. So while he may never be able to play at vezina level again for an entire season. Rask still has the abilty to lead the Bruins on a cup run.

Does Sweeney Deserve More Credit Than He Gets?

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The past few years Don Sweeney has been under fire by most Bruins fans. Justifiably so however. Most of his NHL moves have been downright wretched. But with the Bruins roster starting to get healthy and the mixture of veterans and young talent coming together, suddenly the Bruins’ roster looks better than expected. Sweeney, however, has not received much credit for his roster building. But should he?

Drafting

The key development for the Boston Bruins this season has been the growth of young talent. While Sweeney can’t get credit for drafting all of the impressive rookies, he has played a major role in it. After all, he drafted arguably the two most important young kids on the Bruins in Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. On top of that, he also brought in Jake Debrusk who has shown NHL level goal-scoring ability. Looking up and down the roster, Sweeney’s fingerprints are abundant.

Even the players he has not drafted, he deserves credit for developing. That includes Anders Bjork, Danton Heinen, and even David Pastranak to an extent. Sweeney has successfully replenished the once-depleted Bruins farm system and fans are starting to see the results.

Veteran Pieces

It has not been all perfect at the NHL level for Sweeney by any stretch of the imagination. But even with some horrible blunders, somehow the Bruins have a very good mixture of veteran talent. Sweeney does deserve credit for the moves that have gone his way. Signing 32-year-old David Backes to a five-year, $30M contract is a questionable move at best. But Backes has made an impact playing in a lesser role on the Bruins, and has provided a physical veteran presence for a rather finesee Bruins team.

The extensions that Sweeney has orchestrated with his star players have proven more important than his signings. Both Marchand and Pastranak, the most talented offensive players on the team, have signed under-market deals. Not giving in during the Pastranak negotiations may have been his best NHL move and deserves plenty of praise.

Fails

While Sweeney has made some solid moves, his bad ones tend to stand out more. Such as singing a third pairing defenseman in Torey Krug to a five-year, $21M contract with an AAV of $5.25M. Additionally, he signed Matt Beleskey to a five-year $19M dealt, with an AAV of $3.8M. And he kept Kevin Millar, who cannot stay healthy over a young, promising offensive defenseman in Colin Millar. Even more atrocious? Sweeney’s trade of a second-, third-, fourth-, and multiple fifth-round picks for Lee Stepniak and John-Michael Liles. Sweeney has racked up some major fails, however none have them have crippled the Bruins, unlike the previous regime had a tendency to do.

Overall, Sweeney has been below average to downright bad at the NHL level. But it is starting to look like he has a couple of major hits from the draft to his credit. When the Bruins win their next Stanley Cup, the young talent on this team will be front and center.

Bruins Fall To Preds Despite a Big Third Period

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The Bruins fell to the red-hot Nashville Predators on Monday night despite a big third-period push.

Tough Start

The Bruins were back in action on Monday night in Nashville where they fell to the Predators 5-3. The Predators scored the first goal of the game just 1:26 seconds into the contest, then again late in the first to lead 2-0. The Predators scored two more in the second period to go up 4-0. The Bruins struck back in the second with a power-play goal coming off a perfect shot from Charlie McAvoy. The Bruins trailed 4-1 after two periods. In the third the Bruins came out strong, and it paid off. Captain Zdeno Chara scored for the Bruins to get his team within two.

Then, just over a minute later, David Pastrnak Scored to make it 4-3 and a brand new game. Bruins fans had hope. Then less than a minute after Pasta’s marker, Predators forward Filip Forsberg scored on a breakaway to make it 5-3. The Bruins showed up to little to late in this one.

Goaltending Situation

Bruins goalie Anton Khudobin started the game but was lit up early. Dobby gave up four goals on 14 shots. It appears the red-hot Khudobin could riding the pine after this one. Tuukka Rask came into the cage after the Predators fourth goal. Rask only faced 11 shots and made 10 saves. The Bruins should run with Rask at this point. He’s beaten the best team in the league in Tampa Bay, and recorded a shutout against the Flyers in recent days. Rask looks like the Rask of old, the one all Bruins fans love. Winning games, making big saves, and playing with confidence. Exactly why the Bruins need to roll with Rask from now on.

Comments

”Digging yourself a 4-0 deficit is certainly not a good recipe for winning games. The second half of the game was much better, but it was too little, too late. We need to start on time” said Bruins forward David Backes. Marchand also had some comments on the game. “The Predators are pretty deep, they play hard, but they didn’t really deserve a lot. We just kind of gave it to them. It’s tough to lose like that. We did a good job of pushing back and making it a game, but we need wins.”

Bruins Need Secondary Scoring

The Bruins top line, McAvoy, Chara and Pastranak, scored all three goals. If the Bruins want to win hockey games, it will take more than one line to score all the goals. The Bruins need players like Krejci, Backes, Spooner, and Anders Bjork to contribute on the score sheet on a regular basis. Bruins rookie Danton Heinen has quietly put up points, proving that he can contribute on offense. Heinen picked up an assist on McAvoy’s power play goal in the second, giving him nine assists on the year for a total of 14 points.

Home Stand

The Bruins will play five of their next six games at home, starting Thursday against the Coyotes, then Saturday against the Islanders. After that, they travel to Detroit for a Wednesday face off, then again at home Thursday against the Capitals. Then the Bruins will close out their home stand with games against the Rangers and Blue Jackets.

Healthy Bruins Look Dangerous

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Healthy Bruins

The Bruins are fully healthy, and look dominant! In their last 10 games, the Bruins scorecard stands at 6-3-1. In their last six, 5-1-0.

Injuries

The Bruins welcomed David Backes, Ryan Spooner, David Krejci, Brad Marchand and Anders Bjork back to the lineup last week. Even with the Bruins finally healthy, they still don’t have key players Jake DeBrusk (upper body), and Adam McQuaid (broken leg). McQuaid has recently started skating again, which is a great sign. However, DeBrusk remains on IR with an upper body injury. When the Bruins get Quaider and DeBrusk back, I believe they will have an excellent season, and possibly a playoff run.

Recent Games

In recent games, they have beaten the reigning Stanley Cup Champions 4-3, and the leagues top team, Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2. The most recent win for the Bruins took place in Saturday’s matinee game in Philadelphia, with a 3-0 win. The Bruins are back in action tonight in Nashville, where they take on the Predators at 8:00 PM ET.

Goaltenders

Bruins number one goalie, Tuukka Rask, appears to be returning to form. Rask has posted back to back wins against the Bolts, and the Flyers. Against the Flyers, Rask stopped all 28 shots he faced, to earn his first shutout of the season. Bruins backup, Anton Khudobin, has also been stellar this season. He holds a record of 7-0-2, with a 2.22 GAA. This is the 4th best in the league among goaltenders. Dobby also holds a solid 0.932 SV%, which is tied for 2nd in the league with Vasilevskiy of the Lighting. With Rask winning his last 2 games, I would have thought the Bruins would roll with him against Nashville. However, it appears that Khudobin is confirmed to start in goal for the B’s Monday. This is still a good decision, based on how good he’s been so far this season.

Standings

The Bruins are currently 1 point behind the Montreal Canadians for the 3rd spot in the Atlantic division. They have four games in hand on the Habs, should easily win some of those games, and surpass the Canadians. The Bruins are 7 point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, and also have four games in hand on them. If the Bruins can keep winning like they have recently, I see no issue with them making the postseason for the second time in as many years.

The Road Ahead

The road ahead for the Bruins is going to be tough. The Bruins play the Preds tonight. They will get another two day break, they have a had a lot of those this season. They are back in action Thursday, in Boston, where the face the Arizona Coyotes. After that, the Bruins play the red hot New York Islanders, who are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games. Then off for three nights, they then play the Red Wings next Wednesday, and Capitals the very next night. It’s not going to be easy for the Bruins, but if they can continue to stay healthy, they will be fine.

Brandon Carlo: The Unnoticed Budding Defenseman

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It seems like forever ago that Brandon Carlo was the talk of Beantown. The second year defenseman came flying out of the gate last season, quickly establishing himself in the NHL. Carlo rapidly became one of the league’s most promising young blueliners. Under the guidance of Zdeno Chara, Carlo played a ton of minutes in a shut-down role for the Bruins. However, although Carlo started the youth movement for the Boston Bruins, he sits on the back burner for many Bruins fans this season. The rapid emergence of McAvoy, Bjork, Debrusk, and Heinen obscure the view.

Upside

While Carlo can have a tendency to disappear at times, his upside makes up for that and more. During a penalty-filled game, Carlo dominated all afternoon in Philly, leading the team to a clean six for six on the penalty kill. The young blueliner was a monster in his own end, blocking shots, and protecting the slot, something lacking for the B’s this season.

The second-year defenseman so far has had a sneaky good season. After his excellent showing in Philly, Carlo now has a +5 rating with 24 blocked shots. While most of the Bruins’ young talent have great offensive upside, most of them lack the physicality required of shut-down defenders. Carlo has that ability, crucial for a team contending for a cup. He could potentially play a Niklas Hjalmarsson role for the Bruins in a couple of years.

Dependability

This may be the most crucial part of Carlo’s game. While the 21-year-old defenseman won’t make the highlight real with flashy offensive plays, he has the ability and the hockey IQ to make the smart and responsible play on the back end. Chara’s influence on Carlo cannot be stressed enough. Chara played the shutdown number-one defenseman for the Bruins when they won the 2011 Stanley Cup. The veteran’s knowledge on how to handle speedy young forwards and experience in the postseason could have a substantial effect on Carlo’s career.

So far its shown up with how dependable he has been for Cassidy. Carlo currently ranks sixth on the team in time on ice, averaging 19:09 minutes per game and has rapidly become one of Cassidy’s go-to players. While mistakes occur from time to time, his consistency throughout the game and the season is invaluable.

Improvements

While both fans and coaches have been impressed with the his defense, the Bruins hope Carlo’s offensive game can continue to develop. He posted a solid offensive year last season with six goals and 10 assists. The offense has taken a step back this season with Carlo only posting four assists, and zero goals on 23 shots. The injuries and more defensive responsibilities placed on the 21-year-old have not helped. Cassidy has started playing Krug with Carlo a bit over the past few weeks, which should get him more involved in the offensive end. Playing with a more offensive heavy defenseman like Krug could serve Carlo well.

Carlo has rapidly developed into a very good defenseman for the Boston Bruins. Hockey fans beware. Suddenly the Bruins have a one-two punch combo on the back end with Carlo and McAvoy.

Charlie Mcavoy Has Gone Above and Beyond

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Entering the NHL season expectations for the 19-year-old defenseman were set pretty high. So high that at one point it started to seem unrealistic. But so far McAvoy has shocked everyone with his skill and makeup. Through 23 games this season, McAvoy has not only been excellent on the offensive end with 3 goals and 10 assists. He’s also been quite stout defensively during a time when Boston needed him most.

Offensively

The former 1st round pick has always had the skill set to be a productive two-way defenseman. But some scouts were optimistic about it translating to the NHL level. So far McAvoy has shown that his offense is no fluke. Bruins fans have been out of their seats with this kid’s skill set. He has excellent skating ability, great vision through all three zones, and as fabulous hands as Jonathan Quick. Cory Schneider got to witness that first hand.

But what has been most impressive about his offensive game is his intelligence. While McAvoy has the talent that many could only dream about, he has shown an excellent level of discipline for a 19-year-old rookie. He has shown great timing on when to pinch down the boards and make a play. He also has the awareness to give up on the risky play that could hurt them defensively. Something that he was doing earlier on, credit to the coaching staff for developing him thus far. At times its hard to remember McAvoy is a defenseman because of how gifted he is offensively.

Defensively

With the non-stop ravishing of injuries the Bruins have faced this season, it’s been hard to find a player who has played every night. But McAvoy has and Cassidy has leaned on him as a result. The rookie is currently averaging 23:42 TOI, and played 28:11 against the Lightning in the Bruins’ 3-2 win at the Garden. That ranks 26th in the NHL, at the age of 19 lets not forget. The rookie has made his mistakes, which is expected when your out there in high pressure situations. McAvoy has shown the ability to learn from them and rapidly improve on the defensive end.

Physicality

Whats been most impressive is his physicality up and down the ice. McAvoy lines up players coming through the neutral zone showing a willingness to defend the blue line. Also his toughness has been eye-opening for spectators. McAvoy has also been on the receiving end of quite a few collisions too. But every time he pops back up and even got into it with Lucic. This kid has the heart and the guts to play a physical game, and the talent to go end to end.

Bruins fans: get ready because this type of player doesn’t come around often. At the young age of 19 its hard not to get excited about the future with Charlie McAvoy leading the way.

Short Term Solution for the Bruins’ Season

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So far the Bruins’ season has been full of questions with few solutions. The Big Bad Bruins for better or worse have been the team’s identity. Well at least it was until recently. This year’s Bruins team lacks a definitive identity. They are not skilled enough to play up-tempo, eye-popping hockey. But the Bruins are also not tough and gritty enough to grind out close games on a consistent game to game bases. So far this hockey team has won games in different ways, but as we have seen they’re very inconsistent.

Weakness

Watching the games outside of Pastranak, Marchand, and maybe Krug or McCavoy, this team is not built to play fire wagon hockey. The recent success that the Bruins have come across has been a result of pure effort. Cassidy needs to keep the pedal to the medal in order to keep the arrow pointing up. Sunday night’s 4-2 loss to the Oilers showed exactly what happens when the Bruins try to play a more finesse style of hockey.

This loss to the Oilers is a painful one to swallow. The Bruins coughed up what should have been a guaranteed two points against a widely underwhelming Oilers team. Edmonton came into the TD Garden concluding a terrible five game road trip, and having lost four out of their last five games. While Boston was playing their best stretch of hockey this season, after winning an emotional matinee matchup against the Penguins. But the Bruins got away from their game and as a result ended up playing the Oilers game.

Grit

Now when the Bruins have been good this year it’s not because of the talent level. It’s because the Bruins have played with fire, and grit that has worn down less prepared teams. That type of wear-you-down hockey is what the Bruins need to continue to pursue if this season is the main priority. Too often the Bruins try to make the extra pass in the offensive zone, or on the breakout. As a result the bigger, faster, and more talented teams have been able to dictate the terms against Boston.

So how can the Bruins make this season interesting? By embracing the physical, gritty style of hockey that has been the key to the Bruins success as an organization. Rather than trying to wow the crowd through the neutral zone, start dumping the puck into the corners and make the other team work. Also, the Bruins have to suffocate the neutral zone much more than they are currently doing. Quicker teams have been able to gather great speed off the rush which has led to prime scoring chances.

While up tempo hockey is exciting, it has gotten the Bruins in trouble. Slow it down, finish checks, and make the other team outwork you. That’s the key to the Bruins having any substantial success this season.