Tag Archives: NHL Bruins

Bruins’ Fourth Line Has the Potential to Play a Huge Factor

Have the 2018 Boston Bruins found themselves as productive a fourth line as the Merlot line was back in 2011? Nothing is guaranteed yet, but up to this point the recent emergence of the fourth line for the Bruins has been a key factor in their success. In the past nine games the Bruins have secured a point in all of them, going 7-0-2. The most encouraging sign is that it’s not because of a singular player or line like it has been in the past. But a definite positive sign almost halfway into the season has been the overall excellence of the Sean Kuraly, Tim Schaller and Noel Acciari.

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Defensive Dependability/Toughness

As you would want from most fourth lines Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari have gone above and beyond to earn the trust of Bruce Cassidy. As a line the trio has combined to go -2. Considering they are tasked with keeping other teams offensive lines in check this is pretty impressive. At this point in the season Cassidy has no hesitation to send out his fourth line and for good reason. Right now they are playing fabulous, selfless hockey. Whether it is in the defensive zone rotating along the boards or through coverage as if they are anticipating each others moves, it’s quite extraordinary. Along with each of the three being solid penalty killers and none of them shying away from good body contact.

The toughness element of this line cannot be understated. For stretches this season the Bruins have been pushed around by more physically dominant teams. But now with the Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari line adding not just a physical presence to the lineup but also holding opposing players responsible. Just as Schaller did when Acciari took a nasty hit up high against the Senators. Schaller showed no hesitation in dropping the gloves to protect his partner. But do not be confused, this is a line that knows how to check cleanly and effectively. Defensively reliability and guts of the Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari line certainly mirrors that of the Merlot line in its prime.

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Offensive Production/Versatility

Since the disband of the Merlot line, the Bruins have struggled to find a reliable versatile fourth line. Mainly because the veterans they brought in did not provide enough offensively and the young kids enough defensive reliability. But Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari is not just a bunch of defensive specialists. They can get after it on the offensive end as well. So far the trio has combined to put up 13 goals and 12 assist for 25 points. While also adding a surprising amount of speed to the Bruins’ lineup.

That is what makes this line so fascinating to watch. One minute they can be doing the dirty work in the defensive end. Then the next they are going end to end at full speed creating great scoring chances. It’s very impressive to watch and was on full display against the Islanders. Kuraly helped set up Schaller’s goal and Acciari netted one as well. They lead the Bruins to an impressive 5-1 victory.

The selflessness on the offensive end has been they key for this line. The right play is the simple play to them. They take what the defense is giving them. No more no less, and it has worked quite well. While none of them are offensive juggernauts by any stretch. Each of the three has the ability to score a timely goal or make a winning play. If the fourth line can keep up this level of production than opponents are not gonna be excited to play the Bruins.

An Unlikely Superstar for the Black and Gold

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A look at the rapid rise of Danton Heinen: one of the hottest young studs of the Boston Bruins

A Rough Start

Early on in the Boston Bruins training camp, there was talk about the upcoming first-year guys. Players like Jake DeBrusk, Anders Bjork, and Charlie Mcavoy were creating a buzz. But for Danton Heinen, his star was starting to slowly (and quietly) shine brightly.

The 22-year-old British Columbia native has no doubt made an impressive impact so far this season. He started out his career playing eight games before being sent down to Providence. After honing his skills in the AHL, Heinen has now become an integral part of the surge of young players. The best part of watching this team is how a player like Heinen has flown under the radar to only emerge as a top player for the black and gold.

A Call to Arms

While the Boston Bruins were plagued early on with injuries, Coach Bruce Cassidy had no other choice than to look to the “young guns” to stay competitive in the Atlantic Division. After starting the year in Providence, Heinen has quietly become a player that can complement any line. As of late, the Backes, Nash, and Heinen line have not only produced points with goals and assists. They have shown what this team is about; playing smart and winning battles- all without brute strength. Gone from the Bruins’ playing style is the Claude Julien method of dump and chase. What they have now is a team full of players that continue to grind out smart plays with a solid defense. Guys like Heinen have stepped up in every capacity and produce on whatever line Bruce Cassidy places him on. Cassidy commented on his player’s success, saying:

“Danton has really grown his game, to be able to play with different flavors, or attributes, of different forwards”

In the last 34 games Danton Heinen has scored 10 goals, with 18 assists and 28 points. The 6’1″ forward is now third on the roster for points, right behind Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Not bad for a first-year player.

A Look Ahead

The Boston Bruins are in a good spot right now: a healthy team that is a productive mixture of first-year guys and veterans. The thing that stands out about this team is how well the players compliment each other. David Backes credits players Danton Heinen and Riley Nash in helping to improve his game on the ice since returning from surgery. Not only has Heinen been there for those important rebounds, his playing style is that of good, solid puck control, keeping the play alive and winning those crucial battles on the ice. And since coming back up from Providence after that rough start, Heinen has not wasted any time in getting those winning shot on goal. The Boston Bruins are now bouncing between being 2nd and 3rd in the Atlantic Division with a good amount of points ahead of the fourth-place team (currently Florida).

While the Bruins continue to outsmart and outplay other teams, there’s no question that for someone like Danton Heinen, having a good player attitude will only lead this team down the road of quickly becoming serious contenders for the Stanley Cup.

Backes on Track: An Overview of David Backes’s Career

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The Signing

When I heard that the Boston Bruins signed David Backes to a 5 year deal on July 1 2016 I was jumping for joy! The Big Boy Backes was just the power forward we have been looking for since the departure of Lucic. That one still bugs me! Standing 6′ 3″ and tipping the scales at 225 pounds, David Backes would be the prototypical Bruin.

The Rookie

The St Louis Blues drafted David Backes 62nd overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft. He went back to play for Minnesota State for three seasons where he put up some decent numbers. He amassed 119 PTS and 212 PIMS in only 115 games! Not too shabby, eh? He had a brief stint in the AHL with the Peoria Rivermen before joining the St Louis Blues for the 2006-2007 season. His best production season with the Blues was the 2010-2011 season where he netted 62 points in 82 games. On Sept 09 2011 he was named the 20th captain of the Blues, taking the reigns from Eric Brewer who was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. While he may not be an offensive juggernaut, he is a mean two-way power forward who can score when called upon.

The Man

Off the ice Backes is a big gentle bear. David and his wife Kelly are quite involved in animal rescue efforts and pet adoption drives. He has a huge passion for animals which goes all the way back to his childhood where always had pets around. David received his private pilots license in 2012. He is also a graduate of Minnesota State University.

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David made his international debut in 2007 where he was named to the US national team for the IIHF World Championships. He was named to the team for next two years and played in the bronze medal game in 2009, losing to Sweden 4-2. The national team came calling again but this time on the Olympic platform. With a goal and 2 assists he helped the team get to the gold medal game, falling to team Canada 3-2 in OT. Again in 2014 he suited up for team USA in the Olympics. This time there would be no medals, but he did help out with 4 PTS in 6 games.

The Legend?

Now with the Bruins he his quickly making a name for himself. Last season with the B’s he had 38 PTS and 69 PIMS in 74 games. Now this season is a bit of a different story. He went under the knife in November to remove a portion of his colon due to diverticulitis. Much to the joy of his teammates Backes has made a full recovery! So far this season he has 15 points in 20 games. David Backes was just named the NHL’s 3rd star this week with 6 points in 3 games all while playing on the 3rd line! With his help the Bruins have been steam rolling along. They are currently sitting 2nd in the division with a 7-1-2 record over the last 10 games. Yee Haw!

This is exactly what a young Bruins team needs right now. The former captain who, while still in his prime, is showing tons of leadership on a very young and talented team. They are playing with a ton of confidence and looking to make some noise in the playoffs. The problem I see moving forward is how to make room for everyone in the line-up once all the injuries have healed. The young call-ups are starting to look like seasoned veterans which is definitely not a bad thing.

The Bottom Line

Was signing Big Boy Backes to 5 years for 30 mil a good move for the Bruins? ABSOLUTELY!!! He is fearless power forward with some all-star skill. He is giving coach Cassidy some needed options on the 3rd line. Playing alongside Riley Nash and Danton Heinen, they are giving the top 2 lines much-needed rest and security. It nice to know that you can send out the 3rd line and not have to worry about defensive breakdowns. With this line it is the complete opposite. They look like a top line every time they step on the ice! Let’s hope 2018 will continue to be kind to this Bruins team as they make a mad dash for the finish line.

Until next time….

Keep Your Head Up

What Should the Boston Bruins Do with Adam McQuaid?

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A mere six games into the season Adam McQuaid blocked a shot that ended up breaking his leg. The timeline for his return was 6-8 weeks, and sure enough here we sit with McQuaid just about ready to get back on the ice. But even though McQuaid is ready to return to the lineup Cassidy has chosen to leave him out of the lineup. So with the decision coming to a head what should the Bruins do with Adam McQuaid?

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Grzelyck

The foundation of the Bruins this season is the promise of the young prospects up and down the roster. This season has been a huge step forward towards the future so far. However bringing Adam McQuaid back and playing him over a younger, more mistake prone, but also more talented defenseman, contradicts the entire theme of the season. Especially considering McQuaid would either take the place of Brandon Carlo or Matt Grzelyck, both of whom look like they are the future. Grzelyck has been a genuine difference maker on this team during his time with the big club. Since Cassidy inserted Grzelyck into the lineup the Bruins have been otherworldly, going 13-3-2.

While Cassidy has made the transition into the NHL easier for Grzelyck by not playing him in high pressure minutes. He has still shown exceptional skill and awareness in the minutes he has gotten. Grzelyck’s performance alone should be enough to keep McQuaid on the shelf for the rest of the season. Mainly because the next time the Bruins win a Stanley Cup Adam McQuaid will not be a factor in it.

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Kevin Miller

The biggest asset of McQuaid’s game is his toughness and grit. But even that has lost its value to the Bruins with Kevin Miller on the roster. Miller has been playing exceptional hockey since be moved to the right side paired with Matt Grzelyck. Being his natural side, Miller is able to do much more offensively from the right side of the ice. Miller is able to use his pure strength to fight defenders off the puck and barrel through the neutral zone to add another element to the Bruins’ offense. On top of that Miller has shown time and time again he can drop the gloves with anyone in hockey.

At this point Miller is practically a more offensive and reliable Adam McQuaid. That leaves the veteran enforcer on the outside looking in for a top six defenseman spot on this team. The move is to obviously send Paul Postma to the AHL and keep McQuaid as a solid seventh defenseman heading into the new year. The only question is if McQuaid will be willing to sit on the bench in a backup role.

Washington Troubles Continue for the Bruins

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Well this news certainly will not shock anybody: the Boston Bruins lost to the Washington Capitals on Thursday. The Bruins have now dropped 12 straight games against the Capitals, and do not have any more regular season games scheduled with them this year. A blessing in disguise if you ask me, because it seems like no matter how well they play the Bruins just cannot overcome the Caps. Coming into D.C the Bruins had won five games in a row and eight out of the last 10. All of the sudden the Bruins had some adversity to overcome. Lets take a look back at last nights 4-3 loss and highlight the areas where the Bruins fell short.

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Bruce Cassidy

There has not been much to complain about this season regarding Bruce Cassidy. Overall he as done a fabulous job. But last night in Washington Cassidy really had egg on his face. Starting in the overtime period where Cassidy thought it was a better idea to put Carlo on the ice in a 3-3 situation than Krug. Cassidy explained that he was sending a message to the veteran defenseman. But overtime against the team that owns you is not the time to bench your most talented offensive defenseman.

Another major blunder by Cassidy was not challenging Lars Eller’s goal that made it 2-1 Boston. When on replay it was very clearly offside. But later on in the game Cassidy did decide to challenge Brett Connolly’s game tying goal that had no chance of being overturned. At that point it’s hard not to wonder if Cassidy was more focused on saving face than actually objectively viewing the play. Especially considering that one of Cassidy’s reasons for not challenging the first goal was because he did not want to risk the two-minute minor in that situation. Which only makes him challenging the game tying goal that much worse, thankfully the Bruins killed the penalty and were able to get one point.

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Anders Bjork

This decision may be even more frustrating than the whole challenge situation. Cassidy has been rather harsh on Bjork all season, and that trend continued against Washington. Bjork had only 6:53 TOI against Washington and seemed to be in the doghouse once again. Cassidy explained that Bjork was not sharp without the puck and was off his defensive angles. This is true, as Bjork has a tendency to be rather ineffective physically in the defensive zone. However the Bruins need to make a choice on Bjork. Either let him work through his deficiencies at the NHL level or send him down to Providence. Bjork is not going to improve by playing not even seven minutes a night at the NHL level. A Providence stint would allow him to play 20 minutes a night and focus on his positioning without the puck.

The Bruins have some big roster decisions coming up, and right now Bjork is the odd man out. Krejci is set to return to the lineup soon as well as Chelarik. While the Bruins have made it public that Bjork has earned his roster spot their hand may be forced. Sweeney and Cassidy have some big decisions to make for the surprisingly good Bruins team now lets see if they can make the right one.

Keys to Bruins’ Recent Surge

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Charlie McAvoy may only be 20 years old but he is still winning games for the Boston Bruins. In the fourth round of the shootout last night at TD Garden, McAvoy picked the puck up and skated right down the ice ripping a shot low blocker side to beat Connor Hellebuyck. The rookie’s birthday heroics secured the Bruins two points and improved their record to 12-3-1 in their last 16 games. A record that should catch the eyes of opposing teams. As the Bruins seem to have found a perfect mixture of players that gel perfectly together. But three things have been the keys to the Bruins’ recent surge:

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Tuukka Rask

The first of the three keys is none other than Tuukka Rask. When Rask was struggling early on everyone pointed it out and killed him for it. Now we have to give him his due because Tuukka has been brilliant as of late. In Rask’s last eight starts the net minder has led the team to an impressive 7-0-1 record, and has made timely stops that saved the Bruins’ two points. Last night when the Bruins got engaged in a defensive grind-it-out hockey game and needed their number one goalie to step up, Tuukka did that and more. Rask survived the onslaught of chances the Winnipeg Jets had in overtime to get the Bruins to the shootout, where McAvoy won for the team.

Tuukka’s play has noticeably inspired confidence in the players around him. The defensemen of the Bruins have been more willing to make offensive plays and close out on the shooters. Rask has proven he can make the big stop when called upon. If Tuukka continues this level of play then the Eastern Conference better watch out.

Adaptability

Bruce Cassidy deserves credit for the Bruins’ ability to not only adapt from game to game but from period to period. After an offensive explosion against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Cassidy was able to refocus his team and win against the Buffalo Sabers 3-0 on the second night of a back-to-back. Then to finish it off the Bruins were able to play a high paced game against the Jets last night where they needed to be clutch down the stretch. Three different wins in three different games that is not a common occurrence in the NHL. But the Bruins seem to have bought into the system. As a result they can play whatever style of game the opponent throws at them.

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Young Talent

it seems like writing a Bruins article without mentioning the young players at this point is unheard of. But they deserve to be mentioned here and for good reason. In back to back wins one of the Bruins’ rookies had the game winning goal. In Buffalo Jake Debrusk scored the first goal of the game on a filthy snipe in a game the Bruins won 3-0. Also last night McAvoy scored the game winner in the shootout. A pattern has started to develop with this team they win games when their rookies are making plays.

Teams playing the Bruins now cannot key in on Marchand, Bergeron, and Pastranak. Because the Bruins have layers to their forward group that present a daunting task to opponents. Heinen has NHL caliber offensive ability and has displayed it on multiple occasions. While Debrusk and Bjork still have room for improvement both have demonstrated an ability to put the puck in the net.

Up to now the Bruins have been able to ride these things to success. But time will tell how far these keys can take them this season.

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

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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.

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.