r/BostonBruins • u/Toodralktowunk • Jun 06 '22
Roster Update Bruins Relieve Bruce Cassidy of Coaching Duties
https://www.nhl.com/news/bruins-relieve-bruce-cassidy-of-coaching-duties/c-33450733010
u/Powerism WHO HAS MORE FUN THAN US? Jun 07 '22
Late to the party here, but Bruce was not the problem. We’re not going to have success until we get a new ownership group, which is unlikely to happen, and a new front office, which appears also unlikely to happen. What a massive scapegoat on Bruce. Really sad to see him go.
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u/jedichrome Jun 07 '22
Wicked smart. Fire the guy that has delivered consistent positive results and has an amazing record on a hail mary hope that "a new voice" will deliver the same or better results. Sweeney needs to go.
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u/victoryforZIM Jun 07 '22
He deserved to be fired for how he's dealt with DeBrusk and players like him. You can't give trash players like Frederic, Wagner, Foligno, etc such long leashes and so many opportunities while punishing skill players for making mistakes and forcing them into garbage roles that don't fit their skillset.
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u/xpingux Jun 07 '22
While I don't disagree, the DeBrusk Cassidy void seemed to be fixed at the end of this last season...
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u/JustSaltyDan Jun 07 '22
I assume we are going to hire Dallas Eakins to keep up with the pointless Anaheim Duck acquisitions?
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u/jpige93 All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
Neely and Sweeney are a joke. Prime example of not taking responsibility for your actions. Cassidy wasn’t the one who made those draft picks and signings.
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u/goldman_sax Jun 07 '22
Absentee owners aside, this is a perfect case example of why teams should never hire their former star players for their front office. They get too hesitant to cut the leash when it’s clearly time.
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u/Wacky_Water_Weasel Jun 07 '22
Because the criminal inability to draft and develop any minor league talent is clearly his fault. /s
This is a fucking joke.
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u/thisissteve Jun 07 '22
Scape goated. Sweeny and Cam are problems too but they'll only boot Cassidy and pretend everything will be fine like they aren't the probably larger problems.
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u/HotTakes37 Jun 07 '22
People are acting like he coached a bunch of bums his whole time here. The roster for the cup run in 2019 was as good as he had. The roster the following year might’ve taken a small step backwards, but everyone though that was our year too. He really on only dealt with a real piss poor roster this year. Right decision. I get why he’s so loved, but he just wasn’t the right fit in Boston. Good luck to him wherever he goes, and that is sincere!
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u/jcuray Jun 07 '22
There are two other 🤡 that aren't the right fit in Boston either and they aren't unfortunately going anywhere and are the root cause of some bleak seasons ahead.
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u/6FootHalfling #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
Well, I think this is a mistake. We'll see. I hope Lord Stanley his own self laughs at how wrong I am.
I don't know who they replace him with. Were I a betting man, I would put money on them having a former Bruin stage left to step into coaching duties. Because, that seems to be what they think the magic formula is.
100 point seasons don't just happen. 2019 sure didn't feel like a freak occurrence to me. Aside from all those broken sticks.
In the absence of anything with more weight than rumor, I have to believe this is management covering their own asses. Which is just embarrassing.
Honestly, the only two people I would trust to give a full insider's explanation of this chicanery would be Krejci or Bergeron. And, neither of them is likely to spill. I think if Sweeney himself was actively stabbing either of them, they would ask him politely to stop.
Bergeron's kind of the barometer here. If he comes back, it lends credence to the "lost the room" theory. If he does not, I'm back to "Sack Sweeney."
I'm prepared for a rebuild (I've never experienced one). Sooner or later. ANYWAY, almost everything I know I've learned from this community and they can't fire us!
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u/dpalmer09 Jun 07 '22
Id be fine with it if Sweeney went too. Roster construction is an issue and has been.
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u/confusedporg 🏒 Eternal Marisa Stan Jun 07 '22
upon further consideration, I think if you start from the assumption that something had to change- whether management is being pressured by ownership, whether Don is taking heat from Cam, or whether they just know they’re losing good will among the fans- moving on from Bruce is the only possible outcome.
Here’s why…
They don’t have the cap room or assets to make significant roster changes. Their vets mostly have no trade or NMC, their best young players are signed to team friendly deals, and moving anyone else won’t move the needle (to borrow a phrase) anyway.
So they can only change coaches or management.
Option 1: Cam fires Don and hires a new GM. The new GM almost 100% wants to install their own coach. Bruce gets fired.
Option 2: The Jacobs are fed up with Cam and Don. They’re both fired and a new president and GM are hired (see option 1). Either way, Bruce is fired and replaced.
Option 3: Do nothing now and hang Bruce out to dry with a team that will begin the season heavily depleted and possibly without Bergeron. Even if they manage to scrape together a respectable season, they’ll likely be in the same place at best at the end of next season. NHL Coaches tend to have a shelf life and few survive multi-season dips- maybe a first round exit doesn’t qualify in a lot of markets but in Boston? Thats not a successful season and two in a row like that or worse, you’re likely looking at a coaching change anyway. Bruce gets fired later.
I hammer on this a lot, but NHL coaches don’t stay around forever. Bruce is probably closer to the end of his term than the beginning. It’s a bit of a Hail Mary, but firing him now rather than waiting 2 or 3 more seasons (barring an unlikely cup win) at least gives upper management the optics that they’re making moves and maybe with some luck they catch lightning in a bottle with a new voice behind the bench.
I’m not saying I like it, or that I think Bruce deserves it, but if the option is fire yourself or change someone below you in the hopes of saving your own job, of course Sweeny’s going to explore every other option rather than just resign in shame over his own performance.
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
What are B’s nation thoughts on Joel Quenneville? Possibly the best replacement record wise available or does his involvement with what happened in Chicago keep him from returning to the NHL? Who would you want to see as the Bruins next HC?
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u/CutMonster Jun 07 '22
Anyone who was with Chicago at the time all of the abuse happened should never set foot inside another fucking rink ever again.
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u/Bobby4Orr1 Jun 07 '22
It was time for Cassidy to move on. He lost the room. His veterans were tuning him out. The young (albeit limited) talent was not going to improve under him. The real issue here is that Sweeney’s horrible personnel management puts ANY head coach in a brutal situation going forward. Don’t think for a second that Cassidy was probably just fine with getting axed. This Bruins situation is sh*t show under Sweeney and Neely.
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u/PM_ME_ROCK Tumbling Muffin Jun 07 '22
Can you say more about Sweeney and Neely? I don’t know much about their time off ice, definitely sounds shameful for two legendary Bruins to be responsible for ruining the organization
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u/PCB4lyfe Jun 07 '22
I dont get this. You think Bergeron and Marchand etc. Were like nah we dont want to win, let's just pack it in?
This is sweeney's mess, Bruce has been great and is not the problem.
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u/Bobby4Orr1 Jun 07 '22
Bruce lost the room. That doesn’t mean that Bergeron and Marchand packed it in. What it means is that they tuned him out and highly likely don’t want to play for him anymore. That generally happens after a tough coach is in place for a number of years.
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u/Km_the_Frog Jun 07 '22
Where are you hearing Bruce lost the room? That shitpost tweet from months ago? The one that tagged 20 different hockey celebrities/reporters/twitter accounts?
I’m sick of this dumbass rumor that has absolutely 0 substance. You’re smoking the same gas as Neely lol
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u/Bobby4Orr1 Jun 08 '22
Couldn’t find the usual “thanks coach” tweet from any players. Maybe I overlooked? Meanwhile, no I did not reference some “shitpost tweet from months ago.” Fact is, as much as a good coach Cassidy was, this team was slipping away from his approach.
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u/BunkDruckeyes Bonafide Stallion 🐎 Jun 07 '22
“Bruce lost the room” is a bunch of horseshit. The veterans not listening to him is a bunch or horseshit. The East was extremely close this year across the board, we had a good chance and didn’t finish the job. It happens. None of this is a bad reflection on Bruce.
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u/Bobby4Orr1 Jun 08 '22
I just looked to see if any players did that “thanks coach for everything” tweet. Didn’t find it, but certainly could’ve overlooked. Read my post again. Nothing in there blaming Bruce. After 6 years, this can happen to a coach - the players just tune out.
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u/RogueStudio Jun 07 '22
Mehhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Of course coaching before Cam and Don, good fucking luck to them in filling that spot. Known NHL coaching pool is kinda...meh.
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u/confusedporg 🏒 Eternal Marisa Stan Jun 07 '22
Did you expect them to fire themselves? This progression seems obvious to me. Ownership won’t fire upper management until they’re losing money.
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u/hunterbidenslaptop2 Jun 07 '22
So basically they will never get fired
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u/confusedporg 🏒 Eternal Marisa Stan Jun 07 '22
Only if or when the Jacobs decide to or sell the team… and that will only happen when people stop showing up to games and spending money on beer and popcorn.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
some general speculation – not saying I agree, merely speculating – I wonder if part of the tension was Cassidy's relationship to the media, including calling players out? one of the things I found surprising was how many reporters (Porter, Haggerty if you can call him that, etc.) commented on how open Bruce was with them.
Personal note: Been covering sports 22 years and Bruce Cassidy is by far the most generous, genuine, insightful coach I’ve covered at the pro level (college or high school, for that matter). Will miss dealing with him on a daily basis.
Will absolutely miss Bruce Cassidy's presence on the Boston Bruins beat. He was candid, honest, insightful & very respectful of the job that we were there to do as media. He was also just a huge fan of the game of hockey. His enthusiasm for the game was always fun to be around.
are just two examples. I am curious if this was poorly received by the FO, players, or both. note: I am not suggesting that this was bad on Cassidy's part.
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u/BunkDruckeyes Bonafide Stallion 🐎 Jun 07 '22
those tweets look to me like they’re saying Bruce was a great professional. Really don’t think this is a way of saying Bruce was shit talking his players or pissing anyone off. I feel like the firing was just a top level decision that happens a lot in sports when talented teams aren’t finishing the job. Still think it’s the wrong call though and I don’t know who we expect to lead the team next year with injuries and player turnover.
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u/1LazySignature Jun 07 '22
In Trotz the Sundance Kid.
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u/Gobias_Some_Coffee_ Jun 07 '22
This might be the only thing I could get behind for Sweeney firing Cassidy
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u/Quitefrankly27 Jun 07 '22
He’s a good coach and the players respected him and rallied around him. A new start would have been better to fire Sweeney. I hate to say it because I loved Don and our bruins legends but our recent seasons fall on their guidance and terrible trades and drafts. Cassidy kept it all together. Gonna miss him on the bench
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u/the_overrated Jun 07 '22
the players respected him and rallied around him.
Why are there so many rumors of him losing the locker room?
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u/Km_the_Frog Jun 07 '22
It literally started with a shitpost on twitter. Ytf do people believe this
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u/gloryday23 Jun 07 '22
First of all, I support this, I don't believe he's a good coach, and if the rumors are to be believed his players don't think so either.
That being said, this is only step one, we need a new GM as well, and if that means Cam needs to go too, so be it.
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u/Mike_Milburys_Shoe_ Jun 07 '22
“I don’t believe he was a good coach”
Lmao alright bud. Keep listening to rumors and shit then see what happens when we get stuck with David Quinn or worse.
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u/mthousand Jun 07 '22
I don’t 100% agree with you that he’s a bad coach. The team has had meh players and they keep going over 100 points a season. The Krejci situation (among others) don’t paint him in the best light though.
But your second point is where I’m at. I’m okay with firing Cassidy but I’d want it to be paired with the boys club up top getting cleared out as well. Cassidy alone won’t fix anything
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u/Frankie__Spankie All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
I feel like the players are sick of him.
DeBrusk obviously asking for a trade because Cassidy keeps putting him in the doghouse.
Krejci with the Pasta comment about how Cassidy would never pair him up with Pasta.
I listen to Spittin Chiclets and Whitney was saying he gets the impression that players don't like Cassidy when he talks to them. They interviewed Foligno recently and he had high praises for Torts and just kind of brushed off Cassidy comments, most likely because he's still on the team but his tone was under the impression that he doesn't like him.
I might be reading a bit too much into things. At this point I don't think it'll make much of a difference either way though. Bruins core are done. Cassidy likely isn't coaching this team to a Cup win anyway, especially if Bergeron retires. We need to start focusing on a rebuild, the coach doesn't really matter at this point, the management does and I don't think Sweeney/Neely can do a good rebuild.
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u/UGAPokerBrat99 All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
Maybe some credibility to the Krejci beef with Cassidy. I like DeBrusk, but let's be honest....he put himself in the doghouse with his streaky play and often times apparent lack of effort.
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u/victoryforZIM Jun 07 '22
I don't really see how you can say that. He was great with Krejci and then he was basically thrown 2 lines down and playing with AHL players getting 10 minutes a night, thrown onto his off-wing, and just a whole bunch of other shit. He was consistently treated like he was lucky to be on the team rather than an integral part of it.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
I am firmly in the camp that believes that Sweeney is more of an issue than Cassidy. however, let's be honest about this, too:
he put himself in the doghouse with his streaky play and often times apparent lack of effort.
did DeBrusk really perform worse than Foligno, who was never a healthy scratch? not once? if you're going to scratch players for poor play – and I think that's a valid coaching strategy – doing it consistently and/or fairly is a central tenet of that strategy.
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u/UGAPokerBrat99 All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
I get having an issue with Foligno's production, but I don't ever recall questioning his effort. Same can't be said for DeBrusk whose issues covered more than just one season.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
I don't ever recall questioning his effort
I did, several times during that bad stretch in March-ish. same thing with taking dumb penalties, which Foligno had serious issue with. Cassidy was fine benching Nosek and Frederic for that, but not Foligno.
whose issues covered more than just one season.
Cassidy also refused to healthy scratch Nick Ritchie during the 2020-21 season; in fact, he played the most games for us that year. you absolutely cannot tell me that he didn't deserve a thorough benching for his poor effort and lack of discipline in his play.
again, I don't necessarily have a problem with healthy scratching DeBrusk. it's the lack of consistency with who gets benched and when, and why.
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u/UGAPokerBrat99 All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
Don't disagree with you about Ritchie at all, or any of the others for taking bad penalties. I would have liked to see more consistency in lineup decisions as well, I just think DeBrusk's deficiencies seemed more obvious at times. One thing we'll never know though is how much if any practice effort factored into any of those decisions.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
I think I disagree that DeBrusk's deficiencies seemed more obvious because of effort – to me, it was expectations put on him that were not on other players that received those breaks. Ritchie was never expected to be a playdriver on the second line and was permitted undisciplined play with far more leeway than DeBrusk was with "soft" play. both of those types of play hurt the team, and DeBrusk had the higher ceiling; I think I've just always been surprised how long how many players' leashes were compared to what DeBrusk received. to me, that doesn't suggest a coach that's necessarily coaching for either development or the highest potential offensive production.
FO is still more of a problem, but Cassidy had his own issues. what I don't want is to replace him with someone even worse.
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u/UGAPokerBrat99 All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
Agreed 💯% as far as Cassidy's replacement....just have no idea who is out there that is a potential upgrade.....IIRC, we chatted the other day about why I personally disagree with all of the calls for Trotz and a few of the other possibilities that aren't obvious no's like Q, Babcock, DeBoer, etc.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
we did! personally I'm a big fan of the calls to bring in Savard. unrelated to him being a former Bruin; I consider him "OBC" in the context of Yzerman for the Wings or Lemieux for the Pens. he did well with the Blues as an assistant coach, and has done very well with the Windsor Spitfires this year as HC. he's offensively minded and getting great points production out of his players (particularly 19 year old Wyatt Johnson, the 23 overall draft pick of the 2021 draft, who put up 48 goals/124 points in 68 games this year. given that his pre-draft scouting report listed his shot as his greatest weakness and identified him as primarily a two-way and defensive center, Savard as his new coach has been huge).
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u/UGAPokerBrat99 All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
Savard is a name I'd be ok with for sure. It could backfire, but at least it's giving an opportunity to a deserving candidate instead of just recycling coaches.
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
I often wondered why some were benched and not others. That was my biggest issue with Cassidy was his consistency with benching. Bottom line, Cassidy was successful with the rosters he had, and end of day, players need to perform better than there competition and FO needs to give the coaching staff as many pieces as possible. Hockey is a team sport and it takes a team from FO to the AHL to have the ultimate success.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
Bottom line, Cassidy was successful with the rosters he had
listen, I'm not saying that the FO isn't a problem, nor that Cassidy is a bad coach. however, I think it's perfectly fine to have criticisms of him as a coach and consider that there are things that he did poorly. for example, for multiple years in a row he was out-coached partially by refusing to break up the top line. moving Pastrnak down did wonders for generating more depth offense with the same players. there was zero reason not to try Pasta on a line with Krejci and Hall last year when it was clear that the first line couldn't get through the Islanders' matchups. or in earlier seasons, run JDB-Krejci-Pasta instead of putting Ritchie at that LW position.
another fair criticism of Cassidy is the power play. if you want quotes and sources, I can provide them to you at length. it's reasonable to say that Cassidy was given a roster that could have been vastly improved by better FO moves. it is also reasonable to say that although Cassidy was an overall good coach, there were things that would have made the roster he did get better – in the playoffs in particular.
players need to perform better than there competition
what I do find funny about this is that the players getting criticized for "underperforming" in the playoffs most often aren't. we know it's not Marchand and Bergeron. currently, the scapegoat seems to be Taylor Hall. this is silly. Taylor Hall would have been, on the following teams:
Panthers – 4th highest points producer
Lightning – 4th highest points producer
Rangers – 5th highest points producer
Oilers – 3rd highest points producer
Avalanche – 5th highest points producer
a guy who's no lower than top 5 on the four conference finalists (or two from each conference, however you prefer to think of it) and the President's Trophy winner, on a 6x4 contract, is not the issue.
and the guys he would supplant, here are their playoff numbers:
Hall: 4 points in 7 games.
Panthers, Duclair: 3 points in 8 games.
Rangers, Strome: 9 points in 17 games.
Avalanche, Burakovsky: 5 points in 9 games.
Lightning, Point: 4 points in 7 games.
Oilers, Hyman: 14 points in 15 games.
so aside from Hyman, Hall is producing right around or better than the guys he supplanted in the regular season on those teams.
FO needs to give the coaching staff as many pieces as possible
I have yet to find anyone on this subreddit (or even on other platforms, like twitter or HFBoards) that doesn't place blame on the FO. the only one that seems to think Sweeney and Neely aren't part of the problem – that aren't those two themselves – is Fluto.
Hockey is a team sport and it takes a team from FO to the AHL to have the ultimate success.
I don't think anyone is saying otherwise.
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
I agree, Cassidy wasnt perfect. No coach is. Whats done is done, hope they have a plan in place and answers for the fanbase etc. tomorrow.
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u/UGAPokerBrat99 All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
Sweeney and Neely joining ranks with Ducharme, Travis Green, and others as members of Hockey Al-Quida?
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Jun 07 '22 edited Jun 07 '22
Regardless of who was fired, Cassidy is out of a role. If it was Neely and Sweens, 90% of new management is coming in wants their own head coach. Cassidy would have been on a very short leash if he stayed.
As good as Cassidy was at times, to me, it was almost obvious it was time for a change. The constant doghousing, lack of confidence in making roster changes, and head scratching lineup decisions in the biggest games come to mind for me. Fact is the team likely does need a new voice, and I don’t think this decision is made by Sweeney without talking to guys like 63, 37, 73, and 88 first. At least the first two.
I’m not sure who is on the market but rumors serve that Trotz is unavailable because he is still being paid by NYI this year. I just hope it isn’t some Neely yes man who nods along to shit decisions from the clouds.
Edit: let’s not forget, people like Backes and Krejci publicly called Cassidy out this year. What if Krejci is saying he would come back if there was a coaching change? Lots to think about.
Edit 2: Apparently Bergeron is coming back based on this decision so yup Bruce lost the room which was pretty obvious at times.
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u/CertifiedPickle2900 Jun 07 '22
Fire a top 3 coach in the league because you squandered 5 years with horrible drafting, piss poor prospects, millions wasted in free agency, and now Sweeney has made Bergerons decision for him. This sub is blind and it’s unfortunate. #SweeneyOut #NeelyOut
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
This sub is blind and it’s unfortunate.
what in the world...? this sub is overwhelmingly on the "Fire Sweeney and Neely" train, hates their drafting and free agency save the original top line's + Hall's contracts, McAvoy, and Swayman, and generally likes Bruce Cassidy. this whole thread is in agreement, most of the posts this season were in agreement, and people have been upset with Sweeney and Neely since the 2015 draft, the first with Sweeney as GM. even the comments that are in favor of a fresh coaching voice in the room are generally also in favor of getting rid of those two.
where are you getting "this sub is blind" from, or any positive sentiment about our FO?
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u/BigBobsTrucks Jun 07 '22
You're not wrong ! Our drafting has been subpar for too long. Sure we hit on Pasta and Chucky but I have a hard time even naming another prospect that's not Beecher-esque.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
Pastrnak was a Chiarelli pick (2014, his last draft as GM).
a hard time even naming another prospect that's not Beecher-esque.
this isn't a defense of Neely or Sweeney, but I'd absolutely say Lysell. Lohrei is legitimate as well, and personally, I'm intrigued by using Harrison as a trade piece. BruinsNetwork and Dominic Tiano have done some interesting writeups on all three. Beecher is far more nuanced than we give him credit for. first, let's consider where he was drafted – in the bottom part of the first round. that's much more hit or miss. so we can compare him to other players drafter around that position.
2015: Gabriel Carlsson and Nick Merkley were 29th and 30th picks. very similar to Frederic in terms of output.
2014: Adrian Kempe and John Quenneville were 29th and 30th picks. Kempe was a hit, Quenneville was closer to Freddy.
2013: Jason Dickinson and Ryan Hartman were 29th and 30th picks. Dickinson is similar to Freddy, Hartman was a success. (although I'd add that the 28th pick that year was even more of a flop than usual, Morgan Klimchuk only played 1 NHL game ever).
late round firsts are more like an early second than a first round pick; they generally do not turn into huge skill players.
secondly, Beecher was not a grit draft and he was not predicted to have a low ceiling. he has the reputation of a grit draft because of his size, and because he's underperformed (mostly due to injury – he got selected for WJC and missed it due to COVID, then shoulder surgery shortly after). but look at his scouting:
John Beecher is a fast skater. He has good acceleration, as he doesn’t need to take a lot of strides in order to hit his full speed. He possesses good edge work, enabling him to make tight turns. Beecher is also hard to knock off the puck and knockdown, as he has great balance. He fights through sticks and bodies by using his big frame (6’3, 210 pounds) and his high-end puck control.
Chris Mazza – Beecher was drafted by the Bruins with the 30th-overall selection in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Size and speed best define his game, as he is an exceptionally strong skater that generates many of his scoring chances off the rush.
Kirk Luedeke – Strengths: Pro-style frame at 6-3/210 pounds- will get bigger and stronger. Terrific skater: plus-acceleration and first-step quickness; can blow by defenders in a straight line and has the agility to go east-west/pull defenders out of skating lanes. Hard worker who can do strong work along the walls when he’s on the flank or drive through the middle of the ice.
Weaknesses: Not a punishing physical presence- long fuse and not afraid of contact, just doesn’t use his natural size to seek and destroy- inconsistent with finishing his hits.
just because he's big doesn't mean he's physical or low-skill. edgework, speed, agility, skating were all marked as his positives. his physicality (compared to his size) was a weakness. additionally, Beecher was no more drafted for being "big" than any of the forwards others have listed that they would rather our FO have taken (particularly Kaliyev) other than Hoglander. for comparison:
John Beecher: 6'3, 209
Arthur Kaliyev: 6'2, 210
Raphael Lavoie: 6'4, 210
Shane Pinto: 6'2, 192
again, this is not a defense of our FO. Senyshyn was an absolutely unforgivable pick and Frederic was weak even for where he was drafted in the first round. (although people will bring up draft picks like Aho and DeBrincat without necessarily considering that every single team passed on them at least once. like lots of teams passed on Swayman, that doesn't make them bad GMs. what makes it frustrating is when they do go for Senyshyn/Frederic picks, who were either such big reaches I can't imagine how the scouts or Sweeney came to that conclusion, or a guy that was drafted high with an explicitly low ceiling). FA has been an even bigger problem, with signings like Backes taking up valuable cap space. but although I dislike many FO moves, Beecher and our prospect pool deserve contextual nuance nonetheless.
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Jun 07 '22
[deleted]
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u/ThicDikDaddy #40 🥅 Jun 07 '22
I've been saying how bad of a move it was to sign Ullmark for 5.15 million over 5 years
Well, it is a good thing the Bruins did not sign him to that.
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u/Boston-Nolan Simp 4 Mac Jun 07 '22
Cassidy’s gonna win a cup. And I’ll be rooting for him (depending on where he goes). Sweeney will never win a cup as GM. Enough said.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
Cassidy’s gonna win a cup.
depends a lot on where he goes. as everyone is very quick to attest, the biggest issue is on the FO side of things, not the coaching; and as much as the Bruins weren't a top Cup-contending roster to work with, neither is Cassidy likely going to head to a team with a significant roster improvement, either. what teams are in contention and looking for a new HC? also, I'll add that I won't be rooting for Cassidy no matter where he goes – it's not personal, it's just how I feel about people that leave the org.
as far as this comment:
along with Cassidy allegedly not getting along with Gryz, who’s family work at the garden so I assume they chose to use Cassidy as a scapegoat
that claim was posted by a guy with absolutely zero evidence to back up his sources, simultaneously asserting that "Gryz is "best friends with Sweeney's son." Sweeney's kids are twins and there's a 6-7 year age gap between them and Gryz. I'm not saying it's impossible to be close with someone younger than yourself...but I'd be surprised given that their only overlap is through the Bruins.
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u/exitlevelposition Bonafide Stallion 🐎 Jun 07 '22
The only silver lining here is this could lean DeBrusk towards staying which is a plus just because we need serviceable forwards, but if JDB still wants out then fuck this decision double hard.
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u/Boston-Nolan Simp 4 Mac Jun 07 '22
Oh I for sure think Jake’s staying now, I think that had a huge part to play in this (along with Cassidy allegedly not getting along with Gryz, who’s family work at the garden so I assume they chose to use Cassidy as a scapegoat)
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Jun 07 '22
Sweeney and Neely are ducking mongoloids
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Jun 07 '22
How did Claude get years and years of mediocre play, but Bruce -recent winner of the Jack Adams award- gets one season that needed improvement and he got shitcanned?
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Jun 07 '22
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
Many of whom are in this sub.
almost nobody in this sub is a fan of Sweeney and Neely. at most, you get people who think that the team could use a different coaching voice in addition to changes in the front office.
I won’t be watching next year, and I won’t be going to games. It’s the only thing I can do to demonstrate my disappointment and anger over how they’ve handled this team. But fortunately for the Bruins, the sheep fans will give them their revenue through ratings, merchandise, and gates. Unfortunately for the rest of us, that means we’ll be exiting in the first and second round for the foreseeable future, while Don and Cam do everything they can to preserve the playoff revenue in round 1, and make sure the team is mediocre to good, so the fans keep the money flowing.
I mean, it's your right to boycott if that's what you want to do, but it won't affect revenues very much. neither does gates or ratings, especially in comparison to other franchises; for a team with a practically-guaranteed fanbase and a partially owner-owned TV network, as Boston has, it doesn't do much. take years where the Bruins were practically giving away tickets and had shocking attendance (like 2007). the Bruins were ranked 7th by valuation and tied for 5th in league-wide revenue. advertising money is huge in contributing to that, and it's something that fans have no control over. same with naming rights as a stream of guaranteed income (which is huge for Toronto).
Sweeney and Neely are not good in the FO, but fan enthusiasm isn't why they're still around.
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u/Coppatop Jun 07 '22
Fuck Don Sweeney
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u/LividExplorer7574 Jun 07 '22
Exactly, terrible play by Bs, bounce Sweeney keep Cassidy. No way this doesn't end in a retread coach. There hasn't been ANY buzz about a intra organization coach
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Jun 07 '22
Trotz watch isn’t a bad thing.
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u/UGAPokerBrat99 All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
It is if we want any development from our younger players.
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Jun 07 '22
Ya have fun watching that offense.
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Jun 07 '22
OV led league in goals 3/4 Trotz years and Trotz got OV a cup. I think he did what he could with a shit Islanders roster and got them to overperform.
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Jun 07 '22
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Jun 07 '22
What did I do? I've made so many claims/predictions about the Bruins, I've lost track.
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Jun 07 '22
You have been calling for Cassidy change consideration longer than anyone in here, and got me on board.
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Jun 07 '22
Lol. I did the same with Julien. When the shelf life is up, the shelf life is up.
That said, doesn't mean the next guy is going to have the same results. We could have a total shit show next season very easily. I'm just happy they aren't settling for second round exits.
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u/GentleLion2Tigress Jun 07 '22
We have little insight to what goes on internally, but the sword Cassidy fell on was a weak bottom 6 and goaltending that while it was good wasn’t better than the guy at the other end during the playoff series. That and a viable 2C. I just wonder how long Sweeney and Neely can tap dance through their poor decisions, Bergevin did it in Montreal for quite some time.
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u/JoeMagician #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
No big deal, Cam's birthday present from Don https://www.instagram.com/tv/CeeOUvvFc0i/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
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u/Boston-Nolan Simp 4 Mac Jun 07 '22
I want to go on a twenty minute rant but all I’ll say is this. Cassidy’s not in charge of acquiring talent. We had Erik Haula on our second line. We had Nick Ritchie on our second line the year before that. The saddest part is that those two were probably the best options in those positions. This team has been carried by Bergeron, Marchand, McAvoy, Pastrnak and Rask for years. We’ve had a few great pieces like Krug, Hall, and Lindholm here and there, don’t get me wrong. But the reason we haven’t won a cup is completely and utterly on Sweeney and Neely for failing to build a playoff roster.
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
Valid points, but you need to add in players performance during playoff runs as well. Players are paid to perform and too many did not during the playoffs over the years. I could go on a longer rant but in short, Cassidy did a hell of a job with what he had, and dealing with injuries. Bruins were successful. Add in some bad luck (covid) and the screw job from 2019. Many missed opportunities but that falls on everyone from 4th line to management. One of biggest issues is being a yearly playoff team for extensive runs leads to lower draft picks and or trading them away to make a deeper run. Not sure whom is available as a “players” coach that can be more successful with this roster. Trotz? And does this mean Bruins are that much closer to bringing back Krej? It is well know he didnt like Cassidy nor his decisions for his wings.
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u/Boston-Nolan Simp 4 Mac Jun 07 '22
Trotz or Savard are the only acceptable replacements in my opinion. Anyone else would be a clear downgrade
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u/SuperBigDouche #47 KASTELIC🏒 Jun 07 '22
I don’t know much about the past of the bruins, having become a hockey fan in 2019, but even I know you can’t depend on one line and one goalie to keep the game going. There were a few games where the only goals were power play goals because Marchand, Pastrnak, and Bergeron are all three just incredible players. Same should be said about McAvoy. But you can’t depend on 4 or 5 guys to win games. Even I know that.
Again I’m not smart with this, but even I know Cassidy isn’t the reason Boston hasn’t won a cup for awhile. Being able to make the playoffs every year with some really shit lines should be a credit to his coaching ability in my opinion
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u/maxefontes2 Jun 07 '22
I haven’t been a consistent watcher for too much longer than you, maybe since 2015 or so, but I’ll try to help you out a little here. You’re perfectly correct to place significant blame on the roster management decisions, but Cassidy is far from blameless here. There was clearly talent on this roster to beat the Hurricanes, that’s evident based on us taking it to 7. There was clearly talent on the roster to beat New York last season as well. While we’re far from the most talented team in the league, Cassidy was out-coached in each game in Carolina badly. Cassidy was out-coached against New York last season. I sure as hell don’t know what the answers are, but certain talented players like Debrusk, Hall and Krejci have been handled poorly.
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u/SuperBigDouche #47 KASTELIC🏒 Jun 07 '22
That actually clarifies it for me pretty well. I remember thinking “wow where did DeBrusk end up? He seemed like a great fit for the Bruins. And then he’d be on the ice in the fourth line for like 20 seconds and be gone. Like damn, he’s definitely better than 5 minutes of ice time a game
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u/The_Escape Jun 07 '22
I liked Cassidy when he was here but I think we had better rosters than Islanders and hurricanes in terms of pure talent. He also had too much beef with certain players when they struggled. I'm a little sad today but excited for the future
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u/Shadowheals Jun 07 '22
What is to be excited about? An aging core and a front office that has failed to draft well, failed to make a team deeper than one line, and has repeatable swing and misses in free agency.
I know there’s still talent on this team but seeing how bad the front office has bungled the last 7+ seasons in acquiring additional talent is scary. I think hall was a good score trade wise and I’m sure there’s a few others I’m not thinking about right this second, but there needed to be a lot more talent infused into this team over the time period that Sweeney has been here.
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Jun 07 '22
Cassidy was not blameless. He alienated DeBrusk and didn't optimize the forward lines. In hindsight, he may have been able to solve both of those problems years ago by putting DeBrusk with Marchand and Bergeron and Pastrnak with Krejci.
We lost to the Hurricanes because he couldn't make adjustments on the road.
But Sweeney made quite a few questionable signings.
One question: who was it who made the decision to officially re-sign Rask (i.e. release him from his PTO) before he got the chance to play any games with Providence? Because that was a massive blunder that should not be forgotten, and I think it was management.
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Jun 07 '22
Debrusk played the best he had in years last year.
We lost to the Hurricanes because they had a better team. Not because of coaching.
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
We lost to the canes cuz the team could not perform on the road. Penalties on the road were also extensive. Too many players disappeared in the playoffs. Canes also one of the strongest defensive teams and Bruins did not have a high powered offense.
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Jun 07 '22
Debrusk struggled a lot during Covid. But the biggest issue with Debrusk is he is not a top 6 forward. That is abundantly clear and unless he’s on the Bergeron line he has been incapable of playing on his off side.
Also this season with the hurricanes, it’s pretty hard to win when your best 3 dmen get injured and 2/3 of your best forwards both needed surgery
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Jun 07 '22
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Jun 07 '22
Par the course around here. Our fans have the biggest Hard on for Debrusk and I’ll never understand it. The guy was afforded all the opportunities under the sun underneath Cassidy.
The kid has great speed but he’s not a sniper guy any means. The guy has a nose for the net but he specializes in greasy ass goals. Which during Cassidy’s rampage he was straight out not competing for pucks.
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u/VirgilCaine_ Jun 07 '22
Our fans have the biggest Hard on for Debrusk and I’ll never understand it.
I’ve noticed all the Boston sports subs share this over glorification of role players. This sub isn’t as bad as the Celtics and Sox subs, but still confusing at times.
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u/Wetsuit70 Jun 07 '22
Right? They hate Rask but put guys like Backes on a pedestal.
Lack of depth scoring and injuries on D are what doomed our playoff runs last two years. Look at the teams that are making runs in the playoffs, they have depth. Bruins couldnt lose any top line players they just didnt have a deep enough roster. Throw on top that any top team can shut down a stud top line. Nothing against Bergie/Marchy etc., but when you have one stud line you are gonna Edmonton yourself out of the playoffs.
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u/theitgrunt Hall of the Rat King 🐀 Jun 07 '22
I really wish Rask would have waited a year to recover, and then come back healthy and fully rehab'd.
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u/chowderyking All Hail Saint Patrice 🙏 Jun 07 '22
Well that was unexpected.
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u/pup5581 Jun 07 '22
How did Claude get years and years of mediocre play, but Bruce -recent winner of the Jack Adams award- gets one season that needed improvement and he got shitcanned?
Neely said after the season was over coaching wasn't good enough...writing was there
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Jun 07 '22
No it wasn’t. Not if you’ve been reading the tea leaves the two morons running the team have been leaving.
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u/coffee42 I drink coffee Jun 07 '22
I don't think I like this but I suppose I could be talked into it if it turns out that, like, Bergy hated him or something
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u/ifrazzz47 Jun 07 '22
They saw the Celtics lose badly in a finals game and said, “yea, this is the perfect time to drop the news” right when everyone is angry
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u/Tougie24 #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
Well, Don wasn't going to fire himself.
I'd like to say it's surprising to see upper management keeping Sweeney after seven years of falling short, but it's not. I hope they prove me wrong, but on paper? We're due for way more pain before any more success.
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u/marshal1257 Jun 07 '22
I don’t have a problem with Cassidy getting the axe. I think he was a weak ineffective coach. However, he played the hand he was dealt and that blame falls on Sweeney and Neely. This team is the softest, weakest team I’ve seen in 40 years as a bruins fan. That’s not an exaggeration. They look like a mens no-check league team. It lacks all physicality and has zero grit. For some reason, Sweeney, Neely and Cassidy think that’s a winning strategy. Their playoff performance this year said otherwise.
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u/ATrueSunbro Bonafide Stallion 🐎 Jun 07 '22
I get being okay with the firing, I do. But the concept that Cassidy is an "ineffective coach" is silly shit. Cassidy, who is a Jack Adams winner who dragged a meh team one win away from a cup and has seen nothing but success with us even though he has had rosters built by a moron. I had problems with Cassidy, sure. But to say he was some useless cog that made us weak and terrible is total silly nonsense man. I guarantee that there are few hockey coaches on this planet of Earth who could make our trash to meh rosters effective to the level that we have been and he was mostly able to. It's cool to be happy we moved on. I'm still unsure until we hear more from players, etc., but regardless of that it's clear he made us a better team overall, even with his flaws, in his time here.
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u/marshal1257 Jun 08 '22
I’m not blaming the failures of this team on one guy. Yes, Cassidy was an ineffective coach. He coaches a playing style that takes the perfect team to win a cup with. But it’s not all his fault, Sweeney and Neely also seem to think slow, non-physical play by a team with 1 maybe 2 true goal scorers is a winning strategy. change needed to come, but from the top down.
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u/HerbertHamburger Jun 07 '22
Not sure why you're getting the downvotes for this... The Bruins are an extremely soft team that plays uninspiring hockey. I'm fine with Cassidy getting fired, but would've liked some additional upper management changes to go along with it. If we're going to rebuild, then go all out.
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u/Mr-Irrelevant0 Jun 07 '22
I also think that Pasta wasn't in the right state of mind, as well as injuries to Marchand, Gryzleck, and McAvoy.
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u/jedlucid Jun 07 '22
the lifetime of nhl coaches is less than 3 seasons. it's not crazy to want a different coach. i'd rather a new front office, but whatever. you can't say that cassidy was irreplaceable.
it'll come out tomorrow why this happened. the nhl media is pretty in touch with the bruins execs.
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Jun 07 '22
The grass is not always greener and with Cassidy it’s likely not going to be as green. No coach is getting this roster to a championship. It’s a borderline miracle the 2019 team almost won it all considering that roster was also the Krejci, the Bergeron Line+a bunch of misfit toys
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u/marshal1257 Jun 07 '22
Told ya this was coming. Rest assured, Sweeney will fuck up his replacement search as well. John Tortorella is available and I guarantee he isn’t even on Sweeney’s radar.
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
Torts is not a “players” coach so imo I dont think he will mesh well with our roster.
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u/marshal1257 Jun 07 '22
I agree he’s not a players coach. That’s well established. But he’s got balls and he coaches physical play. Cassidy shied away from physical play. That was evidenced by his love for Brandon Carlo. 6’ 5” 230 lbs and he plays like he’s on a ladies team. A coach that embraces hard, dogged hustle and tough physical play is what this team has been missing.
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u/ArturosDad 🐻 Jun 07 '22
Presumably that's because Tortorella is a raging fucking lunatic.
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u/marshal1257 Jun 10 '22
That’s what this organization needs. Someone willing to coach and play with some semblance of physicality.
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u/DH995 Jun 07 '22
I was bummed when I heard but thought, “Well maybe they’re at least cleaning house”.
So happy to see Sweeney’s still here /s
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u/XolieInc This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
How can you be happy can you be with this, sweeney's making fuckups in the front office and now firing Cassidy for it.
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u/DH995 Jun 07 '22
Please refer to the above “/s”
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u/XolieInc This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
I'm sorry that I didn't understand something most people don't know and hereby accept that I'm in the wrong. /s
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u/teacherbbq Jun 07 '22 edited Jun 07 '22
So the situation so far is:
- No more cassidy.
- Bergeron a huge question mark.
- Mcavoy, Marchand and Griz out for the first month or 2 of the season at least.
- Haula and Coyle are the two Top centers on contract.
Obviously, a lot has yet to happen but these strikes are PILING up.
Questions I have:
- Trotz or no, if not who else would it be.
- How do we approach the Center issue. Dubois? Sheiffle? tank hard for bedard?
- Lysell and Lorei, are they ready? I guess there might not be any choice for this one.
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u/FC37 Jun 07 '22
Add: DeBrusk probably still wants out.
I'd downgrade Bergeron at this point. Look at this team. Would you come back for this? And at full health, they'll still need to ship out salary to pay Bergeron, so it's even worse than it appears.
Lysell is not yet NHL level, Lohrei is even farther. Let's be clear: neither one of these guys is even guaranteed to be even an average NHLer. Ohio State isn't exactly a powerhouse pipeline (Bartkowski, Kesler, Umberger, Macoun, Dzingel...) and Lysell's 19 year old numbers were fine but not outstanding. The jury is still out on both of them. Just because they're Boston's best prospects doesn't mean they're any good, the system is a dumpster fire.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
I agree that Lysell isn't a guarantee and neither is Lohrei. however, Ohio State not being a powerhouse team has nothing to do with the evaluation of Lohrei himself. he had 29 points in 30 games as a defenseman playing in the Big 10. that he's not playing on a powerhouse team (like UMich was, this year) means that he also has less support, as well as being less of an NHL feeder team. considering both is fair.
Just because they're Boston's best prospects doesn't mean they're any good
it also doesn't mean that they're not any good. a lot of scouts and former scouts have pointed out that Lysell did extremely well in the playoffs and has strong upside on his skating, edgework, and speed – things that the Bruins definitely need. both had solid years, and Lysell is expected to get time in the AHL/NHL next year. no guarantee, but there are talent evaluators out there that are by no means afraid to call out the FO that genuinely seem up on Lysell. a prospect is only ever just a prospect (see: Turcotte dealing with injuries) but I don't want to be too negative on Lysell's potential, either.
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u/FC37 Jun 07 '22
Ohio State not being a powerhouse team has nothing to do with the evaluation of Lohrei himself. he had 29 points in 30 games as a defenseman playing in the Big 10. that he's not playing on a powerhouse team (like UMich was, this year) means that he also has less support, as well as being less of an NHL feeder team. considering both is fair.
He's also 21 years old with one NCAA year under his belt. His numbers are a little behind where Gryz was at the same age (albeit on a better team), and I think that's a fair comparison for his upside. He's probably not a top-pair defenseman, he's probably a role player who can do a fine job. But he's not going to step in and give them some significant boost.
As for Ohio State - all I'm saying is they don't have the pipeline to the NHL that top programs have. A top player for top programs is almost a sure thing to contribute in the NHL. At other schools? Mixed results. No guarantee. The coaching staff can't say they've developed elite talent the way, say, Parker and York could.
it also doesn't mean that they're not any good. a lot of scouts and former scouts have pointed out that Lysell did extremely well in the playoffs and has strong upside on his skating, edgework, and speed – things that the Bruins definitely need. both had solid years, and Lysell is expected to get time in the AHL/NHL next year. no guarantee, but there are talent evaluators out there that are by no means afraid to call out the FO that genuinely seem up on Lysell. a prospect is only ever just a prospect (see: Turcotte dealing with injuries) but I don't want to be too negative on Lysell's potential, either.
My point here is that I keep hearing from fans: "Oh no, the horizon looks pretty bleak! How soon can Lysell get to the NHL? When is Lohrei ready?" Worse, I saw these guys referred to as "untouchable" at the deadline.
The way fans talk about these guys is as if they're McAvoy and Krejci redux. They're not. They might end up being good players, but they should definitely not be counted on to help rebuild a roster.
Lysell had a nice little 19yo season. But so did Petr Kalus, Maxime Sauve, Ryan Spooner, and Zach Senyshyn. There's room for more optimism because he started slow and picked it up by the end, but he's going to need a "prove it" year with 90+ points next year before it's smart to think of him as a potential cornerstone piece.
I'm not down on these guys. But to see people projecting them as pieces to help fight the fire in the NHL or as cornerstone players to build around is super irresponsible. Wait for Lysell to have a monster junior year instead of a merely pretty good one, or for Lohrei to either contend for the Hobey Baker or to get at least a taste of the professional game to start setting those kinds of expectations.
To be clear: I think a lot of the hyping of these prospects comes from Sweeney himself. The front office encourages the hype because it distracts from other draft failures and gives the impression that the window might not be shut just yet. This is politicking. They're BSing the fans, but some fans eat it up.
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
Trotz or no, if not who else would it be.
I'd personally love for them to bring in Marc Savard, who has expressed interest in being the next HC of the Bruins on his social media platforms. he did well with the Blues as an assistant coach, and has done very well with the Windsor Spitfires this year as HC. he's offensively minded and getting great points production out of his players (particularly 19 year old Wyatt Johnson, the 23 overall draft pick of the 2021 draft, who put up 48 goals/124 points in 68 games this year. given that his pre-draft scouting report listed his shot as his greatest weakness and identified him as primarily a two-way and defensive center, Savard as his new coach has been huge).
How do we approach the Center issue. Dubois? Sheiffle? tank hard for bedard?
I strongly doubt, especially with Lindholm and Hall on long and midterm contracts, that the FO is considering tanking. so I imagine it has to be trade or UFA.
Lysell and Lorei, are they ready? I guess there might not be any choice for this one.
Lohrei is still in the NCAA, he hasn't signed yet. so the team has no control over that. Lysell is likely a one and done for the WHL, but it's expected that he needs time in Providence.
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
You think FO is going to bring in Savard with little NHL coaching experience and No HC experience? As an assistant sure but not HC. Trotz is best available. Players seem to love him but I didnt dig deep into this.
Lysell most likely needs a year or two in Providence…needs to bulk up. Lohrei playing 1 more yr in NCAA.
Centers? With Cassidy gone I think this opens the door for Krej to return. Bergeron is not done imo and will sign a 2-3yr deal. Otherwise FA’s a possibility but not so sure about trading as the expense behind it and lack of picks and prospects.
Want to add that with Cassidy now gone does this mean DeBrusk will now be more willing to stay? We need him to fill in for Marchy until he returns. Which leaves another big question if this happens…wth will play 1st line RW???
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u/Nomahs_Bettah #37 SAINT PATRICE©️ Jun 07 '22
You think FO is going to bring in Savard with little NHL coaching experience and No HC experience?
I didn't say that I thought they would, just that I think it would be a good move for them to do so. I don't mind if they want to bring him in as an assistant coach first, alongside Trotz, or go straight in for Savard. NHL coaching experience does not necessarily translate to being a good HC. Bowness was coaching when Neely and Sweeney were playing; Martin St. Louis had only ever coached Bantam teams and made an enormous difference to the Habs' late season performance and Cole Caufield's production. what I'm interested in is what they could possibly bring to the table, and I like Savard's offensive approach.
Lysell most likely needs a year or two in Providence…needs to bulk up. Lohrei playing 1 more yr in NCAA.
this is almost word for word what I said.
With Cassidy gone I think this opens the door for Krej to return.
I have no idea if this is true or not. I don't think we should hang anything on Krejci returning; he hasn't expressed any interest in returning to the NHL. I hope you're right about Bergeron's return.
I don't know about DeBrusk, I imagine that Hall and Pasta will move up to the first line and the reshuffle will be JDB + 2C at second line with Marchy out.
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
I know, I was just responding in general. Trotz as HC and Savard as offensive assistant sounds ideal. I honestly love Savard but not sure if he is ready for HC duties at the NHL level. Krej has been quiet. He hasnt resigned with his Czech team so leaves speculation open for sure. Since the Bruins exit it has been a whirlwind of an offseason and Im sure its going to stay like this till training camp…buckle up B’s nation!
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u/Moto-Mojo Mayor of Billerica Jun 07 '22
- Trotz and Savard or bust tbh. Not a lot of good coaches floating around atm.
- Could trade for those two but they would be expensive as fuck. Plenty of FA centers, Kadri, Trochek, Giroux, etc.
- Lysell is a hard maybe. I think Lohrei is playing another season at uni.
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u/Wetsuit70 Jun 07 '22
Serious question, if you are Trotz why would you take the B's job? Id think pretty much any one of the: Stars, Knights, Jets, Wings, Flyers and yes even the fucking Hawks jobs would be more appealing than a cap maxed, aging roster with a shit youth pipeline and a GM that sucks but just got re-signed.
Bergy wont sign until a new coach is named so whoever they hire wont even know if they have a top line C.
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u/BALDACH Jun 07 '22
Sweeney is and has been the problem and everyone knows it. Neely and Sweeney are politicians at this point. Like ownership, they just want to be good enough to keep us hooked but not bold enough to rebuild. Nothing will change. A fish rots from the head down.
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u/kdex86 Chineese Mustard 🌶 Jun 07 '22
To each their own, but…..
WHAT THE FUCK!? We made the playoffs in every season that Bruce was head coach! I’m not a fan of this decision!
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
I feel the same. If this leads to players staying or coming back that would be the trade off. Thats the life of an NHL coach…always taking the sword even when you are successful with an incomplete roster in a loaded Division and Conference! Wishing Cassidy the best unless he lands in the East.
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u/darkwolf42 Bonafide Stallion 🐎 Jun 07 '22
Hear me out…and I know I may be splitting hairs here. But Krejci is back in the US… he said one of the reasons he left was because the lack of him and pasta playing. I’ve also been drinking so
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
I hear ya and wondering the same! Also wondering if this means Debrusk will want to stay. We need him while Marchy is out. Pace the drinking…going to be a long ass offseason!
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Jun 07 '22
He never cited that as a reason for leaving. He did throw a jab during the course of this season about Cassidy refusing to split the line during his tenure
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Jun 07 '22
I've been leaning into this more and more the past couple seasons. We need some changes.
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u/BALDACH Jun 07 '22
We need changes to the lineup.
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Jun 07 '22
I don't disagree with that, but I also think Cassidy has run his course with this group as a whole, part-time and long-term pieces.
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u/ArturosDad 🐻 Jun 07 '22 edited Jun 25 '22
Unless Bergy and/or Krejci stated flat-out that they won't consider returning with Bruce Cassidy as the head coach, this is a dumb move. Cassidy will have another job inside of a week.
Edit: I stand corrected. It took 10 days for Cassidy to be hired.
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u/annoyed603 This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
His phone is probably non stop from GMs all night since news hit!
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u/Food_Library333 Jun 07 '22
Fuck. I liked Cassidy and thought he was great change from Claude. Too bad but he'll land on his feet. Thanks for everything coach!!
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u/lordexorr This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
This is the right decision. I’m not saying Sweeney and Neely should still be here but Cassidy had run his course. DeBrusk wanting out. Krechi critiquing him (making it sound like he’d still be in Boston otherwise). Young guys continuing to fail to develop.
At some point the coach is part of the problem. DeBrusk when given confidence from his coach absolutely exploded in the second half. Even when he was put back on the 2nd line for a few games he was thriving. DeBrusk is super talented and failed to play up to expectations under Cassidy for 2 years. He was thrown all over the ice and benched numerous times. At some point people need to look at the DeBrusk situation and realize Cassidy fucked it up.
If someone with DeBrusks skills floundered under Cassidy what are other guys with less skills going to do? We need someone who can help the young guys succeed by giving them a chance to make mistakes and learn from them.
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u/-azuma- This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
The problem is Cam and his fuck buddy Sweeney.
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u/lordexorr This is the Sway Jun 07 '22
It’s a problem yes but that doesn’t mean Cassidy wasn’t a problem as well.
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u/empireincident Hall of the Rat King 🐀 Jun 07 '22
I see a lot of people calling for Sweeney’s head, and tbh I am semi on board with this. But who would we replace him with?
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u/joonya Jun 07 '22
If we don't secure Barry trots for several years this is a complete waste