OffThePost.org

Well if any team is ready for a falloff its the Bruins. Every year I say how good of a run it is and its been a pleasure as this team clings to its aging core. I applaud Don and Cam for doing what they can and realizing they need to turn the page towards youth this year while still maintaining an on ice product.

Cassidy is out and in Vegas. Not sure I completely understand what happened there....but there seemed to be some friction that could not be mended. In comes Montgomery (who likes to party on occasion). He should fit in well in Boston. Hopefully he take a few more chances with the team this year.

Patrice decided to come back but is without his running mate in Marchand until the holidays. CMac is out as well until that time frame so the Bruins will look to plug holes and stay above water until then.

This is going to require other players to step up. Pastrnak did a good job of this last year and I hope he continues his upward trending. Krejci is back and the B's signed Pavel Zacha (similar age to Pasta). The Czechs looked great in Pre-season and the B's are going to need scoring to weather the injury storm early on. Hopefully, Montgomery is not afraid to roll them as his top line if it works.

That leads us to secondary scoring, always a problem on this team, Patrice will have to run with Hall and Debrusk. That's not a top line but no one can say Hall or Debrusk isn't getting a chance to step up.

But this isn't the weakest area on the ice currently. The D is sketchy as hell. Hopefully Carlo can figure himself out and have a bounce back year. Stralman was signed to provide some depth in the event Cliffy is cliffy and Zaboril can't fit the bill. We'll get a good look at a healthy Hampus Lindholm providing he stays that way. Gryz is probably the most solid one back there currently. Forbort and Reilly....well...yeah.

Goaltending...I love the hugs....but Swayman let me down last year. I expected more, right or wrong. Perhaps with the clear 1-2 punch of Swayman/Ulmark and no lurking Tuuka we can see proper progression.

I am a bit disappointed that McLaughlin didn't make it out of camp but maybe we'll see more of him this year.

Either way its another tough year in store for Boston. The Atlantic is ruthless and the Sens, Wings and Sabres are improved and have an impressive array of upcoming youth. Playoffs are going to be hard to come by but not impossible. It all depends on how pre-Christmas play goes.

As I say every year its been a great ride as we prepare to ride the backside of the wave.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/bruins

https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/

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So, off we go....David Krejci having a night.....Ulmark starting and the Czechs are staying together......Pasta is leading the way along with Patrice. I'll take it as far as it goes!

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Jake Debrusk looks to only be day to day for now.

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Well, let's hope for his sake and everyone else's that Monty's partying days are far behind him. I still wonder what it was that happened during his time in Dallas that let to his abrupt firing and stint in rehab. Whatever it was, it appears to have gotten him on the right track. He's a good coach and unlike Cassidy, I think the players will like him.

B's looked pretty good from what I could see, Pasta in particular.

If the people I have the least confidence in.....Cliffy and Debrusk can step up then I can't complain!

I think Ulmark steals the job right away from Swayman. At times I question Taylor Hall's hockey IQ!

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You should because he doesn't have any.

Geez what a terrible fan! I missed posting that Patrice, who is still an ageless wonder, passed Nifty for 3rd all time in goals the other night.

I pick up Cliffy in my pool and he goes all turd. At least Gryz is back.

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Well we can't really question Taylor's hockey IQ lately after he scores 2 game winners in a row. Bruins somehow get to 6-0-1. Best case scenario start even if Swayman has been transposed.

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Geez, Ullmark's on a mission.

Wow....Marchand back incredibly early.

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Marchand a force on his first night back! Swayman turns it around.....who is this team!!!!?????? Krejci hurt.....

Only 74 games left!

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Who is this team!? After 10 games they sit at 9 and 1.....a torrid start that sees the changing of the guard at goalie, Taylor Halls hockey IQ, an inhuman return of Brad Marchand, ageless old balls Patrice, and Cliffy emerging as a real D man! Of course there is also the well dressed Pasta, David Krejci who was doing well until an injury, and the sometimes I like this place sometimes I don't Debrusk. All this success even has CMac taking off his no contact jersey!

To top it all off they storm back in the 3rd after looking down and out against the pens to take it in OT. Oddly I had a feeling and kept watching this game (that and the Flames didn't want to play D).

I certainly wouldn't have known!

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We've discussed Mitchel Miller around here before.......so that aside.

At 10-1 you would think Don and Company could just sit back and enjoy the ride or take some accolades for their luck...but no instead they go out and invite drama.

Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

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This team is freakish, I think it was 3 years ago that they I stated they had their last kick at the can and needed to tear it down and rebuild. Boy was I wrong. They just keep on finding to get it done.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

The first thing I would say to Seabass and Sweeney about this entire fiasco is...what in the actual fuck were you thinking!?

I could almost understand it if Miller were about 6'5" and possessed of elite hockey talent...almost. But Miller is not by any means a surefire prospect, despite possessing some very high-end skill. Why would the B's invite such a monumental distraction in an all-in year where they almost assuredly will be blowing it up and starting over in the next 2-3 years!? It wasn't even remotely worth it, and now they get NOTHING out of it.

Just gross incompetence all-around.

Also, Seabass's statement just completely rings hollow. I can speak more about that later but this post is gonna be long enough as is.

Only just today learned that various hockey families have engaged in online harassment of the victim's family, even going so far as to question whether the young man was actually disabled...as if that makes a difference. You wanna know why people like Mitchell Miller are the way they are? They are immersed in an entire culture that aids, abets, and enables their very worst qualities. It goes beyond his own family.

I don't know if anyone else has ever experienced this, but I've met someone whom you can tell has never suffered a consequence in his entire life. Just imagine what kind of human that sort of environment creates. It's almost frightening.

Give credit to guys like Patrice Bergeron and Nick Foligno for voicing their concerns and displeasure with the signing. I think once management realized they didn't even have those guys in their corner, they knew they done fucked up.

Sweeney will likely lose his job over this, and frankly I think he should, though honestly at this point, what is Neely even doing in Boston? Despite their current success, Sweeney has never struck me as a particularly good GM. Just a very mediocre one who has managed to luck out spectacularly.

I know a guy who has never suffered any consequences. Incredible athlete, which is what started it all. Never held accountable for anything and lives accordingly. It’s always someone else’s fault. You’re right, they’re terrifying to be around.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

I've known a few people like this. And its always people that tend to have "talented or unique" skills while everyone else sees dollar signs or power to ride on and are willing to "overlook" behaviours. Once they are elevated by their machine with money or station their standards of acceptance change and they can buy their way out of every thing. These are people we tend to hold up as successful in our society (and I avoid)!

The song is the same everywhere but the behaviour doesn't have to be encouraged or rewarded. Whether I agree with all of this or not it is plainly obvious that this kid needs to fall ALL THE WAY on his sword because biding his time or sweeping it under the rug isn't working. Hopefully he does and in 10 years we aren't talking about how he finally made a team and is getting a huge payday despite the protests.

Again I will say WHY? why take the risk if you are Don or Cam...the team was doing fine...and if you've been paying attention at all you knew this guy was a PR disaster. Even though they cut him loose, it was a poor decision to begin with. I don't think anyone loses a job over it though.

https://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/202 ... elease-nhl



Nice article out of SCoC.

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Sounds like it was Seabass who pushed for this and Sweeney (and obviously others in the organization) voiced their reservations/objections. Neely was a hell of a player but, man, I didn't not peg him as this big of an idiot.

There's some other stuff to sort out here that goes beyond the obvious debate that has been stirred up here.

The Bruins can't "rescind" their offer. They signed Miller to an ELC. It's no longer an offer once it's been signed. The only way this goes away without a stink is if Miller's camp willingly capitulates and the two mutually terminate the deal. The NHLPA has already said they're going to review this and it's possible they'll fight on his behalf. This could have far-reaching consequences in terms of a team's ability to terminate any active contract with a player.

Also, Wyshynski noted that Gary Bettman has publicly stated that Miller is not eligible to join the NHL despite signing a professional contract, though there is no actual paperwork banning him from the league. I believe there IS such a paper trail currently banning Joel Quenneville from the league that would require him to apply for reinstatement. I'm not trying to characterize this as abuse of power by the commissioner, because, fuck that dumbass kid and his rotten-as-fuck family, but it's interesting to note nonetheless. The B's claim they did indeed inform the league they were signing him, but I'm not sure that refutes Bettman's claims. Sounds like it was to inform them what they were doing rather than an actual consultation. Still, this just makes the B's look that much worse.

Focusing on the B's brass this sounds like a decision made after or during a night of 10 plus beers and maybe a few shots! Need to clean some things up in their signing process at the very least!

The Blues are in town tonight.....and the B's might be just what they need to get their shit together!

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They look like a well-oiled machine right now. The Lindholm trade is looking like absolute genius.

Also, I don't care what anyone says, the Pooh jerseys are awesome.