After the Boston Bruins fired longtime coach Claude Julien earlier this month, I was completely skeptical about how interim coach Bruce Cassidy would do.
I had written the Bruins off in terms of making the playoffs this season. There was just no way Cassidy could right the proverbial ship in time to make the playoffs - something the Bruins haven't accomplished in the past two years.
Man, was I wrong!
The B's play host to Arizona Tuesday night, coming off an impressive 3-1 road trip that concluded with a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
Cassidy, who previously coached the B's AHL team in Providence, R.I., now has a career mark of 6-1. His style of uptempo play is definitely paying off too, as the Bruins find themselves in third place, just four points behind conference leader Montreal with 20 games remaining this season.
If all goes according the plan, the Cassidy-led Bruins will surely make the playoffs this season. They're playing so well, that they might even have a shot at catching Montreal for the No. 1 seed out of the Atlantic Conference.
Stay tuned, folks. We've still got plenty of hockey ahead of us.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Anaheim snaps B's winning streak; Cassidy suffers first loss as new coach
Interim Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy felt the sting of defeat for the first time in his brief coaching career Wednesday night, as the B's fell to the Anaheim Ducks, 5-3.
Things don't get any easier for Boston, as the Bruins face the Los Angeles Kings tonight in the third of a four game road trip that concludes against the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
If the Bruins expect to get back into the win column tonight, they've got to find a way to get the puck past Peter Budaj, one of the best goalies in the NHL. Although Budaj has recorded a 2-3 mark in his past five games, he has the third best goals against average (2.12) in the league.
Offensively, the B's must also do all they can to contain the scoring threat of center Jeff Carter, who is third in the league in goals with 29, just four behind Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby.
Since the coaching change earlier this month, Cassidy's style of uptempo hockey versus Claude Julien's defensive style of play seems to be paying off. Tonight's game against the Kings is crucial for the B's because the season is winding down and every point is critical if Boston expects to earn a playoff berth for the first time in three years.
Things don't get any easier for Boston, as the Bruins face the Los Angeles Kings tonight in the third of a four game road trip that concludes against the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
If the Bruins expect to get back into the win column tonight, they've got to find a way to get the puck past Peter Budaj, one of the best goalies in the NHL. Although Budaj has recorded a 2-3 mark in his past five games, he has the third best goals against average (2.12) in the league.
Offensively, the B's must also do all they can to contain the scoring threat of center Jeff Carter, who is third in the league in goals with 29, just four behind Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby.
Since the coaching change earlier this month, Cassidy's style of uptempo hockey versus Claude Julien's defensive style of play seems to be paying off. Tonight's game against the Kings is crucial for the B's because the season is winding down and every point is critical if Boston expects to earn a playoff berth for the first time in three years.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Firing Claude Julien was cowardly act by Boston Bruins top brass
There was definitely bad news on the doorstep this morning, as Bruins Nation learned that Claude Julien, the organization's longest tenured and winningest coach, had been relieved of his duties.
During his 10 years behind the bench for the Bruins, the 56-year-old Julien led the B's to its first Stanley Cup championship in 2011, snapping a drought that lasted more than three decades.
Although the Bruins haven't made a playoff appearance since 2014, the firing of Julien is definitely one of the most cowardly acts committed by the Bruins front office in quite awhile.
Smack dab in the middle of battling for a playoff spot, tied for third place in the Atlantic Division with Toronto, B's president Cam Neely decides to axe one of the best coaches in the NHL.
It's laughable to think the Bruins are going to hire former St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock, especially after he was terminated by the Blues on Feb. 2. According to reports by NHL Network, Hitchcock has decided to step away from the game for good.
What's most distressing about the firing of Julien is this shakeup disrupts the ebb and flow of a team doing all it can to make the playoffs this season. If you think Julien's assistant coach Bruce Cassidy, who will take over the team at home Thursday against San Jose, is going to miraculously turn around this team, you're completely misguided.
It's not going to happen. What will likely happen is the the B's will compile a string of losses and won't make the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
"These decisions are not easy, and (B's general manager) Don (Sweeney) has my full support," said Neely, in a prepared statement. "I believe that we have a better team than our results to date show. I also recognize that there are areas that we as a group need to improve upon."
Thanks, Cam.
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| Claude Julien led the B's to the Stanley Cup championship in 2011 |
During his 10 years behind the bench for the Bruins, the 56-year-old Julien led the B's to its first Stanley Cup championship in 2011, snapping a drought that lasted more than three decades.
Although the Bruins haven't made a playoff appearance since 2014, the firing of Julien is definitely one of the most cowardly acts committed by the Bruins front office in quite awhile.
Smack dab in the middle of battling for a playoff spot, tied for third place in the Atlantic Division with Toronto, B's president Cam Neely decides to axe one of the best coaches in the NHL.
It's laughable to think the Bruins are going to hire former St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock, especially after he was terminated by the Blues on Feb. 2. According to reports by NHL Network, Hitchcock has decided to step away from the game for good.
What's most distressing about the firing of Julien is this shakeup disrupts the ebb and flow of a team doing all it can to make the playoffs this season. If you think Julien's assistant coach Bruce Cassidy, who will take over the team at home Thursday against San Jose, is going to miraculously turn around this team, you're completely misguided.
It's not going to happen. What will likely happen is the the B's will compile a string of losses and won't make the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
"These decisions are not easy, and (B's general manager) Don (Sweeney) has my full support," said Neely, in a prepared statement. "I believe that we have a better team than our results to date show. I also recognize that there are areas that we as a group need to improve upon."
Thanks, Cam.
Monday, February 6, 2017
Don't blame Boston Bruins goalie Tuuka Rask for team's ineptitude
No matter if the Boston Bruins make the playoffs or not this season, no one should be blaming workhorse goalie Tuuka Rask if they don't.
If Rask had any type of defense in front of him, which he does not, his goals against average would be far better than 2.31. Rask is currently eighth best in the league, tied with fellow netminders Scott Darling (Chicago Blackhawks) and Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators).
At the start of the season, The Hockey News made it perfectly clear in its 2016-17 Yearbook that if the B's expected any amount of success this season, 39-year-old defenseman Zdeno Chara "needs a proven shutdown partner, with (Dennis) Seidenberg no longer an option." You can also add the loss of Johnny Boychuck (traded to New York Islanders) and Dougie Hamilton (traded to Calgary Flames) as another reason why the team's defense is so inept this season.
If you're going to point fingers at Rask, you need to know that he's played 44 of 55 games this season. and has recorded an impressive 25-13-4 record, enough wins to be sixth best in the NHL, tied with Peter Budaj (Los Angeles Kings). Only Budaj (46 games) and San Jose's Martin Jones (46 games) have been between the pipes more than Rask.
While Rask's .911 save percentage isn't terrific (27th best), he has recorded five shutouts this season, tied for third best with the likes of Minnesota's Devon Dubnyk and Edmonton's Cam Talbot.
With 22 days remaining before the Feb. 28 trade deadline, B's general manager Don Sweeney hopefully is working the phones to bring in some much needed relief to help Chara. If not, this season might mark the third straight that Boston misses the playoffs, and it won't be Rask's fault.
At the start of the season, The Hockey News made it perfectly clear in its 2016-17 Yearbook that if the B's expected any amount of success this season, 39-year-old defenseman Zdeno Chara "needs a proven shutdown partner, with (Dennis) Seidenberg no longer an option." You can also add the loss of Johnny Boychuck (traded to New York Islanders) and Dougie Hamilton (traded to Calgary Flames) as another reason why the team's defense is so inept this season.
If you're going to point fingers at Rask, you need to know that he's played 44 of 55 games this season. and has recorded an impressive 25-13-4 record, enough wins to be sixth best in the NHL, tied with Peter Budaj (Los Angeles Kings). Only Budaj (46 games) and San Jose's Martin Jones (46 games) have been between the pipes more than Rask.
While Rask's .911 save percentage isn't terrific (27th best), he has recorded five shutouts this season, tied for third best with the likes of Minnesota's Devon Dubnyk and Edmonton's Cam Talbot.
With 22 days remaining before the Feb. 28 trade deadline, B's general manager Don Sweeney hopefully is working the phones to bring in some much needed relief to help Chara. If not, this season might mark the third straight that Boston misses the playoffs, and it won't be Rask's fault.
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Firing Claude Julien would be a colossal mistake by the Boston Bruins
It's no secret that the Boston Bruins haven't made a postseason appearance since 2014, the year the B's lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the NHL playoffs.
While it appears the 2016-17 Bruins will more than likely make the playoffs this season, rumors have been swirling for sometime that head coach Claude Julien is on the proverbial hot seat and could be fired before season's end.
With 28 games remaining in the regular season, including tonight's home game against the Toronto Mapleleafs, it sickens me to think the team's front office would dispatch Julien smackdab in the middle of the season.
Sure, it was six years ago the Julien-led Bruins snapped a 39 year Stanley Cup skid, but the organization did something I thought they'd never do: bring home Lord Stanley's Cup to Boston.
Then in his sixth year at the helm of the Bruins, Julien again led Boston back to the Stanley Cup playoffs, but lost to the Chicago Blackhawks.
So, explain to me please why Julien, who currently has his team third in the Atlantic Division standings, just nine markers behind front runner Montreal, continues to have his job in jeopardy.
Firing Julien now would be utterly and completely ridiculous. Nothing good can come from it.
Instead of blaming Julien for the team's failure to make the playoffs the past two seasons, maybe owner Jeremy Jacobs should consider replacing general manager Don Sweeney. Julien can only coach the team with the talent he's got and the front office continues to let talent slip away.
For instance, why, why, why did the Bruins trade Johnny Boychuk, Phil Kessel and Milan Lucic? Just like with other star player such a Joe Thornton, I'm sure it's because Jacobs wasn't willing to pay the salary these top players demanded.
Without a strong nucleus of players, there's no way Julien can be a successful coach. The man should be applauded for what he's accomplished this season considering who he has on his roster.
Here's to hoping that the B's can add some additional talent before the Feb. 28 trade deadline. And here's to also hoping that after tonight's game against Toronto, that Julien still has a job.
Friday, February 3, 2017
From the glory days of Milt Schmidt and Bobby Orr to today's stars like Tuuka Rask, Brad Marchand, and David Krejci, I'll attempt to give you my opinion about the Big Bad Bruins.
I've been following the Bruins my entire life. Even though I currently reside outside of Charlotte, N.C., I'm originally from Beantown and have fond memories of seeing the B's in action at the Gaahden.
So, hold on tight, folks. Strap yourselves in and adjust your seat to recline position, please. Oh, and drop the puck for pete's sake!
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