2019-2020 Bruins
- Thread starter RedOctober3829
- Start date
Pretty sure they were having a crazy practice encouraging them to get all of their emotions out and go over the top. Hence Tuukka's embellished tantrum, the white team's overcelebration, and then fake scrums after.
Tuukka wasn't being serious there, but it makes for a good video.
The backup goalie talk in the Tim Thomas thread got me thinking: Have there been teams that rotated goalies in the playoffs recently? And could there be an advantage to doing so?
Tuukka was great in the playoffs last season, so it's probably dumb to mess with something that's not broken. BUT, we have 115 games of regular season data saying Halak is probably as good as Tuukka right now. With the playoffs being such a grind, and teams actually game-planning against goalies due to the series format, I can definitely see some advantages to rotating goalies if you have two really good ones. Even if it's not 50/50, maybe only doing it after an OT game or every third game.
You'd need a coach with some huge cojones because it would just take one bad game for him to look like an idiot. Bruce fits the bill although I don't see him being the one to do it, especially since he didn't last season.
Tuukka was great in the playoffs last season, so it's probably dumb to mess with something that's not broken. BUT, we have 115 games of regular season data saying Halak is probably as good as Tuukka right now. With the playoffs being such a grind, and teams actually game-planning against goalies due to the series format, I can definitely see some advantages to rotating goalies if you have two really good ones. Even if it's not 50/50, maybe only doing it after an OT game or every third game.
You'd need a coach with some huge cojones because it would just take one bad game for him to look like an idiot. Bruce fits the bill although I don't see him being the one to do it, especially since he didn't last season.
The most feasible case I see for it is an NBA playoff conflict causing a back-to-back. I could see Cassidy making the decision to start Halak easy in that case.
My trade idea:
Matt Grzelcyk for Kevin Lebanc from SJ. He has a 1M cap hit, is an RFA RW(like Grz), and San Jose needs DMen while the B's need a RW and have a surplus at the blue line. Cap crunch for both teams makes this hard probably, but a thought for a solution that makes both teams trade depth to fill a weakness.
Matt Grzelcyk for Kevin Lebanc from SJ. He has a 1M cap hit, is an RFA RW(like Grz), and San Jose needs DMen while the B's need a RW and have a surplus at the blue line. Cap crunch for both teams makes this hard probably, but a thought for a solution that makes both teams trade depth to fill a weakness.
Senyshyn activated and assigned to Providence. Hope he gets another look but they don’t have a ton of flexibility at the moment.
View: https://twitter.com/nhlbruins/status/1207401936800141313?s=21
Kuhlman has also begun skating. Cassidy said yesterday that Miller had some sort of procedure 2 weeks ago and they have no timetable for him. Feels like he could’ve played his last game as a Bruin.
View: https://twitter.com/nhlbruins/status/1207401936800141313?s=21
Kuhlman has also begun skating. Cassidy said yesterday that Miller had some sort of procedure 2 weeks ago and they have no timetable for him. Feels like he could’ve played his last game as a Bruin.
I hope they put Zach with Studnicka down in Providence and see what those two can build together. Their skill sets feel very complimentary.
Studnicka seems to have early career Marchand shorthanded offensive ability. To me that takes a combo of anticipation/awareness, defensive prowess and the ability to get end to end and bury the puck. Maybe Senyshyn and his wheels can play that style of play.
Studnicka is an excellent skater who is conscientious in the d zone and great at leading the transition into the neutral zone. He looks like he's developing into a line driver C who is elusive with the puck. He would do well with a right shot RW who can skate with him who has a good shot. I could see them working really well together.
Studnicka is the best Center prospect they have had in Providence since Krejci was there. I am very high on him. He's the first guy we've had that can reasonably be expected to be a top 6 center. He has size, skating, skill and he's smart. Real solid future for the Stud.
As for his playing with Senyshyn, it's pretty much as burstnbloom said: he can skate with him and can shoot.
As for his playing with Senyshyn, it's pretty much as burstnbloom said: he can skate with him and can shoot.
His career shooting percentage is actually only 10% which is ordinary for a forward. His goal scoring hasn't translated from juniors to the professional level where he can't just skate around all the defensemen.
He can skate for sure, although I don't think he and Studnicka are going to be playing on the same line in the NHL if Studnicka's career goes the way we hope it does.
He can skate for sure, although I don't think he and Studnicka are going to be playing on the same line in the NHL if Studnicka's career goes the way we hope it does.
I'm assuming this is about Senyshyn. He has rarely been put in a position to be set up as a pro. His 200 foot game was exceptionally raw when he started in Providence and has been slow to develop so he's traditionally played in a bottom 6 role. I don't know what his future is but he seems close to ready to play a 3rd line kind of role at the NHL level and it would be nice to see what he can do playing with a kid who is equally/close to as speedy as he is but can put him in a position to succeed offensively.
McAvoy and Chara made the trip to Buffalo and showed up with the team according to CC on twitter.
McAvoy is day to day, expected to skate tomorrow, then they’ll see about Sunday.
Krug is out through the NJ game on NYE at a minimum.
Krug is out through the NJ game on NYE at a minimum.
Kevin DuPont from the Globe. We nicknamed him CC for chubby chaser some years ago. One of us made fun of a shitty anthem singer, and the lady happened to be rather large. KPD registered a screen name to call us out for it. I said something to the effect of “Is KPD related to this lady, or is he just a chubby chaser”. And the rest is history.
And frankly at this point it should probably be retired. He's irrelevant at this point.
It was shocking and horrifying to watch the Caps bully the B's without recourse. The blowout win may be a net loss in injuries. I agree with KP DuPont, the bruins need some muscle, will the return of Z suffice?
Having a “tough guy” won’t deter the Wilsons of the league, in fact it’ll encourage them knowing that all they have to do is deliver a hard hit and they’ll get their team a power play out of it, and Oshie or Ovechkin aren’t going to drop them with anyone so it’s pointless. Sure if they could acquire a good player that also happened to hit hard on the forecheck and get to the net against big defenseman, I’d be all for it, but those guys are few and far between.
After a slow start, Trent Frederic is up to 17 points in 30 games, with lots of facepunching. Of course, he's a left shot and they need a RW so not a great fit in that regard.
At this point who knows. It sounds like every time he makes progress with the knee he has a setback. It may be FUBAR at this point.
There aren’t many guys in the league that can play a power game. It’s a fools errand to search around for one, and in the end they would likely end up regretting whatever the transaction was to add a fighter/power guy. Goons are gone. The aren’t many Wilson’s.They’d need to find a 3rd Tkachuk brother or something. Z can handle it, he doesn’t have to do it much. He already fought Wilson once to calm Wilson down.
It’d be nice to have Miller but I think he is done. Fractured kneecap at the end of last season, re-fractured kneecap rehabbing in the playoffs. Late start to this year, believe he was shutdown in November and hasn’t been on the ice since. A week or two ago Cassidy casually dropped in that Miller had some kind of surgery and there was no timetable for his return.
Edit: And speaking of Frederic’s facepunching, it continues tonight
View: https://twitter.com/ahlbruins/status/1210726180212494336?s=21
It’d be nice to have Miller but I think he is done. Fractured kneecap at the end of last season, re-fractured kneecap rehabbing in the playoffs. Late start to this year, believe he was shutdown in November and hasn’t been on the ice since. A week or two ago Cassidy casually dropped in that Miller had some kind of surgery and there was no timetable for his return.
Edit: And speaking of Frederic’s facepunching, it continues tonight
View: https://twitter.com/ahlbruins/status/1210726180212494336?s=21
Well said cshea and makes sense. Miller not being available in the SCF and so far this year has been a huge loss in this area. Wagner is going to have to help out Chara with this since teams are also going to continue to manhandle Pasta going forward. And please shoot useless Ritchie to the moon.
Lauzon up, McAvoy to IR.
McAvoy skated before practice today. Krug is practicing with the team.
McAvoy skated before practice today. Krug is practicing with the team.
Kuhlman sent to Providence so he’s healthy enough to start playing games.
He needs to get some games in after such a long layoff, but I hope we get a look at Kuhlman playing with Coyle and Bjork sometime this season. Feel like his speed and skating would play well with Coyle and Bjork’s possession game. Bjork can fly too.
He needs to get some games in after such a long layoff, but I hope we get a look at Kuhlman playing with Coyle and Bjork sometime this season. Feel like his speed and skating would play well with Coyle and Bjork’s possession game. Bjork can fly too.
Brad Marchand is fourth in points (tied with the Atlantic captain) but not merit an All Star spot over Auston Matthews and his 8 fewer points and nearly a point less per 60.
Tuukka made it though. So that’s nice.
Tuukka made it though. So that’s nice.
Just read that he’s not even up for “Last Man In”. Bergy got that over him. I love Bergy but he’s played 25% less games.
The perils of filling a 10/11 man roster where 8 teams need to be represented.
Whatever, now Marchand gets rest and doesn’t have to take the 1 game suspension. I hope Rask stays home Bergy loses this vote thing.
Whatever, now Marchand gets rest and doesn’t have to take the 1 game suspension. I hope Rask stays home Bergy loses this vote thing.
I mean this with no snark intended: do the Bruins have a shootout coach?
They went 1-9 in shootouts in calendar year 2019 and no team has lost more SO games than the Bruins since the SO was introduced. It seems to be much more than a simple matter of bad luck, there seems to be a real problem with winning them.
They went 1-9 in shootouts in calendar year 2019 and no team has lost more SO games than the Bruins since the SO was introduced. It seems to be much more than a simple matter of bad luck, there seems to be a real problem with winning them.
It seems like they do a lot of similar moves as well. Look at the shootout vs the Devils, on both Pasta and Bergy, Blackwood just stayed Middle then did the spread eagle glove up save to stop the forehand backhand forehand. Maybe it comes down to how they are being scouted, you could tell on the Wagner shot, he stayed on Wagner's forehand and let him have basically and empty net on his backhand and he roofed it. Even Coyle's tuck attempt was forehand backhand forehand.
They practice it. Bob Essensa compiles a scouting report of every opposing goalie, including shootout information. Some players like to see it, others (Coyle is one) just go. Marchand and Pastrnak are two of the most gifted offensive players on the planet but they stink at it. There’s also a luck element. If Cassidy put Wagner out in Marchand or DeBrusk’s spot when they had opportunities to win, then the game is over.
The goalies haven’t been particularly good at it this season, opponents are 10 for 24 against Rask/Halak. Last season opponents were 6 for 25 against them.
The goalies haven’t been particularly good at it this season, opponents are 10 for 24 against Rask/Halak. Last season opponents were 6 for 25 against them.
I tried to ask this question the other day but somehow but it in the wrong place. With regard to shootouts and the Bruins, their three top scorers (66 goals) have a total of 1 shootout goal in 11 attempts. I was wondering if there was a site that recorded how many of a player's goals were the result of deflections, tip-ins, empty nets. Are Pastrnak, Marchand, and Bergeron good shots or are they lucky shooters? If they relay on deflections, et al., then perhaps that is why they aren't doing well in shootouts.
Pastrnak is an elite shooter, one of the best in the league. Marchand and Bergeron are both very good, way above league average. The shootout isn't about shooting skill, it's a very specific situation that rarely happens in a real game.
Dallas had a Penalty Shot in the Winter Classic. Not sure of their percentages, but for the B's they would be much better off with a Power Play than a Penalty Shot.
PS: Dallas failed to convert
PS: Dallas failed to convert
The OT and SO woes are drawing attention away from the real issue right now- 5x5. We’re now 42 games in and they are very mediocre.
Their ranks:
CF%- 16th, 49.92%
SF%- 16th, 49.69%
SCF%- 15th, 49.91%
HDCF%- 23rd, 48.43%
xGF%- 16th, 49.69%
GF%- 2nd, 57.24%
Those rates represent a big dip from last season. Right now they are decidedly middling at even strength, and the huge gap between their xGF% and GF% is pretty much due to the goalies. Rask and Halak are 3rd and 7th in 5x5 save percentage. Rask is also tops in the league in high danger save percentage at .876. Their record is pretty much a result of the goalies and a white hot Pastrnak and early PP.
Bottomline, they need to improve their 5x5 play. That should result in less trips past regulation. If they keep getting out shot and out chances, they’re in some trouble long term.
Their ranks:
CF%- 16th, 49.92%
SF%- 16th, 49.69%
SCF%- 15th, 49.91%
HDCF%- 23rd, 48.43%
xGF%- 16th, 49.69%
GF%- 2nd, 57.24%
Those rates represent a big dip from last season. Right now they are decidedly middling at even strength, and the huge gap between their xGF% and GF% is pretty much due to the goalies. Rask and Halak are 3rd and 7th in 5x5 save percentage. Rask is also tops in the league in high danger save percentage at .876. Their record is pretty much a result of the goalies and a white hot Pastrnak and early PP.
Bottomline, they need to improve their 5x5 play. That should result in less trips past regulation. If they keep getting out shot and out chances, they’re in some trouble long term.
Also, apparently Cassidy is keeping Coyle at right wing for now. I’m not a fan of this decision.
View: https://twitter.com/_tyanderson/status/1212926658510016512?s=21
They don’t have a viable option to replace Coyle as 3C. Kuraly has always struggled when taken out of the 4C spot and I don’t think Lindholm is anything more than a 4C. That line did have some chances last night but a few died on his stick. I don’t think Bjork and Heinen are good enough offensively (yet, in Bjork’s case) to carry an anchor at center. I’d rather leave Heinen with Krejci, end the Ritchie experiment, and call up Senyshyn and eventually Kuhlman for looks on the 3rd line with Coyle and Bjork.
View: https://twitter.com/_tyanderson/status/1212926658510016512?s=21
They don’t have a viable option to replace Coyle as 3C. Kuraly has always struggled when taken out of the 4C spot and I don’t think Lindholm is anything more than a 4C. That line did have some chances last night but a few died on his stick. I don’t think Bjork and Heinen are good enough offensively (yet, in Bjork’s case) to carry an anchor at center. I’d rather leave Heinen with Krejci, end the Ritchie experiment, and call up Senyshyn and eventually Kuhlman for looks on the 3rd line with Coyle and Bjork.
I know that shootouts and regulation play are different but in 13 overtimes) they have scored two goals (Krug, Krejci) and in shootouts they have scored on 16.0% of their attempts compared to the league average of 32.32%. So what is the explanation when they have the numbers 1, 14, an 21 leading goal scorers in the league?
I think this is a temporary measure until Donny can get a RW (or 3C). As noted above, they really need to get going 5x5 and I’m guessing Butch would rather do whatever wakes DK the fuck up to give the Bs 2+ good lines instead of 1 line and three groups of drek.
I’d throw Studnicka into the fire for a couple of weeks just to see what that group could do.
The good news is that the goaltending is elite, and the defense is a step below elite but has serious depth. If they want to win a Cup though, they’re going to need to get more lines rolling.
I’d throw Studnicka into the fire for a couple of weeks just to see what that group could do.
The good news is that the goaltending is elite, and the defense is a step below elite but has serious depth. If they want to win a Cup though, they’re going to need to get more lines rolling.