Halfway point, where do they stand?

burstnbloom

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Jul 12, 2005
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Exactly. Debrusk plays a game or two and knows his pace needs improvement so he picks it up when he goes back to Rhode Island. It helps beND the development curve. Instead we get Blidh and Kuraly on the 4th line so Riley Nash can make sure Bergeron and Marchand stay defensively responsible.
 

TheRealness

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I believe the C. Miller decision is Julien's. I don't agree with it, and it's a wrong headed decision that actively hurts the team. Yet, I understand it. Claude over values the lef/right pairing, and values McQuaid more than C. Miller because grit grrrr and stuff. This is predictable at this point, and will likely cost him his job considering McQuaid looks to be actively sabotaging the team at this point.
 

joe dokes

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I believe the C. Miller decision is Julien's. I don't agree with it, and it's a wrong headed decision that actively hurts the team. Yet, I understand it. Claude over values the lef/right pairing, and values McQuaid more than C. Miller because grit grrrr and stuff. This is predictable at this point, and will likely cost him his job considering McQuaid looks to be actively sabotaging the team at this point.
I'm sure who to dress is the Coach's call. But McQuaid and both Millers are RH shots, and McQuaid's inexplicable presence puts KMiller on his off side.
 

TheRealness

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I'm sure who to dress is the Coach's call. But McQuaid and both Millers are RH shots, and McQuaid's inexplicable presence puts KMiller on his off side.
Incorrect when it comes to the last game. Claude started Liles over C. Miller, in part because he prefers lefties on the LD spot. So, they had Chara, Liles and Krug on the left, and K. Miller, McQuaid and Carlo on the right. This is what he did in the Carolina game, in large part due to this lefty preference on the left side. This has a trickle down effect on C. Miller, because then he prefers McQuaid to him and benches Colin. Thus our current predicament, where Claude is using old preferences that are actively hurting the team.
 

cshea

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I'm not sure it is a handedness thing. They have 8 D right now, 4 L and 4 R. When Liles was out they moved Kevan Miller to left and basically used those same 6 defenseman for all of Liles' absence. Morrow, a LHD, didn't play a single game.

We'll see how it plays out over the next few games, but I think they simply feel like Liles is their 5th or 6th best defenseman and C. Miller is 7th. They've set up the D where they have a shutdown, 2-way pair (33/25), then 2 pairings of offensive minded player with a "stay at home" guy. Miller and Liles fall under offense, but they feel safer with the veteran Liles. I don't want to get them in trouble for something that hasn't happened yet, but any extended run with Colin Miller in the pressbox would be the team not icing their best possible lineup.
 

lexrageorge

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Possible explanation for C. Miller's benching: The Bruins were on the 2nd game of a back-to-back and end of 3 games in 4 nights. They were also playing their fresh up from Providence backup goaltender. So it's possible Julien decided to play their more defensive-minded blue liners. And it appears that Julien (and/or Sweeney) value the defensive abilities of Liles and McQuaid higher.

I haven't watched enough to really say if that's the case, or even to know if C Miller is above or below average in preventing give aways in his own zone.

As noted, single game decisions are one thing. But I'd also hate to see C Miller sit in the press box on a regular basis.
 

joe dokes

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I'll feel better if this is accurate.


McQuaid should be the guy sitting, but 1 step at a time.

Yeah. My eyes say that Liles is a competent defensive defenseman with capable 21st century breakout instincts. (He seems to show good patience and doesn't just pass the puck to nowhere to clear the zone unless necessary). I dont think any of those things about McQ. But at least it gets CMiller into the game. I'm not going to start hoping McQ gets hurt, but what does it take to sit him?
 

lexrageorge

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Clode's not the only one that loves McQuaid. Sweeney/Neely signed him to a hefty extension not that long ago.
 

allstonite

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Yeah. My eyes say that Liles is a competent defensive defenseman with capable 21st century breakout instincts. (He seems to show good patience and doesn't just pass the puck to nowhere to clear the zone unless necessary). I dont think any of those things about McQ. But at least it gets CMiller into the game. I'm not going to start hoping McQ gets hurt, but what does it take to sit him?
Uhhh
 

cshea

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B's had a State of the Bruins thing today. I watched some of it, it wasn't too bad. Most of the questions were pre-screened, so it wasn't too hard hitting, but at least they stuck to hockey and not concessions.

Some of the highlights...

- Sweeney acknowledge the shooting percentage thing. They are historically low. Knows it should improve but at the same time there's only 37 games left so you can't just sit around and hope for Lady Luck to turn. Obviously they like their shot and scoring chance metrics...but...

- Cam and Don both said they want more pucks on net. Sweeney was talking a little bit about their analytics and said they miss the net at a higher rate than normal from the inner slot/high danger area. That was interesting to me. They want more 2nd chance opportunities. The shots missing the net that rim around and out suck. This seems accurate to me.

- They have no real answer as to why the team sucks at home. Been 1.5 years. Cam thinks maybe on the road they play looser cuz they're not as worried about match ups and they just roll their lines and play.

- On a macro level, they said the goal of the team is to compete now while replenishing the farm and integrating the prospects into the team. Want to compete with current core while developing the next wave and core of the future. When Sweeney took over, him and Cam didn't think the team needed to be stripped down "like a team in the north."

- Trades are hard. Making calls daily but he isn't going to trade a Pastrnak just to fill a need. His job is to protect the players and prospects that will be part of the next core.
 

kenneycb

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How soon can they add a McAvoy or another college kid? can they make a difference?
Frozen Four is 4/6 and 4/8. Regionals are 3/23-3/25. So sometime around there. Given BU's team of mercenaries, I would bet on a mid-April timeline. At least for people that can have an impact on the Bruins and not the Pruins.