Bruins Thoughts 1.19.21

Welcome back to another edition, to get started here is the song of the post!

What are we watching lately? The Bruins have yet to score an even strength goal and have evened out to 1-1-1 through the first three games of the season. Not only has the offense looked asleep the supposed horses have looked flat. Jake Debrusk and Brad Marchand might not have heard but there is a new season happening right now. The 100% healthy Marchy has had chances but not looked like we all heard he was going to, now, given the “A” he has to step up and simply has dropped the ball to help this team. Jake Debrusk was given a prove it contract for the next two years and thus far, three games in he has proved, yet again, that the Bruins royally failed on that 2015 Draft.

Furthermore, the 3 key pieces on defense, despite teamwise looking good, have fallen off the table when they are asked to be the ‘vets’ on the blue line. Charlie McAvoy has spent more time in the penalty box than in the O-zone. Brandon Carlo looks to have lost a step despite being the Bruins lone ‘defensive stalwart’ in the absence of Zdeno Chara. And Matt Grzelcyk, unfortunately now injured, has been caught in more inopportune situations on the ice than usual and has falter at ever turn for them, falling over himself, fumbling the puck and getting beat by the other teams forwards. Those three have the spotlight on them and have trembled in the early-goings of this season. At leas McAvoy has looked fast out there.

Craig Smith needs to play on the top line with 63 and 37, that’s going to trickle down and help the remainder of the line up. Ailed by a lower body injury at the start, Smitty has looked sparky out there and I think that will help the top line out until our beloved Pasta comes back. Nick Ritchie has been the best forward out there and that is concerning, I have liked his play but he should be the 9th option on this team not number one. I have liked what I’ve seen from Bjork and Frederic, they tilt the ice somehow, someway every time they are out there right now. Once they start tickling the back of the net I could see some line promotions in place. Studnicka has looked the part of a frail rookie and the Bruins future looks dim with his timid play as of late.

Krejci, Coyle and Miller have looked consistent as usual, and I’m glad the grizzled vet has had a great pace and return to play. If only the forwards of that grouping had some more chemistry with their lines. Kase is not the answer to anything and his health should be the number one concern for Bruins fans, he has had a terrible start to being a Bruin and now we have to chalk it up ALREADY to, what could have been. I’ve seen enough from him. If we’re going to have so many young guns playing lets at least give a chance to Senyshyn who clicks with Coyle typically.

In summation, the Bruins needs to continue the strong team defense but mix up some offensive looks, and look to generate sparks in game and on the bench. They return home finally but the automated din of the fake crowd will not be the same for this team. Cassidy needs to do the following with the lines in order to bring balance to the attack:

Marchand-Bergeron-Smith
Debrusk-Krejci-Bjork
Ritchie-Coyle-Senyshyn
Frederic-Kuraly-Wagner

Lauzon-McAvoy
Zboril-Carlo
Vaakanienen-Miller

The goalies have looked solid and continued their play from the bubble and before. A few days off finally at home will do this team wonders and I know things will shape back up, but in the meantime let’s hope the Bruins can get some offense against the Flyers. Nothing like a classic rivalry to wake the boys up. I’m predicting a Gordie Howe Hat Trick by Trent Frederic at some point this weekend.

Cheers!

Morning Bruins Thoughts

Good Morning Bruins Fans! Here is today’s song of the post, if you thought I’d pick any other song you’re sorely mistaken.

Hello out there, hockey is back tonight and before I jump into my Bruins thoughts, I cannot be more excited that hockey is returning and we are in for a wild 116 night ride.

My first Bruins thought today goes to the long overdue Willie O’Ree jersey retirement, not only did the man break one of the hardest barriers in sports he is still a pioneer for bringing the sport nationwide and with his iconic smile too. The number 22 has a spot in the rafters now and that’s where it belongs for all teams. In a year where the NHL has done everything right, they should make this move next.

With Senyshyn getting through waivers and Zboril possibly cracking the lineup we can finally put the 2015 draft talks to rest. It was a complete failure by Don Sweeney, sure, Jake Debrusk is a nice player but until he can dominate a la Mat Barzal or Kyle Conner, he is simply just a nice player. Zboril is never going to be Thomas Chabot and that was evident even on draft day, so the miscalculations of his trajectory are creating ripple effects through the organization. Senyshyn while showing flashes last year has just failed time and time again to grab the reigns and earn a spot in the lineup. Let’s just chalk it up, this draft wasn’t great.

Keith Yandle rumors seem all too perfect however a player of his caliber within the division might cost a young player like Vaakanenien or a few picks. Either way I think a coming home party for a player like him, to fill a hole left by Torey Krug and Chara is a recipe for disaster, he is too much of a gamble on an defensive minded team. I would like the antics, the sound bites, the laughs, the style of play but with it being Boston and he being from the greater area, it could be hard. Conversely the three local kids are playing great here and making it a place for local players to thrive with the success of the team. The question is, does he put this team over the top?

Now for a few quick thoughts on the season before the first puck drop. I am extremely worried that injuries are going to derail this team towards the latter half of the season. For the same mindedness that allowed the front office to walk away from big Z, the schedule is not kind for the 32-37 year olds on this team who are going to have the weight of the teams on their backs. Marchand is older, coming off surgery and might overdue it and tweak something. Bergeron and Krejci have pulled the wagon along for 12 years now and now they are going to have to do that for 56 games in 116 nights (or more). Tuukka Rask, who is facing more criticism than some criminals in the sporting world has expressed his love and need for fans to be in the stands, which we will not get for the majority (or all) of this year. Can he respond to the haters and save the team with a younger D corps?

A lot of questions to be answered in the next several days, and I’m here for it and excited for hockey to be back! Now if only I could get NESN on streaming services…

GO BRUINS!

Morning Celtics Thoughts

Good Morning Celtics fans, here is the song of the post!

As you know we’ve had two games cancelled on us this year due to covid restrictions in place and this is OK and completely understandable. No one is to blame, this isn’t a Rudy Gobert situation, JK it wasn’t his fault either — a lapse in judgement which ultimately led us to see how severe this virus is.

Anyway, after starting the season 7-3 and seeing our stars blossom and grow in the early stages of this season we are left to wonder when will we return to play and what will we see on the court. Jayson Tatum was looking more and more dominant with each possession and each shot. Jaylen Brown was becoming a quiet assassin while defenses were focused on the other J. Robert Williams was learning under Tristan Thompson and he was out performing him, earning his keep on the floor and looking like the steal people said he would grow into, the kid is 22 and has a lot of room to grow, I look forward to his development (this is a pro-Timelord blog FWIW). Let’s not forget the rabbit, Peyton Pritchard is out there looking manic but posed and is taking advantage of every shot, pass and hustle play he can make, as Scal said, it would make Tommy proud.

All these positives were stringing together some solid wins that this Celtics team will need moving forward into another run at the Championship. They were finding ways to win rather than saying to themselves ‘it’s a long season.’ Finding the win, no matter what is what champions are made of. The most positive sign that I have seen in the early goings of the 2021 season is that Marcus Smart is not asking for the ball so much at the end of games, he has been a big brother to the Js but in the bubble, they surely were giving him the ball and it was costing them games. He, Brad and the Js certainly have learned together in their time being here. Also where Smart is concerned, as long as he can accept his role on this team they can do great things. I see a reality where Brad opts to go with a lineup where Smart is the 6th man, and it does not look pretty.

I will say this season has me more excited than when Tatum somehow fell to the Celtics at number three after Danny fleeced the Sixers. I can’t wait for them to restart and hopefully return to the form they were at before they had to get quarantined.

• An after coffee thought, the NBA should be ashamed of themselves on how this season is structured. We’ve seen after MANY sporting events that TRAVEL is a huge component to the virus spreading through teams. And look the Celtics just had a 4 game Road Trip in multiple cities, I was not the least bit surprised when this happened. Sad, but not surprised. The NHL (hopefully) has the most solid return to play plan. Geographic divisions and the top two teams advance to the playoffs. For the NBA, they should have restructured the divisions, abolished the Conferences and have seeds 1-4 in each Division play each other, and then after that mini tournament shuffle it up again to 1-8 seeds and 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7 and so forth. It wouldn’t be ‘normal’ but for God’s sake the past year has not been normal.

All in all, I am thankful sports are back,
Have a great day, GO C’S!

Why you should want the Celtics and Lakers to have an arms race

Good Evening, as Free Agency in 2020 ramps up or cools down depending on your market you should as an NBA fan or fan of the Boston/LA rivalry want one thing and one thing only. An arms race to the 18th Banner. Before we get started, we should take a moment to listen to today’s song of the day which will blend magnificently with the drink of the day (Brewery of the day).

The Los Angeles Lakers have won their 17th NBA Title matching that of the Boston Celtics for the league lead in championships. As a Celtic fan that should churn your stomach and make steam come out of your ears. Which ultimately should cause even further angst in the ownership and alumni of the Celtics. How can we let the Lakers have more trophies than us? And how in the F8** are we going to beat LA?

Enter Jayson Tatum, the 23 year old veteran who has shown the willingness, desire and tangibles to be a star just signed a 5 year extension for the Celtics, however the title hopes don’t look too bright even with Tristan Thompson signing. The Lakers are complete with a proven championship roster, an all world center who can ball handle and – oh yeah – the King. So by the time the Celtics young gun is up for another extension he will probably be wanting to chase a title of which the Lakers may have very well added on several more.

What should happen is the accumulation of talent to match the Lakers at every turn, a la the Red Sox/Yankees battles for free agents in the early 2000’s. The Celtics seem to be content with watching their reign as lifetime Champs of the NBA pass them by. The Celtics need to face the Lakers in the Finals several times in the next several years or else Boston will fall off to mediocrity that they became in the 1990s/2000s. The ’08 Big 3 Era and Danny Ainge fleecing the NBA shouldn’t be enough to hang our hats on much longer.

The Lakers, The Clippers, Denver, Miami, Golden State, The Raptors and even the 76ers and Nets are closer to the next title than the Celtics are as currently constructed. The coach is either coaching the players to play iso-ball or the players are taking it into their own hands year after year. The Celtics have come so close for many years now and something is bound to change. Boston is resting on their laurels of the ‘hot coach’ from a March Madness long ago. Their is no real veteran who commands the room, has the voice to get in the younger players faces and say ‘follow me I’ll will us to victory’ – what you have is Marcus Smart who is more of the older kid in the neighborhood who is going to talk sh%t and thinks he knows best, Tristan Thompson who is new to the room and has plenty of skeletons in his closet and a bunch of role players, how are they going to lead the two Prodigal Sons in Tatum and Brown who are more intellectual basketball players than any of the above mentioned veterans? (Run on sentence… sorry) I’ve long wanted a “Kendrick Perkins type” player who isn’t going to allow nonsense and bickering in the locker room and I hope that Thompson can become that. I hope that Kemba heals up, Tatum takes the reins on this offense and can dominate the rest of the league like he did to some dude here.

I got chills picturing that in a future with Banner 18 on the line. All frustrations put aside I’m excited for the moves the front office has made and I’m ready to watch Tatum take another leap forward and for the Celtics to be the first organization to 20 Banners.