Sadly, I totally agree. I took a wait-and-see approach on Sweeney after he inherited a challenging cap situation, but from what I've seen so far it is beyond clear that a total house cleaning is essential. The "Bruins" mentality clouds everything the organization does.

The previous regime gave away one of the league's most dynamic players because he wasn't a "Bruins" type player. And none of the brass realized how insane/embarrassing it is to say a player is too good to play for your team. A 21 year old player. Then you replace this non-gritty, too-skilled player with a Lady Byng candidate.

Under Sweeney nothing has changed. He did get a good return for Lucic, should have done better in the Dougie trade, but the issue is asset management. Trade a good pick for Zac friggin' Rinaldo. Trade multiple 2nd rounders for: Brett Connolly, JM Liles, and Lee Stempniak (who could have been had for free before the season and wanted to be a Bruin).

Now in this draft talking about how an organizational need is to be tougher to play against. Reaching 20+ spots to take a guy because he fits that mold. You know what kind of teams are tough to play against? Ones that skate fast, have the puck all the time, and score goals. The team is drowning in its own outdated identity. And as long as they continue to employ ex-Big Bad Bruins it is painfully clear that nothing is going to change.
- Dano819

Agreed. Except a couple of things.

Connolly was Chiarelli's swan song.

I'm not so sure of the identity thing. To me it seems to depend on who wins. I think everyone now is trying to be Chicago. If the Bruins won in 2013 then you have gritty teams in LA and Boston winning twice recently. That would certainly have punched a hole in the "transition game" balloon.

I take their word with a grain of salt, always. However I do watch games and highlights of top prospects before the draft in order to generate my own opinions of the prospects. Generally speaking, the top 30 isnt too bad when it comes to international scouting services. I always have a few deviations of course, but usually the top 20 are pretty solid some ambiguity coming after that.


Last year, we did not take the three best players available. Zboril is the only pick I agreed with, and we were lucky to land Carlo in the 2nd round. This year was much the same. McAvoy is a good pick, and will likely play for the bruins in a few years, but he was not the best player available. And obviously Frederic....as much as I hate to knock prospects out of the gate, should never have been selected in anyone's first round. Frederic would have probably been there at the beginning of the third round.
- dothedougie

Some felt if McCavoy played in the OHL, he would have dominated and made a case to be the top D man taken. He was the youngest player in the NCAA and scored nearly a point per game. I'm sure the B's spent a lot of time scouting him and were very comfortable making that pick. Why risk that on a guy who was throwing up red flags?

Some felt if McCavoy played in the OHL, he would have dominated and made a case to be the top D man taken. He was the youngest player in the NCAA and scored nearly a point per game. I'm sure the B's spent a lot of time scouting him and were very comfortable making that pick. Why risk that on a guy who was throwing up red flags?
- Shaundre93

I'm sure they loved that he is from Boston too. McAvoy might have been a stud in the OHL, who knows. Based on what I have seen, and I have seen both players play, Chychrun is still the better defender with the highest ceiling and will be ready for the NHL sooner. I just hope some of these prospects are ready soon, because next year isnt looking so hot.

I'm sure they loved that he is from Boston too. McAvoy might have been a stud in the OHL, who knows. Based on what I have seen, and I have seen both players play, Chychrun is still the better defender with the highest ceiling and will be ready for the NHL sooner. I just hope some of these prospects are ready soon, because next year isnt looking so hot.
- dothedougie

he's from NY. just going to BU.

Agreed. Except a couple of things.

Connolly was Chiarelli's swan song.

I'm not so sure of the identity thing. To me it seems to depend on who wins. I think everyone now is trying to be Chicago. If the Bruins won in 2013 then you have gritty teams in LA and Boston winning twice recently. That would certainly have punched a hole in the "transition game" balloon.
- glove_was_stuck

My bad, easy to lose track of the underwhelming trades. Sweeney gets a pass on Connolly. But hey, maybe Brett can still become good. He is only 24...he just looks like he's 45.

Agreed. Except a couple of things.


Connolly was Chiarelli's swan song.

I'm not so sure of the identity thing. To me it seems to depend on who wins. I think everyone now is trying to be Chicago. If the Bruins won in 2013 then you have gritty teams in LA and Boston winning twice recently. That would certainly have punched a hole in the "transition game" balloon.
- glove_was_stuck

This is my whole thing, the "Bruin way" was good enough for us to excel for the better part of a decade. It only fell apart because of cap mismanagement. Why are we all so vehemently opposed to it now? (I would not include moving Seguin as a Bruin way thing, that's why PC got fired )

There's nothing wrong with building a speedy team, but with the entire league now trying to copy the Penguins, doesn't it make more sense for the B's to stick to their roots to try to counter act that? Playing copy cat turns you into the Canucks

What bugs me about this regime is their complete lack of interest in taking a chance on a skilled players. Between the guys last year (including JFK) all the B's have are depth guys. McAvoy may turn out to be more skilled but I have a hard time seeing him being anything more than a #4 D.

I'm still can't believe they had three picks in a row and didn't take Barzel or Connor. Garth Snow practically jumped out of his chair and sprinted to the podium to grab Barzel and considering how well Snow patiently rebuilt the Islanders through the draft I'm sure he got another quality player.

The B's don't have a team that is good enough to make the playoffs (not with that D) and the ownership doesn't want to rebuild. The best thing the B's could do would be to trade Chara while you can get something/anything fro him, trade Seidenberg and eat whatever salary you have to, and then think about trading Rask and draft as high as possible for a year or two. The B's are going to become like the B's from the Harry Sinden days. Good enough to claw into the playoffs but not good enough to be a serious threat to win the east.

What bugs me about this regime is their complete lack of interest in taking a chance on a skilled players. Between the guys last year (including JFK) all the B's have are depth guys. McAvoy may turn out to be more skilled but I have a hard time seeing him being anything more than a #4 D.

I'm still can't believe they had three picks in a row and didn't take Barzel or Connor. Garth Snow practically jumped out of his chair and sprinted to the podium to grab Barzel and considering how well Snow patiently rebuilt the Islanders through the draft I'm sure he got another quality player.

The B's don't have a team that is good enough to make the playoffs (not with that D) and the ownership doesn't want to rebuild. The best thing the B's could do would be to trade Chara while you can get something/anything fro him, trade Seidenberg and eat whatever salary you have to, and then think about trading Rask and draft as high as possible for a year or two. The B's are going to become like the B's from the Harry Sinden days. Good enough to claw into the playoffs but not good enough to be a serious threat to win the east.


- Seabass2012

Senyshyn last year was a reach for a skilled player and i believe that they think or thought DeBrusk was a skilled guy too.

My bad, easy to lose track of the underwhelming trades. Sweeney gets a pass on Connolly. But hey, maybe Brett can still become good. He is only 24...he just looks like he's 45.
- Dano819

Oh yeah I wasn't being an Richard about the Connolly just helping out.

I felt the draft was the last shot at getting something done with this group. Sweeney did not get a top paring D. Without that you have nothing. Combine that with Eriksson leaving another 30 goals walks out the door. Which is bad for a team who can't (frank)ing score.

Liquidate it and do it now.

I'm sure they loved that he is from Boston too. McAvoy might have been a stud in the OHL, who knows. Based on what I have seen, and I have seen both players play, Chychrun is still the better defender with the highest ceiling and will be ready for the NHL sooner. I just hope some of these prospects are ready soon, because next year isnt looking so hot.
- dothedougie

I don't think anyone expects them to be contenders next year. Probably will be a bubble team again. Sweeney's said several times he's not sacrificing the future for a quick fix. I do a fair bit of research on prospects myself and the B's have one of the best pipelines in the league right now. It's great gonna start paying off in another year or 2

This is my whole thing, the "Bruin way" was good enough for us to excel for the better part of a decade. It only fell apart because of cap mismanagement. Why are we all so vehemently opposed to it now? (I would not include moving Seguin as a Bruin way thing, that's why PC got fired )

There's nothing wrong with building a speedy team, but with the entire league now trying to copy the Penguins, doesn't it make more sense for the B's to stick to their roots to try to counter act that? Playing copy cat turns you into the Canucks
- Shaundre93

Unfortunately it tends to be a copy cat league. Strap in cause its going to get worse from here. I can handle a rebuild, or a low point if it's clear there is a plan. But this is mediocrity with no direction. A very expensive, mediocre team to be a fan of.

This is my whole thing, the "Bruin way" was good enough for us to excel for the better part of a decade. It only fell apart because of cap mismanagement. Why are we all so vehemently opposed to it now? (I would not include moving Seguin as a Bruin way thing, that's why PC got fired )

There's nothing wrong with building a speedy team, but with the entire league now trying to copy the Penguins, doesn't it make more sense for the B's to stick to their roots to try to counter act that? Playing copy cat turns you into the Canucks
- Shaundre93

Other than the fact that the grit game hasnt worked the best the past two seasons. Its been Jeckyll and hyde for the majority of it, no consistency. When we did make the playoffs last we are dominated by skilled teams. Im looking more at the caps who combine a skilled and physical game. Last year we were just lucky we didnt have long term injuries to Eriksson, Krejci, Marchand or Bergeron. Were it not for those four carrying the vast majority of the scoring, we would have picked top 10 this year. Very little depth scoring.

You cant bang your way into the playoffs anymore with grit, in the new nhl, you need speed and skill as well. Good teams, and stanley cup winning teams combine all three. The bruins are (for the most part) missing two of the three.

Unfortunately it tends to be a copy cat league. Strap in cause its going to get worse from here. I can handle a rebuild, or a low point if it's clear there is a plan. But this is mediocrity with no direction. A very expensive, mediocre team to be a fan of.
- glove_was_stuck

i hope they are as boring to watch as last year.

Senyshyn last year was a reach for a skilled player and i believe that they think or thought DeBrusk was a skilled guy too.
- Fountain-San

I feel like he will turn out to be a more skilled version of PJ Axelsson. That's not a bad thing but hopefully he can at least play consistently on the 2nd line and if not that then find a home on the third line as a good two-way winger.

This is my whole thing, the "Bruin way" was good enough for us to excel for the better part of a decade. It only fell apart because of cap mismanagement. Why are we all so vehemently opposed to it now? (I would not include moving Seguin as a Bruin way thing, that's why PC got fired )

There's nothing wrong with building a speedy team, but with the entire league now trying to copy the Penguins, doesn't it make more sense for the B's to stick to their roots to try to counter act that? Playing copy cat turns you into the Canucks
- Shaundre93

There's nothing wrong with the "Bruins way" if it doesn't hinder your team. Having guys with grit and toughness is great, as long as they can also play the game. Where I have a problem is when a rigid adherence to an unquantifiable idea starts to hurt the on-ice product.

And yes, they did excel for the better part of a decade, but what really hurts is that with better management the window would have stayed open for a lot longer. It could still be open today.

i hope they are as boring to watch as last year.
- Fountain-San

Chances are they will be and I'll be watching more St. Louis games like I did last season.

I feel like he will turn out to be a more skilled version of PJ Axelsson. That's not a bad thing but hopefully he can at least play consistently on the 2nd line and if not that then find a home on the third line as a good two-way winger.
- Seabass2012

i'd take that

Senyshyn last year was a reach for a skilled player and i believe that they think or thought DeBrusk was a skilled guy too.
- Fountain-San

They reach for "two way players with skill". People can interpret that any number of ways.

Chances are they will be and I'll be watching more St. Louis games like I did last season.
- glove_was_stuck

Florida needs fans right?

Florida needs fans right?
- dothedougie

They're a really interesting team. The Yandle contract is an abortion but otherwise they were fun to watch last year as well.

They reach for "two way players with skill". People can interpret that any number of ways.
- dothedougie

we have the best crop of young bi-sexual prospects.

They're a really interesting team. The Yandle contract is an abortion but otherwise they were fun to watch last year as well.
- glove_was_stuck

Yandle got a lot of money. And they are still dragging Bolland's limp corpse around. Yandle should have a few OK years next to Ekblad, but they likely had to overpay him to get him to stick around.


Side note, Arizona is shaping up to be an interesting team as well.

we have the best crop of young bi-sexual prospects.
- Fountain-San

Yandle got a lot of money. And they are still dragging Bolland's limp corpse around. Yandle should have a few OK years next to Ekblad, but they likely had to overpay him to get him to stick around.


Side note, Arizona is shaping up to be an interesting team as well.
- dothedougie

Pronger and Datsyuk are going to be awesome

Oh yeah I wasn't being an Richard about the Connolly just helping out.

I felt the draft was the last shot at getting something done with this group. Sweeney did not get a top paring D. Without that you have nothing. Combine that with Eriksson leaving another 30 goals walks out the door. Which is bad for a team who can't (frank)ing score.

Liquidate it and do it now.
- glove_was_stuck

How are the Bruins a team that can't score? They were right around top 5 in the league....