Ty Anderson: Figuring out the B's top six

Good point with Dr. Recchi and the dirty goals. He was probably Bergy's second most successful right winger.

Something I caught onto over the years is that Bergy has a surprisingly high shot on net total. 32rd overall last season, around the same as Crosby, Skinner, Stall, Bobby Ryan.

Bergy with 224 shots, Krug 205, Hamilton 188 and Marchand with 180. Ericksson and Yeti close after.

Maybe someone to clean up in front will help........?

Good point with Dr. Recchi and the dirty goals. He was probably Bergy's second most successful right winger.

Something I caught onto over the years is that Bergy has a surprisingly high shot on net total. 32rd overall last season, around the same as Crosby, Skinner, Stall, Bobby Ryan.

Bergy with 224 shots, Krug 205, Hamilton 188 and Marchand with 180. Ericksson and Yeti close after.

Maybe someone to clean up in front will help........?
- JIwasinskiJr

They had nobody doing it last year. It's Fool's Gold sometimes. But if it works, it works. The 2014-15 team couldn't bury a loose puck to save their life.

Good point with Dr. Recchi and the dirty goals. He was probably Bergy's second most successful right winger.

Something I caught onto over the years is that Bergy has a surprisingly high shot on net total. 32rd overall last season, around the same as Crosby, Skinner, Stall, Bobby Ryan.

Bergy with 224 shots, Krug 205, Hamilton 188 and Marchand with 180. Ericksson and Yeti close after.

Maybe someone to clean up in front will help........?
- JIwasinskiJr

It would be nice to have someone just A-Frame (channeling jack edwards *shudders*) in front and be able to bash home garbage goals. Seems that's been really lacking lately on this team.

Hayes, Beleskey, and Connolly are all somewhat of question marks in the top 6. The career high in points/season between those three is 35. I think the team will still have trouble scoring enough.

I like the analysis of the lines. Someone different than what I was estimating but in the end I feel your lines are a better fit Ty.


I had something like this (guessing).

eriksson - krejci - Connolly

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak

Beleksey - Spooner - Hayes

Talbot - Kelly - Ferlin/Rinaldo/(insert providence bruin name here)


After reading your blog about the third line it made more sense to have Eriksson there for defensive support. Also, as much as I like the spoon-pasta combo, I would love to see what Pasta can do with Marchy and Bergy.

I like the analysis of the lines. Someone different than what I was estimating but in the end I feel your lines are a better fit Ty.


I had something like this (guessing).

eriksson - krejci - Connolly

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak

Beleksey - Spooner - Hayes

Talbot - Kelly - Ferlin/Rinaldo/(insert providence bruin name here)


After reading your blog about the third line it made more sense to have Eriksson there for defensive support. Also, as much as I like the spoon-pasta combo, I would love to see what Pasta can do with Marchy and Bergy.
- dothedougie

I love DK and Loui together in this lineup. I think they'd produce and that's a duo that would not make you nervous if they got stuck on the ice vs the Crosbys, Ovechkins and Stamkos'

I also think Pasta would rip it up with Bergy but I kind of like the idea of he and Spooner destroying easy matchups on the third

I love DK and Loui together in this lineup. I think they'd produce and that's a duo that would not make you nervous if they got stuck on the ice vs the Crosbys, Ovechkins and Stamkos'

I also think Pasta would rip it up with Bergy but I kind of like the idea of he and Spooner destroying easy matchups on the third
- Shaundre93

That was kind of my thought. The third line might be more of a defensive liability than the rest, but spoons brings skill while the other two can bruise their way to the front of the net. That is a line I would send out to get a quick garbage goal. Dump, chase, bang bodies, pass around, shoot, crash the net, get rebound, score. If that line got sheltered minutes and lesser competition it would be effective.

There are a lot of ways you can mash this up. But for now I think what Ty presented is the most balanced structure of lines.

That was kind of my thought. The third line might be more of a defensive liability than the rest, but spoons brings skill while the other two can bruise their way to the front of the net. That is a line I would send out to get a quick garbage goal. Dump, chase, bang bodies, pass around, shoot, crash the net, get rebound, score. If that line got sheltered minutes and lesser competition it would be effective.

There are a lot of ways you can mash this up. But for now I think what Ty presented is the most balanced structure of lines.
- dothedougie

Yeah, ty usually ends up being right lol. I guess I'm just nervous about having two relative unknowns on the top line. Belesky especially makes me nervous, can he really improve from last year? Connolly at least is young and obviously talented and has pedigree. He's due for a breakout

Yeah, ty usually ends up being right lol. I guess I'm just nervous about having two relative unknowns on the top line. Belesky especially makes me nervous, can he really improve from last year? Connolly at least is young and obviously talented and has pedigree. He's due for a breakout
- Shaundre93

The way I see it is that Beleksey is much more likely to continue scoring 20+ goals if he plays with a talented center. Will he do it? Who knows. I honestly believe if he plays more sheltered minutes he is more likely to repeat his success.

Not sold on Beleksey. But I guess he really wanted to play for the bruins, so hopefully that is inspiration enough to continue his success.

Not much left to do but sit around and wait for the season to start. Hope for the best.

Pastrnak on the 3rd line? That's not very likely, he is arguably the B's single best offensive weapon and you are going to put him on a checking line? Swap Hayes or Connelly for Pastrnak and that seems more likely.

Beleskey may end up on the 3rd line as well with Spooner and Hayes

I think we could also see
Belesky-Krecji-Pasta
March-Berg-Hayes
Eriksson-Spooner-Conn
Kelly-Kemp-Talbot
ex rinaldo

i think putting pasta with krecji could offer a huge offensive spark and then having hayes with 63/37 lets them have a body who can be out front and bang home rebounds. bergy likes to shoot so getting hayes infront would be ideal. connolly could keep up with spooner/eriksson as well. I'd also like to see at some point maybe getting eriksson-krecji-pasta out there as a line. loui's in a prove it season whether he wants a contract offer from the B's or needs to increase his value elshwere it would be nice to see him come close to that 70 pt plateau again. he just needs the right chances.

I hope I am wrong, but I get the feeling this group will have trouble scoring goals. The lineup isn't very sexy, seems to be lacking a real finisher up front.
Looks like it will need a group effort. They will be fine if the newbies can pump in 15-20 goals a piece.

The lineup may not look super impressive, but I am really hoping out of Hayes, Connolly, and beleskey, we have one surprise that breaks the 20 goal mark.

Lots of question marks, but it could be worse. *insert Mark Mowers and Brandon Bochenski* the latter of which, surprisingly, tears it up in the KHL

I hope I am wrong, but I get the feeling this group will have trouble scoring goals. The lineup isn't very sexy, seems to be lacking a real finisher up front.
Looks like it will need a group effort. They will be fine if the newbies can pump in 15-20 goals a piece.
- Tachmo

Pastrnak is going to be a great finisher, his advanced stats are crazy for offensive prowess. 2nd line scoring is going to be harder to come by, the Seguin trade will go down as one of the worst in recent memory, even worse than Hamilton, two devastating blows.

They had nobody doing it last year. It's Fool's Gold sometimes. But if it works, it works. The 2014-15 team couldn't bury a loose puck to save their life.
- tyanderson

"Fool's Gold" is a good metaphor.

When Dr. Recchi was on Bergy's wing the line was hot and cold scoring goals. They did everything else right but the goals would come in bunches or none.

I bet Hayes would bring the same kind play with garbage pick up. Anything, is more consistent than Smith over the last two seasons.

Still wish we had a couple more speedy/skilled wingers like Pasta though. Sprinkling them around the line-up would be the best, one on each line.

Bergy and Krejci would benefit greatly if they gave them a skill kid like Pasta, just as they did with Seguin.

The Bruins are at their best when scoring by committee. Any time we went deep into the playoffs we had numerous guys hit the 20 goal mark, with more hitting double digits. We don't necessarily need a 30 goal scorer (though it would be a welcomed change of pace) in order to have a solid team. If the boys struggle scoring, obviously my tone will change, but judging by our past accomplishments, we can do it by having a few guys step their game up a just a notch. It's not out of the question to think that guys like Connolly, Hayes, even Pastrnak, can do this.

This team is going to struggle to score goals unles absolutely everything falls in their favour. Krejci bounce back, Spooner and Pasta won't be catching anybody off guard and need to continue to progress, Connolly, Hayes and Beleskey having a better scoring touch then they have had previously in their respective careers and the whole group saying healthy....

A lot to ask for. This team could compete for home ice in their division but a lot of things need to happen. But here's the good news, I believe they are more suited to play in the playoffs and if they get in there, with Rask they will be a tough out for anybody in the East IMO.

Should be an interesting season either way.

Pastrnak is going to be a great finisher, his advanced stats are crazy for offensive prowess. 2nd line scoring is going to be harder to come by, the Seguin trade will go down as one of the worst in recent memory, even worse than Hamilton, two devastating blows.
- ltcompton

devastating is a bit much

Random thought from reading about D FA next offseason.

Buff seems like the D version of Lucic. Overrated and inconsistent.

Awesome-to-ghost spectrum.............

In the cup year, Boston had 12 players score 10 goals or more. Since then no more than 10 players have done this. Maybe it isn't some crazy stat, but I believe this is the kind of team that Boston needs to be next year. No reason Bergy, Krejc, Erik, and March don't each hit 20. And then the rest of the top 9 hit 10 (HOPEFULLY MORE). Then Chara and Krug.

An easy 11 10 goal scorers, with the possibility of Kelly or Rinaldo (bring on the hate)surprising us as well.

Krej 20
Berg 25
Erik 20
March 25
Belesky 15
Hayes 15
Pasta 15
Spoon 15
Connolly 15
Kelly 10
Chara 10
Krug 15

Total of 200

Bank on another 10 combined from Rinaldo and Talbot and another 15 from the rest of the D, that's already 12 goals more than last season and a pretty conservative estimate.

devastating is a bit much
- Fountain-San

The Seguin trade stabbed my Dad.

The Seguin trade stabbed my Dad.
- glove_was_stuck

The Hamilton trade forced me to default on my mortgage.

The Hamilton trade forced me to default on my mortgage.
- Fountain-San

Both Trades made my Alcoholism worse

Both Trades made my Alcoholism worse
- dothedougie

you may need to talk to somebody.