OffThePost.org

I am bit more optimistic about this team than last year. Taylor Hall was rewarded with a contract in the offseason and CharlieMac was given a long term extension a few days back.

Offseason additions include Nick Foligno, Erik Haula, and Tomas Nosek at the Forward position. IMO this immediately provides depth they haven't had in a few years at this position.

The D is fairly questionable outside the top 4.....(Carlo, CMac, Grz and Reilly). I've seen Forbort in Calgary and he doesn't belong in the top 4. But Between Clifton (who has grown beyond my wrath now), Moore and Zboril they should be able to field a serviceable 3rd D pair.

So there are a few big IFs here....can the top line keep doing it? This is it for one of the best and most under rated players of our era, Patrice Bergeron, and although I can't see him going anywhere else...money talks.

Its too bad Curtis Lazar is on the IR for a bit with a shoulder injury....I've always liked the guy but this could be if for him if one of the kids takes his spot permanently while he's out.

Jake Debrusk (24)....he's looked good in preseason but its time to step up or get a fresh start somewhere else. Charlie Coyle (29)...its now or never for this guy...can you anchor a 2nd line or are you just a role player in the bottom 6 for 5.2 Mil until 2026.

Swayman and Ulmark. I am sold on Swayman but not Ulmark. I was a bit irritated to hear that they will split time initially. I feel Swayman has earned his chance to carry the team until he doesn't.

I don't see this team not making the playoffs this year. Back in the Atlantic and a lot of the teams have digressed. At the worst the B's are a number 4 team behind the Leafs, Lightning and Panthers. At their best they could lead the Atlantic easily. A lot rides on the new goal tending tandem and of course there is always the option of calling Tuuka early next year as a stop gap. Scoring should be a bit more even and that's going to go a long way in taking pressure off the top line.

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DeBrusk is a guy I wish the Avs would go and get. I realize he's a tad inconsistent but he's precisely the type of player they need. Don't know exactly what the Avs would send in return though.

Ugh...Terrible night out of Swayman. Well I was a firm believer it was his until its not.....now its time to see Ullmark!

Doesn't help this is only their 2nd game in 2 weeks.

Don't typically watch the Flyers but this is the second game that I have seen of theirs so far this season. Revamped backend, Ristolainen, Yandle and Ellis. Joel Farabee looks good...Atkinson, Konecny, Couturier, Giroux.......if Hart and Jones can provide a stable tandem that's a top Met team.

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About that McAvoy extension, the other young D set the market, so nothing the B's could do. I think having McAvoy underpaid a few years really helped them keep the band together. Might be hard to scrape some defensive depth going forward.

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I'm glad the Bruins finally paid up for a core player...it was hard being a B's fan in the Bourque Era when they continually just let the talent around Ray walk because they were too cheap under Old Man Jeremy.

Yes...hence my Please Sell The Bruins stickers I used to have up everywhere......thank God those days haven't returned.

UNDEFEATED...Buffalo Sabres tonight! Sure Ullmark gets a stab at it.

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Ouch this has been a tough run of late. All the undefeated teams seemed to arrive at once...and although they handled the likes of Buffalo and San Jose....

Florida and Carolina were MUCH different. The B's are now .500 and they have played some new and improved teams (Philly) but it doesn't get any easier with Florida again on Saturday.

Things of note.....I hate to say it but Patrice looks different this year......I know it takes the old guys a bit to get going but he's slower all around.

Although impressed with Swayman last year and in preseason, presently I am a little disappointed. Ullmark has outplayed him so far.

Lazar is back in the lineup and he obviously needs game reps.

Craig Smith looks done.

Nosek has been a decent surprise and Jack Studnicka is noticeable.

Tough schedule to start but that's what happens some times.

Candy corn sucks!

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Haven't seen the B's up close but given their very obvious depth issues and possible questions in goal they're definitely a work in progress.

Patrice gets it going in a big way and pots 4 against the poor Wings.

I like him camping in the mid slot now. He's still positionally brilliant and has a quick release. He did come down the side and score his last one though even strength (with a sweet pass from Brad).

Marchand also had 4 assists and Pastrnak was off skating by himself somewhere.

It hard to get going for these old guys when you aren't playing consistent games...and the B's have not been since the season started.

Swayman was there when he had to be and the team played tight around him but there wasn't a lot of even strength play.

Of course if there is a guy in Boston doing it some putz from the Island also has to put up 4 the same night......

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Yes, we know!

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Love your descriptions like this

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

Definitely accurate!

AFTER 10

Bruins are 6-4 and 5th in the Atlantic......

Cassidy calls out Forbort for soft play which isn't surprising. He's not a top four guy.....and barely slots in the bottom pairing! So seriously if he's going to play like that I'd rather see Clifton......mmm....maybe not!

Anyway its typical Bruins....Top line or nothing. Its time for Pasta to start scoring goals, this guy should be leading the team in goals....period.

Charlie Coyle just isn't that guy. I like him but he's a 3rd line center at best at this point in his career. He's got 6 points in 10 games which is fairly decent but that 2nd line still isn't getting it done when needed.

Jake Debrusk has gone missing once again and Craig Smith is DONE as I've said before.

Studnicka is getting a long hard try out here. Is he stud material?

Lazar made his way back and looks good out there.

Haula....has been very good on faceoffs (60%). He's really emerging as that 3rd line guy (watch out Charlie!)

CharlieMac is earning his money!

This could be a very telling matchup against the Oil tonight.

Foligno is back in and Frederic is out after taking a standup clean hit in the neutral zone in the Ottawa game (yep somehow that still exists).

The goaltending is not what I expected. Ullmark and Swayman are ehhhh......Swayman looks way off......like his confidence is shaken and he doesn't know if he belongs at this level. Let's see who they sacrifice tonight!

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Coyle was always only a 3rd liner, it's kinda why the Wylde moved on from him, he didn't develop as well as they had hoped (I believe he was the primary asset traded in the Brent Burns deal).

It really feels like the Krejci retirement took the B's by surprise, they didn't appear to have a Plan B. Not blaming Krejci of course, just seems like Boston just wasn't prepared or just wasn't able to clear enough cap room in time to try getting a replacement in the offseason.

Yeah I like Charlie (even when he broke in with the wild) and I still think he's a good player...he's just not capable of of anything more than a third line role which he does well. Asking him to do that this year was a mistake but as said above...they didn't have a choice.

Brandon Carlo had one of the worst nights I have ever seen him have against the Oil last night.

The D in general was making very interesting choices with the puck....I am not used to seeing that end of game breakdown out of a typically tight Bruins team. I figured Cassidy could hodge podge a 3rd pairing with what he had but not a lot of folks stepping up.

Pasta showed up.....I am not sure what he's going to do without Patrice at some point. He likes to float and let Brad and Patrice do the work. He's a great player but without Brad and Patrice I am not so sure he'd be able to maintain his level. I'd have to see more out of him individually to pay him the big bucks he is probably going to command on the open market in a few years.

This active D man thing seems to be gaining more steam in the NHL lately....I watched Tyson Barrie repeatedly attack the line and then drop pass/defer back to an oncoming McDavid. I guess that's designed to break the wall on entry or draw a penalty. Its a play/tactic that never would have happened 10 years ago.....but It seems to work as long as you have a d minded winger or a commitment to layers. It really works when a team takes a night off like the Canucks!

Connor Clifton got back on my shit list again last night. I am watching that guy!

That Oil team is good and the Bs played the well for the most part until the 3rd. Hopefully they took it as a lesson

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Secondary scoring is still an issue.....I had thought that might be improved based on what I saw early on but not the case. Ride or die with the top line!

Something is off with Brandon Carlo...I have never seen him play this bad....

Clifton has lost his spot to Zboril, rightfully so.

Bruins need a second line Center.

No shame in the beatdown provided by Calgary last night. Flames are just a better team right now.

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From what I understand, B's are getting destroyed on special teams.

Once again the Bs are trying to find a new home for Jake DeBrusk.

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Marchand suspended 3 games for the slew foot vs the Canucks. This is his 7th time being suspended. How does he only get 3 games with the supposed repeat offender rule? Is it repeating the same offense?

I know others (cough Subban cough) have slew footed people this year and gotten minor fines, which I think is BS, but I just find it crazy a guy on this 7th suspension gets 3 games.



And now Bruce Cassidy is in covid protocol.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Avs are reportedly interested. And I hope to hell they get him.

It's funny how regularly the Bruins do this. Every few years they alienate a player to the point where he gets traded away for peanuts. It's now hilarious that it's happening with the ONE GOOD PLAYER they got out of that disastrous 2015 draft.