John Gove: (Kinda) New Bru: Lucic's return provides nostalgia and social media content

I like seeing Looch back. Going to be a decent fit for the bottom line and give it some grit. Its hard to complain about contracts that can be buried 100% in the AHL if they dont work out. Doubt that will happen but if it does at least its not like burying Reilly and then having 1.8m in dead cap space after sending them down.

Expecting a fun home opener. Hope they start his line that game and have him hit everything that moves.

Just embrace it, John.

I like seeing Looch back. Going to be a decent fit for the bottom line and give it some grit. Its hard to complain about contracts that can be buried 100% in the AHL if they dont work out. Doubt that will happen but if it does at least its not like burying Reilly and then having 1.8m in dead cap space after sending them down.

Expecting a fun home opener. Hope they start his line that game and have him hit everything that moves.
- dothedougie

If he can catch them that is...

Just embrace it, John.
- shoreorrpark

Good signing nostalgia aside. Foligno gets 4 million, stop it. Lootch is a better 4th line player at a quarter of the money. Sweeney put together a great team going into playoffs last year but if Lucic is there instead of Foligno different outcome. Lost 3 home games playing that turn the other cheek stuff. Lucic has the garden rocking going at Bennett, Gudas and the big man . Just my opinion. All year long they go after players who rough up their stars (Frederic vs Columbus etc) in the playoffs they play that we turn away stuff. Couldn’t understand it. If Foligno or Frederic take their most important players off for fighting it’s a bad thing ? Plus the garden fans feed off of aggression.

If he can catch them that is...



- Nasty_Duck

Or he can just check the goalies. They might be easier targets for him.

Good signing nostalgia aside. Foligno gets 4 million, stop it. Lootch is a better 4th line player at a quarter of the money. Sweeney put together a great team going into playoffs last year but if Lucic is there instead of Foligno different outcome. Lost 3 home games playing that turn the other cheek stuff. Lucic has the garden rocking going at Bennett, Gudas and the big man . Just my opinion. All year long they go after players who rough up their stars (Frederic vs Columbus etc) in the playoffs they play that we turn away stuff. Couldn’t understand it. If Foligno or Frederic take their most important players off for fighting it’s a bad thing ? Plus the garden fans feed off of aggression.
- johnnypie

I agree with this. If you replace Hathaway or foligno with Lucic. The Panthers would be second guessing the bully approach that helped them win that series. Bruins just took it, thinking they would win the series anyways.

Good to see some new Bruins blogs. Welcome John!

they signed him because he was cheap and they had to fill roster spots, instead of trading an extra goalie for cap space and signing a real forward that liked to play here. They went for it last year, and now they have to pay the price.

Good to see some new Bruins blogs. Welcome John!
- Mahewman

Good to see some new Bruins blogs. Welcome John!
- Mahewman

Here here! Way to work Johnny!

Good signing nostalgia aside. Foligno gets 4 million, stop it. Lootch is a better 4th line player at a quarter of the money. Sweeney put together a great team going into playoffs last year but if Lucic is there instead of Foligno different outcome. Lost 3 home games playing that turn the other cheek stuff. Lucic has the garden rocking going at Bennett, Gudas and the big man . Just my opinion. All year long they go after players who rough up their stars (Frederic vs Columbus etc) in the playoffs they play that we turn away stuff. Couldn’t understand it. If Foligno or Frederic take their most important players off for fighting it’s a bad thing ? Plus the garden fans feed off of aggression.
- johnnypie

The element Lucic brings would've made a difference last season as well as 2019. It's something this group has lacked in the Sweeney era. Never had an issue with the type of player Lucic was/is. The fact that Chiarelli gave him 6X6 was the issue. If you're Lucic you don't say no to that either. I don't blame him for poor asset management.

The element Lucic brings would've made a difference last season as well as 2019. It's something this group has lacked in the Sweeney era. Never had an issue with the type of player Lucic was/is. The fact that Chiarelli gave him 6X6 was the issue. If you're Lucic you don't say no to that either. I don't blame him for poor asset management.
- glove_was_stuck

Ahhh good ol' Chiarelli. Max term, full NMC and +20% above market value is where he starts all negotiations. I'm surprised he hasn't teamed up with Chuck Fletcher. That combo could relocate any franchise.

Ahhh good ol' Chiarelli. Max term, full NMC and +20% above market value is where he starts all negotiations. I'm surprised he hasn't teamed up with Chuck Fletcher. That combo could relocate any franchise.
- dothedougie

Just brutal. I think he did the exact same contract in Edmonton too.

Just brutal. I think he did the exact same contract in Edmonton too.

- glove_was_stuck

As much as I have disagreed with/been on the fence about/ or downright hated the Sweeney and Neely duo over time, things could always be worse.

they signed him because he was cheap and they had to fill roster spots, instead of trading an extra goalie for cap space and signing a real forward that liked to play here. They went for it last year, and now they have to pay the price.
- 77emac77

Unless they overpaid him. Bert wasn't signing in Boston or Detroit. He either wanted to be overpaid or he was going to Toronto to play for his home team.

He has never showed consistency to validate paying him long term.

I like seeing Looch back. Going to be a decent fit for the bottom line and give it some grit. Its hard to complain about contracts that can be buried 100% in the AHL if they dont work out. Doubt that will happen but if it does at least its not like burying Reilly and then having 1.8m in dead cap space after sending them down.

Expecting a fun home opener. Hope they start his line that game and have him hit everything that moves.
- dothedougie

Hes finished.

I agree with this. If you replace Hathaway or foligno with Lucic. The Panthers would be second guessing the bully approach that helped them win that series. Bruins just took it, thinking they would win the series anyways.
- Mahewman

Bruins werent bullied.. they were outplayed. Choke city.

Unless they overpaid him. Bert wasn't signing in Boston or Detroit. He either wanted to be overpaid or he was going to Toronto to play for his home team.

He has never showed consistency to validate paying him long term.
- Mahewman

I thought the report was that he wanted term. No one was giving him that even after he hit the open market. By the time the dust settled and Bert realized he wasn't getting a long term deal he circled back to Boston, but they had already used the cap space for the cheaper players. True or not, it sounds like there was a good deal of miscommunication.

We knew it was going to be a rough off season anyway. Thats what happens when you put all your chips on the table. Now they have to build it back up again with their "retool" since they will not do a rebuild.

I thought the report was that he wanted term. No one was giving him that even after he hit the open market. By the time the dust settled and Bert realized he wasn't getting a long term deal he circled back to Boston, but they had already used the cap space for the cheaper players. True or not, it sounds like there was a good deal of miscommunication.

We knew it was going to be a rough off season anyway. Thats what happens when you put all your chips on the table. Now they have to build it back up again with their "retool" since they will not do a rebuild.
- dothedougie

Yeah. Zero percent chance they were going to start the season with a better roster than they finished with.

I still think the defense is going to lead the way and they are largely intact. You lose Clifton but have Shattenkirk and Lohrei to fill that spot.

I feel like Patrice is coming back… if he wanted to retire I feel like he would have made that call already

Yeah. Zero percent chance they were going to start the season with a better roster than they finished with.

I still think the defense is going to lead the way and they are largely intact. You lose Clifton but have Shattenkirk and Lohrei to fill that spot.

I feel like Patrice is coming back… if he wanted to retire I feel like he would have made that call already
- Mahewman

I agree...to much nostalgia in this season. 20 years for Bergy on the centennial Bruins team...how could he pass that up.

Hes finished.
- LFS

Are you a closet Leafs fan or something?

Cuz it makes no sense that you randomly show up it bruins blog acting like a jackass when Chi and Bos aren't in the same conference, let alone same division.

Bruins werent bullied.. they were outplayed. Choke city.
- LFS

Panthers fed off of their aggressiveness. Letting Bennett and others take the physical lead gave them confidence. All year long the bruins made a point of talking with pride about sticking up for each other.
then in the playoffs their attitude is about not getting involved. Dumb, especially in Boston getting the place jumping by playing no back down in your face style puts Florida in their place. Again why wouldn’t you want your supposed tough players going to the box with “Thacuk” , Bennett, gudas their most important players. Not backing away.
But that aside it still was a major league choke. Up 3-1 in games . Up with a minute to go in game 7. Goes down as a choke. Thought the coach didn’t handle certain things well but that’s another story

Panthers fed off of their aggressiveness. Letting Bennett and others take the physical lead gave them confidence. All year long the bruins made a point of talking with pride about sticking up for each other.
then in the playoffs their attitude is about not getting involved. Dumb, especially in Boston getting the place jumping by playing no back down in your face style puts Florida in their place. Again why wouldn’t you want your supposed tough players going to the box with “Thacuk” , Bennett, gudas their most important players. Not backing away.
But that aside it still was a major league choke. Up 3-1 in games . Up with a minute to go in game 7. Goes down as a choke. Thought the coach didn’t handle certain things well but that’s another story
- johnnypie

it's a bit more simple than that.

They got Bob'd. Bob had a resurgence and played like a Vezina winner. Not a lot a team can do when the G stands on his head.

My understanding was Ulmark was playing with an injury - should have been benched for Swayman after game 5. Ulmark had a SV% of .812 in game 6 and .840 in game 5.

How do expect to win a playoff series when your goalie turns in 2 stinkers in a row?
Make it 3 in a row if you count Swayman's effort. But in his defense how much hockey had he played in the past 2-3 weeks?

it's a bit more simple than that.

They got Bob'd. Bob had a resurgence and played like a Vezina winner. Not a lot a team can do when the G stands on his head.

My understanding was Ulmark was playing with an injury - should have been benched for Swayman after game 5. Ulmark had a SV% of .812 in game 6 and .840 in game 5.

How do expect to win a playoff series when your goalie turns in 2 stinkers in a row?
Make it 3 in a row if you count Swayman's effort. But in his defense how much hockey had he played in the past 2-3 weeks?
- Nasty_Duck

Not really as simple as that since Lyons beat them in game 2. Completely agree with Ullmark not playing anywhere near what was needed. Swayman should have started game 5 and more importantly Ullmark should have been pulled in game 6
He was playing horribly. In my opinion
coach made some questionable calls late season and in the playoffs. With all that said the poor strategy, the poor lineup changes, the erratic play of the D that team still wins with just solid goaltending not great just solid or a more no back away attitude. Guess that falls under poor strategy.