Boston Bruins Look to Improve, Despite Being Bad in Numerous Areas
Apr 26, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins right wing Jordan Caron (38) skates with the puck as Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brian Lashoff (23) defends during the first period in game five of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
“We used to be a team that not many teams like to come in this building and play us, and I don’ t think it’s the same thing this year,” said forward David Krejci
Each and every year the Boston Bruins battle with finding consistency in their game. Whether it comes from a multitude of injuries, trades or a mid-season slump, they always seem to hit a rough patch. This season, it started right from the get-go. The Bruins have been struggling since last season to find a replacement for Jarome Iginla and have yet to find a good fit. They are struggling defensively with Chara still working his way back into things and attempting to fill a void that was Johnny Boychuk and goaltending has been anything but on point.
The Boston Bruins have always been a team that takes pride in the way that they play the game, a solid and full sixty minute effort. Something that we have seen glimpses of, but only for short periods of time this season.
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“We’re obviously putting ourselves in holes in games, and it gets to the point where they’re too big to dig yourselves out of them. That falls on us, as players, and not bringing that hunger for 60 minutes and playing the game the way it should be played for the 60 minutes.” Chris Kelly told the media following the teams’ practice on Sunday.
“We used to be a team that not many teams like to come in this building and play us, and I don’ t think it’s the same thing this year,” said forward David Krejci.
The Boston Bruins used to be a team that were prided for their style of play, big, bad and, at times, brutal. Now, they’re soft. They are getting beaten during battles in front of the net, at the boards and even in their own defensive zone. In fact, they are turning into a team of underdogs than showing off their Bruin Brutality. In all sorts of the word, the Boston Bruins are soft. If they stand a chance at turning their 7-9-1 record around, they need to go back to their roots and play the style of hockey that they are known for.
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They have always prided themselves on accountability and they know that it isn’t any one players fault or absence that has put them in the position that they are in, grasping onto a Wild Card position for the playoffs, when they normally would hold down one of the top seeds. Going forward, they are making some changes in calling Jordan Caron back up and placing Matt Fraser on waivers with the intent of him playing in Providence. Jordan Caron is no stranger to the NHL and knows what he needs to do to stick around.
Since being drafted in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, 25th overall, he has struggled to find a rhythm at the NHL level. Despite only registering 3 points last season and 36 penalty minutes, he was offered another one-year deal and stick around. He was slated to take Shawn Thornton‘s position on the fourth line, but after an unimpressive pre-season he was assigned to waivers, which he cleared, and has since been lighting the lamp in Providence. Naturally when a player gets some ample time in the big leagues then gets demoted, you suspect there may be bitterness. However, Caron handled the transition in stride and has since been making a stand.
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“I’m older now. I’ve got to learn from the past,” Caron said. “That’s one thing that I wanted to do was come down here, keep improving, keep working on my game and help the team be better.”
“(Caron)’s been playing well. You know he’s been on the top line, he’s been playing well. So we need to maybe get those guys an opportunity. He’s got some experience, so if he’s deserving, he gets a chance to get called up.” Claude told the Herald.
Adding the experience of Caron alongside the fourth line could help to generate some offense among Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille who have been struggling to find their groove. Paille who is normally the shorthanded breakaway king has been held to a single goal this season, while Campbell has found more luck dropping the gloves than finding the back of the net.
Looking Ahead
Tomorrow the Boston Bruins are slated to take on the Detroit Red Wings and could possibly do so without the likes of Milan Lucic and Patrice Bergeron. Both players were missing from the teams’ 45-minute practice today with undisclosed injuries and are being pronounced ‘day-to-day’. Bergeron was on the ice for three shifts during the third period against the Columbus Blue Jackets before being sent to the locker room for precautionary reasons. Meanwhile Lucic took regular shifts until his last one that had 3:24 remaining in the third. Whatever the reasons, with the already struggling offense the Boston Bruins can not afford to have two of their top performers missing for any stretch of time any longer.