The Boston Bruins must make changes now.
The Boston has only two major problems when it comes to their roster. Their first is that they tend to give contracts that trap the team. While it’s completely understandable for the Bruins to want to lock in their players long-term, they’ve made a few poor choices with their contracts. The B’s other problem is choosing to keep the wrong players in the organization while giving up the players who would make a difference for the Black and Gold.
(The whole Kessel-Seguin-Eriksson deal has been done to death and won’t be repeated here.)
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The Bruins will have no choice but to endure their mistakes for the next few seasons. It’s doubtful they’ll be able to talk some of their players into waiving their no-trade clauses. So, with the Bruins looking at serious cap hell for at least the next two years, it’s imperative they stop the bleeding at the other end.
The Claude Julien system does not have much room for players like Ryan Spooner and Alexander Khokhlachev right now. That has to end at the end of this season. As much as I personally love the Merlot Men, their time in Boston has passed. (Daniel Paille‘s single goal performance so far this season is the most damning indictment this year. Even uber-thug John Scott is beating him in the goal category.) The Bruins need to leave part of that sentiment aside come the off-season.
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The change should start at the fourth line. There needs to be a youth movement and it should begin there. Spooner and Khokhlachev should inherit those positions. They’ll bring the right combination of speed and skill (and perhaps one of them can move up to the third line.)
When it comes to the third line, the Bruins will keep Chris Kelly. He’s shown his value being the most effective leader on the ice so far this season. Hopefully the organization will find a way to keep Carl Soderberg on the payroll next season. Soderberg is one of those players also in line for a line promotion and might be a fantastic pairing with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.
Reilly Smith is playing for a contract this year. OK, he’s attempting to play for a contract this year. If this kind of performance keeps up, I can’t see him staying with the Bruins. Then again, he might activate the Caron clause in his contract and hang around the team for the next half a decade or so.
If the Bruins think they’re having troubles on the front end, they are facing a near disaster on the blue line. Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg are still not playing at one hundred percent after coming back from injury. Dougie Hamilton has been making OHL level mistakes game after game. The best defenseman on the ice right now is Adam McQuaid (and the fan base collectively winces every time he takes a hit now). It’s a pity that Matt Bartkowski finally started playing the kind of hockey the B’s wanted him to play and he has been relegated to the ‘ninth level of hell’ for it.
The B’s have to do something, but with Chara and Seidenberg’s contracts being what they are, it’s another case of having to wait out the storm.
The fans are frustrated. The players are frustrated. I’m sure Claude Julien has had enough of getting in front of the media and telling them that he can’t play for them. So what can they do given the corner they’ve painted themselves in?
It’s time for the Bruins to make some good of the whole Johnny Boychuk disaster. Use those draft picks and move players like Jordan Caron and Matt Bartkowski (or Kevan Miller) to get a top four defenseman. Test the waters with the no-move cause club to see if someone would like to go somewhere else. The B’s have to get out of this hole they’re in, and they have to make a big move soon.
Any time you’re ready Mr. Chiarelli