The Bruins have a host of issues they are working through that go beyond the change from Clode to Bruce Cassidy as coach.
In no particular order:
- While at the time I was a fan of the David Backes free-agent acquisition, he looks completely cooked to me this year. Now if he came into the year tired after starting off in the World Cup, that's one thing, but he should have been able to get over the fatigue factor quickly. It's not like the US Team had a long run in that tournament. The problem for me with Backes is that he looks extremely slow for the pace at which the game is now played. And that wouldn't change even if he was playing center regularly, and not currently affixed at wing with 63 and 37. And at his age (32), it's not like he's going to get quicker moving forward over the next four years.
- Does anyone know, really, what happened to the type of game Matt Beleskey used to play with regularity when he was with the Ducks? I know three years ago he scored 19 goals and was an absolute wrecking ball in those playoffs (The series he had that year against Calgary was outstanding), but then he comes to Boston and he's a shell of his former self. And I understand he was hurt this year, so if that has dramatically impacted his ability to move quickly and pursue pucks, he gets a pass. But it's not as if he was a consistent force last year when he was healthy. (And I'm not one wishing he would "drop the gloves." As we all know that goes nowhere in today's NHL and has little value in today's game.)
- Jimmy Hayes still has another year left on his contract at $2.3M. In my lurking days on this board, I read with interest the comments of others so I won't say much about this. But it would be great if we could truly find out who made the evaluation of him as a player that said he was worth that extension, and then who had the final say in the front office with giving him that money. From where I sit there is no justification for that decision. And if it was based off of his one productive season in Florida, what does that say about the B's decision makers in the talent acquisition realm? Gawd.
- Is it just me, or is Ryan Spooner exceptionally soft, even in the kinder, gentler version of today's NHL where contact is minimized. He's fast, skilled, and an above-average playmaker for sure, but there are too many stretches in which he disappears from games. He also has a penchant from shying away from contact along the boards when it comes to digging out pucks. As far as we all know from what was reported in the past, Clode tried to address that last issue with him, but it really doesn't seem to have improved to any degree under Cassidy.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what can be done to get more out of him?
Thanks for letting me join your group.