Just how good is this team we've got here?

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,948
This team just looks so freaking good, it's scary.  Got to be the best 15 game stretch by a Bruins team that I can ever remember.  They aren't just winning games, they are crushing teams in all aspects from goaltending in their end to battling in front of the net on the other end, and everything in between.  It really is fun to watch.
 

TSC

SoSH's Doug Neidermeyer
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2007
12,280
Between here and everywhere.
Deathofthebambino said:
This team just looks so freaking good, it's scary.  Got to be the best 15 game stretch by a Bruins team that I can ever remember.  They aren't just winning games, they are crushing teams in all aspects from goaltending in their end to battling in front of the net on the other end, and everything in between.  It really is fun to watch.
November of 2011 was pretty epic.
 

Manzivino

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
7,139
MA
I love how they're just beating the shit out of everyone physically and crushing their spirits. Scary good when all 4 lines are clicking like this stretch and the young D minimize bad decisions.
 

Dollar

Member
SoSH Member
May 5, 2006
11,087
TheShynessClinic said:
November of 2011 was pretty epic.
Not a bad choice, but my heart will always be with December of 2008. That's when you started to really get the feeling that this group was going to be something special.
 
From Oct 25 to Jan 1st that season, they went 27-3-1.  Ridiculous.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,948
November 2011 was pretty awesome, Shyness.  I'd have to look at the numbers, but for some reason, I don't remember them absolutely crushing teams like they are on this stretch though.  I could be completely wrong, but I'd be interested to see what the goals for/against were during that run, this one and the one in 2008.  Of course, that's not the only metric to decide which run was better, but it's a good barometer to start from.  Hard to quantify the other things, like completely demoralizing the shit out of your opponents, which this team and the others seem to be doing in spades.
 

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,060
Portland, OR
The thing that's impressed me on this run is how BORING the Bruins are winning.    Their last 5 games have followed the same script: Take an early lead, play great defense, pull away late, get a couple shots at an empty net.  This team can withstand whatever first shot the opposing team can give them, and then it just outlasts the other team. 
 

Red Right Ankle

Formerly the Story of Your Red Right Ankle
SoSH Member
Jul 2, 2006
11,938
Multivac
Deathofthebambino said:
November 2011 was pretty awesome, Shyness.  I'd have to look at the numbers, but for some reason, I don't remember them absolutely crushing teams like they are on this stretch though.  I could be completely wrong, but I'd be interested to see what the goals for/against were during that run, this one and the one in 2008.  Of course, that's not the only metric to decide which run was better, but it's a good barometer to start from.  Hard to quantify the other things, like completely demoralizing the shit out of your opponents, which this team and the others seem to be doing in spades.
They were 12-0-1 and scored 6 or more 6 times.  They scored 59 goals to 25 for their opponents.  It was... ridiculous.
 
On this streak, counting tonight, they are at 40 goals for, 15 against.  Also, ridiculous.
 

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,060
Portland, OR
TheStoryofYourRedRightAnkle said:
They were 12-0-1 and scored 6 or more 6 times.  They scored 59 goals to 25 for their opponents.  It was... ridiculous.
Jack noted that they're 40-15 in goals in this 10 game streak.  The OT win in TB and the game vs Phoenix were the only 1 goal games. 
 

Seabass

has an efficient neck
SoSH Member
Oct 30, 2004
5,342
Brooklyn
The Devils announcers couldn't have been more effusive in their praise of the B's. 
 

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
Dollar said:
Not a bad choice, but my heart will always be with December of 2008. That's when you started to really get the feeling that this group was going to be something special.
 
From Oct 25 to Jan 1st that season, they went 27-3-1.  Ridiculous.
 
Yep, that is always the gold standard to me. Especially coming off the 07-08 series against Montreal, it helped sell hockey in this city and let us know we were maybe seeing something special here. It felt like a team arriving and collectively realizing that they were "really fucking good" and loving playing together. The run in November 2011 was also good, but it felt like a team that knew it had to wake the fuck up and almost got angry at themselves for how they played the first month and took it out on the rest of the league.
 
This though, this is just methodical. They're not winning pretty (for the most part), but they are just suffocating teams, and doing it with a rotating cast of players, many of whom won't sniff the ice in the playoffs. They just feel like they marching full speed towards the playoffs, with the attitude that "this doesn't mean shit in the long run, but if we have to play these games we might as well play awesome".
 
Keep it rolling.
 

Red Right Ankle

Formerly the Story of Your Red Right Ankle
SoSH Member
Jul 2, 2006
11,938
Multivac
AMcGhie said:
Jack noted that they're 40-15 in goals in this 10 game streak.  The OT win in TB and the game vs Phoenix were the only 1 goal games. 
So, 4 GF per game versus 1.5 GA, 2.5 differential per game, in this streak versus 4.53 GF to 1.92 GA, 2.61 differential per game.  If I'm doing the math right.  So 2011 was better on a net basis but both streaks are dominant.
 

Dollar

Member
SoSH Member
May 5, 2006
11,087
AMcGhie said:
Jack noted that they're 40-15 in goals in this 10 game streak.  The OT win in TB and the game vs Phoenix were the only 1 goal games. 
 
As a comparison, the best 10-game streak I could find in Dec 2008 was 10-0-0, 51 GF, 22 GA.  Pretty damn amazing.  Goals scored by game: 7 4 8 4 6 2 4 2 5 4.
 
Even more amazing?  In five of those games, the starting goaltender was Manny Fucking Fernandez.
 

Red Right Ankle

Formerly the Story of Your Red Right Ankle
SoSH Member
Jul 2, 2006
11,938
Multivac
Dollar said:
 
As a comparison, the best 10-game streak I could find in Dec 2008 was 10-0-0, 51 GF, 22 GA.  Pretty damn amazing.  Goals scored by game: 7 4 8 4 6 2 4 2 5 4.
 
Even more amazing?  In five of those games, the starting goaltender was Manny Fucking Fernandez.
That whole November-December time period was completely nuts.  They lost 3 games in 2 months.
 

Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
Moderator
SoSH Member
May 20, 2003
35,734
Deep inside Muppet Labs
I think that "8" game in that Dec 2008 streak was the game where a bunch of us from here went, and Thomas got yanked for the 3rd after giving up a few awful goals and Manny came in and slammed the door.

Good times.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,948
Prior to this 10 game streak, the B's went 7-2-2 in their prior 11, and they outscored their opponents 44-26.  That puts them at 17-2-2, with 84-41 scoring margin over their last 21 games.  They've gotten 36 out of a possible 42 points during that stretch.  No matter how you slice it, the numbers are starting to get a bit staggering.
 

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
Smiling Joe Hesketh said:
I think that "8" game in that Dec 2008 streak was the game where a bunch of us from here went, and Thomas got yanked for the 3rd after giving up a few awful goals and Manny came in and slammed the door.

Good times.
 
Yep that was definitely the game. Krejci had a hat trick that game and I sat next to Nils and tried to match him beer for beer. I failed, miserably.
 

LogansDad

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
29,067
Alamogordo
SoxFanInCali said:
We are very fortunate to be fans of this team.
You aren't kidding.  And, to be honest, it isn't even just how dominant they have been, part of it is that the entire organization, from top to bottom is absolute professionals about winning.  They don't dive.  They don't lay on the ice after getting injured to try to draw a whistle (though sometimes I feel like this costs them). They hit hard, and a lot, but nobody goes out of their way to be dirty about it.  There is not a single player on this team that I do not truly enjoy cheering for.
 
I'll be in the house Saturday in Phoenix for my first live Bruins game ever, and can't fucking wait.
 

Over Guapo Grande

panty merchant
SoSH Member
Nov 29, 2005
4,461
Worcester
TheStoryofYourRedRightAnkle said:
They were 12-0-1 and scored 6 or more 6 times.  They scored 59 goals to 25 for their opponents.  It was... ridiculous.
 
On this streak, counting tonight, they are at 40 goals for, 15 against.  Also, ridiculous.
 
The great thing about 2011 was that we were doing daily game threads at that point, so it was one full page of threads started by TSC. And, Bane. 
 

TFP

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Dec 10, 2007
20,380
We did those in 2008 too, believe it or not. That season was basically the peak of RMPS gamethreads.
 

TSC

SoSH's Doug Neidermeyer
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2007
12,280
Between here and everywhere.
The Four Peters said:
 
Yep that was definitely the game. Krejci had a hat trick that game and I sat next to Nils and tried to match him beer for beer. I failed, miserably.
 
The crazy thing about that bash was that almost all of us were in the same section. I bought my tickets like 2 days before the game, and there were still empty seats around us.
 
No way that happens in the last 3 or 4 years.
 

Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
Moderator
SoSH Member
May 20, 2003
35,734
Deep inside Muppet Labs
TheShynessClinic said:
 
The crazy thing about that bash was that almost all of us were in the same section. I bought my tickets like 2 days before the game, and there were still empty seats around us.
 
No way that happens in the last 3 or 4 years.
 
The craziest thing at the bash is that none of us got into any fistfights, either with surrounding fans or each other. Has to be considered a big upset.
 

TSC

SoSH's Doug Neidermeyer
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2007
12,280
Between here and everywhere.
Smiling Joe Hesketh said:
 
The craziest thing at the bash is that none of us got into any fistfights, either with surrounding fans or each other. Has to be considered a big upset.
 
We were helped in that there weren't any.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,164
Cambridge, MA
I think I was sitting next to Sille drinking out of a flask for that one.

Because I was still 19 #agebrag
 

Pumpsie

The Kilimanjaro of bullshit
SoSH Member
Seabass177 said:
The Devils announcers couldn't have been more effusive in their praise of the B's. 
Yeah, and that's what they should have been.  Devils fan here.  So THAT'S what a really good team looks like!  Bruins made it look easy. The Devils didn't play poorly (well Brodeur could have been better), it's just that they look REALLY old and slow and untalented on the same ice as the Bruins.  And nothing in the pipeline for the Devils...at all.  If the Devils' new owners had any brains, they'd fire Lou and pick off someone from the Bruins organization to be their next GM. The B's organization, with the Patriots and Red Sox, are a triumvirate of well-run franchises.
 

TSC

SoSH's Doug Neidermeyer
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2007
12,280
Between here and everywhere.
Pumpsie said:
Yeah, and that's what they should have been.  Devils fan here.  So THAT'S what a really good team looks like!  Bruins made it look easy. The Devils didn't play poorly (well Brodeur could have been better), it's just that they look REALLY old and slow and untalented on the same ice as the Bruins.  And nothing in the pipeline for the Devils...at all.  If the Devils' new owners had any brains, they'd fire Lou and pick off someone from the Bruins organization to be their next GM. The B's organization, with the Patriots and Red Sox, are a triumvirate of well-run franchises.
 
 

Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
Moderator
SoSH Member
May 20, 2003
35,734
Deep inside Muppet Labs
It's really insane. Just looking at some basic stats, the Bruins don't have anyone in the top 20 in points. Their top goal scorer (Iginla) is 19th in the league in that category. Krejci is 9th in assists, but no other Bruin is in the top 20.
 
Then you get to +/-, as flawed as a stat as it may be. 6 Bruins are in the top 21 in +/- this year.
 
4 Bruins have more than 20 goals, 7 have more than 15, and Krug has 14 and Yeti has 12.
 
Rask is 3rd in %, 2nd in GAA, 1st in SO, 5th in wins. Johnson is 15-3-1, 2.14, .921 as a backup.
 
Just smothering the hell out of teams with 4 line play and incredible defense.
 

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 13, 2002
28,535
right here
Pumpsie said:
Yeah, and that's what they should have been.  Devils fan here.  So THAT'S what a really good team looks like!  Bruins made it look easy. The Devils didn't play poorly (well Brodeur could have been better), it's just that they look REALLY old and slow and untalented on the same ice as the Bruins.  And nothing in the pipeline for the Devils...at all.  If the Devils' new owners had any brains, they'd fire Lou and pick off someone from the Bruins organization to be their next GM. The B's organization, with the Patriots and Red Sox, are a triumvirate of well-run franchises.
This I think is my favorite thing about the last 2 nights. Both Minny and NJ played pretty good games - the Bruins were just plain better. That goes back more than the last 2 but the national guys were all over it Mon (which for some reason carries more weight than Brick/Jack since you kind of expect a litttle bias) and obviously the Devils announcers were last night.
I said it a few games ago and AMcGhie said it last night, they get a lead and then they've been just incredible at turning it into a boring game. Which is so not a bad thing when you have a lead. It's been fun to watch that's for damn sure.
 

FL4WL3SS

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
14,913
Andy Brickley's potty mouth
I was curious this morning to see what the most points the Bruins have ever had in a season and if this team had a legitimate shot at topping that mark. The 70-71 team had 121 points in only 78 games, that's damn impressive; this year's team is currently on pace to put up 117 points, which would be the 3rd best total in team history (with the top two teams doing it in 78 games). They have an outside shot at reaching the 121 mark.
 
What I found while looking, however, is that the Bruins have had 21 seasons over 100 points (including this season) and 4 of those have come under the 7 year reign of Julien. Last season the team had an 105 point pace in the 48 game shortened season. So effectively Julien has coached this team to 5 100 point seasons in his 7 years as coach (with the other two seasons at 91 and 94 points).
 
I appreciate what the Bruins have done over the last 7 years, but maybe I need to appreciate it a little more.
 

Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
Moderator
SoSH Member
May 20, 2003
35,734
Deep inside Muppet Labs
Not to rain on the parade, but could part of the reason Claude's had so many 100+ point seasons is the rule change giving teams a point for making it to OT? His results have been fantastic, no doubt, but he's also coaching in an era where it's marginally easier to reach 100 points due to the extra point being awarded for OT and shootout games.
 

smastroyin

simpering whimperer
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2002
20,684
The loser point was added in 1999.  Without the loser point, the Bruins would be over 100 points only once in Julien's career (although well on their way this year).  Although it is hard to calculate how the incentive changed and how the results may have been different without the loser point.
 
On the other hand, there is an argument that there is more parity now.
 
This year they have a good chance at most wins (54) since the 1972 team.  Currently at 47 with 13 to go.  Even with the era differences, that is pretty good considering they don't have some kind of amazing shootout record.  They could continue to be so hot that they catch the 71 team with 57 but that's a long shot.  Also fuck you Ken Dryden.
 

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 13, 2002
28,535
right here
Just for shits and giggles I was playing around with +/-. The 06-07 (Dave Lewis. Shudder.) had 2 guys who finished the year as a + (Mark Stuart (7) And Brandon Bochenski (3)). This year everyone is at 0 or better except Spooner (-1), Nick Johnson (-4), and Caron (-5).
I know +/- sucks but that made me chuckle.
 

RedOctober3829

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
55,299
deep inside Guido territory
This team has the best 4 lines of any Bruins team I can remember. The KIL line is absolutely crushing teams right now. Bergeron-Marchand-Smith have been very good even though Smith has cooled off. Bergy is an absolute joy to watch play in any aspect of the game. With the emergence of Soderberg the 3rd line is the best 3rd line in hockey. The Merlot line speaks for itself. This team is more skilled and certainly more balanced than 2011. They just have to finish the deal come June.
 

Haunted

The Man in the Box
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2006
6,196
They're peaking too early!  They'll be spent by the playoffs!
 
</Mazz>
 
 
 
 
What amazes me the most is the consistency on defense, despite having both Seidenberg and McQuaid out for such a long time.  There are still lapses from time to time but for the most part the whole defense is tight as a drum.
 

durandal1707

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 18, 2007
6,131
Per NHL.com's stat page:

G/G: 3.20 (2nd)
GA/G: 2.12 (2nd)
5-5 F/A: 1.58 (1st)
PP%: 20.3 (9th)
PK%: 83.7 (10th)
CorsiFor%: 54.4 (3rd) (per HockeyAnalysis.com)

Anyway you slice it, the Bruins are an elite team.  Arguably the best from an objective perspective: the Kings are the only team better defensively (by 0.03 GA/G) but rank 27th in G/G, the Blackhawks are the only team better offensively but rank 10th in GA/G, and the Blues are just behind the Bruins being 3rd in both categories.  The Bs are up by 0.16 goals to their closest 5-on-5 competition (Chicago), and the two teams ahead of them in puck possession are LA and New Jersey (currently out of the playoff picture).

Gotta give a lot of credit to Claude and co. - this team's "fatal flaw" since the absence of Savard has been its power play, which now is a top 10 unit.  The biggest weakness with this year's team has been the penalty kill since Seidenberg went down, but in recent games they've been much better in that regard and have also shown good discipline.  If the team stays out of the box like it has during this 10-game win streak, they've got to be the toughest team to beat come playoff time.
 

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,060
Portland, OR
IIRC they killed 20 in a row before giving up the 5-3 goal at the beginning of the 2nd vs NJ.  I think the loss of Seidenberg threw them off-kilter, but Miller and Meszaros have both stepped up and filled the PK void pretty well. 
 

Myt1

educated, civility-loving ass
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Mar 13, 2006
41,579
South Boston
If this team drew powerplays at even an average rate, they'd be damn near unstoppable.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
They're big and incredibly strong on the puck. It's tough to haul them down, so they don't draw as many calls. Marchand has a well earned rep as a diver so that hurts him, but he has cleaned that up a bit.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,164
Cambridge, MA
To cshea's point, it feels like the next penalty Lucic draws will be his first, through no fault of his own
 

FL4WL3SS

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
14,913
Andy Brickley's potty mouth
durandal1707 said:
Per NHL.com's stat page:

G/G: 3.20 (2nd)
GA/G: 2.12 (2nd)
5-5 F/A: 1.58 (1st)
PP%: 20.3 (9th)
PK%: 83.7 (10th)
CorsiFor%: 54.4 (3rd) (per HockeyAnalysis.com)

Anyway you slice it, the Bruins are an elite team.  Arguably the best from an objective perspective: the Kings are the only team better defensively (by 0.03 GA/G) but rank 27th in G/G, the Blackhawks are the only team better offensively but rank 10th in GA/G, and the Blues are just behind the Bruins being 3rd in both categories.  The Bs are up by 0.16 goals to their closest 5-on-5 competition (Chicago), and the two teams ahead of them in puck possession are LA and New Jersey (currently out of the playoff picture).

Gotta give a lot of credit to Claude and co. - this team's "fatal flaw" since the absence of Savard has been its power play, which now is a top 10 unit.  The biggest weakness with this year's team has been the penalty kill since Seidenberg went down, but in recent games they've been much better in that regard and have also shown good discipline.  If the team stays out of the box like it has during this 10-game win streak, they've got to be the toughest team to beat come playoff time.
I'd add FO% into your equation as well. They are routinely one of the best faceoff teams and that's a big factor in their success, especially late in games.
 

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,060
Portland, OR
cshea said:
They're big and incredibly strong on the puck. It's tough to haul them down, so they don't draw as many calls. Marchand has a well earned rep as a diver so that hurts him, but he has cleaned that up a bit.
IIRC, Marchand leads the B's in drawing minors.  The B's, as a whole, seem to not fall down a lot, and generally are the aggressor rather than the aggressee.
 
Smiling Joe Hesketh said:
I wonder about the seeming inability to draw penalties from opponents. It really makes no sense to me.
 
The B's are way last in PP opportunites.  They've had 192, Washington leads at 252, and 29th is NJD at 207.  The B's are in last, and are in last by 15 over 2nd to last. 
 

ForceAtHome

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 23, 2008
4,011
Maine
AMcGhie said:
IIRC, Marchand leads the B's in drawing minors.  The B's, as a whole, seem to not fall down a lot, and generally are the aggressor rather than the aggressee.
 
 
In terms of just pure penalties drawn, Lucic leads the Bruins with 22. Marchand is second at 21 and then Krejci at 20.
 
Daniel Paille has the best penalty differential on the Bruins (+10). Krejci (+7), Eriksson (+6), and Miller (+3) follow. Worst are Dougie Hamilton (-15), Boychuk (-12), Bartkowski (-10), Marchand (-9), and McQuaid (-8).
 

MoGator71

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
5,117
More impressive that any particular stretch is the way the Bruins have been built. There's depth all over the place, quality young players who come up and contribute, prospects continue to grow. The Bs are the new Devils/Red Wings, they're set up to have one of those runs where they're competitive year in, year out and make the playoffs 20 straight years.
 

TheRealness

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 8, 2006
11,694
The Dirty Shire
PedroSpecialK said:
I think I was sitting next to Sille drinking out of a flask for that one.
Because I was still 19 #agebrag
IIRC, this was the Toronto game on my birthday. Sille bought me a shot of Jaeger, and a few of you bought me beers. Great night. I think that's the first time I met all of you, with exception of Nils who I had met at Game 6 the previous year. Good memories.

Also, this team is absurdly good. This is why I didn't want them to do anything big at the deadline. I feel like if things go as they should, we could be looking at a possible revenge series against Chicago in June. I feel like this is the best Bruins hockey team of my lifetime. If the Bruins win it all this year, I would compare it to the 2007 Sox championship team. They were just the best, and you knew if they played their best the nobody could beat them.
 

1918stabbedbyfoulke

New Member
Aug 10, 2005
419
Does this team have enough speed to match up with Chicago? I don't get to watch enough of the Bruins to know, but I saw some of Chicago flying around the Blues last night and it got me wondering.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,528
The Island
1918stabbedbyfoulke said:
Does this team have enough speed to match up with Chicago? I don't get to watch enough of the Bruins to know, but I saw some of Chicago flying around the Blues last night and it got me wondering.
If they play the way they have the last month, I don't think they need to worry about that. And that's part of the amazing thing about this team right now: they don't dominate in any one area, but they dominate. It's truly a case of 25 players buying into what the coach wants and a GM that makes sure the coach has exactly the type of players he needs to succeed. It's ruthlessly efficient, and has little to do with individual talent level (i.e., no 50-goal nor 100-point players).
 

Toe Nash

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 28, 2005
5,600
02130
They were neck and neck with Chicago last year (literally, the first 4 games were about as close as possible) until the best forward in the league got his ribs broken and had to go to the hospital. Also Corey Crawford was fantastic; that could happen again but Rask is more consistent. With health they've shown they have at least an even shot against anyone.
 

Toe Nash

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 28, 2005
5,600
02130
I think the even nature of the team is kind of being overstated here. Yes, the third line is good and the 4th line plays its part, but I think because few teams have a bottom 6 that is that good, they get overly praised and the true stars get short shrift. This really shows up when you look at possession numbers:
 

 
Brighter blue is better Corsi, size of bubble = time on ice, the position on the graph indicates quality of competition and offensive / defensive starts. 
 
As you can see, the Bergeron line and Eriksonn really stand out, and Chara, and Merlot struggles, especially Campbell. Comparing across teams is a little tough, since one player on a bad posession team can only do so much, but Bergeron has the 3rd-best CF% in 5-on-5 in the entire league (Marchand 5th, Smith 10th) and his CFrel (CF% compared to his team when not on the ice) is the best in the NHL (Marchand 8th, Smith 24th).
 
I don't point this out to disparage Merlot or anyone -- no one's 4th line is very good, and they have value -- but more to point out how great Bergeron (and Marchand) is. Consistently facing the best of the other team, PB's line continuously drives possession, and rarely lets in goals. They also make the KIL line and the 3rd line better by virtue of getting better matchups, though those lines could do well on their own. A 6.5m cap hit is an absolute steal.