Tag Archives: Claude Julien

May 22, 2013 · 4:48 AM

B’s Up 3-0

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Think back to the last round. Heading into game seven you have to be pretty sure Cam Neely had the movers called. “If we lose, I need you to get down here first thing in the morning. I want Claude’s office packed up and Chiarelli’s too.”

The Bruins won, like they did in 2011, so the movers were called and cancelled.

Now I’m not counting my chickens before they’re hatched, but do you think that Glen Sather ha made that call for Tortorella?

It was clear listening to the awful announcers on NBC that the Rangers are clueless on the power play. Of course they had the only two power play opportunities in the game last night but we’ll not get into that.

It’s clear the Tortarolla is a clown. Sure he’s great for sound bytes but he’s not a leader. Not in what I’ve seen in this series or what I heard he was in the NHL special leading up to the Winter Classic.

So here’s hoping he’s fired and here’s hoping it’s because the Bruins sweep them out of the playoffs. Again, not counting my chickens, just optimistic.

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May 17, 2013 · 4:36 AM

I Was Warned

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I’ve told you before. I have sports radio on all day while I’m at work. Barring conference calls or meetings it’s on in the background. Sometimes I hear things other times it’s just white noise.

Well, yesterday I heard that Marchand left practice. He pulled up on a 2 on 1 and just left the ice and went into the dressing room. All I could think was The Swede. Get that big oaf on a line with Bergeron and Jagr. No one would understand eachother.

Claude gave us all a sigh of relief when he said Marchand would be ready to go. Then it was eight hours of build up.

I was warned by a guy at work that it was a 7:30 start. My initial thought was, still beats West Coast baseball.

When I play NHL 13 and I need reinforcements I call up guys from Providence. I’ve called up Bartkowski in the game and I’ve called up Krug. They’re sent back just as quick but they usually contribute when they get their shot. So imagine the smile on my face as life imitated art and Krug scored the tying goal in the third period after just getting called up.

But this is where the warning came into play. A 7:30 start means that it’s really closer to a 7:45 start. Meaning if the game goes to overtime, I don’t know how long I’ll last. And I didn’t. I was knocked out. I mean, I was asleep at 7:30 on Tuesday night.

So I was pleasently surprised to wake up this morning and see that the little ball of hate scored the game winner on a perfect feed from Bergeron. I’m glad whatever caused him to leave the ice was gone as he lept into Chara’s arms.

Can’t wait till a 3PM start Sunday. They can go five overtimes, at least I know I’ll be awake for it.

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May 13, 2013 · 4:29 AM

Job On The Line?

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I’ve flip flopped on the Fire Claude bandwagon. Following the Stanley Cup win it bought him a reprieve in my mind but if they lose tonight, I’m 100% back on board. Not just a little either. I will be full on loathing this team if they let him keep his job.

I know the players hold blame, I’m not giving them a free pass. But I think in some cases they’re victims of circumstance. They can’t play their games because Claude’s system doesn’t allow for it.

His head up his ass coaching style has many fans angry. He sticks with ineffective lines and refuses to move players even when they’ve gone over a month without a goal (Lucic).

The thing that my buddy Jay pointed out is the money. Jeremy Jacobs just finished paying two head coaches, does he want to again? Really with all the money he’s made post Stanley Cup, he shouldn’t care. Let Cam pick the coach, or even let Cam coach. His former linemate isn’t doing too bad in Washington.

Bottom line, as a fan, I hope they win tonight, catch fire, and go on a deep run. But nothing has me excited. They’ve been playing scared since Game 4. Even them at home, doesn’t excite me.

With Claude it’s like Grady leaving in Pedro. When they lost the game I wanted “Grady Fired” on the front page of the Herald (even though his contract just wasn’t renewed). I want “Claude Fired” front page tomorrow on all the papers if they lose tonight.

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March 5, 2012 · 10:59 PM

Not Good

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Why didn’t the Bruins trade Tuukka at the trade deadline last week? Because they needed two net minders down the stretch right?

Well now they’re in trouble. Tuukka’s injury from Saturday has him sidelined for the next 4-6 weeks.

Shit.

This really is a huge blow to the Bruins. We know that Tuukka wasn’t about to become the starter for the playoffs or anything, but we are all on the same page knowing that Timmy would need some rest.

Now Tuukka is basically done for the season and the B’s are turning to…Marty Turco?!?

Yeah, he’s been playing in Europe this season. Great.

So depending on Claude’s management you could have a gassed Timmy as the team heads into the post season. We’re really hoping that’s not the case but need to prepare ourselves for that possibility.

Here’s to praying Turco has enough gas to offer the team something. At least be as serviceable as Tuukka was expected to be down the stretch. Enough that the team isn’t getting blown out when he starts and can win the games he starts.

Chances are at the point you’re not catching the Rangers for the top seed. At the same time you don’t want to slip and end up on the other side of the seedings. You want to remain in the top three, you want to win your division, and of course you want as much home ice as possible in the playoffs.

Ugh, talk about the worst case scenario. Not good. Not good at all.

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February 28, 2012 · 11:13 PM

Moves Made

Sorry for the delay in update and the crazy update schedule. I was in Arizona the last week or so. The weather was great, so happy to come home to the first real snow storm of the year. Well it is what it is.

Anyways, the deadline was Monday and I posted I wasn’t sure if the team would make a deal. Well, in between my taking off in Tucson and landing in San Fransisco the NHL’s trading deadline had come and gone. A HUGE thank you to my friends that post the sports updates on their Facebook wall. It was about two minutes from the plane being on the ground that I knew the Bruins had pulled the trigger, acquiring three guys. None named Rick Nash.

Here’s the short of it from ESPN Boston:

On Monday, the Bruins acquired forward Brian Rolston and defenseman Mike Mottau from the New York Islanders in exchange for forward Yannick Riendeau and defenseman Marc Cantin. They also acquired defenseman Greg Zanon from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Steven Kampfer.

And now my completely uneducated take on each guy:

Brian Rolston:
I was very sad to see him leave the Bruins when he did following the lock out season. I liked him. He went to Minnesota and had three straight 30 goal seasons. Ouch. Following three seasons in New Jersey (two injury shortened) he didn’t see the same success as Minnesota and was dealt to the Islanders. Didn’t have much better success there.

So now he comes back to Boston where the fan base expects the guys that was in Boston 10 years ago that put up 30 goals. I don’t think the team got that guy. I think he’s closer to the guy we’ve seen the last few seasons in New Jersey. Can still play, but can he be successful in Claude’s system? I certainly hope so at least until they can get Peverley or Horton back.

Mike Mottau:
Local guy that won the Hobey Baker at BC but never really made it in the NHL. He didn’t crack the NHL until late in his career. Not a big point guy (wouldn’t expect much from a defenseman) but from the interviews with Claude before the game and stuff I’ve read, he should serviceable.

Greg Zanon:
A good shot blocker. Well, that’s what everyone’s been saying. He too didn’t crack the NHL until late in his career and also doesn’t get a ton of points. I think both he and Mottau were depth moves. Rumor is that Kampfer was so far into Julien’s dog house he was never getting out so it makes sense to grab two stay at home defensemen.

Overall I’m not disappointed with the moves since they’re really just band aid moves. I mean the team needed a scorer to bridge them to when they get Peverley or Horton back (hopefully both). Having Rolston at that point will just be a luxury. The other two guys we can just hope play out like Chiarelli’s lesser move of Kelly and Peverley last year and pay huge dividends for the team. The didn’t last night in a shutout to Ottawa but I’m not counting the move as bad quite so fast. We’ll know more in the coming weeks.

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