Bruins
“It looks as if proper now, any time we make a mistake, it is going to find yourself behind our web.”
In a press convention on Sunday the place Don Sweeney mapped out the chilly actuality of a Bruins workforce bracing for a retool, Boston’s longtime GM tried to know to any vestige of optimism in a season the place that’s been briefly provide.
“Nicely, it’s fairly laborious to close off the aggressive nature in me, to be completely sincere with you,” Sweeney mentioned when requested of probably letting go of the rope in a season the place Boston remains to be within the hunt for a playoff spot, later including: “They’ve received a pair video games in hand.
“And a few video games we left factors on the desk, going into the 4 Nations that basically would have helped us within the playoff push. All these issue into it. We’re proper there.”
Certain sufficient, the Bruins remained “proper there” on Tuesday night time. Simply two factors separate Boston from a wild-card spot within the Japanese Convention.
In fact, all it takes is a short look below the hood to glean simply how dire the Bruins’ state of affairs is — and why the trail ahead for this franchise must be all however determined forward of the March 7 commerce deadline.
Sure, Boston is just two factors out of the wild card. However they’re additionally locked in a tie with each the Senators and Rangers so far as general factors (62) — and are solely three factors forward of a pair of rebuilding rosters within the Canadiens and Flyers (59).
And despite the fact that the Bruins skated off the TD Backyard ice with one other level secured on Tuesday — no followers in attendance (aside from those draped in blue and white) would harp on any kind of positives drawn from an evening like this.
Not on an evening the place the Bruins held a 3-0 lead halfway by the second interval — solely to observe that benefit dissipate briefly order to a talented Toronto workforce.
Not on an evening the place one other carless offensive-zone penalty from Oliver Wahlstrom — nonetheless skating rather than a youthful prospect like Georgii Merkulov — gave the Leafs new life on an evening the place they struggled to search out their legs.
Not on an evening the place a herculean effort from David Pastrnak seemingly salvaged the sport for Boston — his second aim of the competition giving the Bruins a 4-3 lead with 9:27 to go in regulation — till the Leafs compelled time beyond regulation with a 6-on-5 tally with 46 seconds left on the clock.
Not on an evening the place the Bruins coughed up a aim within the last two minutes of a interval for the twenty fifth time this season — and a whopping 4 instances in simply their final three video games.
That’s not a nasty little bit of a puck luck — not when it’s occurred 25 instances within the span of simply 59 video games.
“It looks as if proper now, any time we make a mistake, it’s going to finish up behind our web,” Brad Marchand mentioned after Boston’s eventual 5-4 time beyond regulation loss to Toronto.
No, the 2024-25 Bruins simply are what they’re: a middling bubble workforce at present making an attempt to remain afloat — with an ineffective, underperforming roster weighing them down.
“We had been capable of take the lead, in order that’s extra irritating — being up 3-0. I believe, sure, it appears like we must always win the sport, however that’s a extremely high-skilled workforce on the opposite finish,” Pastrnak mentioned. “So the workforce goes to return again.
“The extra irritating [thing], I believe — we retake the lead, 4-3, and we nonetheless weren’t capable of shut. So it’s in all probability extra these final 13 minutes. However yeah, it’s robust to have that second level and depart it hanging on the desk and allow them to seize it.”
If there have been any silver linings drawn from a sport like Tuesday, Sweeney and his employees’s selections transferring ahead must be resolute.
With Mitch Marner beating Jeremy Swayman with simply 52 seconds left in time beyond regulation on Tuesday, the Bruins have now dropped 4 video games in a row relationship again to Feb. 5.
Boston’s minus-27 aim differential is the second-worst mark in the whole Japanese Convention. A late-season carry offered by Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm is sadly now not tenable.
If Sweeney’s candid feedback on Sunday breathed life right into a actuality the place the Bruins dump items — Tuesday’s embarrassing displaying ought to take away all doubt about what this workforce must do earlier than March 7.
“Our job is to give attention to the hockey sport and profitable hockey video games for this membership. You’ll be able to’t take a look at the [big] image, we’re gamers and administration is administration,” Pastrnak mentioned of the nerves that set in earlier than the deadline. “They do their job and we’re doing ours. These instances across the commerce deadline are by no means enjoyable. That’s the enterprise facet of it.”
It’s time for Sweeney and Co. to get to work.
As a result of this Bruins workforce’s efforts to attempt to stem the tide is a failed endeavor — and one which sadly is a waste of time for all concerned.
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