Perhaps the Boston Bruins haven’t used everything this roster has in their toolbox. Perhaps the team, which has already surpassed the 50-win mark, had left some resources in the dressing room that have allowed them to dominate the National League since last October.
Perhaps…
On the other hand, didn’t the Adversary surprise the mighty Bruins with his speed and passion?
“I think we were the better team for most of the evening,” Nick Suzuki looked brilliant on Thursday night.
The Canadiens’ captain’s comments confirmed the spirit of coach Martin St-Louis.
“I’m proud of our group. Our players showed a lot of determination. They competed at a level that showed we are growing as a team. We received an answer to some questions, in the sense that our plan allows us to lay solid foundations. We’re hoping now that we’ll keep improving until the end of the season and to be honest it’s encouraging. »
It’s always a pleasure for a head coach to see their group play so confidently against the best team in the league.
Hadn’t the Canadian beat the Tampa Bay Lightning two days earlier with Kirby Dach’s very impressive return?
It’s also rewarding to see a group overtake the Bruins in shots on goal (31v21) and, most importantly, deal with the misfortune of many injured players.
to take steps
St-Louis enjoyed every minute of the game and expressed his feelings by specifying: “For me everything is in the preparation and in the attitude of the players. They have shown the qualities of a warrior, even though they know very well that we will not make the playoffs. So we must take advantage of the latest games to increase our wealth of experience, achieve the goals in terms of development and respect this culture that is so coveted. »
We know it very well and we have repeated it, although not all fans like it, wins are always a goal but in the current context steps must be taken. And we know them.
So far the deadlines have been met… maybe not in the way we had hoped before, the many injured players led to changes in the agenda. But what we’re hoping is that after the season we can lay the groundwork for next season, we’ll discuss off-season strategy, contract negotiations or even contract takeovers if we do, an opportunity to add more flexibility to payroll.
St-Louis had a lot to offer on Thursday evening.
As a coach, you are entrusted with a file. We ask that you respect the process.
mission accomplished
With 10 games left of the season, the coach has fulfilled his mission with flying colors and managed to continue the process of revitalizing the team in very difficult conditions.
The coaching staff has managed to stay the course despite a season taking place in a context that the original scenario did not foresee. In all games had to be juggled with the staff of the players.
Some of the results are still amazing.
Options for Hughes
Kent Hughes made it clear in an interview with The Athletic.
“In the unrestricted free agent market, we do not intend to sign players aged 28 and 29 over multiple seasons. »
This limits the radius of action. Looking at the list of unrestricted free agents who will try to win the lottery, the top ten list is occupied by players aged 30 and over.
Hughes will look elsewhere: First of all, among the players under the age of 28 there is a Canadian player, Sean Monahan. Can he live up to the standards he set early in his career? A question without an answer, but one that requires the greatest caution.
Other ? Miles Wood (New Jersey), Tyler Bertuzzi (Boston), Alexander Kerfoot (Toronto), Tristan Jarry (Pittsburgh), Vladislav Gavrikov (Los Angeles), Ivan Barbashev (Vegas) invite reflection.
Obviously the paid free agent market is much more attractive, but all too often the price to pay is far too high when it comes to making a hostile offer. Restricted Free Agents include: Timo Meier (New Jersey), Pierre-Luc Dubois (Winnipeg), Alex DeBrincat (Ottawa), Jesper Bratt (New Jersey).
However, Hughes will have several options. Carrying out a transaction or transactions is an important solution, especially since he caught on with Dach and Monahan last summer.
Redeem Gallagher
The Canadian should consider buying out Brendan Gallagher’s contract. Obviously, opinions are divided on the subject, but I’m not judging Gallagher’s past performances. We will always recognize that he has been of great service to the Canadian, but there comes a time when circumstances sometimes force us to forget the past because the present and the future demand it.
Didn’t the Tampa Bay Lightning buy Vincent Lecavalier’s contract? An 85M$ contract over 11 years. After four seasons, Steve Yzerman viewed the contract as an obstacle to his recovery plan and agreed that Lightning would have to pay $32,666,667 over 14 years to take over.
When you have an owner who has the financial resources, there is always something that catches your attention when the decision-makers gather around a table.
