Midterm Grades for Bruins w/ Steve Conroy | Pucks With Haggs
Coyle I gave an A+ to and I I think sometimes maybe we at this point we’re not even giving him as much credit as he deserves for how big a factor he’s been in the Bruins beam where they are at the Midway Point given how well he’s played at Center welcome to another edition of the pucks with hags podcast I believe this is the 61st episode of the pucks with hags podcast I’m your host Joe Hagerty as always you can find my work at Joe hager. substack uh anything I write about the NHL and the Bruins uh will get sent straight
Directly to your inbox if you sign up for the newsletter I also cover the Bruins for the Boston Sports Journal write columns uh every single after every single Bruins game this week obviously writing uh columns with no games and uh actually this week uh and
It should be going up on Friday uh doing a report card with grades with me today uh good buddy and colleague Steve Conway I believe you did some grades as well in the Boston Herald right Steve yes I did yes I did now you’re gonna try
And make me remember them this is a pop quiz that you I wish you I told you to prepare for uh but we will prepare for thanking our um sponsors FanDuel sports book uh with the Super Bowl coming up uh why not celebrate from with FanDuel America’s number one sports book uh if
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Hags 50 to get 50% off your first box all right before we get into the GRE Steve just real quick um NHL Allstar Weekend uh they had the fantasy drafts uh they announced who’s going to be in the uh you know all the the skill stuff
Um the I I’m glad they went back to that draft format it’s still like a little wonky because they’re trying to like get by on on uh some players that don’t seem like they want a microphone in their face certainly Justin Bieber didn’t seem like he wanted a microphone in his face
Last night uh but I I still think there’s some fun in it I like the Justin Bieber designed uh jerseys I like that they are doing that fantasy draft again with the players and I like that they’re trying to make it like sort of a fun thing with the acknowledgement that you
Know the Allstar Weekend is more about like the kids and the sponsors it’s not about like the adults that are actually watching this or Us Media for that matter yeah I have to admit I did not tune into it that’s how much I like fun I I had uh Finn watched it last
Night he was into it he liked the jerseys like that’s the target audience for all that stuff is the the 10-year-old hockey players out there and the hockey fans um I I will admit like the the actual game itself um the fact that dry Sidle and poster neck and
McDavid are all going to be playing on the same team together I think that’s going to be pretty interesting if you say so see the people right now are getting a window into like what we are like the media’s like when we go to these NHL Allstar weekends and we’re kind of like
Rolling rolling our eyes the whole time watching this like why are we here it’s not something that floats my boat and you know to to the whole NHL Vibe credit I don’t think anybody cares about the All-Star game as opposed to the NBA where it’s like bigger than the playoffs
Yes no it’s true uh like I the the only people that care I think about NHL All-Star Game are like the kids like I remember being a kid and being into all the allstar games when I was a kid and and watching them and being in a the
Players and all that stuff it is cool when you go to them uh like I see I remember the one in Montreal a ways back that one when oetkin famously had like the shades on when he was doing the shootout and I think Gordy how was there
And it was like uh it was a pretty cool collection of like great players and it was a good vibe in Montreal like some of them are better than others as far as that stuff go that one that one was a good one that’s the one I always
Remember they gave up the uh the hats with the E flaps on it I was actually in my basement getting fins lacrosse stuff today and I came across that hat it’s still there and and we needed it that weekend I remember I think everybody was wearing it that’s right it was nice it
Was good hockey weather uh in Montreal that weekend very cold and snowy um all right but uh tune in to the all-star game should be interesting we’ll see how it goes let’s get into the grades let’s not waste any more time and the grades are going to be really good um this is
What I segued into the grades with in the report card 3199 first in the Atlantic division first team to get to 70 points like they’ve been lights out since uh Christmas so this is not going to be a lot of D’s and Fs and uh as far
As the players go on this um by and large excellent uh David Pock uh I gave him an A on Pace for 55 goals and 120 points playing almost 20 minutes a game leads all all NHL players with 248 shots on net um you know obviously there’s
Turnovers from time to time but there’s not really much more you could ask from him no no I mean he’s you know before they started scoring at a regular Pace as they are now I mean he carried the team offensively and he’s an eight plus for me no question about it uh Brad
Maran uh Marian and pck even though you’re right they they’ve they Carri the offense for a while uh and now they’re getting secondary scoring and other people are kicking in but they still both had Martian and posnak 11 goals in the month of January and they were just
Both on fire and and Martian in particular um has had some very important goals some very timely goals uh that were the difference between winning and losing there’s been a few times already this year where he’s just kind of thrown the team on his back and
Just refused to to go out easily or to lose for the team to lose um he’s on Pace right now for 40 goals first time he would ever get there if he does and I think it’s only the second time he would hit 30 goals in like the last five years
And uh like 79 points or something like that um I give him an A+ just from the production standpoint from doing this at 35 years old from being the captain of the team and taking over with berson retiring I think um I don’t know how much better Maran could be than he’s
Been in the first half of this year yeah I mean in the early going it seemed like he was getting his points on will basically because he would he had no chemistry with anybody y early on in the season um and he and he he still produced obviously not at a rate that
Pak produced but he still produced at the the rate that you say and also you know I gave him an A+ you know out of because of his leadership I he’s a firsttime captain on a team that could go a whole bunch of different ways yep
And you know here they are back at the top of the league so I gave him an A+ as well and uh there’s a couple a pluses in this report card uh the next one Charlie Coyle uh on Pace for career highs 30 goals 70 points like blow will blow away
His career highs if he has a second half like his first half he’s taken almost 900 faceoffs leads the team by a wide margin is in the top 10 in the NHL um has has gotten some chemistry with Marian the two of them have have become very good working Partners together um
Played in every High leverage situation has I think become a very steadying and underrated leader in that dressing room as well uh leading by example and just sort of the tone that he sets every single day uh Coyle I gave an A+ to and I I think sometimes maybe we at this
Point we’re not even giving him as much credit as he deserves for how big a factor he’s been in the Bruins being where they are at the Midway Point given how well he’s played at Center yeah he he’s been very good I I think I gave him
An A or an A minus uh just because of his Feast of famine in the in the face off Circle you know one night he’s he’s tremendous other night he can’t win a draw so that’s got to even out a little bit at some point um yeah I I have
Always kind of thought that you know there was nothing in his skill set that kept him away from being a top six center it was the fact that you know I don’t want to say he was he was Star Struck when he got up there but he was
Way too differential to the guys the Stars that he played with it would be you know with Marshon or or Pastak or whoever he would play with he would be far too differential and you know I felt that for a long time and mon Jim Montgomery uh you know also voiced that
You know when I asked him you know maybe three weeks ago what how he turned the corner um so yeah you know he’s he’s in the a Stratus bear no no question about it um Charlie McAvoy um had a real really R rough month of November um was
A bit better in December really has been excellent uh in January plus 17 in January for makoy um and you know it’s not coincidental that uh when he had the rough November that was the stretch where they lost three in a row gave up 17 goals and looked probably the worst
That they’ve looked all season and I think you know that’s how important makoy is uh to just this team and and how they can play and so much falls on his shoulders uh for the defenseman work he does playing in all situations playing big minutes on Pace for 12 goals
And 55 points um while averaging close to 25 minutes I gave him an A minus uh just took a few points off because he struggled early in the year you could even put him in the B category because you know he was a minus player and he
Struggled so much but I I think by and large when you look at him now he’s on track and I’d give him an A minus yeah I G I think I gave him a B+ of my report card um just because you know he was minus33 or something for a month know that’s
Kind of that’s a good chunk of the season I think he was very skittish coming off that um that suspension yep um you know a little little you know hesitant to use the body hesitant to play his game the way he usually does but he’s pass that now so you know I
Gave him a B plus yeah no doubt uh I I think yeah B+ a minus I think that’s absolutely in that range is is right on uh James Van Rees like uh onpac for 13 goals 52 points um $1 million contract for one year a great signing value-wise
By Don Sweeney um I think he’s been excellent in front of the net as advertised for the stuff that they needed him for would you like to see a couple more goals sure um and that’s I gave him a b but I think he’s been you know pretty much what they were thought
They were going to get at the start of the year yeah I I would like to see more goals um you know I think it’s he’s at a career low shooting percentage at like 7.9% um he’s had a lot of chances in front of the net and he’s only got eight
Goals um so I think I gave him a B minus yep uh pavl zaka um Ben solid uh certainly they rely on him quite a bit um just like they rely on Charlie Coyle um I don’t know he has not been as good as Charlie Coyle as consistently good at
Times they’ve moved him off the the moved him off center and put him at Wing he’s obviously a skill player and and I think he’s built started to build chemistry with Pastak when he’s played with him and that’s been good and he’s he’s obviously made some really good
Plays this year and and and been noticeable at times but I think he’s on Pace for like 17 goals 50 points I think you would probably want a little bit more out of him uh just allaround production wise uh and shooting the puck more too I don’t think he’s shooting the
Puck enough when I looked at those numbers which has kind kind of been a knock on him in the past um and he’s going to need to on this team I gave him a B minus uh I think he gave him a little better than that just because he’s a guy
Who who wins battles all over the ice y he’s a guy who you know he he works his tail off whatever you know whatever situation he’s in uh you know they tell him at the start of the Season you’re playing with David Pak and then you know
You know they say oh what maybe you’re not playing with David Pak and he he doesn’t change you know he just he just keeps going along I think I gave him B yeah that’s uh right on um Trent Frederick on Pace for career highs 20 plus goals 50 points uh I think he’s
Gained the trust to the coaching staff uh they’re playing him a little bit more at center now I think they have confidence that he can actually drive line drive a line at times with the way that he’s playing now uh he’s really turned the corner and up this game
Consistency wise being a much bigger Factor offensively and just all around uh I gave him an A minus and really watching him now uh I’m curious to watch watch him in the postseason because I think he’s the kind of player that could be a bigger Factor given his size and
Strength and given the confidence level and and the level he’s playing that offensively now yeah that’ll be interesting because he he did not have a good playoff last year y um uh I think I gave him an A minus as well I’d have to double check on that um but yeah I mean
He’s he’s now trusted in every situation he plays power play kills penalties plays on the wing plays center has been up on the top line has been on the fourth line you know he’s he’s you know he he’s a guy that almost epitomizes the Bruins right now with the versatility
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Sportsbook partner of the NFL uh Jake de brusk uh tough really tough first few months where nothing was going in for him um I think the the contract stuff and the uncertainty beond this year played a part in that for sure um but he’s streaky as well we all know that um
You know really was doing some other things killing penalties but was not a factor offensively and it was obvious and it was really obvious uh watching that how much that played into some of the Bruins offensive struggles in the first half when you look at the numbers
Of what their record is and and how the Bruins do when he puts up points uh in a game or he scores goals in a game I think he’s very much tied into them having success him getting off offensively and being another option now at this point uh he’s caught fire since
Christmas he’s on Pace for like uh 20 goals and 42 points on the season which would be Jake de bruss territory as far as stats go not his best year but certainly in the neighborhood and I think you know given the way he’s playing now could be primed for a much
Hotter more productive better second half and those numbers could go up from there but the inconsistency the really slow start I gave him a C+ uh I gave him a B minus just because he’s still a good player when he’s not scoring which was not the case in his
First few years he’s he still played well defensively um you know yeah you need you need more goals from him there’s no question about it and he’s heating up now um yeah I gave him a B minus I think he’s he’s a more useful player when he’s not scoring than he
Once was no no definitely there’s no question um you notice him more he’s you know battling more for pucks there’s not as many flybys the the penalty killing aspect helps a lot too that he’s doing contributing there and doing something y um in addition to the five on five play
In the power play so yeah I I think that’s right on uh Morgan geeky uh on a career on a pace for career highs in goals and points with 13 goals and 38 points his current Pace um shown an ability to excel in top six roles or
Bottom six roles very versal to your point about the identity of this Bruins team there are a lot of guys that can play different positions play up and down the lineup and I think he’s another guy um his size his strength uh he’s bigger than you think he is he’s like 63
210 215 and second and third effort to make plays happen offensively I think is going to play in the playoffs as well I think he’s going to help them with his style of play and the way that he plays um he’s another excellent under the radar free agent signing from Don
Sweeney I I gave him a b which could even go to a B+ yeah I was in that range too he started very slowly it took him a while to adjust to you know a new system and everything missed three weeks with an injury um but you know he’s really kind
Of found his way he’s another guy who’s who plays center but he’s got to improve on his faceoffs a little bit um but yeah he he’s uh he’s what uh what they say say hockey hard to play against St big big suet you one boy hard to play
Against yeah exactly exactly um so yeah he’s he’s he’s been a great pickup for them um pretty good price at $2 million yeah got a heavy heavy shot that you know you know you wouldn’t think of with the guy who’s basically been a career fourth liner up until this point yeah
But he’s shown he’s shown that and he’s been a good player and i’ put him in the in the B range somewhere yep and it’s a variation on a theme where there’s a lot of Bruins uh the center types that do need to work on their faceoffs not just
Like there’s a few other guys most definitely and like I honestly wonder if that’s something they’re going to have to look at at the trade deadline is bringing in a veteran guy that can win faceoffs when you need them to um in a you know a bottom six fourth line kind
Of thing um hampus Lindholm uh not a great first half um I think part of that was due to um just their General struggles Puck possession wise and the Bruins have defenseman having to think defense first rather than re really being assertive or feeling the freedom to create plays offensively uh but I
Just don’t think he played well in the first half either um he did have one rough third period uh pinch uh recently that uh caught the eye of Jim Montgomery afterwards but in January 10 assists and 14 games and a plus 14 I think in uh by
And large played a much better brand of hockey this month looked much more like himself uh I gave him a c um but I that could have even gone a little higher with the month that he had but I I couldn’t ignore the struggles he had in
The first half yeah yeah he I mean he he struggled early on um you know didn’t get his first goal until I think November 14th or something first point didn’t come till you know just before that um or a guy who’s you know not expected to to put up you know 50 some
Odd points every year like he did last year but a guy who’s has to you know contribute offensively you know that was a really slow start uh Danon Heinen um I I the one thing I would say about him more than anything else is watching him
Now he is a much better player than he was when he was here the first time around much more of a factor much more noticeable much more involved in the flow of the game and assertive um in a better two-way player um you know he on
Pace for I think right around 10 goals and 20 points uh and when you look at what he’s done what he’s been able to do and how he’s been a factor while also being a guy they picked up off the street for a try out in training camp
Another good value uh signing and acquisition for Don Sweeny and the Bruins front office I give him a B plus yeah I I would agree with that the thing I noticed more than than anything is his tenacity on the puck um you know he’s his battle level is much higher
Than it once was and that that goes a long way especially for the player that he’s he now has to be in the National Hockey League uh Matt ptra this is an interesting one um I gave him a b um obviously exceeded all Expectations by making the team out of Camp uh helped
Them in the early going with his offensive play uh when they were really figuring things out at the center position uh went to World Juniors played for Team Canada had a decent World Juniors pretty good um is coming back now and is obviously in a place where I I
Think at times I think he’s going to be hardpressed to deal with the the intensity of the NHL in the second half of the season and you know I I don’t I don’t know if his confidence is what it was in the first half as well uh he’s
Certainly not hurting them when he’s in there I think but he’s not really you know making as many plays as he did in the first few months of the Season as well going to be interesting to see where he ends up in the second half but uh I gave him a
B yeah I gave him a B minus yeah I mean it’s kind of that’s kind of a tough breade for you know 19y old kid who makes the team you know they he made the team because needed him at that point and he provided something that you know
They needed you know you know both Zak and Coy was still trying to figure out you know you know how to play in the in the you know higher in the lineup um or zaka over you know at Center um and they needed a third line Center and you know
He provided a spark for them uh you know geeky has since you know emerged as a third line Center and Frederick has you know been a B to play third line Center um so yeah I mean his production has gone way down he’s been banged up a couple of times and I think
He’s GNA be dealing with that shoulder thing for the rest of the season I don’t know I you know I hope I’m wrong but I mean that could be you know something where you know could could you know cril a lot of his production I think yeah no
I think that’s true and I think that’s you know part of being a pro and and be you know the jump making the jump to Juniors to Pros is like playing through stuff like that and like you know dealing with those kind of things and you know taking hits that uh from bigger
Stronger players when you’re 19 years old like all that stuff is yeah a lot to ask and a huge adjustment um Kevin shaton Kirk uh I gave him a C+ I think he’s been good I think he’s been good value on Pace for eight goals and 22
Points I think he gives you an option at point on the power play uh if you want to give a different look I think he’s been a perfectly fine third pair def Defan obviously there’s going to be some defensive dzone issues and and you know at times turnover issues because he
Tries to you know make things happen offensively but C+ by and large been a pretty good player yeah I I think I gave him a C+ as well he’s that you know all the positive things that you mentioned are true you know he he’s he’s a crafty player in the
Offensive zone They just spend too much time in the defense some Zone sometimes too many extended Shi extended shifts in the defensive Zone when he’s on the ice at times uh Brandon Carlo uh one of the NHL league leaders with a plus 23 this
Year um has has you know had a decent uh year offensively as far as kicking in here and there um and obviously been a strong self on the PK and a shutdown guy in most situations and I’ve noticed um since he came back from the injury uh
That he’s even a little nastier and a little surlier at times than he was before and he’s shown a little bit more of that uh especially in the dzone uh than I’m used to seeing from him and that’s something that I would love to see even more out of out of Brandon
Carlo because I think that’s only going to help them uh down the stretch and come playoff time I gave him an A minus and honestly I think he’s probably been from beginning of the year to now they’re most they’re consistently their best defenseman as far as giving them
Exactly what they need every night and you know where you’re going to get out of him yeah he’s exact you know of any of the man he has filled his role to the you know the highest of his capabilities I hadn’t had him for an a
Um he’s been very good in you know he it’s not really reflected in a in a you know explosion of points but his offensive in instincts are getting better yep um knowing when to jump into the play you know when to when to throw the puck on net all those things um so
Yeah he’s definitely an a for me he’s been he’s been been a rock back there especially when you know at a time when you know you know their best defenseman makavo and lindol were not playing well uh Johnny beer uh five goals good on faceoffs uh helped on the penalty kill
Uh but was sent down to Providence a couple weeks ago you know 27 shots on net in 39 games I don’t know if he was consistently um hard-nosed enough as a fourth line Center for what they were looking for I don’t know if he was just making enough happen uh consistently uh
For what they wanted as a fourth line Center uh but obviously they wanted him to work on some things when they sent him down to Providence and I think boquist has actually been very good um and kind of shows you what a veteran could do in a role like that uh since he
Came up I gave him a C+ yeah I’m in that range too uh you’re right he he was he just he just didn’t bring it you know consistently enough uh and wasn’t noticeable consistently enough especially for a guy that size and with who possesses that kind of
Speed um you know he if he W if he wasn’t waiver exempt then he’d probably still be here right um I don’t think they would have put him on waivers if he had to go through that um but you know they can do that so they did it um and
And you know boquest made him Expendable and it’s amazing the transformation of boas from the training camp to the first couple games he saw early in the season to now he’s a completely different player he knows where he’s going he knows how to use his feed um and you
Know he’s he’s going to the right spots he’s he’s been a he’s been a revelation he yes and and I think he and geeki um those kind of guys show you how important it is to be patient with veteran players going to a new team and
A new group and a new system and all that and you know them getting acclimated and comfortable to show you what they can actually do rather than making snap judgments uh early in the season or in preseason because you’re right boquist was not really noticeable um Matt grizzli uh this was probably one
Of the tougher grades I end up giving him a c minus like he his numbers are okay he’s averaged 17 45 a game of ice time he’s kind of bounced between uh third pairing top four bounced all over the place and I I I wonder if injuries
Are a factor with him as well but I just don’t think he’s looked as good this year as he has in the past and you know it I think it’s reflected in the great yeah he started really well especially when they gave him uh the different responsibility on the PK then
He got hurt he came back he didn’t play well when he when he came back um now I think his game is coming back he had one I forget which game maybe it was the Colorado game uh where he had a bad turnover that didn’t blow up on them
Yeah um the game in Boston um but uh he he’s been better since um you know you probably since the whole team has gotten better in at the start of January late December um yeah I’m I’m in the sea sea range on him we do have Factor meals uh
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Meal kits especially when we’re on the go with our kids so one more time that’s factor meals.com haags to get 50% off your first box you won’t be sorry if you’re go to factor meals gets The Hags thumbs up seal of approval um Jacob loo uh gave him a b
Obviously went a long time without um scoring a goal uh in offensive production uh had to wear that uh the the cage for a while after he got the the cut with the skate blade um he’s had some good moments uh certainly he’s had some moments where he’s brought some
Energy I think he could do it more consistently as far as the energy goes and and being a factor on that fourth lineup I think it’s a really it’s a tough ask for all those young guys to play fourth line roles where you know sometimes I think veterans have a better
Feel for for playing in that type of role and they’re sort of learning on the job so I gave him a b but I think there’s a lot of room for improvement in the second half of the year yeah I think I gave him a C+ just because you go that
Long 38 games or whatever it was without a goal and you’re right you know he there’s only so much energy you can bring when you wear in that that cage um but yeah I a C+ I think I think this I think he can bring more I think we he
Will bring more yeah definitely and he’s another guy I want to watch come playoff time if he can start to figure out uh the right side of the discipline and and agitating other teams and getting them to do stupid things and sort of raising the temperature of the games I think he
Could be good for all that stuff uh Mason lowai um I gave him a a c um because I think he’s been good like he shouldn’t have even you know he was there because of injuries I think that they would rather have had him down in Providence
All year sort of working on his craft out of necessity he’s he’s been called up he’s been he’s definitely shown a skill at times uh you’ve seen the offensive capabilities and and the potential there but I think there’s obviously other parts of the game defensive Zone and uh you know just
Being a a a good NHL Pro and sort of understanding situations that I think he has to figure out at the HL before he’s going to be the complete package yeah he’s you know he’s in his in the defensive Zone there’s no question about it um you know that there
There are too many times where where you know it just doesn’t get out the puck just doesn’t get out and the right pass doesn’t get made um and that’s you know that’s a learning curve you know he’ll you hopefully he’ll figure it out he doesn’t figure it out then he might make
A really good Wing um but but his sticks skills are amazing even just watching him at practice you know warming up before practice the things he does with the with the puck it’s it’s pretty amazing it really is and then there’s a whole generation of kids coming up that can do
That stuff and it’s so much fun to watch all the skill work that they do he definitely has that you see it in games and in practice uh so you hope we can figure everything else out because I think he could be a legit weapon on the
Back end once he rounds out his game a little bit uh Oscar Steen uh I gave him I gave him a d this was a tough one I just uh one point in a minus two in 30 games with just 22 shots on net I think
He’s getting a long stretch here to like show a little something um that he’s probably been waiting a couple years for at the NHL level and like while he’s done the job and the role that they’re asking him to I just haven’t seen enough for him to say keep them from looking
Somewhere else to maybe upgrade at that particular spot yeah I think I probably gave him a c just because he hasn’t hurt them yeah um but you know this and he you know you know he he uses his body and when he hits you know people feel
It but it’s there’s just not much there there the you know there’s one goal and in 30 games no assists um it’s there’s just not not a ton there you know and it’s this may be who he is you know he’s get he’s gotten a chance and you know
This could be just who he is yep uh Derek forbort uh I gave him a B minus like when he’s been healthy I think he’s been fairly effective in the role that he always plays killing penalties shutting uh shut down defensively just leaning on guys in the defensive Zone um
But I’m really concerned the the fact that he he took a month off to try to calm down the lower body injury I think it’s a groin and then he uh came back played a couple games and then couldn’t play in that last game uh before the All-Star bring maybe they were resting
Him but I I don’t know I I think uh you got to wonder if this is something that’s going to be a problem all year and it’s going to factor into what they’re going to do with the trade deadline not knowing you know his health healthwise what the certainty is there
Yeah I think I think they have to to look look on the back end to get a physical player on the back end no matter how how for comes along um but yeah it is concerning you know he was more than a month I think he he almost
Was out two months and then he comes back you know this has been dogging him since since training camp um so yeah it is a big concern when he’s right he can be a very good third third peering defenseman um you know you know I got I
Go back to you know the playoffs two years ago when you know makavo was sick and lindol was injured you know uh forber and Clifton were terrific pairing you know they were their best pairing and it’s you know they help them you know push a team that dominate ated them
In the regular season to you know a seventh game um but yeah I mean you at some point you may have to to wonder if he’s gonna get through that that injury this year uh Parker wetherspoon I gave him a b you probably could go even a lot
Higher than this because he’s uh as a 26 year old defenseman that’s mostly been the HL he’s really stepped out and carved a role for himself um on this team by just being a steady defenseman um and you know being there when they need him and being to the point where I
I think they’re probably concerned if they had to send him down a Providence somebody would take him on waivers uh because he’s you know been that good um and could you know play his way into like some kind of role with them moving forward whether it’s a seventh D or
Whatever uh but I you know the the Bruins talk a lot about like giving opportunities to guys in the HL and them needing to seize it when they get it and I think weatherspoon’s definitely done that yeah yeah he’s been good you know the first couple of games as you might
As as you might expect was a little you know a little shaky you know um but he’s he’s been really good since then uh Lena elar B+ uh I think he’s been very good not as good as last year um got hurt um but I think obviously I think swan has
Outplayed him by a little bit but like the undeniable strength of the goal tending on being the go Ting being the biggest strength on this team you have to give him a good grd yeah yeah I mean you I don’t know where the uh the high danger chances against are right now fam
But for the first part of the Season he was seeing a lot of them yeah um and you know he didn’t have the you know the um you know the basic numbers um that he had last year but you know he was seeing a ton of rumber and
Um as I say the high danger chances against and you know he kept kept the team in in games um I I think I gave him a minus yep and Swan I gave an a he’s having his best season really breakout campaign NHL Allstar um top three in
Against average and save percentage is really and like took the ball and ran with it when allar got hurt and he played in like five or six games in a row or whatever it was um you know I I I think you could even go A+ with him because he’s been so
Good yeah yeah he’s it’s it’s that’s probably the Most Fascinating thing as they go go to the playoffs is there are they still so close all Mark and San that they can think about doing that rotation in the playoffs because to me if there’s any
Kind of gap between the two then you you abandon that rotation to me yeah uh but it’ll be interesting to see if if they do remain re you know really close if they if they really do go through with the rotation yeah and I mean they could
Could have intent of going through with the rotation right and if Swan gets game one start and he’s lights out in game one how are you going to go away from that especially if he has you know All-Star season great year like you know it becomes about winning in the playoffs
So the best laid plans could change if if they decide there’s a a better path to winning games um but yeah I think the whole thing is going to be fascinating his contract how they’re going to handle them in the playoffs you know whether whether Swan’s going to get the ball and
Sort of be allowed to run with it to start you know how the kind of role that omark’s going to serve and and like how that all is going to go down I think is all extremely interesting uh let’s wrap this up Steve uh with just real quick
Montgomery Sweeney and neie the coaching staff the front office and uh the presidency of the Boston Bruins I did them all separate but I gave them all A’s I think Montgomery is having a better year um this year coaching wise than he did last year when he won the
Jack Adams I think the job that he’s done with this team has been excellent um he’s pushed buttons when he’s had to he’s proded them when he’s had to I we remember the bag skate at practice uh earlier in the year and him challenging them a couple times to sort of get where
They needed to get to and they’ve gotten there I think with the way that they’re playing now Don Sweeney had a bunch of great moves and free agency dealt with the the salary cap issues really well uh put them uh gave this team the pieces that they needed and uh that’s reflected
The record they had and cam uh Charlie Jacobs the Bruins in organization in general um Centennial season I think has been outstanding I think it’s been first class with everything that they’ve done uh every ceremony they’ve had and the ideas that they’ve had and the way
They’ve presented it even down to and I put this in my column uh John Michael ly was on Twitter the other day and he he got like a little uh I think it was a coin or what it was from the Bruins and an appreciation of being on the team and
This is a guy that only played a couple years for them and wasn’t really a significant piece uh but these are going out to every person that played for the Boston Bruins and saying thanks for being a part of the Bruin’s family and all that I think it’s really cool and
It’s a reflection on on a really well-run organization yeah you know cam does deserve credit for for that um everything I’ve heard from from former players that they’re Blown Away with everything you know especially the the these reunion nights that they’ve had with the big dad Bruins and then the
Lunch SPI gang and most recently the the late 80s early 990s teams you know they they’ve spoke very highly of how it’s done and you and I both know that that wasn’t always the case when they talked about the Bruins y you know there was always you know a some sort of
Resentment or whatnot and it’s not the case right now um it’s good for the Bruins it’s good for the brand of the Bruins good for you know attracting players to hold nine yards uh Sweeney obviously he’s he’s picked up he’s done really good job of Bargain Basement you
Know shopping um you know getting rid of some big ticket items that he probably didn’t want to get get rid of in Hall and and and Nick Felino um and you know he’s picked up guys that uh you know I wasn’t all excited about you know all the pickups at the time but
You know they’ve all worked out um so kudos to him and like I said Montgomery has you know has really had the coach you know sometimes we where you feel like okay this line is working just stick with it but then then he blows it
Up but know you have to look at where they are right now and and they are where they are so he deserves all the credit in the world for yep lots of A’s from these two professors for the Boston Bruins the NHL Allstar break everybody everything is awesome I like to say uh
Steve Conroy thank you very much for joining us uh for this report card edition of the pucks with hags podcast let’s thank our sponsors real quick FanDuel Sportsbook uh new customers join today and you’ll get $200 in bonus bets if your first bet of $5 or more wins uh
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Minutes um Chef uh Chef made dietician approv head to factor meals.com haags use code ha50 to get 50% off Steve thank you very much for joining me from the car I appreciate it all righty thank you very much for out there everybody for tuning in uh we’ll see you at the Ring
Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald joins Joe Haggerty on the show today to hand out the midterm report cards for each member of this Bruins roster. Who has exceeded expectations, and who needs a strong second half to maintain a passing grade? That, and much more!
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