Bruins' former coach thinks team needs to rebuild; No chance of making the Finals
PUBLICATION
Dorin Canaday
May 3, 2022 (2:39 PM)
The Boston Bruins just started their first-round matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which reminded me of the comments made by a former coach back in December when the team was struggling.
The Bruins obviously ended up finishing fourth in the Atlantic Division, just three points back of the third-place Tampa Bay Lightning, and sixth in the Eastern Conference.
The Bruins were one of the best teams in the NHL since the beginning of 2022, with a record of 37-16-3. It's because of this that the Bruins were buyers at the trade deadline, and picked up defenseman Hampus Lindholm. However, it's hard to ignore that the core of the team (Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak) aren't getting any younger. It's fair to say this year might be one of the Bruins last chances at a Cup run with this group.
Former Bruins defenseman, coach and assistant general manager, Mike Milbury, appeared on "The Greg Hill Show" back in December, and he shared his thoughts on what the team should've done with their season. Unfortunately, Milbury didn't feel very hopeful when it came to this Boston team.
Here's what he had to say:
"I would say that by now, you should have a pretty realistic view of your team ... It's well into the season, even if in the pandemic era, it's kind of difficult, disjointed. But they should know pretty much what they want to hang onto. Should they get rid of some of their key assets? Is it time to rebuild?"
"I think that conversation has to still be going on in the Bruins' office, but I do think they believe they can summon up enough energy and enough resources, maybe with an additional defenseman or two, to make it past the first round of the playoffs. But if they're thinking they're gonna go to a Stanley Cup Final, then they're smoking dope."
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At that point in the season, the Boston Bruins had a record of 13-8-2 and were 19th in the NHL standings. So, maybe some of the panic and doubt was justified, but I think Milbury took it a little too far (as he always does).
He also suggested that the Bruins should Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand and start a rebuild. Listen to what he said below:
I can't imagine the Bs ever moving either player as they both seem like the type of guys to retire wearing the Black and Gold.
Good thing that GM Don Sweeney didn't listen to Milbury, as the Bruins are playing in the 2022 postseason, and of course, anything can happen.
