Unprecedented..maybe?..maybe not?
 

While the bottom six may not be a part of the team Chiarelli is overly concerned with at this point, he does believe the bottom defensive pairing of Andrew Ference and Adam McQuaid can be better.

"I haven't been happy with them, but I haven't been unhappy," he said.

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So is this a good thing for the Bruins team to have their GM say that publicly or is does this hurt those two players in any way? Would you say this if you were GM. I just wonder if it was the ideal thing to say publicly.

Uh, wow... that's a bit... uh, wow.

Why do I feel like Andrew Ference just waved goodbye?

Sounds like a whole lot of nothing to me.

Felt the same and I didn't think anything of McQuaid playing poorly when I read it. I don't know if this is suppose to a kick in the butt to get 'em going but that's usually Clode's job.

Last guy I remember getting called out was Ryder.

And then he beast moded against the Habs like he always does. I sure do miss him:(

Ference should have been healthy scratched by now. I love the guy but man, he's been World Class horse **** this year. When I see the third pairing on the ice and the 4th line out there I hold my breath.

Yup.
You see that shot from him last nite? Wow.
We don't have that one player that is in the slot, ready to rip a shot, and you think its going in.

Yup.
You see that shot from him last nite? Wow.
We don't have that one player that is in the slot, ready to rip a shot, and you think its going in.

Am I mistaken or did Ference just recently come out saying that he was hoping / deserved for a long term resigning or something like that?

?? How do you get that out of Chia`s comments?

He stated what we all have seen, two usually very steady defenseman not playing to their potential, hardly a statement that has me thinking either one is being shipped out.

“Based on need and timing, no, not right now,” Chiarelli said

re: trade for someone right now, over reaction IMO

No, I wrote the same thing yesterday. This GM almost never names names. And in these two cases (McQuaid is somehow getting a pass on here) they deserve it.

That`s all well and good, what we did see was a player who posted 27goals in year one, then 18 and 18 the following years with the overwhelming majority of fans here screaming for him to be moved.

He, like EVERY Bruin had a great playoff run to the Cup, then he goes to a team where defence is merely a suggestion, he`s playing on the top line(s) and he`s putting the puck in the net then he`s what we need again?

Far too often in a Bruins uni, he was invisible, or when he got the puck, he held it for far too long etc....

Some players benefit from the depth of this team, and are put in positions that they are better suited for (Kelly/Pevs, in spite of stats not being there this year), then there`s other guys who need to play more, be part of a team where it`s offence first, that`s Ryder, nice player, hardly a saviour, especially for a team who doesn`t require one

He is??? Sorry, his name has popped up repeatedly, of course, many forget he was diagnosed with a blood clot and his "training" camp and his ability to really get into shape before camp was exceptionally limited which I suspect has led to less than Quaider-like play. Not a huge surprise that when one half of a pairing is struggling, often so too does the other.

Does this GM name names often? Nope, but he also goes on to say this in the article

"I haven't been happy with them, but I haven't been unhappy," he said. "Adam was injured during the work stoppage and is just finding his game. Andrew, maybe it's a bunch of playing with Adam and the pair hasn't been as strong as they normally are. But they're both veterans in this league, and I expect them to find their game and historically they have. Maybe it's just an aberration this year because of the work stoppage, but that's an area where we can improve too."

Does that sound like a "calling out"?? Not to me, stating the obvious is hardly a calling out IMO

Fair enough, but he could have just not mentioned them at all. Every player gets criticized by some on here, just IMO McQuaid has a ton of defenders and it's not relative to his ability.

So you would like our GM to not answer what I am assuming was questions from a journalist/reporter? Sorry, tis one of the reasons I am such a huge Chia fan, he throws nobody under the bus but has an ability to state an honest opinion, he also spoke about the top two lines needing to execute, do you believe he`s calling them out too?

I took the article as our GM stating what each and every fan of this team probably feels and see`s. The top 2 lines have gotten plenty of chances but haven`t converted, and the bottom D pairing haven`t been as steady as we have come to expect from them. I also read our GM stating that their veteran experience will probably right the ship. Hardly a scathing statement about anyone on this team, just Chia`s typically classy way of stating the truth, a rarity in the game these days.

I do however, disagree about another article where he feels the PP can be fixed internally. Not with the current personel and systems in place IMO, this team lacks the most important element on a PP, a forward who is all about quick puck movement, yes, hate to mention it as it`s been stated for a few years now, a guy like a Savvy. His greatest skill was the ability to know exactly where he was sending the puck before he got it, we have NOBODY who`s capable of that in this lineup and it`s not easy to find.

Is or could Spooner be that guy?? I have no clue, I hear he`s got alot of those qualities, but it`s one heck of a pressure cooker for fans to be sitting and waiting for Spooner to be that guy at this stage

Spooner and Krug maybe? I dunno, unless the answer is going full on Dougie and Seguin for 2 minutes, I don't see it coming internally.

I also didn't agree with the top 2 lines comment. Top 2 lines have been carrying the team all season. Segs and Bergy have been snakebit shooting wise, but they're all constantly generating chances. The depth players have been a nightmare this year.

If anyone wants to read it in context, the full article this is from is here.

Hard to say, many here and the Brass have all seen Spooner more than I have. I`m not opposed to having the regular 1st and 2nd units being sent out for the PP, I find both keep it so much simpler when playing with one another

Pass, I`ll read one sentence and comment and offer my opinions on that only thanks:sarcasm:;)

Thx ronwm, it`s an article in which clearly, when read in full, we read Chia doing about the furthest thing from calling anyone out. Once the first few teams out there push out of their denial stage regarding a potential playoff spot, I see Chia pouncing on the first opportunity to bring in some size matched with a bit of skill to play the wall on that 3rd line, and of course, as only Chia can, some D-man depth

On a similar note I thought it was interesting that after the TB game that Julien said "Horton is one of the elite right-wingers in the league when he wants to play."

Again, true and long been the comment about him

Context? Context? Who wants context when you can pounce on a quote and interpret it the way you want? :sarcasm:

Or Julien talking about Seguin saying "he's not a poor player" a couple of weeks ago. Most times these comments are measured.

I hope the players have thicker skin and are well aware when their play is struggling well before the coach or GM has to acknowledge it. And on the subject of Ference, if he's concerned about getting a new deal, he's going about it completely the wrong way.