Bruins clinch playoff berth

[Roy Hobbs]

The Bruins (the hockey team that plays in Boston, to cut off any UCLA jokes) clinched a playoff berth last night, the first time they'll be in the playoffs since 2004.  With one game left to play, the Bruins can finish as high as 5th in the Eastern Conference, or as low as 8th.

While making the playoffs doesn't necessarily sound like a huge accomplishment, this was a team that was picked to finish near the bottom of the conference, and which has suffered a ton of injuries this season (most notably to Patrice Bergeron, their best forward.)

I don't follow the team as closely as I used to (thanks for killing hockey in Boston, Jeremy Jacobs) but I'm glad the Bruins are overachieving this year.  Let's hope they're not playing the Canadiens in the first round, so that they might actually have a chance of advancing.

[Redz]

This poses a moral dilemma for me.  I have always loved playoff hockey and used to even watch neutral series (non-Bruins) because the action and intensity was great.  However, hockey has completely lost me.  I used to watch a fair amount of Bruins games and eagerly watch every second of every playoff game.  This year, I think I may have watched a total of 10 minutes of Bruins hockey and zero minutes of non-Bruins hockey.

Still, an old familiar pang is telling me, "It's the playoffs, it's the Bruins, it's the NHL...you've got to watch."  I feel like a bit of a hypocrite (frontrunner? fairweather fan?) if I tune in for just the playoffs, after watching zippo during the regular season.  I guess I paid my dues "back in the day" and it's ok for me to see how they do in the playoffs.  Maybe they'll even suck me back into watching neutral playoffs.  I'd really like to care about the Bruins again.

[Roy Hobbs]

All Bruins fans get a permanent fairweather fan exemption, Redz.  When your owner single-handedly kills the sport in your town, and then the League and the Player's Association stomp on its smoldering remains, former fans are allowed to follow the sport as sporadically as they would like.

[Donoghus]

The Bruins pretty much died for me around the mid to late '90s.  What Jacobs has done to that franchise in a great injustice to a rabid fanbase. 

I'll probably pull the fairweather routine myself and watch them in the playoffs but my expectations aren't high. 

[birdbrady]

You know, it kinda goes to show you how amazing of a hockey town Boston was.  Jacobs needs to be applauded for what he did.  It wasn't a couple of bad seasons, or a decade, or a generation -- but it took 30 years for him to kill hockey in Boston.  Thirty.  Like I said, not 2, not 10, not 15-20 -- 30! With all the injuries the Bruins had this year, they should be commended -- but what was once a powerhouse franchise that had big-name studs like Orr, Esposito, Cheevers, Park, O'Reilly, Bourque, Neely - teams that were always in the mix (and should've won a Cup if not for Jacobs not spending a couple more bucks on good role players) -- we're relegated to just being happy they make the playoffs in a 30 team league where 16 of them make it.  Like I said, props to the players and the coaching staff for overcoming much adversity with an already talent-depleted roster, but it's sad thinking about the state of the Bruins and where hockey stands in what was a hockey hotbed for 60 years.

Regardless, it's good to have playoff hockey back (back when I was watching hockey in the 90s -- nothing was better than playoff hockey.  Those Wings-Avs series were AMAZING).  Here's hoping they can hold on to the 6 slot, play Washington and give them a series.  Who knows they might win it.  It'd be dissapointing if they got Montreal and went four and out, though.

EDIT -- by the way, I think if I were a mod, I'd let everyone get one post about venting about Jacobs/Sinden, and then it must be playoff talk.  This thread is just heading towards a "Jacobs is cheap!" and "Who cares about hockey?" thread.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

As someone who has lived in New York for their entire life, and wasn't around for most of the 80's, and doesn't like hockey at all, can someone explain to me who this Jacobs guy is and what he did. TP for the clearest answer.

[Redz]

I'm at a place with the NHL where I couldn't even fake a decent conversation about who's good & who's not...teams, players or otherwise.  I know the kid from Pittsburgh is somewhat special, and a kid from Tampa won the MVP a couple of years ago, but if you asked me to rattle of a list of the top ten players in the league I wouldn't have the faintest idea where to start, and if you started rattling off some suggestions for me I might recognize the names but have no idea who they played for.  That bums me out a bit (not too much, but a bit)

[Donoghus]

As someone who has lived in New York for their entire life, and wasn't around for most of the 80's, and doesn't like hockey at all, can someone explain to me who this Jacobs guy is and what he did. TP for the clearest answer.

Jeremy Jacobs.  Owner of the Boston Bruins for 30 years or so.  He's notorious for having a tight wallet and time after time, has let solid Bruins players go via free agency by refusing to pay a little extra to keep him.  There is also the frustration expressed by many fans that he's a "absentee owner" whose only concerned with the bottom line and not necessarily winning.  

[Riles335]

Playoff hockey is back in the city of Boston. Those are the words I've been waiting to hear for three years now. I really can't think of a game I flat out missed this year. Possible one or two due to my own personal sporting events but I've been there through the thick and thin this year and very much so over the course of the past couple seasons despite their struggles. The Bruins aren't on the same level for me as the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics but I still love them and will root for them through the thick and thin.

Its great to see them back in the playoffs and I wouldn't mind seeing a few  bandwagon fans filling up the seats for the home playoff games this year. Anything to get the place rockin' again. I'm so happy right now.

[Redz]

Playoff hockey is back in the city of Boston. Those are the words I've been waiting to hear for three years now. I really can't think of a game I flat out missed this year. Possible one or two due to my own personal sporting events but I've been there through the thick and thin this year and very much so over the course of the past couple seasons despite their struggles. The Bruins aren't on the same level for me as the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics but I still love them and will root for them through the thick and thin.

Its great to see them back in the playoffs and I wouldn't mind seeing a few  bandwagon fans filling up the seats for the home playoff games this year. Anything to get the place rockin' again. I'm so happy right now.

Refreshing stuff to hear Riles. 

[Celtic Fan Forever]

As someone who has lived in New York for their entire life, and wasn't around for most of the 80's, and doesn't like hockey at all, can someone explain to me who this Jacobs guy is and what he did. TP for the clearest answer.

Jeremy Jacobs.  Owner of the Boston Bruins for 30 years or so.  He's notorious for having a tight wallet and time after time, has let solid Bruins players go via free agency by refusing to pay a little extra to keep him.  There is also the frustration expressed by many fans that he's a "absentee owner" whose only concerned with the bottom line and not necessarily winning.  

Thanks for the info, TP for you

[furball]

I'm so excited the Bruins made the play-offs.  I'm still a die-hard fan.  With everyone picking them to suck this year and with the injuries they had to deal with, Claude Julien should win the Jack Adams award and Chara should be a Norris Trophy nominee. 

Hopefully they can avoid the Canadians.  I think they can hang with anyone else in the east.  Actually their last two outing against the Habs were much better too so maybe it be as bad as I think. 

Savy skated yesturday and Ference seems to be close to returning so that should help their play-off run.  Of course if they can get out of the first round there's a good chance Bergy comes back which would be huge. 

[TradeProposalDude]

The people who say Jacobs is still a terrible, terrible owner are still living in 2001. As a devout Bruins fan (as well as Celtics fan), I believe Jacobs is not a bad owner. He refused to pay money to re-sign Jason Allison, who peaked as a Bruin and was traded for Glen Murray who was in his prime. He refused to pay money to re-sign Anson Carter who had also peaked and was traded for Bill Guerin, who also had enjoyed his better seasons with the Bruins. I know they traded Joe Thornton, but they also signed Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard with the cap space they had gained, and both have been vital components of our season. Chara, especially, has picked up the slack as the team's #1 defenseman who logs a ton of minutes. And he might win the Norris Trophy award this year, an award that hasn't been seen in Boston since #77 was a Bruin.

[Riles335]

The people who say Jacobs is still a terrible, terrible owner are still living in 2001. As a devout Bruins fan (as well as Celtics fan), I believe Jacobs is not a bad owner. He refused to pay money to re-sign Jason Allison, who peaked as a Bruin and was traded for Glen Murray who was in his prime. He refused to pay money to re-sign Anson Carter who had also peaked and was traded for Bill Guerin, who also had enjoyed his better seasons with the Bruins. I know they traded Joe Thornton, but they also signed Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard with the cap space they had gained, and both have been vital components of our season. Chara, especially, has picked up the slack as the team's #1 defenseman who logs a ton of minutes. And he might win the Norris Trophy award this year, an award that hasn't been seen in Boston since #77 was a Bruin.

TP for you. Jacobs certainly has opened up his wallet over the past couple of years in my opinion. He was incredibly stubborn during the 90's but like TPD said, he has changed.

Lets not forget about the trade for Gonchar a couple of years ago when they were a number one seed. They also brought in Nylander as well. 

[birdbrady]

Yes, Jacobs is "opening his wallet" when THERE'S A SALARY CAP.  How about in the 90s when virtually every free agent wanted to be a Bruin, yet they didn't do ish.    Teams like Philly, Colorado, New York and Detroit would just load up while the Bruins operated like they were the Winnipeg Jets.  It was a disgrace.  And it has just soured the Bruins fans today.

And like you said, the Bruins have the cap space because they traded away their best player and can't draft and develop their own talent.  One player in the top 50 NHL prospects ranked by Hockeys Future.