If Bruins Miss Playoffs, Who Goes?
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- After yet another night of missed opportunities and exposed weaknesses in a 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils, the Boston Bruins now find themselves in a dire situation in their hopes to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Two formidable opponents and another supremely important game remain on the schedule, and at least one of them now looks, feels, and smells like a must-win.
CSNNE Bruins inside Joe Haggerty thinks the season will come down to the Bruins' game against the Detroit Red Wings next Thursday, April 7th. There's no doubt that Detroit is the most crucial game remaining on the Bruins' schedule, but the reality is they could find themselves out of the playoffs even with a win.
The Bruins' next two games, at St. Louis and Chicago, are not expected to net more than one, maybe two points between them. There's no guarantee they come out of their home games against the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators with four points. And the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders' games at hand and favorable schedule leave them in a good position to outpace the Bruins for the two wild card spots.
So, if Detroit finishes the season ahead of the Bruins and (ostensibly) knocks them out of the playoffs, who gets the axe? Unfortunately for the Bruins, there's zero chance Jeremy Jacobs sees his team miss the playoffs in two straight years and lets everyone return.
On the ice, the Bruins have recently lost the ability to finish scoring chances. They did not lack opportunities against New Jersey Tuesday night, to put it lightly, and they simply could not take the next step of putting the puck past Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid. On the bench, Claude Julien is mostly working with what he's been given, but as the coach is unfortunately the easiest target in a situation where change is needed. And in the front office, Cam Neely's team has failed to put even a serviceable defense on the ice in 2015-16.
That glaring weakness on the back end led to both goals allowed against the Devils Tuesday night, on just 15 shots on goal from New Jersey. At least three Bruins lost sight of Travis Zajac, who after a blocked shot was the only one to do anything with the puck as he made a clean pass to Reid Boucher for the go-ahead goal. Pretty much the same thing happened on Zajac's power play goal in the first period. It didn't help that Patrice Bergeron was the one in the penalty box for that score.
The Bruins defense is more of a personnel problem than a coaching problem, but it could be a little of both. No matter who is to blame for the Bruins' season-long struggles on the blue line and recent dearth of finishing ability, it's not a situation in which everyone should survive to next season - definitely not if the Bruins don't get to sell any fancy tickets with Stanley Cups on them.
I am admittedly an outsider and do not experience the daily grind that goes on in that locker room like other Bruins media, but I know that a team with the talent of the Bruins cannot miss the playoffs two years in a row and expect anyone's jobs to be safe. The only people I would lend that designation are Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and Tuukka Rask. Anyone else, all the way up to team president, should not be protected.
It's not that I want the Bruins to gut the team, or the coaching staff, or the front office. Sometimes, good coaches (Julien) and good executives (Neely) lose their jobs. Sometimes you simply need major changes. It's the harsh reality of the business of professional sports.
The Bruins are barreling toward one with just five games left to cling to their playoff spot, and it feels closer and closer to happening here every day.
The Red Wings are not playing well right now, either, and the Bruins still control their destiny with the same amount of games remaining and a one-point advantage. But the Bruins still need to take care of the teams they should beat (Carolina, Ottawa) in addition to beating Detroit to hold on to what will almost certainly be the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. But a slip-up against Carolina would make Detroit the season-deciding game many are expecting, and for those under-performing in the office, on the bench, and even on the ice, it could be the game that decides their future in Boston.
If the Bruins once again collapse out of the postseason, who ends up gone? In a situation like that, it's just the nature of the business that someone would. And on Causeway St., it could go all the way to the top.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
