Dale & Haggs Talk Hockey

Joe Hagerty is filling in -- hag from WEEI dot com. I put off the Bruins discussion only. For sake of the they showed up now on the list here but people hunger for the Bruins dale they are great wanted to Ireland and they also panic sometimes. A little prematurely the Bruins -- remember back you go back to the Christmas Day loss for the Celtics and LA. And that's startling run of seven losses in nine games and you know -- Danny Ainge joked. They went from you know what team that people were calling the greatest team in Celtics history. Which is what they were actually sang that nineteen game winning streak 26 to rule and and -- ultimately seven of the next nine and you know the united enemy the NBA finals. That the Bruins have have kind of fallen prey to the same sort of thing where. You know they're the best team in the NHL. Far and away the best team in the Eastern Conference even further far and away the best team in their division when he someone points. I know that it'll they've below patch here unaware. All of a sudden the -- just aren't the one in the net. Some of the young kids are starting to look like some of the young kids all of a sudden Blake Wheeler who you know we spend October November December on. This is where did they find this guy -- what a great time he looks like he's been here forever well adamantly he's been here forever.

And you don't you don't blame him so much in windy the most he'd ever played his 44 games in college last two seasons analysts and gets have been in the fifties range. In the college season -- winding up your season almost done and he seemed to have that that rookie while little bit I think he I've seen signs that maybe he's coming out of a little bit lately but. I think the bigger issue and now I'm sure you've seen this through you know just from watching the NHL is. When you get into these months this is when the men go hunting for dinner you know this is when. The points come at a premium that the the the play gets a lot more physical. Teams are going out there and really making a statement to try to get a playoff position and legalize these young guys just haven't responded that that physical -- of the at the enemy preachy. Has become invisible -- out to bill Cassell absolutely on the process and his last ten game until Cassel has as his -- ball here -- And even if I give a mob a somewhat of a pass because of the mono in the of the sickness in comin' back right. At this point he's been back playing enough sense them where you're saying okay I might giving a pass a weaker two weeks ago. How about we put puck in the net once in awhile here and saw the frustration actually creepy you know as a practice. Last week and this is when this that this was not going on and it was maybe at its -- I I've seen stuff especially with the way Bergeron late lately that they may be like climbing out of a little bit but watching Bergeron show me he is personally climbing out absolutely but -- there was one play and practice it just abide with additional -- perfect pass. Set him up for for a great opportunity kind of fanned on the -- He -- Savard back to the bench and just whack his stick against the bench and frustration where I think you know you've seen signs that some of these guys are like our young guys you get a start. You know pulling your weight again and do what you were doing in the first half you know. I understand you went into a little bit of a -- but it's time to snap out of it I think most of these guys will because the talent is there but you know you haven't seen it and part of it I think also has been the competition open up against that ten game stretch was -- meat grinder they played a lot of very good teams that are trying to catch up to them in the standings.

I think a few days off in the sunshine is going to help this team immensely. These are the dog days I also think that they need to make a deal. I've always felt that the NHL was a league where. You almost have to make a deal from a psychological perspective as much from a physical talent perspective. You have to if it it infuse his energy and it in the locker room. It gives the a team a little bit of a psychological boost take. In other trying to help us out here they're trying to do some forests. It it has been my experience the teams that do nothing at the trade deadline. Basically say get a lot we got confidence we got the right team. Both teams generally start to slump a little bit adult and you see the spate of deals that are made in the NHL trade deadline it's because in the NHL they acknowledge. Hey you know what there's a psychological boost here that goes --

No without question and I think you see that with teams that are -- for the cup they always. Bring on rental players and I think your outsourcing with the Bruins they have clear needs they have things that they have to acquire that are going to help them. They need to they need a power play guy because as much I love PJ Axelsson and step on -- Those guys are first power play kind of guys at least not in my -- and and cloudy and admitted to last that the PGA's primary reason for being up -- on the power plays because he's a left shot right and the left shot at that point the way they set up their power right and they need about more offensive threat of the left shot for that instead of of PGA you know I think -- times. When he was on the first line when he they've put in places like that probably asking him to do a lot more than qualified for. And I'm not going to hold that against them but you know that just speaks to them needing to -- to get another guy and the other thing is. Their physical size they need another big forward to bring into the mix you've seen -- like Brendan Shanahan went about exactly I want of them to sign Shanahan so badly. I'd always got a house here yeah. I haven't talked to on the little bit by a feeling he'd been happy to play here not to -- on the conversations I've had with them people that I -- that -- close to him said that he would have played here no problem he won the player wasn't it. As a matter of wanting to stay in New York he it the people but I talked to told me that he. He his agent talked to the Bruins and they basically said we're looking for a left in the shot if you know you're you're looking to get start playing now and you you can't wait a few more weeks. You might want to you know talk to somebody else because where where shop and for a lefty shot. And when you hear that that's basically you know thanks but no thanks we'll see down the road you know for a guy of that caliber. They could use decides what he's 6364 like 220 to thirty and still has some offensive game absolutely can still put the pocket and -- and skate the way he used to. He wasn't the world's greatest -- to begin with but you know he didn't skate the way used to nobody does at his age but man on -- power play. He he can still do some damage -- power plays just awful right now. Either stand and around they're not moving their feet they're not moving the pot guys. More presents -- front of the anatomy side that -- yellow is out there now absolutely sick but he's not a big guy either you know he's one guy is willing right. You know -- Sometimes you know. Want to is better then and cam I mean at least he wants to go there. And is willing to take the beating and that's -- Julian got him out there tap the battle they need to -- they need it. Well he could tackle present. I like chuck I really don't think he brings a lot of the needs -- they have they have. Three of four forwards in their front line that are over 200 pounds everybody else is under 200 slight of build not very big guys. Could shock is is a monster size wise he's big strong guy he's -- guy that will play in front of the net. He's got twelve power play goals this year witches -- that you know quite a bit and it's something that tells you he would immediately bring that kind of presence to the power play. And to -- of the top six you know that's the kind of guy I think they should be looking at now I think he's tailor made for this team. There's somebody -- like.

Even more and I don't trophies available. I don't know if they'd make him available. But if I'm the New York Islanders I would consider dealing anybody right now my team is awful Doug waits gone down. I love Bill Guerin. I I love them on and off the ice I think he's he is a great not a good but I great locker room presence. He's a physical presence he's got leadership like the captain the Islanders the guy's got leadership capabilities he's got -- defensive capabilities. You know I don't know what I don't know what it would take in the and I don't you know the Islanders would would make him available. But he's the exact kind of guy picture now he's not that left shot they're looking for they ago but that I loved Bulgarians game.

Yet he gets down to a certain point and they say you know which is going to get the best player because we're not you know getting. The value that we're looking for as far as -- when he's lefty shot I hope they would open it up to somebody like that. And you would think anybody on the Islanders just about would be available at this point seen the rumors about Erik Cole and Edmonton up and I think that's somebody they've looked that I know that. I'd side Dave some ankle up in Montreal when I was up there when he's been following -- taught them a little bit -- woods on the flyers for a little bit after that too so I think he's doing the rounds as far as watching all these teams. And you know. I definitely think there's some interest there he's not -- season as a guy like he can -- is yes he's younger -- is also a neck surgeries at some injury problems and some other things right size but yeah he's strong left pot shot he's a left shot Andy's got -- offensive skills. Any of those guys would be a good fit night they're also looking for a defenseman without question. That they could use for depth purposes I was gonna say that's not and a glaring area of need for me I like the defense on this team I do too but I think they want to add one more by and no Jordan Leopold -- that been. Thrown out their lot in the Bruins have had a lot of presence at the Avalanche games gay scouting them that's the one big guy. I think they would be looking at but you could see a couple of moves from the Bruins here down the stretch when Shaq.