Bob Beers On Toucher & Rich: I Would Keep Claude Julien
BOSTON (CBS) - The heat was on Thursday night for the Boston Bruins, and not just because they were in sunny South Florida.
Just like the night before, Boston was in a must-win situation to stay ahead of Ottawa and Pittsburgh in the standings for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
But they were defeated by the Panthers 4-2, and now need several miracles to make the postseason.
The players are largely to blame for the mess they are in, because let's face it: they are way too talented to be this bad. But there's also plenty of finger-pointing to go around, from the construction of the roster (general manager Peter Chiarelli) to the inability of head coach Claude Julien to put together a winning formula.
98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich had on Bruins color analyst Bob Beers Friday morning to talk about the fallout from the Panthers loss.
For Rich, the toughest decision facing Bruins management is what to do with Claude Julien.
"If you're asking me what I think -- and that's a big difference -- because I see what he does everyday, I see what the coaching staff does everyday; I see how hard they work. I see the commitment. In my opinion, and I've said this and I'll stick with it, I think you keep him," Beers told the morning show.
If the season does in fact come to an end Saturday night in Tampa Bay, the offseason begins as soon as the players leave the ice and head for the locker room. There will be meetings with the players, as well as internal meetings throughout the organization.
One way or another, the Bruins need a makeover before the 2015-16 season.
"There's a lot of changes that need to be made," said Beers. "If you're asking me what I think personally, I think this team has proven they can succeed with [Claude Julien] behind the bench."
There will be tough decisions to make with the general manager and coaching staff, as well as decisions regarding the roster and what you want your team to look like in an evolving NHL.
"I would guess whether they get it [the playoffs] or not I think there has to be significant moves going forward. You've got some real tough decisions to make on guys coming up with contracts. The real question is what direction is the league going? What type of team do you want to put on the ice? That's a big question right now.
"You see a lot of movement towards the speedier, skill-type of players. I think the Bruins have tried to go in that direction a little bit, but at the same time what's going to win you games in the long run? I think that will help to determine what types of players you want to bring in here and the trades you eventually need to make."
Listen below:
Hear every game of the 2014-15 Boston Bruins season on 98.5 The Sports Hub — the flagship station of the Boston Bruins. Pregame coverage with Dave Goucher and Bob Beers begins 30 minutes prior to every game!