Chiarelli On Toucher & Rich: Bruins 'Having Some Difficulties' Right Now
BOSTON (CBS) – Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Wednesday to weigh in on a whole host of Bruins-related topics.
There was a lot of matters to get to, including the recent woes of the team, the Tyler Seguin trade, the John Scott suspension, Loui Eriksson's concussion rehab and former goalie Tim Thomas returning to town on Thursday night as a member of the Florida Panthers.
Let's get right to it.
Rich referenced the Tyler Seguin/Jack Edwards sit-down on NESN that aired during last night's game, and got Chiarelli's thoughts on the trade four months later.
Felger & Mazz: Did The Bruins Bail Too Early On Seguin?
Despite the recent struggles of the team, and Seguin flourishing in the Western Conference, Chiarelli tried to put it all in perspective for fans.
"When you make a trade there's an equation, and you have to be confident in the players you get. It's not something that's a snapshot, it's something that has to be viewed over time," said Chiarelli.
"We're not playing well. Some of the comments I've read from the players are accurate. We're skating in quicksand. I've seen it with this team before and we have to work our way out of it."
Chiarelli attributes the early season slump to a number of things, like complacency, getting the new players acclimated and perhaps even a "Stanley Cup hangover."
This led into a discussion about forward Loui Eriksson, who returned to action for the first time last night since suffering a concussion on October 23. "It was good to see him back," said Chiarelli, who explained the concussion protocol and the steps involved in the rehab process.
Felger & Mazz: John Scott's 7 Game Suspension Not Enough
The man who gave Eriksson the concussion, John Scott, was another topic brought up to the Bruins general manager. Chiarelli thinks there's a fine line to be drawn physical play and dirtiness, and enforcers like John Scott will be extinct in the NHL sooner rather than later.
In terms of building a roster, Chiarelli said, "We're not going to have any specialists on our team, those players who are there for one reason [fighting]. I think that trend is continuing across the league. I think that type of player is going to be on the outs."
Lastly, Rich floated a theory out there that Brad Marchand is saving himself for Team Canada in the hopes of making the Olympic team, which Chiarelli addressed in addition to the return of Tim Thomas to Boston Thursday night.
Listen to the interview below:
Chiarelli Talks Bruins Woes
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