Boston Bruins eyeing playoff matchup: Why Toronto is their preferred opponent
Jim McBride, who covers the Bruins for Boston Globe, points out that Toronto as a preferable matchup for the Boston Bruins due to their past success against them and their ability to shut down Toronto’s high scorers.
During this morning’s Toucher & Hardy radio program, Jim McBride, a Boston Globe writer, discussed potential playoff opponents for the Boston Bruins, pointing out that Toronto as a preferable matchup due to their past success against them and their ability to shut down Toronto’s high scorers. McBride also expressed concerns about facing Tampa Bay, particularly their strong goalie and overall talented roster. The discussion touched on the importance of secondary scoring for the Bruins in the playoffs, emphasizing the need for depth beyond the first line. Hardy and Jon Wallach echoed McBride’s sentiments, expressing a desire to avoid Tampa Bay and stressing the Bruins’ need for consistent scoring across all lines to succeed in the postseason.
WATCH HERE:
TRANSCRIPT:
Jon Wallach: When do you get to this point in the season? I think all of us are now looking forward to the playoffs or only a handful of games left. And possible playoff opponents are Toronto and Tampa Bay. I would much rather have this team play Toronto because they’re Toronto. Tampa Bay just seems like they’re kind of lying in the weeds. And they had trouble with Tampa Bay when they went down there and played them. What is your feeling on this?
Jim McBride: Yeah, they certainly match up better with Toronto. You know, Tampa Bay still has a lot of really good players. And they have vessels. And, you know, I think in my opinion, it is the best goal in the league. So, if you have to play the best goalie in the league in the first round, that can spell danger for you. So I think the better matchup is Toronto. But Toronto’s surging as well. So it’s you know it’s pick your poison. But I think you know if they had their druthers they’d probably want to open with Toronto because they’ve played so well against them the last, you know, five years or so. And they match up really well. You know, they’re a little lapse on defense. Toronto has the high scores, but the Bruins are able to shut those down and they have two good goalies. So I think if they had their druthers, they’d want to play Toronto in the first round. I would think of those two.
Hardy: Yeah, I would think so too. And for the reasons you mentioned, and I said it last week, I want nothing to do with Tampa Bay, but it’s going to suck when Toronto finally breaks through and finally, you know, figures this thing out. And they are able to make some kind of a run in the playoffs to be one of the teams that, you know, they get over on. And it eventually almost has to happen to the Bruins Jim I mean it’s been a really long time. But when it does happen it feels like it might be in a year like this where they started off so strong. But as they get closer to the playoffs, maroon being in there, it helps. But there’s still a couple of things lacking on this team. And then I don’t give them a pass against any first-round opponent.
Jim McBride: No, absolutely not because they still need to get more consistent secondary scoring. You can’t depend on just past or in the playoffs because teams will scheme against them and they’ll make life miserable for I mean when you play teams you know 4 or 5, six, seven times in a row, it’s a lot different than, then one and done. So they need to have, you know, more scoring from the second and third lines and, you know, maybe a goal here or there from the fourth line. But if you’re thinking that it’s just going to be Zacha, Pastrnak, and Heinen on that first line and that’s the only scoring line, well, then you’re in trouble because no team can survive in the playoffs if you’ve only got one line. And I think that’s what they need right now is if they get some more consistent secondary scoring.
LISTEN HERE:
NICK GEMELLI is a Producer on Toucher & Hardy, weekday mornings 6-10AM on 985 The Sports Hub. He is also a contributor on 985thesportshub.com. Follow Nick on X (formerly Twitter) at @NickGemelli.
CONNECT WITH TOUCHER & HARDY: linktr.ee/ToucherandHardy
For the latest updates, visit the show page on 985thesportshub.com. Follow 98.5 The Sports Hub on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Watch the show every morning on YouTube, and subscribe to stay up-to-date with all the best moments from Boston’s home for sports!