Allen: You're Up, Chiarelli
So with the Celtics recently having secured their 17th NBA title, and getting ready to raise a championship banner to the rafters of the new Garden for the first time this fall, now three of the four major professional sports teams in New England have won championships this decade. Even the New England Revolution has at least played at a championship level, having gone to four MLS Cup finals since 2002.
Boston sports fans have been pinching themselves, knowing that these truly are the good old days for Boston sports, and that we'll be telling future generations of the exploits of Brady, Ortiz, Ramirez, Bruschi, Pierce and Garnett.
Sadly, many out there are still pining for the glory days or Orr, Bucyk and Esposito. Those poor folks would settle for Neely and Bourque. The Boston Bruins proved that there is still interest in Hockey in this town during their first round series with the Montreal Canadiens this spring. Even though the Bruins lost the series, they energized the new Garden, and there was actually debate in town over whether the Bruins or Red Sox should get the High Definition coverage on NESN.
The Bruins are still a distant fourth on the Boston sports landscape, but there could be reason for optimism. GM Peter Chiarelli seems to be a methodical type of guy, and we've seen that that sort of approach works when it comes to building a team. Scott Pioli and Theo Epstein are very particular about the type of players they're looking for, will do what it takes to get them, and won't overspend for anyone. Until this year, many people mocked Danny Ainge, but right from the beginning, he said that his plan was to accumulate chips, and then at the right time, cash them in. He did exactly that, and we have the first Celtics championship in 22 years to thank for it.
It might be hard to decipher the Chiarelli plan at the moment, but we can assume that he has one. At the very least, he's surrounded by great role models, and can't help but learn just by observing what the other GM's are doing. In replacing coach Dave Lewis after a single season, Chiarelli wasn't afraid to admit that he felt that his plan would be better served with a new man leading the team onto the ice. In bringing in coach Claude Julien, the stated goal was to put a team on the ice that was difficult to play each night. For the most part, that goal was met. On most nights, last year's Bruins team was a tough game for whomever they were playing. Instilling that attitude into a team is a critical thing. It's a mindset that must be developed. Once you have that in your core, adding to the talent base is the next step.
Two years ago, the Bruins made a splash in free agency, because of the cap situation, we can't expect the same type of signings, though the rumors persist that the Bruins would love to add Marian Hossa to their roster. It doesn't appear that the Bruins have the cash to make this happen, but perhaps Chiarelli has some tricks up his sleeve to move the team closer to contender status.
In any event, the pressure is on the Bruins to join the ranks of the Boston champions. You're up, Chiarelli, make it happen.
