Bruins Press Conference

In what has been a disappointing season for the Boston Bruins, GM Arcesi held a press conference today in Boston to discuss recent transactions.

Arcesi stated that he is looking forward to seeing how the team will gel together with the most recent trades that have been made.  Over the course of the weekend, Arcesi trade Jason Spezza, Rotislav Klesla and prospect Jordan Subban for Jay Bouwmeester and Stephen Weiss.  Arcesi felt that the team has enough offensive talent, and were able to move Spezza to bring in a puck moving dman in Bouwmeester.  Also, with the addition of Weiss, it brings a different style of player than Spezza.

Then Arcesi made another trade on Friday night…one that seems to have made many people around the league question what Arcesi was doing.  Many people felt that by giving up prospect Lucas Lessio and a 1^st round pick for 3^rd/4^th liners Brian Boyle and Drew Miller…that Arcesi was desperate or that he overpaid.  Well, Arcesi addressed that concern in the conference as well.  Arcesi stated that yes, he felt he did pay more for the two players than what most GMs in the league would pay…but, in order to get, you have to give.  Some trades you might not pay as much, and others you pay more.  We’ve dealt with GM Brodsky a lot as of late, and we know that he won’t give away anything for nothing, which is a good quality in a GM…and if someone comes knocking on my door, I would be the same way.  But this time, I was knocking on his door and right there, that puts the price higher.  Am I desperate to fix the team this year?  NO.  It is what it is for this season.  For whatever reason, we are not performing well.  The slow start that we had at the beginning of the season is still crippling us, but we are gradually getting better.  Will “gradually getting better” make us get to the playoffs?  Probably not.  If this team wants to make the playoffs, then they need to start playing better.  Getting more than 20 shots a game would be a starting point.  All of the recent trades that I have made have been for one reason, and one reason only…to improve our team for next season.  We have not given up on this season, we are still aiming to make the playoffs, but we are looking to solidify our spot next season as well.  We feel that the addition of Bouwmeester, Boyle and Miller will help next season.  A top two line dman and two guys that will solidify our 4^th line will be much needed.  Trading starting net minder (and the Bruins 1st pick in the inaugural draft) Cam Ward was a shock to most fans in Boston, as he was one of the few bright spots on the team this season.  Arcesi mentioned that trading Ward was a difficult decision, but his cap hit over the next few years and this season specifically was something that had to be taken into question and the organization felt that Ward wasn't the goalie to have next season, so a move was made. Arcesi essentially got Oduya, a first and Lessio for moving Ward.  He then flipped Lessio and a first for Boyle and Miller.  All in all, the trade pans out as Ward for Oduya, Boyle and Miller, which isn't too bad a haul for Ward.

Arcesi stated a On paper, this roster is one of the best ones in this league…unfortunately the game isn’t solely played on paper and in order to win, we have to do what we have to do.  As it stands right now, we like the way our team looks this year and especially the way it will look next year and barring any significant injuries, we don’t anticipate making any more changes to the club unless free agency allows us to do something in the off-season.