How do you define an elite organization?
If it's based on playoff success, consider that since the start of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, only Detroit and Pittsburgh have won more series than the Bruins' eight.
The Red Wings and Penguins have won 10 apiece. The other two teams of the five that have made the playoffs every year since 2008 are San Jose with six series wins and Washington with three.
Now that the Bruins are in the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in three seasons, it might be time to consider that general manager Peter Chiarelli's promise to make the Bruins an elite franchise has come to fruition.
'Yeah, I mean, things change so quickly,' Chiarelli said during a press conference at TD Garden yesterday. 'You've got to move with the changes and the trends. We've got a real good foundation and we've had success. Things can change quickly, you've got to move quickly to make decisions soundly and quickly. You have to be proud of what we've accomplished here.
'But having said that, it's a demanding town and they expect the best. We try and give it to them.'
Every organization outside of Detroit and Pittsburgh has tried to emulate the Red Wings and Penguins by identifying a core of players to build around for the long term, drafting and developing players to supplement that core, and doing it all within the salary-cap system established in 2005.
Despite the collapse of 2010 and the first-round exit of 2012 that sandwiched the Stanley Cup championship in 2011, Chiarelli has stayed loyal to a core led by Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci and Milan Lucic, and again it's paid off this season.
'Those are decisions that we make, that I make, that you get to know the players,' Chiarelli said. 'There's a fine line between loyalty to these players and making the right decisions, and that's what I have to do as a manager.
'Two years ago you did what we did, and you see how these guys work and how they will go to the wall for you. The initial premise isn't difficult. It's like, 'Wow, we've won.' Historically, it's been a difficult exercise for teams that have won and then have tried to keep the core together, and then you make some mistakes. .'�.'�. It's easy to say, let's just keep everybody and see if we can do it under the cap and all that, but that's not always the right thing. It's a challenge.'
Identifying and developing talent isn't a one-man job. Chiarelli has built a strong team off the ice, both in amateur and pro scouting, and in the coaching staff at the American Hockey League and NHL levels.
'To put together the depth that we like and we're able to use, and to manage it at all levels, at the minor-pro level, at the amateur level and this level is a hard job, and it's a testament to those that I work with,' Chiarelli said.
Now it'll be up to that core group and the supporting cast to up their game in an effort to best the top-seeded Penguins and do something only Detroit and Pittsburgh have done since the 2004-05 lost season: reach the Stanley Cup finals twice.
'I would expect that would come natural, just from where we are at this level in the playoffs and with the team that we're playing,' Chiarelli said. 'There's some storylines that I'm sure will be highlighted that'll probably help them a little bit whether they admit it or not. I think it's just now we're at a stage where, I can recall the last time, there was no issues in getting them up for Tampa (before the 2011 East finals).
'I think they're at a stage where that comes natural, and I'd be disappointed if they weren't. Now, this is a tough team we're playing. It's going to be a tough battle and you're going to see ebb and flow with these series, too. I would think that they would be up for it.'
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNEI_dHeaZJUifmk1ApAbV262P-cfw&url=http://bostonherald.com/sports/bruins_nhl/boston_bruins/2013/05/bruins_join_elite_company
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