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00:00WEEI Afternoons, Andy Hartnick, Fitzy Stevens, Ted Johnson, and I'm going to go to the guest line now for our
00:06weekly chat with Andrew Razor Raycroft.
00:08Razor is brought to you by John Sewer and Drain Cleaning, the name to know when your drains don't flow
00:13by FindMassMoney.gov, and by Shaw's and Star Market.
00:17Proud to be local since 1860. Razor, how we doing?
00:22Awesome, how you guys doing?
00:24We're good. We're as good as the Bruins at home, and I want to start there.
00:30I know it's normal in all sports. You're better at home than you are on the road, but I look
00:34at the NHL standings.
00:35There's one team in the playoff picture in the East that's sub-500 at home. It's the Bruins. I think
00:40there's one in the West as well.
00:42The other playoff teams are pretty good on the road. Why the split? Why the differentiation? Why are the Bruins
00:49so good at home and not so good on the road?
00:52It's hard to understand. It really is hard to understand because this is a team that's kind of built for
00:58the road, maybe more so than home.
01:00The way they compete, the way they're hard to play against. Marco Sturm wants them playing defensive first type games.
01:07But for whatever reason, they've lost eight in a row at home, and they haven't got a win since January
01:1217th.
01:13So there is something there. It's hard to put your finger on, but when you win 13 in a row
01:19at home, that allows you to figure it out.
01:21And hopefully they do so here with a three-game road trip coming up after tonight.
01:28So, Razor, the Bruins are 5-5 over their last 10, and it feels like they're kind of showing their
01:35true colors as kind of a 500 hockey team of late.
01:39Do you think this is what we're going to get the rest of the way, or has this just been
01:42a particularly tough stretch?
01:46Well, they got a couple overtime points in there, too.
01:50So it's not NHL 500. They're a couple games over.
01:54So that changes things, right?
01:55So you have to put that into play because, again, that's just how the league works, especially this time of
02:00year.
02:00There's so many games where teams are getting three points combined.
02:05You know, again, if they've gone 3-2-1 in their last five, if they go three – or, sorry,
02:13in their last six, if they go – they have 18 games left.
02:15If they go 9-6-3, they're easily in the playoffs, easily in the playoffs.
02:21That's 21 points. That puts them at 99, and they're good to go.
02:26So the reality is they've put themselves in a position with an awesome January to play, you know, a couple
02:34games over 500 to allow them to get in the playoffs.
02:37And at this point, that's really what it's all about.
02:40But, Razor, what would you say – what would you like to see to get them to go into that
02:45next gear, to just continue to play and maybe, you know, get in the second, third round of the playoffs?
02:51Like, what do you think really needs to happen?
02:54What do you need to see more of from this team?
02:58Well, I think, you know, right now David's struggled a little bit, so that's a big piece of it.
03:03The power play hasn't been as dialed as it was prior to the break, so those numbers have backed off
03:10a little bit.
03:11But, again, it comes down to – when you get into playoffs, it's about playing – being hard to play
03:18against, competing, having great goaltending, which they're obviously getting,
03:22and then special teams, and the good news is the PKs, 17 of 19 since the break.
03:28So, that's trending in the right direction.
03:30They've figured a few things out there.
03:32They've taken less penalties.
03:34So, again, I think once you get to playoffs in the NHL, especially, and the way the bracket sets up,
03:39it's all about matchups.
03:40So, right now, it's just about getting to the playoffs, and the Bruins have to – again, it really comes
03:46down to the road.
03:47If they bank points on the road, especially over the next three games, like I said, after tonight,
03:52they're putting themselves in a position where the mask gets really hard for the teams behind them to be caught.
03:59Andrew Razor-Raycroft here with WEI Afternoons.
04:02Razor, you know me.
04:03I always get a Swayman question, and I'm on my favorite website that you put me on, I think, week
04:09one of our conversations, Money Puck.
04:13And Jeremy Swayman is third in hockey, in saves, above expected, whatever the fancy analytics are.
04:21Why do I not feel that?
04:23Why do I not feel like I'm watching a top-three goaltender in the NHL each and every time he
04:29takes the ice?
04:30How does he turn that success into more of a feeling like you have one of the best goaltenders in
04:37hockey?
04:39Well, I can't make you feel anything.
04:43There's nothing I can do about that.
04:45I don't think there's anything Jeremy can really do about that.
04:47I think, listen, this play, it was the same thing with Tuca for 10 years, right?
04:56Like, I don't know why.
04:58You know, like, it's very similar.
04:59I think it's just the way the culture of the sports likes to talk about it, really.
05:06You know, like, because my guess is even if he won a cup, there would be people that said, well,
05:10they won because of somebody else.
05:11I think it's just the position that you play.
05:15I think he gets – well, I know he has a lot of respect around the rest of the league.
05:19Those numbers that you just brought up are real numbers.
05:21He's 9-0 at home since 2026 started.
05:26He's 16-4-1 on home.
05:27So, my – like, I can go through a lot of different numbers that – and don't forget that he
05:31made the U.S. Olympic team as one of the top three goaltenders in the United States.
05:35So, it's – I don't know what else you would want a goalie to do at this point.
05:42Like, I don't know, you know, of course, you know, I guess you want a Stanley Cup on the roster,
05:47on the resume.
05:48Beyond that, at this point right now, it's – he's really good.
05:51But – or an Olympic gold because I'm sure right now if Conor Hellebuck were the goaltender for the Bruins,
05:57people would think he's going to pitch a shutout or give up one goal every single time just because they
06:01saw him do the biggest match.
06:02They would, but Conor Hellebuck also has blown, like, nine playoff series for being on the best team in the
06:09regular season
06:10and has choked away more rounds than any goalie in the National Hockey League.
06:14But you're right.
06:15I guess if he – you know, if he had to won the gold, then maybe, maybe.
06:19But they would say, well, why don't you do it at home?
06:20Or why don't you do it in the NHL?
06:22Why don't you do it for the Bruins?
06:23Like, it's just inevitable.
06:24It comes with a position.
06:26It really does.
06:26It comes with a position.
06:28It comes with a town, Razor, because I'm sure you're familiar with it now.
06:30But we're a nightmare.
06:31We're impossible.
06:32Like, you can't please us all the time.
06:34Yeah, no, I don't think so.
06:35But that's what makes it fun, right?
06:37That's what makes everybody interested.
06:39And that's what puts – you know, listen, 50% of the people agree and 50% don't.
06:44And that's why it's fun dialogue.
06:48Hey, Razor, I'm just curious.
06:49I'm looking at – I'm looking at their schedule for the Bruins.
06:53They have the second, according to some websites, they have the second toughest remaining schedule.
07:00And they play eight – or excuse me, 11 of the last 18 games are on the road,
07:05which we know that they struggle.
07:08Does this team make the playoffs, in your opinion?
07:11Right now they're the second wild card team.
07:12Does this team make the playoffs?
07:14Yeah, I do believe they're going to get in the playoffs.
07:17I believe that they're going to find a way.
07:19But, again, it is going to come down to the road.
07:22Like you said, they've got – this is a huge game tonight, of course.
07:26But more importantly, a huge road trip where you have Washington, Jersey, and Montreal in four days.
07:31Three road games.
07:32So, you've got to find a way to bank points in those three games.
07:36That kind of offsets the discrepancy in home and away.
07:40Once you get through those three quick road games, then, you know, you're pretty balanced out the rest of the
07:46year.
07:47But the strength of schedule, too, is interesting.
07:50Because if you look at that, basically they're, like, half a – five one-hundredths of a percentage point off
07:57from being, like, 12th.
07:58The East is really balanced on that strength of schedule.
08:01They're all Eastern Conference teams.
08:02Pittsburgh, the Morse, then Columbus, which Columbus is right behind the Bruins.
08:06They actually have the – you know.
08:07So, it's all kind of relative.
08:10But, again, at the end of the day, it's really about how they get their road game going.
08:16It's something you can't answer tonight, but it's important.
08:19When you guys – when you go on the road, I mean, hockey's – I don't know.
08:22Football's very unique.
08:24You're in, you're out.
08:24I don't know.
08:25Like, to change up the mojo.
08:26Maybe wives come on a trip or the girlfriends or – I don't know.
08:31Not on the same trip.
08:33Keep the wives and the girlfriends on different trips.
08:35But I'm just – something to kind of, you know, I don't know.
08:37Do you guys hang out?
08:38Do you guys go your separate ways when you're on the road?
08:40Like, I don't know.
08:41Have you ever had issues on the road where, you know, you said, like, hey, why don't we all do
08:45this and that'll help us lock in on the road?
08:48No, no.
08:48You can switch it up or have a team meal or, you know, again, back in the old days, we'd
08:53go out all night and play guilty.
08:55That doesn't happen anymore.
08:57That would always work.
08:58That was always a guarantee.
09:00I love it.
09:01The – but – so, yeah, so you can do that.
09:04Obviously, the siblings' trip was the last time they actually did win on the road when they had the siblings
09:09with them.
09:10I think it's probably a little late to put that all together at this point.
09:13But certainly, you've got to change something up.
09:16So, yeah, a huge team meal with the whole crew maybe when they get to Washington tomorrow night.
09:22That's not a bad idea.
09:24Razor, you mentioned Pasta, David Pasternak, new dad.
09:28And there's this thought out there maybe he needs to be more aggressive offensively, shoot a little bit more, that
09:33the assist numbers are better.
09:35But the goals need to start coming more in bunches.
09:38Do you believe that?
09:39Do you subscribe to that theory?
09:41Ah, some nights I do.
09:42Some nights I do.
09:43But he has made everybody so much better around him.
09:47And the reality is the teams are just taking him away, even with all his passing.
09:51They still don't want him to shoot.
09:53But there are nights where I feel like he could be a little more selfish at different times and really
10:00take it to the net.
10:00But I think the other thing that, you know, of course, him having a baby and he's been struggling, come
10:08out of the break a little slow.
10:10Well, it kind of falls into place where he was in Italy by himself without his family, comes back, they
10:17have a baby, she's very pregnant, trying to deal with that.
10:20Like everybody has stuff off the ice too, right?
10:22Especially through a long season.
10:24And we don't talk about it, we don't think about it.
10:26And then this news comes out and it's like, oh, okay, well, that can explain a little bit of, you
10:31know, there's probably other stuff on his mind.
10:33So hopefully this clears it.
10:35Of course, it is a huge relief when everybody's happy and healthy and you can go to the rink and
10:39not have that extra stress and have that excitement of having another child in your family.
10:45And I would expect that that, again, for most guys, it's a release.
10:50And it relieves a lot of stuff going on in your head and you just go out and play.
10:54And maybe we get a big dad game from David tonight.
10:58I was just going to say, I got him as an anytime goal scorer tonight for sure.
11:01Last one.
11:02Yeah, that works.
11:03Oh, heck yeah.
11:05Poor McAvoy, huh?
11:06I mean, the guy just can't catch a break, you know, has this awesome Olympics and comes home, then just
11:11gets bloody teeth, missing teeth.
11:13Like, do you think, do you think, is this going to ultimately affect the way he plays?
11:18Or do you think Charlie McAvoy only knows one way to play and that's Charlie McAvoy style and that comes
11:23complete with all of the injuries, nicks and dings that he sustains?
11:27Yeah, guys, guys, it's hard to change your stripes and you are kind of what you are at this point.
11:32And once that puck drops, you might, you know, you might leave the house and someone, your wife will tell
11:37you, just be careful tonight, please.
11:38We don't need more of it, but once you get out there, that caution goes to the wind.
11:44Teddy could tell you, it's just kind of, when it rains, it pours with some injuries at different times.
11:49You get one, you get one, you know, you get an undercut and you blow one Charlie out and then
11:54the next game you blow an elbow.
11:56Like, it's just, it's just an odd, it's raining and pouring in Charlie's face right now.
12:03And, you know, I'm sure he's hoping to get out of here on skates tonight.
12:07Razor, real quick, before we let you go, the prediction, Shark's been scuffling a little bit.
12:11Can I pencil in a nice easy win?
12:13I don't think it'll be easy tonight.
12:15I don't know.
12:17This team is fast, Celebrini.
12:19I'm curious to see how it plays out.
12:22But, so I don't think it's going to be a blowout from the Bruins tonight.
12:28Let's say, let's say 4-2, empty and utter.
12:33All right.
12:34I love it, Razor.
12:35We'll talk next week and I'll have another weird Swayman question to ask.
12:38Appreciate you, bud.
12:39I'm here for it.
12:40I think the more communication we have with these, the better we get to the end line.
12:45That's a good point.
12:46Thanks, Razor.
12:46It's all about communication.
12:47That's right.
12:48Thanks, buddy.
12:48Thanks, Razor.
12:49Thanks, bud.
12:49Andrew Razor, Raycroft here on WEI Afternoons.
12:52He's really growing to hate my Swayman questions, I feel like.
12:55He fights through homies.
12:57I think he's used to it, though.
12:58He is.
12:58Dan Ball, did you have some comment you wanted to make about the stats I brought up?
13:02Yeah.
13:03Goals saved above expected is an expected stat, not a real stat.
13:07But other than that, Swayman's doing great.
13:09All right.
13:09Keep that in mind.
13:10All right.
13:10Up next here on WEI Afternoons.
13:12It's 5 o'clock.
13:12It means it's time for the drive.
13:14A little Celtics talk.
13:16We'll get a little more thoughts from Ted on how he feels like the Patriots have done to start free
13:19agency.
13:20That's next on WEI.
13:21All right.
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