Van Alan

Van Alan

@van-alan.bsky.social

Bruins outsider. Zero Fs given. Twitter personality in exile. Producer of OneVanArmy w/ @jwirb.bsky.social‬ and Snack. Recurring character @shortshiftpod.bsky.social‬. Has a day job.

222 followers81 following3.3K posts

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

They were never not scoring tonight. #NHLBruins

Van Alan@van-alan.bsky.social

Best the Peterka-Zacha-Pasta line has looked yet. Zacha should probably score there. Great feeds by Pasta and JJ. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Best the Peterka-Zacha-Pasta line has looked yet. Zacha should probably score there. Great feeds by Pasta and JJ. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Pastrnak and Geekie each ripped shots on goal the first time they had looks. Clearly got the message. Let’s see if it sticks. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Under $4M for Marat for three more years!?!? That is an absolute STEAL. He's not the great a finish so IDK if he'll ever get 20 goals, but this guy is so impactful. He's good at everything and he helps you win games. GREAT piece of business by Sweeney. 985thesportshub.com/2026/10/21/b...

985thesportshub.comBruins sign forward Marat Khusnutdinov to multi-year extensionThe Bruins and Marat Khusnutdinov have agreed to an extension to keep the versatile Russian forward in Boston beyond this season.
Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Digging in further on this: - David Pastrnak has 0 shots on goal last night. That should NEVER happen. - Morgan Geekie has 4 shots on goal in his last 5 games. He has had ONE game all year with more than 1 shot on goal. He CANNOT succeed playing like that.

Van Alan@van-alan.bsky.social

#NHLBruins thoughts from last night - You're playing a true contender. They are elite defensively. - You got goals from your young 4C and your rookie LW3 - You got 4 straight PP opps while up a goal. Score once and that game is over. - You didn't even get a shot on goal on multiple PP opps.

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Zacha is mostly just snakebit and I'm also a little less mad at Peterka. He's still trying to figure out where he fits in on this team. He was great with Minten and Marat. When he and Pasta play together they're both trying too hard to set each other up. Someone needs to actually try and score.

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

The Bruins are good and things are going well. However right now the vets are being carried by the youth and you're crazy if you think that can last. The best players need to pull their heads out of their asses. Marco needs to scream SHOOT at Pasta and Geekie until he loses his voice.

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

#NHLBruins thoughts from last night - You're playing a true contender. They are elite defensively. - You got goals from your young 4C and your rookie LW3 - You got 4 straight PP opps while up a goal. Score once and that game is over. - You didn't even get a shot on goal on multiple PP opps.

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Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Matt Poitras has as many goals as David Pastrnak. James Hagens has as many goals as JJ Peterka. Marat Khustnutdinov is outscoring Morgan Geekie. Fraser Minten has more goals that Geekie and Zacha combined.

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

It's great that your young players (Hagens, Minten, Marat, Brunet) are playing so well. But your a fool if you're counting on 84 games of this. Your best players need to start playing like your best players.

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

#NHLBruins thoughts from last night - You're playing a true contender. They are elite defensively. - You got goals from your young 4C and your rookie LW3 - You got 4 straight PP opps while up a goal. Score once and that game is over. - You didn't even get a shot on goal on multiple PP opps.

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Your best players were in a position to lock up 2-pts foryou and they didn't. The Bruins are a good team. However they are being carried by their youth right now and IDK how sustainable that is. The vets who are supposed to be their best players have been way too inconsistent.

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Pastrnak, Peterka, Geekie, and Zacha are all being WAY to deferential. They're just trying to set each other up. None of you are gonna score if you don't try to score. And this team needs you to score. It's not ok that these 4 players have combined for 10 goals 10 games into the season.

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Kastelic wins the draw so the Bruins best players can go win the game, but instead they just decide to give the Dallas multiple breakaways. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Pasta overpassing. Geekie trying to make too many decisions when he should really just shoot. #NHLBruins

Van Alan@van-alan.bsky.social

They’re around it on the PP, but it feels like the 1st unit is still trying too hard for the perfect play. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

At this rate the Bruins are gonna get a 1st+ for Matt Poitras. The pass by Brunet was great, but it’s also an awesome keep in by Lohrei. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Whatever else is true of Mason Lohrei when he gets the puck on his off side in the O zone there’s just so much he can do. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Elias Lindholm’s first couple shifts this game have been very good. I really think that Mittelstadt-Lindholm-Hagens 3rd line could be really good. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Have repeatedly said I like the idea of Lindholm at 3C and feel like a Mittelstadt-Lindholm-Hagens/Khustnutdinov 3rd line could actually be really good. Also if Elias is dragging down one of your top-2 lines that's a problem. It's not a problem if your 3rd line goes a few games without scoring.

Gayle Troiani@gayletroiani.bsky.social

Marco Sturm shaking the lines up at practice, Per Belle Fraser Geekie-Zacha-Pastrnak Khusnutdinov-Minten-Peterka Mittelstadt-E. Lindholm-Hagens Jeannot-Poitras-Kastelic Kuraly H. Lindholm-Borgen Zadorov-Clifton Brunet-Lohrei Aspirot-McAvoy Swayman DiPietro

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

If Elias Lindholm is dragging down Pastrnak and Peterka that's a problem. This team is fucked if those guys aren't scoring. It's not a problem if Hagens and Mittelstadt go a few games without scoring.

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

Ok I’ve always gone on and on about how much Charlie McAvoy sucks on the PP, but given how much Lindholm and Lohrei turn the puck over high in the zone they really need him back. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

This dude is the embodiment of insecurity. Lord Farquaad wasn't overcompensating this much. Seriously this is the guy whom you make like one minor joke about him having a small dick and he shows up the next day with a box of magnums and puts it right on top of his dresser where EVERYONE can see it

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Hegseth: "The ideological clowns are out. The patriotic cowboys are in, with testosterone testing on top."

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

JJ Peterka is nasty. Fraser Minten is good. James Hagens looks like a legit NHLer. Hampus Lindholm looks healthy. I am happy. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

With the addition of Borgen and Clifton this is a very physical Bruins D group. Would be nice to actually score on one of these chances. The 4th line might be a problem. They’re getting hemmed a lot. #NHLBruins

Van Alan
@van-alan.bsky.social

The Rangers surge that led to the Jeannot penalty all started with Lohrei getting beat wide. He’s just bad at taking away space despite being 6’5”. Mediocre skater who gets caught flat footed all the time. It’s not gonna get better. #NHLBruins