Bruins Owner Jeremy Jacobs Waiting for Breakout Performance in 2009

When the man solely responsible for writing your paychecks becomes dissatisfied with your work ethic and performance, you better listen.

In an exclusive conversation with me on Monday afternoon, Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs was candid with his remarks regarding the teams unimpressive 3-4-0 start to the 2009 campaign.
 
"I think they are underachieving," Jacobs said. "If we saw this last year, they would say the Bruins are where they belong. The Bruins aren't where they belong. The talent is there and management is there and the skill is there. I think you are going to find [GM] Peter [Chiarelli] and [head coach] Claude [Julien] making the moves to get these guys on focus."

Jacobs was dead on. Chiarelli traded away one of his 20-plus goal scorers from last season, gritty winger Chuck Kobasew. Yes, the B's opened up some cap space in the process — Kobasew was due $2.33 this season. But they also sent shock waves throughout the locker room with the deal. No one saw it coming, but now the players realize that no one is protected from the team's slow start.

"They are not playing up to their potential," added Jacobs. "It is discouraging from my standpoint. It is discouraging to the fans, it's discouraging to ownership. I don't know if I can distinguish myself from the fan. I think of myself as a fan first, and I am unhappy with what is getting done."

Unhappy is not what the Bruins want their owner to be. Unhappy means that changes can — and will — come quickly. Remember what happened to Phil Kessel when he spoke his mind about being "unhappy" playing in Boston? No team owner wants to hear that there's a sour apple in the bunch. And don't think for one minute that Mr. Jacobs doesn't know what's going on within his team.

"Peter keeps me updated on a day-to-day basis throughout the summer and all," said Jacobs. "Phil had his issues with Boston and being here. I think he wound up getting resolved in the best possible situation that he could have when we traded him to Toronto. That wound up being the best transaction."

Jacobs knows the impact that the Bruins have on the city of Boston. Off camera, he is incredibly engaging and personal. I have always enjoyed sitting down for a conversation with him. But on Monday, I could sense that he was not the least bit thrilled about the team's start. In recent months, he has extended the contracts of Chiarelli, Julien, Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas, fan favorite Milan Lucic and skilled centerman David Krejci. But now he expects results. And unfortunately, he's not seeing them.

"I think we have the stability at the coach and management level," Jacobs said. "I think the players are assets that need to be maximized either in their performance or [via a] trade situation. I think Peter does that very well. It is up to him.

"You cannot be satisfied where you are ever. You always have to reach for something better. I think that is installed in the organization right now. That's what you can hope for in the ownership level, to see that they do that."

Hope is all that Jacobs can do right now. The pieces are in place, and the fan base is back in the Hub. Now it's up to his players to perform the way they're paid to.