Boston Bruins 2023-24 Roster and Salary Cap Discussion IX

[MarchysNoseKnows]

If you roll out Grizz/Forbort/Wotherspoon/Lohrei as a rookie as your left side defense options for the playoffs, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy that the team isn’t built to do well in the playoffs. We can stand pat and not trade future assets for anything and we’ll get what we ask for.

No one who is advocating for making any changes of significance is advocating for a deadline like last year with three rentals. It’s the Lindholm/Hall kind of move where you’re improving the team not just for this year but for many years on the future that some are proposing. Hanifin is the easy one to envision given he’s UFA and the Flames are selling, but he’s not the only player you could acquire to accomplish that goal - either on defense or up front.

In my opinion, you either run with Lohrei at 1LD or 2LD (and move Hampus up) and take your lumps and basically ensure you don’t go far in the playoffs, or you find someone who can play with McAvoy. You can’t run Forbort or Wotherspoon in the top 4 and expect anything good to happen. With how Grizz has played this year you can’t count on him either.

Selling futures to get a top 4 LD is a viable consideration, because you need to do it next year anyway. Those players aren’t readily available in free agency. So making that move for this year and beyond - helping both our chances this year and for the future - shouldn’t be dismissed IMO.

 

[BMC]

This team is built for winning in the regular season. Winning puts fans in the seats and creates the illusion of a playoff contender.
Playoffs are about match ups and making adjustment. And yes, health, riding a hot goalie, and puck luck go a long way in the plays, but as you have stated, despite the current record, the team has flaws that will/would be exposed in a seven game series.
For me the regular season is about making the playoffs and adjusting your team to win in the playoffs. Winning in the regular season is fun and puts fans in the seats but it's the playoffs that really matter. Build the team for the playoffs even if it means not finishing first in the regular season. Win when it matters most.

Awesome post. Wish I could love it more than once.

 

[HustleB]

If you roll out Grizz/Forbort/Wotherspoon/Lohrei as a rookie as your left side defense options for the playoffs, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy that the team isn’t built to do well in the playoffs. We can stand pat and not trade future assets for anything and we’ll get what we ask for.

No one who is advocating for making any changes of significance is advocating for a deadline like last year with three rentals. It’s the Lindholm/Hall kind of move where you’re improving the team not just for this year but for many years on the future that some are proposing. Hanifin is the easy one to envision given he’s UFA and the Flames are selling, but he’s not the only player you could acquire to accomplish that goal - either on defense or up front.

In my opinion, you either run with Lohrei at 1LD or 2LD (and move Hampus up) and take your lumps and basically ensure you don’t go far in the playoffs, or you find someone who can play with McAvoy. You can’t run Forbort or Wotherspoon in the top 4 and expect anything good to happen. With how Grizz has played this year you can’t count on him either.

Selling futures to get a top 4 LD is a viable consideration, because you need to do it next year anyway. Those players aren’t readily available in free agency. So making that move for this year and beyond - helping both our chances this year and for the future - shouldn’t be dismissed IMO.

Well said.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

If you roll out Grizz/Forbort/Wotherspoon/Lohrei as a rookie as your left side defense options for the playoffs, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy that the team isn’t built to do well in the playoffs. We can stand pat and not trade future assets for anything and we’ll get what we ask for.

No one who is advocating for making any changes of significance is advocating for a deadline like last year with three rentals. It’s the Lindholm/Hall kind of move where you’re improving the team not just for this year but for many years on the future that some are proposing. Hanifin is the easy one to envision given he’s UFA and the Flames are selling, but he’s not the only player you could acquire to accomplish that goal - either on defense or up front.

In my opinion, you either run with Lohrei at 1LD or 2LD (and move Hampus up) and take your lumps and basically ensure you don’t go far in the playoffs, or you find someone who can play with McAvoy. You can’t run Forbort or Wotherspoon in the top 4 and expect anything good to happen. With how Grizz has played this year you can’t count on him either.

Selling futures to get a top 4 LD is a viable consideration, because you need to do it next year anyway. Those players aren’t readily available in free agency. So making that move for this year and beyond - helping both our chances this year and for the future - shouldn’t be dismissed IMO.

So... Who?

 

[Fenian24]

They have to fix being so soft. Trade Grizz for nothing (what he is worth) and open up 3.5 in cap space, for that 3.5 in cleared space you can fit Sam Carrick (850k), Brandon Duhaime (1.1M), Pat Maroon (1M), Nick Seeler (775k), Liam O'Brien (775k), Michael McCarron (775k), Kiefer Sherwood (775k) or Adam Gaudette (775k).

Mix and match, they can afford 3 of the above guys any of whom makes them instantly tougher to play against. Besides Seeler I don't see any of them going for more than a prospect (not Lysell, Lohrei or Poitras) or a pick.

As an example Carrick 4th line center, Duhaime 4th line wing, Sherwood bottom 6 wing-total salary 2.725M

They replace Boqvist (775k) and Steen(800k)

 

[dugg133]

The lack of response to the Marchand crosscheck still has me pretty annoyed this morning tbh. Like I've very far from an "old time hockey" type of fan, like very far. Most of the time I'm the nerd on here posting player cards and underlying numbers, and all that stuff. I like the speed and skill of the modern game, and I think hockey as a product is at it's absolute best when it's fast paced and free flowing, not slowed down by a bunch of bruisers that can hardly skate. But there are some things you HAVE to respond to, and your captain getting crosschecked in the face is one of them. Like that 2021-22 Avs team was the fastest, most skilled team that I can really remember watching. That's how they were built, and that's why they won the cup. But that was also the same team that spent basically an entire game hunting Hall on every single shift cause Mackinnon got hurt on an entirely clean hit early in the game. And then they beat us in OT in that same game. That's the mentality great teams win with, they don't "get their revenge on the scoreboard".

 

[Sheppy]

I honestly think this team is going to get absolutely shelled in the playoffs.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I honestly think this team is going to get absolutely shelled in the playoffs.

There’s a road that’s quite possible that’s DET/PIT - TOR - NYR. Is that what you would think would happen in that scenario?

 

[Fenian24]

The lack of response to the Marchand crosscheck still has me pretty annoyed this morning tbh. Like I've very far from an "old time hockey" type of fan, like very far. Most of the time I'm the nerd on here posting player cards and underlying numbers, and all that stuff. I like the speed and skill of the modern game, and I think hockey as a product is at it's absolute best when it's fast paced and free flowing, not slowed down by a bunch of bruisers that can hardly skate. But there are some things you HAVE to respond to, and your captain getting crosschecked in the face is one of them. Like that 2021-22 Avs team was the fastest, most skilled team that I can really remember watching. That's how they were built, and that's why they won the cup. But that was also the same team that spent basically an entire game hunting Hall on every single shift cause Mackinnon got hurt on an entirely clean hit early in the game. And then they beat us in OT in that same game. That's the mentality great teams win with, they don't "get their revenge on the scoreboard".

Another team to look at that didn't win a Cup until they added some toughness was the Lighting under Yzerman. They had all the skill in the world, set regular season records and got bounced by Columbus. Yzerman left, they added some grit, two in a row.

 

[Sheppy]

There’s a road that’s quite possible that’s DET/PIT - TOR - NYR. Is that what you would think would happen in that scenario?

Until I see this team up their game when it counts, yes.

 

[Number8]

As a reminder, here are the draft picks the Bruins currently hold in the next three Entry Drafts (from CapFriendly):

I feel strongly that we should trade our 2024 4th, 5th, and 6th at the TDL. That way I will just completely take the draft off this year.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

There’s a road that’s quite possible that’s DET/PIT - TOR - NYR. Is that what you would think would happen in that scenario?

Bruins to the Cup

 

[Absurdity]

DeBrusk for Middleton + Maroon
Trade for Trenin
Frederic moves up with Marchand and Coyle

 

[Dizzay]

Guys I would consider moving, based on their play this season and our overall depth:
1. Gryz- get what you can for him but get him off this team please
2. Forbort- too many injury concerns, likely can upgrade for cheaper- Lohrei
3. Steen- has 1 goal and 1 point in 31 games, not an NHL'er at this point
4. Lauko- 2 goals and 6 pts in 37 games, need some nasty to replace this guy
5. Ullmark- people say trade him at the draft but this deadline is where he has the most value, two playoff runs to the team who trades for him. If the Bruins plan to pay Swayman in the offseason, that will show their cards come draft time and Ullmark's value will be much less, find a veteran backup or see what you have in Bussi.
6. Boqvist- 1 goal in 15 games

XXXX-Zacha-Pasta
Marchy-Coyle-Debrusk
JVR-Geekie-Freddy
Heinen-Beecher-XXXX
Poitras

XXXX-McAvoy
Lindholm-Carlo
Lohrei-Shattenkirk
Wortherspoon-XXXXX

Swayman
Bussi/Veteran tender

With Beecher, Lohrei, and Bussi up, you created 11 million dollars either trading the above/sending the fodder down to the AHL. Grab Pasta and Zacha either a LW or C. I'm not object to giving Lysell a go with Marchy and Coyle and sliding Jake up to his natural LW on the top line. Maroon on line 4 makes too much sense. Love him or hate him, he's won before and he's still an asshole to play against. I'd also poke around Zucker in Arizona. Poke around Kane in Detroit. Both would be solid adds to the top 6. Tarasenko as well. Guy can still play.

 

[Son of Donegal]

If you roll out Grizz/Forbort/Wotherspoon/Lohrei as a rookie as your left side defense options for the playoffs, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy that the team isn’t built to do well in the playoffs. We can stand pat and not trade future assets for anything and we’ll get what we ask for.

No one who is advocating for making any changes of significance is advocating for a deadline like last year with three rentals. It’s the Lindholm/Hall kind of move where you’re improving the team not just for this year but for many years on the future that some are proposing. Hanifin is the easy one to envision given he’s UFA and the Flames are selling, but he’s not the only player you could acquire to accomplish that goal - either on defense or up front.

In my opinion, you either run with Lohrei at 1LD or 2LD (and move Hampus up) and take your lumps and basically ensure you don’t go far in the playoffs, or you find someone who can play with McAvoy. You can’t run Forbort or Wotherspoon in the top 4 and expect anything good to happen. With how Grizz has played this year you can’t count on him either.

Selling futures to get a top 4 LD is a viable consideration, because you need to do it next year anyway. Those players aren’t readily available in free agency. So making that move for this year and beyond - helping both our chances this year and for the future - shouldn’t be dismissed IMO.

Do you think the bruins have the assets needed to get Hanifin this season without moving on from DeBrusk?

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Do you think the bruins have the assets needed to get Hanifin this season without moving on from DeBrusk?

Sure. I’m not saying I’d necessarily pay it though. As an extreme example, if you offered 2025 1st, Lohrei, Lysell, Beecher I’d think Calgary would say yes.

 

[Smitty93]

Can we stop offering DeBrusk in deals to teams that are selling? He's a UFA. His value to non-playoff teams is basically nothing. The only way they'd move him is to get prospects/picks from a contender that they could turn around and trade to another team for current help. And let's be honest, they're not going to do that.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Can we stop offering DeBrusk in deals to teams that are selling? He's a UFA. His value to non-playoff teams is basically nothing. The only way they'd move him is to get prospects/picks from a contender that they could turn around and trade to another team for current help. And let's be honest, they're not going to do that.

I’m not an advocate of trading him. But the idea would be to trade him to…say Calgary, who would negotiate an extension with him prior to the trade. They get him locked up now instead of hoping he goes to them as UFA.

 

[bme44]

If you roll out Grizz/Forbort/Wotherspoon/Lohrei as a rookie as your left side defense options for the playoffs, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy that the team isn’t built to do well in the playoffs. We can stand pat and not trade future assets for anything and we’ll get what we ask for.

No one who is advocating for making any changes of significance is advocating for a deadline like last year with three rentals. It’s the Lindholm/Hall kind of move where you’re improving the team not just for this year but for many years on the future that some are proposing. Hanifin is the easy one to envision given he’s UFA and the Flames are selling, but he’s not the only player you could acquire to accomplish that goal - either on defense or up front.

In my opinion, you either run with Lohrei at 1LD or 2LD (and move Hampus up) and take your lumps and basically ensure you don’t go far in the playoffs, or you find someone who can play with McAvoy. You can’t run Forbort or Wotherspoon in the top 4 and expect anything good to happen. With how Grizz has played this year you can’t count on him either.

Selling futures to get a top 4 LD is a viable consideration, because you need to do it next year anyway. Those players aren’t readily available in free agency. So making that move for this year and beyond - helping both our chances this year and for the future - shouldn’t be dismissed IMO.

GREAT POST . You have no idea how refreshing it is for me. To see you actually seeing the problems with Gryz's game. I also agree I would like to see any moves made by Bruins management. Before players that are not rentals

 

[NeelyDan]

Sure. I’m not saying I’d necessarily pay it though. As an extreme example, if you offered 2025 1st, Lohrei, Lysell, Beecher I’d think Calgary would say yes.

This would be an insane price to pay

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

This would be an insane price to pay

It would. And I wouldn’t do it. But we do have the assets was my point.

GREAT POST . You have no idea how refreshing it is for me. To see you actually seeing the problems with Gryz's game. I also agree I would like to see any moves made by Bruins management before players that are not rentals

I see the problems with Grizz’ game this year. It’s not some awakening where I never saw it before. He’s not the same this year.

 

[Son of Donegal]

Sure. I’m not saying I’d necessarily pay it though. As an extreme example, if you offered 2025 1st, Lohrei, Lysell, Beecher I’d think Calgary would say yes.

I am not sure Donny would be willing to give up all that either. Still need to clear cap and there is the question whether DeBrusk will resign in season. As Conor and Ty discussed, if there is uncertainty around DeBrusk, the Bruins might need to move him…which would possibly lead to a series of moves…

Hence, my zany trade proposal from earlier this week. If DeBrusk goes, it opens up the opportunity to snag Hanifin, but then they need to fill in the top 6 somehow.

Are the Bruins better as they are currently constructed? Or with Hanifin but without JDB?

 

[Hookslide]

DeBrusk for Middleton + Maroon
Trade for Trenin
Frederic moves up with Marchand and Coyle

So trade Jake for a 4th liner and probably a bottom pair d man.........

 

[NeelyDan]

DeBrusk going out with Hanifin coming back makes very little sense to me

Robbing Peter to pay Paul

 

[bme44]

It would. And I wouldn’t do it. But we do have the assets was my point.


I see the problems with Grizz’ game this year. It’s not some awakening where I never saw it before. He’s not the same this year.

I will slightly disagree with you . I would say the weaknesses in his game have always been there it is simply they are being exposed more frequently.