Boston Bruins 2023-24 Roster and Salary Cap Discussion VI

[Bruinfanatic]

The amount of goals scored on the Bruins from players not clearing the crease this season is absurd.

It definitely a big problem and it was even when they were healthy and it’s how Florida scored the majority of their goals ,management and the coach has done absolutely nothing to improve it,and it will probably mean another quick exit come playoffs.Especially if it’s against a good for checking team .

 

[Sheppy]

It definitely a big problem and it was even when they were healthy and it’s how Florida scored the majority of their goals ,management and the coach has done absolutely nothing to improve it,and it will probably mean another quick exit come playoffs.Especially if it’s against a good for checking team .

As currently constructed the Bruins will not be making it out of the first round and I'll take that bet every single day until they improve their area of need.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

As currently constructed the Bruins will not be making it out of the first round and I'll take that bet every single day until they improve their area of need.

Other than the Leafs maybe lots of offence but the D and goaltending not so much.Although thats how they beat Tampa in the playoffs

 

[Mione134]

You know who ended up a good D man?

Lauzon.

 

[dugg133]

You know who ended up a good D man?

Lauzon.

He's a third pair defenseman that has around the same 5v5 impact as forbort but worse PKing. Not a guy worth getting nostalgic over.

 

[Dr Hook]

He's a third pair defenseman that has around the same 5v5 impact as forbort but worse PKing. Not a guy worth getting nostalgic over.

This is true, but he has been getting better. He might be just what he is right now, but I'd rather we had been able to keep him for the spot that Forbort occupies. He has some jam in his game, and as far as the PK goes, Forbort is as much a beneficiary of the Bruins system as anyone else- it's steaming along just fine without him, and did that last year too. Not nostalgic in that letting him go at the time was the right call, but he's developing into a solid gritty third pair guy that would be a nice element to have on our defense right now.

 

[Mione134]

This is true, but he has been getting better. He might be just what he is right now, but I'd rather we had been able to keep him for the spot that Forbort occupies. He has some jam in his game, and as far as the PK goes, Forbort is as much a beneficiary of the Bruins system as anyone else- it's steaming along just fine without him, and did that last year too. Not nostalgic in that letting him go at the time was the right call, but he's developing into a solid gritty third pair guy that would be a nice element to have on our defense right now.

Bingo. You said everything I was thinking of. The Preds love him. His fight record this year is pretty damn good. He's nasty. He plays physical and hard nosed, but he's developed into a very gritty 3rd d pair. Not crying he's not here, but had we developed him it would of been nice to have that's all.

 

[NDiesel]

Sheesh, did some of you never watch Tim Thomas? He cleared his own crease plenty of times and I don't think we blamed it on lack of toughness once...

 

[dangermike]

I've kind of just given up all hope that the roster would be constructed with a balance of skill and toughness, honestly. It's bad enough there's no one in the system, either.

Like I said, I'm just not really enjoying the on ice product this year at all. You know it's bad when you have Jeremy Swayman actively trying to clear his crease on a nightly basis because our defenders are too soft to even get their hands dirty.

This is probably the most dramatic take I’ve ever seen about a first place team, with several attractive nhl established trade options on the roster, a shitload of LTIR space, and a culture of players taking fair to team friendly contracts. Not to mention there are months til the deadline and this was supposed to be a down year or a bridge year at best. The doomer behavior has to be tempered at some point holy shit.

 

[Sheppy]

This is probably the most dramatic take I’ve ever seen about a first place team, with several attractive nhl established trade options on the roster, a shitload of LTIR space, and a culture of players taking fair to team friendly contracts. Not to mention there are months til the deadline and this was supposed to be a down year or a bridge year at best. The doomer behavior has to be tempered at some point holy shit.

Ok, sure.

I think the on ice product is pretty boring, to be honest. I think they're a good hockey team that has been bailed out by top notch goaltending. It happens, I'm glad we have two solid goaltenders.

The lack of toughness and physicality concerns me. I'm watching a team get bounced around pretty good with next to no push back on what seems to be a nightly basis. I'm watching a goaltender having to clear his crease because defenders simply refuse to. The Bruins ultimately don't have one single physical forward other than Frederic one game out of the month.

Call it dramatic all you want. It's my opinion. Could it be wrong? Absolutely, but from what I'm seeing, It's not.

 

[NDiesel]

This is probably the most dramatic take I’ve ever seen about a first place team, with several attractive nhl established trade options on the roster, a shitload of LTIR space, and a culture of players taking fair to team friendly contracts. Not to mention there are months til the deadline and this was supposed to be a down year or a bridge year at best. The doomer behavior has to be tempered at some point holy shit.

I personally love reading how every event that happens on the ice is due to a lack of toughness, the logic used to get there each time is truly fascinating to me.

Goalie gets poked? Not tough enough. Poitras knocked down by the same hit that happens 20 times a game? Not tough enough. 5 odd man rushes in a game? Not tough enough. Marchand hits the crossbar? You guessed it....not tough enough.

 

[UncleRico]

Sheesh, did some of you never watch Tim Thomas? He cleared his own crease plenty of times and I don't think we blamed it on lack of toughness once...

Because there was toughness on the team that was clearing the crease with him. Thomas was just a mad man and enjoyed getting involved.

There is a massive difference.

 

[Sheppy]

I personally love reading how every event that happens on the ice is due to a lack of toughness, the logic used to get there each time is truly fascinating to me.

Goalie gets poked? Not tough enough. Poitras knocked down by the same hit that happens 20 times a game? Not tough enough. 5 odd man rushes in a game? Not tough enough. Marchand hits the crossbar? You guessed it....not tough enough.

Do you think this team as it's currently constructed is physical and tough enough for a long playoff run?

Sheesh, did some of you never watch Tim Thomas? He cleared his own crease plenty of times and I don't think we blamed it on lack of toughness once...

I also watched Chara, McQuaid, Boychuk, Seidenberg and Ference give him a hand too.

 

[RoccoF14]

Do you think this team as it's currently constructed is physical and tough enough for a long playoff run?

No. But to be honest, I didn't expect this team as its currently constructed to be leading the Division by 4pts 1/3 of the way through the season either. At the start of the year I had them as a wildcard playoff team at best, mainly due to roster depth issues. I don't think that expectation was too far out of whack with the general sentiment on this board, either.

We got off to an exceptionally strong start, against a relatively soft part of the schedule and suddenly people's expectations got thrown out of whack. The conversation shifted from "can we make the playoffs" to "can we go deep in the playoffs" and I think that was the point of the original post. This is a patchwork roster that's overperformed expectations in a transition year to get our cap structure reset. Just like it was 2 months ago.

That fact that we are in the position that we are in is a GOOD THING. Sure the roster is softer than some would like, but it ain't any softer than it was back in October when we had 4 whole games with Lucic.

 

[NDiesel]

Do you think this team as it's currently constructed is physical and tough enough for a long playoff run?


I also watched Chara, McQuaid, Boychuk, Seidenberg and Ference give him a hand too.

I agree that they need a couple guys, preferably at least one more forward and one dman.

I just find it funny reading how everything relates back to toughness - not to say the people on the opposite side of the argument aren't doing similar things to discredit needing size.

It's been the same thing back to when we lost to the Bolts 2 times in the playoffs...their depth absolutely killed our lack of depth, but because we were outhit it was endless posts about needing toughness.

 

[Sheppy]

I agree that they need a couple guys, preferably at least one more forward and one dman.

I just find it funny reading how everything relates back to toughness - not to say the people on the opposite side of the argument aren't doing similar things to discredit needing size.

Fair.

Just seemed like you kind of came in here guns blazing. I hope you have the same energy next time when people discredit the need for physicality and toughness.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

There’s a difference between “discrediting” the need for physicality and toughness and discrediting the acquisition of crappy third pair defensemen in the pursuit of said toughness

 

[Sheppy]

There’s a difference between “discrediting” the need for physicality and toughness and discrediting the acquisition of crappy third pair defensemen in the pursuit of said toughness

Sure.

I think I've been pretty fair with the players I have suggested they look into. I often see you shit on other peoples takes with the reasoning being "He sucks" while providing no suggestions of your own. Must be content with the roster?

 

[UncleRico]

Some people will discredit any outside player rumored to the bruins and say they aren’t an upgrade no matter what.

 

[Sheppy]

Depending on what situation the Jets are in, Brenden Dillion could potentially be available. I think he'd be a fine addition on the back end. I'd prefer Jake Middleton, however.

Brandon Tanev & Sam Carrick too.

 

[neelynugs]

Bingo. You said everything I was thinking of. The Preds love him. His fight record this year is pretty damn good. He's nasty. He plays physical and hard nosed, but he's developed into a very gritty 3rd d pair. Not crying he's not here, but had we developed him it would of been nice to have that's all.

bruins really didn't have a chance to develop him further. seattle picked him in the expansion draft, and it was what it was. at that point, they weren't exposing any of the other guys they
protected, and it was a choice of either lauzon or clifton for the kraken.

 

[The National]

I don’t think it’s as big of a problem as others but I think in some cases physicality and team toughness is a mentality thing rather than a roster construction thing. Look at Toronto with Reaves, just cus you have some tough players doesn’t mean the whole or majority of the team is in the mindset to play that way.

The Bruins have some pretty large players that don’t seem as focused on being overly physical, was similar under Cassidy as well. Remember “We need our guys to be more like pricks”.

They’ve had guys that have been shit stirrers/physical players in lower leagues hit the NHL and it starts to go away like Freddy and Lauko. Maybe there’s too much pressure not to screw up and play smart responsible hockey idk.

He’s a ways away but Kuntar plays with fire, physical and likes to stir shit up in Prov.

 

[Mione134]

bruins really didn't have a chance to develop him further. seattle picked him in the expansion draft, and it was what it was. at that point, they weren't exposing any of the other guys they
protected, and it was a choice of either lauzon or clifton for the kraken.

Oh I know. At the time it was what it was. However it's nice to see him develop into a tough 3rd pairing d.

 

[NeelyDan]

I personally love reading how every event that happens on the ice is due to a lack of toughness, the logic used to get there each time is truly fascinating to me.

Goalie gets poked? Not tough enough. Poitras knocked down by the same hit that happens 20 times a game? Not tough enough. 5 odd man rushes in a game? Not tough enough. Marchand hits the crossbar? You guessed it....not tough enough.

I dunno. I think that's a misinterpretation - it's a glaring issue, and that is why it comes up often.

 

[Number8]

ahem...

If your number 6 dman can shoulder heavy PK minutes and be very effective in doing so, it takes a lot of pressure off other D who are now having to pull those extra minutes. It’s a long season and we are not deep on D.

Forbert is very low on items that could be improved on, in my book.