Boston Bruins 2023-24 Roster and Salary Cap Discussion VIII

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Middleton's shooting percentage is 247% better than last season and over 100% better than his career average. Bruins fans (including me) talk about Middleton because he's a type of player we're lacking on the blueline.........plus our fanbase love guys who can play hockey and punch faces. I don't really see Middleton costing the farm by any means and I would not be including anyone named Lysell or Lohrei in any deals for him.

Yeah, what MMB said.

 

[wintersej]

Ok I'll bite......what do you think Middleton costs:
1) in general terms?
2) from the Bruins organization?

Here is the thing with Middleton.

The Wild have a $14,743,588 penalty next year for the Parise/Suter buyouts.

Middleton being CHEAP is of HUGE value to them. Massive value. Way more than it would be to the Bruins, and the Bruins wouldn't scoff at having Middleton on the cheap at all. But, they don't need it nearly as badly as the Wild.

The next year the penalty falls to 1.6m and the Wild are a normal team again.

 

[wintersej]

Yup. If they can find that player with the right contract.

What I wouldn't want to see is giving 7-8 year deals to a guy just because he is the best available in that particular off-season but truly isn't the caliber of player who warrants it. They capitalize on weak UFA class because their will be GMs out there who are desperate to quickly improve their squad.

You can...

1) Hold your nose and pay in UFA for a guy you know won't have a great contract at the end.
2) Trade for a guy with a good contract/age with assets you don't really have
3) Develop your own solution getting lucky in the draft
4) Do nothing while Pasta is in his absolute peak and hope something better comes along in a. future season.

I don't think 2 is possible. You saw what even a lower end guy like PLD went for.

With 3, you have to be patient. Poitras is their real hope there. Hard to project if he ends up an undersized #2C or if he can do better. But its their only hope right now.

With 4... pfft... if we thought we were frustrated with "Krejci needs a winger"... that sounds worse. I mean when was the last time a young great #1C made it to UFA. Tavares? That's a lot to put your hopes on.

So maybe you loop back to 1 and try to buy you more time on 3?

If Lindholm gets to UFA, I don't see how you don't make a move for him. Giving up the assets you don't really have AND signing him? That was a far bridge to cross.

 

[The don godfather]

Monahan got a first for the habs. Donny stay out of the trade market ! Unbelievable. Just call up kids.

 

[TD Charlie]

Monahan got a first for the habs. Donny stay out of the trade market ! Unbelievable. Just call up kids.

Gonna be a Greg Zanon type of deadline

 

[FrankerC]

Prices are definitely set. We're in for a Greg Zanon/Brian Gionta type TDL.

Gonna be a Greg Zanon type of deadline

Couldnt have said it better

 

[The don godfather]

Gonna be a Greg Zanon type of deadline

Good . Get some washed up vet for a 7 th round pick that's it.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Lindholm probably doesn't give us more than we get out of Coyle and Zacha and fans would still be asking for a true #1.

I'd try to land Draisaitl in the offseason there is no way he wants to play in Edmonton his entire career.

 

[BruinDust]

You can...

1) Hold your nose and pay in UFA for a guy you know won't have a great contract at the end.
2) Trade for a guy with a good contract/age with assets you don't really have
3) Develop your own solution getting lucky in the draft
4) Do nothing while Pasta is in his absolute peak and hope something better comes along in a. future season.

I don't think 2 is possible. You saw what even a lower end guy like PLD went for.

With 3, you have to be patient. Poitras is their real hope there. Hard to project if he ends up an undersized #2C or if he can do better. But its their only hope right now.

With 4... pfft... if we thought we were frustrated with "Krejci needs a winger"... that sounds worse. I mean when was the last time a young great #1C made it to UFA. Tavares? That's a lot to put your hopes on.

So maybe you loop back to 1 and try to buy you more time on 3?

If Lindholm gets to UFA, I don't see how you don't make a move for him. Giving up the assets you don't really have AND signing him? That was a far bridge to cross.

I'm good with Option 4 with an asterisk. I'm fine with the current situation as is but the playoffs will tell the true tale.

I would fully anticipate they'll go with Option 1 if they can.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

The other option is continue to go with the centers we have for a bit unless something comes up opportunistically. Build hard in D with another top end guy for 1LD. If you had:

Hanifin-McAvoy
Lindholm-Carlo
Lohrei
Wotherspoon

You could play me at 3RD and we’d still have the best defense in the league.

Forcing a 1C when there isn’t really a true 1C out there is the worst option imo.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

Imagine this place if Sweeney gave up a 1 for Monahan

 

[SPLBRUIN]

The Bruins really need to upgrade their 4th line, Poitras is a bad fit on it and Steen is just not good enough. I like Beecher on it, big and fast, tailor made for playoff hockey, unfortunately Monty dosen't like him much. An6ways

To continue my last post, the cost shouldn't be too high to bring in a couple of rugged dependable 4th liners included a center who can who faceoffs.

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

Soon as Jake got involved he got hot, but the downside is his body is not built for that type game and he needed rest for aches and pains.I like Jake I really do, but Sweeney cannot let him gain control over the situation here .Just my opinion is all and I respect yours and understand what your saying.I just don't like doing buisness that way.Saw Loui Eriksson walk after scoring 30 and still missed playoffs so that was final straw of that type stuff for me.

I totally understand your point but at this stage of the season I think it just has to play out as it is. How all this plays out and how they use that cap space next year is the real measurement of Sweeney imo. This team might look quite different next year and how they spend that money and move forward might determine our fate for the next 5-6 years if not longer.

Jake will have a lot of competition in that free agent pool.

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

The Bruins really need to upgrade their 4th line, Poitras is a bad fit on it and Steen is just not good enough. I like Beecher on it, big and fast, tailor made for playoff hockey, unfortunately Monty dosen't like him much. An6ways

To continue my last post, the cost shouldn't be too high to bring in a couple of rugged dependable 4th liners included a center who can who faceoffs.

Poitras' kind of a "bad fit" everywhere but also a good fit everywhere. He's just not fully ready yet so he's not good enough for a top line where he eventually should end up but also not grinding enough for the bottom end but if you want to play him and still limit his minutes he ends up there. Monty seems to prefer a faster 4th line right now with more scoring upside but come playoff time I hope they can make a switch to a heavier line for playoff hockey. I like Beecher more for that as well.

 

[DKH]

What’s the Andover connection?

I'm pretty sure this is true with all professional athletes and most famous people. I highly doubt that Steen, Lauko or Boquist have any issues picking up ladies if they are into that kind of thing. Fame makes most regular people act different.

They

I had my d lines posted right there. Lohrei was third pair. Gudas and Forbort were offsetting, I understand we still need to find another million, but I really wasn't getting that specific, just throwing out an idea. Still, odd that you would complain about Lohrei who is listed on my d pairs in the post you quoted.

I am a fan of your posting, but consider me confused.

After rereading my own post, I see that I was thinking out loud and therefore created the confusion myself! Carry on please.

gudas doesn’t want to play here and I don’t blame him

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/radko-gudas-opens-up-about-leaving-panthers-decision-to-sign-with-anaheim

Anaheim is perfect to raise a family not exposed to cannibals wearing Marchand jerseys

If we got Gudas and the mean Boston sports fans got on him it could be bad

 

[DKH]

Already got one Lindholm on track for an albatross contract down the road and the Bruins seemingly want to go for the Double Lindholm Albatross.

So Lindholm is an albatross ?

You deserve a hell where your only hockey is the last 14 years of Buffalo Sabres games

 

[PB37]

Poitras' kind of a "bad fit" everywhere but also a good fit everywhere. He's just not fully ready yet so he's not good enough for a top line where he eventually should end up but also not grinding enough for the bottom end but if you want to play him and still limit his minutes he ends up there. Monty seems to prefer a faster 4th line right now with more scoring upside but come playoff time I hope they can make a switch to a heavier line for playoff hockey. I like Beecher more for that as well.

I prefer Beecher too but Boqvist has helped stabilize the 4th line of late. He and Lauko's increased level of play have been very noticeable.

 

[dugg133]

I prefer Beecher too but Boqvist has helped stabilize the 4th line of late. He and Lauko's increased level of play have been very noticeable.

Only thing is that Monty likes to give the 4th line a ton of dzone starts, and he hasn't been able to do that with Boqvist there cause of how bad he is at faceoffs. Like Beecher averages 32 dzone faceoffs per 60 min, Pat brown averages 28, and then Boqvist is at 18.

So it may be working for now, but I just don't see it as a long term fit going into the playoffs. It just puts too much strain on the Coyle line to have to handle the bulk of the dzone draws and the bulk of the scoring. End of the day he's not actually Bergeron, you can't expect that of him. Go get a veteran 4C that Monty will trust in that role so he can role 4 lines confidently.

 

[BruinDust]

So Lindholm is an albatross ?

You deserve a hell where your only hockey is the last 14 years of Buffalo Sabres games

C'mon now. 10 years at the most. 14 seems excessive.

Hampus's contract isn't an albatross yet but I do have some concerns.

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

I prefer Beecher too but Boqvist has helped stabilize the 4th line of late. He and Lauko's increased level of play have been very noticeable.

I really liked Lauko on that third line with Frederic. He brings a lot of energy and little chaos to that group and makes them a solid unit.

Just really hoping we find a Lucic replacement for the playoffs,

 

[SPV]

Would Gauthier be an upgrade from Steen on the fourth line? Might be worth looking at, very cheap, big dude that hits.

And would Lohrei be an option to move for Middleton? If we’re really looking at Hanafin in the offseason, Middleton is signed for next year already, for less then Forbort and Gryz.

 

[GordonHowe]

Watch: Do the Bruins have what it takes to win the cup?

Boston.com writer Conor Ryan predicts if the B’s current success can carry into playoffs.

www.boston.com

 

[DKH]

C'mon now. 10 years at the most. 14 seems excessive.

Hampus's contract isn't an albatross yet but I do have some concerns.

Alright - I had a snow Globe fall and break and between the broken glass, fake snow, water or whatever is in there I was in a bad mood (toss in nosey cat looking to check out)

Ok I’m giving you 10 years of Ottawa

You get 2014 Ottawa knocking out Bruins last game and beating them in playoffs 2017 Cassidy first season and all most getting to Finals

You also get the Hamburgler run and Bruins HF fan favorite Chris Neil jersey retirement

Not exactly the Good Place but better then Buffalo

 

[bruinshoper]

The Bruins really need to upgrade their 4th line, Poitras is a bad fit on it and Steen is just not good enough. I like Beecher on it, big and fast, tailor made for playoff hockey, unfortunately Monty dosen't like him much. An6ways

To continue my last post, the cost shouldn't be too high to bring in a couple of rugged dependable 4th liners included a center who can who faceoffs.

I agree. Steen skates hard..really puts in the effort, but just doesn't seem to have the "it" factor. I also like Beecher (although as with most players I wish he would be more physical consistently). I so miss the Merlot line.

 

[GordonHowe]

I prefer Beecher too but Boqvist has helped stabilize the 4th line of late. He and Lauko's increased level of play have been very noticeable.

Hmm.

Ice a fourth line of wanna B's and a rook. That will work.

Bo is a vet and that helps settle things down. But don't blame John Beecher. He did everything asked of him, playing with different linemates.

He wasn't perfect. He's a rookie. What do you expect?

Beecher is a responsible, NHL ready 4C. No, he doesn't have hands. Neither did Daniel Paille, or a lot of fourth line guys I could mention.