Boston Bruins 2023-24 Roster and Salary Cap Discussion XI: Trade Deadline March 8th

[GordonHowe]

I mean he did go get Backes. And Beleksey. Spent first rounders on lower upside guys like Frederic and Beecher (and got slammed for it!) in an effort to find more guys that could play that game. Sweeney brought in Accari. Kuraly. Hathaway. Lucic.

I think this theory that he “doesn’t get it” is complete horse shit. He literally spent two first round picks with Bergeron’s retirement around the corner on those kinds of guys instead of taking shots at trying to get a skilled top 6 C prospect.

You CANT win in the current league without skill. Full stop. You can’t. You have to secure that first and that has been the case for the last 10 years and even more so every year.

So if you are gonna find guys in your top 9 that are going to play a heavy game they also have to have enough skill. And those guys are a bitch to find and if you don’t home grow them you have to pay up the nose to get them.

Fair.

I never saw Balesky in that role, ps.

Other teams seems to be able to find size, physicality and a bit of skill. Somehow, the Bruins are unable to do so.

And when he tries, if he tries, Sweeney strikes out. That's the story. That's always been the story with this guy.

Why is that? Chiarelli did it. St Louis did it. To the Bruins, no less. The Rangers seem to be able to do it. The Flyers. Florida. Tampa Bay. Even the Canuck's.

You can make the case that Montreal is now more physical, and more intimidating, than the Boston Bruins.

Do you like the sound of that? Because that's the way it is.

I'm sick of Sweeney's sh*t. Heartily sick of it.

He blows. Apparently, Neely does as well.

Sons of Sinden.

They know how to lose.

And season tickets holders, they can enjoy their 10% increase.

For a first round flame out. Yet again.

And frankly, fool that I am, I care less about playoffs success or a Stanley Cup than I do about how my team plays.

How my Boston Bruins play.

What is valued by management? What matters?

I can't stand either of them, or the old man in Buffalo. If I could wave a wand and banish them from Causeway Street, I would.

With alacrity.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

with all the talk about wanting to add size into the top 9, I'm a little shocked no one has brought up Anthony Mantha as a trade target. 18 goals 32 points on the year, 6'5" 235lbs, with excellent underlying numbers to boot. And he's doing that all in pretty limited minutes, so he could presumably do even better in a bigger role with better linemates here. Cap space would be an issue, but they could find a way to make it work somehow. Feels like the exact guy half the people here are begging for and no one is talking about him. And he beat the snot out of Dylan Cousins recently, which is a huge plus in my book.

I have not seen him play much this year. But my view of him as a player is not good. He tends to disappear for long stretches, can be a force and then vanish.
Currently over 20% shooting percentage for the year. Not gonna bet that does not regress.
I think if his contract were half of what it is there would be much less expectations:

 

[Gee Wally]

 

[TCB]

I have not seen him play much this year. But my view of him as a player is not good. He tends to disappear for long stretches, can be a force and then vanish.
Currently over 20% shooting percentage for the year. Not gonna bet that does not regress.
I think if his contract were half of what it is there would be much less expectations:
View attachment 827853

Yep. Mantha is as strong as an ox and has a tremendous amount of skill but rarely uses either. When he does he can be dominate but he disappears where too often

 

[sarge88]

In my living room, there is definitely a feeling that Boston is his preferred destination.

 

[The don godfather]

Calgary is drooling to get lohrei from us I can feel it. Hang up the phone Donny!

 

[Gordoff]

Calgary is drooling to get lohrei from us I can feel it. Hang up the phone Donny!

 

[The don godfather]

The more I see lohrei I see stud.

 

[Gordoff]

The more I see lohrei I see stud.

 

[Guelph Bruin]

ok ok I'm getting uncomfortable with this line of chat ... Lohrei, drooling, stud ...save it for the "Bruins HF After Dark" paywall concept someone came up with the other day

 

[PB37]

1st of all making players available and actually trading them are different things.
It's never happened and it never will.

Except your post had the Bruins trading away 40 percent of the roster in favor of
playing their AHL team in the playoffs and labeling it as reality. Which is why I questioned it to begin with.

 

[dredeye]

Am I in the minority of people that don’t want to give up assets for Hanifin? If they want him wait until the off season. He isn’t making Us a cup contender this year

 

[Gordoff]

ok ok I'm getting uncomfortable with this line of chat ... Lohrei, drooling, stud ...save it for the "Bruins HF After Dark" paywall concept someone came up with the other day

I'm IN! lol

 

[sarge88]

Am I in the minority of people that don’t want to give up assets for Hanifin? If they want him wait until the off season. He isn’t making Us a cup contender this year

Not easy to answer. I guess it comes down to what you want the team to look like going forward.

I have to admit, that a top 4 of McAvoy, Lindholm, Carlo and Hanifin is very exciting….provided they add some muscle to the third pair.

If that’s what you want to see, and think it’s a step toward a cup, then why risk seeing him go somewhere else, where they have the advantage of negotiating months ahead of you and the 8th year?

If you’re not sold on that plan, then I agree with your perspective.

 

[bruins19]

Trent Frederic was bad in that series. He looked like he didn't know what to do half the time.

This year’s version is a vast improvement. Likely he gets to 20 goals. Nobody, and I mean nobody, saw that coming.

 

[Sheppy]

This year’s version is a vast improvement. Likely he gets to 20 goals. Nobody, and I mean nobody, saw that coming.

I’m all for it, hell, I don’t even want him fighting as much. I just wish they had someone to help him out with that so he could just play.

 

[KrugAvoy]

The more I see lohrei I see stud.

Lohrei and Poitras will be the new Krug and Pasta who did the twirl during warm ups. He has to stay

 

[The don godfather]

That was me in my high school days. NOT! I was a nerd.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

This year’s version is a vast improvement. Likely he gets to 20 goals. Nobody, and I mean nobody, saw that coming.

He had 17 goals last year. There were definitely some who saw this coming.

 

[Fenian24]

Am I in the minority of people that don’t want to give up assets for Hanifin? If they want him wait until the off season. He isn’t making Us a cup contender this year

This team has a number of significant holes but a top 4 of McAvoy-Lindholm/Hanafin-Carlo should make them tough to beat, especially with Swayman and Ullmark in net. Add Middleton and a Lauzon type D as your third pair, that's a really, really good D.

 

[Dr Hook]

I don’t think they need that in his spot, which is 1LD or 2LD. I think they need someone like that at 3LD since Forbort sucks and Wotherspoon is probably not it. If Lohrei is 2LD then yeah a PK/physical guy is fine at 3LD but not someone who sucks and not someone who will cost a first.

Yeah I actually agree, sorry wasn’t clear what I meant by spot, meaning roster spot/lineup regular, not necessarily lineup spot- something I Lohrei might just be filling soon. And no, I have never been an advocate for a tough guy who sucks at everything else. McQuaid is my blueprint type for that role.

 

[BlackFrancis]

Am I in the minority of people that don’t want to give up assets for Hanifin? If they want him wait until the off season. He isn’t making Us a cup contender this year

I think the bigger question is do we want the Bruins icing a $40m defense in the not so distant future? Maybe that isn't all that big a deal with the cap going up over the next handful of years, but the last cup winning Bruins squad had their #2D making half of their #1D's money. CapFriendly is an asshole for hiding the data, but I'd guess the 2-6 defensemen made close to Chara's cap hit, at least prior to picking up Kaberle.

Noah Hanifin will definitely have an impact if he's acquired. My question is, will he have a bigger impact than allocating that $6m - $7m into their forwards?

 

[Dr Hook]

I think the bigger question is do we want the Bruins icing a $40m defense in the not so distant future? Maybe that isn't all that big a deal with the cap going up over the next handful of years, but the last cup winning Bruins squad had their #2D making half of their #1D's money. CapFriendly is an asshole for hiding the data, but I'd guess the 2-6 defensemen made close to Chara's cap hit, at least prior to picking up Kaberle.

Noah Hanifin will definitely have an impact if he's acquired. My question is, will he have a bigger impact than allocating that $6m - $7m into their forwards?

I say yes- with top flight goaltending that the Bruins have, they will be a force to be reckoned with against any team. I also believe there are enough goals to be had in the current lineup provided you don’t have 4-5 guys slumping at the same time like we currently do. That just doesn’t happen very often. And with that D and goaltending they won’t (you hope) need to count on 4 goals a game to win.

 

[dredeye]

I think the bigger question is do we want the Bruins icing a $40m defense in the not so distant future? Maybe that isn't all that big a deal with the cap going up over the next handful of years, but the last cup winning Bruins squad had their #2D making half of their #1D's money. CapFriendly is an asshole for hiding the data, but I'd guess the 2-6 defensemen made close to Chara's cap hit, at least prior to picking up Kaberle.

Noah Hanifin will definitely have an impact if he's acquired. My question is, will he have a bigger impact than allocating that $6m - $7m into their forwards?

That’s my concern. We already have so much tied up in the d. I know Gryz is gone after this year but still. Our forward group needs a lot of work

 

[GordonHowe]

Ok the “really 26-25” bit is a bit misleading.

Since that 11/4 date, they have 65 points. As does Colorado. Dallas and EDM have 67. The Canucks have 68. WPG with 69. Do all those teams suck, too?

Bruins are 6-13 in that time period in OT and shootout. If it was decided 5 on 5 like in the playoffs, where would they be? I don’t particularly care about the 3 on 3 and shoot out record.

I AM worried that they have the most blown leads after leading after 2. They have to figure out how to close out games.

I think the core issue there is how often they can’t break out of their own zone under pressure. Not having a guy that can win a key faceoff is part of it, too. And they could use some more asshole crease clearers. But if they could get out of their zone better, the other two bits become less important.

It’s why I am all in on Hanifin. He can move the puck like old Gryz, but also is big enough not to wilt under heavy pressure. It changes the dynamic of the team completely. They have had 7 OT losses since 11/4 when they were leading after two. Most in the NHL. If they just became the 4th worst team at that instead of the worst they would be tied with WPG for the 2nd best record in the league since 11/4.

But, even with that horrible failure in the teams game they are only 4 points back from the 2nd best record in the NHL since 11/4.

Saying they are a 500 team since 11/4 is a way to push a narrative, but not real.

I think it's fair to say they have played poorly of late. Wouldn't you?

Hanifin would be nice. They don't have enough, nearly enough, to bring him in this season. Perhaps next.

Master of the Obvious Says, after thinking about it recently,

I'm going to enjoy the rest of the season, whatever it brings.

In my view, it is a transitional year from which I expect little.

Fans I respect want in season moves. They want to trade for this that or the other.

They don't want to trade Ulllmark because they want to see the goaltending tandem in the playoffs, to see what that looks like, finally.

I get it.

But I have had an epiphany. And the epiphany is this: it's fun to speculate, and it's fun to anticipate the trade deadline/playoffs.

But it's not about what happens this season. It's about what happens going forward, and the team that will be built in the off season.

In that case, to me, it's about dealing Linus IF his value is greater now than in the offseason; dealing Jake; dealing two on the backend: dealing Lysell and Merkulov. Dealing for the future.

So, it occurs that all the talk is sound and fury, signifying nothing.

I'll enjoy what they are, if that is the word, the rest of the season.

And look forward. To a day that does not include current management, current ownership, and perhaps unfairly, current coaching.