Boston Bruins 2023 Off-Season CAP, Trade Rumors and Free Agent Talk IX

[BruinDust]

i am starting to brace myself for lucic playing with pasta

Well he best suited as a complimentary winger alongside two more skilled players.

Putting him on some grinding 4th line with the likes of Brown and Greer is just a waste. Especially when considering how coaches like to use their 4th lines now up against other team's best players. Defending in his own zone is easily Lucic's biggest issue.

 

[McGarnagle]

Quick question, the 2024 pick we traded to Detroit (which then went to Ottawa) is top-10 protected, so as long as that condition is up in the air, we can't legally trade our 2025 first rounder, right? Or if we did have a trade with Calgry or Winnipeg relating to Lindholm or Scheifele, can it include a conditional 2024 or 2025 first and default to whichever one of the next two years' firsts doesn't convey to the Senators?

Note, I don't think this is a possibility and don't think those deals are going to work out, just curious from a legal standpoint.

 

[PlayMakers]

I don't see how team's that are only planning to roll out a single 4th line will be able to compete with us when we have three of them.

#AdvantageSweeney

It’s interesting that many here think the team is going to be awful but national media think they’re still excellent. The odds makers (who literally have everything to lose) also think they’re a top10 team.

 

[Hookslide]

Hard not to like. Cheap. Devils fans liked him. Still 24. Seems to be too good for the ahl. Plays centre. Surprised the devils didn’t sign him. I think I read a devils fan say he was one of their better skaters. I think they are sleeping on his upside. Generally players start peaking around 27-30 I personally think. Still room to grow

i like Sweeneys attempt to get younger with these inexpensive player that have shown a higher skill level and have some NHL time , I loved the Zacha deal last year and who knows maybe there are more diamonds in the rough out there , have too try something when you have no picks and prospects are not panning out so far..............I like the Geekie pick up and believe center is where he should play and Zacka should play center ,Bogvist should probably be on the wing does not have strong face off credentials...........

 

[BostonBob]

ESPN gave the Bruins a grade of B for their offseason so far.

from espn.com:

Boston Bruins​

Key players added: F Morgan Geekie, F Milan Lucic, F James van Riemsdyk
Key players lost: F Patrice Bergeron, F Tyler Bertuzzi, F Taylor Hall, F Nick Foligno, F David Krejci, D Dmitry Orlov
Remaining cap space: $6,979,166

Coach status: Jim Montgomery was everything and more for the Bruins in his rookie campaign behind the bench (and he earned the 2022-23 Jack Adams Award to prove it). Montgomery guided Boston to the best statistical regular season in NHL history, with 65 wins and 132 points. The way he tapped into the Bruins' potential and brought out a consistent degree of excellence from the team each night gave Boston a run it won't soon forget -- even if the Bruins did, of course, flame out in the first round of the playoffs. Despite that, there's little doubt Boston believes in Montgomery moving ahead.


Overall grade: B. The Bruins haven't tackled their biggest offseason challenge to date, which is re-signing restricted free agent goaltender Jeremy Swayman to a new deal. Until that's done, there's a pallor of sorts hanging over Boston. GM Don Sweeney had to earmark a majority of the Bruins' available cap space to eventually use on Swayman, and freeing up dollars and cents is what sent Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno to Chicago in June. Sweeney brought back a fan favorite in Milan Lucic and added a sound veteran in James van Riemsdyk to fill in around the edges.

But until the Swayman contract is complete -- and until the Bruins know for sure whether Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci will be back again -- Boston's success (or failure) to this point of the postseason might be too early to judge.


Full story: Grading every NHL team for the 2023 offseason: Draft, free agency and trades

 

[Hookslide]

I guess these low price guys don’t hurt but if we are going to be a mid tier team I almost rather just throw our top kids in the mix. We might lose a few more games but it would be far more entertaining to watch.

Merkulov-Zacha-Pastrnak
Marchand-Bergeron-Poitras
Debrusk-Coyle-Lysell
Lucic-Frederic-Geekie
Lauko

Lindholm-McAvoy
Lohrei-Carlo
Forbort-Gryz

Is that your " wish upon a star " lineup , 3 player who have never played a NHL game are played on your top 3 lines , Geekie who has experience on the 4th line and Lauko the 13th forward........

 

[bruins19]

ESPN gave the Bruins a grade of B for their offseason so far.

from espn.com:

Boston Bruins​

Key players added: F Morgan Geekie, F Milan Lucic, F James van Riemsdyk
Key players lost: F Patrice Bergeron, F Tyler Bertuzzi, F Taylor Hall, F Nick Foligno, F David Krejci, D Dmitry Orlov
Remaining cap space: $6,979,166

Coach status: Jim Montgomery was everything and more for the Bruins in his rookie campaign behind the bench (and he earned the 2022-23 Jack Adams Award to prove it). Montgomery guided Boston to the best statistical regular season in NHL history, with 65 wins and 132 points. The way he tapped into the Bruins' potential and brought out a consistent degree of excellence from the team each night gave Boston a run it won't soon forget -- even if the Bruins did, of course, flame out in the first round of the playoffs. Despite that, there's little doubt Boston believes in Montgomery moving ahead.


Overall grade: B. The Bruins haven't tackled their biggest offseason challenge to date, which is re-signing restricted free agent goaltender Jeremy Swayman to a new deal. Until that's done, there's a pallor of sorts hanging over Boston. GM Don Sweeney had to earmark a majority of the Bruins' available cap space to eventually use on Swayman, and freeing up dollars and cents is what sent Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno to Chicago in June. Sweeney brought back a fan favorite in Milan Lucic and added a sound veteran in James van Riemsdyk to fill in around the edges.

But until the Swayman contract is complete -- and until the Bruins know for sure whether Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci will be back again -- Boston's success (or failure) to this point of the postseason might be too early to judge.


Full story: Grading every NHL team for the 2023 offseason: Draft, free agency and trades

I disagree that signing Swayman is our biggest offseason challenge.

 

[EverettMike]

It’s interesting that many here think the team is going to be awful but national media think they’re still excellent. The odds makers (who literally have everything to lose) also think they’re a top10 team.

If Bergeron comes back they'll be mostly fine and a playoff team probably pretty easily. If he doesn't they'll compete for a wild card barring any major injuries.

Under no circumstances do I see them as a serious contender. They'll need a goalie to go super nova in the playoffs to make a run.

 

[PlayMakers]

If Bergeron comes back they'll be mostly fine and a playoff team probably pretty easily. If he doesn't they'll compete for a wild card barring any major injuries.

Under no circumstances do I see them as a serious contender. They'll need a goalie to go super nova in the playoffs to make a run.

I think that’s fair, and agree.

Vegas gives them the 8th best chances to win a Cup so that seems in line too. 7 younger ‘on the rise’ type teams ahead of them and if they fail or something breaks our way (like Conn Smythe level goaltending) then we’re up next.

 

[PlayMakers]

What is Frederic’s value translated into a draft pick?

A 2nd round pick? A 2nd and a 5th? I would think the cap space issue would be less of a problem since he’d come relatively cheap (under $3).

 

[EverettMike]

I think that’s fair, and agree.

Vegas gives them the 8th best chances to win a Cup so that seems in line too. 7 younger ‘on the rise’ type teams ahead of them and if they fail or something breaks our way (like Conn Smythe level goaltending) then we’re up next.

Even if the Bruins brought back the exact same team they had after the deadline and they all had equally good seasons they would almost certainly still finish 20ish points lower in the standings. They were the 2001 Seattle Mariners. Literally everything that could go right went right. They were an anomaly, an extreme case that happens every 30-40 years or so. They were the tail on the positive end of the Bell Curve.

But they're not bringing back that team, they're bringing back an obviously worse team even if Krejci and Bergeron both come back. And if Krejci goes they're losing their #2 center. Bergeron their #1 center and Selke winner. Combined with Hall being gone and that's a devastating downgrade for any team.

I don't think that team definitely makes the playoffs even with great goaltending. Probably/possibly, but not definitely. With just good goaltending they're more likely to miss. This is why Bergeron is so important for them. Even at his age he's still really good.

But Bergy or not, if they have even a little bad luck---via bad bounces, bad injuries, bad reffing, bad anything that can be the difference on a nightly basis---they might keep their first round pick.

What happens if McAvoy misses 65 games? Pasta? Marchand? They're sort of overdue for something like that, which is terrifying for a top heavy team minus 5 million in cap space. It's why they're signing a bunch of old veterans and bottom of the roster young guys. They're throwing so many cheap darts because they know they have huge gaps and few ways to fill them.

Another season with two goalies playing at a Vezina level will certainly fix a lot of problems, but what happens when the post-season starts? Again and again we see why that doesn't work in the playoffs. Big holes become big traps.

The most positive thing I can say for the Bruins is that year after year I can clearly see their issues, but I always underestimate other teams' own. It's a blindspot for me which leads me to think the Bruins are in a worse spot than they are. I always forget other organizations have just as many problems.

So maybe they'll be "fine," but I see few reasons to think they're a top contender even if they have a better season that I expect. Vegas's line merely reflects how the general public views the Bruins, and they're only going to see the points record last year without context.

 

[DominicT]

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Crazy that he’s fifth in points from the 2012 draft and well clear of sixth

 

[PlayMakers]

Even if the Bruins brought back the exact same team they had after the deadline and they all had equally good seasons they would almost certainly still finish 20ish points lower in the standings. They were the 2001 Seattle Mariners. Literally everything that could go right went right. They were an anomaly, an extreme case that happens every 30-40 years or so. They were the tail on the positive end of the Bell Curve.

But they're not bringing back that team, they're bringing back an obviously worse team even if Krejci and Bergeron both come back. And if Krejci goes they're losing their #2 center. Bergeron their #1 center and Selke winner. Combined with Hall being gone and that's a devastating downgrade for any team.

I don't think that team definitely makes the playoffs even with great goaltending. Probably/possibly, but not definitely. With just good goaltending they're more likely to miss. This is why Bergeron is so important for them. Even at his age he's still really good.

But Bergy or not, if they have even a little bad luck---via bad bounces, bad injuries, bad reffing, bad anything that can be the difference on a nightly basis---they might keep their first round pick.

What happens if McAvoy misses 65 games? Pasta? Marchand? They're sort of overdue for something like that, which is terrifying for a top heavy team minus 5 million in cap space. It's why they're signing a bunch of old veterans and bottom of the roster young guys. They're throwing so many cheap darts because they know they have huge gaps and few ways to fill them.

Another season with two goalies playing at a Vezina level will certainly fix a lot of problems, but what happens when the post-season starts? Again and again we see why that doesn't work in the playoffs. Big holes become big traps.

The most positive thing I can say for the Bruins is that year after year I can clearly see their issues, but I always underestimate other teams' own. It's a blindspot for me which leads me to think the Bruins are in a worse spot than they are. I always forget other organizations have just as many problems.

So maybe they'll be "fine," but I see few reasons to think they're a top contender even if they have a better season that I expect. Vegas's line merely reflects how the general public views the Bruins, and they're only going to see the points record last year without context.

I agree with a lot of this, especially the ‘potential’ for things to go wrong after all the good luck they had last season. But I also wonder if we underrate our own players.

What if guys like Carlo, Coyle, Grzelcyk, Zacha, DeBrusk… are all better than we give them credit for? We point at stats and say not impressed but Coyle was a top50 center in ES points. Who has that on their 3rd line? Grzelcyk was +46. Carlo is considered by people not on this board to be one of the best defensive D in the league. Lindholm finished 4th in Norris voting and he’s our second best defenseman. We have a Vezina winning goalie and a kid who‘s pretty close which means 82 games of quality tending…

During the season I definitely felt like we won games with depth. McAvoy and Marchand out at the beginning, Bergeron and Krejci out at the end. Swayman went 24-6-4 and posted a .920 sv pct.

We hyper focus on stars but it is a team game and a lot of last year’s team is coming back, especially if Bergeron does the farewell tour.

 

[bruinmann77]

I like that he added young guys and for low price and no long length of contracts

 

[TCB]

Whichever team ends up signing Mark Scheifele to a long-term extension that will kick in at 31 years old will regret it.

That Hertl contract won't age much better.

I think both are already too old to be considered long-term solutions to the Bruins center-ice position.

Lindholm is the best bet by far given his age and skill-set (strong two-way game that should age better). Even then, I'd have concerns long-term.

Has a team ever won a cup by going out an signing or trading for a 30-something year-old player to be their No.1 C?

I agree in that I would much rather see the Bruins go out and land a mid-twenties superstar center and fix their problem at center for years to come, but teams aren't trading those caliber of players very often. Hopefully Poitras can turn into the next great center for the Bruins. He will be fun to follow and watch his progress.

However I don't necessary see 30 as being too old to make an immediate impact, as well as an impact for 5-6 years down the road. All players age differently no doubt, but even the 30 plus centers who are considered number one guys, don't get moved that often. Teams just aren't giving them up.

Guys like Messier, Ryan O"Reilly, BrindA'mour and Nieuwendyk were all moved around the 30 age mark and went onto win Cups with their new teams. Hell Nicklaus Lidstrom didn't win his first Norris till the age of 31.

Scheifele or Lindholms age sure wouldn't scare me away, their price tag cap wise and the assets it would take to get them might. An extension couldn't be more than a 4-5 year deal on Scheifele 6-7 on Lindholm. One of them just might be the perfect bridge for a guy like Poitras.

 

[BergyWho37]

Alex Galchenyuk come on down.. Book it!

 

[Yeti34]

What is Frederic’s value translated into a draft pick?

A 2nd round pick? A 2nd and a 5th? I would think the cap space issue would be less of a problem since he’d come relatively cheap (under $3).

Freddy would net you a late first. Wasn’t there a rumor that was offered by St. Louis at the draft but Sweeney turned them down.

 

[BruinDust]

I agree in that I would much rather see the Bruins go out and land a mid-twenties superstar center and fix their problem at center for years to come, but teams aren't trading those caliber of players very often. Hopefully Poitras can turn into the next great center for the Bruins. He will be fun to follow and watch his progress.

However I don't necessary see 30 as being too old to make an immediate impact, as well as an impact for 5-6 years down the road. All players age differently no doubt, but even the 30 plus centers who are considered number one guys, don't get moved that often. Teams just aren't giving them up.

Guys like Messier, Ryan O"Reilly, BrindA'mour and Nieuwendyk were all moved around the 30 age mark and went onto win Cups with their new teams. Hell Nicklaus Lidstrom didn't win his first Norris till the age of 31.

Scheifele or Lindholms age sure wouldn't scare me away, their price tag cap wise and the assets it would take to get them might. An extension couldn't be more than a 4-5 year deal on Scheifele 6-7 on Lindholm. One of them just might be the perfect bridge for a guy like Poitras.

Immediate impact you'll get. There are like 25 forwards 35 and older signed right now. I'm fine with a 4-year extension encompassing his age 31-34 seasons.

Anything past 34 and I wouldn't be interested. He's not good enough of a player to warrant taking a risk on him on the books from age 35 or onward. If he pots 30-40 again next year, his AAV will be in the 9's and he's a notch below what I would consider a player where I basically overlook his age because of who he is to the franchise (think Pasta, Bergeron, Franchise level guys).

O'Reilly was barely 28 when he won a cup. Brind'Amour and Nieuwendyk we're 2nd fiddle to true franchise centerman in Modano and Staal. You can win a cup with a 30+ aged center, but he better not be your No.1 guy. Historically your No.1 center needs to be in his prime to win a cup. Messier in 1994 may be the exception but the sport wasn't close to the speed it is today. Every year the league is getting progressively younger and faster. The day will come when you will very rarely see any guys playing past age 34. 25 Forwards above age 34 today might be 10-15 in a decade. 2-3 in a quarter century.

Pittsburgh will be an interesting team to watch this year. They are OLD. Not just Sid and Malkin, their while roster is mostly older players in their 30s. And they want to add Karlsson who is no spring chicken (great player though). They are absolutely bucking the trend of where the league is headed. Will they succeed? History says they won't.

 

[BruinDust]

Another season with two goalies playing at a Vezina level will certainly fix a lot of problems, but what happens when the post-season starts? Again and again we see why that doesn't work in the playoffs.

If you got two goalies playing a Vezina level in the playoffs than you should go far.

Your not winning a cup on the back of one guy. We got a decade of playoff history behind us to prove that very fact. Last guy who did it was Quick.....in 2012. Since then, teams that rolled one guy 60+ games in the regular season and ran the table to a cup final lost that cup final every single time.

Of all the mistakes made by the coaching staff in the post-season, the most egregious, by far, was taking one of the biggest successes of the regular season (the rotation of goaltenders) and tossing it out the window to ride one guy. Swayman should of started Game 3 no matter what happened in Games 1 and 2. And if not then, at least Game 4. It's what the kids call epic fail.

We lost in the 1st round to a team with a pile of perceived holes (Nick Cousins on their 2nd line, Marc Staal on their 2nd pair) and a very well rested goaltender.

On paper, the Bruins Top 4 D should of been one of the best 4-man units assembled in recent history. And it was a disaster. When pinning the blame on the 1st round collapse, I blame the D (in particular the vaunted Top 4), the coaching staff, and the goaltending. In that order.

 

[sarge88]

It’s interesting that many here think the team is going to be awful but national media think they’re still excellent. The odds makers (who literally have everything to lose) also think they’re a top10 team.

The more I step back and look, the more impressed I am with what Sweeney has done, of course with this qualifier:

what he’s done, given their situation.

1. He provided us all with the greatest regular season team in history. It is not his fault that they lost.

2. Of their 11 best players last year, (IMO, Pasta, McAvoy, Lindholm, Ullmark, Marchand, Hall, Bergeron, Krejci, JDB, Coyle, Carlo) 8 are still here, 1 is gone and 2 we don’t know about yet.

3. While we can always second guess a move here and there the team should be a playoff team and have cap flexibility next year.

4. The roster, while it doesn’t have a high ceiling, IMO it has a high floor and is flexible. Bringing in the veterans he did, all on low money deals, allows them (in many cases) the ability to play the kids if they deserve it, with veterans there to step in if needed.

 

[JerseyBruin]

If Bergeron comes back they'll be mostly fine and a playoff team probably pretty easily. If he doesn't they'll compete for a wild card barring any major injuries.

Under no circumstances do I see them as a serious contender. They'll need a goalie to go super nova in the playoffs to make a run.

I don't get this rationale. First off I love Bergeron the player and all he has done for the Bruins and us fans. And I get that he's a team leader and a defensive force on the ice, but I'm sorry one single 38 year old player is not the difference between an easy playoff team and one fighting for a wildcard spot. It's not like missing a star QB in football or an ace pitcher in baseball

 

[The don godfather]

Well hopefully he turns it around he had oodles of skill when he was drafted always liked him. Whatever his case innocent until proven guilty. Very sad what has happened to him.

 

[GloveSave1]

Mental or injured it doesn’t matter to me. The end result is the same unfortunately. Two years in a row now with a combined 3.54 GAA and .888. It’s a small sample, but the big reason it’s a small sample is because his performances have been a big factor in why they haven’t made it out of the first round the last two years.

I’m not even convinced of swayman either, I’ve been on the trade Ullmark and find swayman his version of halak as the backup just for that added insurance.

I just don’t know how many more years you can roll out Ullmark in the playoffs the way he’s crumbled.

The Bruins defense was also a flat out catastrophe. If you wanna say Linus bailed them out in those circumstances regular season but didn’t in the playoffs, that certainly is noteworthy.

But the defense was worse than had been all year. Playoff pressure forced truly full breakdown gaffes. The narrative that they were a regular season dynamo that didn’t fit playoff hockey, played out.

 

[GloveSave1]

I don't get this rationale. First off I love Bergeron the player and all he has done for the Bruins and us fans. And I get that he's a team leader and a defensive force on the ice, but I'm sorry one single 38 year old player is not the difference between an easy playoff team and one fighting for a wildcard spot. It's not like missing a star QB in football or an ace pitcher in baseball

And don’t forget, the best playoff game the Bruins played this year was without Bergy and Kretch. Coyle took over that game.

Look, Lucic was brought in to be entertainment in a down year, but even if Bergy and Krejci are out, if the goalie tandem stays intact, I believe they still make the playoffs. I’m sure DS still lives under that mandate. If the old guys go, it’s 100% a soft transition year. Squeak in, get the playoff money, and clear some of the books.