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

[The Murph]

Not convinced the Bruin's will be a bad team next year with Bergeron retiring. Thought the center's were the last reason the B's were a record breaking team. Their goaltending, defense, and winger depth were the superior reason's they won. Bergeron is an amazing all round player, Krejci is also not bad himself overall, but these are old players way past their prime as good as they still were last season. They were in a perfect role for only having to provide a steady game and had the support to play to their strengths, not having to carry their lines. Best situation for aging vets.

Replacing a 37 year old Bergeron and 36 year old Krejci (not retired yet), don't think will be the hardest part of next season. And playoff wise, these guys were injured, and didn't play well in the games they did play (Krejci game 7 was good).

Some believe Coyle can't be a 2nd line center, they believe it was tested already and it didn't work. My perspective is different. Didn't think he was given much of a chance (2/3 weeks?), and believe the switch of Haula and Coyle was to make Haula more useful, and they knew Coyle could carry the 3rd line, where Haula could not.

Zacha played mostly wing, but from my view he looked good at center the times he was there.

Offensively, Zacha and Coyle shouldn't be too far or could equal the production Bergeron and Krejci provided last year. Defensively, Bergeron can not be replaced, but Coyle is not a problem defensively, and Zacha looks like he's got potential for a good two way game.

More of a problem on this Bruin's is moving Zacha from wing to center, and losing Hall, that's two good wingers gone, and replaced with JVR. That's the downgrade if you ask me. And it's a big one. Geekie replacing Coyle is quite the question too, though Geekie is a good gamble. After that, the team is generally the same. With many players in, or entering the prime of their careers.

The Bruin's need to find a top center with some youth soon, absolutely. But missing the playoffs next season, still hard to doubt it, until see it happen.

 

[goldnblack]

Nosek would have been our best remaining faceoff guy by a mile I think? How much did he resign for?

Oooooh weeeeee

 

[Mainehockey33]

Did they really go all in over that period though? I mean, maybe 2 years if we're being honest, but actually last season was the only true all in, IMO. Having a playoff team means adding at the deadline if possible. That's part of the deal and business as usual in the NHL. The brutal cap management and the squandering of picks, coupled with a whole lot of misses in the draft is why they have no depth at center to replace Bergeron and Krejci.

I mean I definitely would have rather them get someone better than the ghost of Rick Nash for sure. 2019 I’d put Johansson with Krejci. We can debate whether they could have made different or better moves at the deadline over the years but there haven’t been many I’ve really hated. I thought Lindholm was a great addition too.

It was a great era to grow up a fan, more cups than the Bourque/Neely teams. I can’t complain too much but 2019 still sucks.

 

[LSCII]

Yup it's just Beecher and Frederic ....

Right. 2 centers that at best project to be bottom 6 guys, and have shown they aren't good enough to play center at the professional level are the keys to solving their top 6 center depth problems.

Do you see how silly that view is?

I mean I definitely would have rather them get someone better than the ghost of Rick Nash for sure. 2019 I’d put Johansson with Krejci. We can debate whether they could have made different or better moves at the deadline over the years but there haven’t been many I’ve really hated. I thought Lindholm was a great addition too.

It was a great era to grow up a fan, more cups than the Bourque/Neely teams. I can’t complain too much but 2019 still sucks.

Lindholm was a great add, but they only added him because the cost to obtain was cheap and they could extend him, so he wasn't really a rental/deadline guy. They viewed him as a core player.

 

[Over the volcano]

Right. 2 centers that at best project to be bottom 6 guys, and have shown they aren't good enough to play center at the professional level are the keys to solving their top 6 center depth problems.

Do you see how silly that view is?

Oh seeing just Beecher and Frederic is silly alright.

 

[goldnblack]

Pasta probably thinking "how much money is actually enough money to be here for the next 7+"

 

[Mainehockey33]

I agree with going all in, I also think you need rebuild at some point, not just trying to paste together a team and make the playoffs. What difference is not making it and getting bounced in the first round really make?

Maybe if Sweeney had not signed Reilly, Forbort and Foligno to stupid contracts and used that money to get a center, maybe if he didn't sign Coyle to outrageous money for a third line center or pay a depth D over 3 million a year. If you aren't going to draft well you better hit on your free agent signing and he has not.

They have one major hole at center. I don’t think they need to blow up this core to fill that hole in 5 years. Hopefully they have some good options next summer to add a legit center.

 

[RoccoF14]

Right. 2 centers that at best project to be bottom 6 guys, and have shown they aren't good enough to play center at the professional level are the keys to solving their top 6 center depth problems.

Do you see how silly that view is?


Lindholm was a great add, but they only added him because the cost to obtain was cheap and they could extend him, so he wasn't really a rental/deadline guy. They viewed him as a core player.

So Lonnie, can you point me towards the 1C or 2C out there that we somehow missed out on getting over the past 3 years??? Eichel, maybe?

...and please don't say Matthew Barzal.

 

[UncleRico]

9 UFA's + Marchand (1 years) + Linus (1 year) in the hopper for the deadline this year.

I mean if you can't accelerate a rebuild off that...

Trading Marchand and Linus would be the best way to accelerate the rebuild/retool. However I doubt Sweeney has the stones to trade Marchand.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

81 and 59 came after they were already on an historic pace. So no, I don't count them in the equation.

To take Bergeron's retirement (when Krejci's is already imputed) and believe they've turned into a bottom 10 team is indeed being hysterical.

Its not likely they fall to bottom 10, but its not being hysterical they can't.

They went close to 15-1 down the stretch, which included Orlov and Bertuzzi.

Yet you say you don't include them? Lol, ok pal. Incidentally they got off to a red hot start and next years team won't have 37,46,71, & 17, all of whom contributed pretty significantly, even 75 contributed the first 20 games. There is going to be an enormous
drop next season. So if they get hit with even 2 injuries in the top 6 they will have the
possibility of flirting at that #10 pick.

 

[Mainehockey33]

Right. 2 centers that at best project to be bottom 6 guys, and have shown they aren't good enough to play center at the professional level are the keys to solving their top 6 center depth problems.

Do you see how silly that view is?


Lindholm was a great add, but they only added him because the cost to obtain was cheap and they could extend him, so he wasn't really a rental/deadline guy. They viewed him as a core player.

But adding Lindholm is one of the reasons they didn’t potentially draft a first round center to replace Bergeron and Krejci. Either way, hopefully they can add a top 6 center next summer.

 

[drede]

With Bergeron retired what does everyone think they well do for center depth?

 

[LSCII]

But adding Lindholm is one of the reasons they didn’t potentially draft a first round center to replace Bergeron and Krejci. Either way, hopefully they can add a top 6 center next summer.

One season. But let's not forget he used a number one to dump the corpse of David Backes as well.

 

[smithformeragent]

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

The writing was one the wall for months yet almost everyone here had him penciled in the lineup like it was a lock. The lack of centers is a complete franchise failure.

 

[LSCII]

With Bergeron retired what does everyone think they well do for center depth?

Nothing. They have 4 bottom 6 centers and no cap space. They're going to move guys up that don't belong in top 6 roles and have a lousy season. Either way, the Leafs will still crap out in the playoffs in the first round because you know, it's the Leafs.

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

Waiting to hear back from Don but once I do I will get back to you.

 

[UncleRico]

The writing was one the wall for months yet almost everyone here had him penciled in the lineup like it was a lock. The lack of centers is a complete franchise failure.

Ya it was pretty clear when Sweeney spent all those assets at the deadline that this was the last run for bergeron/krejci.

Though not going to lie I was slightly fooled when he resumed full workouts

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Waiting to hear back from Don but once I do I will get back to you.

I'm sure there's a Strome out there we could plug in. Any Strome will do.

 

[Ned Bouhalassa]

Drink. A lot. And cry.

 

[yazmybaby]

They have one major hole at center. I don’t think they need to blow up this core to fill that hole in 5 years. Hopefully they have some good options next summer to add a legit center.

I would expect that one of Harrison, Poitras, Locmelis or Kuntar can make this team next year and play 12-14 mins a night and contribute. Hopefully we get at least 2 NHL regulars from this list and they can develop into a 2 or 3 center. Re group next year when the cap increases and add on. There are some elite UFA centers next year ( Aho / Matthews / Scheifele / Lindholm) and some decent #2 guys like Stephenson and Monahan.

 

[Ladyfan]

They will figure it out.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

Hope for the 1st or 2nd pick and draft a franchise center and be right back competing in 2-3 years.

 

[drede]

Is krejci coming back?

 

[KillerMillerTime]

The writing was one the wall for months yet almost everyone here had him penciled in the lineup like it was a lock. The lack of centers is a complete franchise failure.

I consistently said there was a really good chance he wasn't. Said they should have tried to get Krejci back and make him Captain.

They should have signed Bergeron for $3M, then LTIR'd him. Would have given them enough money to have kept Hall. God knows #37 deserves that freebe with the discounts he took.