Boston Bruins 2024-2025 Roster & Salary Cap Discussion IV

[PB37]

My $.02

The Bruins didn’t lose to FLA because of a lack of toughness, they lost because of a lack of offense. I thought we matched them in the physicality department, we actually outhit them in the series, but they have two really dangerous lines while we were easy to shut down.

I think Maurice deserves a lot of credit too, for his systems. The systems they use are a perfect fit for the personnel they have.

People talk about trying to ‘copy their blueprint’ but what is that exactly? Their second most physical D is OEL. Do the people who want to see a more physical D think signing him would address that need? No. What makes FLA special is Barkov, Bennett and Tkachuk, and you can’t copy that. Everyone would love a point per game, Selke winning #1 center, but they’re not available. Everyone would love a point per game power forward, but again, not available. Even Bennett brings a rare combination of dirty/talented that’s extremely hard to find. I don’t really think that’s a model you can copy. At least, it’s not something you can build in a year or two, it would take years of drafting, developing and praying you get extremely lucky.

People want a tougher D, but the Rangers have a big, tough D and FLA handled them easier than they handled us. People want better centers but EDM has the two best centers on the planet and for 2 games at least, Florida has handled them easily as well.

Maybe we should stop trying to be a pale imitation of Florida and instead try to be a high-test version of the Bruins. Lean into our strengths instead of trying to copy their strengths. Figure out how to support and enhance Pasta and Marchand, find the ‘right’ partner for McAvoy, crack the code on the Panthers systems and break out of the old mode on the power play.

Nice to see you posting again

 

[PB37]

Forsling is a little like Grzelcyk in that he's a good player who benefits from playing with great forwards and a great partner. Grzelcyk would actually be a good fit for Florida. If they switched places Forsling would struggle nearly as much vs Florida's forecheck.

I don't think you're giving enough credit to Forsling. I thought he was one of the three best players in the series, strong arguement for #1.

 

[GordonHowe]

Oh I'm here to challenge Chychrun being an upgrade to Lohrei.

Possible people didn't watch many Sens games.

I wouldn't swap one for the other at all, not close

100%

I find the biggest thing with the Bruins is that they lack a threatening shot from the defensemen.

They lack a threatening defenseman, period.

 

[Tbaybruin]

Frederic is one of my favorite Bruins. Popisil would be my winger opposite Maroon or Duhaime. Need to wake the team up (they sleep through way to many games currently) send Popisil and Duhaime out and tell them to not worry about the puck.

Popisil Zacha pasta.

 

[The don godfather]

Love to get bertuzzi lindholm chychrun .

 

[Tbaybruin]

Love to get bertuzzi lindholm chychrun .

No room for chyic Lohrei a better choice

 

[PB37]

i was in florida for games 1 and 2 of SCF. talked to 2 different panthers people and they said bruins series
was their toughest of the playoffs. FWIW.

It was their most physical playoff series so far. For all this talk about the Bruins supposed softness, the boys played hard and dished it right back. Panthers just had better players down the middle and depth.

 

[PB37]

Pretty sure they extended him

Might be the dirtiest player in the league tbh- he also refuses to back up his actions due to prior injury history ala Emelin (concussions is his excuse). Didn’t drop them a single time this year

I wouldn’t cry if he was here, it would be entertaining. I just don’t see it happening

It’s funny to me we yearn for a guy like this who is “nasty” and “tough” yet all he does is intentionally try to hurt people while being a giant p***y about it when the opponent responds, and then we turn around and bag on a guy like Frederic who actually does drop them and is an honest player

100 percent.

I do think the Bruins could use a guy who straddles that fence but this guy seems to be more of a negative than positive as far as balancing his antics with his overall impact on the game. He might round out as a decent checking 3rd liner if he gets his head on straight but he'll be 25 in a few months and hasn't shown much other than being willing to throw cheap, predatory hits. He's Claude Lemiuex without the skill and I'd like to hold the Bruins to a higher standard, thanks.

 

[bbfan419]

Have the Laine trade proposals started yet?

I hope the Habs overpay for him and PLD.

 

[Ladyfan]

I'd still like Bertuzzi.

He had good chemistry with Pasta

 

[KillerMillerTime]

100%


They lack a threatening defenseman, period.

Chychrun shoots better than any Boston dman.

 

[CDJ]

Lauko is back in the gym doing some Muay Thai training

 

[goldenblack]

Chychrun shoots better than any Boston dman.

Wait till he wants 7.25M a year for that shot while being constantly hurt.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

NO

HECKS NO!

ftfy

 

[Over the volcano]

I hope the Habs overpay for him and PLD.

What would anyone have to pay for him with that contract and the underlying ?s.

 

[CDJ]

Popisil Zacha pasta.

For a team that struggled to score in the playoffs I’m not exactly sure how this is the solution

 

[wintersej]

It pains me to see traditional "Bruins hockey" reduced to being a mere imitation of Florida. They should've never abandoned it.

That aside, weren't last year's Bruins a better version of these Bruins? What Florida did to them, Tampa did to them, and the Islanders did to them, they pin their ears back on the forecheck and keep them from breaking out, and if they don't force a turnover they punish the D retrieving the puck. By game *3*, Charlie McAvoy looked like a boxer who went 12 rounds and lost. It's not just the pressure, it's the degradation of defensemen over the course of a series. Vegas beat them with defensemen who are big, mobile, and defend well, Pietrangelo, Martinez, Theodore, Hague, McNabb, with strong possession forwards like Eichel and Stone at the top, and with physical forwards lower in the lineup like Barbashev and Kolesar who can turn the tables on Florida. Outside of Ekblad and Montour their D is nothing special and doesn't need to be, they can be taken advantage of. The Rangers have a healthy mix of big strong D who can't defend, with small skilled D who can't defend, and Edmonton wishes they could defend like the Rangers.

The "Florida" model is probably not achievable for the Bruins right now, but the Vegas model is. They need serious help at center, their middle/bottom forwards need to play a much more physical game AND get in on the forecheck, but their defense might not be that far off if they can add one good piece, provided that their forwards can give them *some* relief. There's no Selke winner available, but there is a Selke runner up who plays the bumper on the PP. That would be a decent start.

All of this. They need an injection of hammer instead of nail in the lineup, for sure.

But I don't think you can gloss over that Vegas had speed/skill sprinkled in all over the lineup with Eichel, Stephenson, Marchassault, Karlsson, Smith, Kessel, etc. as well, that you had to worry about defending.

I guess it just comes down to the fact that the team has too many guys who "play the right way" but don't cause anxiety (either through skill or through pain). Lindholm fits in the lineup SO WELL, but he isn't helping that problem. You need to swap out some of the Zacha, Coyle, Heinen, Carlo, Forbort, H Lindhom, the reality of Frederic, etc energy for players that can cause for mistakes one way or another from the opposition.

Obviously, nothing wrong with "guys who play the right way", either, just think the balance is off on this team. Too many responsible and cerebral guys who just know how to make the right play.

 

[wintersej]

Hmmm. Any D would struggle against FLA, but the gap between Forsling and Grzelcyk is pretty wide at this point. He’s excelling in the postseason against the NHl’s best. Grizz really struggled in the post season over his career.

But his point is that if you are a guy that can make quick quick retrievals you are going to look a lot better if you are getting the puck to forwards that are going to keep it on the attack than if they don't do anything with it. Gryz always put up monster numbers (2nd among all D in the NHL in +/- over his time here before this season) because the Bruins had way better forwards than they did this last season. Forsling brings more in the offensive zone, of course, but neither are amazing in their own end actually defending.

 

[BruinDust]

I don't think you're giving enough credit to Forsling. I thought he was one of the three best players in the series, strong arguement for #1.

Reminded my of Nick Lidstrom. If Forsling was 6'2 like Lidstrom instead of 6'0, he'd be getting more recognition. Not saying his as good as Lidstrom, just the way he plays, the things he does well, I find similar.

 

[TCB]

Looking more and more like Lindholm will be available come July1. I just hope the Bruins don't over-pay.

 

[Fenian24]

Looking more and more like Lindholm will be available come July1. I just hope the Bruins don't over-pay.

To me this proves they should get Lindholm

 

[kdog82]

I said the chances of Lohrei being traded are 0.00%

Unless there is a plan in place to sign Skjei and use Lohrei to acquire a centre. I would be more than ok with that but this plan is highly unlikely, less than 0.00% chance.

Hypothetical, would you trade Lohrei + Merkulov for Zegras (cost would probably be more)
sign Skjei?

 

[BruinDust]

Looking more and more like Lindholm will be available come July1. I just hope the Bruins don't over-pay.

Elias Lindholm may have inherited the title from Carey Price as the NHL's most overrated player. He had one huge year stapled to the hips of Gaudreau and Tkachuk (70% of his time at EV) and people think he's an elite offensive player and he's not. He doesn't drive play, to get the most out of him he needs two play drivers on each wing. A solid all-around complimentary center.

Guentzel, Stamkos, Reinhart, and Marchessault are top tier UFA forwards available. Even Reinhart is a complimentary player but he's an elite shooter, maybe the best quick-shot release in the game today.

Lindholm in that 2nd tier of UFA forwards IMO but some GM will pay him like he's in the top tier.

 

[Fenian24]

I said the chances of Lohrei being traded are 0.00%

Unless there is a plan in place to sign Skjei and use Lohrei to acquire a centre. I would be more than ok with that but this plan is highly unlikely, less than 0.00% chance.

Hypothetical, would you trade Lohrei + Merkulov for Zegras (cost would probably be more)
sign Skjei?

I'd sign Montour over Skjei. Lohrei and Zegras are both risks, Lohrei may not continue to develop as he has shown so far and Zegras could be a lazy, showboating newer more entitled version of Nail Yakapov. I wouldn't do it based on Lohrei's attitude vs Zegras'

 

[Grimey]

Pretty sure they extended him

Might be the dirtiest player in the league tbh- he also refuses to back up his actions due to prior injury history ala Emelin (concussions is his excuse). Didn’t drop them a single time this year

I wouldn’t cry if he was here, it would be entertaining. I just don’t see it happening

It’s funny to me we yearn for a guy like this who is “nasty” and “tough” yet all he does is intentionally try to hurt people while being a giant p***y about it when the opponent responds, and then we turn around and bag on a guy like Frederic who actually does drop them and is an honest player

Bingo. Huge pass

I like his aggressive style but he’s too stupid and cowardly about it. Suspended like 3-4 times already