Boston Bruins 2024-2025 Roster & Salary Cap Discussion IV

[DKH]

I'd be interested for the right price. I think this is the right time to strike on a reclamation project given the average UFA market.

He when motivated is a stud

Hey if they got an opening and it’s 50 percent retained I’d be doing research If Bruins

 

[bbfan419]

I’d prefer a hockey trade for a center than toss 7/8m per at Lindholm or Stephenson. The 2025 UFA class doesn’t look so hot either. Time for some wheeling & dealing.

Agree, LIndholm and Stephenson are fine at the right $price if you want a #2 center, but if you want a #1 center, you either have to draft one or trade for one.

 

[LouJersey]

I have to believe they are up to something with having a draft party

Is it an overnight since they don't pick until about 2pm the next day?

 

[wintersej]

Stamer scored 113 goals the last 3 seasons and all years were over 80 pts.
He would fit in really nice on our team, brings a great deal of experience and leadership as well.

they won’t be able give him the same spot on the PP with Pasta around obviously, so that is gonna eat away at his production. If you wanna look at 5 on 5 production he was between Coyle and Frederic this last season.

 

[Tbaybruin]

I might be changing my mind seeing how Guentzel averages a point a game in the playoffs in his career.

 

[Coach Parker]

Laine feels so much like this time last years' Boeser; no one wanted and the team and agent couldn't find a taker; then suddenly he is a goal-scoring machine.

 

[DKH]

Agree, LIndholm and Stephenson are fine at the right $price if you want a #2 center, but if you want a #1 center, you either have to draft one or trade for one.

Yup

It’s not exactly like they are growing in the backyard or the Draft stork is going to have one sitting at the back door when we get up

Lindholm is a good to real good player

What’s important is he played very well in the playoffs, Vancouver who has 4 pretty good UFA offered him 49 Mil - and his teammates like EP & JT Miller are trying to recruit

He is selfless and excelled with talent

He’s the best out there and he’s a fit - an excellent one

I like Chandler Stephenson but EL just gives the Bruins a balanced top line

He’s very responsible so Pasta can do his creative and at times high risk things

If he’s cheap I’ll take him but I kind of agree with the sentiment someone else said. A LHD group of Lindholm/lohrei/krug is charmin ultra soft.

Personally I think this team would require too much of an overhaul to be the tough/gritty team needed to match florida.

So zig when they zag and just try to overwhelm them with talent. If we can get krug for 1.5m or less go for it.

Would krug even pick up if the bruins called considering how it ended?

Haha good good point

 

[wintersej]

Both Guentzal and Marchassault are top 15 even strength producers. They both would make line 2 a threat. One of them is a longer term solution that will cost more. The other is cheaper but is older and the wheels could fall off while Pasta is still in his window.

But with Marchassault there is a path where you can sign him and Lindholm is you are OK with the new LD being a million dollar guy. With Guentzal it means someone like Coyle has to go if you want to also add Lindholm.

It’s worth considering.

 

[Ladyfan]

Yeh me too- regular season is clearly tamer and he’s got times where he’s been very good

Smart guy - likeable - basically a coach

For a mil? Hell yeh

Btw- make sure you give those kids of yours the draft party passes - free beer and food lol

@DKH....You going?

 

[DKH]

Both Guentzal and Marchassault are top 15 even strength producers. They both would make line 2 a threat. One of them is a longer term solution that will cost more. The other is cheaper but is older and the wheels could fall off while Pasta is still in his window.

But with Marchassault there is a path where you can sign him and Lindholm is you are OK with the new LD being a million dollar guy. With Guentzal it means someone like Coyle has to go if you want to also add Lindholm.

It’s worth considering.

Guentzel would be a great get but Carolina’s gotta be heavy on him - probably use Necas money to get him done

Friedman said the Canes are getting Slavin done. Gotta think they make Guentzel priority 1 on offense

Trade Necas that includes young winger and sign Skjei

Pense probably hits UFA and gets massive overpaid by someone like Montreal or Toronto

@DKH....You going?

planning to

 

[Fenian24]

I'd be interested for the right price. I think this is the right time to strike on a reclamation project given the average UFA market.

He makes Zegras look like Terry O'Reilly

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Marchessault and Stamkos can create their own looks and aren't reliant on their line-mates to dictate their success. Marchessault is a dynamic goal scorer, scores goals multiple different ways. And he can carry the puck and make plays. Neither are the ideal solution although Marchessault fits the bill more than Stamkos who is less dynamic.

At the end of the day, there are only two types of forwards, those who drive and create, and those who read and compliment their line-mates. The Bruins are loaded with complimentary guys (Zacha, Geekie, Coyle, Frederic, Debrusk and Heinen if either return). Complimentary isn't a knock, it just means more consideration needs to be taken into where they play, who they play with, and how they fit into the overall composition.

Lindholm is a fine player. He can help any line. The issue is if you want to get the most out of him relative to what you are playing him he needs the right line-mates and they just don't have that right now and that should be the priority. He comes in at 8 million per, you need him up around 25-30 goals, 75-80 pts. and I don't think he can do that here unless better players are also added. I'm not giving a guy 8 million to be a 50-55 point two-way center. He'll never come close to that 2021-22 season regardless. I'd bet my house on it.

This is like going car shopping. Your partner really wants a new Corvette to keep them happy, but there are no Corvettes on the market so you come home with a Honda Accord (Lindholm). Solid, reliable car. But now your money tied up and when that Corvette you really need hits the market you have no way to pay for it.

Bruins need to leave the Accords on the lot and focus on a new Corvette even if they have to wait.

Stamkos had 81 points (40 goals) last season. 39 points on the power play (20 goals). Half his production came from playing with Kucherov, Point and Hedman on the PP. Worst plus/minus on the team at -21.

 

[dafoomie]

Personally I don't see a massive gap between him and Charlie Coyle. Their production the past 2 seasons is virtually identical. I'd give Lindholm the edge without the puck but he's also going to be paid substantially more money. Reputation largely built on a complete anomaly season he'll never replicate.

To use another car analogy, Lindholm is like paying an extra 30% for the top-of-the-line trim package when the mid-tier version (Coyle) gets the job done adequately.

Lindholm has 3 seasons with 40+ assists, Coyle has 0. I think he'd be a great fit with Marchand, the last time Lindholm had a playmaker like him on the wing he scored 40. He's good at finding space between the dots while the puck is down low and he plays the bumper on the PP, which they need. Ton of respect for Coyle but he's a straight line meat and potatoes guy with skill and 60 points for him is a monster season. 60 is pretty much the floor for Lindholm.

I don't even see Coyle as the one being displaced, he'll play a ton of minutes at center either way. It's Geekie and Boqvist and whoever else.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Lindholm has 3 seasons with 40+ assists, Coyle has 0. I think he'd be a great fit with Marchand, the last time Lindholm had a playmaker like him on the wing he scored 40. He's good at finding space between the dots while the puck is down low and he plays the bumper on the PP, which they need. Ton of respect for Coyle but he's a straight line meat and potatoes guy with skill and 60 points for him is a monster season. 60 is pretty much the floor for Lindholm.

I don't even see Coyle as the one being displaced, he'll play a ton of minutes at center either way. It's Geekie and Boqvist and whoever else.

How is 60 the floor for him when he has only done it 3 times?

 

[chizzler]

there's an inordinate amount of hostility underpinning these forums - or maybe it's humanity and this is just a microcosm

This happens all the time in the off season.

 

[BruinDust]

Lindholm has 3 seasons with 40+ assists, Coyle has 0. I think he'd be a great fit with Marchand, the last time Lindholm had a playmaker like him on the wing he scored 40. He's good at finding space between the dots while the puck is down low and he plays the bumper on the PP, which they need. Ton of respect for Coyle but he's a straight line meat and potatoes guy with skill and 60 points for him is a monster season. 60 is pretty much the floor for Lindholm.

I don't even see Coyle as the one being displaced, he'll play a ton of minutes at center either way. It's Geekie and Boqvist and whoever else.

He had two of them. That's the difference.

And he plays closer to the net on the PP, not the bumper.

It's not so much about displacement as it is the same role (scoring line center who gets the toughest defensive assignments of the scoring lines, plays both special teams). How much cap space can you spend on the same role? Defensively the forward group is more than capable. They need to invest more cap space towards the roles their forward group doesn't have which is another primary scorer/play driver. Spend the cap space on Lindholm, is there cap space to get that primary scorer if/when the opportunity presents itself.

Now if they want to move Coyle (two years left coming off a career year) and allocate that cap to Lindholm, that's an idea I might get behind. I don't know what you get for Coyle but if it's just cap space they want, he can only block 8 teams. Although there's still a part of me that thinks they are better off just keeping Coyle, ignoring Lindholm, and gaining the flexibility from Coyle's deal expiring Summer 2026.

 

[wintersej]

Guentzel would be a great get but Carolina’s gotta be heavy on him - probably use Necas money to get him done

Friedman said the Canes are getting Slavin done. Gotta think they make Guentzel priority 1 on offense

Trade Necas that includes young winger and sign Skjei

Pense probably hits UFA and gets massive overpaid by someone like Montreal or Toronto


planning to

I just hope they don't sign both, because I can't spell either of their names. I still have to google how to spell Gryz's name.

 

[Tommy Tubs]

How is 60 the floor for him when he has only done it 3 times?

He was on pace for it both Covid years.

So the only season in the last 6 he wasn't producing at that level was last year when he got traded to a team that made him a Wing, then a 3rd line guy.

 

[UncleRico]

Say what you want about Elias Lindholms year in Vancouver. He turned it on in the playoffs. He had as many goals as our entire center group and a little over 51% from the face off dot.

Maybe he’s not the answer but the bruins aren’t making a playoff run until they solve that issue.

Can’t be having a center by committee in the playoffs again where Morgan Geekie finishes out as our top line center again.

 

[Coach Parker]

He makes Zegras look like Terry O'Reilly

Oh, I can see your point totally. But this site loves to point out the huge flaws in guys like the entire Vegas roster, many Panthers, Boeser, etc. as flawed and not worth getting. Then, the team gets them on a cheap deal and they turn it around.

I'd imagine that getting yourself clean in the player assistance program has a largely positive effect on you. Add in having played in Winnipeg and Columbus your entire career has an effect as well.

I'm not saying he is going to return to the elite form he was last year, but for the right price I'm willing to bet he could be a nice replacement for DeBrusk at a minimal cost.

Hard to stay healthy when you are dealing with other issues. He is still close to a PPG player when healthy and if the price tag is right, taking a flyer on him over giving 7-8 million and term to some of these wingers hitting the market seems like a better risk/reward if Columbus is retaining.

Laine under 5 million getting Jake's old money? Still leaves you with your UFA money and assets to go after the big German fish if he becomes available.

Imagine this team had bought insanely low on Boeser this time last year (who was rightfully criticized on this site for all the same comments we are hearing about Laine now)?

That secondary scoring that was lacking? Buy low.

 

[FrankerC]

Interesting people are against the Lindholm push. We still haven't replaced Krejci, never mind Bergeron. Unless people want them to have the same type of R1 exit next season and go all in on Drai.

 

[goldenblack]

I give a bunch of old high end snipers 2 year deals. That's me. Nobody gets a full NMC.

Basically Maroon, JVR, etc get turned into 90 goals or more.

 

[Coach Parker]

I give a bunch of old high end snipers 2 year deals. That's me. Nobody gets a full NMC.

Same. Lucky for us, there is a 26 year old sniper with 2 years left on his deal and a point to prove to the world.

Again, don't want to sound like I am willing to give up much, but Bennett, Boeser and company have me wanting to take a flyer on the viking at retained salary as the DeBrusk replacement.

 

[DKH]

Interesting people are against the Lindholm push. We still haven't replaced Krejci, never mind Bergeron. Unless people want them to have the same type of R1 exit next season and go all in on Drai.

Lindholm is right here, right now

If you get him you become better

Let’s go for it while Marchand is still good

If you can get EL you don’t pass because just maybe Necas Or Draisaitl could be signed

You can’t operate like that

Pastrnak would have a legit C who’s a good defender and FO guy who will get the Bruins puck possession

Didn’t the Bruins lose a gazillion leads with goalie pulled - you get Lindholm on ice strong defensively and able to win draws

we don’t even know if he wants to play here - but if so they need to add him

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Interesting people are against the Lindholm push. We still haven't replaced Krejci, never mind Bergeron. Unless people want them to have the same type of R1 exit next season and go all in on Drai.

7x$8M+ will do that to a man