Boston Bruins 2024-2025 Roster & Salary Cap Discussion IV

[4ORRBRUIN]

won’t your kids get mad ?

And my son in laws ... all of them asked about the 4 nations to see if "we" had exclusive first opps ... lol

 

[Tommy Tubs]

My post was a response to fans here being happy that the bruins were at least the closest series/toughest of any opponent they had faced so far.

Which I felt was wrong and rather embarrassing that that’s people were saying and happy about being the perceived best loser.

But I get it fans get their panties in a bunch when they think the team is further away than they really are. So being the closest team to beating florida gives them comfort.

Frankly no one was even really close. But my original response was to that train of thought

Your response(s) were about how the rangers series was much closer and that's what I replied to.

A sample of the things you said:

Idk how anyone could think the bruins/panthers series was closer.

I find that extremely hard to believe with the game 2 and 3 blow out and the bruins struggling to make it to 10 shots entering the 3rd period on multiple occasions.

I think it’s more likelythey were throwing you a bone to appease you. Either that or they legitimately feared swayman.

I did. It was much closer. 6 games, 5 of them one-goal games, and 3 overtime games.

Did you?

I mean, you were clearly not only saying the Rangers series was closer, but just mocking the idea that it wasn't. No idea why you are trying to mislead on this now.

BTW, saying neither series was "even really close" is even more ridiculous.

I mean you were just ranting about the one goal and OT games in the Ranger series and how it's harder to get closer, ad now it wasn't even close?


No idea what you are even on about at this point. This seems beyond silly.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

I'd still like Bertuzzi.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

My post was a response to fans here being happy that the bruins were at least the closest series/toughest of any opponent they had faced so far.

Which I felt was wrong and rather embarrassing that that’s people were saying and happy about being the perceived best loser.

But I get it fans get their panties in a bunch when they think the team is further away than they really are. So being the closest team to beating florida gives them comfort.

Frankly no one was even really close. But my original response was to that train of thought

So glad you have been able to express our feelings, and I thought we had a very good team. Shucks

 

[UncleRico]

Your response(s) were about how the rangers series was much closer and that's what I replied to.

A sample of the things you said:



I mean, you were clearly not only saying the Rangers series was closer, but just mocking the idea that it wasn't. No idea why you are trying to mislead on this now.

BTW, saying neither series was "even really close" is even more ridiculous.

I mean you were just ranting about the one goal and OT games in the Ranger series and how it's harder to get closer, ad now it wasn't even close?


No idea what you are even on about at this point. This seems beyond silly.

yes I said hard to to get closer in a 6 game series but panthers also had a whole game in hand to work with so not really too close overall. What’s so hard to understand about that?

The rangers panthers series featured 3 overtime games and 5 one-goal games. It’s hard to get tighter than that in a 6 game series.

Bruins had the single best game against florida in game one, but then got blown out back to back games in game 2 and 3

Idk how anyone could think the bruins/panthers series was closer.

Made sure to distinguish the 6 games for that reason.

 

[Guelph Bruin]

Yup.

A functioning PP would have gone a long way.

E. Lindholm has 171 power play points out of his 557 total career points... he might help

 

[Tbaybruin]

I find that extremely hard to believe with the game 2 and 3 blow out and the bruins struggling to make it to 10 shots entering the 3rd period on multiple occasions.

I think it’s more likelythey were throwing you a bone to appease you. Either that or they legitimately feared swayman.

Shots on goal don’t always tell the story we had more breakaways and we had good chances. We couldn’t finish and goalie was was great.

Ok so what’s the solution?

Everyone is basically in agreement that we need a top six power forward so what’s the plan. Outside of Joshua, you basically have Bertuzzi in FA so does that make it better?

The next ‘Nathan Horton’ isn’t Lawson Crouse or Brady Tkachuk…they’re pretty much established

What other options are out there?

I like your idea.

 

[Sheppy]

I'd still like Bertuzzi.

I'm good with him coming back. He really looked solid with Pasta and Zacha.

That said, I'd like it relatively cheap. $4-4.5M

 

[Tbaybruin]

Martin Popisil, thoughts on that guy for a 4th line role? Guy has some asshole in him. He's a guy I'd love here, honestly.

He is my number one guy right now. That guy is a third liner with the potential to move up. Was a nice point producer in the USHL.

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.

I think we lost for both reasons. I hate to say it but Pasta has to score in the playoffs and not just a OT game winner.

 

[Tbaybruin]

I can't see Calgary moving him, he' dirty and nasty with some offensive upside. Would love him here.

Over pay. You win playoff rounds with players like him. Use the assets from Ullmark to get him. For me dare I say it, he has the Cam Neely vibe in him. Obviously not to the same extent but I could see a hard hitting 25 goal scorer who lights in up in the spring.

 

[JAD]

I don't see E. Lindholm as a true #1 center but more of a high level #2 center that will produce around 45 - 65 points a year. He plays a 200 ft game, is a veteran presence, defensively strong (as people have said Bergeron lite).
I wouldn’t mind the Bruins signing him if available, as long as they also target a true play making center that can bounce between the first two lines as needed. Poitras may eventually become that but it might be 3 - 5 years away.
They would also need to find an additional top 6 winger.

 

[Tbaybruin]

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

Well your right in some ways but this guy also has talent. Didn’t Marchand say something about hurting guys in the playoffs?

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Over pay. You win playoff rounds with players like him. Use the assets from Ullmark to get him. For me dare I say it, he has the Cam Neely vibe in him. Obviously not to the same extent but I could see a hard hitting 25 goal scorer who lights in up in the spring.

We still talking about Popisil? 25 goals?

 

[Tbaybruin]

Absolutely!

 

[TCB]

 

[KurtDangle]

Laine as a DeBrusk replacent? I think Bostons culture could help him get his mojo back.

 

[DKH]

And my son in laws ... all of them asked about the 4 nations to see if "we" had exclusive first opps ... lol

Don’t be a mean dad

 

[PB37]

His shot is still lethal but I feel like he's broken goods at this point.

 

[khanomcat]

Off topic, sorry, but this seems to be the most active thread these days. In reading the Playoffs board, I see some posters writing about watching AHL playoffs on TV. Where do those of you in New England watch P-Bruins games? Are they on NESN, or....? Also, why aren't there more AHL games on TV in general? You'd think TSN would broadcast more of those (aside from the odd Toronto Marlies game). I'd love to be able to watch P-Bruins games!

 

[dafoomie]

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.

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.

 

[UncleRico]

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.

I agree fully. You’re probably spot on here that the counter has to more of a vegas type of approach. It’s an easy comparison, but it’s true.

McAvoy tried his best but let’s face it, Lindholm, lohrei and Carlo aren’t wearing opposing players down and playing a heavy game. When those top 4 pairings are playing ~45min of the game it’s probably not difficult for opposing teams forwards to go up against from a physical aspect. If you’re losing it’s a skill and talent differential not physical. Whereas Vegas was tough to play against physically for the majority of games

 

[Gee Wally]

Kings’ Pierre-Luc Dubois among nine buyout candidates in 2024 NHL offseason

The first buyout window opens 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final ends.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

 

[Sheppy]

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.

This. The Bruins haven’t been a threat since they had a mix of those players, and that’s a fact.

 

[CDJ]

Kings’ Pierre-Luc Dubois among nine buyout candidates in 2024 NHL offseason

The first buyout window opens 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final ends.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

If they buy out Dubois I’m in on him. Same goes for Goodrow.

 

[UncleRico]

PLD 14 year buyout is insane to think about having that on the books.