Boston Bruins 2024-2025 Roster & Salary Cap Discussion V

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Absurdity

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Jul 6, 2012
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The LW looks a bit weak. Marching is aging. Not much behind him. If a center is added maybe Zacha slides to LW.

If Guentzel can be had for 9m I’d hope they make an offer. He’ll turn 30 in October. He can score, good at both ends of the ice.
Wouldn't be a question if DeBrusk wasn't* so inconsistent. Unless the Bruins can't find a center via free agency or trade, Zacha will most likely be moved to winger this year.
 
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BruinDust

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I don't think Krug is a bad option to consider for the 3rd pairing with Peeke and a PP specialist as long as the price is right.

I wouldn't touch Krug. Him and Gryz have the same issue, they don't have the explosive skating and ability to evade forecheckers that they had in their mid-20s. They were always smaller D, but now they are smaller D who are much easier to hit.
 

GordonHowe

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Bettman+Lawyer=Washington. They do as they please and treat us like mushrooms. Keep the people in the dark, and feed them manure. Age old recipe, Bread & Circus.

Montgomery: Detroit, Gordie Howe made a great team​

Ted Montgomery

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Detroit and Gordie Howe are forever linked in our minds and hearts. Both epitomize several enviable virtues: Resilience, character, hard work and the ability to come back from adversity.
Gordie has naturally been on our minds a lot lately. News of his recent health setbacks has left many of us anticipating the end of his magnificent life. At 86 and partially paralyzed from a series of strokes, it’s likely that his time here is winding down.
When I learned of the death of Hall of Fame coach and former NHL player Pat Quinn on Nov. 24, my mind immediately went back to a simpler time, when I was a young boy and there were only 12 NHL teams. Eleven of those lived in fear of Gordie Howe.

When I was all of 10 years old, I had a minor run-in with Mr. Hockey. My best friend, who lived down the street from me, had a dad who often got tickets to Wings games, but only on Sunday nights. One Sunday, my friend and I went with his dad to a game against the Vancouver Canucks, a team early in its NHL tenure. Because we got there so early, we went down to ice level to watch the Wings during their pregame skate.
Emboldened by the pane of plexiglass separating the fans from the players, I said “hey, Gordie” every time Howe skated by us.

The first time I did that, he totally ignored us. The second time, he shot me a little sneer. And the third and final time I called out to him, he unleashed a prodigious quantity of saliva that landed just inches below my shirt.

How cool!

My friend and his dad were apoplectic and overjoyed about the fact that Mr. Hockey had singled me out as a worthy recipient of his spit and his scorn.

Gordie saw that they were having a good time at my expense and came over and grinned at me and said “no offense.” I hadn’t taken any offense at all. Mr. Hockey himself had actually talked to me.

During the game that night, Canucks defenseman Pat Quinn made the colossal error of elbowing Howe along the boards. Mr. Hockey then proceeded to beat the tar out of Quinn, a man who was 15 years his junior.

Pat Quinn never bothered him again.

It’s difficult for us to fathom the impact Gordie Howe has had on the game of hockey and on the city of Detroit. Howe, who played in five decades, put hockey on the map in Detroit and, it could be argued, the United States.

In the Original Six era, Montreal and Toronto were the only teams to receive daily press coverage from their hometown papers. Papers in other Original Six cities only wrote about their hometown NHL teams when they played games; there was no off-day coverage.

That all changed when Howe came to Detroit.

Howe was really the first complete hockey player. There were no sharper elbows in the league than those attached to Gordie’s arms, and there was no more foreboding facial expression than a sneer from Howe. He was the prototypical power forward, 40 years before the hockey press coined that term.


Gordie never scored 50 goals in a season but he routinely finished among the top point-getters in just about every season he played.

Combine his offensive production with the fear he struck in opponents’ hearts, and you can understand how dominating he was in his time. He scored 103 points as a 41-year-old in a rough and tumble league.

For a brief time after he retired, Gordie had some ill-defined position in the Wings’ front office. Gordie remembers that time as a period when the Wings gave him “the mushroom treatment. You know, they kept me in a dark room and every once in a while they’d throw some manure on me.” It was not a happy time for him.

When the opportunity arose for Gordie to play in the fledgling World Hockey Association with his sons, he leapt at it. Not only did he give the new league major credibility, he also played extremely well, first for the Houston Aeros and then for the Hartford Whalers.

When he finally hung up his skates he was 52 years old.


At 86 and addled by myriad health issues, he is not the Gordie Howe that we remember: Brawny and smart, but also possessed of a folksy, farm boy humility that endeared him to everyone who didn’t have to go into a corner with him.

When we talk about the NHL’s all-time best players, most people think Gretzky, Lemieux, Orr and any number of others. Gordie is often on that list, as he should be. Say what you will about the others, but for pure stamina and longevity (26 NHL seasons), Howe has it over all the others.

Just like the city he served so well for so long, he’s tough as they come.

Detroiters now and forever owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Hockey.

Ted Montgomery is associate director of communications at the University of Michigan School of Education.
 

BiteThisBurrows

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Feb 11, 2022
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Faster and tougher is Brandon Duhaime, great skater, physical and tough. Faster is Anthony Duclair, Maroon is tougher with leadership. Laine is faster with baggage. Lindholm or Stephenson are not slow, Stephenson is a bit grittier of the two. Kiefer Sherwood is fast and gritty. Nick Cousins, fast, gritty and dirty. Ryan Lomberg, gritty with ok speed. There are plenty of choice to get the bottom six grittier and faster. Top six not as much but still possibilities. Sweeney will sign Lindholm and then a bunch of mediocre JAGS. My faith in Donny when it comes to free agency and drafting is pretty low. I expect him to hit home runs on deals for Lohrei, Frederic, Swayman and Marchand. The one thing Sweeney does well is sign his free agents to good deals.
Don't really like Laine but you never know, if any culture can turn careers around it's Boston. Duclair I worry about and would stay away from. Nobody ever seems to want to keep him (including Florida) so there must be a reason. I like the rest though.

In order to improve the top 6, the Ullmark trade has to happen for both the money and the return. Lindholm could be signed regardless, but we need a new DeBrusk and one more guy as well. Necas, Pinto, idk, somebody else.

I wouldn't touch Krug. Him and Gryz have the same issue, they don't have the explosive skating and ability to evade forecheckers that they had in their mid-20s. They were always smaller D, but now they are smaller D who are much easier to hit.
Not even on a 1 million deal as a depth guy? I would, but it has to be cheap.
 
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bme44

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The LW looks a bit weak. Marching is aging. Not much behind him. If a center is added maybe Zacha slides to LW.

If Guentzel can be had for 9m I’d hope they make an offer. He’ll turn 30 in October. He can score, good at both ends of the ice.
I prefer DeBrusk at 6 or 6.5 mil for 6. than, Guentzel at 9mil for six years
 

Tbaybruin

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Feb 2, 2016
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I’m looking at money out next summer for UFA/RFA and we have Marchand, Lohrei, Ullmark, Frederic, Geekie, Brazzers, Beecher, Lauko , Wotherspoon, and Brown moving out. That represents roughly $30 million in cap, for 8 nightly players/positions (not including Brown) that you need to fill.


Defense is locked in, but leaves you with just four forwards in Pasta, Coyle (1 year remaining), Zacha, and Poitras as signed roster players going into 2025-2026.

Not including a cap increase next summer, that’s almost 50million total to play with in the next two seasons. Kind of changes my perspective thinking about it like that instead of just what we gunpowder we have this offseason. Go get get a big fish or two year, like Guenztel/Lindholm. Heck trade someone off the third line to go with picks/Ullmark/Lysell if someone is enticing beyond the free agents.

Marchand hopefully sticks around a year for league minimum, but could also see him ask for 3-5. Lohrei will be incredibly interesting as we assume he will spend the whole season in Boston and improve. Lauko gone. Beecher could show us he is ready to assume 3c in 2025-2026 with Brazzers on his wing making Geekie and Frederic more expendable/trade bait if they have really good seasons and can ask for 5+ million.

If Poitras settles into 3c fast this year (setting up a 2c takeover the following year) or muscles his way to 2c this year, I’d bet we see a minimum of one of Coyle, Frederic, and Geekie moved by the deadline this year. Doesn’t totally feel right to spend $15mil+ between them two and Coyle.

Excited to see how we transition and spend all this loot. It’s going to be a wild year and a half folks.
20 mil not 30
 

BruinDust

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Aug 2, 2005
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Not even on a 1 million deal as a depth guy? I would, but it has to be cheap.

That sounds like Shattenkirk redux just this time on the left side. Despite nearly half-a-PPG pace the past two seasons, Krug is also a minus 57. They already got two guys on the left side who can play on the PP, they don't really need 3.
 

Absurdity

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Jul 6, 2012
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Since a big reason the Bruins signed Morgan Geekie in free agency last offseason could be due to his 2.47 total 5v5 points per 60 minutes of play which ranked 31st in the league, I thought I would compile a list of upcoming UFAs who currently rank close to or higher than Geekie's number with at least 500 minutes of 5v5 ice time. Geekie was at 1.61 this year.

Disclaimer: I only looked at the top 200 since there are 192 players slotted in the top 6F in the league and defensemen started making the list at the end. If you want the whole list you can find it here Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick.

Just because a player didn't make the top 200, it doesn't mean they are bad. Also, other stats and situations need to be looked at like linemates etc. when measuring the effectiveness of players on this list.

Player RankPlayerTotal Points/60
8Max Domi2.73
20Jake Guentzel2.48
25Vladimir Tarasenko2.43
43Sam Reinhart2.32
47Anthony Mantha2.29
50Jonathan Marchessault2.28
51Patrick Kane2.28
62Warren Foegele2.19
65Matt Duchene2.18
70Dakota Joshua2.17
96Kiefer Sherwood2.02
98Danton Heinen2
108James Van Reimsdyk1.95
118Stefan Nosen1.9
125Tyler Bertuzzi1.88
126Tyler Toffoli1.87
128Adam Henrique1.87
134Anthony Duclair1.85
138Sean Monahan1.84
143Steven Stamkos1.82
152Jack Roslovic1.78
175David Perron1.69
180Tomas Tatar1.67
184Chandler Stephenson1.66
185Teddy Blueger1.66
187Teuvo Teravainen1.65
188Jordan Martinook1.65
190Blake Wheeler1.64
 

Blowfish

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Since a big reason the Bruins signed Morgan Geekie in free agency last offseason could be due to his 2.47 total 5v5 points per 60 minutes of play which ranked 31st in the league, I thought I would compile a list of upcoming UFAs who currently rank close to or higher than Geekie's number with at least 500 minutes of 5v5 ice time. Geekie was at 1.61 this year.

Disclaimer: I only looked at the top 200 since there are 192 players slotted in the top 6F in the league and defensemen started making the list at the end. If you want the whole list you can find it here Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick.

Just because a player didn't make the top 200, it doesn't mean they are bad. Also, other stats and situations need to be looked at like linemates etc. when measuring the effectiveness of players on this list.

Player RankPlayerTotal Points/60
8Max Domi2.73
20Jake Guentzel2.48
25Vladimir Tarasenko2.43
43Sam Reinhart2.32
47Anthony Mantha2.29
50Jonathan Marchessault2.28
51Patrick Kane2.28
62Warren Foegele2.19
65Matt Duchene2.18
70Dakota Joshua2.17
96Kiefer Sherwood2.02
98Danton Heinen2
108James Van Reimsdyk1.95
118Stefan Nosen1.9
125Tyler Bertuzzi1.88
126Tyler Toffoli1.87
128Adam Henrique1.87
134Anthony Duclair1.85
138Sean Monahan1.84
143Steven Stamkos1.82
152Jack Roslovic1.78
175David Perron1.69
180Tomas Tatar1.67
184Chandler Stephenson1.66
185Teddy Blueger1.66
187Teuvo Teravainen1.65
188Jordan Martinook1.65
190Blake Wheeler1.64
Been calling for Domi. He was one of the more noticeable players this playoff and killer in the dot.
 

Mr. Make-Believe

The happy genius of my household
Since a big reason the Bruins signed Morgan Geekie in free agency last offseason could be due to his 2.47 total 5v5 points per 60 minutes of play which ranked 31st in the league, I thought I would compile a list of upcoming UFAs who currently rank close to or higher than Geekie's number with at least 500 minutes of 5v5 ice time. Geekie was at 1.61 this year.

Disclaimer: I only looked at the top 200 since there are 192 players slotted in the top 6F in the league and defensemen started making the list at the end. If you want the whole list you can find it here Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick.

Just because a player didn't make the top 200, it doesn't mean they are bad. Also, other stats and situations need to be looked at like linemates etc. when measuring the effectiveness of players on this list.

Player RankPlayerTotal Points/60
8Max Domi2.73
20Jake Guentzel2.48
25Vladimir Tarasenko2.43
43Sam Reinhart2.32
47Anthony Mantha2.29
50Jonathan Marchessault2.28
51Patrick Kane2.28
62Warren Foegele2.19
65Matt Duchene2.18
70Dakota Joshua2.17
96Kiefer Sherwood2.02
98Danton Heinen2
108James Van Reimsdyk1.95
118Stefan Nosen1.9
125Tyler Bertuzzi1.88
126Tyler Toffoli1.87
128Adam Henrique1.87
134Anthony Duclair1.85
138Sean Monahan1.84
143Steven Stamkos1.82
152Jack Roslovic1.78
175David Perron1.69
180Tomas Tatar1.67
184Chandler Stephenson1.66
185Teddy Blueger1.66
187Teuvo Teravainen1.65
188Jordan Martinook1.65
190Blake Wheeler1.64
Surely however there's a name here you missed
 

Absurdity

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Jul 6, 2012
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Surely however there's a name here you missed
Pastrnak, Zacha, Frederic, Coyle, and Heinen were the top 5 for the Bruins with 2 or more. DeBrusk was 10th on the team with 1.48, ranked 247 overall. Elias Lindholm was ranked 273 with 1.39. Both players struggled last season.
 

KOZ37

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If the Bruins are going to take the next step they need to improve, not stay the same. I like Debrusk but if it means paying him 6.5 or 7 long term, I would rather spend a couple million more on Guentzel. Same goes for Heinen. If he comes cheap then sign him...otherwise let him go and have the kids battle for a spot. Need more reliable talent with Marchand on the back nine now. Time to make a real run at it or rebuild it.
 

sarge88

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I know it’s not necessarily a good decision…but I miss him man.

He loves being up in Boston. He’s up here every Summer, still owns property and co-owns a few businesses up here as well. Dude loves this town and bleeds black and gold.

If we don’t pull in someone like Chychrun to run the power play from the blue line a 1M contract might actually make sense.

We haven’t had a proper PP QB dman since he left.

Krug

For a million and a half, provided he’d sign here for it, we could do a lot worse than having him as a utility guy.

No doubt in my mind he could dress as a 7th defenseman to play mainly on the PP and play some 4th line wing.

There are players in this league that are lauded because they can “play up and down the lineup”.

Well how about a guy who could score 25 points running the PP, probably forecheck decently, given his skating and defensive ability, and switch over to defense if a player got hurt in-game.

Again….I’m talking a million and a half.

Saddest part, he’d probably be the 4th toughest guy in the team.
 

Gordoff

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Poitras as 2c in two years and Beecher progressing into a 3c from 4c is assuming a lot lot? Brazzer playing third line wing if somebody gets moved when he did just that in the playoffs this year is assuming a lot? I’d love to know where I’m out of line
fNever said that you're out of lone, I said that you're assuming a Hell of a lot.
" Marchand, Lohrei, Ullmark, Frederic, Geekie, Brazzers, Beecher, Lauko , Wotherspoon, and Brown moving out."

Really, you expect all of that list to be "Moving out?"

That is assuming a lot.
 
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BiteThisBurrows

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That sounds like Shattenkirk redux just this time on the left side. Despite nearly half-a-PPG pace the past two seasons, Krug is also a minus 57. They already got two guys on the left side who can play on the PP, they don't really need 3.
Depth D. Unless you want to have to call up Mitchell, which I don't. I don't think anybody's suggesting making him part of the starting 6.
 

SPV

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Since a big reason the Bruins signed Morgan Geekie in free agency last offseason could be due to his 2.47 total 5v5 points per 60 minutes of play which ranked 31st in the league, I thought I would compile a list of upcoming UFAs who currently rank close to or higher than Geekie's number with at least 500 minutes of 5v5 ice time. Geekie was at 1.61 this year.

Disclaimer: I only looked at the top 200 since there are 192 players slotted in the top 6F in the league and defensemen started making the list at the end. If you want the whole list you can find it here Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick.

Just because a player didn't make the top 200, it doesn't mean they are bad. Also, other stats and situations need to be looked at like linemates etc. when measuring the effectiveness of players on this list.

Player RankPlayerTotal Points/60
8Max Domi2.73
20Jake Guentzel2.48
25Vladimir Tarasenko2.43
43Sam Reinhart2.32
47Anthony Mantha2.29
50Jonathan Marchessault2.28
51Patrick Kane2.28
62Warren Foegele2.19
65Matt Duchene2.18
70Dakota Joshua2.17
96Kiefer Sherwood2.02
98Danton Heinen2
108James Van Reimsdyk1.95
118Stefan Nosen1.9
125Tyler Bertuzzi1.88
126Tyler Toffoli1.87
128Adam Henrique1.87
134Anthony Duclair1.85
138Sean Monahan1.84
143Steven Stamkos1.82
152Jack Roslovic1.78
175David Perron1.69
180Tomas Tatar1.67
184Chandler Stephenson1.66
185Teddy Blueger1.66
187Teuvo Teravainen1.65
188Jordan Martinook1.65
190Blake Wheeler1.64
Was saying recently that Mantha could be a good Debrusk replacement, plus a little better size.
 
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Mione134

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Everyone said Gryz could replace Krug yet he's been at best a 3rd pair/7th D caliber player when it matters most. Krug brought PP skill and actually played tough. He wasn't a weak pushover like Gryz who I'm glad will never wear this jersey again
Thing is. Grizz at one point  was good. Not Krug level, but he was good. Then he regressed. I dont understand how or why.

Krug always played above his weight and height. Initiated hits. Etc


Grizz shys away. I like Grizz. I do. But he's not the same player he was. It's unfortunate.
 

DKH

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Feb 27, 2002
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If the Bruins are going to take the next step they need to improve, not stay the same. I like Debrusk but if it means paying him 6.5 or 7 long term, I would rather spend a couple million more on Guentzel. Same goes for Heinen. If he comes cheap then sign him...otherwise let him go and have the kids battle for a spot. Need more reliable talent with Marchand on the back nine now. Time to make a real run at it or rebuild it.
So does Guentzel want to sign here if they give him 9 M?

Is Boston his preference? Is so great news
 

DKH

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Feb 27, 2002
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Krug

For a million and a half, provided he’d sign here for it, we could do a lot worse than having him as a utility guy.

No doubt in my mind he could dress as a 7th defenseman to play mainly on the PP and play some 4th line wing.

There are players in this league that are lauded because they can “play up and down the lineup”.

Well how about a guy who could score 25 points running the PP, probably forecheck decently, given his skating and defensive ability, and switch over to defense if a player got hurt in-game.

Again….I’m talking a million and a half.

Saddest part, he’d probably be the 4th toughest guy in the team.
Who’s the three tougher ?

Fighting? Or if interrogated by Cold War CIA would crack 4th on Bruins ?
 
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dafoomie

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Jul 22, 2005
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Thing is. Grizz at one point  was good. Not Krug level, but he was good. Then he regressed. I dont understand how or why.

Krug always played above his weight and height. Initiated hits. Etc


Grizz shys away. I like Grizz. I do. But he's not the same player he was. It's unfortunate.
The game is different when you play with the best possession line in hockey, a 9 million dollar partner, and you're getting 60% ozone starts. He was perfect for that role, this year his role changed. He's the same guy he always was and he'll be successful again if he can find a similar spot, maybe in Florida.
 
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