I don’t want either of them. I want to lock Lohrei in a top 6 role and deal with the lumps in November and December. Find a vet LD who can move the puck. Wotherspoon can play silly side and you’ve already gotten younger in the bottom pair with him and Peeke. I’d be willing to pay a bit more than Shattenkirk but I’m not paying $3M+ down there. You can always find a vet physical defenseman at the deadline.
I’d overpay for quality at the top. I don’t think they need to sign four forwards. Make a big play for Guentzel, or Marchessault - whoever your guy is. I’d rather it not be Lindholm but if that’s your guy ok. Going to need to overpay to get it done but I think it’s worth it.
Give Guentzel $10.5x7. Or Marchessault 3x$6M. Or if Reinhart or Stamkos break free then go big there. Have to get one. Then use Ullmark directly or indirectly to get a second tier guy. Hard to even predict who that would be - but somewhere in the Zacha range. If Jake signs you have replaced Heinen.
Your best case is Geekie is 4RW. Two adds up front. Poitras grabs a spot. And we’re better.
And now on the Ottawa board there’s a fan quoting Bruins posters that they could trade Tkachuk for Pasta.
You want Lohrei locked into the top6 or top4? You said top6 but then the context made me think you meant top4. Fwiw, I think he's locked into the top6 even if they get a veteran D. I think they break him in the way they did Krug, 3rd pair at ES (while he learns to defend in the NHL) and 1st PP.
I don't think there's any reality where they build a team that puts Geekie on the 4th line. He's a strong 3rd liner. I don't think they need to sign 4 forwards either, or 3 forwards for that matter. They need a 1c and they need a play driver to replace DeBrusk, preferably with a RW to play with Marchand. Other than Lindholm, the UFA options are meh, IMO.
Guentzel is the only 'play driver' in the UFA class, but he's going to get paid Pasta money and I don't think they can afford both Lindholm and Guentzel. Lindholm is the bigger priority.
Reinhart is a career 30/30 guy who had a great season and you're going to end up paying for 90 point Reinhart not 60 point Reinhart. I don't think he's a play driver and I don't think you can afford both Reinhart and Lindholm. Plus, Reinhart and Lindholm play the same spot on the PP.
Stamkos isn't coming here. He and Pasta play the same spot on the PP. I think "fit" matters and you only have one PP1 bumper. You are selling someone on having that job and those goals.
Marchessault is not a play driver, not young and looking to get paid. Laine has baggage that would give me pause and he plays the same spot on the PP as Pasta. Toffoli isn't a play driver. Perron isn't young and isn't a play driver...
I'd be down for Necas. I like the idea of using Ulmark for a secondary scorer but I'm also okay with them using him for a 1st round pick.
So, I think they're going to look at those less than perfect UFA fits and say, why get locked into a long, expensive contract for someone we're not sure is going to work. Let's take a flyer on someone cheap and see if Lysell or Merkulov can beat them out of a job. At least Lysell can be a dynamic play driver. Maybe he's still not mature enough, that seems to be the opinion of those in the know, but that's why you sign the vet as insurance. And, there are good fits on defense, guys who could be impactful players, so I think that's why they lean that way.
That's fine.
You cannot rely on one guy on the fourth line, whoever it is, to provide your entire team with intimidation, retaliation, toughness.
Look at Peter Chiarell's rosters.
Within perhaps 3 years half of that lineup was ready, willing and able to stand up for one another.
Were they all bruisers? Was Andrew Ference a bruiser? Marc Savard? Gregory Campbell?
Nine years later, this Chromag sees meh mediocrity as far as the I can see.
Team toughness is not just a stupid phrase. As corny as it sounds, it means being there for the guy next to you. It means playing for one another. It means, cliche, everyone pulling on the same rope.
Bruins DNA dictates that kind of play. And to me, that means getting your nose dirty, hard work, and physical intimidation.
Counter with Nifty, David,
Sweeney has never embraced that. Of late, only of late, he realizes he needs a policeman. One guy. Pat Maroon, 35, coming off back surgery and very much at the end of his career. Prior to that, it was Milan.
One guy. It's such a joke it makes me cry.
I believe I mentioned this, but when watching the Ranger- Florida series, it was abundantly clear that the Boston Bruins under done Sweeney are so far away from that level of competition it isn't true. It makes me f*cking sick.
He's learned, he's grown, and he's a very, very good general manager. But he still doesn't seem to get it.
Please don't squeeze the Charmin doesn't get it in the playoffs.
Say it with me: speed, skill, *and* physicality.
It's not rocket science.
I agree that Chiarelli’s teams were tough, intimidating and fun to watch… and I agree that Sweeney’s teams for the most part have not been tough or intimidating, but I don’t think that was an issue for the Bruins this year. I thought they were just as physical as Florida. We had just as many blow up hits as they did and outhit them in the series overall. No, we weren’t the 2011 Bruins but we lost that series on skill not toughness IMO.