Boston Bruins 2024-2025 Roster & Salary Cap Discussion V

[ODAAT]

Missing the folk I met at JBI. Loved that bar! Perhaps a pint Guiness one fine day!

I`ll DD, not a drinker but I`ll meet ya there!!!!!!!!

 

[CDJ]

Give me...

Elias Lindholm to cover the 1C needs
Dawson Mercer in a trade around Linus Ullmark
Brenden Dillon for some size and toughness on the back end. Don't think he will be too pricey
Mathieu Olivier in a trade for Lauko to keep Trent Frederic from getting his head kicked in constantly
Brandon Duhaime for some speed and energy on the 4th line

I also don't hate the idea of a guy like David Perron or Patrick Kane

Done. Everyone pack your shit.

Perron and Marchand on the same team would drive the opposition nuts

 

[GordonHowe]

By the way, wrap your head around this one. Haggs spitballing, but he would make the deal. I am inclined to agree.

Pasta and God knows what else for Brady Tcakchuk.

Straight up it would be great. It won't happen but it's an interesting hypothetical.

Pick up at 14:40,

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

By the way, wrap your head around this one. Hag spitballing, but he would make the deal. An important ways I'm inclined to agree with him.

Pasta and God knows what else for Brady Tcakchuk.

Straight up it would be great. It won't happen but it's an interesting hypothetical.

Pick up at 14:40,

Who in their right mind would trade Pasta for Brady Tkachuk?!?

 

[Knight]

Who in their right mind would trade Pasta for Brady Tkachuk?!?

Neanderthals

 

[Fenian24]

By the way, wrap your head around this one. Haggs spitballing, but he would make the deal. I am inclined to agree.

Pasta and God knows what else for Brady Tcakchuk.

Straight up it would be great. It won't happen but it's an interesting hypothetical.

Pick up at 14:40,

I love Pasta, I move him straight up for Brady Tkachuk in a heartbeat.

 

[JAD]

I get what you're saying however vezina Ullmark "ain't to shabby himself". He possesses much of what you described in Swayman. Age is a factor as is cap space.

LD is a beast that would fit in perfect with this team. Goalies can be found. A 6 "2" 207 lbs center that averages 110 points per year is near impossible to find.

No doubt Bruins would need to add in a Swayman for LD trade.

This screams Bill Ranford all over again.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I love Pasta, I move him straight up for Brady Tkachuk in a heartbeat.

Lol of course you would.

 

[shelbysdad]

Sign Goodrow.....6 goals in 16 playoffs games.....I hear that's all that matters.....7 years, 56 M
There....now ya got your playoff warrior

 

[quietbruinfan]

By the way, wrap your head around this one. Haggs spitballing, but he would make the deal. I am inclined to agree.

Pasta and God knows what else for Brady Tcakchuk.

Straight up it would be great. It won't happen but it's an interesting hypothetical.

Pick up at 14:40,

It's horrific and it's more spitballed garbage

 

[Coach Parker]

If I am Columbus I am not eating 4m in cap for 2 years to move Laine to Boston.

I'd look to a place like Chicago(who they already have a history with ie Jones trade) who wouldn't need retention. See if playing with Bedard motivates him.

And as a Boston fan I'm not interested in the cost it would take to convince CLB to retain almost 4m for the chance that Laine doesn't play like a bum.

Bad idea. Doesn't seem like a lot of thought was put into it.



You clearly haven't met the girls Lou grew up around.

I’d do it but I’m not quite sure CBJ ownership is willing to retain on any long term transactions. They certainly haven’t yet to date, other than on players expiring at the deadline.

I just got home but my first glance is the hypothetical 10th overall 2024 and a 2026 3rd with heavy conditionals. That 2026 3rd would escalate to the 2026 2nd if Laine plays in 100 regular season games during the remainder of his contract (60% ish) and the 2026 1st if played in 130 regular season games.

Retention is expensive and you are right its about 3.5-4 mil for a 1st at the current market so the idea is that if Laine busts outs and remain healthy we essentially get our money back with "interest" more but if he bombs out or if he's traded before the 2026 conditional is met then you cut your losses and is basically treated as a rental.

Don't even need the "+". Would be a gift to ship Laine out and only retain $3.7m.

If you can get a top 12-13 pick in this draft I think it would be a wise swap for the Jackets. Even if it was 50% retention, $4.35m, the club is in a position for the next two years where the cap isn't that important. Our young players are still too inconsistent to merit big money extensions.

Here are the thoughts from the CLB Mods and fans there. Didn't want anymore 'didn't think this one out' posts, lol.

 

[Coach Parker]

So, for arguments sake, you would surrender a] JC and a seventh overall draft selection from OTT (unlikely to happen in any case, as Ullmark would likely veto the move) or b] exchange New Jersey's 10th overall pick when you could get a very good future center, someone who might be a mainstay at that critical position for years to come, long after Elias Lindholm, Chandler Stephenson, etc. has left the scene?

I'm not doing that. The Bruins need to restock the cupboard in the worst way. IF you ask me, which you didn't, I would posit that the best way for Boston to remedy both situations is find their center through the draft, and a high draft selection at that.

Laine may give you what he gives you, but I do not see the Bruins becoming an elite, genuine Cup contender any time soon, regardless of what Sweeney does beginning 1 July.

I'd rather build for the future as Swayman, Lohrei, Beecher, Poitras and others develop in the meantime.

This is Sweeney's first real make or break offseason. He has the money, the intelligence and the scouting to transform the organization's fortunes in significant fashion going forward.

I am not thinking next season or the season thereafter. And to his credit, I don't believe Sweeney is, either.

I have my genuine doubts that these two (and Lohrei for that matter) develop into anything better than Pastrnak, McAvoy, Zacha/Coyle and others. You'd be wasting the prime years of the guys i mentioned in hopes that the ones bolded are going to be better than them in the future and a better chance then.

I just don't believe that at all. I think this team is a top line forward and a top six C away from contending with the current roster. I see the team that gave Florida the most trouble and was lacking primary scoring.

I'm thinking the next two prime years of Pastrnak and then continuing to be a playoff team the years after. Cap space and reclamation projects; how Vegas and Florida are finding success.

This is what I love about conversations with posters like you; we can discuss and hear reasons why. If the OTT situation came to fruition I absolutely do not BUT no one thinks that'll happen so its a moot point.

On the other hand, I have heard repeatedly that after the top five in this draft, there is a drop off and 6-20 are crapshoots. Others could chime in with more insight but I'd move the 10th overall for Laine retained. I simply don't see a reason the 10th overall in this years' draft is coveted for the current Bruins as anything more than a trade asset.

 

[Hookslide]

Here are the thoughts from the CLB Mods and fans there. Didn't want anymore 'didn't think this one out' posts, lol.

Retaining should not be a road block, would rather eat the money it is only for two years.

 

[Coach Parker]

Retaining should not be a road block, would rather eat the money it is only for two years.

Columbus fans and mods were fine with retention as they have the cap space and have retained on no one to date. They are also years away from cap constraints with their young talent.

 

[Coach Parker]

I knew I knew who this guy was.

Whatever one thinks of Wheeler and Scheifele, to have similar problems with two separate organizations is a No Way Jose proposition for me.

Perplexity says,

is patrick laine a locker room cancer​

Sources
Report: Patrik Laine Revealed Reason for Leaving Winnipeg

novacapsfans
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Patrik Laine wants out of Columbus, what does that mean for the ...

jetsnation
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Does anyone know why people are calling Wheeler "locker room ...

reddit
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View 2 more

Answer
Patrick Laine has been labeled as a "locker room cancer" by some due to reported conflicts and issues he had with teammates and management during his time with the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Winnipeg Jets Tenure​

According to reports, Laine had a strained relationship with Jets leaders like Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele, who allegedly treated him rudely and talked behind his back in the locker room. This alleged rift with core players is speculated to be one of the reasons Laine wanted out of Winnipeg, leading to his trade to Columbus in 2021.

Columbus Blue Jackets Tenure​

Laine's tenure in Columbus has also been marred by locker room issues. In June 2024, it was reported that Laine had requested a trade out of Columbus, potentially due to more conflicts within the team's locker room environment. While the specific details are not fully known, the recurring narrative of Laine clashing with teammates and wanting out of organizations has led to him being labeled as a potential "locker room cancer" by some fans and analysts.
4
. However, it's important to note that these are speculative claims, and the full context of the situations is not entirely clear from the outside.

Ultimately, whether Laine is truly a disruptive presence or simply a player who has had difficulty fitting into certain team cultures is up for debate. But the persistent rumors and his desire to leave multiple organizations have contributed to the perception of him as a potential locker room issue.

I hate questionable sources and websites but understand what you are saying.

On the flip side, Winnipeg was half a decade ago, substance and personal issues paired with addiction. And he was 21.

I don't buy a lot about anything good in that Winnipeg dressing room back then either. Sounds like a lot of bad leadership top to bottom.

You have to look at the draft itself though. Very unlikely you’re getting Lindstrom at 7 much less 10. Then you have Catton (who probably doesn’t make it to 10), who is 5’10 and we all know how that would go around here. Then a longer term project in Helenius. The next group of Hage/Boisvert would be down in the teens. There’s no guarantee that either Catton or Helenius surpass Poitras any time soon.

This is the draft to get in the top 10 if you want a high end defenseman. Or if you’d like a winger (Demidov/Iginla/Eiserman). But there’s no bonafide can’t miss 1C sitting at the top of this draft, and certainly not at 10.

This is the talk around here on the shows and news outlets; nothing impressive in this year and that a big logjam of the same type of talent and skill from 6-20 and a real crapshoot.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I hate questionable sources and websites but understand what you are saying.

On the flip side, Winnipeg was half a decade ago, substance and personal issues paired with addiction. And he was 21.

I don't buy a lot about anything good in that Winnipeg dressing room back then either. Sounds like a lot of bad leadership top to bottom.


This is the talk around here on the shows and news outlets; nothing impressive in this year and that a big logjam of the same type of talent and skill from 6-20 and a real crapshoot.

It depends. 6-11 or 12 will have some really solid players. If we had 7 and could get Zeev I’d do that in a heartbeat. But it’s so defenseman heavy that it doesn’t match up with the Bruins needs. You could see a scenario where if they got 10 they stood pat because they love Eiserman as a pure goal scorer, or they are good with taking the 5th or 6th defenseman in the draft. But I just don’t see the draft matching up well for the Bruins needs unless you’re positive you could get Lindstrom and his health checks out. I don’t see that as remotely possible even at 7.

Both Pronman and Wheeler said today if they had a top 5 pick they’d rather it be in 2023 but 6-10 they’d rather it be here. But there’s a giant cliff around 17-19 where the draft really falls off.

 

[Coach Parker]

It depends. 6-11 or 12 will have some really solid players. If we had 7 and could get Zeev I’d do that in a heartbeat. But it’s so defenseman heavy that it doesn’t match up with the Bruins needs. You could see a scenario where if they got 10 they stood pat because they love Eiserman as a pure goal scorer, or they are good with taking the 5th or 6th defenseman in the draft. But I just don’t see the draft matching up well for the Bruins needs unless you’re positive you could get Lindstrom and his health checks out. I don’t see that as remotely possible even at 7.

Both Pronman and Wheeler said today if they had a top 5 pick they’d rather it be in 2023 but 6-10 they’d rather it be here. But there’s a giant cliff around 17-19 where the draft really falls off.

Thanks for this, and yeah, that 20 mark then after the top 20 it's like a pool of 2nd-4th rounders. I don't see anyone giving Boston a 7th overall for Ullmark but that NJ 10th overall seems like a great place to move it for someone who helps out now.

Maybe that's Necas instead?

Boeser really has me re-evaluating 'negative' value 40 goal scorers who haven't even hit 27, lol. Especially PPG ones who seemed to have turned a corner at the right time for the Bruins.

I'm sure people would rather get a retained PLD, but for me, I'd love to simply sign Lindholm and move Ullmark for Laine over spending big bucks and cap on some other assets.

Ehlers didn't really wow in the playoffs and perhaps he is a target as well. Or Monahan. For me, those two don't have the potential ceiling of Laine OR the circumstances/excuse he has for last year.

 

[BlackFrancis]

My whole thing with Laine is a hypothetical acquisition by Bill Zito would sound all my Zito alarms - laughing at it, scoffing, bagging on the player, bagging on Zito. Then, Laine would miss an average of 4 games a season and wind up on at least one season end All-Star list.

If Sweeney gets him, I'd be tying myself in knots wondering if Sweeney is smarter than Zito, or if Zito didn't make a deal for him because he knows something.

 

[GordonHowe]

It's horrific and it's more spitballed garbage

Horrific?

Pasta is a gifted one in a million offensive tower. No doubt about it.

But if I could get someone more in the Bruins mold, that is the mold of yore, I would do so.

I have nothing against David but he is a purely offensive talent. He doesn't give you anything else. Maybe you don't need anything else.

Nonetheless, I'd rather have somebody more j with much more jam who can score and defend.

That's an old take. But I kind of feel that way.

 

[sarge88]

Sign Goodrow.....6 goals in 16 playoffs games.....I hear that's all that matters.....7 years, 56 M
There....now ya got your playoff warrior

If you make the playoffs, it’s a big plus to have guys who actually score goals during them.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

My whole thing with Laine is a hypothetical acquisition by Bill Zito would sound all my Zito alarms - laughing at it, scoffing, bagging on the player, bagging on Zito. Then, Laine would miss an average of 4 games a season and wind up on at least one season end All-Star list.

If Sweeney gets him, I'd be tying myself in knots wondering if Sweeney is smarter than Zito, or if Zito didn't make a deal for him because he knows something.

Lol. Laine doesn’t feel like a Zito acquisition though. At least not to me. Cost would have to be cheap for me to spend assets there.

Horrific?

Pasta is a gifted One in a million offensive tower. No doubt about it.

But I thought I could get someone more in the Bruins mold, that is the mold of yore, I would do so.

I have nothing against Favy but he is a purely offensive talent. He doesn't give you anything else. Maybe you don't need anything else. You're a guy I'd rather have somebody more jam who can score things like you know, maybe playing a bit of a defensive game. That's an old take. But I kind of feel that way.

Pasta is a better defensive forward than Brady Tkachuk. Talk about a huge step down in level kf player. And Tkachuk isn’t even a center. And you’d do it all just for SNARL? Crazy.

 

[GordonHowe]

I have my genuine doubts that these two (and Lohrei for that matter) develop into anything better than Pastrnak, McAvoy, Zacha/Coyle and others. You'd be wasting the prime years of the guys i mentioned in hopes that the ones bolded are going to be better than them in the future and a better chance then.

I just don't believe that at all. I think this team is a top line forward and a top six C away from contending with the current roster. I see the team that gave Florida the most trouble and was lacking primary scoring.

I'm thinking the next two prime years of Pastrnak and then continuing to be a playoff team the years after. Cap space and reclamation projects; how Vegas and Florida are finding success.

This is what I love about conversations with posters like you; we can discuss and hear reasons why. If the OTT situation came to fruition I absolutely do not BUT no one thinks that'll happen so its a moot point.

On the other hand, I have heard repeatedly that after the top five in this draft, there is a drop off and 6-20 are crapshoots. Others could chime in with more insight but I'd move the 10th overall for Laine retained. I simply don't see a reason the 10th overall in this years' draft is coveted for the current Bruins as anything more than a trade asset.

Well, that's why they make chocolate and vanilla. I get it, but I would much rather have the 10th overall pick.

It gives you options if nothing else. I know the draft is weak, and I don't know what's available as far as centers go, but I would much rather have that 10th pick than a talent I have to babysit.

Especially when I don't see the Bruins going much of anywhere anytime soon. That is to say, next season or the season thereafter. My hope is by that time, Sweeney will have passed from the scene and it won't be all about speed and skill.

Speed and skill are obviously necessary in "today's NHL,", but for perhaps the thousandth time, SPEED, SKILL & PHYSICAL PLAY WIN. EVERY TIME.

I defy anyone to prove otherwise.

I am not talking BBB or Broad St. Bullies. I'm talking any team that has run the gauntlet and raised the Cup. Gretzky's Oilers, the great Montreal teams; they all had speed, skill AND physicality.

This is A FACT that seems to escape Don Sweeney, and, to my surprise and disappointment, Cam Neely.

Moreover, a goodly portion of the Bruins faithful.

I don't get it, and I don't want to get it anymore.

They've had nine years. Nine years.

Impressive regular season records.

Jack shit in the playoffs.

Doubtless I am blinkered but I cannot see it any other way.

Laine is a problem child.

However talented, I do not wish to accommodate.

 

[BlackFrancis]

Lol. Laine doesn’t feel like a Zito acquisition though. At least not to me. Cost would have to be cheap for me to spend assets there.

Agreed 100% about the cost. It's probably the pre-NHL pedigree that makes the association for me. Laine's career looking like he's in a death spiral is a major difference, though.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Agreed 100% about the cost. It's probably the pre-NHL pedigree that makes the association for me. Laine's career looking like he's in a death spiral is a major difference, though.

I also can’t see him in that forecheck. Hiding Tarasenko is one thing but you’re not giving that up for Laine and burying him

 

[PlayMakers]

For clarification, Zadorov is 100% not a top pairing D. The hold-up here in Vancouver is that they don't want to pay that much for a bottom pairing guy. In the playoffs he elevated to second pairing but Bruins fans would HATE his defensive game as a top pair. Perhaps he plays well with Carlo on the 2nd pairing as Lohrei develops but I'd much rather spend the $6,000,000 on top six help than a middle-man D.

I don't think we need Zadorov to be a "top pairing D" to play in the top pair here. Lindholm-Carlo get the heavy Dzone starts. McAvoy has generally been paired with guys who are not top pairing caliber defensemen and he still puts up Norris caliber seasons.

Zadorov played over 20 minutes a game in the playoffs and was +3. He put up 4 goals and 8 points in 14 games, he joins the rush, he likes to shoot, he is an intimidating physical presence... that's better than what McAvoy has had to work with in the past. (And this organization is very good at working with defensemen.)

You also have the option to slide Lohrei up in the lineup if you're behind, but starting him in the 3rd pair with PP time feels like a good place for him to start his first full season.

(Fwiw, I'm not against the cheaper option in Dillon option. That option gives you some more money to spend up front, even though I don't really like the remaining UFA's forwards we can afford to sign.)