Boston Bruins 2026 OFFSEASON Roster & Salary Cap III.

[Sevendust]

View attachment 1248475

@MarchysNoseKnows

My point was more so that we don't usually see rumors about this many teams in the top 10 looking to move their pick. Could it be a sign of how teams feel about this draft? Maybe, idk.

I think its more about media generating clicks.

 

[Sevendust]

Rumors have floated that the Canucks really want the ruck twins (which can’t have anything to do with the sedins’ new roles). They have the 24th pick, we have the 23rd. Some might say that those positions could be a bit of a reach for Liam, but not by much.

I know Vancouver was clamoring for a 2C early last season and were linked to rumors about zacha. They got Rossi back in the Hughes trade but I can’t honestly say whether he has filled that need yet.

I know his agent has said he doesn’t want to leave (whether it’s 100% true or not) but wonder if a draft day trade package of the 23OA pick, zacha, and any prospect not named hagens or letourneau would be close to enough to pry hronek out of Vancouver.

In fact it would be an overpay

 

[SonnyBoy]

Boston needs to find their own version of Montreal’s Sean Monahan trades.

 

[Bruin4]

Yeh um no

Let’s here your plan genius

Doesn’t really matter what my plan is, or yours because they’re both irrelevant in what will actually happen, but what I’d like to see is Sweeney weigh his options and see what’s available out-there on the trade market for Zacha and not rush into giving him more yrs and money.

If he can’t move him this summer that’s fine, but then see where everything is near the deadline and if they’re on the outside looking in, highest bidder gets him.

There’s no one in free agency who’s worth throwing tons of money at. So I’d continue the rebuild/tool with youth and possibly go after a RFA like Maverick Bourque and deal Zacha for an upgrade or more futures, as his value will never be higher!

If they’re a playoff team and they keep him and he has another decent season, then and only then would I consider resigning him, but he’s under contract for this upcoming season and there’s a lot more pressing needs for this team right now than to re-up Zacha who’s already under contract for this upcoming season.

 

[GHFC79]

What if the replacement for Arvidsson on the "second line" is simply Pasta?

Mittelstadt and Zacha seemed to work well with Arvidsson, who's primarily a shooter. In theory, Pastrnak would elevate both players even more.

And if the team doesn't take a step forward and finds itself outside the playoff picture, you'd suddenly have two very attractive deadline assets on expiring contracts.

A second idea: trade Geekie (plus(?) Lohrei(?) and/or the 2026 1st(?)) for Barzal (and play him alongside Lindholm)? There's any realistic way to get Eiserman included in that deal? And if so, would he be worth targeting?



Mittelstadt - Zacha - Pasta
B. McMann - Lindholm - Barzal
Khusy - Minten - Hagens
Jeannot - Poitras - Kastelic
Steeves - Kuraly

Lindholm - McAvoy
Brunet (Lohrei?) - R. Andersson
Zadorov - Joki
Aspirot

cap work.

Would you play Barzal with Pastrnak? And if so, would you use him at center or on the wing?

 

[Oates2Neely]

Bruins need help on the right side.

I’d use 2 of their 5 1st round picks and attempt to pry Nemec & Tippett.

Flyers want centers. Poitras + 1st?
NJ not ready to pay Nemec who’s rumored to have asked for a trade. 1st + Lohrei + ?

Young, both right handers. Team speed improves. Both good at transitioning puck up ice quickly. Add Hagens this year, Leterneau Locmelis 2027, maybe you have yourself a fast exciting team who’s trajectory heading in right direction.

 

[Hookslide]

Did you forget me shitting on the Jeannot and Kuraly deals? I took a lot of heat for being negative about them. Wtf?

Took a while but we have finally found common ground.

 

[UncleRico]

Bruins need help on the right side.

I’d use 2 of their 5 1st round picks and attempt to pry Nemec & Tippett.

Flyers want centers. Poitras + 1st?
NJ not ready to pay Nemec who’s rumored to have asked for a trade. 1st + Lohrei + ?

Young, both right handers. Team speed improves. Both good at transitioning puck up ice quickly. Add Hagens this year, Leterneau Locmelis 2027, maybe you have yourself a fast exciting team who’s trajectory heading in right direction.

If the Flyers want a center and are willing to give up Tippet, they will be able to do much better on the open market than Poitras who is struggling to make it out of the AHL.

Probably looking more like tippet and a pick for zacha

 

[Hookslide]

If the Flyers want a center and are willing to give up Tippet, they will be able to do much better on the open market than Poitras who is struggling to make it out of the AHL.

Probably looking more like tippet and a pick for zacha

I am in on the Tippett train, but moving Zacha in the same deal is getting younger, but other than age is a sideways move, then you need to go out and find a Zacha replacement. Do you think if they could get a Tippett and McTavish, and then concentrate on defense, move the needle for you. I know it is a lot of get, but just a thought.

 

[ON3M4N]

Bruins need help on the right side.

I’d use 2 of their 5 1st round picks and attempt to pry Nemec & Tippett.

Flyers want centers. Poitras + 1st?
NJ not ready to pay Nemec who’s rumored to have asked for a trade. 1st + Lohrei + ?

Young, both right handers. Team speed improves. Both good at transitioning puck up ice quickly. Add Hagens this year, Leterneau Locmelis 2027, maybe you have yourself a fast exciting team who’s trajectory heading in right direction.

I'd love Tippet. He was a guy I was hoping we'd swing for at the TDL. He had a strong end of season and playoffs though and I don't know how willing PHI would be to move him without a huge overpay. I know they have a lot of RW's but I think they're more like to move Michkov.

 

[UncleRico]

I am in on the Tippett train, but moving Zacha in the same deal is getting younger, but other than age is a sideways move, then you need to go out and find a Zacha replacement. Do you think if they could get a Tippett and McTavish, and then concentrate on defense, move the needle for you. I know it is a lot of get, but just a thought.

I’m not saying I would do that deal.

I’m saying if Flyers are looking for a center that’s around what they would be looking for.

I highly doubt if they were shopping a winger like Tippet for a center, that they would be looking for a player like Poitras who is struggling to make the AHL roster and couldn’t beat out a younger Fraser Minten for even a 3rd line center role.

Poitras has very little trade value right now until he can prove he can make an NHL roster and stay there.

 

[marianne99]

There's always that overreaction during the conference finals and Stanley Cup - Bruins should play more like Vegas or Carolina. What can Boston learn Montreal's rebuild etc. I'm falling victim to it now tho too - out of Mittelstadt, Zacha, and Geekie - which of Boston's forwards do you think would have fit in the best last and who do you think would have fit in the worst?

To me, I go to Geekie floating - that would not have fit at all, especially on Carolina.

 

[The don godfather]

Please keep Zacha he just got a 65 point season.

 

[Dizzay]

Zacha is a perfect #2 center. We should not let him go. Mitten is a perfect #3 center, we should also keep him. Poitras as our 4C is insane. He has top 2-3C potential but if we have him at 4C with the ability to slide up based on performance/injuries, that's a massive luxury.

We have potential to have a 1C in Hagens or Letourneau.......but thats to be determined. We need to get a 1C this offseason.

1. 1C
2. Top 4 Dman
3. Bring up DiPietro, trade Korp

 

[bp14]

I did a bad job of being clear.

I guess what I’m thinking is this.

All of the first round picks and prospects aren’t likely to hit.

If they turn 1-2 of them into a legit top 6 forward or top 3:defenseman this season and they do a good job picking and developing the rest, then 2/3 years from now they’ll be further ahead than if they use all the picks, while maintaining a level of legitimacy until the kids are ready.

Of course, the real trick is deciding which prospects and picks to keep and who to take with those picks.

I mean, they could choose to keep Hagens and trade Letourneau, and see Hagens bust and Letourneau boom elsewhere, or vice-versa….which would ruin the whole plan……but that’s sports.

Gotcha. And I agree with much of that.

I view teams like a business. Not every year is a go for broke year in business…you sometimes have heavy investment or R&D years.

The Bruins have been in pretty strong “go for broke” mode for 10+ years, wheeling first round picks, picking late and going for it at the deadline. IMO they have to take a step back and “invest”. Also, IMO, the crop of prospects while better than recent years is hardly stalwart. I think they need 1-2 more “high end” kids, preferably at least one on D.

And to be clear, I don’t care in the least if that means another 2-3 years of “Pastas Prime” gets wasted. He is not bigger than the organization, and I’d much rather have a deep organization in 3-4 years but only have a couple years of him competing for Cups then drain even more future assets to give him a little more ammo on a still thin roster.

 

[RhodyMike]

Would Vancouver trade 24OA for Mittelstadt + 2nd + Lysell? Or Seattle for 25OA?

Could be a good way to get into 1st round. Not that it always works like this, but Puckpedia pick calculator puts STL 11OA value at 31 and our 23OA at 16. You could in theory package a 23OA and 24OA for 11OA or Nashvilles 10OA (maybe add a sweetener if needed) and have a shot at one of Daxon Rudolph, Belchetz, Lawrence, Bjorck.

 

[RhodyMike]

Doesn’t really matter what my plan is, or yours because they’re both irrelevant in what will actually happen, but what I’d like to see is Sweeney weigh his options and see what’s available out-there on the trade market for Zacha and not rush into giving him more yrs and money.

If he can’t move him this summer that’s fine, but then see where everything is near the deadline and if they’re on the outside looking in, highest bidder gets him.

There’s no one in free agency who’s worth throwing tons of money at. So I’d continue the rebuild/tool with youth and possibly go after a RFA like Maverick Bourque and deal Zacha for an upgrade or more futures, as his value will never be higher!

If they’re a playoff team and they keep him and he has another decent season, then and only then would I consider resigning him, but he’s under contract for this upcoming season and there’s a lot more pressing needs for this team right now than to re-up Zacha who’s already under contract for this upcoming season.

There are a few scenarios in the league like with Buffalo and Dallas where a good name can be a cap casualty like what happened here with Taylor Hall. A lot of that will depend on Robertson and Tuch. Bourque was on all of our radars last summer and is a more offensive Khustidinov. I’d be down to grab him depending on the cost. Maybe it’s a Krebs instead you’re looking at.

In FA I don’t think Tolvanen can command a lot of $, but I like his release and would also be good in the middle 6. Marchment wouldn’t be bad either at 3/4 years x5.5/6 . McMann has attraction and upside on a short deal.

The good thing about waiting until mid season to deal Zacha is you may see that some combo of Hagens, Minten, Poitras, and Lindholm can handle your top 9 center roles, with more time to evaluate a developing Letourneau. The bad thing is you could be looking at a top 10 pick this summer if you trade him now.

 

[Tbaybruin]

The Canes foundation is built thru suckage

They went 5, 7, 5, 12, 13, and 2 from 2013 -2018 grabbing players like Hanifin, Necas, and Svetchnikov

Bruins can’t do their model - style yes but I’m starting to see this glorious Hurricanes way and why can’t the Bruins lol

The Vegas Golden Slumbers actually did my (not so humble brag) model : Stone, Eichel, Hanifin, Hertl, and Rasmus Andersson.

I’m obviously Vegas because I basically built that team.

Please understand Carolina missed a zillion years of the playoffs

So now Sweeney has to have to stones to make deals like Vegas did.

 

[Kalus]

Doesn’t really matter what my plan is, or yours because they’re both irrelevant in what will actually happen, but what I’d like to see is Sweeney weigh his options and see what’s available out-there on the trade market for Zacha and not rush into giving him more yrs and money.

If he can’t move him this summer that’s fine, but then see where everything is near the deadline and if they’re on the outside looking in, highest bidder gets him.

There’s no one in free agency who’s worth throwing tons of money at. So I’d continue the rebuild/tool with youth and possibly go after a RFA like Maverick Bourque and deal Zacha for an upgrade or more futures, as his value will never be higher!

If they’re a playoff team and they keep him and he has another decent season, then and only then would I consider resigning him, but he’s under contract for this upcoming season and there’s a lot more pressing needs for this team right now than to re-up Zacha who’s already under contract for this upcoming season.

Really missed the opportunity for maximum value by not trading Zacha last season.

Acquiring team last season gets 2 playoffs or 1 playoff with the option to flip him this season and reaquire assets and avoid the inevitable overpay extension, especially if it looks like their team won’t make the playoffs.

Acquiring team this season gets 1 playoffs and knows they will have to extend him to that overpay extension to justify the assets given up in the trade.

Return for trading this season is probably 50% as valuable as last season would have been. I still don’t think the 3 home playoff games were worth it given the holes in the lineup.

 

[Tbaybruin]

The Bruins are set up well - they have a handful of 23 and under prospects a boatload of picks in rounds 1-4 (5:3:2:5) in the next 25 months

Going all in is foolish - Colorado just got swept

Draft situation
2026 no first, no second, no third
2027 no first, a second, no third
2028 no first, no second, a third

Prospects per Athletic 28
No Zellers No Calum Ritchie
They will start with a 3 next October

However Leafs will add McKenna and have 2 second round picks

Panthers pick 9 should get a very good player

Why you don’t shoot for the moon - you get in the dance and hope things go your way

True but Vegas shot for the moon and are in the finals. Anderson might cost 2 first and Whitecloud.

 

[PlayMakers]

I wonder what the value of the Toronto pick is. Would a team like the Islanders or St.Louis view that as a potential top10 pick? Could that be a high risk/high value trade asset?

 

[Dr Hook]

I wonder what the value of the Toronto pick is. Would a team like the Islanders or St.Louis view that as a potential top10 pick? Could that be a high risk/high value trade asset?

I wonder if we can even know this until the league forces a settlement on who owns which pick between us and Flyers. If I am an interested GM, I'd really want to know this before committing to a deal. Then I can weigh the odds of it being lower or higher in the round and value it accordingly

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

True but Vegas shot for the moon and are in the finals. Anderson might cost 2 first and Whitecloud.

Over the next 3 drafts, Vegas has one first rounder (2028), zero second rounders and two third rounders (2026 & 27).

I don't think they care.

 

[bp14]

I wonder what the value of the Toronto pick is. Would a team like the Islanders or St.Louis view that as a potential top10 pick? Could that be a high risk/high value

Playing the odds you’d have to value it at exact middle round I think. Not sure why we’d trade it. I keep it and make the pick…we need more young talent.

 

[Dr Hook]

Over the next 3 drafts, Vegas has one first rounder (2028), zero second rounders and two third rounders (2026 & 27).

I don't think they care.

They don't and never have.