Boston Bruins 2026 OFFSEASON Roster & Salary Cap III.

[What The Puck]

Jack Hughes is probably the ceiling for James Hagens..

These are very different players. The only thing you can say about them is they are both on the shorter side.

 

[finaliz3d]

If his improvement last season didn't make you feel confident in his future then IDK what to tell you.

The guy put the work in and turned his career around more than any prospect or player in the Boston organization in the last decade prolly.

It made me feel more confident about his high ceiling, but he still has a pretty low floor. There's very few success stories at that size. There's a reason most evaluators have him closer to the middle of their prospects lists then the top. It's the balance between incredible upside and his floor being low.

I'm rooting for the guy and I hope he does well. He seems like a great kid, but yeah for a 1C it's a pretty easy decision.

Well we weren’t talking about floor or probability of hitting their ceiling. Completely different.

A 6’8 center who can skate, had hands and has a cannon and already isn’t afraid to get in front? Yeah that’s a higher ceiling. And again, I think Hagens is going to be a star.

Given the comparables, I'd take Hagens ceiling over Letourneau's every day. I think Hagens has 100 point potential if everything works out. If Letourneau works out perfectly, I think it's more a 70-80 point 30-40 goal guy. Which is still me being incredibly high on his ceiling, just not higher than Hagens.

 

[BruinDust]

If dean leatorneau was even close to as good as you are claiming he was he wouldn’t be headed back to college for a 3rd season right now.

Craig Button had him 13th in his Top 50 prospect list. Which certainly isn't the be-all, but plenty of the guys on that list won't be in the NHL or AHL next season.

Iginla No. 1, Habs among NHL leaders in Button’s Top 50 prospects ranking

The Kelowna Rockets forward has had a mammoth season, while a clear line is drawn between the haves and have-nots among Canada's NHL teams.

www.tsn.ca

 

[finaliz3d]

Craig Button had him 13th in his Top 50 prospect list. Which certainly isn't the be-all, but plenty of the guys on that list won't be in the NHL or AHL next season.

Iginla No. 1, Habs among NHL leaders in Button’s Top 50 prospects ranking

The Kelowna Rockets forward has had a mammoth season, while a clear line is drawn between the haves and have-nots among Canada's NHL teams.

www.tsn.ca

I was going to mention Craig Button being the one exception, but Craig Button is a hack so I didn't. Every other evaluator is pretty consistent on this, so I wouldn't point out the one exception like it proves your point. Some don't even have him on their lists to begin with.

 

[Absurdity]

Detroit isn't trading us Larkin
'
He's gonna go out West

Yup that's most likely what will happen. Larkin does have a full NTC so he can pick where he goes, but unless it's just Boston, other teams will have assets Detroit will like more.

 

[marianne99]

I was going to mention Craig Button being the one exception, but Craig Button is a hack so I didn't.

Is there any list where Letourneau isn't generally well-regarded now?

 

[UncleRico]

Craig Button had him 13th in his Top 50 prospect list. Which certainly isn't the be-all, but plenty of the guys on that list won't be in the NHL or AHL next season.

Iginla No. 1, Habs among NHL leaders in Button’s Top 50 prospects ranking

The Kelowna Rockets forward has had a mammoth season, while a clear line is drawn between the haves and have-nots among Canada's NHL teams.

www.tsn.ca

He’s a good prospect not saying he isn’t.

I’m just saying I’m trading a middle 6 center, an unproven prospect and a first for a 26 year old PPG first line center every day of the week.

I’d even wager a bet that Thomas coming here he would have his best years ahead of him production wise as a Geekie-Thomas-pastrnak line would be far and away the best lines he’s ever been on.

 

[BruinDust]

I was going to mention Craig Button being the one exception, but Craig Button is a hack so I didn't. Every other evaluator is pretty consistent on this, so I wouldn't point out the one exception like it proves your point. Some don't even have him on their lists to begin with.

I don't even like Button but he sees a lot more of these prospects than any of us do.

 

[BlackFrancis]

I just find it funny that Wings fans have said they need a #1 center for about 5 years now, and that they've got 2C covered.

 

[marianne99]

He’s a good prospect not saying he isn’t.

I’m just saying I’m trading a middle 6 center, an unproven prospect and a first for a 26 year old PPG first line center every day of the week.

I’d even wager a bet that Thomas coming here he would have his best years ahead of him production wise as a Geekie-Thomas-pastrnak line would be far and away the best lines he’s ever been on.

Geekie is very much not up to snuff for that line in my opinion but I feel like that's a separate convo.

 

[BlackFrancis]

I don't even like Button but he sees a lot more of these prospects than any of us do.

Oh lord, this isn't going to be one those things like where Pronman tells everyone he sees each prospect in his draft and org lists at least 10 times each in person, is it?

 

[marianne99]

I just find it funny that Wings fans have said they need a #1 center for about 5 years now, and that they've got 2C covered.

B/c it's true. Larkin is what Don Sweeney thought Elias Lindholm would be - fringe 1c but better as a 2c

 

[McBrom7]

The Detroit situation is super interesting. I really wonder what they do now. One thing the Bruins should maybe call on if they don’t have the package for Larkin is Alex Debrincat.

No idea what he wants for a contract in 2027, but if Detroit goes with the nuclear option I definitely see him being available. The Bruins have 1C as a priority on the shopping list. In my opinion, a scoring winger to replace Arvidsson is also on that shopping list. I’d say DeBrincat could be a prime candidate for that role?

Thoughts? *slowly fades back into darkness*

 

[GHFC79]

Geekie is very much not up to snuff for that line in my opinion but I feel like that's a separate convo.

Trade Geekie+ for Barzal, Letourneau+ for Thomas, and Pastrnak score 70 goals playing Barzal-Thomas-Pasta.

 

[marianne99]

Trade Geekie+ for Barzal, Letourneau+ for Thomas, and Pastrnak score 70 goals playing Barzal-Thomas-Pasta.

I've been drinking the Letourneau Kool-Aid, I'm afraid.... I'm a big time believer that trading Dean would be a colossal mistake.

 

[UncleRico]

Geekie is very much not up to snuff for that line in my opinion but I feel like that's a separate convo.

Maybe not but with pastrnak alone it would represent the best player Thomas has ever played with.

I wouldn’t even hate putting Hagens on their LW

Hagens-Thomas-pastrnak
Mittelstadt-Zacha-Geekie
Khus-lindholm-XXX

That works for me as well!

 

[GHFC79]

I've been drinking the Letourneau Kool-Aid, I'm afraid.... I'm a big time believer that trading Dean would be a colossal mistake.

Prospects are possibilities. Thomas is a reality.

Even if Letourneau turns into a fantastic player, you're making a bet that the odds of him reaching or surpassing Thomas's current level are relatively small, and that's a perfectly reasonable gamble.

 

[finaliz3d]

Is there any list where Letourneau isn't generally well-regarded now?

Wheeler has him at #67. I didn't say he wasn't generally well-regarded, just that he's not listed anywhere near Hagens on most. The Hockey Writers didn't have him ranked on their midseason list although that site is mediocre at best. Already mentioned Button.

Admittedly, there aren't a lot of publically available rankings that are updated recently to look at (quite a few only update annually in the offseason, such as Elite Prospects). I trust Wheeler the most of the bunch, because it aligns with what I saw whenever I watched Boston College, but still it's subjective. He didn't make Pronman's list either but a) Pronman is a clown, and b) His list was a U23 skaters in general list rather than a prospect list so it's kind of obvious that Dean wouldn't make it.

I like Letourneau, but if it gets us our 1C for the Pasta years, that's easy for Thomas. Larkin I'd rather give up Minten than Dean, but if it had to be Letourneau, then I'd do that. Wouldn't give up both for Larkin, obviously.

 

[the negotiator]

This is becoming a more interesting off- season with Larkin supposedly asking out and the Barzal rumors,

Have to wonder if Larkin has a specific place he wants to go - or if he just wants away from Stevie Y. No way Detroit wants him in the conference if they trade him but there have been occasions where players have forced their trade to a particular place.

Re Barzal- much as I like the player I doubt the Bs will re-visit their 2015 miss

And the price for E Pettersson in Vancouver continues to drop

 

[marianne99]

Prospects are possibilities. Thomas is a reality.

Even if Letourneau turns into a fantastic player, you're making a bet that the odds of him reaching or surpassing Thomas's current level are relatively small, and that's a perfectly reasonable gamble.

Well ya but it's not a 1:1 trade. Thomas would command a lot more on top of my prospect binky.

 

[PlayMakers]

Defense: McNabb (35), Theodore (30), Hanifin (29), Andersson (29), Lauzon(29) and Coghlan(28)
Lines: Barbashev (30), Eichel(29), Dorofeyev(25), Howden(28), Karlsson(33), Marner(29), Hertl(32), Sissons(32), Stones(34), Smith(30), Dowd(36) and Kolesar(29)

Vegas literally have only one regular player under 28 years old: Dorofeyev at 25.

"If Carolina wins, they would be the first team since Colorado in 2021-22 to win the Stanley Cup with under-25 players playing major roles."

I don't really see what's wrong with what I said. I never denied that Carolina is a young team.

You said most of their key players are 28-32. I was just making the distinction at 30, that most of their key players are 30 or younger.

I've seen you pushing for older players... and I gotta admit, older players make me nervous. So I also wanted to make the point that IMO, a handful of 31 and ups is okay if the primary drivers are 26ish, but I think it's flawed to build teams with a blind eye to the 30 year old warning flag.

Pasta, Elias, Hampus and Zadorov are all signed long-term and crossing that threshold. Jeannot is 29, Zacha is 29 and up for renewal, Arvidsson is 33 and looking for a multi-year deal, and we're talking about adding a 30+ year old UFA on D. If they re-sign Zacha and Arvidsson, and add an Andersson, Raddysh or Carlson, we'd have 8 guys on the wrong side of 30 playing meaningful minutes.... I don't know what the tipping point is but that many 30+ guys feels close.

 

[marianne99]

Wheeler has him at #67. I didn't say he wasn't generally well-regarded, just that he's not listed anywhere near Hagens on most. The Hockey Writers didn't have him ranked on their midseason list although that site is mediocre at best. Already mentioned Button.

Admittedly, there aren't a lot of publically available rankings that are updated recently to look at (quite a few only update annually in the offseason, such as Elite Prospects). I trust Wheeler the most of the bunch, because it aligns with what I saw whenever I watched Boston College, but still it's subjective. He didn't make Pronman's list either but a) Pronman is a clown, and b) His list was a U23 skaters in general list rather than a prospect list so it's kind of obvious that Dean wouldn't make it.

I like Letourneau, but if it gets us our 1C for the Pasta years, that's easy for Thomas. Larkin I'd rather give up Minten than Dean, but if it had to be Letourneau, then I'd do that. Wouldn't give up both for Larkin, obviously.

2 things here.

1. How is he gonna get the 1C for Pasta if he sucks.
2. He's not gonna get Thomas by himself so you are dealing a guy a year away-ish plus like 3 more premium assets for Thomas.

On one hand, Boston's drafting has been strong the past few years
On the other, they couldn't be worse at developing their own talent.

I hate the idea of losing all the prospects and draft capital this quickly after giving Marchand away. I'm holding everything for now personally.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

You said most of their key players are 28-32. I was just making the distinction at 30, that most of their key players are 30 or younger.

I've seen you pushing for older players... and I gotta admit, older players make me nervous. So I also wanted to make the point that IMO, a handful of 31 and ups is okay if the primary drivers are 26ish, but I think it's flawed to build teams with a blind eye to the 30 year old warning flag.

Pasta, Elias, Hampus and Zadorov are all signed long-term and crossing that threshold. Jeannot is 29, Zacha is 29 and up for renewal, Arvidsson is 33 and looking for a multi-year deal, and we're talking about adding a 30+ year old UFA on D. If they re-sign Zacha and Arvidsson, and add an Andersson, Raddysh or Carlson, we'd have 8 guys on the wrong side of 30 playing meaningful minutes.... I don't know what the tipping point is but that many 30+ guys feels close.

It’s well past the tipping point given what the roster is.

 

[finaliz3d]

2 things here.

1. How is he gonna get the 1C for Pasta if he sucks.
2. He's not gonna get Thomas by himself so you are dealing a guy a year away-ish plus like 3 more premium assets for Thomas.

On one hand, Boston's drafting has been strong the past few years
On the other, they couldn't be worse at developing their own talent.

I hate the idea of losing all the prospects and draft capital this quickly after giving Marchand away. I'm holding everything for now personally.

a) I did not say he sucks. I just said he wasn't James Hagens. The high ceiling is what they would have to value if he was in a trade.
b) I agreed with a 1st, Letourneau and Minten for Thomas. It doesn't even matter because they wouldn't trade him for that package, and I don't think he's available anymore regardless. I think something like a 1st, 2nd, Letourneau, Lohrei to get Larkin is reasonable if he's willing to waive here.
c) I want to compete, and we need a 1C, one way or another, and waiting is a good way to get Pastrnak to ask out in the next year or two. If you are fine with that, fair enough. I don't want to talk about whether the Bruins should tear everything down or not until we get to that point.
d) I didn't suggest losing all the prospects and draft capital. We would still have Hagens, and we would still have firsts in the next few years that we could draft guys at a similar draft slot to Letourneau. Not to mention guys like Zellers, Simpson, Moore, Pettersson, Blanar, guys who could pop potentially next year/not

 

[bme44]

And Larkin has full control of where he’ll go, which probably means one of. Vegas, Dallas, Florida, Tampa, or Nashville.

Chances are it will be a tax free state