Boston Bruins 24-25 Roster/Cap thread IV
- Thread starter Gee Wally
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PlayMakers
Registered User
He only made $2m last year, wasn't QO'd and still hasn't signed. It is possible he signs with someone for around $1m rather than wait to be a PTO.
At $1m the B's can afford him. That's basically what a rookie cost and free to send to the minors without a cap penalty. He would be good competition/insurance for that 2RW spot.
Number8
Registered User
- Oct 31, 2007
- 18,797
- 19,181
Need the bigger ice for the two refs and two linesmen who get in the way of play far too much in a now much faster League.
Not their fault, but no room. Of course it’s nice to have a guy at Center ice to make a call for something that may or may not have happened below the goal line. So there’s that.
Agreed. This group is so big and mean leave it alone for a while and concentrate on the wings. If Poitras' bulked up and is ready that takes the focus off the Center position for a while with this group guys who look to be capable on the draws.
They may get another veteran for RW but if I'm them, unless an unreal opportunity comes along I wait and see what we've got and how all of these new guys are going to gel.
IMO we'll see a lot of growing pains at the beginning of the year since these new pieces are so different in makeup than the recent style that they've fallen into.
I've got the early offseason post free agency excitement going on with this team now.
Just get the Sway deal done and we look good on paper.
Zacha/Lindholm/Pasta
Marchand/Coyle/(Lysell/Merkolov/whoever earns it)
Frederic/Poitras/Geekie
Jones/Beecher/Brazeau
Kastelic
Zadarov/McAvoy
Lindholm/Carlo
Lohrei/Peeke
Wotherspoon
Swayman
Korpisalo
See how that works. Snag a 2RW at the deadline, maybe a middle 6 center. I like it.
Just get the Sway deal done and we look good on paper.
Zacha/Lindholm/Pasta
Marchand/Coyle/(Lysell/Merkolov/whoever earns it)
Frederic/Poitras/Geekie
Jones/Beecher/Brazeau
Kastelic
Zadarov/McAvoy
Lindholm/Carlo
Lohrei/Peeke
Wotherspoon
Swayman
Korpisalo
See how that works. Snag a 2RW at the deadline, maybe a middle 6 center. I like it.
- Jun 14, 2010
- 10,994
- 15,394
They didn't trade for Kastellic to sit him, he will be one of there better face off men and Sweeney mentioned him killing penalties as well. I think Brazeau gets 3rd line and Geekie 2nd for now
Agreed, the 4th line i want to see is Jones, Beecher, Kastellic, Big Strong physical. Some good faceoff men, versitle. That line is going to be a load to play against
ON3M4N
Ignores/60 = Elite
I'll say this about the idea of Lysell on L2 w/ Marchand & Coyle.....they'll help him become a more responsible player away from the puck because that's how they play.
Im unfamiliar with Kastellics game. Would you say it’s Greg Campbell-esque? He had over a 100 pims in 65 games 2 seasons ago. I just assumed he was a throw in with the 1st rounder. Could use a 4th line center with some jam who can win face-offs for sure. Am hoping Beecher can bring some of that as well.
PoisonEye
Hugs
- Aug 1, 2005
- 1,308
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I would have said to go for a scoring wing before a mid pairing D, but I'm coming around a bit. We can't have both unless you're willing to have neither be all that good. Also, it seems to me like it'll be easier to "rent" a decent wing at the deadline than a solid physical defensive D. Not to mention much greater chance one or more kids makes the roster as a scoring forward than as a D (who do we even have that could make the team? Lohrei doesn't count, he already made the team).
- Jun 14, 2010
- 10,994
- 15,394
That is a good comparison, Campbell probably had a little bit better hockey sense but Kastellic is very good on face offs, good straight line skater and hitter and ok fighter. I think the fourth line will be Beecher and Kastellic with revolving wingers until they find a fit
FrankerC
Registered User
4 Nations Faceoff - I forget that its the summer Olympics coming up, not winter. Been a long week, haha. Forgetting my timeline of events
DKH
Worst Poster/Awful Takes
- Feb 27, 2002
- 76,592
- 57,604
Carolina gotta or should throw a bag at Necas
Clearly he’s a UFA next summer he’s here (unfortunately not till 2026)
Not sure how the Universe will deliver Necas here next summer but if he’s not signed by Canes, the Broons have the cash to get him in
Zacha- Lindholm - Pastrnak
Marchand - Poitras - Necas
Why play the season - just have the parade in the Fall
Autumn in Boston - Bruins parade
Donny get ahold of Pasta and get this set up
Eat it Buffalo, Detroit, Ottawa, and Montreal waiting for the demise
Let’s Go!!!!!!
Clearly he’s a UFA next summer he’s here (unfortunately not till 2026)
Not sure how the Universe will deliver Necas here next summer but if he’s not signed by Canes, the Broons have the cash to get him in
Zacha- Lindholm - Pastrnak
Marchand - Poitras - Necas
Why play the season - just have the parade in the Fall
Autumn in Boston - Bruins parade
Donny get ahold of Pasta and get this set up
Eat it Buffalo, Detroit, Ottawa, and Montreal waiting for the demise
Let’s Go!!!!!!
wintersej
Registered User
Will Bruins’ decision to bolster defense over scoring help backfire?
Don Sweeney and the Bruins opted to bolster their D corps over adding a top-six winger this offseason. Was it the right move?www.boston.com
After a long offseason, a stronger Matthew Poitras is ready to stake claim on Bruins' roster
His rookie season ended prematurely, but a stronger Matthew Poitras is looking to cement his spot in Boston's lineup in 2024-25.www.boston.com
If going all in on D or adding a forward will be the big question. I would have explored moving Coyle to fit Guenztel, but that assumes he would have even been interested. That’s the hard part about Monday morning QBing, the teams have access to a lot of info we don’t.
The NHL should just move to the old Garden ice size.
wintersej
Registered User
I swap the LWs. Let Lysell be the puck carrier with two big bodies and throw Poitras into the top six.
Primary scoring, never mind "secondary scoring" remains a need and perhaps a worry among Bruins fans.
The need and worry is legitimate and can conceivably be addressed in-house, through trade, or via free agency, if it comes to that.
It may.
But, please, time will tell, and in relatively short order.
Much of this is typical media foolishness. Criticism for its own sake.
They have to bitch about something -- we all do -- and despite a very strong draft and free agency performance, that's the new "hot take."
The fundamentals of constructing a hockey team are simple: Build from the goal out. Strong defense. The center position, almost or as critical these days, is "the spine" of a well-built club. Augment on the wings as necessary.
As critical of Sweeney as I have been, I am delighted with his belated embrace of size and physicality, which supports and amplifies "speed and skill."
This formula, as noted repeatedly and vociferously, is not rocket science. Nearly every Stanley Cup champion of recent memory has employed it. Certainly those of every prior era.
I realize you can't win if you can't score.
Yet it's just as true that if you can't keep the puck out of your own net, you can't win either. Getting pushed around on a nightly basis, an inability to clear your own crease, protect your goaltender, break out of the zone cleanly and make opponents pay a physical price is not a diagram for success, either.
I'll take a strong blueline, and strong team defense, over ancillary scoring depth at this point. The scoring depth can be added.
The happy fact is that the Bruins defensive corps has been significantly fortified with size, talent, and at long last, a jolt of genuine menace.
Add elite goaltending from Jeremy Swayman; E. Lindholm as, at least, a significant upgrade to C, if not unquestioned IC; size and physical play from free agent pick-ups and, as dramatically, the 2024 draft.
There have also been notable "additions by subtraction" per Gryz, Heinen, DeBrusk, Forbort, Lauko, etc. I'm not knocking those guys, but they don't fit what I hope the Bruins will become in future.
A team that's not only "hard to play against," but also a team that has opponents running scared.
The need and worry is legitimate and can conceivably be addressed in-house, through trade, or via free agency, if it comes to that.
It may.
But, please, time will tell, and in relatively short order.
Much of this is typical media foolishness. Criticism for its own sake.
They have to bitch about something -- we all do -- and despite a very strong draft and free agency performance, that's the new "hot take."
The fundamentals of constructing a hockey team are simple: Build from the goal out. Strong defense. The center position, almost or as critical these days, is "the spine" of a well-built club. Augment on the wings as necessary.
As critical of Sweeney as I have been, I am delighted with his belated embrace of size and physicality, which supports and amplifies "speed and skill."
This formula, as noted repeatedly and vociferously, is not rocket science. Nearly every Stanley Cup champion of recent memory has employed it. Certainly those of every prior era.
I realize you can't win if you can't score.
Yet it's just as true that if you can't keep the puck out of your own net, you can't win either. Getting pushed around on a nightly basis, an inability to clear your own crease, protect your goaltender, break out of the zone cleanly and make opponents pay a physical price is not a diagram for success, either.
I'll take a strong blueline, and strong team defense, over ancillary scoring depth at this point. The scoring depth can be added.
The happy fact is that the Bruins defensive corps has been significantly fortified with size, talent, and at long last, a jolt of genuine menace.
Add elite goaltending from Jeremy Swayman; E. Lindholm as, at least, a significant upgrade to C, if not unquestioned IC; size and physical play from free agent pick-ups and, as dramatically, the 2024 draft.
There have also been notable "additions by subtraction" per Gryz, Heinen, DeBrusk, Forbort, Lauko, etc. I'm not knocking those guys, but they don't fit what I hope the Bruins will become in future.
A team that's not only "hard to play against," but also a team that has opponents running scared.
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I've read your posts for years, and I greatly respect your point of view. I get that you are a fan of being an intimidating team. I like that style of play too, but at the end of the day, winning hockey is about scoring goals and keeping pucks out of your own net. Its literally that simple.
There's a lot of different ways of constructing a roster to do that effectively, with varying degrees of success, but I don't believe that the debate about scoring depth (or lack thereof) is a "hot take" or a media fabrication. I think there's some validity there.
You argue that you'll take a strong blue line and team defense over ancillary scoring depth. I'd argue that we already HAD a strong team defense. We were 5th in the league in goals conceded/game. 3rd in the playoffs. Yes, our goaltending was excellent, but you don't consistently put up those kinds of numbers by riding your goaltending alone.
Conversely, we were 13th in goals scored/game in the regular season. 12th out of 16 teams in the playoffs. We lost that Florida series because we couldn't score, not because our D was poor. Other than Game 1, we didn't score more than 2 goals in any game we played that series and got outshot by a wide margin.
So yeah, I'm glad we added some size and physicality too. It'll be fun watching Zadorov blow people up at the blue line. But the fact remains that we had 50 goals walk during free agency on our forward line and we added a C coming in off of a down year and a couple of 4th liners. I'm not saying its time to panic about that, but I think its a valid concern.
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bruinmann77
Registered User
I wish they could somehow get Sprong signed. He could at least contribute some offense to a team in need of goal scoring. Not a saviour but he would be a step in the right direction.
Pretty much everybody here builds lines better than I can. But I will throw this out. Don’t label Jones as strictly a 4th liner. That’s not a given at all. He can play. I don’t know how they do it but I expect to see him on the third line or higher at points.
Blowfish
Count down ...
Thinking outside the box here...
*Merkolov / Lindholm / Pasta
Marchand / Coyle / *Lysell
Geekie / Zacha / Poitras
Frederic / Beecher / Jones
Kastelic/Brazeau * = pre-season stand-outs
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