Boston Bruins 24-25 Roster/Cap thread XIII

[PlayMakers]

Right, but that's where they have to be cognizant of the
free agents that they invest in.
Going back to when he became GM, his FA "adds" have been quite questionable IMO.

I'd be curious to see someone do a full list. He has misses like Backes but he also has homeruns like Ullmark and singles like Haula that he turned into homeruns like Zacha.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Seems bang on

It is…but he keeps saying you can trade players for picks. When would third round pick help you if they hit? 4-5 years?

If you’re doing a hard retool you’re trading for NHL players or NHL ready prospects - at least ready next year.

Dumping for futures, short of top-20 picks, is a rebuild play. You can do some of it, but dumping Geekie for a late second really accomplishes nothing. You’d want more than a first for Marchand. Etc.

 

[The don godfather]

Great trent whitfield I mean patrick brown is being recalled from providence. Donny please get some depth.

 

[Gordoff]

I'd be curious to see someone do a full list. He has misses like Backes but he also has homeruns like Ullmark and singles like Haula that he turned into homeruns like Zacha.

He's probably at 50/50 depending on who makes the list.
It's a lot easier keeping a boat afloat then rebuilding it, even if it has a few really great pieces.
He kept them afloat but now there are big holes, little holes, and barnacles.
I'm curious what they're going to do when the last Stanley Cup player is gone.
Again, patching the team along the way when it had
high caliber players to begin with was the easy part.
now comes the really heavy lifting.

 

[bp14]

it's time for a cupboard cleaning they don't have the pro scouting or picks to trade for A Chychrun or Mangiapane type that the caps did. They need to clear players with cap......Coyle and Carlo all things considered.

Marchand for a first
Coyle and Carlo for picks/prospects

Take a couple years from buying (just to lose early) and make all your picks. Explore all opportunities to upgrade or get younger for the future, not the present. If you can ditch overpaid guys like either Lindholm, do that as well.

You can remain competitive and build up your farm.

 

[TCB]

I'd be curious to see someone do a full list. He has misses like Backes but he also has homeruns like Ullmark and singles like Haula that he turned into homeruns like Zacha.

History of hockey trades by general manager Don Sweeney - NHL Trade Tracker

His big misses has been in the FA route, imo

It is…but he keeps saying you can trade players for picks. When would third round pick help you if they hit? 4-5 years?

If you’re doing a hard retool you’re trading for NHL players or NHL ready prospects - at least ready next year.

Dumping for futures, short of top-20 picks, is a rebuild play. You can do some of it, but dumping Geekie for a late second really accomplishes nothing. You’d want more than a first for Marchand. Etc.

Yes, Agreed. I’d much rather get an NHL ready or near Ready prospect.

 

[Gordoff]

History of hockey trades by general manager Don Sweeney - NHL Trade Tracker

His big misses has been in the FA route, imo

Yes, Agreed. I’d much rather get an NHL ready or near Ready prospect.

That would be the most likely way of retooling on the fly. And, it "may" achieve what Neely was talking about.
Picks are great for the long run but for the medium or where the are now, top prosects should be priority.

 

[LouJersey]

Partly why I want to see a management change. A good retool at this point to me looks like getting the right players in and moving the right ones out. Sweeneely have not done too great on that front over the past decade. A few hits, a lot more misses and bad contracts.

I hear you. A retool would be dealing guys like Marchand, Coyle, Carlo….maybe a deal like pasta for Brady Tkachuk (not saying I do it just an example)…big sized moves. The issue is they have a lot of money tied up with certain guys. Honestly I’m kinda tired of this core. I know it hasn’t been long but they are kinda meh. Maybe I’m just tired or whatever but I want hockey trades and wholesale changes. I’m wrong a lot so maybe they roll through the playoffs

 

[Gordoff]

I hear you. A retool would be dealing guys like Marchand, Coyle, Carlo….maybe a deal like pasta for Brady Tkachuk (not saying I do it just an example)…big sized moves. The issue is they have a lot of money tied up with certain guys. Honestly I’m kinda tired of this core. I know it hasn’t been long but they are kinda meh. Maybe I’m just tired or whatever but I want hockey trades and wholesale changes. I’m wrong a lot so maybe they roll through the playoffs

I'm with you. Pasta for Brady Tkachuk, yup. They are kinda "meh." I want more identity, passion, and talent here but we're seeing the product of so many years of going for it. I say put the "For Sale" sign outside at the TDL and see what you can get.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I'm with you. Pasta for Brady Tkachuk, yup. They are kinda "meh." I want more identity, passion, and talent here but we're seeing the product of so many years of going for it. I say put the "For Sale" sign outside at the TDL and see what you can get.

You trade Pasta for Brady Tkachuk you may as well put the “For Sale” sign up for the entire franchise.

 

[Beyonder]

I'm with you. Pasta for Brady Tkachuk, yup. They are kinda "meh." I want more identity, passion, and talent here but we're seeing the product of so many years of going for it. I say put the "For Sale" sign outside at the TDL and see what you can get.

Do you think Ottawa would do that though?

Even though Pastrnak is the superior goal scorer, Tkachuk's offense is nothing to sneeze at, he is a more rugged player, and he is a big part of their leadership. And he's a few years younger.

To me it's not really a matter of whether Pastrnak is a "better" player, it's more that dealing Tkachuk doesn't seem like a problem they need to solve unless he is definitely not wanting to stay there and everything I have seen from him says he wants to stay.

For Boston, even though you are losing goals I would do that deal because Tkachuk checks other boxes they definitely need to worry about. I just can't see the Senators doing it.

It would surprise me if they are even remotely thinking about trading Pastrnak. If they ever did, yes Tkachuk is one player I'd like to get (but don't see it), but really they should be looking for a 25 or less franchise center. I'm not sure who that would be, a player who is projected as a sure #1 center and is on the block. Maybe Pettersson fits the bill but that too would surprise me.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

I think that's well said.

I hate the idea of giving up on this season though. Lots of teams struggle, even Cup caliber teams. Florida barely made it in, in 2024. I still think that the right move or two could put this team back on track... but maybe that's too tall an order.

I understand that. Not an easy decision to make. Personally though I've already given up on this year. Perhaps they will surprise and I'll continue to watch and evaluate how they're looking as we go along, but my core belief is that this roster just isn't good enough and can't quickly be made so. I know what Florida did, but I think they were much better placed to do it than this current Bruins team. I also get the "just get in and see" argument, because there is history to support it. But again, just don't have that belief this year.

I guess you have to ask yourself this question - do you think they have better chances of success (and I mean real success, not playoffs one and done) in trying to salvage this season and go on a run, or writing this one off and using the next few months to try and re-load for another shot next year? If you feel it's the latter, as I do, then letting go on the current season becomes easier to accept. As I said before, it might not work, but I'd like to see them try.

 

[KastelicKrew47]

It feels like a "shake up trade" could be needed. This team was expected to be better. Something is missing from this group of players. An attention getter would trading someone like McAvoy for Barzal and Dobson. It feels like dobson could use a change of scenery. You would probably need to add. But McAvoy is from there so maybe he would waive. Atleast it might get the attention of the room!!

 

[CellyHard]

If we bring in J.T Miller for another 5.5 years, we don't really need to worry about drafting for the future. Elias Lindholm is around for 6 more years and Poitras isn't a UFA until the same time. Thats your center group for the next half decade.

Pasta is your goalscorer longterm. Swayman is the last to go of the bunch.

McAvoy, Hampus, Zadorov all UFA in 5 years. Add Lohrei and it's a solid defensive core.

Marchand was rumored to be coming back for 3 more years. Freddy, Kastelic, Brazeau and Geekie can all be the grinding, toughness, wear you down type.

It almost seems like trading the likes of Coyle, Carlo, Lysell AND the 1st for J.T Miller makes the most sense. Start drafting again in 2026 and ride this core group for the next 3-5 years and hope you can make something happen in the playoffs. I think we are underestimating the impact of an EASY top 15 center in the NHL

Zacha Miller Pastrnak
Marchand Lindholm Geekie
Frederic Poitras Brazeau
Koepke Beecher Kastelic

Zadorov McAvoy
Lindholm Peeke
Lohrei Wotherspoon

 

[Number8]

See to me, that is a very risky plan. In 2 years Pasta is on the wrong side of 30. Hampus Lindholm is 33, even Mac and Sway are 28 and exiting their prime. Ok, we restocked the cupboard with a handful of good prospects, but did we add 4 or 5 new superstars to replace our core with those picks?

I just don't think teams with cornerstones like the Bruins have, at the age they're at, should be intentionally taking years off from competing.

I do understand and agree to an extent. But at the same time if not now, when?

I guess it comes down to whether we think we are, or can be close with this team. I do not think we are close. And I think the cost of getting what we need in order to get close (a true #1 Center at bare minimum) will be a significant dent in the minimal depth we have, and cost yet more #1 picks and some or all of our few young prospects.

Meanwhile, on that subject. Our bright young players are Poitras and Lohrei. Lysell perhaps. Beyond that not much. Meanwhile most other teams are going to get better as their better pool of cost effective prospects develop into regular contributors.

We’ve borrowed on the house and cashed out on the IRA’s. Shit’s gonna get real sometime.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

I hear you. A retool would be dealing guys like Marchand, Coyle, Carlo….maybe a deal like pasta for Brady Tkachuk (not saying I do it just an example)…big sized moves. The issue is they have a lot of money tied up with certain guys. Honestly I’m kinda tired of this core. I know it hasn’t been long but they are kinda meh. Maybe I’m just tired or whatever but I want hockey trades and wholesale changes. I’m wrong a lot so maybe they roll through the playoffs

It's an interesting question. As you allude to, a pretty straightforward, quick retool is replacing some of those fringe pieces, making one or two key adds, tinkering with the general makeup of the roster, getting a new coach, and hoping that's enough. Going in harder means making changes to the real inner core.

Pasta, McAvoy, Swayman. There's your key three. You can't have a proper core without a good 1C, which they don't have, so already they're a piece short. So you try and get that, but what then? Those three guys are all great players, individually. Doesn't mean they're the right guys to collectively lead and build a successful team around. Are they? Think the jury is still well and truly out on that one. Management have to decide what they think on that front - do they retool around them and hope that works, or make a deeper cut and change the core itself before next season, with the extra risk that entails? Some hard decisions to be made.

 

[EverettMike]

I think some of you are delusional about the current state of the team and/or in denial about where they are headed.

 

[Fingertools]

Ok now list out the players they got from trading Hamilton and Lucic.

Careful, when I pointed out the same question I got @DKH jumping on me for being a "newbie"

 

[Gordoff]

I think some of you are delusional about the current state of the team and/or in denial about where they are headed.

Do tell...

 

[Aussie Bruin]

I think some of you are delusional about the current state of the team and/or in denial about where they are headed.

Personally I think it's more likely than not that the Bruins are headed for some very lean and difficult times that will require a fully and lengthy rebuilding phase whether ownership like it or not. But I'm trying to look at a shorter retooling option as fairly as I can because I do think there's a possibility it could work and, more importantly, it's almost certain management are going to try it regardless of what any of us think. So what might that look like? May as well try and come to grips with it first because we all know they're not going to take the longer road and hit that nuclear button until they have absolutely no choice.

 

[Gordoff]

Personally I think it's more likely than not that the Bruins are headed for some very lean and difficult times that will require a fully and lengthy rebuilding phase whether ownership like it or not. But I'm trying to look at a shorter retooling option as fairly as I can because I do think there's a possibility it could work and, more importantly, it's almost certain management are going to try it regardless of what any of us think. So what might that look like? May as well try and come to grips with it first because we all know they're not going to take the longer road and hit that nuclear button until they have absolutely no choice.

At that point they'll look to sell the team only to a lucky sucker billionaire fan.
They'll keep the rest of the package, the Garden the new buildings, and the concessions.
After which we'll be the new Sabres.

 

[Over the volcano]

I think some of you are delusional about the current state of the team and/or in denial about where they are headed.

Schedule says they're headed to New Jersey, I believe it.

 

[LouJersey]

What are the chances of the Bruins, and the Avalanche getting together, and I am talking Rantanen.

I guess they would want Pasta back but why would they want to downgrade?

 

[TCB]

I guess they would want Pasta back but why would they want to downgrade?

Not sure it would be a down grade. You put Pasta with McKinnon he’d score 70

 

[Aussie Bruin]

At that point they'll look to sell the team only to a lucky sucker billionaire fan.
They'll keep the rest of the package, the Garden the new buildings, and the concessions.
After which we'll be the new Sabres.

It may well come to that. If the team did fall in a proper hole, could definitely see the Jacobs looking to cut and run at that point. They've rode out tough times before, but times have changed, both for the family themselves and the way the financial/business world works. The Bruins being owned by the same people for such a long time is already extremely unusual.