Boston Bruins 24-25 Roster/Cap thread XIII

[BlackFrancis]

It's a big reason why it's generally a terrible idea to trade a UFA you signed long term within a year or two of getting them. It gives players pause when signing with a team who makes moves like that

Conversely, it's a terrible idea to perform significantly worse right after signing huge a contract.

 

[Smitty93]

It will. However, Forbes estimates Jeremy Jacobs net worth at $4.6 Billion. A significant chunk of that is the Boston Bruins -- an investment that has made him an extremely wealthy man.

So let's say you bump that figure up to $10M and assume by not trying to sneak into the playoffs you lose two home game Playoff revenue hauls -- $20M.

I guess the question is would the average person invest 0.44% of your net worth to do some much needed repairs on your biggest asset and money maker?

Yes, we can play around with different numbers. My point is simply that playoff revenues are tiny compared to the overall worth of the team and Jacobs. He's going to have to "reinvest" at some point and by that I mean find some cost effective youth prospects -- which might mean missing a PO or two to restock somewhat. His bullpen is pretty empty right now -- and extremely empty when compared against other NHL teams and owners.

Delaware North makes something like 15x the revenue the Bruins do. There's a reason Jeremy's two oldest sons run that, and Charlie gets the family's pet project in Boston. They only make investments in the Bruins if the financial analysis says it will provide excess benefit. It's not their family priority, as much as we'd like to believe it is.

 

[JCRO]

Such a minimal thing but:

Im curious to see how Max Jones does this time around. Guy was brought in to compete for the fourth line but got injured during camp and had to watch the fourth line at the time started the season off ablaze. Then when he was healthy to play, he found himself slotted in well over his head (and in penalty trouble).

Some healthy competition for a guy like Beecher whose been kind of meh since starting the season pretty hot.

 

[yazmybaby]

TankTrade the pending UFAs to the highest bidder, explore trading Coyle and maybe Carlo but he's younger and harder to replace, play the kids in the holes left behind. Regroup in the offseason with more draft capital and a ton of cap space.

The only way we can hope to get a number one center is to draft one and be lucky, like we were with McAvoy and Pasty.
Assuming we sell at the deadline, one would think we would finish lower in the standings, get a higher pick.
I like this idea as there are some nice centers available.
Right now we have #17 pick, would be nice to get into #10 and grab Caleb Deshoyers.
The team that drafts Michael Misi will have a stud at Center for many years to come.

Such a minimal thing but:

Im curious to see how Max Jones does this time around. Guy was brought in to compete for the fourth line but got injured during camp and had to watch the fourth line at the time started the season off ablaze. Then when he was healthy to play, he found himself slotted in well over his head (and in penalty trouble).

Some healthy competition for a guy like Beecher whose been kind of meh since starting the season pretty hot.

He looks like a Beecher clone, can skate, has size, but cannot score / has very limited offensive skills.
Hope he plays better this time.

 

[Beyonder]

With respect to the Bruins doing a rebuild or retool, I would point to Washington as a worthwhile case study of alternatives. The Caps looked to be heading in the direction of Pittsburgh, winding down an aging core where a key player or 2 were drifting away every year and reaching the point where they were a bubble playoff team at best. It looked like their window was about to close. Instead they have turned things around big time and I don't think that's a mirage. The Caps made numerous additions and they have all worked well or great. It started with Strome and continued with Dubois (who wanted that guy 6 months ago?), Chychrun, etc. They added 5 or 6 players who have replenished a moribund roster.

I don't know if this is what the Bruins should attempt but it is something to consider before fully embracing the "trade everybody" and "blow it up" direction. Making a retool (vs rebuild) work 100% comes down to bringing in the right players. Washington looks to have executed this really well but many other teams have tried and failed (see Nashville). Also relevant is that I am not 100% sure that handing a bunch of additional 1st or 2nd round draft picks to this front office is any guarantee of a return to greatness in 5 years. But standing pat is not the right choice so you've got to choose one of these paths.

 

[jmon1313]

Trade the pending UFAs to the highest bidder, explore trading Coyle and maybe Carlo but he's younger and harder to replace, play the kids in the holes left behind. Regroup in the offseason with more draft capital and a ton of cap space.

It's totally feasible for them to go this route and still make the playoffs IMO, the east isn't very good this season and I don't think it's impossible that the kids give you similar contributions that we're getting from some of the vets.

This is the right way to do it imo except I'd make one change. I think 1st round picks that are not top 10 in most years (unless it's a class like 2015) are extremely overvalued. I'd be move players and assets for young almost ready or ready but haven't been given a chance players OR players like TB did with Hagel.

I'd also try to get mid round picks back for more dart throws.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

McAvoy for Dobson+Barzal is interesting! We'd have to add but I like the base

Adding Zacha for certain.

 

[Gee Wally]

Matt Poitras, Mason Lohrei signal it’s time for Bruins to embrace youth movement - The Boston Globe

Both Poitras and Lohrei left their fingerprints all over Monday’s win against the San Jose Sharks.

www.bostonglobe.com

The Bruins’ 6-3 win over the Sharks on Monday afternoon has pushed them back into the playoff picture … at least for now.

Even with leapfrogging the Blue Jackets and Canadiens in the standings, the Bruins have plenty of work to do if they want to punch their ticket to the postseason for the ninth year in a row.

MoneyPuck still has Boston with just a 27.4 percent chance of making the playoffs, with Ottawa (74.6 percent) and even Montreal (30.5 percent) given higher odds.
But as the Bruins’ top brass try to pick up the pieces, and assess which path to chart for a middling roster, one thing remains clear: Regardless of whether this team stays the course or opts for a retool, it needs to gain some clarity on a few potential building blocks in an otherwise-unstable prospect pipeline.

And if the play of Matt Poitras and Mason Lohrei on Monday is any indication, embracing a youth movement for these next three months needs to be the priority for a team in desperate need of some silver linings.

Poitras and Lohrei left their fingerprints all over Monday’s win, with both elevated into featured roles on a banged-up roster.

“We know Potsy is a great player. He’s still so young and finding his way, and every little bit he’s up here, you gain experience, and you can slowly see him just getting better and better and confident,” Coyle said of his 20-year-old center. “It’s a hard thing to do as a young guy to come in, especially playing with a couple of older guys, and it can be overwhelming.

“But you don’t really sense it from him. He’s a guy who’s quietly confident in a good way. And he’s skilled, he can hang on to the puck, and he sees the plays. He’s very smart, and he works at it, too.”

Lohrei also etched his name across the stat sheet, orchestrating Coyle’s second goal with a clean entry en route to an assist, two shots on goal, and three blocked shots.

With Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm still sidelined, Lohrei logged 23:26 of ice time — the second-highest total of his career.

“I thought it was a good game by Mason,” interim coach Joe Sacco said. “He was more direct tonight. I don’t think that he tried plays sometimes that aren’t there — forcing the issue at times. So usually, the more minutes you play, the better you play during the game.”

Poitras’s slow start, coming off shoulder surgery, prompted a two-month assignment to Providence. Lohrei’s playmaking poise from the blue line is evident (20 assists), but the expected growing pains in the defensive zone have been costly at times for a team operating with little margin for error.

But in a season where little has gone right, Poitras and Lohrei are offering hope that they can complement a core anchored by David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman, and McAvoy in due time.

A player with Lohrei’s profile might have his warts, but his confidence with the puck has improved as his workload has ramped up.

Boston’s power play still has work to do. But the Bruins have scored four goals on the man advantage over the last four games with Lohrei conducting plays from the blue line.

Poitras’s potential emergence as a top-six center would also be a game-changer for a Bruins team lacking high-end talent down the middle.

While a reworked top grouping of Morgan Geekie, Pavel Zacha, and Pastrnak has started to settle into a groove, planting a skilled passer such as Poitras between Marchand and Coyle could give that line the spark it needs.

Poitras has answered the bell since getting called back from Providence — recording three assists over three games.

“Really not shocked at all,” Vinni Lettieri, who skated with Poitras in Providence, said. “I’ve seen him quite a bit. I’ve played with him for a while, and that kind of stuff doesn’t really shock me, because I see him every day.

“And he’s an awesome player, but his work ethic — which people don’t see — is what stands out to me a lot. Because there are so many good players in this league, but the guys that put in the work behind the scenes when no one’s watching — I have a lot of respect for that. So he earns everything he gets.”

On a roster short two top-six scoring wings and a proven No. 1 center (a designation Lindholm has fumbled), Poitras’s continued development at least offers some hope ahead of what could be an eventful summer.

As the Bruins potentially brace for some hard decisions in the coming months, one call should be easy for Don Sweeney and Co. moving forward.

Play the kids.

Sure, it may not significantly move the needle for Boston’s playoff hopes, but committing to this younger crop now could eliminate some question marks this offseason.

 

[Coach Parker]

Washington, I would consider what they have done is a retool and also successful one .

Like going after Dubois, Laine, Hagel, etc that the Bruins could have done in the off-season.

 

[Beyonder]

This is the right way to do it imo except I'd make one change. I think 1st round picks that are not top 10 in most years (unless it's a class like 2015) are extremely overvalued. I'd be move players and assets for young almost ready or ready but haven't been given a chance players OR players like TB did with Hagel.

I'd also try to get mid round picks back for more dart throws.

Along those lines, I'd really want to look at Nemec in New Jersey. Now, others will have to weigh in about how you think his development is going and why he has not been able to crack the NJ lineup. He's only 20 of course but they have been giving kids chances the past couple years. That aside, as a former #2 overall pick who is a bit blocked with his team and with the team wanting to shore up for a playoff push... it's worth exploring at least? Ain't gonna come cheap, there's that too but it fits your scenario jmon.

 

[Coach Parker]

A rebuild - if you’re looking at how that word is used by like a Friedman or a Pagnotta or similar - involves selling off productive core pieces for futures and resetting the window. With what the Bruins have in house, that would mean two of Pasta/McAvoy/Swayman minimum. Sell expiring contracts off for picks. Get really shitty. Hope you’re the one in 10 chance that can turn it around in less than 5 or 6 years.

Retool is keep the core and other key pieces - resigning them if needed - but holding on to prospects and draft picks. A faster retool is trading those pieces for NHL players or NHL ready prospects. You’re not losing on purpose, but you’re not investing in the team for this year.

To me, those who push for a rebuild don’t usually consider the consequences or the risk involved. They just want carnage.

With the draft being a lottery, Boston should never be a rebuild. The 5-6 year purgatory is terrible for culture, fanbase and interest in the team.

 

[Coach Parker]

I like that idea and I think Barzal would too.

Islanders Fans Furious After Star Mat Barzal is Caught on Camera Commenting on Arena Attendance

The New York Islanders fanbase is a loyal one, but on Monday, star forward Mat Barzal called them out for not turning up to a key game against Columbus.

www.markerzone.com

Love the Barzal idea but I again admit to having longstanding bias for him. Saw him as a Bruin for years with Fabbro...

Burnaby Winter Club Bruin that is. Match-up nightmare lol.

 

[TCB]

With the draft being a lottery, Boston should never be a rebuild. The 5-6 year purgatory is terrible for culture, fanbase and interest in the team.

True, you never want to leave it in the hands of Bettman unless your Chicago or Pittsburgh

 

[PlayMakers]

Trade the pending UFAs to the highest bidder, explore trading Coyle and maybe Carlo but he's younger and harder to replace, play the kids in the holes left behind. Regroup in the offseason with more draft capital and a ton of cap space.

It's totally feasible for them to go this route and still make the playoffs IMO, the east isn't very good this season and I don't think it's impossible that the kids give you similar contributions that we're getting from some of the vets.

I can see trading Coyle to make room for Poitras. I can see trading Carlo because you want to go in a different direction.

All season I've been in favor of trading Frederic, but that was before this talk of a re-tool. I like Frederic and think he'd be a hard player to replace. My only motivation for wanting to trade him was to free up cap space for a 1st line UFA. But if we are talking re-tool, and moving out Coyle, then IMO you can afford Frederic.

Brazeau too, he's on pace for 20 goals and is likely to sign for less than $3m. That's really good value, especially as the cap goes up. I think he too, would be worth keeping.

 

[PlayMakers]

I take a hard look at Geekie/Freddy/Coyle/Brazeau/Peeke/Carlo first and ask Marchy what he wants to do...

You can replace the guys you moved out through UFA or promotion within.

I think the cost to replace Geekie, Freddy and Brazeau in free agency, under a $97m cap or a $105m cap is going to be really expensive. For example, I bet it would cost you twice as much to sign a player like Geekie or Brazeau 16 months from now.

So I agree, you take a look at who you want here 2-4 years down the line, but also be cognizant of the fact that the cap is going to skyrocket and with it, salaries. Teams who lock up players under the current cap are going to look really smart in 2 years.

 

[PB37]

Like going after Dubois, Laine, Hagel, etc that the Bruins could have done in the off-season.

Hagel?

 

[Number8]

Yeah no prob to put him in the line up but he s a black hole in defence he s -10, refuse to hit, soft along the boards and in front of the net, he s not more than small Grzelyck right now imo and he s a giant but play very little

I find the reaction to Lohrei telling.

There are some who say he’s terrible, started D too late, and won’t make it. I don’t agree, but hey ho.

There are others, myself included, who sometimes think “oof, that was rough” watching young Mason but are still believers that he could be kind of special. To me that is an indication of how just good parts of his game are as a whole.

Boston has a bad shortage in prospects no doubt. We’ve neglected that area. But Lohrei is a bright spot there, imo.

 

[The don godfather]

With respect to the Bruins doing a rebuild or retool, I would point to Washington as a worthwhile case study of alternatives. The Caps looked to be heading in the direction of Pittsburgh, winding down an aging core where a key player or 2 were drifting away every year and reaching the point where they were a bubble playoff team at best. It looked like their window was about to close. Instead they have turned things around big time and I don't think that's a mirage. The Caps made numerous additions and they have all worked well or great. It started with Strome and continued with Dubois (who wanted that guy 6 months ago?), Chychrun, etc. They added 5 or 6 players who have replenished a moribund roster.

I don't know if this is what the Bruins should attempt but it is something to consider before fully embracing the "trade everybody" and "blow it up" direction. Making a retool (vs rebuild) work 100% comes down to bringing in the right players. Washington looks to have executed this really well but many other teams have tried and failed (see Nashville). Also relevant is that I am not 100% sure that handing a bunch of additional 1st or 2nd round draft picks to this front office is any guarantee of a return to greatness in 5 years. But standing pat is not the right choice so you've got to choose one of these paths.

I was banging the drums on strome and i was heckled here like crazy.

 

[NDiesel]

I think the cost to replace Geekie, Freddy and Brazeau in free agency, under a $97m cap or a $105m cap is going to be really expensive. For example, I bet it would cost you twice as much to sign a player like Geekie or Brazeau 16 months from now.

So I agree, you take a look at who you want here 2-4 years down the line, but also be cognizant of the fact that the cap is going to skyrocket and with it, salaries. Teams who lock up players under the current cap are going to look really smart in 2 years.

I don't think that's necessarily true, because if the GM/scouting is good enough you can identify guys with upside for cheap. Geekie and Brazeau themselves are great examples of this, both cost very little cap space/assets to obtain and when we think of who they were coming to replace we likely saved money there.

IMO you target similarly aged guys in UFA to what Geekie was when we signed him and you at least have a chance to get a guy who can not only fill these roles but also hopefully improve. Obviously easier said than done and there are risks with it.

But I do agree with what you're saying overall, in replacing these guys you have to look at the price they cost and if its feasible to try and replace that production through other avenues before you sell them off.

I'm a big Braz fan and I think he'll be a bargain even on his next contract so he's one I heavily lean towards keeping of that group

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I find the reaction to Lohrei telling.

There are some who say he’s terrible, started D too late, and won’t make it. I don’t agree, but hey ho.

There are others, myself included, who sometimes think “oof, that was rough” watching young Mason but are still believers that he could be kind of special. To me that is an indication of how just good parts of his game are as a whole.

Boston has a bad shortage in prospects no doubt. We’ve neglected that area. But Lohrei is a bright spot there, imo.

He’s on pace for 42 points with no PP1 time until recently (and a terrible PP recently) on an incredibly offensively challenged club. 10th in the NHL for points for U24 defensemen not playing top minutes or anywhere close to it.

 

[Hookslide]

I was banging the drums on strome and i was heckled here like crazy.

I agree they missed that one.

 

[Coach Parker]

Hagel?

Yeah, Lightning identifying him on a losing Chicago team and capitalizing. What did they end up paying for him?

 

[Deal Law]

I was banging the drums on strome and i was heckled here like crazy.

We've snipped back and forth in the GDT and post-games (all in fun), but I will 100% back you on this one. You did so advocate, and you were shit on for it. It's funny whenever Strome, or Chychrun, or Dubois, or Laine are brought up in a positive light here after how hard people get shit on here for suggesting them when they're available.

 

[RoccoF14]

Yeah, Lightning identifying him on a losing Chicago team and capitalizing. What did they end up paying for him?

2 First Rounders, if I recall correctly. There were additional players/picks that were part of that deal, but it was basically Hagel for 2 firsts.

I loved Hagel as a player when he was with Chicago, but I still thought Tampa over-payed at the time.

 

[jmon1313]

Along those lines, I'd really want to look at Nemec in New Jersey. Now, others will have to weigh in about how you think his development is going and why he has not been able to crack the NJ lineup. He's only 20 of course but they have been giving kids chances the past couple years. That aside, as a former #2 overall pick who is a bit blocked with his team and with the team wanting to shore up for a playoff push... it's worth exploring at least? Ain't gonna come cheap, there's that too but it fits your scenario jmon.

That's exactly the type of moves I'm talking about.

I don't know who the right targets are as I don't watch any games outside the bruins anymore.