Boston Bruins 24-25 Roster/Cap thread XIV

[KillerMillerTime]

I don’t like Hampus’ contract, but at 31 he is still quite a good defenseman and I think the overall team would look better with him back in. He didn’t have a good start to the season, but he only played 17 games, so let’s see how he does when he comes back. He pushes down the minutes for the other left defenseman, all of whom have struggled with the increased workload), and I think he would ease the burden on McAvoy and help him get his game back. Even if they aren’t paired together, Hampus can take some of the hard matchup minutes away from McAvoy.

Reports say he may be ready to start playing games after the 4 Nations, so we’ll find out soon.

Is it worth risking #27 this year? LTIR him and let start fresh and hopefully 100% next year?

Maybe use his cap space to facilitate 3 way trades and accumulate more draft
capital or bring in a depth asset not on an expiring contract.

 

[22Brad Park]

Is it worth risking #27 this year? LTIR him and let start fresh and hopefully 100% next year?

Maybe use his cap space to facilitate 3 way trades and accumulate more draft
capital or bring in a depth asset not on an expiring contract.

Sweeney is good at spending every dime that comes his way.Max Jones comes to mind or Johson or Tufte.He handcuffs himself steady with bad contracts like Lindholm Backes Beleskey. Fired multiple coaches now also.I think the issue is evident in Boston but nobody wants to do anything about it until the bottom truly falls out.

 

[sarge88]

A guy like Marchand should get you a teams top prospect and say a 2nd, but Frederic won't. So I think its much more likely you get a pick for #11.

Then it becomes a question of ability of the scouting staff, to decide whether or not a later pick or the other team’s 2nd, 3rd, 4th, prospect is more valuable.

 

[LouJersey]

I wouldn't say "everyone" killed the players. Saw plenty of blame to Monty and Sweeney for going into the playoffs with two 37+ years old top 6Cs. Also see plenty of people say in 2019 we got lucky and also, albeit fairly, blaming him for a lack of top 6 RW. Don't see much credit given to him for the team getting to the cup, but we're quick to blame him when the team is bad. But obviously my statement isn't going to relate to every poster.

That said, I think Sweeney gets some leash because of 2019 and 2023, though I'm thinking his tenure is definitely nearing its end here.

Just to get things straight here though since I didn't live through the Sinden era myself, we are comparing a guy who didn't win a cup over 28 years to a guy who's been GM for 10 years? I can't imagine what this place would be saying if Sweeney was GM for 18 more years and didn't win anything.

He went to 5 cups and 8 conference finals. Every year those type results were no good. The fear is Sweeney is to Charlie what Harry was to Jeremy. Almost good enough is not good enough

 

[NDiesel]

Sweeney is good at building around cores but can't put one together to save his life.

Id argue a core of Lohrei/Poitras/Sway/Pasta/Mac is a pretty solid one to build around, so if you believe he's good at building around a core they really should just keep him and let him build around this one

 

[NDiesel]

He went to 5 cups and 8 conference finals. Every year those type results were no good. The fear is Sweeney is to Charlie what Harry was to Jeremy. Almost good enough is not good enough

How many teams were around when he went to those 5 cups and 8 CF? It's only gotten harder and harder to get to a cup final as time goes on.

I think there is a bit of a difference between "almost good enough" with 14-22 teams vs 30-32, no matter how badly we want them to win that next cup. Yeah the result is the same - close but not good enough - but I think it's fair to recognize things aren't ever going to be easier than they were during those eras

28 years for one GM seems like insanity either way

 

[Hookslide]

Id argue a core of Lohrei/Poitras/Sway/Pasta/Mac is a pretty solid one to build around, so if you believe he's good at building around a core they really should just keep him and let him build around this one

The only core I see is McAvoy and Pasta, with Loheri,looking in wanting to get in, and in time might work his way in. Sway and Poitras, should be the core of my trade chips, along with Freddy, Geekie, Coyle, Brazeau, Lysell, Mekolov, and anyone else that would bring a good return to help turn this shit show around.

 

[NDiesel]

The only core I see is McAvoy and Pasta, with Loheri,looking in wanting to get in, and in time might work his way in. Sway and Poitras, should be the core of my trade chips, along with Freddy, Geekie, Coyle, Brazeau, Lysell, Mekolov, and anyone else that would bring a good return to help turn this shit show around.

Thats fine if you want to move some of those guys to get other core players, i just included the youngish guys as they have the best chance of being long term pieces

 

[Bodit9]

So JT seems like he can be a real A-hole, who has no self-control on knowing when enough is enough and EP seems a little mentally weak, he needs some coddling or he wont produce up to his standards.

Ex-Canuck Brad Richardson: I told J.T. Miller he's too hard on Elias Pettersson

Brad Richardson revealed some details about the J.T. Miller-Elias Pettersson dynamic on a podcast this week. Find out more.

theprovince.com

This makes me like Miller more and makes EP look mentally weak. Give me Miller all day.

 

[Hookslide]

Thats fine if you want to move some of those guys to get other core players, i just included the youngish guys as they have the best chance of being long term pieces

I think we are on the same page in a roundabout way, we both agree action needs to be taken, if you acquire picks, maybe they can be used as trade chips, and look at FA, which requires cap space, thus moving Swayman helps, unfortunatley we are stuck with Elias. The negative with picks this year they say is not a deep draft.

 

[Dizzay]

Give me Miller, a healthy McAvoy, Lindholm, Carlo and a better balance of Swayman and Korp in net to keep them both fresh, I'll take my glass half full vs the vast majority on here.

 

[Gordoff]

This makes me like Miller more and makes EP look mentally weak. Give me Miller all day.

On an acheiving team yes. But, Miller would go Nuclear playing with the apathy and lack of passion and talent that we now have.
He would seriously end up at McLean in a straightjacket.
Please understand, I am NOT making fun of anyone in that type of horrible distress.
But, Miller can't handle playing with a very talented Petterson, who lost a step once he got paid.
Imagine how Miller would relate to a team where 90% of the players have Pettersons mindset WITHOUT his talent.

 

[Dr Hook]

This makes me like Miller more and makes EP look mentally weak. Give me Miller all day.

The whole thing has gotten stupid at this point. How about neither- screw the drama.

 

[Jdavidev]

That's fair, there are some obvious holes, but to me the team should not be as poor as it is. Looking at the team before the season, I saw a playoff team. Not a Cup contender, but one that would surely be in at which point anything could happen. I did not see Coyle and Frederic, as two examples, going completely over the offensive cliff. If they were comparable to what they did last year, even slightly worse, things would look different. We heard about Elias Lindholm's decline from a few folks, but what he is actually doing? I don't think most foresaw that. There are a lot of examples we can point to with individual players, but collectively it is amazing how many players are having bad seasons all at the same time.

I didn't. Of course, last season I thought they'd be on the mix for the wild card and they held.on to first until the final weeks of the season.

They've become the Islanders, post Tavares. Strong in net and defensive core/structure, but no scoring up front. Some years, when everything goes right, they are in the mix for 3rd/WC. Other years, they are hopelessly floundering chasing 8th but never getting there. Barzal and an aging Nelson isn't sustainable. Just like Pasta and an aging Marchand isn't sustainable. Just spurts.

 

[Bodit9]

On an acheiving team yes. But, Miller would go Nuclear playing with the apathy and lack of passion and talent that we now have.
He would seriously end up at McLean in a straightjacket.
Please understand, I am NOT making fun of anyone in that type of horrible distress.
But, Miller can't handle playing with a very talented Petterson, who lost a step once he got paid.
Imagine how Miller would relate to a team where 90% of the players have Pettersons mindset WITHOUT his talent.

Sometimes you need intense a-holes to kick everybody in the ass. Can't tell me this team couldn't use that. They look like they're going through the motions half the time.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Sweeney is good at spending every dime that comes his way.Max Jones comes to mind or Johson or Tufte.He handcuffs himself steady with bad contracts like Lindholm Backes Beleskey. Fired multiple coaches now also.I think the issue is evident in Boston but nobody wants to do anything about it until the bottom truly falls out.

None of Max Jones , Johnson or Tufte really cost them anything.

Jones was almost universally hailed on this board when he was signed. Tufte was signed to be a minor league depth player. Johnson was a complete waste in my opinion from the second he arrived, but still many on this board people spent a month begging for him to be signed. But treating them as if any of them matter in any way seems silly.

Is it worth risking #27 this year? LTIR him and let start fresh and hopefully 100% next year?

Maybe use his cap space to facilitate 3 way trades and accumulate more draft
capital or bring in a depth asset not on an expiring contract.

But you can't just tell a guy to shut it down and come back next year if he and the doctors think he is healthy. Like if he has setbacks in his recovery, maybe that is what happens, but it certainly seems like he is a week or two away from being healthy. So he can't stay on LTIR

 

[sarge88]

Give me Miller, a healthy McAvoy, Lindholm, Carlo and a better balance of Swayman and Korp in net to keep them both fresh, I'll take my glass half full vs the vast majority on here.

Not making excuses for the season long issues, but in a vacuum, what % of time do teams without their top 3 defensemen win games?

Even against bottom feeders?

I don’t want them to further mortgage the future to slightly improve what little chance they have this season, but I give them a punchers chance to get to round three, provided they get their defense back healthy and maybe add a forward to the top 6 (again, for a reasonable price).

 

[LouJersey]

How many teams were around when he went to those 5 cups and 8 CF? It's only gotten harder and harder to get to a cup final as time goes on.

I think there is a bit of a difference between "almost good enough" with 14-22 teams vs 30-32, no matter how badly we want them to win that next cup. Yeah the result is the same - close but not good enough - but I think it's fair to recognize things aren't ever going to be easier than they were during those eras

28 years for one GM seems like insanity either way

Without a doubt agree

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

How many teams were around when he went to those 5 cups and 8 CF? It's only gotten harder and harder to get to a cup final as time goes on.

I think there is a bit of a difference between "almost good enough" with 14-22 teams vs 30-32, no matter how badly we want them to win that next cup. Yeah the result is the same - close but not good enough - but I think it's fair to recognize things aren't ever going to be easier than they were during those eras

28 years for one GM seems like insanity either way

From 1976-1988 only 3 different teams won the Stanley Cup in those 13 seasons. 18-21 teams. 3 of the greatest dynasty team in history.

No, it wasn't easier to win a Cup then.

 

[LouJersey]

The whole thing has gotten stupid at this point. How about neither- screw the drama.

Yeah pass on both.

 

[22Brad Park]

None of Max Jones , Johnson or Tufte really cost them anything.

Jones was almost universally hailed on this board when he was signed. Tufte was signed to be a minor league depth player. Johnson was a complete waste in my opinion from the second he arrived, but still many on this board people spent a month begging for him to be signed. But treating them as if any of them matter in any way seems silly.



But you can't just tell a guy to shut it down and come back next year if he and the doctors think he is healthy. Like if he has setbacks in his recovery, maybe that is what happens, but it certainly seems like he is a week or two away from being healthy. So he can't stay on LTIR

They were not free.Million here million there adds up .He did exact same thing last time he had cap space.

 

[NDiesel]

From 1976-1988 only 3 different teams won the Stanley Cup in those 13 seasons. 18-21 teams. 3 of the greatest dynasty team in history.

No, it wasn't easier to win a Cup then.

Statistically, yes it is easier. Simple probability. The Bruins had the same opportunity to build a dynasty too with Orr and Esposito. The fact that 3 teams were able to win that many Stanley cups in 12 years just supports the fact that it's easier for a single team to win it - they just happened to build better teams than the Bruins

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Statistically, yes it is easier. Simple probability. The Bruins had the same opportunity to build a dynasty too with Orr and Esposito. The fact that 3 teams were able to win that many Stanley cups in 12 years just supports the fact that it's easier. Do you think that would ever happen in a 32 team league?

In the last 13 seasons 9 teams have won a Cup. As opposed to 3 teams from 1976-1988.

If your point is its harder to have a dynasty team now, I agree.

But it's not harder to win a Cup.

 

[NDiesel]

In the last 13 seasons 9 teams have won a Cup. As opposed to 3 teams from 1976-1988.

If your point is its harder to have a dynasty team now, I agree.

But it's not harder to win a Cup.

In what way is it easier? Just because 3 teams built powerhouses doesn't mean that it was harder to win. Every team has the same odds in day 1 of the season and every team has the opportunity to build a powerhouse team.

You simply have a better chance with 14 teams than 32. You also have a better chance when you only need to win 14 games vs 16 games. Add in no salary cap in the 70s too, a lot harder to win now when you have no financial advantage over another team.

 

[BruinDust]

In what way is it easier? Just because 3 teams built powerhouses doesn't mean that it was harder to win. Every team has the same odds in day 1 of the season. You have a better chance with 14 teams than 32. You also have a better chance when you only need to win 14 games vs 16 games. Add in no salary cap in the 70s too, a lot harder to win now when you have no financial advantage over another team.

Even in a cap system you have teams that have financial advantages over others. Not all teams are budgeting to spend to the cap, then factor in how wealthy teams (like say Toronto) can structure contracts heavily loaded with salary bonuses paid out on July 1st vs. regular salary paid out over the course of the season as revenues come in when competing for UFAs.

Then we have the "no state tax" teams who also have a financial advantage over others.

Teams rise and fall off more quickly now, hard to build an absolute powerhouse team that can win 3-4 cups in a row in a salary cap system, opening up opportunities for other teams to win.