Around the NHL — Episode XLXVII

DrEasy

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My apologies, when I had that site filtered, it was by position

Hoff signs PTO with Edmonton. Man that team is becoming one of the most unlikeable organizations right now


I wonder if they'll have Matt Cooke join the office in some capacity too.
Oh I'm sure the Sens will get Matt Cooke first, to join Travis Green, David Perron, Nick Cousins and co.
 

Hale The Villain

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I think that Swayman will get signed, but it's looking more and more like they should have kept Ullmark as an own-rental.

If they didn't have to take back cap, it would make sense. Because you could justify that the return on Ullmark was both the futures they received, and the 5M they opened up to spend somewhere else. They only freed up 2M, and worse they took on the liability of Korpisalo at 3M when they could have likely gotten an equally as iffy backup for under 2M.

Especially with how soft the market was for goalies, they could have held on to him until the TDL and still reasonably expected to get an equivalent return.

I guess their fear was that he would put Ottawa on his no trade list on July 1st in order to increase the odds that he stays in Boston, or to gain more leverage over his situation (for example, he could say I will go to Ottawa, but only with an 8x8 sign-and-trade in place).

With that said, is keeping Ullmark as part of a tandem and having him walk for nothing at the end of the season worse than getting a late 1st, but having to take Korpisalo at 3M x 4 years to get it?

Not sure why they didn't just keep Ullmark and extend him if they knew Swayman was a Lewis Gross client and was demanding nearly double Ullmark's salary in 23/24.

Normally I'd say it'd be smarter to keep the younger goaltender, but Ullmark isn't exactly an old-timer at 31. Not to mention the Bruins should be in win-now mode. That's a team that should be doing everything they can to maximize their chances of winning another cup in the near future, because their future isn't all that pretty after trading so much futures away in recent years.

Ullmark wanting to remain out East + his NTC and upcoming UFA status limited their leverage to get good value in a trade, but Swayman is an RFA with no trade protection, so presumably they could have dealt him to the highest bidder and gotten a better return, saved many millions by not having to take on the Korpse and then re-directed those cap savings to improving the team on-ice in other areas.

Bit of a head scratcher from Sweeney, but turned out great for us.
 

frightenedinmatenum2

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Not sure why they didn't just keep Ullmark and extend him if they knew Swayman was a Lewis Gross client and was demanding nearly double Ullmark's salary in 23/24.

Normally I'd say it'd be smarter to keep the younger goaltender, but Ullmark isn't exactly an old-timer at 31. Not to mention the Bruins should be in win-now mode. That's a team that should be doing everything they can to maximize their chances of winning another cup in the near future, because their future isn't all that pretty after trading so much futures away in recent years.

Ullmark wanting to remain out East + his NTC and upcoming UFA status limited their leverage to get good value in a trade, but Swayman is an RFA with no trade protection, so presumably they could have dealt him to the highest bidder and gotten a better return, saved many millions by not having to take on the Korpse and then re-directed those cap savings to improving the team on-ice in other areas.

Bit of a head scratcher from Sweeney, but turned out great for us.

Ullmark is only cost controlled for 1 more year. So I could see the logic that whoever they sign is getting 8M-10M long-term. I just don't understand the urgency to trade Ullmark for what they traded him for, especially if he was open to staying. Not to mention, it was within the division.

Looking at how it all played out, I don't understand the urgency to move Ullmark because they didn't actually get anything back for him. They gave him away when you consider the negative value of Korpisalo's contract cancels out the first round pick.

I think they are better off with Ullmark at 5Mx1Y than they are with Korpisalo at 3Mx4Y and a 1st in their pocket.

Knowing how things work out, Korpisalo will be a Vezina contender for them...
 

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Ullmark is only cost controlled for 1 more year. So I could see the logic that whoever they sign is getting 8M-10M long-term. I just don't understand the urgency to trade Ullmark for what they traded him for, especially if he was open to staying. Not to mention, it was within the division.

Looking at how it all played out, I don't understand the urgency to move Ullmark because they didn't actually get anything back for him. They gave him away when you consider the negative value of Korpisalo's contract cancels out the first round pick.

I think they are better off with Ullmark at 5Mx1Y than they are with Korpisalo at 3Mx4Y and a 1st in their pocket.

Knowing how things work out, Korpisalo will be a Vezina contender for them...

Even if Swayman eventually settles for a number that the Bruins can actually afford, say something like 8M, are they really better off with:

Yeah knowing the Bruins Korpisalo will play unbelievable for them and they'll end up dealing him for positive assets after the season.

It'll be hard for him to continue sucking playing in front of arguably the best defense in the league and a forward group that takes their defensive responsibilities seriously.
 

bert

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Not sure why they didn't just keep Ullmark and extend him if they knew Swayman was a Lewis Gross client and was demanding nearly double Ullmark's salary in 23/24.

Normally I'd say it'd be smarter to keep the younger goaltender, but Ullmark isn't exactly an old-timer at 31. Not to mention the Bruins should be in win-now mode. That's a team that should be doing everything they can to maximize their chances of winning another cup in the near future, because their future isn't all that pretty after trading so much futures away in recent years.

Ullmark wanting to remain out East + his NTC and upcoming UFA status limited their leverage to get good value in a trade, but Swayman is an RFA with no trade protection, so presumably they could have dealt him to the highest bidder and gotten a better return, saved many millions by not having to take on the Korpse and then re-directed those cap savings to improving the team on-ice in other areas.

Bit of a head scratcher from Sweeney, but turned out great for us.
Swayman has proven to be the better younger goalie. I dont think you make a decision of this magnitude based on the players agent when they are 5 years different in age.
 
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Swayman has proven to be the better younger goalie. I dont think you make a decision of this magnitude based on the players agent when they are 5 years different in age.

Sure, but assuming Swayman costs 1-2M more than Ullmark on their next extensions, trading Swayman instead and not having to take on Korpisalo would open up 4-5M in extra cap space for the next 4 years.

Bruins just let a 27 year old 2nd line winger in DeBrusk walk to sign for 5.5M elsewhere. Could have kept him or signed a different good forward with the resulting cap space, not to mention getting more in young assets than a single late 1st by trading the younger goalie.

Ullmark + DeBrusk + more assets OR Swayman + Korpisalo?
 

BonHoonLayneCornell

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Yeah knowing the Bruins Korpisalo will play unbelievable for them and they'll end up dealing him for positive assets after the season.

It'll be hard for him to continue sucking playing in front of arguably the best defense in the league and a forward group that takes their defensive responsibilities seriously.
It's possible, but he doesn't exactly have a stellar career. Most of his 9 year career has been shit other than the outlier UFA season, his rookie season, and 1 in between. If you look at his peer goaltender's numbers, he was almost always significantly outperformed by them playing behind the same team.
 

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It's possible, but he doesn't exactly have a stellar career. Most of his 9 year career has been shit other than the outlier UFA season, his rookie season, and 1 in between. If you look at his peer goaltender, he was almost always significantly outperformed by them playing behind the same team.

Yeah he's not a good goalie and I was dumbfounded when Dorion signed him to that contract.

Having said that, playing in front of a defense of:

Lohrei - McAvoy
Lindholm - Carlo
Zadorov - Peeke

is going to make any goalie look better than he is.
 
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BonHoonLayneCornell

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Yeah he's not a good goalie and I was dumbfounded when Dorion signed him to that contract.

Having said that, playing in front of a defense of:

Lohrei - McAvoy
Lindholm - Carlo
Zadorov - Peeke

is going to make any goalie look better than he is.
For sure. I expect him to be better than last year. I could also see him looking "good" for a period of time, but I just don't see it lasting with the way his career has gone to this point. Glad it's not our problem anymore either way. I've never hated a signing as much as that one. Just as we were supposed to be trending up and exiting the rebuild we lock ourselves into a backup goalie to lead the way.
 

Tuna99

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Nice to see its Toronto’s “Let’s shit on Mitch Marner all season official kick off day”

Nobody hates the Leafs like Leafs nation.
 

LiseL

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Ullmark is only cost controlled for 1 more year. So I could see the logic that whoever they sign is getting 8M-10M long-term. I just don't understand the urgency to trade Ullmark for what they traded him for, especially if he was open to staying. Not to mention, it was within the division.

Looking at how it all played out, I don't understand the urgency to move Ullmark because they didn't actually get anything back for him. They gave him away when you consider the negative value of Korpisalo's contract cancels out the first round pick.

I think they are better off with Ullmark at 5Mx1Y than they are with Korpisalo at 3Mx4Y and a 1st in their pocket.

Knowing how things work out, Korpisalo will be a Vezina contender for them...
If they didn't gain the $2M in cap space, they couldn't have made the moves they did in the off-season and sign Swayman to a new contract. Their forward group is still pretty thin.

The latest info is that Swayman won't be at training camp until a new contract is signed and that a new contract will be signed by Dec 1st. I think Boston's GM was trolling the media with that remark.

So there's a chance that Korpi starts the season in goal. Boston plays a solid D game, they just hired a new D assistant coach who's supposedly very good and they have a great goalie coach so I do think Korpi will play better in Boston. In Ottawa, the goalies' play affected the players confidence but I think that the players D play also affected the goalies' confidence, and round and round it went. Vicious cycle.
 

Icelevel

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Yeah he's not a good goalie and I was dumbfounded when Dorion signed him to that contract.

Having said that, playing in front of a defense of:

Lohrei - McAvoy
Lindholm - Carlo
Zadorov - Peeke

is going to make any goalie look better than he is.
Is it the biggest d of all time?
I think I’m serious. It’s pretty big right?

6’5” - 6’1”
6’4” - 6’5”
6’6” - 6’3”

Huge. They’re 4th line is huge too. Not going to be fun for our forwards. Good for vezina korpi though.
 
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Wallet Inspector

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>mfw Korpisalo puts up a Vezina calibre season in Boston

tenor.gif
 

Tuna99

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Swayman has proven to be the better younger goalie. I dont think you make a decision of this magnitude based on the players agent when they are 5 years different in age.

Agree with all of this, Bruins have had an internal Cap for a long time and their players have been famously underpayed - Swayman could be breaking the culture completely or it could be a Brady Takchuk deal where he misses a couple of games and then has his best year yet. I’m hoping Swayman is breaking down the internal Cap and friggin’ the management culture
 

BondraTime

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Agree with all of this, Bruins have had an internal Cap for a long time and their players have been famously underpayed - Swayman could be breaking the culture completely or it could be a Brady Takchuk deal where he misses a couple of games and then has his best year yet. I’m hoping Swayman is breaking down the internal Cap and friggin’ the management culture
Pasternak is signed for 11.5, he’s not breaking any culture or internal cap
 
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Tuna99

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Pasternak is signed for 11.5, he’s not breaking any culture or internal cap

Pasternak has proved it and earned it he played in Boston underpaid pretty big time for many years. Swayman hasn’t earned it yet. Great goalie, maybe the best in the NHL, but he hasn’t earned massive money yet and the way Boston is run is you gotta earn it and not skip to the front of the line before your due to eat.
 
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BondraTime

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Pasternak has proved it and earned it he played in Boston underpaid pretty big time for many years. Swayman hasn’t earned it yet. Great goalie, maybe the best in the NHL, but he hasn’t earned massive money yet and the way Boston is run is you gotta earn it and not skip to the front of the line before your due to eat.
McAvoy signed for 9.5 at 23.

Swayman is 25 and a goalie with 3 full seasons of Vezina caliber goaltending over 40 games.

He’s not skipping the line, he’s using his past 3 seasons and the fact he’s their franchise goalie. He’s already signed a contract after his ELC, his 3rd contract is where you get the payday, that’s where he is.

Pasternak and McAvoy got their big payday on their 3rd contracts, Swayman is doing the same.
 
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Tuna99

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McAvoy signed for 9.5 at 23.

Swayman is 25 and a goalie with 3 full seasons of Vezina caliber goaltending over 40 games.

He’s not skipping the line, he’s using his past 3 seasons and the fact he’s their franchise goalie. He’s already signed a contract after his ELC, his 3rd contract is where you get the payday, that’s where he is.

Pasternak and McAvoy got their big payday on their 3rd contracts, Swayman is doing the same.

The good for Ottawa is the it’s a distraction, and hopefully the Bruins stumble a bit early because of it.
 
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frightenedinmatenum2

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I think the issue with Swayman is that his actual resume is not on par with his skill level.

He may want to be paid like a top 5 goalie, which he probably is, but he doesn't have the resume to support it because he played in a tandem and split games.

He should have elected for arbitration because it would have forced the hands of the Bruins. Whether he signed a 1 year or 2 year term, he would have them been in a legitimate position to get the 8M-10M franchise goalie contract because if they don't give it to him, he could leave in free agency. Or, it would have forced them to relent and give in to his terms in fear that he might raise his value or leave after 2 years.

Now he is stuck with no leverage other than to sit out the season. I suspect the Bruins think he will give in and they will get him cost controlled for a few years at a great cap hit.
 

bert

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Biznasty saying some weird stuff is happening with the negotiations. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out. Could you imagine the Korpse is their starter lol.
 

Golden_Jet

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Biznasty saying some weird stuff is happening with the negotiations. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out. Could you imagine the Korpse is their starter lol.
Sweeney called out Biz yesterday for his BS he said.
 

Nac Mac Feegle

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I get the feeling the Bruins made a colossal error here with Ullmark and Swayman. Both are good goalies, but the two of them together, and pushing one another, was a big factor (along with the Bruins being the Bruins and having a steady veteran core) in both going from good to great.

Breaking them up to save a few dollars (which might not even happen now) was short-sighted.
 
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