Around the NHL 2024-2025

[SirPaste]

Trying to remember specifics, and they allude me at the moment, but I recall at least an old pattern when players leave Boston they take a lot of media hits on the way out.

A real escalation to drop things like that in a press conference in the middle of an already contentious negotiation vs kicking someone when they already on the way out.

Seguin definitely took some hits on his way out.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Swayman Gate is good drama!

The Sway Swindler Swings the Ullmark Sortie and then holds out to undermine the Boston Bruins.

Brilliant conspiracy!!

 

[Stealth JD]

Zero reason for the Blues to invest big money in Swayman when (1) goaltending is a strength today, (2) Hofer seems poised to provide quality play with the potential to become the starter in the not too distant future, (3) you’d be doing the Broons a favor by sending them a goalie who is cheaper and arguably better, (4) the AHL pipeline isn’t exactly devoid of goaltending talent.

The money spent on Swayman would be better served filling actual holes in the roster. If you want to trade Binner, you do so because you believe that you can win with Hofer and a kid and go cheap on G while selling high on #50. You don’t “upgrade” and pay more in the process when you don’t currently have a problem to solve.

 

[Brian39]

Zero reason for the Blues to invest big money in Swayman when (1) goaltending is a strength today, (2) Hofer seems poised to provide quality play with the potential to become the starter in the not too distant future, (3) you’d be doing the Broons a favor by sending them a goalie who is cheaper and arguably better, (4) the AHL pipeline isn’t exactly devoid of goaltending talent.

The money spent on Swayman would be better served filling actual holes in the roster. If you want to trade Binner, you do so because you believe that you can win with Hofer and a kid and go cheap on G while selling high on #50. You don’t “upgrade” and pay more in the process when you don’t currently have a problem to solve.

I disagree that teams shouldn't be interested in upgrading players in positions that are already a strength. I view Thomas as a strength and capable of being the 1C on a Cup winning team. But there are absolutely centers I'd swap him for, including ones that would require us to pay more money.

I'm very much in favor of trying to get younger and better at any position whenever there is an opportunity to do so.

I think Swayman is currently a better goaltender than Binner and is better than the ceiling of every other goalie in our organization. I absolutely think that 8 years of Swayman on a deal no more than the Thomas/Kyrou contracts would give us a better chance at a Cup long term than any combination of keeping Binner and/or eventually turning the net over to Hofer.

I'm not paying a bunch of other assets to do it. I'm not adding a 1st rounder. I'm not adding any of our top prospects. I'm not adding another valuable roster player. This would be a trade where I'd be looking to take advantage of a team that has painted themselves into a corner by offering them a short term solution to their goalie and cap problem in exchange for a guy I believe will be elite when our window re-opens. If they demand more, then they can explore other options.

But I completely disagree that you shouldn't try to get younger and better in an area just because you are already good in that area.

 

[Stealth JD]

I disagree that teams shouldn't be interested in upgrading players in positions that are already a strength. I view Thomas as a strength and capable of being the 1C on a Cup winning team. But there are absolutely centers I'd swap him for, including ones that would require us to pay more money.

I'm very much in favor of trying to get younger and better at any position whenever there is an opportunity to do so.

I think Swayman is currently a better goaltender than Binner and is better than the ceiling of every other goalie in our organization. I absolutely think that 8 years of Swayman on a deal no more than the Thomas/Kyrou contracts would give us a better chance at a Cup long term than any combination of keeping Binner and/or eventually turning the net over to Hofer.

I'm not paying a bunch of other assets to do it. I'm not adding a 1st rounder. I'm not adding any of our top prospects. I'm not adding another valuable roster player. This would be a trade where I'd be looking to take advantage of a team that has painted themselves into a corner by offering them a short term solution to their goalie and cap problem in exchange for a guy I believe will be elite when our window re-opens. If they demand more, then they can explore other options.

But I completely disagree that you shouldn't try to get younger and better in an area just because you are already good in that area.

“Better” is subjective. Boston’s defense is inarguably better than the Blues’, and Swayman hasn’t exactly been a playoff horse to this point. Binner had the second-best goals saved above expected last year, and seems to be capable of getting locked in and tuning out the noise or a bad prior game. Swayman is younger, yes. But so what? It’s not like Binner and Hofer are at risk of aging out in the next five years. Those two combined make less than Swayman would command and who’s to say Swayman doesn’t wilt behind the Blues leaky team-defense. Hard-pass.

If you want to talk to me about upgrading Thomas our Buchnevich to younger, better options, I’m interested. But rolling the dice on goaltending which has FINALLY been solved for the first time in decades seems foolish.