Confirmed with Link: Bruins hire Don Sweeney as GM

[Ratty]

Trading Smith and/or Eriksson is not going to get that top 4 D man so many are pining for. Lucic and Krejci have the most buying power on this team. Lucic going into his swan song year, and David about to collect 7.2 large come July 1st. These facts should play a big part in Donny's planning.

 

[Hali33]

In terms of the Lucic stuff I think what he was saying is there's interest in re-signing him but the reality is he is in a position to command some serious money in the UFA market that the Bruins will not be in a position to match.

Likely depends on how far apart each side's expectations are and there's probably a number in mind where the Bruins have to stop. Hence the "temperature read as to how much he wants to be a part of the Bruins going forward" part of the comment. It's business and if they have to move him they will.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

True about Neal. Anyone else on Nashville to package with Ekholm? I'd say Forsberg, but I don't think they'd give him up. They're pretty thin after Forsberg, Smith, Neal, and Wilson... I don't think Smith and Wilson are as good as Krejci.

Maybe Lucic and Smith for Forsberg/Ekholm?

Maybe Smith for Ekholm straight up?

I appreciate I'm reaching...

I would do that...don't think the Preds would.

I LOVE what I saw out of Wilson this year, and he's exactly the kind of F the B's need to add. Good size, great skater, hits, shoots.

If they could build something fair for Ekholm and Wilson, I would be a pretty happy guy.

I'm bad at this stuff, but I might do:


Ekholm + Wilson + Salomaki

for

Krejci + Smith

 

[Stone Clode]

I would do that...don't think the Preds would.

I LOVE what I saw out of Wilson this year, and he's exactly the kind of F the B's need to add. Good size, great skater, hits, shoots.

If they could build something fair for Ekholm and Wilson, I would be a pretty happy guy.

I'm bad at this stuff, but I might do:


Ekholm + Wilson + Salomaki

for

Krejci + Smith

Eh, if it's Ekholm I'm getting, I'd be pushing more for Vesey or Aberg over Salomaki.

 

[Shoebottom]

He has potential, but he needs to move his feet, and he took some pretty stupid (lazy) penalties down the stretch. On the plus side, I'm sure he was not 100% after the hand injury. I'm hoping he steps up big time, which would help that B's right side a great deal. Not sure they can rely on him to be a top line RW though? That's what hurt the B's last year.

Yeah, Con needs to stop taking those stupid penalties. They were very annoying.

 

[DoubleAAAA]

I like your optimism, but I think it may take a bit more than that?

They need to build from the net out and have a solid backbone/spine (G, D, C's). They are good in net and in the slot, but they need to add to that defense. Any guys in the draft that will provide immediate impact on D will be gone by 14, so that means a trade up, or a trade for at least one legit Top 4 D which will be costly.

I don't really want to deal Lucic or Krejci, but I think they are the guys that would bring the highest return (ie a Top 4 D, plus a stud prospect) and they also make a lot. Krejci's skillset would be tougher to replace, and I'm not sure Soda or Spooner are ready for #2 center? I think that you can replace 17's toughness/snarl with a Bottom 6 guy or two.

1) Bring in at least one, preferably two solid two way d-men who can skate and are not train wrecks in their own end.

2) Get rid of Kelly and his $3m, you have Talbot at 875k to man that role.

3) Trade Lucic for a package something like Tanev, Horvat, another good prospect (just an idea of what type of players I want back so nobody freak out ).

Loui, Seids and Kelly are the bodies (or more accurately $) I look to move. Love all those guys but I think they're all either at or rapidly approaching the end of their usefulness. I agree on the 2 d-men. Chara/Dougie/Krug/Morrow or Miller plus a solid mid pairing guy and reliable bottom pair guy.

You've got your Center depth with Bergy/Krejci/Spooner or Koko/Talbot. RW looks young but potentially solid in Pasta/Smith/Connolly/Ferlin. LW will have some holes but I stick with Lucic/Marchand/ and try to fill the other 2 spots. A guy like Paul Carey could be an option for the 4th but I'd like to see some mean down there too.

 

[Number8]

I didn't say give him a pass, I also didn't say he didn't agree

I think he had a issue with the return, which was (after they all agreed he should be moved) Chia's job to secure

Agreed.

Trading Seguin on the surface was not necessarily a bad idea. We'll never know how it played out but agreeing on the need to move an asset is not the same thing as agreeing on the return.

Lots of talk yesterday about communication -- maybe there is a sense that Chia didn't get enough and didn't convey what he was going to get before he pulled trigger.

I say that with the major caveat that I have no clue how it all went down.

I thought one of most interesting parts of presser yesterday was when Sweeney said they had some big blowouts behind closed doors but kept it behind closed doors. He was distancing himself (smartly) from some things from the past yesterday.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Eh, if it's Ekholm I'm getting, I'd be pushing more for Vesey or Aberg over Salomaki.

I like Salomaki better because I drafted him in our SIM league

Seriously, I think he plays a heavier, more rugged game (while still scoring) than the other guys, and the B's need to add more of that element.


edit: I like Vesey as well, but he's from Harvard, and we are not allowed to take anyone else from there (old boys club LOL).

 

[Ice Nine]

I would do that...don't think the Preds would.

I LOVE what I saw out of Wilson this year, and he's exactly the kind of F the B's need to add. Good size, great skater, hits, shoots.

If they could build something fair for Ekholm and Wilson, I would be a pretty happy guy.

I'm bad at this stuff, but I might do:


Ekholm + Wilson + Salomaki

for

Krejci + Smith

I like Wilson too -- former first rounder who is really coming around. 20+ goals. Physical play.

I'd do that trade. I actually think it's a solid return for Preds too. Krejci is a top line C with proven playoff credentials. Smith is young, and former 20G scorer.

 

[Number8]

Good point on the Edmonton board:

The Bruins are turning into an old boys club

That is the very definition of an Oxymoron.

You can use the word "good" as part of referencing something on the Edmonton board. You can also use the word "point" in the same way. However.... "Good point" + "Edmonton board" is akin to "surface of sun = cold".

 

[bruinmann77]

so who get Don old Job as Asst GM and GM of Providence.

 

[DoubleAAAA]

I like Wilson, but not sure he's an adequate replacement for Krejci. Strikes me as a good support player, but I think moving Krejci creates a void that's awfully tough to fill.

 

[DaBroons]

If any of you are watching the playoffs and see the play of these last four teams you would recognize that the Bruins are a long ways away from competing for the Stanley Cup.

Speed, speed and more speed is needed.

Scoring ability is needed.

Better transition system is needed.

Coaching: I am not convinced that Claude is our guy. The transition game for the Bruins was terrible. The offensive set ups were poor. You heard Sweeney say, " you need to practice these things". That's a shot against Claude. " He is the coach for now", was the other. It is likely time to move on. Just not sure who else is out there.

Roster: They need to make a decision on the slower players on this team.

Lucic- can he improve his speed? He looked better with the kids.
Krecji- Is he worth the money? He is not the quickest or toughest center.
Kelly- too much money for a fourth line center
Smith- too much money for a third line RW that disappears a lot.
Chara- too much money for an aging slow defenseman
Seids- slow defenseman

ALL excellent points.

 

[DoubleAAAA]

so who get Don old Job as Asst GM and GM of Providence.

Really curious to see what/if he makes any changes to his staff. Bradley and JFJ are still kicking around. Having been groomed in the organization, doubt he has many of "his guys" to bring in.

 

[Mione134]

edit: I like Vesey as well, but he's from Harvard, and we are not allowed to take anyone else from there (old boys club LOL).

You forgot tattoos! Does he have tattoos? Cause that's a big no-no as well! We all know players with a lot of tattoos are dbags

 

[Man Rocket]

You forgot tattoos! Does he have tattoos? Cause that's a big no-no as well! We all know players with a lot of tattoos are dbags

 

[DaBroons]

Agreed.

Trading Seguin on the surface was not necessarily a bad idea. We'll never know how it played out but agreeing on the need to move an asset is not the same thing as agreeing on the return.

Lots of talk yesterday about communication -- maybe there is a sense that Chia didn't get enough and didn't convey what he was going to get before he pulled trigger.

I say that with the major caveat that I have no clue how it all went down.

I thought one of most interesting parts of presser yesterday was when Sweeney said they had some big blowouts behind closed doors but kept it behind closed doors. He was distancing himself (smartly) from some things from the past yesterday.

If you move an elite talent, then you need an elite talent in return. The great Sam Pollack said, "The team that got the best player made the best trade." Lindholm is not an elite talent. If they were insistent on trading Seguin, then the trade should have been to Tampa in return for their #1 pick, which I would have used to select Seth Jones. You could build a future defense around Dougie and Jones, one on each of first two pairs.

 

[Mione134]

Shhhhh

That's the reason why he was traded, duh!

 

[Stone Clode]

I like Salomaki better because I drafted him in our SIM league

Seriously, I think he plays a heavier, more rugged game (while still scoring) than the other guys, and the B's need to add more of that element.


edit: I like Vesey as well, but he's from Harvard, and we are not allowed to take anyone else from there (old boys club LOL).

As soon as I read that you put Salomaki, I went and checked your roster. It made sense that you pulled that name.

I like his size and grit as well, I just think he's slow, which is what they need to trend away from. Vesey is good, physical kid and he can also skate. And Aberg is not the physical type and doesn't like to get hit a ton but the kid can score.

 

[Man Rocket]

If you move an elite talent, then you need an elite talent in return. The great Sam Pollack said, "The team that got the best player made the best trade." Lindholm is not an elite talent. If they were insistent on trading Seguin, then the trade should have been to Tampa in return for their #1 pick, which I would have used to select Seth Jones. You could build a future defense around Dougie and Jones, one on each of first two pairs.

i always wondered who else he talked too about Seguin. i think on behind the b he said he was in talks with other teams but it didnt amount to much. I was really hoping Tampa as well but i wanted Drouin. But in hindsight Jones absolutely.

Chara - Hamilton
Seidenberg - Jones
Krug - McQuaid

 

[GloryDaze4877]

As soon as I read that you put Salomaki, I went and checked your roster. It made sense that you pulled that name.

I like his size and grit as well, I just think he's slow, which is what they need to trend away from. Vesey is good, physical kid and he can also skate. And Aberg is not the physical type and doesn't like to get hit a ton but the kid can score.

I don't know much about Aberg, or the other Swede they have, Arvidssen, other than they are productive. Watson is another big wing they have, former 1st round pick who appears to be "getting it" after a slow start.

I didn't think Salomaki looked slow when I saw him playing for Finland in the WJC's, but that was a few years ago.

 

[DKH]

Agreed.

Trading Seguin on the surface was not necessarily a bad idea. We'll never know how it played out but agreeing on the need to move an asset is not the same thing as agreeing on the return.

Lots of talk yesterday about communication -- maybe there is a sense that Chia didn't get enough and didn't convey what he was going to get before he pulled trigger.

I say that with the major caveat that I have no clue how it all went down.

I thought one of most interesting parts of presser yesterday was when Sweeney said they had some big blowouts behind closed doors but kept it behind closed doors. He was distancing himself (smartly) from some things from the past yesterday.

Listen to Toucher & Rich podcast this am with Sweeney. Reading between the lines he was the wait on Seguin I bet. I had heard it was not a 5 minute all in agreement lets trade 'Tyler'.

I always suspected it was Sweeney or Neely but was guessing. Benning I assumed was the one pushing. Again - speculating that it wasn't a slam dunk. The interview about 'behind door disagreementa' followed by United front when door opens makes me think Everett Mike should love this guy

 

[bruinmann77]

You would almost have to believe they Listen to offer for Lucic and maybe DK.
They really need to find a solid Dman.

 

[Stone Clode]

I don't know much about Aberg, or the other Swede they have, Arvidssen, other than they are productive. Watson is another big wing they have, former 1st round pick who appears to be "getting it" after a slow start.

I didn't think Salomaki looked slow when I saw him playing for Finland in the WJC's, but that was a few years ago.

I saw him last year for Finland at the World Championships, and he didn't seem to have a quick first stride. Reminded of the same quips we seem to hear a lot about Eriksson, but who knows because Eriksson has seemed fine.

Also, from Hockey's Future on Salomaki:

The energetic player has to improve his skating stride, acceleration and balancing to play at the NHL level but his overall style fits very well to the North American game.

 

[SPLBRUIN]

Can't imagine the Bruins would even contemplate trading Lucic until next year's trading deadline at the earliest , our forward group would unquestionably be the softest group in the NHL. Hopefully they are able to both resign him and bring him some help in the physicality department because right now he is basically a lone wolf amongst the forwards.