Bruins Off Season III

[JoeIsAStud]

Is the Matt Lindblad they just named as a pro scout the same one that almost made the team out of camp a few years ago? If so, was/ is there a reason for retiring so young?

Yes it appears to be. He did have a back injury that basically killed his season last year.

He's a very smart kid, maybe he realized it was time to move on with his life

 

[tburns21]

so without a trade happening involving spooner for a top pairing Dman, I'm starting to wonder if we should have conceded and signed Loui Eriksson instead of Backes and picked up some "grit" wingers cheap via UFA or PTO.watching Eriksson in the WCOH sort of got me thinking that his defensive strengths along with his ability to produce should have been kept around to help the potentially bad defense. I'm just not sure Backes is as sound defensively as LE21. I could be way wrong, and I was never one who cared about eriksson all that much, in fact I was hoping he'd be traded at the deadline. now it seems we should have traded him and then engaged in bringing him back. maybe the desire to play with the sedins would have been too much anyways but i think we should have tried.

 

[DominicT]

so without a trade happening involving spooner for a top pairing Dman, I'm starting to wonder if we should have conceded and signed Loui Eriksson instead of Backes and picked up some "grit" wingers cheap via UFA or PTO.watching Eriksson in the WCOH sort of got me thinking that his defensive strengths along with his ability to produce should have been kept around to help the potentially bad defense. I'm just not sure Backes is as sound defensively as LE21. I could be way wrong, and I was never one who cared about eriksson all that much, in fact I was hoping he'd be traded at the deadline. now it seems we should have traded him and then engaged in bringing him back. maybe the desire to play with the sedins would have been too much anyways but i think we should have tried.

Backes has 4 top five finishes for the Selke Trophy. Guess how many Eriksson has.

 

[tburns21]

Backes has 4 top five finishes for the Selke Trophy. Guess how many Eriksson has.

sorry let me re-phrase, I'm not saying backes is a dumpster fire defensively or anything like that but I find erkisson to be more balanced in ways of offensive production and being responsible defensively.

 

[DKH]

Backes has 4 top five finishes for the Selke Trophy. Guess how many Eriksson has.

But Loui has multiple 30 goal years

 

[tburns21]

I'm still of the belief we need to snag 2 dmen. 1 lefty and 1 righty.

not sold on having to use spooner to do it but I think that makes the most sense given our current group of NMCs and guys like vatrano I think currently hold more value to us than the rest of the league.

 

[bruinmann77]

I'm still of the belief we need to snag 2 dmen. 1 lefty and 1 righty.

not sold on having to use spooner to do it but I think that makes the most sense given our current group of NMCs and guys like vatrano I think currently hold more value to us than the rest of the league.

lets roll with the young defenseman than rather overpay for a guy like shatterkirk

 

[tburns21]

lets roll with the young defenseman than rather overpay for a guy like shatterkirk

there seems to be a couple issues with that tho.... the defense isn't necesarily better(which casues our boards to explode) and claude has to actually play them... this is why I don't like the Liles signing... I'm all for playing the kids and taking some lumps but I would have rather seen

chara-c miller
krug-k miller
morrow-mcquaid
ex: cross

or something to that effect.

there's no way they have liles @2M and CJ sits him.

 

[tburns21]

with zboril, lauzon, ogara, gryz probably looking to break into the system following this season is there really room for morrow anymore? do we move him in a package or try and get something for him solo? i guess on the right side I'd say the same for mcquaid... they seem to like k miller, c miller is probably going to turn out ok then you have carlo and McAvoy coming soon so does mquaid get dealt?

 

[DominicT]

there seems to be a couple issues with that tho.... the defense isn't necesarily better(which casues our boards to explode) and claude has to actually play them... this is why I don't like the Liles signing... I'm all for playing the kids and taking some lumps but I would have rather seen

chara-c miller
krug-k miller
morrow-mcquaid
ex: cross

or something to that effect.

there's no way they have liles @2M and CJ sits him.

I know Don Sweeney will read this, so I'll direct this message to him:

Dear Don Sweeney

The bolded should have nothing, and I mean NOTHING to do with whether you make a deal for a d-man or not.

 

[bruinmann77]

Oh I agree Lies will be out there and I think a Young kid will have to be super in Training camp to get a job here.Basically i just don't want to overpay for a guy like shatterkirk

 

[BruinDust]

with zboril, lauzon, ogara, gryz probably looking to break into the system following this season is there really room for morrow anymore? do we move him in a package or try and get something for him solo? i guess on the right side I'd say the same for mcquaid... they seem to like k miller, c miller is probably going to turn out ok then you have carlo and McAvoy coming soon so does mquaid get dealt?

I would imagine like most teams as young players establish themselves and prove they can play in the NHL, older guys will be moved out over time to create roster space.

Bit pieces like Morrow and McQuaid get moved all the time. Neither will bring much of a return today, let alone a year or two from now unless Morrow takes a big leap forward, which isn't expected. Heck if he spends another season as the 7th D-man playing sparingly, who says he even gets qualified next summer.

 

[whatsbruin]

I know Don Sweeney will read this, so I'll direct this message to him:

Dear Don Sweeney

The bolded should have nothing, and I mean NOTHING to do with whether you make a deal for a d-man or not.

Hold on there.
I would hope that Mr Sweeney takes the pulse of HF Boards before he makes a move.
I encourage him to "Start a Poll" for every possible player move he makes and base his
decision on the majority.

That would be an interesting way to do things.

 

[PlayMakers]

But Loui has multiple 30 goal years

So does Backes, but they weren't last year, so in the minds of many here, they do not exist.

 

[DNE3]

I would imagine like most teams as young players establish themselves and prove they can play in the NHL, older guys will be moved out over time to create roster space. Bit pieces like Morrow and McQuaid get moved all the time. Neither will bring much of a return today, let alone a year or two from now unless Morrow takes a big leap forward, which isn't expected. Heck if he spends another season as the 7th D-man playing sparingly, who says he even gets qualified next summer.

Five bit pieces got moved last season but it took a full year to accomplish. I apply different expectations to young player with skills and a new/old coach who can develop in proper manner.

 

[bp13]

lets roll with the young defenseman than rather overpay for a guy like shatterkirk

Wow. How effective has the marketing campaign for the "you have to overpay for a dman" crowd been? At this point everybody is saying this like it's some sort of fact.

 

[bp13]

So does Backes, but they weren't last year, so in the minds of many here, they do not exist.

Yeah I don't get the whole player debate between Backes and Loui. In terms of their attributes, I'd have a hard time arguing convincingly for one over another. And for that reason, $6M value for each guy seems right to me.

To me the only relevant debate is their future value, durability, reliability, etc. On those measures, I'd much rather have Loui for 6 more years than Backes for 5. I think that's the debate that matters.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Hey guys, Leaf fan coming in peace. Wondering where you see Backes playing in the lineup and how he will do points wise? Wondering for fantasy purposes. Thanks in advance

 

[tburns21]

there's a few question marks with our lineup, where does backes really fit in? who moves up to play with 37/63?

I think we have 3 untouchbales on our team: pasta, marchand, bergy. 2 untradeables in Krejci and Backes and 3 guys we really like, spooner, belesky, vatrano

on defense we have 1 guy we need to keep: krug
but the rest of the pieces aren't going to garner anything huge back in return

so do we see if DK waives his NMC? do we bite the bullet and move spooner? or does things stay status quo for the next season or two?

march-bergy-Backes
belesky-DK-Pasta
Vatrano-Spooner-Hayes
schaller-moore-nash
ex: randell

i don't see mueller really killing it in camp but I could be wrong.. does that lineup make the most sense? or does this one

march-bergy-vatrano
belesky-krecji-pasta
spooner-backes-hayes/mueller
schaller-moore-nash

i think the 6 D we see is something like

chara-colin
krug-kevan
liles-mcquaid
ex morrow


i don't think other than colin anyone has the necessary foot speed to play with chara. if given ample time to gel i think that could work as a top pairing and then we'll really see what colin has to offer.

 

[DominicT]

Yeah I don't get the whole player debate between Backes and Loui. In terms of their attributes, I'd have a hard time arguing convincingly for one over another. And for that reason, $6M value for each guy seems right to me.

To me the only relevant debate is their future value, durability, reliability, etc. On those measures, I'd much rather have Loui for 6 more years than Backes for 5. I think that's the debate that matters.

Yes, but in the future, which becomes easier to move if things don't go well?

-Both have limited NTC in the final two years.
-Both come with a $5 million cost after July 1 in the second to last year with a $12 million cap hit, making that attractive to teams that need to hit the floor.

The difference is, and it's a big difference, you can do it one year sooner with Backes than you can with Eriksson. And Backes' limited NTC is 15 teams he would accept a trade to in the final year where Eriksson's is believed to be 8 years (and comes a year later than Backes's)

 

[tburns21]

Yes, but in the future, which becomes easier to move if things don't go well?

-Both have limited NTC in the final two years.
-Both come with a $5 million cost after July 1 in the second to last year with a $12 million cap hit, making that attractive to teams that need to hit the floor.

The difference is, and it's a big difference, you can do it one year sooner with Backes than you can with Eriksson. And Backes' limited NTC is 15 teams he would accept a trade to in the final year where Eriksson's is believed to be 8 years (and comes a year later than Backes's)

maybe we should have dumped hayes and mcquaid in the offseason and signed eriksson and backes....

 

[DKH]

Yeah I don't get the whole player debate between Backes and Loui. In terms of their attributes, I'd have a hard time arguing convincingly for one over another. And for that reason, $6M value for each guy seems right to me.

To me the only relevant debate is their future value, durability, reliability, etc. On those measures, I'd much rather have Loui for 6 more years than Backes for 5. I think that's the debate that matters.

pretty much agree. If you told me you can have either one for 3 years at $6 M I would be satisfied with either.

I think they are both a year over there value but yes your point is well taken.

I can see Loui being a 30 goal guy next 4 years and Backes 20 next 3 years....its the last two years that are interesting

 

[bp13]

Yes, but in the future, which becomes easier to move if things don't go well?

-Both have limited NTC in the final two years.
-Both come with a $5 million cost after July 1 in the second to last year with a $12 million cap hit, making that attractive to teams that need to hit the floor.

The difference is, and it's a big difference, you can do it one year sooner with Backes than you can with Eriksson. And Backes' limited NTC is 15 teams he would accept a trade to in the final year where Eriksson's is believed to be 8 years (and comes a year later than Backes's)

I suppose those are important details most of us don't know, but I'm not basing my concerns on how difficult it would be to unload them simply because seemingly every guy this team has had over the years that fans and/or management has wanted to unload has played out the string or been bought out (Campbell, Kelly, Seids). So my working assumption is that they won't be able (or want) to move the player. So the bigger concern to me is which player will be more effective in those years, and I have much more confidence that Loui will be effective in 3-5 years as Backes.

Each passing day that this team fails to acquire a Dman that Backes deal looks worse and worse to me.

 

[bp13]

pretty much agree. If you told me you can have either one for 3 years at $6 M I would be satisfied with either.

I think they are both a year over there value but yes your point is well taken.

I can see Loui being a 30 goal guy next 4 years and Backes 20 next 3 years....its the last two years that are interesting

And again brings it all back to my central criticism for this offseason. If we weren't looking to contend in the next few years, why did we sign a guy whose 3-5 year future is a huge question mark? I know the answer is likely "so we can be somewhat relevant for the next few years and maybe steal a few playoff gates", but it stings to realize this. I thought those years as Bruins fans were behind us. I really did.

 

[DKH]

And again brings it all back to my central criticism for this offseason. If we weren't looking to contend in the next few years, why did we sign a guy whose 3-5 year future is a huge question mark? I know the answer is likely "so we can be somewhat relevant for the next few years and maybe steal a few playoff gates", but it stings to realize this. I thought those years as Bruins fans were behind us. I really did.

They are looking to contend.

You don't need to have the 1977 Canadiens on paper in September.

The Sharks were NOT even a playoff seed in March.

The 2013 Red Sox, 2001 Patriots.

I would never ever blow this up.

My take - decent team lot of young players who time will give answers

Remind me a lot of 2008 Bruins- Claude's first year

You mention 'if we aren't looking to contend'

They are though

They should

I think a % of fans aren't or don't want them to contend but they are

They also are smartly letting things evolve

What did Billy Bean tell Peter Gammons

1. First third of year see what you have, surprises, needs

2. Work on getting what area you need either 'internally or externally'

3. Go with team puts you in position to compete

This is what the Sharks & Penguins did with Mike Sullivan being a big addition

Bruins fans seem to want to have a fixed roster in August

Let it evolve I say the answer could be a non top 100 NHL prospect like Brad Marchand was in September 2010 coming off a scintillating 1 assist in 15 game March/April audition