NHL Draft lottery race - Bruins currently have 4th Pick

[chizzler]

I wouldn’t do anything stupid, like I said they already tried to fix a broken core via UFA market and they fall of a cliff. The worst thing they can do is to double down on last offseason and go for another Lindholm signing. You are just tying too much money/term on declining assets then

I’d get the team healthy, avoid major signings for this offseason as I don’t see them realistically working out as they need them to

McAvoy, Pasta, Swayman is the ”veteran” core
Draft the core to compliment them in -25& 26.

After that you have more assets, cap to add top talent from the market than you do now. They can’t afford to go after talent like Rantanen now with nothing on the prospect pool and absolutely needing to use their own pick for drafting

If this team is healthy next year and they focus on seeing what they have in the new/younger players they are at best, picking around 12 spot, realistically 8-12 spot in a draft that should be better than this one.

Tampa, Florida, Toronto are given as better teams next year, Ottawa, Montreal, Detroit would be favourites over them as well, but could challenge 1 or 2 of them

The 2015 ”worked” because they had Bergeron, Pasta, Krejci, Rask, Chara. This needs superior drafting and rebuilding the prospect pool in order to make them a contender

Can’t remember the last time I agreed with you.

 

[DKH]

And they may not have been prepared to take 3 guys in the first round. Didn't they acquire two of those picks the day of the draft?

Agree but I was at the draft party at the garden

Standing inside Legends they had the Celtics side open and the screens were huge

I was there with a bunch of people but walked into that room with my daughter and her BF, it was like the scene in the Wizard of Oz where they finally reach the Wizard who’s behind the curtain. The only thing missing was Toto.

The anticipation was a high like right before they put you under - your brain was swimming.

I stood there looking up as the Bruins entourage walked out on stage, ready to hear Barzal & Connor as a given - my real excitement was ‘who could the third guy be? Zboril and Chabot seemed most likely but the aforementioned I was ready like I’ve never been …..

Then it happened …..the only thing missing was buckets of blood raining down on my head like Carrie at the prom

I can feel it like it was yesterday….lol

 

[BB88]

I agree with much of this.

I would only add that this is likely a two season turnaround.

I guess you draft the best player available, but if they can snag a legitimate, nearly NHL ready center, I see no reason why they can't use the cap space they have to pick up a Marner or other production machines on the wing.

No need to touch your draft selections, painstakingly acquired at the deadline this season, to improve scoring on the wing.

Not ideal, but hardly undoable.

The question is whether you trust Sweeney and his brain trust to bring in the proper players. As we have seen several times over the years, that remains an open question.

I will agree with Ty Anderson:

If they f*ck this up, Sweeney and Neely *will* be gone.

I would say if they do it now it’s a 18 month fix, if they decide to rush it they’ll end up nowhere and needing a longer rebuild with Pasta getting past his prime

There’s basically 3 players in the UFA market, Marner, Bennett, Ehlers. 1 elite player, 2 good players and they’ll have a massive market this summer.

The offense is a complete 1 man show and to get where Tampa& Florida have been the last couple of seasons they need 2 elite forwards more, a legit 1C and a legit star on the wing besides Pasta. The only realistic way to address that is the draft

I just doubt they are ready to accept it and will refuse to rebuild and are determined to retool on the fly. Sign more players and try to hunt a wc spot without having a legit 1C in the system or another star to compliment Pasta and challenge the true elite teams in the league

”Good enough to play in april, not good enough to play in june”

 

[Bruin4]

And they may not have been prepared to take 3 guys in the first round. Didn't they acquire two of those picks the day of the draft?

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Michael Scott?

How rude!

 

[BB88]

Disagree with this part.

How?

They are a complete 1 player show on offense, every team around them has clearly more talent

They have no chance at a straight playoff spot so at best you are beginning from fighting for a wc spot

For those 2 wc spots you have Montreal, Ottawa, Detroit, Columbus atleast with Boston

They all have more talent on offense, they all have superior u25 talent vs Boston. So you can pretty easily say they all have room to grow and they are going upwards in their projections. They all have their 1C’s either in their prime or developing into their prime

So how isn’t that a realistic look?

They have pretty much the worst C group in the East and 1 player on offense you need to be afraid of

 

[DKH]

Down with the Habs and Lightning!!!

Too funny

 

[GordonHowe]

They weren’t prepared? How can that be. What the f*** was Gretzky doing? Wasn’t he in charge of the scouts?

Don't ask me. I have no idea.

But to hear Steve Conroy and others aware of the situation at the time, evidently they were not prepared.

Blows my mind, but apparently that was the case.

Which is one reason why I don't dig Sweeney's smartest guy in the room routine. I'm not even certain he's ever addressed it in any honest way. Surprise.

However, I do give him credit this last trade deadline. Sweeney took responsibility for the fact that the club he assembled was poorly constructed.

It only took "Sweenes" a decade to admit when he is wrong. God forbid he should ever do that.

 

[since76]

Agree but I was at the draft party at the garden

Standing inside Legends they had the Celtics side open and the screens were huge

I was there with a bunch of people but walked into that room with my daughter and her BF, it was like the scene in the Wizard of Oz where they finally reach the Wizard who’s behind the curtain. The only thing missing was Toto.

The anticipation was a high like right before they put you under - your brain was swimming.

I stood there looking up as the Bruins entourage walked out on stage, ready to hear Barzal & Connor as a given - my real excitement was ‘who could the third guy be? Zboril and Chabot seemed most likely but the aforementioned I was ready like I’ve never been …..

Then it happened …..the only thing missing was buckets of blood raining down on my head like Carrie at the prom

I can feel it like it was yesterday….lol

I also remember this moment perfectly on rds chanel, when bruins made their choices the commentators , habs fans was in hapiness like they won the lottery , one of them was unable to stop to laugh hahahahahah they all searched on theirs papers who’s the hell is that player….it was terrible for first minute to today

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

How?

They are a complete 1 player show on offense, every team around them has clearly more talent

They have no chance at a straight playoff spot so at best you are beginning from fighting for a wc spot

For those 2 wc spots you have Montreal, Ottawa, Detroit, Columbus atleast with Boston

They all have more talent on offense, they all have superior u25 talent vs Boston. So you can pretty easily say they all have room to grow and they are going upwards in their projections. They all have their 1C’s either in their prime or developing into their prime

So how isn’t that a realistic look?

They have pretty much the worst C group in the East and 1 player on offense you need to be afraid of

How can I disagree?

Healthy Bruins team will have at best 8-12th pick in next year's draft. That's what I am disagreeing with. Basically betting you are not gifted with being able to see into the future.

 

[FONZIE]

I think kinda lost in the hoopla of a top 4 pick is that the Bruins 2nd round pick will be very good too.

I don't know about you, but I'm knee-deep in the hoopla

 

[Bruin4]

Michael Scott?

How rude!

O’ you were serious

 

[Oates2Neely]

I would say if they do it now it’s a 18 month fix, if they decide to rush it they’ll end up nowhere and needing a longer rebuild with Pasta getting past his prime

There’s basically 3 players in the UFA market, Marner, Bennett, Ehlers. 1 elite player, 2 good players and they’ll have a massive market this summer.

The offense is a complete 1 man show and to get where Tampa& Florida have been the last couple of seasons they need 2 elite forwards more, a legit 1C and a legit star on the wing besides Pasta. The only realistic way to address that is the draft

I just doubt they are ready to accept it and will refuse to rebuild and are determined to retool on the fly. Sign more players and try to hunt a wc spot without having a legit 1C in the system or another star to compliment Pasta and challenge the true elite teams in the league

”Good enough to play in april, not good enough to play in june”

OR, they can make trades. That’s also an option. Similar to Florida. The only players of significance on the Panthers roster who were drafted by them are Barkov and Ekblad. Tkachuk Reinhart Bennett Verhaeghe Bobrovsky Lundell (Jones Marchand) were all acquired via trade or free agency. Look at Vegas roster as another example.

There is more than one way to build a team. It doesn’t HAVE to be all-in on the draft. Imo it’s a blend of good drafting, identifying talented players in free agency BEFORE they breakout, and being opportunistic when core players become available via trade. I’m not sure Sweeney and his pro scouts are up for the challenge.

The Bruins being a playoff team next season isn’t far fetched.

 

[Jim]

So I guess your plan would be to stand pat this season.

And what if Swayman, McAvoy, Lindholm and Pasta (for the whole season) return to form? Geekie proves to be a true 30 (or better) goal scorer. Poitras turns out to be what we have hoped for. Lohrei actually improves defensively. Are we really guaranteed to get a top 10 pick? Or do we trade half of those guys to tank again at the deadline next season? Don't think that would fly.

When all that happens, you buy the following off season to support it. You don’t throw good money after what if’s and find yourself on the fringe of the playoffs because 50% turned out.

We can’t buy our way back to being a healthy club. The best we can do is patchwork, which is exactly how Lindholm and Zadorov turned out. The cupboards are bare, or does someone still want to make the argument that all the prospect rankings putting us last have been wrong?

Take a few years and draft, develop (by playing the youth we would otherwise shy away from playing if we were contenders), and then when we see signs of improvement, add free agent talent.

The earliest this gets done, if done right, is 3 draft season including this one. IMO

 

[chizzler]

OR, they can make trades. That’s also an option. Similar to Florida. The only players of significance on the Panthers roster who were drafted by them are Barkov and Ekblad. Tkachuk Reinhart Bennett Verhaeghe Bobrovsky Lundell (Jones Marchand) were all acquired via trade or free agency. Look at Vegas roster as another example.

There is more than one way to build a team. It doesn’t HAVE to be all-in on the draft. Imo it’s a blend of good drafting, identifying talented players in free agency BEFORE they breakout, and being opportunistic when core players become available via trade. I’m not sure Sweeney and his pro scouts are up for the challenge.

The Bruins being a playoff team next season isn’t far fetched.

Trade who? They have no real assets, hence the two year retool. Florida and Vegas had assets. We’ll see going forward how manny of those they make now. Eventually you run out. Same as the B’s.

 

[BB88]

OR, they can make trades. That’s also an option. Similar to Florida. The only players of significance on the Panthers roster who were drafted by them are Barkov and Ekblad. Tkachuk Reinhart Bennett Verhaeghe Bobrovsky Lundell (Jones Marchand) were all acquired via trade or free agency. Look at Vegas roster as another example.

There is more than one way to build a team. It doesn’t HAVE to be all-in on the draft. Imo it’s a blend of good drafting, identifying talented players in free agency BEFORE they breakout, and being opportunistic when core players become available via trade. I’m not sure Sweeney and his pro scouts are up for the challenge.

The Bruins being a playoff team next season isn’t far fetched.

If you read my posts I said they aren’t in position to make trades for good enough players

I very well know how Zito built the Panthers

But as I said when you have one of the worst prospect pools in the league and multiple major holes in the lineup it’s not a 1 offseason fix. The assets you’d have to give up are absolutely assets Boston can’t afford to give up. They have to rebuild the prospect pool and keep their own pick. Everyone would be asking either their own -25 or -26 pick+

I also said the time to go for trades like that is the 2026 when they are better positioned to trade their assets and use the cap space they have

They can be a playoff team next year if they go all in for it, I just don’t see how it’s worth it to sacrifice the future for

Edit

2 top 5/10 picks, then you go for your own Reinhart/Bennett deals with the extra assets acquired

 

[BB88]

How can I disagree?

Healthy Bruins team will have at best 8-12th pick in next year's draft. That's what I am disagreeing with. Basically betting you are not gifted with being able to see into the future.

I know what you are disagreeing with

When you have the worst C group in the league and only Pasta on offense it’s not a stretch to say they aren’t a top 3 team in the Atlantic next season and at best fighting for a wc spot

It’s reality today

 

[Jim]

If you read my posts I said they aren’t in position to make trades for good enough players

I very well know how Zito built the Panthers

But as I said when you have one of the worst prospect pools in the league and multiple major holes in the lineup it’s not a 1 offseason fix. The assets you’d have to give up are absolutely assets Boston can’t afford to give up. They have to rebuild the prospect pool and keep their own pick. Everyone would be asking either their own -25 or -26 pick+

I also said the time to go for trades like that is the 2026 when they are better positioned to trade their assets and use the cap space they have

They can be a playoff team next year if they go all in for it, I just don’t see how it’s worth it to sacrifice the future for

Edit

2 top 5/10 picks, then you go for your own Reinhart/Bennett deals with the extra assets acquired

You may know how the Panthers were built, but your post read like you didn’t. You mention trades vs homegrown talent, which is disingenuous unless you point out that to bring in a huge assets like Tkachuk, they gave up Huberdeau and Weegar, while still having talent like Barkov and Ekblad left behind.

 

[BB88]

You may know how the Panthers were built, but your post read like you didn’t. You mention trades vs homegrown talent, which is disingenuous unless you point out that to bring in a huge assets like Tkachuk, they gave up Huberdeau and Weegar, while still having talent like Barkov and Ekblad left behind.

I don’t understand your point?

 

[GordonHowe]

Who’s suggesting a draft pick will “save the team”??? I may have missed that post.

I believe in freedom of opinion. Apparently some here don’t. Insinuating someone “isn’t a real fan” because they can smell a top 5 pick this summer is hyperbole. If you want to root for a 7 game win streak in the coming weeks so the players feel some sort of confidence going into the summer, then so be it. Cheer away. It doesn’t make you anymore of a fan than the rest of us.

 

[GordonHowe]

Yea and don't show up draft day, saying they wish they had a higher pick.

Someone will.

Book it.

 

[GordonHowe]

I'm wondering if the NHL will pull a fast one like they did with Chicago post kane and toews era. Team went from 3rd to 1st overall. we have a 19% chance to jump to a top 2 pick.

Would be interesting to see the conspiracy theorists if Boston jumps up.

Its more likely we will hit the 21% chance to drop to 6th OV lol.

Why don't we get players like that?

Actually, Batman might engineer something good for us. Boston is a huge draw across the league, with many out of town fans. TV ratings are the coin of the realm.

Go Gary Go.

Do something for the rest of us for once in your life.

 

[Jim]

I don’t understand your point?

Just reiterating that we don’t have the homegrown talent to trade our way out of this the way Florida did when they moved the two players that brought in Tkachuk. Both of those guys were drafted by the Panthers, flourished, and were still relatively young. We don’t have that unless you want to move Pasta or McAvoy (which I’d be fine with moving either, assuming we win the trade the way Florida did). Clearly we have nothing behind them to take the role of our stars and leaders the way the Panthers did. We certainly don’t have the star power to do a 2-for-1 like Florida did.

The point being: trading is NOT an option.

 

[Oates2Neely]

Trade who? They have no real assets, hence the two year retool. Florida and Vegas had assets. We’ll see going forward how manny of those they make now. Eventually you run out. Same as the B’s.

Sam Reinhart: acquired for a 1st and Levi (7th round goalie prospect)

Sam Bennet: acquired for a 2nd, 6th and prospect (Heineman)

Carter Verhaeghe: Was RFA eligible but Tampa didn’t qualify and let him walk. Panthers signed him as a UFA 2 year deal 1m per. (Acquired with no assets)

Tomas Hertl: Acquired from SJ (along with two 3rd’s) for a 1st + prospect (Edstrom, 32nd overall Vegas pick).

Noah Hanifin: Acquired for a 1st, conditional 3rd and dman (Miromanov, undrafted free agent).

Mark Stone: Acquired for a 2nd, Brannstrom, Lindberg

Dylan Strome: signed as a UFA, 1 year 3.5m

Jakob Chychrun: Acquired for Nick Jensen and a 3rd

Why do Bruins fans assume it’s hard to make hockey trades?? All the best teams in the league do it.

 

[chizzler]

Yah, they were trading those 1sts and seconds rounders like the Bruins did when they had a power house. Right now, the Bruins aren’t a power house. Meaning, your trying get out of last place so to speak. That’s not how to rebuild, that’s trying to win the cup.

Good research though.