Sportsnet Elliotte Friedman " 32 Thoughts " Column ( Updated November 14 - 2024 )

[BostonBob]

Of course the only Bruin news is about the Swayman contract situation.

5. Otherwise, not a ton from the weekend on the RFAs. Quiet around Jeremy Swayman as everyone tries to bridge the philosophical differences. I stick to my prediction Dawson Mercer builds a bridge deal. The most stress-free negotiation so far is Thomas Harley’s, but we’ll see what happens this week.

6. One thing that’s definitely happened with Swayman: it has reminded teams why you should move mountains before taking cornerstone players to arbitration. Every few years there’s a case — Tommy Salo, P.K. Subban, Shea Weber — leaving lasting bitterness on someone’s part. (I always admired Brendan Morrison for not losing his mind when the NHL’s lawyer called him the mouse to Todd Bertuzzi’s elephant.) The best news for the Bruins is their No. 1 goalie still wants to sign long-term.



Full column: www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/32-thoughts-where-remaining-rfas-stand-as-training-camps-near/

Click to read more...

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

The Bruins didn’t bring Swayman to arbitration smh my head.

 

[BostonBob]

The Bruins didn’t bring Swayman to arbitration smh my head.

I think Friedman is referring to last season.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I think Friedman is referring to last season.

And the point is still true

 

[BostonBob]

No Bruin news this week but still a good read.

32 Thoughts: How Igor Shesterkin's next contract will change the market

As the season begins, NY Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin enters the final year of his contract. If he sets a new high bar at the position, what will that number be? Plus thoughts on other goalie situations in Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver, and predictions for what's ahead.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[Hookslide]

No Bruin news this week but still a good read.

32 Thoughts: How Igor Shesterkin's next contract will change the market

As the season begins, NY Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin enters the final year of his contract. If he sets a new high bar at the position, what will that number be? Plus thoughts on other goalie situations in Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver, and predictions for what's ahead.

www.sportsnet.ca

Igor will set the market for goalies and Swayman will pout that he is not getting the credit for setting the market.

 

[BostonBob]

Nothing major but Friedman squeezed in a bit of Bruin news in this week's column:

6. I watch a lot of Boston (shoutout Sophia Jurksztowicz, hope to see you back on-air soon). The eye-test isn’t pretty, the underlying numbers are unusually poor. Theory from 900 km away: the Bruins' two games with Florida messed them up. The playoffs are for “taking numbers” and dealing with things next season. The Bruins desired that, it was a pointed topic of discussion. But the Panthers beat them twice, while not allowing Boston to gain any satisfying measure of physical payback.

There’s been a lot early: Jeremy Swayman’s lengthy contract stalemate; Jim Montgomery going hard at captain Brad Marchand on the bench in Utah. That yelling wouldn’t bother me, as long as it was a rare occurrence. I’d be more worried if it happened often, that’s a sign of things coming unglued. A couple sources pointed out that they don’t like coaches who only make examples of young players or fourth-liners, and Montgomery isn’t afraid to criticize his stars. (The tap to Marchand was the only thing that concerned me, but didn’t cross a line and surely won't happen again.)

They don’t look like themselves, but repeatedly made us look like fools for anticipating their demise. High-IQ team that isn’t itself right now and needs a re-start. Again, personal opinion, but I thought those Florida games really threw them (and reminded us the Panthers are still a force).

32 Thoughts: Wild's Kirill Kaprizov should be in Hart Trophy race

Kirill Kaprizov never has received strong Hart Trophy consideration, but it looks like that's about to change. The Wild star is sending an early message that he deserves to be a candidate.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[Kalus]

Nothing major but Friedman squeezed in a bit of Bruin news in this week's column:

6. I watch a lot of Boston (shoutout Sophia Jurksztowicz, hope to see you back on-air soon). The eye-test isn’t pretty, the underlying numbers are unusually poor. Theory from 900 km away: the Bruins' two games with Florida messed them up. The playoffs are for “taking numbers” and dealing with things next season. The Bruins desired that, it was a pointed topic of discussion. But the Panthers beat them twice, while not allowing Boston to gain any satisfying measure of physical payback.

There’s been a lot early: Jeremy Swayman’s lengthy contract stalemate; Jim Montgomery going hard at captain Brad Marchand on the bench in Utah. That yelling wouldn’t bother me, as long as it was a rare occurrence. I’d be more worried if it happened often, that’s a sign of things coming unglued. A couple sources pointed out that they don’t like coaches who only make examples of young players or fourth-liners, and Montgomery isn’t afraid to criticize his stars. (The tap to Marchand was the only thing that concerned me, but didn’t cross a line and surely won't happen again.)

They don’t look like themselves, but repeatedly made us look like fools for anticipating their demise. High-IQ team that isn’t itself right now and needs a re-start. Again, personal opinion, but I thought those Florida games really threw them (and reminded us the Panthers are still a force).

32 Thoughts: Wild's Kirill Kaprizov should be in Hart Trophy race

Kirill Kaprizov never has received strong Hart Trophy consideration, but it looks like that's about to change. The Wild star is sending an early message that he deserves to be a candidate.

www.sportsnet.ca

That’s a reasonable take by EF. This team will be fine. They’ll make the playoffs, maybe win a round if we are lucky.

 

[22Brad Park]

Nothing major but Friedman squeezed in a bit of Bruin news in this week's column:

6. I watch a lot of Boston (shoutout Sophia Jurksztowicz, hope to see you back on-air soon). The eye-test isn’t pretty, the underlying numbers are unusually poor. Theory from 900 km away: the Bruins' two games with Florida messed them up. The playoffs are for “taking numbers” and dealing with things next season. The Bruins desired that, it was a pointed topic of discussion. But the Panthers beat them twice, while not allowing Boston to gain any satisfying measure of physical payback.

There’s been a lot early: Jeremy Swayman’s lengthy contract stalemate; Jim Montgomery going hard at captain Brad Marchand on the bench in Utah. That yelling wouldn’t bother me, as long as it was a rare occurrence. I’d be more worried if it happened often, that’s a sign of things coming unglued. A couple sources pointed out that they don’t like coaches who only make examples of young players or fourth-liners, and Montgomery isn’t afraid to criticize his stars. (The tap to Marchand was the only thing that concerned me, but didn’t cross a line and surely won't happen again.)

They don’t look like themselves, but repeatedly made us look like fools for anticipating their demise. High-IQ team that isn’t itself right now and needs a re-start. Again, personal opinion, but I thought those Florida games really threw them (and reminded us the Panthers are still a force).

32 Thoughts: Wild's Kirill Kaprizov should be in Hart Trophy race

Kirill Kaprizov never has received strong Hart Trophy consideration, but it looks like that's about to change. The Wild star is sending an early message that he deserves to be a candidate.

www.sportsnet.ca

That's on Montgomery.He should have been marking days as soon as schedule came out.I am not a big Friedman fan but he nailed this.

 

[BostonBob]

Nothing on the Bruins this week.

32 Thoughts: Trade talk beginning to pick up across the league

Trade talk has picked, and it will continue to do so. Some of the teams who preached patience are starting to run out of it. Elliotte Friedman takes a look at that, and other thoughts from around the league.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[BostonBob]

I guess not much was happening in Leafland this week because Friedman actually had time to mention the Bruins:

8. Boston is a little tougher to figure. They’ve looked around, as you would expect, but they’ve tried to be patient. They indicated it was important to see how last weekend went, and the answer was “perfect,” with back-to-back shutouts. So, things cooled down. For 48 hours. They went off the rails in Toronto before grabbing a roller-coaster win against Calgary. They are really trying to let this group work out its problems.

32 Thoughts: NCAA decision opens door to chaos and options for players

In this week's edition of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman looks at the fallout from the NCAA decision and how it will open door for players.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[BostonBob]

New column today:

32 Thoughts: Where do the Penguins go from here?

The Pittsburgh Penguins made a trade on Tuesday, but that won't be the last move for the struggling team. In this week's thoughts, Elliotte Friedman writes about the possibilities for the Penguins, Auston Matthews' injury, upcoming CBA negotiations, and more.

www.sportsnet.ca