Speculation: Franchise Defenseman

[BruinDust]

What's the short and long term plan as far as the #1 franchise defenseman?

Is he in the system? Carlo? Where does McAvoy project?

Are we looking at a repeat of the lack of a bridge between Bourque and Chara?
Can a team compete without a bona fide #1?

In all honesty, given how hard it is to find a legit No.1 D, and how few there are in the league, I don't think it is something you can plan for.

You can tank for years and never draft a legit No.1 D.

You can load up on assets and never be able to trade for a legit No.1 D.

You can toss all sorts of money and term at guys in free agency and never find a legit No.1 D.

If you did an analysis of legit No.1 D in this league, where they were found/draft, how they were acquired, etc. etc., rarely is it planned out.

When SJ got Burns out of Minnesota, I'm sure they didn't say "we finally got our future No.1 D", especially considering they used him at forward for years.

If also pretty sure when the likes of Karlsson, Weber, Subban, and Keith were drafted, those teams didn't know they had future No.1 D.

Draft well, develop well, trade well, sign well, and hopefully you'll get a No.1 guy.

In the meantime, grow as good of a group as you can 1 through 6/7.

 

[DitClapper]

Hope and estimation has to be McAvoy becomes that.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

Zboril, sadly, didn't even make the Czech's top 3 players in the WJCs despite being one of the oldest and being the only 1st rounder on the team.

I like Zboril and Lauzon enough, but they look very similar to me and are (right now) looking like future 3rd pairing guys. Lauzon looked better at the Memorial Cup last year.

McAvoy has a few defensive warts from what I have seen at the WJCs the last 2 years BUT so did Werenski last year, so that alone doesn't make mean he can't jump in and have an impact next year. Is he a future #1? Too early to say, but maybe.

Carlo is a top pairing Dman --I would give him some 2nd unit PP time to develop that area of his game --Czarnik appears to have a wet-noodle shot back there as well.

 

[Brucentric*]

If Krug is a #3 then it's not far off at all to say McAvoy is an improved version and a solid #2.

Krug is trade bait for a true 1-2 guy as far as i am concerned. We cant pay him, his salary needs to go toward a true 1-2.

I heard the announcer when i was watching the WJ game say McAvoy was a Gary Suter type, Suter is a horse who is a number 1 stud. That said this current team still needs a true 1-2 guy who is 25 or less who is established now. Trouba would be perfect. He can do everything well.

 

[BruinDust]

Zboril, sadly, didn't even make the Czech's top 3 players in the WJCs despite being one of the oldest and being the only 1st rounder on the team.

I like Zboril and Lauzon enough, but they look very similar to me and are (right now) looking like future 3rd pairing guys. Lauzon looked better at the Memorial Cup last year.

McAvoy has a few defensive warts from what I have seen at the WJCs the last 2 years BUT so did Werenski last year, so that alone doesn't make mean he can't jump in and have an impact next year. Is he a future #1? Too early to say, but maybe.

Carlo is a top pairing Dman --I would give him some 2nd unit PP time to develop that area of his game --Czarnik appears to have a wet-noodle shot back there as well.

I watched every Czech WJC game.

Zboril wasn't among their Top 10 players, let alone the top 3.

He was bad, plain and simple.

Natural skills (shot, skating, able hitter) aplenty.

His hockey sense or hockey intelligence was Benoit Pouliot-like, and that's not a compliment.

 

[rainone99]

I watched every Czech WJC game.

Zboril wasn't among their Top 10 players, let alone the top 3.

He was bad, plain and simple.

Natural skills (shot, skating, able hitter) aplenty.

His hockey sense or hockey intelligence was Benoit Pouliot-like, and that's not a compliment.

Zboril will get better and mature...that being said after watching this tournament, I wouldn't mind trading him and a Spooner for a top young D man on the left side. Fowler, Brodin, Scandella come to mind...

 

[BruinDust]

Zboril will get better and mature...that being said after watching this tournament, I wouldn't mind trading him and a Spooner for a top young D man on the left side. Fowler, Brodin, Scandella come to mind...

Most likely. But sometimes lack of hockey sense can't be fixed. I think he's still a player at some point, he has great natural skills, but that point is probably further down the road than many here think and what you would expect from a guy chosen 13th overall, regardless of D who were taken behind him.

I'm with you completely on your trade suggestion.

 

[Duguay]

True, the best teams usually have a bonefide #1 guy.

But, you can have a 2A and 2B -- and get away with it. It looks like a good stable of young blueliners in this system right now, and it may work out that way.

But we'll have to wait.

They don't usually stabilize until they're 25.

Speaking of horses, I still think Ray Bourque (present day) would be the Bruins best Defensman.

And I'm being serious.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Krug is trade bait for a true 1-2 guy as far as i am concerned. We cant pay him, his salary needs to go toward a true 1-2.

I heard the announcer when i was watching the WJ game say McAvoy was a Gary Suter type, Suter is a horse who is a number 1 stud. That said this current team still needs a true 1-2 guy who is 25 or less who is established now. Trouba would be perfect. He can do everything well.

I just don't see where Trouba is the right guy here. Trouba has shown he isn't a #1, he just doesn't have it in the offensive zone. Basically he is a more established a bit more physical version of Carlo

Given the cost to acquire him, I just can't see where Trouba fits this org long term

 

[twominute]

What's the short and long term plan as far as the #1 franchise defenseman?

Is he in the system? Carlo? Where does McAvoy project?

Are we looking at a repeat of the lack of a bridge between Bourque and Chara?
Can a team compete without a bona fide #1?

Clear salary, see how prospects progress, look at free agents...

 

[BMC]

The plan right now seems to be ride Chara until he collapses and then pray McAvoy can take his place. Not much of a plan IMHO.

The Bruins have been extraordinarily lucky with their #1 defensemen through the years, they have either grown them (Orr, Bourque) or been able to trade for them (Park, Chara). If I had more faith in the front office I could see this trend continuing. But alas...

 

[JAD]

For all those hoping Sweeney trades for a bonifid #1 stud defenseman. It just doesn't happen unless you are giving up equal ability. And the Bruins only have two players that might qualify Bergeron; Pasternak +.
96% of the time franchise #1 defensemen are obtained by drafting.
My guess, and it is only a guess, is at this point the Bruins are hoping that one of their current core of young defensemen will set himself apart from the rest of the pack.

 

[twominute]

The plan right now seems to be ride Chara until he collapses and then pray McAvoy can take his place. Not much of a plan IMHO.

The Bruins have been extraordinarily lucky with their #1 defensemen through the years, they have either grown them (Orr, Bourque) or been able to trade for them (Park, Chara). If I had more faith in the front office I could see this trend continuing. But alas...

Chara was a free agent, as I expect the next might be. They will have to pay a hefty price for a #1 but as with Chara its worth it.

 

[Brucentric*]

I guess I have a higher standard of what an impact player is

Much higher as is mine. Krug is not even close to the type player we need here. Lets hope he impacts the trade we make to get an impact Dman.

 

[BluesTraveler]

So I'm guessing I'm the only person (backed up by analytics ) that considers Krug the team's franchise defenseman?

 

[Seidenbergy]

Folks here are struggling with the term "impact player". Now we're gonna throw around "franchise defenseman"? Great.

Let's keep it simple.

#1 - #6

Or top pairing, middle pairing, bottom pairing

 

[RonSimmons]

Am I the only one who has watched the WJC and see McAvoy getting caught in the o-zone a bit too much, specifically for someone like Claude's liking? Admittedly, I don't see too many BU games, and there is something to a Doughty comparison however it seems like he's getting caught a bit much.

Thoughts?

 

[BruinDust]

The plan right now seems to be ride Chara until he collapses and then pray McAvoy can take his place. Not much of a plan IMHO.

The Bruins have been extraordinarily lucky with their #1 defensemen through the years, they have either grown them (Orr, Bourque) or been able to trade for them (Park, Chara). If I had more faith in the front office I could see this trend continuing. But alas...

Considering that we really have no idea how good or bad McAvoy will be at the NHL level, it's not a plan at all.

 

[BruinDust]

Am I the only one who has watched the WJC and see McAvoy getting caught in the o-zone a bit too much, specifically for someone like Claude's liking? Admittedly, I don't see too many BU games, and there is something to a Doughty comparison however it seems like he's getting caught a bit much.

Thoughts?

You not wrong, not to get off topic but he's made some questionable decisions in the offensive zone at times. It's not a huge red flag by any means but your not wrong.

But those should be fairly coachable mistakes.

 

[Tim Vezina Thomas]

Krug is an impact player...

Jimmy Hayes makes an impact some nights too. I'm guessing his use of "impact player" involves a top line player.

Krug by my definition is not an impact player. I think Charlie has the upside to be an impact player and has the highest upside of any D man we have.

As to the OP, I think the best way to acquire a franchise d man is to continually draft d men in the first few rounds and get lucky. Players like Karlsson, Subban, Weber and Duncan Keith weren't top 10 picks. Doughty is IMO the best d man in the league, but not all of the best d men are drafted as high as Doughty.

 

[Brucentric*]

The plan right now seems to be ride Chara until he collapses and then pray McAvoy can take his place. Not much of a plan IMHO.

The Bruins have been extraordinarily lucky with their #1 defensemen through the years, they have either grown them (Orr, Bourque) or been able to trade for them (Park, Chara). If I had more faith in the front office I could see this trend continuing. But alas...

Before this season they needed a 1-2 type dman. Actually both as Chara and Carlo is a great 3-4. While Chara is still better then most, he is a little less offensive and less impact then he was. I was watching the World Junour game the other day and the announcer mentioned Suter when he was talking about McAvoy. Suter. If he is like Suter. We have a horse. Now Sweeney needs to get a number one impact Dman under 25-26 and we are set. I dream of a Trouba/McAvoy duo.

Trouba-McAvoy or Trouba type going forward.
Chara-Carlo
C Miller-Morrow-Zboril-Lindgren-OGara,Miller, McQuaid.....This is solid depth for 5-6-7-depth guys.

Somehow we use Krug to get us this D upgrade. I think Winnipeg needs a guy that fits his style. Krug plus what ??? for Trouba. We pay Trouba with Krug money. Then we ad a winger at the deadline and with Rask, we have a shot. This management team is letting the team and the fans down if they do not go for it. Winning the cup is all it is about. They have so many chips. Time to upgrade the Lucic and Hamilton trades. This management fails the 2016 season if not. Bergie, Chara, Krejci and Rask need to speak up. They need a number one Dman.

 

[chizzler]

In all honesty, given how hard it is to find a legit No.1 D, and how few there are in the league, I don't think it is something you can plan for.

You can tank for years and never draft a legit No.1 D.

You can load up on assets and never be able to trade for a legit No.1 D.

You can toss all sorts of money and term at guys in free agency and never find a legit No.1 D.

If you did an analysis of legit No.1 D in this league, where they were found/draft, how they were acquired, etc. etc., rarely is it planned out.

When SJ got Burns out of Minnesota, I'm sure they didn't say "we finally got our future No.1 D", especially considering they used him at forward for years.

If also pretty sure when the likes of Karlsson, Weber, Subban, and Keith were drafted, those teams didn't know they had future No.1 D.

Draft well, develop well, trade well, sign well, and hopefully you'll get a No.1 guy.

In the meantime, grow as good of a group as you can 1 through 6/7.

Best post you've had in a while.

 

[bp13]

So I'm guessing I'm the only person (backed up by analytics ) that considers Krug the team's franchise defenseman?

I'm gonna say yes.

 

[TinyRivers]

Haven't heard much "Shattenkirk wants to be a Bruin" talk this season...Has that gone out the window, considering the Vesey fiasco here?

 

[Tim Vezina Thomas]

Haven't heard much "Shattenkirk wants to be a Bruin" talk this season...Has that gone out the window, considering the Vesey fiasco here?

Hes a UFA at seasons end so he'd be a rental. Depending on the deal I'd sign him in a heartbeat, but I don't think id break the bank for him. Definitely wouldn't trade for him unless he was signed.