BRUINS GDT Free Agent Frenzy - July 1 NOON (ET) - ESPN+, TSN, SN

[PlayMakers]

You do realize poitras will start season in providence right?

No chance.

 

[BruinDust]

If it’s worth anything at all, I’m with you on Lysell… But I think more of Geekie than you.

Way I see it:
Zacha - Lindholm - Pasta
Frederic - Coyle - Lysell
Marchand - Poitras - Geekie

Who you choose to call the second line or the third line is up to you.

Sounds like Sweeney's plan is Zacha-Lindholm-Pasta so Marchand will form a shutdown line with Coyle. The question is who is the RW?

I could see Frederic but that makes the 3rd line of Poitras/Geekie/Brazeau hard to do with all 3 right shots. Same if say it's Lysell and not Poitras.

Does Poitras have the chops to pull a Tyler Seguin, break in on the wing on the Marchand line going up against top offensive players?

Then a 4th line of Jones-Beecher-Kastelic with Beecher and Kastelic both getting face-off duty.

I could see Riley Tufte as the 13th F. Jeffrey Viel got a 2-year deal and could be in the mix as a spare forward maybe they carry 14 protect their depth. Tough player. Cole Koepke as well. I could see one or maybe two of these 3 break camp.

Merkulov/Lysell/Poitras are either in the line-up almost everyday or in Providence. I'd give Poitras the inside track.

Zacha - Lindholm - Pasta

Marchand - Coyle - Poitras

Frederic - Geekie - Brazeau

Jones - Beecher - Kastelic

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Sounds like Sweeney's plan is Zacha-Lindholm-Pasta so Marchand will form a shutdown line with Coyle. The question is who is the RW?

I could see Frederic but that makes the 3rd line of Poitras/Geekie/Brazeau hard to do with all 3 right shots. Same if say it's Lysell and not Poitras.

Does Poitras have the chops to pull a Tyler Seguin, break in on the wing on the Marchand line going up against top offensive players?

Then a 4th line of Jones-Beecher-Kastelic with Beecher and Kastelic both getting face-off duty.

I could see Riley Tufte as the 13th F. Jeffrey Viel got a 2-year deal and could be in the mix as a spare forward maybe they carry 14 protect their depth. Tough player. Cole Koepke as well. I could see one or maybe two of these 3 break camp.

Merkulov/Lysell/Poitras are either in the line-up almost everyday or in Providence. I'd give Poitras the inside track.

Zacha - Lindholm - Pasta

Marchand - Coyle - Poitras

Frederic - Geekie - Brazeau

Jones - Beecher - Kastelic

I hear what you’re saying about the shutdown line with Marchand and Coyle.

I just disagree with it. I like my lines better. Mine gives 1-3 every element required to be successful. Speed on every line. Size on every line. The ability to win board battles. It’s well-rounded and each line will take pressure off the other.

Also, seeing a lot of talk of Brazeau not fitting the fourth line. I disagree with that too. I think 10 minutes a night, playing his heavy game and showing some scoring touch to help make it a threat… I think that sounds PERFECT. Allows him to empty the tank every shift and frees him for some spot duty on PP2. Also makes it a lot more difficult to line match against us - keeps other teams more honest.

 

[sarge88]

Sounds like Sweeney's plan is Zacha-Lindholm-Pasta so Marchand will form a shutdown line with Coyle. The question is who is the RW?

I could see Frederic but that makes the 3rd line of Poitras/Geekie/Brazeau hard to do with all 3 right shots. Same if say it's Lysell and not Poitras.

Does Poitras have the chops to pull a Tyler Seguin, break in on the wing on the Marchand line going up against top offensive players?

Then a 4th line of Jones-Beecher-Kastelic with Beecher and Kastelic both getting face-off duty.

I could see Riley Tufte as the 13th F. Jeffrey Viel got a 2-year deal and could be in the mix as a spare forward maybe they carry 14 protect their depth. Tough player. Cole Koepke as well. I could see one or maybe two of these 3 break camp.

Merkulov/Lysell/Poitras are either in the line-up almost everyday or in Providence. I'd give Poitras the inside track.

Zacha - Lindholm - Pasta

Marchand - Coyle - Poitras

Frederic - Geekie - Brazeau

Jones - Beecher - Kastelic

I keep coming back to Zacha at 2C because he’s so much better offensively than Coyle and Coyle is so much better at 3C than anyone else on the team.

Makes things kind of tricky though because in order to put Zacha at 2C and Coyle at 3C, someone else needs to stretch, so to speak onto line 1 or 2.

It likely won’t happen, but I’d try:

Marchand Lindholm Pasta
Frederic Zacha Poitras
Geekie Coyle Brazeau
Jones Beecher Kastelic

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Have you all looked at other teams rosters? There is zero reason to suggest this Bruins team isn’t a Cup contender. They have as much as a chance as Florida Dallas Edmonton NYR etc. Defense is stacked, Lohrei can progress and really be a wildcard. Poitras too. McAvoy Pastrnak Swayman Marchand followed by Zacha Coyle Lindholm(s), Freddy Geekie… and now with some physicality injection… this team should be in the conference finals.

Has Florida lost anyone besides Montour ? Will they be significantly weaker ? Seems like they still have a better forward group than the Bruins .

 

[BruinDust]

I hear what you’re saying about the shutdown line with Marchand and Coyle.

I just disagree with it. I like my lines better. Mine gives 1-3 every element required to be successful. Speed on every line. Size on every line. The ability to win board battles. It’s well-rounded and each line will take pressure off the other.

Also, seeing a lot of talk of Brazeau not fitting the fourth line. I disagree with that too. I think 10 minutes a night, playing his heavy game and showing some scoring touch to help make it a threat… I think that sounds PERFECT. Allows him to empty the tank every shift and frees him for some spot duty on PP2. Also makes it a lot more difficult to line match against us - keeps other teams more honest.

I like your lines better too its more of what I think they will do more than what I would like to see. I think Lindholm was sold on playing with Pasta so that's where he'll start in the early going.

Problem with Brazeau on the 4th is who then plays above him if say Lysell isn't ready? Brazeau is almost on the 3rd line by default, he's in the line-up for his play in the offensive zone. He's not much in the other two zones.

 

[Alan Ryan]

I thought there was a decent chance poitras would start the year in Providence, but honestly after FA, I just don't see how it happens. Right now they have 1 hole in their top 9 and that assumes Poitras is in it. If he is out of it they have 2 gaping holes. Now maybe Merkulov comes in and is better in camp and gets the 3rd line C job to start the year. (I'm not betting on that)

If not that, what works? Is Beecher your 3rd line C? It would be interesting to see what he could do with better linemates, but I don't think so. Who else? Patrick Brown? Play Frederic at C, and then who fills that wing spot? Max Jones?

Don’t know how the lines will be constructed but they have a lot of options with the new arrivals plus Poitras, Lysell and Merkulov. Training camp will be most interesting.

 

[bruinmann77]

Poitras and Lysell will be on the roster book it

 

[Dizzay]

Yeah that could happen. And it’s going to change so much trying to lock in on second line v third line is an exercise in futility. Does Geekie play more minutes than Lysell in December in Long Island? Maybe.

Good to see you, free of sarcasm, provide an opinion on here of your thoughts on the roster, vs giving your opinion on others. You'll still likely take this as a chirp, but welcome thoughts of your own vs critiques! Keep up the good work!

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

I like your lines better too its more of what I think they will do more than what I would like to see. I think Lindholm was sold on playing with Pasta so that's where he'll start in the early going.

Problem with Brazeau on the 4th is who then plays above him if say Lysell isn't ready? Brazeau is almost on the 3rd line by default, he's in the line-up for his play in the offensive zone. He's not much in the other two zones.

If Lysell isn’t ready and (I’ll say) Merkulov isn’t either? Yeah we’re gonna see something different.

My fingers are crossed.

 

[BergyWho37]

We’ve played the sabres a lot over the years and I honest to god can’t remember anything he has done

That’s fine it’s understandable for most fans they don’t always notice a really good defensive forward that don’t score a lot or even put up a ton of points he just competes hard, kills a lot of plays and Pk’s basically the lunch pail prototype that’s been stuck on a pretty crappy team forever doubt he’s ever seen the playoffs and he’s the type of player who would probably excel in that atmosphere cause he always goes to the dirty areas ..

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Good to see you, free of sarcasm, provide an opinion on here of your thoughts on the roster, vs giving your opinion on others. You'll still likely take this as a chirp, but welcome thoughts of your own vs critiques! Keep up the good work!

Thanks. I don’t take it as a chirp. I just think you’ve missed the point that’s all.

 

[CellyHard]

Poitras and Lysell will be on the roster book it

Book it? That’s the Don Godfathers music

 

[Oates2Neely]

Has Florida lost anyone besides Montour ? Will they be significantly weaker ? Seems like they still have a better forward group than the Bruins .

Montour
Ekman Larsson
Tarasenko

6 game series. Final 3 games were all 1 goal games. Bruins better equipped to handle them now imo.

 

[DiggityDog]

I look forward to every season, even the bad ones.

But this season? I cannot f***ing wait for this season. Most hyped I’ve been in a long time.

That’s why free agent frenzy is bittersweet. You mean I have to wait two months now? Brutal.

Drop the puck.

 

[PB37]

Montour
Ekman Larsson
Tarasenko

6 game series. Final 3 games were all 1 goal games. Bruins better equipped to handle them now imo.

They lost shitbag Lomberg as well. Hope he has his due date soon with a Zadorov body bag hit.

 

[Gordoff]

Beecher in the middle - his impact on draws was significant

Depends on what they need in a particular draw. If they need a left hand faceoff man it's Beecher. If they need a right hand faceoff man, it's Kastelic. Easy Peasey.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

If it’s worth anything at all, I’m with you on Lysell… But I think more of Geekie than you.

Way I see it:
Zacha - Lindholm - Pasta
Frederic - Coyle - Lysell
Marchand - Poitras - Geekie

Who you choose to call the second line or the third line is up to you.

When you see the top 9 actually written out like that my gut reaction is it looks woefully inadequate. But need to be patient. Have to see just how far Poitras and Lysell (and maybe Merkulov) can progress, how well Frederic and perhaps Geekie too can handle extra responsibility, how much a 36-year old Marchand has left in the tank, just how good Lindholm can be for us.

Don't think it's being too negative to say that the forward group as is isn't going to be good enough for the spring in October. Sweeney has basically admitted as much. But that's ok. It doesn't have to be. There's time. I suspect the pretty stacked defense plus Sway will be relied upon to keep things tight in the first 2-3 months while our offense sorts itself out. We see how that plays out and adjust accordingly.

Every year in his short coaching career Monty has had quite a different challenge to solve. No reason to bet against him getting the job done again next season.

 

[UncleRico]

My line of thought is I’m not as high on Geekie as most. Good guy for the regular season as 3RW with Poitras.

Also I’m of the opinion that integrating a young forward with Marchand and Coyle is good for everyone, and I’m a bigger Lysell fan than most.

A trade deadline acquisition of a cheap scoring winger to either pop above Lysell or to plug in at 3RW seems perfect to me.

But we’re a looooong way from that, and I reserve the right to change my mind,

I’m high on lysell as well. Hope he gets a shot. Very encouraged by Mcquaid saying he was excited for lysell this upcoming seasons d that lysell has made big strides in his development over the past year.

The skill is there. Went to a couple providence bruins games and lysell jumps out at you watching those games just from a pure talent perspective. Hopefully he puts it all together this year

 

[Kegs]

I doubt poitras has to earn a spot. I am pretty certain he is already penciled in. Somebody would have to blow their minds at camp to keep him off the roster. I doubt any prospect or any of the other guys they signed to be up and down can shake a stick at poitras.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

I thought there was a decent chance poitras would start the year in Providence, but honestly after FA, I just don't see how it happens. Right now they have 1 hole in their top 9 and that assumes Poitras is in it. If he is out of it they have 2 gaping holes. Now maybe Merkulov comes in and is better in camp and gets the 3rd line C job to start the year. (I'm not betting on that)

If not that, what works? Is Beecher your 3rd line C? It would be interesting to see what he could do with better linemates, but I don't think so. Who else? Patrick Brown? Play Frederic at C, and then who fills that wing spot? Max Jones?

If Beecher is 3C they will be a bubble team. No way should he see 3C time.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

I feel the new additions will bring some swagger back into this lineup. Zadarov Kastelic Jones etc.. It can go a long way. The Bruins of 2011 fed off of Ference’s swagger. It oozed into the rest of the lineup.

Florida proved that the B's needed more players who cannot be taken out of their game by physical play. I like a team constructed of multiple hard nosed players vs. hiring one bad ass who is supposed to keep the other team in line. Ference is a great example of a player who is willing to do what it takes. Those players make the rest of the team accountable to do the same.

 

[bruins cup]

Poitras and Lysell will be on the roster book it

Care to wager on that?

 

[jgatie]

since when is Poitras eligible.... he wasn't when they signed him to an ELC.... HENCE why he stayed the entire year until injury.... the team even allowed him to go to the WJC's

That was last season, when he was only 19. He's 20 years old now, HUTCH.

He is eligible 20 years old and will start the season there


He isn't close to NHL ready and if you didn't notice it yesterday with the bruins signings they are going for a big strong players he definitely is a part of the future but not at least for the first half of the season

You still don't know that he's starting in Providence. Put away the crystal ball, Nostradamus.

 

[JCRO]

I read somewhere yesterday that Poitras managed to put on 9 (good) lbs even though he was rehabbing.

That’s great to hear. Excited to see the kid back in action