MMB’s Bruins Preview 2024-2025 - Answers and Questions

[TD Charlie]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…..as fans we’re very, very lucky if we see our team play 20% of the amount of playoff games as we see regular season games.

We’re also extremely lucky if our team wins a title in our lifetime, never mind two plus.

Given that, as long as they make the playoffs, I’d rather see a tough team than a passive one….even if the passive one finished a few spots higher in the standings….because once the playoffs begin, it’s a crapshoot.

Still waiting for that 2nd

Although 2011 was dead center of my physical prime, so I am still pleased as punch about that one.

Would really relish another Cup as I get old and fat though.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Part 3
My first question mark of the offseason?

Team speed.

It’s something one could argue we lacked before going into free agency. And something Sweeney himself said was going to be the primary focus going into it. Why did a player like Jesper Boqvist actually look decent (more than a JAG) last season? His footspeed. He’s a JAG and we don’t even have him anymore. It wasn’t addressed. If anything, we got slower.

Solutions to the top nine appear to be Merkulov, Brazeau or Lysell. Of these, only Lysell represents the skillset. Brazeau has the inside track even seeing some powerplay time in his brief stint in 2024, but I don’t want any part of him in that role as it will only exasperate this issue. I like Brazeau (A LOT actually). But he does not fit the makeup of the current roster’s needs in that role.

It may not matter as much as I think it will. Transition game should be improved. My gripe is how do you state this as being your primary goal of free agency and then ignore it entirely? How do you identify speed as being an opportunity - and then go the opposite direction? And how many different players are we going to try squeeze into roles unfitting of them in order to attempt to infuse speed into the top part of the roster?

 

[dafoomie]

Way too simplistic an analysis.

As an example, the Hurricanes had Brett Burns (6'5", 230), Jacob Slavin (6'3", 207), Brady Skjei (6'3", 210) and Brett Pesce (6'3", 206) on defense and the Panthers swept them.

Carolina lost game 1 with 7 seconds left in the 4th OT, lost game 2 in OT, lost game 3 1-0, and lost game 4 in the last 5 seconds of the 3rd. They were an average team up front, lost Svechnikov before the playoffs, and Bobrovsky stood on his head. Their defense is what kept them in it.

 

[Carl Hungus]

Florida beat two teams who were much more skilled than they were in those playoffs, the difference that allowed Vegas's skill to win was their size. Size on the back end to withstand the forecheck, size up front to cause problems of their own, they nullified the one big advantage Florida had on everyone else.

Tkachuk tried to take out Eichel when game 2 was out of reach, as Florida does, but he bounced back. When Florida went home down 0-2 and Kolesar broke Tkachuk's sternum in game 3 the series was over.

That Kolesar hit was just perfect. Watch that on youtube from time to time

 

[PB37]

Part 3
My first question mark of the offseason?

Team speed.

It’s something one could argue we lacked before going into free agency. And something Sweeney himself said was going to be the primary focus going into it. Why did a player like Jesper Boqvist actually look decent (more than a JAG) last season? His footspeed. He’s a JAG and we don’t even have him anymore. It wasn’t addressed. If anything, we got slower.

Solutions to the top nine appear to be Merkulov, Brazeau or Lysell. Of these, only Lysell represents the skillset. Brazeau has the inside track even seeing some powerplay time in his brief stint in 2024, but I don’t want any part of him in that role as it will only exasperate this issue. I like Brazeau (A LOT actually). But he does not fit the makeup of the current roster’s needs in that role.

It may not matter as much as I think it will. Transition game should be improved. My gripe is how do you state this as being your primary goal of free agency and then ignore it entirely? How do you identify speed as being an opportunity - and then go the opposite direction? And how many different players are we going to try squeeze into roles unfitting of them in order to attempt to infuse speed into the top part of the roster?

No DeBrusk or Boqvsit but also no Maroon/JVR/Lucic/Shattenkirk

Hopefully a full year of Beecher/Poitras and perhaps Lysell will uptic the speedometer.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Carolina lost game 1 with 7 seconds left in the 4th OT, lost game 2 in OT, lost game 3 1-0, and lost game 4 in the last 5 seconds of the 3rd. They were an average team up front, lost Svechnikov before the playoffs, and Bobrovsky stood on his head. Their defense is what kept them in it.

And yet they got swept.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Still waiting for that 2nd

Although 2011 was dead center of my physical prime, so I am still pleased as punch about that one.

Would really relish another Cup as I get old and fat though.

I've seen 3, so maybe that's one reason I'm not quite as critical.

That and the fact that the B's have been very competitive for over 50 years.

 

[Fenian24]

Part 3
My first question mark of the offseason?

Team speed.

It’s something one could argue we lacked before going into free agency. And something Sweeney himself said was going to be the primary focus going into it. Why did a player like Jesper Boqvist actually look decent (more than a JAG) last season? His footspeed. He’s a JAG and we don’t even have him anymore. It wasn’t addressed. If anything, we got slower.

Solutions to the top nine appear to be Merkulov, Brazeau or Lysell. Of these, only Lysell represents the skillset. Brazeau has the inside track even seeing some powerplay time in his brief stint in 2024, but I don’t want any part of him in that role as it will only exasperate this issue. I like Brazeau (A LOT actually). But he does not fit the makeup of the current roster’s needs in that role.

It may not matter as much as I think it will. Transition game should be improved. My gripe is how do you state this as being your primary goal of free agency and then ignore it entirely? How do you identify speed as being an opportunity - and then go the opposite direction? And how many different players are we going to try squeeze into roles unfitting of them in order to attempt to infuse speed into the top part of the roster?

Kastelic and Jones are both very good skaters, they will add speed to a 4th line that should be very fast and aggressive with Beecher on it. I'll take the loss in speed in the Griz for Zadorov exchange everyday. You can play fast without great skaters, move the puck out of the zone with quick passes, get it in the zone and use your size and aggressiveness to cycle the puck and set up scoring chances using plus size guys like Brazeau, Frederic, Geekie, Coyle and the fourth line to get tips and screens in front from a D that hopefully gets more shots on net. Create on the turnovers an aggressive forecheck should produce, even if it's Jones or Kastelic (not Mike Bossy clones I grant you) getting those shots crash for the rebounds, create offense off physical play. Hit the opposing D at every opportunity, we have seen here the effect it has on smaller D who don't like getting hit.

I did not include Lysell in my projected forward group, if he makes the Bruins he is one of the fastest skaters on the team and possibly in the league.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Part 3
My first question mark of the offseason?

Team speed.

It’s something one could argue we lacked before going into free agency. And something Sweeney himself said was going to be the primary focus going into it. Why did a player like Jesper Boqvist actually look decent (more than a JAG) last season? His footspeed. He’s a JAG and we don’t even have him anymore. It wasn’t addressed. If anything, we got slower.

Solutions to the top nine appear to be Merkulov, Brazeau or Lysell. Of these, only Lysell represents the skillset. Brazeau has the inside track even seeing some powerplay time in his brief stint in 2024, but I don’t want any part of him in that role as it will only exasperate this issue. I like Brazeau (A LOT actually). But he does not fit the makeup of the current roster’s needs in that role.

It may not matter as much as I think it will. Transition game should be improved. My gripe is how do you state this as being your primary goal of free agency and then ignore it entirely? How do you identify speed as being an opportunity - and then go the opposite direction? And how many different players are we going to try squeeze into roles unfitting of them in order to attempt to infuse speed into the top part of the roster?

Sweeney says a lot of things, some of them he follows through on and some he just doesn't. Take the 2020 offseason for example - he said the Bruins needed to improve at getting useful pucks on net from the blueline, which was true. He then let Krug go, who was arguably the best on the team in that area, and while that in itself made sense, he replaced him with nobody with comparable skills nor added any other skill of that type. So the problem simply dragged on and it's still not a strong point for the team 4 years later.

Team speed is a combination of raw pace, ability to read the play and anticipate and get to pucks first, and ability to pass and play quickly. Having the first doesn't necessarily translate into the other two, but it helps, equally the latter two can be achieved without the first, at least to a point. The Panthers team that won the Cup was actually slower, in raw terms, than their teams of 2-3 years prior, but they were much better at being in the right places and shutting down pucks and opposing plays with purposeful speed.

I thought last year's Bruins lacked both footspeed and play speed. They were reasonably good at getting on pucks, but not great at using them with the sort of speed and precision that you need to break down tough defenses and forechecking tactics, absent some other means of doing so such as sheer brute force. As you say, I see no evidence that they've improved purely on the talent front in this area. Substitute Boqvist for Jones, in this sense, subtract DeBrusk who was never outright fast but was good on the burst and probably the quickest in our top 6, maybe add Lysell, and that's about it. So can they play faster despite not being able to skate any quicker? And if not can they succeed despite it?

And just on the increase in size. I get those who say the team has an identity now but it's not quite that simple. Forging an identity, or a culture, takes time, and sheer size in itself isn't worth too much unless it comes with the right attitude and is put to good use. So I appreciate the roster beefing up, but it remains to be seen just what that translates into in terms of the Bruins' play. Hopefully it means good things - I think it will - but we'll have to see how they shape up on the ice.

 

[CellyHard]

Part 3
My first question mark of the offseason?

Team speed.

It’s something one could argue we lacked before going into free agency. And something Sweeney himself said was going to be the primary focus going into it. Why did a player like Jesper Boqvist actually look decent (more than a JAG) last season? His footspeed. He’s a JAG and we don’t even have him anymore. It wasn’t addressed. If anything, we got slower.

Solutions to the top nine appear to be Merkulov, Brazeau or Lysell. Of these, only Lysell represents the skillset. Brazeau has the inside track even seeing some powerplay time in his brief stint in 2024, but I don’t want any part of him in that role as it will only exasperate this issue. I like Brazeau (A LOT actually). But he does not fit the makeup of the current roster’s needs in that role.

It may not matter as much as I think it will. Transition game should be improved. My gripe is how do you state this as being your primary goal of free agency and then ignore it entirely? How do you identify speed as being an opportunity - and then go the opposite direction? And how many different players are we going to try squeeze into roles unfitting of them in order to attempt to infuse speed into the top part of the roster?

Thats why I think Poitras and Lysell and to a lesser extent Merkulov are just about locks to make the team. Poitras isn't the fastest but he's shifty and quick to pucks. Lysell can flat out fly.

I don't think they got slower. Yes they lost the speed of Debrusk, Lauko and Boqvist but the latter two were in and out of the lineup. On the other end they lost some really slow players in JVR, Maroon and Shattenkirk.

Now you have full time players of Max Jones, Beecher and Lysell (hopefully) with elite speed. Zadorov is surprisingly fast for a big man and Poitras, Lindholm and Kastelic are all at least average skaters.

The Bruins aren't terribly fast but I would wager at least every player is an average skater or better. The only slow player on the roster is Brazeau but it's really his first step and it doesn't impact his game all that much. He brings another unique skill set that we need.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Thats why I think Poitras and Lysell and to a lesser extent Merkulov are just about locks to make the team. Poitras isn't the fastest but he's shifty and quick to pucks. Lysell can flat out fly.

I don't think they got slower. Yes they lost the speed of Debrusk, Lauko and Boqvist but the latter two were in and out of the lineup. On the other end they lost some really slow players in JVR, Maroon and Shattenkirk.

Now you have full time players of Max Jones, Beecher and Lysell (hopefully) with elite speed. Zadorov is surprisingly fast for a big man and Poitras, Lindholm and Kastelic are all at least average skaters.

The Bruins aren't terribly fast but I would wager at least every player is an average skater or better. The only slow player on the roster is Brazeau but it's really his first step and it doesn't impact his game all that much. He brings another unique skill set that we need.

If Poitras, Merkulov and Lysell are locks to make the team, who are the forwards losing their jobs?

Barring injury to start the season, it seems highly unlikely all 3 make the team.

 

[HustleB]

No DeBrusk or Boqvsit but also no Maroon/JVR/Lucic/Shattenkirk

Hopefully a full year of Beecher/Poitras and perhaps Lysell will uptic the speedometer.

Brazeau is a direct replacement for JVR here. I think he has his spot on the roster and we are at our best when he is the 12th or 13th forward. He is constantly behind the play on defense. I don’t really think teams took advantage of that last year but I imagine we will see more issues the more he plays. He has incredible intuition in the offensive zone and awesome hands. If he plays I’d like to see him mostly on the pp with really sheltered 5v5 minutes. He might be on my 3rd line but he’d play 4th line minutes if I were doling out the minutes right now. If all goes well I could see him scoring 20 with pp time but having him on the ice in big games constantly behind the game seems too big a risk when the inches really matter.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

If Poitras, Merkulov and Lysell are locks to make the team, who are the forwards losing their jobs?

Barring injury to start the season, it seems highly unlikely all 3 make the team.

You slot in Poitras at 3C and Lysell at 2C then no one “loses their job”. Merk is battling Poitras for 3C, Lysell for 2RW (though he’s never played there), or Brazeau/Jones/Kastelic et al.

 

[Grimey]

Way too simplistic an analysis.

As an example, the Hurricanes had Brett Burns (6'5", 230), Jacob Slavin (6'3", 207), Brady Skjei (6'3", 210) and Brett Pesce (6'3", 206) on defense and the Panthers swept them.

That series was a tight one regardless of Florida sweeping them. Can’t recall off the top of my head but I feel like they were all one goal games including some OTs and Tkachuk netting the series winner with 4 seconds in regulation. To say “and yet they got swept” is pretty simplistic as well. A couple bounces the other way and Canes could’ve swept Florida (I know it’s a hypothetical but it’s not like the Panthers ate that defense core alive for 4 games).

 

[Gordoff]

Still waiting for that 2nd

Although 2011 was dead center of my physical prime, so I am still pleased as punch about that one.

Would really relish another Cup as I get old and fat though.

2011 was my third Stanley Cup.

 

[FONZIE]

To me, it seems like Donny grabbed guys with size that can play and have better than average speed and skating for their size. You lose JVR and Maroon that simply don't have the speed. They have to keep Beecher in the lineup as he seems to be starting to bring some snarl to his game.

I'm apprehensive on just how good Kastelic will be - I'm in a wait and see mode with him. I see him being the 13th forward for now.

I'm hoping Braz can keep up the production this year. He's the one that doesn't seem to fit the mold of having size and using it, but if he produces then all is good.

 

[CellyHard]

If Poitras, Merkulov and Lysell are locks to make the team, who are the forwards losing their jobs?

Barring injury to start the season, it seems highly unlikely all 3 make the team.

No I agree very unlikely all 3 make the team.
Didn’t mean for it to come across like that. I think Merlulov is on the outside looking in but truth be told, I think Poitras and Lysell are basically locks

Or maybe a better way to say it, it’s their spots to lose

They need the skill

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

You slot in Poitras at 3C and Lysell at 2C then no one “loses their job”. Merk is battling Poitras for 3C, Lysell for 2RW (though he’s never played there), or Brazeau/Jones/Kastelic et al.

That wouldn't be much of a battle.