Post-Game Talk: NHL Expansion Draft and Awards Show - Bruins lose Colin Miller - Bergeron Wins Selke

[BruinDust]

The only person that wanted Kevan more than the other two is the Sweeney for protecting Kevan. We have no idea what LV would have done if they were both exposed.

Kevan has improved his foot speed no doubt, it only took 5yrs to improve which is three more than what they gave Colin Miller.

The problem is some prospects take time to develop, it's the Bruins are notorious for giving up early on talented players and give more lienency to big tough players with limited skill.

Fact still remains that LV took Miller over top 4 Mcquaid, so for all the "improving" that Mcquaid has done he was passed over. Why?

By they I meant Sweeney.

You'll have to ask McPhee why they took Colin over McQuaid.

I will say this, if you look at the roles McQuaid plays, clearly Vegas targeted Engelland with the Vegas connection (he lives there and played in the ECHL there), and Engelland will essentially be playing the "McQuaid role" for Vegas in Year 1.

 

[bb_fan]

Huh?

my reference about soft vs physical or being physical and playing physical is like comparing a Beleskey check vs a Lucic check.

Or Reiley Smith going into the corners VS Seguin going into the corners when they were here. I'd hardly call smith a 'physical' player, but he would go in and take the hit and make body contact. that is still being physical, but I don't think anyone looked at it like 'wow, did you see that hit' or 'that was some solid contact' vs a Seguin who barley would.

Or going into the corner or behind the net with Chara of today vs Chara of ten years ago.

Hockey by nature is a physical sport.

But there are very few guys left on this team that use that physicality for a purpose.

Carlo is physical, but no more so than anyone else, and honestly, a bit less.

again, young guy, still learning. Just because he's big I don't expect him to be some physical beast destroying people, but as a team, as a whole, across most of the lines and D-pairings, this team is 'soft'. I(but yet still play physical)

 

[Fenian24]

Do you mean monster in the bad way?

Cause the analytics say that all of us vastly overrated Adam McQuaid.

I was surprised when I looked at them recently, but his advanced stats suck and have always sucked. So do Kevan Miller's.

Sounds like a reason to extend both of them to me.

 

[bb_fan]

How do you feel about a Killer-McQ third pairing this year?

if they are the best options, fine.

if one of the kids outplays them, or a trade happens and someone better is sitting, not good.

 

[TheBigBadB]

if they are the best options, fine.

if one of the kids outplays them, or a trade happens and someone better is sitting, not good.

Problem is that rookie has to be vastly superior to them both or they will play the "in and out" of the lineup games like both Colin and Morrow.

 

[bb_fan]

Problem is that rookie has to be vastly superior to them both or they will play the "in and out" of the lineup games like both Colin and Morrow.

I'm ok with that too.

If there's a rotation of McQuaid/Miller and a rookie on the bottom pairing I don't see the harm.

Mcavoy is a first year player, Carlo a second year player. do we want another first year player as a fulltime option?

that's half the D with no (or a years) NHl experience.

 

[Number8]

One site had the following pairing possibilities for Vegas. In fairness, I've not taken time to check how they've assigned RD/LD. That said, here are some of the possibilities:

Methot - Emelin
Sbisa - Schmidt
McNabb - Garrison
Merill - Engelland
Reinhart - Schlemko
Miller - Van Riemsdyk
Theodore - Stoner

For a moment assume that all of those guys are kept (obviously they won't). For those that are angry about Miller going -- do you think he is a SLAM DUNK to be a top six among that group?

I don't. I think you could argue he might be. But you could also argue he won't.

My point is that if he's not a slam dunk to be a top 6 on a pretty poorly constructed expansion team -- a team like Boston with solid D prospects cannot spend any more time on him.

In non expansion world you keep him obviously and continue to try and develop him. However, in expansion world that luxury is harder to come by.

 

[LouJersey]

The only person that wanted Kevan more than the other two is the Sweeney for protecting Kevan. We have no idea what LV would have done if they were both exposed.

Kevan has improved his foot speed no doubt, it only took 5yrs to improve which is three more than what they gave Colin Miller.

The problem is some prospects take time to develop, it's the Bruins are notorious for giving up early on talented players and give more lienency to big tough players with limited skill.

Fact still remains that LV took Miller over top 4 Mcquaid, so for all the "improving" that Mcquaid has done he was passed over. Why?

probably because there were lots of tough players available and McQ has 5 mil left over 2 years. Judging by the selections there was not a chance in hell that Kevan and his 3 year deal would have been selected.

 

[LouJersey]

One site had the following pairing possibilities for Vegas. In fairness, I've not taken time to check how they've assigned RD/LD. That said, here are some of the possibilities:

Methot - Emelin
Sbisa - Schmidt
McNabb - Garrison
Merill - Engelland
Reinhart - Schlemko
Miller - Van Riemsdyk
Theodore - Stoner

For a moment assume that all of those guys are kept (obviously they won't). For those that are angry about Miller going -- do you think he is a SLAM DUNK to be a top six among that group?

I don't. I think you could argue he might be. But you could also argue he won't.

My point is that if he's not a slam dunk to be a top 6 on a pretty poorly constructed expansion team -- a team like Boston with solid D prospects cannot spend any more time on him.

In non expansion world you keep him obviously and continue to try and develop him. However, in expansion world that luxury is harder to come by.

They will definitely have a waiver problem. I figure 5 of more of those guys will be dealt however.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Carlo I explained. I just think he needs a bit more time to develop into that. Maybe last season was enough for him to do it this year, I just think it wore on him as the season went on last year. To many minutes, to many situations he wasn't ready for.

Krug just isn't that great of a defender.

offensively he's great, defensively not so much.

he can play in the top four, just not someone I would want to see in there consistently.

just like Mcquaid can slot into the top 4, but not something you'd want to see consistently. although I would obviously take Krug in that role full time over Mcquaid with out hesitation.

Carlo played Top 2 last season as a rookie, struggled a bit mid season and then regained his level of play down the stretch. Krug is not the best defensive defenseman, but he's also not nearly as bad as some make him out to be. Didn't help that he was playing with partners that were not Top 4 players (McQ/Killer).

This year you play McAvoy with Chara and put Carlo with Krug and it solves both the issues. Carlo plays 2nd pair, where he should be, and Krug gets a legit partner whose defensive acumen offsets any of his liabilities.

Done.

 

[bruinmann77]

Sounds solid

 

[bb_fan]

Carlo played Top 2 last season as a rookie, struggled a bit mid season and then regained his level of play down the stretch. Krug is not the best defensive defenseman, but he's also not nearly as bad as some make him out to be. Didn't help that he was playing with partners that were not Top 4 players (McQ/Killer).

This year you play McAvoy with Chara and put Carlo with Krug and it solves both the issues. Carlo plays 2nd pair, where he should be, and Krug gets a legit partner whose defensive acumen offsets any of Krug's liabilities.

Done.

hopefully it all works out this year then

 

[Number8]

They will definitely have a waiver problem. I figure 5 of more of those guys will be dealt however.

Oh no, I agree.

I guess my point was just that, as it stands, Miller is not a guarantee starter on an expansion team squad.

In an ideal world we'd keep him and try like hell to develop him. God knows he has raw tools.

It is what it is, but we are locked in to a rebuild while winning strategy. Given that, plus the defensive prospects that "seem" to project better than C Miller, we really didn't have much choice.

He's more of a prospect than a steady top 6 -- even on a marginal expansion team.

That may change in future. But for now, it appears to be so.

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

Don't know if it's been mentioned here, but Marchand was named 1st Team All-Star at LW. Congratulations Marchy!

 

[BadBruins]

No I don't.

But if they want to, they can move him. Easily. Not a massive return, but McQuaid is easily movable for a mid-range asset if they simply want his cap off the books.

I don't think it's as easy as people often believe. I think they'd have to take some salary or a contract back.

Maybe Vegas is still open as a dumping station, but I think an opportunity was missed to shed a little off the books.

 

[Estlin]

Do you mean monster in the bad way?

Cause the analytics say that all of us vastly overrated Adam McQuaid.

I was surprised when I looked at them recently, but his advanced stats suck and have always sucked. So do Kevan Miller's.

What are you doing bringing facts into this discussion?

How do you feel about a Killer-McQ third pairing this year?

That's more than a little scary.

 

[BruinDust]

I don't think it's as easy as people often believe. I think they'd have to take some salary or a contract back.

Maybe Vegas is still open as a dumping station, but I think an opportunity was missed to shed a little off the books.

He makes 2.75 million per. He was 4th in ice time on a playoff team. He's won a Stanley Cup (hockey people still value this). He sticks up for his teammates faster than 99% of the players in the league. His skating and puck-movement have improved.

Last October I thought McQuaid was a lost cause. A albatross contract. A guy who was cooked as an NHL player based on his play post-concussion and pre-season.

But he got better. And better. By the end of the year, he was back to where he was pre-concussion and even improved beyond that. He would of gotten my vote as 7th player, which is a far cry from what my assessment of him was 6 months prior.

The Bruins will have no issues moving him if that is what they want to do. And they won't have to take back salary to do it. Moving McQuaid is not a cap dump.

That being said, I don't see what rush their is to move him. And they probably don't have one.

 

[BadBruins]

He makes 2.75 million per. He was 4th in ice time on a playoff team. He's won a Stanley Cup (hockey people still value this). He sticks up for his teammates faster than 99% of the players in the league. His skating and puck-movement have improved.

Last October I thought McQuaid was a lost cause. A albatross contract. A guy who was cooked as an NHL player based on his play post-concussion and pre-season.

But he got better. And better. By the end of the year, he was back to where he was pre-concussion and even improved beyond that. He would of gotten my vote as 7th player, which is a far cry from what my assessment of him was 6 months prior.

The Bruins will have no issues moving him if that is what they want to do. And they won't have to take back salary to do it. Moving McQuaid is not a cap dump.

That being said, I don't see what rush their is to move him. And they probably don't have one.

He's 31 at the start of the season. He finished the year with another injury. He has multiple years left on his contract.

Contending teams that would have interest in him are typically operating near the cap anyway. $2.5-3M far a career 3rd pairing D is a lot of money.

I just don't think he has THAT many suiters. Maybe Calgary? Seems like a Brian Burke guy. Engelland is off to Vegas.

 

[Riverfront]

don Sweeney, will protect the U.S. born player over the Canadian born player no doubt.
Don't think it is the main reason why he protected kevan over Collin but it may have played a small part in the back of his mind.
Only time will tell, if letting Collin go was a mistake and if he ends up in Toronto, I predict he will be a top 4 d and the leafs will trade kadri, gardiner, JVR, in a blockbuster trade that will get them a number 1 d that they covet i.e. drew doughty, alex pietrangelo .
So there top 4 d will be :
Doughty/ Reilly
Zaitsev/ C. Miller

 

[BruinDust]

He's 31 at the start of the season. He finished the year with another injury. He has multiple years left on his contract.

Contending teams that would have interest in him are typically operating near the cap anyway. $2.5-3M far a career 3rd pairing D is a lot of money.

I just don't think he has THAT many suiters. Maybe Calgary? Seems like a Brian Burke guy. Engelland is off to Vegas.

I don't think every team has interest, and some like you said are up against the cap aren't going to be able to fit him in. But there certainly are some who do and value what he brings. And his suitors aren't just limited to supposed contending teams

He has two years left. He's 31 in October. It's not a massive amount. If he had played poorly last year then yeah, tough to move him. But he played very well, arguably his best season as a pro from about mid-November onward.

 

[BadBruins]

I don't think every team has interest, and some like you said are up against the cap aren't going to be able to fit him in. But there certainly are some who do and value what he brings. And his suitors aren't just limited to supposed contending teams

He has two years left. He's 31 in October. It's not a massive amount. If he had played poorly last year then yeah, tough to move him. But he played very well, arguably his best season as a pro from about mid-November onward.

I suppose. We will see. There's a redundancy factor with McQuaid/Miller. They obviously like Miller more. $5.25M is a lot to pay for a tandem that should probably never be in the same lineup at the same time. They already have Hayes ($2.3M) and Beleskey ($3.8M) who aren't guaranteed to be everyday lineup guys. That's a lot of mistakes. All current regime signings.

I just think most teams will look to fill a 3rd pairing or bottom-6 forward spots with free agents or in house options first.

 

[LouJersey]

if they are the best options, fine.

if one of the kids outplays them, or a trade happens and someone better is sitting, not good.

I suppose. We will see. There's a redundancy factor with McQuaid/Miller. They obviously like Miller more. $5.25M is a lot to pay for a tandem that should probably never be in the same lineup at the same time. They already have Hayes ($2.3M) and Beleskey ($3.8M) who aren't guaranteed to be everyday lineup guys. That's a lot of mistakes. All current regime signings.

I just think most teams will look to fill a 3rd pairing or bottom-6 forward spots with free agents or in house options first.

Chara-Carlo
Miller-McAvoy
Krug-McQuaid.

With no deals or injuries, book it for opening night.

 

[BruinDust]

Chara-Carlo
Miller-McAvoy
Krug-McQuaid.

With no deals or injuries, book it for opening night.

That actually looks pretty good. Not ideal, but not bad at all.

You got your two PP D in Krug and McAvoy

Your 4 PK D in Chara/McQuaid/Kevan/Carlo.

Balance out the ice-time Pittsburgh style, having each pair in the 19-22 min range on average.

 

[PB37]

So much talk for a spare parts dman. Geez.

 

[bp13]

Carlo played Top 2 last season as a rookie, struggled a bit mid season and then regained his level of play down the stretch. Krug is not the best defensive defenseman, but he's also not nearly as bad as some make him out to be. Didn't help that he was playing with partners that were not Top 4 players (McQ/Killer).

This year you play McAvoy with Chara and put Carlo with Krug and it solves both the issues. Carlo plays 2nd pair, where he should be, and Krug gets a legit partner whose defensive acumen offsets any of his liabilities.

Done.

I'm good with this. This is what I expect to see too. Then you have Killer and probably Liles or Morrow on 3rd pair. Your 6th d-guy sucks but that's not atypical.

It's a decent defense. Not great, but not bad at all.