Boston Bruins Off Season Roster/ Cap Discussion II

[vjcsmoke]

So can someone explain to me in very simple terms what went wrong?

I thought we had some decent talent and added a couple of big free agent signings.

But we're in line for a top pick indicating we're about the 5th worst franchise in the NHL.

What do we need to fix. Can this team turn it around in a year?

How did we go from President's Trophy winners in 2023 to Cellar Dwellers in 2025?

 

[DKH]

But then Marchand said no, which might have made the Bruins say, huh?!? Really? Marchand doesn’t want to play here for $19m dollars? Well, that changes things.

I’ll take the L and DKH stands for Don’t Know Hockey and go stand in the corner if I’m wrong but I been told he and Sweeney got a verbal deal he’s back

 

[Eddie Munson]

So can someone explain to me in very simple terms what went wrong?

I thought we had some decent talent and added a couple of big free agent signings.

But we're in line for a top pick indicating we're about the 5th worst franchise in the NHL.

What do we need to fix. Can this team turn it around in a year?

How did we go from President's Trophy winners in 2023 to Cellar Dwellers in 2025?

In short, everything.

• Public contract disputes all summer.
• Letting a lame duck coach start the year without even a semblance of a plan.
• Poor training camp and pre-season.
• Multiple injuries.
• Star goalie who was involved in summer contract dispute, struggling out of the gate.
• Poor PP and PK coaching ALL season with no adjustment until the last month of so.
• Multiple key players underperforming: McAvoy (when healthy), Coyle, E. Lindholm (first 3/4s of season), Swayman.
• What was probably an unfair media narrative about the locker room.

The list could honestly go on. But with Monty now gone, the common factor is Neely/Sweeney so they should be on the hot seat.

 

[DKH]

In short, everything.

• Public contract disputes all summer.
• Letting a lame duck coach start the year without even a semblance of a plan.
• Poor training camp and pre-season.
• Multiple injuries.
• Star goalie who was involved in summer contract dispute, struggling out of the gate.
• Poor PP and PK coaching ALL season with no adjustment until the last month of so.
• Multiple key players underperforming: McAvoy (when healthy), Coyle, E. Lindholm (first 3/4s of season), Swayman.
• What was probably an unfair media narrative about the locker room.

The list could honestly go on. But with Monty now gone, the common factor is Neely/Sweeney so they should be on the hot seat.

I’ll address top 4

The public contract was on Swayman and specifically his rep - the agent does this as part of his negotiating- he’s a d bag

Swayman to me has been humbled trying to get guys back - hence the ridiculous goalie almost fight in LA

1 & 4 are on one guy - and he could be dealt over it

He made this public and his comments were absurd - I can only imagine what Harry Sinden would have done to this guy and should have

The mistake in hindsight was not firing Monty or letting him go / the Bruins had to have known.

Monty was never into it ~ he is at his core a nice guy but he came in a different person one that didn’t want to be here. He got what he wanted

Monty was not a lame duck he was offered multiple deals

 

[quietbruinfan]

In short, everything.

• Public contract disputes all summer.
• Letting a lame duck coach start the year without even a semblance of a plan.
• Poor training camp and pre-season.
• Multiple injuries.
• Star goalie who was involved in summer contract dispute, struggling out of the gate.
• Poor PP and PK coaching ALL season with no adjustment until the last month of so.
• Multiple key players underperforming: McAvoy (when healthy), Coyle, E. Lindholm (first 3/4s of season), Swayman.
• What was probably an unfair media narrative about the locker room.

The list could honestly go on. But with Monty now gone, the common factor is Neely/Sweeney so they should be on the hot seat.

Mostly fair, but I have a bone or two to pick.
There really was one and only one meaningful contract dispute: MBA Sway. Three arbitrations but one meaningful dispute.
Multiple Injuries. By multiple you must mean two or three. Mac's happened after about, what 20 games or a little more.
PP lacked talent. I didn't think they made any adjustments all year. Lindholm just scored some garbage time goals.
I think the locker room narrative was very fair. It was fractured from day one-mostly thanks to Swayman with some help from Monty and others.

 

[wintersej]

In short, everything.

• Public contract disputes all summer.
• Letting a lame duck coach start the year without even a semblance of a plan.
• Poor training camp and pre-season.
• Multiple injuries.
• Star goalie who was involved in summer contract dispute, struggling out of the gate.
• Poor PP and PK coaching ALL season with no adjustment until the last month of so.
• Multiple key players underperforming: McAvoy (when healthy), Coyle, E. Lindholm (first 3/4s of season), Swayman.
• What was probably an unfair media narrative about the locker room.

The list could honestly go on. But with Monty now gone, the common factor is Neely/Sweeney so they should be on the hot seat.

I wouldn’t discount Hampus.

The Bruins were based on having McAvoy and Hampus out there as a #1D for most of the game, a high end goalie, and Pasta having to do all the scoring. We went into the season knowing they were short up front.

Pasta obviously started slow (injury?). Lindholm got hurt. Swayman sucked. McAvoy struggled with Zadorov as his partner.

With what the team was good at not working, Coyle, Elias and Zacha starting so poorly, there was nothing to stand on.

 

[Eddie Munson]

Mostly fair, but I have a bone or two to pick.
There really was one and only one meaningful contract dispute: MBA Sway. Three arbitrations but one meaningful dispute.
Multiple Injuries. By multiple you must mean two or three. Mac's happened after about, what 20 games or a little more.
PP lacked talent. I didn't think they made any adjustments all year. Lindholm just scored some garbage time goals.
I think the locker room narrative was very fair. It was fractured from day one-mostly thanks to Swayman with some help from Monty and others.

Sorry for the confusion. By disputes I meant that there were multiple public salvos back and forths between the parties regarding the contract negotiations.

Yup. 2 or 3 injuries to key guys can torpedo a season for almost any team. Imagine if Colorado was down Makar AND Toews for any length of time.

They got Pasta more involved in the PP by moving him around and letting him QB it a bit. Not sure if that was Pasta adjusting or the coaching adjusting. Regardless, they're PP was just bad.

Monty was not a lame duck he was offered multiple deals

Fair point and definitely a failure on Sweeney/Neely allowing him to start the year here. His demeanor on the bench was so antithetical to his approach the previous two seasons.

 

[Hookslide]

I’ll take the L and DKH stands for Don’t Know Hockey and go stand in the corner if I’m wrong but I been told he and Sweeney got a verbal deal he’s back

Why that is a backwards move. Sweeney resigns him he deserves to be fired, sorry but he has had his day, now work on getting younger and developing players. If you bring in another veteran for maybe a year that is fine but to bring Marchand back at 6-7 mil for 3 years or whatever is not building this team up, as a matter of fact, I think it would be a distraction, this is Pastas team now.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

In short, everything.

• Public contract disputes all summer.
• Letting a lame duck coach start the year without even a semblance of a plan.
• Poor training camp and pre-season.
• Multiple injuries.
• Star goalie who was involved in summer contract dispute, struggling out of the gate.
• Poor PP and PK coaching ALL season with no adjustment until the last month of so.
• Multiple key players underperforming: McAvoy (when healthy), Coyle, E. Lindholm (first 3/4s of season), Swayman.
• What was probably an unfair media narrative about the locker room.

The list could honestly go on. But with Monty now gone, the common factor is Neely/Sweeney so they should be on the hot seat.

Like many I have been following this team for 1500 years. That Training camp and pre-season was the worst I can remember.

Neely/Sweeney should have stepped in and fire that clown long before they did. Not a good look from "managers"

Just like the 2015 Draft, no-one though it would have been a good idea to time out after each pick to be certain or entertain deals?

9 Years later they are still learning how to manage. Surprised the Jacobs are putting up with it. They didn't get rich and grow their empire wo top notch leadership in key positions.

Maybe this hockey thing is just a hobby or to keep Charlie away from the Business.

 

[goldenblack]

If you're watching Leafs-Sens and you want to give Marner 12-13M, we need a talk. He's good, but not 13M good.

Show me on the doll where the bad man touched you.

 

[ON3M4N]

So can someone explain to me in very simple terms what went wrong?

I thought we had some decent talent and added a couple of big free agent signings.

But we're in line for a top pick indicating we're about the 5th worst franchise in the NHL.

What do we need to fix. Can this team turn it around in a year?

How did we go from President's Trophy winners in 2023 to Cellar Dwellers in 2025?

I know people are going to point to Swayman's contract and it pissed guys off. I don't buy that. The guys in the room understand how the business works. You've never seen the guys in years past get anrgy because a guy didn't take a team friendly deal....this is no different. The way I see it....

• Sweeney thought the career highs that guys had last year would be their new norm
  • Frederic's production basically cut in half
  • Coyle's production basically cut in half
  • Zacha's production drop 30% from last season
• Elias and Zadorov had slow starts to the season. I believe Elias was injured to start the season too
• FA departures - 47 goals went out the door between DeBrusk, JVR & Heinen. Sweeney didn't replace that production. He went out and signed other teams failed projects and hoped they'd turn to gold
• Hampus went down early in the year. Sweeney & Co. misjudged his ability to come back and did nothing to try and bring in someone to fill the void
• Neely & Sweeney let Monty start the season behind the bench knowing he had 1 foot out the door.
• Goaltending took a step back. In years past they'd mask some of the teams deficiencies, but this season neither Swayman or Korpisalo where able to do that.

The more simplified versions of this:

Bruins this season ranked
SF - 29th
GF - 28th
SA - 18th
GA - 26th
PP% - 29th
PK% - 24th

They failed to generate offense and failed to keep other teams from generate offense. They're were piss poor on the PK and when you took the 6th most penalties in the NHL, that's going to bite you in the ass. Oh we also led the league in goals allowed while on the PP.

 

[NeelyDan]

I’ll take the L and DKH stands for Don’t Know Hockey and go stand in the corner if I’m wrong but I been told he and Sweeney got a verbal deal he’s back

Well, that’s good enough for me

 

[Eddie Munson]

If you're watching Leafs-Sens and you want to give Marner 13M, we need a talk.

Show me on the doll where the bad man touched you.

This guy does this EVERY big series

But in all serious though. Logic would dictate that if this is your stance, then you wouldn't take Matthews either as he's an even bigger loser than Marner who bested him and looked like a world beater in the 4 Nations tournament.

Just a thought...... Maybe it's just the Leafs and the fact that they're a poorly constructed team who is built to cruise through the regular season but not built for the playoffs. Maybe each collective piece separately on the Leafs: Marner, Matthews, Nylander, Tavares would have individual playoff success removed from the circus that is Toronto.

His playoff acumen has little baring on me wanting us to sign him this offseason. Hell, we have to make the playoffs for that to matter and as of right now, not sure that's a given next year with our roster as presently constituted.

 

[Eddie Munson]

I know people are going to point to Swayman's contract and it pissed guys off. I don't buy that. The guys in the room understand how the business works. You've never seen the guys in years past get anrgy because a guy didn't take a team friendly deal....this is no different. The way I see it....

I don't think the players were upset with the contract he got or what he demanded. That's part of the business. I think players would be angry with the fact it was so publicly out there and brought unwanted media attention to the rift. I think even Monty made a comment during the Swayman dispute, I can't find it, but it was along the lines of "we don't discuss these things publicly as a general rule" when asked about his own contract. It seemed like people were annoyed with the process, not the ask.

The players could have also been annoyed with management and the fact that their coach and captain were without extensions, the team jettisoned a well liked Ullmark, and then had a juvenile public spat with their young goalie ONLY to eventually cave and give him what he wanted anyways.

Whatever it was, it clearly permeated the locker room and was made evident in their training camp, preseason, and eventually the way they started the year.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Would anyone be open to taking on short term cap dumps to get more draft picks? Take on Matt Dumba while getting a '26 2nd for example. Dumba's a bad player but might be a shrewd way to get some more picks and play these guys in limited roles.

 

[PlayMakers]

If you're watching Leafs-Sens and you want to give Marner 12-13M, we need a talk. He's good, but not 13M good.

Show me on the doll where the bad man touched you.

He has more playoff points per game than Marchand.




Edit: I was looking at 82 game average, not totals. Updated my post to reflect that.

 

[goldenblack]

He has more playoff points than Marchand, in the same number of games played.

And one is a perennial choker...

I'd take Marchy over him NOW in a game 7 I had to win.

 

[PlayMakers]

And one is a perennial choker...

I'd take Marchy over him NOW in a game 7 I had to win.

Is Marner a choker or does he play on a team that chokes. Was Bourque a choker because his teams couldn't win? (I'm not saying he is or he isn't, I'm saying I don't know.)

Marner made a nice play to win the 4nations Cup.

 

[JCRO]

Is Marner a choker or does he play on a team that chokes. Was Bourque a choker because his teams couldn't win? (I'm not saying he is or he isn't, I'm saying I don't know.)

Marner made a nice play to win the 4nations Cup.

Yeah if anything the title of choker goes to the captain of team USA in that four nations tournament.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

If you're watching Leafs-Sens and you want to give Marner 12-13M, we need a talk. He's good, but not 13M good.

Show me on the doll where the bad man touched you.

He's leading Toronto in Points in the series, and has 4 power play assists. These seem like things the bruins could use?

 

[Fenian24]

I’ll address top 4

The public contract was on Swayman and specifically his rep - the agent does this as part of his negotiating- he’s a d bag

Swayman to me has been humbled trying to get guys back - hence the ridiculous goalie almost fight in LA

1 & 4 are on one guy - and he could be dealt over it

He made this public and his comments were absurd - I can only imagine what Harry Sinden would have done to this guy and should have

The mistake in hindsight was not firing Monty or letting him go / the Bruins had to have known.

Monty was never into it ~ he is at his core a nice guy but he came in a different person one that didn’t want to be here. He got what he wanted

Monty was not a lame duck he was offered multiple deals

It was possibly the worst run training camp I have ever seen. There was no focus, no plan and Monty just threw lines together for the preseason games. I can't put all the blame on Montgomery but this team was not prepared by the coaching staff to start the season.

Leadership, injuries, the powerplay, Swayman and the other factors also lead to a mediocre team before the sell off.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

I’ll address top 4

The public contract was on Swayman and specifically his rep - the agent does this as part of his negotiating- he’s a d bag

Swayman to me has been humbled trying to get guys back - hence the ridiculous goalie almost fight in LA

1 & 4 are on one guy - and he could be dealt over it

He made this public and his comments were absurd - I can only imagine what Harry Sinden would have done to this guy and should have

The mistake in hindsight was not firing Monty or letting him go / the Bruins had to have known.

Monty was never into it ~ he is at his core a nice guy but he came in a different person one that didn’t want to be here. He got what he wanted

Monty was not a lame duck he was offered multiple deals

What exactly made Monty so sour and how did he change? Not disputing what you're saying just wondering what you saw.

 

[Fenian24]

If you're watching Leafs-Sens and you want to give Marner 12-13M, we need a talk. He's good, but not 13M good.

Show me on the doll where the bad man touched you.

You're right, he's probably going to get 15M. It isn't a question of offering him that or wanting him it's a question of do you want to fill two top six spots with that money. Boeser and Bennett would probably be a little bit over 15M for both.

Geekie-Lindholm-Pasta
Bennett-Mittlestadt-Boeser
or
Geekie-Lindholm-Pasta
Zacha-Mittlestadt-Marner

 

[PB37]

What exactly made Monty so sour and how did he change? Not disputing what you're saying just wondering what you saw.

Decisions like that are multi-layered but essentially, Blues wanted him back and he wanted to go back home. Bruins were set to fire him if they lost to Toronto in the 1st round and the Blues were waiting with a contract. But the Bruins won and the Blues hired a new head coach a couple of days later. On top of that, the Bruins and Monty couldn't agree on an extension.

 

[HustleB]

In short, everything.

• Public contract disputes all summer.
• Letting a lame duck coach start the year without even a semblance of a plan.
• Poor training camp and pre-season.
• Multiple injuries.
• Star goalie who was involved in summer contract dispute, struggling out of the gate.
• Poor PP and PK coaching ALL season with no adjustment until the last month of so.
• Multiple key players underperforming: McAvoy (when healthy), Coyle, E. Lindholm (first 3/4s of season), Swayman.
• What was probably an unfair media narrative about the locker room.

The list could honestly go on. But with Monty now gone, the common factor is Neely/Sweeney so they should be on the hot seat.

All true, plus the worst defensive structure and attention to detail I can recalling seeing from a Bruins team ever. I wonder, who is going to bring back structure more then anything and then how the Bruins' players fit into that structure. Get the right coach and I think we could be competitive for a wild card this coming season. The guys we traded to precipitate the slide are not irreplaceable. The team clearly underperformed last year and had bad luck. I think Swayman returns to form and the new leadership and coaching staff click. Of course I've always been more fan then critic, so this is probably more hope then reality.