Speculation: Pierre McGuire thinks Shattenkirk is headed to the Bruins - but was wrong

[NDiesel]

I'd go even cheaper and a bigger gamble/payoff with the prospects as the backup: Yakupov. Probably only one year deal, a third of the money and has proven he can score in the NHL. If he doesn't, another ELC rookie gets a shot with Krejci.

Bruins fans would love/hate Vrbata's streaks and 'casual' attitude and perceived indifference to the game and team.

Just to add Vrbata has been pretty rotten any time he has played outside of Arizona except for the one year on Vancouver.

I get the feeling he doesn't like pressure situations.

He also doesn't play LW...I would like that versatility from a vet UFA just so we can slot the rookies in wherever they're comfortable.

 

[BruinDust]

Didn't help against the Sens. I don't think having 5/6 top six forwards should be a luxury. 'Spreading out the scoring' didn't work. Those three are an amazing line and if they simply found Krejci ONE winger who can score, the other winger can be an ELC rookie who makes the team out of camp.

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak
XXX - Krejci - ELC
Beleskey - Backes - ELC
Kuraly - Nash - Acciari
ELC

Three spots open, one on the 2nd line, one on the 3rd and one in the pressbox waiting for his shot.

Instantly makes this team at least have two legitimate lines. We couldn't say that this year when Pastrnak was put with Krejci in the playoffs. It works in theory but not application.

I respect your opinion CP and find you a very insightful and knowledgable poster. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

But as for adding another Top 6 forward, I'm not totally against the idea, I actually don't have an issue with it, provided it's the right guy, for the right price. As I see it they can move out Spooner for whatever and add either a moderate-to-high priced LD, or a moderate-to-high priced forward, but they can't do both.

 

[Bearclaw]

Or the Czeching Line.

The Czech-out Line

 

[neelynugs]

If it was up to me the one guy I would target would be Vrbata

He's a right shot but can you get him on a 1 year deal

vrbata has played a lot of LW in his career, so even as right shot he's comfortable on off-wing.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Missed on Scandella so he'll announce the Pastrnak signing and then hope one of JFK, Senyshyn, Bjork or DeBrusk makes the team.

For me:

1. Krejci's LW.
2. Chara's eventual replacement.

Nothing else really comes to mind. My guess is he tries to fill both internally with the prospects but for me flipping some of those prospects for Landeskog/Kane would give Bruins fans a reason to be excited (not to mention Krejci).

Right now, 'patience' means 'we are going to have kids try to make this roster better and continue this build for 2019. It's been the plan for years now and he is just continuing on that route. Nothing he has ever done suggests otherwise.

I'd love to find Chara's eventual replacement, but that player wasn't, and isn't available this summer. Scandella is a JAG, a solid 3rd pairing guy. Even Brodin isn't really a top pairing guy.

The only way to get one is to hope one of the picks develop. I have hopes For Uhro, as he might be the guy.

 

[pkunit]

I'd love to find Chara's eventual replacement, but that player wasn't, and isn't available this summer. Scandella is a JAG, a solid 3rd pairing guy. Even Brodin isn't really a top pairing guy.

The only way to get one is to hope one of the picks develop. I have hopes For Uhro, as he might be the guy.

I doubt Urho is going to be our best D. There is no replacing Chara anyways, he is a generational player.
We don't need a replacement, we need all the D to step up and be a solid unit and it looks like they are well on there way!

 

[Mainehockey33]

I doubt Urho is going to be our best D. There is no replacing Chara anyways, he is a generational player.
We don't need a replacement, we need all the D to step up and be a solid unit and it looks like they are well on there way!

Urho could certainly be a solid first pairing guy along with Mcavoy.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

I doubt Urho is going to be our best D. There is no replacing Chara anyways, he is a generational player.
We don't need a replacement, we need all the D to step up and be a solid unit and it looks like they are well on there way!

Chara is a HOFer, but he's not a generational player. I'm not sure Bourque was even a generational player.

Bobby Orr was a generational player.

 

[bob27]

Kinda back and forth on this one, although it doesn't seem like Sweeney has any actual interest. Still, it'd be a bold move and signal that they are in a win now mode which makes more sense to me than the purgatory they are in right now. Realistically I'm expecting pretty much the same lineup as last year, with possibly one vet plug addition. Another 90-95 point season.

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

Chara is a HOFer, but he's not a generational player. I'm not sure Bourque was even a generational player.

Bobby Orr was a generational player.

You hush your mouth! Bourque was definitely a generational player!!

 

[KrejciMVP]

You hush your mouth! Bourque was definitely a generational player!!

Agree on the generational player part, guy had like 90 plus points a few times

 

[kutskova]

You hush your mouth! Bourque was definitely a generational player!!

Generational, no, loved bourque hoh yes. Orr, Howe, Vezina, and Gretzky changed the game. Bourque is a hof Dman top four all time.

 

[PlayMakers]

It might be a long shot but if it's the best play he needs to make it happen. Or something like it.

This is the issue I have. We are exploring less than attractive options because we are basically ceding that our GM can't or won't use the trade market to solve his problems? Why not? If he's not closing deals because he won't give up the extra prospect or draft pick in a deal, is that really a wise decision if he's just going to end up overpaying a UFA as his fallback? Especially if his track record suggests we would cut that UFA within 6 months if we had the choice? I think it's time he start making more aggressive trade offers rather than thinking he's got free agency figured out, because he doesn't.

I can't argue with you. It's a legit issue and a legit point.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Kinda back and forth on this one, although it doesn't seem like Sweeney has any actual interest. Still, it'd be a bold move and signal that they are in a win now mode which makes more sense to me than the purgatory they are in right now. Realistically I'm expecting pretty much the same lineup as last year, with possibly one vet plug addition. Another 90-95 point season.

Same lineup as last year with maybe a vet plug in?

They added a top 4 D in McAvoy.
They added hopefully a middle 6 forward in Bjork, and possibly another in DeBrusk/Heinen

And so far they have given up next to nothing

Those are hopefully MAJOR upgrades.

 

[kutskova]

Same lineup as last year with maybe a vet plug in?

They added a top 4 D in McAvoy.
They added hopefully a middle 6 forward in Bjork, and possibly another in DeBrusk/Heinen

And so far they have given up next to nothing

Those are hopefully MAJOR upgrades.

Thats a lot of rookie hopefulness.

 

[dredeye]

Thats a lot of rookie hopefulness.

I'd much rather bet on the young prospect than the overpaid declining vet holding his free agent value. These aren't plug prospects they plan on slotting in. Their guys they hope to be key cogs going forward and at some point you gamble their ready. With the depth we have we NHL ready/near ready prospects, if the first try doesn't work they can slot in another.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Thats a lot of rookie hopefulness.

Well if you are not hopeful about McAvoy then they might as well tank. Sure he'll make his share of rookie mistakes, but at the same time he is replacing Collin Miller in the lineup. Pretty hard to not see a significant upgrade there.

Maybe Bjork/Heinen won't score 40. But they are replacing Jimmy Hayes/Drew Stafford in the lineup. And at least they can skate

The stupid thing to do would be to sign some broken down used to be a someone to come in and generate no more offense, but also less defense and skating

 

[pkunit]

Chara is a HOFer, but he's not a generational player. I'm not sure Bourque was even a generational player.

Bobby Orr was a generational player.

It's safe to say anyone who played with or against Z in his prime would disagree. There is simply no comparable to Chara. His style is what the Norris should be all about. The league needs to add another trophy and it should be called "The Chara"

What did Chara sign for initially? 7 mil or whatever. No way Shatt is worth that even by today's standards.

If prime Chara was available right now, he'd get Mcdavid money and term, maybe more.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

You hush your mouth! Bourque was definitely a generational player!!

Agree on the generational player part, guy had like 90 plus points a few times

Generational, no, loved bourque hoh yes. Orr, Howe, Vezina, and Gretzky changed the game. Bourque is a hof Dman top four all time.

I go back and forth with Bourque.

I guess it depends on your definition of "generational"? To me that's a once every 10-20 year player. Orr, Gretzky, Crosby, McJesus?. One could make the argument that Bourque had his peers during his era (Coffey, MacInnis, Chelios) while Orr did not. Although that could just be timing and/or coincidence.

Orr had 915 pts in 657 games.

Bourque had 1579 pts in 1612 games.

Bourque certainly had longevity over Orr, and his D was just as good, but Orr's offense (for his time) was on an entirely different level. I think one could make the argument that Bourque was the 2nd best Dman of all time, which makes the non-generational thing weird.

I could really go either way on it.




ps I think people that rank Lidstrom ahead of Bourque don't have a clue.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

It's safe to say anyone who played with or against Z in his prime would disagree. There is simply no comparable to Chara. His style is what the Norris should be all about. The league needs to add another trophy and it should be called "The Chara"

Chara in his prime was a monster, but you are overrating him.

 

[BruinDust]

I go back and forth with Bourque.

I guess it depends on your definition of "generational"? To me that's a once every 10-20 year player. Orr, Gretzky, Crosby, McJesus?. One could make the argument that Bourque had his peers during his era (Coffey, MacInnis, Chelios) while Orr did not. Although that could just be timing and/or coincidence.

Orr had 915 pts in 657 games.

Bourque had 1579 pts in 1612 games.

Bourque certainly had longevity over Orr, and his D was just as good, but Orr's offense (for his time) was on an entirely different level. I think one could make the argument that Bourque was the 2nd best Dman of all time, which makes the non-generational thing weird.

I could really go either way on it.




ps I think people that rank Lidstrom ahead of Bourque don't have a clue.

This article is interesting when folks consider how great Bourque was.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/goes-brown-nhl-awards-look-like-using-mlb-model/

He's No.2 all-time for me as D-men.

Even still, I don't consider him generational. He's a notch below that level.

He's better than Lidstrom, but I do put Lidstrom in Bourque's class. Bourque was a Top 5 D-man from 79 until he retired in 2001. Lidstrom's early career, while he was a very good player, is what separates him from Bourque for me. Took him several years to reach that Norris trophy level.

Chara is in that next tier of D below Bourque and Lidstrom. Which is to say he is a all-time great D-man, but he's not Top 5 all-time.

 

[pkunit]

Chara in his prime was a monster, but you are overrating him.

No I'm not.
Prime Chara and his brutal supporting cast was better than 6 Shattenkirks. By far.

I don't get excited for Shattenkirks, I get excited for Chara or Savard type acquisitions.

 

[Alan Ryan]

Same:

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak
XXX - Krejci - XXX
Beleskey - Backes - XXX
XXX - XXX - Acciari

At least get Krejci one of the two wingers with some NHL skill. Don't give him two rookies.

Marchand - Bergeron - Bjork
DeBrusk - Krejci - Pastrnak
Beleskey - Backes - Vatrano/Heinen
Kuraly - Nash - Acciari

 

[GloryDaze4877]

No I'm not.
Prime Chara and his brutal supporting cast was better than 6 Shattenkirks. By far.

Who said anything about Shattenkirk?

Chara is probably Top 20-25 all time.

He is not generational.

 

[pkunit]

Who said anything about Shattenkirk?

Chara is probably Top 20-25 all time.

He is not generational.

Pierre Mcquire apparently.

I don't want to derail the thread, but Chara is one of a kind. The only player that might comes close is Pronger, but not really. We won't see another Chara until our sport reaches more shores.
That my friend is generational.