Where do the Bruins go from here?

[bambamcam4ever]

This might be the silliest thread I have ever seen.

Bruins just came off a record breaking regular season. They are getting older, their most complete player retired, so now they have a hole at center.

Where do they go from here? They go looking for a center, that's where.

So many potential options, far too many to list them all. For instance, would anyone be surprised if Scheifele / Lindholm / Pettersson tell their team they won't re-sign and then come over via trade? And if the wait lasts until next summer, if Matthews or Stamkos can't get a deal done you'd think they'd listen hard to a Boston pitch. And then you have discount guys like Chandler Stephenson (UFA next year) who could step into a top 6 role and not be terrible, same with Kuznetsov depending if Boston wants to take the risk and / or he rediscovers his game. And that's just off the top of my head, I'm sure there's at least 5-10 more decent to good options that Bruins mgmt is evaluating rn as we type this. The point is there are a lot of potential solutions that don't involve blowing up the team, why would anyone blow up a team with McAvoy and Pasta (and Swayman) still well under the age of 30.

***

So yeah, the Bruins clearly have a hole at center but the rest of the team is objectively very good (including the coaching which no one is talking about). From the perspective of this neutral fan, this team is not a disaster, far from it.

To the OP Leafs fan who is a self-described "first class Bruins hater," if we assume you started this thread honestly, Boston just needs to find a center, it is difficult but not impossible. Oddly enough, Leafs might be in a similar situation depending on Matthews, so be ready for a Boston fan to potentially start a similar thread about the Leafs if any of them are upset about this one

The Bruins have no cap space to acquire one of those centers unless they plan on shipping out more depth.

And they don't just need a center: they lost Bergeron, Krejci, Hall, and Bertuzzi and replaced them with JVR, Geekie, and borderline NHLers.

 

[BertCorbeau]

The B’s always compete, and should have strong D and goaltending. They’ll comfortably make the playoffs

That being said I think goal scoring will be a challenge and they’re very thin up the middle.

What’s the centre depth? Charlie Coyle-Morgan Geekie and.. maybe Zacha?

Looking at the farm they have first rounder John Beecher and free agent pickup Marc McLaughlin

 

[Lt Dan]

The B's will be just fine. They won't win the President's trophy but they will make the playoffs

 

[BruinLVGA]

When you are literally worst in the league at the center position, your 2nd best winger is on his last legs, and have the worst prospect pool in the league?

Yeah, it might be time to restock the cupboard and begin again.

Hey, you already made all your calculations on paper, and you are very sure how everything will turn out. Why even bother starting this thread, when you already know how the 23-24 season will play out? But it‘s obvious that you are here simply to educate all us poor Bruins fans and for that we are very grateful. We Bruins fans have heard so many idiotic forecasts from your franchise‘s fan base for the past 10 years, but I guess you are very special and therefore we totally trust YOUR forecast.
PS: just to check, not that it’s needed for sure… But did you have the Bruins get 65 victories and 135 points in 22-23? Just wondering out loud.

 

[RRhoads]

Another team that went from President's Trophy winners to barely making the playoffs were Florida.

Although not the same, as their strenths are not the same, a weak middle hasn't historically done very well.

 

[HFpapi]

Saying that they have zero prospects over and over again isn't going to make it true. They don't have any franchise level players in the system but they certainly have solid prospects who have a good shot at being productive NHL players.

So when should we expect the value of McAvoy and Pasta to be diminished to zero? LMAO. You really are a hoot.

You have easily among the worst prospect pool in the league.

You have some solid prospects that might be decent NHL'ers? Cool, so do the 31 other teams. Just so happens a lot of them also have prospects with potential to be elite or at least top flight.

You are competing in a league. Relativity is the only thing that matters. How good are your prospects compared to everyone else. The answer? Not too good.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Bruins 2023 is a good reminder on why I would hate to be a GM.

 

[bergeronsboys]

Yes I think you are severely underrating the core of the team. The players you mentioned are elite. Two D men who have been top 5 in Norris voting the past 2 years. A 60 goal scorer coming off a Hart trophy nomination. A Vezina winning goalie who is also backed up by a solid 1B. Lastly a top winger who embodies being a Bruin and can carry on the culture guys like Bergeron and Chara built.

Unless you think those players drop off a cliff because of Bergerons retirement, I think the future of the Bs will be just fine.

 

[HFpapi]

Yes I think you are severely underrating the core of the team. The players you mentioned are elite. Two D men who have been top 5 in Norris voting the past 2 years. A 60 goal scorer coming off a Hart trophy nomination. A Vezina winning goalie who is also backed up by a solid 1B. Lastly a top winger who embodies being a Bruin and can carry on the culture guys like Bergeron and Chara built.

Unless you think those players drop off a cliff because of Bergerons retirement, I think the future of the Bs will be just fine.

I don't think they will drop off a cliff. It would be better for the Bruins if they did but they won't.

Their problem is that they will be a bang average team for the duration of Pasta/Mcavoy's prime. They are just good enough to hover around the playoffs.

THEN.... because they have among the very worst prospect pools in the league (it's true, sorry) and literally not one single player under the age of 23 that looks like someone you can build around, I think the Bruins will be in for a very long, very dark period.

My, idk, plan, recommendation, whatever you want to call it, is to skip the middle of the road years in favour of avoiding the (potential, of course nothing is certain) decade of darkness.

You don't have to agree and clearly Bruins fans don't but it's not nearly as dumb of a thought process and you guys are making it out to be.

 

[PB37]

You have easily among the worst prospect pool in the league.

You have some solid prospects that might be decent NHL'ers? Cool, so do the 31 other teams. Just so happens a lot of them also have prospects with potential to be elite or at least top flight.

You are competing in a league. Relativity is the only thing that matters. How good are your prospects compared to everyone else. The answer? Not too good.

I didn't realize prospects was the only measuring stick of a good franchise. No wonder why you want to see the Bruins trade two top end young roster players to aquire more! Huh, learn something new every day around here.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I don't think they will drop off a cliff. It would be better for the Bruins if they did but they won't.

Their problem is that they will be a bang average team for the duration of Pasta/Mcavoy's prime. They are just good enough to hover around the playoffs.

THEN.... because they have among the very worst prospect pools in the league (it's true, sorry) and literally not one single player under the age of 23 that looks like someone you can build around, I think the Bruins will be in for a very long, very dark period.

My, idk, plan, recommendation, whatever you want to call it, is to skip the middle of the road years in favour of avoiding the (potential, of course nothing is certain) decade of darkness.

You don't have to agree and clearly Bruins fans don't but it's not nearly as dumb of a thought process and you guys are making it out to be.

It is, sincerely. We can list the core of the roster once again if necessary.

Two #1 defenseman in McAvoy (top 5)/Lindholm
Swayman
Zacha/Debrusk/Lysell/Pastrnak
Carlo/Lohrei etc

 

[HFpapi]

I didn't realize prospects was the only measuring stick of a good franchise. No wonder why you want to see the Bruins trade two top end young roster players to aquire more! Huh, learn something new every day around here.

A bottom 5 prospect pool (the Athletic ranked them 30th out of 32 so I'm being generous calling them bottom 5) and maybe the worst U23 group in the league isn't exactly a positive thing for future projections is it?

** I just looked it up and the Bruins actually only have 1 player 23 or young on their roster. Alex Regula. So no, the future isn't bright.

 

[HFpapi]

It is, sincerely. We can list the core of the roster once again if necessary.

Two #1 defenseman in McAvoy (top 5)/Lindholm
Swayman
Zacha/Debrusk/Lysell/Pastrnak
Carlo/Lohrei etc

And again, my "concern" for you B's fans (just looking out for ya) isn't making the playoffs next year.

It's how bad you will be in a few years since (again) you have the worst prospect pool/U23 group in the league.

That would be fine if you were good enough to go for a cup in the next couple of years before sinking but you're not because you have no centers and no depth.

That's why I'm saying forget the middle of the road years and avoid the bleak future instead.

 

[jgatie]

Posting predictions on the internet is the same as the reason my father gave me for getting a tattoo:

"When you get older you can look at it and remember what an asshole you were when you were younger."

 

[HFpapi]

Posting predictions on the internet is the same as the reason my father gave me for getting a tattoo:

"When you get older you can look at it and remember what an asshole you were when you were younger."

Yes, great point jgatie.

I do fear the day when I'm looking back on my life and think, "remember when you thought the Boston Bruins should trade David Pastrnak and build towards the future? God you were such an asshole."

 

[jgatie]

Yes, great point jgatie.

I do fear the day when I'm looking back on my life and think, "remember when you thought the Boston Bruins should trade David Pastrnak and build towards the future? God you were such an asshole."

You'd think Leafs fans would know by now. Now go plan a parade route, you little scamp.

 

[HockeyVirus]

You think trading a 25 year old #1 RHD and a 27 year old who's already scored 300 goals for his career for prospects is a good idea. You've got no room to call someone else insane.

It's a move no GM would ever make, but likely one we look back on in 5 years and think what if they did it. Bruins future is very bleak.

 

[Sigh]

And again, my "concern" for you B's fans (just looking out for ya) isn't making the playoffs next year.

It's how bad you will be in a few years since (again) you have the worst prospect pool/U23 group in the league.

That would be fine if you were good enough to go for a cup in the next couple of years before sinking but you're not because you have no centers and no depth.

That's why I'm saying forget the middle of the road years and avoid the bleak future instead.

So no bleak future if they do a scorched earth rebuild? What in the actual f***. Where’d they draft McAvoy? Pastrnak? How about the guys you’re harping on them replacing like Bergeron, Krejci, and Marchand? The wORsT pRoSPeCtz poOl has been called that for years, yet they still manage to graduate NHLers. But yeah, let’s blow it all up because pr0nman says they suck. Haha.

 

[HFpapi]

You'd think Leafs fans would know by now. Now go plan a parade route, you little scamp.

Another quip about the Leafs. Such insecurity. You don't think I know we haven't won since 1967, until this season hadn't won a playoff series since '04, got totally clowned by the Bruins and blew a 3-1 series lead and 4-1 lead in game 7?

Ok now what?

Can we talk about the Bruins in this thread and learn to accept some criticism of you team.

Your centers are likely dead last in the league and your prospects were ranked 30/32. You have zero U23 talent.

I haven't seen any good arguments against any of that, only ad hominem comments and shots at the Leafs.

 

[jgatie]

A Leafs fan starts a thread bashing the Bruins future, and calls anyone who bashes the Leafs back as "sensitive". You can't write this shit.

 

[HFpapi]

A Leafs fan starts a thread bashing the Bruins future, and calls anyone who bashes the Leafs back as "sensitive". You can't write this shit.

Except I'm not being sensitive about the Leafs bashing?

What do you want me to say about them? Although I like where we are heading into this season, we've been a joke for the better part of two decades. Last time we won a cup was the year my dad was born, we got completely clowned by the Bruins up 3-1 and we got taken behind the wood shed by our star players in contract negotiations.

But what does that have to do with this thread? I don't care if you bash the Leafs lol.

I'm calling you sensitive because in a thread about the Bruins where I've levied fair and (imo) objectively true criticism of the Bruins, you guys haven't once tried to refute it but for some reason keep bringing up the Leafs.

Go make a thread clowning the Leafs and I promise I will join it and not mention the Bruins at all in it.

You're sensitive for bashing another team instead of addressing the points. Has nothing to do with the team you're bashing.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Think the Bruins take a couple steps back. They still have the goaltending and a solid D but they will likely have issues scoring and I just can’t see the goaltending being as good as it was last season. They should still make the playoffs but it will be most likely in the 5-8 range.

 

[jgatie]

I'm not worried about the Bruins. They'll be good, or they'll be bad, or they'll be mediocre. My life doesn't change in any way no matter which of those happen. Sports are my leisure time activity, not my life.