Bruins Acquire Tommy Wingels

TFP

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I’d rather Wingels than Gionta but I don’t really see the need for both.
 

cshea

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B’s announce the deal. 2019 5th that becomes a 4th if the Bruins win a round or re-sign Wingels.

Still seems unecessary to me.
 

veritas

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He and Gionta are now the 13th and 14th forwards. I agree, I don't see the need for both but whatever. Apparently they don't like what they see from any of their forwards in Providence. And I guess he's an upgrade over Vatrano.
 

Ale Xander

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Reeks of making a move just to appear to be making a move.

Sweeney is the anti-Danny
 

cshea

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He and Gionta are now the 13th and 14th forwards. I agree, I don't see the need for both but whatever. Apparently they don't like what they see from any of their forwards in Providence. And I guess he's an upgrade over Vatrano.
I figure they are OK scratching Wingels and Gionta and prefer leaving some of the kids to play in Providence. They have moved away from goons but still seem to value grit and energy on their 4th line, so that probably fits into their thinking.
 

lexrageorge

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There's a couple of considerations here:

First, noone really knows what Gionta has left in the tank, and we probably will not know until he starts practicing with the club. He didn't look that great during the Olympics, IMO.

Down on the farm it's Czarnik, Cehlarik, Szwarz, Blidh, and a bunch of young kids that have no meaningful NHL experience. I can understand their reluctance to want to rely on them to supplement the bottom 3 forwards come playoff time. Wiseau can at least plug in reasonably well if one of Acciari/Schaller/Kuraly get hurt.

Yeah, it's unexciting, but not the worst use of a bottom of the barrel draft pick.
 

biff_hardbody

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Statistically, Wingels will probably end up playing more NHL games for the Bruins than the 5th round pick they traded will play for anyone. So not a bad move, for depth.
 

lexrageorge

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I figure they are OK scratching Wingels and Gionta and prefer leaving some of the kids to play in Providence. They have moved away from goons but still seem to value grit and energy on their 4th line, so that probably fits into their thinking.
B's 4th line has 22 goals.

For comparison, looking at the lines from the Tampa-Toronto game on 2/11, Tampa's 4th line in that game had 15 goals. The Leafs 4th line had 22, same as the Bruins.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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So people aren't buying Sweeneys narrative that they didn't want to be left with no depth if the injury bug hits, ala the Ottawa series?
 

cshea

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B's 4th line has 22 goals.

For comparison, looking at the lines from the Tampa-Toronto game on 2/11, Tampa's 4th line in that game had 15 goals. The Leafs 4th line had 22, same as the Bruins.
Yeah, they’ve been really good. They have more skill than in years past, but they also all have the sand paper, energy and grit element to their game. They kill penalties, they crash and bang, they cycle well- traditional 4th line characteristics.

My comment wasn’t meant as a criticism, just to point out that the Bruins vale those qualities on the 4th line. My points was that they aren’t going to put a guy they envision as a top 6 player on the 4th line and hope for the best.
 

TFP

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So people aren't buying Sweeneys narrative that they didn't want to be left with no depth if the injury bug hits, ala the Ottawa series?
I think it's absolutely that combined with a realization that some of the guys are getting tired and banged up with a rough schedule upcoming. They're last in the NHL in games played and are showing signs of fatigue, they're gonna need bodies. Even more so if guys start getting hurt.

Upon further reflection, I don't see the harm in stacking up on depth, especially at F. They got 2 bodies for the cost of a 5th rounder, I'm ok with that.
 

FL4WL3SS

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I think it's absolutely that combined with a realization that some of the guys are getting tired and banged up with a rough schedule upcoming. They're last in the NHL in games played and are showing signs of fatigue, they're gonna need bodies. Even more so if guys start getting hurt.

Upon further reflection, I don't see the harm in stacking up on depth, especially at F. They got 2 bodies for the cost of a 5th rounder, I'm ok with that.
Yeah I've come around to this too especially after the presser. You can at least see where Sweeney is coming from.
 

veritas

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The 4th line has been able to basically tread water (goals and shot share) in solid minutes this year while getting a ton of D-zone starts and playing against average QoC. It doesn't look pretty but that's really, really valuable to have. Few teams have 4th lines that they can not-shelter like that. It's why they've been able to shelter the Krejci line to an extreme degree and give the Bergeron line a bunch of offensive zone starts.

Wingels probably fits on that line much better than Gionta. Gionta is the real head-scratcher, but if he's essentially an extra veteran guy and warm practice body for 800k, whatever, I think it's kinda dumb but I'm not gonna lose any sleep over it.
 

Nator

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I think Sweeney wanted some-one with some post-season experience to be able to plug in if needed. He's appeared in 54 playoff games, which is, if my math is correct, 45 more than the combined total of the current 4th line.

I am not sure he'll be a hero,
but he'll be the Wingels on left wing.
 

joe dokes

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Wikipedia also says he's a decent sort:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Wingels

Wingels is a member of the Advisory Board for You Can Play, a campaign dedicated to fighting homophobia in sports.[7] He has also appeared in a video supporting the campaign.[8] He was a close friend of Brendan Burke, whose death was the catalyst for the formation of the organization. Wingels was the Sharks' nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2012, primarily for his work with You Can Play. He marched in the Chicago Pride Parade with the Chicago Gay Hockey Association on June 24, 2012.[9][10]
On May 2, 2013, Wingels' work with You Can Play led him to be nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, an award given to player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.[11]
 

Eddie Jurak

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As I said, this dude sucks. I wanted someone who could help win a game with a couple of key points every now and again. /sarcasm
 

Carmine Hose

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I'm thinking Wingels and Holden were mainly depth adds not just to protect for injury, but also for the compressed schedule upcoming before the playoffs. With all the games in hand, they're going to need a bunch of bodies to finish the squeezed regular season to avoid burning people out before the playoffs.

By comparison, there are 39 days left in the regular season. Among the Atlantic competitors, the games are TB (18), TOR (16), BOS (21). And the B's do not have more than one day off in a row the rest of the way (including a couple of extended trips).