Bruins in 18-19

Salem's Lot

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And for the record, no one is knocking Carlo. I like Carlo. I think he has a good chance of being that solid number 3 defenseman who plays big minutes against good players in the playoffs, without providing much offense.

And if McAvoy reaches his ceiling as that number 1 franchise defenseman like Drew Doughty, and Carlo, Lauzon, and Vaakanainen are solid number 3 guys, that’s a hell of a D core you can win playoff series with.
 

Eddie Jurak

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And for the record, no one is knocking Carlo. I like Carlo. I think he has a good chance of being that solid number 3 defenseman who plays big minutes against good players in the playoffs, without providing much offense.

And if McAvoy reaches his ceiling as that number 1 franchise defenseman like Drew Doughty, and Carlo, Lauzon, and Vaakanainen are solid number 3 guys, that’s a hell of a D core you can win playoff series with.
Yes. Maybe Carlo has a peak season or 2 where he's a legit #2. That's probably his peak. But if he can be steady, do his job, use his speed effectively, then he's looking at a long career as a solid NHL player.
 

Salem's Lot

Andy Moog! Andy God Damn Moog!
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Honestly, I think Grzelcyk-Carlo is a fantastic 2nd pairing going forward.
I’m not at all concerned about defenseman going forward. Sweeney seems to have found a bunch of young guys that can at least play in the league, and one legit stud. Even undrafted guys like Clifton are contributing. I’ll take a GM that can do that regularly any day. It’s like always being able to develop relievers in baseball. It’s a great skill for a GM to have.
 

veritas

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Karl Alzner - at least while he was that age?
Alzner is actually a great comparable as far as the effect he has on the game and overall skill level. Suppresses shots and shot quality (at both ends of the ice), and is a good PKer. Carlo is 2 inches taller though, and a great skater, which I don't remember Alzner being. I can't really think of any 6'5-ish defenseman who are great skaters but don't contribute on offense. Maybe Colton Parayko minus the offense.

As far as #1 defensemen, I would say the top 31 5v5 + 4v5 players are #1's in my book. Someone like Krug, who is easily in the top 31 overall but does most of his damage on the PP or in sheltered minutes, I don't consider a #1. That's just me though.
 

Salem's Lot

Andy Moog! Andy God Damn Moog!
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Just when I thought the sports media in this town couldn’t get any worse, Joe Haggerty actually suggested that the Bruins convince John Scott to come out of retirement because their young players are being targeted and no one fears anyone in the current lineup. I hate that people still think this is still the 1975 NHL. No one fears anyone anymore. They throw cheap shots, then turtle, and laugh at you as they score on the power play if you try to instigate a fight to retaliate.
 

j44thor

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Just when I thought the sports media in this town couldn’t get any worse, Joe Haggerty actually suggested that the Bruins convince John Scott to come out of retirement because their young players are being targeted and no one fears anyone in the current lineup. I hate that people still think this is still the 1975 NHL. No one fears anyone anymore. They throw cheap shots, then turtle, and laugh at you as they score on the power play if you try to instigate a fight to retaliate.
Haggs is this generations poor mans Shank. Creating clickbait before it was clickbait.
I'm sure Haggs knows the B's lead the league in fighting majors but lets not let facts get in the way of a good narrative. Also I'm pretty sure Krejci was taught at some point in his 25+ years of skating to keep his head up.
 

veritas

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Thanks for not posting the Haggs link, don't feed the trolls or give them clicks.

McAvoy participating in contact drills today.
 

cshea

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Today’s offering in “shuffling around 4th liners”

Marchand - Cave - Pastrnak
Nordstrom - Krejci - DeBrusk
Heinen - Kuraly - Backes
Donato - JFK/Acciari - Wagner

There is a trickle down effect, and certainly no 37 and 73 hurts the offense. That said, I don’t think the scoring woes are a complete product of the injuries. Heinen’s production has fallen off a cliff. He had 26 points in his first 33 games to start last season. Since then he has 27 points over his next 78 games (including playoffs). He’s gotten ample run with Krejci/DeBrusk this year but no dice. They’ve done a lot of good things as a trio but can’t put the puck in the net. Donato struggles at 5x5.

They currently have a 4th liner on every line. Cave, Nordstrom, Kuraly, Backes, Acciari, Wagner. Getting Bergeron back isn’t going to magically fix the bottom 9. I think the time is near to make a trade.
 

TFP

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Riley Nash has 4 points in 26 games. I'm not sure he's the answer.

Getting basically no production from Heinen, Donato, and Bjork combined with Backes falling off a cliff has really hurt them. As cshea mentioned, there's 4th line production everywhere right now and it's dragging everyone down. Something's gotta give.
 

jk333

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They need to look at trading a D and wing for a center when they get healthier over the next month. Start evaluating all the available centers and what they cost. Krug for RNH. Zboril and Bjork for Coyle or Hayes.

It will be interesting to see who’s available and the cost.
 

Salem's Lot

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There are probably plenty of trades out there now for Sweeney to make, and I bet they all suck. They should just stand pat, keep developing the young kids, and see where they are at at the deadline. And if it’s a lost season it’s a lost season. Good hockey trades generally happen in June or July, not December.
 

LogansDad

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Riley Nash has 4 points in 26 games. I'm not sure he's the answer.

Getting basically no production from Heinen, Donato, and Bjork combined with Backes falling off a cliff has really hurt them. As cshea mentioned, there's 4th line production everywhere right now and it's dragging everyone down. Something's gotta give.
This is completely fair, of course. I don't actually think having Nash would put this team in a position to succeed right now, but part of my post is that they just seem to be running out of options.

I also agree with Salem's Lot, in that they shouldn't mortgage the future to try to make this season something it probably isn't. But I also think the team becomes much closer to a "contender" if they ever manage to get healthy again. I think if it looks like that is going to happen as the deadline approaches, maybe then they make a trade for some secondary scoring. But that's a big if, right now.
 

jk333

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What do people think is this teams window? I think the window is now and then maybe there’s a secondary one in 3 or so years. But Marchand, Krejci and Bergeron are at their absolute peaks. Adding Pasternak in, and they have maybe 3 of the top 30 players. And with Krug, McAvoy and Chara, the D isn’t bad either.

I’m not for mortgaging the future entirely but do feel like the window now, if players get healthy, is as good as the window in say two or three years when Chara, Bergeron, Marchand and Krejci will all be worse.
 

Salem's Lot

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What do people think is this teams window? I think the window is now and then maybe there’s a secondary one in 3 or so years. But Marchand, Krejci and Bergeron are at their absolute peaks. Adding Pasternak in, and they have maybe 3 of the top 30 players. And with Krug, McAvoy and Chara, the D isn’t bad either.

I’m not for mortgaging the future entirely but do feel like the window now, if players get healthy, is as good as the window in say two or three years when Chara, Bergeron, Marchand and Krejci will all be worse.
I think the window is in about 3 years honestly. Bergeron and Marchand will be older but they’re on contracts that will age well. I’m extremely bullish on their young defensemen. I think they need to find a way to acquire a number one center to play with Pastrnak with Bergeron as the number 2 guy with Marchand and they will be dangerous.
 

TheRealness

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This is completely fair, of course. I don't actually think having Nash would put this team in a position to succeed right now, but part of my post is that they just seem to be running out of options.

I also agree with Salem's Lot, in that they shouldn't mortgage the future to try to make this season something it probably isn't. But I also think the team becomes much closer to a "contender" if they ever manage to get healthy again. I think if it looks like that is going to happen as the deadline approaches, maybe then they make a trade for some secondary scoring. But that's a big if, right now.
It's a tough balancing act, but I would not make any trades until they got everyone reasonably healthy, especially Bergeron. I am still fearful he will be out far longer than the original 4-5 week timeline. If they can get health by the deadline, then trade for a 3C. If not, then just roll with the kids and hope if they make the playoffs the lack of a 3C won't hurt them as badly.
 

LogansDad

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Agreed on all fronts. I had never heard of a sternoclavicular injury before, but in the little research i have done on it, it seems like something they are going to want to wait until he is 100% healthy before returning to game action, especially since faceoffs are such a big part of his game. I always though 4-5 weeks was optimisitc, but I am the furthest thing form a doctor.

I know @DaveRoberts'Shoes doesn't spend a lot of time in RMPS, but I'm curious if he might have any input on it, for those of us who are lesser schooled.
 

lexrageorge

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I believe the 4-5 weeks was the point where Bergeron was going to be reevaluated. I read somewhere that there is a potential for surgery if the injury isn't healing well.

I don't believe they should sacrifice any of their young defenseman for a quick fix a-la Kevin Hayes, who is likely to disappoint as a quick fix in the first place.
 

cshea

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Roster moves today, in addition to the Smith claim.

- McAvoy activated from IR. Cassidy made no mention of him playing tonight earlier. I assume that remains the case, but he could be good to go for Saturday?

- Clifton sent back to Providence. Good run for him, I think he is suitable depth.

They moved Miller to IR too.

 

j44thor

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I was shocked to see McAvoy skating last night. Looked fine but not even a week since he said his brain is still fatigued.

I doubt they would rush him back given this doesn't appear to be a championship season but I really hope that is the case.
 

Salem's Lot

Andy Moog! Andy God Damn Moog!
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I was shocked to see McAvoy skating last night. Looked fine but not even a week since he said his brain is still fatigued.

I doubt they would rush him back given this doesn't appear to be a championship season but I really hope that is the case.
Concussions are weird. You can go from having symptoms to feeling normal very quick, or the brain fatigue thing can linger indefinitely. I’m not a doctor, but having had a couple of these, the lack of a time table really sucks when you’re trying to get over one. It’s depressing.
 

Haunted

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I think it’s a bit reactionary, but I don’t necessarily disagree. However the injuries have been truly devastating. We have no idea what the team would be like if they were all (or even mostly) healthy.

I believed they’d take a step back this year, as they were going to be letting some young players integrate and develop. I always thought that was the plan.
 

cshea

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DeBrusk is “not feeling well physically” and won’t play tonight or tomorrow.

Marchand - Krejci - Pastrnak
Heinen - Cave - Backes
Donato - JFK - Nordstrom
Smith - Kuraly - Wagner
 

veritas

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Cassidy mentioned him getting hit in the head with the puck...they’ve had horrible luck with concussions this year if that’s the case
 

lexrageorge

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https://985thesportshub.com/2018/12/07/anderson-what-are-bruins-even-doing-here/

Article questions the overall strategy. This is a valid topic.
It may be a valid topic, but the article is not very good. The fact that the author complains about the team not breaking up the Bergeron-Pasta-Marchand line means to me the author lacks credibility.

He totally glosses over the defensive depth and the improvement of Grzelcyk, the promising debut of 21 year old Lauzon, and the vital contributions of Kampfer and Moore during the run of injuries. Instead he focuses on 2 meaningless appearances by Zboril.

The team was likely hoping that they could get Rick Nash to return; instead, he retired. And no-one could have predicted that Nash would suffer multiple concussions after the team acquired him. Sweeney was in on both Kovalchuk and Tavares. Heinen's regression was not necessarily predictable either. Signing Backes to that contract was a mistake, but the author never mentions that or how his contract does make it difficult for the team to trade youngsters for established veterans.

So, yeah, the article is at best reactionary. At worst it's a total waste of internet resources.
 

lexrageorge

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Cassidy mentioned him getting hit in the head with the puck...they’ve had horrible luck with concussions this year if that’s the case
In the same game in which Miller went down, DeBrusk got slew footed, causing him to fall across the goal crease just as a Bruins player was teeing up a hard shot on net. The puck went off the back of DeBrusk's head.
 

Haunted

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Reports of discussions with Edmonton about a RNH for Krug trade were on the radio this morning (sorry, no link).

I’m not sure what to think about this. Krug can be enraging but he’s so fucking good on offense. Talk me into this.
 

burstnbloom

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Reports of discussions with Edmonton about a RNH for Krug trade were on the radio this morning (sorry, no link).

I’m not sure what to think about this. Krug can be enraging but he’s so fucking good on offense. Talk me into this.
The only reason this makes sense is Krejci and Bergeron are getting older and Krug is a tough sell on resigning after next year. He will likely get a $2-$3 mil raise if he keeps pushing 60 points. I don't know if I'd be on board with the move for RNH but a plan for Krug has to be made in the near future.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Given Krug's injury-prone nature, I'm not too keen on signing him long-term at bigger bucks beyond his age 29 season.

This is an instance where Chiarelli would have an extension on the table for Krug this coming July 1 - I think Sweeney's more pragmatic than that and will use Krug's contract status to his advantage. This year, and more likely this coming summer, will be the peak of Krug's value - given the blue line depth, and McAvoy's untapped offensive potential, I'm OK with Sweeney cashing in on that if it brings back the necessary help down the middle either this year or next.
 

lexrageorge

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Matt Porter discusses some scenario's in the Globe:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/bruins/2018/12/10/could-bruins-trade-torey-krug-for-ryan-nugent-hopkins/MwTh9DloKZYXOZoOyhf9AN/story.html

I was originally not a fan, just because I like what Krug brings to the table more than most here, and I don't think his injury history is at all predictive. However, the Bruins do have depth on the blue line for the first time in a long time, while forward depth is a real problem. Porter discusses the possibility of DeBrusk and Krug for RNH, but I'm not a fan of that exchange at all. The Bruins need more speed, not less, and trading DeBrusk is taking 2 steps back in that area.
 

cshea

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Yeah, I don’t know that I would call him injury prone. Since he broke in, his games played are 79,78,81,81,76 and then he got hurt in the playoffs and to start this year (which was more of a fluke).

I’m OK with moving Krug if it fills a significant need like center or wing. I think Brayden Schenn is a better/more realistic target than RNH though. If we’re trading with Edmonton, my guess is it would be Krug for Nurse or Klefbom as the structure.
 

veritas

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I love Krug but I don’t see him aging well at all. I also think he and Grz are awkward in the lineup together, but both are obviously good enough that they have to be.

If they can get fair value for Krug and help at center, I’d definitely be in favor of that.
 

PedroSpecialK

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True, "injury prone" is probably over-stating it. But he was playing pretty hurt in the playoffs last year (didn't affect his offensive output) as well as in the entire Ottawa series, has had I think two straight summers with offseason surgeries, and is coming up on his age 28-29 season.

While the RNH move may not work on the Edmonton side mid-season, I can see a huge market for Krug in the coming summer. I'm only in a rush to move Krug mid-season if there's a legit #2 center coming back.
 

lexrageorge

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Hard pass on trading anything of value for another 4th line player on the downhill side of his career.
 

cshea

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Coyle is OK, and certainly not a 4th liner. He’s 26 (not sure where we got to downsize of his career?) and on a good contract, $3.2 million cap hit for this year and next. I’d have to dig into him more, my immediate take is that he’s a decent short term option as a 3C. I’d try to aim higher though.

Fluto has an article up on the Athletic advocating for acquiring Jeff Carter. That’s a little too risky for my liking. 3 more years at $5.2 AAV. He’s already 33 and coming off major injury last season.
 

burstnbloom

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Coyle is OK, and certainly not a 4th liner. He’s 26 (not sure where we got to downsize of his career?) and on a good contract, $3.2 million cap hit for this year and next. I’d have to dig into him more, my immediate take is that he’s a decent short term option as a 3C. I’d try to aim higher though.

Fluto has an article up on the Athletic advocating for acquiring Jeff Carter. That’s a little too risky for my liking. 3 more years at $5.2 AAV. He’s already 33 and coming off major injury last season.
Coyle strikes me as a hope to fill the second line RW. 20 goal big body type who is responsible defensively.