Khudobin should help Rask get some rest, which is nice. But the defense is still a dumpster fire, and Backes hurts the team's already anemic scoring depth. They need a lot of help with both.
Bruins Free Agency Rumors and News
- Thread starter RedOctober3829
- Start date
What is the expected hit for Vesey going to be? Have to assume they keep something available for him.
The depth also looks much better if you put Hayes on the first line where he isn't needed and Backes on the third line as center or RW. Scoring from three good lines.
The defense is horrific though. McQuaid and Miller in your top 4. Is it the worst D unit in the league?
If they can pull Shattenkirk it'd be a huge improvement though, maybe all the way to middle of the pack.
So, at this point they would be entering the season with the following roster:
Marchand-Bergeron-Vatrano
Belesky-Krejci-Pastrnak
Spooner-Backes-Hayes
Acciari-Nash-Griffith/Randell
Chara-Liles
Krug-K.Miller
Morrow-McQuaid
C. Miller
Rask
Khudobin
I'm OK with the forwards, but that defense is ugly. Maybe over the weekend we will see Donny get something done. They certainly need it.
Marchand-Bergeron-Vatrano
Belesky-Krejci-Pastrnak
Spooner-Backes-Hayes
Acciari-Nash-Griffith/Randell
Chara-Liles
Krug-K.Miller
Morrow-McQuaid
C. Miller
Rask
Khudobin
I'm OK with the forwards, but that defense is ugly. Maybe over the weekend we will see Donny get something done. They certainly need it.
That lineup is...uninspiring.
No top end goal scorers. No shutdown D. 75% bottom 6 forwards, 25% top 6.
Is there such thing as a bottom heavy lineup? Cause this is it.
No top end goal scorers. No shutdown D. 75% bottom 6 forwards, 25% top 6.
Is there such thing as a bottom heavy lineup? Cause this is it.
I agree about the D, but I think that is a very good forward group. Marchand is a top end goal scorer. Pastrnak has produced at an elite clip over his 100 or so pro games. Bergeron is still a top 5 center in hockey. There's a lot to like there.
I'll give you Marchand. But Pastrnak has 53 points in 97 games. That's far from elite.
That's because Pastrnak gets no PP time and limited ES time. Over the past 2 seasons he's 13th in the league in points per 60 among skaters with 1000 mintues of ES TOI.
If they move on from Spooner, have to wonder if they will bring back Kelly at the minimum for the 4th line center role. Have to be around the minimum, but I would be open to that. They could then give that third line LW spot to one of the kids who performs well at camp. I really want to watch Heinen this summer. I think he's a guy to watch for that spot.
It will also be interesting to see where Vatrano is at. I liked his overall game by the end of the year, and it is hard to doubt his goal scoring talent.
Overall I am pretty optimistic on their forwards.
Their defense is just bad though. They are basically all 4-6 level players. There is no quick fix for that. It would be softened by some jumps in play from Colin Miller or trading for a top 2 defenseman, but overall we are going to have to be patient.
It will also be interesting to see where Vatrano is at. I liked his overall game by the end of the year, and it is hard to doubt his goal scoring talent.
Overall I am pretty optimistic on their forwards.
Their defense is just bad though. They are basically all 4-6 level players. There is no quick fix for that. It would be softened by some jumps in play from Colin Miller or trading for a top 2 defenseman, but overall we are going to have to be patient.
I don't think a top 2 D is happening. They aren't available. A young top 4 D, who could one day possibly be a top 2, was had at the price of...Taylor Hall. The Bruins don't have one of those lying around to trade. I think they'll explore some things since they have a center surplus, but I don't know how good a player they'll get for someone like Spooner.
Understood. Shattenkirk may be their best option if the Blues asking price settles to something more reasonable. Don't think the Blues will be able to afford to extend him going forward with their current roster's future required investments (i.e. Tarasenko, etc.).
The ship has sailed on STL cap issues with the loss of Backes and the trade of Elliott. They have $10M in cap space and their highest profile to resign is Jaden Schwarz. Tarasenko is signed through 2023 at a very reasonable 7.5AAV. Steen comes up next year, but he'll be 33 at the start of his next contract. Even if they resign him it shouldn't be more than his current contract unless he reverses his decline this year. On D, Pietrangelo is signed through 19-20 at 6.5AAV. Boumeister through 18-19. They currently project to have $15-20M in cap space after this year to resign Steen and Shattenkirk plus 5-6 other roster spots. Extending him shouldn't be a financial issue. They have no reason to trade Shattenkirk unless they are blown away, figure they are going to lose him anyway, or feel a strong need to get Steen's replacement in place.
Krecji could actually fill a need for them. The question is more if they'll roll the dice on his hip without seeing him play.
Another heartfelt "Bravo" to Joseph "Joe" Haggerty and James "Jimmy" Murphy for their continued service to journalistic excellence.
That this message is being delivered with a Kevin Paul Dupont tweet is damning enough
That this message is being delivered with a Kevin Paul Dupont tweet is damning enough
I especially enjoyed that he got so defensive when he figured out that Murphy made it up and whoever corroborated it (probably Troumba's agent) played him for a chump, that instead of just admitting he was wrong, he wrote a column calling Sweeney a pussy for not making the RFA offer. He's a caricature of himself at this point.
In light of Russell actually appearing to be a possibility...
Generally in watching him, when opponents enter the zone, he recedes to the hashmarks and just attempts to block shots instead of standing up at his blue line or pushing his opponent towards the perimeter.
On Calgary this past season, one defender (Giordano) who played above 500 minutes 5v5 wasn't a negative Corsi-wise - he was neutral. Nonetheless, Russell still grades out as the second worst possession player on that blue line, behind Wideman. Similarly, for the two seasons prior on Calgary, he was a poor performer despite having relatively neutral zone starts and grading out above only Engelland and Smid.
He was a solid possession guy the three years prior on St. Louis and Columbus - but he also had 36.0/26.4 OZ%/DZ%, so really sheltered minutes.
Russell's 29, so he's in his prime and would be a reasonable bet to maintain his fitness for 3-4 years. If he can get into a system where he's forced to be more aggressive upon zone entry and retaining possession, maybe he'll provide some value. I'm not holding my breath though... stay away.
Generally in watching him, when opponents enter the zone, he recedes to the hashmarks and just attempts to block shots instead of standing up at his blue line or pushing his opponent towards the perimeter.
On Calgary this past season, one defender (Giordano) who played above 500 minutes 5v5 wasn't a negative Corsi-wise - he was neutral. Nonetheless, Russell still grades out as the second worst possession player on that blue line, behind Wideman. Similarly, for the two seasons prior on Calgary, he was a poor performer despite having relatively neutral zone starts and grading out above only Engelland and Smid.
He was a solid possession guy the three years prior on St. Louis and Columbus - but he also had 36.0/26.4 OZ%/DZ%, so really sheltered minutes.
Russell's 29, so he's in his prime and would be a reasonable bet to maintain his fitness for 3-4 years. If he can get into a system where he's forced to be more aggressive upon zone entry and retaining possession, maybe he'll provide some value. I'm not holding my breath though... stay away.
I agree. I suppose if it's a two year deal I could understand it, but at the 4x5 he is asking no way.
He's also a lefty. The B's current LD depth chart is Chara/Krug/Liles/Morrow (RFA). I'm not sure if Russell (or maybe Liles) can play on the right, but there doesn't seem to be much of an opening there.
I'm a hard pass on Russell.
I'm a hard pass on Russell.
Yep. Please no Kris Russell. Kirk has a good comparison today where Kevan Miller is statistically a much better player.
It may be moot as, yet again, Haggerty is wrong - 2nd link is Russell's agent
edit: A wild Murphy appears!
edit: A wild Murphy appears!
Shawn Hutcheon @ShawnHutcheon
Sources close to situation say #NHLBruins Brad Marchand seeking extension of 7-years, $49M.
sold.
Passing on that is stupid. He's their best goal scorer, and plays a physical game for someone his size. While it may be a year longer than ideal, that's a solid buy for him.
Can't see how the Bruins could ask Marchand to accept a 4-5 year deal after handing Backes a 5 year deal, and McQuaid and Miller 4 year deals, unless they hugely overpaid in salary.
Obviously a lot depends on things like how many years of NMC and what the NTC on top of that looks like,
Marchand is somewhere between the 2nd and 4th best player on the roster. I tend to suspect the 37 goals will be a career high, but I also think he should remain a productive player for a number of years.
A couple of issues.
LW is arguably the deepest position in the org right now. And could get deeper if they sign Vesey
You have
Marchy
Belesky
Vatrano
Behind them you have
DeBrusk
Gabrielle
Bjork
Cehlarik
Blidh
Hargrove
Plus you have Spooner who may well end up at LW this year, and Heinen, who plays all three positions to some degree and the hope is can settle at RW, but could be better on the LW.
On top of that. Marchand is arguably the most tradable asset in the system, and could be the person dangled to get you a top pairing defenseman
I don't think that any contract gets done until after the Vesey decision is made. In the end I think Marchand signs, but wouldn't surprise me if traded instead
Marchand is somewhere between the 2nd and 4th best player on the roster. I tend to suspect the 37 goals will be a career high, but I also think he should remain a productive player for a number of years.
A couple of issues.
LW is arguably the deepest position in the org right now. And could get deeper if they sign Vesey
You have
Marchy
Belesky
Vatrano
Behind them you have
DeBrusk
Gabrielle
Bjork
Cehlarik
Blidh
Hargrove
Plus you have Spooner who may well end up at LW this year, and Heinen, who plays all three positions to some degree and the hope is can settle at RW, but could be better on the LW.
On top of that. Marchand is arguably the most tradable asset in the system, and could be the person dangled to get you a top pairing defenseman
I don't think that any contract gets done until after the Vesey decision is made. In the end I think Marchand signs, but wouldn't surprise me if traded instead
It's August and the Bruins haven't made the trade everyone was hoping they'd make.
They are entering the season with a worse team than which they exited last season. I'm not thrilled about this season.
They are entering the season with a worse team than which they exited last season. I'm not thrilled about this season.
Surprised we haven't seen the board comment on Gretzky's departure. Here's a story:
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bruins/2016/08/bruins_lose_scouting_director_keith_gretzky_to_edmonton
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bruins/2016/08/bruins_lose_scouting_director_keith_gretzky_to_edmonton
There was, it was just in the news thread...
http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/july-august-nhl-news-thread.14973/
http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/july-august-nhl-news-thread.14973/
I agree. Sweeney is building for the future with draft picks but by the time the picks are ready the best players today will be declining. People talk about Gryzlek, O'Gara, Carlo, Zboril but how many Dmen are good before 23, 24 years old? By the time those guys are good Krejci, Bergeron, even Marchand will be done as elite players.
I am looking forward to watching some of the young forwards play this year.
Agreed. I am hopeful Sweeney is still going to add a top 4 D prior to the start of the season much like the trade of Boychuk.