Bruins Offseason

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
I figure we could use a thread for the upcoming offseason. It should be a busy one. We're just about 2 weeks away from the expansion draft, then the entry draft and 7/1 right behind.

The biggest piece of business is Pastrnak. Seems like they're moving in the right direction.

 

burstnbloom

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
2,761
If the story about being in Forsberg territory is true, then I'm fine with that. 6 years, $36mm seems fair. If he keeps developing, that age 27 UFA contract he signs will be massive, though.
 

burstnbloom

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
2,761
He did but that was years ago. Forsberg, Schiefle, Monahan seem like good comps.

I would guess that Sweeney tries to clean up the roster a bit and makes a trade for an impact top 9 guy. As fun as it is to think about, I don't expect 4 or 5 rookies in the opening night forward corps. There are a lot of solid prospects coming and not a ton of room. Sweeney should use some of that depth to improve the second line.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
I agree that they should try and consolidate some depth and prospects into a bona fide NHL upgrade, but it is going to be tricky with the cap. They're currently at $10.4 million in cap space with 18 guys on the roster. Pastrnak will eat up most of the available room. To add an impact guy, Sweeney's going to have to shed. The middle of the roster is too cluttered. They've got Beleskey, Hayes and Spooner to deal with up front plus 7 NHL D under contract. Best outcome in the expansion draft is losing Beleskey's $3.8mm, but the more realistic scenario is losing a Miller ($2.5 for K, $1 for C), or McQuaid (2.75). I think they'll need to move out more than that.

The other day, Sweeney said he was willing to deal #18 this year. I wonder if he tries to attach #18 to Beleskey or Hayes or some combo of shit contracts to entice maybe Vegas or a cap floor team to take on our dead weight.
 

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,060
Portland, OR
According to LeBruin, Vegas did say they're considering taking a bad contract for a #1. They can eat some bad contracts in order to get prospects for down the line.
 

TheRealness

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 8, 2006
11,694
The Dirty Shire
I agree that they should try and consolidate some depth and prospects into a bona fide NHL upgrade, but it is going to be tricky with the cap. They're currently at $10.4 million in cap space with 18 guys on the roster. Pastrnak will eat up most of the available room. To add an impact guy, Sweeney's going to have to shed. The middle of the roster is too cluttered. They've got Beleskey, Hayes and Spooner to deal with up front plus 7 NHL D under contract. Best outcome in the expansion draft is losing Beleskey's $3.8mm, but the more realistic scenario is losing a Miller ($2.5 for K, $1 for C), or McQuaid (2.75). I think they'll need to move out more than that.

The other day, Sweeney said he was willing to deal #18 this year. I wonder if he tries to attach #18 to Beleskey or Hayes or some combo of shit contracts to entice maybe Vegas or a cap floor team to take on our dead weight.
No one is taking McQuaid, so I think it's between Miller and Miller. I would love to find a way for them to take McQuaid, so they can keep the Millers. Belesky isn't going anywhere, and Hayes will either play all year in Providence, or be bought out.

Have you (or anyone else for that matter) heard anything further on whether the NHLPA will try to force the 5% escalator? I heard some rumors about it, but I get the impression it isn't going to happen.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
The last I read about it, I believe they were leaning towards not using the escalator. I could be wrong, but my understanding was that Vegas' arrival is creating more jobs and money for the players so they don't feel the need to use the escalator.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
Spent some time perusing around Cap Friendly to see if there are any expansion crunches on other teams that the Bruins could potentially exploit over the next 10 days. Sweeney has said they'd like to add a forward and a LHD. There are some possibilities...

1. CBJ- NMC's force them to protect Foligno, Dubinsky and Hartnell. Assuming they go 7-3-1, that leaves 4 forward spots for Saad, Atkinson, Wennberg, Jenner and Anderson. I assume the first 3 are locks, so they'd have a choice between Jenner (1 year, $2.9 AAV, RFA) and Anderson is an unsigned RFA. Maybe something could fit there. I assume CBJ's plan A is to try to get Hartnell to waive, however.

2. Minny- They are probably going to lose a D. Assuming they go 7-3-1, on D they have to protect Suter, and Spurgeon is a lock for the 2nd spot. That leaves one spot for Brodin, Dumba, Scandella. Dumba seems like the most logical guy to protect, so Brodin and Scandella may be available. Brodin is signed for $4.16 AAV through 2021; Scandella $4mm AAV throug 2020. Brodin's a lefty and there was some smoke around the Bruins liking him through the Loui Eriksson trade deadline 2016 saga. Minny moved a lot of picks at this years deadline and the Bruins seem willing to trade picks this offseason. Maybe there is a fit.

3. Anaheim. No matter how they go, they're going to lose a good player. If they go 7-3-1, they'd have to expose a good D. Bieksa's got an NMC, and their best case scenario is him waiving. If that happens, they have Lindholm, Vatanen, Manson, Fowler. One of those guys has to go, 2 if Bieksa doesn't waive. Fowler is an LHD, 1 year $4mm AAV left on his contract. He's be a 1 year rental, but maybe that works best for the B's salary cap. Play him for a year while the prospects develop in Providence. Anaheim also traded away their first round pick, so maybe they're looking to recoup a high pick. If they go the 8 skaters route to protect the 4 D I listed, they'd be forced to expose a desirable forward like Silfverberg.

It'll be hard to make trades before the expansion draft due to the expansion implication on both sides, but the B's are in a position where they can trade futures (picks and exempt prospects) to maybe pry one of these players away. They have room on the protection lists to add a guy without drastically affecting their protection list.
 

j44thor

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
10,961
If they add a D aren't they essentially giving up C Miller?
Not sure giving up a high draft pick and almost certainly losing C Miller in the exp draft is worth the upgrade from C Miller to whoever a team can't protect. Maybe ANH would have been a fit but with two of their D having shoulder surgery and likely missing the start of next season that further complicates things.
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
30,247
The other day, Sweeney said he was willing to deal #18 this year. I wonder if he tries to attach #18 to Beleskey or Hayes or some combo of shit contracts to entice maybe Vegas or a cap floor team to take on our dead weight.
I like that idea. Not having 18 is sort of step back, but opening up some $$$ makes it closer to a step sideways. I also like both Millers, so YMMV.
 

TheRealness

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 8, 2006
11,694
The Dirty Shire
I'm still not entirely comfortable with Donny making any trades. As DJ Bean pointed out, Sweeney should play to his strengths and keep the picks. Trading has not been his strong point, although he deserves points for the Drew Stafford trade. I think the only viable candidate is Brodin in Minnesota, as he fits their desire for a LD, but I am not enamored with him and wonder how redundant he will be in two years when Lauzon or Zboril may be ready to step in.

I don't think they make any trades unless Landeskog's price comes waaaaaay down. One of the Millers is likely gone in the expansion draft, so that leaves them with:

Marchand-Bergeron-Backes
XXXX - Krejci-Pastrnak
XXX-XXX-XXX
Schaller-Kuraly-Acciari (or something close, and Riley Nash fits in here somewhere)

Chara-McAvoy
Krug-Carlo
Miller/Miller-McQuaid

For the 2nd line LW spot we have - Bjork as a good candidate, or likely a trade.

For the 3rd line - we have Spooner (who should absolutely be traded yesterday or dumped, I want him gone), JFK, Hayes (buyout candidate), Belesky (I think he stays), Vatrano (potential rebound season coming), and then the Heinen/DeBrusk/Czarnik candidates.

Landeskog might be a fit, but I don't think they meet the demand or even close to it. His cap hit isn't ideal, and his production is mediocre for what he should be doing. I like his all-around game, but don't see it. They would also have to find a way to send money back in the form of McQuaid or Belesky, and I don't see that happening.

If I were to guess, I think Bjork makes the 2nd line, Spooner gets shot into the sun, and we have something like Vatrano-Nash-Heinen to start, or something close on the 3rd, with JFK pushing for minutes by the end of the year. I expect JFK to start the year and spend most (if not all) in Providence.

FWIW, I think people are sleeping on Vatrano a bit. His conditioning is integral, IMO, to his success, and his foot injury set that pretty far back and he never recovered. If he works his ass off in the summer, I could see him on the 2nd line, leaving Bjork a little more time to develop on the 3rd. I could be wrong, but my gut tells me he could rebound with a 15-20 goal season if he stays healthy.
 

Eddie Jurak

canderson-lite
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2002
44,480
Melrose, MA
TheRealness, I think you are being a little hard on Sweeney on trades. Outside of the Shithead trade, what has he done that is really bad. The Dougie and Lucic trades seem to be about to start paying dividends. One can criticize the deadline deals from his first season, but the problem there was more that they should not have been buyers at that point.

I'd rather see them draft at 18 than trade it, but I think Sweeney has generally done OK in trades.

I think you are right on with Vatrano. For someone of his age, he still has very little experience playing at the NCAA level or higher.

I'm looking forward to training camp with a number of guys fighting for top 6 roles (Bjork, Vatrano, Heinen, deBrusk may be the leading contenders).
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
I'm still not entirely comfortable with Donny making any trades. As DJ Bean pointed out, Sweeney should play to his strengths and keep the picks. Trading has not been his strong point, although he deserves points for the Drew Stafford trade. I think the only viable candidate is Brodin in Minnesota, as he fits their desire for a LD, but I am not enamored with him and wonder how redundant he will be in two years when Lauzon or Zboril may be ready to step in.

I don't think they make any trades unless Landeskog's price comes waaaaaay down. One of the Millers is likely gone in the expansion draft, so that leaves them with:

Marchand-Bergeron-Backes
XXXX - Krejci-Pastrnak
XXX-XXX-XXX
Schaller-Kuraly-Acciari (or something close, and Riley Nash fits in here somewhere)

Chara-McAvoy
Krug-Carlo
Miller/Miller-McQuaid

For the 2nd line LW spot we have - Bjork as a good candidate, or likely a trade.
I don't think Brodin or any LHD's are redundant. The Bruins only have Krug as a LHD signed past next season. Maybe Fowler makes more sense since he's a UFA and would give them the most flexibility if one of the young LHD ) Lauzon, Zboril, O'Gara, Grzelyck) force their way onto the roster.
 

TheRealness

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 8, 2006
11,694
The Dirty Shire
TheRealness, I think you are being a little hard on Sweeney on trades. Outside of the Shithead trade, what has he done that is really bad. The Dougie and Lucic trades seem to be about to start paying dividends. One can criticize the deadline deals from his first season, but the problem there was more that they should not have been buyers at that point.

I'd rather see them draft at 18 than trade it, but I think Sweeney has generally done OK in trades.

I think you are right on with Vatrano. For someone of his age, he still has very little experience playing at the NCAA level or higher.

I'm looking forward to training camp with a number of guys fighting for top 6 roles (Bjork, Vatrano, Heinen, deBrusk may be the leading contenders).
Here is a list of Donnie's trades: http://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_GM/Don_Sweeney/283

Boston Bruins acquire Date Winnipeg Jets acquire
Drew Stafford
March 1, 2017
2018 conditional 6th round pick


Good trade, give him a B+.

Boston Bruins acquire Date Carolina Hurricanes acquire
John-Michael Liles
February 29, 2016
Anthony Camara
2016 3rd round pick
2017 5th round pick


Mediocre - C-

Boston Bruins acquire Date New Jersey Devils acquire
Lee Stempniak
February 29, 2016
2017 2nd round pick
2016 4th round pick


Poor - D-

Florida Panthers acquire Date Boston Bruins acquire
Reilly Smith
Marc Savard
July 1, 2015
Jimmy Hayes


Reilly did well the first year, not so much the second. Still, Hayes has been a dumpster fire. - D

San Jose Sharks acquire Date Boston Bruins acquire
Martin Jones
June 30, 2015
Sean Kuraly
2016 1st round pick


Martin Jones becoming awesome this quick was tough to predict. C+/B-.

Los Angeles Kings acquire Date Boston Bruins acquire
Milan Lucic
June 26, 2015
Martin Jones
Colin Miller
2015 1st round pick


Good trade - B+/A-

Calgary Flames acquire Date Boston Bruins acquire
Dougie Hamilton
June 26, 2015
2015 1st round pick
2015 2nd round pick
2015 2nd round pick


Jury is out, I think, but Dougie hasn't covered himself in glory, but the Bruins picks haven't hit yet. -- C

Colorado Avalanche acquire Date Boston Bruins acquire
Carl Soderberg
June 25, 2015
2016 6th round pick


I miss Carl, but this was fine. B.
 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
SoSH Member
Dec 2, 2006
16,090
Tuukka's refugee camp
You're being too harsh on a lot of those. Soderberg, for example, was leaving in FA and they got something for him. Similarly, the Hayes trade looks worse because they signed him to an extension.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
I think Sweeney and the front office can be divided into pro talent evaluation and amateur talent evaluation. They seem to be good on the amateur side- strong drafts, retaining NCAA draftee's, finding some udfa's like Acciari and Vatrano. Not much to complain about here, but they are entering their first draft without Keith Gretzky so there is some unknown. Matt Benning left using the loophole, but that's really it. They get credit for locking down Bjork, JFK, McAvoy, etc.

On the flip side, their NHL moves are all over the map. Some good trades like the Lucic/Jones transactions, some bad ones like a 3rd for shithead. They also bungled the Eriksson situation in my opinion. Same goes for free agency and contracts. Steal of a deal for Marchand, but the Kevan Miller and McQuaid signings aren't so rosey from a roster construction POV. Their foray's into free agency have been meh. Backes looks to be an albatross, and Beleskey was a train wreck this year. Nash and Moore were solid, cheap signings; Matt Irwin did not work out (though there's an argument to be made the Bruins screwed that up too).

It is hard to really pin down where they are at with the pro roster construction. Maybe this is true for most teams, but the bargain bin moves made by Sweeney are mostly all good (Moore, Nash, Stafford), but as the dollar amount creeps up, things get dicey (Hayes, Backes, Beleskey).

I guess, despite the uneven NHL moves, I wouldn't not trade #18 simply because they're better at drafting than they are at trading. Picks/prospects for a bona fide NHL player with term is the one trade this group has not made yet. If ever there was a time to do it, I think this is if. They've made 9 first or second round picks in the past 2 drafts. 7 of those players will be in the organization next season. This also supposedly a down year in the draft. Plethora of incoming talent, plus the down year and It seems like this might be the right time to be aggressive in trading a pick.
 
Last edited:

veritas

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2009
3,151
Somerville, MA
I'm not sure what people are expecting Vatrano to be, but he was 4th on the team in 5v5 P/60 last season, ahead of Bergeron. Playing with someone like Krejci and having a healthy offseason/preseason, I'm expecting a lot from him next year
 

Eddie Jurak

canderson-lite
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2002
44,480
Melrose, MA
I'm not sure what people are expecting Vatrano to be, but he was 4th on the team in 5v5 P/60 last season, ahead of Bergeron. Playing with someone like Krejci and having a healthy offseason/preseason, I'm expecting a lot from him next year
Vatrano is a legit, NHL-caliber sniper, who needs the rest of his game to catch up to his shot. His pure scoring ability is rare. If the rest of his game catches fully up he could be a top line scoring wing. If it doesn't, he still may carve out a top 6 role.
 

TheRealness

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 8, 2006
11,694
The Dirty Shire
You're being too harsh on a lot of those. Soderberg, for example, was leaving in FA and they got something for him. Similarly, the Hayes trade looks worse because they signed him to an extension.
I haven't even dropped my bomb on the Rinaldo trade, which I created a new letter grade off "L".

Also, I am so witty.

I'm not sure what people are expecting Vatrano to be, but he was 4th on the team in 5v5 P/60 last season, ahead of Bergeron. Playing with someone like Krejci and having a healthy offseason/preseason, I'm expecting a lot from him next year
I think he suffers from Glen Murray syndrome at times when he is floating in and out of the game trying to pick his "spots". Two years ago, I felt he was buzzing around the ice in both zones during the Bruins late run before they fell on their face at home against Ottawa and were eliminated prior to the playoffs. In this year, I never felt he got back to speed after his injury to his foot, which I think contributed to a reduced role. I think in an ideal world he makes the jump, as a goal per game in the AHL is still an achievement. He's an interesting guy to watch for sure, and if he outplays Bjork in camp I think he has a strong shot at starting the year with Pasta and Krejci.
 

jk333

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 26, 2009
4,323
Boston
Vatrano was on an up and down 20 goal pace and has scored 18 goals in 83 regular season games. He plays really badly on defense at times, singlehandedly allowing goals. But he's a legit sniper who can be counted on for 20-25 goals for the remainder of his rfa years. The question is, is he a specialist you have to shelter or a legit top 6 wing with some warts on his all around game. Even as a 30 goal scorer, he's probably not a superstar when you put his whole game together.

I'm really happy he's on the Bruins though.
 

Eddie Jurak

canderson-lite
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2002
44,480
Melrose, MA
Vatrano was on an up and down 20 goal pace and has scored 18 goals in 83 regular season games. He plays really badly on defense at times, singlehandedly allowing goals. But he's a legit sniper who can be counted on for 20-25 goals for the remainder of his rfa years. The question is, is he a specialist you have to shelter or a legit top 6 wing with some warts on his all around game. Even as a 30 goal scorer, he's probably not a superstar when you put his whole game together.

I'm really happy he's on the Bruins though.
It's a mistake to take this kind of "What you see is what you get" view with Vatrano.

For an NHL player, he's exceptionally inexperienced. Missed a full season of college hockey, basically, and then lost half of this year to a foot injury. He's 22, and he's basically missed 1.5 of his 4 years of high level hockey.

Guys like this typically aren't in the NHL. Vatrano shot his way into the NHL, but the rest of his game hasn't caught up. His remarkable scoring ability is the reason he's not following more of an AHL development path.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
Nothing earth shattering, but the B's aren't expected to ask any NMC guys to waive for the expansion draft. Deadline to do so is today.

 

burstnbloom

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
2,761
I haven't been able to find it written anywhere, but the protected rosters need to be in by Saturday so that would mean any expansion related trades would have to happen in the next three days. A lot of this stuff is going to come to a head very soon. I would expect Minny has some moves to make. I don't think it makes sense for them to trade only one D since they will end up losing another for nothing. I'd think the best bet for them would to be move both Brodin and Scandella for exempt players that can help them mitigate the loss of two top 4 defenders. Brodin would look very nice playing with McAvoy for the next decade.

Anaheim has a major crunch happening but Mackenzie is saying they have an agreement with Vegas. I'm guessing they are sending a pick to make them take Vermette instead of Vantanen or something like that. The blackhawks rumors from the weekend are likely true. They are $4m over the cap. If they move Kruger, as has been rumored, they are still $2mil over when you factor in his replacement.

Hopefully the fireworks start soon, I'm sick of waiting.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
The Sens are on the list now with Phaneuf not waiving. Seems they'd like to protect Karlsson, Ceci and Methot. Not enough chairs left, so you'd think they'd move one of Ceci, Methot or Phaneuf in the next few days.

Nashville might do the 8 skaters route. 4 D- Subban, Jodi, Ellis and Ekholm on the back end, then Johansen, Arvidsson, Forsberg up front. Final spot between Neal and Jarnkrok. Some chatter today that Neal gets left exposed, so he could be a trade candidate.
 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
SoSH Member
Dec 2, 2006
16,090
Tuukka's refugee camp
I imagine they leave Neal unprotected of the two. They just signed Jarnkrok to a 6/$12M deal, so they'll get good value from him even if he never turns into anything more than a Dominic Moore/Riley Nash-type bottom-ish line grinder. Neal only has one year at $5.5M left on the books, which is a decent amount to pay for a guy who puts up 40-50 points a year.

That said, Nashville is $17M under the cap right now with 18 players signed and only Johnanson and Arvidsson as the notable unsigned guys, so they're in a pretty good position overall for next year.
 

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,060
Portland, OR
The article was a little vague on this, but is he replacing any of the current coaches or is he an expansion of the staff? What are his specialties/responsibilities going to be?
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
Yeah. I believe Sacco runs the F and PP in Boston. Pandolfo is the eye in the sky so to speak. Dean would presumably pick up Cassidy's former duties as an assistant- D and PK.
 

RedOctober3829

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
55,300
deep inside Guido territory
Would anybody think the Bruins are trying to pry Kovalchuk out of Russia? What would the trade capital have to be to get him from the Devils? Is it likely that he signs a 1-year deal to re-establish his NHL value or will he command a multi-year deal?
 

Bozo Texino

still hates Dave Kerpen
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
11,730
Austin, Texas
The Bruins will be sporting black socks with the new Adidas jerseys.


No bueno. Too similar to Pittsburgh's uniforms for my liking.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
From a MIN beat writer:


Bruins and Wild may have spoken about some sort of Beleskey - Pominville swap.

Pominville - 34, 2 years left @ $5.6 AAV
Beleskey - 29, 3 years left @ $3.8 AAV
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,164
Cambridge, MA
There are a few of us with tickets already booked for Friday <> Monday :fonz:

Motion to force Nap to go to the game rocking a powder blue Pens jersey