So what's Next?

[cshea]

So in the end, we've cleared cap space, re-stocked the farm with 6 top 60 picks, and added Beleskey, Hayes and an additional 1st round pick next year. Not bad. They have plenty of assets left to make a move on D. Franson would be great. If Chicago makes Seabrook available, the Bruins are in a position to acquire him. Ditto for Shattenkirk (more of a pipe dream).

 

[PedroSpecialK]

No chance IMO on Seabrook with Saad out of the picture

 

[Reardon's Beard]

So in the end, we've cleared cap space, re-stocked the farm with 6 top 60 picks, and added Beleskey, Hayes and an additional 1st round pick next year. Not bad. They have plenty of assets left to make a move on D. Franson would be great. If Chicago makes Seabrook available, the Bruins are in a position to acquire him. Ditto for Shattenkirk (more of a pipe dream).

 
If they could add Shattenkirk or Seabrook, with Seids hopefully stepping up after a year, youth development, and health - I see no reason this team couldn't contend.
 
Edit: agreed on Seabrook PSK - I don't see Chicago moving him.

 

[burstnbloom]

No chance IMO on Seabrook with Saad out of the picture

 
They have to move someone, though.  They cannot ice a team with their current cap situation without clearing some significant salary.  

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Agreed - however I don't think Bowman sees Seabrook as the guy to move.
 
I see no reason why they wouldn't be able to move Sharp, even if they have to give him up for less than a first rounder. I would be surprised if Dale Tallon isn't interested there.
 
For the Hawks, I see their roster breaking down as follows:
 
Forwards ($40m almost exactly): Kane, Toews, Hossa, Anisimov, Kruger (~$2.7m estimated), Shaw, Tikhonov, Daňo, Teravainen, Panarin, Morin, Desjardin (~$1.2m estimated) | Bickell/Sharp/Versteeg traded
Defense ($18.3m): Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Rundblad, van Riemsdyk, Gustafsson
Goaltenders ($6.6m): Crawford, Darling
 
That's only $65m total with the $71.4m cap - of course they'll potentially need to retain some salary on the three forwards they move, but I'd say they value Kruger above any of them, and would be willing to retain a couple million to keep that core together. Also gives them the chance to upgrade the blue line via trade (Schenn?)

 

[The Mort Report]

I think the notion of trading Rask is insane.  I've seen the idea thrown around, especially before they traded Jones.  The only position in sports that might have more impact on a game is a QB, and I would debate that.  True Rask could bring a huge return and he has an average salary of, what, 7 million, but he is only 28 and the deal is signed through his age 34 season.  It would be hard to find someone that could argue he isn't top 5 at his position.  Goalie is the position where you most definitely pay for top level talent and don't bat an eye.  Sure Jones would have been cheaper, but his new contract is 3 million a year until he is 27, and if he preforms like Rask he will get more than 7 million in his new contract.  Even if they went the rebuild route, you dont trade away a goalie just entering his prime

 

[TFP]

Sweeney has emphatically stated that Rask is not available.

 

[The Mort Report]

Sweeney has emphatically stated that Rask is not available.

 
I know, I was just baffled how often I've seen people on here bring it up

 

[Reardon's Beard]

Agreed - however I don't think Bowman sees Seabrook as the guy to move.
 
I see no reason why they wouldn't be able to move Sharp, even if they have to give him up for less than a first rounder. I would be surprised if Dale Tallon isn't interested there.
 
For the Hawks, I see their roster breaking down as follows:
 
Forwards ($40m almost exactly): Kane, Toews, Hossa, Anisimov, Kruger (~$2.7m estimated), Shaw, Tikhonov, Daňo, Teravainen, Panarin, Morin, Desjardin (~$1.2m estimated) | Bickell/Sharp/Versteeg traded
Defense ($18.3m): Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Rundblad, van Riemsdyk, Gustafsson
Goaltenders ($6.6m): Crawford, Darling
 
That's only $65m total with the $71.4m cap - of course they'll potentially need to retain some salary on the three forwards they move, but I'd say they value Kruger above any of them, and would be willing to retain a couple million to keep that core together. Also gives them the chance to upgrade the blue line via trade (Schenn?)

 
Let's tease this out a bit. Everything I hear puts Sharp on the block and most likely to be moved.
 
Is there any scenario where we can move Kelly and pick or two to get Sharp here? Net addition in salary would be something in the range of 3.5M if you can move the Kelly contract to a third team with a pick, and then maybe a pick/prospect to Chicago?
 
Just throwing out ideas but the idea of him playing with Bergeron and Marchand is stuck in my head. Unrealistically maybe, given the number of forwards on the roster already, but I'm not sure many of us could have predicted a lot of what's transpired thus far and this would give you three to four balanced lines versus the two at best of a week ago.

 

[cshea]

I don't see any room for Sharp. I believe the forward group is mostly set:

Beleskey - Krejci - Hayes
Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak
Eriksson - Spooner - Connolly
Talbot - Kelly - Shithead
Kempainen/Ferlin/Random bottom 6 guy

Maybe they move Kelly or Talbot, but I think this is what they go into camp with. The work left is on D. Right now it is:

Chara - C. Miller
Seidenberg - McQuaid
Krug - K. Miller

Ideally, I'd like to see a top 4, offensive minded, RHD added to the mix. The right side is woeful. Colin Miller looks nice, but hasn't played an NHL game. It is probably unfair to drop him into a top 4 role. Kevan Miller and McQuaid are better suited for a bottom pairing (Miller as the 7th D, Ideally).

 

[TFP]

I'd give Trotman an inside role to that first pairing rather than Colin Miller, to be honest. Both are stretches though.
 
I know it's extremely unlikely that Chicago moves him, but Seabrook would be a gorgeous fit for that top pairing. That roster would have some serious potential going into next year.
 
I'd still think Franson would be a reasonable signing. They could go something like:
 
Chara - Seidenberg
Krug - Franson
Morrow - McQuaid/Miller/Miller/Trotman
 
I wouldn't love it, but wouldn't hate it.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

A Chara-Seidenberg top pairing makes me nervous after last year. But hopefully both will be better with more time since their injuries.

I agree Trotman should get a look. I see him as better than K. Miller and probably McQuaid.

 

[burstnbloom]

Franson looks to be the best bet. Can play the second PP unit, has a good shot, decent skater, good possession stats and he's not old. 
 
He will play next year at 28, he's 6'5" and a Right Shot.  
 
Chara - Franson
Seidenberg- Krug
Morrow-McQuaid
Miller
 
Looks pretty good to me.  

 

[Toe Nash]

A Chara-Seidenberg top pairing makes me nervous after last year. But hopefully both will be better with more time since their injuries.

I agree Trotman should get a look. I see him as better than K. Miller and probably McQuaid.

I have said this many times, but Seidenberg was poor in the 34 games before he hurt his knee. From '11-'13 he had a CF% of 53.2% and a CFRel of -0.8%. In the partial season before he got hurt those numbers were 49.7% and -5.2% (note, he did have slightly more difficult deployment). We'll never know if he would have recovered that year if he stayed healthy, but I don't think all the decline is due to the injury -- it looks like he was getting worse before he got hurt.

 

[RIFan]

I have said this many times, but Seidenberg was poor in the 34 games before he hurt his knee. From '11-'13 he had a CF% of 53.2% and a CFRel of -0.8%. In the partial season before he got hurt those numbers were 49.7% and -5.2% (note, he did have slightly more difficult deployment). We'll never know if he would have recovered that year if he stayed healthy, but I don't think all the decline is due to the injury -- it looks like he was getting worse before he got hurt.

I agree with this. Seidenberg is still getting the benefit of the doubt for how he played in 2011. Inarguably he is no better than the 3rd pairing. Arguably he is no better than the 7th D on this team. His contract is an albatross. They should be actively trying to trade him even if it is for a bag of pucks where they eat 90% of his salary.

 

[Myt1]

I agree. Seidenberg as a top 4 horrifies me. He's a cone.

 

[Reardon's Beard]

In my fantasy world I want Kelly gone, Sharp here, and Seids as part of the bottom pair with either Shattenkirk or Seabrook up top and a Franson/Oduya in the middle. Put Seids on the bottom to motivate his play, and worst case he plays like a bottom pair.
 
But that's why it's my fantasy world. Forwards are probably set, so go get a top D and lets see if Miller can make the jump in camp.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

I almost wonder if they're not going to sign another defenseman and go into the season with Chara/Seids/McQuaid/Krug as the guaranteed 4 with Trotman/Miller/Miller/Morrow fighting for the last 2 spots. They may also think that there's an outside chance that Zboril can contribute at some point this season.
 
Adding one more top 4 defenseman to that crop will make things look a whole lot better though.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Zboril would have to win a place on the team in camp, which is unlikely.

I think Chara/Seids/McQuaid/Krug has the makings of a disastrously bad top 4 - Seids and McQuaid are both bottom pair guys for me at this point.

 

[cshea]

The best available option is Cody Franson. He fits everything they need- top 4, right shot, puck mover. I have no idea if they're interested, but he hits all the check marks. I'd probably pay close to $6 million AAV if they could keep the term reasonable (2-3 year). Longer term and I'd hope it'd be $5 million AAV.

Oduya and Ehrhoff are also still on the UFA market, but they aren't great fits. Both are lefties which means either they or Krug/Seidenberg would have to move to the right. That's not really ideal. I'd prefer to leave Krug alone and wherever he is most comfortable. Same with Seidenberg if his decline is real, so I don't see much of a fit for Oduya/Ehrhoff. Plus Oduya seems likely headed back to Chicago, he's just waiting for them to clear space.

On the trade market, it seems like Seabrook is staying in Chicago, and Sharp is out. We'll see if that changes. Everyone in STL has shot down the Shattenkirk rumors. They could all be lying, but I don't think he is on the move.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Zboril would have to win a place on the team in camp, which is unlikely.

I think Chara/Seids/McQuaid/Krug has the makings of a disastrously bad top 4 - Seids and McQuaid are both bottom pair guys for me at this point.

From what I've read, there's maybe a 50/50 chance that he's ready coming out of camp. We'll see this month during rookie camp.
 
I didn't necessarily say that McQuaid was a top 4 defenseman, just that he's one of the guaranteed to make the team.

 

[Toe Nash]

The best available option is Cody Franson. He fits everything they need- top 4, right shot, puck mover. I have no idea if they're interested, but he hits all the check marks. I'd probably pay close to $6 million AAV if they could keep the term reasonable (2-3 year). Longer term and I'd hope it'd be $5 million AAV.
 

Franson would be a nice get but he is supposedly looking for Petry money (6/33) which I think is reasonable for him, but which the Bruins were unwilling to pay for a better player in Hamilton. I think the best hope for him is that no one bites and they get him for a short deal like Ehrhoff took last year. Of course, Ehrhoff was 5 years older than Franson is now so I bet someone just signs Franson.
 
Maybe they were willing to go higher and just hated Dougie, but doesn't seem like it.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Franson would be a nice get but he is supposedly looking for Petry money (6/33) which I think is reasonable for him, but which the Bruins were unwilling to pay for a better player in Hamilton. I think the best hope for him is that no one bites and they get him for a short deal like Ehrhoff took last year. Of course, Ehrhoff was 5 years older than Franson is now so I bet someone just signs Franson.
 
Maybe they were willing to go higher and just hated Dougie, but doesn't seem like it.

Why are you continuing with this rumor? They made multiple offers to him with no response or counter offer, how do you know they weren't willing to go that high? The Franson negotiations have nothing to do with Dougie.
 
At this point folks need to just let it go and move on. Dougie is not walking through that door.

 

[Toe Nash]

Why are you continuing with this rumor? They made multiple offers to him with no response or counter offer, how do you know they weren't willing to go that high? The Franson negotiations have nothing to do with Dougie.
 
At this point folks need to just let it go and move on. Dougie is not walking through that door.

Why are you believing what was spoonfed to the media? Dougie hasn't talked. I also mentioned the possibility they would have gone higher in my second paragraph.
 
You think they will give 6/33 to Cody Franson?

 

[Ferm Sheller]

Don't want to start a new thread for this but the CHL/NHL Top Prospects game is on NHLN right now.  Brandon Carlo is in the game, not yet sure who else for Bs prospects, if any.
 
EDIT: An internet search tells me that DeBrusk and Zboril were at least scheduled at one point to play in it.  Not sure whether they did.

 

[NickEsasky]

I agree. Seidenberg as a top 4 horrifies me. He's a cone.

Yeah, but a German engineered cone. 

 

[Myt1]

Das cone? Could make for some interesting chugging.

 

[Dropkick Izzy]

Rather shoot the boot, would not bang.

 

[jscola85]

I want to at least see 20 games from Seidenberg this season before I completely write him off.  He came back under a fairly quick timeline from a serious injury.  Typically in other sports, ACL injuries are a 9-12 month recovery period and the player isn't 100% until the 2nd year.  Hopefully Seidenberg's offseason allows him to gain further explosion and mobility back into his knee.
 
I doubt he recovers to what he used to be, as age will naturally be slowing him down and the ACL surgery never heals back to 100%, but at 33 he's not at an age where he's guaranteed to have a fork in his back as an NHL defenceman.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

I want to at least see 20 games from Seidenberg this season before I completely write him off.  He came back under a fairly quick timeline from a serious injury.  Typically in other sports, ACL injuries are a 9-12 month recovery period and the player isn't 100% until the 2nd year.  Hopefully Seidenberg's offseason allows him to gain further explosion and mobility back into his knee.
 
I doubt he recovers to what he used to be, as age will naturally be slowing him down and the ACL surgery never heals back to 100%, but at 33 he's not at an age where he's guaranteed to have a fork in his back as an NHL defenceman.

The problems are that he didn't have a good 2013 before his injury. And he had the injury. And he's 2 years older. It all adds up to a high probability of that he does have a huge fork, although that isn't a certainty.

 

[Myt1]

Rather shoot the boot, would not bang.

I'm a fat, sweaty prop with a size 14 boot.  Might you reconsider? 

 

[cshea]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-players-like-kessel-tough-to-find/

Friedman's year end column. He says the B's were (are?) among the most interested in Oduya. Oduya seems to be in a holding pattern waiting to see if Chicago clears room.

 

[Maximus]

Chicago is going to need to move Sharp or Bickell to make room for Oduya. Since it looks like Shattenkirk or Seabrook are not going to be available let's hope we can add Oduya since it looks like his asking price and term is reasonable.

 

[RedSox040713]

I'd still much rather prefer Franson over Oduya. Though I haven't heard anything about Franson minus the fake report the other night

 

[MiracleOfO2704]

With Franson, there's the small matter of they likely don't have the cap space to sign him. After the Beleskey signing and new contracts for Connolly and Hayes, there's only $2.5 million left. They could sign him and hope they find a taker for Seidenberg or Kelly, but I wouldn't plan on them being gone before the beginning of the season.

 

[The B’s Knees]

With Franson, there's the small matter of they likely don't have the cap space to sign him. After the Beleskey signing and new contracts for Connolly and Hayes, there's only $2.5 million left. They could sign him and hope they find a taker for Seidenberg or Kelly, but I wouldn't plan on them being gone before the beginning of the season.

 
I agree
And only Loui's and Kelly's contracts (of any substance) are expiring next year.
With a good crop of UFAs for 2016, they may not want to handcuff themselves with Franson.

 

[BigMike]

I'd still much rather prefer Franson over Oduya. Though I haven't heard anything about Franson minus the fake report the other night

 
Franson it seem will require a 3-5 year commitment at around 5 million or so.  I'm just not sold on him being worth that.  
 
Do we believe he is a guy who can be the dominant player on a second pairing?  The type of guy who you can throw a rookie on the ice with him and expect Franson to carry that pairing?
 
I saw some on another board arguing that Franson will be the Bruins second best defenseman for at least the next 3 years?  My response to that is if that is the case, then the Bruins are likely going to be a bad team for that period
 
I also think Franson only makes any sense if they move Seidenberg.

 

[BigMike]

 
 
I agree
And only Loui's and Kelly's contracts (of any substance) are expiring next year.
With a good crop of UFAs for 2016, they may not want to handcuff themselves with Franson.
 

 
Plus Krug, but of course he is a young player, and in theory someone the team should be building around

 

[Reardon's Beard]

Kelly needs a buyer and I'd go so far as to eat a bit of that money if we can get out of most of it. Or a pick with him, that'd be fine.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Kelly needs a buyer and I'd go so far as to eat a bit of that money if we can get out of most of it. Or a pick with him, that'd be fine.

This is just dumb. Why would you eat part of the salary when he's off the books next season? He's a good 4th line center.
 
People need to get off the Kelly thing.

 

[RIFan]

Kelly needs a buyer and I'd go so far as to eat a bit of that money if we can get out of most of it. Or a pick with him, that'd be fine.

The goal this year has to be to minimize the amount you have Krecji on the PK.  Kelly becomes your second PK center behind Bergy as well as a guy you can trust to be a second center on defensive zone draws. You've also let go of Paille who was effective on the PK, so the number of proven forwards to handle penalty kills is lower than it has been in years.   The Penalty Kill has been a huge part of the success the team has had and it factors in on building the team.
 
His contract also isn't nearly as outrageous as many seem to think it is and if you eat some of it, you'll end up in total paying just about the same amount when combined with the replacement cost on the roster. If by chance Kemppainen looks solid in the role and Kelly does become superfluous, he would be a good deadline trade chip. 

 

[kenneycb]

Kelly can also play both wing and center and can fill in decently enough on the third line when an inevitable injury to the top 9 happens.

 

[McDrew]

If Chris Kelly can be 75% of what Brock Holt is to the Sox right now, I'll be happy.

 

[kenneycb]

Since Holt always gives 110%, that means Kelly will only have to give 82.5%.  I'll take it.

 

[RIFan]

75% of Brock Holt is Nathan Gerbe

 

[Red Right Ankle]

The rest of Nathan Gerbe was donated to science in order to find a cure for being short.

 

[Reardon's Beard]

This is just dumb. Why would you eat part of the salary when he's off the books next season? He's a good 4th line center.
 
People need to get off the Kelly thing.

 
I have an irrational dislike of Chris Kelly. I can't explain it.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

This is less than encouraging

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/13285631/nhl-boston-bruins-putting-trust-harry-sinden-experience

 

[Zososoxfan]

This is less than encouraging

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/13285631/nhl-boston-bruins-putting-trust-harry-sinden-experience

 
With all due respect to SoSH AARP, the dude is 82 years old!
 
[insert barf icon]

 

[cshea]

Going around Twitter now, but on Canadian radio, Cody Franson said the Bruins are one of the teams he's talking to. Says he prefers more than a 1-year deal.