Vegas Baby!

[RIFan]

I think I'd go:

F: Bergeron, Marchand, Pastrnak, Backes, Krejci, Nash and Spooner

D: Chara, Krug, Colin Miller

G: Rask

I have no interest in seeing Spooner play another game for the Bruins, but he probably holds some trade value so I'd protect him. Force Vegas into picking up a less than desirable Bruins contract.

This is the way I would go as well. The choices instead of Spooner are basically Hayes, Belesky, or Schiller. I'd rather have Schaller on the team than Spooner, but Spooner does have more value. On D Colin is the choice over Killer due to contract and upside, but I really hate to see Killer go with the way he's played this year. Guy gets a ton of crap, but he was very solid back there all year. Without knowing what other D gets exposed, I have to think the chances are high he gets selected.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

This is the way I would go as well. The choices instead of Spooner are basically Hayes, Belesky, or Schiller. I'd rather have Schaller on the team than Spooner, but Spooner does have more value. On D Colin is the choice over Killer due to contract and upside, but I really hate to see Killer go with the way he's played this year. Guy gets a ton of crap, but he was very solid back there all year. Without knowing what other D gets exposed, I have to think the chances are high he gets selected.

Each team only loses 1 guy, so I'd leave Spooner unprotected in the hope that he is taken instead of Miller.

 

[Jordu]

Despite the contract, I'm not so sure I'd protect Colin Miller rather than Kevin Miller. Colin Miller has never proven himself anywhere near as effective in the defensive zone as Kevan Miller (or McQuaud, for that matter). With Chara turning 41, that matters.

If I squint I can see Kevan Miller as a top-pair defenseman. Colin Miller will never attain that status.

 

[mcpickl]

This is the way I would go as well. The choices instead of Spooner are basically Hayes, Belesky, or Schiller. I'd rather have Schaller on the team than Spooner, but Spooner does have more value. On D Colin is the choice over Killer due to contract and upside, but I really hate to see Killer go with the way he's played this year. Guy gets a ton of crap, but he was very solid back there all year. Without knowing what other D gets exposed, I have to think the chances are high he gets selected.

This is a spot where I'd see if Vegas liked Colin Miller, and if they do, make a deal with them to leave him unprotected and pick up an asset for doing so. Assuming everything goes according to the Bruins plans, Colin Miller would be a third pair D here behind McAvoy and Carlo. If Vegas values him as a top 4 guy with upside, Bruins may be better off dealing him and keeping K. Miller and/or McQuaid for that third pair spot.

And I'm with Eddie Jurak on what he said above. In my mind Bruins only have 5 forwards(assuming Backes wouldn't waive NMC) and 2 defensemen that I'd consider must protect. I'd be haunting all the teams set to lose players better than Spooner/Nash/C. Miller and try to trade for them before the draft.

There isn't a trade freeze before the draft, is there? I feel like there should be, but tried to find any info online and couldn't. Any of you guys more informed than me(that's pretty much everybody here) know for sure?

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Despite the contract, I'm not so sure I'd protect Colin Miller rather than Kevin Miller. Colin Miller has never proven himself anywhere near as effective in the defensive zone as Kevan Miller (or McQuaud, for that matter). With Chara turning 41, that matters.

If I squint I can see Kevan Miller as a top-pair defenseman. Colin Miller will never attain that status.

I agree with wanting to protect Kevan Miller. He's imporoved by leaps and bounds since Montreal was making him look silly in the 2014 playoffs. But calling him a #1 (even squinting) is an exaggeration.

I don't want to cut bait on Colin Miller, though. Defensemen sometimes develop slowly. Kevan is playing the best hockey of his life right now, at age 28. Colin is only 23. He needs a lot of improvement, but he's got the time. If we judged Kevan based on what he was even 2 years ago, at age 26, he would have been the obvious guy to expose.

Neither option looks very good to me, and I'd bet on whichever one they leave exposed being the guy they lose.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

What a difference a year makes. Last year everyone was shitting on Kevan and I was insisting that he was just being utilized incorrectly. For once, I was right, so I need to point it out.

 

[RetractableRoof]

This could get interesting depending on the rules. I haven't seen anything that prevents Vegas from flipping players, I think I'd be calling around and seeing who wanted to steal a decent player. Hey Bruins: team X just left player Y unprotected, and he'd fit so well for you. What would you give us for him? See if there is a way to get higher value for a selection than the player would be worth on the surface. And if I'm Sweeney, I look around and see if I can convince Vegas to help me poach someone useful.

Could be fun (and painful depending on whether you are a giver/taker.

Pre-edit: I know it must have been thought of already... my mind is just wandering over it now.

 

[McDrew]

Whichever Miller gets exposed is gone. Both are 2nd pairing-feasible and that's about the best level that will be exposed. The only reason I think that could feasibly not happen is if they decide to snipe Subban or McIntyre, but I see that as extremely unlikely.

 

[timlinin8th]

Whichever Miller gets exposed is gone. Both are 2nd pairing-feasible and that's about the best level that will be exposed. The only reason I think that could feasibly not happen is if they decide to snipe Subban or McIntyre, but I see that as extremely unlikely.

There's too much backup level talent that will be easily acquired via trade or FA. The Knights are required to take goalies but they'll take them from teams devoid of talent.

Cross-posting a bit (I posted something similar in the 2016-2017 wrapup thread) but it is very possible that one of the Millers gets traded prior to the draft for a forward, the Bruins have the capability to protect additional forwards vs wasting those slots on a Spooner, Nash, or Beleskey.