233 replies to this topic

[TheRealness]

It was especially rough on Gresh & Zo today, I was going to post that in the GRESSHH! thread. My personal highlight was when Gresh listed Chara, Seids, McQuaid, and Ferrence, and then asked where Hamilton was going to fit in, was there going to be a roster crunch.

Ugh. It was tough. I turned it off in favor of listening to the stream of the Denmark/Portugal game.

God forbid we don't bring back Joe Corvo to make room for Hamilton. The drop off in hideous tattoos might be too much to take.

[Toe Nash]

FWIW Scott Cullen on TSN posits some radical, improbable and intriguing changes: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=397742
He sees Lucic getting the gate for lack of playoff production. Nash (while retaining Hamilton and Seguin) and Moore slotted in, and Campbell, Kelly and Looch gone. He also talked about Matt Carle, Carlo Colaiacavo, Dylan Reese as PMD possibilities.

Wasn't Lucic dealing with multiple injuries in 2011? And sure he didn't produce much this year but neither did anyone else on the top two lines.

Very little reason to deal Lucic.

[AMcGhie]

2011 Lucic had a fractured sinus bone that made it hard to breathe and required surgery post-finals and a severely sprained ankle.

[FL4WL3SS]

TRADE HIM

[TheStoryofYourRedRightAnkle]

KILL HIS FAMILY

[AMcGhie]

DRAW PENISES ON HIS FAMILY CHURCH IN VANCOUVER!

[TheRealness]

Chiarelli finally decided to call in when he was scheduled on T&R. Some highlights:

-- Kelly deal will be done on 7/1. Referenced the tagging rule.
-- Said he was looking at top 9 forwards, and the list was "short"
-- likes his forward group as is. Will have to fit that top 9 forward into the group.
-- Called fitting in new players into a lineup like this a "balance of equities:"
-- Said he was still really surprised by Thomas, but basically said 70% of goalies are crazy. I think he's low.
-- Hamilton is a terrific prospect. 6'6", smart, strong, passes and shoots well, and has "every chance in the world" to make the team. Called him an A+ prospect
-- McQuaid has been cleared to play. Horton close to be cleared to play. Saw doctors last week and everything is positive.
-- optimistic about a new CBA being done by the start of the season

[Curtis_Lesspanic]

Chiarelli finally decided to call in when he was scheduled on T&R. Some highlights:

-- Kelly deal will be done on 7/1. Referenced the tagging rule.
-- Said he was looking at top 9 forwards, and the list was "short"
-- likes his forward group as is. Will have to fit that top 9 forward into the group.
-- Called fitting in new players into a lineup like this a "balance of equities:"
-- Said he was still really surprised by Thomas, but basically said 70% of goalies are crazy. I think he's low.
-- Hamilton is a terrific prospect. 6'6", smart, strong, passes and shoots well, and has "every chance in the world" to make the team. Called him an A+ prospect
-- McQuaid has been cleared to play. Horton close to be cleared to play. Saw doctors last week and everything is positive.
-- optimistic about a new CBA being done by the start of the season

The Horton recovery has me concerned still. It's been almost 5 months since that Sestito hit. I'm glad that he is close to being back but the long recovery has me very worried another semi solid hit puts him out again.

[PedroSpecialK]

Agreed. IMO Chia has to be (and is) planning for him to be out of the lineup at any time. My thinking is he targets a forward and puts Paille in the press box to start the year - maybe trade for someone who can make an awesome 3rd line with Kelly and Peverley, and can easily serve in the top 6 if someone goes down without limiting the offense. Someone like...

[TheRealness]

The most interesting part of the interview, to me, was then Fred said that Chia told them at the end of the year that they were looking to add a top 6 forward, and Chiarelli immediately corrected him saying "I thought I said, top 9.... either way, we may look at a top 9 guy".

This suggests to me they are looking more to a depth veteran wing presence, and less at the big name of Parise.

I definitely got the feeling any major deal (like Nash/Parise/Iginla/Suter) is unlikely, as he seemed perfectly content to stand pat as he feels this team can win it all as currently constructed.

[AMcGhie]

Right now its
Seguin-Bergeron-Marchand
Horton-Krejci-Lucic
Kelly-Peverley-(callup)
Thornton-Campbell-Paille

with all the signings, right?

[The Four Peters]

Well I'd put Caron in for that scrub (callup), I think if they went to camp today that'd be his spot.

I fully expect another forward to be signed and would not be surprised if Balls was brought back too, mainly b/c he's an RFA and they can get him cheap.

[cshea]

Caron is the 3rd line winger right now.

Of the big names, the only one that I see being feasible from a Bruins perspective is Iginla. Big money, but only a year left on his deal. Parise and Suter are both going to be too expensive for Chiarelli's taste. But I've beaten the Iginla idea into a pulp at this point and have all but given up on Calgary moving him.

Edited by cshea, 14 June 2012 - 09:10 AM.

[AMcGhie]

Ryder has had the best year with any team in his first year with a team. I say let's trade for him next year when he's on the last year of his contract.

[AMcGhie]

Also, if we're bringing back Ryder, why not Wideman and Sturm as well. Sturm Face!

[Haunted]

The most interesting part of the interview, to me, was then Fred said that Chia told them at the end of the year that they were looking to add a top 6 forward, and Chiarelli immediately corrected him saying "I thought I said, top 9.... either way, we may look at a top 9 guy".

This suggests to me they are looking more to a depth veteran wing presence, and less at the big name of Parise.

I definitely got the feeling any major deal (like Nash/Parise/Iginla/Suter) is unlikely, as he seemed perfectly content to stand pat as he feels this team can win it all as currently constructed.

I definitely got the same feeling. The question "could you sign a big-ticket free agent" was posed and his answer (paraphrasing poorly) was "Could I? Yes. Would I? Unlikely,"

[Sports Illustrator]

We could really use another top line score. Hopefully Chia explores the possibility of signing Parise.

[erfus]

I definitely got the feeling any major deal (like Nash/Parise/Iginla/Suter) is unlikely, as he seemed perfectly content to stand pat as he feels this team can win it all as currently constructed.

Even if he didn't feel this way, and I think he does, he probably wouldn't say otherwise. He left the door open for a major addition if it makes sense to do so. With the current management team, I feel like Chia is just half of the equation...the rational, soft-spoken, and not prone to bashing Claude Lemieux's head into the boards half.

The first bit of the interview was all about Thomas and that associated drama. It was interesting that Chiarelli specifically mentioned the possibility of trading the contract. Chiarelli also let slip that the cap was "about 70 million" and said he felt optimistic that the CBA would be settled quickly enough to start the season on time.

[Blacken]

We could really use another top line score.

I think we're probably okay.

Edited by Blacken, 14 June 2012 - 12:56 PM.

[TheRealness]

Even if he didn't feel this way, and I think he does, he probably wouldn't say otherwise. He left the door open for a major addition if it makes sense to do so. With the current management team, I feel like Chia is just half of the equation...the rational, soft-spoken, and not prone to bashing Claude Lemieux's head into the boards half.

The first bit of the interview was all about Thomas and that associated drama. It was interesting that Chiarelli specifically mentioned the possibility of trading the contract. Chiarelli also let slip that the cap was "about 70 million" and said he felt optimistic that the CBA would be settled quickly enough to start the season on time.

I think his comments about how impressed he was in the exit interviews with the team's "unfinished business" and blah blah, etc., cuts against the idea of adding a major piece. I left that thinking he's going to add another guy, but you're right in that it's just half of the equation. Neely may be more inclined to try to bring in a bigger name. The question really is whether they need another scorer, and if Horton is healthy (a huge if), they really don't need to sign anybody other than maybe extending Pouliot as a depth move.

As to your second paragraph, that was interesting. A $70m cap figure gives them a lot of freedom if true, and allows them to add a major piece this year, especially if they can trade Thomas' contract.

[Sports Illustrator]

I think we're probably okay.

We don't know Horton's situation, he could be out next season too. The biggest problem we had in the playoffs was scoring. We need another pure scorer on the wing.

[TheRealness]

We don't know Horton's situation, he could be out next season too. The biggest problem we had in the playoffs was scoring. We need another pure scorer on the wing.

I'd say "scoring" in general was a secondary issue. The primary issue was a completely horrid power play, and how that really killed them in a tight series with the Capitals.

We also had a clearly hurt Bergeron the last two games, Horton out, and Krejci in lala land following his exceptional run last year.

If Horton is out, I agree with you. If he's in, they have one of the best forward groups in hockey without adding anyone.

[kenneycb]

We don't know Horton's situation, he could be out next season too. The biggest problem we had in the playoffs was scoring. We need another pure scorer on the wing.

I think pretty much every team in the NHL, aside from a small handful, needs another pure scorer on the wing.

[PedroSpecialK]

Per Chiarelli via Doug Flynn, Seguin will be staying on the wing after the Campbell/Kelly re-signings.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli agrees. He noted that it is not unusual for players to move from center to wing, a transition both Kelly and Rich Peverley had made at different points in their careers. Peverley will remain at wing as well this season now that Kelly and Campbell are back in the fold, though both Peverley and Seguin are capable of sliding back to center if the need arises with injuries or other issues. "Kells is a center and Pevs is a center and they've played wing," Chiarelli said during Wednesday's conference call to discuss the Kelly and Campbell extensions. And will Seguin continue to follow that pattern? "For the short term, yes," Chiarelli said. "He's had success on the wing. And the short term may be one, two, three years, who knows? But at this point we don't have any reason to put him to the middle."

[Titoschew]

TRADE HIM

MOST OVERRATED PLAYER IN THE CITY

-turtleschew

[FL4WL3SS]

Is Sports Illustrator one of jsinger's spoof accounts?

[TheStoryofYourRedRightAnkle]

Isn't jsinger one of jsinger's spoof accounts?

[Blacken]

They're all BU1995Hockey.

[TheRealness]

Hockey's Future wrote an article on the Bruin's prospect depth and their strategy heading into the draft. They seem to agree that Chiarelli is trying to move up in the draft to add a two-way defenseman in the draft. They also talk a lot about how after Hamilton/Knight/Spooner/Koko the prospect cupboard is pretty bare. Interesting article, as it paints a significant drop off in talent after those top 4.

A few quotes from the article:

Hamilton was an absolute tour de force for Niagara this season, racking up 23 goals, 95 points, and a plus-53 in 70 regular season and playoff games. The ninth overall pick in 2011 is a 6'5 defenseman with the mobility and attack-savvy of a forward. He's expected to make the club out of camp.

Ryan Spooner is a slick, creative playmaking center with speed to burn and outstanding hockey sense. After starring for Canada in the Subway Series, Spooner contracted mono and was forced to miss a large chunk of his season, including the World Junior Championships.

Jared Knight's numbers never do him justice. He is a tough, determined forward who can play any position and any role. Despite being only 19, he's also Boston's most physically developed prospect as well. Like Spooner, Knight has an outside shot at that vacant wing position in Boston's top-nine but playing first line minutes in Providence could be more beneficial to his development.

He then posits that the Bruins are looking at Hampus Lindholm at #24.

[cshea]

Chiarelli doing a pre-draft conference call with the media...some notes via the Haggs/Bish on twitter:

- Weak FA class, so lots of trade chatter now.
- Chiarelli not inclined to do anything unless something falls in his lap.
- Koko will attend development camp, and announce his plans for next season there. The Decision II: Alexander Khoklachev

Edited by cshea, 18 June 2012 - 10:32 AM.

[The Four Peters]

I thought Haggs' article today outlining some of Chiarelli's quotes about his philosophy of going after big ticket FA's was very interesting. Whether you agree with him or not, it's certainly a conscious decision on the team's part to think about how every acquisition affects the club and the dynamic that they're trying to build. Link

Bringing in a top dollar free agent that would immediately vault past Chara as the highest paid player on the Bruins sends the kind of message Chiarelli doesn’t appear comfortable sounding off.

“When we get going [in free agency] we have the ability to acquire that [$7-8 million] player and carry that player during the season,” said Chiarelli. “With the egalitarian approach that we’ve taken to building this team – and you’ve heard me say this on a number of occasions – we always say this player took less and that player took less. That’s always true. We talked about two the other day in [Gregory Campbell] and [Chris] Kelly, but there’s [Rich] Peverley, [Johnny] Boychuk and [David] Krejci.

“There’s always a risk going to market, but if guys like that go to [the free agent] market they’re going to make more money. It’s going to be hard for me to digest and facilitate the assimilation of that [$7-8 million] player into our lineup assuming that they’re going to get major, major dollars. That’s going to be hard. Philosophically it would be very hard to parachute a player like [Parise, Suter or Nash] into our group.”

[The Four Peters]

The more days that go by, the more I think Doan would be a perfect fit for this club (no matter how much FL4WL3SS is against the idea). I just have no idea if he'd want to leave Phoenix.

[kenneycb]

That sounds like the way Detroit has done it with Lidstrom in the past. Certainly interesting and can't argue with the success but it creates a fun little game of what could have been.

[PedroSpecialK]

If they can maneuver a deal to get Thomas's cap hit off their books, IMO Iginla makes even more sense than Doan, despite costing additional talent.

With Doan being a 35+ contract on his next deal, it would give me pause in committing to him long-term (unless the CBA is changed significantly in that regard, which I don't expect). Doan's averaged 20 goals and 55 points the last three seasons on a moderately defensively-minded team, and as TFP mentioned I think there is little chance he leaves Phoenix.

On the flip side, Iginla's averaged about 35 goals and 75 points on a more offensively-geared squad, but his centers have been a sputtering Mike Cammalleri, Olli Jokinen, and Brendan Morrison. Iginla hasn't notched less than 30 goals since 1999-00, when he had 29. He's averaged over 12 PPG per season in the last seven seasons without any notable puckmovers on his PP units.

PPG by year, starting with this past season:

Iginla: 8, 14, 10, 10, 15, 13, 17

Bruins' leader: 8 (Chara), 8 (Chara, Ryder), 8 (Recchi), 11 (Chara), 10 (Sturm), 14 (Bergeron), 12 (Bergeron)

If the Bruins are looking to add leadership, not commit long-term to an aging player or an albatross like Rick Nash, improve what has been an unacceptable power play, and have cap room to re-sign Lucic, Seguin, and Marchand after this coming season, Iginla's their guy IMO.

[The Four Peters]

I'd love to add Iginla, and we've all been pining over him for years now, I just don't see how it's going to happen. No way Calgary trades him without demanding a huge haul to save face for trading the face of their franchise, and the cap hit could make it tough (although moving Thomas' salary would be huge). I'd do backflips if they traded for Iginla.

[cshea]

FWIW, over the weekend I briefly caught Haggs on the radio talking about Iginla. I didn't hear the entire conversation, but he basically agreed with everyone and said Iginla is right in the B's wheelhouse. He thought it was perfect because after the season you could re-sign Iggy to a more team friendly deal. Haggs seemed to think Iggy moves, but that it won't be until the deadline.

I'd be interested in Doan if he were to leave Phoenix. I wouldn't want to sign him to a deal longer than 2-years, however. I don't see the league/Jamison letting him get away.

Edited by cshea, 18 June 2012 - 12:30 PM.

[TheRealness]

ESPN posted it's top 50 Free Agents.

They only link Ryan Smyth to the Bruins, but I figure he's going to go back to Edmonton unless winning the cup is more important to him. I doubt he goes. Doan, Hudler, Whitney, and to a lesser extent Parenteau and Penner seem like the only real viable options.

[veritas]

I think the biggest news from that interview is that Hamilton is now 6'6. With the monster season he just had, and growing 2 inches, what a beast he's turning out to be.

To any draft experts out there; would he be the #1 overall pick if he were still draft eligible? He was one of the youngest players to be drafted last season. I'd have to think so

[TheRealness]

I would think so. He has better offensive instincts than Murray, and Yakupov has been up and down all year. Add in the fact he is solid defensively and has the potential to be a physical force (I'm not as sure about that), and he would definitely be.

After this past season he had, it wouldn't even be a question. He was ridiculous. He could solve a lot of problems for the Bruins if he transitions well. My expectations are tepid though. No seriously. I have no idea why I have him penciled in for 10 and 30. That's why it's pencil. I can erase it. To put a 40 maybe. What? No. Of course not. That's crazy.

You're all crazy.

[OldSaintJohn]

Doan has a ton of connections out here, and a flock of kids in the school systems. If he signs elsewhere, all signs point to one of the California teams or up near his home in Alberta.

Granted, I'd do backflips if he signed in Boston. I just think he has too much invested out this way

[mcpickl]

If they can maneuver a deal to get Thomas's cap hit off their books, IMO Iginla makes even more sense than Doan, despite costing additional talent.

With Doan being a 35+ contract on his next deal, it would give me pause in committing to him long-term (unless the CBA is changed significantly in that regard, which I don't expect). Doan's averaged 20 goals and 55 points the last three seasons on a moderately defensively-minded team, and as TFP mentioned I think there is little chance he leaves Phoenix.

On the flip side, Iginla's averaged about 35 goals and 75 points on a more offensively-geared squad, but his centers have been a sputtering Mike Cammalleri, Olli Jokinen, and Brendan Morrison. Iginla hasn't notched less than 30 goals since 1999-00, when he had 29. He's averaged over 12 PPG per season in the last seven seasons without any notable puckmovers on his PP units.

PPG by year, starting with this past season:

Iginla: 8, 14, 10, 10, 15, 13, 17

Bruins' leader: 8 (Chara), 8 (Chara, Ryder), 8 (Recchi), 11 (Chara), 10 (Sturm), 14 (Bergeron), 12 (Bergeron)

If the Bruins are looking to add leadership, not commit long-term to an aging player or an albatross like Rick Nash, improve what has been an unacceptable power play, and have cap room to re-sign Lucic, Seguin, and Marchand after this coming season, Iginla's their guy IMO.

I love this, especially the say no to Nash thought. I don't get the demand for this guy. I don't think I'd be willing to pay him that contract even if he were a FA, much less give up assets to get him.

I'd kill for Iginla, Chiarelli probably would too. I think he'd be the 7th different guy from that Calgary Stanley Cup final team that he's acquired for Boston. Apparently loved that team.

[The Four Peters]

I'd kill for Iginla, Chiarelli probably would too. I think he'd be the 7th different guy from that Calgary Stanley Cup final team that he's acquired for Boston. Apparently loved that team.

You know who else was on that team??? Robyn Regehr!!! GET IT DONE CHIA!

[Dummy Hoy]

Bobby Ryan anyone?

[Spaulding Smails]

There has been so much speculation about him the past few years it seems inevitable he will be dealt. I'd love to have him but at what cost? My guess is the Ducks would want a Krejci + one of Koko, Knight, Spooner at least.

[Dummy Hoy]

I'd probably do that...his contract is sweet and I think Seguin is a center in any case. May as well be next year.

[RedOctober3829]

Would anyone go out and sign Brandon Prust away from the Rangers? He is unhappy with the contract he was offered.

[Blacken]

I thought Prust was a RFA, but apparently not. I think he's a pretty marginal upgrade on a team like Boston, but I wouldn't be surprised if he had some interest elsewhere.

[kenneycb]

From what I've read he's looking for something in the $2.2M AAV range, which seems too rich for my tastes given his skillset. He's a nice player but I'd rather allocate that money elsewhere, especially given from what I've seen he's a 4th liner with a marginal 3rd line upside.

[Corsi]

Told that goalie Tuukka Rask and the Boston Bruins are close to agreeing on a contract extension...

https://twitter.com/...338745349447680

[BostonFanInCanesLand]

Now that Tuukka's in the fold that leaves what, approx. $2 million of cap space for a 13th forward and a 7th defenseman? Plus $5 million if they "trade" Thomas, and Savvy's $4 million.

I can see Chiarelli basically standing pat roster-wise and working to move Thomas's freight so they can add an impact winger by the trade deadline (or whatever other need may arise).

I'd like to see someone like Doan added for the 3rd line before October but it'll probably be someone grittier with less of a scoring touch (and at a lower AAV).

Edit: 2 "u"s 2 "k"s.

Edited by BostonFanInCanesLand, 28 June 2012 - 03:54 PM.