Former Bruins EX Bruins Discussion Thread Part II All Talk Here..

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WhalerTurnedBruin55

Fading out, thanks for the times.
Oct 31, 2008
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If the Bruins didn't trade Hamilton and Seguin two very good your players the future would look brighter.
Wouldn't be as bad if some of the players they received were playing for the team.

Or if our GM's actually got quality for them.

Loui was nice, but underperformed and walked in a few seasons. In excusable to have Joe Morrow and Jimmy Hayes (via Reilly Smith) as the ONLY pieces left of that trade.

Hamilton returned a bunch of picks, questionable if an of them will have his ceiling.

Had Seguin returned an equivalent defenseman or Hamilton returned an equivalent forward, the team wouldn't be all that bad now. But our genius GM's turned 2 dollar bills into a couple of nickels and dimes at this point.
 

mark3361

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Nov 1, 2008
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None of those players move the needle one way or another and were worth a shot. I haven't seen one post lamenting the loss of Brett Connolly. I'm confused why Hayes is still on the team, but I'm guessing because we have no forward depth ready to replace him. Sunk cost and all that
 

Mpasta

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Oct 6, 2008
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More than Nash and Hayes? You betcha.

And this isn't hindsight. I stated last year that Connolly is a better player than Hayes and should be retained if they are choosing between the two.

But Connolly was a Chiarelli acquisition, and Hayes was Sweeney's, hence Hayes is the one still here.

Or because Hayes wasn't an FA and Connolly was.

But I agree with the Nash part.
 

Over the volcano

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Don't look now, but a guy Boston couldn't even give a qualifying offer to last summer in Brett Connolly, has 7 goals in 30 games for the Washington Capitals, essentially a 20 goal pace.

To put that into perspective.

That's the combined goal scoring output of Nash, Hayes, Belesky, and Blidh so far this season in almost FOUR times as many man-games at 125.

It's a good thing Boston let him walk for free so they could give Nash a two-year deal and retain Jimmy Hayes.
Good for him and for all the captain hindsights who can rally those numbers into some kind of damning case against Sweeney.

I do love the "20 goal pace though" last I heard he was a pretty regular healthy scratch for them.
 

BruinDust

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Aug 2, 2005
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Never understood why Connolly didn't come back, wouldn't have cost much at all.

That's the part I didn't get. What was his qualifier about 900k give or take.

If he carried a big cap hit and this was a way out of it, fine and dandy, makes perfect sense.

But was affordable and capable. Certainly more capable than some of the wingers Boston has iced thus far this season.
 

BruinDust

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Good for him and for all the captain hindsights who can rally those numbers into some kind of damning case against Sweeney.

I do love the "20 goal pace though" last I heard he was a pretty regular healthy scratch for them.

No one is trying to build a case against Sweeney. But retaining him at what Washington is paying him would of been the prudent move.

And yeah, 7 goals divided by 30 games equals a 19 goal pace over 82 games. And looks like he's been a fairly regular player for them the last little while, on a deeper team than Boston. His last scratch might of been mid-December, so I guess you heard wrong. Who are your sources? Probably time to get some new ones.
 

BruinDust

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You can't be serious

What, that I rather have a guy with 7 goals than a bunch a guys who haven't score 7 between them in 4 times as many games.

And your paying those 4 guys about 10 times (8 million vs. 800k) as much combined for those 7 goals as it would of cost for Connolly?

Yeah I'm serious.
 

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What, that I rather have a guy with 7 goals than a bunch a guys who haven't score 7 between them in 4 times as many games.

And your paying those 4 guys about 10 times (8 million vs. 800k) as much combined for those 7 goals as it would of cost for Connolly?

Yeah I'm serious.

Come on, I know you'd really rather have Riley Nash than Brett Conolly :naughty:
 

Fossy21

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Mar 14, 2013
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This must be the definition of hindsight.

Connolly played 920 minutes last year, 59 ½ of them on the power play. Loads on a line with Marchand and Bergeron on the team that scored the 3rd most goals in the Eastern Conference and 5th most in the NHL. He had a statline of 9-16-25 in 71 games (involved in 10.4% of team goals).

Riley Nash played 829 minutes, 65 of them on the power play, on the team that scored the third fewest goals in the NHL. He had a statline of 9-13-22 in 64 games (involved in 11.1% of team goals, in much less TOI). Nash was also known as a solid two-way player.

I liked what I saw from Connolly his first two games or so for the Bruins in 2014-15, he didn't show much after that to make me (or anyone else on here, that I can think of) want to retain him. He's also on pace for 2.7 assists, on a team that's on pace to score 257 goals. He is what he is.

Jimmy Hayes also has 0 relevance here. We didn't "retain him", we'd have to give away assets to get rid of him.
 

BruinDust

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This must be the definition of hindsight.

Connolly played 920 minutes last year, 59 ½ of them on the power play. Loads on a line with Marchand and Bergeron on the team that scored the 3rd most goals in the Eastern Conference and 5th most in the NHL. He had a statline of 9-16-25 in 71 games (involved in 10.4% of team goals).

Riley Nash played 829 minutes, 65 of them on the power play, on the team that scored the third fewest goals in the NHL. He had a statline of 9-13-22 in 64 games (involved in 11.1% of team goals, in much less TOI). Nash was also known as a solid two-way player.

I liked what I saw from Connolly his first two games or so for the Bruins in 2014-15, he didn't show much after that to make me (or anyone else on here, that I can think of) want to retain him. He's also on pace for 2.7 assists, on a team that's on pace to score 257 goals. He is what he is.

Jimmy Hayes also has 0 relevance here. We didn't "retain him", we'd have to give away assets to get rid of him.

There is no hindsight here whatsoever. I said many times on this board when he was here I liked Connolly and thought he was a solid bottom 2 line winger. Said prior to last June one of him or Hayes had to go and thought the one to leave should of been Hayes.
 

Fossy21

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There is no hindsight here whatsoever. I said many times on this board when he was here I liked Connolly and thought he was a solid bottom 2 line winger. Said prior to last June one of him or Hayes had to go and thought the one to leave should of been Hayes.

I don't think anyone would take Hayes over him. Hayes also had a decent run to start his Bruins career, but next to nothing outside of that, and at a high price tag (although not as high as what 35 point Reilly Smith will get paid next season onwards). If they had made that move at the time, it would've turned out positive (especially since Connolly would be easier to move to make room for kids if he shows nothing). At the same time, if before the season anyone could choose between Nash or Connolly at what they make and based on what they'd done up to that point, nearly nobody would take Connolly.

Still not wowed by his production, though. 19 goals and two assists over 82 games (if he even continues to score at this pace, which he's unlikely to even with PP time) isn't enough difference to save this season - even if shooting is the one area this team lacks in, you still have to get in position as well, as well as play well overall. And Connolly didn't do that here. Can't comment on how he looks with the Caps.
 

BruinDust

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I don't think anyone would take Hayes over him. Hayes also had a decent run to start his Bruins career, but next to nothing outside of that, and at a high price tag (although not as high as what 35 point Reilly Smith will get paid next season onwards). If they had made that move at the time, it would've turned out positive (especially since Connolly would be easier to move to make room for kids if he shows nothing). At the same time, if before the season anyone could choose between Nash or Connolly at what they make and based on what they'd done up to that point, nearly nobody would take Connolly.

Still not wowed by his production, though. 19 goals and two assists over 82 games (if he even continues to score at this pace, which he's unlikely to even with PP time) isn't enough difference to save this season - even if shooting is the one area this team lacks in, you still have to get in position as well, as well as play well overall. And Connolly didn't do that here. Can't comment on how he looks with the Caps.

There were folks here who wanted to keep Hayes over Connolly.

I can honestly say I would of kept Connolly rather than sign Nash, but that's mostly because I knew little to nothing about Nash at the time.

No one said anything about saving the season. At 800k the Bruins would of been better off keeping him. If you can find 15 goals from a guy for less than a million per, that's solid value in a cap system.
 

Fossy21

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There were folks here who wanted to keep Hayes over Connolly.

I can honestly say I would of kept Connolly rather than sign Nash, but that's mostly because I knew little to nothing about Nash at the time.

No one said anything about saving the season. At 800k the Bruins would of been better off keeping him. If you can find 15 goals from a guy for less than a million per, that's solid value in a cap system.

That it is. I don't think he'd score 15 goals here, though. He may not even achieve that with the Caps, and he wasn't even close to it last year, when he was given far better opportunities to score goals than he would've had he returned.
 

BruinDust

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Connolly with his 8th last night. Solidifying himself on that 3rd line with Eller and Burakovsky. On a team deeper than the Bruins.

After 31 games, Connolly would be 5th in GPG on the Bruins behind Pasta, Marchand, Backes, and Vatrano. And ahead of Bergeron, Krejci, Spooner, and Belesky.

Another wise decision by this management team letting him walk for free. You mean to tell me Connolly couldn't of played on this current squad as a 3rd line winger? For a pittance none the less. Give me a break.
 

Number8

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Connolly with his 8th last night. Solidifying himself on that 3rd line with Eller and Burakovsky. On a team deeper than the Bruins.

After 31 games, Connolly would be 5th in GPG on the Bruins behind Pasta, Marchand, Backes, and Vatrano. And ahead of Bergeron, Krejci, Spooner, and Belesky.

Another wise decision by this management team letting him walk for free. You mean to tell me Connolly couldn't of played on this current squad as a 3rd line winger? For a pittance none the less. Give me a break.
Meh.....

I can't get excited about a guy that has 8-1-9pts in 31 games playing on a team like Washington. Washington it a juggernaut right now:

Most points in League
Most wins in League
4th best GF in Leauge
Best + Goal Differential in the League
Currently on a 9-0-1 run.

There's no denying that Connolly has core skills/abilities. However, he's playing on a team that opposing teams are struggling like hell to defend against as a whole. 8 goals in that environment with basically no helpers at all isn't impressive.

IMO the reason Pasta has tailed off in goal scoring is probably in part due to the fact he's been banged around and had elbow surgery. However, I think it's also very likely that teams can focus on him as a threat because we don't score many goals and aren't an overall offensive threat.

Put Pasta on Washington and you'd see a crap ton of goals, IMO.
Put Connolly on Boston and you'd see worse than 8-1-9 totals IMO.
 

BruinDust

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Aug 2, 2005
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Meh.....

I can't get excited about a guy that has 8-1-9pts in 31 games playing on a team like Washington. Washington it a juggernaut right now:

Most points in League
Most wins in League
4th best GF in Leauge
Best + Goal Differential in the League
Currently on a 9-0-1 run.

There's no denying that Connolly has core skills/abilities. However, he's playing on a team that opposing teams are struggling like hell to defend against as a whole. 8 goals in that environment with basically no helpers at all isn't impressive.

IMO the reason Pasta has tailed off in goal scoring is probably in part due to the fact he's been banged around and had elbow surgery. However, I think it's also very likely that teams can focus on him as a threat because we don't score many goals and aren't an overall offensive threat.

Put Pasta on Washington and you'd see a crap ton of goals, IMO.
Put Connolly on Boston and you'd see worse than 8-1-9 totals IMO.

In a sense I agree. But it's not like he's doing this getting PP time or playing alongside their top 6 (although his line-mates are no slouches).

Zach Senyshyn just ran off a 18 g, 2 a since Dec. 4th and he's a top prospect most would agree. (I think so at least)

He's also got a decent number of hits as well. Would be in the top 5-6 on this team.

My point being, he's a decent hockey player. Not great, not a savior, but decent. I thought he got a raw deal here last year losing his spot alongside 63/37 post trade-deadline when he was playing well leading into in. He's not close to a top line winger, but he went from the 1st line, to the 4th (Hayes somehow stayed on the 3rd), to the pressbox, when less capable guys like Ferraro, Hayes, Acciari, Talbot, etc. were still in the line-up.

Letting him walk, on a team lacking depth in right-shot wingers, for free, made no sense then (go look up his player thread, I said the same thing when it happened), and it makes even less sense now.

He would be a better option for 3rd line RW than any of the options they have right now (Hayes, Nash, Czarnik, etc.).
 

Number8

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In a sense I agree. But it's not like he's doing this getting PP time or playing alongside their top 6 (although his line-mates are no slouches).

Zach Senyshyn just ran off a 18 g, 2 a since Dec. 4th and he's a top prospect most would agree. (I think so at least)

He's also got a decent number of hits as well. Would be in the top 5-6 on this team.

My point being, he's a decent hockey player. Not great, not a savior, but decent. I thought he got a raw deal here last year losing his spot alongside 63/37 post trade-deadline when he was playing well leading into in. He's not close to a top line winger, but he went from the 1st line, to the 4th (Hayes somehow stayed on the 3rd), to the pressbox, when less capable guys like Ferraro, Hayes, Acciari, Talbot, etc. were still in the line-up.

Letting him walk, on a team lacking depth in right-shot wingers, for free, made no sense then (go look up his player thread, I said the same thing when it happened), and it makes even less sense now.

He would be a better option for 3rd line RW than any of the options they have right now (Hayes, Nash, Czarnik, etc.).

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not disagreeing that Connolly on the cheap would be as good as or better than some of the other options we have in place. Unfortunately i think that has more to do with the fact that our other options have been so unproductive rather than Connolly being such an attractive option.

Upper management needs to get their heads around the fact that we need some key pieces before we are a deep playoff team and stop trying to play both sides of the track.
 

TMac21

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That's the part I didn't get. What was his qualifier about 900k give or take.

If he carried a big cap hit and this was a way out of it, fine and dandy, makes perfect sense.

But was affordable and capable. Certainly more capable than some of the wingers Boston has iced thus far this season.

Agreed.
 

BruinDust

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Aug 2, 2005
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Don't get me wrong -- I'm not disagreeing that Connolly on the cheap would be as good as or better than some of the other options we have in place. Unfortunately i think that has more to do with the fact that our other options have been so unproductive rather than Connolly being such an attractive option.

Upper management needs to get their heads around the fact that we need some key pieces before we are a deep playoff team and stop trying to play both sides of the track.

And there is absolutely some truth to that, I agree.
 

chizzler

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If Sweeney resigned Connolly, this board would be. Rusifying him. Cmon.
 

GoBs

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Should the Bruin's have used their money on Lucic and not Backes? Krecji needs a left wing and Lucic is 28.
Marchand Bergeron Pasternik
Lucic Krecji Vatrano
 

Mpasta

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Oct 6, 2008
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Should the Bruin's have used their money on Lucic and not Backes? Krecji needs a left wing and Lucic is 28.
Marchand Bergeron Pasternik
Lucic Krecji Vatrano

If I was playing a lot of my time with McDavid who has 40 assists in 49 games, I could probably have a decent season too.

However, I'm not saying the Backes signing was any better.
 

WhalerTurnedBruin55

Fading out, thanks for the times.
Oct 31, 2008
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Should the Bruin's have used their money on Lucic and not Backes? Krecji needs a left wing and Lucic is 28.
Marchand Bergeron Pasternik
Lucic Krecji Vatrano

I may not have insider info, but do you think they had already talked to Lucic about where he wanted to play in the future, and it possibly wasn't Boston? Rumor he wanted to be in the West to be closer to his family since his father passed.

When he was moved, it was done very classy from both sides, and I think it was an amicable move. I don't think Lucic was planning on staying here. At least from what I've read and heard in interviews and on top of watching his (uninspired) play the last season he was here. I think Lucic's time in Boston was winding down. Sad to say, he's a perfect fit for that Edmonton team. Here he'd likely be an underperforming overpaid vet, something we have in spades at the moment.
 
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