Line Combos: Roster overhaul in order?

[Dr Hook]

The whole Backes retiring thing was brought up by a few of us right after the end of the season as something he ought to consider given his history. Backes himself made a vague comment on breakup day about talking things over with his family/doctors about the concussions.

 

[Blowfish]

I'd say more like wishful thinking.

It's pretty clear that the OP has a negative bias towards larger slower players like Backes, and a positive bias towards smaller skilled players like Alexander Khokhlachev and Paul Byron.

Very much so believe slower players aren’t a good thing as obviously evidenced last few years and especially this final however I do worry about players like Bergeron and Backes taking one more hit causing serious injury. I wouldnt be surprised Backes / bruins are not considering LTR.

 

[Chief Nine]

Very much so believe slower players aren’t a good thing as obviously evidenced last few years and especially this final however I do worry about players like Bergeron and Backes taking one more hit causing serious injury. I wouldnt be surprised Backes / bruins are not considering LTR.

Why? Again, what are you basing this on?

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

Mediocrity? Your far too kind friend

Bad teams get good draft picks. I don't wish them that.

Mediocrity puts them in irrelevant purgatory.

 

[BruinDust]

Very much so believe slower players aren’t a good thing as obviously evidenced last few years and especially this final however I do worry about players like Bergeron and Backes taking one more hit causing serious injury. I wouldnt be surprised Backes / bruins are not considering LTR.

While I think the Bruins need to get faster (so we agree there), you make LTIR sound like some sort of option the Bruins have to get out their commitment to Backes or have him on the roster.

And ultimately it's a doctor, not Backes, who will deem him unfit to play based on a medical examination if that is the case.

Nothing stopping Backes from retiring tomorrow if he so chooses, but him deciding to retire doesn't automatically make him eligible to be placed on LTIR when the season starts.

 

[BruinDust]

Bad teams get good draft picks. I don't wish them that.

Mediocrity puts them in irrelevant purgatory.

I'd argue they've have been there for 25 years now.

I can't remember the last season where the Habs were considered legitimate Cup contenders going into the season.

 

[rocketdan9]

Watching Vegas vs Caps ... they throw a ton of blind shots at the net. Lots of no look passing

Two things Bruins rarely did in the playoffs

Maybe Cassidy needs to encourage some more creativity from the lineup. Not just dump and chase, cycle etc

 

[Dizzay]

My insane secret hopes for this off-season?
Somehow convince Joe Thornton to sign a low value, high bonus 2 year deal here, telling him he centers the 2nd/3rd line and gets to play with his buddy Rick Nash.
Allows Frederick and JFK to get two more years of experience under their belts.
Marshy-Bergy-Pasta
Debrusk-Krejci-Heinen
Donato-Thornton-Nash

If Joe stayed healthy, I don't know how that top 9 doesn't win the cup.
But in before "Jumbo is never coming back" or "do you know such things as the salary cap", its a pipe dream, not reality.

 

[BruinDust]

My insane secret hopes for this off-season?
Somehow convince Joe Thornton to sign a low value, high bonus 2 year deal here, telling him he centers the 2nd/3rd line and gets to play with his buddy Rick Nash.
Allows Frederick and JFK to get two more years of experience under their belts.
Marshy-Bergy-Pasta
Debrusk-Krejci-Heinen
Donato-Thornton-Nash

If Joe stayed healthy, I don't know how that top 9 doesn't win the cup.
But in before "Jumbo is never coming back" or "do you know such things as the salary cap", its a pipe dream, not reality.

I do.

To slow of a group.

 

[Pia8988]

I do.

To slow of a group.

It’s like people haven’t been watching what pure speed up and down does. That doesn’t mean a team of 5’9’’ players, but the number one thing the Bruins need is quicker skating, up front and on the back end.

 

[BruinDust]

It’s like people haven’t been watching what pure speed up and down does. That doesn’t mean a team of 5’9’’ players, but the number one thing the Bruins need is quicker skating, up front and on the back end.

Exactly, especially up front. They already have a decent number of slow-to-medium skaters coming back next year. So the spots in the line-up that are available should hopefully be filled by good skaters.

So not Rick Nash, and certainly not Joe Thornton (not that he was ever coming back here regardless).

 

[wintersej]

PK on the Bruins would be a huge addition to the backend.

He can play for my team any day. I just wouldn't want to give up the pieces necessary to get him unless it was Krug + a couple minor adds. I don't see Nashville being interested in that at all though.

Krug trades for futures

better futures to Preds for Subban (Bruins take entire 9 million off their books)

Preds signs Tavares with cap savings.

Is the only way I could see it working. And I would do that fore sure. Love PK.

 

[smack66]

While I think the Bruins need to get faster (so we agree there), you make LTIR sound like some sort of option the Bruins have to get out their commitment to Backes or have him on the roster.

And ultimately it's a doctor, not Backes, who will deem him unfit to play based on a medical examination if that is the case.

Nothing stopping Backes from retiring tomorrow if he so chooses, but him deciding to retire doesn't automatically make him eligible to be placed on LTIR when the season starts.

Realistically I think its an agreement between the team and the player. Ultimately in today's society you will find a doctor who will agree and provide medical opinion to support whatever you want them to support. i.e Hossa skin condition. If you can get LTIR for that I highly doubt it will require much from a Dr. to support an LTIR for Backes with his history of concussions

 

[BruinDust]

Realistically I think its an agreement between the team and the player. Ultimately in today's society you will find a doctor who will agree and provide medical opinion to support whatever you want them to support. i.e Hossa skin condition. If you can get LTIR for that I highly doubt it will require much from a Dr. to support an LTIR for Backes with his history of concussions

Realistically I would the player and the physician. If Backes says he's experience symptoms, my assumption is the doctor is going to agree with it, considering the relative vagueness that concussion symptoms are.

 

[ODAAT]

I think ultimately it might be Mrs. Backes call as to whether he plays again

 

[remer]

My insane secret hopes for this off-season?
Somehow convince Joe Thornton to sign a low value, high bonus 2 year deal here, telling him he centers the 2nd/3rd line and gets to play with his buddy Rick Nash.
Allows Frederick and JFK to get two more years of experience under their belts.
Marshy-Bergy-Pasta
Debrusk-Krejci-Heinen
Donato-Thornton-Nash

If Joe stayed healthy, I don't know how that top 9 doesn't win the cup.
But in before "Jumbo is never coming back" or "do you know such things as the salary cap", its a pipe dream, not reality.

Yikes- the Bruins would look incredibly slow. The league is speeding by . Thornton, Nash, Krejci, Chara. McQuaid=Turtles

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Why? Again, what are you basing this on?

He thought about it too much so now it’s “Word” in his head. It’s like a case of tunnel vision or something. Happens a lot too lmfao

 

[Dizzay]

Yikes- the Bruins would look incredibly slow. The league is speeding by . Thornton, Nash, Krejci, Chara. McQuaid=Turtles

Is Rick Nash actually considered slow?

The ice surface has not changed to Olympic style yet has it? Chara being labelled slow/turtle/whatever else is hilarious and at the age of 42 is a feared dman, shuts down other top opponents and is one of the best pk'ing defenceman in the league. We insert two midgets in our back 6 and we get pushed around to adhere to this "speed" game.

It's a balance, speed, forechecking, skill, grit, toughness, all of it's needed, not 90% speed and sprinkle in a dash of everything else.

 

[BruinDust]

Is Rick Nash actually considered slow?

The ice surface has not changed to Olympic style yet has it? Chara being labelled slow/turtle/whatever else is hilarious and at the age of 42 is a feared dman, shuts down other top opponents and is one of the best pk'ing defenceman in the league. We insert two midgets in our back 6 and we get pushed around to adhere to this "speed" game.

It's a balance, speed, forechecking, skill, grit, toughness, all of it's needed, not 90% speed and sprinkle in a dash of everything else.

He's certainly not fast.

And it is a balance. Problem is, the Bruins forward group is already to skewed towards slow-to-medium speed skaters.

No reason to add more like Thornton and Nash.

 

[LSCII]

Watching Vegas vs Caps ... they throw a ton of blind shots at the net. Lots of no look passing

Two things Bruins rarely did in the playoffs

Maybe Cassidy needs to encourage some more creativity from the lineup. Not just dump and chase, cycle etc

The first line is capable of playing any style

The problem is that the second line is focused on DK, and that's his style of play. Moving away from that means not playing to DK's strengths. This is the reason why I was hoping that they'd keep Spooner and move DK instead. To make DK effective, you have to literally move in the opposite direction of the rest of the league and get slower, bulkier, more physical players who grind.

The third line is again more slow down low end players with not enough skill (IE the Riley Nash's and David Backes of the world). That can be addressed internally by bringing up more skilled youth, but the big issue of what to do with the second line remains as the main issue.

 

[kdog82]

Sign Carlson 7x7 and trade Krug to Edmonton.

 

[Pia8988]

Sign Carlson 7x7 and trade Krug to Edmonton.

No thanks. Never been big on Carlson

 

[mjhfb]

He's certainly not fast.

And it is a balance. Problem is, the Bruins forward group is already to skewed towards slow-to-medium speed skaters.

No reason to add more like Thornton and Nash.

I agree. Sadly what we now consider a slow skater was considered at least average not that long ago.
While footspeed is valuable, I think they should focus on players that can "play" quick (process quick and make quick accurate decisions) over cerebral impaired players that simply skate very fast all over the ice.

 

[BruinDust]

No thanks. Never been big on Carlson

With the Caps finally over the hump and into the finals, I'd be shocked if he made it to July 1st anyways.

 

[BruinDust]

I agree. Sadly what we now consider a slow skater was considered at least average not that long ago.
While footspeed is valuable, I think they should focus on players that can "play" quick (process quick and make quick accurate decisions) over cerebral impaired players that simply skate very fast all over the ice.

I think they need a bit of both types actually.

Sean Kuraly I'd categorize as the latter. But give me two more Kuraly's and the Bruins would have one heck of a 4th line.