Boston Bruins 2023-2024 Roster & Salary Cap Discussion IV

[HustleB]

I am not calling for him to be benched but in my eye, Poitras has looked a lot more regular since the tryout ended. I mean he fought every single puck battle and took every check in the first 9 gmaes and now he just seems a step slower. I did think last night was a step in the right direction in this regard.

 

[Ozzy Osbourne]

Maybe some of the lack of hitting, toughness and fighting is on the coach? If Claude were here would it be the same? Cassidy? I think the game has changed since Claude as far as intimidation and certainly the personnel to intimidate with. I‘m thinking this is pretty much the way it is league-wide now and we either accept it or watch something else.

 

[CellyHard]

Maybe some of the lack of hitting, toughness and fighting is on the coach? If Claude were here would it be the same? Cassidy? I think the game has changed since Claude as far as intimidation and certainly the personnel to intimidate with. I‘m thinking this is pretty much the way it is league-wide now and we either accept it or watch something else.

I’m not sure but I do remember a few games back when Looch was in the booth with Jack and Brick and they asked him what kind of team the Bruins are and he responded to some effect of saying ‘a checking team’ going to wear teams down sort of thing.

Maybe I’ll look into finding exactly what he said but it quite honestly didn’t describe them at all so far…weird

 

[Oates2Neely]

I mean...I get nervous when Gudas is on the ice and I am watching from the couch, so I can only imagine what the players are feeling. He may be leaky in the D zone and make bone-headed plays , but I am willing to bet my 401k that there isn't forward on the Bruins roster who enjoys going into the corners or taking a pass in open ice with Gudas nearby. Not to mention him stirring things up after the whistle. It's impressive that he gets away with most of it...and despite getting hemmed in, he is still by far a + player at the end of the day.

Fenian said it. There isn't a stat for momentum shifting hits OR attrition/fatigue/wear and tear resulting from matching up with players like Gudas. But, there ARE stats for turnovers, lost puck battles, and generally getting caved in defensively and that is one of the risks that come with guys like him.

For me personally, I go back and forth on whether the Bruins NEED a guy like Zadorov or Gudas or if they just need a better infusion of general toughness and intimidation through the line-up.

You look at a team like Vegas and they don't really have a Gudas/Zadorov...but everyone is pretty tough, can skate, hit and there is a general swagger to that whole line-up.

Then you look at Tampa from 2020-2022 and it was similar. No one player aside from Cernak and maybe Maroon stands out...but then you have players like Perry, Killorn, Joseph, Cirelli, etxc who mix things up. They had over 2100 hits that year and everyone was on board.

The Bruins have McAvoy, Marchand and Freddy at this point...

Hell Pasta has thrown some of the biggest hits of the season...and I appreciate it...but, god, do we really want him laying the body all season long?

Gudas plays hard but he sucks and he’s a total fraud. Guy has been suspended multiple times for dirty hits and almost never answers the bell. He yells and screams in scrums after the whistle and it’s all an act.
I think the beard scores him some scary points tbh.

 

[The don godfather]

Wish we could have mcquaid and ference in their prime back there. Tough as nails probably the best the NHL ever had. Loved those warriors. Any players out there like these 2?

 

[bruinmann77]

yes they were

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

Wish we could have mcquaid and ference in their prime back there. Tough as nails probably the best the NHL ever had. Loved those warriors. Any players out there like these 2?

You say some confusing things.

 

[The don godfather]

You say some confusing things.

Well maybe I went overboard there but their heart the way they gave their body they up with the best.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

Well maybe I went overboard there but their heart the way they gave their body they up with the best.

You did but it’s like your thing and that’s cool. No one would deny your fandom!

 

[TobanWest]

Does the Bruins record over the past 100 games reflect this or are the other 31 coaches in the league just dumb, letting their players have a go at it without telling them to forecheck?

Playoffs

 

[The don godfather]

You did but it’s like your thing and that’s cool. No one would deny your fandom!

Thanks Gordy I bleed black and gold. Love them let's go!

 

[SPV]

Maybe we can find a taker for Grzelyck, get some futures and use it to get Trenin and Sherwood from Nashville. Both are UFAs, and could play with Beecher on a very heavy fourth line.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Maybe we can find a taker for Grzelyck, get some futures and use it to get Trenin and Sherwood from Nashville. Both are UFAs, and could play with Beecher on a very heavy fourth line.

We could do that if the goal was to get older and worse on the fourth line, with less team control over our players. Seems like a bad idea but I guess that’s the plan for some…

 

[Kegs]

Maybe we can find a taker for Grzelyck, get some futures and use it to get Trenin and Sherwood from Nashville. Both are UFAs, and could play with Beecher on a very heavy fourth line.

I can’t imagine Gryz isn’t a player lots of teams would like to add. I’m sure the bruins aren’t trying to trade anyone. When you’re winning you don’t trade away roster players. It’s just not really a thing.

 

[NeelyDan]

We could do that if the goal was to get older and worse on the fourth line, with less team control over our players. Seems like a bad idea but I guess that’s the plan for some…

Are there any changes you'd like to see on the club as currently composed, or are you satisfied as-is?

 

[CellyHard]

Less than zero, laziest player in the NHL


Of those three Trenin is the most talented, McCarron the toughest and biggest and Smith a mix of the two. I would take any of them but Trenin has the most versatility

McCarron can also play center pretty well. He was almost at 60% on the dot last year. He would be a good 12/13 guy

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Are there any changes you'd like to see on the club as currently composed, or are you satisfied as-is?

It’s November and trades don’t happen in this league for a good while. So I don’t know yet. I think the team as constructed hasnt reached their potential so I’d like to see it play out. I’m very happy with how the fourth line is coming together with Steen - soon either Heinen or Geekie in that rotation.

The need is probably a winger, but a) too early to get one and b) who are you losing to add that player (assuming you’re not taking away from the forward group)? You’d either have to waive and possibly/definitely lose Steen or Lauko. Or send Beecher down. I don’t want to do any of that now. At the deadline you’d be able to have enough room to carry a second extra forward, so that problem solves itself.

It’s not that I think this team is perfect as constructed or anything. I certainly don’t feel the need to change the fourth line right now, and there’s a long way to go before any impactful changes could reasonably be made.

 

[dugg133]

Been trying to find a way to say this without sounding condescending so if that's how it comes off I'm sorry, but I feel like the people saying that we need to be spending assets on upgrading the 4th line or bottom pair don't really understand just how little assets the front office is working with right now. We don't have any picks until the 4th round in this coming draft. We don't have enough cap space to field a full roster, so any trade needs to be money in, money out. And our prospect pool, while I think we all agree at this point is underrated nationally, isn't exactly flush with a ton of guys that will have much value on the trade market.

All this to say that trading out a contract to free up some cap space and get some draft capital back and then immediately getting rid of both those to upgrade the 4th line, despite the 4th line being effective all season so far, makes no sense to me. That directly impacts your ability to add an impact player into the top 6, which needs to be the goal unless everyone here is comfortable with heinen or geekie on the 2nd line come playoffs.

 

[goldnblack]

The Leafs cap situation and the Nylander contract are really interesting.

Certainly Bertuzzi has to go next year (when we suddenly have cap space).

But Tavares is the one that arguably has to go, and they'll have to retain on him to do so. Probably retain a lot. It's not a long contract, 1.5 years left kind of thing. These franchises do sometimes trade...

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

The Leafs cap situation and the Nylander contract are really interesting.

Certainly Bertuzzi has to go next year (when we suddenly have cap space).

But Tavares is the one that arguably has to go, and they'll have to retain on him to do so. Probably retain a lot. It's not a long contract, 1.5 years left kind of thing. These franchises do sometimes trade...

Tavares has a full NMC. And I want no part of that dog.

 

[goldnblack]

Tavares has a full NMC. And I want no part of that dog.

Yeah so did Taylor Hall. Eventually when it's time, it's time. I'd even argue his NMC helps us. We're a good team, there's a need, 1 hour flight from Toronto.

You wouldn't take Tavares at 5.5M? That's odd. You could have a third line with Coyle on it this way (if you wanted).

edit: didn't realize this year he was already 7/12/19 and 53% in the dot. Yowza. HIm and Marchy would be tied for our second best pt getter.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Yeah so did Taylor Hall. Eventually when it's time, it's time. I'd even argue his NMC helps us. We're a good team, there's a need, 1 hour flight from Toronto.

You wouldn't take Tavares at 5.5M? That's odd. You could have a third line with Coyle on it this way (if you wanted).

edit: didn't realize this year he was already 7/12/19 and 53% in the dot. Yowza. HIm and Marchy would be tied for our second best pt getter.

Point of the NMC is that Tavares won’t waive. Leafs pajamas and all that.

Tavares has played in the second round of the playoffs twice in his career, and he’s a -14 in the playoffs. No way I help the Leafs by taking that contract - even half of it - off their books.

 

[goldnblack]

Point of the NMC is that Tavares won’t waive. Leafs pajamas and all that.

Tavares has played in the second round of the playoffs twice in his career, and he’s a -14 in the playoffs. No way I help the Leafs by taking that contract - even half of it - off their books.

That's the same game people play with a lot of Bruins though (negative players in playoffs, or take Linus for example). Once you bring a player over into our system, it's going to be a different outcome. I think you know this though.

Now Tavares not waving, very very possible. That's the biggest thing certainly. But he's a UFA in not too long also. And has no cup...

 

[SPV]

We could do that if the goal was to get older and worse on the fourth line, with less team control over our players. Seems like a bad idea but I guess that’s the plan for some…

Trenin is 27, so younger than Heinen & Lucic, and just a few years older than Steen. He’s also more established and capable of playing up if needed, he throws nearly 200 hits a year, and can drop the gloves when needed. He’s an ideal solution for our fourth line with Looch likely gone. Sherwood is a little like Clutterbuck, and only 28 as well. Both wouldn’t break the bank next year if we decided to negotiate for a longer stay. Both would make our fourth line very tough to play against.

 

[NeelyDan]

Tavares is gross. No bueno.

It’s November and trades don’t happen in this league for a good while. So I don’t know yet. I think the team as constructed hasnt reached their potential so I’d like to see it play out. I’m very happy with how the fourth line is coming together with Steen - soon either Heinen or Geekie in that rotation.

The need is probably a winger, but a) too early to get one and b) who are you losing to add that player (assuming you’re not taking away from the forward group)? You’d either have to waive and possibly/definitely lose Steen or Lauko. Or send Beecher down. I don’t want to do any of that now. At the deadline you’d be able to have enough room to carry a second extra forward, so that problem solves itself.

It’s not that I think this team is perfect as constructed or anything. I certainly don’t feel the need to change the fourth line right now, and there’s a long way to go before any impactful changes could reasonably be made.

As much as I'd like to see the hammer/nail ratio shift more towards the hammer, it's hard to argue with your logic.