Boston Bruins 2023-24 Roster and Salary Cap Discussion VIII

[wintersej]

I'm a partisan, but episode 200 of "Bruins Beat," with the Globe's Conor Ryan and eei's Ty Anderson, is packed tight with gold.

Anderson poses a scenario: After the break, Sweeney sits down with Jake DeBrusk and asks a basic, critical question: Do you really want to be here?

The consensus among many Bruins analysts and fans is that the center position, in a transition year with few assets to deal, is no longer the number one need on this team.

Rather, as is also the consensus among almost all Bruins analysts and many fans, the missing ingredient is "heft" and a certified "A-hole" on D and the fourth line.

Ryan and Anderson debate which position is most important to augment at or before the trade deadline.

This in itself is a great topic.

Even better, the two discuss where those needs might be addressed, and land on Minnesota, with at least three options. Pick up @ 18:30.

Finally, though I don't especially care about the Olympics or international play, Ryan and Anderson talk about recent developments, and why participation would be great for hockey in general, hockey fans, and the NHL as well.

Fanboy says, check while awaiting game #50. Good stuff,

I have to say, when Ty first showed up on Twitter as kind of a cocky shit college kid I found him completely annoying.

Now, I just fast forward to the parts of the Hockey Show where he is the guest.

 

[The don godfather]

Now servelli saying Dowd might fetch a first. its getting out of hand.

 

[wintersej]

Prices are set with Monahan a mediocre center a 1st round pick!

I'm not sure about prices being set.

Rutherford is Rutherford. Whether its a big payment compared to other trade deadlines depends on what you think of Kuz's actual value.

WPG had a single need and the market for centers was thin. They also have the WPG problem where their options are more limited than some (Henrique, for instance, has a NTC). They also have a left shot winger in Connor that can bring out the best in Monahan offensively. He was a guy they needed to get. So they got him.

Does that mean that every asset on the market is going to go for crazier than normal prices?

I'm not sold.

 

[Patdud]

I just don’t know what to think about Middleton. Wild fans call him a 5D on their board and this board treats him like a top pairing.

getting Middleton to play with McAvoy would be a mistake. He plays at his best with a retrieval type of dman, someone who gets the puck up to him to carry out. you find another guy to slot the third pair and take some of lindholm's pk minutes or you find someone for the top pair to play Gryz's 5v5 minutes.

 

[The don godfather]

I'm not sure about prices being set.

Rutherford is Rutherford. Whether its a big payment compared to other trade deadlines depends on what you think of Kuz's actual value.

WPG had a single need and the market for centers was thin. They also have the WPG problem where their options are more limited than some (Henrique, for instance, has a NTC). They also have a left shot winger in Connor that can bring out the best in Monahan offensively. He was a guy they needed to get. So they got him.

Does that mean that every asset on the market is going to go for crazier than normal prices?

I'm not sold.

Let's see but it's looking more and more as a sellers market.

 

[GordonHowe]

I have to say, when Ty first showed up on Twitter as kind of a cocky shit college kid I found him completely annoying.

Now, I just fast forward to the parts of the Hockey Show where he is the guest.

On general principle, I don't listen to, or read anything, from eei, save Mike Milbury's weekly segments. I've been critical of his "hot takes" in the past, but he's settled down and I enjoy his perspective. One of my favorite Bruins coaches.

Ty Anderson, I didn't know from a hole in the wall. He's intense and perceptive. Some here don't like him, though not sure why.

Really like Conor Ryan and Evan Marinofsky, who've been knocking off "Poke the Bear" and "Bruins Beat" weekly (now at least twice weekly) for years now.

Yes, there is banter but none of the fake, lame "Spittin' Chicklets," et. al. crap. I f*cking hate that shit. Shut up about your golf game. I'm not interested in whatever crap you're selling.

Portnoy is a shmuck and a pig, btw.

At best.

 

[BruinDust]

getting Middleton to play with McAvoy would be a mistake. He plays at his best with a retrieval type of dman, someone who gets the puck up to him to carry out. you find another guy to slot the third pair and take some of lindholm's pk minutes or you find someone for the top pair to play Gryz's 5v5 minutes.

I just don’t know what to think about Middleton. Wild fans call him a 5D on their board and this board treats him like a top pairing.

Overall I like Middleton as a player but despise pairing him with McAvoy.

Whether people like Gryz or not, part of the reason he works with McAvoy is he's mobile and moves the puck well on the offensive blueline. plus they have chemistry. Opens up space for McAvoy to use his strengths in the offensive zone rather than a less mobile, more stationary D-man in Middleton. While Middleton does have some offense to his game, he's not mobile enough IMO to get the most out Boston's 9 million dollar D-man.

I'm not saying I don't want them to upgrade McAvoy's partner from Gryz, but Middleton to me isn't the right player for that spot.

 

[dugg133]

I just don’t know what to think about Middleton. Wild fans call him a 5D on their board and this board treats him like a top pairing.

Ideal third pairing defenseman for a playoff run IMO. But he is not a guy I'm paying a first+ for to put on the top pair.

 

[dugg133]

Overall I like Middleton as a player but despise pairing him with McAvoy.

Whether people like Gryz or not, part of the reason he works with McAvoy is he's mobile and moves the puck well on the offensive blueline. plus they have chemistry. Opens up space for McAvoy to use his strengths in the offensive zone rather than a less mobile, more stationary D-man in Middleton. While Middleton does have some offense to his game, he's not mobile enough IMO to get the most out Boston's 9 million dollar D-man.

I'm not saying I don't want them to upgrade McAvoy's partner from Gryz, but Middleton to me isn't the right player for that spot.

It's Hanifin, it's always been Hanifin. Local kid, Sweeney has loved him going back to that draft, good enough offensively where you can put him with McAvoy if you want to, good enough defensively where you can put him with Carlo if you want to, fits the age range of our younger core. He's always been the guy to target if they want to spend big on upgrading the defense.

 

[BruinDust]

It's Hanifin, it's always been Hanifin. Local kid, Sweeney has loved him going back to that draft, good enough offensively where you can put him with McAvoy if you want to, good enough defensively where you can put him with Carlo if you want to, fits the age range of our younger core. He's always been the guy to target if they want to spend big on upgrading the defense.

I would agree with that. He's got enough skating/puck skills to juke and jive on the offensive blueline with McAvoy, but I've always liked his defensive game as well. He's not the No.1 D-man he was projected to be, but I've always felt he's just a solid all-around player. His biggest knock is he's not the meanest guy out there.

 

[CDJ]

tbh I’d just wait until the offseason to bring in Hanifin. He’s definitely the guy though

 

[Mione134]

tbh I’d just wait until the offseason to bring in Hanifin. He’s definitely the guy though

Same.

Especially at the precedent with these prices.

 

[dugg133]

tbh I’d just wait until the offseason to bring in Hanifin. He’s definitely the guy though

I get that, but I won't believe those rumors of him only wanting boston until the ink is dry on a contract with us. It just feels too easy. I think you can justify the price of trading for him since we're first in the league, and I'd rather just get him in the org ASAP.

 

[Thirty Seven]

I'd be ok with us going with what we have and seeing how far we can get until we get bullied out of the playoffs. When the off-season comes, we can try to fill in the gaps.

 

[GordonHowe]

Charting Jake DeBrusk’s future must be first order of business for Bruins

With the NHL trade deadline a little over a month away, the Bruins need to find some clarity regarding Jake DeBrusk's future.

www.boston.com

 

[Gifu]

i don't think they'll be making any big trades at the deadline. too many moving parts,
not enough cap space, not enough assets to do anything worthwhile. guessing they
will make 2-3 moves, mostly plugging holes and filling a need/adding depth

This is usually a good solution because if you look at the last 15 years for example, usually the winners have not made big moves at the Trade Deadline, but rather depth acquisitions.

 

[Kegs]

Prices are set with Monahan a mediocre center a 1st round pick!

Monahan is pretty under rated around here it seems.

 

[bbfan419]

If the prices for guys like Monahan and depth pieces like Dowd and Middleton are first round pick +, I say just sit tight and go with what you got, maybe even trade off a piece like Grzz or Forbort and recoup some assets, then go after guys in FA like Hanifin.

 

[Dizzay]

If we can move Gryz and replace him with Hanifin (not in the same deal), I'd be over the moon.
Hanifin-McAvoy
Lindholm-Carlo
Forbort-Shattenkirk
Lohrei-Wortherspoon
That's insane depth from the blueline and easily puts us with the best d-core and goalies in the NHL. Offense sells tickets, defense win championships.

Smaller deal to bring in Pat Maroon for the 4th line and I think we'd be fairly set for the playoffs.
Merkulov + 2025 1st for Hanifin (50% retained) (re-ups here as part of the deal)
Gryz to Chicago for one of their 3- 2nd round picks in 2024 (re-signs with buddies Foligno and Hall)
Maroon for Lauko

Marchy-Coyle-Pasta
JVR-Zacha-Debrusk
Freddy-Poitras-Geekie
Heinen-Beecher-Maroon
Steen/Boqvist

Hanifin-McAvoy
Lindholm-Carlo
Forbort-Shattenkirk
Lohrei-Wortherspoon

Sway
Ully

 

[Eddie Munson]

Monahan is pretty under rated around here it seems.

In what way? He’s been a brutal player the last several years. Montreal got back good assets for him but that doesn’t make him a good player. Matter of fact they sold him at the perfect time.

He currently has 35 points in 49 games game giving him close to a 60pt pace on the season. But over his last 5 games he has 2g 6a meaning up until now he’s barely kept a 50pt pace on the season.

While that’s not awful, he gets nearly half of those points on the powerplay. So the team that gets him better have the perfect role for him i.e. sheltered 2nd line or ideally a 3rd line center spot with top PP time. Otherwise he will likely regress back to what he’s been the last 4 seasons.

I don’t think he’s a useless player especially with his salary being what it is, but he’s nowhere close to the guy he was 5 years ago.

 

[Eddie Munson]

If we can move Gryz and replace him with Hanifin (not in the same deal), I'd be over the moon.
Hanifin-McAvoy
Lindholm-Carlo
Forbort-Shattenkirk
Lohrei-Wortherspoon
That's insane depth from the blueline and easily puts us with the best d-core and goalies in the NHL. Offense sells tickets, defense win championships.

Smaller deal to bring in Pat Maroon for the 4th line and I think we'd be fairly set for the playoffs.
Merkulov + 2025 1st for Hanifin (50% retained) (re-ups here as part of the deal)
Gryz to Chicago for one of their 3- 2nd round picks in 2024 (re-signs with buddies Foligno and Hall)
Maroon for Lauko

Marchy-Coyle-Pasta
JVR-Zacha-Debrusk
Freddy-Poitras-Geekie
Heinen-Beecher-Maroon
Steen/Boqvist

Hanifin-McAvoy
Lindholm-Carlo
Forbort-Shattenkirk
Lohrei-Wortherspoon

Sway
Ully

The Problem I have with this is what do they do next year? If they trade for Hanafin who I really like and would make our top-4 one of if not the best in the league. Next year we’d have roughly 26m in cap space with Hanafin, Debrusk, and Swayman to sign. Figure Hanafin comes in around 7m, Debrusk 6m, Sway I’ll be kind and say 5m for round numbers. That’s 16m (which I think is very low) leaving 10m to fill out nearly another 8 roster spots. That means you cannot upgrade at center.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with Coyle and Zacha this year but to continue to go with them down the middle as your one and two may give us some decent results but that’s not a cup winning roster. A team with any strength down the middle will kill us in possession.

 

[kdog82]

I would look to move Ullmark to a desperate team at the deadline. Target LA and NJ

Swayman is ready to take on the role as the undisputed #1 for the Bruins. Love Ullmark but why not consider moving him for assets?

2024 1st + Talbot + Pinelli
for
Ullmark (LA gets him for 1.5 years and should solve their goaltending issues)

or

2024 1st + 2025 2nd + Vanecek (Bruins backup for next year or move him at the draft for mid round pick)
for
Ullmark (NJ gets him for 1.5 years and should solve their goaltending issues)

 

[Oates2Neely]

The Problem I have with this is what do they do next year? If they trade for Hanafin who I really like and would make our top-4 one of if not the best in the league. Next year we’d have roughly 26m in cap space with Hanafin, Debrusk, and Swayman to sign. Figure Hanafin comes in around 7m, Debrusk 6m, Sway I’ll be kind and say 5m for round numbers. That’s 16m (which I think is very low) leaving 10m to fill out nearly another 8 roster spots. That means you cannot upgrade at center.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with Coyle and Zacha this year but to continue to go with them down the middle as your one and two may give us some decent results but that’s not a cup winning roster. A team with any strength down the middle will kill us in possession.

That’s where you’d hope Lysell or Merkulov could step in next season and score 20 goals in your top 6, in place of DeBrusk. Unlikely though.

 

[Eddie Munson]

That’s where you’d hope Lysell or Merkulov could step in next season and score 20 goals in your top 6, in place of DeBrusk. Unlikely though.

I agree and that’s just it. Bring in Hanafin and if you want to resign him and bring in a better center, you’re likely going to need to make some hard decisions on Debrusk and Ullmark. And I’m not advocating not to deal either or both of those guys either way. I’m just saying the capital it takes to get Hanafin likely includes Lohrei, Lysell, or Merkulov + something. Now you’ve traded a young cost controlled asset you’re hoping can fill one or two of those eight openings on the cheap and now don’t have the money or assets for a top center.

I’m not saying my direction is the right one. I just think a Hanafin deal isn’t as straight forward as people make it out to be and comes with its own set of decisions this offseason that need to be discussed.

 

[The don godfather]

Go cheap or go home! Forget these prices. The Canucks gave up a 40 goal scorer in his prime plus a 1st round pick for elias. Move along Donny.