NBC Sports Boston Bean: Bruins offseason gets an F so far

[LSCII]

sorry for asking they address a hole they’ve had for 7 years

Haven't they already filled it though??

 

[mjhfb]

GDT: - 2020 NHL Free Agent Frenzy - October 9th NOON ET - NHLN, SN, TSN, RDS
#57

 

[LSCII]

Far too generous in my humble opinion

An F minus, minus would still be too fair. If all it took to improve your team were a few floated rumors of how you're in on all the top players, they'd be winning at life right now. Since it's not, and they still have a gaping hole in the top 6, eh.

 

[Therick67]

They think the fans are stupid, just feed us some optimistic crap and say they tried and make excuses.

 

[Blowfish]

Bean: Bruins offseason gets an F so far
​

While searching unsuccessfully for an explanation as to why no good teams gave Taylor Hall the puny deal he took with Buffalo, I came across this piece on The Athletic.

The gist: Jonathan Toews is annoyed and disappointed with the Blackhawks' offseason. They're clearly rebuilding and will stink next season, which is different from Boston's situation, but how do you think the Bruins' veteran stars feel right about now?

Torey Krug is gone, third-liner Craig Smith was brought in and Kevan Miller was re-upped.

So far, that's it, and every "oh, well they're probably going after [player X]" has been proven wrong.

Hall signed with the Sabres for one year and $8 million. Erik Gustafsson, a potential replacement for Krug, required only one year and $3 million to sign with the Flyers. Tyler Toffoli inked a four-year deal with the Canadiens. Nate Schmidt was available for a freaking third-round pick in 2022.

So for all of us who have wondered whether the Bruins will go for one last big push with this group of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci (who's in the final year of his contract), Rask (same) and captain Zdeno Chara, so far, it's a "no."

Smith must feel welcome...

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

Smith must feel welcome...

Smith is the quiet move that people will like in the long run. But I think even he has to understand... he can't be the big fish this off-season.

 

[LSCII]

They think the fans are stupid, just feed us some optimistic crap and say they tried and make excuses.

The fact that Krug came out and confirmed that Boston hadn't even tried to retain him said everything I needed to know about this off season.

 

[Aeroforce]

I'll stick my neck out and say I have not hit the panic button.

Many said the Bruins/Lightning series was the real Eastern Conference Final. But the way the playoffs played out, it could've been the real Cup Final. I would take the Bruins against both the Islanders and Stars, especially as injury-plagued as Dallas was.

The B's won the President's Trophy (for whatever that's worth), and lost to the eventual champ. They were the second best team of last season.

Consider the B's were missing Rask, they never quite returned to form after the layoff, and the Bolts were on a mission. With Rask under contract for one more season, the window really is - one more season. So I don't fault management for not handcuffing themselves in the long term, especially when the league is facing so much uncertainty. Besides, I don't think the B's can surpass Tampa on paper in one off-season.

Plus, we still know nothing about next season. Perhaps the league creates a Northeast bubble and the B's wouldn't deal with Tampa until the Conference Final or even Final, if an all-Canadian division is created.

Also factor in the poor track record of recent defending champs, and maybe Boston lucks out again?

So it seems the either/or is either make bold moves that don't guarantee success and could handcuff the team moving forward, or ice an already solid squad and take your chances. Mid-season acquisitions can also bolster - Coleman, Goodrow, Bogosian. etc.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

They think the fans are stupid, just feed us some optimistic crap and say they tried and make excuses.

You make it sound like they are intentionally trying to not improve the team.

 

[Kegs]

This team was a top 5 team in the world last year. This year they are still a top 5 team imo. I’m fact they did improve on their weakness. Secondary scoring. And left wing? Both needs where addressed with the smith signing. This signing is so underrated around here. Smith is a solid player who unloads shots all night. He is a huge add aNd he came cheap. This is a Salary cap team. U can’t win by chasing free agents and over paying them imo. Hall got too much $ bruins would have had to create holes in the roster by trading salary away to make room for him. It just doesn’t make sense. They seem to have enough to sign all their rfa’s. They are in a good position. Kase plus smith is what Sweeney added to improve 5v5 production. These are quiet good moves. I don’t think they did anything wrong. Oh wait. I take it back. I do not think Ritchie is good enough. I preferred heinen. Heinen seemed to be a possession machine. Ritchie just seems like a lost goon. Meh.

 

[Therick67]

You make it sound like they are intentionally trying to not improve the team.

They've had the same top 6 problem for years now, have they done anything to improve it? We could have people living on Mars by the time they make a legitimate move.

 

[bp13]

They been getting fails since 2015 and every year they avoid the lottery

next year they probably win President Trophy again and without a bubble win the Cup

yawn

Without a bubble they win the Cup next year? Please.

Their left defense is an undersized #5/6 whom they'll get by with on the 2nd pair, a rookie with a fairly low ceiling, and a guy who ought to be retired at this point. That's not winning a Cup. But will they be decent? Sure. Good enough to not win anything.

 

[since76]

I'm beginning to wonder if the plan is to roll with the roster as it stands now, evaluate what they have in Kase, Ritchie, Studnicka, Zboril, etc. then make their moves at the deadline to shore up what doesn't work out. I don't think that's necessarily a bad plan per se, but Sweeney and Neely boxed themselves in when they promised major shake ups. They clearly haven't delivered anything close.

Losing Krug stings but I don't think it's as big of a deal as it may seem at first glance. He is average at best 5v5 and if Krejci takes his spot on the first PP unit I don't see that as a huge downgrade. The second unit barely gets any PP time anyway so might as well load up on the first. Krug also played very sheltered minutes 5v5 so I think it's at least somewhat realistic to expect one of Zboril or Vaakanainen to be able to replicate that or at least come close enough.

I think the biggest concern at this point is the issue of who is going to eat up minutes alongside McAvoy against top competition. I like Grzcelyk but is he going to be able to keep up against Kucherov, Matthews and Eichel on a regular basis? Doubtful. This could cause some big match up problems if it's not addressed. They will have a ton of cap space at the deadline as it stands so there will be no excuse if this doesn't get resolved. Perhaps the OEL move could be made at the deadline without salary retention due to Krejci and Rask's contracts expiring after this season.

I think this will be Sweeney's make or break year. Most of the guys are his guys now. Did he choose correctly? Did he draft well enough to fill out the core? I don't feel confident he's done enough as it stands but there's still lots of time before the playoffs.

Eh .....no way, don’t come with the deadline , every single year....bla bla bla about the deadline and all sweeny do is to bring more third liners...,coyle is a gold trade that’s it that’s all ....nothing important will happen in deadline....like god and devil and everyone of us know. even if bruins end in last ten in next years ...there is few hope because our genious gm will use a top ten pick to choose a player ranked in 4th round

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

They've had the same top 6 problem for years now, have they done anything to improve it? We could have people living on Mars by the time they make a legitimate move.

Of that top 6, 3 of them are one of the top lines in hockey.

The 2nd line center is pretty solid.

They have tried numerous moves to improve the wingers on the 2nd line. They haven't always worked. Nothing always works.

 

[Kegs]

They've had the same top 6 problem for years now, have they done anything to improve it? We could have people living on Mars by the time they make a legitimate move.

Smith, kase

 

[smithformeragent]

If you’re evaluating them, all you can do is call it like you see it based on what they’ve done so far.

Of course, the caveat is that they could still swing a deal or deals before camp.

There are also the financial uncertainties to take account for.

Lots of ways to look at things, but if you’re doing so solely as a fan that wants to see them win a Cup in the present and future, it’s hard to have much nice to say thus far.

I hate the lack of direction. They’ve seemingly chosen a middle path to hockey purgatory.

If the goal is/was to maximize what’s left of the window with aging Bergeron/Krejci, then they should have sold the farm to clear cap space to keep Krug/sign Hall.

If the plan is to punt, then liquidate the assets you have and plan for the retool.

Instead, you’re what? A year older? Slightly worse than last season?

 

[BB88]

If you’re evaluating them, all you can do is call it like you see it based on what they’ve done so far.

Of course, the caveat is that they could still swing a deal or deals before camp.

There are also the financial uncertainties to take account for.

Lots of ways to look at things, but if you’re doing so solely as a fan that wants to see them win a Cup in the present and future, it’s hard to have much nice to say thus far.

I hate the lack of direction. They’ve seemingly chosen a middle path to hockey purgatory.

If the goal is/was to maximize what’s left of the window with aging Bergeron/Krejci, then they should have sold the farm to clear cap space to keep Krug/sign Hall.

If the plan is to punt, then liquidate the assets you have and plan for the retool.

Instead, you’re what? A year older? Slightly worse than last season?

What we are watching is slow death

That one weekend will end up costing Sweeney his job and we have to suffer long pain before it gets better because of it

Either compete or retool, no between.
& between is where they are

 

[smithformeragent]

What we are watching is slow death

That one weekend will end up costing Sweeney his job and we have to suffer long pain before it gets better because of it

Either compete or retool, no between.
& between is where they are

Unless the goal is to roll out a competitive product that can make the playoffs and win around without breaking the bank.

But what I don’t get is that if things are as bad as they sound for many of these owners from a financial standpoint, what good does saving a few million do on the salary cap when you’re down billions?

But as I’ve said elsewhere, it’s not my money.

 

[LouJersey]

Smith, kase

One guy is new and one had 6 regular season games last year so I am thinking the Bruins consider both big additions.

Bruins top 4 RW game 1 last season......???

Pasta
Kuhlman
Brett Ritchie
Wagner

This season (hopefully)

Pasta
Kase
C.Smith
Wagner. (Studnicka maybe?)

 

[JOKER 192]

Smith must feel welcome...

I would think so given the overwhelming positive response when he was signed.

Now, days later when it's the only move, that's not on him.

 

[finchster]

One guy is new and one had 6 regular season games last year so I am thinking the Bruins consider both big additions.

Bruins top 4 RW game 1 last season......???

Pasta
Kuhlman
Brett Ritchie
Wagner

This season (hopefully)

Pasta
Kase
C.Smith
Wagner. (Studnicka maybe?)

You forgot Senyshyn

 

[Riley 88]

Whats bad is the wasted salary cap money....Moore....Kase.....Ritchie....Three players we absolutely do not need.....Thats like 6-7 million right thre....It is terrible cap management.....Maybe the plan is to shed some of this....Not that anyone would.....Sickening waste.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Smith, kase

Unless Kase truly wows us this season and survives a full season with his head down all the time... those are two more 3rd line wingers when our need has been a 2nd line RW.

 

[DaStinger]

This core sure got some big changes....

 

[UncleRico]

I’m waiting to see where Dadanov and Hoffman go. I wouldn’t even mind if we signed duclair. But two moves need to be made. One for a LW and another for a LHD