Confirmed with Link: Beleskey to Boston (5 years/19m)

[TCL40]

I'm looking at this as bridge signings.

We were in cap hell before the draft.

Sweeney has done two things-he has managed to relieve and free up cap space. It isn't perfext but it's better.

Sweeney has acquired some NHLmplayers to fill holes that aren't exactly perfect. I don't look at them as sa kids who are making this team a cup team (personally I still think making the playoffs will be a challenge) but as he's filled the holes he is collecting picks and prospects like mad. He just drafted 6 prospects in the first 2 rounds.

These signing IMO are bridges to get us from the crap that was last season to a better team a few seasons down the road.

We didn't have the space to get an established top 6 winger. And he's certainly created some holes that he's filled with borderline but more reasonably priced talent. If Belesky is a bust in 2 years when the proslects start to push his contract will be moveable.

View everything that's happened as the rebuild/retool that it is with a two year window and the moves aren't so frustrating.

Team still needs a top 4 Dman or two but that may not be doable this summer. I figure we will end up with a place holder (Oduya, Erhoff etc).

 

[LSCII]

If he adds a physical element and a net front presence to this team, 14-17 goals on top of that will be a disappointment? I disagree.

Or put differently...I'm infinitely more comfortable paying Matt Beleskey $3.8M for 5 years to score roughly 15 goals and bring consistent physical and net-front presence than I am paying Milan Lucic north of $6M for at least 5 years to bring what he brought. This doesn't mean the Beleskey deal is a great one, it's not. But for all the talk of Lucic's "unique" talents, I think we should be aware that we will probably get most of Lucic's physical abilities and at least half of his goals for barely over half of what we'd be stuck paying Lucic.

But that's a different question. This isn't about Beleskey over Lucic. This is about Beleskey coming off a career year at the age of 26. That's a giant red flag doused in gasoline and lit on fire.

They're bringing him in to be a top line kind of player. If he ends up getting a ton of PP time and a ton of top 6 TOI while netting 15ish goals, I don't care what kind of intangibles he brings, that production will suck. I would love nothing more than for him to come in and continue where he left off last year. I'm just not sure it's something you can readily count on.

At the end of it all though, this isn't about Beleskey. It's about the organizational view on offensively elite players. Until that changes, this team is going to be mediocre, IMO, because they favor guys like Connolly, Hayes, and Beleskey over players with more offensive upside. And nothing against those guys, but if that's a third of your top 6, this team is going to be terrible.

 

[TCL40]

But that's a different question. This isn't about Beleskey over Lucic. This is about Beleskey coming off a career year at the age of 26. That's a giant red flag doused in gasoline and lit on fire.

They're bringing him in to be a top line kind of player. If he ends up getting a ton of PP time and a ton of top 6 TOI while netting 15ish goals, I don't care what kind of intangibles he brings, that production will suck. I would love nothing more than for him to come in and continue where he left off last year. I'm just not sure it's something you can readily count on.

At the end of it all though, this isn't about Beleskey. It's about the organizational view on offensively elite players. Until that changes, this team is going to be mediocre, IMO, because they favor guys like Connolly, Hayes, and Beleskey over players with more offensive upside. And nothing against those guys, but if that's a third of your top 6, this team is going to be terrible.

It was ways going to be terrible but these moves right now allow the team some cap breathing room while they wait for some of their prospects to become ready. the prospect pool for wingers is dry (we ain't got nothing in the system that is better than who we signed). Ferlin maybe. Griffith has decent hands but is slow as dirt.

Who did you want them to sign?

This off season IMO was about filling the prospect pool and getting the team out of cap hell. So far so good. Next summer we may have two first round picks in the top ten and a chance at either good trades for elite talent or drafting elite talent.

Two to three years down the road we should be ready to compete in the division and conference as favorites.

It's a rebuild-and rebuilds don't happen in a day.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

I'm looking at this as bridge signings.

We were in cap hell before the draft.

Sweeney has done two things-he has managed to relieve and free up cap space. It isn't perfext but it's better.

Sweeney has acquired some NHLmplayers to fill holes that aren't exactly perfect. I don't look at them as sa kids who are making this team a cup team (personally I still think making the playoffs will be a challenge) but as he's filled the holes he is collecting picks and prospects like mad. He just drafted 6 prospects in the first 2 rounds.

These signing IMO are bridges to get us from the crap that was last season to a better team a few seasons down the road.

We didn't have the space to get an established top 6 winger. And he's certainly created some holes that he's filled with borderline but more reasonably priced talent. If Belesky is a bust in 2 years when the proslects start to push his contract will be moveable.

View everything that's happened as the rebuild/retool that it is with a two year window and the moves aren't so frustrating.

Team still needs a top 4 Dman or two but that may not be doable this summer. I figure we will end up with a place holder (Oduya, Erhoff etc).

Last year was unbearable . I would rather watch this collection of players attempt to make the playoffs and then who knows ? I can't wait for October .

 

[TCL40]

Last year was unbearable . I would rather watch this collection of players attempt to make the playoffs and then who knows ? I can't wait for October .

Yeah-I think this new team at least looks like they will be more fun to watch. I just hope we mostly see Rinaldo wearing a suit to the pressbox. Not a fan of that trade but we can dust him off when playing the Habs.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

It was ways going to be terrible but these moves right now allow the team some cap breathing room while they wait for some of their prospects to become ready. the prospect pool for wingers is dry (we ain't got nothing in the system that is better than who we signed). Ferlin maybe. Griffith has decent hands but is slow as dirt.

Who did you want them to sign?

This off season IMO was about filling the prospect pool and getting the team out of cap hell. So far so good. Next summer we may have two first round picks in the top ten and a chance at either good trades for elite talent or drafting elite talent.

Two to three years down the road we should be ready to compete in the division and conference as favorites.

It's a rebuild-and rebuilds don't happen in a day.

I am likely unrealistic but not really looking at it that way . If we can get a good defenceman and things come together ( a big stretch I know ) we can compete for a playoff spot next year . I still believe in the core : Bergeron ,Krejci ,Marchand ,Rask , Chara, all could have better years this year.

 

[BB88]

While I like the recent moves & direction of the roster, this team is still a Bobby Ryan type RW & top-4 dman away from contending.

Those are 2 big holes, how can we get them without creating a new hole?

lw is set and I like it a lot if Lou is there, C is set and I like it again a lot, Rask is Rask, but rw is on rebuilding level and the D is pretty weak.

So should we go for top D-man right now and at the deadline go after top6 winger?

Or should we just wait for next year and call this a re-tool year and fill the roster when we have something like 15M+ available cap and kids pushing into lineup allowing us to sell seids/x to create even more cap space?

or what do we do, I don't want to get a player and create another hole somewhere else, it would probably be the lw line and after that our F group would be unplayoff material, meaning if the lw would go to top4D.

 

[Ice Nine]

While I like the recent moves & direction of the roster, this team is still a Bobby Ryan type RW & top-4 dman away from contending.

I like the recent moves, but yes -- this. Hayes seems to me a big, tough, good third liner, who can also play on the second line beside Bergeron. And Beleskey is a makeshift replacement for Lucic, and should play beside Krejci.

But we're still an elite level forward (winger) and, I would say, two top 4 D men, away from truly contending.

We were one top 4 D short when we had Hamilton. Then he left.

If we view Bels as a makeshift replacement for Lucic, we still haven't truly filled the Seguin/Iginla/Horton void. I actually think we need someone better than Bobby Ryan. Chicago have Toews and Kane. We need a Kane to go with Bergy.

Tarasenko would fill it, but that would require a big offer sheet and likely isn't going to happen. Pasta may fill the role in a few years.

My hope, is that San Jose tanks even worst this year, so their pic next year is a top 5. Not impossible.

I also can see us signing Franson, now that Sekera is in Edmonton.

 

[Oates2Neely]

Those are 2 big holes, how can we get them without creating a new hole?

lw is set and I like it a lot if Lou is there, C is set and I like it again a lot, Rask is Rask, but rw is on rebuilding level and the D is pretty weak.

So should we go for top D-man right now and at the deadline go after top6 winger?

Or should we just wait for next year and call this a re-tool year and fill the roster when we have something like 15M+ available cap and kids pushing into lineup allowing us to sell seids/x to create even more cap space?

or what do we do, I don't want to get a player and create another hole somewhere else, it would probably be the lw line and after that our F group would be unplayoff material, meaning if the lw would go to top4D.

I think it's possible they want to give Connolly a shot playing with Krejci or Bergeron to see what they have in him, before dishing out assets to acquire a scoring RW (if one is even available).

 

[BB88]

I think it's possible they want to give Connolly a shot playing with Krejci or Bergeron to see what they have in him, before dishing out assets to acquire a scoring RW (if one is even available).

So get topD now and top6 winger at the deadline approach for us?

 

[OutspokenMinority*]

It will be interesting to follow Belesky's career the next 5 years vs. that of Lucic (about the same age) and see what the value is of Belesky at 3.8 per vs. Lucic at his wages this year and whatever he gets the 4 years after.

well wait a year to look. Lucic is probably going to tear up the league this year like he's never done before. after that, yes. it will be an interesting comparison, but in trade years, the highly talented guys who needed a kick in the pants usually do pretty well for the first year.

lucic is talented and unique, and in need of motivation. i expect close to 30 goals, over 60 points, and for him to be on highlight reels nightly with scoring and physicality.

and then he will sign that next/last contract and *poof*.

 

[Numbah4]

So get topD now and top6 winger at the deadline approach for us?

Might be easier to do it the other way. Forward now. Then, add the defenseman during the season. Chicago is going to give Sharp away right?? Cap hit 5.9m for two more years. Play him with Bergy and Marchand.

Marchand - Bergeron - Sharp
Beleskey - Krejci - Connolly
Loui - Spooner - Pastrnak
Rinaldo - Kelly - Hayes
Talbot

Not a terrible set of forwards at all. Clode has done well with young defensemen. Boychuk and McQuaid became NHL'ers under him. Seidenberg improved here. Let Clode work with the D, see what's missing. Add later.

 

[Oates2Neely]

So get topD now and top6 winger at the deadline approach for us?

That would be my approach. I'd give Connolly until Christmas (3 months) in a top-6 role to prove himself. If he can't handle the role, attempt to trade for a RW. By Christmas some teams will figure out that they're sinking & may be more willing to trade. Off season & early season every team is optimistic.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

This is a flat out lie

Also, not being mentioned by the pessimist crowd, NMC for only the first two years (unlike Chia's typical deal), so if he doesn't work out or there are better/cheaper options (DeBrusk?), he can be moved easily at only $3.8m.

Like Kelly has been easy to move with his sub 4m salary? Almost any contract can be a bad contract depending on the context. 3.8m can be hard to move too. Just playing Devil's advocate.

 

[Danton Heineken]

Like Kelly has been easy to move with his sub 4m salary? Almost any contract can be a bad contract depending on the context. 3.8m can be hard to move too. Just playing Devil's advocate.

Matt Beleskey is actually a hockey player, though.

 

[BB88]

Might be easier to do it the other way. Forward now. Then, add the defenseman during the season. Chicago is going to give Sharp away right?? Cap hit 5.9m for two more years. Play him with Bergy and Marchand.

Marchand - Bergeron - Sharp
Beleskey - Krejci - Connolly
Loui - Spooner - Pastrnak
Rinaldo - Kelly - Hayes
Talbot

Not a terrible set of forwards at all. Clode has done well with young defensemen. Boychuk and McQuaid became NHL'ers under him. Seidenberg improved here. Let Clode work with the D, see what's missing. Add later.

If you want to be in a playoff spot near the deadline you have to go with the D 1st, it is bottom10 D in the league, want to say bottom5 if we have K.Miller-McQ-Chara-Seids in the lineup at the same time with Chara+Seids logging top minutes.

The D goup will get killed and sharp is way past his prime, played like a healthy scratch player in the regular season with 5.9M cap, I've been celebrating that we don't have any bad contracts so let's keep it that way.

That would be my approach. I'd give Connolly until Christmas (3 months) in a top-6 role to prove himself. If he can't handle the role, attempt to trade for a RW. By Christmas some teams will figure out that they're sinking & may be more willing to trade. Off season & early season every team is optimistic.

With the strong lw+C+Rask+ better D group we would be atleast playoff challengers and would give us the chance to look at top6 wingers at the deadline.

Like Kelly has been easy to move with his sub 4m salary? Almost any contract can be a bad contract depending on the context. 3.8m can be hard to move too. Just playing Devil's advocate.

Beleskey is what 29y when that trade protection goes away, that is easy contract to trade if it has to be done.

 

[Scotto74]

Like Kelly has been easy to move with his sub 4m salary? Almost any contract can be a bad contract depending on the context. 3.8m can be hard to move too. Just playing Devil's advocate.

How do you know Kelly has been hard to move? My impression is they never tried to move him.

 

[BB88]

well wait a year to look. Lucic is probably going to tear up the league this year like he's never done before. after that, yes. it will be an interesting comparison, but in trade years, the highly talented guys who needed a kick in the pants usually do pretty well for the first year.

lucic is talented and unique, and in need of motivation. i expect close to 30 goals, over 60 points, and for him to be on highlight reels nightly with scoring and physicality.

and then he will sign that next/last contract and *poof*.

We shouldn't look at the next year as cup year, it needs to be well done re-too year and Lucic got traded at the right time.

Hayes will be signed in the 1M range, he is a bottom6 player who hasn't done anything impressive yet and Sweeney looks like he knows how to sign.

so:

Beleskey+Hayes= 5M cap hit(1-2M savings)+ 2015 1st+2016 1st( can be a great one)+ 2 strong prospects, both elite skaters vs Lucic on a retool year and re-sign him on the 7M range after that?
Then you can add 2M savings from Smith to hayes who we got to bring size back thanks to Lucic trade and got Savard out of the books.

We have lots of cap space, lots of assets and kids pushing into lineup next year, we can go crazy next offseason with our signings/trades and waste just 1 prime year from krecji/bergeron/rask, this group wasn't going to be a top4 team in the league and now we have more potential and hope.

So I think it's safe to say Lucic trade is looking pretty impressive, Hamilton trade is just killing it a bit.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

How do you know Kelly has been hard to move? My impression is they never tried to move him.

Who knows. I know if I was looking to find some wiggle room, his contract would certainly be one I'd be looking to trim off the 4th line...

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

So get topD now and top6 winger at the deadline approach for us?

That sounds like a good plan.We seem to have a few forwards who are kind of question marks at the moment . However we know the D is weak as it is .It needs a significant boost .

 

[Scotto74]

Who knows. I know if I was looking to find some wiggle room, his contract would certainly be one I'd be looking to trim off the 4th line...

no disagreement here. I just think posters have wanted him gone so bad over the past few years that it is assumend that it is a hard conctract to move and no one wants it. I just think that they never tried to move him at all as he was 100% a Chia/CJ guy so they didn't even try.

 

[zaYG]

I like the recent moves, but yes -- this. Hayes seems to me a big, tough, good third liner, who can also play on the second line beside Bergeron. And Beleskey is a makeshift replacement for Lucic, and should play beside Krejci.

But we're still an elite level forward (winger) and, I would say, two top 4 D men, away from truly contending.

We were one top 4 D short when we had Hamilton. Then he left.

If we view Bels as a makeshift replacement for Lucic, we still haven't truly filled the Seguin/Iginla/Horton void. I actually think we need someone better than Bobby Ryan. Chicago have Toews and Kane. We need a Kane to go with Bergy.

Tarasenko would fill it, but that would require a big offer sheet and likely isn't going to happen. Pasta may fill the role in a few years.

My hope, is that San Jose tanks even worst this year, so their pic next year is a top 5. Not impossible.

I also can see us signing Franson, now that Sekera is in Edmonton.

I think Pasta is closer to filling that role than you think. I could also be wrong, but I hope I'm not for all of our sake.

 

[Alicat]

How do you know Kelly has been hard to move? My impression is they never tried to move him.

According to Dom, he has not been asked to provide his 8 team list.

 

[Numbah4]

How do you know Kelly has been hard to move? My impression is they never tried to move him.

Yup. His cap number is 3m. But, his salary is 2.5m for the upcoming season. Nearly any team can take a player like that if they want him.
And, he's not nearly as bad as 90pct of this board thinks he is. Go look up the 8th or 9th best forwards on your team. Some are marginally better. He's marginally better than other. Which makes him an avg. player. Not a terrible one.

 

[zaYG]

Also, Beleskey isn't anything amazing, but I am a huge fan of him for what he is.

He should slot in next to Spooner and Pastrnak in my opinion. He brings a fair amount of what Lucic brought to that line. While he doesn't have the offensive skills (that Lucic was quickly losing) and as much physicality, he still has a ripper shot and a pretty big body that he uses. The plus side when compared to Lucic is that he is an absolute rocket who can keep up with Pastrnak and even Spooner. Also, his defensive skills will give the Bruins what they lacked on that line.

Beleskey - Spooner - Pastrnak could potentially be the fastest line in the league and while not having anyone elite on it, will be about as complete a line as possible.