Proposal: Bruins Offseason Free Agency/Targets

[PlayMakers]

I don't think you can have a team with McQuaid and Miller. I mean you can, obviously, but you will stink.

Both guys are 3rd pairing dmen, at best, and with CJ loving L-R d pairings, that puts them on different pairings. And at that money I assume the plan isn't to scratch one of them, meaning one of them is in your top 4. This means you stink. Even more so if Krug is also in your top 4, IMO. Now, the Bruins defense does stink so maybe the plan is to just stink a little less, but I'd love to think they can be more creative than that.

Specifically on Miller, I'm fine with him as our 3rd pairing RHD too. I think he's probably better than most give him credit for. It just means we need to find a taker for McQuaid.

I agree that you can't have Miller and McQuaid on the same D. As I said, McQuaid is a must go for me.

That said, I'm not convinced Kevan Miller can't be a #4. You say he's third pair at best and you might be right but he's led this defense in +/- two years in a row-> while playing top4 minutes. How does that happen if he's 3rd pair at best?

 

[BB88]

I agree that you can't have Miller and McQuaid on the same D. As I said, McQuaid is a must go for me.

That said, I'm not convinced Kevan Miller can't be a #4. You say he's third pair at best and you might be right but he's led this defense in +/- two years in a row-> while playing top4 minutes. How does that happen if he's 3rd pair at best?

+/- is not something you look at when you think is someone top pairing D or whatever.

Kevan doesnt have the offensive skills, he doesn't make plays like a top4D-player, his skating, puck handling/puck moving is not at top4 level and his defensive play doesn't make up for those.
If Kevan is in our top4 when we want to be contenders then oh damm.
This team needs 2 top 3 D-players, and if the plan is to use Kevan on the top4 it's not going to happen, and we end up wasting years.


Reading about Yandle, 5 years contract to him looks like huge when you think of it 1st but he'd be just 34y when that contract would run out, which wouldn't be bad at all, not saying he must be locked up for 5 years but if he is demanding it it shouldn't be brutal.

 

[Bad Puck Bounce]

I might be in the minority here but I really don't want anything to do with Yandle, especially at 4-5 years at 5 million dollars per.

 

[BadBruins]

He'd certainly be more appealing than Spooner. Ducks sorta have a version of Spooner in Pirri, although he's yet to put it all together in one, full season.

How did Pasta do this season? Why did he only play 51 games? What's his scouting report?

I don't believe Pastrnak would be available for Vatanen, so I wouldn't worry about scouting reports. He's a 19 year old top-6 forward with several years of control. He's the best asset on the team outside of Bergeron IMO.

 

[JOKER 192]

I got a feeling many here will be re-evaluating their position on McQuaid's salary as soon as they see what K.Miller gets as a UFA.

 

[Flannelman]

Of all the RFA d, especially the RHD, Michael Stone doesn't get spoken of enough. That might be because of the flux with the AZ GM job, season ending knee injury and long recoup time, or because of the terrific year he had, but heck of a player. Could do a lot for this ailing top four.

Thanking Dallas won't be able to retain all of Goligoski, Demers and Russell... Looks like only 17M of cap available for those three positions and several forward positions, too.

 

[Jorah Marshmont]

I might be in the minority here but I really don't want anything to do with Yandle, especially at 4-5 years at 5 million dollars per.

I agree and I doubt he only comes in at 5. I'm willing to bet his cap hit next season starts with a 6.

 

[Brewins]

I agree and I doubt he only comes in at 5. I'm willing to bet his cap hit next season starts with a 6.

I have a feeling that when the dust of this offseason settles and we look back a few years down the road, the perceived gap between krug->yandle->shattenkirk isnt actually all that great.

 

[BB88]

I got a feeling many here will be re-evaluating their position on McQuaid's salary as soon as they see what K.Miller gets as a UFA.

My favourite contract for 3rd pairing D-players would be ELC, have a damm strong top4 and develop kids on the 3rd pairing with less than 2M compined, afford to pay for top players.

 

[Brewins]

My favourite contract for 3rd pairing D-players would be ELC, have a damm strong top4 and develop kids on the 3rd pairing with less than 2M compined, afford to pay for top players.

Ideally yea i agree. But young elc D play like young elc D. Sometimes having a Quaid, Killer, Liles allows for someone young d can defer to and steady the line. Like chara and hamilton.

 

[BB88]

Ideally yea i agree. But young elc D play like young elc D. Sometimes having a Quaid, Killer, Liles allows for someone young d can defer to and steady the line. Like chara and hamilton.

That's where the damm strong top4 comes into play.

Would be nice to get that cycle going, players developing on the 3rd pairing on ELC's and after contract is up you move one of the top4D's for cap space+ assets and have replacement ready.
To be successfull in the playoffs you need 4 quality D-players atleast and that most likely means cap space, and can't have expensive 3rdpairing/bottom6 contracts.

 

[Ice Nine]

I don't think you can have a team with McQuaid and Miller. I mean you can, obviously, but you will stink.

Both guys are 3rd pairing dmen, at best, and with CJ loving L-R d pairings, that puts them on different pairings. And at that money I assume the plan isn't to scratch one of them, meaning one of them is in your top 4. This means you stink. Even more so if Krug is also in your top 4, IMO. Now, the Bruins defense does stink so maybe the plan is to just stink a little less, but I'd love to think they can be more creative than that.

Specifically on Miller, I'm fine with him as our 3rd pairing RHD too. I think he's probably better than most give him credit for. It just means we need to find a taker for McQuaid.

I agree that you can't have Miller and McQuaid on the same D. As I said, McQuaid is a must go for me.

That said, I'm not convinced Kevan Miller can't be a #4. You say he's third pair at best and you might be right but he's led this defense in +/- two years in a row-> while playing top4 minutes. How does that happen if he's 3rd pair at best?

I actually think you also *can't* have Seidenberg AND either McQuaid or Miller on a team. The fact we had all three last year is another reason why we stunk it up.

 

[bp13]

I actually think you also *can't* have Seidenberg AND either McQuaid or Miller on a team. The fact we had all three last year is another reason why we stunk it up.

To me Seids isn't part of the discussion. Love the guy and thank him for all he gave us but he's cooked. Obviously it's easier said than done to get rid of him, but I'm just kind of closing my eyes and plugging my ears to him at this point. Somehow and some way he needs to be gone.

2 of Seids, Kevan Miller and McQuaid have to go if you want a real NHL defense. Now I'm sure 2 or even 3 of them will be back because I don't think they can build a real defense in one offseason (a process they should have started last offseason), but that just means their D is going to be subpar again. Which I guess is to be expected.

 

[wintersej]

+/- is not something you look at when you think is someone top pairing D or whatever.

Kevan doesnt have the offensive skills, he doesn't make plays like a top4D-player, his skating, puck handling/puck moving is not at top4 level and his defensive play doesn't make up for those.
If Kevan is in our top4 when we want to be contenders then oh damm.
This team needs 2 top 3 D-players, and if the plan is to use Kevan on the top4 it's not going to happen, and we end up wasting years.


Reading about Yandle, 5 years contract to him looks like huge when you think of it 1st but he'd be just 34y when that contract would run out, which wouldn't be bad at all, not saying he must be locked up for 5 years but if he is demanding it it shouldn't be brutal.

I don't know what to make of it, but over the past three seasons (min 2000 minutes) guess what d-man has the highest on ice save % in the entire NHL?

Kevan Miller.

He is either the luckiest SOB, because that's a pretty good sample size, or he is adept at using his size and strength to prevent dangerous shots at a very high level.

 

[Ice Nine]

To me Seids isn't part of the discussion. Love the guy and thank him for all he gave us but he's cooked. Obviously it's easier said than done to get rid of him, but I'm just kind of closing my eyes and plugging my ears to him at this point. Somehow and some way he needs to be gone.

2 of Seids, Kevan Miller and McQuaid have to go if you want a real NHL defense. Now I'm sure 2 or even 3 of them will be back because I don't think they can build a real defense in one offseason (a process they should have started last offseason), but that just means their D is going to be subpar again. Which I guess is to be expected.

Very much agreed; two of the three really should be offloaded and the task should have begun summer, though I appreciate that Sweeney had to deal with the shock of the Dougie trade; that's my best explanation for the ill-advised McQuaid extension. DS was reeling from losing Hamilton and felt McQuaid would help shore up the D.

 

[wintersej]

I think the makeup of the team can make guys you don't think of as top 4 guys into suitable players for that role. Daley/Cole is the Pens 2nd pairing and they have been one of the best teams in hockey in the second half. The Caps have Nate Schmidt on their 2nd pairing. Carle is playing in Tampas top 4.

If the rest of the D is good, you can probably afford to have a Kevan as your #4. But you can't role out a D that includes Kevan, McQuaid and Seidenberg. Too much overlapping weakness.

 

[Bad Puck Bounce]

I'm genuinely curious, do people think that McQuaid is that close to Miller or that they both play as similar style and that there's only room for one because of that?

In my eyes, after all McQuaid did last year being asked to play top 4 minutes and all he's done in the playoffs for Boston, I take him every day of the week at his current salary over whatever Miller gets.

 

[JOKER 192]

My favourite contract for 3rd pairing D-players would be ELC, have a damm strong top4 and develop kids on the 3rd pairing with less than 2M compined, afford to pay for top players.

I agree with you totally and completely. It's just that I have seen a few posters who have suggested we trade McQuaid and then sign KMiller under 1M. I really doubt KMiller signs under 2M let alone 1M.

 

[JOKER 192]

I'm genuinely curious, do people think that McQuaid is that close to Miller or that they both play as similar style and that there's only room for one because of that?

In my eyes, after all McQuaid did last year being asked to play top 4 minutes and all he's done in the playoffs for Boston, I take him every day of the week at his current salary over whatever Miller gets.

me too.

 

[DitClapper]

I might be in the minority here but I really don't want anything to do with Yandle, especially at 4-5 years at 5 million dollars per.

Absolutely not in the minority. This player cannot defend in his own end. Clode would have Yandle riding the pine for the most part.

 

[DitClapper]

This hasn't really been discussed, but I'm starting to be of the mind that Spooner will be dealt in a package for a young defenseman and the forgotten man Czarnik will be centering the 3rd line next season. After the year he had down in Providence, it's tough not to see him on the big roster next October.

 

[BB88]

I don't know what to make of it, but over the past three seasons (min 2000 minutes) guess what d-man has the highest on ice save % in the entire NHL?

Kevan Miller.

He is either the luckiest SOB, because that's a pretty good sample size, or he is adept at using his size and strength to prevent dangerous shots at a very high level.

Watching these playoffs again, like last year just reminds how brutal the defense is and how it needs to change.

You need 4 quality D-players to survive in the playoffs and make a deep run, depth killed the Hawks this year, from top4 to top3.

Bou-Pietrangelo
Shattenkirk-Parayoko

Lindholm-Vatanen
Fowler-Despres

Josi-Weber
Ekholm-Ellis

are on a completely different level for example, and just look at the puck moving difference, every one of those players know how to move puck and are honest top4 players.
Really don't see Kevan comparing well against those.

I agree with you totally and completely. It's just that I have seen a few posters who have suggested we trade McQuaid and then sign KMiller under 1M. I really doubt KMiller signs under 2M let alone 1M.

Yeah 1M signing is not going to happen, but the faster they realize their time is over the better, but damm Sweeneys comments on Kevan scare me.

 

[Salem13]

To me giving up on big bodied tough defense-men who are in their late twenties is a tough move.
So many have put it all together in that age group when it comes to defense.
I can see the logic behind VanMiller and McQ staying with the team.

 

[Oates2Neely]

Of all the RFA d, especially the RHD, Michael Stone doesn't get spoken of enough. That might be because of the flux with the AZ GM job, season ending knee injury and long recoup time, or because of the terrific year he had, but heck of a player. Could do a lot for this ailing top four.

Thanking Dallas won't be able to retain all of Goligoski, Demers and Russell... Looks like only 17M of cap available for those three positions and several forward positions, too.

Stone could be a solid pickup and potentially replace Boychuk.

 

[bbfan419]

I would like to see all 3 of K. Miller, McQuaid and Seidenberg gone and stay away from Yandle too much for what he brings, just resign Krug, then sign Demers and trade for 2 of Brodin/Vaatanen/Shattenkirk/Trouba. I would deal Spooner and Krejci for 2 of those D and then you can always sign another Center or two, maybe Shaw and even go for Stamkos, why not shoot for the moon.