Confirmed with Link: Bruins sign Matt Irwin 1yr/$800K

captain stone

Registered User
Jul 10, 2004
1,129
2
Hershey PA
If anyone is on the move I hope it's Dennis, whom I like, and not Krug. He's a dynamic, game changing guy who can QB a power play. He also possesses the character traits I want from my Boston Bruins.

Trading him to make room for Franson, or trading him period, would be a mistake.

^ Agreed. What a terrible message that would send.
 

GloveSave1

*** 15 ***
Jun 11, 2003
17,890
9,682
N.Windham, CT
I don't like the Top 4 at all the way you have it configured. I love McQuaid and Krug on the 3rd pair, it's where they belong right now at least. There is zero mobility on that first pair.

Without Franson:

Chara-Trotman
Krug-Sides
Irwin-McQuaid
K Miller

With CF:

Chara-Franson/Trots
Sides-Franson/Trots
Krug-McQuaid
Irwin/K or C Miller

I like door #2, particularly if the B's can limit term on Franson to three/four years.

That is a 3rd pairing, if you show that to San Jose fans they are going to feel sorry for us, but the 1st round pick would look good.

That roster has so limited talent, potential, skating, puck skills, Toronto ices a better D group and they want the 1st overall.

Unless your name is Chara or Seidenberg any player on the current roster is going to have to take a step up to be a 3/4 defenseman...so, it's just a matter of opinion.

I'll go with the two veteran players in McQuaid and Irwin. The Bruins long-term extension of McQuaid tells me that they think he can be more than a bottom pair guy.

If Franson comes on-board, of course he'd be a 3/4...with that fat contract. But I'm just going to work with what we have, for now.
 

BB88

Registered User
Jan 19, 2015
40,800
20,391
Unless your name is Chara or Seidenberg any player on the current roster is going to have to take a step up to be a 3/4 defenseman...so, it's just a matter of opinion.

I'll go with the two veteran players in McQuaid and Irwin. The Bruins long-term extension of McQuaid tells me that they think he can be more than a bottom pair guy.

If Franson comes on-board, of course he'd be a 3/4...with that fat contract. But I'm just going to work with what we have, for now.

If we ice that without Franson/x then we should tank because it's clearly a rebuilding D group, like I said Toronto has a better D group and they are tanking/rebuilding. Irwin is a slow skating D who has hard time on being in the lineup regularly, MCQuaid is at his best on the 3rd pairing, he is a great 3rd pairing D but boy are we in trouble if those 2 are in the top4. I don't know how we can expect McQuaid to a be top4D on a good team, just tank for 1st overall then and do not set the expectations on the playoffs.
 

Fire Sweeney

Registered User
Jun 16, 2009
24,489
1,847
Bergen
If we ice that without Franson/x then we should tank because it's clearly a rebuilding D group, like I said Toronto has a better D group and they are tanking/rebuilding. Irwin is a slow skating D who has hard time on being in the lineup regularly, MCQuaid is at his best on the 3rd pairing, he is a great 3rd pairing D but boy are we in trouble if those 2 are in the top4. I don't know how we can expect McQuaid to a be top4D on a good team, just tank for 1st overall then and do not set the expectations on the playoffs.

Even if we add another 2nd pairing D in Franson we will need to rebuild as this team isn't going to contend for many years. It just makes no sense to pay big money for Franson's "prime" years. Toronto has a better D group because they have some youth and skill... we traded ours away.
 

BB88

Registered User
Jan 19, 2015
40,800
20,391
Even if we add another 2nd pairing D in Franson we will need to rebuild as this team isn't going to contend for many years. It just makes no sense to pay big money for Franson's "prime" years. Toronto has a better D group because they have some youth and skill... we traded ours away.

I'm not saying it's a strong D with Franson, I'd say it's average then but he would bring in physicality and I'd push him to be our #4D in 2016- where he could succeed.

This team can fight in the 2016- if Connolly can find his game and Sweeney can find us a top pairing D.
But with that I think we should give a guy like C.Miller to find his game if he deserves that in the camp and let him find his game next year so he can be potentially impact player in the 2016, because i we push them in next year then they have to find their game then and we are risking 3 seasons in a row.

x-x
Chara-Franson
x-McQuaid
2016 D lineup.

And do whatever it takes to get the 2nd overall net year and get our potentieal future #1D with that.
 

ODAAT

Registered User
Oct 17, 2006
52,177
20,208
Victoria BC
I'm not saying it's a strong D with Franson, I'd say it's average then but he would bring in physicality and I'd push him to be our #4D in 2016- where he could succeed.

This team can fight in the 2016- if Connolly can find his game and Sweeney can find us a top pairing D.
But with that I think we should give a guy like C.Miller to find his game if he deserves that in the camp and let him find his game next year so he can be potentially impact player in the 2016, because i we push them in next year then they have to find their game then and we are risking 3 seasons in a row.

x-x
Chara-Franson
x-McQuaid
2016 D lineup.

And do whatever it takes to get the 2nd overall net year and get our potentieal future #1D with that.

your going to love Zboril
 

BB88

Registered User
Jan 19, 2015
40,800
20,391
Elite anythings are few and far between in this league, but he has the potential to be a stud D man

I know but you need an elite D in this league if you want to win, or a monster elite #1C.

I'm trying to hold my expectations down a bit and hope that he turns into beast #2D. I really like our D prospect pool, all of them can skate and we have big body shutdown D's and elite level skating offensive D's, just need to make sure we have that future blueline leader which will make us contenders for a very long time.

How close is Zboril?
 

ODAAT

Registered User
Oct 17, 2006
52,177
20,208
Victoria BC
I know but you need an elite D in this league if you want to win, or a monster elite #1C.

I'm trying to hold my expectations down a bit and hope that he turns into beast #2D. I really like our D prospect pool, all of them can skate and we have big body shutdown D's and elite level skating offensive D's, just need to make sure we have that future blueline leader which will make us contenders for a very long time.

How close is Zboril?

I disagree about the necessity for an elite D man to win, I look at a team like the Bolts who have Hedman, a very, very good D-man but elite? Um, not so much, but together with his partner and their other D-men they have a nice group there

I`m no scout, don`t pencil him in for this year, wouldn`t be one bit shocked if he`s ready to step in for the 2016/17 season and not look lost
 

reillysmith38

Registered User
Dec 22, 2013
287
2
I disagree about the necessity for an elite D man to win, I look at a team like the Bolts who have Hedman, a very, very good D-man but elite? Um, not so much, but together with his partner and their other D-men they have a nice group there

I`m no scout, don`t pencil him in for this year, wouldn`t be one bit shocked if he`s ready to step in for the 2016/17 season and not look lost

Hedman is without a doubt elite.

He's my #8 defenseman.

In order: Keith, Doughty, Karlsson, Weber, Subban, Suter, Pietrangelo, Hedman, OEL, Giordano.

Anton Stralman is also a top 30 defenseman, stud defensively, never makes a mistake. Think prime Seidenberg. Garrison and Coburn are no slouches either. Both have played top pair before.
 

ODAAT

Registered User
Oct 17, 2006
52,177
20,208
Victoria BC
Hedman is without a doubt elite.

He's my #8 defenseman.

In order: Keith, Doughty, Karlsson, Weber, Subban, Suter, Pietrangelo, Hedman, OEL, Giordano.

Anton Stralman is also a top 30 defenseman, stud defensively, never makes a mistake. Think prime Seidenberg. Garrison and Coburn are no slouches either. Both have played top pair before.

we have different definitions of elite then in regards to Hedman and Karlsson, offensively he`s terrific, defensively not so much
 

BB88

Registered User
Jan 19, 2015
40,800
20,391
I disagree about the necessity for an elite D man to win, I look at a team like the Bolts who have Hedman, a very, very good D-man but elite? Um, not so much, but together with his partner and their other D-men they have a nice group there

I`m no scout, don`t pencil him in for this year, wouldn`t be one bit shocked if he`s ready to step in for the 2016/17 season and not look lost

Man I would love that, Zboril with McQuaid could be a great 3rd pairing,
Chara-C.Miller
Krug-x
Zboril-McQuaid 2016 possible D group?
C.Miller+Zboril making it cheaper and allowing us to pay for top players, you get that top player and we are in business 2016-.
But if we lock 5/6 spots for 2-3 years we won't have the money to pay for top players.

I'd say Hedman is impressive #1D, you can make an argument that he is elite already or will be after next year, and I had a monster elite #1C option there as well.
We can have an impressively balanced D group if those kids can reach their max potential or get close to it but then we need to have elite forward carrying us to the top.
You look at the elite combo's teams now have.
Chicago, Buffalo, Edmonton, Anaheim, Blues and so on and so on, we have to get top talent so we can fight against them.
 
Last edited:

reillysmith38

Registered User
Dec 22, 2013
287
2
we have different definitions of elite then in regards to Hedman and Karlsson, offensively he`s terrific, defensively not so much

I wasn't impressed with Karlsson's defense either..

Until this past year's playoff. He was DOMINANT offensively AND defensively, during his only series. Not a single person on that team stepped it up as much as karlsson did. He played just as well as Keith did in the playoffs in a shorter amount of time.

So yes while there are plenty of highlights showing Karlsson's short comings, I think if he plays like he did in the playoffs people will notice him on defense more.
 

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