Boston Bruins B's D: Quantity & Quality

[PatriceBergeronFan]

It's a bit better off than the year we had too many bottom pairing defensemen so Chiarelli trades Boychuk.

 

[KnightofBoston]

It's a bit better off than the year we had too many bottom pairing defensemen so Chiarelli trades Boychuk.

I hated PC from that day onward, he’s only given me reasons to dislike him more as a GM since then

How you don’t at least wait until the deadline and get a first is f***ing lunacy

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

I hated PC from that day onward, he’s only given me reasons to dislike him more as a GM since then

How you don’t at least wait until the deadline and get a first is ****ing lunacy

He waited until the deadline to overpay for Brett Connolly for the same price he got Boyhcuk for! Lol

 

[Gee Wally]

KPD in today’s Globe:

How the Bruins’ defense might look next season - The Boston Globe

The Bruins very well may start the new season — now just 80 days away — with what we know this morning as their eight-man defensive corps, with Charlie McAvoy as the emerging uber talent and the old man in the C, Zdeno Chara (a spritely 42 next March), pegged as their holdover No. 1 pairing.
But while much of the offseason focus and speculation around the Bruins centers on what they’ll do to prop up second-line scoring (a.k.a. the perennial Krejci Line question), it’s the backline group that again failed to get the job done in the playoffs, albeit with key members Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug each out of action by the end of Round 2 vs. the Lightning.
Is John Moore the answer to what ailed them? Possibly. He has impressive wheels, particularly for a guy his size (6 feet 3 inches, 210 pounds), and speed is the oxygen of coach Bruce Cassidy’s attack.

Rumors through the spring, and into the summer, had Sweeney looking to wheel Krug and divvying up his role and minutes between McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk. Fine in theory, just as it’s fine to think Moore’s speed alone will make him a top-four fixture.
What we know about Krug, despite his challenges as a five-on-five defender, is that he delivers points, 154 of them over just the last three seasons. It’s a Mutt and Jeff comparison at best, but Victor Hedman needed his first five seasons in Tampa to collect 144 points, then averaged 44 points over Years 6, 7, and 8. Yeah, anybody can tally points, but the vast majority do not, and brooming out Krug could be the $5.25 million cap savings that turns into a frantic footrace just to make the playoffs because, “Hey, these guys have no pop from the back end!”

 

[GordonHowe]

KPD in today’s Globe:

How the Bruins’ defense might look next season - The Boston Globe

The Bruins very well may start the new season — now just 80 days away — with what we know this morning as their eight-man defensive corps, with Charlie McAvoy as the emerging uber talent and the old man in the C, Zdeno Chara (a spritely 42 next March), pegged as their holdover No. 1 pairing.
But while much of the offseason focus and speculation around the Bruins centers on what they’ll do to prop up second-line scoring (a.k.a. the perennial Krejci Line question), it’s the backline group that again failed to get the job done in the playoffs, albeit with key members Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug each out of action by the end of Round 2 vs. the Lightning.
Is John Moore the answer to what ailed them? Possibly. He has impressive wheels, particularly for a guy his size (6 feet 3 inches, 210 pounds), and speed is the oxygen of coach Bruce Cassidy’s attack.

Rumors through the spring, and into the summer, had Sweeney looking to wheel Krug and divvying up his role and minutes between McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk. Fine in theory, just as it’s fine to think Moore’s speed alone will make him a top-four fixture.
What we know about Krug, despite his challenges as a five-on-five defender, is that he delivers points, 154 of them over just the last three seasons. It’s a Mutt and Jeff comparison at best, but Victor Hedman needed his first five seasons in Tampa to collect 144 points, then averaged 44 points over Years 6, 7, and 8. Yeah, anybody can tally points, but the vast majority do not, and brooming out Krug could be the $5.25 million cap savings that turns into a frantic footrace just to make the playoffs because, “Hey, these guys have no pop from the back end!”

So where does Doctor Oz come down on dealing Krug, other than the last sentence here?

 

[BMC]

It's a bit better off than the year we had too many bottom pairing defensemen so Chiarelli trades Boychuk.

I will hate that trade until I die. Johnny Boychuk was born to be a Bruin

 

[Gee Wally]

So where does Doctor Oz come down on dealing Krug, other than the last sentence here?

“The larger view here, again without seeing Moore in terms other than his new contract, is for Sweeney to move McQuaid ($2.75 million), which would leave the Bruins with about $5.75 million in cap space headed into the new season. The move would leave Cassidy with a far-easier-to-manage group of seven, keep Krug’s 50-plus points in the bank, and create some intense competition among Moore, Krug, and Grzelcyk to sort out minutes and playing roles.“

 

[GloryDaze4877]

It's a bit better off than the year we had too many bottom pairing defensemen so Chiarelli trades Boychuk.

I am not a Chia fan, but that’s not why he traded Boychuk.

The B’s were tight to the Cap, and if he kept Boychuk, Chia was going to have to do some maneuvering to get compliant by the start of the regular season. Also, the B’s knew they could not afford to re-sign Boychuk, who was an impending UFs.

Chia should have held onto him until the deadline. He would have received a much better package imo

 

[PB37]

Moore -- McAvoy

Chara -- Carlo

Krug -- Miller

Grz -- McQuaid


PP1

Krug -- McAvoy

PP2

Krug -- Moore

PK1

Chara -- Carlo

PK2

Moore -- Miller

PK3

Chara -- McAvoy

 

[BigGoalBrad]

I am not a Chia fan, but that’s not why he traded Boychuk.

The B’s were tight to the Cap, and if he kept Boychuk, Chia was going to have to do some maneuvering to get compliant by the start of the regular season. Also, the B’s knew they could not afford to re-sign Boychuk, who was an impending UFs.

Chia should have held onto him until the deadline. He would have received a much better package imo

He signed Seidenberg to that massive extension before he had to. It was a bad contract before it kicked in (he missed 2014 playoffs) and meant giving JB a deal as well as paying Krug for his offensive talents AND Dougie for his offensive talents wasn't happening. The team was going to be too good to trade JB at the deadline. He took his second and moved on.

(The Boychuk 2nd rounder IE Carlo likely saved their bacon after the abortion of our 3 first rounders back to back to back I don't think we are gonna get more than JDB from the 3 picks.)

That Seidenberg extension ended up being horrible. Never played again in the playoffs for us after the Chicago series so never on his new deal. He was still a good player at the time but the writing was on the wall.

Other thing about if we didn't trade Boychuk is he likely does not walk as a free agent in the summer of 2015. Assuming Dougie starts acting up we likely change out tune and decide all of a sudden that we can afford JB since the kid is determined to force his way out. Couple more years of JB would have been nice but the contract would not be pretty right now. Could easily mean a second Cup though.

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

On the topic of Boychuk, they should have kept him and tried to contend and then let him walk if need be. If they weren't contenders at the deadline, they could have moved him.

By trading Seguin, they decided they had a very short window to contend. They were going to go all out for basically the following 3 years and try to win another Cup. Trading Boychuk when they did completely goes against that idea.

 

[don]

The defense as it stands is good - I do worry that, should Krug get traded and Chara calls it after this year, or even during this year he really starts to decline, god forbid, what will happen. Losing Krug puts the onus on guys like Charlie and Gryz to pick up offensively on the powerplay. Are they ready for that? I'd like to think so, but who knows for certain.

Losing Chara will hurt worse sooner or later. Replacing Krug's powerplay ability CAN be done, via everybody chipping in, etc. Replacing Chara's shut-down game will not be nearly so easily replicated.

I just hope Sweeney considers all of this and finds a good replacement for Zdeno if possible. Or the Vaakinator is readier sooner hopefully rather than later

I thing this depends on the development of the LD prospects. Personally I think they are but I share your concern.

 

[don]

We have a top 10 defense all healthy, but not elite, nowhere close to elite. You lose Krug for top 6 help and you’re a hell of a lot closer to bottom 15 then you are to top 5

I’m of the mind that krug should only be moved for a younger project left D that has potential like Nurse

We'd have to add to that deal and I can't see DS doing that.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

We'd have to add to that deal and I can't see DS doing that.

Depends on the add.

 

[KnightofBoston]

We'd have to add to that deal and I can't see DS doing that.

What do you think you’d add if you were GM?

 

[veganbruin]

Is there any thought that Krug might still be pretty hurt? And the John Moore signing was insurance for the beginning of the season?

 

[GordonHowe]

“The larger view here, again without seeing Moore in terms other than his new contract, is for Sweeney to move McQuaid ($2.75 million), which would leave the Bruins with about $5.75 million in cap space headed into the new season. The move would leave Cassidy with a far-easier-to-manage group of seven, keep Krug’s 50-plus points in the bank, and create some intense competition among Moore, Krug, and Grzelcyk to sort out minutes and playing roles.“

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[pkunit]

Is there any thought that Krug might still be pretty hurt? And the John Moore signing was insurance for the beginning of the season?

Probably better than insurance. He owns 3 on 3 play and has never played with a group like this one.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Is there any thought that Krug might still be pretty hurt? And the John Moore signing was insurance for the beginning of the season?

Why would they sign John Moore for 5 years though?

 

[JOKER 192]

He waited until the deadline to overpay for Brett Connolly for the same price he got Boyhcuk for! Lol

That's what blew my mind. I accepted that Johnny had to go but then you turn around and trade what you got for him for Brett "who?" f***ing Connolly. I lost my shit that night that went down. I remember a poster telling me I was being childish. Whatever, that is a really bad turn of events.

 

[JOKER 192]

Why would they sign John Moore for 5 years though?

It's really simple, 3 years 4M per. 5 years 2.75M per. That's what agents do.

 

[ODAAT]

I am not a Chia fan, but that’s not why he traded Boychuk.

The B’s were tight to the Cap, and if he kept Boychuk, Chia was going to have to do some maneuvering to get compliant by the start of the regular season. Also, the B’s knew they could not afford to re-sign Boychuk, who was an impending UFs.

Chia should have held onto him until the deadline. He would have received a much better package imo

I think ideally Chia would have rather moved Seids but if I`m not mistaken, Seids was having off season surgery (can`t recall what the injury was, leg/knee?) and not sure anyone was lined up to take him.

I didn`t like losing JB either but I`m also not too convinced had they moved Seids rather than JB the B`s would have been significantly better than they were following the move

 

[chizzler]

It's really simple, 3 years 4M per. 5 years 2.75M per. That's what agents do.

So your saying they signed this guy to said contract to cover Krug if he isn’t ready. I think that’s what he meant. If that’s the case, why not get a guy for one year.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

It's really simple, 3 years 4M per. 5 years 2.75M per. That's what agents do.

Nobody is arguing that this deal isn't great for Moore and his agent.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

He signed Seidenberg to that massive extension before he had to. It was a bad contract before it kicked in (he missed 2014 playoffs) and meant giving JB a deal as well as paying Krug for his offensive talents AND Dougie for his offensive talents wasn't happening. The team was going to be too good to trade JB at the deadline. He took his second and moved on.

(The Boychuk 2nd rounder IE Carlo likely saved their bacon after the abortion of our 3 first rounders back to back to back I don't think we are gonna get more than JDB from the 3 picks.)

That Seidenberg extension ended up being horrible. Never played again in the playoffs for us after the Chicago series so never on his new deal. He was still a good player at the time but the writing was on the wall.

Other thing about if we didn't trade Boychuk is he likely does not walk as a free agent in the summer of 2015. Assuming Dougie starts acting up we likely change out tune and decide all of a sudden that we can afford JB since the kid is determined to force his way out. Couple more years of JB would have been nice but the contract would not be pretty right now. Could easily mean a second Cup though.

As I have said on many occasions, I was not a fan of what Chia did post-Cup with the B’s. That said, the idea that Seidenberg’s “massive deal” was horrible and his play was slipping when he signed the extension is 100% revisionist history.

It was 4 years at $4m per, which was very reasonable for a top 4 shutdown D like Seidenberg at the time (he signed in October 2013). He was coming off two 80+ Game seasons in 10/11 and 11/12 and played 46/48 regular season games in 12/13. His previous injuries were fluke stuff not chronic and the guy was a workout fanatic.

There was no way Chia could have predicted the injury where Sides got tangled up with that little puke Conacher and blew out his knee. He was never the same player again after that, but not sure how you can blame the GM for that?

I do blame him for painting himself into a corner and having to deal Boychuk when he did, but that’s a different story. I had no problem with the B’s not extending Boychuk because everybody knew he was going to get massively overpaid (and he did). The issue for me was always the timing of the deal, and not waiting until the deadline to move JB if you didn’t want to sign him.