Management Don Sweeney IV

[bp13]

I wonder if they're holding off trading for Trouba until Vatrano comes back and shows what he can do. Right now, Spooner is playing on Krejci's wing and there really isn't anyone else with experience that can step into the position if Spooner is traded for Trouba.

A healthy team + a Spooner/CMiller trade would look like


Marchand -- Bergeron -- Czarnik

Beleskey -- Krejci -- Pasta

Vatrano -- Backes -- Nash/Hayes

Schaeller -- Moore -- Acciari


Chara -- Carlo

Krug -- Trouba

Liles -- McQuaid


I wonder if there's a way we could pry Joel Armia from the Jets as well. He'd look great on Backes' right wing.

Not sure why Winnipeg would make that trade unless you added something good to it, like a 1st. but if they did, I like that roster. The way Carlo is playing, if you can keep the entire defense and add Trouba, it's a much better team. And frankly, I don't even see where losing Spooner hurts much, which is also why I struggle to see why Winnipeg would want him enough to make that trade work.

 

[PB37]

Not sure why Winnipeg would make that trade unless you added something good to it, like a 1st. but if they did, I like that roster. The way Carlo is playing, if you can keep the entire defense and add Trouba, it's a much better team. And frankly, I don't even see where losing Spooner hurts much, which is also why I struggle to see why Winnipeg would want him enough to make that trade work.

I wouldn't be upset if the Bruins did use a 1st round pick on an established young player - in fact, I think it's the smart thing to do.

 

[BruinsFanMike82]

Vatrano won't be back until after the deadline for Trouba to sign a contract in order to be able to play this season.

If Trouba doesn't sign before December 1st, he will be ineligible to play in the NHL until next season.

 

[bp13]

I wouldn't be upset if the Bruins did use a 1st round pick on an established young player - in fact, I think it's the smart thing to do.

Nor would I. I would make that deal if we could lottery-protect the pick.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

I wouldn't argue with any of that, but it still doesn't mean I'm going to evaluate the guy solely on his drafting nor do I think anyone should. There's way more to the job than that. He has to decide which free agents to sign, which guys to commit to long-term, he needs to plan for a window that makes sense to compete given his draft picks progress and the age of his roster, etc. He also needs to decide which assets to keep and which he might be better moving. There are several measures on which he can be evaluated besides just his drafting record.

Agreed.

However, I believe that the B's are in a "rebuild" of sorts, even if they won't admit it, so draft and development is number one for me. That being said, if the B's do a great job with the draft, there is no reason they could not trade some of those "excess" assets for a young established player that helps now AND down the road. If Sweeney wants to increase his job security, it would probably be a good thing.

 

[bobber]

Agreed.

However, I believe that the B's are in a "rebuild" of sorts, even if they won't admit it, so draft and development is number one for me. That being said, if the B's do a great job with the draft, there is no reason they could not trade some of those "excess" assets for a young established player that helps now AND down the road. If Sweeney wants to increase his job security, it would probably be a good thing.

GloryDaze who would those excess assets be that other teams would be willing to give up a young established player? The assets have to be of value to another team and showing some potential one would think.

 

[bp13]

Agreed.

However, I believe that the B's are in a "rebuild" of sorts, even if they won't admit it, so draft and development is number one for me. That being said, if the B's do a great job with the draft, there is no reason they could not trade some of those "excess" assets for a young established player that helps now AND down the road. If Sweeney wants to increase his job security, it would probably be a good thing.

So we are in fact in agreement then.

I also think they are trying to thread a needle that can't be done well, and I think it's likely being forced by an ***clown owner and not appropriately fought by the President. Sweeney is in a tough spot, though he isn't the only GM in that spot.

All that said, he still has to own a plan. If that plan is to build the defense through drafting alone, then I seriously question how that jives with the forward group considering their ages. So in sum I feel it's fair to challenge why he hasn't done anything to improve the defense this year, why he didn't last year, and what the hell the plan is for the next few years. So far, on that front specifically, he's failed. And if he continues to fail on that front for the next couple years, I suspect it will be the next GM who gets to enjoy the fruit of Sweeney's drafting labors.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

GloryDaze who would those excess assets be that other teams would be willing to give up a young established player? The assets have to be of value to another team and showing some potential one would think.

Are you joking or just trying to patronize me?

With all the picks/prospects the B's have made, you don't think any of:

Zboril
DeBrusk
Senyshyn
Lauzon
JFK
Bjork
Donato
McAvoy
Lindgren
Gabrielle
Frederic
Future picks

Would interest other teams?

Give me a ******* break, please.

 

[Speed Shooter]

Are you joking or just trying to patronize me?

With all the picks/prospects the B's have made, you don't think any of:

Zboril
DeBrusk
Senyshyn
Lauzon
JFK
Bjork
Donato
McAvoy
Lindgren
Gabrielle
Frederic
Future picks

Would interest other teams?

Give me a ******* break, please.

Good point. SO the question is: Why the obvious inaction to leverage said assets to improve the Defense via trade.

Only two real possibilities -
1 - Sweeney does not want to part with the ones/package/trade the prospects from that list other GMs want and thus continues to wait it out, nuclear winter style.

2 - Sadly, that golden list of prospects do not, in fact, interest other teams enough to trade their D to the Bruins.

It's Nov. 3, over 6 months since DS vowed to correct the team's biggest flaw. And counting. Which is it?

 

[SpitfireIX]

His first big signing, Matt Beleskey, is a healthy scratch tonight. Beleskey is starting to look like a one hit wonder who we bought high on after his one hit...

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

His first big signing, Matt Beleskey, is a healthy scratch tonight. Beleskey is starting to look like a one hit wonder who we bought high on after his one hit...

except after signing with the Bruins he had his best career point totals.

 

[KnightofBoston]

except after signing with the Bruins he had his best career point totals.

He needs to be with guys that are playing well

I expect him to do better when the line ups more in intact and spooner returns

 

[mark3361]

I think the expansion draft has screwed up the value equation. Teams have to think about who they'll be able to protect if they make a trade.

Still, Carlo was on that prospect list a month ago that probably doesn't pull in a young player like Trouba, but is probably a much closer deal now.

 

[bp13]

He needs to be with guys that are playing well

I expect him to do better when the line ups more in intact and spooner returns

Not saying it's not true but we have way too many guys who "need to be with guys who are playing well". Spooner, Krejci, Beleskey have all had that excuse made for them. In fact it's followed Spooner since day 1, and even with playing with Krejci this year he's done nothing.

Don't get me wrong, I do think Beleskey is best used on Krejcis LW, but for his skill set he ought to be able to be an effective 3rd or 4th liner too. It's not like he's loaded with skill.

 

[KnightofBoston]

I don't think Krejci or spooner need that excuse

Krejci is coming off an injury and Spooner just needs to get his act together

Beleskey needs a guy like Krejci or Spooner when he's on his game to actually put up points

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

I'm prepared to say that as of now Sweeney's draft picks have been a nice surprise while his FA management and trades/resignings have been awful. Not bad, awful. I think the easiest way to have gone would have been to skip pretty much every trade and FA he did minus perhaps some totally insignificant small 900k contracts that don't saddle us with much. Krug I'd have done the same, and hats off to the Marchy deal right now. But in a few years I think this team would be in much better shape without some of the baggage it's now saddled with.

 

[Number8]

Let's look at Chiarelli's drafting. From 2007 to 2014 he was the person in charge and the NHL returns are small.

.
.


Yikes.......out of 8 years of drafting.... the Bruins have Ryan Spooner and David Pastrnak to show as present NHL roster players.
This is where the problem lies in why this team is on a downward spiral.

I agree, but it's also interesting to look at Blackhawks drafting. Almost same "meh" results --- except for Toews in 2006 and Kane in 2008. Those two top 5 picks were absolute home runs for Hawks -- just as ours should have been with Seguin, but that's a story for another day!

 

[SpitfireIX]

except after signing with the Bruins he had his best career point totals.

Not really. If you look at the whole stat line you can see that he had 32 pts and 22 goals in 65 games during his free agency year. Last year he had 37 points and only 15 goals in 80 games are you really going to argue that last year was his best season. If so Don Sweeney is really a certified bonehead for giving him almost 4 million per year. Besides who cares about point totals when you score under 40 points. The guy is supposed to score goals...

Travis Konecny just scored his 3rd goal of the year. Wonder how long it takes our three first rounders from the same draft to be better than him. They must be since Don Sweeney picked them...

 

[Dr Quincy]

This. You forgot OGara/Morrow/C Miller who all have value as a throw in.

Call it nitpicking, but a throw in, by it's very nature has miniscule value.

 

[DKH]

Big night for Bruins future- Carlo & Pastrnak looked great and in AHL cehlarek got 2 Heinen Blidh & DeBrusk 1 each

 

[Coach Parker]

Big night for Bruins future- Carlo & Pastrnak looked great and in AHL cehlarek got 2 Heinen Blidh & DeBrusk 1 each

Agreed.

It's Sweeney's current Bruins that are stinking up Causeway.

 

[DKH]

This. You forgot OGara/Morrow/C Miller who all have value as a throw in.

Spooner and a few of these pieces is a very nice return.


The only question is does the other team want a better main piece than Spooner. Someone likely will offer a better player and if thats the case you need to add 3-4 of these asssets to beat that offer which is likely too much.

But again if Spooner had taken off this season and was doing anything of note his value is a lot higher and noone would want to trade him on here.

I'm sure you have forgotten more about hockey than I know but my view of OGara is far from a throw in. But I'm a baseball & football guy so maybe your right he sucks

 

[DKH]

Agreed.

It's Sweeney's current Bruins that are stinking up Causeway.

Top 10 pick would be nice

 

[Coach Parker]

Top 10 pick would be nice

If he holds firm and doesn't add a defenseman than I can see top five. Carlo has been great and him and Chara will run out of steam just after the All-Star game. Rask will be on fumes then and if the backup can't win a game this team is ripe for a lottery pick.

Sad because we all see the problem and there doesn't seem to be anything they can do about it other than ride it out and hope the fans come back next year.

 

[bbfan419]

Wondering who people feel has more value between Donato and Fitzgerald? I think both of these guys are Sweeney players and both have value as add ins in a deal, personally these are two prospects I would be ok dealing along with Arnesson and O'Gara, they are all good players, but can be replaced by others in the system

Also I think the Bruins need a goal scorer and solid 3rd line C if Backes plays wing, as well as a D addition.