Providence Bruins General Discussion II

[GarbageGoal]

I've read this sentiment here numerous times. Usually someone is advocating for the trade of some defenseman because we don't have room for them all. Unless my math skills are really off, I see us needing defensemen, not having a surplus.

With conventional thinking being that Vegas will take one of McQuaid, Killer or Chiller, (let's assume for this discussion it's McQuaid). Conventional thinking here also suggests that we won't re-sign Morrow. I'm not convinced of that, but let's roll with that for now.

That leaves us with 14 spots to fill (7 in Boston & 7 in Providence) and just 10 defensemen under contract. In no particular order;

Chara-Carlo
Krug-McAvoy
KillerChiller
O'Gara-Gryz
Zboril-Lauzon

Tha's just 10 of 14 defensemen. We NEED 4 more. There is no surplus.

We do have Johansson, but he has a European assignment clause, presumably because he doesn't want to play in Providence.

If we somehow protect McQuaid, Killer & Chiller and convince Vegas to take a forward instead - AND - if we re-sign Morrow, that still only gives us 12 of 14 needed defensemen. Even if Johansson sticks around and we keep everyone we have, we still need one more.


Unless I'm missing some players, I don't see the surplus or the logjam ...

I have no inside info on Johansson other than I doubt he'd come over here on what amounts to a per diem contract and then decide after a handful of games that he hated it and would go back to Sweden without at least giving it a year.

But there won't be a logjam until those prospects are mastering the AHL level. We don't have a surplus of that at all. Just a whole bunch of young guys who would benefit a lot from sepnding time in Providence. By the time they are ready (if they are ever ready) for full time NHL duty, we will have contracts expiring and there will be room for them. I don't see an embarrassment of riches on D just yet.

Also, I get the idea of bringing vets into Providence to groom the young guys and maintain a certain culture, but I'm a bit baffled as to why they bring in vets that really serve as "blockers" to development, eating up ice time that the Boston prospects should be getting. I don't understand bringing in players like Grant, Swarz, Simpson for example. I'd prefer O'Gara and Gryz were played ahead of Grant, Casto and Breen. I get Tommy Cross, because he's still a legitimate Boston prospect, but the other guys aren't.

You kinda contradict yourself here. You say there's really no logjam, but then you're objecting to AHL players who will be needed to fill out the roster taking up ice time. Not every guy on an AHL roster can be a top prospect or even a marginal one. And now, with expansion, suddenly guys like Szwarz or Simpson (and granted, I don't know if they'll be here next year) are 25 steps closer to the NHL than they were this year, whether it be in Vegas or on the roster spots that open up elsewhere.

I guess we've been down this road before. Guys play roles and there's a balance between development and also icing a competitive team that makes the postseason. No one's gonna like this, but you know who's been the best player in this series? Chris Porter. He's keeping WBS honest by hitting them hard. Now I know he's a 30-something year old plug, but he's been a difference maker.

 

[Fonzerelli]

You kinda contradict yourself here. You say there's really no logjam, but then you're objecting to AHL players who will be needed to fill out the roster taking up ice time.

Well, no. Two different issues.

When I say there is no logjam, I am looking at next year and the contracts we have. We have 10 defensemen under contract if Vegas snatches one and we don't re-sign Morrow.

When I say guys like Grant, Casto, Breen are "blocking" it's because they are right now, and have been all season. I understand they are technically on NHL deals themselves, but it would be nice to see guys like O'Gara, Gryz get the prime ice for development over these 1-year filler type deals. Hickman over Swarz or Simpson. Having older AHL vets take priority over the Boston prospects doesn't make sense to me. Never has.

I guess we've been down this road before. Guys play roles and there's a balance between development and also icing a competitive team that makes the postseason.

This is all fine in theory, but Providence has only got past the 2nd round once in the last 12 years, so I'm not sure that philosophy is working out so well. Maybe it is. Maybe the balance is good. If anyone on these boards would know, you would, so I take your word on it. I haven't looked that hard at it myself, but I would think the priority of a Boston farm team should be the Boston prospects.

 

[bruinmann77]

Isn't Searz only 25

 

[GarbageGoal]

Justin Hickman? Really?

He had 60 some games last season and got like 8 points. He's not even impressive at the ECHL level. I don't see any more upside to him than Simpson. He's a 23 year old undrafted free agent.

 

[neelynugs]

Justin Hickman? Really?

He had 60 some games last season and got like 8 points. He's not even impressive at the ECHL level. I don't see any more upside to him than Simpson. He's a 23 year old undrafted free agent.

did i miss something? what's up with hickman? is he jumping into the lineup?

 

[GarbageGoal]

did i miss something? what's up with hickman? is he jumping into the lineup?

No, Fonz was wondering why he's not playing over Simpson or Szwarz and my guess is that Kevin Dean has seen as much and more as I have.

 

[Fonzerelli]

No, Fonz was wondering why he's not playing over Simpson or Szwarz and my guess is that Kevin Dean has seen as much and more as I have.

Hickman wasn't brought in to put up points. He's a big body for your 4th line. I'll take your word for it that he didn't impress in year one, but he's not going to get any better sitting in the stands. This is a development league afterall, and we are committed to him for this year and next year as well. It might take him some time and he might be a late bloomer and he might not bloom at all, but he sure the hell won't bloom in the stands. It just seems odd to me that we sign these guys to 3 year deals and are giving up on them just over a year into it.

 

[Tampbear]

Hickman wasn't brought in to put up points. He's a big body for your 4th line. I'll take your word for it that he didn't impress in year one, but he's not going to get any better sitting in the stands. This is a development league afterall, and we are committed to him for this year and next year as well. It might take him some time and he might be a late bloomer and he might not bloom at all, but he sure the hell won't bloom in the stands. It just seems odd to me that we sign these guys to 3 year deals and are giving up on them just over a year into it.

I don't think them sitting games is us giving up on them, heck Cross spent most of his first year in the ECHL and he was still part of the organization last year and even got a cup of coffee in the NHL. If a guy is your 13 or 14th best forward at the AHL level I don't think it's to the benefit of the bruins to spend a lot of time and effort on them. It is great to get guys the ice time, but at the same time the kids need to be in a competitive atmosphere and not just handed ice time. Providence needs to keep it's fans happy as well and not abandon them by deciding they don't care about being competitive so that marginal professionals can get more ice time. This is the sort of reasoning that was going on for Knight who was even a 3rd rd pick and not an undrafted free agent if I can remember. Knight never was able to earn his icetime and the coach got the blame. Now Knight is playing in Denmark.

 

[BruinsHockey]

Officials for game 3 a W-B/S

Referee:

Olivier Gouin*(54) and Evgenii Romasko*(39)

Linesman:

Kory Nagy*(97) and Francois Dussureault(60)

 

[JCRO]

mark divver 9:09am
[tweet expect zach senyshyn to replace cehlarik in prov lineup on thursday][/MEDIA]

Tough break for Cehlarik.

Good luck to ZS. Lets see what you got, kid!

 

[Malt]

When I say guys like Grant, Casto, Breen are "blocking" it's because they are right now, and have been all season. I understand they are technically on NHL deals themselves, but it would be nice to see guys like O'Gara, Gryz get the prime ice for development over these 1-year filler type deals. Hickman over Swarz or Simpson. Having older AHL vets take priority over the Boston prospects doesn't make sense to me. Never has.

Breen is on an AHL contract this year. He only played in EDIT: 37 regular season games. I wouldn't say he blocked anyone's development, especially Gryz and O'Gara, who both saw time in Boston this year.
You *could* say that Breen is being depended on too heavily in this playoff series (-3 in game 2, along with Casto).

As has been noted, Hickman was a low-risk free-agent signing. He had bad luck with an injury this year but the reason he doesn't play much is simply due to the fact that he's not very skilled or fast on his skates. Szwarz and Simpson were two big reasons why Providence is in the playoffs to begin with. Hickman is a 4th liner, tops, at this time.

 

[BruinsHockey]

Breen is on an AHL contract this year. He only played in regular season games. I wouldn't say he blocked anyone's development, especially Gryz and O'Gara, who both saw time in Boston this year.
You *could* say that Breen is being depended on too heavily in this playoff series (-3 in game 2, along with Casto).

As has been noted, Hickman was a low-risk free-agent signing. He had bad luck with an injury this year but the reason he doesn't play much is simply due to the fact that he's not very skilled or fast on his skates. Szwarz and Simpson were two big reasons why Providence is in the playoffs to begin with. Hickman is a 4th liner, tops, at this time.

Great post.

I'd like to see Marshall instead of Breen.

 

[BruinsHockey]

@markdivver twitter

Three lineup changes for Providence Bruins tonight in Game 3:

Kuraly, Senyshyn, Marshall in. Fitzgerald, Cehlarik (inj) , Casto out

 

[Fonzerelli]

I don't think them sitting games is us giving up on them, heck Cross spent most of his first year in the ECHL and he was still part of the organization last year and even got a cup of coffee in the NHL. If a guy is your 13 or 14th best forward at the AHL level I don't think it's to the benefit of the bruins to spend a lot of time and effort on them. It is great to get guys the ice time, but at the same time the kids need to be in a competitive atmosphere and not just handed ice time. Providence needs to keep it's fans happy as well and not abandon them by deciding they don't care about being competitive so that marginal professionals can get more ice time. This is the sort of reasoning that was going on for Knight who was even a 3rd rd pick and not an undrafted free agent if I can remember. Knight never was able to earn his icetime and the coach got the blame. Now Knight is playing in Denmark.

Excellent post. Great points.

It's easy to forget that Providence is it's own entity with it's own fanbase and is balancing multiple agenda's, very much like CHL teams. Perhaps even moreso.

I really enjoy reading your board and really appreciate the posts from guys like yourself, Malt, GarbageGoal and others.

Good luck tonight! Will definitely tune in to watch Zach.

 

[GarbageGoal]

I like most of what Fitzgerald's bringing to the ice but he takes dumb penalties. (I notice he has only 4 seemed like more) Probably a good time to rotate someone else in. Marshall's size is problem but he's got a great shot.

 

[DKH]

Three lineup changes for Providence Bruins tonight in Game 3:

Kuraly, Senyshyn, Marshall in. Fitzgerald, Cehlarik (inj) , Casto out

I hope Dean tells Senyshyn so he isn't suprised when he hits the ice these aren't 15,16, and 17 year olds

 

[KnightofBoston]

Bummer cehlarik is out, fighting injury or just in a slump?

 

[ODAAT]

Bummer cehlarik is out, fighting injury or just in a slump?

or bumped by a better player

 

[GarbageGoal]

Apparently injury

 

[BruinsHockey]

Bummer cehlarik is out, fighting injury or just in a slump?

Injury although, he has not been the same player since returning from Boston.

 

[BruinsHockey]

I like most of what Fitzgerald's bringing to the ice but he takes dumb penalties. (I notice he has only 4 seemed like more) Probably a good time to rotate someone else in. Marshall's size is problem but he's got a great shot.

4 Penalty's in only a handful of games.

 

[GarbageGoal]

4 Penalty's in only a handful of games.

4 minutes I meant

 

[Malt]

Randell and Sestito finally drop the gloves and Randell gets the win over the giant spazz for W-B.

 

[Fonzerelli]

Randell and Sestito finally drop the gloves and Randell gets the win over the giant spazz for W-B.

That's awesome! Love Randell as a scrapper

Malt, how's Zack look?

 

[roflstomper]

P-Bruins parade to the penalty box. Sun setting real quickly on this season.