If Boston loses to Florida, SHOULD they blow it up?

[Son of Donegal]

I hope they stick it out and continue to toil as a bubble team never really getting any solid picks.

Forgive me as I am about to flame you to a char.

"Continue to toil" implies they have been a bubble team, when in actuality they have been at the top of the East in most years. I think you have Boston mistaken for another team. NYI perhaps?

As for the "never gets solid picks" part...Matty Poitras is going to be a top 6 center for BOS. He was drafted 45 picks after Matt Savoie who went 9th overall. Where was Matt Savoie this season? Oh. That's right, he was sent back to Moose Jaw. Prior to getting hurt, Poitras was scoring at a 50pt pace for the division leading Boston Bruins.

Then there is Mason Lohrei, drafted late in the 2nd round as an overager in 2020. He's the same age as BUF Ryan Johnson, who was drafted in the first round in 2019. Which player looks like a top 4 D to you? It's Lohrei in case you were wondering.

And...let's not forget future Vezina winner Jeremy Swayman who was drafted 57 picks after Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. He's about to sign a 7+ year contract with BOS.

So, forgive Don Sweeney if he doesn't find the BUF model as appealing as their current model.

P.S. Bruins have deep pockets this offseason...and UFA's love coming to Boston.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Forgive me as I am about to flame you to a char.

"Continue to toil" implies they have been a bubble team, when in actuality they have been at the top of the East in most years. I think you have Boston mistaken for another team. NYI perhaps?

As for the "never gets solid picks" part...Matty Poitras is going to be a top 6 center for BOS. He was drafted 45 picks after Matt Savoie who went 9th overall. Where was Matt Savoie this season? Oh. That's right, he was sent back to Moose Jaw. Prior to getting hurt, Poitras was scoring at a 50pt pace for the division leading Boston Bruins.

Then there is Mason Lohrei, drafted late in the 2nd round as an overager in 2020. He's the same age as BUF Ryan Johnson, who was drafted in the first round in 2019. Which player looks like a top 4 D to you? It's Lohrei in case you were wondering.

And...let's not forget future Vezina winner Jeremy Swayman who was drafted 57 picks after Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. He's about to sign a 7+ year contract with BOS.

So, forgive Don Sweeney if he doesn't find the BUF model as appealing as their current model.

P.S. Bruins have deep pockets this offseason...and UFA's love coming to Boston.

!remind me in 5 years.

 

[I am not exposed]

If Drai becomes a UFA they should go after him. Their current centre depth is abysmal.

 

[mjhfb]

I wonder how much DeBrusk and Ullmark will help Edmonton next season.

 

[violaswallet]

Florida fan. They have the core pieces, but lack management to build out the rest. Fire Sweeney and trade Ullmark for the right depth.

Without a super-star center, it will be difficult for them to make cup runs, but they can damn well have some great playoff runs until Marchand retires.

 

[AslanRH]

Just need to get better at center IMO.
The fact they've been this good after losing their top 2 should be reason enough not to blow it up.

 

[MoreGore]

If Boston wants to continue to compete and they need to get free stuff, look to Ottawa or Buffalo. Those two teams have talent but can't bring it together, thus buying low seems likely.

Dangle Ullmark to Ottawa.

 

[Ghost of Murph]

Florida fan. They have the core pieces, but lack management to build out the rest. Fire Sweeney and trade Ullmark for the right depth.

Without a super-star center, it will be difficult for them to make cup runs, but they can damn well have some great playoff runs until Marchand retires.

That's the way I see it as well. The Bruins have been too soft to make multiple deep runs under this GM. Can him for sure. Bring in someone who isn't so smitten with regular season pts, rather builds for the playoffs.

Keep the coach. Montgomery set a league record for pts last season then somehow this season took a team down a 1C and 2C and guided them to a great regular season and playoff round 1 win. No shame at all in losing round 2 to a juggernaut of a team.

Ullmark is a great goalie, but Swayman is the future. Get what you can for Ullmark. Adding a 1C is crucial, not having two all world goalies when you can only play 1 at a time.

The Bruins should be in a good spot next season since they will have more cap room to play with this summer.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Is it that common nowadays that you "blow" teams up? Trading away good players you're almost never gonna get good value for them. You probably keep it going as long as you have good players under contract really.

I wouldn't blow the team up but I would look to make a trade involving McAvoy that makes sense. Very hard to do but maybe NJ for Mercer\Marino and a '25 #1.

 

[violaswallet]

That's the way I see it as well. The Bruins have been too soft to make multiple deep runs under this GM. Can him for sure. Bring in someone who isn't so smitten with regular season pts, rather builds for the playoffs.

Keep the coach. Montgomery set a league record for pts last season then somehow this season took a team down a 1C and 2C and guided them to a great regular season and playoff round 1 win. No shame at all in losing round 2 to a juggernaut of a team.

Ullmark is a great goalie, but Swayman is the future. Get what you can for Ullmark. Adding a 1C is crucial, not having two all world goalies when you can only play 1 at a time.

The Bruins should be in a good spot next season since they will have more cap room to play with this summer.

I think part of the regular season dominance is having two elite goalies: playing Ullmark against the average backup in the league is insane and probably adds like 4-5 wins a season.

There are some critiques of Montgomery: I don't he handled the two goalie system well against the Panthers well last season, and he is losing control of the narrative right now.

You kind of want a Zito that finds buy-low guys to fill in your holes. Bennett and Verhaege were bargain finds as were Montour and Forsling. That's what you need to supplement 88 and 63.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Boston is LITERALLY just marchand and pasta and SwayMark as a team. They are genuinely just a goalie heavy team that have been paying the piper each year. Seriously I never felt like BS is real but how in the WORLD did Mason Lohrei become good that fast?

Coaches kid who is athletic and learns fast.

If Boston wants to continue to compete and they need to get free stuff, look to Ottawa or Buffalo. Those two teams have talent but can't bring it together, thus buying low seems likely.

Dangle Ullmark to Ottawa.

Probably on Ullmark NTC.

 

[Son of Donegal]

!remind me in 5 years.

People have been saying that for the past 10 years.

I wouldn't blow the team up but I would look to make a trade involving McAvoy that makes sense. Very hard to do but maybe NJ for Mercer\Marino and a '25 #1.

Oof. That's selling low on Charlie McAvoy. Also...if the Bruins trade McAvoy and fail to replace him, they might as well rebuild. He is head and shoulders above anyone else in the organization.

 

[bert]

Absolutely not they are going to trade Ullmark for a good piece and get a bunch of cap space. They should be going after a center in free agency like Stephenson. Another scoring forward in the Ullmark deal as well as re sign Debrusk. Theyre going to be a much better team next year.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

People have been saying that for the past 10 years.



Oof. That's selling low on Charlie McAvoy. Also...if the Bruins trade McAvoy and fail to replace him, they might as well rebuild. He is head and shoulders above anyone else in the organization.

He was elevated by Chara and Bergeron

People have been saying that for the past 10 years.



Oof. That's selling low on Charlie McAvoy. Also...if the Bruins trade McAvoy and fail to replace him, they might as well rebuild. He is head and shoulders above anyone else in the organization.

His play the last 3 series is what's oof.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

People have been saying that for the past 10 years.



Oof. That's selling low on Charlie McAvoy. Also...if the Bruins trade McAvoy and fail to replace him, they might as well rebuild. He is head and shoulders above anyone else in the organization.

Bruins started 22-23 w\o him and went 11-2. Think they went 3-1 who him this year and are 2-0 in PO w\o him in his career. He's overrated because of 37\33
Absolutely a #1D but not in top 10 and within 2-3 won't be top 20.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Teams don't, and shouldn't, blow it up after a playoff loss. Ever. There are moves they can make to improve for next year without blowing it up.

 

[Son of Donegal]

Bruins started 22-23 w\o him and went 11-2. Think they went 3-1 who him this year and are 2-0 in PO w\o him in his career. He's overrated because of 37\33
Absolutely a #1D but not in top 10 and within 2-3 won't be top 20.

Yeah, on the back of Hampus Lindholm going on a once-in-a-career tear. If you trade McAvoy, you absolutely must replace him. Lindholm was under fire all season for lack of offense. Someone has to play a real two way game for 20+ and Lohrei isn't there yet (and may never get there).

I hear the McAvoy has been top 10 in Norris voting 3 times and he is only 26. I get recent trends are not good...but, he is likely better than anyone the Bruins can get in a trade given the lack of assets they have. Also Dawson Mercer might not even be a C - or if he is, he might not be a top 6 C. John Marino is a bottom pair D in Boston...

So, if you move McAvoy for C...you better have the #1D coming from somewhere else.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Yeah, on the back of Hampus Lindholm going on a once-in-a-career tear. If you trade McAvoy, you absolutely must replace him. Lindholm was under fire all season for lack of offense. Someone has to play a real two way game for 20+ and Lohrei isn't there yet (and may never get there).

I hear the McAvoy has been top 10 in Norris voting 3 times and he is only 26. I get recent trends are not good...but, he is likely better than anyone the Bruins can get in a trade given the lack of assets they have. Also Dawson Mercer might not even be a C - or if he is, he might not be a top 6 C. John Marino is a bottom pair D in Boston...

So, if you move McAvoy for C...you better have the #1D coming from somewhere else.

Again, he has been elevated by 33\37 his entire career.

Marino has been at least 2nd pair D man the last 3 years, so no he isn't 3rd pairing.

 

[Catscountry40]

They should build around Pat Maroon.

 

[BLONG7]

Note the question, not "WILL" they blow it up, which is a very different question, but should they? They obviously got very close to winning the whole thing in 2019 (lost in Game 7 at home as a favorite to St. Louis)

Since then:

2019-20: Lost second round to Lightning (4-1)
2020-21: Lost second round to Islanders (4-2)
2021-22: Lost first round to Hurricanes (4-3)
2022-23: Lost first round to Panthers (4-3)

Notable retirements: Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, Tuuka Rask, Patrice Bergeron

Brad Marchand turns 36 years old tomorrow (May 11th).

Right now the series with Florida is FAR from over. Obviously if they come back, they should not do anything from a blow it up standpoint.. However, if Florida ultimately does prevail, is the writing on the wall that Boston's sustained period of contention is over? In which case, should they make an attempt to salvage what they can from an asset perspective, or keep riding it out as far as it'll go?

They have to soon, as we can see, it's eroding badly.

 

[EpochLink]

Boston needs to upgrade their centre's.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Even if they win they should blow it up

 

[BLONG7]

It's just a discussion of philosophy. Boston isn't looking to blow anything up, they're retooling while remaining competitive and taking some real legit shots at the cup (like last year).

Legit shot, losing in the 1st round? Terrific regular season, but....

 

[StreetHawk]

Teams don't, and shouldn't, blow it up after a playoff loss. Ever. There are moves they can make to improve for next year without blowing it up.

Everything is based on your division. If Boston can still compete with the TB, FLA, Tor, etc, they will continue to upgrade the roster. Tor and TB still top heavy. FLA trending that way depending on what they do with Reinhart. If you get through your division, you are into the ECF.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Sounds like consensus is "one last hurrah" next season with cap space to make a play for a Center.

If they can't get out of the 2nd round next year though, then the writing is likely on the wall.