Proposal: Solving Boston's center depth beyond this season

[Canuck Luck]

Hey Bruins fans, I come in peace. With the likelihood of both Bergeron and Krejici retiring at the end of this year, that leaves Boston with just Coyle as a top 6 C. The Canucks have Miller available, and there seems to be a fit for him in Boston. Not neccessarily this season, but future years if the plan is to continue to go for it. So I thought why doesn't Boston go all in this season while having cap to re-sign Miller long term?

Heres my proposal (with the premise Miller is willing to sign either a 8 year 7M extension or 7 x 7.75M extension with Boston):

To Boston:
JT Miller (50% retained)

To Vancouver:
Craig Smith
Nick Foligno
Fabian Lysell
2023 1st round pick
2025 2nd round pick

Sure a top prospect + a future 1st and 2nd are a lot to give up, but this gets Boston out of their cap issues (-$1,441,667) with just over 2M in cap space. I would imagine both Krejici and Bergeron hit their bonuses, so just under 2.5M penalty carries through for next season which makes retaining Miller even more possible.

Boston's lineup would be something like:
Marchand Bergeron Pastarnak
Hall Krejici Debrusk
Zacha Miller Coyle
Frederic Nosek Wagner

Lindholm McAvoy
Grzelyck Carlo
Reilly Forbort

Swayman
Ullmark

In the offseason, if Boston needs more cap space, i'm sure it would be relatively easy to find a team that needs Ullmark creating the cap space to re-sign Swayman and replacing Ullmark with a backup.

For the Canucks we shore up our prospect pool and get 2 vets we can hope to sell to the highest bidder with 50% ret at the TDL

Click to read more...

 

[CDJ]

I would do it in a heartbeat

 

[Canuck Luck]

I would do it in a heartbeat

really eh, maybe I underestimated the value coming back to Vancouver? Would adding Beecher change the answer? He seem's to be progressing to become a 3C, something Vancouver has lacked since Manny Malhotra

Side note: is that the one and only Delladova in your photo?

 

[CDJ]

really eh, maybe I underestimated the value coming back to Vancouver? Would adding Beecher change the answer? He seem's to be progressing to become a 3C, something Vancouver has lacked since Manny Malhotra

Side note: is that the one and only Delladova in your photo?

Nahhh nahhhh keep it as is, you call your GM I’ll call mine and we’ll get this party started


it sure is lol

 

[Canuck Luck]

Nahhh nahhhh keep it as is, you call your GM I’ll call mine and we’ll get this party started


it sure is lol

haha I'd be on board. Van would be about 600k over the cap (assuming Poolman is LTIR) but I imagine if we retain 50% on Smith and flip him we could get another 2nd. Maybe we should wait for your fellow fans to chime in before they roast you for getting Sweeney to take this?

I knew it! I love me some Delly haha

 

[bbfan419]

I would not do it, Bruins need all their top 1st and 2nd rd picks and top prospects, Miller while a good player is also into his 30's, I think after this season you will see the Bruins try to keep the younger core guys like Pastrnak , McAvoy and Swayman and build around them.

 

[Bruinsguy613]

I would not do it, Bruins need all their top 1st and 2nd rd picks and top prospects, Miller while a good player is also into his 30's, I think after this season you will see the Bruins try to keep the younger core guys like Pastrnak , McAvoy and Swayman and build around them.

I think thiis makes the most sense. they have good pillars already in place to avoid having to do a full rebuild. they can retool as they have done in the past, but as you said miller in his 30's without an extension is probably not what we're looking for. that package would be better reserved for someone in the skill and age group of a Barzal or PLD for example.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Bruins are not a Miller away from winning a cup. No thanks or take out Lysell and the picks and we will pay 100% of his deal.

 

[JayMark]

Miller's good, but not that good. I'd do it if you took out the 1st round draft pick.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Just like the Pens have found cheap W that signed for cheap for a chance to pad their stats and get a nice payday playing next to Crosby/Malkin, the Bruins offer the same opportunity for C next to Pasta-Marchand-Hall and prime PP time.

On a way, that is part of why they got Krejci to come back that cheap also with the history factor.

Until they find their own new ELC C star, they can go that route.

Or throw big money at a stud UFA C or the trade option but both costly options.

 

[Canuck Luck]

Miller's good, but not that good. I'd do it if you took out the 1st round draft pick.

The reason the price is so high is because of taking on nick foligno’s 1 year cap dump + the 50% retention to get Boston out of the red and into having 2M cap space so they don’t have a 4.5M cap penalty next season from the bonuses.

If the 1st is taken out, Boston would have to keep foligno + remove the retention on miller.

 

[MattFromFranklin]

Miller is a solid player, but I wouldn't give up Lysell and multiple draft picks for a Center unless they were an elite young player. Miller will be 30 by next offseason, and frankly, this team isn't going to be a legit cup contender if Bergeron and Krejci retire. With that being said, I can totally see Sweeney making a move like this so the team can just make the playoffs, which is what Mr. Burns wants.

 

[Jim]

Boston has NO business trading any additional high round picks (1st or 2nd) or grade A prospects for the next 5 years. Not to move bad contracts, not to bring in players, and not “for one last run!!!!”.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

I’m confused. Isn’t Miller a UFA after this season?

Why would the Bruins be paying a premium for salary retention if they are moving more out in the deal than they are taking back?

I don’t mind the idea of Miller, but if anything this is a TDL deal and even then we’re counting on the Canucks not being in the playoff picture at that point (I think they’re good enough to be buyers and not sellers). And by that point, the deal would look far different than this proposal.

Thank you for thinking of us, but I would respectfully decline.

 

[Absurdity]

Or...Bruins can keep Lysell and their draft picks, not re-sign Smith and Foligno, and sign Miller to a contract in free agency

 

[quietbruinfan]

Miller is in it for Miller. Hard no, especially for Lysell and a first.

 

[ON3M4N]

If you assume that it cost a 2nd to move Foligno then that leaves Lysell + Smith + 1st for Miller. With Bergeron & Krejci back in the mix, adding Miller is not really a need. Should Boston and Krejci retire after this year and Miller goes to FA though, I could see Boston exploring signing Miller.

 

[Canuck Luck]

I’m confused. Isn’t Miller a UFA after this season?

Why would the Bruins be paying a premium for salary retention if they are moving more out in the deal than they are taking back?

I don’t mind the idea of Miller, but if anything this is a TDL deal and even then we’re counting on the Canucks not being in the playoff picture at that point (I think they’re good enough to be buyers and not sellers). And by that point, the deal would look far different than this proposal.

Thank you for thinking of us, but I would respectfully decline.

The reason for the retention is because Boston had 4.5M in bonuses that will count towards next season (I imagine both krejici and Bergeron hit theirs). Boston as it stands currently is also over the cap by almost 1.5M looking at cap friendly.

If you assume that it cost a 2nd to move Foligno then that leaves Lysell + Smith + 1st for Miller. With Bergeron & Krejci back in the mix, adding Miller is not really a need. Should Boston and Krejci retire after this year and Miller goes to FA though, I could see Boston exploring signing Miller.

The way I broke it down was:
Foligno + 2nd for nothing
Smith + lysell + 2nd for miller
50% miller retention for 2nd

So I took the value of 2 of those 2nds as a 1st

 

[Beesfan]

JT Miller is 29 years old, and has had two season in which he hit 60 points. One great season does not make a career.

Also, I could only reasonably expect 3-4 more seasons of peak JT Miller until he is only good for a role similar to Joe Thornton and Ryan Getzlaf in their late 30s (I realize JT Miller would be young 30s but the others are much better players).

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

The reason for the retention is because Boston had 4.5M in bonuses that will count towards next season (I imagine both krejici and Bergeron hit theirs). Boston as it stands currently is also over the cap by almost 1.5M looking at cap friendly.


The cost to move foligno would be at the minimum a 2nd + 3rd looking at the Zack kassian trade. Foligno is a higher cap hit and worse player

It's not worth moving heaven and earth - or worse, signing a 30 year old JT Miller to a 7 year deal - to avoid the bonuses rolling into next year. With next year a retool year, and lots of options to open up space (Forbort/Reilly/Ullmark/Debrusk etc), it's not a big enough issue to warrant a move like this. More to the point, if I'm putting that package together, I'm doing better than JT Miller.

 

[Dellstrom]

Miller is being drastically underrated here, but signing him to a 7-8m long term contract is also insanely unlikely.

I’m sure a lot of teams can beat what is realistically Lysell + mid/late 1st for Miller. He would be a good add, but we don’t need him with 37/46 next season, and assuming we’ll be rebuilding for 2-3 years, he’s on the wrong end of 20 to be a key future piece.

 

[Lobster57]

I've been on the JT Miller train for a couple years, but this is way too much

Foligno is off the books next season, replace him with someone on an ELC and the savings basically accounts for Bergeron and Krejci's bonuses. At this point it isn't worth losing an asset to move that contract. I don't move that first or Lysell for anyone over 26-27 at this point. The B's will be in a rebuild very soon and young, top level assets are going to be very important

 

[CDJ]

JT Miller is 29 years old, and has had two season in which he hit 60 points. One great season does not make a career.

Also, I could only reasonably expect 3-4 more seasons of peak JT Miller until he is only good for a role similar to Joe Thornton and Ryan Getzlaf in their late 30s (I realize JT Miller would be young 30s but the others are much better players).

Incorrect

He has 2 seasons over a ppg and was a beast during the shortened season too. He’s not a 1 year wonder, that’s a nonsense claim. He’s been an elite player for the last 3 seasons. People are vastly underrating him here.

 

[BruinsBtn]

Counter-proposal: Sign JT Miller for nothing in the offseason.

 

[Canuck Luck]

Counter-proposal: Sign JT Miller for nothing in the offseason.

Thats what 31 other fanbases usually say too. 1 JT Miller 32 teams. Math there doesn't add up. Not every fanbase is going to get him. Having him before his contract ends, and having him familiarize himself to the new city increases the likelihood he stays.