Management Sweeney: "We're Looking to Make Changes" - II

[Dr Hook]

Of course, these things don't happen in a vacuum either. Say Gryz plays top pair...what happens to the 2nd pair or especially the 3rd pair?

Subtract Chara's 21 and Torey's 20, replace with Gryz and someone else. Bottom pair replace Gryz with someone someone else and you've arrived at more questions than answers.

All good points and you do have questions to answer- part of me just feels like it is time to see what the younger D men have in terms of game. I do think there is an argument to be made about the point I quoted above and that is the traditional view of pairings. Carlo and someone really defensively solid - Lauzon, for example, if he can take that next step, should be your top defensive pairing, going against the top lines most frequently, and D zone starts when Top 6 guys are out. A Mac/Gryz is a top pairing for o-zone starts, second and third lines and faster more skilled opponents. You can balance out minutes through matchups and not get Gryz overwhelmed in the cases where he might have to tackle a skilled 6.2 220 lb guy.

It seems to be me a good solution if you are willing to take a bit of a chance (and really any new signing/promotion is taking a chance: that the player stays healthy, gels with his linemates, sustains a level of performance, adapts to a new play style or system, gets along with the coaches etc). That defense might not be as good overall (it might, though) but it is good enough that the team is not going to go into the toilet and give up four or five goals a night. If the needs still exists 40 games in, make a trade, or do something at the deadline.

Of course it is a total disaster . . .

 

[JOKER 192]

I'd like to have Zboril take the 3rd pairing LHD and let Vaakanianen take all his minutes in the AHL. Then when Seattle claims Grzelcyk, you push Zboril up to his spot and give Vaakanianen the 3rd line minutes.

That all works well as long as you have a top pairing LHD locked in to play with McAvoy 25+ minutes a night.

Sounds good , what are you doing with Lauzon?

 

[Dr Hook]

I think letting a fan throw the puck onto the ice for possesion is an excellent idea!

A contest teams could have: spend $300 at Costco and win a chance to throw a faceoff puck. Oh the possibilities! Fluto, if you are reading this, you have your next hard-hitting article, my man.

 

[maxl7]

Since when? Most of the time I’ve seen him he’s on the third pairing.

Just because Bruce hasn't slotted him on the second pair on the roster sheet doesn't mean he's not capable of playing those minutes. Grz had more TOI per game at 5-0n-5 than Krug this season. With Krug gone and the PP deployment adjusted accordingly Grz can easily take on more minutes and excel. Not to mention he and Charlie's underlying numbers are incredible together.

 

[BAD BOY]

Could be an interesting poll among Bruins fans, "Do you think Gryz is a top-4 Defenseman on a cup contending team?"

Personally I don't think he is, and the Bruins haven't used him that way for a reason. Honestly, out of our regular Defenseman I think Gryz has been the weakest link among the regulars come playoff time. His biggest asset is his skating & ability to break the puck out single-handedly but when the tempo picks up in the playoffs I haven't seen him separate from fore-checkers consistently. Without that, he is below average in his own zone and does not provide a lot of offense.

I do believe he is an asset on the third pair. I think our biggest problem this playoffs was the left side of the Defense. As much heat as Chara got, he was forced to play a lot of hard defensive minutes because both Gryz and Krug were getting plastered in their own zone. Sign Dillon, hope one of Lauzon or Vaak steps up with Carlo and then you have a very good defense with Gryz anchoring the 3rd pair.

I like Gryz but no he’s not a top 4 D on a cup winning team. I like him in the 5/6 spot. Sorry but that’s what I think

 

[Mainehockey33]

Grzelyck is better at defense than Krug, so I don't know why he wouldn't be fine on the second pair with Carlo.

 

[Fenian24]

You mean another Nick Ritchie?

Just what the Bruins need. Maybe the next one will actually be in shape and able to skate, as well as being tough/gritty?

Regardless of what Nick Ritchie does going forward I will always like him because he got Heinen dealt out of Boston.

No excuse for him being out of shape, I have said that.

I'll take Woods, Crouse, Anderson, Lemieux, Watson...keep trying until Sweeney finally gets it right. I am tired of watching this team get pushed around night after night. Sounds like Neely is too.

 

[Fenian24]

Sweeney pretty much says the same thing every year before he goes into hibernation.I wish I knew why Jacobs keeps him around

You mean the guy who kept Harry Sinden for 40 years of losing because he kept making Monty Burns money? That Jacobs?

 

[LouJersey]

They also haven't had 15 million in cap space and 19/23 players signed with only one contract people don't love (Moore) so there is understandably reason for this optimism.

Gryz and debrusk take up what 6 mil of that minimum? Chara 2? That's not counting the 1.9 overage either so that's 9.9 right there and cap friendly shows 14.4 under.....factor in the Covid issue with not spending to the cap and I don't see it.

 

[LouJersey]

Regardless of what Nick Ritchie does going forward I will always like him because he got Heinen dealt out of Boston.

No excuse for him being out of shape, I have said that.

I'll take Woods, Crouse, Anderson, Lemieux, Watson...keep trying until Sweeney finally gets it right. I am tired of watching this team get pushed around night after night. Sounds like Neely is too.

Matt Martin would be on my list, deal Bjork for Wood, Ritchie back out west for MacDermid and you have a tougher team without breaking the bank and minimal risk. Wood-Coyle-Studnicka would be a nice a threesome IMO.

 

[BB88]

He's yet another RD though isn't he? Is Carlo going or moving to 3rd pair?

Carlo goes for F upgrade at that point.

McAvoy- Pietro would be a better version of Pietro- Parayko

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Too many people buying into this. They haven't made a huge summer deal in half a decade.

fortunately it won't be Summer much longer

 

[NDiesel]

Regardless of what Nick Ritchie does going forward I will always like him because he got Heinen dealt out of Boston.

No excuse for him being out of shape, I have said that.

I'll take Woods, Crouse, Anderson, Lemieux, Watson...keep trying until Sweeney finally gets it right. I am tired of watching this team get pushed around night after night. Sounds like Neely is too.

Please give me Miles Wood on Coyle's wing. If Seny can develop still he would make that 3rd line a very interesting mix of speed and size.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Regardless of what Nick Ritchie does going forward I will always like him because he got Heinen dealt out of Boston.

No excuse for him being out of shape, I have said that.

I'll take Woods, Crouse, Anderson, Lemieux, Watson...keep trying until Sweeney finally gets it right. I am tired of watching this team get pushed around night after night. Sounds like Neely is too.

so you're saying just throw shit at the wall & see what sticks? I agree they need a couple bangers but it would be nice if their scouts could actually evaluate power forward talent at the NHL level instead of just looking at their measurements & stat lines. Seems like that must be how they're doing it for us to end up with Beleskey, Hayes, & the Ritchies.

 

[DKH]

Grzelcyk goes great with McAvoy
Grzelcyk is better defensively then Krug
Grzelcyk can play up or down lineup

I would put him on second pair with Carlo 5X5

I would pair him with McAvoy on second PP unit

 

[bp13]

Gryz and debrusk take up what 6 mil of that minimum? Chara 2? That's not counting the 1.9 overage either so that's 9.9 right there and cap friendly shows 14.4 under.....factor in the Covid issue with not spending to the cap and I don't see it.

I don't see them signing Chara, but that could be just wishful thinking on my part. Love the guy but I think it's time, and I read Neely's comments about being "brutally honest" to mean "this is PR speak for we plan to say goodbye to a legend and let a fan favorite (Krug) walk."

 

[bp13]

Grzelcyk goes great with McAvoy
Grzelcyk is better defensively then Krug
Grzelcyk can play up or down lineup

I would put him on second pair with Carlo 5X5

I would pair him with McAvoy on second PP unit

This is what I would to too. Then I'd look to add a true top pair LD somehow, or at least, someone who can claim to be stronger defensively than Gryz and log the minutes. (I'd still love to see them make a move for Fleury in Carolina and give him that spot. A true gamble perhaps but he looked like a top pair guy in the making in the playoffs)

 

[Gordoff]

so you're saying just throw shit at the wall & see what sticks? I agree they need a couple bangers but it would be nice if their scouts could actually evaluate power forward talent at the NHL level instead of just looking at their measurements & stat lines. Seems like that must be how they're doing it for us to end up with Beleskey, Hayes, & the Ritchies.

Yeah, I think that the scouting system whether it's the guys that scout other teams players (pro and in their system) and seriously across the the B's scouting management system needs evaluation pronto. Others have said that they need to start spending more on their scouting department but I don't know if that's true. Maybe we need a thread on THAT aspect of the team?
I for one would like to know how it works vs. other teams scouting departments and how they do things differently. After all, look at Tampa, did Yzerman use his tremendous hockey knowledge and instincts to build that team or did he lean on others and THEN use his veto power if/when there was a debate as to who to acquire or trade for? It also seems that BriseBois is carrying on in the tradition that Yzerman put forth to him. Great hockey men/minds IMO. How/What can the Boston Bruins do to emulate this way of picking people and players moving forward. Leadership is knowing where your weak spots are and fixing them, and when someone proves themselves promoting them.
Even in Tampa, there is always room for improvement, in Boston (in the management/scouting area) there is definitely room for improvement IMHO. I think evaluating front office talent is a pressing need right now, and is the first step in building the on-ice product. Taking wrong turns in player evaluation is like taking wrong turns in a maze. It you get so far off track and then need to go back to the beginning and start over. Some teams like Edmonton for example do this starting over and over constantly with only marginal improvement along the way.

 

[maxl7]

I have to confess, I'm not really familiar with Spurgeon's game, but based on his stats, he appears to be more of a Krug comparison, and recall I stated that Krug and Grzelcyk are very different players. Spurgeon puts up a weak plus/minus, but has better offensive numbers, especially in goal scoring. I really can't speak to his defensive ability, but he seems to be more of an offensive d-man, while Brodin and Grzelcyk I would both classify as defensive-oriented defensemen.

He's more of a two-way guy. His defensive game is incredibly sound and he's played basically in all situations. Plus/minus has a huge amount of problems but it's particularly misleading when you're trying to read into it on a team that has had goaltending as horrible as Minnesota did this year. Like I said, Spurgeon has put up better offensive numbers but that's also because he's been deployed more favorably than Grz has. I wouldn't be surprised to see Grz take a step forward with more PP and 5-on-5 time next year.

 

[DominicT]

Kudos to whoever brought it up, but the one way the Bruins can avoid protecting 4D in the upcoming expansion draft is by giving Grzelcyk a 1-year deal. Others and I brought up signing Krug for one season so the Bruins can protect Grzelcyk, McAvoy, and Carlo, but I never really thought about that in regards to Grzelcyk.

Signing Grzelcyk to a 1-year deal allows them to protect, barring any other additions to the defense, one of Zboril or Lauzon (Vaakanainen is exempt).

It's still early in the offseason so we don't 100% know how the defense will look, but Sweeney should absolutely try to get Grzelcyk to sign that 1-year prove it deal so he can prove that he can be a top 4D.

Signing Gryz to a one year contract has no affect on the expansion draft. Seattle will have a 5 day window of exclusivity to talk to him about signing when even the Bruins can't talk to him. And if he chooses to sign with Seattle, he would count as the pick from the Bruins.

Signing your own player so that he is an RFA when the expansion draft takes place does not protect the player from being selected. You have to give him his qualifying offer to retain his rights, and therefore, you have to protect him.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

with Krug likely walking and Chara taking 1 year deals, is there even a concern about protecting Gryz any more? Can't they just protect McAvoy, Carlo, & Gryz and be done with it? Then sign Z as soon as the expansion draft is over if that's the plan?

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

I see some people already corrected the brain fart!

I am a Blue Jackets fan as well. Been that way since the teams infancy. He was fantastic durning the regular season and really showed the whole NHL what he had come the post season. Massive part of why they went so far.

I agree that Korpisalo is really damn good and if he was available, he could be a solid replacement for Tuukka if needed. It’s actually a very intriguing proposal.

I believe they will attempt to move on from Rask, but Halak can’t be the guy alone. We’d need someone here for a few years until one of our young guys looks ready to take a step forward. I do believe we have a long-term replacement for Rask in-house already though.

 

[Absurdity]

Signing Gryz to a one year contract has no affect on the expansion draft. Seattle will have a 5 day window of exclusivity to talk to him about signing when even the Bruins can't talk to him. And if he chooses to sign with Seattle, he would count as the pick from the Bruins.

Signing your own player so that he is an RFA when the expansion draft takes place does not protect the player from being selected. You have to give him his qualifying offer to retain his rights, and therefore, you have to protect him.

Grzelcyk turns 27 in January. Wouldn't that make him a UFA if he were to sign a 1-year deal this offseason? I'm probably misinterpreting the language in the CBA.

 

[JOKER 192]

Your only allowed to protect 3 D in the expansion draft.

Any player with NMC automatically has to be protected

What if you have more than 3 D with a NMC?

 

[Absurdity]

Your only allowed to protect 3 D in the expansion draft.

Any player with NMC automatically has to be protected

What if you have more than 3 D with a NMC?

Probably forced to protect 8 skaters and 1 goalie instead.