Boston Bruins Your roster changes / proposals VIII

[Dr Hook]

Yeah, probably wouldn’t be ideal to play Hall with a center that gets tunnel vision in the offensive zone.

Hall is a damn good playmaking wing- maybe it works if you have a shooter like Smith on the other side and Coyle with his straight ahead, puck possession style. I think Hall can drive a line.

 

[LouJersey]

Hall is a damn good playmaking wing- maybe it works if you have a shooter like Smith on the other side and Coyle with his straight ahead, puck possession style. I think Hall can drive a line.

he can. The center is not all that important with him IMO, if he has a sniper on the right side or in the middle. His best year was with Nico and Palmieri though, that line was perfect.

 

[HustleB]

Nah nah...not the old "I'm a baseball guy" shift again.

2-3 days ago in this thread you were predicting Krejci re-sign, JDB trade for Schmidt and "other moves". Which, by the way, seems reasonable and smart. I think even yesterday you expected Forbort too right? If you are now shifting to instead signing some depth dman and just calling up the kids to fill the holes, that's not due to unrealistic fan expectations unless you were just as unrealistic as the rest.

If your new roster is all that gets done, that's another sh!t summer by DS.

Definitely feels like DKH is trolling this morning.

 

[HustleB]

Maybe it is me but I don’t see anything wrong with taking that full contract. I mean it is 1 year at 4.3. This isn’t like the Bobrovsky one that has 5 more years at 10 a year.

As long as we are compensated sure. What do we get?

 

[Greek_physique]

It sure feels like Krejci may not be back. They're pursuing centers (Dvorak, Getzlaf...), they're letting the situation (Krejci's status) drag on while feeding us the same "story" as last year with Chara.

At the very least, it seems like Krejci is not Plan A. I think Plan A was to move Coyle up and acquire Garland.

I think folks are forgetting how good Coyle was when he had a 2nd line talent on his wing. The Mojo-Coyle-Heinen line was better than Krejci's line in the 2019 playoffs and drew the tougher matchups. And in the following season, Coyle had stretches where he looked really strong (37pts in 70 games) despite not playing with any actual NHL'ers.

I'm not saying Coyle is better than Krejci, but I am saying a line of Hall-Coyle-Garland could have been as good as a line of Hall-Krejci-Smith. They both have two play-drivers and one grinder. The Coyle version would have been younger and it had a legit "heavy" on it who can control the walls and get inside on big defenses, something the Krejci version lacks.

I guess I'm saying I'm not throwing in the towel if they move on from Krejci (or Krejci moves on from Boston). I think Coyle can be an effective 2C, if he's used like Steve Rucchin on the Kariya-Rucchin-Selanne line. I also think that's what Sweeney envisioned when he signed Coyle, and that lineup structure (speed & skill on the wings, size & strength in the middle) is how he wants to model this team going forward.

I personally really like Coyle and agree with your other comments 'he produced with good wingers'

My concern with him going up to the 2nd line is can he produce with elite talent like Hall against better forwards / defense? When he was producing on that Cup run, he didn't have to play against the oppositions top lines...he exposed the other teams bottom 6 and he was elite.

At some point you have to try it out...but I'm still iffy with him as a top 6 fwd.

 

[Mad Dr Pepper]

Dang! I can't wait for tomorrow! Please, great Cthulhu, let us do the best deals possible and be a better team!

 

[smack66]

It sure feels like Krejci may not be back. They're pursuing centers (Dvorak, Getzlaf...), they're letting the situation (Krejci's status) drag on while feeding us the same "story" as last year with Chara.

At the very least, it seems like Krejci is not Plan A. I think Plan A was to move Coyle up and acquire Garland.

I think folks are forgetting how good Coyle was when he had a 2nd line talent on his wing. The Mojo-Coyle-Heinen line was better than Krejci's line in the 2019 playoffs and drew the tougher matchups. And in the following season, Coyle had stretches where he looked really strong (37pts in 70 games) despite not playing with any actual NHL'ers.

I'm not saying Coyle is better than Krejci, but I am saying a line of Hall-Coyle-Garland could have been as good as a line of Hall-Krejci-Smith. They both have two play-drivers and one grinder. The Coyle version would have been younger and it had a legit "heavy" on it who can control the walls and get inside on big defenses, something the Krejci version lacks.

I guess I'm saying I'm not throwing in the towel if they move on from Krejci (or Krejci moves on from Boston). I think Coyle can be an effective 2C, if he's used like Steve Rucchin on the Kariya-Rucchin-Selanne line. I also think that's what Sweeney envisioned when he signed Coyle, and that lineup structure (speed & skill on the wings, size & strength in the middle) is how he wants to model this team going forward.

if Coyle is our 2C we are fighting to squeak into the playoffs.

 

[ranold26]

Dang! I can't wait for tomorrow! Please, great Cthulhu, let us do the best deals possible and be a better team!

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah-nagl fhtagn

 

[bbfan419]

Heard Bruins out on Holtby.
Nucks need to move entire salary.
Bruins wont bite.

More great news, without making a move.

 

[veganbruin]

I want nothing to do with Coyle as our 2C.

 

[JerseyBruin]

I disagree here Bill.

It seems like you are saying "If you give Coyle better wingers than Krejci (Garland), he can be as effective as Krejci." Take aside that I'm not even sure I agree with that premise as I think Krejci is a far better player than Coyle, how is that a fair comparison? Further, when is DS gonna get these better players?

Better question perhaps: If all else is the same (meaning supporting cast), is the team better off with Krejci as 2C and Coyle as 3C, or Coyle as 2C and some overmatched youngster (Studnicka) or free agent cast off taking over 3C? I guess I just don't understand why Bruins fans should be okay with the idea of replacing one of their best playoff performers and all-time greats here with a guy who sucked at 3rd line center last season. Especially when it seems Krejci would take less than market to stay, he had amazing chemistry with Hall and Hall's signing was supposed to lock down two scoring lines, the team has plenty of dough to spend, and there's a tight window to win. It makes no sense to me.

The big question is why has Krejci not signed yet. It was noted that the Bruins wanted to resign him , so at this point I'd have to believe the ball is in Krejci's court.

 

[Over the volcano]

The big question is why has Krejci not signed yet. It was noted that the Bruins wanted to resign him , so at this point I'd have to believe the ball is in Krejci's court.

The chara narrative was the same this time last year and the team was less than forthcoming about what it was really doing

 

[goldnblack]

If you were a team leader (Bergeron, Krejci, Marchand) who's been here the entire DS tenure, would you believe him if he told you he planned a massive summer roster upgrade next offseason? Further, would you think he could deliver on that?

With 30m in dry powder? Hell yes I think he could.

Step 1: Be the high bidder

Step 2: better team

One year isn't too long to regroup/retool. And you can still sign some 2 year deals with guys that eventually shuffle down to the bottom 6 once you're ready to spend (Getzlaf etc).

 

[Oates2Neely]

I’d imagine if Getzlaf comes to Boston it’s in a role similar to Perry in Montreal (bottom 6). With Lazar being a great fit at 4C I don’t see a need for Getzlaf. Maybe he can slot at RW? I’ve always been a fan of his but not sure what his game looks like these days

 

[bbfan419]

The list of UFA goalies is looooong and the Bruins are one of the few teams that can offer a starting spot (at least for half the season) and a competent defense, with a chance to win.

I don't hate Holtby but I think the Bruins can do much better for $4m

2021 NHL Free Agents Tracker

I have beating the drum for Ullmark, I think value wise he would be the best bet for the Bruins.

 

[Gee Wally]

@neelynugs , was told Holtby was bought out.

 

[JerseyBruin]

if Coyle is our 2C we are fighting to squeak into the playoffs.

I've seen this repeated over and over here countless times . If the Bruins's fate of next season/decade rested on 1 player's back that player should/would have been signed before his contract even came close to expiration.
People here are way overestimating the value of the 2nd line center. Would Coyle put up the same numbers as Krejci - no one really knows. But I do know that basing the assumption he can't on a year he played with a bad knee is overreatcion. In addition the Bruins may very well still bring in another center if Krejci walks. This whole season is shot if Krejci leaves is getting ridiculous.

 

[C77]

he can. The center is not all that important with him IMO, if he has a sniper on the right side or in the middle. His best year was with Nico and Palmieri though, that line was perfect.

Maybe the Bruins can sign Palmieri so that he stops scoring on them.

 

[smack66]

I've seen this repeated over and over here countless times . If the Bruins's fate of next season/decade rested on 1 player's back that player should/would have been signed before his contract even came close to expiration.
People here are way overestimating the value of the 2nd line center. Would Coyle put up the same numbers as Krejci - no one really knows. But I do know that basing the assumption he can't on a year he played with a bad knee is overreatcion. In addition the Bruins may very well still bring in another center if Krejci walks. This whole season is shot if Krejci leaves is getting ridiculous.

I made no comments regarding the importance of Krejci to this team. I simply pointed out that this team is in tough position to make the playoffs if Coyle is our 2C. in my opinion he does not have near enough offensive potential to be a 2C and ouour team would be weaker while others may improve.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

I'd be okay with bringing Donato back cheap, if only because I bought my son a Donato jersey and then they traded him LOL

I’d be okay with that. With no expectations maybe he could surprise and find a spot on line 3 ? The bottom 6 obviously needs a change of some kind and looks like it will be a work in progress all year .

 

[smithformeragent]

Boston Bruins - Your roster changes / proposals IX