|
Post by KSJ08 on Jan 19, 2022 19:33:47 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by offwego on Jan 20, 2022 0:34:55 GMT -5
Playoff match-ups if the season ended today (based on P%) EAST: FLA vs. BOS CAR vs. PIT NYR vs. WSH TB vs. TOR WEST: COL vs. WPG VGK vs. STL MIN vs. NSH LA vs. CGY Tor vs TP.šš Leafs still won't get out of the first round lol š š š¤£
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Jan 20, 2022 9:23:50 GMT -5
Every team has an occasional stinker. The Bruins sure did on Tuesday when they refused to play defense against the Hurricanes.
But widen the lens a touch, and you have a team on an 8-2-0 run since regrouping following the December shutdown. Tuukka Rask is back. Flipping David Pastrnak and Craig Smith was the right move. The Bruins appear to be on the COVID-19 downslope, with only Mike Reilly currently in protocol.
So what happens next? Is it time to start looking ahead to the March 21 trade deadline? That seems to be the most urgent question on subscribersā minds.
Note: Some questions have been edited slightly for clarity or length.
The Bruins freed up some cap space by waiving Karson Kuhlman, so preparation for the deadline has already begun. What are your thoughts on the Erik Haula fit and a back end where itās Charlie McAvoy taking the lionās share of ice time? Should the Bruins protect against McAvoy getting picked up and shore up the D? Or go center? ā Michael R.
Center all day every day. Haulaās been a good fit between Taylor Hall and Pastrnak. His speed goes well with his wings. But I do not believe Haula is a long-term solution on the No. 2 line. The team is stronger when he is on the third or fourth line, either at center or wing. You also have the issue of David Krejci already being gone and Patrice Bergeron possibly being next. You do not know at this point whether Jack Studnicka will become a full-time NHL center, to say nothing of being a first- or second-liner. Center is their most critical need, for today and tomorrow.
Do you expect the Bruins to trade some of their disgruntled players? ā Bob S.
I expect Jake DeBrusk to be traded. Do not see the Bruins issuing DeBrusk his $4.41 million qualifying offer at the end of the year. This would make him unrestricted and free to sign with anybody. Regardless of how poorly things have proceeded with DeBrusk, it would not be prudent for the Bruins to have him walk for nothing. The most likely transaction is for a player of a similar age who is underperforming to a similar degree. Max Domi would fall into that category, although I donāt necessarily think that would be the right fit.
Whatās the likelihood of a deal including Linus Ullmark prior to the deadline? ā Robin F.
Zero. Ullmark has no-move protection. Players do not usually waive it in their first year.
Edmonton is in dire need of goaltending. Linus Ullmark would get the lionās share of work there, Iād imagine. Do you see Ullmark waiving his NMC for that possibility? ā Kevin M.
Zero. I do not see Ullmark relocating his family after just a few months.
Is some of the āThis might be Patrice Bergeronās last yearā narrative attributed to the Zdeno Chara and David Krejci surprises? Basically, is it just to cover all possible scenarios? Or is there actual evidence, aside from wear and tear, that this could be the end? ā Ed M.
The reality is nobody knows what will happen next season. Probably not even Bergeron himself. So if youāre the Bruins, you have to proceed with the possibility that this is it. You cannot operate on the assumption that based on his current performance, he will be back for next year and years to come, even if it looks like he can play very well for some time. I also do not view Bergeron as being in the same category as Chara. I think the moment Bergeron identifies slippage in his game, he will not be satisfied with extending his career just to continuing playing.
The Bās have very little cap space and are thin on high-end talent in the lower ranks. The more relevant questions: How do we compare down the middle against Tampa, Toronto, Florida at 2C/3C (Erik Haula and Charlie Coyle)? How does our depth and our full six defensemen compare against them? We should be better on the first line and maybe in goal against them. ā John S.
Tampa is better at center. Itās probably Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli going head to head with Haula and Coyle. Toronto, John Tavares and Alex Kerfoot are better. Florida, you could make a case that Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell are close. Defense, Tampa probably has the edge in terms of individual personnel (Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, Erik Cernak, Mikhail Sergachev). But as far as team defense, the Bruins defend better than most.
If Tuukka Rask re-signs the Bās will have to find a way out of Linus Ullmarkās contract. How do you see that happening? ā Douglas S.
I do not see that happening next year. It would be a Rask-Ullmark tandem. Ullmarkās no-move protection expires after 2023. Perhaps then you could consider a trade if needed.
Do you think the Bruins will successfully acquire a 2C at the deadline, or will they stick with Erik Haula and settle for a bottom-six winger and/or depth defenseman? ā Joel J.
I believe they will make it their priority to upgrade at center, both for this season and years to come.
The Bruinsā lack of center depth is scary. Thoughts on what center will look like next year? ā Tony L.
Charlie Coyle, Erik Haula, Trent Frederic and Tomas Nosek are signed for 2022-23. Nick Foligno too, although he has yet to play center, and may not do so this year. Jack Studnicka will be under contract, but whether he can make the team full-time next year remains to be seen. As noted above, center is the teamās most significant issue.
You probably canāt answer this truthfully, but has Bruce Cassidy lost the locker room? Or is there a player or players who are bad for the room? Something seems off this year. ā John M.
I do not believe so. Granted, Iām more disconnected this year because itās mostly been remote access. But Bruce has straightened the team out since the shutdown. Heās a demanding coach. It obviously didnāt work out with DeBrusk. There have probably been times Studnicka has wondered where he stands with the coach. I donāt think he made it easy on DeBrusk, Ryan Donato, or Danton Heinen. But there will always be players, especially young ones, who donāt see eye to eye with the coach.
It feels like the vets on this team and the organization know the window with this core is closing. Does Don Sweeney have the assets he needs to acquire the players to go all in to win the Cup this year? If so, is he willing to part with them? ā Aaron T.
Letās look at Sweeneyās best assets: the 2022 first-round pick, Fabian Lysell, Mason Lohrei. I do not see Don being quick to trade any of those three. So then you have to progress to the secondary tier: John Beecher, Jakub Lauko, Jack Ahcan, Jack Studnicka, Urho Vaakanainen, Oskar Steen, Trent Frederic. Sweeney would be much more willing to listen on those players. But does that get you into the conversation if youāre competing with Tampa, Florida, Toronto, etc. when it comes to rentals or other help? Donāt believe so. I think it will be challenging for the Bruins to acquire top-flight help.
What is the next big move for this franchise? They are still very good but seem slightly worse each year as they age. Should we assume next year has an almost identical lineup? Or do you see any big changes looming? I think Iām just a little bored of this same core, hehe. ā Chris S.
It starts with Bergeronās decision. If he wants to keep playing, that might influence what Rask does. If those two return, there isnāt that much-projected turnover. If Bergeron doesnāt return, I could see Rask saying goodbye, too. Then youāre looking at significant issues at center. Theyāre better insulated in goal with Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman.
This team is good. Great, even. What are we missing that would put us in the conversation for āeliteā a la Colorado, Florida, Tampa? ā Joseph L.
A real-deal No. 2 center. Third-line scoring presence on the wing. Defensive depth. Maybe the center causes a trickledown effect by pushing Erik Haula, for example, onto the left side on the third line.
With an unusually heavy schedule will the Bās use all three goalies in a rotation at some point? ā Joe M.
Not by design, and not if Rask and Ullmark are healthy. It will be a good stretch for both goalies to get into a rhythm while also going every other game, in most circumstances. Injury and illness, of course, are both possible. Neither Rask nor Ullmark has entered COVID-19 protocol. Swayman has. Itās a good situation for the Bruins to have Swayman ready if something happens to Rask or Ullmark.
Based on Fabian Lysellās play in the WHL, will he have a chance at becoming an NHL regular next year, and if not, how many years until he might be a fixture in the Bruins lineup? ā Leo K.
I think next year would be a stretch. Lysell will be 19 years old at the start of 2022-23. The Bruins will have Pastrnak and Smith as their top two right wings. Perhaps Lysell could sneak in as the No. 3 right wing if he has a good offseason of training. But the more likely path takes him through Providence for at least part of one season. The AHL will be a good introduction for Lysell to the gameās physicality. So realistically, if things develop well, itās possible he could be up with the big club at some point in 2023-24.
Do you believe that Don Sweeney will still be with the team for another draft? ā Ryan F.
Yes.
Which team do you think the Bruins are more likely to upset if they play in the first round of the playoffs: Tampa Bay or Florida? What do you think are the chances they could pull it off? Other than injuries, what would have to happen to most likely make a series win a reality? Does the opponent matter in either best-case scenario?
Florida in a big way. You cannot discount Tampaās experience, even if the rosters are comparable. Could the Bruins upset Florida, then? Absolutely. The Bruins have the elements in place: goaltending, team defense, top two lines, power play. The third line could be improved. They could use depth on defense. Of course, they need to be healthy.
Will the Bās bring up Ian McKinnon from Providence at some point this year or next to add some much-needed toughness/protection for elite players? I know fighting isnāt as prominent in the game, but itās still relevant. And the Bās donāt have much teeth on that front at this point. Iām told McKinnon can skate too. Why not swap him in for Trent Frederic? ā Drew C.
Do not see any room for McKinnon up top if the team is healthy. Frederic is going to be facing a challenge himself to get back into the lineup. At this point, Anton Blidh is a better option at No. 4 left wing. Tomas Nosek is more reliable at center. Perhaps once DeBrusk gets moved, Frederic puts himself into the mix at No. 3 left wing. As for McKinnon, I have not seen him do enough other things in Providence to project that to happen in Boston. The NHL game simply does not require an enforcer to protect elite players. I think that was a myth to begin with, anyway.
Where do you think the Bruins are with respect to their third line? Fourth line seemed to have jelled producing very good stats and decent results. Third-line personnel rotation has not helped. ā Chris F.
This is the line that requires the most optimization. Letās assume DeBrusk gets traded. Theyād have to incorporate a new left wing, one that could play well with Coyle. Perhaps Nick Foligno gets another turn. Steenās been good here and there at right wing. But heās inexperienced. Maybe thereās a player available for acquisition that delivers more immediate offense.
Rank the 5 worst contacts on the Bruins and why. ā Evan M.
John Moore because of his injury trouble and inconsistency when healthy. Chris Wagner because heās buried in Providence. Foligno because of the shortage in production compared to his contract. Donāt see any others you could classify as being sticky.
What do you see as Charlie Coyleās role long-term? Seems like a solid 3C but if he goes back to 2C or higher post-Bergeron, thatās not good. Finally, just an observation, but we canāt get rid of Jake DeBrusk fast enough. When you watch a game closely you see that he often glides when everyone else is grinding. ā Michael N.
Coyle is optimally the No. 3 center. Heāll get his minutes on the power play and penalty kill. Thereās always the option of putting him at right wing if the Bruins acquire a center. Perhaps with the right wingers, he could make more noise as No. 2 center. But for whatever reason, Hall and Smith didnāt work out with Coyle. Recently read Corey Pronmanās article about the top talent in the league in players under the age of 23. Not one player from Boston in the top 125, never mind the top 50 or 100. Fabian Lysell was their highest-rated prospect at No. 139, and he is considered simply an āaverageā prospect. When is Don Sweeney and his inability to restock this organization going to be held accountable? ā Kevin C.
Do not get the sense that Donās superiors are dissatisfied with his work. He is trying to maximize the current teamās winning window. Itās difficult to fulfill both asks in terms of chasing championships while rebuilding. I think everybody in the organization recognizes this is a win-now franchise. What happens after is a secondary concern.
The season is half over and no news on Patriceās contract. Do you think he is back next year? Or do you think like I do that he is going to walk away and retire at the end of the year? ā David H.
Patrice said he will revisit his contract after the year. So I do not expect a decision midseason. As weāve seen, it looks like Bergeron could play at a high level for at least one more year, if not more. The Bruins would welcome that. But I do not know whether thatās what Patrice wants. Letās put it this way: I would not be surprised if he retires at yearās end.
Assessment of Trent Fredericās game so far this season? Seems as if heās the 13th man in our fully healthy lineup. Not exactly encouraging for a former first-rounder. ā Patrick H.
Trent has not developed at last yearās pace. At times, heās been late on puck arrivals, not as eager to engage physically, meek when it comes to making plays with the puck. I believe the team expected more out of Trent after the kind of presence he showed early in 2020-21.
Does Jakub Lauko have the potential to be the next player from Providence to fight for a spot with the Bruins? He was highly touted at the world juniors a few years ago but havenāt heard much about him since. ā Patrick C.
Jakub played well when I saw him last weekend. Heās had bad injury luck. Heās developing into a No. 3 or No. 4 NHL left wing. Can he be the No. 3 left wing for the stretch run and the playoffs? Thatās probably out of his reach. Is he a better option than Blidh? Not at this point. Different story if there are injuries. But I see Lauko making his strongest push at the start of 2022-23.
I know Mason Lohrei is putting up good numbers in college, which is a rare refreshing prospect story in recent times even if heās not a true freshman. Iām assuming heāll go at least one more season there, but if he shows some moderate sophomore improvement, do you think he might be ready to make the professional jump? Or may he need additional college defensive reps given his later positional switch? ā Chris L.
At this point, itās very difficult to see Lohrei going back for his junior year. He could even be a one-and-done given how well heās played this season. I have yet to hear a negative report on Mason.
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Jan 20, 2022 14:11:23 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Jan 20, 2022 16:46:15 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by nfld77 on Jan 20, 2022 18:13:48 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by kjc2 on Jan 20, 2022 19:12:51 GMT -5
The vein in my temple would explode!
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Jan 20, 2022 22:02:50 GMT -5
I think he was jumping on the Milbury train , he started the trade Swayman last week.
|
|
|
Post by kjc2 on Jan 20, 2022 22:24:12 GMT -5
I think he was jumping on the Milbury train , he started the trade Swayman last week. I love the podcast but Bissionnette is brain dead in my humble opinion.
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Jan 23, 2022 13:45:32 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Jan 23, 2022 13:47:25 GMT -5
I think he was jumping on the Milbury train , he started the trade Swayman last week. I love the podcast but Bissionnette is brain dead in my humble opinion. I think itās clickbait š¤·āāļø
|
|
|
Post by KSJ08 on Jan 30, 2022 12:47:50 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by fforr on Jan 30, 2022 13:45:01 GMT -5
Only for Chychrun, who I doubt the Yotes would move or a signed Hertl.
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Jan 31, 2022 14:41:06 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Jan 31, 2022 19:36:01 GMT -5
Whereās everyone on Covid where you live ?
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Jan 31, 2022 20:11:28 GMT -5
Numbers are still high, but I think they are starting to come down now. Hopefully on the way down again.
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Jan 31, 2022 20:35:42 GMT -5
Numbers are still high, but I think they are starting to come down now. Hopefully on the way down again. People are really fed up with the lock downs , Truckers are taking it to the hill . Personally I watch the NFL yesterday and things seem normal what ever that is anymore..
|
|
|
Post by madmarx on Jan 31, 2022 20:38:04 GMT -5
Iām in favour of more skills less game . To bad the Players couldnāt go all in on the game ?
|
|
|
Post by kjc2 on Jan 31, 2022 20:46:18 GMT -5
Numbers are still high, but I think they are starting to come down now. Hopefully on the way down again. Same here on our small province scale. I think we peaked and are coming down. Iām done with restrictions though, had enough. Had enough of division between vaxers and anti-Vaxers. Leave people alone and let them live their lives. Good thing we have football and hockey š
|
|
|
Post by fforr on Jan 31, 2022 21:38:31 GMT -5
Whereās everyone on Covid where you live ? Three weeks ago our Township in NJ had about 30-100+ cases daily. Today there were 4 cases. š
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Jan 31, 2022 21:53:11 GMT -5
I agree...let us get back to our lives.
|
|
|
Post by nfld77 on Jan 31, 2022 23:35:03 GMT -5
Numbers are still high, but I think they are starting to come down now. Hopefully on the way down again. Same here on our small province scale. I think we peaked and are coming down. Iām done with restrictions though, had enough. Had enough of division between vaxers and anti-Vaxers. Leave people alone and let them live their lives. Good thing we have football and hockey š Right by your side buddie!!
|
|
|
Post by nfld77 on Jan 31, 2022 23:38:46 GMT -5
Whereās everyone on Covid where you live ? Three weeks ago our Township in NJ had about 30-100+ cases daily. Today there were 4 cases. š Happy to hear that things are getting better in your area..Look, the way I see it for what it's worth:: Covid was the worst, Delta not as bad and this one dont seem as bad as delta..Like a hurricane, it eventually gets calmer!! I think or hope in 6 months it'll be much better..
|
|
|
Post by KSJ08 on Feb 1, 2022 6:56:20 GMT -5
I'm NOT an Anti Vaccine. BUT this stuff they're using is not, it does not meet the criteria for a vaccine. It doesn't stop it like all the other vax's out there i.e. Chicken Pox ,Polio, Small Pox, all the others. Masks, Lock downs, Vax did NOT work, .It's still here. They don't know the short term ramifications, let alone the long term effects. Why has Pfizer locked up the results they have for a 55yr moratorium? I have no issue with ANYONE who has or will take it, but I do NOT want to be told I HAVE to take it. Enough on that subject!! Let's hope the guys get a win tonite, come back from a week off -Bergy and tare it up going into playoffs!!!! Let's Go Bruins!!!
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Feb 1, 2022 8:28:51 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Feb 1, 2022 8:30:41 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Feb 1, 2022 8:31:48 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by KSJ08 on Feb 1, 2022 13:37:34 GMT -5
Way TOO long over due IMHO!!
|
|
|
Post by KSJ08 on Feb 1, 2022 13:38:43 GMT -5
Can't read because I ain't buying there news for 1 article.
|
|
|
Post by SeaBass on Feb 1, 2022 13:51:43 GMT -5
Can't read because I ain't buying there news for 1 article. Weird. I didn't pay. There are rules in the game of hockey and then there are the rules that do not appear in the book. The problem with those unwritten rules is that they are wide open to interpretation, and not everyone adheres to them in the exact same way. One of those gray areas surfaced on Wednesday night in Colorado. At the start of the game, Taylor Hall caught Nathan MacKinnon with what originally looked like a bad hit to the head that, as we found out on Friday, resulted in a facial fracture and a concussion. Upon further review, however, the check was clean and the damage was done by MacKinnonās own stick riding up and hitting him in the face. The legality of the hit did nothing to lower the temperature of the Avs, who saw their best player helped off the ice after spilling blood in the middle of the ice. Kurtis MacDermid tried to get Hall to go. Then Gabriel Landeskog tried the same. Later, Erik Johnson crosschecked Hall in the back three times on a Bruin power play, giving the Bās a 5-on-3 power play that nearly won the Bās the game. Even after Colorado came back to win the game, the Avsā players were angry that Hall did not give them their pound of flesh. Looking back, Hall acknowledged he could have handled it differently, though at the time he didnāt think he had to respond to a clean hit. āIn the moment, that was my thinking,ā said Hall. āIf I could get one or two power plays out of them, I thought that would help my team more than me fighting. But I guess looking back, I guess initially maybe I drop the gloves with Landeskog and get it over with and then Iām able to play the rest of the game without as big of a target on my back. But I donāt know. Itās hockey. Someone told me one time, āYou never want to fight on someone elseās terms.ā Iām not a fighter by any stretch of the imagination. So I donāt know. It was a clean hit. It was a hockey hit. I never want to see anyone leave the game and certainly my intention was to end the play when he had the puck there. I didnāt want to see him bloodied or anything like that. It was a little bit of a stressful night for the rest of the game there. Just a weird night overall.ā Hall said if heād given a cheap shot, there would have been no debate. āI knew it was a clean hit. If I did something wrong and I was trying to defend myself or one of my teammates, thatās fighting on my terms, but fighting on their terms, I wasnāt crazy about it in the moment. But looking back, maybe I just get it over with,ā said Hall. There was a time when the Bruins would have and could have responded exactly the way the Avs did, whether the hit was clean or not. But the Bās are not built that way any more. Milan Lucic and Zdeno Chara are not walking through the door. Theyāre even more challenged right now with Nick Foligno and Trent Frederic on the shelf. Coach Bruce Cassidy, however, said Hall can take care of himself ā within reason. āThatās a tough one for Taylor because I think we all felt at the end of the day it was a clean hit. There was no malicious intent. His own stick caught him. It didnāt look good obviously. We also understand that theyāre going to protect their (star),ā said Cassidy. āFor Taylor, heās been in the league for a while and the player has the best sense in how to sort it out. And we did talk about it after that fact that maybe it would have been better off if he just went with Landeskog and settling it and moving on and probably thereād be less stress throughout the game. But certainly not MacDermid. He doesnāt want to go after, or settle it with a guy thatās predominantly a heavyweight. Iām not sure anyone would recommend that. So maybe Landeskog would have been the opportunity. At the end of the day, itās up to him to make that call. You canāt get into a playerās headā¦At the end of the day, he did draw a penalty behind the net and it helped us get on that 5-on-3, so there are some positives in how it was handled. At the end of the day, I saw him fight (Scott) Mayfield against the Islanders, a big, tough customer. Itās not that he hasnāt been willing to do it. He just made a call that he thought was right. No one knows the right answer on how to handle that. But at the end of the day, I was glad he was willing to be physical. If the hitās there, take it if itās clean. Thatās part of who we are.ā Rask a late scratch Tuukka Rask was scratched from the lineup in Arizona on Friday with a lower body injury. He was termed day-to-day. With Raskās availability in question for Sundayās game in Dallas, Jeremy Swayman was scratched from his start for Providence in Hartford and was headed to meet the team in Dallas. Troy Grosenick, who had traveled with the Bās on their three-game road trip as a member of the taxi squad, was recalled to the Boston roster and backed up Linus Ullmark against the Coyotes. Cassidy had announced Ullmark would be the starter earlier in the day. While itās not clear what exactly was bothering Rask, he is attempting a comeback from offseason hip surgery and heās had mixed results in his four starts. Heās gone 2-2, but his last start, a 5-3 loss to Anaheim on Monday, he looked particularly out of form, giving up one bad shorthanded goal and having trouble tracking the puck on a couple others. Glendale swan song The Bruins were playing in Glendale for the last time on Friday. It has been reported that the fan-starved Coyotes could possibly play the next three or fours years in the 5,000-seat arena on the campus of Arizona State, which would be by far the lowest capacity arena in he NHL. Hall played in Arizona for half a season in 2020. āMy experience here was really good. I was actually surprised about the fans here and how much they cared about the team,ā said Hall. āI played a lot of games in this arena and seen how packed it can get and how the atmosphere can get. And I know a lot of people probably think thatās all the visiting team brings a lot of fans. But there were a lot nights when weād be playing Chicago or Minnesota and there was a good chunk of away fans. But it was still a good atmosphere. I met a lot of Coyotes fans just out in public and they were very enthusiastic about the team. I think everyone agrees that putting an NHL arena somewhere near Scottsdale would be best for everyone, but thereās a lot of politics involved and a lot of things that go into it. But I wish nothing for the best for this franchise. I think hockey can work here. I probably didnāt think that before I got on the Coyotes, but I do think that, after being a member of the team, seeing the area and seeing how much they care about sports here. Hopefully they can figure something out.āā¦ Matt Grzelcyk, who missed the last two games with an upper body injury, returned to the lineup on Friday. Urho Vaakanainen, impressive in his call-up, remained in the lineup and Connor Clifton was scratched.
|
|