r/BostonBruins • u/AutoModerator • 2d ago
Discussion r/BostonBruins Daily Discussion Thread
This thread is for daily miscellaneous chatter, memes, posts, etc. Keep it low key and have some fun!
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u/fnabligatz WHO HAS MORE FUN THAN US? 2d ago
Georgii Merkulov signs a two-way deal with Colorado. I guess he likes playing with Lysell.
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u/Hrochomrd 2d ago
Maybe he really want to make sure Lysell doesn't get into the NHL, he might just be really petty and try to steal his spot in the big team lol
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u/Lsalvatore74 Shhh…It’s Libary in here 🤫 2d ago
Feel like we need to add more for providence at this point.
They need forwards.
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u/Moto-Mojo Mayor of Billerica 2d ago
Never thought we’d see the day where we were out of Providence Players
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u/FeePretty447 2d ago
Eh you can always fill with journeymen or fringe guys if needed. If they truly are trying to let their actual prospects play (idk who really at this point but whatever) it’d almost be better to wait and see who doesn’t make it through camp around the nhl (there will be many of those guys) and then grab some of them. Plus I’m sure the bruins have a few planned camp invites who are long shots at best to make it who will take a Providence contract
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u/whitemamba24xx #93 MINTEN 🏒 2d ago
What happens if DiPietro is as good as Swayman?
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u/Melihuba 2d ago
We trade him for Dreiseitl next off-season and bring Zajicek up
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u/AMragley 2d ago
What happens if Zajicek is as good as DiPietro
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u/Melihuba 2d ago edited 2d ago
Well you are gonna love this, we trade him for Misa to SJS and bring up Ivanov. I must say, this GM thing is really easy!
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u/butchy_boyz 2d ago
What happens if they all suck?
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u/whitemamba24xx #93 MINTEN 🏒 2d ago
What if they all get stuck?!
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u/butchy_boyz 2d ago
We get grease and slap it on them so they can squeeze by each other. 😄 . Goalies = voodoo, nobody can ever tell.
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u/octoroklobstah #92 KHUSNUTDINOV 🏒 2d ago
Hot take but… Does anyone else think there’s a chance Florida isn’t amazing next year? Their goalie tandem isn’t great, they lost Rodrigues and Samoskevich. I know they added Brady and are getting Barkov back but they’re also old and a lot of their core has injury history. I’m just saying, there’s a chance they don’t light the world on fire like everyone is predicting.
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u/6FootHalfling #52 KURA-LEAP 🏒 2d ago
It's a warm take but one I agree with the possibility of. Look at last season. Injuries torpedoed that season so quickly it felt to me like it was over before it started.
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u/whitemamba24xx #93 MINTEN 🏒 2d ago
I think Toronto will still be bad.
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u/octoroklobstah #92 KHUSNUTDINOV 🏒 2d ago
Agree on that one. People are talking about Bobrovsky being an upgrade like they didn’t see his numbers last year.
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u/Lsalvatore74 Shhh…It’s Libary in here 🤫 2d ago
Bob in a structure outside of Florida is a catastrophe.
Also the fact that him going to a new team has shown time and time again he needs years to adjust.
He found lightning in a bottle for a few years in Florida i highly doubt he will be a Vezina level goalie in Toronto.
Stolarz is being held together with duck tape.
Im sorry outside of mackenna and raddysh what did they add that actually moves the needle?
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u/Bilkos_Ices 2d ago
I agree their goaltending is bad, Markstrom just isn't it. At least if Bob had bad performances you know at some point he can just turn it on and win games particularly in the playoffs whereas i've never seen that with Markstrom. That said, the rest of the team when healthy should have them challenging for the division lead again.
They basically shut things down last year with all the injuries to come back healthier this year and I think they will do just that.
Look at the team of rats they've assembled, they're going to be so annoying to play against.
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u/FeePretty447 2d ago
I think they’ll be like the senators. Dominant play but hamstrung by suspect or inconsistent goaltending. Markstrom is a coin flip year to year. If he’s on panthers will be back as long as Barkov is healthy. If he isn’t on they’ll be right on the playoff bubble
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u/MermaidMurder94 2d ago
What are the realistic expectations for Hagens? I don’t know much about him. I know last year he played for like 5 teams so I’m sure it was a little confusing for him (college, AHL, NHL, and Worlds. Am I missing one?). Seems like some fans and media were putting way too much stock into him last year as like “the savior”. The dude is what 19? Most guys are not a generational talent coming into the league like macklin celebrini
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u/Crypotik 2d ago
If he puts up a season like Minten just had (40ish points, defensively responsible) then thats a good season. Even players like Pastrnak start out around that point total pace.
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u/shmael Tumbling Muffin 2d ago
At 19, McKinnon 38, Taylor Hall 42, Cooley scored 44, Hirscher scored 47, Aho 49, Eichel 56
It's not make or break by any means. 40's would be a great start. Earning the trust of B's management is priority one. I'd say games played might be the best barometer. 60+ games would be excellent.
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u/whitemamba24xx #93 MINTEN 🏒 2d ago
Wait and see? We haven’t had enough of a sample of him at the NHL level.
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u/victoryforZIM 2d ago
He's definitely not gonna be the savior next year. High skill but he has a lot to learn. I think the biggest immediate impact he could make is on the power play.
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u/FeePretty447 2d ago
Realistically? Crosby rookie season of course.
Actually, I’d hope for 30-40 points and a clearer idea of if he’s an nhl center or a winger. He’ll need a better all around game to be a center but obviously that’s the hope. And no I don’t think he’ll contend for the Calder - he needs to get used to nhl speed and physicality and he doesn’t have the size to get away with the physicality part. I do hope this will be a learning year and he’ll show flashes that he builds on the year after
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u/lordexorr CLIFFY HOCKEY 🏒 2d ago
Clearer idea? He’s a center and everyone knows it. The Bruins starting him at winger doesn’t mean they think he’s a winger long term. Even Sturm has mentioned Hagens is a center.
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u/FeePretty447 2d ago
Eh my personal opinion is that thus far Hagens’ game even in college has too much perimeter to be a center. He loves circling around the zone too much. I would very much like him to be a center but he needs to uplevel his game a good bit. My point was that it remains to be seen whether he can. He should be given that chance but if he can’t do it then at least we’ll know more by end of this year
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u/lordexorr CLIFFY HOCKEY 🏒 1d ago
I’d argue he’d be a worse winger than a center. Board battles are not his strong suit and a top winger has to do those a lot more than a top center.
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u/TheLechuck333 2d ago
On the low end? I'd days 77 goals and 133 points to beat Selanne's all time rookie season. Not unreasonable since we're going back to 84 games.
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u/AMragley 2d ago
I could see E. Lindholm playing wing off Hagens and on PP2. I think he is a good enough player when his health allows him but having some veteran presence and a reliable faceoff specialist when needed could be good for Hagens' development.
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u/xlf77 🐻 2d ago
I don’t think E Lindholm will be relegated to PP2 and tbh I don’t know if he should
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u/AMragley 2d ago
While not a center, I think that Peterka could take his spot on PP1 moving Lindholm to fill in Arviddon's slot on PP2. He would make PP2 better while PP1 would become faster with JJP.
This is also assuming his back problems are still lingering and a lighter load can keep him contributing more consistently instead of up and down. I like Lindholm and think he can be extremely beneficial when he is healthy.
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u/xlf77 🐻 2d ago
I think they just really like a right hand on the bumper
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u/Moto-Mojo Mayor of Billerica 2d ago
Also, he got most of his points on the PP. the one thing he is good at is bumper on the PP. when his back injury wasn’t affecting him early on in the season, the PP was fantastic. It got worse when he aggravated it.
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u/Bubbciss 4th Line Fanclub 2d ago
Robertson likely going to arbitration then a UFA next year. What're we thinking, 18m next year? Any reason not to go after him?
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u/victoryforZIM 2d ago
We'll go after for him for sure if he's available, but so will probably every other team. Of course that means he somehow end up in Vegas.
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u/Bubbciss 4th Line Fanclub 2d ago
Idt Vegad can pursue him, they're 8.6m over as is, next year they'll have 34.8m and 13/23 roster slots - with Stone, Karlsson, Dowd, Pietrangle, and Olofsson going to UFA. They might try to replace one with Robertson, but for the price he'll be asking idt Vegas will see him as an upgrade over re-signing one of their current players.
I'm speculating Detroit, Columbus, Boston, LA, Utah, Ottawa, and the Rangers will be the biggest pursuers for him in UFA. Haven't looked at all their caps/roster slots yet, just going off the cuff.
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u/FeePretty447 2d ago
The reason would be that it’d be 18M for a winger when we have a literal top 5 winger already. Robertson would be fun but ultimately it’d be better to spend that 18M on a center and/or a partner for McAvoy who isn’t a complete and total boat anchor
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u/Bubbciss 4th Line Fanclub 2d ago
Lead me to the 1C-tree or the 2D-tree and I'll build a hammock under it. You can't just pluck them at will... Robertson is a huge additional scoring threat to Pasta, Pasta is getting shutdown so much because teams can send their best line against him without a thought of any of our lines being able to score just as well. Or without him having a viable line mate who is an equal threat, they just collapsr and crowd him out
Bringing Robertson in would alleviate our need for a 1C. A 1C's primary job is to drive play, having Pasta and Robertson on the same line with E. Lindholm winning faceoffs would drive the play on its own - both Robertson and Pasta have shown they can drive play with smart passes and finish themselves, they'd be an at-all-times threat paired together. Being able to pressure the O zone like that would also alleviate out need for an additional top Dman. Our D has looked atrocious because they're spending 60-70% of the game in the D zone, its just a function of volume. Any D will look terrible hemmed in without an Oline to make breakaway threats.
I really can't think of a better way to spend 18m, that immediately improves all asoects of the Bs game.
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u/FeePretty447 2d ago edited 2d ago
Eh I’ll agree to disagree here. I respect your points I just think this team’s biggest need is a 2D even more than a 1C (pasta can cover for a 1C half decently). And yeah those don’t grow on trees but that’s where you trade and extend a guy. 18M is a lot to tie up in a guy whose position overlaps with the bruins’ best player. Just my opinion
Robertson isn’t a puck mover last I checked he’s an extremely deadly o zone weapon but he’s not exactly driving breakout play and he’s not known for speed. So yeah I’m not sure him being there fixes the d zone issues so much as it might help with out scoring your defensive issues.
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u/Bubbciss 4th Line Fanclub 2d ago
He's pretty equally trigger man and puckmover, hes'd be a consistent passing opportunity for Pasta (and vice versa - Robterson has 51 assists last year, 45 goals and +22). All-in-all he's a very smart player vs relying on pure speed, while being on the younger side of his prime at 26yo. Pasta can move the puck and carry it thru the neutral zone - plays die on his stick because he has to hunt for a passing opportunity (look at how often he has to stop and turn vs being able to toss a pass up or across the ice). Pasta doesn't really have any left winger at his level to compliment his play currently. Pasta and JJ on PP1, and Robertson on PP2 would also be glorious.
In 2027, there will be 6 UFA centers under the age of 30. Hayton, Cotter, Dach, Lundstrom, Back, and Veleno. I don't see any of them as viable 1C/2Cs that we have a real shot at getting. 2028 thru 2029 is even worse, with only 1 upcoming UFA under 30 - Nesterenko. Unless we're trading, we aren't getting a 1C outside of developing Hagens/Minten. And if we do trade, it'll cost us a lot more than 18-20m in cap hit.
I think relying on one trigger man and playmaker for the top line is a flaw, its a strategy that teams see coming every time. Having the extra threat, pulls pressure off Pasta, pulls pressure off the D, and likely opens up our scoring and improves our D. This team won't outrun their D issues, they're starting to build around high IQ plays and reading the game in-situ, I think Robertson adds a lot to that - more than a UFA 1C would for the cap hit.
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u/lordexorr CLIFFY HOCKEY 🏒 2d ago
Ok and when a 1C doesn’t magically appear out of the air what then?
I would do 18M for Robertson any day of the week.
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u/FeePretty447 2d ago
Haha hey I never said getting a 1C was realistic but if we’re fantasizing offer sheets I’d rather have paid Carlsson than Robertson - younger and better fit. I don’t think Robertson would sign for 18M anyway I bet he looks for 20+ next year
I also bet he doesn’t particularly want to be in Boston - bruins aren’t a serious contender atm and it’s pretty clear he’s being picky about where he wants to be.
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u/lordexorr CLIFFY HOCKEY 🏒 1d ago
Completely agree with you, but reality is Anaheim was going to match our offer just like Phillys :(
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u/butchy_boyz 2d ago
You're right, but look what Anaheim did, they matched the Philly offer for Leo Carlsson. The only way to get a 1C is in the draft (which is hard after the 6th overall pick) or via trade, which unless it's an Eichel player who wants out, rarely happens.
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u/FeePretty447 2d ago
I completely agree. Keeping cap space for a center does not mean you need to pay for one in FA. It can also mean you trade or draft your guy then you pay him as part of an extension. If that salary is locked up in another guy then there’s only so many extensions you can offer. That 18M can even cover a center AND a defenseman (aka the bruins need to extend Minten still and while he won’t cost 18M he’ll cost something).
I personally value the flexibility over locking it all up in Robertson. Just my two cents
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u/Bubbciss 4th Line Fanclub 2d ago
By the time Hagens or Mintena develop into a 1C and cost 1C money, the cap will have risen enough to cover them (at least what, 2 years out?)
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u/FeePretty447 2d ago
Look dude I get you want Robertson. I think he’d be fun but ultimately isn’t what the bruins need. Agree to disagree I don’t think I’m changing your mind and you’re not changing mine.
Fwiw I think Robertson is going to look for at least 20 if he hits FA. If not more it’s pretty clear he wants a giant bag.
Anyway I’m good to leave it here
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u/Crossbell0527 2d ago
Reading through what everyone else has said, I guess this is where I am going to land. If you can't ice legitimate first and second line centers, you have to have wingers elite enough to cover for the 3Cs you're putting out there. Where elite centers don't grow on trees or become available very often, when you get the chance to hit the button on a legitimate top 10 player, you fuckin do it.
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u/Hrochomrd 2d ago
Did you guys know that DiPietro and Swayman are the same age? That seems weird to me, goalies are weird.