Discussing the Bruins’ loss to the Maple Leafs, Trent Frederic’s injury and some other thoughts on the trade deadline. Plus, we answer some mailbag questions involving Georgii Merkulov, Oliver Wahlstrom and Don Sweeney.
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Jump to:
00:00 – Bruins blow 3-goal lead in OT loss to Leafs
20:00 – Can Coyle have a bounce-back year next year?
36:00 – Could Trent Frederic’s injury effect Sweeney’s trade deadline moves?
46:00 – Brian offers a prospect option if the Bruins were to pick top 10 in the draft
57:00 – Why has Merkulov not been called up to replace Wahlstrom?
Photo: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
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13 Comments
They have about 43% of their payroll pie dedicated to total defense which included goaltending. So why is the defense so bad? And don't conveniently blame it all on 2 injuries as they were even worse with a full lineup over those first 25 games or so. And the Swayman is not at fault card is another cop-out..beyond lazy thinking. FYI: 20.42% is spent on Minor (leagues), so don't assume that the rest is offense.
Thank you to everyone for watching, and listening as always!
Curious on everyone’s opinion: What’s the best case scenario for BOS from now until next season? Certain players you’d like traded? Management/coaching/scouting staff changes? Anyone in the draft you like in the top 15? Anyone in FA?
Love to hear what you all want.
Swayman played like shit.
The inability to get the puck out of their end. Giving up goals in the last minute of periods. 26 times this year.
Would you want the Bruins to scrape into the playoffs only to get destroyed by the Leafs in the first round.
Coyle and E Lindolm and the 4th line are just non factors in every game.
Mailbag question.
Do you think they should try to move Swayman before his no move contract kicks in?
I have to agree with Brian on the topic of criticizing certain players over others. Scott and Brig are letting certain players off easy because they are in the room with them. Coyle, Carlo, Beecher, Lindholm, Zadorov should have their feet held to the fire too, other than Walstrom.
Walstrom and Coyle are on the team because of where they are from.
Marchand basically called out the goaltending in his post game comments when he said 'the team makes a mistake and it's in the back of your net". If that's not calling out Swayman, I don't know what is.
The Bruins stunk from January to May last year. They were basically .500, well below .500 vs. the playoff teams and both their 5×5 offense and power play stunk all through the second half of last season
What changed this year? Well, they got worse
This year they're basically .500, well below .500 vs. the playoff teams and both their 5×5 offense and power play stunk, however, they've also added being terrible on the penalty kill and having their goaltending taking a huge step back to the mix
The Bruins only course of action is to not only re-tool but to strongly consider franchise altering trades and definitely a change in upper management (i.e. Don Sweeney and Cam Neely)
The Bruins underlying metrics are all terrible.
They aren't good at 5×5, they aren't good defensively, they aren't good on special teams, they aren't tough to play against, they crumble and pee all over themselves when they have leads or the pressure gets ramped up late in periods or games… On and on and on
So who will they sell or more on point…. Who is Boston willing to actually sell for futures and who would other NHL GMs even value?
We can stop with the trade Brad Marchand nonsense as Marchand only gets moved if he requests it and that sure seems like it's not going to happen right now
They also aren't trading Swayman, McAvoy or Pastrnak as those are the three core players they keep telling the world that they plan on building around
Also, forget about trading the guys with full or partial NTCs that have far too much term left and or make far too much money for what they provide.
That means they aren't trading Hampus or Elias Lindholm nor are they trading Nikita Zadorov even though I'm sure they wished they could
You can also forget about whatever they may get in return for the likes of Beecher, Brazeau, Koepke, Tufte, Max Jones, Wahlstrom, Callahan, Wotherspoon or Osterle
Not one of those players will be valued much around the league and it's highly doubtful they'd get anything of value beyond future considerations or maybe a 6th or 7th round draft pick for any of them.
Maybe Beecher could get them a 4th round pick? Maybe? But everyone else on the above list, next to nothing or nothing would be the return in any potential trades
So who is left?
Well you could say move Pavel Zacha and Brandon Carlo but they are weak at center on the big club and in Providence and they also lack defensive depth at the big club level and in Providence as well.
Neither Carlo nor Zacha make a lot of money in context of what the Cap will be going up to next year and the Bruins also don't have replacements in-house for either, thus It seems doubtful they move either Carlo or Zacha anytime soon
You could also say move Poitras and Lohrei but those guys are literally the only two young players on the team that are on cost controlled, entry level deals that will contribute significantly to the big club the next few years. I think the Bruins would have to be blown away to move either Poitras or Lohrei at this point in time
So that leaves the Bruins with trading at the deadline the following guys:
Frederic, Geekie, Coyle, Peeke and or Korpisalo, that's really it
Coyle, Peeke and Korpisalo all have term, thus it seems more likely that if any of three are moved, it'll probably be in the off-season
So that just leaves a now injured Trent Frederic and a player they aren't likely to move in Morgan Geekie, because again, they don't have a Geekie replacement in Providence and they will need his contributions at wing next season.
If another NHL team is willing to make an overpay for Geekie, I'm guessing they may move him but I'd say it's at best, a 40% chance Geekie gets moved at the deadline
As you can see, the Bruins actually don't have much that they can move or as importantly, would be willing to move to get better this year or in the off-season or that any other NHL GMs would even value
And as for Providence?
Not a single forward right now, including Lysell and Merkulov, project as Game One starters for Boston next season.
Of the forwards that may play in Boston next year down in Providence, all of them are just more of the bottom 6, two-way types that won't score much in the NHL like Farinacci, Duran, Kuntar and a few others.
At defense in Providence they have NOTHING that's a real NHL D-man next year.
Callahan is an AHL tweener at best and he's a UFA they probably aren't going to re-sign because he's not a full time NHL player talent wise
Then on defense down in Providence it's nothing but Jackson Edward and Frederic Brunet, two late round, development only guys that are years away from the NHL still and that's assuming either even reach their NHL ceilings
Also keep in mind that if either Brunet or Edward plays an NHL game one day, they'd be the VERY FIRST d-men drafted by Don Sweeney in TEN YEARS from rounds 3-7 to ever play a single shift in the NHL!!!
I'm fairly confident Don Sweeney shouldn't be allowed to helm any re-build as he has done nothing but destroy the big club roster and ruin their farm system while they've done nothing but fail to win more than one playoff round 8 of the past 9 years.
One lousy 2nd round series win (six years ago), a crap ton of playoff fails, a lousy, slow, overpaid, not talented enough big club roster and the NHL's worst Farm System
That's a referendum on why Sweeney should be fired….
But sadly, neither Don Sweeney nor Cam Neely are likely going anywhere, so….
Again, when you really look at the Bruins assets and what they can or more importantly, would be willing to move, it sure seems as though they aren't going to be getting much in return for any of the players they may move soon, which will be just a few of them, at best, anyway
Thanks Don Sweeney 🙂
As for why they haven't promoted Lysell or Merkulov?
Lysell simply hasn't earned the promotion. He's been very underwhelming in Providence this year and as of today, his future is trending more towards "bust" than it is 5+ year NHL player. Lysell doesn't have the tool set or size to play a bottom 6 role. So he's either going to have to be a Top 6 forward that produces in the NHL or he likely is just going to be another Don Sweeney's many busted 1st and or 2nd round draft picks
Georgii Merkulov hasn't been called up because he's not a real NHL player. The Providence Bruins need to win games and compete in their playoffs and that's what Merkulov is doing for them
He's small, weak physically, bad on draws and not just a below average skater but a bad skater. This is why he got moved to wing from center in Providence this year as the Bruins know themselves, Merkulov can't play center at the NHL level
But he's far to small and weak physically and his skating is too garbage for him to be an effective wing in the NHL
For the dolts who say "he produces in the AHL". One the AHL is no where the league skill, size and speed wise that the NHL is. If AHL leading scorers all translated to NHL leading scorers the NHL would have 70 teams because they'd be that much NHL level talent to choose from
The AHL is made up of two thirds of guys who are just AHL lifers. The other third of AHL teams are made up of various levels of prospects from 1st years to 4th plus year guys learning the pro game
Merkulov gets time and space in the AHL he needs to be a somewhat competent left wing. At the NHL level he will not play center nor will he have the same time and space he needs
This is why Merkulov hasn't been called up, it's why he likely won't be a real NHL players and it's also why he will likely go back to Europe because he could have a long career over there where his lack of size, speed and skating acumen will be far less of an issue for him
Is there anyway they pulled him cause a team asked for a trade?
As a fellow mainer….. the wallstrom experiment should be over.
How Wahlstrom and Beecher are still on this lineup is beyond me.
Swayman is a solid back-up for a solid team. Unfortunately for Bruins fans… neither of those is true this year. Making him…and paying him… as an elite starter…. is one of the worst mistakes I've ever seen this franchise make.
I usually watch the opposing side's coverage because I'm not a fan of the home coverage. Every game sounds the same and i find it boring. I'm also not a fan of how Jud calls the game. I'm guessing I'm in the minority
I'd be happy to miss play offs this year and get a decent pick.
Keep Geekie. Can they trade Zadarov?
I would not shed a tear if they moved Coyle, Carlo and Lohrei. Harder guys to move would be E. Lindholm and Swayman but if they could I would not be unhappy. I don't want to hear how great Swayman is.
Swayman is so bad that even E. Lindholm could score on him!