Bruins Mailbag: Offseason outlook, next coach and trading roster players | Bruins Beat

Bruins Mailbag: Offseason outlook, next coach and trading roster players | Bruins Beat

Bruins Beat is brought to you by Price Picks and welcome into the Bruins Beat presented by CLNS Media. Make sure to go subscribe to all our great content over at Bruins Ringside on YouTube. We got podcasts, live streams, press conferences during the season, um analysis videos, breakdowns, all those different things. Make sure to go subscribe over there. And of course, uh, make sure to subscribe to CLS Media’s other awesome content, Patriots Presass, Celtics All Access for during their seasons. They pump out a lot of great stuff. And if you don’t love watching us, make sure to subscribe to us, Bruins Beat, Poke the Bear, Pucks, Tags on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasting platforms. I’m Evan Marinowski, joined by nobody today. Nobody. My first mailbag episode in a long time. So, it’s just us. Just me and you. talking Bruins. There’s a couple questions in here. One was on the Red Sox, one was on something completely different, which I love. If you when I do these mailbags, if you want to ask questions that have nothing to do with the Bruins, um, I’m more than happy to answer them to the best of my ability, although I might not be an expert on that, but I also might not be a Bruins expert either, so guess doesn’t really matter. Um, props to you guys. You guys asked a ton of questions. 27 questions uh, in this episode. Every time I put uh one of these tweets out like, “Oh, I’m doing a solo episode. Make sure to, you know, can you please send some questions in?” I’m always like, “Man, I hope people send some in. It’s going to be embarrassing if like one person replies, but 27 27. I will take that level of engagement. That is very fun.” Um, so yeah, no Connor today, no guests, just us. So, we haven’t done this in a while. So, I love doing these every now and again just to kind of hang out, chat, see what’s on you guys’ mind. Um, and sort of go from there. And the first question is Mark Alred. Thank you Mark for that first question. Making sure I at least have one. Uh he asks, “With a need for increased salary cap this off season, do you see the bees buying out the contract of Corposalo could resign both us uh busy and DPro to below $1 million deals and have them fight for the backup role in the upcoming training camp?” Thanks, Evan. Thank you, Mark. Appreciate it. Um it’s an interesting one, right? Like I would love to see them get something for Corposalo. Um, I don’t know if that’s possible, but I would love to see them get I don’t know. Can you get a late round pick? Can you get something? There’s got to be a team out there that would want a veteran goalie. Um, I also wonder if next season, and this kind of leads into my diet tribe on Busy and DPro, I think the Bruins potentially have realized that they need uh someone capable of playing potentially 40 games alongside Jeremy Swayman. Um, probably a little bit less, maybe 35, but somewhere in that range. uh because that again we’ve seen him at his best when he’s sort of well rested, not playing, you know, every single game. Um so I do wonder if they go for a vet uh if they do move on from Corposalo. Um as for DPR, I mean DPro won AHL goalie of the year. Stock is high. Um I didn’t watch a ton of him this season. I didn’t, you know, watch a ton of Providence, so I can’t speak to his abilities, but I know his numbers are fantastic. He was fantastic this year. Um so maybe he is. Sweeney loves internal competition. We’ll get to that later in this episode cuz something Sweeney seems to love. Um, and Busy is an interesting one because, you know, there were a lot of fans who wanted to see Busy as the backup um instead of Corposalo this past season when they traded Mark and got Corposalo back in that deal and people were kind of like, wait a minute, uh, the Bruins have Busy. Um, I think Busy being kind of okay this year, but not quite up to the level that people wanted him to. Um, I think that goes to show that goalies are fickle and it’s hard to predict, especially with these younger goalies. So, I I probably see them going for some veteran. And when I was looking at the free agent market, and I could be way off on this, um, but just an idea, like Jake Allen’s a UFA this year. Um, now Jake Allen’s older. I believe he’s about 35. Had a good season for New Jersey this year. Played around like 31, 32 games. Is that someone that you’d want to bring in? Uh, I don’t know if he’s cheaper than Corposal, though. That’s the thing. Um, but they might look at it and say, “All right, well, um, you know, having a competent backup is worth it if it brings the best out of Jeremy Swayman.” Now, I know what you guys are thinking. Well, if they just keep bringing in these veteran backups, I mean, Jeremy Swayman’s going to be in that starter spot, you hope, for the next eight years, and you’re just bringing in veteran backups, then how did DPro and Busy, you know, you have to show guys in the AHL, young guys in the AHL, that there are spots at the NHL level. Um, so yeah, I mean I could see potentially a DPHO or a busy competing for spots and and being the backup. Um, but again, can they handle a large NHL or a relatively large NHL workload for a backup? I think that’s uh the biggest thing. So, thank you very much, Mark. Um, Ryan asks, “Why are the Red Sox so bad?” Oh, wait, wrong sport. My bad. Both teams are bad, so I get them mixed up sometimes. It’s fair point, Ryan. Fair point. Uh, yeah, Red Sox stink. absolutely stink. I mean, my god. Um, they and it’s funny because they keep losing these one-run games. They’re not getting blown out. Like, it’s not a talent issue. Uh, and also like I’m not, you know, not an expert, but why is Roman Anthony not up with the Red Sox? I don’t understand that at all. So, yeah, just a depressing team to watch. They always find ways to just trip over themselves. They are so sloppy in the field. Got to start questioning Alex Kora. That’s my other thing. Like, his time here has been pretty mediocre outside of 2018 and 2021. But that’s for different podcasts. Uh, but that’s my short answer to why I think the Red Sox are so bad. Uh, Jerry gets us back on track with Bruins. Says, “Sample size on Geeky is small. Playing with a great player who fed him the puck. Give him the bag.” He also asks, “Should we tank this year as free agent 26 classes loaded?” He also asks, “How can we get Mner?” And he also says, “Tax advantage for Florida. When will it be addressed?” So, four questions there, Jerry. I’ll answer each because I think they’re all interesting ones that people sort of have on their mind. Um, as for Geeky, I agree the sample size is small. I remember uh throughout the year I would have these debates with Mark Diver at different ranks of like is Morgan Geeky worth it? Should you trade him? Buy high. I thought at the at the deadline he was going to be the guy to go out of sort of the lineup regulars just because he didn’t have that history here. Um, they clearly love him. They clearly love him. They want to sign him long term. Sweeney has made that abundantly clear. Um, I get that the sample size is small. What I would say to that though is there is something to be said for that he can play with David Posternok. Yes, obviously David Posternok makes Morgan Geeky better, but he can play with him and I think that’s really important. He can finish chances although the shooting percentage was very high this year. So like that is one area. I’ve mentioned this before little worrisome. Um, but then I also get the other thing of like the NHL’s middle class is dwindling. you’re seeing this sort of gap uh where and I I’ve been doing some stories on this or I did a story that touched on this for New England Hockey Journal um where you sort of want to find these contracts entry-level guys who are going to make an impact like a Matthew N making $850,000 or whatever it is making a top six impact and that’s what you dream of as an NHL team because you’re getting phenomenal value. Kale Mar’s first couple years in Colorado was sort of the same thing. And you know, then you have your guys up top, your Postronox making a ton, your McDavids. There’s not a lot in the middle. And we’re going to see this with the cap going up where sort of these m guys who normally would be in the middle class are going to make like 89 million. I mean, Sam Bennett, who we’ll get into because someone asked about him um in in the in the mailbag, like he could be making nine and and again, the caps the cap’s going up, but for right now, that’s like high class. Brock Besser could be in the eight range. Like, that’s fairly high class. Kiki’s coming in at like six, which isn’t super expensive right now, and I don’t think will be super expensive going forward with the cap. Um, so those are the reasons I’m all for holding on to him. You also don’t have much on the wings. He can play anywhere. Uh he can jump in the middle and be a center. Um he can fit on the third line. He can fit on the first line to me at six million. If that’s if it ends up being 6 million or it’s 5.75, whatever it is, like I am more than cool with that uh contract. And then you get into the free agent class, and this is a big thing. I mean, if you look up the 2026 free agent class, you’re going to be like, “Holy crap, McDavid and Eel and uh Paneran and Macar. I mean, it is just stacked. And Eichel’s a name that we’ve heard for a long time. Bruins fans, you guys have mentioned a lot. Like, hey, could he be the next number one center? He is relatively young. I believe he’s like 29 or 30, which is insane. I feel like he’s kind of been in the league forever, or at least kind of on everybody’s mind forever. Um, I think that’s a dangerous game. I think saying we’re not going to spend any money this year, we’re going to focus on next year is dangerous because in the NHL, my guess is most of those guys resign over the next year. like McDavid I don’t think is leaving Edmonton. Male Mar is not leaving Colorado. Um Pan, you know, Paneran I can’t see leaving New York. Like banking on that. Jason Robertson, like you’re banking on a lot there. Um now some might not. Like does Jack Eigel get resigned in Vegas? Maybe not. And maybe you’re first in line to to go for him. Um Carell Capri off is a very interesting piece. Minnesota’s kind of weird with resigning guys and stuff like that. So maybe I know like Rossy’s on the market right now. Um so maybe Caprioff’s a guy, but bet, you know, waiting to put all your bets in for next year is always difficult. Same with the draft. Like obviously there are years in the NHL draft that it’s phenomenal. Like 2023 we all knew, you know, a year or so in advance that was going to be a big draft. Um 2015, sorry to bring it up, uh hell of a draft. Uh but every year it’s like, man, but next year. Oh, but next year. And I think that’s a dangerous game. You take what’s in front of you. Not saying you spend every dime on the top guys this year. Um but I that’s that can be a dangerous game. Um uh Marner, speaking of big free agents, how can we get MNER? I’ve been all over this. I would love for the Bruins to get Mitch Mner. Now, do I think they get him? No, I don’t. I don’t. And I think they should. And there there’s some more questions that touch on this. Um but the way to get Marner is you pay a lot of money, 14 million maybe, which I’d be okay with. I know a lot of people think that that’s too much. I remember talking to Marina Mahar on here. Um, I choose completely against giving a certain amount of money. Um, I’m for it. I’m for it. He’s that good. He’s that good. I I don’t care. Playoff stuff. He’s soft. Whatever. Like, you need skill in this lineup because, and we’ll get into that um in a little bit. Uh, tax advantage for Florida. When will it be addressed? It’s an interesting question. The TNT panel talked about this on Wednesday night because Besonette brought up, you know, something’s got to be done. Florida, Tampa, these teams are, you know, with no tax, no income tax are getting all these guys because they can pay a little bit less. And I agree that maybe you do need to do something, especially, you know, these aren’t high-end NHL markets for ratings and NHL cares about ratings. Uh, and then Anthony Carter made a great point saying that, you know, no one ever brought this up when Florida and Tampa weren’t good. Um, so I don’t know, maybe they do something. I do, you know, be nice because, you know, again, like Mitch Martner, does he go to Florida for a little bit less techni, you know, on paper, but makes more in the long run because of uh the tax codes and everything down there, which I’m not an expert on. Hate to say it. Um I don’t know. I do think you probably need to do something at some point, but I don’t Anson Carter is right on that. Like we weren’t saying stuff about Florida and Tampa um for years. So, uh something to think about. Thank you, Jerry, for those uh for all those questions. Uh GC asks, “On a scale of 1 to 10, where are you in regards to the team trading Matt Potra?” And he puts in parenthesis extreme mistake before camp in September. I’d say it like a five. Like I think that’s a good play. It’s somewhere in the middle. I think if the right trade offer came up for Potra, I think they’d probably do it. Um but again, he’s homegrown. Like that was a a hit. They got him. Was it second round? Um, like as a homegrown guy, do you really want to pull the plug? But like, and someone asked this later, which I’ll kind of save it for this, but like if there’s a legit hockey trade to be made for a top four defenseman who’s young and has some control and Potra can be the majority of your package, like yeah, you kind of have to consider it. And again, the thing with Potra is more so it’s not so much him. It’s all the middle six centers they have. I mean obviously on the NHL roster it’s Zaka Middlestat Elias Lindholm throw Morgan Geeki in that mix if you want to uh in the system Frasier Mitten Georgie Mulof Lis has now knocked himself in there you have Potra you have all these guys you’re going to draft more centers most likely this year not saying that they’re going to be in Providence next year making an impact at the NHL level they won’t but like they’re in the system now as well so half the battle with prospects is figuring out who are the right ones to keep and who are the right ones to trade. And I don’t know, I’m not quite sure yet if Potra is the one to trade, but I think if something came up, this isn’t this is completely speculation. It wouldn’t shock me if he was in a deal. So, I’d put it like a five. I think that’s at like a five. Um, Ryan asks, “Who’s the 2C next season? Middlestat or Potra? Whoever it isn’t, what is their trade value? Because they need to move who isn’t by the draft due to the fact Middlestat isn’t a 3C and Potra isn’t going back to the AHL without a trade demand tanking his value.” Um, Padre is still young, so like wouldn’t be out of the possibility uh real possibility if he was to go down to the AHL. I don’t think you have to trade one of them. I don’t um Middlestat if you can get something for like my thing is not so much Middlestat and um Patra, it’s more so Middlestat and Zaka. And I think Zaka brings you way more value um for what he makes. It’s like what like four something million like four between four and five. I don’t have the cap numbers in front of me because if I do my computer will just like take off like a jet. Like you’ll hear that like the fans start being like um but you know PK power play center wing can play in the top six. Like Zaka brings you value. U middle stat I’d be interested in to see if he can get anything for him. But I’m also intrigued by what he can bring skill-wise. He had I think that 60 point season in Buffalo. Um you know used sort of not a ton in Colorado. So, like on a team that needs some skill, Middlestat brings that. Um, and brings some offensive upside. So, who I think the 2C is next season, I think it’s Middlestat, especially if they get Brock Besser. Those guys are friends. Um, so I think that would be the route that they take, but that doesn’t mean that Potra is going to have no value or going to demand a trade because he goes down to the AHL. And it also doesn’t mean he doesn’t win out a job as the 3C as a 3C. Um, or I don’t know if I’d put Potra on the wing. I probably wouldn’t. Um, but you never know if they feel that they want to do that. Um, but yeah, I wouldn’t I don’t think I need to trade one of those guys. Um, so yeah, there that’s my answer on that. I think it’s probably Middlestat down the middle. Um, Daryl Ingram asks, “Hey, Evan, who’s more likely that the Bruins signed, Kyle Paul Mary or Sam Bennett?” Um, you know, it’s interesting. Sam Bennett has put on a show in these playoffs and he’s so fun to watch and he scores big goals and he’s a pest and he he does what it takes to win. He’s a big game player. I just don’t think his contract ages well and I do think there are going to be teams who line up and bid for him and drive the price up. We keep hearing this. Um what I think he’s worth 6 and a half to 7 million a year. I’d rather not be the team that gives him that. And it’s not because I don’t like Sam Bennett. I don’t think he’s gonna age great. I also think in Florida, he that is a perfectly built team and he fits in perfectly. You put him in with the Bruins doing those things, is is he the same guy? Um, and if you’re signing him to be a number one center, I don’t think he’s a legit number one center. I mean, he gets to play behind a lot of great talent and centers in Florida who make kind of his job possible. there’s not that level here. You know, if he’s starting as the number one center, I just don’t think he’s a number one center. Um I also think he would get a lot more suspensions up here up here in Boston with the scrutiny. Um and you have so many middle six centers and ultimately he is a middle six center. So if you want to make the case that you were going to trade Middlestat and Zaka and keep Bennett and have him behind Lindholm, like I get the idea. I still just wouldn’t do that though. I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t. I just don’t think he’s gonna age great in that contract, which is likely going to be seven years because they’re gonna be so many teams after him. And as we’ve said on this show multiple times, he’s not a number one center. He’s more a piece like if you’re one piece away from um from a from being a cup contender or one piece away from winning a cup, you probably go with Sam Bennett. Um also, who’s to say he doesn’t just resign in Florida? Uh Kyle Paul Mary is an interesting one. Actually had a pretty good season for the Islanders this past year and he’s always consistently been in that 35 to like 60 point range as a right winger. Um if he came cheap, you could get me on board. You could get me on board. But I’ll always say this, especially with a team with who’s trying to bolster their prospect pool and sort of in this like middle ground of like, you know, they shouldn’t stink, but they probably aren’t going to be cup contenders. you do need to leave some spots open on the roster or at least create the idea that there are spots for prospects to grab up in Boston. Um, so I do think that’s very important to note. Uh, before we get into the rest of these questions, friendly reminder to make sure to go subscribe to Bruins Ringside on YouTube. Uh, a lot of content. Bruins beat, poke the bear, pucks with hags, six podcasts a week in total, not to mention live streams if big things happen. draft trades, uh, free agency, big things like that. Probably be live streams and you’ll want to be here. We can talk. I can see the comments, which is always fun. You can send some hate, send some love, whatever it takes. Um, so we’ll have that. And then make sure to go subscribe to the other great CLNS YouTube pages, Celtics All Access, the regular CLNS Media YouTube page, Patriots Press Pass. And if you don’t want to do that on YouTube and you like just listening, subscribe to Bruins Beat wherever you get your podcast, Apple Podcast, Spotify, Podbean, whatever it is. Uh, it’s your choice. It’s your phone. It’s how you listen. You can do what you want as long as you support us in some way. And if you want to leave a nice review, that would be awesome. I would be really appreciative of that. Um, so yeah, be nice if you could do that. Uh, next question is the Goden Hockey Club. What a name. The Goden Hockey Club. chances of moving middle stat for cap space and chances of moving Zaka towards a Mason McTavish type. So Mason McTavish would require an offer sheet RFA. So you are competing against Anaheim and he has had very good production for I think he’s like 22. He’s very young still. He’s had good production. Uh the one interesting thing with him is like Anaheim has so many prospects and so many guys coming up that they’re going to be due for paydays all around the same time. not the same year, but you know, in the same ballpark. So, they’re gonna have to pick and choose who they keep and who they let go. I’d imagine they keep McTavish, but I would really be intrigued because he would give you a high offensive ceiling, which would be something you don’t really have at the moment. Um, moving middle set for just cap space. You have enough cap space. Like, I you have a lot of cap space. I’m not This is not the offseason to trade guys just to open up space. Um, unless you’re going to try to go get Kale Mar next year, which I would love very much, but I don’t think that’s going to happen because I think Kale Mar is going right back to Colorado. That’d be really dumb if they let him go. Uh, what’s the other question here? Michael O Connor asks, “Hi, Evan. Are you getting any vibe on what Char’s role uh what Char’s role with the Bruins will be? Seems to be a lot of chatter and that he is more present with the club now. Also, anything on Berseron as well coming into the organization. And then on the draft, I like McQueen. Potential big gamble for Sweeney. Uh, so a couple questions there. I don’t have a definitive thing on Char’s role. Seems to be involved. You see him in these things like seems to be involved. I think he’s a really smart guy. Looks I he has all the looks and business acumen of a potential team president. That’s what he screams to me. Like Charara screams potential team president. Um, you know, I don’t know if he’s on that track. I think it’s been less than a year that he’s been in the organization. I hope we get a better idea of what he actually is doing this year. Uh Berseron, it’s funny. Um Court Land who came on who everybody loved. Like the god the comments were all and I completely get it. All the comments are like my god you got to have court back. We love court. I’m like hell yeah we will have him back more. He has perfect lighting behind him which like is awesome. Uh and he’s very insightful which is also very important. Uh but he mentioned to me uh and I hadn’t seen it when Berson was on I think it’s unobstructed views on Nessen kind of the side thing with like Andrew Ray Croft he was breaking down plays better than anybody and it begs the question of like is he a future coach? I don’t know. I think he wants to be a dad right now. I think he wants to kind of go through that. Um I think he’ll continue to do his Nessen hits but like I after hearing that and seeing that like maybe he is a future coach. I always thought of him more as like a team president type, a front office type, but maybe it is coaching. I don’t know. He hasn’t really given no indication, at least that I’ve seen so far, uh, on what he is, but it wouldn’t shock me if in the next 5 to 10 years he’s back in the organization in some capacity. Um, and then McQueen. McQueen’s an interesting one. A lot of the a lot of uh, draft experts have mentioned that he has top three potential. Chris Peters was on the show last week and said he is one of the only centers in this draft who legitimately has potential to be a number one franchisee defining center. But what comes with that is an 18-year-old with back injuries. 18-year-old with back injuries and he’s 6’5. That’s not great. Um I would rather they not take that gamble. Now, if the combine comes around and he jumps out of the gym and his physicals are fantastic, then maybe you consider him at seven. Um, and also maybe he goes earlier. Maybe there’s a I mean, every team has a different draft board. Um, Central Scouting, The Athletic, Elite Prospects, The Hockey News, Craig Button, like everybody’s got different uh draft rankings. So, NHL teams. They all have different ones. I promise they all have different ones because it’s all opinion. It is all opinion. It’s not definitive. It’s all opinion. So, there might be a team uh you know, maybe the Blackhawks at like three say we want McQueen. Maybe Philadelphia at six says we want Roger McQueen. We think he could be a number one center. Um and we’re not worried about his back. And then suddenly you have a Denier or a Hagens that falls to you uh at seven. That’s wishful thinking. But given that they took Dean Laterno last year who’s 6’7 um and a project, I don’t know if you do that again. I just I you can’t really do that two straight years. And at seven, you got to hit it. And McQueen, given his back uh injuries, I don’t know what the likelihood of him hitting is. Now, there’s also the other thing that 10 years down the road, maybe Roger McQueen is the number one center in the NHL, and we’re all sitting here going, “My god, how dumb were we to overlook that guy?” But I mean, you have to take it for what it’s worth at the time. And he has back injuries, and you do need a legit number one center prospect in your pipeline. And Jacob Bryan might not be a potential number one center, but he could produce his ceiling as a as a number one center. So, uh, that is one of those things. Uh, Gerilyn asks, “Do you think Marshand Oh, I lost it. Where is it? God, Geraldine, where’d you go?” Gerine asks, “Do you think Marshian will come back next season, or do you think Sweeney ruined those chances by trading him in the first place?” I hate to be the bear of bad news. I don’t think he’s back. I don’t I don’t think he’s back. Uh I think they’re sort of moving in a different direction. This is Posternok and Makavoy’s team. Not to say that Marshian wouldn’t help. I absolutely think he would. I think he is at his best. And you’re seeing this with the Panthers right now. He’s at his best as a middle six winger, not your main guy. And he’s fourth on their team in points. I think that’s a large part due to that. Different match, maybe a little bit easier matchups, not as much pressure to produce. Um, so to me, that’s where I feel what I feel about him right now. In terms of coming back, like I always go back to this. If he comes back, do you give him the C back? That’s kind of awkward. So like I just I don’t think he comes back. I don’t I just don’t uh in terms of Sweeney ruining it, it seemed like it ended well. Both sides were very, you know, amicable. Marshian was tearing up in his first press conference uh with the Panthers. Uh and I think at that point if you said, “Would you come back?” It’s probably Yeah. I mean, it’s like this, right? Like when you break up with a significant other, whether it’s a boyfriend or a girlfriend, the first couple days often, unless something horrendous has happened, the first couple days you’re always like, “I could go back. It wasn’t that bad. Come on, try it again.” Right? But then as time goes along, you sort of start to see life is better. Like life is better. I mean, you know, this for this reason or for that reason or whatever, right? I think Marian’s seeing in Florida that he likes the role he’s in and he likes winning and being on a team that’s in contention. I don’t think the Bruins are going to be in the Stanley Cup final next year. I just don’t. Um, so I Yeah, and I don’t but I don’t think Sweeney ruined it. And now they have a first round pick for him. So, and he was injured when they traded him. So, it actually that aged pretty that aged. Okay. Um Elliot asks, “How much of a sure thing is it that Hampus Linton will be 100% in October? There have been rumors it could turn into a Landisk type multi-year progression.” This is a great question. This is actually a really good question, Elliot. Um because I was look I I was reading I I obviously read all these questions before uh and try to do at least a little bit of research into it on the Landisk thing. Landis Kong had his knee sliced by a skate in like 2020 I think and needed cartilage transplant in May of 2023. Um I am not a expert. I’m no like don’t take medical advice from me. I don’t think that’s the same as what Hampus Lindad which was a fractured patella. Um but a fractured patella is nothing easy. There were complications throughout the season as Sweeney told us. Um, still though I don’t think it’s going to be Landiskcog. Um, do I think Lindholm jumps right back in and as the same guy he was, you know, that night in St. Louis and up until then? Probably not. I think there will be, you know, time to get him going again. But October is 11 months since that happened. I’d have to think he’s at least near 100% by then. Um, but it’s a good question. It’s it’s a very good question because if if Lindolm is bad the first couple months of the year Elliott I think we’ll go back to that question as like that was a like great point like he isn’t 100%. Uh but we’ll see when it gets there. Um Beck I think I’m saying that right at Metalheart 77 asks this is a great question. Do you want the Bruins to suck for one more season so that we get more prospects in the pipeline? Also what do you think about Danlock Malis making the team out of camp? He was on fire in the AHL. We’ll start with the first one. Do I want the Bruins to suck for one more season? Um, I don’t think this I don’t think this city can take one more sucky season. Um, they’re going to make picks regardless. Like, I’m assuming, uh, Beck, you mean uh, if you’re going to suck, you trade off more pieces and get more draft picks. I don’t know what pieces you’re trading off from this roster. Like unless you went out and got a Kyle Palm Mary and it didn’t work and you sucked and you traded him off for a first, like, okay, maybe. But you’re making your picks regardless. And if there aren’t major injuries with this team and you’re back in the top five range, something went horrendously wrong. Like if if Jeremy Swayman is healthy throughout next season and Charlie Mackel, Hampton London are healthy and Elias Lindto and David Poshnock are healthy and you’re in the top five, like holy crap. That is horrible. Like I’ve said before, I don’t think they’re Cup contenders next year, and I I’m having a tough time right now seeing them being a a surefire playoff team or even, you know, a wild card team, but they’re not going to be a lottery. They’re not going to be a lottery team. Um, so but that’s not sucking like finishing finishing with like the 14th pick is not sucking. You competed. You contended. It’s not fun being in the middle. No man’s land kind of sucks, but like to to suck for one more year, I don’t see them doing that. Um, as for Launch Melis, UMass guy, so I’m a fan. Um, was on fire in the AHL, from everything I’ve heard from like talking to Diver, who’s obviously a Providence Bruins expert there all the time, he needs a season in the AHL. like you can’t expect him to jump up and uh you know catapult himself past Patra and Mitten and Murculof and those guys. If he does that’s fantastic but I think the realistic expectation is that he’s back in the next year. Uh let’s get the next question. Tim asks feeling more and more like Bees should stay away from bigger ticket UFA market. How would you feel with them adding to their core with proven vets looking for change of scenery aka Krider, Hubedo, Braden Shen, Pejo? Um, in terms of staying away from the bigger ticket UFA market, as a rule of thumb, I typically believe that I think it’s bad to get in with those highriced UFAs. You have to overpay. There’s also a reason those guys got to market. Mitch Marter, I’ve kind of thrown that all out the window for u just given that he’s Mitch Martner. I mean, look at the stats he has. So, like if there was a path to get Mitch Mner, if they really like wanted him, which I think they absolutely should at least pitch him on and and be in the mix for I I don’t know how you say no to that. Um, but if you did go that other direction of like vets who, you know, Krider who can provide um, uh, depth goes back to what I said earlier. You you you know, I’m assuming Tim, you’re not getting all these guys. You can’t. It’ be insane. And I assume you mean like one or two of those guys, which is perfectly reasonable. You do need you do though need to have um spots in the in this lineup for young guys to at least feel like they have a shot at and feel like there’s that upward mobility. There’s a thing to work for. You do need that. You can’t always just kind of patch it up with band-aids, which would be what Krider or Hubedo would be. Um they certainly would help. And this sort of like going that direction though hits at what I’ve been saying all along is you cannot waste David Postnox Prime. You can’t do it. you can’t do it. I do like what they’re doing with draft picks, but you do also need to be competitive and contend for the playoffs and all those things. And if you found a way to get Hubedo or like a Braden Shen, that does help you like those guys can be pencled in that veteran leaders, but they also can be pencled in for a certain number of points that a younger player can’t be penciled in for. So, if they did go that direction, it kind of hits at what I said with Kyle Palm Mary of like I’d be intrigued like if you want to put that guy on your third line. Now, also like I I’d have to go look and see what Krider and Hubo make. I think Krider’s at like 6.5 million. I’d rather not go down that road at this time, but if you want to go down a, you know, go get a cheaper proven veteran who can give you 15 to 20 goals and 35 to 50 points, like I’m all for it. I’d be open to it. Um, but I don’t know how many of those you can get given that you do have young guys who, you know, even Fabian Lel is in the mix. So, like you do have younger guys internally um that you have to look at as well. But I agree. I I think it’s an interesting thing because you don’t want to keep wasting uh Postronox Prime. Seven-year Chris Stitch. I’m not sure I know what that means. But uh who is their profile picture? I can’t tell who their profile Oh, I can’t tell their profile picture is. It’s probably an old Bruin who I should absolutely know. Um who I don’t which is I think he’s This looks before my time. Sorry about that. Uh, they ask, “Is Matt Potra a legit NHLER next year?” In parenthesis, I’m not hopeful. He didn’t exactly take huge steps this year, 33 games last year, 33 games this year with fewer goals. Um, is he a legit NHLer next year? I think there’s a chance. Like, I think there’s an absolutely a chance. That’s another question that’s coming about Potra, um, and what he can be. like it wouldn’t shock me if he wins the the job for the 3C uh or somehow, you know, is so good that he moves into the second line center role. He also had a very good regular season in Providence. So, like I know that the NHL numbers were lower than they were, but again, it’s a small sample size. Providence was good. Um I’m not saying he’s going to be a legit NHL or that he’s going to be a third line center next year, but it wouldn’t shock me if he was. So, like I I wouldn’t put that out of the question. Um, KG asks, “Everyone’s saying the Bees will be back as a wildcard team, but if they do not realistically attract any major free agent, how is that possible? There is no top six, only a top three carried by Pasta.” KG, you listen to this show because I completely agree. Uh, this is why I want Mitch Mner. I can’t say it enough. This is why I want Mitch Mner. David Posterno drives play on that first line and that’s awesome, but he’s can’t be on the ice the entire game and they just lack high-end offensive talent and you hope that someone like Casey Middlestat um can bring you that and you hope that someone like Elias Lindholm can uh mirror the production he had at Worlds or at the end of uh the regular season, but those aren’t guarantees and Mner is a guarantee. Mner is an 80 plus point guy automatically automatically and he can drive play on that second line. So like and and think of what that would do for the power play. So I agree KG. Um unless they do unless they it’s like Marner or unless it’s um a big trade and they go out and get a you know a big guy or something who can slot into that top six and make an immediate impact and you know be a lock for 70 plus points which again is going to be really hard to do. Yeah. I I I I don’t know. Like they’re going to compete. They’re going to contend and I think they’re going to be a very defensive team. I think they’re going to be a very defensively minded group next season. Lowscoring, low goals against and that’s going to be that is 100% their path to competing with Montreal and Ottawa and Toronto and Tampa uh and Florida. That’s what I think that the the route’s going to be. So maybe they go out and add another defenseman to make that happen. Uh, Puddle Glum asks, uh, “With the Bruin system being so depleted, why did they draft a significant project like LNO instead of a player who could contribute quicker?” It’s a good question and it’s a question I think we’re going to ask a lot in the future, especially if Dean Lerno does not pan out. Um what I mentioned earlier with McQueen with like he has legitimate number one center upside. It is so it’s rare to have centers who have legit number one upside. Just because uh a center like a Denoier or a friendell is a top 10 projected pick does not mean that they are projected to be a number one center in the NHL. the the MO on this the top 10 in this draft is you’re going to get a lot of good NHL players, but how many truly like great ones are there going to be? That’s where it seems to be a little bit murky. Um LNO at what was I think was like 23 or 24 last year. It’s one of those picks. Um they believe the Bruins believe that if he pans out, he’s a number one center in the NHL. He has the size for it. He has skill. He’s a good skater for his size. like the off the the offensive ceiling there is what they drafted him for. And I would I would say like the chances of him being a bust are probably greater than him hitting but where they were picking in the in the draft in the 20s like yeah you take a swing. you take a swing and I agree like you don’t have the system is depleted but the system also is devoid of a true like potential number one center someday if LNO gets it together at BC in the next couple years yeah he has that number one center potential 6’7 good skater high skill like good offensive awareness like yeah that that guy is a steal if he ends up hitting but if he misses it’s like oh my god um so yeah that’s the reason the reason is the number one center projection Not so much, oh my god, they need someone who can contribute quick and now that would be nice. I agree. But if the number one center for this team, then you you take that. Not saying that’s going to happen, but that’s the reason they ended up drafting him. Uh Marian fan 63, I wonder how they feel about the Marshian trade. Uh asked Evan, in your opinion, if Sterm gets the head coach gig, does he have to keep Sacko and Kelly? I really want fresh eyes on this team and not sure those guys add much value. Um and then some some that actually got like two other people replying Stephen Gilbert and Cam Bal asks you know kind of followed up with similar things um because Montgomery didn’t get new assistant coaches um and Camal says glad someone else has the opinion. Marian Fan it’s a great question. I’m with you. I’m with you. I want fresh eyes on this team. I do. I think they need it. Um, I think this next head coach, if it is Marco Sturm, should get to pick who his assistants are or, you know, have a say in it at least. Um, so I I say start fresh. I say start fresh. I’m all for it. Um, one interesting thing with Sacko is I’ve heard this sentiment of like, well, he’s likely probably not going to get the head coaching job or keep it. Move him back to associate head coach. And maybe it’s true. He’s been there a long time. Brings a lot of value. They clearly like him a lot. He’s been in this franchise for I think 14 years. Um, and I I’m sure he has value, but isn’t that difficult? Like the former head coach is on that bench with you. Is that a weird dynamic? I don’t know. I I think I think that raises the question of like that next guy, if it is Marco Stury, and like my god, the guy who had that job is right here. And sometimes that can work. I mean, you see it like in the NBA with the Celtics, not so much an associate head coach and Brad Stevens moved up, but like Brad Stevens sort of hovering over Joe Moula. Like, couldn’t that be weird? And it seems like that doesn’t it isn’t a problem, but having Sacko then be under the next guy after being the guy? I think it’d be a little weird. So, I agree. Start fresh. I’m with you, Mar. Champagne 63. James asks, this is a fun one. If you could reverse one Bruins trade, which one would it be? Um, I’m going to keep it to the 2010s. We’ve talked a lot, excuse me about trades in the 2020s and different ones like that. And these obviously have the benefit of hindsight. An easy one is like what would the Bruins have looked like with Tyler Sean instead of Louis Ericson in 20134. Um, and sort of all the whatifs. I hate to do the anti-Lou Ericen thing because Petra Maguire I mean this is going to this is going to hurt him. Um, but I wonder what Sean would have been on that 13-14 team. That was a wagon by the way instead of Erikson. And Eriken had a pretty good year like completely. But like what would Sean have been? And I also wonder what would their future have been down the middle. So at the time obviously Berson and Creeche. Where does Sean fit in? Like do they let like Crerachche go to keep Sean? Do they trade Sean a couple years later? Uh, do they let Sean’s value get bigger and suddenly they get a bigger return? I don’t know. But that’s one trade I would be interested in reversing just to see what Sean could have been here. Um, I know obviously he hasn’t won in Dallas, so people are like, he’s a career loser, but like he also is a has been a very consistent point producer his entire career. Um, so that’s one. Another one, what would the Bruins have looked like if they kept Douggee Hamilton? And I’m not saying they absolutely should have, but like do they then draft Makavoy a couple years later? And I’m not saying that they like shouldn’t have drafted Makavoy. I’m saying like how much that having Douggee Hamilton probably would have changed quite a bit. Um but even like they traded him in 15 like the 1516 team with Douggee Hamilton. What does that look like? How does he evolve here offensively? Uh what does he give you on the back end? Is he still back there for you? Um, I know he was a little weird, maybe a little bit of an outcast in that dressing room, didn’t really fit their culture. Um, but if you took all that stuff out of it, like watching him grow with this team and the big piece in that trade was that 15th overall pick. So maybe the 2015 draft isn’t looked upon so badly um, if you never trade him. And this isn’t a reversal of a trade, but I would have loved to have seen what Rick Nash would have been in 20189. Loved it. Like I remember someone tweeted uh this I forget the Bruins Twitter account name but they like Bruins throwbacks or something and they tweet like throwback clips and they tweeted Rick Nash’s first goal against Carolina and I remember being in college and watching that game and watching that goal and being like he is a juggernaut like the Bruins have something in Rick Nash he’s going to be insane like blah blah blah like I remember thinking he was going to be incredible next to David Craig and it’s a shame concussions ended his career but like you think about 2018 2018 19 and what was the one thing they missed a top six wing for David Crerache. They just couldn’t quite find it and he was that and I just think in 20189 it would have been fascinating to see what he could have been. Uh but that’s not really a trait reversal. That’s just sort of like a revisionist history type thing. Um, the Slowb Bro asks, “Are you worried about Sterm’s poor power play numbers with LA uh and with the Ontario rain if he does become the head coach?” Um, it’s an interesting question. I know that his numbers, the power play numbers were down with both those places. I’m more focused on the assistant he tasks with running the power play or they the Bruins task with running a power play. That’s who I’m concerned with. Who are the assistants? Who’s in charge? and what’s their record with the power play and what can we kind of gain and garner from that? Where are they going to have Posternok? I did like last year that they took Postnak out of just the one-time spot because again, I think it was KG who said earlier like they just don’t have enough high-end talent. I would agree. Teams could just bunker down on Postnak with the one-timer and, you know, do a four on four on three everywhere else on the ice. I like that they got Posternok moving, setting plays up, getting defenses to move, trying to get plays open. I like that. So, I hope that ex assistant who runs that power play goes with that. Um, Aes asks, “Who is a realistic candidate internal or via trade or free agency to take Brandon Carlos spot?” This is interesting. I don’t think there is one in house. I don’t I don’t think that there is. I mean, Henry Yokohi Haru maybe like I I think Yokohi Haru is definitely an interesting one. Um I had it right here. I have it in my notes somewhere. Um I Yoki Haru is an interesting one cuz like I think he was making like he probably comes in somewhere around like three I would assume. Um so maybe you resign him. He looked okay with Zidor off at times. He also played an elevated role, so he would likely be a a second pairing defenseman instead of a first cuz he was basically a first pairing defenseman when uh Carlo was traded and Lindol and Makavoy were out. Um, free agent wise, you do have cap space. Do you try to go big for Aaron Neckblad? Like I I would probably go against that. I have a better idea for how you would get your uh future second line right defense second pairing right defenseman. Um but Eklad’s only 29 and he does have value brings leadership. So like that’d be interesting. I think he’s probably somewhere around like seven seven and a half. A team is probably going to blow you out of the water for that though. Although he would fit in your lineup. It’s just how is he going to age is the biggest thing. In a perfect world, I would love to offer sheet Noah Dobson. I would love to offer sheet noon. He’s an RFA, but I don’t think that’s going to happen because the Islanders are probably, well, not probably, they are gonna bring him back. I would love Noah Dobson. Um, Dante Fabro is one that people keep mentioning. Um, almost 27 years old, good season with Columbus. Um, Sweeney loves his former first rounders. If you can get him on the cheap, maybe that’s a guy that you look at. Uh, and then via trade, it’s always tough to tell who’s going to be available, but like I was reading Frank Sarah Valley’s trade board, and he had Rasmus Anderson from the Calgary Flames, I think, at like number six or seven on his list. Um, high offensive guy. I think he had 11 goals last year. So, maybe that’s a guy you look at, but again, how much is that going to take in a trade? Are you giving up draft picks or prospects? And that’s sort of where you’re like, I don’t know. I don’t know if I fully want that. Um, Brendan asks, “Who are some second round options that you like?” Um, good question. This is exactly what I was talking about, the second pair right shot defenseman. Um, to me, you have two second round picks. You got to use one on a big right shot defenseman. Now, the one I love is Carter Amo. It’s a little bias cuz, you know, Hockey Journal like he’s from Westbrook, Maine. I just love his game. I think he’s a fant a great skater. Um, I think he brings a physical element. He has a fantastic stick. He has had some knee and leg issues the last couple years. That’s why he’s in the second round and not the first. Uh, from the people I’ve talked to, they believe that once he gets to BEu, their medical team’s going to handle him and he’ll be all good. Um, he’s an he’s going to be an awesome pickup for the Terriers next year. He’s someone I would love. Pton Kettles is another one. He’s 6’5. Mason West 66. Mason West actually, interestingly enough, also a football player and I believe story I just read just chose hockey over football. So that could boost his draft stock quite a bit. Um and then uh Max uh Shinichka, I want to make sure I’m saying that right. Max Shinichka, which the Athletic actually had the Bruins taking. He’s 6’4. Um so those are four guys I would look at in that spot. Um, and then for your other one, like I think you’re looking at for your other second round uh pick, you’re looking at best available left shot defenseman center. They’re a scoring wing there. I I preach it until I’m blew in the face. Second round picks have value and you should be hitting on your second round picks because they’re often guys who are overlooked in the first round for their height. Maybe they’re not the best skater. Maybe they’re, you know, they have one little thing that’s off that doesn’t make them a first round pick. Um, so second round picks still have a ton of value. Um, Timothy asks, “Evan, do you think they move on from Corposal this summer if they can move him?” I would assume they probably do. Um, and then I believe this is the last question. Have we done all of them? I think we’ve done all of them. Um, God, this is incredible. Yeah, I think we Oh, there’s a couple that I think we haven’t hit. So, I’ll hit on those in a second. I’ll wait I’ll wait till the fun question at the end. Um, CJ Kelly asks, “What’s the plan with Merc? I think he wants to trade and the Bees will agree since it seems he’s not part of their future plans.” Uh, I don’t know for sure if that’s the deal. I’ve mentioned before like if I was him, I’d probably want out. It’s certainly crowded around him, but we’ve seen how good he’s been at the AHL level. Haven’t really seen it yet at the NHL level. Um, I also not a huge fan of trading him just because I don’t think his value is particularly high at the moment. The one thing I would say is Sweeney loves internal competition. loves internal competition. So I like Mercur brings that internal competition for guys like Potra and Luxmellis and Mitten. Uh and he’s been in their system for a while. So like I I I don’t know if they’re trading him this year, but I’m very curious to see what he if he’s back in Providence to begin next year because he is an RFA after next season. So this is kind of make or break this year. Uh let’s see if I missed anything. Sorry you have to watch me scroll on my phone just scrolling through Twitter uh questions. I want to make sure I didn’t miss anything cuz you I love you guys. Um, did I answer this? A squ asked, “Do you anticipate a style of play change with the incoming coach? Feels like offense has been hard to come by for years and we don’t play quality D within a system that doesn’t have high producing offense. Younger uh the results we just say this past year.” I don’t understand the last part, but the first part I do anticipate a style change actually. It’s a great question. a squared. I think they’re going to be a defensive team. Like they were under Cassidy. Um like they were under Clo. Like they I said this a little bit earlier. I think I think they’re going to be uh you know ranking high in goals against like ranking good in goals against and middle to lower tier in goals for. Um now Marco Sturm comes from the Kings who are notorious for their 131. They changed it to a 122. uh he mirrored a lot of what they did in Ontario. I do wonder if he does a similar thing here where they play very stingy in the neutral zone. Um one big thing obviously is you don’t want the off the offensive team to have clean zone entries. Um and having a great 131 helps do that. It forces teams to chip and chase. um you know and again like having to go then go for 50/50 pucks is a much lower percentage uh chance at scoring a goal than it is if you enter the offensive zone cleanly. Um so I do wonder if they get more stingy in the neutral zone, but I would assume in the D zone it’s cracking things down uh like they used to defending the house. And then I wonder like offensively, Connor mentioned this on Poke the Bear with me uh which is I think out now or it should be out soon. Are they going to be a shot quantity team or are they going to be quality over quantity? They are not good enough to be quantity quality over quantity. They should be throwing everything at the net or more or less that. That sounds insane to just say, “Oh, you’re along the board sort on net.” But like they need to be m you know prioritizing getting the most amount of shots possible, which is something they sort of strayed away from in recent years. So I think those are going to be the style changes this upcoming season. What else? What else? What else? What else? I don’t want to miss anything. I feel bad like someone asked a question and I just avoided it. [Music] Um God, let’s see. You guys are just skipping ahead because you’re like, he’s just taking forever. Um I think we’ve got everything. We’re at like the 53 minute mark anyway. So, we’ll get to the fun question. Um Bartman Blues with a Canadian flag emoji asks, “What are your five favorite bands?” That’s a great way to end. We’ll end on some good music. Um, The Who. I’ve always loved The Who. It’s mainly for their album Who’s Next, but like Bubba O’Reilly is such a banger. Um, they’re so I’ve never seen them live. I’ve also grown up at a time when they’re not kind of in their prime live era. Um, but they to me, I love The Who. Uh, I would also add in You Two. You two has a what feels like a million bangers. They kind of pissed off my generation. You two did when um they just kind of had Apple automatically download their music to everybody’s library. I think that was like 10 probably 10 plus years ago now. Um and everybody’s like screw you too. I hate you too, but like go back to the 90s and 80s and that music is fantastic. Um I love you too. I wish I saw you two at the uh what’s the place in Vegas? The Sphere. I wish I saw them at the Sphere. I feel like that would have been such a cool like trippy experience. Um, who else? I love Cold Play. I love Cold Play. Um, I think their music is awesome. It’s a shame that their Super Bowl halftime show was during the day. Like they are a perfect night performance. They have a million colors and it’s just good vibes. Like Coldplay is just fun. Viva Levita might be my like favorite song ever. Like historically speaking, I love that. That was the first song I ever downloaded on my iPod when I was in like fourth grade. I got an iPod touch. I was stoked. First song I downloaded was Viva Levita. And that was when music costs like 99 cents per song. Second song I ever downloaded, Dominic the Donkey. Yeah, that’s how you know I was like 10 years old. It was freaking banger of a of a Christmas song. So those are my two songs. But bottom line, Coldplay, outstanding. Um, and then the Beach Boys. I love the Beach Boys. Like as I said with Coldplay, like good vibes. Like there’s nothing like sitting on a beach listening to the Beach Boys with like a Corona in hand and just like a good a good day. Like a nice sunny day. You can’t you can’t beat that. Um I struggled with a fifth band. I struggled with a fifth band. I think I’m not a music expert. I’m not like I I don’t have like one genre that I love, but like growing up for me at least, you know, I I was born in 1999. Growing up in the 2000s and the 2010s, bands weren’t a huge thing. Like you look back and like the the major bands of history, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who. A lot of them are 60s,7s, 80s. Uh you know, I love Queen as well, obviously. Um but like I didn’t grow up with a ton of bands. Um there’s obviously like the Jonas Brothers, but like all love to the Jonas Brothers. They’re not in my top five. Um this isn’t my top five now, but I grew up loving them. The Wiggles. I grew up absolutely adoring the Wiggles as a kid. It was my first concert. I haven’t listened to the one of their songs in forever, but like Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy, banger. Holds up to the test of time. Um, but uh, yeah, I mean, that’s my favorite band from when I was a kid. Not so much anymore. Can’t say I’m listening to a lot of Wiggles now or watching a lot of Wiggles, but someday, you know, when if when I have kids, uh, they will be indoctrinated by the Wiggles. That’s for sure. because I sure was. I think that’s a good place to end it. I think that’s a good place to end it. If you ever want, you know, it’s funny. Um, I think about this all the time. If you ever want like Connor, Ryan, and I or me, Connor, and Ty to ever do an episode where you ask us questions that have nothing to do with Bruins and to do a podcast just for YouTube or whatever, um, let me know. I think that’d be really fun. Ask us questions about just random stuff, what we think of certain things. Get us going on pop culture. Um, so I think that’d be fun. But if you don’t want that, that’s cool, too. Uh, that’s Bruinsbee. That is Bruinsby. This I almost spent an hour just talking to myself here. Oh my god. Uh, but I hope you enjoyed it. We’ll talk to you very soon. Uh, and have a great rest of your week. [Music]

On this week’s show, Evan Marinofsky rides solo and answers listener questions on everything to do with the Bruins. From the new coaches’ style to the future of Matt Poitras and free agents, Evan dives into everything.

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