Analyzing Listener Trade Ideas (Mailbag) | The Skate Pod, Ep. 460

Analyzing Listener Trade Ideas (Mailbag) | The Skate Pod, Ep. 460

Welcome in to episode 460 of the Skate Podcast. I am Brian D. Feliz joined by Bridget Pru and Scott Mclofflin. And Bridgen, Scott, how are you this morning? We have another mailbag to get to today because again, it’s just kind of a slow time of year, but we have plenty of content to get to. I’m good. I got to see Messi play soccer at Gillette last night. So, that was exciting. First time I’ve ever seen him in person. I saw a Gillette popcorn time. Indeed. Yeah. I was I was fortunate enough to be in a a luxury suite. Brag. Um and yes, they had they had popcorn. So, that that that’s what you get for for being in a luxury suite. Like can’t can’t just get popcorn anyway, you know. Scott, can you can you explain Messi being uh playing at Gillette and playing in in the league he is in in hockey terms? I know sometimes like you’ll see that sometimes something will happen in a sport and fans of of another sport will be like, can you put this in NFL terms, football, you know, basketball terms? It would be like Conor McDavid, say at age 33, 34 where like he’s still really good but maybe past his prime going over and playing in like Sweden or something like a league where you would never see an all-time great. Um, you know, like MLS has gotten some really good players at the ends of their careers, but then like Messi is just a whole different level, a whole new phenomenon. He’s the greatest player ever. And when he came over to MLS, he was still really good. Like he won the first year he came over, he won the Ballon door as the best player in the world. And so now, I think he’s in his third season here and he’s still awesome. Like I mean Argentina just won the last World Cup. Um so it really is un like it passes your David like your David Beckham or Kaka or like whoever else you’d want to throw in that conversation. Ronaldo. It blows all them out of the water. Is is Ronaldo uh one of those guys? Well, he he’s never come over here. So he he ended up he actually just took the bag to go to Saudi Arabia and get all the oil money and make like $150 million a year or whatever. Um but Messi clears all those guys in terms of just career accolades and and talent. You’d think Yeah. I mean that the only conversation would be Messi versus Ple, but I think I think by winning a World Cup, I think Messi passed him. Scott’s a big soccer guy. I think you’ve brought that up before, but um my friends have season tickets to the Revs and they sold that just that game and they already made back their entire price of their season ticket. So the rest of the year is free. Yeah, they’d already seen them last year, so they they didn’t they and they couldn’t like they were busy this week anyway, so when they sold it, like they just straight up made all of their money back. So yeah, it it it was it was great cuz like there were questions about whether he was going to play cuz Inter Miami like little bit of a deep dive here, but like they’ve had a really busy schedule and they had I think a game Saturday, Wednesday, and then another game coming up on Saturday. So people were wondering like, you know, would he get a rest game somewhere in there? And fortunately, he played. All right, before opening shifts, let’s just let’s just talk about it. Let’s just get this out of the open. soccer and football. I don’t I never understood it. It makes sense why American soccer is called football over in Europe. I don’t understand what the word soccer means here in the US and I don’t understand why American football is called football. I you don’t really play it with your feet. So, I’m a little confused by that. Always have been. I haven’t mentioned it until this point, but I wanted to clear my You’re on Europe side on this one. I think so. I mean, it it does make sense. It does make more sense. My my my hottest my hut take on that is that it just doesn’t really matter. Just just just say whatever you’re comfortable calling it and people will figure it out. That they’ll put together the context clues and know what you’re talking about. That’s true. I mean, don’t get me wrong. It’s soccer in my mind obviously because of the Americanized version of they don’t call they don’t call it a field. They call it a pitch. I think they call cleats like boots or there’s definitely different terminology for pretty much everything. And like there are also places in Europe, like specifically parts of the UK, that also call it soccer or at least used to. Like there’s been a movement to push back against that. But um I will say on the American football thing, part of that is that when if like you want to really get into the history of it, go back to the 1800s. Um when it started with like at the college level, they did use their feet a lot more. There was a lot more kicking and punting like teams would even punt on like first down just to flip the field like it there were bizarre stuff h happening. Yeah. Yeah. That back then when there was no helmets a totally different game if you watch no people people died like frequently playing that game. So, I mean to be I don’t even know what if it’s if American football wasn’t called football, I don’t even know what a what an alternative name would be because it’s kind of hard to describe the it is hard to describe the sport in any other way really. Um, whatever. We do have some European uh listeners. They’ll they’ll be comments this week, I think. That is true. That is true. All right. Why don’t we get to the opening shifts? I I’ll go first because I tweeted about this article yesterday, but Daily Face Off had a good article on rebuilds and the headline is simply, “Do rebuilds actually work in the NHL?” And it first it comes up with a definition of what they’re going to use for what a rebuild is. and they they determine that a rebuild starts when a team has at least two bottom 10 finishes, including a bottom eight finish in a three-year period. So, basically just not not just one down year, not two or three middling years, like two legitimately really bad years. Um, rebuild ends when a team makes the playoffs in consecutive years or wins the Stanley Cup in its return to the postseason. So basically, it’s not counting like fluke season, made the playoffs, got knocked out, and then sucked for seven more years, right? So like like the Canadians freak run to the Stanley Cup final in 2021 by this definition didn’t end their rebuild because it continued after that. Yeah. and also under the weirdest possible circumstances. So, so like I think that’s a you could like nitpick, but I think that’s a pretty good definition. Um, not going to go through all the data because there’s a lot of it, but basically the conclusion it comes to is that there actually have been a lot of effective rebuilds over the last 20 years. It focuses on the salary cap era. Uh but they take on average 8 and 1/2 years and over the last decade. So like it basically they were shorter right after the salary cap came in and over the last decade they’ve actually been trending longer. There’s been more of these rebuilds now that have stretched on past 10 years. um including the the Florida Panthers who by this definition their rebuild took 20 years before they finally snapped out of it and obviously now have won back-to-back cups. But that actually makes sense to me that that it takes longer now because I mean back then pre this like the salary cap like if you really were bad you just throw money at it like you could theoretically just throw money at it and you you’d get it done. So if you are like the Canadians who were obviously a powerhouse, you just and your fans have an appetite for you not, you know, doing a rebuild, you just throw money at it. And and also, you know, they when did it stop that they used to get the first overall pick uh Canadian pick every year? What do you mean? So, like back in the day, they used to automatically get the best Canadian player. So, well, first off, that that not technically how it actually worked. Um, but that that stopped being a thing like in the 70s. Yeah, that was a while ago. But yeah, so like I could see like throwing money at it being being just an easy way to get out of it, but you can’t do that anymore. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and like the advent of the salary cap really shook up a lot of teams like in the immediate aftermath of it. Like a lot of players became free agents because teams really had to adjust to manage the cap um and weren’t really just like weren’t used to it yet and weren’t managing it very well. So, um, more good players hit free agency and like you see that this year like now, you know, it reverted a little bit during COVID because the flat cap again like forced more players to become available, but now with the cap going up, you’re going to go back to seeing not as many good players get to free agency, which means you just you would have to rely on drafting and and trades theoretically, but a lot a lot of it does end up going on drafting because those those contracts at least at the entry level are affordable compared to if you’re trying to trade for someone that’s already in their prime. Yeah. And I guess very last thing I’ll say before we can move on is obviously the tie into the Bruins here is they sit on sort of this precipice where this could go either way. Like they’re not in a rebuild right now. Right now they’ve had one down year. So, by this definition, they would need a second, but as I’ve said before, like you can very easily slide into that. We we’ve already talked about how, you know, we think like this se upcoming season could go sideways. Like it could be another lottery year, another top 10 pick type of season. Well, by this definition, that would start a rebuild. Like that would be a rebuild. So, Bruins could be entering into this conversation or they could actually pull off the successful retool and avoid that second, third, fourth really bad year. Yeah. And I I tend to think that that that is more likely than them going into a seven or eight year thing just because I do think that you have you have a decent core, right? You have one of the best swingers in hockey. you have when he’s on his game a top 15 defenseman. Um, we’ll see if Swimming can be a top 10 goalie and that’s if he can be right. That’s that’s a that’s a good that’s a solid start. And I do think that with a prospect like James Higgins, I do think that’s that’s a that’s a gradea prospect that they now have in their system that can be in their top six, I would say, starting maybe as soon as next season. And I do think Scott, whether it’s free agency or trade or probably something in, you know, one of those two options, and maybe it’s more likely trade, I do think that they will somehow someway supplement this roster in the next, you know, 12 months with a with a with a true top six caliber forward uh with pro probably in their prime. I I don’t know how, but I would if you were asking me, Brian, if if in a year, year and a half, do you think that there is like a Martin Nas or something like that on this roster? Like, I would say, yeah, I think there probably could be would be, but to your point, Scott, it’s not it’s anything but a certainty. Um, and and if that was the case, if you if you were able to supplement this roster in, you know, a year or so and you combine that with their current core and some younger kids coming up, man, it it shouldn’t be 6 to 8 years, but the key word there shouldn’t. So, we’ll have to see how it plays out. Um, so my opening shift has to do with a player that’s no longer available to the Bruins on that front. And it’s somebody who I, you know, I wrote earlier this summer, 10 bold moves the Bruins could do, and this was one of them. Um, and that’s trading for Isaac Howard. Howard was drafted into the Tampa Bay Lightning system, 31st overall in 2022. Just didn’t see eye to eye with the organization. The the feeling is that he wanted to be in the NHL earlier than Tampa Bay was probably willing to allow. So, they kind of came to terms uh that we’re going to move on from each other. It’s just a matter of when, not if. And for Tampa Bay, they they wanted to get it done sooner than later, so they traded him to the Edmonton Oilers um for Sam O’Reilly. Now, Sam O’Reilly was the 32nd uh pick in the first round, last pick in the first round in 2024 um of course by the Oilers. And he uh he played for uh the London Knights last season uh in the OHL. Not their best player, but among them. Um he had 71 points in 62 games. London obviously um Memorial Cup champions this past season. And so I I saw a lot of chatter out there that uh it’s a it’s a swindle for the Oilers and it very well may be. I mean Isaac Howard is a reigning Hobie Baker winner and a very very high-end prospect despite going 31st in 2022. But I’m sure Tampa Bay is getting a decent prospect here in Sam O’Reilly. Uh, I want maybe maybe a team maybe Tampa Bay could have gotten more from somebody else, but we we don’t know what plays into this decision. Maybe Howard really wanted to go to Edmonton. I don’t know how much control he even had. Probably none cuz he was just a they just had his rights. So, I would bet very little. Yeah. So, it, you know, I don’t know if anything was done to to to favor the player in this situation. But in any event, um Howard’s going to Edmonton and so Boston or anybody else is not an option. Um and and and the reason I bring it up over the summer and even now is because the cost wasn’t high to get him. I mean, Tampa Bay wanted to they essentially wanted what they invested in Howard, right? So, they at least wanted a late first round pick or a you know, maybe a couple of seconds or a second in a prospect or something. And and the reason that Tampa Bay wanted to trade him now is because um if they waited until, you know, later, I think maybe next summer or something like that. The only thing that they can get for him would be a compensatory like late second round pick or something like that. So, they got what they can get for him now. But anyway, Howard is off the board. Uh he lands in a good situation in Edmonton. So, um curious to see how that works out. Do would you guys have traded one of the one of the Bruins first round picks next year? The the later of the picks or the or the uh the pick they got from the Marshon trade? Yeah, I would have. I don’t know. I don’t think Tampa would have taken that. I think I think Tampa might have preferred to have the actual prospect whose development they can see and and they can project pretty clearly that Samurai is probably going to be an NHL player. It may be more as a third liner like he he has some two-way shutdown abilities. So that might be his role. Um, you know, like the comparison I was thinking of is like he’s probably a a slightly sexier Frasier Minton. Like he’s like that style of of player. Um, probably projects to have a little more offense than Minton. So, you know, like if you have the Bruins, maybe that’s the trade. Maybe it’s like Minton plus something because you’d have to beat an O’Reilly offer and and Tampa Bay, you know, the other reason is they probably didn’t want to send him in in in division, right? They sent him as far away from Tampa as possible. Tampa Bay to Florida to Edmonton, Alberta. So that that’s probably at play as well. Yeah. And and we will get to because I teased this last episode. this we will have a mailbag portion of this episode a little bit you know right when we finish our opening shifts and we did get some questions about trades uh potential trades because even if the Bruins did make that trade for Howard that doesn’t solve their need for a top six guy right now right so well but I mean Howard could be that within a year or two top six or middle I would say more I would say more middle six, but like I I could see him being a second line wing. I think that’s like within the range of outcomes for him. That it is funny that you asked that question though, Bridget. Top six, middle six, cuz it’s it’s it’s like if it’s second line, it’s overlapping, right? Yeah. But I do I think I do think like people in the prospect world make that distinction though. Yeah, I do too. Um, and so anyway, we will get to some people’s ideas of maybe getting creative of what the Bruins could do now that they didn’t get a top six guy in free agency. I mean, you could unless you call Arvdson, but a different impact player that they think that the roster still may be in need of. So, we’ll get to that in just a second, but I will quickly get into my opening shift, which has to do with some some Bruins prospects, including James Hagens. And, uh, USA Hockey just announced their list of players that are invited to the their World Junior Summer Showcase, uh, which is July 25th to August 2nd. And it included four Bruins play prospects. So, that’s a lot. And it does it does indicate to you that uh the Bruins a lot of the Bruins upand cominging players are American. Um and we had a little bit of a conversation about it just before the podcast. Dean Lerno is Canadian so they have him as a first round prospect. But a lot of these guys, some of whom they got in a trade, some of whom they drafted, uh, are good enough to end up on a US World Junior showcase that, as we know, the history of Jun, uh, World Juniors. Those are some of the best prospects to to then enter the NHL eventually. So, it’s James Haggins and Will Moore, who they just drafted uh in this year’s draft, and then Will Zeers, who they traded for, and Elliot Grenleald. Grindleald. Um, all four of them will be in that showcase, which is in Minneapolis. Yeah, we were we were debating uh because I I always thought it was Elliot Grunwald and then just before we started I looked it up and College Hockey Inc. has it as Gronowald. Um, so I fully admit there was not time to like confirm with Quinnipi people and now because Bridge I think you know like I like to get pronunciation of guys names when I talk to them in the locker room and like now I’m kicking myself that I didn’t do that with Grunwald at development camp this week. So yeah, I think I did that with Matt Potra like three times. I was like is it really Patra? He’s like, “Yes, because like we confirmed that and then even like the broadcast kept saying like Quattra and I was like, “Wait, but why is like why is Nessence saying this?” So, I swear I asked him personally like three times like to make sure the the pronunciation is is is uh is is Grindlewald. That’s what he said. Grindlewald is just confirming. Yeah, Grindleald. Yep. Okay. And he plays he plays at uh Quinnipiac. Scott, say it again. Cool whip. Cool. Yeah, cool. And Scott just has like a mounting list of words that he says that just incorrectly, I think. So, yeah, we won’t go down the whole Gala Gala dollar road either. So, we we’ll we’ll spare the listeners today on that. Yeah, we will. All right. So, I’m just not gonna talk anymore. Okay. Bye. Um, so Brian, because Scott’s not part of this conversation anymore. Yes. You ready to get to the mail bag? Love to. Let’s do it. Okay. So, I’m just gonna I’m gonna pull up Oh, and we also, we don’t have to get to this now because I want to do the trade ones first, but we did get an inter a email for Brian specifically from Switzerland that I think we will get to eventually. Um, so if you sent it, we are going to get to it at a little bit later. Yeah. What was what was the sender’s name again, Scott? Was it was something it was like three letters, right? Oh, Skip. Yeah. Yeah. Skip. Um, so I’m going to start with a YouTube comment that I pulled from a few days ago, which is a Ryan Net Hopkins uh trade idea. So, uh, this is MH Marryman from YouTube said, “Just a thought. Ryan Nougat Hopkins for Casey Middlestat and Corposalo. And if the Oilers need a second to make the deal a little bit sweeter, go for it. Give the Bruins a true middle six guy to be between Zaka and Arvidson. Ryan Hopkins has three years left. could slide into a 3C role behind Lynholm and Hagens. Uh when the kid makes it to the show, Oilers get a goalie and they would have a 3C replacement with Middle. So I mean the biggest problem here right off the top is the Oilers would be adding a lot of salary in this case and they have no cap space. So, like right off the top, like it it’s not feasible unless the Bruins are taking back someone else, but I don’t even I don’t even know who that would be. Probably they’re probably a goalie, don’t you think? Uh potentially. Yeah. I mean, you get But like I got to imagine the Oilers are setting their sights higher than Corposalo in their search for a goalie. So, like I trade’s not solving that part of it for them. So, I don’t Yeah, this would be a great trade for the Bruins. I think it I don’t see how it makes any sense for the Oilers unless they thought highly of Corbos and we just I mean he’s a backup right now. So there I was going to say like we we got to we got to be realistic about what Yonas Corposal looks like. Yeah, he’s a backup. He’s he’s okay if he’s splitting time. He’s not a full-time starter. So that doesn’t solve their main issue, which is that they want a guy who they can throw in net the entirety or almost of the Stanley Cup playoffs and trust in them rather than do this whole flip-flopping thing that they they’ve had to do in the playoffs. So yeah, I think that’s a flaw just from a from an Oiler standpoint that it doesn’t it it might not solve what they need the the main thing that they need, which they’ve talked about and their fan base has talked about uh really a lot since even both both this offseason and last off season. And they also would have to think highly of Casey Middlestat in in this situation. Um, if Corposal really doesn’t solve that main need, then they would really have to think middle staff was better than Ned Hopkins in this case. Yeah. And you know, something about Nan Hopkins that’s always been a question in my mind is what he would be away from McDavid and Dry Cidle. I think obviously he’s had a very quiet yet very like respectable NHL career. I think he’s going into his 15th season or he just ended his 15th season and he’s he still looks like he could be 25 years old out there. He has that baby face Nan Hopkins does. But if you look at his his career numbers he had that one season I want to let me see I just pulled it up. It was in 2223 he had 104 points. Amazing season. But if you look at the other, you know, 13 14 seasons, it’s he’s more or less been around a 50 to 55 point guy on average. Couple of seasons in the, you know, 40s, maybe a few in the low 60s, and a bunch in the 50s. So, and that’s that’s with a lot of, you know, the higher end offensive talent around him. And and don’t mistake what I’m saying. I think he would be a great addition to the Bruins. Um, but at 32 years old, you know, are you better off just kind of letting the the natural progression of what happens with the Bruins take place and see if Casey Middlestat at 26 can get you 50 50 points, 55 points. And and and I’m not saying that Nan Hopkins isn’t a better player than middle stat certainly right now, but it’s just something I’ve always wondered because we’ve heard uh his Nan Hopkins’s name for for a couple years now linked to the to the Bruins potentially and I’ve always just had that question. I’ve always been in my head, absolutely, I’ll take him. But I’ve always wondered what he would be on on a different roster and uh and I don’t know how you guys feel about that either. Yeah, I do think you saw in the playoffs this year um for several rounds when the Oilers would load up their they went to the top line of Dryidle, McDavid and Cory Perry and that left Nan Hopkins centering the second line usually was with Evander Kane and Zack Heyman until Heyman got hurt and that was a good line. That was a good second line for the Oilers. So, I I think if you put him as your 2C and have good wingers, like again, Zack Heyman is is a play driver. Like, that’s a really good player to have on on one of his wings to help him out, then you you can get there. And Nan Hopkins does have the versatility to play the wing, too. That’s that4 point season that came when he was largely stapled on the left side of Conor McDavid. um you know so he can do he can do that as well like it I like the player and if he’s available I’m you know I’m interested but I don’t I don’t know that I see the trade that makes sense for the Bruins I mean more likely it would have to involve Swayman like I I think that’s if you’re talking about the Oilers and what they would want from the Bruins I think that’s it so then is Nan Hopkins part of a package that makes that work. Do the Bruins even want to trade Swayman? Should they trade Swayman? Like then you get into all that. So I I think it have to be something bigger than than what this proposed. And I think that yeah, at this exact proposal, it just it would be a big win for the Bruins if they could do if that was just the deal. Um, but that’s why it’s unlikely because nobody wants to lose a trade and uh it just feels like that probably isn’t enough. Uh, so I like the idea cuz I like New Hopkins. Uh, and he probably would be pretty good fit here. I he would be an upgrade potentially for you. um if you believe that he’s better than Casey Middlestat, which I think, you know, that’s that’s realistic to think that. So, uh it would be a great player for the Bruins to get. It just this exact package doesn’t really make sense necessarily for it. So, it would make it difficult. And I feel like Edmonton has been involved in every trade. like they’ve been involved in a lot this off season in terms of their their trades and trying to get better and and when you make it to the the final and you got to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. So, I’m sure they’re taking phone calls and trying to figure out how to how to make that a legitimate Stanley Cup winning team uh right now. He would he would certainly be an upgrade immediately over Casey Middle. Just I mean apples to apples he would be I mean middle stat what was his what was his highest point total Scott was at 57 points or 59 I think 59. So I mean you know sure and now is on a you know a struggling Sabres team. Although the Sabres have had a lot of talent over the years despite their their basement status but so I mean middle stat could be capable of 50 to 60 points. I think Newton Hopkins plays a more mature game. obviously outside of the points. So, he would be an upgrade in that in that sense. I think I I don’t I I I wonder Yeah, I just don’t think it would make a ton of sense for Edmonton because I just don’t think that Middlestat or Corposal really move the needle for them. I think Scott’s right. It would probably have to be something for Swayman. And what’s Na Hopkins’ cap hit right now? I’m just curious. 5.125. Wow. Yeah. So, I mean, you compare that to what Middle Stat’s getting at the same price, right? How about How about this? I I don’t know if Edmonton would do this, but the money works on this. Jeremy Syman to Edmonton for Ryan Nan Hopkins and Steuart Skinner. No salary retained in in either direction. I think that your rebuild is sounding a lot more plausible in that situation. What? How? So, what do you mean? Like you’re I think you’re you’re a goalie away now. I mean, I think the problem is I think I think I think the risk here is and the gamble is for both sides is that if Jeremy Swayman going forward is the Swayman we saw last year, the Bruins are still a goalie away even with him. And but I don’t believe that. I really don’t like I I’m somebody who thinks that that maybe was an anomaly and that we’ll at least see an improvement this season. Uh it’s I that’s what I think when I just based on watching him. so far up to this point in his career. So, and and I I I agree with that, Bridget. I I do think Well, first of all, the bar was so low last year. I I think swimming’s gonna have a better year regardless. But yeah, I think You mean high, right? Bar was high. Sorry. What bar was high? Do you mean? Oh, you mean he set a new low? He he set the bar so low after last season that like it’s it’s tough for him to have a worse season. I think in that if that trade were to happen, I too think it’s probably more likely that Swayman goes to Edmonton and is their missing piece uh and benefits the Oilers and then the Bruins being benefited with an aging Ryan Hopkins who again can give you 50 60 points then a mature two-way game and then a Steuart Skinner who you know he is young is is he younger than Swamman to two cup finals but same age 2 same age I mean he’s been to two cup finals but it’s been in kind of a platoon We all know how, you know, Jackal and Hyde there’s this their situation’s been. So, I don’t despite going to it’s it’s crazy that he’s been to two straight finals and the narrative is that he kind of sucks, right? Like that’s that’s that says something. So, um, but but again, if you’re somebody who is afraid that Swayman isn’t going to live up to his contract and he only has an and his no move kicks in after this season and this is one of the only chances you can get rid of him. Um, and you get new Hopkins in return, you know, it’s hard, Brian. Um, I’d say it has to go beyond just like you think like I you have to be convinced that that contract is going to suck. Like I in my opinion like it would have to be more than just like you have a you you think like it’s not as good but like you you absolutely have to be convinced that that that he’s not going to ever be worth that that contract. So and I just think that that’s not where they are right now. Yeah. And you’d also have to be you’d also have to be convinced that you’re going to be back in the mix in the next couple years because to Brian’s point like Nen Hopkins is 32. So if you’re like yeah he he helps you now. He helps you top six for sure but if you’re going to be four years away he’s not going to be helping you by then. So you got to be convinced that like you’re back in two or three years and that you can figure out the goalending once you are. Whether that’s hey goalie Bob can fix Skinner or Skinner and Corposalo together we can make it work or you know is Michael DP on the pitcher or is there another goalie that we’re going after next summer some somewhere like right like there there would be work to do to to to figure that out for whenever you’re ready to contend again like and I think that’s kind of I do I also think Swam’s going to bounce back. The only reason I would be open to entertaining trades for him is it does kind of feel like that can be the last thing you figure out in a retool or rebuild or whatever you want to call it where it’s like, you know, do you really need a bonafide number one in place through a couple down seasons, especially one who was part of why you had a down season last year. So, um I I might do this. I I ultimately think I would maybe pull the trigger on it. I I feel like if maybe we’re talking about somebody slightly younger than Nid Hopkins. Yes. Right. That would be ideal. Yeah. I think the best way I can the best way I can describe how based off what we know right now, the best way that I would I would try to approach this if I were the Bruins with Swayman is I feel like the Bruins owe it to themselves to go into next season and see if he can be the goalie that you paid him to be. And hopefully that means that he that he is and he can be and that for the next 10 years, you know, 5 10 years that you have somebody who’s capable of being a top 10 goalie in the in the in the world. And if you if you go into the season and you and he and he disappoints you again and he is having a down year in the final season before his no movement kicks in, you’re running the risk of teams around the league looking at him. if you did want to move him then and say, “Ah, yeah, the kid’s been hot garbage for a year and a half. We don’t want him.” Or maybe, just maybe, if he does have a bad year and you get towards a trade deadline, could there be somebody with goalending issues that could say, “You know what? He hasn’t been great in Boston, but Boston’s been kind of blowing it for a couple of years. We know he has raw talent. We’ll take a chance on him.” It would be. I’m not saying it’s likely, but you could you find somebody to take on his contract that’s desperate enough for goalending despite him potentially having a a year and a half off of bad hockey. I still think that’s a possibility, but very unlikely, but I still think it’s worth the Bruins seeing if he can be that guy for them first. Well, so Scott, you might have a better idea of just like the historical precedents for this, but like there’s not a whole lot of huge goalie trade. I feel like that there’s only a handful of of goalie trades that are that big at the deadline. Yes or no? Yeah, I’d have to dive deeper into it. Um, no, you’re right. It’s usually not right. It’s usually not the big big name like Colorado completely turned over their goalending last year where they bring in uh McKenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood, but those are those are smaller moves. Like Mackenzie Blackwood pretty good, but that’s not that’s not a big contract. Um obviously the big the biggest one ever was Patrick Wah getting traded mid-season from Montreal to Colorado. Um, but that was uh really unique circumstances where he gets he gets left in for nine goals against and just straight up tells the GM from the bench, “This is the last game I’ve ever played as a Canadian.” And and it wouldn’t necessarily have to be the trade deadline. It could be December and the Bruins are looking at him being like, “Yeah, 3 months in, he still hasn’t given us what we’re looking for.” And maybe a team, you know, was interested mid-season. Like it doesn’t have to be trade deadline. Obviously, that would just kind of be the last opportunity before the trade deadline comes and goes and then there’s no movement kicks in, you know. But like I said, I think the Bruins I think the Bruins probably owe it to themselves to see if he can be their goalie of the future going forward because I mean to have that to not have to worry about that is is is a luxury. I mean we the Bruins haven’t had to worry about goalending in Boston honestly guys outside of like Hanu Toyven in like in like 05. Like the Bruins have had superb goalending for going on 30 year. I mean honestly tell me the last era that they didn’t have good goalending. Date it back to the you know maybe sometime in like the mid 90s. But I mean that you know at at some point you got you got Byron Defoe um you know and that kind of you know bled in a little bit into you know Andrew Ray Croft you know there’s a little bit of gap there but Ray Croft and you know Thomas and Ras and next thing you know it’s all Mark and Swayman and now it’s Swayman. So I think the Bruins does owe it to themselves to see if hey this player we invested in we know he has the talent. Can he be that guy for us before shipping him away? it you do run the risk of him continuing to disappoint and then teams looking around and being like, “Yeah, we don’t want anything to do with them.” So, it’s tricky, but you hope that he can just be the guy you you paid him to be. That’s that’s the easy solve. Yeah, his value would decrease if you know if you wait and see and then it goes down and you’re like, then you’re not getting as much back either. So, but again, unless you’re like in Edmonton where you’re like or somebody who’s just we have aspirations to go all the way, but if we want to beat the floor, we need goalending and maybe this kid can be it better than what we have, right? So, good question. Yeah. So, uh I’m going to go to our next question that was about uh trade which we got from CJ. I’m gonna skip to part B because part A of his email was basically uh just not feeling like there was enough done to improve the team in free agency uh with the players that they added. So his question is do you still think there’s a chance for trades uh to maybe get some more offensive or offense or picks or clear some cap space? If so, who do you think Sweeney will try to move? Zaka, Middlestat, Patra, Corposalo. So, those are the people he thinks and and we, you know, I feel like Corposalo and Middlestat come up a lot in these uh proposed trade situations. Uh but yeah, guys, if they were to move active players, I guess I’ll I’ll put it that way rather than picks like it’s hard to answer that question first of all because we don’t know what’s coming back, right? I mean, I I think the obvious one is Corposalo. like they’re they’re at least going to entertain trade offers if they get any. And if if he’s around through training camp and preseason, if DPRO beats him out for the backup job, like you’re probably you’re trying to trade Corpus, but then at that point, you’re not just listening. Then you’re probably actively shopping him. So, uh that would be an obvious one. Um, it would frees up about $2.1 million in cap space if you go with DPro instead of Corpusal. That could be not, you know, that’s not going to help you get a bonafide top six forward, but it might help you you get a third liner, which is something I also think this team could use, especially if it’s, you know, maybe someone in their 20s, maybe someone who can be part of this going forward and not just a, you know, a one-year guy like Victor Arvdson. Like if it helps if it if it that would be the ideal, right? is like it’s a Victor Arvdson type player, you know, $4 million or whatever, but someone who’s a little younger and can be here a little longer. So, uh, that’d be the easy one. Middlestad and Zaka, I think you I think they’re here to start the season and, you know, you see how things go and if you’re not where you want to be approaching the trade deadline, then then you you start to think about that then. Um but to me that they’re I’d be surprised if they’re not here um come opening night. Well, they’re they’re the only they’re they’re they’re two of a few players that are capable of generating in a top six role. And that’s something that the Bruins don’t have in spades right now. Now, if you’re talking about which players are, you know, the likely trade targets, it’s still those same players, ironically enough, because if you look around at their roster, you have to look at which players have no movement clauses, right? So, okay, Elias Lynholm, oh, he sucks. They should not trade. No, you can’t trade him. He’s got no movement clauses unless unless he decides to pick up his family and move again. He’s not going anywhere. Passnak’s not going anywhere. Gee is not going anywhere, obviously. Um, so yeah, it comes down to like Pavo Zaka. I think he’s probably the most attractive contract on Boston’s books when it comes to a player that a team could acquire that’s on a good cap hit. Um, but is a is is a is a is a certainty of what he provides in the NHL level. Obviously, every player has ups and downs and ceilings and floors, but if you’re acquiring Pablo Zaka at his cap hit, you know, you’re getting uh, you know, a top six two-way forward that should plug right into, you know, your roster. So, but again, that’s for those same reasons. That’s why the Bruins kind of want to keep him, too. And he obviously has good chemistry and a friendship with with your best forward, which isn’t in of itself a reason to keep somebody around, but it doesn’t hurt things, right? So, um, I think what Scott said is is is something I agree with where I I think they start the season with the two of them. I I wasn’t so sure about that before the draft, but as we’ve seen the draft play out in free agency and we see what the Bruins have for cap space right now and just what their roster looks like. If they went out and got, let’s just say Brock Besser wanted to come to Boston instead of wanting to stay in Vancouver and the Bruins brought in Besser. It’s like, you know, okay, you bring in a top six forward, maybe maybe a Zach or Middlestad is more expendable because you just brought in talent to replace them even though it’s a different position. I just think they’re so bare right now for top six talent that I mean, hell, even Casey Casey Middlestat on a on a on a true deep contender, he’s probably a third liner, right? So like in Boston he’s he’s in their second line right now pencled in. But I just don’t think they’re in in a position right now to just trade away the few one of a few top six talents that they have. Mhm. Yeah. Cuz you’re you’re trading say for a top six guy, but if you lose Zaka, you’re also losing a top six guy. So, uh, I guess maybe the intriguing one is Patra because Patra is has the potential to be a top six guy, I think, at some point, but it hasn’t he hasn’t yet, right? Really. So, I mean, he’s filled in occasionally there, but he more recently has been more of a bottom six and a guy that’s had to go down to Providence for some development as well. So maybe if you you think he’s still got, you know, you you don’t want to take a risk on him developing into a top six guy. You think maybe he might not. Maybe he’s someone you trade for a top six guy. And and I only say that because if you’re trying to find the solution to get a top six guy without getting rid of one of your guys that are currently that, that would kind of be what you would need to do, right? And I know that a lot of our listeners on this podcast are high on Matt Potra and probably would really dislike him being moved, but I only I bring that up because the problem with some of these trades involving someone like Zako would be that you’d lose that. And I think that people are much more okay with middle stat moving than they, you know, even though he is a middle six guy for them right now. his name gets brought up a lot in our our emails that we get because I think people aren’t sold on him really being a second line guy. So, they’re also just a little bit unfamiliar with Middlestep probably like you, you know, he’s been in Buffalo for a long time. You know, he’s got some talent. He was a higher draft pick, but he was kind of in, you know, that that prison over by Niagara Falls that we call Buffalo. And then he goes to Colorado and it doesn’t pin out there. So you’re like, okay, why is he moving around at this young age with this talent? Comes to Boston in a very vulnerable, you know, stretch of hockey for the team. And, you know, he I I thought he was I thought he played fine. Like there’s obviously uh he showed he showcased what he could do at times and other times he showcased what he doesn’t do very well. So I think that people are just kind of like the jury’s out on him and what sometimes when the jury’s out, you’re more apt to be like, “Yeah, I’m undecided on him.” So if you get rid of him, that’s fine. Um, but as far as Pra goes, I just think that because he’s not proven, if you’re going to trade him for a top six talent, he’s, you know, other uh ammunition is going along with him. So, it’s potra plus. And and that’s to that to me is also where it’s kind of like you just got to be willing. Is it potra plus a firstrounder? Like then, okay, you got to be sure cuz he does have the capability. If I’m at Pocha right now, I’m looking at the Bruins depth chart on Daily Face Off and I’m saying, “Hey, hey, hey, why is Victor Robertson plugged into that second line rightwing spot?” Why do why does Bruins management think that he’s going like you, if you’re one of these younger players, it’s easy for people to just pencil in Arbitson on that right side on the second line. If you’re one of these younger players, Lysel, Potra, you know, Blue, Lashallis, you go down the line. You’re in your mind, you’re saying, “All right, old man, I’m pushing you down to the third line. I want that second line spot. So, you want to see these players grab that top six role and push Arbertson down. Um, but I think you’re right, Bridget Potra, you know, he’s probably the highest he’s probably the most valuable asset that you have that hasn’t proved himself to be a top six talent that could potentially bring it back. You just have to package him. Yeah. on Middlestat. Like I, you know, I’ve been pretty clear like I don’t really love his game. I thought he got off to a good start when he came over and then really trailed off. He he had just two points his last 11 games of the season. Um, but I’ve also acknowledged before and will again that it’s really hard to judge him with the linemates he had. I mean, like, he was legitimately playing with a AHLers. And when you’re talking about can a guy claim a second line center role, it’s like, well, can you put him with at least NHL wings, right? Like, at least don’t give them to AHL guys. Um, you know, so whatever you think of Zaka and Arvdson, like those are two NHL wings. So now, okay, you maybe it’s not an ideal second line, but you at least have him on an actual line. So, I think he’ll look better, you know, now whether it’s still whether it’s good enough, whether it’s he runs with second line center job, like very much still up in the air, but this should be a better situation for Middlestad than what he was in down the stretch last season. Um, and then the last thing I would just add on like penciling Arvdson in there, part of it for me too is Arvdson shoots. He’s a shooter. he’s gonna rip pucks on net. Um, and you know, Middlestad and Zaka are both pass first guys. So, if you put someone like Podra on that line, like now you have three pass first guys. At some point, it’s like someone has to shoot the puck. And I at least know if Arverson’s on that line, he’s going to shoot the puck. Can I say one other thing? And that’s a great point, Scott. and and I you know that is realistically why Arbertson is in that spot right now but doesn’t change the fact that if you’re one of the younger players you want to you want to surpass him but you’re right absolutely um one of the reason why I’ve just kind of been a little bit more very much willing to move on from middle stat if if he was part of a deal to help the roster but at the same time there’s a part of me that’s like I could I could still see him being you know I can still see him getting better and I can still see him being a good player here because he’s only 26 years old. But the reason why I’ve been so kind of like maybe a little more optimistic on him is because of how you got him, right? I mean, you traded you got Middlestat in return for an aging Charlie Coyle who’s since been traded from Colorado to Columbus. So now the cap the cap u the cap kind of is similar with those two players but so it’s not like you just got him for free but he was you got him for Coyle. In addition to that you got Zealers and a second round draft pick. So I just to me I just love that trade so much for Boston that you know I I’m I guess that’s kind of why I’m not like ah get out of here middle stack because like it was a good trade for the Bruins. So, I I guess I just kind of want to see if that trade can be even better than what I think it is now. And and maybe that is trading him for something of better value, right? But I’m kind of curious to see just how much of a win this this trade could be for Boston. It kind of feels a little incomplete right now because we haven’t seen him in a full season with NHL line mates. Yeah. And we haven’t seen him like he’s been on the second line, but he hasn’t been with NHL second line guys. He was with Maple Leaf Sledge and Vinnie Vinnie Latry. Yeah, Vinnie. Yeah, he was he was playing with guys that were AHL. So, uh that’s one reason why I think maybe people should if they’re down on him after what they saw in what was a short sample size at the end of last season after the trade deadline, maybe just go in with an open mind that it could get better um under these circumstances. though I think that the the real issue is that when you look at that line as a line, it’s better than what it was at the end of last season after the trade deadline. But is that good enough to compete? And I think the question like that’s the question is that good a second line good enough to compete with other good teams second lines and and also just one other thought the the middle stat experience in Colorado Nathan McKinnon is among the best players in the world. He is very intense and you have to be a certain you have to have a certain mental toughness to to be I think his teammate certainly that’s playing with him on the ice a lot and I think that there’s kind of a drill sergeant uh you know mentality there sometimes and and so when Middle Stack came over I was like ah you know he probably didn’t maybe he didn’t thrive under that that that that environment necessarily and and I it kind of made me raise my eyebrows like well I want somebody that can thrive in that environment. But then you see Coyle go to Colorado and Coyle is by all accounts like as professional as it gets and certainly uh a mentally strong individual on and off the ice. And there was that viral clip of Yeah. And like someone who can be critical of himself and like very self-aware. Yeah. But there was that clip that went viral in the playoffs of of of McKinnon kind of uh giving it to Coyle after a play and Charlie’s just kind of doing as he always does which is just chomp on his gum and stare off into space. But um you know obviously Coyle, you know, the Avalanche moved on from Coyle and I’m sure a lot of it’s because he didn’t have a the postseason that they hoped for, but it just you know, I see a younger kid in Middlestat not thrive there and then I see a very professional veteran and Coyle not thrive there. Granted, in only a couple of months, it’s not a fair comparison. And I just wonder, all right, so maybe maybe I’m putting too much stock in in Middlestat not working out there because maybe it’s just a tough environment for many players. Bridget, did we want to go? I believe we have a question involving Middlead and the Avalanche. Uh, you want to read it, Scott? Sure. So, this was from Brian, not not our Brian, different Brian. Um, but pitch, he said, I got to believe there’s a trade in the offing for a legit top six forward. How about this? Bruins get Marty Nas plus the opportunity to negotiate an extension. He has one year left, six and a half million. Uh Josh Manson from Colorado as well. One year left, four a.5 million. Avalanche get Casey Middlestad back. Mason Lauri and Johnny Beecher to help even out the money. I you probably don’t have to include Beecher, but um what do you So he goes on to say like Colorado have has only one year of control of NHS and you know it seems like there could be some hesitancy from one side or the other about an extension. Um NAS and Middlestad you know might be uneven but then they get Lori. Um thoughts overall it’s one year of NHS for two years of Lori with various NHL caliber guys making the cap hits work. Um so that that’ be it. What do you what do you guys think of the I I have some thoughts on this but what do you guys think of this? Well, first of all, it’s very uncommon to see a player get traded back that quickly, especially um traded back to where they just came from. And I’m sure there’s there would be hard feelings about it. I mean, a lot of players are at least somewhat uh annoyed when they get moved. Um, and so that might not be the best thing for Middlestat, first of all. Um, not that that’s really a major factor, but if the relationship had run its course there, then I have to assume that turning it around this quickly, uh, wouldn’t really make sense for the Avalanche, uh, if they had already determined like, okay, he’s he he’s out, like he’s not part of our future plans. Yeah. Yeah, I mean that’s that’s my initial thought as well is would Colorado even be interested in bringing back Middlestat? Obviously, they traded him for a reason. They felt as though that a that a a more pro style of veteran player and Charlie Coyle was better for them uh down the stretch than than what Middle was giving. Um could there be regrets there? And oh, you know, we we we effed that one up and we want him we want him back maybe. But I’m sure that Colorado just moved on for the play for other reasons besides just, you know, um, but as far as the actual return, I mean, I I mean, if I’m the Bruins, I I I I would do that in a heartbeat. I mean, I I think that Marty Nous’s upside in the NHL is for his position is higher than what Lorz is at his position. I think that’s the real I think that’s the real acquisition cost here is giving up on Laura’s upside. Um, at the same time, and I I don’t have Manson’s page in front of me, but um, if I had to guess, I’d say he’s early 30s, but he he plays a he plays a an intense style of defense and and something that, you know, he would bring a totally different element than what Laurai brings, but by all accounts, a tougher one. So, I think I think if the if the money were to work and Beecher is somebody that, you know, the three of us were all okay with, the Bruins are even qualifying this past summer. So, all due respect to Johnny if he’s listening, but um so I mean I would do this deal in a heartbeat if I had the Bruins, but I don’t know if Colorado would. Yeah, man. Manson’s 33. Um yeah, I mean like Colorado did just sign Brent Burns for a year. So maybe they feel good about the the right side of their defense, like you know, move some salary out. Um but yeah, I’m with you guys. like I don’t I just don’t think the ABS would be interested in bringing back Middlestad. I guess the one counterargument there would be now he would plug into a third line center role there behind McKinnon and Brock Nelson. Um but that also was going to be the case last year before they traded him. I obviously they felt like Charlie Coyle is a better thirdline center and is more of what they thought they needed. So, you know, could like maybe they could change their mind on that. Maybe they’re like, you know what, after seeing how things played out, maybe the more offensive guy like Middlestead on our third line, like maybe that would make sense. But that’s just me playing devil’s advocate a little. The My real answer is I’m with you guys. I don’t think they would have much interest in in getting Middlestead back. Little sell little sellers remorse. You think, Scott? A little sellers remorse maybe? at best case. Yeah, I mean it’s po like that happens and obviously you know the playoffs didn’t go the way the ABS were expecting. So the way they thought they had optimized their roster didn’t didn’t really work out. So like it does force you to rethink things. Yeah. So I think we should get to Skip’s email uh because I know Brian you got an appointment to get to. So, uh, and I also have one closing thought as well, but Brian, do you want to read what I don’t have I don’t have it in front of me. Do you have it? It’s at the top of the document. Part of it is at least. Um, oh, no, that’s Chip. That’s Chip’s email. Chip. Um, let me pull it up. Yeah. Yeah. I I’ll I’ll lay the groundwork while while Bridget is doing it, but essentially, you know, Scott got an email from the uh to the skatepod account uh addressed to me from Switzerland. And so Skip, by the way, uh Skip also mentioned that he’s from Rhode Island originally. So, um that’s a combination that you don’t hear every day. Yeah. From from Rhode Island and now been in Switzerland the last 20 years. But he had a he addressed it to me with a bit of a bone to pick regarding my two lovely co-hosts here. Um, so Bridget, just give me the thumbs up when you have it. I got it. Um, so first of all, it sounds like he’s made great life choices to move to Switzerland after Rhode Island. But, uh, it says, “Hi, Brian. I have been living in Switzerland for about 20 years now. And I’m originally from Rhode Island where I played school boy hockey. I watch all of the Bruins related podcasts and yours has been a favorite of mine uh, for some time now. I do have an issue with you guys in the moment though, uh, which is this. Can you guys, meaning especially Scott and to some degree Bridget, please stop the freaking hatred of Tanner Jano. He is not even in town yet. And these podcasts are all hating on him and the contract 247. 10 other teams wanted him, so that means other GMs are seeing something that Scott and others are not. More to the point, can you of meaning Brian please show some spine with your opinion uh and pretty much uh as you are the one who is correct in my view. So I’ll stop there because it goes on but um and I like skip already. Skip is on Skip is team Brian. So So let me just like set the table a second here in case people didn’t hear our last podcast. We got um several submissions from other listeners about asking questions. Why did the Bruins give Tanner Jano a 5-year contract? The term was also the term and the number were both problems to some of our listeners who sent it in. And we spent time kind of going into uh what we thought he his potential was here and different things. Apparently, Scott, you were the hardest um on him. So, I don’t know if you guys And so, one of the main reasons we read this is first of all, we appreciate the the input and especially from someone who listens from so far away. And we do a lot of times get the negative side of what people think, you know, and people are are more likely to judge rather than wait and see, which it feels like Skip is like, “Hey, wait and don’t judge this deal until we’ve at least seen a little bit of Tanner Jano on the ice.” So, I I definitely was hardest on him, but or but let’s clarify something. What I don’t like and what I ripped is the contract. I have no issue with Tanner Jano, the player or the person. I like his effort. I like his physicality. By all accounts, he’s a good guy, a good locker room type guy. Um, I’m sure he’s a great human being. I don’t know him. I look forward to meeting him in training camp, but it is a hardcap league. So when we talk about players, we have to talk about contracts because they just go hand in hand. Like you if this were baseball where there’s no salary cap, okay, fine. We wouldn’t have to focus on contracts so much. But it’s there’s a hard cap. So we do. And that is what I hate is is the contract. I hate five years, $3.4 million a year for a player that I think is a good fourth that I think is a fourth liner. and he might be a good one and he might be a tone setter and all that but ultimately it’s still a fourthliner that you have now given a real contract to like a lengthy commitment for what I think is third line money and I don’t think he’s going to be a third liner and I don’t think the contract’s going to hold up that well so it’s not me hating Tanner Jano the person or the player it’s me hating the contract All right. Well, first first things first, I just got to say to Skip that what a phrase. It’s not used enough, but to show to tell somebody to show some spine, that is an unreal phrase. Like, I’m going to use that probably in my daily life. Like, just I don’t know where Dunkin Donuts direct show some [ __ ] spine. Like, just I don’t I don’t know. It I just love it. So, that is the biggest takeaway from this email is showing some spine is something I’ll be using a lot. Now, um secondly, you know, I I I really last episode it was more so the the the dis disdain and dislike for the deal from others that made it seem like I was I guess on on the other side of the aisle. I was just being a little bit more open-minded and just kind of coming at it from the Bruins point of view and probably where I think that how why they’re looking at uh the situation and why they brought him in. And I and I do think that I am more of the well, let’s just wait and see, you know, mindset. That said, Skip went went on to basically tell me to to to shove Scott in a locker. So, I’m going to have to do just that now, Scott. And and you know, I’d appreciate if you just, you know, show I don’t even have I don’t even have any lockers around. I you know, I just want you to show some [ __ ] spine, Scott. Going forward, show us some spine. Now, a lot of people don’t realize this about Scott is that he’s actually uh on IMDb as a as an actor. He does have acting credits. If you ever saw Pirates of the Caribbean, uh he was the parrot on uh Johnny Depp’s shoulder because man does he just repeat what all the other talking heads are saying about Janelle. By the way, for those listening, I’m just trying to give this for for Skip. I don’t really I was going to say I think I think Skip in a way was actually more critical of you than me because he said I was I was loud in my opinion and which is good and and seems to think I’m dug in and that’s what you know opinion makers and and talk show host podcast host like that’s what you have to do and I believe later in this email he accused Brian of pokechecking his way into a corner and not not lowering the shoulder and throwing a hit. I think he’s I think he’s actually being quite critical of Brian here. Well, listen, Scott, that’s why I’m saying that, you know, I agree. I I got to I got to lean into you a little bit more, right? So, maybe I’ll be harder on Scott. I think we can agree that I I not I I think I give enough controversial opinions on here that I you know I I I did decide to poke check one away just just for an easy an easy day you know but but then here comes here comes Scott the next day and now he’s saying oh well you know what I really meant to say was you know I wasn’t really trying to hate on the player oh see now Scott Scott wants to dig his heels in but now he’s realizing he’s got to talk to Jano in the locker rooms now he’s oh I can’t wait to meet the player I can’t wait to meet the person I just don’t like the player so don’t Oh, no. I don’t like the contract. Which, by the way, I I think I made pretty clear on the last episode, but but maybe not. I think I even said I think I even said if it was a three-year deal for like two and a half million, I wouldn’t have cared. Yeah. I don’t think Tanner’s listening. I think it’s I think we’re okay here. I think we’re good. I think he’s listen to every episode all the way through. Yeah. So, so what I would say is I mean, he seems like a Bruin, right? like by his uh pedigree, by watching what he does on the ice, he seems like a Bruin in that you’re thinking of a tough, hard-nosed player that that’s physical. Um, and in a bottom six role, that’s that’s what you want. Uh, in Boston, that’s the identity of a fourth line in Boston or sometimes a third line in Boston. So, in that way, there is a fit and there there is some help. And we talked about how Don Sweeney said he thinks it will give some of the younger guys a little bit of breathing room as in he will protect younger guys. And if that is what he actually does in Boston, then that there’s a value there. Um, so yeah, I’ll second what Scott said about the the contract being really what the critique was about. Can Can I also also say though like because we didn’t even really get into that all that much on the last episode that Sweeney comment about like giving space or protecting young guys like I kind of don’t even think that’s really how the NHL works anymore. Like you just don’t like that just doesn’t really happen. That’s generally not I mean like what’s a recent example of anything like like the Blackhawks kind of tried to do that where you put like Felino on a team with Baddard but did we ever get any great examples of like these Blackhawk veterans protecting Connor Baddard or I mean did I just miss it? Possible. Well, I think No, I I think I think you’re right. Like I think if if you’re if you’re uh acquiring Tanner Jano and Nikita Zadorov and Mark Castle because your goal is to make the Florida Panthers try to shy away from from how they play. It’s not happening. They’re they’re going to always do what they’re doing regardless of who’s on the ice. But I do think that I mean the Bruins the Bruins tried that on opening night last year and the Panthers just like walked all over them and in some cases literally laughed in their faces. I do think it’s fair to say there are a couple of players around the league and I do think Jano might be one of them where if you’re gonna do something you are aware that they’re out there. I think like historically you can’t sit there and say that if Ryan Reeves is on the ice that someone’s going to take as much liberties on Austin Matthews as if Reeves wasn’t on the ice or like a Tom Wilson in Washington. I think there are certain players that garner that level of like, all right, I at least I at least know he’s out there. They’re like never even on the ice at the same time, though. No, I know. No, I you know, I know. I’m with you. But um like Tanner Chen know is not going to be on the ice at the same time as James Hagen’s. They’re not going to be on a line. No. And and I will say and and in all sincerity like with with with Skip’s email like the reason why I wasn’t really coming at you know people is because I don’t I I really have some reservations too about the acquisition. Like if you look at his numbers his numbers aren’t great, right? So like they haven’t been great. So it’s I do want him to be more than just somebody who can be a big body out there and and and be hard on the for check. like it is it is a it’s a relatively pretty penny for what his offensive production has been the last couple of seasons and Skip mentions in the email that he he did have that that rookie season where he produced pretty well but you know that was a couple of years ago. So there I do have reservations about it as well. I just I I know what the Bruins were thinking when they brought him in is all. And I think that the the market for Jano was probably more competitive than people are giving it credit. And those who are giving it credit, like Scott said last episode, I get that the market was was competitive for him. And if it was, then don’t be that team to sign him. I just think that the Bruins the Bruins feel as though that he helps them play more of the style of play that they want to play at least next season because they’re trying to do something other than make the playoffs. They’re trying to rebuild their foundation and be a harder team to play against. So, I don’t think that other teams that were in this in the market for Jano are in as much of an identity crisis right now as the Bruins are. and they feel as though that beyond the point production, he’s somebody that can come in and help us accomplish what we’re trying to do, which is be a harder team to play against. Now, I don’t love the mil movement aspect of it in his first couple of years either. Um, we didn’t really talk about that part last episode, but um, yeah, it’s it’s it’s a layered deal because the player offers different intangibles and it depends on what you value. And I was just trying to show what I think the Bruins are valuing him and why they they value that player more so than the other teams that were interested in him. I don’t know what teams those were, but I can guarantee you that those teams probably didn’t have the floor bottom out last year and have absolutely no identity going into October. So, I think the Bruins are in search of players like that and yeah, they paid a premium to bring in the player. No doubt about it. But yeah, I I definitely think that there is an element of let’s see what he can do. Maybe he’ll pleasantly surprise. So, and I don’t think that you guys aren’t saying that either, but you are allowed to have an opinion on something before you see the the results of it cuz I mean that that’s that’s what that’s what sports fandom’s all about. Like player signings happen in offseasons all the time and you have opinions on it. So, um I mean like we literally I just I just hate Jano. That’s all there is to it. Clearly. Yeah. Yeah. I mean like we literally wouldn’t have a podcast if we just had to wait to see how everything plays out. Yeah, that’s true. That’s true. We We would be I don’t know. What would you guys be if you weren’t in sports? I mean, Brian has a real person job. Scott and I have just our sports stuff. Brian’s a plumber, as we know. Uh but Scott, what would you be if you weren’t doing this? I’d be an astronaut. No. Is that what you wanted to be as a kid? Yeah. You know, I always thought and there’s still time that I could have like a like a travel like I would like I used to love animals as a kid and I could like tell you every single animal ever. I could have one of those travel shows where you just like go like hang out with sloths or something. I could see that. I could there’s still time, you know, if this whole thing doesn’t work out for me. I could be Jeff Corwin maybe. But uh I’m kind of dressed like that today actually. But 25 years from now, we’re going to hear about Bridget getting mauled by a tiger that she thought was her friend the last 20 years. Yeah. I mean, we were we were really close. Uh but one other thing before we go is um I don’t know about you guys, it’s a working working segment in my head, but maybe maybe going forward, Bridget can work on a graphic that says show us some spine and we could have a segment on this show where that’s actually not a bad idea. Some somebody has to give a take that you know puts them on the hot seat a little bit. You know, we can take turns on that one. You know what? I’m going to add that to the ideas list. But so before we go, because I know you got to go, Brian. Yeah. Uh we do have more mailbag questions. We still have like I feel like more like more than half of we we haven’t been able to get through everything. Not even close. So, uh keep sending them. We will maybe categorize them by theme like we kind of did today. Uh, and if you’re mad at Scott, definitely send it our way. Um, he is the one who opens the email, so it’s up to him whether or not to forward it to us, but but comment on YouTube, you know, all the Scott stuff you want. Yeah. I don’t don’t send Don’t send any emails that are positive about Brian or Bridget. I’m not going to forward those to them. He’s like he’s like he’s like when Harry is looking for his letters from his friends and shame his secrets and Dobby stole them all. Yeah. Come on now. Can we see our letters, please? Let me see your emails. So, Scott Dobby. Okay. Uh, so you can still continue to send it. Let me put the for those watching, this is the email. Uh, it is skatepodwi.com. Comment on YouTube as well. And occasionally, like we’ll get stuff on Twitter, too. So, that if that’s where you know how to contact us, that works, too. Um, the skatepod on Twitter. So, there was one thing that I want to get to before we log off if if I have about a minute or two. Um, which is I know the last episode towards the beginning of my opening shifts, we were talking about college hockey and college how Gavin McKenna is going to maybe change the landscape of college hockey with going to Penn State and getting the money that he got. And I just gonna throw in a side comment about uh Roger McQueen who uh Oh, yeah. People people picked this up. People People did pick this up, which and and I had a a credible source um that he was interested in coming to play college hockey. He was talking to more than one team, but Providence was one of those teams I was really interested in bringing him in. Uh in between that podcast and this podcast, I spoke to the same person. And uh unfortunately, I don’t think he’s going the college route. Uh it sounds like in his position in Annap because the conversation I had had was before the draft where we didn’t really know where he was going to end up at that point in time he was considering playing college hockey. He had a great development camp by all accounts in Anaheim. He gets drafted to a team that is a team that could use him now and I do think he’s pushing and the organization is open to him going pro rather than playing college hockey. So, unfortunately, I don’t think we’re going to see him in Hockey East. Uh, I was excited to see him because just because we got like so deep in the weeds for some of these prospects when we were talking about who the Bruins could draft that we got into his backstory of like his injury and where is his health at and I kind of wanted to see it play out and just to see what kind of player he was. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re going to see him play in college at this point. It doesn’t seem like that’s the route he’s going. So, I don’t know if that I don’t know if we have any Roger McQueen followers or that I will say like, but yeah, I what I would add to this is like this is sort of one wrinkle that might keep some of these top guys in in the CHL. Like we just saw Jake O’Brien signed his entry- level contract with Seattle, which now takes college out of the equation. He’s either in the NHL or he goes back to the OHL. Um, these guys who think they have a shot or at least want to see, you know, can I win a job out of camp are more likely probably going to stay in the CHL because then they can go to training camp. They can play preseason games and they can even play nine regular season games before the team has to make a decision on whether to send them back to juniors, right? What happened with this is what the Bruins did with Potra. So you get basically you if you go CHL instead of college, you have a longer window open to try and push to make your NHL team. Um whereas like Hagens ultimately is going to have to decide, you know, by end of August basically like that’s when BC is getting back on campus. though and and starting to practice. So, he’s not going to be able to go to Bruins training camp and then play preseason games and oh, if he’s not quite ready, he can go back to BC. Like, Hagens has to make that decision before then. So, I just wanted to put that out there that it seems like there’s an appetite for uh Anaheim to go the route of giving him a chance to make it out of camp. So, uh, I don’t know if that information’s relevant to anyone. Well, he, you know, his injury history aside, I mean, his size and skill, like people said, was probably top three in the draft could have been. And so, it’s not totally surprising that he’s getting the opportunity to maybe go pro. And I think that the second I saw that helicopter take off from the draft to go to Disneyland, I said, ah, he might I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s Anaheim this year. They’re they’re pushing hard to sell that. I mean, honestly, personally, I’d be surprised. I don’t I don’t think he’s ready. Like, I I think he has one of the longer development paths of anyone in the top 10, but even O’Brien, like, I don’t think O’Brien skating is ready. Like, I I I think you’re right, Scott. Like, I think, you know, at most he’ll probably play nine games and go back down. But, you’re right, that is the wrinkle of of how the the these prominent prospects postdraft year uh could go back to the uh CHL at this. And there’s like there’s a couple other guys who, you know, still haven’t made their decisions and, you know, probably have a month, maybe a month and a half to do so, but like Matthew Schaefer we’ve heard pop up as a college option, but like he might feel like he’s ready to make the Islanders. Porter Marone has been leaving his options open. I think now that Michigan State lost to Isaac Howard and also lost out on Gavin McKenna. I wouldn’t be surprised if Michigan State goes hard for Porter Martone. Um, but that yeah, there’s like there’s a couple of these guys now who still haven’t 100% committed to where they’re going next year or whether it’s, you know, even whether it’s CHL or NCAA. All right, on that note, guys, we do have to wrap up. So, thank you all very much for listening. Continue to send your questions. We appreciate it as always. Have a great weekend and we’ll talk to you soon. Hey guys, thanks for watching the Skate Podcast. If you want to see more of our videos, visit our playlist. Not in front of a screen. You can listen to us on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Don’t forget to follow us on social media. And if you enjoyed this video, please don’t forget to give us a thumbs up, subscribe to our channel, and leave a comment.

We give our thoughts on the plausibility and fairness of several listener’s ideas of trades the Bruins could make to get better this season. Plus, will the Bruins avoid a rebuild by definition? And, a listener is mad at Scott over his take on Tanner Jeannot.

Follow us on Twitter: @TheSkatePod | @smclaughlin9 | @briandefelice_ | @bridgetteproulx | Email us at skatepod@weei.com

Leave your questions in the comments and we will answer as many as we can!

Jump to:
00:00 – Will the Bruins avoid a rebuild by definition?
11:00 – Isaac Howard trade
20:00 – (Mailbag begins) – RNH trade idea
38:00 – Trading Korpisalo
56:00 – A listener is mad at Scott for his take on Tanner Jeannot

Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images (Necas); Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images (Nugent-Hopkins)

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