Boston Bruins Hot Takes | Viewers Mailbag

Boston Bruins Hot Takes | Viewers Mailbag

Recently, I asked all of you to drop your questions down below. And that’s what this video is going to be about. I am going to be answering you, the viewers, questions about everything to do with the Boston Bruins or whatever you’ve asked in the questions. There’s around 16 of them. So, let’s get into it. So, buckle up, Bruins fans. I’m here to give you the latest info on your belove Boston Bruins. If you’ve been liking my Bruins content, please leave me a like and subscribe. If you’ve already done so, thank you. And let’s get into it. He scores. Disclaimer, yes, I am wearing something different than most of the video. I actually recorded all of this um previously with the other video and then when I edit it all together, the video was over an hour. So, I decided not to do that to everybody and I’ve cut it up into two separate videos. So, you got to watch the line combinations video before. Now, we’re going to get into the questions just in case it looks a little weird that my shirt changes. That brings me to the questions. I was on vacation last week and I asked you the viewer to drop your questions down below and try something different here. And so these are something that I do with my members videos where I ask everybody to ask me some questions and I don’t look at them first. So all I did was like them, put them away so I don’t see them and I try and go from the hip here and just answer your questions just by not even looking them, not even prepping, just walking in and seeing what the questions. So my first question is from AC8274. What is your opening day lineup as when you make this video? Lines and D pairs. Well, I hope I just answered that in the previous part of this video. So, if you don’t think I did it well enough, you let me know down below. But that wasn’t just a question I’ve been asked a million times. There’s pretty much been asking that in the last five or six videos. Everybody’s been asking that question. I totally get it. With the season coming up, we want to look at what we have in the future. So, I hope I answered that question in the last video. Next question is from Northern Wilderness Adventurer. Who is your dark horse to make the team out of camp this year? I think my dark horse is Blue to make the team out of camp. I don’t know much about him. Uh all I know is, you know, Passion made the call to have him come for this team. He could start the year in Providence. Him and Luch Melis, I think, are the dark horses to make this hockey team. Blumel has a ton of offensive potential. he just was getting starved in Dallas because there was no room in that top six. There is room in the top six of the Boston Bruins. And I think it’s that right side. Um Victor Averson only has a year left on his deal. So I don’t think he’s a lock to be that second line right winger. So you know what? Blume could have that third line. He could be on that second line. Same with Potra or Luchme Melis. I think there’s between those three guys, one of them is going to make this opening night roster. Are the McDavid rumors true? Honestly. Um this one’s kind of funny. I I think it’s it’s very interesting. I think this all stems from Elliot Freeman’s comments on 32 Thoughts the podcast not too long ago. He mentioned the Boston Bruins are saving cap for next year. Yes, they’ve got $2 million in cap right now. Just a little bit over that. I don’t know how much they’re saving. When I look at Puckedia right now, um Lynholm, Pastnac, Morgan Geeky, Tanner Jano, they’re all locked up to 2930. So is Charlie Makavoy, Hampus Linholm, Nikita Zadorov. Every one of them is all locked up and so is Jeremy Swayman to 2930 as well. They have in their forward group $45 million in committed cap for next season. They don’t have that much room going into next year. It’s it’s it’s not I I was very confused by his comments. Right now, um they have $2 million in cap. Next season they’re going to have $19 million in cap, but you’re still going to have some spots. And then the previous year it’s 48 million, 56 million because the cap does go up. I just don’t know if these big potential free agents for next year are even going to be available. But I think that’s what started this rumor about McDavid. McDavid most likely is signing with the Edmonton Oilers. But I want to ask honestly here, why would he sign with the Boston Bruins? One, it would cost like 15 to$16 million a year to pry him out of Edmonton because you’re only going to be able to give him a six-year deal um because he’s a Edmonton Oiler and the Oilers can offer him seven with the new uh CBA. Why would McDavid want to come to a team that’s in a retool rebuild? It doesn’t make any sense to me. McDavid’s goal is to win a Stanley Cup, and I truly believe it is. He’s not signing with the Boston Bruins. I think he’s signing with the Edmonton Oilers. I I truly don’t understand this rumor, and I I don’t even I don’t think it’s a rumor because Elliot Freeman never mentioned him by name. Um, no insider has mentioned McDavid to the Bruins by name. It’s been more sites or other YouTube pages that have ran with this and just started the speculation because they want clicks. That’s just my opinion. There is no truth to this rumor of Conor McDavid being a Boston Bruin. I just don’t I just don’t see it. Um I don’t even see Jack Eel being a Boston Bruin. He’s going to resign in Vegas. Next question. Walking Catastrophe 5547 asks, “How long until Jano gets demoted and they bury that contract in the miners?” I think unfortunately um he’ll probably play out the whole deal. I don’t think they will bury him in the miners. Um, again, he’s a very decent locker room guy. He’s a decent bottom six guy. He’s a guy a lot of teams want. So, worst case scenario, the Bruins would never have to bury him in the minor. They would just trade him. His contract isn’t the AEV isn’t bad. It’s the length and the message that it sends when they signed him. It was my biggest issue with it, but I think Jano would get traded before they put him in the miners. Taylor starts off at sounds like not a question. Um, but he says, “Love it when you go on with Evan on Bruins Ringside, firing answers from the hip.” Well, I’m doing that here. I love your videos for your updates with the quick 15 to 20 minutes. Um, thank you. Um, I’m glad you like the content. Question being, would you entertain the thought of having guests, he says guests, but I’m sure he miss guests of yours doing a 15 45 to 60 minute pod. So, oddly enough, I used to do a podcast for Burns Die Hards. I also used to do one back in the day for Black and Gold. Um I don’t know if I have time to commit to a weekly podcast. Maybe in the future we’ll have guests. I know I was um speaking with other people that do podcasts. Um Evan as one. Um some ideas of maybe doing some roundts and such. Maybe I’ll do some of those, but that would involve a lot of stuff behind the scenes to get that going because I this is more of a one-on-one. But it’s not out of the question. It’s just I I don’t think I can do um a guest podcast all the time. I had been asked uh by PR firms. I got asked to have Phil Esposito on the show uh last season. Maybe in the future I’ll do something like that. It is something I want to look into. I I kind of want to get used to my daughter’s hockey schedule next year and get that. When you commit to doing a podcast and doing guests, that’s locking in dates and times. It makes it a little bit more difficult. Um, as someone I’ve been very experienced in the the podcasting realm, so maybe in the future. Love the question. Dominic Tiano, friend of mine, asks, “Serious question that deserves your answer. Why does Bruins Media refuse to invite me on their podcast?” Honestly, Dom, I answered this uh on the internet there on the YouTube comments. I have no clue. Uh, if you want, I can reach out to them and ask um because for some reason, who knows why, but they’ll ask me. But Dom definitely should be on Bruins podcasts. He is my number one source for Bruins prospects or having conversations about the Bruins. Dom knows more than I’ll ever know. Bla1 Apollo asks, “Do you see the Bruins being in a position to draft McKenna or top 10 in general next June based off the roster as it is today?” And I love your videos. Keep up the great stuff. Thank you very much. U Thank you for watching. Um yes, I do. I I think Bruins are a fringe playoff team. going to be a wild card spot. Uh we watched the Islanders last year go from 11 to one. So anything is possible, but if the Bruins aren’t in the playoffs, yeah, they’re going to be in on McKenna. But it’s still again, it’s I don’t think they’re going to be as bad as they were last year. Uh because they won’t have the unless they have injuries again, but anything’s possible. Marchie NHL asks, “How much longer does Bruins GM have left? And what are some adjustments the Bruins could trade for this season?” Um, well, he’s got a two-year term. He’s got a two-year deal. He’s got this year and next year. As of right now, I think that’s all he’s got left, and I think that’s all that Cam Neil’s got left. I think their off seasonason is going to try and add scoring via the trademark if they see that they can move either Middlestad or Zaka and bring someone in who can score and then have either Potra, Luchmel, or somebody fill in in that center position. Um, because I don’t see James Higgins making the team out of camp. A lot of people keep talking about this. I still think it makes more sense for him to go to BC, light it up, and then come to the Bruins at the end of their his season in BC and play the last couple games with the Boston Bruins this year. It will burn a year, but I think that’s more likely of what’s going to happen. I think the Bruins are going to look for help on the right side uh on the back end and they’re going to look for scoring, but if they can’t get it, they’re not just going to make a trade for the sake of making a trade. They’re going to make a trade to make the team better. But I think that’s their goal this off seasonason. But with regards to the future, I I don’t see a huge future with Cam Neely and Don Sweeney. I see um Zedana Charara being brought in um to have a much bigger role in years to come with the Boston Bruins. Keith N1X asks, “I really want to see Bluml get a chance and other young players. Do you think they will?” I I do. I as much as they signed a ton of guys to play the bottom six. A guy like Blue, um a guy like Patra, a guy like Lel um Lysel, they’re going to play in the top six. If they play well enough in the preseason, they’re going to make this team. Like Potra is an example. He’s made the team out of camp the last two seasons. It’s not to say these kids won’t make the team out of camp. And I in the previous part of this video, I predicted Matthew Potra to make this team and be your second line rightwinger. So, I do think guys like Blumal will get a chance. Providence though is going to have a very good team next year. Plain and simple. I think they’re going to be fast. They’re going to score a lot of goals. Um, and depending on who their goalie is, they’re going to have a good year. So, I think that’s one thing to look at it. But yes, I think guys like Lysel, Patra, and Lucelis will have a lot better chance and they will get a lot more chances to come in and out of the lineup because I think the Bruins have no other choice at this point. Um, there’s no aspirations that they’re a Stanley Cup contender. So, I hope I truly truly truly truly hope the Bruins seriously let these kids play cuz last year it kind of pissed me off. You had guys playing great down in Providence, the team’s playing terrible, yet they don’t call them up. They might not have called him up cuz they didn’t want to bring him into the how bad the Bruins were. They didn’t want to bring him around that environment, but it’s a new team, new look, new era in Boston. Let’s treat it as so. Dominic Tiano is back again with Sportsnet Plus virtually making watching hockey unaffordable. Do you plan on online streaming games? Well, yes. Um, Sportsnet Plus is how I watch games out here in Canada. And they have just they’ve done a $75 to $80 uh price hike on their cost. And that’s because you have also get baseball, you get basketball, you get all these sports that I I don’t watch. I only watch the hockey. But to get a Bruins game out here, that’s the way I have to do it. We don’t get the NHL app, which I used to love because you get the home and away. I’m going to look into streaming games or using an IP TV, which is unfortunate this um sports net kind of put themselves in this predicament. There’s no reason for this price hike except greed in my opinion because they’re not offering a better service than what we previously had with the NHL app through Rogers. I’m It’s so confusing the Sportsnet uh Sportsnet Plus because we don’t really get much for it. I don’t get to choose the home and away game. So, I don’t necessarily always get the home announcers from the Boston Bruins. And a lot of the times if they’re playing the Ottawa Senators, they black out the game because they’re only giving me the Senators feed and TSN blacks it out in the Toronto area. So, I can’t even watch it when they play the center. So, I have to go look for feeds. So, yes, I’m looking into alternatives because Sportsnet, they suck. 10 Shots asks, “If the Bruins are going to target McKenna at next year’s draft, do you think they’ll they’ll afford to have a downyear tank fully? If so, will they likely lead to Sweeney and Neilie being out the door?” I I don’t think they what they did last year. I I wouldn’t necessarily call it a tank. I think they traded away and it just it is what it is and they went with it when they traded Marshian. They traded all those ways. So yeah, they they they made a choice that they were going to try and get into the top 10 in the NHL draft. Yes, I don’t know what more you can do with this team given the contract situations. I think guys on this club, if they’re still bad again um closer towards the trade deadline, are they going to move guys? Yeah, but that’s you’re going to move guys like Casey Middlestad. You’re going to move guys like Pavl Zaka. you’re still not going to move guys like Makavoy um or Pastnack or or Swayman. That’s just not going to happen. They’re the Boston Bruins are never going to go in full rebuild. Um that’s just not something they’re going to do. The Jacobs just won’t they they won’t make money. Um especially next year. They got a new jersey. It’s more money. They’ve got the uh the outdoor game that they’re going to be playing in the stadium series that’s in Florida or Tampa. Sorry. They Well, it’s still the state of Florida, but you know what I meant. But uh I don’t see them in full tank mode. I I just don’t see it. I think anybody can get first overall as long as you’re in that top 10 range. The Bruins will be fighting for a wild card. I’ve said this over and over again. Unless barring injury is it kind of was the reason the Bruins got put in their predicament was injuries last season. As long as they stay healthy, the Bruins aren’t going to be as bad as we all think, including myself. They they could surprise us if Swayman stands on his head and the defense plays above their game. the Bruins could be a top three in their division. I’m not saying they’re going to be, but I would love McKenna, but as of right now, I have no aspirations that the Bruins are going to be drafting him. And as for the GM and the the president being fired, I think the clock is on. I think Sado being part of this organization is no um secret. We don’t know what he does, but if we watch behind the bee, he was there on draft day. He was there on trade deadline day. They’re using him. He is going to be more front office focused over the next couple years. They are grooming him to take one of these jobs. I don’t know which one. Heck, I don’t even know really know what he does. I know he talks to players, but he seems to be around on a lot of big decisions. So, we’ll see. But yeah, I just don’t see a huge future with Cam Neely and and Don Sweeney anymore. And Don Sweeney, people are going to land basease me for this. He’s not as bad a GM as everybody keeps saying he is. I think Bruins fans, we’ve been spoiled over the years, so we just don’t understand and we we get frustrated, but there’s a lot more franchises that have had a lot more hardship just we’ve made the playoffs so many years. Yeah, we didn’t make it last year, but we’ve had a lot of success in Boston besides Stanley Cups at Yeti asked, “Which veteran free agent gets a Bruins camp invite this year?” Love this question because it happens every year. I said it before. I think maybe Grizzlick just because who he is. if he’s not signed with anybody, he lives in the local area. He’s an easy camp invite. Yeah, you let him go out there and you see what he can do, but he plays the left side and they’re pretty stacked on that left side. It’s It’s very interesting because I don’t see a lot of players that are left that are free agents or vets um that might be guys that the Bruins want. I think they’ve got so much youth that this is the year they don’t invite anybody or shouldn’t because they have spots they need to be filled by these kids that were playing in Providence. Province was a good hockey team last year. They should reward these kids. That’s just my opinion. And then when I look at the right side D, I’m here on Puckedia right now because right side D is what you need. Um there’s not much out there. Uh Seard is retired. Yanni Ruta, I wouldn’t say that’s a Bruins invite. Um, Travis Homik, I believe he just signed somewhere or he’s retiring. Um, I think he retired. Eric Johnson, like Jesus, 37 years old. Robert Bertuso, 36 years old. Yanni Hakampa, like I don’t see much out there for the Bruins to invite this year for training camp. and I would much rather them let some of these kids from Providence try out for this team than some vet that’s, you know, not going to make the team. Michael Davidson, 3055, ask will you have who will have the biggest surprise breakout this season. Uh, well, last year it was Morgan Geeky, right? Um, it’s almost like who do I want instead of who will? Um, because I think it’s tough. I think uh Matthew Potra, if he makes this team and he is in the top six, like I think I think he’s going to have a huge year. Uh he’s going to get a lot of great minutes. But the guys that I kind of want to have a breakout season would be Casey Middlestat or um or Jeremy Swayman for that matter because I think in order for this Bruins team to have success, these two players need to be some of your best players. We know the top line of Geeky Linholm and Pasta is going to be fine. We need more from Casey Middlestad. We need him to be one of the best players on the ice for the Boston Bruins. And we need Jeremy Swayman to be one of the best players. But I also think a guy like Mason Loai will have a lot better year and people are going to harp on him less and they’re probably just going to like his offensive potential. But between Lori, Swayman, Potra or Middlestat, those are the guys that I think will have breakout years if everything goes well. It’s it’s it’s kind of crazy. Um, I guess Swayman’s already had his breakout year, so I’ll take him off the list, but I really want Potra to have that year. I really want him to stick it out with this hockey club. I really want him to be that guy. But I have a weird feeling that Casey Middlestad is going to get you 15 goals this year. And and everybody’s going to be happy with him. He’s going to get you 15 goals, maybe 40 points, uh, as second line center for the Boston Bruins. So, I think he’s going to be your at the end of the year. I guess the seventh seventh player award. I’m giving it to Casey. I think the early favorite for me is Casey Middlestad. Just makes sense. Even though the fans are probably going to vote Tanner Jano just because he, you know, he’s going to fight a bunch of people, but I think Casey Middlestad, that’s the guy. James J. 3986 asks, “What are your thoughts on the Bruins pursuing a big free agent in 2026?” I think I read about LA Freeman bringing this up. Yeah, Ella Freeman. I I spoke about it before. He mentioned that the Bruins uh are saving money for next year. I mentioned in the numbers that there’s not much money there. Um it’s just it’s not that there’s not much money. Sorry, because there is. 19 million is not nothing to shave shake a stick at. I think it’s these players. Okay. So, I’m going to pull up on Pockedia right now. It’s Conor McDavid, Kyle Connor, Jack Eel, Paneran, Nessvichkin. Uh he’s going to retire at the end of the year and he’s gonna play in the KHL. Uh Adrien Kempe, that’s the guy I would love the Bruins to go after. Centerman, unbelievable. Kulpitar, Alex Tuck, Nick Schmoltz, Patrick Kane, Krill Capri off. Sounds like Capri off is signing uh in Minnesota. Andre Lee, um Matt Sucarella, John Carlson, Malcin, who’s retiring at the end of the year, Claude Jeru, Jamie Ben, Jaden Schwarz, I think Ben and Jiru retire at the end of the season. Um Mason Marchman. Well, that’s an interesting one. Yes, all these guys are UFAS at the end of the year. Conor McDavid resigns with the Edmonton Oilers. Jack Eel resigns with the Vegas Golden Knights. They’ve mentioned it over and over again with the whole Mitch Martyr thing. They spoke to Eel before making that trade. You don’t speak to a guy and then let him walk. I think no doubt in my mind that both Eel and McDavid are off the board. Kyle Connor is a very interesting one. He’s making $7.1 million. got 41 goals last year, 56 assists, and 97 points. I would think that the Winnipeg Jets are going to do everything in their power to sign this kid. If he’s available and you’re the Boston Bruins, go after him. But I think a lot of teams over the past couple years keep saying they’re going to try and fix their team in free agency and no one goes to free agency. I think Kyle Connor has a better chance because we saw it with El Nikolai Eersh last year in Winnipeg. Winnipeg’s really cold, but you know, we’ll see. Maybe Connor hits the hits the free agent Paneran. I don’t see why the Rangers don’t resign him. He’s at $11 million. He got you 37 goals, 52 assist. The Rangers, people love playing there. I think he resigns Paneran. Wor people have a field day trying to sign him. But Kyle Connor is is a possibility. He’s a left shot. He plays left wing. That means you move Geeki down to the second line. That’s not a bad bad thing. I think Kyle Connor or they could have just drafted him in 2015. Uh, and then there’s Martin Ness. I don’t think Ness does sign in Colorado, but I think he gets dealt sometime this year. It sounds like he doesn’t want to be there, which is very interesting. Something about Nathan McKinnon, but we’ll see about that. I think the Bruins will definitely be interested in NHS. Uh, I would love to see him in a Boston Bruins uniform. Sure, they’re going to go after these guys. Kempe and, uh, Kopitar, I think, probably retires. So Kemp will probably resign in LA. It sounds like they they want to get a deal done. They’re just far apart right now, but that can always happen. Um Alex Tuck is a very interesting one. Uh he probably will test free agency because not many people seem to want to stay in Buffalo, but he’s a right-winger, right? Um Nick Schmoltz, I don’t think that the the players that everybody keeps talking about, the Krill Caprioffs and the McDavids and the Eles, they just won’t be there. So, your free agent pool will kind of be like this year where it wasn’t as big as everybody thought it was going to be because these guys resign. With the cap the way it is and it keeps continuing to go up, it’s easier for these teams to resign guys. It’s easier for them to resign their fourth liners and such as well. We’re going to see less movement of players and less big guys being available. Sure, the Bruins are going to have money available, but I just don’t know what the options are going to be. If I had to wager a guess, your two biggest names next year were going to going to be Kyle Connor and Martin HS. But I think the rest of the big names, they’re all going to be off the board. They’re all going to be resigned. That’s just my opinion. So, I don’t think there’s gonna be much out there. Robert Gilliano, I hope I did that properly. Um, he says, “Do you think the Bruins will win the cup with Don Sweeney as their general manager?” No, I don’t. I think that’s a quick one. I I just don’t think they will cuz I don’t think they’re winning the cup this year and I don’t think they’re winning the cup next year. Unless James Higgins comes in at the end of the year and he’s lights out and he’s like the next coming of Jack Eel in um like how Ekel was for Vegas. Maybe they could win a cup in the second year, but you’re still going to need a lot of things to happen. The Bruins are going to need better defense because I think their second pair right side is just extremely weak. Um I think next year Florida is going to have a really good chance at three peing. um they’re just that good of a team. But eventually that team is not going to be as good. But I think the Bruins I just if I look at the length of Sweeny’s contract was the next two years. No, I don’t think the Boston Bruins are going to win the Stanley Cup in the next two years. Roxy YTP who designed the logo for me. Um thank you very much again. Awesome job. Asks which of the rotating players, Lysel, Blumel, Sodestrom, Potra, I totally forgot about Sodestrom. He might be your extra defenseman. Um, do you see being most likely to be successful in the lineup next season? I think I’ve answered this a couple times, but it’s Matthew Potra. I think if he’s in that top six role and he’s playing the right side, I think he’ll stick it out. It’s less likely they have him at center, he can he can take draws when they need him cuz him and Middlestack could switch when they’re on the strong side or weak side, so on and so forth. Mind you, you’d have three centimeters out there, so you would always have someone who could take the draw. I just think it fits Patra more to at least break into the Bruins on the right side because I just don’t see them having any room down the middle for him. And I think you can’t keep a guy like him with his offensive potential down there. And if he doesn’t work out, okay, then you move him and he’ll go get a chance somewhere else because he needs to play in the top six and he needs to play next year. I think Lysel will start the year in Providence. I think Blumel will get a chance. I think Sodestrom will get a chance as well. And maybe he might be that guy, but I think Potra has the best chance. He says, “Maybe I’m cheating, but question two, should the Bruins fan fans hope.” You’re not cheating, by the way. Um, hope for the team to make the playoffs or tank. He says, “I’d say make the playoffs. We could finally see what Lynholm and Zidorov can bring in the playoffs. Players have consistently been better in the playoffs in their careers than in the regular season.” Yes, Sidorov and Lynholm have shown when the going gets tough, they both been a lot better. And I think that’s a lot of the reasons the Boston Bruins brought them in. I I wouldn’t use the word either they tank or they or they they make the playoffs. I think if they make the playoffs, they’re going to be a wild card team. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I think if they make the playoffs, the Boston Bruins will be a wild card team. If they don’t make the playoffs, I think like big time don’t make the playoffs, I think it’s because a lot of things went wrong. they had a lot of injuries and the season got unraveled real quick. Um I just don’t see with the way Marco Sturm coaches that that’s going to happen. He’s um generates a lot of shots, very defensive-minded coach. So, I think the Bruins are going to be playing trying to slow other teams down, especially in that neutral zone. Um, and clogging the clogging the zone and preventing a lot of breakins and making a lot of teams uh chip and chase on the Bruins, which is fine. But I think the Bruins are going to be better next season, but not, you know, Stanley Cup contender. I hope I answered everybody’s questions. Uh, thank you all. I I’ll do this again in another couple months or maybe leading up to the the start of the season. Thank you for dropping your questions. Thank you for watching the videos. Honestly, without all of you, I I wouldn’t be doing this. Uh I truly truly truly enjoy doing this. Um I hope you enjoyed the prospect profiles that I put up while I was away last week. That’s a wrap on today’s video. To stay up to date on all the news surrounding the Boston Bruins, please subscribe and drop me a like. If news breaks around the Boston Bruins, be sure to check out the channel. If you’ve already subscribed to the channel, thank you and I’ll see you next time.

I asked the viewers of Bruins Diehards to ask me questions about the Boston Bruins, and they did not let me down.

I answered 16 questions about the Boston Bruins in this video. Hope you enjoy.

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