Predictions for a Tricky Bruins Offseason | Poke The Bear

Predictions for a Tricky Bruins Offseason | Poke The Bear

June 25, 2026



Predictions for a Tricky Bruins Offseason | Poke The Bear

In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor and Evan talk Don Sweeney’s latest comments, the state of the NHL trade market, and make our predictions for the NHL Draft and the rest of the Bruins’ moves. 

0:00 – Welcome in
2:50 – Should Bruins consider being Sellers this offseason?
20:03 – Prizepicks
22:17 – Looking more into what the Bruins should do this offseason
33:22 – Subscribe to the podcast!
33:46 – Bruins draft predictions
39:07 – Wrapping up

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View Comments (22)

  6. Just sayin' for the 99th time, I want the Bruins to keep Lohrei. I know they need another right shot D, but I continue to see potential and yearly developmental improvement from Mason.

  13. # The Remodel: Restoring the Big Bad Bruins Identity on the Draft Floor
    If the absolute collapse against Buffalo proved anything, it’s that regular-season stats mean absolutely nothing if you fold like a lawn chair in May. Don Sweeney has spent years building a soft, country club roster full of overpaid perimeter players who do not fit our grinding identity. In my view, the era of passive, perimeter hockey in Boston needs to be dead and buried.
    No more holding onto assets. No more safe compromises right before the draft floor opens on Friday night. If this front office actually wants to stop wasting the prime years of its elite core, they need to execute a ruthless, total house cleaning.
    ### The Clearance Rack: Shipping Out the Anchors and Passengers
    To completely change the culture, we have to rip out the soft foundation by the roots. In my opinion, that means moving on from the massive, long-term financial commitments that are currently paralyzing *our team's* true identity.
    * *Elias Lindholm ($7.75M AAV):* Paid like a premier, elite first-line center, but playing like a soft, perimeter third-liner. His contract is a massive albatross that completely restricts financial flexibility, and his passive style is the exact antithesis of a hard-nosed postseason grind.
    * *Hampus Lindholm ($6.5M AAV):* Another massive, long-term financial commitment that has completely lost its edge. When the postseason physical intensity ramps up, his transition game slows down, and he fails to provide the punishing, miserable net-front presence required to win in May.
    * *Pavel Zacha:* He just hit a career-high 30 goals in the regular season, meaning his trade value will literally never be higher. But we saw what happened in May—he completely vanished against Buffalo, registering only 2 playoff goals and finishing a brutal minus-7. Move him before his stock plummets.
    * *Casey Mittelstadt & Mason Lohrei:* The ultimate perimeter passengers. Mittelstadt disappears the exact second the ice shrinks in the playoffs, and Lohrei—despite his offensive flash—exposed himself as a massive defensive liability under heavy physical forechecks.
    ### The Replacement Grid: Importing North American Snarl
    By clearing out both Lindholms, Zacha, and the rest of the perimeter depth, *our team* would instantly unlock the massive cap space and asset leverage required to build a roster full of high-end, heavy North American talent that opponents actually fear playing.
    #### 1. The Psycho Top-Six Edge: Travis Konecny & Owen Tippett
    Flipping Zacha to land a game-changer like Konecny gives the Bruins an elite 30-goal scorer who plays with a vicious, agitating, net-driving edge.
    But why stop there? If we want an optional powerhouse to completely transform the wings, we target **Owen Tippett**. He is a pure, modern North American power forward. At 6'1" and over 210 pounds, he possesses elite straight-line speed, a heavy shot, and a willingness to drive straight through a defenseman's chest to get to the dirty areas of the ice.
    #### 2. The Heavy, Miserable Spine: Joel Eriksson Ek & Adam Lowry
    Instead of a soft middle-of-the-ice spine anchored by Elias Lindholm, my ideal new-look Bruins would feature *Joel Eriksson Ek**—a premier net-front power center who wins every single dirty battle along the boards. Behind him, you slot 6'5" heavyweight **Adam Lowry* to anchor the bottom six. That is a championship-caliber, physically punishing center line.
    #### 3. The Power Forward Identity: Lawson Crouse & Matthew Knies
    We replace low-event passengers with premier power forwards who bring heavy forechecking and physical intimidation. Lawson Crouse consistently leads his team in hits while chipping in 20-plus goals.
    If the trade market heats up, another huge option is making a push for a young monster like **Matthew Knies**. He is a heavy, physical top-six winger who can produce at even strength and brings pure muscle to a line. Putting Knies on a postseason roster means you stop getting bullied on the boards.
    #### 4. The Mean, Punishing Right-Shot Blue Line: Sean Walker or Rasmus Andersson
    With Hampus Lindholm and Mason Lohrei gone, the defensive makeover becomes purely about structural lockdown and nastiness. *Sean Walker* brings incredible transition capabilities and reliable structure, while swinging a deal for *Rasmus Andersson* injects an absolute jerk onto the blue line who plays with a miserable, physical chip on his shoulder.
    ### The Asset Excuse Is Dead
    Now, I already know what the skeptics and the corporate apologists are going to say in the comments: "We don't have the cap space, and we don't have the assets to pull off blockbuster trades of this scale." Give me a break.
    First of all, moving Elias and Hampus Lindholm alone instantly clears over $14 million off the books. Second of all, look at the draft capital. The front office is sitting on a goldmine right now—we have multiple first-round picks lined up over the next two drafts, including our own and the extra ones picked up from Toronto and Florida. If you include the 23rd overall pick on Friday night, Sweeney has four first-rounders over the next 24 months to weaponize. The chips are there. The question is whether management has the guts to actually push them into the middle of the table.
    ### What Do You Think, Bruins Fans?
    Look, this is my blueprint and exactly how I see the state of **our team**—but obviously, everyone is entitled to their own choice and their own vision for how this roster should be built. Some fans might think blowing up the center spine and moving both Lindholms is way too risky right before free agency opens.
    Am I crazy for wanting to go completely scorched-earth on this roster, or are you just as sick of the safe, corporate, perimeter play as I am? Would you pull the trigger on a massive pre-draft clearance rack to land true game-changers like Konecny, Tippett, and Lowry?
    Drop your thoughts, your trade ideas, and your own blueprint for the offseason in the comments below. Let's hear it!

  20. This is a contract year for sweeney. So not sure he wants to make the team worse to propel it in a few years. My guess is he is doing everything he can to get that next contract. Running it back and getting a few prospects up.

  21. The play is trading McAvoy. It's staring everyone in the face. He will bring in a haul and his horrific playoff performances won't haunt us anymore. 5th pick from the rags would do way more than Zacha for the 9 and we'd probably get additional players and/or picks. They're probably signing Andersson anyway so short term won't be a problem.

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