On this episode of Bruins Beat, Evan Marinofsky and Conor Ryan discuss the current state of the Boston Bruins. Could the team's recent success sway management's direction at the deadline? Or should the team move towards a retool regardless. Plus, Evan and Conor talk about the future of captain Brad Marchand. All that, and much more!
Topics:
- Bruins snag a win over San Jose
- But the underlying numbers...
- Saturday's loss was a heartbreaker
- Talking trade candidates
- The Capitals have the model
- The future of Brad Marchand
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Topics:
- Bruins snag a win over San Jose
- But the underlying numbers...
- Saturday's loss was a heartbreaker
- Talking trade candidates
- The Capitals have the model
- The future of Brad Marchand
💰 Prize Picks - https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS
Download the app today and use Code CLNS when you sign up & Get $50 instantly when you play $5!
🎫 Gametime - https://gametime.co
Take the guesswork out of buying NHL tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Terms apply. What time is it? Gametime!
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SportsTranscript
00:00Bruins Beat is brought to you by PrizePix and the Game Time app.
00:07And welcome into the Bruins Beat presented by PrizePix.
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00:17And are presented by Game Time.
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00:23Terms apply.
00:24I'm Evan Maranofsky.
00:25That right there, I believe, is Connor Ryan.
00:28Connor, what is up?
00:30Evan, I'm doing well.
00:32How are you doing?
00:33Doing great.
00:34Doing great.
00:35I will say, though, how the hell is it still January?
00:39Drags, man.
00:41Again, I say it.
00:43I feel like it's an annual tradition when we get to this point in the calendar.
00:46But this is the worst time of the year.
00:48Nothing's really going on.
00:50I fight an Irish, you know, an underdog team that, you know,
00:54has kind of built itself brick by brick.
00:57No one really knows who they are.
00:59They came up short in the National Championship game.
01:01It's not a fun stretch of the year.
01:05If, like, the Patriots were good, that would be fun.
01:07If the Bruins were playing well, that would be something that gets you through.
01:11But there's really nothing going on these days.
01:14It's not that great right now.
01:17Get me to April.
01:19And I'm not even a big spring guy.
01:21I can start walking around in sweatshirts and shorts again.
01:24We know better days are ahead.
01:26But we are far from it.
01:28There's nothing like that spring high.
01:30I will hold that against any other season.
01:33That spring high in, like, March, April, early May.
01:38You get that warm day of the marathon.
01:41You've got all four sports at once.
01:43It's just so good.
01:45And, you know, I had a men's league game at 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
01:50And going out to my car, it was 7 degrees at, like, 6.30.
01:55And it's like, oh, man, like, this is tough.
01:58This is tough.
01:59And I always say, like, for us, our busy seasons, I like that this is our busy time.
02:04Like, these are our busy times because I wouldn't want them to be in, you know, June, July, and August.
02:10That wouldn't be very fun.
02:12Like, what else would I rather be doing in January than a lot of hockey?
02:15Like, that's what this time of the year is for.
02:18And, yeah, growing up, Patriots were always really good.
02:21So, like, this time of year, it was like, oh, you know, gearing up for the AFC championship this coming week.
02:25And then probably the Super Bowl, you know, two weeks later.
02:28So not anymore.
02:30Not anymore.
02:31Those days are unfortunately long gone.
02:35At any rate, Bruins surprisingly have taken seven of their last eight possible points, which doesn't feel that way.
02:44It does not feel that way.
02:45Like, I want to preface with, like—
02:47Just because of one little five-minute stretch there kind of throws cold water on all that, huh?
02:52Soured the whole thing.
02:54Just soured it all.
02:57But seven of eight, but that's not what I'm focusing on.
03:02I'm not focusing on the positives.
03:04I'm not.
03:05I'm not.
03:06I'm looking past the smoke.
03:07I'm looking past the facade that this team really should be trying to retool or sell, in a sense.
03:14And I thought Fluda Shinzawa had an interesting piece on the athletic before Monday's win over the Sharks.
03:22Almost not a win.
03:24Very close.
03:25Like, again, 6-3 is not indicative of that.
03:28I was going to say, don't let that final score reflect what that game was.
03:31And again, against a team that has a lot of great young talent.
03:35A lot of fun to watch San Jose.
03:37That team is on the right track.
03:39And as much as we talk about the dangers of a rebuild and how long that could take, Mike Rears did an awesome job there.
03:47But for right now, this San Jose Sharks team, not exactly a daunting test for the Bronze.
03:53And still, they had to really kind of right the ship pretty quick there in that third period to get away with a win.
03:58So, sorry I kind of hijacked your sentiment there.
04:02I would love to talk Sharks.
04:03I was pumped.
04:04I was so excited on Monday because Will Smith scored.
04:07Lexington Mass native.
04:08Junior Eagle.
04:09Sebs alum.
04:10BC alum.
04:12Local kid.
04:14Through and through.
04:15Another Bruins draft miss.
04:17Should have drafted Will Smith.
04:19How dare they miss him at fourth overall.
04:22Brutal.
04:23Should have been worse.
04:24Should have been worse.
04:26But again, he's not stolen all the headlines out there.
04:30There was that Golden State Warriors.
04:32Who was it?
04:33I think it was the Warriors who put Macklin Celebrini on the screen.
04:35But only him.
04:36And Will Smith was right next to him.
04:38Yes, that was rough.
04:39I think Smith's going to turn into a really good NHLer.
04:42Skill guy.
04:43Consistent point getter.
04:44I think he's going to be a guy.
04:46Is he going to be Celebrini?
04:47Probably not.
04:48But just a good, solid top six center or potential wing.
04:52I think it's also interesting because with the Sharks, they're at the bottom of the league again this year.
04:57They're going to have a top three pick.
05:01They probably should go with a defenseman in the top three, I would assume.
05:04Because you have Celebrini.
05:05You have Smith.
05:06Be fun to get Higgins out there.
05:08Be like the most East Coast, Massachusetts kind of team.
05:12But I don't think that's going to be the route that they take.
05:15But in terms of the route that the Bruins take,
05:18Fluto wrote an interesting thing about sort of the data coming out of Saturday's debacle.
05:256-5 loss to Ottawa.
05:27Through 47 games, the Bruins have a 532 points percentage.
05:30That's number 10 in the East.
05:31They have a minus 23 goal differential.
05:33Second worst in the East.
05:34Ahead of only the Penguins, which are another team that looks like it's headed for a complete sell-off.
05:40Opponents have outshot them in each of the last six games, 239 to 154.
05:45Attempts, 511 to 309.
05:48Since the holiday break, the Bruins have recorded a positive all situations goals for share in one of 11 games per natural stat trick.
05:55And the power play is number 30 in the league at 13.3%.
06:00Penalty kill is number 24 at 75.7%.
06:03Sunday's practice, the number two unit featured Jordan Osterly, Vinny Letary, and Matt Potra.
06:09And you guys know the deal with those three.
06:12It just hits that it's nice that they're getting these points.
06:16They still were out of the playoffs entering Monday.
06:18They still were out of the playoff picture going into Monday's game.
06:22I believe they're back in it in the wild card after Monday's win.
06:26I just don't believe in this team.
06:29I don't.
06:30And we talked about it a little bit last week.
06:32Like, oh, nice win over Florida.
06:34Nice win over Tampa.
06:35But there's a lot of butts with that.
06:39And I just they need to commit to the retool path, in my opinion.
06:45Yeah.
06:46I mean, I think that game on Saturday against Ottawa just officially broke my brain.
06:50Evan, I think that was the one.
06:52Because, again, as you said, if they take care of business
06:56and they were really bad to stop that game as well,
06:58like down 2-0, came back, and for the final couple minutes of that game,
07:02you're like, man, I'm not ready.
07:05Even if they won that game, if we recorded and they didn't have another game on Monday
07:09and we did our usual schedule on Monday,
07:12even if they won the game against Ottawa,
07:14I would have been like, oh, they're right in the ship.
07:16But you beat Florida.
07:18And the way you did, you beat Tampa.
07:21You come back and take care of Ottawa.
07:23And you have scoring from a whole bunch of guys.
07:25Letary beats your posture and continues to play really well.
07:29Swimming bills you out when needed to in that game.
07:33Yeah.
07:34Playment had a great game against Ottawa.
07:35I mean, a lot of saves.
07:36Yeah.
07:37So that was like another game where it's like, listen, I'm not.
07:41You haven't dragged me back in yet.
07:43But, man, they are starting to, I think, fight through adversity and get results.
07:47And, man, that is the worst.
07:50Well, we got one point out of it ending to that game, right?
07:54You look at the stakes involved against Ottawa, a team that if they get two points,
07:59they bump you out of the playoff spot.
08:02It's just the way that game ended, the lack of attention to details,
08:07the amount of guys that just didn't execute, made ill-advised, dumb plays,
08:12and crunch time.
08:13You have a Weisslingtome, your top line center,
08:15who could not clear the puck like four or five times on Ottawa's fourth goal.
08:20Yeah.
08:21Coverage.
08:22Everything.
08:23That game and the way that game ended just broke my brain.
08:26And so, like, you know what?
08:27I don't think this team's it.
08:29And, again, they can still.
08:31I think a lot of people felt that way after that loss.
08:33Yeah.
08:34Judging from Twitter.
08:35Yeah.
08:36Just the way that game was, the stakes involved, and the performance,
08:39and how close you were to, I think, putting together a really impressive win.
08:43Like, fun game.
08:45Like, a lot going on.
08:46Like, again, we've actually had some entertaining games here recently,
08:49which has not really been the case.
08:51I have to imagine Thursday's game against Ottawa is going to be
08:54also very entertaining.
08:56You know, the birds might be gassed because they're flying the devils
08:58the day before.
08:59But, yeah, that game, I think, signaled to, as you said,
09:04like, listen, they can still somewhat be a fun watch.
09:08They can still.
09:09Who knows?
09:10If Paso and Argents Raymond just heat up down the stretch this year,
09:13maybe they can even sell off a piece or two
09:15and still be somewhat fun to watch and competitive.
09:18Who the hell knows?
09:19But if you're not looking at this as a team that needs to ship off
09:23some players and retool and get something going,
09:27because, again, you look at this team and how they're built.
09:32And something I mentioned to Ty, like, a retool is obviously, I think,
09:36the only option over a rebuild.
09:38But you're also in a spot where if you go into this offseason with a purpose,
09:42with a clear sense as to what you need to do,
09:45you could be back next year as a team that is very strong and competitive
09:49if you really reshuffle some of the pieces around your foundation.
09:52Like, you're already a step, not even a step,
09:55five steps ahead of other teams that are looking at retools or rebuilds
09:59because you still have David Pasternak, a 60-goal scorer, who's 28, right?
10:04You still have a 26-year-old No. 1 goalie.
10:06You have a 27-year-old No. 1 defenseman.
10:09Like, you know the Penguins where you've got foundational pieces,
10:12but they're all 37, you know?
10:14So if you're the Bruins and you're able to see, you know,
10:17identify which guys aren't going to be here for the long haul,
10:21which guys, you know, can get you a draft pick,
10:24or even if it's like a...
10:27I guess you kind of have to navigate kind of a fine line,
10:30but even if you're moving out roster players to get players back
10:33that can either help you now or especially for the future.
10:37Like, I don't know if...
10:38I don't think JT Miller fits into that category, right?
10:41Because you probably have to get him up first.
10:42But, like, if that's a guy that if you bring him in
10:45for the purpose of helping you out now, but especially the next couple years...
10:48And listen, he's not Pedersen.
10:49He's, what, I think already 32?
10:52He's 32.
10:53If not about to.
10:54But if he's helping you out the next three, four years,
10:57or, you know, two to three years, rather...
10:5931.
11:00Excuse me.
11:01He turns 32 on March 14th.
11:02March.
11:03Okay, yeah.
11:04But if you make a trade like that with the purpose of shaking things up
11:07and it means you're...
11:08I mean, with the capping valve, you're moving out three or four roster players
11:12and you're really shuffling things up.
11:14You got to do something, right?
11:16And I just think, you know, the way this team is built right now...
11:20Listen, I don't think you're expecting them to just be status quo
11:23going into this summer of, like, well, everyone regressed
11:26and, like, that can't happen again.
11:27Like, no, that's not going to be the case.
11:29Like, you've got talent.
11:30Run it back, baby.
11:31You've got a foundation.
11:33But I think you even saw in that game on Monday, like,
11:36if you're a team that commits to shaking things up
11:39and it involves moving guys around, moving pieces for either draft picks
11:45or bringing in other, you know, new blood that can help this team,
11:49maybe this year, but more important in the years to come,
11:52and it also involves playing the kids more.
11:54Like, I don't know about you, but I am all for giving Matt Potts
11:58our top six minutes the rest of the way.
12:00See what he has.
12:01Is he, like, a bona fide top six center?
12:04Remains to be seen, but let's find out.
12:06And if he doesn't look the part,
12:08then at least you know going into the next year.
12:10It's the same thing with what I say with Lysel and Merkulov.
12:13Are they ready?
12:14Well, we don't know, but let's play them.
12:16And if they're not ready, are there tweeners
12:18that aren't going to be regular NHLers?
12:21Let's find out so we don't have to go through this discourse, Evan,
12:24in July where the Bruins don't sign another middle six winger
12:28and we're like, well, let me bring up elite prospects numbers
12:32and let's see what, no, like, let's at least get that out of the way
12:36because I think you saw the promise of what happens
12:39when you put guys like Pottser and Laurie in elevated roles
12:42because they were really, really strong on Monday against San Jose.
12:45I was going to say both of them are perfect examples.
12:48Pottser's been in an elevated role.
12:49He's been producing.
12:50Laurie was, I think, led the team in time on ice
12:53against the Sharks.
12:54Yeah, over 23 minutes.
12:55It was phenomenal.
12:56Like, that's the kind of development you need.
12:58And of course, there's going to be Laurie and Ottawa
13:00where there's some turnovers.
13:01I get that.
13:02But I think you kind of have to embrace being that team
13:05of understanding that you have some younger guys
13:07that need time up here, need minutes, need to get the mistakes out.
13:11And if they're going to happen,
13:12but you're also going to get the other end of it
13:14that's going to play really well.
13:15And they have such a higher ceiling
13:17than a lot of the guys you have on the roster.
13:19And it sort of hits at your point of, like, you have the foundation.
13:22I think it hits that you don't need to tear the whole building down.
13:25You just need to do a little bit of remodeling.
13:27And you need to supplement that core better.
13:30The pieces around the core have underperformed greatly this year.
13:34And, you know, I was talking about this with Ty as well last week.
13:38Like, things get crazy around the deadline
13:41in terms of prices and all that stuff.
13:43And I think, you know, again, people look at the Bruins roster
13:47and go, oh, you know, they can't get anything for anybody.
13:49Well, you're telling me, like, Ty brought this up to me,
13:52and I love this idea.
13:53You're telling me that a playoff team out West, you know,
13:58doesn't need a right shot defenseman
14:00and won't be looking at an Andrew Peek or Brandon Carlo
14:03and won't be willing to give you a lot for it.
14:05You know, and obviously Carlo would get a lot more than Peek
14:08as he should, right?
14:09But, like, even if you're just doing reasonably, like, Andrew Peek,
14:12a second round pick, is that crazy?
14:14You know, like Morgan Geeky,
14:16a guy who's proven he can fit in a top six and score
14:19and play with good players.
14:20You're telling me there's a team out there that doesn't need that
14:23and wouldn't give you a lot?
14:24Like, that's what I don't understand,
14:26is you do have pieces that you can get legitimate stuff for.
14:29And it goes back to a quote Cam Neely gave last week.
14:32We've gone all in a number of times over the past 10 years,
14:35and rightfully so, and we've got to be smart.
14:36If you do it again, you've got to know that your team
14:38has a good chance of a deep run.
14:40You don't want to go all in and then not really feel confident
14:43that you're going to have a deep run.
14:45And I think one of my worries over this stretch,
14:47where, like, okay, they got seven out of eight points,
14:49is if they keep kind of doing that,
14:51not that you're always going to get seven out of eight points
14:53the rest of the year, but if you keep winning
14:55and you keep kind of finding weird ways to win
14:58and getting outshot and all that stuff,
15:00I still am not going to sit here and be like,
15:02this team can go deep.
15:03But the worry is that they end up doing okay
15:05over this next stretch,
15:06and then they buy at the deadline,
15:08and they don't do anything in the playoffs.
15:10That, to me, is my biggest worry.
15:12Not losing.
15:13My worry is that they just keep winning, but in this way.
15:16Like, if they start dominating, that's like, okay,
15:18they've turned a new leaf.
15:20These guys are figuring it out.
15:21But even if it's just winning the way they did
15:23against Tampa and Florida,
15:24I don't have a lot of confidence in that.
15:26Yeah, I'd rather you roll the dice, right,
15:28of, like, selling off pieces.
15:30And listen, if you sell off, like, a Frederick
15:34or a Gee-Gee or a Peek or stuff like that
15:37or shake up the roster,
15:38and it gets you draft capital or, you know,
15:41different set of players,
15:43and Swingman still goes on a heater
15:45and Postonok's playing like he does,
15:47and you still sink the playoffs,
15:48then you get the best of both worlds.
15:49Because you make the playoffs
15:50and you get bounced in the first round,
15:52but you at least did some of the job
15:54of retooling and bringing in draft picks,
15:56then you did your job, right?
15:58I feel like that people would digest that
16:01and be pleasantly surprised,
16:03as opposed to, like, as you said...
16:04Oh, people would still be pissed, but...
16:06Of course.
16:07They'd probably think you didn't sell enough.
16:09But if you did that,
16:10then it's the best of both worlds.
16:11If you sell and you miss the playoffs,
16:14well, people have already kind of expected that,
16:15and you've at least got a jumpstart
16:17over what should be a busy offseason
16:19in terms of retooling the roster.
16:21But as you said, like, especially this year,
16:24where so many teams aren't really out of it,
16:26like, even, like, the Rangers.
16:28Like, look at, like, Montreal,
16:30that was dead in the water, and now they're,
16:31what, two points behind the Bruins.
16:33The fact that there are so many teams
16:35that are not, you know,
16:37completely out of it right now
16:39also means that fewer teams are going to be selling
16:42and teams are going to be desperate,
16:43thinking that they're one or two pieces away.
16:45So, like, who the hell knows
16:46what a Frederick or a Geeky or a Peak
16:50or someone like that could get on the market.
16:52So I think your Bruins,
16:53you have to be cognizant of that,
16:54that if you really don't think
16:55this team has what it takes,
16:56and we haven't seen much to prove
16:59that this is a team that can go on a deep run,
17:02I don't think there's anything wrong
17:03with selling off pieces and kicking the, you know,
17:06punting on this year,
17:07knowing full well that you're starting the process,
17:10that with just a few maybe tweaks
17:12or a bold trade or two,
17:14you can be right back in the picture
17:15and be kind of what you thought you were
17:17going into this year,
17:18which is a team with a really strong foundation
17:21with a lot of pieces that are ready to contribute.
17:23You don't have that this year,
17:24I think it's pretty obvious,
17:25but you can get that
17:26if you just go in with a purpose moving forward.
17:28And that's okay that you don't have that.
17:30It's okay.
17:31You can, they've made the playoffs eight straight years,
17:33but something that's always okay
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18:40In terms of the Bruins,
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18:42Poshnok's rolling.
18:44One third star of the week last week.
18:46Definitely one of those stories that I think people missed.
18:48So again, he's rolling.
18:51Swayman saves.
18:52A lot of shots on net.
18:54A lot of shots against him.
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19:23Staying on the topic of retool,
19:25there was a piece in The Athletic by Shana Goldman
19:28that hits on something you and I have talked a lot about
19:30over the last month,
19:31and that's the Capitals.
19:32How did the Washington Capitals of all teams get back in it?
19:36They have an older team.
19:37How did that sort of come together?
19:39And the story is how the Capitals retooled on the fly
19:41and the lessons for other middling NHL teams.
19:43And you won't believe this,
19:44but one of those middling NHL teams is you.
19:47You, the Bruins, which I would agree.
19:51And here's what they did.
19:52I won't get into it.
19:53I encourage you to read the story.
19:55I'm not going to get into the commentary,
19:56but I will get into what the Capitals did.
19:58Started with a trade between the Bruins and the Caps.
20:00You guys might remember this.
20:02The Capitals moved out two pending free agents,
20:04Garnett Hathaway and Dimitri Arlov,
20:06in exchange for a 2023 first rounder,
20:08a 2024 third, 2025 second,
20:11and the legendary Craig Smith.
20:14Craig Sith, people forget.
20:16A few days later,
20:17Eric Gustafson and the 2023 first rounder
20:20acquired from Boston and the Hathaway and Arlov trade
20:23were sent to Toronto in exchange
20:24for up-and-coming defenseman Rasmus Sandin.
20:27The moves continued with Marcus Johansson
20:29getting flipped to Minnesota for a 2024 third rounder.
20:32And then veteran center Lars Eller
20:34was shipped out to Colorado for a second round pick in 2025.
20:38Again, Capitals took themselves out of the playoff picture
20:41and slid down to 13th in the Eastern Conference
20:43with an 80 point finish.
20:45But that retool on the fly
20:46helped set them up for a turnaround
20:47when it seemed like their playoff window
20:49was beginning to close.
20:50And again, it's something a handful of teams can learn from.
20:53And I think when you look at this roster
20:55and you look at the pending UFAs and even pending RFAs
20:59and guys who do have a little bit of term left
21:01who are kind of supplemental to the core,
21:03you can get picks.
21:05And this is something we've harped on for years now
21:08of it's great that they're in it every year.
21:11And to do that and to compete,
21:14you've got to trade your picks to get better players.
21:16And I'm fine with them dealing a first
21:19in some pieces for Hampus Lindholm.
21:20That made sense.
21:21You signed them long term.
21:22Awesome.
21:23But the chickens have come home to roost,
21:26especially from that 2023 deadline
21:28where you dealt out first round picks
21:30and you've done it over the course of a bunch of years now.
21:32And I think part of the reason that the prospect pool
21:35is not brimming with high end talent
21:37and you have holes in the roster
21:40is because you haven't been making your draft picks.
21:42I mean, even this year they have their first,
21:43but they don't have a second.
21:45So to me, that's what we're like.
21:49Getting a second first round pick
21:50would be unbelievable, this trade deadline.
21:53But I think something that's a little more realistic
21:54and better would be getting the second round.
21:56I think that's very attainable with the pieces you have.
21:59Look at the Lars Eller trade.
22:01Yeah, absolutely.
22:02Again, you look at the players you have
22:05and yes, they're maybe not the flashiest players,
22:07but you can't tell me that Andrew Peek,
22:10who yes, isn't like a flashy player,
22:12but is it the type of defenseman
22:15that a team that is deficient in the D-Zone
22:17can't look at and be like,
22:18oh, that guy can be a world of a difference.
22:20I think it was Ty who mentioned to us,
22:22he was looking at some teams like the Oilers.
22:25Look at the bottom end of their D-Core,
22:27like a no frills kind of stay-at-home defense
22:30on the Andrew Peek.
22:31He'd be in their top four.
22:32Yeah, exactly.
22:33So listen, if there's teams that are desperate
22:36and it goes to just the way the market's going right now,
22:39like the amount of teams
22:41that are probably looking at their roster,
22:43maybe surprised or encouraged
22:45by how well their team is playing,
22:46but they're like,
22:47we are a steady defenseman short
22:50or a physical winger.
22:52I look at like a guy like Frederick, right?
22:54That I have to imagine his market
22:56is going to be pretty impressive.
22:57And listen, it's not been a good year for Frederick,
22:59but even like a month ago
23:01when he was really struggling
23:02and wasn't really finding his game at all,
23:04you have like Elliott Freeman,
23:05one of the more plugged in guys across the NHL
23:08being like, oh, a lot of teams are really interested.
23:10You look at what Frederick brings
23:12and I think what teams project Frederick to be
23:15in terms of checking off a lot of boxes
23:18as a responsible two-way player.
23:21That's usually has been his kind of MO.
23:23The physicality is what makes him stand out,
23:26but can score a timely goal here and there.
23:28There's a lot of teams that are probably like,
23:30we're not tough enough
23:31to go through the gauntlet of the playoffs,
23:32but a guy like Frederick is what we need.
23:35He could be worth like a low first.
23:37If the market is this crazy,
23:39I don't think that's going to happen.
23:42But I don't know, man,
23:43look at the amount of teams
23:44that think they're in the mix
23:46and what Frederick could get you.
23:48That's one where if it gets you another first,
23:50and again, it doesn't mean that all of a sudden
23:53you're going to land a blue chip prospect,
23:55but it all comes down to like,
23:57in terms of drafting,
23:58the more you draft,
23:59the more chance you have of hitting the lottery.
24:01That is kind of the way it goes.
24:03Just keep buying lottery tickets, man.
24:04You'll get it at some point.
24:06Exactly.
24:07It's the right mindset to have, Evan.
24:08But yeah, I think the more chances you have
24:11to get a shot within the first,
24:13you know, two rounds, especially,
24:15like how much could it help you just getting,
24:18it's what we already said,
24:19like where the Bruins haven't had
24:21a lot of impact talent through the draft
24:23because they've traded so many picks.
24:24Like it made sense as to why they kind of swung
24:27for the offensive of the guy,
24:28what turn up who again,
24:29we're not going to be,
24:30we're not going to be harping on him
24:32in his production.
24:33Like again,
24:34he was always going to be a project.
24:35So it takes time.
24:37But if you have another first this year
24:40or a second,
24:41it gives you a chance to maybe,
24:43again,
24:44look at guys who have high upside,
24:45but also if you have a second round pick
24:47or you get into the low,
24:49the high twenties again,
24:50you can look for a guy that maybe is more
24:52of a higher floor,
24:53right?
24:54Like a scoring wing in the OHL that,
24:57you know,
24:58projects to be a pretty steady middle six winger
25:00or a like second round.
25:02Maybe it's a guy that has a high floor,
25:05low ceiling as a steady physical defenseman,
25:08which again,
25:09like isn't the flashiest thing,
25:10but it's a guy that could be up here in two,
25:12three years and already contributing that way.
25:14Like the more chance you have of just having a top draft
25:17of having draft picks,
25:18which is you have of just having the luxury of,
25:21you know,
25:22swing for the fences when need be,
25:23but also finding guys that even if they're not
25:26the flashiest talent or they're not top line talent
25:29could be up in the lineup and helping you out
25:31in short order.
25:32Like even look at like Potter,
25:33right?
25:34Like Potter is a guy that not people thought was
25:36going to be like a,
25:37an impact player and range to be seen what his
25:39ceiling is,
25:40but he's up in the league.
25:41I had a schedule and he,
25:42he helped you win that game on Monday.
25:44So producing,
25:45I,
25:46I,
25:47this is the thing.
25:48And I,
25:49I get that people,
25:50and I don't want to rebuild.
25:51I don't,
25:52and I don't think you have to,
25:53but to build a team in,
25:54in this climate to really build one,
25:57you got to draft,
25:59you got to make your picks.
26:00I know,
26:01you know,
26:02and I know like Andrew Raycroft was like,
26:03it's not the NFL draft.
26:04You know,
26:05a guy doesn't come in immediately.
26:06And I get that,
26:07but you need to make your picks.
26:09You need to,
26:10that's how you bring in the high end talent.
26:13It's we're,
26:14we saw last year,
26:15it's not through free agency.
26:17You're not,
26:18you can find great supplemental pieces like a Tyler
26:20to Foley or an Anthony to glare,
26:21two guys you should have been in on.
26:23Those are great,
26:24you know,
26:25secondary scoring kind of guys for your team.
26:28But you're not going to get your franchise number one center
26:31or your franchise top end defenseman.
26:33And even trades like people are always like,
26:35got to do the Kachuk trade.
26:37And yet it'd be nice if that like fell out of the sky,
26:39but that was a perfect storm of everything came together.
26:42And that's a one.
26:43I mean,
26:44the athletic just ranked like the biggest trades,
26:46I think since like 2000 of each year.
26:48And that was the biggest.
26:49So in 25 years that happened basically once.
26:54So again,
26:55you can't rely on that draft picks.
26:57Work.
26:58And I know people say,
26:59well,
27:00the Bruins suck at drafting.
27:01Well,
27:02the Bruins also rarely draft.
27:03The less you draft,
27:04the less likely you are to have good players.
27:06That's how it works.
27:07The more you draft.
27:08Now,
27:09if they make a bunch of picks and they all miss,
27:11then they really do.
27:12Then they really suck at drafting,
27:14but they don't make a lot of picks.
27:16So there is that in terms of guys that like could be Delta,
27:20like geeky is an interesting one because he has 17 points since the
27:23beginning of December.
27:24And he's been great with Zaka and Pasternak.
27:27He's produced.
27:28I almost wonder if they look at him and say,
27:30let's hold on to him just in terms of for future years,
27:33a utility guy.
27:34We've talked about this a lot.
27:36They don't have a lot of depth at wing after David Pasternak.
27:40We can get,
27:41we'll get into Marsh and in a second,
27:43but like for the next couple of years,
27:45I don't know who your top six wings are outside of Pasternak.
27:48I wonder if they look at geeky and think that's a guy we should
27:51keep because he's worked here.
27:52You know,
27:53like obviously is he going to be a point per game guy?
27:56No, but there is that,
27:58you know,
27:59can he put up 40 to 50 points a season type thing?
28:03I still,
28:04if I could get something legit for him,
28:06I would have a tough time holding onto him.
28:08What about you?
28:09Yeah.
28:10I mean,
28:11I think it just depends on what the market dictates,
28:13right?
28:14If no team wants to give you a first and this wacky market.
28:16And again,
28:17it remains to be seen how exactly it plays out.
28:19We still got a couple of months to go.
28:21Yeah.
28:22I mean,
28:23I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:25right?
28:26I mean,
28:27I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:29right?
28:30I mean,
28:31I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:33right?
28:34I mean,
28:35I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:37right?
28:38I mean,
28:39I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:41right?
28:42I mean,
28:43I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:45right?
28:46I mean,
28:47I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:49right?
28:50I mean,
28:51I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:52right?
28:53I mean,
28:54I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:55right?
28:56I mean,
28:57I think it depends on what the market dictates,
28:58right?
28:59I mean,
29:00I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:01right?
29:02I mean,
29:03I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:04right?
29:05I mean,
29:06I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:07right?
29:08I mean,
29:09I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:10right?
29:11I mean,
29:12I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:13right?
29:14I mean,
29:15I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:16right?
29:17I mean,
29:18I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:19right?
29:20I mean,
29:21I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:22right?
29:23I mean,
29:24I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:25right?
29:26I mean,
29:27I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:28right?
29:29I mean,
29:30I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:31right?
29:32I mean,
29:33I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:34right?
29:35I mean,
29:36I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:37right?
29:38I mean,
29:39I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:40right?
29:41I mean,
29:42I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:43right?
29:44I mean,
29:45I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:46right?
29:47I mean,
29:48I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:49right?
29:50I mean,
29:51I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:52right?
29:53I mean,
29:54I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:55right?
29:56I mean,
29:57I think it depends on what the market dictates,
29:58right?
29:59I mean,
30:00I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:01right?
30:02I mean,
30:03I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:04right?
30:05I mean,
30:06I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:07right?
30:08I mean,
30:09I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:10right?
30:11I mean,
30:12I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:13right?
30:14I mean,
30:15I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:16right?
30:17I mean,
30:18I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:19right?
30:20I mean,
30:21I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:22right?
30:23I mean,
30:24I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:25right?
30:26I mean,
30:27I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:28right?
30:29I mean,
30:30I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:31right?
30:32I mean,
30:33I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:34right?
30:35I mean,
30:36I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:37right?
30:38I mean,
30:39I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:40right?
30:41I mean,
30:42I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:43right?
30:44I mean,
30:45I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:46right?
30:47I mean,
30:48I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:49right?
30:50I mean,
30:51I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:52right?
30:53I mean,
30:54I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:55right?
30:56I mean,
30:57I think it depends on what the market dictates,
30:58right?
30:59I mean,
31:00I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:01right?
31:02I mean,
31:03I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:04right?
31:05I mean,
31:06I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:07right?
31:08I mean,
31:09I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:10right?
31:11I mean,
31:12I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:13right?
31:14I mean,
31:15I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:16right?
31:17I mean,
31:18I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:19right?
31:20I mean,
31:21I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:22right?
31:23I mean,
31:24I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:25right?
31:26I mean,
31:27I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:28right?
31:29I mean,
31:30I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:31right?
31:32I mean,
31:33I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:34right?
31:35I mean,
31:36I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:37right?
31:38I mean,
31:39I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:40right?
31:41I mean,
31:42I think it depends on what the market dictates,
31:43right?
31:44So,
31:45these people benched for overtime in the shootout
31:46So,
31:47these people benched for overtime in the shootout
31:48so,
31:49these people benched for overtime in the shootout
31:50against Ottawa on Saturday,
31:51responded with a pretty good game on Monday
31:52against the Sharks.
31:53He has a pending ufa.
31:54So,
31:55now you got everybody like trade marshan.
31:56Trade
31:57traditionally,
31:58like trademer.
31:59Market
31:59traditional,
32:00like trademer.
32:01Market
32:03triedemer.
32:04We've talked about this
32:05a number of times,
32:06cause I've
32:07been hinting at it for a couple
32:08years now of like,
32:09ah,
32:10that's something you should think about.
32:11not
32:12nothing you should do.
32:13My problem is that I don't fully commit I go, you know, people should be talking about this
32:18It's not like I wasn't like I didn't say like fire Jim Montgomery in August, but it was like
32:22You know, he is this is his last year of his deal
32:25And I think with Marcia and it's similar of like 36 years old last year of his deal
32:31retooling team I
32:34Don't know I would consider now. There's there's pros and cons, right?
32:38Number one he contributes to you like just because he had a bad game on Saturday does not take away from the fact
32:43He's been your second best player this year doesn't you know, he's been great
32:47My other thing is he's enough. He's he's the leadership of this team
32:51I don't know. I think he him leaving would leave a massive leadership vacuum and people say oh that doesn't matter
32:58Well, you notice how this year they are without a lot of veterans and this is their worst year in years
33:03No maroon, no Foligno, and I know people all those guys don't impact the on the ice at all
33:09Well, they help in the rub
33:10Yeah
33:11Those guys matter and I think you're you've seen a lack of that this year a lack of veteran leadership on this team
33:17And if Marcian left, I think you could get a good amount for him
33:21I do and I think like Colorado would make a lot of sense
33:25Just in terms of McKinnon and where they're at, you know, one last time potentially with Ranton and all that stuff, but he leaves
33:33Who is captain who is running that room?
33:36That's that's the thing I think that's the dilemma people are gonna have to face
33:40Yeah
33:40I I think listen I you would obviously
33:43We talked about like whether geeky of Fredericks were the first-round pick you probably get a first-round pick
33:47Plus with a guy like Martian for a desperate team
33:50Yeah, look at him like Felger was talking about this the other day and he was saying like oh you could maybe get something
33:54For him. I completely disagree. I think you get a ton for Marcian
33:57What did uh, what did Rick Nash get first-round pick a legit middle at a time?
34:03I know he's not played. Well this year but a top four physical defenseman Ryan lingering Ryan Spooner who didn't work out
34:08But was had a 50-point season on his resume, right?
34:12And yeah, I think you look at his day. He was what 34 35 at that point. So
34:18No, I think Marcian would get you a pretty nice return
34:21Especially again with the way that this market I think is going to be pretty inflated
34:26But I think it comes down to one if Marcian has any appetite for that at all, which I'm not sure if he does
34:33Yeah, I'd be shocked if he did they would have to go full retool
34:37Yeah, like we're not gonna be in the playoffs next to yeah
34:39I think for the Bruins themselves, even if they accept that this team has to retool and this year ain't it?
34:46I still think they they're not looking. This is a
34:49Full, you know teardown rebuilds, right that they probably think like listen, it's not working this year
34:54There's parts of our depth chart and our roster that are broken that we need to change things out
34:59But we still have a core that can be competitive next year
35:02Which I don't totally disagree with so I could also seem to be like this year is an outlier
35:07Everything went to shit really quickly training camp sucked coaching wasn't great. Like the players weren't great
35:13Everything sucks. Like this sucks that it happened when we thought that
35:17Yeah
35:19Everything sucks, but
35:22But I could see them looking at it and being like, all right
35:25We still have you know, if we sell off pieces get some draft picks the cap
35:30I'm sure we'll probably talk about later on this week
35:32I don't you saw like they think now the caps gonna jump to like 97 million instead of 92
35:37I see that Wow, the cap is really gonna jump up this year
35:40So you have a chance even without moving out salary, which we imagine they will do
35:45Have a chance to sign more players. I
35:49could see the Bruins
35:50viewing that that I think it's progress right for I think Bruins fans to for them to accept that there's a
35:56Retool and move pieces, but I also can't imagine they think that it requires like listen trade March and let's start fresh
36:02Like they still have again when you've got guys like Pasternak and sway men and McAvoy in their prime right now. I
36:09Still think they're not going to completely blow things up
36:11So I think that also good influence whether or not they actually move on from a guy like March and yeah
36:16the tough thing with mark trading March and is you are
36:19Signaling that we're probably not gonna make the playoffs the next couple years and I again
36:23you don't want to waste the primes of
36:26Swayman Pasternak McAvoy
36:29I have no doubt you get a lot for March and and I don't think that's a terrible idea
36:32But you have to be committed to like
36:34all right
36:34we're gonna be out of it the next couple years because as I said you don't have much on the wings and
36:40March and is a is a legitimate contributor
36:43In the top six on the wing and probably will be for at least a year or two more
36:49Like I have a tough time doubting March and I think that's kind of a bad idea
36:52He's proven that over the course of his career
36:55So I think you have at least two more years in the top six
36:58The question is what does that contract look like?
37:00I mean, I don't have any doubt that you know, I don't have I'm not like Oh March and is gonna leave in free agency
37:05I don't think that's happening. I think he's 100% staying
37:08But what does that money look like? What are the years look like?
37:12I assume it would be like a three-year deal. So again, and it's just you know
37:17How much do you want to get back if you feel like you can get a lot for geeky and Frederick or
37:22Peak like then you stick with that
37:25But yeah, I don't I don't think they would trade Marcia and that's the other thing like I just don't that's not something they have
37:31Done. It's not something this
37:33Administration I should say has historically done trading guys like that
37:38So I doubt that they do but I don't know. I think it's an interesting
37:42Topic given what he could get given his contract situation
37:46And and all that stuff. So there's pros and cons to anything Conrad's there's pros and there's cons
37:53Only pros though to reading your stuff over at the globe in Boston comm what can people look forward to from you over there?
37:58Yes
37:59Evan you can read my stuff over at Boston comm in the Boston Globe will they be covered every step of the way this prune
38:04Season with three caps features columns breakdowns all that good stuff. You also follow me on Twitter X
38:09Whatever it's called at Connor Ryan underscore 93 go do all that
38:14That's Connor Ryan. I'm Evan Marinovsky you brewers be listeners. Have a great rest of your week