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00:00 Listen, he brings, you know, good chemistry with posture knocking that front
00:03 Bit of a prickly guy to have out there, but it's not really a burner
00:08 like his skills don't really translate well over time and
00:11 Defensively, he's not like as much people talk about the brusque and the biggest thing is up-and-down production
00:16 You never saw a plays where you're like shit. All right, don't send that pass across the ice
00:20 It gets knocked into your own net. You saw that quite a bit was easy
00:24 He and again like he's if he's a second spitting pass along his own wall. What are you doing? Stop doing that, please
00:30 I got God poke the bear is powered by price picks the exclusive daily fantasy partner of the CLNS media network
00:37 And welcome in to poke the bear episode
00:42 232 presented by CLNS media and sponsored by our good friends over at price picks and game time tickets
00:50 My name is Connor Ryan. And once again, we are joined by
00:53 95 the sports hubs tie Anderson tie. It's it's been a week exactly
00:59 since the Bruins
01:01 2023-24 season came to a close in the second round against the Panthers
01:06 One, how are you and - whoa?
01:09 What have you been doing for last week? How you feel in the post Bruins season era?
01:14 Yeah, it's weird
01:18 Feels like we should have a game to cover or something, but you know
01:22 season probably ended the way it
01:25 Realistically should have
01:27 You know, I think a reasonable expectation was winning around. I think a high-end
01:32 Expectation was getting to the conference finals and sure enough. They met us in the middle
01:38 and so in
01:40 Saying that like it was a step forward of a season
01:44 But it's still weird that you know, here we are
01:48 About you man. I know you've been moving to Celtics and whatnot
01:50 I got nothing to do like I got stuff to do but I got to pace it out a little bit
01:54 so that parts been weird when you go 90 miles an hour for
01:58 You know six seven months and then all of a sudden just stops. You're like, whoa, okay, so a
02:03 Lot of cleaning a lot of laundry a lot of things. I've been able to do for the last month or so
02:08 So, so yeah, so how about yourself?
02:10 Yeah, it's as you said jump right into Celtics which a couple of crazy games over the garden there
02:16 So not much has changed in that regard
02:18 But I think you look at
02:20 The Bruins and I'm kind of I think in the same boat as you were it should be a really exciting offseason
02:24 Echo what you said? I think this team
02:26 Overachieved in terms of what a bridge year was you can't really ask for anything better than this as a bridge season in terms of
02:33 second round
02:35 You know some ups and downs in that Toronto series, but an instant classic game seven
02:39 I think that that's gonna make a lot of highlight reels in the years ahead
02:43 And again, we'll see what happens with Florida in this Rangers series if a manhandle the Rangers is like you saw her in game one
02:49 Well, the Rangers surprise surprise
02:51 Averaged five shots on goal per period. I don't think you feel better. Yeah, that was a bad game
02:57 It's not a fun game
02:59 That make you feel yeah
03:00 Does that make you feel better or worse if as a Bruins fan you think if like the the Panthers just smoke the Rangers?
03:07 Cuz you'd be like well we were this close
03:09 you can look like the game for and those things like wow we would that close to getting past a very good team or
03:14 You could be like well
03:15 Maybe we're a lot closer than we think if we really, you know made it a competitive series against again
03:20 It admittedly very good Panthers team
03:22 yeah, I think that I
03:25 Don't think you'd feel worse about it. I don't know if you feel better because I don't think that
03:30 It's not like in 2012. I think what made 2012 sting so bad is because if you got by the Capitals
03:36 Oh my god, the path right in front of you was so damn, you know
03:40 Fortunate for for the Bruins and didn't happen. I don't think they would have beat the Rangers
03:46 I don't think it really been close
03:48 I think they would have fully run out of gas if they had to go back-to-back game sevens
03:51 the Panthers like like I don't know like because is it is it a talent thing or a composure thing like like
03:58 You wonder right like it, you know talking to some players and when the season ended like there was a feeling of like
04:05 We were so close like if that breakaway goes in in game five
04:10 or game six, you know if that
04:14 Goal tenor interference non-call is called in game in game four. It's like
04:19 Okay, you winning the series now like like and so the margins are just so thin and you understand why the Bruins say that
04:26 That said I I think ultimately like you have a talent deficiency compared to Florida like
04:34 You were probably lucky to get out of
04:36 The first round given the center mismatches that were there right like just how deep you know
04:42 Austin Matthews a 70 goal scorer and he also plays great two-way hockey like
04:46 You got you kind of got a break there
04:49 You know with him not being available for a little while and then them having to go back to
04:54 Ilya Simpson off in game seven like you probably caught a break like let's be real here and there's nothing wrong with that
05:01 that's the playoffs right but like I
05:03 If I'm the Bruins, I'm not feeling better
05:06 About what flowers do right now because I'm sitting there saying that can't be us like we got to address some things
05:12 We got it. We got to attack some holes and really carve out our roster and to your point
05:17 It's a bridge here, right?
05:19 The bridge has to go somewhere though
05:21 And I think that's where that that's where that building begins now for the Bruins you have your foundational pieces
05:26 But you need to find the guys that can connect that bridge to a championship
05:31 So, I don't know how you feel about it, but I probably wouldn't feel better
05:35 And I wouldn't feel worse at the same time because I don't know if it's you as much as your opponents or I'm sorry
05:42 I don't know if it's your opponents as much as what you lack right now what you need to add between now and
05:46 next year's postseason
05:48 Absolutely. No, you're right in terms of there being a definite talent deficiency
05:52 And this is a team that has a lot of holes that need to be addressed going into this offseason
05:56 And that's more or less what the Bruins top brass kind of addressed during their end of season press conference earlier this week
06:03 You had Don Sweeney Jim Montgomery
06:06 Cam Neely Charlie Jacobs all you know discussing
06:09 This past year looking ahead Don Sweeney mentions, you know, they're going to be aggressive this offseason
06:15 I know he mentioned secondary scoring and people are freaking out about that. I think that's more of just
06:19 Additional scoring to what they already have as opposed to like we're just gonna sign a bunch of third line wingers
06:25 I'm that's that's just on Sweeney's dictionary there as opposed to like what you know reading the tea leaves or anything like that, but
06:32 As a whole is a definite there was a definite freak out about that terminology that I don't think aligns with reality. Yes
06:39 They know like what he's saying is that David Pasternak is his primary scorer
06:44 You need to get guys behind Pasternak which in turn means secondary scoring and that's what he means by that
06:51 Jalen Brown is a secondary scoring option behind Jason Tatum, but he's still really freaking good. I think it's anyone play 2k
06:58 You can exactly
07:00 Exactly
07:01 But tie for you as you know going through that entire press conference beyond
07:05 Don Sweeney saying you
07:08 Going with Jeremy Swinman's contract which also I find that being part of like the back-and-forth you've had with Don Sweeney for years now
07:15 So if you were like wow, like Don Sweeney's like really going at tie
07:18 I think it's just a little bit of a good old-fashioned sparring
07:22 I like Don Sweeney to show some some back and forth there. I
07:25 Think it's great. Like I like I've never looked at it. Like wow, he hates me
07:30 I look at it like this is fun for me and him and
07:34 It's like you got a little bit of a sparring partner somebody that you go back and forth with and you know
07:39 Like listen when he builds a cup roster, I'm gonna be the first person to say hey great job
07:44 I was giving him his flowers last year for getting Bertuzzi and Orlov and Hathaway and so it there's nothing personal there
07:51 There's nothing malicious there, but I do enjoy that
07:53 I can be the one to kind of drag some flavor out of him, you know GM's
07:59 I think you're very kind of uptight by nature. They're very business first, but I and Sweeney's no exception. He's a very smart guy
08:06 He's a very you know, he's very
08:08 Business meticulous. Yeah, he's that house Bula business business. That's him. I
08:13 Is that he's that guy
08:15 and so, you know, I think that
08:19 That if I can be that guy to bring that out of him and you know, pew pew. I like that keep doing it
08:26 It's fun. I enjoy it. I don't think it's malicious
08:28 I think it's an I think it's a nod of our past and and whatnot the the one I think it was was it?
08:34 Oh, it was like the first was his first press conference after like Bergeron resigned where he's waiting for questions
08:40 He was like, I know you got questions hilarious
08:43 That's great. That's great. I love that
08:45 Like like and I think if he does that more I think more people gonna like him and I'm okay
08:50 I'm okay, like make me the punching bag. That's cool. I like that. It's fun
08:53 Absolutely. Thank you for your service tie in terms of stepping up giving us endless content
08:58 But as a whole looking at that 40-minute press conference
09:02 What is maybe just one thing that kind of stood out to you in terms of their vision their approach?
09:07 What they're angling towards going into what should be a very busy offseason? Yeah
09:11 I think there was one comment that stuck out to me more than most and it's Kim Neely talking about
09:17 Wanting to win more puck battles and wanting guys that are more aggressive and want the puck
09:24 I think really going back to the start of the Jim Montgomery era
09:29 They haven't really been a dominant possession team
09:32 They they they just they don't have the puck enough and is that system is that structure is that personnel?
09:37 Like I think you need more
09:40 Like I want this puck and I'm gonna take it and I think like
09:44 That's not to say you need more physicality or things
09:47 You just need guys that want to make plays versus letting the plays come to them
09:51 And I think there's been a little bit too much of the latter
09:54 This past year year and a half and again, it could come back to personnel
09:58 It could come back to how your roster is being built
10:00 However, you got the space you got the capital like you got the openings now is the time to really find your identity
10:09 you know, I like the Florida Panthers identity of
10:12 We are gonna dump it in the corner and then we're gonna win the battle
10:16 and so I think the Bruins need more of that you need more guys that
10:20 Are gonna be the first one in there versus like I'm gonna help out like if you get it
10:26 I'll just we'll just survive and then we'll get our own push like no
10:29 No
10:29 I
10:30 Want them to dictate the storm, right?
10:32 and I think that's a that's a common trait that you see in a lot of these teams that
10:36 Have gotten this far in the playoffs like like I think it's a trait of the Rangers when they're on their game
10:40 I think the trait of the Panthers obviously we talked about Dallas like you got a lot of these teams that
10:45 you know, they know how to win their battles right and they know how to
10:50 Just just get the puck. I just feel like the Bruins don't get the puck enough and that's what makes their
10:56 Reluctance to shoot which we've talked about, you know again and again and again here
11:03 Makes it all the more maddening
11:04 It's like you guys don't have the puck enough to be patient like you kind of just have to get it on and hope for
11:09 Chaos and so I like the idea of introducing more chaos
11:12 Into this roster and and how they play the game versus the patient approach like dictate the game on your terms
11:20 I think a team I think great teams do that
11:22 And so I want to see the Bruins do more of that. It seems like Neely wants you them do more of that as well
11:25 What about you? Yeah
11:27 No
11:27 I mean
11:28 Going off just what you said in terms of like what I think team the Bruins are trying to build and with the identity
11:33 It's kind of like a breath of fresh air, right?
11:35 Because I feel like the last couple years we've heard the more or less the same thing
11:38 Right in terms of we need to get inside ice you get bigger more physical and again
11:42 like those are all parts of it and I think the Bruins as a whole built like a
11:46 Beefier lineup this past year where again, they had more of a shot volume
11:50 You probably have a lot more chances to have rebound tips and all those kind of ugly goals that you didn't really see
11:55 But I think you kind of said it where you look at a lot of these teams that are successful, right?
12:00 We've talked about there's I think every April in May of like what's the template?
12:04 It's you know, a lot of size on your blue line and all of a sudden like, you know
12:09 This is looking ahead
12:10 but let's say you add a third pairing guy like a Brendan Dillon like a 6-3 dude and your decor next year is you know,
12:16 McAvoy Lindholm Carlo Laurie peak and Dylan your arch height is like six two and a half
12:23 You're like you got a lot of big boys back there. Well, this guy might be McAvoy. Yeah
12:28 Yeah, yeah, just saying something any again if he squares up a guy he hits him like a freight train
12:32 So you have like you're one like again two two and a half three million dollar signing there
12:38 Away from kind of getting that part of it down
12:41 You've got an elite goalie in Jeremy Simon who I don't think we have to talk that much about it
12:45 I think we see the writing on the wall what's gonna happen there, but
12:49 You look up front right you you see like what Dallas does in terms of how dynamic they are
12:54 You see why a guy like Jake Dabrowski is so valuable in the playoffs when the ice shrinks in terms of you know
13:00 It's not just rush chances, but it's beating, you know other players to lose pucks, you know winning puck battles
13:05 Extending ozone time and leading to those chances like that. Look at Vegas last year that that Ford Co is relentless with hounding
13:13 Teams after pucks you see why guy like Sam Bennett is so valuable in the playoffs
13:17 The guy does not you know, his motor is always running every time he's out there. I think for a Neely to
13:23 View that as something that's important for this team
13:26 Is encouraging and it's something I think the team needs to do and they have they have the means to do it
13:32 It's all about I think who the players that fit that kind of mold, right?
13:35 It's like, you know, well, we'll segue into Jake Dabrowski a minute here
13:39 But other than that like who are those kind of guys that can give you that that scoring ability?
13:45 But also, you know can win puck battles can add that element that this team definitely does need
13:49 Yeah, you know it's it's really interesting in terms of like how you look at an offseason and how much can you spend?
13:58 How much you want to spend, you know, you never want to blow all your money
14:02 On the first day or even the first year like if there's a multi-year plan and you sort of look at that
14:08 2025 class and then you're playing a dangerous game of like can those guys actually hit the market, you know
14:14 you never know but like
14:15 you know, like there's a guy that I look at and I
14:18 Think you can sign him without
14:21 Totally corrupting your future ability to bring in more talent
14:25 Would be Chandler Stevenson like a guy who plays with that motor a guy who wins face-offs a guy
14:31 You know can play center and wing
14:33 and he's had success like he's a very, you know, he's a souped-up second line center, but like
14:41 Like I don't hate that as like a bridge option for you, you know
14:45 And then and then you hope you can lure a big fish in 2025
14:48 But yeah, I think that's the kind of player that you want, you know
14:52 And I mean like you watch him during the Vegas run a year ago
14:55 You watch him this past year like he's got some skills, right?
14:58 And I think what you're looking for is looking for guys that can drive a line set the tone
15:02 You know play with a lot of pace and energy and I think he's a guy that that fits that bill for me personally
15:08 Yeah, exactly. It's one of those things where the Bruins have a lot of available options on the wing
15:14 It's just like where these guys best fit like again
15:17 You're looking for just scoring talent like to fully make sense in terms of just pure output
15:21 I don't he's like a speedster, you know per se Jonathan Marchessault
15:25 33 which isn't great but like and he's not really a burner I would say but wins his puck battles
15:30 You see what he does in the playoffs like they do. I think if you're just looking for pure
15:36 scoring talent and a replacement for the brusque which
15:38 Seems kind of likely which we'll talk to you after this first break here
15:43 but it does seem like it all comes down to is what the fit is and what
15:47 Identity you're trying to get because like as you said Stevenson is I guarantee you the Bruins signed Stevenson and he's a good
15:54 He's a really good player stepped up huge last year for them
15:57 you'll hear the same thing about how he's the same as a coil or a soccer in terms of what his profile is but
16:03 You look at what he brings to this team's forward core in terms of that motor and winning puck battles
16:08 That's something that is missing from this team. Oh
16:10 Absolutely, and the other part of it too is like I don't know if this is a great class
16:16 For getting speedsters. Yeah, right
16:19 Like it feels like it's a lot of guys that are a bit older or they might be
16:23 Entering like the downturn of like that kind of game, you know, like you mentioned to Foley
16:29 obviously, there's there's the internal guys that you the Bruins have like hiding and DeBrusque and JVR and then you kind of look elsewhere and
16:37 It's like okay who like there's Patrick Kane. There's Tyler Bertuzzi, you know, there's Tara vine in
16:42 It's like these guys all have warts right and and I don't think you're finding the perfect player out there. So it's just about
16:49 What can get you the most bang for your buck, right?
16:52 And I think that's kind of where you have to be as you know
16:55 The Bruins and we'll talk more about DeBrusque obviously, but like this a weird market for
16:59 Like if you're trying to redo your identity, I don't know if you're gonna be able to do it all in free agency
17:06 like I like I just
17:07 Like there's a secondary option. I like like Anthony do Claire, you know, but it can can that work? You know, I
17:15 Max Domi being on four different teams in the last, you know
17:19 Five years kind of puts a little bit of a red flag up for me
17:21 Like I'd wonder but he's a guy that plays with that that pace and that energy and he wants to win pucks
17:27 Like there's value there, but is he a fit personality wise?
17:31 I always wonder what that kind of stuff, you know
17:33 Like it's just weird when a guy who's as talented as max Domi keeps bouncing around like that
17:38 That's weird to me, right? And so like there are some secondary options
17:42 but again
17:42 it's sort of like to your point of like
17:44 You add those guys and you're gonna have the natural kind of rumbling from the fans of like well, what's that gonna do?
17:50 It's like well, this is kind of what happens when you have to dabble in
17:53 UFAs like there's no perfect solution typically
17:57 Yeah, if only there was like this elite centerman from Cologne Germany who is a good free agent next year that we definitely won't talk about
18:05 This entire offseason and next year possibly, but we won't dive into it
18:10 we will save the Leon dry subtle discourse for later on this offseason because I feel like
18:16 Every Bruins podcast every podcast for any NHL team that needs some help down the middle. We'll be talking about that. So well
18:23 Put a stop to that for right now at least but as we dive into a little bit more about this Bruins offseason
18:28 Tyler's take a quick break here from our friends over at prize fix quick break in the action to tell you about my good
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20:06 Now back to the show shout out once again to our good friends over at prize picks. I will say Ty
20:13 Looking beyond the dry subtle talk and anything like that. It's so frustrating
20:18 Frustrates me very much that you know, we won't we won't dive into the guys like lent home or nature's right now
20:25 But I got a peer look to walk
20:27 Makes so much sense
20:28 He wasn't so miserable everywhere he goes right in terms of like if you look at what the Kings are doing with
20:34 Weighing like a buyout or moving him at retained salary
20:38 Six four I motor hits everything that moves should be built for the playoffs two-way centerman
20:44 Still don't want anything to do with him. He I think I mentioned it to you
20:49 To quote the great junior soprano
20:52 He's got a Virginia ham under his arm
20:54 He's crying the blues because he doesn't have any bread the guys in LA as a third option and still hates everything
21:00 Yeah, I mean
21:02 Again, like this kind of it's not it's right worse than the max Domi conversation, which is like, how are you always unhappy?
21:09 how are you always miserable wherever you land right and
21:13 That's I want nothing to do with him and it sucks because to your point
21:19 he's everything you need in theory, but
21:22 unless it's on like a
21:25 Rehab your image kind of contract like I'm talking, you know, two years at two and a half three per like I'm not doing it
21:31 Sorry, like like even if the Kings were to retain half of the salary for eight years, which would be crazy
21:37 And I don't think they would do it
21:39 seven years whatever like I
21:41 Don't see a scenario in which it's worth it for the Bruins like the potential headache of like a long-term commitment to a guy
21:47 Who has never been happy anywhere? He's been like and and if you want to be unhappy in
21:54 Columbus playing for Tortorella, I kind of get it if you want to be unhappy in Winnipeg
22:00 Sure, even though your dad is in town like, you know on the coaching staff like in some capacity
22:05 You're gonna be unhappy in LA when you're not drawing the hard matchups that on say copa tar or even Philip to know
22:12 You know is taken on for you and you're still miserable and you still can't play and you're still gonna take more penalties and shots
22:18 on gold and the playoffs like I
22:20 Don't know what to help you. I can't help you
22:23 I feel like I can't help you and I feel like Boston can't help you and I feel like the Bruins would be crazy
22:28 especially in the post Bergeron era
22:30 To say no. No, we can fix that like I don't think so man, and I thought Charlie coils comments
22:37 about
22:39 You know bringing players in I thought he gave me a very illuminating quote of
22:44 Saying like you got to buy in if you don't buy into what we do here and you're not a fit culture wise
22:51 And you don't mesh with our locker room. You're gonna stick out like a sore thumb. I
22:56 Couldn't help but hear that conversation and hear that answer and think really too blah
23:00 Like you're talking about a guy who's a dick like you don't want to have a dick in your locker room. And that's I
23:07 Think I think you can have you can have a good prick and you can have a bad prick
23:12 PLD seems like a bad prick. Yes, and so I
23:16 Don't see how that would work personally again
23:19 Unless it was a super cheap rehab your image see if you like it
23:23 no long-term commitment kind of contract but I
23:26 Don't know if Boston is the best place for that kind of contract if you're a PLO to ball like like if you have a choice
23:32 between
23:34 Let's just say
23:35 Boston and in Colorado and you could play with McKinnon and Rontan and Rontan and those guys like I feel like you might pick that
23:42 Over Boston. Yeah, I agree
23:44 Either way, like it's got the the conditions have to be perfect. And even then I'm like, I don't know man
23:51 Yeah, what could have been right for again a guy that he's played to his level would be a perfect Bruin
23:57 but I feel like you know like the Bruins the old locker room used to have like like the quotes or they'd have like
24:01 the the photos up at the top like
24:03 Part of the the ceiling there like this should have one like they add one in and it's John Moore from 2019
24:09 Where he was like, basically we have no dickheads. They shouldn't keep that
24:12 That was like the that was the top quote from that Stanley Cup run. So and again, I'm trying to build a culture you can talk about
24:19 Communication and you know, that's something a person was big on just don't bring any dickheads in it's it's simple as that
24:24 Yes, you don't have to do it. You're not reinventing the wheel here in terms of
24:27 Building that thing out. But yeah, I agree
24:30 I just don't think PLB is is worth a headache even if the stars aligned with what the the cap would be but
24:36 Looking I think more internally now at two guys that you listen to Don Sweeney's comments
24:42 Writing seems to be on the wall between all mark and and debris there but looking specifically at debris
24:49 Again, he mentions he wants to be back during his last exit interview. You hear Don Sweeney's comments on Wednesday
24:56 You're like, you know negotiations are a two-way street the press can pursue opportunities. They were aggressive with their offer
25:02 Doesn't seem like Jake the rest is gonna be back in terms
25:06 especially I think what maybe the Bruins are setting is their price and how comfortable they're gonna be with offering him money and what he
25:12 Can probably get on the open market
25:14 Yeah, it feels like he's gone right this kind of feels like the Tory Krug negotiations 2.0 where you know
25:21 By aggressive stance or aggressive approach
25:24 It feels like they had an offer on the table early in the year and said this is what we're willing to do
25:30 Maybe they put a deadline on it
25:32 Maybe they they said this is high as we're gonna go and then it got pulled which would have Tory Krug
25:39 They pulled an offer early in the year
25:42 Or they just said or DeBrust camp said no we think we're worth more and now it's become a stalemate here
25:48 I think it ends with the breast leaving which is
25:52 well within his rights, I think he actually may have
25:55 boosted his value in the playoffs to be honest with you with the way with with his production and and
26:00 and the kind of goals that he did score and the kind of play that he had and
26:04 It's it's funny because I think if we go back five months ago
26:10 You know three months ago even
26:12 We were talking about
26:14 Resigning him and I think we were like, oh get him on the Zaka contract. You're not getting that now
26:18 yeah, he's probably getting six million and so do the Bruins want to do that and I
26:23 Think there's I I think
26:26 Let me put it this way. I think however you feel about it. I think you're right
26:31 I like I can't argue passionately that
26:35 Keeping him is the best decision you can make
26:38 But I also can't sit here and say walking away from him is the best decision you can make as well
26:42 Like I'm anti blanket statements with Jake DeBrusque. Like I like I don't think it's that simple, right? And so I
26:48 Have my own limit in terms of I don't want to go higher than I like I wouldn't want to go higher than like
26:55 6.1 million. Yeah, so
26:57 That's where I land with it, but curious what you think? Yeah
27:02 I mean
27:02 I
27:03 Think it comes down to just what the price is because I think you listen to what Neely says about
27:07 injecting speed winning puck battles
27:10 Again, you need guys that operating grade a ice if you wanna if you're sticking with Montgomery's quality over quantity
27:16 I got like the brusque who hangs around the the net front is the type of guy you want
27:20 Especially with that speed like he's a player that if you're building that identity
27:24 You should be adding more pieces around Jake DeBrusque instead of subtracting him
27:28 Finding a replacement there while also trying to add something else, right?
27:31 Like you're just making your already busy offseason more difficult, but it comes down to what the dollars and cents are
27:38 I'm not you know, if you're the Bruins, I'm not spending six and a half seven million
27:42 Like even if it's they announced before free agency. It's like they sign them to you know, six years 36 million
27:48 I'm still like it's a little it's a little pricey. But like I get it, you know, you're building that identity
27:54 I can see it if it's he goes out elsewhere and goes to Edmonton and signs for seven million
27:59 I'm like good luck. Enjoy your 40 goals for the next five seasons, right?
28:04 Like I I feel like just with the brusque you'd love to have them
28:07 It's like the it's like the Hallmark situation in a perfect world
28:10 You'd love to have them
28:11 but it's not feasible in terms of you know for the
28:14 goalies the parameters there with how much money you have and especially just up front like the brusque is a
28:19 Very good player adds an element
28:22 But is he's not worth, you know allocating a huge chunk of your
28:29 Available cap space to bring him in when you know, he moves a needle but not enough to you know
28:33 Pay him seven million a year. I don't think
28:35 100% it but and here's where the conversation I think gets a little tricky for Bruins fans
28:43 it's like they talk about like the
28:45 The high highs and the low lows like he's not consistent enough. He's not he doesn't do this well enough like
28:51 But I think people need to understand like that's what you're gonna get
28:55 when you sign
28:57 These kind of players like right like toyota ravine and I had a stretch this year. We had eight goals in 36 games
29:04 Tyler Bertuzzi had 22 points through his first 53 games with the Maple Leafs
29:10 Like so he had high highs and low lows
29:13 I knew without scoring him for like a good chunk of the year remember earlier on the air
29:16 That was like my running tally is who had more five on five points and was high in through like I think early January
29:21 Right and then Bertuzzi turned it on looking this up here. He had 15 goals and
29:27 23
29:29 Points over his final 34 games, but think about what he was leading up to that, right?
29:35 like he was a guy who was not consistent and so
29:37 Like I think people kind of lose sight of that and you know
29:41 I think it's a human condition like we're used to really good players making six million dollars
29:46 the game is kind of changing man, and you're guys that have 20 goal floors and
29:51 Let's say 35 gold ceilings like they're gonna make
29:56 Six million like and that's only gonna get worse as time goes on like guys
30:00 And and I've said this before on here, I believe but like
30:03 Agents are trying to get the best deal for their clients that aren't gonna look stupid in three years. Like when you got guys that
30:11 You know if you want to include Nebraska not go for it
30:14 But like when you got guys that are 20 goal 25 goal scorers making six million in
30:18 Four years you got a guy who has 30 goal kind of potential being like hey, wait a minute
30:22 Wait, this guy's making way more than me now. Like what what deal did you negotiate for me? Right?
30:26 It's it's a difficult game that a lot of agents are trying to play right now and GM's and players trying to play right now
30:32 But I think that
30:36 if you don't sign to brusque and you don't sign a big fish and I don't see them getting involved with Jake Gensel or
30:42 Griff
30:44 Sam Ryan hard
30:46 Like we better than the Bruins fuck it up like we got Ryan Hart
30:51 The wire transaction comes through so many people get in trouble
30:54 No, but they still have a fax machine in the air
31:02 But like I don't think I get one of those guys like their needs down the middle more than that wing
31:09 So I think you're gonna pay the same kind of price for the same kind of
31:14 Inconsistencies and if you don't want to sign one of those guys
31:17 I think you're gonna have to try to replace them in the aggregate, which is no guarantee
31:21 You know like like what do you do?
31:23 Do you sign one guy for poor?
31:24 4.5 and another guy for 1.5 and you're like look at we got two guys for the price of one Jake to Brusque and it's like
31:29 Okay
31:31 Are they gonna be as good as him in the playoffs though? Like that becomes that becomes the question
31:35 It's you know, like you just mentioned Bertuzzi and the running tally
31:39 You know, it's like all year long. We were like they replaced Bertuzzi in the aggregate, you know, they got geeky
31:46 They got JVR. They got Heinen. Well
31:48 They didn't really produce in the playoffs all that much and then you're like, oh, this is where you missed the talent. And so
31:54 Trying to replace guys on the aggregate is always is always difficult
31:58 And so I don't know what they do
32:00 But do you do you feel like it's over like do you feel like they've made their call and it's in it's done
32:05 I
32:06 Sure feels like they have in terms of this, you know being realistic of what the market is and how how much they're willing to
32:12 Go, but as you said opens up a can of worms in terms of just what?
32:15 The next option is because again, you can try to replicate them in the aggregate which you need
32:19 Oh, you're you're placing multiple bets on the roulette table and hoping they all hit like it's not
32:24 You lucked out last year with a guy like Heinen JVR geeky all these players really elevating beyond what you expected
32:31 If you want to go that route again go for it
32:34 But you know, even if two out of three are hits you still have one guy who's dragging it below like are you?
32:41 Gonna sign Andre Kasha who's now maybe healthy for a million and roll with that again, which again one
32:47 It's I'm very glad that Andre Kasha is healthy and he looks great over at worlds
32:51 but a lot of risk involving those kinds of players when you do something like that or or
32:56 another player like that are you gonna sign like a
32:58 You know Dakota Joshua and thinking he has more to bring as like an elevated role
33:04 I don't know like he's a good player for Vancouver. But is he can he step up beyond that right?
33:10 and even if you just go with another alternative like a Bertuzzi and you sign them to I don't know help five five million five and
33:17 a half
33:18 For a longer term deal like listen, he brings, you know, good chemistry with posture knock net front
33:24 Bit of a prickly guy to have out there, but it's not really a burner
33:29 like his skills don't really translate well over time and
33:32 Defensively, he's not like as much people talk about the brusque and the biggest thing is up and down production
33:37 You never saw a plays where you like shit. All right, don't send that pass across the ice
33:41 It gets knocked into your own net. You saw that quite over to God
33:45 He and again like he's if I'm just sitting spitting pass along his own wall. Like what are you doing? Stop doing that?
33:51 Please again. Oh god again. He he brings value if he's a guy you can sign for you know
33:56 Additional scoring and add a little bit of an element. That's great
34:00 But if he's a one-pronged replacing for the brusque
34:02 It's what you said like all these players have flaws but who's he's great at the net front great power play
34:07 Great with pasta knock
34:08 He will you will be able to score give you something but at the detriment down the other end of the ice the brush is
34:13 Great to a player can help on the PK
34:16 You're gonna have lulls where he's got one goal in you know, 14 games
34:20 But right if he elevates in the playoffs, but no players like that
34:24 Like unless you're spending 10 million for a guy like Reinhardt who's good defensively and scored 57 goals
34:29 Go for it, but you you know, you don't have an unlimited amount of cap space this year
34:33 So that's kind of I think the issue is like I think they move on from the brusque, but what is the next plan?
34:39 It just makes an already busy offseason
34:41 You added like four more check marks on your to-do list by letting him walk which again
34:47 It's good for him to go get the bag, but it does make a lot of problems for the Bruins
34:50 And I've said it, you know, I've said it again and again and it's probably annoying people
34:55 I know but the devil, you know Jake to brusque is a devil, you know and
34:59 there's something to be said for that right like I
35:03 Just you got a roster full of guys do that kind of leave you wanting more in the playoffs like Trent Frederick broke through finally
35:09 But kind of went out with a whimper. Yeah, Pablo Zaca scored his first career playoff goal in game six
35:15 25 games one playoff goal like off of a sick of a sick pass from Jake to brusque
35:22 Right like and so if you got a guy who produces in the playoffs, you know
35:26 And he's producing the playoffs in a variety of roles third line first line second line
35:31 He's kind of bounced all over the place, but he's remained productive
35:33 I'll be it for you know
35:36 the 2019 postseason when he got a concussion and came back too soon and
35:39 The 2021 postseason when he was not up there shadow realm
35:44 Yeah, yeah
35:45 And and so like those guys that like that means something I do weigh playoff production
35:51 Like there are guys that you know players whom I love like I like a great example
35:57 I was watching the Dallas Edmonds in game one
36:00 Mason Marchman is a player that I love watching
36:04 I watch him play and I'm like damn how the Bruins not get a guy like this
36:07 And then I look at the playoff numbers and I'm like, ooh
36:10 gross
36:11 he like he has like his plaft numbers are bad and so I
36:15 Can deal with the slumps in season if I know you're gonna show up in April May in June
36:20 And I feel like with the brusque the case has been the case study is deep enough where I know or I feel confident
36:27 That he's gonna produce in the playoffs. And so I do weigh that I I feel like you have to weigh that too
36:32 Through the Bruins. Yeah, it'll be fascinating see what he gets on the market and whether he's back with Boston
36:37 But I think we both agreed does not seem very good right now time before we wrap things up
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38:33 All right tied to wrap this one up
38:35 If you look at the Bruins to-do list is offseason
38:39 Obviously finding a suitor for all mark is at the top of the list while also signing Swainman, but beyond that
38:46 Looking for talent down the middle
38:49 The Bruins have obviously, you know money to spend and you've got a few guys that are out there
38:54 You can look at potential trades as well. How do you see the Bruins kind of approaching the center position?
39:01 This offseason knowing that it's a need but also as you said
39:05 Maybe it's something you look further down the road as well
39:07 If you're trying to play that game, which has its risks
39:10 Yeah, I expect one addition
39:12 And by that I mean like a sizable one
39:16 We've mentioned both Stevenson and Lindholm
39:20 Is there maybe another guy out there via trade?
39:24 We'd have to wait and see I don't love their odds of acquiring guy via trade to fill a top six center position
39:32 But I expect one addition and
39:37 It's interesting right like if you could get one of these guys we've talked about for
39:42 Let's just say seven million, right?
39:46 seven and a half that doesn't
39:49 necessarily prohibit you from
39:52 adding a superstar a year or two from now right like think about
39:58 What they have already locked up. They have McAvoy at 9.5. They have Postmark at 11.5
40:04 They got Lindholm 6.5. Carlo is a bargain at four four point something now. He's 4.1
40:10 I'm actually sorry not not to cut you off
40:12 I'm glad I think the Carlo stinks narrative is has lessened over the last couple years now that yeah again shockingly
40:18 He's healthy, but sorry as you said great deal
40:20 But like you got your pillars in place right like Swayman's kind of the last pillar that you've got to get locked up
40:26 I think long term and once you do that
40:29 You're able to make like a big move, right? And so I
40:34 Think if you were to spend big money down the middle over the next two years
40:37 I don't hate that especially when you have the ability to move
40:40 Zaka to the wing
40:43 Coil, you know, he's been a center his whole life his whole life with the Bruins as he continues to age
40:50 You try to move him to the wing or do you just say no go back to being a dominant third line center like him
40:55 I don't hate that idea
40:57 And so you got versatility you got options with some of these guys that you couldn't theory bring in
41:02 So I think this is a multi-year project, but I do expect them to make at least one move at center
41:07 I think I think they have to if you run it back this year with the same two guys down the middle and you go
41:13 No, no, we got Matthew Patra who's played what 30 games like yeah
41:16 That's you got it. You got it
41:19 You're not gonna close the gap, but you got to try to bridge the gap between you and Florida you in Tampa
41:24 You and you in Toronto in terms of their center depth versus your center depth
41:29 And so I expect them if they don't make a move there. I'll be shocked
41:33 I'll be legitimately shocked if they don't make a move there. Yeah, I think it's a good point you make about the fact that
41:38 You look at the caps face they have and let's say they move all mark and it's around 25 26 million
41:45 So not enough to like, you know
41:47 Signed Swainman resigned to brush add a a to Foley on top and Lindholm and a left shot D
41:52 Like you don't have enough for that
41:53 But if you are able to sign like a guy like Lindholm to 7 million
41:58 Or which is you know?
42:00 Probably what the market value will be if not probably even higher like who the hell knows what he gets. Maybe it's eight
42:05 I really am not sure for just how valuable that position is and his two-way game face offs all that stuff
42:12 But if you sign him and yes, maybe that's overpaying for a guy
42:16 That's ideally a second line center, but you bring him aboard that contract probably ages
42:22 Ideally pretty well in terms of just the cap going up because it's bumping up this this year
42:27 but I think it's supposed to go up to like 94 million next year like we've gone past like the stagnant cap with like the
42:34 Kovat and escrow and all those things
42:36 So if you are able to get more, you know cap space moving forward and that's not also counting, you know
42:41 Brad Martians contract coming up. I have to imagine he's gonna play for another couple years
42:46 I feel like it's gonna be a similar Bergeron
42:49 Tara deal not say like a
42:52 Martian owes the Bruins to sign a cheap deal when he already has been on a bargain bin deal
42:56 but you are gonna have more ways to free up more money that
42:59 If you do sign a guy like Lintol and he's your top line center for this year
43:04 But next year you have the means to add another impact player and he's your to see
43:09 Then you're then you're good to go. But I agree you can't sit back and just hope internal growth
43:15 Is the overall reason why you feel good about your game? Like you still need more talent there
43:20 You need a guy like a Lintol that just moves the needle more for you
43:24 And again, I think it's not just the fact that he brings
43:26 You know additional scoring two-way game, but also just the domino effect, right if you're able to push
43:33 Saka to the wing or push coil back down to the third line
43:36 Like if your third line next year is Frederick coil geeky. That's pretty good third line
43:41 yeah, and I think the other part of it too is that it is
43:45 You you need to learn
43:49 Every postseason every year you got to learn something that you maybe didn't learn the year prior
43:53 An example of that for me would have been moving on from Matt Griswold is that
43:59 you didn't play him in the most important games a year ago and
44:02 then you said you kind of you kind of finger wagged at media who wondered why you didn't trade him and
44:09 Then you did the same thing you did a year ago. You didn't play it all in the Florida series and you're like, okay like
44:14 Look at the end of the Florida series this year
44:18 you had soccer playing the wing quite a bit and
44:21 You had Morgan geeky being your top line center not Charlie coil
44:26 That told you something that told you that those guys are better in those spots
44:32 Then where you had them for the majority of this year, so you go out you address that this summer
44:36 I think that if you just run it back and then you do this because you're probably do the same thing you do this year
44:42 Next year, you know, like if that's how you feel about it when you're on death's door
44:46 I don't see how is that gonna change by a year older?
44:49 They're gonna suddenly be better like in the in the spot. You didn't trust them a year ago
44:53 They're not 20 and 21 like there there are 32 and 28 or whatever like and
44:59 So I think that's a legit thing that you have to look at if you're the Bruins and and so and to your point
45:05 Internally, I think they're internally. I think their best help is on the wings
45:09 Lysell Murkulov can play left wing and center
45:13 I imagine he's more of a left wing at the NHL level based on his face off production
45:16 but like
45:18 Those are guys that like you have to come up right and I?
45:21 Think if we're talking about them spending this money that we're talking about them spending
45:24 It's gonna be at center and then at the wing they're gonna take more of that
45:28 Internal approach if we've got these guys and these guys we got to bring them up now
45:31 So that's how I look at it. But honestly who the hell knows at this point? Yeah, there's a lot to digest
45:37 I think with this offseason, you know, we haven't even I think scratched the surface in terms of other
45:43 Free agent I gets trade targets all that stuff. It's gonna be I think a really fascinating and exciting offseason, you know
45:49 I wrote in my last column. It's like the last two off seasons were Bruins fans being like
45:53 Fuck like it's the end of an era like we thought Bergeron was retiring after the Carolina game
45:58 He felt a lot worse about even a Bergeron could she came back?
46:02 Which they did not but like the cap crunch that was incoming you knew there's gonna be a lot of tough decisions
46:07 Bruins have a chance to actually build off of an overachieving
46:10 I think foundation that I think exceeded a lot of expectations. So Bruins van should be excited again
46:16 we'll see where we are in September in terms of how they use that money, but
46:19 I know you and I will be
46:21 Covering every step of the way this offseason tie in terms of where we can
46:26 Read your stuff where we can hear you on the on the the radio waves all that stuff
46:31 Where can we where we can consume the content that you turn out? I don't just don't know
46:38 Now
46:40 I'm on online at underscore. It's hi Anderson. You can hear me on 95 the sports of read me on 95 sports up calm and
46:48 Here I'm always on here with you my friend. How about yourself? Yes, you can read my stuff over at Boston comm in the Boston Globe
46:56 I've covered every step away this offseason whether it's free agent projections roster building
47:01 Maybe some offseason features all that good stuff. You can read it all over there on this podcast on
47:08 Bruins beat as well with Evan Maranofsky and
47:11 You can also follow me on twitter at Connor Ryan underscore 93. So this was episode
47:17 232 of poke the bear. I'm Connor Ryan. That is ty Anderson you fans. Have a great rest of your week
47:25 *Outro Music*