• 2 months ago
Pucks with Haggs host Joe Haggerty and guest Boston.com's Conor Ryan discuss the last B's preseason game, update the Swayman talks and answer some Bruins fans questions.


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Transcript
00:00Pucks with Hags is brought to you by Prizepix and the GameTime app.
00:07Welcome to another edition of the Pucks with Hags podcast powered by Prizepix, the exclusive
00:11daily fantasy partner of the CLNS Media Network.
00:14I believe this is the 127th episode of the Pucks with Hags podcast.
00:18We are getting up there in the numbers quite a bit.
00:21Today with me I have Boston.com's Connor Ryan.
00:23Connor, thanks very much for joining us, my friend.
00:25Yep, thanks for having me.
00:27You got it.
00:28It's always a pleasure on my part to have you on.
00:30We're going to go through a little bit of the preseason game last night, the 5-2 loss
00:35to the Rangers in Madison Square Garden, and we're also going to have a little bit of a
00:39mailbag episode here.
00:40We're going to answer some always favorite fan questions, some always colorful questions
00:45coming our way.
00:46But first, I want to get to the sponsors real quick.
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01:30What time is it?
01:31GameTime.
01:32All right.
01:35First off, Connor, your impressions from the five to two loss at Madison Square Garden
01:39last night against the New York Rangers, the Bruins' third preseason game of the season.
01:45I thought Brandon Bussey was okay, not great.
01:49The Bruins definitely were okay, maybe less than okay.
01:53Definitely not great at all.
01:55Just stomped in the first period, and that really set the tone for the rest of the game.
01:59There were some bright spots.
02:00There were some things that I liked, but what were your thoughts coming out of that game
02:04last night?
02:05Yeah.
02:06I think my main focus, Joe, is still looking at Brandon Bussey, and as you said, wasn't
02:10all on him, five on three, tough break at the start there.
02:14Some of the net front coverage in front of him was a little iffy, not a whole lot of
02:18support in front of him.
02:19But still, you kind of look at his first game on Sunday, where, again, 10 saves on 12 shots.
02:27He kind of was knocking himself after that one, because that heel goal, he didn't really
02:31like.
02:32Even though he let up four goals on Thursday, had a lot of rebounds, that you look at a
02:38few of those other guys that are really good at cleaning up at net front, like Chris Kreider.
02:43Rangers had a lot of lineup regulars in that lineup.
02:46Could have probably been a whole lot worse.
02:48There were quite a few rebounds that are a little bit concerning there.
02:51I know even when Brandon Bussey was having really, really strong seasons down in Providence,
02:55that seems like it was the one thing that he always needs to kind of tighten up a little
02:59bit is the rebound control.
03:01So again, it's preseason.
03:03I'm not ready to end the Brandon Bussey experiment or anything like that after a few games.
03:08But I think, one, it reinforces that this is still a guy who has a lot of promise.
03:14He's 26 years old, but you have to expect some of the growing pains if you are confident
03:18in going with him once the season opens.
03:21And it also, I think, once again, reaffirms, probably feel a little bit better about your
03:25team if you had Jeremy Swayman in net, and then you can figure out who's the number two
03:30behind in between Corpora Salo and Bussey.
03:32If it's Corpora Salo and Bussey on October 8th, you're opening the door to a lot more
03:37variance than they may be in terms of what you're going to get in goaltending, at least
03:40at the start of the year.
03:41Definitely.
03:42I don't think there's any doubt about that.
03:43You're definitely a little bit of sort of whistling past the graveyard with Bussey and
03:47Corpora Salo a little bit and hoping for the best, but not quite sure where you're going
03:51to get out of those two if you started the year.
03:53It's definitely an unknown variable with those two.
03:57Brandon Bussey, low hard shots.
03:58He was kicking out a lot of the low hard shots.
04:00They were going at him, and he was kicking them right out around the net.
04:04Definitely had some issues with rebound control.
04:06The one thing, obviously, they got dominated in the first period.
04:10They did not have a good first period.
04:11A lot of that was on the defense and the players around.
04:16For most of the first 40 minutes of that game, it looked like Pasta and Zaka were up for
04:20a Sunday skate.
04:21They weren't really too invested in what was going on.
04:24I actually liked Patra at center with them.
04:27Some of the puck possession stuff, some of the plays they were making, I thought he looked
04:30pretty good.
04:31But at the end of the day, that line finished minus three across the board, and they had
04:35a tough night where they were just getting their work in, and it didn't look like there
04:37was much invested in the game.
04:41Some of that is definitely on the players in front of Busse, but the one I look at and
04:45point at is the breakaway by Othman towards the end of the first period.
04:51He makes a nice move.
04:52He's in all alone.
04:53Zdorov cannot make a play on the puck and kind of gets burnt.
04:56Zdorov did not play well last night either.
05:00He goes in, and he makes a really good move on Busse, and he just tows him on a breakaway.
05:05They'd already given up two goals in the last five minutes of the first period, and that
05:08was really a killer.
05:09In any game during the regular season, that is going to be a momentum killer.
05:12That's a tough goal to give up.
05:14That's the one I look at with him and say, you've got to make a stop there, and that
05:17gives you some concern that momentum might spin away from them at times during the regular
05:22season if he's the guy in net.
05:24So there's no question that was not...
05:26In the daily drama soap opera of the Jeremy Swayman negotiations, it was point Swayman's
05:30camp last night in Swayman with Busse not looking great.
05:34The good news is, at best, he would be a backup in the situation as it is right now.
05:38Really, Corpozalos is the one you need to look at, and if he continues to play well
05:42and looks good, the Bruins, I think, are going to feel okay about where they are to start
05:46the year.
05:47If they had to go with Busse as backup and Corpozalos starter, and really, I think he's
05:50the key in all of this.
05:52If he starts giving up goals like that and rebounds like that, then I think Swayman's
05:55looking awfully good to continue to make the demands that he wants to try to make, and
06:00the Bruins may have to bend a little bit.
06:03One thing I did like last night, and I thought one of the best players, if not the best player
06:07for the Boston Bruins was Mark Kostelik, physical, was blowing guys up, knocking guys over, got
06:14into a fight at one point because he was really hard on the forecheck and blew somebody up,
06:19tipped home a goal by paying the price in front and getting his body there and winning
06:23a battle.
06:25He looks like the player you hoped that he was going to be coming from Ottawa to add
06:31to that fourth line, and quite frankly, the kind of player that that fourth line really
06:35hasn't had the last few years, that sort of veteran, heavy, physical, tough guy that can
06:39drop the gloves, intimidator.
06:41Garnett Hathaway was kind of that kind of player too, but that's the last guy in the
06:45last few years that I feel like they've had that's been anything like that, and they obviously
06:48only had him for a short amount of time.
06:52It's been a couple of preseasons games now for Kostelik, and he really looks like he's
06:56going to be a factor and he's going to be something to look at in the fourth line.
06:59He's going to help.
07:00Yeah, absolutely.
07:01I think you look at what he brings even before you saw him in game action.
07:05He was known as a guy that is physically 6'4", really, really good at face-offs, which helps
07:10you there.
07:11But I also think you just look at his motor, right?
07:14Even though he's 6'4", it's kind of the same as like a guy like Beecher, who's 6'3", 216,
07:19but doesn't look like that when he's skating, right?
07:21I think it remains to be seen how that fourth line all kind of shakes out between him, Beecher,
07:28Max Jones, who's obviously banged up, but it seems like that's the guy they wanted to
07:31take a look at, Riley Duran.
07:34However it kind of shakes out, that quartet or whoever else maybe gets into that mix,
07:38I do kind of like how their fourth line seems to be a group that should be more physical,
07:43but also they play with speed, they play really aggressively on the forecheck, they close
07:47in quick.
07:48And I think in especially today's NHL, when you're looking at how you're building your
07:52fourth line, you look at some of the best ones out there of what the Panthers bring.
07:57You look at like, you know, for years it was Carolina with like Jordan Martynuk and
08:01Jesper Foss and all these guys that maybe aren't like the biggest, strongest guys, but
08:05they will close in and make your life miserable on the forecheck.
08:08And I think having a guy like Kaslich as maybe the engine of that fourth line and having,
08:13you know, seeing what Beecher could do with another year, or a guy like Max Jones who
08:17had double-digit goals last year and brings a lot of energy and is also 6'3".
08:22I kind of like how the composition of that fourth line is shaping out.
08:25Again, we'll see like even if a guy like Riley Duran's in the mix, who, you know, always
08:29seems to be a guy that Ryan Mouchenel has spoken highly of and seems like he's on the
08:34cusp of NHL reps.
08:37I do think there's a lot to be excited about that fourth line and Kaslich, who, I mean,
08:41first game comes in hot, right, with like two offensive zone penalties.
08:45I think afterwards he's more or less like, I was a little bit more geared up.
08:48You know, I don't think you're expecting all that from him during regular season games,
08:53but a guy that's physical draws a ton of penalties.
08:56I noticed that last year, him and Jones, I think were like top 10 in terms of drawing
09:02penalties.
09:03It's kind of like what Lauco did last year and you kind of need those kinds of things
09:06on that fourth line.
09:07I think he checks off a lot of boxes of what you're trying to get out of that part of the
09:11lineup.
09:12Yeah, and you need that, especially if you're the Boston Bruins, you continue to have that
09:16habit of taking a lot of penalties that you want to be able to draw some to offset that
09:19a little bit too.
09:20So it's not, you know, the differential is not too crazy.
09:23As far as power plays that you're getting and giving up and it just, you know, it speaks
09:27to Kostelik's ability.
09:29He's one of those players that will drag you into the battle.
09:31Like he's one of those guys that will get stuff going.
09:33Like I've loved Kuntar in this camp too, because I think he's a guy that's really been sterned
09:38up and that is really getting involved.
09:40And even if he's not scoring, holding onto the puck, all that stuff, like he's in the
09:44middle of the mix and you notice him.
09:45And I think that's a good thing for a lot of those young guys.
09:48Riley Duran also to your point, 6'2 and can skate.
09:51Like he's another guy that would fit right in as a big body that can move.
09:54It has a little bit more skill than you think he does and would be a really nice fit there.
09:58Zdorov, as I mentioned, struggled.
10:01He had some turnover that that empty net goal at the end was him just kind of fumbling a
10:05pass to McAvoy, throwing it at his feet and that turned into a quick empty net goal.
10:09Game over right there.
10:11Couldn't come up with the puck on the breakaway that Othman scored.
10:15Took a cross-checking penalty that I thought was like very questionable.
10:17That was a light gap to the back.
10:19It's the strongest man in the world apparently.
10:21Seriously.
10:22And like he's obviously going to bring the physical end of it.
10:24I have no questions about that.
10:26But are there any questions in the back of your mind as to whether he, even though style-wise
10:32I think he's a good fit for McAvoy and he should free up McAvoy for more offense and
10:38like be a sheriff out there that's going to cause some of those hits on McAvoy to go away
10:41a little bit.
10:43Is there a little bit of concern in your mind just about him being able to handle sort of
10:47the workload of a top pairing defenseman given that he really hasn't traditionally
10:51been a 21, 22, 23 minute guy in a lot of the places that he's played.
10:56And this might be asking the most that anybody's ever asked that.
10:59I think he's going to be up for it.
11:01I really like him as a player and he gives a lot of things that the Bruins needed, especially
11:06during the playoffs.
11:07I think he's going to add so much value to this team.
11:10But are there questions about whether he's going to end up being the long-term guy to
11:14play with McAvoy given the kind of pressure that's going to be on them playing against
11:18the other team's best players?
11:19Yeah.
11:20I mean, I do think there probably is a little bit of a, not gamble, it's probably too strong
11:24of a word, right?
11:25But in terms of, I think the Bruins when they signed him are banking on, I think what you
11:29saw last year with Vancouver, especially in the playoffs where he was arguably like their
11:32most impactful defenseman other than Quinn Hughes, he was doing it all.
11:35I mean, I don't think you're signing him to do end-to-end goals like he had in that one
11:39series with Vancouver, right?
11:41But he was really poised with the puck, was obviously bringing the physicality, kind of
11:46the bread and butter of his game, but it's kind of like what you saw from like Laurie
11:51last year in the playoffs where it's like, you know, was poised with the puck, wasn't
11:55making mistakes, was confident and wasn't making, you know, wasn't putting his team
11:58in a bad spot.
11:59I think that's what you're asking for, for a guy like Zdorov.
12:02Yes.
12:03You signed him to, you know, launch guys into the glass and be physical and be a sheriff
12:07and all those things.
12:08I think it's also just cutting down some of those plays where you want to rip your hair
12:11out.
12:12I think that's kind of what was the knock against Zdorov in previous years.
12:16I remember, I think the Bruins were on their West Coast trip.
12:19It was like the same trip where Omar had the goalie goal.
12:22So they're out west of Canada and they're playing Calgary and there was like an odd
12:25man rush.
12:26And I think Zdorov, I remember like went out of position to light up Pavel Zaka and led
12:30to like an easy breakaway goal.
12:32And that's like those things.
12:33And I think some of the times it's, it comes with the territory that there's probably going
12:37to be one or two of these games where it's your Bruin frame.
12:39You're going to be like, what the hell was that?
12:42But as long as I think those things kind of get ironed out or they don't, you know, spread
12:47up too often, you'll take what he brings every single night, which is the physicality kind
12:53of underrated, you know, mobility that I think he does provide retrieving pucks, those kinds
12:58of things.
12:59So is it all going to be perfect?
13:01Absolutely not.
13:02It's hockey, it's defenseman playing a lot of minutes, but I think as long as you kind
13:05of iron those out and continue to kind of play to your strengths, if you're Zdorov,
13:09I think he, what he brings is a lot, it gives you a lot more value than the occasional misplay
13:14or two where it's going to drive you maybe crazy for a couple of minutes.
13:17But knowing Bruins fans, they'll see that be mad.
13:19Like he misses a coverage and then he's going to light up someone back on the bandwagon.
13:23So I think Bruins fans are going to like what he brings night in and night out, especially.
13:28Yeah.
13:29And I, and I think they pay even bigger dividends, like his skillset and what he brings to the
13:32table as far as the heaviness, the physicality, just being an absolute, like as Brad Marcian
13:36called him a predator, which he definitely is like, that's going to pay even bigger dividends
13:40in the playoffs.
13:41When you need players like that, you need tone setters, you need guys that are just
13:43going to absolutely make it a miserable, torturous experience to get to the front of their net.
13:48And he's going to do that.
13:49Like he is going to make it miserable for team players on the other team.
13:53There's no doubt about that.
13:54And then just the style of play that he plays very much in the big, bad Bruins style.
13:58So I think the traditional way that the Bruins play hockey and what their fans expect, I
14:02think Zdorov is going to bring a ton of that to the table, even if he does occasionally
14:06go out of position or, you know, really go for the hit and sort of go for the momentum
14:10shifting play, even if it's not technically like what he should be doing.
14:13I think they're even going to forgive that.
14:15I chalked last night up to getting his work in similar to Pasternak, Zaka, some of those
14:19other guys, like he's getting the kinks out.
14:21That was his first preseason game.
14:23So a lot of the veterans, I'm not going to judge at all on anything that they're doing
14:27right now.
14:28They're just there to, you know, fulfill the veteran quota that needs to go to a preseason
14:33game on the road and get their game work in.
14:35So, you know, I still continue to expect good things to him.
14:38And he did throw some bodies around while the game was going on.
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16:18Anything else in your mind from last night before we move on that stuck out as far as
16:24the players you were watching?
16:25Yeah, I mean, I know you kind of touched on it, but I think Kuntar is a guy that always
16:29seems to keep on popping up in terms of how, you know, physical he is.
16:33I think for a guy like that, who's, you know, only going into what his second full pro season,
16:38right?
16:39So I think already at this point in your career, already kind of know, like, I'm well aware
16:43what my identity has to be.
16:45And I think you see it every single time he's out there.
16:47It's like, I'm going to go out there, I'm going to hit someone, I'm going to hang around
16:50the net front.
16:51I'm going to bug guys after the whistle, like that seems like for a guy that checks somebody
16:55into into oblivion.
16:56Yes, exactly.
16:57And then the same guy ends up hitting him and then he goes up and wants to start a fight
17:01with him.
17:02Like, and again, for a guy like that, who, you know, I think that always can sometimes
17:06be like a transition for some of these younger players is like, what am I at the next level?
17:11Because like, Kuntar is like, I know what my path is, and I'm going to do it every single
17:14time I'm out there.
17:15And you're going to notice me every single time I'm out there.
17:18And what do you know?
17:19Like, is he a guy that is now pushing himself for a spot October 8th?
17:24Probably not.
17:25But like, you look at the energy he brings, physicality, when when injuries inevitably
17:29do pop up as the year goes on, he's probably gonna be one of the first guys to look at
17:32a province be like, we could use someone like that.
17:35So I think he's a guy that seems like he, he knows what kind of player he needs to be
17:38is kind of carrying it out there.
17:40He came in kind of with a plan, this camp, and so far, he's, he's been noticeable.
17:44I think it's encouraging to see a player like that, it seems like he knows what he
17:48has to do to get to the NHL in due time.
17:50Yeah, I know.
17:51It kills you to say that about a Boston College guy, but I also want to eat a lot of Eagles
17:54hags.
17:55You're surrounded.
17:57This is true.
17:59But I think he's going to be a bottom six guy at points in the NHL.
18:02Like I'm just starting to see it.
18:03I think he gets totally gets what he's supposed to do, how he's supposed to play.
18:07He does it consistently, you know what you're going to get out of him.
18:10Like he seems to be figuring out the line of like how to agitate and how to drop people
18:15in without like really hurting his team, at least getting matching penalties, if not getting
18:19a power play out of it.
18:21And he's got a little bit of skill to like he's a, he's a hard note.
18:23He knows what he's doing around as far as going to the net and getting loose pucks around
18:26there and cleaning up the trash around the net.
18:28Like he's going to, that's always going to be his bread and butter.
18:30That's how he scored a lot of goals at BC.
18:33Like he's always been that guy.
18:34And I think he understands that's who he's going to be as a player.
18:37And I think that's so key to getting into those sort of role players, sort of roster
18:42spots at the NHL level.
18:43And I think we're going to see him at some point in Boston.
18:46And I think he'll have a decent NHL career because, you know, he gets it.
18:50Let's move on to some of the questions.
18:54This is from a lot of letters on Twitter with a lot of like caps and small letter stuff
19:00going on in the, in his name, in his handle.
19:03Any news on the Swayman contract?
19:05There are a lot of sources coming out with different situations.
19:08Sway holding out until December 1st, not playing this year, going overseas for a year, a deal
19:13getting done by training camp today, tomorrow.
19:16Any news or anything that you think is, has developed recently on the Swayman front or
19:22even better sort of what's your feeling as to what the end game is going to be at this
19:26point?
19:27Yeah.
19:28I mean, it is tough to kind of project what you're looking for.
19:30I mean, you've had recent reports saying that both the Bruins and Swayman are interested
19:35in a long-term deal.
19:36So if that is the case, then I think it all comes down to what the value on that contract
19:41is.
19:42And I think that's where the biggest probably gap is, right?
19:43Because you look from Swayman's camp, who's trying to, you know, whether he's trying to,
19:48you know, set the new floor for the goalie market, whether he's trying to gauge how like
19:54the cap is going to jump up the next couple of years and wants it to age well over time
19:58as opposed to it being six and a half, seven, you know, by, you know, 2030, 2031, something
20:05like that.
20:06And then from the Bruins perspective, you have a guy who has showed a lot of promise,
20:09but he's only played 44 games in a full season.
20:12Like even if you think he could be a guy pushing for a Besson in a year or two, you still want
20:18more of that tangible production, that track record before you hand a guy eight, eight
20:22and a half million, nine and a half million, whatever it is.
20:25So I think you're still waiting for one of these sides to make a concession.
20:30You'd like to ideally meet in the middle somewhere, like, and what does that in the
20:35middle mean?
20:36Right?
20:37Is it seven and a half?
20:38Is it eight?
20:39You know, like right now, I think there's only four active goalies in the league making
20:42over 6.25.
20:44So it's tough to kind of find that median, that middle ground where both sides are going
20:49to be happy.
20:50It feels like whenever pen is put to paper, both sides aren't going to be thrilled because
20:55there has to be some concessions.
20:56Right.
20:58Sooner or later, you have to get to that point.
21:00And also, like you look at the Rangers who are right now working with Igor Shosturkin
21:05on a new contract, and they're thinking that could be 11 and 11 and a half.
21:09If you're the Bruins, get swimming signed to something at seven and a half, eight, and
21:13be happy with it.
21:14Because I feel like once Shosturkin signs, you got Jay Gottenger in another year.
21:18So you got a lot of other guys with longer resumes and more credentials who are due up
21:23for contracts next.
21:24So the sooner you get this done, the better, because it does feel like the goalie market
21:27is going to shift.
21:29But I think it's more because of those guys as opposed to Swayman, who, again, really
21:33promising goalie.
21:35But I think you need to see a little bit more before you're comfortable saying he's a guy
21:38making eight and a half, nine million dollars a year.
21:41Yeah, I think it's a wrong way to think about this.
21:45If you're worried about it looking like a bad contract for Swayman, when Shosturkin,
21:50Bobrovsky, Gottenger, some of these other guys signed their next deals.
21:54I think that's a wrong way of looking at this, because he is not in their class.
21:57He's not in the class of any of those goalies as of right now.
22:00He just isn't.
22:03You have to be a number one guy for at least a year or two.
22:06You have to be in the Vezina trophy mix.
22:09You have to do all these things before you're going to get paid like that.
22:12Every single goalie that is getting paid that kind of money has played 55 to 65 games in
22:17a year before.
22:18And most of them, the big money guys right now, have won Vezina trophies before they
22:23got that kind of money.
22:24And I think you're going to start seeing, you have to have at least been a finalist
22:27in a season if you can start commanding that money, or maybe be in the top five.
22:31Some criteria that says you are one of the best goalies in the league besides going to
22:36the All-Star game.
22:37That's not enough.
22:38I think you need to do more in order to get to that point.
22:41I agree with you.
22:42I don't think anybody doubts Swayman's potential.
22:46I don't think anybody doubts the ceiling is tremendously high for him, that he will be
22:50an elite goalie.
22:51He will be a number one guy.
22:52He should be the guy for the next 10 years in Boston.
22:54He should be the next guy that takes the baton from Tim Thomas, to Tuca Rast, to Linus Almark,
22:59now to Jeremy Swayman.
23:01And you're talking about goaltending excellence for the last 20 years in the Boston Bruins
23:04organization.
23:05It's kind of become a hallmark for that organization is the great goaltending that they've had.
23:09He's the next great one.
23:10I have no doubt about that.
23:11But he's not in a position right now to be commanding an eight-year deal for huge money.
23:18If he's looking eight years, and he's trying to get what we've heard from Spit and Chicklets
23:23and other places, the McAvoy contract, or the Vasilevsky contract, if you will, which
23:27I think is the more relevant person to talk to as far as comparables go, he's not getting
23:32that.
23:33He should not be asking for that.
23:34You can ask for it, I guess.
23:36That could be your opening line to say, this is what I'm getting.
23:38But I think his value is probably a lot closer to the four-year $6.2 million that the Bruins
23:46supposedly offered him as their first offer.
23:49I think four years, $7 million a year is a pretty fair contract.
23:53Maybe even go to seven and a half, and you're not happy if you're the Bruins, and it gets
23:57him done.
23:58And it gets you moving to the next one.
23:59And then he's 29, and he can sign a huge contract at that point.
24:05Once the goalie market goes through the roof, he can cash in as long as he performs well.
24:09But I just don't think it's the right time and place for him right now to really get
24:14that massive deal that he wants to get.
24:16It's unfortunate timing for him.
24:19But to be honest with you, the way this should have gone, looking back on it now in hindsight,
24:26maybe the Bruins should have taken him to arbitration.
24:28Maybe they should have gone that route.
24:30Maybe they should have gone for two years in arbitration last year and locked him in.
24:32That's what I was thinking of.
24:33Yeah.
24:34They kind of did right by him in terms of being like, hey, listen.
24:37Last year, we had to go to arbitration.
24:39It wasn't ideal.
24:41No one enjoys arbitration.
24:42Bruins also had no money last year.
24:45They weren't really in a position to do that.
24:47Whereas if there was ever a year to kick the can down the road, it was last year.
24:51And they also, again, they could have signed him and locked him into whatever it was, 3.475
24:56to a two-year deal.
24:57Gave him a one-year deal being like, all right, we're going to have money next year.
25:00Let's sort these things out.
25:01And now they're stuck at this impasse.
25:03I think for Jeremy Swainman and his camp, I think it's eventually going to come down
25:07to what do you actually want right now?
25:10Because if you want an eight-year deal, you're going to have to make some concessions there.
25:14You're going to get a pay raise.
25:15Like hell.
25:16It might be 7, 7.5.
25:17And if you're the Bruins, you deal with it.
25:20And it's still banking on potential.
25:23And if it all works out, you probably got a really good goalie at a really good market
25:26value in a couple of years.
25:28But if you're Swainman, is that what you want?
25:29Do you want security more than anything else?
25:32Or is it you want to get paid?
25:33Because if that's the case, then yeah, we're going to have to give you a bridge deal.
25:37We need to see more of it.
25:38And you'll take four and get a nice pay raise anyway, but then you can hit the market again
25:42at 30.
25:43So what do you want?
25:44Do you want security or do you want the payout?
25:47Because I don't think right now you can have both in terms of 8 by 8.5, 8.9 million, something
25:56like that.
25:57Right now, it's just not tenable.
26:00Not to mention, Connor, the Bruins don't have that money in cap space to do that, like a
26:059 million.
26:06If Swainman demands that and his camp demand that, and they end up getting that, you're
26:10going to have to move players from this team.
26:13You're talking about hurting the current roster that you have because you need to get a win
26:18in these negotiations.
26:21Some are characterizing this as Swainman is salty still about the arbitration thing, and
26:28he wants to win this negotiation as sort of payback for what happened in arbitration.
26:34I'm telling you right now, if that's his motivation, if that's what he wants, is an out-and-out
26:41win in this negotiation against Don Sweeney and the Bruins, he's going to end up getting
26:45traded.
26:46If he wants a win and he's going to hold out for the win, and that's what he cares most
26:50about and that's his priority, and he's willing to sort of hurt the team in order to do it,
26:56they're going to trade him.
26:57He'll sign on December 1st, they'll sign him to a one-year deal, and they'll end up moving
27:02him someplace else, and they have full control over where they can move him to.
27:06I just think if he doesn't end up at some point coming back to Earth with what his expectations
27:12are and what they want in a deal and coming to some kind of compromise with the Bruins,
27:17I just don't see this ending well for him because I don't think the Bruins are going
27:20to want to send a message to everybody else that players can do this.
27:24Yeah, and I mean, also, don't forget Don Sweeney will be the first one to remind everyone that
27:29Jeremy Swainman and his representatives took them to arbitration.
27:32So again, listen, it is a business, we all know that, but from the Bruins' perspective,
27:39I could also see them at this point where it is now September 27th, regular season starting
27:46in 10 plus days, and you've got a goalie not signed who took you to arbitration, you kind
27:53of threw him a bone by giving him a one-year deal knowing that this was going to get resolved
27:57and now you're stuck in this impasse now.
27:59You can see why both sides I think are probably pretty dug in right now in terms of the Bruins
28:03being like, listen, we're willing to work with you.
28:07Do you want the long-term deal?
28:08Do you want the bridge deal?
28:09Knowing that we'll probably pay you down the road anyway, and when the cap jumps up to
28:12$105 million, whatever it's supposed to be by 2030, they have solutions for it.
28:18But I could also see why at this point, when you look at all that's kind of gone on, why
28:21both sides aren't really budging right now, whether it's Swainman in his camp, who Swainman
28:26I think has never been one to lack confidence in his own ability and has a lot of conviction.
28:31But from the Bruins perspective, it's the same thing.
28:34This should have been done probably a month or so ago.
28:37Why is it still dragging on like that?
28:39Nor are we going to make absurd concessions just to fit what we don't think is right right
28:44now in terms of what the contract is.
28:46You look at all that's in play, and it's a fascinating deal in terms of the timing, the
28:50sample size, all that stuff.
28:53Whatever this deal gets announced, and we know it's going to be like the Bruins are
28:56going to tweet a gif of Jeremy Swainman putting his mask down, and we know a release is dropping
29:00in five minutes.
29:01I will be fascinated to see what the term and the payout is, because I have no clue
29:06as to right now what it's going to end up being, because someone's going to have to
29:10make concessions.
29:11Yeah.
29:12No doubt.
29:13As far as answering some of the other questions here, he will play this year.
29:17He's going to sign by December 1st and play, because he is not going to want to lose the
29:21year's service time and push off being a UFA for another year, because he still has
29:25two years to go before he's a UFA.
29:28He's not going to want to push that even further down the road at this point.
29:31He will play.
29:32He's not going to go overseas for the year.
29:35That's not going to happen.
29:36It's just going to be interesting to see how all of it plays out, and if it gets to that
29:40point, if he starts missing regular season time, and to your point, how Corpus Allo and
29:46how Bussie play, and how that plays into the desperation level of the Boston Bruins
29:53to get him in once the regular season really starts going.
29:56All of that, I think, is going to be really fascinating.
30:00This is from Tony M. When do we start worrying about Swayman and Lindholm?
30:04Let's focus on Elias Lindholm here, Connor.
30:07It was on the ice for the first practice.
30:09I believe has not been out there practicing since.
30:11Patra was centering Zaka and Pasternak in his spot last night.
30:15He looked really good that first day.
30:16They looked like they had some good chemistry running drills and doing all that stuff.
30:20We are talking about a guy who, I think, six times in his career has played 80-plus games,
30:26played 75 games last year.
30:28We're not talking about an injury-prone player that sits out when he's got a little boo-boo
30:32and an ouchie.
30:33This is a guy that will go out there and compete.
30:37I'm sure something's bothering him right now if he's not out there, even though the Bruins
30:40are saying it's precautionary.
30:43Let's be honest.
30:44We don't want to waste this much time if it's precautionary.
30:47Is it time to start worrying about Lindholm in any way, shape, or form?
30:51I wouldn't say so yet.
30:53We'll see what happens next week when he should be back.
30:57That's what Jim Montgomery mentioned on Wednesday, that anyone who's not on the ice right now,
31:02so that's Lindholm, Max Jones, a few of these other guys.
31:05I know Justin Brazzo had a maintenance day on Wednesday as well.
31:09Everyone should be back by next week, which is promising.
31:11I know Elias Lindholm also just welcomed a new baby to the family, I think, yesterday
31:17too.
31:18Some of that is also playing into it, I'm sure.
31:21In terms of the overall injury, I'm not raising the alarm yet, not going to DEFCON 1.
31:26We'll see next week where he is and what he can provide.
31:29Obviously, I think he'd like to see you- Well, Conor, let me stop you for one second
31:33and give you much respect, because you know how to actually use DEFCON the proper way.
31:37Everybody says DEFCON 1.
31:38DEFCON 1 is the emergency.
31:42I've learned my lessons.
31:43I think before, I would say DEFCON 5, and I'd be the one rogue, educated person letting
31:47me know that I was doing it the wrong way, so yes, DEFCON 1, everyone.
31:54But no, I think you look at what Elias Lindholm can provide with this team.
31:59Obviously, he's going to be key.
32:00I'd like to see him get into a pre-season game, at least one or two before the regular
32:06season starts.
32:07Also, a guy that I feel like he can kind of plug in.
32:10As you said, you look at what he provided, what he showcased in that first practice on
32:14that Thursday with Pashunok, I've had him kind of pick things up right away.
32:18He's a guy that's a smart player, will be at the bumper on the power play, has a track
32:24record of elevating his game with some really strong line mates.
32:27You saw how elite that Calgary line with him, Goudreau, and Kachuk was.
32:33He's a guy that can be right there with these elite players and drive play as well.
32:38I'm not worried about...
32:3940 goals and 80 points that year.
32:40Yeah, exactly.
32:41I'm not expecting maybe that from him this year, but I think he could absolutely be a
32:45guy that, if he's in the lineup every day, can be a 60-point, two-way, face-off guy that
32:50can really impact the game.
32:51Right now, I'm not worried about it.
32:52I think he's enough of a veteran that, also, you put him with Pashunok, should be fine.
32:57You don't have to really worry about it.
32:59Pashunok's like the crockpot.
33:00You just put him with anyone, don't worry about it, set it, and you'll be all set.
33:04I do think that's...
33:06I'm not worried about it right yet in terms of where Lindholm is, even with him being
33:10out the last couple of days.
33:11No, he's a 29-year-old guy.
33:13He's played a lot of games in the NHL.
33:15He's a veteran guy that can coast through most of the training camp and then really
33:18start to get ready the last week to 10 days.
33:21As long as he's on the ice at some point soon, I'd say within the next week, I'm not going
33:25to be too concerned about it.
33:27I do think he'll pick up right away with Zaka and with Pasternak.
33:33We would like to have him out there maybe for power play stuff to work on that and get
33:37him as a presence in the bumper to get used to what he's going to do there and to work
33:41on the chemistry with that unit.
33:43Hopefully they're able to do that, but that's also something you could practice a few days
33:47before the season starts and really start to get into a groove as far as what you need
33:51from him.
33:52I'm not really concerned at this point either.
33:55We'll see how the next week goes and then maybe we'll raise the DEFCON level.
33:58Maybe it's at five right now, but we're not close to one.
34:01We'll be back to show in a minute, but let's thank our sponsors right here.
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36:19All right, this is from Ken.
36:22This is one of the Boston Sports Journal Q&A questions from this week.
36:28I like to sprinkle a few of these in here as well.
36:30As much as I'd love to see one of the kids bust out and take the second line right wing
36:33and I'm pulling for Patra there, isn't the smarter play just to keep them in Providence
36:37to start the year?
36:38It's a long season and there's really no need to win October like we've been doing only
36:42to fade later on.
36:44Let the kids battle it out in Providence and we'll call them up depending on who's hungriest.
36:48Isn't that the better play here or is that just playing it too safe?
36:53What do you think, Connor?
36:54I think that's fine.
36:58The more I see out of Patra, the more I think he may start the year in Boston because I
37:01think he's been pretty good and he's looked like the guy he was.
37:04Not as productive offense wise, but I still think he's showing a lot of the same stuff
37:09he did last year and he certainly looks healthy, looks ready to go.
37:14He looks a tad faster, he definitely looks stronger on pucks too.
37:17There's a lot of things to like about what he's doing and he looks to me like he's an
37:20NHL player in training camp to this point.
37:24I think Merkulov and Lysel, they played better in the second game, but I think what Brad
37:29Marchand had to say the other day was very interesting about saying it's a really long
37:32way to go for both of those guys and that playing pretty well is not even close to winning
37:37an NHL roster spot and I think that's 100% correct.
37:41So I think most of the young guys will start in Providence, wouldn't shock me one iota
37:44if Lysel and Merkulov end up in Providence, but Patra's a guy I think that the more I
37:48see, the more I feel better about him potentially being on the NHL roster to start the year,
37:53especially if he shows that he can play wing and center and could be like that right wing
37:58guy with Marchand and Coyle potentially.
38:00Yeah, I'm in the same boat with Patra where I think going into the year, it's like where
38:04you now have the option to send him to Providence.
38:06So I was like, all right, we'll see what he can provide, but coming off of major shoulder
38:11surgery, there's nothing wrong with starting him in Providence, giving him 10 games down
38:15there where he's going to be top line, top power play, have him put up some points, feel
38:20confident about his game, then bring them back up.
38:22You look at what he's showed so far though, like as you said, he's not maybe lighten up
38:27the stat sheet or anything like that, but he looks like an NHLer, right?
38:31Like the poise he has with the puck, him being able to protect pucks, stronger on the puck
38:36as you said, just looks like he fits, doesn't seem like he's trying to do too much.
38:40We'll kind of let the play develop, the poise, the playmaking is all there.
38:45He's a guy that, yeah, right now, at least with how he's played, I'd keep him in Boston.
38:50But as you said, like Lysell, Markov, all these other guys, I don't think there's an
38:54urgency to put them in the lineup if they're not ready or they're not putting their best
38:58foot forward, right?
38:59It's not like we need Lysell.
39:00It'd be, listen, the Bruins would be thrilled if Lysell had a hat trick his next game and
39:05he keeps on stacking good games.
39:07And if you can have a guy like that in your lineup on October 8th and you add more skill
39:12and potential to your forward core, that'd be great.
39:15But I don't think they're in a rush to put him in there if he's not ready, because whether
39:19it's Potra who can play at the wing, whether it's even guys like Geeky or Frederick or
39:25someone like that, like they do have contingency plans.
39:28Like Lysell is really intriguing and it would be great if he does kind of run with it and
39:34shores up as part of your lineup, that there is a little bit of a vacancy there.
39:37But Bruins have options and they're not going to put in a young guy that either isn't ready
39:41or isn't doing enough themselves to show that they deserve a spot on the opening night roster.
39:47So yeah, I don't think there's an urgency or anything like that to get these guys in
39:50the lineup when they do have other guys, you know, more steadier options they can turn
39:55to.
39:56No, most definitely.
39:57And Tyler Johnson, I don't know, I didn't remember if you mentioned him or not, he definitely
40:01factors into all of this too, because I think he's played well in camp to this point.
40:04And I think he's shown that he's still got some game when he's played in the preseason
40:07games.
40:08And he does some of the little things, the detail oriented like veteran things well too.
40:11And I think that was part of Marchand's overall message when talking about the young guys
40:15is that like, you know, I think they want somebody that's a little more of a veteran
40:19guy potentially as an option too.
40:21So maybe he's like the 13th guy and Potra makes the team too.
40:26And the only other young guy I would say like at this point seems like he might have a crack
40:29of staying, a shot at staying is Riley Duran.
40:33If Max Jones is hurt, if there's an injury on a fourth line guy, potentially he could
40:38stay as well.
40:39But if everybody's healthy, I think he probably starts in Providence and you have all of those
40:43young guys, you know, working and pushing to try to get up to Boston and to work their
40:48way up.
40:50But I think you're seeing at this point, like, you know, it would take a Potra level performance
40:55from last year's training camp for Lysel, I think to stick around to the very end and
40:59really push on.
41:00And I'm just not sure if he's capable of that at this point.
41:02And we'll see.
41:03I mean, he's definitely going to get his chances.
41:05But I think having them continue to marinate in Providence and push for time when injuries
41:09happen or if they, you know, somebody gets complacent or whatever.
41:12I think any of that is a really good thing to have.
41:15And I think that seems to be the way it's playing out at this point.
41:19All right.
41:20Last question here from Vickin61, Hags, any surprise so far?
41:24Like maybe a Riley Tufte, Cole Kopke, Trevor Kunta, or even a Jackson Nelson.
41:29Also pretty sure there is not enough room for all three or even two of the high-end
41:32young players, Lysel, Markolov, and Potra.
41:34Yeah.
41:35So what do you see sticking with the varsity?
41:36Finally, the goaltending looks real suspect without Swayman.
41:39I know he is overreaching with his elite goaltender salary demands, but with Omar gone, it sure
41:44looks like he has the advantage in negotiations.
41:46He does right now.
41:47Like, if they get into the regular season, he really wants to, you know, put the pressure
41:51on, the heavy pressure on, to try to get what he wants.
41:55It's a risk.
41:56Like, it could go either way.
41:57It could work out really well for him, or it could turn into a situation he doesn't
42:01want.
42:02Like, I think that is a big gamble on his part if he does that, but he may be willing
42:05to do that.
42:06As far as any other surprises so far that you've seen in camp, I know we talked about
42:10Kuntar a little bit.
42:12Anybody else that's caught your eye?
42:14I know Cole Kopke had a good game, the first preseason game.
42:18Riley Tufte scored a goal.
42:20Some of these other guys are showing, I think, that the Providence Bruins are going to have
42:23a very strong team this year, and they're going to have a lot of good players that might
42:27potentially push for Boston, but anybody else that's really caught your eye to this point
42:31in camp?
42:32Yeah, I would say, obviously, I think Kopke is a guy that has stood out, gets that goal
42:36in the first game on Sunday, had, I think, a team-high five hits on the game on Thursday
42:42against the Rangers.
42:43So, again, is this a guy that's going to be pushing for a spot October 8th?
42:46Probably not, but in terms of filling out your depth chart further down in the system
42:50with Providence, as you said, having some of those guys that should be top six players
42:55down there that continue to take steps forward, kind of like Anthony Richard, who was great
43:00last year for Providence, and if you need injuries, those guys bring up and they can
43:04provide value.
43:05So I think those are guys worth keeping tabs on as the year goes on and injuries sprout
43:10up.
43:11I do like Billy Sweezy, I think he's been a guy that's been pretty solid so far.
43:15He's going to probably be in the mix in terms of, you imagine that it's going to be Parker
43:19Willis when it's the 7th D, but again, with injuries, all those things, if you're trying
43:23to call up some guys, I think a guy like Billy Sweezy, handsome native, so of course he signs
43:28with the Bruins, but has been a guy that has shown some physicality, I think he's got nine
43:33hits in his two games.
43:35Again, kind of meat and potatoes, kind of defenseman, does his job, knows what he needs
43:40to do.
43:42I think he's a guy where is he going to be, again, pushing for 40 plus games?
43:47Probably not, but if you told me at the beginning of last year, Parker Willis was going to be
43:50playing 40 plus games, you're like, who?
43:53And we're pretty damn good doing it.
43:55So I think Billy Sweezy is a guy worth keeping tabs on, because he kind of feels like maybe
43:58that next man up if there are injuries, which are a given, right, over the course of 82
44:05games.
44:06Especially on the back end, injuries are going to happen, and I'm sure you're right, I think
44:10he's going to get playing time.
44:11Had some cups of coffee with Columbus when he was there before, had a fight with Loko,
44:15I do remember that, I think it was the first time he played the Bruins.
44:19And definitely will play the rough around the edges game, and I think is a good fit
44:24as far as a depth guy that will come up and play.
44:26And I know the Bruins liked him going back to his draft year.
44:29He was undrafted, but I know he was on their list of guys that they were looking at to
44:32draft in that draft class, so they've liked him for a long time.
44:36And that's kind of the MO with them, is they keep tabs on guys that they like at that point
44:39and always watch them.
44:40And I think Wetherspoon is probably one of those guys too, and it really makes them very
44:45adept at finding these sort of diamonds in the rough guys that are in tough depth, organizational
44:52depth situations that are stuck in the AHL or whatever.
44:55They do a good job of identifying those players that might be able to come up in the NHL and
45:00help, and I think Sweezy's going to be another one of those guys.
45:02Connor, thank you very much for joining us.
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45:38What time is it, Connor?
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45:42All right.
45:43Connor, thanks for joining us, my friend.
45:44Yep.
45:45Thanks for having me.
45:46Everybody else out there, thanks for listening.
45:47We'll see you at the ring.

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