• 3 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.


Prize Picks - https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS
Download the app today and use Code CLNS when you sign up & Get $50 instantly when you play $5!

Gametime - https://gametime.co
Take the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Terms apply.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the #CLNS Media Network’s YouTube channel for Boston #Bruins hockey. CLNS Media is the leading online provider of audio/video coverage for the Boston sports. Get complete inside access to the Bruins at TD Garden, the game day skates at Warrior, and everywhere on the road. CLNS #NHLBruins' credentialed insiders Mike "Trags" Petraglia, Evan Marinofski, Conor Ryan, and Joe "Haggs" Haggerty. Providing instantaneous news and analysis all in real time, as well as full access to complete videos from the players, coaches, ownership and everyone else on Causeway Street.

For the CLNS award winning Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox, College hoops, NBA History, go here to featured channels- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiP7KyKodc3OHuN_XhEyPPw?sub_confirmation=1

Category

🥇
Sports
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.
00:49Prizepix is the largest daily fantasy sports platform in North America and the easiest
00:52and most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports.
00:56You want to download the Prizepix app today and use the code CLNS and get $50 instantly
01:00when you play five bucks.
01:02That's code CLNS on Prizepix to get $50 instantly.
01:07It's guaranteed.
01:08Prizepix, run your game.
01:09Take the guesswork out of buying tickets also with GameTime.
01:14Download GameTime app, create an account, and use the code CLNS for $20 off your first
01:17purchase.
01:18Terms do apply, but again, download the GameTime app, create an account, use the code CLNS
01:23for $20 off your first purchase of concert tickets, sports tickets, comedy tickets, all
01:27kinds of tickets.
01:28Use GameTime for that.
01:29Download GameTime today.
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.
14:42I want to take a break from the show to tell you about my friends at PrizePix, a great
14:46sponsor of the Pucks with Hags podcast.
14:49PrizePix is the largest daily fantasy sports platform in North America and the easiest
14:53and most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports.
14:56Instead of battling thousands of other players that can be pros or sharks, you simply pick
14:59more or less than on two to six player stat projections and you watch the winnings roll
15:03right in.
15:04Right now, you could go with Tyreek Hill for more than 90 yards receiving and Dak Prescott
15:08for more than 263 passing yards, Josh Allen for less than 240 passing yards, and my boy
15:15CeeDee Lamb on my fantasy football team for more than 96 receiving yards.
15:19Or you could go with my guy Kyler Murray after he helped blow up the Cardinals offense last
15:24week and really has shown now that he's all the way back from injuries.
15:27So that's my special pick is Kyler Murray.
15:30Go with him to put up big numbers across the board, rushing, passing, TDs, all of it.
15:36Right now, one Caleb Williams passing yard gets you one win on PrizePix every week in
15:40September.
15:41That's right.
15:42Only one yard gets you an automatic win every football weekend in September.
15:46Four weeks of free Ws.
15:48Don't miss this deal on PrizePix because it's gone when September ends.
15:51You can also now win up to a hundred times your money on PrizePix with as little as four
15:56correct picks.
15:57Download the PrizePix app today and use the code CLNS and get $50 instantly when you play
16:02five bucks.
16:03That's code CLNS on PrizePix to get $50 instantly when you play $5.
16:09You don't even need to win to receive the $50 bonus.
16:12It's guaranteed.
16:13What is better than that?
16:16PrizePix, run your game.
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.
34:06Right now we've got game time.
34:08Do you remember your first NFL football game?
34:11I do.
34:12I remember going into the New England Patriots and the Cincinnati Bengals.
34:16It was 1985.
34:19It was the last game of the regular season and the Patriots had to win to clinch a wildcard
34:25spot in the playoffs.
34:26What did they do?
34:27They went out and beat the Bengals.
34:29They won the game.
34:31I honestly remember this game very vividly because I was 11 years old at the time.
34:37After the game was over, all the fans stormed the field, ran down, ripped off the goalposts
34:42and carried it right out of the stadium.
34:44I wanted to go down and do it and join the crowd.
34:47My dad said, absolutely not.
34:48There is no frigging way you're going down there.
34:50That was my first memory of seeing an NFL football game live.
34:54It was an awesome game.
34:55It was back in the Tony Collins, Steve Grogan, Tony Eason era, Stanley Morgan, all those
35:03guys.
35:04Andre Tippett.
35:05Great time to be a Patriots fan.
35:07That brings me back to game time and going to NFL football now and going to a Patriots
35:11game at this point and how great that is.
35:14Wouldn't you want to have tickets to any of those games?
35:16Well, that's what you can get at game time.
35:18You take the guesswork out of buying tickets for NFL football, for Major League Baseball,
35:23for concerts, for comedy, for whatever.
35:26You take the guesswork out of getting those tickets with game time.
35:30Download the game time app, create an account and use the code CLNS for $20 off your first
35:34purchase.
35:35Terms do apply, but download the game time app, create an account and use the code CLNS
35:39for $20 off your first purchase.
35:43There's so many great features with game time.
35:45All in pricing, toggling this feature shows the total upfront with no surprise fees at
35:49checkout.
35:50The lowest price guarantee or game time will credit you 110% of the difference.
35:55Game time ticket coverage, your purchases covered with the most flexible customer service
35:59policy in the ticketing industry.
36:02Game time is the gold standard when it comes to buying tickets for pro sports, for entertainment,
36:07for anything.
36:08So I'm going to tell you one more time, you want to download the game time app, create
36:11an account and use the code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase.
36:16Download game time today.
36:17What time is it?
36:18Game time.
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.
45:04Let's thank our sponsors.
45:06Download the PrizePicks app today.
45:08It's our good friends at PrizePicks, and use code CLNS to get $50 instantly when you
45:12play five bucks.
45:13That's code CLNS on PrizePicks to get $50 instantly when you play $5.
45:17You don't even need to win to receive the $50 bonus.
45:20It's guaranteed.
45:21PrizePicks, run your game.
45:23Let's also thank GameTime.
45:24Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with GameTime.
45:27Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use the code CLNS for $20 off your first
45:31purchase.
45:32Terms do apply, but again, download the GameTime app, create an account, and use the code CLNS
45:36for $20 off.
45:37Download GameTime today.
45:38What time is it, Connor?
45:40GameTime.
45:41GameTime!
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.

Recommended