would love to see the Bruins make a run at an RFA Dman, specifically Tyson Barrie, Seth Jones, or Trouba. why not? they have the future draft assets and can afford to lose them w/ their current prospect pool + 2016 picks. they might be able to catch another team in a tough spot w/ a pending RFA. switch your seat at the table here as opposed to being the other guy w/ Kessel and Hamilton.
This makes perfect sense to me. Follow the TM model and cash in from a deep quantity of young assets for a small number of quality assets. I think TOR & BOS are well positioned to use this strategy. Rebuilding does not have to take years (I do not call the tear down phase "rebuilding", even if it may be a requisite for building a better team). Boston never really went into tear down mode, but now nonetheless their actions from last year could actually accelerate the reload. The Atlantic is going to be fun in a couple of years.
i agree Dan, Atlantic should be strong. so many variables to consider but should be fun. I think Florida may be the strongest going forward but we will see. Not sure they'll be able to spend to the cap so they might just have short windows. Hopefully the Habs stay in the dumpster.
The whole organizational structure in Sunrise revolves around generating tax losses and (hopefully) positive cash flow. That model is not conducive to spending to win over the long haul. It'll become interesting to see what direction they go when it comes time to pay their outstanding crop of youngsters. I would not get too excited about the likelihood that they keep them all together. That will not be the case in Pegulaville and not in Boston either. In Toronto they're going to make money no matter what, but I think they're genuinely tired of not winning there. I've always had great respect for the Habs, but try to avoid saying nice things about them in deference to you. I like the Wings (actually it's more accurate to say I like their fans, and I LOVE the Joe). I wish them well but it seems inevitable that this playoff screed of theirs must come to an end. Ottawa is, and probably always will be a self-imposed cap restrained team. Mediocrity is their lot in life. (Then again, maybe one day their version of Terry Pegula will come out of the shadows.). I just think the Sens and Cats are going to tease their fans more often than please them. And, I'll throw the Bolts in that too. Buffalo and Boston, with a healthy dose of Toronto is what will rule the Atlantic for close to a decade.
Don't say that. You know what will happen. Sweeney will overpay with a good prospect or something to get his 17' picks back he needs for compensation. Seabass and Sweeney are part of the Good-ol' boy club, they're not going to back door anybody. On that note though, another bad year in Canada and a few more years of small and mid US markets missing out on top UFAs and we might see the old boy rules get tossed to the side. Won't happen in Boston though, not with Seabass...becuz he's a dummy.
Florida isn't going to be any better than this year with Tallon at the helm. If NYI can close it out, it could spell trouble for the Atlantic as Vinnie Viola might can him. I don't think the Atlantic is going to be very good next year, might be a window for Boston be be "Boston Strong" or something.
I'm still trying to figure out how Viola and the parent company sets the spending for the Swamp kitties. I don't know if they're a straight number based on the arena management gains or if their budgeted based on Panthers revenue only.
Melnyk is driving a turd wagon and putting everybody on board in a full harness. TB will be very interesting to watch the next 2 summers.
my thinking in landing an RFA is that it will be similar to the spot Boston was 1 year ago. that '16 picks will be more valuable than '17 ones for teams having issues signing their own RFAs so its more of a trade w/ the compensation being outlined by the RFA compensation chart. won't matter because the Bruins will win the lottery and draft Matthews anyway.
Expansion draft rules will be out in a few weeks if a new team is coming for 18'. That will change things. Matthews or now Matthews ...which means no Matthews.
I think they'll only spend a 6th on him. They'll reacquire the picks they had and then trade those 3rds for the rights to Willie Mitchell the night before UFA signings begin.
SPorts xpress, Russian site says Khokhlachev is on his way to Russia. Not a surprise and he would be foolish to stay in Boston. He would be buried there and then exposed to the expansion draft or exiled to the Peg or CGY. Better to do the KHL thing for a couple years and come back over like Tikhonov or somebody.
If he is gone, big thumbs up to Sweeney for not moving him...or playing him for a few more games, or playing him up at all. Not a big loss, just a mismanaged asset, and that SJ pick is sliding backwards too...GO PREDS!
this gif is sad for a couple reasons. thats the Bruins #1 D pair. thats the worst team in the league this year peppering you. "maybe if they just keep shooting they'll get tired" isn't the best gameplan.
I'm starting to wonder, Matty, if Boston is defensively challenged. Not to worry, you've got some prospects that should be good to go in a year to three. On second thought, I suppose that could be a bit worrisome too.
real issue that seem to be the operative words. Rumor is that the Bruins had a possible deal w/ Arz in the works. Arz's #3 pick last year for Hamilton. Tippett liked it and Maloney nixed it.
