What are Bruins Draft Options with the 7th pick? | Poke The Bear

What are Bruins Draft Options with the 7th pick? | Poke The Bear

Poke the Bear is brought to you by Prize Pix. And welcome in to Poke the Bear episode 327 presented by Prize Pix. Go. Use that promo code CLNS to get $50 back when you play just $5. I am Evan Marinowski. That is Connor Ryan. Connor, what is up? Evan, my brain kind of hurts a little bit because I was doing a lot of the the the numbers, looking at the lottery, all these things. I thought it was going to be like Kino. Kind of was, but then I was looking at all the combinations. My brain’s fried a little bit, but other than that, I’m here. I’m good. How are you doing? Doing great. Doing great. It’d be fun playing Kino right now. Sitting there at a convenience store like putting the numbers together, you know, at the bar. Incredible. Uh, it’s always fun when a bar has Kino. I’ve never played Kino, but I always see it and it’s like a fun like Massachusetts staple. So, um, yeah. I’ve never done it before, but looks fun, I guess. Probably have better luck than the Bruins would. though. Damn right. Bruins got porked. Bruins got porked. Worst case scenario for them happened Monday night. Pick number seven. And before we came on here, you made me uh privy to this. The the Twitter account uh Marusi uh and I want to make sure I’m saying this right. M A R CUS SSI_MA uh tweeted a video that uh the Bruins needed one of seven or 14 to win the second drawing for the draft lottery. Right when the timer hit zero, Boston’s number seven was perfectly in the shoot as they called to draw the last sequence number. If if that had happened a second earlier, the Bees would have picked second overall. Ah, right there, Connor. Right there, Michael Misa. The jerseys could have been made last night, but alas, no dice. Tell you what, this is, you know, people who want the Bruins to blow things up and are like, I just suck for a couple years. You have kicking the ball nights like this, though, where all of a sudden, let’s say you were even worse than you were, and you were all right. Like, worst case, they’re going to get a top three pick. And then like the other team in the East, I know I crack I know I I crap on the Kraken. That most was a tongue twister. I I crap on this. Yes, I don’t like them very much. Evan, the East equivalent of that are the New York Islanders, that boring ass team, and if you were like, let’s say a team in the top three and they leap frog you with a 3.5% chance to get the number one pick and throws your whole plans out of whack. This is the downside of of doing the full blow things up rebuild is that you don’t always catch the right brakes. I know people were thinking that Gary Bman was going to put the fix in and it was going to be Bruins and the Penguins or something like that. Penguins actually came pretty close to getting the number one pick. Their their odds were very high and I was like, “You’re going to be [ __ ] me if that was what the situation was.” Um, but this is the the ups and downs and usually it’s more downs than ups when you are kind of starting from scratch. So, if you’re the Bruins, you don’t want to be in this photo that much. You know, people are like, “Well, we’ll try to get McKenna next year. What if you’re worse and all of a sudden the Seattle Kraken who like are like in the six uh, you know, have six best odds, they get number one and get McKenna?” Like, we’ll have to put you in a rubber room if Gavin McKenna goes God help us. So, again, this is the the tough part about being in these rebuilds and you you uh you know, it’s not ideal when you are put in these spots because it’s not always your best laid plans usually never end up working out. So, for the Bruins sake, uh, a tough break, right? They they’re still, again, if we’re going to just sum things up, like they are still going to get a a very good prospect. I think it’s just you’re not getting the immediate impact of what would have happened if you moved up to a top two or if let’s say you, you know, you stayed at five, you at least probably get your pick of one of those, you know, tier 2 centermen that are out there. Now it’s kind of like you’re either going to have to pick the final one. You don’t have to say who’s going to be available or it also opens the door of a lot more risk, right? Where all of a sudden instead of, you know, let’s say it’s O’Brien’s the last one there of that tier two kind of guys, do you just stick with him? But if you weren’t high on him is then you’re entertaining a guy with red flags like Roger McQueen. Are you looking at maybe a late riser like a Brady Matt who’s bumped up the chats? like you are inviting more risk I would probably say in terms of where you are now as opposed to if you were five you’re like all right well we’ll take one of the no frontell you know it’s going to be a good player now you have to not second guess but a lot more uh variance I think is there which if you’re the Bruins it doesn’t matter if it’s you know you would have loved a guy like Misa uh he’s not the same type of player as a guy like Denoier or even a guy like Martin right they have different floors different ceilings whatever the case may be you need to hit on this pick. It needs to be a a good NHL player that is going to move the needle and help your core out moving forward. That has to be the priority here with where you are in the draft order. I think that’s the biggest thing. And I think that’s another thing to go back to your point of like the people who want to blow it up and do this for the next three, four years. You want to rely on the ping pong balls every year. Like I agree and and I think u most people would agree with this. Uh the draft is the best way to add uh the draft is the best way to get franchise defining players to get Pillars Post Makavoy Swayman a fourthrounder. Um but relying on it to you know we got to get the number one pick or we’ve you know we’ve got to try to get Gavin McKenna next year is a bad idea because you saw it on Monday. I mean the Islanders jump all the way up to number one which is just absurd. um and push San Jose out of there. Now, San Jose might not get their number one defense that they probably wanted. Like, so um that’s one thing you have to consider. I completely agree on you’re still getting a really good player. And I think that’s the one thing where it’s like it’s worst case scenario in not a horribly bad situation. Like it’s it’s it’s not great, but it’s still relatively pretty good. I think when you look at the draft board, when you look at um which prospects are in that top 10, you’re still getting a really good player. There’s a drop right after you. There’s it seems like there’s a drop right around 8 n 10. And that’s where it gets debatable, even more debatable. That’s where it becomes like, all right, we need a big defenseman, we’re going with Murka. Or we need a uh speedy winger, we’re going with Ekkund. Um, that’s where that comes in. At seven, you’re still probably picking best available. You’re still probably picking best available. And I will say, Connor, this is a weird top 10 because yes, Schaefer seems to be consensus as one, but I don’t like I don’t see him as the surefire number one. He missed a lot of this season. I think he’s a phenomenal defender. I think he’s probably the best skater in the class. But, I mean, it’s hard to overlook Misa. I was reading Chris Peters from FL hockey. He had a mock draft out on Monday night. He had the Islanders taking Hagens. So again, like not saying Hagens is the number one pick, but I I think this draft could go in many different ways. Um and we we’ll talk a little bit about, you know, who can they get. It’s not crazy to think. I mean, it’s I don’t think it’s likely, but it wouldn’t be insane if Denoier is available at seven. You know, Fondell I have a tough time seeing dropping. Hagens I I don’t see dropping to that point. But, you know, I think if one of those teams if if you know, you mentioned I almost want to say Billy Martin, but you mentioned Brady Martin, like if he continues if that stock continues to rise as more and more people get um aware of his game and and and like it, is he picked in the top five? You know, are they trying to get like a Matthew Kachchuck down the middle and they go and get Brady Martin and then that drops everybody down? Maybe. I don’t know. So, that’s the other thing I think people have to realize uh with this pick. And the other thing is last night when we did when I did that live Bruins beat, I went through the last like I think since 2006. 2006. Oh my god. 2006. Um 2000. Yeah, it’s totally Tony Hawk, man. Um since 2006, I went through all the number seven picks. Lot of good players in there. I was going to say I feel like it’s a good sweet spot, right? That is a pretty good like and this and people are like does that mean you think that you know they’re gonna nail it? No. But I think they should nail it. Like if Quinn Quinn Hughes, Mark Shley, Jake Vorich’s in there. Um uh Dylan Cousins was one that sticks out. U Mechoff was a number seven pick. Like you should get a leg, you should not swing and miss on this. You should not swing and miss. And I think this kind of raises the onus where in 5 10 years I don’t think we should be sitting here if they miss being like ah lottery balls didn’t fall their way. It’s like no like you’re still getting a really good player. You’ve got to make a hit on this. Yeah. I think when you look at who’s going to be available at that spot I think you’re going to find someone who’s going to be a impact steady NHLer. And does that mean it’s necessarily going to be a center? No. I think it would be ideal if it was. And I think you have to brace for that scenario where let’s say there’s a run on centers and all of a sudden that means like what if a guy like Martone drops, right? I don’t know if that will be the case, but maybe it’s someone like him. Maybe if there’s a run on centers and you don’t want to take a flyer on someone like McQueen or or something like that, you know, is the I don’t know how you pronounce his last name. The Czech Moratka. Murka, I think it is. Murka. Like again, I feel really bad with pronunciation. So yeah, apologies. Um, but you know, is that an ideal fit? No. Like you need help down the middle, but if he is a 65 right shot D that can step in pretty soon, like that’s value, right? Like it’s not what you’re necessarily targeting, but you can see where he could be in the lineup for a long time moving forward. Maybe it’s a guy like Eklund who’s again not a big guy but super skilled like could be a 30 goal guy in the next couple of years if especially if he’s on the same trajectory as his brother who’s already looking like a really dynamic top six player. He was also a number seven pick. William Ecklund was a number seven pick by the few years ago and I want to say his brother is I think regarded a little bit or he’s got more skill I think is what they say that he’s going to be a really dynamic guy. You could use a player like that. So again, center is the most most important thing. That’s what I think we all agree is the top focus. But let’s say if the draft board changes or something surprising happens and there is a run on guys and O’Brien, who everyone thought was going to be definitely available between six and eight is going higher and all of a sudden another team panics is like, “Oh [ __ ] like we want DO if he’s dropping.” Like I think even if like your bestlaid plans and your contingency contingency options kind of dissipate, you can still pivot and maybe it’s not the ideal thing like Martone or Eklund or Moraca or someone like that. It’s not the immediate need, but I still think you’re getting a really good player that I think hell like Marton or Ecklund or Mora could be in the lineup like in a year or two, right? Whereas like I think O’Brien I think if he’s there you take him, right? really skilled playmaker. He’s probably like two years away, I would say. Like he’s like 168. Um he’s got to work on his skating a little bit. So, um I I think at the end of the day, it all comes down to the fact that you are going to get a solid player. The one thing that’s gonna really suck, Evan, though, is I feel like what is going to happen where you’ve got a lot of teams in front of you that desperately need centers. There is going to be like a white whale that’s going to drop and all of a sudden it’s going to be like, “Holy [ __ ] like Denoier or Fondell or like maybe Hagens. I don’t think so, but let’s just say, right, team gets spooked. They think Brady Martin’s a safer pick and he’s in the top five and Hagens drops and all a sudden he’s at six.” You’re like, “Wow, Philly is going to grab him.” Philly Philly is going to grab a center like that they will take the best available center. So even if there is a slip up and someone you’re really excited for is going to drop that I think is where it’s going to really sting is that Philly still in front of you at a pretty pivotal spot in the lineup on the draft order where again you should have a center available that’s not just McQueen who again I think is a really risky pick. Um, but you’re not going to have your your your choice of options there. It’s not going to be like, “All right, we got O’Brien, we got Martin, and we got Denoy.” Pretty good situation to be in. It’s like, “All right, here’s who we got left, or do we pivot?” And again, you’ve got options, but it it’s still not you you don’t have the full uh available options in terms of how you want to upgrade your your play down the middle moving forward. It’s funny because I think O’Brien in the mock drafts I’ve read and I think when you look at where he ranks, O’Brien to me feels like the most likely pick for the Bruins right now, good playmaking center. Might be the best playmaker in the draft. Um, lot of power play points, which can be concerning, but also he is really good on the power play and there is something to be said for that. And the Bruins power play could certainly use some work in the next coming years. I said this to Joey Capone last night. Jacob O’Brien comes up, gets to play with a guy like Postronok or a guy like Mitchima and suddenly you’re cooking. Like that’s a that’s a good fit for him to come up and to play into. Um sure sounds like a Bruin. He does. You know, he’s he’s from Toronto I believe, but sure sounds like a Bruins player. Yeah, behind him with that name O’Brien. I think that works. But as you said, like could someone fall? Absolutely. I mean, every NHL team has their own draft board. They, yes, you know, they see the draft rankings out there. They see Central Scouting or Elite Prospects or Hockey News or The Athletic or Flow Hockey, they have their own rankings. That’s why you see like Beckett Senica a few years ago, or was it last year, going reo Carlson going two instead of Fantily, who was widely considered to be the number two pick in that draft. Like, it is not insane. I think you see this Brady Martin kid who tore it up at Worlds and you know is a wrecking ball wrecking ball. I mean, and and that’s the thing like with the NHL playoffs going on right now, he not that he’s playing as of, you know, I mean, I know he played in Worlds, but he’s not gonna be playing the next couple months, but like the playoffs are going on, Matthew Kachchuck and Sam Bennett and the physicality of those those guys, they’re going to be teams who are like, we want that kind of guy. We want a guy who’s going to, you know, just run through people. So, maybe he jumps up. Uh maybe a Denier falls. Uh even though he’s been tearing it up in the in the Q playoffs. So, like even Fondell had a bad U8 tournament. I think that’s kind of again I don’t know how far he’s going to drop because I still really like Fondell, but as you said between now and I mean the draft until what June 27th, whole lot can change between now and then. So, and the other thing is like Frenell and Hagens both um some have said could end up being wingers. So, does a team in the top six or top five say let’s go for a more like we know this guy’s going to be a center. We’re confident he’s going to be a center. and then you end up with Frenell at seven. I don’t see that happening. And the other thing is like a guy like Denoier, he’s kind of ranked everywhere. He’s not a consensus top five. I think we’ve treated him as a top five for a while based on the Bruins needs and there are some that have him in that top five. Some have him even higher, but there are a lot of others that have him like eight or nine. Um, central central scouting has him seven. They have O’Brien four, I want to say, among North American skaters. So, and that’s just North American skaters. Like that’s the other thing like that if you’re seven for North American skaters that means you’re more like 10 11 12 in the grand scheme of things most likely because they have a bunch of international skaters too. So cuz I always run into that with New England. Uh because people like oh so and so is ranked you know a third rounder according to central scouting and I’m like that doesn’t really mean there’s five check guys that are kind of bumping them down the list, right? Like that’s why that kid’s picked in the sixth round instead. So, um, yeah, I I think it’s it’s entirely possible that someone falls to them. And I also think they get someone good. My gut, though, tells me that Jake O’Brien is the likely guy as of now. As of now. And I think that’s fine. Like, I I said this to you and Tai Anderson last night. That’s a fine pick. I think that’s like, okay, cool. Like, I’m assuming you’re picking Jake O’Brien. He’s the best center available at that time. U, I don’t see a huge difference between Jake O’Brien and like a Victor Ecklund um in that spot. Um, you know, Brady Martin, I think there’s still a lot of work to be done on him given that he’s kind of made this late push. Um, maybe, you know, I think the way he plays is awesome. It’s just like, is he is there the skill there to to consistently do that? We saw him on that nice goal he scored at Worlds where he’s dangling through people. My thing with the dangles, I love the dangle videos, Connor. They’re sexy. They’re fun. They’re fun to watch. Not exactly applicable to the NHL. And you got a 215 pound defenseman who’s been in the league for 10 years just walloping the [ __ ] out of you and you try to pull that you’re not going to do that to Rod Cudas. Like you know you’re not that’s not you’re not going to do that to Colton Pereo. Um and I see some of the defense in like the OHL on some of these highlights with guys like Misa and I’m like yeah it’s cool and all but like there’s no defense there. Like that guy’s doing nothing to protrude to intrude him from going to the net. Um do you have a preference right now on someone at seven? I mean I would probably say Michael M. Yes, of course. I think it’s only that. Yeah, it makes plenty of sense. Yeah, if barring, you know, one of those guys dropping like Fondell or maybe Day No, like I think that’s your top priority. If O’Brien is there, I think he’s the makes the most sense. Like I really I can see the appeal of a guy like McQueen, but like the back injury, the fact that like his skating isn’t really all that great and O’Brien skating isn’t elite by any means, but like O’Brien kind of reminds him a little bit of like a guy like Crerachche where like he’s not flashy, but has a gift of being a great poise playmaker and makes things happen. And I think like with uh with O’Brien, you’re adding a guy who maybe is two years down the road but has legitimate top six potential. I think if you’re the Bruins, it has to be you have to add someone who’s got a a really not not even a high ceiling that you know that factors into it. But someone that you can project is going to be in a featured role. Same reason why like Maraca is probably on their list because he’s probably a top four guy for the next 10 years. Same as you have to consider a guy like Eklland, right? Marton if they’re there top six impact uh you know wingers. And so I think O’Brien probably makes the most sense and he’s probably got the best shot of being there when the Bruins do get on the clock at number seven. But um I do have like a gut feeling though. I feel like Martin’s going to be in that mix. I feel like where he’s rising up the charts now. Uh people have a lot of good things to say about how he is off the ice, his leadership. I know that’s Bruins’s going to roll their eyes over that kind of stuff, but it does make an impact. And if he’s a guy that, you know, maybe he’s not like O’Brien could be a 75 point second line center at the NHL level and you will take that. Same as like our argument with like Denoier. If he’s a two-way 70 60 point guy, you could use a guy like him. Maybe Brady Martin’s more of like, oh, mostly you’re going to get 55 points, but he’s going to be a [ __ ] menace. He’s going to be a souped-up Sam Bennett maybe without the the sucker punches. guy like that has a lot of impact on a team if maybe he’s not the flashiest guy. And so for the Bruins, if you’re looking at we need a hit on someone that’s going to be a lineup regular, maybe not a franchise superstar, but someone that is considered a hit um and is going to help our team moving forward. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re going to have a lot of Brady Martin conversations between now and June. Just feels like a guy that if this stock is continuing to rise up there, the Bruins could look at him and be like, “That’s a guy we want.” I think we’re going to have a lot of talks about Brady Martin. The things I’ve watched of him and read. Uh he he is he is fun. He is fun. I think did you see the tweet? I forget who it was by. And I apologize for not um citing this person. Uh they they went off the Jesresh like stuff per 60 stat. And in the CHL, Brady Martin is like the leader in stuff per 60, which basically just means you’re doing the most amount of things. Yes, you’re chaotic, but in a good way. And he’s that he’s in the CHL, which is the OHL, the QMJHL, and the WHL. He leads everybody in that. There’s value in that. Like, there is value in that. And he’s six feet. He plays bigger than he is. Competes his ass off. Oh my god. And so [ __ ] talker like drives aggressive on the forch check has skill even if maybe he’s on the same ceiling like makes things happen which again that can translate more to the NHL than like maybe someone that’s like a McQueen where it’s like you look at the profile. If Martin’s just skating his balls off like he’s going to make things happen. Does that mean he’s a 70 point guy at the next level? Maybe not. But like if he’s 50 points and he’s making things happen, like I look at, you know, Milan Luchich what had one 30 goal season, one 60 plus point season and most not most, but like six or seven of those empty netters like did the points paint the picture as to what impact a guy like, you know, he has. Does like Sam Bennett looking past the the the sucker punches and [ __ ] he’s had what 150 point season. I’m not saying the Broom, let’s preface this, I’m not saying the Broom should sign Sam Bennett. But is his value just tied into the fact like, well, he’s only got one 50 point season. He makes [ __ ] happen, good and bad, every time he’s out there and he helps his team win, which is the most important thing. Like, you can see why a team could get enamored by what a guy like Brady Martin could do at the next level. I think that’s the biggest thing with a guy like Martin is, you know, you’re in a division and I I I don’t like this. I don’t like the line of thinking of I need to draft for what’s around me. I need to draft to beat the Panthers or the Leafs because the reality is you have to draft what’s going to help you the most and what’s going to help your identity because you don’t know if the Panthers are going to be there in two years or three years or the Leafs are going to be there or you know, oh, we need to prepare for the Canadians. Let’s get a bunch of big guys to knock around Cole Caulfield. You need to just create an identity and and and find guys the best possible guys. Like that’s the biggest thing. Brady Martin does help you though in a in a playoff scenario. like I’m imagining that guy. I’m projecting that guy to be really effective in those big moments and to be effective in those big games as you mentioned. So I think we are going to talk I mean I think if I had to say like my dream at seven is Denier. My dream is he falls to you at seven. That’s awesome. But I think the likely pick is O’Brien and I think Brady Martin’s right there as well. And I think you could be you could be convinced. You could be you could be easily coerced into seeing why Martin or Ekkan makes sense. Absolutely. Yeah. and Murka I Murka I’m a little more hesitant on solely because I think the second round you have two picks in the second round. That’s to me where you should get your big red shot defenseman. He’s from Maine. His name is Carter Rico. Um and he’s going to beat you next year. But I I that’s my mo those are my four guys as of now that I think will be in that in and around that spot um that you end up hoping to take. So, uh, yeah, not the best, but as I said yesterday on that live Burn Speed, Joey and I did, we started off kind of mad. And then as we talked it out and sort of flushed things out as human beings do, it’s like, it’s not as bad as we think it is. It’s not fun. It’s not flashy. It’s not like, oh, number one pick or number two pick or even number five. Oh, yeah. Frenell, you take Hagens. You take NATO. Not seven. It’s not as flashy, but it’s not like it’s not like Celtics in ‘ 07, right? where it’s like, well, all right, well, if we don’t get number one and get Greg Odin, like that Durant guy is pretty good. Jeff Green, what the [ __ ] Like, like that’s bad. That that is like catastrophic, especially in that sport. Like the Bruins are going to get a good player. Very good player. Absolutely. 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Make sure you opt in and tap the check box in your lineup builder to be eligible for the projected play. Choose squares from any game on the board. If your lineup does not win, you get your net losses back and promo funds up to your promo limit as soon as the lineup settles. Celtics are cooking right now in the basketball playoffs. Uh not after not after Monday night, but just hit your threes there. Yeah, hit your threes. They’ll be fine. Um so there’s that and then there’s also the hockey playoffs and that’s been really exciting so far. Hell of a last couple days, which we’ll get into in a second. So download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. That’s code CLNS to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Prize picks. Run your game. go run your game over at Prize Picks. So, Don Sweeney spoke uh late Monday night about the pick. Um he he he punched a hole in the wall. Said, “Man, I really wanted that number one pick. I think he threw his glasses at Tai. It was it was really an ugly scene from what I heard. It was it was something.” Um unfortunately, he didn’t do any of those things. He was He was fine. He was For the Just For the record, I don’t want to get a call. Um it was fine. He was fine. Um but he meant he talked about uh the coaching decision that’s looming and he says they’ve spoken to some coaching candidates and started to narrow their list. Uh next step is Zoom interviews and then in person. Some candidates he says are still coaching. Now there’s one name that’s risen to the top it feels like. Uh when you think about you know candidates that are still in the playoffs. Dallas Stars. Misha Donskoff. a name that Tai Anderson brought up back in like the winter and we’ve talked about him a little bit. Um, an assistant for Dallas, a guy who from everything I’ve read is a pre-scout and film guru. This is a guy who can pick apart another team like it’s nothing. Um, was a big analytics guy for the Vegas Golden Knights before jumping on the bench. He helped create that Vegas team before they even became a thing or before they started playing. He wasn’t in 2013 like I’m going to create the Vegas Golden Knights. He was he was out playing blackjack one day. Had a few drinks. He was just staring at the sky. I was like, I’m gonna build the best [ __ ] hockey team in this desert. You won’t believe what I’m going to cook up. So like, but but this is a guy who and he was he was on Team Canada’s roster for coaches. He was the only assistant who was actually an assistant in the NHL. It wasn’t just a head coach. Um I I the more I read about this guy, the more I’m like, yes. Um but I’m curious what you think. Yeah, I think where you’re looking at, you’re trying to again check off the list of who’s still in the the playoffs, right? I know people mentioned Savad. He’s a guy that has the ties. Um K Buby keeps like hitting him every time he celebrates a gold. Yes. So like you have that. Um but yeah, I think Donskov, if I had my pick right now, I think he’d be my not my not my favorite in terms like leader in the clubhouse. He’d be who I would want because I think he’s an outside, you know, higher, right? not tied to the Bruins family. Um, but I think kind of checks off all the boxes what you’re looking for like a new coach getting his first opportunity as a head coach, 47 years old and like what his strengths are at and what his body work all, you know, ties into is like again exploiting matchups, developing talent, identifying the right players to help a team win. And he’s just one of those guys where he’s not uh the first guy that comes to mind, right? If you’re just a a fan looking at potential coaching hires, like the Bruins hire Misha Donskoff, I know people are going to be like, who who? Yeah, it’s like, no, he’s who they who they get this Russian guy. He’s from Canada. I know people right thinks he’s like from like Bellarus or something. No, he’s he’s from Canada. Um and he’s just a guy that even if he’s been kind of a behind-the-scenes guy for, you know, the start of his pro hockey coaching career, everywhere he’s gone, teams have had success. And it’s like you can trace it back to a lot of spots where he’s been at. Like he was with the London Knights for three years and like I mean they’ve been a wagon for years, right, with Hunter and and his crew running that team, but he was there for three years and they’ve turned out so many, you know, effective NHL players over the years. Goes to Vegas, was director of hockey operations and analytics there before they were even a team, as you said, like we’re in 2016. All right, we have a team here. What are we going to do? was an essential part of working with guys like George Mcy Mcrimman, all those uh executives to build that team out and set the foundation for what they are now. Um was there as an assistant coach for four years over a lot of turnover was still there with Bruce Cassidy during his first year wins a cup. uh goes to Dallas which again has been one of the shining examples right Dallas of adding you know impact players on the fly developing young talent and he’s been there now for the last two years and as you said like it’s a testament to I think how he’s respected around the league that you know on a four nations coaching staff where it’s John Cooper is the head coach but the assistants are all the best of the best right you have um Cassidy Pete Dborckett was there um all these established coaches and then you have Donco as an assistant on that staff. Again, a Four Nations Canada team that was built by Don Sweeney like so he clearly knows this guy. So, the ties are there, the connections are there, and he just feels like a guy that if you’re looking at a younger coach to take a chance on to build with this team, why not have it be a guy that has the track record, has the resume, and also has the expertise at not just the X’s and O’s and the matchups and that, but at building a team, finding the right players and changing, you know, systems and how you want to play to today’s NHL. Like, you look at what Vegas has done, what Dallas has done, you want to be a team like that. And I think what’s been the correlation between the London Knights to Vegas to Dallas is a guy like Misha Donskov. So I think that’s a guy you have to to really look at and it’s a guy that makes a lot of sense for this team moving forward completely. And I think you even look at his his history and going back to 01 he’s been involved in coaching in some capacity. Um now he hasn’t really ever been a head coach for a team full-time. Um, but again like director of hockey ops and you know an assistant and a guy that’s just so important behind the scenes that guy’s got to get a head coaching shot and we’ve said like find the next Spencer Carberry and as you just said like working with guys like Pete Dbor and Bruce Cassidy and a team Canada and being held in a high enough regard to be an assistant on team Canada when you are not a head coach in the NHL is as high as it gets for an assistant. So, I go back to like he’s a pretty safe gamble. Like the whole idea of getting a guy like Carberry is you are kind of taking a gamble on someone who hasn’t been an NHL head coach before, but the signs are like pretty much all there that this dude can handle it and can be a really good one. And I’m all for that. And I think when you look at other names like a Marco Sturm for instance, he’s a name that’s been brought up a lot. Uh he’s been the head coach of the Ontario Reign the last three years in the AHL after being an assistant with LA since I think 2018. um clearly has a lot of coaching experience and I would assume I I haven’t heard anything. I wonder if they’re talking to him has the ties to the organization. Don Scott’s just been around longer and his same age or you know maybe two years older. Um but to me like Don Scoff feels like the one. It just comes down to you know again I would assume if we’re talking about him and you know the Bruins are doing their due diligence on him other teams probably are as well. Chicago has an opening, Philadelphia has an opening. Um, so you you know the Kraken, but again, if he listens to us, you know, I say if Misha listens to Brunsw Bear, I don’t think he’s going to Seattle. I don’t think he’s going to the Kraken. I hope not. I don’t think so. So, but there are other openings. Anaheim’s another one. So, I think he might have a ton of suitors and maybe you’re in a position to out bid for him. Um, but again, we will see on that. Um, and then the playoffs. Playoffs second round is underway. Hell of a way to end the first round, two incredible game sevens. Like both teams that ended up winning look dead in the third and it was like, “All right, well that’s, you know,” and then it’s funny because like after the Stars ABS game and I’m watching Blues Jets, I’m like, “All right, Blues will win this one. Kind of a dud of a game. Whatever.” After last night, you know, I I got at least we had last night. That was a hell of a game. And then Winnipeg scores with under two minutes left and then they score with 1.6 seconds left. Um, what have you thought so far in the playoffs? Yeah, I mean th those games over the weekend were just unbelievable. It’s crazy because I think I said this before, the first round for a while was shaping up to be a dud, right? You had a whole lot of like feel like it was going to be fiveame series and then some of these games just went off the rails and were really entertaining. And I think if you’re looking at from the Bruins perspective, right? I think especially that Dallas game once again reinforces that you can have, you know, great depth, you can like make all the right moves like Colorado did getting guys like Nelson and Coyle and you they already got a lot of star talent. The only reason why Dallas came back and won that game is because they also have a lot of [ __ ] superstars on their side that balled out at at the time you need. And it’s also it goes again is Miko Rantin the same player as Mitch Marner. No, Miko Rantin is what 6’4 doesn’t really play like a power forward I would say but no like it validates that you know what in in crunch time in situations you need skill to take over you need superstars on your team. And so I think again if you’re looking at if you’re a Bruins fan who doesn’t want Mitch Mner I don’t know what to tell you because a superstar put his team on his back in that game and look what happened. So, I think that’s a lot. Put the team on his back legit. On a broken leg. Yeah, that was that was unbelievable what he did. He didn’t have a broken leg. It’s an old reference. He did not. Yes, that that’s Victor Hedmond had a broken leg. That’s right. He did not He did not reel in a touchdown catch from Aaron Rogers, though. I hope people get the reference, but I hope people understand that reference. Uh but then you look at Yeah. the the Winnipeg game where everyone I think was like, man, this bum hella buck out of here. Comes back like stay. I mean, listen, it was ugly. Like I’m not going to change my tune on like please make Jayer the stating goalie for team USA in the Olympics please. But uh man that uh that Jim Montgomery led team man. Six on five hockey. Yikes. Don’t talk. No don’t talk about six on five. Oh yeah. Sorry. Not allowed. I guess he doesn’t want to talk when the vibes aren’t good but oh well. Oh well. Oh well. It just had for all the people who were like down the stretch. Oh the Bruins just had Jim Montgomery. They they fired the wrong guy. You know, he he would have willedled him to the playoffs. Again, I go back to the first couple months. Nothing changed in those first two months. And I’m not saying Jim Montgomery is a bad coach, by the way. I’m not like I don’t want you to anybody great when he’s great when it’s just not, you know, six on five in the playoffs. The second half of that game was the Jim Montgomery special. Your team gets almost no shots in the third period. Almost none in both overtimes against a shaky ass goalie. against shoot the puck. I remember we used to say this about Babroski in 2023. He is so bad. I think it was stuff up high. It was stuff up high. Shots up high. Babarvski was not great with shoot the puck. Players were even saying we need to shoot the puck more and it just wasn’t happening. And and then you also just see a let down in the final two minutes. So, um yeah, that was not a huge surprise when he considered that. So, hopefully that shuts a lot of those uh people up. Um the other takeaway I have, so I agree with you. need a superstar rant in with a legendary like I’m him performance. My other thing is I think you’re going to see Sam Bennett’s value skyrocket in these in these playoffs. Um always finds a way to to get under other teams skin. Always finds a way to play on the edge. And this is the other thing, right? Like the league does need to discipline him for certain things. I don’t think I discipline him for the play on Stolars on Monday night. Um he’s dirty, no doubt, but they never discipline him. So play away. Like that’s the playoffs. Like, yeah, it’s like the the Martian one was so much more egregious where it’s like literally you can see that the other angle that comes out two days later where it’s like he literally has the arm cocked to to land that like rabbit punch like and again that didn’t lead to anything. So, and so we’ll see what happens when we’ll see what happens when Ryan Reeves in the lineup. Like again, if you’re not going to call anything, like I have a feeling that series is going to get really [ __ ] ugly and the NHL is once again going to be like and Paul Maurice is going to be like, “Oh, let me get let me let me spit some fire here.” By the way, like that that uh the back and forth between Barubi and Maurice in the series is going to be exhausting. It’s gonna be it’s gonna be exhausting because like they are both they are both the kings of the the postgame uh sound bite gamesmanship all those things. The Russ are in for a hell of a time here o over this stretch moving forward. But like again if you’re Toronto or something I know like I at least give Toronto credit in that game though where it’s something that I think the Bruins don’t do enough of is like the Florida Panthers do their [ __ ] they, you know, they take out one of your top players and instead of them being like, “We got to get even with this team when like they’re not going to drop the gloves, they’re not going to engage with you, you kick their [ __ ] ass on the ice and you win.” Yeah. Like, yeah, you want to you want to get Florida to shut up, have them [ __ ] sent home in May. Like, that’s how you got to beat them. Like, yes. 100%. Bruins can’t can never do that. Like, nope. They got to get even. They got to get even. And it is true. As a even as a fan, I’m like, “Come on, run into Babroski. Elbow straight to the skull. like take them out or like bark off head first into the boards from behind or like something like that. You know, I know, oh, I’m advocating for dirty stuff. That’s playoff hockey. Marshian said it last year, trying to injure the other team and that’s not right. Getting punched in the face by Sam Bennett. Literally was like on the record, no, we’re all trying to hurt each other because when we hurt your guys, it gives our team a better chance to win. Like, and again, Sam and the Panthers got back in the game. Like, they scored a bunch of walls. So, like it works. So, this is my this is my take. Sam Bennett is going to raise his value a lot. He’s going to be a UFA. He’s a center and he’s someone that I do see some Bruins fans saying, “Wow, we need a lot of that.” You don’t. You don’t. And it’s not because you don’t need to be tough. Could use a little bit of that. It’s that he’s what, 30 years old? Doesn’t have a season over does not have a season over or has like one season over 50 points. I think I think it’s this year. Yeah. And again, he feels to me like a sum of the parts guy. like he fits like that team like a glove. And there’s so many guys around him who who are the same kind of identity. He comes here, it’s different. He’s also going to be older. So, you’re not getting the offensive output that you know you want out of a number one center. You’re going to probably pay him seven or eight million. Teams are teams will bid for him. There are going to be dumb teams that line up. Don’t be one of those dumb teams that hands him a huge contract. Please. Please don’t be one of those teams. And you have enough centers on this roster who are like 50 to six, you know, 50 point guys. Zaka, Middlestat, uh you can throw Geeky in there. Uh I almost said Coyle. Um Lindholm, like they’re all in that same realm. You don’t need another. There’s no need for it. And if you want someone who’s really tough, who’s, you know, get that get Sam Bennett in the draft draft Brady Martin. Yeah. Draft draft Brady Martin if you want that. Draft someone in the second round that plays to that identity. You don’t need to spend all that money in free agency on him. I don’t think I I feel like Bennett’s the kind of guy that like if you’re a team that is retooling and needs just like high-end talent, he’s not the guy that you should sign with that expectation. You’re just going to leave disappointed. I feel like he’s a guy that if you’re already a playoff team, you need to get over the top and you have some money to spend and you’re just adding a different element. Like I don’t think Dallas has the money. I I don’t know their that situation, but I can’t I can’t imagine they got money to burn, especially where they got to sign guys. But like a team like Dallas, let’s say they come up short and they had 7 million to spare. That’s a guy you add to your middle six that gets you ready to go, right? It’s almost like, you know, the Rangers who again, I don’t know what they are moving forward, but like a few years ago, they got Vinnie Troche like and it’s a perfect complement to their middle six. not a playd driving guy that’s going to shift the whole fortune of the team, but fits in, gives them a little bit of sandpaper, a little bit of playmaking, and helps them out moving forward. I think Sam Bennett’s more that guy, a useful player, but if you’re the Bruins, he’s not going to be a franchise savior, right? Like, I I just can’t see him being worth what the money’s going to be to bring in a guy that helps you, but does he move the needle or does he elevate or accelerate your retool, rebuild, whatever you want to call it? I don’t think so. No. And that’s that’s where I think you need to like if you’re going to spend big money in free agency, Marner’s your guy. And if you want that kind of Bennett force, then you can get him in the draft. Like draft that guy. Whether it’s this year, whether it’s next year, like if you want that, it’s like when people say, uh, you need go get Brady Kachchuck. Like, okay, yeah, if somehow that trade opened up, you can entertain it, but like draft Brady Kachchuck. Draft the next Brady Kachchuck. Um, so that to me is the biggest thing um, with these playoffs is that you’re going to see uh, you’re going to see Sam Bennett’s value go way up. And I agree with you. I think for a team like the Stars or the Rangers or a team that’s right on the cusp, yeah, that makes perfect sense. Um, but no, you to be a number one center, I don’t think you can um, you can fully bank on that. And he is getting older, too. I I will say, Connor, though, I like the player. I do. I don’t want him. I don’t want him for that money. But like a guy you want on your side come the postseason, no doubt. Dirty, all that, but you want him. Tom Wilson, same thing. And he and he produces in the playoffs, too. He’s had some great plays like just offensively that um he scored for a money, right? I mean, dude, it’s like um it’s like Bennington. I don’t like Jordan Bennington. Kind of ruined in 2019 like and he’s kind of a prick honestly like from my very limited interactions with him. Dude is money. You can talk about what he does, the the fights, all those things, but dude is nails and steps up in big situations. You got to tip your cap to those kind of guys that deliver when the the lights are the brightest. And Bennett, Bennington, all those guys. Reason why they’re covered in the league is because they they step up for the team when they really need it in the playoffs. So, you tippy cap to them. And you’ve again, you’ve got to draft those guys. Those are not guys you can just go trade for. You’re not going to trade like trade for Tom Wilson in his prime. Maybe you trade from him as like a prospect or something like that, but you you don’t just grab those guys out of free agency because it’s so hard to translate that exact game, that exact impact to a different team when you’re not a play driving number one center or number one left wing. Um so yeah, we’ll see with the playoffs going to get better and better, which is always fun. Uh Connor, what can the people look forward to from you over at the Globe and Boston.com? Yeah, we’re going to have you covered every step of the way this Bruins off season looking at free agency trades, uh, the draft. Obviously, there’s going to be plenty of stuff to talk about. The head coaching search, we will be very, very busy this summer, keeping you informed, up to date on everything going on with this team uh, over the offseason. So, you can read all my stuff at boston.com and the Boston Globe. And if you want to follow me on Twitter, X, whatever you want to call it, you can at Connor Ryan_93. Go do all that. That’s Connor Ryan. I’m Evan Marinowski. We hope listeners have great rest of your week. [Music] [Music]

In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor and Evan discuss Boston dropping to No. 7 in the NHL Draft, which players will be available at that spot, the Bruins’ coaching search, and happenings around the league.

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