Who Will Determine Bruins’ PLAYOFF HOPES? | Poke the Bear

Who Will Determine Bruins’ PLAYOFF HOPES? | Poke the Bear

Poke the Bear is brought to you by Prize Pick. And welcome in to Poke the Bear episode 347, presented by Prize Pix. Go use that promo code CLNS to get $50 back when you play your first $5 lineup. And we’re presented by CLS Media. Make sure to go subscribe to Burns Ride on YouTube. All our great content over there, all the podcasts we’re doing, Poke the Bear, Brewers Beat, Pucks with Hags, live streams as well. Um, and then obviously, uh, if you don’t like looking at us, if you’re like, “Ah, these guys, I don’t I don’t like seeing them. I I just want to listen. I just want to hear them.” Apple podcast, Spotify, make sure to go subscribe over there or wherever you get your podcasts from. And then there’s also a lot of great stuff uh, CLNS has, Patriots Press Pass, Celtics All Access, great YouTube channels you should definitely go subscribe to. I’m Evan Marinowski, Connor Ryan. Connor, what’s up, Evan? Doing well. How you doing? Doing great. Doing great. You are recording on a day that you are going on a big big trip, right? Yep. I’m going across the pond as they say. Yes. I’m going to Europe. So, lucky you. You’re a big traveler. I am. I’m trying to You know what? I try to take advantage of it, man. You know, there comes a time you got to settle down. Going to try to get as many uh destinations in before that. It’s my And now’s not the time to settle down. Now’s the time to go forward when you have kids someday. Yes. It’s going to be a little bit a bit less. I say that as someone who doesn’t have kids and is younger. So I That’s what they That’s what the older people say. Yeah, exactly. You never know when someone’s going to crash the pod in a couple years or something. Have guest appearance or something like that. We don’t have time for that yet. No, we’re looking way too far ahead. I’m going to be When our kids are on here, we’re You know what? On days we don’t want to do our kids on here and have them like goo gaga into the microphone. No, they’ll they’ll reddraft the They’ll reddraft the 2025 draft. That’s right. should be like, I can’t believe James Hagens went number seven. He was a bust. Why’ the Bruins take him? They should have taken the kid with the back problem, Roger McQueen. Maybe that’ll be what in 20 Roger McQueen. That’s right. Yeah, we’re in 2045. Like, our dads are so stupid. Yes. Um, but yeah, I’m excited for your trip. That’ll definitely be fun. Um, but year ago, by the way, year ago, yesterday, Sunday, you got married. So, congratulations. Thank you very much. Yeah, it’s come by quick. It was a very event It was a very eventful day, Evan. So, it was veryful day. It was the only big thing that happened on that day. Only big thing happened on July. Yeah. On July 13th. Most important thing happened on on July 13th was the wedding. So, yes, obviously. Yeah. Well, it’s funny cuz like Ver and I were saying like, I can’t believe it’s been a year. Like that. That felt like it was yesterday. So fun. It was such a well done wedding. That’s the first wedding I’ve been to since I was like six. Because now the now now for me I’m 26 so now the age is like where it’s going to start picking up. Yep. Yep. I mean I opened Instagram on Sunday and they were the first two posts were engagements. So now it’s like you know 2027 on will be weddings, bachelor parties, all that stuff. So get those Indoccino suits now, Evan. It’s going to be a good investment. You have to use a couple of them. I I think that’s what I’m gonna have to do. Um but today I want to we want to discuss some big picture stuff for next season. um big storylines I think we’ll touch on throughout the offseason, but I really we want to dive into them today. Um sort of things like most important player for them next season, what their season’s going to hinge on, uh rookies to watch, and then obviously yeah, I thought it came out with some predictions that were pretty interesting. Um not amazing for the Bruins, but they did have one section that we both kind of went, hm, really okay. Uh we’ll get to that. But first I am curious like in ter we’ve talked a lot about expectations for this co current season and we have set the bar low low. Our last bunch of episodes have been like are they a lottery team? Maybe probably if at best maybe they’re just like not a top 10 team but they’re just not in the playoffs. They’re picking like 12th to 13th. Um but who are the who’s your most important player for next season? um if they are going to be contending, if they’re going to be competitive, who is your most important guy? Yeah, I think it’s easy to look at David Pos. I think that one’s a given. But in terms of determining what Yeah, doesn’t really count. I feel like that’s Yeah, because I think he’s gonna he’s going to produce whether the team is good or bad, right? It’s if he’s hurt, then the team’s going to be absolutely dreadful. But it’s almost like Yeah, baby. You almost expect it at this point what he’s going to do out there. Uh what is going to determine if this is an actual competitive team or not? It’s gonna be Jeremy Swayman. Like that’s what it’s going to come down to. I think we all know barring us going into fantasy land taking a stroll down fantasy lane expecting like mate blue Mel to be a 30 goal guy or some of these guys that they brought in to Jano has 25 goals. Like I will let him punch me punch me in the face. Like if that happens I don’t think it’s going to happen. Like this team is going to that punch. If he scores 25 goals we’re putting that on camera. Like we’re getting him. Exactly. Yes. Exactly. God, I shouldn’t have said that. I should have said like 35 goals. Um, but no, I think you look at the way this team is built, it is going to be a struggle to consistently score, especially at five on five. So, if they are going to be a tough out, a competitive team that is going to be in the mix for wild spot, it’s going to rely on a lot of 2-1 wins, I think. And so, in order to do that, you’re going to have to have Jeremy Straman bouncing back. Um, and again, it all doesn’t just completely fall on him. needs to, you know, have the defense rebound in front of him, whether it’s, uh, Charlie McVoy getting back, Hamus Lindome, obviously. Um, so it it all does not just revolve around what Swayman does in net, but he’s I think going to be the biggest determinant of, you know, if he gets back to what he was the past four years um, with the Bruins, then yeah, big, they’re going to be in the mix. Like this is a team that was also what like two three points out of the wild card spot when like they blew things up in March, right? Like yeah, they were kind of hing around for a team that was pretty mid for most of the year anyway and then they just sold out guys and then really plummeted. But if Swayman can take a step forward and get back to what we’ve seen him be for a long time now, they’ll be in the mix. And and I think that is I think the biggest thing where it’s so tough to kind of gauge what they’re going to be this upcoming season because I think we think could be another pretty tough year especially just with that offense. But get a goalie that’s locked in changes a whole bunch of the complexion of what you’re looking at night in and night out because if he’s playing to his level Jeremy Swayman then they’re they’re going to be in a lot of these games. And and we said it so many times throughout last season like if you could just get average league average goalending from him you should get that. And I know there’s a lot of negativity about Sway and there’s still people who want to trade him. Uh, you know, do whatever it takes to trade him. He’s shown you that he’s good. I mean, I know he was in a tandem with Omar, but like again, his first bunch of seasons were strong. Like, I think when you look at, you know, the the contractual drama last year that made him miss camp. I mean, not even just the missing camp, but the drama that that that that came with, like, there’s reason to think he’s going to be better next year. And that’s what I keep going back to. It’s like you’re going to get better goalending. Now, if you don’t, that’s a problem. Like, you’re in rough shape if that’s the uh if that’s your issue next year. Like, you are getting Gavin McKenna if your goalending is as bad uh as it was last season. But to me, like I I I think you’re 100% right. He is the most important player for that team next season. However good he is is how far they will go because defensive goalending is going to be their bread and butter next season. So, I completely agree with you on Swayman. Um, in terms of someone I think who needs to step up, who needs to be better, who showed you that at the end of the year, and who One of the reasons I thought they were going to be much better than they ended up being last year was I thought he was going to kind of slide everybody else into place. Elias Lindholm. Yeah, you need Elias Lindholm to be a productive interim number one center. And that’s a lot to ask, but you paid him to be that. And I’m not saying that he is going to be that. It’s not a guarantee. he could easily be the same guy that he was last season. There’s an argument again like he had a great end of the year with Postro and Geeki, but there’s an argument that hey, it was the end of the season, there was nothing to play for. It’s kind of just like whatever. You know, maybe that was part of the deal. Um but on the flip side, he did have a good end of the season. He had a good worlds after that. Um he’s shown in the past that he can be really good with really good players. It seems like he has good chemistry with Morgan Geeki and David Posterno. The power play should be better. He’s settled in. We know this with NHL free agents. It can take longer than just, you know, they don’t just jump in and make an impact right away. It can take some time. So to me, Elias Lindholm, like if Elias Lindholm can be what, 65 points as a number one center and be good on draws and good in his own zone, like they should be somewhat competitive. I mean, again, that gives you production on that top line. and then you hope that Middlestat, Zaka, Arvdson, whoever’s on that second line can produce. So to me, I think Lindholm is a key part of their chances next season. Um, and he also feeds into the defense, too, right? Like we talk about defense and goalending is so important. You’re going to need him shutting down opposing top players uh to be competitive next year. So there’s a lot on his plate. Um, but he’s shown in the past he can do it. It just comes down to can he do it consistently, which I think is their biggest problem. Yeah. And I think you just look at the domino effect, right, of if Lindholm, what he showed at the end of last year can carry over like if he’s playing at a high level, like we all know what David Fark’s going to do, but if Lindome’s clicking with him, that probably means that Morgan is also doing pretty well. And where we look at what the flaws this team is offensively, if that first line shows that what they did last year in the final six weeks to two months wasn’t a fluke, then you got something there. It’s not perfect. you still got a lot of work to do up front. But if that is a line that can be as your, as you said, your interim first line this year and is part of your top six group for the next couple years down the road, you got something to work with. That’s you’re putting a foundation in place with those types of players that you know, maybe they’re not your franchise stalwarts. I’m saying that in terms of Geeky and Lindome, but they are everyday contributors. And I think you want to see that out of a guy like Lindome and not just at five on five. if he’s locked in and producing, it probably means the power play is doing better. Like they have to get him more involved at the bumper position. Um, and I I think you just see how much more I think comfortable he was down the stretch there. You just hope that is something that can carry over. Again, we even said this before last year even started where we’re not expecting the 40 goal 82 point season like he had a couple years ago, but just if he plays his game and he has talent around him and you’ve seen that with Postnock, he should be a 60-point guy. And so, uh, that is what you’re hoping for, I think, if you’re the Bruins because you need him to be playing at that level to be a a competitive team this year. Not just we’re not talk we’re not talking playoffs. Like you need to be uh an an actual firstline center for this team just to be competent competitive, right? To be treading water. Like I think that’s the biggest thing with him. And also you signed him in part to work with Posternok and it didn’t work at first and then it did at the end of the season. So it’s like can you find that again? And I think that’s going to be one of the big things um for them. Who else do you have as someone that is vital to them being remotely competitive? I think the sneaky one uh looking at where this team is and who needs to step up. I think a really key one’s going to be Casey Middlestad. And like in terms of just what you’re going to get out of the guy because it’s probably a bad comparison, so please don’t yell at me, but it’s almost kind of like the Bruins in 223 where they got David Crerache back and you knew what you’re getting in it like with a player like that, but like you’re like, “All right, a year away from the NHL. What are you going to have?” And then he didn’t he didn’t miss a step and all a sudden he clicks perfectly and Pavle Zaka all of a sudden becomes a guy that you’re like, “All right, what is what is he a third line guy to? Oh wow, he’s a top six player.” and then everything kind of falls into place after that. So, if middle stat who has uh offensive skill, you didn’t see it all that much last year. Again, he was with guys like um Vinnie Lati and Cole Keepy. So, I don’t know how much that’s really going to change the equation as far as what these guys are generating and producing. But, if someone like Casey Middlestat um can be more of a play driving uh offensively uh offensive minded second line center and you can get maybe something out of Pavle Zaka and Victor Robertson. Again, not saying that all of a sudden we’ve got a 70point season incoming from Casey Middlestat. We’re not saying that. But I do think that he’s a guy that if that second line can start landing some punches offensively, things start falling more into place. Not saying that’s a lock that’s gonna happen, but if he can show you something, you start having a little more clarity of what you can reasonably expect from this team, especially at five on five play. Yeah. I mean, again, can he be a competent second line center? I mean, you even look at his stats that he had that 59 point season in 22 23. I’m not even asking for that. like can you get 49 points out of him? Can he be like can he help with the power play? Like to me those are the biggest things with him and I agree like if he’s good if he’s in that offensive range that we just mentioned 49 like around 50 points you’re a better team than I think probably most models say that you are. And that’s not guaranteeing the middle stat is good but the offensive tools are there and you you watch him like oh he’s got he’s a great playmaker. It’s like where is that? And you know, do we see at a point like if Lindholm doesn’t work with Postnock, do they stick Middlestat up there? I don’t know. Like again, I think this team is sort of a blank canvas. Like you can sort of it’s not maybe not the best colors to work with, but you it’s you have what you have. So I agree with you. I think Middle Stat’s a good one. Um I have another interesting one in a different position, but I want to get to that in a second. But first, our friends over at Prize Pix. Prize Pix is the best place to turn your sports knowledge into cash. With millions of members, Prize Pix has made daily fantasy sports accessible to all cuz you just pick more or less on at least two players for a shot to win up to 2,000 times your cash. Run your game all season long over at Prize Pix. Prize Pix is the best place to win cash while watching sports. Join millions of users and sign up today cuz on Prize Pick you can mix and match player projections from different sports. Combine your favorite basketball players with players from baseball, hockey, esports, and much more. Prize picks, they’re smart. They invented the flex play, which means you can still cash out if your lineup isn’t perfect. You can double your money even if one of your picks doesn’t hit. Sign up today and get $50 instantly when you play $5. You don’t even need to win to receive the $50 bonus because it’s guaranteed. 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. You’re run in Europe and just run be like run your game. Prize picks CLNS codes $5 to get $50 back. Probably there’ll probably be like a there’ll probably be like a rail strike in Europe because that happens like I think every day. So, I probably will be running. You’ll be running from uh station to station. Yes. Um, one player I have, Hampus Lindholm, good pick. What’s he like post injury? Yeah. What’s he going to be? Is he better? Is he the same? Is he worse? If he’s worse, you’re in a bad spot. You’re in a much you’re not in a good spot. If he if Hampus Lindome comes back and he is not close to the same player he was last fall, you’re in a rough spot. I can’t say it enough. So again, like what is he like? Um can he handle hard minutes? What is his acceleration like? What is his jump like? What’s his skating like? All those different things. What is he 31 now? So like again, those are all real question marks for him. What kind of offensive uh potential does he have? What kind of impact is he going to make in the offensive zone? Now again, if all that is good and he’s great, all right, you’re cooking. Like he could play with Makavoy on the top pair. He can anchor the second pair uh with, you know, is it Yoki Haru? Is it Andrew Peak? Like, who is that with? Um, but if he’s not, you’re in trouble. Like, you’re back to being a top five lottery team. Um, if Hampus Lindholm is not uh not up to where he needs to be post injury. Yeah. No, exactly. And I feel like it’s almost something that people are overlooking maybe in terms of the risk factor or the uncertainty. It’s it’s kind of like like Swayman. There’s I think a lot of people who are down on him, but I don’t think it’s like a stretch to be like, oh, I think he’s going to be a lot better. Like we’ve seen what he’s been, and I feel like people are having that same approach. They’re like, well, he’s, you know, had a, you know, eight, nine months to recover. Like, he’ll be fine. Still a pretty rough injury. And even look at uh, you know, His Lindome, how elite he was in 2223, then has a broken foot, has surgery on that, you’re like, “Oh, he’s healed. He’ll be ready for training camp. Like, he’s good to go.” and like he kind of just wasn’t right the whole year in 23 24, right? And so again, this past year he was dynamite for the first six weeks and he gets hurt. So it’s it’s reasonable to assume that he can be what he was last couple years. But there is risk, there is that, but with someone like that type of player coming off of that type of injury, right? I mean, for every surgery like that that you know, you give it time and it heals, there’s also like the Kevin Millers, right? And that was a freak accident in terms of just the the domino effect of what else happened that led to him retiring. But that’s an injury you don’t want to take lightly. There’s a lot of risk involved. A lot can go wrong during the recovery uh and all that stuff. So you hope he is back to 100% Hampton, but even if he’s healthy and gets the green light, is he still going to be the player that we assume he can be and the Bruins need him to be? I think that is going to be the biggest key. I completely agree. I there’s a lot riding on him. So, both Lind Holmes, uh, you gotta bring it next year. You need it. Uh, anybody else that you are you’re thinking about with this question? I have one, but yeah, I mean, I I would just say like Morgan Geeki is another guy that just needs to where this team is so stabbed for offense. You’re going to need him to be a a legitimate topline scoring wing. It’s almost like going into before the offseason everything played out, you’re like, well, you know, the Bruins are going to get another guy. They’re going to get Eers or Besser. So, like, you know, you don’t need Geeky to be another 30 goal guy. You kind of need him to be a 25 35 goal guy now. So, I think that is also a lot of pressure on him. Yeah. No, definitely a lot. Um, I have another and it’s smaller, but I also think has big implications. What’s Mason Lorai? Yep. Good one. Minus 43 last year, uh, which is insane. 33 points. Um, again, like had an okayish first full year. Still not great in fairness to him. also played much tougher matchups at the end of the season. He was not sheltered at all. They threw him directly to the Wolves given the injury situation they had on D. Um what is he? Can he get to like minus 17? You know, can you shave off those goals? He’s if if no take out injuries, he should not be playing insane matchups. Like he should have third lines and third pairing D, but also like can he elevate? Can he can can Sterm uh and his coaching staff get him to be more responsible defensively where he maybe could be a second pairing left shot defenseman or he could play up with Charlie Makavoy on that first pair? Like is that too much to ask? I mean it might be right now. And the other thing is like can he be a number one power play quarterback consistently? Like are they going to give that to him? So if he can cut his minus 43 to like a minus 15 or 16 which is still not great but that is incredible. That’s very good progress if he can do that and be better defensively and still, you know, put up can he put up 40 plus points? I know there’s a lot to ask of a 24 year old, but to contend like I do think you’re going to you would need that and it would also be good for his own development. Can he do one or two of those things? Like I think those are big questions with him. I don’t think he’s like the most important player for them, but if he could pop, that’s huge. Whereas if he doesn’t, you’re sort of stuck in the same spot you were last season. Yeah, exactly. I think he’s a guy that, to your point, I don’t think you need him all a sudden. You’d love for him to take a huge step forward, but if he just stabilizes his game a little bit, maybe that means that the points don’t jump up to 40 or something like that, right? Or he doesn’t become a power play weapon, right? You hope he is, but let’s say it’s not that, but becomes a more consistent player and that’s his step forward as, you know, his second full season, I guess, in the NHL. You will take that. And I think if you can get that out of him, if you’re Marco Sturman, his coaching staff, that’s a job. Well done. Because I think finding out that he’s part of your long-term equation and isn’t a liability, I think, at critical areas of a game be huge for the Bruins if he can take that step. Oh boy. Oh boy. Would it um in terms of rookies? Um it’s an interesting year because we talked about this over the last couple weeks with free agent signings where it’s like where are the spots? Who’s jumping in? who has enough to to get in this lineup over established NHLers who they signed at free agency. Who is your number one rookie that you are pinpointing for this season that you are watching heavily? I think it’s Minton. I think he’s a guy that especially where you look at all right uh I mean they’ve got a lot of bodies already on the depth chart but if you’re looking I think especially at 3C and who could fit in there um you can make a case that it’s Potra but do you want Potra who’s a playmaking guy with like Tanner Jano and 25 maybe I don’t want that then yeah uh but I think if you’re looking for a guy that projects as a third line center who can play a physical game has good pace pace to his game. I think there’s a lot to like about Fraser Minton. He’s a guy that I think it’s easier to project what he could be at the NHL level. Showed a little bit down the end uh of the 24 25 season. So, I think he’s a player that maybe isn’t going to be flashy, but is a pro, can play a pro game. And again, it’s kind of the same thing with like Laurai. If you go to the end of this year, even with the ups and downs, the growing pains, all that stuff, but Minton looks like a player that can be your third line center for the long haul, that should be a win. And that’s a guy that I think has the ability to be your 3C for the foreseeable future. So, I really want to see him get a chance early on and giving him an extended run to see what he can do in that spot moving forward. And for him, it’s, you know, obviously points are going to matter, but I also think it’s defensive responsibility. How is he on draws? How is he against other teams? Uh, uh, not top lines, but how is he against other teams? Is he, you know, good in his own zone? Things like that, I think, are going to be vital to establishing whether or not Mitten is going to be on this team full-time. It’s not just going to be, oh, he has 10 points in 24 games. This guy stinks. I think him, at least with everything we’ve been told, scouting reports, things I’ve read, like that seems like that’s going to be the thing with him, not so much, oh, can he be, you know, your number two center? Um, I agree with you on Mitten in him in terms of him being important. I would put Patra in there, too. Not as thirdline center, but where does he fit? They were talking about this with Court Lond, like, “Oh, you want to trade him?” It’s like, “No, I don’t want to trade him, but like where are you where is he fitting?” And I want him to fit in this lineup somewhere. Like, is he forced to the wing? That’s what I keep going back to. Or is there a world, Connor, in which he’s like your second line center, which that might be expecting too much, but does he have a great camp and like really good scrimmages? uh in the preseason where it’s like oh man he’s fighting for it and now it’s middle stat and Zaka on the wings and him down the middle. I’m not saying it’s going to happen but like I think you have to keep these possibilities open. I don’t think anything’s set in stone in their middle six. Um despite it feels like you know Zaka Middlestat and Arbitson make the most sense for that second line. But you know can Matt Potra in his what third year in the NHL um or fourth year now actually right isn’t it? No, it’s three. It’s three years. I He wasn’t here with 22 23, but third year. Like, can he push? Because he’s more of a top six guy. I I don’t Or like, you know, a third line productive guy. Maybe you put him on the right wing, but that’s going to be the biggest thing. And as I just said, does he go to the wing? I don’t know. I don’t know. Wouldn’t be shocking if he did. Yeah. I think you just got to figure out what you have in that player. Um, but to your point, like it’s just so tough to map out where he fits in right away that you also don’t want it to be something where it’s you’re just dipping the toe in the water, right? Where it’s like, oh, we’ll give you a few reps here and there, you’ll play 11 minutes a night on the wing. Like, no, it shouldn’t be that either. But I feel like, say even Sadier and Providence, people are going to be like, “God, this guy’s this guy’s a bust now.” It’s like, no, I think it’s just the way that the lineup is set up. And that can be the fault of the Bruins, right, for having a depth chart. So, I don’t say stacked, but like has enough bodies at the NHL level that’s blocking someone like that who to your point should be playing down the middle and should be playing with a more offensive oriented uh group of linemates. And I just don’t really know if that fits in on the third line. But we’ll see. You got to see what you have in a guy like that. You like the poise with the puck. You like them the playmaking capabilities. It’s just figuring out where he fits because like again if you’re just trying to find offense and you put him in a spot where he can click and he starts producing with an Arverson or something change the whole complexion of what you’re trying to build in that lineup. Yeah. No, if he hits if he can end up hitting that you’ve you’ve unlocked something and you’ve unlocked something for the future where it’s like all right this is a guy we can pencil in for a long time and it’s not someone that we’re dangling in trades or just isn’t going to make this roster anytime soon. Um, I want to get into this athletic story that I thought the predictions I thought was interesting. Uh, but first remember to go subscribe to Bruins Ringside on YouTube. Lots of great content. Poke the Bear, Pucks with Hags, Bruins Beat all throughout the off season. And then make sure to go subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. Um, again, we have stuff all offseason long. And if you leave a nice review on Apple Podcast or Spotify, that would be awesome. Five stars, please. please. That would be very, very nice. We would be very appreciative because we love all of you. We love all of you the same. We love you. There’s some maybe we don’t love as much. I I love everybody. I love everybody. I’m a I’m an equal guy. I like that. Um and then Patriots Press Pass, Celtics All Access, all that stuff on YouTube. Make sure to go subscribe. Those are awesome channels and they are ramping up now. Um this athletic story, way too early predictions, so take it for what it’s worth. Bruins not a huge topic of conversation in this story, but there was one question surprise playoff team and it was a team. It had to be kind of a lower tier team. Columbus Blue Jackets were number one with 26.1% of the vote thinking they could be a surprise surprise playoff team. And number two though, the Bruins 17.4% of the vote tied with the Red Wings uh as a surprise playoff team. Now when they did the Eastern that’s not that’s not good. Uh but when they did the when they did the Eastern Conference playoff field, um the Bruins were not in it. So obviously it it would be a surprise. Uh other notable things, they had Jeremy Swayman as the fifth most uh likely for the VZNA, which like I actually think is totally possible in terms of him having a bounceback year. Vzna is not always the best goalie. It’s sort of like who exceeded expectations the most. And I could see Swayman getting votes if he plays the way we think he should. Uh Sterm was sort of low in the um in the Jack Adams award uh predictions, but still in it, which I think is encouraging. Um but again, Bruins number two for a surprise playoff team. Is that realistic out of those groups? I mean, again, that’s, you know, the rebuilding Red Wings who have been on the doorstep for a long time. That’s the Blue Jackets who were close last season. Like Sabres have been in it for a while. I can’t imagine the Sabres make the playoffs. like the Islanders, the Ducks, maybe Bruins are number two, but it just feels a little long to me. Yeah, I mean, I think a lot has to go their way, but I think you look at it’s kind of what we’ve talked about before with this team, and there’s a lot of a lot of weaknesses on this roster, but also the Bruins have a leg up over a lot of teams that they have franchise stalwarts also in place at critical spots, right? where like even if like it’s a season where let’s say they make the playoffs, but if you watch them every single game, 82 games, you’re like, uh, this team was a bit of a they were always swimming against the current, right? Like they’re wasn’t a pretty watch. They’re still going to struggle to score. They’re going to rely on some timely goals and a lot of their defense bailing them out. That might be what this ends up being. But if you have a locked in Jeremy Swayman, if you have Charlie Makavoy and Hamus Lindon playing at a high level, you have David Posnik being a cheat code offensively and you just get production here and there from guys like you’re not asking much, but if Victor Robertson can score you a couple goals, if Zaka can bounce back after kind of being banged up last year, Geeky Lynholm, if uh Zadorov and Henry Yoki Haru become a steady pairing, right? like you can map out, I think, reasonable expectations where stuff does go right, not putting it in like the the tier of like, oh, Zidorov becomes a 50 point guy or if Blue Mel gives you 30 goals out of nowhere. If you’re just setting reasonable barometers or benchmarks for where you want these players to go, then I could see it. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility. It’s just um they’re gonna have to, I think, for account for a lot of flaws on this roster to be a consistent playoff team. our team that isn’t going to be like treading water or like fighting for their lives in March or April if they’re trying to make a playoff spot. Like it’s not it’s not going to be a pretty product, I don’t think. But like is it enough to be a winning product over the rest of these kind of other fringe teams? Maybe. So I can see it. I can see it. I think it’s cuz we know it better than other teams where I’m like I don’t know. Also could be the case. Yeah. like where I think everyone just looks at posture and those types of players, but it’s like uh still a lot of guys who I’m not sure are pulling on the rope or are going to be everyday difference makers, right? I think that’s probably the biggest concern. I agree with your take on you have franchise stalwarts at positions post Makavoy Swayman like you have that that is more than a lot of those teams that are that are listed after the Bruins can say and this is why I don’t think that they’re headed for like a tear down true like 9-year rebuild like that story kind of mapped out like I don’t think that’s going to be the case but making the playoffs next year you’re going to need best case scenarios from everybody. Yeah. Like that’s not you you you know one guy doesn’t pull on the rope as much as he can you’re not in the playoffs. Like Morgan Geeky not saying 33 goals again but like can you get to 25 26 27 can Poster not get over 100 points? Can as we talked about earlier Middlestad Zaka Elias Lindholm and then you have on defense can they stay healthy? Is Hampus Lindholm the same? Can Jeremy Swayman be a Vzna caliber goalie? Well, that like I think he can be. Can all those guys in front of him, you know, have best case scenario years, too? That’s going to be difficult. But I guess in terms of like the poll, like the Red Wings are tied with them. They’ve been due for a while. I don’t know when that’s actually going to happen. The Sabres or the Sabres. The Islanders are truly rebuilding. Um, you know, the Ducks, like the Ducks at some point should jump up. I would think they would be a surprise team like that. They have a goalie. The Ducks. Yeah, they have a bunch of young talent like new coach. They should jump up. They have Quenville. Like I would actually think the Ducks would be a good like surprise playoff team. Um Flames, Flyers, Penguins, Kraken. No. Of course, by the way, Penguins and Blackhawks are both on uh by the way, nobody had the Blackhawks as a surprise playoff team. None. None. Not in there whatsoever. I did find it funny. Of course, Blackhawks and um and uh Pittsburgh Penguins are on uh opening night, which like come on. Can we can we please stop? How about you watch the actual best generational prospect from this last couple years and Minelbrini instead of Conor Bard? Yeah, I’m with you. I’m with you. I mean, I know Chicago’s a better market and blah blah blah, but like it it’s kind of crazy when you think about it cuz like I’m I’m not I always I’ve said this multiple times. It makes me feel like I’m like crapping on Conor Bard, who I think is a very good player, but like the amount of like hype that people built around him. That dude was like interviewing like Victor Webbyama. It’s like they’re like we’re both going to take over the league, man. Yeah, they were. I remember that. Let him let him breathe, right? Like ah it’s it’s crazy. Well, it is interesting because I think kids now, and I see this even with like, you know, kids around here, it’s like they’re sort of they’re brought up in that social media environment and you see it every year. the kids are better with social media and handling this like Matthew Schaefer going on chicklets and telling Dizzy needs to know his job and just like ripping them and like that’s what those kids are good at. But in terms of like expectations and stuff like yeah it is unfair what Bernard went through. Uh and it’s tough for him right because like it’s not like that you know he can make $20 million off of that. Like he’s making an entry- level contract at like 850 or whatever it is. So like you know and that’ll be he’s is his his contract’s next year right? I think so. You’d be an RFA, right? Yeah. So, Oh, good god. Um, anyway, Connor, what can the people look forward to from you over the globe in Boston.com? Yeah, we’re gonna have you covered every step of the way this Bruins off season going into the 2526 season. Whether that’s lineup projections, looking at trades, maybe late contracts, anything else going on over the final weeks of the summer, we’ll have you covered every step of the way over at the globe.com. And if you want to follow me on Twitter, X, whatever it’s called, you can. Connor Ryan_93. Go do all that. Go do all that. That’s Conor Ryan. I’m Evan Marinowski. Hope you listeners. Have a great rest of your week. [Music]

In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor and Evan discuss the most impactful players on the 2025-26 Bruins, young players to watch, and much more.

0:00 ⏰EPISODE TIMELINE⏰
3:41 Who will be the Bruins’ most important player next season?
7:43 Who needs to step up?
11:36 Other important players
14:11 PrizePicks
15:36 Hampus Lindholm’s role
18:25 Big year for Morgan Geekie
19:04 Can Mason Lohrei stabilize his game?
21:22 Rookies to watch
26:13 Subscribe to Bruins Rinkside on YouTube!
27:03 Reacting to The Athletic’s ‘way-too-early predictions’ for next season
34:08 Thanks for watching!

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