Boston Bruins Pipeline Breakdown: Updated Prospect Rankings!
We’re back and welcome to Bruins Die Hards, your source for everything Boston Bruins. And I have a special guest for you. Well, as usual when I do these uh podcast, it’s always a special guest cuz well it I don’t normally do the podcast thing, but I’ve got Dominic Tiano here and I would have to say and he’s probably going to disagree with me, but that’s fine. The number one source for all things Boston Bruins with regards to prospects. There are many people out there that I know personally that, you know, they put out their reports, but when Dom puts it out, nine times out of 10, there’s a reason there’s a hashtag Dom’s always right. We’re going to talk about Bruins prospects. You’ve been asking for it. You’ve been asking for it. But I’d like to welcome to the show, Dominic Tiano. Thanks, Clark. Great to be here. You know, here we were just talking some hockey, you and I, uh, texting back and forth, and it was like, hey, we should record this as a podcast. So, uh, here we are. Grandkids are homesick. Uh, so I’ve got time on my hands. Well, I appreciate your time. It is, it is early in the morning on a Sunday, but this will be dropping on a Monday. So, just just be understandable. And as always, thank you so much for all of you that have come to the channel, checked it out, drop in the comments. Really love the conversations. Love all the conversations in the Discord as well. So, if you can click like and subscribe, links to everything that we do are always in the comments. and we’re going to talk about one of Dominic’s articles later on in the show that will be linked in. So, today topics for the show. We’re going to recap last night’s game against the New Jersey Devils. We are going to talk the goalending in Boston because it’s always a hot topic. Plus, Dom just did a great article about it. Just talking about our backup situation and something that it’s kind of like bothered me since the trade happened, but we’ll do a deep dive into it. And then Dom is going to give his prospect profile on the Boston Bruins. He I I’ve asked for his top five and I’ve also asked for who’s regressed. We’re going to go over a team grade, what the Boston Bruins future looks like with the amount of picks that we have coming up. All of that doing Boston Bruins and then we’re going to end the show on something fun. Maybe you might not find it fun. I think Morgan Geeki has been playing phenomenal. But we’re going to try and answer the question, do we think Morgan Geeky is going to play for team Canada at the Olympics? Because the Olympics are a hot topic right now around the NHL. We talked about it the last time on the pod about how they rank has kind of gotten a little bit smaller. Mind you, um I found out just listening to Elliot Freeman on the radio the other day. The last time that they had a uh series where the NHL just went to Europe, I think it was the Buffalo Sabres. I can’t am I wrong? Who just went to Europe? Nashville and Buffalo. Um Nashville and somebody. Yeah, Nashville and Buffalo. Dollian versus Forsber. Um they played on the same size rink that they’re going to have for the NHL. So, what the NHL asked um up in Sweden to do is what they’ve done is they’ve actually made the neutral zone smaller and didn’t touch either the offensive zone or the defensive zone. So, all they did was take away that four feet in the neutral zone. So, actually it makes it more for tighter checking. And actually, the way the Boston Bruins run their system, the smaller ice would actually work for Marco Sturm because the Boston Bruins, as of last night, we just watched them play the New Jersey Devils and they suffocated that neutral zone. The Bruins were outshot. Uh, the final shots of the game, I believe, were um Oh, I can’t. It I don’t even have it. Doesn’t matter. Oh, no. I have it here. Final shots of the game, New Jersey outshot the Bruins 30 to21. But that doesn’t really tell the whole story of the hockey game we watched last night because the Boston Bruins again after putting out a stinker the game before, huge stinker regard, two two nights before with Swayman in the net. Corposal came back and they played great. Swayman comes back last night. Great. But the Bruins have doing this. You’re going to have a stinker every now and then. And also, as as Dom’s mentioned before, and I’ve mentioned before, they can’t sustain having their PK and their goalending save them every game. And again, this is how they won the hockey game last night. They were outshot 30 to 21. Mind you, the defense played a very good structured system last night, keeping New Jersey to the outside. They were limiting their high danger chances last night and New Jersey was taking a lot of shots from the perimeter, which for a goalender helps your job. The goalender’s job, and I’m going to say this till I’m blew in the face, is to stop the first shot. If they stop the rebound, good on them, but their job is to stop the first shot. Dom, what are your thoughts on the game last night against the New Jersey Devils? Well, I agree with you in in keeping them to the perimeter, but um for the most part they’ve done that, but they’ve given up what the second most high danger chances in the league so far. Slayman stopped the most in the league, high danger chances at any other goalie. So, I I mean that is unsustainable. Uh, one thing I do know is and and earlier in the season or when they were going through that six game losing streak, my big argument was that they’re not getting any practice time and they’re not getting to work on the system in the way Stir wants wants them to play. There are times when they play the system to a tea. uh you see how can how they can suffocate the opponents. It’s not there yet. It’s not perfect. And and the fact that they’re now on their 10th defenseman uh doesn’t help. And they just lost one in Providence last night, too. Yeah. And I know watching the London Knights for all these years, especially the last three maybe four years is almost an identical system to what Marco Stern wants to implement with the Bruins. And we all know how dominant a team the London Knights are or have been for the for the last few years. So I know the system works. I have belief in the system. Uh the Bruins just aren’t executing it to the level that they should be executing it right now. Will it get there by the end of the season? They got to start getting some bodies back in. But um when it works, it works. Yeah. I I was watching the game last night and one of the things that actually stood out to me besides like we’ll get into the goals and how they were scored and it was great to see that third line pop in a goal. They they work so hard out there. Um and Fraser Minton deserves every goal heal gets and I I do believe if Fraser Minton played up higher in the lineup, we would actually see a higher offensive production. But as he said in between the periods as they were talking to him, he’s like it’s it’s great to get a goal, but that wasn’t our job. Like he understands what his job is and what his role is. And as much as the fan base would be like, “Hey, I want Frzer Minton to get a ton of goals,” he knows that his job is to prevent goals, not to get goals. His job is to suffocate. And I would say that the third line has played better than anybody else. But one thing I noticed last night and he got third star for it is Nikita Zadorov. He uh he jumped into the play a lot and he activated himself and he used his speed and I don’t know if everybody knows this, he’s one of the fastest skaters in the NHL. According to NHL Edge, he’s a top 10 fastest skater in the NHL, which is honestly I I’ve I’ve seen him skate. I thought last year N Zadorov was ineffective in a lot of ways. I think he cost his team a ton of penalties. I even thought his crosschecking penalty he got last night was more of he got a penalty because he’s Nikita Zidorov more than he got a penalty because he’s so strong. Yes. Because I thought that was a routine play along the boards there. I didn’t think it was as bad. But a lot of defensemen just do that shove when they’re along the boards and the guy doesn’t move. But when Nikita Zidorov does the shove, the guy goes flying through the boards. Yeah, it’s unfortunate. But there was a play where Zidorov took um took the pass right off the the face off. He came coming down the wing, came in and cut in towards the net. I actually showed my daughter this morning. We’re going through the highlights and she plays defense um in her league and she’s always like, “Well, when should I know when to skate for it?” And I said he noticed New Jersey shifted all their players pretty much to the right cuz they thought Zidorov was going to make the the pass right right away. They thought Zidorov was going to be putting the puck along the right hand side. Didn’t happen. Zidorov saw what New Jersey did and how they collapsed to the right and he cut. He put used all his speed, his burst right from the blue line, cut in and cut to the net. Not only that, he picked up the rebound and skated around the perimeter again and tried to get a shot on net. I I thought it was simplifying what he’d done in the game. I get that. But at the same time, I thought it was something that the Bruins need to work on more. I don’t think under Marco’s system that they activate the defense as much as they should. Mind you, mind you, they’ve had a ton of injuries on the back end. So, it’s hard to work on that in practice when you’re pretty much using a, you know, uh, misfit toys on that back end because the Boston Bruins biggest, as much as everybody keeps talking about Kefir Sherwood and Connor Garland, is help on the back end. If Don Sweeny’s going to make a trade, he’s got to put he got to get help on that back end. Absolutely. And I I will say this about the door on a personal level. Um and again I have to mention the London Knights because I go way back to watching him play uh with the London Knights. I was never a fan of the way he played because that move or that offense that you you just described there was a constant with him in Junior and he would get caught. he would um turn it over all sorts of different things. So, I wasn’t that big of a fan, but kudos to him when he got to the NHL. He started to I guess in a way redefine his game and become what he what he’s become now. I honestly I can’t imagine this team without Nikita Zoro right now. Everybody talks about Charlie Mackoy and Campus Lynhol. Um, where would they be if the Nikita Zador off wasn’t in the lineup right there? Well, I would agree to you at a point. I still think it’s a a sum of its parts because we’ve noticed when Hampus Lynholm and as much as like I for some reason I get a lot of people in my comments lately. They’re getting on His Linholm. I think His Linholm is getting a lot of ticky tacky penalties that don’t make sense. the holding the stick stuff that drives me crazy. But I truly believe maybe the holding the stick stuff is because his knee isn’t 100%. And he’s having a hard time. He’s lost a little bit of his step. So, it’s hard for him. So, he’s doing a lot of reaching because players are beating him when they didn’t in the past. And I think that and it could be on his turn. It seems that he’s having a hard time turning left and it’s costing him penalties. But when Hampus Lynholm is not in the lineup, the Bruins are disastrous. It’s like he’s the glue on the back end. And I I I would love to see if we could have Makavoy, Zidorov, and Lynholm in the lineup for five consecutive games. Just give me five games to see how much better because I thought Makavoy and Zidorov were disastrous last year but weren’t this year. I thought they were disaster on the ice. The the pairing of Zidorov and Makavoy last year was instant terrible. Like they were they were going to get scored on every single time. This year they’ve been phenomenal. But unfortunately, it just it just hasn’t been come to fruition. But there was a bright spot on the Burns defense that many people like to dog, but I thought he played one of his best games last night, and that was Mason Lorai. He was blocking shots. He was getting in front of it. He was intercepting passes. He was looking and wasn’t just jumping it away and doing that usual thing. He even had a time where he was coming behind the net and it was almost like I was I was watching and I was like he instinctively wanted to cut in front of Swayman and he didn’t. Instead, he threw it off the boards. Mason Loai in the past couple years would try and carry that puck out of the zone and instead he made the smart play, not the selfish play and he put the puck along the boards and they actually exited the neutral zone. I thought Mason Lorai again played a phenomenal game because I don’t think the Bruins fours played as good as the game as a lot of people think because yes, the Bruins won the game, but I thought their defense played phenomenal last night. Swayman was phenomenal as well. Again, Jeremy Swayman stunk two games ago or I guess a game ago for him, but two games ago for the Bruins. Swayman was phenomenal last night, but I thought the Bruins defense stepped it up last night and helped win that hockey game. And the thing I noticed most about Loroy last night was he’s more physical. And by physical, I don’t mean big body checks uh like the door of throws or like Charlie Mackoy is capable. He actually pushed his his opponents to the boards, held them, battled for putts there. And that play at the blue line where he fell down. Um, normally we would see Mason Laurai give up on that puck. Uh, I mean it almost caused a turnover, but he kept fighting through it while sitting on his ass on the ice. And that, you know, we’re seeing the evolution of Mason Lorai in front of us. And that five games where he was scratched, excuse me, uh probably probably the best thing that ever happened to him. 100%. And he was rewarded last night. He got 17 minutes in ice time, which for Mason Loai is a lot. For Mason Loai, that is a lot of ice time. Even because they’re being smarter. Because last season I felt with Mason Loai, one of the issues I was noticing was they were playing him too much and he was and they were using him in terrible situations. Mason Loray is an offensive defenseman. That’s what he is. If he chips in defensively like he did last night cuz he changed his game against New Jersey because New Jersey is a tight-king team. It just it’s their system just like the Boston Bruins. Loai was like, “Okay, my job is to get the puck out of the zone and move it forward and it’s not here to do some fancy plays.” Even though Zadorov was doing some of that, but we usually see from Lai. Um, I I was very impressed with his play. I was I was even impressed even though I think he’s been one of the Boston Bruins worst defenseman. I thought Andrew Peak played a better game that he’s played in a while. He was probably the worst player on the ice the other night two games ago when the Bruins got destroyed and Swayman looked a shell of himself. Andrew Peak was the worst player on the ice. I thought he had a better bounceback game. And even though he got an empty net goal, I I really like what Sidorov said after the game in a postgame scrum. They were like, “Oh, it was he was like, it was great to see Peak score a goal, but maybe he can score one on a goalie next time.” And and as much as people think it’s he’s being playful, he is and he isn’t. Sidorov is also holds players accountable. He’s a lot like David Pastnac. And if if people haven’t noticed, both Sidorov and Pastasternak have been hanging outside of the game. Leaders do that. They they sense each other’s both got leadership skills and now you see those guys hanging outside of the rink and they’re more I know Pastnak likes to uh you know have a couple pops every now and then and so does the door off. So I’m glad to see them getting along and I have a funny feeling when eventually Boston Bruins announce the next captain. And I still think it’s going to be passion act. Zidorov will wear an A and it won’t be His Linholm. It’ll be Makavoy and Zadorov. I think that was your assistant captain. Hard to argue that. Um, you know, but these guys are pros. They know they don’t have to have a letter on their jersey to to to be a leader. So, uh, you know, you look at when Berseron and Charara, uh, were running the show, they weren’t the only leaders. Like, Kerchi would rotate the A. Um, you know, but Krug even wore the A couple times. Yeah. You don’t need a letter on your jersey to to be a leader. Uh, you know, it’s funny because um, fans put too much importance on on who is the captain. Uh, being a captain in today’s game is not what it was like uh, even 30 years ago. You know, there was a time when when a captain took a rookie. Uh the rookie lived with the captain for for a while. Uh those were the captain’s duties is is to look after uh teammates that way. Um nowadays, you know, everybody lives on their own. You you might get a couple of rookies that share an apartment or something. Um the the role of a captain in the NHL has totally totally changed and uh you know a lot of it now is having to deal with the media. I mean 30 years ago the media didn’t exist with the way it like the way it is today. My my dad jokes that the Boston Bruins team that he played on in the the late 70s early 80s if the media was around they would be in trouble. He said the media was around, but he’s like they like to party. They were guys that got put on the IR not for injuries that they sustained on the ice. In fact, one of their most prominent players got injured jumping from one balcony to another at a hotel and he missed about two weeks. You you look at the the 70 through 72 Bruins that I mean that obviously you’re too young court, but that team should have been a dynasty. And what they did is they partied a lot. Uh remember uh Phil Espazito was laying in the hospital with a a or was it or I can’t no it was or was in the hospital after a knee injury and uh the team went up to the hospital and wheeled him out on a gurnie to to go out and party. Uh things like that don’t happen this day and age in in pro sports. Yeah. which was interesting like seeing that videos were off chugging that beer. He made it he had to talk about it. It was interesting. Reporters asked him about it like they wanted to know like because you don’t see players doing that now and then and he called it a cheat day. He’s like every now and then you should reward yourself with a cheat day. Absolutely. It’s it’s a very European attitude because if you notice um when you watch all those like Amazon stuff like William Knander will go out and have a couple pops. In fact, every single time the Boston Bruins come to town, William Knander and uh David Pass and I go for dinner and they have a couple drinks and they got a game the next day and you know what, they still play fine. I understand a lot of players bodies a temple. If you don’t want to drink, it’s totally fine. That’s not to say like you need to party to be an NHL player, but it’s also at the same time, you know, there is more to life than just, you know, X’s and O’s sometimes. But I I w I did want to talk about Morgan Geeky getting his 22nd goal. He is second overall in the NHL leaders. He’s playing phenomenal, but I love the way his goal was scored. So, I want to walk I can’t show the video because the NHL will DM they’ll they’ll copyright strike me to the moon. It is. It is what it is. I I I wish I could. I know some channels across YouTube show hockey highlights. They were getting hit, but at the same time, they don’t. Every single time I put up a highlight, I get hit either by Nessen or the NHL within seconds of me putting up my highlight. So, I’m not going to do it. But I want to break down the play because Morgan Geeki one, he’s very selective of how he takes a shot. If he doesn’t I was talking to Dom about this yesterday while I was driving uh to my daughter’s hockey game. He’s very selective on how he takes his shots, but he was also very deceptive. So, what he did last night is he was actually playing below the below the uh the goal line. Both him and Steves were actually playing the corner regardless of digging out that puck. The puck gets dug out by a player that played pro a very good game last night for the forwards. Probably one of their best forwards last night, which was Elias Lenholm. I thought he played a very good defensive game. He’s very strong at the dot. He was very responsible with his puck distribution last night. He’s he played very smart. Lynholm was able to dig out the puck, but what Geeki did I ste was forcing the defenseman to cover him closer to the net and Geeki actually went behind the goal line so he was deceptive. So the New Jersey defender didn’t actually pay attention to him even though the guy is second in the league in goals. He sits below the line. So Steves now takes the distraction. Lynholm is able to feed the puck to Geeky who then sees what’s about to happen because he’s there. The I’m noticing that’s something Marco’s having. He’s having his forwards play a little bit deeper and then the defense are a little bit closer in and then you have the the centerman kind of control the play. Now Husadino is it’s it’s kind of it made his career right now in Boston because he’s very fast and he’s able to do that kind of stuff. But I thought Lynholm did a very good job of forcing everybody to come over to him. Steves look like where that’s where Lynholm was giving the pass, but instead Geeki comes from behind the net, skates out in front and he’s in the slot all by himself. So when he gets that pass, who by the way, Morgan Kiki has one of the hardest shots in the NHL, he scores a goal. But it was the way he did it. So I went back and I watched a bunch of different games because he scores a ton five on five. He’s not even remotely a power play merchant as for some reason people keep putting on the internet. He barely gets power play goals, but he does that a lot. So what he what he did while if Passak’s there, he uses Pastnac almost as a screen. Everybody plays pasta and Geeki is able to get open. What he does since Pastanak has been gone is he plays low into the zone and then waits and then comes in the slot. He doesn’t just sit there in the slot. And we see this especially in minor hockey and uh it’s it’s almost like Todd like sit in front of the net and battle in front of the net. Kiki doesn’t do that. Doesn’t sit in front of the net. He doesn’t battle in the dirty areas. He actually is almost like a little water bug. He just continuously moves in almost like a figure eight and continuously moves so that defenseman just says, “Okay, forget him.” And they don’t cover him and he’s able to deceptively get in the slot and he scores his 22nd goal of the year. Like guy’s on fire. Yeah. I mean, that goal was brilliant all the way around. uh from from the Lindhold pass to Steve’s doing the the heavy work behind behind the goal line to as you said De using his vision and and his IQ to get to where he’s supposed to be and not only get to where he’s supposed to be but uh undetected. Uh, I mean that was as classic a tic-tac goal that you will ever see in the NHL. Yeah, I I thought it was a very um telling goal of what Morgan Geeki has done this year. It’s almost like it’s the geeky goal. Pasta is very good at pretty much staying there in the slot. Geeky doesn’t stay. He’s constantly moving constantly. He just doesn’t sit there and I really like it. And I also liked, you know, Casey Middlestad gets another goal. I think Casey Middlestad has um played very good for the Boston Bruins and proven that he’s not this this throwin because he was and we’ll get to Will Zellers because I know Dom’s going to talk about him, but Zeers was the main piece in that trade and Casey Middlestat was a throwin and he’s played phenomenal. If the Bruins aren’t in the playoffs, the Bruins could get a first round pick possibly for Casey Middlest. I’m not saying trade him right now. I’m just saying he’s played very good and in fact he is making more money than Morgan Geeki, which is still hilarious to me. But well, it it’s funny, Court. Let me stop you there because I wanna I want to throw something at you that I have been seeing a lot of online and I’m actually writing about it uh right now, but I’m curious as to your thoughts. So when Pastor Knack comes back, I’m seeing a lot of people uh do line projections. It has Steves, Lynholm, Gigi, then Middlestat, Zaka, Pasternac. Okay. And then moving Arbitson down to the third line. from there. Here is what I don’t like about that. And as I wrote, as foolish as this may sound, I think Pavle Zaka is a better player without David Pastasternac. when he’s playing with Pastnack and let’s say Deiki, he’s always deferring. When he’s on the line with Arbitson, uh, himself and Middlestat, he’s driving that line at both ends of the ice. Your thoughts on that? Well, he made one of the I think uh Zaka last night made a game-saving back check where he stole the pack, the puck went the other way, and that’s led to the middle stack goal. So, I agree with you. It’s It’s funny. I I agree with you on the Zaka point. Um, but I want to talk about who I where I think Steve’s goes in the lineup because I think Sturman has pretty much said where Steve’s going to go in that lineup eventually. Um, because he pretty much said it’s going to be impos he said it’s impossible to take him out of the lineup. So, um, I think Zaka has played well and I think I think you’re right in the fact that Zaka does look for past. So, it would actually hurt Morgan Geeki to have a to because Zaka looks for pasta. um they played together in in uh uh international play. He he looks for him. Like you said, he defers to him. I still think when Pastor Neck comes back, the top line will be Geeky, Linholm, and Paster Neck. And I think that’s what it should be because one, Geeki’s goal production doesn’t go down with Pastor on the line. And I think that that line is played well enough. They unfortunately haven’t had a chance to play together this year pretty much. They’ve had a couple games, but not many. Um I thought they played very well at the end of the year. And I think I was mentioning before how much Lynholm does a very good job of being the defensive guy and letting the other guys shoot. I think it’s the perfect position for Lynholm. And I think both Pasta and there’s enough goals to go around for both Pasta and Geeky for it to work. I actually think Steves gets moved to the third line and not because of a bad thing. It’s because of what uh was said because I don’t think Ardson can be as effective if he’s not in a top six role unfortunately. And I think Arson plays very well and I think that line of middle stat Zaka and Arverson is a very good line and is extremely effective. And Zaka plays better with those two. It’s you got two centermen with a winger. So Middlestat is playing both ends of the ice. He’s playing it very well and he’s being very smart with the puck. Arson can use his speed and Zaka can use Zaka can be hang back a little bit and he doesn’t have to use his speed as much. He it reminds me a lot how Crree used to play the game. Kichi wasn’t the fastest skater, but he was very smart. When he entered the zone, he was very methodical on how he entered the zone and where he was going to send his first pass. I’ve noticed Zach has been kind of the same. He’s deferring the puck to Arvinson, but not because like, oh, that’s the guy to give it to, because he lets Arbitson use his speed. It allows middle stat to get set where he needs to be and allows Zaka to survey the area and try and be either a screen or or re get the pass so that he can be the um kind of like the uh the quarterback out there on what where the puck’s going to go. So, I don’t think you mess with that. I think Steves would actually elevate Minton’s game if you put Steves on that third line and you have a line of Steves, you know, and Minton is your third line and that moves Castelick down to the fourth line because Castelik, he’s a Swiss Army knife. No matter where you put him in the lineup, he’s just effective. I that’s what I would do and it sounds like that’s what Marco Stern would do because he keeps commenting on how Steves can play anywhere in this lineup and it doesn’t matter. He is effective where he is. Just like what Minton said the uh last night being interviewed, he said, “Hey, you know, I’m glad we chipped in offensively, but that’s not our job.” But I think if Steves, who had does who cemented himself in this lineup, I think he cemented himself. Well, yeah. Let’s talk about Steve’s because another thing I want to bring up. There’s a lot of talk that the Bruins should extend him right now before he prices himself too high. And there are others that are saying, “Whoa, whoa, relax. It’s only been 14 games.” Um, I don’t think Steve’s style is ever going to change. Doesn’t matter whether it’s game 14 or game 82. Here’s the thing. He’s a group six unrestricted free agent unless he plays in 52 more games. Okay? Then he remains a restricted free agent. The Bruins have 52 games remaining in the season. So in other words, he can’t miss a game between now and the end of the season or it becomes a UFA. So I have two questions for you. A, would you extend him now? and B, what would be your top dollar for Alex Steves? I’m thinking somewhere a little less than the first contract Morgan Geeky got with the Bruins. So, two years just under two million bucks. Yeah, he got 180. What is it? Uh, he got in his first because I’m literally on Pockedia. So, keep going. His first contract with the Bruins 1.4. No, that was with uh wasn’t Yeah. No, Seattle signed for 1.4. Bruins was uh two million on the dot. Yeah. For two years. Yeah. So, would you look at resigning him now? Do you have faith that he forget the goal scoring, can he continue to play the way he’s playing? And what’s the max value you put on that? So, he has played Let’s just I just want to pull up exactly how many games he’s played right now. He has played [Music] Just got to keep rolling down. Uh 14 games. Yeah. One, if you really trust Marco Sturm, you’re going to go to him first and defer and say, “Is this guy for real?” Because the eye test tells you he is. Yeah. It’s not going to hurt the Boston Bruins to let him play up until the All-Star break without a new contract. I don’t think it’s even going to make it any more expensive. I think if they resign him this year, the dollar amount isn’t going to change much um regardless of how much he scores. But if you’re going to resign Steves and reward him to show that locker room, this is what you like the guys down in Providence who we’ll talk about in a minute. I think this like actually gets us to that conversation. It shows them if you play the right way, you get rewarded. It’s not going to kill the Boston Bruins. Um, they’re only committed 45 million in cap in their forward group next year and 27 on their defense and 11 million in their goalending. And I can’t wait for the comments after I said that one out loud. But because you know where we’re going to get because we still got these people for some reason who think Swayman stinks. But um, yes, but I think the dollar amount will be a little bit higher than 2 million just based on the way NHL salaries have gone. So you might look at a little bit above two million but not much just based on how these guys are getting these huge deals now. Um but they could get him based on this is the Boston Bruins. They could get him for like 185. They could get him for that amount if they did a two-year deal. Um kind of like what they did with Sean Carell. Even though Carell is at the end of his career, the Boston Bruins have been known for getting guys to take less even though people think they’re paying guys too much. David Pastnak when he took his 11.2 $2 million deal. They still he could have got more on the open market 100%. So I think they might be able to get him for a little bit less than two, but it’s it’s in that range. I think it’s in the 23 to 185 is where you’re going to sit with Steves. And I think you do it either right after the Christmas break because the Bruins, I don’t know if people realize this, they do a lot of that. They sign guys over the Christmas break or you wait to the to the Olympic break. But I think you have to resign him before the end of the year or you could get burned because I think the decision between who stays and who goes between Blue Mel and Steves has already been made and I don’t think Blue Mel ever sees the ice ever again in a Boston uniform. Yeah, I I’d be surprised if he did. I really would. And I think Jeffrey Vel, as much as a lot of people for some reason um some Bruins media that cover the Pro Province Bruins like this guy, he’s not going to be like when Pastnack comes back, he’s the guy that goes back down. And I think Steves has to stay in the lineup. You have no choice. And then you’re unfortunately, who I think has played very well, and that’s Eimont. It bumps him out of the lineup and he’s the guy that rotates in and out unfortunately because Castellic has to move down to the fourth line. So where do you have who’s on? I think your fourth line is Husadino at center and I think you rotate him between him and Cari. Okay. Because I don’t think Carali can sustain the workload of a full season. And I think Husadino has proven that he needs to be in the lineup because I think he’s played extremely well regardless of when he sits, doesn’t sit. Um whether he scores or not, he doesn’t hurt you when he’s on the ice. I really like Husadino. I haven’t really liked Shan Carelli. Uh but Carelli’s been giving them the PK that they need. I know. And who’s it’s almost like you want Husadino to turn into that guy. But I agree with you there. I just I think Husadino gets you way more speed which you need in today’s NHL over Cari. And I think Castella can go anywhere in the lineup even though he sometimes is the odd man out. And that’s the guy um Sturm sits is Castle. He almost like rotates. The only guy that doesn’t come out is Jano and and Fraser Minton and those bottom six players. Everybody else rotates. And I don’t think ECOD has played bad. I think he’s played effective. It’s just unfortunately Steves has become a vital piece to the Boston Bruins middle six. He’s played well and Marco Sturm talks about him in almost every post game. That tells me he’s staying in the lineup regardless what happens. He trusts him. That’s that that’s his big word. I trust him. And um he’s said that about a few players. Um, I don’t recall him ever saying it about Hustadinov or Eimont to be honest with you. He never talks about Eim, but he talked about Husadino about how when he had us out of the lineup and he answered the call and came back in and played the right way and he goes he said until he stops playing the right way, he stays in my lineup. He rewards Sturm does a very good job. That’s why I don’t think Victor Arbertson would drop out of that top six because he really likes Victor Arbertson. Yeah. Trusts him. You you talked about trust. He trusts Victor Arson. Victor Arvinson is on the team because of Marco Sturm. I believe that. But eventually Victor Arson is the first one out the door. If the Bruins aren’t in a playoff spot or even if they’re just knocking at the door, you still trade. I think you have to at that point. Yeah, I do. So, this brings me to one of the reasons you’re here. Uh, because we’ll get into the gold tending thing. We’ll talk I want to talk about prospects first because the amount of people that hop into my DMs and ask about prospects. And it’s not that I don’t follow the prospects. I I try my best. I’m just not as tuned in as as someone like Dom here. Now, right now, the hockey news has the Boston Bruins depth on forward as a C++. They have their defense as a C and their goalies as a B minus. They have their number one rated prospect according to the hockey news is James Hagens. Number two is Fabian Lysel. Number three is Fraser Minton which is I think Minton is no longer a prospect. He is he’s solidified himself. So we’ll take him out of the the conversation. Number four is Dean Lerno. Um some could argue that Lerno could move up on that list. Number five is William Moore. Number six is Mercul. And I almost don’t even want to put him on the list because I he is not a Boston Bruin anyway. They they’re they’re trying to move him. Um number seven is Liam Peterson. Number eight is Elliot Grronwald. Number nine is William Zeers. And number 10 is Max Warner. Dom, my question to you is who’s your top five and why? Well, first of all, I have to disagree with their grades. There’s no way that the Bruins goending prospects is better than their forward group. And I would argue it’s not better than their defensive group as weak as it is. Um yeah, their their goalending prospects right now are according to this Luke Calivan, Michael Dpietro, Philip Swedbach, and Simon Zjac. Yeah, that check. That doesn’t deserve a better grade than their forward group. No, especially with DPro there who’s never going to play in the NHL. Yeah, I agree. James Hagen is Hagens is number one right off the bat. Um I don’t agree that Fabian Lysel is number two uh anymore. I think and I’m not basing this on one year. I I saw this kid play a few years ago, even before he was drafted. Uh, and I know there’s a lot of people that labeled him a bust last year. Uh, and I kept saying just wait, just wait. Uh, this year one doesn’t mean anything. Uh, number two is Dean Lerno. Number three, uh, I wouldn’t even move myself to number three. Number three for me is Matthew Podra. And I know there’s going to be a lot of kickback here. Matthew Padra. Look, every everybody said that the that the battle at training camp was going to be between Potra and Mitten for the 3C spot and I vehemently disagreed with that. Uh Potra was battling with uh with Middlestat originally for the 2C spot. Uh to me, Mitt was a lock for the three spot. And if you ask me, uh, my opinion, Patra’s ceiling is that of a two-line center and Mitten ceiling is that of a third line center, a high-end third line center. I would almost say Potra is still in the Bruins organization and not been moved. And I I have under good authority that Potra’s name is definitely out there. Uh, yeah. when when when teams are talking to the Bruins right now, they’re ask they’re asking about him and the Bruins would 100% move him and I think they want a defenseman. That’s why this Sherwood stuff still makes me laugh. Um, sure, the Bruins would want him, but they already have a younger version in Tanner Jano that is just as effective, so why bring in the same player? But I think Potra I I agree with you that he was he has to be in the top six. We’ve both been saying this for forever. I think unfortunately the only way he gets there is if the Bruins are as bad as they were last year going close to the trade deadline because then they’ll move Paval Zaka. But until they move Pavle Zaka I and you already have James Hagens that’s above him in the top six, it’s a tough thing for Matthew Potra now to crack this Bruins lineup. Unfortunately, he it’s almost in the situation of he’s better off going somewhere else. Now, people say to me, “His production is down in Providence.” Well, yeah. Um, it’s down, but here’s the thing. Matthew Potra wasn’t sent down to Providence to work on his open. Matthew Potra was sent to Providence to perfect the Marco Stern system, and that is the other end of the puck. Unfortunately, it’s affected his offense. He’s got to find that happy medium and over the last three or four games, he’s found it. So, I expect a rebound from Padre. But I I agree. I I actually wrote about it last week. Uh that the number one prospect uh in the Bruins system opposing teams are asking for is Matthew Potcher. And it’s not because they think he’s better than James Hagens. They’re realistic. They know they’re not getting Hagens in in a deal. So why even bother asking for him? So I I have Higgins, I have Laterno, I have Potra, and then I’ve got Fabian Lysel, who like Potra is still I mean, there’s been nobody hotter in the system than him over the last three or four games as well. Um, but it’s the rest of the serm system that he’s got to learn. The talent is all there. The skill is all there. It’s everything else that that uh he’s got to learn. And he’s an RFA at the end of the year. He’s an RFA. Me, if it were me, I would give him a run to see whether he fits in my future. So, in 17 games, he’s got nine goals, 10 assists, and 19 points. He’s at a 1.2 uh 1.12 points per game. He arguably, this is why I think there’s more of a bigger bigger thing going on. One, it was reported this summer that teams were asking about Fabian Lysel and there was a possibility of moving him. Um I can guarantee Edmonton was one of them. Yeah, it was the Edmonton Oilers that and and I I think he could probably succeed in Edmonton, but I think Matt Seavoy has been playing well enough right now that they don’t they that those conversations will uh disappear and I don’t think they’ve resurfaced because I think Seavoy is is so has got that role. I think the the Oilers weren’t too they were sold on Isaac Howard, but they weren’t sold on Isaac Howard to be a top six guy. Um, the fact that he did not get called up while Pastor Knack has been down is extremely telling to me. Now Pastor Knack is skating again. It sounds like he won’t be back next week. It might be, you know, in the next two weeks we could see Pastor Knack back in this lineup. They have that time to insert Fabian Lysel in this lineup. But if you’re Marco Sturm with the way Steves is playing, how do you bring Fabian Lysel in right now and put him in your top six? That’s tough. Like that’s a tough like Marcosm said that he and and I believe this when he said that it sounds like they’re giving him more autonomy on who goes up and who goes down. Sounds like it. He says he’s taking the words of what people say. I’ve known in the past that the Boston Bruins uh Don Sweeney pretty much makes the decisions on who goes up and goes down. It sounds like Sturm is getting input in that input in that. Well, and let’s not forget Ryan Minel has a lot of say in it too. Like he coaches him. He knows Sturm will ask him or will say to to Mushel, this is what I need. Uh who do you recommend? And then uh the four of them uh meaning Stern Lucian now Evan Gold and Donnie Sweeney will have a discussion on who the look I will say this about Dave and myself a lot of being thrown around from both sides of the argument. A lot of it um taking quotes and things that have been said and um not taking the context but rather using it to fit somebody’s argument. Y right. Um, I think Don Sweeney is a fan of Fabian Lysel, which is why he hasn’t traded him yet. Agreed. I think Fabian Lysel is on Cam Neil’s do not like 1,000%. He is not a Cam Ney player. Even when he was taken, I was like, “Wow, Don Sweetie won that argument. I wonder what he had to give up to get that guy picked in that draft.” Absolutely. In fact, James Hagens is not a Cam Neely player. Latero is a Camey player. James Hagens is not a Cam Neely player. Absolutely. So, that’s my top four. Number five, and I don’t know why um the hockey news has Max Wer ahead of him, is Will Zellers, um who scored probably one of the nicest goals I’ve seen in a very long time. That That was filthy. That was That was high-end hockey IQ and puck skills. Absolutely. Um, I think he’s tied for second for most goals by a freshman in the NCAA this year. And in fact, there he is. And in fact, there’s countless articles that are not even coming from the Boston area of how ridiculous it is he was left off the uh World Junior roster for Team USA. Um, I don’t know whether that to be true or not, but there’s a lot of you always get for for people understanding world juniors are huge here in Canada. Like more people watch the World Juniors during the Christmas break than they watch the NHL. The NHL just gets turned I I myself watch as much as I possibly can. I’m going to be paying very close attention. I I love watching and it’s some of the best hockey you’ll see. So, if you don’t know, watch that. But Will Zeers, this happens every year where there’s a guy who doesn’t make the team. I think last year with team Canada, Misa didn’t make the team and everybody lost their freaking minds. Um, they are all and it’s always offensive guys because the World Juniors is the most tight checking hockey you’ll see. Do you agree or disagree? What What is your take on Will Zeers not being named to this team? Because James Haggin did, for those listening, James Hagens, who has 15 games in Boston College this year, 10 goals, seven assists, 17 points. He’s at a 1.13 points per game. He’s actually higher than his average last year. He’s only got six penalty minutes. And Hagens has also played center and wing. He has played wherever he has been asked to play this year. Hagens is on the team. He is pretty much their go-to guy. He’s going to be first line center and it’s the guy. What about Will Zellers? Should they have put him on the team? Well, before I get to that, let me let me say let let’s go over who’s going. So Higgins is going Yep. Vash Blar is probably going to make the check team. Yeah, they have him as on their projected roster. He’s on it. Yeah, they still have to cut one defenseman, but in the Five Nations tournament that they were in last month um as the precursor, he was one of their best defenseman. Yeah. They don’t have him as a They have him as like he’s making he’s in the top four. Yeah, he’s there. So, we know Chris Pelosi is going to the Spangler Cup and so is Ryan Walsh. That’s over the holidays. As for Zellers, and we’ll throw Dean Lerno in here as well. The the I have a hard time putting him on team Canada, but continue. I I have a hard time as well, but here’s the issue with uh USA Hockey and Hockey Canada. They put way too much emphasis on the summer showcase. Yes. Okay. Um the way Dean Lerno is playing right now, I could make an argument to make the Canadian roster. Agreed. Latero has been and for those people uh not knowing because we only kind of like talked about LNO and Hagens and went to talk about the guys that are lower on the list which is obvious. LNO has been lights out and in fact one of their biggest weapons like Hagen’s got moved out of the wing of how well LNO had been playing. Like that’s crazy. Can can we can I’ll get his I’ll get his stats. Keep going. I’ll get his stats. Um the the one thing about nine goals, eight assists, 17 points. I wanted to ask you about Hagen going over the wing. I know I asked you in the car, but I want you to did was that the Bruins or is that Boston College? Well, here’s the thing, and that’s what I’m going to touch on because there’s a lot of talk about Hagens being moved to the wing. Hagens doesn’t take faceoffs once the puck is dropped. Um, depending on who he’s playing with, he reverts back to the center position and takes the center forward. Yes, I saw he’s got to be stronger at the faceoffs. Yeah, he lines up on the left wing for faceoffs, but when the play is going on, he’s got the responsibilities of the centerman, whether it’s in the Ozone or the Dzone. So, this he’s playing wing is more about faceoffs than it is anything else. And I will say growing up, I was a very good at the faceoff. And as I got later on in my playing career, and it’s not like I was playing a high level, I would take the draw and then move over to the wing. Yeah, it happened. It happened. So, so back to Zellers and a little bit about Muro. As I said, you know, USA hockey and hockey Canada way too much emphasis on uh the summer showcase and Will Zellers in all honesty did not have a very good uh summer showcase. And it shouldn’t be about that. It should be a more of what what have you done for me lately? Classic example, Elliot Grwald, who was at the summer showcase and was very good at the summer showcase. Um, and a lot of mock USA lineups had him as a possibility because of the good summer showcase that he had, but he really hasn’t had that great a season with uh, Quinnipiac in the NCAA and therefore not on the roster. So on one hand they put too much emphasis on it and on the other hand we as fans or media put too much emphasis on and and I would say in fact I would say uh uh Max Wanner and Frederick Brunette have moved up on the the line of depth chart over uh Grwalt. Well, um I don’t see I don’t see Max Wer ever playing an NHL game. I don’t see Grunwall either. That’s the other thing to these people. You could have a top 10 list and only two ever play in the NHL. Exactly. Exactly. Um I think William Zellers will get a shot at playing in the NHL. I think so too. I think Dean Lerno, James Hagens. Yes. I think any of the five will it may you know when it comes to Pra and Lel it may not be with Boston. Yeah, I don’t think it will be to be totally honest. I think Murkoff was even called up and I think it was obvious that Stern didn’t want him up. The talk before the game he was like, “Yep, he’s here.” He didn’t say much about him. He gave him no minutes after the first period and he never play he never touched the ice again. I think that was more of let’s throw him up there and see if we can move him in a trade. I think that’s exactly what that was. They threw him in the lineup to see if he would play well so that they could move him because if you look at who was at the Boston Bruins games, every scout in the NHL is checking out the Bruins right now. Oh yeah. Highly scouted is the Boston Bruins right now. And that’s not because the Bruins are trying to add people. I really need people to understand this. I don’t think Don Sweeney is even attempting to go allin. I think he still trades regardless of where they are. I think he still moves out to gain assets. Yeah. And I mean, you can argue whether it’s the right move or not, but if as long as he gets if say the Bruins, I’ll say this. Say the Bruins because we’re still talking about prospects. It still has a lot to do with that. The Bruins have a very good team down in Providence. I don’t think anybody can deny it. They are playing great down in Providence. If the Bruins are just knocking on the door and they are a wild card team and they still make the playoffs, that’s all the Jacobs family knows they’re going to get out of this team. They would be okay with it. If Don Sweeney went to them, I’m still going to move out assets. They wouldn’t trade Zaka. I still don’t think they would do that, but they would still trade Victor Arvidson. And I think Alex Steves has made it so you can if he continues at this pace, he has to continue, but he’s made it so you can. And I think you could also look at Andrew Peak being moved. 1,000%. Even though Sturm continues to say and the guys say nice things about him, the analytics says he is one of the worst defenseman on this team. Him and Henry Yukihu are by far the worst two players on that back end. It’s unfortunate, but the stats are saying it. And name me an NHL team that is not looking for a right shot defense. Yeah, they can play big. The Bruins could find someone in the offseason that could be Andrew Peak all day long. They can be a bottom six guy. No problem. Bottom Yeah, bottom pair guy. Sorry, my apolog. Yeah. So, um, you know, which I mean, you could look at Soderstrom last night. I didn’t think he was bad in his first game. I thought he had a good game last night. Um, you know, another PJ Axelson special out of Sweden. Um, NHL.com had a good article on Silverstrom yesterday. I can’t remember if it was written by Emily Benjamin or not. Um I’ll pull it up. She she usually has um the the Bruins writeups on NHL.com, but um she talked to Sod about when he left um to go back home to Sweden and he downright said, you know, towards the end in Arizona, he lost his passion for the game and he went back to Sweden and he found his passion for the back. He He got it back. So, um, no, he did not have a good training. It was Benjamin. Okay. So, he did not have a good camp when he came back, but you know, again, he was coming from the large larger ice surface back to the smaller ice surface. And there was a period of adjustment for him. And he’s put his time in in Providence. And I thought last night he looked uh very good next to to uh Mason Laurai. I mean when when I saw that that Stern was going to pair the two of them together, I thought, uh oh, this is not going to end well. But Lorai played phenomenal last night. Yeah, I I I think Soderstrom was was very good last night. He kept it simple. He uh uh he made some nice plays from the blue line on in on the in the own zone. Uh he took care of business in his own zone. And you know the Bruins on the right side even down to Providence are very very weak. But you know this is a former glorious soling winner. But you could use Victor Arvinson at the trade deadline instead of getting a first round pick because if he continues at this pace, he probably could probably a high second, but you might be able to pry a team that’s desperate if they have injuries to get a first round pick, but you might be able to get a young right shot defenseman out of their system for Victor Arbertson. I’m not saying you’re getting a Will Zeers type trade that you got for Charlie Coyle. That would have to involve Powell Zaka to get a player of that ilk, but you might be able to get a guy that can hop into your into Providence and possibly be a future guy in your bottom pair on the right side by trading arbit. You could, but you you have you have to balance that against okay a bottom pair right shot defenseman versus a high second or early first round pick is I know is an excellent draft a deep draft with a lot of um yeah because both for everybody’s listening both brunette who just got injured down in Providence and Harris who’s injured for the Bruins who are serviceable both shoot left. Yeah, but Harris can play the right side. Yes. But I we we’re talking we’re getting back to the I want to circle back to the prospects before we get into who’s regressed. I want to circle back because myself and everybody included. The Bruins have something special in James Hagens. There was a lot even at the beginning of the year saying, “Oh, the Bruins got a bust.” And in fact, you know, there was a lot even at the draft, people were like, “Oh, the Bruins, like we all thought the Bruins got something.” But there were some talking heads that didn’t think he was even should have been that high even where the Bruins took him. James Hagens has been on fire down in Boston College. Well, heck, Boston College has been on fire lately. Uh, riding the backs of LNO and Hagens, they are, if you look at Boston College roster, that is not that good of a team. And they are literally riding Hagens and Lerno right now. Where do you got some injuries? Yeah, exactly. But the Boston Bruins, I think, and I just want to give my the Boston Bruins will sign James Higgins at the end of the year and he will play for the Providence Bruins. I don’t think there’s any question James Higgins will sign at the end of the year. Dean Luterno, I think, goes back for one more year. um the Bruins won’t sign him at the end of the year unless he if if if Laterno somehow even gets better than he is right now, you might see him in Providence, but Hagens for sure gets signed. Do we think that Hagens is actually going to be higher than a 2C possibly? And do you think that Hagen sees NHL action this year? Yeah, his his ceiling is number one center. Do I see him? Well, let’s put it the Bruins don’t usually rush him to the NHL. Even Charlie Mackoy still went to Providence first. He He only signed an NHL contract. His Yeah. An injury got him in the lineup. An injury got him got him. injury got got the Bruins to sign him to his contract and bring him up for for the playoffs. Um and and that’s the way they like to they like to operate. Um I will say this about Higgins because people are worried about his production. As you know, every preseason I do a projection of where every prospect should be. I had James Hagen’s projected for 21 goals. He’s on pace for 23. Um Dean Lerno, this sounds stupid already and I would have been glad with with his projected um offense of seven goals, 11 assists, 19 points or 18 points, sorry. He’s already passed the goals. He’s got nine. Yeah, he’s got 17 points already. Uh he’s on pace for 20 goals, 18 assists. I would have been happy in this what should have been his year one with the 18 points. He’s over double that. So to to answer your question, because I’m going to include LNO in that, I’m absolutely in agreement with you. He returns to BC for another year. Will Hagen see NHL time this year? Two things are dependent on that. What they do at trade deadline. Is Pavle Zach gone? Um is Casey Middlestack gone? Is Elias Lynn home injured? A lot of things play into that. Um, if we have the status quo, my answer would be no because where does he fit in? And I don’t think if they’re blowing it up and they make the the trades that we talked about, I don’t think they want to bring Hagens into that situation. No, I think that’s where Potra comes in. If Potra has a move. Yeah. So, I don’t see where a scenario either way where Hagens gets into NHL games this year, unless it’s a Macka Boy situation. There are injuries and you absolutely need him. So, but do you think, you didn’t answer my second, does he sign with Providence and does he play that this year? Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. And do you think that the Bruins stole him at the draft? I my argument from day one or June 1 leading up to the draft, even draft night, James Hagens was the third best player in the draft. Matthew Schaeer number one, Michael Misa number two, James Haggins number three. The guys like Marto over Fondelle. Eh, I really like Fondell. Yeah, so do I. But I just think James Hagens was the third best player in that draft class. I’ve been adamant about it from day one leading up to the draft and uh um nothing I’ve seen since then has changed my opinion of it. Well, you heard it. So, I want to know just because we’ll go quickly through this because we we great that we’ve spent this much time on prospects because everybody’s wanted it. Who has regressed? And if I right away off the bat, Mercur regressed. He is a shell of himself. It I I don’t know what it is. He’s played well in Providence, but when he came up to the NHL level, I know it was only a couple shifts, he looked absolutely terrible. He did not look like a guy who was like, “Oh my god, I got to play good to be in this lineup.” He barely back checked on one shift. It was He after that one shift where he barely back checked, he didn’t see the ice again. I bet you Stern was like, “Well, you’re done.” If that’s the attitude you’re going to give. Exactly. But who’s regressed to you? Well, I I’m going to go with two players right out of Boston College. It’s not so much because of their play. I I think their career trajectory and even the their chance of turning pro has greatly regressed because of injuries and that’s Oscar Yelvic and Andre Gassau. Um Casso is out to the new year. Yelvic missed the last twothirds of the season last year and has only played three games this year. These were two guys that look to be um potential NHL players even though they were late round picks. Uh Yelvic was a fifth, Gasso was a seventh. um to the point where getting a pro contract looks unlikely for at least one of them, if not maybe both. And I have to tell you too that the absence of two of them has given Lerno the opportunity to do what he’s doing in BC because he’s getting more ice time from it. But on the flip side, I think it’s affected Hagen’s offense because uh they’re missing two highly offensive players that he, let’s put it this way, Hagens would have been playing with at least one of them. Yeah, Hagens has barely anybody to pass the puck to. It’s unfortunate, but it just is what it is. So, uh, they’re the two that not because of their play, I think have fallen way down because of of, uh, circumstances. Um, if I have to say one who’s really fallen off because of their play, it has to be Mula. Absolutely. Yeah. He’s h like I, you know, I I liked him last year. I even like Blue Mel at the beginning of the year. Both just nope. Yeah, you just don’t fit in the system. Mulov, maybe it’s an attitude thing, but that shift that just told me right away. I was agreeing with Sterm like that guy should never see the ice again. I was like, wow. Like I don’t see how Mulov ever plays for the Boston Bruins ever again after just that shift alone. Cuz if as long as Marco Sturm’s the coach, there is no changing his attitude about how that guy played. That is like embarrassing almost. It was terrible. But great on the prospects. I want to get into your article you just you just uh wrote just recently because I want to talk about Yonas Corposalo because at the time of the trade everybody kept saying and you pointed out this in your article Bob Asenza is going to fix him. He’s the wizard. He’s going to do this this this and this. Yas Corpalo at the time I said that doesn’t make any sense because the statistics tell me that he is one of the worst goalies in the league and he will continue being one of the worst goalies in the league. at the end of last year and this is also summarizing your article at the same time. He stepped up to the mic and said I wanted to play more and he should have. I think they rode the living daylights out of Swayman last year even when he was struggling and I felt that Montgomery was doing because one he didn’t care and didn’t want to be here and two he was being told to punish him because a certain someone in that front office was made to look foolish in the offseason even I think both of them were both idiots in the in the offseason. I think Swayman’s biggest mistake was to talk about it publicly without your contract. You should never do that. Um I don’t care what he said about his f like I quoting him I still think is the dumbest thing ever, but you shouldn’t talk about it if you want to be I I know Swayman’s open, but just don’t talk about it. Let your let your agent do that. Just move on to a different subject. But Cam Ney clapping back more than Swayman did. In fact, Cam Ney took every opportunity he could to talk about Swayman’s contract to the media. Made him look foolish and childish and the bigger idiot out of the two. Swayman has been arguably lights out. In fact, except in Boston, there is articles right now trying to make the case for Swayman to be the starting goalie for team USA. I don’t think he will be. I think your goalie is Connor Halabach. That that goes without saying. I think Swayman has solidified himself as a spot. your goalies are auditer Swayman and and and Hellobach. I still don’t think Swayman sees the ice, but he’ll be at the Olympics for Team USA. It’s arguably I know Swayman had his two bad games, but he’s arguably been the Bruins best player. And when he did have his last bad game, it was his sixth start in the last eight games. They just you get tired. But I think it’s safe to say at this point, yes, Corposalo had a good game last game, but you you pointed it out in your article, unless he gets high volume, he is absolutely dreadful. And he has a knack more than Swayman this year to let in the first or second shot without question every game. It is crazy how many times this is happening to him. What is your analysis on Yonos Scorposal? Could the Bruins actually get anything for them? And yes, the Linus Hallmark trade. I still think the Bruins now that LNO has turned into what he is and I Castellac is what it is. I think they did okay. But man, Corposell is bad. Yeah. The the problem is court if if you move him, you almost have to get a goalender back. No, I think you have to. Like everybody’s like, “Oh, move him to Toronto. Move him here, move him there.” One, why would the Leafs do that? Two, you still have to replace him because no one in Providence can play in the NHL right now. Yeah. And you already screwed up moving Busy. You did. It’s that I think we can say as much as we all at the time were like, “Oh, Busty didn’t play well in those games.” It seems that we were wrong. He’s played well for Carolina. Yes and no. Two different teams like systems. Two different systems. Yes. Two different systems. It’s It’s hard to imagine how he would do in Boston. Like he he’d almost have to be at a Swayman level to to help his team out. Look, you you can’t be sub 500 with your backup goalender and expect to make the playoffs. Um, you know, right now the Bruins are tied with Tampa Bay for first place in the division in in the division. I don’t care about games in hand. There’s two things about games in hand. One, the other team has to win them for them to mean anything. And two, it means the other teams in the division are going to have to go through the grueling schedule the Bruins just went through, which they’ve been through the hardest schedule in the NHL. But their point percentage is 567, which actually puts it fourth if we went by points percentage, right? But then again, they play more games, which lowers your your points percentage. So, but they’re a plus two. Yeah. And only two teams in the division are a plus. Yeah. I’m in Tampa and the Montreal Canadians who have the highest point percentage are a minus six because Sam Montbo has been bad. Right. So if if Corposal was at 500, what is he 56 and one I or 56? Hold up. Just keep going. I’ll get it. If you given them one more win, one more one more win, they’d be sitting in first place. He’s 5’6. Yeah, he’s 5-6 with a 3.38 goals against average and an 888 percentage. Jesus Christ. One more win. If their backup goalender had given them one more win, they’d be sitting in first place all alone. Yes. At the 30 game mark. And who would have thought this in September? And I I want to add last season Corposal got easier games. Swayman played all the hard games. And I still to this day never understood it. They’ve done a very good job. They play Ottawa. Corpusal goes to net. I still think that’s the call. You always should play the guy that used to play there. Corpusalo has played he had a decent I I wouldn’t sorry. He had an okay record last year. I still think Corposalo was bad last year. Um but again he he has three bad games, one good game, and then whenever he has a good game, everybody hops in the comments and says, “See, he’s amazing.” I don’t think he is. Um he has played some tougher teams this year, but he hasn’t played well when he plays those tougher teams, unfortunately. No, but you you look at his save percentage in games where he faces more than 30 shots versus he he’s le sub 890 in games that he’s faced less than 30 shots. And before against his win against St. Lewis, he had three losses in a row. Rangers, Anaheim, Ottawa. Yeah, but he’s had save percentages in up to 943 in games where he’s faced over 30 shots. He likes he likes to see the rubber. In fact, he plays better if he does let the goal in on the very first shot and then gets peppered for the rest of the game. But if you’re the Boston Bruins players, you know, when he goes in the net, you’re going to give up the first goal. Yeah, it’s a it’s a totally different team in front of them. Yeah. Um, you know, it’s it’s actually a mirror to what happened last year when Swayman was struggling. You could see it on the players faces. They knew that Swayman was going to let one in real quick. Yeah. And and let’s face it, this team is not built to come back from behind or they’re not built to play while trailing. No, they’re they’re to protect they’re built to protect the lead. Yeah. So, um you’re rarely getting that from from Corpusal, but the answer is not in Providence. Uh Deichek may get there one day, but he’s still adjusting to the North American game. Um and Michael Dietro, I love him. I loved him way back in his since his days with the Winter Spires. I think he’s an incredibly athletic goalender, but athleticism in the NHL only gets you so far if you’re a goalender. So, I don’t I don’t think the answer is there. No, no, I think he’s just this I hate because of my dad was one of the shortest ever to play the game. I think he’s too tiny to be a goalie and he flops all over the ice. Hassich used to do that, but Hac was a a ginormous man inside that net. DPro, unfortunately, I don’t think he can do that in this day and age. And even Tim Thomas, people are going to I know I’m going to get killed right now. Tim Thomas plays in the NHL now. He looks like Jordan Bennington. It’s unfortunate, but he he would get lit up. It’s these players are better. If anybody saw not last game because he didn’t the Chicago Blackhawks just got shelled. Watch how Connor Baddard shoots that puck. It is disgusting. You’re not like it’s these players are playing better than they ever. They’re faster. They shoot harder. Morgan ggeeki player on Boston Bruins has one of the hardest shots in the league. It’s a different game and athletic goalies are going to get lit up like it’s nobody’s business. It’s just unfortunate the the the pace. You look at George Murkov. He goes from the AHL to the NHL and he’s a shell of himself. He’s lighting it up in the AHL. It’s totally different game. It’s like the AHL is almost like five, six years behind what the NHL is all the time on what it is with regards to skill, but you’re also not playing against the higher skill, right? But these players are more accurate, higher skill DPro can. He’s not an NHL goalie. He is a career AHL goalie and there’s nothing wrong with that. But right now, the Boston Bruins, their two biggest issues, their backup goalie and defense on the right side. There’s your biggest issues the Boston Bruins face. Everybody keeps talking about I I’ll go right back to it. Connor Garland who is linked to the Bruins every year and now Kefir Sherwood that is not the Boston Bruins issue. They are not having an issue scoring goals. Alex Steves has provided secondary scoring. Uh Husadino when he’s been up in the top six has provided secondary scoring. David Passac has been out of the lineup and they’re still scoring goals. Their issue for the first time in a long time isn’t secondary scoring. It is defense and goalending. And it’s not Jeremy Swayman because Jeremy Swayman right now, as much as people don’t want to know this, he is in heart considering conversations right now. He’s not going to win it, but when they show the top 10, Swayman’s name is there. Swayman’s name is there for right now. Jeremy Swayman is playing like one of the best goalies in the NHL. He is what, third in goals saved above expected. He has faced more high danger chances than anybody else. And in fact, if he was on, say the Colorado Avalanche where everybody wanted to send him last year, he would probably be the number one goalie in the NHL right now. Like without a doubt, number one goalie in the NHL because there’s a better team in front of him. Um, if he was with Colorado, I I I think Colorado would still be uh would be the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss. Yeah, I he’s played Swayman has played like last night, the goal that was scored on him. It was interesting. The goal gets scored and within seconds I have someone in my uh comment section on YouTube saying Swiss cheese swwaying, you can’t stop a puck, blah blah blah. One, the puck actually uh he makes the first save and then the shot originally that came from the point actually like hit off a couple people before I even came in. So, he still tracked it to make the first save. Unfortunately, Pavlezaka, who had a very good game, was out of position and the defenseman was chasing. So, there was no one there to take Omire, who is a huge man in front of the net to just pop in a rebound, barely have to make an effort. That’s on the players in front of him. The goalie’s job always, and I’ll say this till I’m blue in the face, is to make safe. Even if he kicks out a huge rebound, you still should have someone else in front of him. It is not always on the goalie. But again, they scored. Swayman didn’t get his pad down. It’s unfortunate. It wasn’t like the game before when you’re like, “Gh, some of those goals, not the JVR game, but game against Detroit, he was terrible.” He was. He was bad. He wasn’t cutting down his angles. He was bad. But last night, he made some big huge saves that kept them in the hockey game and he held them. They got outshot and they still won. Yeah. Something I want to talk touch on what you said out of position um came to mind. The center I just want to add. I’ I’ve said this to my my daughter a bunch. She plays defense and when she rushes, she’s like, “Well, no one’s covering.” I’m like, “That’s not your fault, though.” No. Centerman’s job if the defenseman is out of position, is to know that and cover. It is what it is. That’s why people that play center when they get older, such as myself, when I play men’s league or something like that, I can play defense because you should know that position just as well as you know your yours. Continue. Sorry. And and and this goes a little bit to that because last night there were two two instances where I believe they were both in the second period. One, Zidora was chasing his man out by the blue line and two Mason Lauri was doing the same thing. Different plays, different points in the in the period and people complaining about it. Well, no. That’s the Bruin system. And I think New Jersey made an adjustment in the second period to have their third forward come back to the blue line to draw the defenseman out because under Stern system, the defenseman’s supposed to go with them. even if they’re out at the blue line. Um the settlement in that case is supposed to take the responsibility of the defenseman with with in this case last night the Devil’s um second forward because the the other defenseman had the other forward covered. It’s it’s confusing for fans, but when players when it becomes second nature to players and they can do it without thinking, it’s a great system. I I I don’t disagree. I just think for the Bruins to be more successful this year, they need a better they need to upgrade their backup goalender. Yeah. And I don’t think they’re going to do it. I don’t think it’s a priority for Don Sweeney at this point. I really don’t. I think a priority even as much as they keep talking about forwards is to find help on the back end, especially with Brunette now going down in um Providence. They’re they are bleeding defenseman. Um Charlie Makavoy is skating again, but he’s not coming back till January. Some people say he’s going to be out long. The man will be back in January. He’s talking. He’s saying all the right things. They’re figuring out a way for him to eat. He just needs to gain the weight. If this was the playoffs, I still say this, Makavoy wouldn’t have missed a beat. He would have been on the ice just like Char was. But he they don’t need him to do that. Makavoy will be back. He’ll be back around January. But until then, they need help on that back end. Right now their defense is Mason Lorai, Andrew P, Campus Linholm, Victor Sheststrom, Jason Asperat who Aspar’s played well and Nikita Zador off. You you need help back there. You got Callahan out. You got every everybody who walks into the lineup just boom is out and now Providence is feeling it too. Your your next man up in Providence now that Brune is injured is Billy Sweezy, Jackson Edward and Loki Johansson. Oh my god. What I think happens is um Christian Wan is on an AHL PTO, which means he can only play 25 games in the in the AHL and then they have to either let him go or sign him to a contract. I think he may end up getting an NHL contract. That’s how desperate they are. if they can’t find someone via trade, right? And I don’t see, and as much as people want trades, it’s harder and harder in the NHL to make deals now. Harder and harder and harder. One, the cap is higher, but that’s not the biggest issue. The biggest issue is teams are like, I like my guy. Yeah, I like my guy. That’s the new That’s the new phrase in the NHL. I like my guy. Well, what do I got to move him for? So, like they are always like, if you move this guy, then you’ve got to fill this role. So, it’s like chess. So they’re like, “Okay, the Bruins are different. They’re in a different situation. They can still or the Calgary Flames or any of those teams that are not perennial Stanley Cup contenders. They can be like, “Oh, I can move this, move that.” Sure, they can replace them with stuff. But the Bruins right now have so many injuries. It’s going to be tough for them to find someone to come in, a team to willing to give them an You could go out there and get prospects. You can go out there and get AHL guys, but to get a serviceable NHL defenseman right now, it’s going to be tough. Absolutely. and expensive. Yep. Because they’re gonna because they know the Bruins are in need, so you’re going to charge them. But I think we both agree what the Bruins need. I wanted to end the show on something fun because we’ve been talking for over an hour and we we both we it’s been great, but I want to end on something fun here because I’ve been seeing it all over the internet because Morgan Geeky has been arguably one of the best goal scorers in the NHL this year. I’m actually working on a video to come out later this week that’s going to be talking about can he consist sustain this and I’m going to go through all the stats and so on and so forth. But I’m seeing a lot here in Canada. Dom and I both live in uh in Canada. Everything is about this season has been about the Olympics. We talk about what who’s making what squad and I think Canada has more um if then like it’s funny the guys that get cut from team Canada and you can take offense to this all you want would still make team USA. Team USA I think going into Four Nations we thought was going to be a lot stronger but with how bad Austin Matthews has been playing hockey-wise and with Jack Hughes hurt they they’ve got some issues up front. Yeah. But I want to talk about Morgan Geeki. Do you think and it’s it’s been made official. He is on official P test watch. So whenever a player that’s going to possibly play for team Canada, uh who’s on the outside looking in, and that’s what Morgan Kiki is, they get put on P tests. So they have to take drug test, I believe, once a week, Dom, I can’t remember. Yeah, I believe once a week they get a random spot test and they got to take a pee. So right now for team Canada that would be Conor Bernard, Mlin Celbrini, Tom Wilson, uh Matthew Schaefer, and now Bohovat and now add one more name to the list cuz I think it’s the last couple days it’s been stronger and stronger and I even heard it on Toronto radio yesterday. Morgan Geeki has been added to this list. I’m going to give you my opinion right off the bat and then I want to because I’m going to go quick. I don’t think Morgan Geeki makes this team unfortunately. I think there’s three spots available. I think Connor Bard is it was between Bard and Celibbrini. I think Bard makes this team now. I think unfortunately and I don’t think he should. I think Tom Wilson makes this team and I’m still against Tom Wilson. I think it should be Mlin Cbrini. Um and then you you try and find that third spot, but I think Connor Bard is locked in a spot. He’s just played way too well. He’s been one of the best players in the NHL this year. In fact, if you look at the top in scoring and they’re all Canadians. But does Morgan Geeky have a chance to make this team? I will say he has a chance for two reasons. He’s been added to the list. Yep. And he’ll have a chance depending on how hard Don Sweeney pushes for him. I think Don Sweeny’s pushed for him. That’s why he’s on the list. I agree. Um, but based on potential roster, the makeup of the team, what they need from their players, I don’t think Morgan Hickey makes the roster. Yeah, because I think Brad Marian, who was kind of not on the outside looking, but like a fringe guy, has played too well in Florida, and Don Sween again knows him. He’s on this team. In fact, if you go on Team Canada’s Instagram, Seth Jarvis and Brad Marshian are all over it in this like new campaign they’re doing. So, that tells me that they just started last week. Seth Jarvis has played well enough and so is Brad Marshan. There are fringe guys who were in and out of the lineup that are on this team. So, forget that. And Morgan Geeky has to beat them to make this team. That’s what I look at because Brad Marshian and Seth Jarvis can play anywhere in the lineup. And I don’t think Morgan can play a bottom six role. Yeah, exactly. And that’s the point I was going to make. Um, can he PK? Maybe a little bit, but at that level, I mean, this is an NHL level. This is a level above NHL level. This is superstar level. This is exactly. And this is asking Conor McDavid to back check level. Yes. So, no. Uh, I I I I would love him to make the team, but I I don’t think um I don’t think there’s anything above a slim chance. Yeah, I’m with you. I because I do think you’re taking Connor Badard over Morgan Geeki. You’re taking Mlin Celibbraney over Morgan Geeki. And then there you go. Like that. It’s easier to me. That’s how I answer the question. You’re taking those two over him. So where and and those two are offensive dynamos. And yes, I think Celebrini is very much better on his two-way game. In fact, he’s he’s San Jose ar he’s not arguably he is San Jose’s best player. He’s one of the best players in the West. And he is I watch every highlight I can in the San Jose Sharks and the Chicago Blackhawks. I I watch I watch the Bruins games live, but after in the morning I go on my sports I go on YouTube and I watch sports app. If the Blackhawks or the or the Sharks play, I watch the replay of that game because those two are nuts. Now, I will say this, it would just about any other roster, any other country, Morgan Geeki makes the team. Yeah, Morgan Geeki makes team USA. And that’s not to say Team USA is bad. I’m I’m And that’s not to say Canada’s going to run away with this because it’s Anybody can have anybody can face a hot goalie. anybody can face like team USA arguably has the best defenseman in Jacob Slavven and Team Canada is cutting a guy like Matthew Schaefer who I don’t think will be there that could make team USA but that’s not that’s also looking at team Canada’s defense is very good but I still say team USA has the best defenseman and then team USA has better goalending Swayman would make team Canada and would play there you go Swayman would play for team Canada right now our starting goal is Jordan Bennington and I don’t care that he won in the four nations That still scares the crap out of me. Logan Thompson will make this team. And maybe Blackwood is your third goalie because he’s played that well in Colorado. But Team Canada has a goalending issue. Team USA have a goalending issue. Team USA has a strong defense. Team Canada has a strong defense. I just think Team Canada has better forwards than that’s all. Name any other country. Uh Geek is making the roster. And heck, if Russia’s not there, Russia would have one of the best teams in this tournament. Oh. Oh, yeah. Even world juniors. Yeah. Um, even world juniors. But Geeky would make team USA if he was a dual citizen such as myself who was born in the United States but grew up in Canada just based on where my dad was playing hockey. Um, Ge Geeky makes team USA without a doubt. Absolutely. Absolutely. There’s your fun topic. Yeah. I just wanted to have fun with it. I just wanted to end end it on a different note because we’ve been we’ve been dissecting the Bruins uh you know, everything about the Bruins and we tal and I I appreciate Dom for everybody. I’m going to be putting a link in the description down below for Dom’s article that he just wrote uh with regards to uh goalending. But I’ll also put a link to his web page and I’ll put a link to his uh Twitter. If you don’t follow him there, you’re missing out. Um, he he from time to time he makes jokes about me, but that’s that’s fine. That’s that I get it. But, uh, he knows Bruins prospects more than I will say anybody else that I know. Um, no, I learn more about the game from Dom than most people that I talk to. So, he is definitely a follow, but I appreciate everyone. I know this a new format. I’m still going to be doing the videos. Um, like I said, I’m going to be doing one on geeky later this week, but uh, I wanted to get these podcasts out so we could have a bigger conversation, especially with regards to prospects. I am not a prospect guru. So I appreciate everybody. Click like and subscribe. Thank you for being here. Thank you Dom for being here. And we’ll see you next time.
On today’s Bruins Diehards, Dominic Tiano joins the show to talk Boston Bruins prospect rankings and who are now the top prospects in the Bruins organization.
We also recap Saturday’s game against the New Jersey Devils, the goaltending situation in Boston, and whether Morgan Geekie should make Team Canada.
Time Stamp
Intro 00:00
Game Recap 06:51
Prospect Rankings 36:00
Goalies 1:08:00
Geekie 1:26:00
Links
Dominic Tinao – https://dom.hockey/2025/12/06/message-to-sweeney-sturm-and-essensa-this-is-unsustainable/
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34 comments
This'll be a good one.
Who do you think is the Bruins' best prospect?
Well, I think the obvious answer is Hagens. But Zellers interests me too. I also thought that Soderstrom looked good the last game – solid. Aspirot has been rock solid. Steeves is a dawg, always finishing checks and hustling. 3rd line – enough said. We'll be thanking TO for years for the Carlo trade; and the Ullmark trade is looking pretty good too (Kastelic). I'm also glad Zadorov is locked in long term. I think he's awesome – provides a nice presence back there. Edit: I just have to say I think Sweeney put on an absolute clinic last trade deadline.
Trade Swayman for future prospects
Haven't courts ruled that you are allowed to use video for analyzing and breaking down? You can't just run clips without original commentary, and you have to add content, but the law is pretty clear that
On hagens, is he really an assist guy or a skilled goal scorer? He may be better off at wing with the Bruins
Fraser Minten will be captain of the bruins some day.
I was at rthe game and there was a mini game right before Minten scored where a guy had to unscramble two player names. The first was Zacha, which he got, but the second was Minten and he didn't even get the M. not but a few minutes later does Minten score. It was almost like he was saying now you'll know my name!
I think the biggest sleeper the Bruins drafted was Cooper Simpson, good size, can score in buckets so far, he can skate very well, but he's raw, just out of high school, but it's MN high schools, so you face stiff competitors, like playing here in New England. He's worth a watch, mostly gut feeling but he hasn't missed a beat yet. He's projected for like 90 points in his USHL year in Youngstown.
Im happy with Hagens but i was fully prepared for Neely to take McQueen
Hagen's ceiling comp for me at this point is Matt Barzal – skill, talent, vision, skating – but seemingly incapable of rising game to top echelon of elite talent in the NHL.
Letourneau actually looks like a high-ceiling prospect at this point. His shot is lethal His skating is not a detractor for someone his size. He's going to be really good.
Locmelis, Poitras showing some legitimate regression in Providence. Poitras is broken at this point. Needs a fresh start somewhere. Feel like he is going to be Jack Studnicka pt. 2
Sweeney and co must HATE Lysell cuz he's on pace for 40/40 in the AHL and they wont give him a sniff. I've seen enough of Khus…he's a good motor out there but his ceiling is a 4th liner from a scoring standpoint. Give Lysell a shot!
It’s funny, to me, reading comments from other fans, like: “Hagens is only going to be like Barzal” or “Hagens is only going to be like Cooley”.
How is this a bad thing? Barzal is a 0.86 points per game NHL player. Cooley is a 0.71 points per game NHL player, at age 21.
I think all of the (deserved) attention on Bedard and Celebrini has tricked some fans into thinking that any top prospect (like Hagens) is somehow a “bum” if he pales by comparison to Bedard/Celebrini. If Hagens develops into a Barzal or Cooley type forward, that’s a huge positive for the B’s franchise.
1:13:21 Court, I think this is an important point: the Bruins regulation points percentage is 46.7%, which has them in five-way virtual tie for 10th place in the Eastern Conference (with NJ, MTL, TOR, and OTT).
This is noteworthy because it’s very possible that the B’s current W-L record is mostly smoke-and-mirrors. Granted, the Sturm game-plan is designed to produce low-scoring outcomes, so one can make the case that Boston is intentionally seeking regulation ties. Nonetheless, 3v3 and shootout success isn’t a hallmark of overall roster quality nor preparedness for playoff hockey.
I’m only pointing this out to help your viewers understand why the Bruins are (very likely) going to “sell” this season, even if the B’s place in the Conference standings looks pretty solid in February/March.
6:38 Exactly!! It’s tough though since we have Zacha and Lindholm. I’d say we wait till the deadline, and if we’re not in a good spot, move Zacha to a desperate team for a big return.
It’s A for alternate- no executive assistants baby!
38:18 😍😁👍
I would put Geekie on the Team Canada roster simply because he is a more versatile forward than a lot of the more-established Canadian candidates. Geekie can play all three forward positions, anywhere in the lineup. And, unlike a lot of the league’s top goal-scorers, Geekie is more of a scoring threat 5v5 than he is on the powerplay. 1:28:52
During this calendar year (so, roughly the last 70-ish regular season NHL games), Geekie leads all goal-scorers (with 47 goals), followed by Robertson, MacKinnon, and Draisaitl. Even more impressive though? Geekie leads all goal-scorers for 5v5 goals during that span (32 goals), followed by Robertson, Thompson, Pastrnak, and Connor.
1:31:44 Morgan Geekie makes Team USA … probably true, hypothetically (I would have Geekie on Team Canada, too), but … really only because of the current injury profile for Team USA. If Tkachuk and Hughes aren’t fit & healthy for the Olympics timeframe, that really weakens Team USA, but … does open an opportunity for Geekie (if he was an American) or more realistically, someone like Jason Robertson.
I think you’re underestimating Team USA, Court, but I definitely understand the concerns about potentially not having Tkachuk, Hughes, and McAvoy available (especially if Matthews’ subpar play continues).
I do like Korpi and the goals against him are definitely on defense but there’s some I scratch my head at. Same thing with sway and I am a sway glazer, won’t lie. I think Korpi is a great backup but his contract is just too much. 3 or 3.5 million for another 3 years, to free up cap we need to trade him🤷♂️
Cort, for highlights you need to do very short clips, like five seconds, while providing commentary on it. Pretty sure YouTube follows fair use policies.
Dans Locmelis??
You give these guys WAY to much credit. They are not a team that can go anywhere when the play tightens up. They are very average at best and if not for Swayman, it would be so much different from what we're seeing.
I would hate to seem them trade Poitras. Last year people were saying he was the next Bergeron. While I dont think he is that, I do think he is worth more than what Boston could probably trade for him right now.
Dropping on Apple?😀
I'm always happy with a long Bruins Diehards video on my 'new' list. Court is awesome, on my top 3 Bruins reporters with no particular order. 1-3 somewhere.
Fabian Lysell #2 – will never play in the NHL.
I don't know about your fancy stats, but Korpisalo has been "fine" overall. And he's had some really great games. Based on a quick look at the old-fashioned "save %" stats, he's a better than average backup and well ahead of Jordan Binnington. As you said when you were pumping Swayman's tires, the team in front of him is not that great. Swayman has proven to us that he needs rest in order to play his best, so we need a warm body to be able to be able to take 2/5th of the starts and I think we have one in Korpi.
Yes! Thank you.
Most impressed with laternau. I understand he had broken hand last season or something..his physical play hard work on boards .is whats impressing me his offensive awareness being physical front net an he has nasty shot .
Also zellers great shot an his offensive awesomeness excellent he always in the draisitel spot ready for one timer an gets game winners thats impressive
Not worried about haggens even though he lost great winger BC his play is excellent
Looking forward to shedding zacha an ardvison at trade deadline getting some more picks an hopefully Toronto can get us a 6-10 pick in draft been while since we had this much talent to develop please Sweeney Neely dont f.ck this up
Good pod! I like the convo at the 25min mark
C to Z .. A for Pasta and Lindholm .. Mac is getting traded
I love Dom but he sees a crap ton of Bruins prospects play games and he has had somewhat of a tendency to hype up far too many of the Bruins prospects only to see most of them turn out to be nothings
I don't know how many times I heard Dom say that guys like Trevor Kuntar, Oscar Jellvik, Andrei Gasseau, Mason Langenbrunner, Riley Duran, Matias Mantykivi, etc… where all going to be good NHLers and not a single one of these guys can sniff an NHL job
The Bruins only currently have 6 real NHL prospects. Keep in mind I don't believe Poitras, Lysell, Merkulov or Fraser Minten qualify as Bruins prospects anymore (more on that below)
-James Hagans is the Bruins only real "A" prospect
-The "B" prospects would probably be Will Zellers, Will Moore and Dean Letourneau
-The "C" prospects would probably be Liam Pettersson and Cooper Simpson
EVERY other Bruins prospect is a 3rd-7th round long shot with the vast majority of the players in Boston's Farm System being 4th – 7th rounders
Historic NHL Draft Metrics:
3rd round picks: 15-20% chance having a 5+ year NHL career
4th round picks: 10-15% chance of having a 5+ year NHL career
5th-6th round picks: 6-9% chance of having a 5+ year NHL career
6th round picks: Less than 5% chance of having a 5+ year NHL career
Don Sweeney's own draft history in rounds 3-7 at forward?
Don Sweeney has drafted 29 forwards from the 3rd-7th round since 2015 (11 drafts) & only ONE the 29 turned out to be a real NHL player and only ONE of the 29 played more than 66 NHL games
That lone player? Jacob FN Lauko, a 4th line throwaway that no longer plays in Boston
Don Sweeney has drafted 14 defensemen in rounds 3-7 since 2015 (11 drafts)
Only ONE of the 14 has ever played an NHL game, ONE!!!
That lone player? Frederic Brunet. The total number of NHL games Frederic Brunet has played? ONE lousy NHL game (last year)
So NHL draft metrics as a whole say that 3rd-7th round draft picks have very little chance of making the NHL long term, especially anyone drafted in rounds 4-7
Don Sweeney's very own draft history (11 drafts since 2015) says that he is 100% incapable of drafting and developing forwards and defensemen that come from rounds 3-7
And again, this isn't based on ANY OPINION (S)
Instead, these are simply NHL historic draft metrics and Don Sweeney's own F.N. draft history
So with all due respect to Dom, again the Bruins only have 6 real NHL prospects today
The Bruins Real NHL Prospects (6):
James Hagans, Will Moore, Will Zellers, Dean Letourneau, Liam Pettersson & Cooper Simpson
Don Sweeney's Crap Overall Draft History at forward and defense:
60 draft picks at forward and or defense (37 forwards / 23 D-men) have been made by Don Sweeney since 2015 (11 drafts).
Not ONE of the 37 drafted forwards plays in Boston today, NOT ONE
Only TWO of the 23 D-Men drafted by Don Sweeney plays in Boston today. A good but not great Charlie McAvoy and one of the NHL's worst D-Men in terms of actually playing defense (Mason Lohrei)
60 draft picks at forward and or defense since 2015 (11 draft years) by Don Sweeney as a whole across all rounds of the draft
And only 2 of the 60 drafted forwards or d-men play for Boston today, McAvoy and Lohrei, THAT'S IT!!!
Let's pray that all or the majority of James Hagans, Will Moore, Will Zellers, Dean Letourneau, Liam Pettersson & Cooper Simpson pan out because again based on NHL historic draft metrics and definitely based on Don Sweeney's own largely terrible drafting and developing history (particularly in rounds 3-7 at forward and defense) if those guys don't pan out….
The Bruins future is probably F.N. screwed
As for those wacky Hockey News Ranks
The Bruins goaltending prospects? They are absolute trash.
Dipietro is not an NHL goalie no matter how many Bruins homers who've never seen the guy play says he is. Svedeback is not a future NHLer either.
Maybe Zajack can play in the NHL but the Bruins goaltending prospect grade should be a C- at best and it's probably a D
Poitras, Lysell, Merkulov and Minten aren't really prospects any more. Merkulov is not an NHLer and not a single NHL GM would value him.
Lysell may have an NHL future but not in Boston and probably the same could be said about Poitras because they don't have a spot for him. Minten is already in the NHL
Thus their overall top prospects are still James Hagans, Will Moore, Will Zellers, Dean Letourneau, Liam Pettersson & Cooper Simpson and then "everyone else" is just some long shot
Again, I'd be shocked if any other NHL GM gave up anything of value for Lysell, Merkulov or even Matt Poitras.
Those guys are likely just throw-ins in bigger NHL trades or they could only fetch late round draft picks or some other NHL teams' failed prospect (s) in return in any potential deals
Your hockey knowledge is off the charts. Makes it tough for me to come up with good questions. Keep up the good work .
YouTube sucks posted 10 hours ago I see it at 6:20 pm after my shift is over smh