Who should the Bruins offer sheet this offseason? | Poke the Bear

Who should the Bruins offer sheet this offseason? | Poke the Bear

Poke the Bear is brought to you by Price Picks and the Game Time app. And welcome into Poke the Bear, episode 330, part of the CLNS Media Network. If you have time, please subscribe to our Bruins ringside YouTube channel where you can have pretty much daily content between Poke the Bea, Bruins Beat with Evan Marinowski, our good friend, Pucks with Hags. Bear with me with Joey Capone. We have you covered every step of the way this Bruins off seasonason going into the 2025 26 season. So please follow along with us over at YouTube. And if you don’t like YouTube, you don’t want to see my face, you want to see Evan’s face, anything like that, we know we everyone wants to see Tai. Everyone loves seeing Tai on camera. Oh no, no. If you don’t want to do that, you can follow along over at Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts. So, please follow us on all channels for all of our stuff as part of the CLNS media network. Uh, my name is Connor Ryan. Once again, we are joined by Ty Anderson 95. What’s up, Ty? How you doing? What is going on today? How are we doing? Uh, Ty, I got to tell you, a little bleak right now on the Boston sports landscape. Celtics got smoked in New York. Wasn’t great. Wasn’t great. Looking like a uh long off season for them. a long season for them, which really sucks. Again, this is a hockey podcast, but basketball uh Boston and basketball is a lot better than the Celtics are a legit contender. We’ll see what happens, but kind of sucks right now. And also, the Red Sox just like flat out suck. I thought we were going to have a fun summer, Ty. Shame on me, I guess, because my god, that team ass. Yeah, they’re not great. Um the Celtics, I mean, it’s kind of pick your poison, right? Like in terms of like would you rather rather them have lost game five in their own building or is it better when it’s away from your home building? I I always feel like as annoying as it is, I would rather lose on the road than lose at home. Um it’s just something about it feels a bit a little bit more like expectant might be the word where oh you shouldn’t win. You should lose on the road. That’s how the NBA playoffs typically are. So, like there’s that part of it or I’m happy it didn’t happen in game five, but but yeah, it sucks to lose to the Knicks. It sucks to lose New York in general, like in anything. That’s like one of the one of the more sneaky annoying series I think in the history of like this recent era of Boston Bruins hockey was the 2021 against the Islanders. What a sneaky horrible team to lose to. Just terrible. Yeah. And also, it’s like, you know, the Knicks like Knicks fans are annoying, right? But like that’s pretty I think a pretty fun team to watch the Knicks. Like they’re gritty. think they got a lot of guys that can step up. If you’re an Islanders fan repping about your boring ass team that no one in the NHL likes, there’s no one who’s like becomes a neutral fan like I’m going to get into how about this island. Oh, they won four cups in the Oh my god, they are boring as [ __ ] Like, no, there’s Yeah, there’s no one who reps the Islanders unless you want to see uh poor Matthew Schaefer on that team this year, but he he’ll be he’ll be boring, too. I think it’s like a requirement is you have to be the most boring player possible to to play for the New York Islanders. Yeah, I mean that was probably the worst case scenario is them winning the first overall pick. Like what a waste. What a waste. Not great. It it only it only would have been worse if like they won they win the Gavin McKenna sweeps. Then it’s like ah this sucks now. The league doesn’t want this. It’s like get ready to become a 60point checking forward, buddy. What are what are you the Bruins? So anyway, I digress. Uh we’re not looking at uh the Islanders are not breaking down basketball or anything. Thank god because they’re already we’re already sad enough. Instead, we’re looking at the uh Bruins coaching search tie. And the latest news is really there isn’t a whole lot of news. Uh there’s been more movement across the NHL, right? Vancouver’s got uh their coaching uh vacancy filled up. You’ve got RT going to the Flyers. Um you’ve had reports from, you know, Frank Sarah Valley saying that uh Jay Woodraftoft, former Oilers head coach, um is a leading candidate for the Bruins. Elliot Freriedman has been on a couple different podcasts and pretty much has had the diplomatic answer of who haven’t the Bruins talked to. So, it seems like they are casting a pretty wide net. Um, where do you stand one on Woodcraftoft and just where they overall seem to be in a bunch of different directions as to to who they’re prioritizing right now? Yeah, I I got I’m not going to lie to you. Uh Woodcraft is a guy that I don’t think you can hold his resume against him too harsh in the sense that like pretty sure every time he he came up short in Edmonton they lost to the team that won the championship. So there’s that part of it. At the same time, however, like that’s not a pick that’s going to get your fan base energized. It’s just not. And that shouldn’t be the goal. I understand that. But like I don’t look at Jay Woodcraft and go, “Oh wow, this is an electric coach who’s going to bring in a a whole bunch of systems and structure that is going to be, you know, lights out, out of this world, awesome kind of stuff.” And why I feel that way is that I’m not going to lie to you. I I have not enjoyed watching the Edmonton Oilers. I just I do not enjoy their product. I do not enjoy their system, their structure. I feel like their system and their structure a lot of times has been survive the minutes without 97 and 29 on the ice and then when they’re out there win the game. That feels like a little bit what the Bruins tried doing a year ago with with 88 and didn’t really work out. So I’m a little bit reluctant there when it comes to buying in on a guy like Jay Woodcraft. I also feel personally that it’s time to go younger. It’s time to go more inventive, someone different, like if you want to be the Capitals, right? and and that’s been kind of the blueprint here of like what you can be, you know, a a short retool and then you’re right back to it with your core. Then look what the Capitals did. Capitals fired Peter Lavlet and brought in Spencer Carberry. They went younger. They went more inventive. They went more, you know, forwardinking than than anything else. And so that’s where I want to lean with this hire more than a guy like Jay Woodcraft who I’m not holding his his experience against him, but I’m saying is that experience enough to make you go, oh yeah, you want that over perhaps the hot name on the market right now. Yeah. And I I think when you’re trying to read the tea leaves and trying to piece together what the Bruins are thinking, which is easier said than done, right? Because they run a pretty tight ship. There’s only so much we can really glean as opposed to I think maybe we would we envision what we project but I think if you are trying to find some crumbs of information I do think the fact that the Bruins have been pretty quiet you’re not hearing a whole lot from them during this initial kind of run on coaches where it’s been a lot of the established guys right the Sullivanss um you know people like that the fact that they are kind of waiting uh and seeing where some of these teams that are in the NHL playoffs are and and kind of biting their time. Like I imagine they’re still interviewing guys that are out there, right? They’re interviewing Woodcraftoft, they’re interviewing Sturm, who uh Freeman said is a a a candidate as well. Um but the fact that they haven’t moved on anyone yet, it does seem to give you I don’t know if hope is the right word, but just it seems like their line of thinking is they still want to see what you know a guy like Mitch Love, whose season just ended with Washington could provide. He’s a guy that I think just turned 40. Um the same thing with the Dallas Styles and Misha Donskoff. Like as much as I think we keep on talking about these younger coaches and I think there’s a lot of appeal to them. It does seem like from the Bruins actions that they’re echoing the same approach. doesn’t mean they’re going to sign those guys, but it does seem like they want to leave no stone unturned and seeing what these younger guys still in the playoffs can kind of pitch for their vision for this team before they decide to, you know, maybe it’s they pivot back to Sturm or Woodcraft or anything, but they’re not moving ahead without kind of getting the full uh breath of the guys that are out there right now. Yeah. And that’s what they should be doing. Like I I think we probably agree. I mean, geez. But to your point, who knows at this front office, I I I think this is probably going to be the last hire that Cam Neely and Don Sweeney are allowed to make, barring something completely catastrophic or or, you know, unpredictable. This is going to be their final coaching hire. And you got to get it right. It’s similar to the number seventh number seven overall pick. Like, you got to get it right because you’re not going to pick this high again. Like the team might, but you won’t. Like that. That’s kind of how I think it that’s how it looks right now. And so, um, with that with that in mind, like they got to nail this pick and and this is where I’ve sort of wondered and I’ve talked about this, I’ve written about this, like does what’s best for the Bruins also jive with what’s best for Don Sweeney and Cam Ney. Like this is a franchise that has often times when faced with something that can be legacy defining so to speak or you know reflects on them in a certain light they opt they opt for what is safest and so by that logic Jay Woodroft is safest. He’s had NHL coaching experience. His teams have gone on deeper playoff runs. Like, so he is safe. But is he a coach that you think is here with the Boston Bruins for six or seven years? That has to be the goal for the next hire. I understand how how this league is. I understand how that coaching shelf lives coaching shelf life has never been shorter, but you should make this next hire with the hope that this guy is the head coach for six or seven years like that. Like that’s what you want to hope for. But again, is hiring the safest guy going to give you a six or sevenyear window? Like that’s something that I don’t know. I don’t know right now. And so that’s kind of where the Bruins are. And you know, this front office like they they should look younger, you know, to your point. They should look who’s out there and and who can be that that pillar. But is that the safest call? No, it’s not because that’s a new head coach or that’s a first- time head coach in the NHL. So, this is the part that like I’m I’m a little bit nervous about. I got to admit I’m I’m a little bit nervous about as as a Bruins observer, as somebody who wants this team to be good, to be be back in playoff contention, be back in the mix. Like, I just like are they on the same page? We’ve talked about this last month when they had that press conference or early this month, whatever it was. Like, it’s kind of a weird mix right now. You know, ownership wants to be back in the playoffs. The team president loves his GM. the GM is the final year of his contract and missed the playoffs. The last time that the GM of this team, you know, missed the playoffs in in ugly fashion, got fired. So, the the rope can’t be that long, right? You’d think. So, so what are the goals? Is it just get back in or is it build a sustainable model? Right. And so, it’s just a weird mix right now with this franchise. It makes it so hard to your point to read where they’re going to go with this. Yeah. And it’s weird too, right? Because let’s say they do hire a Donskoff or a Love or someone like that. Wouldn’t you think that would almost afford like Sweeney the front office more rope or more leeway where like instead of it being like Lavlet or like a guy that you like we know if you’re going to hire a retread established coach, you’re like, “Oh, they’re going for the one-year bump, get in the playoffs and then go from there.” Like that’s a very shortterm thing. That’s what you assume. That’s kind of what the track record has been with a guy like Golant or Lavlet or someone like that and it all goes to hell afterwards. Let’s say you bring in someone like a Donskov per se and barring him being like a complete disaster like assistant coach to the NH to head coach and isn’t ready for it and things just go completely off the rails. Let’s say the Bruins, you know, their younger guys develop. They take a step forward. They’re in the right direction and they come up just short of missing the playoffs like but they’ve got, you know, 90 high 80s, low 90s come up just short, but looks like they’re in the right direction and you feel good about especially next year where they’re going to be. Wouldn’t like you think that the front office by signing off on like a guy like Don Scoff or Love who are younger but unproven, they’re kind of being like, “All right, we want to make the playoffs, but as long as you this young coach is showing that he can really build with this team and feels like we’re on the right track and especially next year we’re ready to roll.” Wouldn’t you think that would kind of suffice and plate the front office being like, “All right, we are we’re in the right spot. We’re we’re moving forward. We’ve got a young coach. You’ve got a young core that’s really making strides with our coach this past year. Sweeney and guys like you guys are all good. I do wonder if it kind of signals from like the the ownership that if they do get a younger coach, it’s like all right, they are okay with preaching a little bit of patience. Now again, if they are the fifth worst record in the league and all the young guys suck and the players aren’t, you know, getting the message from the new head coach, then you got to clear house again, right? Like there is that risk. But it does feel like you are giving your your front office and your team a little bit more leeway, a little bit more rope if it is a younger coach that you’re playing the long game, the the the the strategy where you’re trying to build, as you said, a sustainable team for the future as opposed to that one, two, three year bump just to get in the playoffs, get those playoff gates. It just seemed like the safer op the the the better option is going for the the younger coach that has a higher upside. Yeah, I I agree. And I I believe I I for I’m I’m so sorry to who’ve ever asked a question. I forget who who asked it, but somebody asked Charlie at that press conference like if the team is not a playoff team and they come to you and say, “Hey, it’s best to sell again.” Would you listen? And he said, “Yeah, I mean, if that’s what they think is best for the team, we’ll listen.” I got to throw a challenge flag. I I I just do. I I got to say that I’m not going to believe that until I see it. It’s similar to when they sold. I didn’t believe it until I saw it. And then we saw it the final what three or four days of the deadline. They started selling and you’re like, “Okay, now I’m seeing it like now.” Like now it’s So this is going to hang over the franchise. It just is. It’s going to hang over the franchise until they make the hire until we see the team until the trade deadline happens like in where they are like if they’re where they were at, let’s say they’re a little closer, right? Let’s say they’re a little bit closer at this year at this next season’s trade deadline than they were this year. Let’s say they’re two points out of it, right? But they’re but they’re it’s a crowded field all that. It might be best to sell again. It might be best to sell like like especially with the 2026 draft. Everyone’s talking about that. You know, more cracks like Evan McKenna the better. But like I don’t think ownership will sign off on that even if the coach is like showing you enough. Like I I feel like the mandate is playoffs. I just do. And and they do have an extra first round pick. They got capital. They do it it and could get another first, but it it’s just it’s such a weird it’s such a weird dynamic right now that makes it so hard to project where they’re going to be, you know, forget a year from now, three months from now, four months from now. What is the spending going to be like? Are they going to blow all their money in the 2025 class because they got to make the playoffs? Like like it it does feel like there’s an element here of like no, you got to get back to the playoffs. Like that is that is sort of where they are right now. And that can sometimes lead to Sorry about that. Got muted for a second. Um that can lead to, you know, some ugly signings on occasion. So I I do think that the Bruins, you know, have to keep that in mind here and and you know, resist the urge to do everything just to make the playoffs in 2026. Yeah, it does feel like, Ty, the easiest way for this team to actually uh quiet all these, you know, storylines just to be good next year. Simple as that. like why don’t why don’t they why does this team think of just being good next year here which again we’re not exactly putting out of the equation out of the question for them in terms of especially what they do this off seasonason uh gun to your head where do you feel like the Bruins are going to go in terms of the head coaching do you have any educated guess yet or are you still kind of looking at all the guys out there and not having a a a strong feeling one way or the other Sturm feels like the guy like like something about that like it the changing of the guard of this franchise going back to you know more Charara advice charara played with Sturm knows knows his resume knows what he’s like as a person um this was a coach who um has put Germany back on the map in terms of hockey relevancy or put them on the map I would say in hockey relevancy um at the national level uh he comes into the Kings in 2018 2019 19 as an assistant. The Kings go to him after a couple years and they say, “Hey, listen. Like, we like you, but we think you should go to the AHL and be a head coach there and build your resume some more that way.” And he doesn’t stomp his feet. He doesn’t say, “No, I’m not doing that. I’m here in the NHL.” He goes down there, he coaches there. Like, like I like that sort of mentality, that mindset, that mantra, whatever you want to call it. And so I think that Sturm is a guy who former player international, you know, has has succeeded at the IHF uh the IHF level, the NHL level. He has experience in the AHL level he’s been a head coach. So he checks a lot of boxes I I think for the Bruins. And so I’m leaning that right now. But, you know, there’s a lot of guys out there. There’s clearly a lot of guys out there that they like. um a lot of assistance that could be that could be of note. Um we’ve talked about Donskov so many times I don’t have to talk about him again. I I still like his resume. I’d like him as well, but it feels like one of those two guys in in my opinion. That’s where that’s where I would go with this hire personally. Yeah, I’d put those two guys in the mix. I still think that the the links to the Bruins and especially Sweeney with Donskov does just seem to make a lot of sense. So, I won’t begrudge them for, you know, targeting either him or Sturm. Um, I do really like Mitch Love. I know he’s not maybe getting the same hype, but he is a guy that, again, it’s 40 years old. Everywhere he’s gone, teams have succeeded. Like, he put together two wagons of uh of teams with Calgary’s AHL affiliates. And then like you look at, you know, he primarily works Washington’s defense, but like the amount of guys that have had like either renaissance, you know, turnarounds or have just really thrived with Washington on the defensive side, whether it’s like look at what Cherin has done. Look at what like uh Rasmus Sandin, Farravari, like there’s so many guys that are becoming like legit impactful everyday guys. And it’s like uh you look at a guy like that who’s younger, who seems to be pretty innovative. If you look at how Washington plays, fire a lot of shots from the blue line, activate, they’re really, you know, if you’re able to, hell, if you bring in Mitch Love and it solves and gets Mason Laurai playing at a high level, like that’s already a win in of itself, but he does seem like a guy that um is going to be a head coach one day. Um, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they take a a close look at him as well. And I think kind of that trio, right? Sterm, love, uh, Donskcov. Um, it means they’re gonna hire like Jay Woodraftoft, like probably right after we’re done recording this. But I do I do think if you look at some of these younger guys, I just think the ceiling is a lot higher for the Bruins. And I think it also affords or preaches more patience for this team, which I think has to be the right call. Like I think we all agree this team has the means to be back in the playoffs next year. be great if they were, but as long as like this new coach is really developing this new core, and you feel like, all right, like this year was fun. We got younger players stepping up. You’re seeing their progression, their growth, and 2026 27 is going to be a fun year. I think you can sell that to this fan base. Um, especially with a a coach in place that feels like he’s growing with this team. So, that’s what I do hope the Bruins uh, you know, target with their coaching hire, but remains to be seen if that is going to be the case. So, what happens there. And it’s so hard like to get any sort of information out of the team. It’s just like it’s impossible. So like I I like we can’t sit here and say, “Oh, we’re hearing this, we’re hearing that.” If we do, it’s great, but it’s just so rare, right? That like, you know, I I wish I could sit here and tell you what they’re prioritizing. I don’t know. They won’t they won’t say as much. Um, but it it it does feel like they they are in a spot here where you know you can take a chance like like you should be able to take a chance here versus going safe floor like what’s best for the organization is to take a chance. Um because they are they do get stuck in their dinosaur way of thinking at times and it and it’s hurt them a lot. You know, like the, you know, look at last year. Look at last year’s off seasonason when they basically everyone they signed with the exception of Elias Lynholm, they were telling you how they’re great physically and how they hit and how they can instill fear in the opposition. And you watch it, you’re like, “Oh, wow. This is this is a just a big old bucket of ass. This sucks.” You know, like like I I think like your fans are willing to embrace change, but it’s gonna start with how you change the team, you know? And and so like to your point, like you can sell the fan base on something, but you got to sell them on a vision that makes sense, right? And so that’s going to be the that’s going to be the biggest thing with this coaching hire, you know, like I’m not saying hire the sexiest name because you’re going to win the offseason. Winning the offseason is stupid, but you got to show your fan base because I do think that there is a bit of a fractured relationship right now between the front office and the fan base and the ownership and the fan base. Like you got to show them that like, hey, we’re going to change for the better here, you know? Like like to your point, that’s something that that I think like people want to hear. Even if even if it’s [ __ ] they want to hear like, “Hey, we we know that like we got to change with the times. The times are changing. We got to change with them.” Like if you do that, you’re going to get some more rope than you would if you’re like, “Oh, our way is fine. You guys are all idiots.” It’s like, “Okay, I guess. I don’t know.” Yeah, absolutely. So, waiting game continues for head coaching hire. We’ll keep you updated every step of the way. Um, we’re going to pivot now looking at offer sheets and restricted free agents. Before we do that, once again, uh, to our loyal listeners, if you can, please subscribe to the Bruins Ringside YouTube channel. You can follow all of our daily content between myself, Evan Marinowski’s Bruins Beat, Pucks with Hags, Beer with Me with Joey Capone, all that stuff. So, please smash that subscribe button. And if you don’t have to do that, don’t smash your keyboard. I know Apple like the tariffs, the microchips, it’s the laugh the tops are going to be too much money. Please don’t, please don’t smash the subscribe button. Please subscribe. One click, do that. It will help us out tremendously. And if you don’t want to see my ugly face on your computer screen because why would you? You can also follow along Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever else you get your daily podcasts. Thank you guys once again. Uh Ty, looking at offer sheets. I know you penned a great story on 95 the sports hub uh about offer sheets, potential targets for the Bruins. Uh, offer sheets are something that I think we always love talking about this time of year. It’s great to talk about in theory. It’s uh, great to drum up the drama with it. Teams seem to rarely do it. I don’t know if they’re worried of like you go to like the league meetings and you have like your cafeteria tray and like you sit down with everyone and they all just push your it’s like Toby in the office, they push his tray off the table and all leave because you stole a restricted free agent from someone. I don’t really think that’s the case anymore, especially after like the Blues got two awesome players off of a capstrapped Oilers team. But I think you look at the Bruins this year where they got a lot of cap space. The free agent class isn’t the best. It’s pretty topheavy once you get past the first two or three guys. Uh and you also look at the amount of other teams across the league that are staring at some pretty tough decisions capital-wise this off season. does feel like the Bruins are a team that should be really poised to be aggressive with trying to target and and trying to find some of those RFAS that I know everyone looks at like Nephew N who I think is a great player. I feel like for an RFA it’s almost like you have to find the next guy before the breakout. You know, it’s like it’s kind of like what the Blues did with Holloway and Broberg, two guys that like you like their game. I didn’t I was not following along with their games all that much when they were in Edmonton, but like saw promise there. you want to sign that guy before he has his nearly 30 goal season. And it does seem like there’s a lot of guys like that, whether it’s a forward or a defenseman that have shown a lot of promise. And it does feel like if you sign them and get them to put on a black and gold sweater, they can really take a big step forward next year at what could be a pretty good deal all things considered. Yeah. And I I think for a team like the Bruins, it comes back to like and with offer sheets in general, right? It comes back to like you got to make a team blink. You got to make a team go we love this player but do we love him that much? Like that is the science behind the offer sheet. You know St. Louis didn’t get Broberg and and Holloway last year because they just threw 8 million at them. No, they they said if we offer this am this amount of money, Edmonton might not match. They probably can’t match. So let’s strike while we can. And so it’s going to be harder. I I I completely acknowledge with the cap rising. Um, and a lot of these teams, you know, that that have players that you’d want to target, like they got the cap space, right? Like like Anaheim has a cap space. Like they they have the cap space to resign Mason McDavish, who’s probably the sexiest RFA, not named Matty N, or JJ Purka, let’s just say. Yeah. Evan Bushard if you want to count him as well. Um, but like they also have Leo Carlson who needs a new contract soon. They have Cutter Goautier who needs a new contract soon. They’re going to have to sign Lucas Dol this this offseason who had a great year I thought as a goalender for them. He’s the next guy once John Gibson either gets traded or moves on or retires whatever happens there. Um they also have Trevor Ziggress who needs a a new contract soon. He could be traded. We all know but like uh Owen uh Zelwagger needs a new contract soon. Um Pabble um Minty uh uh Minty Fresh Breath over there on the back. I was going to say you’re starting to name guys who I have no idea who the [ __ ] you’re talking about on time. So, so, but these are but these are good players. These are high draft picks. They’re top prospects. They’re they’re players that have are starting to break through. Not everyone can make 8 million a year. It’s just it’s just how it is. And and the Anaheim Ducks, I don’t know their finances. I got to be completely honest. Do they have the cash flow to sign six contracts? They got Are they still owned by Disney? Are they still owned? Like I I don’t believe so, but you never know. I feel like I imagine like let’s say the Bruins like offer sheet mccavish and like they just get like the the email across like the screen to like oh my god we got to talk to we got to talk to the McMahon about this in like the background he’s capologist just looking at it I’m not going to do a Mickey Mouse voice but he’s just like no we can’t cut cut bait we can’t do this smoking a big cigar like he’s got his red overalls on just no I don’t know if they still are owned by Disney but to your point it does feel like it’s when you’re offer shooting someone. It can’t be you put the terms out there and the other team’s like, “All right, it has to be like, [ __ ] all right, we have to, you know, that’s what you got to do there.” Yeah. I mean, the two examples you have are as as I just said, the the Holloway and the Broberg example, and then you have the Sebastian AO example where Carolina went Carolina went, “Oh my god, thank you for negotiating. Thank you for negotiating our contract.” Yeah. Yeah. And then that was it. And so you got to target teams that, you know, might have doubts about a player or might have contract issues or cap space issues. Um, a guy that comes to mind there is Will Culie with the New York Rangers. They don’t have a ton of cap space. They also have to resign Ke Miller or make a decision on Keandre Miller. Um, Sturken’s going up. Lafrenir is going up. Um, they they glad they moved Jacob Trouba in that contract. Spend the money on JT Miller. Um, and and listen, the Rangers could trade Chris Crider tomorrow and alleviate th those worries. I understand that, but our team’s knocking down walls right now to help the Rangers out. I mean, they’ve done it twice now in the past calendar year, so maybe it’s happening again. But there is that part of it, right? And so, um, I I would wonder, uh, if Will [ __ ] could be a guy that you could target. You know, it’s almost like, all right, you have Matt N, but if you can’t afford a Matty N, you could you can get a Will [ __ ] similar kind of player, you know, 20 goals, 300 hits, like not not the exact same level, but if if N is an A, CI is a B, you know, like and those players have value. And so, that’s a guy that I think would stick out there. Um Luke uh Evangelista from Nashville is a shoots the hell out of the puck. Dimmitri Veronov in Columbus. Like you got some options here, man, in terms of like guys that that you could in theory potentially have for, you know, mid-tier money and get the teams to sweat a little bit. Yeah. I almost feel like if you’re the Bruins, you’d almost rather try to find those kind of mid-tier guys that I think you can really unearth a lot of value over as opposed to trying to put the Toronto in a tough spot by offering I mean, hell, what what would you actually have to offer to get Toronto to blink? Because like I feel like they’re also like, “Yeah, we’ll let Marne go if we keep our 23y old 30 goal guy, right?” Like, are you are you offering him like 9.5, 9.4, four whatever is right below that other threshold but like or do you have to offer 9.5 g give him the Makavoy contract and you’re giving up two first a second and a third for a guy that I really like Matty N I think he’s a really awesome player good playoff guy knows for the net you sign him he’s going to be probably a 30- goal guy here for the next five years right but like what do you have to pay to have the the Maple Leafs willingly let him go and is it worth like a 30 gold winger worth two first round picks a second and a And I believe with the draft compensation, right, it has to be your own picks. You can’t be like, “Well, this year we’ll give you Florida and this year we’ll give you Toronto’s.” It has to be your own draft pick. So, if you like just have traded them away, you you’re [ __ ] out of luck. Like, you can only do so much with it. So, um, yeah, I really like him, but I feel like it’s better served. You’re able to, you know, target [ __ ] and someone else, right? like you mentioned like Drew Helison the defenseman who I think is not going to be the top commodity but has all the means of being a really stable right shot D or you know Veronov or someone else like that. It’s again it goes back to you’re trying to find essentially the the next knives before he takes off. It’s the same thing with like the the Sam Bennett thing. Like instead of trying to sign Sam Bennett, find that next guy that the way he plays uh it can translate and over the next couple years he’s an impactful player. Cuz like I love Will [ __ ] I think like if you’re asking me like Bruins to-do list, like if you’re going to say any offer sheet guy, I think it’s [ __ ] because he’s I think floor is he is a line driving impactful third line player, right? Skates well. He’s 6’4, hits the [ __ ] out of everyone. and is a 20 goal scorer without it being like an absurd shooting outlier, too. Like, he’s a guy that could just be a 20 goal staller. And hell, maybe next year at 23 years old, he’s a 28 goal scorer, right? And he’s a second line guy. Like, there there’s something like that where he’s a guy that um if you’re able to sign him for what, four and a half, like it’s a second and a third or something like is it five to really make the Rangers sweat, right? Like I He’s a guy I’d be willing to go I I’ I’d go six. I would I I would give up the first and the third for a guy like that. I I Yeah. I I just would. And And I’m sorry to like derail you. Like I I I hope I didn’t. I hope I didn’t. No. No. Um a player who was an even strength killer. Even strength killer a year ago didn’t really get a ton in my opinion when I would watch Ranger games. Didn’t get a ton of power play work. So 20 goals. Okay. Well, what if you have power play work? Is he 30 now? Like, is he 30? Is he 35? Like, like, and Connor, long-term need leftwing. Oh my god. Sneaky long-term need for this organization. Left wing like like let’s let’s real quick, let’s run through their their best left wingers right now. Morgan, do we have do we have to Morgan Geeki? Who’s a right shot by the way? Then the second best guy is who? Who’s Sadinov? Who’s the center? like like that’s probably where they are right now. Like like it’s such a long-term need. I would I would be willing to go six for Will [ __ ] I would I I would make the Rangers sweat and I would say, you know what, I trust that we’re not going to be a lottery team a year from now. We have the extra first round pick as you noted. Let’s do this. Like like let’s let’s make them sweat. Let’s take one of their one of their best young players. I I just think he’s such an impactful player. Like you like Bruins fans are always like thirsting for like Brady Kachchuck or Tom Wilson like this guy might be not that level of like scorer like perhaps I don’t know but you want a guy who’s going to bring that intensity bring that energy that is that is a sneaky under the radar kind of move that I would give up the let’s say the 21st overall pick basically. I would do it. I I I would do it. I just would. Yeah. I think honestly like my very early look at like what I think the Bruins are going to end up doing is like I’m gonna say the Bruins sign like Besser I think that’s the guy they’re going to sign as like their big free agent target. Not huge on that, but especially what I think the contract’s going to be, but short first guy could be a 30 goal guy. You put him with like his buddy Casey Middlestat, maybe you get more out of Middlestat, what have you. But if you’re able to get a guy like that and then get someone like [ __ ] on the wing and then like you’re able to with a team that’s, you know, strapped for cash like let’s say like Mason Marshman’s available for a good price because Dallas needs a shed payroll and you get those three wingers, you’re cooking. Like not saying you’re gonna win the cup, but all of a sudden you’ve got a middle six that’s got a lot of guys that have size, have scoring touch. Like that’s already 65 70 goals right there added to this team off of just like being smart with an offer sheet. Uh you know, using some of your cap space and also taking advantage of teams that just need to shed payroll. Like again, will that money all balance out? I have to do that. But just spit bomb before you really dive into the nitty-gritty. Like there’s a lot of ways whether it’s through free agency, whether it’s through offer sheets with guys like [ __ ] who aren’t at the top of the list. They’re not Matty Ny, but have a lot of value and teams that just need to move uh assets off their books that the Bruins have a lot of ways to just upgrade the talent level. Not saying they’re going to, you know, in one fell swoop be back to being a legit contender, but for as much people talk about this free agent class and it’s not that deep, there’s a lot of ways for this team to be really creative and aggressive to add just NHL level talent, right? Like the same thing with Kulie. Even if Koulie isn’t doesn’t have another gear, he’s an NHL player that again, if if he is just stays where he is, he is a kick-ass third line player that is going to have like multiple good playoff runs for you like just the way he plays. And I think there’s value to that, right? So, I I just think you look at, especially with the offer sheets, there’s a lot of guys that if you’re able to be aggressive, um, and look below the first two, three names, uh, you can get guys that are going to impact this team for a long time. You said you said what, adding 50 or 60 goals to your to your roster basically. Yeah. So, let’s let’s say you add those 60, right? And let’s say Geek Let’s say Geeky has like um, let’s say a 15 goal drop off. Let’s just say he goes from 33 to 18, which is probably more in line with what with who he is as a player. I mean, if he hits 30 again, that’s freaking awesome. But if he doesn’t, you know, like like, all right, still a 20 goal guy, whatever. If you add, let’s say that’s 45 goals in total, right? Like, so you’re adding 60, you’re taking 15 away from Geeky, you know? So that’s 45 goals you’ve added to your team. You are already a top 10 offense in the NHL. You you were you were 20. You had 222 goals a year ago. You add 45 to it. you’re you’re in the top 10. And this is why this is important to know, Connor, because as we’ve talked about on previous podcasts, the teams that were in the top half of the league in scoring last year basically all made the playoffs. The exceptions were Buffalo and Columbus, but everybody else who’s in the top half of the league in scoring made the playoffs last year. This is where the game is going. I You want to defend and the Bruins have to improve defending. I will completely acknowledge that. However, defending doesn’t matter if you only score 2.3 goals a game. It just like that’s the way the league is right now. You got to score goals. And so, if you can add a net of 45 to to your goal total, you’re going to make the playoffs. You just like barring Swayman being completely broken, like you’re going to make the playoffs next year if you add that many goals to your roster, to your point. Yep. Absolutely. So, we will see how it all plays out. Um, again, I am team Kulie, but honestly, there’s a lot of guys that to your point that if they want to be aggressive and try to put the screws to some teams, I won’t begrudge them for, but yeah, Koulie, I think, is at the top of my list of guy that What were you going to say? No, no, I was going to say he’s a guy, but like like there’s I think there are like I think both of us because we we’re both like numbers guys. I think we could both dive in and find guys that are like value where we’re like, “Oh, I could see that.” You know what I mean? Like like there like like what Lista like just putting pucks on net. That’s a guy that same thing with like you know it’s one of the reasons why like a team like Florida is so good is that they’ve got a great coaching staff and great system that they identify guys who are older or flawed. They’re like, “Hey, we’re going to put you in a spot where you’re going to play to your strengths and you’re going to succeed.” I think that’s what the Bruins have to do here, right? where it’s like, “All right, they uh they can’t they can’t put pucks on net. Get a guy like Evangelista or a guy like Besser if that’s who you’re looking for with that money. Just put pucks on net.” If like again, I’m not I’m not smitten with Brock Besser, but if you can tell me that he’s going to be flanking on the other side of the power play with David Postnock and he’s going to be putting pucks on net and he’s getting set up by his buddy Casey Middlestat, like I’m not being like cups back on 40 goal season for Brock Besser, but I can see it, right? And I think Evangel is a guy that if he’s the next Craig Smith coming out of Nashville and he just fires pucks on net. Yeah, maybe he’s a 20 goal guy. You never know, right? And so there’s a lot of those guys that I’m sure to your point if I had like time to and I think we probably will now we get to the dog days of the off seasonason where you can dive into 10 15 RFAS that have something that stands out when you do like the natural stat trick per 60 and you do the big pool and all a sudden that guy’s like 48th out of like 640 NHL players. You’re like, “Oh, I wonder if the I wonder if the Bruins are also keeping tabs on these sort of things.” And so, yeah, I do think that there’s it’s all about like finding out what players that are RFAS that haven’t broken out yet or don’t stick out from the pack, what do they do well? And it’s something that you’re in need of. Maybe you can coach more of that out of them on your team. And I think that’s what the Bruins have to do here because like they’re not just a player or two away, but if you’re able to use that cap space and add a couple of these different players like I it’s almost like would you rather have like would you rather put all your eggs in one basket with Matty N who again rocks really good player or would you like try to pluck [ __ ] and Evangelista and like Drew Helison and these guys that maybe aren’t going to cost you as much but if you’re able to get two out of those three guys, you know, they fill up pretty important spots in your roster. and have more to give moving forward. Like I I think you’re just so bereft of or or deficient of just NHL caliber play that any one of those guys helps you out. Yeah. And dude, I’m so happy you brought up Florida because because and as relates to all of this because look at Florida. Florida is one win away. I mean, they are they are going to a game seven, but they’re one win away from going to the third round. What? How how have they been able to do that? Well, it’s easy to look at the top of their roster. It’s easy to look at Babski, but here’s something, Connor. They have 17 guys that have scored a goal for them this postseason. They have 11 guys that have scored multiple goals for them this postseason. They have the balance. They have the guys up and down their roster that are contributing. Look at Edmonton. Edmonton is now going to the Western Conference final. Edmonson has 16 guys that have scored at least one goal for them this postseason. They have 11 guys like Florida that have scored multiple goals this postseason. So, it is about your balance. It is about finding guys that can be on your third and fourth lines or your third deep pairings and contribute offensively every now and then. And so, that’s got to be the the goal for the Bruins. And you know, I asked Don Sweeney like after the first round, I said, “Hey, have you noticed anything from the playoffs that sticks out to you in terms of like you got to have this if you’re going to get back to the postseason.” He didn’t give a ton of insight, but he did say depth scoring. He said you got to be deep this time of year. You got to have guys contributing all across the lineup. And so, yes, I think like to our point like you’re going to look at some of those guys that, you know, oh, he’s playing third line in, you know, Utah, but if we rate out his numbers, wow, he was top 80 in scoring per 60. He was top whatever. Like, you got to wonder like if they’re going to find guys like that or, oh, he gets a good ice. You know, one of the things I love about Veronov is that if you look at Veronov’s, you know, his heat map, he shoots all red. It’s all red and and it’s what’s great about it is that he actually I think he was 96th percentile 95th or 96th percentile in terms of shots from what the NHL considers high danger. So that means that he’s he’s almost the top of the league in shots on goal from the the the key areas of the ice. I imagine that probably only Zack Heyman is probably better like in that regard than him. So you know if you want to if you want to boost a guy you bring that guy in. And I thought Veronov was a great complimentary winger for Caril Marenko who I think is a star player and so was going to get paid. So same same thing with the uh the Columbus kind of same thing with the Ducks, right? Like they got a lot of cap space but they’ve got a [ __ ] ton of young players coming up that are you you can’t pay them alli, right? And so like it’s about finding complimentary wingers. It’s about finding guys that can gel with your stars, you know, the ones you do have. And then you kind of go from there to your point like Besser. Like do I love Brock Besser? No. But if he wants to come here and play with Middlestad and they can form a connection, they train together in Minnesota in the offseason. Like, okay, I I’m in. I’m in on that. Like, like I’ve kind of seen that before with with guys that you brought in. You know, Zaka and Posternok and Crey like that was a great line. They’re all friends. Okay, word. Let’s see. Let’s see what it looks like. You know, people overlook the power of friendship when it comes to roster building tie. It’s a very slept on metric. It is. I mean, yeah, friends per 60. I mean, mine’s like dead last in the league, so I got that going for me. Dude, it’s unfortunate, but damn. Uh, but I will say like someone like Veronov, I imagine you have to like probably pony up with that contract because it’s still like Columbus still has money, right? You still have to make a pretty compelling case to make them, as you said, blink. But I feel like Veronov would be like next year’s Matty Ny who’s going to have like 29. I mean, I don’t even How many goals did he even have this year? Like, did he have That’s a great question. I wish I knew. I think I think he was around like 23, I want to say. I can I can pull this up. I can filibuster and just keep on talking really quick as the NHL’s uh website loads. Just one second. One second here. Uh he goals 23 goals and 47 points. Like doesn’t it feel like he’s a guy that will be like a 30 goal guy next year or with Columbus or someone else? Like again, it’s a guy that just the way he plays the same with like the way you watch Matty N play where he just drives to the net like simplifies his approach offensively and the chances and the opportunities are going to be there. So yeah, if it’s a guy like Veronov, like we’ve listed three or four or five guys that if the Bruins get, I’d be like, love what that guy could do for this team both for right now and even if you’re, you know, playing the long game and it’s 20, 26, 27 and that’s when Jake O’Brien or one of these guys is ready to roll and you got a 30 goal guy in maybe Kulie, maybe Veronov, like you’re ready to roll, right? And it’s you’re competitive right now with a young exciting player who by the time that your ideally your next wave of young talent arrives that you’ve kind of have homegrown you’ve got okay a 26 27 year old prime Veronov or prime Kulie ready to roll with a 30-year-old David Posternok. Like it’s pretty good spot to be in. That’s kind of where you want your whole roster to be if all things go well. So yeah, it all comes back too to like where like like where do you view your own guys, right? like like where do you view like a Fabian Lysel or Dan Lush Melis like Riley Durant like where do you project those kind of guys because at the same time like you know I I listen I I don’t hate a player you know a guy who I didn’t mention who is who is an RFA offer sheet eligible is a guy like Noah Kates right or or a guy like Fabian Zetterland like those are also options like uh in New York Simone Holmstrom like you got guys that like could be decent third liners but Do you want to get in the game of like spending big money on third liners? Because that’s kind of I think that’s a must for your next head coach is bringing younger players along, plugging them into third line roles and understanding that like no, you’re going to have to contribute here because this is the best way for us to be sustainable is to have a rotating cast of characters that can come in, play third line, score 17 goals, 35 points, whatever it is, and kind of develop from there. Yeah. No, Kate’s a very underrated uh two-way defensive player. Actually, I think he would be a pretty good value pick, but to your point, how much how much of a spending spree are you gonna do with offer sheeting everyone? I mentioned just July 1st, the Bruins have like seven offer sheets. We’re just waiting for to find out all of them get matched. So, like by the time like by the time they get to actual our UFA status, like everyone’s already been signed. They’ve just been waiting. I hope that doesn’t happen now that I squick that into existence. Don Sweeny’s like me when I play NHL franchise mode. But I’m like, “Offer sheet, offer sheet, offer sheet. I don’t care.” Exactly. He’s like, “Wait, we didn’t you didn’t turn off the no caps, the no caps cap fuller.” Uh, Ty, before we wrap this one up, um, one quick note, a few guys doing well over at Worlds. Elias Lindam had a hat-tick. I think he’s leading all NHLers in points in the in Worlds. Um, again, so he’s at the very least he’s right up there. I think he’s got nine points in the tournament. So, uh, he’s had a great tournament. Loses obviously had a good run with, uh, Latafia got props from Sydney Crosby. Uh, so he’s had a really good year and you hope that he kind of builds off of that. So, definitely a guy worth keeping tabs on, but I think especially looking at a guy like Lindol. We also won’t talk about Jeremy Swimman playing really badly against Norway, whoever it was. But, um, sorry, I have a I have a pod race happening outside my apartment right now, apparently. Sabula, can you bring him in to talk about the offer? that guy going wow like crashes crash his b he saw he saw what the the cost would be to get Manny Ny and just all of a sudden uh when you look at especially someone like Elias Lindome again how much are you going to glean off of worlds not too much right but I do think that you look at the way Elias Lindome ended the year the way he’s playing right now you hope that at least kind of is a bit of a springboard into again not being a 75 point guy I don’t know if that’s the case But if he can just stay with Postnock and be a 60point good two-way center, he brings value, right? And I think that’s just what you’re looking for. If you tell me next year your top line is Geeky Lyn and Posh, I feel good about that. And I think especially that means you can just focus a lot of your efforts this offseason on building up that second line. Then I think you’re in a good spot for right now. And so I’m at least encouraged with what I’ve seen from Lindolm over the last two, three, four months really, I guess. Yeah, I with Lindholm like listen paying him under eight million to be a David Posternok you know embed and and produce with him it’s like okay I don’t love that but if you can bring that and the other stuff like I don’t really care like that’s why you pay 11 million is to make other players around him better and so if he’s doing that with Lynholm I don’t care if that’s part of his job and you’re going to be a better team for it so I I don’t hate that and yeah to your point like you just feel better about that you feel better about your overall all depth chart, your overall scoring, what your balance of your lineup, you know, with Lindholm and Post together versus say what was it last year. It’s like the second line was like Husadino, Lindholm, and Loco. And it’s like I like all three of those players. I don’t love that as my second line though, like like and so you just feel better about your lineup, your versatility, your overall punch, you know, for for games one through 82 if you know that that is one of your lines. And I think that was a sneaky important way for the season to end, you know, like like okay, you like you feel so much better. I mean, at least I do. You feel so much better about Lindholm now that he has some success with David Posnock and now that he has found more of his fit in like the power play than you did in like February where you’re like, “Oh my god, this is looking bad.” Hey, do they have those compliance buyouts? Can we like get one of those? Like, can you bring one of those back just for Boston, please? Boston never used one. Let us use one. Um but you know like that’s kind of you know that’s it is you know you feel better about that and so to see him have a good tournament especially when he was kind of on the fence I thought about going to the tournament itself. Yeah I think that’s encouraging as well. Yeah. No, absolutely. I think yeah, he he is what he is as a player, I think, in terms of I think maybe setting reasonable expectations for him, but if he is plays uh shotgun with David Posanok and that line is even 80% of what they were down the stretch last year. I mean, I think they were like I don’t have the numbers in front of me, I’m sorry, but like natural static like Geeky Post and Lind it was like they outscored opponents like 13 to five over that final stretch. they were completely tilting the ice in in their favor on a crappy team like in all facets. So, if you’re able to have him be a 60point guy that plays good two-way game and that’s just a functioning line, which I I don’t want to say function, if it’s an effective line, which any line with David Posnock should be, then I think you’re in a good spot. It’s not perfect. It’s not ideal. I don’t think you’re winning a cup with that being your configuration. But as you’re in this retool process, that is a more than adequate line driving group that can keep you afloat as this as you’re trying to bridge the gap between where these guys are, uh, in this new chapter of the Bruins. So, uh, Ty, before we let you go, where can we read your stuff? Where can we hear you? All that good stuff. Yeah, you can find me at 985portsub.com. Uh, also on the air there at 95portsub. We also have the Sportsub Underground podcast with myself and Matt Dolof. Uh new episodes every week, so you can find me there. Uh also social media, just search my name Ty uh Anderson S O N, not Sen, and uh you will find me there. Uh so that’s where I am. Uh you are everywhere now, now the season is over just based on your Twitter. Uh so but tell us where we can find you everywhere. Uh Mr. Connor. Yes, you can find me over at Fenway, over at Gillette, over at Well, not anymore Celtics now unfortunately. home like it’s too much too much driving around. Hey dude, beach working for a living. Going to Oh, man. I got to go to I got to go to Red Sox games. I didn’t I didn’t get a Fenway Frank though. They do serve them in the uh the media press room, but do they really? I didn’t know that. Yeah, it’s kind of like like the 7-Eleven roller. They have more than just that. It’s not like but like they have you can get like three or four or five gizzies if you wanted to. I went to I went to the little Greek place down the street uh instead. So, I switched things up there. But I walked by, I got that whiff of of gizzy air, and I was like, “A [ __ ] this this is dangerous. This is tempting.” It’s like the the siren bringing the the sailors to the rocks when I walked by. So, uh, anyway, I’m I’m going down a rabbit hole. No, I love it. I want a hot dog. I know. Beyond the fact that you can find me over at Fenway, Gillette, wherever uh the happenings are in Boston sports, you can follow me over at boston.com in the Boston Globe. We have you covered every step of the way this Bruins off season with looking at offer sheets, free agency trades, all that good stuff. You can also follow me on Twitter X, whatever you want to call it, Connor Ryan_93. Ty, thank you once again for coming on Talking Hockey with us. Uh, to our fans once again, please subscribe to our Bruins Ringside YouTube channel. This was episode 330 of Poke the Bear. You fans have a great rest of your week. [Music]

In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor and Ty discuss Boston’s chances of offer sheeting RFAs this offseason, Boston’s head-coaching search, and more.

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