Brad Marchand takes down Maple Leafs yet again | Bruins Beat

Brad Marchand takes down Maple Leafs yet again | Bruins Beat

Bruins Beat is brought to you by Prize Pick. And welcome into the Bruins Beat presented by Prize Picks. Go use that promo code CLNS to get $50 back when you play just $5 over at Prize Pix. And we’re presented by CLNS Media. Remember to go subscribe to Bruins Rinkside on YouTube. There’s a lot of great content coming out. podcasts, Poke the Bear, Pucks with Hags, Bruins Beat uh throughout the off season, live streams as well. Uh and then obviously if you don’t love us in video and you’re like, I don’t want to see those guys. They got faces for podcasting. Make sure to go subscribe to us over at Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you get your podcasting. I’m Evan Marinowski. That’s Connor Ryan. Connor, what is up? Evan, doing well. How you doing? Doing great. Doing great. I’ll admit it, Connor. I feel like I’m floating 10 feet off the ground today. I have a jump in my step. It’s not just Wait, Chris Angel. Chris Angel. Chris Angel. Like, how did he go through that that fence? How did he just Don’t look at the glass he’s standing on. Don’t look at the glass. Shut up. Get the camera out of there. Just just just accept it for what you think it might be. Yes. God, that’s a throwback. Chris Angel. Oh, goated. You can stream in Vegas, man. I I’m not speaking from experience. I don’t go to Vegas to see Chris Angel, but I believe he still has a show. So that’s incredible that he still has a show in Vegas. But oh my god, like late 2000’s TV, that was peak. Like I don’t know, 8 nyear-old Evan was like, “Mom, look at this on YouTube, dude. Sources say he’s a mind freak. See, I’m going to eat like I’m going to eat 25 rattlesnakes and a sword.” I’m like, “I wouldn’t do that.” Like that sames I don’t What are you doing, Chris? It’s funny for money. I know. My god, he was incredible. Um, but that’s not just because of Chris Angel, even though I now I’m going to go down the Chris Angel rabbit hole on YouTube the minute we finish doing this podcast. Uh, but it’s because the Maple Leafs have lost another game seven. And they find they find new lows. They find new lows. I will admit I will admit obviously rooting for the Panthers on Sunday night. Wanted the Bruins to get that first round pick and they’re like 99.9% of the way there. All you need is Marsh. Like it’s a lock. So, uh, they’ve got that, but I did kind of want a a a competitive game. I wanted it to be close. I wanted to be kind of on the edge of my seat. And the first period had a little bit of that and then the Leafs just imploded. Imploded from the inside. And I I you know, just all you can say is wow that they continue to just find ways to do it. It’s I mean it’s brutal I guess if you’re a Maple Leaf fan because like what what is like the what’s the formula right and how do you like go on from here because you know I think we’re going to talk a lot about Toronto and the implications with the Bruins and what they do moving forward but what’s the solution cuz like this offseason you have to imagine it’s going to be a lot of change and like not anything that like you can map it out as addition by subtraction I guess but like on paper barring doing some crazy trades like Toronto is kind of closing this contention window they have or at least this chapter of it and it’s like yeah you can still build around Matthews and Knander and you know Matthew Ny is stepping up and those kinds of things but do you feel good about where your team is where like Morgan Riley is now getting older on on your decor uh Bern Carlo had a so series like is is Ben Wall like save give him credit yeah I know there’s one of the few highlights made save one of the few highlight highlights Toronto had in that game was that uh but like Chris Tanov is getting up there like McCabe is like a good five or six at this point, right? Like where do they actually go from here? If you’re a Toronto Maple Leaf fan, do you feel good about what the future holds? I can see like them being like a get rid of Mitch Mner like get rid of him and then like he goes and then you look at the team like all right now what do we do? It’s like, oh, okay. Like, so, and it’s crazy when you look at it because you could make the case that like this Florida team is just a force of nature, right? Like, I mean, what do they had the first 25 shot attempts in that game? Like, that’s just a damn good team and they and they punched him right in the mouth. And like what? Not saying what can you do there cuz like the fact they just had no push back at all is embarrassing. But the fact they haven’t broken through once like over this stretch, like even look at last year with the Bruins and the way that team was with like the amount of like uh veteran, you know, bridge guys on that Bruins team and the beliefs still lost to that team. Like it’s however you want to map it out. It’s just brutal to see the way that they’ve can’t execute in these crunchtime situations. And I don’t know I don’t know where you go from here if you’re Toronto. Like they’re still going to be good. I don’t imagine like all a sudden we’re like, “Oh, Bruins are going to get the 3 like the 33rd pick in the draft next year because Toronto’s or I guess they got the first.” So, Bruins are going to get like a top Yeah, Bruins are going to get like a, you know, a top pick or anything like that. I think it’s top five protected. It is. I checked today. It’s top five. Bruins are going to get the sixth overall pick or something like that. Better than this year 2026. Like I don’t think it’s that. But yeah, you’re getting to the point now where is like next year kind of a retool bridgy kind of year. Like they’re still going to be good. I still think Toronto’s going to make the playoffs, but like are they going in with the same expectations of like, oh no, we got the we got the horses. We got the talent to make a run. Maybe this is the year. Whereas maybe it’s like, all right, let’s see how we can kind of switch some stuff around and try to build around Matthews, which I also get that like Mitch Miner is the guy that’s getting [ __ ] on the most and like was not good and I’m sure we’re going to talk about him as well. Where was Austin Matthews? Oh, like genuinely wondering like is he in the lineup? Where is he? Yeah, it’s it’s that is also concerning because like at this point like it feels like Toronto fans are like ready to rip off the band-aid with Mana and which like sure there’ll be plenty of teams that would line up to still sign that guy, but like what has Matthew shown you the last couple of games and it’s so frustrating and I I feel like this is why I do feel bad for Toronto fans because like you can see games where they all live up to the hype of how elite they are. Like even um what was it? Game two of the first run series last year where Matthews like before he got hurt, sick, whatever he had. Yeah. He he to he took over the game. He was freaking unbelievable in that I think it was game two. Played like a legit top five player. And it’s like how I’m not saying you got to do that every game. You’re not averaging four points a game in the playoffs, but was just impactful. Was winning faceoffs, was winning board battles, was in the right spots, was always a shooting threat. you can at least do that, right? And I don’t know, like if you’re Toronto, it’s got to make you want to rip your hair out when you got all these guys that it’s almost like you have a one in4 chance, maybe one in three chance of having one of your franchise guys just take over a game, two goal game when you need it, uh, you know, even if you have, you know, one assist, but you’re you’re winning faceoffs, you’re doing stuff to help tilt the ice in your team’s favor, and you like rarely see it from them in crunch time. It’s going to it’s going to drive Toronto fans absolutely bonkers when you get to this time of the year. I wonder cuz Matthews has sort of become a a two-way center. We saw this at for nations where it was like, “Oh, he’s good defensively, all these different things.” He’s a great player. But it’s funny because you see the offensive side suffer. And the great two-way centers find ways to be two-way centers, not just defensive centers or good in their own zone. And with Matthews, it sort of has all gone to hell in the last, you know, bunch of games. I think it’s bad. You know what’s really bad? Like all time bad when the main message of the Panthers postgame press conferences was like go easy. We feel bad for these guys. Go easy on the Leafs. Like we feel bad. And it is true the Toronto market and I was talking to Court Londra market probably next to Montreal um in the NHL and that it’s pressure-packed and your fans were on top of you. saw it on Sunday night throwing beers on the ice and throwing jerseys. I mean, their jerseys just flying on the ice for Jersey, dude. Eddie Eddie Old in the middle of the broadcast like they should take that guy below the stands and shoot him in the head. I was like, should they should chain him door and leave him there? Was like Jesus like you ever seen Jesse Pinkman and break you ever seen Jesse Pinkman and Breaking Bad? They should tie him up like that. Like it was it’s like relax dude. Yeah. Also, yeah, good job on TNT. Literally missing the goal. Missing Reinhardt’s fifth goal. Oh, by the way, I left the room to get to put my snack back. Veggie sticks. I’ve been really into veggie sticks recently. And I uh a little healthier. And I walk into the kitchen. I come back and I’m like 51. Like I was gone for maybe a couple seconds and I could hear the broadcast. And so like one like was it was it 51 before? Um but it’s just it’s gone down the tubes with the Leafs and it gets worse and worse and I do wonder about their future. And um before we get into sort of the the Florida’s first, which Brad Marian helped get you, I was listening to 36 36 thoughts, 32 thoughts on there’s four there’s four more teams in the league. Elliot jumps on for like another fourminute like emergency pod like wait got four more thoughts, hear me out. I got four more thoughts. But I was listening uh on Monday morning and Elliot mentioned uh he said basically the effect of um the way Marian was talking after the game on Sunday are the Leafs going to fullcourt press for Marian in the sense of if you can’t beat him join him and Marian has gone five for five in game sevens against the Leafs he has effectively like just torched the entire city um with the Bruins and obviously now with with Florida and I do wonder now I don’t think Marian would go there. I think that’s the problem. Like I think Toronto would happily overpay for him. I think they’re going to overpay for someone this off season that has playoff success, whether it’s a Sam Bennett or a Brad Marshian. But I don’t know if Marian would want to go there because he has mentioned in the past Toronto being kind of an insane market and and being almost too much and the fans being too into it. I know he says he’s a Leaf fan growing up and, you know, kind of talking good about the team. I don’t see him going to Toronto. I I I see that more of Marian kind of shooting that down, but it is kind of a fun possibility to throw up in the air. Yeah, I wouldn’t totally rule it out, right? Especially if that’s a team that again, you can’t beat them, join join them. Um the Toronto will have some money, especially if they are letting someone like Monaco go. Um so I wouldn’t totally rule it out. I just feel like there’s better options for Marian. Like not even looking at like, oh, he’s coming back to the Bruins, which I don’t think that’s happening. But like if you’re a margin, would you either rather stay in Florida even at like a cheaper rate with no taxes uh uh chilling down in you know Fort Lauderdale being on a wagon of a team or also not really the guy. And I think we can talk about that of like at this stage of his career. You see how freaking good Martian is when he’s like your line driving like a third line guy or you know if he’s on the second line he’s not the guy there. Yeah. I saw the guy. It’s like you can see where on a team like that where his value really comes through. And I’m not saying that like where he was with the Bruins like he was in a bad spot or like he’s not cap material. I’m not saying any of that. I’m saying like in terms of what the Bruins were years of, you know, not not drafting at all or drafting poorly or not building the rest of the core around him. The fact that Marian at 36 going on 37 had to be your best left wing, had to be like one of your three best forwards putting him in a bad spot. And also it’s not maximizing what your team is where I feel like if you were successfully retooling on the fly or at least kind of building that next core around you know the Mavoy and Postox the ideal situation is like Marshian’s still an effective player but he’s in a ancillary kind of thirdline role where he can really thrive you know like and I think you’ve seen it with Florida. So if you’re Marian like would you rather stay down in Florida we can do a role like that. Wouldn’t you rather go to like Carolina that has like a [ __ ] ton of money that it’s probably a more closer to contending than maybe Toronto next year where like you can just kind of ride shotgun with like Seth Jarvis in a top six role. Not really be the guy but like plays that style of hockey, gets to work with Rob Bindammore. Like I think Toronto like it can make sense especially from Toronto’s point of view of why they’d want him. But I could also rattle off four or five contending teams that I feel like Marian would probably rather go to before again jumping into the circus of what Toronto is. I’m not saying that he couldn’t handle it, but I almost feel like him talking about like how the pressure is put on these guys. It’s like I don’t think he would struggle with that Marian like he’s been through plenty of high pressure situations, but does he want to deal with the [ __ ] I think is the part at 37. Why why would you that willingly? It’s not it’s not pressure on Marian’s part of playing in a market like Toronto. It’s the [ __ ] involved with it of like the same questions over and over again. The same kind of like it has to be exhausting, I think, being up in a market like that, especially when the results aren’t there. And you got to go through a full 82 game season to try to quiet down those narratives, right? It’s not you’re not you’re not solving it in October through early April. It’s you had to go through a whole year of those kinds of uh storylines and narratives before you have a chance to kind of prove them wrong. And if you come up short, just continues. Well, they’re walking on eggshells out there. I mean, that’s what it really is. Like you see it in the games. I mean, one mistake and then it just, you know, just catapults. It gets worse and worse and worse and it’s like once you make that one mistake or that one goal goes in against the air just gets sucked out of that building and it never it never seems to come back. Um, and I don’t know why Marian would willingly just step into that unless they offered him way more money than anybody else and said, you know, this is what we envision your role. And I just I don’t see that. Yeah, I don’t see that. From Toronto’s perspective, it makes perfect sense. That’s the exact kind of guy you need. You need a guy who is successful in the playoffs and has a winning pedigree and a leader. Like, you you they so obviously need that. I just don’t see how that happens, especially going from Florida, too. when Matthew Kachchuck was on chicklets on Monday morning talking about how like you know the benefit is we don’t we don’t have that pressure like we play in Florida and like I think players are realizing this you see it you know Ranton probably feels it in Dallas you know the guys in Tampa Stamp Coast and Cooerov and Hedman have felt it down there for years also I don’t think it’s crazy that Stamos went to Nashville like I’m not saying that these guys don’t want pressure but you add in social media and you add in just the the buzz around the city and I don’t think players don’t want to play for original six teams with, you know, high octane fan bases. But I think like the fact that the Florida Panthers are good, like there’s a reason Marshian wanted to go down there, you know? I mean, I think that has all that all has something to do with it. So, it’s a fun idea. Marian to Toronto, him and Carlo could reunite and the Bruins Leafs rivalry would be, you know, and it’s at quite the high with Marian on the other side of it. I’m curious if Bruins fans would hate Marshian for it or come to not, you know, dislike him or come to dislike him for it. Um I just don’t see it wouldn’t be at the top of my uh prediction list. I I wouldn’t I would not have him up there. But it’s an interesting idea and Freriedman throwing it out there. Although I Freriedman was open with like this is not like insider information. Freriedman has a way of massaging like sprinkling those things in. Yeah. Like just pushing it out there. Pushing it out there. Um, I want to talk more about the Leafs. Mitch Mner, the first round pick that the Bruins are likely to get from the Panthers. Uh, but first, our friends over at Prize Pick. Cash in on the basketball playoffs with prize picks. Don’t miss your last chance to add your favorite players from the court to your prize pick lineup. 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I would take more on both those guys cuz I think it’s going to be that kind of night. Uh, also, if you want to get in on the action, make sure to download the app today and use code CLNS. Get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Again, that’s code CLNS to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Prize Picks, run your game. Go run your game over at Prize Pick. So, the big win for the Bruins on uh Sunday night is looks like you’re getting that first from Florida and it should be 2027. I believe it’s top 10 protected, so obviously if it’s not that it would move into 2028. Um, but you get an extra first round pick nonetheless. I think the as you know, we can’t I’m not going to sit here and go, “Well, in 2027, Connor, who do you think they should pick in that first round? Who are you who are you liking in that 2027 first round pick?” That’s that’s that’s the real question. I’ll say it. Carter Meyer from from Winchester, Freddy Myers kid, real good going to be at the program. That’s my pick. Clip it. Bruins pick Carter Meyer in 2027. Write it down. Write it freaking down. This means nothing to any of you right now, but when it actually happens, you’re going to be like like Evans Nostradamus, the Johnny Carson meme with the you posted yesterday carap. Yes. Um but it’s I think you know in the short term the Bruins did the right thing at the deadline like that really was a felt like a home run and I think now that the dust has settled I think everybody was pissed that Marshian got traded at the time but now that he got a first round pick back for a guy who was injured at the time I don’t think that looks so bad. Yeah, I mean I think it’s all about just maximizing what uh was a shitty year, right? And trying to get the most out of how you’re rebuilding moving forward. And yeah, you can make the case that maybe the Bruins could have got more if you know they didn’t kind of put the ball in Marian’s court. I think it was I don’t know if it was Freeman or someone so that the Kings really wanted March and like what would that return have been, right? Like I’m not I’m not saying he would have gotten like five or you know. Yeah. Like I’m not saying that, but maybe it’s more of like legit younger NHL talent. Maybe it’s Brent Clark or like a right shot D in like a second or something like that or you know something like that that maybe would have helped you right now and for the future. But yeah, if you’re the Bruins and I think it’s all about just giving yourself as many options as possible to, you know, add talent to this team uh through the draft, right? Not saying every pick you’re going to hit, but you look at um this upcoming year, right, where you have your first obviously, and I don’t think you’re moving that, barring a crazy trade, but like having two seconds, like there’s no guarantee that those two those two players you’re going to pick in the second round are going to be hits, but you’re giving yourself a chance. You look at 2026, the first round pick you get from Toronto, who knows where that’s going to be. But even if it is like 15 to 25, you can find like a good lineup regular there. Same with even if it’s not number six in the lottery, make do with it. Yeah. Like you can I think find just a guy that ends up being your second line left wing there or your right shot you know defenseman that can play 20 minutes a night or something like you’re going to be able to unearth value there. And if you are trying to uh you know get more aggressive it also just gives you the option you can trade a future first and still have have your own first round pick too, right? like it’s you’re stockpiling your assets that you can either hold on to which I don’t think you begrudge any bruins for doing that and really restock your prospect pipeline or if the right deal comes up or the right guy you want to target you can trade those picks without necessarily giving up your entire war chest either. So I I think you look at I got the full list here of the Bruins total hall uh from this trade deadline. So, let’s see it. 2025 second round pick from Edmonton. 2025 second round pick from Colorado. You got a 2025 fourth round pick from Toronto, which I forgot about. So, Toronto also gave you a fourth round pick this year. You got the 2026 conditional first round pick from Toronto for next year. So, top five protected. 2026 sixth round pick from Minnesota. That trade is still hilarious. All these trades like did pretty well all considered. Yeah. The aged like fine wine. Yeah. uh in 2027 first round pick from Florida which again could be 2028 if it’s top 10 protected or if I think Toronto moves their uh or Florida moves their first round pick next year I think also get pushed back which again if it gets pushed to 2028 and it’s unprotected gives you even more leeway of like if this team eventually ages out like the further back you go the higher chance it’s like a pick that could be you know really hold some value there. So whether it’s 2728, you’re still going to get a useful asset there whether you end up trading it or what. Uh Casey Middlestat, again, I don’t know how much you’re going to really grade what he was this year based on the fact that it was like Cole Keepky was his linemate, but even then, you know, it’s still a guy that we don’t stand Kepky hatred. We we don’t stand for that. Uh Fraser Mitten, Will Zellers, uh Lco Husendino, and then two like AHL defenseman, Max Wer and Denil Mule. So, all things considered, man, you’ve gotten a lot of uh impact, you know, future assets that can really help you out. Um, and whoever you want to frame it, you hold on to them and see what you get or you trade them for, uh, future impact players for right now. Uh, it just gives you options. And I think when you look at where the Bruins were at the time, uh, I don’t think anyone’s going to begrudge them now for trading those players, getting those assets, and also kind of bottoming out your year. I I get that they ended up with a seventh pick, but they put themselves in a spot to get a two through top five pick the way they just kind of bottomed out after that. So, I don’t think you have to begrudge the way the Bruins handle the year when they realize it’s center year, nothing’s going right. Might as well embrace the tank and make the most of getting a head start or a jump start on where this rebuild, retool is going to be. I saw I think it was McKeen’s hockey tweeted out like a Bruins prospect ranking and they went to like number 27 which is a little bit higher than they’d previously been but still really not good and and the the they had launched Melis at like 10 10 I was shocked at that and the and the whole list I really didn’t agree with a lot of it but uh nevertheless I mean there aren’t a lot of guys on that list that you’re like oh that’s a franchise guy someday. Yeah, I think when you look at the prospect rankings for this team in, you know, and this is far out, but 2026 and 2027 should be a lot better. I mean, again, you had a first round pick last year, you have a first round pick this year. I’m not even mentioning the seconds that you have. You’ll have two seconds this year, but also two first first rounders next year, two likely in 2027. And so, your prospect pool is going to be much better uh come 2026 and come 2027. And that’s likely going to start paying dividends in 2028 and 2029 and 2030 and you’re going to enter the next decade in a very good spot. And it really I think is going to come back to this past season and the moves you made and I think you could thank Brad Marshian for that with the Panthers. I think was he their highest point getter? Is he their highest point getter right now for the Panthers? He was tied with Lo Strainan and they’ve got so I looked at their thing. It’s just the sign of a good team. Like it’s like they’re at the top with 12 and you got like three guys with 10 points like Bennett and four other guys have nine. All their D are scoring. Their fourth lines have been great. Um I mean hell, I don’t think Matthew Chuck scored a goal in this entire seven game series. I was say he was like irrelevant in this series. He has and he still has nine points in 12 games. Yeah, like they just stacked all across the line, man. That fourth line they got is great. It’s like you just cycle through all the Bruins like fourth line guys and they just somewhat delivered there. like Greer had that set up on uh their third goal and I it’s it’s shows you again like with Florida and the Bruins are so obsessed this past year with finding ways to beat them or mimic them. It’s like yeah you got to be physical I guess but they just have depth and skill all across the lineup. Like Evan Rodriguez that sick play uh right right around the boards where he sets up for Seth Jones’s goal and it’s like that’s that’s a third line guy. Well, if Evan Rodriguez was on the Bruins, he’d probably be like your top left wing. You’d probably like be fighting with like Morgan Geeky for your top spot there, right? And it’s just they’ve got talent and skill all across the lineup. And you can look at like the big additions they make, right? Like Seth Jones, who was awesome in game seven, Marian obviously, but just the amount of guys that if you put them on other teams and how far up the depth chart they’d be and they’re pushed down to like third line roles with Florida, it just shows you just the amount of skill they have. And that’s like the biggest key. It’s you can look at the Sam Bennett and the Kachchucks and you know Nico Mikola and some of these guys that are really physical players and that plays into their success, but also they’ve got guys one through 12 that can skate well, can finish plays in tight um and just have that that skill level to really capitalize and play off hockey. I think that’s the biggest thing and why the Bruins, yeah, there’s a lot they got to do this offseason. They need to add talent. They are a talent deficient roster I think is the biggest issue you have right now if you’re the Bruins. Yeah. And I think you also like depthwise having guys that are you know they’ve again the Panthers have elevated AJ Greer and guys like Tomas Nok and Jasper Bquis and it makes me wonder like I think it also goes back to coaching. I think Paul Maurice is a good coach. I think they have a really good culture down there. They really do. And I was again I was listening to 32 thoughts on Monday morning and he mentioned how Nate Schmidt in a preseason game had kind of done something stupid with the puck in his own zone and the coaches didn’t say anything but one of I think it was either Bennett, Reinhardt or Bararkov just said like we don’t play like that here. This is how we you know we we don’t do that in the defensive zone and I just think you know everybody talks about the Bruins culture and the Bruins culture was held up well for a long time. I think the Panthers have a really good culture. I do and I think that’s why they’ve had sustained success for the last couple years. just doesn’t mean it’s going to last forever. Maybe in 2027 or 2028 that first round pick is high, but they’re having a lot of success and I think it it helps when, you know, they’re elevating guys like AJ Greer, you know, the guys I just mentioned and you mentioned like Evan Rodriguez. You know, these are these are guys who are thriving in in in in spots that, you know, are further down in the lineup like a Rodriguez than maybe he normally would be on other teams or higher lineup guys, man. That is it’s BEu, man. I guess I guess you guys got something. You guys got something over there. Um, you mentioned that the Bruins need talent and uh I did a podcast on Friday with Court Lond uh and the title was should the Bruins sign Mitch Mner? Now we talked about a lot of other things but Mitch Mner was a big talking point early. How was the how how was the comment section? Over 100 comments and most of them most of them were a big old hell no. Hell no. People don’t want Mitch Barner. They do not want Mitch Mner. And I see it on Twitter. I see, you know, people saying that they don’t want him. And I think it’s shortsighted. I think it’s shortsighted. Now, I get it, right? Mner did not have a great series. I’m not going to like sugarcoat that. I’m not going to try to [ __ ] polish it or anything like that. Um, but people see a video of Mitch Mner yelling at his team and his hair isn’t fully wet. And you, you know, you see the video of him, the spinama turnover. I mean, again, look at his playoff stats. His playoff stats over the course of his career have not been bad. And this is a guy who brings high-end skill, which is exactly what you need. It’s not what the Leafs need. The Leafs need different things than you. You need different things. You need high-end skill. And I sincerely believe if you take him out of Toronto, he is a better player. He’s gonna like he is a better player. I think the pressure of being from Toronto, playing for the Leafs, the years and years of misery. Yes, of course he has not been a winner in the playoffs. I agree. But it’s a team game and I just to me like if it tanks if this playoff somehow like lowered his value, which I don’t think it overall did, but if it somehow did, then great. Terrific. But to me, like I I’m still on the get Mitch Marner train. You need him. Yeah. Like I agree, right? And I think we’ve both been beating this drum for months now, right? feels like it’s been even longer that the Bruins season’s over. And like listen, I get people’s hesitancy when you look at like the play. He did not have a good playoff run. I I get I get the optics of it. I get that. I think there’s a valid concern where if like if the Bruins sign Mitch Miner, I’d be like, “Wow, they’ve got a legit star player here. I really hope he does well in the playoffs.” Like I think we’ll all have that sentiment, right? But I also think if you’re the Bruins and you’re just so desperate for just outright talent like Mitch Miner has it. Uh and if you have Mitch Miner like it your chances of at least getting back into the playoffs and being a contending team that it can you can build up moving forward where you have two wingers in Posanak and Amra that are going to drive play with whoever you have. Like yes, you don’t have to like all of a sudden like like load up your team. you’d like to, but you have the luxury if you have Postnock who has made a really effective line out of Morgan Geeki and Elias Lindholm. And it’s not like disrespect to like Morgan Geeki and these guys, but Posterno has elevated them, right? And like they they’ve meshed well, but it’s now like where we’re talking about Morgan Geeki. Uh I think it’s we’re being very rational of like well I think Morgan Geek is going to be a 30 goal guy, but [ __ ] if he plays as a like maybe he’s just a 25 goal player, right? Yeah. And if like if Mitch Miner is there and all of a sudden you’re putting in I mean I don’t know who exactly the right fit is. Will [ __ ] then you get Will [ __ ] Yeah. There you go. And and he had 20 what 23 25 goals uh this past year. Like what’s saying he’s going to be a 30 goal guy? What’s like if you have a guy that’s as skilled as Mner is a playmaker um you can kind of put you know whoever you want in that second line it’s probably going to be at the very least a good line. It’s like all a sudden your top six falls more into place by getting a guy like that. Those like I get the worries of like oh yeah you’ll make the playoffs and he’s going to show up in the postseason. We don’t know. But also like you you look at it um the way Mner like his playoff numbers are. I think he’s got more points per 60 in the playoffs than like Brad Marshand and I think Chris Berseron. I don’t people want to hear that. I don’t know if people want against the narrative goes against the narrative. It’s not as fun or or or again like I’m not I’m not absolving him nor am I saying that Mitch Miner is better than Chase Ber. I’m just saying that in the playoffs numbers can kind of get all all funky like and what a guy’s narrative is can change very quickly like people are like we don’t want Mitch Mara we want Nikolai Eers. how good he’s playing in these last two rounds. And Nick Eers has been awesome the last two rounds before this playoff run next to probably Connor Hobbuck. The biggest dog in the playoffs the last probably half decade has been Nikolai Eelers. He’s had Please Google Nikolai Eer’s playoff stats before this year. He had I I think he has four goals in like 44 playoff games for a guy that’s like a lock every year to be a 25 30 goal scorer. And I like Nikolai Eers, but the same thing of going into this year uh a guy that will give you 25 goals. great skater, super skilled. If the Bruins signed him, I’d be like, that is a second line guy that’s going to pencil him in for 25 goals. Great player, and he’s probably raising his stock more because he’s finally broken through this year and been a really effective player for Winnipeg. Um, even though they lost game uh game six, he was great in that game as well. He was his label has been he’s a dog in the playoffs before this run. So what’s to say that Mitch Mner on the Bruins or anywhere else where he’s in a different market is not have the same pressure like Boston is still a high octane hockey focused market right but it’s not Toronto it is it going to be a given that he’s going to be you know the Bruins go a seven game series he’s going to have three points like what’s to say he can’t break through and he’s on the power play with David Posternok feeding him one-times right like I just think that the the concerns concerns are valid is what I would say with Mner. Like you’re not I’m not being like you’re an idiot if you’re worried about Mitch Mner. Like there there are concerns, but I get it. I also I also think beggars can’t be choosers. And if you’re the Bruins and you have an obvious need for just high-end talent, Mitch Mner in the regular season is going to give you 90 points and it’s not out of the realm of possibility, nor is it fair to just be like, well, he’s going to be, you know, putting up three points in a playoff run. It’s like no, like any player that is that skilled can go off on a playoff run and break out, right? Like that was kind of the label for David Posnock. Like David Posnock also didn’t have a great first round against Toronto this past year and then two, three years ago he had what a six-point game against Toronto and he scored what he scored a a game seven overtime winner against Toronto. Like skilled players, elite players are inevitable. They will eventually break out. Not saying they’re going to be three points per game, but if you have a guy like Mitch Mner on your team, it boosts your chances of one having a guy that’s going to produce night in and night out and you know the day that he finally does have a a twogoal, two assist game, I think you’d rather have him there on the Bruins as opposed to just being like, “Ah, we don’t want him. Go out to Utah or anything like that.” You know, how many middle six forwards do you want? Like these people are like, “Oh, you know, we don’t want Mitch Mner. I don’t want Mitch Mer.” Then how do you want them to get better? Like I believe they should get better through the draft and they seem to be doing that. They acquired a bunch of picks at the deadline. They’re making their picks. It’s a point of emphasis. And I think that’s going to be what kind of bolsters that next core that goes along with Apostro Mitch Mner costs you nothing other than money. C cost you cap space, which is important, but the cap space is cap the cap’s going up. And all your franchise guys right now are signed. Pos is signed. Swayman is signed. Makavoy is signed. Hampus Lindelm, Elias Lindtom, all those guys are signed. And you don’t really have any big young guys coming up that you got to pay. Even if you draft Jake O’Brien this year, he’s probably not up here for two years. And once he’s up here, he has a three-year deal, three-year entry-le deal if if continues, which I assume it will. So, you don’t have to pay him for another five, six years probably. Like that. That would be what, five, six years into MNER’s contract. Mike, I I I just I I don’t I get the I get the hesitation because of this playoff run and I get that it’s sort of what have you done for me lately and Marner’s stock is down in terms of public opinion, but you need high-end talent. You need it. So like I think they what they end up doing is Besser. I think Besser is probably the route that they take. Fine player should produce somewhere in the range. Should score 35 goals, probably won’t though. He’s kind of American Jake De Brusk a little bit. That’s the thing. And that and that’s like you want another one of those. You guys hated Jake De Brusk. You couldn’t stand Jake De Brusk and you’re bringing him back in which like again fine. Jakey Brusk had was valuable and and you didn’t really replace him after last year and good in the room and all those things, but like you have a chance with Mitch Mner for a you know a 90 plus point guy a season who you can pencil in as elevating guys like a you know if you did stick middle stat with him which wouldn’t be the most ideal thing in the world but if that was what you did middle stat should have a pretty damn good season and like I I I I you know I get I understand like there are other places out there Utah or Chicago or Anaheim or wherever, right? Who have might have more money and are going to go harder to get him. Like I I I understand that. Maybe it’s, you know, Carolina or just or just a quieter place. Like I wouldn’t be surprised as much as we also were like, “Oh, like the Bruins could use Mitch Mer.” Maybe Mitch Mon wants to go out west maybe where he’s That’s right. kind of 10 p.m. time slot like you know just a little chiller. Maybe Utah like already a pretty good team like can be the guy like a new franchise. Oh, he picked us and for him it’s a quieter he’s it’s quieter market still going to be in the playoffs like but the pressure is not there if you don’t play well that could work and watch and watch he’ll go to Utah and have like 10 points in a seven game series they went around and he’s a hero there he’s a hero and like again I just but again to be like no I don’t want him like if he chooses somewhere else because of the atmosphere or the less pressure or they offer more money then whatever but if it’s like no you know we I want uh you know a I want Nikolai Eers or Brock Besser or just and again like those are nice players but like are they elevating you to the point where you are second in the Atlantic or like a a contender for the cup? Not quite yet. You’re going to need guys around them. And I still think, you know, you do need a a legit center for Mitch Martner at some point. Like you probably draft that and you hope that that guy pans out a couple years down the road after you draft him. But to be like, nope, I don’t want Mitch Marty. No, no, no, no. like you got to look deeper than that and remember this year of like man they’re getting outs skated outshot outplayed outskilled everything and we said that like in every episode was like oh my god um and again the other thing not to beat the marner dead horse thing cuz we’ve talked about it so much and I don’t want to like have people be like I’m turning this off but you also can’t waste David Posro’s prime can’t do that and again I’m not saying if you just bring Besser in that it’s going to you know you’re you’re terrible like I think you’ll be good you’ll be fine But like the Atlantic is good. Look around. Like Ottawa and Montreal made it this year and they’re on the upswing. Tampa’s going to be in it again. Florida’s going to be in it again most likely. Toronto, I don’t know. Montreal. Yeah, Montreal’s going to be really good. Like Buffalo’s Buffalo, but like Detroit at some point. Buffalo’s going to suck. Buffalo’s going to stick. That’s forever. No doubt. But like at some point Detroit’s got to break in or be more competitive. Maybe. Maybe. But you you’ve rattled you’ve rattled off three or four teams that are going to be better next year. Again, we talked about this a lot in the early part of this decade, the end of the last one. It was Toronto, it was Tampa, and it was Boston. Those were the three. And then Florida kind of came in the mix, and now you’re adding Ottawa, and you’re adding Montreal. Like th everyone’s still competitive. Like Toronto, even if they take a step back, should still be in it. So like if you just like like hypothetically if you just do Besser and you get maybe a couple veteran names and you don’t get like a Will [ __ ] even let’s say like it’s you a couple veteran depth signings and Besser that’s another year you’re probably out of the playoffs like you you you you will be more competitive you won’t be a lottery team but like are you are you getting past are you go getting above Montreal are you getting above those teams I don’t know like it’s a question and you don’t want to to waste another year of postronox prime time, another potential 100 point season. And Marner to me helps not waste it and give and buys you some time being in the playoffs. Maybe it’s a lower seed, but you’re in the playoffs for when your draft picks come up. Am I insane for this? No. No. I mean, again, like it’s all about maximizing. I think it’s weird, right? Because you’re right, where you have to maximize this window where Sternox is prime and Mac and all these guys, but you also just have to be smart with it, right? Of what’s like a sustainable way of doing it. And so like if you’re like tying yourself up for the next three years off of like contracts for you know Matthew Shane and John and I’m like okay you just you just want to make the playoffs. That’s like but but like Mner is a guy that yeah even with the red flags he’s just turned 28 had 102 points this year. Like if if you’re just trying to get back in the mix and then you get in the playoffs and then you just roll the dice like Miner already was put him put him on this team and let’s say you add another player you sign Will [ __ ] you offer sheet him you trade for Mason Marshment something like that like you’ve got a functioning second line now like you’re probably in the playoffs don’t know how far like how far you go but Mitch Mner brings your power play from what is it 28th to at the very least 15th If he’s setting up David Posterno and you’ve got another like [ __ ] at the net front, you’re you’re doing a lot better than where you were. And it’s not even factoring in like you’re getting Makavoy Linton back. You’re in the playoffs and you see you roll the dice there knowing that you’re going to be competitive for right now. You know, maybe you’re not a legit contender, but you’re in the playoffs. You got fans excited. You’re building something up while also having Jake O’Brien marinating and whoever your second round picks are from this year. And you’ve got Toronto’s 2026 first and you got uh Florida’s 27 in the pipeline as well where it’s like you’re staying competitive right now. You’ve got younger players like Marner’s 28, Posuck’s 28, I think 28, My’s 27. So you’re in the mix at the very least. And again, the playoffs, anything can happen. Like what’s to say that Maraing goes off in a a first round series and swimming gets hot and all of a sudden like it’s your you’re able to, you know, stay in the mix right now and be competitive and be a fun team that’s building while also having multiple reinforcements you hope on the way in terms of the guys you’re drafting. Or if you’re already exceeding expectations, you can trade Toronto’s first round pick or Florida’s for more help down the road like while also not giving up your f. So, it’s almost like, you know, again, it’s not like Mer’s the cheat code, but if you’re just trying to get back into the mix and be fun to watch right now and get into the playoffs while also not sacrificing your future by doing it, then it’s handing the bag to a guy like Mitch Mner who at the very least, flaws and all, is going to be a 90 point star player. You know, that that is, I think, the best argument for it. Like acknowledging the risk, which every freaking sign is a risk. People thought Elon was gonna be a locker. Oh, he’s he’s clearly going to play with David Postron. He’s going to be a 70point guy. It’s great. And he wasn’t. Like, doesn’t always work out. But there’s also rare times where a guy who’s 28, you know, in his prime is available just for the highest bidder or for whatever that free agent wants. So, if you’re the Bruins, it’s just it’s not a given that he’s going to come here, but it would be negligent on the Bruins part to not pursue a guy like that that can help you out in 2025, 26 and 2030 when he’s 32 and is still playing at a high level when you’ve got more guys in place. Like it it is a short-term and long-term uh boost for this team. If a guy like Mitch Mner is available and you are able to sign him, I think is the most compelling argument you have, right? He checks a lot of boxes and he’s also a good two-way forward. He’s good. Your penalty kill gets better with him. So like I to me it makes a lot of sense. Now again, do I think they are the team who ends up getting him? No. In my heart of hearts I I don’t think that they should absolutely have a fullcourt press for him and do whatever it takes and not be like nah no cuz that’s the exact kind of skill they need and he he fits that. And so when I hear people be like, “No, I I I no way.” Like I get it. I understand it, but you got to look past that. Got to see the forest through the trees a little bit. Um Connor, what can the people look forward to from you over at the globe andboston.com? Yeah, you can reach me over at the globe.com. We have you covered every step of the way this Bruins off season, whether it’s free agency, office sheets, uh trades, coaching search. Still waiting on that. See if anything more percolates from that. Does Mitch Barner want to be the head coach? Maybe Mitch Martin could be head coach. You’re asking the important asking the important questions. Player coach like Manny. Yes, exactly. Like man. Yeah, of course. Uh but no, there’s that those kinds of things. We’ve got the draft. Whole bunch of stuff. It’s going to be a very busy summer, but an exciting one. You can read all of my stuff over at the globe.com. And if you want to follow me on Twitter, X, whatever you want to call it, you can at Connor Ryan_93. Go do all that. That’s Connor Ryan. I’m Evan Marinowski. Make sure to go subscribe to Bruins Ringside on YouTube for all of our content and subscribe to us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast from. I’m Evan Marinowski. You Bruins listeners have a great rest of your week.

On this episode of Bruins Beat, Evan Marinofsky and Conor Ryan try to make sense of the Maple Leafs’ latest collapse. They dive into whether or not Brad Marchand will go to Toronto, and explore the first-round pick the Bruins will likely get from Florida. They also reevaluate their Mitch Marner takes.  All that, and much more!

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