2019-20 Boston Bruins Season

It’s possible you’re right Johnson got 4.5m

He does seem like he would be in the top 121 but he hasn't been as productive as Johnson and it isn't really even close.

Taking a closer look with 31 teams and 6 top 2 lines players per team that is 186 guys playing on teams top 2 lines. Not sure he is a top 6 guy on many teams.  I'm not hating on him as a good third line C but he is what he is and I hope they can keep him at around the 3.5/4 per yr level.

Thanks for the info on the other stuff.

Back to the expansion draft, it's going to very interesting to see what's next if both Coyle and Krug sign extensions (or re-sign this offseason). Reminder, the 2 options for protection lists are 7F/3D/1G OR 8FD/1G.

Basically, if you want to protect more than 3 defensemen, you can only protect 8 versus the 10 you can if you only keep 3. The implication of that is that if Krug is signed, he's getting protected. Unless something drastic happens with Carlo or McAvoy, there are your 3 defensemen. That would mean you have to trade Grzelcyk or leave him exposed to the draft.

The only other option would to trade/expose BOTH Heinen/DeBrusk (with 4 D protected, you'd only have 4 spots for forwards and Bergeron and Marchand MUST be protected via NMCs and Pastrnak and a re-signed Coyle would likely be protected - even if not given an NMC).

Of course, there is some time before they have to figure all of this out as the draft is NEXT offseason (not this coming one) but it could impact some moves the make between now and then.

Speaking of expansion, Reilly Smith has put up much better #s and is a better player got 5/25.

The guy I was talking about before is Johnson from TB, that was rjps guy so I am assuming that is who he was talking about.

Official now. Yrs were accurate. 5.25 hit for Coyle. 1.35 for Wagner.

OK so I should have stuck to my original thought which was "I don't know."

Bruins are smarter than me, maybe but the Backes deal was an over pay from the beginning,  but I think this says the B's expect a lot out of Coyle. I hope they are right but 15 goals a season isn't anything to be too excited about. Don't see any discount there. Hope I am wrong.

That's fair. I agree that there is some projection in this number. And an expectation that he will take a larger role in the future (especially when DK comes off the books). There is no one else in the org who has the skillset to be a top 2 C. Studnicka is more like a 3rd liner (though he could exceed expectations someday).

HW wonders if his signing might lead to trading Krejci this offseason (especially if the also resign Krug).

Happy for Backes getting the game winner last night. To say he has had a rough year and deserves it is an understatement. He also showed a very human side to that collision, good for him.

Impressive to think about how well the B's are playing with the injuries they are and have been dealing with. Lots of guys getting playing time and doing well, great depth.

It’s nice that when they lose it’s typically in OT...

I think/hope his move to 2RW is a temporary/necessary evil. He's a C. Plain and simple. But having the likes of Brett Ritchie on your 2nd line is a problem so, for the time being, I get it.

Conor Ryan (BSJ) just did a piece listing internal candidates that could impact that decision (whether it be a C, like Studnicka, that would allow Coyle to stay at the spot or an internal wing like Kuhlman or Senyshyn that allows Coyle to go back to C).

I, ultimately, think that help is needed from outside the organization. Candidates that have been "rumored" include:

Ilya Kovalchuk - Recently placed on waivers by LAK and it sounds like he's been a problem. No thanks
Rickard Rakell - Anaheim wing who will come at a steep price
Tyler Toffoli - LAK wing in his last year
Kyle Palmieri - I think he was always a better FIT than Hall (just traded to Arizona) given he's RH shot and, more importantly, has term on his contract.

In trade rumors, I'd caution when you read things like "It would cost X to get player Y". That's only true if X is a player on your roster bc most of the Ys will take up cap space that we just don't have. So, for example, many are saying Toffoli will only cost a mid-round pick. Sure, that very well may be his value. But Boston can't fit his contract into their cap. So you have to move a player who is currently counting on your cap. That'll either be a player of value or a player that has no (or negative) value, which means you'll likely have to pay to move him.

That's one of the reasons that I don't mind going after someone with term (even if it's at a steep price). They'll most likely cost someone on your roster but you'll need that anyway. I'm also looking too far down the road (though I would think GMs wouldn't consider it TOO far) and trying to figure out a way to consolidate guys who will become eligible for the expansion draft (where you'll either lose them for nothing or have to "bribe" Seattle not to take them).

So, if Boston can get Krug done (for example), I would consider Grzelcyk and a Roster LW (Heinen/Bjork/DeBrusk) in a package to get a legit young(ish) 2nd line RW (like Rakell or Palmieri) with term. That solves a bunch of "problems" (2nd line RW, RFA for Grz and Bjork/DeBrusk potentially, Expansion draft management).

What I'm struggling to do in my own head is determine what the right trade would be. Grz and one of the wings seems like a lot. But i'd think Sweeney could figure out something where draft picks could be exchanged to even things out.