Bruins Off-Season Thread

[Dojji]

2 years @ 2.5 mil per for a platoon goalie vs. 4 years @ 5 mil per for a starting goalie

 

seriously...up your game a bit

 

But Kilo wasn't talking about a platoon goalie. He was talking about a situation where Rask spit the bit and the team would be fine riding Roloson.

 

I know this conversation's meandered a bit but do try to follow along.

[BoSox21]

And the reason they kept him when Thomas was putting up a .927 SV% the next season was...

 

he was making 4.5 mil and was plagued by injuries and ineffectiveness. did I really have to point that out to you?

 

BTW, and just for the record, Thomas' career stats in playoff games (SSS of course)

 

2.16 GAA, .926 SV%

 

Even without that he's got a career .918 SV% and has gotten better every year. You gonna find that in the bargain bin?

 

you aren't gonna find what Tim Thomas has been the last two seasons in the bargain bin but most likely, you aren't gonna get what TT has given you the last two seasons for the next four years.

 

Instead, you can get a very competent veteran to backup one of the top goaltending prospects in the game and some much-needed cap room to ensure that guys like Kessel dont skip town

[Cityofchampions33]

My point is you don't need to give TT $5 million AAV over the next four years to get above average goaltending.

What about a platoon with a guy like Dwayne Roloson and Tuukka? Ty Conklin? These guys on short money would allow Tuukka to grow into the starter's position over the next few years - now we're running the risk of stunting Tuukka's development.

If I was Rask's agent I'd be demanding a trade.

I'm not saying that at all - the Penguins didn't build from the net out, though, which was my overall point.

Cam Ward finished 7th in Vezina Trophy voting this season. He didn't finish in the top 10 last season.

I think he's a touch overrated from his Cup run, same as Giggy.

Just because I didn't mention them doesn't mean anything. Brodeur, Roy, and Hasek are all-time greats (it's pretty clear TT isn't in that group).

Giguere is overrated based off the Duck's Cup run. Khabibulin is OK but like Thomas is getting up there in age (and he just signed a 4/15 deal with the Oilers). 4/15 is a big difference than 4/20 especially when you have a ring.

First off, I think TT will have next to little trade value because his flopping style of goaltending will not age well.

Second, if trading Thomas in year 2 is the only way the deal makes sense, how can you defend the deal?

This is similar to the CC Sabathia contract last season where the BCS for the Yankees is he pitches well for three years, then opts out for more money. Of course the key difference between the two is there's no salary cap in the NHL.

It is a handucffing deal now and has the potential to be absolutely crippling.

I really very strongly disagree. Elite goaltenders don't let in goals TT did in Game 7s.

Tim Thomas is a good goaltender who had a very good season but hasn't done a thing to justify a 4/20 contract.

That's of course assuming TT will be an above average goaltender in two years.

Goalies in their mid-30s don't age well if your last name isn't Hasek, Roy, or Brodeur. And even Marty started showing some chinks in the armor last season.

There are many reasons why I like this deal.

1) Thomas is an ELITE NHL GOALIE, you can say he’s ‘above-average’ all you want, but he wont the Vezina, and if you hold Ward to his Vezina standings, then you should do the same for Thomas. I consider Roloson, and Conklin ‘above-average’ I don’t consider a .927 save % from two all star seasons to be just ‘above-average’, .927, a save percentage which Brodeur hasn’t recorded since 1996. Oh, and by the way, Brodeur has never gotten a .933 S% like Thomas just did in his entire CAREER.

2) Thomas only has 219 professional regular season games played, including in Sweden, the wear and tear on him is not NEARLY the same as it is on a goalie like Brodeur, who has played 999 regular season games and is just 2 years older than TT. And I’m even sparing playoff games. His style isn’t enough to make up that kind of a difference.

3) I don’t believe, despite the points I just made, that Thomas will be our starter for 4 years. The way I see it is that he starts 1 or 2 more years here, with the divvy of the starts slowly tilting towards Rask, until Rask can take over. When that occurs, you do not want a backup at 5 mill with a start who might reach his bonuses at 3 mill, that, I agree, is nonsensical, that’s why at this point we trade Thomas, who will have trade value because of my prior points.

4) I do not want to rush Rask, much like Hannu and Razor, oh and what the hell, Price. I love how he has started two full seasons in the A, and has been accustomed to the workload a goalie must withstand and be able to build his consistency over that number of games. I would love even more if we let him backup Thomas and learn the ropes for a season or two, he will start only 20-30 games this year, and if Thomas stays, then start 30-40 the next year. After that he is prepared to be thrown into the fire, and has no excuses but to execute with his talent. I don’t think it stunts his growth, but yes I think 4 seasons of pine would do nothing but piss him off and at some point have him demand a trade.

5) The deal was necessary to keep him here. I highly doubt he stays all 4 years, and that’s why I like it.

 

As for everything else you mentioned. While I agree he is not elite in terms of all time greats, still, not one of Roy, Hasek, or Brodeur have beaten Thomas’ .933 S% of last year. Only Hasek has beaten it with an ungodly .937. You can’t put him down if he keeps improving with every season.

You may be right about some of these cup winning goalies being a bit overrated, but I think they’re a little better than above average don’t you? And if they’re not then how do you supposed they won? Is it perhaps because since goalie is such an important position a hot one can steal a series and lead a team on a cup run? Hmmm…

Also Pittsburgh had a great defense this year, they were solid from 1-6 and without that defensive depth Detroit eats them alive. So in that way they did build from the net out, while striking gold with Malkin and everyone tabbing Crosby as the next great one.

A 2 time all star and Vezina winner is not going to have ‘little’ trade value, and I’ve already covered the aging well part, as well as why I defend the deal.

I think the contracts of Sturm, Kobasew, and if he doesn’t get back to his level of talent, Bergeron’s contracts are more crippling. If we can ship out Kobasew, re-sign Kessel, and get a 2nd pairing puck moving d, then you can’t even really say the contract is handcuffing seeing as we’ve done everything we wanted to. And players leaving is just the nature of the cap, we have a young core who are all at the end of their entry-level deals, it’s not because we overpaid for our ELITE goalie.

[Cityofchampions33]

double post

[TheKilo]

We're arguing in circles.

 

If Kessel isn't back I'm going to be really, really pissed.

 

This is Chiarelli's worst move to date and one that has the potential to cripple this team for the next few years.

 

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.

[yankeessuck013]

No progress in GM Peter Chiarelli’s attempts to strike a new deal with 36-goal scorer Phil Kessel. If an offer sheet is coming from another club, it’s not likely to be made until close to the season opener in October, at which time the Bruins, with little or no cap room left by then, would be forced to let him go or frantically dump salary. Unlike the summer, when clubs are allowed to go 10 percent over the $56.8 million salary cap, there is no overage allowed once the season starts. It’s far more likely that Kessel will be signed in the next few weeks or traded well before the start of October. Restricted free agents who fail to sign by Dec. 1 are forced to sit out the remainder of the season

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/articles/2009/07/12/goal_to_make_it_to_broadway/?page=4

[BoSox21]

you guys saw Paul Mara for a little while, liked what you saw?

[Cityofchampions33]

you guys saw Paul Mara for a little while' date=' liked what you saw?[/quote']

 

I like that you guys now have people who will stick up for teammates the right way, plus Mara has quite the beard.

[yankeessuck013]

I thought he was a little over rated. He was just never a d man you noticed on the ice doing anything great. Granted I don't spend too much time watching the Bruins or Rangers because of morons like Avery, Zherdev, Redden. He got a good rap because of one real productive season with the Coyotes but after that the scoring disappeared. Might be a good 5 or 6 dman for the habs.

[castigs850]

f*** THE BRUINS THEY ARE ALLERGIC TO COLD!

[Dojji]

Wha.....?

[yankeessuck013]

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/articles/2009/07/12/goal_to_make_it_to_broadway/?page=4

 

 

The Ducks and Bruins once might have discussed a Kessel-for-Bobby Ryan swap per globe.

 

Not sure why the ducks would do that, maybe they saw Kessel as having a better upside? I'm guessing this was before Ryan had the Calder-finalist type year that he had last year. Brian Burke could possibly have been persuaded to swap Ryan for Kessel when he was Anaheim's GM, as he has tried to trade for Kessel this offseason. But for the sake of discussion, if savard turned Kessel into a 36 goal scorer, Bobby Ryan would break 50 in his first full nhl season in 09-10 if they were traded. Bobby Ryan scores from everywhere and uses his size to create opportunities. As good as Kessel was this past year, watching Ryan was something else. He is a rare talent.

[BoSox21]

Not sure why the ducks would do that' date=' maybe they saw Kessel as having a better upside?[/quote']

 

Cause Ryan was on the road to being a bust and only being known as the guy taken after Sidney Crosby

[Dojji]

Posted this at HFBoards in a thread asking us to describe players in Haiku

 

(David Krejci)

 

Many in the league

score their goals with speed and strength

I score with patience

 

(tim Thomas)

 

For eleven years

he Played with Finns and AHL

Now he owns some bling

 

(Zdeno Chara)

 

Has a mighty reach

Hits and fights and scores as well

Get out of his way

 

(Milan Lucic)

 

Beats up on the Habs

Hits them like a wrecking ball

Run Komisarek!

 

(Patrice Bergeron)

 

Didn't do so well

but you know what they all say

It's all in his head

 

(Phil Kessel)

 

Scores with speed and skill

Deadly on the breakaway

Stop the **** toe-drag!!!

 

(Blake Wheeler)

 

Scored a 1 on 5

Awesome for the future but

faded down the stretch

 

(PJ axelsson)

 

Good defensive wing

We don't have a checking line

it's time to move on

 

(Dennis Wideman)

 

Decent defensemen

when he shoots or passes he

lives up to his name

[rician blast]

Posted this at HFBoards in a thread asking us to describe players in Haiku

 

(David Krejci)

 

Many in the league

score their goals with speed and strength

I score with patience

 

(tim Thomas)

 

For eleven years

he Played with Finns and AHL

Now he owns some bling

 

(Zdeno Chara)

 

Has a mighty reach

Hits and fights and scores as well

Get out of his way

 

(Milan Lucic)

 

Beats up on the Habs

Hits them like a wrecking ball

Run Komisarek!

 

(Patrice Bergeron)

 

Didn't do so well

but you know what they all say

It's all in his head

 

(Phil Kessel)

 

Scores with speed and skill

Deadly on the breakaway

Stop the **** toe-drag!!!

 

(Blake Wheeler)

 

Scored a 1 on 5

Awesome for the future but

faded down the stretch

 

(PJ axelsson)

 

Good defensive wing

We don't have a checking line

it's time to move on

 

(Dennis Wideman)

 

Decent defensemen

when he shoots or passes he

lives up to his name

 

way too much time on your hands, bro.

[TheKilo]

Yeah what the f*** was that

[Dojji]

way too much time on your hands' date=' bro.[/quote']

 

You'll get no argument from me there.

 

Memo to the universe: Unemployment SUCKS.

[rician blast]

maybe GOM can get you a job beating up old ladies?

 

Anyway, how long you been out? what did you do prior.

[Dojji]

I was in college prior, I have about $13K in debt hanging on my @$$ that I try not to think about, and I can't leave, can't find work, and can't finish my degree.

 

If i seem a little... scatterbrained and high strung sometimes, I've got reasons.

 

Course, it'd help if someone somewhere in this goddamned valley would actually interview me. It can't all be who you know.

[BoSox21]

It can't all be who you know.

 

It's either that, how much prior experience you have in your given field or dumb luck. I got an associates degree in publications design & hypermedia technology and was unemployed for six months after graduating. Eventually, I just took a data entry position at the company I'm currently at through an employment agency and when the company took a closer look at my resume, they interviewed me for the vacant position in marketing and I've been here ever since.

 

Stay positive, someone out there needs a little Imgran in their life

[Dojji]

That's something to think about. THanks.

[Cityofchampions33]

Hunwick resigned to 2 years at a 1.45 mill cap hit

[yankeessuck013]

The Bruins are getting close to the cap and could be in the same boat the Blackhawks are in soon. They still have to re-sign Kessel this year and Wheeler, Rask, and Lucic next year. They probably will will lose Marc Savard after this season in order to keep the young guys.

 

The way I see it, they're pretty much asking teams to offer Phil Kessel an offer sheet, because they won't match it. I bet Kessel wants the kind of money that will get the 4 1st round picks for the Bruins. The Bruins don't want to pay that much.

[Cityofchampions33]

The Bruins are getting close to the cap and could be in the same boat the Blackhawks are in soon. They still have to re-sign Kessel this year and Wheeler, Rask, and Lucic next year. They probably will will lose Marc Savard after this season in order to keep the young guys.

 

The way I see it, they're pretty much asking teams to offer Phil Kessel an offer sheet, because they won't match it. I bet Kessel wants the kind of money that will get the 4 1st round picks for the Bruins. The Bruins don't want to pay that much.

 

No, they just want him to realize he's a RFA not a UFA, he doesn't have the same type of leverage and his agent thinks his goal production is worth their high demands. If anything Kobasew/Ward, maybe Ference will be shipped out to clear room and then they're looking at Zubov. Signing Kessel to a Krejci terms deal and Zubov at 1.5 would make this team Cup worthy. Zubov only comes if we trade a defenseman in my theory btw.

[yankeessuck013]

Morris signs with B's

 

1yr 3.3 mil

 

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=285661

 

Man, i thought he'd get 2.5 at the most....good player though

[ryan32]

Good signing.

[Dojji]

bye Phil....

[TheKilo]

bye Phil....

 

Tim Thomas was such an awesome signing!

[CrespoBlows]

TIM THOMAS

[Dojji]

Tim Thomas was such an awesome signing!

 

I don't buy the cause and effect there. If Chiarelli could have signed Morris to 3.3, I'm hard pressed to believe he couldn't sign Kessel to 3.5.