23-24 Bruins Season Thread
- Thread starter cshea
- Start date
If the send him back to junior after up to 9 games, it doesn't burn a year of his ELC. If they send him down after 10 or more games, it does.
And if he is sent back to his junior team, Poitras cannot be called back up this season. Or at least until the season ends for his junior league team, which usually is end of March for regular season.
IMO, if he continues his training camp splash for the remaining 8 games of his tryout, the burning of the ELC year should not be a consideration.
Yeah agree here. Kid has already proven himself in the juniors, and as long as he's putting in the work and effort with the big club I don't think any of us would care about rookie mistakes or walls. He'll learn a hell of a lot more with the B's if that's the case, and he's with a pro conditioning program to help him bulk up correctly.
My biggest question: does Bergy have a spare bedroom?
If he continues to play the way he did on Wednedsay, it's a no brainer. I think the skill, talent, hockey IQ are all there. The question will be if he can do it on a consistent basis, night in night out for 82 games. So far he's carried it through 5 preseason appearances and a regular season game.
There is a bit of a door number 3 in terms of playing opportunities. They could theoretically loan him to the WJC's in December. That'd give him a few weeks off from the NHL grind if they think he needs it. They let Pasta go his first 2 years in the organization when he was bouncing between Providence and Boston, and I think one of them was basically an injury rehab assignment.
Wouldn't call it likely but if they keep him past 10 games and he hits a bit of a wall the WJC's might be an opportunity to give him a breather away from the NHL club.
There is a bit of a door number 3 in terms of playing opportunities. They could theoretically loan him to the WJC's in December. That'd give him a few weeks off from the NHL grind if they think he needs it. They let Pasta go his first 2 years in the organization when he was bouncing between Providence and Boston, and I think one of them was basically an injury rehab assignment.
Wouldn't call it likely but if they keep him past 10 games and he hits a bit of a wall the WJC's might be an opportunity to give him a breather away from the NHL club.
That's been done before and was considered with Bergeron in his rookie year (but he ended up playing too well).
Another eval point for Poitras. If that holds, he'll get more minutes against tougher competition playing with Marchand. He's been great through 2 games. Also, as a whole, the team hasn't been great at 5x5. Small sample and the Nashville game was weird with all the special teams play but so far only 2 5x5 goals scored. 5x5 scoring is probably the biggest worry for the team this season. Lot's of time off and a pretty soft schedule so now is a good time to tinker and see if you unlock something.
Heinen is still here. My guess is they told him to stick around until they make a final decision on Poitras. I suspect the main concern is the contract limit. They are at 45/50 right now, and that doesn't include Poitras. He gets counted if he makes it past the 9 games. Typically not a huge deal but given they traded so much draft capital over the past 2 drafts and the upcoming draft, I wonder if the plan is to be a bit more aggressive than usual in the UDFA market.
Heinen is still here. My guess is they told him to stick around until they make a final decision on Poitras. I suspect the main concern is the contract limit. They are at 45/50 right now, and that doesn't include Poitras. He gets counted if he makes it past the 9 games. Typically not a huge deal but given they traded so much draft capital over the past 2 drafts and the upcoming draft, I wonder if the plan is to be a bit more aggressive than usual in the UDFA market.
I don't hate those lines? Line 1 seems less than what we have gotten used to in terms of the 200 foot game. And hopefully Pasta/Jake will make up for Zacha never scoring again. I like the rest of the lines after that, though.
So
Something I didn't realize until I saw it on the Behind the B episode (Sweeney talking to coaches when they were making the roster decisions) is it's 9 games played by Poitras, and not just 9 Bruins' games. I was thinking it was the latter. So they could stretch out his time with the big club (practices, etc) if they want. It will have limited value, but he doesn't just disappear as soon as the Bruins hit Game 9 of the season.
I don't view this as a demotion of Coyle. He's been perfectly fine. The top 6 in general hasn't played well so far, thus the changes across the board.
So far Coyle is basically break even by xG. He's also taken the most defensive zone draws on the team and leads the forwards in PK time on ice.
So far Coyle is basically break even by xG. He's also taken the most defensive zone draws on the team and leads the forwards in PK time on ice.
I have to think this is in part to get DeBrusk going a bit more. Its only been two games but he has no points and is not yet the force we've seen in the past. He needs to fly more and putting him with Pasty and Zacha will certainly help in that regard.
Why do we have to wait until Thursday until the next game? The Bye week is the first week of the season?
I have been chomping at the bit for more B's games. It's crazy to me they've only had 2 games so far and still dont even play until tomorrow.
Hopefully this Thursday night game is of better quality then NFL Thursday night games.
Unfortunately it will be ending after the Thursday night NFL game so very few B's fans will find out.
This used to be the old “The circus is in town at the Garden” week, which the schedule makers would send the team on their west coast trip. The circus no longer exists, but I guess they still schedule other events for this week.
I don't hate a long road trip early in the season. Good for team bonding, especially given the loss of Bergeron and Krejci.
This is their third game (2 last year including a playoff game) and they haven't seen a win yet, they are very disappointed lol
They absolutely love going though
I think I see the problem.
Mac Jones.
(edit -I hope that was taken in the spirit of an olive branch)
It also gives the team a chance to assess Poitras -- and everyone else that's new -- in potentially less-favorable matchups in road games.
Man, I didn't realize that after this long break the next two games don't start until 10:30 PM Eastern. This schedule sucks.
Expectations isn’t the right word, but I feel like my threshold for a successful season is much lower this year. The early wins are great but I still find myself hoping this can be a retool on the fly kind of year. Hell, maybe even recoup some draft capital if you know this is it for DeBrusk here or someone is really into our corps of old 1 year guys. Only a 4/5/6 in ‘24 and the all-in trades left us without a 2/4 in ‘25.
Have to be willing to sustain some losses and iffy play in order to find out if Beecher/Poitras/Lysell/Lohrei/etc can step up and fill in some gaps rather than keep shipping out picks. They may not have a choice this year anyway given the cap but I really want to see them commit to some organic team-building now that we don’t have Bergy to rely on anymore as maybe the best floor-raising player in the league.
Even if we don’t think Sweeney is anything special as a drafter, well, we’ve got a teenager picked 54th a year ago looking credible as a top 6 center so I’m willing to take more shots. Getting multiple ELC years from multiple players can create a ton of excess value but there just hasn’t been the right mix of players/opportunity to make it happen in recent years.
Edit: Forgot to add, feels like we can safely not give a shit about home ice advantage anyways. Pointless to worry about.
Have to be willing to sustain some losses and iffy play in order to find out if Beecher/Poitras/Lysell/Lohrei/etc can step up and fill in some gaps rather than keep shipping out picks. They may not have a choice this year anyway given the cap but I really want to see them commit to some organic team-building now that we don’t have Bergy to rely on anymore as maybe the best floor-raising player in the league.
Even if we don’t think Sweeney is anything special as a drafter, well, we’ve got a teenager picked 54th a year ago looking credible as a top 6 center so I’m willing to take more shots. Getting multiple ELC years from multiple players can create a ton of excess value but there just hasn’t been the right mix of players/opportunity to make it happen in recent years.
Edit: Forgot to add, feels like we can safely not give a shit about home ice advantage anyways. Pointless to worry about.
I’d call it a reset more than a retool. The lack of capital means they aren’t going to be aggressive in the trade market and most of the improvements will need to come internally. They’ll see what the kids can do but the season won’t hinge on their performance.
That said, they are still a really good team. Probably the best goaltending and defense in the league. The formula is get to 3 goals and win lots of games. And if last year taught us anything, it’s you just need a ticket to the dance in April.
That said, they are still a really good team. Probably the best goaltending and defense in the league. The formula is get to 3 goals and win lots of games. And if last year taught us anything, it’s you just need a ticket to the dance in April.
To build off your post, they have a legit MVP candidate, 2 Norris caliber d men, a top 5 LW, and the best goalie tandem in the league (as you said). They aren't going to set any records but a lot of teams would happily trade rosters with them for this season.
No one thought they would set records last year, either. 4 down, 62 to go.
Edit: I’ll never forget telling my son that they won the opener last year when he woke up… and his response was “I guess you could say they’re on a roll”. I was like dude they won one game. But he was prescient.
Edit: I’ll never forget telling my son that they won the opener last year when he woke up… and his response was “I guess you could say they’re on a roll”. I was like dude they won one game. But he was prescient.
He was definitely in the right places at the right times, which usually means hard work and smarts.
That is how Bergeron scored goals as a rookie. Not that I am comparing the two. Bergeron came in at age 18, youngest player in the league, and less then 2 years removed from whatever level of hockey comes before major junior when he made the jump to the NHL. Poitras has had an easier path than that.
100% agree. I thought he'd be a little more hesitant to go deep and hard into the corners against some of the bigger guys out there, but he's scrappy.
I hate to say it but I will - that, too, was Bergeron as a rookie, wooden stick and all.
That was done two weeks ago with Purdy and the Niners. The Niners one is funnier though with a trashing of Lance.
I did not realize how fast Poitras is:
https://www.nhl.com/video/bos-chi-poitras-scores-goal-against-blackhawks-6339810664112
https://www.nhl.com/video/bos-chi-poitras-scores-goal-against-blackhawks-6339810664112