- DDM-Coga

- NoobasaurusRex

$59.5 million towards the cap presently.
+$4 million to sign Spooner and Connolly (low end)
+$4 million to sign Hamilton (low end)
-------------------------
$67.5 mil towards the cap after MUST signings (AGAIN, low end)

$69-$72 million estimated cap next season.

$1.5 - $4.5 million in space.
--------------

Campbell, Paille, Mquaid, Bart, Soderberg, and Svedberg walk.
Present line-up looks like:

Marchand-Bergy-Smith
Lucic-Krejci-Pasta
Ericksson-Spooner-Connolly
Kelly-Talbot- ?

Chara-Hamilton
Seidenberg-Krug
Trotman-Morrow

Rask- ?

--------------
That's, again, $1.5 - $4.5 to sign a back-up goalie and fourth liner, with-out a 7th D-man or 13th forward on the cap.

Also, keep in mind that two new rookies are slotted in the bottom four pairings.

Trading away Kelly simply for space makes sense.

Trading away Ericksson (tied with Marchand as our best winger) or Seidenberg (our third D-man) simply for space would be foolish.
Ex. If those two are traded, you then are likely going to have to "overpay" for replacements that may not be as good.

-------------------
My simple opinion.
This team as presented above with no OR minor changes is a 5-8th playoff team "at best" if they ALL have bounce back years and play near there peak.

$59.5 million towards the cap presently.
+$4 million to sign Spooner and Connolly (low end)
+$4 million to sign Hamilton (low end)
-------------------------
$67.5 mil towards the cap after MUST signings (AGAIN, low end)

$69-$72 million estimated cap next season.

$1.5 - $4.5 million in space.
--------------

Campbell, Paille, Mquaid, Bart, Soderberg, and Svedberg walk.
Present line-up looks like:

Marchand-Bergy-Smith
Lucic-Krejci-Pasta
Ericksson-Spooner-Connolly
Kelly-Talbot- ?

Chara-Hamilton
Seidenberg-Krug
Trotman-Morrow

Rask- ?

--------------
That's, again, $1.5 - $4.5 to sign a back-up goalie and fourth liner, with-out a 7th D-man or 13th forward on the cap.

Also, keep in mind that two new rookies are slotted in the bottom four pairings.

Trading away Kelly simply for space makes sense.

Trading away Ericksson (tied with Marchand as our best winger) or Seidenberg (our third D-man) simply for space would be foolish.
Ex. If those two are traded, you then are likely going to have to "overpay" for replacements that may not be as good.

-------------------
My simple opinion.
This team as presented above with no OR minor changes is a 5-8th playoff team "at best" if they ALL have bounce back years and play near there peak.
- JIwasinskiJr

- glove_was_stuck

Reading isn't for everyone, I guess.

Some people are put on the world to make or post silly videos on hockey boards.

$59.5 million towards the cap presently.
+$4 million to sign Spooner and Connolly (low end)
+$4 million to sign Hamilton (low end)
-------------------------
$67.5 mil towards the cap after MUST signings (AGAIN, low end)

$69-$72 million estimated cap next season.

$1.5 - $4.5 million in space.
--------------

Campbell, Paille, Mquaid, Bart, Soderberg, and Svedberg walk.
Present line-up looks like:

Marchand-Bergy-Smith
Lucic-Krejci-Pasta
Ericksson-Spooner-Connolly
Kelly-Talbot- ?

Chara-Hamilton
Seidenberg-Krug
Trotman-Morrow

Rask- ?

--------------
That's, again, $1.5 - $4.5 to sign a back-up goalie and fourth liner, with-out a 7th D-man or 13th forward on the cap.

Also, keep in mind that two new rookies are slotted in the bottom four pairings.

Trading away Kelly simply for space makes sense.

Trading away Ericksson (tied with Marchand as our best winger) or Seidenberg (our third D-man) simply for space would be foolish.
Ex. If those two are traded, you then are likely going to have to "overpay" for replacements that may not be as good.

-------------------
My simple opinion.
This team as presented above with no OR minor changes is a 5-8th playoff team "at best" if they ALL have bounce back years and play near there peak.
- JIwasinskiJr

Chris Kelly is coming off the books as well. So that gives us a little more room to work with. Having Chara, Lucic and Krejci playing the way they did this season for the kind of money they make is what is killing us. Those three players take up 20 million of our salary. Gives us no room to do anything. Leaving the team as is will lead to another disappoining, underachieving season. Moves have to be made, and the right ones have to be made.

Reading isn't for everyone, I guess.

Some people are put on the world to make or post silly videos on hockey boards.

- JIwasinskiJr

Chris Kelly is coming off the books as well. So that gives us a little more room to work with. Having Chara, Lucic and Krejci playing the way they did this season for the kind of money they make is what is killing us. Those three players take up 20 million of our salary. Gives us no room to do anything. Leaving the team as is will lead to another disappoining, underachieving season. Moves have to be made, and the right ones have to be made.
- TylerSeguin19

Kelly still has another year I think. Also Chara and Krejci were hurt.

Chris Kelly is coming off the books as well. So that gives us a little more room to work with. Having Chara, Lucic and Krejci playing the way they did this season for the kind of money they make is what is killing us. Those three players take up 20 million of our salary. Gives us no room to do anything. Leaving the team as is will lead to another disappoining, underachieving season. Moves have to be made, and the right ones have to be made.
- TylerSeguin19

I agree.

Question for you and everyone else to think about. We trade Kelly, whom at this point would be a fourth line player for us, and now have his $3 million to spend elsewhere.

IF, we sign a new player, where would we slot him in he line-up?

That's the point I think people are missing! If we use that Kelly money to bring in a better player then that "better" player is going to need to REPLACE one of the players on the top of the line-up.

Simply upgrading an aging fourth liner or bringing in a solid vet to replace a bottom pairing D-man is simply put, window dressing.

I don't think most guys on here understand that.

Kelly still has another year I think. Also Chara and Krejci were hurt.
- glove_was_stuck

Youre right he does. My mistake. And at 38 years old how is Chara going to get any better. It came out yesterday that he completely tore his PCL(?)

$59.5 million towards the cap presently.
+$4 million to sign Spooner and Connolly (low end)
+$4 million to sign Hamilton (low end)
-------------------------
$67.5 mil towards the cap after MUST signings (AGAIN, low end)

$69-$72 million estimated cap next season.

$1.5 - $4.5 million in space.
--------------

Campbell, Paille, Mquaid, Bart, Soderberg, and Svedberg walk.
Present line-up looks like:

Marchand-Bergy-Smith
Lucic-Krejci-Pasta
Ericksson-Spooner-Connolly
Kelly-Talbot- ?

Chara-Hamilton
Seidenberg-Krug
Trotman-Morrow

Rask- ?

--------------
That's, again, $1.5 - $4.5 to sign a back-up goalie and fourth liner, with-out a 7th D-man or 13th forward on the cap.

Also, keep in mind that two new rookies are slotted in the bottom four pairings.

Trading away Kelly simply for space makes sense.

Trading away Ericksson (tied with Marchand as our best winger) or Seidenberg (our third D-man) simply for space would be foolish.
Ex. If those two are traded, you then are likely going to have to "overpay" for replacements that may not be as good.

-------------------
My simple opinion.
This team as presented above with no OR minor changes is a 5-8th playoff team "at best" if they ALL have bounce back years and play near there peak.
- JIwasinskiJr

I agree.

Question for you and everyone else to think about. We trade Kelly, whom at this point would be a fourth line player for us, and now have his $3 million to spend elsewhere.

IF, we sign a new player, where would we slot him in he line-up?

That's the point I think people are missing! If we use that Kelly money to bring in a better player then that "better" player is going to need to REPLACE one of the players on the top of the line-up.

Simply upgrading an aging fourth liner or bringing in a solid vet to replace a bottom pairing D-man is simply put, window dressing.

I don't think most guys on here understand that.
- JIwasinskiJr

You'd have to move one of the current top 9 forwards out, along with Seids to upgrade (ie, Smith and Seids) That way you can upgrade on the backend and slot Connolly into the top 9. Either that or upgrade on forward (top 6 guy) via trade then look to free agency to add to the backend. I dont think they want Morrow full time on the blueline next season

You'd have to move one of the current top 9 forwards out, along with Seids to upgrade (ie, Smith and Seids) That way you can upgrade on the backend and slot Connolly into the top 9. Either that or upgrade on forward (top 6 guy) via trade then look to free agency to add to the backend. I dont think they want Morrow full time on the blueline next season
- TylerSeguin19

The trick is that of someone has to be willing to trade you a "better" third D-man than Seidenberg.

Are they going to take an older, possibly declining guy a year removed from ACL/MCL surgery.
AND
A streaky, possibly overpaid kid that "might" have upside and has only scored 20 goals once while playing with an elite center in Bergy, but had a very down year.

If you can make that sale then you should be the GM!


For the record I think that Seidenberg is more likely to reach his past peak performance than Chara is next season AND the $ value for Seidenberg will be better than Chara's.
A hunch.

Youre right he does. My mistake. And at 38 years old how is Chara going to get any better. It came out yesterday that he completely tore his PCL(?)
- TylerSeguin19

Well he may not improve as his skills are diminishing if that's what you're asking. But I would think Chara would return to form if he was healthy.

The trick is that of someone has to be willing to trade you a "better" third D-man than Seidenberg.

Are they going to take an older, possibly declining guy a year removed from ACL/MCL surgery.
AND
A streaky, possibly overpaid kid that "might" have upside and has only scored 20 goals once while playing with an elite center in Bergy, but had a very down year.

If you can make that sale then you should be the GM!


For the record I think that Seidenberg is more likely to reach his past peak performance than Chara is next season AND the $ value for Seidenberg will be better than Chara's.
A hunch.
- JIwasinskiJr

Well on the other side, maybe you could keep Seids and just add to the defense core via free angency. Add a better 4th d man and move Krug down

Chara - Hamilton
Seids - ???
Krug - Miller
Trotman

As far as the forwards go, is it unrealistic to think that a Kelly+Smith+1st or 2nd pick could bring you a top 6 forward? I dont think it is

Well on the other side, maybe you could keep Seids and just add to the defense core via free angency. Add a better 4th d man and move Krug down

Chara - Hamilton
Seids - ???
Krug - Miller
Trotman

As far as the forwards go, is it unrealistic to think that a Kelly+Smith+1st or 2nd pick could bring you a top 6 forward? I dont think it is
- TylerSeguin19

Yeah, your right.

That's why I'm kinda on the Petry or Andre Sekera bandwagon, I really like Sekera, his possession numbers are very good.
http://www.mynhltraderumo...hl-free-agent-defensemen/

They are the younger guys on the list STILL available, and they are entering the age in which D-men are considered in there prime.

Problem is that they are going to cost around $5.5 a year.
---------------------
Some guys were posting L.A.'s Muzzin, and he has the best CF% among D-men in the NHL. Some of that maybe due to him playing with Doughty obviously.

But, that would cost you Lucic, which I'm fine with trading, but we would still need something else back, picks.......lots and lots of picks.

And, again, I think Myers could have a big upside if we could land him.

Yeah, your right.

That's why I'm kinda on the Petry or Andre Sekera bandwagon, I really like Sekera, his possession numbers are very good.
http://www.mynhltraderumo...hl-free-agent-defensemen/

They are the younger guys on the list STILL available, and they are entering the age in which D-men are considered in there prime.

Problem is that they are going to cost around $5.5 a year.
---------------------
Some guys were posting L.A.'s Muzzin, and he has the best CF% among D-men in the NHL. Some of that maybe due to him playing with Doughty obviously.

But, that would cost you Lucic, which I'm fine with.

And, again, I think Myers could have a big upside if we could land him.
- JIwasinskiJr

I don't know how anyone here would feel about brining Dion Phaneuf in, but this would be a huge upgrade to our backend. The guy is a gamer and I believe has gotten a lot of unfair criticism. Obviously we cant afford his contract but if the Leafs were able to eat some of his salary, I think this should be a very good consideration.

We cannot trade Lucic! Every bruins fan knows what he can do, and he's an irreplaceable player. There are much better trade options if any at all. The core isn't bad, we just need to add to it and get better

I don't know how anyone here would feel about brining Dion Phaneuf in, but this would be a huge upgrade to our backend. The guy is a gamer and I believe has gotten a lot of unfair criticism. Obviously we cant afford his contract but if the Leafs were able to eat some of his salary, I think this should be a very good consideration.

We cannot trade Lucic! Every bruins fan knows what he can do, and he's an irreplaceable player. There are much better trade options if any at all. The core isn't bad, we just need to add to it and get better
- TylerSeguin19

Well here is where I'll agree to disagree with you, but not on any specific players.

We are going to need to move a "few" players in our top six and/or top two D-pairings, AND it's going to piss some Bs fans off.

Right now moving Kelly and Smith and signing a FA like Petry or Sekera would make us better on the back-end and would likely be a very good move.
------------

But our inability to score is still going to be a problem next year unless we move some of our top six players.

I don't know who we should move, but we are going to need to if we are going to ice a better team for next year.

Interesting discussion, but:

1) Petry is a UFA – the market will dictate the price but $5.5+ is likely

2) The Edmonton trade mentioned above is a pipe dream. Edmonton is looking to add to its pathetic D, and you want to remove one of the blue chip pieces it has? Never mind that the players/contracts that are coming back are overpaid. There would be much better options if those assets were being moved.

3) Its a big assumption that Hamilton signs for $4M – what happens if an offer sheet for $6.5M happens?

4) I don’t see anyone taking Chara with the remaining contract – 2 more years at $6.9M with another 1 at $4M.

5) rumour is the CAP is going to be south of $70…maybe less room than you think; and if that happens a lot of teams are going to need to dump players/contracts and the returns are going to be miniscule. It is going to be a buyers market for those teams with CAP room and budgets that can take advantage.

6) What happens if there are no places to dump the players/contracts that are no longer wanted or unaffordable? This requires a partner and no one is going to want to help out a team that put itself in this position.

Interesting discussion, but:

1) Petry is a UFA – the market will dictate the price but $5.5+ is likely

2) The Edmonton trade mentioned above is a pipe dream. Edmonton is looking to add to its pathetic D, and you want to remove one of the blue chip pieces it has? Never mind that the players/contracts that are coming back are overpaid. There would be much better options if those assets were being moved.

3) Its a big assumption that Hamilton signs for $4M – what happens if an offer sheet for $6.5M happens?

4) I don’t see anyone taking Chara with the remaining contract – 2 more years at $6.9M with another 1 at $4M.

5) rumour is the CAP is going to be south of $70…maybe less room than you think; and if that happens a lot of teams are going to need to dump players/contracts and the returns are going to be miniscule. It is going to be a buyers market for those teams with CAP room and budgets that can take advantage.

6) What happens if there are no places to dump the players/contracts that are no longer wanted or unaffordable? This requires a partner and no one is going to want to help out a team that put itself in this position.
- mbell

That's the point of the discussion, that salary dumps are not going to make the Bs better, hence they will need to move a piece or two that has value.

Kelly and smith are both guys that could get traded or almost "given" away and then maybe we could sign a Petry or a Sekera for $5.5.

But, you are preaching to the choir with me.

hopefully in teh near future, he'll take the final couple of steps up this chart


- sensarmy_11

Hahaha, Army, I was going to make this exact joke !

Kelly still has another year I think. Also Chara and Krejci were hurt.
- glove_was_stuck

Even not hurt, krej is not worth 7.2 mil, I'd trade him. There would be takers.

Youre right he does. My mistake. And at 38 years old how is Chara going to get any better. It came out yesterday that he completely tore his PCL(?)
- TylerSeguin19

Surgury!! Like he shoulda had in November!

Trade Looch to Chicago in the summer, for anyone not named Toews, Kane or Saad, he is the exact type of player they need to play on Toews line. Let's see how much the Blues try running these guys then. They would love another Al Secord type present from the Bruins!