Hamilton for Hamonic???

From EDM or Buffalo, yes. I'd take my chances.
- glove_was_stuck

Agreed. If it is a very low non playoff team, getting a top 5 pick, seems easy to swallow losing a guy we'd have to tie up 7 million+ for. (Not to mention an additional 2nd and 3rd)

From EDM or Buffalo, yes. I'd take my chances.
- glove_was_stuck

Really? I find this hard to believe. The damage done to the Bruins future/fan base would be pretty drastic. You might as well tank in 2016. Plus the Bruins haven't drafted/developed talent all that well so I'm not exactly sure why this would be the best course of action.

The Bruins haven't done much to instill confidence in upgrading the roster for 16-17. As of right now we could be looking at a fringe playoff team as it is and dealing Dougie for draft picks that aren't named McDavid is going nuclear. If you wanted to move Dougie for some big league talent I could get on board with that but a couple of faceless draft picks would be a hard sell.

«That contract made Subban the highest paid defenseman in the league. It also showed off the potential pitfalls of challenging your players to ‘show me’ bridge deals in the sense that the Habs were paying Subban $9 million per season when they arguably could have paid him closer to Pietrangelo’s aforementioned $6.5 million per year cap-hit had they believed/invested/whatever from the start.»

Some Habs fans still don't get this. Thanks for pointing this for them.

They could end up making the same mistake with Galchenyuk.

Really? I find this hard to believe. The damage done to the Bruins future/fan base would be pretty drastic. You might as well tank in 2016. Plus the Bruins haven't drafted/developed talent all that well so I'm not exactly sure why this would be the best course of action.

The Bruins haven't done much to instill confidence in upgrading the roster for 16-17. As of right now we could be looking at a fringe playoff team as it is and dealing Dougie for draft picks that aren't named McDavid is going nuclear. If you wanted to move Dougie for some big league talent I could get on board with that but a couple of faceless draft picks would be a hard sell.
- tunmasterflex

So isn't signing him to a 7x7. Question: Where is the money coming from?

It's nice to say yes let's dump Lucic, Smith, Kelly, and Seidenberg. Gives me a nice warm feeling. But, with a barren farm system who replaces them?

For example you dump Lucic. You're still 1 mil behind and down a winger. You can't get what you should get on a return for Lucic that way. Makes the deal and the resulting trade bad.

Nobody wants Kelly.
Nobody wants Seidenberg.
Smith is not enough relief and really only worth a c- level prospect or Zach Kassian if the Bruins were totally lucky on their best day.

To me it feels like if you sign him you're (frank)ed, if you let him go you may be (frank)ed but with high picks from a bad team you have the chance to restock the farm with quality talent. Combine with the right moves salary wise and you could be back on track in 2-3 years.

Hamilton for Hamonic???
- Ur Not Me

better... Kelly for a Hammock.

You can get one down at Hammocks R Us, ... right next to Hammocks Hammocks Hammocks.. .you know, down in the Hammock district.

So isn't signing him to a 7x7. Question: Where is the money coming from?

It's nice to say yes let's dump Lucic, Smith, Kelly, and Seidenberg. Gives me a nice warm feeling. But, with a barren farm system who replaces them?

For example you dump Lucic. You're still 1 mil behind and down a winger. You can't get what you should get on a return for Lucic that way. Makes the deal and the resulting trade bad.

Nobody wants Kelly.
Nobody wants Seidenberg.
Smith is not enough relief and really only worth a c- level prospect or Zach Kassian if the Bruins were totally lucky on their best day.

To me it feels like if you sign him you're (frank)ed, if you let him go you may be (frank)ed but with high picks from a bad team you have the chance to restock the farm with quality talent. Combine with the right moves salary wise and you could be back on track in 2-3 years.
- glove_was_stuck

I like sieds,.. he was solid at end of the year,.. and at 4 million, he's a good value. And I'm sure they could trade Kelly for something.. anything... theres an ass for every seat....

I like sieds,.. he was solid at end of the year,.. and at 4 million, he's a good value. And I'm sure they could trade Kelly for something.. anything... theres an ass for every seat....
- 77emac77

Sure. Say you can dump Seidenberg and Kelly. So there's Hamilton's 7Mil. You're still missing a wing/center and a defender, you won't have enough to go get them in free agency....not that there's much out there. That means 2 guys from Providence have to come up so Kochlachev and Morrow/Warsofsky/Breen? Yikes.

EDIT: Breen and Warsofksy are up too. So... Casto? Arnesson?

Hamilton is good not proven. That's the part the reamains tricky. Yes he has the potential to become a star, but you don't pay a player for his potential, you pay him for his current play on ice. 7 Million for Hamilton is a joke considering he would be earning more money than way better defense that him (peitriangelo, Karlsson to name a couple).

I say a bridge contract is worth it, because in the end, its easier to come terms with paying big money someone who has developed over his bridge contract into a solid star, rather than living with the disappointment of overpaying someone who never really develop into the player he was cut out to be.

My two cents.

better... Kelly for a Hammock.

You can get one down at Hammocks R Us, ... right next to Hammocks Hammocks Hammocks.. .you know, down in the Hammock district.
- 77emac77

Simpsons reference? I like it, even if it isn't a reference

Hamilton is good not proven. That's the part the reamains tricky. Yes he has the potential to become a star, but you don't pay a player for his potential, you pay him for his current play on ice. 7 Million for Hamilton is a joke considering he would be earning more money than way better defense that him (peitriangelo, Karlsson to name a couple).

I say a bridge contract is worth it, because in the end, its easier to come terms with paying big money someone who has developed over his bridge contract into a solid star, rather than living with the disappointment of overpaying someone who never really develop into the player he was cut out to be.

My two cents.
- PtotheY

Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head. Right now I think it would be best to sign a bridge for Dougie for 3 years (the remaining amount of time we have to watch Chara absolutely struggle to be half of an NHL defenseman) at a modest rate of $4-$6 million. Then if he shows that he can be the defenseman of the future, then we sign him for long term, big money after that. He'd only be 24/25 at that time and entering the prime of his career when he should be making big money. At that point we'll also have Chara's money off the books, and that should free up the necessary money to pay Dougie (and have all of the money necessary assuming that he becomes the star #1 d-man people expect him to be). If he falters in that time, or doesn't play up to the star #1 d-man, then we assess and sign/let him walk accordingly. Unless we can sign him long term now for like $5-$7 million, then I'd say to take that deal because we will probably be paying him Subban money after that 3 year bridge.

"Who’s your heir apparent to top-pairing d-man Zdeno Chara when he decides to hang ‘em up? And I don’t care what anybody tells you or how much time Chara spends in the gym, that’s coming within the next five years you’d think, which will most definitely sneak up on you and come with a gradual dip in Chara’s overall play as a premier defender."

5 years is a very, very nice estimate to be giving Chara. What did he show you at any point during the entire last season that says he even has two or three years left in the league? The dude could not play last year. He was a shell of himself in every aspect of his play. His game is not going to take a gradual dip, because it straight plunged off a cliff last year. The entire season it was "just wait until Chara is healthy," and it never happened. It was paiunful to watch... He does no good for us on the ice, and his pride is going to continue to hurt the team for as long as he chooses to play. If any team is willing to take him, I would trade him away for a bag of pucks just to free up the cap space at this point, because he isn't worth anything near his $7million cap hit.

Simpsons reference? I like it, even if it isn't a reference
- Videoj

that was one of the best simpsons episodes ever... Hank Scorpio.. probably got txt a little wrong but whatever....

that was one of the best simpsons episodes ever... Hank Scorpio.. probably got txt a little wrong but whatever....
- 77emac77

"The good thing at Maryanne's Hammocks is, Maryanne gets in the hammock with you!"

"Who’s your heir apparent to top-pairing d-man Zdeno Chara when he decides to hang ‘em up? And I don’t care what anybody tells you or how much time Chara spends in the gym, that’s coming within the next five years you’d think, which will most definitely sneak up on you and come with a gradual dip in Chara’s overall play as a premier defender."

5 years is a very, very nice estimate to be giving Chara. What did he show you at any point during the entire last season that says he even has two or three years left in the league? The dude could not play last year. He was a shell of himself in every aspect of his play. His game is not going to take a gradual dip, because it straight plunged off a cliff last year. The entire season it was "just wait until Chara is healthy," and it never happened. It was paiunful to watch... He does no good for us on the ice, and his pride is going to continue to hurt the team for as long as he chooses to play. If any team is willing to take him, I would trade him away for a bag of pucks just to free up the cap space at this point, because he isn't worth anything near his $7million cap hit.
- mixturebill

This guy gets it!

If it takes 200 games in the NHL to know what you have in a D-man and D-men are the hardest to develop.........how long would it take for us to draft and develop our next top pairing D-man?

OVER THREE YEARS! That would be called a rebuild!

Unrelated topic but what would Loui Eriksson cost? I know the habs and bruins don't like to do business but i know you guys are shopping him and he's a RW that we desperately need and has only one year left on his contract with a decent cap hit. I think he would do good with a change of scenery.

Unrelated topic but what would Loui Eriksson cost? I know the habs and bruins don't like to do business but i know you guys are shopping him and he's a RW that we desperately need and has only one year left on his contract with a decent cap hit. I think he would do good with a change of scenery.
- maxbart5

I think he is our best winger. Second best possession driver after Bergy. And with all the hate in Boston for the guy he is a waaaaaay better goal scorer plus he is more consistent than Lucic.

Unless it's an upgrade I wouldn't trade him......at least yet. Maybe at the deadline if we are as crappy as we probably are going to be.

Maybe for Petry?

I think he is our best winger. Second best possession driver after Bergy. And with all the hate in Boston for the guy he is a waaaaaay better goal scorer plus he is more consistent than Lucic.

Unless it's an upgrade I wouldn't trade him......at least yet. Maybe at the deadline if we are as crappy as we probably are going to be.

Maybe for Petry?
- JIwasinskiJr

Just signed him, doubt Petry will be going anywhere. I was thinking more along the lines of picks and prospects.

Just signed him, doubt Petry will be going anywhere. I was thinking more along the lines of picks and prospects.
- maxbart5

I know. Wishful thinking.

If I'm the GM, Ericksson is one of the guys I keep for this coming season. His contract is a great value. And I don think the return would be worth his loss.

I have two other guys in mind making much more that I would try to trade for picks first.

I know. Wishful thinking.

If I'm the GM, Ericksson is one of the guys I keep for this coming season. His contract is a great value. And I don think the return would be worth his loss.

I have two other guys in mind making much more that I would try to trade for picks first.
- JIwasinskiJr

Who would those guys be?