Cleared what players?

He wasn't going to be able to move Horn without taking someone back

He bought out JJ, and retained to move Bjugstad

The only guy he brought in for nothing was [email protected] Million and he signed Jarry and McCann to pretty reasonable deals. Should he have let them walk?

You're salty about 3.2 Million?

ERod and Jank can be moved off the cap by being sent to the AHL
- TheGame316

You're misreading what I'm saying. I'm saying we could have 6+ million right now with desperate sellers and players taking less than they deserve.....while having that first round pick and Halander as a prospect.

I have no problem with the Hornie deal. No other way to clear his cap hit. He's one of my favorite Pens, but he clearly wasn't going to be used in his proper role. Might as well trade him for a player that we need.

What were we going to trade a 1st for? Good players on cheap deals are like gold right now. We obviously wouldn't have been able to afford to get a top tier player for a 1st

We *maybe* missed out on a 3.2 million Free Agent, Maybe a Craig Smith type vs Kapanen, but Kapanen is not some scrub, he's cheap this year and next and then is an RFA

It's a buyers market for Free Agents, It's not a buyers market for young players on value contracts
- TheGame316

Kapanen is accurately valued as a third liner. He’s not some kind of incredible young stud that we picked up for pucks. A first and our best expendable prospect was certainly an overpayment.

Don’t get it twisted: axing JJ was the single most important move we needed to make, but we also needed to do more and we didn’t. The Bruins just got so much better I can’t fathom being competitive with Them next year. But hey: anything can happen in the playoffs so if we can just get there I guess anything can happen.
- Victoro311

Oh no doubt it was the single most important move, without question, but I'm not down with these low cost gambles in Sid/Genos last elite years, especially not when Im seeing how other teams are doing this off season.

Kapanen is accurately valued as a third liner. He’s not some kind of incredible young stud that we picked up for pucks. A first and our best expendable prospect was certainly an overpayment.
- Victoro311

I think GMJR's willingness to include Hallander says a lot about whether he was our best prospect or not

I think the org had a different opinion and threw him in with perceived value. Time will tell

GMJR went and got a piece he needed. We could have 6 million in cap and every "value" free agent choosing to go elsewhere with us still with a hole in the top 6. Perhaps the speedy guy he's looking for 3 million with hands isn't available anymore, Trade or otherwise

Oh no doubt it was the single most important move, without question, but I'm not down with these low cost gambles in Sid/Genos last elite years, especially not when Im seeing how other teams are doing this off season.
- MattStrat

They’re not even gambles. How good can E Rod or Jankowski possibly be? They’re just filler.

I think GMJR's willingness to include Hallander says a lot about whether he was our best prospect or not

I think the org had a different opinion and threw him in with perceived value. Time will tell

GMJR went and got a piece he needed. We could have 6 million in cap and every "value" free agent choosing to go elsewhere us still with a hole in the top 6. Perhaps the speedy guy for 3 million with hands isn't available anymore, Trade or otherwise
- TheGame316

Best Expendable*

We weren’t trading Poulin, POJ, or Legere because they’re close and we need impact players on ECLs. Halander was the one dude we could trade that had value around the league. That’s my point. The 1st and Halander were the two best trade chips we had and we used them on a third liner.

Best Expendable*

We weren’t trading Poulin, POJ, or Legere because they’re close and we need impact players on ECLs. Halander was the one dude we could trade that had value around the league. That’s my point. The 1st and Halander were the two best trade chips we had and we used them on a third liner.
- Victoro311

How do you know Hallander has value around the league? Perhaps the book was out and he HAD value and scouts had started to sour on him. Wouldn't be the first time a prospect just plateaued and it was time to move him before his value sank

Like I said, time will tell

I've seen this board too many times loathe the moving of "prospects" only to never hear their name again except for HockeyDB when I'm researching some old trade

They’re not even gambles. How good can E Rod or Jankowski possibly be? They’re just filler.
- Victoro311

I guess the gamble is with Sid and Genos time...

How do you know Hallander has value around the league? Perhaps the book was out and he HAD value and scouts had started to sour on him. Wouldn't be the first time a prospect just plateaued and it was time to move him before his value sank

Like I said, time will tell

I've seen this board too many times loathe the moving of "prospects" only to never hear their name again except for HockeyDB when I'm researching some old trade
- TheGame316

Yeah sure that’s possible. Our prospect could just suck. Our 15th overall pick in a deep draft should have had a lot more value than Kapanen, though, and I’ll die on that hill.

How do you know Hallander has value around the league? Perhaps the book was out and he HAD value and scouts had started to sour on him. Wouldn't be the first time a prospect just plateaued and it was time to move him before his value sank

Like I said, time will tell

I've seen this board too many times loathe the moving of "prospects" only to never hear their name again except for HockeyDB when I'm researching some old trade
- TheGame316

This is an extreme buyers market. Like none we've seen since the cap was introduced.

Rutherford did well in clearing players with no "fit". BUT, he jumped the gun on spending that money. No question in my mind.

Don’t get it twisted: axing JJ was the single most important move we needed to make, but we also needed to do more and we didn’t. The Bruins just got so much better I can’t fathom being competitive with Them next year. But hey: anything can happen in the playoffs so if we can just get there I guess anything can happen.
- Victoro311

Is the Bruins defense better this upcoming season though? Real question because idk what's in their pipeline, but they lost Krug and idk if Chara is gonna return but he old as hell anyways haha.

Is the Bruins defense better this upcoming season though? Real question because idk what's in their pipeline, but they lost Krug and idk if Chara is gonna return but he old as hell anyways haha.
- 668710

Krug is a loss but I think their blue line is good enough to take that hit to a certain extent. I don’t have a great read on Chara’s impact anymore. He probably sucks but sometimes I watch him and feel like he’s still great. Might be nostalgia though.

100%...

...not yet, anyway. Off season isn't over yet.

EDIT: well actually one could argue Matheson is in that territory, depending on how he performs of course..
- MattStrat

Yeah I agree but disagree. I think matheson was more of a lateral for a bad contract for a bad contract except horny didn’t have a spot on the team really. And without MM as a 3rd LD who knows if jj is bought out. If TJ can’t be given away I doubt Horny could of been moved as a straight cap dump.

So I agree but bit more of a complicated situation with him.

Krug is a loss but I think their blue line is good enough to take that hit to a certain extent. I don’t have a great read on Chara’s impact anymore. He probably sucks but sometimes I watch him and feel like he’s still great. Might be nostalgia though.
- Victoro311

He probably still gets poop done haha, I would say his top end at this point in his career is a number 4(2nd pair not being the main guy) but I suppose their D is good enough. Hopefully Rask and Halak have an off year

I’m I retested to see how staal and Eakins do in buff. I know Eakins was mentioned hear many times as a possible 3c I think buff has had a good offseason, obviously hall boosts that. A couple good d and some of their prospects developing and they might see some playoffs... maybe haha

That's what ya'll said about JJ.
- Blackstrom2

I can say it was mainly me lol I wanted him to work out but Ruth f’d everything right from the bat giving him $3M + per for 5 years. That was a joke of a contract.

This is an extreme buyers market. Like none we've seen since the cap was introduced.

Rutherford did well in clearing players with no "fit". BUT, he jumped the gun on spending that money. No question in my mind.
- madmike71

What deals really stand out that have been signed so far, that would be difference makers?

Craig Smith @3.1, Jesper Fast@2 and maybe [email protected]

Keep in mind, Smith and Fast we let go by teams that easily had capspace to resign them, and didn't seem to even make them an offer

And we could have afforded all 3, If GMJR wanted those guys, assuming (and big assumption) that they would come here for those $$. We have no idea about other guys (Hoffman, Toffoli, Dadanov) until they sign

Ehem. That’s what one specific person said about JJ.
- Victoro311

Hello 👋

I would want to wait mid season if at all possible to trade petts for cap space. Or hopefully Matheson can kill it much like schultz in a sheltered role and get some trade value but I think of that happens jr will just be extra hot n’ horny to trade petts. Here’s hoping Marino is good enough to carry matheson.
- 10inchTerror

Funny how everyone expects Matheson to fail...he’s more skilled than you might think.

Funny how everyone expects Matheson to fail...he’s more skilled than you might think.
- Barnaby36

Don't do this, I say you talk negative about him haha. But seriously at his peak I'm expecting Schultz level of play.

Funny how everyone expects Matheson to fail...he’s more skilled than you might think.
- Barnaby36

Here we go again

Here we go again
- Victoro311

Lol

It's a different world, but I think Rutherford has mostly butchered this off season. I give him credit for being proactive in clearing the roster of players that didn't have roles, but the Kap thing was rushed and unnecessary even though I like the player. If someone like me could foresee the current environment (fire sales), why couldn't JR? He should have cleared those players and sat on the cap space. It was obvious this climate was coming. I tend to give Rutherford a lot of rope, but this off season was a missed opportunity. It's unfortunate.
- madmike71

He actually has the cap space to sign a guy like Smith or Fast. Just has chosen not to get a guy like that to this point, or at least they haven't wanted to sign here.

Lol
- 668710

Ive said it a few timers but I’ve actually talked myself into Matheson maybe being good in a sheltered role here. But people that think he’d make Petterssen expendable don’t get it. His contract is horrendous.

He actually had the cap space to sign a guy like Smith or Fast. Just has chosen not to get a guy like that to this point, or at least they haven't wanted to sign here.
- Tojo.

I will give Rutherford the benefit of the doubt that Fast and Smith have signed with more interesting teams. Maybe e just never had shot and these guys want to win?