Ty Anderson: Halfway in, B's need to figure out their present, future

Ty, on your comment from the other board about Chara being elite in his own end.........

How many "elite" D-men would be considered a huge "liability" in the neutral and offensive zone?

How many would be on the bench for 3v3 and 4v4? And shouldn't be playong on the PP?

I see what you mean IF he is playing with a good D partner, in fact it may sound silly, but if Dougie was his partner this year BOTH players would be playong a MILLION times better.

But, even in his own end there are issues.

1. He gets beat to the outside and takes forever to turn his hips and skate with rushing players.
2. His stick handling is horrible and he fumbles with the puck on his stick.
3. When he is hit in the corners after a dump in his handling of the puck is multiplied to an even worse level.
4. He turns the puck over with transition passes and outlet passes all the time........it's like the game is too fast for him and he makes passes at a nonchalant pace and then gets burned.
5. How many times has he lost his balance and ended up ON HIS ASS with smaller players overpowering him.............? It's been a lot and it's getting kind of sad.


If it wasn't for his wingspan and his hockey IQ being so high he would NOT be on an NHL team.

We are witnessing what an aging player looks like as his body physically breaks down at a greater pace through the season.

Question is how much longer can these two remarkably special and rare assets allow him to be even serviceable?

Can't think of any other "elite" D man you would NOT want on the ice in ALL situations............maybe the offensive D men like Karlsson or Subban, but they are on the ice on every situation too.

I like Loui, but I think I'd like the return he can get better. if we sign him it's going to be for at least 4 years for 5.5M (ballpark). that will lock up the top 6 forward group assuming marchy gets his extension. now that's not terrible but I'd rather see him traded and then resign with Bos ala Antoine Vermette if he really wants to play here. just like I'd rather see the B's pursue Yandle as a UFA than trade for him now. we have log jam pieces to get rid of in Connolly, K Miller, Trotman, and Seidenberg or Morrow. we also have a few youngsters I think we should send off for some picks (koko, griffith, ferlin)

JIwasinskiJr, i feel like you have had one of these Chara rants just about every day the last 3 weeks.

No on Yandle. Not worth it at this point. If Shattenkirk is truly available due to St Louis's cap constraints that the guy you should be after.

Whats your cutoff in terms of $ for Loui?

No on Yandle. Not worth it at this point. If Shattenkirk is truly available due to St Louis's cap constraints that the guy you should be after.
- glove_was_stuck

Agree with both points. Doubt B's have the pieces to outbid other teams for Shattenkirk though. Haggerty's "picks and prospects" nonsense that he throws into every trade scenario isn't gonna get it done.

JIwasinskiJr, i feel like you have had one of these Chara rants just about every day the last 3 weeks.
- Mahewman

If he was really THAT bad, Boston would not be in playoff contention. The end is certainly near but he's played decent hockey this year, aside from the occasional egregious turnover

Agree with both points. Doubt B's have the pieces to outbid other teams for Shattenkirk though. Haggerty's "picks and prospects" nonsense that he throws into every trade scenario isn't gonna get it done.
- Willspencer10

I get that but if they're trying to dump salary why would they want salary in return. So why not Both 1st round picks. With SJ tanking there's potential for a top 10 pick. The Bruins have some decent prospects further back in the system. I would be more than happy to part with any of them not named Brandon Carlo.

Do not trade Erik. If they trade him it will be for more picks/prospects. They don't need more futures at this point. He is way too valuable, and if he takes 5.5 for 5 years, he is a steal. He provides so much. And with him as a forward, you have less need of a stronger defence. Of course you still need defense, but with the likes of Bergy, Erik and March, you have some good safety nets for developing D.

In other news, Shattenkirk for Boston's first, Subban, Morrow, and Koko.

Do not trade Erik. If they trade him it will be for more picks/prospects. They don't need more futures at this point. He is way too valuable, and if he takes 5.5 for 5 years, he is a steal. He provides so much. And with him as a forward, you have less need of a stronger defence. Of course you still need defense, but with the likes of Bergy, Erik and March, you have some good safety nets for developing D.

In other news, Shattenkirk for Boston's 2017 first, Subban, Morrow, and Koko.
- Videoj

2017 and done for Shatty...

I think they could use whatever the get for LE to flip for other things (roster players, move up draft spots) I think 5 years may be too long... if he would 3yrs I'd consider 5.5-6M. with 0 NTC

B's need to focus on the backend, there's a logjam and they need to clean it out a bit. K miller/Trotman/Seids even Mcquaid.... ship off what you can...

they should be calling Dallas to get seids over there for their playoff run....

unless they're going to get amazing returns, which I doubt a top 10 1st rounder is in the mix, they should keep Erickson and try to get in the playoffs, regardless of negotiations. He's the 2nd best winger on the team, and a lot of nights the best winger. they don't have anybody else that can step up and fill void of pp & pk either. I don't really see what they have for trade bait either to land a good D without creating a big hole elsewhere. Maybe somebody will get desperate for a goalie and cough up something for Gustafson, but that's about all we'd have to offer other teams without taking a step backwards, and that isn't much. Pretty shallow in all the other positions, can't see much happening here in February.

I get that but if they're trying to dump salary why would they want salary in return. So why not Both 1st round picks. With SJ tanking there's potential for a top 10 pick. The Bruins have some decent prospects further back in the system. I would be more than happy to part with any of them not named Brandon Carlo.
- glove_was_stuck

Yeah fair enough, I can get on board with that. I'd really like to keep that San Jose pick if possible...too bad Koko hasn't done much to help his trade value. I'd love to see us get Shattenkirk for Koko + Boston's 1st + whatever else (Subban?)

I agree with you, def. don't include Carlo. Sweeney may have been up and down, but he nailed that draft pick.

Yeah fair enough, I can get on board with that. I'd really like to keep that San Jose pick if possible...too bad Koko hasn't done much to help his trade value. I'd love to see us get Shattenkirk for Koko + Boston's 1st + whatever else (Subban?)

I agree with you, def. don't include Carlo. Sweeney may have been up and down, but he nailed that draft pick.
- Willspencer10

I feel that Koko is worthless at this point. Jordan Caron borderline Zach Hamill. Never going to translate to the pros.

EDIT: I feel like the Bruins are in a positon that if getting the still young and proven player in Shattenkirk over the picks would be worth more to them.

The Top 4 of this D core doesn't exist. Chara is very much in his twilight, Seidenberg is OK but not what he was. Otherwise you have Collin Miller who I believe in time will be a great asset on the blue line but is still learning and a glut of 5-6 and fringe guys.

EDIT 2: As much I like Krug he is not a top 4 guy. Nor do I believe he physically can be. Asking him to face teams top 6 shift after shift would not bode well. He will get ground down and burnt out. He is simply too small.

I'd like to see them hold onto Loui. I think it took him a season or so, but once he got going, he's been an all around great player for us. He's like a Bergeron light, and one of the guys you don't realize how good he is, and how much he brings to the team unless you're watching him night in, night out. I get a feeling that he'd be interested in taking a little less money to stay with Boston as long as the offer is respectable (4-5 years around $5 mil?) than he would be in leaving just to cash in on the extra $1-$1.5mil. And if you trade him, I don't think he signs with Boston in the offseason (a la Jon Lester). He fits well in Julien's system, and as long as Julien is here, I think it makes sense to keep Loui here too.

The reason I think Chara is really holding the team back is because essentially he's just tying up a roster spot and $7mil. Okay, maybe he's serviceable in his own end (he's not SHUT DOWN good anymore), but you can easily argue that he looks like a shell of himself in all areas of his game. We might take a bit of a step back without him in on D, and maybe we wouldn't be in the wild card slot right now, but I don't think it would be a HUGE step back, and it would allow the younger guys to play and develop. I think everyone realizes that this team is not a SERIOUS cup contender this year, and really what good is it to have a $7mil average defender back there holding one of the kids out of the lineup. I respect everything he's done for this team, and he was a huge part of our cup run teams over the past 5-7 years, but he's clearly not going to carry us to the cup now, and it's just preventing the development of younger players that can help us get back to being cup contenders within the next few years.

I feel that Koko is worthless at this point. Jordan Caron borderline Zach Hamill. Never going to translate to the pros.

EDIT: I feel like the Bruins are in a positon that if getting the still young and proven player in Shattenkirk over the picks would be worth more to them.

The Top 4 of this D core doesn't exist. Chara is very much in his twilight, Seidenberg is OK but not what he was. Otherwise you have Collin Miller who I believe in time will be a great asset on the blue line but is still learning and a glut of 5-6 and fringe guys.

EDIT 2: As much I like Krug he is not a top 4 guy. Nor do I believe he physically can be. Asking him to face teams top 6 shift after shift would not bode well. He will get ground down and burnt out. He is simply too small.
- glove_was_stuck

Koko is worthless, you're right... should have traded him a while ago because we're not going to get anything for him now.

Colin Miller is sick... what a great pick up by Sweeney... I guarantee LA is kicking themselves for trading him away. He'll be a staple for us on the blue line for the next several years.

Krug is probably the best overall defender on this team, and is totally capable of a top 4 role. Everyone underestimates him because of his size. Sure, it's not ideal to be 5'9" in the NHL, but it doesn't automatically rule you out from being a good player. I wouldn't necessarily want to see him on the top pairing, but the second pairing and the top PP guy, is where he belongs for sure.

It would be totally worth it to move Seidenberg this year, because if we don't we're going to be watching the same thing that's happening with Chara right now over the next two seasons, and it will be pretty much impossible to move him after this year.

In other news, Shattenkirk for Boston's first, Subban, Morrow, and Koko.
- Videoj

Holy cow, that's a lot for Shattenkirk... a 1st round pick, Subban (a 1st round pick, and highly touted G prospect), Morrow (a serviceable NHL defenseman), and Koko (good riddance). That looks like an NHL 16 trade where you're just trying to add pieces in until you fill up the little trade bar at the bottom of the screen haha.

But the biggest issue is Shattenkirk's $4.25mil cap hit, and we would need to clear space somehow to be able to fit that in. Maybe they could move Seidenberg's $4mil out to another team to free up the space. The other issue is he's a UFA at the end of the year, so I don't think they would want to trade all of that stuff mentioned for a guy that they can't be guaranteed to hold onto after this season, especially with us not being SERIOUS cup contenders this year.

Plus with him being known as an offensive D-man.. is that really what we need when we already have Krug and C. Miller in that category. That's one reason I'd like to see them stay away from Yandle as well. Really what they need is a replacement for Chara... a top pairing shutdown type d-man, and I wish Sweeney the best of luck finding that, because he's going to need it.

Holy cow, that's a lot for Shattenkirk... a 1st round pick, Subban (a 1st round pick, and highly touted G prospect), Morrow (a serviceable NHL defenseman), and Koko (good riddance). That looks like an NHL 16 trade where you're just trying to add pieces in until you fill up the little trade bar at the bottom of the screen haha.

But the biggest issue is Shattenkirk's $4.25mil cap hit, and we would need to clear space somehow to be able to fit that in. Maybe they could move Seidenberg's $4mil out to another team to free up the space. The other issue is he's a UFA at the end of the year, so I don't think they would want to trade all of that stuff mentioned for a guy that they can't be guaranteed to hold onto after this season, especially with us not being SERIOUS cup contenders this year.

Plus with him being known as an offensive D-man.. is that really what we need when we already have Krug and C. Miller in that category. That's one reason I'd like to see them stay away from Yandle as well. Really what they need is a replacement for Chara... a top pairing shutdown type d-man, and I wish Sweeney the best of luck finding that, because he's going to need it.
- mixturebill

Shattenkirk is signed until 2017.
Kelly has not yet been put on IR and you could waive Talbot, Rinaldo or Kempainnen and bury them in Providence or even better somebody claims one of them.

Ty, on your comment from the other board about Chara being elite in his own end.........

How many "elite" D-men would be considered a huge "liability" in the neutral and offensive zone?

How many would be on the bench for 3v3 and 4v4? And shouldn't be playong on the PP?

I see what you mean IF he is playing with a good D partner, in fact it may sound silly, but if Dougie was his partner this year BOTH players would be playong a MILLION times better.

But, even in his own end there are issues.

1. He gets beat to the outside and takes forever to turn his hips and skate with rushing players.
2. His stick handling is horrible and he fumbles with the puck on his stick.
3. When he is hit in the corners after a dump in his handling of the puck is multiplied to an even worse level.
4. He turns the puck over with transition passes and outlet passes all the time........it's like the game is too fast for him and he makes passes at a nonchalant pace and then gets burned.
5. How many times has he lost his balance and ended up ON HIS ASS with smaller players overpowering him.............? It's been a lot and it's getting kind of sad.


If it wasn't for his wingspan and his hockey IQ being so high he would NOT be on an NHL team.

We are witnessing what an aging player looks like as his body physically breaks down at a greater pace through the season.

Question is how much longer can these two remarkably special and rare assets allow him to be even serviceable?

Can't think of any other "elite" D man you would NOT want on the ice in ALL situations............maybe the offensive D men like Karlsson or Subban, but they are on the ice on every situation too.
- JIwasinskiJr

I have to disagree with your comments.
I have never agreed with all the "hate" for Chara from other fans across the league and especially Bruins faithful. They guy is not what he once was, I think we all can agree on that. However where would this team be without him this year?
He is eating heavy minutes while putting up average point totals for a 1-2 dman. They guy is the captain and I'm sure the forwards feel a lot better when #33 is on the ice. Other teams think twice about pulling crap.

Let the guy ride into the sunset with the B's, cause I don't see the possibility of trading him.

Holy cow, that's a lot for Shattenkirk... a 1st round pick, Subban (a 1st round pick, and highly touted G prospect), Morrow (a serviceable NHL defenseman), and Koko (good riddance). That looks like an NHL 16 trade where you're just trying to add pieces in until you fill up the little trade bar at the bottom of the screen haha.

But the biggest issue is Shattenkirk's $4.25mil cap hit, and we would need to clear space somehow to be able to fit that in. Maybe they could move Seidenberg's $4mil out to another team to free up the space. The other issue is he's a UFA at the end of the year, so I don't think they would want to trade all of that stuff mentioned for a guy that they can't be guaranteed to hold onto after this season, especially with us not being SERIOUS cup contenders this year.

Plus with him being known as an offensive D-man.. is that really what we need when we already have Krug and C. Miller in that category. That's one reason I'd like to see them stay away from Yandle as well. Really what they need is a replacement for Chara... a top pairing shutdown type d-man, and I wish Sweeney the best of luck finding that, because he's going to need it.
- mixturebill

Agree with Glove, it could happen financially. And I don't think losing Morrow is any big deal, and Subban isn't going to play in Providence forever, he may be highly touted, but I think the hype is slowly dying down. I thought Koko being thrown in there filled the trade bar lol. Also while I love Krug, if you think the added Offensive minded D is unneccesary, I think Krug becomes less valuable with adding Shattenkirk, and Krug can be traded.

Agree with Glove, it could happen financially. And I don't think losing Morrow is any big deal, and Subban isn't going to play in Providence forever, he may be highly touted, but I think the hype is slowly dying down. I thought Koko being thrown in there filled the trade bar lol. Also while I love Krug, if you think the added Offensive minded D is unneccesary, I think Krug becomes less valuable with adding Shattenkirk, and Krug can be traded.
- Videoj

Those are good points, and while I do love Krug, I would be okay moving him out for someone like Shatty, because I think Krug will probably get a decent pay increase,and I just don't know if I'd want to have a lot of money tied up in a player like him. If we could keep him at the same salary, or a slight increase ($4.5mil?), great, but if he demands a serious increase, I think we'll have to move him.

And my bad on misreading his contract... I misread and didn't see he was locked up for another year. That extra year would be great because then they could really see how he fits in with the team through the end of this year and then next year if it's not working out, maybe they could ship him out at the deadline.

JIwasinskiJr, i feel like you have had one of these Chara rants just about every day the last 3 weeks.
- Mahewman

Then I'll stop ranting about him. But, as to the "reasoning" behind the rant; Ty made a comment on the previous board about a debate we were having on Chara, and his "worth."

Ty believes him to be an elite shut down" D-man in his own end and I simply responded with my "observations" to support my arguement.

I apologize if it seems long winded, but I side with the philosophy that the best way to present your opinion and attempt to show others your thought process is to use observations and facts.......
Saying "Chara is washed up, will continue to get worse and likely will miss more time this season due to injury. And I told you this was going to happen two off seasons ago and it turns out I may be right," is much easier though.

I have to disagree with your comments.
I have never agreed with all the "hate" for Chara from other fans across the league and especially Bruins faithful. They guy is not what he once was, I think we all can agree on that. However where would this team be without him this year?
He is eating heavy minutes while putting up average point totals for a 1-2 dman. They guy is the captain and I'm sure the forwards feel a lot better when #33 is on the ice. Other teams think twice about pulling crap.

Let the guy ride into the sunset with the B's, cause I don't see the possibility of trading him.
- Tachmo

I have ZERO "hate" towards Chara. Love the guy. As a fan I want us to win a Cup again as soon as possible and I think towards that goal.

"Just making the playoffs," is a horrible goal for any Boston sports team, especially for my favorite of the group, the Bs.
For example, if the Pats lose this Saturday then the season is considered a failure. If the Kings or Hawks are not making deep runs then there seasons would be considered failures. Different mindsets from teams that have "won" the Cup and any team that has won a championship.

Agree to disagree then. The very essence of a sports comment board....

EDIT: What a deal we got on Bergy!