I only traded contracts signed in the off-season (except for DeBrusk, but he could be flipped anywhere for picks to make room for Tatar, just simplified it). I think this team is not only better, but much more in line with what Boston should be trying to do at this point in time.
Ullmark is a fine goalie. The problem is that raw save percentage usually favors goalies on bad teams. Buffalo as a team gives up more predictable shots, as they are typically more in their own zone. Compared to a goalie on a good team, that sees more breakaways (per shot) Ullmark sees his expected save percentage be higher, and he doesn't really play above expectation. I think there are several better options for Boston, not necessarily because they are way better goalies, but because their contracts make more sense for this team. I do however hold Brossoit in higher regard, and I think a 2-year term and lower cap hit works better with regards to both Rask and the development of Swayman/Keyser etc.
Tatar signed one of he best deals for a competing team looking for a competent top 6 winger. Boston's rich forward group puts him in an even more advantagous situation to score.
- "b-but he was scratched in the cup finals..." - shut up Habsfan69, I don't care. He shouldn't have been. He had poor shooting luck but still tilted the ice in his teams favor. The archetype of a player who'll always be underpaid. Honorable mention here goes to Saad, who I would've taken on the same cap hit, it's just that he got more term.
Kase for a cap hit that's buried in the minors or on LTIR is a no-brainer. Just sign him. You never end up in a losing scenario by doing it. No risk, plenty of upside. Every GM should give out this contract.
Danault got paid, and probably moreso than I thought. However, if you're letting Krejci go you're not replacing any of that with Foligno. Nick's greatest strength is as a defensive forward, and is just a worse version of Danault. The positive of Foligno's contract is the term, but Boston is going for it right now, and if there was a player and position to hand out a bigger contract to, it was to Danault and more importantly at 2C. The only option I would consider here is trading for Eichel or offer-sheeting Pettersson. None of those actions are possible regardless, after signing Foligno to this cap hit. It's probably still the most understandable move of the ones I've re-done here.
Haula is one of the worst hockey players in the entire league. It's not even the cap-hit that bothers me the most, cause he would do almost equal amounts of damage at 750k, as long as he gets the playing time the contract indicates. I just don't understand how you watch him struggle most of his career, watch the Preds take a chance on him, the complete nosedive that followed, and come away with the idea that signing him is a good idea. I really, really dislike this signing.
Forbort is a 3rd pairing defenseman. I wouldn't pay him anything over 1.5m. He's okay on the PK as well, which matters a bit I guess. Nemeth isn't a good PK'er, but so much better at 5on5, which especially come playoff time, is how hockey is typically played. Fine-ish signing, but there's no reason for him to get paid as much as the obvious Comparison in Reilly, who's just a really effective defenseman who carried Carlo through the second half of last season.
I don't understand why they didn't just sign Rask now, and let him rehab under contract. Seems weird for a player not only as good as he is, but also considering his status with the franchise as a whole.
I'm really happy with the Reilly and Hall signings. Nosek seems like a good bet.
All things considered, I think this team that I post is a serious top 4-5 contender with the usual suspects (Tampa, Avs, Vegas, maybe Toronto). I think the current Bruins roster is a middle-of-the-playoff-pack team that needs a serious acquisition at some point before the playoffs to really compete.
Yeah these would've been better signings/moves for the Bruins, have watched Brossoit for the last few years for the Jets and he's pretty good, anytime he was in net I had as much faith in him as I do Hellebuyck, Brossoit seems like a goalie that needs to play more to be effective though, he'll be better in a 1B role then in a backup role.
I’m not sure you know hockey sorry, ullmark thing with the predictable shot is stupid, bro there is nothing predictable with the d that sabres had last year, the only predictable thing was turnover, saying haula is worth 750k is just clown ahaha, danault isn’t a #2 center in this team, he will succeed in a deep middle line with more offensive center sa that he can play against the best and shut them down, I agree about forbot that he isn’t worth that, but the whole dman market was overpay, kase could have been sign I agree, foligno is the perfect fit but overpay, Tatar is a good forward no doubt but isn’t what we needed
So overall bad job
I’m not sure you know hockey sorry, ullmark thing with the predictable shot is stupid, bro there is nothing predictable with the d that sabres had last year, the only predictable thing was turnover, saying haula is worth 750k is just clown ahaha, danault isn’t a #2 center in this team, he will succeed in a deep middle line with more offensive center sa that he can play against the best and shut them down, I agree about forbot that he isn’t worth that, but the whole dman market was overpay, kase could have been sign I agree, foligno is the perfect fit but overpay, Tatar is a good forward no doubt but isn’t what we needed
So overall bad job
I made a generalization regarding Ullmark, but you can look up any expected figure for goalies and he's no better than average. Shot quality matters. This is why every goalie who left Columbus looks absolute garbage for example.
Danault is incredible defensively, and I think you don't see it because you have no sound way of evaluating defense. This goes into my next point cause...
Man are you in for whatever the reverse of a treat is when you watch Haula this season. He's one of the worst defensive players in the league. This are the stats of a poor 4th liner. Any AHL callup is likely to do better.
Agree with most of this. The part you missed completely on is calling Toronto a top 4 contender in the league lol
Well, in fairness I think Tampa, the Avs and Vegas are the perennial contenders, but they're all shedding salary or getting older this year. I think Toronto is young in the right places, potentially better in goal, and was still sitting comfortably above the other canadian teams this past season. So my thinking is with those 3 teams probably getting worse, this Bruins team might bridge the gap to Toronto for a top 5 rather than top 3. If you have Toronto much further down, we just disagree completely.
Well, in fairness I think Tampa, the Avs and Vegas are the perennial contenders, but they're all shedding salary or getting older this year. I think Toronto is young in the right places, potentially better in goal, and was still sitting comfortably above the other canadian teams this past season. So my thinking is with those 3 teams probably getting worse, this Bruins team might bridge the gap to Toronto for a top 5 rather than top 3. If you have Toronto much further down, we just disagree completely.
Was more of a tongue in cheek comment that you took seriously but tough to judge tone online.
On a serious note, I agree with your top 3, I think the leafs are talented but at this point I do think there’s something fundamentally they’re missing to take a step in the playoffs which I’d need to see before putting them as a top 5 contender personally. I have them bunched with teams like the Bruins, Isles, Pens, Caps, Canes, Panthers (might be missing a team or two). I’d likely take most of those teams ahead of the Leafs at this point but also wouldn’t be surprised if they beat any of those teams eventually in the playoffs.
Was more of a tongue in cheek comment that you took seriously but tough to judge tone online.
On a serious note, I agree with your top 3, I think the leafs are talented but at this point I do think there’s something fundamentally they’re missing to take a step in the playoffs which I’d need to see before putting them as a top 5 contender personally. I have them bunched with teams like the Bruins, Isles, Pens, Caps, Canes, Panthers (might be missing a team or two). I’d likely take most of those teams ahead of the Leafs at this point but also wouldn’t be surprised if they beat any of those teams eventually in the playoffs.
Yeah I had Carolina solidly in a top 4 this past season, but losing Dougie will probably put them into that secondary tier. I think I agree with most of those teams, but I've always had Boston and Toronto atop of that list. In my mind it's moreso because the top of the Atlantic that Toronto hasn't had playoff success, with both the Bruins and Tampa having long runs lately. I'd have the Bruins and Toronto just behind that top tier, but I don't think we're too far off agreeing at least!
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