Jamie Benn

[Future]

It's not that bad

They've got goal tending and a very good top nine. Lucic, if not traded, will be playing for a contract. He grossly underachieved this season

Defense was decimated with injuries but Krug and Trotman showed up and look like they belong.

Cap management will decide the fate of next years Bruins. They need a top 2 defenseman and reliable top six RW. Keeping Mcquaid would be big too.

I hope everyone writes off the Bruins.

They're going to lose at least one of Eriksson and Lucic, if not both. They've been successful b/c of their depth, and they're going to lose both Campbell and Paille. Connolly, Spooner, Soderberg, Hamilton, Bartkowski and McQuaid are probably all in line for raises.

As of now, they're committed to $62 mil, giving them 9ish million to play with. That's not enough to re-sign their guys and get any better. Move Lucic/Eriksson for cap reasons, and you're adding another hole. If it was me, I'd trade Chara and his giant cap hit, as well as Marchand to get the greatest return.

With Chiarelli gone, there's going to be plenty of changes.

 

[RastaRocket]

No they didn't.

You think they thought the addition of Louie and Smith was a 'put them over the top' move? LOL

They traded Seguin, rightly or wrongly, because they didn't like the player in the locker room or the system.

They won a cup and went to another with Seguin on the roster.

lol

It was a cap dump and they chose to keep older players to win now.

 

[Future]

It was a cap dump and they chose to keep older players to win now.

Seguin was making less than a million when they traded him.

Unless you mean a cap dump for the future?

 

[RastaRocket]

Seguin was making less than a million when they traded him.

Unless you mean a cap dump for the future?

They had already locked him up on a six year extension that started in 2013-2014.

 

[Future]

They had already locked him up on a six year extension that started in 2013-2014.

Oh, you're right. I thought he re-signed with Dallas. My mistake.

 

[Vtwin]

It was a cap dump and they chose to keep older players to win now.

lol.

Ok bro.

 

[RastaRocket]

lol.

Ok bro.

Right back at ya. I'll agree to disagree.

 

[Vtwin]

They're going to lose at least one of Eriksson and Lucic, if not both. They've been successful b/c of their depth, and they're going to lose both Campbell and Paille. Connolly, Spooner, Soderberg, Hamilton, Bartkowski and McQuaid are probably all in line for raises.

As of now, they're committed to $62 mil, giving them 9ish million to play with. That's not enough to re-sign their guys and get any better. Move Lucic/Eriksson for cap reasons, and you're adding another hole. If it was me, I'd trade Chara and his giant cap hit, as well as Marchand to get the greatest return.

With Chiarelli gone, there's going to be plenty of changes.

Julien's roll four lines system needs that depth and it was key to their success.. I expect Julien is not long for the organization as soon as Sweeney or Gorton take over. Neely will be more 'hands on' as the team transitions. Yes, there will be plenty of changes.

Just like the NFL, full blown rebuilding does not need to happen in most cases. Campbell and Paille are gone and that's not a bad thing. I would trade Lucic right now for a good return. Spooner is an up and comer still a few years away from his big contract. Soderberg disappeared this season. He is no position to be looking for big money right now. Chara's long term deal isn't really that bad the next few years assuming he performs at near #1 level. His days of carrying weak d partner are over though. His injuries and Seidenberg's not getting back to his pre injury level were probably the major factor's in not getting in this year.

I would strongly consider moving Lucic because he has been greatly underachieving. A good return for him would fill a hole.

I keep Marchand.

I don't expect the Bruins and Stars to meet in the finals next year. When you have goaltending, veteran leadership and talented youth you are never that far away. Changes need to be made. The cap needs to be cleaned up from Chia's going all in on last year (Seguin could have had that money instead of Iginla Rasta) and his loyalty to some role players on the 2011 team.

Every team is flawed some way in the parity driven cap world of the NHL.

As long a you have the goaltending your never more than a reshuffle away from competing. (see Sens/Habs series)

Assuming you have even half way competent management of course.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Lucic never got over losing last year to Montreal. He didn't train well apparently and his mind was never on the season. He is just a typical East Van loser.

 

[RastaRocket]

Lucia is a ******

 

[Fletch]

Will the Stars be contenders next season? They are being built like the Red Wings were built. Defense first.

 

[ottawacowpoke]

The expectations for this year were through the roof. With the big losses of Nemeth and Val and the fact that Kari had an awful season. That resulted in a 92 point season. (92 points was the mark expected to make the playoffs)

Combined the injuries and Kari's season along with the central division being home of the cream of the crop this year made it very difficult for the Stars to make the playoffs.

Nobody in the central division had less than 90 points. Four of the seven teams in the central division had over 100 points on the season. If the Jets had scored 1 more point (99), five of the seven teams would have had 100 or more points. The Stars stumbling out of the gate doomed them because of how dominate the central division was this season.

I will say this though, the Stars were exciting to watch. They were the second highest scoring team in the league. If Seguin hadn't missed 10 games. Benn and Seguin possibly could have been #1 and #2 top scoring players in the league.

Welcome to the era of 3 point games. I hate it and would prefer that they go back to allowing ties.