Discussing Future of Jake DeBrusk + Mailbag w/ Evan Marinofsky | Pucks with Haggs
He doesn’t he hasn’t evolved his game enough when he’s not scoring to really help them and to be a valued um player and you know part of it too and I’ve been asked this a lot is and I mentioned this at the beginning of the year as
Well I think a lot of it last year was playing with Martian and Bon too and they brought the best in him and I think you’re seeing now without them that he can’t he can’t put up the same kind of numbers and he can’t play the same way
That he did last year when he had them welcome to another edition of the pucks with hags podcast as always I’m your host Joe Hagerty you can find my work at Joe hager. substack docomo you get all of my NHL and Bruins writings uh sent straight to your inbox
All the Bruins and NHL content goes right to your inbox uh for you to read mostly uh post game reports you know off day practice stuff uh I also write for Boston sports journal.com with people like Greg Bard Mike gardi uh you can find mik columns after pretty much every
Bruins game uh breaking down what I saw what happened there so check that out as well and get a good membership going there you got you got to pay to read hags these days Evan that’s what it’s all about uh with me today is a friend and colleague Evan maranowski from the
New England Hockey Journal uh we’re gonna engage in a little H Boston Bruins mailbag pucks with hags mailbag oh I like this yeah by the way hegs I’m with you on this now you got to pay to read me too like I it’s you know we’re we’re
I I I you and I are in the same boat on this you you know membership has privileges Evan you know you you you have to be worth the premium membership and I’m gonna say Evan marowski and Joe Hagerty are worth premium memberships we’re worth I I you a little bit more
Than me but I agree I think you’re right there buddy I you do a great job covering the prep school stuff that stuff is much harder to come by as far as the high school Stock Hockey and all that stuff goes you know I I know a lot
Of people are willing to spend for like the hockey Journal for the neutral zone uh stuff that those guys do like all that stuff is its own thing where you can’t get any of those things anywhere else any of that great kind of coverage of that stuff so Evan does a great job
Definitely check him out at the hockey Journal I do see him uh at hockey ranks all over New England he is on the beat and all over the place what are you working on now Evan anything good oh God ah I I we get off this I have to do some
MIAA rankings which always those get viewed like crazy I mean it’s incredible uh I’m doing a James Hagen’s profile kind of an in-depth look at his life uh that’s going to be fun uh next week there’s some Mia tournaments uh which would be good and then there’s a couple
Prep School tournaments but it’s pretty much done until like early January so um yeah I don’t know it’s but it’s I mean like last weekend I where I saw you was the prep school holiday tournaments that’s like the biggest thing so that was fun um a lot of good hockey yep but
A lot of a good hockey um it was good and it was fun and saw you at sebs so it’s always a pleasure that Brunswick team was very good that kid I don’t know what his name number 15 he was excellent that line Sean Gibbons he’s committed to
I think or West Point one of the two I don’t want to mess it up but one of the two and he’s very good yeah Brunswick I have them at like number two in prep hockey now they’ moved all the way up because of that performance so for them
They were impressive is uh is uh my good buddy John Missouri’s Arlington team going to be in the MI a rankings I they are number nine for me I don’t know what they’ll be today I have to look at the results they’ve had over the last like
Two weeks but they’re always it’s funny John Missouri is always like we’re you know we’re not good we’re too young and I’m like John you’re in it every year like you’re right you say this every year it’s not you know like you guys are good you’re Arlington so I always I love
I love Missouri like that but first HS before we dive into Bruins mailbag stuff I want to show some for people who can see or watching on YouTube I’m in my childhood bedro yes back home for the holidays I was showing you the things around my room
Like my Wiggles blanket and show them the Wiggles blanket again wiet people go to see that for for the under I want to make sure this is from when I was little and I don’t have many blankets here anymore look at that isn’t that incredible that is a
True page of everan marowski’s childhood right there it’s it’s Evan marowski lore I was when I was little I was the biggest Wiggles fanatic you could find oh my god um and they I mean this like you know uh fruit salad yummy yummy I mean a song has not been written that’s
Been better since um but this is hockey related people will like this Bruns play the Winnipeg Jets tonight now you have a son I was a little older than him when I asked for this but when the winipeg Jets entered the NHL I loved their Jersey and because I
Was in seventh grade uh my naughy my grandmother would get me a big gift every year that you know that was like around like you know $150 $200 so I got a Winnipeg Jets jersey with my name on the that’s awesome so uh I it was great
For wearing it practice but then once I got to eighth grade it wasn’t cool anymore so I have I don’t think I’ve worn it since but it’s it sat it sat in my closet for probably like 10 years um but yeah so I still it made a seventh
Grade Evan marosi very happy when he got oh it did I got it was the first time in hockey practice I was able to wear like one of my friends uh always had like a New Jersey or like you know have you know like oetkin or Crosby I would just
You wear the typical like practice Penny and so when I was able to support my own Winnipeg Jets for Jersey I was like this is awesome you know so good times I I have a Star Wars hockey or Jersey or two with the name Hagerty on the back I have
To for the kids at the at hockey practice when I run a hockey practice I think they would get a kick out of that that’s that would be big with the 10-year-old set they don’t think they’re too cool for that stuff yeah EV exactly they I think B would wear the marinovsky
Jersey just because it’s a Winnipeg Jets Jersey so yeah it’s more you out of it than I’m getting so there you go uh all right let’s let’s uh thank our sponsors real quick because we haven’t done that yet FanDuel sports book $150 in bonus Bets with any winning $5
Money line bet that’s 150 bucks if your team wins uh visit fanduel.com Boston uh and get in on the action and there’s also obviously Factor meals Amica is number one ready to eat meal kit if you’re too busy to cook uh if you’re looking for calorie conscious options uh during this busy winter
Season where you’re running from rink to rink like we are as hockey parents and and covering hockey I head to factory meals.com haags and use code ha50 to get 50% off of your first box all right uh before we delve into the mailbag Evan anything uh Bruins related you want to
Get off your chest or that you wanted to talk about oh geez you know like we I’ve talked a lot about du Brusque this week in in different podcasts but I’ll say it here like we will get to him in the questions by the way okay I don’t want
Then I don’t want to I don’t want to get ahead of myself no it’s okay no you know I think with de brusk it’s interesting and I I I don’t I want to save it for the question but his future is becoming more and more murky because it’s and
We’ll probably hit on this I don’t want to like waste too much of it but like no I to to me I look at it and say really want to give him a long-term deal at the same time though the the the the other side of this is are you going to
Trade a top six Winger off a team that needs top six Wingers who’s first place in the Atlantic so that’s sort of the conundrum I think they have to make that decision it’s a conundrum but I guess if uh is he a top six Winger right now he’s on Pace for 11
Goals and 30 points um and he’s making some he’s making some pretty bad plays is like obviously uh he’s getting picked apart for and you know this stuff happens in overtime right three on three overtime things happen fast like you can really um pick that one apart I take
Less issue with that than some of the other stuff you typically see out of Jake de brus but obviously like firing high and wide like he did with that shot that you know like I tell my 10-year-olds when I coach them to try to hit the net because if you don’t that’s
Exactly what happens the puck rims around goes right out and turns into into a breakaway the other way that’s exactly what happened with him and like that shot wasn’t even close like that was like that was 20 feet away from the net um interesting with the you’ve probably seen the Fabian lysel Clips
Going around Twitter of him trying to play herob ball and just you know skate through Defenders the de brus was one-on-one but in overtime when it’s three on three dude don’t do that like pull up or you know go around the net and set something up like he has speed
And we look I’m Pro going with interior ice that’s not like my point it’s that you can’t just you want to in overtime as you know you want to get the best shot possible and want to hang on to the puck too you know yes Puck possession is
The biggest thing so that’s not the best shot and that’s not going to help you with Puck possession because um you know he freaking missed the net by a million feet so yeah I mean so my big thing is like what do you do like and I know
People say just trade him or like I was talking to Mark diver about this yesterday and I think the biggest thing is if there’s a good return if you can get a legitimate return for him whether that’s a a somewhat High pick or you can somehow package him for a uh you know
Long-term person you can have either on D or at forward preferably forward you do it but if it’s just to dump him and get like a fourth round pick no thanks you know like then you just play it out and you see what happens because that’s
Not because you you could Pro I mean I I think I’ve talked about this a lot at the beginning of the year um with de Brusque I felt like the writing was already on the wall at the beginning of the year that he wasn’t coming back I’ve
Already felt like this is a Tory Krug situation where he’s just too much money too much term that he’s going to make on the market because uh of the seasons that that he’s had and the se you know the season he’s coming off of and the
Numbers he’s put up and I just don’t think the Bruins want to invest that kind of money and that kind of term in this player that’s too inconsistent and you know it has shown too many negative sort of sides to his game um when things aren’t going his way and the goals
Aren’t coming you know he just doesn’t do enough um and he and he doesn’t sort of he doesn’t he hasn’t evolved his game enough when he’s not scoring to really help them and to be a valued um player and you know part of it too and I’ve
Been asked this a lot is and I mentioned this at the beginning of the year as well I think a lot of it last year was playing with Martian and berson too and they brought the best in him and I think you’re seeing now without them that he
Can’t he can’t put up the same kind of numbers and he can’t play the same way that he did last year when he had them and you know he he I’m sure got a lot more room with the puck and a lot more free and easy looks last year playing
With those two than he’s going to get playing with other players and it’s a better measure on you know if he can drive a line if he’s a true top six forward like what he’s actually going to bring you um if you pay that kind of
Money to keep him and I just don’t think the Bruins want invest that so to your point if they’re not going to if they’re going just going to get a draft pick and it’s not going to be a high draft pick if they were going to trade him just
Keep him for the rest of the year and then trade his his negotiating rights for you know a fifth sixth round pick whatever right before free agency that’s something that you could potentially do but I also think they’re just you know in a spot where they they may ride it
Out with him and just let him leav in free agency after the year is over and see what they can get out of him because I don’t know that they’re going to be able able to find a player with his potential upside offensively um to bring
Back but like he has been good in the playoffs in in past years to another side yep and and you know that that factors into it as well but I just think you know at this point I I think they’ve been on the Jake dbr roller coaster for
You know almost 10 years now and I think the the Bruins are ready ready to get off and uh they probably feel like they’ve gotten the best that they’re ever going to get out of him at this point you know as he hits his mid to late 20s and uh somebody’s going to
Overpay for him in free agency and they don’t want to be the ones that do that I mean look they made the right call on Tory Krug right like he’s a good player I like T they clearly missed him on the power play after they let him go in free
Agency but like you know what’s going on with him in St Louis now they were trying to trade him before the season started you know they were already trying to get out of that deal from a few years ago and he was 30 at the time and I remember thinking like even then
Like you know he had that point protection but it’s like he’s 30 he’s under sized one one interesting NHL Trend that’s taken place I think over the last couple years is obviously everybody wants the the big defenseman the big you know don’t let you get to
Interior ice but can also move the puck you know your your um you know your hampus Lind Holmes of the world so to speak those types of defenseman teams want Shay Theodore those guys it’s very interesting though how the the the value of the undersized defenseman has just completely plummeted I mean remember
Maybe I’m wrong but like five or six years ago obviously you had Krug you had grizzler coming up you had like jaaan in Providence who people were all hyped up about and even around the league it was like oh the P small Puck moving elusive defenseman and it’s like that’s not
Really working like a guy like Lane Hudson at be I’m very very very curious to see what he becomes when he gets the NHL level because it’s they’re going out of style you talk to NHL Scouts all the time and it’s like the smaller guys even if
They’re good the bigger guys just are more applicable to today’s NHL um so I’m I’m curious what happens with that too yeah the problem is that I think even if they’re really good offensively those small defensemen are going to be liabilities defensively and it’s difficult for them to outshine or
Outperform their defensive deficiencies with the offense that they’re bringing they have to be really really good offensively um to to offset or even more than offset what they’re going to give up defensively and the the fact that they’re going to be able to be taken advantage of especially in the playoffs
You see players that are under siiz dmen that are undersized to really get uh picked on and exploited and you you’ve seen that with Tory Krug in the past when he was with the Bruins you’ve seen that with Matt grizzli you know kale Mar is a little bigger than them he’s not
That small but he’s he’s a smaller defenseman um if if you’re that talented I don’t think it matters right so fast but but what you the the players that you’re mentioning the Jack Jack aan remember the guy will butcher the league that everybody was saying was going to be great and he kind
Of like just went nowhere um you have to be way you have to be special offensively I think uh to be able to make it like it’s easier for undersized forwards the 5 foot eight 5 foot n forwards um to survive and thrive in today’s NHL uh because they’re not as
They’re not as going to be as much of a liability defensively I think a defenseman um you can really make hay with them around the net and make them pay defensively um if they’re not tremendous defensive players and and you know with their sticks with their technique all that stuff and even if
They are like grizzli I think is a pretty good Defender but he still gets picked on uh in the dzone especially uh in the playoffs and he has a hard time staying healthy and that’s the other thing I think with smaller defenseman too um so I think you’re right but I I
Also think there’s there’s always going to be an old school hockey thing where they’re just not going to believe that anybody like I know it’s a old school hockey mentality and notion when you talk to hockey people that anybody below six Feet’s just not gonna hack it defensively
As and for so long they just didn’t exist that I think they’re never going to believe I I remember having arguments with Mike Milbury about that when Krug was with the Bruins because he’s like you can’t be under six feet tall and survive in the NHL on defense you just
Can’t do it and there’s a ton of hockey people that believe that to this day oh yeah and the thing with Krug was he was he was strong he was stocky you know he could he could lay big hits and like that I think that helped him I haven’t
Watched a ton of him in St Louis I know his production’s down I know that team is just in a bad situation it has been I mean like so and it’s funny like you look back to that I don’t want to get too far off track here but like remember
Like they they let petrangelo go who went to Vegas w a cup was has been pretty solid and they opted for KW who I think was a team bit cheaper um than petrangelo which didn’t make a ton of sense because you’re replacing your captain who was a two-way force with
Like a very offensive minded you know fine in his own Zone but smaller defenseman so yeah I mean it good times Bruin read that one right and I think ultimately if they walk away from De Brusque they’re gonna be you know credited for reading this one correctly
Too because I just don’t think he’s going to be worth whatever the money is that he gets uh approaching free agency and I just don’t think the Bruins are going to be willing to you know spend that kind of capital on him and I I I think rightfully so they’re going to
Have to replace his offense somehow and and some of the skill level that he brings and the speed that he brings but like you know if he’s coming off a year like he’s having right now and things don’t change like you’re not getting it out of him either so you know you might
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NFL um all right let’s let’s crack into the mailbag um I don’t know if you have discussed what’s wrong with the Bruins three on three in overtime but it certainly needs to be discussed their record in OT in is bad uh Jim Montgomery actually said it was two and six uh
Yesterday when we asked him about it uh they need to fix that to be successful especially in the playoffs that’s from Jim Connors via the Facebook fan page and you know obviously the de brust play that we’re talking about going way high and wide with the show shot and that
Turning into a rush the other way uh for the caprisa gamewinner um is the latest issue um but two and six in overtime there’s been some overtimes where they just don’t even uh get a shot on net get the puck I remember there was one
Overtime uh in Tampa Bay uh you know a few weeks ago where I think they got out shot like six nothing in overtime before they lost um and it was just bad uh they did not look good at all and they just looked like they were you know looked
Like there were there was a bunch of older players just playing touring around and playing keep away with a bunch of younger hockey players on the ice yes you know at times they don’t look fast enough uh they certainly I don’t think value the puck at times it’s not something they’ve practiced this
Year which I think has been a problem and I’m I was glad to see they actually were practicing the three on3 02 at practice yesterday uh before they left uh for the road trip so I think Jim Montgomery is now realizing that that’s something they need to at least practice a little bit
Work on if they’re going to play manto man come up with some plays that they can have to make uh in three on three with the the combos they put out there but at the end of the day like I think there’s there there’s sometimes a lack
Of speed like the Bruins have some fast players but I think in general they’re not the fastest team uh in the league and I think that gets exposed in in three Onre overtime a lot and I don’t know how much they’re going to be able to improve that you know maybe
Incrementally they will but uh I don’t know I I don’t know if this is going to ever be a great overtime team compared to some of the other teams and the Personnel that they have in the league they’re slow they’re slow that’s exactly what it is they are slow they have slow
Personnel they’re not a fast team so they’re not built for you know to be successful in a three on three I mean that’s that I think that’s what it comes down to I I I agree with you they got to practice it you gotta have plays you
Know you’ve gotta somehow find a way to make you know your uh your uh lack of speed be able to compete like you know do you drop you know just Hail Marys do you hang someone like there are things you can do yeah but like you’re just not
Like that it comes down to that and you know I think that’s an issue for the playoffs though like what uh I think his name was Jim mentioned like I’m not as concerned about that for the playoffs solely because you’re not doing three on three no it’s not gonna exist in the
Playoffs so that part’s fine and I think their heaviness can help them they just need to utilize it more you need to hit more like they they’re heavy they should be a heavier team than are but they have the Personnel to be heavy they do not
Have the Personnel to be fast so like I think come the playoffs I’m fine with that and I will also say this I think the Bruins last like checked yesterday were they like third in the NHL they’re like you know they’re like 44 points Vegas is 47 New York is
45 um if it can prevent them from winning the president’s trophy again would that be the worst thing in the world so let that be the Silver Lining no s no president’s trophy I’m okay with that so yeah but mainly it’s just they’re slow they’re slow team and
That’s that no I I think they it would behoove them to get a little bit better at the O three on3 to work on um you know what they’re going to do defensively where they’re where they should be you know get combos used to playing with each other and sort of make
It they can come up with some little plays to help them win games like all that stuff I think will help them a little bit in the short term but like long term I’m not super concerned about it I think that because it’s not going
To be a scenario they’re going to see in the playoffs so it really doesn’t matter um the the one thing I would say is that they should also practice it a little bit more because they’re going to be in it a lot um you know this is a team that
Does not separate from other teams offensively there are a lot of one games in the third period a lot of White Knuckle action going on in the third where they’re just hanging on to a lead at the end uh which is going to turn into overtime a lot you know because
They’re not good at closing out teams with a onego lead in the third period either um so it’s something they should work on getting better at um in the regular season simply because they are going to be in overtime a lot because that’s the kind of team that they are
Where they’re playing in a lot of three to2 two to1 games um where it’s probably inevitably going to go to overtime where they’re trying to get the the extra point but do I you know do I think it’s vital that they improve that um do I think their existence is going to rely
On that no I think the bigger issue and the bigger problem um that I see is them allowing goals in the last few minutes of games when it turns into to like just hand toand combat Around the Net trying to protect a one-goal lead and they’re getting pushed around and they’re
Getting scored on and it’s getting to the point now where other teams smell blood and understand that if they push hard against the Bruins late in the game they’re going to get that tiing goal uh and that is going to hurt them in the playoffs and that is going to be a uh
You know they’re ultimately they’re undoing I think uh if they can’t improve that yeah I I I completely agree the only other scenario I could see in which like this would really screw them is if they plummet and the last day of the season is you know you gotta win or
You’re out of the playoffs and it goes to overtime and it’s like oh well no no playoffs this year but I agree like oh put it this way Evan if the point the the where they are right now in the standings if they are scratching and
Clawing to get in the playoffs the last game of the season they do not deserve to make the playoffs no they don’t I agree it’s the 2011 Red Sox I agree with that um but so that yeah that’s my thing and and and you hit it there like they
They don’t separate well from teams and they blow leads in the third because they just get hemmed in their own zone for like 10 minutes uh or you know the back half of the period And I think like if you’re in your own Zone enough you
Can be great defensively a team is gonna score like if you’re in your own Zone that long like they’re going to break through shots are you know they’re G to find ways to score the guys a all are too good especially against like you know Capri off baly and ericon by the
Way shout out to Matt BDI from Millis um but yeah so to me like I agree so that’s that would be my but yeah the nightmare scenario I don’t think will happen that would be a I agree if they have if come on the last game of the season to them
Get in the playoffs lose you don’t deserve it so I I’m with you there no I don’t I don’t think it will and you know I my greater view my greater view of this entire season continues to be that they’re a transition team and that you
Know if they get into the playoffs and they get win around are too great I don’t think they should be going for broke this year I don’t think they should be you know going all in trading you know tons of assets I think they should probably be looking more to trade
Away assets and build back some of uh their prospects draft picks like all that stuff like jaus that we talked about and then you know get experience for the younger players they have a good enough core to get into the playoffs anyway like you know do all that stuff
But not you know I I don’t sense put it this way I don’t feel the same level of panic that a lot of Bruins fans do about we need to fix this we need to fix that we need to add this player we need to do
This like this is going to be a disaster like no this is a a season where they they realistically are not going to win the cup like if if they have the team that they have even if they add a piece is not going to be cupw worthy I don’t
Think they have a two-month cup run in them I think this is a team that is going to be you know be a good playoff team get into the playoffs maybe win a round or two get valuable experience in the playoffs for the younger players that they’ve integrated into the lineup
And you know sort of pivot and and go with the next group you know next year and Beyond as they can add some pieces because they have cap space I think in the greater scheme of things I hate to use the word term Bridge year because I
Think it’s overused but I think that kind of is what this season is uh in a lot because of the players that left because of the players they brought in and the situation that they’re in um you know but so like I I don’t think anybody should be overly concerned about any of
This stuff uh because I think at the end of the year the fact that they’re you know where they are in the standings is an overwhelming positive and was unexpected it’s also a development year like you hit it there like can you know can Patra uh stay in NHL season and grow
Which he has so far I know he’s the world juniors right now but he’s he you know he’s he’s uh enduring at a full season you know can Johnny beer be a serviceable fourth line Center yes can Charlie Coyle who’s looked I think awesome this year can he continue to be
A top six center so far he’s looked like one I know production hasn’t been there the last couple games but the overall game has been you know his overall good game has been so to me I look at it from that lens of like this year is about
Kind of building for the next bunch of years where you’re gonna have more cap space and and you know younger guys are come up guys like lowai um so yeah I agree I I I’m not panicking I I you know they are going to have their bumps
They’re going to have their slumps uh I don’t mean to be Dr Seuss but like it just that’s what the season going to be and that’s okay I mean it’s appropriate for you to be Dr Seuss when you’re in your childhood bedroom with your wiggle
Sheets so like I think you go for it you know Green Eggs and Ham for everybody at Christmas time I am there’s got to be a a Dr stre book in here somewhere I don’t know where it is but I’m I’m sure the places you will go is in that room
Somewhere I have zero question you probably got that for high school graduation I have zero zero prob uh all right let’s go looking ahead to the playoffs assuming the Bruins qualify which I think Evan and I both agree they probably will or they should we do have Factor
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We love these ready to to make meal kits especially when we’re on the go with our kids so one more time that’s Factor meals.com haags 50 to get 50% off your first box you won’t be sorry if you go to factor meals it gets The Hags thumbs up seal of
Approval who will the four centers be for game one and that’s from jch 3717 on Twitter uh I will say uh Ellas Lindholm Conor McDavid no um I will I will go with it’ll be zaka coy I think and I know that’s like Bland I know that’s say you cut out zaka Coy
Zaka coil Patra beer I think those will be the four um and again like to go into the playoffs with two young centers you know again if you’re going for a cup that’s a hard thing to sell and I know they will be going for not saying they
Aren’t but at the same time like you just hit like I think it’s good experience for guys like ptra and beer to be centers in the playoffs and like I’m not putting ptra on the wing and you know like is geeki gonna be the third line Center I mean he’s probably a
Little maybe more stable but I think those are the four um what do you think yeah I I think the only as you referenced I think the only deviation would be geeky uh as the third line Center but I think geeki has shown that he can play wing and that he actually
Plays really well with Patra yeah as as a Duo so you know I think Patra I think it would be very valuable to get Patra some playing time in the playoffs and experience in the playoffs just part of just like I think world juniors is great for his development I think getting
Playoff experience is going to be extremely important uh for his development uh at the end of the year so I would put him in there I think this is you know obviously there’s a balance between urgency winning playoffs competitive uh competitively what putting the best team out there in the
Best spot to win like all that stuff but I I just think some decisions organizationally this year should be made about Player Development about what’s best longterm for the organization and for the players and you know what’s going to put them in a position to be like you know potentially
Great for you know a fiveyear run uh in the near future and I think getting ptra some playing time at the center Position will do that and I think it’s important uh so that would be my I I think it’s zaka Coy Patra and beer I don’t
Think I don’t think Lind Holm is a realistic trade uh for the Bruins I just don’t I don’t think any big ticket item is a realistic trade Target for the Bruins because they don’t have first round picks they don’t have second round picks they don’t have they’re not going
To trade Matt ptra they’re not going to trade at Mason lowai they’re not going to play trade their you know the guys that have risen to the top of their Prospect pool um you know maybe they trade a Fabian lysel who is having some you know developmental bumps in in
Providence and may become a player that’s a prospect that has value as a trade chip rather than a player that you feel like is ever going to develop with you organizationally and I think we’re starting to hit that territory a little bit with him where you know I I was at
Uh Finn played uh before the Providence Bruins games last weekend so I was down there for that Syracuse Bruins game uh where I guess uh uh Ryan muel criticized uh LEL pretty heavily after the game was over um but I was there with uh Finn played before the warm-ups on the ice
With his Crimson teammates and uh I so I watched the game he sniped one early in the game H the team looked great he had a great goal everything looked good and then it kind of fell apart after that and you know mu Janel talked about it
Afterwards and how you know maybe he’s not playing the team game like he needs to um consistently and that’s been a problem um but the talent is there you know the the goal was an elite goal scores goal it was nice um so he’s still playing pretty
Well and the numbers are pretty good so like maybe that’s a guy that becomes a trade chip uh for somebody but he’s not going to get you Elias lyol you need more than that to make a trade like that for a top tier uh NHL player that’s gon
To be a you know a highly sought after rental especially if you have designs on wanting to keep that player long term it’s going to cost you a lot more than that I the Bruins just don’t have the assets to make that kind of trade oh
Like with LEL I think his trade values you hit on there has gone down to the point where like I think a year or two ago I think you could have you know lysel and you know lysel is the main centerpiece for a guy like anas lindol
Now I don’t think that’s the case like I think you know maybe he’s in a deal maybe I’m undervaluing him a ton but I just don’t see him as the the trade chip we used to view him as the other thing I would like is I agree with you they’re
Not going to make a big move and like I don’t want them to go out and get another middle six center like you don’t need that you’ve got zaka you’ve got Coy like you’re fine there you don’t need another you got geeki you don’t need
Another one of those guys and I so yeah I agree I think it’s going to be they’re going to stick with who they got if they make any moves it’s going to be you know a veteran Winger who can reliably put up you know 30 points a season maybe like
Someone like that like Conor Conor Ryan um the other day mentioned and uh you know I don’t think he meant this as like a uh like a guy to go after but a guy that they went after the p a Marcus Johansson that kind of a player maybe
That’s what they do to supplement the roster um but again I don’t have the pieces to make a big move I I’d like um Les Johansson more big nasty fourth line uh Milan Luchi replacement type player I think that’s that’s fair along the lines of what they should be looking at uh at
This point um because I just don’t think you know you talk about them playing you know a little bit physical but I just don’t think they have the Personnel to play physical either and they need more to play that way and they need a player like him because they kind of game
Planned before the season started that they were going to have a presence like luch this season and the fact that they don’t have it they’ve they’re missing that big time um so I think that’s something they would they’re going to need to get and they certainly I think
Should get a nasty big B strong defenseman Around the Net a guy that you know cleans house clears bodies plays with a an attitude um I think they need that kind of player too um you know that like an Adam aquate type honestly would be like really good like that kind of a
Player I think they radas yeah well he would be the the ideal I don’t know that they’re G to get him but like somebody like that for sure um and I think those are bigger needs like for this particular season um you know I I think scoring wise I think
They’re going to be okay I think I think they’ve made peace this year that they’re not going to be the highsc scoring team they were last year they’re going to be kind of middle of the road and they’re going to have to rely a lot
On pastr and marshan uh to do a lot of the heavy lifting and I think you know they’re okay with that um ra rather than adding somebody like that but we’ll see um Terry O’Reilly is secretly Santa isn’t he I mean think about it that’s from Michael Barry on the Facebook fan
Page I I included that because it’s the Centennial year and I just love Terry O’Reilly um so Merry Christmas to Terry O’Reilly and all the bru and Centennial greats out there it’s been great to see all you guys at the Garden this year um unfortunately all the scoring depends on
P pasta and Marshy they can’t do it all third and fourth lines just can’t do it that’s from Johnny Milner on the Facebook fan page and we I we just discussed that um that’s a good comment and and it’s very true um but I I think
You know I I feel like third and fourth line wise um when the third line has been jvr Charlie Coyle Trent Frederick uh I thought it was outstanding yeah you know uh I think the problem is maybe they don’t have enough top six pieces to make that their third line uh where it
Becomes a challenge and like I you know Johnny beer is shown a little bit offensively this year I think there’s a little bit more to get out of him offensively and I think um Morgan geeki I think can provide a little bit more offensively I think there’s some players
That in that mix third and fourth line wise uh when they’re in there that I think you’re going to see a little bit more offense from in the second half of the year so I think they can kind of rely on that I don’t know how much of a
Need that’s going to be your Viewpoint is interesting on uh yeah because it’s interesting when I was you know I’ve been thinking lately you know they do need someone up front that can you know reliably put a puck in the net here and there but your theory is interesting in
The sense that they have the guys can find a way to get you know three four goals a game in the playoffs they need to focus more on their strength and strengthening their strength and I like that idea the idea of you know add a defenseman who’s mean and nasty or add
You know a forward on the fourth line who can you know put guys through the glass I don’t hate that that’s why like I’m open to any additions you can make to this team I just don’t want them giving up too many future assets unless
Like if you could find a way to get a Lind home up long term then okay fine but like if it’s a rental piece like a berzi or an orloff who which Swede doesn’t typically do by the way last year was sort of a oneoff with that stuff but
Even then like I I agree with you I think if you can strengthen your strengths that’s why like the whole idea of trading a goalie doesn’t make any fense to me because your strength is your goalies like yeah yeah this team is built on defense
And goal tending it’s not going to be an offensive Jugger not I think adding a little more offense is okay but I’d rather they focus on what they do well and making sure they’re as good as they can possibly be at doing those things and you know just be making peace with
Who and what they are and I think they have I you know I think they understood that this was not going to be like a record-breaking year offensively and that they were going to play a lot of one goal games and it was going to be
Close and that they were going to have to um play great defense like great Rush defense great defense in their own Zone um you know great textbook fundamental defense ahead of like Elite goal tending and I think for the most part it’s been that and you know Jim Montgomery has
Been very happy I think um notably so with the team lately much more positive than he was earlier in the year and I think it’s because they’re playing better defensively uh for the most part by and large and and I think you’re starting to see improvements where they
You know they they’re going to have be playing a successful brand of hockey when they get to the playoffs um that it may not mean that they’re gonna you know go all the way to the cup final but I think they’ll be at least playing playoff Style hockey uh when they get
There um are they teaching Jake de bruss to hit the net when shooting the puck that’s from Mark con 15 I think we we have adequately addressed that one already we have we’ve done a lot to brus hopefully they are teaching Jake ja brus to hit the net because like and and you
Know going back to what we said before the one thing I I would say is that you gotta you tell a guy like Jake de Brusque look if you’re gonna take that shot I don’t want to put the governor on you offensively and and try to limit you
And tell you what to do as a creative offensive player that um you know has has scored close to 30 goals in the season in this league but if you’re going to take that shot you need to hit the net you know don’t hit the net you’re you’re
Gonna invite the Wrath of the coach and everybody else in the fan base and all that so you got to hit the net um and I and I said I said uh I wrote this down four goals in 29 games on a pace for 11 goals and 30 points this
Season for Jake de Brusque just not even close to good enough um is it an NHL po policy that if you get one brother you get the other brother uh I.E Morgan geeky if it isn’t it should be and that’s from place to be place on Twitter
Uh and this plays into um Morgan geek’s younger brother Connor geeki playing with Patra on Team Canada at the World Junior tournament which will make it uh all the more interesting for Bruins fans certainly for Morgan geeki it’ll make it interesting to watch uh but I think for
Bruins fans as well being able to watch ptra at the world juniors will make it uh a fun tournament and will make it a very interesting uh from a Bruin’s perspective to see how he does in the first practice he was centering the Top Line uh with Connor geeki uh on his wing
Um so that’s going to be really interesting and you Connor geeki obviously a former first round pick of the Arizona Coyotes has future in the NHL so of course um if it were an nhel policy that you get one brother to you get the other brother Bruins fans would
Be very happy about that I mean look it happened with the Richies Richie Brothers I mean you know like continue to do it I’d rather have the heys than the Richie I would agree with you there I just looked it up and I didn’t realize this Conor geeky is
64 that would be that would be someone fun to have uh in your in your top nine I yeah get more Brothers I mean I’m all for it you know like you should be able to get like a it’s like in college recruiting like the Hagen Brothers you
Get both or like the Hughes they all go to Michigan so like I I would I would uh I would entertain it maybe a little change you know get different uh different Brothers in the league why not in my generation it was the EES Brothers
At BC who didn’t and went to go play for Jerry York instead which I always thought was interesting right that’s right Patrick EES I forgot about that right Ben EES his older brother yeah they they were both oh yeah uh but yeah I thought always thought that was like
An interesting Dynamic like that didn’t actually get reported on enough that like their dad was a big time College hockey coach and they ended up going to play for somebody else instead of dad I always thought that was interesting well Jerry Keith his son Owen uh committed to
Be you and does you know he like I’ve talked to him about he’s like I knew I could never play for my dad and it was just like that was that and I think that’s EAS I think it’s it must be easier as a kid to just say I can’t play
For you and and have it be agreed upon because I feel like if if he was like oh I’m deciding between nor Eastern and be and I pick be it’s like oh that’s kind of dis like that’s tough to do to be like Dad sorry but I’m going to choose
Somewhere else but to just be like I’m not going going there no matter what I think is the easiest thing to do if you’re if you are having any second thoughts about going anywhere else so yeah I thought that was funny oh yeah no it’s totally interesting but it’s it’s
It’s funny how like you’ll see some kids that will like adamantly play for their dad no matter where their dad goes and then other ones are like nope not playing for him had enough car ride homes car rides home after uh tough games to to not want to do that in
College um all right why and last question why on Earth did put debrusk and Gretzky uh of course he’s talking about grizzli not Gretzky there or she is talking why on Earth did Monty put debrusk and Gretzky out on a very important play in overtime just like
Last year when they he kept putting olar in net when he should have played Swan we lost both times and angry face emoji at the end of that from Mary Sullivan on the Facebook fan page um I they could have used Gretzky in the three on three
Overtime yeah I would have liked it can he come off the TNT panel and and play a little hockey for them I even think Biz maybe yeah Biz would be good Biz would add some St to that fourth line I you know I don’t hate them putting him putting them out there
Because as we mentioned three on three is fast possession now Jake de Jake debrus is not you know he didn’t do the right thing Puck possession wise but grizzik has a good Puck possession defenseman and he’s quick he’s a good skater I not opposed to that I know also
Not having a good season though I would say I would that’s the thing that’s the thing is like that makoy grizzli pairing has not been anywhere near as good as it has been in the past so like I agree but from the intangible perspec from the
Just you know on paper he’s quick that’s really I mean like you know I think that’s the big reason um maybe it speaks to a need to have more guys who who are big and can skate which again you got lorai in the system who’s coming up you
Know who at some point is going to stick in the NHL um but yeah I’m not I I wasn’t super opposed to that the grick thing is interesting we haven’t really hit on it at all on like whether or not to trade him yeah I put him in the same
Category as de Brusque of like uh if you get a good return for him deal him like he has value um but if he if you’re not going to get a good return for him then probably not the best move I think that’s just me I mean I think you’ll you
Could get something for him you know even though yes I think he has value he’s his value has um lowered this year certainly uh he’s not having a great season um you know he’s not as as even as valued as he probably was last summer from an asset standpoint but he’s still
A puck moving defenseman that’s play proven he can play top four minutes uh in the NHL um and I think that’s there’s value there across the league and he’s not super expensive on the contract he has either given that he can play um those kind of roles so I think he would
Have some kind of value um and and the bigger problem with him is just that you know he’s going to start being a player that I don’t think is going to be like always a regular in the lineup because other def young defensemen are coming up through the
System like Mason lowai that are going to demand playing time and that you’re going to want to play instead um you know just by virtue of the fact that he’s a bigger stronger guy in the dzone and eventually he’s going to be a better Defender uh at the NHL level in his own
End than Matt grizzli uh could be just by virtue of his physical assets you know I think that’s going to be you know something that it it’s Matt griz’s not going to be able to fight that one you know no being a 5 foot eight 5 foot n
170 pound guy versus a guy that’s 63 to10 you know that’s just you know that that’s just not a winning battle ever that he’s goingon to have so um I I think that part of the right and you know the interesting thing about both debrusk and grizzli is is part of the
Reason that they’re playing uh they’re not playing up to par this year they’re not playing up to the level of their abilities is it because that they feel like the writing is on the wall for them that they’re not going to be here long term and they’re having difficulty with
That is that part of what’s going on uh with this team right now and sort of where they’re at and you know the prospects coming up the salary cap their their contract contractual situations like all that stuff um these guys are human beings you know they’re going to
Be affected by things like this and thinking about their future and everything else is that part of the reason that they’re struggling a little bit and I think the answer could be yes for both um and I think it’s you know it’s a situation that bears watching uh
Because they have both of them have not played well this year and because they’re um their situation and their their you know their station on the team is is kind of in in uh in it’s a fluid situation right now it’s not uh determined or defined I agree with you and I am
Curious to see how it plays out I I go back though I think grizzli has value like I I’m confident that has value they do and you know I don’t think you can package them together to get like a better player I don’t think that’s going to work but
Like to me I go back to I know a lot of people disagree with me on this I would love to see them get back into the first or second round next year now I don’t know if either of those guys can do get you into the first round yeah but they
Probably get you in the second like I would not hate that I really wouldn’t and I know there’s you can say what you want about them drafting but you need you need to breathe a little life in the in the prospect pool stuff like that and
I I would not hate that idea um you know yeah if you could because I go back to like I don’t know if I’ve said this to you but like with the debrusk stuff right they always say people always say oh you need to do like a zaka deal trade
De Brusque for a guy with high potential you know high ceiling who hasn’t met his expectations that’s Jake debrusk that is Jake de Brusque like I think if I think in a deal like that debrus would be zaka you know and you would be trading him for a proven commodity with a low
Ceiling like an Eric Halla so like I yeah so I go I go back and forth on this um but yeah the gik thing I’m fine with him in overtime and all that stuff so yeah that’s yeah you’re gonna win some you’re gonna lose some in overtime I
Would say the whole team has not been great in overtime so let’s not yeah it’s been it’s been a full team effort let’s not let’s not kill debrusk and and grizzli for uh the the failings of many this year when it comes to the Boston Bruins and overtime um I I think Don
Definitely will hope that there’s maybe a first or a second round pick under the Christmas tree this year Evan I hope uh you have a great holiday season thank you very much uh for joining us today I appreciate it on this mailbag edition of the B uh the pucks with hags podcast
Thank you to our sponsors FanDuel sports book $150 in bonus bets when you with any winning $5 money line bet easy app to download spreads player props over under so much more visit fanduel.com Boston and get things going now as we get towards uh NFL playoffs NBA on
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Meals.com haags 50 and use the code hags 50 to get 50% off your first box Evan have a great holiday buddy you too it was great seeing your wiggle sheets uh I’m going to order some of those for Finn if I can find them uh retro vintage on E
Evan Marinofsky joins the show today to discuss all things Bruins with Joe Haggerty including Jake Debrusk’s role on this team and why his production is down so much from last year. Plus, Joe and Evan answer your mailbag questions!
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4 Comments
Would Marchand be a first round draft pick value? Debrusk is looking like a 3 round.
This team is falling from grace
Why would u not let that first clean comment go thru?…
Lame. U get no views as it is