Black N’ Gold Hockey Pod Ep. 349 Talking B’s at the NHL All-Star Break with QMJHL Scout Craig Eagles

Black N’ Gold Hockey Pod Ep. 349 Talking B’s at the NHL All-Star Break with QMJHL Scout Craig Eagles

[Applause] hello brunes fans and welcome back to the black and gold hockey podcast a weekly discussion about the National Hockey League Boston Bruins from hosts and hockey writers Mark alred and Dominic Tiano please uh subscribe on audio platforms such as Apple podcast and Spotify and kindly consider giving

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Uh if You’ like to get involved in the Bruns hockey talk please send us a brief voicemail at 9785048554 and enjoy the [Applause] show what is up ruins fans welcome back to the black and& go hockey podcast this is episode 349 brought to you by the BBL

Lux Transportation Company if you need a safe and reliable ride in the Greater Boston area please call trip to the island somewhere it is the winter time so the islands do sound damn good right now yeah um but but speaking of sounding good it’s that raspy voice

Right down below me it is Mr Dom Tio Dom how are you doing buddy doing great guys doing great you know busy time is starting uh going to be pumping out some uh player profiles when it comes to the 20124 entry draft so uh that’ll keep me hopping for a bit

Nice and joining us a friend of the show longtime friend of the show is Mr Craig Eagles Craig is a hockey analyst hockey writer and Quebec major Junior Hockey League Scout for the neutral zone hockey website the number one source for NCAA CHL NHL Prospect rankings scouting

Reports and news follow Craig Eagles at e37 that’s e a37 on Twitter SLX and I know I screwed that Quebec major Jor Hockey League up because it did change didn’t it CG it did and um thanks guys for having me Quebec Marin times uh junior hockey league and it’s

It was a long time coming and and um had the opportunity to talk to the new commissioner of the qmjhl about that and uh he thought it was he thought it was time and I I think it’s it just speaks to the the impact that this region has

Had on the league uh and General and and really it’s it’s helped the league Thrive and so I I think it’s fantastic but I’m a little biased because I’m from the mar times yeah well you’re right about one thing it is a long time coming though Craig definitely definitely yeah as an

American I really don’t understand the the whole the whole change because I’ve been i’ I’ve always knew it as as one thing for 30 some odd years so it’s going to be a little uh tough for me to you know to changeably probably not as easy as somebody that lives so close to

The to the happenings in the queue but um it’s great to have you back um uh Craig and uh I look forward to talking about the Boston Bruins and and and some other stuff that that Dom down below has dug up to ask you um but um when don’t

We get started with with um you know since you since you haven’t been around for a while I’d like to uh kind of gauge where your your Boston Bruins fandom is you are from the maritime up in Canada and you’ve been a longtime Boston Bruins fan because we’ve talked previous about

That at length um but the uh the team’s been doing really good you know the uh tied for first place with 71 points with the Vancouver Canucks a Boston Bruins team that when we all looked on paper in the offseason didn’t really see the success or or even a glimpse close of

What they did last year what are your thoughts well I think that’s a fantastic question and a great starting point mark is just the expectations right if we go all the way back we look at you know Bergie hanging them up cret hanging them up and it’s just like where

Is this going to leave us us meaning Bruins fans um so for for the organization to do what they have done uh I think it speaks volumes to their Pro scouting staff Dennis bony has done an exceptional job at identifying not only players from a playing standpoint but also from a cultural standpoint

Bringing those types of players in uh the prototypical black and gold players if you will that have really um you know stepped up their game played to their identity and uh which we all know equals success and and again you have to look behind the bench I think Chris

Kelly has done a fantastic job and and Jim Montgomery what can you say about that yeah um yeah it’s unbelievable what’s been going on um it is the allar break uh and uh the 2024 Allstar Weekend from um scosa Bank Arena in downtown Toronto Ontario the Boston Bruins particip

Events this year our second year head coach Jim Montgomery we just talked about him and players uh forward David pinak and goener Jeremy Swan who was a ban vote selection um I do want to talk about uh Montgomery just a little bit but um what do you what do you guys

Thoughts on on these participants this year for the uh representing the Boston Bruins in Toronto let’s start with dom I just want them to go have fun I mean that’s what it’s all about it it’s it’s for the families more than it is the Players I mean we saw Pastor neck uh

Sitting at the podium with his daughter and you know the NHL used the caption that you know she stole the show and she did uh but that’s what it’s for and for the fans that are there I mean I’ll probably watch the skills competition I’ll I’ll watch the women’s three on

Three um you know and I’ll watch when when pastor a and San are playing yeah I I think he hit the nail on the head Dom the All-Star games um just like showcase games or any those types of games it’s for the fans um and I think the NHL is starting

To you know figure that out um with the access to the event uh I think it’s fantastic seeing players um signing autographs and having that um you know that contacts shall we say with with the the fans and and you know it is does it interfere with their uh their family

Time yes but their family time they do take the families they like Don alluded to I think it’s fantastic and um you know obviously tons of news coming out today but it looks like we’re going to be seeing some best on best hockey which is fantastic but

That also means maybe the absence of an All-Star game uh in the next year yeah and I’m okay with that I’m definitely okay with that there’s nothing better than best on best hockey whether it’s the Olympics uh uh World Cup that that is the best hockey no absolutely um I’m not a huge

Fan of the All-Star Game uh it was when I was younger because it was a game it wasn’t broken down into three on three tournaments and and the skills competition was actually skills and not like some circus show that is for the kids yeah for me it’s it’s it it’s about

The kids but also what what is most important about it is we’re getting to that younger generation we’re catering to them to see stuff like this and put on uh you know a show because that’s what kids these days really gravitate to and then then now they want to like hey

I want to do that and they then they start the progression of getting involved in the sport and this is how it’s all grows and I I got to go back and say again Dom and I know that you’ve heard this several times before in previous podcast but the NHL is a

Terrible marketer you know what I mean they’re the worst they’re the worst league in in all professional sports when it comes to marketing the teams but I I I hopefully that that gets better because we do need to promote this game we do need to get more Generations

Involved and so on because it is a great sport it is the best sport on the world well now that you mentioned that and and something I was going to say for Craig later uh but that was a great great segue into it is Craig I’ve been a long proponent like

I’ve been going back seven eight years ago a and I I did a poll on Twitter and I couldn’t believe how much I got plastered for even suggesting the idea was that the NHL get involved in helping create a women’s professional hockey league much like the

N NBA did and the number of people that were totally against the idea and we just saw Montreal set a a Canadian an alltime Canadian record for for attendance at a professional woman’s game uh it was 8900 and change I believe it was if I’m remembering correctly um and they’ve gotten involved

A little bit in this but as far as I’m concerned not enough what are your thoughts on that well I think we’re we’re finally starting to see the trend where you know the pwl is there and it’s present and it’s growing and finally I think the National Hockey hockey league

Has figured it out like let’s you know let’s take this momentum and build on it and I I think there there’s need to be so much deserving credit for all uh and everyone involved with getting this league off the ground and um I saw something today that uh the next game in Toronto

Uh is going to be sold so out so the next pwhl game is going to be sold out sellout crowd so 16,000 or something like that which is again we have two daughters they don’t play hockey but what if they did it’s it’s an opportunity for young women

Young girls to idolize and to dream about playing professional hockey and I think um that speaks for volumes okay so let let’s go to the World Cup of Hockey um that obviously the the NHL uh puts it on and pays for it and everything we have we have the world cup

Or the the World Championships we have the Women’s World Championships do you ever see a scenario where the NHL says okay let’s do the men’s side of a World Cup of Hockey and let’s do the women’s side of a World Cup of Hockey at the same time yes

Or let’s say one follows the other one so I think that’s fantastic marketing Dom I I really do I think you know you’re G to have hell they do it for World Junior’s games right so right early game late game I think you’d fill

The place I think it it it would be a a glowing success in the right market and I think the World Junior from a world junior standpoint they’re looking at they’ve they’ve tried the big markets the NHL markets doesn’t do well right right Monon and Halifax sold out sold

Out and um you know it was a great opportunity I didn’t cover uh you know I didn’t go to to any games and you’re thinking oh wow this guy’s a hockey guy didn’t go to you know juniors are in his backyard I I I covered um from a writing

Standpoint uh two pre-m games and that was it uh you know the Christmas break is family time so uh we uh we went up to the cottage over uh over that time we had a great time um so you know it was unbelievable to see the impact that an

Event like that and the economic spin-offs of an event like that um it definitely helped the attendance in the qmjhl and especially the attendance they saw a big jump in attendance after the world juniors here locally now Halifax they they sell out the place non-stop but here in monton

It’s been a challenge ever since covid it has been a challenge so they’ve uh they’ve stepped it up good to hear absolutely um talking about Jim Montgomery um Craig I want to uh get you because the last time we talked to you on this program Bruce Cassidy was the head coach um so

Basically what are your thoughts on the um on two seasons now of Montgomery and I just want to read out the statline 131 games as a ruins coach 92 21 and 14 how do you follow that wow you just don’t follow that you just you have to sit back and admire it

And you know from a and and I probably should have mentioned this earlier so from a a Bruins fandom standpoint um when you’re in a scating role you ironically for neutral zone you you have to stay neutral um you know obviously you know just by looking

Around um you know big big Bruins fan and you want to see the organization do well and and draft well um so you pay very close attention uh to quote unquote your your team um but you you all also have to stay neutral and you know being around the game for

For so long and following the game and having some some access to interview coaches and pick the brains of NHL Scouts um you just look at the impact um that a team like an organization like the brues have had um but looking at that record and seeing how well they’ve

Done uh is truly incredible uh you know obviously looking at the playoffs uh from a year ago and I know it’s a sore point for for all um black and gold fans I think it was a Learning lesson I I I really do that um that monk omry has

Taken and has grown uh from that experience and I really think it’s impact at the way he’s he’s approached this season yeah yeah I have to agree with that um I’ve also seen a different type of Coach uh behind the bench you know when they when the camera pant to him

After you know an unfortunate you know something unfortunate happens on the ice and he’s not happy with it it it wasn’t like last year when that didn’t happen much this team was really on firing on all cylinders um in a team that nobody’s ever seen like before you know a

Record-breaking team unfortunately it was the you know the exit of the first round playoffs that will always hamper everybody but um this year it’s a different approach I think that he learned from himself you know he just said I can’t I can’t be that guy I need

To be this guy but I also like the way he’s doing it because he’s now got a younger um core of players that are starting to really either on the team now or really knocking on the door of being full-time nhlers and this is the

Time when you need to be a little more Stern with those types of players to get more out of them not to be not to be a jerk or an ass on the bench and you know or how some like like torella might be might treat somebody or or or U that

Suter that said something about pelier you know what I mean who I didn’t see you know what I mean you don’t need that guy but you also need to be a presence on the bench to say listen you need to be better you know and and I like the

Way that he’s taking that change right now because those positives are ultimately panning out right now on a roster that I never ever everever saw in the season be this good well it’s all about accountability isn’t it guys he’s he’s holding players okay all the players accountable but he’s also giving

Them room okay to play to their identity within the team structure and their team structure um it might look very similar to to last year but they’re doing things especially defensively um now they’re giving up a lot um on a few occasions but he talks about that in the pressers after he

Talks about that in the scrums and he’s in my opinion he was honest from the get-go um and and credit Bruce Cassidy for being honest with the media as well and I think they’re both fantastic uh at delivering their messages but in Jim’s case I think he’s taken that to a whole

New level and I think the players respect it I think they understand where he’s coming from and they’re going to be held accountable for their play on the ice and and we’re seeing that in now I know Beer’s down right now but when beer was in the lineup early on High

Praise but he also held him accountable for his play all right and beaters coming are coming out let’s say just for an example uh Patra is going in these are the reason reasons why we like to see this happen or he’s just a matter of fact about it

We’re we’re you know we’re going to arest some guys he’s going in he’s going to bring this so it’s more about the identity of the player and what the players can bring yeah situational coaching is what I call it you guys just set up the perfect

Segue cuz I was going to save this to my as my last question for Craig and I just got to bring it up now because everything kind of flows into this and um before I re read your quote what you said here Craig um you know a lot of these young players

Um that that are up in the NHL now at one point or or another were the the best or the best two or three players on their team um and maybe a sense of entitlement comes in I think back to Jacob Loco when he was drafted he says I’m gonna make every

Team uh regret not picking me which is a form of entitlement in in my opinion but he’s had to go ahead and change his game in the way he plays uh thanks in large part to Jim Montgomery so I I want to read uh what you wrote here Craig first

Um quote people think you’re crazy to expect more compete from a skilled player but it’s perfectly okay to demand the grinding two-way forward to work on those Puck skills but limit the rice time when they try to create offensively no wonder there’s so much entitlement in the game today unquote I

Wish I had the date that you wrote this because um I think to Fabian lysel as an example um who I watch play in Sweden played with that entitlement in this game I watched him with the Vancouver Giants played with that sense of entitlement early on in Providence

Played with that sense of entitlement Ryan muel come out and publicly I’m sure you saw what he publicly had to say and there’s been a complete change on the other hand you have Matthew ptra who I heard him say I’m going to do everything I can to make the NHL this

Year and went and busted his ass off um during the off seon and and made the show um so I want you to expand on that Craig whether it’s Lao or lysel or ptro or anybody else you want to bring up well first of all Dom thank you so

Much and uh for for falling along um a a quick backstory on on those observations from the rank um I had an NHL Scout when I first started um talked to me you know privately and said Scouts don’t do that they don’t they don’t you know tweet out

Their observations they don’t do that and uh I went back and and deleted all of them or locked them and and I thought I might have just ruined my my opportunity in the scating world but as things progressed it was my way of identifying certain aspects that maybe

If young players or parents were falling along they they could say oh okay well this is right because the scouting process um especially around the this area and this region uh oh well it’s top secret you you don’t right what what are scouts looking for what do they zero in

On so when when I started the the observations from the rink and and these little um you know aspects and uh and and tweets they didn’t gain a lot of traction but now um you know and I’m I’m very fortunate that that people have followed along and um and continue to

Follow along and support the idea now is there some resistance there from time to time of course right opinions are like noses everyone has one right and um especially in the hockey world but getting back to your point one of the games that I did see at the world

Juniors uh last year um well when it was in Monon and Halifax yeah um was the uh the Lysol game and um I had an opportunity to interview him great young man um very personal very confident in in his abilities and when when you say entitlement there is so much entitlement

Right now Dom and you you know Mark and and you guys follow the game you see all these young young players coming up through playing Junior and then you know heading into Providence or Hing into the American Hockey League people don’t realize okay especially around these

Parts and and how difficult it is to crack the pro game especially you know there’s some good Hockey being played in the east coast right now there there’s some drafted right signed prospects you know signed a two-way deal American Hockey League deal that are getting sent down to the east coast on

Regular basis people don’t realize how fast and how good the American Hockey League is so we’re seeing all these young players that are point a game or a point you know more than a point a game at the junior level step into the the American Hockey League and struggle they’re

Struggling and partial to the maybe the entitlement or their role that they played okay at the junior level so you know some people say oh is it entitlement or is it Swagger is it self-confidence right there’s a there’s a fine line there yeah and I think more

At the u8 level from a scouting perspective because I’m still with fredon of the maritime Hockey League um you know we see that as or I see it as entitlement they might see it or the player or the parents see it as Swagger well right they’re not moving the puck

They’re not passing the puck they’re not seeing their teammate it’s subtle selfishness they’re not moving it quick enough right their body language is off all those things are entitlement when it in my opinion yeah I agree and and you can tell the difference between Swagger and entitlement right and and say what you

Want to say about you know prra going to World Juniors he didn’t perform he didn’t do this he didn’t do that it’s a big jump okay when you’re playing at the pro level and then you go to the junior level big ice all those things it was a

Tough adjustment for him and when he came back banged up all that I I think he’s been really really good and I think early on when they when they scratched him or when he got hurt I I can’t remember which one they missed them they missed yeah his Puck possession they

Missed that aspect and they missed his vision and playmaking ability in my opinion some people would say oh well he’s hanging on to the puck too long that’s okay he’s an titled player I beg to differ I I think it’s confidence and I think it’s a little bit

Of swagger which you need but there’s a balancing act there guys in my opinion nice good stuff yeah we got about a couple minutes before we uh hit our first commercial or the only commercial of this program so um I do want to mention something that uh Dom

Brought up at the be uh when we’re talking before we started the program and I totally forgot to mention it but um former uh Boston Bruins goaltender Blaine Locker passed away at the age of 53 um yesterday uh was it yesterday the day before or earlier this week um uh a

A promising goenda coming out of um uh Lake Superior State uh came into the Bruins organization with a lot of praise and a lot of hype and just um unfortunately just couldn’t make it all happen and his uh his his career was pretty much cut short but um myself and

And everybody here would like to uh um you know except our condolences to the locker family the friends and family of Blain um just a you know a tragedy um you know it’s just well I mean anybody that passes away that’s a bruin is just it’s it’s it pulls my heartstrings

Because I’ve been a fan for you know since I was three years old and I have an allegiance to this this organization and you know as a media member I love covering the team as well and um but you know it just sucks when you hear stuff

Like this so you know thoughts go out to everybody yeah lot of prayers to his family and friends and gone way too young way too young when you look at the the organization and what they’ve done uh to celebrate the the Centennial uh and honoring so many players past and

Present um this one uh leaves a big hole with regards to uh those celebrations that that are ongoing so again condolences to the locker family absolutely all right let’s see it from the BB Lux Transportation Company if you or your family or friends need a safe and reliable five-star

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This program as usual fantastic people we love them um I don’t know you Dom do you want to uh dive into uh to to Craig’s brain a little bit more because I know you’ve did a little bit of extensive or extensive research i’ I I’ve got another one that

You know relates again to to uh Fabian lysel I mean you could even use it at times to describe David posternack um but let let me just read it to you this is again from from Craig and I quot qu speed is a phenomenal asset but it’s easily neutralized by the unwillingness

To pass the puck how many times does a player have to skate into trouble or stay on the outside and not generate anything or turn pucks over without being corrected or held accountable and again I I I I immediately um when I think about that little paragraph I I think again to

The Ryan muel comments about Fabian lysel and how quickly he’s um corrected that and and turned things around I mean um we don’t see Conor McDavid do those things uh that often um you know go go back to the fastest skaters that have that have played in the game

Um we we see David pnck with some terrible turnovers trying to do the same thing but you can’t talk to a David Pastak the way you can to a 19 or 20 year old Fabian lysel um or a Johnny beer is is another guy with with an

Abundance of speed um so can you talk a little bit about that Craig well thanks again Dom I um some of the observations from from the rink usually come uh from the u8 level but it also applies to the uh the qmjhl where we see players just try to

Do too much right they’re they’re trying to penetrate they don’t hit the open man for the the the give and go there’s no Puck support so they try to go through three or four guys we’ve seen that from from Pasto at times but when you have a player of his caliber he also

Understands really the value of his teammates one of the the most in my opinion underrated uh aspects of of pasta’s game is his playmaking ability his passing his vision he’s a he’s a phenomenal passer of the puck folks he really is so when you look at that and you see the

Comments from from the coaching staff in Providence and then you see a young man how’s he going to handle this right everyone that followed the black and gold they were Panic stricken oh here Here We Go Again here’s a young promising goal scorer natural goal scorer that’s put up some respectable

Numbers at the American Hockey League level all right we’re going to lose them they’re gonna they’re going to push him out they’re going to put him on the the trading block because he’s not playing the right way right so then we see the adjustment the young player makes and understands his role his

Identity and understands the team game and I think um you know that full credit to the coaching staff for having the the tough discussion and bringing that to the Forefront but full credit to the young player that understands yeah I’ve got to change my my Approach because my Approach might be

A little one-dimensional right now and I think when when any skilled player um you really have to pull that that young man aside or young woman or whoever the case might be and and have discussion about sharing the wealth and moving the puck and how that’s going to open up uh

Right things for you and the team and it’s also going to help um you know really boost um the team game but also uh create time and space for for that player and more time and space especially when you use your teammates effic efficiently and effectively yeah and um so um go go

Ahead Dom no well I I was gonna ask Craig um when lysell gets to the NHL assuming it’s in Boston um how much of an impact would David Pastak or watching David Pastak or learning from David past that how much of an effect uh will that have on lell cuz in

A lot of ways they’re similar well it’s a great question Dom and and when I asked him that question um he skirted it he didn’t want to talk necessarily about you know the comparisons right in the scotting world we always talk about the compar comparables and and similarities and um

You know talking with Craig Button uh a while ago um you know it was great to see Craig at the top prospects game as well and uh to pick his brain a little bit but you know everyone looks at comparables and when you’re when you’re looking at similarities but in in

Button’s perspective he plays like right he plays similar to right I think that’s really really important when I ask the player the pressure or the expectations to kind of live up and a lot of people are comparing him to David pasut he didn’t he didn’t want to answer

That right and and so be it right and I think that full credit to that young man for for understanding hey I’m not going to compare myself to you know a 60g goal scorer in the National Hockey League I’m 19 and I’m still trying to find my way

As a journalist as a a reporter uh part of the media and a hockey scope um I have to ask that question and you know and finally a Bruins fan I still have to ask that question and you know it it was great that he kind of in my opinion it

Was great that he skirted it but to to get back to your point I think it would be um great for a young player to have a mentor like David pasano with regards to the similarities that he brings to the game um where where do I see him

Slotting it’s a little too early right now especially in the Bruins lineup um would he fit as a third line right winger and a pp2 yes in the bumper position or on the fire dot yes he’d look great there but he has to work right he has to work his

Way uh to that level and and on once you get there he really has to solidify himself as a top six um or um a middle six forward in the National Hockey League what I noticed and and the video that went kind of viral was was from us

And Jason cook was the uh the uh the writer that did that video and Ryan was know you know he he pushed his buttons a little bit but I got to tell you I really wish that Dom was able to make it to this game in Toronto because the the

The Ryan M Janelle comments happened uh at home and then the Providence Bruins were going on a seven game Road Trip that was pretty much G to last uh a while it was a it was a while away from home but the game in Toronto that Dom

Was supposed to go to but there was so much traffic was the game everybody wanted to see that response like you mentioned and there was a lot of videos out there that well it’s one game and he still hasn’t gotten and I wish Dom was there to see the whole aspect not just

The video of his mistakes but the whole aspect of him skating to the bench how he’s reacting it’s all that other character stuff you know it um but I will say as that road trip went for further that’s when he really started biting in and making different changes

In his own entries in his uh Team participation you know getting the other guys involved I think that that’s the kind of stuff that really made um you know Ryan muel and his coaching staff happy but it is also just another learning curve absorb this information it’s not it’s constructive criticism

It’s not talking down to a player it’s not saying he’s never going to be in the NHL it’s just that little extra push that these kids need and so on and we’ve talked about it several times and Ryan musella said it I tell these guys

There’s a bag full of money at the end of that ice right there you just got to go and get it and I you know and I I like the way that the approach is but what I like about it most is the response and he’s been really involved whether it be Point

Production or just a really good teammate being there for another guy well I think you hit the nail on the head Mark and I I think it’s two things twofold the intangibles that the player is going to bring right on those Zone entries the little things working harder on the

Back check or applying back pressure um dumping the puck in instead of trying to make that extra move beating the man and then looking for the the opening or the cross scene pass but the second thing is it brings value to the player right it goes not from an asset

Oh well he’s an asset in the organiz ation to this kid brings value and it’s value that okay the organization is going to use that value and um promote that value uh when need be you know I I can again I’m not much of a predictor

And all this stuff but I would say he’s going to get some games if if especially coming down the stretch if the bees stay you know successful they’re going to potentially rest some guys and I think that was a a Learning lesson uh again the harsh reality of of last season I

Think it’s going to pay dividends this this year coming down the stretch they’re going to arrest some guys and we’re starting to see that a little bit already but I think he’s going to get an opportunity I really do and when he when he steps in I think it’s that value and

The intangibles that he’s going to bring that he’s earned okay at the American Hockey League level and I think you know that that’s going to pay dividends in the long run for for any young player but especially for a goal scorer a natural goal scorer and an offensive um player like

Gyso well another perfect segue because people are going to think we plan this because Craig used the word the word intangible so I have to bring this up and I I think of guys like uh jaob Loco I think of guys like Oscar Steen uh Jesper boquist uh Johnny beer

Danton Hine and uh and and those type of guys like my bit when I’m interacting with fans and you’re talking about a player they’re like well he’s just a Jag just another guy right but it’s not like that Craig let me quote you here quote they

Might not be the most skilled or most polished of players but they constantly do what other players don’t do and that’s compete for every Puck bring energy every shift every player has value some just go unnoticed or under appreciated hash intangibles so you talked a little bit

About Fabian lysel but let’s talk about what fans call just another guy because they’re not just another guy right exactly and when you need the honest players right uh the honest players um like the the Gregory Campbell the Shawn thoron Danny p you need the that Mero line the honest

Guys um if you look back right fellas you look back at that cup winning team they’re you know obviously Sean coming into the lineup but it was it was the fourth line it was the Mero line that really you know got that momentum going in so many playoffs series and then you

Look at the third line that energy line right Ryder Kelly um and and Rich peverly yes Rich peverly right so if you use that and obviously the game has changed since 2011 we all know that yeah but that’s a formula that a lot of teams across the

Hockey world from from u8 to Major junr to the National Hockey League are looking at right how much much value are your energy players going to bring right how what are the attributes that they have do they have the ability to play up and down your lineup and when

They’re up in the lineup are they going to bring those intangibles with them the same intangibles that they have okay in a bottom six role are they going to bring that up and are they going to stick to their identity and not try to do too much okay when they have the puck

On the stick and I think you’re looking at and there’s been a lot of attention around his return but I think you you’re looking at a different player in Danton heinan you’re you’re looking at a more responsible two-way player who understands Jim Montgomery’s system but understands his role within it even

Better and that’s why Danton hin is is having success right in this formula and is he’s going to score you 15 goals or 16 goals he might right but it’s the it’s the 10 or the 12 that matter most right now and it’s his time on ice and what

He’s doing away from the puck that’s going to pay dividends and that’s why he’s successful and he has the ability to play up and down you know from a defensive standpoint it’s transitional play it’s taking care of your own Zone um and and that also brings value to the solid

Stayathome two and a half zone or two Zone full two Zone defenseman you know we we the hockey world’s looking for the full three Zone Dem man that can do it all all right if you have two and a you know two or three two two and a half Z

Zone defenseman you’re going to be successful but you also need that twozone lockdown guy right because he has value so when you’re looking at the intangibles those are the things that you have to zero in on and ironically I don’t I don’t know if we should be

Talking about this but we we were talking about intangibles on on our we we had a scouting call for ferton uh with fredon it’s great to get the GM and the head coach and uh and and all the scouts together to talk about intangibles and and what those

Mean but um the GM and head coach talked about you know they bring the intangibles but now are they going to maintain those intangibles up and down the lineup and I think Dan Heinen has done that I think Jake debrusk okay has he’s figuring that out

As we go and and that’s why Jake debrusk there’s so much value I know he might be on the hot seat and the trading block this and that he’s heard that for for the last three or four years let’s give the kid some credit and and let’s leave

The kid alone and let him play oh he’s too streaky he’s too that let’s look at the value that he brings and let’s face it right hockey team like the Boston Bruins are going to need Jake debrusk in the playoffs and if they do ship him out

Which I don’t think they’re going going to and I think he’s going to resign um and I might be way off Bas in saying that but I think he resigns and I think um if they they are going to trade him which I don’t think’s going to happen they better be getting someone

That okay does what Jake de brus does when he’s going when he’s firing on all cylinders back in because they’re going to miss him yeah exactly and just to touch on something that markk mentioned earlier about Jim Montgomery and I won’t read the whole quote because you wrote about

This at length not long ago is the coach’s ability to communicate everything you’ve said to that player putting them in the right role uh explaining to them uh what you expect from them and to keep that constant communication uh Mark has talked about this many of times uh about Ryan muel

And Providence going over video with players um a you know you yourself wrote um asking the player to explain to you what they were thinking here or what they were seeing here um so like you both nailed it when when you talk about that communication yeah and and Dom to be

Honest with you okay and I hate saying this okay and you know this might get me in some you know some hot water but the the lack of communication that I’m hearing um in the game right now and that lack of communication isn’t getting better as as young players climb the

Ladder I wish it was all right but that is the great separator isn’t it between good coaches on the perception side of thing oh well that that person’s a good coach well that that person’s a great coach because they can communicate and they can communicate effectively all right and they’re communicating with the

Player but they’re getting to know the person first and that’s the differen maker in great coaches and coaching the athlete today’s athlete right we hear that all the time I’ve written about it today’s athlete is different they are they need to know where they stand at EV at any time they need to

Know what they’re doing wrong they need to know um what to improve on and if you’re not delivering the goods okay you can’t you can’t call yourself uh good at Player Development or pride yourself in Player Development because that’s that’s Player Development if if you can’t communicate you’re not developing

Players in this day AG oh another tremendous another tremendous segue right there from Mr Eagles and also this is a this is gonna touch on you as well Don because um I’d like to hear both of your your opinions about this because you’re both Canadians and and this is a a very interesting

Topic but there is a room rumor out there that the uh the prospects CH uh I’m sorry the CHL prospects game is going to possibly in the next year or two involve uh the USHL and NCAA is that is that true false or it’ll be it’ll be Canadian versus American I

Think Jeff Merrick was the first to to uh break the news I love it but there are reasons why I don’t like it and Craig if I can go first um I love it not because it it puts Canada up against the United States I mean I’m a big fan of best on

Best but it depends on how they want to do this tournament unfortunately you’re going to have 20 players that that on both sides right 20 Americans 20 Canadians that would have appeared in both the Canadian the American version of of the top prospects game not playing so we don’t get a

Chance to watch them and for for a scouting service that’s not good because you’re not seeing them in best on best so be because normally you get two Canadian teams going up against each other there’s 40 guys there’s uh two American teams going up against each other there’s another 40 guys so instead

Of getting to see 80 we’re seeing 40 uh a couple years ago we saw Reed dick go in and steal the show with net for in in the WHL had the Bruins not seen him in that game would they have drafted him well that that’s a that’s a great

Question Dom and again showcase games um this showcase game the new showcase game is going to be two a two game set um or that’s what they’re promoting um as a two game set so it’s going to be very interesting uh to see what kind of you

Know comes Al comes from that um however showcase games are really important but it goes back to um identifying certain players in traffic how do they handle those at that level is it the Beall end all no no it’s one chapter of their draft year um can a kid

Vault up uh the the the draft board I’m sure you know they they do jump uh from time to time and I I think it’s fantastic that there was so much uh NHL presence here um is it a one-off maybe but it’s just another chapter in the

Story of the draft year and I think that’s really important um is it going to hinder some some kids uh opportunity yes I think you hit the nail on the head though it will and and the the other thing I might add is I don’t know how the NHL is going to

Get the NCAA to participate in this and if they do if the NCAA does then they’re being very hypocritical because a player who is who is going to the NCAA can’t go to the CHL and participate in Camp or play in an exhibition game otherwise he loses his amateur status

Right okay um so how are they going to let an NCAA player go and play against CHL players uh because he’s now playing in an NHL sanction game because the top prospects game is an NHL sanction game against what the NCAA calls professionals well I think a valid point

Yeah that that’s fantastic Dom um there’s a lot of speculation out there right now circulating that the NCAA rule um that has you know some people questioning um you know going back a whole long time saying that that rule shouldn’t be there’s speculation right now in the

Hockey world saying that the NCAA rule is not going to be any longer and they’re going to to basically eradicate that rule so a player could uh jump from the CHL at 20 and still be eligible to go play uh NCAA hockey that remains to be seen there’s there’s you know some

Buzz about that right now Dom but when you when you think about that where there’s smoke there’s fire and it’s been a Hot Topic debate for for quite some time well I would love to see it happen to be honest with you Craig but you you

Get to the whole Logistics of it is what happen to to the the players education fund um you know that’s that’s committed to uh a canadi university I don’t think he can use his education uh package to go to to an NCAA school and that’s the logistics behind

It Dom that that they have to iron out right now and and there’s so many variables um with regards to that rule Ru the impact that the rule is going to have on the player um as you know uh as soon as uh players play a certain amount

Of pro games they lose their school money which is very very valuable um you know moving forward for that player and and their family so um I I think there’s a lot of work to be done on that portfolio moving forward and again it’s specul right now um that that the CHL

And the NCAA are going to to uh you know get rid of that it it remains to be seen and it I think it’s uh it’s a valid um it’s a valid point to to make that you know are they developmental leagues or not and some some players are going to choose

That route versus the other route and and you’re we’re seeing that we’re seeing that uh more now uh one player here locally um gave up his his first year of his Pro contract and has come back and and decided to play uh University hockey and and you know some

People might say oh well um you know he’s giving up on the pro game I don’t think so I think he’ll he’ll go back um once he gets his education and once he um you know play a vital pivotal role in uh in a certain University potentially claiming another National

Championship so would you guys like to see this new setup or would you like to leave it the way it is I mean when you’re thinking about the top prospects game I I kind of am with you D and I’m an American and you’re a Canadian and I understand that there’s

You know that was a traditional a Canadian game but why not expand on that and I understand that you you’re loseing 20 players that you know won’t participate but what about doing the same thing that you know Canada does now have two US teams so they both participate against each other and then

You have one game where the two winners of each country battle each other you know so basically a mini tournament exactly I don’t know maybe Craig can speak more to this um that may work for the NCAA which is basically a weekend League um but the CHL they have not a

Lot but they have games through the week so yeah um do does I don’t know do the London Knights want to play three games in a week without Sam Dickinson who’s expected to go in the top 10 um or are they willing is the NHL willing to pay them to shut the league

Down for a week to to have such a tournament because and yeah go sorry Dom but what about the Euro players what about the Imports what yeah right so you know obviously we have Euros um playing in in the game and I thought uh a few of

Them look very very very good um especially the the 6 foot five 6 foot five kid out of St John uh Eric’s matenko he he was fantastic and and here’s a player that I’ve seen the last two years he’s he’s really grown uh no pun intended I was talking to uh one NHL

Scout and word got out that he’s grown an inch and a quarter since the beginning of the Season folks so so he went he started the season 6’4 uh he’s 65 now playmaker um great shot great compe at you know level and um it’s his vision

Now everyone’s going to look at at his feet and say oh well but believe it or not he was one of the top ranked skaters um with and without the puck uh when they did some testing here another great EUR Euro was Julius Manet I might be butchering the the kid’s name

And if I am I’m sorry but uh signs of PJ axelon oh I gota like that so good two-way guy uh good skater good instincts good with the puck played on the right side of the puck um and again it’s only one game but the instincts

Were there and um you know 62 little bit bigger than p uh 62 200 pounds already Ki can play so but yeah what about the Euros um and and are there is there enough Talent across the CHL and the NCAA to maybe field a European team I

Don’t think so so then you’re limiting if it’s just a strictly Canadian versus American thing then you’re limiting and you’re taking away from the Euros now if it’s a c I don’t know about I don’t know about that Craig cuz I can look at the NCAA and and pick three

Bruins um that’s right you know but um but usually they’re there after they’re drafted so you’re right yeah so it it it remains to be seen but I I think either way guys I think it’s a great problem to have when we’re when we’re talking about yeah having best on

Best uh opportunities for these young players to showcase um and you know it it makes for great TV uh I I just hope it it would be a little closer to home like uh like it was on on the 24th what an atmosphere uh what a game and and it

Was great to to have it in in the the backyard so to speak yeah um good stuff guys um oh uh we got so much stuff I we talk about um how about the uh the Calgary Flames pulled the trigger on a trade earlier this week and they sent uh 29y

Old Center Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks for uh one two three four four three players and a draft pick or three plays and two draft picks one’s conditional but per Mr Elliot fredman uh he believes the Boston Bruins were heavily involved in the trade talks

For lyol but him not being signed to extension before a trade had the bees back off so I find that interesting um because it’s more or less like like like they mentioned on the 32 thoughts this morning uh that’s uh available on your favorite podcast platform if you want to

Listen to yourself um pretty much the same thing that um the other Lin Holm did uh came from the Ducks here uh you know there was a trade involved but the Bruins didn’t want to make the trade happen until he was signed and there’s security there you know what I mean

Because I know for the fact the Boston Bruins do not want to go into a trade deadline and and into the off season with you know this guy not signed and and if he’s not happy in Boston then you know he’s gonna go test the free agent

Market and you gave up a lot for a pure rental uh I think that the Boston Bruins were uh very diligent in backing off on this and maybe exploring this again if he doesn’t want to resign in Vancouver so there’s other avenues of getting him

Here but I think that the Don Sweeny and those guys were very prudent in their decision to to back off because frankly we really don’t have the assets to give them in the first place you know and and do we want to go back to giving up a

First round pick for a guy like Tyler puszi who eventually walked to free agency himself and basically here we are trying to figure out ways to replenish the proc pool so it’s it’s such a catch 22 with this the the guy’s a good player he’s probably going to be a fantastic

Addition to uh the Vancouver Canucks and and what they’re doing out west um you know because a lot of a lot of people are saying that they could be a Stanley Cup team as well and um you know we’ll see what happens with that but we’ve

Also seen what happens to NHL teams when they push their chips all in and not survive the first round we as Bruins fans we can raise our hands to that you know what I mean so hopefully that happens in Vancouver this year by the way well and and look look at at Sea

Monahan the deal with Monahan it’s a it’s a conditional third round and a first rounder yeah you know yep full credit to to Hughes for pulling that you know Monahan’s been good will he fit in well with the with the Jets I’m sure he will bones will get him going but it you

Look at asset management and you look at what da Sweeney has done I think there’s been Lessons Learned along the way absolutely and like you said Mark I don’t think they want to go to a full rental mode right now sure the window of opportunity they talked about that

Window uh a season ago with with Bergie and ketchen but that window is you know it could be wide open or it could be closed shut very very very quickly and I think that’s where you have to really credit your pro scouting staff you have to really be hands hands on every

Situation and really uh from a from a board standpoint you know having all your scouting staff on board to really determine what targets you’re going to go after is it the shiny object or is it the the player that’s going to come in and have an impact

And and I think the Bruins are going to look at that uh very very um and they’re going to do their due diligence about that and on that um a you know to to Really key in and and pick the right player to Target in a trade and whoever

It is going on the way back whether it’s draft picks or players or prospects or or whatever get the trade right and make sure like you were saying that the the that the kid or the player or whoever that that might be coming in is shed up

He’s he’s going to be under contract for at least one more season yeah AB I’m glad they stayed away because uh first of all I don’t think Jim Rutherford is stupid enough to to give up that kind of assets without talking to Lind Holmes agent and having a sense of of where

They stand and what the chances are resigning them that Bruce davage kid from Kitchener that they got has almost from the from the beginning he doesn’t now but led the Ontario hockey league and scoring as a defenseman wow yeah yeah once I once I once I got a

Word about who he was I did a a quick search and watch some video wow he’s good there’s no guarantee he’s going to make it there Craig will tell you he goes back as as long as I do there’s no guarantee that that he’s going to make

It uh but all indications are that he was a steal of a pick in the third round an absolute steal um you know even the European they they got uh forget his name oh it’s I got it right here it’s yon ymo yeah ha has a lot of solid

Potential so um I don’t think Rutherford went into this and said yeah we’ll give you that package without at least knowing I you’ve heard me say a dozen times Mark for the bruits to be involved it starts with Calgary asking for Matthew pantra and I’ve been a huge Elias linol

Fan for a long time I went out and got him season after his draft in the Sim League because I wanted him that bad uh but I’m I’m not giving padra up you know 15 potential years uh of you know a half dozen years of Elias linle um like Craig

Said you know you’ve you’ve got to manage your assets and uh the Bruins don’t have a lot of them right now that’s right that’s right um real quick speaking about those assets um where are we at with Boston Bruins forward Matt ptra um is there a

Possibility of him returning to OHL G or does he stick around in the NHL for the remainder of the 2023 24 regular season Craig you go first I don’t think he comes back I think I think he stays and I think there there’s there’s more for that kid to to

Learn at the pro level right now then then sending them back and you’re going to potentially ruin the kid if you send them back because what kind of message is that sending while you’re ready but now you’re not ready I don’t think I don’t think that it’s even you

Know worthy of mentioning I think they’re G to keep now again listen I’m not behind closed doors I don’t know what’s going on um and I and I’m not part of the decision- making process I would love to be but but when when you look at at the

Player and like we’ve been talking about we’ve been talking about value he brings value to that lineup whether it’s playing through the middle or on the wing and they’ve tried him on the wing he can still distribute pucks he his vision’s still there everyone’s going to

Look at his skating ability and his play in traffic and and the physicality aspect of things I think this little break is going to do him a world of good I really do I think you’re gonna see yeah you’re gonna see the kid come back and and he’s

Going to light the world on fire I really think that I think you’re going to see the best the next handful of games here okay this kid’s going to be really really good and you know you look at it at the similarities between a junior season and the pro season it’s

Not there there’s no similarities the intensity factor the the recovery right at the pro level versus the the major junior level I think he’s finding his way I think there’s so much potential here the worst thing you can do is send them back um I think they’re they’re

Going to plan through the um through the middle they’ll spot him some time through the middle I think they’re going to move him to the wing because he’s just too valuable and if if you know there are going to be some injuries you know let’s

Face it then you move them back to the middle and you surround him with okay guys that he’s familiar with that he’s already gained some chemistry with and I think he’s GNA have a great second half for the Boston Brews I’m with Craig 100%

Uh even if he doesn’t play a game in the playoffs just the experience to be with the team to see what it takes uh to go through the highs and lows with with his teammates even if if he’s not playing is just too valuable there there is nothing to be gained by

Him to go through an OHL playoff uh scenario where where they’ll probably be eliminated in the first round yeah right yeah I agree I I like where he’s at right now and and Bruins fans shouldn’t get frustrated if Jim Montgomery sits them for a game no you

Know this is these are the trials and tribulations of being a rookie in the NHL you know these it’s going to happen not just a rookie not just a rookie Mark a 19yearold rookie right right exactly so you know don’t get frustrated when when when when

Montgomery sits him and so on and say well he should be back in golf if you’re just going to sit him all the time these are experiences he’s acting like a sponge you know he’s absorbing all of this and and it’s important for his development and you know and him as a

Player character and so on you know there’s there’s times when you need to sit and listen and there’s also times when you need to go out in the ice and do so I I think that he’s in in a pivotal point in his career where he needs to learn those uh important

Aspects and I think he’s going to be a really good NHL player moving forward um hopefully not on the right wing i’ rather to see him at the center but uh it should be interesting if they are going to SL slot him over to the right side it’s St permanently

Right but it won’t be permanently it’ll be just to get him in games if yep if that’s the case because Craig will tell you watching uh every player in the queue for the last I don’t know how many years you’ve been following the que Craig I

Don’t want to I don’t want to give away your age there but but there are faceoffs in Junior and there are faceoffs in the NHL and and the thing I look for is the Players technique now ptra has great technique on the dot he just lacks

Strength to be able to be NHL players and and that’ll come because he was a 58% setman on the dot in the in the OHL that just doesn’t go away no he just needs to get stronger to be able to to be beat those NHL centerman uh so he

He’s not going to be a permanent right winner no and and guys let’s face it we were so spoiled to have that guy right come in at 18 and act like a 23y old and play like a 23y old or 24 year old at 18 and if

You look back you know he spotted on the wing sometimes right and then but you hit the nail on the head Dom when you said it’s the strength and it I would be bringing Bergie in nonstop and I know there’s some great face off guys that

That the bees have right now but I’d be bringing Bergie in and do it clandestin don’t have the cameras there bring them in okay talk to the kid and show them some things through the face off dot through the you know is it is it a video

Session with Bergie yes any thing okay the kid has right and again I’m not going to comparables or any of that you can see the subtle little plays where he hangs on the puck especially in in through the neutal zone to generate offensive opportunities off the rush you can see

Those tendencies in his game they’re very similar to Bergie all right the way he handles the puck the way when he turns up ice okay and the way he processes there’s a lot of similarities when when it comes to uh his game and now is he

Ever going to get to that level let’s hope so but that level is it’s it’s rare it’s elite and you know we’re so fortunate to to look at the body of work that that that young man and put in and ironically guys it was five years to the day where I

Nervously walked up to Don Sweeney at the avanir center um to to ask him for for a quick interview during the second intermission of a wild cats game uh that’s about as nervous as I’ve ever been uh in front of a camera believe it or not and um you know I mentioned uh

Patrice and and Don just said I don’t have the time to to pontificate as Don would say yeah about Bergie and the impact that he has and if we can um again we being Bruins fans but if the organization um can get half of what

They got out of um out of pla that they got out of buron they’re going to have a a a player that’s I don’t want to put a number on it but a very very valuable player moving forward you know I I’ve been thinking about this for a little

While but it really got into my head when I was listening to um to Craig there just talk about berson and and what he’s done for the team and and and basically just another great Ambassador uh to the to the league and the game of

Hockey but he’s also a very quiet guy as we all we all know here um and you know I know that he doesn’t really want the Limelight the cameras and so one but if he’s not going to come back and Coach do you guys see him playing a role

Much like Adam Oats is right now and being an instructional uh person you know Lear teaching other professionals like in the summer like he like they you know he gets with guys he’ll be back at the NHL he will 100% in some capacity will be back back with the Boston Bruins

Uh as soon as next year he’s even hinted at that okay he himself has hinted at that he he’s not gonna he’s not gonna do offseason work with with other guys his heart and soul belong to the Boston Bruins and that’s where he’s he’s going to be

Heading confident isn’t he G I am I love I know you are shot me right down um I I think I think you’re going to see Patrice berson um not take over but be a part of the Player Development portfolio for the Boston Bruins moving forward I really do and you know we

Again the Boston Bruins um have done a phenomenal job with the resources that they have put in to Player Development and if you look at from a fan perspective again from a fan perspective um you know you start and you look back 10 years ago and and you look at now and

The impact that that their Player Development has had um it it speaks volumes and I know that there’s fans out there saying well you know historically speaking the Bruins haven’t been too kind to young players um and and so be it there’s there’s an argument to be made on on both sides but

I I think there’s so much potential and there’s so much value in uh putting a lot of resources in your Player Development and um I think the the brunes have done a phenomenal job from a scouting perspective and Player Development absolutely well all right I have I have a segue

Real because we can’t let Craig go he segued himself into this and I can’t let Craig go because of his connection with the with the que without talking about 2015 and the Bruins draft and we know where Jake de brus stands we know Zach Cici was a

Bust so that leaves yakob zabor who looks like he’s on his way out of the organization Craig when you look at the rankings back in 2015 whether it was consensus or individually yakob zabor wasn’t a reach he went about where he was expected to go there

Were for a lack of a better term red flags so to speak um you saw them a lot more than I did I hell him a lot more than I did but when I did see him I saw some things I really really liked and I saw some

Things I didn’t like and you know we can talk about a current bre in Frederick brune uh if if you can uh who could or could not be in the same situation like brune to me could be a a uh Boomer bust type pick where he was

Picked let’s start with Zab Boral what you saw in 2015 and what you see in brune and then we’ll let you go cuz I have to get you on on this one um so I wasn’t in the scotting world in in 2015 I was in in the broadcast

World um and at at that point I always wanted to be and ironically I wrote an article I think in 2013 or 2014 um about you know the Intrigue that I had um you know with the scouting world and right and you know some similar 30 s from a coaching you know I

Was coaching at that you know back at the 2013 and you know just kind of transitioning out of coaching when when Jill and I had uh started the family and whatnot but so there there was always Intrigue from a scouting perspective so as a color analyst and and traveling uh

Up to St John and being here in Monon and seeing him play um I did something at that point that looking back back on it um I should have never done and at the time it was one of the the most viewed articles that I that I

Wrote um what’s wrong with yakob zoral and you know and I wrote it in 2016 after obviously he gets drafted it’s like oh wow you know there were there were games and I remember covering a game where Boral scores the overtime winner and you know he shot the puck through a whole

Bunch of traffic Pro release from the back end uh it it had eyes it was a laser um there were things that he he would do that would just jump uh and then 2016 rolls around it’s the body language it’s the lack of compete it’s the lack of urgency in his

Game and then I write the article and it’s like probably shouldn’t have done that right shouldn’t have done that like here’s an here’s an 18-year-old kid and and I learned so much from you know from that point to now that um you know one local journalist said if you’re going to uh if

You’re going to rip someone show up the next day show up the next day from a from a journalistic standpoint from a media standpoint show up the next day take it on the chin but if you’re going to rip someone show up so you know fast

For to the the 2017 season which is the big year for St John you know shabbats on that blue line you know zabor doing his thing and it came you know I drove into St John to cover the game and and they’re like who do you want to talk to I

Saidwell I want to talk to zoral so I interviewed him and I I got to kind of know the kid the quiet polite shy softspoken kid and when you get to know the player what what you see from a player but then you get to know the person a little bit

It changes your perspective and at that point of his time in St John he was probably arguably playing the best hockey of his time in in the port city so you know looking back on it now what’s wrong with yakob zabor to zabor is playing to his potential now let’s

Transition into the pro game you know Mark and I were talking before uh before we went on about the opportunity and how he was just coming into his own at the National Hockey League level when when the injury occurred and then he fought so and tried so hard to get back comes

Back and then it’s a numbers game right and then doesn’t doesn’t make it at a camp and we know we all know the rest of of the story right now you know quoting Paul Harvey right but in in in in zoro’s case um it’s it’s a shame

That it’s it’s going to end this way um because there was so much uh expectations pressure all that and that that came firmly on the back of that kid right it came all the attention went to him and was that young man ready for that I’m

Not sure and and you know as far as insulating I think any L teams are doing a much better job at insulating their their draft picks preparing their draft picks a lot better to handle that pressure on and off the ice now to to your answer to your question about

Brune I see brune stepping in because and like we talked about before Dom he understands his role and his identity a little bit I think better uh and again this is me just you know my opinion I think he understands his role uh a little bit better than than yakob

Did because you know what was going what was zabor going to be at the National Hockey League level well we saw him as a bottom pair and then we were just seeing glimpses of him as a top pair and playing well and moving the puck and Pat you know transitioning and then the

Injury occurred so right we saw glimpses of it but we didn’t see the consistency right that that we all expected in brune I think you’re going to see a player that’s coming into his own that’s developing still developing uh still gaining strength and knowledge and and experience which is going to be

Really really important for his his game now is that going to translate to the National Hockey League level it’s going to take some time and and time right now is is going to prove dividends for that young man’s development you know if he’s getting in games yeah go ahead let me

Interject there real real quick because you you mentioned the ECHL earlier I know Mark is a big advocate of of player certain players spending time uh either with the main Mariners or somebody else in the ECHL so he’s played about half of their games Mark in Providence yep um

Whereas you have a guy like Ryan Mast who is sent to to Maine to to start off in the ECHL um and got a two or three games with Providence is is brune like you know him better than I do Mark and I I watch a lot of his games

But is is he better served in Providence or would he also benefit from that time in the ECHL and I didn’t mean to cut you off I just I had to I had to ask that question that’s a great question I I gotta be honest with you

Tom I I really think it’s the Adam McQuade Theory I think Adam is is which is he’s in Providence all the time and Mo well most of the time and I think that that’s where a guy like brune needs to be even if he’s getting spot starts

And so on I think that they’re still heavily involved they are heavily involved in Ryan mass as well too but it just seems like brune just offering a little bit more than Ryan is right now and and wh which is why he’s going down and getting the the playing time the

Demotion isn’t bad for Ryan Mast it’s just to keep him playing because right there’s only so many play that he could play on the defense so but I do like the way that um you know that Adam McQuade has been working with these players and

I think that uh a guy like brunes is is Gonna Get Better by being surrounded by a guy like that all the time I think you know again we we were talking about getting the hammer out and hitting the nail on the head but in a

Case like mask you know 6 foot five rangy guy right he needs needs time he needs Puck touches he needs that grind he needs the physicality he needs that intensity with brune it’s more on the physical side but also the mental side of getting the Reps in practice getting

One or two games let’s look at the film let’s see what what we need to do and with brune guys and you know it he can play both he’s skilled enough to play Both Sides so is he going to spot in the on the right side or is he going to play

On the left tonight well if they have a hole let’s put him in right I don’t know just spitballing here oh well we’re going to go seven and 11 let’s let’s spot the kid as the seventh D let’s get him some PP time let’s see what he can

Do on the penley kill on the second unit and and let’s see how he’s going to develop we know what mask is doing down right down in or up in main I guess but you know what right you know what he’s doing right and he’s getting reps and he’s getting

Touches in all the key situations where maybe some some more uh eyes are on brune to see okay

Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast hosts Mark Allred and Dominic Tiano are back talking about the Boston Bruins organization and the recent news over the last week.
In this episode, we welcomed back QMJHL Scout for the Neutral Zone hockey website Craig Eagles to our B’s hockey talk as we’ve reached the 2024 NHL All-Star game with this year’s festivities being held in Toronto, Ontario. Please give Graig a follow on Twitter / X @Eags37.

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