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Dean Letourneau and Previewing Bruins Free Agency | Bruins Beat



Dean Letourneau and Previewing Bruins Free Agency | Bruins Beat

[Music] and welcome into the Bruins beat presented by prize pick go use that promo code clns to get up to $100 cash back on that first deposit and go to game time another sponsor of ours use that promo code clns to get up to $20 off or to get $20 off your first purchase terms of I’m Evan marowski that’s Mark dver Mark what is up he Evan how are you I am in beautiful ammer New York Tech kind of Buffalo but really ammer uh I’m in a hotel that’s why it looks like I have an ocean behind me it’s beautiful artwork uh shout out to the Marriott um but I am not in Vegas so I can’t be like oh yeah you know like I don’t know if you saw um Colby Cohen and Frank Sarah SP spaghetti uh did their uh did their morning Cup of Hockey like with the Vegas background in the back like I you wouldn’t want to see what the outside looks like here you would not no I I I’ve been to the Buffalo area I I’m I’m uh seic it is not it is not not even close I am here for uh select 17 team Camp which is good thing I came last year mark because I saw one of the Bruins draft picks this year there you go here last year so we’ll talk about him in a bit that’s Ellie Greenwald like I always say it always pays to go to the rink it does anyone knows that it’s you whether it’s in Massachusetts or in Amherst New York exactly and you have been doing this a lot longer than me and are much better at it than I am uh but you’ve been watching Talent come up uh for quite a long time um I want to get to that and this this is where I want to start because we get into a free agency I know that’s what you know uh a lot of the focus is going to be on but uh let’s talk draft um Bruins get the 25th pick last week um immediately we start going like huh and you and I uh for those who don’t know and I think everybody knows at this point uh you and I are in the ranks together a lot we watch a lot of games together uh and we happen to see St Andrew’s College quite a bit this year because they come down and they will play um in the St Sebastian’s Christmas tournament they will play uh you know they’ll play Kimble Union an exitor they’ll play at Warrior they’ll play like Mount those teams and we would go and we would always be like oh there’s that Dean Lono he’s 67 and uh you know really good and there’d be a million Scouts and some GMS when we when we’d go and we always us say damn it’s a shame he’s playing at Warrior and the Bruins don’t have a first- round pick because that you know they here’s a guy and his his commitment was Northeastern then it went to BC um Bruins took him 25th you and I were stunned uh what was your reaction and what is your reaction to it well I was I was stunned uh and you know thinking back to those times we watched him I think a lot the question you know a lot of the time was if this kid can put it or not the statement not the question if this kid can put it all together he could really be something but watching him in prep hockey you know it didn’t always come together in those uh in those games uh so you know I was surprised that the Bruins took him because I you know I thought they uh I thought they had their eyes on other players and and maybe they did and and they weren’t available at 25 but I’m coming around to uh to to liking the pick because I think they don’t have they don’t have a guy like that nobody has a guy like that really you know and if he can you know if he can put it together like I said they could really have something if they if he doesn’t then I don’t know they still got a six7 guy that uh that can uh you know maybe play in a lowerline role I I don’t know but I’m I’m good with the pick uh I was shocked like you said at first because I I didn’t see it coming uh but having thought about it for 24 hours or so here I uh I’m uh I’m happy with it and I’m I’m curious to see how he looks at Warrior on Monday I am fascinated by this this is a big thing I am fascinated to see what he looks like on Monday uh at Warrior and I’m fascinated to see what he looks like this year at BC what is their plan are they GNA put him on the second line we know James Hagen is going to be the first line Center most likely we know Ryan Leonard uh the plan is still for him to come back as of now that could change don’t know what’s going to happen at capitals development Camp maybe they’ll hold him hostage and be like you not leave uh you have to play with PL dubba you must this is an essential part of your development um but uh I I am Fascinate to see what they do with them there um when I first mentioned Dean Lono as a name to keep an eye on on poke the bear last week with Connor my first reaction was Bruins should maybe steer clear this kid and that was mainly because there were other centers like Sasha boy there who I liked and some others who might be in that area that you know have that high upside but might be a little bit more of a sure thing um and as the week rolled on I kept thinking about it and I was like you know if this hits that’s a huge hit and I like the idea of them taking a big swing I do I like the idea that they went up there to the plate with the 25th pick and said we’re not just going to take a sure thing we’re not going to take someone who you know more likely than not will be a very serviceable NHL ER like we need a number one Center a franchise number one and of the guys at at 25 that were available he has the highest upside from what I know and I think they felt they definitely felt that way and he’s a unicorn he’s 67 he’s skilled he has a great shot um you and I have talked about this many times um GNA need to compete to get up there G to need to be you know consistent every shift GNA probably need to put on a lot of muscle a lot more muscle we’ll see that quite a bit in the college jockey season but this is a project and that’s okay that’s okay to me you you know you you’ll compete well he’s developing um the question is is it three years is it four is it five I’m okay with letting this thing you know see how far it can go right I mean you know is it fair to to wonder if Don sweee and Jim Montgomery will still be in their current jobs by the time this guy is ready maybe that’s a fair question but it could take that it could take like you say we don’t know how long it’s going to take uh it could take a few years and uh you never know what happen what’s going to happen but uh you know they um you know I’m not sure about the uh the cage Thompson comparison you know like that’s the high uh the high end maybe I don’t think I don’t know well I don’t know what what am I talking about I nobody knows how this kid’s going to turn out uh if he could be you know three quarters of PA Thompson I think we take that uh oh yeah know the other thing the other thing is having him at Boston College spices up the college hockey season around here you know as if it needed needed spice but uh you know this arms race between Buu and BC uh is is really going to be intriguing this year uh you know I’m assuming celebrini is gone uh but they have um Eiserman they have Hagen they have Ste uh SGA stga uh you know BC does it’s just gonna be very interesting week in and week out to see how these guys produce you know at the opposite ends of comab and lero being a Bruins pick makes it even more interesting and I also think like it would not shock me it wouldn’t shock me if he came in and made a big impact it also wouldn’t shock me if he came in and there were a lot of growing pains and the points weren’t there or you know like the reports from his freshman year were not great from those who went and watched him like it wouldn’t shock me it wouldn’t shock me if he was well under a point per game in first year um just given that he’s jumping up from prep and this is something you and I have talked about um he was initially supposed to go to the USA Jael yes and then Will Smith left BC and they needed someone and they brought him in or they’re bringing him in and I know I think you and I are on the same page about this he could use an extra year he could use a year in the USHL no doubt and I think that was Pro I think that would be what would ultimately be best but I I said this last week too like FBC coaching crew is good they’re having a really good time churning out uh NHL prospects and players who are ready to play in the NHL I have no doubt that brown and Buckley and aers and and and um those guys are going to have LNO ready whether it’s after his sophomore year his junior year like I I’m okay with them I trust those guys with their hands on them yeah I do too and I think the Bruins do I think the Bruins know that they’re that’s a good coaching staff and uh that kid will get will get what he needs over uh over there from uh from the BC staff so uh but I was thinking last night what if what if say at the end of the season he’s got I don’t know 15 points 18 points for the whole season you know is the fan base gonna go be going nuts yeah they probably are but uh they will I think that’s a given you know I mean they’re going nuts over Jacob Loco leaving and he had two goals in 60 games so you know I don’t know but uh you know I I think it is a process it could uh we don’t know how long it’s going to take and uh you know it might be bumpy at times so we’ll see it’ll be fun to watch I think it will be bumpy and that’s okay like good things take time I’m not like and and I you know again I like the idea the Bruns took a big swing um what I think lero will be you know Tage Thompson is a big ask I don’t know it’s that that’s a big ask um but you know again if as you said if you can get three fourths of Tage Thompson like Loro is a very unique player he’s a unicorn you know and he’s a good skater he moves well for a guy that big so I go back to uh you know he’s if it works it works like if that’s your number one Center that’s if that pans out that’s a really good pick at 25 um and I appreciate them I like them taking that swing I saw some people um on Twitter being like Oh you know he’s kind of a gamble like well okay you can get someone else who you know might be a future fourth or third liner and that’s okay like there’s nothing wrong with that but this is a guy who could be your franchise number one Center in five years you know like the way his development could go and I think that’s okay I’m okay with taking that uh Gamble um another move Bruins moved up in the fourth round traded yakobo we can get to that um but first they trade up to get Elliot Greenwald who is from Bellow Falls Vermont have you seen him play yes did you ever catch any of his games yeah you did uh Bishop’s College yeah I I I think I saw him in summer hockey okay okay uh but yeah I mean I’m sure I saw him a few times this year in the USHL I you know I can’t uh say for sure I watched some of of those games uh but I like the pick you know he’s big he’s a Defender uh I think he’s you know he’s got a shot he’s going to kipc that’s a good uh a good program he’ll get what he needs there uh you know in terms of competing you know kipc always competes so he will uh he will be fine he’s going to a good place he’ll be in good hands uh so they must really feel strongly to trade up you know even though it wasn’t a massive uh jump but I don’t know when’s the last time the Bruins traded up even in the fourth round I I don’t know it’s been a while I don’t remember I I don’t know if that is that all that significant but hey they they felt strongly enough to do it so you know I uh I’m okay with the pick and I you know and again in terms of watching college hockey here’s another guy we can see on a regular basis in our backyard and uh that’s never a bad thing no it’s not um I think I so I actually saw him at select 17 Camp last year and he was phenomenal for New England and New England so the New England region actually won the whole thing last year over Trevor Connelly in the Pacific it was I think it like a six5 game um Greenwald is phenomenal Defender great stick um not I I don’t remember a lot of physicality like I don’t remember him you know laying guys out or anything I me he’s definitely physical not afraid to but like it’s his stick it’s his hockey sense um I think this is a guy and I’ve said this before I think he’s going to be a for sure Pro like I think this is a guy that um will projects well to not just college but the NH plugin and he’s responsible he has the size all those things I like that I like that um and to get him in the fourth round I think he was uh I think like some mocks had him in the third some had him ranked high again those mid- round guys are ranked in a million different places like everyone’s got them different um but I you know I kind of had him probably as a third or fourth round candidate they get him earlier in the fourth round I like the pick um you know I we’re only really talking about it because we know him you know like if this is another fourth round be like oh you know we’ll see um but this is I legitimately think this is a good pick and I’m okay with them trading yakob blo for him I want to get into that but first a quick word from our friends over at NBA finals are over and the Celtics are champions but there’s still so many ways for you to get in on the action and went up to 100 times your cash on prize fixed as you and the world’s best players take the game to a whole new level on the court baseball diamond and much more with prize picks you could turn $10 into $11,000 in a single game watching your favorite sports this summer you can make a prize pick lineup in as little as 60 seconds you just need to pick more or less on two to six players stats projections and you’re locked in prize pick is America’s number one fantasy sports app with over 5 million active members get on the daily action your friends and become part of the prize pick Community today quick withdrawals easy games play and a huge selection of players and Stat types are what makes prize picks the number one 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house um I’m okay with them dealing a fourth liner for uh b essenti i Vinnie ler but again he was here in 20 2223 he was in Providence for most of the year you saw him all the time um and you can kind of weigh in on whether he’s going to see NHL time here uh but I’m okay with them dealing for a a guy in the third or fourth round they really like who they believe is going to be a an everyday defenseman Someday I’m okay with them making that trade what about you yeah I am too I mean you know you can’t fall in love with players you know to the to the point where a guy who had two goals in 60 games is someone you don’t want to trade I mean come on what are what are we doing here if that’s uh you know nothing against uh Jacob Loco he’s he’s a he’s fun you know he’s uh you know never a dull moment with him he’s always he’s always been like that and he’s but you know you gotta give up something to get something so uh you know I I have no no problem at all trading him uh you know he’s 24 years old and you know the last not so much this year but like in previous years at times you know people some people in the media would get on this thing like well maybe there’s hidden offensive game there and my response to that was no there is not this is what he is you know he’s not a second line player he’s not he’s NE he never scored at any level and he’s not going to do it here he is what he is he’s an energy guy I give him credit for for being willing to fight anybody uh yeah you know and um you know it’s time to plug somebody else into that that uh that hole and you know he can go maybe to Minnesota and you know give them give them so in inject some energy into their lineup uh and you know I good luck to them I hope it works Works uh as far as Vinnie ler goes you know he’s still he has a year left on his contract um he was a tremendous player in Providence a couple years ago I mean he he’s his numbers were great from what I saw for me to me he’s a National Hockey League player maybe not in Boston but the he he can play in the league without a doubt uh but you know I ECT he’ll be in Providence you know he probably doesn’t want to hear that or wouldn’t want to hear that but uh he uh I mean he’s a good guy he’s as solid a guy as you’re gonna uh as you’re gonna come across a veteran uh you know I remember him I remember him on the ice with uh Luke toporowski like every day like way after practice was over you know one of the things Vinnie has is a wicked one-timer I mean a bomb of a one-timer and Luke toporowski and he would be out there working on it and working on it working on it like 45 minutes after everyone else was off the ice they were still out there so this guy cares and he works on his game constantly he’s a good Pro and a good guy to to have in Providence if that’s where he ends up I I I’m happy to uh to have him come back as part of that well I do again I don’t know his game nearly as well as you do but I do Wonder with um you know maroon potentially being gone um a lack of veterans in that bottom six I wonder if ler is more in their plans you know as a veteran guy who can come up and and and be around that’s a that’s a good point maybe he is uh you know he certainly if you remember he got called up he was in a wicked hot streak in Providence he got called up and he hurt his knee or something in his first practice in Boston and that put him out that put him out for a significant amount of time uh I think he got back up for one game and I think it was that game in Philadelphia where they called up a bunch of guys uh Conor Carrick was in that game uh yes and uh so maybe maybe he is he’s certainly depth guy that can be called up at any time and can do the job on the fourth line uh so but it’s possible that they they maybe they see him as somebody who can at least push uh to to play on the fourth line out of Camp uh but I I don’t think it hurts one bit to have a guy like him around whether it’s in Providence or or up in Boston from time to time I agree I agree um next year’s team which is now this year’s team because it’s technically like the 2425 season now which is a really weird thing that’s I always get weirded out by you know the years and everything um Monday July 1 free agency day one gonna be a big day also day one of Bruns development Camp um I want to get into that I want to get into free agency but first quick word from our friends over the Stanley Cup Final is over and what a thriller it was the Celtics are NBA champions with hockey and basketball playoffs over attention turns to the MLB and is there a better activity to do during the summer than hitting the ballparks nothing beats a summer night at Fenway Park a Fenway frag a nice cold beverage and the crack of the bat it’s a nice change of pace from the heart pounding intensity of the NHL and NBA playoffs just pure relaxation good weather and great Vibes feel like every year I make a slew of fond memories at Fenway for me last year it was in Chicago watching the Red Sox take down the Cubs at historic Wrigley Field got to say Cubs fans very nice people want to go to a game this summer go check out game time the authorized ticket Marketplace of Major League Baseball which makes getting tickets faster and easier prices on the game time app actually go down the closer it gets to first pitch that’s right they go down I love how easy to navigate the app is The Flash Deals are awesome if you want to go to a game last minute it’s the perfect place save up to 60% off off buying last minute tickets for sports concerts comedy theater Etc not to mention the views from all seats in the venue take the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets with Game Time download the game time app create an account use code clns for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code CNS for $20 off download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed now back to the show so as the ads play we can we can see each other what we’re doing you have the redline report next to you don’t you yes I do you do uh and that’s a the red line report’s been around a long time right as like a draft analysis thing yep yes it’s been around a very long time if it’s easy to find would you be able to see what they said about Dean Loro uh it’s not hard to find uh you know I I don’t know okay don’t do it then we don’t need to do it there’s no reason let’s just say they had him at number 59 okay yeah they were quite critical and we don’t need to say we don’t need to if you want to go find what they said you can find it and they are they they they are blunt uh in in their uh their assessments uh uh it rubs some people the wrong way um but you know the guy’s been doing it for a long time he he’s got credibility in the industry uh so you know I don’t uh I take uh I take what he says and uh and uh you know I I believe it for the most part you know and I can I can make my own assessment on lero uh you know I think the criticism is is well earned at this point and it’s up to him to uh to to up to lero to uh you know convince the critics that uh he’s going to be a good player and you know I don’t uh we’ll see what happens going forward here with him yeah we will we will uh free agency free agency begins Monday July 1 always a busy exciting day uh always a day where there’s a million things happening you’re refreshing Twitter every 5 Seconds um and of course we got day one ruins de camp at the exact same time uh just like last year which is always fun trying to do two things at once um what are the biggest priorities for the Bruins on Monday what are you looking for I’m looking for Center uh I’m looking for Elias Lindholm and uh you know I’m optimistic that that they uh they have a real good chance to get that done uh don’t ask me why it may be misguided optimism but that’s how I feel you know I think that’s and he doesn’t have to come in and be you know Austin Matthews he just needs to be an upgrade you know a significant upgrade over what they had last year excuse me no knock on you know Charlie Coyle and pav zaka but you know I think Lind Holm has a chance to to Really upgrade them at that position um yeah I know he’s uh is he on the downside of his career well you know I think he’s still got some good years left um and I think that would be he would be a a significant addition and it would uh would solve a lot of problems for them up front it solve a ton I agree with you my number one priority would be Ellas lindol that is the biggest one um I think you pretty much get him at whatever price he wants I know obviously you know you start getting over like 10 then you you know you have to reevaluate but you know if it comes in somewhere around eight you do it you know and if it’s a little bit higher I still think you do it um you nailed it with he FS a lot of needs he’s an upgrade um I agree I don’t think he is your franchise number one Center I I don’t think he’s you know immediate cup contenders I think you need a few more pieces to to be that but he makes you better yeah and I also think if you do give him a seven-year deal um or a long-term deal and he’s your number one center for the next two to three years and then becomes your number two Center you know down the road yeah I think that’s great too like I think that’s fine because that that $8 million per year won’t be crazy for a number two Center uh as the salary cap goes up so for me I I I’m with you like Lind Holm is priority number one and I don’t know like we’ve talked about this before I don’t know other free agents that are good constellation like a Chandler Stevenson maybe um you know obviously Steven Stam coast God knows what’s going to happen with him I feel like there’s something new with that every day the lightning clear a bunch of cap but stamco still hitting the market um but Lindholm is a brw like lindol has that Brewing ingredient of two-way Center good on draws can produce like I like I think fans are going to be extremely disappointed if they don’t get him yeah I agree uh part of the reason would be well who’s the so who who fills that void if they don’t get him you know I I don’t know uh Chandler Stevenson you know he’s not a he’s not a number one Center in the NHL he’s a good player he’s a good player but uh you know I don’t think he he fits that number one role so you know so after that I don’t know what do you you have to trade for him trade for that guy and anything you get in trade are you going to get a a center that’s the equal or who exceeds Lindholm in trade I don’t I don’t know because teams don’t trade guys like that no they don’t cent They Don’t number one centers don’t get traded unless you’re uh you know Pier Luke W I don’t know is he really a number one Center he’s he’s going to be the guy that gets OB into the goal scoring record the promised land baby it’s gonna it’s it’s it’s this season it’s the season or bus actually that that does remind me that the comparable in the redline report for lero was Pier Luke dubis oh no oh no oh no that’s not good oh man oh boy um well but yeah I agree with you and I think you know it’s got to be lindol lindholm’s got to be your guy and by the way a lot of reporting from reputable places have the Bruins linked to Lind Holm pretty strongly so I you know I don’t think yeah I don’t think they get out muscled like I know Vancouver wanted to resign him I don’t know if they get it done I just think you’ve got they’ve got you number you know they have top six centers already um I like this is the Bruins number one need they have 23.9 six million in cap space resign San sign Lindholm those are your two big things you can do that with that money and then that LE so let’s just say lindol comes in at eight 8 million and let’s say San comes in at 8 million let’s just say they’re at six that’s 16 and that leaves them with about 7.96 million I’m going off Bruins cap space on Twitter because I don’t know if I can trust cap friendly anymore with the being bought out by the capitals and their dayses are numbered so uh bruids cap space on Twitter 23.9 six million in cap space um after those two deals I just mentioned that would come down to about 7.96 to8 million uh in cap space with that remaining bit what are you looking for out of that I think there’s a pretty obvious answer but I’m curious what you’re looking for out of that well I think you need a scoring Winger you gotta replace Jake you gotta replace Jake deus’s goals uh you know I I so I think that’s you can’t just say I don’t think will let everyone else will uh have to pick up the slack you can say that but I don’t think that’s going to work uh so you got to you got internal competition that’s what it is internal love the internal competition uh so who do you I don’t know who who do you uh who do you turn to uh to fill that void you know Tyler tley is a scoring Winger uh I don’t know who else off the top of my head you know why not Patrick Kane well probably because he costs too much money but yeah that would wouldn’t that excite uh Bruins Nation if they somehow were able to do that I don’t think they will I think he it sounds like he’s got his eye on New York or uh or Detroit so I don’t I don’t expect that to happen but uh you know pass to Foley I don’t know I don’t have the free agent list in front of me but it’s got to be some like that somebody yeah I I mean again I think tley is the perfect Target just a goal scorer like that’s what you need a guy who can finish your power play could use that five on five you could use that um but I also think like if you could somehow get a t Foley I’ve said this before a tley and an Anthony duclair that style of forward that style of Winger um or you know like I don’t think you can do both because I think that’s not going to be able to work in that cap space thanks for getting you know no scor Pell’s contract um but like Tyler bzi you know if it was a bruzi and a tooli or berui and a duclair or duclair and a um defley like I would love that I think that would boost them up a lot offensively I don’t think they do that I think they just get one Winger that would be my guess I think they get one Winger and a depth defenseman a depth left shot guy which I think they need um yeah I think they need that I think that would be like if I were to rank my priorities it would be number one Center scoring Winger and then at number three would be like a third pair left shot or you know a guy who could also maybe slot up on the first pair left shot D I think that’s you know but I don’t know if they have the money to the extra money to do that like a Brendan Dylan do they are they able to fit him in I’m not sure I would love to I would love to get him I I’m a big fan of that guy uh I wonder if you know on a you know shopping at the dollar store here uh what about Cam Atkinson um it’s an interesting one he’s had a terrific career he’s a he has been in his prime he was a scoring Winger uh I don’t know I think he was hurt I think he’s had injuries the last couple years uh I think he only had well I don’t know how many goals or points he had this year but um you know I wonder if a guy like that a on a cheap contract would uh would be someone who uh you know kind of it in the role that jvr had last year uh yeah you know a guy who you know if you give him the puck Around the Net he’s probably putting it in uh you know he’s been do doing that for years uh you know he went to Boston College I you know I don’t know how far you you go with that know he’s not a local another local guy yeah yeah BC but you know there maybe a guy like him is worth a look uh I don’t know I guess that’s not a guy you go out and get I don’t think on the first day of free agency but uh maybe down the road that’s a that’s something that’s worth looking at you know I don’t know well I I don’t know what his next contract’s going to look like um I don’t know what it’s going to you know cheap money and anything but you know you look at like a Danton Heinen last year picking him up off the dollar bin you know try out you know veteran minimum and he comes in and he plays everywhere in the lineup and he works like could an Atkinson be like that but I think your jvr point is more his comp of like here’s a guy who’s reliable has been a scoring Winger in the past can be a Dependable second or third line you know middle six Winger I think that’s another one that’s been mentioned a lot is Jeff Skinner that’s another one and that’s a guy who I like his the underly numbers are awful defensively and I he’s never made the playoffs correct ever ever yeah ever which is crazy uh I remember when he was like touted as the next big thing they had an All-Star Game in Carolina back in like the early 2010s and he was like the rookie that was there and they were like he’s Jeff Skinner he’s the next big thing yeah and had a good career like you know but it’s not been to that level and the story you know at the start was like did you know that he came up as a figure skater a competitive figure skater can you believe it you know it’s like okay but I mean how long’s he been around 10 years no playoffs more I think more I think he’s going on like 15 so I you know I don’t know I suppose you know you could make a case that again a guy like him he’s made a he’s made a ton of money of playing hockey you know yeah noty but uh could he would he come here on for a relatively short money and affordable contract or is somebody else GNA uh offer him more and uh and and he go there I I I who knows uh is uh you would think that at this point he would interested in playing in playing in the postseason right that thats like something that would be important to him and if it April tea times those April tea times though I mean those hard I mean if if it isn’t important to him then I don’t want them right I mean exactly so I don’t know he’s worth worth of discussion for sure it is it is I I’m not super keen on it you know I think in Atkinson would probably make a lot more sense um but you know again if you can pull one of those guys off the dollar bin and you know I read fluto the other day saying uh that uh the Bruins and and Heinen they’re trying to find you know they want to merge an agreement you know I like what Heinen brings I think it’s a good thing if it’s more than a certain amount of money if it’s you know if you’re pushing you know two million with that it’s like well you go find the next H go find the next guy yeah don’t like let him go get his payday elsewhere good for him we’re pro getting the bag that’s awesome but you don’t need to be the one to do that and so that’s where I a little hesitant on that yeah don’t reward him for what he did last year you know he needs he needs to be paid uh commensurate with what he gives you next year or maybe the year after not not on past performance you know even though yeah he he did uh he he had a terrific year uh last year in in a number of you know up and down the lineup but uh it’s what he’s going to give you next year that matters not not what he already did the problem with free agency is that a lot of those contracts are handed out based off past performance and that’s when we look back and go wow those contracts stunk those sucked um I agree with you I agree go find the next guy um should be interesting I’ll see you at Dev camp on Monday right I’ll be there I I expect I expect the streets around uh Warrior will be jammed with traffic as fans turn out to see Dean lero Dean I don’t know there’ll be some uh you know there some sort of a chance for Dean Loro it’s gonna be like you know watching an animal at the zoo you know he’s six foot s like when the br going way back when the Bruins drafted tyus Sean uh it was develop development Camp was at ruia back then that’s right I mean the place was I’ve never seen the place packed like that like it was that day the first day of camp when Sean was uh was hitting the ice you know I’ve never seen a crowd like that at development Camp ever uh and I I don’t expect you know I think there’ll be plenty of good season available at Warrior but uh you know leros no Tyler San so uh you know I I just uh I think fans will come out to uh to get a look at him to to see what he’s about and you know some people will say that this guy is g to be the captain someday and others will say let’s wait and see I I’ll I’ll be in I’ll be in the wait and see category I I’m with you the Bruins though will tweet out like a video of him like dangling a cone and then shooting over a shooter tutor and it’ll be like oh my godak breaking it down breaking it down the Crossovers here you know um I he would be a fascinating book or documentary to do over the next four years of how a guy like that develops whether he ends up becoming a really you know a number one Center Tage Thompson or he’s a bust and just the what went into all of it like I think it would be a really fascinating behind the curtains look you and I are suckers for hockey development that would be such an interesting book or documentary I think on what it what’s what it’s going to take and what it took for him to get to where he’s going to end up so you’re right that would be uh that would be fascinating uh do you remember Joe Colborne I don’t I don’t remember him but I know his name is mentioned a lot with him so he was a first round pick they traded him though uh they traded him during the run to the OR at the deadline in 2011 uh and they brought in uh the defenseman from Toronto oh uh cabet cabet yes so Joe went the other way and Joe was a great kid he was in Providence you know working on his game and you know he played in the league for for a few years he he wasn’t a bad player at all he certainly wasn’t a bust as a first round arounder he played you know he made it for a while uh but uh I the thing I’ll always remember about Joe is that uh the afternoon he got traded I called him up to get a comment on you know what do you think yada yada Y and he’s like oh can I call you can I call you right back I’m in a I’m in a taxi going to the airport I’ll call you uh I’ll call you as soon as I get to the airport well needless to say I’m still waiting you know now 13 years later waiting for my phone to ring maybe has get to the airport yet it’s bad traffic the funny thing is I saw Joe came into town a few years later with Toronto and uh as soon as he saw me he started laughing like uh he he remembered he remembered you know we laughed about it so good kid that’s a start that’s awesome that is great um but yeah I know he’s been mentioned a lot he had a 44o season actually with Calgary think in 20156 I just looked up so um 6’5 like 220 um but yeah interesting week Bruins are an interesting team this is a really uh intriguing off season I’m excited to see where it goes and we’ll be together uh watching hockey again next week which will be very fun that’s our favorite thing um and uh yeah that’s this week’s episode of Bruins feet presented by Prime uh prize picks game time that’s Mark diver Evan marinovsky Words Be listeners of a great rest of your week [Music]

Welcome back to Bruins Beat! In this episode, Evan Marinofsky and Mark Divver discuss the new Boston Bruins that were taken in the 2024 NHL Draft. They spent a lot of time watching their first-round selection, Dean Letourneau, and they provide a full analysis on how he might fit on Boston’s roster.

They also credit a more underrated pick from the day, Elliott Groenewold, arguing he could be a solid player at the professional level.

Their conversation then pivots to the impending free agency window, as they make their arguments about who the Bruins should go after and what decisions they should make regarding some of the players they could retain.

0:00 – Intro
3:00 – Bruins’ 25th Pick Reaction
5:10 – Dean Letourneau’s Potential
7:02 – Uncertainty of Development
10:32 – Potential Impact of Letourneau
14:44 – Mid-round rankings
17:43 – Dealing for future
20:59 – Vinni Lettieri’s potential
22:38 – Free agency day
26:17 – Free agency begins
29:43 – Lindholm’s importance
31:19 – Bruins’ top need
37:09 – Playoffs discussion
39:27 – Free agency caution

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10 Comments

  1. The Tage Thompson comparisons need to stop. This kid is going to need a lot of development time and a lot of patience from both Bruins hockey operations and fans, too. The earliest we can responsibly judge Letourneau will be in early 2028. That’s a long ways off. Fans will need to temper expectations in the short-term and mid-term. If Letourneau is lighting up the AHL in early 2028, that’s fantastic… but his development, especially given his unusually large size, may take even longer than that.

    Is a future Tage Thompson a possibility? Yes, but that won’t be happening any time soon.
    There’s also a possibility (using baseball as an analogy) that Letourneau flames out before ever reaching the big league, like Trey Ball or Jay Groome.

  2. “#1 centers don’t get traded”

    Elias Lindholm, Bo Horvat, and Jack Eichel have all been traded in recent seasons.

  3. Letourneau could be a great pick if he can put it all together, but the pick I like the most is Morrell in the 5th rd, the kid can flat out fly and has pretty good size, could be the steal of the draft.

  4. Stay away from Patrick Kane and Atkinson, rather sign Jeff Skinner on the cheap. Divver is really good at covering the AHL and Providence, but his ideas to try and make the Bruins better are not what the team needs.

  5. Evan is right

    No matter what Don Sweeney defenders likeJoe Haggery and Andrew Raycroft think, the Korpisalo deal will hurt the Bruins chances of fielding a more competitive team this year because that few million will be the difference between being able to add lets say

    Elias Lindholm at center, Anthony Duclair, Tyler Toffoli or Tyler Bertuzzi at wing and Brendan Dillon or Nikita Zadorov on defense

    They're probably going to have to settle on just Elias Lindholm at center and either a Top 6 wing OR a Top 4 D -Man, they won't have the Cap Space to add all three.

    Haggerty keeps talking about how good Korpisalo is talent wise and how good his deal is when here's the actual reality of Korpisalo is this:

    Don Sweneey, his savior, traded a 2nd round pick to get rid of "some" of John Moore's remaining money

    Don Sweneey, traded 2nd round d-man Ryan Lindgren in the Rick Nash deal to get NYR to take just "some" of Matt Belesky's remaining contract

    Don Sweneey traded a 1st round pick and the Bruins highest drafted player in 2018, 2nd round D-Man Axl Andresson, to Anaheim just so they'd take back "some" of David Backes' remaining money

    So what did Ottawa do? '

    The traded Boston a 1st round pick to take on Korpisalo's crap contract, bottom line, end of story

    Thus Linus Ullmark ultimately got traded for a 4th line grinder, #gross

    Worst yet, they will pay more to Swayman/Korp in 202425 than they did Swayman/Ullmark in 2023-24 and they will be worse in net talent wise

    And Joe Haggerty actually calls this scenario "good". Insane. Absolutely insane!!!

    Don Sweeney should have said "no" to Kostelic, "no" to Korpisalo and instead, just took Ottawa's 2nd round pick and had Ottawa eat 100% of Ulmark's contract

    Then the Bruins would have received 100% of Ullmark's $5M in Cap Space and they'd be able to do more in free agency like add Elias Lindholm AND a Top 6 wing AND a Top 4 D-Man

    But it is what is

    As for Dean Leterneau the Bruins were probably praying that Michael Hage or Sasha Boisvert were going to fall to 25.

    When that didn't happen the other higher ranked centers like Cole Beudoin, Juluis Miettinen and Linus Erickson all project more as two-way, middle to box six, checking line guys

    Thus the only center still there at #25 with the potential to be a Top 6 scoring force if he develops was Leterneau.

    The Bruins don't have that high ceiling potential with ANY PLAYER and ANY POSITION in their crap farm system, let alone center.

    And don't say Fabian Lysell. Like Leterneau, Lysell was considered a boom or bust guy by many scouts. Right now he looks more busy than boom but the jury is still out, however, time…. It's running out on Lysell

    The argument can't really be made against taking Leterneau where they did.

    Instead, it makes you wonder if the Bruins would have been better moving Lysell and or the 1st round pick to acquire a more established 2c or Top 6 winger who can step in right now and deliver Top 6 scoring.

    But that's all moot now, they made the pick and he's got a lot of upside

    For UFAs again it'll be likely be Lindholm then one of either Duclair, Toffoli or Bertuzzi at wing and some #6/#7 type of LD as depth.

    OR

    They'll sign just Lindholm at center and add a Top 4D like Brendan Dillon/Brady Skeji or Nikita Zadorov

    They just don't have the Cap Space to re-sign Swayman and add Lindholm both at an $8MM AAV, then also a Top 6 Wing and a Top 4 D-man. Again, had they moved all of Ullmark's Cap but….

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