What Should the Bruins Change in 2024? w/ Conor Ryan | Bruins Beat

What Should the Bruins Change in 2024? w/ Conor Ryan | Bruins Beat

When you look at just the the framework of this team the younger players that have stepped in couple the fact that you’re going to have a good amount of cap space to spend in the next couple of years like you’re in a spot that a hell

Of a lot of teams would kind of Envy looking forward in terms of you know pening this next chapter of what this franchise has you got a lot of options in place yeah I mean I think what 2023 showed in the second half is that the

Future without Bon and Cree is not as bad as we always thought it might have been you know the core is there you mentioned the cap space younger players are developing there’s more to this to the prospect pool than I think most people thought so uh first half really

Fun terrible ending second half not as fun but seems to be promising for the future so uh quite the year in 20123 definitely not uneventful there were a lot of things in 2023 that uh that took place um so interesting year at that Bruins speed is brought to you by

FanDuel the exclusive wagering partner of of the clns media Network and welcome into the Bruins beat on clns media my name is Evan marinovsky and today I’m joined by Connor Ryan Connor what’s up Evan I’m doing well how you doing doing great doing great happy

New Year 2024 uh is almost upon us I think this is dropping either right before 2024 or right after so it’s either almost upon us or it’s here but either way it’s it’s reach out and touch it basically uh 2024 and uh yeah you reach out grab it

Like that um it’s weird 2023 is done uh and I we’re going to look at kind of the New Year’s resolutions for the Bruins what they should hope to accomplish in 2024 what they need to fix in 2024 but I want to first look back at

2023 uh because it’s been a weird year and by weird I mean really freaking heartbreak for Bruins fans and you know you think of years right you think of like 2010 you think of the collapse against the Flyers and then but it was necessary for 2011 when you won the Stanley Cup and

You get every year is sort of defined by something you know there’s in the last 20 years there haven’t been many irrelevant Bruins years I mean even look at like 2015 you have the draft you at 2016 you know you have missing the Playoffs but also you know the end of Cl

Julian um and obviously 2019 you have you know falling on the Cup final which by the way I don’t know if you saw this the athletic did this story on like they ranked the last 18 Stanley Cup champions uh so I think since like 06 and the St Louis Blues were number 18 which is just like like what could have been what should have been um but that’s for another day we’ve we’ve done that quite a bit um but 2023 what will you remember 20234 when you look back like 10 years

From now wow uh I mean it’s probably the best encapsulation of uh why hockey is both great and terrible probably for most fans right in terms of I think over the span of just a couple weeks as a fan you can reach the highest of highs and

Then can come crushing down in a hurry right and I I think you look at uh just how good that team was and you know it wasn’t just how much of a wagon they were and how dep they had but you know the amount of comeback wins they had you

Had the Omar goal you had all these moments just seemed like it was going towards a story book ending right um knowing full well of the the stakes involved with you know cree and berson and and what we thought could have been you know the case with that being there

Last year ended up being the case but um to have that come crashing down in the first round uh probably something that a lot of Bruns fans won’t get over I think it it’d be one thing if they they lost and sucks that you know they’re kind of

Like the new Tampa Bay Lightning where record setting Pace all goes to you know but at least the lightning came back and they still had COV and Stam coast and headman and vasileski they were like all right this sucks but like we’re rolling the same crew back wasn’t

The case this year right so I think for Bruins fans as a hole it’s probably more bad than good considering uh you look at just how much that opportunity kind of fell by the wayside last year and even if they come up short you look at how

Good that run could have with Toronto in the next round you looked at like a team like Carolina who’s been one of your Nemesis in the third round and then I mean how good would a rematch with Bruce Cassidy been in the Cup Final would have been unbelievable um again those kind of

Situations rarely play out when you uh get to the Stanley Cup playoffs and just how much uh variance there is if anything it should maybe give you hope that even if maybe this team is you know obviously not nearly as talented goalie can get hot things can kind of Fall by

The wayside get a good rebound here or there in a a critical moment of a game and all a sudden you’re going further than last year’s team but I think it just comes back to uh the opportunity to hand for this team and looking back for

It looking back on it years from now uh the fact that you weren’t able to at least get a longer run going knowing that in a few months you’re gonna have back-to-back uh retirement press conferences for two franchise pillars and burer and C it’s going to sting for

A while when you look at just what could have been uh you know I think a lot of people people have erased That season from their minds because it was so I mean you you you hit it there like it was such a high that whole season I mean

We came on every week and we would we would sit here and we would say they’re just so freaking good like they just they’re deep there were no holes at for a long time we said you know you don’t have to do anything with the trade deadline they’re good already you don’t

Want to give a future assets and then it became pretty clear around January and February all right other teams are gearing up as they as we expected they would but this team is clearly special they’re not falling back to Earth add to it you know just put all the chips to

The middle of the table and to think that I mean like the Omar goal and the comeback wins and just you’ve said it before but like every guy had their night you know and everybody played their role and uh you know I just to have it just crash the way it did you

Know up 3-1 against the Panthers the Panthers a team that just barely weaked into the playoffs now again that’s why we love hockey right that’s why we love hockey but the fact that it was against them and and just the collapse of everything within three games you know I

Mean you even remember that game six down in Florida uh where you know just a back and forth the goal tending terrible you’re scored a bunch but you can’t stop a goal to save your life and then game seven happens and it just I I know I’m

Bringing up a lot of bad spots for Bruins fans 2024 sucks sh start here this year stinks but I just just to me I like to take a look back and I like to look at what was so I think that’s one thing and that’s the main thing I think

We’ll all look back at and say um man what should have been you know 2019 was rough 2023 is not a distant second um in terms of what should have been and Jim Montgomery said it after the first game of the of this regular season of we

Should have won a cup with berson the fact that we that I could not do that um is what’s going to hurt the most so you mentioned obviously berson Cree retire I think 2023 sort of marks the end of an era and I think that’s how we’re going

To sort of remember it obviously you still have a core in place a pretty a very strong core uh going forward but the berson era ended in 20123 and I think that is a big thing I will also say I I as negative as that is right as

As bitter as as bitter as this year was I do think and we’ve mentioned men this a couple times but it was time to look forward what was next you know like obviously berson would help this team astronomically like he would be a huge

Asset it would would be so big if he was still here but at the same time this team had to face the music at some point like they had to figure out what is life going to be like after Patrice bers run and you could throw David Cree in there

I know he retired once this was the second time but still what are you going to do at the position going forward and who is leading this team going forward and I think they figured that out with marshand uh you have Matt ptra kind of you know come to the surface if berson

Was back again I’m not saying I’d rather potra than berson I’m not do not misconstrue that what I am saying is if berson sticking around patra’s not making the team at all he’s not I mean you have no you have no space for him

You’ have no room for him um so again I I think just having to face those hard truths those hard question question s and it’s sort of worked out I mean they’re like what fourth in the NHL they’re first in the Atlantic um they’re cruising right now I mean I know they’ve

Stumbled a bit but they had a great start to the season I think there is a little bit to take that you know when they are uh true cup contenders whether that’s this year down the road I think people look back at 2023 and say you

Know maybe all of this success down the road doesn’t happen without just the collapse that was 2023 yeah no I mean I I think if you’re looking at 2024 and Beyond I think Bruns fans should probably be excited about the future in terms of you know I think as soon as

Berson and CI leave and you lose you know you have to trade Hall to make up cap space you let bruzi walk a lot of people are expecting it there going to be maybe a couple of really really lean years for this franchise and I think you

Look at uh for as much as people talk about how Baron the Bruins Prospect pool is when you look at a guy like Po ride and the promise he’s offered and I think the excitement that a guy like him provided kind of coming out of nowhere

It’s kind of a it was a foreign kind of a training camp storyline for this team of this young rookie coming out of nowhere and pressing at such a critical area you know as a potential top six centerman down the road um to have him kind of energize this fan base and give

You hope for the future I think was huge not just for the team but I think for a fan base maybe uh you know worried about what this next chapter was going to be so you look at him and how he’s played the flashes that a guy like Lura has

Provided you have marov who’s really took a step forward uh Johnny beer all these guys like again it’s um when you look at the contributions from these younger players that are hoping to be that next wave of uh Bruins leadership coupled with the fact that you still

Have you know the Marian right now but mavo sign longterm poock all these guys like uh zaka is still you know signed long-term coil you still have a very good foundation in place and as more these younger players um stpp into these roles I think it’s BR you should be

Excited about what this new chapter is going to be is it going to be you know 15 16 straight years of 100 points and what have you that’d be great but you know I think you hopefully Fone take what that run with berser on and those

Guys were for granted but when you look at just the the framework of this team the younger players that have stepped in couple with the fact that you’re gonna have a good amount of cap space to spend in the next couple of years like you’re

In a spot that a hell of a lot of teams would kind of Envy looking forward in terms of you know pening this next chapter of what this franchise has you got a lot of options in place yeah I mean I think what 2023 showed in the

Second half is that the future without bur R Cree is not as bad as we always thought it might have been you know the core is there you mentioned the cap space younger players are developing there’s more to this to the prospect pool than I think most people thought so

Uh first half really fun terrible ending second half not as fun but seems to be promising for the future so uh quite the year in 2023 definitely not uneventful there were a lot of things in 2023 that uh that took place um so interesting year at that uh before we get into 2024

Uh the green the the the grass might be greener in 2024 Connor uh but first a quick word from our friends over at FanDuel early this NFL season with FanDuel a America’s number one sports book right now new customers get $150 in bonus Bets with any winning $5 money bet

That’s 150 bucks if your team wins if you’ve been thinking about joining FanDuel there’s no better time to get in on the action NFL the app is so easy to use there’s a wide range of betting options including you got spreads you get your player props you get over

Unders and more so visit fanduel.com Boston and kickoff the NFL season FanDuel official partner of the NFL so New Year’s resolutions Connor do you have any like personally that you that you do no I think it’s all about stay in the course staying consistent in what you do

Uh and that’s kind of how how I view it I don’t I don’t make any sweeping changes with the new year or anything like that I’m boring in that way I’m also boring maybe it’s just because we’re perfect that’s why we don’t do resolutions I don’t I don’t want to say

It I don’t want to say it but you kind of said the quiet pot out loud EV I’ll say it I’m not afraid to say it uh but no I don’t do any resolutions I’ve never been into it I mean I always you know try to eat okay and exercise I should

Probably exercise more like all those things right but I don’t have like a a true like I got to do this you know I’m running a marathon like one of my roommates is running the Chicago Marathon this year so his uh you know resolution he hasn’t really said this

But I’m assuming is resolution is train for the Chicago marathon and run and I I would hope so I would hope you for that just drop it in fly in one day run it come home um but the Bruins should have some resolutions some things that they

Do need to uh get in order for 2024 um and I I’ll let you start what’s something that the Bruins need to shore up in the new year I think it’s got to be their defensive identity right I mean we’ve talked about this multiple times

This year and um when you look at the shortcomings of this Bruins team we all knew going into the year that uh when you lose I think it was 80 total goals 210 total points this off season G to take a little bit of a step back and

Again you’ve had guys like jvr and uh players like that geeky who have stepped in and done a pretty solid job Jen Heinen for what he’s making like you you’ve probably exceeded expectations at a lot of areas in terms of you know signing guys to Bargain Bin contracts

That being said um we all knew there was going to be a little bit of a a step back offensively and it was going to be a couple of lean games a lot of uh oneg goal games this team is going to be playing in uh defensively the fact that

I think you’re middle of the pack and high danger chances allowed when you look at the personnel there that’s something that really needs to shore up because again the this team where they are and the limitations they have especially in regards to the cap this is

A team that if they want to go on a run if they want to be a hard uh Team to play against and night out it’s going to rely on their goal tending of course which has been great all season long but you need the defense in front of them to

Hold their own as well and when you look at the personnel there with makoy and lindol and Carlo and grizzli who’s been banged up and forber and all these guys even lorai who I think’s been really solid especially defensively in the second stint with the with the team um

You have the Personnel in place to be a very very strong defensive team there um it was the case last year it’s been the case for many years so um I think think that has to be the biggest thing whether it’s defending the rush whether it’s

Just cleaning up the front of the net there’s been way too many net front chances that uh teams have had against guys like San andark and that’s not fair to either one of those guys in terms of um putting the pressure on them night in

And night out to keep you in games when you’re letting way too many easy looks kind of land right in front of them at at the doorstep so I think defensively has to be the biggest thing you gota fix here in the second half of the Year oh

You’re not going anywhere if you’re bad defensively like this team is not you cannot outscore teams uh you cannot I you know I think the goalie tandem can work in the playoffs but it hinges on good strong Bruins defense in front of San andar um if that’s not there it’s

Not it’s going to be a quick run in the post season so I agree I think that’s that’s definitely number one um I would also throw in there you know do you add a defenseman like is that you know do you add a guy do you add a depth guy you

Can also throw in there what’s the future mad grizzli like that could be another resolution of like figure something out there um and we might get to what grizzli could get you um later uh on in this episode but first Connor a quick word from our delicious friends our delicious friends over at

Hellofresh actually to tell you about our delicious friends over at hellofresh with hellofresh you get farm fresh pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep skip trips to the grocery store and count on hella fresh to make home cooking easy fun and affordable that’s

Why it’s America’s number one meal kit a crazy schedule can make it easy to fall back into your dinnertime recipe rut but keep Meal Time exciting with over 40 recipes to choose from every week there’s always something delicious to discover with hellofresh turn to hello Fresh Market for Yummy add-ons and enjoy

The Season’s limited time fall flavors lineup it’s it’s that time of year right things get you in the mood like apple cider cake with caramel sauce all the ingredients come fresh from the crushed tomatoes the Italian chicken sausage mix to the parmesan cheese it’s delicious

And I feel like a chef when I’m doing it what’s better than that and this is a busy time of year for me with hockey starting up I don’t always have a ton of time so this recipe makes it quick to enjoy something amazing so join in on

The fun go to hellofresh.com sl50 Bruins and use code 50 Bruins for 50% off plus free shipping again go to hellofresh.com 50 Bruins and use code 50 Bruins for 50% off plus free shipping hello fresh America’s number one meal kit now back to the show so we’ve talked defense uh

Offensively I think you have some big questions um obviously this you know the scoring was never a strength coming into the season I don’t expect them to just figure it out in the second half so I’m not going to say like oh return to what you were able to produce

Last season up front like I don’t think that’s a fair uh a fair ask I don’t think you know you need a Top Line Winger at the deadline I I I don’t think that’s a fair ask either um but you do need to a be how can you become more

Sustainable in the offensive zone that’s I think number one you know can you just generate better chances can you spend more time in the offensive zone which I don’t think is lot to ask of this group and the other thing is you need Clarity on Jake debrusk that’s a big one and I

Think that’s going to be one of the big storylines of this upcoming of this year is you know do they resign him do they trade him do they hold on to him and let the open test let him test the open market um does he find his game in the

Second half because I think if he finds his game in the second half and he starts to produce at the rate that Jake debrus can produce at they are a different team they are you know more stable up front I think it it Shores up

A lot of issues uh up front that you know we’ve sort of been Heming and haing about for you know a couple months now yeah I mean I think when you look at especially this team and their limitations in terms of their cap space and their assets that they can move

Especially at the NHL level right we can talk about first round picks got like Mula of guys down in Providence but when you only have 55,000 in cat space you’re going to have to move guys off his roster so you don’t really have the the most leeway in terms of making a move

But I think you saw like last week in that game against the Sabers right how much of a lift it’s almost like an internal deadline right where how much of a a boost his team can have when a guy like Jake de Brusque is playing a really impactful game especially

Offensively how good your defense looks when a guy like lindol is really active and making assertive plays with a puck on and stick um so I think those are two guys especially you look at them and how much you know a strong second half from them can alleviate so many of the

Question marks you have whether it’s defensively your defensive structure in front and how much a guy like de brus if he gets you an extra goal or two here or there and you avoid one of many nights where you’re you know white knuckling it in the third third period in a one goal

Game like uh how much of a lift those two guys can provide you there so I think those are two players in particular that if they can Elevate their game and kind of get into more of a rhythm here over this second half season uh the gains will be huge for

This team yeah I agree I completely agree um do you have any other I want to we let’s we’ll do Assets in a second especially future assets but do you have any other pressing resolutions or questions you have about this team going into 2024 uh no I I would say for resolution

Is for the Bruins is keeping that goal tending uh tandem in place right uh we’ve seen you know very few times this year but whenever they kind of deviate from that 50-50 split I don’t know what it is man it’s like The Vibes are just off and that the team doesn’t play

Nearly as well I don’t know if it’s just the routine if it’s um throws off the goalies I don’t know how you can really quantify what exactly it is that uh makes the product on the ice take a dip whenever they interrupt that uh that setup but uh keep it rolling and again

We’ll see what happens when they get to the playoffs it’s going to take quite a bit of conviction from Jim Montgomery and his coaching staff to stay the course for that when the inevitable situation happens where maybe a guy has a rougher game and uh you have to keep

That 50/50 split in place but um for right now as you’re trying to build your game getting towards the playoffs keep swapping out those starts between those two guys because right now it’s working for you yeah I you know it’s interesting I feel like the noise around trading

Omark gets louder and louder and I wonder if when this season’s up when the 23 24 season ends whether they win the cup lose the cup you know out in the first round out in the second whatever it ends up being I think the big question everybody’s going to have is

You know should the Bruins if things don’t work out with the goalie tandem I think a lot of people are going to say should the Bruins have tried to deal olark to bolster you know your forward depth up front would that have won you a Playoff round now again we can get to

That when it happens or if it happens but I I do wonder if we look back and say oh the goalie tandem was good and it kind of worked in the playoffs but you know would a Lind Holm have worked better up front if you can somehow deal

Omar for him but again there’s a lot of stipulations to an omark trade you have to you he’s got the no movement Clause you got to want to go to Calgary um you know if you were to execute you know getting a different big gun up front

Like he’s got to want to go there the team has to need a goalie um but I do wonder if we look back and say huh you know would that have made a difference I still think it’s better to be nasty at one thing than a little bit better than

Average at at something else and and not be as nasty in back um but I you know again I I think that that might be some a question we look back at um when it comes to the goal tending um in terms of future assets we mentioned grizzli uh de

Brusque um I would love to see this team get back into the first or second round in the draft I just think it’s a good thing to be drafting um high and to be replenishing the prospect pool especially with the with you know uh ptra graduating to the NHL lorai is

Right on the cusp of graduating to the NHL um you know beer has you know just a lot of you know merula might replenishing that Prospect pool with high-end guys I wouldn’t hate and it’s going to be tough because again you’re competing you’re you are in this you’re

You know you’re on the route of a Stanley Cup Contender it’s hard to just give up pieces but I would love to see them find a way to do that yeah no it it all depend I think on just what the value of some of these guys are so

Obviously g a guy that’s mentioned quite a bit in terms of especially if a guy like lorai can take another step forward this year and really solidify a spot in the NHL maybe he becomes Expendable um but again he’s also needs to get healthy and get back to I think the player that

Even with uh the detractors in glick’s game like his value in terms of being a puck mover I think can and should be coveted by a lot of other teams even if it’s maybe not in the top four role like it’s usually been a with the Bruins so

Um yeah it would be curious to see just how they evaluate those things while also knowing full well that you look at this team and how they’re built um if they expect to go on a Deep Run sometimes you need to have as many backup options as needed so um we’ll

Kind of see how that all plays out but it is fascinating to see if they decide to do that uh situation where maybe they look more at the Long Haul and start replenishing some of this uh prect Co because as you said as much people talk about how that the Bruins Prospect kind

Of group is got a lot of guys graduating to the NHL that are looking like impact players right now yeah I so again but again once they’re gone the prospect pool is going to be even thinner and people are you know what is coming next

And all those things so I think uh if the Bruins can sort of find a way to draft higher end players in this draft and in future drafts um I think they set themselves up better for the future um but again it’s going to be hard to do

It’s going to be really hard to do uh so I think that that um you know it’s a resolution I would love to see happen but it’d be like me saying let you know like hey I think the BR I want to uh run a marathon this year or something

Instead of just being like hey I want to you know maybe get in better shape you know work out more so it’s a little more extreme to to ask for a first round pick this year but wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world can’t believe Santa

Didn’t bring him a first round pick I think that that’s kind of messed up it’s pretty rude very rude um before we go have any of your predictions changed on the season I feel like now is a fun time to revisit them no I’m I’m still kind of

Staying the course I think I had them what second in the Atlantic so they’re exceeding expectations for now but in terms of their identity of being a defensively strong team with their gending especially I think it’s more or less what we expected um this team if all goes right and they’re playing to

Their capabilities are they going to be a favorite going to the cup uh playoffs no but I think when they’re on their game there’s not a lot of teams I think probably would look forward to playing them especially if both they tending is playing at a uh at a high level and if

They can up the physicality that’d be my other New Year’s resolution up the physicality be more physical that would be uh that would certainly be one uh anyways Connor happy New Year uh what can the people look forward to from you over at boston.com and the Boston Globe in

2024 yes Happy New Year to you too Evan uh I can uh assure you that we’ll have plenty of stuff throughout this season and the years ahead uh in terms of game recaps call yes uh we’ll have you covered every step of the way for both this season and whatever uh the future

Holds for this franchise um whether it’s again Recaps features breakdowns uh previews all that stuff you can find over at boston.com if you want to follow me on Twitter X or whatever the it’s going to be called in 2024 uh you can at Conor Ryan 93 go do all that

That’s Conor Ryan I’m Evan marinovsky you Bruins beat listeners have a great rest of your week and a very very very happy New Year

On today’s episode of Bruins Beat, Conor Ryan teams up with Evan Marinofsky for a reflective and forward-looking discussion on the Boston Bruins. They start by looking back at the year 2023, pondering what it will be remembered for in Bruins history. The conversation then shifts to the key areas the Bruins need to address in 2024, including the one major aspect they need to improve. A significant topic of discussion is the looming big question in the Bruins’ forward lineup. Additionally, they explore the possibilities of the Bruins acquiring future assets in the upcoming year and wrap up with a thought-provoking debate on whether their predictions for 2024 need a revision, given the developments and potential shifts in the team’s dynamics.

– What will 2023 be remembered for in Bruins land?

– The one thing the Bruins need to clean up in 2024

– A big question looms up front

– Can the Bruins acquire future assets in the new year?

– Are we changing predictions for 2024?

Bruins Beat w/ Evan Marinofsky Ep. 400

This episode of Bruins Beat is brought to you by Fanduel Sportsbook, the exclusive wagering partner of the CLNS Media Network. Visit FanDuel.com/BOSTON and start earning BONUS BETS with America’s #1 Sportsbook! 21+ and present in MA. First online real money wager only. $10 Deposit req. Refund issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at fanduel.com/sportsbook. Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800)-327-5050 for 24/7 support. Play it smart from the start! GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234

This episode is also brought to you by HelloFresh. Go to HelloFresh.com/50bruins and use code 50bruins for 50% off plus free shipping!

————————————————————————————————————————————
Welcome to the #CLNS Media Network’s YouTube channel for Boston #Bruins hockey. CLNS Media is the leading online provider of audio/video coverage for the Boston sports. Get complete inside access to the Bruins at TD Garden, the game day skates at Warrior, and everywhere on the road. CLNS #NHLBruins’ credentialed insiders Mike “Trags” Petraglia, Evan Marinofski, Conor Ryan, and Joe “Haggs” Haggerty. Providing instantaneous news and analysis all in real time, as well as full access to complete videos from the players, coaches, ownership and everyone else on Causeway Street.

For the CLNS award winning Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox, College hoops, NBA History, go here to featured channels- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiP7KyKodc3OHuN_XhEyPPw?sub_confirmation=1