Andrew Raycroft on the Bruins approach at next week’s trade deadline

Andrew Raycroft on the Bruins approach at next week’s trade deadline

Bruins got it done against Vegas last night but well that isn’t really the story that we’re going to lead with of course cuz it’s time for hockey talk it’s Friday it’s 11:22 with gesan forier and that means it’s time for our buddy Andrew Razer roft of nessen and of

Course he’s with us here on Wei as well Razer good morning friend how are you wonderful wonderful good morning Friday yeah now I’m going to get out of the way for the next three minutes minutes while hop along uh grinds his gears with you so what happened how about a little back story

For the people who don’t people know people know on Mon on last week on last Friday hold on you you’re in trouble oh boy last week Razer promised he promised it was like a Blood Oath he said he he that’s what it felt like to me he said he said wait till

Monday guys I’m going to say dunky for all the people here in the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts what did you turn him into a freaking Croatian he’s like Chris porzingis now I waited all night I watched the whole game I was sleepy as hell and I didn’t

See it or hear it once so what happened what I what I what I would like to know is what what outfit did I have on for you cuz I know you weren’t actually watching you had a suit with a tie on a blue suit yeah no tie dude no tie on

Monday night at late oh you know what it was oh that was the beyond the be where you with a bachelor and a bachelorette doing some silly back and forth question and answer that’s what that was sorry yeah we we we’ll let that slide this week well I tell you what you got

Skeletons all over the place like so what happened why didn’t you f why didn’t you uh fulfill your promise I don’t know I I screwed up I I I there’s no really other way to do it it was late I that they’ve been losing every game in overtime um but I I I

Needed to just work it I needed to just bite the bit and do it and get it out rather than deal with this a week uh because I I I knew I screwed up like I knew like once I got through the pregame

I was like I I how did I I know they’re gonna find out I didn’t say it like I know forier is gonna find out I know he wasn’t watching but I know he’s gonna find out I no I I had people watching for me uh but listen a is hurt list it

Was like at 1:00 in the morning okay I’m sorry like I can’t do that I’m in bed at 9: you didn’t watch pregame no I don’t watch pregame I’m making dinner at 9:00 at night on a 10 o00 deal I’m like even your I wonder why you get in trouble

With your wife all the time you just blur things out I know I don’t fact checked anything all right listen I give I’m going to give you I’m going to give you another chance so you’re forgiven okay I’ll find a way I will say

It I know when I heard when I saw that they lost I was like there’s no way he did it because it had to be a in a good mood like they were last night like last night an unbelievable game held the lead like had had a lead lost a lead tied it

Up won the game so that would have been the time to do it well that’s part of it is like it when and and not this you know you’re in the garden you can kind of say a little bit more and no one really know you know picks up on it and

Everyone’s happy and um I’m not out for my own gain right like it’s a team sport on that desk too for you right just can’t be about me throwing words for every a team game you know all right well talk about the team then because I

Thought you know the other day I was bickering with Gres about like the trade deadline coming up how it feels like a bridge year and and I’m sitting there going wow like how stupid of a comment was that because when the when the Bruins struggled the most like they they

Their toughest stretch was like this last road trip it feels like and they still earned points they they still were in the game yeah it wasn’t perfect and then they play play a team like the knights and they start off super fast but then they come back and then they

They ultimately win the game with an unbelievable save to to cap it so I mean I don’t know if if you look at that game as oh more the same problems like holy crap these guys you know played a tough game and made the biggest plays when it

Mattered that’s the way I lean I’m of course I’m probably a little more optimistic than everyone else I I you know I follow the team and way that’s a little different than everyone else but but these guys have never I I get the playoffs last year I really do but they

Always find ways to to show up and they’re they’re grinding away and I I get it it’s not an excuse but The Season’s really hard and that going out west and doing that and and blowing leads and overtime and shootouts it’s it’s easy to get on them about it but at

The same time we they have 84 points they have they’re tied for the most points in the the entire National Hockey League so it would be a lot worse if they were grinding and they were trying to get into seventh or eighth place right now I think we’d be you know you

Could be a little more critical and the other thing too is is they beat really good teams they’re they’re one of the if not the best winning percentage in the National Hockey League against teams that are in the playoffs so they they it it doesn’t always look easy they they

Can make it hard on themselves at times it’s far from perfect far from perfect but they’re still really good and and and I think we have to enjoy it a little bit more than we do rather than wanting to just jump on this group because they’re going to

Be in the playoffs and and like we know hockey playoffs you never know it’s all about matchups in that first round our buddy Andrew Razer Ray coft of nesson and Wei with us on the Harbor one hotline breaking down everything Bruins related you put out a tweet last night

Rayer eighth straight game where the bees have given up at least three goals how concerning is that stat to you that’s not ideal it’s it’s not concerning in like oh my God this is you know the this needs to get blown up like like I just talked about with forer’s

Question but it’s concerning in that it’s too long like they they haven’t they’re they’re not playing Perfect Defense right now they’re special teams the penalty kills contri Ed to that a little bit it’s just it’s just too long and they they have to tighten things

Back up a little bit here in the next six weeks the good news is it’s six weeks and you you heard Don Sweeney last night we’ve heard Cam Neely they are looking for you know defensive help like every other team in the National Hockey League but I think that will go a long

Way and I also when you have hampus Lindholm I I I feel like we’ve really seen how important he is to this group over the last 10 days with him out of the line up like he’s a big deal and a big part of of playing defense and

Shutting other teams down for this group Razer so off of the defense and some of the issues that are going on that are sort of leading to this sort of rise in goals given up if the Bruins could just do one thing defensively that could be the biggest

Thing to helping them give up less goals what would it be what would that tweak be I love that perfect question uh sets me up well because I’ve had this thought i’ I’ve been and the big thing is you watch the game even last night I wish

They would just punt a little bit more I wish they would keep it simpler I wish they would just get pucks out of the zone at times they have an amazing first period everything’s going perfect right every breakout plays the rhythm of it the timing’s great second period not so

Much and they’re still forcing those plays at time times and still trying to make that same first period breakout that isn’t there anymore because the teams are being extra aggressive because they’re down there there’s there’s just not as much room there’s not as much time and that’s what I saw in the

Playoffs last season just as much from the Bruins not organizing and making plays but what the Florida Panthers what the Vegas golden knights did the entire playoff run was that the high flip and and the off the glass at times and just live to fight another day and I I would

Wish the Bruins could turn it on and off a little bit more when it comes to simplifying and finding and understanding the 10 or 12 minutes within a game where it’s like you know what we’re punting and we’re going to get this Puck out and we’re going to try

And just flip the ice rather than make three perfect breakout passes to flip the ice I just like to see them keep it simple at certain times and not worry about Puck possession when necessary so Razer how important was that that uh fourth period last second save by sing

Last night do do is because I’m sitting there going God I can’t remember you know a lot of like you know big time saves like that throughout the year at the end of the game when it really they were holding on for deer life and and I

Don’t know if they I think at times they haven’t allowed the goal tender to make that kind of state because they’ve been so conservative and they’re giving up like Vancouver they give up the point shot screen where the goalie can’t see he can’t make a save or a tip or a quick

Rebound play in front and it’s it’s okay to be a little aggressive and allow the goalie to make that save at times that’s easier for swayan i’ he’d probably rather that than than a point shot with a five layer screen in front of him so at the same time it’s huge for the

Goalie to make that save like he that’s that’s that’s starting goalie stuff that that’s where you need that save in the playoffs that changes serieses over a 10 game stretch that’s the difference and Florida got that at times last season and the Bruins didn’t and that

Just one of those things where it does change and and it can change complexion and now it would be a completely different conversation we’d be having right now if that goes in and and now you feel good about yourself uh where are you at on Mason

Lorai and sort of you know what is the ceiling for a player like him as you see it Razer well I think the ceiling’s extremely high over his career there you know he’s only going to get better he’s still I know A lot’s been made about it but I

Think it’s important is that he wasn’t a defenseman growing up he was a forward and only changed back to the back end when he went and started playing Junior Hockey so he still has a whole lot to learn defensive side of the puck we see his offensive skills and his hockey

Sense offensively so I I think he’s got so much room to grow his just even physically you know he’s going to get bigger he’s going to get stronger if he can under you know and he as he learns defense and defensive side of the puck he’s going to be a great defender with

That offensive capability so um sky’s the limit really at this point for him he’s done a great job when he’s been called upon here and I would love to see him in a a nice supporting role maybe the rest of the season if that’s what it

Is if if they get another guy or two in the back end then he could be a guy who who jumps in and and fills a different kind of role in the playoffs so we’re talking to Andrew the Razer raycroft and this time next week trade deadline

Will be here right it’s March 8th I think it is next Frid it be this it’ll be a week a week from today right so it’s funny I’m here I’m listening to like de Brusque and grizzli listen to these guys talking especially de brus ask her after you know a couple years

Ago when he had the whole like hey I want to get traded and they resign him and you know he’s he’s never really comfortable until the trade deadline passes and I’m curious like one uh will they make a move right that’s the generalized question um and

If they do does it mean somebody on their team currently will be gone that’s a tougher question to answer the first one yeah they’re going to make a move I think deals have started to come down the pipe Toronto Delta defense four defenseman last night uh Dallas got

A defenseman yesterday or two nights ago so they’re starting to trickle out I think everyone the dominoes are falling and and Deals will start getting made Bruin will be in I’m sure Dawn’s on the phone right now with somebody he’s burning the phone lines up over the last week and over next

Week off the roster is interesting uh it feels like you’re going to have to move someone off the roster just to get under the cap if depending on the kind of player you want to bring in or have an option to bring in you’re going to have

To lose one or two players off of your roster to fit that new person under the salary cap um and and typically you would expect that to be the expiring contract it’s just easier that way now other teams have jumped in in the last two deals to retain salaries so you’re

Taking draft picks to hold money for that third third team um hopefully the Bruins can get in the mix like that but so I’m not I I feel very confident they’re making moves I I feel 70% confident that it’ll be a guy off the roster that’s that’s a pretty important

Player at this point for the Bruins all right so we uh started with some fun let’s end with a little fun and again I go back to uh raise Twitter uh because when when Derek forbort was suspended in Seattle on Monday for missing a meeting Razer put

On Twitter and I quote I have this recurring nightmare all right so what happened in your past that has now given you the kind of PTSD that you dream about getting suspended like forbert did so I never missed a meeting never I I made every single one there was a very

Very very close call in Columbus one morning that we were this was when I was in Colorado so there was a time change um went to the hotel set the alarm and actually had a roommate too which the the guy kind of skunked me um you know in hindsight and I’ll never see

This guy again so it doesn’t matter like the guy he got up really early for breakfast and like never checked on me never called went to the rink early didn’t think any of it kind of a bad teammate and I was I was poed about it

At the time but um fortunately so I missed the bus to the rink but I got up early enough to get a cab get to the ring and I acted like I was there the whole time like I just acted like I was

In the rink and I was like oh I saw my buddy I saw my buddy down the hall I I was talking to him that long that’s why I didn’t take my suit off yet and only the only the pr gu saw me and knew that

I was late he never said anything and uh I got away with being a little late but no meetings missed no fines no days missed but I do think about it a lot now when I have those dreams that that’s like I can’t put my equipment on fast

Enough to get out for warm up I a lot I say like I saw that tweet also and I had to chuckle myself because I don’t think I’ve ever been more panicked as when my alarm didn’t go off for a meeting and I realized I had like 10 minutes to get

Downstairs to get into the meeting before they locked everybody out Razer and the godamn elevator took at least it’s like I would have made it because I was only late once Razer once when I was a rookie and it and I blame the elevator I blamed the elevator for it because the

The stupid lady wouldn’t have pressed all the damn buttons I wouldn’t have to stop and I would have made it in but that is that’s an interesting mindset that you actually are very aware of being late and it literally drives you crazy oh like yeah no that it is the

Worst feeling in the world like I can’t imagine how forberg felt when he woke up and realiz like that when you look at your clock and you wake up and you miss that alarm for Pro Hockey or Pro Sports meetings I’m I’m sure it’s the same in

Nine to5 life when you have a big meeting or whatever but it’s it’s a daily daily nervous wreck and there’s right guys the same thing there’s a bus to get there’s a meeting to get like there’s five or six things a day when you’re on the road that you have to get

To on time and I feel like I you’re like a little squirrel like you’re always on edge wondering if you’re late or getting on time I I always felt that yeah we uh we definitely are here at Wei uh worry about not getting into meetings on time

Ken L is boy you get a Ken laed tongue lashing good grief you you’d rather get y that by Bill bich for crying out loud then show up late to a Ken L meeting see I would say the one key about being late to Razer like if you if you know you’re

Going to be late instead of going into the room while the meeting is going on and then everybody turns their head real quick and they recognize it’s you when you have to open the door you got open the door it’s real quiet the key is just

Not to go into the room what do you mean like you don’t even go like once you realize once the doors are closed don’t knock on it don’t try to come in because to raise your point they may not they may just think you’re there and as they

All exit the room like you could just be like oh hey what’s up man that was crazy drinking some water whatever like why wouldn’t you sort of no but why wouldn’t you kind of like bust in the room and almost be like o sorry I was in the

Bathroom like you’re zipping your Z like in the bathroom is another one they they cuz at the Patriots they used to have like they changed it to digital they changed all the clocks to digital so nobody literally had an excuse for being late cuz oh I couldn’t tell what time it

Was oh the clock stopped oh dude it’s digital dude like every second is accounted for oh man yeah I’m on I’m I’m with you you just don’t bother going in hopefully they don’t see you and then then just wait and kind of mingle and and get back in with the group because

Deny deny and act surprise that’s always theot well I’m sure that whenever you’re uh doing morning Brew with jaffy the jaffy is the one that slows everything down uh on the production of that broadcast cuz you’re going to be on time Bachelor in Paradise you know with like

Your Bachelor buddies you know wait till I wait till I let you hear this oh we got one good next week we’re gonna be playing this as an intro uh it’s trade it’ll be it’ll be trade deadline next Friday forier will threaten you again Razer with the oh yeah I’m going to do

Something to the open and then I’m going to forget about it in 10 minutes when the pizza gets here oh man yeah he doesn’t need to worry he knows I’m going to forget yeah Razer thank you yeah oh yeah you have nothing to worry you have

Nothing to worry about until I write it down and then we’ll get something done cuz then on Thursday we’ll be like oh damn Nick fix this for us Razer thank you buddy well have a great weekend we’ll talk to you soon all right guys enjoy thank you there goes Andrew Razer

Ray coft you had to just get on him for dunsky

NESN’s Andrew Raycroft joined the show to discuss the recent struggles of the Boston Bruins, last night’s win over the Vegas Golden Knights, the play of the B’s special teams, ways the Bruins can improve on defense, how to approach the NHL deadline.

Don’t forget to subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/weeivideo

📡 LISTEN LIVE ➡️ https://www.audacy.com/weei/listen
📺WATCH LIVE ➡️ http://weei.com/watch
💻WATCH LIVE ON TWITCH ➡️ http://twitch.tv/bostonweei
Download the Audacy App today and stream your WEEI wherever you are! ➡️
https://go.audacy.com/y-listen-live-weei

FOLLOW US:
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/WEEI
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/weeisports/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/WEEI/

Thumbnail images courtesy of Getty Images/USA Today Network.
#Bruins #BostonBruins #NHLBruins