Greg McKegg has signed a new contract with the Boston Bruins.

What is Boston doing, their window is beginning to close and they can't do anything better than Zboril, McKegg, and Callum Booth. This doesn't make sense to me. Pastrnak is out for the beginning of the shortened season, Marchand out, Rask MIA, they need guys to fill holes until those guys can return, and a replacement for Krug would come in handy.

AHL signing, that's why its a two-way deal, same for Booth (although they have no need for more goalies)

Yes, but with an ageing Bergeron and Krejci, a goalie in Tuuka Rask that has been entertaining retirement, and an injured forward core this year, can you call them contenders right now, I mean I know the type of season they had last year, but they've gotten worse this year while every other team in the Atlantic has gotten better (except maybe Tampa but they won the cup last year so we can't criticize them).

I just don't see them as being the dominant force they have been going forward.

Greg McKegg was my nickname in college.

It's depth, you need players for your AHL club as well.



Yet neither of these teams will catch us or Tampa.

I think a team could catch Boston this year, especially if Pasta or Marchand is out, your defense doesn't look as strong without Krug (a signing could make that better). Boston is also ageing, I really think that a team like Toronto, or (longshot) Montreal could catch a banged up Bruins. I mean without Marchand and Pasta where does your scoring come from?

Do they really get worse? I mean with 63/88 out to start the season it'll hurt, but right now it looks like nearly the same team is returning + Craig Smith (whose an upgrade). They lost their PP specialist in Krug, but I don't think the PP will take a huge hit. I personally don't think some of the additions other teams in the division have made have been earthshattering.

It's not just the losses to me that hurt.
First, the defense: McAvoy, Carlo, Miller, Moore, Lauzon, etc. Is that a contender level defense?
Second, Bergeron isn't getting younger, neither is Krejci and they are both approaching the age where a drop off in play is expected.
Third, Is Rask coming back, if he isn't Boston is royally screwed.

I'm not saying they aren't good, but I am saying is that I don't think they are a lock for top two in the Atlantic.

I expect Chara to return so really the same defense that allowed the lowest among of GA last year is returning everyone expect their worst defensive d-man

Last year

Chara - McAvoy
Krug - Carlo
Grz - Lauzon

What I expect for this year

Chara - McAvoy
Grz - Carlo
Zboril - Lauzon

Sure some guys are getting older, but on the flip side those younger guys have more experience and should continue to develop. Studnicka is a guy that should make the NHL club this year and looked really good in the playoffs but we'll see what happens. I don't see a huge drop off, but I don't expect them have the best record next year either.

As for Rask, if Boston felt like he wasn't going to return (and he's spoken with Sweeney) they would have gone out and acquired a #1 goalie to go with Halak. Seeing as they didn't, it tells me that Rask is playing next season.

This guy is still hanging in there huh.

The Bruins just don't scare me as much this year, and as a Leafs fan with the trauma of two game seven exits in a row that takes a lot for me to say.

Meh, we'll find out I guess. I still think TOR/MTL are behind Boston. Neither team made huge strides to improve their teams this off-season.

Toronto additions: Brodie, Simmonds, Bogosian coupled with Campbell from last season address the needs that everyone has been bringing up against them.
Montreal: Josh Anderson, Tyler Toffoli, and emerging Kotkaniemi, and Suzuki.

Both teams to me have taken leaps and bounds by addressing their weaknesses.

Brodie was a solid signing
Simmonds is cooked
Bogosian was carried by Hedman

MTL traded one of their better producers
Anderson is one of the most overrated players in the NHL because of what he could be vs what he is
Toffoli's production at 5v5 is equivalent to Craig Smith....only Smith does it with less TOI and worse linemates. Last year Smith's most common linemates were Bonino and Grimaldi. Toffoli top linemates at LAK and VAN were Koptiar/Carter & Pettersson/Miller.

Ya I agree, I don't know why ppl are stressing out about BOS. All they lost was literally Krug, otherwise it's the exact same team. ppl can argue bergy and krech are getting older but I don't see how in 1 yr we'll see a drastic drop in performance. The only player I would technically say had a huge dropoff is chara but that's debatable ig. Otherwise the team has upgraded offensively and I have faith in the young guys at D to step up in a more prominent role and see how that goes. If it isn't working out then can always trade for a D midway in the season.

Gregg MCkegg is the best signing of the entire NHL offseason...he is a beast

GOOD depth 4th line signing