That offer is really really bad

Couterier is gonna be 30 in December and he starts his 7.75m X 8 next season. Seems like a contract to say away from. There are good candidates a lot cheaper.

Taking on guys signed until their 38 is really really bad.

I mean he's going to be worth that contract until he's like 35 so 3 bad years is nothing

Maybe. Maybe not. The majority of NHL forwards start to slow down once they hit 30. He might start a decline instantly.

Sure if his game revolved solely on his offense. Look at how Bergeron's aged, 2-way centers last long because they are smart and brains don't decline at age 30. Kopitar is still very good too. Only exception really is Toews but he also was heavily effected by covid to the point where he needed a year off so I don't really hold that against him

Only exception is toews? How about backes? Great defensively. Fell off a cliff at 30. Eric Staal had a brief bounce back, but he nose dived around that age. Same with Jordan for that matter. It’s more common than guys lasting well into their mid 30s with the same production.

Backes was never the same caliber of player. You said yourself that E. Staal bounced back, Jordan is still a perfectly capable player too

Oh perfectly capable? Thats the bar now? I just don’t think you have an understanding of development/regression curves of NHL players. He could always be an outlier like some of those players you mentioned, but the odds are that couturier has exited his prime.

Based on what exactly? He's been injured all year. We are talking about a recent Selke winner and 1st line center here. Not a 2nd/3rd line shutdown center. Why would you compare him to players who are not similar to him?

sorry mcavoy gotta agree with ledge here. i would do this deal without lohrei.

backes and couts are nothing a like

(Style of play)
- couts is literally a replica player of kopi and bergy and toews
- backes was good defensively but backes was a big mean physical power forward if anything id compare him to a center version of lucic or a lesser version of getzlaf
couts is definitely a more skill orientated player and the only true comparable they have is their size but other then that couts beats him in every skilled area where as backes beats him in the more physical aspect of the game

(Production)
- Couts the last 5 seasons has produced at a .88ppg rate and had 2 70+ point seasons
- Backes best season offensively ever he scored at a.75ppg rate, backes was also declining production wise the previous 2 seasons before he came to boston where as couts has been having his best offensive and defensive seasons

(coaching style)
- cassidy likes speedy more skilled players that are reliable in all 3 zones, couts isn't no speed demon but he fits all the other categories cassidy likes. Backes was a bad fit from the beginning cassidy tends to shy away from having big physical goons, backes wasn't overly skilled in terms of hands and what he could do with the puck he was a get in the corners and win puck battles and then get to the front of the net for deflections type of guy which doesn't fit cassidys system as shown with other players like ritchie and foligno who play that way. Overall couts is a way better fit and he also is in his prime i think especially with hall and pasta as linemates he would still produce at a 60+ point rate for atleast another 3 seasons and given him being a defensive beast it wouldn't be such a drop for when bergy retires we wouldn't be hurting as bad. Personally i think couts style of play just lasts way longer in the league outside of this seasons he has also never been injury prone so that is also good.

(Contract)
if the cap continues to go up about .5-1 mill per season like it should
5 years down the road if the cap is 85 mill his contract will only be worth 9% of the total cap, Bergys right now is worth 8.4% so in reality later down the road his contract won't even be that bad especially if he ages like fine wine

Dude, you don’t know these players. The nicknames are nauseating. Maybe if its kind of a universally accepted one like “pasta,” but cmon. This is gross. You aren’t buddies.

Frankly, this all means squat to me. The majority of NHL forwards decline after turning 30. Until I’m proven otherwise, i assume forwards will continue to do so. It’s the smart thing to do.

I agree with you....stay away from Couts. And to give up assets just to acquire seems like a big losing situation. 28 year old Trochek might be ideal for Boston. Heck short term Bergeron might be the best option.

Well, short term bergeron is the only option. Frankly, if he’s done, this team isn’t a competitor barring a move that none of us have thought of. It’s time to just embrace that.

I don’t think bergeron is done though, barring a cup win.

I see how well the Bruins have played in the past three months...(that is the new norm), hey maybe don't change a thing.). The Leafs just might have worked themselves in 2nd in the Atlantic....so who is the likely 3rd place team....the Bruins. Bruins AGAIN say Leafs fans for their first round opponents.

Last game of the season is bruins leafs. I think that likely decides home ice.