That's quite the cap crunch... still have to sign two top-six players, some depth pieces and a goalie

This whole thing started with one innocuous quote from Hanifin, on spittin chiclets sandbagger, and the headless chickens in the echo chamber ran with it.

https://youtu.be/WdolCknrsY0?si=5DcXkMPH_uS3YGSq @ 12:01

I just watched an hour of golf to extract this nugget;

"I wish we were home in September" (Boston)

That's where this whole Hanifin only wants to go to Boston originated from. Twitiots took it from there.

These guys aren't prophets, they're entertainers, even Elliott, the most trustworthy of the bunch is wrong from time to time.

It's not terrible, especially with the cap going up. I just don't see Hanifin as a priority for Boston.

Hertl you are bruin…. Boom there’s your 1C czech line 2.0

Move Ullmark sign sway and bussi boom get picks back and 2 goalies for the foreseeable future

Anythings possible and I'm usually wrong but this just sounds like PLD all over again.

Everyones going to be shocked when he goes anywhere else for the money.

Added Hertl, but I'm not sure what assets you think the Sharks are going to want. Pretty sure they're keen on picks, which Boston doesn't have in abundance.

Also think Swayman will be more expensive, maybe Marchand can convince him to take less, like he did.

He was only worth what he got when he got it, he didn't take a discount.

I thought Bostons picks were tied up in more conditions, I should know better than to make ACGMs for teams I don't actually follow.

Might be able to do a Hertl deal after the draft in the offseason.

Sharks would take Swayman for Hertl.

Good goalies = bad draft position, unless they get Celibrini this year, that doesn't seem wise.

Not really. Teams build the bottom of their rosters with veteran low dollar guys, vet minimum AHL players, and rookies. All this says is 5 to 6 guys will fall under that group where they average ~1 M. We’ll bring in people like JVR, Heinen. Wotherspoon while trying out some of the youth as well.

This doesn’t look like an overly difficult play to a 22 or 23 man roster. My concern is 2024-25 and maintaining room for other players. You have to contemplate long term slots available.

The open challenge this year has been the cap overage of 4.5m and some highly paid third liners on the defensive core in Forbort and Grz. This looks super manageable even easy to do a roster build

Not sure Bruins give up assets to get Hertl - things have been going well so far, but in this scenario

Zacha - Hertl - Pasta
Marchand - Coyle - Lysell
Frederic - Poitras - Geekie
Lauko - Beecher - (Fill in 4th Liner < $2M)

Hanifin - McAvoy
Lindholm - Carlo
Lohrei - (3rd Pair D < $2.5M)

Swayman
Bussi

Fits under the cap pretty easily... should have roughly $4.5M still available and you could even give Sway a bump. I would project his next contract to be somewhere in the area of $6.5M AAV

After plotting it out, it doesn't look nearly as bad as I wanted. I forgot Bergerons bonuses drop off.

I still don't believe it's a smart move for Boston. Why not just put Lohrei there?

It just seems very Leafy to give too few too much.

Yeah it's not as bad as I thought but it doesn't look great either.

My best argument now is that it blocks Lohrei.

I'm just sick of the "he's only going to Boston" narritive.

"Do you know him? Does he call you at home? Do you have a dorsal fin? To train ze dolphin you must zink like ze dolphin! You must be getting inside ze dolphin's head. I am saying to Snowflake, "Akay!... Akay Akay Akay?" und he is saying "AKay Akay!" und he is up on ze tail "Eeeeeeeeee!" und you can quote him!"

-Ace

It gets less applicable the further you get into the quote.

The team is built from the crease out - I would almost prefer to sign Hanifin, let Ullmark play out his contract (unless someone is going to offer a ton for him), and for-go Hertl.

Hanifin provides some unreal depth on the left side and will take some of the pressure off Lindholm (as he ages) and Lohrei (as he develops). Cap is only going up and the cost of bridge deals on Lohrei, Lysell, and Poitras should not be prohibitive.

Leafs are an extreme case with 4 guys locked up for $40M+. Bruins have a lot of core guys on reasonable contracts (Zacha, Coyle, Carlo, Freddy, Geekie, etc) . The only guys on the Bruins who are making huge money/top of the market deals are Pasta and McAvoy and they deserve it. If Hanifin is willing to come for $6.5M AAV I think you have to do it.

I don't know how big an "IF" that is?

Bostons good at negotiating +
Taxes are cheaper than Canada +
Cost of living -
Not getting paid USD in Can -

If Hanifin really does want to play in Boston and he's willing to destroy his negotiating position by taking a stance of Boston or bust, it's very likely.

But I hear Floridas nice this time of year.

How thick his Dads Boston accent is, does play in their favor.

And now that I've just ran my mouth, expect a lohrei for hani trade any day now.

I see no issue with letting Lohrei be the third left defender battling it out with Wotherspoon for time. What’s your reservation? Hanifin can take Forborts slot in the penalty kill. I’d like to see them give Regula a chance up here personally before year end. He’ll play up as he improves. He could eternally develop into a power play option

If we keep Ullmark, it likely means a wing. Under no circumstance do I see Coyle on the wing, but Zacha probably fits their better long term

You're commiting Lohrei to 3rd pair for 5-6 years, unless you bump Hani or Lindholm down there.

NGL, I had a much better argument in my head, and now I'm kinda grasping at straws to hold it together.

I would even give him a $7M x 7 year offer - the same offer he almost accepted from Calgary at the start of the year. Boston does have a pretty good negotiating position though: hometown/great city, original six franchise, Stanley Cup contender for the foreseeable future, one of the top coaches in the league, and he gets to play next to McAvoy.

Lol good call on his dad's Boston accent.

As far as Lohrei's development, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to sign an impact player because of what you think/hope the player will become. IMO Lohrei will absolutely be a Top 4 in this league, but what if injuries derail his development? Or he doesn't play to his potential consistently enough? There are more than enough minutes on the defense to give everyone their time/role. If in three years, Lohrei is pushing Lindholm to a third pair role then so be it and if they want to make any roster moves at that point... then cross that bridge when you get there. Lohrei will still be under team control/RFA status at the point.

Yeah, I'm starting to feel like Sisyphus over here, and I don't think I'll get this one to the top of the hill.

The only thing that holds water, is that I doubt Hanifin and his agent are actually pushing a Boston or nothing stance. Unless he wants to leave a tonne of money on the table.

That can even be countered by the fact that he already did leave a bunch of money on the table.

You know what, I just want to keep him. Why can't Calgary have nice things?

Because no millionaire wants to live here during winter. Know where I'd be if I was a millionaire?

NOT HERE

Im not expecting a discount. I will say that say that Hanifin is represented by the same agency that represents Pastrnak.

While tampering is not right, I’d guess that Hanifin and his agent have a directional idea of what Boston could offer a 25 year old left D from Norwood, Mass. Boston has a directional idea of what it would take to sign a defenseman in free agency if he becomes available,

My guess is those numbers are close.



I could see Boston offering Lohrei and a 2nd plus a prospect in the 5 to 10 range in our system along with Grz to remove any retention request. The question is what Calgary thinks about Lohrei. I personally believe he’s a top 4 prospect and has a high upside. Not convinced that’s a 1st and 3rd is better than that with how weak this draft is plus he’s likely ready much sooner

My ability to judge prospects is limited to put it nicely. I was convinced Phillips would be an impact NHLer.

Darryl may have been a dick but he seems a lot smarter in hindsight.