The PuckUps Podcast with Brian DeFelice, Ep. 41: The Bruins should trade WHO?? (Mailbag)

Brian reacts to and answers listener comments and questions in this mailbag episode. Where should James Hagens play in next years lineup? What is the future of Matt Poitras? Should the Bruins embrace a full rebuild? And much more!

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Transcript

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You're listening to the Puck Up Podcast. It's time to hit the ice with Brian D Felice. Welcome into episode 41 of the Puck Ups Podcast. I am Brian D. Felice and thank you all for joining me. On today's show, we're going to do a mailbag QA from you, the listeners. But first things first, if you haven't done so already, please go ahead and subscribe to the Puck Ups on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else that you get your podcast. And to get in touch with me or be a part of the show, you can email me at infothepuckups.com. You can tweet at me on X at Brian DFelice underscore. You can tweet at the show at the puck ups or leave a comment on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, anywhere the show has a social media account and post content. Now, before we get started answering some of the comments and questions you've sent in, I want to say thank you for all of your support and engagement and interaction so far. Throughout the inception of this show a few months ago, it really means a lot to me. And again, if I wanted to talk hockey by myself, I would just do it in my car. But my goal here was to create a platform and a community for all of you to share in your fandom and have your voices heard. And in return, I will do my best to make sure you're all a part of the show in some way, shape, or form. Now let's start off with a comment from Mark on YouTube. And Mark made a lot of great points here. And it's a lengthy comment, but I wanted to give him some time in the spotlight here because he makes a lot of great points. Mark says, for many years, the Boston Bruins established their identity through structure, accountability, physicality, and a commitment to winning hockey. That foundation was significant and helped create one of the NHL's most respected organizational cultures. However, the NHL has evolved. Today's game is increasingly defined by speed, transition play, puck movement, and offensive creativity. The league's most successful organizations are no longer focused solely on developing players within a rigid system. Instead, they identify elite individual traits and build around them. That is where the Bruins must continue to evolve. Since 2015, Boston has too often favored safe projections over offensive upside. While this approach has produced dependable NHL players, it has also resulted in too few homegrown game-changing talents capable of succeeding the organization's aging core. The solution is not to abandon the principles of Bruins hockey, but rather to modernize them. The organization should place greater emphasis on skill, skating ability, and processing speed. Young players should be given the opportunity to develop creativity and offensive instincts rather than having all risk systematically removed from their game. Strengths should be cultivated first and weaknesses addressed as development progresses. The Big Bad Bruins identity once made Boston one of the most feared teams in hockey, combining toughness with elite talent and relentless competitiveness. That spirit should remain part of the organization's DNA. But in today's NHL, intimidation alone is no longer enough to consistently contend for championships. For years, the organizational focus was heavily centered on character and playing the Bruins way. While those standards helped build a strong culture, there were also instances where elite talent appeared to clash with the organization's expectations or developmental philosophy. Joe Thornton, Tyler Sagan, and Dougie Hamilton are often cited as examples of highly skilled players who ultimately did not fit the Bruins mold at the time. Others, such as Phil Kessel, also represented elite offensive talent that never fully aligned with the organization's traditional identity. Development must also become a greater organizational priority. Young players need room to experiment, make mistakes, and grow into their abilities rather than being molded too quickly into limited roles. Let the kids play. The Bruins already possess the most difficult elements to establish culture, professionalism, and high standards. The next step is to combine that identity with a more modern approach to offensive player development. The future of Bruins hockey should not merely be difficult to play against, it should also be fast, skilled, relentless, and offensively dangerous. That comment from Mark is amazing. First of all, so much thought went into it, and I appreciate that. But you hit so many great points. So many great points. And listen, the Bruins have had a lot of success as an organization over the last 20, 25 years, not necessarily in terms of Stanley Cup championships outside of 2011, but they've been a very competitive team. And they've been contending for a lot of championships. But going forward, going forward, Mark hits a lot of great points. The game's changing, it's getting younger and faster. And I know that there's this age-old adage about the NHL is not a developmental league. And I agree with that. I really do for the most part. But at some point, everybody plays their first NHL game and there's an adjustment period. And I do think that the Bruins have fallen victim to an organization that is too afraid to give their prospects an opportunity to truly play in the NHL before they are, in their mind, a finished product. There's no such thing as a finished product prior to making their NHL debut. There just isn't. Now, to the Bruins' defense, there's been a lot of years in the past where they've had a cup contending team or close to it. And so there wasn't a ton of room on the NHL roster for prospects to get some time just to see what they can do. Not every prospect, but we're talking your main prospects. Prospects that seem to be over the AHL. And when you have cup contending teams, those spots aren't always there. But the Bruins for the last three years have not had a cup contending team, not even close. So the last couple of years and going forward, where the Bruins are kind of in a bit of a retool, there's opportunity. Don't be so stubborn to not give players a chance to show themselves simply because they're not the perfect 200-foot forward or they're not the best shutdown defenseman. There's going to be strengths and weaknesses to all prospects games, to Mark's point, before they hit the NHL. It just is what it is. The question is, are the Bruins going to have the patience to let some of these kids have a bit of a leash at the top level, see what they can do. To Mark's point, this is from Kevin Baker on Twitter. Kevin says, not everyone is going to dominate at the AHL level to prove they're capable of being an effective player. Give guys a chance to learn from NHL time and players to grow into a role. Patra had a great productive three-game stretch, only to be buried back in Providence all year. Again, Kevin and Mark, they're kind of talking about some similar concepts here. And I and I agree. I agree, especially when you consider where the Boston Bruins organization is right now. Right now, the Bruins, they they are a young team. I believe the Bruins had the sixth or seventh youngest roster in the NHL last year. And it's only going to keep getting younger when you have a full year of James Higgins. And you have potentially Matt Potra in the fold next year. You have Will Zellers and Dean Laterno as some of the Bruins' higher-end prospects that are not currently in the pro ranks. The Bruins, they they're going to get younger. You have to be willing to develop your young talent and at least see what you have in them, right? You owe it to yourself and the player. Now, I understand that there are some commenters out there who will say, if you can't dominate in the A, then you're not going to do shit in the NHL. And listen, that's not entirely true. It just isn't. It depends what the player's strengths are, what they're going to be in the NHL for. Yes, if we're talking about somebody who you want to be a top six NHL forward and they're not producing at a point per game clip at least in the NHL, then yeah, sure. I think that's fair to say. But in this example where we talk about Matt Pachra, Kevin talks about Matt Patra. What else does Matt Partra have to do in Providence to show that he can play in Boston consistently, if nothing else, in a bottom six role? But you look at the Bruins roster right now, and their bottom six as it currently stands, you have Sean Coralli and Mark Castelick and Tanner Janot and Alex Steves and Mikey Aceymont. Where does Lucas Reichel fit in? Where does James Haggins fit in? Right now, obviously, the last two names, Higgins and Reichel, no problem with those guys, of course, because they're they're young and they have speed and skill. But why isn't Matt Patra possibly centering your fourth line next year? And maybe he does, but we're just talking on hypotheticals right now because Sean Corraly's under contract. Mikey Ace Mont's under contract. Mark Mark Caslick's under contract. So is Tanner Janot. Now maybe they try to move an AC Mont or a Corale this offseason, but as we speak right now, those guys are all under contracts. Now, to Kevin's question here or his comment, Matt Potra played a couple of games with the Bruins this past season due to some injuries up front, and he was playing between Castlick and Janot. And he looked great. Why can't that be your fourth line next year? Can somebody tell me? I know Sean Corrale is a great pro. Trust me, I have no issues with Sean Corale. I have nothing but respect for him as a player. I've I loved him in his first tenure in Boston when he was a bit uh part of the younger core at the time. And I respect him for what he's done in this most recent tour with the Bruins as a as an elder statesman, as a leader in the room, because that Bruins locker and was very vulnerable last heading into last season, and they needed some stability, some good character guys. I totally agree with that. And Sean Corale, beyond that, is a great penalty killer. Now, I'm not saying it has to be Sean Corale. But are they moving on from Castlick? I don't think, I don't think so, nor should they. Cassick is younger than Corale, and I think he's more effective five on five. And he also was a pretty good PK last year. Are they moving on from Tanner Janot? I don't think so.

unknown 11:08

Right?

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Maybe they trade away Mikey Ace Mont, but you still have a fourth line that's intact from last year. So I think Matt Potter should be playing at the at the least fourth line center for the Bruins next year. You look at the Carolina Hurricanes that are currently playing right now, and Carolina, Montreal, like all these teams, like they don't have, you know, these massive six foot four forwards on the fourth line, putting players through the boards. Like a lot of a lot of these teams, they check with their feet. And that was kind of uh, you know, to Mark's original comment, where you know, the the game's changing and and and you have to you have to adapt and and and be faster. And like that, that to me, like I would rather a fourth line in 2026, I'd rather a fourth line go out there and check with their feet and angle off defenders and and be a good forward-checking team. You know, the game moves too fast to have your typical six foot five, six foot three fourth, rugged fourth liner be effective. You can have those guys, but you don't need them all on one line. I I I if if I have one complaint about the Corale Caslick and Janot line going forward, I question their foot speed and their effectiveness to get in on a four-check consistently going forward in future years. Give me a younger kid that can that can be in the middle of two of those players. Give me Matt Patra. Give me Matt Patra. This comment is from Alex on YouTube. I can definitely see where Brian is coming from. Even if they do get Robert Thomas, Robert Thomas alone doesn't make them a cup contender in and of itself. The Bruins need two legit top six studs, like a Thomas and Robertson. A lot of elite teams have multiple studs in their top six. The Bruins just have pasta. The fan side of me also feels like other cores in the league are just better than the Bruins core, and they will never win with Pasternak and McAvoy. Florida has a better core, Tampa has a better core, Colorado has a better core. These teams also have bigger cores. Boston has their absolute work cut up for them. Almost have to hope Haggins turns into a huge top six piece if they want to contend in two or three years. So look, Alex, I I'm not entirely sold that the Bruins cannot win with McAvoy and Pasternak. I think they can. I think they can, but they have to get creative and they have to allow some of the youth in their organization to get to the NHL. Like, I think it requires some patience. I could see a world where you have McAvoy and Pasternak as your top guys, and they're complemented by Hagens and Minton and Zellers and Laterno, right? And in the meantime, you're also going out there and maybe you're making a couple of hockey trades, maybe you're making a strategic free agency signing, right? Like there are there are ways to, I think, be a contender with McAvoy and Pashnak. I'm not giving up on those two guys right now. So, you know, when I when I talked about even if they get Robert Thomas, that that's not a done deal, it wasn't so much me saying that I don't believe in McAvoy and Pashnak. It's it's more so, I still think there's just other things that they need to do still. I don't think that makes them a contender. And I questioned what the Bruins would have to give up to get Robert Thomas, and if they did get him, which I don't think he's available, I don't think he's out there. But my point was I'm not so sure that I want to give up everything for Robert Thomas because, to your other points, it's hard to win the Stanley Cup. There's a lot of contenders out there, and they're not all gonna win a cup. Like, look at Dallas this past year or Minnesota. Those two teams, those two teams, I think, in a in a in an alternate universe and maybe a different playoff path, those teams are capable of being in the Stanley Cup final on paper. No doubt about it, right? But their division is so hard. And I look at the Bruins division, and you mentioned Florida and Tampa. Now, Tampa, I have my questions on them long term. We'll see if they lose Darren Radish in free agency. Victor Hedman, he's had some personal issues off the ice. They're kind of getting older as a team. And uh so I'm curious if Tampa starts to take a step back in the next couple of years. But you have Florida, you have Tampa for right now. Toronto just got the top pick in the draft. We'll see what they can make of that and what they can do over the offseason. Buffalo, we saw, they just beat the Bruins. Montreal is better than the Bruins. Um, like I just think the Atlantic division is such a gauntlet right now that the Bruins could go up there and get Robert Thomas, and on paper, they're better right now, but they could still finish fourth or fifth in the division and maybe not make the playoffs and be a first-round exit. And I just I I'm just I just I'm trepidatious about the Bruins giving up their future for a couple more kicks of the can of McAvoy and Pashtenak. It's I I think that McAvoy and Pashtenak can be a part of a championship team with the Bruins just continuing to not not stay the course, but let their younger players develop. Let some of these high-end picks like I think Laterno is going to be a hell of a player. He's a year away from turning pro, but Hagans is gonna be a rookie next year. And what can he be in a couple of years from now? What can Fraser Minton be in a couple of years from now? Right? What other trades can the Bruins make? I I'm not giving up on McAvoy and Pashnak. I I just don't want the Bruins to give up, I don't want them to double down on them and sacrifice the future. I want I want to have the McAvoy Pashnak window. I still want to have those guys have the ability to do what they can do, but I kind of want an insurance policy of the next core still being in place if they can't. You know what I mean? So I'm not trying to come down on Pashnak and McAvoy when I say that. I just I don't want to double down on them. I want I wanna I want to single down on them. I want them to still have their opportunity, but I don't want to I don't want to give up the farm to bring in Thomas because and then what happens if it doesn't work out? Now you're fucked. Like now, now if you give up, if you give up multiple first round picks and Hagan's or or or Laterno and a Zellers or who knows who knows what the package would be for Robert Thomas. But if you give up that package and it doesn't work out, you're screwed. You're screwed. And the way I feel about McAvoy and Pashnach is like, guys, it's 2026. I love Pashnak, but he's been on the team since 2014, and McAlvoy since 2017. And in many of those years, they had really good teams around them, and and the Bruins never got the job done. So I just the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy in sports to win, in my opinion. And I don't think Robert Thomas solves all their issues. And if you bring them in and you give up way too much and it doesn't work out, well, now your future's gone too. I don't want the Bruins to sacrifice their their future to double down on on a present that I just think needs more work than than the Bruins. Not a lot of the fans, but the Bruins may admit that they need to do. I think the Bruins may feel like they're closer than they might be. And that's not me trying to be pessimistic, but they need a they need at least two more. I mean, we'll see if Minton and Hagens can turn into some. Um, but right now you you still need a couple of top six guys. Now, maybe those guys are internal, maybe it's Zellers in a year or two, maybe it's Laterno, but it's not right now. And they obviously need help on the blue line. And so we'll see. We'll see what happens. But but yeah, the Bruins are in a tough division. And Robert Thomas, if he even were available, which I don't think he is, uh I'm not I don't feel comfortable with this Bruins core doubling down on them as they're 30 years old. If they haven't gotten it done to this point, they may get it done, but let them get it done with the next core with them, right? Don't sacrifice the next core. Uh I think I've said my piece on this question. So thanks for the question, Alex. Ride Smooth, brother, on YouTube. Thought that guy was McAvoy. I'm not Chucky. I'm not Chucky, Ride Smooth. I don't have the scar on the you know, my co-host on Escape Pod, Bridget Prue, who will be on the show later this week, she says I look like Elias Lindholm. I don't see that either. I don't think I look like Chuck or Elias Lindholm. So, but hey, you guys can say I look like whoever you want me to look like. Uh no problems here, but I don't think I look like Chuck. That's just my opinion. Danger Mike on Twitter says, if Boston isn't going to win a cup next year, why not have him center the third line or the fourth line even? I know it will go against everything the front office believes in, but they usually get middling results from the fourth line. Like even last year, when it was good, it was really just okay. So, to give some further context here, Mike's talking about James Higgins. I don't want James Higgins centering the fourth line. I think I think that's uh a miscast, but the third line, sure. Uh we're gonna get to it throughout this episode, but I am a proponent of James Higgins playing center for the Boston Bruins, not wing. I don't have a huge issue if Hagins plays wing to start next year for a month or so, like whatever, but I don't think it has to happen. James Higgins is a natural center. He grew up playing center, he became one of the top prospects in hockey because he was playing center. And I know that this past season at BC, he played wing and he played really well, and I respect that and I get it. But from my perspective, James Higgins' hockey IQ and his skating ability, he will thrive playing center ice, he'll thrive playing center ice more than the wing. To me, when you're when you have his skating ability and his hockey IQ, why would you want to take space away from him? Why would you want to take ice away from him? That's what you're doing when you put somebody on the wing. As a winger, you have less ice to work with. In the D zone, you're you're staple to your boards. You know, sometimes you move around a little bit too, but you got to stay in position. You gotta cover your strong side D or weak side D, depending on where the puck is. You have to make yourself available for a breakout pass, and all the while your opposition, they're telegraphing. It's so difficult. There's a reason why wingers turn a puck over more than any other position on the ice in terms of forwards, is because. Oftentimes you're you're you're battling uphill. You're flat footed or close to it, and you're you're getting a breakup pass from your center iceman or your defenseman because they're in trouble. And the strong side D just reads it and telegraphs it and pinches on you. It's very difficult. Even if you make the right play, you're just chipping it out or you're getting it off the glass. There's not a lot of room for creativity. Okay, James Higgins needs to have the puck on his stick. He needs to be swinging low to get that breakup pass from his his strong side defenseman. And Higgins has some he has some grit to his game for a skilled player. He's a smart player. You have to be a smart player when you're a center Iceman. And as I said, Higgins has played center most of his life. So he's a smart player. His battle effort is higher than I think some people maybe think it is or know it is. But when you're a center, you definitely have your fair share of one-on-one battles. But to me, it's more of an even playing field. When you're battling beneath the goal line for possession, it's anybody's puck. You can use your edges, you can use your hockey IQ to win battles and angle off players. But when you're a winger, you're vulnerable as hell. It's tough. So I actually don't think that wing is necessarily the easier position for a player like him to learn at the NHL level. I think if he's if he's playing wing, it's because Boston has a long jam at center and they're being too stubborn to move Elias Lingholm to the wing or something like that. The Bruins' roster right now is littered with forwards who were either drafted as a center or played center at one point in their career and they've converted to wing. Right? Look at the Pavel Zaka, plays center and wing in the past. Casey Middlestadt. Now Zaka played center this past year. But Casey Middlestadt, former center, playing wing. Marat Husadinoff, former center, playing wing, depending on the night. Morgan Geeky, once played center, now a wing. Sean Karale, Mark Castlick, both guys, you know, their center iceman, but Castlick had to defer to wing for Corale. You know, there's Elias Lindholm, center iceman, right? Like, like there's there's there's a lot of uh examples of forwards who played center before coming to Boston and converted to wing. And I I don't want that to happen to James Higgins. I just don't. So to danger Mike's question here, I I would I would I would have Higgins I would have him third line center to start next year. I I doubt that they put him with Pasternak right away. I just I don't think they want him to jump into the water that deep right away, like first line minutes right away, top, top matchups right away. I mean, to Mike's point here, it's not like the Bruins are winning a cup, so why not why not throw them into the fire? But I I think that's a little bit quick. I would do third line center to start and go from there. That's what I would do. I would have my four centers next year for the Bruins as currently constituted with players that are in the organization. If Pavel Zaka is not traded, I want him as you know, I want him at center, I want Fraser Minton at center, I want James Haggins at center, and I want Matt Potter at center. Everybody else, figure it out. Elias Lindholm, move to the wing, or don't play. I don't care. So yeah, I don't think fourth line makes sense, but third line, Mike, I think is definitely an option. And as far as the second part of your question, it goes against everything the front office believes in. I mean, I don't know, like I see what you're saying, but Fraser Minton, you know, they had him playing big minutes at center this year, and he's 22 or whatever he is, 21. So I I think the Bruins would be willing to. Um, it just sometimes takes a lot of lot of needling to convince them. And that's why we'll be here to needle them. Dapicio on YouTube, hope I'm saying that right. A big in all caps. No, to get Kachuk. He's a sideshow goof. Thomas and Robertson are great, but you aren't getting them without giving up much needed first round picks. Another note, stop drafting so many college guys. So I've seen a lot of comments, or not a lot, but I've seen some comments about the Bruins and and their love affair with drafting NCAA players over CHL players. And I think the proofs in the pudding, the Bruins definitely draft more college guys over CHL guys, I suppose. But the the waters are getting a bit muddy nowadays because with the transfer portal, you have a lot of CHL players that play in the CHL in their draft year or the year before their draft year, and then they transfer to the NCAA. So now it's getting kind of, you know, again, the water's getting a bit cloudy. But if you're talking about a player who at least played in the CHL prior to being drafted, then yeah, I think the Bruins should definitely look at the CHL. There's no doubt about it. From there, I think they'll probably, unless it's like a really, really high pick and they're just clearly ready for the NHL, from there, you might start to see a lot of them go to the NCAA. You might draft a kid in his draft year out of the CHL, but then he'll probably go develop in college hockey. It's just what a lot of players are doing now. So, but I'm I'm not against it. I'm not against it at all. Hell yeah. I mean, draft the best players available. I don't care where they come from. If it's CHL, if it's uh NCAA, Tim Buck 2, I don't care. Like wherever if it if it's a bet if the if it's the best player available, I'm in. I don't care where they're coming from. Um, so yeah. This is from X on X, ironically enough. Brian, I get where you're at when it comes to power play time, but I think we both agree five on five production is critical. I mean, think of the discourse around Lynn Holm power play, 20 points, five on five, twenty eight points. I want production, but the kid needs five on five. This is in reference to James Higgins and his time right now at the World Championships. So I agree that five-on-five production is important, but the Elias Lindholm comparison is not is not is not a good one because James Higgins right now at World at World Championships, since being scratched in, I want to say their fourth game or whatever, he was playing fourth line wing beforehand, and surprise, surprise, sure as shit, they move him to second line center, and all of a sudden he's seen the ice way better and controlling play way more. And I was making that comment, and that's what X was responding to on X. And the production has not been there for James Higgins at World Championships, no doubt about it. That's indisputable. He's first of all, he's still so young. So he's played six games in Providence. He played what four games, five games with the Bruins. He played two games in the regular season and then three playoff games, right? So he's played six games in Providence, five games in Boston, and now he's played five or so games in World Championships. So he's only played 15-16 pro games. And when I say pro games, I mean against pro pro talent. Um he's still so young. And oh, by the way, the production hasn't been there, but for much of those 15-16 games, his details have been really good. And more recently at World Championships as a center on the second line, he's he's he's doing everything but scoring. I'll put it to you that way. And oh, by the way, he's not getting any time on the power play, despite being what I think has been one of their best forwards at 5 on 5 the last couple of games. And that's why X was saying that even though there's been a lack of power play time, he wants to see more five on five production. And he brings up the Lindholm, and he's right. I was if you've listened to this show before since it started, which was back in February, that Elias Lindholm had he had some point production this year, but it was mostly on the power play. And I said, hey, you gotta be able to you gotta be able to produce a five on five. And so, where's that same conversation from me in terms of James Higgins? And I think, listen, that's fair, but right now we're not talking about the Boston Bruins, we're talking about world world championships. And if if Higgins is struggling to score next year for the Bruins, you know, then we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But Elias Lindholm, when he's not when he's playing five on five, not only does he not score, he doesn't do anything. He he he he takes some face-offs, and when he's healthy, he wins his fair share of them. But he does not drive play, he does not create and generate offensive chances and push defenders back with his speed like James Higgins does. So even though James Higgins' production has not been there in world championships, he's been doing everything but, and I never said that about Elias Lindholm. Elias Lindholm, when he's not scoring at five on five, he's also doing nothing else anywhere else, either. Again, besides face-offs. So um that's the big difference. But again, Higgins is so young. He he has he has some growing and developing to do, but the future's the future is far brighter for him than it is than it is dull. I'll put it to you that way. This question is from Chief's Meefi, if I'm saying that right, on YouTube. I don't really think the Bruins should rebuild, but I'm gonna play devil's advocate. The main pushback I've heard against rebuilding is you won't be relevant for five years or so. What if that plays into the Bruins' advantage? Teams like Tampa and Buffalo are at the height of their power right now. The Habs are good and only getting better. Florida is expected to be back in a big way over the next few years. Even in the best case scenario for the Bruins, I don't see them beating all those teams, let alone teams like the current hurricanes and the metro or the Avalanche in the West. If the Bruins begin rebuilding now with how good Pasternak, McAvoy, and Swayman are, they can get tons of legit assets that they can bring in and start developing, which the development system is its own can of worms, but let's assume things work out mostly well. In the meanwhile, those other teams will be wearing each other down in the next few regular seasons and playoffs. That way, when the Bruins are back on the ascent, the other teams might be starting their own retool rebuild scenario, which means they could maximize the next window around Hagen's, Minton, and whoever else might be part of that team. Just spitballing here, not sure it's the best path forward, but it's at least an idea that I don't think is without merit. So my answer to this question is similar to one I gave a few back, which is I am not giving up on the McAvoy, Pasternak, Swayman core right now. Let's come back to this in a couple of years. Let's see what the Bruins can do where they have Pasternac and McAvoy and Hagens and Minton and Laterno and Zellers, and let's see what they can do with some hockey trades, and let's see if they can maybe make a strategic, non-agregious free agency signing potentially. Let's see what the Bruins can do over the next couple of years. And if it doesn't work out, and Pashnak and McAvoy are pissed off and and they want out, well then you know what are you gonna do? Like, okay, maybe now you get the most for them. But right now, I don't think because the Bruins have stockpiled some picks and they have some good prospects. Hagans, Minton, Husadinoff, Patra, uh, again, Laterno, Zellers. What's Cooper Simpson gonna be? But mainly, mainly in terms of non-pro prospects right now, Laterno and Zellers, I think they're gonna be players. I think they're gonna be parts of your of your middle top six. Not right now, but in a year or two, it's possible. McAvoy's only 30 then. Pashnac's only gonna be 31 then, 32, depending on you know when we're talking. What can Frederick Brunei, uh, Frederick Brunei be? What about Dan Zlosh Melus? Like, are those players gonna be anything? I'd I would give Brunei a look next next camp, next training camp, but we'll see what happens. So I again I I appreciate the the outside the box thinking. I think it's I yeah, I I think you have to think about it. I'm not saying like I'm not saying the Bruins right now. I'm saying us as fans, like why not? Why not look at the situation the Bruins are in? There are a lot of Bruins fans, more than you may realize, that that don't believe in the in the Bruins core. And and they they would rather optimize you know one of their best players now as an asset than than to keep them. I'm not I'm not there right now. I think the Bruins owe it to Maclow and Pashnak and Swayman and their young their young up-and-coming core to see what they can do together. Like Maclavoy and Pashnak, they're only they're only they're only 30 and 28 years old. Like there's still time with them. There's still time. It feels like there's a lot of tread on those tires because they've been around for so long, but there's a lot of time left with those guys. So let's just let's just see what happens here. I'm preaching patience. I'm preaching preaching patience. I I want the Bruins to be patient with some of their prospects and and and not give up on them. And I would like to see them get creative with some trades. Stack the Pads37 on YouTube says, I understand Thomas's name has been floated around, so naturally people will talk about him. But unless you're willing to move heaven and earth to acquire him, he isn't an option, in my opinion. The blues have plenty of assets aside from Thomas that they can dangle. Kairu, Pereco, Bucnevich, if they want to commit to tearing it down further. They have already shipped out Falk and Shen for valuable pieces, so I don't see how the Blues couldn't just keep Thomas and build around him for a couple of years when he'll still be in his late 20s, early 30s. They already have young players in the lineup or close. Halloway, Broberg, Snuggerood, neighbors, Dvorsky, Carboneau, etc. And more draft picks to make. Plus, Thomas takes pressure off the Blues from trying to find an elusive number one center. If you're the Blues, why would you accept anything less than Higgins plus other assets given their situation? Stacks the pads, 37, I couldn't agree more. I couldn't agree more. I don't know why St. Louis, who by the way has three first round picks this June, why can't Robert Thomas, who's 26 going on 27, why does he not align with your with your future plans? I think they'd be crazy to trade him. Crazy. For all the reasons you just mentioned. They have other pieces they can move if they really want to. This would be like this would be like the there being rumors of the Bruins looking to trade Patrice Bergeron after the 13-14 season or something like that. Like, why would the Bruins trade Patrice Bergeron when he was 27 years old? 26, 27. Makes no sense. He he's he's very much still in his prime and has a lot of hockey left to go. So I'm with you. I would be blown away if Robert Thomas is traded to anybody, let alone the Bruins. So I agree with that. This is from Donald on YouTube. Sorry, Bruins need more skill and talent. They need to trade Pashnak, McAvoy, Zaka for big packages and focus on new young core of Hagen, Minton, who's the Dinoff in the 2028 picks. Pashnak doesn't fit the timeline anymore, and we are not contenders. Package Pashnak, McAvoy to San Jose for the second overall pick, and Misa. Imagine how exciting Boston would be if we had Minton, Haggins, Misa, and even Veroff. Love the idea and should be explored. Alright, well, Donald, I will say this. If you were trading Pashnak and McAvoy to San Jose, you would get a hell of a lot more than the second overall pick and Misa. Like and listen, it you say the Bruins need more skill and talent. Like McInvoy and Pashnak, like those are the two, like they have it. Like what I I understand what you're saying, but it's it's not yeah, uh I I they would never do it, like they would just never do it. I um I have nothing really else to say besides that. Again, I appreciate the creativity, Donald, but um, and the boldness, but you're talking about moving, you know, how the Bruins need more skill and talent. Like David Pashnak is one of the top five forwards in the world, and he's still he just turned 30. McAvoy, he's still a top 15 defenseman in the NHL when he's on his game, in my opinion, despite some some you know struggles in certain postseasons and whatnot. Like those guys right now, they're not the problem. There may come a time. They mer there may come a time in you know, three, two, three, four years where if they if they're pissed, if they want out, then you can still get something for those guys when they're 33. Like, it happens all the time. So there's no need to move those guys right now, um, at all, in my opinion. I I think I I think that but in in this scenario, you're not trading a top five forward in the world and a top 15 D for a second overall pick and Misa. Like, that's that would be larceny, um, I think, but by by by um San Jose. Like, they'd have to give up a lot more than just that. But in any event, Ty Anderson on Twitter says, listen, anytime you can spend three years trying to force Elias Lindholm to fit with Prime David Paschenak, you simply gotta. So this was in uh response to my commentary about how it's so evident, it's so evident that James Higgins excels up the middle rather than at wing, and the Bruins need to play him in uh in Boston as a center. Again, am I gonna be pounding my fist if he's playing wing to start next season? I'm not gonna love it. I'm not gonna love it, but I'll I'll accept it for a small amount of time. But at some point, you gotta shake it off the pot. Like Elias Lindholm is not who the Bruins want him to be. He's just not. And if they have Zaka still, which he's under contract for another year, so I don't know why they wouldn't unless they traded him. You have Zaka, he's playing center. You have Minton, he's playing center. Is Hagen's centering the fourth line? Well, you have Sean Corale. Insert our Matt Potter conversation. I want Matt Potter playing fourth line center. But to me, like Elias Lindholm playing third line center all year next year over Higgins, it's just give me a break. Like seriously, give me a break. So I would move uh Elias Lindholm to wing. Now, if you're telling me that Elias Lindholm is third line center and and and James Higgins is in your top six at wing, playing with Pashnak or something like that, okay. I mean, alright. I still think positionally Higgins is better at will will be better at center, but I guess we'll see what happens. But yeah, Ty's comment here was you you always have to love a sarcastic comment directed at the Boston Bruins. Um, that's my style. Stephen Collins on YouTube says McAvoy needs better D partners because our defense has not been great really since he has been here. So yeah, I mean he he he had Char. He had Char for a bit. Uh, you know, Grizzlick was a good paired defenseman for him, but I agree, like Grizzlick wasn't really elite, uh, that's for sure. Char was in his uh the lit the later stages of his career when when McAlvoy was young. And I love myself some Jonathan Aspiro, kid works his ass off, but yeah, I mean there's no doubt, like you look around the league and other teams' top pairs, you you don't have just one guy, you have two. I mean, look at Colorado with um you know Devon Taves and Kale McCarr. Minnesota has Brock Faber playing with Quinn Hughes, like McAvoy's playing with Aspiro, right? And and and you know, before that it was it was Derek Forbert. They brought in Derek Forbert to try to be McAvoy's D partner some years ago because they thought that Forbert played well with Drew Doughty for a year in LA. So they thought that he could do that with emulate that with McAvoy. That didn't work. Um yeah, so you know it always has kind of felt like outside of Chara and Grizzlick with McAvoy, that the Bruins have been trying to find that partner for him for a long time. A lot uh Hampus Lindholm, when he was going, like, yeah, it's a great pair, but ideally you like them split up to create some balance, you know. So I agree, like McAvoy does need a better D partner. And that's not me wishing away Jonathan Aspro. I could I'll take Jonathan Aspro my third pair. Um, but I would agree, Steven, that that McAvoy, you know, does he need a better D partner? I mean, I guess nobody beggars can't be like, yeah, it's nice to have, but other other teams' top defensemen, they have better D partners than Charlie McAvoy does, right? So I think that that's definitely something that the Bruins need to address organizationally. Right now, their right side organizational depth beyond McAvoy is nothing. I think it's Billy Sweezy. So you know, you're talking about a left side partner for McAvoy. They need they need help on the right side too. So again, these are all reasons why the Bruins, like the Bruins are further away than I think they they want to be. So Atlanta John on YouTube, I do not understand the hate for Lorai. He wasn't given the time to properly learn how to play D down in Providence. He has improved year after year. And remember, he's a converted forward. If the Bruins move him, it will come back to bite them. I see him as a future puck mover who can score. Well, listen, um, I don't hate Lorai. I and I agree with you that he has gotten better year over year. I mean, his plus-minus was a league worst minus 43 in the 24-25 season. I think he finished with a plus 17. Um I'm just going off the top of my head. It was something like that this year. So he definitely improved. And there's no hate here with Laura, because this comment was in response to the episode I did about you know, um, who's played their last game as a brew, and I had Laura in the in the maybe category. The reason he was in that category is because I do think he's a player that has some value on their NHL roster. He's on a bridge deal, and he was part of the trade package for Rasmus Anderson. And if Rasmus Anderson agreed to an extension in place, Mason Lorai would be a Calgary Flame right now. So my commentary there is because the Boston Bruins themselves have floated out there to have Laura traded. So that's why we talked about it. But you know, will it come back to bite them? I mean, I don't know. Listen, we all talk about the Bruins leading speed and skill and skating ability, and Laura has some of that for sure. But he's also like 25 years old, 26, and I don't see him as a top pair guy. He's not good enough defensively. So he's a third pair guy, maybe maybe a second pair guy. But you know, the Bruins have um Zodoroff and Hampus Lindholm on the left side right now. I don't I I think they like both those guys on the left side better than better than Lorai. Hell, they had Jonathan Aspro playing the left side with McAvoy. Aspro's a righty. Laura was playing his right side. But I just think that the Bruins are gonna try to make some moves this summer, and I think he's gonna be one of them. I can't help but feel that way. So um we'll see what happens. Richard on Twitter says, I am not sure why the Bruins just rock Zaka, Higgins, Pasternak, Middlestat, Minton, Geeky, Hoos Nadinoff, Patra, and then Janot, Karali, and Castelik. I think the Bruins should add a stud right wing, left wing, rock a line, rock a lineup of young, inexperienced centers with top wingers, add a top four right-handed defensemen. This lineup could do some damage. Alright, so I is that why you left one of the forward spots open there? Because the third line only has two players. So I think the Bruins should add a stud right wing slash left wing, rock a lineup, young, inexperienced centers with top wingers. So basically, okay, have Haggins down the middle, Minton, Patra, and Corale. Um, I don't I'm trying to see where you have uh Elias Lindholm in this equation. His contract exists. So um I think to assume he won't be around is is um unrealistic, but we'll see. Um, yeah, I mean, listen, ultimately, I don't think Hagen's is gonna play in the top line to start. I I think he does need some reps at center in the NHL before he's playing on a top line, playing against top pair defensemen, um, and shut down lines, right? Other teams shut down lines. So I I I think Hagen should start a little bit lower in the lineup at center. As far as who plays with Pashnak at center, I mean maybe Minton or Zaka, but uh I like where your mind's at. I would like to see Patra playing a line down with Janoa and Castle. I I I would I would try to upgrade Sean Coralli with Matt Patra. That's just me. But we'll see what the Bruins end up doing. Let's finish off here with Rudy 13 on YouTube. I think moving any combo of A C Mont, Yoki Haryu, Patra, Corpusalo, and our 2028 first to try and find a right defenseman or move up in the draft for one using 23 and targeting an upgrade at center using Zaka and our 2028 first would be the best outcome if they view those guys as excess instead of assets, excluding Zaka, who's been very good for them, but can help get a younger long-term upgrade to keep building within the organization. So, yeah, I mean, listen, I think that the Boston Bruins 2028 first round picks, I think those are in play this summer. I do. We talk a lot about trying to bridge the gap between not sacrificing your future, but still being mindful of your present with McAvoy and Pasternac. And when you talk about potentially trading for a Robert Thomas where you're going to give up Hagen and a 26 first, and or Laterno and some roster players, whatever the case may be, you're talking about giving away players that are part of your immediate future. Zellers, Laterno, Hagens, Minton, Husadinoff, Patra. These these guys, these guys are all, in my opinion, playing with the Boston Bruins over the next couple of years, like over the next 24 months, honestly, for a lot of them. That that lines up with Pasternach and McAvoy. But 2028 first-round picks, well, you're two years away from drafting them. And if they hit, you're three to five years away from them even being rookies. And at that point, McAvoy and Pasternak, they're now closer to their mid-30s than 30. So I think the 2028 first-round picks are I think those some of them are expendable because the Bruins, they have stockpiles and picks and prospects over the last couple of years that they can utilize. And um, you know, so I think those are expendable. As far as some of the roster players you mentioned, I'm open to moving, I'm expecting them to move AC Mont. I'm expecting them to move Corpusalo. I might be wrong on those, but I'm expecting it. I'm hoping for it. Um, Yoki Haryu. I I he's a he's a serviceable third-pair guy. If they can move him, then I'm not crying. But I don't expect them to. Uh, and if they do, I suspect that they'll probably do so to try to create some room for to resign Andrew Peak. But um Zaka's an interesting one. I'm curious what they do with Pavel Zaka. I really am. I'm leaning, I'm leaning towards him being back for his final year in Boston. And if things go south next year, then maybe they explore trading him at the deadline for something, or maybe they plan on extending him uh later on this summer when when they're able to talk to him. So, but ultimately, you know, you you raise some points about the Bruins getting creative via trade, and and I think that there's some trades that the Bruins are looking at right now. And I I do expect the Bruins to make some trades this summer. I just do. You're gonna have to make trades to get rid of Corpus Salo and ACMont right there, and I expect them to be gone. So that'll do it for this episode. Thank you all very much for partaking and sending in your comments and questions. Continue to do so all summer. You can email me info at the puckups.com, tweet at me on x at Brian D Felice underscore at the puck ups, comment on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and I will do my best to collect them. I know last episode or last time I did a mailbag, there were some comments. Oh Brian, thanks for answering my question. I I didn't expect that. Um, you never know. You never know which comments I'm gonna I'm gonna identify and collect. And uh if you if you put a comment on YouTube or on Twitter, your fair game. You're fair game. So um I definitely enjoy doing this. I like connecting with all of you, and uh we'll continue to do so throughout the course of the summer. Thank you all very much for listening, and I'll talk to you on Friday.