Tag Archives: Brandon Carlo

Ty Anderson talked to Marina Molnar about the Bruins off-season needs

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Ty Anderson covers all things Boston Bruins for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Marina Molnar follows the Bruins for Barstool Sports. Earlier this week, Anderson was the first guess on Molnar’s podcast, Marina’s Morning Skate. They had an interesting conversation about the Bruins’ off-season goals.

The show started with both recapping how they still feel frustrated and disappointed with the Bruins Game 7 loss. Then Molnar transitioned to the contract negotiations of Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy. 

Anderson and Molnar both believe the Bruins and McAvoy should agree to a bridge deal. Molnar mentioned that since McAvoy has had injury problems in his young career, the Bruins do not want to give him a long term extension just yet. 

“And if I were his camp, I would say, ‘do a bridge deal dude,’” Anderson said. “Because look at the Bruins cap structure, right. In the next two years, you have a lot of money opening up there between Backes, Krejci and Rask.” Anderson added that McAvoy could sign a 2-3 year deal at $5.5-6.5 Million a year. McAvoy could see a substantial salary increase if he reaches his potential. 

Molnar also brought up how many Bruins, Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak to name a few, took more team friendly contracts. “Do you really want to be that guy walking into that locker room, at 22, being the highest paid?” Molnar asked. “I wouldn’t.” 

Anderson added the Bruins have been great at finding players to take less money to build a competitive team. “They’ve gotten guys to take less,” Anderson said. “And McAvoy is not going to be the exception there.”

The conversation then shifted to the other young, talented defenseman Brandon Carlo. Anderson asked how the Bruins would value a player like Carlo. “He’s not an offensive guy, he generates almost nothing offensively,” Anderson said. “But he’s a great skater. He’s a great shutdown guy. He’s been huge on their PK over the last three seasons. And I thought he was great in the playoffs for them too.” Anderson said he thinks he is worth just under $4 Million due to his lack of offensive skill. 

Molnar was curious which player would sign first, McAvoy or Carlo. “Him and McAvoy are key cogs,” Molnar added. “They’re so young, they’re going to be key cogs for a long time.” Anderson and Molnar both think Carlo should make just less than $4 Million. However, Anderson and Molnar agreed he played well during his first postseason last spring.

Molnar pointed out that the Bruins have approximately $8.1 Million remaining in salary cap space. In order to sign both players, the Bruins need to shed some salary. 

“I think the Backes contract is the one you have to move,” Anderson said. Anderson would move a first round pick with Backes to help get this core another banner. “I don’t want to trade a good player, like Torey Krug or David Krejci, to keep a bad player in David Backes.” 

Molnar brought up that when McAvoy and Carlo sign, the Bruins will have nine defensemen. “I think a Johnny Moore or a Kevan Miller is probably more likely to be sent out with their low salaries.” 

Anderson and Molnar also got into potential line combinations and bounced around with Twitter questions. This was an insightful look into the Bruins off-season and plans heading into training camp. If you want to learn about Ty Anderon’s journey to 98.5, I wrote a profile on him last spring. 

This will be a two part article where I will dive into what this podcast might mean regarding 98.5 and Barstool’s relationship currently and going forward.

Photo courtesy of Ty Anderson’s twitter account.

Story by Chad Jones

Follow Chad on Twitter @shutupchadjones

Why the Danton Heinen signing is great for the Boston Bruins

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On Monday the Boston Bruins announced the signing of forward Danton Heinen to a two year 2.8 million dollar deal. Despite the rather confusing outrage from the Bruins fanbase, the signing came rather cheap. Lets take a look at the a few of the important details before we make permanent judgements on the deal.

Short track record

Despite already having two full years of NHL experience, Danton Heinen is only 24 years old. He’s shown signs of being a very good, playmaking goal scorer. Some of his talent is raw and untouched, but he’s by no means a virgin on the highlight reel. When Danton Heinen is on the ice, good things happen.

One issue that comes with being young and versatile on a team like this Boston Bruins team, run by Bruce Cassidy, is that its hard to find fulltime line mates. If Heinen can get a full season as a member of the Boston Bruins second line I think his numbers will jump drastically. Heinen’s best season came one season ago in the 2017-2018 campaign. Danton played 77 games and accounted for 47 points, 16 goals and 31 assists. While the numbers don’t jump off the page, its shows that he’s more than a one trick pony.

One more thing to take note is that 12 of those points came on the power play. While its easy to say that its always easier to score on the power play, having an impact on the power play for a team who depends on it as much as this Boston Bruins team is certainly a way top get you to stick around for a while.

How does the deal compare to the rest?

If you compare the money of Danton Heinen’s contract to the other contracts that are similar, there is absolutely nothing to worry about with this deal. All but two players with a contact that is comparable are older than Heinen, and all but two are within 10 points of Heinen’s deal. Heinen also has the highest plus minus rating of all comparable deals. That stat goes right back to my point that good things happen when he’s on the ice.

Stability for top lines

I mentioned here that the Bruins have a bit of a depth issue on the wings. Heinen provides two more years of top nine forward stability for a team that desperately needs it. Whether he’s on the top line with Bergy or on the second line with Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci, Heinen will play an important role. Signing Danton Hienen gives the Bruins a little bit of breathing room at the wing position.

Turning heads

With Marcus Johannson signing with the Sabres and Noel Acciari signing with the Panthers, signing Danton Heinen checks number three off the free agent to do list for the Bruins. Numbers one and two still remain unsigned. Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo have yet to sign, and the issue is cap room. After Heinen’s signing the Bruins now have about $8 Million to spend between the two. All heads will turn to Don Sweeney and the Bruins front office now. A trade or two might be the only option to bring both Carlo and McAvoy back. Don Sweeney is on the clock.

What Will the Bruins Do with McAvoy and Carlo

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On Tuesday night the Boston Bruins announced they signed restricted free agent Danton Heinen to a two-year deal with a $2.8 million cap hit. The NHL salary cap for the 2019-2020 season is $81.5 million, and the Bruins have about $8 million available. Now that Heinen is signed, what will be done with Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo? McAvoy played 54 regular season games with 7 goals and 21 assists, totaling 28 points. In the post season he played 23 games with 2 goals and 6 assists for 8 points. Carlo played 72 regular season games, tallying 2 goals and 8 assists for 10 points. In the postseason he played 24 games with 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points total.

Photo by Winslow Townson

Navigating the Cap

Last season Brandon Carlo was not as productive in points as Charlie McAvoy, but they’re both effective on the ice and bring speed and physicality to the team. Both are also now restricted free agents who want (and deserve) bigger contracts. With so little cap space, however, this will be a difficult task. The Bruins have a few options to explore, the most likely will be to trade players who are older and less productive. Defenseman John Moore, 28, is a likely candidate with a cap hit of $2.75. After 61 games played in the regular season, Moore got only 4 goals and 9 assists for 13 points. He played 10 postseason games and went pointless. Likewise, injury-prone defenseman Kevan Miller, 31, has a cap hit of $2.5 million and missed much of last season and the entirety of the postseason.

Trading Backes

David Backes is the subject of much discussion in this regard. He’s 35 with an annual cap hit of $6 million. He’s not as productive as he once was, and was a healthy scratch during stretches both in the regular and postseason. Trading Backes would free up a lot of space to sign McAvoy and Carlo, but can the Bruins find a team willing to take on those cap hits? There are teams out there with a large enough gap. Teams like Colorado, Winnipeg, and Ottawa all have over $20 million available, and could be good trade targets.

Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images

Bridge Contracts

Another option would be bridge contracts. While McAvoy and Carlo likely want larger, long-term contracts, they could be signed to short term contracts with the understanding that they’ll be revisited in a couple of years, once contracts expire for players such as Backes, David Krejci, and Tuukka Rask.

McAvoy is the Priority

One more potential solution, though not necessarily the most desirable, would be to only sign one of the two. If that’s the case, it has to be Charlie McAvoy. His production, ice time, and style of play makes him an obvious franchise player. You can count on the fact that the Bruins will sign McAvoy no matter what.

Photo by Brian Babineau

Boston Bruins offseason outlook part two; Free agents and more

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After falling one game short of winning the Stanley Cup, the Boston Bruins can set themselves up for another run with some good additions.

As the team looks to win now, the future starts with the draft

The first round of the NHL draft is Friday night. The Bruins hold the 30th pick in this year’s draft. Now that the league has announced the salary cap will be $81.5 or $82.0 Million, however, it is more likely that we see a trade. A trade involving the Bruins first round pick Friday night could be one way for the team to clear some cap space. Assuming that the Bruins keep the pick, there are a lot of options on the board for them. Looking at the Bruins minor league system, there aren’t really any glaring holes that need to be addressed. The Bruins goalie depth is good enough for them to stay away from a goalie in the first round, and maybe in the 2019 draft as a whole. Given the young D core that the Bruins have assembled, I think we see Boston take a forward.

Whos caught the eye?

Forwards John Beecher, Bobby Brink, and Michal Teply are some realistic names for the Bruins to possibly take at 30. A play maker (Teply), a shooter (Brink), and a banger (Beecher). All three are well rounded, but the mentioned skills are the ones that stick out. All three players would certainly impact the Boston Bruins one day.

Money talks

As mentioned in my first offseason outlook article, the Boston Bruins have a good amount of money to spend on their own free agents before they look elsewhere. With key players like Carlo and McAvoy to bring back, the amount of money that the Bruins can shell out during free agency is limited. Marcus Johansson is a name that will be swirling around the Bruins until he is signed. Johansson will likely hit the free agent market and test the waters, as he should after a good year. Free agency will be very interesting for the Bruins. Their biggest need is a top six forward. The amount of money that the Bruins will be able to give a player capable of fitting a top six role might not be enough to seal the deal. Johannson is likely the most suitable player for the Bruins to target and ultimately bring back.

Outside help?

Another very interesting name that could be tied to the Bruins is former Anaheim Ducks star Corey Perry. After being bought out by the Ducks, Perry is now a free agent. Perry, a right wing, would fit well in the Bruins lineup, as well as the Bruins style of play. Perry is 6’3 and plays more of a power forward roll. Will he fit with the playmaking skills of David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk? I would certainly love to find out. Milan Lucic is another name that a lot of Bruins fans keep bringing up. Lucic was a crowd favorite who also played a top six power forward roll. Still under contract with Edmonton, it would take a buyout for the chance to come back to Boston. Similar to the Bruins situation with David Backes, it just doesn’t make much sense for the Oilers to buy him out.

Let the dominos fall

The NHL draft and free agency are both things that involve young players and money. Two things that the Boston Bruins have, kind of. With players lingering on the edge of the NHL, the Bruins have enough talent to ship out along side an undesirable contract like David Backes. The Bruins also have enough talent to go get a proven veteran on draft night in a trade that could involve the Bruins 30th overall pick. Don Sweeney and the rest of the Bruins front office will be VERY busy over the weekend.

John Moore

Expectations For John Moore And Brandon Carlo

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In less than two months the regular season will begin for the Boston Bruins. Every player will be looking to make an impression before the season starts. Brandon Carlo and John Moore are two players to watch out for. They each have their own reasons for why they will be looking to make their mark early. Those reasons include health and the fact that the Bruins have 8 defenseman under contract for next season. If they struggle then the Bruins will have plenty of replacements to choose from.

Health

Last year Carlo appeared in 76 games after appearing in 82 his rookie season. For the 2nd straight year his season was cut short by a gruesome injury right before the playoffs began. For Carlo, he will be looking to prove that he is healthy. He has been a key player for the Bruins in his young career. In two seasons he has only missed six regular-season games. Carlo struggled last season but was playing his best hockey of the season right before the injury. With the Bruins being so deep defensively Carlo cannot afford another injury. Moore, unlike Carlo, has not had injury problems in his career. Last season he appeared in seventy plus games for the third time in his career. He established himself as one of the Devils’ best young defenseman with free agency approaching. Where he fits in a crowded Bruins defensive group remains to be seen.

John Moore

Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/ Getty Images

Locks

Of the Bruin’s defenseman only Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, and Zdeno Chara appear to be locks. This is both a negative and a positive for Moore and Carlo. Moore is also most likely a lock due to his contract but where he plays remains to be seen. The Bruins’ first defensive pair is set with Chara and McAvoy. The second pairing will most likely include Torey Krug but beyond that nothing is a lock. Carlo and Moore will be looking to make their case in camp to be on the second pairing alongside Krug.

John Moore

AP Photo/Elise Amendola

Final Thoughts On Brandon Carlo And John Moore

By giving John Moore a five-year deal, the Bruins showed that they see him in Boston for years to come. His skating ability allows him to contribute on the rush and recover when out of position. His skating ability also allows him to win puck battles by beating opponents to the puck. He has more offensive upside than Carlo which will play to his benefit. Before last season Moore had never seen top-four minutes. How these two play early on will have a big impact on the Bruins’ season. Even though Moore has more offensive upside, Carlo knows the system. He also has played top-four minutes the past two seasons and has shown he can handle it. How Carlo returns from his injury will determine where he starts the season.

One thing is for sure- watching these two make their case will be an interesting storyline early on.

Adam McQuaid

Adam McQuaid’s Role In Boston

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Adam McQuaid has spent his entire nine-year career in Boston. He is not the Bruins top defender or even in the top four. That does not mean he has not been valuable to the Bruins since making his NHL debut in the 2009-2010 season. McQuaid affects the game in many ways that do not show up on a stat sheet. This season he will be fighting for minutes as the Bruins have eight defensemen under contract. The only locks appear to be Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, Zdeno Chara, John Moore, and Brandon Carlo. That will leave Kevan Miller, Matt Gryzelcyk, and McQuaid fighting for limited minutes. McQuaid will more than ever need to show the intangibles that have made him so valuable to the Bruins over the years to get consistent minutes.

Where Adam McQuaid Excels

McQuaid is not an offensively gifted defenseman. In his career, he has only scored 13 goals and distributed 53 assists. His best offensive season was 2010-2011 when he had three goals and 12 assists. What separates McQuaid is the way he affects the game with his physical style of play. He is not afraid to throw his body around and often acts as an enforcer on the ice. Last season he had 6 fighting majors which was the most on the Bruins. Four of them came on the road which showed that McQuaid was not afraid to stand up for his teammates regardless of where he was. For that reason, McQuaid has endeared himself to his teammates. It may however not be enough as his offensive liabilities could impact his spot in the lineup.

Adam McQuaid

Photo Credit: NHL.Com

Adam McQuaid’s Future In Boston

This season marks the final campaign of McQuaid’s four-year deal. Next off-season the Bruins will have a tough decision to make regarding McQuaid in free agency as a potential trade candidate. Some Bruins who will be free agents include Danton Heinen, Ryan Donato, Charlie McAvoy, and Brandon Carlo. That means McQuaid’s future is bleak as those four will likely be the main priorities next offseason. The Bruins will also have a handful of prospects such as Ryan Fitzgerald entering free agency who will be looking for a significant pay raise next year. The Bruins will want to give their top prospects chances to show what they can do which will impact McQuaid’s playing time.

This season McQuaid will most likely serve as the seventh defenseman. He will make 2.75 million which is expensive for the role he will play. If the Bruins do deal their enforcer to free up salary he could net them a mid-round draft pick. He has shown that he is capable of holding down a bottom pair role and his toughness could interest other teams. That is the unique trait that the Bruins would struggle to replace. Regardless of how the season plays out, McQuaid has created an endearing legacy in Boston. He will be remembered for his toughness and willingness to defend his own teammates. His role in Boston may have diminished but his legacy will not.

Carlo

Brandon Carlo Primed to Rebound

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For two straight seasons the Boston Bruins have made the playoffs. Unfortunately, top-four defenseman Brandon Carlo was injured during both of those appearances. Carlo appeared in 82 games during the 2016-2017 season before a concussion ended his season. This past season he appeared in 76 games before fracturing his ankle. After a solid rookie campaign, Carlo struggled at times throughout the 2017- 2018 season. Before his injury it seemed that he was turning it around as the Bruins made their playoff push.

Brandon Carlo’s Rookie Season

In Brandon Carlo’s rookie season he was usually paired with Zdeno Chara. The former second round pick performed well, as in 82 games he scored six goals along with ten assists. Before making his NHL debut, Carlo had appeared in only seven games for the Providence Bruins. He surpassed everyone’s expectations and gave the Bruins the stability they had lacked. He has a strong skating ability and also does very well moving the puck. The 2017-2018 season did not go as well for the former second round pick.

Carlo

Photo Credit: Emily Sadler

Carlo Struggles in His Sophomore Campaign

Offensively, Carlo took a step back in the 2017-2018 season. He did not score a goal and had only six assists. He took only 76 shots, which was twelve less than he took in his rookie season. Carlo was not as impactful offensively as he was during his rookie season but he was still valuable to the Bruins. His plus minus improved this past season despite not being paired with his mentor, Zdeno Chara. The former second round pick will never put up offensive numbers like his fellow defensemen Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy. Carlo does not have their offensive upside or power play opportunities. The Bruins do not need him or expect to make that type of offensive impact.

Carlo

Photo Credit: Fluto Shinzawa/ Boston Globe

Can He Rebound?

Like many young players Carlo still has some growing pains to go through. This is also due to the fact that he has virtually no AHL experience. Carlo possesses a very good skating ability and an offensive game that can improve. He needs to improve his decision-making and handling of the puck. His injury prevented him from a strong finish as he had looked better as the season was winding down. Next season will be an important one for the former second round pick and he will be more motivated than ever. Staying healthy for the playoffs will be key and Bruins fans may finally get to see what he can do in the postseason.

Bruins Captain

Bruins Extend Their Captain

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Bruins Captain Gets Extension

Early Wednesday afternoon the Boston Bruins gave their longtime captain Zdeno Chara a one year extension. This most likely means the end is soon for Chara. The Black and Gold are playoff bound, and for Chara it could be one of his last runs. This extension means the Bruins captain will most likely finish his career in Boston; a fitting ending for their longest tenured player.

Bruins Captain

Photo Credit: Harry How/Getty Images

Chara’s Early Days

Chara came to the Bruins as a free agent in the 2006 season. The Bruins signed him to a five year deal for $7.5 million a year. He was the first big signing for a Bruins organization that was trying to find its way. Since then, the Bruins captain has had a memorable run in Boston. He won the Norris Trophy in the 2008-2009 season and has finished in the top five for the award four other times. He isn’t the forty point scorer he once was, but he’s still critical to this team.

Bruins Captain

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

How the NHL Has changed

As Chara’s time in Boston has gone, he has changed, and so has the team. When he came here this wasn’t a playoff team. He’s helped instill a culture of winning that wasn’t here when he arrived. It’s the culture he worked for the one he signed on to create. The NHL has also changed, as it is now much faster faced. Offensive minded defenseman are more prominent today. Chara is not the same defenseman that once averaged forty points a season, nor is he the face of the franchise. The title belongs Bergeron now, but that is not where his value lies.

Bruins Captain

Photo Credit: Winslow Townson USA Today Sports

Chara’s Impact on the Youth

When Chara does walk away from hockey he’ll be leaving a playoff team, not one trying to find its way like the one he signed with twelve years ago. He has been key in mentoring the Bruins youth, including players such Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Matt Grzelcyk. These are the kids who will look to build on a season that for many has been a dream. Chara isn’t a top five defenseman in the NHL but he’s still one of the best. This extension could reach five million in incentives, and it could be Big Z’s last one. He is a big reason the Bruins are playoff bound, and for the change since he got here.

Brandon Carlo: The Unnoticed Budding Defenseman

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It seems like forever ago that Brandon Carlo was the talk of Beantown. The second year defenseman came flying out of the gate last season, quickly establishing himself in the NHL. Carlo rapidly became one of the league’s most promising young blueliners. Under the guidance of Zdeno Chara, Carlo played a ton of minutes in a shut-down role for the Bruins. However, although Carlo started the youth movement for the Boston Bruins, he sits on the back burner for many Bruins fans this season.  The rapid emergence of McAvoy, Bjork, Debrusk, and Heinen obscure the view.

Upside

While Carlo can have a tendency to disappear at times, his upside makes up for that and more. During a penalty-filled game, Carlo dominated all afternoon in Philly, leading the team to a clean six for six on the penalty kill. The young blueliner was a monster in his own end, blocking shots, and protecting the slot, something  lacking for the B’s this season.

The second-year defenseman so far has had a sneaky good season. After his excellent showing in Philly, Carlo now has a +5 rating with 24 blocked shots. While most of the Bruins’ young talent have great offensive upside, most of them lack the physicality required of shut-down defenders. Carlo has that ability, crucial for a team contending for a cup. He could potentially play a Niklas Hjalmarsson role for the Bruins in a couple of years.

Dependability

This may be the most crucial part of Carlo’s game. While the 21-year-old defenseman won’t make the highlight real with flashy offensive plays, he has the ability and the hockey IQ to make the smart and responsible play on the back end. Chara’s influence on Carlo cannot be stressed enough. Chara played the shutdown number-one defenseman for the Bruins when they won the 2011 Stanley Cup. The veteran’s knowledge on how to handle speedy young forwards and experience in the postseason could have a substantial effect on Carlo’s career.

So far its shown up with how dependable he has been for Cassidy. Carlo currently ranks sixth on the team in time on ice, averaging 19:09 minutes per game and has rapidly become one of Cassidy’s go-to players. While mistakes occur from time to time, his consistency throughout the game and the season is invaluable.

Improvements

While both fans and coaches have been impressed with the his defense, the Bruins hope Carlo’s offensive game can continue to develop. He posted a solid offensive year last season with six goals and 10 assists. The offense has taken a step back this season with Carlo only posting four assists, and zero goals on 23 shots. The injuries and more defensive responsibilities placed on the 21-year-old have not helped.  Cassidy has started playing Krug with Carlo a bit over the past few weeks, which should get him more involved in the offensive end. Playing with a more offensive heavy defenseman like Krug could serve Carlo well.

Carlo has rapidly developed into a very good defenseman for the Boston Bruins. Hockey fans beware.  Suddenly the Bruins have a one-two punch combo on the back end with Carlo and McAvoy.