NHL Notebook: What hard truths might Bruins face by adopting an all-in mentality; DeBrusk’s resurgence a win-win for all parties

Rule No. 1 of social media? Never be “that guy” on any given day.

You know, the guy who fires a careless take, controversial opinion or tone-deaf musing into the void that is the Twittersphere and then spends the next 24+ hours getting dunked on by the rest of society.

Granted, the sphere that is hockey fandom isn’t as large as other online cliques, but NBC Sports' Matt Bernier found himself in the crosshairs of many on Friday when tossing out a potential blockbuster deal for Leon Draisaitl … with Boston surrendering Jeremy Swayman, Jake DeBrusk, Urho Vaakanainen and draft picks in return. 

Alright, perhaps it was more Oilers fans that were flaming such a proposal online — because Ken Holland and the Oil’s front-office staff would have to be banished up to Nunavut if that was the return for a top-five franchise pillar like Draisaitl.

But as I was sorting through the soot left in wake of such an online scorching, one thing that caught my eye was the number of B’s fans lamenting the notion of Swayman being included in any deal at all — even for a player of Draisaitl’s caliber (and signed at a $8.5 million cap hit through 2024-25).

Be it a proven top-six pivot, help on the blue line or added scoring depth further down the lineup, the Bruins are going to need some help if they want to build off of this resurgent play in 2022 and put themselves over the top this spring. 

And considering all of the comments we’ve heard over the last few months from every tier of the Bruins organization, be it Cam Neely discussing “one more shot” back in June to the vague musings regarding both Patrice Bergeron and Tuukka Rask’s respective futures — it’s to be expected for the Bruins to tackle the coming months with an “all-in” mindset.

And given both the number of alluring targets that could be available, be it legit top-six centers like Tomas Hertl, J.T. Miller, Claude Giroux and Joe Pavelski or top-pairing fixtures like Jakob Chychrun (who Jeff Marek linked to the Bruins - along with five other clubs — during his latest 32 Thoughts appearance), the Bruins have plenty of options when it comes to improving this club — both in 2022 and potentially beyond.

But for all of the excitement that can be brewed up around this time of the year for teams looking to go all in, there comes the flip side of the coin / the monkey’s paw /  the stark reality that the Bruins must face when it comes to potentially relinquishing future assets for a chance to make the most out of the final seasons of the Bergeron Era.  

So what hard truths might the Bruins — and their fans — have to face if they want to try and go all-in for a player like Hertl or Chychrun?

Let’s delve into it.  

Breakthroughs at NHL level might make for more assets

For as much as the Bruins’ development pipeline has received ridicule in years past for the lack of tangible production sprouting up from the AHL ranks — the 2021-22 campaign has actually been a bit of a pleasant surprise when it comes to youngsters finding their footing at hockey’s highest level.

Yes, the Bruins are still waiting for Jack Studnicka to carve out a role at the NHL level (unclear when that spot is opening up) and Trent Frederic has yet to build off of a strong start to the 2020-21 campaign.

But there have been plenty of positives as well. Before his season-ending ACL injury, Jakub Zboril looked as though he had turned a corner on Boston’s blue line — and that sentiment has carried over to Urho Vaakanainen, who has now averaged over 20 minutes of ice time in his eight games up with Boston this season.

Add in Oskar Steen and Anton Blidh’s offensive contributions in the bottom six, and the B’s are finally getting some much-needed production from players on affordable contracts.

But as guys like Vaakanainen and Steen continue to look like potential NHL contributors, it makes it all the more likely that one of them could serve as an appealing part of a larger package near the deadline. 

Again, you got to give to get in this league. But there is some cruel irony that the Bruins might now have to shed young talent on this team, just as many of them finally started to pan out.

Mortgaging future picks  

The Bruins have not been shy when it comes to relinquishing first-round picks in the past. 

In 2018, Boston coughed up its first-rounder (along with Ryan Lindgren) as part of a larger package for Rick Nash — who Boston hoped would serve as a long-term fixture next to David Krejci (that was not the case).

In 2020, Boston relinquished its first-rounder again to shed the remainder of David Backes’ contract — while also adding a potential top-six weapon in Ondrej Kase. (That, again, did not work out). 

But beyond the lackluster returns that have come forth when Boston has surrendered its top draft capital, Sweeney has regularly shown a reluctance to part ways with such a valuable commodity — even expressing a willingness to trade back into the first round of the 2018 Draft just months after surrendering their pick for Nash.

For as much as the Bruins have a solid crop of players in place like Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak, the easiest way to churn out talent is rolling the dice year in and year out on first-round potential. 

Yes, the Bruins likely aren’t going to hit on a player like Pastrnak again (25th overall in 2014). But as last year’s draft showed when the B’s added an exciting O-zone sparkplug like Fabian Lysell to the prospect pool, regularly identifying and scooping up young talent in the first round is one of the most established best practices when it comes to building your team of the future. 

But if sellers like the Sharks and ‘Yotes are stipulating first-round picks as key pieces in a potential deal — the Bruins may have to relent once more. 

Just the price of doing business.  

Pillaging the farm?

Of course, a lot can change between now and say, 2024. But the Bruins do have a few prospects further down the pipeline that could turn into key cogs for this team in the post-Bergeron timeline.

Fabian Lysell looks like a potential top-six talent, with the Swedish winger’s transition to the North American game going smoothly over in Vancouver (30 points in 24 games against WHL competition). And even though Mason Lohrei might need another year or two in college to round out his overall game, his size (6-foot-4) and playmaking prowess (20 points in 25 games as a freshman at Ohio State) makes him a tantalizing prospect. 

Add them to an already established core with guys like McAvoy, Brad Marchand, Pastrnak, Taylor Hall and Jeremy Swayman (more on him in a second), and you have the foundations of a pretty solid team already.

Of course, that is until you look at your center depth — which, if Bergeron hangs up his skates in the next year or two, suddenly looks very, very dire. 

While a lot has been said about some of the usual suspects as far as Boston’s trade assets — be it Jake DeBrusk, first-round picks or guys who have been in the system a while like Studnicka — the unfortunate truth is that sellers are likely looking more down the line at the likes of Lysell/Lohrei in terms of coveted pieces.

And that’s where the discussion gets tough. While the Bruins would likely accept if the cost to pry a pivot like Hertl out of the Bay Arena was something along the lines of DeBrusk, Studnicka and a conditional first — the B’s will be far from the only ones vying for his services.

And if someone like Lohrei or Lysell is the deal-breaker when it comes to out-bidding teams with deeper farm systems like the upstart Ducks or Rangers, do you bite?  

It’s a tough call, to say the least. But it’s a decision that Sweeney and Co. will almost certainly have to weigh if they’re wading through the waters as buyers during this trade season. 

Is Swayman untouchable?

I’ll just preface this by saying that it’s extremely unlikely that Swayman is moved this season.

Not only will the Bruins not relinquish one of the most promising (and likely NHL-ready) young netminders for, say, a rental or an older asset like a 37-year-old Pavelski — but it’s entirely conceivable that Swayman entrenches himself as Boston’s No. 1 netminder as soon as next season.

Boston might be better off in the short term with Tuukka Rask and Linus Ullmark sharing reps and Swayman earning No. 1 minutes down in Providence, but there’s no guarantee that Rask even plays beyond this season. And if that’s the case, the Bruins have to feel pretty good about what a Swayman/Ullmark tandem can provide in net for the next 4+ years.

But what if the Bruins are actually realistic players for a guy like Chychrun — a 23-year-old, top-pairing D whose under contract through 2025 at an annual cap hit of $4.6 million?

Not only does adding a player of his caliber load up for this year, but it adds another franchise piece for years to come — all at a bargain cap hit. 

But if the Bruins have any shot at all at dealing for Chychrun, Swayman sure seems like a sticking point in any negotiation, especially with teams with much deeper farm systems like Florida, New York and Anaheim all involved.

Earlier this week, Jeff Marek even drew up a proposed offering that Florida might have to submit to win the Chychrun sweepstakes — submitting a first-round pick, their own potential franchise goalie in Spencer Knight and 20-year-old Anton Lundell, he of 24 points in 34 games this season with the Panthers.

At this point, Chychrun is probably the only trade target that would likely require Swayman as the headlining piece in a return (unless Draisaitl does want out, of course). Even a legit top-six fixture (but pending UFA) like Hertl won’t necessitate Swayman being dangled as a trade chip, although the return for the Czech center would still be awfully steep.

So where do you draw the line if you’re the Bruins when it comes to how much you’re willing to give up to make the most of the next few seasons?

Perhaps you can convince yourself that Swayman is expendable if you believe Rask is sticking around for another 3-4 years, but that’s far from a guarantee. And if all goes wrong and the Bruins can’t cash in over this short window, it’s going to be pretty tough watching a guy like Swayman or Lysell/Lohrei thrive in another market for years to come. 

The Bruins are likely all in this season, that much seems like a certainty. 

 But any short-term moves, even ones perhaps not as seismic as a Swayman swap, could cause even the most title-starved B’s fans to do a double-take.

 ———

Sitting out not an option for Marchand

Brad Marchand would be the first to tell you that he was surprised to be back on the ice Saturday afternoon — less than 48 hours after his shoulder was seemingly shredded into spaghetti off of a dangerous hit from Garnet Hathaway.

And even though the B’s top winger characterized the last few days as a complete “whirlwind”, as soon as Marchand got the proper treatment from the B’s medical staff and felt no ill effects during warmups — a potential day off was going to be out of the question.

“It’s going to take a lot to sit out if you feel like you can play through it,” Marchand said following Saturday’s win over Winnipeg — a game where he led all B’s forwards in TOI (19:35).

Considering all of the bumps and bruises that we’ve seen Marchand take over the years, the sight of the tenacious winger competing and battling against the Jets shouldn’t exactly come as much of a surprise.

But for Marchand, his knack for gutting it out is not just a testament to his own pain threshold. Rather, the 33-year-old veteran was quick to credit the culture cultivated in Boston’s room as a major factor in pushing players back on the ice despite whatever pain is surging through them.

“I think it goes back to the way that, being brought up in this organization, you play for the group, play for the room, and it's about sacrifice,” Marchand said. “We have short careers in the grand scheme of things and in this group here, we lay it all on the line and play through whatever we can.

"At the end of the day, there are times where you can't.  You just can't go and we saw it the other night where I couldn't play. When you can't, it's very hard to know that you can play and to pull yourself out. It's just — it's not really in me to do that." 

Jake DeBrusk's recent resurgence a win-win for all parties

Marchand’s return to the B’s lineup might have prevented Jake DeBrusk from entrenching himself as a short-term replacement on Boston’s top line next to Patrice Bergeron and Craig Smith — but the disgruntled winger sure didn’t let the bump back down to the third line discourage him all that much against Winnipeg. 

Even though both of his linemates in Charlie Coyle and Oskar Steen were the ones to light the lamp in Boston’s 3-2 win on Saturday, DeBrusk played an active role in both tallies — with the forward’s forechecking pressure creating hurried decisions and miscues that directly led to a pair of bottom-six goals.

When he’s engaged, DeBrusk may not be a bruising forechecker that creates turnovers through brute strength. But the forward’s 0-to-60 acceleration can sow chaos against opposing puck carriers, and those efforts are being reflected on the scoresheet. 

“I like when Jake's being physical. He's moving his feet,” Marchand said postgame. “That's where he excels — is when he uses his speed. He's such a dynamic player. And I think at times he doesn't realize what he can create just by skating and moving his feet and getting in on the forecheck. 

“He doesn't always have to be overly physical, but his speed will create turnovers and opportunities for his teammates and for himself and when he's skating — he's a very dangerous player. The last couple of games, I mean he was in on two big goals last game as well and two tonight. So it'd be great if that continued.”

In the complicated tale that has been DeBrusk and his tenure with the Bruins, a potential reconciliation between player and organization would stand more as a ham-fisted plot twist than an expected character arc. 

DeBrusk likely wants a clean start elsewhere, and the Bruins are trying to accommodate such a request (while getting a quality return in the process). 

(One team worth monitoring, as Merek noted during his 32 Thoughts appearance, is the Rangers in terms of any DeBrusk deal.)

More performances like Thursday and Saturday (three points in two games) stand as the best path toward satisfying all parties. Because the more DeBrusk’s trade value soars, the likelier the chance that Don Sweeney and Co. field an offer that’s to their liking.

“He has his legs, which helps — because that's his greatest attribute," Bruce Cassidy said of DeBrusk. "He can outskate a lot of people out there and when he's on top of people, it makes a difference. When he gets pucks in loose ice, he backs people off, challenges people and puts people under duress. So that's what we like about Jake — compete on the puck, said that from day one. We want it every night. We're getting it.”

Grzelcyk recalls memorable meeting with O’Ree

Willie O’Ree was unable to attend his jersey retirement ceremony in person on Tuesday night due to travel and COVID concerns — but the Bruins still managed to send some gifts out his way in San Diego ahead of his big day, including a custom-made fedora.

It was not the first time that a member of the Bruins bestowed a cherished gift to the hockey pioneer, with Matt Grzelcyk and his father, John, presenting the Hall of a Famer with a relic from his playing days during one of his previous visits to the Garden back in 2018.  

Shortly after Boston’s game against the Habs on Jan. 17, 2018, O’Ree — in attendance for festivities celebrating the 60th anniversary of him breaking the NHL’s color barrier — was presented one of his old No. 22 Bruins sweaters by the Grzelcyks.

John Grzelcyk, who has worked as a member of the Garden bull gang for 50+ years, was given the vintage B’s jersey years ago by a co-worker — not realizing it used to belong to O’Ree. It was a pleasant surprise, to say the least, as O’Ree noted that he never had a chance to save one of his B’s sweaters before eventually getting dealt to Montreal in 1961.

Ahead of O’Ree’s retirement ceremony, Matt Grzelcyk reflected fondly on his first meeting with O’Ree — calling it a highlight of his career. 

"First time I actually met him was when I gave him the jersey that we had," Grzelcyk said. "I don't know the whole backstory, but I think my dad got the jersey from an old equipment trainer. And we didn't know that he actually never got a jersey when he got traded from the Bruins.

"So, just to see that look in his face - he hadn't seen his actual jersey since the day he was traded. That was a pretty cool moment that I got to share with my dad as well. ... Something I don't take for granted."

Grzelcyk added: "Such a nice man. And what he's done for the game has meant so much, especially here in Boston…growing up here, getting the chance to know his story and present him with that jersey was probably one of the highlights of my career so far."

Local voices taking reins in Montreal

If Patrice Bergeron intends on continuing his playing career for at least a few more seasons, he’s going to have to find a new agent.

Kent Hughes, Bergeron’s longtime representative and Westwood resident, is heading back to his native Montreal — with the former agent appointed as general manager of the Canadiens earlier this week.

Hughes’ appointment to the Habs’ front office stands as the latest maneuver to inject some New England flavor into the core of Boston’s hated rival — with Melrose native and former B’s interim GM Jeff Gorton named Montreal's Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations back in late November.

Bergeron, one of many clients represented by Hughes over the years, expressed his well wishes to his former agent when asked about his move back up to Montreal. 

"It's very well deserved, I'm super happy for him," Bergeron said. "Obviously, it's one of those things that - he's been with me since the beginning, so sad to see him go as my agent, but still gonna be a friend and wish him all the best. Super smart hockey mind and loves the game. I think he was excited about the challenge. Best of luck to him and I know he's gonna be great."

While Bergeron joked that his next agent would be “me, myself and I” - he later added that he is staying with Hughes’ former agency in Quartexx.

As for the already extremely stale narrative that Hughes’ arrival in Montreal would … somehow convince Bergeron to eventually don bleu, blanc et rouge near the end of his career???

… No. 

Not only is Bergeron from the suburbs of Quebec City and LOATHED the Habs growing up, but I can’t see the future Hall of Famer spending a year or two with a team like Montreal that is staring at a loooooong rebuild.

Also … when has playing for an AGENT (in a front-office role, no less) been the determining factor in a franchise player like Bergeron switching allegiances?

Nope. 

Marchand scolds Oilers fans

In case you haven’t been keeping tabs on what’s been going on up in Edmonton — it ain’t good. 

The Oilers are in complete freefall, having lost seven of their last eight games and plummeting down near the bottom of the Pacific Division standings.

As expected, Oilers fans have been less than thrilled with the product playing out on the ice — with a couple of sweaters tossed onto the ice up in Edmonton after another defeat on Thursday. 

That display apparently didn’t sit well with Marchand, who took to Instagram on Friday to call out the fans — and hint at a potential consequence as franchise pillars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl get more and more frustrated with their current situation. 

Of course, Ken Holland and the rest of the Oilers’ front office should really be the ones shouldering the blame for this gross mishandling of a significant portion of McDavid/Draisaitl’s careers so far, but this is not the first time that Marchand has been very blunt when it comes Canadian-based teams and the challenges that come with playing in such passionate markets.

"There’s a lot of cases where teams don’t do well in Canada, that it’s hard on players,” Marchand said following a game back in November. “Their families get picked on, their kids get picked on at school. So, you know, the fans can be a big part of why teams don’t have success. Because they make it miserable on the players at times.  

"They definitely push guys away to go to teams that don’t have that kind of fan base. So, sometimes the fans out there need to look themselves in the mirror as well.”