It’s been a while since I’ve done a mailbag so, here we are with one. I received some good questions, but some were too long, and I’ve had to abbreviate them. My apologies in advance.
Mark asks:
Hi Dom. Thanks for taking our questions. Big fan of Matt Poitras, but not liking the way he’s been handled by the B’s this season at all.
So, my questions are:
- Best guess – when do you think we’ll see him called back up? My concern is that Don Sweeney is focused on points and not the intangibles, so with what is happening we may not see him until Training Camp next year.
- 2) What are your thoughts on the way Sweeney and Co develop younger players? I think they did a good job with Lohrei, and I think the Providence stint really helped him develop last year. However, I’m just not seeing that with Poitras.
- They also said they wanted to keep Merk as a center, but for the few games he had in Boston he was a winger, a position he has never played in the AHL. It never makes any sense.
- How much longer do you think this great experiment continues with Merk and Lysell? Do you think one or both will be traded by the deadline? Could you see Merk asking for a trade at this point? I’m hoping they won’t trade Poitras, but I wouldn’t put anything past Sweeney.
ANSWER
In response to Poitras, I don’t know when they would call him back up but, I am fine with him learning the system in Providence. The Baby B’s use the same system as the big club and as the guys at the NHL level focus on getting into Joe Sacco’s way of doing things, Poitras is learning it in Providence.
Your analysis of the Lohrei situation is perfect. But it’s only been a handful of games for Poitras in Providence, and I think he will need a little more time. The Bruins have no issue leaving players in the AHL until they are fully ready or needed in an emergency situation. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
As for Georgii Merkulov, most of his games during his first season in Providence were played on left wing. He has had time there, but he was better in the middle. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the same at the NHL level. The only way to find out is to try and I thought Merkulov was better this callup and on the wing.
Finally, I am not against trading anyone in the right deal so, it depends on what the deal is involving those players. But I don’t want to get into hypotheticals. I have no issues with the development staff in Providence from Adam McQuaid to Mike Dunham to the rest of the staff. I know most fans will disagree, but sometimes it’s on the players and not the development staff. Unfortunately, that’s the situation we’re faced with when the system lacks blue chip prospects.
Liz Asks:
“What frustrates me about the “there’s no push from Providence” conversation is that there is zero consideration that the Bruins org has not fostered an environment for these guys to fight for NHL spots.
Do well in training camp while most NHLers are performing far below average? Cut in the first round. Become the best 5v5 player on the NHL roster as a 20yr old rookie but NHL vets are failing to capitalize on your playmaking? Sent down. Called up, make an impact and improve the power-play? Sent back down in lieu of a 25-year-old career AHLer only to sit him in 3/4 games.
All this talk about ‘internal competition’ yet Sweeney & coaches are doing everything they can to prevent it and protect the guys with bigger contracts. Unfortunately, it’s all about money; not talent or development.
I truly worry for guys like Merkulov, Lysell, and now Poitras who may be hindered in what could be great NHL careers if they stay in here in Boston.”
Answer:
I am assuming that you are talking about Poitras in your opening? I was laughed at plenty in the summer of 2023 when I said, “don’t sleep on Poitras making the team out of camp.” I had to stay off Twitter for a couple of weeks. That said, Poitras missed a lot of hockey because of his surgery and to me it showed this season. I have no issues with the Bruins taking as much time as they think they need. That said, I do think he will be back up with Boston at some point this season.
I understand your frustration with the “internal competition”. That said, I’m not there at practice nor am I there when the coaches are telling the players what they expect of them and whether the players are meeting those expectations. Sometimes it really does fall on the players. But Merkulov has looked better this season whereas its more of the same with Fabian Lysell. But Lysell is still young and things could click for him. More time is the only answer.
Mike asks:
Since Joe Sacco is now head coach, will the bruins seek out another assistant coach to replace him? If they decide to hire, should they look at someone with some powerplay experience in their resume?
Answer:
Mike, all I can say is I absolutely hope so to both questions. Sometimes players just need someone else delivering the message as we have seen with the switch from Montgomery to Sacco. Marc Savard would have been ideal, but there was a point in the season when the Leafs powerplay was worse than the Bruins. He turned that around. I do believe a fresh voice is needed but have not given much consideration as to who that might be.
Whaler asks:
Love Dom Juan! Besides David Pastrnak & Mark Kastelic, who else drives to the net. Biggest team in hockey and nobody drives to the net to create chaos or a screen in front of goalie. One addition can make it contagious. Thanks.
Answer:
Obviously, you mentioned two names that do. I would add Justin Brazeau, but it takes him too long to get there. Lately we are seeing Charlie Coyle do it more effectively. Hampus Lindholm from the blueline stood out and I often wished it would rub off on Charlie McAvoy instead of him circling the net every time, although it did finally pay off for him with a goal against Montreal. I don’t know why this team is having issues getting to the inside. It’s been better under Sacco but not where it needs to be.
Odysseus asks:
I much appreciate your work -and keep you as the standard bearer when it comes to our prospect ranks.
Anyhow, a colleague of yours Mick Colageo, ripped Fabian Lysell apart on a “Pucks with Haggs” episode about a week ago. “He’s wallpaper.” “I don’t even know if he will be a good SHL player at age 29.” “It doesn’t look to me as if he was a successful pick.”
Last year Mark Divver had more or less the same jargon on the same podcast, and you gave your more nuanced opinion on the fact, and Lysell responded.
Are you seeing such a big regression in Fabian’s game and are Mick’s claims legit? It didn’t sound to me that he based his final opinion about “the prospect” in the Bs ranks on a bigger sample size.
I’m cheering on Fabian as a fellow Swede, but I’m too old to be a total fan boy (of a single player) so I would appreciate the more nuanced take on him, 1/3 in his last pro-year before becoming RFA.
Answer:
I have a lot of respect for both Mick and Mark especially Mick who has been around the game for a long time and generally knows what he is talking about. I also don’t deny anyone’s right to have an opinion and will not dismiss it because I may not agree with it.
Mark made his comments soon after Ryan Mougenel called Lysell out last season. And as you said, Lysell responded and Mark, to his credit kind of changed his opinion. But here we are again debating Fabian Lysell.
Here is my take: Lysell is the most skilled forward in the Bruins system, no one can deny that. Are there issues? Certainly. I was against an early season callup of Lysell but changed my opinion as well and almost demanded he be called up. My thought was that he’d be replacing someone in the lineup who was giving the puck away just as much as he would, if not more, but Lysell at least had the skillset to provide offence.
Plenty of fans were suggesting putting him with Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand and he could learn the defensive game from them. However, I think he could learn more from David Pastrnak. The latter didn’t come without warts early on and being that both are very skilled offensive players, Pastrnak would be better suited to guide him.
I wouldn’t exactly say Lysell has regressed but rather, he hasn’t developed at the speed we all would have liked. Lysell was selected with the 21st pick in 2021. If you look at picks 10 through 20, only one has played more than 55 NHL games (Cole Sillinger went 12th) and 7 of the 10 picks have played less than 10 NHL games. Are they all busts as well? Then, 7 of the next 11 picks in the first round have played less than 10 NHL games. It’s unheard of in any NHL draft to have that many first rounders “bust”.
Lysell won’t turn 22 until next month. It may all come together for him yet, or it may not. I just think it’s premature to call him a bust at this point.
About a dozen questions came in regarding trades, proposals and rumors and I will address them all like this: I’m not into fantasy trades and rumors. The fact is, no one knows whether they are sellers yet, therefore we don’t know who might be available. If and when some information or reliable rumors, I will gladly answer any questions.
Dom - Hockey 