Mailbag: Should BOS draft best available at No. 7 if it's not a center?

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Thanks for the question Nick!

This answer depends on the future play of Jeremy Swayman.

If Swayman bounces back, and plays to the standard set by his $8.25M cap hit, then Joonas Korpisalo, and his $4M cap hit becomes less necessary.

That's a little too much cap space allocated to a back up goalie to start 25 games.

In this situation, Boston should look to shop Korpisalo and promote Michael DiPietro to play the same true backup minutes as Korpisalo, but for half the price.

However, if Swayman continues to struggle ...

Then more may be asked of Korpisalo, and his cap hit will seem more necessary.

Korpisalo at the very least, is an experienced NHL goaltender and capable of picking up the ball if Swayman drops it.

The same can't (definitively) be said about DiPietro due to his lack of NHL experience.

So, it's tough for me to answer Korpisalo or DiPietro without knowing how Swayman responds this season.

Right now though, and with Swayman's future performance still being a question mark, the Bruins would probably be wise to hold onto Korpisalo for now.

If that means DiPietro signs elsewhere this offseason as an RFA, then so be it.

If it turns out that Swayman plays great in the next campaign, and the Bruins decide to move on from Korpisalo sometime throughout the season, backup goaltenders can always still be found for cheap - even if a bit unproven at the NHL level.

Boston signed Simon Zajicek to a one year entry level contract back in May, Brandon Bussi could be re-signed as a UFA, and they still have the rights to Philip Svedeback who was drafted by the Bruins back in 2021, and has spent the last three seasons at Providence College.

Ultimately, the best case scenario for the Bruins, is that Swayman becomes one of the top ten goalies in the league, and they eventually move on from Korpisalo.

But as of right now, BOS might view the Finnish netminder as a $4M security blanket.

As the leading member of #KhuzyGang, this is a difficult one for me.

Joking.

But in all seriousness, this is a tough one.

Pavel Zacha, 28, is a pretty good contract right now with a cap hit of $4.75M.

He provides the versatility of being able to play both center and wing, as well as both power play, and penalty kill with regard to special teams.

He's also very much in his prime, and has consistently been an available player.

Zacha has averaged 54 points over his last three seasons in BOS while only missing 4 total games due to injury since being a member of the Bruins.

Add to all of that, he's one of David Pastrnak's best friends on the team as a fellow countrymen, so a trade involving Zacha better be worth possibly pissing off BOS franchise star.

Marat Khusnutdinov is still a young, offensively skilled, and quick skating forward that could help BOS now and in the future.

So the ask here for BOS to acquire Nils Hoglander, and No. 15 overall is a bit steeper than it may appear at first glance.

Zacha, in particular, can absolutely be a piece of a winning formula in BOS.

Hoglander would be a downgrade in offensive production, and all around versatility from Zacha. At least right now, and based on their careers to date.

That said, Hoglander is still only 24 years old and is likely yet to have reached his ceiling.

The argument can be made that Zacha is who he is at this point, which is a 55 point relatively responsible, versatile two way forward.

Where Hoglander would be an upgrade over Zacha is in the physicality department.

Hoglander plays an honest, scrappy, hard nosed game.

He forechecks hard, battles in all areas of the ice, and is a strong net front presence.

Most of Hoglander's goals come from inside ice via redirections, initial shots, and or rebounds from within 10 ft of the attacking net.

Hoglander, like Zacha, is also a good contract right now with a cap hit of $3M for the next three seasons.

He might bring enough of a different element to the Bruins lineup that could entice BOS to make such a trade. Especially if they feel they can replace a negative offensive delta in Zacha leaving, with another trade or free agency addition.

Like Hoglander, the argument can be made that Khusnutdinov is still reaching his potential as well, but his ceiling may not likely be as high as No. 15 overall.

If BOS were to execute this trade, they would now have Hoglander, No. 7 overall, and No. 15 overall.

They could then package No. 7, and No. 15 to possibly move as high as No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3, they could package them in a bigger trade involving bona fide NHL players, or they could elect to keep the picks.

If they keep the picks, they could end up drafting a combination of C Jake O'Brien and RD Radim Mrtka just as an example.

There's a solid chance that O'Brien, and Mrtka one day develop into BOS No. 1, or No. 2 center, and No. 2 or No. 1 right shot defensemen over the next decade plus.

At the same time, there's also the risk of Mrtka (or whichever prospect they select at No. 15) never developing into a significant NHL player, and that Zacha, and Khusnutdinov go on to have better careers then Hoglander.

I would probably make this deal if I were BOS but it would be a bit ballsy.

Hoglander would certainly help turn BOS into a tougher team to play against night in and night out from an intensity and physicality perspective while also being able to score and make plays.

And if No. 15 can turn into a top four defensemen, or middle six forward then it's a win in the long term.

Whether or not BOS has the appetite to part with a player like Zacha while trying to get back into the playoffs is unknown. But Hoglander isn't a slouch, and could still be a recipe to BOS getting back to the playoffs - especially if they continue to add to the roster elsewhere, and else how.

Appreciate the question.

For what it's worth, Codi, I don't think BOS is viewing Andrew Peeke as their 2nd pair right shot defensemen.

When their blue line is healthy, he's their 3rd pair right shot defensemen, and i'm not sure they intend on upgrading from him in that spot specifically.

He still has one year left on his contract with a $2.75M cap hit, and while I'm not saying they shouldn't upgrade, it would just be surprising if they did.

That said, there is absolutely a vacancy between Charlie McAvoy, and Peeke.

Aaron Ekblad is the top RD among UFA RD.

Dante Fabbro was someone I hoped BOS would target, but he appears to be signing an extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets - though that’s still not official.

Nick Perbix is a cheaper UFA option, as well Henri Jokiharju who finished last season with the Bruins.

BOS also spent a 4th round pick to acquire Jokiharju, so maybe there's more incentive for them to re-sign him.

Beyond those options, is 40 year old Brent Burns.

To be honest, I don't see BOS in on Ekblad considering his injury history, mileage, and high price tag.

Nor do I see them interested in Burns given his age.

But I've been wrong before, and will certainly be wrong again.

As far as RD trade candidates, Noah Dobson, Damon Severson, and Rasmus Andersson, are three impact right shot defensemen whose names have been mentioned as potential pieces on the move this summer.

As for your second question on who BOS will have as their centers to start the year.

I'll be able to answer this more accurately after the draft, and opening of free agency.

That said, if I had to guess who their four centers would be to start the year based on their current - albeit very much incomplete - roster, it would be:

1. Elias Lindholm

2. Casey Mittelstadt

3. Fraser Minten

4. Mark Kastelic

OR

1. Elias Lindholm

2. Pavel Zacha

3. Casey Mittelstadt

4. Mark Kastelic

   
   

Radim Faska, and Nico Sturm are older depth players, and BOS has internal options already for those roles. If BOS is to spend UFA money, it should be allocated among acquiring needs higher in the lineup in my opinion.

Let's revisit this question in a month.

Thanks for the question, Ray, it's a good one.

It's difficult to answer because "best player available" is such a subjective question regarding this draft class - prospect rankings No. 3 - No. 7 in particular.

You know what's also ironic?

Not only is there a lack of consensus among prospect rankings, there's also a lack of consensus about how many of these center prospects actually end up playing center at the NHL level versus wing.

Michael Misa, James Hagens, Anton Frondell, and Brady Martin in particular, are all billed as center prospects, but whose names have carried some speculation as players who could actually end up playing wing depending on their personal development, and positional need of their drafted team.

Caleb Desnoyers, and Jake O'Brien appear to be two center prospects who have more certainty of developing into NHL centers.

Porter Martone is a winger.

It's just worth noting that if he's still around at No. 7 that BOS may not view him as the best player available.

But at the same time, if BOS does view Martone as the best player available but theoretically pass over him in an effort of drafting a center prospect, that there's no guarantee their center prospect ends up developing into an NHL center, and that they too could end up being a winger like Martone. Which could end up biting them later on if Martone ends up becoming the best NHL winger of the draft class.

All that said.

In my opinion, BOS, if given the option, should draft Frondell, Hagens, Desnoyers, and O'Brien before Martone despite Martone being ranked higher than some.

However, BOS should draft Martone before Roger McQueen or Martin.

So to keep it simple, if the draft board falls something like:

1. Schaefer

2. Misa

3. Hagens

4. Frondell

5. Desnoyers

6. O'Brien

Then BOS should draft Martone at No. 7.

But if any of Hagens, Frondell, Desnoyers, or O'Brien fall (Schaefer, Misa will be gone) with Martone because of a prospect or two like McQueen, and or Martin getting selected higher than expected, than Martone should be last of those options.

All that said, if BOS thinks best available at No. 7 isn’t a center, then yes, they should just draft best available regardless of my personal ranking.

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Alrighty, that will do it for this week.

Thanks for reading!