Mailbag: Trade proposals, cause behind defensive struggles, and when will kids get a chance?

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Great to hear from you, Kim!

I understand where you're coming from, and missing the playoffs may very well be the case again for Boston this year.

But that's not how they feel - at least right now.

October wasn't an easy slate of games for the Bruins that included having to play Florida, Tampa Bay, Utah, Vegas, and Colorado (twice) - all while trying to implement and execute new team systems, and structure.

Boston started the month strong winning their first 3 games, and finished it strong winning their last two, and three of their last four.

Figure in their 7 regulation losses in between, and the Bruins enter November 6-7-0.

It's not a great record by any stretch, but one that's competent enough to keep the team hopeful that a strong November could have them in the playoff structure by the all important American Thanksgiving benchmark.

It's simply just too early - but more notably, unrealistic - for the Bruins to rid of a bunch of players right now.

They're still planning on making the playoffs this year to try and spark positive momentum for the teams future that finally has some young talent on the way.

Player movement can, and likely will happen near the trade deadline - especially when talking about players that aren't going to be in Boston long term.

That said, there are some players in Providence that I would like to see in Boston sooner than later and the Bruins shouldn't hesitate to make roster space if a young player or two in the minors is playing and producing at an undeniable level.

Appreciate the question, Michael!

Outside of a few games - Vegas, and Anaheim come to mind - goaltending hasn't been too high on my list of issues so far this season. Even the team's 7-2 loss in Ottawa was a team wide embarrassment.

My opinion, is that the team has struggled to execute Marco Strum's defensive system - a hybrid one that features both zone and man-on-man.

Man-on-man, in particular, has caused confusion at times leading to miscoverages.

I'm sure that once a team masters man-on-man defensive zone coverage, it's very difficult to score against because opponents have to work to get open, and create offense.

But learning, and mastering it takes time and the right players - neither of which i'm sold Boston has much of right now to figure it out.

Time will tell, but I would say defensive growing pains from implementing new systems has been more of the cause of Boston's struggles.

Not only have they had costly breakdowns because of it - but they've spent far too much time chasing the game rather than playing it.

Defending too much at a time leads to fatigue, fatigue leads to mistakes, penalties, and not enough energy to effectively transition through the neutral zone, or sustain pressure in the offensive zone once they get there.

If the team continues to struggle executing, it'll be curious to see if Sturm adjusts to more zone, or if he remains steadfast in his ways and views mastering his systems as more important in the long run at the expense of short term results.

Interesting question, Marc!

To be honest, as unimpressed as I am by Casey Mittelstadt, i'm just as unimpressed with Filip Chytil - if not more so based on his size, skill and potential that has failed to come to full fruition.

Both players are 26 and only a few months apart in birth month.

Mittelstadt has 242 points in 450 career games ( a point per game pace of .53) while Chytil has 173 points in 399 career games (a point per game pace of .43).

So while Chytil has a $1.3M less cap hit than Mittelstadt - it's because Mittelstadt has out produced him to this point in their careers.

Both players have one year left on their deal beyond this season.

I guess my hold up is Chytil's health which you mentioned - and the unknown of what the Bruins could get for Mittelstadt.

Mittelstadt for Chytil straight up is kind of a wash - so in my opinion, Boston would probably be better off just keeping Mittelstadt and wait to see if a playoff bound team is desperate enough for forward help and is willing to give the Bruins a Charlie Coyle or even Brandon Carlo type trade return at some point this season.

It's been noted that there are many teams in need of center help around the league (even if Mittelstadt has been playing wing recently) and playoff bound teams suffer key injuries all of the time and look to add help at the deadline.

The key is to optimize Casey Mittelstadt as an asset, and Chytil seems too much like a lateral move right now.

As for Trading Mason Lohrei for Brandt Clarke for Mason Lohrei?

That I would do in a heart beat.

Clarke is still on his entry level deal, and is a young right shot defensemen that Boston desperately needs in their system.

The unfortunate reality though, is that the Kings would want no part of this deal - at least not in a straight up swap scenario.

The Bruins would have to sweeten the pot and even then, I just don't know how much teams around the league value Lohrei.

His offensive upside his there, but his defensive deficiencies at this point vastly outweighs that desirable part of his game.

Frederic Brunet is someone who in my opinion can't be called up fast enough.

That said, and realistically speaking - the Bruins are going to give Mason Lohrei more leash to figure out the defensive side of the game.

Unlike Michael Callahan, or Jonathan Aspirot - Brunet isn't a player that Boston would want to call up in a pinch to be an extra defensemen.

They would rather him play every game down in Providence and in all situations.

That said, if Lohrei doesn't improve over the next month, I could absolutely see Brunet getting called up for a legit chance, even it makes Lohrei the 7th defensemen.

Lohrei has great skating, and puck handling ability - he can move the puck and create offense.

But defending?

I just don't see that element of his game improving to the point where he can consistently be relied upon in a top four role.

And if you're a bottom pairing defensemen - you become expendable.

Lohrei doesn't possess enough physicality in his game and simply gets out muscled in far too many board and net front battles.

Not every defensemen has to be Scott Stevens or Chris Pronger in terms of intensity or physicality, but they have to be able to handle themselves and those categories and not be constantly overmatched by the opposition.

Brunet on the other hand, is clearly unproven at the NHL level - but he has a well rounded three zone game that should translate to the next level.

He also has a bite to his game that Lohrei lacks.