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  • 1/20/2024
Bruins Beat w/ Evan Marinofsky Ep. 406

Evan Marinofsky is joined today by Mark Divver to break down what is keeping the Bruins rolling as of late. Goaltending, scoring, everything seems to be clicking right now. And could the Bruins potentially be waiting for a comeback from #37? Evan and Mark discuss all that, and much more!


Topics

- Bruins get a big win over the Avalanche

- David Pastrnak’s production

- A Patrice Bergeron comeback???

- Jeremy Swayman is playing like The Guy



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Transcript
00:00 And the arbitration talk the last week, you know, as if he didn't, he chose arbitration,
00:09 like claiming, seemingly claiming Bruins management for taking him to arbitration.
00:16 How dare you, Don, sweetie.
00:18 How dare you.
00:29 And welcome into the Bruins beat on CLNS media.
00:31 My name is Evan Maronofsky and today I'm joined by the great Mark Diver.
00:37 Mark what is up?
00:39 Same old, same old Evan, just getting ready for another weekend of hockey.
00:44 You know, it's going to be cold, cold in those.
00:47 I won't be in any prep school ranks this this weekend, but if you are, you know, you got
00:54 to dress warm.
00:55 You got to be prepared.
00:57 That's the thing, and that, you know, it's funny, like I remember last year I went to
01:01 Sebs with just like a Patagonia coat, which is not thick at all.
01:07 It's very thin.
01:08 And I went to a game with that on and by the third period I could, my whole body was just
01:13 like tense, I mean tense, just so cold.
01:16 And one of the, one of the parents is like, have you never been in a hockey rink before?
01:20 And I was like, you know, that's a great, that's a great point.
01:23 That's a great point.
01:24 Point noted.
01:25 I think I'll be at Dexter Friday today and then I'll be at St. Mark's on Saturday.
01:32 Dexter's pretty cold, but it has a nice warm area and St. Mark's can get cold and it also
01:37 has a little lobby area that you can get warm in.
01:39 So yeah, you can hide in there if it gets too cold.
01:43 That's that's the thing.
01:44 I remember Jeff Cox always used to say to me, make sure you go to those areas between
01:50 periods or you're going to be bumming if you're there for more than one game, which is often.
01:55 So yeah, I mean it's always freezing and outside it's gross.
01:59 It is.
02:00 This is like the time of year where I'm like, you know, maybe I should go start Florida
02:04 hockey journal.
02:05 You know, like this is the time of year where I'm like, this is where, this is when I don't
02:09 want to be here.
02:11 It's gray out.
02:12 The ground is just white with ice and snow and it's, oh, it's miserable.
02:18 My my brother is here from California and he said to me yesterday, I don't know how
02:22 you lived it.
02:23 I don't know how you live this way.
02:25 You know, hockey gets us through it.
02:28 Honestly, like that is the one thing that's the North Star of like, oh, there's a hockey
02:32 game.
02:33 At least at least there will be that.
02:35 So I agree with you.
02:36 I think it's it's just been it's only been the last couple of days to it hasn't been
02:41 like the whole winter.
02:42 We're sitting here bitching and it was like 50 degrees last week, you know, exactly.
02:47 You know, like where we're at.
02:49 That's exactly it.
02:51 But you know what?
02:52 It is, but it does make spring more worthwhile, right?
02:54 Like once you know, baseball and playoff hockey season comes around, it's like, oh, this is
02:58 this is what we this is what we went through it for, you know, to make this better.
03:02 So there is that light at the end of the tunnel for those listeners who are not in the Northeast.
03:06 I guess you're lucky right now because you get you get the nice weather.
03:09 You're not like, what are they talking about?
03:11 Anyways, do you have any I know you said you're going to Providence, Alaska Friday.
03:15 Any other big games you're going to this weekend?
03:17 I'm going to well, Saturday is the big Providence, Alaska game because it's the 50th anniversary
03:23 celebration of the opening of Schneider Arena.
03:25 Oh, wow.
03:26 So there's going to be a lot of alums there, players through the years.
03:33 It should be fun.
03:34 I don't think Lou Lamarillo is not going to be there.
03:37 Brian Burke's not going to be there.
03:39 Ron Wilson's not going to be there.
03:41 But a lot of members of the 2015 National Championship game are going to be there.
03:45 So it's going to be fun.
03:47 It's going to be fun.
03:48 Is a char you going to be there?
03:50 I don't believe so.
03:51 I don't know if he's out planned.
03:53 So yeah, the guys are, you know, Jake Wallman, those good a chari, those good Kevin Rooney.
04:00 They won't be there because they they have I'm sure they have games.
04:03 So yeah, but that'll be a lesser the lesser lights.
04:07 Yeah.
04:08 I'm looking forward to seeing Tommy Parisi, who the guy who, you know, dumped it in from
04:13 center ice and went for a change and turned around and the puck was in the net.
04:17 You know, that was legendary.
04:18 Great to see him.
04:20 That was incredible.
04:21 And I agree.
04:22 I think that's going to be a really fun time on on Saturday for you.
04:25 Do you have P Bruins on Sunday?
04:28 Sunday, I think I'm going to go to Boston College.
04:33 Just they're playing Merrimack and it's a it's at one o'clock.
04:38 That's the key point.
04:39 One o'clock.
04:40 So that is perfect.
04:41 Yeah.
04:42 Oh my God.
04:43 That is that is as ideal as it gets.
04:46 Those afternoon games on the weekend.
04:48 I love them.
04:49 I love them.
04:50 And Providence is playing Bridgeport, who I've already seen 17 times.
04:55 I was going to say, you've seen Bridgeport a lot.
04:57 Don't need to see.
04:59 They're playing three straight there after tonight.
05:01 Their next three games are against Bridgeport.
05:04 It's like, oh my God, come on.
05:06 Like, remember the covid year when you were at New England Sports Center all the time
05:09 and they were playing the same like three teams.
05:11 So right.
05:12 Right.
05:13 So Bridgeport, Hartford.
05:14 I think that was it.
05:17 Right.
05:18 Only three.
05:19 Yeah, it was.
05:20 It was just three teams in rank one.
05:21 Yep.
05:22 Yep.
05:23 They still haven't changed the logo there.
05:25 It's still there.
05:26 I was going to say when I was there in the fall, that was the P logo in the middle was
05:30 it was there, you know, haven't painted the lines.
05:33 They have to return back for a game.
05:35 You got to honor that's like Swayman's beginning of his career.
05:37 You got to have a Swayman night and do it in rank one.
05:40 Absolutely.
05:41 I like that.
05:42 But anyways, the Boston Bruins were in action.
05:45 They've been in action quite a bit.
05:47 Played Thursday night.
05:48 Big game against the abs.
05:49 Five to win.
05:51 Everybody's talking about Poshnox hat trick, which we'll get to.
05:54 But the big news, Jakub Lauko finally scores a goal.
05:58 It's been long enough.
06:00 Long awaited monkey off the back.
06:02 Your boy, he does it.
06:04 He did it.
06:05 Well, you know, another example of Jim Montgomery's genius.
06:09 You know, he's playing the crystal ball.
06:12 He's playing checkers and everyone else is playing tiddlywinks.
06:15 You know, he, he moves, he moves Loco to the third line and you know, the game was what?
06:24 Not even five minutes old and Loco's got a goal, you know, and you know, if he had missed
06:31 the net on that one, I don't know.
06:33 I don't know what to tell you, but he, but he didn't, he, he had the whole net and, and
06:37 he put it in so good for him.
06:39 And then he played, you know, an edit, an energetic game the rest of the way, you know,
06:43 throwing his body around and you know, he I thought he might when Curtis McDermott threw
06:52 that hit on a bulk list and you know, a couple of people, I think look, players looked at
06:59 him like, Oh no, that's Curtis McDermott.
07:01 I'm not, I'm not going to give that guy.
07:04 And Loco was smart enough to say, you know what, I'll, I'll let that one pass because
07:10 Curtis McDermott's a monster.
07:12 Oh my God.
07:13 Nobody should be fighting that guy.
07:15 So Loco was smart to avoid that as were the rest of the Bruins, but a very entertaining
07:22 game.
07:23 Yeah.
07:24 I always think like with Jacob Loco, I'm not a Lord of the Rings guy, but I always imagined
07:29 that he's just skating around the ice, like thinking of Lord of the Rings references to
07:32 chirp at like other players just running into guys.
07:36 And I get, I don't have any references.
07:38 I don't, I've never seen Lord of the Rings, not a Lord of the Rings guy.
07:41 Maybe I'll have to get into it cause Loco is so into it.
07:44 But I can just imagine him chirping guys with that, with those references.
07:48 But again, I texted you at the start of the game when the line combos came out and I said,
07:55 I think I said something along the lines of, Oh, he'll be down on the fourth line and not
07:59 play in the third period by like the middle of the second period.
08:02 You know, we know this is going to happen.
08:04 And then five minutes later I was like, just kidding.
08:06 Nevermind.
08:07 He scored a goal.
08:08 So yeah, I guess, I guess my intuition was not as good as Monty's on, on that, on that,
08:14 on that move.
08:15 But a big win.
08:16 I mean, again, the avalanche are nasty.
08:18 McKinnon is on, you know, other worldly, McCar's other worldly.
08:23 But posture not continues to roll.
08:25 This is continue, you know, 64 points and I think it's like 40 something games.
08:29 I've talked about him as an MVP candidate for a while.
08:34 But you know, to me, I think he's proved a lot of people wrong this year.
08:38 I don't think anyone was saying he wouldn't produce, but a lot of people wondered, I think,
08:42 you know, Oh, no Bergeron, no crazy.
08:46 You know, he's had some rotating guys he's played with and he still continues to just
08:52 be, you know, as productive as he's been in years past.
08:56 And now he's such an underrated playmaker, I think, which is another element to his game.
09:01 Yeah, his game is just continues to improve.
09:07 Which you like to think that would happen with, with all players, but it rarely does.
09:11 A lot of times guys hit a peak or a plateau and that's it for them.
09:16 But he continues to get better and better.
09:20 You know, reading a quote from him this morning about how he had, he himself said, I had a
09:26 great first period and then in the second period, you know, not so great, not great
09:31 at all, but then he, he got it together again for the third period.
09:35 And I think it, it says a lot for him, uh, you know, as a player that he can bounce back.
09:43 He rolls with the punches very well.
09:45 You know, people are on him a little bit because of those overtime, uh, you know, miscues,
09:51 uh, last week and he just keeps going and going and yeah, there's, there's good periods
09:56 as bad periods, but he just keeps rolling.
09:58 And I think that mental approach of things just kind of rolling off him when, when it's
10:04 not going so good as it is an important part of him as a player, he's just able to reset
10:10 and start fresh and produce.
10:14 He has that about him on the ice.
10:15 And I think that's something that has improved the last couple of years.
10:20 I also think it's something that he needs more as, as he becomes a leader on this team.
10:24 You know what I mean?
10:25 He has never had to be a leader and now I was at Bergeron and Creechie gone.
10:28 Um, you know, he's kind of, he's going to become one of the guys, you know, he's an
10:33 assistant captain.
10:34 And I think that that, you know, he, he needs to kind of have that mentality.
10:37 The team needs to have that mentality, especially after last year.
10:41 Um, and this hits at a bigger point, hits at a bigger point and we'll discuss it in
10:45 a second.
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11:29 Bruins go out West.
11:31 They lose those first three games.
11:33 Overtime heartbreakers get the posture, knock shootout attempt.
11:36 You know, the overtime miscue.
11:40 And then they come back.
11:41 You know, they, they win the game in St. Louis at the end of the road trip.
11:44 They beat New Jersey on Monday.
11:45 I know they were injured, but that was still a hell of a 60 minute game.
11:49 And then they beat Colorado on Thursday night.
11:52 So they lose three straight, they win three straight.
11:54 And a lot of people might say, Oh, that's inconsistent.
11:57 You know, that's inconsistent play.
11:58 But to me, what I see with that is last year, they never had any adversity during the season.
12:05 There was never, I don't think ever a game where a stretch where they lost three in a
12:09 row unless I'm forgetting any stretch, but I don't think there was.
12:14 And to be able to pull yourself out of that slump and which was again, heartbreaking in
12:18 the sense that it wasn't like they were just getting blown out.
12:21 They were right there in all those games and just, you know, bad luck in overtime and things
12:26 like that to kind of rebound and get three straight after.
12:29 I think to me, again, I think it's very encouraging when, you know, for them as they enter into
12:35 these last couple of months before the playoffs, what do you think?
12:38 No, you're right.
12:40 And you know, when you have a veteran team, as the Bruins are that, you know, the ability
12:47 to do that is, is part of, you know, one of the advantages of having a lot of experiences,
12:55 guys know that.
12:56 Yeah, me, you know, one particular night, things didn't go our way, it was bad or whatever.
13:01 But there's another one tomorrow and you know, there's no reason why we can't be on top of
13:05 our game then.
13:07 So they've been able to do that.
13:11 And you know, after the way last season ended, you might think there might, you could think
13:19 that there would be a little hangover psychologically.
13:22 There hasn't been.
13:24 Now maybe when the playoffs come, it'll, we'll see, but it'll hit so far.
13:30 There's been no, no hangover at all.
13:33 They, you know, you look at their record and you know, it's amazing how, how they've been
13:38 able to, you know, be so productive and so good without, you know, two top players who
13:45 are, you know, gone forever now, you know, in terms of being in the lineup.
13:51 So that are they gone forever, Mark?
13:55 Are they gone forever?
13:56 We'll get into that in a second.
13:57 Are they gone forever?
14:00 Well, I, I don't know.
14:02 It's amazing how, you know, you just shake your head at the record.
14:07 It's you know, you can kind of wait.
14:10 Is something bad going to happen?
14:11 Are they going to hit a five game losing streak?
14:14 Well, it doesn't look that way.
14:16 And I think part of that goes back to goaltending night in and night out.
14:20 It's just so good that they're, they're in every single game because of the goaltending.
14:25 So here we are.
14:27 It's funny, like going into the year or coming off last year, I think if they had brought
14:32 the exact same team back, right, we would all probably say they're going to be motivated
14:36 and they're going to, you know, they're going to go deep.
14:38 Like it's going to be like 2010 to 2011, right?
14:41 They're going to find a way and they're going to use that as motivation.
14:44 But because they entered the year without Bergeron, Creechie Hall or Loft Bertuzzi,
14:49 we all kind of went, well, I don't know.
14:51 You know, I mean, I think those guys will be motivated, but at the same time, I almost
14:55 think it's been better because you have so many guys on this roster that have to prove
14:59 themselves.
15:00 Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederick, Pavel Zaka, Jeremy Swainman after the arbitration hearing,
15:07 that you know, you have an added level of motivation.
15:11 Yes, last season ended horribly, but you also have guys in that, all along that roster who
15:16 over the off season, people went, are they good enough to step in the shoes of Bergeron?
15:21 And can they make up scoring for guys like Bertuzzi and Hall?
15:26 And they've done that.
15:27 You know, Charlie Coyle is playing the best hockey I've ever seen him play.
15:30 You know, Zaka's been solid and Frederick's been great.
15:33 I mean, clearly last year wasn't a flash in the pan.
15:35 He's still producing and he's playing well.
15:37 So like, I think you have all these things that have contributed to their good first
15:42 half really is that it's a new group.
15:46 And I think that almost was better after coming off of last season.
15:51 Yeah, I don't think running the same group out there would have produced these kind of
15:56 results after that crash and burn at the end.
16:01 You know, some of those guys would be another year older.
16:05 And I think the way out of necessity, they've had to make changes.
16:10 And I think, I don't think you can quarrel with the results at this point.
16:15 That's the thing.
16:16 That's the thing.
16:17 I want to get to some more big stuff.
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17:49 Now back to the show.
17:51 We mentioned the older players on that team and this week had a pretty damn good rumor.
17:56 In terms of the rumor mill, this was a good one.
18:00 The Spit and Shake Let's guys come out earlier this week, Paul Bissonette saying that he's
18:04 here and that Patrice Bergeron was thinking about coming back.
18:07 He was training, he was skating, all that stuff.
18:12 Maybe a comeback.
18:13 So that got the wheels turning.
18:15 That got the wheels going.
18:18 And you know what's funny though?
18:19 In mid-January in the news cycle, it's what you need.
18:23 You need that.
18:24 For a podcast, a twice a week podcast, you need these kind of topics because you can't
18:29 do trades every time.
18:31 There are different topics you can do every now and again, but freshening it up.
18:37 Little pepper, a little seasoning on the season, I enjoy.
18:42 But Steve Conroy ruined it.
18:43 Steve Conroy just had to stick the knife right in the rumor.
18:48 That didn't stop the afternoon show on the radio yesterday.
18:53 Two hours after Conroy tweeted that, they were still going over it like it was going
18:58 to happen.
18:59 I like it.
19:00 That's what I mean though.
19:01 We're still going to discuss it, of course.
19:05 But anyway, Steve Conroy texted Patrice Bergeron and Bergeron replied, "I am NOT, in all caps,
19:12 NOT making a comeback."
19:13 So I guess that kind of quashes it.
19:16 But for like 24 hours, I was sitting there like, "Huh.
19:20 I'll say this and I know I'll get crushed for this by people.
19:26 I don't think it would be wise for him to come back."
19:29 And I know, obviously he isn't, so we're not even, he is not.
19:33 But just in the hypothetical, do you want him back?
19:36 And I know, I know, Patrice Bergeron and he adds a ton and this and that.
19:40 But if he comes back, I know Marchand would like him to come back, but Marchand is captain
19:45 now.
19:46 It's Marchand's time.
19:49 Charlie Coyle's playing great as the number one center.
19:51 Zaka and other guys have filled in great behind him and things are starting to gel.
19:57 And I know it's a different position, but I remember when Ras came back a couple of
20:01 years ago out of kind of semi-retirement, it just didn't work.
20:06 It's hard to come into a team mid-season and just start up again.
20:10 That's not like Bergeron.
20:12 And I just think they're a different team now.
20:15 And I remember we said this back in the spring when you and I were, I think it was at the
20:19 Mass Hockey Festival.
20:20 We were kind of like, "They need to face what life is going to be like after Bergeron.
20:24 They need to face it."
20:25 And to have him come back, I know, again, it's an addition.
20:29 You could put Zaka on the wing.
20:32 Yes, it opens up options.
20:34 But I want to see them without him in terms of you need to move on.
20:40 And again, I know he's not coming back, so I guess I'm yelling into the wind here.
20:44 But my whole thing for the couple hours that it was a real rumor, I just don't see it.
20:52 They've moved on.
20:53 What do you think?
20:54 No, I agree with you.
20:56 I agree with you.
20:57 And that rumor came my way a couple of weeks ago.
21:01 And I'm not saying the Chicklets guys, they don't need to fish for clicks.
21:08 Those guys, they've got enough.
21:14 So a very well-connected, a very well-known guy in the hockey world kind of whispered
21:19 that one to me.
21:20 And I was like, "No, no.
21:23 That's not happening.
21:24 And I'm not doing anything with that.
21:25 I'm not throwing that out there or anything like that."
21:28 I'm just thinking of the engagement.
21:29 Think of the Twitter impressions, Mark.
21:33 But anyway, yeah, they, you know, they've moved on and they're doing well.
21:42 And I don't think bringing him back is the thing to do.
21:45 I agree with you.
21:47 Not to mention, with the part of the season now, you know, as it goes on, the game, the
21:53 pace gets faster and faster.
21:56 To throw a 37-year-old man in there, whatever he is, with, you know, a guy who, you know,
22:04 maybe has some concerns about his health and all of that, to throw him in there in the
22:09 middle of this, I don't think that's the way to go at all, even if he wanted to do it.
22:15 So I think they're going to have to sink or swim without Bergey, I think.
22:21 So be it.
22:22 That's the thing.
22:23 I mean, again, I get the attraction.
22:25 I mean, yes, if he did return, the ovation would, you know, you'd hear it outside on
22:30 Causeway Street, 100%.
22:31 But I don't know.
22:34 I mean, again, we saw some of the cracks with him in the playoffs last year.
22:37 He really did not have a great playoffs against the Panthers.
22:39 And he came in mid-series.
22:42 And it wasn't his fault.
22:43 But again, he's just getting older.
22:46 And that's the deal with it.
22:47 And his body has been through a lot.
22:49 I mean, that's why he retired before, you know, he retired at basically 37 years old,
22:54 because he'd been in the league since 2003.
22:57 So again, I mean, it's a fun idea.
23:02 It's a fun thing to talk about and kick around, but they've moved on.
23:05 And I think it's time for this organization to move on in terms of, you've got to face
23:10 the music.
23:11 And it's worked out.
23:12 Coil has stepped up and Patra, you have something with Matt Patra.
23:16 So again, they've been fortunate in that sense, but bringing him back, you know, again, I
23:21 just think mid-season too, like, yeah, I guess it'd be fully healthy, but you got to get
23:25 back into shape.
23:26 You got to get back into game shape and the pace of an NHL game.
23:31 And I know it's only been a couple of months, but a couple of months make a lot of difference
23:34 when you're 37 years old.
23:36 So I don't think Bergeron's return will be happening.
23:40 As Steve, as Bergeron himself said, by the way, why can't the guy skate?
23:44 I know the Spitton Chicklets are like, he's not training for the alumni game, but I just
23:49 think he wants to train.
23:50 He probably wants to just get out there and skate.
23:52 Who doesn't, you know?
23:53 Yeah.
23:54 Why not?
23:55 You know, I think coaching is a, his young son's team or he's out there on the ice with
23:58 them.
23:59 So soon enough, Mark, you and I are going to be at like a junior Eagles, you 14 game.
24:04 And we're going to be like, who's the, Oh, Patrice Bergeron's the coach of this team.
24:08 So I mean, Hey, Brian Leach was the coach of the 18 Eagles this year and he was the
24:13 coach of the Eagles for a long time.
24:14 So we deal with that all the time.
24:18 Anyways, someone who is not going anywhere.
24:20 Jeremy Swainman has played the last four games, long stretch for Bruins goalie.
24:25 He's done great.
24:27 Played well.
24:28 Even in that, I think it was the Vegas loss before the Arizona one.
24:33 I think that was the, I think that was the Poshnok overtime gaff game.
24:36 He was outstanding.
24:37 Great of late.
24:38 Um, seems like, I mean, again, it's a short sample size, but the more I watch him play
24:45 and the more I see him in action, the more I think, huh, I think he could be the guy.
24:51 And I, it doesn't mean, you know, starting way more games than Omar, but it wouldn't
24:55 surprise me if down the stretch here, he got more, definitely more games than, than Lena
24:59 Solmark.
25:00 Yeah.
25:01 And I think Omar's health now is a, is a question.
25:05 Uh, yes.
25:06 Um, you know, the fact that he was able to even dress for last night's game after the
25:11 way they carted him off the ice there, uh, not that long ago was kind of amazing.
25:17 Uh, and I wonder if that injury was, uh, was that this, I suspect it was the same thing
25:26 that was ailing him in the playoffs last year.
25:29 Uh, whatever, we don't really know what, what the hell that was.
25:33 Yeah.
25:34 They never said he never even said it.
25:36 So, uh, but I suspect it was something to do with, uh, you know, his hips, his groins,
25:42 uh, that, that area, the mid body.
25:45 Um, but yes, way, uh, you know, and the arbitration talk the, uh, last week, you know, as if he
25:58 didn't, he, he chose arbitration like an, he was blaming, seemingly blaming Bruins management
26:05 for taking him to arbitration.
26:07 How dare you, Don Sweeney?
26:09 How dare you?
26:10 Yeah.
26:11 Well, you know, I think, and I think that, uh, you know, that kind of is things like
26:18 that are, are factors that drive players I think.
26:22 And I think sway is one of those guys, you know, something like that stokes the fire
26:26 and gets him going.
26:29 And uh, you see, uh, you see good results from it.
26:32 Uh, you know, which we had the last few, the last few games, I thought a couple of the,
26:37 the two goals last night were, you know, a little bit leaky on his part, but, uh, you
26:44 know, he, he, he shut the door after two and, uh, and, and that was it.
26:48 So whatever he, whatever it takes for him to, uh, to get the fire going, uh, you know,
26:54 it's fine with, it's fine with me and should probably be fine with, uh, with most of the
26:58 fans.
26:59 Yeah, it's interesting with, with all mark in that injury though.
27:02 Cause like, you know, I don't want to come back too fast because if it starts lingering,
27:09 like that's why I do want to see Swainman get the bulk of reps over these next two weeks.
27:15 Let all, you know, if Walmart has to come in for a game or two fine, but I have no desire
27:19 to rush him back and get the tandem going immediately.
27:23 Cause I would want them both healthy, uh, come later in the season.
27:26 Now I think Swainman has definitely played his way into being the game one starter.
27:30 Um, at least as of right now, I mean, I know that there's a lot that can happen over the
27:34 next couple of months as we know, but you know, I think Swainman has being an all-star
27:40 and just the better numbers and the better play and he's gotten the better games.
27:44 You know, last year, all mark was getting a lot of those hard games.
27:47 I feel like Swainman has been that guy this year.
27:49 So to me, as of right now, I would start swimming game one and, and, and rotate, but you know,
27:55 go with the hot guy for a game or two in the playoffs.
27:57 I know I'm going everywhere with the goaltending, but it's hard not to right now.
28:00 I agree.
28:01 As far as the game one starter, uh, I also, you know, to, uh, deviate a little bit in
28:10 terms of, uh, all marks Swainman, I was a little surprised that Brandon bussy didn't
28:15 get a game when they called him up.
28:17 Uh, you know, when that, when all mark went down, you know, just to see, just to give
28:23 this guy a, you know, let him get his feet wet.
28:26 See what, see how he does.
28:28 See what one game doesn't really tell you all that much, but get the kid in there, you
28:33 know, see what you have a little bit and, uh, and then go from there.
28:37 Nobody, nobody's expecting him to contribute in Boston this year, certainly at all.
28:43 And as long as, uh, as long as there's good health with Swainman and all mark, but I don't
28:48 think one game for him would have, uh, hurt anyone.
28:52 So no, I agree.
28:53 And it's also a reward, right?
28:55 Guy plays well in Providence, you know, like Merc, you get them up here, you play them
28:58 five minutes.
28:59 He say, uh, I think, I do think though, Bussy, I do think Bussy deserved a game.
29:05 Um, and I mean, do you think like, there's a lot of talk, I know like Connor Ryan and
29:10 I talked a lot about it earlier this week, you know, with Swainman's, uh, next contract,
29:15 it's going to be expensive.
29:16 He's not going to take a hometown discount.
29:19 Um, you know, Ken Bussey come in next year if they trade Swainman and they don't sign
29:25 like a veteran backup who can play 30 to 35 games, Ken Bussey come in and play 30 to 35
29:31 games and in the NHL, you know, Kenny, well, we won't really know until he actually does.
29:38 Uh, yeah, that's true.
29:40 So, but I mean, he's as good a goaltending prospect as I've seen, uh, you know, in the
29:46 American league in quite a while.
29:49 Uh, that doesn't always translate though.
29:52 Uh, about 10 years ago, Providence had the best, uh, best goalie in the American league
29:59 and Nicholas, uh, Svedberg, who you may have.
30:03 I do remember Svedberg.
30:04 He lights out in the American league and he couldn't cut it in the, in the national league.
30:09 He, they got, he got a chance in Boston and, uh, the results weren't, uh, you know, he
30:15 was mediocre and now he's in the KHL.
30:18 I think, I think he's an all-star over there, but for whatever reason, it just, it didn't,
30:23 uh, didn't translate in the, in the NHL for him.
30:27 Uh, so you never know until the guy actually does it, but I'm confident that Bussey's a
30:33 nationally goaltender, uh, you know, at some point as soon as next year, maybe, you know,
30:40 after assuming he finishes the season in the American league this year, I don't know what
30:45 he has to prove, uh, in a third season, the, in the American league.
30:49 I, I, I don't, uh, I don't know.
30:52 Uh, I don't know why you do that.
30:54 Uh, so, you know, we may be seeing that next year, depending on what happens.
30:59 Uh, the other thing is, you know, this team's all over the league looking for goalies.
31:05 Uh, is he, you know, is he tradable, you know, unproven goalies from the American league?
31:12 You know, I don't know.
31:14 I don't know if I may, you know, go out of my way to make a trade for him.
31:18 If, if I were another, uh, you know, a team, an up and coming team, uh, but as part of
31:24 a deal, uh, for maybe something, who knows what, what the deal might comprise, but, uh,
31:31 you know, maybe he's trade bait.
31:33 I don't know.
31:34 Uh, I, I didn't, I don't know what their plans are for goalies.
31:38 Uh, they've had three in Providence for most of the year.
31:43 It's been kind of, you know, I don't want to say bizarre, but you know, three goalies
31:49 doesn't really work, but that somehow, you know, one guy hasn't played hardly at all.
31:54 And, and, but it's been awkward, you know, to have three, even just in practice, it's
31:58 awkward.
31:59 It is.
32:00 And that's an interesting take though.
32:02 Cause I think a lot of people look at, you know, trading Swain, uh, trading Omar.
32:06 And I think, you know, when the off season comes around, given the salary cap situations
32:10 and you know, just contracts, I think you probably have to at least heavily consider
32:15 it with what Swain is going to make.
32:18 And you think, Oh, Bussie would come right back in, but you're right.
32:20 I mean, Bussie could be a trade asset, you know, whether it's cause you could all, I
32:25 mean, again, if you traded Bussie at the deadline, let's say, and get something for him or even
32:29 traded him in the off season.
32:31 Right.
32:32 And you trade all mark, you can still go out and sign a veteran backup.
32:35 You know, you can sign a guy that can, you know, go in there and be solid.
32:38 I mean, I want to see Bussie as an NHL backup with the Bruins.
32:41 I'd love to see what it's like.
32:43 Cause again, maybe you build his value even more because ideally Swainman is the starter
32:47 for the next, you know, five, seven, 10 years.
32:52 Um, and, but again, I think you'd like to see what, what Bussie's like, um, behind Swainman,
32:58 at least in the NHL to maybe see what the trade value is.
33:01 But I agree.
33:02 See what you might get.
33:03 Um, was Zane McIntyre, another one that like was that lit up the American league or am
33:07 I thinking that he was just, he lit up college and didn't really live up college.
33:12 He had some great moments in the American league, but he didn't, uh, he, he wasn't as
33:18 good as a Svedberg or Bussie, but, uh, at times he was very good.
33:23 And then, you know, in the NHL, it didn't translate.
33:26 So that's, uh, that's, uh, you know, you never know.
33:31 Like I said, you never know until the guy actually gets there and, uh, gives it a try.
33:36 So they threw him into a MSG game, right?
33:39 That was what Claude did.
33:40 They, they, they threw McIntyre against the Rangers.
33:43 Yeah.
33:44 You know, another one, speaking of Claude throwing him in there, there was a game in
33:49 St. Louis where Malcolm Subban came up and they just, they threw him to the dogs.
33:55 And that, he was out mid game, right?
33:57 They, they pulled him.
33:59 And it was like, geez, you, they really didn't treat that guy the right way that night, you
34:05 know, against that St. Louis team.
34:07 Cause that was like, what was that like 2016 ish?
34:10 Like that St. Louis team was good.
34:12 And they chucked him in there and, you know, got lit up and then that was it.
34:16 I mean, I, Subban though, I saw, I see he's with the Thunderbirds now, right?
34:20 I see him play all the time and for Springfield and he's a very good American hockey league
34:25 goalie and a fantastic kid.
34:28 But yeah, I don't think that, I don't know, I, maybe he wouldn't have made it anyway.
34:34 I guess you could say that he wouldn't have given what's happened since then, but boy,
34:38 they treated him badly that night in St. Louis.
34:41 Yeah, that was, I remember being a kid watching that and being like, you're putting them against
34:44 that team and this is in the spot.
34:48 But anyways, Mark, always a fun time.
34:50 Always a pleasure.
34:51 Is there anything you're working on that the people should be looking out for?
34:57 Not really.
34:58 I don't know.
34:59 Just kind of biding my time here.
35:02 You know, looking forward to the beanpot and you know, the NCAA tournament after that,
35:08 hockeys before that.
35:09 But you know, in Providence you know, they are rolling right now.
35:17 They're eight one and one in their last or yeah, eight one and one, their last 10 Fabian
35:24 Lysell scored a nice goal the other day.
35:28 The fan base again is calling for for him to you know, if if Pasternak has a bad shift,
35:35 they should bench him.
35:36 Trade him.
35:37 Don't just bench him.
35:38 Trade him.
35:39 And you know, he's not to go on forever here, but I haven't seen him try to go one on four
35:47 or one on five in like at least three games.
35:50 So that's good.
35:51 Yeah, there's progress.
35:54 So you know, the arrow's pointing up on him and you know, they've they've got some solid
36:00 depth players if they need them down in the American League.
36:04 So things are looking up for Providence and for Boston.
36:09 That's good.
36:10 That's good.
36:11 I will plug something for you.
36:12 You have a Jaden Struble story coming in our next magazine for New England Hockey Journal.
36:17 It's really strong.
36:18 You talked to Kent Hughes, talked to Jerry Keefe.
36:21 Jaden Struble has been lightening it up with the Montreal Canadiens and that'll be right.
36:26 I mean, it's in the magazine.
36:27 I think the magazine is going to drop Friday or it'll drop Saturday, one of the two days.
36:32 And that's going to be a story in it.
36:34 So that'll be online soon.
36:36 And it's a good story.
36:37 Really good story.
36:38 You did a good job on it.
36:39 So thank you.
36:41 People can look out for that when that's out.
36:43 And yeah, that's that.
36:45 That's Mark Diver.
36:46 I'm Evan Marinovsky, your Brewers Beat listeners.
36:47 Have a great rest of your week.
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