Anything else of note down in Providence so far? Any other players, any other trends, things going on?

Not in a positive way.

They, the struggle to score just has, has been, you know, they, they, This kid Cooper Black, who was up briefly, Providence put six goals by him in the midst of their goal-scoring drought.

Providence put six goals up on him, and he gets recalled to the NHL like two days later.

Like, what's going on here? And then last Friday, James Reimer pitches a shutout against Providence, and a couple days later, he's in the NHL.

Now, that didn't work out so well for him.

But, you know, the lack of scoring is and just overall, it's a it's a totally different team from last year.

How have Steeves and Lucas Reichel been?

Anything else of note down in Providence so far? Any other players, any other trends, things going on?

Not in a positive way.

They, the struggle to score just has, has been, you know, they, they, This kid Cooper Black, who was up briefly, Providence put six goals by him in the midst of their goal-scoring drought.

Providence put six goals up on him, and he gets recalled to the NHL like two days later.

Like, what's going on here? And then last Friday, James Reimer pitches a shutout against Providence, and a couple days later, he's in the NHL.

Now, that didn't work out so well for him.

But, you know, the lack of scoring is and just overall, it's a it's a totally different team from last year.

How have Steeves and Lucas Reichel been?

I know defensively has been a big problem and we'll get into that, but to me, your big guys have not been your big guys so far.

Yeah.

It's, it's been frustrating the last few games to watch pasta pass up, you know, shot after shot.

I just feel like the, in where he's at with, with no goals is, I'd like to see him crank one up from 40 feet.

Just rip it.

See what happens.

It might go in.

And that's, that has to change.

It was, it was, that was a snipe

...

he almost, he, he almost got a second goal there at the end.

Somebody swept it off the goal line.

I don't know if it would've s- would've rolled in, but it was close.

And, you know, the f- the, the scrum at the end- He needs to be careful.

He needs to be careful.

Um, and to see it come out again tonight, y- you really, it was very, um, identifiable tonight.

I'm not saying that Michael DiPietro is Tim Thomas, but some of the stuff that he does now that I've watched him for a little bit, it reminds me of what we used to see with Tim Thomas.

Yeah, I would agree with that.

There are some similarities there in terms of how they look.

I think James Higgins has been good.

Maybe a slow start last night in the first period, like the rest of the team.

But I think he's been good for the most part.

He looks the part of a guy who... is ready to step into the NHL on a full-time basis and see what happens.

It's, feels like that's an area where he's like his game has grown and matched like the skill level and the hockey IQ that he brings to the table.

I'm not saying that Michael DiPietro is Tim Thomas, but some of the stuff that he does now that I've watched him for a little bit, it reminds me of what we used to see with Tim Thomas.

Yeah, I would agree with that.

There are some similarities there in terms of how they look.

I think James Higgins has been good.

Maybe a slow start last night in the first period, like the rest of the team, but I think he's been good for the most part.

He looks the part of a guy who is ready to step into the NHL on a full-time basis and see what happens.

You know, I think he – His speed and his skills stand out, especially in a lineup last night where there's a lot of AHL guys.

It feels like that's an area where he's like his game has grown and matched like the skill level and the hockey IQ that he brings to the table.

You just dove right into it.

Well, I mean, it came up the other day and, uh, and, and Witter, uh, spoke about it that, you know, hey, they're not all gonna make it.

Um, but, uh, you know, as far as, uh, Ryan Ward, uh, he had a job offer from another, he had a job offer from Harvard.

There was another American League team that wanted to hire him, and then the Bruins jumped in.

So I mean, this is a guy who is in demand, you know? Uh, so the fact that the Bruins got him is, is a good step forward for them.

And you know, he's a guy who, I mean, talk about full circle stories.

His is unbelievable 'cause you know, grew up in southeastern Massachusetts.

Where are you at with Patra and Brune, and/or Brune potentially making Boston's roster?

You just dove right into it.

Well, I mean, it came up the other day and, uh, and, and Witter, uh, spoke about it that, you know, hey, they're not all gonna make it.

Um, but, uh, you know, as far as, uh, Ryan Ward, uh, he had a job offer from another, he had a job offer from Harvard.

There was another American League team that wanted to hire him, and then the Bruins jumped in.

So I mean, this is a guy who is in demand, you know? Uh, so the fact that the Bruins got him is, is a good step forward for them.

And you know, he's a guy who, I mean, talk about full circle stories.

His is unbelievable 'cause, you know, grew up in southeastern Massachusetts.

Where are you at with Patra and Brunné, and/or Brunné potentially making Boston's roster?

And I love even now to this day, super uncomfortable talking about himself and these accolades for himself and wants to deflect to his teammates and to everybody else and i think that just says so much about him and his makeup and who he is as a person uh mark your thoughts just on bergie getting in the honors that are coming his way in that hall of fame class in general

well a quick uh providence story on bergie um near the end of his career.

I, I forget what the circumstances were exactly.

He may have been coming back from an injury, but, uh, he was in Providence for a couple of mornings, uh, for practice.

And, uh, It struck me how in awe all of the players were of Berge.

They were like, oh, my God, I'm on the ice with Patrice Bergeron.

From 19-year-old rookies to guys in their 30s who had been around the American League for a while, everyone – you know, looked at him like he was, uh, you know, one of the all-time greats, which obviously he is.

But, Mark, I'm curious your thoughts just on where the Bruins sit in free agency right now, some of the players that are moving, more big names clearly that we've heard that have not moved yet that are out there, and where the Bruins fit in all this.

Another guy

I have my eye on, I mentioned to you the other night, is Ilya Morozov from Miami.

A center, good size, had a second youngest player, I think, in college hockey last season as a freshman at Miami.

You know, kind of a, I don't know, some people compare him like to Brock Nelson in his size and the way he plays, but he's a center.

but he's the kind of guy I think would be a tremendous Bruin, you know, in, you know, down the road in, in, I don't know, two years, three years.

I don't think he, I don't expect him to be a four-year player at Miami, but a guy like him, you know, maybe some people have him rated in the twenties.

He may one or two mock drafts may have him in the teens.

I

Um, what's your initial thoughts on these, on this hire?

Well, I, I, uh, I mean, it's no secret that I th- I was, uh, I was hoping that, uh, Ryan Mougenel would get the job.

He's paid his dues in, in Providence, and, uh, you know, in terms of wins and losses has done a, has done a great job.

And, you know, the development thing, let's face it, they haven't, he hasn't had a roster stocked with first and second round or even third round picks.

So I was, uh, I was in the Mouge camp.

There's no secret to that.

You know, Matt McIlvane, I, you know, I would say I was underwhelmed when I heard that news, uh, because, you know, that's just not someone I would have th- thought would, uh, would be in the running.

Yeah.

Yeah.

He was a, he had a tremendous season, and, uh, you know, his trajectory since he, uh, since he's, you know, left Junior to play in the American League is exactly what you're looking for from, uh, from a development standpoint.

Patra, I think it's time.

It's time for him to, I don't bel- I, I, I'm not sure about his waiver situation.

Uh, but regardless of that, it's time, it's time to, uh, you know, barring a training camp where he just completely falls on his face, he needs to be in the lineup or on the roster on opening night in Boston next, next fall.

You know, I think, uh, uh, and he's spent enough time in Providence and, uh, you know, he- he's, uh, he's developed, um, you know, pretty, pretty well.

The, the numbers weren't there this year, uh, that they have been in the past, but geez, his, his all-around game on both sides of the puck is much, much improved.

Yep

Uh, but what did you make of it? What were your hopes? What, you know, what did you think of how it was going down?

I'm glad it fell apart.

If that's, if that's what happened, you know, I'm glad that they didn't make that trade.

I think that Rasmus Anderson's a really good player, but I like the idea of making the picks or, you know, maybe trading the picks for a better player.

If that's on the table at any point, the fact that, I'm reading early or hearing earlier this week that maybe it wasn't the Toronto pick that was in the deal.

Maybe it was Boston's pick, or maybe it was next year.

But the idea that they would trade the Toronto pick really was scary, to be honest.

For licenses, see homedepot.com slash license numbers.

See homedepot.com slash license numbers.

I think this is, he's, he's becoming, he's kind of blossoming as the player you hoped that he could be, or at least taken another step toward that, you know, playing the way he's been able to produce, uh, and the way he plays in his age group, you know, has been impressive.

Let's face it.

And, uh, you know, we kind of knew he was a shoot first guy from his, from his time in the USHL.

And, you know, he's lived up to every bit of that.

He, he, uh, he gets the puck and if he's in position to shoot, he shoots it.

He's not looking around to, uh, to make a backdoor pass or whatever.

So,