iBruins 2015-16 Year-End Press Conference

Gino Reda

Bruins GM Beans sat down with Gino Reda to discuss his team and his plans for the future. The GM stayed for roughly twenty minutes and answered questions before leaving to tend to Draft preparations. He touched on a variety of topics including the upcoming NHL entry draft and free agency, his Stanley Cup predictions, why he rebuilt the iBruins, and Auston Matthews. A transcript of the conversation is provided below.

GR: Do you think your team met expectations this season?

Beans: Obviously not. Boston fans expect championships and everything else is irrelevant. We obviously fell well, well short of expectations.

GR: But did you honestly ever have any hope of winning this year?

Beans: I won't put a cap on our players' potential. We have some talented players and some hard workers. We failed to put it all together. But we will one day.

GR: What was most disappointing for you this year?

Beans: I didn't like trading away my favorite players. I was a Bruins fan before becoming GM and so it was very hard to trade way Bergeron, Chara, Marchand, Rask, McQuaid, Seidenberg, and all the others who I have great memories of. But that team as it was constructed had significant structural issues that could not be fixed with a bandaid so we did what we did. Beyond that, it was hard to see our young guys get roughed up on a lot of nights - too many nights where I thought they left the rink with their heads down.

GR: How far away do you think you are from being perennial contenders? What do you think you need to add to get there?

Beans: We have most of the right pieces but we need to keep adding. I want to improve the defense first and foremost. I think we need a legitimate scorer as well but that's not as much of a priority. I'd like to get a mentor to help Malcolm Subban ease into the iNHL.

GR: By the way, who do you think will take the Cup this year?

Beans: St. Louis, if Pietrangelo can be healthy.

GR: What have you thought of the iNHL playoffs so far?

Beans: Absolutely amazing. Bjorn has done a great job with live sims and what not and it's been really exciting to see the games play out. Huge upsets, game changing performances, crucial injuries - the playoffs have had everything so far. It just makes me so jealous that we're at home watching it all play out. I know the boys feel the same way.

GR: Any pick for an Eastern champ?

Beans: I'd say Washington but I Philly has a lot of "playoff guys" like Simmonds, Couts, Giroux, Rask. They could go all the way as an 8th seed. Goes to show that you really just need a ticket to the dance to have a chance.

GR: Very true. Back to the iBruins, how much better do you think your young players can be? Are you worried they simply won't pan out as you hope?

Beans: I have a lot of confidence in our young guys. Not worried about any of the guys that we kept. Pastrnak can be a 30-40 goal scorer but he only had 29 points so he has a way to go. Same for Etem except he had 40 or so points. Fiala was a real nice surprise and is a hard worker so I'm excited to see how high his ceiling can get - he needs to improve his consistency and ability to matchup against top centers and d-men. Namestnikov had I thought a tough year but he really good shutdown guy one day. Jenner was real good offensively with his 20+ goals but I really like his intangibles. Wennberg was fantastic since we acquired him and hopefully he can round into a legit top-6 forward.

GR: What about guys who aren't on the roster at the moment?

Beans: Ya, there are a few of those guys as well, but they need to prove they can produce in the iNHL before I worry about how much more I can get out of them. But we do have some exciting pieces we'll need to integrate into the lineup at some point.

GR: Player development is one thing but what are you personally going to do, if anything, to improve your team?

Beans: Once the trade freeze is up, I'll be looking to add a few pieces to the big club roster. As I said, I want a defenseman or two or three. I think there is going to be a lot of activity in the days leading up to the draft and free agency. I expect a lot of player movement. Could rival the trade deadline, which was pretty crazy.

GR: Speaking of the Draft, you are guaranteed to pick at least 4th and 8th overall, and you have another pick in the first round as well. Are you going to keep all those picks like Don Sweeney did last year?

Beans: It's very possible. It's a real good draft this year and we've got some really nice picks - even better than last year - so we're very excited about what the draft could bring us.

GR: That's interesting because earlier this year rumors swirled in the media that you were shopping your first pick.

Beans: Oh, didn't hear those ones. (Laughs)

GR: Well, some GMs have mentioned making significant offers to land your first pick. And now you have Vancouver as well, so is it possible we see a major trade involving a high-end draft pick?

Beans: Well even if those offers were made, I would never acknowledge them, so let's leave it at it's a real good draft so we would obviously need a good deal to move any of our picks. (Laughs) We're not looking to cut corners in developing into a contender.

GR: Is 1st overall available?

Beans: I don't own the 1st overall pick so I have no idea.

GR: Fair enough but this year Auston Matthews is the consensus #1 pick and the big American is widely considered to be in the same league as McDavid and Eichel. Would you really risk missing out on that kind of player?

Beans: Again, I don't have 1st overall and there's a 72% chance I don't get it, so I am not worried about that. But I also would point out that this draft is about much, much more than just Auston Matthews. He's a great player and will have a really good iNHL career, but there's a lot of great players available in this draft.

GR: So are you just hedging your bets with the 72% thing or do you really you not think Matthews is the best player in the draft?

Beans: I look at facts and the math says there's a 72% chance we don't pick first overall. I know a lot of people would take Matthews #1 so I doubt he would drop to wherever we end up picking. Having said that, I think there are one or two other guys that are reasonably in the conversation for #1. I don't think it's as cut and dry as the media makes it out to be. Not sure that my colleagues agree but we'll see what happens I guess.

GR: And who would those one or two other guys be?

Beans: Come on, I'm not going to answer that. But I do think the top 3 in this draft are can't miss franchise players. I think 4 and 5 could be as well but maybe not as much of a slam dunk. 6-10 are first liners or top line defenders. Frankly, I think the top-20 in this draft is going to have a lot of perennial All-Stars.

GR: Fair enough. Alright, well, moving onto free agency, how active do you think the iBruins will be?

Beans: We'll make a few offers. Probably nothing major - we'll probably look at the trade market for that - but we would like a veteran goalie and maybe some depth on defense.

GR: Earlier in the offseason your confidential team report was leaked. What happened?

Beans: Internal matter. Not willing to get into it.

GR: Now that report mentioned you will be assessing the team's Captaincy situation. Is there any update?

Beans: I'm not going to discuss the report.

GR: Apologies. But do you have an update on the Captaincy?

Beans: No.

GR: Your team experienced a few leadership breakdowns during the season. What are you doing to improve the situation?

Beans: I don't think that's true. Leon Draisaitl clashed with the best coach in Bruins history and got shipped out of town. Vinny Lecavalier wants more playing time than Claude is willing to give him but I think that's just his competitive spirit. I think leadership is actually one of our team strengths.

GR: So you think the locker room problems are behind you?

Beans: We didn't have any problems. Every team has issues and when you're losing the magnifying glass is on you a bit more. I think we have a lot of character throughout the lineup now and I am excited for what that means for the future.

GR: You've been one of the more active dealmakers in the iNHL over the past year and you mention wanting to be active in the trade market. But you don't have quite the bargaining chips you did in year's past if you are unwilling to move young players. What are your trading chips?

Beans: We have a lot of assets to pick up the pieces we need. I know there are a few GMs who are interested in some of our assets.

GR: So are you willing to move some of your younger players for established talent?

Beans: I'd always make a move if it improved the team. But I'm not about to tip my hand.

GR: Well, thanks, Beans for coming in, really appreciate it. Good luck with the upcoming year.