GM: Chuck Massaro
Coach: Lindy Ruff
Last season: 13th overall. In playoffs, defeated Milan, then lost to Berlin
Ins and Outs
(Season 12 to Season 13)
In: Tyler Myers (trade), Adam Henrique (trade), Jamie Benn (trade), Anze Kopitar (free agent), Jordan Staal (free agent), Jamie McBain (trade), T.J. Brodie (free agent), Jason Demers (free agent), Timo Meier (free agent), Yegor Milovzorov (free agent), Josh Norris (Season 8 draft), Tyler Pitlick (free agent)
Out: Morten Madsen (free agent), Justin Faulk (free agent), Alexander Weiss (free agent), Michael Matheson (trade), Kristian Kuusela (free agent), Evgeny Solomonov (free agent), Nick Paul (trade), Milan Gulas (free agent), Kjetil Martinsen (free agent), Daniel Pietta (free agent), Marek Daloga (trade), Mark Garside (free agent),
Potential Lineup
Jamie Benn/Anze Kopitar/Gregory Beron
Adam Henrique/Jordan Staal/Zemgus Girgensons
Michal Kristof/Troy Loggins/Victor Olofsson
Rhett Gardner/Josh Norris/Timo Meier
Tyler Myers/Ryan McDonagh
Jamie McBain/Yegor Milovzorov
Jason Demers/T.J. Brodie
Frederik Andersen/Connor Hellebuyck
Three Questions
1. When is the last time Bratislava has seen this much turnover? During the off season, the Eagles made three trades, which is a lot for them. They had made only four trades in the previous five seasons combined. They also signed six free agents into the starting lineup. That is probably the biggest turnover in team history. Why? Does GM Chuck Massaro see a legitimate shot at the Cup? Not with Oslo, Helsinki, Berlin, Belfast and a few other teams still looking very strong. But Bratislava fans really like attending playoff games. They are the only fan base that has seen the playoffs every season of the league’s history and they aren’t yet ready for that looming rebuild to begin. In the years around the Eagles’ Cup near-miss in Season 8, Jonathan Toews and Tyler Myers were the big guns. But both decided to leave town a season ago. Massaro forced Myers to come back in a trade but Toews remains in Helsinki. The Jokerits’ other great center, Anze Kopitar, signed with Bratislava as the reigning scoring champ in the league. The Slovenian center’s new wingers are much slower than Kyle Connor and Brock Boeser were in Helsinki, but Bratislava is still hoping Kopitar will put up points with sniper Jamie Benn and versatile Gregory Beron on his new line.
2. How strong are they defensively? Bratislava has always been defense-minded and they still are. The Eagles now have their strongest defensive forward line ever in Jordan Staal, Adam Henrique and Zemgus Girgensons and with them on the ice 15-16 minutes per game, that will definitely help an older defense corps that should need the occasional break. Goalies Frederik Andersen and Connor Hellebuyck are good enough to save the defense’s bacon when they make mistakes, but they are also human beings. Pucks will get by them. It will be key for a blueline group led by Tyler Myers and Ryan McDonagh to limit shots on goal. The team was 12th best at that last season. Will they be better or worse this season? Only McDonagh remains from last year’s starting defense lineup. On one hand, they gained a ton of experience through trades and free agency so the on-ice wisdom will help. But on the other hand, these guys don’t have much gas left in the tank. Five of the top six are between 33 and 35 years of age. Big forwards parking themselves in front of the Bratislava goal could prove to be problematic for the Eagles this year.
3. What about the team’s long-term future? Ha! If we were drinking coffee when that was asked, there would be liquid all over this desk. Bratislava’s future is Josh Norris. That’s it. The future. The season he had with the Ottawa Senators in the NHL was a godsend to the Eagles. Norris was the third-last player taken in the Season 8 draft, and he was all but written off until he had a good year with Ottawa. Now, Norris is an impressive 87 PO player with good puck skills. He doesn’t fit the mold of a Bratislava player because his hockey sense and defensive game are way below average, but he has the potential to be the team’s top center someday. Former Rookie of the Year Troy Loggins is ahead of Norris on the depth chart, is more well-rounded, and should occupy the top line spot after Anze Kopitar and Jordan Staal move out. But if you look at the team’s current roster, the only players younger than 25 are enforcer Rhett Gardner, minor leaguer Rudolfs Balcers and Norris. Bratislava also has Florida Panthers goalie Spencer Knight in the system, and they will be hoping for a good rookie season from him like Norris had in Ottawa.
Rose’s Focus
“My niece is still looking for a man. She tells me not to worry about her, but I still do. I want her to find love. Gregory Beron is French, so he has to be as romantic as they come. He’s also as versatile as they come. Like Dustin Byfuglien used to be, and like Mark Pysyk is, Beron qualifies at forward and defense. But Beron can play all three forward positions, whereas Pysyk is limited to RW. Beron is also a good playmaker who has never really been given a chance to show off that skill in Bratislava. This year however, he will start on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Jamie Benn. His sole job will be to backcheck and then pass the puck to his talented linemates. If he can’t do that, then my niece doesn’t want him.”
