GM: Chuck Massaro
Coach: Lindy Ruff
Last season: 15th overall. In the playoffs, lost to Berlin.
Ins and Outs
(Season 14 to Season 15)
In: Tyson Barrie (trade), Michael Matheson (trade), Will Butcher (trade), Gurkan Cetinkaya (free agent), Morten Madsen (free agent), Justin Bailey (free agent), David Moravec (free agent)
Out: Adam Henrique (free agent), Timo Meier (trade), Michael Stone (free agent), Nick Ritchie (trade), Kyle Turris (trade), Juraj Valach (free agent), Haydn Fleury (waivers)
Potential Lineup
Victor Olofsson/Josh Norris/Colin White
Morten Madsen/Ryan O’Reilly/Zemgus Girgensons
Rhett Gardner/Troy Loggins/Brendan Perlini
Joakim Nygard/Connor Korte/Kailer Yamamoto
Jonas Brodin/Tyson Barrie
Michael Matheson/Gurkan Cetinkaya
Will Butcher/Matt Roy
Connor Hellebuyck/Pavel Francouz
Three Questions
1. What changes were made by their genius GM? The fourth-worst offense in the league did little in the off season to get better in that department. If anything, the forward group is less experienced and worse than it was in Season 14. Bratislava’s power play was dead last in the EURO a season ago and the forwards running it will be the same guys, for the most part. So can Eagles fans expect to get to do any cheering of goals this year or not? General Manager Chuck Massaro is hoping to give the forwards more help by enlisting three new offensive-minded defensemen. Tyson Barrie, Michael Matheson and Will Butcher will essentially be given the task of reinvigorating the offense. The problem is Barrie only reached the 30-assist mark once in his previous 11 seasons and the other two have never recorded that many helpers in a season. They will all need to hit and pass 30 assists for the plan to work.
2. What does Bratislava need to happen this season? Management wants to make the playoffs again. With Connor Hellebuyck and Pavel Francouz in net, that’s a realistic goal. Last season, the Eagles were holding up nicely until star center Ryan O’Reilly went down with an injury that had him out of the lineup for two months and 25 games. Before that, ROR had missed only 5 games in 11 years with Moscow and Athens. Bratislava needs him to stay healthy. Coach Lindy Ruff hopes to reduce O’Reilly’s ice time on the road and use him and Zemgus Girgensons heavily as checkers at home to dog the opponent’s top line. Should O’Reilly go down again, Morten Madsen will move into his spot from the left wing. Madsen was a Bratislava draft pick in Season 5 and he played for the team until free agency took him to Minsk for the last two seasons. His lifetime turnover ratio is +92. Behind that trio are a lot of good, but not great skaters and a mix of skill and size. Bratislava hopes that depth will keep them in the hunt.
3. How about the defense? Bratislava fans will see a lot of new faces on the blueline this season. Jonas Brodin and Matt Roy return, but there are four new players back there this season. Many think that’s a good thing. Gurkan Cetinkaya, a Turk who led the league in blocked shots last season while playing his 13th season in an Edinburgh Capitals sweater, agreed to come to Slovakia at age 33 for $2.9 million over two years. Former Eagles Michael Matheson and Tyson Barrie came back in trades, as did offense-only defenseman Will Butcher, who will play on the bottom pair and see prime PP time. Barrie has now been acquired twice by Bratislava in trades, but he still hasn’t played a game for them. Bratislava actually traded Matheson and a draft pick to Lisbon for him before turning around and sending him off in 6-player deal with Gothenburg a short time after. The three trade acquisitions give the Eagles the puck-movers they seemed to lack last year.
Rose’s Focus
“You should see Sepp Blatter and me work an administrative problem on a tight deadline. We aren’t the best of friends – in fact I think he hates me because I snitch on him whenever I can – but we work remarkably well together. Some call it chemistry. Bratislava is searching for some of that. They will have about 8 new guys in the lineup this year and the hope is they will gel into a cohesive unit. That’s the phrase TV commentators always use and I want to prove I can do their jobs pretty easily. (Are you listening ESPN+?) Back to business … chemistry. There is no apparent connection between any players on this team. Nothing nowhere. They have to come together quickly. Most important, local media think, is the line of Josh Norris, Colin White and Victor Olofsson. The hope is they will work like Sepp and I do and propel the whole team once they do. ”
