Poke the Bear

By Conor RyanSports News Sports News Hockey

Poke the Bear episodes

August 01 Will Bruins give Frederic Brunet a chance this season?
In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor and Ty run through the NHL hopes of Frederic Brunet and Matt Poitras — and look at Marat Khusnutdinov's upside in his second full season in the NHL.
0:00 – Intro
6:53 – Bruins offseason state of play
8:24 – Matt Poitras unsigned & Frederic Brunet's roster spot
13:57 – PrizePicks
15:24 – Linus Ullmark trade talk & cap situation
19:37 – Cleaning house: the case for moving on from certain players
22:36 – Prospect depth & the young forward group
29:52 – Line combinations and role projections
32:01 – Outro / where to find Ty's work
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39 min
July 29 What will the Bruins' lineup be this season?
In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor and Evan run through their early predictions of what the Bruins' lineup will be to open the 2026-27 season.

0:00 - Welcome in
3:22 - Projecting the Bruins Lineup for this season
4:18 - Bruins 1st Line
7:51 - Bruins 2nd Line
10:14 - Looking at the projected Top 6
15:32 - Prizepicks
16:33 - Should James Hagens start on 3rd line?
20:04 - Bruins 3rd Line
23:09 - Bruins 4th Line
25:47 - Subscribe to the podcast!
26:35 - Bruins 1st Defensive Pairing
29:30 - Bruins 2nd Defensive Pairing
32:08 - Bruins 3rd Defensive Pairing
35:50 - Goalies
35:58 - Wrapping up!

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44 min
July 20 What is Don Sweeney's long-term plan for Bruins?
In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor answers some of your mailbag questions about Don Sweeney, the Bruins' schedule, and Fraser Minten's next contract.

0:00 - Welcome in!
3:13 - What’s Don Sweeney’s plan for the future of the Bruins?
12:18 - Will Bruins trade Mason Loheri or Henri Jokiharju?
16:59 - Prizepicks
18:13 - Looking at potential extensions for Fraser Minten & Marat Khusnutdinov
23:52 - Subscribe to the podcast!
24:19 - Looking at Bruins schedule this upcoming season
28:59 - Wrapping up!

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34 min
July 13 Is a Pavel Zacha trade the best path forward for Bruins (Mailbag)?
In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor answers some of your mailbag questions about Pavel Zacha, Boston's best contracts, and much more!

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30 min
July 11 What Could a Fraser Minten Extension Look Like?
On this episode of Poke the Bear, Evan Marinofsky fills in for Conor Ryan and chats with Ty Anderson about all the latest Bruins moves and what might still be to come.
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - Traveling Stories & Summer Check-In
2:35 - Bruins Offseason Moves Breakdown
9:39 - Too Many Defensemen — Who Gets Moved?
15:35 - PrizePicks
16:51 - Fraser Minten Extension Talk
22:43 - The Zacha Question
28:13 - Where Do the Bruins Stand as Contenders?
29:29 - Breaking Down the Atlantic Division Race
41:01 - Closing Thoughts
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47 min
July 02 Sharing leftover thoughts from Bruins' free-agent moves
In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor shares some leftover thoughts from the Bruins' moves on Wednesday.

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26 min
July 01 Bruins Free Agency Predictions
Conor Ryan and Evan Marinofsky go live to preview NHL free agency, which begins Wednesday, July 1, at 12 pm ET. They predict who the Bruins could sign tomorrow and give thoughts on development camp.

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58 min
June 28 REACTING to JJ Peterka Trade, Fabian Lysell's Exit, and NHL Draft
Connor Ryan and Ty break down a jam-packed stretch of Bruins news, starting with the signing of JJ Peterka and whether it's the right price for the production they're hoping to get. They dig into the draft results — a defense-light, goalie-heavy class that leaves some fans wanting more on the back end — and have a long, honest conversation about what went wrong in Fabian Lysell's development before his trade to Colorado.
0:00 - Intro
1:23 - Bruins Acquire JJ Peterka
4:25 - Was This the Right Move at the Right Price?
5:26 - Other Forward Targets the Bruins Passed On
7:42 - Why the Next Move Matters Just as Much
8:25 - The Glaring Need on Defense
11:21 - How Acquiring Veterans Helps the Young Core
14:17 - PrizePicks
16:01 - Bruins Draft Recap: Missing Out on Top D-Men
17:48 - Goalie-Heavy Draft Class — Smart or a Logjam?
21:20 - Wishing They'd Traded Up for a High-Upside Defenseman
23:39 - The Bigger Picture: Spending Premium Picks on Goalies
29:37 - Bruins Trade Fabian Lysell to Colorado
33:24 - What Went Wrong with Lysell's Development?
41:59 - The Need for a New Player Development Approach
48:57 - Closing Thoughts on Letting Go of Lysell
50:22 - Looking Ahead: What's Next This Offseason
53:06 - Can the Bruins Run It Back on Defense?
55:51 - Reaction to Losing Out on a Zellweger Trade
58:17 - Bridging the Gap: Trueba, Nurse & Short-Term Options
1:02:38 - Building a Realistic Darnell Nurse Trade Framework
1:04:42 - Final Thoughts on the Offseason Plan
1:10:19 - Outro
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1 hr 13 min
June 25 Predictions for a Tricky Bruins Offseason
In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor and Evan talk Don Sweeney's latest comments, the state of the NHL trade market, and make our predictions for the NHL Draft and the rest of the Bruins' moves.

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41 min
June 21 Should Bruins PIVOT to John Carlson This Summer?
Connor Ryan and Ty Anderson break down a busy week of Bruins news, starting with the trade of Andre Gasseau's rights for added draft capital and why it might net Boston a long-term replacement at center. They dig into the thin remaining options on the UFA defenseman market after Toronto signed Darren Raddysh, debate whether John Carlson or Tony DeAngelo makes more sense on a short-term deal, and float a dream Zellweger-Carlson pairing if the Bruins can pull off a trade.
Plus: a deep dive into the Pavel Zacha trade rumors, what kind of return Boston could realistically get, and why patience might not be a virtue this offseason. They close with a preview of what Boston should be targeting at pick 23 in Friday's draft.
0:00 - Intro
0:59 - World Cup Buzz & Boston's International Crowd
3:48 - Bruins Trade Andre Gasseau for Draft Capital
6:06 - Why Gasseau Could Be a Long-Term Crowley Replacement
8:08 - Toronto Signs Darren Raddysh — What's Left on the Defense Market?
9:38 - Are the Remaining UFA Defensemen Worth Pursuing?
11:56 - Why Raddysh Landed in a Better Spot in Toronto
13:08 - What the Bruins Actually Need on the Right Side
15:29 - The Case for Trading for Zellweger Instead of Free Agency
17:31 - Do the Bruins Even Have the Cap Space to Add Two Pieces?
18:56 - Lessons from the David Backes Contract
19:43 - Why a Short-Term Overpay Could Make Sense
20:37 - John Carlson vs. Tony DeAngelo — Who Fits Better?
23:32 - Building a Zellweger-Carlson Pairing Fantasy
24:41 - Backup Plans: Ilya Lyubushkin & Reclamation Targets
26:10 - Why This Defense Corps Already Looks Better
28:31 - Pavel Zacha Trade Buzz: Bruins Listening on Offers
29:39 - Does Zacha's Sample Size Justify a Big Extension?
31:54 - The Risk of Paying for Playoff Performance You Haven't Seen
33:28 - The Islanders/Noah Dobson Trade Comparison
35:46 - Could a Zacha Trade Net Big Draft Capital?
36:43 - Pushing Back on the "Locker Room Impact" Argument
38:17 - Why Patience Has Burned the Bruins Before
40:25 - Draft Preview: What Boston Needs at Pick 23
41:29 - The Case for Targeting a Puck-Moving Defenseman
43:06 - Prioritizing Skill and Upside Over Safe Picks
46:02 - How a Strong Prospect Pool Helps Trade Leverage
47:14 - Outro
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53 min

About Poke the Bear

From the publisher's feed

Boston.com's Bruins reporter Conor Ryan offers up weekly thoughts, opinions and analysis on all things surrounding the Black and Gold in “Poke The Bear” — a new podcast centered on the Original Six…