Podcast
Poke the Bear
Hosted by Conor Ryan · EN
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 club. Each week, Conor and a number of guests offer in-depth breakdowns on the latest news surrounding the B’s — and having plenty of fun along the way. So sit back, grab a libation (or Dunks, no one’s judging here) and let’s talk some hockey.
59episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Will Bruins give Frederic Brunet a chance this season?
1w ago00:38:27Tap to summarizeIn 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 Bruins on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 PrizePicks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $150 instantly in Lineups if you win your first $5 Lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →What will the Bruins' lineup be this season?
1w ago00:43:08Tap to summarizeIn 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! Poke The Bear on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 Prize Picks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $150 instantly in lineups when you win your first $5 lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →What is Don Sweeney's long-term plan for Bruins?
3w ago00:33:21Tap to summarize 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! Poke The Bear on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 Prize Picks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 instantly in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Is a Pavel Zacha trade the best path forward for Bruins (Mailbag)?
4w ago00:29:30Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor answers some of your mailbag questions about Pavel Zacha, Boston's best contracts, and much more! Poke the Bear on CLNS is Powered by: 💰 Prize Picks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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What Could a Fraser Minten Extension Look Like?
4w ago00:46:30Tap to summarizeOn 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 Bruins on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 Prize Picks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 instantly in lineups when you play your first $5! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Sharing leftover thoughts from Bruins' free-agent moves
Jul 200:25:42Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor shares some leftover thoughts from the Bruins' moves on Wednesday. Poke The Bear on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 Prize Picks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Bruins Free Agency Predictions
Jul 100:57:36Tap to summarizeConor 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. Poke The Bear on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 Prize Picks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →REACTING to JJ Peterka Trade, Fabian Lysell's Exit, and NHL Draft
Jun 2801:12:46Tap to summarizeConnor 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 Bruins on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 Prize Picks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Predictions for a Tricky Bruins Offseason
Jun 2500:40:36Tap to summarizeIn 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. Poke The Bear on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 Prize Picks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Should Bruins PIVOT to John Carlson This Summer?
Jun 2100:52:56Tap to summarizeConnor 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 Bruins on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 Prize Picks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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