Confirmed with Link: Bouwmeester for Cundari, Berra, protected 1st

[bleedblue1223]

The hockey writers for the Blues are hilarious.

 

[542365]

Wow, Dan O'Neill, just, wow.



Bouwmeester's crease-clearing physicality is how the Blues addressed their significant size issue on the backend, per Dan. We can say a lot of things about this deal but Russell is more physical. Bouwmeester's entire game is avoiding contact and skating away from it. If the point was to counter LA's physicality with Blues physicality, this move is the diametric opposite of that. Hell, it was the diametric opposite when the Blues chose Leopold over Regehr.

Yeah, clearly Army is focusing on puck moving ability, not toughness. Trying to get to the puck and get it out of the zone before the opposing forecheck has a chance to really go to work. We're definitely not trying to fight fire with fire.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Yeah, clearly Army is focusing on puck moving ability, not toughness. Trying to get to the puck and get it out of the zone before the opposing forecheck has a chance to really go to work. We're definitely not trying to fight fire with fire.

Best way to go IMO. You don't beat an opponent by doing their style, unless you can do it better. You beat them by perfecting your style. We can't beat LA by trying to out muscle them.

 

[PocketNines]

My younger sister went to Webster over 10 years ago and it is always weird to see her picture in those ads that precede official Blues videos.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Best way to go IMO. You don't beat an opponent by doing their style, unless you can do it better. You beat them by perfecting your style. We can't beat LA by trying to out muscle them.

Which is exactly why I like this move. Especially for what we gave up. J-Bo gets crapped on a lot, but he's still a good player.

 

[JustOneB4IDie]

Hey, if it helps in the Transition game, I'm all for it.

 

[David Dennison]

Hes the guy you match up against Jeff Carter, no doubt.

 

[JustOneB4IDie]

The hockey writers for the Blues are hilarious.

so are the HF's posters, yep.

 

[bleedblue1223]

so are the HF's posters, yep.

At least we are expected to be comedians.

 

[PocketNines]

"Getting Bouwmeester's size and physicality to neutralize LA's manhandling should also get the Blues out of 9th place." – past 24 hours of Blues' beatwriting.

(I did critique JR for that one lack of context piece but few writers league-wide are as direct, accessible and engaged with fans, which is to JR's immense credit.)

 

[JustOneB4IDie]

At least we are expected to be comedians.

True.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

At least we are expected to be comedians.

Touché

 

[diehardbluesfan]

At first I was pissed about this trade, value wise. Seeing some of these other trades though, I feel the Blues got good value. I mean Ryane Clowe just got traded for a second, third, and conditional 2nd and he has zero goals this year and is a rental.

 

[Novacain]

Another under the radar element: Not as much pressure for Jay here. Top 3 pick for Florida, huge money in a Canadian market in Calgary. Here? No.3 defensemen. Could see him running with the situation.

 

[ikeman79]

Guys....I'm not sure how many of you have actually watched Jay Bouwmeester play....It's tough to gauge reading this thread.

Jay Bouwmeester isn't soft guys.. I can't believe there are people on here in this thread saying Russel is more physical than Jay Bouwmeester... Perhaps the mass delusion of how soft he is will be broken when he actually suits up and plays and some of you guys watch him.. I'm under the personal belief from watching him play for years against us and on my center ice and in person at Blues games when Calgary and Florida came to visit that actually he is pretty physical.

As far as skating goes, he's a lights out skater. He is also an excellent passer. He's big and no matter what you guys say, I have seen him use his size many times, he is physical, he's a large body, with loads of skill. I'm not really sure what more could be expected of him. He was on two abysmal teams. Yes two. I didn't think Calgary would make the playoffs when they got him either, not because of him, because their forwards were lackluster, old, and mainly undersized.

Bouwmeester is an absolute upgrade to physicality on any of our defenceman except Polak and Jackman, and really neither of those two have been a dominating physical force for us this year... So really I'm going to laugh when I'm thinking of this thread and Jay is in the Blue Crease paint sending people flying and knocking people into the oppositions bench and getting into a few scraps along the way, then skating circles around every player on Detroit while knocking them flying out of the crease. I repeat, repeat, repeat, how a guy can get a dogma and everybody believes it is beyond me.

I mean really this guy has a bad name because he played on two pretty bad teams and he didn't get them a cup? I mean really that's kinda out there. I'm excited to see what he can do in the note. He is going to be fun to watch. I personally and glad that Stillman stepped up to make the team better and it's going to be fun to watch these guys transition past just about anybody easily. We have 3 premier transition defenceman now. Not to mention no matter what you guys say, we just stepped up the physical play of our backend by getting Bouwmeester. Most teams would salivate to have this backend. I think we our one piece away from a championship. I believe that's a top flight center, let me sign the for the love of all things sacred, move backes back to wing you are killing me thread.

 

[illninofan*]

Guys....I'm not sure how many of you have actually watched Jay Bouwmeester play....It's tough to gauge reading this thread.

Jay Bouwmeester isn't soft guys.. I can't believe there are people on here in this thread saying Russel is more physical than Jay Bouwmeester... Perhaps the mass delusion of how soft he is will be broken when he actually suits up and plays and some of you guys watch him.. I'm under the personal belief from watching him play for years against us and on my center ice and in person at Blues games when Calgary and Florida came to visit that actually he is pretty physical.

As far as skating goes, he's a lights out skater. He is also an excellent passer. He's big and no matter what you guys say, I have seen him use his size many times, he is physical, he's a large body, with loads of skill. I'm not really sure what more could be expected of him. He was on two abysmal teams. Yes two. I didn't think Calgary would make the playoffs when they got him either, not because of him, because their forwards were lackluster, old, and mainly undersized.

Bouwmeester is an absolute upgrade to physicality on any of our defenceman except Polak and Jackman, and really neither of those two have been a dominating physical force for us this year... So really I'm going to laugh when I'm thinking of this thread and Jay is in the Blue Crease paint sending people flying and knocking people into the oppositions bench and getting into a few scraps along the way, then skating circles around every player on Detroit while knocking them flying out of the crease. I repeat, repeat, repeat, how a guy can get a dogma and everybody believes it is beyond me.

I mean really this guy has a bad name because he played on two pretty bad teams and he didn't get them a cup? I mean really that's kinda out there. I'm excited to see what he can do in the note. He is going to be fun to watch. I personally and glad that Stillman stepped up to make the team better and it's going to be fun to watch these guys transition past just about anybody easily. We have 3 premier transition defenceman now. Not to mention no matter what you guys say, we just stepped up the physical play of our backend by getting Bouwmeester. Most teams would salivate to have this backend. I think we our one piece away from a championship. I believe that's a top flight center, let me sign the for the love of all things sacred, move backes back to wing you are killing me thread.

Group think/herd mentality.

If enough people repeat something enough times, everyone will start to believe it eventually, even if it's blatantly false.

 

[ikeman79]

Group think/herd mentality.

If enough people repeat something enough times, everyone will start to believe it eventually, even if it's blatantly false.

Yes, I totally agree.

Good news:They will like him.

 

[542365]

I agree that he's not as soft as most people on HF would have you believe, but "sending people flying" is a bit of a stretch. Also, I disagree that Polak isn't a dominating physical force this season. He plays third pairing minutes and is still in the Top 15 in hits ahead of guys like Chara, Orpik, Regehr, Girardi etc. Don't know how much more he can do.

 

[illninofan*]

Yes, I totally agree.

Good news:They will like him.

I think he will thrive in Hitch's system.

I know for sure that because we have so many d-men that can move/and keep the puck up the ice it will help our forwards out, but I think his game will improve in other areas as well since he'll have some pressure taken off of him (same goes for petro, shatty, jax...etc.). This includes the physical department. I can see him stepping up in that regard since he'll have more help.

I'm not counting on any kind of increase in physicality to make a difference against LA, for example, but the fact that we will be able to clear the puck better will help us not get manhandled in the first place, as other posters have pointed out. Hitch has always liked puck possession style anyway, and this helps us get back to what made us so successful last season (both acquisitions).

But make no mistake about it, we did get bigger and more physical than before (comparatively speaking).

I doubt Jaybo just LETS people push him around.

 

[ikeman79]

I agree that he's not as soft as most people on HF would have you believe, but "sending people flying" is a bit of a stretch. Also, I disagree that Polak isn't a dominating physical force this season. He plays third pairing minutes and is still in the Top 15 in hits ahead of guys like Chara, Orpik, Regehr, Girardi etc. Don't know how much more he can do.

I think people will be surprised when they see him play. Yes he does at times send people flying. His size is the main reason. I wouldn't say he's mean, I'd say he's big and uses his body well to move people when need be.

Polak is a physical force, I like him. I'm not going to say he is that intimidating. I think he wears people down, he hits a lot. I don't think he is a physical force, like say Backes. Backes intimidates, Polak is physical. That's what I meant.

Bouwmeester isn't dominating either in a physical way. He is just talented and big. He's not the cream puff that everybody is trying to lead people to believe. He does hit some, he does use his body well, and yes he is definetly going to be physical in the crease, not what I'd call an open ice hitter. I'm not saying Polak physical in crease, but I will say I think he is going to surprise some and he will be well liked here. I do belive bodies will fly ocassionally lol.

 

[542365]

I think he will be well received also, but for different reasons. He's going to help our transition game quite a lot, and that's why I'm excited to have him. His outlet passes are good, and if there's not a pass to be made, he has the skating ability to get it out of the zone himself. That's what excites me about him.

 

[ikeman79]

I think he will thrive in Hitch's system.

I know for sure that because we have so many d-men that can move/and keep the puck up the ice it will help our forwards out, but I think his game will improve in other areas as well since he'll have some pressure taken off of him (same goes for petro, shatty, jax...etc.). This includes the physical department. I can see him stepping up in that regard since he'll have more help.

I'm not counting on any kind of increase in physicality to make a difference against LA, for example, but the fact that we will be able to clear the puck better will help us not get manhandled in the first place, as other posters have pointed out. Hitch has always liked puck possession style anyway, and this helps us get back to what made us so successful last season (both acquisitions).

But make no mistake about it, we did get bigger and more physical than before (comparatively speaking).

I doubt Jaybo just LETS people push him around.

Yes, I really think he will do well here too.
I do think this market will be easy for him to fit into. Not the media Calgary has, and we are a lot better team with a way better player in Pie to team him up with. I can easily see his Goal numbers and assist going up here pretty easy.

I don't think he alone will turn us into an L.A. killer in the fact of physicality, he's not really that kind of player. I was just stating he absolutely isn't the lay down cream puff everybody is saying he is.

I think were he puts us in the L.A. situation is the fact that really our backend is going to be pretty talented for 3 pairs. You can't now just watch Pie try to get into the zone alone on transition. L.A. can't just send guys to Alex side and trap, Jay is going to open up a major hole now. If you have these two guys coming towards you, who do you cheat to? It really forces L.A. not to cheat. I think size wise he will only help, he couldn't be any worse than what we have lol, that totally didn't work. I again think the added talent to the backend gives you pretty much a top pairing constantly on ice if needed. Depth is hard to defend. Depth with talent is nearly impossible to defend. L.A. is a physical team, but so are we. They may find you can't defend what you can't catch. I know that sounds ridiculous, however once these guys gel, I think we are in for something special.

I also think Leopold is going to help as in my opinion he is a better option than Russell. I like Russell but I believe Leopold is a better fit for us in the role we need.

 

[ikeman79]

I think he will be well received also, but for different reasons. He's going to help our transition game quite a lot, and that's why I'm excited to have him. His outlet passes are good, and if there's not a pass to be made, he has the skating ability to get it out of the zone himself. That's what excites me about him.

Yes! His skating excites me too.

I was just trying to point out that he really isn't a lay down and take it kind of player that people are saying. He does have a little edge. Yes I agree however he is more of a transition player with loads of talent and skating ability. I also think he will be received well for those traits. I do think however after watching him quite a lot, that people will in general be pleasantly surprised by the way he carries himself on the ice. He isn't going to just take punishment from an opposing player. He has the size and temperament to step up if need be and make a statement.

 

[Mike Liut]

I have heard conflicting reports. Is JayBo going to play with Petro or Shatty?

 

[ikeman79]

I have heard conflicting reports. Is JayBo going to play with Petro or Shatty?

I would assume Petro but I did hear Armstrong say he would make Shatty better also.

I really wonder if the organization sees Bouwmeester as the number 1 guy and sees him eating major minutes with multiple partners at times.