Vlad The Impaler
Registered User
PecaFan said:I just don't see where this "future superstar" stuff for Bouwmeester comes from. He's not physically dominating, he's not a huge scorer.
It's true that he is not physically dominating. Few 20 years old are. He's probably never going to be a threatening blueliner but hopefully he improves in that aspect.
I think his scoring was good enough considering his age/experience and the very weak Panthers cast he was with. I think he is very talented offensively. There was a time late in the season where he was starting to use his mobility to great advantage and he has great vision in the O zone. He was beginning to be a bit more creative and take chances. I think we've seen the tip of the iceberg.
Take a look at what he can do on a stronger Canadian squad:
http://www.iihf.com//hockey/x/0203/0203/scripts/playerstat/pg000021.htm
He ends up among the scoring leaders of the tournament and best D for Canada.
PecaFan said:He's not going to be a MacInnis, Pronger, or Scott Stevens.
He's going to be Jay Bouwmeester. Has different tools than those three. Reminds me more of Lidstrom if I have to choose a name, though.
PecaFan said:He's very good, may one day be excellent, but he's not going to be at that "superstar" level.
Well, two of those guys came from another era, so it is tough to compare. Who IS going to be at that "superstar level", though?
Of all the young Ds in the league, he is the best bet for me to reach a susperstar level. Great size/mobility combo. One of the best in the league. Extremely coachable, underrated passer, great hockey sense, disciplined and poised beyond his year. You can't expect much more out of a defenseman this age.
It's well known around the NHL that defensemen take longer. He's the best in a long time and I personally think that he lacks certain quality Pronger has but makes up for it with other aspects where he is superior. He's really the best in a long time.
If you expected him to wow you with his experience, age and teammates, you may have been expecting too much. He's already a guy who often gets selected in international competition and does very well in them. Taking into account we are talking about Canada, where we breed a great amount of Ds, and his age, that is something.
Contrary to other young Ds, he hasn't been too awestruck by anything thrown at him so far. That's more than I can say of Klesla, Pitkanen and even Pronger.
He's never going to lose his cool. He may not be a fan-pleaser like Derek Morris, Barret Jackman and others were at a young age but he is going to be superior to all those guys by a long margin when all is said and done. Perhaps, like Lidstrom, his recognition will came late but rock solid two-way play is the best thing you can get from a D and that's what he will provide.
PecaFan said:Is Wade Redden a superstar stud D-man?
Some might say yes, others might say he is on his way. I'm not really a huge fan of Redden, although I think he is very good. I don't know if I would consider him a superstar. Probbly not but I don't really care about the label anyway.
But I am convinced Bouwmeester is more talented or equal to Redden in *every* aspects of the game. He's already close to a Redden level, it's just a matter of experience now.
I think it was an interesting name to bring up because it's true Redden and him have many stylistic similarities. But Jay can be better than that fairly soon, IMO.