Player Discussion Frank Vatrano II

[Over the volcano]

This place kills me. You go to a thread about a specific player and rather than an honest back and forth discussion about said player, posters come in and muddy the waters by pissing and moaning about another player who they feel is worse than said player. What Spooner does or doesn't do is 100% irrelevant to Frank Vatrano. Vatrano got 7 minutes in the first game because he clearly hasn't done enough in the eyes of the coach to get more TOI. How Spooner played or how many minutes he got does not change that fact, and never will. If Vatrano gets more TOI next game, it will be based only on Cassidy liking what he saw in game one. Not what Spooner does or where Spooner is in his development. It's about Frank Vatrano and what he has or hasn't done to earn more time over the other young guys on the roster. Period.

Funny - could have sworn you were injecting spooner all through this thread a few days ago...

 

[LSCII]

Funny - could have sworn you were injecting spooner all through this thread a few days ago...

Nah, it was in response to people constantly deriding Spooner in this thread in an effort to make Vatrano sound better. All I did was point out that Spooner had a concussion towards the end of the year, which was a factor in his place, much like Vatrano's ankle injury, despite people ignoring that fact.

 

[Over the volcano]

Nah, it was in response to people constantly deriding Spooner in this thread in an effort to make Vatrano sound better. All I did was point out that Spooner had a concussion towards the end of the year, which was a factor in his place, much like Vatrano's ankle injury, despite people ignoring that fact.

So it’s fine to bring up spooner if it’s to minimize vatrano’s injury at the beginning of last year by mentioning spooners at the end of the year but “this place kills you” when people mention anything else about the two...

How about they’re different players and it’s not team V vs team S?

 

[Mainehockey33]

It looks like he continues to regress. If he’s not taking boneheaded penalties he’s invisible out there. With guys like Agostino, Cehlarik, and Heinen, there’s no need to keep throwing Vatrano out there.

Putting FV on waivers should be easier than putting Subban on waivers.

 

[DKH]

You guys are hilarious

Who out of Spooner, Vatrano, and Beleskey is here longest

I'm not as down in Vatrano

 

[SPLBRUIN]

It looks like he continues to regress. If he’s not taking boneheaded penalties he’s invisible out there. With guys like Agostino, Cehlarik, and Heinen, there’s no need to keep throwing Vatrano out there.

Putting FV on waivers should be easier than putting Subban on waivers.

No way I want Vatrano on waivers. He is young, can skate and shoot, still lots of potential here.

 

[LSCII]

You guys are hilarious

Who out of Spooner, Vatrano, and Beleskey is here longest

I'm not as down in Vatrano

Out of the three you mentioned, it should easily be Spooner as he's by far the most productive of that bunch. Vatrano is and has always been a tweener. He's good for the AHL, but not good enough for the NHL. Beleskey is and will always be one of the worst, most misguided free agent signings in this team's history. He's easily right up there with Marty LaPointe as a complete stretch that was all but guaranteed to fall back to earth after a career season.

 

[Mainehockey33]

No way I want Vatrano on waivers. He is young, can skate and shoot, still lots of potential here.

Then what should they do with him, keep him as the extra forward? I’d be ok with that as long as he isn’t playing when we have multiple better options. We’re deep at LW and already have Beleskey wasting a spot.

 

[billings21]

vatrano deserves more time. seems like he's in cassidy's doghouse but i still hold out hope. he has tools other guys don't have. it would be idiotic to get rid of him

 

[Seidenbergy]

Then what should they do with him, keep him as the extra forward? I’d be ok with that as long as he isn’t playing when we have multiple better options. We’re deep at LW and already have Beleskey wasting a spot.

Deep at LW!?! Seriously?!? I know DeBrusk has shown some flashes out of the gate, but it's a tad early to fill out those HOF ballots.

Aside from Marchand they have zero proven NHL-caliber left wingers as of today. They have Belesky (puke) and then......? A whole lot of potential but nothing even close to guaranteed.

 

[DKH]

Out of the three you mentioned, it should easily be Spooner as he's by far the most productive of that bunch. Vatrano is and has always been a tweener. He's good for the AHL, but not good enough for the NHL. Beleskey is and will always be one of the worst, most misguided free agent signings in this team's history. He's easily right up there with Marty LaPointe as a complete stretch that was all but guaranteed to fall back to earth after a career season.

Spooner is on a one year deal and there is enough to deduce he's not here beyond this year

I was clearly liking that signing. Mike called it I didn't see it. Many others liked.

I don't want to look like a hypocrite and say that I thought it was bad because I didn't.

The way it has played out and with potential replacements it looks bad

I give you guys credit

 

[Mainehockey33]

Deep at LW!?! Seriously?!? I know DeBrusk has shown some flashes out of the gate, but it's a tad early to fill out those HOF ballots.

Aside from Marchand they have zero proven NHL-caliber left wingers as of today. They have Belesky (puke) and then......? A whole lot of potential but nothing even close to guaranteed.

Not including Debrusk or Marchand, they have Cehlarik, Agostino, Heinen, and Schaller that would be better options at this point. Two of them have played better this year, and the other twos RW knocking at the door for a chance to prove themselves. They’re probably not going to all be Marchand’s but I bet they’ll be better than Vatrano.

 

[Tampbear]

I think he could really use some time in the AHL, I think he needs to find his game again after last year's setback but I don't think there is any chance he makes it through waivers. Alternatively I would like to see him get 4th line minutes when everyone is healthy. I don't think this team has the necessary depth or chemistry to shelter Vatrano at the moment. Maybe with Bergeron and Backes healthy and a few more games for Bjork and Debrusk the lineup will start to stabilize.

 

[gvkmedia]

We have a lot of below average players. Vatrano is teetering on average to below right now - along with Schaller, Nash, Acciari and Beleskey. Kuraly is close to this group as well.

These are all 4th line guys. Kuraly has a chance to move up a line and that's about it. Only if Backes anchors him with his presence.

That's a lot of crap to sort through.

What was this thread title? Is Vatrano experiment over? I don't think so. Maybe if paired with Nash and Acciari on the 4th line? I would then put DeBrusk with Backes and Kuraly, call up Cehlarik to play with Krejci and Pasta. I think that is our best bet unless Sweeney develops nerves of steel and makes a bold move.

Of course trades don't happen in the NHL anymore so what's the point.

 

[BruinDust]

Vatrano is a winger, and his struggles do not impact this team in the same negative manner that Spooner's does. When Spooner struggles, he drags his entire line down playing in the middle.

One year ago, many here had Vatrano pegged for a Top 6 wing job once he returned from injury.

Kid can score, that's something you can't teach. His confidence is probably hurting right now, doubtful he's gone through scoring droughts in his hockey career the way he has since about mid-January last year.

Put him with someone who can get him the puck in those soft spots in the offensive zone. I liked him with Backes and when Backes returns, I'd put Frankie alongside him perhaps with Heinen.

Let the hands of stone crowd (Belesky, Nash, Schaller, Kuraly, Accairi when healthy) battle it out for the 4th line jobs.

Spooner can go kick rocks.

 

[Don Cherry]

It looks like he continues to regress. If he’s not taking boneheaded penalties he’s invisible out there. With guys like Agostino, Cehlarik, and Heinen, there’s no need to keep throwing Vatrano out there.

Putting FV on waivers should be easier than putting Subban on waivers.

Agreed. As I said in another thread, he's a one-trick-pony with one trick that isn't even all that good. I think I've seen more than enough.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Interesting how many player experiment threads are here. Not a good sign for the Bruins.

 

[Don Cherry]

Interesting how many player experiment threads are here. Not a good sign for the Bruins.

I'm just waiting for the GM experiment thread.

 

[Mainehockey33]

Vatrano is a winger, and his struggles do not impact this team in the same negative manner that Spooner's does. When Spooner struggles, he drags his entire line down playing in the middle.

One year ago, many here had Vatrano pegged for a Top 6 wing job once he returned from injury.

Kid can score, that's something you can't teach. His confidence is probably hurting right now, doubtful he's gone through scoring droughts in his hockey career the way he has since about mid-January last year.

Put him with someone who can get him the puck in those soft spots in the offensive zone. I liked him with Backes and when Backes returns, I'd put Frankie alongside him perhaps with Heinen.

Let the hands of stone crowd (Belesky, Nash, Schaller, Kuraly, Accairi when healthy) battle it out for the 4th line jobs.

Spooner can go kick rocks.

You said the same thing about Beleskey. The problem is when both wingers suck and the center isn’t named Crosby or Bergeron, the line is going to suck. Ask Krejci what it’s like playing with AHL talent.

Vatrano hasn’t scored in a long time, and that’s the only thing he was ever good at. We can’t keep rolling guys like Vatrano and Beleskey out there and then blame it on the center, especially next year when we could have a rookie like JFK, Studnicka or Frederic on the team.

 

[LSCII]

Still can't have a reasonable Frank Vatrano discussion without Spooner being interjected. It's fascinating how this dynamic works. Ironically, FV sucks plenty enough on his own to not be on the team, and no other player need be brought into the conversation as proof or disproof of any said suckage.

 

[VanIsle]

Remember all other teams have guys like this, not every player works out or every player isn't Bergeron, Marchand, etc.

There are tonnes of guys who have played 50-150 games that are ho-hum.

 

[BruinDust]

You said the same thing about Beleskey. The problem is when both wingers suck and the center isn’t named Crosby or Bergeron, the line is going to suck. Ask Krejci what it’s like playing with AHL talent.

Vatrano hasn’t scored in a long time, and that’s the only thing he was ever good at. We can’t keep rolling guys like Vatrano and Beleskey out there and then blame it on the center, especially next year when we could have a rookie like JFK, Studnicka or Frederic on the team.

Sure did, I see lot's of similarities in both guys struggles.

Is there struggles ONLY because of who their primary center is? No, I'm not saying that at all.

Make no mistake, being put alongside Ryan Spooner isn't going to help any winger they way he's played post-Julien.

I'm saying that ANY winger if he isn't playing well has less of an overall impact on the team than ANY center who isn't playing well. Having your centers playing sound hockey is the key to the whole thing IMO.

I don't care about next year or any of those prospects. They need to figure things out now. The debate has been about Belesky, Spooner, and Vatrano. All 3 are struggling, off the 3, removing the center will mitigate the impact of their struggles more than removing a winger. I'd say the same about any player.

 

[since76]

Very sad but i lost hope for frankie, wish i am wrong but...will not happen...

 

[Seidenbergy]

Not including Debrusk or Marchand, they have Cehlarik, Agostino, Heinen, and Schaller that would be better options at this point. Two of them have played better this year, and the other twos RW knocking at the door for a chance to prove themselves. They’re probably not going to all be Marchand’s but I bet they’ll be better than Vatrano.

I like to equate depth with quality, not quantity.

Using my definition, the Bs are anything BUT deep at LW.

 

[Mainehockey33]

I like to equate depth with quality, not quantity.

Using my definition, the Bs are anything BUT deep at LW.

Either way I think they have players that can step in and play better then Frankie. He’s shown nothing since mid season last year.