Player Discussion Ryan Spooner VII

[GloryDaze4877]

I really thought (based on what I saw in the preseason), that this would finally be the year that Spooner “got it”. Based on his play in the regular season up to this point, he wasn’t getting it. However, with Bergeron out, I was willing to wait and see what he would look like when 37 came back.

The injury makes that a moot point. They really can’t deal him without him playing and increasing his value. And with the injury he can’t play.

 

[wintersej]

Kane has 10 points in 7 games so far. Can’t see them taking our castaways for him. It would be worth adding a first.

IF the Bruins are playing well close to TDL, huge fan of grabbing Kane even at the cost of a 1st. Not sure if Buff would go in the division like that.

But Kane creates so many options in the middle six paired. As a big and fast and mean dude, he would fit in well with the Bruins ideas around an aggressive dogged forecheck. He plays as the "alpha" on his line with the puck on his stick a lot, which makes me think he and Backes running a 3rd line together would be ideal. Or you can try to re-create Lucic/Horton with Backes/Kane around Krejci. If it works, re-signing him becomes difficult unless you find a way to jettison Beleksey, McQuaid and Spooner, so you have to think of it as a rental.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Ryan has the skill to be an NHL player, but I'm not sure he has the commitment to the actual grind of being one. It is no coincidence that he looks most effective when the team has a man advantage. Doesn't ever seem to want to put himself in a position where he might have to make physical contact with the opposition, and you just won't make it in the NHL playing like that. Even the most successful skill players still have to take their knocks. Spooner seems to think he can somehow completely avoid that aspect of the game and still make it.

 

[PlayMakers]

I wonder if the groin issue is the reason his play dropped from training camp to regular season? I would love for that to be the case. Time is running out.

 

[ODAAT]

I wonder if the groin issue is the reason his play dropped from training camp to regular season? I would love for that to be the case. Time is running out.

I didn`t hear/read of any mention of it during camp or early season but that doesn`t mean it was there. He was invisible regardless once camp broke and the season started

 

[bp13]

I wonder if the groin issue is the reason his play dropped from training camp to regular season? I would love for that to be the case. Time is running out.

How hopelessly optimistic of you Bill. You're an inspiration!

Honestly can't tell if you were being a little tongue-in-cheek with this or not, so I'll respond honestly and say I doubt his play has anything to do with health. I think training camp is another level, and there he's likely to look better, whereas the regular season Ryan Spooner is all too familiar to us. As for time running out, I'm still baffled as to why he's still here, so who knows when his time runs out. Not going to surprise me if Sweeney gives him a long-term extension at this point.

 

[DominicT]

What do Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey have in common? (besides being the two whipping boys on the Bruins)

@DKH is not allowed to answer.

 

[LouJersey]

What do Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey have in common? (besides being the two whipping boys on the Bruins)

@DKH is not allowed to answer.

They have absolutely no value to anyone?

 

[DKH]

What do Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey have in common? (besides being the two whipping boys on the Bruins)

@DKH is not allowed to answer.

Ha ha

Now if you were an agent and I was the GM I think I'd see you a lot

 

[ODAAT]

They have absolutely no value to anyone?

BAZINGA

 

[incidental otter]

What do Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey have in common? (besides being the two whipping boys on the Bruins)

@DKH is not allowed to answer.

Both are left-shooting Ontario boys, have almost-identical career goals-per-game, and have homophonically-named dogs.

 

[Hali33]

What do Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey have in common? (besides being the two whipping boys on the Bruins)

@DKH is not allowed to answer.

Does the answer involve a cannon pointed directly at the sun?

 

[PlayMakers]

How hopelessly optimistic of you Bill. You're an inspiration!

Honestly can't tell if you were being a little tongue-in-cheek with this or not, so I'll respond honestly and say I doubt his play has anything to do with health. I think training camp is another level, and there he's likely to look better, whereas the regular season Ryan Spooner is all too familiar to us. As for time running out, I'm still baffled as to why he's still here, so who knows when his time runs out. Not going to surprise me if Sweeney gives him a long-term extension at this point.

Ha! I was being honest. He got my hopes up with his pre-season. Then was terrible, even with Pastranak and Marchand. I concede, training camp is a step below regular season and that could be why he looked better or maybe was more confident/willing to engage.

As for time is running out, even if Sweeney does nothing (which let's face it, is kind of his thing), JFK and Frederic are going to be pushing for spots. Both will have legit shots by next year, but Frederic may come in at the end of the year like McAvoy, and JFK could get an audition by the trade deadline. In my eyes, that's when the clock runs out. Spooner has to make himself indispensable by then or he'll fall into the no man's land where Frank Vatrano currently resides.

 

[Mainehockey33]

I’ll admit I was wrong too. I saw the flashes of brilliance and wanted to believe he could do that all the time. At least now we have some good center prospects coming up soon that will probably be better. Spooner just doesn’t have the battle to play center successfully in the NHL. To be honest he didn’t have it the times I saw him a few years ago when Providence played Portland in Lewiston.

 

[bp13]

What do Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey have in common? (besides being the two whipping boys on the Bruins)

@DKH is not allowed to answer.

I decided to look up "whipping boy" in the dictionary for the hell of it. It means:

1. a person who is made to bear the blame for another's mistake;scapegoat.
2. (formerly) a boy educated along with and taking punishment in place of a young prince or nobleman.

It's funny because I always felt the definition was more someone who took a disproportionate amount of criticism, rather than misdirected criticism, which this definition seems to imply. So I conclude it's not correct to call either player a whipping boy as neither receives blame for others' mistakes. Both players suck quite enough on their own accord and wholeheartedly deserve the ration of blame they get here.

As for what they have in common, let's hope it's something like "both players have recently hired real estate agents from other regions of the country."

 

[Blowfish]

Reside in Ottawa hi tech valley.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

What do Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey have in common? (besides being the two whipping boys on the Bruins)

@DKH is not allowed to answer.

Thought for sure Dan's reply gave it away, but I guess not?

If anyone is interested, Spooner and Beleskey are both represented by the same agent, Murray Kuntz (no I didn't make that name up, and no, Dan didn't tell me the answer).

Perhaps he can package them together and facilitate a deal...

 

[DKH]

Does the answer involve a cannon pointed directly at the sun?

Ha ha .....that is funny

 

[DominicT]

I decided to look up "whipping boy" in the dictionary for the hell of it. It means:

1. a person who is made to bear the blame for another's mistake;scapegoat.
2. (formerly) a boy educated along with and taking punishment in place of a young prince or nobleman.

It's funny because I always felt the definition was more someone who took a disproportionate amount of criticism, rather than misdirected criticism, which this definition seems to imply. So I conclude it's not correct to call either player a whipping boy as neither receives blame for others' mistakes. Both players suck quite enough on their own accord and wholeheartedly deserve the ration of blame they get here.

As for what they have in common, let's hope it's something like "both players have recently hired real estate agents from other regions of the country."

for the million times "whipping boy" has been used on HF boards, this is the time you look it up?

Scapegoat:
(in the Bible) a goat sent into the wilderness

Granted, neither Spooner or Beleskey are the greatest of all time but......

 

[Seidenbergy]

for the million times "whipping boy" has been used on HF boards, this is the time you look it up?

Scapegoat:
(in the Bible) a goat sent into the wilderness

Granted, neither Spooner or Beleskey are the greatest of all time but......

The resemblance to the way the two of them play the game is uncanny and can be seen in more detail here:

 

[Mick Riddleton]

I think they are both picked on in a mob/peer pressure way. They are not that bad and have value. Any bottom team could use them. Beleskey probably with retained salary could be moved if he continues to show hustle. Spooner is an easy target and some of the posts I seen when he got hurt were uncalled for. They have both been replaced on this team this year and can and should be moved because they have some value.

 

[Seidenbergy]

If by "value" you mean a conditional 5th-7th rounder, then yes, I would agree that they have value.

Real value though? No way. Both would've been moved in the last 12 months if they had any "real" value.

 

[Gee Wally]

What do Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey have in common? (besides being the two whipping boys on the Bruins)

@DKH is not allowed to answer.

They both belong on The Isle of Misfit Toys?

 

[smack66]

What do Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey have in common? (besides being the two whipping boys on the Bruins)

@DKH is not allowed to answer.

their combined salary and value to the team is similar to David Backes?

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

I think they are both picked on in a mob/peer pressure way. They are not that bad and have value. Any bottom team could use them. Beleskey probably with retained salary could be moved if he continues to show hustle. Spooner is an easy target and some of the posts I seen when he got hurt were down right pathetic, well it showed how small some posters really are. They have both been replaced on this team this year and can and should be moved because they have some value.

I hope you're right, but I really doubt any team would take Beleskey, even if we did retain some salary. He's just not built for today's game, no matter how much he hustles. He's ALWAYS behind the play and is basically a circling ghost who takes a few spins on the ice chasing guys with the puck for 30 seconds and then makes his way back to the bench. Nice way to be a millionaire, if you can get it.

Spooner has more value, of course, but not a whole helluva lot more.