Player Discussion Zdeno Chara - II

[BruinsFTW]

Had a hell of a game against PHX. He's been solid so far. His mentor ship alone is worth signing another year or two

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Had a hell of a game against PHX. He's been solid so far. His mentor ship alone is worth signing another year or two

He was a beast last night,but the two games before he sucked,I don't have a problem extending his contract for a year or two,depending on the cap hit that is,and the Bruins will need to cut back his ice time ,and move him down in the rotation.I just don't think having a 40 something old player as your number one defenceman is good for the team going forward.

 

[Comedy of Errors]

Chara was horrible last night in Vegas. Looks like back to back games should be taken off his schedule.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Chara was horrible last night in Vegas. Looks like back to back games should be taken off his schedule.

The entire team was awful last night,Chara included.

 

[Dr Hook]

The entire team was awful last night,Chara included.

True enough, but Chara was also awful in the two Colorado games, and even in the Phoenix game, despite the offensive production, he didn't look that good. I love Chara, and it is still early, but he might have finally hit the wall here. His reactions seem off and he looks slower and less agile than last season (and he really couldn't afford to get any slower or less agile). More bothering to me than that is the decision making around the puck- it has not looked very solid. Not sure if it's a case of knowing what he wants to do but not being able to pull it off any longer, or something else, but he needs to be better for us. Yes, the whole team was poor, but with so many young players who we have to expect to have consistency issues and growing pains, our vets, particularly our captain, need to be able to bring a higher level of play most nights. If not, it's going to be a long, frustrating season.

 

[LSCII]

Chara has looked very shaky for the entire season, not just last night. But last night in particular, he was especially brutal.

 

[BruinDust]

Chara has looked very shaky for the entire season, not just last night. But last night in particular, he was especially brutal.

I haven't had an issue with his play without the puck.

But his play with the puck however, has be very shaky. Turnovers, bad passes, fanned shots, bobbled pucks, you name it.

 

[LSCII]

I haven't had an issue with his play without the puck.

But his play with the puck however, has be very shaky. Turnovers, bad passes, fanned shots, bobbled pucks, you name it.

Yep, he's looked lost out there with the puck. In terms of without the puck, I've been very underwhelmed by his spacing and positioning too. That's been very poor this season, from what I've seen.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

True enough, but Chara was also awful in the two Colorado games, and even in the Phoenix game, despite the offensive production, he didn't look that good. I love Chara, and it is still early, but he might have finally hit the wall here. His reactions seem off and he looks slower and less agile than last season (and he really couldn't afford to get any slower or less agile). More bothering to me than that is the decision making around the puck- it has not looked very solid. Not sure if it's a case of knowing what he wants to do but not being able to pull it off any longer, or something else, but he needs to be better for us. Yes, the whole team was poor, but with so many young players who we have to expect to have consistency issues and growing pains, our vets, particularly our captain, need to be able to bring a higher level of play most nights. If not, it's going to be a long, frustrating season.

Chara at this point shouldn't be getting number one minutes,It's as simple as that and does nothing to help this team going forward.

 

[smack66]

I hope they don't extend him during the year. I'm not necessarily opposed to an extension but would prefer to see how he plays the first 50 before committing to another year of Big Z

 

[NDiesel]

Oddly enough he looks much faster this year, but besides that everything else is declining slowly.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

I saw this coming last year and said as much. Chara is still a pretty scary guy defensively, but his puck handling and agility have been steadily declining. He absolutely has to have a mobile D partner like McAvoy or Carlo. I believe he was good for Carlo last year, but that Carlo (and his mobility) really helped Chara as much/more.

The whole team was flat (again) last night, but you have to wonder if the back to back games affected Chara more than most. His puck handling was not good and and if I had a dollar for every time he has lobbed the puck in the air or banked it off the glass to nobody and given up puck possession, I could have retired already.

I appreciate all he has done for the team, but unless he comes on as the season progresses, I’m not offering an extension.

 

[NDiesel]

I saw this coming last year and said as much. Chara is still a pretty scary guy defensively, but his puck handling and agility have been steadily declining. He absolutely has to have a mobile D partner like McAvoy or Carlo. I believe he was good for Carlo last year, but that Carlo (and his mobility) really helped Chara as much/more.

The whole team was flat (again) last night, but you have to wonder if the back to back games affected Chara more than most. His puck handling was not good and and if I had a dollar for every time he has lobbed the puck in the air or banked it off the glass to nobody and given up puck possession, I could have retired already.

I appreciate all he has done for the team, but unless he comes on as the season progresses, I’m not offering an extension.

I'm not sure it's so black and white. I think with the youth we have coming up he's probably worth giving another year based on the leadership/experience he can offer alone.

As for signing him for his play, he could maybe be a 2nd or 3rd pairing guy past this year, but he should definitely not touch the first pairing anymore.

The big issue I see is we don't have any one on the left side who can be the first pairing, so who do we replace him with?

 

[Fenway]

From Elliotte Friedman

7. Two years ago, Los Angeles and San Jose were among those who asked Boston about Zdeno Chara. Last summer, I think there were others. (There were rumblings about Toronto, but that was refuted by everyone involved. So don’t go crazy on it.) If the Bruins continue to struggle, it will only heat up. But GM Don Sweeney re-iterated on the weekend that his plan is to re-sign the future Hall of Famer and talks are under way to do so.

 

[pineapplestastegood]

They are going to extend him, because they are stupid.

 

[Dr Hook]

The big issue I see is we don't have any one on the left side who can be the first pairing, so who do we replace him with?

It will have to be traded for or we need a big FA signing in a summer or two. In terms of long-range planning and team-building, it seems to me to be less than ideal to predicate a defense corps around the idea that Chara can play till 45 at an acceptable level.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Chara at this point shouldn't be getting number one minutes,It's as simple as that and does nothing to help this team going forward.

Who should?

 

[JP Nolan]

They are going to extend him, because they are stupid.

100%.......Sweeney is in way over his head. If they extend this guy it will be the single dumbest signing since......David Backes.

 

[ODAAT]

Who should?

I`ll be waiting for that answer too

 

[pineapplestastegood]

100%.......Sweeney is in way over his head. If they extend this guy it will be the single dumbest signing since......David Backes.

Were the Kevan Miller and Adam McQuaid extensions before or after Backes? Not that the Backes contract was good, but both of those other contracts are even worse.

All of this "Just cut back his minutes, play him like a 2nd/3rd pairing D."

They will never do that. There's too much respect, or whatever you want to call it, for who he was and what he's done. Part of the reason why, of course, is because there's no other number 1 D pair that jumps out at you, or even a number 2 D pair (sorry Krugers, he's not).

They can not re-sign him after this year, I don't care what the number is. It's time to move on, it's for the best. Do the right thing (they won't).

 

[PB37]

Chara's stats right now are very good, small sample size of course: leading the team with a +6 ( Marchand is 2nd with a +3 ) and on pace to match points with his age. His CORSI and FENWICK are upper tier.

However, using the eye test, I would say that Chara has struggled more this year than any year I can remember. He looks quicker, but his stick-handling has been atrocious. His coverage without the puck is still elite, but he's getting caught at the blueline a lot and has fallen down more this year than possibly his last 3 combined.

If his play can match his stats, then it's just another year of being Chara. Watching him out there right now however, there is a pause for concern considering his age - again, small sample size being taken into consideration.

 

[LSCII]

Chara's stats right now are very good, small sample size of course: leading the team with a +6 ( Marchand is 2nd with a +3 ) and on pace to match points with his age. His CORSI and FENWICK are upper tier.

However, using the eye test, I would say that Chara has struggled more this year than any year I can remember. He looks quicker, but his stick-handling has been atrocious. His coverage without the puck is still elite, but he's getting caught at the blueline a lot and has fallen down more this year than possibly his last 3 combined.

If his play can match his stats, then it's just another year of being Chara. Watching him out there right now however, there is a pause for concern considering his age - again, small sample size being taken into consideration.

This is exactly right. Stats look good, but his on ice play is suspect. Luckily, most of his mistakes have not yet cost them, but how long is that sustainable? Even last night he had a brutal play when he had the puck in front of the net, took a stride, lost his balance and turned it over in a very bad spot. Again, it didn't cost them in that case, but at some point a mistake like that will end up in the back of their net.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

This is exactly right. Stats look good, but his on ice play is suspect. Luckily, most of his mistakes have not yet cost them, but how long is that sustainable? Even last night he had a brutal play when he had the puck in front of the net, took a stride, lost his balance and turned it over in a very bad spot. Again, it didn't cost them in that case, but at some point a mistake like that will end up in the back of their net.

stats are literally measurements of on-ice play.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

stats are literally measurements of on-ice play.

Yes and no.

Plus/Minus IMO is more of a team/line stat unless a player goes against the norm. I like to look at individual plays to see context. A Dman could have a bad TO in his own end and a goal is scored. The whole line gets a minus, even if the other 4 guys were doing exactly what they were supposed to.

I have not liked Chara’s play much this year, regardless of what the stats say. His puck handling has been bad, and he turns the puck over a lot. You aren’t going to win in this league unless your team can possess the puck.

 

[LSCII]

stats are literally measurements of on-ice play.

Let's go at this from a different way then. Stats aside, what have you thought of his play so far this year? Only taking into consideration the eyeball test, not his stats.