GDT: 12/28 - Part 2 - Boston Bruins @ Ottawa Senators - 7pm ET - CBC, NHLN, NESN, 98.5 FM

[mislysBB]

IMO, this west coast trip will certainly be a battle, much like the Canadian trip earlier this month. Would be great to pull out wins, but I won't be too disappointed if we don't come out with points with all of the injuries and things that we've got going on with this team.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Honestly Barkowski's been denigrated more than i think he deserves lately... i thought he had a solid game overall. He was involved all over the ice, and he is not afraid to mix it up behind EITHER net.

The ease with which Bart skates the puck from Tuukka/Chad's end, and worms through all the way to the offensive zone -- sometimes deep in the zone all the way to the corner (upon which he usually absorbs a big hit rather well) -- can be very impressive.

In fact, after Warsofsky's goal it had me thinking that Bartkowski should be working on that type of shot from that area. Bart gets to those same spots by himself with relative ease... the kid (both of them, really) is a great skater.

Warsofsky looked just like Bart the way he carried the puck past the offensive blue line, skating that serpentine-ish route through the neutral zone. Only instead of dumping it to one of the corners to set-up a cycle, or skating it down to the corner himself, Warsofsky simply pulled up and ripped an absolute bomb.

Someone has said this before... but right now it seems to be the case. Bartkowski's got all the tools but at times it seems like he just doesn't have the toolbox.

I still think Bart is better defensively and stronger on the puck (he's a significantly bigger body, so he should be... but still) than either Krug or Warsofsky seems to be.

Maybe i am in the minority but when Krug is not scoring, i am more comfortable with Barkowski on the blueline. But Krug isn't the liablity some pretend he is... i just think Bart is the better defensive D-man.

Krug's offensive ability is already fairly well-proven. He hit a wall but i think he will finish the season either 1st in D-man goals or 2nd behind Chara... i know, bold prediction

If Bart can work on his shot... he has the physical/skating tools to be a force offensively too. He needs to get a better slapper but i was impressed with the way he handled the additional action he got last night.

The goal he was on for was as flukey and as "no one's fault" as a goal could possibly be. He may have been on for another but i didn't notice. I did notice Bart was all over the place last night, very active physically and had an active stick.

I think some people are too quick to dismiss Bart, or McQuaid for that matter, and what both bring to the table. That being said, i was extremely impressed with Warsofsky's lateral movement on the power play.

He is every bit as a good of a lateral skater (on the PP in particular) as Krug has shown himself to be.

OK i am done with my rant now

For me, the best Bartkowski looked this season was Friday night paired with McQuaid.
Too bad by circumstance they weren't allowed to keep them together last night.

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

For me, the best Bartkowski looked this season was Friday night paired with McQuaid.
Too bad by circumstance they weren't allowed to keep them together last night.

Yes Bart/McQuaid seemed to work well together... and it was a shutout so really you could say at least a decent game for all our blueliners. Seidenberg was having such a good game too

 

[Hamilton Brian]

8 games out of the next 16 versus legitimate contenders,they'll be all over those defensemen,a true litmus test.

Here's a good run to a) enculture the new kids to the group b) give management a chance to see how they perform under good, heavy pressure and c) begin to make some plans for changes should (b) not pan out too well.

We have some cushion in the standings to allow this to happen. I'd even advocate that we need to let this happen even IF we didn't have that cushion.

 

[TCL40]

I still think Bart has some potential to fill Seids' shoes but I think he needs more NHL games to get there.

He has great skating and generally good passing-he still seems to brain fart a lot though-I compare him to Boychuk in his first few NHL seasons where he could do some really good things but then pinch at the worst times or make a pass to the other team or in an area without Ny Bruins.

But given the fact that our #4 D-man on the depth chart was our #1 and Krug was one of the veterans-the defense held up.

If a team can't expose that young a defense a few times they have problems.

Chara doesn't sound like it's anything serious (I have heard both lower body and the flu-my hope is actually for the flu) and Dougie is close. If we get those two back and play a few games I think Chia will get a good sense as to whether this D will need some help through trade.

Kelly will also be due back mid to end of the month and Thorntonnin a couple of weeks.

The only player truly in doubt about a return is Louie-and to be honest if he doesn't return this season I think a line of Kelly, Spooner and Yeti will be fine.

 

[Blitzkrug]

In all honesty, the D did alright considering the circumstances. The only thing i was concerned with is that it looked like they were chasing on the PK, which is uncommon for this team.

Chara slotting back in fixes most of the problems. (except for weird bounces >_>)

I still think we should at least kick the tires on a replacement for Seids.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Honestly Barkowski's been denigrated more than i think he deserves lately... i thought he had a solid game overall. He was involved all over the ice, and he is not afraid to mix it up behind EITHER net.

The ease with which Bart skates the puck from Tuukka/Chad's end, and worms through all the way to the offensive zone -- sometimes deep in the zone all the way to the corner (upon which he usually absorbs a big hit rather well) -- can be very impressive.

In fact, after Warsofsky's goal it had me thinking that Bartkowski should be working on that type of shot from that area. Bart gets to those same spots by himself with relative ease... the kid (both of them, really) is a great skater.

Warsofsky looked just like Bart the way he carried the puck past the offensive blue line, skating that serpentine-ish route through the neutral zone. Only instead of dumping it to one of the corners to set-up a cycle, or skating it down to the corner himself, Warsofsky simply pulled up and ripped an absolute bomb.

Someone has said this before... but right now it seems to be the case. Bartkowski's got all the tools but at times it seems like he just doesn't have the toolbox.

I still think Bart is better defensively and stronger on the puck (he's a significantly bigger body, so he should be... but still) than either Krug or Warsofsky seems to be.

Maybe i am in the minority but when Krug is not scoring, i am more comfortable with Barkowski on the blueline. But Krug isn't the liablity some pretend he is... i just think Bart is the better defensive D-man.

Krug's offensive ability is already fairly well-proven. He hit a wall but i think he will finish the season either 1st in D-man goals or 2nd behind Chara... i know, bold prediction

If Bart can work on his shot... he has the physical/skating tools to be a force offensively too. He needs to get a better slapper but i was impressed with the way he handled the additional action he got last night.

The goal he was on for was as flukey and as "no one's fault" as a goal could possibly be. He may have been on for another but i didn't notice. I did notice Bart was all over the place last night, very active physically and had an active stick.

I think some people are too quick to dismiss Bart, or McQuaid for that matter, and what both bring to the table. That being said, i was extremely impressed with Warsofsky's lateral movement on the power play.

He is every bit as a good of a lateral skater (on the PP in particular) as Krug has shown himself to be.

OK i am done with my rant now

I thought Bart skated very well last night.I am comfortable with Krug,Hamilton and Bart being in the top 6 come playoff time.We still could use a veteran D but I am not sure we have to go after a no.2 defenceman to replace Seidenberg. The three kids will play now the rest of the way anyway.Hamilton was playing very well before he went down,he was very poised ,his minutes will go up,obviously with Seidenberg out.

 

[BRUINS since 1995]

I thought Bart skated very well last night.I am comfortable with Krug,Hamilton and Bart being in the top 6 come playoff time.We still could use a veteran D but I am not sure we have to go after a no.2 defenceman to replace Seidenberg. The three kids will play now the rest of the way anyway.Hamilton was playing very well before he went down,he was very poised ,his minutes will go up,obviously with Seidenberg out.

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Hope you're right. I don't have your confidence on Krug and Bart.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

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Hope you're right. I don't have your confidence on Krug and Bart.

Hopefully Bart can gain some confidence the rest of the way. He has appeared very tentative at times but I liked what I saw last night.In any event PC will go after a veteran D, I am just not sure he needs to sell the farm to get a top 4 D.Reilly Smith's development does give PC some options,though.