News Article: Bourdon wants in on Flyers' defensive battle

[Embiid]

Would be nice to have him in the mix if he can maintain his health. Showed a lot of promise before the concussions...

VOORHEES — Most players went home, wherever that may be, after the Flyers’ season ended in April.

Not defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon.

Only recently has he found company at the Skate Zone as some teammates have started migrating back to the area to prepare for next month’s training camp.

The 23-year-old had something to prove after being kept off the ice since last November, when he sustained his second concussion in a year. Dizziness, neck soreness and sensitivity to light have forced him into a long recovery and he now wears a tinted visor on the ice.

His rehab program has demanded so much of his time that he’s only left the area twice all summer. He left for a week to hang out with former teammates Mike and J.P. Testwuide near their Colorado home, but he was skating. He went to Switzerland for five days on a charitable trip for the Hockey Ministries International program, but he found ice there, too.

Since he returned from La Vallée de Joux, Switzerland in late July, Bourdon has gone back to work.


http://www.courierpostonline.com/ar...yers-defensive-battle?gcheck=1&nclick_check=1

Click to read more...

 

[FlyersFan61290]

I was never overly impressed with him but if he earns a spot then he earns it but I don't see it happening.

 

[Evergreen]

I can't read the article without a subscription?

Anyway, I don't see Bourdon playing any games with the Flyers this season unless we have more than one significant injury on the blue line. It's good that he's on the road to recovery, but if he's wearing a tinted visor because he still has sensitivity to light, then it doesn't appear that he's fully recovered.

 

[lancer247]

I forgot he is only 23 y/o. It would be great to have him as an option to compete with Gus on the 3rd pairing. His skill set and contract would be nice for a bottom pairing.

 

[Danko]

I am a huge fan of his and clearly he has great work ethic, hopefully he can compete and make that 6th/7th battle really tough...hopefully preventing us from getting another guy like Huskins, Lilja, Kubina etc...

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Competition certainly can't hurt. I still think Mez gets the last spot if he is here (and the Cap allows it). But if he's out Gus vs. Bourdon would make for an interesting position battle.

 

[BernieParent]

I'm rooting for Bourdon to make it back to being a serious consideration for the Flyers roster sometime during the season. He's not waiver exempt, though, but I'm wondering if he'd be on another team's radar screen if he were to be called up. Plus, I'd imagine (which is short form for "I'm too lazy to look it up and wouldn't know where to start") Bourdon could be assigned to the Phantoms on a post-LTIR conditioning assignment.

Neat that Bourdon is involved in Hockey Ministries International. Makes me like him all the more.

 

[Embiid]

I was never overly impressed with him but if he earns a spot then he earns it but I don't see it happening.

What weren't you overly impressed with....was it his play after the concussions because before them he was very good?

Even Timonen praised him and said he would play a long time in the league which was ironic considering what Marc has had to contend with healthwise...

 

[FlyersFan61290]

What weren't you overly impressed with....was it his play after the concussions because before them he was very good?

Even Timonen praised him and said he would play a long time in the league which was ironic considering what Marc has had to contend with healthwise...

I wouldn't say his play before the concussion was very good. He was good but wasn't more then a 3rd pairing guy. Sure he could've and still could turn into more but IMO he never was more then a 3rd pairing d-man.

 

[Crescent Street]

More depth on defense? Sure, I'll take it. Cracking the line up? Not unless we have some serious injuries.

 

[RoDu]

I have a feeling MAB and Mez will be in a race to see who gets hurt first

 

[Cyborg LeClair]

I thought MAB was a great 5-6 dman. I don't think he is good enough to play higher in the lineup, but that's not a slight so long as you actually fill the rest of the defense with appropriately skilled players.

Definitely better than Lucas Krajicek or Ryan Parent.

Hope he recovers and finds a spot on the team.

 

[Dumpster Flyers]

To be honest, I think at this point the Flyers might as well experiment with him as a 4th line forward in pre-season. It fits his skill set and they might be able to find value there as he doesn't really have a place in an NHL top 6 defense at this point.

 

[dingbathero]

To be honest, I think at this point the Flyers might as well experiment with him as a 4th line forward in pre-season. It fits his skill set and they might be able to find value there as he doesn't really have a place in an NHL top 6 defense at this point.

I like this idea. He can grind it out. HAHA - wonder if he'd be able to do that, if it came to it - he would be the reverse Kapanen

4th line would be sick of

My Custom Lineup
FORWARDS
Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Claude Giroux ($3.750m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Brayden Schenn ($3.110m) / Vincent Lecavalier ($4.500m) / Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m)
Maxime Talbot ($1.750m) / Sean Couturier ($1.375m) / Matt Read ($0.900m)
Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m) / Adam Hall ($0.600m) / Marc-Andre Bourdon ($0.613m)
Jay Rosehill ($0.675m) /
Scott Laughton ($1.107m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Kimmo Timonen ($6.000m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Braydon Coburn ($4.500m) / Mark Streit ($5.250m)
Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m) / Andrej Meszaros ($4.000m)
Erik Gustafsson ($1.000m) /
GOALTENDERS
Ray Emery ($1.650m)
Steve Mason ($1.500m)

SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $62,341,022; BONUSES: $2,800,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $4,758,978y.

 

[orangey]

He's a nice D when healthy but that's a huge question mark. Lets face it, MAB is probably more injury prone than Mez at this point and that's not good. I wish him the best but he's one hit from his career being over at this point. It's a shame.

They should just keep 8 D for once considering how they always have multiple injuries at that position. Gervais would probably clear waivers if needed and if not oh well no great loss.

 

[JGalt]

If he can get back on the track he was on before the concussions I think he's a better player than Gus.

 

[daynus]

mez

heres the thing about mez, in the past 7 years, he has had 2 seasons where he has had injuries, and part of that problem, was bringing him back too soon or him coming back to soon. however you want to word it. just watch, if he is given extra time on his comeback this time, he will be good for the long haul. if he plays too early then yah, he will get injured soon. and he is a good 2 way dman, i would love him back playing for us.and he is only 27, so why do some insist on writing the guy off.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

heres the thing about mez, in the past 7 years, he has had 2 seasons where he has had injuries, and part of that problem, was bringing him back too soon or him coming back to soon. however you want to word it. just watch, if he is given extra time on his comeback this time, he will be good for the long haul. if he plays too early then yah, he will get injured soon. and he is a good 2 way dman, i would love him back playing for us.and he is only 27, so why do some insist on writing the guy off.

You basically answered your own question, Meszaros has proved in the last two years he can't be counted on to stay healthy & until he proves otherwise than people are going to continue to write him off.

 

[RoDu]

Mez has never been more than a third pairing 2nd PP unit guy for us. At this point he's as good as he's going to get, if he can even return to his peak performance level, but he also makes a lot for the role he plays for us

 

[fauxflex]

I admire and respect the determination and commitment Bourdon has made in training to come back from injury. I am a fan and felt that he was well on his way to being a top 4 defenseman (second pairing), before his health/injury problems. I don't know if he can regain his pre-concussed form, but I'm definitely pulling for the guy.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

You basically answered your own question, Meszaros has proved in the last two years he can't be counted on to stay healthy & until he proves otherwise than people are going to continue to write him off.

I don't understand this. Because he can't stay healthy he should be written off? This is like the way people think of Gagne. If he is healthy, let him play until he gets hurt. If he doesn't get hurt, great, you have a good season from Mez/Gagne. If he gets hurt, then someone else steps in. Not playing a better player because he might get hurt is stupid. Do you think Gus's (or the forward prospects') development is going to be stunted because he plays 60 games instead of 82? Injuries will happen. Guys will be healthy scratches. It has been discussed ad nauseum around here, but it is the veteran's job to lose, not the kids with less than a combined full season under their belts to lose, even if the last 20 games of the season they played well.

If they go in to camp and Mez sucks because of his injuries or otherwise, great put Gus out there. But if Mez is healthy and playing well, you don't put in Gus just because he is younger and Mez might get hurt. Same thing with if Gagne is brought back. If he can't hack it, ok. Waive him or make him #13. But you don't put Tye McGinn or Peter Straka out there just because Gagne is older and might get hurt.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I don't understand this. Because he can't stay healthy he should be written off? This is like the way people think of Gagne. If he is healthy, let him play until he gets hurt. If he doesn't get hurt, great, you have a good season from Mez/Gagne. If he gets hurt, then someone else steps in. Not playing a better player because he might get hurt is stupid. Do you think Gus's (or the forward prospects') development is going to be stunted because he plays 60 games instead of 82? Injuries will happen. Guys will be healthy scratches. It has been discussed ad nauseum around here, but it is the veteran's job to lose, not the kids with less than a combined full season under their belts to lose, even if the last 20 games of the season they played well.

If they go in to camp and Mez sucks because of his injuries or otherwise, great put Gus out there. But if Mez is healthy and playing well, you don't put in Gus just because he is younger and Mez might get hurt. Same thing with if Gagne is brought back. If he can't hack it, ok. Waive him or make him #13. But you don't put Tye McGinn or Peter Straka out there just because Gagne is older and might get hurt.

I was talking about expectations from a fan standpoint. Why would I expect anything good out of Meszaros when he can't stay healthy?

Maybe you're a little more optimistic than most but I don't see how it's unreasonable to be in a "have to see it to believe it" mode with Meszaros.

Besides $4M is pretty expensive price tag for a 3rd pairing defensemen with health concerns. It's not dumb to think he's the odd man out.