Do you approve of Rene Bourque?

[Lafleurs Guy]

I would rather have a death sentence for Bourque on the third line with DD than to have a death sentence for Pleks playing with Bourque on the 1st/2nd line.

When Pleks plays with Bourque on his line, his offensive production drops significantly. That was my biggest complaint during the playoffs last season. Therrien moved Ryder down away from Pleks (the hottest scoring line for us) and replaced him with Bourque (which turned Pleks into a non-factor).

Bourque is a floater who plays when he wants to and watches games when he wants to. Better to have that attitude skating with DD than to screw up Pleks and Gionta.

It's a catch 22 and it kills us. Bourque quite frankly isn't all that good a player. He misses the net a lot and wrecks chances that Pleks sets up.

Problem is though that we're a team of smurfs. Our team is just so badly out of balance that they're trying to add some size to an already small line. It is interesting though that as soon as they put Bournival on that line Pleks starts to produce.

They should just leave it as it is. Keep Bourque with DD on the 3rd and maybe add Briere there when he comes back. Plecs can play with Gionta and Bournival for the time being.

 

[PsychoticHab]

Bourque on the 4th line?

Is Bergevin looking to acquire Nathan Gerbe and Cory Conacher on the trade market?

I meant that I hope the team has a better Top 9 before Bourque's contract runs out moving him to the 4th line and not a demotion in the near future.

 

[habtastic]

IMO Bourque has been great this season, probably his best stretch as a Hab. Plays well in all situations and zones and I'm starting to really see the big body, speed and shot out of him that we wanted. Certainly not as dynamic as I expected when the trade was made, but I think he's moulded his game well. Sure, he misses the net a lot, but at least he shoots, and they're usually quality shots. He could easily have 6-7 goals by now, but good goalie stops.

I'm very happy with him. I think he plays well with Moen. If only they could find a center.

 

[Andy]

He is only making 3.3 million, generates a lot of chances and works hard in the offense zone along the wall. I don't see the problem. He's a good top 9 forward.

 

[Jee]

I like him

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

In terms of him missing shots btw, last season he missed 58 percent of his shots. He's not a huge shooter to begin with and 37 missed with only 63 taken is pretty sad. Compare that with Max (who shots the puck a lot) at a rate of around 35 percent and Plecs (77th in missed shots in the NHL) misses about 32 percent.

58 percent is pathetic. That's a lot of setups that get wasted. And it's usually 'cause the guy can't hit the net.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats....iewName=rtssPlayerStats&sort=missedShots&pg=4

Keep him with DD and let Bournival play with Plecs at least for now. It's working and we shouldn't fix what isn't broken. If we're lucky DD and Bourque can find some chemistry together.

 

[ECWHSWI]

In terms of him missing shots btw, last season he missed 58 percent of his shots. He's not a huge shooter to begin with and 37 missed with only 63 taken is pretty sad. Compare that with Max (who shots the puck a lot) at a rate of around 35 percent.

That's a lot of setups that get wasted. And it's usually 'cause the guy can't hit the net.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats....iewName=rtssPlayerStats&sort=missedShots&pg=4

Keep him with DD and let Bournival play with Plecs at least for now. It's working and we shouldn't fix what isn't broken. If we're lucky DD and Bourque can find some chemistry together.

and yet he's no worse than Eller and Subban, and better than Plekanec...

and his ratio is better than Patches.



proven wrong, again.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Native version of Andrei Kostitsyn.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

I got to watch Bourque a lot when he was in Calgary having his best years and he still left the fans and coaches frustrated by his lack of consistency, now that his production has dropped to half of what it was then he's this mythical physical productive soldier that's somehow neither physical nor productive according to parts of 3 seasons worth of stats

He can thank DD for keeping the sh*tlight off him, he's an overpaid 3rd liner who for +/- 20 games a year makes people believe he's something else, guaranteed the day Desharnais leaves he'll be the new whipping boy

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Native version of Andrei Kostitsyn.

Yeah except AK46 was nearly twice as productive and physical

 

[Markov4Captain]

you know what shooting percentage is right ?

Yeah that still doesn't change what I'm saying. Last night DD made him a perfect pass in the slot and he couldn't get his stick down. He didn't even touch the puck but missed a great chance to tie it. That doesn't appear in shooting percentage. He has a hard time finishing or capitalizing on scoring chances.

 

[Account Terminated]

There's been nothing wrong with Bourque's performance outside of results/execution. He's quick on his skates, moves the puck well and always finds himself in a position to receive a pass for a quality scoring chance. He just needs to start potting in some goals to gain his confidence and when he does, everyone will love him.

 

[Jamie Thomas]

I got to watch Bourque a lot when he was in Calgary having his best years and he still left the fans and coaches frustrated by his lack of consistency, now that his production has dropped to half of what it was then he's this mythical physical productive soldier that's somehow neither physical nor productive according to parts of 3 seasons worth of stats

This looks like the Rene Bourque I know.

If your expectations are low enough I guess he is ok as a 3rd liner.

 

[Beaker]

I like Bourque. The ultimate RDS tease.

 

[LeMAD]

I would do the same with Bourque as I would do with Gionta/Moen/Bouillon/Desharnais/Brière. And that is to keep him with the team, because we are still better with our underperforming vets that we would be with Leblanc/Holland/whatever, or any other underperforming vet they would get us in a trade.

Besides, all of these guys you love to hate aren't playing that bad at all. (well except Brière, maybe).

We have no other legit options in Hamilton. And if you want to improve your team with trades, you have to give up on some of your future.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

There's been nothing wrong with Bourque's performance outside of results/execution. He's quick on his skates, moves the puck well and always finds himself in a position to receive a pass for a quality scoring chance. He just needs to start potting in some goals to gain his confidence and when he does, everyone will love him.

He's on pace for 22 goals anyway. lol

I like him. He's a complimentary player at this point but I can deal with that.

 

[MXD]

Unsure.
But not a problem considering salary AND that we have nobody to replace him.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Unsure.
But not a problem considering salary AND that we have nobody to replace him.

Think Joel Ward and other 3rd liners making some cash elsewhere. Bourque has size, some PF ability and can score goals. I'm comfortable in saying for that price there is few cost effective replacements.

 

[MXD]

Think Joel Ward and other 3rd liners making some cash elsewhere. Bourque has size, some PF ability and can score goals. I'm comfortable in saying for that price there is few cost effective replacements.

Yeah... a bit what I meant, really.
Ideally, Jacob de la Rose would take his spot whenver he breaks in the NHL.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

meanwhile mike cammalleri has 5 points in just 4 games. i hated his contract, but i would rather have him than briere, gionta, deshairnais, bourque.

Cammy got such a raw deal. He had a big contract but he produced....especially in the playoffs. I can understand getting rid of him to get bigger...but the team has added/kept several players in the top 9.

 

[Belso]

He started out his career playing with no heart. He's improved that in Montreal. He put's a lot more effort and you can see it in his game. I just expect him to be a top 6 forward but when you can't get 0.5 points per game on average it hurts your team. If he finished the season with close to 50 pts and continues playing with the intensity he's been playing with in the last 2 season that would be great. But if he ends the season with 35 pts the Habs will struggle.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

He started out his career playing with no heart. He's improved that in Montreal. He put's a lot more effort and you can see it in his game. I just expect him to be a top 6 forward but when you can't get 0.5 points per game on average it hurts your team. If he finished the season with close to 50 pts and continues playing with the intensity he's been playing with in the last 2 season that would be great. But if he ends the season with 35 pts the Habs will struggle.

That's the magic word, he's on pace for 29 and has 28 in 81 GP in a Habs jersey, subtract his 2 big years with the Flames and he averages 37 pts/82 GP

This is a 31 yr old who most likely peaked and is now on the downside not a young kid struggling to regain form

I'll agree he appears to put in more of an effort now than when he 1st arrived but are we that hard up we need to give out ribbons for participation at the NHL level?

Most posters here are saying he's 'OK' until something better comes along and I can accept that but that's a far cry from approval

 

[sharks9]

For 3.3 million I'm satisfied with what he brings to our team

 

[ECWHSWI]

Yeah that still doesn't change what I'm saying. Last night DD made him a perfect pass in the slot and he couldn't get his stick down. He didn't even touch the puck but missed a great chance to tie it. That doesn't appear in shooting percentage. He has a hard time finishing or capitalizing on scoring chances.

and yet this season he's among the good ones when it comes to S% and among the good ones for missed shots...

good on you, you saw him miss a pass, still doesnt make him one of the worst though.



and hes's top 5 for goals on the Habs...

 

[ECWHSWI]

Cammy got such a raw deal. He had a big contract but he produced....especially in the playoffs. I can understand getting rid of him to get bigger...but the team has added/kept several players in the top 9.

best season with the Habs -> 50 pts...