Post-Game Talk: Game 4 - B's strike OILers - BRUINS 4 Edmonton 1 F

[SPLBRUIN]

Yes.

I want him to sit because it will give him a kick that he needs to get going.

I hope he can get going without sitting but if Cassidy is willing to sit guys, why not sit DeBrusk early.

To these eyes the problem on his line is Krejci, not Debrusk.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Whose talking about sitting DeBrusk?

I think Ali suggested it a few posts ago?

Personally, I don’t think DeBrusk or Heinen should be sitting for Donato or Nordstrom.

Donato has not looked good since Camp started and Nordstrom, despite one good game, is a career 4th liner and not likely to be in the long term plans of the team.

I’m sure Heinen will respond well to sitting, just like he did last year, when he was sent down to PRO and sat later in the season.

Still don’t like it.

 

[Blowfish]

I think Ali suggested it a few posts ago?

Personally, I don’t think DeBrusk or Heinen should be sitting for Donato or Nordstrom.

Donato has not looked good since Camp started and Nordstrom, despite one good game, is a career 4th liner and not likely to be in the long term plans of the team.

I’m sure Heinen will respond well to sitting, just like he did last year, when he was sent down to PRO and sat later in the season.

Still don’t like it.

I'm thinking if the 2nd line continues to click and the 3rd line remains stagnant with Heinen out and Donato in...Someone is going to Providence.

I really want to see Bjork Heinen Donato/Cehlarik. Backes in Blahhhkess right now.

 

[Bread and Circuses]

Debrusk hasn’t produced but he’s still noticeably playing hard and making a difference. Heinen hasn’t stood out much this year and it still not just because of his style.

It’s like last year when Heinen went on that drought but still played solid. That’s where Debrusk is right now for me.

I have to say he always appears to be giving it his all, probably just a rut as far as production goes.

 

[Jdavidev]

Halak, Moore, Nordstrom & Wagner are all great additions by Sweeney. Very impressed!

SHHHHH! Beleskey, Backes and Barzal are the only names that can be associated with Sweeney around here.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I'm thinking if the 2nd line continues to click and the 3rd line remains stagnant with Heinen out and Donato in...Someone is going to Providence.

I really want to see Bjork Heinen Donato/Cehlarik. Backes in Blahhhkess right now.

The only actual RW on the 2nd & 3rd lines is Backes. And he's playing center. Very difficult for the young players to play on their off-wing at this level.

 

[Jdavidev]

All we can hope for is that Donato's response to being out of the line up mirrors how DeBrusk handled it last year.

I don't think it will be night and day for him this early in the season. The problem Donato is facing is thinking too much out there. When he came in last season, he was joining a well oil team, still taking classes and just asked to go out there and play his game. Which he did. But now he's had the whole offseason and camp to try to learn the system and understand where he is supposed to be and what he should be doing at all times and I think it's just too much for him, reacting too slow to the play. Providence might do him a world of good.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

You serious ? At least he is noticeable unlike Heinen so far this year and has had chances.

Heinen is never going to be super “noticeable”. His style of play doesn’t lend itself to that even when he’s playing well.

I wonder how good DeBrusk would look with three different centers in 4 games?

 

[Bread and Circuses]

Heinen is never going to be super “noticeable”. His style of play doesn’t lend itself to that even when he’s playing well.

Not sure if pointing that out is going to matter. (See: David Krejci)

 

[DrJustice]

I actually thought DeBrusk looked pretty good last night. Starting to really hound the puck which is a huge part of his game. The points will come.

Sitting Heinen for one game won’t be the end of the world either, rotate these guys early till you find something that sticks. If not Bjork could easily come out of the lineup next.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Heinen is never going to be super “noticeable”. His style of play doesn’t lend itself to that even when he’s playing well.

I wonder how good DeBrusk would look with three different centers in 4 games?

Love Heinen but he was a total ghost non factor offensively after 4 games.

He’s talented so he’ll rebound. The sooner the better.

As for DeBrusk, he was the 4th best F after the top line this year so far.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Love Heinen but he was a total ghost non factor offensively after 4 games.

He’s talented so he’ll rebound. The sooner the better.

As for DeBrusk, he was the 4th best F after the top line this year so far.

You will have to explain to me how you are measuring DeBrusk as the 4th best F?

Can’t be points.

I mean points aren’t the end all, be all, but DeBrusk has 0g/0a and is a -1 (same as Acciari). Heinen who has been “less noticeable” and is sitting, has the same stat line, but he’s even at least.

I’m sure DeBrusk will be better, but after yesterday’s game I would put Wagner, Nordstrom, Kuraly and Krejci above DeBrusk so far.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

You will have to explain to me how you are measuring DeBrusk as the 4th best F?

Can’t be points.

I mean points aren’t the end all, be all, but DeBrusk has 0g/0a and is a -1 (same as Acciari). Heinen who has been “less noticeable” and is sitting, has the same stat line, but he’s even at least.

I’m sure DeBrusk will be better, but after yesterday’s game I would put Wagner, Nordstrom, Kuraly and Krejci above DeBrusk so far.

To me DeBrusk was 4th best F after 4 games. He’s skating, creating turnovers, he’s involved. No point like many as 12 of the 14 goals have been scored by the 1st line but like you said, my opinion is not based on points.

As for Heinen, I like him and he’ll rebound, but he has been a total non factor this year.

 

[BruinDust]

You will have to explain to me how you are measuring DeBrusk as the 4th best F?

Can’t be points.

I mean points aren’t the end all, be all, but DeBrusk has 0g/0a and is a -1 (same as Acciari). Heinen who has been “less noticeable” and is sitting, has the same stat line, but he’s even at least.

I’m sure DeBrusk will be better, but after yesterday’s game I would put Wagner, Nordstrom, Kuraly and Krejci above DeBrusk so far.

Heinen's stat-line needs to include

Just 2 shots in 4 games

Zero hits

Leads the team in non-fighting/roughing minors with 3 in 4 games

Debrusk at least has 8 shots and a couple posts as well.

 

[Jaguar God]

I know what your saying but they've got to get DeBrusk going.

DeBrusk has been more involved than half the bottom 9 forwards. Just because he doesn't have a point doesn't mean he's not "going"

 

[chizzler]

Good post. I'm not sure Nordstrom did anything wrong last night...In fact he created opportunities for his line-mates. If his style continues to create opportunities and prevent goals he will stay on that 2nd line. For the first time in a long time I really enjoyed watching the 2nd line play with energy and puck pursuit. He may stick.

If he does stay on the 2nd line that leaves the 3rd line as the only unproductive red herring line. The line doesn't appear to have any chemistry, doesn't create any scoring opportunities and through 4 games haven't registered a single point. The battle there will soon become Heinen, Bjork, and Donato and big question marks regarding the center position. I would like to see Backes in out of line up with Heinen and Donato playing center. Call up Cehlarik. Bjork - Heinen/Donato - Cehlarik. That I see as a dangerous line that would give teams problems.

To create chemistry, you need to play together more than one game.

 

[chizzler]

From what I saw it him last night he was not good. Absolute turnover machine and noticably slow on every play...

Hopefully it will calm the pro Lucic brigade.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Hopefully it will calm the pro Lucic brigade.

The narrative will be spun that trading for Lucic will get him to return to his old glory.

 

[Blowfish]

To create chemistry, you need to play together more than one game.

Not necessarily. Style of play can dictate chemistry. Instant chemistry can happen and happens all the time. We witnessed it this game.

 

[chizzler]

This may not be a popular opinion, but I don't think Nordstrom is a 2nd liner. He had some good plays, decent goal, is hard working, etc... but he doesn't seem to have a very high hockey IQ, any specific skills that stand out, and despite being a hard worker, seems to lose a lot of puck battles. 3rd line material at best, IMO... definitely no place on our top 2 lines if this team is a serious competitor.

Cassidy is feeling things out.

 

[maxbme]

Your short skirt bruin dancer gets me every time. Please never change that thing!

Believe me she's not anywhere!

 

[GloryDaze4877]

To me DeBrusk was 4th best F after 4 games. He’s skating, creating turnovers, he’s involved. No point like many as 12 of the 14 goals have been scored by the 1st line but like you said, my opinion is not based on points.

As for Heinen, I like him and he’ll rebound, but he has been a total non factor this year.

I haven’t seen DeBrusk “creating”. He’s definitely skating and the effort appears to be there, but doesn’t have a lot to show for it.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Heinen's stat-line needs to include

Just 2 shots in 4 games

Zero hits

Leads the team in non-fighting/roughing minors with 3 in 4 games

Debrusk at least has 8 shots and a couple posts as well.

Two of those three penalty calls were ridiculous and the third against McJesus was questionable as well.

A post and $2.50 will get you a large coffee at Dunkin’. I forgot, who set DeBrusk up for that first post in the Caps game?

 

[BruinDust]

Two of those three penalty calls were ridiculous and the third against McJesus was questionable as well.

A post and $2.50 will get you a large coffee at Dunkin’. I forgot, who set DeBrusk up for that first post in the Caps game?

Yeah he made the pass to set Debrusk up. Krejci has made a couple nice passes to result in good chances and goals, but doesn't mean he's played well either.

Neither has Debrusk for that matter.

I didn't like the 3rd call when he tripped McDavid either.

Bottom line is Cassidy could probably sit a lot of guys. Wagner has sat. So has Nordstrom. Then Donato and now Heinen. Next game it may be someone else. I don't think any of those scratches have been questionable or unwarranted. It's early, doesn't want guys sitting out long, makes sense.

Your a little bit biased towards Heinen. Some may say the same about me and my dislike for Acciari. Difference is, I'll call a spade a spade and acknowledge when Acciari has played well (and he has). Probably time to take the Heinen-glasses off and admit he's been pretty ineffective up to this point. Chances are he goes back in next game and responds because he's a good player.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

My son has practice (game fell though), so I was sitting in the car listening to the pregame.

They asked Cassidy about the first goal by McDavid on Thursday and he said (paraphrase):

“Yeah, the puck just kind of followed him out of the zone, and then he was gone.”

This is what I was talking about with him treating rookies and vets differently. That’s not what happened at all. What happened was that Bergeron had the puck on his stick, coughed it up, and Chara got caught flat-footed out of position, and it led to a goal. I’m pretty sure that if it was two rookies involved and not 37 and 33, that answer would have been a little different.