AprilMayandJune
Registered User
- Feb 26, 2012
- 184
- 22
A picture is better than words
crazy how the absence of 2 good Edmonton lads can make all they difference in the world.
A picture is better than words
No identity.
Success makes rosters unsustainable in a cap world.
Agreed, but this team would have been better off with guys like Spooner, Pasta and Ferlin here earlier than they were. We seem to miscast players here too much.. Spooner needed to learn center up here all season. Chris Kelly should never sniff top 6 action.. Pasta should have been up here way sooner than he was and shouldn't have been at the WJC.. Ferlin was exactly what the 4th line was missing all year. A guy like Talbot was needed much earlier as well, get some character back into that room.
We had answers internally just per the norm extremely slow to react. Hopefully they have a big enough cushion to hold on.
Oh hell yes- they should have been a little more honest with themselves about this being a transition year. Maybe the injuries left them scrambling a bit, maybe they just got caught up in the short term picture as they just couldn't build any momentum and started to feel the heat. Whatever it was it's good to see the kids getting the time now, even though it feels more like an odd collection of players than a cohesive team.
Success makes rosters unsustainable in a cap world.
Agreed, but this team would have been better off with guys like Spooner, Pasta and Ferlin here earlier than they were. We seem to miscast players here too much.. Spooner needed to learn center up here all season. Chris Kelly should never sniff top 6 action.. Pasta should have been up here way sooner than he was and shouldn't have been at the WJC.. Ferlin was exactly what the 4th line was missing all year. A guy like Talbot was needed much earlier as well, get some character back into that room.
We had answers internally just per the norm extremely slow to react. Hopefully they have a big enough cushion to hold on.
I agree with much of this, but I take issue with saying Pastrnak should have been here earlier. First of all, he was injured in camp, so that set him back, but the main thing is that he needed to learn the North American game, and to adjust to life here, and trying to do that in Boston would have been counterproductive. He had to make his mistakes (and he made his share) out of the spotlight and away from the pressure. Going to the WJC also did him a lot of good and gave him a great shot of confidence (not to mention appreciation to the Bruins for allowing him to go - that's a cherished time for a young player, especially one who was undoubtedly feeling some pangs of homesickness).
The concern now about Pastrnak lies in hitting the rookie wall. He was looking a bit gassed at the end of Tuesday's game, and it wasn't a surprise that he had a maintenance day yesterday. He (and we) were told that there could be games he'll have his ice time cut or even be scratched, because he's an 18-year-old boy who's played a ton in the past few months, not because the coach hates him or doesn't want to win, but I can guarantee that a certain segment of fans will go off their rockers over it.
Have you had the chance to see him live yet? Worth the price of the ticket..
Granted I saw one of his better games vs NJ but I can't remember being more impressed with a young player than I was then. Constant motion. Knowing where to be . Wanting to be "the man". He's going to be a great one IMO. The rest will catch up but he has the "unteachables" to be honest. Just born with it.
Yes, I've seen him at development camp, with Providence, and with Boston. He has that rare combination of natural talent, intelligence and desire. The sky's the limit for him.
What impresses me the most I think isn't his talent, it's that he doesn't think he's the best thing since sliced bread, as a lot of young, talented players do. He wants to get better. You certainly can't teach skill (though you can refine/improve it), but you also can't teach attitude. It's impressive that at the age of 18 he already "gets it."
Not sure... I think he knows he's the most skilled player on the ice at 18, and I think he loves it..Like I think he has a great work ethic it seems, was hustling all over the ice, but I do think he has a high opinion of himself...just keeps it on the DL