Matt Bartkowski

[The Special K]

yep, seems like Bart got hosed on that one, what worries me far more is the PK not doing it`s job lately, Red Wings have a few good actors too, let`s hope the refs don`t buy into it

they will. the refs are kind of a joke.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

yep, seems like Bart got hosed on that one, what worries me far more is the PK not doing it`s job lately, Red Wings have a few good actors too, let`s hope the refs don`t buy into it

I'll play a Bart fanboy here:

They always get scored on with Bart in the box because he's the best PK defenseman.

 

[Lord Ahriman]

I don't know if we will have enough money, but for less than $3M I'd keep Bart.

 

[reillysmith38]

Using his size to defend, while still maintaining his ability to skate the puck out.

He's played well.

 

[DitClapper]

I don't know if we will have enough money, but for less than $3M I'd keep Bart.

Definitely. He's been more of a rock than Seids. His mobility is a huge factor for this team.

 

[Dwatson783]

I'm going to go against the love for Bart for a minute and say that I'd like the Bruins to explore other options in the off season.

Right now Bart is looking good because he's out there showing the much needed foot speed in comparison to McQuaid (who isn't fleet of foot), Seidenberg (who still isn't 100%) and Chara (who is likely still hurt and showing age). While the speed is definitely needed, there are 2 things scaring me about Bart:

1. His mental game- he doesn't have the highest hockey IQ and it his time watching from upstairs and being with the team hasn't shown me the ability to grow as he needs to in order to be effective. He's making mistakes in his own end, he's not making the right outlets, he's over skating at times when he has better options to move the puck and he's also misreading the safe play when collecting the puck with pressure.

He needs to make quicker reads and get them right otherwise he'll be eaten up by teams like Montreal or NY. While there are a number of things he certainly can learn, he's not showing the growth in this area that makes me believe he can reach the next tier to play 2nd pair minutes.


2. When Bart gets locked up with someone in the defensive zone, his feet become stuck in cement. Watching his penalties- trips, hooks, holding it almost always comes back to this. He's trying to use his upper body to win battles which isn't going to work. For a guy that can skate, he needs to use his feet and adapt his game to win 1on1 battles with his feet.

Add to this, Bart isn't an option on the PP (mostly because of point 1). If he's my 2nd pair defenseman, I want him to be an option and I honestly can't see him as one right now.

What I see Bart as is a stronger but slightly slower Matt Hunwick- and who around here wants to pay for Matt Hunwick?

I don't meant to rag on Bart here- he's serviceable but on a team that should have long playoff run expectations, he's a 7th dman. We have enough people around here complaining about Kelly with the money he's making playing in the bottom 6- paying Bart any real money would be much worse in my opinion.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

I'm going to go against the love for Bart for a minute and say that I'd like the Bruins to explore other options in the off season.

Right now Bart is looking good because he's out there showing the much needed foot speed in comparison to McQuaid (who isn't fleet of foot), Seidenberg (who still isn't 100%) and Chara (who is likely still hurt and showing age). While the speed is definitely needed, there are 2 things scaring me about Bart:

1. His mental game- he doesn't have the highest hockey IQ and it his time watching from upstairs and being with the team hasn't shown me the ability to grow as he needs to in order to be effective. He's making mistakes in his own end, he's not making the right outlets, he's over skating at times when he has better options to move the puck and he's also misreading the safe play when collecting the puck with pressure.

He needs to make quicker reads and get them right otherwise he'll be eaten up by teams like Montreal or NY. While there are a number of things he certainly can learn, he's not showing the growth in this area that makes me believe he can reach the next tier to play 2nd pair minutes.


2. When Bart gets locked up with someone in the defensive zone, his feet become stuck in cement. Watching his penalties- trips, hooks, holding it almost always comes back to this. He's trying to use his upper body to win battles which isn't going to work. For a guy that can skate, he needs to use his feet and adapt his game to win 1on1 battles with his feet.

Add to this, Bart isn't an option on the PP (mostly because of point 1). If he's my 2nd pair defenseman, I want him to be an option and I honestly can't see him as one right now.

What I see Bart as is a stronger but slightly slower Matt Hunwick- and who around here wants to pay for Matt Hunwick?

I don't meant to rag on Bart here- he's serviceable but on a team that should have long playoff run expectations, he's a 7th dman. We have enough people around here complaining about Kelly with the money he's making playing in the bottom 6- paying Bart any real money would be much worse in my opinion.

You make some good points and I agree with no.2 but Bart is in the top 4 the rest of the way so all we can do is hope for the best.

 

[Dwatson783]

You make some good points and I agree with no.2 but Bart is in the top 4 the rest of the way so all we can do is hope for the best.

Oh certainly- and because of that I hope he succeeds. But if we're talking about resigning him and looking at him as a fixture for next season then I think we need to reevaluate.

 

[bruins repeat time]

Bart deserves far more love for his play of late. A give away or two late in this game but this guy has been the strongest B defenseman in his own end the last couple of weeks. I am not trying to say he is better or as good as the big B defenseman but simply saying he has been awesome as of late in almost every aspect of the game if you don't hold cheap calls against him.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Bart deserves far more love for his play of late. A give away or two late in this game but this guy has been the strongest B defenseman in his own end the last couple of weeks. I am not trying to say he is better or as good as the big B defenseman but simply saying he has been awesome as of late in almost every aspect of the game if you don't hold cheap calls against him.

I wouldn't say he has been awesome, but right now I'm not worried at all with him and Seids out there together.

 

[bruins repeat time]

I say he has been awesome for him. Anyone who has the last half dozen games taped go count the mistakes. Hamilton is making the most for sure despite several awesome plays plus a lot of offense. Seids and Chara are far from perfect. I know the bottom three get protected more but as of late their mistakes are really few and far between.

 

[PIMsCup]

I like the aggressive side of his game almost as much as his skating. Marry the two, (IE keep his feet moving through body contact) and he has the tools for a great 4th d-man (made better for his cost certainty based on previous performance). I'll go ahead and say that I think that his and Krug's skills can be used better together. I don't believe in the usual pairing of a stay-at-home guy with a puck-mover. The way I see it, two puck-movers can cover each others' ventures into the o-zone much more handily than another less accomplished skater. I would like to see an experiment on the blue line that pairs like with like, and see the results.

 

[BruinDust]

Bart has been much better the last 10 games from earlier the year. Has reduced the glaring errors, and is doing a much better job winning body position especially riding guys out into the boards behind his net. I'd like to see him get his first regular season goal soon, he's due.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Bart has been much better the last 10 games from earlier the year. Has reduced the glaring errors, and is doing a much better job winning body position especially riding guys out into the boards behind his net. I'd like to see him get his first regular season goal soon, he's due.

Yes,he is due and I think it is a nice story,Bart is a guy who was pretty much a forgotten man this year when he was sat for so long and had to watch guys like Trotman get the nod over him. I am cheering for the guy.

 

[NDiesel]

I love his aggressiveness. He always knows when to pinch and seems to keep it in their end more often than anyone else.

 

[ODAAT]

I'll play a Bart fanboy here:

They always get scored on with Bart in the box because he's the best PK defenseman.

now that is a classic

 

[patty59]

Can someone explain Bartkowski to me? what's he supposed to be? He's definitely not a scorer or point getter, nor is he any good at D and when he has the puck on his stick I hear circus music.

From what I see, he's a strong skater and it pretty mcuh ends there.

I know he's only in the lineup because of the injuries on D. But people seem to be pretty high on him, so what do you like about him if that's you?

 

[LouJersey]

Can someone explain Bartkowski to me? what's he supposed to be? He's definitely not a scorer or point getter, nor is he any good at D and when he has the puck on his stick I hear circus music.

From what I see, he's a strong skater and it pretty mcuh ends there.

I know he's only in the lineup because of the injuries on D. But people seem to be pretty high on him, so what do you like about him if that's you?

I like him, to a point... I think he is underrated physically... He just seems to be the tools no tool box type player. I think he should be past that however, he's not 21. Doesn't really do "anything" so I know what you mean as far as what is there about him.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Can someone explain Bartkowski to me? what's he supposed to be? He's definitely not a scorer or point getter, nor is he any good at D and when he has the puck on his stick I hear circus music.

From what I see, he's a strong skater and it pretty mcuh ends there.

I know he's only in the lineup because of the injuries on D. But people seem to be pretty high on him, so what do you like about him if that's you?

I think he's arguably our best D-man with the puck on his stick in transition. He's very effective at carrying the puck up the ice.

Overall, he does have good tools for a D-man on both sides of the puck, but like it was said above, he's lacking a toolbox.

 

[chizzler]

As a 5th or 6th defenseman, I have no problem with his play. He just needs to get ice time and keep playing. He's got wheels and a decent shot. Defensively, he continues to get better. Surprising to me is that he can give some crunching hits.

 

[patty59]

I think he's arguably our best D-man with the puck on his stick in transition. He's very effective at carrying the puck up the ice.

Overall, he does have good tools for a D-man on both sides of the puck, but like it was said above, he's lacking a toolbox.

I don't know about that, Hamilton and Krug are easily better than him at carrying the puck, IMO.

I think carrying the puck is his best skill set, but I don't see him making and great passes or really doing much with the puck at all. He's good at carrying the puck to center ice and dumping it in. But when he has the puck on his stick in his zone or at the blueline and is under pressure he fails.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

I don't know about that, Hamilton and Krug are easily better than him at carrying the puck, IMO.

I think carrying the puck is his best skill set, but I don't see him making and great passes or really doing much with the puck at all. He's good at carrying the puck to center ice and dumping it in. But when he has the puck on his stick in his zone or at the blueline and is under pressure he fails.

That's the thing with him. Great to skate the puck out of our zone but never seem to create a breakout pass that leads to offense.

As a whole, that is the weakness of our whole D group. A very bad passing unit.

That's why I want Morrow up. He is the best we have seen all year.

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

Can someone explain Bartkowski to me? what's he supposed to be? He's definitely not a scorer or point getter, nor is he any good at D and when he has the puck on his stick I hear circus music.

From what I see, he's a strong skater and it pretty mcuh ends there.

I know he's only in the lineup because of the injuries on D. But people seem to be pretty high on him, so what do you like about him if that's you?

Bart is a competent bottom pairing D-man who can likely be re-signed this offseason for peanuts. He has decent size, plays an adequately physical game, and is one of the best skaters on the team. His passing is not nearly as bad as some people here make it out to be. I guess my question to you would be--- does he really have to be a whole lot more than that??

Not every blue liner is going to be a rock out there. We are talking about a 7th round pick in his mid-20's that Chia sacrificed virtually nothing to acquire. He can be retained on the roster for cheap money and, especially given the cap situation the B's are in, i have to think Chia regards him as an asset (all things considered).

I bet he gets re-signed this offseason to a short-term contract with a very reasonable cap hit. Bart is what he is; he probably won't improve too much other than becoming more confident/consistent perhaps.

 

[BMC]

Now if he could just score a goal during the regular season....

 

[Revisionhky22]

His speed is what I like...not only carrying the puck out of the zone, but when a mistake is made in the neutral zone he's quick enough to get back and help decrease the quality of the opportunity the opponent gets. Be great if he could be a #5 Dman and if Krug can develop into a #4.