Player Discussion Matt Grzelcyk

[Dueling Banjos]

Good argument in Tampa series. IMO, Carlo changes things if he was playing.

Carlo is an important factor there. He has been playing his best hockey when Chara went down and that continued pretty much all the way until that stupid injury and that was right before the PO started.

 

[Yeti34]

Is this a serious post? Because clearly Cassidy has a ton of trust in gryz, as gryz is 3rd among defenders on the team in average time on ice. Gryz has also done a great job subbing in for krug on the power play and the powerplay is 3rd in the nhl right now.

You quoted my post from May of 2018.

 

[veganbruin]

Love what Gryz brings. Really hoping he doesn’t sit when Krug comes back. I’ve liked what I’ve seen of Moore as well. Maybe we just platoon the left side and give Chara games off every now and then.

I would even argue he’s been our 1st or 2nd best dman this season so far. Carlo = #1 right now(I don’t mean #1 dman. Just our best so far this season).

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

he has really been outstanding and it's wild seeing him get so much TOI when he was a 6/7 tweener last year.

I still have my concerns about him being able to sustain this level of play in the playoffs but given regular season play to date it's difficult to make the case that Grizz should sit when Krug returns. It's gonna be a tough call for Butch.

 

[Ratty]

he has really been outstanding and it's wild seeing him get so much TOI when he was a 6/7 tweener last year.

I still have my concerns about him being able to sustain this level of play in the playoffs but given regular season play to date it's difficult to make the case that Grizz should sit when Krug returns. It's gonna be a tough call for Butch.

Perhaps Sweeney will make the call for him?

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Grzelcyk and Krug still aren't comparable for me. I have no issue saying that Grzelcyk is better defensively. I don't think TK47 is as bad in his own end as some make him out to be, but I would take Grzelcyk there over Krug. Now, offensively, Krug is elite and Grzelcyk isn't close. I honestly see Grzelcyk as a Jared Spurgeon type defenseman. Another smaller defenseman who is very good defensively and in the transition game.

 

[bob27]

I don't think you can justify taking him out of the lineup. Would probably give extra rest to Chara rather than sit Grzelcyk right now.

 

[NDiesel]

He might be the best all around skater on this team, and that's saying something.

 

[Ratty]

He might be the best all around skater on this team, and that's saying something.

It is....especially with Anders Bjork on the roster.

 

[UncleRico]

Grzelcyk and Krug still aren't comparable for me. I have no issue saying that Grzelcyk is better defensively. I don't think TK47 is as bad in his own end as some make him out to be, but I would take Grzelcyk there over Krug. Now, offensively, Krug is elite and Grzelcyk isn't close. I honestly see Grzelcyk as a Jared Spurgeon type defenseman. Another smaller defenseman who is very good defensively and in the transition game.

I would agree with this. Gryz is a spurgeon type. Much like spurgeon over the past two years, I think Gryz could average 35-40 points per season, but it would require him getting more offensive opportunities that probably wont be there with Krug on the team though.

One thing I really like about Gryz from an advanced stats standpoint is that his corsi (54.5) and fenwick(53.0) are a few points higher than his 49% offensive zone starts. Obviously still early, but I've always liked when players Corsi/fenwick are a few points higher than their zone starts.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Grzelcyk and Krug still aren't comparable for me. I have no issue saying that Grzelcyk is better defensively. I don't think TK47 is as bad in his own end as some make him out to be, but I would take Grzelcyk there over Krug. Now, offensively, Krug is elite and Grzelcyk isn't close. I honestly see Grzelcyk as a Jared Spurgeon type defenseman. Another smaller defenseman who is very good defensively and in the transition game.

I can't speak for everyone, but when I use Grizz and Krug interchangeably in discussion it's not because I see them as comparable players (though there is some overlap). It's that I see them filling the same role. I think having both in the lineup at the same time has the drawback that they are both undersized and good teams can exploit that like Tampa did in the playoffs. If 2/3 of your LD shifts are 5'9 guys then that can be a real issue if teams have the speed to cut off their breakout and the size/strength to overpower them once they establish zone presence.

Chara's not sitting and Moore who has played pretty well and just signed a 5 year deal is probably not sitting either, except for a game here & there just to rotate guys in. But long-term I just don't see both Krug and Grizz in the lineup because even though they have different strengths, there's enough overlap stylistically that they are somewhat redundant. With Krug injured it's obviously great to have Grizz, but long-term with everyone healthy does it really make sense to keep both guys if you can't reliably roll both of them in your lineup? And then you have Vaakanainen pushing for a spot too...

So yes Grizz and Krug are not interchangeable exactly, but I think there's a case to be made that if you could trade Krug for a dynamic offensive forward then the offensive dropoff from Krug to Grizz (and later Vaak) is maybe something you can live with knowing that it's probably a net positive defensively.

 

[DKH]

His hockey sense and decision making is in the top 10% of all Defenseman

Carolina has a good third pair but I’ll take Grzelcyk & Miller over any in the league

 

[DKH]

TVR & Pesce make about $6.5 M between them compared to $4 M for Miller & Grzelcyk factoring in skill and value.

Thanks Donny

 

[Mainehockey33]

Factoring everything in, age, money, offense, defense, transition, I don’t see much of a drop off from Krug to Grzelcyk. I think the team would be fine getting offense from elsewhere while having a better defensive defense. Look at Toronto and their high powered offense, it’ll win them a lot of games but I’ll take the Bruins well rounded team with solid defensemen over their D Corp anyday.

I think with more offensive opportunities Grzelcyk could be a 30-40 point guy too which is enough when you factor in defense and transition. If Krug would wave his NTC so we could upgrade the 3C and give us a Krejci replacement I don’t think it should be passed up.

 

[UncleRico]

His hockey sense and decision making is in the top 10% of all Defenseman

Carolina has a good third pair but I’ll take Grzelcyk & Miller over any in the league

From an all situations and even strength minutes situation, Gryz and Miller have been the 2nd pairing this year and Moore and Carlo have played the 3rd pairing role.

Even from a quality of competition perspective, Gryz and Miller are playing higher quality of competition than Moore and Carlo.

 

[veganbruin]

Gryz looks like our best Dman this year. But at times he tries to do too much. Would hate to see him come out of the lineup when Krug returns. Gryz is pushing the pace this year the way McAvoy did last year.

Ps. Does anyone else think he could play forward in this league?

 

[NDiesel]

Gryz looks like our best Dman this year. But at times he tries to do too much. Would hate to see him come out of the lineup when Krug returns. Gryz is pushing the pace this year the way McAvoy did last year.

Ps. Does anyone else think he could play forward in this league?

I think he's so agile in all directions that it would be a waste of his skating to play forward. Just my opinion, he has the hands, speed, and vision for it though, so who knows.

 

[neelynugs]

His hockey sense and decision making is in the top 10% of all Defenseman

Carolina has a good third pair but I’ll take Grzelcyk & Miller over any in the league

if gryz was 6' he'd be a perennial all-star and very rich.

 

[Dr Hook]

if gryz was 6' he'd be a perennial all-star and very rich.

He might be heading that way anyway. The dude has been bringing it and seems to be getting better game by game. It's as if the signing of Moore fired him into overdrive knowing that someone in the d-corps was looking at time on the 9th floor.

 

[veganbruin]

He might be heading that way anyway. The dude has been bringing it and seems to be getting better game by game. It's as if the signing of Moore fired him into overdrive knowing that someone in the d-corps was looking at time on the 9th floor.

Agreed. Even in the disappointing games, he has looked good and doing more than filling in for Krug.

 

[PB37]

Factoring everything in, age, money, offense, defense, transition, I don’t see much of a drop off from Krug to Grzelcyk. I think the team would be fine getting offense from elsewhere while having a better defensive defense. Look at Toronto and their high powered offense, it’ll win them a lot of games but I’ll take the Bruins well rounded team with solid defensemen over their D Corp anyday.

I think with more offensive opportunities Grzelcyk could be a 30-40 point guy too which is enough when you factor in defense and transition. If Krug would wave his NTC so we could upgrade the 3C and give us a Krejci replacement I don’t think it should be passed up.

Why mention money when comparing skill and what they bring to the ice?

I'll answer that for you: because it devalues Krug and elevates Grz because one is paid while the other one is still trying to prove himself.

I've liked Grz longer than most and followed him for a long time. Tried to get him multiple times in my sim league over the years. Even while being one of his longtime fan boys, i still see there is an overall talent descrepcency between he and Krug. Grz is safer in his own zone and a little quicker on his feet, but everything else, Krug takes in spades. Krug not playing on the blueline right now is a huge blow to the team.

 

[Mainehockey33]

Why mention money when comparing skill and what they bring to the ice?

I'll answer that for you: because it devalues Krug and elevates Grz because one is paid while the other one is still trying to prove himself.

I've liked Grz longer than most and followed him for a long time. Tried to get him multiple times in my sim league over the years. Even while being one of his longtime fan boys, i still see there is an overall talent descrepcency between he and Krug. Grz is safer in his own zone and a little quicker on his feet, but everything else, Krug takes in spades. Krug not playing on the blueline right now is a huge blow to the team.

I agree that Krug is more talented. The main reason I’d want to trade him is because he has more trade value. I don’t think Grzelcyk brings back the kind of offensive forward I’d want them to get but if he did, I’d be fine with trading him and keeping Krug.

 

[Dueling Banjos]

From 15:14 on, close up on Gryz's skating and moves.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

The defense, especially Carlo looked slow and befuddle with the intense forechecking Montreal did last night. The game plan was terrible. Claude knew exactly how to attack the Bruins and Cassidy came out of the fight missing teeth. The forwards needed to get back faster to help the defense with outlet passes. This has been a template for all teams to follow and is really a case study in old hockey (5 years ago) and the new speed hockey that takes advantage of the new penalty rules. I don't lay all the blame on Rask. Gallaghers goal had eyes on it and Acciari needs to take the body not let him spin around like they were playing on Chandler Pond.




Carlo is late to the play and doesn't finish his check leaving an uncovered Domi to catch Rask moving. Both goals had eyes on them but its an example of poor team defense and laziness from the two biggest defensemen.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

Matt Grzelcyk and Lauzon were the bright spots last night on the D.