Ryan Spooner is the Latest Injury Victim
Spooner suffered a right groin adductor tear against Vegas on Sunday. The first reaction is obviously how the loss of Spooner will hurt the Bruins. The reality is that Spooner’s injury is a blessing in disguise. While nobody ever wants to see anyone hurt, Spooner was a lame duck on this Bruins team. Spooner, now 25 years old, is signed to a one year bridge contract. Evidently the Bruins don’t view him as a part of the future, if they did then, he would have had a real offer given to him. The Bruins are right, Spooner has done nothing to show that he is a valuable asset to the team.
The Ryan Spooner Era Comes To A Close?
Since his first full season in 2015-2016, Spooner hasn’t produced on either side of the puck. Spooner’s strength is supposedly his vision and passing skills. However, outside of one good stretch in 2015, Spooner has never displayed that talent consistently. More often than not, Spooner disappears and goes weeks being a non-factor.
Offensively, Spooner’s shot is nothing special. Spooner is too hesitant to pull the trigger, especially on the power play– the tendency to hold the puck for a split second to long has been a problem for Spooner. This is one of the reasons his production just hasn’t been good enough.
Defensively, Spooner is dreadful. The past two seasons, Spooner has a combined minus 17 rating. He’s become a liabilty in the defensive zone. He lacks the physicality, and tends to be pushed around by bigger, stronger centers. Spooner has been brutal on face-offs. Last year, Spooner won only 38.9 percent of draws. Cassidy was afraid of putting Spooner in defensive zone face-offs; either the Bruins would have to put two centers on the ice, or have Jimmy Hayes taking draws.
Spooner should have become a power play and offensive zone specialist, but can’t put the puck in the ocean, and is mediocre at best as a passer. Spooner provides nothing valuable to the Bruins. Add this groin injury that could be bothersome for quite awhile, and even Spooner’s speed is no longer a factor.
This past offseason many wanted the Bruins to let Spooner walk. The Boston Bruins brought the young centerman back, with Spooner practically blocking younger players from getting more minutes. Even with the injuries to Backes and Bergeron, Spooner should have been benched–that’s how little value the center has.
Seeing anyone injured is always a bad thing, but Spooner’s injury will open a spot for a younger player who may have a future with the Bruins. It’s a blessing in disguise for the Bruins. The Ryan Spooner era in Boston appears to have come to a close.
