Tag Archives: David Krejci

Time For Bruins To Move On From Matt Beleskey?

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The Bruins have a record of 5-3-3, just 11 games into the season. The team, decimated with injuries, is in need of some secondary scoring. One forward who has struggled ever since arriving in Beantown, is Matt Beleskey.

Beleskey Stats

Matt Beleskey was a good player for the Anaheim Ducks, but hasn’t carried that with him to Boston. Beleskey played for the Ducks for seven seasons. In one of those seasons, he only played two games. During his time with the Ducks, he posted 57 goals and 55 assists, for a total of 112 points in 329 games. Not too bad if you ask me. In Beleskey’s first season with the Bruins, he had a good year. He posted 15 goals, and 22 assists for 37 points in 80 games.

Since that season, it has been downhill for Beleskey. Last season, Beleskey only scored 3 goals, and 5 assists, for a total of 8 points in 49 games. This year, Beleskey has only played in 7 of the Bruins 11 games, and has failed to register a point.

Time to let him go?

Is it time for the Bruins to give up on Matt Beleskey? My answer is YES. I think the Bruins have plenty of young guys that deserve a shot with the big club. Beleskey has been given multiple opportunities to prove himself, and he can’t seem to do anything offensively. The Bruins have many wingers down in Providence that deserve a chance at Beleskey’s roster spot. Some of the young left wingers, who I think could take over his spot, are Jesse Gabrielle, Kenny Agostino, and Peter Cehlarik. These players are all left wingers like Beleskey, and I believe they have the potential to be better.

Bad Trades

Some bad trades have happened over the years, and are hard to wrap your head around. One trade was Reilly Smith for Jimmy Hayes. A few years ago, the Bruins traded right winger Smith to the Florida Panthers, in return for Jimmy Hayes. At first the trade looked pretty impressive. That year in Florida, Hayes had 19 goals and 16 assist for 35 points. In Boston that year, Smith had 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points. The Bruins also got rid of Marc Savard’s big contract in the trade.

It looked good at first. Like Beleskey, Hayes had a decent first year with the Bruins, scoring 13 goals and 16 helpers, for a total of 29 points through 75 games. But, like Beleskey, the year after went horribly for Hayes. He only suited up in 58 games, and scored only 2 goals and 3 assists, for a grand total of 5 points. Hayes has 4 points in 10 games, 3 goals and 1 assist, this year for the New Jersey Devils. He should easily top last years totals being that the NHL season is just beginning. I’d rather have Smith over Hayes today in a heartbeat.

More bad Trades

Another trade that has Bruins fans shaking their heads, is Johnny Boychuk to the New York Islanders, for two second round picks and a conditional third rounder. Even though Boychuk is out of his prime now, the Bruins could have used him these past few years. Their defensive play has been shaky. Another horrible trade was  Tyler Seguin, Rich Peverley, and Ryan Button to the Dallas Stars, for Loui Eriksson, Reilly Smith, Matt Fraser, and Joe Morrow. The Bruins have absolutely nothing to show for this trade today, all the players are gone.

 

The Bruins need to stick by their prospects

Boston needs to stick with their core players, and stop making bad signings and bad trades. They have youngsters Charlie MvAvoy, Anders Bjork, Jake DeBrusk, Brandon Carlo, and David Pastrnak, who are going to be the Bruins future. With some of their core guys like Bergeron, Backes, Krejci, and Chara getting up in age, the Bruins need to keep their young players, rather than trading them off for players that are good now. The young players will develop, and win when they are ready. The management has to be patient. This team is going to be very good very soon, and will win again soon. Get ready Bruins fans! Some playoff runs are on the way!

 

SHOULD BRUINS TRADE DAVID KRECJI?

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The Youth and Low Expectations
First, let’s state the obvious – The Bruins are in full youth movement mode. As evidenced by the number of rookies in the lineup but even more importantly, their erratic and inconsistent play. Because of the move to the young guns, expectations for this Bruins team are low. At the top of expectation scale is the 7th or 8th playoff spot, and at the bottom, missing the playoffs altogether. Any lower and this would be an article on the top 2018 NHL prospects.

Injured Again
Now that the case has been stated, should the Bruins trade David Krejci. The oft injured center is on the shelf again, and looks like he’ll miss Thursday’s game, and who knows after that. When healthy and effective he’s a talent. Especially come playoff time. He can elevate his game to Tom Brady like heights. But during the regular season, he is just an above average center in this league.

Closing Argument
Normally I’d want to keep a guy that raises his level of play in the SCP, but what good is that to a team with low expectations like the Bruins. On top of that, a David Krecji deal could get you another good young player, maybe a draft pick or two or even a young defenseman that could play right now. It also allows you to play David Backes back at his natural center position. Something I’ve been pining for since his signing. Lastly, the organization could bring up Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson (JFK) and really dive in head first to the deep end of the youth movement pool.

 

Something to think about as the Bruins continue the 2017-18 NHL season filled with youth, erratic play and low expectations.

Bruins Keys to Rematch with Avalanche

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by: @inlow005

Following a rough home loss at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche Monday, the Boston Bruins take the ice in Denver tonight for a shot at redemption. The impressive offensive outing from opening night evaporated Monday afternoon.   Many things need to change on both sides of the ice before the rematch with Colorado.

KREJCI NEEDS A REBOUND

While watching Boston’s opener last week, nobody stood out more to me than David Krejci.  He assisted three of the team’s four goals and went positive in the point differential column.  The chemistry displayed between veteran Krejci and NHL rookie Jake DeBrusk left Bruins fans optimistic for their season on the ice together.  Monday night, however, that optimism turned to skepticism.  In the 4-0 loss to Colorado, Krejci was on the ice for two Avalanche goals.  Line-mates DeBrusk and Andres Bjork both went minus three in the plus/minus category.  Krejci and his line are going to have to get more shots on goal Wednesday night.  The fourth line left winger (Sean Kuraly) should never lead the team in shots on goal.

KRUG NEEDS TO MAKE A PRESENCE

I certainly did not expect a huge showing from Torey Krug in his first game of the season.   But with a game under his belt, Krug will need to make some noise Wednesday night.  Krug led the Bruins in ice time Monday afternoon playing alongside Adam McQuaid.  While McQuaid recorded four hits and an even plus/minus, Krug tallied one hit, a -1 plus/minus, and one shot on goal.  He also found the penalty box once on a two-minute illegal check to the head of Alexander Kerfoot.  If Krug can stay honest defensively and add some offensive value, the Bruin’s can definitely bounce back in their third game of the year.

THE SILLY GOALS NEED TO STOP… OR BE STOPPED

As a hockey fan, nothing is more frustrating than watching your team give up goals that can easily be prevented.  It is one thing to give up a goal when the defense did everything right and the shooter just placed it perfectly.  But when the majority of the goals against the Bruins are from careless mistakes, it gets really frustrating.  In the opener against Nashville, all three Predators’ goals came in the final two minutes of a period.  The entire Boston roster seemed to just give up when the clock was soon to expire.  Luckily the offensive efforts outweighed the defensive laziness, but that won’t be enough moving forward.

In the game Monday against Colorado, three of the goals could have been prevented with more caution from Boston.  Krejci was way out of place for the first goal.  The second goal for Colorado came short-handed after a lack of Boston positioning.  And the third goal could have been avoided if Rask didn’t lunge 30 feet out of the crease trying to collect the puck.  Boston needs to fix its positioning and awareness for Wednesday night, and the rest of the season.

Despite Semyon Varlamov’s impressive start to the year in goal for Colorado, the Avalanche are a very beatable team.  If the Bruins come out with more offensive chemistry and defensive awareness than they did Monday, the Bruins could very well chalk up their second win of the year tonight.