Player Discussion Matt Beleskey

[BB88]

Give me more players like Belesky and less players like Loui. If any player on this team gets a pass its Loui.

Looking forward to the day he's traded, hopefully it will be soon.

Yeah our lineup is filled with top talent players

With zero proven 1st wingers and 1 proven top6 winger you go far in the NHL.
Have fun against Tampa, Montreal, Buffalo, Toronto and Buffalo with that.

I really like Beleskey but top talent is what this team is missing.

If Belsky hits career high in points(easily) while being top hitters in the league can't really complain about his contract.

 

[Danton Heineken]

Yeah our lineup is filled with top talent players

With zero proven 1st wingers and 1 proven top6 winger you go far in the NHL.
Have fun against Tampa, Montreal, Buffalo, Toronto and Buffalo with that.

I really like Beleskey but top talent is what this team is missing.

If Belsky hits career high in points(easily) while being top hitters in the league can't really complain about his contract.

With the way the NHL works right now economically, it's too expensive to go out an acquire "proven" talent at every position. You need to have at least a reliable goaltender, but preferably an elite one, and another 2-3 elite players. Then you have to fill in your roster with veteran depth and young players with potential who can give you good secondary scoring on the cheap.

 

[TMac21]

3.8 million doesn't by a top line player in UFA, you get a 2nd line tweener / 3rd line talent.

 

[BB88]

With the way the NHL works right now economically, it's too expensive to go out an acquire "proven" talent at every position. You need to have at least a reliable goaltender, but preferably an elite one, and another 2-3 elite players. Then you have to fill in your roster with veteran depth and young players with potential who can give you good secondary scoring on the cheap.

I know, but right now we don't have any elite young talent, potential who could replace those roles and carry the team.

If you want to win you can't have 2 3rd line wingers as your 1st line wingers.
Like I said I like Beleskey and I'm absolutely fine with him being in Boston, but I'm not fine with replacing 1st line talent with more Beleskey's.

 

[Hali33]

I've liked Beleskey's game more and more as the season goes on. Seems like a good fit.

I don't think some people are being honest when they say this is the production they always expected from him. Seem to remember most people slotting him in the top line before the season started, not on the 3rd.

With that being said, for the purpose of this season where cap is not an issue it does not bother me if that salary's on the 3rd.

 

[LSCII]

3.8 million doesn't by a top line player in UFA, you get a 2nd line tweener / 3rd line talent.

In the league as a whole sure, but on this team he's one of the highest paid wings, and they didn't bring him here to be a "good third line player" like the revisionists are portraying. You can't use salary as a gauge, as their other first line wing to start the year was Pasta and he's making peanuts compared to MB...

 

[LSCII]

I've liked Beleskey's game more and more as the season goes on. Seems like a good fit.

I don't think some people are being honest when they say this is the production they always expected from him. Seem to remember most people slotting him in the top line before the season started, not on the 3rd.

With that being said, for the purpose of this season where cap is not an issue it does not bother me if that salary's on the 3rd.

This is exactly right. He wasn't brought in for third line duty, but his salary is relatively reasonable if he ends up there.

 

[13Hockey]

This is exactly right. He wasn't brought in for third line duty, but his salary is relatively reasonable if he ends up there.

When he was signed in July our LW depth chart was

1. Marchand
2. Loui
3. Beleskey

 

[bearcountry17]

People want to bury their heads in the sand and pretend he was brought in to be a gritty 3rd line guy who chips in the infrequent goal or two from time to time. He wasn't. They brought him in to be a top line player. His goal totals are not reflective of what they need from him, despite him playing solid hockey overall. I hate to say this, but RedEye is right, he's not doing what he was brought in to do at this point. Can it change in an instant? Sure, but the real question you have to ask is whether he's a valid first line option. If you're being honest, he's not. Which makes me question the front office if they thought he'd be an acceptable option there.

Why don't you find one quote from anyone in management saying that they expected him to be a top line player instead of acting like your thoughts on the matter are right and everyone else is wrong.

What we know is that he was one of the top forward UFAs available and he still got only 3.8 million dollar cap hit which is not what top 6 UFA get.

UFAs Spezza got 7.5, Statsny got 7 mill, Iginla got 5.4, Vrbata got 5, Horton got 5.3, Cammaleri got 5, Vanek got 6.5, RFA Saad got 6.

2nd-3rd line tweeners UFAs like Frolik got 4.3, Bolland got 5.5, Grabovski got 5, Williams got 3.25, Jokinen got 4, Kulemin got 4.1, Gionta got 4.5, Hemsky got 4, Vermette got 3.75m, Ward got 3.275.

 

[LSCII]

Why don't you find one quote from anyone in management saying that they expected him to be a top line player instead of acting like your thoughts on the matter are right and everyone else is wrong.

What we know is that he was one of the top forward UFAs available and he still got only 3.8 million dollar cap hit which is not what top 6 UFA get.

UFAs Spezza got 7.5, Statsny got 7 mill, Iginla got 5.4, Vrbata got 5, Horton got 5.3, Cammaleri got 5, Vanek got 6.5, RFA Saad got 6.

2nd-3rd line tweeners UFAs like Frolik got 4.3, Bolland got 5.5, Grabovski got 5, Williams got 3.25, Jokinen got 4, Kulemin got 4.1, Gionta got 4.5, Hemsky got 4, Vermette got 3.75m, Ward got 3.275.

And how does he compare to the other wings on the team? No need to talk about the guys on other teams, as they're irrelevant in terms of salary and skill set. For this team, what matters is what he is and what they got him for. And if you think otherwise, why was he on the top line to start the season, and only moved after struggling? And then once he found his game a bit, he's right back there. So you can deny it all you want, but the team's actions speak way louder than you bringing up players who are higher paid because they have longer track records and skill sets more in line with top line duties. In other words, it's not what he would mean to another team, it's what he means to this one. And on this one, he's your top line wing, like it or not. And with that, the expectations are greater. Like it or not.

 

[LSCII]

When he was signed in July our LW depth chart was

1. Marchand
2. Loui
3. Beleskey

And at the start of the season, who was on the top line? God, you guys can't be this intellectually dishonest, can you?

 

[LSCII]

I'm sure the new argument will be that Bergy's line is really the top line and not DK's. Man you guys go a long way to make excuses for guys you like. A. Real. Long. Way.

 

[bearcountry17]

And yet they're both on the top line. Odd.

The Hawks beat us in 13-14 with a second line consisting of Kane and Handzus. Does that mean either Patrick kane or Micheal Handzus are second line players? Please answer this instead of moving the goalposts again.

 

[Gee Wally]

Stay on subject .......and not personal stuff.

 

[LSCII]

The Hawks beat us in 13-14 with a second line consisting of Kane and Handzus. Does that mean either Patrick kane or Micheal Handzus are second line players? Please answer this instead of moving the goalposts again.

Kane was elevated to the top line and the series momentum completely shifted, so that's partly true at best. And the only person who has moved anything is you. I've said all along MB is one of their defacto first line wings. You just don't want to agree because it means he's not scoring enough goals. And yet it is, and yet he's not.

 

[bearcountry17]

Kane was elevated to the top line and the series momentum completely shifted, so that's partly true at best. And the only person who has moved anything is you. I've said all along MB is one of their defacto first line wings. You just don't want to agree because it means he's not scoring enough goals. And yet it is, and yet he's not.

I have never once said the Beleskey is scoring enough goals. The problem is that you assume that not scoring goals equals not doing what he was brought in to do when it is not as black and white as you would believe it to be.

If we brought in Micheal Ryder, than sure, goals are the only asset he brings so he would be failing to do what he was brought in for but Beleskey was billed as a fast, hard to play against winger who can play up and down the line up due to his skillset.

Belesky, so far, has been a fast, hard to play against winger who has played up and down the lineup. He has been much more physical than most had hoped, is racking up assists a rate that he has never done before, and after scoring last night while totaling 26 shots in his last 8 games is doing everything he can to put the puck in the net.

So Beleskey is the third highest paid winger on the team(Boston's highest paid winger only makes 4.5 which is not the norm throughout the league) with the 3rd highest ice time and the 3rd highest point total. With the way he's been playing, especially in the last 10 or so games, he's as likely to end the season with 11 goals as Marchand is to end up with 45. Not likely.

Fun fact. Beleskey scored 8 goals last playoff in 16 games. Brad Marchand has 8 goals in his last 43 games and we pay this guy 4.5

 

[bearcountry17]

Another fun fact. Beleskey at a 3.8m cap hit has roughly the same PPG as 10.5 cap hit Johnathan Toews.

 

[PB37]

And at the start of the season, who was on the top line? God, you guys can't be this intellectually dishonest, can you?

Teams will often slot players together not based solely on talent or " 1st/2nd/3rd " line status. Take Anaheim for example: Pat Maroon has often played with Perry and Getzlaf on the 1st line. But that doesn't mean Maroon is a 1st line talent; it just happened that they liked the way they played together. Same with Lucic when he started playing with Savard and Kessel; the coaches liked how he could be the physical presence and do the dirty work while Savard and Kessel brought the skill.

The Bruins have loved Beleskey's energy and style of play for a long time. It doesn't mean they feel he's a 1st line player. Let's be mindful here: we're talking about men with much more experience than us handling and thinking this game and I'm sure they know what they have in Beleskey: a guy that can move up and down the lineup and bring each line a physical presence and be a solid complementary piece.

“He was always identified as one of the top free agents in the market for us,†new Bruins GM Don Sweeney said of Beleskey. “Obviously he had a breakout year, he had a very, very good playoff that he followed up from a breakout year offensively, goal-production wise. His style of play was something that we had identified that we were missing in our group, and it was just a real good opportunity to purse a player that we coveted.â€

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

And at the start of the season, who was on the top line? God, you guys can't be this intellectually dishonest, can you?

Lines are put together to compliment one another and find performance. Its normal to juggle combinations.

Management went out over the past year and brought in Hayes/Connolly who are big bodied th shots. David pastrami is a rh shot... these three players project as scoring line wingers.

On left we got 2 studs but both will be eligible for Ufa in the next 2 years. If they stay they are our best 2 wingers.

Then you have belesky his one and only skill that is superior to these other 5 guys I's his fighting. luckily he is a high energy guy with enough offensive talent to move up and down the lineup.

Coach can skate him with krejci or coach can skate him with sooner. His play will help either line. Luckily Eriksson can help either line. Coach has very good options. Belesky is a good option for coach.

If you enjoy being unhappy and complaining about the team then you should pick something else to complain about imho because this argument is guaranteed to bite you once the law of averages works itself out by seasons end.

Belesky is a good signing playing valuable hockey for the team

 

[Danton Heineken]

Another fun fact. Beleskey at a 3.8m cap hit has roughly the same PPG as 10.5 cap hit Johnathan Toews.

You should call up Felger & Mazz and say this to them on the air. I can guarantee you'd get Mazz to do his Boston sports honk impression and Felger would say fercockta 6 or 7 times.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

Teams will often slot players together not based solely on talent or " 1st/2nd/3rd " line status. Take Anaheim for example: Pat Maroon has often played with Perry and Getzlaf on the 1st line. But that doesn't mean Maroon is a 1st line talent; it just happened that they liked the way they played together. Same with Lucic when he started playing with Savard and Kessel; the coaches liked how he could be the physical presence and do the dirty work while Savard and Kessel brought the skill.

The Bruins have loved Beleskey's energy and style of play for a long time. It doesn't mean they feel he's a 1st line player. Let's be mindful here: we're talking about men with much more experience than us handling and thinking this game and I'm sure they know what they have in Beleskey: a guy that can move up and down the lineup and bring each line a physical presence and be a solid complementary piece.

In Edmonton Dave seminko was one of gretzky s first wingers. Later tikkanen was player there... the idea wasnt to put messier there despite being the best lw on the team, but rather to find chemistry/depth/balance... find complimentary linemates

Kane doesn't regularly play with toews in Chicago.

Many coaches in recent years talk about finding pairs like we have with Bergeron/Marchand and had with krejci/lucic and peverly/kelly
Keeping a three man line together all year almost never happens anymore

 

[CJDolan]

The Hawks beat us in 13-14 with a second line consisting of Kane and Handzus. Does that mean either Patrick kane or Micheal Handzus are second line players? Please answer this instead of moving the goalposts again.

He labels players talent based on their "lines" in order to fit his agenda. Did it with Loui, doing it now. Tiger ain't gonna change its stripes.

 

[bearcountry17]

He labels players talent based on their "lines" in order to fit his agenda. Did it with Loui, doing it now. Tiger ain't gonna change its stripes.

Well at least Loui is a 1st line winger now.

 

[Boston Bruno]

http://nesn.com/2015/12/matt-beleskey-considered-signing-with-flames-before-joining-bruins/

Dunno if posted in thread ornot.

Team can use more Beleskeys, less Hayes.

 

[wintersej]

With the way the NHL works right now economically, it's too expensive to go out an acquire "proven" talent at every position. You need to have at least a reliable goaltender, but preferably an elite one, and another 2-3 elite players. Then you have to fill in your roster with veteran depth and young players with potential who can give you good secondary scoring on the cheap.

Yup. And a system to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts.