Mount Kramer Cameras
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True. But would anyone feel comfortable giving him $3.5-4m/yr at this stage, even if he plays lights-out hockey for Cassidy?
Player Discussion Ryan Spooner Part V
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True. But would anyone feel comfortable giving him $3.5-4m/yr at this stage, even if he plays lights-out hockey for Cassidy?
VanIsle
Registered User
Spooner has points in 3 of 4 games when Julien left, and 8 points in his last 10 games while being a - only once.
Kid can be a little scary defensively but he has picked up his skill lately and looks great.
Kid can be a little scary defensively but he has picked up his skill lately and looks great.
BruinDust
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- Aug 2, 2005
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Maybe not, but with arbitration rights, when you compare his numbers, even on a 1-year deal he's getting a decent dollar.
22Brad Park
Registered User
his effort seems much greater the last 4 games and his confidence has grown. makes me question him a bit though as he was always the only person responsible for his effort.
Full disclosure: As you can tell from my username, I'm a big Spooner fan.
When Krejci's hip implodes in the next 2-3 years and Bergeron finally starts to slow down offensively, who are we counting on to pick up the slack? Just JFK and Donato? Maybe Czarnik? I'm sorry, but I'm not comfortable betting on 2 prospects + Czarnik. Czarnik will never be better than a 3rd line, energy / PK guy. He's got wheels but he does not have the offensive IQ to make it happen in the NHL if you ask me.
Keep Spooner. He has the speed, hands, and vision to be a very good #2 center in the NHL. Faceoffs, as others have mentioned, really do not matter very much by any statistical measure. I think choosing a guy who can win faceoffs over a guy who can set up and scores goals is dumb. Moreover, Spooner can get better in his own zone, on the back-check, and in the corners - you can coach those things much more easily than you can the offensive stuff he already brings to the table. He's not perfect, and probably never will be in those defensive/"battle" categories, but if he can be at least competent than I think it's more than worth keeping him around for the 40-50 points a season he can provide. That's not even considering his potential to put up closer to 60. I agree with the comparisons to Savard - except he's even faster/more agile than Savard ever was.
Spooner has the ability to be a game-breaker. We've seen it the last few games - he can just take the puck and within seconds manufacture a breakaway or a serious scoring chance. If you can keep a guy like that for under 3 million, you would be absolutely foolish to not do so. We're paying Beleskey more than that to do much less. Even at his best, Beleskey has never put up more points than Spooner did last year. Hitting guys and looking like you're trying hard doesn't win games - making goals happen does.
Give Spooner the chance to play with Vatrano for the rest of the year and watch those two finally give us a 3rd line that does more than dump'n chase and get scored on. You'll be amazed at what that does for our playoff chances.
When Krejci's hip implodes in the next 2-3 years and Bergeron finally starts to slow down offensively, who are we counting on to pick up the slack? Just JFK and Donato? Maybe Czarnik? I'm sorry, but I'm not comfortable betting on 2 prospects + Czarnik. Czarnik will never be better than a 3rd line, energy / PK guy. He's got wheels but he does not have the offensive IQ to make it happen in the NHL if you ask me.
Keep Spooner. He has the speed, hands, and vision to be a very good #2 center in the NHL. Faceoffs, as others have mentioned, really do not matter very much by any statistical measure. I think choosing a guy who can win faceoffs over a guy who can set up and scores goals is dumb. Moreover, Spooner can get better in his own zone, on the back-check, and in the corners - you can coach those things much more easily than you can the offensive stuff he already brings to the table. He's not perfect, and probably never will be in those defensive/"battle" categories, but if he can be at least competent than I think it's more than worth keeping him around for the 40-50 points a season he can provide. That's not even considering his potential to put up closer to 60. I agree with the comparisons to Savard - except he's even faster/more agile than Savard ever was.
Spooner has the ability to be a game-breaker. We've seen it the last few games - he can just take the puck and within seconds manufacture a breakaway or a serious scoring chance. If you can keep a guy like that for under 3 million, you would be absolutely foolish to not do so. We're paying Beleskey more than that to do much less. Even at his best, Beleskey has never put up more points than Spooner did last year. Hitting guys and looking like you're trying hard doesn't win games - making goals happen does.
Give Spooner the chance to play with Vatrano for the rest of the year and watch those two finally give us a 3rd line that does more than dump'n chase and get scored on. You'll be amazed at what that does for our playoff chances.
rocketdan9
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GloryDaze4877
Barely Irrelevant
Smith had 20g/31a in the last year of his ELC.
Chia signed him to a 1 year, $1.4m bridge deal, during which he accumulated 13g/27a, but played with little to no desire. In the middle of this campaign, Chia (before he was canned) extended him at $3.425m for another two years.
33g/58a for Smith in two seasons.
Spooner had 49 (13g/36a) last year, and is on pace for 42/43 (13g/30a) this year for a two year a total of 26g/66a.
Just going by the numbers, Spooner is going to get something real close to $3.5m per (one would think).
BruinDust
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- Aug 2, 2005
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Blowfish
Count down ...
Let's say that's correct and he does get 3 years at 3.5 or something like. Where does that leave the club cap-wise and is it a bargain in that context? If they let Liles go and Vegas takes McQ or KMill, Spooner's contract extension is covered, but we have to re-up Pasta and unless we expect another rookie to pull a Carlo on defense, we have to be looking at signing someone on D. Can we get quality for what we have cap-space wise?
*assuming no deadline deals happen
Still not sold on him. He needs to bring it every night, and until he does that I find him expendable. If a 20 year old Pasta can bring it consistently, don't see why Spooner can't. He has the skill, but I need to see the consistent effort personally.
- Sep 22, 2011
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I was at the Habs game last Sunday. Was able to watch the whole ice from my seat, and nobody frustrated me more than Spooner. He looked like he was hustling, he looked good with the puck, but his battle just wasn't there. Instead of relentless puck pursuit like Pasta does every shift, his default was to yield to the puck carrier. Given the choice between giving a hit and curling away after a stick wave, he curled. A few times where he should have taken a hit to make a play, he tossed it away instead of holding it a bit longer and taking the hit. There was one PP where anybody who ever played the game thought "boy, is he hearing footsteps" because he tossed it away when he should have been holding on to make a play. On a power play!
He's got great skills, it is just frustrating as hell that he seems to only give 100% a quarter of the time. The rest, it seems he is more concerned about surviving out there, rather than going for broke and having fun, taking a hit, throwing a hit, and battling like it's a game to be won. I just don't think he has it in him, and even though the reins are off under Cassidy, I only see the flashes of the stuff he obviously excels at, not the 120% effort in all areas of the game that separates a good player from a great one.
We can say this for him- he's going to retire at 30 a very rich man, and when he's 50 he'll have his brain and body still intact to thoroughly enjoy his later years. Something to be said for that, as frustrating as it is to a fan.
- Sep 22, 2011
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I don't really want to go there, but he certainly plays the game as if this is on his mind. It's like he's weighing the impact on his career rather than impact on each shift shift. Not saying he's that calculating, but yeah, that's the way it seems to an outsider. It would be curious to know if players actually calculate these things, instead of just being too timid for physical contact.
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Who knows- it could be a subconscious thing? Anyway, whether it's a natural aversion to getting crushed by a big hit (an aversion I freely admit I share!) or a thought about his long term health, it makes him unreliable as an NHL player for us as of right now.
- Sep 22, 2011
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One of the best players I ever saw/played with, went on to a full boat Div 1 scholarship and drafted by the Bruins, did not achieve what he should have because he got to the point where his immense talent wasn't enough, and he didn't have the cohones necessary to get over that hump. I imagine it happens to a lot of guys.
I really don't think there is anyone in the organization ready to come in and replace him offensively and beyond that I think we need more help on O than on D. Either he remains a 40 to 50 point third liner or he grows into a better contributor either way right now I don't see how this team is better minus his production. This is a team lacking offensive depth not top end talent.
wintersej
Registered User
You know what I want to see? Spooner in the playoffs. If he has an extra effort/battle gear, lock him up. But, he could just us likely shrink in that environment.
Spanky185
Registered User
"We’ve asked them to play to their strengths offensively,” said Cassidy, “and be responsible defensively. The effort’s been there, both ends of the ice. It is not always going to be perfect, but . . .
“Even Ryan won a big faceoff in overtime and they made a play off the rush that could have ended. We are trying to put them in areas where they are an important part of the game, see if they can handle it, and I think they have so far.”
http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/...t=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
“Even Ryan won a big faceoff in overtime and they made a play off the rush that could have ended. We are trying to put them in areas where they are an important part of the game, see if they can handle it, and I think they have so far.”
http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/...t=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Dennis Bonvie
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At the very least he'll have to skate harder to avoid the up-tick in contact during the playoffs.
rocketdan9
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- Feb 5, 2009
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This is a hallmark of a good coach
Still want to see how Cassidy handles a loss or two, but as of now
he has the trust of his team
like Backes already has said, even if they are scored on, they don't care and just keep playing
Cassidy, winner of all four games he has coached behind the Boston bench, noted that every coaching change brings a rearrangement of roster parts.
‘When a new voice comes in,†he said, “there’s probably three or four guys that are looking to sort of get their season back on track. And maybe there’s a couple that don’t get as much responsibility. That’s certainly been the case for a few our guys and they’ve responded.
“In my opinion, [Spooner] is a better centerman than a winger right now. Whether he can sustain that in the long run, time will tell. But he has been a center all his life and I think he would be the first to tell you he enjoys that more than the wing.
“I thought he had good days on the wing, with [David] Krejci. They are both offensive minds. I just think he prefers playing between the dots, having the puck in the neutral zone, being away from the walls, being creative and using his speed.
“We’ve asked him to be a 200-foot player and he is working at it.
“Is he perfect? No. But he’s working at it and that is just part of the responsibility of being a center iceman. You’ve got to be able to go out and play against whoever they throw out there.â€
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/b...-seems-help/Hsq4GsnPT23ztQafrRhgjO/story.html
My take on this. Ball's in the kids court. Make it or break it. Pretty clear whats expected IMO.
‘When a new voice comes in,†he said, “there’s probably three or four guys that are looking to sort of get their season back on track. And maybe there’s a couple that don’t get as much responsibility. That’s certainly been the case for a few our guys and they’ve responded.
“In my opinion, [Spooner] is a better centerman than a winger right now. Whether he can sustain that in the long run, time will tell. But he has been a center all his life and I think he would be the first to tell you he enjoys that more than the wing.
“I thought he had good days on the wing, with [David] Krejci. They are both offensive minds. I just think he prefers playing between the dots, having the puck in the neutral zone, being away from the walls, being creative and using his speed.
“We’ve asked him to be a 200-foot player and he is working at it.
“Is he perfect? No. But he’s working at it and that is just part of the responsibility of being a center iceman. You’ve got to be able to go out and play against whoever they throw out there.â€
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/b...-seems-help/Hsq4GsnPT23ztQafrRhgjO/story.html
My take on this. Ball's in the kids court. Make it or break it. Pretty clear whats expected IMO.
World of Wardlow
Unscripted Violence
3 for 18 on the face-off in last 3 games. What a disaster he's been there. Even Cassidy doesn't seem to trust him by going with Hayes or Vatrano to take the faceoffs over him.
Alberta_OReilly_Fan
Bruin fan since 1975
Spooner needed to adapt better to wing if he wanted to be useful to our long term plans.
I'm seeing alot of compables to a guy like Sam gagner or Cody Hodgkin here... a more successful Gilbert Burle perhaps
There's certainly been guys like this in the nhl before that bounce around making you think they could be better... put up some points on the pp... get paid way too much...
Eventually never really help anyone win...
I understand why this type of player has its fans... cause the tease is there
I'd say Ray Whitney was this type of player too... cliff ronning... Tyler bozek...
Some of these guys up their compete level and become below average top 6 players on non playoff teams... so I anticipate spooner will make his 30 million dollars and have no regrets... it's just very unlikely it will happen in Boston and imo we can part with him anytime now if we get an offer that makes sense.
I dont see us paying him 3 mill next year but someone definitely will. Good for him. I wish him no I'll will. I just cant see how he's worth the money to us when we have better options.
Too bad he wasn't willing to up his physical game and make better effort defensively because his offense game is pretty good
I'm seeing alot of compables to a guy like Sam gagner or Cody Hodgkin here... a more successful Gilbert Burle perhaps
There's certainly been guys like this in the nhl before that bounce around making you think they could be better... put up some points on the pp... get paid way too much...
Eventually never really help anyone win...
I understand why this type of player has its fans... cause the tease is there
I'd say Ray Whitney was this type of player too... cliff ronning... Tyler bozek...
Some of these guys up their compete level and become below average top 6 players on non playoff teams... so I anticipate spooner will make his 30 million dollars and have no regrets... it's just very unlikely it will happen in Boston and imo we can part with him anytime now if we get an offer that makes sense.
I dont see us paying him 3 mill next year but someone definitely will. Good for him. I wish him no I'll will. I just cant see how he's worth the money to us when we have better options.
Too bad he wasn't willing to up his physical game and make better effort defensively because his offense game is pretty good
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