Player Discussion The Definitive Danton Heinen Poll

[wintersej]

Coach seem to like Boquist so far. I haven't seen enough but I don't dislike Boquist. Seems Merkulov needs a bit more time in Providence.

Boqvist seems to have Heinen’s smarts, positional flexibility and ability to play up and down the lineup and adds more speed, PK and the ability to play center. But it’s reasonable to think that they aren’t totally in competition as one could take 3LW and one could take 13th forward.

 

[wintersej]

I voted for "Don't dislike the player, but hopes a younger player takes his spot." ... reading that as I hope a younger player EARNS taking his spot, not just doing it for the sake of it.

 

[JOKER 192]

I don't insist on Hienen being on the team but I don't see a better option among the prospects to fill the 3 LW spot at this point.

 

[Dr Hook]

Danton living rent free in a lot of HF heads right now . I like the player and hope he makes the team because, like @JOKER 192 I don't see any one at this time that he would taking a job from that deserves it. Maybe someone emerges in the next few days and Danton gets released. If he does, I won't cry about it- it means someone else is seen as giving the team a better chance to win every night. Right now, I don't know who that would be.

 

[sarge88]

I don't insist on Hienen being on the team but I don't see a better option among the prospects to fill the 3 LW spot at this point.

IDK, theres a few more games this preseason, but I don’t think giving Merkulov half a dozen games on 3LW would be a bad option.

I mean we know what Heinen is, maybe Merkulov can be better.

Beyond him, there are so many different ways the lineup can go that would fit in a younger guy in over Heinen.

Beecher on the 4th line and Lauko at 3LW for instance.

 

[MustardStew]

Key word is takes. I want someone younger, but they have to earn the spot. At least Danton's an NHL player

 

[Dr Hook]

Key word is takes. I want someone younger, but they have to earn the spot. At least Danton's an NHL player

I would be really happy as a Bruin fan if someone like Lauko beats out Heinen for that 3 LW starting spot. We'll know soon enough, I guess.

 

[JOKER 192]

IDK, theres a few more games this preseason, but I don’t think giving Merkulov half a dozen games on 3LW would be a bad option.

I mean we know what Heinen is, maybe Merkulov can be better.

Beyond him, there are so many different ways the lineup can go that would fit in a younger guy in over Heinen.

Beecher on the 4th line and Lauko at 3LW for instance.

He hasn't shown that though. I'd like a prospect to take the spot too but to be honest only Poitras has impressed and he needs to strengthen up before he can play 82 games in the NHL. Beecher has made a case for 4C and that's about it.

If I'm Sweeney I sign DH . If during the season someone proves he can take the spot great. In the meantime if you release DH and give the spot to Merky , what's the solution then if it doesn't workout? The 3rd line is already going to take a major hit as is, you can't risk Merky failing.

All the prospects and I mean all, would benefit from a bit more seasoning. That's not to say I don't see any hope for them . There are several that look like NHL players. They're just not ready right now.
Though Poitras looks like all he needs to do is strengthen up.

 

[sarge88]

He hasn't shown that though. I'd like a prospect to take the spot too but to be honest only Poitras has impressed and he needs to strengthen up before he can play 82 games in the NHL. Beecher has made a case for 4C and that's about it.

If I'm Sweeney I sign DH . If during the season someone proves he can take the spot great. In the meantime if you release DH and give the spot to Merky , what's the solution then if it doesn't workout? The 3rd line is already going to take a major hit as is, you can't risk Merky failing.

All the prospects and I mean all, would benefit from a bit more seasoning. That's not to say I don't see any hope for them . There are several that look like NHL players. They're just not ready right now.
Though Poitras looks like all he needs to do is strengthen up.

I get it.

I just hope they give Merkulov a lot of time in the remaining pre season games to see for sure.

I don’t think he’s that far away.

 

[ODAAT]

I`ve been a fanboy of his before and will be again but that said, if someone`s play shows they earned a spot more than he did, I`m down with moving on without him

Chiasson was invisible and is now gone, that goal Heinen scored isn`t one everyone can score on, having the mindset to use his skate, release the puck quickly..Heinen is the least flashy player on the team, rarely shows emotion which for some bizarre reason, fans are offended by but he is a solid NHL player and something else going for him, he`s a former player for Monty

 

[wintersej]

I get it.

I just hope they give Merkulov a lot of time in the remaining pre season games to see for sure.

I don’t think he’s that far away.

At least one more game. But Lysell might earn another game after tonight. And Potrais, too. At some point they are gonna have to cut more bodies as there is really only one top 9 spot open for Potrais, Merkulov, Heinen, Boqvist and Lysell to fight over (with Heinen and Boqvist also having a shot at 13F).

 

[goldnblack]

I would have liked to have seen a poll like

Who would you rather see this year on the Bruins's 3rd line: Poitras or Heinen

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

I think he's a decent 3rd line guy who can play with top 6 guys in a pinch and tends to be very reliable defensively. He's not "physical" but he isn't a perimeter player either. My biggest issue with his first tour in Boston was that it took them way too long to figure out that he's not really a top 6 guy. As a bottom 6 guy with the right supporting cast he's a pretty high value player.

If he joined any other team in the league at PTO-tier money I doubt most fans would bat an eyelash but Bruins fans for some reason think every player needs to be some kind of Spartan warrior with exceptions only being granted to guys who put up 1st line numbers.

The obsession on this board with such a middle of the road player honestly borders on unhealthy. Like, it's so hard to articulate how weird it is that some people here have such a hard-on for this guy when he's such a middle of the road player. Like there is nothing inherently controversial about him at all (and in fact by all accounts he's a great guy & loved by his teammates), but some of yall are talking about him like he's Tony D or Mitchell Miller.

If a 3rd line 2-way winger not being scary & mean enough is this high on anyone's care-meter then I think they seriously need to re-evaluate both their hockey and life priorities.

 

[Walkenthewalk]

I can’t believe he got a poll

I can’t believe I voted on it.

 

[JCRO]

Man, you guys are letting me down. I expected more of a presence from the Heinen hate club in here

Joking aside-

I think he makes the roster because he is a reliable two way forward that can play on the PK and plug in on either wing throughout the lineup and hang in there.

One thing that clicked with me watching him the other night, which was something that did aggravate me with him when he was here prior to being traded- He still, at several times throughout a game, has a tough time getting pucks deep. Clearing the red line and throwing it in. He gets pinched off on the boards before he is able to do so.. Maybe its his lack of speed but this infuriates me when it comes to established NHLers.

 

[BMC]

I`ve been a fanboy of his before and will be again but that said, if someone`s play shows they earned a spot more than he did, I`m down with moving on without him

Chiasson was invisible and is now gone, that goal Heinen scored isn`t one everyone can score on, having the mindset to use his skate, release the puck quickly..Heinen is the least flashy player on the team, rarely shows emotion which for some bizarre reason, fans are offended by but he is a solid NHL player and something else going for him, he`s a former player for Monty

Some fans had the same issue with David Krejci- he wasn't one to wear his heart on his jersey sleeve either. You couldn't tell by looking at him if the Bruins were up 10-0 or down 10-0.

I'm not comparing the two as players so everybody chill the f*** out. But there is a similarity in temperament there.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Some fans had the same issue with David Krejci- he wasn't one to wear his heart on his jersey sleeve either. You couldn't tell by looking at him if the Bruins were up 10-0 or down 10-0.

I'm not comparing the two as players so everybody chill the f*** out. But there is a similarity in temperament there.

Krejci was far from the "prototypical Bruin", but he gets a pass because he was productive. But with Heinen, even as a 30 point bottom 6 guy, they want to run him out of town for not being Lucic. It's just an absurd, really weird fixation with one guy in particular. There are plenty of less effective, similarly bland players that have played here in the last decade that people here had way less extreme opinions about.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Krejci was far from the "prototypical Bruin", but he gets a pass because he was productive. But with Heinen, even as a 30 point bottom 6 guy, they want to run him out of town for not being Lucic. It's just an absurd, really weird fixation with one guy in particular. There are plenty of less effective, similarly bland players that have played here in the last decade that people here had way less extreme opinions about.

 

[sarge88]

Some fans had the same issue with David Krejci- he wasn't one to wear his heart on his jersey sleeve either. You couldn't tell by looking at him if the Bruins were up 10-0 or down 10-0.

I'm not comparing the two as players so everybody chill the f*** out. But there is a similarity in temperament there.

There was always a quiet intensity, almost anger that Krejc projected.

Like, compared to many NHL players he’s not intimidating. But if the average guy had words with him in a bar, most would think twice about messing with him.

Heinen doesn’t have that.

 

[sarge88]

Krejci was far from the "prototypical Bruin", but he gets a pass because he was productive. But with Heinen, even as a 30 point bottom 6 guy, they want to run him out of town for not being Lucic. It's just an absurd, really weird fixation with one guy in particular. There are plenty of less effective, similarly bland players that have played here in the last decade that people here had way less extreme opinions about.

Since I’m clearly one of the people you’re talking about, I’ll leave it at this.

He doesn’t need to be a Lucic, just show a freaking pulse every once in a while and do something that make people think you have some pride.

And I’ll leave it at that, because, apparently he’s not worth talking about much more,

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

I can’t believe he got a poll

Did Frederic a few months ago? I don't remember.

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

Heinen to me is the forever 13th forward. Not good enough to be really good at anything specific but kind of okay at most things. I would rather have guys with specific strengths and I'd go with the young guys instead since they have upside.

Heinen to me is like de-alcoholized beer. You can drink it, it kind of tastes like beer, but why bother?

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

Somewhere between D & E.

Honestly, the outrage about a bottom 6 - 13th forward is comical to an extent.

Would rather a young kid take the spot, but we've had worse players and contracts on this team.

I see him as a non-issue. We have close to zero cap space. Any problems we have are a result of what we've done with our cap space, not close to league minimum PTO guys.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Krejci was far from the "prototypical Bruin", but he gets a pass because he was productive. But with Heinen, even as a 30 point bottom 6 guy, they want to run him out of town for not being Lucic. It's just an absurd, really weird fixation with one guy in particular. There are plenty of less effective, similarly bland players that have played here in the last decade that people here had way less extreme opinions about.

Krejci still had his moments. At times very physically involved and always produced in the playoffs. Heinen is complementary of complementary players and merely adequate at everything rather than any strengths. His first time around he simply had to not be afraid of contact and he may have had a Boston career.

At this point, the upside and potential of prospects far outweighs whatever safety floor he can provide. Nothing against the person, just the style of player. Adopt a Loui Eriksson toughness, even. Net front presence.

 

[UncleRico]

Did Frederic a few months ago? I don't remember.

He did but at least he’s been on the team and a contributor. Heinen getting a poll as a PTO gave me a good chuckle.

I know I said it the other day, but you know when you see this stuff the damn season just needs to start because when Danton heinen is getting polls then we’ve run out of topics