Ty Anderson: The Spooner Situation

I think you touched upon both scenarios i would like to see. The best option is having Kelly Talbot and Paille as the 4th line. Which sounds dangerous.

Do you keep Pastrnak with Spooner or do you kick Spooner down with Loui and Soderberg line? I think both could work. I would have to imagine that Krejci could easily fit in with the Swedes but i doubt Claude will continue with the Youth-Lucic line.

So many questions.

Spooner and Pasta are fun to watch and bring an excitement back to this team that they haven't really had much this year.

There skill, speed and YOUTH have been exactly what many of us have been hoping the coaching and management staff would incorporate for a couple years now. And, as a bonus to these kids playing great, Lucic has had to move his feet just to keep up.

I would be concerned that separating Pasta Spoon will force them to have to slow down there game while waiting for players like Krejci and Lucic to catch up. And, that some creativity will be lost as a result.

We will see........ugh, what Clode Vader decides.

What about Connelly too? Is he gonna make it back? Tough calls forthcoming for ChiaClooooooode.

Really hoping Spooner finds a spot. B's will have basically the same core as last year but with Spooner, Pastrnak and Connolly will have a ton more quick strike potential. I think that's a game changer vs Montreal.

I still think we should be very critical of Soderberg over the next few weeks. He hasn't been scoring at all, and when he doesn't score, what does he bring? He seems almost disinterested, is he ready to go home? Does he care about winning the Cup? Spooner is straight up a better option right now. I think Eriksson Spooner Pastrnak would be a filthy 3rd line, especially if they get some good matchups

i'm not going to lose sleep over this problem. dollars to doughnuts there's going to be another injury. If not, park Soderberg for a few games, he needs to hit the reset button. Can't set Campbell and Paille both aside, somebody has to be out there to kill a Marchand penalty.

Really hard to break up that line right now:

w/o considering Connolly I would roll:

Lucic - Spooner - Pastrnak
Marchand - Bergeron - Smith
Soderberg - Krejci - Eriksson
Paille - Talbot - Kelly

That has to be terrifying to a 1 seed seeing that lineup for playoffs in an 8 seed.

If Connolly is healthy I wouldn't mind seeing him slide in for Smith, but know it likely wont happen, without some game action very doubtful Connolly sees the ice in the Playoffs unless someone is slumping or injured and the team needs an injection.

Only issue is that Claude will need to healthy scratch Soupy so in the press box you have Campbell, Connolly and Ferlin essentially.

Fwd depth is insanely good, the D is the only worry IMO

Chara - Hamilton
Seidenberg - Bartkowski
McQuaid - Krug

Its a decent Defense but it's not anything to write home about a lot of the time.

Also love that we can roll 2 Top PP units now also

If you asked me a month ago and told me to be as honest as humanly possible, I probably would have told you that I didn’t believe that Ryan Spooner had a real future with the Boston Bruins.

I agree with you. I'm still on the fence as well(what? f U glove!) Seriously, he has put together a nice little streak here. I can see a noticeable jump in his game.

However, let's burn that bridge when they get there. When Krejci returns let's see how Spooner is still doing. At that point if he is still playing well or better, then Campbell has to be the odd man out.

As for Connolly, I think Reilly Smith needs to be looking over his shoulder. IMO, he is 9th floor material if Connolly has anything to offer.

Really hard to break up that line right now:

w/o considering Connolly I would roll:

Lucic - Spooner - Pastrnak
Marchand - Bergeron - Smith
Soderberg - Krejci - Eriksson
Paille - Talbot - Kelly

That has to be terrifying to a 1 seed seeing that lineup for playoffs in an 8 seed.

If Connolly is healthy I wouldn't mind seeing him slide in for Smith, but know it likely wont happen, without some game action very doubtful Connolly sees the ice in the Playoffs unless someone is slumping or injured and the team needs an injection.

Only issue is that Claude will need to healthy scratch Soupy so in the press box you have Campbell, Connolly and Ferlin essentially.

Fwd depth is insanely good, the D is the only worry IMO

Chara - Hamilton
Seidenberg - Bartkowski
McQuaid - Krug

Its a decent Defense but it's not anything to write home about a lot of the time.

Also love that we can roll 2 Top PP units now also
- MrBeanTown

Connolly might not be as difficult as you think. I think CJ will put him in for whoever is struggling at the time. We will have some depth, hopefully we dont have any serious injuries to the D core. (knocks on wood)

. I think Eriksson Spooner Pastrnak would be a filthy 3rd line, especially if they get some good matchups
- Shaundre93

Ok so say they do this (laughs out load)

Krejci-Luc-Connolly ?
Bergy-Marshy-Smith
Yeti or Kells centering 4th line with Paille & Talbot

This does give you SPEED on every line (assuming Connolly has the wheels needed)

The best way to go about it in the playoffs is this...

Spooner - Krejci - Pasta
Marsh - Bergy - Smith
Connelly - Yeti - Eriksson
Lucic - Kelly - Talbot
Cambell - Spare


lucic on the 4th line would be awesome ... he would no pressure to score ...just go out and do what he is good at ...HIT!!! and HIT !! ..somemone

The best way to go about it in the playoffs is this...

Spooner - Krejci - Pasta
Marsh - Bergy - Smith
Connelly - Yeti - Eriksson
Lucic - Kelly - Talbot
Cambell - Spare


lucic on the 4th line would be awesome ... he would no pressure to score ...just go out and do what he is good at ...HIT!!! and HIT !! ..somemone
- rekkkers

There is no way Julien benches Paille and Campbell.

Sounds like what you guys are going through with Spooner is similar to what Buffalo is going through now with Larsson.

They bring the guy up a few different times and put him on a line with mediocre at best players and except him to make a large impact, and when he doesn't, they say he needs to get better and send him down.

It's impossible to tell what kind of an impact a player can have unless you put them in a situation where they can succeed.

Glad to see Boston is doing that with Spooner like Buffalo is doing that with Larsson.

The best way to go about it in the playoffs is this...

Spooner - Krejci - Pasta
Marsh - Bergy - Smith
Connelly - Yeti - Eriksson
Lucic - Kelly - Talbot
Cambell - Spare


lucic on the 4th line would be awesome ... he would no pressure to score ...just go out and do what he is good at ...HIT!!! and HIT !! ..somemone
- rekkkers

First of all- Spooner shifting to wing is a horrible idea
Second of all- Lucic on the 4th line is a horrible idea
Third of all- No idea what Connelly is made of
Fourth of all - What glove said

Good blog Mr. Anderson. You create some of the better material on this site.

First of all- Spooner shifting to wing is a horrible idea
Second of all- Lucic on the 4th line is a horrible idea
Third of all- No idea what Connelly is made of
Fourth of all - What glove said
- Videoj

Agreed, there are 2 players on the Team that NEED to play center to be effective
Spoons & Yeti

problem is one of them must play 4th line which is a bad fit for either guy
BECAUSE you know who their wingers are going to be (See comment by Glove above)

Agreed, there are 2 players on the Team that NEED to play center to be effective
Spoons & Yeti

problem is one of them must play 4th line which is a bad fit for either guy
BECAUSE you know who their wingers are going to be (See comment by Glove above)
- BruinBlood

My question is more about the impact Spooner's play could have on next year's situation. If he keeps it up, he is a cheap option on that third line spot which could allow soderberg to walk. It may only be going off of 8 games and jumping the gun, but I think it allows Boston to give Hamilton a decent contract and allow Morrow to slide into that extra spot on D. This is also dependent on whether Chia lets Paille and/or Campbell walk too. I don't mind Paille on the 4th line, I think he has speed and both offensive and defensive playmaking skills, he just can't finish. Pasta, Smith, Connolly are all interchangeable depending on how Connolly performs. I think if he really develops, him and Pasta switch which keeps Pasta and Spoon together.

Lucic-Krejci-Connolly
Marchand-Bergy-Smith
Erik-Spoon-Pasta
Kelly-Talbot-Paille

Chara -Hamilton
Seidenberg- Morrow (anyone other than Bartkowski)
Quaid- Krug

My question is more about the impact Spooner's play could have on next year's situation. If he keeps it up, he is a cheap option on that third line spot which could allow soderberg to walk. It may only be going off of 8 games and jumping the gun, but I think it allows Boston to give Hamilton a decent contract and allow Morrow to slide into that extra spot on D. This is also dependent on whether Chia lets Paille and/or Campbell walk too. I don't mind Paille on the 4th line, I think he has speed and both offensive and defensive playmaking skills, he just can't finish. Pasta, Smith, Connolly are all interchangeable depending on how Connolly performs. I think if he really develops, him and Pasta switch which keeps Pasta and Spoon together.

Lucic-Krejci-Connolly
Marchand-Bergy-Smith
Erik-Spoon-Pasta
Kelly-Talbot-Paille

Chara -Hamilton
Seidenberg- Morrow (anyone other than Bartkowski)
Quaid- Krug
- Videoj

I'm not ready to anoint Connolly in the top 6 just yet. He needs to prove it. I think the guy who should be on notice though is Smith. Maybe he needs to see Marchand's shrink and find some (frank)ing consistency.

Paille is frustrating when he blows a great opportunity but it's his skating and vision that put him in those situations in the 1st place. He is a 4th line wing. Any scoring from that line is complimentary.

People and Julien included need to give Bart a break. I'm in the minority on this one, I know. I feel he has potential and is having confidence issues. Fans, media and the coaching staff seem hellbent on making him Wideman 2.0. Which would be a total waste.

Good blog Mr. Anderson. You create some of the better material on this site.
- RonPielep

Thanks dude, I appreciate the kind words. Felt bad I couldn't get anything up these last few days. My ADD flared up and made it unbelievably hard to sit down and focus on anything for more than a couple minutes.

I'm not ready to anoint Connolly in the top 6 just yet. He needs to prove it. I think the guy who should be on notice though is Smith. Maybe he needs to see Marchand's shrink and find some (frank)ing consistency.

Paille is frustrating when he blows a great opportunity but it's his skating and vision that put him in those situations in the 1st place. He is a 4th line wing. Any scoring from that line is complimentary.

People and Julien included need to give Bart a break. I'm in the minority on this one, I know. I feel he has potential and is having confidence issues. Fans, media and the coaching staff seem hellbent on making him Wideman 2.0. Which would be a total waste.
- glove_was_stuck

I agree that Bart takes too much heat and I'm usually on his side. (I have arguments with the Bart case with my father on a weekly basis, he shows negative stats, I show his positive stats.) That being said, who do you cut out then? The improvement lies in either letting McQuaid walk, or developing Bart more in Providence. Or potentially both and having Miller fill in for Quaider. Even if Chara is slowing down, Hamilton is improving, and Seidenberg is still an amazing shut down D even if he's lost a stride (which isn't necessarily permanent)

Had Smith not received his contract, I would have had him walk, but he's here, and if he remains a fifty point guy, he's useful on 2nd or 3rd line.

With regard to Connolly, I think the injury may be a blessing in disguise for the future of him and the team. Boston can't give him much of a raise without seeing him play, and he isn't rushed into a 20 game time frame to prove himself for a contract. Boston resigns him cheap and if he flourishes, we're golden, if he's a dud, then he's gone and we wasted a couple picks.

I'm not ready to anoint Connolly in the top 6 just yet. He needs to prove it. I think the guy who should be on notice though is Smith. Maybe he needs to see Marchand's shrink and find some (frank)ing consistency.

Paille is frustrating when he blows a great opportunity but it's his skating and vision that put him in those situations in the 1st place. He is a 4th line wing. Any scoring from that line is complimentary.

People and Julien included need to give Bart a break. I'm in the minority on this one, I know. I feel he has potential and is having confidence issues. Fans, media and the coaching staff seem hellbent on making him Wideman 2.0. Which would be a total waste.
- glove_was_stuck

I agree. Bart has been looking good with some playing time and some confidence. He just has to stop taking some dumb penalties. lol

I agree. Bart has been looking good with some playing time and some confidence. He just has to stop taking some dumb penalties. lol
- T-Rask

Agreed. He needs to lock that poop up.

My question is more about the impact Spooner's play could have on next year's situation. If he keeps it up, he is a cheap option on that third line spot which could allow soderberg to walk. It may only be going off of 8 games and jumping the gun, but I think it allows Boston to give Hamilton a decent contract and allow Morrow to slide into that extra spot on D.
- Videoj

well either way Dougie is going to get a Healthy Raise, he is your #2 D-man and soon to be your #1. He is restricted and Chia better use his Business skills to work a deal favorable for the Bruins. we all know Harry would have squeezed Dougie's nuts until he said uncle. Time for Chia to get tough with certain contracts. DON'T get me wrong I'm not saying I would want Sinden back or his likes, No Thanks. but he needs to be wary of where JJ's money is going.

However, the Spooner Situation is different, Let's Face It, I think B's management pretty much wrote this kid off as far as playing with the Big Club, destined for the AHL for life or until he got out of the organization. Plans are to have Koko take the reigns as 3rd line Center next year or so was the thought, If spoons can keep this up it gives them options going into the 2015 draft .
And yes Yeti is as good as gone after this Season

I agree that Bart takes too much heat and I'm usually on his side. (I have arguments with the Bart case with my father on a weekly basis, he shows negative stats, I show his positive stats.) That being said, who do you cut out then? The improvement lies in either letting McQuaid walk, or developing Bart more in Providence. Or potentially both and having Miller fill in for Quaider. Even if Chara is slowing down, Hamilton is improving, and Seidenberg is still an amazing shut down D even if he's lost a stride (which isn't necessarily permanent)

Had Smith not received his contract, I would have had him walk, but he's here, and if he remains a fifty point guy, he's useful on 2nd or 3rd line.

With regard to Connolly, I think the injury may be a blessing in disguise for the future of him and the team. Boston can't give him much of a raise without seeing him play, and he isn't rushed into a 20 game time frame to prove himself for a contract. Boston resigns him cheap and if he flourishes, we're golden, if he's a dud, then he's gone and we wasted a couple picks.
- Videoj

I'd keep Bart as a 7th guy next season. You'll probably be able to sign him for short money. At the moment, if anyone in Providence was really challenging for a spot I imagine he would've been brought up. I think Seidenberg will continue to improve. He did have major knee surgery and it usually takes most athlete's a year to really get right, fitness freak or not.

Smith can't walk as he is an RFA but for (frank) sakes! Let him go to arbitration! It's isn't like when Sinden took Borque to arbitration. We're taking about a fringe NHLer here. I don't care if there was an agreement with him an PC. Unless the agreement was to be tepid, then he's knocking it out of the park. Bravo?

Offseason I let McQuaid, Campbell and Paille walk. The I look to move either Eriksson or Lucic(preferably) clear space and bring in outside help on D.

Who? I don't know. I don't anything without Capgeek (please come back to us)

And yes Yeti is as good as gone after this Season
- BruinBlood

I just don't think we miss him next year if Spooner continues his NHL caliber play, and that really takes the weight off of even throwing around the idea of trying to get Soder under contract.