Bruce Boudreau not sorting out the forwards

[yave1964]

Let me start this by saying I am a Boudreau fan, I know a lot of folks in here hate him but I think he did a great job in Washington, they were bad before he got there (with Ovie) and worse when he left. Anaheim was a playoff also ran on their way to irrelevancy when he got there and has been one of the leagues best teams sense. Yes I know his team has never won the big one or even come close but regular season he is one hell of a coach.

 

 That said, I think he is doing a wretched job of sorting out the forwards this year, and it may come back and haunt the team come April/May.

 

  Sellane retired at the end of the year, leaving the team with Perry, Getzlaf and newcomer Kessler and an absolute ton of talented forwards to sort thru. The team has been solid all year, leading the division and although they have slipped a bit lately they can still see tops in the West with a good push. But Boudreau has not sorted out the forwards and come up with four lines yet all year.

 

 Essentially they have:

Getzlaf and Perry on the top line

Kessler centering the second line

Rakell centering the third line

Nate Thompson centering the fourth

 

Everyone else.

None of the forward lines have had any cohesion al year, players have bounced from first to fourth and some to the AHL and back and everything in between. A few examples.

 

Patrick Maroon has went from first line playing with the big boys to losing his job due to injury to fourth line, healthy scratch back up top and now playing 11 minutes a night.

 

Silferberg who came over from the Senators for Bobby Ryan has been tried on lines 1 thru 3 and has not found a home, he seems to have a different centerman every night.

 

Smith-Pelly was finally shipped to the Canadiens when the tough guy with a bit of scoring touch finally spoke up about his handling in Anaheim.

 

Palmeiri goes from the third line to the first like a yoyo. Belesky has 21 goals from mostly the third line averaging only 14 minutes a night, he is now injured and is sweating the possibility of being dealt as he is an UFA at the end of the year.  "Youre always sweating out the trade deadline days," Beleskey said. "Being unrestricted right now, Im sure its got a little more to it. Its totally out of my hands at this point so I try not to worry about it." A young kid with a breakout year should not be making these comments.

 

Cogliano has had an off year and has bounced around all four lines. Rene Bourque was dealt for and has been lost in the shuffle. Sekac came over from Montreal after coach Therien could not find a line for him, Boudreau probably will not do any better. Emerson Etem has been considered a top tier prospect, he is now playing the third line after being recalled from a yoyo season. Supposedly Boudreau would like to try him on the top line. My guess is if he fails there he will be shipped out again.

 

My point is between Maroon, Silferberg, Palmieri, Belesky, Cogliano, Bourque, Sekac and Etem, you should be able to sort out your wingers and get some cohesion before the season comes to an end and the postseason begins. You cannot win in the long run without a certain amount of cohesion. For the life of me I cannot understand what Boudreau is doing with these guys, why they are still trying to figure out a top line winger, and the wingers on both the second and third line. This is not the way a team that is going to win the Stanley cup is built. They have great young goaltending and an amazing underrated defense, as well as the aforementioned Getzlaf, Perry and Kessler. If boudreau gets it together and sorts these guys out they have a chance to make some noise but it is getting absurd. Every week a new player is tried on the top line and after being found wanting moved down or out and another takes his place. If they don't get it together soon I could see them as a first round surprise knockout.

[yave1964]

Aaaaaaaannnd now add Fleischman in exchange for the ghost of Danny Heatley. My God yet another piece of the puzzle to go with the other seven or eight guys looking to fill four spots. I really am having a hard time getting these guys.