Feb 13, 2015; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; (Editors note: Caption correction) Vancouver Canucks forward Derek Dorsett (51) celebrates forward Shawn Matthias (27) second goal against Boston Bruins goaltender Tuuka Rask (40) during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Disappointing Defense
Coming into the season, the Boston Bruins defense was thriving. In fact, one of the biggest reasons why fan favorite, Johnny Boychuk was traded to the Islanders was because there were too many solid blueliners – as well as the salary cap issues. Now, in the second half of the season, the B’s defense has taken a turn for the worse. There is not one defenseman that has shown up and given 100% for each game. They are turning over the puck far too often, trying to make too many offensive plays and not backing up their goalie. Tuukka can only do so much, if he doesn’t have the support in front of his net, the goals are going to continue going past him.
The Bad Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Feb 10, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug (47) skates with the puck during the third period against the Dallas Stars at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Torey Krug has been the most consistent d-man all year. Although he was out for a few weeks with a finger injury, he has continued to show progress and make great plays – most of the time. There are some instances where Krug focuses too much on getting an offensive shot on goal, and not enough about protecting the puck, which is his biggest downfall.
Dougie Hamilton is being groomed as the Chara replacement for after he retires. He has the size and skill required to really be a great defensive player, but his immaturity and lack of confidence can cause some big issues on the ice. When most players make a mistake, they come back and make up for it in some other way. Hamilton will instead beat himself up over it and lose his confidence, which in turn leads to other errors. Is this really the defenseman that we want to rely on for years to come? There has also been a lot of trade talk regarding Chara, but based on the play from Hamilton and the other blueliners, I think it is safe to safe Chara isn’t going anywhere.
The biggest disappointment from the defense this year has been Dennis Seidenberg. Having been out most of last year with a knee injury, many people thought he would come back looking better than ever. This unfortunately, has not been the case. However, he is not alone. When a player comes back from a big injury, it takes time to readjust and get back in there game. Yes, we are now 55 games into the season which would seem like more than enough time for Seidenberg to get his legs back. But for many players it takes a whole season or more for this to happen – some even never go back to the way they used to play. Can the Bruins wait around for Seidenberg to get back to his productive play, or do they need to invest in a defenseman that can make a real difference on the ice?
Next: Offseason Moves