Julien expects his players to be able to play three-zone, two-way, defensive-minded hockey. If a player in the system attempts to hot dog, or not play to the Julien system, they’ll likely be benched. Ryan Spooner started the season with a lot of potential for Boston, but he just wasn’t playing to the specifications Julien was setting out for him. Needless to say, it was a quick trip back to Providence until the Bruins injury bug compelled his return to the NHL.
Spooner is certainly not the biggest guy in the NHL by a long-shot. He’s 5’11” and 181 lbs. It’s not that hard to out-muscle the young forward and keep him locked in the defensive zone. (Next to phantom penalties issued by semi-blind French-Canadian judges, it’s Coach Claude’s biggest pet peeve.) So Spooner worked on being a two-way player in Providence, where he spent a good amount of time as a top-two forward for the baby B’s.
Blue Line Station
That dedication to learn his coach’s system is finally starting to show dividends. With David Krejci‘s most recent injury, the Bruins looked to find the right combination of players to fill the roster in the former top line. The introduction of Ryan Spooner and Czech wunderkind David Pastrnak has certainly given the Bruins the faster line they’ve been desiring all season. It’s even given Milan Lucic the desire to find that fifth gear that he’s been missing most of the season.
“I’m just happy that we won, and it’s about all I can say. If we win, I’m just feeling good.” – Ryan Spooner on his two goal game against the Ottawa Senators
“Those young guys are good players for us,” said coach Claude Julien of his new second line after the B’s 3-1 over Ottawa. “They need to play when it’s necessary. In order for them to get better, they need to play. At some point, if I see they’re having trouble . . . they did last game a little bit. Then you’ve got to make sure to make those adjustments. They bring a lot to our lineup. A lot more positive than negative. I’m going to stick with those guys to continue to evolve and get better.”
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It appears that Julien’s opinion is finally changing of Ryan Spooner. While it is kind of a pity it took several seasons to do it, it’s nice to see the Bruins bench boss utilize the twenty-three year old forward in a position that can surely help the team in the final weeks of the regular season.
He drove to the net hard and stopped,” said Julien of Spooner’s second goal. “Looch did a heck of a job out-muscling the defenseman and getting that puck to him. It was nice to see him score a couple goals in his hometown. We’re seeing him really turn the corner. That’s what young players do. You’ve got to give them time. He’s had some stints with us. He’s grown through it. Right now, he’s probably the best we’ve seen him.”
The Bruins final stretch will be a tough run for them. They’ve got several tough teams in front of them, starting off with the first of two appearances against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bruins will need Spooner to maintain playing at this level (and likely hope for him to play a little bit better). If he can do that, then Claude Julien will keep on liking him.