Because what are Bruins fans if they don't have something, or someone, to gripe about?In this case, we're griping about someone who has been our top defenseman so far this season. Forget the penalty on whatshisface Kostitsyn in the Montreal game. Dennis Wideman's game has grown since we got him two seasons ago. He's become one of the (if not the) top defensemen on our team. When we traded Brad Boyes for him, we were just looking for someone to fill a defensive hole. We seriously didn't think we had a top four defenseman here, just someone to kind of be there and fill in spaces, but over the past one-and-a-half seasons, he's developed into one of our stalwarts. He produces offensively, without allowing it to take much (if any) from his defensive game.
Yeah, there have been times where he's gone in and out of the doghouse. But seriously, what player in the NHL hasn't? Shall we recap the top three things he's done for us? Just off the top of my head? Because there are definitely more than just that.
03: The 18,000th goal in Bruins history. We were in an epic scoring draught around that time, if you recall. We were shut out for four and a half periods in a row and he scored, and it happened to be the 18,000th in Bruins history.
02: The tying goal in the Pens game when we came back from 0-4 down. An opportune goal at an opportune moment, which, maybe didn't lead to the result we'd wished for? But it definitely helped.
01: The pass that lead to the OT winner in game 3 against the Habs last season. Because without that beautiful behind the back pass he made, Marc Savard wouldn't have been able to score that goal.
Remember that, guys?
Yeah, there have been times where he's gone in and out of the doghouse. But seriously, what player in the NHL hasn't? Shall we recap the top three things he's done for us? Just off the top of my head? Because there are definitely more than just that.
03: The 18,000th goal in Bruins history. We were in an epic scoring draught around that time, if you recall. We were shut out for four and a half periods in a row and he scored, and it happened to be the 18,000th in Bruins history.
02: The tying goal in the Pens game when we came back from 0-4 down. An opportune goal at an opportune moment, which, maybe didn't lead to the result we'd wished for? But it definitely helped.
01: The pass that lead to the OT winner in game 3 against the Habs last season. Because without that beautiful behind the back pass he made, Marc Savard wouldn't have been able to score that goal.
Remember that, guys?I have so much more to say, but really...he's a great player. And I think a lot of the reason why people like to scapegoat him is because, well, Bruins fans always need something...or, should I say someone to complain about. Get over it, guys. Because a lot of the time? You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. And I'd really not like it if that were the case this time.
2 comments:
It's Boston... the doghouse is a rite of passage.
Wides is a good solid defenseman, but I'd much prefer him as a #3 than a #2. He'd be a great guy to run the second PP unit, make some nice plays for the second line, and so forth. But having him out there game after game against the other team's top players ends up making him look bad. We need a strong #2 guy so some of that pressure can be relieved.
Oh, I'm not saying that I agree with having him play as much as he does. Poor guy's gonna burn out before he turns 28. What I'm saying is, we (of course, I use we as a general statement) need to not gripe about the best defenseman we've got right now, you know? He's solid. Knows how to make plays, stop plays and score goals. Chara has been practically non-existent this season so far, which, I know, is only 6 games in, but...he's supposed to be our leader, our captain. Ward has been...well, you know. And Ference has been relatively decent...but Wideman has been solid, with fewer glaring errors than the others.
Post a Comment