You vote: Should Ryder or Seguin face the Blue Jackets tonight?
Ryder's on the bubble/By S. Bradley
Bruins head coach Claude Julien made it clear this morning that he will make a decision later today between Michael Ryder and Tyler Seguin as the third line’s right winger for the game in Columbus tonight.
Seguin has been a healthy scratch for three of Boston’s last five games, and when he has played he has skated on the fourth line with Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton. This week, Seguin spent two practices mixing in on a line with Ryder, Mark Recchi and Chris Kelly.
Ryder, who has 17 goals on the season, is currently in the midst of a one-goal-in-14-games slump. He has played in all 68 this season after skating in all 82 plus every playoff game last season.
“We want some accountability from everybody,” Julien said. “And we want the message to be clear that everyone has to step up their game up and that’s what we expect.”
So I ask you wise readers of TheBruinsBlog.net:
Which F should be in the lineup vs. Columbus?
- Tyler Seguin (87%, 173 Votes)
- Michael Ryder (13%, 26 Votes)
Total Voters: 199
Loading ...
He never gets the playing time. I know what I see and I dont like it. I want Seguin because he is unknown. Could he fail? of course, but what is out there is NOT working. (Please dont bother with “they’re in first” crap. They stink right now)
He didn’t get the playing time, but Seguin came through in the Shootout – he made Coach look smart and he added confidence. Sitting Ryder came out OK. Go Bruins.
Leave the veteran in there. The only way to get him going is to let him work it out through playing. Seguin will have plenty of time to develop in the future, but we need to win now.
Seguin and Ryder have the same amount of even strength goals, Ryder has only 5 more even strength assists. What separates these two players is Ryder has better stats due to having almost double the amount of PP time. Makes sense to me for Claude to sit Ryder. If you compare the two players other than perceived effort, they are pretty much the same. The difference being Seguin is a 19yr old rookie that jumped from juniors to pro andwho lot to learn. I would rather see Seguin because of my own perception that there are times when Ryder is not trying his hardest.
Ryder will be key come playoffs. I wish they benched recchi instead he looks 3 steps slower then what he did at beginning of the season. Recchi-kelly-seguin is an awful line combo for claude to use vs the jackets in a game that the bruins should win.
Confidence is a funny thing, we assume that because these guys have made the NHL they are brimming with confidence but its not always the case. I think that its time to give Seguin some play time with other skilled players and see if he can find his grove. A touch of success could really get that young man ready for the post season.
Not a huge Ryder fan here as well. Although he does have better offensive prowess than Paille. I would have to agree that Paille should sit with Kelly or Recchi on the fourth line and lets see what happens with that third line.
I voted for Ryder but fully expect to see him dressed for tonight’s game.
I don’t think Seguin is being treated unfairly and I definitely don’t think Seguin is a 4th line grinder and at the moment there aren’t too many spots for him to step into in the top 9.
I am not fan of Paille-I think the brings little to the team. I would kind of like to see Seguin get some time on the third line while Kelly plays on the 4th and Paille gets the press box.
I think Julein’s just playing coy with us and has probably warned Ryder a few times about getting scratched for lack of production of any kind. I find myself reflecting on Horton’s massive, massive slump, and how he at least was a decent defender in the absence of any offensive contribution. Thank God the decision to sit Ryder has been made. It makes sense on two levels, on put seguin in a line where he might just have a chance to make a few points and get mentored by a couple defensive veterans. He might get a few points with Recchi, as I can see him setting up recchin’ ball. That’s if he doesn’t figure out how to get there himself.
it is a fact that Ryder hurts the team.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20112BOSSASAll&sort=plusMinus&viewName=plusMinus
Point taken on Providence. Seguin is caught between leagues. To good for juniors but not good enough for the NHL. He really looks timid out there.
In the perfect world he would fit on the 3rd line and Kelly could get bumped to the 4th.
Ryder should sit until the playoffs. Total waste. Decent speed, but no forechecking effort and zero awareness in the offensive zone. I’m sick of watching him create space to make a good pass, then try to dangle the two guys in front of him instead and fail miserably. He is Claude’s favorite, though, so I won’t have my way.
I never forgot Ryder’s admittance after the Philly series of “having trouble getting motivated for 82 games”. His ignorance and his lack of heart are disgusting. I cheer when he scores a goal, but only for the team’s sake. Not for his.
I’m not one of those with the Seguin man-crush – I see much room for improvement, and not much reason to give him the long leash others wish he had (I think he’d strangle himself with it at this stage), but somehow I find myself with BK. I’d like to see him actually have to work his ass off for 17 minutes one night. Unlike many, I’m not into riding this ridiculous rollercoaster of the Bs are amazing – The Bs suck. In my mind the playoffs are all but a foregone conclusion and now its time to get the team healthy, rested and ready to kick ass. If they lose tonight b/c Seguin is on the second or third line – oh well. But I am curious to see what we might get if he were forced to struggle like hell. Everytime he makes a mistake he gets pulled – obviously by his ice time – he’s making a ton of mistakes.
I’ve been absolutely dying to see him get pissed off on the ice – maybe if they let him struggle, he finally will.
Kev, the bruins only had the pre-season and the first 9 games of the year to decide if Seguin should stay or he goes back to Junior, he can’t go to Providence. The Savard injury is interesting on a hundred different levels; it allowed the Bruins to be buyers at the trade deadline, but it also moved all the centers up one line possibly forcing Seguin to center when he was not ready for it. If Savard is in the lineup maybe the team is not as good but Seguin plays wing on the 3rd line probably with Bergeron.
Ryder needs a shake up and Seguin needs as many chances as he can get to gain experience and show his stuff.
It’s nothing against Ryder, Seguin is better on a third line than a fourth line, and Paille is playing well enough there that you should leave it alone.
As far as the third line goes, you’re not going to sit Peverly or Kelly cause that doesn’t send the right message to anyone, with them just arriving. I do believe sitting Ryder will help his game. He will take a deep breath and hopefully stop squeezing the stick.
The only time Seguin should be sitting is when someone else on the team is a liability, but if the other twelve players are all on their game, we have a great squad up front.
Having said that, Recchi could also use a good break because he has been slowing down as well. I see Seguin getting more ice time closer to the beginning of the playoffs when our position becomes more concrete.
If Ryder sits and Seguin scores this site will probably crash from all the activity. Claude must read this blog, people here have been clamoring for Ryder to sit for a long time because of his inconsistency. I’m not sure how much offense can be produced with Recchi and Kelly but for some reason I love watching Seguin play whoever he’s with. Even with the rookie mistakes there is something about him that makes you watch for him to be on the ice, the same way it seemed every time Pavel Bure was on the ice he was inches away from making a play to score a goal. Obviously they are not comparing skills here, I’m just comparing the interest I have when he’s out there.
@Kev…though I agree that Seguin is horribly weak in the corners and dirty areas the fact is he couldn’t have played in Providence. As a still junior eligible player if he isn’t in the show he goes back to Plymouth. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he shows up next year with out the drive to get dirty you will see him in a P-Bruins jersey out of camp.
It would be nice to watch Seguin skate a normal shift for an enitre game and see how he responds.
I think it was MK that suggested keeping him around long enough to show that he isn’t a 4 million dollar guy. Then either let him go via UFA over the summer or resign him at a dollar value more in line with his performance. He isn’t a complete waste of space…he does have 17 goals this year…and I hear he scored 30 a couple of times with another team…but as mentioned if someone is willing to over pay him as a UFA then they can have him.
Not a big Ryder fan, but Seguin is the weakest player on the team. Weak protecting the puck and can’t win battles in the corners.
The only reason he’s with the club is his high profile. Otherwise, he’d be in Providence – where he belongs.
I believe the average Bruins follower would be happy to see Ryder cut loose completely. then poor Michael will be judged on his early-in-the-season stats and effort. he can promise his prospective next team that he steps his game up for the playoffs, but without any recent evidence of that, he’ll be undervalued, for once. good riddance.
We know at this point what we’re going to get out of Ryder. Time to take the training wheels off Seguin and let him show his skill. This team does not have a sniper, time to see if Seguin can be one.
The message to Ryder is long overdue, whether Seguin produces or not.