BOOGARD

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I'm not the biggest hockey fan but watch from time to time. What's the deal with Boogie and his ice time? Seems like he is never on the ice. Last night against the oilers they were getting physical with our guys but Boogie never was put out there.

[mmclain6101]

The last few weeks Clutterbuck has been doing it on both sides scoring goals, assisting in goals and hitting the [PoorWordUsage] out of other teams. I know that Nothing Compares to The Boogie Man when it comes to fights but Clutterbuck has been on fire the past few weeks. I do love when Boogie stands up on the bench and stares down the whole other team, give me a fuzzy warm feeling inside.

[mmclain6101]

Really you can say that word? Sorry, hitting the stuffing out of the other teams!

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I hear ya mmclain on clutterbuck he was hitting like mad last night, and on Boogey ya he stands up and stares down the team but what good is it if he isn't put on the ice, even the last few minutes last night, put him out there so they stop their cheap shots or do some payback. Doesn't make sense to me at least to have him dressed if he is just going to sit on the bench.

And I believe the word you were looking for can not be used, carp

[muskyhunter57]

He has been getting a lot of chances and I know he is a fan favorite but the role of the enforcer is starting to diminish in this league. One dimensional players are on their way out. Don't get me wrong I love his effort but pucks in the net do way more than a punch to the side of head. Just my opinion.

[deerwoody]

And I believe the word you were looking for can not be used, carp

That made me laugh like WHOOPS

[walleyes12]

I agree, Clutterbuck is become a fan favorite really fast, But the boogy man should of been on the ice for the last 5 minutes or so, the Oilers were taking cheap shots at any wild player they could get there hands on, poor coaching move on lemaire in my books. He should of had boogie on the ice to set some examples for the rest of the games against the Oilers

[muskyhunter57]

ya have to remember at the end of the game...whoever starts the fight that coach is fined $10,000.00. I know boogey has said he would reimburse Lemaire but $10,000.00 just to crush someone's skull...he can get them next time!!!

[walleyes12]

$10,000 or a cheap shot to someone like Koivu and puts him on the bench for a couple of games, I would rather see Boogard set an example

[pinkfloyd4ever]

i agree, last nights game the oilers were getting chippy out there so put Boogey out there to send the message

[jwmiller33]

He has been getting a lot of chances and I know he is a fan favorite but the role of the enforcer is starting to diminish in this league. One dimensional players are on their way out. Don't get me wrong I love his effort but pucks in the net do way more than a punch to the side of head. Just my opinion.

i disagree. i think fighters are not on their way out of the league. every team needs to and has their one enforcer guy who, at any point in the game, can be sent out on the ice to send a message, or more importantly and more commonly, to protect the skilled player on their team.

the most common reason for having a guy like boogard or georges laraque is to protect the skilled players from cheapshots and whatnot. for example, last year in the playoffs against the avs when laperriere went after gaborik at the end of hte game. boogard should have been out there and then he could have taken care of it. after that happened, boogard stood up on the bench and started jawing with the avs bench. no one on the avs wanted anything to do with him.

the penguins got georges laraque a year or two ago becasue they needed to have someone to protect their skilled players in crosby and malkin.

just my $0.02

[walleyes12]

jwmiller

couldn't agree more!, good post

[jwmiller33]

just to add:

if a team doesn't have a tough guy/enforcer, it leaves their skilled players way more suceptible to harm and foul play...

if a player like crosby or zetterberg for example is having a real good game and is on fire, the other team is going to be inclined to put a little extra body on him, or god forbid, cheap shot him and try to injure him or throw him off his game. as sad as it is, that is how hockey is, and thats how its been played forever. you got to put a little body or be physical with them to throw them off your game.

if you have a guy like boogard on your team, the opposing team is going to be far less inclined to try to take your skilled player off their game or out of the game because they know they will have to deal with boogard

there was a article in USA hockey about the recent growth of enforcers in the nhl, you guys should look it up. it was a good article

[pinkfloyd4ever]

JW, this isn't directed at you- but it goes back then to my original post/question, I understand that that is his role, so why isn't he put out on the ice? Like I said, just a casual fan, but that oilers game they were taking shots as us for what seemed the last 1/2 of the 3rd period, so why doesn't Jacque put him out there to send that message, he can jaw all he wants to the other team, but in the end he was still seated on the bench. Does Jacque just not believe in the enforcer role on a team?

[eric29]

Im sure he believes in the enforcer role but when it gets to the end of the game he cant send people out fight bc of the fines that he would have to pay and or the league makeing a player sit out for a couple games. All games are chippy at some point and the coach cant start to believe that his players are going to get injured, yes it happenes. But im sure he just wanted the game over and get out of there.

[jwmiller33]

no one ever really knows whats going on in the mind of jacques. keep in mind he has won the stanley cup 9 times (8 as a player with the canadiens and one coaching the devils) so he knows what he is doing. he has a reason behind everything he does and he is known for his at times, unorthodox style of play.

in jacques i trust

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I hear your points there, and not advocating to send Boogard out to fight, but send him out there to keep the oilers honest those last few minutes. May duck into the game tonight after 24 and see what happens.

[jwmiller33]

ya i totally agree i want boogey to get out there in situations like that also. i love seeing him displace his dominance and seeing other guys turtle up when it comes time to throw down.

jacques had something else on his mind

[pinkfloyd4ever]

He had a nice one there last night, I think it was in the 3rd period. He was pounding that guy! Gotta love the Boogey

[crothmeier]

Good fight last night! too bad they didnt win!

Word on the street is Kurtis Foster could be back in a month

[Bryce]

Earlier in the season, I watched a game where they put Boogie on the powerplay. Very effective. Kept at least one man tied up and provided a very good screen. Have to admit that I have not been a very loyal Wild watcher this year. Is this something they've used other times without result and I saw the one highlight? Or does his name not have enough french-canadian ring to it?

[titelines]

I especially loved last night when the Wild had a little pressure in the Kings end...Boogie gets the puck and passes it to the point..too bad no one was there and the puck almost made it back down to Backstrom. Opportunity lost.

I also loved when he got the puck up towards the blue line and had a teammate streaking in on the wing...He made a great pass...right into the guys skates and bounced into the corner. So much for that potential chance.

There are enforcers on other teams that at least put up points. I can't help but think that if he went to the front of the net and we fired it in there that he should get 6-10 goals by accident, just by having pucks bounce off of him. Doesn't happen though.

I'm a little tired of him. I much prefer Clutterbuck. He may not win every fracus he gets into, but he's relentless, skates and passes well, works hard along the boards and is picking up points. Much more multi-dimensional and valuable IMO.

[Eskimoman]

Boogaard is my hero. Not only does he protect the skilled players he gets the crowd revved up. At the excell you can hear it when he gets on the ice. A buzz. The anticipation of something big. Fighting not only gets the crownd into it, it gets the players going. They all say they like to see a good scrap and it pumps them up. Boogaard is by far my favorite player on the mn wild.

[10,000 Casts]

The GM should step in and tell Jaque and Boogie that he will pay the fines. The last 5 mins of the game can still send a message for the rest of the season, well worth the 10k imo. And who cares if he isn't the best skater, passer or shooter. His presence can affect the whole other team like said above, they just curl up when they know that he's out there. If you're not going to send him out at the end of a game why have him?

[kr8r.tom]

who'd win?

boogard vs. willie plett

boogard vs. jack carlson