No one who blocks as many shots as he does and hits as much as he does is going to be 100% healthy all the time. At the same time I think it's safe to say he's been very unlucky this season with injuries. As long as Bob Hartley is our coach we're going to be blocking shots. Bouma is basically our leader up front in terms of blocking shots, PK, and hitting. He sets the example for the rest of our bottom two lines. I think a lot of you underrate his leadership by example and underestimate his combination of intangibles and scoring.
I don't see anyone on the farm who replaces all of what Bouma brings. Hathaway is similar but plays the opposite wing. And IMO we want more of that type of player, not less. Plenty of players I'd be moving before Bouma if cap space becomes a problem. Wideman, Raymond, and Stajan are all much worse contracts for us.
|