[Signing] Lance Bouma signs in Switzerland

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

Originally Posted by Karl

Yep, that's the thing right there.

It just isn't possible to give 100% balls to the walls all the time because you will wear out real quick. But if you have basically nothing else to offer other than that, then you are really just not good enough to last in the NHL.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Unfortunately guys like this come and go, they get that rush from being called up to the show but cant sustain it. In the grand scheme of things, they are very replaceable.

[greentree]

“Thanks Lance.”

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Hey Connor, It's Mess

Best of luck to ya, Boums.

With a strong showing overseas, I wouldn't be surprised to see Lance back in a depth role next year for a weaker team.

To your last point, I would be very surprised actually.

For one, Bouma's basically proven (aside from that famous one season driven by an abnormally high shooting percentage and Backlund boost) beyond any doubt that he's a meat shield who's great at blocking shots and sacrificing his body but that's literally it. He really has nothing else to fall back on. Nothing else in his game says he's an NHL level player or even deserves to still be there.

Sure, some may miss him in the NHL, but the NHL won't miss him I can guarantee that.

Times are a changing. This is no longer an NHL that is very forgiving for veterans who either are marginal at best or past it, or have now become that. There are younger, higher upside players that can and will fill his role just as well as he could do if not even better.

No NHL team (not even a weak one) needs Lance Bouma at all. He's run his course in this league.