Gonchar was missed

[fourtKNOX]

I know alot here are serg haters... and i will be the first to say he isnt having a career year... but at the same time... he has been playing well... and when a team only registers 2 shots in 6 power play attemps... that is absolutely sad... when its an nhl team its unforgivable...

gonchar doesnt shoot the puck that often... has lately... but not over the course of the year... but somehow we get shots when he is on the net... whether him making the pass or teams just shading his way...

at this pt in time i honestly believe that rex... gonchar... and crosby will have a hard time scoring any goals... how hard is it going to be for an opposing team to shut three players down... when they never are on the ice together....

without a legit second line scorer... or even anything that generate offense thats what we face folks!

unfortunately most nhl clubs have 2 or 3 great d men! they will easily shut us down!

sorry i guess this was my rant!

[Mountaineer]

Yeah....He was missed....by the Bruins. Had Gon-charred been playing tonight, that's another two goals for Boston.

Playing better? So, now that he's averaging a point roughly every three games, he's playing better? Are you kidding? He's the worst FA signing in the history of the friggin' league!!! It's sad to think that most of the posters on this board have come to accept mediocrity from this organization. Until Gonchar scores at the rate that he did with the Caps, he will continue to be a bust, plain and simple.

[fourtKNOX]

yeah i agree he is still a bust in my eyes as well... but u cant not deny that he is playing well... and i think you need to take a look as well at what is surrounding gonchar this year... and what he had at the caps during his big time seasons...

i think gonchar will get back to the way he was... or very close to it... but when you are close to the second threat of the team as a d man... it cant help your odds of scoring... if i were teams i would only stick a guy in front of him and crosby on the pp and let the other two men defend the other 3 guys... jackman cant hit the net nor witney... and we have no other scoring forwards!

plain and simple!

[Ben Klingston]

So, now that he's averaging a point roughly every three games, he's playing better? Are you kidding? He's the worst FA signing in the history of the friggin' league!!!

I think the term 'better' is relative to this year. He's playing better than he was early in the season, which was absolutely pitiful. He's playing kinda sorta a little below OK now. His defense was always a liability, and you are correct that until he comes close to his old DC production, he's a bust here.

The same people that boo Gonchar as a scratch tonight are the same ones hollering for the backup QB to come in, etc. Gonchar is having a bad year on a very bad team. Because he's making the salary that he is, and because his bad play is in such contrast to his previous career, it makes him seem that much worse. But based on play alone, he's not any better or any worse, really, than any of their other crappy dmen.

Saying he's the worst FA signing in the history of the league... it's not even one year into his deal yet. He has the potential to be one of the worst FA signings ever... and quite possibly could be the worst FA signing of the offseason for this year. But you can't judge his overall 'bust'ness until you get a larger data set.

[BJL]

17 shots? Gonchar had 12 alone on Saturday. Yeah I missed him. We gave up plenty of odd man rushes and took enough penalties to make up for that part of his absence, but the powerplay really missed him no matter how much you dislike him.

[NIN]

I know alot here are serg haters... and i will be the first to say he isnt having a career year... but at the same time... he has been playing well...

Gonchar is 13th in the league among defensemen in Penalties in Minutes. Thats 13th out of nearly 300 blueliners to play this season. 76 PIM!! Not because of fights either. The guys that are ahead of Gonchar all fight alot. Gonchar has been so terrible that I just dont think some of you realise just how bad.

Melichar has only 2 less points at even strength. Gonchar logs a ton more ice and has played more games. Just 2 more points at even strength. 5 million a year for that? I mean props to Melichar for putting together a decent season at the low price of 600k but Gonchar makes 5 mil and should be alot more productive at even strength.

The new rules have ruined his season and I suspect his career. He deserves all of the criticism he has gotten AND MORE. Penguin fans have been very polite towards him if you ask me.

and yeah we know he is getting better because it is not humanly possible to get any worse. A 10 year veteren 31 year old who cant adapt to a few rule changes after signing for 25 million should be ashamed of himself.