Watch above: Global’s Kevin Smith on how Lance Bouma has changed
CALGARY – Calgary Flames‘ president of hockey operations Brian Burke has stated that tough teams win. The Flames’ third round draft choice in 2008, Lance Bouma, has always played a big tough game but hasn’t had the offensive production to go along with it, until now.
Almost seven years after being drafted, Bouma is now at the ripe young age of 24 and playing the type of hockey that should excite the Flames organization and their fans. After producing 14 points in his last 17 games, head coach Bob Hartley says Bouma is the Flames’ best forward right now and that’s hard to argue.
The Flames have had stability and health in their top two defensive pairings Mark Giordano/ T.J. Brodie and Kris Russell/ Dennis Wideman, now they have the same on offence. The top trio of Sean Monahan/ Jiri Hudler/ Johnny Gaudreau have no doubt been a handful for the opposition and Lance Bouma has found the perfect home on the second line with centre Mikael Backlund and winger David Jones. Jones and Bouma have a similair straight line physical style along the wing, effective in both zones against the opposition’s top players, while centre Mikael Backlund has the creativity to get them the puck.
Simply put, Lance Bouma has never played with this much confidence; even he agrees he’s playing the best hockey of his life. The most goals the Provost, Alberta native ever scored in a junior season with the Vancouver Giants was 14. The most goals Bouma has ever scored in a full NHL season was last year with five goals. At this pace, Bouma could push the 15-20 goal mark this season, and his big game-changing hits are still as effective as ever. “Booms” as he’s known by his teammates was not thought of as a core player for the Flames at the start of the season, but that’s changing fast. Boom!
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