2016-17 Report Card: Lance Bouma

Lance Bouma (Left Wing) - Midseason Grade: D

Our Individual Grades:

MarkParkinson14: (D)

I got nothing. Bouma was just terrible this season. This is now two straight 7 point seasons for a guy who had a 34 point season back in 2014-15. His grit isn’t what it used to be, so keeping him around as a bruiser isn’t really worth it. It’s time to move on from Bouma.

Samwell9: (F)

I really like Lance Bouma but he has now had 2 awful seasons in a row. He gives it his all, but it is hard to argue that he should even be an NHL player at this point in time. He has 5 goals in 105 games in the last 2 seasons, he bleeds shots against and even though he plays the penalty-kill frequently, he is not really that good at it. I doubt the Flames will find any takers for him and it does not really make sense to buy out the final year of his contract, but we may see him get the Brandon Bollig treatment and be sent to the AHL for next season. His play warrants it.

HockeyGoalieEh: (C-) Bouma was disappointing given his contract. The Flames paid for a player who’s P.D.O. was never going to be what it was in 2015. They should have taken him to arbitration where he would have had one or two years and he wouldn’t be under contract starting in June. None of that was the fault of Bouma - that’s on Treliving who should have known better.

Given all this, Lance Bouma may have been a bit unfairly demonized during his previous season. He wasn’t good or even particularly mediocre, but he wasn’t a possession anchor like some of the Flames other forwards (though he may not contribute at all offensively). He would be more than serviceable in a fourth line roll or as a 13th man as a guy who can play all three forward spots in limited minutes and he’s better than certain options like Freddie Hamilton or Garnet Hathaway, but again that’s not what the Flames thought they were paying for and Glen Gulutzan better not play him on special teams where he’s a disaster on skates.

FlamesMM: (D)

If anything, Lance Bouma taught Brad Treliving to be wary of handing out big contracts to guys who had one good season. Especially for those that had the privilege of playing alongside Mikael Backlund. So I guess we have to thank him because he scared Brad Treliving away from resigning Joe Colborne who went on to have an eight point season in Colorado.

Sure Bouma had heart, and in a Bob Hartley system that featured shot blocking as the main means of preventing goals, maybe he had a purpose. In a Glen Gulutzan system that features shot prevention, he comes up desperately short. With prospects making NHL pushes from Stockton, it’s a shame that Bouma may have to occupy a roster spot next season barring some sort of miraculous deal by Treliving. Although burying him in the AHL may be an option a la Brandon Bollig.

Our Final Grade: D+