Bruins Julien Defends Kaberle, Will Stick With Struggling Defenseman
BOSTON (CBS) – Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien is known for defending and sticking with his players.
Tomas Kaberle is the latest to join that long line.
"I think people are a little hard on this guy," Julien said after Monday's Pre-Game 5 skate at the Garden. "I'm one of those guys that's going to support him. I'm one of those guys that's going to keep him in the lineup, in case you want to know, and he's going to be a good part of our hockey team."
Claude Julien Defends Tomas Kaberle
"We got him because we believe in him, and until last game he played two really good games. So that's how we see Kaberle."
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Kaberle has been a whipping boy in Boston since the Bruins acquired the 12-year defenseman at the trade deadline from Toronto for prospect Joe Colbourne, a first-round pick and a conditional second-round pick. He was brought in to help the Bruins move the puck, primarily on the power play.
But with the Bruins just 4-of-52 with a man advantage in the postseason, in addition to a few Kaberle turnovers leading to goals from the opposition, there have been calls for the defenseman to hit the bench.
But his head coach will have none of that.
"The other thing we've done is some people wanted certain players out of the lineup earlier on, and our patience has paid off," said Julien. "I don't know why we decide that we should be taking him out of the lineup when there's other players, too, that have struggled. I don't know. We haven't talked about that."
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"That's because we have patience, we believe in those guys," Julien continued. "Kaberle, last game, that second goal, maybe loses the puck, but our system calls for support on that. And our support was, but wasn't, there. So according to our system, he's not the only one to blame."
Every game of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Bruins and Lightning can be heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub with pregame coverage beginning 60 minutes before each game with the Dunkin Donuts Bruins Pregame show.
