Most Bruins fans have been asking that (PG-rated) question in these first three-plus months of the 2009-10 season.
Last season, Wideman was second among NHL defensemen with a plus-32 rating compared to this year's negative-5. After lighting the lamp 13 times and assisting on 37 more for a career-high 50 points a year ago, Wideman buried just his third goal of the season on Saturday against the Rangers — his 39th game of the season.
At this point, Wideman's scoring drought is obviously toward the bottom of the list of concerns on Causeway St., as the Bruins' offense as a whole is coming up short on a nightly basis.
But Wideman — last season's reliable spark on the blue line — has been floating under the radar this year for his surprisingly weak showing. The B's are hoping that his recent tally will jump start some life into their offense, but for Wideman it's nothing to take note of, as his goals are based upon opponents' goals.
"I don’t care about the goal. I’ve got to try and keep the puck out of my own net first and build off of that,” Wideman told the Boston Herald following Saturday's loss to the Rangers. “It’s been a struggle every time I’m out there, it seems."
But it's neither opposition nor injury that is giving the 26-year-old a hard time. Unfortunately, it isn't something he can fine-tune at Ristuccia, either. Wideman's troubles have been coming from within this season, and it's certainly showing on the ice.
“I’m just not as intense as I was. I’ve had stretches where it goes well that way and stretches where I cheat a little bit, instead of just going in there and taking the puck,” admitted Wideman. “It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a little time for me to see them, though I’m sure the coaches see them a little earlier. It’s just something that starts in practice. I’ve got to get back to concentrating on doing the simple things and then following up the play as much as I can.”
This week's road trip to the West Coast appears to be the perfect antidote for Wideman's blues — and slump-buster for the team as a whole.
The B's take on the Pacific Division's last-place Ducks, who are playing more like the Disney team than an NHL club this season. A tough bout with the Sharks is on the docket the very next night, but shutting down the NHL's third-highest scoring offense could boost some confidence for Wideman, who could clearly use a mental kick in the pants.
After swimming with the Sharks, the B's then travel to L.A., where the Kings share a similar record with the Black and Gold but have dropped two straight heading into the week. A successful swing through The Terminator's state isn't out of the question, despite Boston's recent woes. Returning to snowy New England with a few wins would set the Bruins up for a key week of three home games — two of which are against division pests Ottawa, who trail Boston by just three points.
Whether Boston sinks or soars in California this week, Wideman has a lot on his plate and needs to clear it fast as his team is struggling without him.
“I don’t know if I have answers for you. I’ve got some bad habits to start the year and it’s going to take me a bit to get out of it,” Wideman told CSNNE.com. “Just plays that I shouldn’t be making when I push the envelope a little too much, I think. [I] have to start from scratch and keep things simple, and I’ve just bailed off from that."
