The Bent Musket Roundtable: What is Adam Buksa’s best moment in New England?

Adam Buksa has played his last game as a member of the New England Revolution.

As first reported by our own Seth Macomber, Buksa is headed to France to play for RC Lens of Ligue 1. While the striker will be present at Gillette Stadium on June 15 when New England faces off against Orlando City he will simply be there to say goodbye to Revolution nation.

Buksa scored 29 goals across 64 MLS appearances. The striker got off to a roaring start in 2022 already scoring 11 goals.

So with Buksa having played his last game, The Bent Musket staff talks about their favorite moment of the striker’s career in New England.

Sam - When Adam Buksa made it clear he wasn’t frustrated

My reasoning might be because I witnessed this moment live but it’s a reminder of how far Buksa has come.

Last season, Buksa took a while to find his footing. After scoring in the 2021 season opener against the Chicago Fire, the striker went four matches without finding the back of the net.

Coming off the bench, Buksa ended that streak against Columbus SC (remember that) and lifted New England past the Crew with a 86th minute goal.

Buksa was first asked if he was frustrated about not finding the back of the net in recent matches by Frank Dell’Apa of The Boston Globe.

“I’m not feeling frustrated at all when I don’t score,” Buksa stated. “I have to tell you that soccer is not only about scoring. Even if I’m a number nine, it’s not only about scoring. If I don’t score in a game, it doesn’t mean that I played bad. And if I score, it doesn’t mean that I’ve done everything well in the game. That’s what I wanted to [say], because sometimes I get criticized for not scoring even though I had a feeling I’m playing a good game. Obviously, it’s always good to score. I’m very happy today to have a scored a goal, but it’s a part of the game and I’m not only responsible for scoring. I’m also responsible for creating. I have some defensive [responsibilities] in our team and to hold up the ball. Many things to do. I’m definitely not getting frustrated when I don’t score a goal because it’s not all about that. I would be angry if I didn’t play, because it would mean I’m doing something wrong. But I’ve played in all the games and I’m pretty sure I’m doing a good job.”

Buksa was then later asked by Tom Quinlan of WPRO if he was frustrated about not entering the game until the 83rd minute.

“I don’t know why, but you really want to make me frustrated,” Buksa said. “I don’t know why. Believe me, I’m not frustrated. I’m just one of 25 players on the team and everybody deserves to play. Doesn’t mean I have to play every game 90 minutes. I want to, but I don’t think it’s that obvious for everyone from the coaching staff, because they also have their own ideas and they’re responsible for that. I have accept it and respect it. Coming back to your question, no, I didn’t feel frustrated.”

This also shows the type of player and person that Buksa he is. He doesn’t put himself ahead of his teammates and is exactly the type of guy a player would want as a teammate.

While the Revs will surely miss Buksa on the field they will likely miss him off the field and in the locker room as well.

Seth - Buksa’s celebration after scoring against D.C. on Sep. 27, 2020

Buksa scored better goals in bigger moments, but this one really sticks out to me because it appeared to mean a lot to him.

The 2020 season wasn’t easy for anyone, but it was especially tough for Buksa, who left Poland to sign for the Revolution. Expectations were high for the Designated Player, who garnered a $4 million transfer fee, according to the Boston Globe.

The deal didn’t immediately pay dividends as Buksa struggled to find the back of the net and sometimes started games on the bench. Adjusting to a new league is always difficult, let alone doing it during a global pandemic that was creating a start-stop MLS season (Remember the MLS is Back tournament?!)

On Sep. 27, 2020, Buksa scored a nifty late goal with his feet to give the Revs a 2-0 win over D.C. United. The striker’s celebration told a story.

It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for Buksa after this moment as he found his way to the bench again during the 2021 season. But the passion he showed after the goal against D.C. really highlighted that he wanted to succeed.

Buksa came to the United States to grow as a player—and he did that—but the path to growth is rarely linear. There are peaks and valleys along the way, and Buksa certainly experienced that.

Buksa endured a lot of criticism during his first two seasons with the Revolution but he fought through that to become one of the best strikers in the league. His time in MLS is a lesson in perseverance.

Jake: Buksa’s Last Goal via backheel vs CIN on May 21st 2022

I mean, if you’re going to go out on a big money move while in blistering form, having that as your last Revs goal is not a bad way to go out.

Adam Buksa scored in his last 7, yes SEVEN, Revolution games in all competitions that he featured in - 6 in MLS and one in the Open Cup. Only Wolde Harris has a longer league streak in club history back in 2000 and Taylor Twellman also posted goals in six straight during his career.

Honestly, I think we need to have a conversation on whether or not Buksa is second best striker in team history based on his form from 2021-22 alone, because that’s how impactful he was during that stretch. Buksa was the team Golden Boot winner for the club’s first ever major MLS trophy and leaves for France at the absolute top of his game and will be sorely missed but never forgotten cause we’ll be playing that backheel highlight among many others of his for years to come.