Gawdzukes

I think Chicago would have use for him as would Anaheim who needs players just to ice a team. Same with San Jose and maybe Montreal. A team like Nashville, St. Louis, and Detroit, may be able to fit him in for one year if they need some depth scoring and speed. Who knows, maybe we settle for a fourth or even future considerations just to free up the space. The pick isn't really the important part. If no one wants him we can play him at center this year on the third line. He can't be any worse than Dries.

I think that 3rd is probably the maximum too unless a solid year with Petey ups it at the deadline. That may be the move we need to make to get compliant and bring in a 3C. There should be a # of teams that would be interested in Beau for one season. A buyout putting dead money on the cap next season would be incredibly shortsighted and braindead though.

#11, 2024 protected first, 2024 7th for Seth Jones, 2024 3rd, and Mackenzie Entwistle This would be funny if this wasn't close to the trade Benning made for OEL and Garland. As to the OP we should 100% just wait the year out and plan for next year.

I always thought Brandon was a good dude. I'd love to see him back for a year if he can get healthy. Good face-off %, fast, kills penalties, good shot, has size. Perfect 3rd line center.

I'm waiting to see what happens with Bear. If they give him a multi year deal I'm going into semi-retirement.

He seems to be detail orientated and handles a lot of responsibility. I think one could expect him pushing for an NHL spot in 2 years. He's also got the size and defensive chops to play a 3rd or 4th line role.

I've watched nearly every game he played. I don't believe it. He looked rather porous to me. Of course his numbers will look not bad playing with #43 and on the third line.

Yeah Wood is the biggest risk but biggest reward. What I like about him and Yager is they are absolute money at grabbing a puck out of nowhere when the play looks impossible and bang, wired top corner. They look NHL quality in that regard which is a skill that's impossible to teach I think. Thanks for the input everyone. Looks like my afternoon will be spent watching Moore vs Danielson tape lol

Yup, the combine may answer some of our questions. Should be good I can hardly wait. Dvorsky or Reinbacher Moore or Danielson Wood or Benson Sale or Barlow ASP or Willander Who do you all have right now? One thing I've noticed about Sale from video is I like his acceleration and speed. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me?

This is where I am at too. Well stated. We're slowly turning the corner and it's all coming together but the cap is the biggest thing we need to address. It's coming (playoffs) but likely not this year. I've always said we won't truly be able to compete until Myers is off the books and his $$ reallocated. For that reason they can sign Bear for one year as a stop gap, even though I'd rather not. Any more is a mistake.

Couldn't agree more. Bear sucks. As long as they don't sign him for more than year it will be fine. I knew we wouldn't be competing until the Myers contract is off the books anyway.

Oh, okay. Like I said though the 3 guys ahead of him are unsigned so that kind of makes a difference. He'd be a starter if the season started today. He looked strong to end the year and this is where prospects go home for the summer on work on what they need to. This is where you most likely see a player make a jump to the next level if they are going to. I agree though it's a long shot.

I'd probably go Reinbacher. I'm not entirely sold on Dvorsky's ceiling. They would both be solid picks though ranked higher than 11.

Oh, is that what they're saying?

Wait, too many options. You mean like one? 3 of those guys are the wrong position. Hirose, Rathbone, and Wolanin, are LD, so really he's competing with one guy maybe. Neither Juulsen nor Burroughs are even signed.

lol, McAvoy is 6"1 210 and hits like a truck ASP is 5'10 175 and not overly physical

Lol sorry I meant the defence thread.

Don't forget we're also getting 105 points this year

No, the OP has and lots of people are slotting him in with Hughes. While Hughes can carry a line I don't think this unit (or any really) with Bear in the top 4 is a top 10 D. There are better suited 5/6 guys that would compliment him better. Players with size, and bite who can PK for instance. For a 5/6 guy on a cash strapped team we should be looking at minimum salary - $1mil per year type of player who performs as well or better. I can't see any situation where it's worth paying this guy anywhere near even $2mil of our precious cap space. Especially for more than a year when we will actually be positioned to make a genuine effort at doing something.

Cristall Wood Yager Pelikka-Sandin Gulyayev Moore

Cheers Spook. I agree with a lot of this. I also struggle to find my favorite and it changes as I learn more about each. This level of scrutiny is intense lol . I'm not worried about Virtanen in that sense either but more so Barlow's stats where he's scored more goals than assists ... granted that was a tonne of goals. I think about how Virtanen got them and he was more off the rush just out tooling weaker opposition. Barlow is also strong and tough but seems to set up more in the ozone and can score from anywhere. He seems far more cerebral. I kind of wonder how is at the playmaking side and can he play a quick two way game. I've read sports that his transition through the neutral zone is strong, as is his skating. Since the turn of the century, his 46 goals are the eighth most by a 17-year-old in the OHL. That seems good. My biggest concern is his goals come down in the NHL as do his assists and you're looking at a 20/20 player, which is nothing to sneeze at but possibly third line. If we are hoping to get talent in sooner than later this guy is both close and very talented. Add to that he's a tough bugger and it's kind of salivating. As I type this though I have to think that Wood is a similar player with a higher ceiling offensively, but Benson may have a higher ceiling yet. I would be ecstatic if we got Leonard or Reinbacher. Regardless of our needs I think we should take the best prospect with the highest ceiling. I know it seems like we need it sooner than later but I think we will find we can use that player whether it's two years or three and the better player could make all the difference in the long run.

I found he made awful plays so many times during the year. Sure he's a 5/6 if you like but this notion he's some great player or a #2, or #3 is pure hogwash. He's like Dermott ... he can play but not very well and doesn't add much to the team. Oh well, we'll see what happens. Our views are pretty clear ... you like him, I don't. I would rather 100% play Burroughs, Johansson, Woo, or really any other player they can find. I've seen enough. I find him weak, mistake-prone, and insignificant except when he makes Myers level gaffs. The only value I find in him is he sneaks in from the point to the net nicely. Other than that I see nothing there. He is very bad at positioning and clearing the net front also. Easily becoming my most disliked Canuck. I so hope we don't resign him. If we're stuck with him ... well that sucks imo lol. Do you have any links or anything that show Bear initiated this move and it wasn't due to Carolina simply not playing him? That would be helpful.

Did you read the articles I quoted for you? He was also a healthy scratch in the playoffs. I think the writing is clearly on the wall here. As @Fred65 says ... as you wish. From watching him play and all the reports it's pretty clear Carolina didn't want him. You seem to be willfully obtuse on this matter which is fine. I just hope he's not here and I have to remind you of this during the upcoming season. Does Vegas ring a bell? The hope was that he’d rebound but instead, history repeated itself. Bear was banged up at times last season and when he was in the lineup, he struggled. Overall, he had five goals and nine assists in 58 games with a career-low 16:05 ATOI. While he underwent a minor procedure after the playoffs, Bear was available to play if needed but was scratched for every contest.

Yeah I can't believe some folks think this guy is anything above a #6 / #7 replacement level project player on a middling team. He's not cracking the roster on any team worth it's salt. It's almost like people are programmed to to accept inept defenceman on this team. I don't really blame them though after the last 10 years.

@HighOnHockey Ottawa no picks until the fourth round?