BuretoMogilny

Deb agree on the coaching comments. Having played a high level of hockey, being a ra ra coach is the movies, its not real. Players look at coaches like that like they are imbecils over time. Respect is earned by players by helping them develop, implementing good systems, utilizing players properly, and allowing leaders to lead. Coaches are there to guide the ship but aren't the gas nor the engine, the players are as you effectively suggest. However, disagree on KB. I like him as a player but think his consistency is lacking. We need KB to be more of a hitter, deterrent, physical force, he has tried to be the 2 way dman which is great but focuses more on the offensive than defensive side of the game, when if he was playing more of a stay at home, phsyical game as a team we'd be better off. Moreover, as one posted mentioned, he often gets himself out of position when he loses his composure and I think of the 'core' players he is probably one of the best assets to move if he would waive, given our depth on D, his age, his relatively decent rep around the league. Packaged with Lou and our first and maybe a prospect maybe it gets us Coutourier and their first back. Or potentially something as good from the Islanders. I do beleive something of signficant value will need to go with Lou to get us a great deal. And he is likely the best bet

We needed SIZE!!! and clearly he's not good in games where playing a tougher brand of hockey is played, ie playoffs how was his faceoff %? what was his ROLE? WHAT WAS THE ROLE WE NEEDED TO FILL? 2B or 3A? you are ignoring the reality buddy...MG didn't supply AV with talent and the proper mix. the year he did, 2011...look where AV took them. firing a coach who's been the best in nucks history, took us to the scf, 2 pres trophies (1 which we didn't deserve), a jack adams, and conference and divisional wins.. one has to ask, did AV over achieve with a group last year and this year? likely...and we'lll see it next when ./ if we dont make the changes MG should have made. we all know MG has made a TON of errors in talent management, and this his job. you can't ask a chef to make a 5 star meal if you give him ingredients that aren't high quality....

Umm firstly Roy is not a first line center. He's at best a decent number 2 and you're saying our center depth is one of the best in the league? wow! Did you see how many points Roy got in the playoffs? How bout his faceoff percentage? how bout the hole MG needed to fill and what he filled it with? Did we need a 2b with no size? or did we need a 3A with size and faceoff ability? And did we not know that before the season when MG said he already knew Manny was done? Dude get your head out of your behind. Your comment is absurd. If you think the nucks had some of the best center depth in the league...well ...no one can help you

Should be MG, Bowness and Brown not AV. When he had a proper team we got to 1 game of the cup. He had a team of crap outperform. MG should be gone

The Canucks said after they got him, that his skating was not an issue, that it was overblown by some scouts. I've seen him live, he can play. He will be at worst a great 3rd line center for this team, and has the potential to be a number 2. Think of him as a Rod Brind'amour light...he is going to be the captain of the Canucks one day, mark my words. He will remind many of a certain other captain who wore #16. They are very similar in their approach to the game, leadership, heart. Probably doesn't have the speed Linden had but I'd argue better hands.

Yup...just like power forwards, smaller players take time to find how to establish themselves in a much bigger league. In junior and the minors its a bit easier as talent alone can set them above. As they move higher, its harder because the speed, skill, etc is all another level. Now they are playing against guys with elite skill at the roles they play so they need to find their niche. That player you speak of Marty St Louis, was on pace for a 110pt season. Exceptional. He took 3-4 seasons to establish himself and was traded by the Flames after a 56 game year where he had 18 pts. I remember the trade and the flames feeling he was 'too small' 18 pts/56 games - sounds close to what Schroder would have done. He was also older as he had played in US college hockey (he was 25 yrs old when he played with the Flames).... We need to give Schroeds at least 2 full seasons to see what he can do. I think he has immense talent, the right work ethic and attitude. Give him some big talented wingers - Jensen and someone who can hit and he will be fine. I remember another little guy in Vancouver who did pretty well...a guy named Cliff

Lol! Schroeder 50-60 pts in the NHL? in his second (and really first season, playing on the third/4th line with plugs?) Do you think the guy is the second coming of Crosby? Dude really. Schroeder will be a fine number 2 behind Gaunce if given the right players to play with and some time. He is challenged right now bc he is not taking Hanks or Kesler's role and he's not big enough for the number 3 spot. I could see him being part of a Lou trade to get a number 3 with size who can eventually be a number 1, which would allow Gaunce to be 'expected' to slot into number 2 That being said your rationale is luduicrous.

Gaunce 4th in OHL playoff scoring. I thought when we drafted him we had a poor man's Kesler/Linden.. a solid third line center that would bring grit and leadership. Starting to look like we have at least a terrific number 2 and a potential number one maybe we got a bit of a steal

The answer to your question is the same as the answer to this question Are you the stupidest human being alive? Yes and Yes we need Burrows Done

If he's close to another famous 16 I think all fans will be very happy. I think that's a better comparable given all of his assets. Getzlaf probably has better skating, hands but Linden certainly had alot more heart. Gaunce is no slouch but I don't see him with high end skills (that being said, he's young). Getzlaf, from many I know who are close to the ducks say he is a bit of a lazy player (really riding on past reputation and Corey Perry -reason I wouldn't want to see him ever as a nuck - Perry yes but a diff thread). Gaunce seems to be another great pick by the nucks late in the first round, if he keeps developing we certainly have a potential number 2 center coming up and with Jensen and Kassian would make a very tough tough line to play against. A couple more good drafts and we should be ok up front, but I would venture to say the next 2 drafts are very very very important for the nucks. They really need to find a top end offensive player to replace daniel and another who would slot into the 1c. Clearly, this is why MG is so focused on getting an offensive young center back in the Lou deal, because one he has that, alot of the risk in the future is removed.

explain?

TL16 Version 2.0

Those are terrific lines, but would rather see this Sedin Sedin Kassian (He can use his size, speed to open space, protects the puck well/cycles well and has hands. Also just a reminder to the Keith's of the NHL) Higgins Kesler Burrows (let burrows be the playmaker on this line, he has spent so much time with hank and dank that he's learning to be a pretty good playmaker, lose a bit of chemistry on the first line but also put Kassian in the role he needs to learn to assume, that of the leader, and who better to learn from). Booth Schroeder Hansen Lappy Manny Pinz

Martin St Louis was cut by the Ottawa Senators in his first camp, then signed with Calgary and we all know how little he is, and how big he has played....size doesn't matter, its speed, skill strength, Schroeder has all of those, so his success is up to him and the oppty.

I remember a guy we drafted as a third line center, was supposed to be at best a checking center in the nhl with a 40 pt ceiling. Hello says Kesler. Not to say we can expect the same but when you draft a kid with character, committed to improving, with size, decent skill and apparently much better skating than was suggested by Central Scouting..well maybe we have a steal.. I love he was named Captain.

You can have a playmaker on the wing. Kesler is better at center simply because of his defensive play and awareness, faceoff ability and size (ability to match better vs big centers). St Louis, Fleury, Gordie Howe were all wingers and great assist men. Jagr has the most assists in a season by a RW, so it doesn't really matter if Schroeder plays wing. Plus given his size, likely better vs. strong center men. Kesler won the Selke, center is a very two way position, you have to play d and cannot cheat, wingers can. If you move Kes to the wing you weaken our team d and take away a selke winner from the correct spot. I understand why people say this alot but I don;t think you have thought through all the implications. For centers the ice is crease to crease, and Kelser has shown he can be the BEST defensive center in the league at that, not many guys can say that, you're suggesting you move him from that position for a playmaker who is younger, inexperienced and certainly not even close to the defensive player Kes is? It just doesn't make sense. Your comment is based on a very simple assumption that playmakers have to play center. Which if you look at my comments above is not correct. Further, you have ignored the impact on team d and the actual needs of a team from the center spot. If Schroeder is capable of making the team this year, he is better suited as a number 3 center with strong d wingers (faces less tough lines), or on the wing on number 2.

Absolutely, he could play a Martin St. Louis type role, a playmaker doesn't have to be at center ice. That highlight package above, I was about to post and the kid looks terrific. I actually hadn't seen much of him other than when he played in the World Juniors and all the hype. Then with him falling behind CoHo people seemed to forget about him as Kassian and Jensen and Connaughton starting getting all the attention. But, in the interim, all this kid has done has been work work work on his game. Kesler, Burrows, Beiksa, all did a few years in the minors and look at them now. What I like about him other than comments from MacT, is if you look at the highights, he looks to be a terrific all around player other than size, and at his has been mentioned pound for pound he is a very tough kid, hard to knock over, just small (again sounds like a Fleury/St Louis type player). That highlight reel showed me a number of things. 1. He has terrific vision, sees the ice well 2. Great hands, can finish in tight spaces and one heck of a wrist shot 3. Plays hard on the backcheck and forecheck 4. Speed and mobility 5. Perhaps needs to go to the hard spots a bit more in the offensive zone when in the half court offense vs. off the rush but that will come Only thing missing is size. Put him with two big players who have speed and can finish and oh boy...maybe we got ourselves our second line center after all (the one we thought Coho would be), and clearly one that has more character given his effort, desire to get better, and non whineyness a la coho.. I am becoming a big fan of this kid and really hope he makes it. If he can turn out to be as good as Ronning even, we'll have a gem.