Jeremy Price Talk

[DeNiro]

The biggest thing with Sauve is not confidence. The biggest thing with Sauve is between his ears, has been for years, and it has become more and more evident that he does not think the game at an AHL level, much less at an NHL level.

He played well in the ECHL as a 23 year old. Great. You say he got his confidence back? He didn't show that at all when he was called back up by the Wolves in April. Instead, he continued his frightening play.

Sauve played consistently from October to November, played poorly at that. Enough time to claim his spot. Then lost his spot due to injury in addition to there being several better options than him.

Confidence is between your ears.

If you're not confident in your abilities, you're gonna hesitate with the puck and think too much. That was what was going on with Sauve. He needs to get back to the point where everything is instinctual and he can just do without thinking. That's the way he played in junior, but he lost his confidence in the AHL.

A good coach can bring that out of him. And Arniel clearly didn't have the luxury of developing young players, cause he was under pressure to win. That's why Chicago was a horrible place for our prospects. There was no room for error. You can't expect to develop prospects in that kind of environment. They need room to make mistakes and grow. But Sauve was constantly in and out of the lineup and replaced with AHL vets.

Giving up on a D-man who just turned 23 is ridiculous. Lots of good NHL d-men have made the jump at 24. One year in the AHL with a good developmental coach to mentor him could easily turn it all around.

He'll be re-signed. He's earned it more than alot of our other prospects (Westerholm, Rai, Honzik, Anthony)

[Fred65]

Lets assume the Preoria team carries 7 D. Some will be vets, to anchor the rookies I'm thinking probably 3 and then some will be new players McEnemy, Tommernes, Price....Corrado where does Polasak, Anderson and Sauve fit in ? I keep hearing the Canucks are big on Andersson and then Hutton and McNally will be in the future to

At some point you have to either cut bait or fish

[Joel Heyman]

McEneny won't be in the AHL until the season after next. Andersson was one of the better dmen on the Wolves and will have a spot. Polasek heated it up to end the year and will also be in the top 6. Sauve will likely not be resigned and if he is then he'll have to earn it and beat a veteran + Polasek, Tommernes, or Price.

[DeNiro]

McEneny won't be in the AHL until the season after next. Andersson was one of the better dmen on the Wolves and will have a spot. Polasek heated it up to end the year and will also be in the top 6. Sauve will likely not be resigned and if he is then he'll have to earn it and beat a veteran + Polasek, Tommernes, or Price.

If teams like the Oilers and the Islanders still have Teubert and Hickey with all the depth they have, you better believe the Canucks are gonna re-sign Sauve.

It's almost laughable to think that they wouldn't.

[Fred65]

McEneny won't be in the AHL until the season after next. Andersson was one of the better dmen on the Wolves and will have a spot. Polasek heated it up to end the year and will also be in the top 6. Sauve will likely not be resigned and if he is then he'll have to earn it and beat a veteran + Polasek, Tommernes, or Price.

Hey you're right I thought McEnemy graduated this summer but he has another year to go, man that looks good for the kid. As to Polasek, he may not be the most skilled, he may not be the toughest and he may not be the biggest. But he IMO a little of every thing, the times I've watched him he seems like a tough stay at home type player. Sauve...not so much, big but I've never seem him intimidate of use his size. High pick in the bantam draft but even in junior never really did a lot

[DeNiro]

Hey you're right I thought McEnemy graduated this summer but he has another year to go, man that looks good for the kid. As to Polasek, he may not be the most skilled, he may not be the toughest and he may not be the biggest. But he IMO a little of every thing, the times I've watched him he seems like a tough stay at home type player. Sauve...not so much, big but I've never seem him intimidate of use his size. High pick in the bantam draft but even in junior never really did a lot

Uhh he never did alot in junior?

He was a top defenseman on the top team in the QMJHL. A team that won 22 games straight, in which Sauve scored 16 points and had a +24 differential in that span.

He ended the season with a +42 and was a top defensive defenseman in the league. He went on to lead them to the QMJHL finals as an assistant captain, and ended up with 15 points in 21 playoff games.

He was also the first Sea Dog to ever play a game in the NHL by the team that drafted him.

He did do alot in junior. It was only in the last couple years that his development came off the rails a bit. And I blame that in large part on our poor development system. It was clear that he was somewhat of a project player. He was great on the Moose under Claude Noel, but never really developed under MacTavish or Arniel.

But it would be silly to give up on a player that once had so much potential.

[Salmonberries]

Sauve's fortunes were already on sharply downward slide when he was drafted. He had plateaued by then already. What we have been witnessing with him is just more of the same.

But he was gonna be somethin' special when he was fourteen. That is true.

[Fred65]

http://canucks.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8474601

Maybe more to do with some dude named Jonathan Huberdeau, Zack Phillips and Tomas Jurco plus a coach named Gallant who is now with the Habs

On April 24, 2009, Gallant was introduced as the new head coach of the Saint John Sea Dogs in the QMJHL. In his first season behind the Sea Dogs’ bench, he led his team to a franchise record 53 wins and 309 goals scored and earning the regular season title. He was named the QMJHL as well as the CHL Coach of the Year while taking the Sea Dogs to the President’s Cup final.

That was a good team that year, loaded for bear and a real quality coach

[DeNiro]

http://canucks.nhl.c....htm?id=8474601

Maybe more to do with some dude named Jonathan Huberdeau, Zack Phillips and Tomas Jurco plus a coach named Gallant who is now with the Habs

That was a good team that year, loaded for bear and a real quality coach

Yea and he was just as good as the other D-men on that team at the time. So that tells you something went wrong with his development along the way.

Sauve's development was trending upwards when he was playing for the Moose, and then went downhill when he went to the Wolves. Coincidence? Nope.

That's why I would give him one more shot on our new farm team under the proper guidance of the Canucks. If he really can't make strides and shows that he's just a dud after all, then who cares? No loss, no gain.

[DeNiro]

Sauve's fortunes were already on sharply downward slide when he was drafted. He had plateaued by then already. What we have been witnessing with him is just more of the same.

But he was gonna be somethin' special when he was fourteen. That is true.

How so?

His numbers went up both years after he was drafted, and his +/- went from -4 to +42 in the following seasons.

Like I said, his development was trending upwards right up until he got hit by a car and then went to play for the Wolves.

[RunningWild]

What the heck, isn't there only 3 weeks left to sign this guy before he Schultz's us?

[MoneypuckOverlord]

What the heck, isn't there only 3 weeks left to sign this guy before he Schultz's us?

well........ he can't reall "Shultz" as if we don't tender him an offer.

I think we need to sign this kid. It's like we draft him, we spends 4 years in college, then we let him go? Cmon Gillis.

[DJ Kreuzberg]

Confidence is between your ears.

If you're not confident in your abilities, you're gonna hesitate with the puck and think too much. That was what was going on with Sauve. He needs to get back to the point where everything is instinctual and he can just do without thinking. That's the way he played in junior, but he lost his confidence in the AHL.

A good coach can bring that out of him. And Arniel clearly didn't have the luxury of developing young players, cause he was under pressure to win. That's why Chicago was a horrible place for our prospects. There was no room for error. You can't expect to develop prospects in that kind of environment. They need room to make mistakes and grow. But Sauve was constantly in and out of the lineup and replaced with AHL vets.

Giving up on a D-man who just turned 23 is ridiculous. Lots of good NHL d-men have made the jump at 24. One year in the AHL with a good developmental coach to mentor him could easily turn it all around.

He'll be re-signed. He's earned it more than alot of our other prospects (Westerholm, Rai, Honzik, Anthony)

Perhaps I should have specified, Between your ears is your brain, your IQ. Sauve is not a smart enough player to play at a pro level. He has shown this time and time again in the 80+games i've watched of him. He has a high panic level when he is pressured behind and in front of the net. I get anxious watching him because his panic is very evident. It's not confidence, IMO.

These are the same issues that some Seadog fans brought up to us. These are persistent issues.

His past potential is great, but we can't keep looking into the past and wishing for him to reach it. Anthony was once considered a top 5 kind of guy for his draft year. How has that turned out? Some players do well in their junior leagues but simply cannot bring their game to another level. IMO, Sauve is that kind of guy.

You said there is no harm done in signing him another year. But he would be taking a spot/icetime from another prospect who it may be better served for. For example, I really think Polasek deserves a better opportunity next season, but both he and Sauve play that left side, along with Tommernes. However, Polasek is a more physically imposing player, a better player at the AHL level and IMO, still has as good a potential as Sauve.

But clearly, we have different views on this player. So lets agree to disagree.

What the heck, isn't there only 3 weeks left to sign this guy before he Schultz's us?

He does not qualify for that loophole. He went straight from juniors to NCAA, whereas Schultz spent an extra year in the BCHL. And Price played his full 4 years.

Thus, the deadline is not in 3 weeks. The deadline is Aug 15, IIRC.

[Drouin]

Guy seems solid. Like what I hear. Hopefully we sign him soon.

[stonecoldstevebernier]

What the heck, isn't there only 3 weeks left to sign this guy before he Schultz's us?

Perhaps we won't see anything happen until the organization review/management situation is settled. If Aquilini wants Gillis & co. out, then there's no sense in letting him handle anymore hockey decisions with the club (even as basic as signing Price). Although if they were able to sign Tommernes a little while back, I don't see why they're waiting on Price (but then again I'm not a GM, and they do have more pressing matters on their plate).

[RunningWild]

well........ he can't reall "Shultz" as if we don't tender him an offer.

I think we need to sign this kid. It's like we draft him, we spends 4 years in college, then we let him go? Cmon Gillis.

I think he should def be signed too

He does not qualify for that loophole. He went straight from juniors to NCAA, whereas Schultz spent an extra year in the BCHL. And Price played his full 4 years.

Thus, the deadline is not in 3 weeks. The deadline is Aug 15, IIRC.

Oh man you rock. Everyone needs to read this^^^

Glad he doesn't qualify

Perhaps we won't see anything happen until the organization review/management situation is settled. If Aquilini wants Gillis & co. out, then there's no sense in letting him handle anymore hockey decisions with the club (even as basic as signing Price). Although if they were able to sign Tommernes a little while back, I don't see why they're waiting on Price (but then again I'm not a GM, and they do have more pressing matters on their plate).

Ya, I thought he was loophole eligible. He's not, so it's all good. As poster above pointed out, he doesn't have to be signed till August. So there's no rush.

[Ossi Vaananen]

Well that's good to know, props Kreuzberg.

[DeNiro]

So what's the deal with Price? Is he going to become a free agent then since we haven't been able to sign him?

Anyone heard anything?

[EternalCanuckFan]

So what's the deal with Price? Is he going to become a free agent then since we haven't been able to sign him?

Anyone heard anything?

Been wondering this too. Price seemed to be a fairly promising prospect.

[Salmonberries]

I don't think we will sign him. he had a fairly undistinguished collegiate career from what I gather. Kellen tochkin doesn't need company in Podunk Kentucky or wherever it is that he plays.