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Zack Kassian Talk


Bilbro Baggins

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maybe i should have 500 pucks shipped to him this offseason.

sounds good, send some to tanev while your at it. Although by the sounds of tanevs year-end press conference MG and Dave gagner might have already sent some.

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Well, I say, Hodgson has a better opportunity as a Sabre. Kassian certainly has a somewhat good opportunity in Vancouver, an opportunity to venture into the postseason.

It boils down to the following:

Enjoying more ice time in a team not going into postseason vs. Enjoying 4th-line and less ice time in a team going into postseason .

I admit that I don't see the Sabres a lot but they looked like a up and down the ice team. Hodgson benefited from Van's puck possession game which he won't see as much of with the Sabres. His increased ice time is probably more important to him. Up and down the ice won't benefit his slower foot speed.

I highly doubt MG acquired Kassian to leave him on the 4th line. I'm hoping he finds time on the 3rd line next year. He has good speed and can work the boards well already so moving up and down the lines is possible.

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Kassian has to be in the top 9 next year or he has to spend the season in the AHL. Fourth line minutes can't be good for his development.

Right now though, I'm not sure how he fits into the top 9.

Although Burr is much more versatile, will AV really move him off of the Sedin line after yet another solid season?

Does AV keep the AMEX line together next season? Or will the Canucks get a playmaking winger who can set up Kes and Booth? IMO, Kassian does not compliment Kes and Booth.

Could either Higgins or Hansen be moved off of the third line? Hansen was brilliant for the bulk of the season on the third line - IMO he has earned third line minutes. Higgins was solid all year and he also deserves top-9 minutes.

It's going to be interesting to see what MG does to sort out the Canucks roster this summer. A Luongo trade is looking more and more likely and who knows what kind of return that will bring (or who else might be dealt).

My prediction is that Kassian spends the bulk of the year with the Wolves in a top-6 role rebuilding his confidence and (hopefully) dominating the AHL. Right now there isn't an appropriate opening for him barring a big trade.

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Kassian has to be in the top 9 next year or he has to spend the season in the AHL. Fourth line minutes can't be good for his development.

Right now though, I'm not sure how he fits into the top 9.

Although Burr is much more versatile, will AV really move him off of the Sedin line after yet another solid season?

Does AV keep the AMEX line together next season? Or will the Canucks get a playmaking winger who can set up Kes and Booth? IMO, Kassian does not compliment Kes and Booth.

Could either Higgins or Hansen be moved off of the third line? Hansen was brilliant for the bulk of the season on the third line - IMO he has earned third line minutes. Higgins was solid all year and he also deserves top-9 minutes.

It's going to be interesting to see what MG does to sort out the Canucks roster this summer. A Luongo trade is looking more and more likely and who knows what kind of return that will bring (or who else might be dealt).

My prediction is that Kassian spends the bulk of the year with the Wolves in a top-6 role rebuilding his confidence and (hopefully) dominating the AHL. Right now there isn't an appropriate opening for him barring a big trade.

Kassian has played more than 45 games in the NHL. Doesn't that make him eligble for waivers? I do agree that unless he is getting at least 10 minutes he should be in the AHL. I don't think the ice strategy which relys on puck possession can be the only approach next year. While physical play seems to bring the most out of the Canucks they were not consistant enough in that approach come playoffs. Emotionalism seemed to takeover and they lost focus. Kassian could be a big piece in changing how the 2nd or 3rd line play.

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The best summary of this trade written!

I hope Kassian has some thick skin because the guy is going to be getting all sorts of criticism this summer if the Canucks can't come back to win the LA series (which is obviously the most likely scenario - not saying it can't happen though).

From the day the Canucks got Kassian, I liked the acquisition but I figured that it would VERY difficult for him to have a positive legacy with the Canucks unless the Canucks went deep in the playoffs and ideally won the Cup.

Everyone in Vancouver loved CoHo. He obviously has flaws in his game (who doesn't?) and maybe behind the scenes he whined about playing time but he was producing points (albeit in protected minutes) and was really settling in to the NHL.

Kassian needs more seasoning in the AHL and to thrust the responsibility of being the "size" that the Canucks need is too much responsibility to place on him right now.

I think Kassian will turn out to be a decent NHL powerforward, maybe more of a Ryan Malone type than a Bertuzzi. But will he be the type of guy that everyone wanted him to be - an impact powerforward a la Milan Lucic? I don't see it. Ryan Malone-esque would be good but that will never be good enough for Canucks fans. His legacy will be even more bitter (undeservedly) if the Canucks make an early exit this year.

Of course, I hope that I'm wrong so let's see how the next week plays out and, for Kassian, how the next few years go as well.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I hope he grows out his hair and beard again. it looks so badass

I'm scared of him anyways. Having some time since the playoffs to relax and think, I am pretty happy that Kassian didn't try too hard to be the size we need. He wasn't trying to pick fights or to protect the Sedins or anything. Honestly, that probably would have been a baaaad idea. He seems to understand the fact that he has a lot to learn before he can be an impact player, and that he can get a lot stronger. All in all, the whole point of this trade is that we now have someone who has the size the Canucks feel they need to win, and he has a brain and offensive skill to boot. Now we just have to wait and see if he's got an NHL work ethic to carry him through the years.

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Anyone know where he'll be training this summer? I really question this kids work ethic for some reason . I think him and cody are complete opposites in thAt regard.

He's a big, tough, mean guy and Cody is coho, of course they're opposites. But as far as work ethic, I wouldn't question Kassian because he has consistently been getting bigger every summer and getting faster at the same time, that takes hard work.

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Anyone know where he'll be training this summer? I really question this kids work ethic for some reason . I think him and cody are complete opposites in thAt regard.

Im curious, why do you think Kassian has a poor work ethic?

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

AV had an interview with Cam Charron and he said Kassian as a legitimite chance of becoming a top-6 forward. AV doesnt say he will be one next year, just say he has a chance and not sure which line he will play on next year.

CC: Where do you see Kassian in the lineup next season?

AV: I think he's got a legitimate chance of becoming a top-six forward. So where exactly is he going to fit in on which line I'm not quite sure but I've been hearing that he's working real hard and that's why we go to training camp.

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  • 3 months later...

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