The Benefit Of Qualifying Raymond

[Cr8zyCanuck]

Lastly, I have no axe to grind with Booth. In fact I feel he will be the next victim on here (and I will defend him too) because if he doesn't keep feeding of the mob he will be another Raymond, seen as diminishing these peoples self esteem and bragging rights.

[Canuck Surfer]

Someone needs to play Raymond with a play maker. Look how he did with the Sedin; not ground breaking but similar results to Grabner last year at least. A lot of teams (not good ones) would have him on a top line. The key is someone who can pass him the puck in scoring position instead of asking him to carry it in which is not his skill.

Thats worth qualifying him & looking for a depth defender or 2 knd rounder to clear the salary at worst from a team lacking speed & scoring...

He's also a quality defensive pressure guy

I dunno, if he hasn't gotten it by now, how long are we gonna wait?

It's like every time he figures out how to be effective, he reverts back to his old bad habits.

I'd honestly rather give Schroeder or Sweatt a shot in the lineup. They come at more than half the cost, and way less risk because they can always be sent back down to the Wolves.

[Kack Zassian]

Booth will not be a victim because he plays both ends of the ice, doesn't fall every 2nd shift, and goes hard to the net.

Raymond is poor on the forecheck and offensively, decent defensively although not nearly aggressive enough (that can be said for many Canucks players), falls the most out of anyone we are playing or on the team each game, and is a perimeter offensive player.

These are facts about raymond that are frustrating to watch, and never consistently change.

Booth CAN NOT take the crap that raymond does, because he doesn't have the resume raymond has. Not nearly identical players. Completely different expectations.

CDC is good at ripping on players, but in this case, with raymond, they get it right.

[Gollumpus]

I don't believe that the arguement for Raymond is strengthened by a contrast and comparison to Booth. They are two different types of players with very different styles of play. Raymond is perhaps better on defense (certainly from how Booth has played in the last game or so). The type of defense Raymond plays is kind of long range, as in lots of stick checks. He isn't a very physical player, which is one of the things which makes Booth valuable. Booth has scored 20+ goals twice, and had one 30+ goal season in his career. Booth has also shown an ability to bounce back and score after returning from an injury.

The thing about Raymond is that his point production dropped off at the wrong time relative to the expectations of the fans and team management. If he had been a 20+ goal guy last season, and then been injured in the playoffs, I don't think there would have been a whole lot of crying about his lack of production this season. What we saw this season was more of the rather lackluster offensive play from last year. And it's not even that last year was so bad, if Raymond were a 3rd line player making Jannik Hansen dollars. For a 2nd line winger, getting $2.5 million, his production in either of the last two seasons has just not been good enough.

I don't see a lot of future here for Raymond. I do think he's a good player, however the team has a selection of other players which provide a wider set of options. Assuming Burrows with the Sedins, Booth (and Higgins?) with Kesler, and Higgins and Hansen on the third line, I see no place for Raymond. Kassian will likely play somewhere, likely on the 4th, but perhaps higher and there is a good liklihood that Gillis will bring in a free agent or trade for the remaining 2nd or 3rd line spot. Aside from Sedin and Booth all of the other wingers make less than Raymond.

Raymond has shown by his lack of point production that he is not good enough for the 2nd line spot, and I do not see him being great for the 4th line, and even if he did play there, that's a lot of cash to play a 4th liner (Malhotra will likely be 3rd line center again next season).

regards,

G.

[KiwiAd]

The thing is no matter what he will always be a perimeter player

He will always try hitting the boards instead of the guy

He will always go out-wide and take a pointless wrist shot

He will always be a pansy

to be successful you've either got to have skill - which helps you with assists and goals aka hank

or you've got to go to the net hard which he doesn't have either.

all he's got is speed - i hope for his sake one day we play a bunch of beer leaguers and he looks fantastic

but it just won't happen

I'm tired of being disappointed - He will always be that guy that skates to the boards and falls down

my opinion anyways.

[RoyalCanuck]

Totally agree

[KiwiAd]

Totally disagree

[IPlay4Beer]

How can you guys talk about trading guys on the team right before the Playoffs. Most of you guys have a point. For now "it is what it is".

Everything aside, this is a very stacked team which Raymond is a part off. He's a speedy winger that can play with the Kes-Booth line freeing Higgins to play the 3rd which has good chemistry. As we've been noticing against teams that were playing to get in. Others aren't as deep.

He's not bad defensively and most of the times he falls down, he's in the attacking zone IMO. He can also play the 3rd if need be with Pahlson and Hansen.

Either way for now....the trade deadline has passed and we should support our Canucks for all they've got. They got as close as they could without winning last year and he was a part of that. With the experience we still have a good chance. All the best. Go Canucks Go!!!!!!

[Drop Em]

People said that about Kesler too. Look what happen in the last few years.