prana16 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Kesler scored over 40 goals and 70 points last year and won a Selke trophy playing centre, and coming off surgery he still put up pretty decent numbers for a second line player. I don't think you should put a defensive liability at centre when that's also our shutdown line. I think it was better for Hodgson's development to start on the third line and become a better two-way player, and work his way up, similar to what they do in Detroit. I'm not even a huge Kesler fan and I don't think he'll put up last year's numbers again, but with an off-season to actually train this Summer I think we'll see much closer to last year's Kesler in the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VancouverStyle Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Sure Gillis had made some good transactions, some times utilized in the right way. Booth can be a little more effective if he worked on his hand-eye co-ordination and use his line mates a little more when in the offensive zone. Pahlsson i believe was brought in to be a shutdown forward, but Alain for some reason has not used him at all in these situations. Alain really should put Pahlsson up against the Richards line, i think he and his line mates can handle the Richards line. Kassian, well the potential is there, the fans need to give him time to adjust and lower their expectations of him. I dont know how long it will take Kassian to adjust playing only 3 to 5 minutes a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank's Secret Sauce Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 But thats not our shutdown line. That was the rationale of bringing in pahlson. So that kesler could focus on scoring. Kesler still isn't scoring (the sedins arn't scoring all that much either ) and now neither is our 3rd line, and we gave away a top prospect that has won and lead at every level he has played at, was a calder candidate as a rookie and was near the top in team scoring as a rookie playing on the 3rd and fourth lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Lacking leadership? We have tons of playoff performers and vets. Sedins, Burrows, Kesler (though he needs to step up), Pahlsson? None of those guys are better than Samuelsson. (Great guy, just not a fit on our team anymore and is getting older) He didn't even play much in the postseason last year due to his injury, that has a high chance of reoccuring this year again if he played for us. We got in return a powerforward who in the past has netted 82 points for Florida. He was looking pretty hot before the knee injury, and had a few games since before going cold with Kesler. I'm not saying he's performed to his full potential, I'm just saying hardly a bad move. Future franchise face? No matter what that kid 3 years down the road would get torn to shreds by our fanbase worse than Luongo or Raymond because he isn't the second coming Wayne Gretzky everyone believes. There was no guarantee he would even be effective in the playoffs, as he is a defensive liability. Ask some Buffalo fans, some of his errors cost them in important games! Now I think he's a great guy and player, but stop rating him as the top prospect out there! Geez people, get a grip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkoshack Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 For Kassian to develop AV has to go. I worry for our prospects with this guy behind the bench. Grabner, Shirokov, Hodgson never given a fair chance with AV. You guys watch game 1 of the Wolves and Rampage? Jensen scored 2 goals but the player that stood out to me was Schroeder, this guy looked amazing and should have a roster spot next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotdawg Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Look to today, not yesterday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M48DitTJTw8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahf149 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Dude, you cant really rag on Higgins. Hes struggled a lot this year fighting his staph infections. I heard a rumour that he has another one right now. That guy plays will all of his heart when he can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahf149 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Samuelsson ended up outscoring Booth, Booth has been average in the playoffs while Samuelsson is a playoff-performer and our powerplay has seriously struggled without Samuelsson on the point, with our defencemen giving up almost a breakaway a game now and Booth not doing much on our 2nd unit PP. Meanwhile, Reinprecht hasn't played a game for the Canucks yet while Sturm has at least scored some points for the Panthers. At the end of the day, Florida won this trade. Booth may be good in the future but MG should of gone for the present with Samuelsson. His experience and veteran leadership is exactly what our team's lacking right now. Then there's the terrible Hodgson trade which we lost all aspects of. Sulzer is proving his worth while Gragnani is stapled to the press box. Basically we traded a 20-goal scorer, 40-point player and future franchise face for a 4th liner with some possible potential to become a 2nd liner at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahf149 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Samuelsson ended up outscoring Booth, Booth has been average in the playoffs while Samuelsson is a playoff-performer and our powerplay has seriously struggled without Samuelsson on the point, with our defencemen giving up almost a breakaway a game now and Booth not doing much on our 2nd unit PP. Meanwhile, Reinprecht hasn't played a game for the Canucks yet while Sturm has at least scored some points for the Panthers. At the end of the day, Florida won this trade. Booth may be good in the future but MG should of gone for the present with Samuelsson. His experience and veteran leadership is exactly what our team's lacking right now. Then there's the terrible Hodgson trade which we lost all aspects of. Sulzer is proving his worth while Gragnani is stapled to the press box. Basically we traded a 20-goal scorer, 40-point player and future franchise face for a 4th liner with some possible potential to become a 2nd liner at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpt Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I wouldn't make a statement like that with so much confidence. Samuelsson has registered 4 points so far in the playoff, while being in a lousy team. Booth only has one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ugli Fruit Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 He may not be a Henrik Sedin, but Samuelsson is patient with the puck, and he averages way more assists than goals. These two things make him a play maker much more so than Booth who consistently tries to get more goals than assists. Put Booth on the same line as Kesler and you get a line that has minimal productivity. The numbers don't lie. Kesler had way more goals last year when Samuelsson was on the same line. Look at this year with Booth. The line is pitiful in terms of being an offensive threat. Hodgson's line was on pace to outscore the second line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prana16 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 That's because both lines were getting similar minutes (3-4 minute difference) and also, Raymond and Kesler missed training camp, Raymond missed a couple games and Booth was picked up a couple weeks into the season and was also injured. Didn't CDC call the 2nd line the AMEX for a reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prana16 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 The Pahlsson trade and Hodgson trade weren't made in isolation. Yes, they were made so Kesler could focus on offence and have a good, defensive third line. But while Hodgson was here the second line was definitely the shutdown line. As far as the top-6 not scoring I don't think we could ever expect to win a cup from your third line scoring while the top-6 are not. I think the deals were made with more faith in the top-6, and that is for the most part the same top-6 that got us to the final last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkyway Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Gillis has been in a coma ever since last year's final. Everything he's done has been a disaster. As for Booth, I wouldn't take him for nothing; he can't score and he can't pass. (Didn't he have the lowest goal per shot ratio?) - Andrew Gordon? Please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keslerian one Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Just to add one more: don't forget Manny Malhotra. The man was basically our Pahlsson before his eye injury. A few years ago, having Malhotra AND Pahlsson would've been pretty sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugemanskost Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Best transaction for me was Gillis finally summoning Chris Tanev from Chicago. He's going to be a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurf47 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I agree with Prana 16...our team scoring has been affected by the trades. Hodgeson trade was poorly timed and I sure don't see us as deep at center as we were lead to believe. It was never more evident than when D, Sedin was injured. Sometimes its not the number of goals a player scores, but the timing of them. Hodgeson was an opportunitist and scored some very important goals. I miss samuelson as well cuz he shot from every angle , making him hard to play against from a goalie perspective. Sound defense wins games in the playoffs and we are not as strong there as we need to be. When a team is as offensive minded as the Canucks...you have tendencies to give up odd man rushes. Teams are just biding their time waiting to pounce on the Canucks in these playoffs. MG likes an offensive team, AV was a defensive minded coach and had to change his mindset. Contrary to popular belief...defense wins games . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 we'll never know what constituted the hodgson trade and the canucks won't say.....i for one give gillis credit for making tough decisions.....and sticking to them....i'm sure he expected more out of kassian, but AV wants him to play a controlled game and is still not confident in his play yet.....booth was a great trade for 2 players, everyone was urging gillis to trade away....like kesler, booth needs playmakers on their lines.....gillis and company will now be looking for players that will compliment these players....too bad, they couldn't clone henrik sedin....it is too bad that raymond, couldn't pull his game together....speed kills and i for one wanted raymond playing with booth and kesler....that line hasn't worked like we all hoped....pahlsson is a true shut down center...maybe not as effective as he once was but i applaud what gillis was trying to do....he was trying to over come the problems that plagued the team in last playoffs....will all his moves, work out?...probably not, but i hope he keeps trying to mold this team into his vision of what he wants this team to be....not taking cdc opinions seriously, will be a good start....opinions are all we have...hockey knowledge, not so much... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realnucksfan2010 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 MG has done a good job of finding depth players, so for no huge trades, (you can't call COHO for Kassian a blockbuster trade), aquiring booth was good but not monumental, same as Higgy, don't get me wrong these guys have been good (not great) but good. I think we are going to see some huge deals from MG this off season because there seems to be a lot of questions surrounding some of our players and the coach, the off season should be interesting to say the least! As for right now we have this team to lift up and cheer loud for, they need it!!!!! Go Canucks GO!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightHawkSniper Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 People around here like to give Gillis credit for the core that Brian Burke built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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