Master Mind Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 The only solution is for him to remember how to play like he did in 2010. Or if he can learn to use his speed properly without falling down, that would be a step in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggins Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I can't decide which I'm more sick of, the Weber stupidity or the Raymond stupidity. It's something of a coin toss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggins Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Sure and we'll all pretend he wasn't terrible the year before the injury too!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggins Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 absolutely agree.. the injury argument only can only go so far.. to me, if a player is playing injured or coming back early before healing, that is unfair to the player and to the team.. but what also comes with the injury is a perpetual scapegoat.. "oh well he had an off year- was off because of the injury".. well why is he playing then? but more to your point, yes, all players should be held at the same standard in this regard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightHawkSniper Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 People need to relax, mark my words. Mayray will be back to playing the way he used to. The guy suffered a stupid injury that could have ended his career. Lets relaxxxxxxxxxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronadian Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Surfer Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Lets create more physical mismatches, why don't we??? Why not just sign Wellwood for 3rd line center then? He is a step ahead of everyone else on that front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggins Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 What was his excuse the year before the injury? Also to the op do you not remember when Raymond was infront of kopitar on the inside lane and instead of skating into the puck and wrapping it around the boards or wheeling around the boards and taking it out himself he throws himself into the boards.. He's actually pretty bad defensively he's just fast enough to get to loose picks which gives him the illusion of being good defensively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaSwede Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I actually like the fact that we re-signed him. If he comes back to the form he was during that 50 point season he would be a very effective player and if there is not enough space for him in the line-up he can be traded at the deadline. If the Canucks sign Doan and Raymond comes back to play like the player he can be we have a valuable asset come trade deadline that can be traded for a defensemen. It's a low risk high reward situation. He is also very flexible and can play nearly anywhere in the line-up which makes him valuable. Just his speed will have GM's licking their lips if that is the route the Canucks will go with Raymond. He would do really well in the Eastern conference I'd say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCanuckleheads.ca Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I was thinking the exact same thing. Even if the Doan dream doesn't pan out, I'd still prefer a competition between Kassian, Jensen, and Schroeder to fill the second-line right wing void. With Raymond on that line (i.e. Booth-Kesler-Raymond), it gives us three puck carriers and three guys who don't have a terrific passing instinct. I think the trade route is legitimate. He's an asset, no matter how much of a whipping boy he is for fans. Anyway, I'm not saying he's the ideal fit at centre, but if the eventual Luongo trade doesn't yield a third-line centre, then Raymond, Lapierre, Malhotra, and even Alex Friesen become your options in that role. Lastly, I just can't see Gillis going into the year with Henrik, Schroeder, Raymond/Malhotra, and Lapierre as the team's best options down the middle. Somehow, he's going to address that issue, and Raymond may be the odd man out. As for the Luongo trade, as things drag on with Gillis holding out (from what I can tell) for Burke to include Lupul or Tallon to include Bjugstad, I'm beginning to wonder what Gillis may do to sweeten the pot to get his way. I think there may be at least a couple pieces on both sides, but everyone seems pretty patient right now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanucksJay Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I'm sorry, I want to see the "mediocre play" removed from our team.. Raymond's play is medioce.. injured or healthy.. it just is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Does that mean Hamhuis sucks defensively as well? After all, he eliminated us from the playoffs. One play does not define a players ability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogbyte Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I can't beleive how often people keep trying to pass the buck on Raymond claiming the excuse that he was injured.. Even Raymond himself wouldn't use that to defend his own play.. I'm sure he'd be far too proud for that, but leave it to Canucks fans to give him yet another break (no pun intended) That, and what makes people think that Raymond would come back and play if he wasn't 100%? He may want to get back on the ice but I have to have faith in the staff and coaching to sit him out if he's not playing at an optimal health level.. so basically, if he has come back to the roster and is playing, one would have to beleive that he's at 100% and that to me would mean there is NO EXCUSE for poor play.. the ONLY thing that has any merrit is the lack of a training camp.. the injury argument though is nothing but a lame excuse. I'm sorry, I want to see the "mediocre play" removed from our team.. Raymond's play is medioce.. injured or healthy.. it just is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kloubek Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Certainly an interesting idea. Here are the problems I see: 1) He'd have to learn where he needs to be on the ice in the new position. 2) He'd have to pass more 3) He's still have issues with gaining the offensive zone 4) He probably isn't great at faceoffs. I don't think it comes as a great surprise to Raymond, Gillis or AV what Raymond's weaknesses are. I'm sure he's been told to get involved more in the play more than once. He just has to bear down and get into the more dirty areas if he wants to be successful. Another 10-15 pounds of muscle wouldn't hurt in that cause either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 We are a Stanley Cup contending team. We should have a competitive player at each position. I find it funny how people say things like he should play because he is defensively reliable. For example... There are Raymond supporters splitting hairs between "playing poorly" and "not producing" lol. Now if they really think a non producing player should be on the 2nd line of a Stanley Cup contending team... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disisdayear Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 There are players who have marginal skill sets but end up being solid producers and there are players who have skill up the whazooo who end up having lackluster production. Unfortunately, for what he has shown in his career so far, Raymond falls into the latter category...great wheels, decent defensive awareness, but lacking production. I agree that he does as much swimming (not diving like Kesler, Burrows and sometimes the Sedins, but swimming) as he does skating which have obvious consequences to his production, but I think one has to agree his skill sets are pretty high. Since he came to the Canucks, he's been projected to be a top 6 guy. To be a top 6 guy, he needs to produce, which he hasn't done with any consistency in his time here. I'm of the opinion that he's the type of player who will find it hard to re-invent his game to be a, say a defensive specialist (i.e., a shut down guy shadowing the opposition's top wingers), so it looks to me that he's the odd man out. Raymond's been given lots of opportunities (pre/post his injury). He didn't show much down the stretch last year and in the playoffs when Daniel went down (but neither did Burrows, Booth, etc.) so for me, the disappointment in him and others who were given the opportunity to fill in the gap created by Daniel, is very high. I like Mase...he's come back from a serious injury which shows his drive and passion for the game. I like that he's willing to take a pay cut (albeit, it's more symbolic in that $2.275MM vs. $2.5MM isn't a huge sacrifice on his part) to prove himself. With Kesler out until November/December, in my opinion, Mase has one last shot at it (possible second line: Booth LW -- Higgins C -- Raymond RW). It's a risky proposition, but with the current depth chart the way it is (which I'm sure will change come training camp), this may be the best option we have for the time being (and thankfully, the time being is the middle of July and not the middle of October). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gumballthechewy Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 People need to relax, mark my words. Mayray will be back to playing the way he used to. The guy suffered a stupid injury that could have ended his career. Lets relaxxxxxxxxxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyking Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Come on Baggins, you know that Hamhuis doesn't fall down nearly as often as Raymond does. When a player falls down so often you can create a drinking game, that's a sign the guy needs to work on his core conditioning, or get a different type of skate or type of blades, or needs to go a skill camp and work on his stance and stability. Yes it's sick seeing these threads repeat I agree with you there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtman81 Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 We could just wait and see how he comes back after last seasons performance. He was coming off a potential career ending injury. Lets just see what he brings to the tabel. He could be working real hard this summer to get back into shape,in which case he would get back to the speedster role he once had. P.s-sounds crazy,but Ballard is super fast.He is also a small D-man. I always wanted to see him play a wing,just to see how he could use his speed. He is physical too,like a mini raymond upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datsyukian Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Raymond at centre is not a good idea. As a centre he has more defensive responsibility and his lack of size/physicality along with his softness would cause him to lose many puck battles in his own end. Bad idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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