Noheart Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 http://thehockeywrit...Hockey Writers) The Vancouver Canucks Have A Plan But Mike Gillis Is Yet To Deliver by Daniel Schöpf on August 13, 2012. For most in BC, it is hard to fathom that a player may just not want to sign here. A beautiful city with an amazing landscape and great people. Sure it's expensive and the taxes are high but hey, that's a price we have to pay right? The 2011/12 season left a bitter taste in Vancouver and despite 82 great games, a first round exit to the Kings was simply not good enough. Fans wanted to see off-season changes, particularly additions in the top 6 forward group and a franchise blue-liner. Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis has proven himself to be a stealth tactician who doesn't like to give up team assets unless necessary. While some were calling for his head after he traded Cody Hodgson to the Buffalo Sabres for Zack Kassian, most understood his reasoning after it became quite evident that Hodgson didn't want to be in Vancouver, though both parties remain tight-lipped on the exact situation. The first name that Gillis and his team were looking at signing was highly-touted college player Justin Schultz. Schultz was born in Kelowna and started his Hockey career in the BCHL with parents who were Canucks season-ticket holders, so all roads pointed to Vancouver. Gillis even hinted in the annual general meeting with fans that the signing of Schultz to Vancouver was a possibility, saying that there was no news yet but adding a highly publicized "perhaps later". While the Canucks looked to be among Schultz's top favoured teams alongside Edmonton, it was the Oilers that eventually signed the defenseman. The Canucks reportedly lost out on the bidding war due to not offering Schultz guaranteed blue-line minutes, something Gillis was well within right to not promise the rookie who has yet to play an NHL game. Shea Weber (Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE) Next on the list was the player the Canucks have had their eye on for a while, BC native Shea Weber. The Canadian Olympic gold-medalist was seen as the answer to the Canucks' lack of a franchise defenseman since.. well.. ever? Signing Weber would not have been an easy task and Gillis and the team met with the restricted free-agent to offer him a deal. Though the Vancouver Province reported that the Canucks discussed a 1 year, $1 million plus $13 million signing bonus deal with Weber, it was the Philadelphia Flyers that struck first by sending the big defenseman an offer sheet of 14 years and $110 million which he accepted and Nashville promptly matched keeping Weber in Tennessee for the foreseeable future. After the fact, claims were made that Mike Gillis always thought that Nashville would match any offer during the talks and that signing Weber was near impossible. Moving on to Shane Doan. Despite growing up in small town Alberta, Doan has established BC roots through his wife and her family and often spends his summers in the province. Doan also started his career in the WHL, playing 3 seasons with the Kamloops Blazers, making him another perfect Gillis target. The biggest problem for the Canucks with Doan is his loyalty towards Phoenix, an organization he doesn't really want to leave and will only do so if there is no hope for the team's survival. Gillis has recently met face-to-face with Doan and the Canucks are one of the few teams considered in the running for his services. While the latest rumours of Vancouver offering the forward a 4 year, $30 million ($7.5 million a season) deal seem slightly far-fetched, the Canucks will be throwing everything they can at Doan to persuade him to play for the team, as he would be a key piece in the top 6 forward puzzle for the right price. A decision for Doan will not be made until the Phoenix ownership issue is settled and for now the Coyotes seem to be getting the financial backing they need via the Jamison group. Three strikes so far for the Canucks, though the Shane Doan situation is yet to be finalized. The final name on the list for the Canucks is currently one of their own, Roberto Luongo. The fine play of backup goaltender Cory Schneider last season earned the net-minder a new 3 year, $12 million contract, leaving Luongo with a long contract but a club that no longer requires his services. Roberto Luongo Luongo has so far co-operated with the Canucks, telling the media he would waive his NTC if asked to do so by the team management. The likely destinations for Luongo dwindled down from Florida, Toronto, Tampa Bay and Chicago to most likely just Florida and Toronto. The asking price for the goaltender reportedly began with names such as Erik Gudbranson, Jonathan Huberdeau, Quinton Howden and Jake Gardiner but now is more realistically centering around a deal involving players such as Shawn Matthias, Joffrey Lupul and possibly Nick Bjugstad. While Gillis is patiently waiting for right deal, thoughts must go out to Roberto Luongo who hasn't really done much wrong and must be feeling frustrated with the length of time it has taken to make the inevitable trade. While Gillis has said he is happy to start the season with both Schneider and Luongo, the 33-year-old who only signed his controversial 12 year, $5.33 per year deal two years might not be too happy to just stick around until the perfect trade is found, leaving his home situation in limbo. Most fans believe that Gillis is not happy to pay any new player more than the Sedin's $6.1 million a season. This is mainly due to the twins taking a big discount to stay in Vancouver but this rule may need to be broken if the Canucks are to sign a top player to help make a deep playoff push in 2012/13, especially when looking at the large contracts offered to players such as Ryan Suter and Zach Parise this summer. While Gillis hasn't landed a big name player since the Jason Garrison signing, his theme of targeting players with BC roots is fairly obvious. Schultz, Weber and Garrison were all born in BC and Shane Doan has family in the Province. With the threat of a lock-out looming, Gillis can bide his time with his blockbuster Luongo trade but must keep in mind that Roberto ultimately has the final say in his destination say due to his NTC clause. The trading and signing season is by no means over and Mike Gillis and his team still seem to have the trust of the Vancouver people… for now anyway. Daniel Schöpf Born in Switzerland, live in BC. Sports Writer for the Vancouver Canucks and Swiss Hockey. Follow me on Twitter- @HockeyWest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UMB Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Cool story man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pears Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Missed out on Schultz...missed out on Weber...third time's the charm with Doan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieCrumbs Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Nohrt DST? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry Goose Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 This guy's opinions are about as smart as the majority of CDC's are: dumb. Just because Gillis cannot sign whomever he wants (that fits within interests of the Canucks) does not imply he is not doing a good job as a GM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUCKS4CUP 28 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Missed out on Schultz...missed out on Weber...third time's the charm with Doan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vancouvercanucks#1 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 So basically he summarized what CDC has been talking about the past 2 and a half months. okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keslerian one Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Can we trade Luongo already... it's driving everyone insane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwnstar Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 so basically a summary of the 1000+ threads we've all been reading for the past month or so... but it's for the province Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jägermeister Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 What a pointless article. Nothing in there has been news for weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ButterBean Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I could care less about "losing out" on Schultz. He doesn't fit ANYWHERE in our lineup. It's obvious that he wanted playing time in the NHL, and we can't provide that for him. Our top 4 is locked up for the next 5 years and I will take any proven NHL'er like Ballard or Tanev who bring physicality and reliable defense rather than Schultz who is unproven and plays an offensive game. We have enough offense from our back end as it is already, physical and defensively reliable defenseman win you cups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashian Kassian Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Hasn't delivered? Yeah we aren't a successful team. He tried to do everything he could to get Weber, to get Schultz, to get those guys, the Doan and Luongo situations are an on-going process. He got us Booth for really nothing in the big picture, he's making us bigger and better, and it takes time. More will happen this month just watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieCrumbs Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I could care less about "losing out" on Schultz. He doesn't fit ANYWHERE in our lineup. It's obvious that he wanted playing time in the NHL, and we can't provide that for him. Our top 4 is locked up for the next 5 years and I will take any proven NHL'er like Ballard or Tanev who bring physicality and reliable defense rather than Schultz who is unproven and plays an offensive game. We have enough offense from our back end as it is already, physical and defensively reliable defenseman win you cups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jai604 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Soooooo........ absolutely no new insight or intelligent discussion. The same re-hashed crap that every single Canucks fan has discussed to death over the course of this extremely long off-season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honeydews Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Lets not trade Luu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck250 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Every team wants a #1 d man and every team wanted shea, does Philly get mad cred for signing an offer sheat that was matched that now takes the Dman off the market forever? I do not see that as a knock against gmMG, if anything it shows he is smart... Offer the 1 year, if they match darn, but guess who is a FA the next year? oh wait not anymore signed for 14 years... Schultz is going to slot in ahead of who? We have 5 dman making over 4 mil for a reason, not to sign some kid who has never played in the nhl just to step in front of our top 5... Again gmMG was smart and honest. This is just a bad read on so many levels and this is more gossip then real hockey. You should instead follow movie stars and talk about the stuff they did on the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoolander Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Wake me up..when September ends.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoolander Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Lets not trade Luu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck250 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Oh I for some reason read more...... Teams offered Parise and Suter more then what they signed for it does not matter how much more then the Sedins he offered, they were not coming here. How is a GM who is smart enough to say hey, I have 2 all stars who have each won an art ross, I am not going to pay someone over that a bad thing? If the nhl had more gms like that, we would not have jeff fingers getting 4 + mil a season and causing good players to get more then that.... Your post is nothing more then gossip fit for the blind mass and not hockey fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 1. Reverend Ken Holland, deperate for defensemen, bowed out of the Schultz hunt early after showing interest. He failed to deliver. After the Ducks failed to keep him around in the first place. 2. Shea Weber was coveted by all. All failed to deliver him except Poile, who failed to sign him and earlier, more reasonable deal. 3. Doan is also coveted by all. Probably another case of all failing to deliver him, as he'll likely stay in Phoenix, a franchise that is doomed to fail. 4. A Luongo deal is where Gillis will likely also fail to deliver the goods. He's in a tough spot to get anything of worth at the moment, but we'll see how the waiting game goes. 5. Gillis, y'know, also hasn't delivered when it comes to this teams' plans to winning a cup. 6. This article also failed to deliver anything new. Wow, that's a lot of failure to deliver. Outside of ultimate success, there is nothing but ultimate failure. (To deliver.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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