Why Are The Vancouver Canucks Signing/PTO All These "Reclamation Projects"?

[jatylo]

Only real answer i can give to this is "you never know". One teams philosophy might make or break certain players. Who knew Martin St.Louis and Datsyuk would have been a first line stars 10 years ago. Yes the majority don't become anything but a few do make an impact.

You can lead a horse to water but doesnt mean it will drink it. Barker has shown he has talent but that doesn't mean he will use it effectively. Vandemeer is a solid 3rd pairing dman.

Again to answer your question You never know.

[DeNiro]

Cheap low risk contracts?

Why not?

[WHL rocks]

For trying out for the team and for having extra bodies at practice.

No harm just benefits.

[CowtownCanuck]

Watch the movie Moneyball, that's the theory that Gillis is working from. There was a lot of talk about the concept when we hired him, the movie helps put it into perspective, complete with the almost making it in the playoffs.

[Gonz]

Maybe bc canucks don't have alot young prospects compared to other teams that contribute to the team, so they need ptos hoping be cheap salary that can contribute

[sharnhayre]

Nothing wrong with bringing in NHL calibre players to push the existing players to be better. Internal competition is the best kind of competition. No job should ever feel safe on the team... Players need to know that if they dont perform, someone is waiting in the wing to take their spot... A little pressure is what they need to stay motivated.

[DCR]

It's simple enough: most of these players are just coming off contracts where they were overvalued, and their perceived value has dropped through the floor. The Canucks look at the underlying numbers and see if these formerly overvalued players might currently be undervalued.

It's a moneypuck game. The risk is low, and while a great reward isn't likely, if it does pay off it's worth it because the risk was so low.

[Baggins]

Since Mike Gillis has taken over GM he has had this propensity to invite washed up free agents to tryout with the Canucks at training camp in the hopes they make the team. Year after year it's the same old story with none ever making the team. Excuse me, Peter Schaeffer made the team but only lasted like a month before he was cut!

I do not agree with this philosophy because it takes away one of the Canucks prospects from actually showcasing their skills. There's a reason why old, waived, free agent players who do not have a contract are "trying out" THEY ARE NOT USEFUL ANYMORE

Now I heard our genius GM signed Cam Barker and Jim Vandermeer, 2 players that couldn't even stick on the roster of one of the worst teams last year. Not to mention they were let go even with Edmonton's weak Defense lineup. I'm also hearing rumors that the Canucks are inquiring about signing Scott Gomez in light of Booth's injury. ARE YOU FRICKEN KIDDING ME HERE...

Stop PTO and signing players who have no shot in hell making the team thus wasting both the player's and the team's time. Give the young bucks a shot. That is the future not 35-40yr old veterans with nothing left in the tank.

[Aladeen]

Haha Coops and Puckles!

[CCF4E]

1 - PTO's cost the team nothing. On occassion they even work out.

2 - How can MG sign Gomez when he's still under contract to Montreal?

[Crying Peter Parker]

Low Risk High Reward

Get back to flipping burgers kid

[Canada Hockey Place]

What other options for depth are there? As far as I know:

1. Draft. Develop.

2. Sign players with NHL experience

3. Sign undrafted prospects

4. Trade

Let's see how it's worked out (depth D who have dressed since 2008):

1. Sauve

2. Davison, Vaananen (waivers), Rome, Baumgartner, Sulzer

3. Oberg, Sweatt, Tanev

4. O'Brien, Lukowich, Alberts, Parent, Gragnani

Point being, it's kind of a crap shoot. Option #2 doesn't seem too bad. Barker and Vandermeer don't seem too bad either.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Related to: 'Why do are prospects stink so bad?'

It's because the Canucks aren't allowed to succeed. They're only allowed to waste piles of money on garbage.

[Fred65]

Fill in gaps for the pre season camp. I don't like it under normal seasons when they charge for NHL entertainment and then play a bunch of old decrepit player who they know will be let go at the end of camp. But on this occasion they're (owners) spending their own money and not charging a outlandish cost for tickets

[thehamburglar]

If we play them when we need them, without having to rush our prospects it's alright. If we don't play them, I think Vandemeer can go down, which is a low risk for us getting two veteran players for about 1.5 million.

[thehamburglar]

What other options for depth are there? As far as I know:

1. Draft. Develop.

2. Sign players with NHL experience

3. Sign undrafted prospects

4. Trade

Let's see how it's worked out (depth D who have dressed since 2008):

1. Sauve

2. Davison, Vaananen (waivers), Rome, Baumgartner, Sulzer

3. Oberg, Sweatt, Tanev

4. O'Brien, Lukowich, Alberts, Parent, Gragnani

Point being, it's kind of a crap shoot. Option #2 doesn't seem too bad. Barker and Vandermeer don't seem too bad either.

[mbal23]

barker isnt 35-40 and neither is vandermeer (32). the red wings have been doing the whole reclamation thing for years, to great success. and the fact you can add without subtracting for low cap, and even in vandermeers case a 2 way contract, is awesome!!! i think normally it would be just a camp tryout, not necessarily a contract, but watch how fast remaining ufa d-men are going to go to new homes. smart move to get the depth quickly, because those two players would be gone by now in my opinion

[lowest common denominator]

It's because no bonafied star players want to sign with a mickey mouse organization like the Canucks. It goes back to the way Bure was treated before he even arrived in Vancouver.

Then take a look at how we treat players that do become stars here (Bure, Luongo)

Now Gillis is reduced to looking under rocks and in dark corners for warm bodies.

Go Canucks!

[bluesman60]

These guys will make camp a lot more competitive and push the prospects to a higher level. The prospects have to earn their way onto the roster just like anyone else and if they can't beat out the vets, they don't deserve to join the big club.

[Gollumpus]

It's because no bonafied star players want to sign with a mickey mouse organization like the Canucks. It goes back to the way Bure was treated before he even arrived in Vancouver.

Then take a look at how we treat players that do become stars here (Bure, Luongo)

Now Gillis is reduced to looking under rocks and in dark corners for warm bodies.

Go Canucks!