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Kassian Roster Spot in Serious Jeopardy?


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I hope Kassian stays with the Nucks. The potential is there but he needs to be around pro's to understand how hard they work to be succesfull. Also he's gripping the stick to tight and looks like he nervous out there. The more time up in the pro's the more relaxed and comfortable he'll get with the situation.

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Hello Everyone! I just wanted to get your take on the situation that could or may unfold within the next 3 weeks or so. That factor is the Nicklas Jensen Factor...

amazing video by CDC's very own DJ Kreuzberg, everyone give him a high five for the awesome video!

For those that post before actually reading the thread, ill make a easy summary

-Zack Kassian is playing poorly and inconsistent hockey

-Nicklas Jensen SEL season is over March 5th, rumor has it that his Junior team doesn't want him back so he can't play anywhere else

-Kassian is waiver exempt from getting picked off waivers, probably not beneficial to his development to get 4th line ice time and Volpatti fills that grinder/energy roll a lot better imo.

-Roster space is at max capacity so 1 player needs to be put on waivers to acquire another

I think the one and only position this affects would be Zack Kassian, As we all know and have seen, Kassian has been playing very inconsistent and somewhat poorly the last few weeks. He's had some benching's in the 3rd periods of games and has been a liable player defensively. The point is, he has a couple more weeks to play well or he may very well get sent down to the minors to make room for Nicklas Jensen.

I think what Jensen has done in Sweden has been nothing short of amazing, he's been playing against men and he's up to speed (game shape) to come in and not feel out of place. Quite frankly he has enormous offensive potential and skill that could compliment the team's current need.

Why he would help this team over Kassian?

-I think he has a much higher offensive ceiling and skill

-He is in the mold of a pure sniper/goal scorer which could help our PP big time

-We lack a pure goal scorer type player on this team and have been for ages.

What are your thoughts people?

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You do know that Jensen started the season with 8 goals, 3 assists in 16 games but since then has scored only 7 goals, 3 assists in 29 games? 10 points in 29 games in the SEL is far from being "nothing short of amazing". BOTH players suffer from inconsistency. 21 points in 45 games in the SEL is not great production for a first round pick, especially considering most of those points came early. In the NHL it would be pretty good but the SEL is a much weaker league. Kassian's numbers in the AHL were better than Jensen's in the SEL (similar leagues) and Kassian also put up about 20 more points in his last season than Jensen in the same number of games played.

Jensen also has 6 less points than an undrafted 19 year old teammate.

I don't mean to bash Jensen but these "flavour of the week" players drive me nuts. Kassian has been more impressive than Jensen this year yet these types of threads pop up.

Look at Rodin's numbers. 26 points in 53 games in the SEL (comparable to Jensen's) and as a 2nd year AHLer he has only 13 in 35.

Don't get me wrong, Jensen has a great combination of size, speed and skill but I can't see him performing in the NHL given his track record so far. At best I think he will put up a rookie season in the AHL similar to Billy Sweatt and that would be fine as long as he continues to improve.

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You do know that Jensen started the season with 8 goals, 3 assists in 16 games but since then has scored only 7 goals, 3 assists in 29 games? 10 points in 29 games in the SEL is far from being "nothing short of amazing". BOTH players suffer from inconsistency. 21 points in 45 games in the SEL is not great production for a first round pick, especially considering most of those points came early. In the NHL it would be pretty good but the SEL is a much weaker league. Kassian's numbers in the AHL were better than Jensen's in the SEL (similar leagues) and Kassian also put up about 20 more points in his last season than Jensen in the same number of games played.

Jensen also has 6 less points than an undrafted 19 year old teammate.

I don't mean to bash Jensen but these "flavour of the week" players drive me nuts. Kassian has been more impressive than Jensen this year yet these types of threads pop up.

Look at Rodin's numbers. 26 points in 53 games in the SEL (comparable to Jensen's) and as a 2nd year AHLer he has only 13 in 35.

Don't get me wrong, Jensen has a great combination of size, speed and skill but I can't see him performing in the NHL given his track record so far. At best I think he will put up a rookie season in the AHL similar to Billy Sweatt and that would be fine as long as he continues to improve.

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Production of players like Kassian will always go down when the lineup gets re-stocked with guys like Kesler and Booth. Your depth and young players will take a statistical hit because their playing time will go down, but the team as a whole will be better and will likely win games...and those players will likely grow because of it. Short term loss for long term gain, and stats ain't crap, basically.

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You do know that Jensen started the season with 8 goals, 3 assists in 16 games but since then has scored only 7 goals, 3 assists in 29 games? 10 points in 29 games in the SEL is far from being "nothing short of amazing". BOTH players suffer from inconsistency. 21 points in 45 games in the SEL is not great production for a first round pick, especially considering most of those points came early. In the NHL it would be pretty good but the SEL is a much weaker league. Kassian's numbers in the AHL were better than Jensen's in the SEL (similar leagues) and Kassian also put up about 20 more points in his last season than Jensen in the same number of games played.

Jensen also has 6 less points than an undrafted 19 year old teammate.

I don't mean to bash Jensen but these "flavour of the week" players drive me nuts. Kassian has been more impressive than Jensen this year yet these types of threads pop up.

Look at Rodin's numbers. 26 points in 53 games in the SEL (comparable to Jensen's) and as a 2nd year AHLer he has only 13 in 35.

Don't get me wrong, Jensen has a great combination of size, speed and skill but I can't see him performing in the NHL given his track record so far. At best I think he will put up a rookie season in the AHL similar to Billy Sweatt and that would be fine as long as he continues to improve.

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exactly, it's not hard at all to see which players skate their butts off and work hard. Zack Kassian looks like a lazy player with a lot of floating happening.

If he consistently went in on the forecheck and just hammered people and husted his butt off no one would complain. He needs to watch Volpatti play and then emulate that if he's going to play on the 4th line.

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I think we need a new multiple waring signs thread..... because it is obvious that his production had dropped game over game this season....... is anyone surprised he went from top line min to 3rd 4th line min... kinda like when he was in the AHL and his numbers dropped going from a high talent offensive team to the wolves...

he will be fine it is kinda hard for a young player to find his place esp when he is moved from top line all the way to the bottom line and everything in between and each line needing something different from him..

Everyone says he is inconsistent yet i think his coach is inconsistent he needs a consistent spot to play and be given a chance to do good thing and bad things...

He has looked good but has always looked timid out there he def looks like a young player that does not want to make a mistake because he knows what will happen.. he needs to be told that if he makes a mistake he will get his chance to prove himself not be benched for the rest of the game just like the rest of the team ala Kesler with his bad give away goal.

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Please do research before assuming, Jensen's drop in production is because of this:

The Canucks want top prospect Nicklas Jensen, who turns 20 on March 6, to join the American League’s Chicago Wolves when his season in the Swedish Elite League with AIK Stockholm wraps up. AIK has five games remaining and sits in ninth place, four points out of a playoff spot in the 12-team league. Jensen has 15 goals in 45 games but has had his ice time reduced recently after the Canucks nixed AIK’s plan to try and trade him. Jensen is under contract to the Canucks and on loan to AIK.

Canuck GM Mike Gillis explained the situation when he appeared on the club’s flagship radio station, Team 1040, with midday hosts Matt Sekeres and Blake Price. “Well, what I think has happened is they were out of the playoffs and wanted to try and trade his rights to get something at their deadline, which we didn’t agree with because we didn’t want to see him traded to another team,” Gillis said. “When his team finishes, we expect him to be over here and playing in Chicago. So we were uncomfortable with that and I think there might be some measure of holding it against him (reduced ice time) but it won’t last too much longer. He’s not playing as much.”

Asked why the Canucks didn’t approve a trade, Gillis replied: “For a number of reasons. We wanted to get him back here to play in the American Hockey League and gain that experience like he did before. He’s certainly capable of playing at that level and excelling so we didn’t want him to go to another team and have him play and miss that opportunity this year. He’s a young guy and we just didn’t feel comfortable with him moving around and then not getting the American Hockey League experience.”

Asked if the Canucks would be against Jensen playing for the big club at some point this season, the GM said: “No, we wouldn’t be at all. In our organization, people earn what they get. Nick has played very well. I think he needs to continue to gain experience at the pro level and he’s moved along quite nicely and this is a minor hiccup in the season for him. But we expect when he gets to Chicago, he will contribute there and, if he continues, he’ll be contributing for us.”

Jensen, a native of Denmark, was the Canucks’ first pick (29th overall) in the 2011 entry draft. He’s listed at 6-3 and 186 pounds.

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I wouldn't mind giving Nick a game or 2 if he comes over and plays really well in the AHL.

But Kassian is on this team to stay, I thought he had a solid game against Dallas, and was on the ice for the goal against Nashville, his struggles aren't what people think, he needs more ice time really.

Jensen could play, but really its only if we have injuries, he won't dethrone Higgins, Raymond, Hansen, Burrows, exc. from the top 9. Especially since AV loves the Vets over the Rookies.

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As for Jensen, he has a sick wrister. But I also love the way he battle infront of the net, he has the size and strength and nose for the net to be a force in the battles infront.

I think he will score alot of flashy goals, nice shots and dangles, but also won't shy away from the battles infront and having to score through grit and power. Looks like he has gotten faster too.

I really like what I see, I think he game is better suited for the NHL than Junior, or even the SEL. Can't wait to see him in Blue and Green.

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Kassian and Booth will be IMO our biggest impact players in the playoffs, maybe throw Raymond into that mix too. You win in the playoffs clearly with size, speed, skill and offensive depth.

Regular season lineup:

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows

Higgins - Kesler - Booth

Raymond - Schroeder - Hansen

Kassian - Lapierre - Weise

Playoff lineup:

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian

Burrows - Kesler - Booth

Raymond - Schroeder - Hansen

Higgins - Lapierre - Weise

Much better balance going into the playoffs, Kassian is a better protector of the Sedins than Burrows and that line lacked size the last 2 seasons which is why the Sedins were bullied by Boston, also this way every line has a proven chemistry duo. Sedins, Burr/Kes, Raymond/Schroeder and Higgins/Lapierre. Our bottom-6 needs to be offensively skilled and able to score - it couldn't in 2011 which was a big reason we lost out to the Bruins who had 10 goal scorers on their 4th line. The Kings even had a deadly 4th line that scored big goals for them in the playoffs. Higgins and Lapierre bring that element to our lineup.

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Just watched the video, curious to see how Jensen will be playing against nhl defenseman. Looks like a shoot first player thats not scared to drive to the net. Could be an interesting factor in the next few years. You can't expect him to start lighting it up this year or next year. He's gonna take a while to develop.

Jensen and Kassian are very different players. Doesn't make sense to say Kassian is in trouble because Jensen might come to the NHL. Jensen is no Ovechkin/Malkin/Bure/Crosby/Patrick Stefan

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