Angry Goose Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I'm really interested in what Radim can do without the puck. Sedins NEED a player that can win possession in the attacking zone. Hopefully Vrbata can do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrible.dee Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I see what your are saying but the Sedins are not dump and chase line. Something Torts tried and failed at. They are also amongst the best in the league on the boards. I've seen too many of their winger miss open nets because they l are not skilled enough. I think Vrbata is exactly the type of player they need. He's a decent checker and is a good puck possession player. Agreed, however I maintain that whoever the other winger is needs to an active part of that play along the boards, and help get the puck back if it's lost. Burrows was the man for that stuff, he was right there on the boards with Dan and Hank, and if the puck was lost temporarily, he was right on it. Daniel and Henrik are great, but they need a winger that will play with them in all situations, not just a sniper looking for open ice. Now I'm not saying Vbrata is like that, I really don't know what he's like, I'm just saying I HOPE he's like that. PS. The poster above mentioned Vbrata seemed to work well off the rush, well as we all know, that's not really the twins thing. Anyway, won't be too long till we find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrible.dee Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I'm really interested in what Radim can do without the puck. Sedins NEED a player that can win possession in the attacking zone. Hopefully Vrbata can do that. That's what I've been saying. There seems to be an idea floating around that all the Sedins need is an Ovechkin like sniper who does nothing but try and get possition. I think they need someone to participate in all aspects of thier game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrible.dee Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 If you watch Vrbata's highlights you can see he scores alot of goals off the rush. If he doesn't work well with the Sedins I can see him doing really well with Burrows and Bonino on the 2nd line. Sedin-Sedin-Kassian Burrows-Bonino-Vrbata Hansen-Matthias-Higgins If those Top 9 guys can stay healthy we should have some nice, balanced scoring for once. I actually think those lines make more sense, Although I also think Burrows and Kassian should be given a run together, I really see those two having complimentary skill sets. Still leaves the question of who plays with Daniel and Henrik.... Actually, if they could find a way to try it Bonino with the twins might be interesting, I am aware of the serious draw backs (No speed, no aggression, size) but, I think from the blue line in they would mesh. Bonino isn't the fastest or toughest guy in the league but he does give you 100% of what he has, I don't know might be interesting. I suppose I have some preconceived worries about what Vbrata's playing style is, and that it won't compliment the twins, Anywhere except the PP that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Well "on paper" I would say much worse, we have absolutely no one who can move the puck, and no one who scares/irritates/scores on other teams top players, plus no one who can get the Sedin's the zone starts they do best with. However, strange things can happen in this game, and if this team finds chemistry (Perhaps because of Kesler's absence) then anything is possible. Actually, I take that back, Kassian and Burrows can get pucks through the Neutral zone. They can also/irritate and score...I hope....Some mentioned a Burrows/Kassian/Bonino line in another thread, on paper, I think that trio could work really well together. Once he's in the offensive zone Bonino does have the skill to make things happen, he just needs A LOT of help getting there. Our biggest detriment to moving the puck the last couple seasons has been the utter lack of a PMD. That hasn't changed with or without Kesler = draw. (Though here's hoping Sanguinettit can take that leap...*gulp*). The team has played better without Kesler the past few seasons than with him FWIW. One has to assume that it's because it was a full team effort where what normally was one guy's role was more evenly spread around the lineup. I expect we'll see the coaching and play inline with that. Add Vrbada, progressing Kassian, additions of Bonino/Vey and at worst it's a draw IMO and I'm cautiously optimistic, even an improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OncebeforeIdie Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 also going to be huge in shootouts...just saying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComfyMatter Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Thrilled of the signing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70seven Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I agree that Radim may not be the type of player to win the boards battles, not that the Sedins are slouches along the boards... highly underrated in this department. Key for Radim wil to be to continue to find the open ice, which is something he has been known to be adept at doing. He gets open, Henrik will find him. If it doesnt work 5 on 5, it should be nice to see a complementary shooter on the PP. I really have no idea on how this season plays out, but Im very much looking forward to seeing more depth. For me it all depends on rejuvinating the PP. If we can get back into the top half of the league in that department, combined with a PK that I still think could be amongst the top 10, as long as we stay close to even 5 on 5, which with the team depth, veteran d core and goaltending, shouldnt be out of the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamJamIam Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 also going to be huge in shootouts...just saying! The amount of wins we'll gain just from shootouts and PPGs should make this a solid season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrible.dee Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I agree that Radim may not be the type of player to win the boards battles, not that the Sedins are slouches along the boards... highly underrated in this department. Key for Radim wil to be to continue to find the open ice, which is something he has been known to be adept at doing. He gets open, Henrik will find him. If it doesnt work 5 on 5, it should be nice to see a complementary shooter on the PP. I really have no idea on how this season plays out, but Im very much looking forward to seeing more depth. For me it all depends on rejuvinating the PP. If we can get back into the top half of the league in that department, combined with a PK that I still think could be amongst the top 10, as long as we stay close to even 5 on 5, which with the team depth, veteran d core and goaltending, shouldnt be out of the question. I'm not really worried about the PP, Both Bonino and Vbrata can make significant contributions in that part of the game. 5 on 5 is what concerns me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrible.dee Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I agree that Radim may not be the type of player to win the boards battles, not that the Sedins are slouches along the boards... highly underrated in this department. Key for Radim wil to be to continue to find the open ice, which is something he has been known to be adept at doing. He gets open, Henrik will find him. If it doesnt work 5 on 5, it should be nice to see a complementary shooter on the PP. I really have no idea on how this season plays out, but Im very much looking forward to seeing more depth. For me it all depends on rejuvinating the PP. If we can get back into the top half of the league in that department, combined with a PK that I still think could be amongst the top 10, as long as we stay close to even 5 on 5, which with the team depth, veteran d core and goaltending, shouldnt be out of the question. Yes, I agree the Sedins are great in that department. However, I believe it takes an entire line and probably a Dman or two to keep pucks moving in todays NHL. The days of Ray Sheppard, Luc Robatille and even Brett Hull types are over. Only Ovetchkin has been playing that way recently, and it seems to have had a negative impact on the team, Not all shooters are like that, if Bure's line mates weren't moving the puck, he would just go get it himself. And for the record, I have no idea how this season will play out either, however I do believe if the Canucks are most vulnerable in one area that area is the neutral zone. We have attackers and defenders, what we don't have (With Kes gone) are guys that will take you from one to the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spur1 Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 The top is a fine line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComfyMatter Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 The top is a fine line Time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcfly Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 All i know, is that after one of the flattest seasons in recent history, it gives me something to look forward to knowing that the brothers after all this time have what is being referred to as a legit-line mate. (no offense Burr!) Can't wait to see what this line is doing for highlights in mid-season. Could be great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaudette Celly Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I'm not really worried... ...is what concerns me. Whew, that's more like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Kes did a lot of things for this team on the ice he doesn't get enough credit for, it's a completely different squad without him. We are about to find out how much Kes meant to the team and how much Kes did for himself. Kes will not be missed inside the room. In his 17 games with the Canucks last season (2012-13), the team went 7-7-3, which is technically .500. Without Kesler, the Canucks went 19-8-4. They had Kesler in the playoffs and got swept by the San Jose Sharks. http://vansunsportsblogs.com/2014/02/27/can-the-canucks-win-without-kesler/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William_Clarkson Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 We are about to find out how much Kes meant to the team and how much Kes did for himself. Kes will not be missed inside the room. In his 17 games with the Canucks last season (2012-13), the team went 7-7-3, which is technically .500. Without Kesler, the Canucks went 19-8-4. They had Kesler in the playoffs and got swept by the San Jose Sharks. http://vansunsportsblogs.com/2014/02/27/can-the-canucks-win-without-kesler/ I don't really feel like looking, but it is possible that the games with Kesler were against harder teams and ones without him were easier. Remember we were still in the weak NW division. Also, that is still a fairly small sample size, although it's interesting. Hopefully it works out though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotiman187 Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Vrbata will have success with the Sedins, and during those periods they don't click I would put Burr in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S.Strowbridge Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Also, that is still a fairly small sample size, although it's interesting. In the past three seasons, the Kesler missed 41 games, which is half a season, so it is not a small sample size. During that time, the Canucks were better without him than with him. Hopefully this trend will continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BanTSN Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I've done a mini eyeball test on Radim Vbata. My initial concern of getting him was that he scored just 1 goal in his last 16 games played, so I took a peak into what was happening with him during that time. Watching that stretch, he doesn't seem to be slowing down per se, (coasting a bit more, but not down to a crawl), but his effort level shown during those games wasn't quite all there either. He's never been this all-out aggressive type, but this past stretch made him look a bit lethargic. I suspect he figured Phoenix was out already and was playing not to get hurt so that he can earn a new contract with ease. (This 2 year, $10mil deal is the biggest one of his career, and it included two $1mil signing bonuses per season, something he never saw in Coyoteville.) His favorite part of the ice is the left boards. He'll hang out there a lot. Most of his goals are scored from there. On the power play he goes to the slot at times, the left boards most of the time. He makes up for his lack of brute force by being very smart, finding the puck at the right time in traffic to pop in rebounds. When given time he can let loose a pretty good shot. He's a pretty smart player. His experience affords him the ability to see the ice very well, and he picks his spots well because of that. Defensively he's not going to throw his body around wrecklessly, nor will he Datsyuk a guy away from the puck, but he will be in positions where the puck will be thrown his way, due to his smarts. Last season was his first minus season as a Coyote. With the Coyotes he's been a pretty consistent producer, until late last season with the above mentioned lapse, so let's hope my reasoning is correct, he's earned his deal and is ready to go again, vs. he's fallen off a cliff in terms of production. (5 points in his last 16gp. 2 points in his last 12gp vs. playoff teams.) We need him to spark the Sedins after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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