What To Do With Hamhuis and Bieksa?

[DownUndaCanuck]

I know tonight's 5-0 loss really makes everyone's stats look bad, but this entire season Hamhuis and Bieksa haven't been the same players they used to be over the last few seasons. It looks like their age is finally getting to them, both our once top-pairing D-men look slow out there and keep getting victimized by forwards with good speed and size.

Sure they're still playing 20+ minutes a night, but something just isn't right.

Hamhuis: 6 assists in 18 games, -7 (the worst in his career since his rookie season -12)

Bieksa: 2 points in 18 games, -3 (was once a -10 this season but has turned it around recently, but scoring at a slower pace than ever before)

Either defenceman has brought offence, and they've both been caught flat footed defensively. Hamhuis is 31, Bieksa is 33 this year and their contracts are up at the end of next season.

My question is, what should we do with them? Trade them? Play them less minutes? Hope they bump out of this funk and keep riding them hard at 22 minutes a night?

Personally I think we should trade Bieksa while he still may have some stock to a team making a playoff push at the deadline and try and steal away either a 1st pick at the upcoming draft or a solid prospect. With Hamhuis, I'd like to see his minutes get bumped down to around 18 a night next season playing on the bottom pairing (+ PK time) with Jordan Subban or Corrado to try and groom them and help their development.

[saucypass]

Typical slow starts for both of them I'm sure.

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

Strongly disagree with trading them. You are right about their decline. It's been really sad to see Hamhuis unable to keep up with quick wingers and get beat wide. But trading either him or Bieksa is going to unsettle this team into oblivion. They want to be here. They both took pay cuts to be here. They have no movement clauses in order to stay here. You can always make this trade happen, but it is going to be a very painful process in every way possible.

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

I just realized you want to put Hamhuis on the bottom pairing next semester. You're insane. Do you even watch Canucks games? Because if you're unable to watch, let me tell you that Hamhuis is still our best defenceman. He is still smooth with his feet and his stick and he is always composed in his own end. The only thing that has really gone down is his raw speed. He can't keep up with others in a pure footrace. Just forget about trading him away.

[2SKATES1STICK]

1 - Trade Bieska to Coaches Corner for the rights to Ron Maclean's career.

2 - Waive Ron Maclean to the KHL

[shazzam]

Bieksa is not a top 4 D and needs to be replaced. Although acquiring a top 4 D won't come cheap. If he doesn't get moved this year or next, I sure as hell wouldn't re-sign him

[THERETOOL]

Bieksa is not a top 4 D and needs to be replaced. Although acquiring a top 4 D won't come cheap. If he doesn't get moved this year or next, I sure as hell wouldn't re-sign him

couldn't disagree with you more sir .. If we win a cup it will be BECAUSE of bieksa and not in spite .

He is a fine player and an extraordinary leader on and off the ice

luckily benning runs this team and not fans .. he won't trade him

[shazzam]

couldn't disagree with you more sir .. If we win a cup it will be BECAUSE of bieksa and not in spite .

He is a fine player and an extraordinary leader on and off the ice

luckily benning runs this team and not fans .. he won't trade him

Lol do you even watch the games?

[Herberts Vasiljevs]

Verbal diarrhea is verbal diarrhea...

Hamhuis and Bieksa are fine.

[grumpworsley]

I just realized you want to put Hamhuis on the bottom pairing next semester. You're insane. Do you even watch Canucks games? Because if you're unable to watch, let me tell you that Hamhuis is still our best defenceman. He is still smooth with his feet and his stick and he is always composed in his own end. The only thing that has really gone down is his raw speed. He can't keep up with others in a pure footrace. Just forget about trading him away.

Bob Bla Bla has it right

[TheOgRook]

Op, I'm not gonna play the... Your from down under what do you know about hockey card.. But do you even watch all the games? Or are you basing your opinion on our losses only? Because other that a few games, hammer has been as solid as ever... To the point they do ISO'S of him during intermission. As for Juice, he has something ailing him (missed practice Thursday) IMO he isn't playing his best right now.. But not so bad that ppl need to start the "trade him" threads

Tip of the day.... Don't judge a player solely on plus minus. It can be very misleading

[D-Money]

Bieksa is not a top-pairing guy anymore. Once Willie stopped giving him the tough matches, and paired him with Stanton, he's been in a good groove.

Hamhuis can still be a solid #2, but he needs a better partner, plain and simple.

[Kesler+Horvat]

Edler-Tanev

Hamhuis-?

Sbisa-Bieksa

Stanton

We're just missing that #4 guy.

[Warhippy]

OP.

We have a bunch of 3-4 and 5-6 pairing D men, no bona fide 1-2 anymore. Edler and Hammer can be that #2 D man but we don't have anything close to a #1 anymore.

While you're getting flamed and while I normally pass by most of your posts because they're fairly outlandish. I will say there should be some talk or consideration about the possibility of moving one of these two players and or finding that new blood to take over once they're gone as it's coming fast and last night showed that pretty clearly as Phoenix is far from a speedy team.

[higgyfan]

Too early to talk about trades. Hamhuis is a great d-man who is probably having a slow start and Juice looks like he has an injury. Both these guys bring more to the team than just there ice time; especially a team that is going to be bringing in young players.

2 questions: 1. Suppose they are as bad as what you are saying...what team would want them at those prices?

2. If traded, who would replace them. We don't have much in the prospect pool.

Edler Tanev

Stanton Sbisa

Hamhuis (if not traded; otherwise Anderson) Corrado

Anderson

That 2nd pairing is awful and the 3rd without Hamhuis would be even worse.

Don't think we see Subban for at least 3 years.

[Patchoball Cannons]

Did Salo officially retire yet? If no sign him up Benning!

Tanev Hamhuis

Edler Salo

Bieksa Sbisa/Stanton

[Warhippy]

Too early to talk about trades. Hamhuis is a great d-man who is probably having a slow start and Juice looks like he has an injury. Both these guys bring more to the team than just there ice time; especially a team that is going to be bringing in young players.

2 questions: 1. Suppose they are as bad as what you are saying...what team would want them at those prices?

2. If traded, who would replace them. We don't have much in the prospect pool.

Edler Tanev

Stanton Sbisa

Hamhuis (if not traded; otherwise Anderson) Corrado

Anderson

That 2nd pairing is awful and the 3rd without Hamhuis would be even worse.

Don't think we see Subban for at least 3 years.

At this point both Hammer and BXA would return a 1st round pick this or next year, possibly more.

Problem is Hammers a steady presence on the blueline and the second BXA is gone we've no snarl like at all.

Again I think it's time to consider the possibility that at least one of them could be gone in the next season or 2.

[CaptainKool]

Did Salo officially retire yet? If no sign him up Benning!

Tanev Hamhuis

Edler Salo

Bieksa Sbisa/Stanton

I think Salo is now an unrestricted free agent. =)

[-DLC-]

I don't know, cheer them on? That's what I do...the rest is up to coaching and management and out of my control.

Although there are some glaring blunders at times, I also don't overlook what they do do out there. What happens when they're not playing? We lose more nights than we win.

Did I just call this thread dodo?

[-- Alexander 89 Mogilny --]

Hamhuis and Tanev can be a great shutdown pair. Unfortunately they're both busy babysitting lesser partners. If we pick up a solid top 4 reliable D-Man it would fix our problems in the defensive end.