[Article] Baertschi, Granlund thrown lifeline to shore up their games - Kuzma

[filthycanuck]

Baertchi has improved every year hes been a Canuck so I think the leash for him will be longer, its his health or Goldobin's development is whats going to determine whether hes going to stay put for the long haul. Granlund on the other hand, his 19 goals was mostly with those Sedin guys that just retired, and he didn't do particularly well this year. Being put in a checking role with Brandon Sutter is no excuse, they didn't exactly do a good job shutting down any lines this year, and Granlund didn't give you a reason to elevate him up the line up. Granlund is a meh player, hes just average or even below average in every facet of his game. Nothing stands out. A guy like Goldobin or Lepsic at the VERY least bring you some facet of their game thats good so they can be put on defined roles. That has plagued our team for the last few years. Too many guys that are are 3rd - 4th talents playing up the depth chart by sheer means that they are "safe" players

[filthycanuck]

5 hours ago, Down by the River said:

Gudbranson was given a one year contract. That is the definition of "show me". 

and he showed F-all. Gudbranson is the worst, I'll take Biega over him any day regardless of salary

[Adarsh Sant]

5 hours ago, Down by the River said:

Gudbranson was given a one year contract. That is the definition of "show me". 

Yeah but he showed jack sh*t.

[canuktravella]

i like guddy he will bring it hard next yr

[spook007]

6 hours ago, Boest-er said:

This is a really bold move. If it works out we may be able to cash in (Them still being cheap contracts) and watch competition become super high; hopefully producing some diamonds. On the other had, he just lowered their trade value, so in a sense he is hoping this lights a fire under there ass so they can produce at the level the Canucks need them to be producing at.

 

I hope this works.

Actually not so sure this is true...

If JB signs them to a cheap 1-2 year contract, they may be quite desirable for other teams at dead line. Especially if they are able to produce.

If they are not able to produce, they are out regardless, without being anchors.

 

I do hope this will give them the incentive to try to improve. I do like both, and Baertchi is a decent player. But with his size and skill set he is a top 6 player, where as Granlund can fill in any position in the line up. 

 

When JB signed them, it was with a view to bridge the gap between the old core and the new one. If they took it and ran with it good, if not its ok as well. 

We are getting younger, and unless they are better than the younger ones, they will be history... tough but true. Same for all players.

Actually please to see JB saying this. Enough of being at the bottom of the league. If you wanna be a Canuck, you have to improve. They all do.

 

[Canuck Surfer]

7 hours ago, Hutton Wink said:

Competition has come to the roster as the drafted higher-upside prospects are ready to come in.  The transitional ones are about to be pushed and tested, and will either step it up or be moved on to make room.  The team is finally reaching a place of depth with younger assets of value that can be parlayed to strengthen other parts of the roster.

Baertschi in particular & Granlund were not strictly transitional players?  

 

Not IMO anyway. They were low cost acquisitions. So we did not have high expectations either? I still fully believe they were believed to have at least enough upside to become top 6 wingers.  And have been given a chance! I suppose all this is, is a love tap to remind them to take advantage of it!

 

Baertschi's numbers this year, at face value, don't look horrible?  On pace for 20 goals & 45ish points. They are not as good though in the context of a lot of top line minutes. Albeit not a lot of top line PP.  Those are acceptable top 6 numbers if the coach believed / believes there is good enough two way play & game feist to go with.  My eye test has that at neutralish as well.  He is certainly not feared defensively like a Kesler. Nor a hound killing penalties and getting after the puck.  But he's responsible, adds spee, puck control and is not an issue on the ice.  My eye test; coaches?

 

Granlund must be fuming at his 4th line demotion?  At the end of the day, Baer is faster, Brock beat him out. Where would anyone have played him? I liked his game considering the position he was put in. Nor did we hear any public complaint, even stories of being malcontent. For all reports, a good foot soldier.  But a big kick in the ass production wise!

 

I'm NOT a fan of calling out the players in public. Not really having a problem with the message itself. It may have been overly encouraged by the interviewer? But it does not sound like that.

 

> The Twins are going to be gone, they will certainly have a very legitimate shot to elevate themselves into true Top 6 forwards! They should embrace it. As is being (sloppily) encouraged. Come in faster, hungrier, playing at a higher tempo, creating more results!   

 

> Alternately add a whole lotta defensive feist & fight, ala Burrows or Hansen to their game.  JB is not wrong in that someone who wants the position could grab theirs?

 

I wish it was in private, but lifeline is a good headline.

 

 

 

[spook007]

6 hours ago, Whaleroad Train said:

Baertschi is the creative setup man on the Killer B's line.  If his main job is to set up scoring opportunities for both Brock and Bo - then how can we be expecting him to be scoring a hatfull of goals himself.  His job is to supply chances for the two main scorers on the line and to feed on the scraps if they become available. From what I have seen, he seems to be doing that rather well.

If so brilliant. Still nothing wrong with challenging him to be better, or at least as good as...

But if any of the young gun out plays him, or are equally good, he will be on his way... Can only have so many for each spot.

[Angry Goose]

I like Baertschi when he is active without the puck.  His problem is that he doesn't always play that way.  Pretty much most of the time.  

[spook007]

5 hours ago, VanGnome said:

Am I the only one glad to see Benning being a ball buster and not giving free rides?
 

That to me speaks volumes about his progression as a GM. A couple of years ago you'd hear "You know, these guys are skilled, we like their games and we think they can be good players for us in the future".

This is going to be a ruthless training camp where there will be no shortage of insecure jobs and significant pushing up from young bustling talent eager to prove they can make the team and belong, in addition to the BUSY free agency the team is going to have.

It's going be an exciting off season for Canucks fans, regardless if we win the draft lottery or not.

+1...

Now we are getting to the stage 2 in the rebuild. We are starting to get depth, and a healthy push for jobs. Youngsters are starting to make noises, and if you are not good enough, you're on your way. It looks brutal, but its survival of the fittest...

 

This is the decisions we wanna have to make....if we want to become relevant again. And next year will probably be even harder.

[spook007]

4 hours ago, Baggins said:

Calling a player out publicly is motivational. It either lights a fire under them or you see they don't have it in them. These guys are veterans now and should get it. Either way it doesn't affect their trade value. Their performance this season set that. Their performance next season will reset it.

I don't think it right to say he is calling them out publicly...

He has not suggested they are poor players or the like. He has just stated that there may be players coming through that may be better, and in order to keep their jobs they have to show they deserve it. If the players coming through are equally good, they will be kept as they are young and have more room for improvement. Just like when JB acquired them.

Competition, that all... competition 

[Lancaster]

Baertschi produced as a top-6.... just his production has been overshadowed by injuries and the sudden emergence of Boeser.

 

Granlund on the other hand, he really took a step back this season.  He'll need to prove which year is where is really is at... the final year under WD or the first year under TG.  

[khay]

Granlund needs to carve out a career as a bottom 6 that can score 15 goals per season and move up the lineup as needed.

 

Baer has not other option. He needs to be prove that he can help drive a line. If he just becomes a passenger, we will get better options than him very soon.

[Canuck Surfer]

6 hours ago, Hutton Wink said:

Who was going to challenge and push Burrows, Higgins, Matthias, Bieksa, etc.?  That's why he had to start acquiring the likes of Vey, Dorsett, Bartkowski, and Vrbata

Bartkowski?

 

Bartkowski???   *%$#%!   Aggghrrghhh!

 

I like most of what Benning has done. Here on CDC and anywhere else someone would listen, I questioned Bart and Weber? That was stopgap at best. In the scouting world a 200 lb D man who skates like Bart could always be considered a good acquisition. If the player was 20 or worst 22?  Bart was 26 and had zero or 1 career NHL goals. But there he was, not pushing a Bieksa, who got traded, being gifted top 4 minutes. On his weak side & Weber was given Garrisons roster spot...

 

Jason & Kev were traded so we had salary available for Sutter and a cushion to make cap. Maybe somewhere behind the scenes someone did not like KB4's leadership as much as the fans? But our D was pathetic that year. That was fclucked! 

 

Whew, rant over. The year after that debacle we signed Stecher, Tree arrived, we acquired Guddy & drafted a top D man finally (Juolevi). What an improvement even last year was?  Holm was better than Larsson. Wiercioch was better than Bartkowski.  And neither were good enough to make our line up! We also nabbed Pouliot who does challenge guys for a position.  Speaking of which, if Juolevi arrives one of Hutton & Pouliot may be hard pressed to keep at least our NHL job?  I hope both! 

 

I am pretty keen to see if Jim gets back to some serious work on the D in the off season though!  

[Canuck Surfer]

5 hours ago, AK_19 said:

Baertschi lacks the upside to be in our top 6 long term. 

Baertschi scored 94 points in 47 CHL games his draft plus one year. Two points a game. Both him and Leipsic comfortably outpaced the results of Kole Lind in the WHL.

 

Careful what conclusions you are drawing?  

 

Its also worth noting Baer was a 13th overall pick. Which was not a stretch at the time; he had tremendous agility and puck skills. The upside is actually there. Possibly why he's being challenged? 

 

 

[zombieksa]

I could honestly see a situation where Dahlen and Petterson come in and take their positions by the trade deadline next season. 

Play these two on a line this year and see if they can get some chemistry going. See if Bear can perform away from Bo and see if Granlund can get some offense going away from the Sedins. A line of Baer-Granlund-Goldobin could be the "show me what you got" line.

[mll]

Hopefully he had that same message for established veterans too.

 

This article makes it sound as if both wouldn't have options should the Canucks move on.  Granlund is one season remote from 19 goals and is such a versatile player.  Baer's production rate (p/gp - min 40 games) ranks him in the top-6 in 80% of the teams in the league - he misses the cut by at most 3 points.  He also only averaged just over 15:30 per game.   

 

Canucks get very limited support from their Ds to generate offence and it's quite the drop in calibre of offensive linemates when not playing with Horvat or Boeser.

 

Baer started less than 30 games with Horvat-Boeser.  Goldobin got that spot end of November onwards.  When he wasn't playing with Horvat - his Cs were Dowd, Sutter, Gagner and even Chaput.  Eriksson had the same issue away from the Sedins and was telling Paterson that he is a goal scorer and that it wasn't fair to expect him to produce at a high rate given his deployment.   

 

Canucks need to upgrade the C position.  It will be the same issue for any scoring winger not playing with Horvat - and Green even says he doesn't see Horvat as a playmaker.  Gaudette looks promising and hopefully Pettersson can be the C Benning envisioned.

 

[riffraff]

12 hours ago, RRypien37 said:

Baertschi is a 40 point player in a full season. Not sure what more Bennington 9000 is expecting? 

 

Granlund on the other hand, is still a big question mark. 

What I see from baertschi is consistency issues.  He has been scratched each year to this point.  That can't happen.  The effort has to be there every night.  It's obviously Greens mantra.

[Hairy Kneel]

10 hours ago, JV77 said:

Well if that player is only 40 points on this bottom feeder team and isn't doing much else...go find someone else that can do more

Like a 40 point guy that can hit and play physical, some UFA's maybe, and drop the mitts once in a while

[J.I.A.H.N]

9 hours ago, Hutton Wink said:

 

I think he mishandles those types of issues........too old school

[J.I.A.H.N]

8 hours ago, Brovat said:

 

My wife doesn’t make a million bucks and over to play hockey. If she did I’d probably pass on her because she would then be a man. 

 

I don’t care about Trymakin at all. He can go home and cry. 

Probably?