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Louie Eriksson and Jake Virtanen and Jim Benning

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CaptainLinden16

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20 minutes ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

If LE was as physical as most of those compareables, you’d probably have more discussion. 

 

Geenious Jim, because he somehow thought Gagme and Delzaster were going to fix the PP, etc and for his age-gap replacathon Plan. 

I agree with both of you.  I don't want Ehlers or Nylander for their cost, and softy play.  I don't like JB's philosophy of filling gaps (age and talent) with so many middling UFA's either.  We certainly need a sprinkling of support for our young guys to develop to their best potential, but (IMO) JB has accumulated too many of such guys.  

Jake is not Ehlers or Nylander, but he still needs to use his size to be more impactful physically more often.  

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22 minutes ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

If LE was as physical as most of those compareables, you’d probably have more discussion. 

 

Geenious Jim, because he somehow thought Gagme and Delzaster were going to fix the PP, etc and for his age-gap replacathon Plan. 

But weren't they Top 10, 2 seasons ago? They didn't contribute as much as the team would have liked, but the PP wasn't the problem.  This season, the power play wasn't as good, but neither of them were on the team for very long, so we can't really blame those 2 now can we?  

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26 minutes ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

If LE was as physical as most of those compareables, you’d probably have more discussion. 

 

Geenious Jim, because he somehow thought Gagme and Delzaster were going to fix the PP, etc and for his age-gap replacathon Plan. 

Or that they were the only options available on the market given the contracts he was willing to offer. 

It's not like JB was in a position to get the pick of the litter either.

 

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Bottom line for me is that he needed to deal with the Sedin's not being able to be moved (rightfully so I guess) and wait for them to retire.  So, he tried to band aid it together and fill the age gap from the cup contender era.  

 

After the 2011-2012 season it should have been burned to the ground.  The lack of prospects ready to slot in  now comes from those first couple/few years of trying to band aid it together. Also the Desjardins and Tortorella decisions aren't looking all that great in hindsight.  I was wrong about WD I thought it would be better.     

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Backes, Ladd, and Oksposo have better defensive game than Lou. And are all better playoff performers. They are not AFRAID to initiate contact and are good in scrums and the post whistle stuff in playoff games. Lou is about as passive as they come.The extra intangibles they bring make their salaries more palatable. Backes 140 hits, Ladd hasn't been the same since his knee injury but used to be a gamer, Oksposo had 87 hits and scores more goals every season (which is what we supposedly hired Lou to do). All 3 are bigger players that I would take as honest 3rd 4th liners. In the playoffs I would take those 3 over Lou.

The Louie Eriksson experiment is over, 10 goals a year on the 4th line checking duties is not what he's suited for. Gaunce and McEwen are better suited or a free agent like Reaves was from last year, Louie I don't think we can trade but we can use him as a good player coach in Utica. Cull would love him.

Virtanen needs a playoff series bad to shut up the Ehlers comparison. Have you been watching any playoffs? Dam tough sledding in many of these games. Jake would be hard to contain if they're going to put the whistles away. Jake could eat up a lot of space and is a magnet for defenders, thus giving other players more ice and chances. Did you see Nylanders brain fart giveaway last game?What a joke that was. 

And it'd not just Tkachuk now, there's probably 3 or 4 more players that are proving themselves in the playoffs over OJ. But w/e.

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38 minutes ago, sonoman said:

It’s fine to throw out UFA names as could haves, but did any of them actually consider Vancouver as an option.  Otherwise you’re just 

 

 

You completely missed the point.  its not that those other players wouldve or could have signed.  Its that no matter whom was signed there would have been pitch forks screaming about how bad of a deal it is.  All those same UFAs that year have not lived up to their contract not even close.

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17 minutes ago, Hairy Kneel said:

Backes, Ladd, and Oksposo have better defensive game than Lou. And are all better playoff performers. They are not AFRAID to initiate contact and are good in scrums and the post whistle stuff in playoff games. Lou is about as passive as they come.The extra intangibles they bring make their salaries more palatable. Backes 140 hits, Ladd hasn't been the same since his knee injury but used to be a gamer, Oksposo had 87 hits and scores more goals every season (which is what we supposedly hired Lou to do). All 3 are bigger players that I would take as honest 3rd 4th liners. In the playoffs I would take those 3 over Lou.

The Louie Eriksson experiment is over, 10 goals a year on the 4th line checking duties is not what he's suited for. Gaunce and McEwen are better suited or a free agent like Reaves was from last year, Louie I don't think we can trade but we can use him as a good player coach in Utica. Cull would love him.

Virtanen needs a playoff series bad to shut up the Ehlers comparison. Have you been watching any playoffs? Dam tough sledding in many of these games. Jake would be hard to contain if they're going to put the whistles away. Jake could eat up a lot of space and is a magnet for defenders, thus giving other players more ice and chances. Did you see Nylanders brain fart giveaway last game?What a joke that was. 

And it'd not just Tkachuk now, there's probably 3 or 4 more players that are proving themselves in the playoffs over OJ. But w/e.

This couldn't be more wrong.  Backes, Ladd and Okposo indeed hit more than Eriksson.  You don't have to hit a lot to be good defensively.  Eriksson is easily better than them all defensively.  

 

In any case completely irrelevant.  You missed the point.  If any of those players were signed for their current contract terms.  You and everyone else would be upset that their production doesn't match their contract.  Its not that Okposo is slightly better than Eriksson.  Its that they are all not worth their contracts.  It's like complaining that you wanted a slightly less ugly girlfriend.  SHE IS STILL UGLY!  makes no difference.  

 

I am not sure what you are trying to say about Jake.  I am saying that Nylander and Ehlers haven't performed in the playoffs.  They are on long and expensive contracts.  If they were free agents today, I would most likely pass on them both and try to sign a defender for a similar cap hit.  In my mind Virtanen doesn't look bad relative to these two even if his regular season numbers aren't good.

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34 minutes ago, Mr.53 said:

Good post. I think people a lot of times get lost in the result and forget about the context. Hindsight is always 20/20.

 

Your point about if we didn't sign anyone people would have called for JBs head is 100 percent accurate. And it turns out, all those free agents weren't so good.

 

I remember I was a Virtanen or Ehlers and Nylander guy. I can admit that both those 2 are better players, but, Jake brings something to this young core that we need. Size and speed. He'll never be the offensive players they are, but I like Jakes game, and i can see him becoming a solid winger for Horvat or Gaudette whose extremely hard to play against and can pot a good number of goals.

 

Virtanen's problem isn't his game, it's where he was drafted. If Virtanen was drafted 23rd overall and Boeser at 6, things would be a lot more in line, so I give JB a pass for that. Boeser pick cancels out Virtanen pick.

I think Jake still has a chance to be Raffi Torres.  Raffi was a high pick who had raw tools and was fierce hitter.  I would take one Raffi over 5 Ehlers or Nylanders in the playoffs.

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2 minutes ago, CaptainLinden16 said:

This couldn't be more wrong.  Backes, Ladd and Okposo indeed hit more than Eriksson.  You don't have to hit a lot to be good defensively.  Eriksson is easily better than them all defensively.  

 

In any case completely irrelevant.  You missed the point.  If any of those players were signed for their current contract terms.  You and everyone else would be upset that their production doesn't match their contract.  Its not that Okposo is slightly better than Eriksson.  Its that they are all not worth their contracts.  It's like complaining that you wanted a slightly less ugly girlfriend.  SHE IS STILL UGLY!  makes no difference.  

 

I am not sure what you are trying to say about Jake.  I am saying that Nylander and Ehlers haven't performed in the playoffs.  They are on long and expensive contracts.  If they were free agents today, I would most likely pass on them both and try to sign a defender for a similar cap hit.  In my mind Virtanen doesn't look bad relative to these two even if his regular season numbers aren't good.

My point is that in the playoffs those other players won't disappear like 21 does on so many nights.

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1 hour ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

If LE was as physical as most of those compareables, you’d probably have more discussion. 

 

Geenious Jim, because he somehow thought Gagme and Delzaster were going to fix the PP, etc and for his age-gap replacathon Plan. 

Its not about the comparison.  Its about the fact that you and everyone else would've been disappointed with any of those players.  Gudbranson hits like a truck when he wants to and fights better than most in the league.  He was one of the least liked players on this team.  What makes you think Lucic, Backes or Ladd would be liked considering their huge contracts and extreme lack of production.

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Just now, Hairy Kneel said:

My point is that in the playoffs those other players won't disappear like 21 does on so many nights.

who cares you are not making the playoffs with this roster and those players.  The only one playing in the playoffs from that group is Backes and he was scratched the first game.  None of those players have even come close to living up to their contracts.  None!

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