[discussion] - Would it cost an arm and a leg to upgrade our 3rd line Center position?

[Hindustan Smyl]

[discussion] - Would it cost an arm and a leg to upgrade our 3rd line Center position?
 

While it would obviously be nice to be able to trade for another Top 6 RW’er or a Top 4 defenseman, it’s likely an unrealistic pipe dream for the following reasons:

 

1)  It would likely cost the Canucks too many assets to try and trade for such a piece.
 

2) Top 6 forwards and Top 4 dmen usually come at a high cap hit, and the Canucks will likely be facing some cap storms in the future as is.

 

Having said that, IF the Canucks look like a playoff caliber team this season after a large enough sample size, then there would obviously be a benefit in trying to improve the team short term........while simultaneously not trying to cough up an inappropriately high number of quality assets.

 

So with that in mind, would a good 3rd line Center fit the above description (in terms of not having to give up an arm and a leg while still significantly improving the team?).

 

This of course, is under the assumption that Gaudette needs more time in Utica to sizzle, while playmaking continues to be a black hole for Sutter.
 

How much would it cost to pry away a Jean Gabriel Pageau for instance?    
 

Canucks fans often talk about how the Horvat line needs another good winger, but that line still produces reasonably well for us despite its deficiencies (ie Leivo).   And like I said earlier, trading for another top 6 winger would likely be a steep price.

 

So - how about a good 3rd line Center?   That wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg now would it?   What if the Canucks acquired a good 3rd line Center that could win face offs and play shut down hockey (like Sutter), but was also a decent enough playmaker (unlike a Sutter) to the point where that 3rd line would have options.

 

You could make it a pure shut down line as we’re seeing right now, or, you could make it a “second 2nd scoring line,” like seems to be the trend for many elite NHL teams.  Maybe having a Center like this would give headway for someone like Baertschi being called back to the Biggs.

 

The bottom line is that a new and upgraded 3rd line Center could possibly get the most out of his wingers (from an offensive production standpoint), which could indirectly help the Canucks take pressure off of our top two lines.

[I.Am.Ironman]

Sutter isn't an offensive stalwart but how much better in Jean Gabriel Pageau? Sutter is great at faceoffs, contributes greatly to our top ranked PK and takes the majority of defensive assignments. Sutter has played well to start the year and plays his role well. Pageau looks good on a bad Ottawa team in the less physical eastern conference, not sure how good he looks out west where the play is 'heavier'.

 

Even if the 3rd gets a slight bump to offensive capabilities, it takes a hit on the defensive side. It is a lateral move at best imo.

[Hindustan Smyl]

5 minutes ago, I.Am.Ironman said:

Sutter isn't an offensive stalwart but how much better in Jean Gabriel Pageau? Sutter is great at faceoffs, contributes greatly to our top ranked PK and takes the majority of defensive assignments. Sutter has played well to start the year and plays his role well. Pageau looks good on a bad Ottawa team in the less physical eastern conference, not sure how good he looks out west where the play is 'heavier'.

 

Even if the 3rd gets a slight bump to offensive capabilities, it takes a hit on the defensive side. It is a lateral move at best imo.

Good point about JPG (I honestly haven’t followed him much lately, but I seem to recall him being really good in the playoffs a few years back).

 

I’m not necessarily talking about JPG per se, but just some 3rd line Center that is a clear upgrade over both Sutter and Gaudette, and is basically an extraneous part on another team (ie  said team has two good top 6 centers, and their 4th line C would be considered to be a good 3rd line Center).  Something like that.

 

Someone on here mentioned Colton Scissons the other day (which I think would be a good idea), but Scissons just signed a long term sweetheart deal and so I doubt that he’d be going anywhere any time soon.

[King Heffy]

We have an upgrade in Gaudette if we would just be a little patient.

[canuktravella]

gaudette is the free 3rd line center  if anything we could trade sutter at deadline for some draft picks  could also  trade a few forwards out (motte, schaller) and target another goal scorer or call up macewen 

Edited October 21, 2019 by canuktravella

[Crabcakes]

20 minutes ago, King Heffy said:

We have an upgrade in Gaudette if we would just be a little patient.

Gaudette has to go to Utica and play.  Sitting in the press box does nothing for him.

 

Other than that, we are going to see improvement from all of the young players over the next number of years and we have to be patient with the development of the core.  Evaluation of support players in competitive games will be ongoing and this is where changes may be made.  3C is one of those spots.  

[FaninMex]

Having the number 1 PK in the league is not good enough for you? The league is not won by a team of Petterssons. You people are amazing but then what can you expect from a Hindustan Smyl thread.

[-AJ-]

Prior to this year, I believed Gaudette was still pretty far away, but now I think he's getting pretty close. Just wait for a bit and he'll fill in for the role nicely.

[GhostsOf1994]

I dont know why stan is obsessed with pageau, he's not an asset teams covet. Pageau is no better then sutter or Gaudette for 3c, hell even take beagle over pageau.

 

[Tystick]

Gaudette's our guy IMO

[Sbriggs]

5 hours ago, King Heffy said:

We have an upgrade in Gaudette if we would just be a little patient.

Exactly, if your going to move Sutter, add a piece and get that top 6 forward or top 4 d man and let Gaudette mature and develope into that 3rd line center with skill and defensive responsibility

[BrockBoester]

7 hours ago, King Heffy said:

We have an upgrade in Gaudette if we would just be a little patient.

Exactly. I think we're okay at center.

[Alflives]

3 minutes ago, BrockBoester said:

Exactly. I think we're okay at center.

Isn't Madden a center too?  We have a pipeline of really good prospects coming along.  Let's not trade any of those guys away, and let them develop.  

[Whaleroad Train]

I'm willing to pay an arm and a leg to get an upgrade - just as long as the arm and the leg are attached to Eriksson.

[48MPHSlapShot]

Why? We still have Sutter, Gaudette is close to ready, Madden is in the pipeline, and Miller can play center if we want to spread out the scoring. 

[King Heffy]

19 minutes ago, Whaleroad Train said:

I'm willing to pay an arm and a leg to get an upgrade - just as long as the arm and the leg are attached to Eriksson.

I'm not picky about them remaining attached though.

[elvis15]

10 hours ago, King Heffy said:

We have an upgrade in Gaudette if we would just be a little patient.

My first thought exactly, why do we need to upgrade? Between who we have now in Sutter and Beagle, and Gaudette and other prospects like Madden or maybe even Focht in future, I don't think we need to spend assets on 3rd line centers.

[Phil_314]

For the time being why not keep Sutter there, and then either put Gaudette on the right wing, or eventually bring Sven back?

 

Ferland and Sutter seem to have chemistry, so the "play-making" that might need to be done could just be either Adam or Sven shooting off pads so these two can go after rebounds and get dirty goals.  Bonus would be if they could keep up with Brandon when he decides to go up ice.  

 

Just eventually groom Adam for the role.

[Canuck Surfer]

13 hours ago, Hindustan Smyl said:

[discussion] - Would it cost an arm and a leg to upgrade our 3rd line Center position?
 

While it would obviously be nice to be able to trade for another Top 6 RW’er or a Top 4 defenseman, it’s likely an unrealistic pipe dream for the following reasons:

 

1)  It would likely cost the Canucks too many assets to try and trade for such a piece.
 

2) Top 6 forwards and Top 4 dmen usually come at a high cap hit, and the Canucks will likely be facing some cap storms in the future as is.

 

Having said that, IF the Canucks look like a playoff caliber team this season after a large enough sample size, then there would obviously be a benefit in trying to improve the team short term........while simultaneously not trying to cough up an inappropriately high number of quality assets.

 

So with that in mind, would a good 3rd line Center fit the above description (in terms of not having to give up an arm and a leg while still significantly improving the team?).

 

This of course, is under the assumption that Gaudette needs more time in Utica to sizzle, while playmaking continues to be a black hole for Sutter.
 

How much would it cost to pry away a Jean Gabriel Pageau for instance?    
 

Canucks fans often talk about how the Horvat line needs another good winger, but that line still produces reasonably well for us despite its deficiencies (ie Leivo).   And like I said earlier, trading for another top 6 winger would likely be a steep price.

 

So - how about a good 3rd line Center?   That wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg now would it?   What if the Canucks acquired a good 3rd line Center that could win face offs and play shut down hockey (like Sutter), but was also a decent enough playmaker (unlike a Sutter) to the point where that 3rd line would have options.

 

You could make it a pure shut down line as we’re seeing right now, or, you could make it a “second 2nd scoring line,” like seems to be the trend for many elite NHL teams.  Maybe having a Center like this would give headway for someone like Baertschi being called back to the Biggs.

 

The bottom line is that a new and upgraded 3rd line Center could possibly get the most out of his wingers (from an offensive production standpoint), which could indirectly help the Canucks take pressure off of our top two lines.

At the moment we are either;

 

A ) Exceeding expectations? We're in a play off slot as we speak.

B ) On par with expectation, if you are plan believer of Bennings?

 

And Sutter is doing the job!

 

And we have an heir apparent in Gaudette?

 

We even have plan B options, notably shifting Miller to centre ice. Alternately call up McEwwen is 4C, shift Beagle up to 3rd line.

 

I do not want to make a power move, costing us more futures at the moment.  I have begrudgingly accepted the 1st and 3rd we paid for Miller.  But I am not of the belief we are so good? We should be all in...

 

Leave it as it stands!

[Ray_Cathode]

15 hours ago, King Heffy said:

We have an upgrade in Gaudette if we would just be a little patient.

Long run, yes, but if we have a shot in the playoffs this year? I don’t know. There is a big test to come in March, as exemplified already this early in the season.  We just played a three games in four days and in the last game we ran the Rangers out of the rink in the first period, chased the game in the second and looked like a team out of gas in the third.  This was our first three in four. We have three more spread out before March - In March alone we have three - it is our busiest month at the end of a long regular season. If previous seasons are any measure, the majority of our injuries will occur during this period.  We need to get Gaudette down to Utica to get him lots of ice - we need to advance his development.  Sutter has been hurt more than a bit in Vancouver - but I think he can survive with this year’s easier schedule, but I am worried about March - do we build from without or within?