gameburn
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Everything posted by gameburn
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We have something to learn from Basketball. Even the NFL is starting to think about the players -- lol they have no choice, what with lawsuits and political stuff happening. I hope the NHL does better than they did back in the day with Paul Kariya. Even the players association could do better. It's supposed to be a sport, built around a game. Not something else.
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He was danced twice in the same shift... so the "boy" had to be punished. It was obvious. And if the league does not suspend Matheson a significant number of games, then Benning has to go get Ferland or someone similar to provide frontier justice/safety. The league will benefit from this kid very soon: money and prestige. They have to protect their stars.
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Even if their careers work out to be equal, you win on this one, imo. Dahlin has been hyped for 2 years now.
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2018-19 Utica Comets Thread
gameburn replied to stonecoldstevebernier's topic in Prospects / Farm Team
Utica will be fun to follow this year and probably next year as well. You may be right about waivers at the start of the season: every team has more players than it can use, and many have no cap space either. -
2018-19 Utica Comets Thread
gameburn replied to stonecoldstevebernier's topic in Prospects / Farm Team
I think you are describing the most likely scenario. Nevertheless, there are a lot of fine young hockey players trying out this Fall; if even half of them make the team, then a veteran or two will be moved/waived. The Canucks have a proven record of playing the young guys -- and of waiving veteran players to make room for them. Chris Higgins was waived to Utica at one point, and he was paid much more than the young guys who took his place. I can see both Eriksson and Gagner getting waived or traded for next to nothing at some point, perhaps even with the Canucks retaining some salary. If you like the potential of Dahlen, Lind, Juolevi, Hughes, Gadjovich, Pettersson and even "older" prospects like Goldobin and Leipsic, then something has to give this year or next. Beagle, Sutter, Roussel, Gagner, Eriksson, Gaunce, Granlund, even Edler and Hutton -- these guys could all be redundant within a year and a half, perhaps even sooner. In the case of Gaunce and Granlund, perhaps within a few months. -
2018-19 Utica Comets Thread
gameburn replied to stonecoldstevebernier's topic in Prospects / Farm Team
We've been talking about that on another thread. Definitely a possibility if Pettersson stays with the Canucks as a center, or if enough of the young guns make the team. For that matter Beagle would clear too (too nice that contract we gave him.) Gagner is more likely, but still not the best option for the team, as they would probably want to trade him, perhaps retaining some of the salary. The logjam of forwards is so bad in Vancouver, that Utica is sure to get at least one vet and as many as 5 of the young forwards that don't make the starting lineup. (Gaunce, Motte, Boucher, and presumably two of Gaudette, Gadjovich, Goldobin and Leipsic.) -
2018-19 Utica Comets Thread
gameburn replied to stonecoldstevebernier's topic in Prospects / Farm Team
Interesting. How did you manage to follow those games; to know so much about him? -
2018-19 Utica Comets Thread
gameburn replied to stonecoldstevebernier's topic in Prospects / Farm Team
I hope you're right. Rather see Anisimov playing with Pettersson than Sutter lol. -
2018-19 Utica Comets Thread
gameburn replied to stonecoldstevebernier's topic in Prospects / Farm Team
Man, this post is brilliant. Canucks did in fact sign Beagle and Roussel, and the UFAs were, it turns out, critical to the start of this season coming up. I wish they'd listened to your idea about Anisimov and picking up a cap dump!! -
2018-19 Utica Comets Thread
gameburn replied to stonecoldstevebernier's topic in Prospects / Farm Team
With July's UFA signings, of course, a lot has changed. With the logjam at the forward position in Vancouver, I think a lot of potential centers will be in Utica at one point or another this season. Granlund and Gagner, surprisingly, along with Gaudette could all end up in Utica. Beagle, Sutter, Horvat are the starting centers for the Canucks. With, we hope, Pettersson as the fourth center (probably on the 2nd line.) Roussel and Schaller are almost certainly going to be in the starting lineup, so that means dual position players like Granlund, Gaunce, and Gagner will be available -- whether Granlund clears waivers is an interesting question, as his cap hit is very friendly. Gagner and Gaunce will clear, and so would Beagle, given his extravagant contract. Not saying they will all be in Utica, but it seems possible that one or more will be. Almost certainly Gaunce will be. Next most likely is Gaudette. Then Gagner, then Granlund last. -
And with the new FA players just signed, it's not going to get easier. Still, I think he could be a poor man's Kopitar if his skating/offensive game picks up.
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Lol... we heard that one before didn't we? And like us in the last few years... they have little cap room.
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Yes... and then we'd have the enviable problem of finding the money for them. And we'd have the memory of what it is to hold on to players too long... and to give too much away in the NMC/NTC area. We could manage a dynasty better than most... Look at what poor Chicago is going through now. Kane and Toews look like old men all of a sudden. And Seabrook even worse.
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It would be fantastic. I think Pettersson looks like a better option for conversion, but I think he is still the number one center they need, so they should keep him there. PP would be especially good -- I've been watching highlights (in place of recent games, tbh) and watched Pettersson pocket one timers the way that Boeser can. Imagine Pettersson on one side, Boeser on the other... and Gaudette/Horvat retrieving/setting up. The beauty of that would be that Boeser and Pettersson could fake shots/one-timers and set up others beautifully. Boeser and Pettersson are both excellent playmakers.
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By matchup center you are thinking of a Kesler type -- two-way kind of guy? That would be great, if that's the case. On the other hand, for speed, Pettersson is quicker and faster; then again i suspect he's not going to be used in a defensive role very often -- and he might not always be playing as a center. Pettersson still might be better against McDavid though... his playmaking and shooting would require McDavid (and his linemates) to keep track of him.
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Good point. Remember Drouin's "opportunity" in Tampa Bay? Compared to Boeser's, e.g.?
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Lol. So true... and you predicted correctly about his being re-signed, as well. A lot of money for a guy who doesn't seem to do very much.
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Yes. I know, hard to believe. Opnions vary: (1) he's the future, he doesn't get enough ice time;or (2) he should be traded, he doesn't earn the ice time he gets -- too entitled, or, (3) he needs more time to develop than some of the rookies, power forwards are special. He might be the most controversial thing about the Canucks. Other than the issues surrounding how the rebuild is going. (Which he is linked with, too.) Still, it's interesting that you point this out, not sure anyone has before.
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Hitting as a part of forechecking or puck recovery is a different thing than running around trying to knock people off their feet, for sure. Also, the kind of hitting a forward does is a different kind of thing than what D do, it seems to me. Although the basic idea of stopping someone's progress and maybe separating them from the puck is the same. Virtanen would also be less prone to injury if he hit in the manner you're talking about. It's funny that hitting isn't talked about more -- too much of the Don Cherry tradition, maybe.
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Archibald looked great in pre-season, great in Utica (we hear) -- I never understood why he wasn't here all year. We sign guys like Gagner, then bring up Chaput... and this guy has been here all along. He and Biega should get signed properly, give them a safe year (or two) to prove themselves in the NHL.
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Another thing about the big guys who play a heavy style: they can't play that way every night. Maybe in a playoff, they can play that way 3 out of 4 games or maybe 4 or 5 out of 7. No one can be a Bertuzzi or an uber-Virtanen every night. It's physically demanding! They can carry the puck, draw penalties, body check some, forecheck plenty. But the kind of games that make a Neely or a Bertuzzi who they are; these can not be performed every night. Even at his peak Bertuzzi couldn't be superman every night. Lindros tried and it practically killed him. Power forwards have to be smart, pick their spots a bit. Not use their fists too much either.
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Edler has been just terrible at least a quarter of the games, and a non-factor/unnoticed except for a bad pass another quarter of the games. He is now completely outclassed by Tanev, and, I would argue, Stecher. Most nights Pouliot and Biega have more to offer and play better. People boast about his shot blocking, but this is poor compensation for his bad passes, poor skating and terrible rush defense. In fact, his shot-blocking is a result of not intercepting passes, not chasing down forwards better, not closing gaps properly when they are bearing down on him. I'm not sure where the Edler went who was so good in 2010-2012, but he isn't here anymore. Should have been moved last TDL or even the TDL before that. I suspect he has little trade value now. We are probably on schedule to lose him or let him walk. Still, not even close to the Hamhuis debacle. Hamhuis had real value.
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I agree with you completely. And yet I remember feeling the full-on tank of last year (or was it the year before?) and being so frustrated with WD's over-use of vets and lack of confidence in the new players. It was easy to lump the Sedins in with this inability to move on, when in fact the Sedins were more than willing to move down the depth chart while helping bring along the next generation of players. The last two years were harder for fans (and some of the players) than a lot of us want to admit. That's why this year is such a joy and such a turning point: even without Pettersson and Juolevi (or Tryamkin lol) we can see a much brighter future. And not a bad team in the making either. With Demko to displace Markstrom, and the addition of the new players, this team looks to be more than capable of competing successfully with the rest of the Pacific Division. The team is ALREADY light years ahead of where it was last year. I see them potentially being a Tampa type team: killer pp, excellent team speed, and with one or two of the best snipers in hockey. Re: Sedins, specifically. Yes, Boeser, as well as Virtanen have said they were shocked at how physically fit Henrik and Daniel are. The twins are closer to 40 than anyone else on the team and yet they routinely score highest on the fitness tests. Which is why they are still here, and why we will see them around Vancouver for 15 more years, whatever capacity it may be.
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I remember Lumme well. Hugely underrated. I think we'd all be more than satisfied if Juolevi works out to be as good as Lumme. Lumme had this quirk of skating a tiny bit back on his skates. Always seemed to know what was going on all over the ice. Only Reinhart and maybe Ohlund were as good. Power play and shut down both, fantastic player and a good person too.
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And spouses have jobs/careers that began here. If we had any sense at all, we'd get Trudeau/feds to grant them all dual citizenship. Make it easier for them to live in both countries. I was very skeptical of Henrik and Daniel playing another year, but I'm not sure it matters at this point, as Horvat and Boeser are clearly the new core of the team -- so there won't be any hard feelings about playing time, e.g. So, even a limited role or player-coaches would work. The Sedins have suggested more than once that they might be staying on in Canada -- to what degree... who knows.