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I like that Gaunce is doing really well in the minors. I also like that he isn’t gifted a spot in the majors to “develop”. If he can’t force his way onto what is still one of the weaker rosters in the NHL, then so be it. We’ll see where it goes, but this is exactly the way a competitive organization should work.

Agree that he needs to play. And most 4th liners really need to be able to produce offense in the minors and have a decent skill level, if not the NHL pace and level of skill will just be too much to handle. See the difference in the play of Gaunce, Gaudette, Archibald etc. when comparing their time in the AHL/NHL (Gaudette may be a 2-3C but point is still valid).

I think besides skating it’s also a confidence thing. Being just that little late to the puck is often a combination of lack of speed and hesitation and/or not finding the shortest path to the puck. Kole’s had a bit of a rough start, but if he can better his skating and his confidence, this phase will be a good learning experience.

EP has still only played 30 games ever on NA ice and has adopted to playing center while doing it. So I wouldn't see it as any less impressing, really. EP right now is not the kind of player that dominates like McD though. And maybe we should lay off the generational comparisons anyhow...

So EP wouldn't have to throw his medal up in the stands? ;-)

Can we stop writing about Tkachuk please? Don’t want anyone with that name on the team and don’t wanna read about them either ;-)

Still think Virtanen is too much of a perimeter player, but regardless it’s now clear that his floor is a 3rd line winger with blazing speed that can hit, score and play a responsible two-way game. And that at a reasonable cap hit. So seems like he will turn out to be a good draft pick and a player you really need on the team in the playoffs.

If the Canucks sell at the deadline, a scenario where Gaunce plays 10-20 games in the NHL (or is it 9 befors waivers is required again?) after TDL and then the AHL playoffs would be a good evaluation of him before deciding on his future with the organization.

Not saying you’re wrong, but in 5 years McAvoy might be out of the league because of injuries, Tkachuk has a style of play that might not last very long for an elite player, Sergachev doesn’t look very good this year... And so on. So while it’s likely that you’re right and Joulevi wasn’t the best pick, still way too early to tell. And being a fan I still feel being optimistic about OJ as a top 2-3 guy ie warranted...

While by no means a physical force he didn’t look out of place at all in the physical game against the Jets. That’s a really good sign and he also keeps competing whenever he’s on the ice.

So what do you all think his ceiling is? I would expect it's bottom 6 in the NHL but it would be really nice if he could manage on the wing of EP to get some muscle beside him + it would mean more balanced scoring with e,g, Baertschi on the 3rd line.

Yeah, that would've been really cool. Something like that might give his confidence a real boost as well.

Jake played a really good game overall, and nice to see him stand up for his teammate. I would have liked Guddy to step up by himself when EP or Baertschi got knocked out, or when Reeves took out Edler, not going in as the second player yesterday when Jake already was giving it to the Tampa player. If he had gone after him later on by himself, fine, but he was quite the rest of the game, as he has been pretty much on every occasion.

Hmm, if an opposing player had come in as second man and thrown that gut punch Guddy did, I know what we would be saying. That's not how you play with heart, he has never responded by himself to questionable hits on Canucks player like Jake did last night. Losing a lot respect for him after that play.

Really liked his play driving to the net in the 3rd, unfortunate he didn't get more out of it. Showed a lot of compete in back-checking all night too.

Jake is coming along nicely especially on the defnesive side of things. Even though he made a really nice play on the Cancuks first goal, he still makes plays in the offensive zone that's really annoying. Couple of examples: first period he gets a clean look at the net from the left side but instead of taking the puck to the net or shooting high he tries the perimeter play, a backhand wrap-around (a play that doesn't even work in juniors most of the time), then on his breakaway he tries to go five-hole without even looking what the goalie does instead of just trying to roof the puck. I think Jake will be a fine two-way player in the future but still makes the wrong play now and then.

Yeah, definitely. Beagle plays a subtle and kind of quite but very effective game. Makes a big difference when he's in the lineup. Kind of amused to see him and Nolan Patrick getting in under each other's skin as well...

I don't agree. He had a good game yesterday with lots of speed and a few hits, but whenever he got a scoring chance he's still always that tiny bit late in pulling the trigger which means the shot ends up being blocked, wide etc. Also he loses position from time to time (which is to be expected since most rookies do). So while I think we should be very happy with his progress he's still an ongoing project at the pro level, and a month or two in Utica and then a month with the big club at the end of the season is probably the best thing for him. Also I still feel he needs more ice-time to really develop and find his scoring touch again.

It makes sense to send Palmu back at this point and get him ice-time, but when Johnson says the best players in the world outside of the NHL play in the AHL it just looks bad and like he doesn't know what he's talking about. KHL and SHL are at least on par with the AHL and SM-Liiga in Finland just below. Of course the AHL is the closest thing to NHL competition in terms of style of play etc. and sure there's lots of good players there and when considering the physical aspects it's a tougher league than the ones in Europe - and a s mentioned especially so for a smaller guy like Palmu - so yeah in most cases it's the best option as an education level before the NHL, but there are literally hundreds and hundreds of players in the other leagues good enough to play in the AHL.

As long as we're discussing losing Hutton or Baertschi I don't really see the need to convince Seattle to take somebody else. Also - GMJB did it well last team only risking Sbisa and Gaunce of (limited) value so I have some faith in his manouverings here.

He's supposed to play a heavy game but the only thing heavy about him I see is his skating.

Scoring would be nice but it’s not necessary for the role Schaller should play. But I expected him to be be responsible on D, motivated, aggressive and to hit. He has not delivered and I agree that so far he’s a bad signing and could easily be replaced by Gaunce.

He takes losing "personal". I like that. Very common attribute for winners. Yzerman, Forsberg, Ovechkin, Crosby, Bergeron, to name but a few.

Unlike Roussel he's been very unremarkable. Might play a positionally sound and heavy game, but I just don't see how he makes a difference. He should also have something to prove this year, but maybe he's a fringe player on the 4th line and it's as simple as that. He's ok on the 4th line but by no means elite. Honestly hope we can get rid of him at the TDL.

DId a search on "years away" within this topic just for the fun of it. Lots of posts like "3-5 years away from the NHL", "need time in Utica", "years away from being a center in the NHL", "will not be a 1st line center" etc. Hindsight is everything but nevertheless I think he's looked pretty ok at C this year ;-) Even spotting a 44% face-off percentage which is quite ok for a rookie.