canucks fan 1981

You guys got to relax about a few games at the world juniors. Remember how good mittelstadt looked versus Peterson? Mittelstadt was going to be amazing apparently. Quinn Hughes wasn't exactly lights out it the world juniors. But you know who was? Juolevi, the best d man in the world juniors in his draft year. Here is the deal about junior level, you can often do things that you can't do in the nhl. Hoglander looked so much better than Podkolzin, but you know who else looked even better than those two? A guy by the name of Samuel Fagemo, if you are going like who, that tells you how much we should read into their play at this level. Oh and btw, Colin White looked a hell lot better than Brock Boeser playing on same team. Let's not get into how much better Curtis Lazar looked compared to Bo Horvat. The only thing that matters are translatable skills. A lot of things that look great aren't translatable. Yet things like Boeser's release, Podkolzin's net drive and defensive awareness, or Peterson's intelligence, or Hughes' breakout ability are largely translatable. Whereas Mittelstadt can dance but most NHL dman will make you take a seat.

https://www.fearthefin.com/2021/10/11/22721782/san-jose-sharks-2021-22-opening-night-roster Wait, how did San Jose get Gajovich down to the minors without waiving him again? Or is he kept in Limbo like Frankie Corrado was before? Not a peep on what has happened to him since he is there. I didn't see him on waivers again. The rule is that he has to clear waivers again to be sent down at which point we can claim him back if we wish.

I only managed to catch one shift last night but that shift signified what was wrong with the canucks. It was Juolevi's shift after we gave up the 3-2 goal. He went back to the zone, made a really smart play to Roussel who obviously was not expecting him to do that because it involved a back hand chip up the boards (hard one at that) and the usual play was to ring it around the boards on Juolevi's forehand. But because it wasn't the obvious play the oilers were not expecting it too so when it went to Roussel this meant he was open for a clean break out. Somehow roussel couldn't take the pass (probably wasn't expecting it). Now the canucks were running around the zone, the d managed to get the puck off of the oiler's sticks a couple more times (one by juolevi and one by myers). But the forwards were making some really boneheaded plays including one where Gaudette threw it back into the corner to absolutely no one when all he had to do was to flip it out. We lost to the jets on the overtime goal and everyone was on boeser but people forget that the Jets had 3 forwards, that's right 3 forwards on the ice and they managed to hold pettersson hughes and boeser to the outside and strip petersson of the puck. The forwards need to do their part and it is obvious that the jets forwards know how to defend while ours have no clue. If your rookie dman made two good plays in one shift the puck needs to be out, this is quite basic.

What I see from him is that he has proven to be a dependable bottom pairing dman. The reason why he wont' see major minutes for this year is quite simple. When he is in the lineup as was last night, the canucks only have one right shot dman which is myers. We then have two left shot dman playing the right side. In other words, we have five left shot dman in the lineup. This is why myers played so much. Also this is why they so desperately wanted Chatfield to work despite him going -9 in the last 4 games. Our defence is simply more balanced with chatfield in there in terms of the left vs right shots. Also it is baffling why we let stecher walk as he is a right shot dman.

Juolevi makes a good first pass, plays positionally sound hockey, makes high percentage plays. Notice a couple of times whereby he gloved the puck out of the zone, it may seem week but it is the best percentage decision you can make at that point because it gurantees the puck is out of the zone. He plays like a safety in football by reading and reacting. Anticipates well which is why Matthews was shocked to be stood up on that second period play as the canucks defence do not close the gaps like that. There are deficiencies skating wise which is why he side skates more than back pedals on the way back (if only this kid could skate faster he would be really good). When he is heading back to the puck he knows what he wants to do before he gets there which means his first play is usually a very good decision. Notice two times when he headed back for the puck with a forward closing in on him. Rather than carry the puck, he once rimmed it up the side which ensured a zone exit, second time he chipped it to his partner. Both ensured clean zone exits which means this was preplanned and not a fluke. So he is unpredictable in his breakout patterns. As a forechecker what you want is a d who doesn't have a plan and will carry the puck in his own zone. Needs to get stronger and faster but decision making is top notch and he makes high percentage plays. I wish more canucks d played like this. Doddling with the puck in your own zone isn't a good idea.

I remember when brock boeser played in the world juniors. He was pulled off of Auston Matthew's wing, didn't have a great tournament. The forum went...hmm.. maybe he wasn't that good after all. Then came Elias Pettersson who had a decent tournament but slightly below the expectations of the god like status people here were expecting. Casey Mittelstadt was brilliant that tournament, people on the forum were like... hmm.. maybe Mittelstadt was better? Now let's get to Quinn Hughes, he had a paltry 5 assists in 14 career games at the WJC, zero goals.. the forum was like, maybe he wasn't as hot as we think he is. You know who did absolutely kill it one year in the WJC? Olli Juolevi, that's why he was drafted so high. I guess he must have turned out brilliantly. I think we might want to take some of these stats with a grain of salt.