Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Community

Curmudgeon

Members
  • Posts

    2,248
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Curmudgeon

  1. Luongo made it very clear that he was no longer willing or really able to work himself into playing shape. At a certain point the body says enough is enough and Luongo couldn't see milking it just to cash a cheque and take up a roster spot when he has no intention of doing the work required to play at an NHL level. He also made it more than clear that he intends to stay in his community for the rest of his life, in a place where his wife, her family, and their children were born and raised. As much as any other Canucks fan I wish he had played the game to keep the cap recapture from hamstringing Vancouver, but what can you do? The guy is a principled man and you have to respect him for that, at least.
  2. He is listed at 5'2" and 112 pounds. That's the same size as one of Zdeno Chara's legs. Needless to say, he is unlikely to play in the USHL.
  3. Go here: http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2019e.html
  4. Good point, Alf. I have, however, heard the Lightning are looking to move some salary in the form of Tyler Johnson ($5 mil) and JT Miller ($5.25). They also have three defencemen who will become UFAs on July 1 (Coburn, Girardi and Stralman) so they are clearly looking for defence. I guess if GM Brisebois really wants to, he could make Karlsson work, but you are correct in that you can't add expensive pieces without removing expensive pieces.
  5. So, is Erik Karlsson damaged goods? Not according to Brian Burke. Skip to 2:48. https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/point-injuries-shouldnt-haunt-erik-karlsson-free-agency/ That said, I still wouldn't want either the dollars or the term involved in bringing him to Vancouver. Won't matter much anyway as I think he wants to play in Tampa with his buddy Victor Hedman and on a team that SHOULD have gone all the way in the playoffs.
  6. Years ago Brian Burke sounded the alarm that GMs around the league were effectively eliminating the "second contract". It used to be a guy signed his three year entry level deal, then normally signed a two, three or four year deal for incrementally more dollars. Once the second contract was done, that was when the player signed the big dollar, long term contract. Now, however, guys are coming off their three-year entry level deal and are getting seven and eight year deals at $5.5-$7+ million, thereby putting the team in cap hell if they happen to have three or four players like that (cough-Toronto-cough-Chicago-cough). How would we like it if, in the 21-22 season, the team has three guys making $10 million each and Vancouver has yet to make it out of the first round, assuming they even make the playoffs? Call me old-fashioned, but I'd offer Boeser $5.5 million per year for three seasons with the understanding that his next contract could well be eight years at 8-10 million per. I just don't believe in paying huge dollars when neither the player nor the team has had consistent, high-level success over time. Pay for performance, not for potential.
  7. Let it go, man. Don Henley states it quite well: There are people in your life Who've come and gone They let you down You know they've hurt your pride You better put it all behind you baby 'Cause life goes on You keep carryin' that anger It'll eat you up inside baby
  8. This raises a point that I have long thought about, and it is this: When some of the more thoughtless posters on CDC disagree with someone's opinion, they seem incapable of separating the person from the opinion. It is like "I don't agree with Botchford, therefore he is <insert favoured demeaning adjective here>." Now I am a hell of a lot older than most people on this board, and here is one thing my many years on earth have taught me: It costs nothing to be civil, and we can disagree without insulting the intelligence, opinions or beliefs of others. We can treat each other with respect without thinking that because you don't agree, you must therefore be an idiot/stupid/brainless. And a second point, I don't know how anyone can form an opinion about a writer's work if, as they claim, they never actually read it. This sounds like "I don't actually know what he's written, but it is fashionable to slam the guy, so I will, too." If anyone hasn't gone back and read Botchford's last couple of month's work in the Athletic (it's permanently free now) and can then honestly say that he didn't know what he was talking about, well, I don't know how to help you. Botchford put in the work to make his writing engaging, challenging and, this is a big, big thing, unique. Perhaps the anti-Botch army wants their news coverage to be gushing praise and boring game summaries. Again, if that's what you want, I don't know how to help you, but the Vancouver media is full of that kind of work. Finally, I have been writing all my life and read voraciously from a variety of sources. My yardstick about the talent of a writer is when I read something and say, "Damn, I wish I had written that." Jason Botchford did that every time he sat down at a keyboard, and NOBODY else in the Vancouver market has that effect on me. Just wait until next season and there are no Provies or Athletties to provide a vastly different perspective on the games, the players and the issues around the team. I will certainly miss that part of the post-game coverage, and I suspect that even Botch's most vocal critics will, too.
  9. TBay announces: We have re-signed Jan Rutta to a one-year, one-way contract worth an average of $1.3 million. Uhh, how do you "average" a one-year contract?
  10. I have always defended Botch. Of all the local media guys, he was the most engaging and had a drive to get the details behind the story. Yes he could be irritating, but nobody worked harder to track down the facts. It was popular around here for people to pile on whenever some of his work was brought up, but he was never a fan boy and he didn't serve up fat softballs to players, coaches or management. He asked the questions I had and he was fearless. His invention of the Provies was groundbreaking, current and a much needed refresh to traditional, hero-worshipping sports journalism. When I wanted reaction to something the Canucks had or hadn't done, I trusted Botch more than any other Vancouver media member. I will miss him making management and coaches squirm and will miss him on the Patcast. I feel terrible for his wife and kids and hope they can adjust to the gaping hole left in their family.
  11. I can't remember who I heard talking about this, but whoever it was made a couple of salient points about paying big bucks to players on a team (Toronto) that hasn't made it out of the first round in, well, forever. The basic idea was "Why would you pay these young stars as if they had won three or four Stanley Cups when they haven't won anything? And what will you do if they happen to actually win the Cup, since there is no room for more players to make big money?" If Vancouver is prudent, they will keep salaries at the reasonable end UNTIL the team has had legitimate success. In that vein, I'd offer Boeser no more than $6 million over three years, then make it clear that he has an opportunity to make really big money IF a) he turns into a reliable 40 goal guy and b) the team makes a couple of long playoff runs. My battle cry: No big dollars until we see big results.
  12. Vancouver has NEVER had a defenceman like Quinn Hughes. Speaking for myself, I have been waiting fifty years for a player like him to fall into Vancouver's lap. So has every other Vancouver fan who was a hockey fan before Vancouver ever entered the league. Benning knows this, too. He is not about to sell Hughes off at any price. No, not even for Taylor Hall, Nico Hishier or any other combination that New Jersey might come up with. Not happening.
  13. Nope. Doesn't work that way anymore. The deal when Vancouver received a second round pick for Columbus signing Torts was the last one of its kind.
  14. I've been a fan of Tanev since he was originally signed and greatly respect what he has done for this team over the years. That said, it is time to move him for whatever Benning can get. Maybe Chatfield is ready, maybe Rafferty earns a spot, maybe Benning makes a trade or signs Schenn and another free agent RHD. My biggest concern is when, 10 games into next season, Tanev breaks, tears or ruptures something and is out for 25 games again. Then his trade value would be exactly the square root of sweet fanny adams. Move him now for whatever value he still has. Keeping him any longer is not going to increase his value.
  15. Great letter from a thoughtful fan who also happens to own the team. It tells us that he is committed to supporting the management team that is in place and is willing to be patient. This shows he has a clear understanding of what it takes to rebuild a team from the ground up. Makes me wonder even more what happened with Trevor Linden's sudden departure. The word "on the street" was that Linden was urging people to slow down, that a rebuild takes time. Now we hear that Benning and Green told Aquilini to slow down, that it would take time to rebuild. So why was Linden gassed? I know, I know. Water under the bridge, but still.......
  16. Say Vancouver wins second or third pick in the lottery. Would you trade Horvat to get the number one spot for Jack Hughes? Keeping in mind that Hughes is a natural centre, thus creating a logjam at that position with Petey and Bo. Not enough ice time for three top end guys.

    1. Show previous comments  6 more
    2. CanuckinEdm

      CanuckinEdm

      But what about the extra 30-40 points? Like I said Horvat is a fair contract but not a bargain. McKinnon is a 90-100 point guy, Horvat is 60-70 (maybe a bit better with a winger) 

    3. NewbieCanuckFan

      NewbieCanuckFan

      ^ Hence why his contract is around $800K less and no NTC clause.  McKinnon also gets about a minute of ES more per game than Horvat  (also a bit more power play time and less PK duty).  I'm not saying Horvat is the better player (only again, the gap isn't as huge).  

    4. ReggieBush

      ReggieBush

      No chance on the god given earth I make that trade. Move Hughes to the wing.

  17. I could be wrong about this, but I thought that when a player with a NMC agrees to a move, the receiving club is NOT subject to a no-move clause. Meaning the new club could trade the guy any time and to any place they want. Found this convo on Reddit: (bolding is mine) The clause can travel with the player even if he consents to being traded or is claimed on waivers This requires that the acquiring team sign an addendum to the contract ensuring that the clause does in fact travel with the player (written by the player's agent) If the acquiring team refuses to sign the addendum, and the player waives his clause anyway, at that point the clause may be nullified If the player is traded before the clause takes effect, the acquiring team can opt to void the clause New person: If I recall correctly, that was the case with Subban/Weber deal. One of them (feel free to chime in to add to this) has a NMC kicking in that summer and once he was traded, it nullified the NMC for the remainder of the deal.
  18. Why Mitch Eliot and dot Matt Brassard? Can anybody with first hand knowledge enlighten us? Thanks.

    1. Quantum

      Quantum

      The Canucks still have the contract space to ink Brassard to a deal. However, from what I've read, there's been concerns about Brassard's skating. Whereas Eliot's skating is a strength of his, it's a weakness for Brassard and there's a worry he may not overcome his skating woes to make an NHL impact. It's why guys like Tate Olson, Carl Neill, and Cole Candella weren't signed in the past (also, those 3 guys were a bit one note as hockey players)...

       

      With that said, I'm of the opinion that Brassard is worth signing. With Sautner (and Juolevi) likely to graduate to the NHL next season, having more defensive prospect depth in Utica is going to be a good thing. Brassard has shown flashes of being a legit prospect and I could see him inking an ELC elsewhere if he's not signed by us.

    2. Curmudgeon

      Curmudgeon

      Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for.

  19. I am watching New Zealand TV live right now. Interesting to watch the difference between New Zealand coverage and US-based Cable News machines. I managed to get this link to work but it took a little persistence. https://www.pscp.tv/w/1MYxNygZRgyJw?q=
  20. Best sentiment I have heard is:Love the soldier, hate the WAR
  21. Outstanding, brother. Our Aussie cousins are brilliant when writing about the horrors of war.
  22. In my humble opinion, the best anti war song ever written: AND THE BAND PLAYED WALTZING MATILDA When I was a young man I carried my pack And I lived the free life of a rover From the Murrays green basin to the dusty outback I waltzed my Matilda all over Then in nineteen fifteen my country said Son It's time to stop rambling 'cause there's work to be done So they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun And they sent me away to the war And the band played Waltzing Matilda As we sailed away from the quay And amidst all the tears and the shouts and the cheers We sailed off to Gallipoli How well I remember that terrible day How the blood stained the sand and the water And how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter Johnny Turk he was ready, he primed himself well He chased us with bullets, he rained us with shells And in five minutes flat he'd blown us all to hell Nearly blew us right back to Australia But the band played Waltzing Matilda As we stopped to bury our slain We buried ours and the Turks buried theirs Then we started all over again Now those that were left, well we tried to survive In a mad world of blood, death and fire And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive But around me the corpses piled higher Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over tit And when I woke up in my hospital bed And saw what it had done, I wished I was dead Never knew there were worse things than dying For no more I'll go waltzing Matilda All around the green bush far and near For to hump tent and pegs, a man needs two legs No more waltzing Matilda for me So they collected the cripples, the wounded, the maimed And they shipped us back home to Australia The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay I looked at the place where my legs used to be And thank Christ there was nobody waiting for me To grieve and to mourn and to pity And the band played Waltzing Matilda As they carried us down the gangway But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared Then turned all their faces away And now every April I sit on my porch And I watch the parade pass before me And I watch my old comrades, how proudly they march Reliving old dreams of past glory And the old men march slowly, all bent, stiff and sore The forgotten heroes from a forgotten war And the young people ask, "What are they marching for?" And I ask myself the same question And the band plays Waltzing Matilda And the old men answer to the call But year after year their numbers get fewer Some day no one will march there at all Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me And their ghosts may be heard as you pass the Billabong Who'll come-a-waltzing Matilda with me?
  23. From Industrial Disease by Dire Straits I go down to Speaker's Corner I'm thunderstruck They got free speech, tourists, police in trucks Two men say they're Jesus one of them must be wrong There's a protest singer singing a protest song - he says 'they want to have a war to keep us on our knees They want to have a war to keep their factories They want to have a war to stop us buying Japanese They want to have a war to stop Industrial Disease They're pointing out the enemy to keep you deaf and blind They want to sap your energy incarcerate your mind They give you Rule Brittania, gassy beer, page three Two weeks in Espana and Sunday striptease' Meanwhile the first Jesus says 'I'd cure it soon Abolish Monday mornings and Friday afternoons' The other one's on a hunger strike he's dying by degrees How come Jesus gets Industrial Disease Songwriters: Mark Knopfler
  24. You are right about that. The BCHL sends more kids to the NCAA than any other provincial junior league. And while the BCHL isn't on par with Major Junior, its very best players would also be very, very good in Major Junior. So why don't they opt for the Dub? As soon as a player plays a single game in Major Junior, he loses US college eligibility. Even an exhibition game. Years ago some teams used to get around this by listing players with a different name so they could play in exhibition games. The NCAA scouts caught on and blew the whistle. I don't think Major Junior teams try that anymore, but who knows?
  25. Gudbranson: Oh, God, please make my shoulder better. God: Okay, but it will cost you foot speed. Gudbranson: And please, God, let me start every game. God: I can do that too, but it's going to cost you the ability to handle the puck. Gudbranson: And can you make sure I stay in the lineup? God: Who do you think I am? God?
×
×
  • Create New...