kloubek

I understand the apprehension, but at last while he has been with us, there wasn't a lot of options due to injury. I think the guy deserves a full, healthy season before we can project him as a regular liability to the team. The fact is, he's a speedy player with strong defensive AND offensive instincts. If he is 100% and manages to play as he can, I see him as a strong contributor. Besides the changes Allvin has made to this org, you're right - every season we seem to have a key guy or two who just aren't pulling their weight. I think that has made a big impact on the success (or lack of) over the last 2-3 years. At one point, it was Demko out and/or not playing well. Petey went on a long stretch of being really, really bad. Boeser has clearly not been himself while he was struggling with his father's health. Mik was injured. OEL played horrible last season. Myers played horrible last season. Along with personal confidence issues, this team was also hit with management and coaching in disarray and major covid issues. This is frankly a lot for one team to deal with. Injuries will happen, of course, but we have a real chance to have a nearly fully healthy team, under newer coaching. If the team has a strong camp and comes out strong, I DO think this team is poised to do significantly better. I'm excited!

That's about all this team is missing, imo. Nastiness and forechecking forwards. Well, if I was getting greedy I'd ask for a legit permanent partner for Hughes, and maybe a more reliable backup....

Kuz Petey Mik Garland/Beau Miller Boeser Garland/Beau Suter Podz Hogs Blueger Joshua Studnika, PDG & Aman as backups. If Pearson comes back, where he slots depends on how effective he appears to be after a 2 year hiatus. He may well replace eithr Hogs or Podz if either don't show up well at camp. For D, it's going to be a square peg in a circular hole scenario until a change is made. Fact is, we just don't have an idea RD to play with Hughes. So with the current lineup, it really probably depends on who gels with him best. Could be Soucy, could be Cole, could be Hronek. I also feel that for 3LD, our best option may be Hirose if he continues his development. So my D lineup looks like: Hughes Cole/Soucy/Hronek Cole/Soucy Hronek/Myers Hirose Myers Irwin

I agree - he makes bonehead plays not befitting of any true NHL player. But I think it's just too easy to rag on him - he also does other things (like blocking and occasionally hitting) better than most. I maintain that he's still useful - just in a limited capacity.

If he's getting movement protection, then I don't think he offers Petey 10.5m. I bet the first offer is under 10, and hopefully 10.5 is the settling point. I was HOPING we'd get him for 10 flat - but that's looking increasingly unlikely. (It was probably a pipe dream to begin with)

I don't dislike Myers as a person, or even a player. It's just that he's been paid way, way too much. I was thinking pretty much the same thing - though I really didn't want to see much more than 2.5 max. Not because he couldn't likely get a higher contract elsewhere, but more because he must realize what a detriment his contract:play ratio has been to the team for 6 years, so perhaps he's ok to take a little less to stick with the team. As a 3rd pairing guy where he doesn't get the fastest opposition, I'd be happy to see him continue with the team. He does block very well, if nothing else...

Nothing like having your #1 AND #2 centre retire directly after an amazing (regular season) run. Boston is going to be in tough to replace them. It could be worse, I suppose. Zacha looks like he will end up their #1 center, and although he will hardly perform like Pasta did, he should be good for close to a point a game with the extra ice time I figure. Who's next on this... Coyle? Coyle isn't a bad player, but it's a stretch to believe he will bring lots of points in a 2C role. I predict 50 points or less - probably somewhere between 40 and 45. I do think a trade with Vancouver would benefit both teams: To Boston: Miller, Rathbone, Beauvillier (25% retained), 4th. To Vancouver: Zacha, Carlo, 1st. Lineup: Kuz Petey Mik Garland Zacha Bess Hogs Suter Podz Stud Blue Joshua Hughes Carlo Cole Hronek Soucy Myers I dunno guys. That looks like a pretty complete lineup to me...

Yeah, I could see a conditioning stint in Abbotsford if he did come back. I see him better than just depth, but not the top 4 some were coining him as being, nor is he what this team truly needs. But depending on the cap requirements, he still may be a viable option when healed, and should be able to step in without the trying out period you can get from looking outside the org. Ultimately, Allvin needs to get Huggy his 1b. TDL or next offseason is fine, but it must happen for this team to be fully deadly. It's really the last piece, from what I can see. I'm really glad (and a little surprised due to cap issues) we added Suter. I wasn't comfortable with what we had, and I'm sorry, but I'm not sold on Aman whatsoever. Can't say he adds the size this team could use, but he does have some skills. Dunno guys. This is shaping up to be a pretty properly built team. Funny enough, most of the base was Bennings work. And for all his faults, he will never get that credit.

I see it more like: Kuzmenko - Petey - Mikheyev Beau - Miller - Boeser Garland - Suter - Podz Hogs - Bleuger - Joshua Aman - Studnicka - PDG Hughes - Bear Soucy - Hronek Cole - Myers Wolanin I also agree that the D still needs a tweak ideally. If Bear is recovered and wants to re-sign, I'd be for it, but he's not an ideal partner for Hughes. This is a really strong forward group, with now a 3rd line that can actually score.

Fantastic signing. He should help the PK, and is a likely better 3c than Blueger, which now falls to a more natural 4c.

I will assume these are all players in their prime. Bertuzzi Sedin Pettersson Salo Bieksa 2009 Ryan Miller

Not sure I completely agree, Bob. First, look at the competition difference. Rutta looks like he belongs in a bottom pairing because that's where he DOES belong. Myers has been placed in a 2nd pairing role, but really, he's just not good enough for it. I bet if you put him up against typical bottom 6 competition, he would fare much better. I'll also point out that Myer's season last year was SO bad, that it really brings down his overall stats - whereas Rutta, although his playing style has changed over the period a bit, is pretty consistent. This tells me that with Myers, he COULD play better than Rutta, but WILL he? Yes, Rutta seems to do much better on the PK, and is better at not taking penalties as well. As for the 1m salary, I think it does make a difference. Maybe not nearly as much as it would for a team struggling to get to the floor, but IF they feel Myers is at last comparable or perhaps even better than Rutta, then I believe it does make a difference that they'd rather pay Myers less for an equal or better player. Let's face it - San Jose isn't going to be a good team for a while. Why would Plattner want to pay more money than he needs to while they rebuild? As for Rutta being more valuable at trade deadline, that naturally assumes the Sharks Gm feels that's true. I would argue that while there appears to be more risk with Myers, there's also potential for more reward. And, again, at a lower actual price point. And while I am not sure exactly how it works for cap space when adding a player at TDL, I can only imagine it's easier to fit a 2.something million dollar cap into your team than it is to fit a 6m cap.

I measure failure based on the negative affect it had on the team as a whole. And for that reason, I still deem Messier to be the biggest disappointment in that list. For me, the runners up are OJ (for being a high draft pick we really needed on D but ended up incapable of being an NHL player) and LE, for forgetting how to play hockey the moment he signed his 6 year pact with Vancouver.

I'm not sure I'd consider Rutta a better player. Myers has a history of scoring a whole lot more than Rutta. They hit about the same per 60 - although when Myers hits, sometimes that ends up looking high and ends up in a penalty. Myers also blocks a lot more per 60. I haven't studied Rutta defensively, but although Myers had a real rough last season, I'd put them on an even footing if not Myers perhaps even slightly ahead. (Again, 22-23 notwithstanding). Now, you say: Why would they want to replace a guy who makes double? Which is an excellent point, but once Myers' bonus is paid, his only paid 1m ACTUAL money. So once that occurs, he'll actually be making less than half what Rutta makes. San Jose should be able to find a way to fit an additional 3.5m into the cap imo. It's a move that actually works for both sides. I do think the ship has sailed in regards to trading for Labanc, which is fine - we don't need any extra wingers.

I do think with the reduced minutes, less responsibility, and a contract year that Myers will play better this coming season than we've seen for a while. Especially considering that the coaching team is pretty big on focus and playing the "right way". Let's be clear here. For all his faults (and he has many), Myers is far from useless: - He had 144 blocked shots last year, with Petey coming in 2nd at only 89. - He's our biggest guy, and moving him would make us a smaller team. - No, his hits tend to not be as good as they should be for a man his size, but he still came in at 6th on the team in hits. - A natural right side D, at this point, we simply don't have enough of them. As it stands, we're going to have to play one guy on his off side, and I think we'd be best off if we didn't do that with TWO players. - Myers is apparently well liked in the locker room, and I believe he loves playing in Vancouver as well. Questionable performance aside, it's a pretty good fit. I don't think any of us actually think we're going to make waves in the playoffs (if we make them at all). As such, I can't say I would be floored if we kept him at least to TDL. With that said, after his bonus in September is paid, he is only making 1m actual money. I realize basement dwelling teams weaponize their cap, but I just don't want to see management accept that with Myers. If a team wants to take him off our hands for free, I'd be all for it so we could then also trade a winger and get a better defenseman for the right side to finish out the season. But if other GMs want sweeteners, I say we just keep him and move on next season. What that additionally does is keep him in our system so perhaps when his contact is up, there MAY be an opportunity to re-sigh him for far cheaper than he is currently paid. I suspect a GM somewhere will overpay for him as a UFA, but if he really wants to stay in Vancouver and would be ok with 2-2.5m, I think that's a reasonable option to consider - especially with Cole having only signed for one year.

Good call. The Avs had a rough go of it last season, but I still think overall they are a good team. They should make the playoffs for sure.

He's not THAT injury prone, but tends to lose a string of games every season. Fact is, I largely just think he showed well in Vancouver, but trailed off further in the season and I don't think he's the consistent scorer we really need in our top 6. He's not a bad player (far from it), but I think many feel he had a great season, and we might be best off selling while his stock is higher than it will likely ever be again.

No, Columbus was defensively inept. But -41?? To be clear, when Tanev was with us he wasn't exactly a +/- darling either given his opposition. But -41?

He seems like a poor-man's Tanev, but bigger in exchange for a bit less offensive and defensive ability. I wouldn't want to pay a ton, but I feel we have a glut of wingers and we have to get rid of at *least* one of them before the puck drops. And while Cole and Soucey are nice additions, they are both left handed. (Even though both CAN play both sides). I'm also concerned about his really astounding +/-, but I also realize that given his usage, he was likely bound to be a minus. But THAT much of a minus? Not sure... Although I realize Garland has term and is paid more, I'd maybe be more inclined to move Beauvillier. (Who I believe is too injury prone and inconsistent to be an ideal top 6) Straight across, 1 for 1. They get the better player, and we get a cap dump and shore up the remainder of our blueline. Do it Allvin!

You just wait. Do you not recall the adversity our own team went through recently? Fired coaches, covid, players like Petey losing all confidence, internal conflicts, serious injuries. The Canucks have had a rough go of it themselves, and such issues can afflict any team from time to time. I feel if all that didn't happen, you would have seen a much more competitive team over the last couple of years. The difference between winning and losing in the NHL is often a fine line - not unusual to be decided by one goal. I feel if our team remains healthy and build off of Tocchet's leadership, that enough changes have been made that by all rights the Canucks should be notably more successful in the regular season if nothing else. Like you say, the playoffs are a different game though and in that regard, I'll be interested to see how this team holds up against the bigger teams in the playoffs. But for the regular season, despite being wrong 2 years in a row now, I maintain this IS the year the team gets into the post-season.

I think we will make the playoffs. That's all I can say I believe to be true. But there are lots of variables: - Seattle has been better than I think most of us expected. Can they continue their strong play? - How good are the Avs now? They made the playoffs, but were handily disposed of. Are they currently a playoff team? - Do the Flames return to form as a playoff team, or are they just screwed for years now? ...and for us, Can the Canucks play like their team on paper would suggest? Will the team find a groove under Tocchet? Did management actually fix our D? But yeah. I'd say this is a playoff team, but probably not good enough to make any extended waves during post-season. Edmonton Vegas Vancouver Dallas Calgary LA Minnesota Seattle Winnipeg St. Louis Nashville Arizona Chicago San Jose Anaheim

I'd be quite happy with that blueline. The difference Pesce would make over Myers would be dramatic. I'm a little wary of those who suggest his next contract may be in the 7m+ range though... that's a lot of money for a guy who we'd likely be getting to play a more defensive role alongside Hughes. It is, although Petey's contract will take up a portion of that. Especially if he holds out until the end of the season yet ends up having a monster season as I expect he will. We should be ok no matter what though; with the contracts of Beauvillier and Cole also both expiring, that's over 13m combined of savings; we can easily absorb the ~3M addition to Petey's salary, with 10m to spare.

I think this is a great point. He's not even old yet, and his play this season could mean a difference of millions for him. We should see his best. He's not always positionally sound and takes penalties, but in a limited role I too think he can be effective. Not 6m effective, but certainly adequate as a 6th. Really, with such limited cap room this season and a high cost to unload it, it's not the worst thing in the world to keep him for now. He's off the books next season when the ceiling rises, so it kinda works out that way at least. I still can't help think he's movable to a cap floor team without sweeteners once his bonus is paid...

Nah. Guys get shuffled all the time. Tanev was injured constantly, but fit right back in when available. If Dumba really is having difficulty getting work, he would be wise to sign a 1 year cheap contract to play beside Hughes. I think he'd compliment him well, and he can regain his value for next year, when teams will have extra cap to work with. We don't exactly have cap to spare, but I believe we have no choice but to trade out cap anyway so on a value contract, I could see it.

Myers and even Gudbranson a few years back became big disappointments in the hitting department, yet showed what they are capable of on occasion. So frustrating. In Myers' case, I think he still has difficulty knowing what is constitutes a penalty. Frankly, so am I sometimes. He has been given so many just because he is tall and appears to hit high as a result. But even still, we've all expected so much more...