SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME

Attaboy Will!

Yeah, Hamonic is probably the closest option to a Tanev replacement, so there seems to be a natural fit there with Hughes. I wouldn’t make too much of the pairing numbers, as the second pairing (Edler-Schmidt) could easily be the highest 5v5 minutes, and overal TOI, while Hughes may get limited (where possible) at 5v5, and same with Juolevi (and he’ll get sheltered). Special teams will up the total TOI for guys like Hughes and Myers, but we could easily see Edler and Schmidt being the highest overall minutes, followed closely by Hughes and Myers, and then Hamonic and Juolevi (regardless of how the 5v5 pairings are actually drawn up).

I think you’re very close, based on the cards Green is showing so far. It’s possible you see Myers and Hamonic swapping places, from where you have them. Seems like the team is legitimately interested in giving Juolevi-Myers a real look, and Chatfield is placeholding for Hamonic, while he completes his quarantine. I also agree that Baertschi may force his way back into the lineup, as Eriksson forces his way down the the AHL. Gaudette’s wing seems a likely landing spot for Baer, and could be a good fit, based on the usage that line will likely see (as opposed to the “4th line,” which probably plays more minutes and certainly more defensive starts).

Oh yeah, there’s really no disputing the damage done by his past contract work, in terms of handcuffing himself, when it comes to the salary cap. Benning certainly made his job harder for himself than it needed to be, as far as roster building under the Covid flat cap. But I give JB major credit for his recent “asset management” and roster turnover. This was a very challenging offseason, but he made the tough decisions on letting players walk, picked up some very smart acquisitions, and has come out of it with a much better roster than I expected.

Canucks Army article on how the Canucks won the Tanev for Hamonic “trade”: https://canucksarmy.com/2021/01/05/why-canucks-won-tanev-hamonic-trade/ They dig into the stats a bit (which is worth reading), but I think the argument is as simple as swapping two very similar on-ice value players, but our incoming guy (Hamonic) will likely be on a one year deal at ~$1 million, whereas the guy we walked away from (Tanev) is getting paid $18 million over four years. That’s a nice piece of business from GMJB. With the Schmidt trade and this signing (plus incoming prospects and graduations), Benning has arguably upgraded the defence, while cutting costs (in terms of roster salary this year compared to last year) by more than just about any other team in the NHL.

Yeah, he’s a big boy. Glad to see him having success, now that he’s playing in a 16-21 age league, versus dominating prep school kids. At Kunz’s size, he’ll never hit a level where he isn’t bigger than most players, but at least now he’s playing against young men who are a little closer to his size, and still scoring goals at a good rate. Just need some improvements in his skating, and we might have a player in Kunz. He’s still very young, so lots of time to work on it, and I doubt he’s had a lot of focused training with a skating coach, so hopefully he can improve significantly. He has the body and the nose for the net, just needs to work on the feet.

Not bad for an 18 year old in his first full USHL season, and playing on the second line. EDIT: and yeah, he’s really just 18. Was one of the youngest players in his draft, and won’t turn 19 for another 8 months

I miss the days when players would defect. (Well, don’t really miss those days at all, as far as the politics and the way people suffered under certain regimes. Just to be clear.) But it sure was exciting when there was more “cloak and dagger” around getting guys over here. And there’d actually be a chance of Pod “missing his plane” back in those days.

Kunz scored his 7th goal of the season last game. Now 11 points (7G 4A) in 14 USHL games.

McDonough with a goal and an assist yesterday, and 3 points for the weekend. Here’s his goal (kid can sure shoot the puck): Gives him 7 points (3G 4A) in 8 games this season. Bit of a slower start than I’d hoped for McDonough, but also worth noting that that was only his first power play goal. He scored 9 power play goals last year, so hopefully he’ll now start tallying more regularly on the man advantage, as well as continuing to produce at evens. Would like to see him above a point per game this season. On the positive side (not that 7 points in 8GP is a negative), McDonough is noticeably faster this season, and it really looks like his offseason skating work is paying dividends. He also appears to have grown even bigger. He does play with some smaller guys, but he looks like a giant out there. Would not be surprised if McDonough is actually the size that the KHL says Podkolzin is (6’ 3.5”). (Aidan looks almost a full helmet taller than one of his 5’ 9” teammates. And when he comes into frame on that clip above, he kinda looks like a grown man playing with kids. He’s still listed at 6’ 2” and 200 lbs, but that’s probably an old measurement, and he may have gained an inch or two and maybe another 10-20 lbs. He’s a big boy.)

Even one media interview where someone from the Canucks organization demonstrated a deep understanding of things like the CBA and international MoU’s and transfer agreements, would go a long way toward eliminating any suggestion that the team isn’t on top of these things. Not that I believe the Canucks are flying blind. I fully expect they actually know what they’re doing in these areas. But there are many in the “Dim Jim” crowd who think this kind of stuff, and management does very little to actually convince them otherwise. (Would also just be nice is the team would tell us things, so we didn’t have to read through the CBA, or KHL regulations, to try to answer questions on our own, when it comes to issues around contracts, rights, and player status, etc.)

Would be good to know what’s possible. Like I said in my earlier post, I doubt the NHL has an issue. Would just be like signing him with a Euro clause and then sending him back. But from the KHL’s side, Tryamkin would need to terminate his current contract to become eligible to sign an NHL deal. I’d be surprised if the KHL would allow a player to terminate their deal and then return to the same team on a loan, during the same season. Also have to wonder if there is a loan deadline or roster freeze of some sort in the KHL. I’d expect there would be some barriers to adding loans late in the season.

Oh yeah, I agree. Just fun to think hypotheticals.

Also would be curious if the Canucks could sign Tryamkin at this season’s RFA deadline, and then just taxi squad him or limit his games, so he stays expansion exempt, but still collects his 2020-21 NHL salary (so cash in his pocket) and gets to practice with the team (so make sure his conditioning is up to snuff, and get him familiarized with his teammates, NHL ice, and systems, for next season—basically like a really long training camp for Nik).

I think it would depend on the KHL. From the NHL side, I doubt there’s an issue. Think of it as a 2020-21 SPC with a European assignment clause. Totally legal from the NHL point of view. Just not sure it’d work under KHL’s rules.

Can’t think of a better clip to summarize Podkolzin’s play: Over/under on how many assists he’d have in this tournament if he played on Team Canada? I’m saying 10 and I might take the over.

Seems like a good decision. Morin was always a decent skater for his size, at least before two torn ACLs. If his rehabs have been successful, he should at least have the straight line speed necessary to make an impact at wing. And not playing D should be a little easier on his wonky knees. This could actually work. And adding a 6’7” guy with a physical edge to their forward group could really help the Flyers, who aren’t exactly the Broad Street Bullies of old, these days.

I got that, thanks. But I think your original post (before edit) didn’t have quotation marks around it, so quite honestly, I didn’t realize until I’d read through to the end that it was actually a quote from Barbara Eden, and not you posting your own personal story (which is how it really seemed, especially the first few sentences). I’m glad you posted it. It’s a lovely eulogy. And I very much agree that it’s fun to think about those two “luscious women on TV in the 60’s” spending their nights playing bridge together. I also thank you for the fun rollercoaster ride of emotions reading it. There was really a moment where I was thinking, maybe, just maybe, Jeannie from my childhood TV memories is actually a Canucks fan! (Only then to have my hopes cruelly dashed by the realization that it wasn’t actually her that was posting on CDC.)

^Was reading this post without noticing the quote and started thinking OMG, could it be true? @Ghostsof1915 is actually “Jeannie” (Barbara Eden)! (And Rest In Peace, Dawn Wells)

Podkolzin’s vision and passing ability also has me thinking about playing him at left wing, on a Podkolzin-Horvat-Boeser line. I think that combo has a ton of potential. Not that I don’t like the lineup options that use him at RW. I just have this feeling that Podkolzin and Boeser could be deadly together.

Might not have looked like much, but I really liked Podkolzin’s decoy play on that 3-2 PP goal. Just making little moves to create the appearance of him being the trigger option, and then a subtle shift upwards toward the higher slot, which brought the defenders with him, and opened up the chance for the screen and the shooting lane on the goal. Not saying he created the goal, but he put himself on exactly the right place for that goal to happen. Funny thing was, I was about to get critical of him for being too static, but I think he was reading the play better than I was, and made his move at exactly the right time.

I think if his teammates show up, Pod will have a good game. They’ll still be in tough against the Swedes, of course. But the Russian team as a whole needs to make good decisions on exits, play selection, and shot selection, at least compared to what they did in their earlier games (especially versus the Czechs). The last game was a step in the right direction, but also an inferior opponent, so it’s easier to dictate play. But if the Russians get back to treating the puck like a hand grenade, poorly reading transition paths, flubbing passes, fanning on shots, and making a bunch of stupid point shots into heavy traffic, then Podkolzin likely won’t look very good, regardless of how hard he works, or how well he plays individually.

Looks 100% unrelated, but another massive explosion today, this time in Hamilton, Ontario: The company is calling it a “slag pit eruption” in a blast furnace at steel factory. No injuries reported.

Wishing everyone a Briny Christmas and a Dilly New Year, from the God of Pickles. (My 8 year old painted this the other day. The God of Pickles a deity of his own invention, but all who wish to join the faith are welcome.)

Benchmark set for Petey’s extension.