filthycanuck

and Mika Noronen for a 2nd rnd pick

I think Boucher can still be a good player, a PP specialist even but whats standing in the way right now is how the Canucks style of play. Its slowly changing but for the most part its still the same way. For example, the PP, how Edler doesn't pass to Boeser , the team ISNT used to having legitimate shooters on the team that are locked and loaded firing bombs on the faceoff circle area, like Boucher, and Boeser. The PP is the pretty much the same way as it was 7 - 8 years ago, you work for the point shot with traffic or down low cycle close quarters. The problem with that its the same BS year after year, with the same catalyst Sedin Sedin Edler, and youll always defer to something familar. Until the 3 swedes are off the powerplay or off the team, its going to be the same way all the time. Watch the Oilers, the Pens, Sharks, really high powered offences play, its the volume of chances they get from different areas of the ice is what makes them dangerous, and not the passing till you get the perfect shot type of deal we've been seeing the last few years with this team. I mean, how many times do we get a powerplay with 4 shots? almost never and the top teams seem to do this on a regular basis

How is he valuable exactly? He's a mediocre penalty killer, absolutely horrible on the power play. I don't see how his contract is justified

the key thing is to keep Boucher out of the pool. If Sbisa gaunce and boucher were unexpected, Boucher would be the guy i would pick, but if Sutter was in that pool rather than Boucher, I'd be more inclined to pick Sbisa as I really dont like Sutter's contract. Gaunce I don't think will get picked, 0 goals, is 0 goals, thats just too little production even if he is a 1st round pick.

If he scores one or 2 more goals in the next 3-5 games, If I was Benning, I would do one of these things 1) I'd protect him over Sutter. Simply put, Sutter is overpaid for a 3rd, 4th line center, that can't seem to play the whole season. Sutters contract might scare off Vegas into taking him, and if they do, we are off the hook from his contract which is 4.5 million in the next 4 - 5 years? (too lazy to google) 2) throw a low pick Vegas way to tell them to lay off Boucher in expansion 3) SIT Boucher the rest of the season to prevent him from Vegas getting a real assesment on him. As a reward for his cooperation, he gets a 1 yr 1 way deal worth a million, and gets a good shot in making the team next season.

RJ didn't sign here because Burke was lowballing him, like we are talking a 100k difference between what the Umberger camp wanted and Burke refused to budge

says who? Whos the last power forward with size and a mean streak after Lucic to win the cup?

Hello Boeser, get the F out of here Megna

I beg to differ, yes substance abuse has something to do with it, and thats good hes making himself a better person other than being a much better player. Ive seen some of Kassians game this year, and honestly, the numbers aren't there but hes a FAR FAR better player now than he was ever as a Canuck. That being said, I have a few friends that DID that bumped into him in the Roxy and other bars around DT and said that he does overdo it a bit when it comes to alchohol. Remember, Kassian was handed the first line duties with the Sedins on a silver platter and he was put on the paces by Torts since he was out of shape, but can we attribute it from his alcholism or not working hard enough? Ive seen enough games to see that Kassian did lack on work ethic, but thats my opinion, agree to disagree, but he should've been a lot better player than he shouldve been.

But Tomlinson sure does, and he knows a lot more than the rest of us and he stated in an interview that Virtanen is almost ALWAYS last one in, first one out of the ice every single time, thats why hes not on the team right now. The rest of the team is already dressed and stretching 10 minutes before they even hit the ice and Virtanen is just getting into the rink, what does that tell you, fanboy? Thats as per Tomlinson whos there on gamedays, dont deny your boy Fatty18 isnt acting like a pro

I dont think work ethic was a problem with Hodgson. Kassian yes, and you can throw Virtanen in that mix as well of guys that don't quite get it. Good for Kassian though that hes quit his drinking problem

Same here, I think hed look really good with the Sedins, but yes , it is a conundrum that if he shows something the next few games till the end of the season, they might snatch him up

Yeah i thought so too, Boucher looked very good in Bos line against the Red wings. Bo Baertchi and Boucher, killer Bs!

Heres hoping, Virtanen would be a very scary player if he ever puts it together. A guy that big, with speed and a mean streak, his upside is so vast that if he fullfilled his potential, he would make Ehlers and Nylander look like yesterdays news, but is lacking on the most important and yet, simplest thing to have and thats EFFORT

Effort and proffesionalism. The difference between Jake and the guy who took his spot on the team,Jack Skille was Skille is a rink rat, always working with the skills coach, watching film, working out, doing whatever it took to stick while Jake acted entitled. If Jake even gave $hit or half for that matter, with his size and speed, he could've easily been a mainstay on the 4th or 3rd line.

Doesn't matter, the only thing that does is watching the kids and seeing what they have, not painfully watching Megna just absolutely suck every time he's on the ice. 60 minutes of powerplay time allocated and 3 shots?

"nice goal kid, way to put on the jets, now take a seat and let the big boys handle it from here" Thats not exactly a great way of coaching up a kid who just scored and gets rewarded by getting benched. I really hope it doesn't ruin his confidence, the fact that Megna seems to be on the ice every other shift, Willie needs to get fired ASAP.

Too bad we couldn't add Pulkinen, would've been nice to give him a shot seeing is that the Coyotes got him for a McD happy meal But anyways, on to Dahlen, from what Ive read and heard all through out the day, sounds like we've got ourselves a player. From the highlight videos, aesthetically the way he skates and shoots the puck, very reminicent of Nail Yakupov, but nice to see the kid likes to go under the hash to score some of his goals

I heard that too, even Gaudette has jumped over Fatty Virtanen

Grant Fuhr had a story where he had Bossy line up 10 pucks in the slot area and had him shoot to see how many he'd get in. Bossy got 8 in, 2 rang of the post. The kicker here, is that Bossy didn't even look ONCE at where he was shooting, just pure goal scoring instincts

Yes and thats what many teams hold on to their overweight prospects, gawd knows they don't want to lose out on the next Brett Hull. Sorry but an obese Brett Hull skating with one skate, shooting left handed would make Jake Virtanen look like an amateur

Exactly, for our team it seems to be sit and wait all the time while the OTHER teams are reaping the benefits of their picks almost immediately. If Virtanen was born in Saskatoon, anywhere else but BC, theres no way they would've picked him. Benning is too behind the curve, in love with the whole size matters in the West, the Boston model was expired like 3-4 years ago, its speed and skill is what this game is predicated on now. I still do think that the real problem is rooted in the scouting staff, which I don't think has changed since the Quinn days with retards like Delorme, and Smyl heading up that dept.

The problem is, while jake is putting up 30 pts in 2 years, Ehlers, Larkin and Pastrnak will be in the upper echelon of the league at that time, 30 - 50 goal players. I dont see why we have to keep picking garbage in the draft, waiting for them to develop, while other teams who are picking later than us are getting bonafide superstars that are already contributing within to years of hitting the NHL

Yeah he is, but hes around team a lot more than any of us in this forum I'll tell you that much

True, the Sedins weren't the fittest guys on the team when they were starting out, but the thing that was never a question was their commitment to excellence. Those guys did what it took to get better. That despite the early criticism, its like they pushed harder, the harder the obstacle. I heard an interview of Willie's on the radio and he was talking about Jack Skille, on how hes impressed him. The guy isn't the greatest athlete, not the most talented, but the thing that Willie said that Skille was ALWAYS doing something to try to keep himself in the pros, the guy was always hanging out it in the rink, watching film, working out, on the ice with the skills coach, etc. Virtanen on the other hand, as per reports by Tomlinson, was almost always the first guy out of the ice and last guy in. Thats why hes in Utica. If both guys aren't producing, I'd take the player that at least makes an effort than the other guy whos lazy and feels entitled.