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Darius

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Everything posted by Darius

  1. I cam across interesting rankings on NHL.Com where they had 3 writers and 3 scouts rank top 60 prospects last year (2014), The interesting part is that 4 out of 6 writer/scouts placed Jake ahead of Bo in their rankings. I wonder how much higher Bo would have ranked if they realized the top end speed that he picked up during that off season: Here is the article: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=729655
  2. I think we need to move on from comparing Jake to other players that coulda or shoulda been picked. I remember similar debates when Linden was drafted. People would call in to radio programs and point out how they should have picked guys like Brindamour or Roenick. In the end these players had great careers and contributed in different ways. Look at a guy like Michael Ferland who was picked in the 5th round He dismantled the Canuck d with his physical play - a guy like that proved himself to be way more valuable in the playoffs than a high scorer like Vrbata who didnt stand up well to the physical play of the post season. For reference, these were the top 10 picks in 1988 1 Mike Modano 2 Trevor Linden 3 Curtis Leschyshyn 4 Darrin Shannon 5. Daniel Dore 6 Scott Pearson 7 Martin Gelinas 8 Jeremy Roenick 9 Rod Brind'Amour 10 Teemu Selanne
  3. You make some very good points. The big difference in my mind is their size. Domi is about 5'9" .... I think you have to be an extraordinary talent to succeed at the nhl level being "small" like Domi. I use quotes for small because in the real world 5'9" is average height. A guy like Jordan Schroeder is a great example. He looked awesome at the juniors, was a high draft pick, but couldn't translate that success into the nhl. Schroeder was too small to be effective in the long run. Horvat is built for the nhl. Less offensively gifted than Domi for sure...but if Domi can't produce at a top 6 level as a small forward he can look at a guy like Gilbert brule as an example of what will happen to him. At least Bo can be brought up in the bottom 6 to start and can be a valuable asset because of all the things he can do outside of scoring..
  4. Sounds like long stretches of some years Ryan Kesler had here.....
  5. Before the kid gets judged to death by some it is important to consider a few things... 1. Outside the lockout years this is arguably the most dominant junior team Canada has put together in the past 20 years...and Jake made the roster. This was a stacked team...this experience will serve him well. 2. Max Domi did not make the team the year he was drafted...one year later he returns and dominates the tournament. That one extra year Domi got in junior plus some nhl exposure made a big difference. virtanen will get similar exposure for another year...exposure that should mould him in the type of player that we will want to see at the nhl level. 3. Jake had his best game vs the Russians despite being juggled around in the bottom 6... Russia was the biggest team they faced so far..I'd take a kid like jake vs some of our current and past prospects like Vey and Schroeder simply because he is built like a truck and can skate ....
  6. Jake looks a little lost out there at times...but let's not forget that guys like Nurse and Domi didn't even make the team the year they got drafted. Also I think that the success of the smaller guys doesn't necessarily translate to NHL success where d men are built like trucks and can skate like the wind. Like someone else said earlier I'm more concerned about a guy like shinkaruk than I am about Jake at this point.
  7. Lets hope the canucks hammer the flames - it will make no difference in the standings.
  8. You have good insight. Not sure I agree that the dump and pressure isnt part of the system. I think Tort's system is based around getting the defenders to turn around and putting a heavy forcheck on them with the hopes they cough it up or make a mistake. Not many beauty goals scored off of the rush this year. Because of this I dont think its a coincidence that many of the canuck players are having an off year all at the same time. Sedins, Burrows, Hansen, even Kesler (who doesnt have an assist for ages)....not the right group to play this type of game. I agree with much of what you say though...they need someone that can carry the puck with speed through the neutral zone (someone on the D that is)
  9. Not sure I agree, Ive seen Hank tee it up for him pretty good on many occasions and his accuracy stinks - especially if it is a one timer. No doubt he has a hard shot, his timing and aim isnt the best though. Between him missing the net with his big shot and Kesler always going over the net and out of the zone with his wrist shot its no wonder why the PP is amongst the worst. As far as the ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone (as you pointed out Erhoff could do), do you think this is a coaching or personnel issue? Seems to me their whole game is based on 2 passes then dumping it behind the defenders and putting pressure on them. They dont have an Erhoff back there but I think part of the problem is the dump and pressure system.
  10. Garrison was supposed to be the pp qb - the guy with the big bomb from the point. Problem is he cant run the PP and his one time shot isnt very accurate. He nearly always has to stop the puck before he hits the net with any velocity. Every time he stops the puck to tee it up for a shot everyone, including the ice clean up crew and the visiting team massage therapist, has time to anticipate where the shot will go. He is one of the reasons the PP sucks and now we know why V didnt use him on the first unit PP for a lot of the season. He may be a decent D man, but the canucks really need a reliable puck moving D man who can run the PP.
  11. Welcome back Trev. One of the greatest canuck leaders of all time on the ice. Game 6 vs NYR still brings a tear to my eye. Lets wish the guy the best, give him a chance before bashing. He has too much integrity to be a puppet, I think its a step in the right direction.
  12. Some of you guys are imploding like the team is. Gillis has made some stupid mistakes, but he has made some good choices and moves too. The final stat is they missed the playoffs this year and he is the architect of the current team. The question now is will the owners eat both contracts of Gillis and Torts? The Sedins hit rock bottom this year - for a team with no first line they put up a good fight right to the end.
  13. now that they are officially out, they need to start markstrom and roll 4 lines evenly. the whole goal of the organization should be to get the best player possible in the draft. i know the draft is a crapshoot, but once you get into the top 5 or 6 your chances of getting a legitimate high end player must be better than if you are picking in the 12-16 range....
  14. Its sad to see what was once a feared team regress to this level. This team is composed of a bunch of third liners. Plus a handful of guys that did not live up to expectation. Who is to blame? I think the coach, GM, and players all have to take their share of the blame. Torts' system is not ideal for this team. There is a reason why there were so many injuries to all the prominent players on this team. You cant ride guys for 25 minutes a night, in a compressed schedule, playing against big western conference teams, and with all the travel. V knew how to treat the Sedins. They would get offensive starts and they didnt kill penalties. Their game is based on keeping possession on the boards and this takes up huge energy compared to star players like Vanek or Hossa who can float and rush the puck all night and dont take anywhere near the beating the Sedins do. V also rolled 4 lines. This was ideal for the Sedins. Gillis failed to get any secondary scoring- this was a problem since the 2011 scf. The D is not tough enough, and there is nobody that can play the point at a high level.
  15. Everyone was wondering why V didnt use Garrison on the first unit PP last year. V knew what he was doing. In order for Garrison's shot to have any accuracy at high velocity he has to seemingly stop the puck first, set it up, then shoot. His one timer isnt very good - nowhere near Salo's (the guy he was supposed to replace) How many times have the guys on the half wall setup the puck for him perfectly, he one times it and misses. When he stops the puck before shooting it the opposing D and goalie have opportunity to setup and block the shot. Just because he has a heavy shot doesnt mean it is accurate or reliable. There is a reason Garrison wasnt drafted..... The other guy that drives me nuts on the PP is Kesler. How many times have the passed the puck around only for him to end up using his wrist shot - he misses the net more often than not and the puck rolls around the glass and out to the D zone.
  16. The way I see it: 1. Kassian, Richardson, Booth/Matthias - have the potential to be one of the better third lines in the conference 2. Move Kesler - get a young impact player in return. I may get shot in here for saying this, but I wont miss his antics one bit. Plus if we had a dime for every time he took a wrist shot and missed the net only for the puck to come out of the zone we would all be riding in Tommy Vu's yacht. Im tired of watching the PP get setup, some nice passes are made, puck ends up on his stick, wrist shot - miss- puck flies around the boards and back down to Vancouver's d zone. 3. The team needs a PP QB that can make the first pass out of the zone and/or skate with the puck into the o zone. Waiting for Edler to emerge or Garrison to turn into Salo looks like it isnt going to work. 4. Top 6 UFA required. Use Luongo's money to buy a guy that can score 25-35 goals. Stick him on the second line with whoever they get for Kesler. 5. Bring in at least one kid next year: Horvat, Fox, Shink, - dont know if these guys will be ready...maybe Grenier needs to be given a chance. 6'5" with some decent skill. 6. Fire torts. The guy does not know how to handle a team in the west that has to endure a gazillion miles of travel. Connect the dots here - why have so many prominent Canuck players been injured this year? Torts rides them like a rented mule and his dump and chase, shot blocking tactics do not mesh well with vets that play every other shift then have to get on a plane and play the next night against big western conference oafs. 7. Gillis - he wont be fired if torts is fired. Owners will not cough up millions to pay the unused contract time Gillis and Torts have. This ship can be turned around fairly quickly with some astute trades and wise drafts. Not sure if Gillis can do this. Mr. Aquilini, if you are reading this you can hire me and about 30 other guys from these message boards to get the job done
  17. If Nino hit Crosby the exact same way would it be a suspension? I cant imagine the league letting it go if Crosby was involved. This is a bush league if judgements are based on the players involved. Burrows probably paid for his reputation.
  18. Gillis has made 3 big mistakes: 1. Ballard for Grabner + First - this is his worst move so far 2. How he handled Schneider and Luongo soap opera. One of the two should have been moved sooner 3. Never addressing the secondary scoring problem sufficiently. Gillis doesnt get recognized enough for: 1. Bringing in guys like Lapierre, Higgins, Erhoff, Torres, Malhotra, Hamhuis - the SC run of 2011 would not have happened without these guys 2. Finding guys like Stanton, Tanev, Santorelli Moves that can be debated 1. Horvat for Schneider. Horvat has a real upside but nobody knows. 2. Matthias and Markstrom for Luongo. I think it is a win that he got rid of Lus contract and got a legit and valuable third line player in return. Lu was on the downslide of his career. 3. David Booth. The guy was on pace for about 25 goals before he got injured that first year. Ever since it has been down hill. 4. Garrison for 4+ million. Bad move IMHO. 5. Torts - probably not the right coach for this group and probably has something to do (his system that is) with the almost unprecedented injury rate to basically all of the Canucks' prominent players. 6. His draft record. Jensen looks good, Horvat looks good, but what about everyone else? 7. Kassian for Hodgson - I would make that move again, again and again. Gillis and Torts will not both be canned. It will cost the owners too much to cough up milions of salary dollars that it will cost to let both go. I think Gillis will keep his job because guys like Kassian and Jensen are starting to make him look good down the stretch. If I had to bet id put money on Torts being let go.
  19. ive been saying this to people for months and all I get is strange looks. The guy has good vision of the ice and finds the open man more often than anyone else not named sedin. Some people think he is a glorified Ben Eager - who was also a first round pick. Zack has good vision of the ice and he can make great passes - more like Thornton than Eager thats for sure. We saw a glimpse of his capabilities during the Pittsburgh game where I thought he was the best forward on the ice. If he can ever put together a string of games like that and do it more often than not everyone will forget that little Hodgson.... Most of all - no more stupid penalties and suspensions...
  20. Thoughts. -Average goaltending. Not blaming him for the loss, just calling it as it is. - Mathias and Jensen looked good. Why hasnt Jensen been called up earlier instead of guys like Lain andArchibald? - Kassian has good vision of the ice, he made several nice passes. Nice assist. - Garrison was given the contract because he has a bomb from the point (supposedly). V didnt use him on the first unit PP, and now Torts has pulled him off of the first unit PP. Horrible accuracy especially when he needs to one time it. He always has to stop the puck first, which gives the defenders and the zamboni driver time to setup and block. Big disappointment per dollar. -If this team trades kesler they will need a face off specialist. I think if they can get 2 young impact roster players for Kesler they should do it. Guy does many things great, but also is a little selfish, he wrists the puck over the net and out the other way half a dozen times a game, and seems like a guy that isnt too personable. - If this team gets a top 6 or 7 pick this year they will set themselves up nicely. Horvat and Guance coming up, Kassian and Jensen continue to improve, Mathias could be that third line center this team has been sorely missing. Add a couple bright young players for Kesler and they will turn this around in quick fashion.
  21. I agree with this, plus they need to do something right this year - keep Gillis, Torts and co till the end of the season. They now need to follow through with this tanking so that they can land in the top 5 in the draft. If they start winning and make it to 9th or 10th we would be mimicking the calgary flames of the past years. Good enough not to get a great draft pick but bad enough not to make the playoffs. This year is a weak draft so they need to fall in to top 5 or 6 draft pick territory.
  22. That has to be one of the most humiliating regular season games in all of Canucks history. Sure they lost to the ducks 9-1, but the ducks were and still are a top nhl team. Allowing 7 goals in one period by a team that has been one of the worst in the nhl for about a decade, a team that was on the road and just lost to the oilers and flames, a team without its best player, a team that dressed 6 rookies ...it's inexcusable and downright humiliating. Utica could have performed better. Last time canucks allowed 7 goals in a period was 1985 vs one of the greatest nhl teams of all time - the Edmonton oilers. The islanders are probably still in disbelief - they even tied a Team record for most pp goals in a period. If this sorry cast of guys can make the islanders look like a powerhouse imagine how a good team will feast on them right now. If it wasn't for December they would be in the thick of it with the terrible oilers and hapless sabres for the first overall pick. Gms and coaches have been fired for less than what we have seen this year.
  23. You do have a point - but Erhoff got vastly overpaid to go to Buffalo. I think it was 9 million for his first year. I think we would be in deep trouble if the Canucks had to significantly over pay to get guys to come here. I just cant see any coveted UFA coming here with this mess going on. Anyhow, love your screen name and avatar. Deniro is the king (Pacino is pretty close too)!
  24. I have a chuckle when you guys talk about free agents. After seeing how this organization treats guys like Lou and Manny, and how this team has been the worst team in the NHL in 2014 which high profile high impact free agent is going to want to sign here? You think the Oilers and Flames have trouble attracting UFAs? This team will not be turned around via the UFA route. Hockey trades involving existing assets executed by someone whose name is not Gillis plus smart drafting and bringing in guys like Gaunce and hopefully Horvat is the only way out of this hole...
  25. Gillis cannot be allowed to make another trade or represent the org at the draft. This whole downturn and the fact that this team has turned into a joke rests on his shoulders. The goalie fiasco, trading a first round pick plus grabner for Ballard, treating manny and Lou like crap..he did not put together the core that had success in 2011. Get him out.
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