EternalCanuckFan
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Concern about EP is understandable although the calls to trade him are premature, IMHO. EP's struggles are frustrating especially after he missed most of camp. However, I would rather try EP at different forward positions to try to get him going than trade him at this point. If EP can't get anything going by the end of the season, then it's going to get interesting. I think the Canucks are stuck with seeing how EP plays out the rest of the season at which point it will be exceedingly interesting to see what the new management group does especially if he continues to struggle. My guess is that EP is more likely to be retained than to be traded, but if he starts out slow again next season, then all bets are off. This will also be affected by other trades though I'm not sure how much movement we'll see at or before the trade deadline given all the COVID chaos in the league. Overall however, 2022 could see some major changes with the team - I'm very intrigued to see if the new management team sees the team needing tweaks or major changes. If it's major changes, then it seems like the only "safe" guys are Demko and Hughes and they will probably be the expensive "veterans" for a future contending Canucks' roster.
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Tanner Pearson Is the Most Criminally Underrated Canuck
EternalCanuckFan replied to Rindiculous's topic in Canucks Talk
Pearson's play has been better this season and his play has probably improved since Boudreau took over. I don't think the problem with Pearson has ever been that he's a "bad" player. He's a very useful player and he has the capacity to produce at a helpful pace for most teams. In the season Pearson joined the Canucks and the following COVID shortened season, Pearson was legitimately a solid top-6/9 forward. The concern last year was that Pearson had regressed (in production) back to the 18/19 season when he was traded from LAK to PIT and then to VAN. Given Pearson's age and regression, I think there was genuine concern in his ability to bounce back this year. Pearson's not "old" by any means, but he's also at an age where many players start to decline. I think this, and both the timing of his re-signing and his cap hit (as pointed out by others), were why there were concerns about his new contract. It also just seemed like a strange prioritization since both Pettersson and Hughes needed new contracts too. I can understand the need to have stability in the locker room, especially after the changes in the 2020/2021 offseason, but it still seemed strange. Pearson's cap hit seems more reasonable now that he's producing at a 30-40 point pace but what if he regresses to a 15-20 point forward in the final 2-years of his contract? We'll enjoy it for now and I do hope Pearson can keep things going, but I can still understand the apprehension about Pearson and wouldn't necessarily consider him criminally underrated. Perhaps less underrated and more unappreciated for the things he does well when he's not producing. -
Crouse would be an intriguing add but in terms of roster composition, hard to see where he fits. Given Dickinson's use as a winger so far, if ARI likes him then maybe there could be a deal involving Dickinson for Crouse? I strongly doubt 1-for-1 would enough to pique Arizona's interest. Also, my recollection is that Crouse, while a good skater for his size, isn't as good a skater as Dickinson and is less versatile positionally (although he does play PK and PP). He's going to be due a fair pay raise as well if he continues his scoring pace for the remainder of the season. My guess is Crouse gets traded to a contender with expiring contracts this summer for futures. I would be surprised if a team was willing to give up a 1st for Crouse, but if he keeps up his scoring pace, then his acquisition cost might rise to that level - true power forwards with a scoring touch are still very rare.
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[Rumour] John Klingberg requests trade
EternalCanuckFan replied to -Vintage Canuck-'s topic in Trades, Rumours, Signings
He's a pending UFA this summer so I guess he just wants to go to a better situation earlier? His $4.25M cap hit will be hard for many teams to fit but not impossible. I wonder if Seattle would have interest (although I would imagine not much interest from Klingberg?). -
[Rumour] Canucks trying to trade Halak
EternalCanuckFan replied to VegasCanuck's topic in Trades, Rumours, Signings
I wonder if Tampa could have interest? Vasilevskiy will obviously play the bulk of the games, but Halak would be an upgrade on Elliot and both are expiring UFAs. Halak's bonus would probably be a turnoff for Tampa, but he would give them more insurance in net. Elliot would be a downgrade but he would at least be a serviceable backup for the Canucks for the remainder of the season. -
[Waivers] Victor Rask, Zane McIntyre
EternalCanuckFan replied to -Vintage Canuck-'s topic in Trades, Rumours, Signings
If Rask is taken on waivers, then would his $4M cap hit be prorated against the remaining cap space of his new team? As pointed out earlier, Rask is a pending UFA which might make him more attractive as a "free" asset if a team otherwise has cap space to absorb him. He has had a rough time in Minnesota. Although Rask did not seem to be trusted by Boudreau, he was drafted by Carolina when JR was their GM. Obviously a lot can change since that time, but maybe JR still likes him? Rask doesn't really fit with the team long term but he might be a good stop gap if the team makes some trades. I'm personally not expecting the Canucks to claim him but if they do, then that's going to be intriguing for what other moves the team will make in the next few months. -
Still very curious what JR is determining now that he has had more time to assess the roster and depth. He's still saying the same thing about where the Canucks are at, but very intrigued at what kinds of changes are already coming to mind for him. Miller has been the most productive player for the Canucks but he also makes the most sense to trade if JR and the new management team want to bring in younger players to supplement a core of Demko, Hughes and possibly Petey. The comments on Petey aren't anything new but they are also not a huge vote of confidence for him being a cornerstone player - he needs to prove again that he's that guy.
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[Report] Zach Senyshyn requests trade
EternalCanuckFan replied to -Vintage Canuck-'s topic in Trades, Rumours, Signings
My guess is Senyshyn is going to have to either wait to get plucked off waivers or complete his RFA years with BOS before trying to prove himself elsewhere. Unless the Canucks are high on him for some reason, I doubt there would be a deal there except maybe for a reclamation prospect of their own or a AHL veteran but, frankly, the AHL veterans have been more productive than Senyshyn and as far reclamation projects go, the Canucks actually don't have any (unless you include someone like Jasek who I would prefer the Canucks to keep under their control for now over a guy like Senyshyn). -
Pearson is the player whose $ and term makes the most sense to try and exchange for Kane. On paper it looks good but I do wonder how that would affect the locker room. A line of Kane-Miller-Boeser could be quite something however (if Kane is acquired and the Canucks don't trade one or more of Miller and Boeser of course). Whatever the case is, I am on board with kicking the tires on Kane but if the Canucks really do pursue this, then it might provide some insight into what they want to do with the current roster (i.e. give them more track to run with). Acquiring Kane only makes sense if it's cheap and they want to give the current core a chance to take a run in the next year (i.e. until the end of Miller's contract) but to do that then management would need to believe that this team has a genuine chance to take a run with relatively minor changes. This might make sense if management is trying to find the sweet spot between Demko's and Hughe's early prime years (especially considering Demko is already 26), the current prime years of guys like Miller, Boeser and Horvat, and the declining years of OEL and Myers, but this is far from a given.
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Kane is a huge gamble but if the Sharks really do retain 1/2 his salary and don't expect much of a return for him, it might be worth it. On the ice Kane is still very effective. Even with all the bankruptcy issues last year he still had a very good season. Of course, it doesn't sound like he endeared himself to his teammates, which is a concern, but there's no question that Kane is still a productive player. Even if Kane's production declines, at $3.5M it's not as painful. He's likely to remain a great skater for at least the remainder of his contract, and he's both not afraid and capable of playing the body. As you're eluding to, imagine if the Canucks acquire Kane and he is able to keep up his production while gaining some stability off ice, OEL starts to turn it around offensively (he's been quite good defensively this year), Myers continues his renaissance year, and all of the core starts to click at the same time (i.e. Hughes, Pettersson, Horvat, Boeser, Miller)? Combine this with Demko's ridiculous goaltending and I think there is a chance the team could take a magical run. It's not to say that Kane solves all the Canucks' problems - he would make the top-6/9 way more dangerous but there are still big questions, including long term ones. If JR and the new management team want to take a run now however, then acquiring Kane at a significantly reduced cost may not be terribly prohibitive and may not mortgage the future. Of course, if the Sharks want a 1st for Kane to retain half, then that's not a great deal, so the acquisition cost of Kane is a big part of this. If they're highly motivated to move him, then I personally think the Canucks should definitely be kicking the tires on this opportunity.
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I agree that Bailey has probably peaked at the level that he'll probably get to in pro hockey. He might still find a home on a 4th line somewhere, but will probably always straddle the NHL/AHL line. Happy to be wrong and maybe he'll be able to use his speed and size more effectively under Boudreau's system. At this point in Bailey's career though, if he can't really carve out a spot for himself on his next call up (if he gets one), then he'll probably have to try elsewhere again. I wonder if the Long term I think Lockwood has a solid chance to be a contributor with the team as long as he can stay healthy.
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[Discussion] JT Miller, is he tradeable?
EternalCanuckFan replied to HKSR's topic in Proposals and Armchair GM'ing
The other factor of Miller staying is the fact that Miller will be 30 when his current contract is up. Even if Miller wants to say, then how long does he want to stay for? Is Miller looking for an 8-year deal? At what AAV? How much longer can Miller maintain his level of play on his next contract? If Miller signs for $8.5M AAV, then even with the cap likely rising in the next few years, does that end up being good value and, again, for how long? If JR wants to go all in with the current group, then sure, keep Miller for this and next year. Miller's value may never be as high however. Considering JR already doesn't seem to think the Canucks are in a position to trade 1sts however, I am personally expecting Miller to at the very least be shopped aggressively. If the Canucks don't like the return and they keep winning, then sure, maybe they won't deal him this year. -
[Report] Canucks recall Madison Bowey
EternalCanuckFan replied to -Vintage Canuck-'s topic in Canucks Talk
Boudreau's last season with the Caps was 2011-2012 and Bowey was drafted in 2013 so I don't think there was any overlap. It's funny that I generally think of Boudreau with the Caps but that was about 10-years ago. -
[Report] Canucks recall Madison Bowey
EternalCanuckFan replied to -Vintage Canuck-'s topic in Canucks Talk
Didn't get a chance to watch the game. That is just... so typical for the Canucks. Brutal for Brisebois. -
Chychrun's acquisition price is going to be impacted just as much by the competition there will be to acquire him as much as his actual potential. Chychrun had a genuinely impressive season last year. Maybe not $9M AAV impressive, but considering how bad the Coyotes were, it was a bit of a coming out party for Chychrun. If Arizona is really shopping Chychrun, then I think there's going to be A LOT of interest in him throughout the league, especially at his AAV and remaining term. If Byram was healthier, then I wonder if Colorado would be willing to deal him in a package for Chychrun. It would give them a ridiculous top-6 D although the cap hit of their D core would be enormous. I would be surprised if the Canucks either have the pieces Arizona wants or have the stomach to actual give up those pieces without messing up the current and future roster. What I would be curious about is if the Canucks could be a 3rd wheel on a deal between Arizona and another team where the Canucks could acquire some young blue chip prospects for a lesser price to help facilitate the deal. Usually that happens with teams that can provide cap relief but if the Canucks move out a guy like Miller or Boeser, then perhaps that might be a piece that is interesting enough to either Arizona or the other team to help balance out the overall deal and yield some value for the Canucks that they would not otherwise be able to extract.
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I think Smyl's new role should be a good fit for the Canucks. Not surprising that Johnson and the Sedins have been retained. I wonder if the Canucks are going to have one of the largest management teams in the league? 1 Pres, 1 VP, 1 GM and probably 3 AGMs just for the Canucks. Since the farm team has shared ownership and is directly overseen by the Canucks, the Abby management team isn't necessarily that separate from the NHL management team.
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[Report] Canucks recall Guillaume Brisebois
EternalCanuckFan replied to -Vintage Canuck-'s topic in Canucks Talk
Pretty sure Rathbone is still not healthy even though he is travelling with the Abby Canucks. He would presumably have been the call-up if he was healthy, even though I think Brisebois deserves this call up. -
[Report] Canucks recall Guillaume Brisebois
EternalCanuckFan replied to -Vintage Canuck-'s topic in Canucks Talk
For the longest time, Brisebois has seemed like one of those guys who could probably be a depth D in the NHL but never really stood out and also never really got a chance to test the waters in the NHL. While I get the desire to sign reliable veterans even for depth, it also makes sense to me to give young prospects a chance to test their mettle in the NHL. In the few games Brisebois played, he didn't seem out of place even if it was only in limited minutes. For those who have watched Brisebois more closely, what are the most significant drawbacks to his game that would keep him out of the NHL? Based on what I have seen, nothing really stands out about Brisebois so I can see why it might have been hard for him to catch the coaches eye, but he has pretty much been a reliable, steady defensive D every year he has played in the minors. I'm not advocating for Brisebois to be a regular but with all the injury trouble the Canucks have had over the years, especially on D, it was always a little surprising that Brisebois got very little opportunity. It's not terribly unusual in the NHL by any means, but the Canucks are going to need to give their young players a chance to contribute even in depth roles, especially as more of their cap space is taken up by their young core. -
[Discussion] Acquire Jason Zucker?
EternalCanuckFan replied to 86Viking's topic in Proposals and Armchair GM'ing
No interest in giving up assets for Zucker right now. If the deal was something like Pearson for Zucker then maybe some interest, but again that cap hit sucks even if there is one year less on that contract. Zucker's still a good skater and might still be able to contribute as a top-9 player but he seems to have declined and is not worth his current $5.5M AAV. If Zucker's available as a free agent for a reasonable cap hit, then maybe, but that depends on the overall make up of the Canucks' roster. I would be more curious at the acquisition costs of younger players from teams that may either be in the market to add for a cup run or revamp their teams like: Sam Steel (ANA), Tyson Jost (COL), Alex Newhook (COL), Justin Barron (COL), Kristian Vesalainen (WPG), Ryan Suzuki (CAR), Braden Schneider (NYR), Vitali Kravtsov (NYR - possible pipe dream) especially if the Canucks end up moving some significant pieces (e.g. Miller) but also depending on what roles management identifies as areas to focus for upgrade. -
[Report] Canucks hire Derek Clancey as assistant GM
EternalCanuckFan replied to -Vintage Canuck-'s topic in Canucks Talk
Derek Clancey was presumably a part of many of the trades involving pro players that the Penguins made during Rutherford's tenure. I presume that doesn't include Marino since I'm pretty sure he was still in College when they acquired him. A bit of a mixed bag of trades: Zucker hasn't really panned out nor did Galchenyuk (who was part of their package to acquire Zucker), although Zucker is still a decent top-9 forward (but overpaid). Rodrigues was a decent pick up although they did trade him to TOR in the Kapanen trade before re-signing him. Pettersson and Matheson (notwithstanding how much Canucks fans might hate him) were decent acquisitions though. There many more trades but those are the only guys who are still with the team. Many other players were acquired and then let go. It will be interesting to see if the Canucks will be as active in the trade market. Rutherford's group made a few large deals but also many smaller ones so we could see a fair bit movement in the supporting players (including in Abbotsford) if the Rutherford's (and now Clancey's) history with the Penguins provide any indication of what we could expect. -
I think Dickinson could still be a solid top-9 forward, most likely as a winger who can fill in on C (rather than the other way around). IMHO, Dickinson needs to catch a break or two and then we'll see some confidence return, at least in the offensive zone. He has not had the season that I'm sure anyone hoped for and he seems like the kind of guy who will take the weight of that on his shoulders - essentially he "failed" in the role that Benning and Green assigned to him. Boudreau giving him a new role is a great opportunity for him, especially if the role plays to his strengths. The universal assessment of Dickinson is that he put up elite defensive numbers as a forward with the Stars - there were always question marks about his ability to play C however. Dickinson's new role looks to be serving as the defensive conscience on Horvat's line who can use his speed and size on the forecheck and who has the skills to contribute on offence on that line. It pairs well with Horvat and Hoglander and I think we could see some offensive production out of Dickinson once bounces go more his way. I get why the Canucks tried to give Dickinson a lot of runway to play 3C but it was becoming clear very quickly that the position, for whatever reason, did not play to his strengths. Adjustments weren't made until Boudreau came in. Who knows how much longer the Canucks can keep this win streak going, but it's nice to see the players have more fun and exhibit more confidence again. The same goes for Dickinson - hopefully he'll be on of the next guys we talk about as having a turn around this season.
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[Report] Canucks recall Phillip Di Giuseppe
EternalCanuckFan replied to -Vintage Canuck-'s topic in Canucks Talk
It's probably about time that Di Giuseppe got a call up. He had a good pre-season. I was genuinely surprised when he was sent down to the Abbotsford. I think there's a reasonable chance Di Giuseppe sticks with the team for the remainder of the season. I can see him fitting well in Boudreau's system. -
I agree that Drance can be a bit smug which is what I think takes away from some of his more reasonable takes on things, especially when they deal with negative circumstances. Drance is also incredibly active on social media and media generally that there's probably a bit of overexposure that is negatively impacting him also. It's not all bad for Canucks media though. Personally I think Ryan Biech joining the Canucks was quite a loss for Canucks media. Satiar Shah and Harman Dayal often provide reasonable takes.
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Rutherford Press Conference on Dec. 13, 2021.
EternalCanuckFan replied to JamesB's topic in Canucks Talk
Bo fits better into a young core as he's at least a couple years younger than Miller although Horvat would probably be the "old man" of the young core. Miller is probably most value right now given his point per game scoring pace over the last three years and the fact that if a team acquires him for a cup run this year, they could get 2 cup runs with him at a very reasonable cap hit (for his level of production). The problem with trading either of them however is that the Canucks basically have nothing in the pipeline to replace them. Sutter's long COVID problems, while terrible, should not have had such a terrible impact on the team. Dickinson's inability to play C was a gamble that went sideways. Even trading one of them would require the Canucks to get a C in return either for them, for another asset, or in FA.