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EternalCanuckFan

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Everything posted by EternalCanuckFan

  1. Nice inclusion of Jack Hughes :P. Hard to say as it's still so far away and there could be more personnel movement in the meantime. I think it's safe to assume you're right about Pettersson, Horvat, Boeser, Hughes (if he has to be protected) and Eriksson (no choice unless the Canucks can trade him somehow) though. I have a feeling that by the time expansion comes around, there may be different sentiments about everyone else. Personally, I would like the Canucks to retain Jake but who knows what happens in the intervening time before the expansion draft. Same with Juolevi and Gaudette. I think it's reasonable to assume that they will be protected, but if there are any "young core" guys who might be exposed, it could be them especially if the Canucks acquire veteran forwards or D who would take precedence over any of them.
  2. His production in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons leaves room for hope that he can produce in the right situation. He has definitely spent little time playing the last couple of seasons but he still seems to be a good contributor whenever he gets into the line-up. Looking forward to seeing how he can gel with the Canucks. I think it could take the rest of the season to surmise what future he may have here (even if he has a hot start). Can't hurt to add a guy like him though.
  3. Sending Gaudette down makes the most sense. He can benefit a great deal from better minutes with Utica. Gagner is still a candidate as well but he's actually been playing OK. It's better for the Canucks to keep him up and perhaps find a trade partner for him by the TDL than to send him back to the Marlies. Good to have Beagle back. Hopefully Gaudette can take what he has been learning and hone it with Utica so that he'll come back on fire next time.
  4. I suppose Beagle's return will allow Green to give Pettersson and Gaudette more offensive starts hence the shift of Goldobin and Jake to Gaudette's wing. Assuming Schaller is in and Motte is out, my guess is Leivo will start the game on Beagle's wing but could get opportunities with Horvat, Gaudette or Pettersson throughout the night. Could also see Schaller sitting and Motte slotting in. My guess is management may prefer to play Schaller over Motte most nights (even if the eye test doesn't go so well for Schaller) because he's a bigger body. I don't think Schaller deserves it at this point, but if he got his game going, then he could be a solid bottom 6 winger who can hopefully help to win board battles. Among other depth guys, the acquisition of Leivo should put Schaller on alert.
  5. If the Canucks were able to acquire Bobrovsky, Bachman might be pushed down to the ECHL next year if Dipietro makes the jump and backs up Demko. I don't see the Canucks being able to woo Bobrovsky though. He's going to be looking for term and I don't think the team will have the stomach to give him that unless they don't feel that Demko will be a #1 or if they're confident that they're entering a window of opportunity for their young players to make a run.
  6. I think the Canucks will let Dahlen mature in the minors for as long as he is waiver exempt or "breaks down the doors" to join the NHL roster. It's good to see Dahlen's progress. Giving Dahlen more time will give the Canucks more time to decide what to do with Goldobin. While there's no guarantee that Dahlen would be competing directly with Goldobin, I presume Dahlen is the natural player to be next-in-line positionally after Goldobin. Goldobin's a RFA next summer so the Canucks aren't in danger of losing his rights for at least another year but he'll have to solidify his position on the roster in that time frame since he already requires waivers. I can't recall when Dahlen loses his waiver exemption but my guess is that so long as Dahlen is waiver exempt, Goldobin is a bit "safe" but he's got to solidify his spot on the team not only by showcasing his skill with Pettersson but with producing and playing both ends well. If not, I can see the Canucks moving on from Goldobin.
  7. It was nice to see Gaunce get rewarded with 2-points last night. It would be even better to see Gaunce play well enough in this stint to stick on the roster. At this point in Gaunce's career, this has to be one of the last opportunities he may have to establish himself as a regular in the NHL. Having observed Gaunce's development since he was drafted, it's probably still an outside chance that he will impress during this call-up BUT it's hard to deny that he has improved his game over the years and, to be frank, he has pretty much done everything asked of him by Canucks management. Gaunce will never win a skating competition, but his skating has improved. He toiled on the wing for most of the years of his development when he is a natural center and never really put up a complaint. I'm glad to see Gaunce is finally getting a shot at center and who knows, maybe this will give him a shot of confidence and allow him to showcase his skillset to a greater degree. If Gaunce does well enough on this call-up that the team is reluctant to demote him, then I could see the team waiving Leipsic. Sure Leipsic has a skillset that is unique in the Canucks system, but so far, that skill set doesn't seem to have translated into confidence from the coaching staff that he will help the team win. Gaunce's ability to play center (how well he plays the position at the NHL level is still to be determined) and be a safe defensive winger might give the edge over Leipsic moving forward. It creates a bit of redundancy but if he can contribute on the score sheet as well, then maybe that redundancy is not so bad. Again, it's great to see Gaunce get a chance at the center ice position and I hope he can make the most of it. It's always nice to see draft picks succeed.
  8. Gaudette looks like he's starting to "get it". It's been nice to see. Hopefully Gaudette can have a confidence building game tonight with more responsibility.
  9. Jake's goal is an example of what he can bring. Few guys can keep up with him. That said, I think he needs to crash the net in traffic more. It's not often that he's going to get a partial break like that. Hopefully it helps to build his confidence moving forward.
  10. I have to give credit to Senator Jeff Flake for making the demand that he did. Now, one week to investigate isn't a great deal of time to do anything, but an investigation has to be warranted given that the testimonies of both Kavanaugh and Ford were unhelpful with arriving any closer to the truth. It's impossible to know if we'll ever really know what exactly happened. I'm not dismissing Ford's story - I think her story provides credible grounds to conduct an investigation which is what should have been done from the moment her story was shared instead of this political merry-go-round that the world is being forced to witness.
  11. Would love to see Goldobin make the jump this season. He's an enigmatic guy but he really has improved his game since the beginning of last season. If he can keep that up this pre-season, I think he has to make the team.
  12. I thought Hutton played well. Tanev wasn't as steady as he usually was either so it's hard to fault Hutton for his gaffe. Would have liked to have seen all of the D shoot more as the D still do not seem to present much danger. Hutton's got all of pre-season to show that he still belongs. I think Hutton will do it. Still, even if Hutton improves this season, there's a chance that the Canucks will move him at the deadline or next summer if Juolevi shows that he's ready.
  13. I think Jake definitely has a chance to improve his numbers this year. There's only one other comparable on that list - Miles Wood - who, if I'm not mistaken, has played up and down the NJ Devils line up. Jake's way more of a shooter than a passer but if he can improve that area of his game, he should start to accumulate more points. Jury is still out on whether Jake will be a big point producer but he should be a good contributor either way.
  14. Unless Motte gives management no other choice, I can't see him making the team out of camp due to his waiver exemption. Even if Motte really impresses, I could see management moving him to Utica first and then trying to trade someone like Granlund, Leipsic or Gagner to make room for Motte.
  15. Would definitely love to see Gaunce take the next step in his development and win a spot out of training camp. To be frank however, Gaunce has already played a good chunk of two seasons at the NHL level and while he did seem to have some progress last season, the results have not really come. Gaunce seems to be a slow developing player who eventually makes the jump but given the competition at camp, I think he will need to really impress to be able to beat out anyone. Gaunce's main advantages are versatility as he can play wing and center. He's generally been a good faceoff man but he hasn't really been used in that capacity very much at the NHL level. Gaunce is a responsible defensive player and has improved his skating since being drafted. The main drawbacks with Gaunce are that though he has a history of having the skill to produce, he just hasn't produced at the NHL level. There have been glimpses of Gaunce's offensive skills but nothing consistent. Additionally, though Gaunce is versatile, the Canucks have really pushed him as a winger and haven't really given him much opportunity at center. I think there's pretty much zero chance that Gaunce makes the team as a center, even with one of those positions being open. Pettersson and Gaudette will get a strong look at center before Gaunce ever does, and even if they don't make the cut now, the Canucks will probably play Sutter for now and then open up spots for them will in the future. Gaunce will have to make the team as a winger, most likely in the bottom-6, and that means beating out: Roussel, Schaller, Leipsic and Granlund. I personally think Gaunce will be hard pressed to do this, even if I otherwise like Gaunce. At the end of the day, I think the Canucks will try to keep Gaunce for depth in Utica. There's a very strong chance that Gaunce could be plying his trade with another team in the NHL this season which could be good for him. It's good that the Canucks have this level of competition even if it's sad to see some guys have to move-on when we have been following them for several years.
  16. I'm pretty sure it's true that there's a minimum increase in salary that is due under the RFA regime if Pouliot is qualified. Still, a little strange that they're signalling that they're content to let him go. Pouliot had his struggles but he also holds quite a bit of potential. At the same time, I can see them signalling to Pouliot that he really needs to be ready to compete for a spot this season and that they are serious in giving Juolevi and even Hughes a chance at camp. This is the easiest way to open up a spot for one of those two (assuming that Hughes actually ends up signing a contract). Between losing Pouliot and Hutton, it makes more sense to lose Pouliot IMHO. I'm wondering if they tried shopping Pouliot at all.
  17. Canes paid for Hamilton. Ferland gives them better depth. Fox is a solid prospect especially with their D core changing substantially since my understanding is that Faulk is on his way out. Their own D looks decent with Hamilton joining Slavvin and Pesce in the top-4. Hard to read the Canes heading into next season but they might show better in the next couple of seasons. Pretty amazing that they'll have Svechnikov and Aho in their top-6. For the Flames, Hanifin could exceed Hamilton but he may also top out at Hamilton (including d-zone problems) or be less effective. Considering that the Canes seem to have been fairly aggressive about shopping him, they must be convinced that he will not make the jump. Hanifin's worth a gamble at his age but the Canes giving up on him this early has to be a concern. Hanifin might be a better fit into the group of D that the Flames have though I'm still unsure what the problem was with Hamilton. To me, Lindholm is the big win for Calgary. I think there were some criticisms about him being a soft player, but there is no doubt that he has a lot of talent. He's a potent addition to the Flames top-6. My guess is that the Flames feel like their window is within the next 2-4 years with Gaudreau and Monahan in their primes. Giordano is already starting to get up there in years. Their Achilles heel will remain goaltending however. Smith is an improvement over Johnson as a starter but he's still inconsistent.
  18. Madden seems like a solid 3rd round pick. Has quite a bit of development to do. One thing the Canucks are showing is that they're not afraid about the NCAA developmental route. It might help that they have guys like Boeser and Gaudette.
  19. I can see Archibald getting term with a reasonable raise but with the understanding that he still has to fight for a roster spot and could be waived to Utica. Unless Archibald gets a great alternative offer (which is possible), that would be fair for both the Canucks and for Archibald since he would get a chance with the Canucks or with another NHL team before being sent to Utica. Archibald played well down the stretch and fills a 4th line roll reasonably well except for being a deterrent against other teams taking liberties on the Canucks' skilled players (which the Canucks are lacking).
  20. Interesting. Leipsic seemed fine in games where there was more flow but it's not surprising that in a tight checking game, he would be far less noticeable. Question is whether Leipsic can still do the things he needs to without the puck to help the team. Never heard Hirsch's comments but it would seem that he doesn't think so.
  21. If Gaudette makes the team next season, I see ice time breaking down as follows (based on centers): Horvat (16-18 minutes most nights) Sutter (16-18 minutes most nights in a shutdown role) Gagner or Granlund (14-16 minutes most nights in a secondary scoring role, provided that Granlund is re-signed) Gaudette (12-14 minutes most nights in a tertiary scoring role) I'm pretty sure that it's a foregone conclusion that Horvat's line will be the primary offensive threat on the roster next season. Presumably this means that Boeser will play with him. If Baertschi is re-signed and not traded, then he'll probably round out the top offensive line. I see Green rolling Sutter out to shut down other teams' top lines which means that he's going to get top minutes most nights. Although Archibald (if he's re-signed) played admirably with Sutter down the stretch, it's premature to expect him to handle those minutes in an 82 game season. My guess is that everyone's favorite whipping boy Eriksson will ride shotgun with Sutter for most of the season (if everyone stays healthy) and that this will help to shelter the young guys. Unless the Canucks sign a FA center or trade for another one, I presume either Gagner or Granlund will center a secondary scoring line (maybe with Goldobin, Virtanen or whoever is not playing center). For Granlund, this would mean that he's both re-signed and taken away from a shutdown role with Sutter (which he might end up back in next season on the wing). I'm not convinced that Gagner can carry a line at center but the Canucks don't have too many options. Unless Pettersson blows away the competition in training camp, I can't see them putting both Pettersson and Gaudette in the line-up next season. I think this is why there's likely smoke to the rumors about Tyler Bozak being a target this summer as he is a way better faceoff man than either Gagner or Granlund (which frankly makes him a better center IMHO). Problem is with dollars and term for Bozak. A less notable option may be a guy like Derek Ryan who is a UFA from Carolina but he's maybe a 35-40 point guy at best but he's a solid faceoff man and is a veteran pro (kind of like Richardson was). Riley Nash may also be an OK fit but he's less able on the dot. That leaves Gaudette and his line (maybe a combination of Leipsic, Virtanen and/or Gaunce) to play against lesser competition in an offensive role and to build confidence. That would give the Canucks four lines that won't necessarily get steamrolled when everyone's healthy. The challenge for management is going to be bringing in enough depth to deal with the inevitable slew of injuries that the Canucks get every season. They got burned this year with Burmistrov (who I think would have received a lot of opportunity to get the playing time he was looking for with all of the injuries the Canucks suffered had he toughed it out) Gaunce could be the depth forward or be a call up option as I'm not expecting him to get claimed if waived. The fact that Gaunce is a natural center also makes him more valuable as a depth forward. He hasn't lit the world on fire during his tenure with the Canucks but there have been flashes of skill, especially later on in the season, that make it seem like Gaunce might have a bit more to show. Hopefully he has a good summer of training! All in all, I think it's feasible for Gaudette to be on the team next season but I'm not against him spending the year in Utica either (even if it burns another year of his ELC), particularly if it means that Utica really becomes a development team with Pettersson, Dahlen, Lind, Gadjovich and Gaudette. That would be amazing and would make seeing anyone of them on a call up all the more exciting.
  22. I think it's a fair criticism of Hutton that though his underlying analytics were strong, his production was way off where anyone would have hoped for it to be. In Hutton's first year, his skating and stick handling seemed decent but for whatever reason, he seemed to have trouble with coordination this year. I didn't watch every game that he played but whenever I did, Hutton would have some solid plays but he would also seem to regularly misplay the puck and skate himself into odd ice positions without the ability to recover. I'm sure it didn't help coming in and out of the line-up and playing with a variety of D partners but I presume all young defencemen need to be able to play effectively through those challenges. It seems likely that Hutton will be on the trading block this summer and maybe a fresh start will help to rejuvenate him. I would be content with him being kept on next season though the Canucks still need to bring in more depth at D anyway. There's a lot to like about Hutton's game but it needs to come together (which there is precedent for in his rookie season) and, unfortunately, this season it looked like his game took a step back.
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