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EternalCanuckFan

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Everything posted by EternalCanuckFan

  1. I agree that Jake needs time to develop discipline and structure in his game. Still, I do hope that his instincts aren't undermined. He needs to learn how to apply his instincts into the structured pro game.
  2. This is what I saw him as from the start. If he can get to that level, I think we can call him a success. Not what one hopes for from a top 6 pick, but those are impact players in one way or another. Hopefully Boeser will be the major point producer. Virtanen can still improve beyond this but I wouldn't be too disappointed.
  3. Interesting. Guess they really want to help Etem transition with someone he knows (Vey). From what I understand, JV and Etem are both fast physical players although JV is probably more dominant physically. I hope Vey can win some faceoffs.
  4. Curious if they'll try JV and Etem on the same line on their off-wings. I'm pretty sure JV played LW in his draft year. Etem plays either wing but I believe he played RW with the Tigers. I could see them trying a line of JV - Vey - Etem with Higgins now no longer expected to be with the team.
  5. An article discusses how Travis Green was allowing Cole Cassels to train and play at a "college schedule" in order to ease him in to the pros. I would not have minded if that's how JV was ushered in and would not mind that strategy from this time on, for at least a few weeks. One of the things the Comets have done is acknowledged the fact that most juniors don't have the stamina for the pros, at least not over the long term. JV has been OK but why not use him sparingly at first and then insert him into situations where he is given free reign to be creative offensively. His D game has proven to be decent so I see that as one way to develop his O game. After awhile he can be slotted in more regularly.
  6. I don't have a problem with how Virtanen is playing in the World Juniors so far. He does need to put up numbers eventually but it can take awhile to develop chemistry at the WJC. He's not a pure skill guy and his game seems to be generating chances from defensive breakdowns off his forecheck. It's not like he has gone overboard with his physical play either penalizing his team He may need to adapt himself a bit to his linemates' styles of play but he also has to play his game to develop confidence.
  7. I think Gaunce has a legitimate shot to get NHL time next season but I don't think he will be a full time guy unless the Canucks trade at least 2 wingers and don't replace them through those trades or through free agency. I think Kenins still has a leg up on Gaunce as well. Kenins is not expected to develop into a top 6 guy. Although he has shown skill, I think what will keep him in the league is showing that he can play a consistent physical game. Kenins is also easier to healthy scratch if needed. My partial line up is: Sedin - Sedin - 1RW Baertschi - Bonino - Vrbata 3LW - Horvat - Hansen 4LW - 4C - Dorsett 1RW: could be filled by Kass, Burr or Vrbata from current roster guys. Grenier and Virtanen are longshots IMO. Depends on trades. 3LW: could be Burr or Higgins, even Baer. Kenins played well with Horvat but will be interesting to see his training camp. Gaunce has a shot too but there may be too much veteran competition. 4LW: Higgins, if he is not traded. Kenins would be a strong candidate as well. Gaunce has a chance to slip in here I think but it's less likely IMO. 4C: Vey for now. I'm not a Vey hater but I would be shocked if he is kept as a bottom six center based purely on his inability to win faceoffs. Not sure who could legitimately challenge for position from within. Cassels will have a big jump to make but I guess it's possible. Friesen is a possibility too IMO but I think they'll probably try sign someone.
  8. Irrespective of how I feel about that trade package, I don't think Buffalo can afford to lose more salary... This trade wouldn't make sense cap wise unless the Canucks are also dumping a contract like Burrows' (not that I'm advocating for a Burrows trade).
  9. Luongo should have been traded long ago. He was great in his time here and will be remembered as one of the best goalies, if not the best goalie, in franchise history (until someone supplants him). Looking ONLY at the the current circumstances, I don't mind the return that the Canucks got for Lu. If his contract was truly near impossible to move, I like this deal better than Toronto's offer of Scrivens and their 1st last year. Markstrom is younger and has more potential than Scrivens. Matthias potentially solves the Canucks' need for a 3rd line center or, at the very least, a big body who can skate and who has some offensive upside. If the Canucks buy-out Booth, Matthias could serve as the 3rd line LWer if they decide not to play him at center. Looking at the deal in the grand scheme of things however, despite having a gem like Horvat, the return from Schneider and Lu seems like such a waste.
  10. If the Canucks trade with Toronto, my guess is that Reilly would be preferred over Gardiner.
  11. I can only imagine that there's a deal being worked out otherwise this is pretty ridiculous. Don't get me wrong - I like Lack and I think he has played well but if Lui is the Canucks #1, he should be treated as such. I can't think of who would be in the market for Lu. He's a good goalie but unless the price tag is a lot lower, he still seems unmovable.
  12. Sutter, 1st, 3rd and Despres/Dumoulin would be terrible. I don't mind the inclusion of Sutter as I think he would actually be a fair addition to the Canucks, but the entire package doesn't add up to the worth of Kesler. Considering Kes' cap hit, his age and his resume, Despres/Dumoulin should be Maata and the 3rd should be changed to another 1st rd pick or Beau Bennett. With Letang injured though, that will lower the odds of the Canucks getting Maata.
  13. It may really be Kes. Someone suggested Philly and I think that would actually be a good fit for him. They signed him to an offer-sheet years ago. Philly has some pieces that would be good for the Canucks too. If the Canucks deal a top 4 D, what are the odds that the Canucks acquire the Schenn brothers for Kes? Luke Schenn would add a lot of physicality to our D but I'm not sure if his skating ability would make him a good fit for Torts' style. Also, if Couturier and Brayden Schenn are both available and I could only pick one, I'm not sure who I would pick. I'm also not sure you could go wrong with either guy but I am inclined to go with Couturier.
  14. I guess Kes can focus now on resting up and playing hard for the rest of the NHL season (and possibly playoffs).
  15. If Gaunce can at least improve his first three strides and also work on his overall power, he should have as good of a chance as any in the NHL. I did note how slow he appeared when I watched the Canucks play in pre-season but his game didn't seem to revolve around him being a puck carrier as much as being in the right places. He obviously knows where to be - if he can add the ability to get there faster and overpower guys when needed, he should be just fine.
  16. I really hope it's not Edler for Franzen straight up... If the Canucks have to take Franzen back for cap reasons but also walk out of the deal with a top prospect, I would do it. Franzen's contract is pretty bad for its length but he's a great power forward when healthy. Anyone else remember when Magnus Arvedsson came to the Canucks and joined the Sedin line? That line was starting to get hot until he suffered what I remember to be a career ending injury. The biggest question about Franzen moving forward is whether he's going to be healthy enough.
  17. I for one am very interested in what happens with the team over the next month. I suspect most changes will occur in the off-season but I can't help but wonder if we could still see at least one major alteration by the deadline. I don't now how I would feel about the Canucks trading Hamhuis. I can see trading Edler, or even Garrison, but not both - I know a lot of people have cited their poor defensive play and while they have both struggled at times (or often...), I don't think the Canucks can afford to lose both of those weapons from the point. But Hamhuis? He has struggled at times this season but has otherwise been steady. Still, if the Canucks can bring in some major talent by trading Hamhuis and/or Edler/Garrison, it has to be considered.
  18. The trade is pretty fair for both teams. Weise may get a bigger opportunity in Montreal. Diaz is a reasonable puck mover. It will be interesting to see what happens if all of the Canucks' D get healthy. My guess is Alberts will be waived and demoted (and Corrado will obviously be sent back down) and then one of Diaz or Weber will be scratched. This could, of course, be a precursor to a trade, but I'm not going to hold my breath for one.
  19. If the Canucks plan to move Kes to RW with the Sedins, getting ROR might actually work. I'm not sure if he'd be worth the asking price and his salary, but he has been a solid point producing (if not particularly spectacular) two-way center since entering the league. I know he's not the main center on his line but he does seem to take many of the faceoffs when shorthanded which implies that he's entrusted with many of the most dangerous defensive situations. I might be wrong on that. I'm not familiar with ROR but I hope he's a center that has vision and ability to set up linemates. Sedin Sedin Kes Burr ROR Kass Higgins 3C 3RW Sestito Richardson 4RW 3C could be filled by Horvat, Gaunce, Schroeder or Dalpe next season. Santorelli is also a possibility. 3RW could be filled by Hansen (if he's not traded), Dalpe or even Santorelli if he is re-signed. 4RW would most likely be filled by Weise or Hansen (but he'd be an expensive 4th liner at $2.5M). Could also be filled by a FA acquisition. The Canucks could have several natural centers playing out of position which will give them flexibility. The question is what in the world happens on D if the Canucks trade a Dman for ROR.
  20. I don't see the Sedins leaving unless they say they want to leave which I also don't see happening. That said, I wonder if management is in a bit of a dilemma. The Sedins have embraced Torts' approach but what's not so clear is whether they are themselves capable of being productive players under his system (especially with their increased minutes). I personally have a greater appreciation for AV's bench management when he was here, even if he didn't show the same kind of intensity as Torts. They are hard to move, however, since they have always been seen as a package and a team would have to take $14M in annual salary for the next 4 years. If the Canucks trade them for a blue chip prospect, my guess is that the other team would also force Vancouver to take back salary just to make it work. Kes, on the other hand, is easier to move. I think he is a far better fit in Torts' system however (especially if his minutes can be scaled back a bit). Kes isn't producing as much (or as consistently) as fans would like but I think this is closer to what I would expect from him regularly rather than his 71+ point seasons. He brings far more to the team than just point production (when healthy) and I would be satisfied if he can produce 50-60 points while eating up the toughest minutes. He may still have a few 60+ point seasons in him. What's not certain about Kes is whether he'll be able to stay healthy. So what to do? If there's any forward in the core that's going to go I'm thinking it's Kes. The Sedins are too hard to move and what has been different this season is Burrows' lack of production and injuries. If management believes that Burr will bounce back next year with the Sedins (and they have looked decent when they have been lined up together - makes you appreciate Burr's $2M salary during his best years), I see them keeping that line and just allowing them to anchor the offence (even if they are on the decline) while the young guys are given opportunities to sink or swim. The bottom 3 lines and especially the fourth line should be played more to take down some of the Sedins' minutes. Add to this possible trades involving the D (most likely Edler but who knows who else might be available) and the Canucks may look quite different next season. I think Stanton's safe if only because of his low salary and steady play (particularly with Bieksa). Tanev may be traded but I think the management would be seeking a significant return if they were to part with him. Otherwise I think most other guys are fair game. If Edler is in fact dealt, I don't see the Canucks dealing Garrison mainly because that would remove two of their biggest weapons on the point. Between the two, Garrison has been steadier over the past two seasons (which says how badly Edler has played). Hamhuis is an interesting situation...
  21. It depends on where the team wants to be in the short term. It's unlikely that the Canucks have the pieces to acquire an established "true leader" who can carry the team offensively (or defensively). I'm not sure that the Canucks even have the prospect pool to acquire a guy like that. The only guy I can see netting a proven leader and consistent contributor is Horvat and maybe Shinkaruk or Gaunce and it seems like management is putting its foot down about not trading these guys. The Canucks do have guys that may be able to bring blue chip prospects (guys who are very likely to succeed) however and I think that's what some people are getting at. Guys like Kesler, Hamhuis and Edler may draw a lot of interest (but for their no trades). For teams that have blue chippers but who are in a position to contend now (and on the the up trend), having one of those guys might put them over the top. I'm not sure if Luongo will be dealt now seeing as the window was biggest when Schneider was on the upswing. If Luongo is dealt, I think we can officially call it a rebuild. Lu has played well this season and although his last few games haven't been hot, the whole team is struggling. He's a workhorse goalie that still gives his team a chance to win every night and if he is dealt (and without a top flight goalie coming back), it will be clear that the team is changing directions. If it happens, we better hope Eddie Lack can be a solid #1 goaltender (and would want to stay if the Canucks struggle) or that Joacim Eriksson can translate his AHL success to the NHL (he has really battled back after the Comets' terrible start). If the Canucks are really re-tooling or rebuilding, it will be interesting to see how much space they clear for their top prospects and how they bring them up. I don't see too much happening this season, more so in the offseason.
  22. It's not clear what the problem is with the team right now but if we take a look at the team over the last 2 years, the team has definitely been on the downward trend and not solely because of the bottom 6. I do think fatigue is an issue right now - and it is only making the underlying problems of a lack of playmaking ability from before worse. When I see the Canucks now, it reminds me of what they were like before 2009/2010. It never seemed like the team could string more than one or two passes together. At the time, they were also a terrible face-off team. They hit their peak in 2010/2011 obviously and I do believe that it could have been sustained had Manny Malhotra not suffered his eye injury. The Canucks were almost a perfectly balanced team, especially after they acquired Higgins and Lapierre. Since then, the Canucks have started to go back to being a team that just doesn't seem to be able to create offensively. Their emphasis on controlled o-zone entries is great if you aren't reliant on skating the puck in all the time. At their best this season, they have been heavy on the puck during puck retrieval on dump-ins but that takes a lot of energy, especially when only rolling 3 lines. You cover a lot more ground in a much faster time with good passes which it no longer seems our team is that capable of. I think this is one reason why Schroeder has looked good in his return - he's one of the few forwards that seems to be able to dish and receive passes at speed. How do they fix this in the short term? I don't know. I think some rest (especially for the top 6 - but wait, they're going to Sochi) will go a long way to helping this team. A big part of me feels like the coaching staff just needs to play the 4th line until they work out the kinks. If they cost you a few goals, chew them out, hopefully they learn, and hopefully your top 6 will have the extra energy to get a goal back. The bigger issue is the long term - can they rebuild this team while also trying to remain a playoff team? It's possible but seems unlikely. Even teams like Anaheim missed the playoffs every now and then but when combined with strong drafting and a few reliable stalwarts on the team (Getzlaf/Perry and Koivu; they have also been lucky that Selanne has continued to play well), they have remained competitive.
  23. I think that was the concern. It wouldn't just have been worry about the Sedins getting jumped. They could get slashed, crosschecked, charged, etc. By Hartley's admission, those 4th line guys were put out there to "bring some energy". While that doesn't necessarily mean fighting, it certainly doesn't mean that those guys were going to mesmerize with their skill. A big hit on a Sedin (clean or dirty) would just have easily led to the brawl. It was also telling that Kevin Westgarth didn't even bother taking the face-off. He grabbed Bieksa right away. That could be a product of him assuming that Bieksa was going to jump him but it was obvious that the game was going to start up with fights. I noted that Westgarth and Bieksa didn't even drop the mitts. It looked like Bieksa was trying to tell him how idiotic this whole thing was (and then Westgarth sought out Kellen Lain). Ultimately, I'm not so worried about the line brawl. It's stupid and I hate to see it because it makes the game look like a farce. The most concerning thing was Torts' attempted storming of the Flames' dressing room. The other concerning thing is that the Canucks are still struggling - mentally, physically, etc. Ironically, I think this will help them in the playoffs (if they make it and if they gain some rest).
  24. It's good to see Kassian more engaged but he will still have to do that consistently while being disciplined. He can't be taking 10 minutes misconducts every other game.
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