EternalCanuckFan
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Posts posted by EternalCanuckFan
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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.
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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...
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Getting nothing but prospects back is useless. This team needs a true leader. Not Henrik or Kesler.
This team needs NHL players that are proven. Not a bunch of maybes
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.
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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.
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Westgarth would have just went for the crosscheck to the rib area...
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).
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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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While it was nice to see the Canucks step up to the physical challenge, they need to add something to the forward lines. Burrows coming back sounds good but it remains to be seen how he'll fit into the line-up. It's nice to talk about Kassian's potential but they either need him to play like he did against Pittsburgh every night or go out and get someone who can compete physically, and put up points, every night.
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It's hard to tell from the video but it does look like Kassian was speaking at Gagner. Sigh.
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I'm for the Canucks re-signing the Sedins but I do wonder how that will work out if the Canucks have a poor season. They would likely fetch quite the return in a trade but I wonder how many teams can afford to bring in $12.2M (especially teams in playoff position), even if it's near the end of the season.
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If Schroeder fails to win the 3rd line center spot, where else could he play? I really doubt he'll be seen as a 4th line option. I hope they give him a shot on wing with Kesler. If it's Kess and Burr, I think Schroeder could be the playmaking winger that could really jump production on that line. If Richardson and Lain end up centering the 3rd and 4th line, that's not a bad place for him to fit in. Obviously it will be interesting to see what happens when Booth comes back but I would really like to see Schroeder get more chances instead of seeing another prospect let go before really getting a shot.
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Can a guy be a good skater but slow? If so, that's what I noticed from Gaunce at the Young Star's tourney in the first game. I also noticed that he wasn't "quick" (as in the "he's more quick than fast" sense). That said, that was the first game. From what I understand, he played a lot better in the Edmonton game.
If Gaunce can improve his skating speed and quickness, I think that'll help him immensely. I seem to recall a certain pair of twins being decent skaters but noticeably slow when they first started out in the league. I think it's safe to say those twins have fixed that, even if they're still not the fastest guys in the league (I'm not comparing them in any other way but in terms of skating speed).
The guy still has another year of junior eligibility and maybe he should play it out while also working on power skating and improving his skating speed. He may also play with Team Canada so there is plenty of upside with him. It's way too early to call him a bust.
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Based on the Young Stars game, Gaunce needs to work on his quickness and speed to really make a strong case for the team. He's obviously big and strong but he was noticeably slower and less quick than many other players on the ice tonight. He is otherwise completely as advertised.
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Bieksa has an NTC. Tanev nor Corrado will play in the top 4 in the next three years without us paying our bottom pairing upwards of 5M. If I was Gillis, I'd be trying to give Tanev 3 years at ~1.5, so that we have 2 spots in the top 4 between him, Corrado, Hamhuis, and Bieksa. Tanev probably doesn't want to take a 3rd year at a salary he is likely to outperform, even as early as next year, just because our top 4 are immovable. Like you said, he probably wants one or two years, but at that point we will be unable to afford him.
That cap hit could be achievable if Tanev's willing to take a contract that pays him $4.5M over 3 years ($1M in Year 1, $1.5M in Year 2 and $2M in Year 3).
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It's still early August. As long as he's training for the upcoming season, I'm not too worried that nothing's happening. Training camp isn't until September 11 so they still have over three weeks to work something out.
Furthermore, if Tanev really decides to hold out and not come to training camp, he's shooting himself in the foot more than anything. The Canucks can move forward without him - he's not a MUST have member of the team. Corrado is a candidate to take up his minutes and Weber would be pushing him for a spot anyway. If he misses training camp and signs later, it will take him that much longer to learn Torts' system.
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For his sake, I hope his play next season warrants the ice time that he is going to get with the Oilers. Based on what everyone is saying, it sounds like he is ready for the NHL but boy would it be a confidence killer if he ended up being sent down to the farm team at some point.
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Figured he would go quite a bit higher so I didn't read much about him. Will be really cool to see if he can reach his potential. The neat thing about him is that his skill set is one that could actually allow him to break into the league first as a defensive center so who knows...maybe we'll see him in a Canucks uniform sooner rather than later!
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Kassian has to be in the top 9 next year or he has to spend the season in the AHL. Fourth line minutes can't be good for his development.
Right now though, I'm not sure how he fits into the top 9.
Although Burr is much more versatile, will AV really move him off of the Sedin line after yet another solid season?
Does AV keep the AMEX line together next season? Or will the Canucks get a playmaking winger who can set up Kes and Booth? IMO, Kassian does not compliment Kes and Booth.
Could either Higgins or Hansen be moved off of the third line? Hansen was brilliant for the bulk of the season on the third line - IMO he has earned third line minutes. Higgins was solid all year and he also deserves top-9 minutes.
It's going to be interesting to see what MG does to sort out the Canucks roster this summer. A Luongo trade is looking more and more likely and who knows what kind of return that will bring (or who else might be dealt).
My prediction is that Kassian spends the bulk of the year with the Wolves in a top-6 role rebuilding his confidence and (hopefully) dominating the AHL. Right now there isn't an appropriate opening for him barring a big trade.
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I hope Kassian has some thick skin because the guy is going to be getting all sorts of criticism this summer if the Canucks can't come back to win the LA series (which is obviously the most likely scenario - not saying it can't happen though).
From the day the Canucks got Kassian, I liked the acquisition but I figured that it would VERY difficult for him to have a positive legacy with the Canucks unless the Canucks went deep in the playoffs and ideally won the Cup.
Everyone in Vancouver loved CoHo. He obviously has flaws in his game (who doesn't?) and maybe behind the scenes he whined about playing time but he was producing points (albeit in protected minutes) and was really settling in to the NHL.
Kassian needs more seasoning in the AHL and to thrust the responsibility of being the "size" that the Canucks need is too much responsibility to place on him right now.
I think Kassian will turn out to be a decent NHL powerforward, maybe more of a Ryan Malone type than a Bertuzzi. But will he be the type of guy that everyone wanted him to be - an impact powerforward a la Milan Lucic? I don't see it. Ryan Malone-esque would be good but that will never be good enough for Canucks fans. His legacy will be even more bitter (undeservedly) if the Canucks make an early exit this year.
Of course, I hope that I'm wrong so let's see how the next week plays out and, for Kassian, how the next few years go as well.
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Schroeder came pretty darned close to ending it himself just before the winning goal. His chance could have gone both ways though. Canada had an odd man rush after he was stopped where they got a good scoring chance but at the same time, his late change led to the USA's odd man rush that produced the winning goal.
[Trade] VAN Dale Weise to MTL
in Trades, Rumours, Signings
Posted
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.