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Crabcakes

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Everything posted by Crabcakes

  1. Kennins was a damn shame. He didn't have the same jump after his knee injury. You could be right about Boucher. Willie liked his shot on the pp. He's got to do all he can to give himself the best chance. With a healthy line up, he may in tough to make the top 9. Particularly if Virtanen has a good camp. If he can make the push for a regular spot before Goldobin or Virtanen, he may have a shot. If it's the other way around, we may see him in Utica.
  2. There's something there with Boucher. Let's hope he shows up to camp fit and does some work with Bo's skating coach. I hope he's not on the Wellwood plan this summer.
  3. Goldy scored 2 goals in Friday Apr 14 game v Hartford Wolf Pack. 5-4 win keeps playoff hopes alive
  4. Torn labrums don't give you immunity? This expansion draft is so complicated, I have no idea who Vegas would pick. An early prediction was Gaunce but McPhee has done many simulations himself. He said it always turns out different because they're learning the rules and have taken multiple strategies. He says he won't know for sure who he takes until he has the final exposure list from every team.
  5. Goldy needs to be top 6, and he has the skill clearly, and he needs to be paired with complimentary players. Really, he is very similar to Baertschi. They are both great playmakers and have finish. They are both on the smaller side of average and are finesse players. They could both certainly fit on a team. It remains to be seen how Benning pieces things together as he adds forwards over the next couple of years. It's really hard to go through the rebuild which the Canucks haven't had to do in almost 20 years. Every now and then we see glimmers of the team that the Canucks might become. It hurts like hell to lose to the Yotes but we did see a couple of great goals from the kids.
  6. Goldobin's goal has been talked about less than Boesers. Both were great but the hand-eye on Goldies was something. A fluttering puck coming across his body and he bats it out of mid air into the net without a lot of room. You've gotta love a guy who can do that.
  7. I have to think that if Benning is the Great Scout himself, that he will find the real gem(s) in this weaker draft year. It's years like this where he will earn his salt. Anybody can pick a good player in a good year.
  8. Benning did. You're aware, he makes his own list and doesn't go by McKenzies ranking right?
  9. I don't know where people are getting the idea that Benning doesn't draft BPA? Especially in the 1st round. 2014 - 6 OA Jake Virtanen. McKenzie had him ranked 7, Nylander was 9 and Ehlers was 10 - 24 OA Jared McCann. McKenzie rank 16 2015 - 23 OA Brock Boeser. McKenzie rank 26 2016 - 5 OA Oli Juolevi. McKenzie rank 6 Now keep in mind that McKenzie's rankings are a consensus of a number of scouts. I'm not sure how many but believe it is in the neighbourhood of 10. There is generally more agreement higher up the rankings. It is totally reasonable to conclude that Benning was drafting BPA based on his own criteria.
  10. I'm not going to skewer Sutter for his comments. I think he felt that somebody should come out and say this because else nobody is. Goldobin seems to be shy of physical contact. None the less he's very clever at finding seams in the slot obviously because he had at least 2 grade A chances against the Sharks on Apr 4. Young players I think can perform very well to a certain level based on their natural talent. When they arrive at the highest level, they find that they need to do things differently to remain effective. Certain things they could get away with in junior or the AHL don't always work any more so there needs to be a little learning and adjusting of their game. Jake Virtanen has some learning because he can't dominate physically at this level the way he was used to in the WHL. Sven Baertschi had to learn the physical side and go to the dirty areas before he started playing well. Goldobin is in the same boat. Neither of them are going to knock bigger players over very often but they can certainly do things physically to gain advantage. The Sedin's, who are 180 and change are masters of this. For me, this is what Sutter is talking about. It takes courage, but as you get used to it, any player can be effective. As Goldy watches Baer and Stecher and the Sedins, he will learn how a smaller guy can add a certain amount of physicality to his game.
  11. McKenzie had Virtanen at 7, since his is a consensus ranking, he was no surprise as the 6th pick. His name came up at 6 in many mock drafts as well. Button was the odd ball ranking him at 43 but he's been the odd ball before.
  12. Benning isn't revealing anything. McKenzie has 1 winger in his top 8 and Buttons first winger is no 10. It's pretty safe to say that there will be good centres or defense available when Benning picks.
  13. This regime seem to be stuck on playing players on their so called natural side. Virtanen scored a lot on the Left Wing as a right hander in junior. Now they're playing the left shooting Goldobin on the left side when he prefers Right Wing. Now, I get that with the injuries and lineup they're running at the moment, they're just happy enough to fill all the positions.
  14. If this is the corner he's turning finally, and I hope it is, I think it would be to his advantage long term to dominate for a number of months and get some swagger back in his game. Bring him up after Christmas.
  15. This is why I think you want both elements on your team. Benning seems to be adding more speed than size but he hasn't neglected size (Virtanen, Tryamkin, Gudbranson)
  16. I think we misunderstood each other some where along the way. What you say here is how I feel too. Dustin Brown has been an effective player. But his accidentally on purpose act is pure BS. That's what I'm talking about. He's probably my least favorite player in the league
  17. That's right. He's right handed but played mostly left wing in junior. That's where he put up most of his points.
  18. Dustin Brown is a poor excuse for a hockey player. The King of accidentally on purpose. Do you admire the near misses of his skate to the goalies head? Did you ever see Clint Malarchuk with his jugular vein sliced by a skate blade? That was the scariest thing that I ever saw in hockey. Good old fashioned hockey is not filled with cheap attempts to injure. At least the part that people love and admire. Bobby Clarke breaking Kharlamov's ankle in the 72 Summit Series was way over the line and was a big embarrassment frankly.
  19. Read my post. "Gamesmanship, intimidation, sheer will" Is that not the dirty, tough game? I'm fine with that. Intent to injure, I am not. I played contact sports. I get the "controlled rage" state of mind.
  20. Sorry, I have no respect for players who just go after "star" players from other teams and if possible take them out of the game. It's dirty pool imo. I get the gamesmanship, that intimidation and shear will is a factor in sport but there is a line that should not be crossed. This is honourable. Attempting to injure is not on. He backs it up but he's just a little a-hole trying to make a name for himself in a cheap way. Let 2 teams go at it skill v skill and may the best team win.
  21. Good, I'll look for that. Maybe he was just nervous talking to the Vancouver media
  22. http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-1040-i-1410/virtanen-learning-to-be-a-difference-maker-every-night-1.708790 Comments anybody on the above Jake Virtanen interview from 3:30 today (Mar 28)? I was most struck by Jakes tone of voice. He sounds beaten down and unenthusiastic. Lost his spirit. Hope I'm wrong.
  23. Jake is only 20 and I would suggest he is less mature personally than some other Canuck picks like Horvat and Boeser. In an interview today on 1040, Shane Malloy, host of the Hockey Prospects show on Sirius NHL Radio says that a players maturity level has a huge affect on his development. His comments on this start at the 1:40 mark and pertain to Brock Boeser but could apply to any prospect. http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-1040-i-1410/malloy-boeser-has-top-line-potential-but-must-put-the-work-in-1.707673 Jake is still young at 20. Most people typically develop mentally until around age 22 or 23, which is what Malloy alludes to in the above interview. Zack Kassian is 26 now and only in the last year or 2 has reached a level of maturity and his career seems to be stabilizing and his performance is becoming more solid. I only raise Kassian because Virtanen may be a late bloomer in this respect as well. Bottom line, no need to give up on him.
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