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Crabcakes

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Everything posted by Crabcakes

  1. Are these 3 good use of the draft picks used to get them? 2nd rounders have a 1/3 probability of playing 100 games. 3rd rounders 1/4 2nd for Vey 134 games......so ya 2nd for Baertschi 138 games.......ya again 3rd for Pedan 13 games......wait and see Are they place holders? In other words, what is their quality? But the point is, they are making the line up so they are making the team better than the alternative. The GM is always trying to upgrade and will be looking for replacements for everybody. That's his job. Obviously, it is much easier to find upgrades on bottom 6 players which is why we see more action there. Last season we saw Benning make upgrades on: Jensen (24 games) to Etem (170 games) Shinkaruk (8 games.....1 at the time of the trade) to Granlund (102 games) In answer to the question are they place holders? Baertschi has a legitimate shot at being a 2nd line left wing. I would call him a keeper until of course somebody better comes along. Vey is looking more and more like a utility depth guy which is valuable but not difficult to find. What is his upside? Probably not top 6 but he has a shot at pushing Granlund for 4C. Also, consider that Benning likes having natural centres on the wings so that option is not out of the question. Pedan is on the bubble and the addition of more skilled players like Gudbranson, Tryamkin, Larsen, and Stecher push him down the depth chart. So if you can get 100 games out of a 2nd rounder, it's worth it. And one of these 3 look like a real score.
  2. Seriously, after the Sh**bleep this guy has been going through..... how could you not call him a dark horse? Resign the guy, he's worth nothing on the market and he has an upside if he can get his head in the game. He's a long shot but at the very least he is decent depth. Same contract as last year.....he'll be very happy and it's chicken feed.
  3. High character players with high skill are less risk imo. Benning has been able to obtain some key players when opportunity has knocked. Sutter and Gudbranson were traded for from teams who had cap issues. As for the supporting cast, Benning has added players by various means. He has upgraded assets who are long shots for sure things: Etem, Granlund. But there are also players who want to play in the NHL who have been in European leagues: Larsen, Rodin. College free agency: Stecher, Garteig. And others who have fallen through the cracks like LaPlante. I'm not saying all these players will play for the Canucks, but they will be getting a shot in camp. LaPlante will surely be in Utica for next season. Benning is leaving no stone unturned.
  4. I agree with what you are saying. We have seen this pattern time and again. Good post. Not so sure the McCann for Gudbranson trade fits the model though. I think Benning wanted to keep McCann but he had an offer of a huge need for the team. You could say that Gudbranson is more of a sure thing as a top 4 D than McCann is as a top 6 forward. Guddy is there already yet McCann is going to take some developing. His ceiling is looking more and more like 2nd line as opposed to 1st. Ha ha, it sounds like I'm making your argument for you but rather than reducing risk, I think it's more a matter of one need was bigger than the other.
  5. Google reveals but honour says that's cheating.
  6. LOL......poor Blake Price.....he thought he found something smart
  7. Whats the deal with Dad's countdown on twitter? Three days.....Two days...... Until what? Demko signs? Or decides? Or something else......
  8. Both Demko and Boeser know that there is a future in Van if they want it. There is definitely room for them. Demko, to play a year of pro in Utica, get used to the pro game, play 82 and get some good coaching and development. In a year, Miller will be moving along and there will be space in Van for him. What is not attractive about this scenario? Boeser is quite young still. I would be surprised if he wanted to turn pro. Give it another year or 2 in UND and he can move seamlessly directly to the NHL. Goalies and skaters generally have a different development path. If Demko wants to graduate, it doesn't mean that he won't come to Van.
  9. Really torn on this one. He's not a liability, he just isn't producing. I wouldn't be surprised to see him back for his leadership but he'd be holding back a guy like Gaunce.
  10. Go ahead and fantasize. This line up is extremely young. I don't see more than 4 rookies or 2nd year players in the line up next year. Hutton, Tryamkin, Virtanen......then there's one of Gaunce, Pedan, Larsen, Rodin (we'll call Baer a 3rd year player).....or Boeser
  11. Waive Trade and retain up to 50% Buy out Let him play with the Canucks Waiving would save the least amount off the cap but at least they would have the benefit of his leadership etc in Utica. Is Burrows willing? Also, would they like to groom him to be a coach? Depends on Burrows. Tough call.
  12. Benning can do some funny things. Like, who would think there was room for Granlund? I don't think Benning knows if Rodin is in his long term plans either. But he's obviously willing to take a look and see how Rodin stacks up against the likes of Baertschi, Granlund, Vey, McCann
  13. It was very fortunate to be able to play Tryamkin this season. How he shows over the final dozen or so games will for sure affect many of Bennings decisions this off season. Best case scenario, if NT looks like he is a bona fide #4, that could mean going after a high end scoring winger in free agency.....we'll wait and see on that though. Also, like Hairy says, Benning could afford to be more flexible with his drafting choices. Go after the power play quarterback vs the all round D.
  14. He's not a typical 21 year old because he has 188 games of pro in the KHL already. I was surprised how well he seems to be adjusting after only 2 games. That may just be the nerves disappearing though.
  15. Since he's completing his 3rd year at UND you would think he's on Benning's radar. He's undrafted in the NHL but was drafted by the Portland Winterhawks in 2009, 7th round.....late bloomer? 5"11, 192 RHD 7-19-26 +17 in 36 games this season
  16. Yep, he's a big boy and he's only 21 and everybody's going to test him. Let's hope he's smart enough to be ready.
  17. C'mon Alf, everybody knows POTVIN SUCKS!!
  18. Are you saying that you think he might retire?
  19. I agree with what you're saying except I think that small skilled forwards are more common than power forwards especially in the top 10 of the draft.
  20. It's not as if Benning makes these decisions on his own. He met with his pro scouts who have scouted both Shinkaruk and Granlund. He discusses Shinkaruks progress with Travis Green He consults with John Weisbrod who has inside knowledge from the Flames organization on Granlund from last year He scouts Shinkaruk and Granlund himself The conclusion? Shinkaruk. There is some doubt as to whether Shinkaruk can be an effective goal scorer at the NHL level. Certainly not as a bottom 6 winger. As a junior, he was known for going to the greasy areas etc. I saw none of that at the NHL level (his 1 game and in preseason). Needs to play top 6 and is behind Sedin and Baertschi in the depth chart. His redundancy is partly based on Baertschi's success. Granlund. Has proved that he can be effective at the NHL level, more importantly in the bottom 6. 14-14-28 in 86 games. So he can slot into the line up right away at centre or wing. So, by making the trade they now have a player who can fit into this line up. Is he a long term fit? Time will tell. But in the short term, he gives them the luxury of sending McCann to Utica for development. And he makes Linden Vey redundant. It is good for Shink too because he has been sent to a team where he will have the chance to play.
  21. Like how Benning takes every pick seriously. Grasping all that is available from so many sources takes a big brain.
  22. Do you really think that's a good idea or are you just spitballing? Just because a player isn't the ideal 1D, doesn't mean they should be shipped out when there is nobody to replace him. Only a fool or an alien would do that. Hutton has a chance at becoming that guy but not yet. Edler is out for 6 weeks so he's going nowhere before the TDL anyways. Same goes for Hamhuis imo.
  23. Hutton handled the extra minutes well. College boys play 35-ish games, would you expect him to fade towards the end of the season? There's no sign of it yet after 47 for him, 54 for the team. Is Hutton a future top pairing D? He remains a cool and effective puck mover. A good skater with a decent shot.
  24. Yep. The best thing Higgins and now Prust can do is to play well. They're auditioning. As the TDL approaches, teams needing depth for a playoff run may come knocking. Now they don't have to be called up until the playoffs start and teams aren't restricted by numbers of players on their rosters. Also, Higgins has a year left on his contract, if a team wants him beyond this season, Van can retain some of the salary (as opposed to when he was on waivers). This opportunity is why they reported. I'd be surprised if either of them would subject themselves to riding the busses next season.
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