Crabcakes

buh, misread, post irrelevant

At draft time, don't we see the prospects rated on the TSN site in terms of several criteria? Hockey IQ Skating Puck Handling Shot This would be the summary of a scouting report I presume. I think I'm missing one but you get my drift, Hockey IQ is definitely considered when rating a player.

^^^ Tough call. Benning says he'll make room for young players when they are ready. There are several who will get a shot for waiver reasons obviously (Baer, Corrado, Clendening) but a bunch of others who are close including Virtanen and Gaunce. This Calder run is definitely helping. The year after next, there is going to be even more pressure to bring young guys up. I think that long term, Benning would like to bring 1 or 2 rookies up every year.

Virtanen does better with players who can match his pace.

^^^skated by in school......ha ha very droll

Correct me if I'm wrong but both Virtanen and McCann will be back in junior next year if they don't make the Canucks. This is a long shot imo. So, any exposure to the pro game is a big benefit to them both. The Comets playoff run. Prospects camp. Canucks training camp and preseason games. And up to 9 games with the big club in the early season. They will be getting help with offseason training, diet etc from the Canucks.

do people really think that managers are such control freaks as to micromanage their subordinates decisions it doesn't work. anybody in the real world gets this people within an organization discuss things and tend to agree on things. this is called organizational alignment and trevor linden talks about it all the time

We would all love to see Baer stick it to Burkie but..... Vey will be fine and probably the better choice. Burkie will get his sooner or later

Horvat plays against bottom 6 players. There's a big difference between top 6 and bottom 6. They're developing him and want him in a position to succeed. If they bring him along too fast they might blow it. He has improved so much this year already it is an assumption to think that he will continue to progress at the same rate. Don't get me wrong, I think he'll end up the 2C. The question is when. I think he starts the year at 3C and they see how it goes.

KraKassian I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that is the Canucks top 6 next season. Not at the beginning but at the end of the season. Bones and Higgins would do better on the 3rd line imo but can carry the load until Baer and Horvat are ready.

I've seen nothing but a good attitude from Baer. Go figure.

Boudrias I agree with what you're saying there. Higgins or Matthias (which ever one they keep) can hold 2LW until Baertchi is ready (I expect he needs a little developing defensively). Once Baertchi can hold down 2LW then Higgins or Matthias will slot into 3LW. Higgins is strong defensively and is not a defensive liability on the 2nd line but he disappears offensively against better defenders. The 3rd line is a place for him to succeed. Same with Matthias imo. Same deal with Bonino. I think that Horvat needs more time to make the 2nd line but Bones can hold down that spot until Horvat is ready. Bonino I think will do much better as a defensive 3rd liner.

Benning has said that he thinks Pedan is close. I admit that's a little vague and think it means he would be a possible call up after Corrado, maybe Biega. He likely doesn't have a chance until 2016-17. 2016-17 is going to be a very interesting training camp because there is a laundry list of players who will be ready. Corrado is ready now but needs to be a regular, Biega, Pedan, Hutton on D. Forwards, Shinkaruk, Gaunce, Viratnen, Jensen, Cassels, McCann, Grenier......all these will be getting serious consideration. Gotta love internal competition. Look how Shink picked it up after the Baer signing. Can you see Baer or Shink pushing Danny for 1LW in 2 years.....lol.

Bones is fine as 2C until Horvat is ready. After that, Bones will make a fine checking 3C. Same argument as I made with Higgins above, they're both a bit outmatched offensively in the top 6 but defensively they're fine. They will find much more success on the 3rd line. Higgins could start the year as 2LW, and when he is ready, Baretschi switch out with him from 3LW. Same deal between Bones and Horvat. It all depends on how the younger guys develop. It could be mid season or the following year.

Tyhee I agree with you and Sid about Higgins. He is a very good 3LW and I would like to see him back there. This would be putting him in a position to succeed. All year there has been discussion about the lack of a true 2nd line on the Canucks. Higgins has been a fixture on the 2nd line because he is capable defensively but he doesn't really have the offensive pop to compete against top defenders. People call for Higgins to be traded because he has been miscast. Unfortunately, there is nobody else to take the spot on the present roster.. Which brings me to Matthias. Really a 3LW as well. I think that they can keep 1 of the above long term. Higgins is 31, Matthias is 27. Sven Baertschi looks like he has the offensive pop to play 2LW but he is young and may not be quite ready defensively. If he makes the team as 2LW, he will have to play with defensively responsible players. Bonino is one.

Baertchi and Vey are listed at about the same size. It's strange how some guys play big and others small. It is hard to explain why. Some guys can just handle themselves better. It's all between the ears.

Granted, both goals were five hole and probably exploiting average goaltending BUT.... 2 nice goals. This guy is EXCITING. How can he not stay up v the Flames.

Baertchi and Vey play similar if not complimentary styles imo. Baer is more highly skilled and a bit faster. I think we may be seeing these two playing together in the short term at least.

Goal I think that Matthias is on his way out due to cap reasons and his place is where Baertchi will slide in the line up.

The Horvat line has been getting the 3rd most minutes for a while now but Willie is playing them 4th in the rotation. They often pen the opposition in their zone and cycle, then the Sedin's play right after against tired players. It's kind of a baseball batting order strategy. Like facing a murders row.

I saw him protect the puck nicely too What I want to see is Burkies hair after Baertschi scores an OT goal in the playoffs

Exactly right Canucks1219. Also, keeping Weber doesn't necessarily mean trading Clendening or vise versa. Keeping Weber means that Corrado and Biega start the year in Utica. Interesting what happens with Weber, he is in his prime and is very attractive in terms of skills and cap hit.

Edler - Tanev Hamhuis - Weber Sbisa - Bieksa Stanton - Clendening Corrado and Biega are down because they can be Weber and Stanton are moveable but there are good arguments to keep them both. Weber Cap friendly. Is an RFA. Present cap hit is $850 could resign for $1.2. Is a right shot so may be let go in favour of a young guy but he has played very well since the Canucks had injury trouble and he has recently shown himself to be the most effective point man on the pp. Tough to let this guy slide. Stanton is serviceable and works cheap. Is an RFA currently earning $550. I could see letting him go in favour of a young player but he plays on the left and all the ready young guys play on the right. Hammer and Bieksa are character guys and still play well. We know how Benning feels about character. Wouldn't be surprised if Hamhuis gets surgery and misses the first couple of months next year.

Benning really likes what he's seen in Baertschi. He's going to develop him properly. source: Team 1040 interview Apr 7

BoKnows53 Have you seen Weber's cap numbers recently? $850 he's a steal. He has done very well paired with Hamhuis and has been awesome on the pp. He has the most goals of Canuck defensemen and has only been used on the 1st unit recently. Crazy talk.