The value of a high end faceoff man

[J.I.A.H.N]

I was just looking around CDC and read the Mike Gillis presser on AV and started wondering exactly how much loosing Malhotra's faceoff abilities has weakened the Canucks. How much it had to do with our defensive zone abilities, our PP, and our PK. Ultimately, how much it had to do with AV getting fired. Now I know this isn't the strongest thread, but I am hoping that bringing up the issue, might kick start some dialogue on the issue. Funny how the stronger faceoff teams in general are in the top half of the league.....point in case, Edmonton, with all those young guns are dead last in team faceoffs. Makes you wonder what we can do to change our destiny. Any idea's on the subject?

[Salmon Arm Canuck]

There is no doubt in my mind Manny's injury, second to Kesler's, was one of the distabilizing factors on this team. For a team like the way Vancouver is made, it needs to have puck possession to succeed. You can do that when Kes and Manny were winning two out of every three faceoffs in 2011. The last two years, you see the results.

[Henrik Kesler]

There is no doubt in my mind Manny's injury, second to Kesler's, was one of the distabilizing factors on this team. For a team like the way Vancouver is made, it needs to have puck possession to succeed. You can do that when Kes and Manny were winning two out of every three faceoffs in 2011. The last two years, you see the results.

[J.I.A.H.N]

Yep. Canucks are world beaters when they control 60% of the faceoffs. When they win 45%, well, the last two years speak for themselves.

Just a random thought: Could Kesler's injury in 2011 be the result of having to not only be Ryan Kesler, offensive dynamo, but also because he had to do Manny's job and shut guys down and was thus overworked? I think with a healthy Manny, 2011 turns out much differently.

[oldnews]

The most obvious effect, aside from preventing scoring chances off dzone starts, is that it plays a very large part in generating the offensive zone starts with which to send out the Sedins to do their thing...This year Henrik had to be used in a whole lot more d zone starts than usual - aside from Lapierre, he was a better faceoff guy than our depth centers. The result = alot of wasted Sedin energy, and more of an uphill battle for them to produce as they reguarly do. Remarkably, imo, they were still impressively productive 5 on 5, but not as productive on the powerplay.

I think Malhotra was a huge loss and would love to see us land a guy like Boyd Gordon - Gillis obviously made a run at a number of comparable players, but teams are reluctant to let them go.

[Henrik Kesler]

It certainly contributed......I like the idea of having centers that can play wing, so you can have more than one on the ice at the same time, if they can win faceoffs, of course. Sure seems to work for Boston.

[Blue & Green]

Agree - imo, the decline in the Canucks F/O percentage has had a major impact on their whole game. It's harder to be a puck possession team if you are spending much more time and energy chasing and checking the opposition the majority of the time just to retrieve the puck. I believe there is a direct correlation between the decline in our F/O production and decline of our specialty teams production. Yes, I think Manny was a big piece of our past success and it's my hope that a replacement can be acquired for next season.

[LeanBeef]

2.5 mil for 3 years sounds just about right

[Avicii]

If Manny signs somewhere else and performs just as well pre-injury, i'm gonna be pissed.

Kesler/Sedins were only so good because they had like over 50% offensive zone faceoffs since Manny could take all the defensive ones. Now for the past 2 years, you have Henrik taking defensive faceoffs and that's just a recipe for failure.

[Henrik Kesler]

If Manny signs somewhere else and performs just as well pre-injury, i'm gonna be pissed.

Kesler/Sedins were only so good because they had like over 50% offensive zone faceoffs since Manny could take all the defensive ones. Now for the past 2 years, you have Henrik taking defensive faceoffs and that's just a recipe for failure.

[J.I.A.H.N]

If Manny signs somewhere else and performs just as well pre-injury, i'm gonna be pissed.

Kesler/Sedins were only so good because they had like over 50% offensive zone faceoffs since Manny could take all the defensive ones. Now for the past 2 years, you have Henrik taking defensive faceoffs and that's just a recipe for failure.

[J.I.A.H.N]

Try nearly 80% offensive zone faceoffs for the Sedins while Manny was here.

[Dilly Canuck]

Yep with Manny and Kes out of the lineup you have the Sedins worrying too much about playing defence and the coach has a hard time relying on guys like Schroeder, Ebbet, Lappy and other random wingers taking draws in the defensive zone in critical situations.

[406281dylan]

i think for the 4th line in is important to have 1 left handed center and one right handed center, i would like to see lapierre and hendricks on a line together.