Our D isn't as strong as people think and wrong decision got us there!

[oldnews]

I agree in general with your statement that Stanton is as valuable as Krug, perhaps more so?

Just we don't have anyone like him offensively... Something Boston is finding a way to make use of and we would as well. Time will tell if he can play a full NHL game. The difference in Toronto is Carlysle has a better option in Rielly so has less incentive not to force upon him defensive accountability to earn minutes. Teams like Phoenix have better offensive D prospects than Krug, but also less incentive with OEL and Yandle in place. Montreal has no place for Beaulieu. There is a trade out there for us.

Erhoff was also only succesfull with us, exposed elsewhere when asked to play a whole game, because he was surrounded by guys like Mitchell, Hamhuis, Salo, Edler... So I would not have paid him $40 mill. But we should replace his offensive talents.

Geez; in the last ten years we have invested two 4th round picks in McNally and Subban, a 7th in Tommerness and Bourdon was a first but really another Edler type offensive player (and Edler and superseded him before he passed away). Edler is of course our stand out home grown guy drafted in the 3rd round in 2004. It really should be no surprise Gillis has had to pull rabbits out of his arse to accomplish what he has with our D core. Or that we don't have the offensive D man I crave.

We'll have to continue to disagree. I would be surprised if we won a cup without adding this component to our D. And we'll have to get lucky for that to be fulfilled by someone like Subban or McNally.

Or make that trade!

Reilly really didn't have anything to do with Gardiner's demotion - he's playing his first 18 games in the NHL, whereas Gardiner was sent down last year, whether or not the Leafs had a "puck mover" to replace him in the lineup.

What trade are you proposing? Beaulieu? He's only 20, so you may have to wait a couple years for him to be the player you're hoping. I'd rather add another big mean presence myself. Tinordi would have been nice, or a healthy Mitchell, Petrovic....

Quite happy with Stanton though. He gives Bieksa some licence to freelance, and the other two pairings are stronger as a result.

[MoneypuckOverlord]

Yes it is.

I feel sorry for you then. Your in a for a huge surprise by March.

[JeremyCuddles]

We have allowed 2 goals or less in all but like 4 games this year, our D is doing everything BUT score and put up points. It is still more of a first and secondary scoring issue than anything.

I'd credit Luo's play more so then our D. Especially after seeing all these 2 on 1's every game.

I know for sure Ed and Garrison can't and shouldn't be paired. They are so bad defensively and terrible at hittings nets offensively I puke everytime they are on the ice.

[Drakrami]

Our D is actually incredible, as evidenced by the fact that if we traded any one of our top 6 29 other teams would be banging down our door to get them. while they seem expensive now in 3 years their contracts will be very friendly and they'll still be a solid top 6. We have a depth at the blue line few teams have in that we have 4 genuine top 4 D men and 2 others who are rounding into top 4 as well. And while we don't have a star #1 D like the past few cup winners have, we still have a very good group. One of them will inevitably be traded and the return will be nothing short of what this team needs moving forward. Calm yourself down please.

....

3 years from now, Bieksa is 35 years old and should retire soon.

If they are expensive now, it means they are expensive period.

your points make 0 sense.

[domyours]

Hey,hey, ho, ho, Kevin Bieksa has got to go..... Never a KB's fan, and never will be. Anyway, it is what it is. The problem for our team isn't just our D men though.

[Canuck Surfer]

Reilly really didn't have anything to do with Gardiner's demotion - he's playing his first 18 games in the NHL, whereas Gardiner was sent down last year, whether or not the Leafs had a "puck mover" to replace him in the lineup.

What trade are you proposing? Beaulieu? He's only 20, so you may have to wait a couple years for him to be the player you're hoping. I'd rather add another big mean presence myself. Tinordi would have been nice, or a healthy Mitchell, Petrovic....

Quite happy with Stanton though. He gives Bieksa some licence to freelance, and the other two pairings are stronger as a result.

One fact.

Both Stanton and Krug showed they were very valuable to their teams tonight.

Tinordi is a great prospect. Beaulieu is speed and scoring, potentially, from the back end. A skill we have less of, so a more important acquisition from a team need perspective. I don't see that we can afford the D I want whom is also a battle tested veteran.

Big bastard depth defensive defenceman are pretty routinely available at the deadline, and other times of the year. So I have less of a priority on a Tinordi. We could get a vet big bastard at the deadline. Scoring, skilled defenceman rarely are available. Invest in one, like Beaulieu, as soon as we get the chance, risks inclusive...

[Baggins]

1 - None of our D is an elite d-man.

2 - None of them are paid elite d-man money.

3 - Don't expect them to play like elite d-men.

4 - Even actual elite d-men make mistakes

[Baggins]

Hey,hey, ho, ho, Kevin Bieksa has got to go..... Never a KB's fan, and never will be. Anyway, it is what it is. The problem for our team isn't just our D men though.

He's the last one I'd trade. If not our best d-man this season he's damn close. And he our only d-man with any jam when things get physical. We could use at least one more d-man with some real jam.

[ALTtimegreat]

Canucks D corps are not good enough to go deep in the playoffs if they make it there.

Need true #1 defenseman but it'd be hard trading any of them since they have NTCs being paid 4+ millions. They're good but too inconsistent.

Really want Gillis to do something to make this team a contender this year but having second thoughts since he is mediocre GM whos not good at trading. He will get desperate and will do anything to save his job. Horvat/Shinkaruk + 1st might get ship for someone not even a legit top 6 scorer or for a ballard type player.

Theres too many holes in this team. Ekblad really sounds nice right now but this team is not bad enough to get top 3 draft either.

[Hunter.S-Kerouac]

Then explain how we have the best PK in the league then...

I am not defending the op but you do realise our pk is quite often 3 forwards one d and on 5 on 3's 2 forwards one d