VanNuck Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 So, entering into this upcoming season, I will first give props to Jim Benning for a great draft. These boys, we know, are just going to be rockstars - well maybe not, but they will be something. But, I would like to discuss the Canucks' best approach to next season. Folks may have various ideas, but here are some of mine: 1. Promote Jake Virtanen to the lineup, slot him with the Sedins Of course, this is assuming Virtanen is NHL-ready. I think he has a chance - he can handle the physical rigors, has a high compete level, and turned in some good junior seasons, including an AHL call-up. If he's ready though, he will be, on paper at least, the perfect winger for the Sedins. A right-shooting right winger, he is lightning fast, physically imposing, and possesses a deadly shot. He should make life easier for the twins, opening up space for them, and offering Henrik an ideal passing option - just hit him with the pass and more often than not, he'll put it in. Or he'll create enough of a distraction that Daniel could get the puck unnoticed and tuck one away. 2. Sign Cody Franson By the time you see this, Franson may or may not be available. The BC-born former Vancouver Giant seems to have a rough go at things - rendered inconsistent, having never played out a full season in seven years of NHL action, and now seeking anything but a one-year deal. Too bad, because he is a quality offensive-minded giant of a defenseman, the kind Vancouver needs. Franson, a right-shooting blueliner, could easily slot in the top four alongside Hamuis or Edler. If he just simplifies his game, he could be a true force. Either way, Vancouver is short on full-time right shooting defenseman, and I see a Franson-sized hole with his hometown team. 3. Fix the second and third lines This involves first and foremost signing Sven Baertschi and promoting Brendan Gaunce - who I will argue is overdue for the NHL. But my lines would look like this: Baertschi-Horvat-Higgins Hansen-Gaunce-Prust Horvat is not a second liner? I've heard this story before, and I disagree. The guy kind of reminds me of Jonathan Toews, excellent two-way center with loads of character and determination. Already won a Memorial Cup. Sure, he lacks "elite offense" as does linemate Higgins, but enter Baertschi, a potential Pavel Bure who could ignite the second line and bring the best out of his linemates' offense. The Gaunce line will be the checking line, capable of scoring in a moment's notice, but unlike the second unit, their calling card will be a more aggressive forecheck. FTR, the fourth line will be Dorsett-Jones-Vey 4. Trade off all the others Namely Burrows, Bonino, Jensen, and Vrbata. Sadly, these folks will be phased out of their current roles, and we can wish them well, especially Burrows after all he has been for us. I imagine if we make the right trades, we could maybe address the remainder of our team needs (ie. blueline depth, prospects, picks)? Someone suggest something. Summary: the lineup, I propose would look like this Forward Sedin-Sedin-Virtanen Baertschi-Horvat-Higgins Hansen-Gaunce-Prust Dorsett-Jones-Vey Defense Edler-Tanev Hamuis-Franson ??-?? Goal Miller Markstrom Overall, I feel this lineup has a shot. We have a number of character guys who complement each others' skillsets and can be effective. My biggest question mark of course is do the Sedins have enough in the tank to lead them? They have been class acts, who probably just never had the right guys around them at the right time, or otherwise just don't have what it takes - but with the good team around them now, we will find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiznak Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 The chance of getting Franson is all but dead, when Benning decided to keep Miller over Lack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadcanucks Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Line up looks like it's pretty much set... Daniel -- Hank -- Burrows Baertschi -- Bonino Sutter -- Vrbata Higgins -- Horvat -- Hansen Prust -- Vey -- Dorsett Kenins -- -- Virtanen Edler -- Tanev Hamhuis -- Bartkowski Sbisa -- Weber Corrado -- Clendening Miller -- Markstrom Can't say that I'm all that excited about this team: it's going to be one of the smallest, if not the smallest team in the league; Higgins is probably still kicking around as a safety net in case Baertschi bombs; Sedins/Burrows are a year older and after a bounce back season in 2014-2015 will probably regress about 10%; we all saw how Vrbata went into a fetal position when the playoffs rolled around; and Weber/Bartkowski and Sbisa battling it out for a top 4 spot can't be a good thing. Thank goodness the game isn't played on paper...so who knows what can happen in the coming season? Would love to see Virtanen, Gaunce, Cassels, Shinkaruk, Jensen, McCann and Grenier in the lineup, but that's another 1-3 years away. At least we've got that to look forward to. Forgot...even though Franson is a better bet than Weber/Bartkowski/Sbisa for the 4th D-man, no thanks. He'd be a waste of cap space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Good ideas but I don't think Virtanen is ready for the AHL let alone NHL let alone our first line. The kid has to round out his defensive game and score a bit more in junior first, then show some consistent scoring at the AHL level before we can promote him to the Canucks first line. He should IMO spend all of next season back with Calgary in junior, then the following year play out his stint with Utica and then MAYBE play 10 minutes a night with the Canucks in their bottom-6. He's well behind the likes of Baertschi, Shinkaruk, Jensen and Gaunce and will have to earn his ice-time off those kids as well as the veterans. As for Bonino, he's a dirt cheap middle-6 center and I'd like to keep him around as long as possible as a bit of healthy competition for Horvat. If Horvat is good enough to be our 2nd line center, he will steal the job off Bonino, but if he's not we need a dependable 40-50 point scoring center who can play solid PK minutes and that's Bonino. He's a great bandaid for this team until Horvat, Cassels and McCann are ready for bigger minutes. Gaunce played all of last season on the wing in Utica so unless he can bounce back to the middle, I'd like to try him out on the 4th line wing. He'll be competing with Prust and Dorsett, as well as Shinkaruk and Vey, for bottom-6 ice time. And Franson, as much as I think he'd fit perfectly with Hamhuis, is probably not ever coming to Vancouver. Benning would pretty much have to trade Higgins or Sbisa away to make cap room for him now and that's not happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatedkid666 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Edler Tanev Hamhuis Clendenning Sbisa Corrado Bartkowski Weber D pairing by Handiness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 i think burrows will be along side the sedins until he shats the bed...he allows them to play their game.....i agree that bonino might be a third line centre but can play 2nd line until bo is ready for those rigors...i could see prust and dorsett on different lines to add grit to the 3rd and 4th lines..if baerschi can grab the 2nd line lw spot then higgy will move down...hansen can play 3rd or 4th line rw.. i'll wait and see how bartkowski, clendening and corrado play before i write any of them off...we don't need franson.... this team isn't ready for a cup yet, but i'll be rooting for them all this season... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuktravella Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Good ideas but I don't think Virtanen is ready for the AHL let alone NHL let alone our first line. The kid has to round out his defensive game and score a bit more in junior first, then show some consistent scoring at the AHL level before we can promote him to the Canucks first line. He should IMO spend all of next season back with Calgary in junior, then the following year play out his stint with Utica and then MAYBE play 10 minutes a night with the Canucks in their bottom-6. He's well behind the likes of Baertschi, Shinkaruk, Jensen and Gaunce and will have to earn his ice-time off those kids as well as the veterans. As for Bonino, he's a dirt cheap middle-6 center and I'd like to keep him around as long as possible as a bit of healthy competition for Horvat. If Horvat is good enough to be our 2nd line center, he will steal the job off Bonino, but if he's not we need a dependable 40-50 point scoring center who can play solid PK minutes and that's Bonino. He's a great bandaid for this team until Horvat, Cassels and McCann are ready for bigger minutes. Gaunce played all of last season on the wing in Utica so unless he can bounce back to the middle, I'd like to try him out on the 4th line wing. He'll be competing with Prust and Dorsett, as well as Shinkaruk and Vey, for bottom-6 ice time. And Franson, as much as I think he'd fit perfectly with Hamhuis, is probably not ever coming to Vancouver. Benning would pretty much have to trade Higgins or Sbisa away to make cap room for him now and that's not happening.. your hockey knowledge astonishes me how in hell do you think virtanen is 2-3 yrs away from nhl. Hes almost 19 was crushing players in ahl playoffs at 18 he knocked 2 d men out of the playoffs with hits. hes got a nhl body at 18 is the fastest skater in chl last 2 yrs not sure how having him play in calgary another yr will help his developement they limited his ice time last yr and their coaches are crap. Jake will get a 9 game audition then play at world juniors and unless hes traded to a better whl team he will be a canuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 . your hockey knowledge astonishes me how in hell do you think virtanen is 2-3 yrs away from nhl. Hes almost 19 was crushing players in ahl playoffs at 18 he knocked 2 d men out of the playoffs with hits. hes got a nhl body at 18 is the fastest skater in chl last 2 yrs not sure how having him play in calgary another yr will help his developement they limited his ice time last yr and their coaches are crap. Jake will get a 9 game audition then play at world juniors and unless hes traded to a better whl team he will be a canuck i don't think jake is ready for the nhl either.. none of us have the hockey knowledge to decide where he plays....the canucks will decide on whether he is nhl ready or not...rushing a player up can be detrimental to his growth...both benning and willie have said, he still has things to learn...if he makes the team, it will because the real knowledgeable hockey people make that call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuktravella Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 jake is not two yrs away from nhl wait til training camp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanNuck Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 Line up looks like it's pretty much set... Daniel -- Hank -- Burrows Baertschi -- Bonino -- Vrbata Higgins -- Horvat -- Hansen Prust -- Vey -- Dorsett Kenins Edler -- Tanev Hamhuis -- Bartkowski Sbisa -- Weber Corrado -- Clendening Miller -- Markstrom Can't say that I'm all that excited about this team: it's going to be one of the smallest, if not the smallest team in the league; Higgins is probably still kicking around as a safety net in case Baertschi bombs; Sedins/Burrows are a year older and after a bounce back season in 2014-2015 will probably regress about 10%; we all saw how Vrbata went into a fetal position when the playoffs rolled around; and Weber/Bartkowski and Sbisa battling it out for a top 4 spot can't be a good thing. Thank goodness the game isn't played on paper...so who knows what can happen in the coming season? Would love to see Virtanen, Gaunce, Cassels, Shinkaruk, Jensen, McCann and Grenier in the lineup, but that's another 1-3 years away. At least we've got that to look forward to. Forgot...even though Franson is a better bet than Weber/Bartkowski/Sbisa for the 4th D-man, no thanks. He'd be a waste of cap space. Yeah, don't count on Benning to follow our posts - he will ice what he will, and with this lineup they're going with, they're better off cutting bait. They need to do better. I disagree Franson is a waste of cap space though. If he's a better blueliner and fits in, he's worth every dollar. Either way, we need a defenseman and are better off taking this guy than anyone else - unless you can somehow pull a trade for Shea Webber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanNuck Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 Good ideas but I don't think Virtanen is ready for the AHL let alone NHL let alone our first line. The kid has to round out his defensive game and score a bit more in junior first, then show some consistent scoring at the AHL level before we can promote him to the Canucks first line. He should IMO spend all of next season back with Calgary in junior, then the following year play out his stint with Utica and then MAYBE play 10 minutes a night with the Canucks in their bottom-6. He's well behind the likes of Baertschi, Shinkaruk, Jensen and Gaunce and will have to earn his ice-time off those kids as well as the veterans. As for Bonino, he's a dirt cheap middle-6 center and I'd like to keep him around as long as possible as a bit of healthy competition for Horvat. If Horvat is good enough to be our 2nd line center, he will steal the job off Bonino, but if he's not we need a dependable 40-50 point scoring center who can play solid PK minutes and that's Bonino. He's a great bandaid for this team until Horvat, Cassels and McCann are ready for bigger minutes. Gaunce played all of last season on the wing in Utica so unless he can bounce back to the middle, I'd like to try him out on the 4th line wing. He'll be competing with Prust and Dorsett, as well as Shinkaruk and Vey, for bottom-6 ice time. And Franson, as much as I think he'd fit perfectly with Hamhuis, is probably not ever coming to Vancouver. Benning would pretty much have to trade Higgins or Sbisa away to make cap room for him now and that's not happening. Virtanen may or may not be ready for NHL action - but if he is, he's all but the perfect fit for the Sedin line. He's a right-shooting winger, vs. Burrow a lefty. He's fast and gritty, a much more talented sniper than Burrows. Hockey's Future ranks him an 8.0D, versus 7.5D for Shinkaruk and Jensen, 7.0C for Gaunce. The healthy competition for Horvat is the long overdue Brendan Gaunce, who I believe should either be promoted or traded. His 7.0C rating, I believe is underrated (as is Virtanen's 8.0D rating). He's at the very least better offensively than your average checking-line center (and equally defensively responsible), can be even better depending on his linemates. Promoting him will make Bonino expendable. For Franson, you get your cap space trading Vrbata ($5 M), Burrows ($4.5 M), and Bonino ($1.9 M) for either picks, prospects, or less expensive roster players. An NHL-ready Virtanen will take $925K rookie contract, render Burrows or Vrbata expendable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodycanuckleheads Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Your line-up makes us the worst team in the NHL. And, not just this year, but of the last 10 or 20 years combined. Gaunce and Virtanen are barely even good enough for the AHL right now, and you want to build an NHL team around them (they are what, 3rd and 4th on their AHL team's depth chart right now)??? Cal O'Reilly was about a thousand times better than both of them combined last season. Could you imagine an NHL team centered around Cal O'Reilly?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuktravella Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Your line-up makes us the worst team in the NHL. And, not just this year, but of the last 10 or 20 years combined. Gaunce and Virtanen are barely even good enough for the AHL right now, and you want to build an NHL team around them (they are what, 3rd and 4th on their AHL team's depth chart right now)??? Cal O'Reilly was about a thousand times better than both of them combined last season. Could you imagine an NHL team centered around Cal O'Reilly?... ya you have no clue on hockey bro gaunce and virtanen as solid and will push for spots and do well in rookie seasons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanNuck Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 Your line-up makes us the worst team in the NHL. And, not just this year, but of the last 10 or 20 years combined. Gaunce and Virtanen are barely even good enough for the AHL right now, and you want to build an NHL team around them (they are what, 3rd and 4th on their AHL team's depth chart right now)??? Cal O'Reilly was about a thousand times better than both of them combined last season. Could you imagine an NHL team centered around Cal O'Reilly?... If you're going to make a comment, please offer something even half constructive. None of this pessimistic cold water. And I think maybe half of us would disagree. First, you want to compare a peaked-out 28 year old AHL veteran to two rising, high-potential prospects? Second, Gaunce and Virtanen are far better than you're giving credit for. Each of them won two gold medals at international tourneys, reached the OHL and WHL conference finals - something O'Reilly has never even come close to. Give them just a taste of the action, they will seize the day. If you still think this is bad, come up with a better idea. None of this cold water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheHockeyNerds Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Tbh I want Virtanen to go back to junior. I think a teenager should only be aloud to make their respective NHL team if they do not have anything to prove in junior. I feel JV still needs to prove that he can be a consistent elite scorer in the WHL while also helping Canada at the world juniors. I honestly feel another year of junior is the way to go for Jake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeslerPlaysLikeACanadian Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Thank goodness the game isn't played on paper...so who knows what can happen in the coming season? Pretty sure you are in minority, being glad that it's not played on paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastal1 Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 You lose all credibility when you say: "but enter Baertschi, a potential Pavel Bure who could ignite the second line and bring the best out of his linemates. Baertschi may, possibly, there is a litle chance, become an NHLer some day, but he is nothing like Bure. Nothing. This is an insult to one of the greatest Canucks ever. At 21, Bure got 60 goals in the NHL. To even mention those two players in the same sentence is completely insane. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horvat Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Sedin - Sedin - Burrows Baertschi - Bonino - Vrbata Kenins - Horvat - Virtanen Prust - Friesen - Dorsett this is the best forward lineup available to us imo... the sedin line is the sedin line. Baertschi - Bonino - Vrbata i could see struggling at times but that's is alright we have 3 capable players on the 3rd line who can replace anybody on the 2nd Kenins - Horvat - Virtanen line would be fast vulgar and hard hitting, imagine calgarys forecheck playing for us every game Prust - Friesen - Dorset line is a big tough 4th line that can chip in goals and help the 3rd line piss people off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanNuck Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 You lose all credibility when you say: "but enter Baertschi, a potential Pavel Bure who could ignite the second line and bring the best out of his linemates. Baertschi may, possibly, there is a litle chance, become an NHLer some day, but he is nothing like Bure. Nothing. This is an insult to one of the greatest Canucks ever. At 21, Bure got 60 goals in the NHL. To even mention those two players in the same sentence is completely insane. . "Potential" - Don't forget that key word. Baertschi may or may not live up to his potential - but don't count him out just yet. The kid's been harped upon ever since he got drafted, because he is lousy defensively and thus never given a chance. He's determined to show his mettle and live up to his billing, and still can bloom late. Play him with the likes of Horvat and Higgins, he needs largely to concentrate on offense and paymaking. And please don't go over the top saying "lose all credibility." That's as bad as pessimists who just want to fart on our ideas without giving something meaningful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
420since1974 Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Sedin - Sedin - Burrows Baertschi - Bonino - Vrbata Kenins - Horvat - Virtanen Prust - Friesen - Dorsett this is the best forward lineup available to us imo... the sedin line is the sedin line. Baertschi - Bonino - Vrbata i could see struggling at times but that's is alright we have 3 capable players on the 3rd line who can replace anybody on the 2nd Kenins - Horvat - Virtanen line would be fast vulgar and hard hitting, imagine calgarys forecheck playing for us every game Prust - Friesen - Dorset line is a big tough 4th line that can chip in goals and help the 3rd line piss people off What did you do with Hansen, Higgins, & Vey? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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