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Vrbata or Burrows with Sutter?


IBatch

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I'd be interested to see Baertchi with Sutter and Vrby. Baertchi's playmaking acumen would be nice with two right shot options, one in the slot and the other back door. I feel like Burr would be redundant since Sutter could handle fore check/ puck retrieval duties for the line which opens up Burr to provide those duties for he twins.

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I doubt we see Burrows with the Sedins. Last year they only took Vrbata off that line to help with secondary scoring.

This season, with the emergence of Sutter/Horvat/Baertschi we won't have to do that.

1: Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata

2a: Baertschi-Sutter-Burrows

2b: Higgins-Horvat-Hansen

4: Prust-Vey-Dorsett

PP1: Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata

PP2: Sutter-Horvat-Burrows/Baertschi

If Sutter can be a 50 point guy for us, I think our lineup actually looks pretty good. Only thing that disgusts me is Vey as 4th line C. Would much rather see Gaunce or Cassels in that spot.

I'd rather have Prust at C and play Kenins and Dorsett on his wings. That would be a very good line 4th line IMO

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I doubt we see Burrows with the Sedins. Last year they only took Vrbata off that line to help with secondary scoring.

I'm not so sure about that.

Some of the late season interviews (can't find the quotes right now) with the Sedins suggested, while they were too classy to say it outright, that as the season wore on, they became less convinced there was the right "fit" with Vrbata at even strength (5v5) and that they felt that Burrows was better suited to supporting their playing style (specifically in terms of forechecking, puck retrieval, net presence, maintaining possession/extending zonetime, and defensive ability).

Coach Desjardins also seemed to share a similar view:

When asked on Wednesday who should play with the twins, head coach Willie Desjardins said:

“I think they need a guy who will go to the net. I think if they have a guy there, they’ll get the puck there.

“I think they need a guy who is a little bit hard on the forecheck. A guy who can get in there and be a little bit of a physical presence.

“As well, as a guy who can (backcheck).”

Vrbata, of course, is not really any of those things.

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Botchford+Canuck+management+five+moments/11015041/story.html

There's also the question of whether or not Benning has already targeted Vrbata for a trade at the 2016 deadline (likely with picks/prospects coming back). If Vrbata's on his way out of Vancouver, then it might make sense to get a jump on his departure so that the team isn't forced to adjust their first line personnel following the potential "sell off" at the trade deadline.

EDIT: Plus Benning was rather infamously (Botchford/Gallagher) linked to comments that were highly critical of Vrbata as a player who stayed too much "on the perimeter" and who "doesn't want the puck": http://www.theprovince.com/Video+What+could+Canucks+Sbisa+Vrbata/11014743/story.html

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Sedin-sedin-burrows

Bear-Sutter-Vrbata

Higgy-Horvat-Hansen

Prust-Vey-Dor

PP

Sedin-sedin-Sutter

Bear-Horvat-Vrbata

I think the 5-on-5 lines given above are almost certain to be how things go, except that I think Virtanen will get a look early in the season (and then will return to Junior).

But Vrbata will be on the first unit PP with the Sedins.

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While much has been made of Sutter being a better fit with the Canucks than Bonino due to Sutter's faceoff ability and being a right handed shot, there remains the issue that on the Canucks' 2nd line Vrbata remains as a sniper, while Sutter has never had a season where he's shown much as a playmaker. Since he entered the NHL in 2008-9 Sutter has never had as many as 20 assists in any regular season.

In 4 of the past 6 seasons Sutter has more goals than assists, once the same number of goals as assists and one season his assists exceeded his goals-by one. He also scored more goals than assists in his last junior season (though not in his previous two.)

On the face of it that doesn't seem the best choice of center to put with a team's leading goal scorer.

Whether Burrows or someone else plays on Sutter's RW, offensively Sutter and Vrbata don't seem a good fit to me. It is possible that Baertchi could be the line's playmaker, but otherwise imo it is more likely Vrbata plays with someone else.

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My fear is Vey will end up on RW and I see WD doing something like this:

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows (just works too well / perect combination)

Baertschi - Sutter - Vrbata

Higgins - Horvat - Vey

Dorsett - Prust - Hansen

This is what I would like:

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows

Baertschi-Horvat-Vrbata

Virtaanen-Sutter-Hansen

Higgins-Prust-Dorsett

Vey and Kennins are extras. Horvat is an excellent passer and needs skilled wingers. Sutter would be better with speedy north south wingers like Hansen and Virt. The fourth line is responsible and can eat up 10+ minutes every night.

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While much has been made of Sutter being a better fit with the Canucks than Bonino due to Sutter's faceoff ability and being a right handed shot, there remains the issue that on the Canucks' 2nd line Vrbata remains as a sniper, while Sutter has never had a season where he's shown much as a playmaker. Since he entered the NHL in 2008-9 Sutter has never had as many as 20 assists in any regular season.

In 4 of the past 6 seasons Sutter has more goals than assists, once the same number of goals as assists and one season his assists exceeded his goals-by one. He also scored more goals than assists in his last junior season (though not in his previous two.)

On the face of it that doesn't seem the best choice of center to put with a team's leading goal scorer.

Whether Burrows or someone else plays on Sutter's RW, offensively Sutter and Vrbata don't seem a good fit to me. It is possible that Baertchi could be the line's playmaker, but otherwise imo it is more likely Vrbata plays with someone else.

The underlined is your answer. Baer will be the playmaker, Vrbata the primary shooter, Sutter the defensive presence, secondary shooter that gets puck possession via faceoffs and relentless puck pursuit.

That complements the other two quite nicely IMO.

Plus, Vrbata is likely moved by/at the deadline ;)

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I'm no false optimist. I believe this team and I know they can win. I don't believe in the past 4 idiotic benning trades though. Juice, Eddie, kassian and now the bone show is gone...

Not until he proves himself. Haven't heard much positive from pens fans either

What? You were my favorite?!

xgL4eSV.gif

On topic, I'd say Vrbata. It depends on who gets "second line" mates and who gets "third line" mates between him and Bo. Bo could possibly take Vrbata and Baertschi and drop Sutter to Higgins and Hansen, which would make a sick checking line.

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We are all just guessing at this point. But I think Vrbata will go back with the Sedins.

He was signed for that reason.....then when the second line couldn't do anything last year, he was moved down to jumpstart them.

Not cause he sucked

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Super weird to hear how much you people think Baertschi is an NHLer.

Serious doubts on him making the team next year. I haven't seen anything about him that will get playing time with our coach. Willie won't play him unless he is bigger and tougher.

Sutter will play on our second line. With Vrbata and another winger. No way is Horvat on a wing, he's a great faceoff man. So is Sutter. They're centers. Who will play with Sutter? Who will play with Horvat? Who will play with the Sedins? Ultimately that will be decided later.

If you had to guess, I'd say every winger on the roster will take turns. The Canucks have a decent bunch of guys down the middle. The wingers will earn their spots. Only Daniel has a sure spot next season, the rest will be competing for the best line they can be on.

Baertschi will be competing to be on the team, from what I saw last season he stinks. He isn't very good at all. His numbers show he has some skill. Let's hope he works out and gets tougher in the offseason. In the West hockey is pretty much for guys who aren't easily knocked around.

That said I'd love to see that kid bulk up and play for us well. But all this Baertschi on the second line talk is super ridiculous to anyone who understands this team.

Here's my prediction on opening night (current roster)

Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata

Higgins-Sutter-Burrows

Kennins-Horvat-Hansen

Dorsett-Vey-Prust

Seems pretty obvious. Younger guys will really have to earn it, and with injuries being unavoidable they will get their chances.

Baertschi and Virtanen and the rest of the young bloods will have to impress old Willie the Lizard man and he's a guy who found reason to bench Kennins last year. Which is F_______ing crazy. Good luck young guys, you got your work cut out for you.

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