[Official] 2015 Canucks Training Camp Thread

[timberz21]

I'd go with

Seeing sedin virtanen

Burrows Horvat Vebata

Baert/Gaunce Sutter Hansen

Proust McCann Dorsset

Baert/Gaunce vey

Balance of vets and youth on each line

This might be the Sedins last year as true 1st line players, 70 pints range, why not groom our most pure offensive prospect with the franchises leading scorers

With 2nd PP unit jake would get 15 minutes of ice time instead of the Sedins 19. Manageable

Horvat for secondary scoring, Sutter for shutdown

It somewhat started last year, but this should really be a transition year not a, one last window of opportunity

[stawns]

I think JB will make at least one move before Xmas. There's too many forwards and not nearly enough spots when you factor in the 3 kids pushing into the mix up front.

Veterans

Sedin Sedin Burrows

Baer Bo Vrbata

Higgins Sutter Hansen

Prust Vey Dorsett

Thats how I see the status quo lineup looking. To me, thats pretty stale. Of that group I would have to think Hansen, Higgins, Burrows, Vrbata, Vey, Prust are all potential candidates to be moved. I would like to see two of the three young guys on the roster.....Gaunce and one of virt or McCann.

[canucks_bertuzz]

Ok we all love Virtanen but I really don't see him sticking around this season...maybe get his 9 games. I love his speed, toughness and shot but I'm not quite sold on him making the big squad yet but can't wait for next season when he does. I also feel people keep under appreciating Brandon Prust, Prust is toughness/leadership the Canucks are going to miss with trading Bieksa and don't forget Prust is a beast on the PK. Also who doesn't like the idea of Dorsett and Prust on the ice together when things get rough or we need something to get everyone woken up? My idea for lines are similar to some that people have posted.

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows (don't change what isn't broken, Vrbata is amazing with them too but he has shown flashes elsewhere too)

Baetschi - Sutter - Vrbata (speed/skill/winning faceoffs again)

Gaunce - Horvat - Hansen (this line excites me...speed, size, determination and skill. This will be a fun line to watch)

Prust - McCann - Dorsett (sorry Vey but McCann has proved his worth with his all around play)

Vey is extra guy. When Higgins comes back I have no idea what happens, all depends on the kids plays

This line up shows a large group of players that wear their hearts on their sleeves and don't know the word quit. Vancouver hockey needs those kind of guys again. Playing hard and never stopping till that final buzzer.

Is it Oct 7th yet?

[Off_The_Schneid!]

With how little effort the Sedins are putting in I would split them up

We actually have skilled young players now that can benefit from playing with one Sedin on there line

Baertshi henrik vrbata

Daniel Horvat burrows

Dorset sutter Virtanen

Hansen McCann prust

[Outsiders]

Alright I give my take on my new and improved lineup

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows

Baerschi-Horvat-Vrbata

Prust-Sutter-Hansen

Gaunce-McCann-Dorsett

Extra forwards - Kenins, Higgins(traded or should be), Vey

Dont waive Vey. If McCann stuggles in his first 5 games take him out and let Vey be there to redeem himself. However don't send McCann down. Let him practice with the team and get more used to things. When Vey falters like we all know he is going to do put McCann back in to see what he can do. Give him another 4 games and if he continues to struggle then send him down. However if McCann doesn't struggle at all in his nine games has 1-4 points ( remember he might be on our 2nd PP unit) then i say keep him

I don't think Prust and Dorsett are meant for the same line. If you have noticed in all the scrums Dorsett is in Prust leaves him hanging and doesn't do anything. He shouldn't fight he battles so ok fine but at least create something yourself. But i feel Prust would be more engaged Physically, in scums and fights if he wasn't beside Dorsett. So I took Prusty off of that line.

[Canuck Surfer]

That lineup is setup to have scoring problems IMO.

If Hansen is in the top 6 we're in trouble. He gives a great effort every game but he's not a top 6 player. And Gaunce and Dorsett on the third line doesn't really seem like an answer if our top two lines are struggling.

Baertschi needs to be in the top 6 to be effective. He's shown his playmaking ability is NHL ready, he just needs linemates that can finish.

I would switch Burrows to right wing, drop Hansen and Dorsett down, and move Baertschi into the top 6.

Sedin Sedin Vrbata

Baertschi Sutter Burrows

Gaunce Horvat Hansen

Dorsett McCann Virtanen

Probably closer to what we'll actually see. My proposal was just what I'd personally like to see based on preseason so far.

I hear what you are saying. There would be worry the 4th line would get no time. Its just up to the coach to roll 4 lines. Which Willie has proved he is willing to do.

Remember the way AV ran the bench? With a heavy accent on strategic deployment. That kid line and Twins line would work to their strengths, offensive starts. And the speed and size of the middle 6 lines I proposed would be used to create relentless defensive pressure in all 3 zones.

Then head up ice, where the lanes are wide open, in counter attack. Kesler and Raymond scored plenty back in the day. And not because they played the the cycle game. There is plenty of evidence in those two guys that formulating attacking defensive lines creates offense. Same with Malhotra / Torres / Hansen when they were together. Hansen, even after that line dispersed, scored 1 point shy of 40 points in 2011/12. & was 3rd on the team in scoring in lockout shortened 2012/13. It wasn't because he was on the PP.

Two attacking pressure defence lines, and two lines with all our best puck hounds. I could see it scoring heaps. Just up to the coach to roll them at the right time.

I don't think there's any way we see all four make the team.

Gaunce or Hutton can be sent to Utica while Virtanen and McCann can get their 9 games if management wants. Then I think one or the other (or both) will be cut leaving room for Hutton or Gaunce to be recalled.

Yeah, the numbers just don't work out. 2 of the 4 unless management actually trade or let guys go. And I believe you are dead on. Gaunce and Hutton could start in Utica to give Jake & McCann 9 games.

Longer if injuries or trades are necessitated by their play..

I must be the only one who would prefer the young guns stay off the team during this stagnant transition and bust onto the scene bursting at the seams during the Canucks renascence next season.

GMJB has clearly set himself up for some major turnover next season allowing the young guns to take over.

Depends if guys knock vets out of jobs?

[-Vintage Canuck-]

OP updated.

[Gaudette Celly]

I don't see why they're not trying Sutter on the wing. If McCann can show he's good enough for the third line, that means Sutter will have to shift to wing. If not this season then at least down the road a bit.

That's the key. Cassels is a year, maybe two away. He, McCann, Horvat, and Sedin are all natural centers. At some point Sutter will likely be the one to shift to wing, which is not a bad thing having him out there as backup FO man.

[Gaudette Celly]

I must be the only one who would prefer the young guns stay off the team during this stagnant transition and bust onto the scene bursting at the seams during the Canucks renascence next season.

GMJB has clearly set himself up for some major turnover next season allowing the young guns to take over.

Yes, as evidenced by all the one-year contracts. But Prust was also brought in for a reason, and that to ease the transition of youth into the roster. They likely expected at least one and perhaps two young guys to make the roster this year. If Prust isn't resigned and we wait on bringing them in, then we're faced with a brigade of 3-5 making the team but without his presence.

Some of those new guys are ready now. Sending them away, to wherever, might actually retard their progress.

Again, I think that's what's being missed. It's not a black and white AHL=development vs NHL=developed. If they can play the NHL game and not be overwhelmed, then continuing development in the bigs is probably the best option for them. All four guys in question appear to be at that stage, but it's the numbers and contract game that will probably prevent all from staying to start the season. They'll play it conservative -- send Hutton down, and keep the two juniors for 9 games until Higgins is back (Gaunce as his placeholder), then decide.

[aGENT]

Here is my way of getting McCann into the mix

Sedins Burrows

Baertschi Horvat/Sutter Vrbata

Guance Sutter/Horvat Dorsett

Hansen McCann Prust

I vote for:

Sedin, Sedin, Burrows

Baer, Horvat, Vrbata

Dorsett, Sutter, Hansen

Prust, McCann, Virtanen

Vey

[thejazz97]

I vote for:

Sedin, Sedin, Burrows

Baer, Horvat, Vrbata

Dorsett, Sutter, Hansen

Prust, McCann, Virtanen

Vey

My choice is

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows

Gaunce-Horvat-Hansen

Bartschi-McCann-Vrbata

Virtanen-Sutter-Dorsett

Prust

IR: Higgins

Roll all 4 lines

Trade Vey

[duncan44]

Sedin Sedin Burrows

Baertschi Horvat Virbata
Prust Sutter Hansen
Dorsett McCann Virtanen
Higgins/Gaunce

Edler Tanev
Hammer Sbisa
Hutton Bart/Weber

[Gaudette Celly]

I vote for:

Sedin, Sedin, Burrows

Baer, Horvat, Vrbata

Dorsett, Sutter, Hansen

Prust, McCann, Virtanen

Vey

Yeah, unless the kids struggle together then Hansen and Jake may need to switch. But hey, by that time Higgins will be back

Think we still need to get Gaunce in there somehow, too.

[aGENT]

Yeah, unless the kids struggle together then Hansen and Jake may need to switch. But hey, by that time Higgins will be back

Think we still need to get Gaunce in there somehow, too.

Yup, when Higgins gets back, decisions will need to be made.

Gaunce and Hutton will be victims of depth and not being waivers risks. They'll be back soon enough though IMO.

[Ossi Vaananen]

Fedun waived this morning. I'd assume Cracknell and Biega are next after tonight.

[tyhee]

This showed up in my newsfeed from the Canucks dated Oct 1. http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=781245&cmpid=rss-woodley

I really hope it was written before training camp started or by someone with no knowledge of anything that has taken place during the preseason.

Canucks facing familiar script

Thursday, 10.1.2015 / 10:23 AM PT / News

By Kevin Woodley

E-mail

VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks made significant and at-times surprising changes in the summer but face familiar questions about their chances of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs again this season.

Much like they were heading into last season, the Canucks are considered a playoff longshot by many in part because of questions about some of those moves they made and in part because other Pacific Division opponents appeared to load up around them during the offseason.

The Calgary Flames, who knocked Vancouver out of the Western Conference First Round in six games last season, Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers all seem improved after finishing behind the Canucks in the Pacific Division. The same can be said for the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference.

That has led to a lot of questions that bring back memories from the start of last season, when the Canucks were coming off missing the playoffs and hearing talk about being an aging team in decline. Goaltender Ryan Miller thinks hearing those same questions again might be a good thing.

"Last year, the guys had something to prove early on and I think we have to maintain that because every year that's what kind of gets you through," Miller said. "You have to have a calling. We should have some youthful energy along with some guys who definitely want to prove something and it's funny, we kind of slide into the same script as last year where people aren't really talking about us doing too much."

FORWARDS

After riding top-line twinsDaniel Sedin and Henrik Sedinhard under coach John Tortorella and finishing 25th in the League standings in 2013-14, the Canucks relied on a more balanced approach under new coach Willie Desjardins last season, regularly rolling four lines at even strength.

With young forwards including Jake Virtanen, Jared McCannand Brendan Gaunce pushing for jobs, the Canucks should be deep enough up front to keep pushing the pace in Desjardins' system even after letting veteran contributors such as Shawn Matthias, who scored 17 of his 18 goals at even strength last season, and Brad Richardson leave as free agents. The question is whether the Canucks can find the right mix among the current group, something they were still trying to find while mixing and matching the top three lines midway through the preseason.

Vancouver has been careful not to place too many scoring expectations on center Bo Horvat despite Horvat breaking out offensively after the All-Star Game last season as a rookie (17 points in 37 games) and being one of the Canucks' best forwards in the playoff loss to Calgary. Instead, the Canucks seem determined to make Brandon Sutter, acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the de facto second-line center ahead of Horvat and in place of Nick Bonino, who went to Pittsburgh in the trade. With little expected from a fourth line ofLinden Vey between Derek Dorsett and newcomer Brandon Prust, the Canucks will need contributions from the lines centered by Horvat and Sutter to take pressure off the Sedins to score at 5-on-5 this season.

Whether Vey's line can keep from being pinned in its own end, Desjardins believes the Canucks are better down the middle this season.

"Sutter is a good skater, he can play against anybody. Horvat is a good skater, he can play against anybody, and so can [Henrik Sedin]," Desjardins said. "Those three down the middle give you a lot of different ways to play teams."

DEFENSEMEN

The Canucks will undoubtedly feel the loss of veteran defensemen Kevin Bieksa, who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for a second-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft after 10 seasons in Vancouver.

Though Bieksa's leadership and strong presence leaves a gap that will need to be filled in the locker room, Canucks general manager Jim Benning believes he replaced Bieksa's toughness on the ice by adding Prust in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens. As for Bieksa's contributions on the back end, the 34-year-old was dropped to the third defense pairing last season behind Christopher Tanev and Yannick Weber on the right side.

"Kevin was a huge personality," defenseman Dan Hamhuissaid. "He'll be missed, but it's a great opportunity for more guys to step up and fill his role."

The Canucks went 12-9-1 while Bieksa was out almost two months with a broken hand last season despite also missing Tanev and defenseman Alexander Edler for stretches, but they might struggle if their depth is similarly challenged this season. Weber was a healthy scratch several games early last season but returns to the top four alongside Hamhuis after playing well while Bieksa was out late in the season.

The bottom pairing will likely feature a rotation of free agent addition Matt Bartkowski, steady-but-unspectacular Frank Corrado, who has two points in 28 NHL games in three seasons, and Luca Sbisa, who is entering the first season of a three-year contract extension he received in April.

Beyond that, Vancouver has Alex Biega, who stepped in admirably his first seven NHL games while Bieksa was out,Taylor Fedun, who has played 11 NHL games, and skilled-but-raw rookies Ben Hutton and Jordan Subban.

GOALIES

Goaltending is never far from the spotlight in Vancouver, and the trade of fan favoriteEddie Lack at the NHL Draft on June 27 ensures that will be the case again this season.

Miller, 35, has fully recovered from the knee injury that gave Lack the opportunity to carry the Canucks into the playoffs last season. But with Jacob Markstrom taking over for Lack in the backup role, there are questions about whether the Canucks can survive another prolonged absence from their No.1 goaltender.

Markstrom is coming off an exceptional season in the American Hockey League, but he could use some early success to make Canucks fans forget his .896 save percentage in 50 NHL games. After making subtle changes in his technique and tactics since coming from the Florida Panthers two seasons ago as part of the Roberto Luongo trade, this season will be Markstrom's best chance to finally establish himself as an NHL regular.

As for Miller, he is coming off a season of changes that added up to the worst full-season save percentage (.911) of his career. Miller spent the start of last season adjusting to a new conference, new coach, new system and style tweaks under new goalie coach Roland Melanson. Just when he finally seemed comfortable with the adjustments, Miller injured his right knee in a late February crease collision with teammate Jannik Hansen.

"I was starting to get a feel for, 'OK, this is how I want to play,'" Miller said. "Now I am just trying to pick up again on that same course."

SPECIAL TEAMS

Vancouver relied heavily on special teams last season and will likely need a repeat performance to get back to the playoffs.

Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin lead a power-play unit that was tied for eighth in the League (19.3 percent) last season. Vancouver was a lot further back at even strength, finishing tied for 12th with 155 goals while playing 5-on-5.

Vancouver's penalty kill finished second at 85.7 percent but has lost its top shorthanded forwards in Richardson and Bonino (each 1:57 PK time per game last season), and will be withoutChris Higgins, who averaged 1:44 of penalty-kill time per game, third among Canucks forwards, to start the season because of a broken foot. The addition of Sutter will help offset those losses, but with Matthias also gone, the Canucks may need to use the Sedins and Horvat more shorthanded this season.

COACHES

Desjardins returns for a second season with the same staff and shouldn't have to worry as much about implementing system changes. Don't expect him to waver from the balanced lines approach that got the Canucks back to the playoffs last season, but don't be surprised if he focuses more on matchups after rolling four lines left Vancouver exposed in the first-round loss to Calgary.

Author: Kevin Woodley | NHL.com Correspondent

[250Integra]

I thought that was a decent article. Nothing points out to be as biased or untrue.

[The Bookie]

I see they opted for the rarely used stock photo of Willie from his time as a member of the ensemble cast on HBO's The Wire

"I thought Chris and Snoop did a real good job hiding those bodies."

[theminister]

I thought that was a decent article. Nothing points out to be as biased or untrue.

Woodley is intelligent.

He's also one if the few whose opinion I trust on goalies.

[Amish Rake Fighter]

Weird, I think that's the first time I've ever heard or read anything from Woodley that wasn't pretty much goalie specific.

I didn't know he worked for NHL.com either, I thought he was the freelance goalie guru.

He's the guy who predicted exactly what happened when Miller was traded to St Louis, that the clash of styles would be hard to overcome in such a short period of time. Right down to predicting the type of goals he was going to be susceptible to.