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Brendan Gaunce | C/LW


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Being able to read a play, know where it's going, and being able to get there in time to score a goal, or direct a pass to someone wide open, is just as valuable, if not more so, than extreme skating ability. Mason Raymond could skate like the wind, but his one 20 goal year is beginning to look more of an aberration than true ability. Conversely, I seem to remember a certain big guy, that really wasn't all that fast, but d**n he could score a few goals; ever heard of Phil Esposito?

Gaunce will be a player for us, he has too good a feel for the game. Next year I think he will be a call-up when needed for either LW or C; in 16-17 he will be a regular, likely as a 3-4C.

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Thanks.

But don't act like I don't know what I'm talking about. I follow our prospects as closely as anyone on here.

Dude, don't get your panties in a knot because I'd rather read and give credence to what the posters who actually watch the players live have to say than what you have to say. You credible? Yah, okay, if it makes you feel better.

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Dude, don't get your panties in a knot because I'd rather read and give credence to what the posters who actually watch the players live have to say than what you have to say. You credible? Yah, okay, if it makes you feel better.

Now I'm getting my "panties in knot"? Okay there sport.

Choose who's opinions you wanna read all you want. But don't pretend like mine are worth nothing.

If you came into the prospect forum regularly, and not just as a casual follower, then you would see that I constantly watch games, post highlights, read articles, and comment on a players play. But apparently that doesn't make me credible. According to you watching a player live is the only thing that makes a person credible. Even though this guy could have just started watching hockey this year for all you know (not saying that's true).

Edited by DeNiro
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Dude, don't get your panties in a knot because I'd rather read and give credence to what the posters who actually watch the players live have to say than what you have to say. You credible? Yah, okay, if it makes you feel better.

you should probably log off so you dont take out your anger on random CDC members because you have some sort of personal issue

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Now I'm getting my "panties in knot"? Okay there sport.

Choose who's opinions you wanna read all you want. But don't pretend like mine are worth nothing.

If you came into the prospect forum regularly, and not just as a casual follower, then you would see that I constantly watch games, post highlights, read articles, and comment on a players play. But apparently that doesn't make me credible. According to you watching a player live is the only thing that makes a person credible. Even though this guy could have just started watching hockey this year for all you know (not saying that's true).

Okay...you're hired. Now stop chattering and go back to your streamed games and on-line searches so that you can report on something.

Note to others: sorry for de-railing the Gaunce post. Apparently this DeNiro fella took offence my first post thanking Comet Fan 0727 for his post on Gaunce based on first hand observations and not giving him any credit for what he's posted. Apparently he works real hard and spends countless hours at being a wannabe scout. Surprised no NHL team has scooped him up.

Edited by bigbadcanucks
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Okay...you're hired. Now stop chattering and go back to your streamed games and on-line searches so that you can report on something.

It's funny cause you're bringing more ignorance and stupidity to this thread then anyone.

If you wanna have an intelligent conversation about prospects, then fine. If not, then no one cares what you think. You're not the authority on who's opinion is a good one or not.

Pop back in in a month and pretend you care about our prospects though. Okay bye.

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It's funny cause you're bringing more ignorance and stupidity to this thread then anyone.

If you wanna have an intelligent conversation about prospects, then fine. If not, then no one cares what you think. You're not the authority on who's opinion is a good one or not.

Pop back in in a month and pretend you care about our prospects though. Okay bye.

Edited by Horvat
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Gaunce's value isn't low, its just that he's not a top notch prospect. He's a good prospect that likely has solid market value, but its not like he is a Virtanen/Horvat level prospect.

My stance is, I would hold onto him, but that being said out of all of our better prospects (The first rounders, Demko, perhaps Cassels) he's the one who would be most expendable IMO now that we have Horvat, Cassels & McCann. If we could get another prospect for Gaunce, of similar value & pedigree that helps out another area (most notably defense) I would be all over it. It would obviously have to be the right prospect though, not just for anyone.

But even if we hold onto him I'm very confident he could be a good, useful player for us down the road.

Edited by Smashian Kassian
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Gaunce's value isn't low, its just that he's not a top notch prospect. He's a good prospect that likely has solid market value, but its not like he is a Virtanen/Horvat level prospect.

My stance is, I would hold onto him, but that being said out of all of our better prospects (The first rounders, Demko, perhaps Cassels) he's the one who would be most expendable IMO now that we have Horvat, Cassels & McCann. If we could get another prospect for Gaunce, of similar value & pedigree that helps out another area (most notably defense) I would be all over it. It would obviously have to be the right prospect though, not just for anyone.

But even if we hold onto him I'm very confident he could be a good, useful player for us down the road.

gaunce is a winger now...

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gaunce is a winger now...

Just because he's playing wing right now doesn't mean that he's suddenly incapable of playing center, and will play wing the rest of his career.

He's capable of both, but he is still a natural center.

Not that it really means much as far as changing my opinion goes, I'm sure McCann and Cassels could play wing aswell, and they are still comparable players to Gaunce. (Horvat too)

Edited by Smashian Kassian
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So have we decided whether Gaunce is still not a good enough skater?

I thought you guys were actually going to discuss that instead of calling each other out on not knowing?? If you say something at least have some facts to back it up.

"Scouts have said"

&

"He looks fast"

Don't support an argument to well.

Is he skating stopping him from being an NHL player one day (Problem)

Or is it just preventing from being the best NHLer he could be (Issue)

Personally I believe it is more of the latter. He's not a terrible skater by any stretch, and his acceleration has improved since junior. He is a straight line player though, and could use some work and lateral movements just to better round out his game and keep defenders guessing. The biggest thing he can do though is work on his explosion just like what Horvat had to do before making the NHL. Once he can get to full speed in only a few strides he will be fine in the NHL. Until then he won't be able to take advantage of other players mistakes and make up for his own as well as he could.

If you check his Belleville highlights compared to the Comets he is definitely gliding less than he used to. That's a big improvement

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Two of the greatest players to ever wear a Canucks sweater were considered slow footed. They turned out all right. So there is hope for Gaunce to overcome his lack of foot speed.

Er, they also had the opportunity to play together their whole lives and were fortunate enough to be drafted together... unless Gaunce has a twin I don't know about. :o

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His acceleration needs work. I don't think it will hinder his ability to play in the NHL though. It's adequate.

Gaunce- McCann- Cassels down the road as third line?

Yeah I have noticed this weakness since I saw him in pre season games. If hes going to be anything more then a 3rd or 4th line NHLer hes going to have to work on it a lot. If he does we have a gem.

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Skating is definitely an issue if your game is based on getting into the open space, but Gaunce is a big guy. He can create space by being aggressive.

Developing explosive speed is nearly impossible, as it's more based on natural ability. You can get quicker, but he's not gonna be powering from 0-60 like Stamkos. The coaches has been saying that he tends to stop moving his feet (at least when being draft, I don't know if he still has that tendency now still), so as long as he's constantly in motion, it could elevate some of that concern.

Trevor Linden wasn't a speedster, but he was strong on his skates and had size. If Brendan Gaunce can be physically dominant when carrying the puck and be a strong presence in front of the net and along the boards, speed or no speed, he'll be a good NHLer.

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Skating is definitely an issue if your game is based on getting into the open space, but Gaunce is a big guy. He can create space by being aggressive.

Developing explosive speed is nearly impossible, as it's more based on natural ability. You can get quicker, but he's not gonna be powering from 0-60 like Stamkos. The coaches has been saying that he tends to stop moving his feet (at least when being draft, I don't know if he still has that tendency now still), so as long as he's constantly in motion, it could elevate some of that concern.

Trevor Linden wasn't a speedster, but he was strong on his skates and had size. If Brendan Gaunce can be physically dominant when carrying the puck and be a strong presence in front of the net and along the boards, speed or no speed, he'll be a good NHLer.

I watched the skills competition in the mid 90's, the last year the Canucks played in the Pacific Coliseum, and Linden beat Bure as the fastest skater in the Canucks

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You guys calling him slow, have you ever seen him play, or are you just repeating what others say because you assume it must be true? Maybe check back to his draft year and how he fared in the skating tests.

Sorry dude, you misunderstood me. Turtle as in the turtle and hare story. Jensen and Shinkaruk has always been fan favorites as our future top 6. Guance, most people put off as a 3rd C or worst. And now he is slowly developing into a better prospect than Jensen and Shinkaruk - -that is the reference Im trying to make.

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