Brendan Gaunce | C/LW

[hobart16]

Gaunce has been good on the boards, has good face off, takeaway and hits numbers this year.  He has even scrapped on occasion if memory serves.  He dropped a little weight and his skating is improved but his offense is non existent right now, that is the issue.  Chaput has played pretty well too and has probably given a bit more offensively so it is a toss up between them.    

 

The proof will be in what happens when Rodin comes up.  Who gets sent back?  Everybody has to pass through waivers I believe.  Would you risk losing Gaunce in waivers?   That would be a shame if that happens.  

[GB5]

2 hours ago, Ronaldoescobar said:

This^  Gaunce is a very hard worker, says the right things etc but he just doesnt have the talent to be a regular NHL player. I could see him having some success in Europe, perhaps the KHL.

 

Yikes, that's a very bif estimation on a very little body of work. I didn't know his name was Brendan McCrosby 

 

Thing is, there is more to being part of a team than just putting up big numbers. Gaunce is a good player, just give it time, he is developing his games as is 75% of the other Canucks, he just needs to play.

[Ronaldoescobar]

48 minutes ago, GarthButcher5 said:

 

Yikes, that's a very bif estimation on a very little body of work. I didn't know his name was Brendan McCrosby 

 

Thing is, there is more to being part of a team than just putting up big numbers. Gaunce is a good player, just give it time, he is developing his games as is 75% of the other Canucks, he just needs to play.

I guess we will see. While I hope I am wrong, following his tenure with the canucks (Comets) since he was drafted (wasnt too excited back then either) I just cant see it. Of course this is just my opinion. 

 

@Lancaster: I was actually a big supporter of Kesler (as a player, not the person off the ice)

[canuckledraggin]

3 hours ago, hobart16 said:

Gaunce has been good on the boards, has good face off, takeaway and hits numbers this year.  He has even scrapped on occasion if memory serves.  He dropped a little weight and his skating is improved but his offense is non existent right now, that is the issue.  Chaput has played pretty well too and has probably given a bit more offensively so it is a toss up between them.    

 

The proof will be in what happens when Rodin comes up.  Who gets sent back?  Everybody has to pass through waivers I believe.  Would you risk losing Gaunce in waivers?   That would be a shame if that happens.  

Gaunce is exempt until next season. https://www.capfriendly.com/waivers_calculator/brendan-gaunce#results

 

This is the reason that it makes no sense to have him watching games from the press box. There is a lot to like about his game this year, but he needs to feel what it is like to score and produce offensively, even in a 4th line role. A stint with Utica would be both beneficial to him and the Comets right now. Even if he gets in a game and plays well in one of the back to backs this weekend, as you stated Rodin needs a spot to come back to and Gaunce is the only way to go from a management and depth point of view.  

[hobart16]

in that case send him back to Utica.  No brainer of the week 

[Bruce Boudreau]

55 minutes ago, hobart16 said:

in that case send him back to Utica.  No brainer of the week 

 

Been saying this for some time. Utica could definitely use him would be interesting to see if he can get some chemistry with Virtanen before bringing them back up later on after the trade deadline.

 

If Hansen is out for any length of time it's an obvious move to get his fitness level up and gets him working on his skating playing big minutes in Utica.

 

Probably should not have made team to begin with and just used Chaput for that 4C role since Chaput unlike Guance already knows his role and identity at the NHL level if he wants to carve out a spot for himself.

[Boudrias]

9 hours ago, Chip Kelly said:

 

Been saying this for some time. Utica could definitely use him would be interesting to see if he can get some chemistry with Virtanen before bringing them back up later on after the trade deadline.

 

If Hansen is out for any length of time it's an obvious move to get his fitness level up and gets him working on his skating playing big minutes in Utica.

 

Probably should not have made team to begin with and just used Chaput for that 4C role since Chaput unlike Guance already knows his role and identity at the NHL level if he wants to carve out a spot for himself.

Hard to argue that having him play for the price of a airline ticket is worth it. He could go down for a month or so and come back in the spring to finish the season.  Does Gaunce gain that much not playing but practicing?

[WeneedLumme]

17 hours ago, hobart16 said:

in that case send him back to Utica.  No brainer of the week 

Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you. I bet you'd also like Stecher back, too. Lol.

[Bruce Boudreau]

9 hours ago, Boudrias said:

Hard to argue that having him play for the price of a airline ticket is worth it. He could go down for a month or so and come back in the spring to finish the season.  Does Gaunce gain that much not playing but practicing?

 

Like Virtanen and all young players he needs to play. Just ask Frankie Corrado would you rather be at the NHL level and collect your salary but never play and risk stagnating your development long term or go down to the minors and develop some more so you have more earning potential for that second contract after your entry level deal to set you up for life even if it is a bridge deal.

[hobart16]

5 hours ago, WeneedLumme said:

Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you. I bet you'd also like Stecher back, too. Lol.

second no brainer!  Hansen on conditioning stint while you're feeling generous 

[Salmonberries]

Gaunce ought to be in Utica, he could at least contribute down there. He`s basically invisible up here.

[smokes]

I see Gaunce as a guy playing to stay on an NHL line than the young up and commer I've seen flasheh of last year. Gaunce has almost entirely shifted his focus on defence this year and haven't really tried to do much in the offensive side of things for fear of making a mistake. He's capable of gerating offence but the coach needs to let him off his grasps. Horvat had the same problem too as Virtanen. 

[-AJ-]

I'd like to see Gaunce encouraged to play more offensively. Give him some 3rd line minutes maybe or just even talk to him about it. He's already proven he can dominate the AHL offensively. 

[Crabcakes]

10 hours ago, ajhockey said:

I'd like to see Gaunce encouraged to play more offensively. Give him some 3rd line minutes maybe or just even talk to him about it. He's already proven he can dominate the AHL offensively. 

If you call 17-21-38 in 46 games last year dominating.  It's pretty good imo.  He's like the invisible man with the Canucks though.  On a good team, he doesn't get a sniff.

 

In interviews, he has said that he accepts that he's going to have to specialize in a checking role in the NHL so I don't think it has anything to do with how Willie is asking him to play.  I don't see a lot of offensive flair from him at all.  He is a big body and can get in on the fore check.  His hero chart shows that he helps his line mates defensively and offensively but his personal numbers are very low.  After 30 games he is 0-4-0 with a 0 +/-.  That's a decent sample size as to what they have in Gaunce at this stage.

 

The Canucks top 3 lines have some skill and I think that they want offensive production from all 3 lines.  There isn't really a lock down line for a defensive specialist right now.  Healthy, they look like this:

 

Sedin Sedin Hansen

Granlund Sutter Eriksson

Baertschi Horvat Burrows or Rodin

 

I just don't see him as anything but a utility 4th liner at this point.  If he would benefit from more minutes, it would have to be in Utica.

[-AJ-]

12 hours ago, Crabcakes said:

If you call 17-21-38 in 46 games last year dominating.  It's pretty good imo.  He's like the invisible man with the Canucks though.  On a good team, he doesn't get a sniff.

 

In interviews, he has said that he accepts that he's going to have to specialize in a checking role in the NHL so I don't think it has anything to do with how Willie is asking him to play.  I don't see a lot of offensive flair from him at all.  He is a big body and can get in on the fore check.  His hero chart shows that he helps his line mates defensively and offensively but his personal numbers are very low.  After 30 games he is 0-4-0 with a 0 +/-.  That's a decent sample size as to what they have in Gaunce at this stage.

 

The Canucks top 3 lines have some skill and I think that they want offensive production from all 3 lines.  There isn't really a lock down line for a defensive specialist right now.  Healthy, they look like this:

 

Sedin Sedin Hansen

Granlund Sutter Eriksson

Baertschi Horvat Burrows or Rodin

 

I just don't see him as anything but a utility 4th liner at this point.  If he would benefit from more minutes, it would have to be in Utica.

Looking at it again, there isn't a lot of room for him on the 3rd line unless Hansen is done long term (not sure on that one). It's a difficult situation because he has little to prove in the AHL, so I fear sending him down there wouldn't teach him anything he doesn't already know. He played strong offensively and defensively there, so he's already proven he can do it, just not at the NHL level. I fear that he'll turn into a career AHL guy if we don't somehow get him scoring a few  points in the NHL and instead send him back down.

[DownUndaCanuck]

Gaunce has a surprisingly good shot, he's just never encouraged to use it. Always forced to play the safe game which is dump, chase and fight along the boards so he never gets into a shooting position.

 

I say WD needs to use his big body for screens more and try to get him to be the shooter on a line for once as opposed to one of the fourth liners who bangs away and goes nowhere. He's never going to generate offence on the 4th line. Slot him in with Burrows and Horvat and see what happens.

[RetroCanuck]

3 hours ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

Gaunce has a surprisingly good shot, he's just never encouraged to use it. Always forced to play the safe game which is dump, chase and fight along the boards so he never gets into a shooting position.

 

I say WD needs to use his big body for screens more and try to get him to be the shooter on a line for once as opposed to one of the fourth liners who bangs away and goes nowhere. He's never going to generate offence on the 4th line. Slot him in with Burrows and Horvat and see what happens.

Ya I agree, Id like to see him on the third line. Granland-Gaunce-Rodin might be good and fun to watch.

[canucklehead44]

His fancy stats numbers are surprisingly good. He isn't really doing anything amazing, but certainly isn't hurting the team in any way. As a young rookie making under 1 million he is fine just plugging a fourth line hole - we have far bigger problems elsewhere. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing him get more opportunities. 

[SamJamIam]

On 12/24/2016 at 10:03 AM, Crabcakes said:

If you call 17-21-38 in 46 games last year dominating.  It's pretty good imo.  He's like the invisible man with the Canucks though.  On a good team, he doesn't get a sniff.

 

In interviews, he has said that he accepts that he's going to have to specialize in a checking role in the NHL so I don't think it has anything to do with how Willie is asking him to play.  I don't see a lot of offensive flair from him at all.  He is a big body and can get in on the fore check.  His hero chart shows that he helps his line mates defensively and offensively but his personal numbers are very low.  After 30 games he is 0-4-0 with a 0 +/-.  That's a decent sample size as to what they have in Gaunce at this stage.

 

The Canucks top 3 lines have some skill and I think that they want offensive production from all 3 lines.  There isn't really a lock down line for a defensive specialist right now.  Healthy, they look like this:

 

Sedin Sedin Hansen

Granlund Sutter Eriksson

Baertschi Horvat Burrows or Rodin

 

I just don't see him as anything but a utility 4th liner at this point.  If he would benefit from more minutes, it would have to be in Utica.

 

Exactly how is a guy supposed to put up decent numbers when he plays an average of 8 minutes a night?

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

On 2016-12-26 at 2:09 AM, canucklehead44 said:

His fancy stats numbers are surprisingly good. He isn't really doing anything amazing, but certainly isn't hurting the team in any way. As a young rookie making under 1 million he is fine just plugging a fourth line hole - we have far bigger problems elsewhere. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing him get more opportunities. 

The fact he's still even on plus/minus this season despite his meagre offensive production speaks to how well he's played defensively. And as you note, the fancy stats back this up:

 

-1.05 GA60RelTM (best on team among players with 15+ GP)

 

-3.95 CA60RelTM (2nd best on team among players with 15+ GP)

 

Gaunce is definitely taking care of his own end of the ice. But it would be nice to see him getting a little better results at the other end.

 

His usage isn't helping him much, as far as him getting offensive opportunities. Nor is the fact his on-ice teammates are posting team worst rates for Sh% and CSh%. And Gaunce remains at a zero individual Sh%, despite him getting shots off at a fairly decent rate (his individual shots/minute isn't far behind guys like Horvat, Eriksson, Hansen, and Granlund).

 

But his defensive game is what's keeping him in the NHL right now and might be what he earns his living on should he have a decent length of career in this league. He definitely doesn't hurt the team and, given the usage he's getting, his results (from a team perspective) are pretty good.

 

I'm still hoping he can get a few bounces in the second half and finish with more respectable scoring totals than he's currently projected at for the season. He definitely has he ability. He just needs a little luck and maybe some better opportunities from the coach (in terms of his minutes, linemates, and overall deployment).