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Brendan Gaunce | C/LW


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Astounding fourth line production. He's not pretty to watch, but he's been very productive everywhere he's played. He'll grow on that coach, no doubt.

Of all of the Canucks high end prospects I've been most impressed with Gaunce so far. He is relentless at pressuring the puck and forcing turnovers. Exactly the type of player that Travis Green likes.

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If Guance can work on moving his feet, gain some acceleration/speed, he has the ability to be a very strong 3/4 C/W...

He has the game smarts, has size, and is positionally very sound.

I think people assumed because he was a first rounder that he would automatically be a 1/2nd player and given he's showing he doesnt have that 'elite' skillset seem at times a bit concerned or upset.

But, a guy who can be a great shut down center at 3/4 is also very valuable. I think about a guy like Manny who was a high first rounder with similar point totals in junior (ppg) and how valuable a type of player he was for us during the run, is now for montreal etc.

I think Gaunce, seems to have a well rounded tool box but doesnt seem to 'excel' at anything in particular. This is always a worry as players typically need to excel in at least one area (and usually more) of the game to be legitimate NHLers...Whether that's skating, passing, hitting, scoring, in the past even fighting...and given Gaunce hasn't shown to be 'great' in any one area there is always worry.

But, the areas he can certainly develop, to ensure he can be a valuable player, are those areas that are indeed coachable/teachable. If he can work on his skating, faceoffs, continue to develop his defensive awaresness and keeping his 'motor' going....he could become a very valuable 3/4c

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I see brandon dubinsky as a good comparison for guance.

  • same size
  • both known for their defensive play
  • both put up very similar junior careers
  • both started out at center but found more success as wingers

A player similar to dubinsky is what I think guances ceiling is. Dubinsky as we all know is a very good shutdown 3rd line center who can get 35 - 40 points a season. Or as we have seen him more recently a 2nd line two-way winger who could put up 20+ goals and 45 - 55 points.

I think guances future in the NHL is on the wing and (big surprise here) thats what hes currently playing in Utica

Edited by Southpop45
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Of all of the Canucks high end prospects I've been most impressed with Gaunce so far. He is relentless at pressuring the puck and forcing turnovers. Exactly the type of player that Travis Green likes.

This post cuts directly to the heart of the matter.

Its very encouraging. Thanx for that!

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It's really disheartening honestly to see so many proposals yet again already this year showing gaunce as part of a package.

This kid is going to be a solid member of this team for years if we let him, or a loss and endless threads about him on another team if he is traded.

Our future 3rd line C or league envy 3rd line winger. So glad he's working out the way he is in Utica given the line he's playing on.

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It's really disheartening honestly to see so many proposals yet again already this year showing gaunce as part of a package.

Our future 3rd line C or league envy 3rd line winger. So glad he's working out the way he is in Utica given the line he's playing on.

It's nothing against Gaunce, it's about realizing that we have a weakness in our prospect pool, and that's depth on D.

With Horvat, McCann, and Cassels all excelling in similar roles as Gaunce, it makes him more expendable.

I've followed this guy since we drafted him and would love to see him succeed here, but at the same time, if there's an opportunity to acquire that elite puck moving D prospect that we've needed for years along the way, you do it without question.

Edited by DeNiro
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One thing that Gaunce has is the ability to raise his play when it's crunch time. In his junior career, his post-season stats are either equal, if not higher than his regular season totals. You may chalk that up to just smaller sample sizes, but considering that point totals usually decreases in the post-season, this "x-factor" is what separate regular players with clutch ones.

While you can always teach a player defense, it's another to have one that is defense 1st with size. One of Gaunce's advantages over other prospects like Cassels, Mallet, or even Horvat is his size. While not a behemoth, at 6'2 207lbs as a 20 year old, that's pretty impressive. Assuming he tacks on another 10-15lbs as he matures, he'll be strong/big enough to check down top forwards, the like of Joe Thornton, Anze Kopitar, Ryan Getzlaf, etc (those types of players, not necessarily them in 5 years time). To have a model of reference, Kesler is only 200lbs.... so a close comparison to potential role and body size would be Malhotra 6'2 220lb.

Horvat is a bit quicker and just a tad smaller, but you're hoping to groom him to a top-6 role, not necessarily Gaunce.

Brendan often plays on the wing as well, giving him more versatility.

Much like when he was drafted, I still believe that Gaunce can be as good as Linden (strong #2 centre, 1st line winger) or at the very least a 3rd line shutdown centre (Malhotra, Linden in latter years).

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Very lofty ceilings you project there.

If Gaunce could be a 1st line winger, my mind boggles at what Virtanen and Shinkaruk could be.

I think top ceiling = possibly a bigger Chris Higgins with a better shot if Gaunce's skating improves.

Edited by Dasein
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Gaunce to me is a comparable player to Dwight King of the LA Kings.

Has a big frame, and will use it but sometimes you wish he would be a bit more physical according to his size.

People like to make trade proposals like people give out candy on trick or treat nite. just wanna do it for the sake of seeing a new body come into the organization.

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Very lofty ceilings you project there.

If Gaunce could be a 1st line winger, my mind boggles at what Virtanen and Shinkaruk could be.

I think top ceiling = possibly a bigger Chris Higgins with a better shot if Gaunce's skating improves.

I guess I should have changed that more. I was thinking more a top-6 winger, but team composition dependent. Like if the top line needs a bigger winger he can fill that role. A complementary player, not necessarily him carrying a line.

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Gaunce to me is a comparable player to Dwight King of the LA Kings.

Has a big frame, and will use it but sometimes you wish he would be a bit more physical according to his size.

People like to make trade proposals like people give out candy on trick or treat nite. just wanna do it for the sake of seeing a new body come into the organization.

BryanMurrayFBomb2.gif

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Well both he and Shink are off to good 'pro starts'...

Gauce 4 games 1g 2a / +3 (leads team in +/- and tied for lead in pts)

Shink 4 games 2 a / even

Jensen, slow start again, 4 g 0pts / -3 but leads the team in shots on net, so chances are being created, and he will find the back of the net soon

Good signs all around...Looking forward to seeing how Bo plays

Would love to see Bo/Jensen together , and Gaunce/Shink

If Gaunce keeps this up, only good things can come from it...I'd be pleasantly surprised if he can exceed my expectations of 3rd/4th liner

Edited by KassianBeastMode
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Gaunce's skating is not bad, he has very good top end speed, maybe about the same as Matthias.

His issue is quicker decision making and then a quicker first few steps. It makes him look slower.

yep...its 'quick feet'...which is typically a problem for bigger guys (ie why there is always preaching by the Nucks about Kass 'moving his feet')...same issue but he's a step slower than Kass...

This is why Horvat is exciting, he is by no means a big man with Shinkaruk type feet, but he's also not sluggish out of the gate...Its really what separates him from Gaunce.

But, if Gaunce can simply improve that to a point where its not a detriment, he has the size, skill and hockey sense to at least play in the NHL...he has a very mature game for a 20 yr old

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One of Gaunce's advantages over other prospects like Cassels, Mallet, or even Horvat is his size. While not a behemoth, at 6'2 207lbs as a 20 year old, that's pretty impressive.

Horvat is a bit quicker and just a tad smaller, but you're hoping to groom him to a top-6 role, not necessarily Gaunce.

Pretty sure Horvat's currently listed at 6'1" and 216lbs. That's a pretty insignificant 1" shorter but a more significant 9lbs heavier (and one year younger) than Gaunce.

I don't think you can call that smaller.

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Pretty sure Horvat's currently listed at 6'1" and 216lbs. That's a pretty insignificant 1" shorter but a more significant 9lbs heavier (and one year younger) than Gaunce.

I don't think you can call that smaller.

NHL.com lists Horvat as 6-0 206

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