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Brendan Gaunce | C/LW


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I know it doesn't mean much, but I thought it was interesting to note that Gaunce is listed on the "current roster" page, and not the "in the system" page. Him and Mallet are our only (forward) prospects listed there.

I somehow doubt that Torts has a big influence on who is on the website. I would write that off as chance OR someone trying to predict what will happen.

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I was against burr on the third line but a poster above made me think about it more. I'd prefer Burr with Kesler bc of the chemistry and the fact he is really our best 2 way forward in terms of consistency, effort, health etc. He can score 25-30 with our without the sedins, but needs ice time for that. If torts rolls 3 lines pretty evenly with the 4th sparingly, and gives burr pp time (something people forget he rarely got with AV, it could work, i just wouldn't want him to fall into the 'checker' mentality when he's such a great 2 way player. Don't kill his hands!

That being said, I'm pretty sure that the Sedins, Kesler, and Burr (Higgy and Hansen too) will be immediate Tort's favorites given their 2 way play and effort, so will see alot of ice.

So would this work?

Sedins Kassian

Booth Schroeder Kesler

Burrows Guance Hansen

Weisse Richardson Higgins

Yes...but I'd prefer

Sedins Kassian

Burrows Schroeder Kesler

Booth Guance Higgins

Weisse Richardson Hansen

Edited by In the Slot
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the question is Kassian. if you remember, Kassian was productive with the sedins, but hank and danny were not with Kassian. if Kass plays the first line that makes the whole line up better and more flexible. It'll be an option and it will be tried, but if Zack is ready for that this season is a huge question mark right now.

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the question is Kassian. if you remember, Kassian was productive with the sedins, but hank and danny were not with Kassian. if Kass plays the first line that makes the whole line up better and more flexible. It'll be an option and it will be tried, but if Zack is ready for that this season is a huge question mark right now.

I think it was more of a case that the twins take a while to get going as their game is largely based on timing/passing. It's cerebral and takes time and practice to make it "click". It's not that they couldn't play with Kas IMO. It's that it simply takes them a bit to get the timing down and "sync up".

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I think it was more of a case that the twins take a while to get going as their game is largely based on timing/passing. It's cerebral and takes time and practice to make it "click". It's not that they couldn't play with Kas IMO. It's that it simply takes them a bit to get the timing down and "sync up".

thats probably more the case, i didn't consider that. Now that makes me wonder what the adjustment period for Kass would be. He's never played that type of game before. I hope they get together over the summer just to have some ground work laid before they get into the regular season.

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Guest Dasein

I think it was more of a case that the twins take a while to get going as their game is largely based on timing/passing. It's cerebral and takes time and practice to make it "click". It's not that they couldn't play with Kas IMO. It's that it simply takes them a bit to get the timing down and "sync up".

Yup.

And let's not forget, this was a shortened season with no pre-season games and a short training camp. Kassian has plenty of time to sync to or get to read the Sedins better this time around, and he'll be another year older, mature, stronger and better.

I'm not saying that he's a lock, but he has a better chance this time around of fighting for that role. Let's hope he's ready to take that step.

Edited by Dasein
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I know it doesn't mean much, but I thought it was interesting to note that Gaunce is listed on the "current roster" page, and not the "in the system" page. Him and Mallet are our only (forward) prospects listed there.

There's no Jensen on the prospects or roster page either. Also Archibald and a few others are on the roster page so it's really not worth anything.

Not really. Schroeder has developed a two way game, but is primarily an offensive player.

TSN had Gaunce as a poor mans Jordan Staal when he got drafted.

I'd add that when Gaunce was drafted, he dropped to us because of an injury in that season. Since then he's really picked up so he may well not be a "poor man's" anything.

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Guest Dasein

I'd add that when Gaunce was drafted, he dropped to us because of an injury in that season. Since then he's really picked up so he may well not be a "poor man's" anything.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am pretty sure Gaunce was not injured in his draft year. He just flat out fell to us mainly because Scott Laughton's stock went up. Otherwise we could have ended up with Laughton instead. Gaunce got injured the following year (this past season) which prevented him from trying out for Team Canada's WJC squad.

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am pretty sure Gaunce was not injured in his draft year. He just flat out fell to us mainly because Scott Laughton's stock went up. Otherwise we could have ended up with Laughton instead. Gaunce got injured the following year (this past season) which prevented him from trying out for Team Canada's WJC squad.

Pretty much. It was concern over his skating (which wasn't much of a concern at all looking back) that led him to drop. He also hadn't done a lot offensively to that point, partly due to being on a very defensive Bulls team, and had a bit of a breakout this year after coming back from his shoulder injury.

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Guest Dasein

Pretty much. It was concern over his skating (which wasn't much of a concern at all looking back) that led him to drop. He also hadn't done a lot offensively to that point, partly due to being on a very defensive Bulls team, and had a bit of a breakout this year after coming back from his shoulder injury.

That also coincided with him finally getting some support players - namely Graovac, but also guys like Quine.

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I know it doesn't mean much, but I thought it was interesting to note that Gaunce is listed on the "current roster" page, and not the "in the system" page. Him and Mallet are our only (forward) prospects listed there.

I think it was because they were called up during the playoffs

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the question is Kassian. if you remember, Kassian was productive with the sedins, but hank and danny were not with Kassian. if Kass plays the first line that makes the whole line up better and more flexible. It'll be an option and it will be tried, but if Zack is ready for that this season is a huge question mark right now.

I think it was more of a case that the twins take a while to get going as their game is largely based on timing/passing. It's cerebral and takes time and practice to make it "click". It's not that they couldn't play with Kas IMO. It's that it simply takes them a bit to get the timing down and "sync up".

There's more to it than that. The Twins might get 75 points instead of 80 with Kassian. But it would accomplish several things;

- It would add a physical presence, one teams would have to adjust match ups for, on our top line.

- It would free Burrows, who is our 3rd best passer, to add scoring to depth lines; specifically Kesler's.

- Burrows is also an extremely feisty defensive forward; it would add bite which reduces goals against.

I personally think you will see

Sedins/Kass

Booth/Kesler/Burrows Booths size and physicality makes the second a lot more imposing than Schroeder.

Higgins/Schroeder/Hansen Gaunce will simply have to outperform Schroeder to make it?

Santorellii/Richardson/Weise Faster, feistier, more talented, but smaller and more challenged at face off's than 4th LY.

The 2knd and 4th will (hopefully) be defensively orientated. That said, a healthy Booth and a passing forward in Burrows make us substantially more dangerous on our 2knd than last year. They could not help but draw the secondary defensive match ups coaches craft; leaving our 3rd to pick apart teams (as it did with CoHo) for depth goals. Its why I think Schroeder will get first crack over Gaunce? Add that Santorelli is better offensively than Lapierre, plus Richardson's speed and our 4th will also pot a few more goals. Its not too optimistic to think we will improve greatly our secondary scoring.

Further; the line up will have much better physical balance, and be a lot less susceptible to play off size pressures.

But it would probably also mean unless Booth starts the year on LTIR, Gaunce probably goes back to junior.

Edited by Canuck Surfer
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