Erik Gudbranson | #44 | D

[SilentSam]

17 minutes ago, Alflives said:

I know.  We miss him a lot.  I bet our goalies miss him a lot too.

@AlflivesThis is “off topic” .. but just for you alflives ,.. look who was recently posted on Big Nik’s Instagram, wearing her favorite mittens of course !  Kind of warms our hearts eh?!  

Edited December 2, 2017 by SilentSam

[higgyfan]

1 hour ago, SilentSam said:

Damn  

JB stated (yesterday) that it would be within the next week.

[Boudrias]

15 hours ago, SilentSam said:

@AlflivesThis is “off topic” .. but just for you alflives ,.. look who was recently posted on Big Nik’s Instagram, wearing her favorite mittens of course !  Kind of warms our hearts eh?!  

Give Nikita a couple of years and he will want back. I wonder if he has fired his agent yet?  

[SilentSam]

51 minutes ago, Boudrias said:

Give Nikita a couple of years and he will want back. I wonder if he has fired his agent yet?  

I think Nik is doing what He wants to do based on his heart, I can not blame anyone in sports that recognizing what real life is about..

I like to think Nik realizes he will have longetivity in the sport he loves, and knows that staying keen, will only make him stronger, almost guaranteeing his return to test himself in the most elite hockey league in the world.

I kind of look at this situation like this Boud's,  if I had a young race or war horse in the barn, training hard, improvement every day, do I risk throwing him out into the high end competition too soon before he has primed?

I remember Bryan Allen, drafted by us, big mobile defenceman, I think he was 19? 6'5" 6'6"...   He was brought up and into the fire too soon, only to get beat up badly by a player from Calgary... it changed his game, his confidence, was lost.

I think Nik is on the right path,.  But I think we see him again sooner, than later.

[Boudrias]

1 hour ago, SilentSam said:

I think Nik is doing what He wants to do based on his heart, I can not blame anyone in sports that recognizing what real life is about..

I like to think Nik realizes he will have longetivity in the sport he loves, and knows that staying keen, will only make him stronger, almost guaranteeing his return to test himself in the most elite hockey league in the world.

I kind of look at this situation like this Boud's,  if I had a young race or war horse in the barn, training hard, improvement every day, do I risk throwing him out into the high end competition too soon before he has primed?

I remember Bryan Allen, drafted by us, big mobile defenceman, I think he was 19? 6'5" 6'6"...   He was brought up and into the fire too soon, only to get beat up badly by a player from Calgary... it changed his game, his confidence, was lost.

I think Nik is on the right path,.  But I think we see him again sooner, than later.

I hope you are right. From a hockey point of view Try had already played 3 years in the KHL before he came. You are absolutely right that a player has to weigh what is important to him and if his life style is more suited to Russia then so be it.  From a hockey development perspective I do not rank the KHL highly. An over rated league IMO. I can see Tryamkin's development actually being stunted if his objective is playing in the NHL. If he comes back in 2 years it won't be a killer. 

[SilentSam]

Just now, Boudrias said:

I hope you are right. From a hockey point of view Try had already played 3 years in the KHL before he came. You are absolutely right that a player has to weigh what is important to him and if his life style is more suited to Russia then so be it.  From a hockey development perspective I do not rank the KHL highly. An over rated league IMO. I can see Tryamkin's development actually being stunted if his objective is playing in the NHL. If he comes back in 2 years it won't be a killer. 

... and his power to weight ratio even greater;)

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

 

 

 

[kloubek]

Ive never really appreciated Gudbranson much considering his contract and the likelihood he will be asking for even more going forward.  But ill admit... we miss him right now.  His push back is sorely missing on our depleted team.

[Boudrias]

4 hours ago, kloubek said:

Ive never really appreciated Gudbranson much considering his contract and the likelihood he will be asking for even more going forward.  But ill admit... we miss him right now.  His push back is sorely missing on our depleted team.

Some players are valuable to teams over and above what the analytics suggest. IMHO Gudbranson is one of those. Canucks are a generally hard working group but they have to be to be competitive. This is regular season stuff. Building a contender requires more than that. I think Gudbranson could be one of those pieces. My only issue would be resigning him for more than what he offers as 4/5 d-man. No more NTC!

[SilentSam]

On 2017-12-17 at 7:56 AM, Boudrias said:

Some players are valuable to teams over and above what the analytics suggest. IMHO Gudbranson is one of those. Canucks are a generally hard working group but they have to be to be competitive. This is regular season stuff. Building a contender requires more than that. I think Gudbranson could be one of those pieces. My only issue would be resigning him for more than what he offers as 4/5 d-man. No more NTC!

With this being his UFA Year (2018), I do think Gudbranson knows that he needs to prove himself to advance further  above the 4m per line..  that's a lot of pressure on him for the rest of the season. Sometimes pressure is good, sometimes bad.

I wonder if it would make sense to talk to him before the season ends and try to sign him for around 3.75- 4m per for 2 more years?  This allows for Gudbranson to up his game before he reaches Free Agency again (2020-21),. and the Canucks the opportunity to address this situation again without losing his services.

Peace of mind for both player and management might be the best approach, given the injuries / injury time EG has occurred.

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, SilentSam said:

With this being his UFA Year (2018), I do think Gudbranson knows that he needs to prove himself to advance further  above the 4m per line..  that's a lot of pressure on him for the rest of the season. Sometimes pressure is good, sometimes bad.

I wonder if it would make sense to talk to him before the season ends and try to sign him for around 3.75- 4m per for 2 more years?  This allows for Gudbranson to up his game before he reaches Free Agency again (2020-21),. and the Canucks the opportunity to address this situation again without losing his services.

Peace of mind for both player and management might be the best approach, given the injuries / injury time EG has occurred.

Guddy is likely looking for a longer team deal, for his own personal security.  I think we need his type of player, especially with all the youth coming along.  

[Bissurnette]

To be fair, I think anyone expecting him to sign for less than 5 mil/year is probably going to be disappointed. He can probably score something closer to 6mill/year in FA. I'd be happy if we sign him for 3 or 4 years at 5-5.5mill/year. The cap is going up. Don't expect him to be making 3 million like top 4 dmen used to make a few years ago. Defensively, he's probably a #5 dman, but he brings a heck of a lot more to the table, which means he will command top 4 salary (which I would be ok/happy with).

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

I noticed last night we were far more aggressive and punishing then before.  The Guddy effect.  

[PhillipBlunt]

1 minute ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

I noticed last night we were far more aggressive and punishing then before.  The Guddy effect.  

Yet somehow yahoos like Elliot Friedman seems to think that the signing just hasn't worked out for the team or the player.

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

1 minute ago, PhillipBlunt said:

Yet somehow yahoos like Elliot Friedman seems to think that the signing just hasn't worked out for the team or the player.

This team cannot lose Gudbranson...at least not without regaining some level of physicality, but with the glut of forwards and Dman we already have, and Guddy already bringing the unique aspect we lack, I highly doubt we walk away from Guddy.

 

This team is pathetic when they know they have no back up.  Guddy helps the team stand a little taller, after that huge tilt with Tom Wilson, nobody has been willing to touch Guddy. 

[PhillipBlunt]

6 minutes ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

This team cannot lose Gudbranson...at least not without regaining some level of physicality, but with the glut of forwards and Dman we already have, and Guddy already bringing the unique aspect we lack, I highly doubt we walk away from Guddy.

Exactly. Benning didn't acquire him for his amazing point totals in Florida. He acquired him to be a physical presence that emboldens and protects the team. Regardless of what wankers like Friedman, Yost, Brough, Botchford, McIntrye, and the rest of the tools who've never actually played the game professionally think, Benning knows Gudbranson's real worth, and will make the best pitch he can to keep him.

 

It'll really come down to what Gudbranson wants in the end.

6 minutes ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

This team is pathetic when they know they have no back up.

It is, and I hate to flog a dead horse, but it comes down to the leadership. The Sedins and Edler always made teams pay on the scoresheet. They have always shied away from defending themselves or other teammates in scrums. They certainly are leaders when it comes to how to prepare yourself for each game, but as far as emotional leaders, they're extremely lacking, and I personally can't see how they would inspire confidence in the team to stand up for each other at all.

6 minutes ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

Guddy helps the team stand a little taller, after that huge tilt with Tom Wilson, nobody has been willing to touch Guddy. 

Gudbranson is one of the more intimidating players in the league. He got the best of Lucic in the first game of the season, and neutralized Malkin in the win over Pittsburgh. He manhandled Tom Wilson, exposing him for the chump he is.

 

Losing Gudbranson without replacing his physical presence would ring the dinner bell and signal to the rest of the league, that Vancouver is, once again, a team that can be literally hit and beaten off it's game, just like they were in the Finals.

[Boudrias]

3 hours ago, SilentSam said:

With this being his UFA Year (2018), I do think Gudbranson knows that he needs to prove himself to advance further  above the 4m per line..  that's a lot of pressure on him for the rest of the season. Sometimes pressure is good, sometimes bad.

I wonder if it would make sense to talk to him before the season ends and try to sign him for around 3.75- 4m per for 2 more years?  This allows for Gudbranson to up his game before he reaches Free Agency again (2020-21),. and the Canucks the opportunity to address this situation again without losing his services.

Peace of mind for both player and management might be the best approach, given the injuries / injury time EG has occurred.

I think for the bolded reason Gudbranson would be ill advised to take any kind of bridge deal. IMHO the bidding for him will guarantee term and decent bucks +$5 mil. The threat of career ending injury has to weigh on any hockey player. This is particularly true of Gudbranson who plays a heavier game than most.  

[Bissurnette]

18 hours ago, PhillipBlunt said:

Yet somehow yahoos like Elliot Friedman seems to think that the signing just hasn't worked out for the team or the player.

I liked Elliot when he first came on the scene. His insider info was on point, he kept it objective and professional. I don't know what happened the last couple of years, but he's turned into another floating head. Kyprios rubbed off on him I guess.

[Bissurnette]

18 hours ago, PhillipBlunt said:

It is, and I hate to flog a dead horse, but it comes down to the leadership. The Sedins and Edler always made teams pay on the scoresheet. They have always shied away from defending themselves or other teammates in scrums. They certainly are leaders when it comes to how to prepare yourself for each game, but as far as emotional leaders, they're extremely lacking, and I personally can't see how they would inspire confidence in the team to stand up for each other at all.

Hit the nail on the head.

[PhillipBlunt]

12 minutes ago, Vanuckles said:

I liked Elliot when he first came on the scene. His insider info was on point, he kept it objective and professional. I don't know what happened the last couple of years, but he's turned into another floating head. Kyprios rubbed off on him I guess.

A floating head buoyed by a massive lower lip.