Markus Granlund should be given an opportunity to contribute offensively

[Bo fan]

21 minutes ago, Rindiculous said:

I think the actual saying is actually, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

OK we can go with that too

[Baggins]

1 hour ago, stonecoldstevebernier said:

I'd much rather see him on Horvat's wing than Schaller. Our team's beat up enough as it is, might as well give him a shot while the opportunity's there and see if it can spark some of that offensive upside in him again.

Have you noticed Boeser was moved to Pettersson's wing after Sutter went down? That's because Horvat has taken over the shutdown role and needs shutdown capable players on his wings.

[J-Dizzle]

They should try him on the second power play unit. I bet good things would happen 

 

[JeremyCuddles]

What about Jake? At least Granny had that year with the Sedins. Jake is lucky to play 3rd periods most games. 

[Tomatoes11]

Eh? Baerschi and Granlund were force fed offensive minutes they didn’t deserve. Put Virtanen into that camp too. Plenty of more deserving guys didn’t get half the chance that these guys did. Namely Grabner, Subban, and Shinkaruk.

[oldnews]

It's not simply about 'opportunities to score' though.

 

Granlund has been one of the best Canucks night in and night out.  And the same could be said about Sutter before his injury.

 

I think there's an assumption that being 'up' on the scoring lines makes a player more 'important'.  

 

The OP refers to Goldobin getting those opportunities....

 

But Granlund is 5th among forwards in ice time - only Horvat, EP, Boeser and Sutter are averaging more.

 

So bottom line - he's 'top 6' in ice time - which is what really matters - and the fact he can handle those harder minutes - and produce - and outscore opponents playing up tilted ice.....he deserves credit for that as the OP suggests - but changing his role isn't necessarily the answer.   Just let him thrive doing what he does - and appreciate the fact that he might be a 50 pt player if he had easier minutes / more offensive opportunity, but that wouldn't necessarily make him more valuable to the team.   Green is getting him some powerplay time (1:30 / game) - but I think it's probably time in the development of the NHL to stop looking at lineups as 'top 6 / bottom 6' in a sense - because when you look at this team, guys like Sutter and Granlund may play a 'bottom 6' role, but they're arguably 'top 6' in terms of their importance overall.   Sutter is also a guy that can score on the counterpunch / in transition - while playing a shutdown role - but that's not reason to stop utilizing him to his strengths in order to milk more production out of him, which won't necessarily make the team better.

[canucklehead44]

Granlund is a solid player on both ends but don't really do anything great. He is versatile as he can play center, wing, offensive role, defensive role etc. without really hurting the team at anything. I really like him as a guy who is underrated, is a solid piece of the team but probably won't get the big pay check. 

[mll]

8 hours ago, Tomatoes11 said:

Eh? Baerschi and Granlund were force fed offensive minutes they didn’t deserve. Put Virtanen into that camp too. Plenty of more deserving guys didn’t get half the chance that these guys did. Namely Grabner, Subban, and Shinkaruk.

Baertschi and Virtanen made the team at the same time under WD.  Baer was scratched multiple times with so many games at under 10min of ice time.  He was playing on a checking line.  WD even admitted that the Canucks were wondering if they shouldn't move on.  WD made him earn everything he got.  WD said he had time for Baer because he never complained and just went to work.  On Virtanen he talked about entitlement.  Virtanen now gets it and understands that he has to put in the work.  They are making him earn his way - he'll be better for it.  

 

DeBoer was just talking about how Timo Meier (9th overall in 2015 who many felt was drafted too high) is becoming an impressive power-forward.  He says it's because they made him earn it.  He was scratched, played in the bottom-6, demoted to the AHL but he persevered.  He now leads the Sharks in goals and is over a ppg player.

 

Last night Virtanen started with Gaudette but he took Motte's spot besides Horvat for the 3rd period.  Btw Baer started more games with Virtanen this season than with Horvat.  He was playing with Sutter-Virtanen and then Gaudette-Virtanen.

 

[mikeyman109]

16 hours ago, City-in-state-of-emergency said:

Travis Green likes his defensive side more then his offence

this is where the decision gets made. Green told Granlund he didnt see him as a top 6 forward.Granny has taken that and run with it as a bottom 6 counter puncher. He defends well and can score when he gets the chance. I am happy with Granlunds game this year. He seems to have found his role.

[ChuckNORRIS4Cup]

Not really a big fan of Granlund tbh, I don't hate him like I do Eriksson, but there's something about Granlund when I watch him play he looks so unstable on his skates. It's almost like he's to top heavy or something, maybe he doesn't bend his knees much or have strong enough legs, but he looks off balance a lot with and without the puck and not a fan of that for his game.

[oldnews]

20 hours ago, Tomatoes11 said:

Eh? Baerschi and Granlund were force fed offensive minutes they didn’t deserve. Put Virtanen into that camp too. Plenty of more deserving guys didn’t get half the chance that these guys did. Namely Grabner, Subban, and Shinkaruk.

nsis

[oldnews]

23 hours ago, N7Nucks said:

What about Jake? At least Granny had that year with the Sedins. Jake is lucky to play 3rd periods most games. 

?

myth.

Granlund's 19 goal season was not spent playing with the Sedins.

17% of his ice time was with the twins.

The majority - ie  more than 3x the ice time he spent with the Sedins - was on Sutter's wing that season.  His principal linemates were Sutter and Eriksson.

His powerplay ice-time with the Sedins was virtually non-existant (1.6% of his pp ice time was with them).

 

 

[Baggins]

21 hours ago, Tomatoes11 said:

Eh? Baerschi and Granlund were force fed offensive minutes they didn’t deserve. Put Virtanen into that camp too. Plenty of more deserving guys didn’t get half the chance that these guys did. Namely Grabner, Subban, and Shinkaruk.

Grabner would have got his shot here if he ever showed up to camp in shape and ready to compete. He had opportunities to take Raymonds spot. Instead he was an early cut in camp year after year as a result of not showing up ready. Florida cut him for the same reason. Who wants a player that takes 30 games to get up to speed?

 

Subban and Shinkaruk on the other hand are just lighting up the NHL since being moved. Huge mistake....