Phat Fingers Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Let's see him string together a decent set of games. Maybe the MDZ trade was a shot in the arm for the guy. Getting his buddy Baer back in the lineup might have given him a boost too. I want to see the secondary guys step up and see the potential of being on an up and coming team at its inception and what it can mean for their careers. Having leaders like Bo and Ep40 giving this team a chance to win every night can be a ticket to greatness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boudrias Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 IMO Pouliot gets until next fall to make his case. I do think his game has improved over the past 6 weeks. Is that enough ? No. How he finishes the season makes a big dif. A big part of Benning's job right now is flipping pieces that do not fit into his timeline for assets. Pouliot could be one of those pieces. No value at the TDL but possible value next fall. I suspect Joulevi plays in Utica next fall until at least November. Hughes will start in Van but who knows where he ends up. Pouliot and Biega could be 4th pairing guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KKnight Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 He should be the 7th D. He's not good enough to play full time imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 12 hours ago, Ossi Vaananen said: Impossible to say who's where next season. I think Gudbranson is dragging down whoever he's paired with, Except for the matter of both Hutton and Pouliot's games recovering / performing much better alongside Gudbranson - which in the case of Pouliot was somewhat predictable - and there's more to it than Gudbranson being a heavyweight - he handles the heavy lifting, lightens the down-low battles for those guys, clears guys from the front of the net, inspires punks to behave themselves around our goaltender, makes forwards cautious on both entries and coming into the hard areas....Gudbranson frees up Pouliot to play more to his strengths and less to the areas where he's more challenged (ie a Pouliot/Stecher pairing down low faces some challenges, particularly with heavier forward groups - and that's where you tend to see the 'mistakes' from him - moving the puck under pressure down low. I like the pairing better as they presently are - I think a Hutton Gud pairing has a greater sum of parts than the whole, but I think what you're expressing is a myth, one usually based on misleading hero-chart type statistics that corsi-gaze and don't account for the difference in roles when with/without Gudbranson. That claim has been made regarding Hutton, and it just doesn't stand up. It's like claiming that Horvat is 'dragged down' when he plays with Roussel/Eriksson/Schaller or whomever vs Baertschi and Boeser. Well, of course his numbers look different, because he's moving into a different role (usually in the absence of shutdown centers) - but what it does not indicate is that Roussel et al are 'dragging him down'. His ozone starts reduce, he takes many dzone draws, he faces stronger quality competition as a principal shutdown guy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stawns Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 12 hours ago, Ossi Vaananen said: Some praise is due, that set-up to Baertschi was fantastic. Impossible to say who's where next season. I think Gudbranson is dragging down whoever he's paired with, and is a far greater liability than Pouliot. But Guddy can take on heavyweights. I doubt they run with both Hughes and Stecher. Too many undersized guys, and you're going to lose board battles while being unable to move bodies at the front of the net. Edler still needs a contract. Juolevi will need some time after surgery. So, with all the moving pieces Pouliot on a cheap deal as a place-holder or otherwise a 7D doesn't look so bad. stetch is the odd man out, I love his tenacity, but he can't handle NHL size and strength. He'll be the new Biega. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 7 minutes ago, stawns said: stetch is the odd man out, I love his tenacity, but he can't handle NHL size and strength. He'll be the new Biega. I love Stech and think he'll be fine - just needs a bit more size in a partner - which is why I think Hutton complements him better than Pouliot. If he (or Gud) were a LHD you could try pairing them together - could make an interesting pairing - but not really an option (nor is Hutton/Pouliot - who could likewise be an interesting 'easier minutes' pairing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook007 Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Think he has improved substantially... Whether he'll be good enough or not, who knows, but last year everyone wanted Hutton traded for scraps... He may be gone in a trade, but management has obviously seen enough in his game, to keep playing him... so I wouldn't write him off from being here next year just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukeofcanuck Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Both he and Gudbranson need to go. It's such a tire fire when those two are in their own zone. I'm hopefully that we can at least pawn off Gudbranson to one of these dinosaur GMs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
189lb enforcers? Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Tank Insurance Policy reminder. Leave DP alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shift-4 Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 48 minutes ago, stawns said: stetch is the odd man out, I love his tenacity, but he can't handle NHL size and strength. He'll be the new Biega. Totally agree. Since his concussion he has really taken a step back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erkayloomeh Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 he will be back on a one year contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlastPast Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 I think Pouliot's fate has more to do with how Hughes performs during his end of season showcase than anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boudrias Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 1 hour ago, oldnews said: Except for the matter of both Hutton and Pouliot's games recovering / performing much better alongside Gudbranson - which in the case of Pouliot was somewhat predictable - and there's more to it than Gudbranson being a heavyweight - he handles the heavy lifting, lightens the down-low battles for those guys, clears guys from the front of the net, inspires punks to behave themselves around our goaltender, makes forwards cautious on both entries and coming into the hard areas....Gudbranson frees up Pouliot to play more to his strengths and less to the areas where he's more challenged (ie a Pouliot/Stecher pairing down low faces some challenges, particularly with heavier forward groups - and that's where you tend to see the 'mistakes' from him - moving the puck under pressure down low. I like the pairing better as they presently are - I think a Hutton Gud pairing has a greater sum of parts than the whole, but I think what you're expressing is a myth, one usually based on misleading hero-chart type statistics that corsi-gaze and don't account for the difference in roles when with/without Gudbranson. That claim has been made regarding Hutton, and it just doesn't stand up. It's like claiming that Horvat is 'dragged down' when he plays with Roussel/Eriksson/Schaller or whomever vs Baertschi and Boeser. Well, of course his numbers look different, because he's moving into a different role (usually in the absence of shutdown centers) - but what it does not indicate is that Roussel et al are 'dragging him down'. His ozone starts reduce, he takes many dzone draws, he faces stronger quality competition as a principal shutdown guy.... I am not a analytics guy, sorry to say. I am one of those dreaded eyeball guys. Yes, Gudbranson can be outskated and can give up scoring chances. IMHO his pluses outweigh his negatives. Don't know how many times I have seen fore checkers ease up going into a corner with Guddy. How many times a forward with puck possession looks over his shoulder to see where Guddy is. The numbers don't show how his physicality impacts the play of his team mates. Not just the idea that he has their backs but also the demonstration he gives them of what they have to do each shift. There will be a day when the Canucks can go without Guddy. I suspect that is at least 2 seasons from now, probably more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 12 minutes ago, Boudrias said: I am not a analytics guy, sorry to say. I am one of those dreaded eyeball guys. Yes, Gudbranson can be outskated and can give up scoring chances. IMHO his pluses outweigh his negatives. Don't know how many times I have seen fore checkers ease up going into a corner with Guddy. How many times a forward with puck possession looks over his shoulder to see where Guddy is. The numbers don't show how his physicality impacts the play of his team mates. Not just the idea that he has their backs but also the demonstration he gives them of what they have to do each shift. There will be a day when the Canucks can go without Guddy. I suspect that is at least 2 seasons from now, probably more. Most 'analyticz' are severely over-rated. 'Analyticz' are only as good as the analyst. Exactly. He wins a lot of the puck battles he engages in, and all the ones his opponent abort, which is not an insignificant number if you watch him closely. And that lack of enthusiasm to take a hit from Gudbranson really impacts his partners positively, who are freed up to retrieve and move pucks where they'd otherwise be engaged in battling down low. For a guy like Hutton who really struggled with his first pass last year, or Pouliot, whose 'mistakes' this year primarily boil down to puck-moving errors under pressure down low, it makes a huge difference to go from a Pouliot Stecher pairing (I love Stecher, so folks should not read into this, but it's a matter of balance and how complementary the pairings are) - to playing alongside a guy like Gudbranson. The slight downside for Pouliot is that he's likely to face stiffer quality of competition in the process, but I think the payoff is a net positive for him. And likewise, I think it helps Stecher to play with a bit more size in Hutton. I think Hutton's gains can't simply be reduced to offseason fitness training - his confidence has grown throughout this season playing almost exclusively beside Gudbranson, despite the tough assingments and absences of Edler and Tanev at times. And now he seems to have enough wind under his sails. I won't be surprised if Gudbranson has a similar effect for Pouliot, and it's looking that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBatch Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 2 hours ago, spook007 said: Think he has improved substantially... Whether he'll be good enough or not, who knows, but last year everyone wanted Hutton traded for scraps... He may be gone in a trade, but management has obviously seen enough in his game, to keep playing him... so I wouldn't write him off from being here next year just yet. He’s shown flashes of why he was drafted where he was, consistency is his main issue and when he has a good game (last night) it leaves you wanting more. Where we are at right now he’s a project that could have great returns if he can get there, and with MDZ traded he doesn’t have to worry about anyone breathing down his neck, but also must realize that he’s on the clock now and is the obvious choice to get knocked down if the club were to acquire another defenseman this summer. I’d say he has until the rest of the season to do that . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 1 hour ago, 189lb enforcers? said: Tank Insurance Policy reminder. Leave DP alone. still not watching the games 189? The team is in a playoff spot presently - despite the nightmare when they were without Edler, Tanev, Sutter, Beagle, EP, Boeser - and lost a dozen straight. If you're looking for a tankjob, you may need M.A.S.H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jai604 Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 With his age and offensive upside and pedigree, I would think JB keeps him for another year. He has been frustrating to watch this year, a lot of the time, but he has also shown quite a bit of improvement. I think it's worth to wait and see. He probably has more value to us as a prospect/development project than in trade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kragar Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 15 hours ago, *Buzzsaw* said: Tonight's game showcased both the good and bad of Pouliot's game. He did show his puck carrying skill with the setup for Baertschi's goal. But he also made some gaffes in the D-Zone, including one which led to a goal. From my perspective, Pouliot is a serviceable #7 D... someone who would be useful on a team which has to go deep into the playoffs. He is not good enough to play where he is now.... that's one of the reasons the Canucks are not a contender. On the other hand, he is 25, which is still relatively young for a defenseman. He will continue to develop and improve his skills if he gets regular playing time. The question is.... is it worth keeping him on the ice in the hopes he will improve? This year, maybe... next year with Hughes on the team and maybe Juolevi... maybe not. Assuming you mean the first Sabres goal, I don't think you can pin much on Poulliot. Sure, he lost position with the eventual goal scorer, but that was a lot of scrambling out there that you can't pin on him, coupled with a lucky/good kick pass from Ristolainen. Someone goofed on the line change (4 forwards plus Poulliot is not what you want out there in a defensive situation) and it was tough going after that. As soon as Shorty mentioned he was the only D out there, I cringed. When none of the forwards out there dedicated themselves to trying to play D, my fear was realized. Poulliot has done a lot to earn our scorn this year, but I would not count that goal against him. I'm guessing that was the play you meant, since the other goal against he was on for (2nd Sabres goal), he was hobbling a bit after blocking a shot, but it didn't look like there was a gaffe by him on that one, and more blame could be pushed on Guddy there. I agree with you on your last two points, especially his age. Definitely not a right-off at this point, but it can be tough watching him when he has a rough game. Just nice to know there are some good prospects in Hughes and OJ just waiting to compete for spots, which could keep him in that 6th or 7th spot. Who knows, if he grows into a respectable defensive game, he can make a decent career for himself. Here's hoping! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Would be silly to give up on him at this point as his stock is not that high and we don't have anyone in Utica knocking on the door. (McEneny is the closest thing but not a guarantee). Right now he's not costing us games and he's playing better offensively. He just turned 25, let him keep developing and see where he's at by the end of the season. If he can get to the level where's sound in his own zone and can put up 30 points, at the very worst he's part of a trade that fills a hole offensively next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 1 hour ago, Kragar said: Assuming you mean the first Sabres goal, I don't think you can pin much on Poulliot. Sure, he lost position with the eventual goal scorer, but that was a lot of scrambling out there that you can't pin on him, coupled with a lucky/good kick pass from Ristolainen. Someone goofed on the line change (4 forwards plus Poulliot is not what you want out there in a defensive situation) and it was tough going after that. As soon as Shorty mentioned he was the only D out there, I cringed. When none of the forwards out there dedicated themselves to trying to play D, my fear was realized. Poulliot has done a lot to earn our scorn this year, but I would not count that goal against him. I'm guessing that was the play you meant, since the other goal against he was on for (2nd Sabres goal), he was hobbling a bit after blocking a shot, but it didn't look like there was a gaffe by him on that one, and more blame could be pushed on Guddy there. I agree with you on your last two points, especially his age. Definitely not a right-off at this point, but it can be tough watching him when he has a rough game. Just nice to know there are some good prospects in Hughes and OJ just waiting to compete for spots, which could keep him in that 6th or 7th spot. Who knows, if he grows into a respectable defensive game, he can make a decent career for himself. Here's hoping! Exactly - that was a garbage seeing-eye pinball goal that took two Sabre bounces to wind up in the back of the net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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