Linus Karlsson | C

[Googlie]

Good read from CanucksArmy ......

 

https://canucksarmy.com/news/canucks-prospect-rewind-linus-karlsson-nhl-games-last-season

[MeanSeanBean]

12 minutes ago, Googlie said:

“An extremely smart and competitive player,” said Abbotsford general manager Ryan Johnson. “He kills penalties, plays on the power play and is on the last minute of the game — whether we're up or down a goal.”May 29, 2023

Right on! The only games I saw in person were earlier in the year, and guess I just didn't notice him on the pk with the ones I watched on the stream. That would be rad if this kid could turn into something for the bignucks

[Googlie]

I've followed him ever since we acquired him (he is my avatar after all) and his development this last season here has been impressive. He was never considered a physical force in Sweden but has shown that side of his game in Abby (2nd in penalty minutes to Jett Woo, many of them retaliatory  ... as they say in my home country "he doesn't take any guff")

 

Instead of searching for a 3rd line center, we could do a lot worse than bringing up the Swedish House Mafia as an entire 3rd line!!

[Herberts Vasiljevs]

On 6/28/2023 at 6:40 AM, Googlie said:

I've followed him ever since we acquired him (he is my avatar after all) and his development this last season here has been impressive. He was never considered a physical force in Sweden but has shown that side of his game in Abby (2nd in penalty minutes to Jett Woo, many of them retaliatory  ... as they say in my home country "he doesn't take any guff")

 

Instead of searching for a 3rd line center, we could do a lot worse than bringing up the Swedish House Mafia as an entire 3rd line!!

I'd love to see him get a look eventually. I think he has game. His scrappiness and size make for a tantalizing package. I think he can be that perfect 3rd line right winger. 

[Bobby James]

Agree with everyone else excited about him. Solid first season in Abby, plays center and is a 2 way forward. 

 

Would be happy for him if he made the big team this year, but no issue for me if he spends another season in Abby centering in the top 6, helping lead that team to a deeper playoff run. 

[Ray_Cathode]

On 6/25/2023 at 4:56 PM, EastCoastNucks said:

I agree with you and no need to lose cap room on a "risk" we have the people to make the playoffs, I dont agree with Garland on the 4th but he is someone that can move anywhere on an injury.

I also agree with the comment to boost Martin's value by making him backup. I just would like to see OEL and Schenn both back on veteran contracts... we are paying OEL till 2031 so why not make him earn it too.

Maybe we should see if OEL can play, first. He sure couldn’t last year. He was a total liability.

[Fakename70]

On 7/6/2023 at 12:41 PM, Herberts Vasiljevs said:

I think he can be that perfect 3rd line right winger. 

Isn’t that what Garland is suited for? Id love to see this team drop/move some of its plethora of LH forwards and balance the roster with RH’s. Especially at C. This team currently does not have a legitimate viable RH option at the position if they’re serious about getting to the playoffs this upcoming season, and I wouldn’t mind if they parted with a couple LW’s to add a legitimate RH 2C. THAT is the only way I could stomach seeing Studnicka in the lineup as a bottom-6 C. 

[aGENT]

11 hours ago, Fakename70 said:

Isn’t that what Garland is suited for? Id love to see this team drop/move some of its plethora of LH forwards and balance the roster with RH’s. Especially at C. This team currently does not have a legitimate viable RH option at the position if they’re serious about getting to the playoffs this upcoming season, and I wouldn’t mind if they parted with a couple LW’s to add a legitimate RH 2C. THAT is the only way I could stomach seeing Studnicka in the lineup as a bottom-6 C. 

Garland is too expensive, not big enough and doesn't PK, to be our 3RW.

[DrJockitch]

6 minutes ago, aGENT said:

Garland is too expensive, not big enough and doesn't PK, to be our 3RW.

Defensive specialist lines are mostly a thing of the past for good teams, defensive bottom sixes are a thing of the past for all teams.

Most teams roll 3-4 lines that can produce offence.

A third line offensive line with Garland is fine but not if with Dries and Beau.  

I really don't know how we can get away with having as many small wingers in the line up as we have.  One or 2 fine but having a mini on every line is worrisome.  Luckily our D looks a lot bigger now.

[aGENT]

48 minutes ago, DrJockitch said:

Defensive specialist lines are mostly a thing of the past for good teams, defensive bottom sixes are a thing of the past for all teams.

Most teams roll 3-4 lines that can produce offence.

A third line offensive line with Garland is fine but not if with Dries and Beau.  

I really don't know how we can get away with having as many small wingers in the line up as we have.  One or 2 fine but having a mini on every line is worrisome.  Luckily our D looks a lot bigger now.

Where did I suggest otherwise? IMO Hoglander can do that job at near a quarter the cap hit. Replace Garland with a cheaper better 2 (more defense leaning) way player with size that can also pitch in on the PK IMO. Even if it's at the expense of 10-15 of Garland's points/ offense.

Edited August 1, 2023 by aGENT

[DrJockitch]

22 minutes ago, aGENT said:

Where did I suggest otherwise? IMO Hoglander can do that job at near a quarter the cap hit. Replace Garland with a cheaper better 2 (more defense leaning) way player with size that can also pitch in on the PK IMO. Even if it's at the expense of 10-15 of Garland's points/ offense.

Would love that, think Hiogz will be the better player, maybe even this year.

Need a partner though and nobody is buying $5M 5'8" wingers unless they are putting up major points.

I was just saying that he probably can play third line in todays NHL because not likely a grind line anymore.

[Fakename70]

3 hours ago, aGENT said:

Garland is too expensive, not big enough and doesn't PK, to be our 3RW.

None of that seemed to be much of a problem once Boudreau came on board. I don't know what happened after he was sacked. I'm thinking of his offence, primarily. This team has no shortage of LH's to choose from at LW3 to provide the facets of the game you think Garland lacks at RW3.

[aGENT]

4 hours ago, Fakename70 said:

None of that seemed to be much of a problem once Boudreau came on board. I don't know what happened after he was sacked. I'm thinking of his offence, primarily. This team has no shortage of LH's to choose from at LW3 to provide the facets of the game you think Garland lacks at RW3.

And I'd far prefer to have them there and on RW, or even better, a kid whose proven themselves capable in that role, and spend Garland's cap elsewhere...like a 3C (sign Pius Suter?) or D (trade for Pesce?).

 

We have too much money on our wings, Garland is part of that too much money, he's small, he doesn't PK. All things I'd like to see corrected at 3RW, if possible. It doesn't mean I think he's a bad player, just not a fit for what we need.

[aGENT]

6 hours ago, DrJockitch said:

Would love that, think Hiogz will be the better player, maybe even this year.

Need a partner though and nobody is buying $5M 5'8" wingers unless they are putting up major points.

I was just saying that he probably can play third line in todays NHL because not likely a grind line anymore.

I have zero issues with Garland the player. Quite like him in fact. He's simply not a roster (or cap) fit for our current needs, and as I stated, we basically have a replacement in place at ~1/4 the hit.

 

Have to think Garland + Rathbone + a say a 4th for a 3rd, or similar trade, would have interest to a team like CHI with the cap and roster space...and need for short-mid term (still young) vets to shelter kids, whom they could turn around and flip in a couple years.

[Fakename70]

6 hours ago, aGENT said:

And I'd far prefer to have them there and on RW, or even better, a kid whose proven themselves capable in that role, and spend Garland's cap elsewhere...like a 3C (sign Pius Suter?) or D (trade for Pesce?).

 

We have too much money on our wings, Garland is part of that too much money, he's small, he doesn't PK. All things I'd like to see corrected at 3RW, if possible. It doesn't mean I think he's a bad player, just not a fit for what we need.

Exactly which LH kid has proven themselves capable in that role over the RH veteran you want to get rid of? Please don’t make me have to see the name Hoglander in your reply to that question. I get that he’s a CDC fan favourite and all, but, he hasn’t been seen much at the NHL level since the season before last, if I recall. That’s not necessarily a strong point that I think moves the needle for a team with legitimate playoff aspirations this upcoming season. 
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m infatuated with Garland, but the lack of RH’s - a recurring theme with this organisation - drives me crazy. There’s enough bottom-6 LH’s to do something about it. 

[Putgolzin]

7 hours ago, Fakename70 said:

Exactly which LH kid has proven themselves capable in that role over the RH veteran you want to get rid of?

What about Hoglander?

He's gettin to be pretty good.

[Diamonds]

12 hours ago, Fakename70 said:

Exactly which LH kid has proven themselves capable in that role over the RH veteran you want to get rid of? Please don’t make me have to see the name Hoglander in your reply to that question. I get that he’s a CDC fan favourite and all, but, he hasn’t been seen much at the NHL level since the season before last, if I recall. That’s not necessarily a strong point that I think moves the needle for a team with legitimate playoff aspirations this upcoming season. 
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m infatuated with Garland, but the lack of RH’s - a recurring theme with this organisation - drives me crazy. There’s enough bottom-6 LH’s to do something about it. 

I don't think we really have a shortage of RH forwards. Kuzmenko and Boeser are both right shots, plus Karlsson (this thread's subject) and Klimovich are right shots who seem to be developing pretty well and should be close to NHL ready (especially Karlsson). In addition, Podkolzin is LH but prefers playing the right side (and is probably better suited to the 3rd line than Garland) and Mikheyev plays both sides equally well. Not to mention Studnicka is a right shot and can play C or W.

 

And lastly, yes, Hoglander can play both wings and while he hasn't quite produced at the same rate Garland has he should be ready for more opportunity. Hoglander actually outlasted Podkolzin with the big team last year but ultimately the decision was made to send both of them down because the season was considered a loss and the atmosphere wasn't doing anyone any good. Podkolzin later got a call up but Hoglander didn't because one more NHL game meant he would have become waiver eligible and they wanted both players to be available for the AHL playoffs. 

[Fakename70]

On 8/2/2023 at 5:19 AM, Putgolzin said:

What about Hoglander?

He's gettin to be pretty good.

Operative word: “proven”.

[Fakename70]

On 8/2/2023 at 10:48 AM, Diamonds said:

I don't think we really have a shortage of RH forwards. Kuzmenko and Boeser are both right shots, plus Karlsson (this thread's subject) and Klimovich are right shots who seem to be developing pretty well and should be close to NHL ready (especially Karlsson). In addition, Podkolzin is LH but prefers playing the right side (and is probably better suited to the 3rd line than Garland) and Mikheyev plays both sides equally well. Not to mention Studnicka is a right shot and can play C or W.

 

And lastly, yes, Hoglander can play both wings and while he hasn't quite produced at the same rate Garland has he should be ready for more opportunity. Hoglander actually outlasted Podkolzin with the big team last year but ultimately the decision was made to send both of them down because the season was considered a loss and the atmosphere wasn't doing anyone any good. Podkolzin later got a call up but Hoglander didn't because one more NHL game meant he would have become waiver eligible and they wanted both players to be available for the AHL playoffs. 

You’re forgetting Kuzmenko is an RH…who plays LW. I’m specifically talking about RH’s at RW. The team doesn’t have that, other than Boeser and Garland. Nor does it have it down the middle. You really can’t add Karlsson nor Studnicka to that mix if you’re expecting them to be a playoff team this upcoming season. There’s no balance on this roster amongst the Forwards, is my point, and I think it will continue to be a potential hindrance going forward if it isn’t addressed. 

[Fred65]

57 minutes ago, Fakename70 said:

You’re forgetting Kuzmenko is an RH…who plays LW. I’m specifically talking about RH’s at RW. The team doesn’t have that, other than Boeser and Garland. Nor does it have it down the middle. You really can’t add Karlsson nor Studnicka to that mix if you’re expecting them to be a playoff team this upcoming season. There’s no balance on this roster amongst the Forwards, is my point, and I think it will continue to be a potential hindrance going forward if it isn’t addressed. 

To make the most of your left wingers it helps if you have  a RH centre, ie passing mostly on his fore hand