[discussion] - Would it cost an arm and a leg to upgrade our 3rd line Center position?

[Wanless]

Gaudette is the third line center you are after in a year or two. And to get a guy who is ready now will cost Gaudette. 

 

I say keep Gaudette, Sutter is doing great

 

What this team needs now is to marinate. By always trying to upgrade through trade you will never have the comradery that makes a team a team. Growing pains are to be expected but the team is still young

 

 

[hammertime]

I wonder if Miller moves back and we call up Baretschi and or Goldobin maybe we roll 3 scoring lines. 

 

 

[Hindustan Smyl]

A further explanation - creating the context:  
 

Sorry guys - this is my fault for not being more clear on my context and so allow me to explain in more detail.

 

When I posed the question, “should the Canucks upgrade” their 3rd line C position, it’s not because I think that Gaudette won’t develop into that guy in the future.   Gaudette can still be that guy for us.    However - I just don’t think it’s going to happen this year.

 

Here’s what I think should happen:

 

1) Gaudette should go down to Utica and get top line minutes.  
2) Sutter should be our 3rd line C for this year......until possibly the trade deadline.

 

Here’s what I had in mind (hypothetical context)

 

So let’s say Gaudette goes down to the farm, and the Canucks decide to keep him down there for the rest of the season.    The Canucks are having a pretty good season and look like they will be a wild card playoff team.    However, for short term purposes , they decide that they want to increase their chances of doing something significant this year.

Now obviously,

 

1) Trading for a top 6 winger or center would cost an arm and a leg.

2) Trading for a top 4 defenseman would cost an arm and a leg.

 

My ultimate question, is if you think trading for a good 3rd line Center would cost an arm and a leg? (Ie an upgrade on Sutter - and we still keep Gaudette in the organization).  
 

My gut says that the price tag will still be quite high, but perhaps I’m wrong?

 

 

[Alflives]

4 hours ago, Hindustan Smyl said:

A further explanation - creating the context:  
 

Sorry guys - this is my fault for not being more clear on my context and so allow me to explain in more detail.

 

When I posed the question, “should the Canucks upgrade” their 3rd line C position, it’s not because I think that Gaudette won’t develop into that guy in the future.   Gaudette can still be that guy for us.    However - I just don’t think it’s going to happen this year.

 

Here’s what I think should happen:

 

1) Gaudette should go down to Utica and get top line minutes.  
2) Sutter should be our 3rd line C for this year......until possibly the trade deadline.

 

Here’s what I had in mind (hypothetical context)

 

So let’s say Gaudette goes down to the farm, and the Canucks decide to keep him down there for the rest of the season.    The Canucks are having a pretty good season and look like they will be a wild card playoff team.    However, for short term purposes , they decide that they want to increase their chances of doing something significant this year.

Now obviously,

 

1) Trading for a top 6 winger or center would cost an arm and a leg.

2) Trading for a top 4 defenseman would cost an arm and a leg.

 

My ultimate question, is if you think trading for a good 3rd line Center would cost an arm and a leg? (Ie an upgrade on Sutter - and we still keep Gaudette in the organization).  
 

My gut says that the price tag will still be quite high, but perhaps I’m wrong?

 

 

Just play Hockey Gaud as the third line center.  Problem is solved from within.  

[komodo0921]

On 10/21/2019 at 5:58 AM, I.Am.Ironman said:

Sutter isn't an offensive stalwart but how much better in Jean Gabriel Pageau? Sutter is great at faceoffs, contributes greatly to our top ranked PK and takes the majority of defensive assignments. Sutter has played well to start the year and plays his role well. Pageau looks good on a bad Ottawa team in the less physical eastern conference, not sure how good he looks out west where the play is 'heavier'.

 

Even if the 3rd gets a slight bump to offensive capabilities, it takes a hit on the defensive side. It is a lateral move at best imo.

Sutter's played well so far and it sounds silly to be talking replacement, given the early success the Nucks have had but, being a more traditional hockey fane, I prefer a ground and pound style third line.

I know this name is not popular here but Nazim Kadri's game is a great example of what I like to see at that position.

 

 

[Hindustan Smyl]

1 hour ago, Alflives said:

Just play Hockey Gaud as the third line center.  Problem is solved from within.  

I would love to, but is he really ready to carry that line?  And make it a legit secondary/auxiliary scoring line?   I think he’ll be that player in 12-18 months, but he’s not there yet.    I think he needs more time in Utica.   I’d love to see him, Baertschi, Goldobin, and Juolevi lead the team to a championship down there.

[Phil_314]

38 minutes ago, komodo0921 said:

Sutter's played well so far and it sounds silly to be talking replacement, given the early success the Nucks have had but, being a more traditional hockey fane, I prefer a ground and pound style third line.

I know this name is not popular here but Nazim Kadri's game is a great example of what I like to see at that position.

I get the feeling that the recipe for playoff success is ultimately that kind of a setup (either a team with lots of big bodies and physicality or lots of jam to score garbage goals) but I would prefer if there was an element of pure play-making to go alongside the bigger guys.  Thinking of the Lucic - Krejci - Horton line from 2011 as an example, though the wings are obviously very physically dominant there's also Krejci to make smart passing and two-way plays given the space that his wings afford him.  With the likes of Ferland, Sutter, Jake, Bo, Pearson and Leivo it appears to me as a really north-south group without too much setup between them.  While it could be a recipe for success I wouldn't mind at all if there was a passing winger that we could add to make use of the space (e.g. as a trailer on occasions where these guys drive the net).  

 

If not via trade, eventually I would like to see Sven - Sutter - Ferland/ Jake, for instance.  Sutter's a straight line guy too and Fergie can pounce on whatever rebounds in front of the net but Sven (while also solid two-way) can help the line through a bit more creativity.  Of course, come playoff time if it's too much for Sven we could always go Fergie - Sutter - Jake but to have that offensive component should really help.

[Kanukfanatic]

On 10/21/2019 at 2:18 PM, Whaleroad Train said:

I'm willing to pay an arm and a leg to get an upgrade - just as long as the arm and the leg are attached to Eriksson.

Best post of the thread...and that includes the original post haha.

 

 

Edited October 25, 2019 by Kanukfanatic

[Chris12345]

I hate to state the obvious but we are coming out of a rebuild. Just wait for a few more years. 

[ruilin96]

There are a lot of nay-sayers about Sutter. But Sutter when healthy and in the line up, is one of the better and more effective third line center in the league. Plus, Gaudette in the pipeline, a bit more seasoning on Gaudette, he can takeover as 3rd line center when Sutter moves on after his contract expieres.

[Alflives]

1 hour ago, ruilin96 said:

There are a lot of nay-sayers about Sutter. But Sutter when healthy and in the line up, is one of the better and more effective third line center in the league. Plus, Gaudette in the pipeline, a bit more seasoning on Gaudette, he can takeover as 3rd line center when Sutter moves on after his contract expieres.

Yup, it’s depth we have now that will keep our window for winning open for a decade.  

[The Lock]

I personally don't see the point in "upgrading" our 3rd line center position when we have so many mediocre contracts already. I think at this point, sheding contracts would be more of an upgrade than adding contracts. We simply have too many, which could certainly help if we make the playoffs due to having the extra depth, but doesn't really help when considering acquiring players.

 

Besides, we'll never actually know if a player actually an "upgrade" until they're on this team.

Edited October 27, 2019 by The Lock