The case for Loui Eriksson in 2020 playoffs

[Dekey Pete]

3 hours ago, Robert Long said:

so your criticism of Loui's lower PK time is that he's useful on the top 6  

 

whats glaringly obvious is he's useful right now in different places on the lineup and Green can trust him. 

 

What?

[Whalespray]

4 hours ago, Slegr said:

It has been said that there can be no passengers on a team if it wants to make the Stanley Cup Finals; that everyone must contribute. Going through the Canucks line-up, I see a mass of contributors with one exception – Loui William Eriksson, with 10 games, 0 points, and zero memorable moments. Can the Canucks continue to deem such deadweight ‘fit to play’ and still make it all the way to the finals?

 

At first glance, not a chance. But at second glance, perhaps it may be possible.

 

Think back to our last big run – the 2011 playoffs. Ah yes, we had a powerhouse of now household names, like Kes, Burr, Hank, and Juice. No passengers… right?

 

But wait, what about Victor Oreskovich. Victor who? Oreskovich. Who the heck is that? I’ve been a Canucks fan since the early 90s, and don’t recall such a name. Yet, apparently he played in 19 of our playoff games in 2011 – that’s a lengthy contribution. In fact, that’s more games than he played in the regular season for the Canucks. It sounds like he would be a vital part of that 2011 team. Yet he too had zero points, and from the perspective of this thread’s author, no memorable moments or contributions.

 

So can Loui Eriksson continue to ride shotgun on this playoff ride? It looks like we have a precedent in Victor Oreskovich.

Oreo was to that team as Bailey is to this team. Not a Loui comparable.

[Drakrami]

5 hours ago, Type R said:

So you attribute goals and assists with production?  I'm not going to defend Eriksson too much here, but he has produced far more for this team being on the ice than off of it.  He battles in the corners for pucks, he strips pucks from offensive players, and hes defensively responsible.  He is a go to for our PK for a reason.  This is a team of guys who play different roles, and Louis is very good at the role that he has carved out for himself, and there isn't another guy that can currently replace him.  He is not worth what we are paying him, not even close, but for the roster we have, he belongs on the ice right now more than a Lind, Bailey, or Graovac.

Again some empty justification that Eriksson belongs on the ice. If he was so good at corner puck battles, he would have assists to show for it. I have never seen Eriksson strip people of pucks, care to link some videos? Must have pulled some Datsyukian moves so quickly I have missed them all. 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Drakrami

[Angry Goose]

If there were no Roussel/Sutter, I'd really like to see Loui with Gaudette and MacEwan.  I think he'd mesh well with those two.  

[Lancaster]

6 hours ago, Slegr said:

Isn’t it weird that he was on the team? I have literally no memory of that. If someone told me he was in the 2011 playoff roster, I’d say BS. And what happened to him? His career just disappeared.

Sometimes a career in hockey isn't for everyone.  Unless you actually make it to the NHL (or the KHL), you may actually earn more money in a regular job (plus no injuries, etc).  

[Bertorama]

8 hours ago, Slegr said:

It has been said that there can be no passengers on a team if it wants to make the Stanley Cup Finals; that everyone must contribute. Going through the Canucks line-up, I see a mass of contributors with one exception – Loui William Eriksson, with 10 games, 0 points, and zero memorable moments. Can the Canucks continue to deem such deadweight ‘fit to play’ and still make it all the way to the finals?

 

At first glance, not a chance. But at second glance, perhaps it may be possible.

 

Think back to our last big run – the 2011 playoffs. Ah yes, we had a powerhouse of now household names, like Kes, Burr, Hank, and Juice. No passengers… right?

 

But wait, what about Victor Oreskovich. Victor who? Oreskovich. Who the heck is that? I’ve been a Canucks fan since the early 90s, and don’t recall such a name. Yet, apparently he played in 19 of our playoff games in 2011 – that’s a lengthy contribution. In fact, that’s more games than he played in the regular season for the Canucks. It sounds like he would be a vital part of that 2011 team. Yet he too had zero points, and from the perspective of this thread’s author, no memorable moments or contributions.

 

So can Loui Eriksson continue to ride shotgun on this playoff ride? It looks like we have a precedent in Victor Oreskovich.

I don’t want to bash any Canuck player who has gotten us past the Wild and the Blues. 
 

Ericksson will be out of the line up if Green doesn’t see him above the bottom 6 with Toffoli Back. Not saying we won’t see him again and he will be a part of the this team but you have to feel unless an injury surfaces we won’t see him in the game. 

[Elias Pettersson]

8 hours ago, Type R said:

So you attribute goals and assists with production?  I'm not going to defend Eriksson too much here, but he has produced far more for this team being on the ice than off of it.  He battles in the corners for pucks, he strips pucks from offensive players, and hes defensively responsible.  He is a go to for our PK for a reason.  This is a team of guys who play different roles, and Louis is very good at the role that he has carved out for himself, and there isn't another guy that can currently replace him.  He is not worth what we are paying him, not even close, but for the roster we have, he belongs on the ice right now more than a Lind, Bailey, or Graovac.

That’s a pretty low bar you are setting that Loui deserves to be on the ice more than 3 AHL players...

[Elias Pettersson]

It’s very simple.  Loui deserves to be exactly where he was tonight.  In the press box. We had 4 lines going tonight. We don’t need Loui bringing down one line.  We need all 4 lines clicking if we want to win the Cup...

[canuktravella]

8 hours ago, Chris12345 said:

I'll make a really awesome case for 21.

 

Jim Benning signed Loui to a binding contract. He therefore is legally entitled to be on the roster.

 

Now...in the lineup...sure his upside is limited. His downside....is known. No risk.

 nah he can be pressboxed not sure why hes still on team  canucks can waive him next yr and sit him in ahl theres no point having him stay in bigs hopefully he retires  or voids his contract

[danjr]

How can you guys say you didn't see Oreskevich?

I absolutely remember him from Burrows slaying the dragon.

[timberz21]

15 hours ago, Slegr said:

It has been said that there can be no passengers on a team if it wants to make the Stanley Cup Finals; that everyone must contribute. Going through the Canucks line-up, I see a mass of contributors with one exception – Loui William Eriksson, with 10 games, 0 points, and zero memorable moments. Can the Canucks continue to deem such deadweight ‘fit to play’ and still make it all the way to the finals?

 

At first glance, not a chance. But at second glance, perhaps it may be possible.

 

Think back to our last big run – the 2011 playoffs. Ah yes, we had a powerhouse of now household names, like Kes, Burr, Hank, and Juice. No passengers… right?

 

But wait, what about Victor Oreskovich. Victor who? Oreskovich. Who the heck is that? I’ve been a Canucks fan since the early 90s, and don’t recall such a name. Yet, apparently he played in 19 of our playoff games in 2011 – that’s a lengthy contribution. In fact, that’s more games than he played in the regular season for the Canucks. It sounds like he would be a vital part of that 2011 team. Yet he too had zero points, and from the perspective of this thread’s author, no memorable moments or contributions.

 

So can Loui Eriksson continue to ride shotgun on this playoff ride? It looks like we have a precedent in Victor Oreskovich.

Wrong, I remember him missing an empty net against St-Louis.  Seems like he's only good to score in OUR net when empty 

[gameburn]

16 hours ago, Teemu Selänne said:

This does not seem like a case 'for' Loui Eriksson, rather a case of neutrality toward Eriksson.

 

Getting 0 points is not a case for him-- but it does produce a question of what he is offering besides points and why he should be dressed.

 

I think he's been OK keeping plays alive, PKing, positionally, doing some OK defensive work. Obviously his albatross contract does not matter in this bubble context. But if MacEwen or Toffoli were to dress tonight, out of all the winger LE would be one to scratch IMO.

Prescient comment.  Because that's exactly what happened a few hours later. 

I love it when one of our own gets it exactly right.

 

Toffoli makes Eriksson completely unnecessary.  I'm not sure Gaudette and Lind don't as well.  Or Ferland, or big Mac.  Or anyone else in the organization.  The truth is: Eriksson is done.  It isn't only that he can no longer score or impact the offense -- that's bad enough -- but he doesn't seem to do much defensively either.  He's a good enough athlete that he can still more or less skate, but his hands are gone -- this is what it is to be too old to play at a high level.  If he were paid what Jake is paid, he'd already have been traded/sent to the minors months and months ago. He is the worst contract around.  Breaks my heart to think that classy guys like Higgins were "dismissed" and set up to retire, but a guy like this is carried, and carried and carried and... 

[gameburn]

16 hours ago, Slegr said:

Interesting perspective. Honestly, in these playoffs, I’ve seen him get outworked hard on the penalty kill. 
Is that his role on the team? “Defensive guy?” Because I’m just not seeing it, being completely honest. He tries getting his stick in there, but he never seems to work up sweat on the back check, or block any shots, or take / give a hit to make a play, etc. I know a lot of defensive guys on the team who do.
Honest question - Is there a memorable moment he has had for you in his 10 playoff games this post-season? He’s been playing a fair bit on Bo’s line, so you’d think there would be. 

The fact that Eriksson doesn't block shots or do a version of what a real penalty killer does -- e.g., Motte -- is what makes his "role" such a non-starter.  The fact is: he has no role on this team, that's why he started so few games the last year or two.  Motte, Sutter, Toffoli etc. all do his alleged role better.  Eriksson also doesn't take faceoffs (like Beagle, another guy we worried was not doing enough.)  He doesn't "rise" to the occasion with physical play or stand up for his mates, like Jake does.  People who say that LE does more than Graovac or Bailey and therefore deserve to play, forget the actual situation of the team: we have a LOT of forwards, and if not for the bad luck of Ferland and the bizarre decision to make Jake a scratch, LE would not have seen one second of playing time this playoffs.   He was brought here to play with the Sedins, he was expected to get points, lead with his play. He didn't do it, he doesn't do it.  He is now too old to even imagine doing it.  He is a by-product of a new GM's learning on the job, and of a legally binding contract that the Canucks are too nice to to find a way around.  He should have been sent to the minors back in November.

[EdgarM]

24 minutes ago, gameburn said:

Prescient comment.  Because that's exactly what happened a few hours later. 

I love it when one of our own gets it exactly right.

 

Toffoli makes Eriksson completely unnecessary.  I'm not sure Gaudette and Lind don't as well.  Or Ferland, or big Mac.  Or anyone else in the organization.  The truth is: Eriksson is done.  It isn't only that he can no longer score or impact the offense -- that's bad enough -- but he doesn't seem to do much defensively either.  He's a good enough athlete that he can still more or less skate, but his hands are gone -- this is what it is to be too old to play at a high level.  If he were paid what Jake is paid, he'd already have been traded/sent to the minors months and months ago. He is the worst contract around.  Breaks my heart to think that classy guys like Higgins were "dismissed" and set up to retire, but a guy like this is carried, and carried and carried and... 

This reminds me of how the Twins were dealt with in their latter years. Even though their game had diminished to where their defensive deficiencies were being blatantly exposed, people were saying well they can still do this and they can still do that. 

Lui is in the same boat. He wasn't paid 6 million dollars a year to play "defense", he was paid to play beside the Twins on the top line. 

The ONLY reason he is being played is because of his salary(he was sitting most of the time in the press box during the regular season too). Obviously Toffoli is an easy replacement but in the playoffs I would prefer to see a big body "banging and crashing" filling a roster spot then a "defensive" player who doesn't bring much else then that. Or like others said, one of our minor leaguers getting a taste of the playoffs. 

LE is irrelevant at this point and how he made it in the top 6 in the playoffs, and his zero points,  is beyond me. 

[RogersTowell]

Yeah, as much as it pains me to say, Loui is done like dinner.  I'd be the first to hope that this thread became the new "Burrows, do we need him?" thread, but it's just not happening.  The honourable thing for Loui to do at this time is collect his bonus and retire early next season.  Actually, the really honourable thing would be to retire before the bonus.  He's been paid extremely well for a massively underwhelming performance for his entire time with the team.  Now, in his defence, he didn't complain as his role was reduced and was classy throughout, but I think he needs to realise it's time to move on.  Maybe play in Sweden.  He has far less impact on the ice than Tyler Motte, a fourth line defensive specialist.

[LeanBeef]

Oreskovich was a beast physically in some of the games he played and a non factor in some as his physicality was really the only thing he offered... but he made some crushing hits.

 

believe he’s a financial advisor last I heard...

 

but yeah I think louis impact is similar but in a different way, his defence is very solid but other than that not much to offer (hopefully I’m wrong)

Oreo was strictly a 4th line guy, didn’t play any PK, and rarely ever played more than 8 mins a game

[gameburn]

13 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

It’s very simple.  Loui deserves to be exactly where he was tonight.  In the press box. We had 4 lines going tonight. We don’t need Loui bringing down one line.  We need all 4 lines clicking if we want to win the Cup...

So right.  When we really needed a game, he wasn't in the lineup.  If Ferland weren't so unlucky, and could play, it would be even more obvious that LE is not needed.

[Baggins]

21 hours ago, Dekey Pete said:

Where do people get this "he's a go to on the PK" mentality from?  
 

In terms of our penalty killers, TOI on the penalty kill goes to:

Beagle: 42 minutes

Motte: 41 minutes

Sutter: 28 minutes

Eriksson: 21 minutes

JT Miller even has 11 minutes and he also plays on the powerplay.

 

He is definitely nowhere even close to the coaches "go to", and he's really only being used there because he's absolutely useless offensively.  The coach was using him as a top 6 forward for a good chunk of the St Louis series (coaches fault, not Loui's I know), and it was glaringly obvious that he didn't belong in that role.  He is marginally better as a defensive forward, but to praise him like some defensive specialist is just flat out wrong.  

 

Eriksson belongs on the bench after his play in the first 2 series.  He has been a non factor on both ends of the ice.  Period.

PK ice per game is a more accurate assessment as Louie hasn't played every game. 

 

Beagle 3:54

Motte 3:47

Sutter 2:38

Eriksson 2:05

Miller 1:02

Pearson 0:07

Horvat 0:03

 

As you can see average PK time per game played falls off a cliff after Miller. In most games with Eriksson in Miller is only used on the PK if Sutter or Beagle is in the box or when there's a faceoff with just a few seconds remaining in the penalty. To illustrate: In game 2 Miller had 1:26 PK time and Pearson 1:14 while in game 1 with Eriksson playing 1:38 (matching Sutter) Miller had 8 seconds and Pearson no PK time. So with Eriksson out his PK time was split between Miller and Pearson. 

 

All that said I agree with scratching Eriksson once Toffoli was healthy. Whether he stays out depends entirely on how Virtanen and Gaudette play moving forward excluding injuries.

[Dekey Pete]

39 minutes ago, Baggins said:

PK ice per game is a more accurate assessment as Louie hasn't played every game. 

 

Beagle 3:54

Motte 3:47

Sutter 2:38

Eriksson 2:05

Miller 1:02

Pearson 0:07

Horvat 0:03

 

As you can see average PK time per game played falls off a cliff after Miller. In most games with Eriksson in Miller is only used on the PK if Sutter or Beagle is in the box or when there's a faceoff with just a few seconds remaining in the penalty. To illustrate: In game 2 Miller had 1:26 PK time and Pearson 1:14 while in game 1 with Eriksson playing 1:38 (matching Sutter) Miller had 8 seconds and Pearson no PK time. So with Eriksson out his PK time was split between Miller and Pearson. 

 

All that said I agree with scratching Eriksson once Toffoli was healthy. Whether he stays out depends entirely on how Virtanen and Gaudette play moving forward excluding injuries.

Fair enough.  But the funny thing is PK ice time by game draws the exact same conclusion.  I'm not sure how this will format but here goes nothing:

	PP minutes		PP seconds per game
Beagle	42	29%	234	29%
Motte	41	29%	227	28%
Sutter	28	20%	158	20%
eriksson	21	15%	125	16%
Miller	11	8%	62	8%
Total	143		806

The "go to" penalty killers that Green prefers rank:
1) Beagle
2) Motte

3) Sutter

4) Eriksson

5) Miller

 

Of the regular penalty killers, Eriksson is the guy that Green puts out the least.  Which is not surprising if you actually watch Loui play and not just repeat the same old talking points over and over again, that he is some kind of defensive specialist on this team (I'm not referring to you, but the original post)

It's kind of beating a dead horse at this point though, I don't think we'll see Loui for the rest of the playoffs barring any (knock on wood) serious injury.

[oldnews]

I think LE did a good job in general bridging the team to this point.

 

But they needed a little more - and Toffoli brought a lot already.

 

I think LE has had a few notable good moments/contributions this playoffs - mostly on his side of the blueline and/or shorthanded - with one exception (when Pietrangelo had too much time/space and got that tying goal at the end of regulation in a game this team won anyway) - but otherwise, he worked hard and held his own.

 

I still hope he recognizes that his offensive game has deserted him - and it's time to hang them up - for the sake of the team (in a salary cap crunch).

 

If he does that he'll probably remain a folk legend around here.