Laying down on the Job. Myers reverting to his Buffalo +- days

[Primal Optimist 5,127]

You know me. I rarely pick out a Canucks player to pick on but ONE thing has really stood out to me the last month and a bit. 

 

Tyler Myers is not a very skilled Defensemen. He can wrack up the apples, but he can't keep the biscuit out of OUR basket. I will be brief though and listen to what you all have to say about it.

 

In Buffalo, after his rookie and followup year, Myers experienced four years of defensive liability as shown in his +-.

2012-13: five total points while not on the power play and ended the year -8 (13 even strength goals against to his clubs 5 while he was on the ice in just 39 games)

2013-14: MINUS 26!! 13 even strength points for him and finished -26, or 33 goals against at even strength to 13 for the nucks with him on the ice.

2014-15: Buffalo, 9 even strength points for Myers traded when +- was minus15, or "24 goals against vs 9 for with Myers on the ice".

 

Then we hit a stretch in WPG where he must have been protected as he managed all 4.5 years there in the positive side of the +-, with his 'best' year notching 17 of 36 points on the power play!! And yet with his best productive year of his career he was only +9 at even strength.

 

Then the Canucks

Last season: 7 PP points 14 even str points and finished -7 (yup both of the canuck seasons are minus seasons for Myers.) 21 goals against and 14 goals for with myers on the ice at evens

This season: 10 even strength points and -1 thus far in 24 games, but my evidence this year is more anecdotal: for instance last night on the PK he chose to lay down for several seconds and seemed like an eternity that he lay on his side on purpose not moving while the opponents passed a few times and quickly scored. 37 penalty minutes in 24 games too, which needs to be mentioned: over one and a half minutes a game he is NOT defending or attacking but sitting in the sin bin!!! Just noticed his take away to give away this year is horrendous as well. 6 takeaways and 19 giveaways in 24 games ... i shouldn't be shocked because that stat has always been bad for him, but last year was his only year of being roughly equal in giveaway to takeaway ratios.

 

Sadly I find him to be a liability that does not get made up for in what he brings to the party and would rather see young prospects get some valuable time in real game situations to improve their futures. Of all the Canucks signings the last handful of years, this is the one I don't like the most. 

 

So without going on about it myself, I am very curious to know WHY Tyler Minus was on the PK to begin with, and why he isn't being sat for a game here and there to allow more defensively sound up and coming Canucks get experience? 

 

I will stop short of wishing him traded away, but I am less than happy with Myers out of all the Canucks thus far. I would love to know all your thoughts on the topic, but please don't waste everyone's time scolding me for my topic. They can't all be rosy. 

 

Edited February 26 by Primal Optimist

[shayster007 4,283]

Yeah, I disagree. I actually have quite liked his game this year. He has had some rough games, some bad plays, but overall he has been good. Would love if he took a few less penalities, but I also like that he has some bite so wouldn't want him to change to much.

[Jimmy McGill 42,234]

utter horse crap. 

[Primal Optimist 5,127]

Just now, Jimmy McGill said:

utter horse crap. 

I accept your opinion, but would love to hear why you think so.

[DeNiro 36,031]

Far from our problem on D.

 

Underwhelming play from Hughes and Schmidt are much more to blame.

[drummerboy 3,782]

This post is dog Pooh.  
Myers has been far from our worst dman.  
 

[Jimmy McGill 42,234]

Just now, Primal Optimist said:

I accept your opinion, but would love to hear why you think so.

sorry maybe that was a little harsh.

 

Begin by looking at his minutes and deployment - he takes some of the hardest minutes for a reason. He's not perfect but he's far from a giveaway machine and provides a physical presence we'd really miss. 

[oldnews 53,083]

[boziffous 142]

Your opinion that Myers is terrible on the PK isn't backed up by the stats.

 

Goals against average per 60 minutes while shorthanded
Juolevi - 0
Benn - 3
Myers - 4.3
Schmidt - 5.4
Edler - 8.6
Hamonic - 24

 

Juolevi has a small sample size of a little over 13 minutes of total PK time this season. Hamonic has a pretty small sample size as well at just over 20 minutes of total PK time.

[Primal Optimist 5,127]

1 minute ago, boziffous said:

Your opinion that Myers is terrible on the PK isn't backed up by the stats.

 

Goals against average per 60 minutes while shorthanded
Juolevi - 0
Benn - 3
Myers - 4.3
Schmidt - 5.4
Edler - 8.6
Hamonic - 24

 

Juolevi has a small sample size of a little over 13 minutes of total PK time this season. Hamonic has a pretty small sample size as well at just over 20 minutes of total PK time.

Not disagreeing but glad you did that stat collection, thank you.

Hoping to see MORE Juolevi and less Myers on the PK. I wonder, and will get around to looking, how our D stacks up on PK TOI. 

[Coconuts 13,299]

I disagree, Myers is a valuable part of our D corp and he's one of our only D who will consistently physically push back. He's had his off games, but so have the rest of our D except maybe Juolevi, and like all those D he'd likely perform better for competent coaching staff in systems that aren't garbage. 

[6of1_halfdozenofother 1,513]

I'd be more concerned about Schmidt, Edler, and even Hughes' ability to keep the puck in the o-zone while they are manning the points, to be honest.  Myers is doing fine for what he brings.  I don't even mind the penalties, though I think he could stand to be a bit more rough around the edges so that rats from the other teams don't take liberties on our players.

[Primal Optimist 5,127]

4 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

I disagree, Myers is a valuable part of our D corp and he's one of our only D who will consistently physically push back. He's had his off games, but so have the rest of our D except maybe Juolevi, and like all those D he'd likely perform better for competent coaching staff in systems that aren't garbage. 

he did exactly that with his 4.5 years with what we can call PEAK winnipeg, the team he was a part of was on top of their game for that timeframe. before and after that though, I don't really view his offense as worth his lack of defense and his penalty addiction.

 

Quote

I'd be more concerned about Schmidt, Edler, and even Hughes' ability to keep the puck in the o-zone while they are manning the points, to be honest.  Myers is doing fine for what he brings.  I don't even mind the penalties, though I think he could stand to be a bit more rough around the edges so that rats from the other teams don't take liberties on our players.

I wonder though if those other three Dmen are much more worth having in the Offensive zone and not as bad at having in the Defensive zone? Curious, not clinging to my guns declaring I am right, just curious about the exact role for Myers not being the right fit for Myers. Shrug, I feel our D would be better all around with the subtraction of the one player. Thing is I won't know and can't show it until there is a moment that he is subtracted. Hopefully, for me, I will get to see a Canucks game soon where Myers is on the Taxi Squad to save his 6million cap hit for a few days time, and we try a few young fellows out in his stead. Not permanently, but for a look see. 

Edited February 26 by Primal Optimist

[rychicken 6,173]

Myers as a 6D, playing 10-12 minutes a night is ok. Myers as a top 4D playing 18+ a night is not ok

[Coconuts 13,299]

Just now, Primal Optimist said:

he did exactly that with his 4.5 years with what we can call PEAK winnipeg, the team he was a part of was on top of their game for that timeframe. before and after that though, I don't really view his offense as worth his lack of defense and his penalty addiction.

It'd be nice if he could reign in the penalties no doubt, but some of them I don't mind. I've noticed that he tends to get the short end of stick regarding more physical penalties because "big 6'8 man bad, no play physical on smaller players". As for defense, that's a teamwide problem right now, not something specific to Myers. 

 

Within the context of a team that's struggled defensively almost every game I think he's been fine. 

[IBatch 12,207]

Wow.  Why don't we start one for Edler, Schmidt and QHs while we are at it.   Myers is the least of our problems.   

[Ghostsof1915 34,677]

7 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

I disagree, Myers is a valuable part of our D corp and he's one of our only D who will consistently physically push back. He's had his off games, but so have the rest of our D except maybe Juolevi, and like all those D he'd likely perform better for competent coaching staff in systems that aren't garbage. 

Does the team even have a system?

[IBatch 12,207]

2 minutes ago, rychicken said:

Myers as a 6D, playing 10-12 minutes a night is ok. Myers as a top 4D playing 18+ a night is not ok

Sure let's increase QHs minutes and give him Myers assignments while we are at it.   Why don't we promote Benn and Chatfield too.   Myers play is fine - we need more guys like him not less.   Then maybe he can play less and against some easy competition while he's at it.    

[Coconuts 13,299]

1 minute ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

Does the team even have a system?

Swim?

 

[boziffous 142]

With the Canucks goal differential currently at -17, coupled with the fact that Myers plays more even strength minutes than anyone else on the team, I'd say -1 for Myers is pretty decent.