[Speculation] Drance & Dhaliwal: Jake McCabe & Brendan Smith are two D UFAs Canucks will be interested in

[Scottydzik]

McCabe played quite a bit on right side in Buffalo and did great let’s do it Benning 

[‹(•¿•)›]

If we hadn't just traded for OEL, McCabe would be a great fit. Now I think we should be looking at Hamonic, Ceci, Montour, Hakanpaa or maybe even Pysyk for a cheap option.

[oldnews]

Be hard to argue with either of these guys as depth options - if McCabe came at the right price.

Both are the 'type' (aside from being LHD) of additions needed - harder minutes, relatively physical, competent defensively, reasonably good first pass, can skate....

McCabe in particular has had some of the better 'underlying' numbers (in context) on Buffalo for some time,  principal penalty killer....not sure I'd want to pay him in the 3 million range he's been getting, but he may be worth that.

Smith is a bit harder sell - but as a depth/injury fill-in placeholder / replacement for the Benn/Fantenburg type roles, he's reasonable, with some edge.

 

Speaking of Fantenburg - his one year KHL deal with Ska expired earlier this spring/summer - haven't heard anything about him re-signing - if we're not being picky about targetting RHD in particular, he's a bargain guy that overperformed for us imo (outcomes weren't 'sexy' but he sure as hell was solid/reliable) - I don't  think I'd hesitate to bring him back.

Edited July 25, 2021 by oldnews

[PhillipBlunt]

18 minutes ago, oldnews said:

Be hard to argue with either of these guys as depth options - if McCabe came at the right price.

Both are the 'type' (aside from being LHD) of additions needed - harder minutes, relatively physical, competent defensively, reasonably good first pass, can skate....

McCabe in particular has had some of the better 'underlying' numbers (in context) on Buffalo for some time,  principal penalty killer....not sure I'd want to pay him in the 3 million range he's been getting, but he may be worth that.

Smith is a bit harder sell - but as a depth/injury fill-in placeholder / replacement for the Benn/Fantenburg type roles, he's reasonable, with some edge.

 

Speaking of Fantenburg - his one year KHL deal with Ska expired earlier this spring/summer - haven't heard anything about him re-signing - if we're not being picky about targetting RHD in particular, he's a bargain guy that overperformed for us imo (outcomes weren't 'sexy' but he sure as hell was solid/reliable) - I don't  think I'd hesitate to bring him back.

Would a free agent like Erik Gudbranson not be a viable option at this point as well? He’d probably not really demand more than a $1M at best at this juncture in his career. Would provide way more muscle than either of the aforementioned players. 

[48MPHSlapShot]

1 minute ago, PhillipBlunt said:

Would a free agent like Erik Gudbranson not be a viable option at this point as well? He’d probably not really demand more than a $1M at best at this juncture in his career. Would provide way more muscle than either of the aforementioned players. 

The problem with Guddy is that, although he's big and tough, he can't really play at either end of the ice.

[PhillipBlunt]

8 minutes ago, 48MPHSlapShot said:

The problem with Guddy is that, although he's big and tough, he can't really play at either end of the ice.

That’s a bit of a reach. 
 

He fared a lot better under different teams like Pittsburgh. With Shaw at the helm of the defense, he’d benefit, and as a 7th defenseman, he’d slot in only during games against larger more physical teams. 

[Nucker 67]

Have to keep in mind that Benning wants to bring in a Russian player. I have no idea who this might be, but thinking realistic. It won't be Tarasenko.

 

to CHI - Schmidt 

to VAN - Zadorov

 

 

[48MPHSlapShot]

5 minutes ago, PhillipBlunt said:

That’s a bit of a reach. 
 

He fared a lot better under different teams like Pittsburgh. With Shaw at the helm of the defense, he’d benefit, and as a 7th defenseman, he’d slot in only during games against larger more physical teams. 

His underlying numbers are still terrible, and he's a giveaway machine. I think we can do better.

Edited July 25, 2021 by 48MPHSlapShot

[higgyfan]

Seems to me that the NYI would be a great trade partner for the Canucks.  They have an abundance of good RDs, but very few decent LDs.  Maybe they trade Scott Mayfield ($1.45mx2) for Schmidt.  They would likely want to unload Ross Johnson ($1m), which helps to cover Schmidt's cap.  Johnson is a big, tough dude, but doesn't play the game of hockey very well.  Try him out, if he doesn't work out, off to Abby he goes. 

 

OEL          Myers

Hughes     Mayfield

Juolev       Hamonic

Rathbone

[KKnight]

10 minutes ago, higgyfan said:

Seems to me that the NYI would be a great trade partner for the Canucks.  They have an abundance of good RDs, but very few decent LDs.  Maybe they trade Scott Mayfield ($1.45mx2) for Schmidt.  They would likely want to unload Ross Johnson ($1m), which helps to cover Schmidt's cap.  Johnson is a big, tough dude, but doesn't play the game of hockey very well.  Try him out, if he doesn't work out, off to Abby he goes. 

 

OEL          Myers

Hughes     Mayfield

Juolev       Hamonic

Rathbone

I have a feeling the Isles are going to get Suter

Edited July 26, 2021 by KKnight

[higgyfan]

1 minute ago, KKnight said:

I have a feeling they're going to get Suter

Meh.  They should sign Brassard.  Regardless, they still need a decent RD and Mayfield is the guy who comes with a great contract.

[‹(•¿•)›]

Mayfield at 1.5 > Schmidt at 5.9

 

Unfortunately the Isles are aware of that fact, Mayfield is the last guy they want to trade.

[oldnews]

44 minutes ago, PhillipBlunt said:

Would a free agent like Erik Gudbranson not be a viable option at this point as well? He’d probably not really demand more than a $1M at best at this juncture in his career. Would provide way more muscle than either of the aforementioned players. 

I don't think so.

If I were going to consider revisiting Gud - I think the circumstances would have to be different.

By that I mean - if the team had found the right partner for Hughes - and we'd re-signed Edler - that would be where I think he might make sense - on a hard minutes pairing with AE.  I'm not going to beat the dead horse of revisiting Gud's positive and negative metrics/outcomes, particularly with multiple recent small samples to glean meaning from (and further, a waste of time to do so in response to the usual one-liners in any event).  I'd like to have a guy that people avoid in the hard areas like they do Gud, I'd like to have a guy that makes opponents anxious on entries, particularly when they don't have their heads up, I'd like to have someone that no one in their right mind wants to drop the gloves with - I'd like to have a guy that skates as well as he does north/south - but with that size, also has the typical limitations pivoting/turning - and with so much youth on the left side that are upside types, I'm not sure he'd fit (perhaps with Juolevi?)

 

Hughes / (all situations, two way, RHD with some size/physicality).

Juolevi / Myers

Edler / Schmidt / (Gud)

With Gud as an alternative on the right side that could be a dedicated shutdown minutes pairing with Edler (that was the one situation where I thought he - and Edler - looked good (together).

With OEL now in the mix - I'm not sure how the pairings are likely to flush out - or who they're going to add as complements.

To bring Gudbranson in in the present - I'd avoid pairing him with a young (transition) LHD (granted our young LHD are considerable upgrades on his partner the last go-around - Hutton) - but I'm not sure I see a fit.  I'd love to have his 'deterrent' effect/backbone effect in the lineup, but having a forward that can play that role is more 'traditional' and makes more sense imo.

Not sure I see it - but I'm certainly not going to sandbag the guy in the whipping boy tradition from Edler, Sbisa, Gud, (and most recently, back to Edler...)

 

 

 

[b3.]

Bring back Ryan Stanton.

[oldnews]

27 minutes ago, higgyfan said:

Seems to me that the NYI would be a great trade partner for the Canucks.  They have an abundance of good RDs, but very few decent LDs.  Maybe they trade Scott Mayfield ($1.45mx2) for Schmidt.  They would likely want to unload Ross Johnson ($1m), which helps to cover Schmidt's cap.  Johnson is a big, tough dude, but doesn't play the game of hockey very well.  Try him out, if he doesn't work out, off to Abby he goes. 

 

OEL          Myers

Hughes     Mayfield

Juolev       Hamonic

Rathbone

they would be - but we needed to get out ahead and take Mayfield off their hands a year or two ago....it's too late now.

[higgyfan]

1 minute ago, oldnews said:

they would be - but we needed to get out ahead and take Mayfield off their hands a year or two ago....it's too late now.

That's true, but...have you had a look at their LD?  They need Nate really bad, I say!

[oldnews]

4 minutes ago, higgyfan said:

That's true, but...have you had a look at their LD?  They need Nate really bad, I say!

they may need a guy to play behind Pelech - but I doubt they move any of Pulock, Mayfield or Dobson having made it through the expansion draft....

that might be my favorite right side since the Jets had Byf, Myers and Trouba...

I sure as hell wouldn't be looking to change it.

 

But yeah - I'd sure as hell have been looking to poach Mayfield (have been for years, so it's 'oldnews' at this point).

[Sweathog]

51 minutes ago, higgyfan said:

Seems to me that the NYI would be a great trade partner for the Canucks.  They have an abundance of good RDs, but very few decent LDs.  Maybe they trade Scott Mayfield ($1.45mx2) for Schmidt.  They would likely want to unload Ross Johnson ($1m), which helps to cover Schmidt's cap.  Johnson is a big, tough dude, but doesn't play the game of hockey very well.  Try him out, if he doesn't work out, off to Abby he goes. 

 

OEL          Myers

Hughes     Mayfield

Juolev       Hamonic

Rathbone

That'd be great if JB could swing it. Wouldn't mind having Johnston in the lineup when we play teams like Calgary and Vegas.

[TNucks1]

1 hour ago, NUCKER67 said:

Have to keep in mind that Benning wants to bring in a Russian player. I have no idea who this might be, but thinking realistic. It won't be Tarasenko.

 

to CHI - Schmidt 

to VAN - Zadorov

 

 

downgrade no thanks, but if we can get zadorov for something else i'd be down.

[aGENT]

Yeah, Mayfield's a pipe dream at this point unfortunately.

 

I wonder if something like Schmidt back to WAS for Jensen + Eller + maybe a pick would fly? 

 

Cap's basically a wash and it would add nice C depth and a solid skating, shut down RD for us.

 

Really though, I'd be fine signing Hamonic and Hakanpaa (or similar) and moving Schmidt after the fact as well, preferably maybe for an expiring RFA 3C looking for a raise. Maybe a Bennett or a Robert Thomas type.