Mathew Highmore has quietly been learning from Boudreau and Motte

[*Buzzsaw*]

One of the key changes I am seeing since Bruce Boudreau took over is the emergence of Mathew Highmore as a real shutdown forward.

 

Not sure if it was Boudreau or one of the assistant coaches who put the bug in his ear, but Highmore has suddenly started to model his game exactly on Motte.

 

Maybe he doesn't have the same speed, but his forecheck/backcheck pattern is now nearly as good as Motte... he is applying pressure at exactly the right moments and being a pest to boot.  When you can annoy the hell out of your opponents, you are doing the right thing.

 

Meanwhile Lamikko is improving his faceoff percentages, applying his weight and reach to opponents and complementing the other two on the line so well the line has completely gelled.

 

This is what was lacking at the beginning of the year... the fourth line was basically invisible under Green.  Now it is a continual in your face relentless irritant for other teams... this is a huge difference.

 

As everyone has observed, it has gotten to the point that the line is no longer referred to as '...the fourth line'.... it can play anytime, anywhere.

 

Team defense was a crucial missing element of the Canucks when Green was running things... now this new revitalized '4th' line is changing the bottom line every game.

[VegasCanuck]

Kid was a solid pickup from Benning, great trade that EVERYONE freaked out about.

 

He's become a integral part of our 4th line, while Gaudette is struggling to stay in the Ottawa lineup after being tossed away by Chicago. 

[*Buzzsaw*]

10 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

Kid was a solid pickup from Benning, great trade that EVERYONE freaked out about.

 

He's become a integral part of our 4th line, while Gaudette is struggling to stay in the Ottawa lineup after being tossed away by Chicago. 

And I will be the first to admit I thought letting Gaudette go was a mistake.

 

Although I have to wonder if Gaudette might have performed better under Boudreau.

 

I still think Gaudette is a better choice than Chiasson.

[Tank4Bedard]

19 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

while Gaudette is struggling to stay in the Ottawa lineup

Really??? Havent been watching any of their games or following them but 7 points in 9 games is nothing to laugh at. 

 

[Phil_314]

Agreed both about that the trade to get him is looking great now and the whole line has played so well together.

When Miller, Horvat and Garland were all out last week they bumped the whole unit up (ahead of Dickinson and Podkolzin from what I recall) and that speaks volumes.
A throwaway years ago when we traded Vanek (Motte), a throwaway when we gave up on Juolevi (Lammikko) and a someone many considered a throwaway when we moved on from Gaudette (Highmore) look great together, and I'm getting shutdown 3rd line vibes from them (though having them on the 4th would be a luxury at this point).

Edited January 28, 2022 by Phil_314

[khay]

I think Benning is a good evaluator of players.

 

He is a terrible evaluator of coaches.

 

I thought Highmore and Lammikko were two of the most useless players I have ever seen play under Green.

 

Now I can't even believe that they are the same players under Boudreau. The hustle and forechecking is so beautifully in sync whenever that "4th" line is on the ice.

 

Big reason why we were able to turn things around.

[*Buzzsaw*]

2 minutes ago, khay said:

I think Benning is a good evaluator of players.

 

He is a terrible evaluator of coaches.

 

I thought Highmore and Lammikko were two of the most useless players I have ever seen play under Green.

 

Now I can't even believe that they are the same players under Boudreau. The hustle and forechecking is so beautifully in sync whenever that "4th" line is on the ice.

 

Big reason why we were able to turn things around.

I said it before and I'll say it again.

 

If Benning had not renewed Green's contract and gone shopping for another coach along with assistants last summer he'd still have his job.

[Phil_314]

4 minutes ago, DontMessMe said:

Really??? Havent been watching any of their games or following them but 7 points in 9 games is nothing to laugh at. 

 

While he's had a nice little streak (4 points in 3 games, with 2 points against Buffalo), he's only reached 12+ minutes of ice time three times this season.
Of course I hope that this little scoring run gets him more confidence but I can't help but think that he'll top out as a Jeff Tambellini type depth scorer.

[*Buzzsaw*]

3 minutes ago, Phil_314 said:

While he's had a nice little streak (4 points in 3 games, with 2 points against Buffalo), he's only reached 12+ minutes of ice time three times this season.
Of course I hope that this little scoring run gets him more confidence but I can't help but think that he'll top out as a Jeff Tambellini type depth scorer.

Yes, that's exactly what he can be... but remember the reason Edmonton is having so many problems is exactly because they don't have the depth scorers to complement their two hockey gods.

[Tank4Bedard]

6 minutes ago, *Buzzsaw* said:

I said it before and I'll say it again.

 

If Benning had not renewed Green's contract and gone shopping for another coach along with assistants last summer he'd still have his job.

Sometimes I wondered if he was pressured by the media and the players to extend Green. Green received A LOT OF PRAISES from the players. And I guess, to Benning, he prob didnt want to sign green hence it took so long? But he succumb to the media and players 

Edited January 28, 2022 by DontMessMe

[CaptKirk888]

14 minutes ago, *Buzzsaw* said:

And I will be the first to admit I thought letting Gaudette go was a mistake.

 

Although I have to wonder if Gaudette might have performed better under Boudreau.

 

I still think Gaudette is a better choice than Chiasson.

Gauds would not have brought a better work ethic or character trait. Highmore brings more, despite numbers. Also, in respect of popular opinion, Chiason brings more value. Even J Benning knew that.

[Timråfan]

46 minutes ago, khay said:

I think Benning is a good evaluator of players.

 

He is a terrible evaluator of coaches.

 

I thought Highmore and Lammikko were two of the most useless players I have ever seen play under Green.

 

Now I can't even believe that they are the same players under Boudreau. The hustle and forechecking is so beautifully in sync whenever that "4th" line is on the ice.

 

Big reason why we were able to turn things around.

I say that the players in NHL is the best. They only need a coach that knows how to utilise them.

So I don’t bother about Benning regarding this. 
Now with Boudreu we can bring back Pouliot and he become Hughes no 2

[Drakrami]

5 hours ago, VegasCanuck said:

Kid was a solid pickup from Benning, great trade that EVERYONE freaked out about.

 

He's become a integral part of our 4th line, while Gaudette is struggling to stay in the Ottawa lineup after being tossed away by Chicago. 

uhhhh.. Gaudette 7 points in 9 games playing like 10 minutes per game for Ottawa. 

[wai_lai416]

highmore have been great under boudreau but i still wouldn't mind having gaudette on the team.. one of the biggest issue with the team this year is secondary scoring. gaudette would be somewhere between 2nd-3rd on this team in points per game avg and he plays half the mins of those players. of coz he wouldn't be able to keep up those pace here on the canucks but i figured he would be somewhere at 15-20 points on this team now.. that's the production of like highmore chiasson dickenson combined. we avg well under 3 goals per game not going to win many games in this league scoring just 2 goals.

[canucklehead44]

Gaudette has 13 points in 24 games since the trade. I am happy with the trade but he still has upside and 33 points in 59 games as a sophomore is impressive. His points per game was not much lower than DeBrusk and he has had two terrible years back to back, makes 3.675 million and still has perceived value. 

Gaudette needed to be traded but was a boom/bust player - Highmore probably won't be more than a 4th liner but I think he is a way better fit for our team. 

[Attila Umbrus]

I still remember being called out for saying Highmore was the better player in the Gaudette trade. I still stand by it. His defensive awareness was over the charts better than Gauds was. Seen it back when he was in Chicago. When I watched them play I always found myself thinking “nice play” who is that? Gauds isn’t terrible but he was mismatched on our team.
 

It was the same crowd that thought we got fleeced when we traded Vanek for Motte too. 
 

Defensive awareness and knowing how to be in the right side of the puck during battles is hard for the casual fan to pick up. Most people just look at stats and say…wow, he sucks. It’s frustrating but it happens all the time. But for people who see the game at a deeper level they know what these kind of guys are worth to a team. 
 

I’m just really happy to see everyone coming around on these guys because they are important to this team.

 

I wasn’t impressed with Lammy at the start of the season but under Bruce this guy is turning into a real fine shut down player. I love it when I’m wrong and get to watch a guy I wrote off succeed. I’ll eat my crow when it’s due lol.

[ShawnAntoski]

Finally, an affordable 4th line, that can compete.  Hoping, they can move some pieces and use the savings to keep the 4th line, together cause all three are Free Agents, at seasons end.

[BCNate]

I really like our 4th line right now.  Motte, Lammikko, Highmore have been solid.

 

Once we get Horvat and Pearson back, I'm really liking our forward group.

[Attila Umbrus]

36 minutes ago, ShawnAntoski said:

Finally, an affordable 4th line, that can compete.  Hoping, they can move some pieces and use the savings to keep the 4th line, together cause all three are Free Agents, at seasons end.

I like my grinders and bottom 6 heros. One thing JB was never able to do was shore up his bottom ranks at forward. Lots of costly mistakes there. We haven’t been able to find consistency in our bottom 6 in years…the line of Lammy, Motte, Highmore bring me back to those days I remember being proud of our teams 3rd and 4th lines. Feels good to see some glimpses of it again.

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Attila Umbrus

[Gawdzukes]

I really don't know how much this has to do with Boudreau. I always loved the Gaudette trade. Motte and Highmore have been hurt most of the year which is why they just started doing well.