Does anyone have any good guesses as to how they will change the look of our defense?

[Coconuts]

4 hours ago, JM_ said:

the best we could likely do this offseason is something like bringing in Lyubushkin and Zadorov, if we can shed Pearson or Dickie and Garland, e.g. 

 

imo if we can use OEL properly that will be a nice boost to our d production. Zadorov provides some size and meanness. 

 

Hughes-Schenn

OEL-Loobie

Rathbone-Zadorov

Dermott-Poolman

 

with two mid-tier additions it changes the look and depth quite a bit. 

Could be. But I think getting one, let alone both, is optimistic. I'm not saying it can't, or won't happen, but there are a lottttt of teams that will be sniffing around each player and I don't wear rose coloured glasses. Which isn't to say you do. 

[JM_]

2 hours ago, Canuckfanforlife82 said:

I think it’s so hard to feel good about him becuase of that contract. You see him play but then you realize that it comes with a crazy price tag and it hurts the team. He’s good but man that money could be used in so many other ways. We are stuck with it though.

but its really not that crazy. Set free to be more offensive he'll put up 40 pts and also be really good defensively. Whats crazy is Darnell Nurse making what he does.

[JM_]

2 hours ago, kanucks25 said:

It's clear he's already lost a step in his skating compared to his prime.

he has? 

 

2 hours ago, kanucks25 said:

 

Players don't generally regain a step at his age or into their mid 30's... and by generally I mean ever.

 

The question with him is: how long will he remain serviceable until the wheels completely fall off?

 

That said if he can play about as well as he did last season, he's not a problem on this team, even if a bit overpaid.

I guess our eye tests are seeing different things. 

[Gurn]

9 minutes ago, JM_ said:

he has? 

 

I guess our eye tests are seeing different things. 

Probably basing their opinion on the game where OEL came back early from a broken toe.

"OMG can't skate" 

[JM_]

1 hour ago, Coconuts said:

Could be. But I think getting one, let alone both, is optimistic.

thats kind of my thing. 

 

1 hour ago, Coconuts said:

 

I'm not saying it can't, or won't happen, but there are a lottttt of teams that will be sniffing around each player and I don't wear rose coloured glasses. Which isn't to say you do. 

its ok, I do. I don't take it as an insult, its just how I prefer to enjoy the team most of the time. Sometimes I do get on a rant tho (&^@#ing Willie ruined Tryamkin, e.g.) but I like to look at whats possible and root for that to happen. 

 

Sometimes you do see small changes like one key guy on the d group makes a huge difference to the mix. Just look at how Tanev elevates the entire Cowtown d. 

 

Loobie or Zadorov are not Tanev and I don't expect them to be. But, I do think getting OEL with a stay at home partner would help a lot. Add to that some better systems and I'm hopeful we can see an incremental improvement. I'd be very happy with league average numbers out of our group given how good Demko is. Thats kind of where I'm at with it.

 

Edited July 11, 2022 by JM_

[kanucks25]

16 minutes ago, JM_ said:

he has? 

 

I guess our eye tests are seeing different things. 

You think he's the same player he was 3-6 years ago?

[DSVII]

We don't need to fix everything in one year.  The team should do what it wasn't willing to before and wait out the problem or until the market presents an opportunity to move. Don't change for the sake of turning over the roster, other teams like Arizona will jump on that and take advantage of us. Patience is a virtue here. I'm willing to stick with this defense as it is for another year.

 

If Rathbone can carve himself a top 4 spot. That would instantly offer a lot of flexibility. Think we should wait and see.

Edited July 11, 2022 by DSVII

[JM_]

5 minutes ago, kanucks25 said:

You think he's the same player he was 3-6 years ago?

I certainly think he could be. IMO he really carried Myers, if he's not doing that yes I think we can see the guy from 3 years ago. 

[Ghostsof1915]

Attrition. 

[Bobby James]

1 hour ago, aGENT said:

Hughes, Lyubushkin

OEL, Marino

Rathbone, Schenn

 

Dermott, Burroughs, Poolman (IR?) etc as spares.

This is what I'm thinking too!

 

One of our forwards out (likely Miller) for a top 4 RHD (Marino, Carlo, Schneider, etc). From there you look to free agency and see if you can get another defensive RHD (Manson ((might be tough to get)) or like a Lyubushkin) and trade out Meyers for a pick. However, UFA is rough and they shouldn't overpay too much so we may just bring back Meyers for 1 more year then move him after the season ends. 

 

Hughes,  RHD from trade

OEL, Meyers (or UFA D)

Rathbone, Schenn

 

Dermott, Poolman, etc

 

 

Overall I think that is a better D then last year. From there we try to improve it again a little more the following offseason.  

Edited July 11, 2022 by Bobby James

[VegasCanuck]

2 hours ago, Canuckfanforlife82 said:

The goalies had a lot to do with that. Not the defense.

I said in my original post, that Demko deserved a lot of credit. Again, I don't think you read my original post all that closely.

[48MPHSlapShot]

Myers and OEL do work pretty well together. The problem with the pairing is that it somewhat neuters OEL, so we end up not getting full value for what we're paying him. They're good enough together that I'm content with going into the season with them as a pairing, but I don't like that we're using the best remaining years of OEL to cover for Myers.

Edited July 12, 2022 by 48MPHSlapShot

[EP Phone Home]

1 hour ago, 48MPHSlapShot said:

Myers and OEL do work pretty well together. The problem with the pairing is that it somewhat neuters OEL, so we end up not getting full value for what we're paying him. They're good enough together that I'm content with going into the season with them as a pairing, but I don't like we're using the best remaining You years of OEL to cover for Myers.

That’s $13,250,000 of cap space and it’s not giving itself full value. I hope as well that the pairings change soon because we need to get the best bang for our buck. We just aren’t getting it with these two together but don’t have a remedy for it yet. 

[Viper007]

10 hours ago, spook007 said:

Fear Rathbone - Myers pairing has disaster written all over it... a bit like QH - Myers.  Unless Rathbone has developed lots defensively over the last 7-8 months. 

I really just had it this way so that OEL can be more offensive minded with Poolman covering for him instead of Myers.  Also Myers provides the big body that Rathbone requires being a little undersized.

[ButterBean]

Not sure how many teams out there are willing to trade a top 4 RHD to us. Assuming we don’t trade any of Miller/Garland/Pearson/Myers and we roll with the same defense. Schenn either on the top pair with Hughes or on the bottom pair with Rathbone. Thought Myers had a better year last year but I don’t see him working well with Hughes. Dermott I see as more of a 5th guy with potential as top 4 but hard to bank on that. Burroughs over Poolman on the bottom pair all day. Juulsen is a decent call up but would like to keep him in Abby for another year. 
 

Hughes - Schenn

OEL - Myers

Rathbone - Burroughs

Dermott/Poolman/Juulsen 

 

Hughes - OEL

Dermott - Myers 

Rathbone - Schenn

Burroughs/Poolman/Juulsen

[Nucklefuts]

P K Subban for 3 years at $2M/season.

 

He'd be a good fit for the community with how he gives back so much!

Edited July 12, 2022 by Nucklefuts

[Nuck1991]

i dont see a big name dman coming in, i think management is just unable to load off myers or OEL.

i think they are coming back with the same stale roster.

Any major change has to be from within, one of the defensive prospect has to outshine a vet

Edited July 12, 2022 by Nuck1991
spell

[Doxm]

There's absolutely no chance the D stays as is - someone will be moved for someone who can play with Huhges or a UFA will be brought in. 

 

Most realistic option is a UFA gets brought in. I'm going out on a limb and saying we target Colin Miller. He was great in Vegas and had to play on an awful Sabres team, I think he would be a great candidate. 

 

Hughes-Miller

OEL-Myers

Rathbone-Schenn

Dermott

 

 

[CanucksJay]

I still don't get it. Somebody said our defence sucked and then it became some fact that everyone regurgitates like it's unrefutable. Here's a bold prediction. With a full training camp under Bruce and guidance of the new management team, I predict we will finish top 7 in the league for team defence fewest goals allowed. 

 

 

 

Wait.... We just did that but I don't think anyone cares... 

 

 

I think that the arrival of Rathbone will catch many by surprise this year. 

We have one of the top prospects on defence. The guy was nearly a point a game player and a top 10 in pts scored for D men in the AHL while only playing 39 games.  What is the NHL AHL points conversion for a guy that put up 40 pts in 39 games? What is his expected points in the NHL? 

In terms of pts/gm he was by far the best. Funny thing is, ppl are talking about him as a throw in on a trade when we should be ecstatic that we drafted this gem. These are the kind of guys that you hope to draft in the later stages of the first round. 

Had we picked him with say the 24th pick, we would be chomping at the bit for him to play this year. Funny how lower draft position and less spotlight changes perspectives. 

Anyway Rathbone on 3rd pairing gives us 3 Very capable puck movers in OEL, Hughes and Rathbone. They each play on a different pairing which means every D pairing has the ability to get the puck to our talented forwards. 

The lack of points from our defence minus Hughes was largely in part due to the fact our team was in a slump for half the season. If Petey, Boeser, and the gang are firing, I expect OEL to put up a lot more points this year and be pleasantly surprised by Rathbone's output. While we allowed the 7th fewest goals, we were 17th in goals for. With the talent we have, we should be top 10 in scoring and I think we'll get there. TGs system was absolute garbage

 

I honestly don't understand the OEL criticism. The guy does EVERYTHING well minus physical play. His passing, positioning, skating, stick work, shooting, vision are all excellent. The guy even stuck up for his teammates as a punching bag when the rest of our team was playing like pansies. I believe he is a legit 1D.

We then have Hughes who is a phenom. The concern is more Myers, Poolman, Schenn, Dermott and whether some of those guys can play up to the level of a first pairing partner. 

 

I think OEL needs to move to the right and play with Hughes. They need to log 28 min a night and leave the other 32 minutes between Myers, Poolman, Schenn, Dermott and Rathbone with one of them sitting every night. 

 

 

 

 

[CanucksJay]

1 hour ago, Doxm said:

There's absolutely no chance the D stays as is - someone will be moved for someone who can play with Huhges or a UFA will be brought in. 

 

Most realistic option is a UFA gets brought in. I'm going out on a limb and saying we target Colin Miller. He was great in Vegas and had to play on an awful Sabres team, I think he would be a great candidate. 

 

Hughes-Miller

OEL-Myers

Rathbone-Schenn

Dermott

 

 

Can OEL play the right side and be paired with Hughes? I haven't seen the guy fail at anything yet as a Canuck and would love to see them try that. 

2nd pairing or Myers and Poolman look rather suspect though. Unless Poolman can elevate his game, it might be rough.