(Article) Screen Shots: Canucks and Celebrini, Mike Babcock, Flames and Jets

[RWJC]

Screen Shots: Canucks and Celebrini, Mike Babcock, Flames and Jets

 

Adam Proteau wonders whether the Canucks will miss another opportunity to draft a No. 1 pick from Vancouver, and he discusses Mike Babcock's situation in Columbus and crossroads for the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets.

 

Welcome back to Screen Shots, a regular THN.com feature in which we analyze a few hockey topics in shorter bursts. On to things we go:

 

With junior hockey phenom Connor Bedard about to embark on his NHL career as the cornerstone of the Chicago Blackhawks, the next name on the horizon as a No. 1 overall draft pick is 17-year-old forward Macklin Celebrini. 

 

Like Bedard, he is a Vancouver native who would look great in a Canucks uniform for the next decade-and-a-half. However, Vancouver squandered its 2022-23 season by not tanking properly, and the Canucks wound up with the 11th overall selection. The same scenario could take place in the 2024 NHL draft, with Celabrini potentially going to a full-on rebuilding franchise – say, the Philadelphia Flyers or Montreal Canadiens – and Vancouver once again ending at or near the 10th overall pick next summer.

 

We know many NHL fan bases are beside themselves with angst over the direction of their team, but it’s difficult to envision any scenario more frustrating than the one the Canucks are about to be dealing with again. Even if they’d only landed Bedard or Celebrini, at the very least, they’d have a foundational player to build around. Instead, a homegrown talent could once again wind up far away from Vancouver, and regret will mount over every passing year.

 

As we’ve noted before, the type of talent possessed by players such as Celebrini and Bedard cannot be acquired by normal means like free agency or trades. The best way to secure the services of an elite competitor is through the draft. 

 

Now, not every first overall pick becomes a superstar, but many, if not most, superstars get picked at No. 1. And considering the money they get paid is essentially the same under the salary cap, you need to capitalize on a young player’s emotional connection to their hometown. But you’re never going to get anywhere near a top performer unless you undergo the pain and tumult of a full rebuild.

If, at this time next summer, the Canucks have another mid-tier first-round draft pick, Vancouver supporters will have every reason to be irate. The hockey gods are offering them needle-movers, but their drive for mediocrity all but assures they’ll be short on them until further notice.

 

 

———————

 

In other news, new Columbus coach Mike Babcock is feeling the heat after former NHL player Paul Bissonnette alleges Babcock was being intrusive with Blue Jackets players, asking to see pictures on their smartphones. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and The Athletic's Katie Strang reported on Thursday that NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh and assistant executive director Ron Hainsey went to Columbus to meet the Blue Jackets about the allegations.

 

Bissonnette strongly opposes what he perceives is Babcock crossing a line with players, while Babcock and the Blue Jackets strongly challenge the veracity of the story. Either way, it appears Babcock has the eternal ire of many players he crossed paths with in his NHL career. 
 

That in and of itself shouldn’t be shocking, as you’ll be hard-pressed to find a coach who had the admiration and devotion of each and every player who played for them. Just as one person’s feast is another person’s famine, the coaching style of any given bench boss could, in theory, rub one player the wrong way while hitting all the right notes with other players.

 

Now, it may come to light that Babcock’s alleged request to look at players’ phones to learn more about their families is utterly harmless. But given Babcock’s history and admitted errors in dealing with players at every one of his NHL stops, he should be fully aware he has to be more delicate in his machinations than he’s ever been prior to being hired by Columbus. If that means he has to reinvent himself and find other ways to connect with his players, so be it.

 

Babcock wouldn’t be the first coach who faced such a crossroads; some coaches adapt and stay in the game, while others fade into history. But although he’s getting another chance with his Columbus gig, he must be mindful that there’s a gigantic magnifying glass on him – not just for the moment, but for every remaining day he has as an NHL coach – and conduct himself accordingly. If he proves to be his own worst enemy, Babcock will be involuntarily retired, and no other teams will take a chance on him.

 

 

Finally, two of the NHL’s tougher markets, Calgary and Winnipeg, are in the early stages of dealing with similar predicaments – namely, the fact they're entering the season without key components having signed contract extensions to remain with the team.

 

In Winnipeg, we’re talking about center Mark Scheifele and goalie Connor Hellebuyck, while in Calgary, we’re referring to center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin.

 

The aforementioned players haven’t come out and made a public stink demanding trades, and Lindholm appears more open than last April to re-signing in Calgary, but every day that passes without their signature on an extension could end up being a de facto trade request if hasn't already.

 

Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and Flames counterpart Craig Conroy know full well they can’t allow Scheifele, Helllebuyck, Lindholm and Hanifin to walk away for nothing at the end of 2023-24, so a day of reckoning is coming for all of them.

 

Players earn their free-agency rights, so you can’t fault them for wanting to decide their place of employment in the later stages of their careers. But you can take a hard line about needing a commitment or moving on, and Conroy and Cheveldayoff will be lambasted if they don’t do so. And that’s why we have a tough time envisioning the Jets and Flames making the playoffs this season.

 

One of them might be able to win in spite of their personnel problems, but both? Nope, we don’t think so. They need a clear direction sooner than later or find themselves severely disappointed. 
 

https://thehockeynews.com/news/screen-shots-canucks-and-celebrini-mike-babcock-flames-and-jets

[Ghostsof1915]

So....Tank for Celebrini?

[Pears]

At what point are these "writers" gonna figure out we’re nowhere near bad enough to completely bottom out for a guy like Celebrini? We’re much closer to making the playoffs than we are to getting a 1st overall pick. 

[RWJC]

Yeah I almost didn’t post it because it just seemed like he’s reaching for attention. But then I considered the folks who were on the tank for Bedard train and what it might’ve meant to this club’s future if just bottomed out for two seasons in order to try and dictate the next 15 years. If this season is a flop, I have a feeling we’ll hear from those opinions quite loudly again. 

[NewbieCanuckFan]

3 hours ago, RWJC said:

In other news, new Columbus coach Mike Babcock is feeling the heat after former NHL player Paul Bissonnette alleges Babcock was being intrusive with Blue Jackets players, asking to see pictures on their smartphones.

 

 

Underrated film starring the late Robin Williams (showing he can handle dramatic roles)

 

Mike is creepy like the Williams character in the film!

[Coconuts]

44 minutes ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

So....Tank for Celebrini?

Go back in time, keep Bruce, and tank for Bedard 

 

Huck the Fawks 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Coconuts

[DSVII]

Been on team tank since we got swept by the Sharks in '13 and every year since. Now isn't the time to do it. We're at the point where any potential benefit we get from the draft is offset by the damage it'll do to the core and not extending Petey.

 

Worst part is year 2 and 3 where OEL gives us that 4.7M dead cap. Gotta hope one of the prospects step up.

[Citizen Erased]

39 minutes ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

 

 

Underrated film starring the late Robin Williams (showing he can handle dramatic roles)

 

Mike is creepy like the Williams character in the film!

That is actually my favourite Robin Williams movie!

[IBatch]

3 hours ago, Citizen Erased said:

That is actually my favourite Robin Williams movie!

Was an incredible actor.   The one where he played a bum was unreal .... Good Will Hunting wouldn't have been nearly as powerful without his performance either.   If it wasn't for his comedic roles, Robin Williams could challenge the greatest actors of his era. De Niro, Al Pacino...Jack Nicolson maybe too.   Whenever he took on a character, he became that character.   

Edited September 15, 2023 by IBatch

[RWJC]

I liked Insomnia. Another one where he played out of character and quite memorably. 

[tas]

"not tanking properly"

 

moronic drivel. 

[Kevin Biestra]

2 hours ago, IBatch said:

Was an incredible actor.   The one where he played a bum was unreal .... Good Will Hunting wouldn't have been nearly as powerful without his performance either.   If it wasn't for his comedic roles, Robin Williams could challenge the greatest actors of his era. De Niro, Al Pacino...Jack Nicolson maybe too.   Whenever he took on a character, he became that character.   

 

That era...actors who established themselves in the 70s is a murderers' row that is like the Hawerchuk / Stastny / Savard / Coffey / Bourque talk of the 80s.  Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty, Harvey Keitel, Julie Christie, Diane Keaton, Michael Douglas, Alan Arkin, Christopher Walken, Donald Sutherland, Maximilian Schell, Martin Sheen, Anthony Hopkins, etc.

 

Williams was a shade younger...kind of a half generation younger like Michelle Pfeiffer or Michael Keaton but going head to head with most of those actors at the height of their powers in the 80s and 90s.

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Kevin Biestra

[Alflives]

6 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

That era...actors who established themselves in the 70s is a murderers' row that is like the Hawerchuk / Stastny / Savard / Coffey / Bourque talk of the 80s.  Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty, Harvey Keitel, Julie Christie, Diane Keaton, Michael Douglas, Alan Arkin, Christopher Walken, Donald Sutherland, Maximilian Schell, Martin Sheen, Anthony Hopkins, etc.

 

Williams was a shade younger...kind of a half generation younger like Michelle Pfeiffer or Michael Keaton but going head to head with most of those actors at the height of their powers in the 80s and 90s.

 

Much like how hockey has changed so has Hollywood’s version of a leading man. Don’t see guys like Cooper, Peck, Wayne, Heston any more. 

[Kevin Biestra]

15 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Much like how hockey has changed so has Hollywood’s version of a leading man. Don’t see guys like Cooper, Peck, Wayne, Heston any more. 

 

The 70s brought in a sort of realism.  Guys like Dustin Hoffman weren't smoothies or studs.  They weren't off putting to see on screen but they were about vulnerability.  As was the case with Pacino, Stallone and many others.

 

Harrison Ford was something of a return to the Cary Grant or Gregory Peck type.  John Wayne and Charlton Heston...their style of acting became mostly dated when the new breed came in.  Not many actors of their approximate age were doing it as naturalistically as the new guys.  Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Lee Strasberg...

 

Heston and Wayne did have some good performances but something like the True Grit remake compared to the original kind of showed how acting had evolved.  I would say only Robert Duvall in the original was on par with the performance in the remake.

 

 

[Alflives]

9 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

The 70s brought in a sort of realism.  Guys like Dustin Hoffman weren't smoothies or studs.  They weren't off putting to see on screen but they were about vulnerability.  As was the case with Pacino, Stallone and many others.

 

Harrison Ford was something of a return to the Cary Grant or Gregory Peck type.  John Wayne and Charlton Heston...their style of acting became mostly dated when the new breed came in.  Not many actors of their approximate age were doing it as naturalistically as the new guys.  Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Lee Strasberg...

 

Heston and Wayne did have some good performances but something like the True Grit remake compared to the original kind of showed how acting had evolved.  I would say only Robert Duvall in the original was on par with the performance in the remake.

 

 

Yup. Hockey has changed to the best skilled guys getting the leading roles on teams, regardless of how tall they are or tough they look. Lots of big, tough looking leading men in 50’s Hollywood. Ironically the toughest (of character) of them all was the smallest and physically least imposing - Audie Murphy. And our new Captain is a lot like that. He’s not the biggest or strongest. But maybe he really is the toughest in character. 

[DeNiro]

Doesn’t this moron know we already drafted Celebrini?!!

 

We’re good!

[Kevin Biestra]

34 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Yup. Hockey has changed to the best skilled guys getting the leading roles on teams, regardless of how tall they are or tough they look. Lots of big, tough looking leading men in 50’s Hollywood. Ironically the toughest (of character) of them all was the smallest and physically least imposing - Audie Murphy. And our new Captain is a lot like that. He’s not the biggest or strongest. But maybe he really is the toughest in character. 

 

Charles Bronson was legit in the movies and in real life though.

[Alflives]

2 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

Charles Bronson was legit in the movies and in real life though.

Bronson was excellent in Hard Times. 

[Ghostsof1915]

3 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

Charles Bronson was legit in the movies and in real life though.

Once Upon A Time in the West is one of my favourite movies. Bronson was perfect. Cardinale was a goddess.

 

 

[Kevin Biestra]

4 hours ago, Alflives said:

Bronson was excellent in Hard Times. 

 

Maybe the best boxing I have seen in a movie to that point.  You could tell he knew how to fight for real.  Some of the hooks were kind of swatty but I think that was for Hollywood.  Came across as a guy that had been there.

 

The original Death Wish is a massively underrated film.

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Kevin Biestra