Vancouver Canucks Messageboard

Way too many left side dmen, NTC's galore.

Lacking a right side offensive whiz quarterback dman.

Left D - Right D

Edler ($5M NTC) Bieksa ($4.6M Full NTC)
Hamhuis ($4.5M NTC) Tanev ($1.5M) I expect he'll get around $3.5M per next contract.
Garrison ($4.5M NTC) Weber ($650K) RFA I expect he'll get around $700K per next contract.
Stanton ($550K)
Alberts ($600K) UFA 2014

As much as I love Edler on this team, thanks to Gillis signing the cannon leftside Garrison it kind of forces Edler out of this team imo.

Tanev is the easiest to move at this point as he has a affordable contract, is steadily getting better and is a top 4 right side dman, but he's due for a big raise this summer.

The majority of our dmen our two way mobile dmen, with Hamhuis and Tanev our only pure defensive dmen.

I'd say we re-sign Stanton asap when the team legally can I believe this summer, a $2M per - 4 year type.

My solution:

Trade Edler and/or Tanev and try to get a right side QB dman + top 6 scorer.

The D-corps is not a real problem - when healthy. Their struggles lately, IMHO, are attributed to the added minutes to all with Edler out. Even out their minutes and I think they will be better than before Edler went out, if ony because they are getting better at playing Torts' system.

As for right-hand/left-hand, Garrison has played on the right and not looked too bad and I think Stanton has done the same on occasion. Could the team use another right-hander? Of course, but I don't think it's quite so dire.

Trading Tanev? You may as well fire Tortorella in the process. The only way he goes is if there's a huge return coming the other way. He's arguably the most valuable dman on the squad not named Hamhuis. The better option would be for Gillis to do whatever he can to massage Edler out of his NTC.

Even so, Gillis would have to get a Dman of some sort coming back if only to not leave the blueline in the same situation they were when Edler was injured. Add in the possibility of Edler's presence on the point perhaps making a difference on the PP, you wonder if Gillis wouldn't be adopting more risk than many of us are admitting should he trade the guy.

I don't think the blueline needs much fixing beyond better management of their minutes over the long haul. If anything, it's a position of depth when it comes to what assets Gillis may have to trade - but perhaps not as deep as some had at first thought.

Forecheck

Topper wrote:Forecheck

The ability to withstand a bruising forecheck without getting injured in a 7 game series.

We have either been extremely lucky with Tanev or he's just durable as fuck but he's taken some massive hits over the last few years and has not been injured. Tanev will always be a tall lanky guy that possesses a very high defensive IQ.

Asshole factor

The only asshole on our blue line is Bieksa and B really isn't all that an effective asshole as he's too light.

The saving grace is by the looks of the comments, it looks like B concussed Greene with his ground up punches.

The asshole factor is mitigated by having a good powerplay. As shown in the 2010/11 post-season, hit the Nucks enough times the powerplay (if there is one which there isn't right now) goes away.

When teams start scrumming up, all our size is up front and that's pretty much Kassian and Sestito. Our D-men are lightweights and not all that particularly offensive. We're mobile but that mobility goes away once we're hit enough times.

There's no way Tanev is going anywhere (Torts). Hamhuis is our best all-around blueliner, Garrison just got signed, As much as everyone wants to trade Edler, Edler brings offense and that is something we sorely need right now. So the players that are left are: Stanton, Bieksa and Weber.

mathonwy wrote: Asshole factor

Kinda why I was hoping Gillis would add the likes of Bryan Allen when he was a UFA.

I know Nonis had to give to get, but I wish Allen had never left the organization.

Topper wrote:Forecheck

Bench anyone who decides to do a cross-ice pass at our blue line instead of neutral ice. We give too many turn-overs at our blue line.

Stop that stupid drop pass as our favorite breakout. It isn't working, and gets picked off too often.

Lancer wrote:The D-corps is not a real problem - when healthy. Their struggles lately, IMHO, are attributed to the added minutes to all with Edler out. Even out their minutes and I think they will be better than before Edler went out, if ony because they are getting better at playing Torts' system.

As for right-hand/left-hand, Garrison has played on the right and not looked too bad and I think Stanton has done the same on occasion. Could the team use another right-hander? Of course, but I don't think it's quite so dire.

Trading Tanev? You may as well fire Tortorella in the process. The only way he goes is if there's a huge return coming the other way. He's arguably the most valuable dman on the squad not named Hamhuis. The better option would be for Gillis to do whatever he can to massage Edler out of his NTC.

Even so, Gillis would have to get a Dman of some sort coming back if only to not leave the blueline in the same situation they were when Edler was injured. Add in the possibility of Edler's presence on the point perhaps making a difference on the PP, you wonder if Gillis wouldn't be adopting more risk than many of us are admitting should he trade the guy.

I don't think the blueline needs much fixing beyond better management of their minutes over the long haul. If anything, it's a position of depth when it comes to what assets Gillis may have to trade - but perhaps not as deep as some had at first thought.

Its not thee problem, which is lacking scoring talent beyond the Sedins whom are our only consistent scorers, but the defense is lacking chemistry and natural left/right side dmen, plus we really need a Ehrhoff replacement.

And we could use a big tough defensive dman like Greene or Mitchell.

SKYO wrote:we really need a Ehrhoff replacement.

How long was the drought at that position prior to Errorhoff.............Accion?

SKYO wrote:And we could use a big tough defensive dman like Greene or Mitchell.

or a healthy Mike Stanton.

I still say, get the forecheck going and pressure on the defence will be relieved.

Lancer wrote:

mathonwy wrote: Asshole factor

Kinda why I was hoping Gillis would add the likes of Bryan Allen when he was a UFA.

I know Nonis had to give to get, but I wish Allen had never left the organization.

Yeah, I really wanted Allen back as well. I heard he was interested in coming here too, but not sure if Gillis made an offer or maybe he had too much $ tied up in the blueline already. Allen would of beefed up our blueline for sure and give us a different and much need component back there.

Topper wrote:

SKYO wrote:we really need a Ehrhoff replacement.

How long was the drought at that position prior to Errorhoff.............Accion?

SKYO wrote:And we could use a big tough defensive dman like Greene or Mitchell.

or a healthy Mike Stanton.

I still say, get the forecheck going and pressure on the defence will be relieved.

Yeah MG has some work to do for sure, he needs to stop being so demanding on what players/assets he can get back in return.

no doubt on the forecheck, when Burrows gets back, that part of the team's skillset shall return.

Wasn't Garrison supposed to fix our defense? The amount of money Gillis threw at him one would think so. I guess being a likeable local boy he gets the walkover with you guys. Tanev is a better d-man than Garrison, definitely moves a whole lot better

Anyhow, as Vic pointed out, had Gillis drafted Karlsson instead of CoHo, this thread wouldn't exist. This team misses the offense from the back end that Erhoff once provided. A Don Cherry meathead who can fight aint gonna amount to a hill of beans for us

Topper wrote:

SKYO wrote:we really need a Ehrhoff replacement.

How long was the drought at that position prior to Errorhoff.............Accion?

RoyalDude wrote:Wasn't Garrison supposed to fix our defense? The amount of money Gillis threw at him one would think so. I guess being a likeable local boy he gets the walkover with you guys.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Sat May 19, 2012 6:56 am[/color] wrote:If we could somehow, get rid of Ballard's contract, I'd love to sign the two BC kids Garrisson and Schultz.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Mon May 21, 2012 11:59 am[/color] wrote: I'd be making a push for Garrison and Schultz if I was Gillis.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Thu May 31, 2012 2:25 pm[/color] wrote:Hell, sign Garrison.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:32 pm[/color] wrote:I'm hearing lots of Adrian Aucoin comparisons regarding Garrison. Is that about ballpark?

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Sat Jul 21, 2012 1:30 pm[/color] wrote: I like the Garrison acquisition.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:33 pm[/color] wrote:I see Garrison as another Adrien Aucoin. Anybody else on board with me with that comparison?

Not even worth looking into some of the players in this league that make $4.6M or more.

Yeah, Gillis really broke the bank.

Strangelove wrote:

Topper wrote:

SKYO wrote:we really need a Ehrhoff replacement.

How long was the drought at that position prior to Errorhoff.............Accion?

RoyalDude wrote:Wasn't Garrison supposed to fix our defense? The amount of money Gillis threw at him one would think so. I guess being a likeable local boy he gets the walkover with you guys.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Sat May 19, 2012 6:56 am[/color] wrote:If we could somehow, get rid of Ballard's contract, I'd love to sign the two BC kids Garrisson and Schultz.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Mon May 21, 2012 11:59 am[/color] wrote: I'd be making a push for Garrison and Schultz if I was Gillis.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Thu May 31, 2012 2:25 pm[/color] wrote:Hell, sign Garrison.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:32 pm[/color] wrote:I'm hearing lots of Adrian Aucoin comparisons regarding Garrison. Is that about ballpark?

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Sat Jul 21, 2012 1:30 pm[/color] wrote: I like the Garrison acquisition.

RoyalDude [color=#FF0000]Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:33 pm[/color] wrote:I see Garrison as another Adrien Aucoin. Anybody else on board with me with that comparison?

Good. It would be unfortunate if I had to leave a Garrison here

What would we need to do to re-acquire Erhoff?
Moving salary I'd expect but I think I read he may be available...
I have to think this would be a good move