Trades and rumours (& fantasies) 2014-15-16

[Chef Boi RD]

Gotta put For Sale tags on Higgins and Burrows too. Get what you can for them. Anything.

Let it be known to other GMs that Edler is available. Dmen with his size, experience and contract is sure to garner attention at trade deadline. A right-handed shot like Weber might even get you something. Maybe a contender will even want a Pizza delivered. One can hope.

We need younger and better vets short-term to get the Horvats & McCanns to their prime ages. They're struggling because they aren't being protected right now, too much responsibility too soon. That hinders development.

It will be very difficult trading Burrows and Higgins because of contract size and terms combined with their lack of production and age plus NTC. I heard Higgins likes it here, also heard that he married a local girl like Edler and is building a house. Might be able to trade Burrows but with his diminishing production and age and contract size and term don't expect anything back, in fact Benning would probably have to retain some

Hamhius and Vrbata are your best shots to go to a contender for a decent asset due to expiring contracts and higher quality production

Oh and to all you stuck in last season Sbisa land, wake up he's actually playing a decent game right now.

I doubt Edler gets traded, not with his NTC and newly built house and local born and raised wife

[Meds]

It will be very difficult trading Burrows and Higgins because of contract size and terms combined with their lack of production and age plus NTC. I heard Higgins likes it here, also heard that he married a local girl like Edler and is building a house. Might be able to trade Burrows but with his diminishing production and age and contract size and term don't expect anything back, in fact Benning would probably have to retain some

Hamhius and Vrbata are your best shots to go to a contender for a decent asset due to expiring contracts and higher quality production

Higgins and Burrows both have one year remaining after this season. Term isn't as big of a factor as you might think.

Higgins NTC is modified. Nobody seems sure on all the details, but if Higgins has a list of even 10 teams that he has to submit then something could get done. If Benning wants to move him it wouldn't be too difficult, he just might not get as good of a return as one would want. If someone will give up a 3rd round pick for Higgins JB should take it and run.

Burrows' contract is more problematic because fitting $4.5M in under a cap is much harder, and apparently his NTC is more "comprehensive".

[2Fingers]

Nucks cover 50% of Burrows remaining contract, problem solved.

[Hockey Widow]

Nucks cover 50% of Burrows remaining contract, problem solved.

Depends upon the return. If the return is shit I'd rather keep Burrows for one more year. He still has value as far as I'm concerned. So if Benning could get a second and a decent prospect for Burrows I'd trade him but less than that no way.

[Chef Boi RD]

You're getting terrible contract value for Burrows contract right now. 2 seasons in a salary cap era is a long time. You won't get a very good return on him, not with his shitty contract value, term and age. Same for Higgins.

[2Fingers]

You're getting terrible contract value for Burrows contract right now. 2 seasons in a salary cap era is a long time. You won't get a very good return on him, not with his shitty contract value, term and age. Same for Higgins.

Thus why you keep 50% of his contract, I know I say this not being the one to foot the bill but if Aqua man wants to do it right then he has look at all options.

HW - honestly not really worried about the return, complete nothing then sure JB should wait but and decent pick/prospect should be taken and the Nucks start building their list of prospects. Like I said before, one reason I am not interested in the Nucks is that I am tired of watching the same players. Watching Burrow take the Nucks off the PP because of a stupid hack with his stick, done with that crap.

They had their chance and couldn't finish, off with the old and in with the new.

[Hockey Widow]

As much as I enjoy watching the kids I'm not ready for a line up of

Sedin
Sedin
Sutter
Hansen
Virtanen
McCann
Gaunce
Shinkaruk
Dorsett
Cassels
Baertschi
Grenier

What I think Benning should be doing is trading away 15-20 million in cap now and then taking some bad expiring contracts to fill out the roster. Ones where he gets a pick or prospect for doing so from a team that needs to dump cap. Something like what Toronto and Buffalo did.

I guess that's called a tank. Ok, I'm all in.

[Boston Canucker]

As much as I enjoy watching the kids I'm not ready for a line up of

Sedin
Sedin
Sutter
Hansen
Virtanen
McCann
Gaunce
Shinkaruk
Dorsett
Cassels
Baertschi
Grenier

What I think Benning should be doing is trading away 15-20 million in cap now and then taking some bad expiring contracts to fill out the roster. Ones where he gets a pick or prospect for doing so from a team that needs to dump cap. Something like what Toronto and Buffalo did.

I guess that's called a tank. Ok, I'm all in.

27 games in, even with the Sedins playing the way they are, this team is close enough to the bottom to make tanking a real possibility. I didn't think it was at the start of the season, thought they'd be middle level, battling for a final spot. But the Defense is so so so bad, with no real hope on the horizon, that trying to get the best possible % shot at Austin Matthews seems both a worthy and maybe achievable goal. They don't have to be last, even 5th worst gets a 8.5% shot at him, not great, but worst only has a 20% shot.

I don't think it's a matter of whether JB/TL decide to go for the tank, the team's overall D is terrible and so barring some upgrade, which ain't coming, they'll be swirling above the bowl for awhile, and if that continues that selling off a few vets for picks, even in the 2nd and 3rd round range, will have to happen...I can't believe it, but I was actually happy CGY and EDM won last night...they can catch us, I think they can!

[rikster]

I guess that's called a tank

I call it calling it like it is...

Management and maybe more importantly ownership have to assess this teams ability to compete and act accordingly...

If they conclude that the team cannot be improved this year to challenge for a Cup then they take the other route which is to look towards next year and what can be done to put the team in a better position to win...

Moving out dead contracts on the books this year and next could be the priority for Benning and if the silver lining is a deep draft to do what he does best, you'd think he's itching to get the season over with and get to the draft table..

Take care...

[Hockey Widow]

I am concerned about Benning's comments of searching the marketplace for temporary fill in help, especially at centre. I get that we will be without Sutter for an extended time. But I worry he will start unloading picks to fill gaps.

When you are competitive it is hard to "tank". The first goal is to make the playoffs and I don't know if he can let that go. He had a chance to sell a little last year and he didn't. Last year we had 20 wins before the Xmas break. We won't get near that this year.

WD talks about the main difference, or one of them, is that we haven't won a single OT game. He said if we had won only a few of them we would be a .500 team. Implying that there is not much difference between last year and this. Perhaps as simple as winning OT games. That mind set misses the boat as far as I'm concerned. It's delusional if it is a sincere interpretation.

Benning talks about our biggest concern being no secondary scoring, a bigger concern to him than D.

How long has it been since this franchise was in a legit position of selling mode? Been awhile. I hope they recognize it.

[Topper]

I am concerned about Benning's comments of searching the marketplace for temporary fill in help, especially at centre. I get that we will be without Sutter for an extended time. But I worry he will start unloading picks to fill gaps.

When you are competitive it is hard to "tank". The first goal is to make the playoffs and I don't know if he can let that go. He had a chance to sell a little last year and he didn't. Last year we had 20 wins before the Xmas break. We won't get near that this year.

WD talks about the main difference, or one of them, is that we haven't won a single OT game. He said if we had won only a few of them we would be a .500 team. Implying that there is not much difference between last year and this. Perhaps as simple as winning OT games. That mind set misses the boat as far as I'm concerned. It's delusional if it is a sincere interpretation.

Benning talks about our biggest concern being no secondary scoring, a bigger concern to him than D.

How long has it been since this franchise was in a legit position of selling mode? Been awhile. I hope they recognize it.

I'm not concerned.

The team is being beaten up not having a right handed centre.

There was a stat came out yesterday that only the Sedin line has an even strength goal in the last 8 games.

Last year the Canucks were an injury riddled team in the playoff hunt at the trade deadline. I don't think anyone sees that this year. Even Daniel has spoken up.

As for management being gun shy, a bit unfair to paint a 20 year historical brush over a management team that has been in place for two years especially when you have complimented Benning on his willingness to jettison parts he doesn't believe in.

The only deadline deal last year was for Beartchsi and it puzzled me at the time. Especially since he was a Comet for the rest of the season. Later revelation of Zach's injuries, from his spine to his liver, makes sense of that trade.

[Hockey Widow]

Chicago waives Viktor Tikhonov. Big left winger who can't buy a point. Worth putting n a claim?

[Carl Yagro]

Chicago waives Viktor Tikhonov. Big left winger who can't buy a point. Worth putting n a claim?

Why not, only makes a mil. Couldn't be any worse than Baertschi or Vey… or even Vrbata right now.

[Iceman2014]

Chicago waives Viktor Tikhonov. Big left winger who can't buy a point. Worth putting n a claim?

I think it's a low risk gamble. Honestly, I don't see him being anything special even if he was a 1st round pick. If the Canucks send McCann and Virtanen back to junior then this move would make sense.

I also think it would be a good idea to be sellers and start selling ASAP or laying the groundwork for deals at the deadline. I think the Canucks more pressing need is secondary scoring over D but both are a need. If the Canucks try to be buyers and don't move the expiring contracts at the deadline, I will be pissed. If that does happen then I am jumping right off that Benning bandwagon!

[Topper]

Viktor Tikhonov was claimed by the Coyotes yesterday