Bitz Recalled

[Hockey Widow]

Must mean Kassian is out. Glad he is up for the last two games to see if he can move around the line up and perhaps help out on the second line?

So Higgins had a maintenance day and the Bitz recall may be for that. One of Kassian or Higgins will sit on Thursday.

Both Bieksa and Rome may be back.

[Fred]

Thank heavans for that Kassian is 21 and Bitz is 27, the maturity is clear. And Bitz is pro active, Kassian is waiting for some one to tell him. Kassian may have the better upside in the future, but right now Bitz fills the role far better.

Right now Kassian looks lost, Bitz as we watched with him playing the rush with the Sedins knows what to do when he gets the puck. I'm hoping Kassian is not another Alek Stojanov

[Tciso]

I'm hoping Kassian is not another Alek Stojanov

Ouch. That's pretty harsh dude. I hope you haven't cursed poor Zack. On the up-side, Kassian has already surpassed Stojanov's total point production in the NHL in less than 1/2 the games. I agree he needs a lot more seasoning, but, he is a lot more impressive than Stojanov was at the same age.

[CorranHorn]

It's really outstanding how many people are throwing Kassian under the bus. These are probably the same peole who were throwing Cody under the bus last year. FFS he's 21!

He should be played during the playoffs. Think about how much he can learn playing a limited, but nonetheless important, role on the 4th line. He can learn what it takes to win in this league and also what kind of work ethic is demanded from successful players.

Like someone else(i think it was COCO) said, Canucks Fans and big picture... HA

[Hockey Widow]

It's really outstanding how many people are throwing Kassian under the bus. These are probably the same peole who were throwing Cody under the bus last year. FFS he's 21!

He should be played during the playoffs. Think about how much he can learn playing a limited, but nonetheless important, role on the 4th line. He can learn what it takes to win in this league and also what kind of work ethic is demanded from successful players.

Like someone else(i think it was COCO) said, Canucks Fans and big picture... HA

Kassian should play in the playoffs IF that is icing the best team. If he brings more of what we need then by all I means I want to see him play but if the better team means Bitz or whoever else than that is what AV needs to do.

Personally I am hoping Bitz looks good with Kesler and booth, that guy that will go to the net. If he can play top nine and Kassian can play 4th line minutes we ice a far tougher team than last season.

At any rate it is good to get a look see once again at Bitz before the playoffs start.

[Todd Bersnoozi]

Woot, more muscle in the lineup. Maybe in the last game of the season, I wouldn't mind resting some of our key players and playing all our big guys in the lineup and see how it looks.

Burr-Hank-Lapdawg
Booth-Kes-Bitz
Higgy-Pahl-Hansen
Weise-Malhotra-Kassian

Edler-Bieska
Hammer-Tanev
Alberts-Rome

Hank and/or Kes could probably use a night off too, so maybe put in Ebbett.

[Hockey Widow]

AS long as 1st in the West and the PT are up for grabs we need to keep playing liek these games mean something. But I like your line up.

When Dank gets back then we have a few options too.

[dhabums]

AS long as 1st in the West and the PT are up for grabs we need to keep playing liek these games mean something. But I like your line up.

When Dank gets back then we have a few options too.

Too bad Filp couldn't bury that chance at 2-2 in regulation, the race could have ended tomorrow.

[Fred]

It's really outstanding how many people are throwing Kassian under the bus. These are probably the same peole who were throwing Cody under the bus last year. FFS he's 21!

He should be played during the playoffs. Think about how much he can learn playing a limited, but nonetheless important, role on the 4th line. He can learn what it takes to win in this league and also what kind of work ethic is demanded from successful players.

Like someone else(i think it was COCO) said, Canucks Fans and big picture... HA

This is not hockey school for prospects, it's the Stanley Cup ! Who ever does the best job gets the roster spot.

[CorranHorn]

This is not hockey school for prospects, it's the Stanley Cup ! Who ever does the best job gets the roster spot.

So you think that Kassians play was not effective enough to be slotted in on the 4th line?

[Blob Mckenzie]

Kassian may have the better upside in the future, but right now Bitz fills the role far better.

No he doesn't

[Arachnid]

It's really outstanding how many people are throwing Kassian under the bus. These are probably the same peole who were throwing Cody under the bus last year. FFS he's 21!

He should be played during the playoffs. Think about how much he can learn playing a limited, but nonetheless important, role on the 4th line. He can learn what it takes to win in this league and also what kind of work ethic is demanded from successful players.

Like someone else(i think it was COCO) said, Canucks Fans and big picture... HA

This is not hockey school for prospects, it's the Stanley Cup ! Who ever does the best job gets the roster spot.

Have you been drinking the Dudes wine?!

Can't disagree with this enough. Truth is the post-season is entirely different beast. Some players thrive, some dive...we jest don't know...well we do know about Luongo but we won't go there in this thread (there's already 23 anal threads dealing with him ). Those that win the Conne Smythe are sometimes unsung heroes out of nowhere. Right time, right place.

Here are the intangibles:

David Booth: Never been in a playoff game in his life. There is nothing like it, does he know that? What will happen? Really looking forward to finding this out. Gods speed David, Gods speed.....

Zack Kassian: Again, never been there. Complete unknown. Wouldn't be the first rookie to tank or surprise...

MAG: He had a great post-season last year, maybe this is where he shines?! We shall see...

Bitz: Nada, he is known for being a tenacious player and captain from his BC & college days...will his leadership come through? Is it a big Quill and Dagger secret? (trivia, what other Canadian hockey player is a member of this elite honour society?). Besides Booth, Bitz could be the catalyst (I argued it was Raymond last year...boy was I wrong ).

At least we have our core, we know what they bring and the 2 new vetran guys both have a Cup ring so we knew what we were getting in needed/experience depth with Påhlsson & Reinprecht.

[Fred]

Kassian may have the better upside in the future, but right now Bitz fills the role far better.

No he doesn't

Yes he does


I know fans want Kassian to be a monster out there and have the skills of Henrik but at this point he is what he is. Some times I'm wondering if he might go to the wrong bench for a line change He just doesn't seem to be adjusting IMO. Bitz on the other hand is more NHL ready...assuming his health is OK...

I'm hoping Kassian comes back next year knowing what to expect and ready to deal with it, but that's next season we still have a lot to do this season

[RoyalDude]

I know fans want Kassian to be a monster out there and have the skills of Henrik but at this point he is what he is. Some times I'm wondering if he might go to the wrong bench for a line change He just doesn't seem to be adjusting IMO. Bitz on the other hand is more NHL ready...assuming his health is OK...

I'm hoping Kassian comes back next year knowing what to expect and ready to deal with it, but that's next season we still have a lot to do this season

It's as plain as day for those who can call a spade a spade instead going all 'see no monkey, hear no monkey' regarding Kassian. The kid is a project and a project is what this team 'currently' does not need. But ya know, I'm a troll for saying anything untoward against Kassian.

When the trade was made everyone was all "great trade, we now have some toughness who can play on the top 3 lines for when we play the Bruins of the world". For about a week after the trade the media kept showing footage of Lucic beating people up and Marchand taking liberties on the Sedins, etc., as to what Kassian was brought in to do, to add an element of toughness on the top 3 lines in which he clearly isn't ready to do. The kid needs kid gloves right now, but he was suppose to be ready to take on the challenge of being our supposed Lucic RIGHT NOW. I mean, everyone kept going on about how we need to get tougher, we need to get tougher in our top 3 lines. "trade for Ott, trade for Neil", etc. Come to Kassian/Hodgson trade "GREAT WE HAVE THAT GUY". 16 games later, the kid looks completely lost out there. But hey, we have Pahlsson.

IMO, you just don't trade a player of Hodgson's skill set and on ice vision and current state of maturity in play for a project like Kassian with the win now mentality. It's like taking one step forward and two steps backwards. We now struggle to score goals, our 2nd line has completely disappeared and we are going back to Bitz. Don't get it. But hey, shoot me for not liking the Kassian/Hodgson trade, I'm not suppose to say anything bad about it. I should be more focused on tearing strips of a player named Mason Raymond who was nearly made a paraplegic at the beginning of last summer and spent the off-season in a brace and not afforded the proper luxury to properly train for the next season. I must completely ignore that and then wonder why he looks weak on his skates. I mean, if anyone has ever had back issues like myself, you will know that if you have back issues that there is a serious impact from that affecting your core strength and especially leg strength, in which both of those are very important to playing hockey. I mean, I made the same mistake in criticizing Hodgson at first because I bought into everyone saying that Hodgson has skating issues, when it was his back problems that made him look so weak on his skates at first. See what a solid off-season of training, injury free in that off-season can do for a player's strength? I was sold. But hey, Raymond ain't allowed excuses but Malhotra and Kassian and Booth are. "He falls down a lot, he falls down a lot!" like it's a fucking mystery as to why.

Regarding Skill vs Toughness. I saw a game last night - St. Louis vs Detroit in the madhouse of St. Louis where the Blues were throwing all kinds of toughness at the Red Wings every shift, even Babcock commented about the tough play of the Blues. The end result, Skill won in the end. Skills sells tickets, skill wins games.

[Fred]

I know fans want Kassian to be a monster out there and have the skills of Henrik but at this point he is what he is. Some times I'm wondering if he might go to the wrong bench for a line change He just doesn't seem to be adjusting IMO. Bitz on the other hand is more NHL ready...assuming his health is OK...

I'm hoping Kassian comes back next year knowing what to expect and ready to deal with it, but that's next season we still have a lot to do this season

It's as plain as day for those who can call a spade a spade instead going all 'see no monkey, hear no monkey' regarding Kassian. The kid is a project and a project is what this team 'currently' does not need. But ya know, I'm a troll for saying anything untoward against Kassian.

When the trade was made everyone was all "great trade, we now have some toughness who can play on the top 3 lines for when we play the Bruins of the world". For about a week after the trade the media kept showing footage of Lucic beating people up and Marchand taking liberties on the Sedins, etc., as to what Kassian was brought in to do, to add an element of toughness on the top 3 lines in which he clearly isn't ready to do. The kid needs kid gloves right now, but he was suppose to be ready to take on the challenge of being our supposed Lucic RIGHT NOW. I mean, everyone kept going on about how we need to get tougher, we need to get tougher in our top 3 lines. "trade for Ott, trade for Neil", etc. Come to Kassian/Hodgson trade "GREAT WE HAVE THAT GUY". 16 games later, the kid looks completely lost out there. But hey, we have Pahlsson.

IMO, you just don't trade a player of Hodgson's skill set and on ice vision and current state of maturity in play for a project like Kassian with the win now mentality. It's like taking one step forward and two steps backwards. We now struggle to score goals, our 2nd line has completely disappeared and we are going back to Bitz. Don't get it. But hey, shoot me for not liking the Kassian/Hodgson trade, I'm not suppose to say anything bad about it. I should be more focused on tearing strips of a player named Mason Raymond who was nearly made a paraplegic at the beginning of last summer and spent the off-season in a brace and not afforded the proper luxury to properly train for the next season. I must completely ignore that and then wonder why he looks weak on his skates. I mean, if anyone has ever had back issues like myself, you will know that if you have back issues that there is a serious impact from that affecting your core strength and especially leg strength, in which both of those are very important to playing hockey. I mean, I made the same mistake in criticizing Hodgson for those cause I bought into everyone saying that Hodgson has skating issues, when it was his back problems that made him look so weak on his skates at first. But hey, Raymond ain't allowed excuses but Malhotra and Kassian and Booth are. "He falls down a lot, he falls down a lot!" like it's a fucking mystery as to why.

Hodgson wasn't the answer either, here's a bit from Canucks misconduct

Harrison Mooney takes a look the early returns on the Hodgson/Kassian trade. Unsurprisingly, Cody has produced more than Zack, but his other numbers give a good indication of why Gillis traded him. "Since arriving in Buffalo 18 games ago, Hodgson has been on the ice for 15 Buffalo goals. However, he's been on the ice for 18 of the Sabres' 44 goals against. That's 41% of them." | PITB

I don't think he may ever be a responsible down low cover guy and if he wants to be good in the NHL that's a must