2012 UFAs

[clem]

Who do you target?

Listed by performance rating (TSN).

Zach Parise LW/C
Ray Whitney LW
Ryan Suter D
Nicklas Lidstrom D
Jason Garrison D
Dennis Wideman D
Tomas Vokoun G
Filip Kuba D
Teemu Selanne RW
Sheldon Souray D
Alexander Semin LW
Matt Carle D
PA Parenteau RW
Shane Doan RW
Olli Jokinen C
Martin Brodeur G
Sami Salo D
Jaromir Jagr RW
Brad Stuart D
Joe Corvo D
Jiri Hudler RW
Chris Kelly C
Sheldon Brookbank D
Shane O'Brien D
Ryan Smyth LW
Matt Gilroy D
Carlo Colaiacovo D
Saku Koivu C
Kyle Wellwood C
David Jones RW
Aaron Johnson D
Pavel Kubina D
Barret Jackman D
Adrian Aucoin D
Greg Zanon D
Jason Arnott C
Johnny Oduya D
Bryan Allen D
Andrei Kostitsyn LW
Tim Stapleton RW

[clem]

I like to simplify things. First look at what you can get without giving up talent – or where the current team is under pressure to trade rights. Some of these guys’ teams are already out of the playoffs. Hopefully, contracts don’t get 2011 silly.

Besides the obvious (Parise & Suter) I hope the Canucks check out the availability of Doan, Gilroy & Allen.

Doan (35) brings leadership, experience, compete, and hands good enough to get a hat trick last season. Gilroy (27) is a D man with some positive reviews from the blueshirt experience, who could grow with more TOI. Allen is a solid two way D, a big mutha, & at 31 still has a few years left.

[donlever]

I don't think you are going to see Doan go anywhere.

There was a hit on his life in Phoenix on tv this year and that boy is firmly entrenched to the point where if the team leaves he would have a choice to makeas to whether he plays anymore or not.

Suter has already stated he has no interest in playing in Canada.

Parise is obviously going to garner a ton interest and is an intriguing player.

[clem]

Slim odds are worth exploring, to get quality guys.

To hold an edge in attracting players, the Canucks need to make it clear that they’re still serious about icing a contender. Our early exit didn’t help.

Players who want to win have made location compromises at the end of their career.

I don’t have the details on Suter’s statement, but players sometimes say stupid things in the heat of the moment, & get taken out of context by media.

[Meds]

Slim odds are worth exploring, to get quality guys.

To hold an edge in attracting players, the Canucks need to make it clear that they’re still serious about icing a contender. Our early exit didn’t help.

Players who want to win have made location compromises at the end of their career.

I don’t have the details on Suter’s statement, but players sometimes say stupid things in the heat of the moment, & get taken out of context by media.

Firing the coach and dumping a couple of no-shows would help with that. Send the message that winning is the only thing we will accept.

[clem]

Firing the coach and dumping a couple of no-shows would help with that. Send the message that winning is the only thing we will accept.

If firing AV would put us over the top in landing a big fish or two, I’d be on board with that.
AV seems to be soft on players. Some guys want discipline, & maybe our team character needs an adjustment.

[SKYO]

Alex Semin could be our answer in trying to find a scoring machine who can also snipe some goals after Danny. Could be our version of the Hossa acquisition by the Pens'/Wings/Hawks. I'd rather MG go balls out in trying to land this guy, as Parise will be paid insane amounts of cash.

[Meds]

If Vigneault is gone then I would go after the following.....(in no particular order)

Shane O'Brien. Gritty, tough, willing to mix it up, and will go to bats for any teammate if they even so much at get looked at the wrong way. I want a defenseman like that in front of our goaltender. He's fairly mobile, certainly not slow, and is actually a very decent skater when compared to other defenseman who play similar roles. Vigneault just never gave this guy a chance, and he did a good job for both Nashville and Colorado since leaving here.

Zach Parise. No brainer there, offensive skill set and a winger/center that can distribute as well as score. Think of him as Hank/Dank 2.0 but faster and bringing both of their skill sets in one guy. Perfect for Kesler and Booth assuming that both of them stay.

Ryan Suter. If you can get Parise you can likely attract Suter (it's those two that played together in junior or something and want to play together again right?). If Lever is on the money, and he usually is, and Suter says he doesn't want to play in Canada, then signing his buddy is the only way to entice him.

Turco or Auld. Turco would be a great mentor for Schneider when it comes to puck handling, and Turco has been under the microscope in the past and knows what it's like to face pressure. I'm not sure what kind of "team guy" he is though. But Turco knows what it takes to be a starter, and he is still capable of playing 30+ games. Auld is a very capable backup who just never seems to get a fair shake anywhere he goes. He did well for us when Cloutier was lost for the season, but with him you might want a slightly more experienced presence playing behind Schneider.

On the way out would be Luongo, Raymond, Edler, Pahlsson or Malhotra, Rome, and Salo. Total free space of $16.3M(ish).

If Salo wants one more kick at the can, and GMMG can make some good changes and still maintain a contender, then I would advocate for bringing Salo back at $1.25M or less to play the #6 spot and fill in at 4 and 5 when needed. He still makes good plays, he's smart, still has the cannon, he just can't play the big minutes and he's a step (or two) slower.

Suter-Bieksa
Hamhuis-Ballard
O'Brien-Salo

$21.8M on the blueline assuming $6M for Suter, and $1.25M each for O'Brien and Salo.

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows
Parise-Kesler-Booth
Higgins-Lapierre-Hansen
Weise-Pahlsson/Manny-Kassian

$38.5M in the top 12 assuming $6.5 for Parise, and a token raise to Weise bringing him to $870K.

Schneider
Backup

$5.5M in the crease assuming Schneider gets $3.75M on a short-term (2-3 years) deal and allowing up to $1.5M for a backup.

That is $65.8M in salary, we spent $64.28 this year. It leaves no wiggle room and it screws a team when injuries hit. But I would imagine that the cap is going to go up again this year by a couple percentage points.

There is also the fact that anyone taking some of our players will have to give back salary in return, so that of course shoots my whole fantasy team right out of the sky.

[Meds]

Alex Semin could be our answer in trying to find a scoring machine who can also snipe some goals after Danny. Could be our version of the Hossa acquisition by the Pens'/Wings/Hawks. I'd rather MG go balls out in trying to land this guy, as Parise will be paid insane amounts of cash.

Is this the same Alex Semin of whom former teammates have said he has the skills but he just doesn't seem to want to put in the effort?

Hell no.

[Jovocop]

Alex Semin could be our answer in trying to find a scoring machine who can also snipe some goals after Danny. Could be our version of the Hossa acquisition by the Pens'/Wings/Hawks. I'd rather MG go balls out in trying to land this guy, as Parise will be paid insane amounts of cash.

Semin can no doubt score goals but it would be nice to add more muscles to the top-six.

[Potatoe1]

Have to think Jason Garrison and Dennis Wideman will be at the top of the Gillis target list come July 1.

A righty who can play on the power play and someone, anyone who can score a goal would seem to be the main targets...

I couldn't stand watching him, but I have to say we did miss Mikael Samuelsson the past 2 playoffs. Sometimes having a forward who sucks at most things, but can actually get on a roll and score some goals it worth giving up a little in other areas.

[CrzyCanuck]

Say no to Shame O'Brien please.

The fat dude caused enough unnecessary drama while making dumb plays over and over during his time at Roxy here.

Ryan Suter is an obvious choice but he's not coming to Canada.

How about Lidstrom?? At his age he's still arguably better than any of our D! But nope, I don't see him going anywhere. Just a wishful thinking.

Dennis Wideman most likely will be the target imo.

[dbr]

If Vigneault is gone then I would go after the following.....(in no particular order)

Shane O'Brien. Gritty, tough, willing to mix it up, and will go to bats for any teammate if they even so much at get looked at the wrong way. I want a defenseman like that in front of our goaltender. He's fairly mobile, certainly not slow, and is actually a very decent skater when compared to other defenseman who play similar roles. Vigneault just never gave this guy a chance, and he did a good job for both Nashville and Colorado since leaving here.

Why would firing AV make any difference? Mike Gillis trashed him after he left as well, and while some of the things this player is capable of are enticing when considered in isolation he is still a guy who couldn't stick here, then couldn't get claimed on waivers, then couldn't stick in Nashville, then had to take a pay cut to sign in Colorado (one of the cheapest teams in the league) and still hasn't re-signed there.

At best he is an upgrade on Andrew Alberts.

[Eddy Punch Clock]

Semin can no doubt score goals but it would be nice to add more muscles to the top-six.

Are you kidding me? Haven't you seen the guy fight? Dude can lay down one mean bitch slapping when he's pissed.

The first name that jumped out at me on that list was Jason Garrison.... because you can never have too many ex-Panthers on your team. Local kid, probably wont cost an arm and a leg, decent size and just the right skill set for the Canucks. Ehrhoff light if you will.

[herb]

My dman wish list is:
- Wideman (Solid two-way defenseman. Has to be the top guy on a lot of GM's summer wish lists)
- Garrison (Ehrhoff lite, or heavy depending on how much stock you put into his numbers this year. One hit wonder?)
- Barrett Jackman (bad ass mofo IMO, and a BC boy to boot)

The second line needs somebody who can provide a bit of a different dynamic to help out Kesler and Booth. Obviously Parise or Semin would be awesome, but the odds of them coming to Vancouver don't seem great. What about a guy everybody hates to look at: Jiri Hudler. He's definitely not a guy with any size, but he can put up over 50 points.


Ryan Suter's going to get like $10M/season. The bidding war for him is going to be absolutely retarded.

Shane Doan isn't going anywhere. Neither are Lidstrom or Selanne.