Draft 2012

[Potatoe1]

Patrick White v2.0... Nathan Smith 3.0...

How about Ryan Kesler 2.0.

Wasn't he a limited 3rd line checking center as well.

The reality is that the guys who progress and develop end up being great picks, the guys who stagnate end up being a waste of time.

Defining a pick based on the "type" of player they might be is a huge waste of time.

[Diehard1]

They also said the same thing about Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Holik and Milan Lucic. They all did ok.

You have zero clue how this guy will turn out, as do I. The scouts seem to think he's going to be quite good. Let's see what happens before we turn into a drama queen, shall we?

[Lancer]

Patrick White v2.0... Nathan Smith 3.0...

How about Ryan Kesler 2.0.

Wasn't he a limited 3rd line checking center as well.

The reality is that the guys who progress and develop end up being great picks, the guys who stagnate end up being a waste of time.

Defining a pick based on the "type" of player they might be is a huge waste of time.

BIG difference: Kesler can skate. Every article I've seen on Gaunce says skating is an issue. This is 2012, not 2002, so if he can't skate what use is he?

[Lancer]

The scouts seem to think he's going to be quite good. Let's see what happens before we turn into a drama queen, shall we?

What? The same scouts who were so high on Patrick White? Recall that there wasn't much purge of the scouting department when Gillis took over and the Canucks' farm system is widely regarded as one of the weakest in the league. Look at that and wonder, how good are those scouts after all? Blind squirrels find the odd nut and this time I think they found a stone.

[Boston Canucker]

My favourite thing about the draft is when posters who haven't even seen a kid play write him off as a bust. This kid was the consensus best player available so it seems most scouts think they did well.

From what I read, and like everyone else here I haven't seen him play, he's a big, physical center who is well over 200 pounds at age 18. He needs to work on his skating which is quite normal for a young kid.

To me, he's a solid pick at the end of the first round. I have no idea what he will become and neither does anybody else here, but he's a big, Canadian kid at a position of need. Seems like he could be a good pick, we'll see in 4 or 5 years.

Very true. Nothing like people being so categorical and clear about something that they really know nothing about. Who knows how the kid turns out. Unless you're team is picking in the top 5, it's a crapshoot...even then, hello Patrick Stefan!

Let's face it, finding out who the 26 pick of round 1 would be was NOT the reason most of us were really tuning in tonight.

[tantalum]

Skating was an issue for a couple of twins as well. They worked their asses off so that it isn't a huge factor. Kid just turned 18 years old...plenty of time to work on his game and that includes his skating.

He was the consensus pick to take at that time. There is no way anyone can complain about the pick. It's not Patrick White or Nathan Smith who were off the board consensus second round guys.

[Aaronp18]

BIG difference: Kesler can skate. Every article I've seen on Gaunce says skating is an issue. This is 2012, not 2002, so if he can't skate what use is he?

This is from TSN:

Brendan is big, strong two-way center. He is a good skater with a good stride and he moves well. He can improve his quickness and by doing so, he will become more difficult to stop because with his size, when he gains a step, an opponent is faced with a losing proposition. He is smart and plays the game well both with and without the puck. He makes plays and because he's smart he gets scoring chances and an improved shot can make him that much better offensively. He works without the puck and is also capable of playing on the wing which adds a component of versatility to his game. He will assert with his body, hold off defenders and create advantages for himself and the team with his approach but is not going to be the punishing type. He has shown the ability to raise the level of his play when the games become more demanding and important. He's a very effective player and because he can find a way to contribute in multiple ways, this enhances his play and adds value to a team

So he needs to work on his quickness. Which may seem logical as he's only 18 and is 6'2" and 215lbs already. It can be tougher for bigger guys to develop quick feet at a young age. Everything else seems positive and it's all going to be up to him to put in the time and effort and hard work in order to make an impac at the NHL level.

Doesn't seem like anything wrong with this pick at 26, seems a lot of scouting agencies projected him a bit higher than that spot.

[Lancer]

Very true. Nothing like people being so categorical and clear about something that they really know nothing about.

Hey, would love nothing better than for this kid to turn out to be a franchise player but you'd think he'd have more things advertised about him than size and character. At that part of the draft, why not swing for the fences and go for someone with more offensive potential even if with some other question marks. At that point of the draft everyone has bigger question marks than players picked earlier and this draft has more question marks than others, but why wouldn't the Canucks draft someone whose offensive skill and skating weren't the biggest question marks?

BIG difference: Kesler can skate. Every article I've seen on Gaunce says skating is an issue. This is 2012, not 2002, so if he can't skate what use is he?

This is from TSN:

Brendan is big, strong two-way center. He is a good skater with a good stride and he moves well. He can improve his quickness and by doing so, he will become more difficult to stop because with his size, when he gains a step, an opponent is faced with a losing proposition. He is smart and plays the game well both with and without the puck. He makes plays and because he's smart he gets scoring chances and an improved shot can make him that much better offensively. He works without the puck and is also capable of playing on the wing which adds a component of versatility to his game. He will assert with his body, hold off defenders and create advantages for himself and the team with his approach but is not going to be the punishing type. He has shown the ability to raise the level of his play when the games become more demanding and important. He's a very effective player and because he can find a way to contribute in multiple ways, this enhances his play and adds value to a team

So he needs to work on his quickness. Which may seem logical as he's only 18 and is 6'2" and 215lbs already. It can be tougher for bigger guys to develop quick feet at a young age. Everything else seems positive and it's all going to be up to him to put in the time and effort and hard work in order to make an impac at the NHL level.

Doesn't seem like anything wrong with this pick at 26, seems a lot of scouting agencies projected him a bit higher than that spot.

Again, at this point why don't you pick somebody who can do one or two things really well than someone who has size but can do a number of things sorta well? You have to wonder why he dropped so low. He's not Russian, right?

[Jovocop]

They also said the same thing about Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Holik and Milan Lucic. They all did ok.

You have zero clue how this guy will turn out, as do I. The scouts seem to think he's going to be quite good. Let's see what happens before we turn into a drama queen, shall we?

The kid is only 18. It is a bit fast to write him off, especially a 26th overall pick.

[Strangelove]

My favourite thing about the draft is when posters who haven't even seen a kid play write him off as a bust. This kid was the consensus best player available so it seems most scouts think they did well.

From what I read, and like everyone else here I haven't seen him play, he's a big, physical center who is well over 200 pounds at age 18. He needs to work on his skating which is quite normal for a young kid.

To me, he's a solid pick at the end of the first round. I have no idea what he will become and neither does anybody else here, but he's a big, Canadian kid at a position of need. Seems like he could be a good pick, we'll see in 4 or 5 years.

Yep 4 or 5 years.

[Boston Canucker]

They also said the same thing about Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Holik and Milan Lucic. They all did ok.

You have zero clue how this guy will turn out, as do I. The scouts seem to think he's going to be quite good. Let's see what happens before we turn into a drama queen, shall we?

The kid is only 18. It is a bit fast to write him off, especially a 26th overall pick.

So, how does this work, if we write him off now, but then he turns out to be a good player, do we write him back in...and who do we write?

My one wish from draft night is for some team to give Pierre McGuire a job so he will stop spewing his overheated nonsense all over the broadcast. My favorite was when he said the #6 pick by Anaheim, Lindholm, was a "steal". A steal, and pick 6? That must mean one of the top 5 picks was a mistake, no? What a dufus he is...

[SKYO]

Gillis mentioned they were trying to trade up to get Guance, they then had offers of other teams trying to the 26th overall, lots of scouts like his skill/character/size for this center.

[Aaronp18]

Again, at this point why don't you pick somebody who can do one or two things really well than someone who has size but can do a number of things sorta well? You have to wonder why he dropped so low.

Like who exactly? Who would you have taken instead, and why? I'm assuming you've scouted these guys as much as the Canucks organization!

And it's not like he dropped off the board, it seems as though once you got past the top ten it was a bunch of the same guys. Bunch of players that can do a number of things sorta well.

Now it will be up to Gaunce to work is ass off and continue his development into becoming a pro.

Geez man cut the kid a bit of slack! Look at how many great NHL players were drafted later on. It's all about how he develops from this point on!

[Vpete]

Lancer seeing as you are such an expert... You have demonstrated sooooo much in this thread and others, what do you think of Buffalo's opinion of Cody Hodgson now?

Seeing as you have such an acute and certainly comprehensive and definitive analysis of Gaunce I'm sure you can make one of Hodgson and his ability along with the recent draft picks selected by Buffalo?

[Diehard1]

The scouts seem to think he's going to be quite good. Let's see what happens before we turn into a drama queen, shall we?

What? The same scouts who were so high on Patrick White? Recall that there wasn't much purge of the scouting department when Gillis took over and the Canucks' farm system is widely regarded as one of the weakest in the league. Look at that and wonder, how good are those scouts after all? Blind squirrels find the odd nut and this time I think they found a stone.

Tell me, which scouts were high on Patrick White? He was a way off the board pick, wasn't even picked by this regime.

Keep telling yourself he's Patrick White, whatever makes you sleep better. Like every other sane person around here I will wait and see what he becomes before I pass judgment.

You never did say, how many times have you watched Gaunce play? you obviously know him extremely well - please share your personal scouting report.