Canucks resign Mason Raymond

[coco_canuck]

Depth is the name of the game.

Add Raymond to the mix for top 9 forwards.

If the cap space allows for it, Raymond can even be carried on as the 13th forward.

Injuries will happen, and if Raymond can't cut it, we'll be looking to add a veteran, depth winger for the post season.

[Tciso]

I'm only in favour of keeping him if we all agree to call him Raytard from now on.

The full Tard line.

RayTard, KessTard and BoothTard

with Baltard and F*&ktard on defense (we need to trade for the last guy. Plays like Alberts, but tougher)

[Madcombinepilot]

hmmm.. how about 4 'tards and someone special?

[surreal78]

with Baltard and F*&ktard on defense (we need to trade for the last guy. Plays like Alberts, but tougher)

Someone kept mentioning Kurtis Foster (UFA)... he'd work.

[Meds]

Split the diff between what he had and what was offered on the knock down while getting one year instead of two that arbitration could have meant.

Gives Mason a year to show what he can do and try to fulfil the expected role he was pencilled in for two years ago.

I have no problem with it, he backs defenders off, gains the zone, draws penalties, kills penalties, defends well and in a pinch, can man the point on the PP. If his hands can keep up with his feet, he'll be fine, however once Cody was traded, Mason became the least physical player on the team.

Two things.....

First off, Raymond has classically been a guy who works his ass of to get to a certain point and then coasts. We saw it after he signed his last deal, and then saw it to a lesser extent as he bounced up and down the lineup. Work hard, coast, demotion, work hard, promotion, coast, demotion, work hard, promotion, coast, etc.....so while I think he has some good tools to bring to the team, I don't think he's worth keeping here because if he works hard and gets a new deal, then Gillis runs the risk of committing some cap space to a guy who isn't going to earn it.

Secondly. The bit about backing defenders off. I know what it means, and I know what it's supposed to do in theory, but I don't see that with Raymond. I saw it 2+ seasons ago, then defenders figured out that if they keep an eye on him and shift ever so slightly towards him, all he will do is button hook on the half boards, skate back to the point and dump the puck to the corner where his linemates have to work for it. Either that or he'll let go of a telegraphed slapshot from a bad angle that the goaltender barely has to move for.

Because of those two points I won't be sad to see him traded elsewhere.

[coco_canuck]

Someone kept mentioning Kurtis Foster (UFA)... he'd work.

Bah.

Kurtis Foster is a train wreck defensively.

He has a big shot and is a decent puck mover, but if you're going with a risk/reward depth guy, you might as well give a guy like Connauton some ice-time when injuries hit, and the two-way deal is much more manageable.

[surreal78]

Someone kept mentioning Kurtis Foster (UFA)... he'd work.

Bah.

Kurtis Foster is a train wreck defensively.

He has a big shot and is a decent puck mover, but if you're going with a risk/reward depth guy, you might as well give a guy like Connauton some ice-time when injuries hit, and the two-way deal is much more manageable.

I was referring to meeting the "F*&ktard" naming requirement, nothing else.

[coco_canuck]

I was referring to meeting the "F*&ktard" naming requirement, nothing else.

You know how some like to say someone's "a poor man's" so-and-so?

Well, if some like to say Garrison is a poor man's Weber, then Foster is a retarded man's Garrison.

So yes, he'd be a stellar "Fucktard."

[surreal78]

I was referring to meeting the "F*&ktard" naming requirement, nothing else.

You know how some like to say someone's "a poor man's" so-and-so?

Well, if some like to say Garrison is a poor man's Weber, then Foster is a retarded man's Garrison.

So yes, he'd be a stellar "Fucktard."

Yeah, after that one good season in Tampa and the broken leg (and, unfortunately, the loss of his kid, IIRC), that was pretty much the end of his career.

Interesting how both he and Cam Barker were pretty promising offensive Ds who went to shit passing through Edmo... defenseman graveyard? Could almost add Souray to that list too, although he's making a bit of a comeback the last bit.

[Hockey Widow]

A buddy of mine has run into this new defence man the Canucks signed as a FA, several times in the past week. They hang with the same crowd it seems. Said this new defence man was two sheets to the wind shit faced every time he ran into him. Hope this is just celebratory nonsense and not another Panther coming to camp only to find out he has to work at making the Canucks line up.

[CrzyCanuck]

Let's hope that's just him being overwhelmed by the joy of homecoming.

Perhaps at some point the Canucks management need to talk to Roxy about banning their players

[Todd Bersnoozi]

*LOL*

I'm only in favour of keeping him if we all agree to call him Raytard from now on.

The full Tard line.

RayTard, KessTard and BoothTard

with Baltard and F*&ktard on defense (we need to trade for the last guy. Plays like Alberts, but tougher)

[surreal78]

A buddy of mine has run into this new defence man the Canucks signed as a FA, several times in the past week. They hang with the same crowd it seems. Said this new defence man was two sheets to the wind shit faced every time he ran into him. Hope this is just celebratory nonsense and not another Panther coming to camp only to find out he has to work at making the Canucks line up.

Which guy? Joslin? Vandermeer? Other dude I can't recall? (Edit: Mullen)

[Hockey Widow]

A buddy of mine has run into this new defence man the Canucks signed as a FA, several times in the past week. They hang with the same crowd it seems. Said this new defence man was two sheets to the wind shit faced every time he ran into him. Hope this is just celebratory nonsense and not another Panther coming to camp only to find out he has to work at making the Canucks line up.

Which guy? Joslin? Vandermeer? Other dude I can't recall? (Edit: Mullen)

None of the above, and we haven't signed Vandermeer, just made an offer.

[Diehard1]

A buddy of mine has run into this new defence man the Canucks signed as a FA, several times in the past week. They hang with the same crowd it seems. Said this new defence man was two sheets to the wind shit faced every time he ran into him. Hope this is just celebratory nonsense and not another Panther coming to camp only to find out he has to work at making the Canucks line up.

Can't say I'm surprised at all - every hockey player I've ever seen out on the town has been wasted. It's just what they do. Now hopefully they don't do it during the season (much), but in the summer I'm not that worried about it.