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Rumsfeld wrote:
What the fuck are we worrying about again?
I had a long post in response, but I don't actually disagree with anything you're saying. Gillis will do what he thinks is best, if my pure speculation is true than its something Gillis is in the best position to assess as a former agent, if I'm wrong then No Worries
Actually, I will defend Samuelsson - he was one of our best playoff performers and exactly what the team was missing against Boston/LA/SJS - complementary scoring that can move up and down the lineup and be effective on 3 lines. Sadly I don't know if he'll ever stay healthy again, which makes him a fair swap for Booth.
Rumsfeld wrote:
What the fuck are we worrying about again?
I had a long post in response, but I don't actually disagree with anything you're saying. Gillis will do what he thinks is best, if my pure speculation is true than its something Gillis is in the best position to assess as a former agent, if I'm wrong then No Worries
Actually, I will defend Samuelsson - he was one of our best playoff performers and exactly what the team was missing against Boston/LA/SJS - complementary scoring that can move up and down the lineup and be effective on 3 lines. Sadly I don't know if he'll ever stay healthy again, which makes him a fair swap for Booth.
Fair enough, Sammy was great in the '10 playoffs... but he was terrible defensively, slow, and injured constantly... something we already had enough of in our top-6. By the time we traded him he looked lost out there.
I highly doubt anyone else besides Bieksa is going to be traded.
Tanev and Corrado on the same D-corps makes an already-shrimpy blue line look even shrimpier. If we want to be a "stiffer" team, that should start at the back.
*notices CFP staring at ass*
Cut it out CFP, I can't believe you jumped the rail on that ferry.
Now I'm hoping Alberts is re-signed and another bruiser is added... but where would they play?
Edler Garrison
Bruiser Hamhuis
Tanev Alberts -- Corrado
If we move Bieksa that's the only non-wussy pairing combination I could come up with. You don't want Tanev and Corrado together and you don't want either of them with Hamhuis IMO either... too small.
That said, you don't want Corrado sitting in the press box too much either or what's the point of bringing him up?
I'm really not seeing a regular spot on the blue line for Corrado to start the season, regardless of what moves we make.
For the last several season we're constantly hearing fans and media referring to how talented a team the Canucks are. In comparison to other contending teams, are we really that talented?
Yes, we are very talented in net.
We have a very deep defense but no real superstar back there.
Our bottom six are comprised of two-way players whose talents lie in the defensive side of the game... like most teams except the Pittsburghs of the league.
Our second line's "talent" pretty much consists of Kesler, and realistically speaking, he's not the offensive dynamo of '11. That was a career year. Love to be proven wrong here this season.
Our first line is a lot less talented than it was a few years ago, let's face it.
Not trying to be negative, just wondering where all this talent lies that everyone is always gushing about in comparison to LA, SJ, ANA, DET, etc. Not even going to bother mentioning teams like BOS, CHI, PIT.....
It just seems like we're only slightly above average in terms of offensive talent.
Now that our biggest off-season question has been answered, how will the rest of the roster shake out?
The Canucks still have big holes in their bottom 6 forward group.
One guy I'd be looking to sign is Boyd Gordon. He can do an admirable job as a shut-down 3rd line C but is probably best suited as a 4th line centre that gets regular shifts on a good team. Considering the Canucks now have Gaunce, Horvat and Lain a player like Gordon could be ideal as those prospects develop into holding down full time roles with the team.
Via trade, I would look into a Ballard for Torrey Mitchell swap with Minnesota. Mitchell is owed $1.9M over the next two years and is a speedy and versatile bottom 6 forward. He's overpaid and was pretty much buried on the 4th line with the Wild and they need some help on D. It could be decent trade for both teams to address respective needs without giving up appreciable assets and shifting some bad money.
The Canucks probably can't afford both Mitchell and Gordon but even one of them could help the bottom 6.
Unless Gillis makes another big trade or convinces a solid UFA to sign on the cheap, I wouldn't expect a veteran top 6 forward.
I would wager a guess we'll see the Canucks take a wager on some cheap veterans and basically open things up for their young players to grab roster spots.
I agree CC. I think MG has learned that being so precariously close to the cap with no outs built in is too risky. While he is saying all the right things about loving the core and all, his hands are also pretty tied with respect to who he can move and for how much.
With CS and Ballard gone that frees up just over 8 million in space for this year. He can if he needs to still look at trading Booth if there are any takers but one would have to suspect this will be his year to prove he should get to stay and fulfil his contract. He, if healthy, will also be an experienced winger that brings a good hard to the net game. But will he play away from the puck well enough for Torts liking?
With 8 million in cap space we can safely re-sign Tanev now and still have a good chunk of change to get our roster filled out. This is the year to get 3-4 players on ELC into the line up and let them play. This is the year to let Kassian have a long look see with the twins.
With Luongo's notorious slow starts and some new blood in the line up I hope we all have some patience. We just need to make the dance right?
With Edler/Burrows still here (and their NTC/NMC or what ever they have) it really is looking like the main core that ended last season will be here for another kick at the cat. I guess only time will tell if JT can take the team to the next level where AV could not.
Aaronp18 wrote:One of the biggest reasons players sign or re-sign in Vancouver is because of the commitment from ownership and management to do whatever it takes to remain a contender. Sometimes this means making some tough decisions and making changes many may not like initially to better the team.
I don't think that any future signings will hinge on whether or not Gillis moved Burrows or Edler before their NTC kicked in if they are moves to improved the team. The Canucks provide everything a player needs or might need to succeed and this is a promise the team has made to all its players. If the team fails to meet expectations changes need to be made.
Granted this isn't the year, but the time will come when the Canucks (probably under Gillis) will need to make a big splash in free agency. When that day comes I doubt the Canucks will be seen as a perennial contender, and other intangibles could make or break a FA deal. After listening to Sturm's and Samuelsson's comments after being traded 6 games in, I think the way management honours contracts for sure factors in to the decision-making of potential free agents. Right now Sammy is out there shitting all over Gillis to any player who asks his opinion, it doesn't take a ton of those disgruntled ex-players to sway a lot of peoples' opinions.
Of course my speculations as to what Gillis' motivation is for his blanket honouring of NTCs are irrelevant, it is Gillis' policy and he will deviate from it if the circumstances warrant. I'm just saying that future blowback on reneging NTCs (or trading someone a week before it comes into effect) will likely factor into his decision. As an ex-agent he is very well-positioned to know how such actions influence players' decisions.
What reason would Samuelsson have to shit all over Gillis when asked for an opinion of the guy? Sammy did NOT have a NTC, he had NOT just re-signed. Gillis didn't screw him over at all.
Sturm might be a bit choked about the fact that he was traded so soon after signing with the Canucks. But really, he wasn't doing much for us, and didn't do much for Florida.
Hockey Widow wrote:I agree CC. I think MG has learned that being so precariously close to the cap with no outs built in is too risky. While he is saying all the right things about loving the core and all, his hands are also pretty tied with respect to who he can move and for how much.
This was one of the reasons I was really hoping Edler would be moved. He's now locked up at $5M per year and has a NTC. We're stuck with him. If Torts turns him around then that's great for us, if he wilts and goes into a spiral we're screwed.
Turning "we have no margin for error under the cap" into "we should have traded Edler" is retarded.
At worst he will be contributing to the first power play unit and producing in relatively sheltered minutes at even strength while Hamhuis and Garrison do the heavy lifting, and that will add up to more than a reasonable level of production for a $5m offensive defenseman.
Any better and he will be a huge steal, and even if he just stays at this level that will occur as more and more defensemen come up for renewal and become $7m and change guys.
Yeah if Edler's game "goes into a spiral" he'll be a boat anchor, Sam as Luongo or Kesler or the Sedins or Burrows or Bieksa or Hamhuis or Garrison or..
Is it unreasonable to want a "kid" line this coming season. I know they're young, but look at Montreal and other teams that have young kids contributing.
I know the ELC is something to consider but this cap world demands some ELC players playing significant roles.
CorranHorn wrote:Is it unreasonable to want a "kid" line this coming season. I know they're young, but look at Montreal and other teams that have young kids contributing.
I know the ELC is something to consider but this cap world demands some ELC players playing significant roles.
No reason at all except winning, coaching, fan intolerance, press. Other than those no reason.
Joking aside, I would be fine with a kid line if they were contributing. I think we all know that we will see a few ECL contracts this season. Last year the excuse was because it was a shortened season. Well, now MG can say he is re-tooling, re-setting, tweaking or whatever. But the time has come for MG to get some of these guys playing and learning.
He said yesterday he thinks Lain is real close to making the team? Based upon what I'm not sure, perhaps desperate wishful thinking?
Topper wrote:So the Aqualung family is praised for allowing GMMG to spend to the cap ceiling, but GMMG is criticized for doing so.
Odd.
No no, I don't criticize him for spending to the cap. I think he has to learn to get out from under. Chicago always seems to be able to do it. Let go a handful of players every year but keep the core and keep on going. Perhaps its more his asset management or player assessment I am beginning to question.
I actually think he has done a good job staying within the cap but I think it came to roost this year. Of course the cap going down did not help him. I dunno, maybe I'm just staring to see he should have clean this up a long time ago.
I'm actually happy today with how he has cleaned up this mess. Just wish it was sooner i guess.