Canucks News and Notes

[Strangelove]

Speaking of Burke and slander....

[Rumsfeld]

Burrows is not an elite winger, and I think you know that Doc. He plays with the two best passers in the Conference and is a terrific defensive player who scores big goals.... but he really isn't that offensively talented and he isn't tough and the refs fucking hate him. He'll be 33 this season as well...

Like I said, love the guy... but the core needs a shakeup and he's a good place to start.

[vic]

And I'm pretty sure it wasn't the media who crushed us in the first round two years in a row.

You're right, that honor goes to the teams' dear departed media darling of a coach.

In the last 14 playoff games (after getting that 2-0 lead against the Bruins in the SCF)

Lost players to injury, so did the opposition - their coach adjusted and won.

Self admission that he wasn't ready to face the Kings

Obvious glaring mistakes in all 4 games against the SJ, from line up decisions, players out at the wrong times, goaltending...etc the list goes on.

[Rumsfeld]

So Doc, who WOULD you trade?

You've said you want to keep the Sedins, and you seem appalled at the notion of moving Burrows.

Kesler is our best forward when healthy and he's finally healthy, not to mention very affordable for what he can bring.

Trading Hamhuis or Garrison is pure foolishness and Edler, who admittedly had a bad year, is our most talented defenseman and a guy who might really benefit from a new system.

Now you've been very vocal about getting bigger tougher meaner and Gillis needing to make bold moves... do you think getting tougher on the 4th line or third pairing means diddley fuck to a team's success? Every NHL team has size and toughness in those positions.

The team needs a change on the front lines and I don't see how we can do that when the only players you're willing to part with play on the bottom six and the third pairing.

[Uncle dans leg]

I'm with Rummy here. The team needs more changes than just coaching. One thing though...I wouldn't actually exclude trading Kesler.

Yes he is a valuable player but the refs hate him as well and he has shown a propensity of late to spend way too much time out of the line up.

The return on a trade or 2 involving Kesler/Burrows/Bieksa could be massive if Gillis keeps his cards close to his chest. With the 2 excellent young centre prospects VCR has acquired I can see a potential opportunity to re-tool/re-build this team on the fly while shipping off some declining assets that we've likely seen the best out of.

[Rumsfeld]

The problem with trading Kes is that he's one of the few forwards on the team who actually emulates the hard-nosed style we all want to play.

But for the right return I'd trade anybody.

*kicks Gillis in the nuts for trading Cory*

[Uncle dans leg]

The problem with trading Kes is that he's one of the few forwards on the team who actually emulates the hard-nosed style we all want to play.

But for the right return I'd trade anybody.

*kicks Gillis in the nuts for trading Cory*

It all boils down to what you get back I suppose.

Horvat sounds like an excellent start...considering we needed a player like him in our system much more than a second #1 'tender.

I just wish it was Luongo who was the one who brought Bo to VCR

[Strangelove]

Burrows is not an elite winger, and I think you know that Doc. He plays with the two best passers in the Conference and is a terrific defensive player who scores big goals.... but he really isn't that offensively talented and he isn't tough and the refs fucking hate him.

Daniel was supposed to be the best goal-scorer when that line was put together

... yet Burrows has consistently outscored Daniel at even strength.

As a matter of fact Burrows is 4th among elite scoring wingers in that category over the past 3 seasons:

http://www.hockey-reference.com/play-in ... r_by=goals

(Stamkos is a centre).

BTW do you see anyone else in that top 30 besides Burrows and Dupuis (23rd) who play on the #1PK unit?

Didn't think so!

And Alex is VERY tough..... ummm pound-for-pound.

The refs hate him because he's an asshole.

Burrows never complains no matter how much an idiot coach makes him switch lines/play centre/etc.

You just don't trade a guy like Burrows, you just don't...

[Strangelove]

The return on a trade or 2 involving Kesler/Burrows/Bieksa could be massive if Gillis keeps his cards close to his chest.

OMG, just the other day I saw a guy at Calpuck suggesting the Canucks trade Kesler and Burrows.

[Strangelove]

So Doc, who WOULD you trade?

This summer I've suggested trading Edler, Bieksa, Booth, high draft picks, and possibly Tanev.

Obviously we'd need a dee coming back if we traded one of those dee (a RHS if it's Bieksa/Tanev).

And this is with an asshole-only shopping list in hand.

Yes, we'd hafta sweeten the pot if we traded Booth, but the idea was to create cap-space for another move.

I also suggested (while the buyout window was open) to take back a bad contract along with a top player.

But yeah, maybe we do that next year....

[Rumsfeld]

So Doc, who WOULD you trade?

This summer I've suggested trading Edler, Bieksa, Booth, high draft picks, and possibly Tanev.

Obviously we'd need a dee coming back if we traded one of those dee (a RHS if it's Bieksa/Tanev).

And this is with an asshole-only shopping list in hand.

Yes, we'd hafta sweeten the pot if we traded Booth, but the idea was to create cap-space for another move.

I also suggested (while the buyout window was open) to take back a bad contract along with a top player.

But yeah, maybe we do that next year....

If you trade Bieksa and especially Edler, you'd need a top-4 D coming back.

Booth is worth exactly nothing right now.

So none of those suggestions would improve our top six, which is where we need improvement the most IMO. And if you trade high picks (a big mistake IMO, considering a rebuild is probably right around the corner), you'd still need to shed serious salary if you get a top forward in return.

So yeah, we need to move a top forward if we want to get bigger and better up front, and out of all our top forwards (Sedins, Kesler, Burr) Burrows seems like the most obvious choice.

Part of being a good GM is knowing when to pull the plug on guys, if you wait 'till they seriously decline you get nothing back and you're stuck with them.*

Our top six has totally sucked the last two-and-a-half playoffs, I'm pretty surprised you'd have a problem with some big changes.




*see Luongo, Roberto

[Strangelove]

If you trade Bieksa and especially Edler, you'd need a top-4 D coming back.

Not if you thought Tanev could handle top-4 minutes (and to a lesser extent thought Corrado is NHL-ready).

Hamhuis - Bieksa
Garrison - Tanev
ASSHOLE - Corrado
Alberts/Fistric/Whomever - Weber

ASSHOLE would be a stay-at-home shutdown tweener who could handle some top-4 icetime when needed.

Corrado would see some PP icetime.

Yeah, so a tweener would come cheeper in a trade than an established top-4 guy.

Hell it could even be a YOUNG tweener asshole to satisfy YOUR youth-movement cravings.

Booth is worth exactly nothing right now.

Like I say, Booth is supposed to be 100% by training camp.

Like I say, Booth is tradable if we throw in a pick/retain some salary.

See, if we're gonna bring in a top 6 winger, someone's gotta go to create room.

You say Burrows, I say Booth.

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian/Higgins/Hansen
NEW GUY - Kesler - Burrows

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian/Higgins/Hansen
Booth - Kesler - NEW GUY

OBVIOUSLY Burrows is a WAY better forward than Booth.

Wot say we keep him then EH WOT?

Ummmmm did you want to ADD to the top-6.... or not?

(trading high picks is) a big mistake IMO, considering a rebuild is probably right around the corner

Well see, that's where you're wrong.

Part of being a good GM is knowing when to pull the plug on guys

... and part of being a good GM is knowing NOT to trade your heart & soul forward when a Cup is within reach.

So yeah, coupla separate deals but basically...

Edler/Bieksa + Booth + 1st-rounder out.

Elite scoring winger + ASSHOLE in.

Or just DROP THE FRICKEN PUCK and pray both Kassian and Booth have career years.

[5thhorseman]

We're already "stuck" with our top 6. The time to trade was after the Cup run, a quick retooling ... that window has long passed.

Look forward to a pretender contender for the next few years. We'll need Bo and Hunter to turn into elite players, some astute drafting/trades by GMMG, and a few lucky breaks before we end up on top of the pile again.

Don't get me wrong, I love our Canucks, but any Cup run in the near future will be cinderella-style. Strangely, I prefer it that way.

[Strangelove]

Why all the negativity???

Let's compare the one-game-away-from-the-Cup 2010-11 team with next year's squad (as it looks thus far).

Shall we?

***********************************************************************

Sedin – Sedin – Burrows
Raymond – Kesler – Samuelsson
Higgins – Malhotra – Hansen
Torres – Lapierre – Tambellini/Glass

Hamhuis – Bieksa
Edler – Ehrhoff
Ballard – Salo
Alberts – Rome

Luongo/Schneids

***********************************************************************

Sedin – Sedin – Burrows
Booth – Kesler – Kassian
Higgins – Schroeder/Gaunce/Richardson – Hansen
Schroeder/Gaunce/Richardson – Lain - Weise
Sestito

Hamhuis – Bieksa
Edler – Tanev
Garrison - Corrado
Alberts(say) – Weber

Luongo/Lack

***********************************************************************

So all we need is

... that #1 line to prove the shortened season was the problem (hey they DID start very slowly)

... Kassian to play like Samuelsson

... Gaunce to play like Malhotra

... Garrison to play like Salo

... Corrado to play like Ehrhoff

... Lou to return to form

... and Lack to play like Schneider

...









HEY why do... I... have to play the role of Mr Positive all the time?!!

[TDA Rum]

I agree with you Doc... Canucks will win their division and the Stanley cup...