Ohlund

Welcome to the main forum of our site. Anything and everything to do with the Vancouver Canucks is dicussed and debated here.

Moderator: Referees

Post Reply
Fred
CC Legend
Posts: 3435
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:00 pm

Ohlund

Post by Fred »

As an Ohlund fan it's not a post I will enjoy, but, I think it's fair comment. From the games I've watched this season and to be honest last season to Ohlund does not seem to be the player he once was. It seems that they stretched him beyond his comfort zone and the result is more turn overs these last two seasons then he made for the rest of his days here. His failure to play with a regular partner seems to have had an effect and he's not the sure footed player he was years ago.

Is this my own apparition or have others seen the same thing ?
cheers
Kel
MVP
MVP
Posts: 658
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 1:26 pm

Post by Kel »

I have to agree too. Before the lockout, we used to see games where either Jovo or Ohlund dominated the game, being active both offensively and defensively. Since the lockout, I don't think Ohlund has ever had such a game which he was one of the most noticeable players. Most nights, he's good but not great, reliable but not intimidating to the opponents. On some nights, he just looked brutal and slow. I think we have to come to realize that right now, he's not really an underrated or underpaid player. Among some of Canucks fans, he's probably overrated a bit too. Let's hope he can turn it around soon.
MarkMM
CC 1st Team All-Star
Posts: 511
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:28 pm
Location: Delta, BC

Post by MarkMM »

I agree with the comments thus far, on the hopeful side, he was injured much of last season and this season he's carrying a lot (perhaps too much) of the load, which can expose him to fatigue, as can playing with irregular and still-learning linemates (even if he's got a solid guy like Krajicek or Bieksa, he'll still be hesitant to pinch in for fear of leaving his newbie partner vulnerable to an odd-man rush). A combination of these can lead to confidence problems.

While I think our defense is better than many feared, and will get better when Willie returns, I do now think it's clear that we need to add another 4/5 defenseman, maybe sending Luc down and using his $850k to buy up a UFA (not really any good ones at that price), or else make a trade (Cooke perhaps, replacing him with Rypien when he's healthy).
Mark
Fred
CC Legend
Posts: 3435
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:00 pm

Post by Fred »

I was listening to the Moose coach on 1040 and the only time his voice seemed to show any passion was when he spoke of Edler. Which lead me to think maybe we should save a year of Bourdons fee agency said him back and bring up Edler.

Ohlun is ceratinly struggling IMO and that's not good, he's been the horse back on the blue line for so long,

I agree the dfense has been better but inlarge part that has been accomplished by the forwards back checking s lot better than I've seen for a few seasons. But also in part by the defensive play of Krjicek and Bieska who have fortunitly shown themsleves to be better than many, including myself could hope for
cheers
User avatar
Grizzly
MVP
MVP
Posts: 900
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 9:35 am
Location: Dawson Creek

Post by Grizzly »

Agreed and also not a comment we'd like to hear considering ...

... Mitchell is out
... Bourdon isn't really ready for the bigs and
... guys like Fitzpatrick aren't stepping up ...

Luongo is going to have to continue to shine for us (and then some) in order for us to make the playoffs. We are also going to have to get continued scoring from our second and third lines :roll: (??)

On a positive note ... I like Krajicek's potential ...

Grizz
Last edited by Grizzly on Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
tantalum
CC Hall of Fan Member
Posts: 1911
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2004 3:41 am
Location: Carl Junction, MO

Post by tantalum »

Fred wrote:I was listening to the Moose coach on 1040 and the only time his voice seemed to show any passion was when he spoke of Edler. Which lead me to think maybe we should save a year of Bourdons fee agency said him back and bring up Edler.

Ohlun is ceratinly struggling IMO and that's not good, he's been the horse back on the blue line for so long,

I agree the dfense has been better but inlarge part that has been accomplished by the forwards back checking s lot better than I've seen for a few seasons. But also in part by the defensive play of Krjicek and Bieska who have fortunitly shown themsleves to be better than many, including myself could hope for
on Ohlund. Absolutely agree and I've mentioned before. But I'm not sure he has to shoulder anymore of the load. He was always the go to guy defesively on the blueline and never on the offence side of things. While his role in the offence is expected to increase this year I think they are looking at Salo and Krajicek to step up more in that regard. Ohlund just really looks like a guy who is visibly thinking what to do next and because of it is a half step behind where he should be. I'm not sure what it is but I don't think injury and increased expectattions are it. It might just be that he is having trouble adjusting to the new NHL. His play almost reminds of Pronger's play at the beginning of last year where he just didn't look like the player he had been. Of course Pronger figured out the new NHL and was phenomenal once he did. it's also why he is paid $6 mil a year and not $3.5 mil a year.

But Ohlund has to step it up. If the season plays out as it has he will have dropped behind Salo and Mitchell IMO. And if that's the case Nonis has a tough decision.

Bourdon...the time won't start ticking on Bourdon's free agency until he has appeared in 40 professional (regular season?) games in one year I believe. So there is plenty of time on that front. Not sure if they can send him down to the AHL once he turns 20 in Feb. As a mid-Feb birthday if it is possible they can give him spot duty on the blueline and then send him down to the moose to round out the season. I think that is where he needs to be. He is beyond the QMJHL but not at the NHL level. Though that plan only works if Mitchell comes back soon and the blueline stays healthy. Though going back to Junior and getting another WJHC under his belt isn't the end of the world either.
User avatar
Island Nucklehead
MVP
MVP
Posts: 8392
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:27 pm
Location: Ottawa

Post by Island Nucklehead »

I see some of the mistakes he's been making, but to be honest I'm fine with the most of them. The guy plays 25 mins a night on average, sometimes more, usually against the other teams best players, who are going to force most d-men into making mistakes. So while a turnover or getting burned is never good, I don't mind it nearly as much considering the competition. If he was getting burned by 3rd line players (something Bourdon manages to accomplish sometimes), I would be concerned. He's a horse and he's doing alright.

Also, I think it was mentioned in another thread, let's not make him into something he's not. He is not what you would call a "premier" defenceman in the league. He won't be mentioned in the same breath as a Pronger, Lidstrom or Neidermayer...so let's not compare him to those guys.

He's on pace for one of his better years, if he keeps this up he'll score 13 and get 30-something points. So while this isn't an amazing start to him, he's staying within the same point range he's used to, while playing a more conservative system that demands more out of him.
User avatar
rikster
MVP
MVP
Posts: 658
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2004 6:41 am

Post by rikster »

I posted in one of the game day threads that I wondered if he is having troubles picking up the puck...

He seems a step slow and needs to take an extra second or two to make a play which is getting him caught or is killing the momentum of the play, especially with the quicker forwards...

Take care....
User avatar
lil-scarface
AHL Prospect
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 12:30 pm
Location: Victoria, B.C.

Post by lil-scarface »

i thought the free agency clock starts after playing nine games??
Carlos
Kickassguy
AHL Prospect
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 2:26 am
Contact:

Post by Kickassguy »

lil-scarface wrote:i thought the free agency clock starts after playing nine games??
The first year of his rookie contract is burned off after playing 9 games, but it does not count towards UFA status until the 40 game mark.
Post Reply