Around the league (signings, RFAs injuries)

[SKYO]

2 things

First - What is up with Crosby, Perry, Malkin - really down in points.



Second - at least this season the league may have the leading scorer get over 100 points, which is Jamie Benn.

Benn was drafted 5th round 129th overall and he never played a game in the AHL.

All players are different and it shows all about giving players a chance to play.

He is also from the Island for all love!!!! How, repeat how did we miss this kid? He does it all and can fight.

Cause the Canucks were notorious for not drafting from our own backyard in the WHL for some dumb reason, all that slowly changed once the internet masses jumped on them for that , and Gilman switched up the scouting in the latter part of Gillis tenure, and now no-nonsense Benning who loves the draft is in charge...

WHL: (2013) Shinkaruk, (2014) M. Stewart, (2014) Virtanen and (2015) Tate Olson.

Imo the Canucks should have the lowdown on all the WHL players, it's easy to watch games, hell they can just hop to the Pacific Coliseum to catch the Giants play all the WHL teams.

[Island Nucklehead]

He is also from the Island for all love!!!! How, repeat how did we miss this kid? He does it all and can fight.

He was about 5'3 until pretty much Bantam. He was playing Junior B in his Draft-1 year (there was the thought he'd follow the like of Greentree, Binab, and Fraser to Alaska-Fairbanks), and he was drafted after a great year in the BCHL (which is generally a crapshoot). I'd wager if he went directly to the WHL he would have been drafted higher.

[Meds]

He is also from the Island for all love!!!! How, repeat how did we miss this kid? He does it all and can fight.

He was about 5'3 until pretty much Bantam. He was playing Junior B in his Draft-1 year (there was the thought he'd follow the like of Greentree, Binab, and Fraser to Alaska-Fairbanks), and he was drafted after a great year in the BCHL (which is generally a crapshoot). I'd wager if he went directly to the WHL he would have been drafted higher.

I think the argument can be made that he would have been just as much of a "craphoot" as any of our picks in 2007. Granted we only had 2 picks before him. But once you get beyond the 2nd round, unless you are certain you have a real gem, it makes sense to roll the dice on local talent because they just might surprise you, and it boosts fan support.

2007.....the year of Patrick White.

[Island Nucklehead]

He is also from the Island for all love!!!! How, repeat how did we miss this kid? He does it all and can fight.

He was about 5'3 until pretty much Bantam. He was playing Junior B in his Draft-1 year (there was the thought he'd follow the like of Greentree, Binab, and Fraser to Alaska-Fairbanks), and he was drafted after a great year in the BCHL (which is generally a crapshoot). I'd wager if he went directly to the WHL he would have been drafted higher.

I think the argument can be made that he would have been just as much of a "craphoot" as any of our picks in 2007. Granted we only had 2 picks before him. But once you get beyond the 2nd round, unless you are certain you have a real gem, it makes sense to roll the dice on local talent because they just might surprise you, and it boosts fan support.

2007.....the year of Patrick White.

Yeah, Canucks drafting in that era was in a class of its own in terms of shittiness. Then again, consider that Kyle Turris (also out of the BCHL that year - 3rd overall) had more goals (66) than Benn had points (65), and he was outscored by the likes of Riley Nash (21st overall, 84 points), Casey Pierro-Zabotel (80th overall, 116 points) you can understand the questions about wether or not Benn's production would continue to improve as the leagues got better. There was also questions about his conditioning and skating, even commitment to hockey given his baseball skills.

Like I said, if he'd been with Kelowna from the start, instead of entertaining the possibility of going the NCAA route, he'd likely have gone higher. Its not just the Canucks that missed out on Benn. He was definitely a late bloomer playing in lower levels (Junior B, BCHL) while other kids his age were making the jump to Major Junior.

[SKYO]

Gotta think the Stars have some inside track on the WHL players thanks to their owner Tom Gaglardi, as he also owns the WHL's Kamloops Blazers.

[vic]

McJesus hurt

Connor McDavid was seen with his arm and shoulder in a sling after he was hurt against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

October's rookie of the month got tangled up with defencemen Michael Del Zotto and Brandon Manning and all three crashed into the boards behind the Flyers net.

McDavid got up with a hand covering his left shoulder and immediately left the ice.

Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun tweeted that he saw McDavid with his skates off during the second intermission and his arm and shoulder in a sling.

The Oilers confirmed that McDavid would not return to the game.

http://www.tsn.ca/mcdavid-leaves-game-w ... y-1.387768

[Hockey Widow]

He is now on LTIR with a shoulder injury. Could be several months. There goes rookie of the year, and the playoffs. Opens the door for McCann to get rookie of the year.

[Topper]

McJesus would be better off with a concussion

[Strangelove]

McJesus hurt

Connor McDavid was seen with his arm and shoulder in a sling after he was hurt against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

October's rookie of the month got tangled up with defencemen Michael Del Zotto and Brandon Manning and all three crashed into the boards behind the Flyers net.

McDavid got up with a hand covering his left shoulder and immediately left the ice.

Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun tweeted that he saw McDavid with his skates off during the second intermission and his arm and shoulder in a sling.

The Oilers confirmed that McDavid would not return to the game.

http://www.tsn.ca/mcdavid-leaves-game-w ... y-1.387768

Oilers fans are screaming bloody murder!



No one's fault says I, speed kills...

[Strangelove]

Opens the door for McCann to get rookie of the year.

So McCann is the real McJesus??

I knew he was the real McCoy, but...

[Hockey Widow]

Kopitar takes butt end to the face by Reeves, out with upper body injury. NHL calling it an inadvertent head shot, whatever that means.

http://video.kings.nhl.com/videocenter/ ... 60&lang=en

[vic]

He is now on LTIR with a shoulder injury. Could be several months. There goes rookie of the year, and the playoffs. Opens the door for McCann to get rookie of the year.

Improves the Oilers chances of drafting Matthews

[Strangelove]

Kopitar takes butt end to the face by Reeves, out with upper body injury. NHL calling it an inadvertent head shot, whatever that means.

http://video.kings.nhl.com/videocenter/ ... 60&lang=en

LOL you can see Reaves take a look over his shoulder just before nailing Kopi...



I suppose Benn's shot on Kadri last night was also "an inadvertent head shot".

[Chef Boi RD]

He is now on LTIR with a shoulder injury. Could be several months. There goes rookie of the year, and the playoffs. Opens the door for McCann to get rookie of the year.

Improves the Oilers chances of drafting Matthews

Or Chychrun

Or Pujujiarvi

Or Laine

Or Tkachuck

[Hockey Widow]

Chris Kelley out 6-8 months after fracturing his left femur.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=786204

Hard to watch. Lost an edge and down he does. Love how instead of getting a stretcher for him they just had Chara lift him up.