Canucks News N Notes 24-25

[Carl Yagro]

You two or morons, but that’s been long established.

Where's CJB when you need him?

[Chef Boi RD]

You two or morons, but that’s been long established.

Where's CJB when you need him?

lol…fuck

[Cousin Strawberry]

Chef have you been hammering the cuntina grappa hard or what

[Meds]

It never seizes to amaze me.

You're really becoming stuck in this way of thinking

Tell me, is it a good idea to be trading one of your top 2 centres for a top 4 D-man? With no legitimate other top two line centre in the entire organization?

We had Miller and Pettersson so yes...slow turning Bo became expendable to upgrade the defense

That's what people who are freaking out about the departure of one of our top-2 centers are missing.....the resulting upgrade on the blueline.

Anyone watching with even half an eye can see how brutal this team is on the back end. It's Hughes and Hronek.....and then a collection of bottom pairing guys in over their heads. One injury to Hronek had Hughes playing 30 minutes per game, which is not sustainable into the playoffs. Hughes goes out and our best defenseman is Carson Soucy, who is a reliable #4 on his best night.

We can't even get the puck up the ice against a team like Calgary right now because our defensemen can't make a pass or skate it out.

So.....

When I look at Pettersson and what he brings that can't be replaced by multiple incoming players on a return, and I come up with, not much.

The first PP does not run through him, and he's essentially a well recognized decoy at this point. When he was moved to the second PP unit there was little benefit because he is not carrying a line or driving play with the man-advantage.

At 5-on-5 he is being deployed as the 2nd line center, but, outside of the face-off, he plays like a winger just like he does on the PP. He does not elevate his wingers and he is very easily pushed around in front of the net (when he goes there) and along the boards. Defensively he plays a smart game, and frankly some of his defensive numbers read like a Selke nominee.....but he's so inconsistent in his overall effort and attitude that I don't think anyone even tables his name in the conversation.

On the PK. He's smart (see defensive play), but not, imho, irreplaceable.

Pettersson's value in trade is down right now. Any team acquiring him is gambling that the change of scenery pulls his head out of his ass and they are getting a 90-100 point forward instead of a guy who will score in point-per-game bursts and then disappear for a week or more at a time. But he's still a point-per-game 26 year old, so there is still value. Ideally a trade for him would return a defenseman with value similar to Hronek's, plus a 60 point 2nd line pivot, and probably a draft pick.....right now I think you target the defenseman you want and then take parts that can be used to either replace other players that you move out in order to make another trade for that 2C.

There are a few reasons that I think that the team gets better this way despite possibly losing a center of his skill level?

1. Improving the blueline massively upgrades this team's ability to both defend and transition to the attack. It will, when everyone is healthy, take workload off of Hughes which has the added benefit of letting him keep something in the tank for the post-season. If we can keep pucks out of our own net, the need to outscore our porous defense disappears and we won't be as desperate for a center who can contribute 80 points because 60 points will suffice.

2. Cap space. As Blobcat says, it always matters. We're going to need cap room for some extensions and possible off-season signings going forward. OEL's dead cap doubles for the next couple of seasons starting in July. There is no replacement in the system right now for Boeser, and highly unlikely to find one in the summer for less than he would probably extend for.

3. Management just went on record calling out Pettersson (among others, I know). Despite the media's penchant for dumping kerosene on a smouldering fire, there is something wrong in the room. While every team has friction internally at times, I don't think any teams have had real success when the problem is between players who are expected to be leaders. Teams that play for each other first are far harder to play against. As Topper pointed out, the banter and teammate communication looks better with EP out of the lineup.

For the record, if I thought for a second that Pettersson could rally a team and lead the way Miller does, then I would be just as OK trading Miller in this situation. In fact, I wish that Pettersson had shown us that he could do that because he's only 26 whereas Miller is going to be 32 before the end of this season. But despite Miller's inconsistency this season, he's definitely a guy that the team rallies around much quicker than Pettersson.

[2Fingers]

Mëds you still haven’t addressed how the team will deal with 1 top 6 centre who turns 32 in March.

I get what you’re saying but the team needs top centres just as much as defenders. The management gambled on the D and lost but then who saw the injuries coming. Trading EP without a centre coming back is just moving the problem elsewhere IMO.

6 million tied up in Hoglander and Myers, that money could be better spent.

[Chef Boi RD]

Chef have you been hammering the cuntina grappa hard or what

It’s been a run

[Chef Boi RD]

Mëds you still haven’t addressed how the team will deal with 1 top 6 centre who turns 32 in March.

I get what you’re saying but the team needs top centres just as much as defenders. The management gambled on the D and lost but then who saw the injuries coming. Trading EP without a centre coming back is just moving the problem elsewhere IMO.

6 million tied up in Hoglander and Myers, that money could be better spent.

When Hronek and Hughes return with Willander and D-Pete around the corner and another top 4 D we got for Petey we will have just one legit top 2 centre on the down side of his career - Miller and that’s it. How fucking assinine is that? God forbid Miller doesn’t get injured, lol. Mëds, sit down on this one dude.

[donlever]

Despite the media's penchant for dumping kerosene on a smouldering fire, there is something wrong in the room. While every team has friction internally at times, I don't think any teams have had real success when the problem is between players who are expected to be leaders. Teams that play for each other first are far harder to play against. As Topper pointed out, the banter and teammate communication looks better with EP out of the lineup.

Brad Richardson is on record via Missin' Curfew commenting on the Miller vs EP "rumours".....

[donlever]

.....Willander and D-Pete around the corner

An equal unknown as to what EP might return in trade.

[Chef Boi RD]

.....Willander and D-Pete around the corner

An equal unknown as to what EP might return in trade.

Donny we have two legitimate top two D-men in Hughes and Hronek, with two potentially legitimate top 4 D-men on the way, one of them - Willander is considered top 2 himself. We have zilch in the system regarding centres other than Raty who is no better than a 3rd line centre. So, is having a stacked defence with zero depth down the middle adter Miller or Pettersson is good planning, lol.

[Chef Boi RD]

Richardson is basically just confirming what we already know about Miller, he’s a hard ass.

[Meds]

Mëds you still haven’t addressed how the team will deal with 1 top 6 centre who turns 32 in March.

I get what you’re saying but the team needs top centres just as much as defenders. The management gambled on the D and lost but then who saw the injuries coming. Trading EP without a centre coming back is just moving the problem elsewhere IMO.

6 million tied up in Hoglander and Myers, that money could be better spent.

Where did I say you don't have a center coming back?

right now I think you target the defenseman you want and then take parts that can be used to either replace other players that you move out in order to make another trade for that 2C.

You trade Pettersson for a defenseman who is at least as good as Hronek. That's still an overpayment by Vancouver, therefore there would be more coming back in the trade. Those additional pieces, whatever they may be, you target pieces that can either be used to make it a 3 team deal where a 2C comes from another team, or they are pieces that you combine with existing assets in another trade to bring in a 2C.

[donlever]

Fuck off with the lol at the end of your posts Dude.

Can we not have a legit, honest conversation without the condescending bullshit around here?

For one.....in the past several months you are on record at this here GDHTMB questioning whether Willander was the right pick or not....and now he AND EP2 are top 4 D men on the eay?

So in 2 years, if this is what we get with EP and we can't trade his 11.6 for a bag of nickles, are your adjustments going to be fuck we should have moved him when we had the chance?

You're also on record the past 2 weeks as starting to question the player yourself I'll remind you.

EDIT....sp

[donlever]

Richardson is basically just confirming what we already know about Miller, he’s a hard ass.

Journalistic license much?

That's not the entirety of what he said at all....

[Meds]

.....Willander and D-Pete around the corner

An equal unknown as to what EP might return in trade.

Donny we have two legitimate top two D-men in Hughes and Hronek, with two potentially legitimate top 4 D-men on the way, one of them - Willander is considered top 2 himself. We have zilch in the system regarding centres other than Raty who is no better than a 3rd line centre. So, is having a stacked defence with zero depth down the middle adter Miller or Pettersson is good planning, lol.

I think Hronek is a top-2 guy when paired with Hughes. Without a Hughes-calibre talent as his partner I see Hronek as being a guy who can anchor your second pairing.

Willander is a maybe. Good junior and international numbers don't always translate to NHL success, and on the blueline don't expect much from him for another couple of years at least.