Around the league (signings, RFAs injuries)

[Aaronp18]

We just added 39 goals to our season total.....and finished with a minus-14 differential. That was with generous production numbers based on player scoring trends over the last few seasons. Congratulations Vancouver, you just finished first in the west among teams that MISSED the playoffs. I realize that this argument for standings placement is based on goal differential, but with only two exceptions in the East (Detroit and Philly) all of the playoff teams were positive in that department.

You're forgetting that we'd give up far less goals with a healthy defense and goaltending, and the fact that we'd be spending more time in the offensive zone.

Maybe we don't score 39 more goals, but another 30. But I'd be willing to bet we have 20-25 less goals against which would put us around 215-220 for and against.

Like I said, maybe just making the playoffs but not anywhere near as bad as we finished. Sure, I really think all the injuries were probably a blessing as we picked up what could be the best dman in this draft!

But, we're talking about where we may finish this year by examining what happened last year. Last season a slew of injuries and guys playing over their head lead to our craptacular overall record. This season, if we are to stay relatively healthy and see more progress from the younger players in the lineup I have no doubt we can make a run at the playoffs.

Do I think we'll do damage this season in the post-season? Not really. I have my eyes on 2019 where my expectations are going to be higher!

Oh and it`s obviously very clear Prust should be taking more draws. Small sample size yes, but based on Bo`s win percentage if he was healthy my guess is he may have taken more, he did take 125 in 13/14 when MTL actually had 4 centres. Our centre depth sucked, McCann was never a 4th line centre. Hell, we were pretty close to sticking Pedan on the dot weren`t we?? Centre and defense is really where you don't want you're injuries occurring.

[Aaronp18]

Actually Bo did alright, just couldn't do everything. Having Henrik start in our end leads to far more problems than benefits! And Vey wasn't any better.

Sutter being out for so long really stung. He really should've been our defensive zone draw guy!

Prust may have helped. Anything may have helped us get out of the basement as far as faceoff percentage.

[Meds]

But what if we have fewer injuries and so do a few other teams? What if all 30 rosters stay quite healthy?

But what if we stop talking in the hypothetical, eh wot?

I just think you over-value, or over-rate some of our players.

I think the Sedins, with a proper supporting RW, are 65-70 point forwards.

I think south of them we had a roster that didn't have that skill level to really compete in the West.

[Aaronp18]

But what if we have fewer injuries and so do a few other teams? What if all 30 rosters stay quite healthy?

Well based on the quality of man games lost logic would dictate we would have the largest increase in team wins. Would put us on par with the mad scramble for the playoffs!

Basically what I said originally.

But what if we stop talking in the hypothetical, eh wot?

Well I was using factual content to back my position, and I didn't actually say "what if" once. Was simply pointing out how injuries definitely played a role in the Canucks record last year, and more than other teams in the league. Unlike what Blob was implying.

I just think you over-value, or over-rate some of our players.

I think the Sedins, with a proper supporting RW, are 65-70 point forwards.

I think south of them we had a roster that didn't have that skill level to really compete in the West.

I don't think I'm overvaluing our players, I think some may be under appreciating how much injuries can affect the team. I know the Sedins aren't 100 point guys, but if they can get to around 70 and so can Eriksson that's a legitimate first line.

With Horvat, Baert and Rodin looking decent and another year older we can easily expect more production from them.

Sutter can hopefully stay healthy, as he has the rest of his career, and form another decent line with Hansen, Burrows, Granlund or Gaunce that gives us 3 lines. And we can easily use the rest to form a 4th that can play and eat up some decent minutes.

This isn't out of the question. And we have some younger players we can call up when we do get banged up a bit. Let Virtanen get some big minutes in Utica, he can then hopefully play up and down the lineup when needed. If Skille and Ruutu are signed it gives us more possibilities as well. Labate and Carcone looked decent as bottom 6 call-ups as well.

All I hope is that when we do call up guys it's not for extended periods and its not for our core players! That's where we suffered the most last season. If we can avoid being one of the more injured teams in the league it definitely puts us in playoff contention. Right where we should be at this point of a retool/build.

[Tciso]

And I can't even believe you mentioned Prust, he was another player who we were better without.

Not if he was healthy. He played well at the start, but never recovered from his ankle injury on Oct 27. It's unfair to say we were better without him.

[ESQ]

You're forgetting that we'd give up far less goals with a healthy defense and goaltending, and the fact that we'd be spending more time in the offensive zone.

Exactly!

I was at Monday's pre-season game, where Arizona had more vets than the Canucks, and our D was Edler, Stecher, Gudbranson, Tryamkin, Hutton, and Larson.

That's 3 legit NHL defenseman, which was roughly equivalent to most of last year. There were several stretches where Luca Sbisa was our 3rd best defenseman on the ice, when a lot of people on this board seem to think he shouldn't even crack the top 9.

[Meds]

You're forgetting that we'd give up far less goals with a healthy defense and goaltending, and the fact that we'd be spending more time in the offensive zone.

Exactly!

I was at Monday's pre-season game, where Arizona had more vets than the Canucks, and our D was Edler, Stecher, Gudbranson, Tryamkin, Hutton, and Larson.

Unless I'm missing something, that is essentially our blueline corps this year minus Tanev. Sbisa is terrile and I don't know that he really is an upgrade on Stecher or Larson.

[Hockey Widow]

The Gudbranson/Trymakin pairing was bad. The Gudbranson/Hutton pairing is good.

Trymakin is struggling a bit back on the left side, he prefers the right. He could use a season in Utica to adjust to the smaller ice but his contract situation will likely dictate he stays and if he does, he needs to play.

Larsen has not sucked. He's actually been tougher along the boards than I thought he would be. He has not shown flashes offensively yet like Stecher and Hutton but he has the experience and deserves a shot. He is better defensively than Weber but needs to produce. He was brought in to anchor the PP and I think we should give him a chance to do that with a fill line up.

All things being equal, say for argument sake, between Biega and Pedan, one has to be waived. Let's say they both clear. Who would you rather have press box duty with the Canucks and who would you rather play 18 minutes a night with Utica? Because whoever stays is staying as a 7-8 guy.

If Trymakin won't go to Utica you can rotate him in and out of the line up with Sbisa and Larsen and either Biega or Pedan. It's the problem we all saw before camp started and the big wrinkle has been Stetcher. As I mentioned a month ago the Canucks foresaw this issue once they saw Stetcher on the ice and there has been internal dialogue since.

Benning has a few pieces on D he is trying to dangle to get a top six. The problem, IMHO, is that he overvalues Sbisa and thus no trade to date. He sees Sbisa as top four and as such thinks a top four D should land you a top six winger. Buffalo needs LHD and Colorado needs RHD. There are trades to be made but the price is high and Sbisa alone won't do it. Tanev would get us Landeskog and Hutton would get us E. Kane. Are either worth it? Perhaps Tanev if we put Trymakin back on the right side but I don't know how he would partner with Edler. but Stetcher played very well with Edler which just might make it more attractive to trade Tanev now.

I would rather keep a top four of Tanev/Edler, Gudbranson/Hutton. With the other bodies we can ice a serviceable 5-6 pairing that can play 15-18 a night depending upon special team opportunities in any given game. But if we trade Tanev I think Stetcher could step right in and play with Edler and that still leaves our bottom pairing with four guys fighting it out.

[Iceman2014]

The Gudbranson/Trymakin pairing was bad. The Gudbranson/Hutton pairing is good.

Trymakin is struggling a bit back on the left side, he prefers the right. He could use a season in Utica to adjust to the smaller ice but his contract situation will likely dictate he stays and if he does, he needs to play.

Larsen has not sucked. He's actually been tougher along the boards than I thought he would be. He has not shown flashes offensively yet like Stecher and Hutton but he has the experience and deserves a shot. He is better defensively than Weber but needs to produce. He was brought in to anchor the PP and I think we should give him a chance to do that with a fill line up.

All things being equal, say for argument sake, between Biega and Pedan, one has to be waived. Let's say they both clear. Who would you rather have press box duty with the Canucks and who would you rather play 18 minutes a night with Utica? Because whoever stays is staying as a 7-8 guy.

If Trymakin won't go to Utica you can rotate him in and out of the line up with Sbisa and Larsen and either Biega or Pedan. It's the problem we all saw before camp started and the big wrinkle has been Stetcher. As I mentioned a month ago the Canucks foresaw this issue once they saw Stetcher on the ice and there has been internal dialogue since.

Benning has a few pieces on D he is trying to dangle to get a top six. The problem, IMHO, is that he overvalues Sbisa and thus no trade to date. He sees Sbisa as top four and as such thinks a top four D should land you a top six winger. Buffalo needs LHD and Colorado needs RHD. There are trades to be made but the price is high and Sbisa alone won't do it. Tanev would get us Landeskog and Hutton would get us E. Kane. Are either worth it? Perhaps Tanev if we put Trymakin back on the right side but I don't know how he would partner with Edler. but Stetcher played very well with Edler which just might make it more attractive to trade Tanev now.

I would rather keep a top four of Tanev/Edler, Gudbranson/Hutton. With the other bodies we can ice a serviceable 5-6 pairing that can play 15-18 a night depending upon special team opportunities in any given game. But if we trade Tanev I think Stetcher could step right in and play with Edler and that still leaves our bottom pairing with four guys fighting it out.

Hutton for E. Kane? If Benning does that, the fans will run him out of town. That is an asinine ask for E. Kane. Is that what the asking price is from Buff?? I'd deal Sbisa for E. Kane but not much else. If Canucks deal for Kane, I can see him being suspended for conduct reasons etc. Kane has a history of being a team cancer and is very skilled at getting into legal scrapes...he's just an idiot. The only way I'd be OK with him coming here is if we give up little to get him. Canucks don't have a lot of top 6 talent and Benning has to start gambling a bit...maybe Kane has finally learned?

[Hockey Widow]

Don't worry ice, Benning won't make that deal. The offer was Sbisa for Kane, Buffalo balked and asked for Hutton. Talks ended. On the one hand Buffalo is trying to sell Kane as a legit top six that commands a top return but on the other Murray keeps trash talking him. If Kane is traded he will have to be traded at a discount as damaged goods which is why he hasn't been moved. GM pride. There is no chance he goes to jail, it is basically a civil matter with non felony charges that amount to nothing. There are no on ice issues with him. Buffalo is hoping he can just show up and play.

Hutton isn't going anywhere.

[SKYO]

Kane has scored 20 goals just once in the past 4 seasons, he'd be good if he was @ $3M per on the 3rd line at this point.
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As Mëds mentioned we played that defense without Tanev and AZ took it to us pretty good, to me that means we go with the defense as is until one of Tryamkin and/or Stecher are ready for top 4 duty, which isn't right now, could be after this season, like at the draft trade.

Guds seemed frustrated playing Tryamkin as they are both right side guys and don't compliment each other well with their skill sets.

Tryamkin as the #7 guy for now would be great, no pressure, can learn on the fly while he gets used to how he'll be deployed, so hopefully he wont mistake going on the ice and get a too many men on the ice calls.

WD will side with his old pal Larsen, so he'll get first crack with Sbisa on the 3rd pairing.

Granted if Stecher scores and gets an assist next game, WD's hand could be forced to put him in.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Sbisa is negative value or he'd be gone already

[Meds]

Sbisa is negative value or he'd be gone already

I dunno Blob.

If what Wids is saying is on the level about Elmer considering Sbisa a top-4, then it's not negative value that's keeping him here, it's that aforementioned GM pride.

[Rocky Dennis]

If this is posted elsewhere, my apologies:

"NY Rangers Nicklas Jensen (LW) Assigned RW Nicklas Jensen to Hartford (AHL)."
rewarded for his goal last night.

"Vancouver Borna Rendulic (RW) Assigned RW Borna Rendulic to Utica (AHL).
Vancouver Joseph Labate (C) Assigned C Joseph Labate to Utica (AHL).
Vancouver James Sheppard (C) Released C James Sheppard.
Vancouver Dmitry Zhukenov (C) Assigned C Dmitry Zhukenov to Chicoutimi (QMJHL).
Vancouver Olli Juolevi (D) Assigned D Olli Juolevi to London (OHL)."

source: http://sportsstats.cbc.ca/hockey/nhl-tr ... _2016.html

[Blob Mckenzie]

Mëds this team needs more than the Biter and Miller off the books next year. Apparently they ( and a lot of delusional fans) fancy themselves as playoff contenders this and every year. With large raises to Gudbranson, Horvat and Ben Hutton , how do they add D help or 2nd line help? They don't. And really they also need some size up front that can actually play. I see Virtanen and ........... nobody in the pipeline. A lot of wet farts in the top nine. That shit doesn't make the playoffs let alone win a round or two.

This is why the contracts to Sbisa, Dorsett and the Ethiopian suck shit and hamstring the team from improving for the next few years.