Abbotsford Canucks | Season Starting

[Jerry the great]

I’ve watched him play live so much that I can’t envision a scenario where he’s actually able to make the NHL as a real player.

squint harder

 

[MS]

I’ve watched him play live so much that I can’t envision a scenario where he’s actually able to make the NHL as a real player.

Yeah, the literal best-possible outcome is that he scores 25 goals or something in the AHL this year and we somehow get a little bit of value for him in some sort of package deal at the deadline.

The guy makes Daniel Sprong look like Patrice Bergeron. I don't think he's ever going to play in the NHL for anyone but he's sure as hell never going to play in the NHL for Rick Tocchet.

 

[wonton15]

Yeah, the literal best-possible outcome is that he scores 25 goals or something in the AHL this year and we somehow get a little bit of value for him in some sort of package deal at the deadline.

The guy makes Daniel Sprong look like Patrice Bergeron. I don't think he's ever going to play in the NHL for anyone but he's sure as hell never going to play in the NHL for Rick Tocchet.

Yeah, they should try to pump and dump him. I think he’s the clear top candidate as the throw in prospect in the upcoming defense trade. Perfect trade chip as a “quantity” B tier piece - like a Joni Jurmo.

 

[Vector]

Yeah, the literal best-possible outcome is that he scores 25 goals or something in the AHL this year and we somehow get a little bit of value for him in some sort of package deal at the deadline.

The guy makes Daniel Sprong look like Patrice Bergeron. I don't think he's ever going to play in the NHL for anyone but he's sure as hell never going to play in the NHL for Rick Tocchet.

Yeah, they should try to pump and dump him. I think he’s the clear top candidate as the throw in prospect in the upcoming defense trade. Perfect trade chip as a “quantity” B tier piece - like a Joni Jurmo.

Joni Jurmo was considered positive value for the Flames and Klimovich is pretty much the exact same player. So there’s hope someone see value in him this year if he can just turn it around a little bit.

 

[alternate]

The club played him with Hughes through the 2023 preseason and when they're listing players they're really high on his name always seems to be in the mix. A few posters here also seem to really like him when they watch the games.

I just don't see it. Nothing about him projects.

The team has name checked him constantly and apparently are interested in what he can do with the NHL team.

Sure, but all that has quieted down with the start he's had. Don't think anyone is pumping his tires recently.

Still think he's got a path to being a 3rd pairing guy with good mobility and transition game. But the cupboard for bottom of the roster dmen prospects is getting a bit cluttered, so he needs to take a step before he gets left behind.

 

[Vector]

Sure, but all that has quieted down with the start he's had. Don't think anyone is pumping his tires recently.

Still think he's got a path to being a 3rd pairing guy with good mobility and transition game. But the cupboard for bottom of the roster dmen prospects is getting a bit cluttered, so he needs to take a step before he gets left behind.

The Canucks are going to hope their current group can iron out some of the defensive looseness they’ve exhibited in the early going, and there’s curiosity about what Cole McWard might be able to bring to the Vancouver lineup at some point this season.

This is from a Thomas Drance article two days ago.

I want to like McWard and do trust this teams management to evaluate their own prospects but every time I’ve watched in the last year, I’ve not noticed he was on the ice. I hope he can stay healthy and have a big development year because, as you say, he’ll get left behind pretty quick.

 

[alternate]

Curiosity about what he might bring isn't exactly a runaway hype machine. But sure, if you feel there's a bunch of hype around McWard, ok. Doesn't really matter to the point MS was making about his viability as a prospect. I liked his initial showing, but not sure he's improved at all since. Hype or not, MS is correct in that McWard needs to show more, and soon.

 

[MS]

Sure, but all that has quieted down with the start he's had. Don't think anyone is pumping his tires recently.

Still think he's got a path to being a 3rd pairing guy with good mobility and transition game. But the cupboard for bottom of the roster dmen prospects is getting a bit cluttered, so he needs to take a step before he gets left behind.

He’s a slightly undersized 4-5D at the AHL level who is butter-soft defensively and doesn’t produce much offense. He’s in his draft+6.

To me he’s not a prospect at all. Jett Woo is head-and-shoulders a better player and Woo is not going to make it, it doesn’t look like.

The Canucks are going to hope their current group can iron out some of the defensive looseness they’ve exhibited in the early going, and there’s curiosity about what Cole McWard might be able to bring to the Vancouver lineup at some point this season.

This is from a Thomas Drance article two days ago.

I want to like McWard and do trust this teams management to evaluate their own prospects but every time I’ve watched in the last year, I’ve not noticed he was on the ice. I hope he can stay healthy and have a big development year because, as you say, he’ll get left behind pretty quick.

Exactly. It’s weird to read stuff like this because it doesn’t line up with what’s actually happening with the player. He just isn’t very good.

 

[Lindgren]

He’s a slightly undersized 4-5D at the AHL level who is butter-soft defensively and doesn’t produce much offense. He’s in his draft+6.

To me he’s not a prospect at all. Jett Woo is head-and-shoulders a better player and Woo is not going to make it, it doesn’t look like.



Exactly. It’s weird to read stuff like this because it doesn’t line up with what’s actually happening with the player. He just isn’t very good.

My impression, and the experts can (will) correct me if I'm wrong, is that he's not getting significant time on either special team. So, he's good at ...?

Get Felton (aka NCAA guy) in there.

 

[Spectrefire]

I just don't see it.

To be fair, that just seems like a you problem tho

 

[arttk]

I’ve watched him play live so much that I can’t envision a scenario where he’s actually able to make the NHL as a real player.

Imagine Tocchet playing him just to spite you

 

[Vector]

Imagine Tocchet playing him just to spite you

I’m a big fan of spite so I’d be into it.

 

[MS]

To be fair, that just seems like a you problem tho

I mean, he was playing 17-18 minutes/game last year as the team’s 5D. The coaches didn’t seem to see it either.

 

[Ernie]

Management seems to see players as projects, as in they identify individual skills that they think they can build off of. But McWard didn't really seem to get that much attention from them in the pre-season this year so he may be a project they've moved on from.

 

[Vector]

Management seems to see players as projects, as in they identify individual skills that they think they can build off of. But McWard didn't really seem to get that much attention from them in the pre-season this year so he may be a project they've moved on from.

He was injured and missed the entire pre-season. Had late off-season surgery.

 

[sting101]

In fairness a 2 year NCAA player late bloomer that turned pro and did a pretty good job acclimating to AHL and even NHL speed in a really small sample. A healthy off season and camp i like to bet would have seen him challenging Juulsen for a spot if not taking it. And this aligns with the organizations thoughts.

Watched both players live and even though Woo had better numbers last year and looked more polished and comfortable in Abby he's also had way more games plus a bigger role with PP time. McWard's focus was on becoming a reliable defender gap control and acclimation to pro hockey.

The difference is in explosiveness. McWard has more powerful skating quality edges a heavy shot and more NHL tools vs Woo who is not explosive enough to be a NHLer and like Linus Karlsson needs the game to be slower for him to be successful. McWard is also a solid 6'1 while Woo is about as much 6ft as Bo Horvat was

I dont think anyone is hyping McWard as a top4 NHL defenseman and most of us who have liked him see some 6-8D utility if he can take steps. Unfortunately he stagnated late last season which happens to some players adapting to way more games vs NCAA and his start this year has been stunted by injury.