Canucks News, Rumours, & Fantasy GM

[m9]

I love this. Been saying since the start of the Benning era that there are no standards here, no expectations, that this team is a country club. This is *exactly* the attitude the organization needs to have.

That said, don’t circle back on Boeser. Move on.

Yup, finally some much-needed accountability. It will be interesting to see which players buy-in and which don't.

If Boeser buys in, fair enough - I have my doubts. But lets clean out the lazy and entitled members of the team, most of whom were brought in by a previous management group that had the same personality flaws themselves.

 

[ziploc]

Yup, finally some much-needed accountability. It will be interesting to see which players buy-in and which don't.

If Boeser buys in, fair enough - I have my doubts. But lets clean out the lazy and entitled members of the team, most of whom were brought in by a previous management group that had the same personality flaws themselves.

I think I remember some report that said Tocchet is still in better shape than most of his players. I don’t think he will tolerate all this lollygagging we’ve been seeing for the past several years.

 

[m9]

I think I remember some report that said Tocchet is still in better shape than most of his players. I don’t think he will tolerate all this lollygagging we’ve been seeing for the past several years.

Agreed, but I think it goes much deeper than that because the management group including Allvin & the Sedins think exactly the same way. Wouldn't surprise me if Foote/Gonchar are like that as well.

All that being said, hopefully we see it in action. This management group says many things that I agree with but the end results don't always match.

 

[MS]

What do you think Compher is as a player?

Avs board's consensus opinion is far different than yours. You seem to have him rated quite highly

I think he's a solid two-way 3C whose perception is suffering there because he's basically playing 2C in the role that Kadri scored 87 points in last year and he's simply nowhere near that good.

But I think he's a good target - good for 30-40 points/year in the right role (he'll score 50 this year but wouldn't be getting that icetime here) in 16-17 mid-high leverage minutes, kills penalties, skates well. Young UFA who shouldn't age out on a 4-year deal.

 

[StickShift]

The insinuation towards Boeser across a couple quotes this week makes me wonder if they’ve concluded there isn’t a market for him unless they significantly retain—and that whipping him into shape mentally and physically is the least onerous route to take.

 

[604]

Probably not a great idea to bank on a college free agent to step right into the NHL and play top pairing minutes.

That's why Bear is also there.

Hughes has made Schenn and Bear look like top pair capable guys.

 

[MS]

The insinuation towards Boeser across a couple quotes this week makes me wonder if they’ve concluded there isn’t a market for him unless they significantly retain—and that whipping him into shape mentally and physically is the least onerous route to take.

I've wondered the same thing.

 

[Nucker101]

The insinuation towards Boeser across a couple quotes this week makes me wonder if they’ve concluded there isn’t a market for him unless they significantly retain—and that whipping him into shape mentally and physically is the least onerous route to take.

The fact that Tocchet mentioned him getting into better shape really does confirm a lot of suspicions. If he can get back into peak shape and become close to the player he was during the bubble season, then he goes from overpaid to a guy you actually want on the team.

 

[Vector]

This is stupid but fun.

 

[JohnHodgson]

The insinuation towards Boeser across a couple quotes this week makes me wonder if they’ve concluded there isn’t a market for him unless they significantly retain—and that whipping him into shape mentally and physically is the least onerous route to take.

I don't think so.

It's been reported multiple times that there's a market for Boeser if they retain. They didn't want to retain so no deal got made.

It makes sense if you think about it... Granlund (who's a worse player) just got a 2nd round pick and has 2 more years at 5M.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

What I also like about the players starting earlier is it may help with injury prevention. Obviously there is nothing that can be done about freak accidents. However starting early will help eliminate overtraining symptoms. Also being stronger will give the joints more support, and with more time for flexibility training will strengthen the connective tissue. Not having our players start the year playing through an injury is a benefit. Boeser in particular always seems to get injured during during the preseason.

 

[Horvat1C]

We move Garland/Boeser in the offseason for a return similar to the Bjorkstrand trade (3rd + 4th). This gives us enough cap to sign one of Barbashev or Gavrikov. If we move Myers with a mid round pick attached then we can get both.

 

[JanBulisPiggyBack]

We move Garland/Boeser in the offseason for a return similar to the Bjorkstrand trade (3rd + 4th). This gives us enough cap to sign one of Barbashev or Gavrikov. If we move Myers with a mid round pick attached then we can get both.

Barbashev would be fine at a low cap hit, I have no idea what he should be getting paid, I’m pretty sure somebody will give him term too

 

[RobertKron]

Speaking of off season training I heard an interesting conversation with Ryan Johnston on the radio yesterday about Abbotsford.
He emphasized that most of the basic skills players need can only be worked on in the off season as there’s not time during the season. And one he focused on was skating.
They have a skating coach for Abbotsford, Mackenzie Braid, and Johnston said a lot of the improvement comes from building up core and lower body strength (and of course working on technique). Players he specifically mentioned as needing to work on skating were Raty and Karlsson.
It was an interesting listen.

For sure. Players are largely trying to just maintain their playing weight and nurse nagging injuries throughout the season. It's unrealistic to expect anything more.

 

[FlowMaster]

Hronek
Rienbacher
Livingstone

Is a pretty good right side, all under 26 years old.

Then Hughes
Gavrikov (?)
Wolanin

On left.

That’s a competent d core.

 

[Hammman]

Hronek
Rienbacher
Livingstone

Is a pretty good right side, all under 26 years old.

Then Hughes
Gavrikov (?)
Wolanin

On left.

That’s a competent d core.

And Shinkaruk-Horvat-Virtanen will be our new WCE! Or was that Kassian on there...

Point being, projecting two players who have never played an NHL game to make up 2/3s of a 'good' right side seems pretty ambitious at this stage.

Side note from me poking around looking at old players: Sergei Shirokov is 37 YEARS OLD.

 

[CanucksMJL]

View attachment 668970

from's the canucks perspective, no way in hell should they be going into the 2025-26 season (second year of pettersson's new deal and with kuzmenko expiring) with nearly $5m removed from the cap. 2025-2027 is the contending window they've set out. the OEL buyout would f*** it up.

it would be unbeliveably short sighted IMO for a non-playoff team to make this move just to have space to make the playoffs next year. i can wrap my head around an incremental build - a buyout would be closer to the "all-in" logic of acquiring OEL in the first place.

Note** I edited down your post so it was easier to respond to the part I was interested in.

OEL is a clear buyout candidate IMO. The formula I use to make most of the decision is simple. OEL cap - buyout cap - replacement player cap must be greater than zero. So the question is can you find a player that is equivalent or better than OEL at a number that makes the formula work. In the 2 years you mentioned as concerning we're talking roughly 2.4M. I think it is very reasonable that we can find a player that is as good or better at that cap. Especially if we are talking about what OEL might look like 2 years from now. As it is we're on the hook for 7.2M in those same years you are worried about. I think that a buyout offers us a better opportunity to make use of that 7.2M. One way or another we've got 5M in dead cap because an underperforming player is dead cap relative to their underperformance.

Another benefit to the buyout is the short-term cap crunch. The cap savings for the next 2 years is about 7M and then 4.8M. With other terrible contracts set to expire within and just after this window, the flexibility that we've all craved is there for the taking.

There 4 years of 2.1M dead cap afterwards is the downside. It's annoying but not crippling. When that time comes it will actually be 2M in additional space compared to the previous 2 years. Hopefully the world is a better place and the cap will have risen and 2M is barely relevant. Alternatively we're in a WW3 hellscape and we won't care anyhow.

if they do the buyout after next season, it makes a bit more sense from OEL's perspective, but still hurts the Canucks in those crucial years


View attachment 668974

This is the year for the buyout. 300k/yr savings and a 2M savings 8 years from now is useless. Especially when the largest cap relief comes with a buyout this year when it has incredible utility. That said, If they keep him this year then next year makes sense too.

 

[604]

Keep suggesting short sighted moves that cost us in the future.

How about we stop signing expensive UFAs? Value UFAs are fine, buying in day 1 is almost always a bad decision.

Also, why buyout OEL? Do what smart teams do, okay him until the wheels fall off, then LTIR him.

 

[FlowMaster]

And Shinkaruk-Horvat-Virtanen will be our new WCE! Or was that Kassian on there...

Point being, projecting two players who have never played an NHL game to make up 2/3s of a 'good' right side seems pretty ambitious at this stage.

Side note from me poking around looking at old players: Sergei Shirokov is 37 YEARS OLD.

I take your point. I would argue this is different, Reinbacher is playing against men and excelling in a top piar role. Livingstone with his size and point totals tracks as a 3rd pair quite fairly, especially given the success of some young college free agent D man signings in the league lately.

Shinkaruk and Virtanen were never great prospects... Horvat was always seen as a 2nd/3rd line center.

Also - this is a hockey forum where fans have fun talking about hockey. Keep that in mind

 

[Vector]

Also, why buyout OEL? Do what smart teams do, okay him until the wheels fall off, then LTIR him.

What's your opinion on the Wild?

 

[credulous]

What's your opinion on the Wild?

the wild couldn't have resigned kaprizov and eriksson-ek if they hadn't bought out suter and parise. they also have a strong prospect pipeline to replace their contributions with players on elcs. totally different situation

 

[krutovsdonut]

can anyone recall a situation ever where the canucks have 5 dmen injured who were either pencilled in as starters at camp this year or brought in as starters during the year, who all make more than a buriable salary, and who all would, in theory, draw straight into the lineup if healthy.

oel, hronek, bear, poolman and dermott.

yet our defence is playing better than at any time in recent memory.

 

[Vector]

the wild couldn't have resigned kaprizov and eriksson-ek if they hadn't bought out suter and parise. they also have a strong prospect pipeline to replace their contributions with players on elcs. totally different situation

Not comparing there's to ours. But the blanket statement that smart teams sit on their bad long term contracts and LTIR them is not true.

 

[604]

What's your opinion on the Wild?

That they're a team that doesn't look like it's going anywhere any time soon.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

The Canucks should offer *Emil Pettersson* an 8 year x $1.25M contract (fully buryable in the AHL), and then use that to get a $10M discount on the contract Elias signs.