Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign D Akito Hirose to 1-Year ELC
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sting101
Registered User
- Feb 8, 2012
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Like others I am so impressed by Hirose's poise, awareness and IQ. That pass to Kuz was top level.
And, as others have commented, I'm also concerned about size. That said, it's not just about size, it's about playing a heavier game. Burroughs, for example, is small but he plays a heavy game. From a competitive standpoint it's exhausting for forwards on the opposing team. Fighting for every inch of space is just tiring and takes a major toll over a 7 game playoff series.
Hughes is excellent defensively but all that defense comes from stick checks and agility, none from one on one physical battles. I see Hirose in the same mold.
Given the lack of flexibility they have this summer until/unless they move some wingers I would slot Hirose in behind Hughes on the 2nd pairing. It's a little early to tell but he may be a step above Wolanin defensively.
Hughes-Bear
Hirose-Hronek
OEL-Juulsen
Wolanin
Rathbone
Johansson
Brisebois
McWard
There really isn't one player in that group that can be considered a highly physical player. Hronek's the closest to playing with that edge. Ideally they would have one on every pairing.
This just screams to me the need to find defensemen that play that heavy game. This is the biggest need over the summer (followed closely by a 3C). Schenn is that type of player but his age and speed aren't a great fit. They'll need to find one in a trade.
In all of this I'm assuming Poolman and Dermott are not in the plans.
Bottom line, Hirose is a great pickup but he doesn't do anything to solve the most pressing need in the organization. More work to do.
And, as others have commented, I'm also concerned about size. That said, it's not just about size, it's about playing a heavier game. Burroughs, for example, is small but he plays a heavy game. From a competitive standpoint it's exhausting for forwards on the opposing team. Fighting for every inch of space is just tiring and takes a major toll over a 7 game playoff series.
Hughes is excellent defensively but all that defense comes from stick checks and agility, none from one on one physical battles. I see Hirose in the same mold.
Given the lack of flexibility they have this summer until/unless they move some wingers I would slot Hirose in behind Hughes on the 2nd pairing. It's a little early to tell but he may be a step above Wolanin defensively.
Hughes-Bear
Hirose-Hronek
OEL-Juulsen
Wolanin
Rathbone
Johansson
Brisebois
McWard
There really isn't one player in that group that can be considered a highly physical player. Hronek's the closest to playing with that edge. Ideally they would have one on every pairing.
This just screams to me the need to find defensemen that play that heavy game. This is the biggest need over the summer (followed closely by a 3C). Schenn is that type of player but his age and speed aren't a great fit. They'll need to find one in a trade.
In all of this I'm assuming Poolman and Dermott are not in the plans.
Bottom line, Hirose is a great pickup but he doesn't do anything to solve the most pressing need in the organization. More work to do.
According to Natural Stat Trick they have not. In his 87:46 minutes of even strength ice-time, no goals have been scored against. The only goal was shorthanded. Through 103:13 of icetime, that lone goal is the only goal scored while he's on the ice.
Hansen
tyler motte simp
That was also when Myers went for a skate and allowed a clear 2 on 1 against with Hirose as the man back
strattonius
Registered User
All this talk about Hirose lacking size is so ridiculous. This player is another 'found money' by management. Seriously Alvin should be gaining confidence from a lot of fans at the moment. But that won't be the case for some I realize as the focus will be on our overall record and simplistic arguments about being meddling in mediocrity as we finish the season sabotaging our own draft position.
Hirose makes Rathbone a little bit of a redundant asset. Don't think Rathbone has much trade value but wouldn't be surprised if we try to grab a draft pick and roster space for him this off-season.
Hirose makes Rathbone a little bit of a redundant asset. Don't think Rathbone has much trade value but wouldn't be surprised if we try to grab a draft pick and roster space for him this off-season.
Diversification
Registered User
- Jun 21, 2019
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If Hirose can handle second pairing minutes with Hronek, that is massive. Found money but not on the level of Aman or Wolanin. More similar to a Kuzmenko. A 2nd pairing LD on a sum 1M deal frees things up so much.
You can cheap out on QH’s partner because you can distribute the tough minutes more evenly.
The UFA they will likely sign in the offseason is can anchor a the 3rd pairing and all the wear and tear that relieves throughout the lineup.
And when injuries hit, as they inevitably will, then you can limp along with the kind of lineup we've had all season long. Or you can stack the top 4 and ride it out with our improved AHL depth.
The key question is whether Hirose/Hronek works against a heavy physical forecheck.
Will have to wait and see.
You can cheap out on QH’s partner because you can distribute the tough minutes more evenly.
The UFA they will likely sign in the offseason is can anchor a the 3rd pairing and all the wear and tear that relieves throughout the lineup.
And when injuries hit, as they inevitably will, then you can limp along with the kind of lineup we've had all season long. Or you can stack the top 4 and ride it out with our improved AHL depth.
The key question is whether Hirose/Hronek works against a heavy physical forecheck.
Will have to wait and see.
Canucks Army speculating that Hirose exploding on the scene makes it easier for the Canucks to contemplate an OEL buyout.
It would be one of the most expensive buy outs in NHL history, but would provide the Canucks with close to $7m in cap relief next season. And if they find a way to unload some other contracts for the likes of Boeser, Myers or Garland, it could be huge boost to this team in making a roster makeover.
Can't see any other way this team can take a quantum leap forward next season.......there's just no cap room to add much of anything.
It would be one of the most expensive buy outs in NHL history, but would provide the Canucks with close to $7m in cap relief next season. And if they find a way to unload some other contracts for the likes of Boeser, Myers or Garland, it could be huge boost to this team in making a roster makeover.
Can't see any other way this team can take a quantum leap forward next season.......there's just no cap room to add much of anything.
credulous
Registered User
- Nov 18, 2021
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- 5,966
as someone who watched hirose a fair bit in college he doesn't play like hughes in his own end at all. in fact, his development to a top pairing defender in college coincided with him developing a physical edge to his game and learning to use his body to disrupt opposing players. he'll have to develop the strength to do that in the nhl if he's going to succeed as a pro. you can see this in the games he's played so far. he looks excellent with the puck on his stick and he makes excellent decisions for the most part but he's been largely ineffective off the puck because he's easily removed from the play or just shrugged off by opposing players. his stick work isn't anywhere near good enough to be a strong defender unless he can also use his body
as for hronek i have no idea why people think he plays with an edge. he's one of the softest players in the league. the #1 criticism of him is his failure to engage without the puck and his tendency to get bullied out of the play
(i think hirose and hronek are both good players. they just both have pretty obvious deficiencies when it comes to defending in the zone)
Fair enough. Sample size is small at the NHL level. We'll see what he can do. I'm not sure how much strength he can gain at 24 and a relatively small frame. He's listed at 6'0" and 170lbs. The eye test says he may be able to top out at 180lbs but not much more. He'll need to use his stick and body position well to defend well because he isn't going to be pushing a lot of forwards off the puck.
On Hronek, anybody who fights Marchand is an instant hero in my books.
I don’t watch the Wings but their fans seem to think Hronek plays fairly physical
credulous
Registered User
- Nov 18, 2021
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i guess there's a grey area where you could think hronek plays physical. he's an okay open ice hitter and will take runs at guys in transition. he'll mix it up after the whistle in scrums too
why i think he's soft is because he's rarely willing to get tangled up on the boards or around the net. he spends too much time at arms length trying to poke check opposing players. if you push him he'll retreat and he's easy to move out of the play
The pro scouting has been ridiculously good but nobody in the media or fanbase wants to give credit where it's due.
In one year of work on the pro scouting side:
Mikheyev, Aman, Joshua, Wolanin, Hirose, McWard, Sasson, Johansson, Kuzmenko, Dries, PDG (was already in the system but they gave him a chance), Bear, Mikheyev
Building great depth at low cost and adding free legitimate prospects... also hitting a grand salami with Kuzmenko.
Compare that to Benning's track record... it's really night and day.
Hirose looks too good to be true - he'd be a great 3LD to start next year. If Kuzmenko is a grand slam, Hirose might be a triple/double. Hirose plays a very smart and smooth game... a modern NHL defeseneman. He doesn't have the size but he doesn't need it. Great find by the Canucks. Many wanted Livingstone/Malinski but Hirose looks to be a gamer.
strattonius
Registered User
You lose a ton of credibility when you make statements like this.
credulous
Registered User
- Nov 18, 2021
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i watched hronek in the nhl for four years. i lived across the street from little ceasar's arena for 2.5 of those. can players change and could hronek have changed? sure. am i confident hronek has been a soft as shit player most of his career? yes
strattonius
Registered User
Apparently 10 teams were interested in Hirose. That's considerable. Not sure the legitimacy of that statement just vaguely remember reading it somewhere.
I agree with you. The pro scouting has been a revelation compared to Benning. There's been a few misses but the point being they're taking a swing in a 3-0 count. These moves are costing us very little and we are improving in a lot of small areas. The development system with Abby, Colliton and the Sedins has been a huge area of improvement- and it's getting supplemented with these small signings.
Over exaggerated nonsense. He plays a limited physical game but I would actually say he's above average physically. 'One of the softest players in the league'...it's disingenuous, especially considering how much you've watched him
credulous
Registered User
- Nov 18, 2021
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he's a shrinking violet. all you have to do is challenge him and he'll back down every time. watch how often he gets caught watching around the net next year
Iron Mike Sharpe
Registered User
- Dec 6, 2017
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Watching last night's game with my parents-in-law:
PIL: Wow, Hirose has been playing great! So good to have him!
ME: This run could very well be the high point of his career.
Absolutely no idea how his future will play out. He's an undrafted 24-year old college kid stepping in for a look in some meaningless games. Sustaining an NHL-level of play over a full season from training camp to playoffs is another matter entirely. Hope for the best, but no high expectations here.
PIL: Wow, Hirose has been playing great! So good to have him!
ME: This run could very well be the high point of his career.
Absolutely no idea how his future will play out. He's an undrafted 24-year old college kid stepping in for a look in some meaningless games. Sustaining an NHL-level of play over a full season from training camp to playoffs is another matter entirely. Hope for the best, but no high expectations here.
Based on the signing of Kuzmenko and Hirose alone, this current version of the Canucks front office is light years better than the bumbling, stumbling group led by Benning and Weisbrod.
I mean when was the last time the Canucks added a 40-goal scorer and a d-man like Hirose in free agency in the same year, without giving up anyone? I can safely predict it's probably never happened.
Then you add in the likes of Aman, Studnicka, Kravstov, Hronek, Bear, McWard, Sasson, Tolopilo, Johannson and Bloom, and the Canucks have been one of the most active teams in the league. What's shocking is that other than Hronek, the Canucks have given up the equivalent of peanuts to acquire them.
In a lot of cases, all it cost them were contract slots or late round draft picks. Obviously not all these guys will work out, but clearly this management group is operating at a different level than their predecessors.
I mean when was the last time the Canucks added a 40-goal scorer and a d-man like Hirose in free agency in the same year, without giving up anyone? I can safely predict it's probably never happened.
Then you add in the likes of Aman, Studnicka, Kravstov, Hronek, Bear, McWard, Sasson, Tolopilo, Johannson and Bloom, and the Canucks have been one of the most active teams in the league. What's shocking is that other than Hronek, the Canucks have given up the equivalent of peanuts to acquire them.
In a lot of cases, all it cost them were contract slots or late round draft picks. Obviously not all these guys will work out, but clearly this management group is operating at a different level than their predecessors.
PuckMunchkin
Very Nice, Very Evil!
We should make him our goaltender.
We could have him on ice for full games and never get scored on 5on5!
Not that Im disagreeing with you but thats a really low bar.
But yeah at the very least there are signs of competency, even if they made moves that I personally didnt like.
- Jun 25, 2007
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Are there a lot of teams out there signing players of similar quality? I don't follow the league closely enough to have a solid idea but my impression is that the Canucks getting Sasson, Hirose and McWard is above average and well above "basic competency". Signing Kuzmenko was obviously a home run.
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