Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign F Linus Karlsson, D Cole McWard, to 1-Year, Two-Way Deals

[RobertKron]

Yeah, there’s this thing where people love to compare any average-sized, average-skilled defensive defender to Chris Tanev and just don’t grasp that Tanev is a) in the 99th percentile for IQ, and b) is in the 99th percentile for grit and taking hits to make plays. The guy is a unicorn. And, oh, he’s probably in about the 95th percentile for backward skating and footwork, too.

He’s a hilarious combination of all the skills fans under-value with none of the skills fans overrate and people (starting with our moron ex-GM) have never been able to figure out why he was so good, or even how good he was/is.

The other thing is that Tanev was playing at like 5'4" into his mid-later teens.

 

[F A N]

Yeah, there’s this thing where people love to compare any average-sized, average-skilled defensive defender to Chris Tanev and just don’t grasp that Tanev is a) in the 99th percentile for IQ, and b) is in the 99th percentile for grit and taking hits to make plays. The guy is a unicorn. And, oh, he’s probably in about the 95th percentile for backward skating and footwork, too.

He’s a hilarious combination of all the skills fans under-value with none of the skills fans overrate and people (starting with our moron ex-GM) have never been able to figure out why he was so good, or even how good he was/is.

Yep. The guy is a unicorn. It’s like his instinct is to pass just before he takes a hit. He’s a true warrior.

It’s amazing how Tanev is an attractive UFA at this time. Who here thought he would play in all 82 games in a season after leaving here? He was (clearly?) in decline in his last couple of years here but he bounced back after leaving here.

There have been 30+ year old Dmen who found the fountain of youth after leaving here but not in the way Tanev has.

 

[VanJack]

The one thing I've observed about Allvin and Rutherford, is that they're refreshingly honest. I remember at the start of last season, Rutherford stated that 'just about everything would have to go right for the Canucks to even make the playoffs'.

Although the team far surpassed that threshold, I'm sure at the time Rutherford really believed it. That's why when both Allvin and Rutherford say they expect three or four guys from Abbotsford to make a serious bid to crack the lineup next season, I don't dismiss it as 'media spin' about their prospect pool.

And obviously two of those guys are the recently signed Karlsson and McWard. But you can probably add Sasson, Bains and Raty to the mix as well. And of course Silovs has the inside track for the backup job.

Likewise when the Canucks say they're taking a long look at Lekkermaki at the NHL-level I don't dismiss it. Unless he pulls a full-on faceplant in training camp, I suspect he survives right through the exhibition schedule and if he impresses, he may even get an NHL game or two.