Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign RW Loui Eriksson to 6-year, $36m deal ($6m AAV w/ NMC)

[F A N]

Actually.. you kinda do.

Agreed. Players credit linemates and former linemates all the time. You learn from your linemates and push each other.

Dorsett is what he is. Forget about maximizing him. He should be on the 4th line or pressbox. Don't get me wrong, I think he can be an effective 4th liner but he's not something you should worry about. Either he's going to give you the player he's capable of being and fighting guys so others don't have to or he will suck. Either way, if Granlund is his centre that's already a skilled centre playing with him.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Or....

Let's give a youngster some protected minutes as well as a top 6 goal to try to achieve.

Sort of like... oh... I dunno...

Bo Horvat in 2014-15 maybe?

But I'm just spitballing here as you seem to know exactly how to develop Virtanen...

No, I don't know and have no experiences on developing young players.
But if there's one thing I know, is that never try to revamp a 4th liner's offence, because he's a 4th liner.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

I think Dorsett is the most effective when he was playing with other skilled players because he's useless in stupid dump and chase plays because he's too light. I didn't see Dorsett cause any turnovers last season and when he DID get to the puck I saw him just bounce off the opposing D-man.

Versus playing with players like Bo and Bae who have a some modicum of puck possession in their play?

As well, putting Dorsett with Bae and Bo could be a mentor / safe environment type of situation where Dorsett is kind of responsible for the kids.

Last season showed that he's horrible at stupid dump and chase and after awhile of failing at that, he pretty much just quit and coasted for the season. Just trying to mitigate that from happening again.

I don't get it, why are you trying to maximize Dorsett's effectiveness.
He's a 4th liner, a plug who's almost 30.
Who cares if he's not playing to his full strength? I'm pretty sure we have tons of better RW options for Bo & Bae

 

[F A N]

I'm pretty sure we have tons of better RW options for Bo & Bae

I liked the Baertschi, Horvat, and Virtanen line. Not sure why so many posters are leaving out Virtanen in their projected lineups. It's like he's an afterthought. Hansen may be ahead of Virtanen on the depth chart, but Hansen is as good of a fit with Sutter as he is with Bo. Virtanen on the other hand is a better fit with Bo IMO.

 

[Verviticus]

Actually.. you kinda do.

That's why we talk about left shot D-men and right shot d-men.... and who should be on the PP1 and PP2... and who's a playmaking center and who's a playmaking winger...

Or do you think things just happen for no reason?

you are responding to a thing you imagined i said, rather than the thing i said. read it again.

 

[Nick Lang]

Then it is up to Dorsett to earn his chance. Said chance to play with Horv and Bae should not be given to him without seeing him trying and improving from a 4th wing position.

Quite frankly I am sick and tired of these garbage players such as Vey Sbisa Bart and Dorsett being showered with golden opportunities when they clearly did not deserve them.

Holy **** people are dumb.
Dorsett is a 4th liner, you play him on 4th line with other 4th liners.
The only reason he played well through 14-15 season is because it was his contract year

Does everyone realize fourth liners play a unique role, that of delivering time, suspending opportunities, chipping in goals and offensive threats, while allowing the skilled players to play their game?

For that role Dorsett is amazing and one of the best in the league. People making beleaguered attempts on his worth are in fact unable to see the forest for the trees, as they say.

 

[Nick Lang]

What's the difference?
He got a 4 years contract, there was no need for him to tried as hard as he did in 14-15.
Typical situation when you signed a plug long term.
Same thing would happen with Matt Martin in Toronto.

I don't think you necessarily have that right. Martin is a plug that intimidates the hell out of people, has some not bad corsi if I recall correctly, and can punch your lights out, but he sucks at hockey. Dorsett can actually play the game, and does it well for a grit player, despite how people want to **** on him because of the contract.

So at $1.5m or 2.65m he's still a great fourth liner to have on your team.

And yeah, he probably won't show his true worth until a team is plugged into the playoffs going a couple rounds and you see where the compete level is.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

I don't think you necessarily have that right. Martin is a plug that intimidates the hell out of people, has some not bad corsi if I recall correctly, and can punch your lights out, but he sucks at hockey. Dorsett can actually play the game, and does it well for a grit player, despite how people want to **** on him because of the contract.

So at $1.5m or 2.65m he's still a great fourth liner to have on your team.

And yeah, he probably won't show his true worth until a team is plugged into the playoffs going a couple rounds and you see where the compete level is.

He sure did show his true worth in the Calgary series

 

[Chairman Maouth]

A reminder that this is a Loui Eriksson thread.

 

[Olli Juolevi]

Loui is a great player and he will be a great player with the twins. I just still don't see how this fits into the big picture with his 6 year contract. If the Sedins don't retire this "retool" is just going be Calgary 2009-2012 and stuck in no mans land.

 

[Boose Brudreau]

Loui is a great player and he will be a great player with the twins. I just still don't see how this fits into the big picture with his 6 year contract. If the Sedins don't retire this "retool" is just going be Calgary 2009-2012 and stuck in no mans land.

It depends on how well we draft and the speed at which our current 2nd wave of talent develops. for example, Horvat had an ok year, but if you annualized the 2nd half of his season (works out ~55points), he produced like a very high end 2nd C (borderline 1st line C). I think it's reasonable to expect another step function in scoring for Horvat, particularly if Sutter is healthy and can take on more defensive responsibilities.

The Eriksson contract is two seasons too many in all likelihood, but he's probably move-able at that point and the contract isn't buyout proof in the last year. That said, i think it's completely within the realm of possibility that the style of his game allows him to remain quite productive in his mid thirties.

 

[JA]

I think he'll continue to be effective in the latter stages of the contract. He doesn't necessarily need to be very mobile to be productive. He does most of his work in front of the net. As long as he maintains his strength, he should be able to play the same way a few years from now. He was a flashier player in his time with the Dallas Stars, but he has now adapted his game.

 

[lousy]

I think he'll continue to be effective in the latter stages of the contract. He doesn't necessarily need to be very mobile to be productive. He does most of his work in front of the net. As long as he maintains his strength, he should be able to play the same way a few years from now. He was a flashier player in his time with the Dallas Stars, but he has now adapted and changed his game.

He looks like the perfect linemate for the sedins. He just gets himself into the right position and has good finish from there.

 

[NuxFan09]

I liked the Baertschi, Horvat, and Virtanen line. Not sure why so many posters are leaving out Virtanen in their projected lineups. It's like he's an afterthought. Hansen may be ahead of Virtanen on the depth chart, but Hansen is as good of a fit with Sutter as he is with Bo. Virtanen on the other hand is a better fit with Bo IMO.

It's because he's kind of in an awkward spot. He hasn't established himself as a top 6 player and he doesn't fit a checking line with players like Sutter and Burrows. That leaves the 4th line, which I actually don't mind him starting on, or the AHL to hone his skills.

Honestly, we still don't know what we have in Virtanen. He doesn't quite have a solid fit yet. That's just my opinion.

 

[NuxFan09]

It depends on how well we draft and the speed at which our current 2nd wave of talent develops. for example, Horvat had an ok year, but if you annualized the 2nd half of his season (works out ~55points), he produced like a very high end 2nd C (borderline 1st line C). I think it's reasonable to expect another step function in scoring for Horvat, particularly if Sutter is healthy and can take on more defensive responsibilities.

The Eriksson contract is two seasons too many in all likelihood, but he's probably move-able at that point and the contract isn't buyout proof in the last year. That said, i think it's completely within the realm of possibility that the style of his game allows him to remain quite productive in his mid thirties.

This is a huge factor. It's why I wanted the Canucks to acquire a good linemate for Horvat because they could actually conjure up a legitimate 2nd line in that case.

 

[Hit the post]

particularly if Sutter is healthy and can take on more defensive responsibilities.

All we need is Willie willing to use him as a "traditional 3C" shutdown guy. I don't see that happening.

Eriksson gives us a more formidable 1st line scoring threat - hopefully taking further pressure off the 2nd line (where I wish Horvat will center).

 

[mathonwy]

He needs to SHOW willingness to improve. Sitting him in 4W is a tough situation he put himself in, in a tough situation good players rise to the challenge, make the best of it and take advantage of limited opportunities given to them. If he shows that kind of poise and determination, even if he doesn't succeed the coach and team will still see him as a valuable player no matter which line he is in.

Not like he wasn't given repeated chance to succeed - he was once on the same line as the Sedins.

He is a 4W, an overpaid 4W. Barring a super natural miracle I don't see him doing anything more.

And no, he will not make a good mentor to the kids. A good mentor leads by example, Dorsett doesn't do that, he pretty much mailed it in after this undeserving contract was inked.

I guess we shall see.

Just to be clear I am neither defending nor promoting Dorsett in any way shape or form. For better or for worse, he's on the team and I'm just thinking through scenarios where he would be successful.

I think ultimately, Dorsett's performance will be tied to how good or bad our top 6 is doing. His career stats suggest that he is capable of being better than an average 4th liner but his last years performance says he's also capable of ****ing the dog for an entire season.

A legitimate form of motivating unmotivated employees is by giving them more responsibility. So putting him in 'charge' of BaeBo could theoretically work considering how dynamic the BaeBo duo can be.

A big part of whether this could be successful is whether WD will keep them together for more than 2 games. I don't have any trust in WD and I don't think the vets do either

 

[mathonwy]

A reminder that this is a Loui Eriksson thread.

Sorry

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Sorry

No problem bud.

 

[SillyRabbit]

Loui is a great player and he will be a great player with the twins. I just still don't see how this fits into the big picture with his 6 year contract. If the Sedins don't retire this "retool" is just going be Calgary 2009-2012 and stuck in no mans land.

This.

I don't understand what people think this signing accomplishes?

Making us slightly better for the next few years? Is that what people want?

We don't have the pieces to transition once the Sedins retire, and we don't have a good enough team to even make the playoffs while they're playing, let alone make a cup run.

So are people just happy to toil in mediocrity for the next six years?

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

This.

I don't understand what people think this signing accomplishes?

Making us slightly better for the next few years? Is that what people want?

We don't have the pieces to transition once the Sedins retire, and we don't have a good enough team to even make the playoffs while they're playing, let alone make a cup run.

So are people just happy to toil in mediocrity for the next six years?

Well, from ones perspective.
This management group is trying to create a winning environment so we can develop our next core in tt instead of just tank. Aka rebuild on the fly
It's a reasonable strategy but the sad thing is, JB isn't good at creating a winning enviroment.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

This.

I don't understand what people think this signing accomplishes?

Making us slightly better for the next few years? Is that what people want?

We don't have the pieces to transition once the Sedins retire, and we don't have a good enough team to even make the playoffs while they're playing, let alone make a cup run.

So are people just happy to toil in mediocrity for the next six years?

Who do you mean by "people?"

Benning thought we were a 100 point team last year and only injuries kept us from the playoffs. Surely, he is counting on us being healty and therefore a playoff team again.

This is the guy who still hasn't learned that we need 5 top-4 D to survive, and is now prepared to go into a season with 2.

 

[Olli Juolevi]

Well, from ones perspective.
This management group is trying to create a winning environment so we can develop our next core in tt instead of just tank. Aka rebuild on the fly
It's a reasonable strategy but the sad thing is, JB isn't good at creating a winning enviroment.

JB sucks at asset management if he was just the head amateur scout/player development that would be a perfect role for him. He's in over his head with the GM job, he scouts pro players as if they are still in junior and that is a HUGE issue.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

JB sucks at asset management if he was just the head amateur scout/player development that would be a perfect role for him. He's in over his head with the GM job, he scouts pro players as if they are still in junior and that is a HUGE issue.

He was the de facto head of amateur scouting in Boston and did an absolutely abysmal job.

This is a myth that needs to die.

 

[SillyRabbit]

Well, from ones perspective.
This management group is trying to create a winning environment so we can develop our next core in tt instead of just tank. Aka rebuild on the fly
It's a reasonable strategy but the sad thing is, JB isn't good at creating a winning enviroment.

Well the counter arguments to that are:

1) Eriksson doesn't transform this team into a "winning" team, he just makes sure we don't get a top 5 draft pick

2) Even if he somehow did manage to create a "winning" environment, we don't have enough quality prospects that would benefit from this environment. It's not like we have Marner/Nylander/Matthews or something like that that are poised to take over and need mentoring.

Toronto and Edmonton are examples of teams that need to create a winning environment. They have the pieces that are ready to take over and start winning games and pushing for that 8th playoff spot, even if they don't make it this upcoming season.

Vancouver doesn't have the pieces, so trying to create a "winning environment" not only won't work, but it will prevent us from selling assets, drafting high and acquiring those blue chip prospects.