Post-Game Talk: [GM55] Canucks defeat Maple Leafs | 2-1 | Hronek & Boeser | Dead Leafs on the Dirty Ground

[logan5]

Thinking as well as a Soucy trade eventually, we should try and trade Myers as well. Willander is more than adequate replacement for him on the right side. That would free up another 3 million in cap space that can be used to get another high end C. Right now we have 7.5 million in cap space plus another 3.25 when Soucy gets traded - total 10.75, then trade Myers -total 13.75 million. Could add 2 huge pieces to the forward group with that. Plus the cap going up by 7.5 million next season, and forwards are a lot easier to get than defencemen. Things are looking up.

 

[thecupismine]

Team's defensive structure has turned the corner since M. Petey arrived, both up front and on the blueline - very cohesive unit that reminds me of last year. More importantly, Juulsen's been benched and Desharnais is gone, and that's drastically improved the puck movement even without Hughes around.

Junior has been good, but he's much more of a young Mattias Nordstrom than another Edler/Ohlund. Given how well Forbert has played, he's definitely the odd-man out once Hughes is ready. Extremely promising signs for the future though - excited to see if he can snag that bottom pairing role full-time next year.

On the forward front, Petey finally showed something today. Sherwood always brings him into the fight, and I hope they're stapled together moving forward. If Petey can get back to playing that way consistently (both offensively and defensively), there's a clear path forward to contention. Baby steps though, one day at a time.

Overall, solid win. Team is playing to it's identity & is putting in a workmanlike effort every night now that the locker-room drama is (hopefully) behind them.

 

[NailsHoglander]

Nice win.

Hopefully Hughes doesn't play in that stupid tournament and uses the time off to get well.

 

[VanJack]

One of the hardest, most physical game the Canucks have played this year. They really seem to be able to close down the ice against these Leaf stars, and then win a majority of the puck battles.

But as usual, William Nylander was one of the best players on the ice. It's hard to get past the fact that the Canucks could have drafted him in 2014 instead of the legendary Jake Virtanen.

 

[rypper]

I find it comical that some Leafs fans seem to hold it against Hughson for being a Canucks fan. Like whatever man, he's still one of the best play by play commentators of the last 20~ years, he ended up calling all y'alls games, and you're mad that he's a fan of another team?

Still?

Even after all these years since his retirement?

There's been a few times via siriusxm I've listened to leafs games where it's the local team on the play by play, and these guys just gush over the team.

They can do no wrong, any penalty they take is bullshit, and any penalty the opposing team takes is tantamount to 1st degree murder. Matthews is gods gift to hockey etc.

So it's no wonder to me, that when they have an announce team that calls it even and unbiased they hate it, because they're used to being fed full on sugar.

I am biased but I love our local teams, batch and Shorty, because they do an amazing job and call an even game. They put some oomph behind every goal regardless if it's van or their opponent.

 

[Quinning]

That pass from Pettersson to Hronek was insane.

 

[rypper]

But as usual, William Nylander was one of the best players on the ice. It's hard to get past the fact that the Canucks could have drafted him in 2014 instead of the legendary Jake Virtanen.

He was? Outside of his breakaway he wasn't really a factor.

 

[HelloCookie]

I'm helping my leafs fan friend move today, and this was the only acceptable result tbh

 

[rypper]

Tocchet said he didn't think Demko was serious, and it wasn't the knee. The great HNIC detective Kelly Hrudey was trying to say the way he stood up from his knees was surely a sign that he was injured in warmup. But it looked like a nothing burger to me.

I think he took a high shot in an tender, under protected area, I saw someone say the collar bone, and that's what took him out.

Regardless Lankinen played great. Having both guys rolling is a good luxury to have.

 

[Indiana]

a Soucy trade eventually, we should try and trade Myers as well
Willander is more than adequate replacement

As much as I'd like both traded, it's also good to have a deep defense corps that can absorb injuries & outlast opposing teams in a 16-game war of attrition.

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

He's a sieve

k. so u didn't, or don't know how to evaluate a player

 

[CanucksSayEh]

Nylander flubbed a bunch of chances, but he consistently generates those chances. Very impressive skater, effortless stride.

Matthews and Marner... as bruce says, Nobody is afraid of those guys.

 

[rypper]

Thinking as well as a Soucy trade eventually, we should try and trade Myers as well. Willander is more than adequate replacement for him on the right side.

Let's just pump the brakes and let the guy play an NHL game first and establish himself before we anoint him ready to replace Tyler Myers.

I think some of us are getting smoked out on EP25 and think every prospect will come out the gate like that.

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

Thinking as well as a Soucy trade eventually, we should try and trade Myers as well. Willander is more than adequate replacement for him on the right side. That would free up another 3 million in cap space that can be used to get another high end C. Right now we have 7.5 million in cap space plus another 3.25 when Soucy gets traded - total 10.75, then trade Myers -total 13.75 million. Could add 2 huge pieces to the forward group with that. Plus the cap going up by 7.5 million next season, and forwards are a lot easier to get than defencemen. Things are looking up.

this is silly. guy hasn't even played an nhl game yet.

 

[RandV]

I'm laughing at all this talk about how we play much better when the main difference maker in the last 5-6 games has been goaltending. While defence has improved, if we did not get excellent goaltending, we win 2-3 games out of the last 8 and not 6.

Strong goaltending tends to go hand in hand with strong defense. And it's kind of the point that if Demko is back on his game with Lankinen in tandem that's what we're going to get that most games.

 

[rypper]

Stopped by the leafs PGT and...

 

[CanucksSayEh]

Do twins have twin penises?

 

[valkynax]

I find it comical that some Leafs fans seem to hold it against Hughson for being a Canucks fan. Like whatever man, he's still one of the best play by play commentators of the last 20~ years, he ended up calling all y'alls games, and you're mad that he's a fan of another team?

Still?

Even after all these years since his retirement?

Hughson, this is what I immediately think of:

 

[VanJack]

He was? Outside of his breakaway he wasn't really a factor.

Every time I looked up, he had the puck on his stick and was able to gain the blueline with ease. Unlucky not to score, particularly when they pushed the pace in the third period.

So far this season he has 33 goals and 55 points in 55 games. Last season it was 40 goals and 58 assists for 98 points in 82 games.

As for Virtnanen.....well who knows......is he even playing hockey any more?

 

[Vector]

Tonight’s Game

• Fast-paced; both teams were flying
• Never like to give up a goal with 4 seconds left but though the guys were resilient

Pettersson, Petey

• Did a great job of selling the pass to Hronek by looking elsewhere
• Could tell, early on, that he was into the game
• One time, Tocchet called his name to get out there and match up against Matthews and Pettersson hesitated; Tocchet told him he has Matthews
• Needs a little bit of a push and thought tonight was a big thing for him
• Just wants Pettersson to have fun at the 4 Nations Tournament; hopeful it rejuvenates his whole demeanor
• Has to understand that pressure can sometimes be fun

Myers-Pettersson Pairing

• They get in the way; play the game the right way
• Feels like they’ve been partners for a couple of years

Lankinen

• Is such a professional; has done this all year
• Feels Lankinen is disappointed he hadn’t played for a few games but never complained
• Told Lankinen that he should be upset at not getting ice time
• Can go in cold and give you some minutes

Penalty Kill

• Really good at finding seems; sell the shot and then go East-West
• Taking the back ice against teams like that is big
• Penalty kill was excellent

Demko

• Wasn’t hurt in warm-up; happened during the game
• Doesn’t think it’s that serious, from the early reports
• Not the knee

Game Plan

• Lately, have been getting a lot of buy in for the game plan
• Lot of different ways to win; some are ugly and some are pretty

Season Pause

• Part of him wants the season to continue but another part thinks the team needs a bit of a reset
• Some guys just need to get away from hockey for a bit
• Depth of the team is really helping them
• Guys have to be proud of their defensive game

Hughes

• Was coaching the game so no update
• Will find out what’s going to happen but will have to make some decisions soon

Hronek

• Was rusty when first coming back from his injury
• Is getting some good traction the last 3-4 games
• Playing big minutes and thinks this is where he comes alive; can play him 25 minutes and he doesn’t get tired

 

[geebster]

Hughes

• Was coaching the game so no update
• Will find out what’s going to happen but will have to make some decisions soon

Tocchet confirms we are shopping Hughes.

- Dhaliwal, 2/9/2025 (probably)

 

[sensodyne17]

Thinking as well as a Soucy trade eventually, we should try and trade Myers as well. Willander is more than adequate replacement for him on the right side. That would free up another 3 million in cap space that can be used to get another high end C. Right now we have 7.5 million in cap space plus another 3.25 when Soucy gets traded - total 10.75, then trade Myers -total 13.75 million. Could add 2 huge pieces to the forward group with that. Plus the cap going up by 7.5 million next season, and forwards are a lot easier to get than defencemen. Things are looking up.

Absolutely not.

Myers is a steal at his cap hit and he’s a huge locker room presence as a veteran. He can step up in a pinch to play top minutes. You’re not finding that value anywhere else at 3M.

Horrible take to be honest. Myers is not going anywhere.

 

[geebster]

Every time I looked up, he had the puck on his stick and was able to gain the blueline with ease. Unlucky not to score, particularly when they pushed the pace in the third period.

So far this season he has 33 goals and 55 points in 55 games. Last season it was 40 goals and 58 assists for 98 points in 82 games.

As for Virtnanen.....well who knows......is he even playing hockey any more?

He was absolutely worthless defensively though. We abused him everytime we had the zone and he was out there. We wouldnt accept someone checking out like that so consistently on defense even if they produced offensively. Not that Leafs fans do, their post game thread was very critical of all their star players.

 

[sensodyne17]

I'm laughing at all this talk about how we play much better when the main difference maker in the last 5-6 games has been goaltending. While defence has improved, if we did not get excellent goaltending, we win 2-3 games out of the last 8 and not 6.

Huh?

Better defence directly correlates with better goaltending.

Firing Juulsen to the moon, putting Soucy on the third pair and adding MP and DPetey has completely stabilized this defense.

When you completely revamp your D core (in a good way), the on-ice performance shows.

We are doing all this without Hughes and three new roster additions with no practice time. Give credit where credit is due.

 

[sensodyne17]

I know I'm not breaking new ground here, but man that Hronek pickup was a stroke of genius

Incredible pro-scouting by the Canucks to find a guy like this that was somehow available at a relatively reasonable price.

How many of the people here on this board were crucifying Allvin on both the trade and the re-signing?

The pro scouting hits on defense has been quite impressive. Sure we had our mistakes in Desharnais and Juulsen and some other marginal guys that didn’t work out, but the hits have been way more impactful and higher in volume: Cole, Zadorov, Hronek, MP and re-signing Myers at 3M (another contract that people cried about) looking genius right now.

Allvin completely revamped the D core in only 3 years through a series of complex transactions (Horvat to Hronek, Miller to MP). And we still got Willander, DPetey, kurdaystev, and Mynio in the pipeline. Also excited to see what Mancini is capable of. Really loving this approach… building from the back-end really elevates the floor of the team. Benning couldn’t get any good defenseman in 7/8 years outside of Hughes dropping in his lap.

Next step in this re-tool is acquiring some high-end forwards. Trading Boeser, Suter and Soucy could give us some draft ammo. Also open to signing Suter to a reasonable extension… 4x4?