Grub's Canucks & NHL News, Rumours, and & Fantasy GM | Christmas Presents

[PavelBure10]

Something about the Canucks’ mix that coaching and management does not like

^I find that line concerning.

Add in the clip of Marchand attacking captain Quinn Hughes and the bench sitting there like a bunch of pansies, acting like nothing happened.

Something is clearly wrong behind the scenes and it needs to be resolved.

 

[ddawg1950]

He is fun to watch, he is a great skater but what has the team won? It is a team game and wins are supposed to be the standard of success.
What good is Hughes getting 100 points but the team only get 90 points and misses the playoffs?
Or he vanishes in the playoffs and becomes ordinary when teams know to shut him down and the team can't win as easily because the team has counted on him too much during the season.

It took ALL the players to get to the playoffs last year. Hughes will help get there but as good as he is where is the team now? And this was the 2nd easiest schedule in the NHL up until now.

Other teams have had worse injuries than the Canucks while having much harder schedules.

You have once again lowered the bar. This idea is dumb.

 

[valkynax]

Miller is giving me more and more Kobe Bryant vibes - fiercely competitive, and demands VERY highly of himself, and others around him.

 

[Hansen]

If even Power or Tuch are untouchable for Buffalo in an Elias Pettersson trade theres no conversation to be had.

Friedman riling up the city again like the hack he is

 

[MS]

Again, I mostly agree with you on Podz. I don't think my point about his upside and how to get it is that controversial.

I also think we have pretty similar views on Hoglander. I just don't think he was ever really "fixed" last season. He had some good shooting luck which masked some other stuff and maybe gave him some confidence so the vibes were just generally better. When he was playing his "best" last season, it was in the bottom-six in an energy role. He was just getting bounces. I don't think Tocc ever viewed him as a guy he really wanted to give a lot of ice-time to.

I just very much disagree that anything with either Podkolzin or Hoglander is because they aren't 'their guys'. Both have been given 3-4 years and tons of opportunity. Both played their best hockey under this regime. Both were treated like guys who were a high priority - and they were, given how much their value from ELCs could help us.

Hoglander was on a SH% bender last year but the overall direction and focus in his play was much better than this year. Three successive coaches have had issues with his defensive play and blaming Tocchet - the only one to actually get results from him - is freaking bizarre.

Unfortunately we should have sold high on Hoglander at the deadline last year or last summer.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I don't know what to make of this.

 

[God]

cozens has flatlined for two years. byram is interesting but needs a new contract. but outside of brady tkachuk, i don't think it's a good idea to trade pettersson - and even if tkachuk is on the table, trading for him leaves a massive hole at centre that we can't easily fill.

 

[bandwagonesque]

I don't know what to make of this.

I think maybe the smartest conclusion is that he doesn't know anything and can't add anything to what's been said other than to rearrange it.

 

[DFAC]

I don't know what to make of this.

A whole lot of nothing - looks eerily similar to my college papers trying to hit the word limit

 

[wonton15]

I think maybe the smartest conclusion is that he doesn't know anything and can't add anything to what's been said other than to rearrange it.

This. Irfaan knows nothing and just wants to “look” like he’s part of the conversation. He literally added nothing of value here other than adding fuel to the fire and now I want to unfollow him.

 

[Canucker]

I don't know what to make of this.

He's probably not wrong....if EP's name is out there generating some buzz, you'll probably have a bunch of GM's calling and asking questions about his availability. I don't think he's adding anything to the rumor mill just speaking factually about the situation...at least that's how I took it.

 

[Hodgy]

I think maybe the smartest conclusion is that he doesn't know anything and can't add anything to what's been said other than to rearrange it.

Yes. I'm not really sure why this guy has a job. Never seems to have anything insightful to say, and doesn't seem to have any real sources.

 

[Vector]

From this morning but I've been busy today.

Friedman’s Trade Idea

• Purely in Friedman’s own head
• Dylan Cozens & Bowen Byram for Elias Pettersson
• Both Friedman and Bukauskus think Vancouver would likely say “No”
• Does think Byram wants an opportunity, at some point, to be a #1 defenceman; so that might be something to look at as he gets closer to free agency; wonders if Vancouver would be worried about this
• Terry Pegula, Sabres owner, is very loyal to Kevyn Adams
• Wanted to bring it up to hear from Bukauskus and their producer, who is a Canucks fan
• Byram and Cozens played together in the lower mainland as kids

Vancouver Canucks vs Boston Bruins

• Thinks it’s okay for Canucks fans to still hate Marchand
• The booing motivated Marchand

Rick Tocchet’s Playing Days and His Coaching

• For those that didn’t watch Tocchet play, Friedman tells a story about Tocchet standing up to Wendel Clarke after Clarke ran over Mark Howe
• Tocchet was a hugely popular teammate
• Tocchet will not tolerate the lack of will and energy
• When he criticized players for not getting emotional invested in the game, that’s something he will not tolerate
• When Tocchet played, he was always emotionally invested

Rutherford & Allvin

• Canucks are going to do something; they like to be active
• You hear Rutherford saying they need to see how the team looks but are also trying to add to the roster
• Need add and subtract to the roster
• Wonders if they have too many players and there might be some guys on the margins who are a little bit unhappy
• Obviously trying to move Desharnais
• No question they are going to do something
• Rutherford has been telling everyone they are going to do something

Canucks’ Opponents

• Last season, weren’t always getting other team’s best efforts
• This season, other teams are taking the Canucks seriously
• No nights off anymore
• Was a little easier last season because not everyone was taking them seriously
• Wonders if Tocchet is looking at some guys and wants them to show him more

More on Tocchet

• Watches a lot of hockey
• Seeing what they will have to match-up with in the playoffs and thinking the Canucks are going to have to hurry up and get going

New York Rangers

• Never would have thought it would be this far into the season and the Rangers are not in a playoff spot
• 8 points back of 3rd place in the division
• Always trying to climb out of a deep hole
• Isn’t sure where this is all going to go for the organization
• Open for business
• Wonders if the Rangers are trying to make Mika Zibanejad uncomfortable

Trade Block

• Brandon Saad has been available for some time now
• Blues had been interested in Cam Fowler for a while; Fowler increased the amount of places he was willing to be traded to
• Teams out there that the Bruins and Frederic won’t be able to get a deal done but was warned about saying that; type of player playoff teams are going to want; a lot of people wondering if the Blues are in his future

 

[Russian_fanatic]

Nvm

 

[Nucker101]

I don't know what to make of this.

Sounds like a bunch of words with no real meaning.

"They may or may not trade Petey. Stay tuned for more!"

 

[bossram]

I just very much disagree that anything with either Podkolzin or Hoglander is because they aren't 'their guys'. Both have been given 3-4 years and tons of opportunity. Both played their best hockey under this regime. Both were treated like guys who were a high priority - and they were, given how much their value from ELCs could help us.

Hoglander was on a SH% bender last year but the overall direction and focus in his play was much better than this year. Three successive coaches have had issues with his defensive play and blaming Tocchet - the only one to actually get results from him - is freaking bizarre.

Unfortunately we should have sold high on Hoglander at the deadline last year or last summer.

My opinion is both are true. I don't think the players did themselves many favours with their play, but I also don't really think brass cared if they were on the roster or not. Podz was gone when it was no longer convenient, and Hogs will be soon.

Again, I don't think Hoglander's play was much different last season. Just the vibes were better because of the shooting luck. At no point was he ever reliable defensively.

I'm not even "blaming" Tocc. I don't think Hoglander is that good, or good enough that I think he is getting unwarranted criticism. It's just obvious Tocc doesn't like his game. I don't get why saying Tocc doesn't like him is even controversial. I feel like you're getting uppity at a rather banal statement. He didn't like Sprong either. I'm not saying Sprong was good (I was somewhat critical of his signing to begin with).

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Elliotte Friedman can speculate and it immediately becomes gospel. All he did this morning was speculate and it's led to this stupid buzz.

 

[Peen]

if this is coming up in a season that hasn’t gone badly, and they’re one game removed from the best game of the season and really only game this season where tjey looked like they did last year, this is something that seems untenable

annoying. just wanna watch hockey games

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Time to go full Mariah Carey Fantasy Thread:

Trade #1
To Buffalo: EP
To Vancouver: Cozens, Byram, Kulich, Buf 2026 1st (unprotected)

Trade #2
To Calgary: Cozens
To Vancouver: Andersson, lower of FLA/NJ 2025 1st

Trade #3
To Vancouver: Frost
To Philly: Van's 2025 2nd

 

[Peen]

Elliotte Friedman can speculate and it immediately becomes gospel. All he did this morning was speculate and it's led to this stupid buzz.

i don’t like elliotte but a guy like that doesn’t speculate the way he did w/o there being some fire behind that smoke

 

[valkynax]

I don't know what to make of this.

I don't think anything should be made of this.

It is a GM's job to listen and gather as much information as possible. If the right offer comes along, then sure. Otherwise, we'll stand firm and watch the flow of things. Then again, isn't that just a fancy and convoluted way to say basically nothing?

This just looks like MSM urinalists trying to stir things up when there's nothing to stir up. Even if (huge if) Pete is a liability and/or cannot get along with Miller and his presence in the locker room is detrimental (which I don't for a second believe is true), that doesn't mean a trade is bound to happen unless if it makes sense.

We can substitute the names in that tweet for any player on the team and it will mean the same shit.

 

[MS]

My opinion is both are true. I don't think the players did themselves many favours with their play, but I also don't really think brass cared if they were on the roster or not. Podz was gone when it was no longer convenient, and Hogs will be soon.

Again, I don't think Hoglander's play was much different last season. Just the vibes were better because of the shooting luck. At no point was he ever reliable defensively.

I'm not even "blaming" Tocc. I don't think Hoglander is that good, or good enough that I think he is getting unwarranted criticism. It's just obvious Tocc doesn't like his game. I don't get why saying Tocc doesn't like him is even controversial. I feel like you're getting uppity at a rather banal statement. He didn't like Sprong either. I'm not saying Sprong was good (I was somewhat critical of his signing to begin with).

If anything the organization has been *overly* patient and overly invested in Hoglander. I would probably have traded him two years ago.

I wouldn't say I'm 'uppity' about it but to me both guys have been given massive opportunity here and their failure to grab those opportunities lies 100% on them. Saying that 'they weren't the team's guys' is a lame excuse and goes against the very obvious large effort that was put into these two players by the new regime and new coaches for 3-4 years.

 

[Peen]

also, reiterating what others have said, but im rly against trading for guys w massive red flag injury history

those byrams concussions man

 

[Nucker101]

i don’t like elliotte but a guy like that doesn’t speculate the way he did w/o there being some fire behind that smoke

This. My guess is that the Sabres offered this deal.

 

[bossram]

If anything the organization has been *overly* patient and overly invested in Hoglander. I would probably have traded him two years ago.

I wouldn't say I'm 'uppity' about it but to me both guys have been given massive opportunity here and their failure to grab those opportunities lies 100% on them. Saying that 'they weren't the team's guys' is a lame excuse and goes against the very obvious large effort that was put into these two players by the new regime and new coaches for 3-4 years.

Where we disagree is that I don't think they were ever given "massive" opportunity. I'm not saying they warranted more minutes and better deployment, but I don't think you can honestly say they were given that.

Playing limited NHL minutes their entire NHL time with the new brass doesn't strike me as "massive opportunity". Again, I'm not saying they deserved more. But they didn't get it. Hoglander's average EV TOI per game was in Sam Lafferty territory last season.