PavelBure10
The Russian Rocket
Also, missing out on Kovacevic was a huge loss. Funny how most fans on this board have been talking about him for 2+ years now as a potential Canuck pickup.
zadorov could not have maintained that swagger all season either.Our defensive group just is not strong enough. Letting a Zadorov walk may end up hurting us a lot. We need Botha left and right top four and Soucey/Myers needs to be the third pair. Not sure how you work it out for the cap hit or the assets.
I think maybe the whole organization has been overconfident heading into this season. The off-season acquisitions are very playoff focused: filled out the roster with speed on the wings and big lumbering defensive d-men; coaching staff is determined to lengthen the leash on their system to let their stars shine; about half the team looks like they are expecting the magic to just strike again.
I have a pet theory about pro hockey: a team's success is proportional to the work they were putting in a couple months ago. It goes both ways--if you are playing poorly, it's going to take months of hard work to get on top of it and start performing better; and if you are winning, you can take your foot off the gas a bit, enjoy the winning, and coast for a few months until the shit starts hitting the fan.
Last season was a MASSIVE success for this team, given where expectations were. The way they were winning, too, was hugely dependent on their work ethic and fitness, their dedication and execution of their system, and it seemed like everyone had their timing and were clicking right off the hop at the season opener. They were reaching their potential, scraping their ceiling even. There isn't a coach on the planet that can manufacture the sense of urgency they had last season; it took years of disastrous failure and embarrassment to cultivate. This time, they've been expecting to make the playoffs all summer, exactly as most fans are, and we are all thinking realistically about the cup now. A few players have said as much.
We can see they look like shit though, so I think its going to be a rough ride through the first couple months of the year. The urgency has yet to set in. It will eventually, and then give it a few stressful months of losing while doing everything to win, and we'll eventually push through onto the right side of things. I'm hoping anyway.
Losing Zadorov and Cole were two huge loses. Both vets add a physical element to the game. Both have playoff experience and are well liked in the locker room. The leadership and defensive awareness alone were huge losses.
Myers at 3 million is a fair deal, but to choose him over Zadorov and make him their first priority is a real head scratcher. I really miss the big Z.
I think Zadorov was always gone, they never really thought they'd be able to give him the contract he wanted. I believe Cole is an underrated, and perhaps unnecessary loss, who played a big role in lessening the load on Myers/Soucy and could pretty capably handle pretty much top-four minutes with a variety of partners (especially in the regular season).
I think Joshua coming back will help with the size factor. You don't need to be overly physical in the new NHL anymore, but having him and Sherwood is a good base for that element. Plus him and Garland forms one of the best 3rd line in the league last year, we are sorely missing that depth right now, especially when the top 2 lines and the PP are not going.anderson might suck but the canucks need to get bigger and faster up front. i know no one agrees with me but their wings are amongst the worst group in the league imo
I think Cole was worn down late in the season and was completely exposed by the Oilers in the 2nd round, maybe that is why management were fine moving on. However, for 3LD, I thought he was fine overall and would much prefer to have him back than sign Forbort. Just need to manage Cole's ice time. I rather have Cole than Forbort + one of the depth winger we signed (Heinen specifically). IMO for our team Cole >>> Forbort + Heinen, or Cole >>> Forbort + Sprong.I think Zadorov was always gone, they never really thought they'd be able to give him the contract he wanted. I believe Cole is an underrated, and perhaps unnecessary loss, who played a big role in lessening the load on Myers/Soucy and could pretty capably handle pretty much top-four minutes with a variety of partners (especially in the regular season).
give it time. i am super uncomfortable with us taking on debrusk or heinen based on the long tradition of supporting cast forwards who thrive in boston and struggle elsewhere after getting paid. heinen is somewhat proven elsewhere though, and de brusk still ought to be an above average role player like mikhayev with his size and speed if that is all we got.Danton Heinen is just another example of how Boston best utilizes talent on a very cheap deal and has zero reluctant in letting them go. Schaller and Lazar are other guys who signed with us and proceeded to not live up to their contract.
A guy like Phillip Di Giuseppe makes 1.5 mil less and seems to offer the same utility in a bottom 6 role.
Really hope we can find a taker for Heinen.
Fair enough, not sure that any are or were available or that we have the resources to aquire. Hard to argue that he likely would have been our third best dman so far this season and that is problematic to say the least. Not to mention the contract was reasonable comparatively in my estimation and sometimes a little swagger can rub off a teammates and I think this group could use said swagger atm.zadorov could not have maintained that swagger all season either.
what we need is an all situations 2-way guy who can carry the team defensively. imagine having mcdonaugh to stiffen the bottom 4.
TBH it's been like two of us @VectorAlso, missing out on Kovacevic was a huge loss. Funny how most fans on this board have been talking about him for 2+ years now as a potential Canuck pickup.
Make it 3 because I was on board with Kovacevic when he was making league minimum for Montreal. Would if been a fairly easy player to acquire while his contract was very cap friendly.TBH it's been like two of us @Vector
Hard to believe his rights were obtained for a 2026 4th rounder. That's a no brainer.@MS was also stumping for Kovacevic since last season.
@MS was also stumping for Kovacevic since last season.
Hard to believe his rights were obtained for a 2026 4th rounder. That's a no brainer.
I thought he'd be one of those Jeannot/Coleman/Hagel type assets where getting two playoff runs from a big, quality 4-5 RD at $700k would justify a major trade return.
Well, so we're no longer in the offseason, do we have any under the radar D acquisitions we might be able to make on the cheap? Time to find the next Kovacevic opportunity.
sounds like they just called up brannstromJustin Schultz is also still unsigned an is Kelowna based in the offseason.
gooooooooodsounds like they just called up brannstrom
when Myers got banged up this was my first thoughtJustin Schultz is also still unsigned an is Kelowna based in the offseason.