Grub's Canucks & NHL News, Rumours, and & Fantasy GM | Looking for a D-Man to Save Us

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Last one was at 1,000. Continue here.

Click to read more...

 

[Quinning]

DeBrusk's cap hit should have been spent on a defenceman. Prioritizing a near $6 million winger and then signing a couple of bottom pairing players was not the move.

We're getting better production out of Kiefer Sherwood for a quarter of his cap hit (not that anyone could have predicted that).

 

[timw33]

DeBrusk's cap hit should have been spent on a defenceman. Prioritizing a near $6 million winger and then signing a couple of bottom pairing players was not the move.

We're getting better production out of Kiefer Sherwood for a quarter of his cap hit (not that anyone could have predicted that).

Would have killed to sign Matt Roy (and then not bring back Myers) but he's one of those guys I doubt would be signing in Canada.

 

[ManVanFan]

Last one was at 1,000. Continue here.

Damnit, you moved it while I was responding to someone. Haha

Here's the main issue with the picks and prospects argument right now: how long do people believe the Canucks window is open for? Is it until Petey and Hughes hit their 30s? Can they get contributions from their young players that outweigh the inevitable decline of Miller & Boeser?

Let's say they keep their 1st round this year, and they make the playoffs. The pick is in the 16-32 range. Since the *2019 draft, there's maybe 5-10 guys that have been picked in that range that are currently top 6/top 4 contributors, and 2 of them are because the Dallas scouting staff under Jim Nill (and Detroit before then when he ran their scouts) >>>> everyone else.

I'm not saying deal the pick for a rental like Lindholm, the team would have to be on a president's trophy-esque pace like last year for them to do that again. But while you're in contention for the playoffs, and have a franchise center & dman smack in the middle of their prime, you absolutely deal that 1st round pick if you get someone who can be a major contributor for 3-4 years. And if you make that pick, that prospect immediately is on the table for an upgrade the next year.

Willander was likely the last first round pick this team has made that will be a major contributor during this team's contention window, unless something miraculous happens that extends their contention years beyond Boeser and Miller's prime.

*Using the 2019 draft to show the odds of getting a contributor in the next couple drafts that might contribute before Petey/Hughes turn 30.

That 2019 draft. For so long, I've waited for that one guy who I really really thought was worthy of a top 10 pick. That player pretty well caused me to lose my spine in ranking players that I believe that I could see something that NHL scouts didn't. I had him ranked 8th. He was taken 25th by Washington.

Back to your post after my memory lane. This is looking like a weaker draft but I will say if Canucks aren't getting a player as you said that will contribute on a lower range salary for the next couple of years, make the pick and then if you need use it later as a trade chip you can. Don't waste it away again on a player that you are not going to be able to re-sign and is already on the decline.

 

[Canucks LB]

This is my quick vision for the defense, moving forward, what do you guys think?

Hughes - TRADE
Brannstrom - Hronek
Soucy - Myers/Willander
Desharnais

I think splitting up Hronek and Hughes is for the best, and I believe Brannstrom has some serious talent to play in the top 4.

Willander will be on the team by the end of the season, which is why I believe you’ll probably take that 6th spot.

On Left side soucy will get less of a role, due to his struggles.

I think it’s important to find a right handed D that is steady Defensively, and can move the puck.

We have some pretty significant assets, from D-Petey, 1st, 2nd and if we’re going fishing for the big guns, Lekkerimaki.

I think we could definitely make this happen.

Ps - another interesting option is getting another LD, and have willander go alongside Hughes, but it’s more risky.

 

[Vector]

Seravalli's interview with Halford and Brough.

Miller

• Feedback he got was he needs a physical and mental break
• Seems to be a shoulder injury
• Definitely a mental component to this
• Doesn’t think the benching had anything to do with his absence
• Can’t recall a comparable situation

Marcus Pettersson

• Thinks the connections between the Canucks and Pettersson have been overblown
• A few years ago the Canucks front office had interest in him
• Doesn’t think the interest is totally dead
• Mandate from Tocchet has been to get defencemen that move the puck more efficiently
• Pettersson defends well and is a good #4 defenceman but struggles in making a quality pass
• Pettersson will get traded at some point this season but doesn’t see him as a Canuck

Mike Matheson

• Best fit on his trade board for the Canucks is Mike Matheson; pure speculation
• Doesn’t think people recognize how good he’s been over the last 100 games
• Canadiens don’t want to move him but his value is higher than it ever will be

St. Louis Blues

• Are waiting to get Robert Thomas back to see if things improve
• Doesn’t think that their management thinks this is a playoff team or a contender
• Is open to a lot of different things
• Haven’t gone far down the trade path yet

Boston Bruins

• Montgomery going into the year without a contract extension drew attention from around the league
• Cam Neely ignited the Jeremy Swayman situation
• Seems that Don Sweeney has the support of Cam Neely
• Zadorov and Lindholm have really struggled
• Swayman’s play will improve
• Thinks Joe Sacco is pretty-interim
• Don’t have any plans for a coaching search right now

Senators, Sabres, & Red Wings

• Has been a grind for these teams
• Have all tried to exit their rebuilds in different ways
• Red Wings tried to pay for big name free agents
• Sabres acquired all the young players
• Senators are a hybrid of the Sabres and Red Wings
• None of these strategies have worked
• Red Wings are the team in the biggest struggle of these three
• Doesn’t think it will be a long time before the Canadiens pass the Red Wings; can’t trade their way out of this

David Jiricek

• On Seravalli’s trade targets board
• Situation has gone sideways on a number of different levels
• Has been through multiple GMs and coaches
• Is being sat so Jack Johnson, Jake Christiansen, and Dante Fabbro can play
• Assigned to the AHL
• Doesn’t have a lot to prove at the AHL
• Has a pretty healthy dose of skepticism that they’ll make this work with Columbus

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

Just saw Ristolainen is above Matheson on that list lol. Matheson would be an ideal add for a playoff team. He’s been Montreal’s all situation number #1 the last couple of years, has history of being a very good top 4 D in Pittsburgh, and has another year on a very good value at 4.875. Probably not available as Montreal needs more NHL D not less, but probably the best asset there for a competing team.

 

[bossram]

This is my quick vision for the defense, moving forward, what do you guys think?

Hughes - TRADE
Brannstrom - Hronek
Soucy - Myers/Willander
Desharnais

I think splitting up Hronek and Hughes is for the best, and I believe Brannstrom has some serious talent to play in the top 4.

Willander will be on the team by the end of the season, which is why I believe you’ll probably take that 6th spot.

On Left side soucy will get less of a role, due to his struggles.

I think it’s important to find a right handed D that is steady Defensively, and can move the puck.

We have some pretty significant assets, from D-Petey, 1st, 2nd and if we’re going fishing for the big guns, Lekkerimaki.

I think we could definitely make this happen.

Ps - another interesting option is getting another LD, and have willander go alongside Hughes, but it’s more risky.

I mean yeah, everyone would like to get a RH top-pair defenseman to appear out of thin air. That would be nice!

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Just saw Ristolainen is above Matheson on that list lol. Matheson would be an ideal add for a playoff team. He’s been Montreal’s all situation number #1 the last couple of years, has history of being a very good top 4 D in Pittsburgh, and has another year on a very good value at 4.875. Probably not available as Montreal needs more NHL D not less, but probably the best asset there for a competing team.

I've been beating that drum for a while now. If we could somehow get Montreal to retain salary, I'd pay the steeper price because I really think he'd be a fantastic fit. Of course, I agree. The Habs defense is a complete mess. Losing Matheson would be hard on them. Although, seeing how their fighting at the bottom, might be worth it to sell high.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

I don't see how you get Matheson without giving up a first, and I don't see how the Canucks are in a position to do that without improving their current form.

I'd like to see what the cost is for a 50% retained Ethan Bear from Washington as a right-side stopgap measure.

Hughes-Hronek
Soucy-Bear
Brannstrom-Myers

 

[SelltheTeamFrancesco]

This is my quick vision for the defense, moving forward, what do you guys think?

Hughes - TRADE
Brannstrom - Hronek
Soucy - Myers/Willander
Desharnais

I think splitting up Hronek and Hughes is for the best, and I believe Brannstrom has some serious talent to play in the top 4.

Willander will be on the team by the end of the season, which is why I believe you’ll probably take that 6th spot.

On Left side soucy will get less of a role, due to his struggles.

I think it’s important to find a right handed D that is steady Defensively, and can move the puck.

We have some pretty significant assets, from D-Petey, 1st, 2nd and if we’re going fishing for the big guns, Lekkerimaki.

I think we could definitely make this happen.

No, the one thing on this team that is working and not just working it might the best pairing in the NHL. And people want to split it up. Hughes wants Hronek as his partner he has made that clear. I just don’t understand wanting to break them, it’s the one thing that will always keep this team afloat even when they are struggling.

 

[wonton15]

Pettersson/Matheson situation aside, Matheson would be a pretty great get for this team as an all situation puck moving defender. I’d consider the 1st if he was on the table. Bias aside, he’s been pretty damn good over the past while.

 

[thecupismine]

Would have killed to sign Matt Roy (and then not bring back Myers) but he's one of those guys I doubt would be signing in Canada.

Probably the only contract I saw in free agency where I was like damn, I wish we tried to get him. Thought he would cost 6.5 million+.

I've been beating that drum for a while now. If we could somehow get Montreal to retain salary, I'd pay the steeper price because I really think he'd be a fantastic fit. Of course, I agree. The Habs defense is a complete mess. Losing Matheson would be hard on them. Although, seeing how their fighting at the bottom, might be worth it to sell high.

The issue here is expectations. If other teams see him as a solution to their first unit PP, he's going to cost more than the Canucks can pay. Realistically, he's a 30 point, second PP second PK unit dman in Vancouver, and they have to pay that price vs the premium his counting stats might suggest.

 

[Bonham]

DeBrusk's cap hit should have been spent on a defenceman. Prioritizing a near $6 million winger and then signing a couple of bottom pairing players was not the move.

We're getting better production out of Kiefer Sherwood for a quarter of his cap hit (not that anyone could have predicted that).

GMs consistently make the same mistakes in free agency each year.

Unless you're signing a star player, handing out long-term contracts (based on past production) to middle of the line-up players leaves a razor-thin margin for error.

It is proven over and over again what cap space is worth in this league. They would be in a much better position if they prioritized short-term deals like Sherwood and kept the cap flexibility to maneuver in-season.

 

[JT Milker]

Imagine we trade for Matheson and it sends EP over the edge again.

I don't see how you get Matheson without giving up a first, and I don't see how the Canucks are in a position to do that without improving their current form.

I'd like to see what the cost is for a 50% retained Ethan Bear from Washington as a right-side stopgap measure.

Hughes-Hronek
Soucy-Bear
Brannstrom-Myers

Bear sucks.

 

[vancityluongo]

in a dream world, we somehow swap one or both of desharnais and myers for luke schenn and add from there

hughes - hronek
soucy - xxx/schenn
brannstrom - schenn/xxx

feels a lot more balanced and a reasonable spot to build the defense up from. myers, soucy, and desharnais are not bad players / non-nhlers in isolation, but they don't all fit together in the same group.

 

[Quinning]

Pettersson/Matheson situation aside, Matheson would be a pretty great get for this team as an all situation puck moving defender. I’d consider the 1st if he was on the table. Bias aside, he’s been pretty damn good over the past while.

It's been six years since that happened, I'm sure they don't really care about it anymore.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Imagine we trade for Matheson and it sends EP over the edge again.


Bear sucks.

You’re joking tho right.

 

[Bgav]

Matheson would be my number 1 target.

 

[arttk]

I mean yeah, everyone would like to get a RH top-pair defenseman to appear out of thin air. That would be nice!

WILLANDER

 

[ephmrl]

I don't see how you get Matheson without giving up a first, and I don't see how the Canucks are in a position to do that without improving their current form.

I'd like to see what the cost is for a 50% retained Ethan Bear from Washington as a right-side stopgap measure.

Hughes-Hronek
Soucy-Bear
Brannstrom-Myers

If the asking price for Matheson is only a 1st then they should be all over that.

 

[ManVanFan]

I've been beating that drum for a while now. If we could somehow get Montreal to retain salary, I'd pay the steeper price because I really think he'd be a fantastic fit. Of course, I agree. The Habs defense is a complete mess. Losing Matheson would be hard on them. Although, seeing how their fighting at the bottom, might be worth it to sell high.

Habs fans on twitter hate Matheson and want him gone quickly. They think they would be better off without him. He supposedly refuses to pass to Caufield on the PP. He's stopping Guhle from becoming the greatest defender to ever play hockey. Habs fans on twitter are hilarious. IDK how many were talking about not just playoffs but a playoff run with their roster.

 

[bossram]

Chalk me up as not really being in on Matheson. Defensively he is pretty suspect. Questionable decision-making and zone entry defending.

I also kinda take issue with the "puck-mover" descriptor. I think he's less of a puck mover than a puck-rusher. He likes to carry it. A lot of the talk about his offensive game and "puck-moving" have come from people looking at the points column, where he is mostly getting points on the PP1 - which he would not be doing in VAN.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Brian Dumoulin.

 

[ManVanFan]

Brian Dumoulin.

is old.