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

MarkusNaslund19

Registered User
Dec 28, 2005
5,769
8,626
To me, Ethan Bear is a target to people who only watch the Canucks and really only know our players.

He looked competent next to Hughes who is stratospheric. I think with a less terrible contract and less personal adversity recently he's an NHL D, but he's not the answer to any problems here anymore than Horvat made Kenins look passable, or Pettersson made Goldobin look passable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MS and kanucks25

ManVanFan

Registered User
Mar 28, 2024
855
837
Wow! Craig Button comparing Tom Wilander to Charlie McAvoy and Brock Faber.....says he'll play in the NHL with the Canucks as soon as BU is eliminated this spring.

I realize that doesn't jive with what some other posters have opined on these boards.....but if indeed that scenario pans out, then maybe the Canucks don't have to blow the wad at the TDL to stock up on defensemen.
Strong comparables. Willander always reminded me of Justin Faulk. Which in terms of quality to me is pretty well Filip Hronek with little more defence toughness.
 

kanucks25

Chris Tanev #1 Fan
Nov 29, 2013
7,281
4,347
Surrey, BC
I just don't understand the want for players like Bear or Schenn.

We don't need to upgrade our bottom pair, we need a legit top-4 guy that is unquestionably better than the Myers and Soucy types, and we ought to pay the price to acquire him because it's clearly our biggest need.

Anything lesser is pointless.
 

LemonSauceD

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Jul 31, 2015
8,161
13,882
Vancouver
Sanheim and Willander would make an absolute beast of a top 4 on the Canucks. Got to cost at least what Hronek did though.
Yeah. It would have to be something like a 2025 1st, 2025 2nd, Soucy, Desharnais and Hoglander for the cap to work.

Soucy has a full NTC so another way is Suter, Forbort, Desharnais, and Hoglander as well as the picks for Sanheim.

Taking on a $6-7M contract is going need some sort of aggressive approach like gutting 3-4 guys and hoping the other team finds value in the surplus of players to go along with the base of picks.

Management likely has no other option but to go after more cheaper alternatives like M. Pettersson or Matheson. They could shop someone like Garland but I find that highly unlikely and Garland has a tremendous role as the driver of our middle 6.
 

ManVanFan

Registered User
Mar 28, 2024
855
837
Yeah. It would have to be something like a 2025 1st, 2025 2nd, Soucy, Desharnais and Hoglander for the cap to work.

Soucy has a full NTC so another way is Suter, Forbort, Desharnais, and Hoglander as well as the picks for Sanheim.

Taking on a $6-7M contract is going need some sort of aggressive approach like gutting 3-4 guys and hoping the other team finds value in the surplus of players to go along with the base of picks.

Management likely has no other option but to go after more cheaper alternatives like M. Pettersson or Matheson. They could shop someone like Garland but I find that highly unlikely and Garland has a tremendous role as the driver of our middle 6.
Contracts cost about half at TDL right. The cap hit would be the issue next season. If you have Sanheim signed long term, you probably trade Soucy.

The defence is not greatest right now but that is the stronger near future for prospects. If Willander comes in you could have something of 2nd pairing Hughes-Hronek, with Brannstrom. Asking a lot but even then that takes some minutes from Soucy-Myers. In terms of what the Canucks need on their current healthy roster.
IMO
Top 6 winger(not just because Boeser is out, I think they short on actual top 6er's)
3 line center
Top 4 D
 

theguardianII

Registered User
Jan 30, 2020
3,722
1,872
Well this is fantasy stuff so;

Miller and Boeser for ? Just about any team would give their right arm especially if the Canucks retained a little on Boeser's contract

Buffalo might give up Dahlin/Power, Cozen and a couple of draft picks. But another add in would be needed from the Canucks. Up to 18 milion in cap space coming back and only 14.7 going out plus the 2 mil they have so another 2 to 3 mil out or going with a 22 man roster. Which they could do if Hughes, Hronek, Dahlin/Power played like 24 minutes a game

Who knows what Columbus might pony up, they have a ton but how many are Tocchet guys

Pittsburgh just doesn't have enough, Pettersson/Graves, McGroarty and 1rst round picks?

Those two pretty much guarantee a playoff berth if traded for early enough.

IMO if the Canucks lose 6 of the next 10 games they are out of the playoffs for sure or if they fall behind the WC#2 spot by 6 points the same with the group they have now and the schedule ahead of them.
 

Nick Lang

Registered User
May 14, 2015
2,420
896
Ethan Bear is a AAAA player with zero shutdown/pk utility. He makes zero sense as a trade target and wouldn’t be mentioned if he didn’t play 50 games for us.

Terrible in his own end at checking and pretty useless offensively as well, and undersized on top of it. What not to not like?

To me, Ethan Bear is a target to people who only watch the Canucks and really only know our players.

He looked competent next to Hughes who is stratospheric. I think with a less terrible contract and less personal adversity recently he's an NHL D, but he's not the answer to any problems here anymore than Horvat made Kenins look passable, or Pettersson made Goldobin look passable.

Yeah, it's like folks who have watched two or three years of hockey and don't have a full experience of hockey to draw on. It would just be doing him a favor with zero benefit to us. He's a fringe NHLer who doesn't look to have even a solid future considering his past performances and actual NHL career path.

I just don't understand the want for players like Bear or Schenn.

We don't need to upgrade our bottom pair, we need a legit top-4 guy that is unquestionably better than the Myers and Soucy types, and we ought to pay the price to acquire him because it's clearly our biggest need.

Anything lesser is pointless.

Yup, omg is Bear just a disgusting possibility. I can't believe anyone would even bring it up. Just gross. Bring back Stillman and Dermott while we're at it and we can go back to tanking for another Willander.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MarkusNaslund19

Jerry the great

Registered User
Sponsor
Jul 8, 2022
1,002
1,017
There is no way the Flyers are trading their young number one defender signed LT for 2nd pair money. They're going to find a sucker to take Risto - not us I hope! They do have 4 left side guys though, maybe one of them shakes loose, but it is highly unlikely to be the one we want (Cam York).

Unless the ship rights pretty quick here and the team gets healthy and starts playing cohesively, moving any of our first round picks or top prospects for a stop gap solution should be off the table. A needle moving RFA player or one with term is another story, but with all the talk of a rapidly rising cap it is going to cost a lot for those types.

Feels more like a sit on your hands kind of season. give your guys a chance to figure it out and try to just get to the post season where anything can happen. Some people will scoff at the notion, but IF Willander is going to be an impact player on his ELC, it may happen quickly. Quickly as in he will play his last game at BU, sign his ELC, dress with the team more or less immediately and get an opportunity to prove he belongs there. Faber, McAvoy and Makar all went straight from the NCAA to playing playoff hockey. Not saying it will happen, he might not stick right away, but it absolutely could, there is precedent. Those guys got there immediately because they are elite skaters and so is Willander.
 

bossram

Registered User
Sep 25, 2013
16,750
17,236
Victoria
I get that. Like I said, I really don't think we're fundamentally disagreeing on the assessment of the player. I called him a #4 and you have called him a #4/#5 in the past.

You think he can play in a top-four. I do not. I've also said a contender absolutely should not have Myers in the top-four.

It's how players have traditionally been described. A player can play like a gentle giant (hence be said to not make full use of his size) yet be big and strong. Size matters and there's no doubt that Myers being 6'8" RHD who can log top 4 minutes, play 2nd unit PP, PK, and play a physical game has made him desirable to coaches and GMs.

Again, I do not think he can play top-four minutes. I get that you're making an appeal to authority with the "unique skillset" and "GMs desire him" angle, and that's why he's been able to get paid the money he's gotten in his career. But let's be frank. The GMs were wrong, he's not that good, and his actual on-ice contribution has never lived up to the narrative.


What would you have suggested with Willander in the system and the team looking to compete? The team needed players in order to compete? Maybe Brendan Dhillon at $4M AAV? There aren't a whole lot of options out there. Upgrade options on the UFA market cost more AAV, term, or both.

I think they should have pursued a top-four D regardless of Willander's presence in the system. My preference was Tanev and I would have given him the cap-circumventing LTIRetirement deal he got from TOR. As he ages, Willander could naturally pull minutes away from him.
 

Canucks LB

My Favourite, Gone too soon, RIP Luc, We miss you
Oct 12, 2008
78,852
33,737
Let’s go one step further.

Desharnais + Hoglander for Zadorov 33% retained.

Should work out cap wise also, seems pretty fair.

The only issue is, what do you do with Brannstrom? Can he play the right side? Getting mixed reports.

I don’t think we should trade Soucy just yet
 

Vector

Moderator
Feb 2, 2007
27,985
47,856
Junktown
Let’s go one step further.

Desharnais + Hoglander for Zadorov 33% retained.

Should work out cap wise also, seems pretty fair.

The only issue is, what do you do with Brannstrom? Can he play the right side? Getting mixed reports.

I don’t think we should trade Soucy just yet

This works capwise but only if everyone is healthy. Canucks would have about 1.02m in capspace afterwards.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Canucks LB

theguardianII

Registered User
Jan 30, 2020
3,722
1,872
50% retention, then MAYBE we can talk. Huge maybe.
Trade Deharnais and that opens up another couple of million with an exchange of Hoglander for an added pick or prospect. Maybe those and Forbort as well.

5 mil over the next two seasons will be #4/5 dman money less than 5.2 to 4.8% of the cap. And for another 4 years after with every year 5 million meaning less of an impact but the spot is solid for that long.

He might be a seamless fit but would he want to come back here where they didn't even really negotiate? His family liked it here a lot.
 

valkynax

The LEEDAR
Sponsor
May 19, 2011
11,180
12,738
Burnaby
Trade Deharnais and that opens up another couple of million with an exchange of Hoglander for an added pick or prospect. Maybe those and Forbort as well.

5 mil over the next two seasons will be #4/5 dman money less than 5.2 to 4.8% of the cap. And for another 4 years after with every year 5 million meaning less of an impact but the spot is solid for that long.

He might be a seamless fit but would he want to come back here where they didn't even really negotiate? His family liked it here a lot.

We got the Commando Dimbo OEL tax hike coming up next two season too, puke. That's why I think we need to be aggressive, if bringing back Zad is to be even considered.

The schedule for Boston is much tighter than ours too.

And finally, why not take the chance to f*** with Boston when said chance is presented to us.
 

VanillaCoke

Registered User
Oct 30, 2013
26,315
13,010
Eighty percent of the Bruins Defense would be of interest here...


I could definitely see the regret building for the contracts Sweeney gave out, could also see one or more of those contracts returned to the Canucks, possibly with a brazeau or Frederic also.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad