I just disagree with this assessment of Myers fundamentally. During Myers' tenure with VAN, he's had exactly one season where he's shown real top-four ability (last season). In Winnipeg, he largely played on the third pair. His underlying metrics have nearly always been pretty bad.
I don't think we fundamentally disagree on the assessment of Myers. I think we disagree on some facts and or we draw different conclusions.
I think Myers has shown top 4 ability before last season. There were times when he looked good alongside Edler (Edler has this effect) and he had a good season in OEL's first season here. This is evidence by the fact that reliable sources reported that Myers was a tradeable asset but Allvin wasn't eager to dump him.
In Winnipeg, he was playing behind Trouba and Byfuglien when both were healthy. When they weren't healthy he did play up the lineup. In Winnipeg he struggled when thrust into top pairing duties but was ok in a secondary role.
I don't get the "unique skillset". Is it unique that despite being 6'9 he's phenomenally bad at using his reach effectively? I guess so. There are multiple plays every game where he just gets stuck between engaging an attacker and literally just screening his goalie. He's 6'9! Get stick on puck!! What is the point of being that tall if it doesn't even help you set a gap?
There are few 6'8"+ defenseman in NHL history who can skate and move the puck like he can. He is also capable of playing a physical game. That's the unique skillset I'm talking about. And while I agree that he doesn't use his reach effectively he is currently 2nd (behind Juulsen) among Canucks Dmen in takeaways per 60. He has also done relatively well in previous years in that department. And yes size matters. He is a flawed defensively and can be absolutely atrocious defensively - that i don't disagree with.
Re-signing him was a mistake and was the only move of the offseason I didn't like from Allvin. My preference was 1. Don't resign, 2. One year deal, 3. Two year deal, 4. Ugh....
I don't think anyone here liked the 3 year deal but it seems many here were in favour of bringing him back at the right price.
Like I said, in his prime Myers has mostly been a #4. You can disagree and not like the player but Myers logging top 4 minutes throughout his career is a fact. He is also 34 and older than when Hamhuis left here. Hamhuis in his prime was a first pairing defenseman. When Hamhuis left here he was no longer a first pairing defenseman but was still a top 4 defenseman for another year (and generously for another two years). So to me, the mistake isn't so much signing him but expecting him to play top 4 minutes alongside a guy who isn't a #3 calibre defenseman (Soucy has been bad) without a capable 3rd pairing to help shoulder the load.
The Canucks' bottom 4 last season when healthy were Cole, Myers, Zadorov, and Soucy in front of Demko who finished 2nd in Vezina voting. Even Juulsen who played many games looked competent. Again, many here expressed concerns about the defence. Pretty much everyone here agreed that the D got worse compared to last year. Combined that with Miller and Petey not playing well at the same time and downgrade in goaltending and what do you expect?
So ya if you think Myers is a #5, you should agree that putting Myers (a soon to be 35 year old) in a position to play 2nd pairing minutes alongside Soucy who is an unproven top 4 defenseman is a big ask.
