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Prospect Info: Tom Willander: 11th Overall 2023 Draft (Rogle BK J20) - Part 02

ChilliBilly said:
Our D is set for years. Hughes Hronek MP EP2 Willander Mancini - With Myers for 2 more. And then Mynio and KK in the works as well.

I don't think there is a better looking D in the NHL going forward. Barring injuries. And whether we can get Hughes to sign a retirement contract here.
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Probably shouldn't count the non-NHLers before they hatch (even Mancini quite yet), but it is shaping up to be something that has never happened in Canucks history. Here's hoping.
 
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Peter Griffin said:
Adding Willander feels like we’ll be adding a Jonas Brodin-type immediately to the lineup. If they can keep Hronek/MP together and play Willander with Hughes we suddenly have an arguable top 5 defense core in the NHL, especially with a guy like DPetey on the 3rd pairing.
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We are going to need a top five defense if we expect to win games 2-1 consistently.
 
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Hodgy said:
We are going to need a top five defense if we expect to win games 2-1 consistently.
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I expect we will have to trade one of our young defensive players plus our 1st, to add anything of significance upfront. The UFA market is awful and expecting Bennett/Ehlers to sign here is setting us up for disappointment. Hopefully some other team really likes either Mynio/Kudryatsev and we can move one of them in a package.
 
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logan5 said:
A lot of these high scoring defensemen that played college, end up scoring at or above the rate they scored with their college teams. Quinn Hughes for example, is scoring above the rate he scored at Michigan. Craig Button compares Willander to Charlie McAvoy. McAvoy scores points at an equal to greater rate compared to his 2 college seasons. Also keep in mind that Willander has been playing behind Hutson for pp time. Normally Willander would be on the #1 unit, so his point totals are lower than they should be.

There are also plenty of examples of defensemen scoring at a less rate than in college, but I won't be surprised if Willander scores at a .5 clip right out of the gate, likely getting 2nd pp unit time, and settles in as 50 to 60 point d man, who is excellent defensively. Excited to see what he can do at the end of the season here, and possibly playoffs. Our d is likely a lot better with him, even if he is fresh out of college.
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Doubt he’ll get any PP time with Hughes and Hronek on the team.
 
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Peter Griffin said:
I expect we will have to trade one of our young defensive players plus our 1st, to add anything of significance upfront. The UFA market is awful and expecting Bennett/Ehlers to sign here is setting us up for disappointment. Hopefully some other team really likes either Mynio/Kudryatsev and we can move one of them in a package.
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There isn’t really going to be some silver bullet solution. They need 100 point Petey, they need Lekkerimaki to hit, and they need to find at least one more top six forward. And even then, you are going from like a bottom 3-5 offense to a bottom 5-10, at best.

The reality is that this will be a process and take 2-4 years assuming they even pull it off. The fact we have basically zero good young forwards outside of Lekkerimaki makes it so difficult.

But I agree with you that they will likely need to trade a defensemen. The best way to do it isn’t to trade the non-nhl prospect, although that may be the most conservative and/or likely outcome. The best way is to have the young guys become established NHLers and trade the veterans. Not really sure where that leaves us though given that I don’t envision them trading MP or Hronek for offensive help. Doubt Myers waives.

If you are looking at Mynio and Kudryatsev, probably better off trading picks unless a team values them as a sure thing blue chip prospect.
 
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Hodgy said:
There isn’t really going to be some silver bullet solution. They need 100 point Petey, they need Lekkerimaki to hit, and they need to find at least one more top six forward. And even then, you are going from like a bottom 3-5 offense to a bottom 5-10, at best.

The reality is that this will be a process and take 2-4 years assuming they even pull it off. The fact we have basically zero good young forwards outside of Lekkerimaki makes it so difficult.

But I agree with you that they will likely need to trade a defensemen. The best way to do it isn’t to trade the non-nhl prospect, although that may be the most conservative and/or likely outcome. The best way is to have the young guys become established NHLers and trade the veterans. Not really sure where that leaves us though given that I don’t envision them trading MP or Hronek for offensive help. Doubt Myers waives.

If you are looking at Mynio and Kudryatsev, probably better off trading picks unless a team values them as a sure thing blue chip prospect.
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My idea might work.
This is a bad season so let it be.
Trade down at the draft to try to get Misa, over pay if needed.
Then next year trade Hughes for McKenna. Hughes has the pedigree and one more year on his contract so if he won't sign with that team they can trade him at the TDL for quite a return.
 
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clay said:
Doubt he’ll get any PP time with Hughes and Hronek on the team.
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Hronek is not a great power play guy. He has a hard time hitting the net, or his shot gets blocked. He also tends to stay put, so he is easy to defend. I would put d Petey ahead of Hronek in the next few years as he develops. Way better shooting ability than Hronek. Willander moves around and gets screen shots on net. I'm guaranteeing Willander gets the 2nd unit job sometime next year, if not right from the start of the season.
 
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Would Willander be better than EPD? He has never played a pro game.

But if he everything some posters think then trading away Hughes for two stars might not hurt as much.
 
What always surprises me about blueline prospects, is how some of them can look pretty blah playing at lower levels of hockey.

But when they hit the pros, everything clicks. I mean there was no indication that EP25 would have such an impact in his first NA season. He was serviceable in the SHL; but was overshadowed by Wilander in the only World Jr. Tournament they played together in 2023-24.

But half a season in Abbotsford, and suddenly you can't get EP25 out of the Canucks lineup. So it's reasonable to have lofty expectations for Wlander, who has a far better resume than young Elias.
 
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VanJack said:
What always surprises me about blueline prospects, is how some of them can look pretty blah playing at lower levels of hockey.

But when they hit the pros, everything clicks. I mean there was no indication that EP25 would have such an impact in his first NA season. He was serviceable in the SHL; but was overshadowed by Wilander in the only World Jr. Tournament they played together in 2023-24.

But half a season in Abbotsford, and suddenly you can't get EP25 out of the Canucks lineup. So it's reasonable to have lofty expectations for Wlander, who has a far better resume than young Elias.
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I think EP25 really benefits from the smaller ice. Seems to fit his game like a glove. Made for a seamless transition. Looking forward to seeing what Willander can do within an NHL system with NHL players.
 
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Hodgy said:
We are going to need a top five defense if we expect to win games 2-1 consistently.
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They have plenty of cap space and defensive depth to add couple good forwards in the summervia UFA or trade. The # 1 centre seems to be finding his way much to the chagrin of a lot of fans.

They have goaltending depth and a great mobile D group. Build from the ass end. I wouldn't be shocked if they picked Ravensbergen with their 1st.
 
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Breakers said:
2nd team all-hockey east
Would have been nice to have been 1st

Didn’t watch, but BU got through to the hockey east semi’s
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Didn't watch, but by the highlights looks like it was an exciting game, BU wins in OT. Willander with a nice play on BU's 2nd goal to start the rush and drive the net to open up space on the 3 on 2.
 
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HairyKneel said:
They have plenty of cap space and defensive depth to add couple good forwards in the summervia UFA or trade. The # 1 centre seems to be finding his way much to the chagrin of a lot of fans.

They have goaltending depth and a great mobile D group. Build from the ass end. I wouldn't be shocked if they picked Ravensbergen with their 1st.
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That's nonsense Mr Kneel. No one has been pissed that Petey has been playing better.

They'll be considering who to trade from the defence in the offseason, trying to pick up a young, up and coming Centre.
 
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Peter Griffin said:
I expect we will have to trade one of our young defensive players plus our 1st, to add anything of significance upfront. The UFA market is awful and expecting Bennett/Ehlers to sign here is setting us up for disappointment. Hopefully some other team really likes either Mynio/Kudryatsev and we can move one of them in a package.
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Obviously depending on the contract I like both those guys as targets. Both could be perfect fits bringing what we could need.
 
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