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

[iFan]

If they think Mancini can develop into a top 4 guy, I’m honestly fine with trading Willander for a top 6 player or even a top forward prospect.

Mancini’s size, skating and athleticism are projectable traits. my preference is to sign Willander but I won’t lose sleep if he’s a trade chip.

Well if Hughes is gone then we shouldn’t be moving Willander.

 

[Jerry the great]

They seem to be sweating his schedule A bonuses carrying over

which aren't that big of a deal as he still has to reach them. Just give them to him and move on.

I only count three of them that he would have a good chance of reaching on his elc
top 2 amongst blocked shots
top 4 in TOI amongst defense
maybe plus minus
maybe 25 assists

pettersson led them in plus minus, hughes would too in those years, and probably horned as well

without knowing what they're offering and what he's asking for, it's impossible to know. If he wants max schedule A's and they're only offering an average of $700k, it's not a good look on him. Why would they offer him way more than the 10OA is getting (average of ~$780k)? Is he really going to delay his pro career for years over unlikely to be reached performance bonuses? I wonder about the advice he's getting if so. If i was him, I'd want my contract to be fair, but certainly not difficult for the team to work with (call ups matter!) or something inconsistent with what the teams other prospects received.

 

[Jerry the great]

Well if Hughes is gone then we shouldn’t be moving Willander.

If Hughes is gone, it's all irrelevant and we're staring down the barrel of a rip it to the studs rebuild.

 

[Joe Rogan]

Willander + 1st + Garland

For Kent Johnson

 

[M2Beezy]

People still need to calm down on this. You have sides negotiating with plenty of time to get something done. Both sides are dug in because it's early. And note that the media is very much only getting one side of the story because the canuck side doesn't leak this type of info under this management. So it's going to seem one-sided and paint the team in a bad light.

They said Willander would be present for development camp. If he's still a canuck and not there then that is where you might become very concerned. If he's traded I expect that happens at the draft. If he is at development camp I wouldn't be shocked if he was signed before he left.

This only makes sense if we are thinking rationally. You have to consider the clickbait fear mongering tweets that keeps our offseason discussion alive and well, while there really is little info to discuss...

 

[Eye of Ra]

This has always been my one worry of dragging this out.

Whats national team is that same as world championships like I mentioned a week ago?

Yes, he is on the camp roster for WC that starts in May. Remains to see if he makes it all the way. We are playing 5 exhibition Games before WC where he have to prove he is ready.

 

[TropicOfNoReturn]

Well if Hughes is gone then we shouldn’t be moving Willander.

They are completely different profiles of players. One does not impact the other.
Just because Willander was an 11th OA pick does not mean he will be a star.
Quinn is a generational star talent that just happened to be picked 7th OA

 

[Regal]

They are completely different profiles of players. One does not impact the other.
Just because Willander was an 11th OA pick does not mean he will be a star.
Quinn is a generational star talent that just happened to be picked 7th OA

I don’t agree that their different profiles means Hughes’ status doesn’t impact Willander. Willander will never be Hughes, but it’s still very difficult to get cost controlled, young, top pairing defensemen, which is the hope for Willander. If they end up losing Hughes, they’d have to fill the void with multiple players, and having Willander (assuming he develops well) would certainly help.

That said, if management is more concerned with a potential post-Hughes team than improving the current roster, they might as well trade Quinn now. They need a major upgrade at forward and if Willander needs to be moved to make that happen, then so be it. Though it should be for someone who actually moves the needle and/or is young with similar upside.

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Well if Hughes is gone then we shouldn’t be moving Willander.

I can't believe people think Quinn will not be re-signed. JR said what about Quinn and his brothers more so like they would pursue them not Quinn leaving.
Regardless Quinn has already said when a team names you captain you feel an extra layer of loyalty to bring success to that team. He's also a character guy who loves it here and NJ may very well be terrible in two years and it's not like all those high picks have lived up to the hype and their trades for Timo, Dougie, Pesce, Marky haven't exactly turned them into a juggernaut.

Everyone said Brady would bolt to Florida, AM would bolt to the Desert, Drai would leave Edmonton and #97 would leave for the leafs.

If JR actually thought Quinn will leave just to play with his Brother he would never ever let that slip because it would kill any value or leverage the team has.

I find it shocking how fragile the psyche of our franchise is that people think he's gonna bolt when if that was really the be all end all Quinn wouldn't just say to Jack and Luke to come here one and two years after Quinn Re-signs. I mean Vancouver> NJ.
Personally I think none of that happens until much later in the their careers.
In all the years I've watched hockey 40 years I can't recall brothers in their prime doing something like that, especially a captain and ones that are as good people like the Hughes brothers.

As for Willander while I'm surprised he may return to Boston I think this is more a tactic from his camp to try and get a better ELC. Besides he stagnated a bit offensively so maybe going back isn't terrible? Not that I agree or think that will happen.

Looking at our Dcorp, especially the youth with the emergence of EP2 looking not only legit but also legit on his off-side along with Mancini and then JR saying they will be all in trying to land a Centre knowing the price will be high, I could very much see him being the centre piece in a blockbuster for a Barzel, Duchene, Kent Johnson, Larkin? Type of deal.

With Rasmus all but done in Calgary according to his own words and the GM, maybe he lands here in a separate deal.

Gonna be a crazy summer and I'll bet my ass that we are active at the draft and on July 1st.

 

[Jack Tripper]

If Hughes is gone, it's all irrelevant and we're staring down the barrel of a rip it to the studs rebuild.

That’s the best-case scenario if Quinn leaves.

More likely, though, if Quinn goes, Aquilini just hires another GM to do a ‘rebuild on the fly,’ and we end up right back in the Benning era—playing ‘meaningful games in March’ and still crashing to 26th place.

 

[ManVanFan]

Buffalo Sabres.

 

[beachcomber]

Zero chance Hughes stays here. Why would he?

 

[bandwagonesque]

Correct me if I'm wrong -- aren't full Schedule A bonuses extended to basically all good prospects drafted in the 1st round? That's what I always assumed.

 

[Jerry the great]

Correct me if I'm wrong -- aren't full Schedule A bonuses extended to basically all good prospects drafted in the 1st round? That's what I always assumed.

no

 

[Jerry the great]

Correct me if I'm wrong -- aren't full Schedule A bonuses extended to basically all good prospects drafted in the 1st round? That's what I always assumed.

draft position is a big factor.

look at Detroit's 2023 1st rounders

Danielson (9 OA) got max Schedule A's ($1MM per year)

ASP got $500K

Dvorsky at 10 OA in that draft got an average of ~$780k, but max in year 3

Lekkerimaki got $475K

 

[F A N]

Willander being a Swedish guy who went to play in the NCAA is unique so it’s difficult to know what his interests are. I think he will sign as I think he predominantly wants to improve his game and is ready to try something new so playing in Abbotsford shouldn’t be a big deal.

With that said, he can return to college, be one year closer to a free degree, and almost certainly will burn a year off his ELC and closer to stepping in as an NHL player.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I looked for @Jack Tripper 's post about expectations but couldn't find it. I'll take your/his word for it.

That said, this "fear of missing out" is exactly what drives bad decisions. I'm actually a little comforted that management isn't doing what everybody else is doing.

Sure, I'd like to see TW signed but it isn't a big deal to me. I just don't know all the moving parts that management is dealing with and I'm ok with that.

Tripper's post had the following: "[The Willander situation] is strange in contrast to other analogous signings around the league.".

There's little variation in these top prospect signings. That this one breaks from the norm is why it's a story.

To me, this is not a good look on management. I'm really not sure there is a good argument to be made for what they're doing. Just imo.

 

[Attack Vector]

I guarantee you this isn't about "Schedule A bonuses", Canucks would have no issue paying the full amount for a prospect like Willander who was also 11th overall. There's something bigger cooking in the background.

 

[ManVanFan]

I guarantee you this isn't about "Schedule A bonuses", Canucks would have no issue paying the full amount for a prospect like Willander who was also 11th overall. There's something bigger cooking in the background.

I do wonder if it's about Tocchet or playing time. Some want the direct path to the NHL. Hronek, Myers, Mancini standing in his way. I'd doubt he hits on many of the bonuses anyways.

 

[bh53]

I really don't see how this is about bonuses.

Looking at it from Willanders perspective if he signs for next year instead of returning to college he is one year closer to his next contract where he will make more than he would with any bonus. Logically it makes no sense to go back to college due to bonuses because he would just be costing himself money in the long term AND short term.

So for that reason I don't think this is the case at all and it may just Canucks management refusing to sign him at all since Willanders camp has already came out and said they wanted to turn pro this year.

Still a really dumb decision but the reasoning that we are going with doesn't make sense to me. (This is of course assuming this is all speculation, I can't recall if there has been any legit sources saying this is due to bonuses)

 

[Jerry the great]

I do wonder if it's about Tocchet or playing time. Some want the direct path to the NHL. Hronek, Myers, Mancini standing in his way. I'd doubt he hits on many of the bonuses anyways.

that would be totally inconsistent with everything we have seen or heard from him since being drafted.

 

[Jerry the great]

I really don't see how this is about bonuses.

Looking at it from Willanders perspective if he signs for next year instead of returning to college he is one year closer to his next contract where he will make more than he would with any bonus. Logically it makes no sense to go back to college due to bonuses because he would just be costing himself money in the long term AND short term.

So for that reason I don't think this is the case at all and it may just Canucks management refusing to sign him at all since Willanders camp has already came out and said they wanted to turn pro this year.

Still a really dumb decision but the reasoning that we are going with doesn't make sense to me. (This is of course assuming this is all speculation, I can't recall if there has been any legit sources saying this is due to bonuses)

Performance bonuses are pretty much the only needle moving variable with ELCs. Willanders agent hinted at contract structure today:



My gut says they're asking for too high a number based on other signings (yager got $500K/yr, ASP got the same, Benson was $650K), or they're trying to load them mostly into years 2/3 when he has a better chance of hitting them.

Management did say in the session today that he was coming to development camp ...so maybe they'll get it done then. The chances of him going back to BU are low IMO. The Agent is playing that card now (it's the only one they have) but once he's in town they'll hammer out a deal.

 

[Vancouver_2010]

i dont know much about contract signing, can they make it incredibly easy for him to reach those bonuses?

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Trading Willy would be incredibly short-sighted.
Which is why I expect the canucks to do so.

It makes sense too.

We are working against the Quinn Hughes timer here.

The time to accumulate assets was the first 2 years JR and Alvin took over. Now its out of the question.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

i dont know much about contract signing, can they make it incredibly easy for him to reach those bonuses?

Entry Level Performance Bonuses | Puckpedia

Entry Level Contracts are eligible for Performance Bonuses. There are two categories of Performance Bonuses: "A" Level Bonuses "A" Bonuses are worth $212,500 each, to a maximum of $850,000 (maximum 4 achieved). For players drafted starting in 2022, "A" bonuses are worth $250,000 each, to a...

puckpedia.com

This is the best source for ECL bonus info I know.