Confirmed Signing with Link: [VAN] D Vincent Desharnais signs with the Canucks (2 years, $2M AAV)

[Rick Rocket]

Don't like it. Fak

 

[Rowlet]

How valuable is cap space in this modern NHL?

Yes they an add. Yes they are 1 man over the roster. Yes Poolman and LTIR

But what flexibility exists then?

A number of conference finals teams over the past few years have been there due to trades made with available cap space during the season. Florida won with Okposo and Tarasenko as major additions during the season. Having cap space is not just essential but critical in terms of a teams health and ability to compete

Teams accrue additional cap space over the season if they aren't using LTIR (they won't be). There'll be more to use by the deadline.

 

[bucks_oil]

I was hoping to resign him at $1.5M (or less) x 3 or 4 years, whatever it took to outbid the two year deal he would otherwise get. Too bad. Hea rt and soul guy.

He's as solid as they come defensively on the PK, get him running around though and his lack of mobility shows. I'm a big fan still... just not a big fan at a $2M cap.

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

So Vancouver's forward group stayed about the same, but their D took a sizeable downgrade so far this summer. Will be interesting to see what happens if their depth scoring takes a step back this year.

On paper I like the forward group better, especially since the goal was to get faster and get EP an actual winger. Lindholm was great in the playoffs but from the minute he came here our offense took a massive dip. Not blaming him entirely, the bigger issue was our top six wingers. Jake is a huge upgrade in that regard and Danton is a sneaky decent goal scorer that may very well get a chance next to JT.
Also by adding some strong bottom six guys this creates a situation where Joshua can get a look or more likely Podkolzin, Lekkerimakki and Raty can get a look in the top six opposed to having them in the bottom six. For example Lekkerimakki is talented enough offensively that he's an immediate upgrade over anyone else EP was saddled with or in Hoglander's case zero chemistry. Podkolzin in his only stint in the top six 2 years ago scores at a 20+ goal pace in a small sample size but the point being still better than what was there last season. They also improved immensely on the PK forward group.

As for the defense their top four is the same, better if Soucy is actually healthy and this was a top 3 defence last year.
The #3 LHD took a hit if you look at Zadorov and say he will perform like he did in the playoffs but he was nothing special in the regular season and I'll judge by his regular season and career not 13 games.

I

 

[BCNate]

How valuable is cap space in this modern NHL?

Yes they an add. Yes they are 1 man over the roster. Yes Poolman and LTIR

But what flexibility exists then?

A number of conference finals teams over the past few years have been there due to trades made with available cap space during the season. Florida won with Okposo and Tarasenko as major additions during the season. Having cap space is not just essential but critical in terms of a teams health and ability to compete

They are under the cap without using any LTIR at this point. That provides a lot of the flexibility you are speaking of. Looking at it right now, they could very easily add 5-6 mill in season and be compliant. How much more flexibility do you expect?

There will be plenty of moves from Allvin prior to the start of the year anyway, where they are at right now is moot point.

 

[Bizzare]

Canucks fans mocked him relentlessly during playoffs lol

Not really, Oilers fans did mock Arvidsson for diving though.

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Don't like it. Fak

I dunno I trust the GM and staff and him and Forbort are absolute studs on the PK. Both are an upgrade on Cole and basically have the same cap hit combined. And while neither provide much offense, both along with Juulson a big and mean.
Hopefully Foote and Gonchar can help with some of their flaws much like they did with the group last season. With a two-way there's really no risk

 

[EpochLink]

I was hoping to resign him at $1.5M (or less) x 3 or 4 years, whatever it took to outbid the two year deal he would otherwise get. Too bad. Hea rt and soul guy.

He's as solid as they come defensively on the PK, get him running around though and his lack of mobility shows. I'm a big fan still... just not a big fan at a $2M cap.

Tocchet, Gonchar and Foote will do wonders with this guy

 

[Drew Doubty]

Cap math aside. I hate this deal. Really it can't be understated how much of a f*** up this is.

The Canucks had positioned themselves exceptionally. Resigned Blueger, Joshua, Myers to team-friendly deals, made smart buys in free agency that addressed needs without overpaying, and left themselves with the space to add a 5-6 million dollar player.

Instead? They buy quite possibly the most redundant player imaginable. Good on the PK - who cares? Soucy, Myers, Forbort, and Hronek are all above average PK guys, hell even Juulsen has a great underlying profile on the PK. Big? We already had 4 D-man already over 6ft 2 and 200+ pounds.

The Canucks have 2 glaring needs still:

1. A top-line winger who can drive play.
2. A top 4 2-way D man who can add a dynamic element to the bottom 4.

They couldn't have gotten both with the space they had, but they could have filled 1 (Walker at 3.75?), and at least taken a flyer on someone who has a chance of filling the other.

Maybe sign a Brannstrom or Kylington type - Someone who could at least provide some puck moving upside in a bottom pairing role and who had the potential to become something more. What are they going to cost? 1.25 x 1? 1.5 x 2? You'd still be able to add a 5 million dollar guy without issue.

I've heard Ehlers (6 mill) might move, or Buchnevich (5.8 mill), and you can guarantee other players will come available in-season. When that kind of opportunity arises, you don't want to be the team that needs retention to get it done, or is forcing the other team to take salary back, otherwise you'll lose out. You want to go: Hey here's our 1st + 3rd + prospect you like and that's it.

A bit of a rant and I'm probably overreacting, but god damn it's just such a needless self-own for a guy that adds nothing.

 

[Three On Zero]

Anyone with insight on how the 2 million 2 way deal works? Can you send him down and take the entirety of the cap off the books?

My understand is he can be sent down and make his full salary but it wouldn’t count against the NHL cap?

 

[Burnaby Schmo]

I think this is the only real Alvin whiff today, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

 

[bucks_oil]

Tocchet, Gonchar and Foote will do wonders with this guy

I'm not sure about that... he was playing a pretty solid game already in Edmonton. There isn't much to dislike/improve on the defensive side of the puck. Unless you think Foote or Gonchar are going to be better teachers of the offensive game than Coffey?

I think they will ENJOY him, but I don't know that there is that much more upside there. He's a pretty solid role-playing defender and he's 28 already.

 

[Burnaby Schmo]

Canucks blue line is constructed for old school hockey. It’ll get heavily exposed this season. Mobility and puck moving is near non-existent

It's almost like they saw what was available, and said "fudge it, we'll go big to try and give Hronek and Hughes space to move", because you're right, that pair that's left without Hughes or Hronek is going to get pinned in a lot.

However, after Hughes got completely neutralized by Edmonton's size, they're looking for a way to protect their most importance asset, I think.

 

[EpochLink]

I'm not sure about that... he was playing a pretty solid game already in Edmonton. There isn't much to dislike/improve on the defensive side of the puck. Unless you think Foote or Gonchar are going to be better teachers of the offensive game than Coffey?

I think they will ENJOY him, but I don't know that there is that much more upside there. He's a pretty solid role-playing defender and he's 28 already.

I trust Foote and Gonchar will work with him.

 

[Three On Zero]

I'm not sure about that... he was playing a pretty solid game already in Edmonton. There isn't much to dislike/improve on the defensive side of the puck. Unless you think Foote or Gonchar are going to be better teachers of the offensive game than Coffey?

I think they will ENJOY him, but I don't know that there is that much more upside there. He's a pretty solid role-playing defender and he's 28 already.

Coffey as a whole did a lot with Edmontons back end, for a guy like VD I don’t think you’ll get much more out of him. His weaknesses and limitations are too far gone to
Improve on

It's almost like they saw what was available, and said "fudge it, we'll go big to try and give Hronek and Hughes space to move", because you're right, that pair that's left without Hughes or Hronek is going to get pinned in a lot.

However, after Hughes got completely neutralized by Edmonton's size, they're looking for a way to protect their most importance asset, I think.

Hughes was far from neutralized, it was everyone else around him who couldn’t do anything

 

[Drew Doubty]

Tocchet, Gonchar and Foote will do wonders with this guy

I really hope you're right, but honestly this guy has never once shown offensive upside.

 

[VainGretzky]

He took a 1.5 million signing bonus this season sets him up to just concentrate on his game

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

I was not expecting him to go to an arch rival. He got better as the year went on. I thought that the Oilers would resign him.

 

[EpochLink]

I was not expecting him to go to an arch rival. He got better as the year went on. I thought that the Oilers would resign him.

They needed that money for Corey Perry

 

[VainGretzky]

They needed that money for Corey Perry

Perry contract has no effect whatsoever if he is waived it's no cap hit

 

[Paulinbc]

Whothe f*** is this?

 

[EpochLink]

Perry contract has no effect whatsoever if he is waived it's no cap hit

Perry can still be effective, bottom six

 

[biturbo19]

Don't really care for this at all. Though Tocchet and Foote have had a way of getting serviceable play out out of these sort of limited, big, physical bottom-pairing or #7D. Like...they had Noah Juulsen playing less disastrous hockey by later in the season. Maybe they can do the same with Desharnais?

Other than that faint hope, i don't really like this. Canucks D a lot slower, and a lot worse if they're planning to give a guy like this minutes.

 

[Buresflyingelbow]

Why do I keep hearing 2-way deal? I’m confused here?

 

[Dan Kelly]

Don't like it. Fak

In the playoffs Vinny got exposed for his sometimes funky defensive play so I'm not choked up that he's gone! Oilers have already replaced him with Josh Brown anyways.