Which waste of ice-time do you think the Canucks will bring back?

[The Franchise]

Which waste of space on the ice do you think the Canucks will resign?

Cowen is terriable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He is a punching bag, fights are suppose to modivate a team not shatter them after his display with the fists

 

[johnnybluenose]

who's stanford?

 

[Kevin Hector]

and Cowen has one more year on his contract. I'd take all of they above over any Maple Laff

 

[johnnybluenose]

I think Mo will be back, because his injury will effectively kill any chance of moving elsewhere for more money...he will sign a 1 or 2 year for approx 2.5 mill per
Naslund os gone I think...Linden retires (for sure now after that display during the Flames game) Sanford should stay IMHO, he is an excellent goalie and never once complained about playing the meager amount of games and seeing tonnes of rubber in practice...from the outside looking in, he seems like the exact teammate you would want.
Weaver and Cowan are dime a dozen, and could easily be replaced with similar or better quality for same or less money.

 

[striker14]

cowan isn't worth a bag of pucks and a roll of sock tape
he likes to start the fights, but, usually ends up on his ass, or turtles the moment his opponent gets the upper hand. he's a joke and an embarassment to our team as the "tough guy."

 

[Regs]

Agreed with everything JBN said.

Would like to see Bieksa or however you spell his fricken name packaged up, maybe move him to Chicago to be paired up with Sopel

 

[Dude]

I think shipping out Bieksa would be a mistake, unless you can get something very good back. One of the biggest problems on the squad this year was a lack of emotion, along with a lack of sense of urgency, and a lack of a "Nuclear" threat.

Bieksa had a bad year, but most was consumed in injury time and recovery from that. You can't judge his performance on this season.

So, taking out this season, he only has one full year under his belt, and he was pretty damn good in that year. He’s one of the few defensemen on the squad that can potentially break a game wide open with his offense. Plus, he’s got the “Snap” factor in him. He’s as competitive as hell, and that is not easy replaceable, especially on a team full of Euros.

If any D-Man needs to go, I think it has to be Sami Salo. The team banks on him being healthy, but he can’t stay healthy. This year he was too afraid to shoot out of fear of injuring someone.

I think Luc Bourdon has shown the maturity to move up.

 

[johnnybluenose]

I don't. He is a top 4 for sure...but so are 4 other Canucks D men (Ohlund, Edler, Mitchell, Salo, maybe Bourdon next year? and Miller, Kraijcek, Weaver, and MacIver are serviceable)

I would like them to trade 1 or 2 of the above mentioned for some scoring (Jeff Carter anyone?)

 

[Dude]

See my comments re Salo. That said, I doubt you can get much scorring for any of them. Suspect free agency is the only way.

 

[johnnybluenose]

I'm not so sure...Bieksa's value may be higher to other teams than it is to Vancouver...What I mean is that in a multiple player deal Bieksa and others to Philly for Carter may be doable...especially with their contract situation...

Salo is injury plagued and his contract is one of the many blights on Nonis' record since taking over from Burke. When Salo is healthy he is damn good though...a must if the PP is going to be successful.

 

[Dude]

I just don't think Bieksa commands that value right now. He's coming off a bad injury, and only one good season. I don't feel he can command that on the market. Ship him out, and a lot of heart leaves w/ him.

Salo...time to cut the losses. Get what you can, and move on.

 

[Regs]

Bieksa makes $3.5 starting next year I think

 

[Dude]

I think you're sort of stuck w/ him though Regs. I like his style, and think in the long term he'll be a very good Canuck, so I'm biased I guess.

Again, ship him out, and the emotion level effectively goes to zero.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Bieksa at 3.5 vs Salo at 3.5 is not a wash...Salo averages 63 games per year over the last 3 years...averaged 34 points per year
Bieksa had 42 in his only real 1 full nhl season, time will tell on him, but his brand of play is much more physical, and he lasted the full year. This year was a freak injury, not the type of injuries salo seems to get...
nhlnumbers.com » Team Overview
The numbers add up, they are different in the cap hit due to the structuring of the deals (front end load on Bieksa, back end load on Salo.)

I'm not sure Nonis can dupe any NHL GM into taking Salo...draft picks maybe, but no NHL quality player in return...he makes to much for what he offers... Bieksa is where the value lies...Yuo can get real quality for him I think.

 

[BlazeArmy]

Dude, I think that you need to think in terms of where guys fit in at salary level like the NBA does to make sure team is always going to be a contender. you also need to draft well, something historically The Nucks have sucked at.

The emotion level you speak of is a serious problem on the canucks and anyone they do bring in via trade or free agency better have that in your face or what have you attitude. That is just one of a mulitude of problems with the Canucks as they are presently constituted.

It does not bode well for a hockey team when your "checking" line is also your second line as it basically was this past year. They need to find a second line as well as winger for the first line. Pyatt has to be either the frontline winger or the second line winger.

The teams lacks a good pucking moving defencemen. That is probably Bourdon or Bieksas spot to fill but they have a serious glut of defencemen and need to move someone to get some help upfront. Mitchell, salo and Ohlund all of NO-Trade clauses so that leaves your main defensive assets that are available for being moved as Bourdon, Edler and Bieksa. Of those 3 Bieksa is making the most money and it makes no sense to trade younger cheaper players if there is value in more expensive players that would seem to have a lot of admirers around the league. Bieksa had a nightmare this past season and deserves a free pass on his play after the injury. Without the injury he may have worked out the problems he had to start but we will never know. His Ceiling as a player would seem to be a #2 but more likely a #3 or #4 for a good team. We have the first 3 covered in the no-trade clause posse and Edler seems capable of filling the #4 or even moving up and pushing one of the other 3 down the chart. Bourdon can play as a 5 or 6 at the NHl level and that would help his development into a potential puck moving offensive dman that was envisioned when he was drafted. You can sign someone like Miller again for 1- 1.5 mil per year and you have a top 6 that is pretty decent. Someone like Weaver is available for league mininums and as a bonus with Weaver, you get a kick ass computer tech support guy. Unforunately, i would expect the 7th D to have to play 60 games due to the inevitable Salo injury.

Morrison is a solid 2nd line center and it sounds like he wants to play here and it appears his injury will make him a lot less likely for a big offer from someone else. We know this season is an abberation and he normally stays healthy. the question is has he hit the wall and we are going to see more and more games missed fom him. I t is obvious he can play in pain. But he does not help in the size/ emotion issues the canucks seem to have.

Up front you need to go after a big ( or at least plays big) winger to play with the Twins or with Morrison. Sounds a bit like a guy who played like that for a couple of years here and then went all i am a skill guy and don't need to go anywhere near the net anymore guy.

Your biggest strengths are in goal and the backline. and your weakness is up front. It makes sense to rob one to help the other.

I am now going to go into the bag of tricks for the next scenario. I do not think they should even consider moving luongo unless hedoes not want to be here. If it is a Coach/player squabble, sorry Vigneult, you did a nice job last year and pretty much had the same year this year without all the extra points won in overtime and shootouts, but our anchor no like you, so seeya.

I wonder if the Pens lose in the first round what they are going to do with all their forwards etc. They have so many young players even after the Hossa trade (stay away from him please Canucks.) Would they like an All-world goaltender?? Is he happy here or do him and Vigneult not get along. the rumours are he wants to go to a less "hockey" mad place and play in the east. That works quite well does it not.

Say a Luongo / Bieksa trade for a Marc-andre Fleury/Staal/Talbot type deal.

Does it not work for both teams. The Canucks obviously take a step back in goal but Fleury has better sav& than luongo and Staal looks like he will be a really good player going forward. he had on off year but something like this aloso frees up a bunch of cap money to spend on free agents.

 

[Dude]

You make a lot of sense in your reasoning, and I had no idea Salo had a no-trade. That hurts.

I also think people have a short memory: the media, fans, and broadcasters were all in love w/ Bieksa two seasons ago. Many hockey people smarter than you and I siad that this guy has the potential to be a top defensman in the league, a potential Norris trophy winner, etc. He also showed increadible guts in coming back in the playoffs after suffering a bad injury (shoulder I think).

Yeah, jury is still out...but at this point, the cap is going up, and the team has all sorts of dough available. I suppose if you can get a proven scorer for Bieksa, you have to look at it, but I would have him values pretty high internally.

Salo...hell, if you can get him to waive the no-trade, ship him out for whatever you can get.

 

[johnnybluenose]

I rate Bieksa highly too Dude...But I also rate making the playoffs high as well, and he is blue chip trade bait for scoring...

Philly gave how much to Richards? How are they going to deal with Carter and Umberger!?

 

[Dude]

I agree that if you can get high value, you have to consider it. I just don't think the rest of the league values him that high right now.

 

[The Franchise]

and Cowen has one more year on his contract. I'd take all of they above over any Maple Laff

Then can waiver Cowen

Besides Loungo....Sundin is worth more then any Canuck period!

 

[Dude]

Sundin is no longer a Leaf, is he? UFA now I think.

Technically, Hectors is right.

It'd be nice to see Sundin go to a city like Pittsburg next year.