Post-Game Talk: Canucks defeat Godson and the Buffalo CruSabres 3-0 (Higgins, Richardson, Stanton)

[Snatcher Demko]

Kassian is one of those power-forwards with the tools that needs to put it all together. Now he MIGHT not but as soon as we got him I felt bad for him because I knew Canucks fans would be harping on him for 3 or 4 years but I still think the guy will be a solid NHLer in the future... I mean he's only 22. If he's still a marginal 3rd liner at 26/27 then I'll be more willing to write him off.

I liken him to Bertuzzi who was basically a 30 point guy until he was 24 and even then he wasn't a superstar until he was 27.

Even if he takes the route of a Bryan Bickell we'd all be more than satisfied.

 

[Derp Kassian]

Even if he takes the route of a Bryan Bickell we'd all be more than satisfied.

Hawks fans were more than ready to throw away Bickell quite a few times. I always knew he had it in him. Feel the same way about Kassian, he needs to show SOMETHING offensively though.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

Bieksa quietly had yet another good game. He led the team in TOI with 23:48, finished the game +2 and had 5 hits to lead the team along with 3 blocked shots.

Making thing happen as well in the O zone.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Hawks fans were more than ready to throw away Bickell quite a few times. I always knew he had it in him. Feel the same way about Kassian, he needs to show SOMETHING offensively though.

?

Have to remember Kassian is playing 11-13 mins/game... Meanwhile Hodgson is playing 21 mins/game in Buffalo...

 

[Karl Hungus]

Kassian had a great game. I loved his heads up passing. He just needs to find a way to bring this kind of energy more consistently.

 

[Edo]

If we were able to get away with Naslund-Morrison-Bertuzzi and have success, there's no reason we can't go with Daniel-Henrik-Kesler. Stack it up.

 

[Snatcher Demko]

Except for Goalies.

And throwing away 2nd rounders. Though Gillis has had his dislike for them too. Remember Vadim Sharifjanov? Me neither.

 

[Snatcher Demko]

?

Have to remember Kassian is playing 11-13 mins/game... Meanwhile Hodgson is playing 21 mins/game in Buffalo...

I think that's the key with him right now. I don't know if he can handle more than 13 mins per game yet. Best to let him play a high energy game for smaller minutes, then evolving to a bigger role over the next couple of seasons.

 

[Regal]

David Booth is the worst value/contract on the team. If there's a chance to upgrade up front, it's a no-brainer to dump Booth to get flexibility to accomplish that.

I agree, but some people seem to want him off the team for no reason other than play, which is ridiculous. Even if he is only a 15 goal scoring third liner (who, as I pointed out earlier, is undervalued in his ability to exit the zone with the puck), you don't just throw those guys away for nothing.

 

[David71]

Well it certainly does balance out the likes of Marco Sturm and other plug washouts like Ebbett, Bitz, Duco et al. Let's just hope they can maintain some level of consistency. Tambi started hot too but fizzled big time.

Moneypuck has seemed like a "low percentage pass" to me.

I honestly preferred Burke's strategy of targeting a player and doing whatever it took to get him.

But don't get me wrong, I'm really grateful for these two kids giving us some quality depth, along with Richardson.

there gonna be points where santorelli will fizzle out but maybe for a few games before lighting up the lamp again. read that his fitness is good among every other canuck. gym freak?

 

[Wizeman*]

?

Have to remember Kassian is playing 11-13 mins/game... Meanwhile Hodgson is playing 21 mins/game in Buffalo...

Here is the REAL stats

Kassian is a year younger than Hodgson

Kassian is far bigger, faster, stronger and tougher than hodgson

Kassian can fight and hit (and get suspended ). Hodgson does none of these things

Kassian plays on a half baked 3rd line, and gets no PP time at all. He gets 11 min a game.

Hodgson plays 20min a game on the Sabres top line with Thomas Vanek, and gets all kinds of juicy PP time.

Hodgson outscores Kassian.

There you have it folks.

 

[CCF23]

If we were able to get away with Naslund-Morrison-Bertuzzi and have success, there's no reason we can't go with Daniel-Henrik-Kesler. Stack it up.

No, no, no.

Load it up every now and then during a game, sure, but as a full time thing it just throws everything out of balance.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

I think that's the key with him right now. I don't know if he can handle more than 13 mins per game yet. Best to let him play a high energy game for smaller minutes, then evolving to a bigger role over the next couple of seasons.

Bieksa was roundly said not to be able to handle more than a handful of minutes.

Nothing ive seen indicates Kassian cany handle more minutes.

 

[CanadianPirate]

I think (and when I say that everyone should read "I hope") that Kassian's game today was less about him playing well against the Sabres and more about him adjusting to Torts' system. He has steadily improved over these last three games and this game could be him coming into his own this season. Lets all keep our fingers crossed.

 

[Bleach Clean]

David Booth has 35 points in 81 games as a Canuck.

I wouldn't pick up a 35 point player off waivers at that contract, unless he was a dman or tremendous defensive forward. Unfortunately, Booth is neither of those things.

Are we really back to this again DTS? Wasnt enough that he's still on the team when you were adamant he would not be in the offseason? Tortorella also remarks that he is pretty familiar with Booth from his FLA days and knows what he had with this player. A big, fast top6 per year producer (nice re-jigging) of the numbers though. I'm sure his 1 point in 12 games completely excludes him from the .5ppg top6 camp... Yup.

It's been 8 games and he's coming off 1.5 years of injury time. How about we be about more patient and see what he can do when he regains his earlier 2012 form?

 

[Regal]

I actually like the idea of switching up having the Sedins together, and separated with each one with Kesler at different times (though I would prefer Daniel with him to keep the centre depth) regularly throughout the game. I know generally you want some consistency in who you play with, but these guys have all been on the team long enough I think they know how to play with each other, and the different looks make it much harder for the other team to gameplan against them, as well as prevents the Sedins and Kesler from becoming too predictable.

 

[alternate]

Good effort. Best our transitioon defense has looked, but how much of that was Buffalo sucking is TBD.

Really liked the lines and would like to see Torts stick with it for a bit. Interested in eing if our centre depth can hold up against good teams with Kes on the wing.

Good shutout for Luongo. Fought hard for it, even if his play was a bit sloppy at times.

Should be just a matter of time before we go on a bit of a powerplay tear. I would like to see the second unit shaken up a bit, take Higgins and Hansen off and replace with two of Kassian, Schroeder and/or Booth.

Team is starting to become Torts' team and I'm liking how its looking.

 

[PG Canuck]

I'm loving Torts' line juggling. Did we ever see Sed/Sedin/Kesler in AV's tenure? Did AV continually break up the Sedins like Torts has? Honestly can't remember. Torts is coaching smart. Kesler is hot lately, so play him with our two top forwards. Santorelli is hot, so make him anchor a line because he can handle it.

Richardson, Santorelli and Stanton have been fantastic pickups so far this season.

 

[Verviticus]

Kesler's an ugly ****, but in what world is puck bunny-ism rewarded as cute?

the girl is like 14

 

[Verviticus]

It's been 8 games and he's coming off 1.5 years of injury time. How about we be about more patient and see what he can do when he regains his earlier 2012 form?

irrespective of his production, hes playing well out there. i dont even give a **** about patience at this point

 

[Bleach Clean]

irrespective of his production, hes playing well out there. i dont even give a **** about patience at this point

Yeah, I thought he played OK. Not getting your comment about patience though?

 

[Aqualung]

To me watching Schroeder is frustrating. It's evident on ice that when he has the puck and time to make a decision, he can make really good passes. However very rarely is that the case, and for the majority of his even strength shifts he's largely ineffective. He loses most board battles, gets rubbed off the puck quickly, and plays to not lose a job rather than playing to excel and impress. I wish for a kid who does not have a role in the NHL cemented that he had more jam to his game.

 

[orcatown]

Have to be in a wait and see mode with the Canucks. Winning the ones they should win and losing the ones you think they probably lose. Buffalo team is not much of bench mark right now for assessing any team.

Some observations

Santorelli >>>>>>>>>> Tambellini - much more solid on his skates and in distributing the puck. One of the best aspects of Santorelli's game is work on the pk. No way you would put Tambellini in those situations

You have to wonder how friggin deep the Hawks are on defense to waive Stanton. Good scouting by someone.

On the other hand seems like the team should have been after Colbourne rather than Dalpe.

Luongo had horseshoes in this game. Thought he was awkward at times. However, a shut out is a shut out


Booth seems to just plow ahead regardless of the situation. Needs to get his head up and move the puck quicker. For sure needed to move the puck over to Kassian on the 3 on 2 in the second rather than flicking a shot in on Miller. Noticed he sat out a shift or two indicating that coaching staff are not all that happy. Could have guessed that if anyone has or will fall into Torts doghouse it would be Booth. Booth is about as far from a systems player as the team has. Does he ever get back on odd man rushes???

Play of Schroeder and Kassain was encouraging. However, Schroeder still has the tendency to stop moving and get behind the play. Really bad habit that he developed as young player in the States where he could rely upon speed to get him back in the play. Needs, above all else, to keep his feet moving and head intensely in the game. Point that has been repeated a ton and you wonder if Schroeder is ever going to get it.

Hansen is proving pretty conclusively that he is nothing like a top 6 player. His hands simply are not good enough. However, gives you what he's got and can play an important role on the team.

Garrison is playing awesome hockey. Also it was Bieksa the Good in this game. Bieksa seems much more focused. Getting him more involved in the offense rather than having fall asleep waiting back at blue line seems to have improved all aspects of his game. Torts hopefully won't accept the 'casual Kev"

Improving efforts out of Hamhuis. Also, Higgins with another good game.

Kesler is playing well but he should have been able to put away some of those chances the team was generating. Showed very little touch around the net in this game.

Sedins had a great offensive game but there has to be some concern with amount of chances they are giving up in their own end.

 

[Bougieman]

It's both totally awesome and really depressing that we have more shorthanded goals than powerplay goals thus far this season.

Conflicted.

 

[CanadianPirate]

Have Hamhuis and Edler ever played any significant time together? If this Garrison and Bieksa pairing continues to work it might be something worth trying.