Prospect Info: SHL champion Elias Pettersson | SHL scoring champion, playoff MVP, WC gold

[clay]

Just want to make sure everyone understands there is ZERO chance he plays center in the NHL,

We STILL need another center to compliment Horvat and build the team around,

I think Boesser, Peterson, Joulevi, Virtanen, Demko whoever we take 5th overall this year (Who won't be a center, I guarantee it, this team is allergic to centers) anybody but Horvat, should be packaged up and traded for either a blue-chip center or the ability to draft one.

I know, the only bright spots these days are Boesser and Peterson....and I hate to be the guy who serves the wake-up call, but.....WAKE UP!

Teams built around wingers FAIL, you can't build a cup team with wingers as your cornerstone (Remember the WCE? Bure/Mogilny?) The only times this team has advanced to a cup final were the very brief instances where we had our center ice position locked down, something that has been RARE over the history of this team.

The great sulker himself ("I really don't WANT to be in Vancouver, but I will stay as long as they pay me") Alex Mogilny said it best when lecturing Pat Quin in the early 90's:

"Well, if you can't find a center then trade me for one, everyone knows hockey starts and ends with the center ice position"

Wingers who score lots of goals are like seals who do tricks, kinda fun to watch..but if you're expecting more, you'll be disappointed, that's all they know how to do.....if they could do more, they would have been centers...or Dolphins

Three things:

-Pettersson has the defensive awareness and tenacity to be an NHL centre. Sure, it's not a guarantee he sticks as one but to say there is ZERO chance of it is asinine.

-Gaudette has the potenital to be a good top 6 centre.

-Chicago never had a legitimate second line centre during their 3 cup wins.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

He's not playing center in the SHL,

Playing center in the NHL is the most challenging position of all, and if a guy isn't fulfilling that role in lesser leagues there's zero chance he does it in the worlds best one.

Think Druin, great playmaker, talented offensive guy, has a lot in common with Peterson actual, and Ehlers, which I think is a decent comparable, playmaking winger...NOT a center, the job is extremely demanding, offensive rovers don't make good centers and if you don't have a good center , the whole line goes the s**t

Matt Duchene is a great example of a guy who lines up at center ice, but that has ZERO clue as to how to play the position,

And you've probably noticed, any team he plays on goes to s**t, it's because you CAN'T have one of your top six centers not do the job properly, it KILLS a team.

Anyway, Peterson looks like a great offensive player, great, but he's shown nothing that demonstrates he can fulfill the responsibilities of a center iceman which go far beyond that, with a winger, that's pretty much the entire gig.

Actually, he did play centre for a couple games in SHL and look great, so there’s a decent chance.

To say the he hasn’t shown any ability to play centre is hsimply I correct, the kid is surprising good at defence.

The Växjö Laker’s head coach even said the reason why they play him on the wing is because if fits more to their strategy + he isn’t physically mature enough.

And honestly, who cares where he plays, he can be playing defence for the love of god

 

[CanucksSTM]

If Elias comes over next season and by some miracle we get Dahlin at the draft don't we want the Sedins back next year just for the mentorship values ?

 

[Hemty]

If Elias comes over next season and by some miracle we get Dahlin at the draft don't we want the Sedins back next year just for the mentorship values ?

Id say. Who better to mentor two swedes?

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

If Elias comes over next season and by some miracle we get Dahlin at the draft don't we want the Sedins back next year just for the mentorship values ?

The opposite, I want the Sedins off the team if that happen.
Time to move on to the new era

 

[ziploc]

Sedins at 3 million each are doable, but it would depend on other factors. Can any of the other bloated contracts be moved to create enough ice time and roster spots for everyone? Are there better options in FA for that money? I would love them to be here for a transitional year with the new Swedish blood, but it isn't a slam dunk.

 

[Kickpuncher]

Had a good WJC, got scratched twice, played 7th dman twice, ended up being in the top 2.

But of course none of that got mentioned in that way. But do continue.

Nah. You're being selective and ignoring a lot so there's no point continuing. Enjoy your denial though.

 

[Canucks1096]

Three things:

-Pettersson has the defensive awareness and tenacity to be an NHL centre. Sure, it's not a guarantee he sticks as one but to say there is ZERO chance of it is asinine.

-Gaudette has the potenital to be a good top 6 centre.

-Chicago never had a legitimate second line centre during their 3 cup wins.

Sharp, Handzus, Richards.

Sharp in a natural winger but he produce ppg as the second line center. 2013 they didn't have one. 2015 Richards was old but he still was able to produce 14 points in the playoffs as a number 2 center.

 

[rune74]

Nah. You're being selective and ignoring a lot so there's no point continuing. Enjoy your denial though.

Weird I though the same thing about you.

 

[M2Beezy]

If Elias comes over next season and by some miracle we get Dahlin at the draft don't we want the Sedins back next year just for the mentorship values ?

Already got Eriksson Gagner and Coach Green to ruin them with poor mentorship

 

[Jannik Hansen]

Sedins at 3 million each are doable, but it would depend on other factors. Can any of the other bloated contracts be moved to create enough ice time and roster spots for everyone? Are there better options in FA for that money? I would love them to be here for a transitional year with the new Swedish blood, but it isn't a slam dunk.

There aren’t really any good adds in free agency this year. Would rather get middle six scorers at a 1 year term, and there aren’t any players worth a try that will be willing to accept such short term.

 

[ziploc]

Already got Eriksson Gagner and Coach Green to ruin them with poor mentorship

Ah, so the Sedins are poor mentors now, and are to be seen as equivalent to players/coaches who have been here for a season or two. Not, say, exemplars of hard work, preparation, class, good attitude, professionalism, and elite hockey knowledge won over a lifetime/career of loyalty, sacrifice and struggle. Got it. Just legendary disrespect.

I'm ok if they don't come back next year, but let's maybe hold off on just dismissing them out of spite or ignorance.

 

[ziploc]

There aren’t really any good adds in free agency this year. Would rather get middle six scorers at a 1 year term, and there aren’t any players worth a try that will be willing to accept such short term.

I don't disagree. I wouldn't mind the Sedins back for a year at a decent rate, without a NMC, and with the possibility of moving them to a contender for the playoff run next year. I'm not sure they would be open to that at all, but it could be really interesting.

 

[cc]

To say that EP is incapable of developing into an NHL center is incredibly premature. He'll likely be slotted in whatever position the Canucks choose depending on the team need.
The encouraging thing is he has played that position in the past. It's not as of that role is brand new to him

 

[DDRhockey]

 

[cc]

Wow. He was really gushing when the topic of Pettersson came up. I'm a little surprised. He seems like a huge fan

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Stop torturing us SN

 

[M2Beezy]

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Please don’t get excited like 2016....

 

[Kickpuncher]

Hopefully Petterson can come over and be a star, but it's not going to mean **** if Jimbo wastes away his prime years like he's actively doing with Boeser and Horvat.

 

[coastal_nuck]

Getting Dahlin would be incredible and would instantaneously turnaround this franchise (not necessarily from a standings perspective but from a fan's perspective). But we all know that is not going to happen for us, no matter where we land at the end of the season.

I wouldn't mind keeping the Sedins around one more year. It's not like we are competing next year or the next. Keeping them here if they want to stay will help to provide some good leadership to the Petterssen, Dahlen and anyone else that joins that team. They are not Brandon Sutter or some other player with made up mentorship abilities, they legitimately have them.

 

[GetFocht]

if we don't get Dahlin, I would be very happy with Boqvist.

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

if we don't get Dahlin, I would be very happy with Boqvist.

I want to see how Boqvist handles the u18 tournament.

He really needs to have a Miro Hieskanen type coming out party at the u18 to cement himself as a Top 5 pick.

 

[Zombotron]

k, that's over

 

[clay]

Sharp, Handzus, Richards.

Sharp in a natural winger but he produce ppg as the second line center. 2013 they didn't have one. 2015 Richards was old but he still was able to produce 14 points in the playoffs as a number 2 center.

Sharp was an incredibly talented winger in his prime who was forced to be a makeshift centre out of necessity. Certainly EP could fill the same role out of necessity if required (under the assumption that he develops primarily as a winger).

Agree to disagree on Brad Richards though I guess. I do not classify a nearly retired mid-30s Richards with his 12 goals and 37 points in the regular season as a legitimate second line centre.