You could be right....I see the Canucks slowly clambering their up the lottery team ladder...not necessarily playoff-bound but definitely in the 12-15 lottery range. Of course the Canucks grabbed Boeser 23rd overall, so there's still a chance of getting another key piece at that point in the draft.
Prospect Info: The Prospect Thread
- Thread starter Zombotron
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No.
Our prospect pool (and pool of young roster players) is almost entirely wingers and goalies with painfully little at C and D, and our NHL blueline is ghastly. And our team is still run by morons.
We're still a long way away from respectability, and will more than likely be rocking another top-10 pick at the 2019 draft in Vancouver.
I don't know where your info came from, but it didn't come from Utica posters. I don't think Chatfield was any better than the rest of what had become the Comets top 6 after Holm was traded and not replaced. McEneny was out for the season and PTO Blujus became a mainstay. Sautner and Blujus became Cull's go to guys vs the opponent's top line, the PK, and key defensive situations. Wiercioch produced the offense for the entire bunch.
Both Brisebois and Chatfield made strides over the year. Both needed to be paired with a vet. They are far from NHL players, unless maybe they could get some call-up time for the bottom guys in Vancouver who are basically AHL players on most NHL rosters anyways. Neither have put up close to significant offensive numbers. Neither is strong in front of their own net and both lose their positioning when on the offside vs offensive pressure against. Brisebois is more susceptible to rattling under hard pressure along the boards. Both have coughed up pucks into very dangerous spots vs pressure, though Chatfield has developed a better solution in these situations. He has learned to just get the puck out of his end and live to fight another day.
These guys are very raw kids who are learning more every game. They would do better paired with more talented vets than Sifers and Wiercioch since neither is extremely strong defensively. Wiercioch was allergic to physical contact and was a stick checking maniac. Sifers has simply lost too many steps. Neither of these vets are serious role models for how the kids should end up playing the game in order to be NHL worthy.
A couple of vets who play the game the way you want your NHL prospects to play are necessary on every AHL team to set a steady game to game example for the kids to follow. The Comets did not have these guys last season. A strong #1 has been missing since Fedun in '15-16.
Robak tried his best in '16-17 and was the Comets best, but he was not a true #1. I think the hope was for Subban and/or McEneny to step up. They did a good job, but #1 was far from the level they attained.
I believe they were expecting McEneny to pick up last season where he left off in '16-17. Unfortunately he was lost to the season with a serious knee injury. Holm and Wiercioch produced offensively, but neither was a defensive gem.
We'll see what transpires this off season in terms of acquiring a couple of these better vets. There is nothing coming up through the Canucks system. They have to go out and get them. Brisebois, Chatfield, Sautner, and Sifers are all that are signed for next season along with McEneny, who can't be counted upon to be a key figure for at least the first part of the season. His rehab will determine his readiness in October. If re-signing Blujus happens and he is expected to be the key player at putting the D-corps on track, someone has badly missed the boat. He could be one of the 3 more they need. I repeat. A strong anchor to the D and a play making, puck moving offensive threat are essential to giving Brisebois and Chatty the best surroundings to excel and grow their game.
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RobertKron
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- Sep 1, 2007
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Tanev was a surprise because he was like 5’4” his draft year. There wasn’t much surprise from the time he was signed onward.
He played in the cup finals the next season, for f*** sakes. Do you expect Chatfield to grow like a foot in the next couple years?
Pip
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Hansen
tyler motte simp
I think 2 more top ten picks after this year... and by then, some of the pieces will be contributing in a way that gets us out of that "horrible team stage," if we add the right pieces to the group along the way- but not on their own.
Pip
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Hansen
tyler motte simp
Pastor Of Muppetz
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Kel Varnson
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I never said he would be Tanev, I said i've seen him compared stylistically to Tanev who never put up big numbers, isn't overly physical but has carved out an NHL career by being able to read the game at a high level (sound positionally, good decision making, active stick etc.)
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lawrence
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petrishriekandgo
Why not us?
Sportsnet 650Verified account @Sportsnet650 1h1 hour ago
Our own Rick @DhaliwalSports says very positive talks going on between the #Canucks and goaltending prospect Michael DiPietro: "I think that deal gets done today."
Our own Rick @DhaliwalSports says very positive talks going on between the #Canucks and goaltending prospect Michael DiPietro: "I think that deal gets done today."
Pip
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NuxFan09
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Woo! Hope he develops into something special. He sure seems to have that IT factor whenever I see him.
First things first. He won't be eligible for the Pro game for another season. It's back to Jrs for 2018-19.
Right now the Cancucks have 3 keepers under contract. Ideally Markstrom and Nilsson finish out this season and Demko stays in Utica and is the call-up for any injury and gets a few games anyways if injuries don't happen. He moves up next season when Nilsson's contract expires and DiPietro moves into Utica where a veteran presence will be important for his development as Bachman was for Demko in year one and shared duties with him in year 2.
Right now at least one keeper needs to be acquired for the Comets. If Nilsson is dealt, as so many posters advocate, the Comets will need 2 keepers. If this works out like the necessary play making centers not acquired in 3 years, the Comets are in double trouble. They desperately need 3 centers right now as well. Everyone is raving over the forward group Utica will have, but none of them are centers. The longer the wait goes on the less likely good ones are left at either position. Filling those spots once again with leftover dregs has never worked out to date.
Edit: Realize Nilsson could be sent down if he cleared waivers, but that would essentially cause the Canucks to end up losing him after 2018-19 for nothing when he walks as a free agent. He loses any trade value playing in the AHL. The Canucks are not going anywhere this upcoming season anyways. Letting the kids kept on the Vancouver roster play as well as they can while losing a few games along the way because of a weak goal here or there let's the kids grow and keeps a necessary high draft number on the table for at least one more season.
Right now the Cancucks have 3 keepers under contract. Ideally Markstrom and Nilsson finish out this season and Demko stays in Utica and is the call-up for any injury and gets a few games anyways if injuries don't happen. He moves up next season when Nilsson's contract expires and DiPietro moves into Utica where a veteran presence will be important for his development as Bachman was for Demko in year one and shared duties with him in year 2.
Right now at least one keeper needs to be acquired for the Comets. If Nilsson is dealt, as so many posters advocate, the Comets will need 2 keepers. If this works out like the necessary play making centers not acquired in 3 years, the Comets are in double trouble. They desperately need 3 centers right now as well. Everyone is raving over the forward group Utica will have, but none of them are centers. The longer the wait goes on the less likely good ones are left at either position. Filling those spots once again with leftover dregs has never worked out to date.
Edit: Realize Nilsson could be sent down if he cleared waivers, but that would essentially cause the Canucks to end up losing him after 2018-19 for nothing when he walks as a free agent. He loses any trade value playing in the AHL. The Canucks are not going anywhere this upcoming season anyways. Letting the kids kept on the Vancouver roster play as well as they can while losing a few games along the way because of a weak goal here or there let's the kids grow and keeps a necessary high draft number on the table for at least one more season.
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Lindgren
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- Jun 30, 2005
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"I'm a big believer in body language," says one scout. I'm skeptical about this one. It reminds me too much of "he has an ugly girlfriend."
Not I sure I agree with this....Gaudette is a true center and the eventual plan is to move Pettersson into the middle...and Horvat is still only 22. And there's some indication that with his on-ice vision, the Canucks might try Dahlen in the middle as well. Sure they could still use another young center in their system with some upside, but the current crop really isn't all that bad either.
ChefBoiRD
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- Feb 26, 2018
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Yeah, I find MS's thoughts on our centre position quite disturbing and perplexing. It has stopped me in my tracks. Horvat, Pettersson, Gaudette, No good?
Askel
By the way Benning should be fired.
Gaudette has proven nothing at the pro level , Pettersson has played the most of the last two years a RW. After these 2 Canucks have no Center prospects, It would be good to add more,.Same with defense Canucks have one viabel prospect in Joulevi who looks like a 2nd pair d-man at best right now and some long shots. You need a lot of prospects because some will fail. It would have been great to have a couple of more picks in the top 3 rounds this year to flesh out the prospect pool..
MS specifically said the prospect pool. After the 3 you are so high on (2 who have not proved a thing at center in the NHL and one of whom will be a wing in October) what's next? You are still short one good one for this season. Gagner? Gaunce? Granlund?
There are zero NHL center prospects in Utica and none in the pipeline. The Vancouver center position is in dire straits after these 3 with Sutter filling out the 4th spot until his contract runs out, which at the moment feels like the rest of his life. That's all providing the expectations so many have for the new guys work out. Every team Utica plays has at least one top line prospect playing center and many have two. I repeat Utica has none and there are no past drafted players coming along who are centers.
The Canucks appear to be zeroing in on D-men for their first couple picks. That will make any centers selected likely 2-3 years from the AHL with very high odds against their making it to the NHL.
Pettersson has played wing for the last two years and will be playing wing again next year.
Until he actually plays center and shows he can do it, I'm sorry, but he's not a center prospect.
Right now, actually playing the position we have Gaudette and MacEwen and that's it.
Until he actually plays center and shows he can do it, I'm sorry, but he's not a center prospect.
Right now, actually playing the position we have Gaudette and MacEwen and that's it.
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