Player Discussion Alex Biega

[Billy Kvcmu]

Aaaaand he clears
Probably see him at some point when Tanev goes down

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Out of the three guys waived,I thought that Biega would be the most likely to get picked up ...Be interesting to see if he gets paired with Juolevi in Utica..?

 

[Nomobo]

You’d think that if Biega was as good as everyone here claims he is, one GM out of the thirty other teams would have picked him up. He was certainly affordable. Another example of the hyperbole thrown around here. He’s a good 7-8 guy but that’s about it. Case closed.

 

[Hit the post]

You’d think that if Biega was as good as everyone here claims he is, one GM out of the thirty other teams would have picked him up. He was certainly affordable. Another example of the hyperbole thrown around here. He’s a good 7-8 guy but that’s about it. Case closed.

Cheap depth guy that you know can fit well with the team (though I would prefer Schenn in that spot).

 

[Jay Cee]

I thought he probably would clear and luckily he did. When the injuries hit- which is inevitable- he will probably be called up for the rest of the year.

 

[tradervik]

Biega gave it his all every shift.
He had to.
Even his first shift in preseason he was in playoff Biega mode battling.

This might explain why Biega is not an NHL regular. No one can sustain that effort level over an entire season.

I like the Bulldog but thought he looked poor against the Coyotes (not that Fantenberg looked any better before his concussion). Sucks for Biega but now the Canucks have at least one reliable depth defender in Utica.

 

[Nomobo]

Cheap depth guy that you know can fit well with the team (though I would prefer Schenn in that spot).

You’re not going to get an argument from me on that but I think the Canucks see Rafferty as a better RD option.
I liked him from the first time I saw him play.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

You’d think that if Biega was as good as everyone here claims he is, one GM out of the thirty other teams would have picked him up. He was certainly affordable. Another example of the hyperbole thrown around here. He’s a good 7-8 guy but that’s about it. Case closed.

Another win for Benning.

 

[DL44]

This might explain why Biega is not an NHL regular. No one can sustain that effort level over an entire season.

That wasn’t the problem... The bulldog brought a consistent max effort level each and every game. When called he was ready go.
The problem was his actual max effort was not NHL caliber enough.
He’s brilliant thru the neutral zone tho.... but decision making once he hits the ozone... or in the dzone...

I like the Bulldog but thought he looked poor against the Coyotes (not that Fantenberg looked any better before his concussion). Sucks for Biega but now the Canucks have at least one reliable depth defender in Utica.

Fantenberg at least had the LA playoff series he played in... Ferraro who did the series appreciated his top4 play in that series... in Cgy he was buried a bit. I think we got a lil lucky... I think he’ll be a good filler. His preseason was going along nice and uneventful (like you generally want from a Dman)...then gets ktfo...

 

[Intangibos]

You’d think that if Biega was as good as everyone here claims he is, one GM out of the thirty other teams would have picked him up. He was certainly affordable. Another example of the hyperbole thrown around here. He’s a good 7-8 guy but that’s about it. Case closed.

As good as everyone claims? You mean slightly better than his image around the league deserving to be a #6/7 guy rather than an AHLer? It's not like we're saying he's a top pairing guy, just literally one step up from where he is now.

What a strange post.

 

[DL44]

As good as everyone claims? You mean slightly better than his image around the league deserving to be a #6/7 guy rather than an AHLer? It's not like we're saying he's a top pairing guy, just literally one step up from where he is now.

What a strange post.

Your D is in trouble if he's a 6.

 

[Intangibos]

Your D is in trouble if he's a 6.

Yes.

6/7.
6 on a team that's weak defensively
7 on a team with some depth
AHL on a deep contending team

For his salary he's fine as a #6/7 guy on a bad team that has cap problems.

 

[I am toxic]

It will be interesting to see if Biega can maintain his step. He is 31, and relies on 100% intensity. Excellent 3rd pairing RHD if rested every 3rd or 4th game. I can see why teams that are already too full and waiving their own players would not take a flyer at this time.

Last year he was a better 3rd pairing RHD than half the teams in the league had. Gudbranson appears to be on the Penguins 3rd pairing. Think about that, and laugh. And laugh. And then laugh again.

But anyway, Biega is aging, hopefully he has some seasons left in him. Either way, it doesn't change the fact that he was one of the better 3rd pairing RHD in the league for the last couple seasons, and the brain trusts of the other 30 or so teams in the NHL couldn't see past their draft pedigree bias to recognize it. Heck, our own brain trust couldn't.

 

[StreetHawk]

So 31 GMs along with their pro scouts are wrong and your assessment is correct?

2 waiver claims this season so far. Only AZ added a contract as Winnipeg was in and out losing Comrie but adding a D.

There are other factors teams consider. After the summer they are pretty much all done shopping. And they have to manage their 50 contract limit.

Not surprised he cleared.

 

[MS]

Your D is in trouble if he's a 6.

Why?

He's played 3rd pairing minutes for the past couple years and absolutely destroyed those minutes and generated above-average results for his role at both ends of the rink.

Playing the way he has for the last two years, he's an upgrade on the #6 role for probably 20+ NHL teams.

 

[VanJack]

Almost every team in the league has players like Goldobin, Biega and Baertschi they had to expose to waivers. And given the number of cap-strapped teams out there, it's not surprising that virtually nobody across the league was picked up.

I don't think we've seen the last of any of these guys in VanCity. If one of the Canucks skilled wingers goes down, both Baertschi and Goldy will be in line for a call-up.

And given the Canucks 'fragile as glass' blueline, Biega could well be the first recall.

 

[Hoglander]

You’d think that if Biega was as good as everyone here claims he is, one GM out of the thirty other teams would have picked him up. He was certainly affordable. Another example of the hyperbole thrown around here. He’s a good 7-8 guy but that’s about it. Case closed.

Yup. If you're going to go around saying people would be idiots for waiving him, and then come up with a bunch of stats (obviously not used in the right context) that "prove" he's a solid NHLer, only to be proven very wrong as every GM in the league passes on him for free... ya, then you deserve to be called out for calling people idiots.

 

[F A N]

Comets fans should be happy. Biega is the type of veteran D they want in the lineup. Hope he pairs with Juolevi.

 

[Pip]

Players rarely get picked up on waivers at the beginning of the season. Every team has tunnel vision for their own new acquisitions and prospects and want to give them a shot.

 

[tyhee]

Yup. If you're going to go around saying people would be idiots for waiving him, and then come up with a bunch of stats (obviously not used in the right context) that "prove" he's a solid NHLer, only to be proven very wrong as every GM in the league passes on him for free... ya, then you deserve to be called out for calling people idiots.

It is simplistic to ignore a player’s contract and figure that a mid-priced player being waived means he’s not good enough to play. All it means is that nobody wants to take on his contract.

The fact that other teams’ general managers were not stupid enough to take on two years of an overpaid contract for a player with multiple concussions including missing most of last season with symptoms that lingered for months does not mean that the Canucks, who already have the obligation to pay him and take his pay into account, shouldn’t make use of the player they’ve got.

To think otherwise is to ignore that the Canucks already have Baertschi’s cost. Other teams don’t have to overpay him. The Canucks do. He can be better than others on the roster and still clear waivers.

For that matter, there are other players that were kept on the roster that would clear waivers. To use two obvious examples, does anyone out there think that Eriksson or Schaller would have been claimed on waivers?

Most of us expected Baertschi would clear waivers, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a useful player nor that he isn’t better than several players that were retained.

 

[StreetHawk]

It is simplistic to ignore a player’s contract and figure that a mid-priced player being waived means he’s not good enough to play. All it means is that nobody wants to take on his contract.

The fact that other teams’ general managers were not stupid enough to take on two years of an overpaid contract for a player with multiple concussions including missing most of last season with symptoms that lingered for months does not mean that the Canucks, who already have the obligation to pay him and take his pay into account, shouldn’t make use of the player they’ve got.

To think otherwise is to ignore that the Canucks already have Baertschi’s cost. Other teams don’t have to overpay him. The Canucks do. He can be better than others on the roster and still clear waivers.

For that matter, there are other players that were kept on the roster that would clear waivers. To use two obvious examples, does anyone out there think that Eriksson or Schaller would have been claimed on waivers?

Most of us expected Baertschi would clear waivers, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a useful player nor that he isn’t better than several players that were retained.

Guys that cost what Sven makes, it's easier to acquire them if they only have 1 year left. With the injury history, if it doesn't work out, you simply let him walk. But, with the extra year, if it doesn't work out, you're stuck with the guy.

Canucks have all 3 of their retention spots open. I suspect that they'll be using them next season to ship guys out.

As injuries occur, there may be opportunities for a trade later in the season.

 

[VanillaCoke]

No Biega Trade thread?!


Stupid trade, top level depth given away for junk

 

[Addison Rae]

Imagine thinking Oscar f***ing Fantenberg was better than Biega.

Sigh

 

[Motte and Bailey]

Biega isn’t good guys. Relax. He’s the Krillin of the NHL.

 

[geebaan]

Imagine thinking Oscar ****ing Fantenberg was better than Biega.

Sigh

This team just makes me so sad all the time. Homegrown, cheap NHL depth, at the position we have a million injuries on every year. f***ing so over this management.