Bieksa -- Opinion for an Anaheim Fan

[Rotting Corpse*]

It must be funny to be a ducks fan going to a Canucks board to ask about bieksa and seeing us complain about sbisa.

Sbisa and Bieksa were probably the worst pairing in the nhl last year to get the kind of minutes they did. My God was that awful. Seeing bieksa get that extension was frankly shocking but so too must have been the sbisa extension for ducks fans. Well and for us.

For real though, someone in ducks pro scouting ****ed this up real bad. It should have been obvious to any pro scout watching Vancouver games that bieksa is a shell of his former self and doesn't have much left in the tank. To be playing him 4m two years from now, wow.

 

[Nordic*]

Thanks for your input, guys!

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

He's always been Casual Kev. Just can't seem to get out of that mode now.

 

[Bougieman]

He was a very solid d-man throughout his career for us, aside for the season where he was coming back from that horrific ankle injury. And then there was last season where it was very clear that he'd lost a step. He's always been something of a gambler, but you can't play like that if you're an old man. You gotta be a young pup for that stuff. He's being misused with the Ducks, and on top of that he hasn't mutated his game to a style that would suit his current abilities.

All of that adds up to: frustration for Ducks fans.

 

[mathonwy]

He's always been Casual Kev. Just can't seem to get out of that mode now.

He was casual kev more often than not for us in the last 4 years primarily due to how directionless our team was.

He's not a very structured player and absolutely thrives when there IS structure OR when there is a strong mission to accomplish

- Structure - For example the 2013-14 season. The Torts imposed structure was right up Juice's alley and this is supported by his CF%. (Interestingly enough, Kass had a decent season in 13-14 because of the exact same reason...)
- Mission - 2011 playoffs

Contrast Juice to Hammer who has no problems maintaining a high level of play regardless of circumstances (2015-16 season aside)

I still think Juice has some good hockey left in him if put in the right environment.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

He was casual kev more often than not for us in the last 4 years primarily due to how directionless our team was.

He's not a very structured player and absolutely thrives when there IS structure OR when there is a strong mission to accomplish

- Structure - For example the 2013-14 season. The Torts imposed structure was right up Juice's alley and this is supported by his CF%. (Interestingly enough, Kass had a decent season in 13-14 because of the exact same reason...)
- Mission - 2011 playoffs

Contrast Juice to Hammer who has no problems maintaining a high level of play regardless of circumstances (2015-16 season aside)

I still think Juice has some good hockey left in him if put in the right environment.

Hamhuis has sucked for two seasons now. I don't know if it's injuries or what, but he's a shadow of what he used to be.

And if Bieksa's a 3rd pairing guy in a very disciplined system where the forwards always come back and help out, sure. He could still be viable for a bit.

But as has been previously noted, his calf and knee injury history has killed his skating. Love the guy for warrior spirit and everything, but that only goes so far.

 

[Rey]

What was your take on him last season, in Vancouver?

Us fans in Anaheim are really, REALLY disappointed with his performances. He's getting top-3 minutes, usually top-2, while the fans would rather see him off the team entirely.

How was he for you?

Bieksa was never good defensively. He came into the league as a prospect with potential to be a bottom six defender with some offensive ability and plenty of toughness. A lot of the past Canuck core are products of Alain Vigneault, as he worked with them during their time with the Moose. Vigneault immediately would have Bieksa paired up with Willie Mitchell, allowing Bieksa to play an offensive game despite always making bad pinches and terrible defensive decisions that would lead in odd man rushes.

Then, when Mitchell left, Bieksa got paired with another top defensive defense man in Hamhuis. The guy was always sheltered here and played with two of the best defensive defense man his whole career. He's never been able to be the lead of a pairing because he's never been good defensively and never will be. He's slow, undersized, and makes bad decisions. All he had, was his toughness and physicality but it was highly overrated here because, the team desperately lacked those two attributes.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Bieksa was never good defensively. He came into the league as a prospect with potential to be a bottom six defender with some offensive ability and plenty of toughness. A lot of the past Canuck core are products of Alain Vigneault, as he worked with them during their time with the Moose. Vigneault immediately would have Bieksa paired up with Willie Mitchell, allowing Bieksa to play an offensive game despite always making bad pinches and terrible defensive decisions that would lead in odd man rushes.

Then, when Mitchell left, Bieksa got paired with another top defensive defense man in Hamhuis. The guy was always sheltered here and played with two of the best defensive defense man his whole career. He's never been able to be the lead of a pairing because he's never been good defensively and never will be. He's slow, undersized, and makes bad decisions. All he had, was his toughness and physicality but it was highly overrated here because, the team desperately lacked those two attributes.

Just went through hockeydb to try and refute your point that the team lacked toughness in Bieksa's early days here.

Clearly, my memory of that roster was slightly faulty before I clicked.

Wow, we were bad.

 

[Bobby Digital]

He was horrible last year. I personally wouldn't have taken him for free. There was no excuse for you guys to give up a 2nd for him. Just bad pro scouting.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Bad. That's why everyone wanted to trade him.

He's been getting worse and worse since 2011-12. Love the guy, he's a warrior. But it is what it is.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

He went downhill in the lockout season when he was playing injured with a hernia(?).

 

[mathonwy]

Hamhuis has sucked for two seasons now. I don't know if it's injuries or what, but he's a shadow of what he used to be.

And if Bieksa's a 3rd pairing guy in a very disciplined system where the forwards always come back and help out, sure. He could still be viable for a bit.

But as has been previously noted, his calf and knee injury history has killed his skating. Love the guy for warrior spirit and everything, but that only goes so far.

Hammer was fine last season.

Weber has Hammer to thank for his current contract as it was Hammer that covered for Weber's horrible defensive deficiencies allowing him to be an "offensive power play specialist".

I am still a bit mystified why his play dropped so dramatically this season though.

 

[Havre]

As basically everyone else is saying - he was so bad. Almost hurts saying it considering how much respect I got for him.

Too some extent I can understand the trade from a Ducks point of view. To have Bieksa around guys like Lindholm and Vatanen makes quite a lot of sense. Also assuming that he would improve at least slightly in a new environment shouldn't have been totally unrealistic. Just look at the roller coaster career Edler has had so far.

Bieksa back to 90% of his former self with all his experience wouldn't have been a bad deal for Anaheim. Bieksa from his last season as a Canucks (or even worse) is clearly terrible.

Funny how little it takes. I thought Anaheim would be a proper cup contender for the next couple of years. I can't explain Getzlaf, but Bieksa and Kesler certainly hasn't helped. Now I can't really see them winning.

 

[Intangibos]

He might be acceptable as a bottom pairing D.

No way he should have got a new contract, or top minutes. Him even being a #6 at this point is debatable.

 

[Jay Cee]

I credit Don Cherry with our relatively good return. Bieksa is a very washed up, debatable top 6 dman. Bieska on the other hand can leap tall buildings in a single bound.

 

[Hit the post]

I am still a bit mystified why his play dropped so dramatically this season though.

Weber being a #7, should be only taken in small doses....

 

[Win One Before I Die]

What was your take on him last season, in Vancouver?

Us fans in Anaheim are really, REALLY disappointed with his performances. He's getting top-3 minutes, usually top-2, while the fans would rather see him off the team entirely.

How was he for you?

The only good thing about Bieksa the hockey player is that he is a cool guy. Well liked in the dressing room. But he is awful now. He was good for a few seasons but he got old.

 

[Dissonance]

I still don't understand why the Ducks let Beauchemin go and then traded a pick for Bieksa and signed him to a very similar deal.

Beauchemin's only a year older and plays a style that's much less likely to age badly as his skating slows (as we've seen this year). And it's not like Anaheim was lacking in grit or swagger or all those other things Bieksa's valued for.

Just a bizarre unforced error.

---

Edit: googling around a bit, I guess the Ducks were worried about Beauchemin's knees holding up. Which, fair enough, although as noted upthread, Bieksa's has his share of leg/knee problems too.

 

[Pip]

I think he can still be relatively effective in a sheltered third pairing role and brings some nice toughness and seemed like a good lockerrom guy. Didn't deserve the extension and is being massively overplayed this season. Most here correctly predicted that some team would overpay for him.

No one can make Sbisa look like a top 4 d-man...

Yeah no kidding. Sbisa is complete garbage. No matter how bad Bieksa/Hamhuis are playing, it doesn't change the fact that Sbisa shouldn't be in the NHL.

 

[Wisp]

great career. age related decline caught up and now he's out of his depth.

 

[iFan]

He's never been a #1, the closest he got was being a solid #2 next to Hamhuis in his prime 5 years ago.

Boudreau is really using him poorly. As a bottom pairing grit guy he's fine but he can't skate and he can't back up his nasty streak anymore. Sad to see it happen because he was my favourite Canuck for a long time.

Bieksa and Mitchell were pretty solid together... Bieksa gave many good solid years here, him and Willie were a shut down machine together.

Bieksa has always been one of my favorite Canucks, I really hope he goes after a career in the hockey media.

 

[Proto]

He'd be fine/borderline great as a 17-18 minute a night 3rd pairing D who can step up for a game or two if necessary. His usage in Anaheim has been mind-numbingly idiotic.

 

[iFan]

He'd be fine/borderline great as a 17-18 minute a night 3rd pairing D who can step up for a game or two if necessary. His usage in Anaheim has been mind-numbingly idiotic.

No different then how he was used in Vancouver...

 

[iceburg]

What was your take on him last season, in Vancouver?

Us fans in Anaheim are really, REALLY disappointed with his performances. He's getting top-3 minutes, usually top-2, while the fans would rather see him off the team entirely.

How was he for you?

Hey Coggsbreakaway did we answer your question? Seems like pretty consistent feedback.

 

[Yammer]

Bieksa seems so relaxed and funny, I would speculate that he helps loosen up the nerves in the dressing room, as his off-ice value.

On the ice, Bieksa in his prime was a considerable force. He liked to rush the puck and could get his shot through, he is a right-shooting D which added to his value, played nasty/physical and was a credible middleweight fighter when challenged.

Can't beat time though.