Post-Game Talk: Canucks def. Coyotes - 2-0

[deckercky]

Thanks for that information. That's an excellent deal for the Canucks. If the team could buy out (or trade) some dollars over the summer - Booth, Ballard, Luongo - then maybe there would be enough to re-sign Roy? Having 3 top centers is nice.

Lots of room to sign Roy if he'll take a bit of a haircut to stay here ($5M cap hit or so). That's up to Roy.

 

[Pure West]

I tend to agree with you that our second line wingers aren't elite. But we have Raymond, Hansen, Higgins and Booth (when healthy) and throw in Kassian. That's a lot of depth and means that we have elite third line wingers as at least one of Raymond, Hansen and Higgins will play on the third.
Also, in looking at the production of those second liners I wonder what their numbers would have been with Roy and Kesler in at center instead of Ebbett and whomever. It should be interesting to see what they do in this final stretch.

In regards to the wingers we have....while we don't really have a ton of top notch scoring talent on the wings, something that can't be ignored is they are all very versatile. Burrows, Hansen, Higgins, Raymond you'd feel very comfortable having anywhere from the first to 3rd lines in either scoring or checking roles. Booth and Kassian while not really having the same defensive prowess, can be effective using their size and aggressiveness if they aren't producing offensively, and could play limited minutes in energy roles if necessary. I don't think this can be ignored as very valuable for a playoff run to have guys that can move up and down the lineup in case of injury or should the style of play require them to change their game.

 

[pitseleh]

Hansen's point totals are being buoyed by a 12.45% on-ice SH% at EV. I love the guy, but he's not going to keep that up. Regress that down to about 10%, which is the absolute highest anyone can reasonably maintain, and his EV production goes down to about 2 points per 60 minutes of EV ice time. Drop that down to 9%, which is a more realistic estimate of his talent, and he's down to around 1.8 points/60. That latter number is in line with what he' done the two seasons prior to the current season.

The cut-off for a top-6 forward based on points per 60 is typically around 1.8, so he's basically a bottom end second liner at even strength in terms of point production.

 

[Angry Little Elf]

Somebody make a player discussion thread about Hansen/offense.

 

[medhatcanuck]

Pros: Kesler is awesome. Roy is awesome. Schneider is awesome. If Alberts played like that consistently I wouldn't hate him.

Cons: Puck died everytime it hit Kassians stick. He seems to have gotten worse over the season and not better. Luckily we have 10 games to are if he can be an offensive player or physical presence, or if we let Booth play with Kes and Ray

 

[Tiranis]

Hansen's point totals are being buoyed by a 12.45% on-ice SH% at EV. I love the guy, but he's not going to keep that up. Regress that down to about 10%, which is the absolute highest anyone can reasonably maintain, and his EV production goes down to about 2 points per 60 minutes of EV ice time. Drop that down to 9%, which is a more realistic estimate of his talent, and he's down to around 1.8 points/60. That latter number is in line with what he' done the two seasons prior to the current season.

The cut-off for a top-6 forward based on points per 60 is typically around 1.8, so he's basically a bottom end second liner at even strength in terms of point production.

He also spent most of the season playing with Jordan Schroeder (who didn't exactly drive the play) and outside of that in shutdown minutes. Next to someone like Kesler or Roy he's bound to see his possession numbers improve, IMO, which could see his On-ice Sh% regress but him maintain his production.

 

[Addison Rae]

I'm tried of the Kassian hate, he hasn't be that bad. Give the kid some time

 

[WinterEmpire]

Pros: Kesler is awesome. Roy is awesome. Schneider is awesome. If Alberts played like that consistently I wouldn't hate him.

Cons: Puck died everytime it hit Kassians stick. He seems to have gotten worse over the season and not better. Luckily we have 10 games to are if he can be an offensive player or physical presence, or if we let Booth play with Kes and Ray

I think we were watching different games? Kassian created some good chances last night. I remember early in the first when he got on early with Roy and Higgins he set up a play that almost led to a goal in front of the net. Then on the three on one when the Coyotes team quickly turned it into three on five with defenders sprawling about the ice he made the smart play and passed it back to the point and didn't do what most would do and throw it into the giant mass of players. He also had some good shifts of puck control behind the net. Him and Kesler had some moments where they couldn't find the pass but since they haven't played together for more than a year that would be expected I think.

However I would like to see him moved to the Roy line, it seems more a natural fit for his skillset.