Confirmed with Link: Canucks extend Alex Biega, 2 years 825K per year

[Zippgunn]

Abols is 22. He had a .86 PPG in 2 Canadian Jr seasons and had 1 pt in 26 SHL games and was demoted to the Allsvenskan where he's put up 11pts/15GP this season. AHL next Year? Don't know his contract situation in Sweden.

.

I am intrigued by this guy. Hope he continues to get better. Ya never know...

 

[Cupless44]

I actually really like Biega but it looks like they’re going to bring back the same defensive core again?

Edler, Tanev, Del Zotto, Gudbranson, Biega, Pouliot and Hutton all signed through next year. I imagine they’re going to try and get Juolevi on the roster next year so Hutton will be moved.

Yikes.

Very frustrating to see this management basically bring back the same defence that clearly is not good enough. Same with veteran forwards really.

 

[beachcomber]

Tanev and Edler on a good day are the only ones that aren't tire fires in their own end. Add some mediocre goaltending and a forward crew with little heart then we should be good for years of lotto picks.

 

[m9]

Making their current crop of signed waiver eligible forwards plus their additions, Leipsic and UFAs, a number large enough to choke out roster spots for most of their past picks coming in. Jim isn't interested in developing youth in a rebuild. It's all about winning NOW.

He will re-sign the Sedins.
Boser, Horvat, Sutter, Eriksson, Gagner, Leipsic, Gaunce, and Goldobin all have contracts.
Virtanen, Baertschi, and Granlund are RFAs. Who among these 3 does he wish to dump and for what? A # 6 or 7 draft pick? These are all Benning acquisitions. I don't see anything but hockey trades for them. He's not going to dump young guys already taking a regular shift for the Canucks for out there picks who will take 3-4 years before even entering into maybe decent AHL talent.


None of his 6 or 7 round picks in 4 years of drafting is even in the AHL yet.

3 were never extended contracts (Olson, Petit, McKenzie).

One is a 100% bust, Stewart.

One has played 3 seasons since his draft and never left the Czech Republic (
(Lukas Jasek). He'll be 21.

Abols is 22. He had a .86 PPG in 2 Canadian Jr seasons and had 1 pt in 26 SHL games and was demoted to the Allsvenskan where he's put up 11pts/15GP this season. AHL next Year? Don't know his contract situation in Sweden.

Jakob Stukel will be 21. He has a .72 PPG in his Canadian Jr. career to date, 50Pts/60GP this year. Does he get signed and sent to Utica?

Matt Brassard, 20, has a .53 PPG in his Jr. career,43Pts/59GP this season.

Petrus Palmu, 21. Maybe the most impressive of the bunch. 1.07 PPG in 3 Canadian Jr seasons. Was sent back to Finland this season instead of the AHL. He has put up 33Pts/55GP in the Finnish Liiga. His size is a real deterrent at 5'7' and a very solid 179 Lbs.

Who from this bunch do you see seriously ever challenging for an NHL spot?

I don't see Benning giving up his 3 RFA guys for less than a 3rd and at the same time i don't see any NHL team wasting that high of a pick on these guys. They all have guys at this talent level on their rosters already. They are not players other teams have a high need for on draft day.

The list above already includes 13 forwards. He is after a Kane type in free agency and will have decreased Sedin contract leftover cash along with an increased cap level and you know he will once again spend to cap. Dorsett and Dowd Money are there as well. The 3 RFAs are not going to be able to squabble much over contract amounts as they have little to leverage for raises. Maybe Sven can put up a few more points moving forward this season to get a slight increase, but if he wants to stay with a team that's going to give him a good chance to remain a steady NHL player, he won't argue to loud for very long.

You also have Archibald and Dowd as UFAs and Chaput and Boucher are RFAs. There is more money to be found here if you cut them loose or they can be signed, waived, and sent to Utica again. Everyone of them would have AHL veteran status. They would all be good pieces on the farm as would a couiple of the other pieces in the above listed Canucks. Right now that's the least of the worries they have to deal with, but GM Johnson should be on top of it already.

Benning has his work cut out for him and this just may prove even more why he needed to dump some of these contracts for draft picks at the TDL since he isn't going to find a lot of takers for most of these guys in "hockey trades" and getting 4-1 draft picks is unlikely at that time as well.

People will line up to take his available picks and then maybe accept someone as throw in, but they won't be handing them out to a desperate GM like he's already known to be. NO, the bigger fear at this draft is not the draft picks he's not going to be able to get (just like last year), but the number of GMs liming up wearing their bibs and clutching their forks and knives to see just what prime cuts of meat they can carve out of Jim's flesh in exchange for scraps to add to his already burgeoning pile of bottom six forwards and 5-8 D-men.

I've already talked about this in the appropriate thread, but yes I agree that spots are filling up. There are too many spots penned or penciled in for 2018-19 on a team that is this bad. This is what happens when you don't sell off assets when you're supposed to.

 

[Shareefruck]

I feel bad for him. He's consistently been at the very worst the 5th best defenseman on the team for years now, and yet he barely gets to play.

Hell, the guys that he was superior to but that got icetime over him left and were replaced by other incompetent players and he STILL didn't get to play.

That's got to suck. I'd move him to another team for free, for his sake, personally-- it's not like he's going to suddenly be given a chance now.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I actually really like Biega but it looks like they’re going to bring back the same defensive core again?

Edler, Tanev, Del Zotto, Gudbranson, Biega, Pouliot and Hutton all signed through next year. I imagine they’re going to try and get Juolevi on the roster next year so Hutton will be moved.

Yikes.

Nope that's 7. They start the season with Juolevi making 8. They will go with 13 forwards to start.

The only other possibility is Benning thinks he can get something for one of these guys at the draft or maybe a part of a package in a trade at the draft or later in the summer.

If all that fails and Olli sticks he will waive a D-man to try and send him down or just go with 13 forwards and a permanent open pipe line for a forward whenever needed from Utica.

 

[DL44]

Very frustrating to see this management basically bring back the same defence that clearly is not good enough. Same with veteran forwards really.

(Pouliot and Stecher are RFA's.. 23, 8, 44, 4, 27, 55 are signed)


I have little problem with Biega being in the fold as the vet safeguard as we roll in young dmen to see how they fit... next year it'll be Juolevi or a new acquisition...

I think the Canucks big play this offseason will be a Tanev trade at the draft to help shake up the D...
I could see Hutton flipped for right handed version of himself - i.e. youngish dman in need of a scenary change.... hopefully one that can skate at at least as well as Hutton.

I don't see anyway all 6 of the signed D return.

Here's to a training surprise or two!!

 

[MikeK]

The extra year is puzzling to me but it's by no means a death blow.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Dunno if I agree with that, but I do agree with a different point you (?) made at some point - Biega is an actual veteran leader/mentor, and could easily be an A on this team.

If the Sedins are done, I'd have no problem with Biega getting a letter next year. The guy communicates better than any other defenseman on the team, never takes a night off and doesn't say stupid **** in the media...ahem...

The team talks about placing a huge premium on leadership, so I'm fine with this signing, even if it is for a defenseman that is played as a #7, just based on that. Their actions are backing up their words in a logical way.

Agreed and if thye decide they have to waiver one of their D because Juolevi sticks he would be perfect for one of two roles:

1.) paired with Juolevi while he learns the NHL ropes.

2.) The captaincy in Utica. The guys leadership value is off the charts. He oozes it like sweat. His actions on the ice speak louder than words. The one way makes it worth his while to come down and lead the kids on the way up while he takes care of his family at the same time. He's never going to end up rich from his career so he has to cut bait as long as he can. This is perfect for him going forward. He should get a similar, maybe a little less like the$650,000 (ballpark) Boucher, Chaput and Megna got, one-way deal for as long as he can play the game. His value to developing Canucks D-men would be immense to the parent club. His leadership, teaching, and on and off the ice in game coaching would be invaluable. Brisebois and Chatfield are missing that big time this season.

 

[wonton15]

Oh come on... Are you all seriously complaining about a second year on a 825k per year contract for Alex Biega?

This is a good move. I like Biega

 

[thefeebster]

I like this. Better than paying $4M/yr for a bottom pairing d-man.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

I like this. Better than paying $4M/yr for a bottom pairing d-man.

I just realize Biega, who’s probably a better D than Gud, is getting paid only 825k per year.....compare to 4 millions

 

[Siludin]

I've already talked about this in the appropriate thread, but yes I agree that spots are filling up. There are too many spots penned or penciled in for 2018-19 on a team that is this bad. This is what happens when you don't sell off assets when you're supposed to.

Preparing for Seattle expansion!

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Like this move. Biega's a good soldier with a good work ethic.

Also shows that you can sign guys who have leadership qualities, grit and heart to reasonable contracts throughout the organization. As opposed to $12m deals for sub par players.

 

[Melvin]

I wonder if they promised biega some playing time when signing. Seems kinda weird he wouldn't test the market.

Honestly hope so. He is a top six on this team. Just sucks that they will probably ditch Hutton instead of Mdz or Pouliot.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

 

[Bitz and Bites]

I'm fine with this,Biega isn't the problem with the defense and is worth keeping for a couple more years at least.

 

[orcatown]

Played well enough to deserve a new contract although maybe a one year deal. Might indicate they see nothing in the system (including Joulevi) that is assured of making the team next year on defense.

Fact that Biega has maintained a very professional attitude while being played sparely worked in his favor IMO.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

I like this. Better than paying $4M/yr for a bottom pairing d-man.

If only we weren't doing both.
And good for Biega, not so good for the Canucks. Like the guy, good soldier for us, but damn. The d sucks...let's sign everyone!

 

[Frank Garrett]

Baby Biega in the deep blue sea
Swim so wild and you swim so free

 

[me2]

If only we weren't doing both.
And good for Biega, not so good for the Canucks. Like the guy, good soldier for us, but damn. The d sucks...let's sign everyone!

Meh. It's under the AHL cap floor. They only risk is waivers if they send him down.

 

[Melvin]

If only we weren't doing both.
And good for Biega, not so good for the Canucks. Like the guy, good soldier for us, but damn. The d sucks...let's sign everyone!

Tbf the D would suck less if the canucks played Biega over crap like Pouliot, Gudbranson, MDZ and Stecher.

I wonder for the third straight season if the canucks will ever figure this out though.

 

[Grub]

Biega is not the problem.

Gudbradson, Poulliot, Hutton, need to go.

 

[Dump Itch]

Biega is not the problem.

Gudbradson, Poulliot, Hutton, need to go.

You guys need to bring in Karlsson for 5 years for 2mil per. But obviously Benning wouldn't be able to do that because he's an incompetent GM

 

[sting101]

nice signing.

Alex is a perfect 4RD who comes ready to play and usually punches above his weight class.