Molino skates at least as well as Megna and maybe even better, and appears light-years ahead in terms of 'hockey sense'.....doubt there's room next year for two wingers like that on the third-fourth lines....a battle to watch in training camp.
Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign college FA Griffen Molino (Western Michigan University) to two-year ELC
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4th line is wide open next year consider expansion draft and Dorsett coming back from a fairly big injury. There also isnt any forward in Utica that looks nhl ready for next season tho Labate might not be far away.
Who can be sent down freely? Molino
Who needs to get through waivers? Megna
What has their decision been in similar cases? Stecher sent down.
As to Utica. What forward is currently playing there that has a real chance of getting to the NHL? Virtanen is the best the shot. LaBate is just one more 4th line player on a long list in recent Vancouver history. Cassels and Carcone are the only other Vancouver prospects on the roster unless you want to include Grenier and Zalewski, who we know are done in that respect. It will be the miracle of the decade if Cassesl or Carcone make the Canucks' roster ever.
Darren Archibald is head and shoulders above any of the above right now without the speed of Virtanen. He is no longer Vancouver property. If you feel Archi at 27 isn't NHL worthy, which may very well be possible, then you have solved this dilemma. Since he is by far the best forward in Utica, the Comets don't have any forwards who are NHL ready.
There's a bit of a difference between D and F and their relative value. Plus Megna was waived to start this season too so its not like he can't be waived again.
Here's a recent interview from Linden (of course Linden doesn't exactly have a great history of telling the truth...)
It is a logical respond tho and i really don't see any reason for him to lie.
Also like you said, none of the forward prospects are really going to be ready so Utica will probably need to "store" a couple of depth player (i.e. Megna type) as injury replacement.
Plus its not like Benning isn't willing to waive players who might have value. Etem was waived at the start of the season... along with Pedan. Markstrom was waived too during Benning's 1st season and there's Corrado as well.
Also Stecher was sent down so he could play rather than sit. As soon as Tanev was hurt, Stecher came up rather than Beiga/Tryamkin dressing. Also there wasn't really competition for spots on D to start the year as most 'nucks fan knew (even if Stecher out played Larsen, Benning was going to do the Larsen experiment, there wasn't a spot up for grabs).
I do believe there will be a 4th line battle tho Dorsett like has a spot to lose (due to the simple "old school" rule of not losing your spot due to injury... unless there's a new coach of course). Also a new coach (if there is one) almost always results in more shake-up than a return coach due to different system/different needs and basically a a clean sheet.
denkiteki said:
Oh c'mmon. Dorsett is overpaid but he is a quality NHL 4th liner. He's not losing a spot because he's an established vet.
its a very low sample for using any numbers to gauge long-term potential but im kind of surprised at the disconnect between people's evaluation of his play and how badly he is getting ****kicked numerically
This might have been the case if Willie had stayed around....but coming off a 29th place finish, all bets are off.....the Canucks have a ton of fourth-line options next season....and frankly one of either LaBate, Archibald or even Virtanen could deliver as much or more on the fourth line as Dorsett, who's coming off career-threatening neck surgery.
If the Canucks are really serious about getting younger and faster, they can start with some of their depth forward positions.
krutovsdonut
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he's physically outmatched out there and getting hammered every game. still impressed.
Exactly... if you're building for the future, you don't really need a 30+ yr old 4th liner in your plans. Of course we're stuck with his contract either way. So he might contribute as the 13th forward (since Benning values what he brings off the ice anyways).
Virtanen needs a year (full year) in the AHL probably. It'll do him some good dominating (hopefully) the AHL...
Labate could use more developmental time too. Archibald has played great in the AHL, hasn't translate to the NHL but he should get an invite to compete (if nothing else) but thats assuming we sign him.That's an argument i've made before about him so i agree.
But also remember a pretty big injury/missing most of the season and on the other side of 30 are all things that could contribute to a drop... Dorsett can't really afford any drop in his play and still be a 4th liner.
ProstheticConscience
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Yeah, I see speed and not much else. Whatever. Warm body to wrap up the year. Later, dude. Have fun in Utica (at some point, probably).
I get the fact that Molino wasn't great in the second last game of the season at home against the Oilers...but seriously, sitting him out in season finale while Biega and Larsen played as wingers on the fourth line?..Really?
Thank God those kind of petty mind games from the coaching staff have finally come to an end.
Thank God those kind of petty mind games from the coaching staff have finally come to an end.
He's easily the fastest player on the team and showed a good motor and decent idea of where to be on the ice. Which is a bit to be optimistic about.
But yeah, he's tiny and weak as hell, and was getting destroyed in puck battles. Probable Utica fodder next year, but he looks like a guy who can play in the AHL and maybe be a Megna-type depth asset. Which is perfectly fine for this type of signing.
He was injured apparently. Got smoked by Pakirinen (who every time he's on the ice I think the commentators are saying 'Pekka Rinne') in the 3rd period of the first Edmonton game.
I'm absolutely stunned he was injured. In fact, I'm flabbergasted the Canucks have so many injuries. It's almost as if your players are small, weak and non physical they'll get injured more often. Hmm, maybe it's not good to have 5'10" 175lbs player trying to battle someone 6'2" 215lbs I wonder if there's any correlation between how small and weak the Canucks are to how often they get injured? Food for though.
As for another small, weak player in Molino he's also not very offensive. He put up paltry numbers in the NCAA so I'm not expecting him to even challenge for spots in UTI, but time will tell I guess.
As for another small, weak player in Molino he's also not very offensive. He put up paltry numbers in the NCAA so I'm not expecting him to even challenge for spots in UTI, but time will tell I guess.
krutovsdonut
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Moligno is a decent skater I’ll give him that. Other than his skating though he’s hot garbage. Look, just because a player has above average wheels doesn’t mean you get to play in the best league in the world. Other than decent boots he brings nothing to the table that warrants a contract, NHL or AHL. We need to stop employing these low skilled, low impact, vanilla, small, soft players.
Best of luck in the future Moligno, you’re a fart in the breeze, adios!
Best of luck in the future Moligno, you’re a fart in the breeze, adios!
Mr. Canucklehead
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