Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign D Akito Hirose to 1-Year ELC

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Man, what happened to this guy? He looked amazing

 

[Jyrki]

Most of us know at least one person who was once a promising player but one injury is all it took to destroy their path to the pros, even if it wasn't something visibly crippling. Hockey is a fast and physical game, falling behind means getting picked on every shift and sometimes the injury will slow you down just enough that you just can no longer play the game at that level.

 

[Nucker42]

Are we really writing this guy off already? Don’t he make the team out of camp and look great last year.

He’s had some injuries but I don’t think he’s a write off at all.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Are we really writing this guy off already? Don’t he make the team out of camp and look great last year.

He’s had some injuries but I don’t think he’s a write off at all.

Nah, he didn’t make it out of camp. He signed as an NCAA FA mid season.

And the kid was already 21 when he made the jump to the NCAA. It’s not like he’s some gem waiting, he’s a low ceiling guy who if you’re lucky play games and provides utility. He’s like finding a scratcher on the ground. Maybe you win a few bucks, maybe you don’t.

 

[MS]

Are we really writing this guy off already? Don’t he make the team out of camp and look great last year.

He’s had some injuries but I don’t think he’s a write off at all.

He joined late in the season as an NCAA UFA and looked good for 7 games.

This year he's been awful.

The problem for him is that he turns 25 in a month. He's done as a prospect.

 

[RobertKron]

He joined late in the season as an NCAA UFA and looked good for 7 games.

This year he's been awful.

The problem for him is that he turns 25 in a month. He's done as a prospect.

Something I've often been a bit curious about is the number of NCAA signings who join an NHL or AHL squad at the tail end of the season, and that's basically the absolute best they ever look in their entire career. Maybe I'm imagining this, but I'm pretty sure it's a thing. My spitballing guess would be that they're coming in relatively fresh, while everyone else is at the tail end of the absolute grind of a pro season.

 

[Blue and Green]

His stint at the end of last season gave me the distinct impression that he was a typical NCAA UFA longshot.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Something I've often been a bit curious about is the number of NCAA signings who join an NHL or AHL squad at the tail end of the season, and that's basically the absolute best they ever look in their entire career. Maybe I'm imagining this, but I'm pretty sure it's a thing. My spitballing guess would be that they're coming in relatively fresh, while everyone else is at the tail end of the absolute grind of a pro season.

And often playing in garbage time when some teams have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

 

[RobertKron]

And often playing in garbage time when some teams have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

For sure, although I feel like sometimes guys come in and even have a solid AHL playoff run and then three years later they've washed out of the AHL and are playing in the UK or whatever.

 

[VanJack]

The Canucks really rolled the dice on Hirose. He was an older prospect (24 who turns 25 in April); but had three solid seasons at Minnesota State.

But size was always going to be an issue with him. Hockey DB lists him at 6', 170. You've got to be an exceptional talent to survive and thrive in the NHL at that size. And obviously at 25, he's not going to have a growth spurt.

Unfortunately in the AHL he was at times overwhelmed physically, and then sustained a serious lower body injury that kept him on the sidelines for more than half the season. So it was good that he experienced the NHL at the end of last season. As for the future, he has a contract for next season.

But he needs a dominant season at the AHL-level for the Canucks to even consider qualifying him beyond the 2024-35 season.

 

[orcatown]

And often playing in garbage time when some teams have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

Good point - so often players can look good when other team is in meaningless game late in the season.

HIrose can use his stick well to break up plays and is not bad at seeing the ice and making passes. But once he got into the heavy going in the AHL he was overwhelmed. Just shoved out of the play.

 

[sting101]

Didn't think he was going to translate very well from what i saw. Nice player for the European ice probably if he can get healthy.

 

[HairyKneel]

The Canucks really rolled the dice on Hirose. He was an older prospect (24 who turns 25 in April); but had three solid seasons at Minnesota State.

But size was always going to be an issue with him. Hockey DB lists him at 6', 170. You've got to be an exceptional talent to survive and thrive in the NHL at that size. And obviously at 25, he's not going to have a growth spurt.

Unfortunately in the AHL he was at times overwhelmed physically, and then sustained a serious lower body injury that kept him on the sidelines for more than half the season. So it was good that he experienced the NHL at the end of last season. As for the future, he has a contract for next season.

But he needs a dominant season at the AHL-level for the Canucks to even consider qualifying him beyond the 2024-35 season.

They didn’t “really roll the dice on him”….. He got a decent deal and obviously didn’t do the work required in the off season to get up to 185 lbs. Its a free lottery ticket. They were devoid on prospects at every position. He either figures it out or he doesn’t. He needs to play heavier. It was worth a gamble. May still pay off if nothing else than a minor trading chip.

“they really rolled the dice on him”

Now I’ve heard it all. They gave him an opportunity.

 

[VanJack]

They didn’t “really roll the dice on him”….. He got a decent deal and obviously didn’t do the work required in the off season to get up to 185 lbs. Its a free lottery ticket. They were devoid on prospects at every position. He either figures it out or he doesn’t. He needs to play heavier. It was worth a gamble. May still pay off if nothing else than a minor trading chip.

“they really rolled the dice on him”

Now I’ve heard it all. They gave him an opportunity.

Sorry, but when you offer up a two-year, guarantied contract, to a 24 year old d-man, who's 6' , 170, then you're 'rolling the dice' imo.

I'm sure his performance during garbage time of last year's schedule fooled a lot of people. But seeing him as an NHL player was always a huge stretch.