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

[ohnoeszz]

19:44 for Hirose tonight. 4th on the team over Myers (dunno if Myers got nicked up or benched as he seemed absent late).

Again, I felt he was a clear calming presence and he was again given a variety of situations - Pp, Pk, different partners.... He was given 2 shifts in overtime so he seems to have the Eye of the coaching staff.

If this is his normal level, we got a free NHL defender. Even if he can only be a #5-6 that can handle 18 a night, he srems to play a no mistake style that always fits.

Hopefully it continues for the remaining games this season and we can feel good about projecting him in a spot next year.

 

[VanJack]

This kid's vision on the ice is really astounding at times.....he always finds the open guy, and his passes are right on the tape. And you can see his game growing every time out.....he 'confident' but not 'cocky'.

And Tocchet had him out there in OT and he handled the assignment with aplomb. Not a lot to cheer about these days for the Canucks, but Hirose is an exception. Clearly a big-time signing by Allvin and the Canucks.

 

[AzNightmare]

He looked really stable in OT. Didn't look like a rookie out there with the way how he played.

 

[Uhmkay]

If these games that this kid is playing is a reflection of how he's going to play.... anyone suggesting that he'll start in the AHL next year is out to lunch.

 

[lawrence]

Is he headed to the ahl ? Adding him to abby will be a huge boost for their playoff run.

 

[ArmchairExpert]

Is he headed to the ahl ? Adding him to abby will be a huge boost for their playoff run.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

Looking like a great pickup so far. Already a huge upgrade on current OEL and Myers.

Man I love this player.

 

[MS]

Is he headed to the ahl ? Adding him to abby will be a huge boost for their playoff run.

Not eligible.

 

[tantalum]

Not sure how people still hold out hope OEL is going to magically be anything more than a ghost of what he was several years before the Canucks acquired him. Injuries have hobbled him and here he has yet another injury. He’s not going to get better, he’s not going to be anywhere near a $7 M a year guy. He’s not going to be a second pairing guy on a decent blueline.

I’m sure ownership doesn’t want to buy him out but it will help the team.

 

[racerjoe]

Not sure how people still hold out hope OEL is going to magically be anything more than a ghost of what he was several years before the Canucks acquired him. Injuries have hobbled him and here he has yet another injury. He’s not going to get better, he’s not going to be anywhere near a $7 M a year guy. He’s not going to be a second pairing guy on a decent blueline.

I’m sure ownership doesn’t want to buy him out but it will help the team.

It doesn't sound like ownership is going to let the team buy him out, from what we are hearing now. But holly rusted metal batman is buying him out the right move.

 

[canucksfan]

So what will be his expected contract in the off-season?

 

[tantalum]

It doesn't sound like ownership is going to let the team buy him out, from what we are hearing now. But holly rusted metal batman is buying him out the right move.

Yep. It’s a $20 M cheque to write so it’s understandable that they really don’t want to do it. It’s also admitting that they failed to remove Benning in time.

I hope Alvin and Rutherford can convince them it’s better to spend the $20 mil up front and improve the team rather than pay that money out over the a few years then buying him out. I have my doubts like you do but I’m hopeful.

 

[Vector]

Yep. It’s a $20 M cheque to write so it’s understandable that they really don’t want to do it. It’s also admitting that they failed to remove Benning in time.

I hope Alvin and Rutherford can convince them it’s better to spend the $20 mil up front and improve the team rather than pay that money out over the a few years then buying him out. I have my doubts like you do but I’m hopeful.

Yup. The best argument management can make is that redistributing the cap space to new players will push to the playoffs and that revenue will offset the additional salary expenses.

 

[Cogburn]

I'm not going to put pressure on the guy, but he's looked solid without being completely sheltered. He and McWard seem like good pick ups for the team.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Even if the guy ends up as a fringe bottom pairing guy he still ends up better than most non first round draft picks. And it looks like he has the potential to be more than that. We really need a few of these to hit given the weak prospect pool.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

It doesn't sound like ownership is going to let the team buy him out, from what we are hearing now. But holly rusted metal batman is buying him out the right move.

I fully agree. Next year is an all in year for us with how all our contracts are set up.

I also think they should think hard about trading our 1st rounder for immediate help.


The bill comes due on the OEL deal in 2025 and onwards but we will be on the decline then anyways.

 

[hookshott]

Not sure how people still hold out hope OEL is going to magically be anything more than a ghost of what he was several years before the Canucks acquired him. Injuries have hobbled him and here he has yet another injury. He’s not going to get better, he’s not going to be anywhere near a $7 M a year guy. He’s not going to be a second pairing guy on a decent blueline.

I’m sure ownership doesn’t want to buy him out but it will help the team.

Short term thinking....just like Benning tried to do all those years. Even if he plays on the third pair they should keep him so they are not saddled with the cap hit for 8 years! Yes, he is not a 7 million dollar guy but he is not as bad as me or you!

 

[credulous]

the 4.8m cap penalty in 2025 and 2026 is the real reason to not buy out oel. 2025 is when the canucks cap sheet starts to get better. buying out oel pushes that all the way out to 2027

 

[bandwagonesque]

the 4.8m cap penalty in 2025 and 2026 is the real reason to not buy out oel. 2025 is when the canucks cap sheet starts to get better. buying out oel pushes that all the way out to 2027

I agree. I think the main disadvantage with his buyout is that the variance in the buyout cap hit makes it difficult to use the extra cap space efficiently.

 

[RobertKron]

Geez, I know how long OEL's deal is, but every time I look I'm somehow still shocked. It's like a visceral reaction every time.

 

[jd22]

the 4.8m cap penalty in 2025 and 2026 is the real reason to not buy out oel. 2025 is when the canucks cap sheet starts to get better. buying out oel pushes that all the way out to 2027

Out of curiosity, what happens to the Pheonix retained section of the contract in a buyout? Do they pay the 12% on a buyout? Do they still have his retained 12% as a contract slot until the initial contract ends?

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Even if the guy ends up as a fringe bottom pairing guy he still ends up better than most non first round draft picks. And it looks like he has the potential to be more than that. We really need a few of these to hit given the weak prospect pool.

Agreed...I've been impressed with him so far...but we should pump the brakes on him a bit, until we get a larger sample size..

He's a good find by the scouts though..

 

[credulous]

I agree. I think the main disadvantage with his buyout is that the variance in the buyout cap hit makes it difficult to use the extra cap space efficiently.

yeah you get 7 mil up front but if you use it for more than that year you need to come up with an additional 2 mil in savings in year 2 and an additional 4 mil in savings in year 3. year 2 is when pettersson, hronek, beauvillier and joshua are up and year 3 is when kuzmenko is up. boeser is also up in 26 but that means that you've somehow kept boeser for another two seasons and that almost all of the cap savings from letting him walk go to pay for the oel buyout. an oel buyout is just a path to even more cap issues going forward

 

[tantalum]

Short term thinking....just like Benning tried to do all those years. Even if he plays on the third pair they should keep him so they are not saddled with the cap hit for 8 years! Yes, he is not a 7 million dollar guy but he is not as bad as me or you!

Not short term thinking at all. I’m well aware of the cap hit and for how long. I’m also well aware that when it starts to hit the cap will be moving up and that his retained cap + cap of a replacement player that can perform at a higher level will also be less than his current hit so you do get some more room elsewhere. Is it ideal? No. Of course not. Either choice is a bit of a poison pill but the pill is smaller with a buyout even if it doesn’t seem like it.

This is a different story if he is #3/4 then he is only a couple mil extra of wasted money. But IMO that is no longer the case. I don’t believe he is a full time NHL player on any sort of decent team. You quite simply can’t be paying $7 mil in cap hit to sit in the booth. Again not ideal but I think the situation has really changed as he has continued to regress.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Geez, I know how long OEL's deal is, but every time I look I'm somehow still shocked. It's like a visceral reaction every time.

The most shocking part is that not only did we trade for that brutal contract, we paid a top ten pick for the privilege.