Exactly on Rafferty. I believe he could have remained an RFA if Nucks had played him a number of games (somewhere near 20?) plus a 82-game 2020-2021 season, but they didn’t. If the Nucks thought Rafferty could handle NHL time, they would have played him.
Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign D - Brogan Rafferty
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Exactly on Rafferty. I believe he could have remained an RFA if Nucks had played him a number of games (somewhere near 20?) plus a 82-game 2020-2021 season, but they didn’t. If the Nucks thought Rafferty could handle NHL time, they would have played him.
Diversification
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Looking more and more like they are waiting for near the start of the season when Ferland's LTIR is confirmed to sign a bottom pairing RD. If I had to guess, it'll be either Vatanen, Koekkoek or Hamonic. Probably Koekkoek as Benning loves his age gaps/reclamation projects.
IMO, this is a much larger hole than top 6 winger.
IMO, this is a much larger hole than top 6 winger.
Fatass
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Rafferty is 26 or 27 right? He’s not an NHL player, so (like you say) we will need a reliable bottom pair D man, who can play top four minutes to cover for injuries. Oh, didn’t we have that already in Stecher? We had a proven player in Stecher, and expect a guy of the same age (Rafferty) to replace him? Benning -
Diversification
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Rafferty is 26 or 27 right? He’s not an NHL player, so (like you say) we will need a reliable bottom pair D man, who can play top four minutes to cover for injuries. Oh, didn’t we have that already in Stecher? We had a proven player in Stecher, and expect a guy of the same age (Rafferty) to replace him? Benning -
Rafferty is a blackbox at this point. Maybe his game translates better at the NHL level, but it might not. It would be foolhardy to bet on it without a contingency. Koekkoek would be that backup plan in that we know that he can slot in both sides and play serviceably as a bottom pairing dman. I'm only guessing that he'd be more appealing than Vatanen or Hamonic because he's younger and so as Lloyd Christmas put it: so, there's still a chance...
As for why not Stecher. Why indeed. Seems like a blown opportunity not to retain him. Probably had to do with cap uncertainty at the time and Benning trying to lineup Schmidt and his 6M caphit.
Anyway you look at it, the bottom pairing is suspect at best. Needs another serviceable NHLer on a ~1M short term contract so as not to rely too heavily on Juolevi, Rafferty and Chatfield.
If by some miracle, Edler, Schmidt, Hughes and Myers remained healthy all year, 5-8 on the blueline depth chart wouldn't be such a potential headache. Benn is a reasonably solid veteran at #5, and the best two out of Juolevi, Rafferty, Chatfield and Ratchbone could fill out the roster. As for the top-four, it might actually be better than it was a year ago.
But of course that will take a 'miracle' in a compressed 48 game schedule. So the problem comes when the depth guys all have to move up. Unfortunately outside of maybe Hamonic, I don't see anybody on the UFA list who could move into the top four either. It's debatable whether Koekkoek would be any better than the guys they currently have.
I suspect Benning will roll the dice with what he has early on, and trade for depth only if he has to. And if Ferland ends up back on LTIR, he might have a few dollars to troll the NHL bargain bin for d-men. But I really don't see anybody out there who'll move the needle much.
But of course that will take a 'miracle' in a compressed 48 game schedule. So the problem comes when the depth guys all have to move up. Unfortunately outside of maybe Hamonic, I don't see anybody on the UFA list who could move into the top four either. It's debatable whether Koekkoek would be any better than the guys they currently have.
I suspect Benning will roll the dice with what he has early on, and trade for depth only if he has to. And if Ferland ends up back on LTIR, he might have a few dollars to troll the NHL bargain bin for d-men. But I really don't see anybody out there who'll move the needle much.
Benn is NOT a #5 even on a poor quality team. Last season was behind
Hughes
Edler
Tanev
Stecher
Myers
Fantenburg
Now that #6 from last year cant even get a NHL contract so that puts Benn in some BAD company
Unless two of Rathbone, Rafferty and Juolevi are Sbisa/Barkowski bad then Benn should be seen as our #8, falling one spot from last season
If somehow all three of those young rookies can not keep up, we are in deep DEEP trouble with Benn as a #5
I think Benn was a decent #5 option when he was in Montreal. Last year he sucked. Don't really have any expectations for him.
canuckking1
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All the young guys seem extra determined. They see that opening and can’t wait to seize it. Training camp is gonna be fun this year.
Diversification
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I don't mean to be a downer, but 'put on 10 pounds of muscle' is a familiar refrain from many of our prospects (Bernier, Virtanen, Boeser, Juolevi, the list goes on) just before they put in a disappointing season due to lost speed and stamina. I'd much rather hear that he's been reviewing game tape and has developed a plan and worked on skills that will allow him to be more effective in his own end.
The good thing with Rafferty though is that he's in his mid-20's and a 10 lb gain might be part of his body filling out.
Hit the post
I have your gold medal Zippy!
Brogan Rafferty needs to be one of the Canucks depth d-men this season. He's in his mid-20's and his time is now. He had a far better season than Juolevi in Utica last season, and is older anyway. And as good as Rathbone is, he probably needs to get his feet wet in the AHL as a pro.
Of course the Canucks have basically gifted a spot to Juolevi because of his draft position. But before Benning goes out and claims a d-man off the NHL scrap-heap, he really needs to find out if Rafferty can play.
Of course the Canucks have basically gifted a spot to Juolevi because of his draft position. But before Benning goes out and claims a d-man off the NHL scrap-heap, he really needs to find out if Rafferty can play.
sting101
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I'm excited for the inclusion of Rafferty Juolevi Rathbone and Brisebois to the top 8 or 9 spots on the defense.
This fanbase is fickle. Fans pine for cheap homegrown players in our btm 6 and outside our top 4 defense and then when it happens there is this strange trepidation that we are going to regress or fall apart
This fanbase is fickle. Fans pine for cheap homegrown players in our btm 6 and outside our top 4 defense and then when it happens there is this strange trepidation that we are going to regress or fall apart
Being excited for something new and thinking that group of prospects are the cheap homegrown quality, especially guys like Brisebois and Chatfield who look have kind of already proved they look like duds at the level below are completely different things.
Juolevi and Rathbone have many excited here, so I don't really see the fickleness. It's not like that list is among even the top half of defensive prospect pools in the league.
Do you really think it's strange to be fearful of a potential NHL lineup that has 2 or 3 of these guys in it? Me thinks you're just using sensational language and misrepresent the general sentiment. If you're not worried, then you're just hoping. If you don't care to actually evaluate what to expect and are just excited at a list of new defensman, what's the point of complaining about the fanbase.
I see the talking heads on TSN have the worry beads out the Canucks blueline heading into the coming season. Why?
In my mind, this season is almost 'a wash'. Burkie opines that the NHL getting into a 53-game regular season now, is sheer fantasy. And who knows how much of the season will be played in bubble rinks or even in the home rink with zero fans in the building. Regardless of the outcome of the season on the ice, the NHL owners are losing a bundle.
I really think the way the Canucks are treating this season, is as a development year. They're going to throw as many young players off the deep end and into the everyday lineup to see who can play, going forward. You can pontificate about your prospect pipeline all you want, but the only way you're going to be sure is play the kids.
There's a massive turnover coming in the Canucks payroll anyway after this season is over. Edler, Sutter, Pearson, Baertschi and Benn are all UFA's. And if Holtby is snagged in the expansion draft, and they buy-out or two of Eriksson, Beagle or Roussel, that's a massive changeover.
I'd put Benn on waivers and plug Juolevi, Rafferty and Rathbone into the lineup. And up-front, Hoglander, MacEwen and maybe even Bailey, with Podkolzin signed and playing by the end of the year.
Just roll the dice with the kids, and let the chips fall where they may.
In my mind, this season is almost 'a wash'. Burkie opines that the NHL getting into a 53-game regular season now, is sheer fantasy. And who knows how much of the season will be played in bubble rinks or even in the home rink with zero fans in the building. Regardless of the outcome of the season on the ice, the NHL owners are losing a bundle.
I really think the way the Canucks are treating this season, is as a development year. They're going to throw as many young players off the deep end and into the everyday lineup to see who can play, going forward. You can pontificate about your prospect pipeline all you want, but the only way you're going to be sure is play the kids.
There's a massive turnover coming in the Canucks payroll anyway after this season is over. Edler, Sutter, Pearson, Baertschi and Benn are all UFA's. And if Holtby is snagged in the expansion draft, and they buy-out or two of Eriksson, Beagle or Roussel, that's a massive changeover.
I'd put Benn on waivers and plug Juolevi, Rafferty and Rathbone into the lineup. And up-front, Hoglander, MacEwen and maybe even Bailey, with Podkolzin signed and playing by the end of the year.
Just roll the dice with the kids, and let the chips fall where they may.
sting101
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What exactly are you wanting to wait for? You think that OJ Rafferty and the remaining kids will be a failure? Do you believe that OJ and Rafferty should sit on the bench vs actually play?
Juolevi impressed Green enough in the bubble to push himself into the Canucks top7 if he comes in shape. Would you rather Fantenberg come back because he's more mistake free or would it be time to give someone who can make a tape to tape pass a shot.
Rafferty blew through the AHL. That's when you give a guy a shot isn't it? Craig Button is high enough on the guy he thinks he has top4 potential.....what is your issue?
Rathbone has big upside and can fly. He likely needs some time but they thought that with Stecher and Hutton as well and they made the team rather quickly. It's fair to say he is behind Benn Juolevi and Rafferty to start and maybe even Chatfield and Brisebois but if he comes as advertised he wont take long to move into NHL games.
It's time for these guys to play.
Not worried at all...if things sour they could make a move at the deadline or through waivers.
bandwagonesque
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Considering there's no reasonable path to this happening, yes. One prospect, probably Juolevi, will be in right off the bat, another will be if he dominates camp, in which case it's found money. If no one other than Juolevi seems ready another veteran bottom-pairing guy will be signed. Michael Ferland is still experiencing symptoms and unable to play after 4 months of inactivity, and physicals are supposed to take place in about two weeks -- that cap space is almost certainly coming.
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Injuries happen, pretty sure their will be a time when we have a Dcore with 2 or more prospects in it, who knows they might be better then the vet guy you are sure they will sign
rypper
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I've done a crapload of 'filling out' since then.
I found it was my 30s when I really "filled out."
It will be an interesting camp, especially with no pre-season games going into a shortened season. I’m very curious how they’re going to play this, so many question marks with prospects with a minimal evaluation time.
Rathbone, Juolevi, Rafferty, and Hoglander are the 4 I am most interested to see.
Rathbone, Juolevi, Rafferty, and Hoglander are the 4 I am most interested to see.
Speculation is rife that Podkolzin will be in the Canucks lineup by the end of April....I'm also wondering if there's as chance Tryamkin could be as well?....maybe instead of scooping up a bargain basement blueliner via trade or free agency, the Canucks have a placeholder for the big Rusian....he can apparently play either the right or left side, and might better than anything out there...and would arrive in time for the stretch drive to the season.
bandwagonesque
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By that time he'll have already played around 70 games, or more if his team makes the playoffs, then would play another 15-25 regular season games with Vancouver before the playoffs begin.
A year ago I was probably on the eager side, liking the JT Miller trade giving a chance for the core to know what it's like to fight for the cup. Now I am probably on the patient side, wanting the Nucks to provide open spots for kids coming in, to show they can win by 2023 and beyond. Let Rathbone win the spot, and I wouldn't mind Juolevi or Rafferty play say 50% of the games in a rotation, I don't see it hurting the development. Wouldn't mind a Hamonic to stablize things, but kick some of these old players to the taxi squad please. Finally, no more 26yo Tryamkin, please.
Finally, no more 26yo Tryamkin, please.
NuxFan09
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