Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign defenceman Troy Stecher (post #194, #443)

[clunk]

That remains to be seen. Thus far, he's played on the right side about 95% of the time he's been here.

For the 4 years he played in the KHL, he played the vast majority of his time on the right side.

When he was playing in Jrs in Russia, he also played on the right side.

The fact that he's physically able to actually be on the left side doesn't mean he's good at it or comfortable there.

Fair enough. I've seen him play the left side a fair amount in the KHL, though, and he's looked good there. I think he likes to cut in from the right though and unload his one timer which is why he likes it, but he can play either side effectively.

 

[DS7]

If we sign stretcher , good bye to subby

Don't we have enough contract spots for both Stretcher and Subban? I'd rather have two offensive d-men....or in case one of them doesn't pan out.

 

[Rey]

While it's exciting to sign college free agents because it's almost like a free asset. Remember, Gillis signed plenty of college free agents and a lot of them couldn't even last in the AHL. Some couldn't even handle it in the ECHL. So, I'd keep my expectations low. Even the highly touted college players/overagers don't exactly always turn into anything. Even if the Canucks end up signing him, people shouldn't be penciling him on the NHL roster when we don't even know how he'll do here. Honestly, it doesn't take long to see how he'll do. We've seen college guys and overagers go to training camp and you can instantly see how they compare with the AHL and junior players and easily make the decision if he's a legitimate prospects or not.

Sure, Sure. Ben Hutton wasn't a free agent but he managed to get in the NHL right after college but anyone who follows prospects knows that Ben Hutton was continually nominated for the Hobey Baker award. We knew he was big, and skated like the wind with puck moving ability and was a very exciting offensive player. The question on Hutton was always about how his defensively game would translate and we figured that out very fast. I don't think, anything thinks that Stecher is even close an asset Hutton was/is.

While, Benning seems to be trading everyone of Gillis's guys. Jordan Subban has been pretty impressive for his first season in the AHL. While, I'm not too high on him, never have been, he's definitely an asset and worthy prospect in the meantime. It would be pretty stupid for Benning to trade Subban cause he signed an unknown. Well..at least on the bright side, Stecher plays with Canuck's prospect Brock Boeser.

Honestly, Any Dman that is 5'11 or under needs a combination of great speed, lots of creativity, high hockey IQ, guts, puck moving ability, some offensive ability, willingness to shot block/take lots of hits, and physical. You even miss one of these things, and you won't survive in the league as a dman with that size because, lets be real here. It don't matter if you are 5'11 and very good defensively. When you are playing against the guys that are huge, you don't stand a chance. That's why, you need other talents to counter it.

 

[Siludin]

Source?

It was a parody

 

[Iceberg Slim]

Don't we have enough contract spots for both Stretcher and Subban? I'd rather have two offensive d-men....or in case one of them doesn't pan out.

Agreed. That would absolutely be the smart move.

At best, the odds still suggest only one of the two will pan out as a legitimate NHL defenseman. Shipping Subban out just because we add a similar prospect would be very short sighted.

Both Stecher and Subbs (and also Larsen) project as exactly the type of player we still need to slot in on our future D (and having two of that ilk in our top-8 Ds wouldn't be a problem either).

 

[Siludin]

If we sign stretcher , good bye to subby

The Canucks have so many no-name AHLers on their farm team, I would be so shocked if they couldn't find room for a single extra defensemen. Do we really need Ehrhart/Landry/Negrin? Are they knocking on the door?

 

[NuxFan09]

I asked Corey Pronman about Stecher and he called him "an average prospect who is worth a contract".

 

[Desai87]

Goes to show you how **** our management is. No reason to give Sbisa that kind of money. we dont even need him.

Edler - Tanev
Hutton - Hamhuis
Tryamkin - Larson/Biega/Pedan/Stecher/UFA for cheap.

 

[GetFocht]

I asked Corey Pronman about Stecher and he called him "an average prospect who is worth a contract".

makes sense, we are overhyping him because of WTG. It's likely he will be a Yannick Weber type of player.

 

[MS]

From what I've seen he looks tiny but is a decent two-way guy. Not a great prospect but would be worth adding to the system.

But anyone thinking this is some sort of home run is kidding themselves.

 

[Soups On]

From what I've seen he looks tiny but is a decent two-way guy. Not a great prospect but would be worth adding to the system.

But anyone thinking this is some sort of home run is kidding themselves.

Saw a couple UND games and he looked pretty good out there. Aggressive in the corners like Biega and can read the play really well during transition from D to O. He'd be a good add to the prospect pool. Hell, when Tanev was signed no one knew he'd be the homerun he is now. The more cracks at these NCAA guys like Stecher, the better the chance of pulling out another Tanev. I'd be very happy if Stechee signed here.

 

[M2Beezy]

Saw a couple UND games and he looked pretty good out there. Aggressive in the corners like Biega and can read the play really well during transition from D to O. He'd be a good add to the prospect pool. Hell, when Tanev was signed no one knew he'd be the homerun he is now. The more cracks at these NCAA guys like Stecher, the better the chance of pulling out another Tanev. I'd be very happy if Stechee signed here.

Yeah i agree i thought possible home run too with this guy he has a lot of talent showing and the thing is apperently his talent is more and more show cased with time

Who knows what his ceiling could be? I think we should sign him

 

[MS]

Saw a couple UND games and he looked pretty good out there. Aggressive in the corners like Biega and can read the play really well during transition from D to O. He'd be a good add to the prospect pool. Hell, when Tanev was signed no one knew he'd be the homerun he is now. The more cracks at these NCAA guys like Stecher, the better the chance of pulling out another Tanev. I'd be very happy if Stechee signed here.

I don't disagree with this at all.

I'd be happy if they signed any decent-looking college prospect. But people really shouldn't be setting their expectations too high.

 

[Hit the post]

I don't disagree with this at all.

I'd be happy if they signed any decent-looking college prospect. But people really shouldn't be setting their expectations too high.

He's a lottery ticket - and heck knows we need more of such tickets with this club.

 

[Nucker101]

He's a lottery ticket - and heck knows we need more of such tickets with this club.

Only problem is that it's possible that Benning puts too much faith into the "lottery tickets" he acquires and makes mistakes assuming that the young players/prospects he acquires will be solid NHL players now or down the road.

Hence the lack of depth this organization has on both the pro roster and in the prospect pool. Pretty bad situation to be shallow at both spots.

 

[BrockBoeser6]

Goes to show you how **** our management is. No reason to give Sbisa that kind of money. we dont even need him.

Edler - Tanev
Hutton - Hamhuis
Tryamkin - Larson/Biega/Pedan/Stecher/UFA for cheap.

I completely agree with you but, Hutton and Tryamkin were a fortunate surprise this year. That being said, I'd trade Sbisa for literally anything at this point.

 

[PM]

Don't we have enough contract spots for both Stretcher and Subban? I'd rather have two offensive d-men....or in case one of them doesn't pan out.

Benning only wants one of each type of player (except for mediocre tweener centres apparently). Had to trade Shinkaruk away because we had Baertshi (and Rodin? who doesn't play left wing?). Once we have Stretcher we are at out quota of smaller puck-moving dmen.

 

[ginner classic]

Goes to show you how **** our management is. No reason to give Sbisa that kind of money. we dont even need him.

Edler - Tanev
Hutton - Hamhuis
Tryamkin - Larson/Biega/Pedan/Stecher/UFA for cheap.

Hamhuis never, ever plays the right side. Current depth chart:

Edler - Tanev
Hamhuis- Tryamkin (lhs)
Hutton - Larson
Sbisa - Biega
Pedan - Subban

This is why Hamhuis won't be back next year no matter what. Gots to get Sbisa starting minutes.

 

[Seatoo]

They both play the right side... so no he won't be beside Tryamkin. However I do like our depth going forward if we sign him and perhaps draft someone like Jakob Chychrun.

Edler - Tanev
Hutton - Tryamkin
Hamhuis - Stecher
Chychrun - Larson
*Pedan

I'd likely keep Pedan around and give Chychrun another year or two in the minors.

I'd keep Hamhuis around if this was the route we'd take. His leadership and the amount he could teach a largely very young defensive core would be very valuable for years to come.

9 dmen and where is Bennings favourite Sbisa?

 

[M2Beezy]

9 dmen and where is Bennings favourite Sbisa?

Edler
Tanev
Hutton
Trammer
Sbisa
Pedan
Biega
Larson
Subban and Stecher (could move up depends on camp and training)

 

[F A N]

Have no faith in the ability of the Canucks to sign top rated NCAA free agents. Believe Smyl was the point man on this and he has mostly miserably failed. Don't trust Benning with anything.

Only reason we got Tanev was due to a close association with then player development guy Gagner.

Really? I thought the Canucks have done pretty well. We seemed to be finalists for many of them, including Matt O'Connor last season. Besides Tanev, we got Lain (who was highly sought after) and Volpatti. I had full faith in anybody Gillis wanted to sign. And in Smyl's defence, he was also active in recruiting CHL free agents too like Archibald and Fox.

I think you severely underrated Smyl here. Smyl is 58 but if you compare to how he speaks vs Willie, Smyl seems much younger. I've said this before, I think Smyl is great in the role Gillis originally put Smyl in. Smyl is a personable guy, a Canucks lifer, and someone who has played almost 900 NHL games in the NHL. It's hard not to respect Smyl. He's not the most talented but he was a scorer in the NHL and not a plug. He grinded and fought. He's a pretty good ambassador for the Canucks IMO.

 

[F A N]

Only problem is that it's possible that Benning puts too much faith into the "lottery tickets" he acquires and makes mistakes assuming that the young players/prospects he acquires will be solid NHL players now or down the road.

Hence the lack of depth this organization has on both the pro roster and in the prospect pool. Pretty bad situation to be shallow at both spots.

It's a problem that many GMs have. Heck, Gillis made the Ballard trade in part he believed that the Canucks drafted really well in 2008 and 2009. He included guys like Jensen and Fox as part of the team's future core.

Scouting is where Benning is going to earn his pay. It's possible that Boeser, Virtanen, or McCann won't amount to anything in the NHL. But the early returns are solid. From a fan perspective, it's better that the team draft guys like Hodgson and Connauton (great draft + 1 year) than Virtanen and Hutton.

 

[Hit the post]

It's a problem that many GMs have. Heck, Gillis made the Ballard trade in part he believed that the Canucks drafted really well in 2008 and 2009. He included guys like Jensen and Fox as part of the team's future core.

Scouting is where Benning is going to earn his pay. It's possible that Boeser, Virtanen, or McCann won't amount to anything in the NHL. But the early returns are solid. From a fan perspective, it's better that the team draft guys like Hodgson and Connauton (great draft + 1 year) than Virtanen and Hutton.

I personally think having only Bieksa on the blueline signed beyond one season was a larger reason (didn't know 100% for sure Hamhuis was going to sign here). So he went for both guys.

 

[PM]

It's a problem that many GMs have. Heck, Gillis made the Ballard trade in part he believed that the Canucks drafted really well in 2008 and 2009. He included guys like Jensen and Fox as part of the team's future core.

Scouting is where Benning is going to earn his pay. It's possible that Boeser, Virtanen, or McCann won't amount to anything in the NHL. But the early returns are solid. From a fan perspective, it's better that the team draft guys like Hodgson and Connauton (great draft + 1 year) than Virtanen and Hutton.

What? Fox wasn't even playing in the OHL then, much less signed and a part of a "future core".

 

[Eddy Punch Clock]

If we sign stretcher , good bye to subby

He's gone regardless imo.

It's one of the not so out on the limb predictions I've been making for a about a year.