Decision Time Coming for Erik Gudbranson

[LastWordArmy]

Among Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning‘s more controversial decisions was the trade for defenceman Erik Gudbranson. This past spring, Benning traded forward Jared McCann and a second round pick (along with exchanges of various mid-round selections) for Gudbranson, deeming the 25-year-old to be a valuable piece of the team’s rebuild going forward. Since then, Gudbranson’s debut season in Vancouver was cut short due to injury (he’s played just 30 games this season), while McCann has split time between the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2017/02/20/vancouver-canucks-make-decision-erik-gudbranson/

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[PG Canuck]

Trade him.

 

[Peter10]

Get a time machine and never do the trade in the first place

 

[y2kcanucks]

Trade him. He isn't even worth his current contract so even if he accepts his QO he will be a bad contract. Dump him on some team that over values what he brings and try to recoup what Benning stupidly gave away.

 

[jeromemorrow]

Get a time machine and never do the trade in the first place

Haha.. YEP!

 

[MS]

Trade him to a team like Toronto or Dallas that might be looking to add more size/grit/'defensive ability' to their blueline. Even if we can only recoup 50% of what we traded for him in the first place, that's fine.

That would also clear a protection spot for the expansion draft, and we could hopefully use that spot to pick up a two-way blueliner on the cheap from a team having protection issues.

Of course, for any of this to happen, we'll need a new GM. Jimbo will have his 5x5 extension incoming.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Trade him. He isn't even worth his current contract so even if he accepts his QO he will be a bad contract. Dump him on some team that over values what he brings and try to recoup what Benning stupidly gave away.

Disagree - there are a few teams that can use a big tough D man. In particular, a 6 or 7 game series often generates some bad blood. We sure could have used him against Bost, (I am assuming that it would be a 25 yr old 6 years ago). It will be very interesting to see if one of the skill teams sniff around.

Let me make it clear that I don't see that he has much value to the Canucks, but he might have some trade value.

 

[valkynax]

Don't think Canucks will trade him. That would mean the team openly admit that the original trade was a mistake. If the past is of any indications Benning will likely go double down, by extending Gudbranson with something like 4.5 to 5mil for 3-4 years.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Disagree - there are a few teams that can use a big tough D man. In particular, a 6 or 7 game series often generates some bad blood. We sure could have used him against Bost, (I am assuming that it would be a 25 yr old 6 years ago). It will be very interesting to see if one of the skill teams sniff around.

Let me make it clear that I don't see that he has much value to the Canucks, but he might have some trade value.

Not sure what you're disagreeing with. Didn't we have Andrew Alberts in 2011? He didn't really do a whole lot for us.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Not sure what you're disagreeing with. Didn't we have Andrew Alberts in 2011? He didn't really do a whole lot for us.

I think Guddy is better than Alberts was by a fair margin, in both hockey skills and toughness. Value for money is probably fair.

I was simply trying to say he should be worth more than just getting dumped, which won't happen. And we went through all this last year about this time with Sbisa. He's had a "bounce back year". Who knows with Guddy?

 

[Peter10]

I think Guddy is better than Alberts was by a fair margin, in both hockey skills and toughness. Value for money is probably fair.

I was simply trying to say he should be worth more than just getting dumped, which won't happen. And we went through all this last year about this time with Sbisa. He's had a "bounce back year". Who knows with Guddy?

Sbisa is still terrible. Its just not that obvious anymore because the whole team is getting worse and worse and he is looking more average than before because of that..

 

[y2kcanucks]

I think Guddy is better than Alberts was by a fair margin, in both hockey skills and toughness. Value for money is probably fair.

I was simply trying to say he should be worth more than just getting dumped, which won't happen. And we went through all this last year about this time with Sbisa. He's had a "bounce back year". Who knows with Guddy?

Problem is though, he isn't. Gudbranson is what he is, a bottom pairing defenseman who's toughness is even overrated. Sure he'll drop the gloves every now and then, but I don't see this big rugged rough and tough deterrent back there. Not that this quality contributes to winning hockey games.

What is there for Gudbranson to "bounce back" to? He's been this way his entire career.

And no, Sbisa hasn't had a "bounce back" year. That's a myth. He started off looking not too bad because he was being sheltered. Since he's received more ice-time he's been back to being his awful self.

I don't see the usefulness of a 1-dimensional defensive defenseman who's poor at preventing shot attempts against, and poor at preventing goals against.

 

[Bad News Benning]

Brace yourselves....horrible gudbranson extension is coming. Only hope is that benning is canned before it can happen

 

[groovygoodwine]

You should lace em up y2k.

In all seriousness, Gudbranson for a Sbisa contract would be fine with me, but I'd rather just trade him.

 

[Pastor Of Muppets]

I'm in the minority here,but I don't think we've seen the best go him yet...Playing with an injury did not help....I like what he brings to the team.but he did have a rough start.

 

[wonton15]

Don't think Canucks will trade him. That would mean the team openly admit that the original trade was a mistake. If the past is of any indications Benning will likely go double down, by extending Gudbranson with something like 4.5 to 5mil for 3-4 years.

This is EXACTLY what will happen. Hutton might even get traded so they can protect Sbisa and Guddy.

 

[Bad News Benning]

I'm in the minority here,but I don't think we've seen the best go him yet...Playing with an injury did not help....I like what he brings to the team.but he did have a rough start.

He's a bad fit here. We needed an offensive defenseman on the right side to compliment tanev.

You can't have tanev, tryamkin,sbisa, gudbranson, etc on the same defense and expect to score goals unless the other defenseman is Brent burns.

Just a poorly constructed defense which paired with a lack of skill at forward results in some seriously boring hockey.

 

[GPNuck]

Trade him to a team like Toronto or Dallas that might be looking to add more size/grit/'defensive ability' to their blueline. Even if we can only recoup 50% of what we traded for him in the first place, that's fine.

That would also clear a protection spot for the expansion draft, and we could hopefully use that spot to pick up a two-way blueliner on the cheap from a team having protection issues.

Of course, for any of this to happen, we'll need a new GM. Jimbo will have his 5x5 extension incoming.

Toronto has good management now, Why would they do this?

 

[Hit the post]

I'm in the minority here,but I don't think we've seen the best go him yet...Playing with an injury did not help....I like what he brings to the team.but he did have a rough start.

Yeah I'm not quite ready to write him off yet. Am concerned about what kind of contract extension he will get considering Jethro Bodine is in charge of that (with Weisbrod backing him up).

 

[Soups On]

This buffoon is going to trade a young sophmore defensemen that has shown top 3 upside from an offense starved team and retain a defensive defensemen with no offense or puck moving ability.

Are we even remotely surprised?

Gudbranson can definitely be a valuable player for a playoff team or a contender and thus I feel he has value around the league, but lets be real, he shouldn't even be in Vancouver in the first place.

Tanev
Edler
Stecher/Hutton/Tryamkin
Gudbranson/Sbisa
Biega

That is the depth chart. This team did not need Gudbranson, especially when they saw Sbisa as a top 4

 

[jeromemorrow]

Keep him.

Stupid to trade someone that we gave so much for and not get fair value in return for him.

We need to let him recuperate from his injuries properly, play a full 1/2 to 1 season before we throw him under the bus.

That being said, he's been horrible in the games that he's played for us so far. (whether it's acclimatization issues or injury problems with him, I don't know.. but if Loui Eriksson and Vey gets such a long leash, he'll be fine).

 

[valkynax]

Keep him.

Stupid to trade someone that we gave so much for and not get fair value in return for him.

We need to let him recuperate from his injuries properly, play a full 1/2 to 1 season before we throw him under the bus.

That being said, he's been horrible in the games that he's played for us so far. (whether it's acclimatization issues or injury problems with him, I don't know.. but if Loui Eriksson and Vey gets such a long leash, he'll be fine).

The problem with keeping him is, IF we believe he has more potential, what will it cost?

It will likely be something like 4-5mil X 3-4 years, minimum. And at this stage I'm not sure if that's the price I want to pay for this guy.

 

[Jake Skille]

Nah keep him. He is one of your best tank commanders. Another 4-5 years of him and probably top 5 picks would be about right.

 

[Lindgren]

I doubt very much that Gudbranson will be traded by the deadline. If he does get traded, my guess is that it won't be for picks, because it would be too easy to show that management got less back than they gave up. It'll be for a younger player or two (either former high picks doing badly, but management will be able to say they got high picks, or it'll be lower picks and they'll say they've improved their value since draft day).

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Ideally leverage his injury and poor performance into a reduced 1-2 year contract for reasonable money, and see if he can't rebound once healthy. If he does, you've got a more valuable asset to keep or trade.