Derek Roy has been invisible as a Canuck

[campbell_soup]

We've seen chemistry between Roy and Higgins but AV refuses to play them together or puts them with a player that doesn't mesh.

His play has definitely been disappointing but I'd like to see the coaching staff try to maximize the potential of the line up first before determining him a complete bust.

 

[BrandonL]

He will look good in a Toronto jersey.

5 years, 25 million.

 

[m9]

Still like the trade at the team, but it hasn't really worked. Schroeder should be our third line center next year anyway.

 

[TheDiver*]

Because on paper and based on past performance, he was/is a perfect fit for this team. An established first line center who could provide a fourth go-to scoring threat after the Sedins and Kesler, taking some pressire off of them, while simultaneously bumping Burrows/Higgins/Hansen into offensive roles more suitable for them.

So far he's barely been an upgrade on Schroeder. Actually, Schroeder actually managed to look pretty good with Raymond and Hansen, whereas Roy has been inept with both. Not that Raymond has been easy to work with by any means...

Schroeder. Raymond. Roy.

Too many smallish forwards or guys who play with little physicality.

Absolutely no muscle in the lineup except Kassian.

No surprise though. We should have known this was the direction Gillis wanted to go in when he let Raffi Torres go for his huge signing....Marco Sturm.

 

[serge2k]

Well he didn't make an atrocious play in his own end and cost them the game, so lets just give him more money than henrik.

 

[Bougieman]

Pretty happy with him, actually. He hasn't put up the numbers he was expected to, but that could still happen -- and is more likely to happen with him than most of our other forwards, considering the moves and skills he's shown.

And then you'll all love him again.

 

[Squall]

I think it was either Roy or nobody. I'd take my chances with Roy cuz I'm sure people would be yelling at Gillis saying how he wouldnt have done anything.

 

[King of the ES*]

And you were convinced the Canucks were too easy to play against. They have physically annhilated the Sharks thus far and taken a ton of penalties doing it. What they needed was skill and Roy possesses that. Unfortunately, he hasn't been good enough and the coach continues to play him with Mason Raymond, a guy he has absolutely no chemistry with.

You weren't understanding what I meant by "easy to play against". The Canucks play with zero emotion. A few bodychecks doesn't really change that, especially when they're coming from guys who are 170 pounds or so. They don't battle. They don't get in the faces of the other team. They don't intimidate.

And "physically annhilated" - please. Who physically annhilated who on Thornton's goal?

 

[King of the ES*]

I think it was either Roy or nobody. I'd take my chances with Roy cuz I'm sure people would be yelling at Gillis saying how he wouldnt have done anything.

Roy or nobody? Why not Clowe? Why not Torres? Either/both would've been perfect. OR, don't wait until the very last minute, work something out earlier.

 

[Drop the Sopel]

You weren't understanding what I meant by "easy to play against". The Canucks play with zero emotion. A few bodychecks doesn't really change that, especially when they're coming from guys who are 170 pounds or so. They don't battle. They don't get in the faces of the other team. They don't intimidate.

And "physically annhilated" - please. Who physically annhilated who on Thornton's goal?

You said the team was soft and easy to play against. And I told you come playoff time this team would flip a switch and becomes very physical, aggressive and hard on their opponents. This is exactly what has transpired. They were in the Sharks faces all night, during the play and after the whistles.

The Sharks have been the much softer team in this series and are up 2-0. There is no way to dispute this.

Adding an undisciplined, minor penalty machine like Clowe would just further compound the problem of this team taking far too many minor penalties. This team needs more discipline and composure, not more toughness.

 

[Windy River]

Roy has been solid and easily one of the better Canucks on the ice in the playoffs. He rarely makes what I would call a 'bad' play and continues to make some very nice passes and zone entries.

Doesn't help that he is getting saddled down with May Ray.

 

[Dado]

And I told you come playoff time this team would flip a switch and becomes very physical, aggressive and hard on their opponents. This is exactly what has transpired.

I disagree. They are running around looking for hits more than in the regular season, sure, but despite that, they simply aren't a very physical team.

IMO, etc.

 

[Burke the Legend]

OP: Derek Roy has been invisible his whole career, in Buffalo.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

His heart is clearly in Free Agency mode.

I say let him go. He's not worth the $6 million per it'll cost us to keep him.

 

[Flash Walken]

I disagree. They are running around looking for hits more than in the regular season, sure, but despite that, they simply aren't a very physical team.

IMO, etc.

Yeah.

Vancouver's physicality seems to be coming at the expense of puck possession and offense.

They look phoney trying to play so physical, especially considering the Sharks don't seem to care and are happy to take the PowerPlays.

 

[Fat Tony]

especially considering the Sharks don't seem to care and are happy to take the PowerPlays.

Sounds like a team I used to know.

 

[King of the ES*]

You said the team was soft and easy to play against. And I told you come playoff time this team would flip a switch and becomes very physical, aggressive and hard on their opponents. This is exactly what has transpired. They were in the Sharks faces all night, during the play and after the whistles.

We're watching two different games, apparently. I see the Canucks team as largely lifeless, free of emotion, robotic. That's very easy to play against. They played good last night for 30 minutes or so, but that's just not enough.

How can they possibly be hard to play against if they've just dropped both games at home to the worst road team in the NHL playoffs?

 

[biturbo19]

One thing that's bugged me a bit of late with Roy, is that the way our breakout and play through the neutral zone tends to work...we often see Roy using his speed and ending up as F1 on the forecheck, where quite frankly, he's more or less useless.

Instead of having say, Hansen as the initial pressure hounding the puck in deep, making hits, forcing decisions (and thus turnovers), having defenders looking over their shoulders...we have Roy in there doing flybys. Which is...ineffective most of the time.

And compounding that, we end up with Hansen often placed in a role where his somewhat limited 'hockey sense' is a bit exposed, instead of playing to his strengths as a pressure man.

It's just a little thing, but it bugs me how often this happens and it's a combination of 'system fit' and something akin to 'chemistry'. But seeing Roy as the primary forechecker just bothers me because it's so futile and it happens way more than it ideally should.

 

[MikeK]

Watching him these past 2 games have reminded me just how hard it is for smaller players when it comes to playoffs. The gap between regular season and playoffs is huge. He would be a good regular season player for the team but brings absolutely nothing to the playoff picture. We have enough of those players on this current roster. I would let him walk. He is not worth what he will command. If we lose in the first round, which is likely, there will be huge changes this offseason so I don't think we have to worry about throwing $5+ million at this guy.

 

[vanuck]

We've seen chemistry between Roy and Higgins but AV refuses to play them together or puts them with a player that doesn't mesh.

His play has definitely been disappointing but I'd like to see the coaching staff try to maximize the potential of the line up first before determining him a complete bust.

Agreed. Moronic that they only went back to Higgins-Roy in the 3rd period tonight.

Schroeder. Raymond. Roy.

Too many smallish forwards or guys who play with little physicality.

Absolutely no muscle in the lineup except Kassian.

No surprise though. We should have known this was the direction Gillis wanted to go in when he let Raffi Torres go for his huge signing....Marco Sturm.

Must everyone be some physical beast? You won't find that to be the case even on the Blues and Kings. Ever since we turned up the physicality starting in the 2011 Chicago series, how has our offence been?

 

[leftwinglockdown]

Must everyone be some physical beast? You won't find that to be the case even on the Blues and Kings. Ever since we turned up the physicality starting in the 2011 Chicago series, how has our offence been?

If you go back and watch game 1 of this series (who'd want to ) you'd see so many instances of Canucks going to hit the Sharks without focusing on the puck at all. Loose pucks prime for the taking after being dumped in the corners and our guys went for the hit instead. Weise was pretty guilty of it and even a guy like Raymond did it when they totally could have played the puck instead. The Sharks just ignored us and focused on getting to the puck and getting it out.

 

[hockeywoot]

He'll be getting a payday.
Hopefully not from us.

Too soft, one-dimensional.
Not enough scoring prowess to make it worthwhile.

 

[Towel-Power]

Certainly don't want to be the team that pays him 5M

 

[MrShift4]

Derek Who?

 

[Outside99*]

He's a very good player but to be effective in the post-season, needs to play on a bigger, more physical team. Still, I'd take him and a grinder over Raymond and Higgins.