HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The Erik Gudbranson era is over!

[Jay Cee]

All of that (and most of what I hear) is just noise. None of these guys break any deals or ever predict any behavior. They are all just spit balling or peddling some kind of flimsy insider street cred.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

Lmfao imagine still defending this f***ing plug in 2019. Absolutely putrid player, and probably one of the most unlikable blowhards to ever don a Canucks jersey.

Can't wait til he's gone.

 

[Melvin]

Wow. I find that hard to believe, if true, Benning should be fired immediately. I’d have been happy giving up Gudbranson and a 6th for a 7th.

The context was IMac (of course) defending the Gudbranson extension, saying something along the lines of "If the Canucks shopped him and only were offered a 2nd and a 4th, then they made the right decision."

Considering the source, you can pretty much take it to the bank that that is what happened.

Botchford was just saying, like most of us, "wait what?"

 

[Bleach Clean]

All of that (and most of what I hear) is just noise. None of these guys break any deals or ever predict any behavior. They are all just spit balling or peddling some kind of flimsy insider street cred.

Actually, IMac was pretty on point with his management leaks during the Linden era. He was _the_ insider to this management regime. That's why he received the label of being a management shill. From fans and from other media, in fact. I seem to recall someone going at him for being a management lackey. Was it Satiar Shah? JD Burke? Can't remember.

 

[Jay Cee]

Actually, IMac was pretty on point with his management leaks during the Linden era. He was _the_ insider to this management regime. That's why he received the label of being a management shill. From fans and from other media, in fact. I seem to recall someone going at him for being a management lackey. Was it Satiar Shah? JD Burke? Can't remember.

Well, I don't care what those guys say, but I think his work speaks for itself. He is a management lackey. I just have never seen in his career his ability to break any deals or predict any future behavior of management though. The same can be said about pretty much any member of the Vancouver media. Somehow our news on that stuff comes from Toronto.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Well, I don't care what those guys say, but I think his work speaks for itself. He is a management lackey. I just have never seen in his career his ability to break any deals or predict any future behavior of management though. The same can be said about pretty much any member of the Vancouver media. Somehow our news on that stuff comes from Toronto.

You could say that about anyone but Rick Dhaliwal.

I think IMac is more known for his insight of the present and past workings of the Canucks, not future.

Anyways, if the premise is about other GMs valuing Gudbranson more than a net-zero asset or negative asset, then I believe it. Tallon is proof of this with the failed Demers trade. Could someone else have offered a 2nd and 4th? Plausible. I think the bigger message here is that Benning still values Gudbranson more than just a throw away asset.

 

[Blue and Green]

He actually made a sensible argument or two for a change, but just same old Botchford. On the one hand Gudbranson is a **** player, 100% waiver bait on a terrible contract. On the other hand we should expect to move him, and not for nothing insignificant if we "want to." There is a serious disconnect there.

I don't believe anyone wanted Gudbranson for much of anything LAST year, let alone this year or he would be gone by now. He has been terrible. He has zero or negative value. I believe we would be extremely lucky if we could find a deal for him without taking a loss.

Last year we could've gotten a 2nd and 4th, if you believe MacIntyre. Having expressed my discontent a year ago about him writing that it was better to sign Gudbranson for $12M instead of taking a 2nd and 4th, I feel justified in re-posting his article.

Canucks signing Gudbranson a better option than trading him for picks - Sportsnet.ca

At this point, I think the best the team can do is something similar to Del Zotto: eat salary, get a Sunday draft pick. I'd be pleasantly surprised by a Saturday pick. Can't see how anyone is fooled by Gudbranson now; there's so much accumulated poor play and no more injury excuses. Although I guess we just never know for sure what one management group might do, as per the Greater Fool theory.

 

[Melvin]

Not that this is a surprise to anyone who has watched him for 3 regrettable seasons, but there is absolutely a case for him being the worst player in the NHL right now.

His biggest competitor is probably Jack Johnson in Pittsburgh? Not sure who is worse between them.

 

[strattonius]

I want to apologize from earlier in this thread. I said it was preposterous to state Gudbrandon is the worst d-man in the league; however, after this last 15 game stretch I'm willing to say he is the worst d-man in the league.

 

[RobertKron]

What is this mumbo jumbo????

Are you serious? It's pretty self-explanatory.

 

[timbermen]

Are you serious? It's pretty self-explanatory.

That's a low blow robby boy, you know i didn't get my grade 10.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

How does disappointing physical play, 2 fights a year and sucking at defence make him a coward?

I’m not saying he’s a good player, I’m just saying he’s not a coward.

You disagreed that calling him a coward was a pathetic take.

Nothing you listed in your response although true about his poor play makes him a coward

He doesnt do brave things.

 

[Melvin]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dzdmn_2V4AA2-SJ?format=png&name=small

Leaders and trailers in team adjusted +/-, where I compare each players +/- to the team average, weighted by minutes.

Gudbranson is not the worst in the league, as Orlov and Johnson are worse considering their team.

 

[MS]

I don't think Gudbranson is a coward, I just don't think he's engaged. His fights are after he gets called out. He's apathetic, IMO. Bare Minimum Gudbranson. Mr. Collect His Pay Cheque.

This is about it.

He’s clearly not a coward and is very tough and one of the better fighters in the league.

But he’s also ‘lazy tough’ and doesn’t really care to play that role or stick up for teammates very often, and his toughness is mostly just him getting angry after he himself is hit.

Which would be fine.

Except he’s also a Grade A arrogant asshole who carries himself like a superstar and loves talking about how tough he is and has thrown teammates under the bus on multiple occasions. And that’s what really pisses people off. When you throw your teammates under the bus and talk yourself up like that, you’d damned well better show up when Pettersson or Boeser gets cheapshot. And he hasn’t.

But this whole discussion is pretty meaningless as all that really matters is that he’s the worst player in the NHL.

 

[Wilch]

I'd rather have John Scott.

 

[Melvin]

I want to see a Matheson-Gudbranson pairing.

-----------------------------

Also, I thought Gudbranson was full value for what he was supposed to be in the ANA game. I don't want that to get lost in this. That type of player has perceived value around the league. He just does. When he chooses not to engage physically, and tries to play the game straight up, is when I think he is at his weakest value point.

They should keep showing him tape of that ANA game.

I didn't watch the Anaheim game but it was a season low for Guddy in terms of ice time. So yes, more of that would probably be good.

 

[PG Canuck]

This is about it.

He’s clearly not a coward and is very tough and one of the better fighters in the league.

But he’s also ‘lazy tough’ and doesn’t really care to play that role or stick up for teammates very often, and his toughness is mostly just him getting angry after he himself is hit.

Which would be fine.

Except he’s also a Grade A arrogant ******* who carries himself like a superstar and loves talking about how tough he is and has thrown teammates under the bus on multiple occasions. And that’s what really pisses people off. When you throw your teammates under the bus and talk yourself up like that, you’d damned well better show up when Pettersson or Boeser gets cheapshot. And he hasn’t.

But this whole discussion is pretty meaningless as all that really matters is that he’s the worst player in the NHL.

This is why I think he is a coward.

Coward - someone who runs away or abandons his responsibilities or obligations during times of danger, distress, pain, or fear of the unknown; someone whose concern is only for himself

When someone hits Gudbranson, or beaks at him? He fights. Pettersson gets hit/slashed etc? Not a sight of this guy.

Leivo has stood up for his teammates as much as Gudbranson, as far as I can remember.

 

[Melvin]

I only care about gudbranson fighting because it gets him off the ice, which is a win regardless with whom he fights.

 

[CherryToke]

Leivo has stood up for his teammates as much as Gudbranson, as far as I can remember.

And Leivo actually does it at the right time when players start grabbing Petey and try to intimidate him. Gudbranson just laughs at that stuff and skates away..

 

[tyhee]

Last year we could've gotten a 2nd and 4th, if you believe MacIntyre. ... Can't see how anyone is fooled by Gudbranson now; there's so much accumulated poor play and no more injury excuses. Although I guess we just never know for sure what one management group might do, as per the Greater Fool theory.

I think your point applies to Sutter as well. We see quite a few references and trade suggestions involving Gudbranson and Sutter that are based on what teams were reported or rumoured to have been willing to pay last season, but those references and suggestions assume that there is some GM out there who believes the 2018-19 season to be an anomaly.

 

[Fire Benning]

Earlier this season I still wanted to believe he was tradeable, but I can't help but think Gudbranson's value has taken an enormous hit this year with his dreadful play and being on the hook for 2 more years at 4 million per, he would have to be a salary dump at this point.

I still can't wrap my head around extending him instead of trading him last deadline when he was on an expiring contract, that was the time to recoup any sort of value for him, it's too late now.

 

[moog35]

He doesnt do brave things.

Fighting isn’t brave?

He’s not a good player but he’s also not a coward. He’s arguably the least cowardly player on this team since he arrived on a team that had actual cowards in leadership roles.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

Fighting isn’t brave?

He’s not a good player but he’s also not a coward. He’s arguably the least cowardly player on this team since he arrived on a team that had actual cowards in leadership roles.

Probably one of the stupidest posts in the history of HF. Nice job.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Fighting isn’t brave?

He’s not a good player but he’s also not a coward. He’s arguably the least cowardly player on this team since he arrived on a team that had actual cowards in leadership roles.

I guess he could turtle when challenged.

 

[Melvin]

Earlier this season I still wanted to believe he was tradeable, but I can't help but think Gudbranson's value has taken an enormous hit this year with his dreadful play and being on the hook for 2 more years at 4 million per, he would have to be a salary dump at this point.

I still can't wrap my head around extending him instead of trading him last deadline when he was on an expiring contract, that was the time to recoup any sort of value for him, it's too late now.

Well, no shit. That was obvious to everyone with an IQ above 80. Unfortunately this does not include the gm of the canucks.