Post-Game Talk: [EX2] Canucks lose to Oilers - 1-2 (OT) (Hughes)

[SeawaterOnIce]

At least wait until the first game of the season to capitulate.

No dice.

 

[VanJack]

One thing is for certain after watching this game......Abbotsford Canucks will be in beast mode this season, if as expected guys like Bains, McWard, Sasson and Raty make there way there.

And Carson Soucy is a Grade A pickup. We got so used to Jethro overpaying for pedestrian d-men, that it's a shock when it looks like this pickup from Seattle will be great addition to back end.

 

[MS]

Well, that was a lot more entertaining (and interesting) than the first game. Generally a solid defensive team game against what was pretty much the opening-night Oilers squad.

- best thing about this game was Teddy Blueger. I've said for awhile that I didn't really know what happened last year but the guy I watched for the 3 years before that was a legitimate 30-40 point two-way playoff team 3C and he looked like that player tonight. Lots of offensive chances (albeit no finish) and yeoman work defensively and on the PK. Aman-Blueger-Studnicka was the team's best line tonight and Blueger has to be the 3C to start the year based on this.

- the other two guys on that line were good as well and it's interesting because they might be competing for a spot. Aman was solid but Studnicka was legitimately good again, tons of jump, skated miles, looks bigger and stronger, moving his feet and competing.

- Pettersson and Kuzmenko were OK. Hoglander got a big shot there and he was definitely trying but just totally out-of-sync with what his linemates were doing. I really don't know where he fits on a full healthy team.

- Joshua was much better today, obviously took the criticism to heart. Needs to finish his checks the way he did tonight.

- Bains had a good 1st and 3rd, iffy 2nd period. But I thought this was overall a really good performance for him - didn't look out of place, was around the play a lot, skated well and looked confident. Made some mistakes but this was by far the highest-level game he's ever played.

- Sasson was given a 2nd game and is surely Abbotsford-bound now but gave himself a good showing.

- Raty competed well, didn't look out of place.

- Soucy was really good, great first impression from him as well. Broke up lots of plays, always in the right spot, skated well.

- McWard playing with Hughes (or making the squad this year) still seems like a bit of a stretch but he showed well aside from one poor shift where he took a penalty. Very good with the puck on his stick, very calm overall, not sure his defensive positioning is 100%.

- Brisebois had a solid quiet night ... until a blind backhand pass up the middle with 5 minutes left. Can't be making plays like that if you want to make the team.

- Wolanin was overall solid all night. Didn't move the puck quite as well as he did at times last year but didn't really put a foot wrong.

- Myers is so painful to watch. Even when he does the right thing, it's somehow wrong.

- DeSmith with a really strong performance. I'll take 25 starts like that this year, please.

 

[EpochLink]

Casey DeSmith is a capable back for Demko, good to see.

 

[sting101]

Ok it's still only pre season but McWard is playing his way onto a top pair with Hughes.
Much better than Woo and Juulsen. Much better than Myers tonight and pretty much most nights last year if he plays like that .....i mean who's left??? Hronek Cole ...idk he's really doing it so far.

Hoglander from the blueline out is enough of a disturber that he helps Kuz and Petey but in our zone i just dont see it as a long term solution. His shot isnt enough of a snipe either to just be a garbage collector.....3/4 line energy guy me thinks but we already have Beauvillier and Garland so? erratic game tonight as per usual

Raty like McWard is the story of the pre season for me. Kid looks excellent but his rawness age and position is gonna need some growth and physical maturity to be the 3C so he's likely on his way to Abby to get his 100 games.

DeSmith looked excellent. Just 1 game but that was NHL goaltending vs the mess of last year. Good pick up i can feel like we have achance with the backup in net again.

Wolanin looked pretty good, Soucy will help us tremendously in just being big mobile and reliable especially on the PK. Myers is hilarious man....like WTF is he doing out there most of the time. Brisebois is a 4/5 LD depth guy. Fairly reliable but just nothing on the offensive side.

Pettersson Kuzmenko Garland Amen Joshua - getting their legs. Amen is an interesting one if were fully healthy, he's such a excellent skater with a long reach that makes good goal side decisions. He's gonna be around playing games at some point. Message received by Joshua much better.

Sasson has baseline NHL speed but has ECHL hands once in the offensive zone against this level of players. Did Dries play? After last year i dont really want him back and i think we have enough depth to keep him in Abby. Just zero playmaking ability at the NHL level and he can't PK or defend.

Blueger is growing on me. Thought he was just a 4th liner but i think he can be a placeholder at the 3C spot as long as were not hoping for production. Good PKer and lead protector.

Bains is getting close. Makes really smart decisions has nifty hands and reads in transition. He's gonna be a NHLer but it's probably more realistic next year after getting stronger and a little faster. Nice free junior signing. Can see what MS was seeing. Was pretty quiet in last years playoffs.

Studnicka looks improved and has probably the inside track on the 4RW spot at this stage

 

[moiderer]

Really solid game against the Oilers top 6 and missing the Miller line. 10-0 panic can be shelved until opening night. Had the game on second monitor but cursory comments:

Pettersson - No complaints, wasn't going full throttle and still made some lethal scoring chances.
Kuzmenko - Offence from last season was no fluke besides shooting %, but still made some plays that drive Tocchet crazy. Same old I suppose?
Hoglander - More of the same too. Never doubt the energy and compete but execution is never there. Can't play on the top line and not steady enough for bottom 6.
Aman - Solid outing. Competed hard, took some whacks, might have chemistry with Blueger.
Blueger - Probably the standout forward. Key steals and defensive reads, and a couple scoring chances too.
Studnicka - Hungriest player on the ice. Don't see the offensive upside still but the pace and engagement are high level.
Bains - Some nice moments reading the play and transitioning the puck, but probably not ready for a full time role. I think next year is a really good shot.
Raty - Looked good again, especially with his stickwork and getting the puck to the net. I think he'll be a player for sure, skating be damned.
Garland - Not full throttle either but he was zipping around as you expected. No complaints until we see his actual linemates.
Joshua - Huge presence physically and agitated the entire Oilers bench. Didn't do much with the puck but pretty much solidified a roster spot otherwise.
Sasson - Didn't stand out or accomplish much. Definitely AHL bound, but could be steady depth one day.
Dries - Didn't notice at all. Didn't get a plum assignment but for a guy on the outside needs to be better.

Hughes - Best D on the ice easily. Still a wizard.
McWard - Didn't look out of place at all next to Hughes, but need to see under more pressure situations to be sure.
Soucy - Looked amazing in the D zone. Disruptive and predictable.
Brisebois - Minimal complaints while playing next to Myers. NHL bound?
Myers - See rest of thread. No exaggerations to be found.
Wolanin - Solid in transition and walking the line. Didn't watch D zone play enough to comment.

DeSmith - Great, looks to be a great backup.

On the Oilers side, I was surprised how pissy they got in a preseason game. Can't doubt Draisaitl/McDavid but Nurse/Kane could be Kadri-esque playoff kryptonite. Bouchard looked great, I don't see the pre-draft skating concerns anymore.

 

[Soups On]

DeSmith for Pearson and a 5th in 2025 was a W trade. Address 2 problems and only give up a 5th.

This team would be so much better off with Myers as the 7th man. Wolanin, Hirose, and Brisebois can all move the puck and aren't disastrous defensively like the tall man. Let's hope he actually steps it up because a 3rd pairing Myers was a successful Myers in years past.

 

[orcatown]

Story of this game and really the story of the whole preseason, from a Canucks point of view, is McWard. Right now if you'd drafted him mid first round you won't be unhappy. Showing more poise than you could expect and using his skating to stay ahead of the play and buy time. Made some good stretch passes and made the right decision on passes all game. if the team can come up with a true top 6 and, maybe in the future a top 4 player, that is a huge development for the team. Actually wanted to seehim out on the 4 on 4s.

Thought second level of importance was the way Blueger killed penalties and way deSmith played (especially play down low around his net). Play like this and they're going to help.

Others

Bains - did enough good to have some hope but also enough bad to know he's not ready. Needs to develop another gear if he is to develop into a bona vide NHLer. Could say the same for Raty and Sasson. Probably their last look.

Brisebois - outside of one real bad play late in the third was decent. Don't think there is enough there to be more than depth however.

Wolanin - solid effort. Might start the season here

Myers - not all that good. Needs to get more on the front foot but criticism is getting excessive and the giraffe thing is incredibly stale. Might have been funny the first time or even the second time but now getting desperately tiresome

Hoglander - playing his way off any front line consideration. Stop and start a lot of the time and stickwork was clumsy. Don't know where you go from here with this player. If he isn't providing offense then a real liability. Like it or not Beauvillier is on this line.

Garland - always looks better lower in the lineup. Struggled some in this one.

Aman - good game just wish he could shoot. His overall ice coverage per usual was good but limited offensive skill

Hughes - looked like he was trying to shoot more (maybe too much) Forte is passing and while people have been hoping he would develop his shot he probably do better using his passing skill to get puck to others who have better shots.

Joshua - much better. Made himself a presence in this game. Good on PK. Solidly on the team.

Studnicka - Played hard - still in running to make the team

Dreis - if he makes the team the Canucks are in trouble.

Overall team did well in this game. Looked to sacrificing some offense for defense which in the long run might be for the best.

 

[sting101]

Story of this game and really the story of the whole preseason, from a Canucks point of view, is McWard. Right now if you'd drafted him mid first round you won't be unhappy. Showing more poise than you could expect and using his skating to stay ahead of the play and buy time. Made some good stretch passes and made the right decision on passes all game. if the team can come up with a true top 6 and, maybe in the future a top 4 player, that is a huge development for the team. Actually wanted to seehim out on the 4 on 4s.

Thought second level of importance was the way Blueger killed penalties and way deSmith played (especially play down low around his net). Play like this and they're going to help.

Others

Bains - did enough good to have some hope but also enough bad to know he's not ready. Needs to develop another gear if he is to develop into a bona vide NHLer. Could say the same for Raty and Sasson. Probably their last look.

Brisebois - outside of one real bad play late in the third was decent. Don't think there is enough there to be more than depth however.

Wolanin - solid effort. Might start the season here

Myers - not all that good. Needs to get more on the front foot but criticism is getting excessive and the giraffe thing is incredibly stale. Might have been funny the first time or even the second time but now getting desperately tiresome

Hoglander - playing his way off any front line consideration. Stop and start a lot of the time and stickwork was clumsy. Don't know where you go from here with this player. If he isn't providing offense then a real liability. Like it or not Beauvillier is on this line.

Garland - always looks better lower in the lineup. Struggled some in this one.

Aman - good game just wish he could shoot. His overall ice coverage per usual was good but limited offensive skill

Hughes - looked like he was trying to shoot more (maybe too much) Forte is passing and while people have been hoping he would develop his shot he probably do better using his passing skill to get puck to others who have better shots.

Joshua - much better. Made himself a presence in this game. Good on PK. Solidly on the team.

Studnicka - Played hard - still in running to make the team

Dreis - if he makes the team the Canucks are in trouble.

Overall team did well in this game. Looked to sacrificing some offense for defense which in the long run might be for the best

Agree with most of this except for the stuff about the Giraffe. He was brutal

 

[EpochLink]

Hold up, Tyler Myers is only 33 years old?!

 

[sting101]

At least wait until the first game of the season to capitulate.

Yes lets not get Shirokoved

Hold up, Tyler Myers is only 33 years old?!

Wait his sign said 27....and he wants to play in the NBA and he thinks his name is Mysey.....He 100% has been hanging with Virtanen in KTown

 

[VanJack]

Apparently Cole McWard was a hot ticket coming off his sophomore season at Ohio State. NHL teams were beating down the door, and you can see why.

The knock on him was that he didn't do much offensively. But nine goals and 21 points in 39 games is still respectable. And in his last year in the USHL, he had 14 goals and 19 assists playing for the Tri City Storm.

Full marks to Allvin and the Canucks for picking up guys like Bains, McWard, Hirose and Sasson. Basically free assets without even using a draft pick on them.

 

[moiderer]

Forgot to mention Brandon Sutter. Happy to hear his name, but I didn't think he had it this game. Would be surprised if the Oilers sign him.

 

[CherryToke]

Hold up, Tyler Myers is only 33 years old?!

What is that in Giraffe years though

 

[sting101]

What is that in Giraffe years though

easily 100

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Forgot to mention Brandon Sutter. Happy to hear his name, but I didn't think he had it this game. Would be surprised if the Oilers sign him.

Probably a player that will be at the Spengler Cup!

 

[sting101]

Forgot to mention Brandon Sutter. Happy to hear his name, but I didn't think he had it this game. Would be surprised if the Oilers sign him.

Was good to see him back playing after getting such a shitty hand to play pretty much since he came to Vancouver.

If you take away the contract and expectations that come with it Sutter was a good defensive player who could PK for us and close down games. He's so damn skinny it was probably likely he would become injury prone but that Covid bout damn was that unfortunate.

Probably doesnt have him wanting to bro up with Gaudette that moron.

As far as making the OIl it's probably a bit of a long shot given how long he's been out and age now but i wouldn't close the book until he plays a bunch more games to see how well hiis body reacts. It's gonna take awhile i would think i wouldn't read too much into 1 game

 

[biturbo19]

- Pettersson and Kuzmenko were OK. Hoglander got a big shot there and he was definitely trying but just totally out-of-sync with what his linemates were doing. I really don't know where he fits on a full healthy team.

Hoglander - playing his way off any front line consideration. Stop and start a lot of the time and stickwork was clumsy. Don't know where you go from here with this player. If he isn't providing offense then a real liability. Like it or not Beauvillier is on this line.

Yeah. I hate it, because he was such a fun exciting little player when he first arrived. But really have to echo these sentiments and concerns about Hoglander. It'd be an overreaction to a single preseason game...but at the end of the day, the problem isn't new. Same old story. Looks like the same misfit player who can't find a real spot in our lineup.

I don't really think plugging him into that "top line" role is the best thing for him any more than sticking him on a "bottom line" grinder role. But that's sort of the problem that has emerged with him and persisted for quite a while now.

He just doesn't seem to mesh with anyone, or fit any particular role on the team. He has a hard time reading off linemates and seems inclined to try to do "too much" himself. He overhandles the puck when he should really be making quick, simple one-touch plays to just keep possession alive, work the cycle, get the puck down low, get to the net or do a better job of rotating to a position that supports the cycle.

He's just not a skilled enough, creative enough, or strong and fast enough player to make the sort of moves and plays he seems to want to make. That results in too many plays that just effectively die on his stick and kill any momentum his linemates might be making. He also tends to float himself too often to positions that don't give his linemates a good option to cycle the puck. Kind of strands them on an island attempting to work a 2-man cycle that gets outmanned and again...the possession tends to die.


We saw as a rookie that with the right sort of linemate (Bo Horvat) and the right sort of simple straightforward game, he has the potential to be a really useful, pesky little middle-6er who pots 20G for you. But he seems to have regressed from that player, and doesn't really have a clear fit on this roster.


I think it's time to seriously start examining what to do with Hoglander. I guess in the short-term, you just plug him in to a couple other spots and see if some random chemistry pops up. Maybe he randomly works with Pius Suter or something? But ultimately, i think you've gotta start looking at whether you can even get anything useful for him in trade. I'm not sure you can, but it's pretty clearly coming time to find out.

 

[orcatown]

Agree with most of this except for the stuff about the Giraffe. He was brutal

Look the guy isn't going to take a step right with so many here. I thought he was ordinary. No absolutely horrible errors around his net (that I saw - maybe someone can point these out and I'll go back and watch) and in the third he did step up to make a couple of dangerous plays in the Edmonton end.

Is it tragic that he is making so much money. Yes. But, to me, people continually slagging on Myers is looking for some simple solution to the defensive issues with the team. I believe more of the issues lie up front with the forwards whose defensive play over the last years has been awful. Seems to me, it is easier for fans to blame the kind of dorky looking Myers than people like Boeser, Horvat and Miller. Canucks have acknowledged that by bringing in Tocchet who is rightly focused on the play of the forwards.

Dmen often get the blame. But the problems often start elsewhere (and I like the way Tocchet ripped Kuzmenko in this one - and wish he would do it more with Boeser). Or the goalie getting all the blame after he was hung out to dry. I saw this on teams I played on and coached.

Not saying that Myers reacts, at times, well to those problems but if you are constantly forced into last second desperation plays as a defensemen you are not going to look good. Last Vegas defense got a lot of kudos - but a lot of that should have gone to the really responsible forwards as it should have gone to Tampa forwards during their runs. And one reason Edmonton lost was b/c of the poor play defensively of their forwards (including McDavid - who has never sacrificed himself defensively as say a player like Crosby has done)

Not saying Myers doesn't deserve criticism but the sometimes bizarre focus solely on him and attributing all the defensive problems to him is emotion driven and simplistic, I think people need to take a breath and not let their dislike of this player totally shape their opinions.

 

[Diogenes92]

DeSmith for Pearson and a 5th in 2025 was a W trade. Address 2 problems and only give up a 5th.

This team would be so much better off with Myers as the 7th man. Wolanin, Hirose, and Brisebois can all move the puck and aren't disastrous defensively like the tall man. Let's hope he actually steps it up because a 3rd pairing Myers was a successful Myers in years past.

3rd in 2025

 

[LordBacon]

Couldnt watch the game due to regional restriction.
Did Hronek play any games yet?

 

[VanJack]

At times the Canucks were playing "Tocchet hockey' out there and the Oilers didn't like it one bit. The Oilers love a free-wheeling ,stick-checking game. They hate having to fight through checks.

But if the Canucks play this way in most of their games this season, they're going to frustrate a lot of teams.

 

[DFAC]

Couldnt watch the game due to regional restriction.
Did Hronek play any games yet?

Not yet

Myers, Jullsen, Irwin and Woo have been bad

Soucy, McWard, Wolanin and Brisebois have been good

Right now its probably looking like

Hughes - McWard
Cole - Hronek
Soucy - Myers
Wolanin

 

[LordBacon]

Not yet

Myers, Jullsen, Irwin and Woo have been bad

Soucy, McWard, Wolanin and Brisebois have been good

Right now its probably looking like

Hughes - McWard
Cole - Hronek
Soucy - Myers
Wolanin

Thanks a lot bro.
Have some bacon.

 

[canuckslover10]

DeSmith for Pearson and a 5th in 2025 was a W trade. Address 2 problems and only give up a 5th.

This team would be so much better off with Myers as the 7th man. Wolanin, Hirose, and Brisebois can all move the puck and aren't disastrous defensively like the tall man. Let's hope he actually steps it up because a 3rd pairing Myers was a successful Myers in years past.

It was a 3rd in 2025