Former Canucks: Players & Management - Part 2 (The Ben Hutton Sweepstakes are over)

[vadim sharifijanov]

Brashear's actions over the years haven't exactly made him a sympathetic character, unfortunately.

not to get into a sanctimoniousness contest but i don't think anything he's done has made him unworthy of being treated with basic human dignity

and by basic human dignity i mean, not publicly pointed at and laughed at for having a job, having his criminal record copy/pasted as a non-sequitur to the bottom of the story, and running a photo of a different black person with the story.

something tells me that if this had been georges laraque or peter worrell in the same scenario, it would have been the same story, no matter how nice and well-behaved those guys are. or like if it was ray emery (RIP), they 100% would have mentioned that road rage incident.

 

[bandwagonesque]

not to get into a sanctimoniousness contest but i don't think anything he's done has made him unworthy of being treated with basic human dignity

and by basic human dignity i mean, not publicly pointed at and laughed at for having a job, having his criminal record copy/pasted as a non-sequitur to the bottom of the story, and running a photo of a different black person with the story.

something tells me that if this had been georges laraque or peter worrell in the same scenario, it would have been the same story, no matter how nice and well-behaved those guys are. or like if it was ray emery (RIP), they 100% would have mentioned that road rage incident.

If any recognizable former NHL enforcer with 600-700 games in the league was spotted working at a fast food restaurant it would be news. He was the toughest player in the league and now he's taking orders from people who are willing to eat at Tim Horton's. The contrast has attracted attention to the story.

Also, Ray Emery was a giant asshole and the road rage incident typifies his character. If he ended up broke, his personality would suggest what path he might have taken to getting that way, and so I think it would be relevant. The same is true for Brashear's assaults and drug convictions. I concede there might be some racism involved as well but I don't think it's the most important factor.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

If any recognizable former NHL enforcer with 600-700 games in the league was spotted working at a fast food restaurant it would be news. He was the toughest player in the league and now he's taking orders from people who are willing to eat at Tim Horton's. The contrast has attracted attention to the story.

Also, Ray Emery was a giant ******* and the road rage incident typifies his character. If he ended up broke, his personality would suggest what path he might have taken to getting that way, and so I think it would be relevant. The same is true for Brashear's assaults and drug convictions. I concede there might be some racism involved as well but I don't think it's the most important factor.

well like i said in my original post, there are different ways of reporting former pros falling on hard times. there is the compassionate way, like with joe murphy, kevin stevens, bob probert, and there is the schadenfreude way, like with brashear.

and i don't think the big factor in that difference is that joe murphy was a nice guy or that kevin stevens and bob probert had clean criminal records.

 

[bandwagonesque]

well like i said in my original post, there are different ways of reporting former pros falling on hard times. there is the compassionate way, like with joe murphy, kevin stevens, bob probert, and there is the schadenfreude way, like with brashear.

and i don't think the big factor in that difference is that joe murphy was a nice guy or that kevin stevens and bob probert had clean criminal records.

The big factor is that none of them were seen working at Tim Horton's. There's no redemption story to write about Brashear, he rarely speaks to the media and nothing dramatic or interesting has happened to him that any of us knows of other than a few arrests. All we know is that he was spotted working in a Tim Horton's. The article speculates reasonably that he might be broke, and references earlier financial and legal trouble.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

well then i guess i'll look forward to reading something heartwarming about brashear when he dies?

ironically, this seems to have been a publicity stunt. i'm not saying that brashear isn't doing great and could use the cash, because i have no idea. but apparently his former teammate pierre sevigny owns that tim hortons and thought it would be cool to surprise his customers with a famous recognizable ex-NHLer serving them, to go with the current hockey card promotion.

for ex, look at two different ways of reporting this. one is "brashear helps out friend at his tim hortons"

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/former-...nd-pierre-sevigny-run-a-tim-hortons-1.4640456

the other is omg brashear is so broke he has to work a fast food job

but i refuse to link to that national post article, which is mean-spirited and racist clickbait.

 

[MS]

not to get into a sanctimoniousness contest but i don't think anything he's done has made him unworthy of being treated with basic human dignity

and by basic human dignity i mean, not publicly pointed at and laughed at for having a job, having his criminal record copy/pasted as a non-sequitur to the bottom of the story, and running a photo of a different black person with the story.

something tells me that if this had been georges laraque or peter worrell in the same scenario, it would have been the same story, no matter how nice and well-behaved those guys are. or like if it was ray emery (RIP), they 100% would have mentioned that road rage incident.

Just in the time he was in Vancouver, he had two assault incidents against him, including one for KOing a security guard at his building complex who asked him to leave the gym as it was after hours. And he was probably the most unlikable player outside of Messier I've ever seen in a Canuck jersey. I can't speak for everyone, but my personal reaction would be about the same as hearing that Sean Avery was working at a Value Village and has nothing to do with race.

I agree that nobody should have their basic human dignity laughed at (and it appears this might have been a publicity thing to help a friend, which would make the reporting incredibly unfair) but it's just human nature to have a bit of schadenfreude about a rich jerk who has been cut down to size a bit.

Ray Emery was also a huge jerk. If this was Laraque who by all accounts is a terrific guy, maybe I'd tend more to agree with you.

 

[Zippgunn]

Not to beat a dead horse here, but another big question that hasn’t been brought up is: why was Moore even out on the ice in a 9-2 game in the 3rd period?

Was it Hartley?

Here another question: why was Bertuzzi out on the ice, especially after the team GM told the team that Moore had to "pay the price"? Nobody in Vancouver ever asks that question. As he was a known hothead putting him out was foolhardy...

 

[F A N]

Just in the time he was in Vancouver, he had two assault incidents against him, including one for KOing a security guard at his building complex who asked him to leave the gym as it was after hours. And he was probably the most unlikable player outside of Messier I've ever seen in a Canuck jersey. I can't speak for everyone, but my personal reaction would be about the same as hearing that Sean Avery was working at a Value Village and has nothing to do with race.

That's not factually correct. No punches were thrown in the gym incident.

 

[MS]

That's not factually correct. No punches were thrown in the gym incident.

Care to clarify if you know? My recollection was that it was reported that he cold-cocked the security guard.

 

[F A N]

Care to clarify if you know? My recollection was that it was reported that he cold-cocked the security guard.

You're talking about the incident where Brashear alleged that the building security guard asked his wife to leave because their kid was with her right? My understanding is that Brash put the guy in a choke hold that's all. I'm not absolving Brashear of anything here. He obviously has issues with his temper. But there may be a case where he was provoked. Personally, I'm not sure why the security guard was patrolling the gym and asking a woman who is working out while babysitting her kid if that is what happenend.

 

[VanJack]

You have to hand it to Nick Bonino.....the ultimate NHL survivor who's now locked into the No. 3 center position with the Preds, displacing even Kyle Turris. And he has two Stanley Cup rings to show for his career with Anaheim and Pittsburgh, and shows no signs of lowing down. An absolutely prototypical third line center.

And when the Canucks had him, he was on a cost-controlled $1.9m contract.....easily Jimbo's worst deal imo....peddling him to the Pens along with draft picks for Sutter, who isn't even as good in a third line role.

 

[MS]

You're talking about the incident where Brashear alleged that the building security guard asked his wife to leave because their kid was with her right? My understanding is that Brash put the guy in a choke hold that's all. I'm not absolving Brashear of anything here. He obviously has issues with his temper. But there may be a case where he was provoked. Personally, I'm not sure why the security guard was patrolling the gym and asking a woman who is working out while babysitting her kid if that is what happenend.

That may be what happened. It's been almost 20 years and my recollection isn't perfectly clear. Assault charges did come out of it, however, and assault charges always seemed to follow Brashear around.

 

[Lindgren]

McCann scored for the Pens in their win over the Stars tonight. He's off to a decent start: 6 gp- 2/1/3. It appears that Gudbranson was scratched again.

 

[Hit the post]

McCann scored for the Pens in their win over the Stars tonight. He's off to a decent start: 6 gp- 2/1/3. It appears that Gudbranson was scratched again.

Benning moves up my GM rankings without doing a bloody thing (Rutherford traded FOR him AND gave up somebody who's looking to be a useful piece for us).

 

[F A N]

That may be what happened. It's been almost 20 years and my recollection isn't perfectly clear. Assault charges did come out of it, however, and assault charges always seemed to follow Brashear around.

Yes but as discussed here Brashear grew up with an abusive father, went through the foster care system, and got to where he is life by fighting. Clearly he had/has a lot of aggression, but unfortunately that often comes with the territory. From what I have read, fans who have met him seem to have nice things to say about him.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not excusing him of the assaults but I can understand why he's prone to aggressive behaviour.

 

[MS]

Yes but as discussed here Brashear grew up with an abusive father, went through the foster care system, and got to where he is life by fighting. Clearly he had/has a lot of aggression, but unfortunately that often comes with the territory. From what I have read, fans who have met him seem to have nice things to say about him.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not excusing him of the assaults but I can understand why he's prone to aggressive behaviour.

That’s fair in one way but in another, pretty much every violent criminal has a sad/violent upbringing and we don’t feel too sorry for most of them. His occupation has given Brashear resources to deal with his negative tendencies that most with his background could only dream of, and it doesn’t really look like he’s taken advantage.

 

[MS]

So it took Dave Tippett all of 7 games to call out Markus Granlund for awful play and make him a healthy scratch. Oiler fans already calling for him to be waived.

How, again, did this guy last 4 years here as a key roster cog getting multiple pay-raises on new contracts?

 

[timw33]

So it took Dave Tippett all of 7 games to call out Markus Granlund for awful play and make him a healthy scratch. Oiler fans already calling for him to be waived.

How, again, did this guy last 4 years here as a key roster cog getting multiple pay-raises on new contracts?

Honestly any new GM wanting to do a quick assessment of their coaching staff should sign Granlund and see how long it takes them to figure it out.

 

[MS]

Honestly any new GM wanting to do a quick assessment of their coaching staff should sign Granlund and see how long it takes them to figure it out.

Like, as terrible as Gudbranson and the whole Gudbranson situation was, you could at least understand why dinosaur coaches as GMs who played with/against Jeff Beukeboom types during their careers would be wrongly enamoured with a player like Gudbranson.

I will never understand how two different head coaches identified this small, slow, lazy floater of a failed skill player as some sort of defensive/PK ace no matter how many goals he bled in that role.

 

[tantalum]

Like, as terrible as Gudbranson and the whole Gudbranson situation was, you could at least understand why dinosaur coaches as GMs who played with/against Jeff Beukeboom types during their careers would be wrongly enamoured with a player like Gudbranson.

I will never understand how two different head coaches identified this small, slow, lazy floater of a failed skill player as some sort of defensive/PK ace no matter how many goals he bled in that role.

Well Willie couldn’t figure out how to do 1-2-3-4 with one less guy

Green thinks lines with Beagle and Sutter are going to score goals.

What is the answer to such a riddle as Granlund? Oh yes they are bad coaches.

 

[F A N]

So it took Dave Tippett all of 7 games to call out Markus Granlund for awful play and make him a healthy scratch. Oiler fans already calling for him to be waived.

How, again, did this guy last 4 years here as a key roster cog getting multiple pay-raises on new contracts?

Where are the oilers fans calling him to be waived? I went over to the Oilers boards and didn’t see this at all. Are you taking one fan’s opinion and making it representative of the majority?

They are also playing Granlund at C which is a role that the Canucks didn’t employ him in all that much. For some reason some coaches and GMs think Granlund makes a better C than wing.

 

[F A N]

Honestly any new GM wanting to do a quick assessment of their coaching staff should sign Granlund and see how long it takes them to figure it out.

I don’t remember you advocating Green to be fired. Green seems have liked Granlund quite a bit.

 

[timw33]

I don’t remember you advocating Green to be fired. Green seems have liked Granlund quite a bit.

I'm not a big fan of Green—felt like a low cost low risk appointment at the time, and over the past couple of years that's been verified. I don't think he's the guy you're going to do deep with.

 

[mossey3535]

Like, as terrible as Gudbranson and the whole Gudbranson situation was, you could at least understand why dinosaur coaches as GMs who played with/against Jeff Beukeboom types during their careers would be wrongly enamoured with a player like Gudbranson.

I will never understand how two different head coaches identified this small, slow, lazy floater of a failed skill player as some sort of defensive/PK ace no matter how many goals he bled in that role.

Exactly. If there's one thing hockey coaches supposedly have a hard on for, it's effort. And this guy was king of the floaters. The number of times he started gliding early or did an extra wide turn to avoid contact was infuriating. And he was horrid on the PK but Green kept trotting him out there.

Anyways, glad to be rid of him finally.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

That’s fair in one way but in another, pretty much every violent criminal has a sad/violent upbringing and we don’t feel too sorry for most of them. His occupation has given Brashear resources to deal with his negative tendencies that most with his background could only dream of, and it doesn’t really look like he’s taken advantage.

We should.