GDT: Free Agent Frenzy - EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING!

[PM]

Night and day comparison between us and Florida. Florida retools half their defense while picking up a few prospects and picks. We retool our defense at the cost of prospects and picks.

 

[TruGr1t]

Night and day comparison between us and Florida. Florida retools half their defense while picking up a few prospects and picks. We retool our defense at the cost of prospects and picks.

Huh? Florida is largely built on first-round draft picks. They've picked in the top 15 six of the past seven years, and had four top-three picks in that time period.

 

[PM]

Huh? Florida is largely built on first-round draft picks. They've picked in the top 15 six of the past seven years, and had four top-three picks in that time period.

What does that have to do with my post? What does "them being built on first draft picks" have to do with them changing half their defense this offseason while picking up assets in the process?

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Huh? Florida is largely built on first-round draft picks. They've picked in the top 15 six of the past seven years, and had four top-three picks in that time period.

So what?

He's talking about their work on defense specifically this off-season, and he's completely correct.

Last year they had:

Ekblad, Campbell, Petrovic, Kulikov, RealGud, Kampfer, Mitchell @ 22M

Now they have

Ekblad, Yandle, Demers, Kindl, Pysyk, Petrovic, Kampfer @16M

They've gotten better, they've gotten cheaper, they've gotten younger (all players are under 30,) and they've done it while actually being able to ADD a good prospect in McCann and draft picks.

That is simply phenomenal work. And has nothing to do with how many top-15 picks they've had.

 

[MS]

You just cemented you credibility.
You either know nothing of Virtanen, or you nothing of what hockey IQ is.
But you are good at ranting.

That's probably the most absolute statement I've posted on HF! I CAN talk in absolutes. Time to celebrate...

What? How was that a rant? I said Virtanen will be a good player on the strengths of his tools, not his hockey sense. Same as Kreider. Nothing even negative about that.

Honestly, I'm astonished that people are trying to portray this is some sort of high IQ player. It's absurd.

 

[TruGr1t]

What does that have to do with my post? What does "them being built on first draft picks" have to do with them changing half their defense this offseason while picking up assets in the process?

You want us to emulate Florida, we have to amass the picks first and then we can adjust the line-up via free agency and trades. We simply don't have the assets they've accumulated over the past decade.

That is simply phenomenal work. And has nothing to do with how many top-15 picks they've had.

Of course it does. In fact, you could argue Ekblad's break-out gave them the luxury of making all these changes. 20-year old, franchise defenseman tend to do that.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

You want us to emulate Florida, we have to amass the picks first and then we can adjust the line-up via free agency and trades. We simply don't have the assets they've accumulated over the past decade.



Of course it does. In fact, you could argue Ekblad's break-out gave them the luxury of making all these changes. Franchise defenseman tend to do that.

It has nothing to do with anything.

I wish we'd signed Hamhuis and Demers instead of trading McCann for RealGud. Has nothing to do with "emulating Florida" and everything to do with wanting to make smart moves.

 

[PancakeHero]

It has nothing to do with anything.

I wish we'd signed Hamhuis and Demers instead of trading McCann for RealGud. Has nothing to do with "emulating Florida" and everything to do with wanting to make smart moves.

Wow, Gudbranson hasn't even laced up the skates yet for the Canucks and he's getting the "special" treatment.

 

[CanaFan]

What? How was that a rant? I said Virtanen will be a good player on the strengths of his tools, not his hockey sense. Same as Kreider. Nothing even negative about that.

Honestly, I'm astonished that people are trying to portray this is some sort of high IQ player. It's absurd.

I've never portrayed him as 'high' IQ, I just object to the 'low' IQ alternative. There are more states than high and low and based on how I've seen Jake play in the NHL I feel he is more accurately in between those two extremes. He's not overly creative or patient when on the ice but at the same time I don't see him simply skating into defensemen and running around like a 4th line mucker either. Those are things a *low* IQ player does. He's not Henrik obviously but he's hardly Dorsett either. He's like other speedy wingers I've seen in terms of how they generally attack more directly. Kreider is a fair comp, Raymond is another one that comes to mind. Hansen too if you are going just on IQ/vision. Now Jake's tools are better than those two but his hustle and pace has a ways to go to get to their level (esp Hansen). If anything I think it's his pace that he needs to overcome more than any 'IQ' deficiencies. He plays the game too casual on many shifts and would be far more effective if he developed a bit more of Hansen's hustle and pace of play.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Wow, Gudbranson hasn't even laced up the skates yet for the Canucks and he's getting the "special" treatment.

Care to tell me what you're talking about?

 

[Evolu7ion]

It has nothing to do with anything.

I wish we'd signed Hamhuis and Demers instead of trading McCann for RealGud. Has nothing to do with "emulating Florida" and everything to do with wanting to make smart moves.

It would be like Canucks trading Hamhuis for a top prospect + pick 33, and then going out and signing Demers (sacrificing no assets in the process) as a replacement. If we did that, we would:
1) Swap Hamhuis out for an upgraded defenseman.
2) Add a top pick and prospect to the franchise.

Instead, we lost Hamhuis for nothing, and paid a top end prospect and pick to obtain a replacement. So effectively, we:
1) Swap Hamhuis out for someone who projects to be an inferior defenseman, albeit one who is a bit younger.
2) Lose a top prospect and pick in the process.



Florida is loading up to contend, while simultaneously managing to add futures as well. They're improving both short term and long term performance.

Vancouver is trying (and failing) to load up to make the playoffs, let alone contend, while also damaging its future by bleeding picks and prospects. We're hurting both our short term and long term performance.

 

[The Drop]

What? How was that a rant? I said Virtanen will be a good player on the strengths of his tools, not his hockey sense. Same as Kreider. Nothing even negative about that.

Honestly, I'm astonished that people are trying to portray this is some sort of high IQ player. It's absurd.

It's because Benning drafted him and all they have left is pretending that Jimbo is some elite amateur scout.

If he's traded tomorrow, you'll see the opinions change on him instantly around here. Like McCann

 

[PancakeHero]

Care to tell me what you're talking about?

"Realgud" is not a disparaging nickname? Right.

 

[The Drop]

Care to tell me what you're talking about?

He doesn't like the nickname you gave him. pretty good actually

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

"Realgud" is not a disparaging nickname? Right.

God, really, you're offended by that?

The Benning hyperdefensiveness has really hit a new high. Lighten up.

 

[The Drop]

God, really, you're offended by that?

The Benning hyperdefensiveness has really hit a new high. Lighten up.

I think I'm calling him RealGud from now on

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

It would be like Canucks trading Hamhuis for a top prospect + pick 33, and then going out and signing Demers (sacrificing no assets in the process) as a replacement. If we did that, we would:
1) Swap Hamhuis out for an upgraded defenseman.
2) Add a top pick and prospect to the franchise.

Instead, we lost Hamhuis for nothing, and paid a top end prospect and pick to obtain a replacement. So effectively, we:
1) Swap Hamhuis out for someone who projects to be an inferior defenseman, albeit one who is a bit younger.
2) Lose a top prospect and pick in the process.



Florida is loading up to contend, while simultaneously managing to add futures as well. They're improving both short term and long term performance.

Vancouver is trying (and failing) to load up to make the playoffs, let alone contend, while also damaging it's future by bleeding picks and prospects. We're hurting both our short term and long term performance.

Exactly. That is exactly correct.

Does ANYONE think that our defensive re-tool has been more successful than Florida's?

 

[PancakeHero]

He doesn't like the nickname you gave him. pretty good actually

Meh. I've seen it already elsewhere. Just demonstrates the underlying toxicity level this place goes for.

 

[PancakeHero]

I think I'm calling him RealGud from now on

You were going to call him that anyway. You know you were.

 

[PancakeHero]

Exactly. That is exactly correct.

Does ANYONE think that our defensive re-tool has been more successful than Florida's?

I'm not even sure how one goes about comparing the Vancouver and Florida situations. It's laughable.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Don't say mean things about our players. It might hurt some people's feelings.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Meh. I've seen it already elsewhere. Just demonstrates the underlying toxicity level this place goes for.

Even if he's an all-star for us I think it's a good nickname. Don't see how it disparages him at all.

For someone named PancakeHero with a Ron Swanson avatar, I thought you'd have a sense of humour. Yeesh.

Anyway, do you have anything about hockey you want to discuss or do you just want to whine about the boards?

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

I'm not even sure how one goes about comparing the Vancouver and Florida situations. It's laughable.

In what way does our different situation make it impossible to compare our respective re-build of our D's?

 

[Snatcher Demko]

It has nothing to do with anything.

I wish we'd signed Hamhuis and Demers instead of trading McCann for RealGud. Has nothing to do with "emulating Florida" and everything to do with wanting to make smart moves.

Who knows if Demers wanted to sign here. They have an elite young 1C, 1D and are poised to take a run. Not to mention sunny, low tax Florida. They're a very desirable destination for UFAs right now.

Nothing happens in a vacuum.

Not that I disagree with you regarding our direction, we should be in full rebuild mode.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Who knows if Demers wanted to sign here. They have an elite young 1C, 1D and are poised to take a run. Not to mention sunny, low tax Florida. They're a very desirable destination for UFAs right now.

Nothing happens in a vacuum.

Not that I disagree with you regarding our direction, we should be in full rebuild mode.

For sure, but all indications are that the Canucks showed zero interest in either player.