Pre-Game Talk: GM 41: Vancouver Canucks @ Colorado Avalanache - Apr 13 - 12:00PM PST - SPAC

[keslerburrows]

Call up Schroeder and get Weise out of the top 9! Please!

 

[NFITO]

Call up Schroeder and get Weise out of the top 9! Please!

as long as there's a healthy body available, they're not going to call anyone up yet. There are a limited number of call-ups now after the deadline, and all teams will wait until they have to make call-ups prior to the playoffs starting. You call up Schroeder now, and you get hit by a bunch of injuries in the next couple weeks, you could end up hurting yourself even more.

I could see the Canucks calling up Schroeder after a couple more weeks.. too early right now with only 4 call-up spots available and a healthy body available to be inserted into the lineup.

 

[NuxFan09]

The Wild lost their game in hand tonight and stay 6 points behind the Canucks.

As always, thanks for the division, Minnesota!

 

[polarbearcub]

The Wild lost their game in hand tonight and stay 6 points behind the Canucks.

As always, thanks for the division, Minnesota!

yeah, it's pretty much over now.

Wild offense has completely drried up.

 

[CP]

Call up Schroeder and get Weise out of the top 9! Please!

After watching the Weise, Roy, Hansen line last game, I felt great sympathy for the puck as it was hacked mercilessly. Even so, I still have no desire to see Schroeder again this year. He could not play consistently at center and I have no desire to see him learning to play wing at the NHL level. I like the center depth on the Canucks now and hope it continues. I doubt the canucks call anyone up, but if they did Jensen or Blomstrand make more sense if all the centers can stay healthy.

 

[Jyrki]

After watching the Weise, Roy, Hansen line last game, I felt great sympathy for the puck as it was hacked mercilessly. Even so, I still have no desire to see Schroeder again this year. He could not play consistently at center and I have no desire to see him learning to play wing at the NHL level. I like the center depth on the Canucks now and hope it continues. I doubt the canucks call anyone up, but if they did Jensen or Blomstrand make more sense if all the centers can stay healthy.

I'd be okay with seeing more of Schoreder. He can play good NHL games out of the gate, but can't handle full-time duty just yet.

 

[Shareefruck]

I don't mind Schroeder staying down due to the callups issue, but I definitely feel like we would look like a better team right now with a lineup of

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows
Kassian - Roy - Kesler
Raymond - Schroeder - Hansen
Ebbett - Lapierre - Weise

Also, regarding the third line, say what you will about the guy, but I would rather see Ebbett there than Weise. He'd be a half-way decent fit with Roy, IMO.

Not sure why Kassian and Raymond are glued to Kesler, either

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Burrows - Kesler - Hansen
Ebbett - Roy - Raymond
Sestito - Lapierre - Weise

Also, I know he doesn't look very good right now, but this may be a good opportunity to put Lapierre in a situation to play above his skill level like he did for stretches the last few years

Raymond - Roy - Lapierre
Sestito - Ebbett - Weise

 

[PG Canuck]

The Wild lost their game in hand tonight and stay 6 points behind the Canucks.

As always, thanks for the division, Minnesota!

I'd like a another win or two just to solidify our division win, but looking at the schedule ahead...it shouldn't be of any difficulty.

 

[DennisReynolds]

I want to see Raymond-Kesler-Burrows this game at one point

 

[Shareefruck]

I want to see Raymond-Kesler-Burrows this game at one point

Burrows - Kesler - Hansen! Burrows - Kesler - Hansen!!

Personally, I want to see how much possession a Raymond - Roy based line would have.

 

[NFITO]

I don't mind Schroeder staying down due to the callups issue, but I definitely feel like we would look like a better team right now with a lineup of

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows
Kassian - Roy - Kesler
Raymond - Schroeder - Hansen
Ebbett - Lapierre - Weise

Also, regarding the third line, say what you will about the guy, but I would rather see Ebbett there than Weise. He'd be a half-way decent fit with Roy, IMO.

Not sure why Kassian and Raymond are glued to Kesler, either

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Burrows - Kesler - Hansen
Ebbett - Roy - Raymond
Sestito - Lapierre - Weise

Also, I know he doesn't look very good right now, but this may be a good opportunity to put Lapierre in a situation to play above his skill level like he did for stretches the last few years

Raymond - Roy - Lapierre
Sestito - Ebbett - Weise

If we're ignoring AV for a second, and the lineups he would never do, this is what I'd try (if the lineup is ever healthy):

Sedin-Sedin-Kesler
Higgins-Roy-Burrows
Raymond-Schroeder-Hansen
(Booth)Weise-Lapierre-Kassian

I think Kesler could break out offensively playing on that right wing. Of course AV would never do it because Kesler is just too valuable as an elite shutdown center. But there are no two better players on this team that can set up Kesler, and when he's flying and shooting, he's a dangerous offensive player.

Higgins and Roy seems to have developed some good chemistry, and Burrows plays well with anyone and any style you put him with.

A fast 3rd line, and if Booth is healthy, that's an excellent 4th line that can give you physical play, speed and some offense.

Never happen under AV though. Of course it'd never happen because this lineup can't stay healthy

 

[yoss]

Good news about Hansen. Our injury luck was reaching comical proportions.

I have a hard time taking Colorado particularly seriously the way they've been playing, but who knows. The Canucks seem to have enjoyed giving Calgary a sniff before burying them. Maybe they'll slum it up against Colorado too.

I say we go down 1-0 early, get outshot 39-7 through 2.5 periods, then score 7 goals in 6 minutes to close out the game.

The troll factor value alone would make this more than worth it to see.

 

[Shareefruck]

If we're ignoring AV for a second, and the lineups he would never do, this is what I'd try (if the lineup is ever healthy):

Sedin-Sedin-Kesler
Higgins-Roy-Burrows
Raymond-Schroeder-Hansen
(Booth)Weise-Lapierre-Kassian

I think Kesler could break out offensively playing on that right wing. Of course AV would never do it because Kesler is just too valuable as an elite shutdown center. But there are no two better players on this team that can set up Kesler, and when he's flying and shooting, he's a dangerous offensive player.

Higgins and Roy seems to have developed some good chemistry, and Burrows plays well with anyone and any style you put him with.

A fast 3rd line, and if Booth is healthy, that's an excellent 4th line that can give you physical play, speed and some offense.

Never happen under AV though. Of course it'd never happen because this lineup can't stay healthy

I actually really like this too.

 

[Orca Smash]

I don't mind Schroeder staying down due to the callups issue, but I definitely feel like we would look like a better team right now with a lineup of

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows
Kassian - Roy - Kesler
Raymond - Schroeder - Hansen
Ebbett - Lapierre - Weise

Also, regarding the third line, say what you will about the guy, but I would rather see Ebbett there than Weise. He'd be a half-way decent fit with Roy, IMO.

Not sure why Kassian and Raymond are glued to Kesler, either

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Burrows - Kesler - Hansen
Ebbett - Roy - Raymond
Sestito - Lapierre - Weise

Also, I know he doesn't look very good right now, but this may be a good opportunity to put Lapierre in a situation to play above his skill level like he did for stretches the last few years

Raymond - Roy - Lapierre
Sestito - Ebbett - Weise

This is what i was hoping for as well. But av thinks weise, ebbett, are perfectly capable nhl 3rd line players.

 

[Orca Smash]

Avs may not be a pushover fans are expecting, beat the ducks and take l.a. to OT tonight.

 

[Bougieman]

I also think Barker gets a lot more grief here than he deserves. Once a player has the "bust" label attached to them, people tend to judge based on reputation rather than on what they see. In his starts this year he hasn't been horrible.

Absolutely agreed. It's amazing to see what is normally a pretty hockey-educated board allow what they witness with a player to so utterly clouded by expectation and reputation. The guy has been fine. Nothing spectacular, but totally fine. People act as if he's cancer.

 

[Virtanen2Horvat]

I think when Ebbett was on that third line it brought more energy than Weise being on it.

 

[KeninsFan]

Does anyone have any proof that Barker has been fine?

In my eyes he's benefitted from the easiest zone starts on the entire team. He's also enjoyed playing when Schneider was absolutely lights out.

He's been a trainwreck in his own zone and on transition he gives up the blue line far too easily. In his own d-zone he's backed up so far the opposing forwards have gotten off shots from prime scoring areas.

Barker has been our worst defensemen by far and seems like a better fit for the AHL if Gillis had better depth D (like in years past).

 

[PG Canuck]

Avs may not be a pushover fans are expecting, beat the ducks and take l.a. to OT tonight.

Sure, but they've been our pushovers for how long now?

 

[Shareefruck]

I think when Ebbett was on that third line it brought more energy than Weise being on it.

Weise has some modest technical talent/skill and decent physical tools, but he's still an offensive blackhole, IMO.

Ebbett is at least smart enough to keep the play going and not be an offensive liability

 

[Orca Smash]

Avs may not be a pushover fans are expecting, beat the ducks and take l.a. to OT tonight.

Actually should correct this, they took the kings to a shootout tonight, but lost in the shootout, beat the ducks the game prior, just saying it may not be a walk over fans are expecting. Then if we dont dominate we will see a mini meltdown on here.

Seeing how we played calgary i would not expect a huge effort either from us. I hope I am wrong though.

 

[Verviticus]

Does anyone have any proof that Barker has been fine?

In my eyes he's benefitted from the easiest zone starts on the entire team. He's also enjoyed playing when Schneider was absolutely lights out.

He's been a trainwreck in his own zone and on transition he gives up the blue line far too easily. In his own d-zone he's backed up so far the opposing forwards have gotten off shots from prime scoring areas.

Barker has been our worst defensemen by far and seems like a better fit for the AHL if Gillis had better depth D (like in years past).

he's been awful in his own zone but when the team was hurting for offence he was pretty good in that end. his solid performances there when he was super sheltered with chris tanev were pretty great but recently the two of them were getting ****ing crushed

alberts is a lot better

 

[ddawg1950]

Actually should correct this, they took the kings to a shootout tonight, but lost in the shootout, beat the ducks the game prior, just saying it may not be a walk over fans are expecting. Then if we dont dominate we will see a mini meltdown on here.

Seeing how we played calgary i would not expect a huge effort either from us. I hope I am wrong though.

I hate these late season games against guys that have no pressure on them and can just play it loose and easy.

If we slap them quick and hard they'll give up pretty quickly, though. But I could easily see it go the other way.

In which case the fringies will show up demanding that we fire Gillis and AV and then blow it all up for an Edmonton style re-build.

 

[Nuckles]

 

[Northbad]

I just want a solid effort and a win with no injuries. Let's lock up the division as soon as possible.

Man, what is going on with Minnesota? Can you imagine if they keep bombing and miss the playoffs after trading away those picks? Brutal.