Guess the Roster and Taxi Squad

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Taxi Squad Details:


Roster Size Limit: 23

—

My guess;

Forwards:
Boeser - Pettersson - Miller
Pearson - Horvat - Hoglander
Roussel - Gaudette - Virtanen
Motte - Beagle - Sutter

Extras: MacEwen


Defense:
Edler - Schmidt
Hughes - Hamonic
Myers - Juolevi

Extras: Benn, Rafferty


Goalies:
Demko
Holtby


Taxi Squad:
Jake Keilly (G)
Jalen Chatfield
Ashton Sautner
Loui Eriksson
Sven Baertschi
Justin Bailey

—

I feel pretty confident in the opening roster, it’s the taxi squad where things get interesting. While it’s an opportunity for prospects to get more practice time with the big club, I can’t see the Canucks wanting prospects like Rathbone, DiPietro, Lockwood, Jasek and Woo not getting any game action, so I think they’ll be Utica bound. I also think that with the Canucks and Blues sharing Utica, and the AHL’s veteran limits, that the Canucks will keep some of their veteran players up with the taxi squad. I think Benning will also view the taxi squad as a way to do right by veterans he signed to big contracts (Eriksson and Baertschi) - getting a modicum of cap relief for demoting them to the taxi squad, but they stay in Vancouver / with the team.

For the lineup - I’m pretty pleased that it seems Hoglander and Juolevi are going to be given real shots. I wish Green would sit one of Beagle or Sutter, but I can’t see him doing that (at least not to start), so MacEwen starts on the outside looking in. But I actually think the rest of the roster is pretty strong looking.

I’m also curious to see Gaudette and Virtanen get some PK time, as that was something that was talked about in the first practices of camp. It’d be nice to see their two way games groomed a bit more so we can stop relying on even strength liabilities like Sutter and Beagle being on the roster.

Click to read more...

 

[Canuckle1970]

This makes so much sense that I'll just "second" it.

 

[tyhee]

Taxi Squad Details:


Roster Size Limit: 23

—

My guess;

Forwards:
Boeser - Pettersson - Miller
Pearson - Horvat - Hoglander
Roussel - Gaudette - Virtanen
Motte - Beagle - Sutter

Extras: MacEwen


Defense:
Edler - Schmidt
Hughes - Hamonic
Myers - Juolevi

Extras: Benn, Rafferty


Goalies:
Demko
Holtby


Taxi Squad:
Jake Keilly (G)
Jalen Chatfield
Ashton Sautner
Loui Eriksson
Sven Baertschi
Justin Bailey

—

I feel pretty confident in the opening roster, it’s the taxi squad where things get interesting. While it’s an opportunity for prospects to get more practice time with the big club, I can’t see the Canucks wanting prospects like Rathbone, DiPietro, Lockwood, Jasek and Woo not getting any game action, so I think they’ll be Utica bound. I also think that with the Canucks and Blues sharing Utica, and the AHL’s veteran limits, that the Canucks will keep some of their veteran players up with the taxi squad. I think Benning will also view the taxi squad as a way to do right by veterans he signed to big contracts (Eriksson and Baertschi) - getting a modicum of cap relief for demoting them to the taxi squad, but they stay in Vancouver / with the team.

For the lineup - I’m pretty pleased that it seems Hoglander and Juolevi are going to be given real shots. I wish Green would sit one of Beagle or Sutter, but I can’t see him doing that (at least not to start), so MacEwen starts on the outside looking in. But I actually think the rest of the roster is pretty strong looking.

I’m also curious to see Gaudette and Virtanen get some PK time, as that was something that was talked about in the first practices of camp. It’d be nice to see their two way games groomed a bit more so we can stop relying on even strength liabilities like Sutter and Beagle being on the roster.

I think you've pretty much nailed it. There are a few places that are uncertain, but none I'd be prepared to strongly disagree about.

It is still possible that Eriksson will be in lineup ahead of MacEwen. There's a chance Brisebois will be on the taxi squad, but you're probably right about Sautner and Chatfield being ahead of him. Similarly, there's a chance Hawryluk will make the taxi squad ahead of Bailey.

I hadn't really thought it possible that the Canucks would go with Kielly as their 3rd string goalie while the only other one in the system would have to quarantine to get to play in Canada, but otoh it does seem unlikely they'd leave DiPietro playing no meaningful games from the early end of the 2019-20 Comets season to the beginning of the 2021-2 season, well over a year.

 

[Didalee Hed]

What you have offered up here looks pretty realistic to me. Jake Kielly almost seems a little young though to not play all year. I still wonder if a Mike McKenna type is out there for Benning, so Kielly can play in the AHL.

 

[sting101]

Taxi Squad Details:


Roster Size Limit: 23

—

My guess;

Forwards:
Boeser - Pettersson - Miller
Pearson - Horvat - Hoglander
Roussel - Gaudette - Virtanen
Motte - Beagle - Sutter

Extras: MacEwen


Defense:
Edler - Schmidt
Hughes - Hamonic
Myers - Juolevi

Extras: Benn, Rafferty


Goalies:
Demko
Holtby


Taxi Squad:
Jake Keilly (G)
Jalen Chatfield
Ashton Sautner
Loui Eriksson
Sven Baertschi
Justin Bailey

—

I feel pretty confident in the opening roster, it’s the taxi squad where things get interesting. While it’s an opportunity for prospects to get more practice time with the big club, I can’t see the Canucks wanting prospects like Rathbone, DiPietro, Lockwood, Jasek and Woo not getting any game action, so I think they’ll be Utica bound. I also think that with the Canucks and Blues sharing Utica, and the AHL’s veteran limits, that the Canucks will keep some of their veteran players up with the taxi squad. I think Benning will also view the taxi squad as a way to do right by veterans he signed to big contracts (Eriksson and Baertschi) - getting a modicum of cap relief for demoting them to the taxi squad, but they stay in Vancouver / with the team.

For the lineup - I’m pretty pleased that it seems Hoglander and Juolevi are going to be given real shots. I wish Green would sit one of Beagle or Sutter, but I can’t see him doing that (at least not to start), so MacEwen starts on the outside looking in. But I actually think the rest of the roster is pretty strong looking.

I’m also curious to see Gaudette and Virtanen get some PK time, as that was something that was talked about in the first practices of camp. It’d be nice to see their two way games groomed a bit more so we can stop relying on even strength liabilities like Sutter and Beagle being on the roster.

I agree with the forwards. I think Hoglander will be in and out and likely end up in Utica replaced by MacEwen in the lineup and Hawryluk or Bailey as the spare

On D...i think Benn will start and Hamonic will miss a few games to get up to speed.

Taxi squad - I would have Brisebois Hawryluk and DiPietro over Sautner Eriksson and Kielly. Eriksson gets the call when/if Hoglander goes down to Utica or someone gets hurt which is likely if not it's the end of the road for Loui.

 

[wonton15]

Pretty much agree. We might see Eriksson out for Hawryluk if we're lucky and Benning has any balls and maybe Brisebois / Sautner swap.

We should pick up a more veteran goalie. Someone's on waivers...

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Myers - Juolevi

Extras: Benn, Rafferty

it’s travis.

oj will sit for benn for no reason for the first two games

 

[Blue and Green]

Kielly can't be the third goalie option. Either it's DiPietro on the taxi squad or loaned to a Canadian team, or another goalie has to be signed or claimed on waivers.

 

[VanJack]

The only quibble I'd have with the proposed names on the taxi squad, is that there's no natural center. For that reason, there's a possibility that Michaelis sticks around. It's either that, or in the event of an injury, Green uses both Sutter and Beagle in the middle and promotes a winger from the taxi squad--a sobering thought.

 

[VibinCanuck]

The only quibble I'd have with the proposed names on the taxi squad, is that there's no natural center. For that reason, there's a possibility that Michaelis sticks around. It's either that, or in the event of an injury, Green uses both Sutter and Beagle in the middle and promotes a winger from the taxi squad--a sobering thought.

It'll probably be Graovac as the taxi squad centre.

 

[VibinCanuck]

I do think the Canucks pick up a goalie off waivers or signing (Howard and Anderson still without contracts) for the taxi squad.

 

[4Twenty]

Nobody seems to respond when I ask why they’d carry Baertschi on the taxi squad. It makes no sense to me.

A player they decided wasn’t good enough to be near the group is going to be near the group? I don’t see it especially reading what people have said about his camp.

The only reason I could think of would be go save a little face by not outright waiving $3.35m two seasons in a row.

 

[Nazzlind]

Nobody seems to respond when I ask why they’d carry Baertschi on the taxi squad. It makes no sense to me.

A player they decided wasn’t good enough to be near the group is going to be near the group? I don’t see it especially reading what people have said about his camp.

The only reason I could think of would be go save a little face by not outright waiving $3.35m two seasons in a row.

If you're talking about Sven not attending the playoff bubble, wasn't that his choice and not the teams? He opted out himself.

 

[FOurteenS inCisOr]

Nobody seems to respond when I ask why they’d carry Baertschi on the taxi squad. It makes no sense to me.

A player they decided wasn’t good enough to be near the group is going to be near the group? I don’t see it especially reading what people have said about his camp.

The only reason I could think of would be go save a little face by not outright waiving $3.35m two seasons in a row.

Because he seems like the perfect fit for a taxi squad.

The cap implications don’t differ from if he was on the AHL squad; he’s closer to an NHL player than many of the other guys in the system; they don’t have to worry about stalling his development by him not getting regular game action like they would a younger player/prospect.

 

[Fatass]

Nobody seems to respond when I ask why they’d carry Baertschi on the taxi squad. It makes no sense to me.

A player they decided wasn’t good enough to be near the group is going to be near the group? I don’t see it especially reading what people have said about his camp.

The only reason I could think of would be go save a little face by not outright waiving $3.35m two seasons in a row.

I’m wondering if Aquilini is getting miffed with Benning’s paying huge dollars to a guy that’s not contributing at all to the big club? As a result I’m seeing both Baer and Loui on that taxi squad, regardless of whether (from a hockey view) they are the best choices.
All the young guys will be in Utica, so they can get plenty of playing time.

 

[iceburg]

Posted this yesterday in another thread...

Forwards
Miller-Pettersson-Boeser
Pearson-Horvat-Hoglander
Roussel-Gaudette-Virtanen
Motte-Sutter-MacEwen
Beagle
(prefer MacEwen in the line-up over Beagle but it likely will be the other way around.)

Defense
Edler-Schmidt
Hughes-Hamonic
Juolevi-Myers
Benn-Rafferty

Goal
Holtby
Demko

IR-Ferland

Taxi
Eriksson (would rather have Michaelis here but escrow will keep Eriksson on the taxi squad)
Hawryluk (IR?)
Baertschi
Brisebois
Sautner
Chatfield
Kielly (because the chances of both goalies getting injured are slim and Dipietro is better served with playing time)

Utica
Michaelis
Lockwood
Graovac
Gadjovic
Lind
Bailey
Rathbone (taxi squad candidate but he needs to play)
Woo
Eliot
Teves
Dipietro (taxi squad candidate but he needs to play)

Edit: Added Lockwood...can't believe I forgot him. He had a solid camp.

 

[VanJack]

Nobody seems to respond when I ask why they’d carry Baertschi on the taxi squad. It makes no sense to me.

A player they decided wasn’t good enough to be near the group is going to be near the group? I don’t see it especially reading what people have said about his camp.

The only reason I could think of would be go save a little face by not outright waiving $3.35m two seasons in a row.

The only place I'd put Baertschi is on the taxi squad.....do you really want him in Utica taking playing time away from prospects who might have a future in the organization? At least he'd be accessible on the taxi squad and does have a lot of NHL experience if there's a rash of injuries.

Baertschi's contract is up after this season, and obviously there isn't a chance they'll re-sign him. So it's either the taxi squad or he gets loaned to some other AHL team in Canada. Those are the only two viable options imo.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Nobody seems to respond when I ask why they’d carry Baertschi on the taxi squad. It makes no sense to me.

A player they decided wasn’t good enough to be near the group is going to be near the group? I don’t see it especially reading what people have said about his camp.

The only reason I could think of would be go save a little face by not outright waiving $3.35m two seasons in a row.

For me, the reasons are a few;

1) With the AHL's veteran rules - and especially now that the Canucks and Blues have to share Utica - there will be a limit on how many veterans can actually be down there. For this reason, I can see the Canucks limiting the veterans they send to the AHL versus retaining on the taxi squad, not just Baertschi.

2) A lot of GMs, Benning included, try their best to "do right" by the players they signed. From a business sense, this is also sending signals off to potential free agent signings in the future. FAs can be warded off by horror stories of "I signed for big money in Vancouver and then got shipped to Utica / benched / told to stay home / treated like dirt / etc.". By keeping guys like Baertschi and Eriksson on the taxi squad, it allows the Canucks to have their cake and eat it, too. They get the cap relief as if they had gone to the minors, but the players get to stay in Vancouver and/or travel with the team and feel somewhat involved in the day to day process. I'd say for a guy like Baertschi or Eriksson, that probably beats the pants off riding a bus in upstate New York.

And finally, 3) I think that given that this year is going to be so different and that the Canucks may need to utilize their taxi squad a fair bit, I can see Green wanting some veteran players on there so that he "knows what he's got" when he's recalling someone from it. Baertschi and Eriksson are known commodities to him, whereas guys like say, Lockwood or Jasek - while having decent camps - still have a lot to prove as pros.

Just my two cents on it.

 

[krutovsdonut]

kielly cannot realistically be ready to play in an nhl game. so i think they keep de pietro up here until they find a journeyman. they have until the ahl season starts to do that.

 

[krutovsdonut]

i also think they keep an extra centre. graovac makes sense. hard to guess who draws the short straw among the winger candidates but bailey seems likely unless loui or sven is staying home this season.

 

[Spectrefire]

The only place I'd put Baertschi is on the taxi squad.....do you really want him in Utica taking playing time away from prospects who might have a future in the organization? At least he'd be accessible on the taxi squad and does have a lot of NHL experience if there's a rash of injuries.

Baertschi's contract is up after this season, and obviously there isn't a chance they'll re-sign him. So it's either the taxi squad or he gets loaned to some other AHL team in Canada. Those are the only two viable options imo.

Those prospects still need good players to play with in Utica, and Baertschi is a really good player down there.

 

[4Twenty]

For me, the reasons are a few;

1) With the AHL's veteran rules - and especially now that the Canucks and Blues have to share Utica - there will be a limit on how many veterans can actually be down there. For this reason, I can see the Canucks limiting the veterans they send to the AHL versus retaining on the taxi squad, not just Baertschi.

2) A lot of GMs, Benning included, try their best to "do right" by the players they signed. From a business sense, this is also sending signals off to potential free agent signings in the future. FAs can be warded off by horror stories of "I signed for big money in Vancouver and then got shipped to Utica / benched / told to stay home / treated like dirt / etc.". By keeping guys like Baertschi and Eriksson on the taxi squad, it allows the Canucks to have their cake and eat it, too. They get the cap relief as if they had gone to the minors, but the players get to stay in Vancouver and/or travel with the team and feel somewhat involved in the day to day process. I'd say for a guy like Baertschi or Eriksson, that probably beats the pants off riding a bus in upstate New York.

And finally, 3) I think that given that this year is going to be so different and that the Canucks may need to utilize their taxi squad a fair bit, I can see Green wanting some veteran players on there so that he "knows what he's got" when he's recalling someone from it. Baertschi and Eriksson are known commodities to him, whereas guys like say, Lockwood or Jasek - while having decent camps - still have a lot to prove as pros.

Just my two cents on it.

I get with Eriksson. I just don’t with Sven.

I see the team carrying guys like Graovac and Hawryluk over Sven. They’d need significant salary to get injured to activate him as they’ll be operating very close to the cap anyways.

Maybe they do it to “do right” or at least have that appearance but I don’t see them going to him at all.

 

[bandwagonesque]

I get with Eriksson. I just don’t with Sven.

I see the team carrying guys like Graovac and Hawryluk over Sven. They’d need significant salary to get injured to activate him as they’ll be operating very close to the cap anyways.

Maybe they do it to “do right” or at least have that appearance but I don’t see them going to him at all.

This isn't true. The taxi squad is no different from the AHL in terms of burying salary. You still have everything but 1.075 counted against the cap. Calling up Hawryluk at 800k rather than Sven saves less than 300k in cap and costs a prorated portion of 600k in real cash.

As far as why him on the taxi squad ... because he's a hockey player? And better than some other hockey players? I don't think anyone understands what you're getting at here.

 

[4Twenty]

I just figured they closed the door on Baertschi last season and what I’ve read about his training camp performance doesn’t suggest he’s one of the 30 best guys in camp and I expect the team to be right near the upper limit of the cap, so any potential savings is help full.

 

[Fatass]

Only one player

Those prospects still need good players to play with in Utica, and Baertschi is a really good player down there.

Only one player better for the young guys to learn the “little things” from.