Player Discussion Nils Aman

wonton15

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Dec 13, 2009
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Have to say, I was quite wrong about him from the start of the season. I thought he was just another plugger but he has shown some decent PK utility and ability to check effectively at the NHL level. Smart player and only 23. I like him.
 

credulous

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Nov 18, 2021
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he's been better since he came back from abby but i still think he needs to show some offensive ability to really stick in the league. becoming a good penalty killer would go a long way too. i don't think we've really seen enough of him in that role to know if he's got any promise there
 
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Pastor Of Muppetz

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Oct 1, 2017
26,188
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You guys like what he brings to the table?
Two thumbs up from me..The big ,lanky centre has come leaps and bounds since the beginning of the season..He's going to be a good bottom 6 player..Paired with Dakota Joshua, they're a good duo together (obviously the coach thinks so)...Needs to improve his face offs though.
 
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LBCANUCK

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Jun 26, 2012
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he has a good mind for the game and is serviceable but I need to see a bit more grit from him.
 

iceburg

Don't ask why
Aug 31, 2003
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His speed on the forecheck impresses me. Seems like he could grow into an important bottom 6 player. If he can continue his good play and development on the PK, he could turn into the 10g/20a defensively sound 4C that kills penalties - that is a valuable player on any team. To me this is a likely outcome but , given his age, size, speed, and hockey sense, I defintely see upside beyond that.
 

VanJack

Registered User
Jul 11, 2014
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Aman's calling card is his skating.....and in that regard, he's one of the best the Canucks have....right up there with Mikheyev when he's healthy.

Not sure the offense will ever be there, but if he can faceoffs, help with the PK and add some speed to the fourth line, then he's a keeper. And in his rookie season, he basically rendered Lazar redundant.
 

tradervik

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Jun 25, 2007
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Aman's calling card is his skating.....and in that regard, he's one of the best the Canucks have....right up there with Mikheyev when he's healthy.

Not sure the offense will ever be there, but if he can faceoffs, help with the PK and add some speed to the fourth line, then he's a keeper. And in his rookie season, he basically rendered Lazar redundant.
Yep, Aman's skating stands out as a plus attribute. He plays with a bit of an edge too from what I've seen. At least he doesn't shy away from contact.
 

alternate

Win the week!
Jun 9, 2006
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victoria
I'm happy with him in a 4th line role. Don't think he will ever be an NHL point producer, but feel he showed enough skill in the AHL to say he meets the NHL baseline in that department.

I want to see him be a key PKer down the stretch. Need bottom 6 players to contribute in a positive way to our 4v5 play, because we can't be competitive with PK%s starting with a 6.
 
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krutovsdonut

eeyore
Sep 25, 2016
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i like what i see but i liked lammarko too. he needs to score or be an agitator or a swiss army knife or really two of those three. being a competent responsible 4th line centre and no more is not enough to stay on a team or in the league. you can do everything right and your spot will still inevitably be given to someone with upside or someone dropping down.
 

F A N

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Aug 12, 2005
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i like what i see but i liked lammarko too. he needs to score or be an agitator or a swiss army knife or really two of those three. being a competent responsible 4th line centre and no more is not enough to stay on a team or in the league. you can do everything right and your spot will still inevitably be given to someone with upside or someone dropping down.

That's what I'm thinking too. I like his skating and he has a frame that can fill out but at the end of the day what is the player offering? Is Aman an upgrade over last year's Lammikko? He isn't, but he is younger. Aman is also atrocious at faceoffs.

Personally, I don't think there's much there. He'll provide some value as an AHL callup but he shouldn't be in the NHL.
 

HockeyWooot

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Jan 28, 2020
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He's been a nice surprise, found money if you will. He's a competent 4C which isn't saying much but he's young and has the potential to improve, he's shown some progress this season which is first in North America.

Next year if he takes another step forward you might have a player
 

WetcoastOrca

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Jun 3, 2011
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In the past the team had players like Burrows and Hansen come out of nowhere and be key contributors. Both guys were mainly seen as defensive specialists and not having any offensive upside early on but developed it as they rounded out their game. Successful teams like Boston, Tampa, Colorado etc find these gems every once in a while. The Canucks really need to hit on one or two as well. I doubt Aman is that type of player but hopefully we start to find and develop players with that skill set.
 

MS

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Mar 18, 2002
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Vancouver, BC
In his first stint up here - especially toward the end - he was just sorta 'there'. Got around the ice OK and was in position defensively generally but played tentatively and added little.

Since his recall, he's looked more confident and assertive and he and Joshua have played really well together. Having a few more noticeable offensive moments, more aggressive defensively. And his faceoffs are improving - 43% since recall after 35% before.

It's also worth noting that his PK GA/60 is *by far* the best on the team amongst players who have played there with any regularity.

It's really hard to be a young/rookie defensive player. You're making a big step up and playing in a new league and you're going to make the same mistakes and have the same lapses that all young players have, except you don't put up the points on the other side of the ledger to even things out. This is why coaches like Travis Green always tended to default to playing some shitty retread veteran in these roles over trying to develop a better, cheaper, younger guy. Overall I think Aman has done pretty well for a 22 y/o in his first taste of NA hockey. He needs to keep improving next year to solidify himself as an NHL player but so far he's been a pretty nice small find.
 

RobertKron

Registered User
Sep 1, 2007
15,516
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In the past the team had players like Burrows and Hansen come out of nowhere and be key contributors. Both guys were mainly seen as defensive specialists and not having any offensive upside early on but developed it as they rounded out their game. Successful teams like Boston, Tampa, Colorado etc find these gems every once in a while. The Canucks really need to hit on one or two as well. I doubt Aman is that type of player but hopefully we start to find and develop players with that skill set.

I don't know that it really came out of nowhere for Hansen to be a decent secondary offensive contributor. He kind of tracked as such all the way in.
 
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Play

Time to play the game
Nov 12, 2021
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This guy can be our Thomas Plekanec.
That’s a wild call, I know. But I’m sure there’s some old heads here who see what I’m seeing
 

Grantham

Registered User
Mar 28, 2017
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i like what i see but i liked lammarko too. he needs to score or be an agitator or a swiss army knife or really two of those three. being a competent responsible 4th line centre and no more is not enough to stay on a team or in the league. you can do everything right and your spot will still inevitably be given to someone with upside or someone dropping down.
My memory may be faulty, but didnt Lammiko only look good when Motte was here? He was really nothing special from what I can remember on his own. Seemed like he was pretty close to his ceiling already.

Aman on the other hand, has tons of room to grow with his size and youth. Seems there is some real potential for growth offensively.
 

Pastor Of Muppetz

Registered User
Oct 1, 2017
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My memory may be faulty, but didnt Lammiko only look good when Motte was here? He was really nothing special from what I can remember on his own. Seemed like he was pretty close to his ceiling already.

Aman on the other hand, has tons of room to grow with his size and youth. Seems there is some real potential for growth offensively.
This is correct..under Green,.. Lammiko was useless (I remember making the comment that you could saw the blade off of his stick and it wouldnt make the slightest bit of difference)..Boudreau aligned him with Motte, and it was a good line, both guys had a good motor and saw plenty of ice time.

Lammiko is playing in Europe now.
 
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