Player Discussion Post draft defencemen thoughts

[alternate]

A couple of things to keep in mind when thinking about last year's defence returning:

1-At one point we had Tanev, Bo and Sutter all out. They're arguably our three most important defensive players, as far as structure and matchups go. I only say arguably because maybe you could favour Edler over Bo. Regardless, our only 2 defensively competent centers were out, and so was our top defender. That's hard for any team to overcome, but especially one that's already a bottom dweller.

2-Going into the second year in Green's system. Now the players know Green's system, and Green knows his players. I don't known enough about the specifics of Green's system to rate how complicated it is, but familiarity should lead to improved performance.

Our defencemen have to be better than they were last year. And they should be. Whether that's from "bad" to "not good" or to "average" is TBD.

 

[m9]

Other than Hughes/Juolevi, they're pretty much all unknowns with really unlikely outside shots.

Even being incredibly generous, between Hughes, Juolevi, Brisebois, Chatfield, Sautner, Brassard, McEneny, and Woo, I'd only expect two, or MAYBE three (even that's pushing it) of them to EVENTUALLY make the team at some point in the future, personally, and that's if we run into some incredible luck (anyone other than Hughes/Juolevi making the team should be considered a huge unexpected win, and even they're far from a sure thing that we can be confident about penciling in). On balance, these guys are way too marginal for the plan to be to expect them to make the team in packs of four, I think.

Barring some terrible injury, Hughes and Juolevi are making the team at some point. Whether or not they stick around and become core pieces or long-term NHL players.. who knows. So saying only two of that group will make the NHL is the absolute minimum, and it's more likely that 3-4 get a shot at some point.

As for the rest of the group, I'm penciling guys like Chatfield or Sautner in as 7th/8th defensemen.. not in the lineup.

 

[Melvin]

Barring some terrible injury, Hughes and Juolevi are making the team at some point. Whether or not they stick around and become core pieces or long-term NHL players.. who knows. So saying only two of that group will make the NHL is the absolute minimum, and it's more likely that 3-4 get a shot at some point.

As for the rest of the group, I'm penciling guys like Chatfield or Sautner in as 7th/8th defensemen.. not in the lineup.

Unfortunately you can't bar injury. That needs to be part of any long term plan.

 

[tantalum]

A couple of things to keep in mind when thinking about last year's defence returning:

1-At one point we had Tanev, Bo and Sutter all out. They're arguably our three most important defensive players, as far as structure and matchups go. I only say arguably because maybe you could favour Edler over Bo. Regardless, our only 2 defensively competent centers were out, and so was our top defender. That's hard for any team to overcome, but especially one that's already a bottom dweller.

Injuries happen. They do every year. Other teams also lose their best players. It will happen to the canucks again. It may expose a bad blueline but it doesn't turn a good one bad.

2-Going into the second year in Green's system. Now the players know Green's system, and Green knows his players. I don't known enough about the specifics of Green's system to rate how complicated it is, but familiarity should lead to improved performance.

Our defencemen have to be better than they were last year. And they should be. Whether that's from "bad" to "not good" or to "average" is TBD.

They were terrible in game 82 but suddenly in game 1 of the next season it'll all click? Seems doubtful. There is NOTHING that says the defense HAS to be better this year. Odds are if you bring the same guys back who were terrible last year they are going to be terrible again. Not better.

 

[THE Green Man]

Barring some terrible injury, Hughes and Juolevi are making the team at some point. Whether or not they stick around and become core pieces or long-term NHL players.. who knows. So saying only two of that group will make the NHL is the absolute minimum, and it's more likely that 3-4 get a shot at some point.

As for the rest of the group, I'm penciling guys like Chatfield or Sautner in as 7th/8th defensemen.. not in the lineup.

For next year both could get their shot. Let's assume that the 8 we have on 1 way contracts now are here to start the season. Once 1 body gets moved at the TDL (ideally 2-3) Juolevi comes up from Utica. Then when Hughes season is over at Michigan he joins the Canucks.

 

[m9]

Unfortunately you can't bar injury. That needs to be part of any long term plan.

What percentage of top 7 picks don't ever play games in the NHL? Hughes and Juolevi will be given the opportunity in the NHL, what they do with it is up to them.