Post-Game Talk: Pre-Season GM 1: Canucks def. Sharks - 1-0 (OT, Cracknell)

[mrmyheadhurts]

Aren't they playing 4 on 4 first? hopefully more teams attack agressively in 4 on 4, less 3 on 3 and very few shootouts.

No, they are not.

 

[Canucks LB]

These were my thoughts
- vrbata does not mesh with sutter at all. Didnt like his game tonight
- sutter didnt look like he was trying
-baert has poise and likes to hold the puck, looks confident but not as fast as i thought he'd be

-horvat set up higgins and hansen quite a bit tonight. I think he takes sutters spot
-Hutton got better as the night went on
-Bartkowski is slow, another clendenning. Made some nice plays but got beat on the outside a few times tonight.
-Gaunce was the stud on that line. Cracknell was a good compliment. Grenier is not an NHLer
-Hansen was complete trash with the puck. Speedy mofo but that puck is a hot potatoe on his stick
-Tanev was the best dman for us tonight.

Bart looked really quick to me...especially with the puck

 

[pahlsson]

No, they are not.

so dumb

hockey is forever tainted

 

[VanillaCoke]

so dumb

hockey is forever tainted

Bettman gonna Bettman.

 

[Shareefruck]

Also, while three on three is probably preferable to the shootout, 4 on 4 is easily the highest quality (and most entertaining) brand of hockey available overall, IMO. It's a shame to lose that for this pond hockey stuff. I'd rather take the ties or live with the shootouts in order to keep 4 on 4 a big part of the game, personally.

 

[Jack Tripper]

Kurtz: lmao. Who is this guy and why is he here? Looked like someone let a beer league player out there as some sort of special promotion related to Hockeyville. His positioning defensively was actually hilarious at times. Not a clue.

thanks for the summary...also lol'd at the above quote, and based on reading the thread that was probably more entertainment than i would've received if i'd actually watched the game

 

[Pip]

Hutton showed upside but clearly needs some time in the AHL. Was trying to closely watch him all game. Definitely got better as the game wore in so I'm interested to watch him if he gets more games.

Expected more from the Sutter line tonight. Vrbata was predictably sleepwalking through this game but whatever he's a vet. Sutter showed his speed and off the rush but didn't like his in-zone game a ton and he didn't seem to mesh well with the game Vrbata and Baertschi were trying to play. Maybe he needs more time... Baertschi showed his skill but I was expecting more in this kind of a game.

Tanev was absolutely fantastic and I expect him to continue improving offensively. I forgot how much I love watching him play, it's absolutely beautiful how he processes the game.

Gaunce looks solid. Limited upside but I honestly think that he could handle fourth line CENTRE duties right now. Looks a tad slow on the wing.

Jensen looked slow even though he seemed to be busting his ass.

Horvat looks confident as hell and very solid, although seemed a tad slow today. He's going to be one of the main reasons I watch every night. Those power moves he was making had me drooling.

Bartkowski looked good, made some nice rushes.

If they put me on the ice I think I could have been better than Kurtz. What a great camp invite...

 

[Pip]

3 on 3 still seems gimmicky, especially with no 4 on 4 first.

 

[KeninsFan]

Bart looked really quick to me...especially with the puck

Yeah I don't get the Bart/Clendening comparison at all.

Bart doesn't have lightning quick acceleration but he's a smooth skater. There was a play where the SJ F skated to his outside and Bart was a little slow in his first 2 strides but angled him off behind the net, what was more surprising was how skinny Bart looked. His physique reminds me of Torts era Tanev.

Overall I really liked Bart. There are signs as to why he got some top 4 min when the Bruins won the President's trophy.

 

[thepuckmonster]

I wouldn't mind 3-on-3 after 4-on-4 but only 3-on-3 is as much of a gimmick as the shoot out.

 

[JA]

Bart looked really quick to me...especially with the puck

I agree with this.

http://www.csnne.com/boston-bruins/matt-bartkowski-signs-one-year-deal-witth-canucks

But Bartkowski still has the high level skating speed that allows him to carry the puck out of trouble on the ice, and has a fan in Canucks assistant GM Jon Weisbrod, who recommended the B’s trade for him when he was still Florida Panthers property as an Ohio State defenseman. The Bartkowski did have 18 assists and a plus-22 in 64 games while filling in for the injured Dennis Seidenberg during the 2013-14 season, and looked good in long stretches as a fast-paced top four guy.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Ty-Anderson/Boston-Bruins-Year-in-Review-Matt-Bartkowski-Blidh-signs/141/68945

I highlighted Bartkowski’s speed and puck-dishing skills in the good, but it also hurt the blue-liner at times, too. Talking to some scouts that got a closer look at Bartkowski between the 2013-14 season and this past season, they felt that teams felt as if they could relax a bit more when Bartkowski had the puck on his stick because they simply knew he was going to lose it or make a ‘boneheaded’ play with it to create a chance going back the other way. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, I suppose.

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20141119/Blogs/141116194

Bartkowski was a plus for the Bruins in the St. Louis shutout. The defenseman was on the ice for both Boston goals, and picked up his first assist of the season on Torey Krug’s goal. He used his speed and strength to break up a pair of dynamite scoring chances that could have changed the game for St. Louis.

...

Bartkowski made another strong play in the second period. Vladimir Tarasenko got loose over the blue line and thought he could make his way onto goalie Tuukka Rask with Bruins skaters left smelling his exhaust. Bartkowski is an elite skater, though, and used his speed to recover and knock the puck off Tarasenko's stick.

http://www.rantsports.com/nhl/2014/07/14/matt-bartkowski-signing-is-just-one-piece-of-the-puzzle-for-boston-bruins/

Bartkowski was largely criticized for his play in the 2014 postseason. NHL commentators, especially Mike Milbury, frequently exposed Bartkowski’s poor decision making and errant passes. Although Bartkowski can faultier at times, this season he proved that he can play a regular shift.

With several players going down to injuries, Bartkowski saw his opportunity and was able to post 18 assists in his 64 starts this season. He also appeared in eight postseason games. Bartkowski failed to get on the score-sheet, but he contributed in other ways. He is a strong skater with and without the puck, and his solid frame makes him a tough customer in the corners.

Between his luscious hair, hard-working mentality and surprising speed, there are more than enough reasons to keep the kid in Boston. Chiarelli made a smart move.

Despite the criticisms of Bartkowski in Boston, Bruins analysts have unanimously acknowledged his quickness.

 

[Bankerguy]

Bart looked really quick to me...especially with the puck

Some players really fly when they have the puck. I would say that in general Sven is quick but not really fast..however with the puck he really seems to fly out there.

I remeber Peter Bondra was one of those players who was really fast but he just seemed to have an extra gear with the puck on his stick. Sven has a little bit of that

 

[Shareefruck]

Some players really fly when they have the puck. I would say that in general Sven is quick but not really fast..however with the puck he really seems to fly out there.

I remeber Peter Bondra was one of those players who was really fast but he just seemed to have an extra gear with the puck on his stick. Sven has a little bit of that

I thought he was referring to Bartkowski.

 

[me2]

No, they are not.

huh, I thought the plan was 4 on 4 then 3 on 3 then SO. Straight to 3 on 3 sucks.

 

[JA]

Full circle.

 

[JA]

Jeff Vinnick, the Canucks' photographer, actually took a photograph of the Kevin Bieksa lookalike. It's in the Canucks' official photo gallery for the game.

Photo 40 of 66 - NHL Kraft Hockeyville 2015
COLWOOD, BC - SEPTEMBER 21: Vancouver Canucks fan Aaron Messerschmidt watches the game between the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks during Day 3 of NHL Kraft Hockeyville at the Q Centre on September 21, 2015 in Colwood, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

 

[biturbo19]

Bart looked really quick to me...especially with the puck

Yeah I don't get the Bart/Clendening comparison at all.

Bart doesn't have lightning quick acceleration but he's a smooth skater. There was a play where the SJ F skated to his outside and Bart was a little slow in his first 2 strides but angled him off behind the net, what was more surprising was how skinny Bart looked. His physique reminds me of Torts era Tanev.

Overall I really liked Bart. There are signs as to why he got some top 4 min when the Bruins won the President's trophy.

Yeah. Agreed on both of these points. Bartkowski definitely didn't look "slow" tonight. If anything actually, i thought he overskated himself at times. The positioning was kind of spotty for stretches, seemed like he'd skate himself into and then straight out of position. Would've liked to see him slow things down in a number of instances and just let the plays develop in front of him. But offensively (and with the puck on his stick in particular) he showed a lot of speed. Certainly didn't seem to be lacking confidence.

Some players really fly when they have the puck. I would say that in general Sven is quick but not really fast..however with the puck he really seems to fly out there.

I remeber Peter Bondra was one of those players who was really fast but he just seemed to have an extra gear with the puck on his stick. Sven has a little bit of that

Yeah, there are some players who seem to have that quality.

As for Sven, i think that's a pretty apt comment about being "quick" but not really "fast". He's got that darting quickness, but he's definitely not a burner in a straight line. He's not gonna win every straight line drag race for the puck.

Saw flashes of that darting quickness tonight, but not really a ton of results to it outside of the man advantage and a couple kinda nifty own-zone plays.

 

[Cogburn]

I liked the games of Hansen, Jensen, Horvat, Gaunce and Cracknell up front, and was actually pleasantly surprised by our "usual suspects for our hate" D. Sbisa, Bartkowski and Hutton all looked sharp, and Biega played within his wheel house all night, and goaltending did what was asked.

Horvat and Hansen were looking skilled, Jensen was trying like hell to do everything (and didn't screw it up!), while Gaunce and Cracknell looked dangerous at both ends, and were both pushing other players around. Cracknell has me cautiously optimistic about him running our 4C.

I think the Baertschi-Sutter-Vrbata line was asked to tone it down, and likely only say the light of day because we had to play SOMEONE to make this game interesting for the community that came out. Ditto Edler-Tanev. They didn't look bad, but they all looked muted.

Higgins looked pretty good before blocking that shot, I hope it's precautionary more then reactionary that he sat the rest of the game.

Kurtz, Greiner and Jones didn't impress, but their a 4-b line in preseason. I only noticed Kurtz when he was out of position, and Jones when he was leaving the ice after blocking a shot, or getting hit, or otherwise drawing attention to being sore. Greiner I had nothing against, but I don't think he can carry a line with the other two, and I hope to see him with other linemates.

Markstrom and Bachman both did what they had too, San Jose didn't have much of their offence out tonight, but anyone looking for flaws in a shut out will never know joy.

 

[MISC*]

Sbisa looked alright to me.

 

[PG Canuck]

Bettman gonna Bettman.

It's happening all over North America, namely in Canada.

 

[Royal Canuck]

Gaunce was the standout Canuck for me in this one. Looked much more poised, mature compared to last season and if he keeps it up he'll be knocking on the door in terms of the final roster.

Nice to see a local guy score the game winner. Hopefully Cracks can find his way here in Vancouver and become a solid role player like he was in St. Louis for a few years there.

 

[Serac]

Man I love Horvat
I admit to not being a fan of the pick at the time, but he has definitely changed my mind

Loved his game, despite looking slow-ish at times
Particularly when he cut in on a defender with a strong power move in the third and cut right to slot to get a really good scoring chance

Also enjoyed how he tried to dangle at times
It's preseason; you might as well try during games that don't mean anything, point wise

 

[The Jesus*]

Vrbata - Who cares? Trade bait at the deadline. Lazy player that takes too many low % shots, causing a loss in possession. Advanced stat nightmare. Just trade him for a pick.

Baertschi - Not impressed. Do not see a top 6 NHLer in him.

Gaunce - Ready for the big leagues in a 4th line role.

Tanev - Mr. Consistency. He's always good.

Sbisa - Not bad, actually.

Horvat - Thank god we have Horvat. He's gonna have a huge year.

Sutter - I like Sutter. I thought he played really well tonight.

 

[me2]

Sbisa:and the weird slo-mo last man back deke)...

This one?

 

[MS]

What an astonishingly terrible game. PVRed it and actually fell asleep and had to go back to find where I drifted off. Nevertheless a few bright spots.

- biggest positive was Markstrom who looked excellent in his half-game. Moved well, looked confident. Bachman also solid although he had less to do.

- Tanev-Edler pairing just owned play when they were on. 0 scoring chances against them all night and almost 0 shots. Tanev was the best player on the ice for either team.

- Sbisa took an idiot penalty that also created a 2-on-1 in the first but was meh the rest of the way. Bartkowski skated well and was pretty good although his outlet passing was poor. Looks smaller than listed.

- Hutton was unfortunately absolutely awful through the first 40 minutes although somewhat better in the 3rd. Positioning was very poor, has a lot to work on in the AHL. Biega was hard to read because Hutton was having such an adventure.

- Sutter line was meh. Sutter looked good on the PK but otherwise did little. Baertschi had a couple shots but was unimpressive. Vrbata showed ok jump and was the best of the 3 but still not great.

- Horvat was the best forward on the ice. Very good start for him. Skated well, looked dangerous, created chances for his linemates. Hansen showed reasonable jump for a veteran. Higgins was quiet before getting banged up.

- 3rd line was effective. Cracknell battled and is a weak skater but showed great finish on the winner ... nice story for him.

- Gaunce was the best of the prospects. Showed improved speed, had a few good chances, pushed the play hard in every zone. Good showing although there's no way for him to make the team really.

- Grenier looks like a completely different player from 1-2 years ago. Nothing flashy but skated hard, finished his checks well and showed a vastly improved motor. Performances like this will put him in good position to get a call up at some point.

- 4th line ... bleh. Jensen did nothing through 40 minutes but caught a break with the Higgins injury and showed more jump when moved up. Kurtz looked like a poor man's Mike Brown ... actually skated well but his positioning was rubbish and looked like he was trying to handle the puck with a telephone pole. Jones was mainly invisible.