Ryan Kesler In Practice With The Canucks Today

[Lemmiwinks]

The first line will be some variant of the Twins and Kassian or the Twins and Burrows.

Second line is up in the air; Some combination of Kesler, Raymond, Schroeder, Hansen, Burrows/Kassian and Higgins.

My guess would be Kesler centring Raymond and Hansen, considering those two had an excellent game vs. Edmonton. Schroeder should likely drop down to the third, but who knows what we'll see.

 

[Zombotron]

Hey guys, Sabres fan in peace. Wondering what the time table is for Kesler's return!?

I find it funny that you had to indicate that you're coming in peace, because I don't remember there being any animosity between Sabres and Canucks fans. Eheh.

 

[Nuckles]

I find it funny that you had to indicate that you're coming in peace, because I don't remember there being any animosity between Sabres and Canucks fans. Eheh.

****ing sabres fans. I hate them.

 

[vanuck]

I find it funny that you had to indicate that you're coming in peace, because I don't remember there being any animosity between Sabres and Canucks fans. Eheh.

Is that said in all honesty? No tongue in cheek?

My guess would be Kesler centring Raymond and Hansen, considering those two had an excellent game vs. Edmonton. Schroeder should likely drop down to the third, but who knows what we'll see.

Dear Lord, no.

****ing sabres fans. I hate them.

What are those two emoticons doing in your post?

/straightface

 

[Seatoo]

The combo I'd like to see is

Raymond/Burrows-Kesler-Schroder

Or

Booth-Kesler-Burrows/Kassian


I'd also look at a rental like MacArthur from TO for a deal close to what we spent on Higgins. We need more than one person (Henrik) who knows how to pass the puck...

 

[StringerBell]

I'd like to see him with Raymond (I know) and whichever one of Kassian/Burrows isn't with the Sedins. The Raymond 'experiment' can end when Booth gets back, but I would like to see Schroeder try and build some more chemistry in a 3rd line role with Higgins and Hansen. They looked really good last game.

 

[JA]

care to share?

If somebody can Murph's interview with Tanev right after the game, it'd be terrific to share. Kesler was in the background, and might have been observing Murphy at the start of the interview. I'm not sure why he was there, though it seems he was talking to someone in the hallway a few feet away from the interview. I thought it was funny that his head was poking out from behind Murph's shoulder before the camera panned away.

I find it funny that you had to indicate that you're coming in peace, because I don't remember there being any animosity between Sabres and Canucks fans. Eheh.

It's the Kassian-Hodgson scenario that may be causing potential friction, I bet.

 

[petrishriekandgo]

Ideally for me I'd like to see:

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows
Booth - Kesler - Kassian
Hansen - Schroeder - Higgins
Wiese - Lappy - Volpatti
Raymond, Malhotra

OR

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Higgins - Kesler - Burrows
Hansen - Lappy - Booth
Wiese - Malhotra - Raymond
Volpatti, Schroeder

Now, if we could move some folks (say Booth?):

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows (need Burr's defensive abilities on this line, without him the twins can't get out of their zone)
Higgins - Kesler - Kassian
Hansen - Schroeder - Raymond
Wiese - Lappy - Volpatti
Malhotra

 

[David71]

should kesler return when he's 100percent by the time the playoffs roll around or do the nucks need him in the regular season? hes coming off 2 surgeries. shoulder+wrist. i don't want to see a broken down kesler again in the playoffs. hes gotta stay healthy.

 

[y2kcanucks]

I wonder if this would work when Kesler returns:

Sedin-Sedin-Kassian
Raymond-Schroeder-Kesler
Higgins-Burrows-Hansen
Lapierre-Malhotra-Weise

And then when Booth returns:

Sedin-Sedin-Kassian
Booth-Schroeder-Kesler
Higgins-Burrows-Hansen
Raymond-Malhotra-Lapierre

And of course, for the playoffs:

Sedin-Sedin-Kassian
Booth-Kesler-Burrows
Raymond-Schroeder-Higgins
Lapierre-Malhotra-Hansen

Or some combination of that.

 

[canucks9314]

Hope they don't rush him back. we're good enough to win the division without him but we'll need him in the playoffs.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

And of course, for the playoffs:

Sedin-Sedin-Kassian
Booth-Kesler-Burrows
Raymond-Schroeder-Higgins
Lapierre-Malhotra-Hansen

Or some combination of that.

That one is sexy if all players can be firing on all cylinders. Makes me nearly forget our sheer ineptitude to score in the playoffs.

 

[Wisp]

Sounds like he's a week or two off. Kes says range of motion is fine in his shoulder, but strength isn't there yet.

good news. the range of motion thing had me edge the last little bit. getting that back isn't always certain.

better news is he sounds like he's being patient. I really do think he'll be back when he's actually ready to be back this time.

 

[Jyrki]

That one is sexy if all players can be firing on all cylinders. Makes me nearly forget our sheer ineptitude to score in the playoffs.

The lines do look great in terms of matchups. There's the Sedin line (cycle/passing), Kesler line (speed/grit/two-way) and Schroeder line (speed/passing/forecheck). If good health prevails and allows us to roll these lines teams should have a lot of trouble keeping all of them at bay.

 

[RichieTenenbaum]

Sounds like he's a week or two off. Kes says range of motion is fine in his shoulder, but strength isn't there yet.

good news. the range of motion thing had me edge the last little bit. getting that back isn't always certain.

better news is he sounds like he's being patient. I really do think he'll be back when he's actually ready to be back this time.

Love how patient Kes is being. We all know he has lacked that in the past.

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

Sedin-Sedin-Kassian
Booth-Kesler-Burrows
Raymond-Schroeder-Higgins
Lapierre-Malhotra-Hansen


This is the winner for me.

 

[Wilch]

Would like to see Schroeder centering Booth and Raymond. That would be an insane north-south line.

The Kesler line would be an elite checking 2nd line, and the Schroeder line would be a decent scoring 3rd line.

 

[vanuck]

^^ No Weise?

 

[Zombotron]

^^ No Weise?

In this situation he's bumped down to the 13th forward position.

 

[Drop the Sopel]

Kassian will likely see time on every line this season. Consistency will be an issue. I prefer...

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Booth Kesler Kassian
Raymond Schroeder Hansen
Higgins Lapierre Weise
Malhotra

The Sedins don't really need a bodyguard. They're well respected players that don't take very many cheapshots. Kesler on the other hand is a nightmare to play against and incites a lot of attention from the opposition. Having Kassian there to go into scrums with would give Kesler that much more confidence in crashing the net, playing with an edge etc... Booth and Kesler could also desperately use some playmaking on their line - Kassian is one of very few options we have in this regard.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Kassian will likely see time on every line this season. Consistency will be an issue. I prefer...

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Booth Kesler Kassian
Raymond Schroeder Hansen
Higgins Lapierre Weise
Malhotra

The Sedins don't really need a bodyguard. They're well respected players that don't take very many cheapshots. Kesler on the other hand is a nightmare to play against and incites a lot of attention from the opposition. Having Kassian there to go into scrums with would give Kesler that much more confidence in crashing the net, playing with an edge etc... Booth and Kesler could also desperately use some playmaking on their line - Kassian is one of very few options we have in this regard.

Joe Thornton
Dustin Brown
Brad Marchand
Ben Eager
Dave Bolland

say otherwise. And that's just off the top of my head.

 

[vanuck]

Kassian will likely see time on every line this season. Consistency will be an issue. I prefer...

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Booth Kesler Kassian
Raymond Schroeder Hansen
Higgins Lapierre Weise
Malhotra

The Sedins don't really need a bodyguard. They're well respected players that don't take very many cheapshots. Kesler on the other hand is a nightmare to play against and incites a lot of attention from the opposition. Having Kassian there to go into scrums with would give Kesler that much more confidence in crashing the net, playing with an edge etc... Booth and Kesler could also desperately use some playmaking on their line - Kassian is one of very few options we have in this regard.

I would go with this lineup too. It would be between Higgins and Raymond for that 3rd line LW spot. Good problem to have either way.

In this situation he's bumped down to the 13th forward position.

I actually think that, outside of faceoffs, Weise would have more of a positive impact for the team going forward.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Sedin-Sedin-Kassian
Booth-Kesler-Burrows
Raymond-Schroeder-Higgins
Lapierre-Malhotra-Hansen


This is the winner for me.

barring deadline deals:

sedin sedin kassian
burrows kesler hansen
booth schroeder raymond
higgins lapierre someone


our second plays against the other team's top line (say, getzlaf or kopitar or toews/kane). third line plays against weak competition.


and what i'd really like to see is MG picking up visnovsky for some grab bag of spare parts at the deadline (would we be able to fit visnovsky in without dropping salary by then?) and have him as a PP ringer with various others wingers double shifting on the fourth line at ES.


EDIT: just checked capgeek. barring any other roster changes, we will need to drop $2 million in cap to add visnovsky at the deadline. but demote manny at the deadline and recall him for the playoffs? can't see anyone picking him up on waivers at his cap hit.

 

[deadinthewater]

Joe Thornton
Dustin Brown
Brad Marchand
Ben Eager
Dave Bolland

say otherwise. And that's just off the top of my head.

That Thornton thing was more of a taunt, not a cheapshot... I remember him grabbing Toews by the head and face-washing him a few games following that.

I don't know if Sedins/Kassian will work in the playoffs. I think Burrows is probably best there, but we'll just have to wait and see how the reg. season goes first.

 

[Drop the Sopel]

Joe Thornton
Dustin Brown
Brad Marchand
Ben Eager
Dave Bolland

say otherwise. And that's just off the top of my head.

Now think about the type of abuse Ryan Kesler has taken over the last few years. He takes a hell of a lot more than Henrik Sedin on a nightly basis. He's being wacked and slashed on almost every shift.

If somebody takes a run at the Sedins, Kassian is still on the roster to do smething about it. The difference is, when the Sedins are on the ice there are very few scrums where Kassian can step in and protect them. Kesler on the other hand is always driving the net and drawing the ire of opposing dmen, as is Booth. This is where Kassian would be able to get his hands dirty a bit more.