Ryan Kesler

[vanuck]

Even with a fully healthy Kesler, its going to be hard to go deep without a contributing 3rd line. So I'll be looking for that as well this season.

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I do like the rover label, where I think we'll see him nominally start on the point but will drift over to the left circle for the one-timer with Edler at the top of the umbrella, and even sneaking in for the back door play if the Twins + Kassian up front create enough havoc.

 

[absolute garbage]

God there are a lot of chicken-littles on these boards. People saying Kesler has lost a step are completely clueless, we haven't seen him play a healthy game since the Sharks series (2011).

Now, it's entirely possible that he has lost a step, but to assume so is patently ridiculous.

So these people are completely clueless, but still it's entirely possible?

It's true that he hasn't been healthy since the Sharks series but it's been 2 years already. And didn't he have a shoulder injury last summer? I don't think that should delay his lower body recovery that much. He had a lot of rest and quality training during the summer and lockout that's for sure.

Again, I do have some hopes he can get back to that level with a 100% healthy offseason simply because he hasn't had those in a while. I'm just not sure about whether that will happen because usually players recover from these types of injuries pretty quick (once they start playing) UNLESS there's some permanent stiffness/damage in that area that will limit their ability possibly (probably?) for the rest of their career.

 

[Lord Flacko*]

Because they need a right hand shot on the point so they're not as predictable with just feeding Edler and Garrison for one timers. In front of the net he gets worn down, I'd rather see Kassian there.

PP1:
Sedin-Sedin-Kassian
Garrison-Kesler

PP2:
Burrows-Schroeder-Booth/Higgins
Edler-Bieksa

Switch Edler and Garrison between the 2 pp's based on who's hotter and give Hamhuis some time on the 2nd PP unit occasionally.

Top 5 PP in the league IMO.

 

[Samzilla]

Calling it now...Kesler goes down with an injury within the first 7 games.

 

[Hardyvan123]

I think he can, he's one of our best players so he's going to have too.

I agree, if fully healthy, he is the key player for any possible playoff success.

 

[PG Canuck]

I agree, if fully healthy, he is the key player for any possible playoff success.

It's actually quite amazing how important he is to this team. Remember when he was hurt and the PP was brutal? He comes back and the PP is all of a sudden dangerous looking again. He's such an essential part to the Canucks.

 

[Bure All Day]

This year, Kes has had a full summer of relaxing/training to prepare for the first time since his Selke year...

I expect 30g 40a 70pt area if he remains healthy and get #1 pp time with the twins, which he probably will

 

[crazyforhockey]

This year, Kes has had a full summer of relaxing/training to prepare for the first time since his Selke year...

I expect 30g 40a 70pt area if he remains healthy and get #1 pp time with the twins, which he probably will

Agree I also think people overlook that the Sedins also had no second line support last year......also people need to realize that the guy carrying the second Line most of the season was schreoder so let's see how h sides as third line center ...or even as a support winger on Kelser s wing.....th
That was a huge hole with. Kesler injured all season...also key is a mentioned above Kesler able to train full summer

 

[Spice Trader]

If you think staying in professional level shape is easy fully healthy your mistaken.

Doing it after a major shoulder surgery.. give your head a shake. After that kind of damage to your body no chance you can push your other parts any where near 100%.

He came back last year maybe 75%


After a full summer of training. The stress relief of not rehabbing something. This year will be a good indication of what kind of player he will be going forward.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

This year, Kes has had a full summer of relaxing/training to prepare for the first time since his Selke year...

I expect 30g 40a 70pt area if he remains healthy and get #1 pp time with the twins, which he probably will

Couldn't hurt that he'll finally have linemates that can do something and everyone healthy for the first time since December 2011.

 

[Diamonddog01]

What do you guys think of Kes?

He was supposed to be healthy for the first time in a few years, but he looks noticeably slower out there.

In some ways I view him as the anti-thesis of the Sedins. The Sedins are players who are so much greater than the sum of their parts, players who complement one another and make each other better. Kesler doesn't seem to be able to utilize his teammates at all - and drags down the line he's on.

He also seems to be "wandering" as Ferraro put it, doesn't, doesn't seem to know what he's doing out there.

Great individual skill, and is a good weapon on the PP. But I don't think the problem is finding players to complement him - I think it is him. His contract and previous goal totals are skewing perceptions of him imo.

Personally, I think at this point the team is better served with Kes going back to a designated checker role. Instead of trying to find a top-6 winger to turn him into a viable secondary scoring solution, perhaps we need to find a top-6 centre (yes I know this runs counter to some of my previous posts) to use the 2nd liners we have (ie Booth, Burrows, possibly Kassian). This is where AV went wrong with his usage of Hodgson and Roy (both top-6 players who should have played with top-6 wingers).

Can Schroeder be that player? I have my doubts. But he's what we have at the moment. But give Kesler a mission, role or task (that of shutting down a particular line) and take things from there.

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Booth - Schroeder/Dalpe - Burrows
Higgins - Kesler - Hansen
Richardson - Santorelli - Weise

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

He needs a new brain. More than anything else.

 

[Frankiedarling]

Kesler is Kesler. He'll get it going.

 

[Upoil]

Too early to tell much?

Gotta remember that the season he put up 41 goals he had no points in the first 4 games... You know.... perspective.

 

[carolinacanuck]

Maybe he's employing the it's a marathon and not a sprint approach. Totally pacing himself.

Or maybe not.

Whatever it is, we want more play like basterds beast mode.

 

[Diamonddog01]

Too early to tell much?

Gotta remember that the season he put up 41 goals he had no points in the first 4 games... You know.... perspective.

I'm not basing this over the past 4 games though - I'm basing it on the past few years.

I can only think of one time when we had a 2nd line with a tiny bit of chemistry, when Kesler was not given a checking role. That was Raymond - Kesler - Samuelsson.

So we do keep trying a variety of wingers as we've been doing, hoping that the stars align? The guy just does not know how to generate any harmony with his linemates.

 

[Addison Rae]

He needs a play maker, seriously.

 

[Upoil]

What do you guys think of Kes these days?

He was supposed to be healthy for the first time in a few years, but he looks noticeably slower out there.

In some ways I view him as the anti-thesis of the Sedins. The Sedins are players who are so much greater than the sum of their parts, players who complement one another and make each other better. Kesler doesn't seem to be able to utilize his teammates at all - and drags down the line he's on.

He also seems to be "wandering" as Ferraro put it, doesn't, doesn't seem to know what he's doing out there.

Great individual skill, and is a good weapon on the PP. But I don't think the problem is finding players to complement him - I think it is him. His contract and previous goal totals are skewing perceptions of him imo.

Personally, I think at this point the team is better served with Kes going back to a designated checker role. Instead of trying to find a top-6 winger to turn him into a viable secondary scoring solution, perhaps we need to find a top-6 centre (yes I know this runs counter to some of my previous posts) to use the 2nd liners we have (ie Booth, Burrows, possibly Kassian). This is where AV went wrong with his usage of Hodgson and Roy (both top-6 players who should have played with top-6 wingers).

Can Schroeder be that player? I have my doubts. But he's what we have at the moment. But give Kesler a mission, role or task (that of shutting down a particular line) and take things from there.

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Booth - Schroeder/Dalpe - Burrows
Higgins - Kesler - Hansen
Richardson - Santorelli - Weise

I'm not basing this over the past 4 games though - I'm basing it on the past few years.

I can only think of one time when we had a 2nd line with a tiny bit of chemistry, when Kesler was not given a checking role. That was Raymond - Kesler - Samuelsson.

So we do keep trying a variety of wingers as we've been doing, hoping that the stars align? The guy just does not know how to generate any harmony with his linemates.

Make up your mind. Are we talking about Kesler over the past couple days or the past couple years?

Kesler has said this is the healthiest he's felt since 2010-2011. I don't believe that he'll ever reach the 40 goal mark but I do believe he is a good second line center.

It's only 4 games into the season. Gotta give him a chance to warm up and get back into the groove of playing under a new system. Stats wise he's already ahead of where he was in the 2010-2011 season... but that's just small sample sizes talking and it'd be ridiculous to draw conclusions from that... right?

 

[Diamonddog01]

Make up your mind. Are we talking about Kesler over the past couple days or the past couple years?

Kesler has said this is the healthiest he's felt since 2010-2011. I don't believe that he'll ever reach the 40 goal mark but I do believe he is a good second line center.

It's only 4 games into the season. Gotta give him a chance to warm up and get back into the groove of playing under a new system. Stats wise he's already ahead of where he was in the 2010-2011 season... but that's just small sample sizes talking and it'd be ridiculous to draw conclusions from that... right?

You're focusing on these days? I'll edit the OP to avoid confusing you further.

Again - I'm basing this judgment on the past few years. He was not a particularly effective 2nd line C last year either. He may say he feels the healthiest, but again - he looks pretty slow out there right now.

He racks up points on the PP, and is good on draws, and can take over games when someone lights a fire under his ass. But more and more, to me at least, that sounds like a perfect 3rd line C. Not a player to build a line around that we need secondary scoring from.

This is why we have struggled to get secondary scoring, not because we still haven't found the magical winger that will turn him into an even-strength producing 2nd line C.

 

[Kirk Mclean]

After watching him closely last night I'm starting to worry a bit. Looks very slow and doesn't seem to be able to penetrate the zone anymore.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Kesler's lost his speed, and with that some of the dynamic aspects ofh is game, yeah. But I thought the first few games of the season he's been quite effective as a 2-way center. Last night he sucked for the first 2 periods before turning it on a bit in the 3rd and OT - I wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[Grub]

Again not impressed with him. Now he is healthy he needs to step up and not just get his goals and points playing the PP with the Sedins.

This is a guy we're depending on to score.

 

[shortshorts]

It begins

 

[Freakshow]

I don't know why you guys are saying he's lost his speed - based on what? It's four games into the season! Most of the players are not in 100% game shape.

Kesler has NEVER been an offensive "weapon". Most second line centers produce around 50 to 60 points on good teams, unless your name is Malkin, I can see him around that again this year.

 

[Wetcoaster]

Kesler appears to be having problems with the new system which implements significant changes regarding positioning and responsibility for the centre. Over the first part of the season he has been drifting out of position in defensive zone and not switching up coverage when the D-man goes below the goal line.

Expect that to change when he gets more comfortable with his defensive assignments and responsibilities. Kesler is at his best when he reacts and is not overly thinking the game.