The Curious Case of Benjamin Hutton

[mathonwy]

Hes never a 4... at least on the Canucks, if you say he can be dragged down to a 4 then you can also say he can play as a 1.

Well it's all subjective so who knows what the truth is...

However, if one did an internet history search (it doesn't exist right now) and use the last 5 years as your age parameter, I would bet good money that Edler is probably tops in among players Canuck fans want to trade away.

Tanev is a player that has never been less than a 3 IMO.

 

[mathonwy]

It's the small things he does that impresses me. Did anyone see that pass he made to himself behind Miller when someone was hunting him down tonight? He did it so casually to shake off the forechecker.

That reeks of confidence. The only Canuck defender to do something like that is Tanev. The only forwards to do this consistently in the o-zone are the Sedins.

This guy is on track to be a top 2 defender for us.

And Tanev was only able to start doing it starting the middle of last season when he was 24.

Hutton is 22!!!! eeeeeeee........

 

[WTG]

Hutton and Keith both entered the league at the same age.....

Kawinkydink? I think not!

 

[Shareefruck]

Defense is by far the number one most important position in hockey, not goaltending, IMO. I've always felt that and get annoyed that goaltending is the automatic.

One Norris level defenseman significantly changes the way the entire team plays-- offense, defense, AND goaltending. Backups start looking like starters, tweeners start looking like scorers. Bottom pairing defenseman start looking like top four defenseman.

Two Norris level defenseman and you're about as close as you can be to guaranteed a cup.

(not that we should pinning anything like that on Hutton)

 

[Hit the post]

Well it's all subjective so who knows what the truth is...

However, if one did an internet history search (it doesn't exist right now) and use the last 5 years as your age parameter, I would bet good money that Edler is probably tops in among players Canuck fans want to trade away.

Tanev is a player that has never been less than a 3 IMO.

With good reason - he sucked REAL bad for a period of time (defensively - while he was putting up points, one tended to overlook look those faults); though in retrospect that might have to do with being paired up with Bieksa (they both made each other worse than they really were).

 

[Verviticus]

Two Norris level defenseman and you're about as close as you can be to guaranteed a cup.

ya like the time the preds with suter/weber (and even rinne) thrashed the 2011 canucks

(i think good players are better than bad ones and thats as far as ill go)

 

[Hit the post]

ya like the time the preds with suter/weber (and even rinne) thrashed the 2011 canucks

To be fair, Kesler had a monster series that round.

 

[Shareefruck]

Also, Suter is nowhere near a Norris-level defenseman.

And hell, unpopular opinion, but even Weber's a little overrated-- He's never been as dominant as Keith or Chara, and he doesn't make everyone around him better on the same level that those guys can.

 

[Verviticus]

Also, Suter is nowhere near a Norris-level defenseman.

And hell, unpopular opinion, but even Weber's a little overrated-- He's never been as dominant as Keith or Chara, and he doesn't make everyone around him better the same way those guys can.

i agree that both suter and weber are pretty overrated.. but arent they both perennially near the top for norris votes?

 

[Edo]

Also, Suter is nowhere near a Norris-level defenseman.

And hell, unpopular opinion, but even Weber's a little overrated-- He's never been as dominant as Keith or Chara.

He clearly is. Plays close to 30 minutes a game, against top opposition, 40+ points, etc. Has finished 2nd, 4th, 8th, and 9th in Norris voting.

 

[Shareefruck]

In my opinion, the gaps between the best defenseman are massive. It's not like with the best forwards where everyone at the top is pretty close and there's a gradual dropoff (and anyone can win it if they have a good year). So the fact that someone finishes outside the top three most years, to me don't make him necessarily Norris caliber. If Suter won a Norris any of those years, it would have been a joke.

When I think Norris-level, I think guys who are actually deserving of a Norris.

If you put two Duncan Keith's on a halfway decent team (playing the way he can), it's making a cup run, IMO. I don't think the same is true for two Hart level forwards or a Hart level forward + a Vezina level goalie.

 

[TheWanderer]

With good reason - he sucked REAL bad for a period of time (defensively - while he was putting up points, one tended to overlook look those faults); though in retrospect that might have to do with being paired up with Bieksa (they both made each other worse than they really were).

Can we stop saying that about Bieksa? Every pairing he was on: they made each other worse. Except when he was in his prime and was good with Hamhuis and... was it Mitchell?

Bieksa made pretty much everyone he was with worse in his latter years here. He was almost always bad. No one was making him worse. He wasn't any good. (again, in his latter years here).

Bieksa made Edler (who was bad for about three seasons in a row. Like, really bad) worse.

 

[TheWanderer]

In my opinion, the gaps between the best defenseman are massive. It's not like with the best forwards where everyone at the top is pretty close and there's a gradual dropoff (and anyone can win it if they have a good year). So the fact that someone finishes outside the top three most years, to me don't make him necessarily Norris caliber. If Suter won a Norris any of those years, it would have been a joke.

When I think Norris-level, I think guys who are actually deserving of a Norris.

If you put two Duncan Keith's on a halfway decent team (playing the way he can), it's making a cup run, IMO. I don't think the same is true for two Hart level forwards or a Hart level forward + a Vezina level goalie.

Hell, we had two Hart level forwards, a Selke forward, a Vezina-level goalie that instead won a Jennings with the Back-up, and a Jack Adams coach. But we didn't have the Norris d-man, and that is all anyone could talk about. Well, that and size but whatever.

 

[alternate]

Hell, we had two Hart level forwards, a Selke forward, a Vezina-level goalie that instead won a Jennings with the Back-up, and a Jack Adams coach. But we didn't have the Norris d-man, and that is all anyone could talk about. Well, that and size but whatever.

*siiiiigh* I don't know if anyone on here watches much NFL Network, but they have a good series called The Missing Rings. If the NHL Network did a Cup version, that Canucks team is going to be at the top of the list. *siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh*

 

[racerjoe]

Can we stop saying that about Bieksa? Every pairing he was on: they made each other worse. Except when he was in his prime and was good with Hamhuis and... was it Mitchell?

Bieksa made pretty much everyone he was with worse in his latter years here. He was almost always bad. No one was making him worse. He wasn't any good. (again, in his latter years here).

Bieksa made Edler (who was bad for about three seasons in a row. Like, really bad) worse.

I would say he made SOB better too.

There is no question he lost a step, but he has always been the high risk high reward type guy. A "Gun Slinger" type. He does best when paired with a solid defensive type dman.

 

[Havre]

Defense is by far the number one most important position in hockey, not goaltending, IMO. I've always felt that and get annoyed that goaltending is the automatic.

One Norris level defenseman significantly changes the way the entire team plays-- offense, defense, AND goaltending. Backups start looking like starters, tweeners start looking like scorers. Bottom pairing defenseman start looking like top four defenseman.

Two Norris level defenseman and you're about as close as you can be to guaranteed a cup.

(not that we should pinning anything like that on Hutton)

IMO it comes down to the balance as much as pure quality.

Ehrhoff being almost too good of an example. Not the best player in the world, but just the kind of D-man we needed at the time.

What I do agree with, if that is your opinion, is that a solid D solidifies the team as a whole more than goaltending and forwards could.

I would rather have an excellent group of Ds than an excellent group of forwards. Could just as well be a balanced top 4 than that one or two key guys though - IMO.

 

[TARS]

Defense is by far the number one most important position in hockey, not goaltending, IMO. I've always felt that and get annoyed that goaltending is the automatic.

One Norris level defenseman significantly changes the way the entire team plays-- offense, defense, AND goaltending. Backups start looking like starters, tweeners start looking like scorers. Bottom pairing defenseman start looking like top four defenseman.

Two Norris level defenseman and you're about as close as you can be to guaranteed a cup.

(not that we should pinning anything like that on Hutton)

Agree. Prime Chris Pronger or equivalent changes a team in a way Carey Price or equivalent never could.

Hasek might be the only exception to that. That guy was ridiculous.

 

[Hit the post]

IMO it comes down to the balance as much as pure quality.

Ehrhoff being almost too good of an example. Not the best player in the world, but just the kind of D-man we needed at the time.

Yeah as the cliche' goes "the whole was greater than the sum of its parts" (re: Edler-Ehrhoff pairing). Gillis' biggest mistake was not being able to keep him.

 

[Jyrki21]

If the Canucks were still doing animal nicknames, I feel Hutton would need to get "teddy bear".

 

[VanillaCoke]

**** it this guy is our 2nd best defenseman.

Every game he's doing multiple plays that are tops in the league.

 

[me2]

Yeah as the cliche' goes "the whole was greater than the sum of its parts" (re: Edler-Ehrhoff pairing). Gillis' biggest mistake was not being able to keep him.

We missed the Hoff for a bit but I am not sure we would be missing the current version quite as much, dangers of long term contracts for players that age.

 

[Intangibos]

**** it this guy is our 2nd best defenseman.

Every game he's doing multiple plays that are tops in the league.

He's playing with so much confidence. I hate that cliche but he really is. He's making aggressive plays in the defensive zone to skate the puck out like he had more than 15 games in his career. The times he loses it usually doesn't cost us, I can't really remember an instance where they got a goal off of a turnover by Hutton this season. That's partially on Miller and his linemates as well, but he does well to get back in the play.

We all joke about McCann in the Calder race, but I think with McDavid out Hutton could make a run for it. He's on a 31 point pace and is a first year pro playing on a weak D. I also feel like he could have had a few goals as well and will get a few of those soon. On top of that, he'll probably only get better throughout the season. With McDavid out, who are the other favourites? Will they be able to top the McDavid 1/2 season with the possible bias he has in his favour?

Seriously though, I love Hutton. I'd love to see what he could do paired up with Tanev but I shudder to think what that would do for the rest of our D.

 

[TARS]

For a rookie especially, this kid makes the most ridiculous plays in tight against the boards when being checked.

"Oh, hard forecheck? Ill just put this back between both of our sets of legs, off the wall, spin around, pick it up and outlet pass."

Honestly, his little solo plays like that in our end of the ice get me more fired up than anything else this season. He consistently makes the other team's players look stupid.

 

[Desai87]

In what areas, do you guys want to see Hutton improve?

 

[KDizzle]

In what areas, do you guys want to see Hutton improve?

Getting his shot through.
It'll come with experience. I like that he's thinking low, quick wrister to try to sneak it through lanes but he's coming to realize that those lanes close quickly in the NHL. So what I'd like to see is him adapting a bit and using deception to open lanes.