The Official Training Camp Thread (Warning, Post #310)

[BeardyCanuck03]

I bet JB wants to resign prust.
But he doesnt want to be on the west so deadline deal or he walks.

Really depends on where the Canucks are leading up the to the deadline.

If they are where they were last season, he stays and walks (ugh).
If they are lower and battling/looking outside in, Benning will move him for futures (at least I hope).

 

[VanJack]

Really depends on where the Canucks are leading up the to the deadline.

If they are where they were last season, he stays and walks (ugh).
If they are lower and battling/looking outside in, Benning will move him for futures (at least I hope).

This might be the strategy, but if it means farming out Kenins and Gaunce, and sending Virtanen back to junior, then it doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

This might be the strategy, but if it means farming out Kenins and Gaunce, and sending Virtanen back to junior, then it doesn't make much sense to me.

One of Kenins and Gaunce will make the team, if they both don't it's because Virtanen makes it.

There is enough room on the team for 2 of those guys.

The real questions are if Benning has the balls to waive/trade Vey/Corrado to open up room for McCann/Hutton.

It's easier to waive Corrado for Hutton as Hutton can go down to the AHL and come back up later on in the season when he's got some AHL seasoning while McCann is a one shot deal, keep him or he's going back to the OHL for another season.

 

[ginner classic]

1997-98 canucks?

1986 canucks

 

[MS]

Fedun waived today. Down to 9 defenders.

 

[DL44]

Fedun waived today. Down to 9 defenders.

I was very happy with how steady he was. If he clears, he looks like he'll be a good anchor for Utica and a dependable call up for us.

So the bubble boys remaining: Biega, Corrado and Hutton..

 

[arsmaster*]

No GDT for tonight? Any word on lineups for both squads?

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

No GDT for tonight? Any word on lineups for both squads?

It's up. Oilers lineup posted, still waiting on the Canuck roster.

 

[y2kcanucks]

I was very happy with how steady he was. If he clears, he looks like he'll be a good anchor for Utica and a dependable call up for us.

So the bubble boys remaining: Biega, Corrado and Hutton..

Sad thing is Hutton shouldn't be on the bubble.

 

[MS]

Sad thing is Hutton shouldn't be on the bubble.

If it wasn't for Sbisa, the defense would actually be falling into place well.

Edler-Tanev
Hamhuis-Weber
Hutton-Bartkowski
Biega

Possibly switch Biega and Bartkowski given Biega's excellent play.

 

[Bgav]

How many cuts left ?

 

[fancouver]

How many cuts left ?

23 man roster max.

I can't recall if Benning wanted 7 of 8 defencemen, but I think Hutton is safe regardless.

Edler - Tanev
Hamhuis - Bartkowski
Sbisa (he won't be cut for whatever reason) - Weber
Hutton - Corrado

 

[VC]

If it wasn't for Sbisa, the defense would actually be falling into place well.

Edler-Tanev
Hamhuis-Weber
Hutton-Bartkowski
Biega

Possibly switch Biega and Bartkowski given Biega's excellent play.

I like it better with the switch, i actually like that defense given the parts to work with.

 

[Verviticus]

(he won't be cut for whatever reason)

the proper medical term is "an idiot is in charge"

 

[me2]

23 man roster max.

I can't recall if Benning wanted 7 of 8 defencemen, but I think Hutton is safe regardless.

Edler - Tanev
Hamhuis - Bartkowski
Sbisa (he won't be cut for whatever reason) - Weber
Hutton - Corrado

Horrible way of arranging the D unless you are Benning and need an excuse to send Hutton down to "get some pro games in".

 

[Jack Tripper]

If it wasn't for Sbisa, the defense would actually be falling into place well.

Edler-Tanev
Hamhuis-Weber
Hutton-Bartkowski
Biega

Possibly switch Biega and Bartkowski given Biega's excellent play.

brings back the old benning vs potato argument

this team would be in a much better position to compete this season if benning had actually done nothing and there weren't players like miller / sbisa / prust / sutter taking up roster spots that could go to players like gaunce and biega

it's interesting that i read narratives in the media lauding benning about not resigning guys like richardson and matthias as a way of opening up young spots when he's actually done exactly the opposite

 

[sting101]

brings back the old benning vs potato argument

this team would be in a much better position to compete this season if benning had actually done nothing and there weren't players like miller / sbisa / prust / sutter taking up roster spots that could go to players like gaunce and biega

it's interesting that i read narratives in the media lauding benning about not resigning guys like richardson and matthias as a way of opening up young spots when he's actually done exactly the opposite

Uhhhh Richardson is being replaced by Horvat/Sutter and Matthias by Baertschi and you would prefer we did nothing??

I wouldn't get too excited about Gaunce and Biega either at this point. There's pre season, there's regular season and then there's post season......looking decent in pre season isn't a reason to dump vets who have actually proven they can play at higher levels.

Speaking of Potatoe vs Benning.......defense looks extremely mobile, forwards look faster younger and more skilled and his draft picks are looking insanely good. And oh yeah Markstrom looks amazing as well.......but , but Prust, Sbisa, Vey suck yeahhh.

This team would be in a much better position if our core was 5 years younger.

 

[Rey]

The easiest thing for the management to do, is send down Hutton and Guance. They deserve to be on the team, but the idea is to give McCaan and Virtanen their 9 games and figure out what to do with the bottom pair, so they don't lose the wrong defense man. Then, call up Guance and Hutton up here for the rest of the season, when it's all settled down. If McCaan and Virtanen still progress and continue to impress through 9 games, then you simply have to move someone like Vey, and another winger - Prust.

 

[LeftCoast]

Assuming Baertschi and Virtanen make the team (not a given), I doubt the Baertschi Horvat Virtanen line we saw tonight plays much as a 5v5 this season, Willie is going to want a veteran presence there; probably Burrows or Vrbata. But as a 2nd unit PP, they clearly have some complementary skills.

If this line could handle the match ups however, it gives us a much better look:

Daniel Henrik Vrbata
Baertschi Horvat Virtanen
Burrows Sutter Hansen
4th line is some combination of Prust, Gaunce, Vey, McCann, Dorsett and Kenins.

With 6 guys vying for 3 spots on the 4th line + 1 extra forward spot the competition couldn't be higher. We can't really carry 14 forwards because we have a similar situation on defense with Hutton and Biega both out playing Corrado and Sbisa.

Based on what they have shown so far, Virtanen, Gaunce, McCann, Hutton and Biega can all make a case to be on the opening day roster but it's not going to happen. McCann will likely get sent back to the OHL because he's not really going to develop his offensive game more playing 4th line minutes with Dorsett and Prust. Virtanen will get the 9 game (or more) audition.

Nothing is going to be done with Vey or Sbisa in the short term.

Kenins has earned himself a trip to Utica to figure out what made him successful last season.

Hutton has make the team in my thinking. So we are down to Corrado and Biega for the 8th defenseman spot.

 

[vanuck]

Chicago going into their first cup was very much like this. Could burn you with the skill game AND punish you physically. Ladd, Byfuglien and Eager all took regular shifts, and Burrish and Bolland were dirty as they came. They physically dominated Vancouver in both the series the two teams played.

Boston was also a very physically "heavy" team, although they weren't as nasty as Chicago. Same could be said of LA.

In fact, given the teams the Canucks have lost to in the playoffs over the last half decade and change, it's not terribly surprising team management has such a hard-on for getting "tougher".

Personally I don't think you need or want goons prowling around on your fourth line, playing four minutes a game, but having a team that doesn't get run out of the rink physically every night is probably advisable. It's not a good environment to grow your young talent in if they're getting blown up with impunity.

I agree with the bolded. CHI did have a few gritty players who could punish you in terms of physicality, though aside from Eager they weren't really that goonish of a team. In fact I remember Hawks fans actually thinking they were quite soft overall, though it didn't matter in the end because they were so good at everything else that mattered. The most important thing about their size and toughness I think was that they could legitimately play hockey.

BOS wasn't as much a goonish team as they were a team that simply possessed some legitimate hockey players who were tough (Lucic, Chara).

Even the truculent and pugnacious Anaheim Ducks. Other than maybe Brad May and Shawn Thornton all their toughness came from really good players (Getzlaf, Pronger etc.)

In every instance these goons were limited to the 4th line at most and averaged like 6-8 minutes a night in their Cup runs. Post-lockout it's pretty much unheard of for anybody to employ pure fighters the way teams did back in the 80's or 90's.

the proper medical term is "an idiot is in charge"

 

[carolinacanuck]

if the team wants to ice its final roster tomorrow, i guess we can expect cuts to be announced today?

 

[Ryp37]

Uhhhh Richardson is being replaced by Horvat/Sutter and Matthias by Baertschi and you would prefer we did nothing??

I wouldn't get too excited about Gaunce and Biega either at this point. There's pre season, there's regular season and then there's post season......looking decent in pre season isn't a reason to dump vets who have actually proven they can play at higher levels.

Speaking of Potatoe vs Benning.......defense looks extremely mobile, forwards look faster younger and more skilled and his draft picks are looking insanely good. And oh yeah Markstrom looks amazing as well.......but , but Prust, Sbisa, Vey suck yeahhh.

This team would be in a much better position if our core was 5 years younger.

His 6th overall has had one good game pump the breaks
McCann has promise
Markstrom was acquired by Gillis, if Markstrom keeps it up a Lack Markstrom tandem would be a lot better then a 6 million dollar back up and Markstrom

Fans giving him credit for weird decisions that have zero foresight

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Taylor Fedun cleared waivers, so he's off to Utica. (or more correctly, Lyon, France?)

Players left on the roster:

F:
47 Sven Baertschi
14 Alexandre Burrows
24 Adam Cracknell
15 Derek Dorsett
50 Brendan Gaunce
36 Jannik Hansen
20 Chris Higgins **
53 Bo Horvat
41 Ronalds Kenins
51 Jared McCann
9 Brandon Prust
22 Daniel Sedin "A"
33 Henrik Sedin "C"
21 Brandon Sutter
7 Linden Vey
77 Jake Virtanen
17 Radim Vrbata

Total: 18 (including Higgins, who is injured)

D:
44 Matt Bartkowski
55 Alex Biega
26 Frank Corrado
23 Alexander Edler
2 Dan Hamhuis
60 Ben Hutton
5 Luca Sbisa
8 Christopher Tanev
6 Yannick Weber

Total: 9

G:
Richard Bachmann
Jacob Markstrom
Ryan Miller

Total: 3

Total Roster: 30

So we have 1 injury, and 6 to cut. Bachmann is the no brainer to be cut, bringing that down to 5.

 

[CherryToke]

Bachmann, Cracknell, Kenins and Corrado are no brainers.

I'm guessing the other two will be Biega and McCann.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

EDIT: And Bachmann has been officially re-assigned to Utica, so there goes that domino.