Confirmed with Link: [VAN/AZ] 9th OA, 2022 2nd, 2023 7th, Roussel, Beagle, and Eriksson for OEL (12% ret) and Garland

[TheLegend]

I must say I'm certainly enjoying, in a perverse way, all the predictions about what will happen with our team when we haven't even hit free agency yet.

You, too??

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

Ghost replaces OEL, sure they are both left handed. Ghost is a very poor defender, OEL is a very good defender. Giant gap between them.

The stat-watchers around here like to ignore that OEL elevated Bush to a top 4 role. Ghost might be able to replace OEL's production, but I'll be surprised if he can carry a #7 defenseman like Bush as a top 4 partner.

 

[cobra427]

Hammer and Demers both sucked last season. Hammer played like he was already retired and Demers could barely crack the lineup. Easy to replace.

You could almost throw Goligoski into that group as well had he not had the strong finish to the year.

Goose and OEL were are 2 best defensive D.

 

[Mosby]

Chychrun.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Calling OEL a very good defender is a little bit of a stretch. He was solid at breaking the puck out an in transition but that's about it.

OEL is a good defender when he plays defensively. That sounds a bit redundant, but from what I've seen his quality of play is controlled by an internal switch of some sort. Either he plays like an elite offensive defenseman, or he plays a reliable defensive role. I don't recall seeing many instances of him doing both at once.

The stat-watchers around here like to ignore that OEL elevated Bush to a top 4 role. Ghost might be able to replace OEL's production, but I'll be surprised if he can carry a #7 defenseman like Bush as a top 4 partner.

Ghost is going to need a reliable stay-at-home partner to cover for him, just like Yandle did. Fortunately, it's a bit easier to find those kinds of defensemen than it is to find guys who are good in transition and puck-moving.

 

[BAdvocate]

LOL!

Guy sounds a little like Sebastian Bach....speaking of which whatever happened to Zac Bierk? I guess he's the goalie coach for Ottawa.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Garland on NHL Tonight..... already getting more attention with another club.

 

[rt]

LOL!

Guy sounds a little like Sebastian Bach....speaking of which whatever happened to Zac Bierk? I guess he's the goalie coach for Ottawa.

And here's the same guy a few weeks prior saying Dylan Guenther is the 2nd coming...



LOL! indeed...

 

[TheLegend]

Garland on NHL Tonight..... already getting more attention with another club.

An NHL player agent this past week said Vancouver is like what I will describe as a mini fishbowl..... nothing close to Toronto or Montreal, but a fish bowl nevertheless.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

An NHL player agent this past week said Vancouver is like what I will describe as a mini fishbowl..... nothing close to Toronto or Montreal, but a fish bowl nevertheless.

Honestly, though, probably the least stressful of all the Canadian franchises for a player.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

NHL tonight leans more toward the American audience.

 

[TheLegend]

This is an agent's perspective... so

 

[rt]

This is an agent's perspective... so

Damn. It's been like a week...and he's about as far from Vancouver as a human being can be...

 

[Jamieh]

Honestly, though, probably the least stressful of all the Canadian franchises for a player.

I don't think that's true. I think it's 3rd behind Toronto and Montreal.

 

[knich]

This is an agent's perspective... so

Given the size of Garland contract, the criticism of him is not far behind. I really liked garland but not at the price Vancouver paid. Frankly, I liked garland more for the type of player he was than for his production.

I believe that Garland is not going to hold up to the numbers that he put up in AZ. In fact, after Garland got injured early in the season he really wasn’t the same player. I think management should have gotten help for him but they didn’t. I really feel like he’s got maybe 1 to 2 years left where he might be able to put up similar numbers.

I am a little surprised we let Chaput go at the price he signed in Carolina. Maybe he wanted to try another team?

 

[rt]

I think Garland will be >0.70ppg in Vancouver for the duration of his deal. I wonder a lot more about GP then pts/gp.

 

[knich]

I think Garland will be >0.70ppg in Vancouver for the duration of his deal. I wonder a lot more about GP then pts/gp.

yeah..not sure how much protection Vancouver has for Garland

 

[rt]

yeah..not sure how much protection Vancouver has for Garland

Gadjovich and McEwen for starters. They’re a rather large team, I think.

 

[WrinkledPossum]

This is an agent's perspective... so

Yah Vancouver is the 3rd biggest fish bowl in Canada. The city is all about the Canucks now, the BC Lions who used to get 40-50k to some games are now irrelevant. Big media market that talks Canucks all year. 2nd biggest focus would probably be the Seahawks now...

Part of it has to do with their success around 2010 making the finals but never winning. The feeling of success is still fresh. Their media has also gotten used to being negative after all the bad moves Benning has made. They'll jump on anything to be able to pin it on him.

If OEL and the team underperform he's going to have a really tough time. They'll be after him and Benning.

 

[WrinkledPossum]

Great interview from Craig. The part about Garland makes me wish he was still around, would've been great to have in the room... Too bad we couldn't have sent Schmaltz instead.

 

[rt]

Great interview from Craig. The part about Garland makes me wish he was still around, would've been great to have in the room... Too bad we couldn't have sent Schmaltz instead.

It’s an odd moment. I feel aligned with what the GM is doing and Craig seems to be as well. Most of the time when he expresses opinions about the team, I very much disagree with him. But my head was nodding throughout that one.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

I will miss Garland. I was up in Edmonton for the game a couple of years ago (3 maybe?) when Garland scored off of his face. Still, it was a great trade for us, allowing us to move high into the 1st. As good as Garland was for us, I fail to see how he warranted a #9 overall pick.

I'm not sure what Vancouver was doing, giving a 1 and a 2 for OEL and Garland. OEL is very good still, but anchored with a terrible contract with length. Garland is a set up for injury with his style of play. They must see something in both players that I don't to warrant that high a payment.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

I'm not sure what Vancouver was doing, giving a 1 and a 2 for OEL and Garland. OEL is very good still, but anchored with a terrible contract with length. Garland is a set up for injury with his style of play. They must see something in both players that I don't to warrant that high a payment.

The thing is, Vancouver is going to get at least one season of engaged Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and at least one season of "Prove Arizona wrong" Conor Garland. This coming season is their shot, and it's a good one. If that's their target, then the picks are worth it in a draft that's deep enough that they can still get value from the later rounds.

Now, beyond 2021-2022? It's anyone's guess. Maybe OEL keeps it going, but maybe he gets distracted again. Maybe Garland's season will be the watershed that transitions him from potential star to legit one, or maybe he'll regress back to the mean like Mike Smith did (or, worse, he'll get injured). It's a big gamble. If you're Bill Armstrong, you don't take it because the long-term value is too uncertain (which is why he didn't wait to see how Tourigny would affect the roster). But if you're Jim Benning and you're GMing for your job, then the time to be conservative is over.

 

[Yotes2000]

Honestly, though, probably the least stressful of all the Canadian franchises for a player.

No, it 100% isn't..

Ottawa and Calgary for sure

 

[rt]

No, it 100% isn't..

Ottawa and Calgary for sure

I think Winnipeg too. More of a center of the universe vibe for the jets but it’s tiny universe by comparison.

Back in my younger days when I had a less involved job, I would listen to the various TSN radio outlets all day at work. Most often Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto. Winnipeg was clearly tamer than the others in those days.

The Jets get all the attention but it seems there’s less assholes making names for themselves by dragging the players constantly and crossing the line as much as possible. More like a west Texas high school football team. It’s the only show in town and everyone is obsessed but everyone also loves them and there’s some reverence or at least respect.

Toronto and Vancouver have a more “big city f*** you vibe” - this of course is relative to Canada. Lol. Where the cities aren’t that big and the people are very nice.

At least that’s my perspective from down here in the desert.