Confirmed Signing with Link: [VAN] Tucker Poolman signs with the Canucks (4 years, $2.5M AAV)

[turkulad]

I say we watch him play first before going crazy, he clearly had a decent size role in Winnipeg last year and into the playoffs. You gotta wonder why they wouldn’t wanna sign him if they liked his play. Hopefully he can find a home with Hughes, OEL, or Myers ( funny how it’s impossible to tell who the first pairing is gonna be).

No true first pairing eh? So let's consider this a really lite version of Ehrhoff/Salo/Mitchell/Edler/Bieksa (I know I chuckled a bit too ) and see if any of these current guys can elevate their game here.. what I like about here is:

Poolman and OEL are totally new commodities and no one knows who they're gonna pair with so I'm sure they'll try and find a good fit.

Hughes with Hamonic is known to work so that's one baseline to build from.

Schenn came back with rings for a cheapo two-year-deal and we can therefore play him wherever seems best.

Only true problem is Myers. But we have time to try all kinds of combos, so maybe, just maybe something works..

 

[WolfgangPuck]

Glad he’s not in a Jets jersey. Decent at 10 mins a game. Maurice overused him. Didn’t fit top pairing with Morrissey
He’s got the tools. Good size can be physical
His puck handling is questionable. Rarely seen him do D-D pass When he has the puck he looks for forward to pass or move North immediately
Good luck Canucks. He got some upside but still 3rd pairing D in my opinion

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

Reminds me of when Dallas over paid on Canada Day to get UFA D man Pardy....

Give a starving man a cracker...... it’s the best damn cracker in the world (unbelievable)

3 months later ..... when he is not starving
“This cracker tastes like crap”

Vancouver G.M. Overpaying for all of Wpg stale crackers.......(Poolman/Tyler Myers)

and I liked Pardy..... back in the day for 1 mill per year.

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

Having stated above ..... how I think....Vancouver over paid for Poolman.

I could not be happier for Tucker the person.... congrats on winning the Lottery and getting someone to buy your magic beans you were peddling.

Tucker you are a great 6-7 D man..... In the NHL ... Vancouver fans it’s not Tuckers fault your GM values that @ 2.5 mill over 4 years.

 

[SCP Guy]

Good 3rd pairing D if he can stay healthy
Can fill in on 2nd pair incase of injury
top pair tire fire (but that's not his pay scale)

 

[Sunan]

I liked watching him in the playoffs. Lots of grit and a non stop motor.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I liked watching him in the playoffs. Lots of grit and a non stop motor.

Yeah I was impressed with him in the playoffs too. Played big minutes for the Jets.

 

[Canucks LB]

Its 2.5m who cares, If he shits the bed, Just bury him in a couple years.

Funny thing is, Everytime I have watched him play, He impressed me

 

[48MPHSlapShot]

Trying to be a little more optimistic, I wonder if the plan might be to play him with Hughes on the second pairing while Hamonic moves up to the first pairing to play with OEL. Apparently Poolman was a guy that was targeted by Shaw, and Shaw has no marriage to the Hughes- Hamonic pairing.

Stylistically, I think Poolman could compliment Hughes pretty well. The biggest criticisms that I've seen thrown at Poolman are his outlet pass and the fact he was playing over his head when playing top pairing minutes. Hughes likes to carry the puck into the Ozone, and won't be deployed to play hard matchup minutes, so that should help cover Poolman's perceived weaknesses.

Basically, I feel that the pieces fit together a lot better if we're willing to split the Hughes-Hamonic pairing.

OEL- Hamonic
Hughes- Poolman
Juolevi/Rathbone- Myers

Keeps both Myers and Poolman off the top pairing, and Hamonic I feel can play pretty much wherever you need him to play. It's still not great, and largely depends on OEL's defensive game improving, but it beats having Myers on the top pairing.

 

[lawrence]

He's played in the NHL as a full time NHLer in 3 seasons. in 2020 his ice time was a weak 17:17, which puts him number 6 in ice time among jets dmen. A depleted weakened defence. Fine. That said he was on pace for 23 points which is ok for a number 6 dman.

In 2021 he had 1 assist, ice time was the 4th highest, so 2nd pairing although one can say he's not even a top 4. Fair. NO argument here.

He just turned 28, and by the time his contract ends he's only 31. 4 year term is not a problem for me. 4 year term for someone under the age of 29 I don't have issue with.

2.5 million is kinda high for him. It is, but this is free agency and a lot of players that age will try to cash out. Overall he's overpaid, but it's 2.5 million and contract goes to when he's 31. hopefully he's a useful player for us.

 

[Romang67]

Its 2.5m who cares, If he shits the bed, Just bury him in a couple years.

Funny thing is, Everytime I have watched him play, He impressed me

You couldn't have watched us a little more often?

 

[uncleben]

Poolman was the franchise's last remaining tie to Ilya Kovalchuk, stretching back to the Thrashers days.
A pretty decent haul, and a pretty decent trade tree, yet here we are

 

[CanWin]

he's a late bloomer and two shortened seasons due to covid.

Jets fan here. Poolman is a late bloomer. At previous levels he has done well, but he got there later than others. Did we get Benn from you guys? As far as I am concerned, he is much better than Benn. In the usage I have heard Vancouver fans describe, I think he will do fine, albeit not on the first pairing against the best competition. I think his previous contract was three years at 900 AAV. That was an unusual contract for us. I think he took less money and more term at the time in order to give himself the opportunity to grow into the position. Similarly now, I think term would have been tremendously important to him. There is a chance that his best years are still ahead of him. I hope he works out well for Vancouver. I’m convinced he will give his all while he’s there with an eye to continuing to improve.