Waived: Weber waived; Cleared, off to Utica (Feb 6)

[FroshaugFan2]

Weber was waived because the Canucks need to clear a roster spot for Hamhuis and Weber lost his spot to Biega. It's as simple as that.

 

[Ho Borvat]

Edler - Tanev
Hutton - Sbisa
Beiga - Bartkowski

(Hamhuis traded)

Pedan
Tryamkim
Subban

Looks about right. Very poor depth though.....

That, and those prospects are probably 50/50 shots to become F/T NHL players. Its going to be a couple of seasons until we have something resembling an NHL caliber blue line

 

[NuxFan09]

Lol, this is getting funny.

Say what you want about Benning, but the guy has balls. What other GM has orchestrated an exodus of NHL players on one-way deals via waivers like this, and proceeded to send them all to the AHL? We've obviously seen it happen to players here and there as an isolated event, but nothing like this.

 

[me2]

Weber will be replaced by Tryamkin as soon as his KHL season is done.

Ahhhh so Biega is replacing Hamhuis. That makes sense based on how Jim wants his second pairings constructed.

 

[Ace of Hades]

If only they placed Braindead Sbisa on waivers instead.

 

[Alpha]

If only they placed Braindead Sbisa on waivers instead.

That would require management to make a decision that isn't also braindead.

 

[Ace of Hades]

That would require management to make a decision that isn't also braindead.

This makes no sense.

 

[canucksfan]

Won't they be very close to the cap if no on claims him?

 

[Alpha]

This makes no sense.

Sbisa is braindead.

Management is braindead.

Follow along.

 

[Ace of Hades]

Sbisa is braindead.

Management is braindead.

Follow along.

Then restructure your sentences properly next time.

Glimmer of hope is still left in management, no need to follow.

 

[fancouver]

That, and those prospects are probably 50/50 shots to become F/T NHL players. Its going to be a couple of seasons until we have something resembling an NHL caliber blue line

Tryamkim is actually a lot closer to the NHL than Pedan. I think he's a F/T 6th guy next year.

He's already played 4 seasons in the KHL which is like AHL-quality, if not better. I expect a 2-week conditioning stint with Utica next year just to get used to systems and then probably a Hutton-type training camp.

 

[me2]

Lol, this is getting funny.

Say what you want about Benning, but the guy has balls. What other GM has orchestrated an exodus of NHL players on one-way deals via waivers like this, and proceeded to send them all to the AHL? We've obviously seen it happen to players here and there as an isolated event, but nothing like this.

Most would have traded them while they still had some value but Jim is breaking new ground here with this bold strategy Cotton.

 

[iceburg]

Tryamkim is actually a lot closer to the NHL than Pedan. I think he's a F/T 6th guy next year.

He's already played 4 seasons in the KHL which is like AHL-quality, if not better. I expect a 2-week conditioning stint with Utica next year just to get used to systems and then probably a Hutton-type training camp.

The KHL is definitely better than the AHL. The top end talent is NHL level. The top end of the AHL is fringe NHLers and developing youth.
For what it's worth here's a ranking of leagues by the hockey writers. NHL, KHL, SHL, AHL etc.

http://thehockeywriters.com/ranking-the-top-ten-hockey-leagues/

 

[F A N]

Won't they be very close to the cap if no on claims him?

Not if they send Weber down. Except for Vey, the Canucks actually "save" a bit of cap room by having Etem instead of Higgins and Biega instead of Weber.

Tryamkim is actually a lot closer to the NHL than Pedan. I think he's a F/T 6th guy next year.

He's already played 4 seasons in the KHL which is like AHL-quality, if not better.

I've been hearing this and I think that's a major exaggeration (to put it kindly). To make that conclusion is to conclude that any Russian player who has played a year in the KHL is a lot closer to the NHL than a 19 or 20 year old in the CHL. That's simply unfounded.

Pedan has actually spent as many seasons playing "pro hockey" as Tryamkin, although Pedan's development has been slowed by injuries. Furthermore, many players require some time adjusting to the North American game. Pedan has been through NHL camps, he's been playing in the NHL, and this season he has played in 3 NHL games and didn't look out of place. If you add in the fact that Pedan is not waiver exempt next season, the logical conclusion should be that Pedan is a lot closer to making the NHL next season than Tryamkin.

I expect a 2-week conditioning stint with Utica next year just to get used to systems and then probably a Hutton-type training camp.

You mean, Tryamkin needs a Hutton-type training camp. Conditioning stint is for those whom the team wants and or plans to keep on the NHL roster. A simpler way is to simply send Tryamkin down to the minors to start the year if he needs to "get used to systems."

 

[wonton15]

Sorry i'm not familiar with how waivers works: what happens when Weber clears? Are we free to call him up and send him down at will without exposing him to waivers again?

 

[bossram]

Ultimately, I hope Bulldog is the 7th defenseman next year but in my opinion he's outperformed Weber as well. A shame as I had high hopes for him this year.

As a 7th Biega is fine but even played much more than that kind of role.

Weber has been terrible this year and has absolutely earned his demotion (as has Bartowski but oh well). As a tankist I hate this move as Biega has been much steadier in his short stay up. There is an argument for the DBATC's perspective but this does not fit into that at all. This move is one of several - Prust, Higgins - that actually make sense if your aim is to win hockey games. But as I say, I wish all 3 were in the line up tomorrow night for ... reasons.

Weber has been pure garbage all season..

Even if Weber is being outplayed by Biega (IMO he isn't) the body of work shows he is a superior defenseman overall.

I am on the tank train too. Biega helps us get there.

 

[bossram]

No disrespect intended but I encourage you to watch him a little bit closer.

• 2016-01-11 - 016 - Biega's a beaut
• 2016-01-17 - 007 - Angry Biega.
• 2016-01-26 - 008 - 01-0251 - Biega hit on Ribeiro

Biega doesn't get trapped in his own end unless his partner screws up and Biega is way better than a 7/8.

You can cherry pick three clips of any player looking great.

My eye test (and the underlying numbers) suggest that he isn't that good. His skillset is very limited.

No disrespect I encourage you to watch him a bit closer.

 

[bossram]

Biega doesn't have 'tools'. He isn't big, isn't hugely skilled, doesn't have a huge shot, isn't super fast skating in a straight line.

But he does have skills. His defensive fundamentals and gap control are absolutely spot on - the complete opposite of Sbisa and Bartkowski. He battles in tough areas and takes hits to make plays. He has intelligence and anticipation. He has a good first pass and makes good decisions with the puck. He's a leader on the ice and communicates well with whoever his partner is.

He's been our 3rd or 4th-best defender this year. Guy is a keeper.

If his fundamentals were that great, the on-ice results would be better. The underlying numbers don't indicate that. And personally I don't see it either.

I don't hate him. He's fine as pressbox depth. But the love for him is...very interesting.

Was Weber good this season? No. But he's shown in the past he can sustain a fairly strong level of play. I think he was and is a better bet to be better than Biega.

 

[The Stig]

GTFO you plug!

 

[NuxFan09]

Most would have traded them while they still had some value but Jim is breaking new ground here with this bold strategy Cotton.

Traded them away while they still had value? First of all, what value did Higgins have? Come on. With Prust, he just acquired him this year! He played pretty well at the beginning of the year and then his play plummeted. Nowhere in there was there a period of time in which to A) actually decide to trade Prust and then B) trade him while he still had value.

With Weber I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been a trade yet, as I would think there's some interest out there. But either way, do you REALLY think Benning hasn't considered trade options before waiving these guys? Or maybe the thing we're missing is that the value of these guys is so low that there's absolutely no difference in their value before and after waiving and demoting them. If anything, maybe they're even more valuable once they're available at a reduced cap hit.

My point is, I'm far from a Benning fan, but it's foolish of some of you whiners to assume the guy is actually a giant idiot just because his GM'ing so far leaves a lot to be desired. There's a huge difference between a bad rookie/sophomore GM and an actual idiot. I am absolutely certain trades have been explored.

 

[Hammer79]

Sorry i'm not familiar with how waivers works: what happens when Weber clears? Are we free to call him up and send him down at will without exposing him to waivers again?

There are no re-call waivers anymore, so we can bring him back to the NHL club without exposing him if we really wanted to do so. Once he clears waivers, the Canucks will assign him to the Utica Comets. If he was called back up to the Canucks and then later sent back down, we'd have to put him on waivers again to send him back to Utica.

 

[Addison Rae]

Biega's underlying numbers aren't that bad, he's playing 2nd pairing competition and is nearly even in term of CorsiRelative, eye test wise he's passing with flying colours personally. He showed excellent chemistry with Hutton in the preseason yet they've only player 22 minutes together throughout the season which is ridiculous. I think Biega is a fine bottom pairing guy, much better than Bartowski and Sbisa.

 

[kanucks25]

If his fundamentals were that great, the on-ice results would be better. The underlying numbers don't indicate that. And personally I don't see it either.

I don't hate him. He's fine as pressbox depth. But the love for him is...very interesting.

Was Weber good this season? No. But he's shown in the past he can sustain a fairly strong level of play. I think he was and is a better bet to be better than Biega.

Do you know who his partner is?

 

[Hi-wayman]

Edler - Tanev
Hutton - Sbisa
Beiga - Bartkowski

(Hamhuis traded)

Pedan
Tryamkim
Subban

Looks about right. Very poor depth though.....

I doubt Hamhuis will be traded. He wants to stay in Vancouver and has indicated he will take a salary cut if granted an extension. Actually next season I'd rather have Hamhuis on the Canucks than any draft pick we could get for him. He is still better than most of our D. Gives our younger D a mark they have to exceed in order to replace him on the roster rather than being gifted an open roster spot on our D.

 

[VanJack]

I doubt Hamhuis will be traded. He wants to stay in Vancouver and has indicated he will take a salary cut if granted an extension. Actually next season I'd rather have Hamhuis on the Canucks than any draft pick we could get for him. He is still better than most of our D. Gives our younger D a mark they have to exceed in order to replace him on the roster rather than being gifted an open roster spot on our D.

Not seeing this....Hamhuis has been gawd awful this year....a pale shadow of the d-man he used to be...but one thing's for certain....unless he steps up big time in the next few weeks, Benning will have lots of trouble extracting value for him at the deadline anyway...but still don't see how the Canucks could re-sign him the off-season unless he's prepared to take a massive hometown discount...and why would he do this?...might be the last contract of his career.