Motte and Bailey
Registered User
- Jun 21, 2017
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Better question would be, was Benn at more than twice the cap hit, be better value considering our cap situation than Fanta?had a good playoff?
Basically what I think. If the Canucks have Fantenberg starting on the third pairing next season then they're in deep trouble.Wouldn't want him as anything other than a dirt-cheap 8D.
He's decent enough at preventing goals, but can't actually do anything else on the ice. Players like this being exhausted and hemmed in our own zone are why we could never generate consistent pressure against Vegas.
Fantenberg played his role well this year and leap frogged Benn on the depth chart (deservedly so). Didn’t expect him to be such a physical, reliable player.
All that said, can’t see him being brought back. Benn will be the 7th man, and I think Rathbone will be given every chance to crack the top six d-pairings this coming season.
Basically this. Kinda too bad for him, he should have had Benns contract and Benn had Fantenburgs. But thats not what happend and we have Rathbone and Juolevi coming up next season so probably goodbye OscarHe's better than Benn. Solid 7-8D that played way above his paygrade. Looked like a 5-6D at times in the playoffs. If he wants a cheap deal again to stick with the boys, he's 100% worth the money over Benn. But we do have a glut of young D coming so I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't retained.
One way to separate NHL defensemen is to recognize there are some that help you win and others help you not lose. Fantenburg is in the second class obviously. This makes him better than a defenseman in a third category - those that cause you to lose (like say Pouliot). Fantenburg, cheap and in a support role, has been decent enough to get a contract if, in fact, the Canucks have enough cap space to sign him.
Fantenberg is an 'Aaron Rome' type of d-man. A decent d-man on a bad team, but a spare part on a good team. If the Canucks are determined to improve their blueline this off-season-- and how can they not be--then there was to be an upgrade on Fantenberg.In a laundry list of 6 years of terrible defensemen acquired, Fantanberg stands out as someone who you just kind of say "Hey. he's not bad."
I'd bring him back on the same kind of deal, 1 year 850k maybe a little more but definitely not 1m.