Matt Lee

Matt Lee has been a Canucks follower and a prototypical Canadian for years; it started on the streets by playing road hockey before and after Vancouver Canucks games and it's brought him here. After graduating from SFU with a BA in Communications and a minor in History while serving as the student newspaper's sports editor for two years, Matt is now a student at BCIT's Broadcast Journalism program in hopes of becoming a sports broadcaster.

Canucks and Hawks has makings of a bloodbath

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Jan 312013
 
http://committedindians.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/seabrook-kassian.jpg

Zack Kassian could be the Canucks’ raging bull tomorrow and look to destroy anything in red (or in tomorrow’s case, white AND red).

Hey, remember last season? It seems like forever ago, but it was just 10 months ago when this happened:

Looking at it ten months after the fact, nothing changes how I view this hit. It was cheap and dirty. The puck is nowhere near the same stratosphere as Daniel Sedin when Duncan Keith launches a high elbow right in his jaw.

If you recall correctly, Keith received just a two-minute elbowing penalty but also got supplemental discipline handed down: A five-game Shanaban.

But the damage had been done to the Canucks. Daniel Sedin was sidelined with a concussion, and missed the rest of the regular season including the first three games of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings. By the time he returned for Game 4, the Canucks were in a 3-0 hole in the series and their hopes to return to the Stanley Cup Final virtually dashed.

Now there’s no telling what could’ve been if the Canucks had a healthy Daniel Sedin in their lineup during that series. Maybe they don’t let the Kings win and go on to claim the Stanley Cup, or maybe not. But there’s no doubting that had he been in the series he would’ve at least made it interesting.

Flash forward to tomorrow. It’s the first time the Canucks meet the Blackhawks since that fateful night. Some sort of revenge has to be on Vancouver’s minds; even fans are hoping Duncan Keith gets his due.

Sound familiar, doesn’t it?

March 8th, 2004. The Canucks meet the Colorado Avalanche for the first time since Steve Moore laid out captain Markus Naslund with a borderline hit to the head. Vancouver called for redemption for weeks, and they got it in the worst fashion possible. Todd Bertuzzi goes overboard and, well, we all know how that story played out… It wasn’t pretty for either side.

Needless to say, tomorrow’s game between the Canucks and Blackhawks has all the potential to be an all-out war. It could get ugly in a hurry and perhaps Vancouver may even be looking to make a statement physically as opposed to on the scoreboard.

And unlike in meetings past, Vancouver has a number of players willing to dish the big hits and launch fists: Aaron Volpatti, Dale Weise, Max Lapierre… And then there’s Zack Kassian, who lately has been the hottest Canuck. Perhaps even more ironically at this time, he’s fulfilling a lot of those comparisons people have made between him and Todd Bertuzzi circa 2004.

Kassian even has a beef with Keith. Check out the video evidence:

Hoo boy. Here we go.

Keith can’t say those things to Kassian now. Kassian has five goals in seven games (good for a second-place tie in the NHL), and has dropped the mitts on two occasions already; by now, he knows his role. Kassian has been the lightning rod of attention on the Canucks, for better and for worse (mostly better these days).

Duncan Keith may yet get what’s coming tomorrow from Zack Kassian. Let’s just hope neither side goes overboard with the retribution this time.

Edler’s Around For Six Years at a Bargain Price

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Jan 182013
 

The collective Canucks fan base can breathe a sigh of relief, Alex Edler doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere.

Alex Edler Meets Taylor Hall

Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images


Vancouver general manager Mike Gillis abruptly announced (over Twitter!) that the Canucks have locked up the defenseman to a six-year contract extension, worth $30-million. That means the silky blueliner will be making $5-million per season.

It also means that he becomes Vancouver’s highest-paid defenceman, but perhaps that was to be expected. With all due respect to his teammates Kevin Bieksa, Dan Hamhuis, and Jason Garrison (we’ve omitted Keith Ballard’s name for obvious purposes), Edler still has immense upside compared to them.

Even though the Swede put up a career-high 11 goals and 49 points last season — the healthiest season of his career, we should mention — some believe he could’ve put up even more. There’s one, two, or three 50+ point seasons in Edler yet, and the Canucks are banking on him rising to that level within the next six seasons.

You’d be nuts to not believe the Canucks regard Edler highly. Here’s a quote from assistant coach Rick Bowness back in 2010, before Edler had even cracked the 40-point barrier:

Nick Lidstrom was 31 [when he won his first Norris Trophy]. That’s seven years from now for Alex. You figure where Alex is and where he’s going to be seven years from now. That’s why you have to look at the big picture.

Pretty lofty expectations to set for Edler, sure; hard to compare one player to his arguably the second greatest defenseman of all-time. But that’s just how much the Canucks value their now highest-paid defenceman.

But as much as you’d like to praise Edler’s newest contract and his high potential, the contract doesn’t come out with at least some trepidation. He missed 31 games in 2011 after back surgery and last summer had back surgery again to fix a bulging disc. Edler says now that he feels as healthy as he’s felt in a very long time, but also that he might never feel 100 percent ever again.

That has to raise at least some concern.

Assuming though, that the Canucks medical and training staff can keep Edler happy and healthy, and the coaching staff don’t over-exert him over the course of long regular seasons, the back issue should be a non-concern.

And while six years — as with any long-term contract — can create some cap-related concerns, the Canucks can at least take solace that there are several defencemen across the league that make even more money than he will. Take for example, the following list of less-than-Edler blueliners:

  • Jay Bouwmeester, 29 years old, five years @ $6.68-million per season
  • Tyler Myers, 22 years old, seven years @ $5.5-million per season
  • Matt Carle, 28 years old, six years @ $5.5-million per season
  • Dennis Wideman, 29 years old, 5 years @ $5.25-million per season

There could be far worse options than Alex Edler at $5-million for the next six years.

And taking a look at the potential free agent defencemen crop for next summer:

  • Kimmo Timonen
  • Lubomir Visnovsky
  • Sergei Gonchar
  • Ron Hainsey
  • Mark Streit

It’s easy to suggest Edler would’ve been the best defencemen available of the bunch. There very likely would’ve been a team that wouldn’t flinch at throwing him a contract with a longer term and for even more money.

The Canucks did well to lock up Edler. And for the next six seasons, you can look forward to some more of this:

Recovering from the Wreckage

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Jan 072013
 
Donald Fehr, Gary Bettman and Bill Daly

Photo credit: Toronto Star

The NHL lockout lasted 113 days. It took a 16-hour marathon negotiation session for the league and its players to make labour peace. But the numbers in this bitter dispute only speak one part of the battle.

No, the next battle ahead for the two sides is how they will win back the hearts and minds of the fans who committed their time and money to a game which in their eyes has betrayed them and left them jaded.

As happy as Canucks fans should be that the lights of Rogers Arena will soon glow blue and green and the bowl will be packed with fans once again, let’s not lose sight of what has exactly transpired here.

Back in September it was both sides saying that the other wasn’t keen on making a deal. They threw verbal barbs at one another, arguing over who should get a bigger piece of our money. And that’s what made this lockout so angry to fans; it wasn’t a philosophical dispute like putting a salary cap in place like in 2004-05, it was about sheer money, dollars and cents.

Fans have every right to be angry and upset, the two sides have acknowledged that. They’ve both pledged to win us back, and I’m sure whatever tactics they have up their sleeve will help them retain a lot of that fan loyalty. But this isn’t a cry to all fans to boycott the league and it’s players on opening night. It’s a reminder that this lockout shouldn’t have been necessary in the first place and a reminder for fans to be mindful about just how much money they decide to put back into the NHL for the foreseeable future.

What will the NHL do? Splash the bluelines of all 30 arenas with “Thank You Fans…Again!”? Offer the NHL Gamecenter package for free (which they, technically, make little to no profit off anyway)?

To use a phrase which was bandied about far too often during the lockout negotiations: “It’s a start, but there’s a lot of work to do”. The two will have to do something outrageous to repair the damage which has fractured NHL fans.

I’m not saying we can’t embrace the game when the puck finally drops. I’m just saying you have every right to still be mad when it does.

Inside the Justin Schultz Sweepstakes: Ice-Time Earned, Not Given

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Jun 282012
 

For the first time in perhaps months, the Roberto Luongo trade speculation took a back seat in Vancouver, giving way to the Justin Schultz sweepstakes.

Those who don’t know Schultz already need simply to take a look at some of his college highlights to get a glimpse of what the silky blueliner can offer an NHL club.

Schultz, drafted by Anaheim in 2008 as a second round pick, refused to sign a pro contract with the Ducks within three years of his draft, allowing him to become a free agent. For the Canucks, Schultz could become the most highly anticipated defense prospect they’ve had since Alex Edler, perhaps even beyond that.

Sure, you can question the way that Schultz became a free agent, but to be fair, this isn’t the first time in recent memory a promising young prospect has turned down a contract with the team that drafted him. Blake Wheeler was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2004 (fifth overall!) and didn’t sign a contract, allowing the highly touted winger to sign with the Boston Bruins. Now, Wheeler plies his trade with the Winnipeg Jets, is a fan favourite, and no one questions his heart or commitment to the game.

Then there are those who condemn Schultz for making this saga “about him”, saying that he’s stealing the spotlight from trade discussions around the league or CBA negotiations. But can you blame the 21-year-old for wanting to take his time? The first few years for a budding NHL player can be so crucial for his development; careers have been ruined because the situation and the fit with an NHL club wasn’t right for the player (see Kyle Okposo). Few should bestow blame on Schultz for wanting to make sure he makes the right decision. It’s an important one; take your time, kid. And it’s not like Schultz is going to hold one of these when he signs a contract… I think.

But I digress. Early reports seem to suggest that the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs will be on the Schultz short list in the next few days, with the possibility another surprise club finds its way onto the list as well.

The Edmonton Oilers are offering Schultz a nice package, one which is promised with lots of ice time, powerplay minutes, and the chance to grow and mature with young players. While the Oilers are no powerhouse yet, the potential on their roster shows plenty of promise within the next few years.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have an ace in the hole in Jake Gardiner, Schultz’s teammate at the University of Wisconsin and one of his closest friends. How great would it be to play with your best friend on the same pairing for the next decade?

But ultimately, if the Vancouver Canucks are smart when they offer their package to Schultz’s camp, they’ll make no promises.

Zero.

You see, while Schultz is entitled to take his time in making a decision, by no means has he earned the privilege to make demands from potential suitors. He’s played a grand total of 0 games in the NHL.

If Schultz wants ice time and powerplay minutes, the Canucks should tell him it’s there if he earns it. If he wants to take the steps necessary to learn under some veterans and play on a contending team, the Canucks are his choice.

Contrary to what two straight Presidents’ Trophies will tell you, the Vancouver Canucks haven’t won a whole lot, at least not what matters. And ultimately, the Canucks and their fans are in the business for one thing, and one thing only: winning the Stanley Cup. If a player’s number one focus isn’t to win a Stanley Cup, he doesn’t have the type of character that Mike Gillis covets. If Justin Schultz has his sights set on his own personal gains, he has no place on this roster. Vancouver dealt with one prospect who was in it for himself, and would be wise to avoid that situation again.

The Canucks can’t and shouldn’t make promises to Justin Schultz. He has to earn every second of ice time he gets, and if he applies that kind of work ethic on the ice, the results and the victories won’t be far behind.

Fallout from Draft Day and 15 Canucks Thoughts

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Jun 272012
 
Vancouver Canucks

Photo credit: canucks.nhl.com

1. Some fallout from the NHL Draft: Is it possible that, after the Cody Hodgson fiasco, the Canucks are doing more “background checks” on possible NHL draft picks? I found it interesting when Mike Gillis said that Brendan Gaunce has “good parents, good potential, and good leadership”. Wait, good parents? Sounds familiar.

2. You could make the argument the Canucks were ecstatic that Gaunce was available to them at pick 26. Outside of the offensive upside, there isn’t a ton separating Gaunce and Hodgson. Gaunce wore an ‘A’ for Belleville last season and is close to a lock when it comes to getting a spot on the Canadian world juniors team next winter.

3. Are the Canucks just steering clear of drafting WHL players completely? The club has now made 25 consecutive selections without taking a single WHL player. The last was Morgan Clark (2008, 7th round), and for the last ‘successful’ WHL pick outside of the traded Michael Grabner, you’d have to go all the way back to 1995 when Brent Sopel was a 6th round selection.

4. There was a rough reception for the Canucks on Day 2 of the draft, when they selected all overage players with their remaining picks. A lot of people cried uncle when the team could easily have signed the players over the summer without sacrificing picks. Perhaps the club wants to draft more mature players who could be ready in 2 years as opposed to 3 or 4.

5. How sold are you on the “draft the best player available” mentality? The Canucks certainly aren’t, given most of the drafted players could’ve been available later.

6. One team that didn’t draft the best player available was the Calgary Flames, who took Mark Jankowski when they could’ve arguably had him in the second round. Canucks fans who went through the Patrick White fiasco in 2007 know the pitfalls that can follow when a marginal prospect goes in the first round.

7. The Canucks didn’t make qualifying offers to Victor Oreskovich, Marc-Andre Gragnani or Andrew Ebbett, allowing all to become unrestricted free agents. Oreskovich and Ebbett aren’t total surprises, but steps had to be taken for Gragnani to avoid becoming a UFA in the first place, so the fact the club didn’t extend a qualifying offer is a bit shocking.

8. The problem with Gragnani is that he’s a good to great player in the AHL, but a fringe player in the NHL. Either the Canucks didn’t think he was worth a contract, or Vancouver has another defenseman coming into the system soon…

9. Also sounds like Aaron Rome won’t be returning to the Canucks. Unfortunately, the biggest impact Rome had in a Canucks uniform was for his hit on Nathan Horton which arguably cost the Canucks the Stanley Cup. Rome certainly wasn’t an impact player on the blueline during the run, but the team had been crippled by injuries beforehand so his suspension didn’t help matters.

10. With Rome and Gragnani cast out by the Canucks, who’s going to fill the void? It’s been floated around the Twitterverse that Sami Salo will be back for another year, but that still leaves a spot or two on the blueline open.

11. You can put together an opinion that Vancouver is opening a roster spot for high-profile UFA Justin Schultz to come to the Canucks, but nothing can be certain at this point. You could also argue the Leafs traded Luke Schenn so that they could free a roster spot for Schultz as well.

12. Is Toronto off the table for the Canucks and Roberto Luongo? Trading Luke Schenn, who was rumoured to be offered straight up for Luongo, certainly seems to answer that question.

13. Florida is said to be the frontrunners for Luongo now, but GM Dale Tallon questions whether or not the Cats can fit a gargantuan contract like Luongo’s into the equation, though reportedly, Florida ownership have no problems having to pay Luongo ten more years.

14. The other problem is the Canucks are said to be asking for one of Florida’s top young players: Erik Gudbranson, Jonathan Huberdeau, Dmitry Kulikov, and Quinton Howden. The first two are unlikely acquisitions, given they were top three selections in the NHL drafts the last two years.

15. Big congratulations are in order for Pavel Bure, who was elected to the HHOF yesterday. As a fan who grew up idolizing Bure as a child, the Russian Rocket spawned a generation of hockey fans in this city. And whether or not you believe he deserves to have his jersey hanging in the rafters of Rogers Arena, his place in the Hall is simply unquestioned.

Canucks second round options

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Jun 222012
 

The Vancouver Canucks haven’t held a second-round pick since 2009 when they took Anton Rodin, and while the Swedish winger continues to develop in Chicago, a brief history suggests Vancouver’s luck in the round after the first isn’t so hot.

Yann Sauve (2008) is bordering on bust status, Taylor Ellington (2007) and Marc-Andre Bernier (2003) were colossal failures, and for every time the Canucks got lucky (Mason Raymond, 51st overall in 2005), they’ve been unfortunate to trade away that pick for immediate help.

Nevertheless, here are some names to keep in mind for the second round, when the Canucks draft 57th overall.

 

Martin Frk, RW, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL):

Bob McKenzie’s Final Ranking: 32

THN Ranking: 45

The Skinny: Missed a lot of time with a concussion and had trouble recovering … Loves to score and is highly skilled, but some scouts question his lack of effort. Not a huge gamble for a team who takes him, but he’ll need another year of junior.

 

Colton Sissons, RW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL):

Bob McKenzie’s Final Ranking: 33

THN Ranking: 40

The Skinny: Yet another Vancouver product in the 2012 draft, Sissons plays multiple positions and has a high work ethic … He’s a two-way forward, but like Brendan Gaunce, some question if he has any offensive upside.

Brady Vail, LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

Bob McKenzie’s Final Ranking: 60

THN Ranking: 58

The Skinny: Vail and Brendan Gaunce fought last year, but that only shows that Vail is just as rugged as Gaunce. Characterized as a “Swiss army knife” type of player, Vail could be an asset on a team’s third or fourth line.

 

Cristoval Nieves, C, Kent (USHS):

Bob McKenzie’s Final Ranking: 51

THN Ranking: 55

The Skinny: They call him ‘Boo’ Nieves, maybe because he skates well for such a freak (and that’s a good thing). At 6-3, Nieves is a tremendous skater despite his large frame, something Chris Kreider overcame when drafted by the New York Rangers.

 

Nick Ebert, D, Windsor Spitfires (OHL):

Bob McKenzie’s Final Ranking: Unranked

THN Ranking: 60

The Skinny: At this time last year, Ebert was projected as a top-ten pick. In the span of 365 days, he’s completely fallen off the chart. But Ebert has a cannon of a shot and an impressive skill set, so if a team wants a project, Ebert’s the biggest one available.

 

Lukas Sutter, C, Saskatoon (WHL):

Bob McKenzie’s Final Ranking: 52

THN Ranking: 63

The Skinny: It seems like a lot of teams search for a “Brad Marchand type” (as well they should be), and Sutter might be it. Sutter brings tenacity and is committed to winning and even has demonstrated some offensive touch.

 

2012 NHL Entry Draft: Canucks Select Brendan Gaunce in First Round

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Jun 222012
 
Brendan Gaunce, Vancouver Canucks

Photo credit: The Pipeline Show

The Vancouver Canucks ignored all the trade chatter and whispers on the draft floor in order to take centre Brendan Gaunce of the Belleville Bulls with their 26th overall pick.

What the Canucks are getting:

A solid two-way centre with faceoff ability who can play all forward positions. Gaunce has been a leader with the Belleville Bulls and should be on a shortlist for Canada at the next World Juniors. Gaunce isn’t a physical specimen by any means, but at 6-2 and 201 pounds is willing to go into the corners and engage in physical battles if necessary. The knock on Gaunce is that there are questions about his offensive upside, so most scouts have him pegged as a third-line centre. Gaunce’s skating stride is also suspect, as his first step is rather sluggish. But if Gaunce can improve his stride, he can be a very tenacious forechecker for the Canucks down the road.

Call me, Cody?:

There are a couple similarities between Brendan Gaunce and one-time Canuck Cody Hodgson. On top of the fact the two are both from Markham, their skating strides when drafted out of junior are similar, but both are hard-working players with leadership qualities.

Other notes:

We shared some of the scouting reports on Gaunce earlier this week.

In drafting Gaunce, the Canucks passed on a few other prospects: Henrik Samuelsson, a rugged crash-and-bang winger, and Brady Skjei, a smooth-skating defenseman from the U.S. National Development Program. The Canucks also could’ve opted for Matthew Finn, another defenseman from the OHL’s Guelph Storm, or Ludvig Bystrom, a Swedish defenceman who hails from Ornskoldsvik (aka The Canuck Factory).

2012 NHL Entry Draft: Matt’s Mock Draft

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Jun 202012
 
Nail Yakupov, 2012 NHL Entry Draft

1. Edmonton Oilers: RW Nail Yakupov, Sarnia (OHL)

Assuming the Oilers retain the first overall pick, the brass would be naïve to draft anyone other than Yakupov, who’s far and away the best of the draft.

2. Columbus Blue Jackets: RW Filip Forsberg, Leksand (Sweden)

The Jackets essentially need help all over the map, and in terms of NHL readiness, Forsberg’s as safe as they come.

3. Montreal Canadiens: C Alex Galchenyuk, Sarnia (OHL)

There are fears Galchenyuk hasn’t recovered from his ACL injury, but scouts got positive news when the American had a good Combine. He’ll need another year of junior, but is the big, rangy centre the Habs want.

4. New York Islanders: D Ryan Murray, Everett (WHL)

In 2010, the Isles wanted Erik Gudbranson. In 2011, they wanted Adam Larsson. They need a franchise defenseman and Murray’s the best this year has to offer.

5. Toronto Maple Leafs: C Mikhail Grigorenko, Quebec (QMJHL)

If anyone could be a mover and shaker at the draft, it’s Brian Burke and Toronto. The Leafs are in search of a big, skilled centre, and if Galchenyuk is off the board, Grigorenko is the next best option.

6. Anaheim Ducks: D Matt Dumba, Red Deer (WHL)

It looks like the Ducks will lose top prospect Justin Schultz, so Anaheim will likely need to both draft a defenceman and stay clear of NCAA players for a while. Dumba goes for the big hit, and the Ducks would love a player who plays like Chris Pronger.

7. Minnesota Wild: D Jacob Trouba, USA (NTDP)

Trouba’s a Minnesota boy, and the Wild have shown they like taking players from their own backyard (see Nick Leddy). Trouba has defensive defenceman capabilities, something the Wild lacked when they traded Brent Burns.

8. Carolina Hurricanes: LW Teuvo Teravainen, Jokerit (Finland)

Small, shifty, and skilled; sound like someone on Carolina you know? Jeff Skinner leapt to the NHL right after the draft, but the ‘Canes haven’t had much success at forward otherwise.

9. Winnipeg Jets: C Radek Faksa, Kitchener (OHL)

The Jets covet size and skill, and Faksa has it in spades. The Czech import is a character player for Kitchener while putting up point per game numbers.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning: D Morgan Rielly, Moose Jaw (WHL)

Like Galchenyuk, Rielly missed a ton of time before acquitting himself well at the Combine. Rielly might be the best offensive defenceman available and the Bolts would love to pair him with Victor Hedman.

11. Washington Capitals[1]: D Griffin Reinhart, Edmonton (WHL)

The Capitals blueline is aging and soon Karl Alzner and John Carlson will be leading the charge, but Washington could use a defensive stud like Reinhart in their pipeline.

12. Buffalo Sabres: RW Thomas Wilson, Plymouth (OHL)

The Sabres parted ways with the burly Zack Kassian, but Wilson would be a worthy replacement. The 6-foot-4 Whaler brings size and grit to the table to an otherwise smaller forward pool.

13. Dallas Stars: C Zemgus Girgensons, Dubuque (USHL)

Big and rangy, Girgensons is classified as a safe pick, which is good for Dallas who could add another forward to their prospect cupboard. Scouts say he brings a good two-way game and competitive edge.

14. Calgary Flames: D Cody Ceci, Ottawa (OHL)

The Flames’ recent track record of drafting defensemen at the draft has been subpar at best (see Matt Pelech and Tim Erixon), but Ceci is a superb offensive defenceman who could make it. Scouts have made comparisons to Michael Del Zotto.

15. Ottawa Senators: RW Sebastian Collberg, Frolunda (Sweden)

Skill behind forwards like Jason Spezza and Kyle Turris is needed, and Collberg has lots of it. Playing on a deep Frolunda team, Collberg still has lots of upside.

16. Washington Capitals: D Derrick Pouliot, Portland (WHL)

The Caps will have a safe and rugged defender in Reinhart, so they can afford to swing for the fences with Pouliot, who does it all for the Winterhawks. He’s a defenseman with high scoring potential.

17. San Jose Sharks: D Olli Maatta, London (OHL)

The Sharks need help at just about every position, and with the best player available mentality, will take Maatta, who performed admirably for London at the Memorial Cup.

18. Chicago Blackhawks: G Oscar Dansk, Brynas (Sweden)

Corey Crawford is an on-again, off-again goaltender, and the Hawks need to consider the best available goaltender. Dansk isn’t the highest-ranked goaltender, but carries the least amount of red flags.

19. Tampa Bay Lightning[2]: D Hampus Lindholm, Rogle (Sweden)

The Bolts already have one steady Swedish defenceman, why not two? By taking two blueliners in a defense-heavy draft, the Lightning secure their future on the back end with a handful of good defencemen.

20. Philadelphia Flyers: D Slater Koekkoek, Peterborough (OHL)

With Chris Pronger’s career coming to an end, the Flyers need to address their blueline. They have very little faith in Erik Gustafsson and M-A Bourdon, so Koekkoek will be their next project.

21. Buffalo Sabres[3]: LW Pontus Aberg, Djurgarden (Sweden)

With Marcus Foligno graduating to the Sabres and the defense stocked with Mark Pysyk and Brayden McNabb, the Sabres get a skilled left winger in Aberg.

22. Pittsburgh Penguins: C Brendan Gaunce, Belleville (OHL)

The Penguins went with defenseman Joe Morrow last year, and with Simon Despres ready, they’ll likely draft a forward. Despite what GM Ray Shero says, Jordan Staal’s future with the Pens is far from secure, and Gaunce can be a good third line centre down the road.

23. Florida Panthers: D Matt Finn, Guelph (OHL)

Florida doesn’t have many blueliners with offensive upside outside of Dmitry Kulikov and Brian Campbell, but Finn has a good two-way game and a solid first pass. He’s the best player available at this point.

24. Boston Bruins: D Brady Skjei, USA (USHL)

A silky smooth skater, Skjei has some size and good upside. The U of Minnesota commit could afford to play more physical, but that’ll come with more time in Boston.

25. St. Louis Blues: D Ludvig Bystrom, Modo (Sweden)

With Vladimir Tarasenko signed and Jaden Schwartz ready, the Blues add a defenseman to their young blueline corps. Bystrom is a mobile defender who plays a patient and safe game.

26. Vancouver Canucks: C Tomas Hertl, Slavia Praha (Czech.)

The Canucks have selected a Czech for the last two years (David Honzik and Adam Polasek), showing their willing to take a Czech player if the right situation presents itself. Hertl is a mega-talented centre with hockey smarts and playmaking ability; he just needs to improve his skating.

27. Phoenix Coyotes: LW Nicolas Kerdiles, USA (NTDP)

Much like the Coyotes, Kerdiles is a bit of a wanderer in the sense he was born in Texas, lived in France as well as California. But on the USA NTDP, he’s a power forward with good finishing skills.

28. New York Rangers: LW Stefan Matteau, USA (NTDP)

His father was a favourite on the Rangers, and Matteau’s power forward capabilities and energetic style could make him one in the Big Apple as well. He’d be a perfect complement on a line with Chris Kreider.

29. New Jersey Devils: G Malcolm Subban, Belleville (OHL)

The Devils struck out with Jeff Frazee, and may still look to outside help to address an heir for Martin Brodeur, but Subban’s a quick and athletic goaltender who has starting goalie potential.

30. Los Angeles Kings[4]: D Michael Matheson, Dubuque (USHL)

Assuming the Kings get to keep their pick, they take the best player available at 30 and that’s Matheson, a blueliner with good two-way skills but doesn’t show it enough.


[1] Acquired from Colorado Avalanche for Semyon Varlamov

[2] Acquired from Detroit Red Wings for Kyle Quincey

[3] Acquired from Nashville Predators for Paul Gaustad

[4] Columbus has option of taking this pick or next year’s after Jeff Carter trade

Shaping Up The Off-Season and 15 Canucks Thoughts

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Jun 122012
 

1. The Los Angeles Kings have begun their royal coronation, and they got on that championship road by defeating the Canucks in the first round in five games. That means that for three straight years Vancouver has been defeated by the eventual Stanley Cup champions (Chicago, Boston, and now Los Angeles). I’m not one for superstition but how many teams would like to line up against the Canucks in the first round next spring?

2. When watching the rest of the NHL playoffs, I always find it a little unnerving when Canucks fans cheer for the team that ousted them, in this case the Kings. Canucks fans feel better about the fact they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Sure, it means the Canucks lost to the best team, but it doesn’t mean the Canucks were the second-best team in the postseason. To me, a loss is a loss; there is no second place when there’s 16 teams and just one champion.

3. Love him or hate him, Drew Doughty was fantastic and a huge reason why the Kings got to the promised land. He was delivering production close to a point per game and was +11 in the process. Most memorably, his Bobby Orr-like goal in Game 2 of the Finals turned out to be a real turning point in that series. Canucks fans have to ask themselves if they have anyone like Doughty in their system. Is Alex Edler the answer? I don’t think even Canucks management knows for certain.

4. The pace of games in the playoffs were at a snail’s pace on occasion, depending on the team you watched. Vancouver has built its team around an up-tempo style, but considering the success of guys like Dustin Penner this spring, you have to wonder if that philosophy needs to change. The Canucks picked up David Booth in November for the purpose of making their team faster, but I’m not sure anymore if that’s a winning recipe.

5. Craig MacTavish resigned as head coach of the Canucks’ AHL affiliate yesterday in order to become the senior VP of hockey ops with Edmonton. You get the sense that once he learned Alain Vigneault would be back behind the Canucks bench next season, MacT had little reason to stay. It’s obvious he wants to be a head coach at the NHL level again and he knew that wouldn’t happen with Vancouver any time soon.

6. That leaves a head coaching hole with the Chicago Wolves that the Canucks need to fill. There are a few good candidates to take the spot; a week after hiring Bob Hartley as their next head coach, the Flames decided to let Craig Hartsburg go. Hartsburg has coached Canada to world juniors gold in 2008 and prior to taking the associate coach position with Calgary was the Everett Silvertips bench boss.

7. Another option to take over is Scott Arniel, who was canned from the Columbus Blue Jackets this past season. Sure, Arniel had a rough go in his time in Ohio, but any coach would with Steve Mason between the pipes. Arniel was treasured during his time with the Manitoba Moose and while he currently works for the Canucks as a scout, you know he’ll be eager to get behind a bench once again. Both Hartsburg and Arniel would be excellent choices.

8. Sticking with coaching talk, no one knows what was said in the meetings leading up to Alain Vigneault’s renewal, but it’s clear there needs to be a change in how Vigneault approaches his players. Vigneault is a coach known to loosen the reins on his players a bit, but that will have to be different this upcoming season. Fans weren’t happy with the dives and yapping coming from players, and the leadership to remedy those problems starts with the head coach. Vigneault would be best served by implementing a tighter ship; dive and yap and you can find yourself stapled to the bench.

9. Call it a hunch, but I suspect trade activity will pick up considerably as the NHL Draft gets closer. There’s a ton of uncertainty with regards to a possible work stoppage and the temporary increase in the salary cap, but that shouldn’t deter general managers from bolstering their teams. The increase in cap space should give teams incentive to make moves they wouldn’t normally make, and perhaps the Luongo trade saga fits that equation.

10. Only Mike Gillis holds the cards, but the Luongo saga continues to unfurl. Some fans want assets coming back that can help the Canucks win now, but isn’t freeing up $5.3-million in cap space the biggest asset? This summer isn’t exactly a ground breaker in terms of free agents available, but freeing up that much space and adding an extra million in a cap increase could give Vancouver the chance to land a really, really big fish.

11. Continuing on with the Luongo rumours, a lot of people have thrown out Jake Gardiner and Luke Schenn’s name when mentioning the Toronto Maple Leafs, but how about Cody Franson? The Memorial Cup winner with the Vancouver Giants is a product of the Nashville system where defencemen are bred like prized racehorses, and at 24 is still a blueliner with potential.

12. Some have asked about what the real chance the Canucks have at signing soon-to-be free agent Justin Schultz. Schultz is a product of the U of Wisconsin and while there teamed up with current Leaf Jake Gardiner. Now both players were once draft picks of the Anaheim Ducks, but Gardiner was traded to Toronto in a package for Francois Beauchemin. Hard to say for certain, but perhaps Schultz’ feelings towards Anaheim soured when they traded his partner. This isn’t to say Schultz will follow Gardiner to Toronto, but if the Canucks could land Gardiner in a deal for Luongo…

13. If the Canucks are hoping to sign Cory Schneider to a new contract, they better get it done soon. Not just because Schneider could be eligible to receive offer sheets, but because of the Tim Thomas effect. Now that Thomas is taking a year off from hockey, Tuukka Rask’s bargaining power as a restricted free agent just got bigger. Rask and Schneider are goalies with similar career trajectories, and if the Canucks want to avoid paying Schneider upwards of $4-million a year, they’d best get a contract hammered out before Rask does.

14. For those in the trade Schneider camp, word is that Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec is being lured by a KHL team. A restricted free agent in July, the potential offer from the KHL team is said to be substantial. If Pavelec pulls a Radulov and bolts, a certain redheaded Canucks goalie is known to be a fan favourite in the ‘Peg. Hmm…

15. The NHL Draft is on June 22 and fans are wondering who the Canucks will target at 26th overall. I’ll have more in my draft preview, but given Jordan Schroeder and Anton Rodin’s strong strides in development this past season, the team should be looking at a defenseman with this year’s pick. And considering the abundance of blueliners in this year’s crop, that’s a pretty safe deduction to make.

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