Canucks add Bitz
Thomas Drance
July 25 2011 06:15PM
This afternoon the Canucks signed 6,5 winger Byron Bitz; the former Bruin, Panther and Cornell Big Red's deal is two-way, one year contract. You can check out the official media release here.
Strangely enough, the teams official roster on the website was updated before the media release came through. Bitz appeared in 52 games in 2009/2010 for the Bruins and Panthers and was traded for Dennis Seidenberg, in what can only be described as a Dale Tallon special. He missed the entire 2010/11 campaign with a sports-hernia. In 87 career NHL games Bitz has 18 points off nine goals and nine assists.
Over his career Bitz has been a pretty run of the mill fourth liner, though his possession stats, and scoring rate indicate some potential upside. He also draws more penalties than he takes, which, is something I (unlike Steve Tambellini) like to see from a hulking fourth line winger. If he's in shape and healthy he'll provide the Canucks with the size they require and hopefully slightly better hands than the likes of Tanner Glass. He joins Duco, Pinozotto and Oreskovich in the battle at camp for a fourth line wing spot, and it's a pretty safe bet that he'll see time in both the AHL and the NHL this season.
Bonus: Byron Bitz has, on occasion, been known to Vlog (stick-tap to Sarah Connors). Check it out:
That must have been one hell of a hernia to miss the whole season.
Probably a better option than the Hordichuks of the world. Maybe he'll turn out to be a Tim Jackman like signing.
One can certainly hope...
I've seen a few Canucks fans on twitter hoping that he's the big winger we've all been hoping for to play with Kesler. While I think that's preposterous (he hasn't been a point producer at any level) I really like the idea of four big guys (five counting Volpatti) duking it out at camp for a spot on the roster...
"in what can only be described as a Dale Tallon special"
You're a good man, Drance.
@Thomas Drance
That's sometimes a common reaction when a team is looking to fill space X. Whenever the Flames would acquire someone new for years, the talk would be "he should play with Jarome". Jeff Friesen, for example, was penciled in to the first line by most the year he was signed.