Canucks Army Monday Mailbag: April 3rd

I’ve wondered at points in this season if I was, perhaps, too reserved in critiquing the coaching staff. In fact, I was a pretty ardent defender of Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins up until about two months ago. Apparently, there’s someone who trumps my support, and then some.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Barry, but there isn’t a hope in hell Desjardins returns. I’m fairly certain he sees the writing on the wall, too. His commentary is as unhinged, critical and frankly honest as it’s ever been in his time as a Canuck.

The real shame here? In Desjardins first season as the Canucks’ head coach, he was a progressive coach who preached playing with pace. The Desjardins who’s coached the Canucks this season is so far removed from that I sometimes wonder if they’re even the same person.

I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve answered this question in about four different mailbags, and that seems like a conservative estimate. I keep arriving at the same answer, which is that the Canucks should give Travis Green a shot.

Is it Desjardins that Nikolay Goldobin needs saving from or the reality that he’s skating alongside Brandon Sutter if he is in the Canucks’ lineup? Perhaps the answer is both. Frankly, though, if the Canucks aren’t wont to play Goldobin, they might as well send him to Utica for the playoff push.

It’s funny that there’s been so much handwringing about Olli Juolevi’s season among the Canucks’ fan base. All of it comes back to his boxcar statistics, too. By that same token, Juolevi’s London Knights are using him as their power play quarterback on the first unit, and he’s done a reasonably good job of holding that down.

Do I see Juolevi as someone who’s going to be an offensive dynamo at the NHL level? Probably not. His offensive instincts aren’t great and his shot isn’t the greatest. Juolevi’s value will always be at its peak in the defensive zone and transition.

As an aside, Juolevi’s looked really damn good these playoffs when I’ve watched. I can’t for the life of me understand why the Canucks don’t want him playing with the Comets or Canucks’ down the stretch. Truly a puzzling decision if there ever was one.

I’m still convinced Nolan Patrick will be a first-line centre in the NHL. Perhaps not among the league’s best, but I can envision a future for Patrick where he develops into a similar player to Eric Staal or Ryan Getzlaf.

The thing about Patrick is that his toolkit is full. There isn’t any one glaring deficiency in his game. Offensively, everything is there. He sees the ice well, distributes the puck efficiently and can make plays under extreme duress with ease.

I haven’t finalized, or even started, my draft list yet, but if I had, Patrick would still be number one — though there’s a reasonable case in Nico Hischier’s favour, to be sure.

This is one of those moments where I hate the CHL transfer agreement. In a perfect world, the Canucks could slot Juolevi in as the go-to guy in Utica next season and call him up whenever necessary. That isn’t to say I don’t think he could handle the NHL, though.

Juolevi already sees the game at an NHL level. Watch the Knights enough, and you’ll regularly catch Juolevi making reads that are lightyears ahead of the rest of the field. He makes passes in transition that his outlets often fumble because it’s a play they can’t envision.

At this rate, if it’s the CHL or NHL, I think Juolevi can make a strong case in the latter’s favour with a strong training camp.

I don’t think I would. Goldobin needs to play a top six role, and I don’t envision Jake Virtanen as having a future in the NHL beyond that of a third liner. It’s possible I’m proven wrong on Virtanen in the long run. As is, I’d keep him miles away from Goldobin. He can’t think the game well enough to work with a player like Goldobin.

Not soon enough, am I right comments section?

I hope not.

I’m not big on player comparisons, even stylistically. Even if I was, I’m not sure I’d draw a straight line between those two.

As for Goldobin’s habits, I’m not all that concerned. In fact, before he was felled by the flu, this is the same player who was making plays in traffic against Shea Weber. If this was a player unwilling or afraid to battle, he’s not doing a good job of picking his spots.

Let’s wait until we get another look at Goldobin without the flu or the aftermath of the flu wearing him down. I don’t think Goldobin is one hundred percent yet and even if he was he’s playing on Sutter’s which is where wingers offensive production goes to die.

I could see the Canucks going either way.

I think his biggest problem right now is that flu that took 15 pounds off his frame. After that, though, I’d suggest skating with Sutter as an explanation of why he’s not producing — nobody does in that role.

Sorry, John, it’s way too early for that.

I basically dress exclusively in black, so that would backfire in the worst way.

He is such a great dog.

If the Canucks use Megna as a fourth line or thirteenth forward type of player, I can live with this contract. Regardless, I can’t understand why they had to go with a one-way deal and add money on top of the veteran minimum.

If they play with Loui Eriksson, then yes, I think that’s a distinct possibility. Still, age seems to be kicking their ass. It’s possible they continue on this downward spiral.

It’s coming too soon and it’s going to be for too much. In all seriousness, I expected that I’d wake up January 1st with a massive hangover and read that the Canucks extended Gudbranson, only making my headache worse. That didn’t happen and there hasn’t been anything since, and there hasn’t been much discussion about the extension either. So, who knows?

Kyle Dubas.

nobody knows.

Nolan Patrick.