Canucks Army Monday Mailbag: August 8th

Well, nothing new this cycle. I mean, the Canucks did sign Olli Juolevi, which was neat. I never had any doubt about it getting done in the first place, though. So yeah, nothing worth getting too riled up about.

I feel like this is where I’m supposed to remark on these being the dog days of summer, but I’m sure I’ve exhausted that sentence a hundred times over already. There’s still plenty to talk about, as your questions attest. I guess this is where I start answering them, right?

Well, I think that’s due in large to a failure to communicate to fans and the media what exactly their plan is. It seems to change from day-to-day or week-to-week. One second they’re doing everything in their power to compete for the playoffs and then the next they’re dealing a draft pick for the privilege of Brandon Prust. That’s just one example, but there have been a few similar moments.

It wouldn’t hurt, too, if the Canucks might open up about their use of analytics or even better still if they let Jim Benning divulge more of what goes into his scouting process. Like, I’ve communicated with scouts and they’re very, very intelligent people. Whether our methodology or approach differs, they offer some invaluable insights into the game and always challenge my own conceptions about any given player. I’m willing to bet that Benning could, if prompted, offer some pretty insightful soundbites on what goes into their draft preparation.

I could go on and on about what the Canucks could do to endear themselves better to their fans, the media, etc. At the end of the day though it’s an incredibly difficult job. I think we could all stand to give them a little more credit than we do from time to time. They seem to be learning from their mistakes and have had a, mostly, good off-season.

They’re both excellent prospects in their own right, but I have to give the slight edge to Brock Boeser. He’s a player that, in retrospect, should’ve been taken in the top ten of the 2015 NHL draft. That’s a statement backed up by scouts and draft analytics models alike. Assuming Boeser continues to develop in a similar manner to last season, I wouldn’t rule out an NHL debut in the 2017-18 season.

I’m less certain of Juolevi. He’s going to need to add to his frame to withstand the rigours of an 82 game season in the NHL and could stand to polish his game from the defensive zone. Still, I think he’s a fine prospect. I’m very much looking forward to what he can do for the Canucks. If I were a betting man, I’d expect a 2018-19 debut.

I have a really hard time getting a read on Nikita Tryamkin. I’ve undersold his ability from the draft forward, so I don’t know if I’m the guy to ask. Like, if you told me at this time last year that Tryamkin would make his NHL debut when he did, I would’ve just laughed. At this point, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that he develops into a second pairing defenceman. I’m hoping he continues to prove me wrong.

Yeah, let’s just not revisit the Evander Kane situation. I don’t want the Canucks to trade for him. Some things are more important than scoring goals, you know? Anyways, I’m all for signing Hudler. There isn’t a CBA limitation on the amount of skill you can have in the lineup, and he represents a sizeable upgrade on much of what the Canucks already have in their bottom six — roles be damned. If the goal is to make the playoffs, adding Hudler would certainly help.

I would like to think so, yeah. Am I convinced of it happening anytime soon? Maybe less so. I’ve watched a lot of Canucks’ tape trying to figure out why exactly Horvat’s possession metrics are so astoundingly bad, and I’m not close to having an answer.

I think a part of it is that he’s not very controlled in transition. Horvat loves to cross the line with speed and make a play towards the net. Sometimes he dazzles, but more often than not he tries the same in-and-out move and loses the puck. If he can learn to maintain control of the puck well into enemy territory, I think that’ll go a long way in aiding his possession game.

That’s a good question and one I’m not one hundred percent sure I’m qualified to answer. The Canucks and Boeser share a really strong relationship, from what I can gather. If the two sides felt that Boeser’s development stood to benefit from going pro early, then they would’ve come to terms on a contract. I really think it’s that simple. 

I think a big part of why the Canucks are okay with leaving Boeser in North Dakota is because of the expanded role he’ll have to take on as a result of Drake Caggiula, Nick Schmaltz and Troy Stetcher graduating to the professional ranks. He’ll have to take on a leadership role and be the guy in that offence. The Canucks clearly think that counts for something.

That’s another really, really good question. I want to do an article on this topic at some point, so I shan’t be going too far in depth with my answer. My apologies in advance. Here’s the tl;dr in advance, though. I think the Canucks are better with Virtanen in their lineup, and I’m uncertain of whether that’s a symbiotically beneficial relationship. 

<insert corny, myopic joke about the Stanley Cup riot>

Well, whether you’re #TeamBenning or not, he’s the Canucks guy. He’ll be the Canucks guy for a while, too. We’re not even into the first coaching change yet, so yeah, this one’s a ways away from happening. Also, I think I’ve answered this one before? I think?