CanucksArmy Monday Mailbag: Merry Christmas!

From all of us at CanucksArmy, a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and yours. Thanks for your continued readership.

Since the start of last season, Nic Dowd’s first full season in the NHL, he is a 48% faceoff man. If that’s the reason that he’s in the lineup, well, that doesn’t hold up under further scrutiny.

Apparently, not very long at all. Ben Hutton was in the Canucks lineup last night for their loss to the St. Louis Blues and had a mostly alright game.

When I came back to Canada from living in the United States, I had to take two full years off from hockey. For whatever reason, during that time, I’d decided whenever I did return to the game, that I would be a goaltender. Martin Brodeur was my neck-and-neck with Todd Bertuzzi as my favourite player, and I’d always played goalie in street hockey, so it made sense on some levels.

Anyway, at 13-years-old, being a goalie isn’t exactly cheap. Through a combination of working my ass off at a summer job, the help of my old man and birthday presents, we were all able to cobble together a set of goalie gear.

Getting a proper goalie helmet at the time was decidedly low on the priority list, though, so I went on with my Bauer player’s helmet. I hated it. I felt such an embarrassment being the only goalie in the entire league (who knows if that was true at the time, but it certainly felt that way) not to have a proper goalie helmet.

So, I put a goalie helmet at the top of my Christmas list. Lo and behold, there it was under the tree at Christmas. I put that helmet on for at least a good 15 minutes — I was so excited! It was an Itech helmet with a devil design on the front. I can remember how it looked like it was right in front of me.

I know this isn’t the popular opinion, but Jake Virtanen has followed a roughly similar arc to what I expected from him at the time of his draft. I always thought he’d be a Raffi Torres or David Booth type, which isn’t a knock on Virtanen in a vacuum, just his draft day billing and placement, perhaps, though that’s more on the Canucks than him.

Based on what I’ve seen from Virtanen this season, I’m probably a bit more optimistic than I was going into the year. That combination of power and speed could be deadly if Virtanen coupled it with a better read of the play, and a willingness to take the puck to the net (though he’s starting to get it).

A successful season for Virtanen is still probably a 20 goal, 20 assist year with great underlying shot numbers. That’s probably what peak-Virtanen will resemble.

I mean, I guess?

I don’t know if the Sedins are “taking” spots. They have so much to offer, even at this stage of their careers, that they’re not just impediments or placeholders in the lineup. Of the three prospects you mentioned, I’d expect probably two of them to make the NHL in a full-time capacity next season anyway.

They could replace the likes of Thomas Vanek. Beyond that, perhaps the Canucks make a move with one of their pending RFA’s to make space. Either way, let’s not put the cart ahead of the horse. The situation you’re speculating on is a long ways from happening and is contingent on a lot of hypotheticals.

I’m a big fan of the Granville Island Winter Ale. You know what I don’t like? Eggnog.

I don’t think Troy Stecher is struggling. I just think he’s playing less often and still doesn’t have the trust of Canucks head coach Travis Green yet.

I’d bet if the Canucks similarly used Stecher to last season, he’d look just fine.

Alex Biega.

Not without tracking the micro-statistics, and sorry, I’m not going to spend my time on that.

I have no clue. Honestly, I haven’t thought that much about Mike Green’s status beyond the trade deadline.

Because coaches, risk-averse as always, know what they’re getting from those players for better or worse.

I’m going to assume this question is in reference to the draft. The Canucks have so many holes in their system. They can’t afford to be picky. They should just keep taking the best players available to them.

It’s way, way too early for that, my friend. Ask me again in April.

Kris Russell.

They shouldn’t be looking to pick up anything. The Canucks should be selling and offering great Boxing Day deals on Erik Gudbranson. The situation on their blue line is already starting to get crowded, and everyone knows they’re going to move him sooner or later. Why delay?

I lean towards Thomas Vanek, though, Virtanen and Markus Granlund have pretty great wristers of their own.

Go back in time and sign him to a one-year deal. Or trade him.

I don’t think anyone in the Canucks front office thinks that. I certainly hope none of them think that, anyway.

Will Lockwood did make Team USA! I wrote about it!

The conversation probably starts in the $5-6-million range.

That seems like a stretch.

That’s a wide-ranging question if I’ve ever fielded one.

Most overrated player: Kris Russell

Most underrated player: Dominik Hasek

Traffic.

It seems fairly realistic that we could expect both of them in the Canucks lineup as early as next season. If they’re NHL-ready, I can’t see it hindering either of those player’s development. Then again, how to properly develop players is such a dynamic question that I’m not sure I’m entirely qualified to answer.

I don’t get to skate or play as often as I’d like, but I actually started going to pick-up hockey in November again, after a two-plus-year absence.

Nowhere near what the Canucks paid for Gudbranson, unfortunately. Maybe they can get a first-round pick or a grade-A prospect, but probably not both.

Yes.

I have a few funny ones, but they’re mostly at my expense, so I’ll spare you.

That’s one area of the game where Brandon Sutter’s absence is profoundly felt. For all his deficiencies at driving play at five-on-five, Sutter is really good in the defensive zone. On the penalty kill especially. Sitting Ben Hutton didn’t help either.

Snepts to Bossy?

A brand new MacBook Pro so I can keep delivering content to you, the people.

 

That’s all for today folks! Now go back to enjoying time with your friends, family and loved ones, as it is the season. Come back tomorrow for full coverage of the World Junior Hockey Championships, including day-to-day recaps!