WWYDW: Fixing the Defense
5 years ago
We’ll keep things short and simple this week.
What should the defense pairings look like next year? Feel free to include any signings or trades you’d like to see the Canucks make.
Last week I asked: Are you team playoffs or team tank?
apr:
Team playoffs as long as no futures are traded for unnecessary upgrades. Bring up Gaudette and McEwen to participate/gain experience in playing meaningful games in the Spring. Experience will provide a lot of motivation for the boys over the summer to prepare for the new year. That said, if injuries pile up, cut bait and trade marketable assets.
Hockey Bunker:
Definitely team playoffs. Need to go through the fire to become steel. Pettersson is too driven to have him miss the playoffs. He lives for winning, so does Markstrom, frankly they all do. Canucks are getting a good pick anyway so moving up a couple of places likely won’t matter.
Playoff performances can also enhance the value of players you’d like to trade and so it is an added benefit you don’t get from tanking.
I’ve played in bad teams in many sports and a few good ones, and we never ever gave up. Period.
I’ve played in bad teams in many sports and a few good ones, and we never ever gave up. Period.
Kanuckhotep:
Never was there a time that I’ve ever followed the Canucks where my expectations of them were anything less than making the playoffs. Of course this ideal has been more realistic in some years than others given my fandom since 1970 but the present edition of Vancouver shows great promise for this year. Besides this young player group requires their baptism of fire in the post season at some point and the sooner the better. Put me down definitely as Team Playoffs.?
Defenceman Factory:
I am on Team Complete the Rebuild. There should be no moves made for the purpose of making or competing in the playoffs but I will never cheer for this team to lose for draft position. Their compete level is great most nights. Horvat and Pettersson are pushing this team into the playoff conversation. Awesome but something must be done to upgrade the D long term. If they are picking later drafting is more difficult and development takes longer. It is almost impossible to sign 1st pairing UFAs.
If Edler can bring a 1st rd pick, even a late one, trade him. If Leivo or Goldy can get a 2nd rd pick trade one of them. These trades give the Canucks the currency they need to trade for a quality 19-21 year old D prospect just prior to the draft (e.g. Tanev and a 1st or Goldobin, a 1st and a 2nd should bring a good young Dman). I have no issue if the Canucks want to re-sign Edler after July 1 for no more than 3 years and without trade protection. Sutter should be traded after July 1 for 2020 picks. Tanev should be traded next trade deadline again for 2020 picks. If the Canucks could, by some miracle, find someone offering a 1st for Gudbranson trading Tanev or Edler is less important. The extra 2020 picks could be combined with Hutton or Stecher for a younger, better Dman.
Edler and Tanev are without question the Canucks best Dmen but a mediocre (and offensively challenged) top pairing compared to the rest of the league. In 2 years they won’t even be that. Hutton and Stecher are serviceable NHLers but a bottom pairing on a contending team. Juolevi and Woo are definite maybes.Hughes will be a great PP quarterback but he won’t ever be the go to PK guy or be out for Dzone starts against the Jets or Preds. Upgrades are needed and leveraging the trade value of the veterans is the most expeditious and fiscally prudent way to do it.
With Gaudette, Madden and the Canucks picks in 2019 and 20 the centre position looks fine for the foreseeable future. Goaltending looks decent.At least one of Virtanen, McEwen, Jasek, Lockwood or Lind will become a good 2nd line RW. The only place I’d look to sign a higher cost UFA is at LW to play with Pettersson and Boeser. This strategy builds a strong core at all positions and if the Canucks use their own picks well it is strength that can be sustained without relying on lottery luck.
Puck Viking:
Team Tank. We are 8 points from last place in the league.
Trade:
Edler = 1st, +
Sutter = 2nd
Tanev = 1st +
Goldy = 3rd?
Gudbranson = 2nd?
Sutter = 2nd
Tanev = 1st +
Goldy = 3rd?
Gudbranson = 2nd?
Those picks would equal almost 2 whole additional drafts(using 2 players per average draft). AG plays for Sutter, ZacMac plays for Goldy, resign Elder in the offseason, look to bring back Tryamkin.. use all those picks to draft defense and our 1st on BPA, hoping Kakko. This frees up millions in cap space to take a run at Stone, Kapanen(4.1×7 years), Strahlman 2 or 3 year deal.
Our defense next season at worst looks like
Edler – Hughes
Hutton – Stetcher
Joulevi – Tryamkin
McEneny, Biega
Hutton – Stetcher
Joulevi – Tryamkin
McEneny, Biega
It would give us three 1st rounders, three 2nds and two 3rds. We wouldnt need to worry about adding additional picks again as we would be loaded for the next few years. The team would make the playoffs next season, while having the deepest prospect pool in the league.
Robson Street:
The compromise: team trade Erik Gudbranson.
Team playoffs can be happy because Biega is probably a better regular defenseman and improves Vancouver’s playoff chances in the near term.
Team tank can be happy because Gudbranson apparently holds some value and may return a pick, will free up salary, and will improve the team long-term by not being on it.
