Fogghorn wrote:
saskhab wrote:
CanuckinOz wrote:
I don't really see moving someone who's wanted out for 2 years as a significant move somehow. I know given the quality of the player I should but when you've got someone else who wants out and basically have a bidding war supposedly going on for him why don't you move him? Maybe when I have more details I'll understand - but I doubt it. Very ready to move on.
The offseason deals will be better for a guy like Kesler. They shouldn't have to retain salary. Almost every deal today teams were retaining salary because they were up against the cap. I'd guess Gillis didn't like the offers because of this.
Gotta disagree. Whatever benefit there is regarding more teams having salary cap room are offset due to the fact the acquiring team will only be sure of having his services for one playoff run instead of two. He's a depreciating asset.
And the Nucks are almost certain to not make the playoffs, but Kesler will probably help improve their win totals which will decrease the potential draft position.
Gillis dithers around, he got lucky to inherit the team just at the right moment when Kesler, Bieksa, Sedins and Burrows all matured and they had just acquired Luongo. He has ridden the coattails of the work done by Nonis and Burke for years
I don't think it was dithering on Kesler. It looks like Anaheim was going the hardest for Kesler and was willing to throw gobs of picks at the Canucks for him, but wasn't willing to give up a roster player. When you're talking about a big center with speed and skill to spare and one of the best 2-way players in the game I don't blame him for holding out for something better. He'll get it in the offseason. I guarantee you once some teams, like Philly, free themselves of some contracts there will be more bidders and higher prices for his services. Like you said, he's signed to a very reasonable deal. You never know...someone might even
overpay.
And having Kesler or no Kesler won't have a real effect on the "tank" from here on out. There's not many games left to play.
It's too bad Gillis let the Luongo/Schneider fiasco effectively unravel all the good work he did in Vancouver, but that failure is his, and his alone. But it didn't help that the team got increasingly brittle and he lost his best defensive prospect by a mile to a tragic accident. A combination of bad luck, bad moves, and bad drafting did him in. I suppose if McPhee was allowed to fail twice, so should Gillis (I still think he's a much smarter GM than Nonis).
I actually rooted for the Canucks in the Finals (and that will be the one and only time I will ever do so). It was such an unconventionally-built team and Vigneault utilized it to perfection, leading to a damn near-perfect regular season. Hopefully the retool is quick and (relatively) painless. I suppose if there's a time to tank, it's next season.