OffThePost.org

What were you hoping they'd get when he had 2 teams to deal with? I'm just happy they got something done.
Dorsett has played for Willie before so obviously he knows what he's getting. Garrison trade irks me mostly because I went back last year and wanted to get a jersey with a local boys name on it. Unfortunately Santo was sold out so I went with Garrison.

Garrison was a salary dump pure and simple. And how he got a NTC is beyond me. Gillis used to give them out like candy. At least we didn't lose anything to get him except $$.

To me if a team requests a player with an NTC be traded, then if the players submits a list of 1 or 2 like Garrison it's completely reasonable. However if a player says I'm unhappy and want a trade to 1 or 2 you tell him to suit up and quit sulking or submit a list with a dozen teams. He's initiating the trade and he should be willing to facilitate it.

However rumours are flying out of the Canucks now that Kesler was pretty much despised in the dressing room. This I did not know about. If so then they were actually stuck and had to move him in that case the returns are not that bad. I still would have preferred just their #10 pick and keep everything else but oh well.

These rumours always seem to occur after these situations, could be organizational ass covering or maybe truth but this seems to support it.

http://vansunsportsblogs.com/2014/06/27/the-newest-canuck-insider-this-guy-eavesdropping-on-a-phone-call-at-jj-bean/

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Really good write up by Botchford, and yes Kesler certainly had to go. And by forcing the team to trade him to Anaheim and only Anaheim (Chicago salary cap issues meant that would never happen) he screwed the Nucks. So the trade is what it is.

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/06/27/the-mid-summer-draft-day-van-provies-youve-been-missed/

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Fascinating. I always thought Kes had a pretty big ego and was aloof but never knew it was that bad. Not a winning personality despite a tremendous skill set.

Canucks pick up Linden Vey from the Kings in exchange for their 50th pick. At 22, he's got 2 years of professional hockey under his belt with the AHL and projects as a 2nd line Centre.

Canuck's 3rd round pick is a monster of a defender but over age for sure. Real gamble at that age, and gamble that his already set in the KHL.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

And a couple good articles on the Canuck's 2nd round pick, top ranked goalie and San Diego boy Thatcher Demko

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=699923

http://therattrick.com/2014/06/27/nhl-draft-florida-panthers-draft-thatcher-demko/

Seems like a really decent pick.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

His point totals in WHL and AHL actually indicate he's another 3rd/4th line centre (what the hell are we going to do with all these guys??? Guance, Horvat, McCann, Mathias and Bohino???) Got to hope and pray one of them goes beyond historical comparable projections.

And Vey at 22 is under 190 lbs despite being 6'. Light for his height, and maybe why LA gave up on him, or just that they have so much depth at #4 centre.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

According to CA, Vey is actually right wing, that would be a better fit.

http://canucksarmy.com/2014/6/28/no-vey-with-50th-pick-canucks-acquire-linden-vey-from-la

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Fifth rounder Gustav Forslin, dman a bit on the small size at 5'11" but he has had some really nice point totals in international play. Looks like a really nice pick for this round

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/gustav-forsling/

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/107171/2014-u18-video-gustav-forsling-sweden/

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

6th round, Kyle Petit, 6'4" 200 lbs, no discernible hockey skills but at least he's big, cause you know we're all about big over skill.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

from PITB



Have to admit that is a good deal.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

and the 7th round pick is another monster (McKenzie Stewart 6.5 238lbs) that can't play hockey very well. Really, really not impressed. Three players who seem to be chosen for nothing but size and nice safe players in the 1st round while there were more skilled players available. I think we've seen the direction the franchise is heading and its going to be long and gloomy, time for me to find a second team.

As PITB points out the last pick of the draft is Spencer Watson who had an April bdate was a ppg player but was I guess at 5.10 too small for the likes of Vancouver. Can't wait till Benning trades for John Scott.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Followed yesterday's action via twitter on the train back from Portland (Great City to visit btw). I like that this new leadership group is clearing the decks and doing something. I have a renewed sense of optimism for the future.

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GO CANUCKS GO!

The weird thing about Petit is he had lousy stats and barely any PIMs, so he doesn't seem to be all that mean and fearsome. So who knows what the hell he actually does out there. Basically seems like just they picked a random CHL player's name out of a hat and took him.

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Injustice? Cobain died and Eddy Fucking Vedder lived to haunt us with his shitty fucking voice, trite lyrics and his Eddy Vedderness.



- Ancient Chinese Proverb

Not totally random, there is weighting applied to the selection. 6.2 < = ignore; 6.2 - 6.39 = even; > 6.4 +100% chance of selection

It is truly strange pick, 4th line centre with few points or penalty minutes. I mean this guy will never play in the NHL but Vladimir Tkachev who had 30 points in 20 games might. I actually understand why teams would pass on a player such as Tkachev, a small sample size of games, 5.9 height and a year over age but still, he might actually be able to play someday, the twin behemoths they drafted in 6 and 7 spots sure won't.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

I strongly dislike everything this management team has done so far. It honestly seems like the troglodyte thinking of past generations, and one thing I loved about Gillis and Vigneault is that they took a cerebral approach to the game, and tried to be innovative in order to get an edge. Not everything worked, but a lot of it did.

If the Canucks didn't have injuries to literally every single key player in the 2011 Finals, none of this idiocy happens and we keep on trying to build a skill team, even if it would inevitably be on a decline now from age.

I thought it was always pretty obvious that Kesler was something of a jerk, so it's not surprising if he was disliked. I think it speaks a lot to his character that in spite of a wildly successful tenure in Vancouver, he wants to jump ship at the first sign that things aren't going well, especially once Tortorella was gone. (I have said before that I hate the attitude of pretty much all star professional athletes that they're entitled to "play for a contender" at all times, since that's entirely a self-fulfilling prophecy).

I also find the seemingly constant desire of U.S.-born NHLers to avoid Canadian markets to be pretty hypocritical. They're still making shit-tons of money and they are doing it by playing a sport and in a league that basically only matters in Canada.

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I'm incredibly pessimistic as well.

Things I dislike

1. The situation looks pretty bleak and I've been pretty clear that I think now is a good time to sell off anyone who wants out. I just don't want to spend the next four years lingering on either edge of the playoffs with zero chance of a cup ala Calgary from 2008-2013. The fan base understands this for the most part and will accept a rebuild but the message we're getting is that the team is focused on making the playoffs......sounds too much like the the Flames Feaster famine years for my liking.

2. The drafts today are mystifying, 'meat and potatoes' in the first round when there was significantly more talented players available. Add to that a 6'4", 6'5" and 6'7" player, two of which have nothing else that can redeem themselves as hockey players and I think we have a pretty good idea that they value size over the skill that maintains high possession. And if there is an analytics team within the Canuck's they obviously have little influence. I expect Gilman will be looking to leave.

3. Shinkaruk is the only prospect that is likely to be a star. The prospect pool is still incredibly weak. As Charron pointed out today, the pool could have been Shinkaruk, Valeri Nichushkin, Ho-Sang and William Nylander. That would be a group I would be turned on about.

On the positive side.

1. The trades were good. Didn't like the Kesler trade but since Anaheim was the only option allowed and it sounds like Kesler was a large negative to the team he had to go. The other trades were really solid and it's nice that they seem to be able to deal with other teams where Gillis was pretty restricted in partners for whatever reason.

2. I actually really like both the Benning and Desjardin choices. Bennings draft history is superb, so hopefully he see's something with McCann and Virtanen that the stats don't.

3. Thomas Gradin still has influence, the 5th round choice of Gustav Forsling looks really promising.


Right now I'm just in wait and see mode for free agency. I suspect they will try and spend the $17 mil in cap space (rumour is they want Miller) and make the playoffs, exact opposite of what I want to see. However if they choose to hang onto the cash, and be open with the fans about their intentions of rebuilding I'll be quite pleased.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

PiTB quoted as saying he was arguably their best prospect but had little chance cracking that LA lineup. Sounds like a win-win.