OffThePost.org

That doesn't seem right. Although the Nucks are so statistically abnormal, so maybe?

I hope CanucksArmy does a deep dive into stat analysis of Hughes compared to the rest of the team, and Hughes compared to other top dmen in the league. The other night vs Carolina they were out shot 23-19, but out shot the Canes 11-5 when Hughes was on the ice. I still believe Hughes is part of the weird PDO factor but not subscribing to a stats site to figure it out. I just think Hughes on the ice generates a very high percentage of high danger shots as a percentage of total shots, and that is flummoxing PDO, pushing it a few and maybe even several points higher than normal.

And I'm coming around to this defensive corps in the playoffs. Cole/Scoucy/Meyers/Zadorov are biggggg. The high number of penalties they get in the regular season won't matter so much. They would take a very heavy toll on any team facing them over 7 games. Last time the Canucks were in the playoffs Meyers was actually very good. Really used his size in the way we'd all hope. I still think they should have gone after a #3 RHD with term instead of Lindholm but I also know Rutherford and Alvin deserve my confidence, they've executed as close to perfect as any managers could have.

Its so weird to be talking about the Canucks as a playoff bound team as a given and we're 30 games out.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

This made me smile. An excerpt from an interview with Mark Messier regarding his time with the Canucks which generates a poll asking readers if they fell Messier ranks as one of the top 5, top 10 or top 20 Canucks of all time, or a 4th option of "No".

85% of readers choosing No............man is he loathed in this market, even though it was 25 years ago.

https://www.canucksdaily.com/nhl-team/v ... he-canucks

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Phil Kessel coming to Abbottsford to work out with the baby Canucks his week. If he passes physical will be signing with the Nucks. I'm not sure what to think about this. It's a cheap solution, costs the team nothing, and will get him at a basement rate. Kessel gets a chance for one more cup. But unless he can make the Nucks top two lines (and I don't see that, he was 3rd line last year with Vegas, and the Nucks 3rd line is pretty much untouchable at this point) which I doubt, I'm not sure what value he brings to the 4th line.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Dakota Joshua, 3 point night and a Gordie Howe hat trick. 28 years old, and really until last year a career 4th line, AHL tweener. I would never have expected him to become a key player for the Canucks. On pace for 20 goals, 40 points. One of the top players in the league for checks and drawing penalties. Good defensively and can fight. Unfortunately he's a free agent this year and I doubt he signs for less than 3 million for 3 years, and I don't think the Nucks will be able to afford that. That will be too bad, as he's really becoming a fan favourite with a really well rounded big man's game.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Hoglander scores for his 17th of the season. All 17 goals at 5v5. I didn't realize this but he leads the team in goals at 5v5. How can this guy not get consistent time on the 1st or 2nd line. I know he has the last three games but that doesn't excuse the prior 40 odd games. And he still gets no time on the power play, despite having better skills than anyone else on the 2nd unit.

10:41 seconds tonight......only Sam Lafferty had less.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

More Phil Kessel. Last year he is skating speed was top 25% in the league, his shot speed top 20%. That's pretty hopeful, but Vegas did not play him for their last 18 games in the playoffs, that indicates a problem.

Further, it seems likely the Nucks will have to put Phil de Guiseppe or Sam Lafferty on waivers to bring Kessel on board. Which I really don't like, these two are very good 4th line players.

Based on this video, Kessel does not look like he's been training, boy is he struggling on the ice today.

https://twitter.com/CTVNewsBen/status/1 ... concerning

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

This looks like a shot in the dark but hey, if Phil the Thrill can recapture some of his past ability it'll be worth it.

I'm guessing this goes about as well as Brett Hull's final season in the NHL as an Arizona Coyote. He too showed up in less-than-stellar condition and could never quite get up to snuff.

It really could be worth it. His shot speed and foot speed indicates there was no huge fall off in physical ability last year. Perhaps his reaction time had diminished though? His points per minute in 3rd line duty in the regular season were decent yet he sat for the 90% of the playoffs.

However the cost of losing PDG or Sam Lafferty to waivers makes it questionable to me. Both are fast, and physical. They will do fine in the playoffs in a 4th line role.

Rumour mill has it that the Canucks are actually interested in shedding Ilya Mihkeyev. $4.75 mil cap for the next two years. From what I've read the injury he had last year will take a full year to fully recover from and might still be hampering him, and he has not been quite what we saw previously. On pace for 40 points which really is not quite good enough for the minutes he's had on the top two lines. If they can move him, then signing Kessel becomes more palatable for me. Assuming Kessel is even close to being in game shape, sure didn't look like it yesterday. lol

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Kessell was hunched over halfway through his first practice with Abbottsford. Out of shape in the middle of the season? "Phil, Lou Lamoriello here! How'd you like a 7 year contract with a full NTC?"

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Hoglander!!! Plays on both the top lines and gets 2nd unit power play time to replace Joshua. He looked good where ever he was. That slash on Walman for a bit of payback for last Saturday game. I like how Zadorov was both ready to help Hoglander after the whistle and doing the Gritty dance to mock Walman.

And Detroit's defense and goalie are really not good. If this team is in a wild card spot, how bad are the Penguins, NJ and Isles? And actually how bad is the east? Florida looks really, really good and will probably be my pick to win the conference in the playoffs. Rangers and Bruins could be a handful but after that, I don't think there is another team in the east that really looks all that strong. There are 6 teams in the west as good as those three.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

woot! Arshdeep Bains has gotten the call up from the farm. He probably won't get to play, although PDG was pretty awful last night so maybe he'll get in the lineup. I've been looking forward to this since last year, he just keeps progressing so well.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Yikes. That was the collapse to end all collapses. Gotta get at least one defenseman, if not two, and fire Chaos Giraffe into the sun.

I'm not sure what the hell is going on. When I watch they're not that awful, they just seem out of synch a bit but I'm starting to get worried. They've been getting pretty crappy results the last 12 games or so, and that is long enough to start being concerned.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Pettersson extends early Saturday morning. 8 x 11.5M.

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That is about the price I was hoping he'd sign for last summer. He has not been at his best this year but I still thought he'd get $12 - 12.25 range. Pretty damn happy with the $11.6 for 8 years. At his age, those last 5 years are going to be pretty cheap compared to other top talent in the league.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

So Meyers is out week to week. Pretty convenient timing. A few days before trade dead line. Any bets that he doesn't heal up until after the end of the season, clearing the way for $6 million in cap space and facilitating a trade? That shit works for TB and Vegas, hope they try it here.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

wow stop! you're making me so hopeful! Hadn't even considered the sceptibility! (OMG briefly thought the editor in this was accepting that - could be my submission for word of the year) Anyway hope you're right, this is very much turning into a lets put all our eggs in one basket season, and maybe with so many free agents it needs to be.

Hope Joshua isn't out too much longer, scary how important a 3rd liner can be.

So good They got Bains up, thought he was pretty good and a little unlucky, sounds like Podz is up next!

Sorry been on Vacation

Hyman and Matthews with a goal every 32 minutes of 5v5. MacKinnon every 40 minutes, Crosby every 49 minutes. Hoglander every 35 minutes. He's doing elite scoring and until recently doing it on the 3rd and mostly 4th line. He's gotten a few games of 2nd unit pp time, and that's it.

Hogs is finally getting time on the 2nd line which is where he should have been a long time ago. They really need to try him on the 1st unit PP as well.

If I was any team I'd being doing my damnest to try and trade for him. He's got 35 goals a year written all over him. Has a bit of attitude and chippiness to him, a player every team should want to have.................please, please don't trade him in the next couple days for Guentzal.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

Yeah Hoggy is one of my faves, don't want to lose him. Promising as this year has been and I know we're gonna lose some players to free agency but our core is around for awhile lets not mortgage the future too badly.