Young, local guy who was a high pick and seemed to be developing pretty well for Buffalo until a serious injury set him back last year. Good depth signing, and young/big enough and skates well enough that maybe he develops into something more.
I don't see how any could see this as a bad signing. We got a 2nd round pick for free. It's a local kid who has awesome size too. If he doesn't pan out, he plays for the Moose for a few years, if he does we got him for free.
Love this signing, apparently the kid is a bit shy and gets overwhelmed at times. That said, he has tremedous skating and skill for a big, big man. If you thought Willie had a big stick, wait till you get a hold of this guy! Being in Manitoba should better prepare him for the spotlight.
This is better than just getting a second rounder - half of them never play an NHL game - Funk has already made an NHL roster as a 20 yo.
I expect Rahimi will be with Manitoba full time this year, or gotten rid of. Sanford is a UFA, or did you mean Schnieder? And don't forget Nycholat.
After enduring a turbulent season in the Buffalo Sabres system, Michael Funk couldn't be happier to land with the Vancouver Canucks.
The 22-year-old from Abbotsford inked a one-year, two-way contract with the Canucks this week, and he'll challenge for a job at the NHL club's training camp this fall.
"I couldn't ask for anything better," Funk told The News in an interview on Tuesday. "It took a couple of days to sink in, and even now, it's kind of weird. It's definitely an opportunity that I didn't think would be coming my way."
Funk, a six-foot-four, 210-pound defenceman, is coming off an injury-plagued 2008-09 campaign. A second-round pick of the Sabres back in 2004, Funk sustained a concussion on the first day of main camp in Buffalo last September. After two months on the shelf, he returned to action with the American Hockey League's Portland Pirates, but suffered a second concussion in his 13th game back. That injury set him back another two-plus months, and when he tried to return to the lineup, he experienced a relapse of the concussion symptoms and was advised to shut it down for the rest of the season.
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"My grandpa had season tickets the first year the Canucks were in Vancouver (1970)," he said. "He and my dad have been going to games ever since the team's been around. They're pretty excited about this."
If Funk doesn't crack the Canucks roster, he'll play for the AHL's Manitoba Moose. That should afford his friends and family plenty of opportunities to see him play – the Moose are in the AHL's North Division along with the Abbotsford Heat, and the two teams will face each other eight times next season.
As for his concussion issues, Funk is sincerely hoping that they're a thing of the past.
"I've been working out for the past two months, and I haven't had any headaches in that time," he said. "I haven't been knocked around or anything like that, but I probably won't be doing that for another month yet anyway."
Here's a guy that played a few games in the NHL years ago and ever since then has been passed by prospect after prospect in an organization that has been very weak on the blueline.
For them to not retain a guy that they invested a second round pick in tells you all you need to know. They clearly thought that he had no future in the NHL.
Even before getting hurt he was dropping down their depth chart. Nothing at all to get excited about. Still young but I don't think he has the tools to play in the NHL.
I like this signing... the Canucks need more dmen that can play in the AHL and be called up without having to clear waivers... seems like Funk can play that role.
I hope we can add one more guy like this (preferably a RHS), that can play in Manitoba but is ready for call-up duty next season... would save the team from having to allocate cap space for 8 dmen on the main roster, if you can actually have some guys that can be called up that aren't waiver eligible.
Yes, exactly right. He can subvert the waiver wire, and he has a pedigree and age that could warrant further development. One more player like this would be excellent!
I'm surprised Erhardt signed with Detroit - I thought that he would've been locked up. Could he have developed into something more with the Moose? Can anyone with better knowledge about the moose comment on his possible ceiling?
