Can we please just leave room for one of our young guys on the blue line! Ballard can play big minutes, so can Hamhuis. Erhoff is able to put minutes together, Edler can play a little more. SOB can be solid when he keeps his games simple and Rome stepped in well with a lower minute roll. I just think we need to leave that 6/7th spot open for one of Tanev, Sweatt, Oberg or someone who shows potential during training camp.
We're talking till January? Maybe a little more? But right now we can get some good assets from Bieksa, who will lower minutes I think is a very good defencement. Just at 3.5 mill for us I'd rather let one of the younger guys try that out. So I don't think we'll be keeping Bieksa because we need him. If we keep him it will be to elicit a bigger return for him, but the cap space he will provide before the trade deadline will be a huge asset for us. More of an asset then him still being in the line up. IMHO.
Personally I don't see any of our young blueliners as capable of taking a full time NHL spot. We'll see if Oberg did some weight training this summer and has managed to get his strength way up. If he has, then he may have a shot.
Tanev, dont' know much about, but you've got to think that unless he wows us will probably start off in Manitoba to get some pro seasoning.
Personally I don't see any of our young blueliners as capable of taking a full time NHL spot. We'll see if Oberg did some weight training this summer and has managed to get his strength way up. If he has, then he may have a shot.
Tanev, dont' know much about, but you've got to think that unless he wows us will probably start off in Manitoba to get some pro seasoning.
My only argument is, you don't know your depth untill you see it play. Its the begining of the year which I think we can afford to take that chance. If we need depth then we trade for it at the deadline. I mean we played with less defensement in the end of last season. Although I think Salo was a huge reason why. We really notice the blue line without Salo. Seriously if the guy wouldn't get hurt so much he would be very close to an elite defensemen.
Can we please just leave room for one of our young guys on the blue line! Ballard can play big minutes, so can Hamhuis. Erhoff is able to put minutes together, Edler can play a little more. SOB can be solid when he keeps his games simple and Rome stepped in well with a lower minute roll. I just think we need to leave that 6/7th spot open for one of Tanev, Sweatt, Oberg or someone who shows potential during training camp.
We're talking till January? Maybe a little more? But right now we can get some good assets from Bieksa, who will lower minutes I think is a very good defencement. Just at 3.5 mill for us I'd rather let one of the younger guys try that out. So I don't think we'll be keeping Bieksa because we need him. If we keep him it will be to elicit a bigger return for him, but the cap space he will provide before the trade deadline will be a huge asset for us. More of an asset then him still being in the line up. IMHO.
None of us really knew much about Aaron Rome at this time last year and he showed in camp and in the exhibition season that he deserved to stick with the team. Hopefully one of these other guys is a clear standout in the pre-season.
Can we please just leave room for one of our young guys on the blue line! Ballard can play big minutes, so can Hamhuis. Erhoff is able to put minutes together, Edler can play a little more. SOB can be solid when he keeps his games simple and Rome stepped in well with a lower minute roll. [B] I just think we need to leave that 6/7th spot open for one of Tanev, Sweatt, Oberg or someone who shows potential during training camp.
I really don't agree with this idea. Tanev is MILES away from the NHL and Oberg looked far from ready as well in his breif NHL time last season. Sweatt is a wildcard, but isn't being promised anything.
I like the idea of keeping O'Brien/Alberts/Bieksa at least until the end of camp. If someone like Sweatt (the only real suprise chance IMO) beats out an Alberts or O'Brien than great, drop one of them. But there is no point opening up a hole and hoping an unheralded rookie can play a role on a contending team.
As far as Salo goes, I've viewed him as a luxury the last few years anyway.
I'd be shocked if he retired. Even if he doesn't want to come back and play, he can sit the season on the IR and collect another 3.5m. I doubt he does that, he seems like the kind of guy that would want one more crack at a Stanley cup, but I doubt he's dumb enough to throw away 3.5m.
Canuck GM Mike Gillis confirmed that defenceman Sami Salo has indeed had surgery on his torn Achilles tendon and is currently in a cast. The oft-injured Salo, whose body appears made of glass, was reportedly injured during a floorball game in Finland almost two weeks. Gillis intends to dispatch medical trainer Mike Burnstein to see Salo and and his Finnish doctors when Salo is ready for his "next evaluation". Gillis said the Canucks won't have any further news on Salo until that time. "Sami is obviously very upset about what's happened," Gillis said. The prognosis for this type of injury is 3-5 months. "It's very disappointing," added the GM.
Canuck GM Mike Gillis confirmed that defenceman Sami Salo has indeed had surgery on his torn Achilles tendon and is currently in a cast. The oft-injured Salo, whose body appears made of glass, was reportedly injured during a floorball game in Finland almost two weeks. Gillis intends to dispatch medical trainer Mike Burnstein to see Salo and and his Finnish doctors when Salo is ready for his "next evaluation". Gillis said the Canucks won't have any further news on Salo until that time. "Sami is obviously very upset about what's happened," Gillis said. The prognosis for this type of injury is 3-5 months. "It's very disappointing," added the GM.
Random, though still relevant, question: when was the last time the Canucks iced a fully healthy lineup? Not at all last year, and it'll be at least a couple months into this season before we possibly return to that status, so I'm curious as to how long it will have been.
Random, though still relevant, question: when was the last time the Canucks iced a fully healthy lineup? Not at all last year, and it'll be at least a couple months into this season before we possibly return to that status, so I'm curious as to how long it will have been.
Whenever Demo got hurt at the start of the 08-09 season and Wellwood got his stay of execution in the NHL. Since then, never.
Salo addressing the media today. Hopefully all reporters have their laces tied and camera cables tidy. Don't want Salo to trip and break a bone...or two
I wish Sami a speedy and full recovery. With their current top 4, which also happens to be a very durable top 4 (Thank God!!), the Canucks won't be hurting too bad on D without him. When he gets back, however, the D will be just filthy good.
I wish Sami a speedy and full recovery. With their current top 4, which also happens to be a very durable top 4 (Thank God!!), the Canucks won't be hurting too bad on D without him. When he gets back, however, the D will be just filthy good.
