With limited prep time,a short camp,and no pre-season,injuries could be a problem so some depth with NHL experience could be very usefull.
As mediocre as he's been,he is a better option than any of our AHLers like Connauton,Sauve,or Polasek,and likely better than Joslin.
With limited prep time,a short camp,and no pre-season,injuries could be a problem so some depth with NHL experience could be very usefull.
As mediocre as he's been,he is a better option than any of our AHLers like Connauton,Sauve,or Polasek,and likely better than Joslin.
How so? If he goes to Chicago, he takes a spot and minutes from our prospects, the ones that actually might have a better NHL future. Barker can simply not play at this level of hockey and cannot read the game well enough to help our prospects develop. In more cases than not, our prospects will have to be covering for his blunders, just like they did for Ryan Parent last season.
Say what you will, but there is literally nothing to work with here, in Barker.
From Sturm to Barker, something is amiss in our pro scouting department once a year. The only good thing is it wasn't a $2M contract.
Doesn't he just replace a guy like Miskovic in Chicago?
The Canucks don't have enough quality defense prospects playing at the AHL level to worry about this signing IMO. Connauton is arguably our top prospect in the AHL and his future looks anything but bright. As long as Peter Andersson doesn't lose his spot, it's not a big deal IMO.
As much as I respect your AHL analysis on the Wolves, many of us have written off players in the past only to watch players blossom in our eyes to say wow what a signing by MG. Even though he has had bust written all over, AV has developed tons of young defenseman well. Tanev+Edler, Rome as much as I hate to admit that Rome was a bum and turned into a solid depth defenseman.
IF he does the same with Barker, some might call MG a genius.
Yeah, I'm expecting a worse player than Tanev. I expect Tanev to carry the bottom pairing and Barker to slot no higher on the depth chart than 8th.
How many teams have a good #8 dman?
Only way I'd approve this deal is if Alberts is traded. I want neither player on the blueline higher than #8 on the depth chart (take Barker by default because of the lower cap hit).
How so? If he goes to Chicago, he takes a spot and minutes from our prospects, the ones that actually might have a better NHL future. Barker can simply not play at this level of hockey and cannot read the game well enough to help our prospects develop. In more cases than not, our prospects will have to be covering for his blunders, just like they did for Ryan Parent last season.
Say what you will, but there is literally nothing to work with here, in Barker.
From Sturm to Barker, something is amiss in our pro scouting department once a year. The only good thing is it wasn't a $2M contract.
Today I am reminded of Brad Isbister and Byron Ritchie. It is not a good day.
Key difference is that I doubt Barker is anything more than a guy to keep the bench warm (though I still rather prefer another option). Those other two guys, at the very least, were supposed to fill a role on the 3rd line and maybe slot into the 2nd line if needed.
Cam Barker is not an effective 5-on-5 player AT THE AHL LEVEL. Think about that. Jesus between this and the Joslin signing you really have to wonder what the hell kind of advanced stats wizard Mike GIllis really is. They literally had the two worst Corsi numbers in the league last season.
Key difference is that I doubt Barker is anything more than a guy to keep the bench warm (though I still rather prefer another option). Those other two guys, at the very least, were supposed to fill a role on the 3rd line and maybe slot into the 2nd line if needed.
This is true. That being said right now we're pencilling in guys like Ebbett and Schroeder and Kassian in top-9 roles so let's not act like we have a bounty of talent up front either.
I don't see this as a reclamation project. This is just getting a warm body under contract to fill a handful of minutes IMO.
We shouldn't be dipping into our defense depth as much now that Sami Salo has been replaced with a more durable Garrison. In a 48 games season, Barker probably doesn't play more than 10 games, with limited minutes. And if he can't outperform Joslin, he likely doesn't see a signle minute...
This is true. That being said right now we're pencilling in guys like Ebbett and Schroeder and Kassian in top-9 roles so let's not act like we have a bounty of talent up front either.
There's only really room for 1 of those guys in the top 9.
Let's not forget Gillis is apparently looking for a centre and dman in the Luongo trade. That will help in the depth department, potentially pushing Barker down to # 10 on the depth chart...
Goddamit. AV, I swear. I know Valentine's Day is coming but could you - and I know this is asking a lot - not develop a mancrush on Barker? For the sake of our sanity, we beg you.
Let him play with Tanev during camp.
