He isn't great the defense part but is deadly on the pp and is RH.
The Canucks don't really need Babchuk type of PP player though. Big shots on the point is not an issue, it's more the break outs, retrieval and general quickness of the unit. Babchuk is nothing but a slapshot bot and if the Canucks needed that they would just put Garrison there.
Depth at forward, especially center, is what we need. Someone who is good on faceoffs, we have really cratered in that area. Nobody who is a big name or has a big price tag, this season is a one-off and making big moves and major decisions is inadvisable because of all the lockout-caused wrinkles.
The point of Malhotra was to take a decent load of the defensive match ups so Kesler could focus on his offensive numbers.
Had Kesler and Malhotra not been injured we'd be a 2nd line winger away from a powerhouse. On paper.
The amount Malhotra is undervalued here is criminal. You bet your sweet ass Gillis would take a serious run at a Malhotra pre-injury over almost any other player at the deadline this year, if he existed.
Malhotra underated here? He is given credit for everything. I think he is the only defensive center is the league given credit for when the second line center scores. I do not remember Stall getting credit for when Crosby or Malkin scored. Does Sutter get that credit now. Does Hansen ever get any credit for playing with Manny on that line? Or for the pk in that year? Manny played how many games that year. He once went 20 games without getting a point. Sure he still did his job, but it was easier because the Sedins and Kesler were lighting it up. He was the same player in Columbus, without the Sedins or Kesler and he got a 750K contract. He was a good role player on a very good team, on a lesser team you do not have the luxury on having a defense only center on your 3rd line. The legend of Manny is just that. Manny's injury hurt us in the playoffs because we had no other NHL centers. Lappy filled in great on the 3rd line unforturately no one replaced Lappy on the fourth line. So the fourth line was useless. However i think Lappierre was a better player on the third line than Malhotra would have been. Too bad Manny got hurt but i will never believe he was the main factor in that great year. A factor yes, like any role player is.
I doubt anybody from the roster is being traded. Gillis is not fool enough to trade away picks. Canucks do not have anything else. No help is coming, again.
I think the rumors about Gaborik and offer sheeting O'Rielly are just camoflage. Gillis "working the phones"? LOL! What evidence is there of work from Gillis? Has he done anything this calender year? Gillis might be working the phones but he can't make other GMs answer.
Is Tallon still taking his calls? It seems possible. Gillis must have been badgering Tallon every day during the off-season to get a Luongo deal done, right? Surely they are buddies by now! I wonder why Tallon watched his season crater instead of accepting Luongo? An oversight, I guess. Surely he will bail out the Canucks now, though?
I haven't really noticed players clamoring to be traded to Vancouver. Where are the Iginla rumors? Why did Nash go to a Sather team? Why did Schultz go to Edmonton?
Why does anybody think a FA is coming here? Perry? LOL!
I doubt anybody from the roster is being traded. Gillis is not fool enough to trade away picks. Canucks do not have anything else. No help is coming, again.
I think the rumors about Gaborik and offer sheeting O'Rielly are just camoflage. Gillis "working the phones"? LOL! What evidence is there of work from Gillis? Has he done anything this calender year? Gillis might be working the phones but he can't make other GMs answer.
Is Tallon still taking his calls? It seems possible. Gillis must have been badgering Tallon every day during the off-season to get a Luongo deal done, right? Surely they are buddies by now! I wonder why Tallon watched his season crater instead of accepting Luongo? An oversight, I guess. Surely he will bail out the Canucks now, though?
I haven't really noticed players clamoring to be traded to Vancouver. Where are the Iginla rumors? Why did Nash go to a Sather team? Why did Schultz go to Edmonton?
Why does anybody think a FA is coming here? Perry? LOL!
Uhhhh.....Nash went to New York because he got traded there.....Calgary and Vancouver play in the same division and would Feaster really trade Iginla, their franchise legend, to a divsion rival? Who Flames fans hate with a passion? Schultz went to Edmonton for playing time and growing up with a young core. He'll also see a bigger contract because of his ice time and stats.......
I doubt anybody from the roster is being traded. Gillis is not fool enough to trade away picks. Canucks do not have anything else. No help is coming, again.
I think the rumors about Gaborik and offer sheeting O'Rielly are just camoflage. Gillis "working the phones"? LOL! What evidence is there of work from Gillis? Has he done anything this calender year? Gillis might be working the phones but he can't make other GMs answer.
Is Tallon still taking his calls? It seems possible. Gillis must have been badgering Tallon every day during the off-season to get a Luongo deal done, right? Surely they are buddies by now! I wonder why Tallon watched his season crater instead of accepting Luongo? An oversight, I guess. Surely he will bail out the Canucks now, though?
I haven't really noticed players clamoring to be traded to Vancouver. Where are the Iginla rumors? Why did Nash go to a Sather team? Why did Schultz go to Edmonton?
Why does anybody think a FA is coming here? Perry? LOL!
Malhotra underated here? He is given credit for everything. I think he is the only defensive center is the league given credit for when the second line center scores. I do not remember Stall getting credit for when Crosby or Malkin scored. Does Sutter get that credit now. Does Hansen ever get any credit for playing with Manny on that line? Or for the pk in that year? Manny played how many games that year. He once went 20 games without getting a point. Sure he still did his job, but it was easier because the Sedins and Kesler were lighting it up. He was the same player in Columbus, without the Sedins or Kesler and he got a 750K contract. He was a good role player on a very good team, on a lesser team you do not have the luxury on having a defense only center on your 3rd line. The legend of Manny is just that. Manny's injury hurt us in the playoffs because we had no other NHL centers. Lappy filled in great on the 3rd line unforturately no one replaced Lappy on the fourth line. So the fourth line was useless. However i think Lappierre was a better player on the third line than Malhotra would have been. Too bad Manny got hurt but i will never believe he was the main factor in that great year. A factor yes, like any role player is.
You're entitled to your opinion, I am mine. I disagree with a lot of your points, but I can see where you are coming from.
Manny was a large factor if you ask me, one of many.
Lappy played out of his mind, the whole team was on stride, career years for many players. Obviously it would be asinine to relegate all this to a simple shutdown defensive specialist, but I do believe he played a very big role in our historic season.
Hammy going down from the Luch hit, Kesler playing on one leg and Manny being a shell of his own great self are my main attributions to our eventual downfall.
You're entitled to your opinion, I am mine. I disagree with a lot of your points, but I can see where you are coming from.
Manny was a large factor if you ask me, one of many.
Lappy played out of his mind, the whole team was on stride, career years for many players. Obviously it would be asinine to relegate all this to a simple shutdown defensive specialist, but I do believe he played a very big role in our historic season.
Hammy going down from the Luch hit, Kesler playing on one leg and Manny being a shell of his own great self are my main attributions to our eventual downfall.
Ya I'd say it was mostly Hamhuis and Kesler. If they were both fully healthy, I dont think Boston coming back in that series, regardless of Malhotra.
Malhotra underated here? He is given credit for everything. I think he is the only defensive center is the league given credit for when the second line center scores. I do not remember Stall getting credit for when Crosby or Malkin scored. Does Sutter get that credit now. Does Hansen ever get any credit for playing with Manny on that line? Or for the pk in that year? Manny played how many games that year. He once went 20 games without getting a point. Sure he still did his job, but it was easier because the Sedins and Kesler were lighting it up. He was the same player in Columbus, without the Sedins or Kesler and he got a 750K contract. He was a good role player on a very good team, on a lesser team you do not have the luxury on having a defense only center on your 3rd line. The legend of Manny is just that. Manny's injury hurt us in the playoffs because we had no other NHL centers. Lappy filled in great on the 3rd line unforturately no one replaced Lappy on the fourth line. So the fourth line was useless. However i think Lappierre was a better player on the third line than Malhotra would have been. Too bad Manny got hurt but i will never believe he was the main factor in that great year. A factor yes, like any role player is.
I'm going to defend my opinion here on why we need a Malhotra type player with a couple points.
1) Given AV's style of coaching and system, a Malhotra type player is cruicial to team success. We're able to follow along pretty closely to see how AV chooses to deploy line matching strategies and how he shelters certain players with more or less offensive/defensive starts. If we had another head coach like Bylsma or Maurice this may not be as much of a need for us. For AV? You can't run his system that successfully without this type of player.
2) Faceoffs. This ties into point 1 in terms of the puck posession style we want to play as a team. I haven't looked at the difference in stats this season with and without Manny but Vancouver is currently 23rd in Face Off %. With Malhotra taking draws we were #1 and #3 as a team the past 2 seasons. Number 1 in the League to now 23rd. This is a pretty big difference along with our PP freefall.
I know it will never happen but id like them to sell. I dont like the makeup of this team or idenity and think we will be a average team for the foreseeable future imo
Either go for broke and target Corey Perry, or sell and move Raymond and Higgins. I don't think this team should be wasting picks on guys like Goc or Hendricks when this team has way too many needs to be a legitimate contender this season. Do not want to turn into Calgary.
Seeing the name "Marcel Goc" thrown around as a rumoured acquisition makes my skin crawl. That's exactly the type of typical Vancouver Canuck vanilla addition that they do not need. Not a veteran with quality playoff experience, not physical, doesn't score, etc. Just a body. Please avoid.
On Perry - no shot. Anaheim's in our division next year.
Ryan Clowe's another guy that would be a welcome addition to this team. Legit tough guy that can play. Value is currently low (best time to buy).
He's dealing with shoulder problems and quite possibly other injury trouble too (his skating is worse than ever). He's likely going to be completely useless the rest of the season.
He's dealing with shoulder problems and quite possibly other injury trouble too (his skating is worse than ever). He's likely going to be completely useless the rest of the season.
He doesn't need to do much. It's his attitude/demeanor that this team could use. He's a legit intimidator (unlike Kassian, Sestito, Weise, etc.) that's brash, emotional, etc. Guys like that have value. Let's not forget the jolt that Boston got when Thornton was inserted into their lineup.
time to sell some parts. start over next year. no point in getting a center+dman or whatever. season injury to booth. lineup isnt that good now. 2 good lines. yes that includes raymond/hansen/higgins.
Seeing the name "Marcel Goc" thrown around as a rumoured acquisition makes my skin crawl. That's exactly the type of typical Vancouver Canuck vanilla addition that they do not need. Not a veteran with quality playoff experience, not physical, doesn't score, etc. Just a body. Please avoid.
I think that's crazy. Goc is a solid player, not rental (1.5 years), dirt cheap $1.7m. Not amazing but again he is only $1.7m, suitable for a 3C role and cheap enough to stash into the 4C role. He's be a fantastic guy to have a youngster slide into the roster and play beside.
Someone also mentioned Vermette, another good pick up with 2.5 years left on his deal. Great on faceoffs. Can fill in at 2C if needed. Can fill in Malhotra's roll as a defensive specialist or provide offfense. I'd want Gillis all over that if he ever gets put up for sale.
I'd deal picks and prospects for these two, they round the team out, and they won't break the team to aquire, and they aren't a 1 season rental. Sedin - Kesler - Vermette - Goc (Lapierre) is tremendous centre with enough redundancy to survive 1 injury.
That is cup capabable imho. It's a shame Booth got injured or that'd be one crazy good 4th line. It lacks a 2nd line star winger but there is a limit to what can be achieved in one deadline. There is also a little wiggle room for an offseason top 6 move.
I know people are frustrated but adding Kesler and one/both of those guys transforms this team. We can't simply give up this year without at least have a look around for decent fixes (be prepared to pay a bit) because this team is the Sedins and they won't last forever. Let's not forget Kesler is breaking down consistently. 3 years from know we might could be in full rebuild and we'll look back on this as a lost opportunity.
If the Canucks have to give up their 2013 2nd, 2014 1st, some lesser prospects for a 2-3 year fix it is a no brainer for me.
Our real only need is a faceoff/defensive center (since the price for the popular top 6 forward would be sky high/we can't afford it/don't even have the assets unless we give up Jensen + 1st ++).
That said, depending on how the next 2 weeks go, could easily make the unpopular argument that we should just be sellers. Injuries pretty much killed our planned second line and our lack of secondary/depth scoring seems to finally be catching up to us. There doesn't appear to be many sellers and with all the injuries + lack of training camp, you got to wonder how effective Kesler/Booth might be come playoff time or for that matter rather or not we make the playoffs. With the cap coming down and seemingly our "window" closing, if we decide to sell a few pieces at the deadline, it could possibly get the assets we need for next season and extend the "window" with (hopefully) a healthful Kesler, a healthy Booth (or replaced his cap space with a top 6 forward), and whatever assets we get back for players we would probably lose in the off season anyways (Lapierre, Raymond, Higgins, Hansen, Ballard, goalie that win/loses the coin flip). Not saying trade all of them but a couple of them for the right price could extend our window and give us a much better shot next year. I think a lot of fans were prepared to write-off this year anyways so selling might not be as unpopular as in a full season (where we are likely locked for a playoff spot).
I think Dubinsky or Brassard would be something that can helpful to the team, can play a second line role and go to third line role when Kesler returns. Can provide offence and a good two way player
He doesn't need to do much. It's his attitude/demeanor that this team could use. He's a legit intimidator (unlike Kassian, Sestito, Weise, etc.) that's brash, emotional, etc. Guys like that have value. Let's not forget the jolt that Boston got when Thornton was inserted into their lineup.
He'd add some life to this team very quickly.
We already have way too many players "not doing much". Pass on Clowe.
He isn't great the defense part but is deadly on the pp and is RH.
