Agreed. Split up Tanev-Hamhuis. Spread out the different playing styles.

Hamhuis - Bieksa
Edler - Tanev
- Nucker101

Edler - Tanev never really got a fair look IMO and makes the most sense. Hamhuis also make Bieksa look like a legit #2, or at least legit on this team.

Sbisa - Corrado? or Stanton?
- thundachunk

I prefer Stanton as the 3rd LHD. Our D is rarely completely healthy for long stretches so the #7 guy will get his action anyway.

It was the perfect time to trade him. He's lost a step and is just gonna continue to get worse. If the rumour is true that the leadership core were "ecstatic" to see him go, then he must have been a big detriment to the the room. Not to mention the team stripped him of his A. I love everybody who wanted him to have the C, yet his own team-mates deemed him unworthy of an A.
- Boinker

More like a year late

I prefer Stanton as the 3rd LHD. Our D is rarely completely healthy for long stretches so the #7 guy will get his action anyway.
- Nucker101

Meaning you think Sbisa will be 7th to start or they will play 2 lefties Sbisa - Stanton?

@sportsnetmurph: Sounds like Zack Kassian is very close to signing a 2-year contract extension with the #canucks. Tanev, Vey + Weber remaining RFAs.

From the bottom of the article:

Forward lines
Daniel Sedin-Henrik Sedin-Radim Vrbata
Alex Burrows-Nick Bonino-Zack Kassian*
Chris Higgins-Linden Vey*/Bo Horvat-Jannik Hansen
Shawn Matthias-Brad Richardson-Derek Dorsett

Extra: Tom Sestito, Nick Jensen.

Defensive pairings
Dan Hamhuis-Chris Tanev*
Alex Edler-Kevin Bieksa
Luca Sbisa-Yannick Weber*

Ryan Stanton-Frank Corrado

Goalies
Ryan Miller
Eddie Lack



Seems like the kids will really have to impress to crack this lineup. It's a shame since I really wanted to see Jensen get a shot from opening night on, but it's gonna be difficult for Horvat/Shinkaruk/Gaunce/Jensen/Corrado to make the opening roster by the looks of it. Gonna be really interesting to see how this plays out. At least the bottom 6 looks decent.
- Nucker101

Even though the top 6 looks a little light it finally looks like we have a 4 line team. The 4th line hasn't looked that good for as long as I can remember.

@sportsnetmurph: Sounds like Zack Kassian is very close to signing a 2-year contract extension with the #canucks. Tanev, Vey + Weber remaining RFAs.
- fiveandagame

I'm happy about that. 2yrs @ 2m per is my guess. Tanev next I hope unless he is asking a ridiculous price.

Even though the top 6 looks a little light it finally looks like we have a 4 line team. The 4th line hasn't looked that good for as long as I can remember.
- fiveandagame

Getting Sestito off the 4th helps dramatically. The 2nd line is the biggest question mark. Bonino is definitely the guy I am most interested to see.

Meaning you think Sbisa will be 7th to start or they will play 2 lefties Sbisa - Stanton?
- belcherbd

Sbisa is apparently pretty bad on the right side according to Ducks fans. Did Stanton every play RHD? If not, I'd go Stanton and Corrado personally with Sbisa as #7.

I'm happy about that. 2yrs @ 2m per is my guess. Tanev next I hope unless he is asking a ridiculous price.
- thundachunk

2 mil would be great but I'm going to say closer to B. Schenn's 2.5, ill go with 2.3

I'm happy about that. 2yrs @ 2m per is my guess. Tanev next I hope unless he is asking a ridiculous price.
- thundachunk

I guess the same.

Sbisa is apparently pretty bad on the right side according to Ducks fans. Did Stanton every play RHD? If not, I'd go Stanton and Corrado personally with Sbisa as #7.
- Nucker101

I agree although I expect it will be Stanton Webber, I would prefer Corrado gets the chance but wouldn't mind him getting another year in the AHL and being the first call up.

He led the team in ice time because our team sucked, doesn't make him our best player but him playing the most minutes gave us the best chance of not getting our ass handed to us.

Also I hope you are not taking this personal, a lot of posters " never liked " Kesler either, its more of a general statement I was making. I Don't think the return for Kesler was bad either but it certainly wasn't what we were all hoping it would be. That is where the bashing starts IMO, Kesler only would waive to two teams, he is a cancer, he sleeps with wives, etc.
- belcherbd

Don't even kinda take it personal I think your probably correct. I just think this team looms good depending on 2 roster spots and style of coaching

Just looked at some posession stats of how certain d-men play with each other and apart over the past 2 years.


1) Hamhuis and Tanev actually have better possession numbers when apart, they need to be split up.

2) Tanev and Edler together have fantastic possession numbers, I really hope they stick as a pairing.

3) Hamhuis and Bieksa have solid numbers when together as well.

4) Edler is not as good with Bieksa.

5) Stanton also played well with Bieksa, but Bieksa played easier minutes when paired with him.

6) The only other partner Hamhuis had chemistry with was Garrison.

Edler - Tanev
Hamhuis - Bieksa

Has to be the way to go IMO.

Just looked at some posession stats of how certain d-men play with each other and apart over the past 2 years.


1) Hamhuis and Tanev actually have better possession numbers when apart, they need to be split up.

2) Tanev and Edler together have fantastic possession numbers, I really hope they stick as a pairing.

3) Hamhuis and Bieksa have solid numbers when together as well.

4) Edler is not as good with Bieksa.

5) Stanton also played well with Bieksa, but Bieksa played easier minutes when paired with him.

6) The only other partner Hamhuis had chemistry with was Garrison.

Edler - Tanev
Hamhuis - Bieksa

Has to be the way to go IMO.
- Nucker101

Draft up the letter for Willie, I'll sign it.

Hammy Bieksa
Edler Tanev
Sbisa Corrado
Stanton

And looking at Vrbata's chemistry numbers, Phoenix misused him a bit as his numbers were better when apart from Hanzal who was his most common linemate at ES and PP by a decent amount. He played better with more creative players in Erat and Ribiero.

And looking at Vrbata's chemistry numbers, Phoenix misused him a bit as his numbers were better when apart from Hanzal who was his most common linemate at ES and PP by a decent amount. He played better with more creative players in Erat and Ribiero.
- Nucker101

The Coyotes don't do fancy stats, Donny said so himself

The Coyotes don't do fancy stats, Donny said so himself
- eternalcashflow

Where do I sign up?

My philosophy is to get the best players at the cheapest caphit and term (and the Canucks could have easily signed a quality back-up for 1/4th of the money). I would have also loved to keep Santo if the term and money announced are correct. Lastly, I think most Canuck fans are absolutely DONE with any sort of NTC's being handed out. In terms of that, the Canucks have seemingly learned nothing and, as I indicated before, it feels like the same ole same ole.

That said, you make some good points with respect to the stop-gap aspect until our younger players can move up. But I'm saying that there were/are perhaps better choices in the market (or WERE better choices in the market) that we probably could have signed for much less and a shorter term (I'm primarily talking about the Miller contact, as I can almost stomach the Vrbata signging - and if he's only here for one year as you prognosticate, I will be very happy

P.S. don't get me wrong, I would love to see all of this work out, but based on years and years of 'master plans and strategies' being forced down our throats which were rarely successful, I have significant doubts
- Zogg

Benning isnt handing out Gillis type NTC's yet.... Vrbata and Miller cant handcuff Benning like Kesler did. They have to submit a list and after that, its out of their hands.

I dont think Santo offers more than Vrbata when the tangibles are looked at. There would be more money to add more Fa's but that means even less space for prospects... I think one over the other makes too little difference to be sweating it so much really. Vrbata will most likely win us more games when its all considered.

Benning isnt handing out Gillis type NTC's yet.... Vrbata and Miller cant handcuff Benning like Kesler did. They have to submit a list and after that, its out of their hands.

I dont think Santo offers more than Vrbata when the tangibles are looked at. There would be more money to add more Fa's but that means even less space for prospects... I think one over the other makes too little difference to be sweating it so much really. Vrbata will most likely win us more games when its all considered.
- boonerbuck

That's the bottom line and I fully agree.

Miller seems like a mistake to me at this point, I really don't like the idea of a 6 million dollar 33 year old goalie in this league anymore. I think that he has declined over the last couple of years and might get torn apart in this division. He isn't very large and IMO is a little oversensitive, what happens SJ, LA, ANH all start crashing the net as they like to do?

One of the things I like about Lack the most ( and Schneider for what its worth) is their sense of calmness in the net, Luongo never had it and I don't think Miller does either.

That said if some more moves are made and some players up their games he could be good enough to return us to the playoffs while letting our youth develop. I have doubts about Bonino being a legit 2nd line C and think Santorelli would of been pretty good insurance at 1.5.
- belcherbd

So what if in less than 2 seasons from now Miller is traded at the TDL and gets us another 1st round pick.... thats a quick profit right? There's more than 1 way to look at this.

Lack most likely will be ready by then....if he doesnt want out by then.

Benning isnt handing out Gillis type NTC's yet.... Vrbata and Miller cant handcuff Benning like Kesler did. They have to submit a list and after that, its out of their hands.

I dont think Santo offers more than Vrbata when the tangibles are looked at. There would be more money to add more Fa's but that means even less space for prospects... I think one over the other makes too little difference to be sweating it so much really. Vrbata will most likely win us more games when its all considered.
- boonerbuck

Nailed it

And probably get us a 1st or 2nd round pick on his contract year at the deadline if he performs well

So what if in less than 2 seasons from now Miller is traded at the TDL and gets us another 1st round pick.... thats a quick profit right? There's more than 1 way to look at this.

Lack most likely will be ready by then....if he doesnt want out by then.

- boonerbuck

The concern I have about Miller with respect to his NTM clause, is that the only team he's willing to go to are all on the West Coast and in our division. More importantly, all of these teams are pretty much set in goal (and would look for one their younger prospects to join the full roster in a few years time). Thus, I can't see either of LA, SJ, ANAHEIM requiring a goalie in the near - or even far - future.

As a result, I am not a fan of ANY type of NTC clause. What's more galling, I read that there were no real FIRM negotiations with Miller - so he basically got a great contract at a decent term AND yet was STILL able to get a (fairly) limited no movement clause (with that type of money!). This is what pisses me off the most.

You're telling me that Vancouver couldn't have held out as concerns that perk, especially knowing how much he wanted to play on the West Coast and having given him a great contract?. It just doesn't seem like the Canucks/management did the proper due diligence phase. And this is where my original optimism and confidence in this organization has gone back to the decade+ long cynical phase

The concern I have about Miller as concerns his NTM clause, is that the only team he's willing to go to are all on the West Coast and in our division. More importantly, all of these teams are pretty much set in goal (or would look for one their younger prospects to join the full roster). Thus, I can't see either of LA, SJ, ANAHEIM requiring a goalie at that time.

As a result, I am not a fan of ANY type of NTC clause. What's more galling, I read that there were no real FIRM negotiations with Miller - so he basically got a great contract at a decent term AND yet was STILL able to get a (fairly) limited no movement clause. This is what pisses me off the most. You're telling me that Vancouver couldn't have held out as concerns that perk, especially knowing how much he wanted to play on the West Coast. It doesn't seem like the Canucks/management did the proper due diligence phase and therefore my confidence in this organization remains in the decade+ long cynical phase
- Zogg

Zogg my friend with all due respect. Try a smile once in a while towards the canucks. Everything doesn't suck amigo this team is finally on the right track.