Kesler - Bonino: Kesler is still doing really well in Anaheim - defensively strong, winning faceoffs and still has good point production. Though I think for the nucks, we've benefited more from secondary scoring than from a defensive forward.

The team: Our defensive depth is deep - but weak. Still not sold on Hamhuis - think he's not very solid on the backend. Sbisa is a disaster. Weber has been OK, as has Bieksa. Not sure on Stanton yet. Edler and Tanev have been our top pairing...

Faceoffs: bad; Scoring: good!
- Ronning4ever

But he is one smooth skater. Frankly I am jealous. If he was a quicker decision maker and had more hockey intelligence on the ice... look out.

I understand this, and he was better last game. But the team as a whole has faced challenges in the circle.

I guess I see the writing on the wall, he is going back to jr, which is okay.

Richardson was only 35% in the dot.
- hillbillydeluxe

He was 25%, but that was only after 4 FO's. Henrik went 2 - 6 in the beginning of the game, but then got better as the game went on.

In all honesty, it's the kids second game...you don't throw him into the hornets nest in the last 10 minutes of that game, unless you really believe in him or have nothing to lose. He played well though throughout the game...liked him with Dorsett.

Faceoffs are a bit overblown IMO, as long as you're not horrible that's fine.
- Nucker101

No no if you win the faceoffs you control the puck and puck possession is huge. I don't think faceoffs are overblown at all. Its a huge part of the game.

I think that Bieksa has played better than his stat line. He's piling on the shots, but just hasn't hit the twine - that should change with time.

Believe it or not, I think Bieska was getting dragged down by Hammer. They were on the same line until the Colorado game. Since then Bieksa is a +4, Hammer is a -1.

Sbisa/Hammer was also responsible for that first goal last night...didn't forcefully clear the zone.

Am really digging the grit on the team - loved watching Dorsett and Burrows mix it up...
- Ronning4ever

I'm not saying it in respect to his stats. He has not looked good with the puck and has made some brutal decisions

No no if you win the faceoffs you control the puck and puck possession is huge. I don't think faceoffs are overblown at all. Its a huge part of the game.
- thundachunk

Surprised Nucker says that with his obsession with fancy stats

He was 25% on face offs, having him take an offensive zone face off is a waste of an oppurtunity.
- A_SteamingLombardi

he took 4 face-offs last night. he wins one more than he lost last night and he's 50%. But hey... saying 25% sounds great when you're making your argument :p

I'm not saying it in respect to his stats. He has not looked good with the puck and has made some brutal decisions
- bezz44

Hmmm. Disagree, though you may have seen him more than I...I think he's looked OK - gritty, rough, shooting lots...he's pinched poorly a couple of times, but I expect that from an offensively minded D.

It's Hamhuis I see losing battles and, y'know, scoring on his own net...

Faceoffs are a bit overblown IMO, as long as you're not horrible that's fine.
- Nucker101

Faceoff is extremely critical. To have someone that can win means a lot when a team is trying to protect the lead. Look at the game last night. The icing play brought the Faceoff in Canucks zone and we lost which left us chasing the puck till it ended up in the back of the net. We were saved by the bell Literally on that play. A faceoff win would have meant clear the zone and kill 10-15 secs of the game. Canucks need to hire some like Yannic Perrault and do faceoff drills with all of the centers at the end of each practice. As much as we are enjoying the offense from Bones we will miss what Kesler brought in the dot in the dying seconds of a game winning the critical faceoff. I just wish we kept Manny.

Faceoff is extremely critical. To have someone that can win means a lot when a team is trying to protect the lead. Look at the game last night. The icing play brought the Faceoff in Canucks zone and we lost which left us chasing the puck till it ended up in the back of the net. We were saved by the bell Literally on that play. A faceoff win would have meant clear the zone and kill 10-15 secs of the game. Canucks need to hire some like Yannic Perrault and do faceoff drills with all of the centers at the end of each practice. As much as we are enjoying the offense from Bones we will miss what Kesler brought in the dot in the dying seconds of a game winning the critical faceoff. I just wish we kept Manny.
- Linden_4_Capt

GOD YES!

Hmmm. Disagree, though you may have seen him more than I...I think he's looked OK - gritty, rough, shooting lots...he's pinched poorly a couple of times, but I expect that from an offensively minded D.

It's Hamhuis I see losing battles and, y'know, scoring on his own net...
- Ronning4ever

Bieksa has looked okay at times but not consistently. Hamhuis is definitely starting slowly but I don't blame him for unlucky deflections. More of a concern are the lost puck battles.

Faceoff is extremely critical. To have someone that can win means a lot when a team is trying to protect the lead. Look at the game last night. The icing play brought the Faceoff in Canucks zone and we lost which left us chasing the puck till it ended up in the back of the net. We were saved by the bell Literally on that play. A faceoff win would have meant clear the zone and kill 10-15 secs of the game. Canucks need to hire some like Yannic Perrault and do faceoff drills with all of the centers at the end of each practice. As much as we are enjoying the offense from Bones we will miss what Kesler brought in the dot in the dying seconds of a game winning the critical faceoff. I just wish we kept Manny.
- Linden_4_Capt

This

Faceoff is extremely critical. To have someone that can win means a lot when a team is trying to protect the lead. Look at the game last night. The icing play brought the Faceoff in Canucks zone and we lost which left us chasing the puck till it ended up in the back of the net. We were saved by the bell Literally on that play. A faceoff win would have meant clear the zone and kill 10-15 secs of the game. Canucks need to hire some like Yannic Perrault and do faceoff drills with all of the centers at the end of each practice. As much as we are enjoying the offense from Bones we will miss what Kesler brought in the dot in the dying seconds of a game winning the critical faceoff. I just wish we kept Manny.
- Linden_4_Capt

Bang on. Our best years were when we dominated the faceoff circle with Henrik, Kesler and Maholtra. We are not the quickest team, and while the Sedins are not a defensive liability, they are most effective when controlling the play.

Honestly, When was the last time we could say that?
- vancity787

could have said that for all of last year

No no if you win the faceoffs you control the puck and puck possession is huge. I don't think faceoffs are overblown at all. Its a huge part of the game.
- thundachunk

probably more so now with the hashes further apart. More time to set up a play, and tougher for a winger to get in and dig out a lost puck

could have said that for all of last year
- numbear

We had one our worst offensive years last year - 28th overall. Defensively we're actually a little worse now than last year though in the same range...

Faceoff is extremely critical. To have someone that can win means a lot when a team is trying to protect the lead. Look at the game last night. The icing play brought the Faceoff in Canucks zone and we lost which left us chasing the puck till it ended up in the back of the net. We were saved by the bell Literally on that play. A faceoff win would have meant clear the zone and kill 10-15 secs of the game. Canucks need to hire some like Yannic Perrault and do faceoff drills with all of the centers at the end of each practice. As much as we are enjoying the offense from Bones we will miss what Kesler brought in the dot in the dying seconds of a game winning the critical faceoff. I just wish we kept Manny.
- Linden_4_Capt

I don't know, usually when a team ices the better line that line ends up controlling the play anyway. And a "bad" faceoff center still wins around 44-47% of draws and a "good" one is around 53-57%. For every 15 draws the guy at 45% will win 7 and the 55% guy will win 8....

I'd rather have the more effective player at 45% compared to one who's worse but wins 55%.

probably more so now with the hashes further apart. More time to set up a play, and tougher for a winger to get in and dig out a lost puck
- numbear

Problem with that is that the ref dropping the puck still always has his back facing towards one side so they can still cheat.

We had one our worst offensive years last year - 28th overall. Defensively we're actually a little worse now than last year though in the same range...
- Ronning4ever

Yeah, it's nice to see 3+ goals consistently so far and not relying on the Sedins for everything offensively. Beauty of rolling 4 solid lines.

GOD YES!
- Ronning4ever

Meh. I'd rather have Richardson...

I don't know, usually when a team ices the better line that line ends up controlling the play anyway. And a "bad" faceoff center still wins around 44-47% of draws and a "good" one is around 53-57%. For every 15 draws the guy at 45% will win 7 and the 55% guy will win 8....

I'd rather have the more effective player at 45% compared to one who's worse but wins 55%.
- Nucker101

It is not as much about winning faceoffs throughout the game, as it is about winning the critical faceoffs. Special teams, f/O win on PP means we get set up rightaway and a loss means we suffer through another Edler drop pass. On PK a win means clear the zone and kill 15-20 secs. So to have a F/O specialist that can win in critical times has a lot of value.

We had one our worst offensive years last year - 28th overall. Defensively we're actually a little worse now than last year though in the same range...
- Ronning4ever

sorry, thats what I was making a point of.

Last year, your secondary scoring was probably better then this year. (wasn't kess, kass and higgins the top 3?) So it didn't really improve. Its keeping pace.

Its your 1st line point producing thats improved this year (I was responding to the comment that said "when was the last time they got that kind of secondary scoring....they did last year", and if anything it was better....yet lower, I'm talking proportionally)

It is not as much about winning faceoffs throughout the game, as it is about winning the critical faceoffs. Special teams, f/O win on PP means we get set up rightaway and a loss means we suffer through another Edler drop pass. On PK a win means clear the zone and kill 15-20 secs. So to have a F/O specialist that can win in critical times has a lot of value.
- Linden_4_Capt

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, not even a specialist will actually consistently win you more than 6 out of every 10 draws.

He was 25%, but that was only after 4 FO's. Henrik went 2 - 6 in the beginning of the game, but then got better as the game went on.

In all honesty, it's the kids second game...you don't throw him into the hornets nest in the last 10 minutes of that game, unless you really believe in him or have nothing to lose. He played well though throughout the game...liked him with Dorsett.
- Ronning4ever

I didn't look at it as a hornets nest, just as a game where we were beating a tough opponent and nobody was playing any better than he appeared to play in his limited time from a bottom 6 perspective.

I believe he has the potential, just not sure if he is ready to stay or should be sent back. Just want to see him play some meaningful minutes to better determine where he is in his development.

I know it is only his second regular season game but wasn't it game 3 of the 9 games he can play before being sent back to junior?

Would rather have seen him on the pp than Hansen too.

edit: yeah, I thought he played well with Dorsett.

That was a nice game to watch. With Miller doing his thing and sbisa gaining Willie's confidence being out there in the last minute. I liked seeing that the Canucks didn't collapse and gutted out the win.

The full package in the Kesler deal is better than Kesler and no we didn't lose out by not getting dsp. We got a legit second line centre, young third pairing d man, fourth line grit (Dorsett for the third 3rd pick from Anaheim), and a first rounder. That is a pretty good haul.

Edler appears top be back with more confidence. Nice play by burrows to setup bonino.vrbata showed his predatory shot.Nice.

Really pleased with how the season is going right now.

sorry, thats what I was making a point of.

Last year, your secondary scoring was probably better then this year. (wasn't kess, kass and higgins the top 3?) So it didn't really improve. Its keeping pace.

Its your 1st line point producing thats improved this year (I was responding to the comment that said "when was the last time they got that kind of secondary scoring....they did last year", and if anything it was better....yet lower, I'm talking proportionally)
- numbear

No they werent, thanks for coming out though.