I like Forsling, he seems like a steal as a 5th round pick. With that said, he is still an 18 year old undersized kid that is a long shot to make the NHL. I don't think anybody soured on the kid...people are just in favour of turning an unknown prospect into a kid that may be able to play now.
- CanuckDon

This sums it up for me^^^. I was surprised with Forslings performance at the WJC. Gave him credit. So what... does not mean I think he was going to be a stud.

I don't disagree. But of all our d weber is the worst
- Bieksa#3

Holy $hit I actually agree with this.

Nice post. I still like Forsling but I think Clendening is a similar player but is further along in development and has a much higher floor as a result
- bezz44

Agreed. Benning made a move he believes closes the generation gap a bit and we talk about that issue often. Good thinking. Both players need to make it yet... why is it such a shame to go for the one who has proven much more at this point?

Agreed. Benning made a move he believes closes the generation gap a bit and we talk about that issue often. Good thinking. Both players need to make it yet... why is it such a shame to go for the one who has proven much more at this point?
- boonerbuck

Exactly. The way I see it we basically put Forsling through a time machine and Clendening popped out. To me that fits our current needs much better

Clendening is waiver exempt, no?
- Bieksa#3

Not sure about this season, but I believe he isn't next season... part of the reason he was traded.

Carol, if you really want to see "frequently out of sync" as you suggested with Clendening, wait until another D goes down.

Yep, and ship off Sbisa. Canucks can retain half of his Salary for the remainder of the season. I'm guessing it would be around 500-600 K.
- Gullzy

Seriously? Everyone on her needs to cut the guy some slack. He is improving all the time. His skating is dreamy. WTF is the problem. He has a loads of potential and he is gaining skill and confidence under good coaching. My opinion don't ruin him. Let him develop. Other than Bieksa he is the only one who plays the body. Time..relax..

Not quite, some had posted that worst case scenario clendening turns into a pp specialist, I responded worse case is he isn't good enough to be a nhler.

And I think you are missing my larger point of today where I essentially am saying it's too early to call bennings moves a success yet as what we have received has been either underwhelming or is too early to judge.

Not saying forsling for clendening is a lose, I'm saying it's a risk and yet most here have decided already that forsling never had a chance and clendening is a sure fire nhler.
- belcherbd

Wow, now you are pushing it with those exaggerations. How many have said he's a sure fire NHLer? Seriously... you don't have to make stuff up to strengthen your stance. The conversation was down to earth.

If you are going to think along those lines then Forsling was a risky pick... which makes the trade a wash.

Agreed. Benning made a move he believes closes the generation gap a bit and we talk about that issue often. Good thinking. Both players need to make it yet... why is it such a shame to go for the one who has proven much more at this point?
- boonerbuck

The real shame is we have no depth on D.

Carol, just for sh*ts and giggles, and in conjunction with the debacle that was the ending of the Super Bowl spectacle (the decision heard around the world lol), I was wondering if you might put up a poll as to what posters feel was the absolute worst play they've ever seen in a hockey game (in terms of strategy/execution/give-away/penalty or whatever etc). I'm not sure if you can compile a list off the top of your head but maybe that can be a side-topic one of these days on one of your blogs (to ask the posters if they recall anything in particular which stands out)

To give a quick example, I'm talking about something like Steve Smith's own-goal gaff which led to the Oil being ousted from perhaps winning another cup, or say someone missing an empty net which led to a loss etc. (again, perhaps you could canvas the posters to see if they had any particular play they remember which was in the same sort of category as last night's egregious 'pass the ball' decision.

I think it would be a bit of an interesting exercise (also I'm curious if there has ever even been more of a disastrous choice of calls in that type of situation - the only thing I can think of is Leon Lett's premature celebration which ultimately led to him being stripped of the ball because of his hotdogging and negated a touchdown - although in that case, the outcome was already determined and the game was not on the line). Let me/us know your thoughts

Cheers

Exactly. The way I see it we basically put Forsling through a time machine and Clendening popped out. To me that fits our current needs much better
- bezz44

I don't want to sound like a total d!ck but I would take a NA player with the same skill set over a European player still playing there any day. Forsling was a good prospect but who heard of him before the WJC?

Seriously? Everyone on her needs to cut the guy some slack. He is improving all the time. His skating is dreamy. WTF is the problem. He has a loads of potential and he is gaining skill and confidence under good coaching. My opinion don't ruin him. Let him develop. Other than Bieksa he is the only one who plays the body. Time..relax..
- thundachunk

Is it possible for a players brain to develop though? The guy is good for a bad mistake at least once per game. Hopefully the coaching staff can just show him tape of Don Cherry when he praises some scrub, depth d-man just for playing the puck off of the boards and getting it out of the zone. I feel like Sbisa tries way too hard to be a puck-mover when he just isn't good enough for it. If he simplified his game when he has the puck he'd be pretty decent as a 6/7 guy.

I like that he's big, fast and physical but the most crucial trait in a good defenseman is hockey sense and it's not secret that it's his weakness. Also, no one has brought this up, but the Canucks have to qualify him at his current salary I believe to keep his RFA rights, and he can choose to accept that qualifying offer. There's no way he's worth more than close to the league minimum with his current play, at best he's worth around 1 million due to draft pedigree I guess. So basically he's a pending UFA unless Benning is stupid enough to actually give him a qualifying offer which Sbisa and his agent should be all over because no team is going to pay him more than that.

As of now, I'm not sure what he really is. I feel like the only thing defined about his role on the team is to be physical, but he's not exactly solid defensively and we've seen how brutal he is when trying to start a breakout from his own zone.

Is it possible for a players brain to develop though? The guy is good for a bad mistake at least once per game. Hopefully the coaching staff can just show him tape of Don Cherry when he praises some scrub, depth d-man just for playing the puck off of the boards and getting it out of the zone. I feel like Sbisa tries way too hard to be a puck-mover when he just isn't good enough for it. If he simplified his game when he has the puck he'd be pretty decent as a 6/7 guy.

I like that he's big, fast and physical but the most crucial trait in a good defenseman is hockey sense and it's not secret that it's his weakness. Also, no one has brought this up, but the Canucks have to qualify him at his current salary I believe to keep his RFA rights, and he can choose to accept that qualifying offer. There's no way he's worth more than close to the league minimum with his current play, at best he's worth around 1 million due to draft pedigree I guess. So basically he's a pending UFA unless Benning is stupid enough to actually give him a qualifying offer which Sbisa and his agent should be all over because no team is going to pay him more than that.

As of now, I'm not sure what he really is. I feel like the only thing defined about his role on the team is to be physical, but he's not exactly solid defensively and we've seen how brutal he is when trying to start a breakout from his own zone.
- Nucker101

He's Kevin Bieksa's illegitimate love child

Is it possible for a players brain to develop though? The guy is good for a bad mistake at least once per game. Hopefully the coaching staff can just show him tape of Don Cherry when he praises some scrub, depth d-man just for playing the puck off of the boards and getting it out of the zone. I feel like Sbisa tries way too hard to be a puck-mover when he just isn't good enough for it. If he simplified his game when he has the puck he'd be pretty decent as a 6/7 guy.

I like that he's big, fast and physical but the most crucial trait in a good defenseman is hockey sense and it's not secret that it's his weakness. Also, no one has brought this up, but the Canucks have to qualify him at his current salary I believe to keep his RFA rights, and he can choose to accept that qualifying offer. There's no way he's worth more than close to the league minimum with his current play, at best he's worth around 1 million due to draft pedigree I guess. So basically he's a pending UFA unless Benning is stupid enough to actually give him a qualifying offer which Sbisa and his agent should be all over because no team is going to pay him more than that.

As of now, I'm not sure what he really is. I feel like the only thing defined about his role on the team is to be physical, but he's not exactly solid defensively and we've seen how brutal he is when trying to start a breakout from his own zone.
- Nucker101

Hell yes his brain can develop. Ask Vantel. Its like a fine wine. Bieksa does the same crap all the time and make a play to redeem himself every other game we don't sh!it on him near as much as we should. I am not comparing them just stating he deserves more time and development. If we can't afford him he walks because nobody else will take a chance? Maybe I just see him a bit different than others.

He's Kevin Bieksa's illegitimate love child
- bezz44

Nope, that's Vantel

We could have got less and I would still be happy getting rid of Kesler.
- A_SteamingLombardi

Nope, that's Vantel

- VanHockeyGuy

If anything, KB is Vantel's love child. I hear that 3/4 of the world's population are related to either Genghis Khan or Vantel

If anything, KB is Vantel's love child. I hear that 3/4 of the world's population are related to either Genghis Khan or Vantel
- bezz44

Incestuous bastards.

Clendening is waiver exempt, no?
- Bieksa#3

Until next season, I believe.

If anything, KB is Vantel's love child. I hear that 3/4 of the world's population are related to either Genghis Khan or Vantel
- bezz44

Maybe

http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=751438

Prospect update.

If anything, KB is Vantel's love child. I hear that 3/4 of the world's population are related to either Genghis Khan or Vantel
- bezz44

I have heard the argument made that throwing it on 2nd would have either meant a TD or an incomplete pass which would stop the clock and give them a chance to run it again. Failing that 3rd down run they could take a time out and run on 4th down. If they run on 2nd and don't score then they have to use their time out and likely only get one more crack at the play
- bezz44

I hear you and I understand the concept of working percentages and using historical data to assist in determining various decisions. However, in this case, with the magnitude of such a game on the line, I feel you have to throw out everything previously - this is a one-game/winner takes all situation and there is no room for last second analytics but to simply to rely on your players and execution thereof based on the circumstances involved. If you can't rely on one of your top players/ threats to punch through 3 separate times (with a time out left as well), then you shouldn't be coaching. There is no such thing here as 'Monday morning armchair quarterbacking', this was such an egregious example of decision making that it will be remembered in the annals of sport as probably one of the worst decisions ever made. Oh, and can you imagine if you had money on the Hawks? going from pure elation to devastation in approximately 30 seconds.

If anything, KB is Vantel's love child. I hear that 3/4 of the world's population are related to either Genghis Khan or Vantel
- bezz44

and that goes to 4/4ths of the worlds population when you consider Vantel's status as king boinkasoraus of the Filipinas

http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=751438

Prospect update.
- LeftCoaster

Thanks bud.

Im really curious to see how Jordan Subbans career shakes out. Small guy, but he's lighting it up this year.