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

As far as I can tell, Forsling and Clendening project to be similar players, the difference being that one of them is much closer to playing a regular NHL shift then the other. Considering out lack of D prospects ready to make a contribution I don't see how it can't be considered a good trade. That doesn't mean that it might not turn out to be a good trade for Chicago as well.

Of course there's risk involved. There aren't many risk free trades to be made.

Thanks bud.

Im really curious to see how Jordan Subbans career shakes out. Small guy, but he's darkening it up this year.
- vancity787

I didn't just do that.

As far as I can tell, Forsling and Clendening project to be similar players, the difference being that one of them is much closer to playing a regular NHL shift then the other. Considering out lack of D prospects ready to make a contribution I don't see how it can't be considered a good trade. That doesn't mean that it might not turn out to be a good trade for Chicago as well.

Of course there's risk involved. There aren't many risk free trades to be made.
- CubanBuffet

Forsling could stay in Europe his whole career.

Forsling could stay in Europe his whole career.
- A_SteamingLombardi

Even if he doesn't, I still like the trade.

I didn't just do that.
- A_SteamingLombardi

I didn't just do that.
- A_SteamingLombardi

? wuh...

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

I was under the impression that he was a UFA. As an RFa he's an even worse asset to carry past this deadline. I'd much rather have Stanton at 650K than Sbisa at 2.25.

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

Can his brain develop? Sure it can, absolutely. He is 24 and a fairly toolsy player. Big, strong and mobile. Good coaching can help cut down on the stupid mistakes he has been making. People on this site are way too down on this kid. He is way better than Stanton and Weber and can continue to improve.

STANTON is the worst!

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.
- boonerbuck

I still feel like it's down to earth, sorry you feel otherwise. I know you have been following this thread since the beginning and probably have a pretty good idea of what I'm saying.

And honestly this Clendening conversation is getting pretty silly, I don't have a problem with the deal. I never did and my original comment probably sums it up the best, I said essentially that the deal could be good but for it to be good, Clendening needs to by an NHLer or sign a contract that makes him waiver exempt, otherwise we move a prospect with 4 years of development for a guy who is more or less the player he is going to be.

There has been a number of comments saying that wow what a steal this deal was, and Clendening at worst will be a pp specialist in the NHL.
Looking back through these comments some have been edited which is fine, but that makes more sense why I was getting some of the responses to me from my previous comments.

Thanks bud.

Im really curious to see how Jordan Subbans career shakes out. Small guy, but he's lighting it up this year.
- vancity787

Same here dude. This may sound odd, but I'm really excited to follow Utica next year. Even more so than the Canucks.

We're going to be adding: Subban, McCann, Virtanen, Cassels, and some college guys to the roster over the next 18 months. Add that to Guance, Shinkaruk, and Jensen and we have the team of the future playing together. Can't wait to see how they do.

Can his brain develop? Sure it can, absolutely. He is 24 and a fairly toolsy player. Big, strong and mobile. Good coaching can help cut down on the stupid mistakes he has been making. People on this site are way too down on this kid. He is way better than Stanton and Weber and can continue to improve.

STANTON is the worst!
- CanuckDon

Can his brain develop? Sure it can, absolutely. He is 24 and a fairly toolsy player. Big, strong and mobile. Good coaching can help cut down on the stupid mistakes he has been making. People on this site are way too down on this kid. He is way better than Stanton and Weber and can continue to improve.

STANTON is the worst!
- CanuckDon

According to the numbers posted by Canucks Army a few weeks ago, Stanton is marginally better. Even if Sbisa was better, I can't see how Benning could justify signing him to anything more than a Million Bucks AVV.

Same here dude. This may sound odd, but I'm really excited to follow Utica next year. Even more so than the Canucks.

We're going to be adding: Subban, McCann, Virtanen, Cassels, and some college guys to the roster over the next 18 months. Add that to Guance, Shinkaruk, and Jensen and we have the team of the future playing together. Can't wait to see how they do.
- Gullzy

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Virtanen is AHL eligible next year

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Virtanen is AHL eligible next year
- bezz44

You might be right. If that's the case, he's going to stick with the big club next year like Horvat did this year.

You might be right. If that's the case, he's going to stick with the big club next year like Horvat did this year.
- Gullzy

I think he has a late birthday. I'd be okay with him staying in junior another year if he's not ready

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Virtanen is AHL eligible next year
- bezz44

Did some digging for ya Bezz.

What is the minimum age for an AHL player?

Per AHL By-Laws, the age limit for eligibility to compete in the American Hockey League is 18 years or over, on or before September 15 of each season of competition.

He's 18 right now, so he is eligible to play next season.

He's a truck, has game breaking speed, and will bring the game to his opponents front door. He's exactly what this team needs. I bet he plays at least 9 next season.

Can his brain develop? Sure it can, absolutely. He is 24 and a fairly toolsy player. Big, strong and mobile. Good coaching can help cut down on the stupid mistakes he has been making. People on this site are way too down on this kid. He is way better than Stanton and Weber and can continue to improve.

STANTON is the worst!
- CanuckDon

I know I should stay away but seriously man, Sbisa is brutal. He's a worse version of SOB. Weber isn't amazing but he isn't the liability that Sbisa is and he can at least chip in a bit of offense. There is a chance he gets better but at 24 and 300+ games in the NHL, you usually know what you have in a guy. It was a failed project, I just really hope Benning doesn't qualify him just to make the Kesler deal look good.

Stanton has been brutal as well this season but he only makes 550K and was a waiver pick up. I still think Stanton has been better than Sbisa, but to be fair Sbisa has been playing his off side a bunch and has been given a lot more ice time which likely magnifies his mistakes to a certain extent.

Did some digging for ya Bezz.

What is the minimum age for an AHL player?

Per AHL By-Laws, the age limit for eligibility to compete in the American Hockey League is 18 years or over, on or before September 15 of each season of competition.

He's 18 right now, so he is eligible to play next season.

He's a truck, has game breaking speed, and will bring the game to his opponents front door. He's exactly what this team needs. I bet he plays at least 9 next season.
- Gullzy

The minimum age is 18 but Virtanen needs to be 20 or have played 4 full season in the CHL. I think this is considered his 3rd year right now but he did play 9 games as a 15 year old coming from the BCMML, so maybe he will be eligible.

A CHL player whose rights are held by an NHL team is only eligible to play a full season in the AHL if:

(a) the player will turn 20 years of age by December 31st of the season in question;
OR
(b) the player has already completed four seasons of Junior eligibility.

Note that there are some caveats to this agreement:

(i) the agreement applies only to players drafted out of the CHL;
(ii) once a team’s CHL season and/or playoffs has concluded, their players are no longer subject to the agreement (hence the late-season ‘callups’ to the AHL);
(iii) the agreement will re-apply to each player subject to item (i) above at the start of the next season until the player meets the criteria listed in points (a) and (b) above.

Did some digging for ya Bezz.

What is the minimum age for an AHL player?

Per AHL By-Laws, the age limit for eligibility to compete in the American Hockey League is 18 years or over, on or before September 15 of each season of competition.

He's 18 right now, so he is eligible to play next season.

He's a truck, has game breaking speed, and will bring the game to his opponents front door. He's exactly what this team needs. I bet he plays at least 9 next season.
- Gullzy

Sick! That gives him options for next year. And I agree he would absolutely bring an element to this team that they have literally none of

The minimum age is 18 but Virtanen needs to be 20 or have played 4 full season in the CHL.

A CHL player whose rights are held by an NHL team is only eligible to play a full season in the AHL if:

(a) the player will turn 20 years of age by December 31st of the season in question;
OR
(b) the player has already completed four seasons of Junior eligibility.

Note that there are some caveats to this agreement:

(i) the agreement applies only to players drafted out of the CHL;
(ii) once a team’s CHL season and/or playoffs has concluded, their players are no longer subject to the agreement (hence the late-season ‘callups’ to the AHL);
(iii) the agreement will re-apply to each player subject to item (i) above at the start of the next season until the player meets the criteria listed in points (a) and (b) above.
- belcherbd

The minimum age is 18 but Virtanen needs to be 20 or have played 4 full season in the CHL. I think this is considered his 3rd year right now but he did play 9 games as a 15 year old coming from the BCMML, so maybe he will be eligible.

A CHL player whose rights are held by an NHL team is only eligible to play a full season in the AHL if:

(a) the player will turn 20 years of age by December 31st of the season in question;
OR
(b) the player has already completed four seasons of Junior eligibility.

Note that there are some caveats to this agreement:

(i) the agreement applies only to players drafted out of the CHL;
(ii) once a team’s CHL season and/or playoffs has concluded, their players are no longer subject to the agreement (hence the late-season ‘callups’ to the AHL);
(iii) the agreement will re-apply to each player subject to item (i) above at the start of the next season until the player meets the criteria listed in points (a) and (b) above.
- belcherbd

Damn! Nice digging though.

I know I should stay away but seriously man, Sbisa is brutal. He's a worse version of SOB. Weber isn't amazing but he isn't the liability that Sbisa is and he can at least chip in a bit of offense. There is a chance he gets better but at 24 and 300+ games in the NHL, you usually know what you have in a guy. It was a failed project, I just really hope Benning doesn't qualify him just to make the Kesler deal look good.

Stanton has been brutal as well this season but he only makes 550K and was a waiver pick up. I still think Stanton has been better than Sbisa, but to be fair Sbisa has been playing his off side a bunch and has been given a lot more ice time which likely magnifies his mistakes to a certain extent.
- belcherbd

Chara didn't develop until his late 20's...obviously I'm not drawing a comparison but the point is d take longer to develop. And don't worry Benning won't sign him to help justify a trade lol if that's the Case the organization is doomed..that's an egotistical Gillis move not a Benning move.

That being said I believe he will sign him.

Chara didn't develop until his late 20's...obviously I'm not drawing a comparison but the point is d take longer to develop. And don't worry Benning won't sign him to help justify a trade lol if that's the Case the organization is doomed..that's an egotistical Gillis move not a Benning move.

That being said I believe he will sign him.
- CanuckDon

I sure as hell hope not. The Canucks need that cap space to sign Tanev and another forward in free agency.

Would you guys take a chance on Yakupov? If we can get him for Kassian, Sbisa, and a pick with Yakupov and some other pieces coming back, is it worth it for us? Is it worth it for the Oilers?

Would you guys take a chance on Yakupov? If we can get him for Kassian, Sbisa, and a pick with Yakupov and some other pieces coming back, is it worth it for us? Is it worth it for the Oilers?
- Gullzy

Difficult to say if it's worth it per say, but is it worth a shot? I'd say probably