I had forgotten that the Umberger negotiation came down to money. I remembered the same thing we're hearing now about Demko. "He hasn't signed! What if he doesn't sign and we lose him for nothing? We've wasted a first-round draft pick!"

You're right, though. His case is a bit different because he planned to turn pro after his junior year, then sat out the entire 2003-04 season because he couldn't reach a contract agreement with the Canucks.

Burke got what he could for him at the 2004 trade deadline before losing him for nothing, but it wasn't much. Rucinsky was a rental who got a total of five points for the Canucks - regular season and playoffs. But the Rangers - who offloaded Rucinsky - did even worse, since Umberger didn't sign with them either.

He hasn't had a great career but hasn't been that much of a nomad. Once he got going, he only played for the Flyers (twice) and the Blue Jackets.
- Carol Schram

Maybe I am reading this wrong but Demko was a second round pick. No compensation

I'm just guessing, but maybe he grew a few inches in College? I'm stoked they did either way, he's clearly gotten better very year for that team. That's all you can ask really.
- neem55

I don't think so.

http://www.hockeydb.com/i...s/pdisplay.php?pid=139295

looks like a good pickup for free.

#Canucks sign defenceman Troy Stecher, teammate of Boeser from @UNDmhockey.

RELEASE → http://ow.ly/10DzKT

Is he anygood?
- pker2theend

Next Bobby Orr .


He is decent , free pick

I don't think so.

http://www.hockeydb.com/i...s/pdisplay.php?pid=139295

looks like a good pickup for free.
- hillbillydeluxe

Oh well there you go, he's a BCHL(junior A) kid that scored 47 in 52. Not screaming draft worthy. Looking much better now though!

Just joking here bloated, not distracted at all. Everyone has opinions and reasons for their thought processes, I'm not here to criticize. Keep up the good work
- Makita

Cheers.

Saying that, I will give credit where credit is due.

From the last thread Booner stated that JB has done a far better job of restocking the farm system than Gillis. No doubt.

But when I asked manvanfan who JB is building his new core around, he said baertschi, virtanen, boeser, mcCann, horvat, Demko, Hutton, and Tanev. Honorable mention to Gaunce.

Only four of those guys are playing meaningful NHL minutes and three of those are Gillis players. Every GM benefits from moves of the previous regime. Let’s see some of JB’s guys play meaningful minutes before we claim him champion of the draft.

Oh well there you go, he's a BCHL(junior A) kid that scored 47 in 52. Not screaming draft worthy. Looking much better now though!
- neem55

Tanev was a college kid.

just hoping Stecher can put it all together. 190lbs sounds like a solid weight for that height.

Two things of note:

Boeser's bio pic on Twitter is him dawning a Canucks jersey at the draft

retweet and congrats to stecher for signing. He's stoked he's got a ND teammate here!
- neem55

Cool

To bad people will still come up with reasons he wont sign here.

Next Frank Corrado .


He is decent , free pick
- VANTEL

Fixed

Tanev was a college kid.

just hoping Stecher can put it all together. 190lbs sounds like a solid weight for that height.
- hillbillydeluxe

http://canucksarmy.com/20...er-from-ncaa-north-dakota

A good canucks army article?! yes, it's true

favorite twitter tidbit:"Separated shoulder in GM 1 of '13 #BCHL Final vs @SurreyEagles . Didn't miss a game. Kid's nails." fraser rodgers, Vees radio guy

Come on Thunder. Gagner worked under Gillis. Same as JB has a scounting staff. You know the rules of this game.
- bloatedmosquito

He wasnt an assignment by the management. Kind of like when Moose coach AV had to get Nonis' attention about Burrows who they did not have a eye on at all.... even tho he was on the farm team.

Never been a Gillis supporter. Didn't like him from the get-go.
- bloatedmosquito

You were one of the people who trolled me non stop about my criticisms of Gillis.

Thanks. That made my day.

Just joking here bloated, not distracted at all. Everyone has opinions and reasons for their thought processes, I'm not here to criticize. Keep up the good work
- Makita

Thats my job. You stick to yours.

I wonder if size is the only knock on him. I was looking in a few places, he was top Defenseman at the RBC Cup at age 17, and was in the Junior A challenge. Scouting reports from a few sites say his skillset is very good and has good hockey IQ. His stats also look quite good from UND, so I am curious why teams passed on him but drafted his teammate Mike Reilly
- WhiteLie

Interesting. Maybe he just flew under the radar. We'll see. At worse we get a good player for the Comets for a few years.

You were one of the people who trolled me non stop about my criticisms of Gillis.

Thanks. That made my day.
- boonerbuck

You lie.

Maybe I am reading this wrong but Demko was a second round pick. No compensation
- VANTEL

Yeah, I realized after the fact that my phrasing wasn't very clear.

My intent was to point out that the current panic over Demko (a second-round pick) echoes that which surrounded Umberger (a first-round pick), although Burke saved himself a lot of grief by not signing Umberger before Twitter came along.

I didn't mean to get into the compensation question at all. The Umberger signing was two CBAs ago. As far as I can remember, there was no compensation for first-rounders back then, either, but I could be wrong on that. Anybody?

Didn't want to financially support a business I felt was headed in the wrong direction. Didn't like the fact that the new owner hired a rookie GM but it worked out amazingly well at the beginning and then the wheels fell off. Then what does the owner do? Goes right and hires another rookie GM, along with a rookie prez, and a rookie coach. As an investor and as a fan that rings alarm bells for me. That's when I pulled the trigger.
- bloatedmosquito

That supports my point...you are a knowledgeable and loyal fan but you bolted as soon as there was some adversity. It's your $ and your choice..but..my point was our fanbase is impaitent and won't support the long rebuild and you are evidence of this

That supports my point...you are a knowledgeable and loyal fan but you bolted as soon as there was some adversity. It's your $ and your choice..but..my point was our fanbase is impaitent and won't support the long rebuild and you are evidence of this
- CanuckDon

If you think the time was all roses while I was a season ticket holder then you have a short memory.

That supports my point...you are a knowledgeable and loyal fan but you bolted as soon as there was some adversity. It's your $ and your choice..but..my point was our fanbase is impaitent and won't support the long rebuild and you are evidence of this
- CanuckDon

You both make good points. IMO they do not get enough fan support and that too many people are fair weather fans in this city. Nobody even cheers at the games for (frank)s sake. look at the peg or chicago, players know they are in hostile territory in those buildings.

Interesting. Maybe he just flew under the radar. We'll see. At worse we get a good player for the Comets for a few years.
- boonerbuck

If he would have played on Canucks this year , he probably would have been 3 Rd in
Points on D

From what I seen he looks a bit like Krug.

Free second round pick

Cheers.

Saying that, I will give credit where credit is due.

From the last thread Booner stated that JB has done a far better job of restocking the farm system than Gillis. No doubt.

But when I asked manvanfan who JB is building his new core around, he said baertschi, virtanen, boeser, mcCann, horvat, Demko, Hutton, and Tanev. Honorable mention to Gaunce.

Only four of those guys are playing meaningful NHL minutes and three of those are Gillis players. Every GM benefits from moves of the previous regime. Let’s see some of JB’s guys play meaningful minutes before we claim him champion of the draft.
- bloatedmosquito

My look on it is simple.

Gillis was ok outside of the 1st round. Did well with free agent rookies. He was so terribad in the 1st round that he deserves no pats on the back for making that little bit irrelevant by failing to add anything but Horvat so far out of the 1st. I know the jury is still out on Gaunce and Shink... and I have faith for Gaunce as a bottom 6... not so much on Shink as a successful top 6. Not a bottom 6 type either.

If he would have played on Canucks this year , he probably would have been 3 Rd in
Points on D

From what I seen he looks a bit like Krug.

Free second round pick
- VANTEL

I like anything free that doesn't require antibiotics...

I like anything free that doesn't require antibiotics...
- boonerbuck

If you think the time was all roses while I was a season ticket holder then you have a short memory.
- bloatedmosquito

Not at all, you endured some tough times...not sure you gave the new group enough time to implement a rebuild. It takes 5 years not 6 months.

I like anything free that doesn't require antibiotics...
- boonerbuck

I like anything free that doesn't require antibiotics...
- boonerbuck