Carol, the last time I checked, AV is no longer coach of the Vancouver Canucks!!
So can you please end your undying love for him and stick to Canuck related topics!
I think we can all agree that he was one hell of a coach in Vancouver, but he's moved on. So should you!
Your blog is otherwise great by the way!
- Dan&Bob

Are Dan and bob together in here because one of you can't make a legitimate thought as one? If so it isn't working for the 2 of you either. Better find a 3rd stooge. May I suggest Iggysbff or System tool. They'd fit right in with you 2 (or 1) (frank)ing idiot(s)

"Higgins to me is a tweener. Mike Babcok said his ideal team is 2 x sexy lines that excite your eye. Higgins is not that

A third line that can score and crunch. Higgins can not crunch.

A fourth line that has you looking over your shoulder.

Burrows would make a better third liner LHF than Higgins"
- VANTEL



I agree Higgins is a tweener, probably leaning towards more of a third line role. However, don't say he doesn't crunch or play with grit, and also add in goals/points


17 goals on a clusterf*ck team with a disasterous change in philosophy/coaching

22 assists

39 points

216 shots on goal

Grit Factor

98 hits

45 blocks

I'd say that's a very decent all around package (especially given the cap-hit - $2.5 million through 2017). And as someone mentioned, he is mr hustle night after night and would be a great mentor for the younger players

Edit: Burrows is a second liner. <<<<< empathic period

It should be obvious by now that playoff success is all about depth, specifically each line winning their matchup against the opposing line and D pairing. PIT obviously has some valuable depth which is why Sutter is scoring more than Crosby, but place Sutter on the 1st or 2nd line and the guy will be a ghost.

If a team can keep a line with Malkin under control, they'd hog tie a line centered by Sutter with the same matchup.

EDIT: Just saw the goal. Speculative centering pass ricochets off the D and in. Lots of luck on that one.
- AlexF

Of course it's about depth, but he scored dammit

Therien, what a douchebag, sitting out one of the best play-off performers of all time (the first and probably last time I agree with something Eklund said)

Briere:

113 points in 114 games.

14 GWG

Therien, what a douchebag, sitting out one of the best play-off performers of all time (the first and probably last time I agree with something Eklund said)

Briere:

113 points in 114 games.

14 GWG
- Zogg

On the surface of it it's definitely a weird call but I haven't seen him play this season. Maybe he's been dragging @ss for months. Still, when you're looking for a spark you'd think they roll with him at least one game to see if the magic might still be there.

I don't know who I'm talking to Dan or Bob, but you're both idiots.
- A_SteamingLombardi

You have the best one liners

"Higgins to me is a tweener. Mike Babcok said his ideal team is 2 x sexy lines that excite your eye. Higgins is not that

A third line that can score and crunch. Higgins can not crunch.

A fourth line that has you looking over your shoulder.

Burrows would make a better third liner LHF than Higgins"
- VANTEL



I agree Higgins is a tweener, probably leaning towards more of a third line role. However, don't say he doesn't crunch or play with grit, and also add in goals/points


17 goals on a clusterf*ck team with a disasterous change in philosophy/coaching

22 assists

39 points

216 shots on goal

Grit Factor

98 hits

45 blocks

I'd say that's a very decent all around package (especially given the cap-hit - $2.5 million through 2017). And as someone mentioned, he is mr hustle night after night and would be a great mentor for the younger players

Edit: Burrows is a second liner. <<<<< empathic period
- Zogg

So basically keep the same players mix them all up throw them against the wall ,see what comes out and hope for a top 10 finish.

I know Paul Stastny wants to stay in Colorado but I wonder if he'd entertain Vancouver?

So basically keep the same players mix them all up throw them against the wall ,see what comes out and hope for a top 10 finish.
- VANTEL

No we definitely need change, but, it's not guys like Higgins that are making us lose. It's that we don't have enough top six players so guys like him have to play in a roll above their heads. We need to trade for a good young top six center is what we really need to do.

I know Paul Stastny wants to stay in Colorado but I wonder if he'd entertain Vancouver?
- LeftCoaster

I actually like Stastny but not at his current salary. If he would somehow accept a 4.5m cap hit he might be very intriguing while Horvat is learning the ropes on the 3rd line.

I thought he would have been surplus to requirements at COL this season with all the centers they have accumulated but with O'Reilly and Mackinnon playing wing for most of the time these days there may still be a role for him with the Avs.

No we definitely need change, but, it's not guys like Higgins that are making us lose. It's that we don't have enough top six players so guys like him have to play in a roll above their heads. We need to trade for a good young top six center is what we really need to do.
- LeftCoaster

My mantra for the past 12 months at least...

My mantra for the past 12 months at least...
- AlexF

Only a few teams out there with them available though. Philly, Avalanche, ???

No we definitely need change, but, it's not guys like Higgins that are making us lose. It's that we don't have enough top six players so guys like him have to play in a roll above their heads. We need to trade for a good young top six center is what we really need to do.
- LeftCoaster

If you keep him in 3 rd line then what happens with Burrows? I would assume he then plays top 6 and you said before he is getting older and Zogg suggested he would be second liner ( top six).

If we really want change than that means new personnel.if you do want substantial change then we need 4 top 6 .

Where do Jensen and Kassian fit in or Dalphe? Where would Horvat fit in?

Only a few teams out there with them available though. Philly, Avalanche, ???
- LeftCoaster

More teams than that have young centers that I'd love for us to target. Whether they are available or not is a totally different story. More than likely not.

But apparently Spezza is available.

More teams than that have young centers that I'd love for us to target. Whether they are available or not is a totally different story. More than likely not.

But apparently Spezza is available.
- AlexF

The only way we're gonna get one via trade is if a team has too many or someone is pushing another player out, OR, a team thinks they have a great need for say Edler or Kesler.

Wild

If you keep him in 3 rd line then what happens with Burrows? I would assume he then plays top 6 and you said before he is getting older and Zogg suggested he would be second liner ( top six).

If we really want change than that means new personnel.if you do want substantial change then we need 4 top 6 .

Where do Jensen and Kassian fit in or Dalphe? Where would Horvat fit in?
- VANTEL

Jensen is young and full of mistakes, but I really like his game down low with the twins. Gotta have some patience with young players like him. Kassian, with the right center, is ready for a bigger role IMO and needs to earn that second line RW spot.

(Nice rush by that Haula kid)

Burrows Matthias Dalpe as a third line? I'd like to see Edler/Garrison - Higgins - Hansen - Kesler traded for a young top six forward.

Penguins let the Rangers right back in to the series

Brassard playing well for the Rangers.

So basically keep the same players mix them all up throw them against the wall ,see what comes out and hope for a top 10 finish.
- VANTEL

I didn't say that, I've never said that this team doesn't need changes, but they have to make sense from both a need, performance and cap-hit perspective. To that end, we were specifically discussing Higgins and I was responding to your comments that Higgins doesn't have any grit. I felt that wasn't the case and pasted some stats which I feel backed this up (and of course I've seen him play many games in person which is a better indicator than just stats). For what he brings (a decent overall package at a great cap hit) he's a great utility player at a bargain price

As far as Burrows, I think we've already discussed that ad naseum and agreed to disagree - as you touched on yesterday regarding our Sedins discussion, this is another topic which we're on completely different ends of the analysis spectrum

Jensen is young and full of mistakes, but I really like his game down low with the twins. Gotta have some patience with young players like him. Kassian, with the right center, is ready for a bigger role IMO and needs to earn that second line RW spot.

(Nice rush by that Haula kid)

Burrows Matthias Dalpe as a third line? I'd like to see Edler/Garrison - Higgins - Hansen - Kesler traded for a young top six forward.
- LeftCoaster

Ok now we are getting somewhere. I said we need 4x new top 6 so Kassian Jensen are two of them . Kesler trade brings in the third and you said the other day more than likely Horvat makes the club. He would need to play 2 nd or third line and I don't see Mathias as a second liner so I assume Horvat is the 4 th top 6 .

Like I said progress.

I actually like Stastny but not at his current salary. If he would somehow accept a 4.5m cap hit he might be very intriguing while Horvat is learning the ropes on the 3rd line.

I thought he would have been surplus to requirements at COL this season with all the centers they have accumulated but with O'Reilly and Mackinnon playing wing for most of the time these days there may still be a role for him with the Avs.
- AlexF

Stastny will be making Sedin money in FLA, book it.

I didn't say that, I've never said that this team doesn't need changes, but they have to make sense from both a need, performance and cap-hit perspective. To that end, we were specifically discussing Higgins and I was responding to your comments that Higgins doesn't have any grit. I felt that wasn't the case and pasted some stats which I feel backed this up (and of course I've seen him play many games in person which is a better indicator than just stats). For what he brings (a decent overall package at a great cap hit) he's a great utility player at a bargain price

As far as Burrows, I think we've already discussed that ad naseum and agreed to disagree - as you touched on yesterday regarding our Sedins discussion, this is another topic which we'll simply have to agree to disagree.
- Zogg

I was/am stating that if you want change then you actually have to do something about it.

I have seen a lot of posts on movement to make change being shot down by fans that don't want to let go of players.

On the surface of it it's definitely a weird call but I haven't seen him play this season. Maybe he's been dragging @ss for months. Still, when you're looking for a spark you'd think they roll with him at least one game to see if the magic might still be there.
- AlexF

I've also seen a number of games with him in the line-up, and even with fairly limited minutes I feel he is still able to perform, but he raises it up a notch or two when it comes to play-offs (and not to mention he isn't a liability out there). As you said, even for the sake of changing things up a little or providing a bit of a spark, why not put him in and give him some regular ice-time and see what he can do?

The only way we're gonna get one via trade is if a team has too many or someone is pushing another player out, OR, a team thinks they have a great need for say Edler or Kesler.
- LeftCoaster

Agreed. Another thought I had was if a team felt they were close and looking for that critical veteran piece to push them firmly into the Cup contender discussion (eg MIN), they might be willing to sacrifice a piece for the future for a piece right now (ie Kesler). It would really have to be one of those "all-in" decisions for a GM to consider parting with the types we've been discussing: Granlund, Johanson, Schenn, etc.

And yet another possible consideration is if a franchise is in the toilet and desperately needs a face to put on the banners (Kesler) and put butts in seats. Florida is a one such franchise that comes to mind. After seeing home tickets on StubHub selling for less than $5, how much worse can it really get?