Ben Kuzma @benkuzma .
#Canucks having optional game-day skate. No Higgins. Took hard hit to head from big rookie Ritchie in Anaheim. Tanev skating.

I'd rather see Gaunce or Grenier on the wing than Pedan,... can't see why they would recall Biega a dman when we might be short a forward.
- hillbillydeluxe

Gaunce is injured

@humungous
I believe you mean Jacob Chychrun
- dbot

Him Too!

Gaunce is injured
- VANTEL

?Shink

Yesterday's game was a great teaching moment for the young guys. Virtanen gets a good lesson on what it's really like in the NHL. He may have been the big boy in junior and for the most part has been allowed to hit guys in the NHL so far. Now Getzlaf shows him how the big mean men play. McCann was tossed around like a doll by Kesler and Getzlaf. Good on him for getting up and going after Getz. How he responds tonight and the coming weeks will be a good indication of his fortitude and character.


And Pedan as a winger? WTF. I'm starting to wonder about Willie's sell by date. At the beginning of the year, I thought he had a pretty good shelf life, but over the last few weeks I'm beginning to wonder if he's like a perishable item that someone forgot to put back in the fridge. Getting rotten sooner than expected.
- bazz

I'm starting to question how WD's decisions are made? Is it all him?

It has been noted time and again, our defense is not up to snuff. Guessing the thought of putting Biega on d over Pedan was because Pedan's call up was a reward for good play and wasn't intended to get into the lineup. nah, I don't get it.

Maybe I should just be happy Pedan is getting into the lineup. And a chance to skate with McCann and Vrbata... how long before Pedan is moved to the 4th line wing and Prust or Dorsett is moved up?

If Pedan gets in, does he get over or under 6 minutes toi?

Dan Murphy ‏@sportsnetmurph · 1m1 minute ago
#Canucks likely to dress 7-D tonight (18 and 20 out) and Willie says Weber is the best forward of all the defencemen. Fun

cluster
- hillbillydeluxe

Actually Weber does skate and shoot the puck well enough to be a forward...soft though.

Actually Weber does skate and shoot the puck well enough to be a forward...soft though.


- LordHumungous

Weber has officially become Ballard 2.0
The circle is complete.

Gaunce is injured
- VANTEL

Grenier then, I'm willing to give a little.

I miss Hutton and Sutter

Actually Weber does skate and shoot the puck well enough to be a forward...soft though.


- LordHumungous

Don't expect any fore check from Weber.

Ballard wasn't afraid of a little body contact.

I miss Hutton and Sutter
- Codes1087

no doubt.

Miller was terrible last game. It was beyond painful to watch. What's the difference here? Last time in anaheim we had our way with them, now we get made into the female dog in this one.

Im not liking WD and Lidster. But after watching the D Lidster is the biggest problem. I say fire him and bring in Carlyle to run the D....he can double as a strategist as he is excellent at that. You're not giving him head coaching privelages so he wont be raping players for mistakes. Lidster really sucks. Not liking WD much either but since our biggest issue is any semblance of a plan on D, Lidsters time should be up.

I've said it before too that if montreal will overpay move subban there for a good D man straight up. We don't want any more 5'8 D men. Time for a trade.

I miss Hutton and Sutter
- Codes1087

Not to mention our schedule has been brutal the last month or so.

Re the post Marwood said about the wheels falling off the bus: It appears that even WD and Benning have realized that the wheels have falling off and there no point in trying to steer anymore. Especially with the line up decisions they have been making.

I hope they send JV to the WJC and we are so far out out a playoff spot at the TDL that Benning has no choice but to move every expiring contract for assets of value. Both would be best for the team.

Canucks really need a coach who will actually implement an actual system. AV still has his fingerprints on the current play, time for this to change. Those things need to be corrected and taken out of the canucks blueprints.

I had hoped JT would do that till we found out he was a lazy a-hole. No system just telling guys to block more shots.

We need a guy who likes to work and can correctly re-teach the game to our players.

I don't think its about learning anything - I think he needs to get his confidence back. Playing against the best juniors in the world is better than playing in Utica for a couple weeks.

I don't think its about learning anything - I think he needs to get his confidence back. Playing against the best juniors in the world is better than playing in Utica for a couple weeks.
- Brooks_Light

I'm of the mind that you keep him up here and you let him sink or swim on his own merits. He's not going to get any better in junior and the WJC has become a showcase for young prospects/potential draftees rather than a place where you become more NHL-ready.

Next year if he's still not quite there you can send him to Utica and allow him to play in a league that's more suited to teaching than the NHL or the Hitman/WJC

Learn? why couldn't he learn anything from wjc? what has he learned so far by playing with the Canucks? he is in over his head or team mates don't take care of each other on the ice in the NHL?

a conditioning stint in Utica would be okay too.

When it comes to development, I have nothing against sending JV back to Jr. I like him in the lineup here, but JV still has some developing to do, it is not like it would hurt him to go back to jr. It should make him more hungry to make the club next year, give him something to prove.

We have guys in Utica that have earned the shot just as much or more than JV.
- hillbillydeluxe

I agree that there are guys in Utica, but I simply couldn't disagree more with JV playing in Jr. He's not going to learn how to be a pro or to play with and against grown men. Rather he would learn what it's like to physically dominate kids his own age, but mostly younger less developed kids than him, and play with those types too. You learn good and bad things from those you surround yourself with in life, plain and simple I'd rather those things be from Pro's.

Learn? why couldn't he learn anything from wjc? what has he learned so far by playing with the Canucks? he is in over his head or team mates don't take care of each other on the ice in the NHL?

a conditioning stint in Utica would be okay too.

When it comes to development, I have nothing against sending JV back to Jr. I like him in the lineup here, but JV still has some developing to do, it is not like it would hurt him to go back to jr. It should make him more hungry to make the club next year, give him something to prove.

We have guys in Utica that have earned the shot just as much or more than JV.
- hillbillydeluxe

Exactly.

Too many people here think if you AREN'T in the NHL you aren't learning.

I'd like to see some different guys get in on defense, like Pedan or even Biega again.

But other than that, not sure how you can make chicken salad out of.... we don't have much depth on defense.

Does WD determine who to call up or does JB say, this is your roster, have at it?

With the lineup we have been icing, we still lack offense and grit, I'd be looking for some of that to inject into the lineup, keep auditioning, bring up from Utica, forwards/wingers and see who can provide a spark. Call up Kenins and tell him what we need to see to keep him in the lineup.

who can we call up? Grenier, Shink, Kenins, Jensen, Archie...

Exactly.

Too many people here think if you AREN'T in the NHL you aren't learning.


- classic321

I think you're learning. Specifically, bad habits from linemates and teammates that are sloppy and undisciplined (unprofessional) players. The coaches can only show a player so much in Jr., players learn more from eachother. Everyday spent at the rink with Sedins, watching the preparation and being in practice is more than any coach can teach IMO

I'd like to see some different guys get in on defense, like Pedan or even Biega again.

But other than that, not sure how you can make chicken salad out of.... we don't have much depth on defense.

Does WD determine who to call up or does JB say, this is your roster, have at it?

With the lineup we have been icing, we still lack offense and grit, I'd be looking for some of that to inject into the lineup, keep auditioning, bring up from Utica, forwards/wingers and see who can provide a spark. Call up Kenins and tell him what we need to see to keep him in the lineup.

who can we call up? Grenier, Shink, Kenins, Jensen, Archie...
- hillbillydeluxe

I think Shink is the guy who has earned it most

Weber has officially become Ballard 2.0
The circle is complete.
- dbot

Right...that was his name I forgot.

Now all we need is Weber to slash Miller in the face and the circle really will be complete.

Not to mention our schedule has been brutal the last month or so.

Re the post Marwood said about the wheels falling off the bus: It appears that even WD and Benning have realized that the wheels have falling off and there no point in trying to steer anymore. Especially with the line up decisions they have been making.

I hope they send JV to the WJC and we are so far out out a playoff spot at the TDL that Benning has no choice but to move every expiring contract for assets of value. Both would be best for the team.
- PetrolSexual

Sets up for the firesale at TDL which will not hurt us.

Right...that was his name I forgot.

Now all we need is Weber to slash Miller in the face and the circle really will be complete.
- LordHumungous

That's it, my young apprentice... feel the hate FLOWING through you... STRIKE Miller down and take your place at my side...

Sets up for the firesale at TDL which will not hurt us.
- LordHumungous

I want to see them win some games and be in the playoff hunt, but if there is a chance to shed some pending ufa's and non essentials, lemons out of lemonade, sounds good to me.

I agree that there are guys in Utica, but I simply couldn't disagree more with JV playing in Jr. He's not going to learn how to be a pro or to play with and against grown men. Rather he would learn what it's like to physically dominate kids his own age, but mostly younger less developed kids than him, and play with those types too. You learn good and bad things from those you surround yourself with in life, plain and simple I'd rather those things be from Pro's.
- neem55

From what I've seen lately out of JV, I'd be just as happy to see Grenier in the lineup.

He doesn't stop developing if he is sent back to jr. he can still work on his game. You are right about playing against smaller players, but that isn't the end of the world.

If he went to WJC he could go back to jr, for a few months and the season is over then anyway, could rejoin the Canucks or Utica at the end of his jr season. If we are clearing out the pending ufa's, and expect to see the losses involved with this, that losing environment may not be the best one for development- could hurt more than help..

That's it, my young apprentice... feel the hate FLOWING through you... STRIKE Miller down and take your place at my side...
- DariusKnight

lol...so be it...JEDI!