2009 Free Agency: Where the Canucks stand
by Yankee Canuck on Jun 29, 2009 7:32 AM PDT
in Free Agency
Email
PrintTwo days until the summer Christmas and things are bound to pick up quickly. How Vancouver looks now could be pretty damn different in just 72 hours.
After the jump is a cheat sheet for you and, if you're incredibly motivated, I suggest the salary cap calculator for all of your hypothetical GM'ing needs.
Pending UFAs: Nolan Baumgartner, Jeff Cowan, Mark Cullen, Rob Davison, Jason Jaffray, Jason Krog, Jason Labarbera, Mattias Ohlund, Michel Ouellet, Taylor Pyatt, Curtis Sanford, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Mats Sundin and Ossi Vaananen. Not sure who is returning but it's basically a given that Ohlund is out.
Salary cap space: Roughly $23 million.
Key needs: Where to begin? If the Sedins return, who is this year's Mats Sundin for the second line? And the third line needs a replacement for Pyatt if no one from Manitoba steps up. Alternatively, if the Sedins bolt, they basically need an entire line of offense via free agency, trades or call ups. On the blueline, who replaces Ohlund and who is injury insurance are the biggest concerns. Lastly, does Luongo sign an extension or should we ready ourselves for months of Luongo rumors? Wait, that already happened. In addition, the captain needs a back-up as Sanford is likely out and Labarbera could follow. Including Luongo, both Ryan Kesler and Willie Mitchell are entering their contract years.
Potential targets: The Sedins are the X factor. If they stay, I can see a run at maybe one high end forward like Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta, Martin Havlat, Marian Gaborik or Alex Tanguay. Middle range guys like Kyle Calder or Erik Cole could be targeted as well. Cheaper pivot options like Nik Antropov (though not at $5 million per), Manny Malhotra or Samuel Pahlsson could work on the second line at the right price. On defense, you'll hear rumblings about Scott Niedermayer but maybe (hopefully?) a stronger run will be made for Francois Beauchemin, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Paul Mara or maybe Michael Komisarek. Behind Luongo should be Labarbera, but Stephen Valiquette would definitely work too.
12 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
It looks like Grabner is going to replace Pyatt is my guess.
I think it’s a done deal that Niedermayer finishes his career in Anaheim unfortunately.
If the Sedins don’t walk, then I’m all about Cammalleri on line 2, or even Tanguay.
Niedermayer isn’t an answer anyway. The world will be gunning for Cammalleri too. What makes matters worse is that I think Gillis will need to trade someone if the Sedins leave. UFA’s can’t solve all of these holes. So if Luongo re-ups and they move Schneider, that’s one possibility. But who else? No one will bite on injury man Demitra at $4 million and maybe no one will for Salo at $3.5 million. Bieksa or Mitchell? Yeesh…
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Jun 29, 2009 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions
The thing about Luongo is that I don’t think he is going to sign an extension until next spring/summer, regardless that he introduced the Canucks’ first round pick. Demitra has a NTC I believe.
by Sean Zandberg on Jun 29, 2009 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions
Thanks good sir. Really helps to show the glaring holes doesn’t it?
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Jun 29, 2009 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions
just throwing out a wacky idea here….. feel free to turn it down……
if calgary takes bouwmeester and kicks out phaneuf, should we try for phaneuf? he is a d-man after all…..
GO CANUCKS GO!
Unless we bowled them over with an offer, I don’t see Calgary moving him in their own division
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Jun 29, 2009 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions
That and I still don’t think we need to spend that kind of $$$ on defence. Just my opinion.
by Sean Zandberg on Jun 29, 2009 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions
Speaking of…Jay McKee is now on the market. Imagine having McKee and Johnson blocking all those shots. A pair of kamikazees!
I think we can do a bit better than him. Hell Ossi’s cheaper and, from what I can tell by the comments over at SLGT, he can at least pass. We don’t need more defenders putting the puck in their own net…that’s what SOB, sadly, is around for.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Jun 29, 2009 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Starting from the back...
I’d be quite happy with either LaBarbara or Sanford back; La Barbara wants more ice, so I could see him leaving. Sanford has an excellent reputation in the room, and that’s essential for someone who’s only going to be in 15-20 games (tops). Or, of course, you could start Schneider off this year, but I’m willing to wait.
On the defence, Komisarek is someone I like, but not for millions. He’s a bit worse than Mitchell (stupider, mostly), and plays the same game: net-clearing. Baumgartner is a solid 6-7 guy, as is Vaananen, so I wouldn’t mind either (or both) getting re-upped; I like Bergeron’s price as a PP specialist, but don’t think any of the young D are ready to make any kind of impact yet. Re-up SOB and Daddy Mac(Iver) and we’ll be set. (If you happen to have a hate-on for Bergeron, and I understand it happens to the best of us, then give “high-risk/high-reward” Patrick Coulombe another shot.)
Up front’s where things get fun. Cammaleri’s the best of the lot, unless you can get Havlat in a series on one-year deals (hello, perpetual contract year!). One note about the graphic: is anyone else terrified to see Burrows as our #1 right winger without the Wonder Twins alongside him? Back with Kesler, you! If there’s no movement with the Sedins, pitch for Hossa. Given the year Hodgson had, another in junior could only be considered a step backward. Unless you want to test how he plays with a slightly worse team, bring him up for some 3rd or even a bit of 2nd line ice time. Leave Grabner down for now to flesh out his game (plus the farm needs some goals), and get Hansen and Wellwood back. Pudge is saying he really wants to build off his 18 goals this year, and had way more fun losing teeth than he thought he would, and Hansen is itching to finalize a move to the NHL. Plus, they neutralize each other as far as speed goes.
I do hope Wellwood gets re-signed. I think a light went off in his head during the playoffs: he realized he likes being called “a real hockey player”!
Bring Schneider up to back up Luongod, you gotta use him while he’s with the team somehow.
Agree with Bergeron over Komisarek, especially he had played in Edm…
No Hossa! Yes Gaborik! :)
We are all Canucks.
by Chinese Canuck on Jun 29, 2009 8:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Nucks Misconduct
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Nucks Misconduct Store
Your clothing sucks. Go fix it.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
