100% agree. Saying Oberg is going to be a reliable offensive defensemen in the NHL when he’s had only two seasons in the NCAA does not compute. At that rate Shirokov really is Pavel Bure.

And I absolutely think Ohlund needs to replaced by someone with some miles on their wheels. Sticking Rome, Funk or Nycholat is one idea, but expect the weakness to be pretty obvious, especially against teams with stronger offenses. Chicago would eat a guy like Funk for lunch (again, who couldn’t crack the Sabres blueline for multiple seasons). Nycholat especially made atrocious decisions last year with the puck in his own zone (and the fact Calgary and Colorado couldn’t find a use for him also says something).

Bieksa and Edler havnt peaked. Both will most likely be 50 pt guys max, but there defensive game is just startin to take form. Defenseman take time to mature, and both guys are barely scratchin the surface of what they can potentially become.

So what if Ohlund was a thorn in Iginla’s side.

It meant he was our most reliable D-man; replace Iggy with any star player in the league, and that’s the point. Whoever does fill the position isn’t going to be a fifty-point man, either: he won’t get the ice time for that, especially for what we can pay.

I’ve heard, for instance, that Campbell is available from Chicago; the big problem there is that he’s being paid like a Lidstrom, and will need to be that to justify his salary and the salaries that would have to be shed to acquire him. He’s not, of course, but that doesn’t reduce the value he does bring to the game. I’d love to have him on Vancouver, but not at the cost of either players or payroll he’s getting now.

Someone else will step into that role.

Um, I’d rather not rely on chance, thanks. 8) But yeah, I think Mitchell takes that on; possibly a pairing if he’s up against speed (hello, Chicago!). However, I’d also like to see a better spread of ice time for our six: if you’re going to reply to an all-star using one player, he shouldn’t also be the first guy out for the power play and first pair on the penalty kill. Keeping him as fresh as possible for the full game increases the ability to match players, at home or away.

If you want to use Bieksa to counter stars, you better dress Hordichuk more. Sure, Bieksa could get lots of rest, but if it’s for five minutes at a time, that limits what he can do for you…

Names, huh? Haven’t we been down this road before, once or twice…? 8) Okay, I’ll bite:

Yes, I like Marc-Andre Bergeron and think he would be a great fit at his cost and between 12 and 14 minutes of ice time. He’s got a very hard shot, he can join the rush, and he carries the puck well. Plus he’s going to cost $1.25 million per season (yeah, I’m calling it).

Laugh if you will, but Frank Kaberle’s on the list. Very good passer and skater, and reduced injuries coming with reduced ice time. A less-than-stellar season last year brings him in for far less than last year’s $2.2 million salary. An indifferent shot, but he can carry into the zone instead of dump-and-chase.

Dennis Seidenberg. Had a breakout year last season, but still shouldn’t be asking for loads of cash, given his lifetime stats.

Heck, you want to go right off the board? Give Patrick Coulombe a shot at it: he’s fast, can carry the puck, learned about that whole “defence” thing last year, dead cheap, and already under contract. Or pitch hard for Koltsov, now that we’ve shown that Russians are actually welcome in Vancouver once again…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw9yEuwohkk

Um, not really. He wasn’t challenged by the Sens at any point, and hammered a shot from just inside the blue line. And you’re not going to hear me say a thing against Edler’s shot!

Ummm…Iginla= Mitchell, not SOB…but I do think SOB has more to give, and he can handle the puck pretty good too…he is underrated at it.

Agreed, actually.

Yeah, but Lang went down, too. He was a surprisingly effective secondary scorer for the Habs. Speaking of which…

Heck of a deal the Blueshirts got for Prospal, eh?

That’s my train of thought as well.

Always liked the Sedins, myself. I do think having a full-team of threats is a far better way to win than a line of stars and…? It’s one reason why he’d like to see Pudge on the third line rather than the second.

Likewise, having a puck-carrier that can regularly come out of the zone with the puck under control (and backing up the opposing D) will add another weapon that we simply don’t have right now. It would not only increase our depth, but also mix up the team profile during a game.

To just add any wheeling defenceman to the system would be a disaster, if it was a guy who didn’t buy into the system.

There isn’t a player in the league you can’t say that about, though. Well, unless he’s got a really good Corsi.

Don’t get me wrong though..even despite this debate…I was hoping we’d get Scott Niedermayer months back. Then again..who wouldn’t want that guy? Of course, that was before the Sedins and OB re-signed.

Like I said though, the Canucks have less that $3 million in the bank. So IF a bonafide D-man is needed after all is said and done (like a long-term injury for example), they will have to move some considerable salary, unless they find a diamond somewhere…erhm Ian White.

On the other hand, dropping someone into the team with two months left in the season may not be the right approach, either. Getting someone at the beginning of the season allows for time to adapt to the new coach and new system for the player, and time for the other players to adjust to him. If later you decide a mistake was made (or a young guy DOES prove himself capable), then you can jettison the new face and use a player that was there all along, is already known to the team and coaches, etc.

if that were to actually happen, i could imagine hordichuck being a brutal defenseman. just a thought…

Murray Baron. Now there was a beauty from the “glory days”