Desperately Seeking Scorers

by Yankee Canuck on Sep 17, 2009 8:57 AM PDT Comment 20 comments

Gallagher touches on a subject that I've been chucking around in my head pretty much all summer: who's the Ryan Kesler or Alex Burrows going to be this year? Or, as TG puts it, "...to take that step from goal scoring at the teen level and push it into the mid-20s or beyond."

There are actually two questions here: first is can Kesler and Burrows even maintain their successful ways from last year? We've attacked this a few times already. But, regardless of your opinion on that front, who do you feel is in line next to have that break through year and provide some back-up support for the twins?

Gallagher suggests the following:

And the candidates to do that are clearly Mason Raymond and Steve Bernier for a start, with secondary opportunities to come for Jannik Hansen and Michael Grabner if they can show enough in preseason to suggest they warrant the opportunity.

I'll agree with Raymond and Bernier, but Hansen and Grabner are too much of long shots to be considered. I'm suspect how much longer Hansen will be on the Canucks and Grabner has never played at the NHL level yet (so, based on that alone, we can add Shirokov and Hodgson into the mix).

Raymond is on the bubble too but clearly is a talented asset. He started last year on fire and then succumbed to a dreadful scoring drought midway through the year. Just like Bernier (and arguably Kesler from a few years ago) Raymond had some issues with missing open nets and the occasional hands of stone flu that circulates through the Canucks dressing room every winter.

While not on the bubble, Bernier has a ton to prove. Two teams have given up on him already and he's only played five seasons. Credit Gillis for giving him another chance and Bernier for dropping the weight this summer. But, starting tonight in Anaheim, he has to start ~~cashing on management's faith~~ ah screw it he needs to bury the chances that will inevitably come his way

Poll

Which player is most likely to top 20 goals this season?

Mason Raymond

38 votes

Steve Bernier

118 votes

Jannik Hansen

2 votes

Michael Grabner

2 votes

Cody Hodgson

27 votes

Sergei Shirokov

72 votes

Other (show your work in the comments)

0 votes

None of 'em. I'll be under the barstool.

9 votes

268 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 20 comments |

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Comments

I’d really love to see Raymond have a breakout year. He’s got so much potential, he just needs to grab it. I remember going to a preseason game last near not really even knowing who he was and being really impressed with how he played.

Burrows + Canucks = Stanley Cup!

by SpeakUp on Sep 17, 2009 10:43 AM PDT reply actions

I can’t predict who will score the most, I can predict though that the Nucks will be in top 10 scoring for goals for this year. Our backend has some serious puckmovers, and guys like Raymond will be able to blossom cause of the breakout passes.

by Nuckels on Sep 17, 2009 11:39 AM PDT reply actions

This is a different Canucks team

I think the answer will be some of the above. This team has legitimate competition for every position. That will create the push for some breakout seasons. There are lot of potential suspects. One two or more of the above will have to be significantly better just to keep a job.

You wonder if Kesler and Burrows will be able to maintain, they are both still young and with some real push from below it is entirely possible that they will be even better this year. Micheal Sammuelson is a known a quantity he will add to the mix and the over all level competition, Parrish is a long shot but he has shown some flashes in the past and there nothing like a good hard look at oblivion to get you motivated. Wellwood has the hands and he is in shape (maybe for the first time in his life). Even Pavel Demitra could get the bug and decide that that he something left to prove in his contract year.

There will be healthy competition for every position on the Canucks roster all year long this season. That is what this team has needed for a very long time. Even the Sedins will feel heat during stretches. I am really looking forward this year – great job Mike!!

by Kelownakid on Sep 17, 2009 12:09 PM PDT reply actions

… Bernier … Raymond … Hansen … Shirok … Grabner … Samuelsson … Wellwood … Hodgson

That’s a pretty good list of FW possibilities, actually. 4 of the 8 have good NHL experience, one of the rooks was junior player of the year, and another was a KHL star. 7 of the 8 are still young and improving.

Good D w/some offensive potential and puck-moving skills, so the chances of getting a pair of 20’s from the above should be pretty decent. We’ll get a better look at them tonite, too.

by casual on Sep 17, 2009 12:22 PM PDT reply actions

And both Sammy and Pudge have eclipsed 20 goals in their career already, that’s why I left them out. Though it would be nice (for Pudge especially) to post some better numbers.

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Sep 17, 2009 1:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, I wasn’t sure about including those two. Sammy, I thought, yeah, include him, cuz he wasn’t a Canuck last year. Wellwood I added cuz his newfound fitness indicates a commitment to step it up a notch and I think he will. Bernier had 15 goals last year, too, so for him to get to 20 isn’t that big a jump, but I’m hoping for more.

And Someone is sure gonna benefit from playing w/the twins. Sammy & Burrows seem to have the inside track. Shirok is a wildcard here – does he even make the team? – but if he did play alongside the twins he sure looks like – well, so far – the kinda guy who can get open and pot his chances when they come.

by casual on Sep 17, 2009 1:40 PM PDT up reply actions

I could see Wellwood not scoring 20 but having a buttload of assists.

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Sep 18, 2009 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions

As with any other time a post references gallagher, I feel compelled to point out that he is a douche. That being said, one of these players (at least) truly needs to step up for this year to be a progression from last year.

by Beantown Canuck on Sep 17, 2009 12:39 PM PDT reply actions

Haha, duly noted about the writer.

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Sep 17, 2009 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Maybe we won’t need anybody to step up the way Kesler and Burrows did last year because it looks like we will have a pretty balanced offensive attack.

We probably only need one player to break through to that higher scoring plateau since I really think we are going to see 15-20 more goals from the back end. I am starting to drool at the thought of a third line with Shirokov and Hodgson although I have a feeling we won’t see it this year. Throw a Bernier type on that line and you could see some fire works. I always like having a guy on every line who will go into the corners and get the puck for the scorers and I think Bernier could be that guy.

by Section 312 on Sep 17, 2009 2:19 PM PDT reply actions

I’m worried that we might see more of the Chicago-series Burrows than we would like (Kesler’s a stud). Burrows exceeded all expectations last year and his hustle and stats were terrific. I can’t see him maintaining that level. Having said that, if he drops down the depth chart to, say, the fourth line and provides his trademark hustle, that would open some spots in the top six for some of the unheralded players.

What excites me, though, is Bernier and Wellwood coming into camp in good shape. How many sure-thing goals did they shank during the first half of the season last year?

I just don’t see how Shirokov, Grabner, Hodgson, Wellwood, and Raymond all stick. If they do, the Canucks are a lot smaller than last year, and make the 09-10 Habs look like giants. I also don’t see any of them going to Manitoba. There will have to be some kind of trade(s) that parts with at least a couple of our smaller, skill players.

by Lumberlung on Sep 17, 2009 4:03 PM PDT reply actions

Yep. That’s why I think Gillis is fine with Demitra taking his time recovering; the team needs a chance to evaluate all this talent before deciding who stays and who goes.

And the Canucks have indeed been getting a lot of smaller fw’s lately, haven’t they? Plus Jordan Schroeder is just around the corner. Is Gillis taking advantage of a trend wherein skill players, undervalued for their size, have become a bargain? Or will we trade in the future for a big guy to balance things out?

by casual on Sep 17, 2009 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions

Personally I really don’t think size is an issue. I talk to a lot of coaches and they are much more concerned with a players toughness and determination than they are size. Shirokoz plays bigger than his listed size and so does Hodgson. 6 foot 200 lbs is where you will likely see Hodgson play once he has fully developed so no size problems there. Wellwood is a guy who is likely to get left behind if these young skilled guys make a push to make this team. Would you rather have Shirokov playing and gaining experience or Wellwood who might not be back next year anyway? Heck, Wellwood might not finish the season here.

Ultimately I think Gillis is trying to get faster up front and like I said earlier size isn’t as much an issue as toughness. Look at Burrows. He plays much bigger than his listed size because he has that grit and determination.

by Section 312 on Sep 17, 2009 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Your sellin Burr short. You don’t score 28 goals in the NHL by accident or fluke. He has a nose for the net, and I can’t imagine him not gettin at least 20 goals again this year.

by Nuckels on Sep 17, 2009 7:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Plus, all of Burr’s goals were scored with NO PP time.

vancitydan

by vancitydan on Sep 17, 2009 8:42 PM PDT reply actions

Sedins

They don’t need a marksman – they need a grinder. Burrows is not only a grinder, he’s faster than either one, loves digging pucks free, and has surprisingly quick hands and boundless enthusiasm.

The second best fit with the Twins was Anson Carter, and that’s because he was willing to go to the net to cash chances.

Samuelsson may fit that post, but Burrows does. There are lots of places either one of those guys can be used.

by Thursday on Sep 17, 2009 9:54 PM PDT reply actions

No no, Anson Carter was the best fit for the Twins…easily.

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Sep 18, 2009 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Not that easily

Carter: 33 goals, 81 games
Burrows: around 20 goals in around 50 games.

The best thing about Carter was calling the trio the “Three Brothers” line. But he was certainly a good fit.

by Thursday on Sep 18, 2009 10:56 PM PDT reply actions

aah, the good ol’ days. that year with carter was the same year that i started paying attention to hockey.

GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Sep 19, 2009 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, numbers are close Thurs., but I would say if Shirok’ keeps dazzling, that a second line of Sammy/Kes/Burr’ would look pretty good, and be very tough to play against too.

This year’s edition is so much fun to prognosticate about, hmmm? So many options, where in years past we pretty well had one or two camp battles to talk about in the preseason.