Vancouver Adds Andrew Alberts As Deadline Passes
by Yankee Canuck on Mar 3, 2010 12:34 PM PST
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What do you do when you get shut out (again) of all the deadline bedlam? You find the team that is just loading up on picks and you shake them furiously to see what falls out of their pockets.
In our case, that would be Andrew Alberts, a rather large individual taken in the sixth round (179th overall) by Boston in 2001.
Pros:
- Unlike Bernier, he has no problem using his size
- Is a good shot blocker (fourth on the Canes defense) and was third on the Flyers last year
- Currently leads the Canes in hits (178) and also lead the Flyers in hits in 2008-09
- Can drop the gloves, thereby freeing SOB up to take senseless obstruction penalties
- Basically cheap: $800,000 in 2009-10 and $1.3 million in 2010-11
Cons:
- Don't expect too much offensive production
- Vancouver will be his fourth team in a five year career
- Someone this big has to be a bit of a pylon and probably needs a third arm to help move the puck
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.“Can drop the gloves, thereby freeing SOB up to take senseless obstruction penalties”. I lol’d…well played! Even tho I’m pro SOB and think he should win Most Improved Player on the Canucks at this years team awards.
"Hope you like pancakes, Norway..."
by GAHHHHH! on Mar 3, 2010 12:35 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
This trade will somewhat improve the Canucks, and may work out for them. I love his size and his physical game, that’s exactly what the Canucks need on the D-side.
I am relieved that Gillis did at least something.
Los Angeles, CA
Right, no big splash but he’s still young and has some upside. If nothing else he’ll clear guys out of the crease which should be fun to watch. And for a hitter his +/- is reasonable and his PIMs aren’t out of control (he has 74, SOB has 73).
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Mar 3, 2010 12:41 PM PST up reply actions
The fact that he is not an offensive defeseman is not a big deal, we have enough of those (Bieksa, Ehrhoff, Edler…), I’d rather see a responsible, stay-home guy who doesn’t allow odd-man rushes. That’s what was killing the Canucks lately.
Los Angeles, CA
This has nothing to do with Alberts, but I’m curious…anyone else think we’ll see a captaincy shift to Kesler this offseason? I wouldn’t be surprised if Gillis dangles that as part of the negotiations, luongod willing…
"Hope you like pancakes, Norway..."
Kesler deserves to be captain, no doubt in my mind. But that would mean to take away the captaincy from Luongo. And I don’t know how you would do that, without creating some resentment on Luongo’s part. The message in the change would be that Luongo somehow failed as a captain.
Los Angeles, CA
I agree, it would have to be done without making Lu mad, but I get the feeling sometimes that he doesn’t truly LOVE being captain, and may be willing to pass on some of his duties. I could be wrong.
"Hope you like pancakes, Norway..."
Top 6, excluding Mitchell/Bieksa are then...
Salo-Edler
Ehrhoff-O’Brien
Alberts and one of Rome/Baumgartner?
If Bieksa comes back, that means we don’t ever have to see Rome or Baumer again, and if Mitchell comes back we have lots of options.
This seems like a “precautionary if Mitchell is done” move, with a very cheap way to replace him for next year if they decide not to resign Mitchell.
Good job MG.
Knights, Canucks, Dolphins, Jays and Raptors all the way.
Does anybody
need any further proof that Gillis doesn’t have the balls to give something up to actually make a significant improvement to the team?
Everybody knows
That the world is full of stupid people
Well I got the pistols so I'll keep the Pesos
Yeah that seems fair
Deadline deals don’t necessarily improve a team – you don’t want to make too many deals for risk of disrupting team chemistry, and the price for a playoff rental can be pretty steep at times. And it rarely works out – just look at Nonis’ boneheaded acquisitions in the past: he traded second round picks for guys who, if anything, brought the team down.
I’m fine with Gillis not making significant moves, as we didn’t need any. We now have an extra depth Dman, and didn’t need anything else, really. I think we’re already primed for a good playoff run, and I think we definitely have a better team then we did last playoffs.
by Canuckk on Mar 3, 2010 7:07 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I can tell you haven’t been commenting here for very long, Canuckk ;)
Yoata, I’m a little torn on the matter. But what would Carolina have asked for us to land Matt Cullen, who I thought would have been the perfect fit on line 3? A roster player and a 2nd rounder like the Sens gave up? So which roster player do we throw in?
Then what do we do with Kesler and Raymond in the summer? Sign them and let Cullen walk?
by Sean Zandberg on Mar 3, 2010 8:00 PM PST up reply actions
Too funny
that Nonis gets slagged, if you like this team as much as Gillis does, you have Nonis and Burke to thank, they built it, and since Gillis doesn’t have the guts to put his stamp on a team he two years ago claimed “aren’t close”, if they do manage to contend despite his lack of assistance, it will be Nonis and Burke that should get the credit.
Everybody knows
That the world is full of stupid people
Well I got the pistols so I'll keep the Pesos
Yeah that seems fair
I’m not denying that Nonis did some very good things for the Canucks – trading for Luongod in basically the most lopsided post-lockout deal ever being chief among them. But he also made some really stupid moves, like drafting Patrick White in the first round and like I mentioned before, wasting second round picks on some pretty bad rentals. And for the record, I think Burke did great work rebuilding the Canucks in his tenure, and though he did make a couple of questionable moves himself, I fully believe he is largely responsible for the Canucks being where they are today.
But that wasn’t really my point. My point was that I don’t think there was really a need for Gillis to go out and sacrifice a portion of our future for a depth rental that, quite frankly, wasn’t really a huge necessity. A depth forward or defenseman isn’t gonna win us a series – in the end, it’s gonna be up to the key guys to carry us through, not the depth guys. If we can’t depend on Luongo or the Sedins or Kesler/Demitra to be clutch in the playoffs, then it really doesn’t matter if we acquire depth rentals or not, plain and simple.
That being said, I do think that Louie, the Sedins and Kesler can carry us through deep in the playoffs. It may also take guys like Demo, Raymond or Sammy to step it up and bail us out from time to time, but chances are our third and fourth lines won’t need to be clutch – it’s all gonna depend on our top-six guys.
And that was easily the most i’ve ever typed at once on an iPhone :)
by Canuckk on Mar 3, 2010 11:52 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Sean
2 off seasons and 2 deadlines and the only significant improvement was one that cost next to nothing because the Sharks needed to dump and quick.
That’s my point, you have to give up something to get something good unless you get lucky, and it’s more and more obvious that Gillis doesn’t have the balls and would rather just keep trying whatever castoffs he can to try and win the lottery, meanwhile a team that’s close to contending doesn’t get any closer, and isn’t that his job?
Everybody knows
That the world is full of stupid people
Well I got the pistols so I'll keep the Pesos
Yeah that seems fair
Yeah, it’s his job. What if it takes balls to stand pat and not sacrifice the future? Like I said, I’m torn. It depends on what other teams were asking for today. In the meantime, yes, Alberts and Stastny are castoffs.
I don’t trust Woody to be even a semi-consistent performer as line 3 center and I think that should have been addressed. But at what cost?
by Sean Zandberg on Mar 3, 2010 8:50 PM PST up reply actions
Why would you ruin the chemistry of the team just for the sake of the deadline? Lines 1,2, and 4 are fine. We added a bit of depth on the blueline. What more do you want? Who in the right mind is going to say to Gillis “Hmmm I really like Bernier and Wellwood, here’s Backes for you? Or Cullen?” Gillis was looking at Jurcina but the price was too high.
Do you propose we trade all our prospects/picks to pick up a third liner? Right now we’re third in the conference, 4th in the league in wins. Not much need to improve the team. Look at the Flames. Do you really think all those deadline deals last year helped the team? Or even this year for that matter?
Well, Cullen went to Ottawa for Picard and a second rounder. I wouldn’t call that price steep or trading away all our prospects.
At some point a risk has to be taken. And it doesn’t have to be huge. Last March, the Penguins got Bill Guerin for a conditional 5th round pick and then claimed Craig Adams off waivers. Worked out pretty good for them didn’t it?
by Sean Zandberg on Mar 3, 2010 9:30 PM PST up reply actions
The only line that isn’t really producing was the third line. But now with Demitra back in form and on line 2, Sammy with Wellwood and Hansen looks like a pretty good third line. If Wellwood keeps playing like he has then I don’t think we really need to worry. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Why take a risk when you’re already having success. I could understand if we were sitting 8th and had a glaring hole.
The only hole I see right now is Baumgartner and since we picked up Alberts, that hole will go away somewhat. I’m not too impressed with Rome either but Bieksa is back soon. I don’t really see a need to take a risk. If some weakness gets exposed come playoff time then Gillis still has the prospects to try to upgrade in the offseason. Deadline deals are more desperation than anything.
I’d rather Gillis try to make a move in the offseason. There has to be more quality players available in the summer. Chicago will probably have to get rid of salary and I’m sure they’ll have more than a few assets available (not that they’d trade with us per se). I just think it makes more sense when you have more time to think about deals rather than quickly pulling a trigger without weighing the pros and cons then finding out you hosed yourself a few weeks down the road like Calgary last year.
Here’s what I have been having trouble squaring away. I totally get the argument that you don’t want to do too many deadline deals because the price is high and it robs you of the draft picks that are key to having a good system.
Yet, this draft the Canucks are without a second and a third and have only Bernier and Alberts to show for it. So not only has Gillis not made especially shrewd trades, but he’s done a Nonisian job of pissing away draft picks. That doesn’t strike me as an especially great use of resources.
My hopes exceed my expectations
-WeepingTile
Agreed
This is the problem with half-witted half-assed half-measures.
Take your balls out of your pocket and make a move that will significantly imrpove the team and quit trying to win the lottery with these projects.
I mean is Alberts actually an improvement over the guy they waived to make room for him???
Everybody knows
That the world is full of stupid people
Well I got the pistols so I'll keep the Pesos
Yeah that seems fair
Even
Jeff Halpern would have helped us, that’s how weak we are on the 3rd line, and he went for pretty cheap.
Then again Hodg is playing great again in the O, could be ready to parachute in for the postseason…
Everybody knows
That the world is full of stupid people
Well I got the pistols so I'll keep the Pesos
Yeah that seems fair
Good stats, but how has he looked?
Please allow me to adjust my pants, so that I may dance the good time dance, and lead the onlookers and innocent bystanders into a trance.
I’ve only actually seen him one game live (his 2nd game back), but he looked solid. Best player on the ice (which included Nazem Kadri that night).
Anyone else seen him in Brampton or wherever?
Knights, Canucks, Dolphins, Jays and Raptors all the way.
Interesting point about Hodgson. It would be lovely to give him time in the AHL to develop, but given the payroll situation next year I don’t see him anywhere but Vancouver. Might as well get him up here to taste the NHL at its most intense.
My hopes exceed my expectations
-WeepingTile
What about signing Sammy?
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Mar 4, 2010 1:08 AM PST up reply actions
Kyle Wellwood has had 2 good games in a row and suddenly everybody jumps back on the Woody Wagon? I would have got a bigger and better player to take his spot. That’s just me. Hey, even AV wanted it, but Gillis gives him Yan Stastny! Haha..sorry but that is a fail.
Give it time. Canucks fans will be calling for Woody’s head soon enough, and then they’ll be wondering why Gillis didn’t replace him.
Don’t get me wrong tho..I hope I’m wrong with that..but that is highly unlikely
Sean knows
Everybody knows
That the world is full of stupid people
Well I got the pistols so I'll keep the Pesos
Yeah that seems fair
I think the real story on Gillis is that the other GMs don’t see him as one of them. They see him as a player agent who somehow ended up as a GM. Regardless of Gillis’ objective merits, it appears to me that he has been frozen out of the club. In short, it’s not that he can’t buy, it’s that the guys behind the counter won’t take his business. They don’t trust him, he’s on the other team.
That is strictly here-say. Do you think Sharks’ GM Doug Wilson think of him that way? Gillis has a lot of assets on the table that other GM’s would want regardless of his past practice.
by Sean Zandberg on Mar 4, 2010 12:01 AM PST up reply actions
It is hearsay, but it is a reasonable guess, given that Gillis’ moves to date are either mostly insignificant side-deals, the signing of former clients, notwithstanding the one deal with the Sharks. However, if as the years go by we continue to see Gillis’ moves skirting around the outside of the GM club, it’ll get to be a more reasonable guess.
I really think if a GM gets a call from Gillis and it’s a deal that will help his team he will make the move. He isn’t going to say no cause it’s Gillis and risk not making his team better. That would be career suicide.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Mar 4, 2010 9:21 AM PST up reply actions
Have we all forgotten that Burke started out as a player agent?
Please allow me to adjust my pants, so that I may dance the good time dance, and lead the onlookers and innocent bystanders into a trance.
Burkie got his ticket to the Ol’ Boys Club by putting in time in the league head office tho’…but yeah.
I don’t really buy that. If some of the Ol’ Boys don’t want to deal, there are many ( now ) newer types that never had to deal with Gillis the agent anyhow.
But like Section said, it would be career suicide to deny a deal that would improve your team because it’s Gillis on the other end of the phone.
For the record, I get what yoata and Sean are saying, but don’t think there was anything out there that would have been better than what we have.
Halpern? Pffhht. Hanhuis, maybe, but the price was probably too much. I like the Alberts deal. He turned M. Schneider into something, and Yan Stasny is a step up from PC Lebrie, who only impressed me with his fists in the pre-season.
The team is Top 5 in Offense AND defense right now, with less than twenty games to go.
That is because of the players here, not guys that we think MIGHT be better.
"Of course you know, this means war!!"
Bugs Bunny
True but
It’s not just internal comparison, we have to get past the likes of the Sharks and Hawks just in order to go up against the likes of the Caps/Pens.
Most if not all of those teams got sig better at the deadline and were arguably already stronger teams to begin with.
You don’t get that many chances to contend, especially in the new NHL, you have to strike while the iron is hot.
Everybody knows
That the world is full of stupid people
Well I got the pistols so I'll keep the Pesos
Yeah that seems fair
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