2019 Rosterbation

The time has come: Rosterbation!

With the pre-season finally over, and the deadline to pare the team down to the 23 person opening night line-up looming, this is your chance to say what the Canucks ought to do, or what you think Head Coach Travis Green (HCTG) will want to do, and perhaps even predict what General Manager Jim Benning (GMJB) will actually do.

Have at it in the comments.

I’ll start things off with a rough draft of my depth chart that you can ponder, dissect, dispute, or support. I’ll follow that with what I think ought to be the opening night roster.

But first: there’s the big story of training camp: Adam Gaudette. He’s the only player that has really made it hard on the front office. He’s done all that he can to make the team, and I think he’s got a chance. I hope he sticks.

Then there’s the biggest non-stories of training camp: Virtanen and Goldobin. Both tantalizing players with tools, but still neither the sizzle in scoring nor the steak with consistent effort and responsible play. I am sure at least one gets sent down to Utica, and both are at risk of being claimed. Tucking them into the last day cuts will help since most teams are also struggling with decisions and that’s the best time of the year to sneak a player through (like they did with Markstrom).

In his first season GMJB showed that he’s not afraid to move vets (Bieksa, Burrows), and keep rookies (Virtanen, McCann) and since then he’s shown he’s not afraid to send NHL salary to the minors (Gagner), while keeping bona fide prospects (Boesser, Petterson). If HCTG says he wants a player because he can win with that player, he’s going to get that player.

So, here’s my rough depth chart, (* indicates right shot player):

LW C RW

Ferland Pettersson Boeser*
Pearson Horvat Miller(L/R/C)
Baertschi Sutter* Leivo*
Schaller(L/C) Beagle* Virtanen*

[IR]Roussel
……………………………………………………………………………..
Goldobin? Motte(L/R/C) Eriksson(L/R)
—————————————————————
Boucher Gaudette* MacEwen*
Perron Graovac Bailey
Jasek(R/L)*
Palmu(R/L) Lind*
Gadjovich

LD RD

Edler Meyers*
Hugnes Tanev*
Benn Stetcher*
………………………………………………………………………………
Fantenberg Biega*
—————————————————————
Sautner Rafferty*
Juolevi Chatfield*
Brisebois Eliot*
Teves Blujus*
Woo*

Goal

Markstrom
Demko
——————————————————————
McIntyre
Kielly
Bachman
DiPietro

For what it’s worth, here is what I’d like the opening night roster to look like:

Ferland-Petterson-Boeser
Pearson-Horvat-Miller
Baertschi-Gaudette-Leivo
Motte-Beagle-Sutter

Edler-Stetcher
Hughes-Tanev
Benn-Meyers

Markstrom
Demko

Healthy scratch: Virtanen, Eriksson, Biega

IR: Roussel, Fantenberg

I’m not saying that’s what the roster will REALLY look like. I think Meyers stays with Edler for now, but I’d rather have Stetcher on the top shut down pair. I think Eriksson is too reliable to get the press box over a younger energy guy like Motte, and I’m not convinced Gaudette stays up at Goldobin’s expense. But I’m hoping to be proven wrong. HCTG will want the team to hit the ice ready to win, and his actual NHL salary says he’s a better judge than me. Let’s find out.