Quinn’s Questions: What Do You Expect from Ethan Bear?

Quinn’s Questions is a feature where you the fans tell us your thoughts, through your vote and hopefully in the comments, as well. It’s named after Quinn Hughes, Pat Quinn, or both, depending on your age and era.

Results of previous Quinn’s Questions: How are you feeling about the Canucks season right now?

I’m pretty upset - 38%

I’m pissed off - 32%

I’m so-so - 15%

I’m still optimistic - 15%

I’m a tad surprised that pissed off wasn’t higher, but still — 70% of votes to worse than average options. Not good!

Folks, we finally have it — changes on the blue line.

Is it a lot? No, not necessarily. But it is more than the previous bar, which was adding Riley Stillman and declaring victory.

In case you missed it, the Canucks acquired defender Ethan Bear from the Carolina Hurricanes for essentially nothing. A fifth round pick was sent to the Canes, while Carolina also retained $400,000, bringing Bear’s cap hit down to $1.8 million (and they also threw in AHL skater Lane Pederson).

So it’s definitely just taking a flyer on a guy, but the upside is actually pretty substantial. When he was an Edmonton Oiler, he was pretty highly touted. He scored 33 points 71 games in 2019-20, and established himself as a young, well-rounded blue liner. Unfortunately, between a bout with COVID-19 and the Hurricanes not being a great fit (and some will say coaching staff there misusing him), his value completely cratered, to the point where the Canucks were basically given him.

So I want to gauge, where are expectations of the fanbase for this guy?

On one hand, you have to love the skillset. This is a guy who was once thought of as a slam dunk, bonafide top-four guy. Could he be that again? It’s certainly possible. I think my expectations — and they’re on the high side, I admit — is that he can step in and be a rock solid second pair guy, maybe alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson or something. If he is — and he has been before! — this is a grand slam, homerun deal for Vancouver. I can even see the argument for him being better than that — maybe he’s just an amazing fit alongside Quinn Hughes. Certainly, his skating fits that profile. I think that’s a long shot, but hey, crazier things have happened, and I even see it as a possibility, even if only a remote one.

I also obviously get it if you think that’s absurd thinking. After all, he couldn't get into the Hurricanes roster, and his play definitely fell off from his Oilers days. Maybe you think that’s just where he is now — someone with a fine enough skillset, but who can’t really put it all together. Given the package they sent their way, that would be fine. I’d be disappointed, but not all that upset. Ditto for him being worse — say a Noah Juulsen type. A massive bummer, but hey, this wasn’t a guy on a great trajectory — can’t be that shocked.

There’s a wide range of outcomes here that are entirely plausible, so let me know what you think. Have we found a diamond in the rough? Or a rough diamond? Does that even make sense? Anyways, comment and vote away!