spook007

Rest assured, if the Canucks were to sign him, it would all come out and Canucks would be penalised in a new Luongo (I mean McLeod) rule....

Happy New Year to all you fellow Canucks fans... Let us continue to build towards a championship team. Have fun one and all

Cheers amigo... he just looks huge compared to the other player/players. If we are really lucky, he continues his progress and can be a third pairing D man with Size. I'd settle for that as a big win.

He looks huge in the clip...

Didn't he have a great set up assist to Ostlund I the first game?

2D next to Petey or anchoring the second pairing... I'd suggest that would be a home run... RHDs are valuable...

Just he for the whining.... Amazing the team can't go 82-0-0... fire everyone... Maybe, just maybe, cut the team a bit of slack... hands up the people, who predicted we would be top of the league by Christmas.... yeah I didn't think so.....

Mic drops....

I've seen zero evidence Benning was corrupt. I think the real problem was both Benning and Green didn't have any experience. They didn't have anyone to guide them. The only President during their tenure was as new to it all as they were. All in all a recipe for disaster... it was letting the blind lead the blind... I don't think Green was poor at interacting with you ger players neither. Don't recall hearing any stories about Petey, Hughes or Brock etc complain about Green. One of his biggest problem was not changing out Baumer for a competent assistant. Its not as if was given anywhere close to as good as roster Tocchet has. If Tocchet don't think a player is good enough, they can now afford to leave them to stew 1 or 2 seasons more. Our pool was never this deep under Benning. Anyway, this is not a defence of Benning or Green, as all I care about is icing a winning team. And again the turn around under JR/PA is nothing short of miraculous. PS. And maybe leave this discussion now, or take it somewhere else, away from the Hunter section.

Don't disagree, but JR is hard as nails, when it comes to doing things. Its not that long ago half of then CDC, CFF, where almost in tears over the treatment of Bruce... He may have adapted somewhat, but JR is still old school. Allvin on the other hand is the modern face of the group, and he talks the talk most can relate to. But I don't for a second believe nothing of the old school steeliness of JR hasn't rubbed off on Allvin. Where they really have been innovative, is by creating one of, if not the, biggest front offices in the NHL. It remains to be seen if it will be a success, but it's a huge turn around from the Benning era, with him alone running the show. Not sure why he didn't get more help to run the club... who knows. Don't care neither... life is good now under the new management.

Please enlighten me what is so different between Greens and Tocchets coaching? I actually think Green was very much a players guy, and the style of hockey he wanted to be played, looked a lot like the coaching of Tocchet. Babcock has nothing to do with the Canucks, and find it distasteful you bring him into our universe... He was/is an idiot. As for modern approach of leading companies, I'm old enough to know how this works and started. The company I worked for for 28 years were one of the first to change the tone from Sir to you and first name instead of last name during conversations. The changes that followed, where you could address the top of the tree instead of having to go through 6 middle management, came slowly afterward, and endless was the courses and seminars for officers to learn to interact between the various culture you would meet along the way. So yes, I believe I know enough about changes in the approaches... I think you are throwing a lot of honest hard working men, and women under the bus, by suggesting that just one way works, and any other way are run by corruption and deceive/fooling people into believing in corruption... Corruption runs just as deep in 'the modern approach' as it does everywhere else. In the end somebody make the decision....

I would think, its hard to learn an old dog new tricks... especially if the original trick worked? Absolutely nothing untoward JR, but he was not brought to Vancouver change his way of thinking. He was brought in to win, and he has done that 3 times, so I'd suggest he would stay close to the tried and tested. He together with Allvin has been a revelation in the way the rebuilt the front office as well as the team... yes it is amazing to have a competent group leading the way... It just seems strange how much thing have changed in this short space of time..

Hmmm.... modern and different approach... JR is 74, so he definitely still has the old school approach. Tocchet is an old school coach, who wants his players to hard hockey... So I suggest it's a mix. Where we definitely can see a difference, is the front office approach under Allvin, which has been nothing short of refreshingly amazing. But they are also very tough in their way of handling things. The way they shipped out Bo, showed they have old school ruthlessness in them as well. If somebody doesn't fit their plans or tow the line, they will be gone before they know it....

True.... the NHL... But NHL is just a small minority of all Russian athletes... I don't quite remember which sport, but a few months ago some sport was considering allowing Russians to participate (could be next Olympics in Paris), but various other countries threatened to boycott them, if they were allowed... I think Russian athletes in general are less than popular atm internationally. Probably the doping issues during the Olympic Games haven't been forgotten (shear speculation), but the way Russia under Putin has treated its neighbours with treats and war in Ukraine, I can't see any interest amongst the vast majority to allow them to participate. NHL is different, as its one of the few sports, where you see Russian athletes migrate to participate... At the top of my head, I don't recall any other sports, where Russians are leaving Russia in the same numbers...or even at all...

Yes agree, but Putin would advocate that as a victory... The other issue is a lot of athletes would refuse to compete, if Russian athletes were allowed to participate... If I was living in any of the former eastern block countries, I'd be very concerned just about now. Nato or not... With the Orange down south of you several times suggesting he doesn't care about Nato, what's to stop the Putin continuing to regain old territories... Anyway that's for another day else where in the forum. But yes its a tough one for the athletes being held ransom....

Its not the players they want to punish... Its the only way to make Putin and the ordinary Russian understand the world object to Putins war in Ukraine.

We were never gonna get him regardless... thinking like that softens the blow. same as with Bedard...

Cheers @JamesBJames and @LaBamba There are various ways to look at this, or at least I think there are... Firstly, what are we looking for, and what are the needs. Secondly, what is the probability of success. When they went into the draft, and the whole year leading up to it, it was very evident, that drafting D was a need, and in particular RHD. What we were really hoping for/ needing, was a partner for Hughes. Up until the Hronek trade, we didn't really have any proper first pairing RHD, and even after we traded for Hronek, most folks thought he was going to anchor the second pairing. So long term, it's fair to think, we were looking at an eventual partner for Hughes. With Hughes being a rover, a player with his forte as an offensive player, offence was not as important as somebody, who could actually both defend, have a bit of size, and as such be a good supplemental piece to the 1st pairing. Secondly, the chance of Willander panning out, is probably larger than Axel becoming a Hughes type of player... (there were concerns about Alex defensive ability + smallish stature). And finally, I think its fair to say, that management actually did address the need for offensive D, with their pick in 3rd round of Hunter... I may add, that at this point in time, it looks like a master stroke and a bit of luck as well, cause had it been expected he'd be taking off like this, there is no chance he would have been available at out 3rd pick. Nevertheless, this has a bit of the mother/daughter syndrome. Some prefer one and others the other... as I said in the start, I think it depends of what you think of you team building, and of course of the probability of success... Had they though Alex would be a 'home run' like Hughes, its very unlikely he wouldn't have been taken.... Time will tell. However, even if both reach their top potential, I'd say we have a winner, as a cost controlled partner for Hughes for 3-5 years would be perfect in about 3 years time. That is when our second window hopefully opens after the reduction in the OEL Cap hit... As Labamba rightfully said, you don't draft a 3C with your first round pick, just because that is the need, but you do draft for top pairing Ds and second pairing RHDs if you can.

One of the most understated abilities of good coaches, is find out what triggers each individual on your team... Some players need the whip non stop, and some need the fatherly shoulder... whatever it may be is as important as anything to make the magic appear...

www.eliteprospects.com/.../641020/elias-pettersson He is listed as 6'4 here

What's your beef with Willander? Just curious. Has he done anything bad or do you feel he is another OJ? A smooth skating RHD with size that can derend is a good thing, no? As for worth, it depends on the beholder... If Axel becomes a Hughes player, then yes, but if he becomes only slightly more than Rathbone then no. We need bigger D, and a bigger D that can actually play and defend, so maybe Tom fits the bill more than Alex. More importantly so does the Canucks scouting staff. Time will tell who will be the better player.

No worries amigo. Was merely advising folks that don't read Swedish about it. Your help much appreciated.

Can only be seen in Sweden.

Cheers Hammer.... Hansen is Danish though....

Its a lazy headline... in other news water is wet...