[Speculation] Canucks maintaining strong interest in free agent Ethan Bear

[Boudrias]

8 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Maybe? It looks like management (Tocchet too) prefer heavy bodies in their second and third pairings. I wonder if we would have signed Bear, considering he would have been a bottom pairing guy with Soucy and Cole coming in. 

I can't knock Tocc's conviction that heavier bodies can win so so games. How many games did the old Flyer teams win because they could lean into opposing players? Enough that I suspect that is where RT's conviction comes from. As a old Habs fans I saw fast skating players humiliate the Bruins year after year. That said those Montreal CUP teams had a level of physical play that could not be ignored. The Habs had big d-men under Pollock. OK JC Trembley excluded but he was our Huggy equivalent. 

[Gawdzukes]

This bum didn't sign with anyone yet. I knew it would have been a mistake to target this guy as anything but 7/8 depth for 1 year at league minimum. No one knows how that shoulder will hold out.

 

Edit: Oh I see he will sign with the Caps. 2 years. Ouch.

Edited December 25, 2023 by Gawdzukes

[N4ZZY]

2 hours ago, Gawdzukes said:

This bum didn't sign with anyone yet. I knew it would have been a mistake to target this guy as anything but 7/8 depth for 1 year at league minimum. No one knows how that shoulder will hold out.

 

Edit: Oh I see he will sign with the Caps. 2 years. Ouch.

 

Did Bear already sign? Heard he was already in Washington, but haven't heard that he's officially put pen to paper. 

 

[N4ZZY]

On 12/21/2023 at 6:16 AM, Boudrias said:

I can't knock Tocc's conviction that heavier bodies can win so so games. How many games did the old Flyer teams win because they could lean into opposing players? Enough that I suspect that is where RT's conviction comes from. As a old Habs fans I saw fast skating players humiliate the Bruins year after year. That said those Montreal CUP teams had a level of physical play that could not be ignored. The Habs had big d-men under Pollock. OK JC Trembley excluded but he was our Huggy equivalent. 

 

This is probably why Vegas won their cup already. Their defense is strong, and big. It's a blueprint for other teams to mimic and follow moving forward. The Canucks have done it (or starting to). 

 

[canucks curse]

Hughes Hronek

Zads Myers

Soucy Cole

 

Juulsen

 

That is a big D fence 

would love to upgrade R side but the upgrade would be expensive as this D corps is actually quite solid, probably top 10 in NHL once all healthy and playing well with structure.

[Gawdzukes]

2 minutes ago, N4ZZY said:

 

Did Bear already sign? Heard he was already in Washington, but haven't heard that he's officially put pen to paper. 

 

 

No, apparently not yet. Supposed to happen in the new year after the roster freeze but he's practicing with them. Doesn't really even seem like the management or coach knows what or if he'll provide them with anything. Looks more like a shot in the dark. 

 

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2023/12/20/ethan-bear-on-why-he-chose-to-sign-with-capitals-they-want-me-here-instead-of-needing-me/

[CanucksJay]

25 minutes ago, canucks curse said:

Hughes Hronek

Zads Myers

Soucy Cole

 

Juulsen

 

That is a big D fence 

would love to upgrade R side but the upgrade would be expensive as this D corps is actually quite solid, probably top 10 in NHL once all healthy and playing well with structure.

 

Lately I've been seeing a lot of holes in Myers and Cole. 

I would like at least 1 upgrade there. 

Juulsen has holes in his game too but he's fine for a 7D.

[canucks curse]

22 minutes ago, CanucksJay said:

 

Lately I've been seeing a lot of holes in Myers and Cole. 

I would like at least 1 upgrade there. 

Juulsen has holes in his game too but he's fine for a 7D.

I agree 

to be a cup contender we do need a legit no. 3 d man 

[PhillipBlunt]

2 hours ago, Gawdzukes said:

 

No, apparently not yet. Supposed to happen in the new year after the roster freeze but he's practicing with them. Doesn't really even seem like the management or coach knows what or if he'll provide them with anything. Looks more like a shot in the dark. 

 

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2023/12/20/ethan-bear-on-why-he-chose-to-sign-with-capitals-they-want-me-here-instead-of-needing-me/

Want me here instead of needing me? Wha?

[Johnny]

2 hours ago, canucks curse said:

Hughes Hronek

Zads Myers

Soucy Cole

 

Juulsen

 

That is a big D fence 

would love to upgrade R side but the upgrade would be expensive as this D corps is actually quite solid, probably top 10 in NHL once all healthy and playing well with structure.

Im curious

 

why do you think the right side need to be upgraded?

 

Canucks are pushing for the best goals against.

 

if anything the team just needs to tighten up the PK

 

 

[Gawdzukes]

54 minutes ago, PhillipBlunt said:

Want me here instead of needing me? Wha?

 

lol, he seems conceited. Dude, you're a marginal NHL'er. He should just be glad he has a chance.

[Hairy Kneel]

Not sure the fascination with Bear.

Mystifies me how we lock on to mediocre players so easily. 

 

[PhillipBlunt]

12 minutes ago, Gawdzukes said:

 

lol, he seems conceited. Dude, you're a marginal NHL'er. He should just be glad he has a chance.

No team really needs an Ethan Bear type player. Most want one as a complimentary piece to their defense corps. 

[Gawdzukes]

7 minutes ago, Hairy Kneel said:

Not sure the fascination with Bear.

Mystifies me how we lock on to mediocre players so easily. 

 

 

After the last 5 years I think the fanbase just forgot what good defence is supposed to look like.

 

3 minutes ago, PhillipBlunt said:

No team really needs an Ethan Bear type player. Most want one as a complimentary piece to their defense corps. 

 

No doubt. He's a we don't have any more money to spend type of player a team hopes can fit in. But what do they honestly expect. Not much. He's small and poor defensively and doesn't add much offence. He moves the puck alright and that's about it. I don't even think wash is 100% on him being a regular.

[Hairy Kneel]

Mediocre players I've fallen for:

Gaunce,  Fox, the small Subban, Gadz, Juulsen (who broke through  thankfully)

I'll say Tryamkin is up there too but I feel a little vindicated by IMO having a Zad kind of take that role.

 

 

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by Hairy Kneel

[NewbieCanuckFan]

On 12/25/2023 at 6:03 PM, Gawdzukes said:

 

After the last 5 years I think the fanbase just forgot what good defence is supposed to look like.

 

 

No doubt. He's a we don't have any more money to spend type of player a team hopes can fit in. But what do they honestly expect. Not much. He's small and poor defensively and doesn't add much offence. He moves the puck alright and that's about it. I don't even think wash is 100% on him being a regular.

That's another example of the progress of the club.  I wish we could've kept him but he's been passed by others on the team now depth chart.

[Gawdzukes]

6 minutes ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

That's another example of the progress of the club.  I wish we could've kept him but he's been passed by others on the team now depth chart.

 

Yeah exactly. It's always nicer to have youngish players that have some promise, but it's also nice to see we don't need to hope and pray anymore for one of these longshots to pan out. The pro scouting is so much better under this group. 3 years ago he would have been an ideal candidate but now he's just a fleeting consideration. I don't really dislike Bear I just don't think he's a very good NHLer.