(upbeat music) - Final segment here on Canucks Central, San Richo, and Satyar Shah. And it just so happens to be a Friday. So you know what that means. It's the mailbag, let's get right into it. (upbeat music) - The mailbag here on Canucks Central. Every Friday, Satyar Shah will put out a prompt asking you for your questions for us here on the show. And you oblige, we answer the best once. Today producers, Fast 80 Gregory, and Ben behind the glass today. It's happening, gentlemen. - I am good, thank you, how are you? - Oh, we're well. You didn't ask, but I just wanted you to know. - That's the courteous thing to throw it back at ya. - Yeah. - He's trying to tell you, ask him next time. - I know, he's so rude, isn't he? Must be an Italian thing. (laughing) - Probably. - All right, what do we got for the mailbag? - Starting off with Chester. Surprise target that Canucks could go after, or surprise guy that Canucks could move on from. This is off season. - Ooh. Okay, let's start off with who the Canucks could move on from in terms of a surprise subtraction. Like who few would be a surprise? - A surprise subtraction? - I, man. - Is there one really? Like, okay, okay, okay, like, we know JT's not going anywhere. We know Petters is not going anywhere, right? Hughes isn't going anywhere. Pussi's probably not going anywhere. Gemko and Sheila's aren't going anywhere. So how big of a surprise would it be if one of Garland, K.F., Pussuder, Brock, Besser. Besser, again, hit situation. Like, is Hoeglander the one? - Yeah. - The one you would look at and say that would be the surprise. - Hoeglander would be an interesting one. He's cheap, he would have a lot of suitors around the league. Just scored 24 goals, had a tough playoff. You know, all the reasons you weren't trusting Hoeglander early in the season, they kind of started to show up in the postseason, right? - Yeah. - So that makes you wonder a little bit, but I would say it would be a bigger surprise if somebody like Connor Garland got moved. Just because, I mean, he became such a big part of the roster. The way Rick Tock was glowing about Gar's, calling them their best player there in game seven. And that was a common refrain in the playoffs. I find it hard that the Canucks would move on from this player. - Yeah, I'm with you on that. I wouldn't be a surprise if they moved on. That's why it would be a bigger surprise if they moved on from Garland, just because he had such a strong year, but also at the same time, we know where the year started, right? Where he was, you know, in a lot of trade rumors. - Yeah, so I mean, so even them, right? Again, like I'm not sure there is a guy we'd be like really surprised. I mean, maybe Demko would be the one then. Like they decided to like punt on Demko and go all the non-Shilaz, which I don't see them doing. - Unrealistic. - Right? - Yeah. - Like I don't see it happening. What about additions? Do you have a player that you've been looking at, kind of daydreaming, wondering, or the connection trade for? (sighs) Not necessarily. I haven't done my deep dive too much yet to find some names that would be super interesting, but I think, I have one for you that you've talked about in the past. - Yeah. Okay, let's hear it. - Connect me, man. Aren't they gonna get connect me? Isn't this the summer to get connect me? The summer of connecting reach is connect me. (laughs) - That would be super fun. I think connect he's probably like, I don't know. - He's sounding an extension there most often. - He's probably sounding an extension in Philadelphia. But honestly, I think names like, people are gonna get very like, not in love with this, but I know you mentioned him earlier this week, but a guy like, I wouldn't be surprised for the Canucks to sign a guy like Jason Zooker. - Yeah, I can see that. I can see that. - You know, they were already linked to him in the season. Contract was exorbitant and unable to fit under the tight salary cap, but, you know, that would be I think a bit of a surprise to a lot of people, but not too much of a surprise to me if they targeted, not just him, but players in that mold. - Okay, I'll throw a guy out there, completely out of left field, right? Tanner's your no. - Whoa, whoa. - Right. The reason I say, you know, right? And his value's gone down, it's plummeted, right? Like, he, he got healthy scratched as well. Tampa's a team that needs cap space. And if you can't find the next Dakota Joshua in free agency, if you can't keep the Dakota Joshua, we do a one-year flyer with Tanner's or no. He kind of fits the profile of players. They're after big size physicality, 'cause score a little bit. Obviously has had his struggles. If you probably get him, they're cheap though. Like with that, that he, one of the avenues they would explore potentially, if they can't bring back a Dakota Joshua, and then looking for that kind of gritty middle six guy, they can move up and down your lineup, potentially. - I wonder how much Tampa is, I mean, look, the Tampa Bay Light name, sure they could handle a little bit of heat, but be a tough look with all the draft capital they gave up to get Tanner Janelle. - But I, for sure. But at some point, like you have to cut your losses. - Yeah. - And he had four playoff games for him. Had one assist, only had 14 points this year, right? Like, he's played 75 games in Tampa. Over those 75 games, he has eight goals and 18 points. And I'm sure somebody's saying, well, why would you go after that guy then, right? So, but he's one of those guys that I think, if he goes somewhere else, gets a chance. And if he's not scoring, he brings up physicality, some edge, and I think he could be one of those real bargain additions a team can get on the cheap this year because of Tampa's cap situation. - I mean, he's just had the one good year, really. - Yeah. - I mean, I'm saying, if you get him very cheap, I'm talking about like, you know, you're talking mid-round pick later, you know, nothing of significance. Essentially, it being a salary cap dump for Tampa because they're trying to hold on to on Samco's, they just traded for McDonough. Like, they're kind of short on dollars. Next, from Sean, what players' performance in the playoffs made you change your mind the most about whether they should be here next season good or bad? - Oh man. Okay, I'll start with, I'm not sure anybody change, like, 'cause especially the way we view the game, right? Especially like, I like to take the longer view and one playoff doesn't change my mind about somebody, per se, but, man, and I will admit, there is a little bit of bias, 'cause I've been critical of this player the past couple of years, but I'm gonna love Hoaglander, you know, and I know he's young and he can learn, he can get better, but my question with Hoaglander has always been, is he going to be a top six player, or is he legitimately going to be more of a third line guy? And if he's more of a third line guy who's contracts up after this year, score 20 in the past, like, are you willing to pay a guy like that, three, three and a half, four million, to not playing your special teams, be a middle six guy, right? That's my fear about Hoaglander, that even though he's a career-long NHL player, does it make sense for this team's team to pay that guy to play on your third line or fourth line? That's my quite, quite about Hoaglander, and I'm not sure he's a legitimate top six player down the road. - He's got to learn a lot of the game still off the puck, you know, he made strides this year, but as I mentioned earlier, it showed up in the playoffs, and if you're, the thing is like you're thinking about paying him already, right? - Well, yeah, his one year left at 1.1, he's increased his value right now, right? - He's increased his value, he's increased his trade value, but if you are maybe questioning whether or not you wanna pay this player, and I mean by you, I mean the Canucks front office, you know, whether or not you're willing to pay this guy three million bucks or whatever it might be to get him to sign beyond next season, then yeah, yeah, I think you can conceivably use him as a trade chip to potentially do some other things this summer, but I would say for, on the flip side that Brock Besser, this is a player I wanted to see a good playoff out of in order to think about, you know, this player continuing to be a part of the core here in Vancouver, and he was unbelievable in the games that he played, helped the Canucks win games with all the goals that he scored, right? He had the hat trick in Nashville, the Canucks were nowhere near where Nashville was in that game four, and there's Brock Besser scoring a bunch of goals in limited opportunities. So he was massive, showed so much on both ends of the ice. Like Brock Besser showed me that he can be a winning player with how he performed down the stretch of the season and in the postseason. - That's a great one too, that's probably would be my pick as well, like how he played offensively, how he fit in, he was so good at finding space, winning battles, playing in dirty areas, and he can still get a lot better, but if you got concerns about, hey, the pace gets higher, can Besser keep up? I think he answered those questions. - From Woodrow, what are the expectations for Manny Melholto with his first head coaching position with the Avizford Canucks? - Well, results aren't generally the first and foremost expectation when you are coaching in a AHL squad, but they do want to have success in Avizford, results-wise, and have playoff games and all those things, that's always part of the dollars and cents of it all, and also from a building culture or in an organization. But the thing is to continue building players, and not just offensive players, but building guys to be able to fit in in a tight spot. Like we saw with Linus Carlson this year in the playoffs and yeah, I mean, it was only a couple of games, but that first game he played, he was like, man, this guy doesn't look out of place. And he's making smart plays, he's understanding body position, he's knowing what he needs to do to be able to put in a good shift at the NHL level. And I think ultimately that's kind of what you're looking for and continuing to build a part of that culture of the organization is something that Manny Melholto is going to have to uphold. And as we just talked about with Lin and Ferraro, that's something that to his core, Manny Melholto does is build competitiveness. And that's I think why he was such a coveted part or a coveted piece for the Canucks front office. - And already somebody who's building a reputation of being a good teacher, and those things matter agree. We heard even talk and speak about his guys, have a lot of great teachers, and that goes a long way in helping players make adjustments, learning new tricks and enhancing their game. And that's even more necessary at the NHL level. So I'm with you, I think it's terrific. And in some ways you're bringing somebody in that can uphold the steps they've taken under Jeremy Colton, who you can't say enough about the job Colton did and the quality of coach you had in him, because he's a guy who's gonna be coaching an NHL again, and to have a guy coach you for a couple of years, who's a legit NHL coach, that does create a far better standard too. So it's something that they can continue here with Melholtra. - Next. This one from Jeff. Why would the atmospheric Canucks announce the Melholtra hiring as head coach without making a statement regarding Colton, who would not be extended, and a thanks for his time and efforts with the organization seems a bit odd. - Well, the way I view this one, Ryan Johnson did thank Jeremy Colton and Gary Agnew, or Gary Agnew for the work they did with Abbotsford of course. Ryan Johnson is the GM of the Abbotsford Canucks. - But there is, just before we go too deep into this, there's a post that came out two hours ago saying, thank you Jeremy and Gary for your great work in Abbotsford as a photo of Gary Agnew and Colton. So they did do it, it just happened after they did the hiring. So I mean, they have said thank you officially with a tweet, it was wondering if you need a tweet for it to be real or not. - Okay, that's good, 'cause I missed the tweet, but I will say like, from my understanding, this is contract expired. They negotiated and the Canucks just decided to go in a different level. Like he was not like, oh, he was not fired. This is Canucks and Jeremy Colton not agreeing on an extension of any kind, and so the Canucks moved on. That's at least just the way I view it sat. - Yeah, I mean, I don't know if there's been any animosity here, I think it's more about, hey, Colton wanted to at the very least have an out in his contract and wasn't quite ready to engage in something that's gonna lock him down for two years to be in Abbotsford. And I can understand from the Canucks standpoint, they want to head coaches I can leave within a year, right? And that's not, that's no hate, I don't think. Now I don't know everything that's happened, and perhaps things happen that we don't know about. We're not privy to that, free the relationship, but I think it's a simple, the Canucks wanted somebody who's committed to the AHL for a couple years. - This one from Usain, what would it cost to get natures? And could you see the Canucks party with assets to make it happen? - I mean, you have to, don't you? - Yeah. - I mean, you can't trade for NHS unless you trade assets, so you are going to have trade assets. You have to trade assets. To me the question is, can you make that deal without moving salary out? And do you have, or are you willing to make that deal moving prospect or young player capital? - Yeah. I think it would be more inclined to make the deal, make it more of a hockey deal, which is something off your current roster. - Yeah. - And there might have to be extra. Again, we discussed this in the open today, so if you missed the open, you can find it on podcast about how this might work. But, I don't know if I'd want to just give up, if I'd want to just give up the bevy of prospects and picks, it might take to get Martin Nechas, or Nechash from the Carolina Hurricanes. And two, I'm not so sure that would be what Carolina is coveting. I mean, they've got a lot of holes on their roster. They've got quite a few unrestricted free agents. They've got to make some moves. If they're losing Nechash, they probably want to add elsewhere. They already, they do have a pretty damn good prospect pool as it starts with. So, I'd be curious as to what exactly Carolina would be looking for in that kind of a trade scenario. - I mean, Elliot Friedman mentioned he thought he was, you know, wondering if something like Nechash, Huronic, is that something that could happen to swap up those two players? And we don't know anything about any other parts, if there would be any other parts in a swap like that. And if that's not a deal to answer the question, I think in terms of assets, the Canucks aren't trading a first round pick, I don't think. Right? Especially with where they find themselves right now. And if you're trading Hoaglander, I think, yeah, he can be, he's somebody that would make sense for Carolina. Cheap under control, great analytical profile, fits the type of players that they like, right? So I think he fits, but is he in and of himself enough to get that deal done anyways? I'm not sure it is. - No, Hoaglander is not. It would have to be like Hoaglander and Huronic. And then maybe Carolina has to put in something else to even it out a little bit more. But it would be a blockbuster type deal. The way Nick Ash is thought of around the league, a big time right-shot defense, but I mean, Huronic could cost a first and a second for the Canucks, so it would be a blockbuster-type contract or type deal if that were to get done. But that's what you're looking at. And if I'm the Canucks, like I'd be, they were very hesitant to move on from Lekramaki or Willander at the deadline. They don't have a first-round pick this year as it currently stands. So are you wanting to trade first-round picks in multiple years? You might be when you get to next year's deadline, but do you want to use that asset right now? - Right. - That's something I would be curious about. Like, do you want to spend that asset here in the summer? Or is it something you'd like to hold on to, to potentially be able to use as a chip, knowing what you're looking at as you get closer to next year's post-season at next year's trade deadline? - How much of, okay, let's just operate on the, it's true, but we're hearing neck ash and Vancouver link. So clearly there's been some level of discussion between the two parties, right? - Well, and Ellie has mentioned the neck ash was a part of the offer from Carolina to Vancouver for Elias Patterson. - Right, let's just assume for a moment that there's been discussions recently about something. Let's assume, just for the sake of it, that there was a discussion around neck ash and heronic. If that happened, how much of that do you think it is? A, that connects aggressively trying to make that deal? Or B, make a, laying down the groundwork to have the move they want to make in case they can't get a deal done with heronic? 'Cause we know these guys usually have their deals figured out to some extent, like they have an idea of what they're going to next, or like what they're going to do if this doesn't happen. So how much of that do you think is just like work on, if you don't get something done with heronic, these are the options we may have available to us via trade? - Kinda like what they did with Pedersen, when-- - Yeah. - You know, there was a curiosity of how much he wanted to say in Vancouver before he eventually signed the contract and teams were calling, so they eventually got as far down the road with Carolina that a trade offer was actually made. So yeah, I could see that, you know, like this, this organization, it's not what's on the surface level only it's, you know, we have plans B and C already ready ready to go if this happens. And, you know, we kind of saw that when Horvath, you know, wasn't biting on their initial contract offer, so they moved on to JT Miller, and then Boharvath became the trade chip that year. So, you know, they are, not everything is black and white, they have multiple plans that they could carry out. And you're right, I could see that being the case with Ronik, if he really wants to stay true to his $8 million ask if that's what it is, then maybe yeah, they want to have something ready and ready or have an understanding of what they can get in trade for Ronik if that happens. - And that's what Mike Theorologist is asking, is if Ronik stays true to that 8 million AAV that he wants, you know, can that get a top six winger, potentially, if you don't want to part with back to back first round picks? - Oh, for 100%, I think if you're trading a corona, you can get a winger, you can definitely get a top six winger. I think the question is, is worth trading a premium position right handed defense for a winger? Ask me the right guy. I think that's the bigger question, right? 'Cause we talk about premium position player, center's a right hand defense. And the Boharvath trade to me was more than fine because you flipped it and got a right handed premium position player in Phillipironic. If you're trading him to get a winger, that's where it depends on the winger, right? It has to be the right type of guy, but you can easily trade Phillipironic for a winger. I don't think there's a question about that. - This one from Ron. "Alvin hit almost perfectly on every low cost "free age that's signing last summer." Was he just lucky? Can he fill out the bottom six again with good value bets? - So it's hard to hit as well as the Canucks hit last year, right? - It's like hitting your career best round and then trying to replicate it again the next week. - Yeah, like it's probably not happening. - Like Ben shooting a 63. No, he does that all the time. What am I talking about? - Yeah, that's before you're talking. - No, no, no, no, no. - No, okay, every second time, sorry, Ben. - Yes. - Ben's really good at golf. - I wouldn't be here if I was sharing a 63 second time. - So, like, yeah. No hitter or bats a thousand all the time, right? You're good if you're batting 300 most of the time. If you're getting on base, even at a 350 clip, you're doing pretty well for yourself. But I think, you know, they've got something going with their pro scouting and how they identify players. I think their process in identifying players, if you go through the two years that we've been here, it's hard to not look at and be like, and they do a really good job of identifying players that are likely going to fit in. And they have ideas of what they want in players, the traits that they're looking for and how they're going to fill those spots that they have holes for in the roster. That's why it's worked. I don't think they're just throwing darts at the board and be like, maybe this'll work. No, I think, you know, there's a process that's going into the players. That's why, and maybe they won't hit as high of a level as they did last year. But I still think they'll have a pretty good hit rate on a lot of the bargain buys they go for. - I know they have a lot of confidence in the environment. They have the structure they've built and their ability to find players to fit what they're looking to do. So I think they're extremely confident they're going to be able to replicate. Now, maybe not 100% of the success hit rate that they had last year, but to get pretty close to it. - All right, that's going to do it for the mail bag. We are plumb out of time. I just want to say for those asking questions about Messi, it's brutal. Okay, absolutely brutal. And if the white caps thing, 50% off concessions is a good enough, you know. - For under 18, they have to be 18 and under. - Well, but all concessions are 50% off. - Oh, okay, that's not bad. - Imagine if it's your 18th birthday today and you're planning to go to the game tomorrow. But to me, that's still not a good enough extending of the olive branch. The white caps are making a mint off this. For people that were tweeting, I feel sorry for the white caps that they're in this situation. No, I don't feel sorry for the white caps. They're making crazy money filling out BC Place now for the Miami, the Inter Miami B squad. But I feel bad for the people that did, you know, hope to see Messi. Unfortunately, this is a terrible reality of the situation. And I think the white caps should do a better job of, you know, treating their fan base well, especially considering how the years have gone here. - I forgot which team it was, but there was some organization in MLS that offered. - Chicago Fire. - Right, they offered what was it like? - $250 off season tickets or something like that? - Yeah, it was like a 250 or like 50 bucks off for a next single game ticket or something. I mean, listen, if 250 bucks for season tickets, depends on how much concession you're playing to spend on anyways, right? Like it really depends on the person. Maybe it will come out for you, but yes, when you look at what's happened other places, I can understand some frustration as asking frustration over maybe it not being enough. But at the same time, like it's, to me it's MLS's issue more than anything else. I mean, the white caps are, what? They have Messi coming to town, they think it's on the schedule. I mean, you're supposed to promote who's coming to play. I mean, are they supposed to like not promote the fact that Messi could come to Vancouver? - So it's a tough situation. They find themselves in too, so. - But tickets just went to a pretty expensive level. - No doubt, 100%. - Even for the upper bowl. So they took advantage of the opportunity, no doubt. And hey, that's their prerogative, of course. MLS put them in a bad spot with the schedule. Of course, in to Miami's supposed to play midweek. So that's kind of dumb, you know, back at home. Like you're gonna make them fly all the way across country and then go all the way back home just a few days later. Of course, the little Messi is not gonna travel for that match. So there's a lot of factors here, but end of the day, you know, my biggest hope, the white caps, use that money to go out and then get themselves a real striker. Sorry, you're a good player, but like, I know what wins an MLS and they need better. All right, that's gonna do it for us. I'm gonna enjoy a two a day weekend, the first time in a while sat. I know you are as well. - Yes, yes sir, yes sir. I can't wait to be back next week. And I hope we get some action on the trade fund in the National Hockey League too. - That would be very good. Four producers, fast, Eddie Gregory, Ben Bassrin, and of course, Josh Elliott Wolf, my co-host, Sat, I'm Dan. We'll take you to Rangers and Florida. Next, it's game two in the Eastern Conference final on Sports at 650.
