SBNation.com User Blog: Jevant

February 28/12 - Nucks at Yotes

Jevant — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:58:29 -0000

I am going to be in Arizona on vacation and by a stroke of luck, the Canucks have had their February 13, 2012 game against the Coyotes rescheduled to February 28, 2012.

I know that various people have done trips to Phoenix for Canucks games in the past, and was just curious if anyone here is planning on being at that game? Not exactly sure if I'll be going alone or with my wife and or parents (who are going on the trip as well), but if anyone else is planning on being there, might be cool to connect!

I am going to be in Arizona on vacation and by a stroke of luck, the Canucks have had their February 13, 2012 game against the Coyotes rescheduled to February 28, 2012.

Red Sox to Interview Torey Lovullo

Jevant — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:58:57 -0000

Red Sox to Interview Torey Lovullo

Huh. Does this mean the staff won't be intact for next year afterall?

Bautista: $10.5MM or $7.6MM, Frasor $3.725MM or $3.25MM

Jevant — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:41:51 -0000

Bautista: $10.5MM or $7.6MM, Frasor $3.725MM or $3.25MM

Interesting. Surprised that Frasor and the Jays couldn't get it done. Not too surprised we didn't see a resolution with Bautista if that's the gap.

Rasmus for Bautista?

Jevant — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:24:00 -0000

Hi all,

Some of you guys might remember me from this post. I ended up sticking with the Jays, thanks to the new direction the ownership and management was showing. But I've still held some attachment to the Cards, and appreciate the comments everyone gave me.

New question for today though, since I've been discussing this with some over at Bluebird Banter.

Would you guys take Jose Bautista for Colby Rasmus, straight up?

As (predominantly) a Jays fan, I would. This makes me an outlier amongst my Jays brethren.

What is the Cardinals fan perspective?

Hi all,

New question for today though, since I've been discussing this with some over at Bluebird Banter.

Would you guys take Jose Bautista for Colby Rasmus, straight up?

As (predominantly) a Jays fan, I would. This makes me an outlier amongst my Jays brethren.

What is the Cardinals fan perspective?

C/1B/3B

Jevant — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:34:53 -0000

A random thought I had the other day:

Rumour has it that the Los Angeles Dodgers are just about done with Russell Martin and want to move in a different direction. If so, he would be a very nice option to pair with J.P. Arencibia. Martin also has been playing a little bit of 3B recently with the Dodgers, so he could not only be the primary C but a backup for 3B as well.

The other thing that I would like to do is pick up Nick Swisher from the New York Yankees, on the assumption they land one of the premier OF and are thinking about moving him (his OBP would be a very nice addition to the Jays lineup). Perhaps one way to do that would be to work some sort of sign-and-trade with the Yankees involving Scott Downs (presumably one of their top targets), where we resigned Downs to a contract the Yankees (and Downs obviously) wanted, and then flip him for Swisher.

This would give us the following options when filling out the lineup:

C: Martin, Arencibia, Molina

1B: Swisher, Adam Lind, Arencibia, Martin

3B: Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Martin

DH: Lind

I like Swisher's OBP and versatility, and Martin's somewhat unrealized potential (we also might see some of the power come back with a move out of Los Angeles.

Thoughts?

A random thought I had the other day:

This would give us the following options when filling out the lineup:

C: Martin, Arencibia, Molina

1B: Swisher, Adam Lind, Arencibia, Martin

3B: Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Martin

DH: Lind

I like Swisher's OBP and versatility, and Martin's somewhat unrealized potential (we also might see some of the power come back with a move out of Los Angeles.

Thoughts?

2011 Complete Coaching Staff Release

Jevant — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:51:11 -0000

2011 Complete Coaching Staff Release

The TORONTO BLUE JAYS announce the following additions to the coaching staff of manager JOHN FARRELL for the 2011 season. Joining BRIAN BUTTERFIELD, Third Base Coach, & BRUCE WALTON, Pitching Coach, will be DON WAKAMATSU, Bench Coach, DWAYNE MURPHY, Hitting Coach, TORY LOVULLO, First Base Coach & PAT HENTGEN, Bullpen Coach.

Wakamatsu - good. Hentgen - good.

First Cuts

Jevant — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 20:14:18 -0000

First Cuts

Sawyer Hannay and Alex Friesen sent back to junior clubs. Matt Fraser released.

There’s a management refrain about how it’s better to deliver on low expectations than fall short of...

Jevant — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:59:36 -0000

There’s a management refrain about how it’s better to deliver on low expectations than fall short of high expectations.

Canucks GM Mike Gillis isn’t a subscriber.

Asked if Stanley-Cup-or-bust was a fair expectation for the 2010-11 Canucks, Gillis said: "I think we’re one of four or five teams that are considered to be capable of winning the Stanley Cup."

"I think our team is really deep in every area, and I don’t think we have a glaring weakness that needs to be addressed," he continued. "But injuries and different things can change that."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/canucks-expectations-cup-or-bust/article1700383/

Bosh: "I played with people's emotions"

Jevant — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:07:48 -0000

Bosh: "I played with people's emotions"

How many more times can he do this and not expect backlash?

Seems like this could easily be the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

EDIT: Here's the story from the New York Daily News.

Jays Blueprint for AL East Success

Jevant — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:23:47 -0000

Jays Blueprint for AL East Success

Nice article by Verducci, one of the few SI writers who actually cares to be unbiased and reasonable when it comes to the Jays.

Luongo's Contract Under Investigation

Jevant — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:47:43 -0000

Luongo's Contract Under Investigation

Should we be hoping it's overturned/rejected?

Just wondering...

Bautista Should Be Traded

Jevant — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:05:23 -0000

It's time for the Jays to trade Jose Bautista.

Why?

This is why. Everyone who has ever considered the issue of Bautista should read.

In an absolutely brilliant article, the case for trading Jose comes down to this little question right here:

And what keeps haunting me when I think of it all is this question: in two years time which Jays fan lament seems more realistic, "I can’t believe we traded Jose Bautista!" or "I can’t believe we didn’t trade Jose Bautista when his value was at its absolute highest?"

I, like Stoeten at DJF, believe the latter. And I don't think it's really all that difficult to make that decision.

Should they give Bautista away? Absolutely not. But this year is so far beyond Bautista's career norms that it is patently unreasonable to expect him to continue like this. Could he have taken a drastic leap forward? Yes. Or, he could be having a career season, like lots of players have all the time.

Again, I'm not saying give the guy away. But if a quality prospect (top 50?) is offered, I think AA has to seriously consider the possibility. Sell-high, buy-low is the quickest way back to contention. AA did it brilliantly with Alex Gonzalez for Yunel Escobar, and it's time to try again.

It's time for the Jays to trade Jose Bautista.

Why?

This is why. Everyone who has ever considered the issue of Bautista should read.

In an absolutely brilliant article, the case for trading Jose comes down to this little question right here:

And what keeps haunting me when I think of it all is this question: in two years time which Jays fan lament seems more realistic, "I can’t believe we traded Jose Bautista!" or "I can’t believe we didn’t trade Jose Bautista when his value was at its absolute highest?"

I, like Stoeten at DJF, believe the latter. And I don't think it's really all that difficult to make that decision.

The Case For Paul Kariya

Jevant — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:39:51 -0000

I hinted at this a few times in various comment threads recently, but after FTR went and profiled him, I thought it was time for a fanpost.

Paul Kariya, a native son to our Vancouver Canucks, is coming off a reasonable year with the Blues - far from his glory days, but few Blues played well last year. He tallied 43 points (including 18 goals) in 75 games last year, in a secondary role with the Blues. In 2008-2009 he only managed 11 games due to surgery on both hips, so a 75 game season seems like a reasonable bounce-back campaign. Prior to that, he played every game in the 3 years following the lockout. His injury history, while not great, has not been that bad since the lockout, and a healthy year last year suggests he could still provide value.

I hinted at this a few times in various comment threads recently, but after FTR went and profiled him, I thought it was time for a fanpost.

So why Kariya? Aren't the Canucks short a 3rd line player, not a guy who will really only have value in the top 6?

Several thoughts:

1) Alex Burrows. He's questionable to start the year, which means we could be going into the season with a hole in the top 6 already, and that's assuming that Mason Raymond is resigned. Accordingly, there might already be a hole in the top 6, at least to start the year.

2) Alex Burrows. At $2 million a year, he's probably the best possible player we could find for the 3rd line role that Mike Gillis says he is looking for. A 3rd line that included Manny Malhotra and Burrows seems like a good start for both defensive responsibility and adequate offensive production. It also seems like a good place to have Cody Hodgson start learning the ropes.

3) Cost. At this point, Kariya can probably be had fairly cheaply (and, for what it's worth, should only be considered if he'd come cheap). A one or two year deal at $2 million a year seems like a reasonable proposal for an aging veteran in a market where he's not the top name available, and in a market where the lower tier players seem likely to have to take significant pay cuts.

4) Lineup construction. If Kariya is signed, he'd need to play in a scoring role, which would either mean playing with the Sedins or Kesler and Raymond. Hypothetically, then:

CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR

FORWARDS
Henrik Sedin ($6.100m) / Daniel Sedin ($6.100m) / Mikael Samuelsson ($2.500m)
Mason Raymond ($3.000m) / Ryan Kesler ($5.000m) / Paul Kariya ($2.000m)
Manny Malhotra ($2.500m) / Cody Hodgson ($1.666m) / Alexandre Burrows ($2.000m)
Jannik Hansen ($0.825m) / Rick Rypien ($0.550m) / Victor Oreskovich ($0.575m)
Tanner Glass ($0.625m)

DEFENSEMEN
Dan Hamhuis ($4.500m) / Keith Ballard ($4.200m)
Alexander Edler ($3.250m) / Sami Salo ($3.500m)
Christian Ehrhoff ($3.100m) / Andrew Alberts ($1.050m)
Aaron Rome ($0.750m)

GOALTENDERS
Roberto Luongo ($5.333m) /Cory Schneider ($0.900m)

CARRY-OVER BONUS PENALTY: $90,000

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled using the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $59,400,000; CAP PAYROLL: $60,115,000; BONUSES: $850,000
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $135,000

Very tight to the cap? Yes. But that includes Salo, who apparently might be gone for a while now. If Salo is temporarily replaced, even for a while, by a cheaper option on the 3rd pairing there's possibilities.

Thoughts?

Keane "Released" By Moose, Expected To Retire

Jevant — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:41:51 -0000

Keane "Released" By Moose, Expected To Retire

And by "released" they mean "not offered a contract". Bit of a surprise? I assume he's headed somewhere else in the organization?

Update: Keane is expected to retire.

Jays Sign Adonis Cardona & Gabriel Cenas

Jevant — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:17:51 -0000

Jays Sign Adonis Cardona & Gabriel Cenas

More good work from AA.

Rob Niedermayer to Buffalo

Jevant — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:53:53 -0000

Rob Niedermayer to Buffalo

Apparently a $1m/1yr deal. Good deal for our expansion brother.

Jussi Jokinen for Marc Staal?

Jevant — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:18:50 -0000

Jussi Jokinen for Marc Staal?

I can't possibly understand why Sather would do this. But it's an interesting read. If there is any chance that Sather would be considering anything along these lines, I hope Gillis is on the phone asap, because I'd give up a lot more than Jussi Jokinen and scraps for Marc Staal, that's for sure.

Scott Niedermayer to retire

Jevant — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:21:02 -0000

Scott Niedermayer to retire

Guess this deletes another potential option for the defence, although I never really saw much chance of it happening anyways.

Kaberle Available

Jevant — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 17:36:47 -0000

Kaberle Available

From the Toronto Sports Network.

I hope Gillis is one of those guys. I'd give up the 1st rounder in a heartbeat, not sure what else it would take.

For the sake of presenting an option, how's about Bieksa/Hansen's rights/1st for Kaberle? Is that enough?

"I've been having a lot of sleepless nights," sighed the gritty centre. "I wasn't there for my team...

Jevant — Fri, 14 May 2010 13:08:39 -0000

"I've been having a lot of sleepless nights," sighed the gritty centre. "I wasn't there for my team when they needed it.

"I'd like to think I've become a big part of this team. When I'm not playing on top of my game, it's going to hurt the team's success."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2010/05/13/kesler_canucks/

Kesler gets it. Oh captain, my captain. How different to hear a player who accepts responsibility (even if it wasn't completely his responsibility).

Certain other players would be wise to follow this lead.

"I can put them out there or not put them out there. At the end of the day, you gotta trust your...

Jevant — Sat, 08 May 2010 15:42:17 -0000

"I can put them out there or not put them out there. At the end of the day, you gotta trust your players that they're going to do the right thing at the right time and make the right plays, take the hits for their teammates, the team and the fans. You trust that they're going to do that, and obviously tonight they didn't."

http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/05/08/coach-vigneault-loses-trust-in-canucks-self-discipline/

Two Choices

Jevant — Sat, 08 May 2010 14:19:55 -0000

Give up.
Believe.

I'm in camp number 2, because there's really no point in being a fan and being in camp number 1.

The series is not over. This is far from the best we've seen this team play all year - they've just decided to totally lose composure at the worst possible time. Getting out of Vancouver and getting on the road might be the best possible thing for this team right now.

Hollow? Perhaps, but it's better than just giving up.

Do I expect the team to win the series? I said all along it was going to be a 6 or 7 game series, and I still believe that. I expected this team to play much better than they have, and I believe they can still do so. Incredibly, despite the abysmal play we saw in Vancouver, the team was in it in the 3rd period of both games. Realistically, it should have been completely over before then.

The postmortems for this team, should they be written, will be harsh and deservedly so. But let's save writing them until it's actually over. This is what separates the true fans from the bandwagon jumpers.

If the team goes back to playing the very disciplined hockey we saw in Chicago and perhaps get a lucky bounce or two early in the game, this is still anyone's series.

Give up.
Believe.

I'm in camp number 2, because there's really no point in being a fan and being in camp number 1.

Hollow? Perhaps, but it's better than just giving up.

If the team goes back to playing the very disciplined hockey we saw in Chicago and perhaps get a lucky bounce or two early in the game, this is still anyone's series.

No point in crying...might as well laugh...

Jevant — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:38:38 -0000

No point in crying...might as well laugh...

"I didn't even think they were going to take a look at it," Henrik said. "I thought it was a great...

Jevant — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:47:43 -0000

"I didn't even think they were going to take a look at it," Henrik said. "I thought it was a great goal. Then they went upstairs and it took forever and I was like, 'wow, this is unbelievable.' Sometimes it seems like the guys in Toronto they sit there and make their calls anyway they want. This is the playoffs. They had to over-rule it, too, that's the toughest part. If the refs said no or it's questionable, that's fine. He said it was a good goal. It's awful."

http://communities.canada.com/VANCOUVERSUN/blogs/nuckworld/archive/2010/04/20/nhl-apologist-defends-the-indefensible.aspx

Henrik nails it. And that's the last I'm going to say about it.

Bronco Fans: No Dez Bryant

Jevant — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:59:35 -0000

Bronco Fans: No Dez Bryant

There's some good stuff there. Those of us that are thinking we want Bryant might want to take a look at that before we totally make up our minds.

Mitchell's Replacement?

Jevant — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:27:39 -0000

Mitchell's Replacement?

Not sure if Washington would ever let him go, but they had some difficulty coming to an agreement last year. He's developing into a similar game as Mitchell, and would probably be able to be signed for a similar deal that Mitchell signed last time.

Just a thought. And a native Vancity boy to boot.

Eyes On The Prize

Jevant — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:42:42 -0000

Eyes On The Prize

"It’s tough to say," Henrik said when asked if this is the best team he’s played on. "I want to say so, but [not] until we show it the playoffs. We have a team that can go deep. Now, it’s up to us to show it."

Darn right, Hank. Good to see the boys get it.

Mark Spector's Brillance, Times 2!

Jevant — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:12:41 -0000

Mark Spector, as we all know, is a brilliant man.

How else can we explain this article (written shortly before the trade deadline), or this article (written shortly thereafter)?

You know, some of the first one makes sense. "Time for Gillis to roll the dice", says Spector. I don't necessarily disagree. If the right deal is there, I'm okay with giving up some of the future for a shot this year. So what player(s), Mr. Spector, should Gillis be going after? Well...Spector goes quiet, except for these 2 lines:

So with a Dan Hamhuis on the market, should Gillis be out-bid by the Philadelphia Flyers or Boston Bruins? Or should he be dangling Cory Schneider — we know, Nashville has lots of goalies — Michael Grabner, Steve Bernier, or whomever?

If he can do a trade-and-sign with Hamhuis, is the defenceman worth a first-round pick and a player? The Canucks are within striking range of their first Stanley Cup, and Hamhuis is an elite defenceman.

I have a few problems with that. The earlier part of the article goes on about how the Canucks aren't as good on paper as the San Jose Sharks or Chicago Blackhawks. That's fine. But then the only player he suggests Vancouver go after? Dan Hamhuis.

As it turns out, Gillis was NOT outbid by the Flyers or Bruins. And I'm sure if Hamhuis was available for Grabner or especially Bernier and a mid-level pick, he probably does that. But really, is Dan Hamhuis worth a first round pick AND a player (especially the player which Spector raves about in the earlier part of the article - Cory Schneider?)

And when did Hamhuis become an "elite defenceman"? Until this week, when he was the biggest name in the "cheaper but solid" defenceman category, I've never heard of him as anything other than a decent top 4 guy. But to Spector, that's elite.

Mark Spector, as we all know, is a brilliant man.

How else can we explain this article (written shortly before the trade deadline), or this article (written shortly thereafter)?

So with a Dan Hamhuis on the market, should Gillis be out-bid by the Philadelphia Flyers or Boston Bruins? Or should he be dangling Cory Schneider — we know, Nashville has lots of goalies — Michael Grabner, Steve Bernier, or whomever?

If he can do a trade-and-sign with Hamhuis, is the defenceman worth a first-round pick and a player? The Canucks are within striking range of their first Stanley Cup, and Hamhuis is an elite defenceman.

Of course, we know by now that Nashville decided not to trade Hamhuis. We also have no idea what options were out there for Gillis, although I suppose we can assume that any player that was traded yesterday COULD have been traded to Vancouver if Gillis had investigated it and outbid whatever the going rate was. So Spector launches his second assault on Gillis in the same day, with gems including these:

Or Anaheim, which improved itself. Or Phoenix, which already has one more point than the Canucks and made several key moves on Deadline Day. Or Los Angeles, which tweaked its lineup with Jeff Halpern and Fredrik Modin. Even Colorado and Nashville improved, while the Canucks added Alberts, a No. 6 defenceman at best.

Sutter, one of the great triggermen among NHL GMs, stocked his team with six new players before the Olympic break. On Wednesday he cured his greatest remaining ailment, bringing in an excellent backup goalie in Vesa Toskala, and some nice defensive depth with gritty Steve Staios.

Up north, Tambellini's goal was to shed cap space, get younger and perhaps grab a draft pick, and he accomplished it all. Ryan Whitney is $1.6 million cheaper than Lubo Visnovsky, and six years younger. Denis Grebeshkov for a second-rounder works fine for where Edmonton is, and on the day they also added a third- and a sixth-rounder.

Well, let's take a closer look here.

I'd challenge Spector to name a single player that changed addresses yesterday that would have helped the Canucks - and helped the Canucks more than Andrew Alberts will (a low-cost move that works for me).

Halpern? Maybe an upgrade on Wellwood, maybe not. Not sure I see the point of Halpern at the cost of a 3rd and Teddy Purcell. "Regrettably", we don't have an underachieving quasi-prospect like Purcell to give up.

Modin? Who does he bump out of the top 6? We've already bumped Samuelsson (and we all know that Samuelsson's better than Modin, just ask him).

Scott Walker? Aaron Ward? No better than what we already have.

Eric Belanger? Maybe. But we didn't have a 2nd round pick. So unless you're suggesting Belanger is worth a first, not much could be done there. And if they gave up a 1st for a rental of Eric Belanger, Spector would be shredding him for spending too much.

Raffi Torres? Again, not top-6 here, and probably not much better than what we have on line 3 already. Plus, he's a winger, of which we have too many.

Staios? Alberts is the same guy, except bigger.

Whitney or Visnovsky? Hah. We would have roasted Gillis for screwing our cap space forever.

So what does Gillis do? He gets a few token parts for a guy who was never going to play here ever again (Mathieu Schneider). He gets a guy with some NHL experience for someone who will never crack an NHL roster. And he lands a huge d-man at a great contract for next year for very little, providing some decent depth (and allows him to think about how he wants to allocate his money next year...Alberts can take O'Brien's job for next year and save at least 500k while he's at it).

If there was a deal out there, I'd have been all for Gillis going for it. Regrettably, it doesn't seem like there was (after Matt Cullen went to Ottawa). If you want to roast Gillis, you at least have to show what you would have done differently. Spector doesn't.

Flames sign Stajan for 4 years @ 3.5 million PER

Jevant — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:28:48 -0000

Flames sign Stajan for 4 years @ 3.5 million PER

All I can say is "wow". How much is Kesler worth if Stajan is a 3.5 million dollar player?

I would be absolutely livid if I was Flames fan right now.

Cody Hodgson Is Back (No Pun Intended)

Jevant — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:02:16 -0000

via www.ontariohockeyleague.com

He's back!

As reported on the Brampton Battalion website, Cody Hodgson will play tonight at home against Erie.

via www.ontariohockeyleague.com

He's back!

As reported on the Brampton Battalion website, Cody Hodgson will play tonight at home against Erie.

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Cody Hodgson is to make his return to Ontario Hockey League action when the Brampton Battalion hosts the Erie Otters at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Centre Hodgson, who suffered a back injury during off-ice training last summer, hasn’t played since being assigned to the Battalion on Sept. 29 by the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. Since then he has consulted numerous specialists and worked on his rehabilitation with Battalion head trainer Binne Brouwer. Hodgson returned to practice with the Troops in November.

"It was all about how I felt on a day-to-day basis, and that’s the way it was all through this," Battalion captain Hodgson said via telephone. "I wanted a good week of practice with no pain, and hopefully the pain doesn’t come back.

"I’ve worked with a lot of doctors, and Binne has been great through this whole thing. It’s great to see some actual progress, and I’m at the point where I feel good enough to play. I’m really looking forward to coming back and helping the team in any capacity."

Hodgson, who turns 20 on Feb. 18, hasn’t seen any game action since Sept. 27, when he earned an assist in the Canucks’ 5-4 preseason loss to the host Edmonton Oilers.

"There will be a different level of intensity, and I’m looking forward to that. It’s been too long that I’ve been out. There was a lot that needed to be done before I could play again.

"It was frustrating not to have any idea when I’d be coming back. It was tough not to get down, but working with Binne and being around the guys helped me stay motivated to get back as soon as possible."

A first-round pick in the 2006 OHL Priority Selection, Hodgson is tied with Raffi Torres for second place on the Battalion’s career scoring list with 106 goals and 117 assists for 223 points in 184 games over three seasons. His offensive prowess should prove a welcome addition to a team that has scored the fewest goals in the OHL this season.

Hodgson led the Battalion in scoring last season with 43 goals and 49 assists for 92 points in 53 games, winning the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player and being named the Canadian Hockey League’s Player of the Year. He also received the William Hanley Trophy as the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player.

"That’s what my game has always been," said Hodgson, whom the Canucks selected with the 10th pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. "I’m going to complement the guys as much as I can, and I’m looking forward to that challenge. There’s still going to be a feeling-out process. You can work with a guy all you want in practice, but it really comes down to working in a game."

Having watched a number of the Battalion’s recent home games from the stands, he said he’s ready to assume a leadership role on the ice.

"It’s going to be great to interact with the guys in a game situation. I won’t be picking out things watching from the stands, and when guys ask for advice I can actually help them on the ice.

"We’re a younger team, and there’s a lot of talent here, and we also have some experienced older guys with a lot of character. I’ve been practising with a bunch of different linemates and I think I can play with any of them."

Great, great, great news. I'm looking forward to cheering for him when the Battalion visit the London Knights on Saturday night.