Though Adam Gaudette struggled in the pre-season, demoting him to the AHL’s Utica Comets doesn’t make a lot of sense. It’s another sign that the team simply isn’t fully committed to the youth injection.
Well, the Vancouver Canucks had a chance to show the fans that they’re truly committed to giving the younger players the ice time and opportunities in the post-Sedin era.
It’s already off to a not-so-great start.
On Thursday, the team announced that defenceman Olli Juolevi and centre Adam Gaudette were demoted to the AHL’s Utica Comets after being cut from the pre-season roster. The moves aren’t surprising, especially when you consider that neither have produced much on the ice so far.
But the reigning Hobey Baker winner already played five NHL games last season, and he’s supposed to be a key part of this team’s rebuild. Sure enough, the front office is sending him to the minors. So yeah, signing Jay Beagle, Tim Schaller and Antoine Roussel means much less ice time for the kids.
Not exactly the best way of selling a rebuild to the fans.
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I understand that young players need more time to develop and such. Maybe Gaudette didn’t produce in the pre-season, but this is a player who can only get better by simply earning more experience in the NHL.
Remember how the Canucks made Brock Boeser a healthy scratch in the season opener last year? Remind me who was nominated for the Calder Trophy? So what’s the holdup with Gaudette?
Let’s remember that few Canucks have stood out at all in pre-season. The likes of Michael Del Zotto, Derrick Pouliot and Erik Gudbranson have struggled mightily. We don’t see them getting waived, demoted or traded.
Meanwhile, you have a skilled and speedy player in Gaudette, something the rebuilding Canucks need in their lineup. Even if he’s only played five NHL games, do you really think there are 12 other forwards that will produce more than him?
The Canucks need to replace the production and leadership of the Sedins. Franchise icon Trevor Linden had a bitter departure as team president. It’s up to ownership and the front office to restore fan faith.
And with all due respect to the higher-ups, demoting a big talent like Gaudette isn’t going to earn fan trust. They’re expecting to see lots of youthful talent in the lineup, not veteran bottom-six forwards who won’t be here by the time Vancouver contends for a Stanley Cup again.
Boeser, Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson will surely provide scoring, but there’s no lock that the secondary scoring will come. It’d be convenient if Jake Virtanen and Sven Baertschi chipped in with 20-something goals each, but that’s easier said than done.
The Canucks needed to at least give Gaudette opportunities in the early going of the 2018-19 season. But once again, the team isn’t giving the fans what they want and deserve: A roster full of youth, skill and speed.
So don’t call this a rebuild just yet. When players of Gaudette’s caliber start out the season in the minors, it’s a sign that the team just isn’t ready to move forward with the young players yet.