[Article] The Vancouver Canucks should be worried about Pius Suter

[RWJC]

The Vancouver Canucks should be worried about Pius Suter

 

Jonathan Bailey

22 hours ago

 

The bottom-six struggles for the Vancouver Canucks are starting to extend past the early onset of the 2023-24 season, and that should be both a short-term and long-term concern. General manager Patrik Allvin signed free agent Pius Suter to a two-year, $3.2 million contract on Aug. 11, but the Swiss forward is still without a single point through eight games.

 

Suter’s linemates haven’t fared much better, as Dakota Joshua has only managed one goal so far, and Anthony Beauvillier just recorded his first point of the year in the overtime loss to the New York Rangers. Conor Garland has taken Beauvillier’s place next to Suter in recent weeks, and the trade candidate only has one assist since the Canucks’ first game of the season against the Edmonton Oilers.

 

Suter had established himself as a reliable middle-sixer in the first three years of his NHL career, scoring no fewer than 14 goals in each. However, the 27-year-old’s overall production took a nosedive last season as he scored only 24 points in 79 games; his 0.3 points-per-game last year was comfortably worse than his previous low of 0.44.

 

With a player like Morgan Frost potentially available on the trade market, the Canucks would probably like to see better from Suter and co. sooner rather than latter. The team’s stars have kept them afloat through their hot start, but it’s unlikely that persists over the full 82-game season.
 

In addition, Vancouver’s fourth line – especially Nils Hoglander – has looked infinitely better than the third line. For their sake, that line either needs a promotion or there needs to be some moving parts in recognition of their differing performances…

 

link to rest of article:

https://thecanuckway.com/2023/10/29/vancouver-canucks-worried-pius-suter/

[DownUndaCanuck]

I wouldn't be worried about him, he wasn't brought in to score points. He always makes some nice defensive plays and looks alright on the PK. We're still in the bottom half of the PK but far better than last season. 

 

Blueger coming back will really help Suter but I wouldn't fuss about him. He costs us under 2M and does a job.

Meanwhile Garland costs us 5M and does what? Beauvillier costs us over 4M and does what? That's 9M in cap space essentially wasted and what could easily be replaced by AHLers or 1M-type players. 

 

Don't focus on Suter...look at our other big issues and that's really his useless wingers. Suter hasn't been excellent but he hasn't been bad and certainly not when you consider his role and what he costs us.

[Rekker]

Really? This needs to be an article. Suter hasn't put up points but he's been reliable and good defensively, which this team had struggled with. Glad I didn't waste anytime reading it. Nothing to see here.

[PhillipBlunt]

2 minutes ago, Rekker said:

Really? This needs to be an article. Suter hasn't put up points but he's been reliable and good defensively, which this team had struggled with. Glad I didn't waste anytime reading it. Nothing to see here.

He's certainly been effective at getting under the opposition's skin. 

 

This article is just click bait.

[Jeremy Hronek]

25 minutes ago, RWJC said:

The Vancouver Canucks should be worried about Pius Suter

 

Jonathan Bailey

22 hours ago

 

The bottom-six struggles for the Vancouver Canucks are starting to extend past the early onset of the 2023-24 season, and that should be both a short-term and long-term concern. General manager Patrik Allvin signed free agent Pius Suter to a two-year, $3.2 million contract on Aug. 11, but the Swiss forward is still without a single point through eight games.

 

Suter’s linemates haven’t fared much better, as Dakota Joshua has only managed one goal so far, and Anthony Beauvillier just recorded his first point of the year in the overtime loss to the New York Rangers. Conor Garland has taken Beauvillier’s place next to Suter in recent weeks, and the trade candidate only has one assist since the Canucks’ first game of the season against the Edmonton Oilers.

 

Suter had established himself as a reliable middle-sixer in the first three years of his NHL career, scoring no fewer than 14 goals in each. However, the 27-year-old’s overall production took a nosedive last season as he scored only 24 points in 79 games; his 0.3 points-per-game last year was comfortably worse than his previous low of 0.44.

 

With a player like Morgan Frost potentially available on the trade market, the Canucks would probably like to see better from Suter and co. sooner rather than latter. The team’s stars have kept them afloat through their hot start, but it’s unlikely that persists over the full 82-game season.
 

In addition, Vancouver’s fourth line – especially Nils Hoglander – has looked infinitely better than the third line. For their sake, that line either needs a promotion or there needs to be some moving parts in recognition of their differing performances…

 

link to rest of article:

https://thecanuckway.com/2023/10/29/vancouver-canucks-worried-pius-suter/

 

Wait for Bluegar to get back + move Suter to wing. 

 

I think Suter is more "suited" to be a winger anyways (pun intended)

 

Perhaps Suter was destined to be a (Red) wing?  (pun intended)

[RWJC]

7 minutes ago, PhillipBlunt said:

He's certainly been effective at getting under the opposition's skin. 

 

This article is just click bait.

 

10 minutes ago, Rekker said:

Really? This needs to be an article. Suter hasn't put up points but he's been reliable and good defensively, which this team had struggled with. Glad I didn't waste anytime reading it. Nothing to see here.

Very true, but he is also supposed to be counted on for some scoring and no points in 8 games will become a legit concern if it continues. When we hit dry spells which we will, hopefully by then he‘ll be able to provide some production. Good teams have scoring support all through the lineup, we’ll need it at some point.

[boziffous]

If Suter had 2 or 3 points thus far this article wouldn't have even been written. We're writing articles over a difference of 2 or 3 points?!

 

Canucks need Suter's defensive ability more than his offensive ability and his defense has been just fine so far.

[stawns]

21 minutes ago, Rekker said:

Really? This needs to be an article. Suter hasn't put up points but he's been reliable and good defensively, which this team had struggled with. Glad I didn't waste anytime reading it. Nothing to see here.

Id saying calling it an "article" is a pretty big stretch

[grumpyone]

plus isn't his faceoff win percentage like, off the charts good?

55% is nothing to sneeze at

Edited October 30, 2023 by grumpyone

[112]

4 minutes ago, boziffous said:

If Suter had 2 or 3 points thus far this article wouldn't have even been written. We're writing articles over a difference of 2 or 3 points?!

 

Canucks need Suter's defensive ability more than his offensive ability and his defense has been just fine so far.

 

nah, teams need 3rd line scoring support to truly contend in the NHL.

[Alflives]

Just now, 112 said:

 

nah, teams need 3rd line scoring support to truly contend in the NHL.

Yup. Big bangers who can pop the odd one here and there. 

[Strawbone]

He seems to be mostly keeping goals out of his own net, and I'm sure he'll chip in a few points before long. Too early in the season to be worried about point totals.

[boziffous]

1 minute ago, 112 said:

 

nah, teams need 3rd line scoring support to truly contend in the NHL.

That goes without saying but to write an article 8 games into a season just seems like looking for something to complain about.

[Bob Long]

29 minutes ago, PhillipBlunt said:

He's certainly been effective at getting under the opposition's skin. 

 

This article is just click bait.

 

No doubt we need some bottom 6 upgrading but Pius isn't part of the problem.

[RWJC]

It is definitely wayyy too early for someone to write an article/opinion piece like this but I posted it for the sake of discussion as to what are our potential options should we lack some tertiary scoring.

 

If he’s not moved, Garland on 3rd line is a strong viability. Lafferty appears to be able to provide some pts. Maybe Hogs and Blueger too? But if you take a solid look at the 3/4 they’re definitely built more to defend, which I like. Question is, longterm, who is going to provide some pts?

 

Suter is seeing a regression from his initial season in point totals:

 

 

 

 

I guess what I’m asking after the post is what does everyone think his pts ceiling/expectation is for this season?

 

I’m not sure if he’ll eclipse 20pts, but that’s fine if he’s continuing to play great defensively. 

[aGENT]

14 minutes ago, 112 said:

 

nah, teams need 3rd line scoring support to truly contend in the NHL.

 

Sure. But minus Blueger to share the defensive load, and still a mish mash of non complementary wingers (come on Garland trade), on a new team, after a whopping 8 games.... we should be "worried"? Come on...

[RWJC]

10 minutes ago, aGENT said:

 

Sure. But minus Blueger to share the defensive load, and still a mish mash of non complementary wingers (come on Garland trade), on a new team, after a whopping 8 games.... we should be "worried"? Come on...

Not so much worried yet, but look at the 3/4 line production stats at almost 10% of the season played, and it should be on the radar. 
 

Everyone is happy now because the whole machine is working great, but I think stronger support line production longterm will be required. If anything, I guess if the lines get stale, Tocchet can always blenderize from top to bottom and we could see some production encouraged that way, but hopefully we aren’t using any top 6 players in a 3rd line role to justify production in the near future. 
 

As of right now, we have a combined 11 total points out of a combined 51 man games. 
That’s small potatoes over the long haul. Something to keep an eye on anyway. 

Edited October 30, 2023 by RWJC

[boziffous]

7 minutes ago, RWJC said:

It is definitely wayyy too early for someone to write an article/opinion piece like this but I posted it for the sake of discussion as to what are our potential options should we lack some tertiary scoring.

 

If he’s not moved, Garland on 3rd line is a strong viability. Lafferty appears to be able to provide some pts. Maybe Hogs and Blueger too? But if you take a solid look at the 3/4 they’re definitely built more to defend, which I like. Question is, longterm, who is going to provide some pts?

 

Suter is seeing a regression from his initial season in point totals:

 

 

 

 

I guess what I’m asking after the post is what does everyone think his pts ceiling/expectation is for this season?

 

I’m not sure if he’ll eclipse 20pts, but that’s fine if he’s continuing to play great defensively. 

 

I appreciate you posting the article.

 

If Suter continues to play solid defensively then I'm ok if he only puts up 25 points in 80 games. I do think he'll be somewhere around 30 points give or take a few points either way over 80 games.

[aGENT]

1 minute ago, RWJC said:

Not so much worried yet, but look at the 3/4 line production stats at almost 10% of the season played, and it should be on the radar. 
 

Everyone is happy now because the whole machine is working great, but I think stronger support line production longterm will be required. If anything, I guess if the lines get stale, Tocchet can always blenderize from top to bottom and we could see some production encouraged that way, but hopefully we aren’t using any top 6 players in a 3rd line role to justify production in the near future. 

 

Blueger coming back will help. Two very defensively responsible lines will help open up some offensive production as ALL of that responsibility is no longer on one line.

 

We also simply need a better winger mix for our bottom 6. Garland and Beau are both poor fits, particularly with the other pieces we have. So I'm not expecting miracles offensively from those lines until that's addressed (possibly not until next season, though sooner is obviously better). Until then, if they're solid defensively and chip in a bit here and there... I'm not remotely worried. Especially as bottom lines tend to contribute offensively in spurts anyway.. And were only 8 games in. 

[HorvatToBaertschi]

I mean, look at the situation we're playing him in... Dakota and Beau are playing horrendous hockey and it's all up to Suter to be the defensive compass of that line (and practically of the entire bottom 6 because Blueger is still out), which he's done quite well. Give him actually competent players who aren't playing in over their heads, and can actually put in a decent shift 50% of the time, and the dominos will start to fall in Pius' favor. 

[PhillipBlunt]

32 minutes ago, RWJC said:

It is definitely wayyy too early for someone to write an article/opinion piece like this but I posted it for the sake of discussion as to what are our potential options should we lack some tertiary scoring.

 

If he’s not moved, Garland on 3rd line is a strong viability. Lafferty appears to be able to provide some pts. Maybe Hogs and Blueger too? But if you take a solid look at the 3/4 they’re definitely built more to defend, which I like. Question is, longterm, who is going to provide some pts?

 

Suter is seeing a regression from his initial season in point totals:

 

 

 

 

I guess what I’m asking after the post is what does everyone think his pts ceiling/expectation is for this season?

 

I’m not sure if he’ll eclipse 20pts, but that’s fine if he’s continuing to play great defensively. 

To be honest, these articles are a sight better than the dreck they publish on HockeyBuzz or Bleacher Report. 

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

I'm not worried about Suter. He has been looking more dangerous in the last 2-3 games that the bad luck will turn into points.

 

I've been more impressed by his defensive smarts, he has really helped bring some balance in the dzone. One thing that I find a lot of European players are very good at is their stick play. He always seems to have his stick in the right lanes, picking off passes and doing small things along the boards to turn the puck over into a quick transition up ice. 

 

It will happen for him.

[AatuD2]

Level of journalism is plummeting. 

[PhillipBlunt]

1 minute ago, AatuD2 said:

Level of journalism is plummeting. 

Overall, across all disciplines, yes. 

[Nucker67]

Canucks are 5-2-1  Worried?