Vancouver Canucks

A tale of 3 Taylors

The Canucks find themselves with a new GM, some important new players, new player development types and have a pan on the stove with Mats Sundin. They should be ready to pounce on Brian Gionta, if a trade is able to be consummated. In the following article, I would like to discuss the fate and potential roles of three very interesting players that are in varying stages. I invite you to banter back and forth with me after the posting about pro’s and con’s with each and how they will develop and/or effect the club.

Taylor Pyatt

Pyatt has seen his value incline and regress at various points since being traded to Vancouver a couple seasons ago for a 4th round pick.

When at his best with a frame that is hard to move, Pyatt advances the play well with inspired forechecking and displays decent stick-handling/cycling skills. In what amounts to be apathetic play regardless of Pyatt’s effort level on some nights, the Canucks would benefit from the enigmatic winger having a steadying affect in the forward ranks in the coming campaigns. Through line changes and uninterested play at times, Pyatt’s role on the team is in question and some wonder whether or not he has acclimated himself to the NHL game at all. However, his +/- rating has steadily improved over his career.

If Pyatt can bring the intangibles of leadership and endow the club with another calming influence in the dressing room, he could find a permanent home with the Canucks and earn another contract extension with the blue-and-green. If not, he will find that his career takes another turn with perhaps a different team before long, perhaps with a trade by the deadline, as he is in the final year of his contract and it is worth $1, 575, 000 per year. He could be a valuable asset to a playoff driving team looking for size and decent skill up front to fill a role. Canuck fans hope that it is here in the Lower Mainland.

Taylor Ellington

A defenseman with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League, Ellington has developed a ‘nasty’ edge to his play and may be an ‘overage’ addition to the Silvertips in 2008/09 as a twenty-year-old. His large body and defensive awareness makes the front of the net a difficult place to set-up shop for the opposition. Everett has some choices to be made with the playoff defense addition of newly-drafted Brenden Stephen (6’7”, 190 lbs) from Vanderhoof, British Columbia.

His duty as a prospect is to give the Canucks’ depth at defense a boost and push regulars to abandon any thoughts of lackadaisical play. A scoring touch is not the main issue to be sure, but a competitive spirit and defensive responsibility are necessity for the Vancouver Island native. Ellington’s older brother Spencer is wheelchair-bound and is a constant ground for Taylor, as well as his greatest inspiration. This was relayed by Victoria Times-Colonist reporter, Cleve Dheensaw shortly after his 2007 drafting: “[He] has always stayed positive and always remained strong. And he has taught me about the meaning of courage.”

Taylor Matson

Matson gives the Canucks a wild card in the prospects department. With his small stature and untoward point totals last season with the Des Moines of the USHL, one might discount Matson’s value to the organization. Matson led the Buccaneers both in scoring (37 points in the team’s 55 games last season) and in effort-level during a letdown of a season. Des Moines was not only a bust on-ice, in evidence of their 14 wins, but the Buccaneers were also sold mid-season as well.

During such a tumultuous season, the youngster committed to going to the University of Minnesota where freshmen tend to see limited ice-time. Patrick White is one of their forwards who should be able to show Matson the ‘ropes’ and make the transition much easier. Taking advantage of any opportunities should be high on his priorities.