andrey pedan – Page 3 – CanucksBanter

Sep 28, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tony Stecher (51) skates against Edmonton Oilers in the third period during a preseason hockey game at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

Vancouver Canucks prospect defenseman Troy Stecher has been a pleasant surprise so far in training camp, but that doesn’t mean he gets to stay.

by Janik Beichler

October 2, 2016

The Vancouver Canucks‘ defense was all but set heading into training camp. Seven players are waiver-eligible, Ben Hutton is a lock despite waiver exemption, and Nikita Tryamkin has a European assignment clause. With that, at least one player needs to go to the American Hockey League through waivers no matter what.

But what about guys like Troy Stecher or Olli Juolevi?

Stecher was always a stretch to make the team out of camp. But in a 5-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers, he displayed the ability to distribute the puck and quarterback the power play, which makes him the kind of defenseman the Canucks have been craving for.

Nevertheless, he can’t make the NHL roster out of training camp. Well, he could. But the Canucks shouldn’t make that old mistake again.

Last season, the Canucks were in a very similar situation, as Hutton surprised everyone and cracked the roster in his first pro season. Vancouver had to make a decision and, after trading Adam Clendening to the Pittsburgh Penguins, they attempted to send Frank Corrado to the Utica Comets through waivers.

It didn’t work out. Corrado got claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Canucks lost a 22-year-old right-shot defenseman for nothing.

When the season started, the Canucks had a decent D-group nonetheless. It was nothing special, but it was acceptable — until the injury bug started to bite.

Canucks blue liners Alex Edler and Dan Hamhuis missed significant time with injuries, and they weren’t the only ones. Because of that, Vancouver was forced to play veterans like Matt Bartkowski and Yannick Weber in way more games than they should have. In addition, they iced Comets D-man Alex Biega in 51 games and Andrey Pedan in 13. Had they not signed Nikita Tryamkin late in the season, they might have had to bring Taylor Fedun in for more than just one game.

This time around, Vancouver’s D-group looks deeper and better, despite letting go of Hamhuis. But injuries will happen again, and the Canucks will be happy to have several backup plans.

If they waive Pedan and Biega and lose one or both of them, they could struggle mightily once injuries happen — and injuries will happen.

The easiest solution to the problem would be to leave Stecher in the AHL as an injury call up — he would be back soon enough. That way, the Canucks could keep eight defensemen on their roster and would only be forced to waive one of Pedan and Biega.

If they ended up keeping Stecher and waiving both Pedan and Biega, and both got claimed, they would have to use guys like Jordan Subban and Tom Nilsson as their first call ups.

Stecher is having a strong preseason, which is great to see. But that doesn’t guarantee a roster spot — unless the Canucks haven’t learned from last season.

Source: Vancouver Canucks: AHL Seems Inevitable for D Troy Stecher

Andrey Pedan can be a load to handle. THE CANADIAN PRESS / Ben Nelms

By Ben Kuzma

September 20, 2016

Andrey Pedan has a message for Willie Desjardins.

“I got a lot stronger for sure this summer and I’ll be way better in my D-zone with the puck,” the towering Vancouver Canucks defenceman predicted Tuesday following an informal team skate at Rogers Arena. “I also played a lot of minutes in Utica last year and that gave me a lot of confidence.”

If all that comes to fruition in the pre-season, the 23-year-old Lithuanian-born defender will not only earn trust from a coach who questioned his training-camp attitude a year ago, it will make the battle for the No. 8 position on the back-end depth chart with Alex Biega more intriguing. General manager Jim Benning wants to carry eight defencemen as injury insurance and the decision could be based on performance, potential, pay, personality and the possibility of losing either player on waivers.

Andrey Pedan is stronger physically and mentally after a poor 2015 camp.

A year ago, the Canucks tried to trade defensive prospect Frank Corrado after rookie Ben Hutton’s strong camp and pre-season showing. They rolled the waiver dice on the 22-year-old Corrado, who was claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Canucks signed Biega as a free agent in 2013 and a year later gave up a third-round pick to the New York Islanders to acquire Pedan. If they’re worried about losing an asset through waivers and the optics of surrendering that 2016 pick, then Pedan could have a leg up. But he doesn’t see it that way. Even after 13 NHL games and seven goals and 14 assists in 45 AHL games with the Comets last season, he has yet to show his best.

“Some guys are skilled, but some can also play a physical game and I think for me, it’s one thing I can do better than other guys,” said Pedan, who trained in Moscow in the off-season. “I don’t want to be known as a fighter, but I can take care of myself and I don’t think about waivers or whatever, but I think it will be a tougher decision for them (Canucks).

“I’m really excited for this year and I know anything can happen if you play solid. I came to North America because I like this type of hockey. I don’t like the big rinks. It’s slow and you can take a nap between shifts. I like when it’s intense and the boys are going at it. Some (Russian) guys get some injuries and want to take it easy on their bodies and go back there (KHL) and make some money.

“I’m ready to make the NHL.”

Source: Ben Kuzma: Pedan plans to secure Canucks spot and avoid waiver wire | The Province