Canucks' Kevin Bieksa: Defenseman or Forward?

Kevin Bieksa and Mike Richards

Written By: Larry “The Nucks IceMan ” Johnson

Several months ago (has it been that long?), when the Canucks were going through the injury bout, I mentioned several days before it actually took place, (Oct.31 – Thoughts Percolating on the Current Status of the Vancouver Canucks) that I thought Kevin Bieksa would make a better forward than a defenseman .

I thought I would elaborate on that. My thoughts were based on watching him since he was with the Manitoba Moose and how he has been playing with the Canucks in the past five seasons.

I thought he did pretty well as a forward when he moved up for a couple of games, even if he didn’t score. He skates well, can handle the puck, brings added grit and toughness to the forward line he is on, and having the knowledge of playing defense, would and should make the transition effortlessly.

I don’t think Bieksa has lost the ability to play defense as much as he never really had it.

Being 6’1” and 201 lbs., he’s on the small side these days to handle the bigger forwards, even if he is a good skater. You can see in games against the hulking forwards he just cannot position himself correctly. Last night against the St. Louis Blues’ David Backes there was just another in a long line of repeated defensive breakdowns.

He’s not a Scott Niedermayer-type of fluid skater, doesn’t make good reads, and places himself out of position trying to make the style of hits he feels comfortable with.

I’ll explain what I mean about Bieksa’s style of hits. If you’ve ever watched Sumo wrestlers go at each other, where they put their hands in front of their chest and then ram each other, it’s like that. Kevin braces himself with his skates pointed outwards for better stability, and then launches his body into the check.

The problem with that is the timing of the hit. If you’re a split second off, you miss it and you’re out of position with the player already behind you. It is also hard to deliver sideways and in the corners where the angles are ever-changing.

It can be effective if you have taken the opposition’s space away and they are hemmed into the boards, but in these days of lightning quick skaters, that’s hard to do.

The other thing I notice is his reaction time to make a play, as in move the puck. It’s too slow for today’s game. Not sure if that is just the processing time that is going on with him or not.

Coach Vigneault first mentioned it several seasons ago and termed it as being lackadaisical; but I don’t think it’s that, but more like his reaction time.

Kevin, in my opinion, has the potential to be a 20 goal scorer as a forward, which is more than he will create playing defense. He would open the ice for a talented centre and as I mentioned earlier, and sure would wreck havoc on the opposing D-man.

I mean, would you want to go into the corner with him bearing down on you, knowing full well you could end up as part of the end boards? I don’t think the opposition would take as many liberties with the 'Nucks forwards with him on their line either.

I don’t mean to insinuate that he’s just going to be a brawler either; I think his feisty spirit is more the point.

In conclusion, not unlike ex-Canuck Scott Walker, who turned out to be a pretty good forward converted from a defenseman, Kevin Bieksa would be more valuable to the team playing up front.