Maddogy

I recall many Canucks fans including The Hockey Guy bitched and complained during the 2017 draft that Elias Pettersson was a crap pick over the other centres and that Jim Benning should have moved down in the first round to maximize value. I am hearing the same bitching and complaining now. It’s pretty reasonable to say that the Canucks internally perceived the choice between Willander and Benson as top pairing D vs top 6 winger. Time will tell if the Canucks’ scouts got over excited but I would not be surprised if they are proven right.

Pesce is clearly better than Hronek, however he will be 29 later this year and he played for a defensive juggernaut. Hronek took on a big role for a leaky Detroit team. I don’t think P.A. will overpay for 29 years old Pesce. If he is 25 years old then P.A. will definitely over pay. I just don’t see Canucks will come away with Pesce considering the list of contending teams going all in this year.

Todd Harvey confirmed that the top 10 picks were what the Canucks expected save for couple variations thus if those 2 bigger D’s were available at #11 they may have not picked Willander. Willander has a higher floor than Zack Benson.

After watching the interview with Todd Harvey I think they genuinely think Willander is better than Zack Benson. They may have perceived their respective potentials as top pairing D vs top 6 forward (i.e. not #1 centre).

NCAA players will become UFA after 4 years. Macklin can indicate that he would be very excited to become a Canuck. Vancouver media can drum this possibility up by asking Macklin whether he may “defect”. Macklin can simply decline to answer. Other teams will get the hint and stay away from wasting their 1st round picks on Macklin. I don’t think the team will collude on this in any fashion lest the league hands down a penalty against the Canucks.

Jalen Chatfield played for Carolina on their 3rd pair. Having 4 great D’s can carry the rest of the team.

It’s 4 inches.

Who dropped out of the top 10 and Steve Yzerman did not bother to pick.

A RHD who can actually defend? Impressive

Is Hronek a shut down D?

He is a safer pick than Wallinder in terms of their floors.

This buyout is not about OEL per se. The ownership did not wish to pay almost $20M cash to get rid of a contract. This is all about making E.P. stay long term. If E.P. leaves down the road then so will Hughes and Demko. Missing the playoffs does not scare the ownership as they are used to it. They are also clearly liquid with cash. What scares the living shit out of them is that the Winnipeg situation plays out here in Vancouver.

The ownership may be worried that Pettersson will not commit long term and the same thing that is playing out in Winnipeg will happen here. The Canucks do not have a choice but to show Pettersson that he should remain a Canucks for many years to come.

I think management compelled the ownership to pay for this buyout so that Pettersson WOULD commit long term.

Do Pettersson, Demko and Hughes have patience？Look at Winnipeg.

You cannot accuse the ownership of worrying about money. They paid for the buyout.

This team won’t win the Cup. Just enjoy the small wins. Set low expectations and enjoy the ride.

If you are the owner, you would ask the management team why they would overspend on cap space and put the team in a difficult spot.

J.B. was an average G.M. He did a lot of good and a lot of bad. He was inexperienced in his job answering to an inexperienced president of hockey operations and inexperienced owner. I see this in careers as well. Those young college graduates who are employed by prestigious organizations get more mentoring. Those employed by small businesses had very little mentoring and picked up bad habits.

Benning was learning on the job and so was his boss the owner. Had Benning been guided under the tutelage of an experienced president of hockey operations he would have turned out better. Trevor Linden was so inexperienced that he called other teams for advice. This was a perfect storm of good people with very little experience trying to reinvent the wheel. Most startup companies are like this and most of them go broke. All three of them thought highly of themselves and no one asked for more help. They all misjudged themselves and misrepresented their inflated values to each other. It was a tragedy. I do however think that the owner has learned his mistakes. However can the new management team achieve a successful retool? I think at best it is 50:50 coin toss.

If you are mentally weak then the Canucks are not for you. The Canucks may never win the Cup in your life time. Cheer for another team like Chicago or play video games. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

The only team that can stop the mighty Oilers is Florida. I hope Florida gets to the finals or Oilers will win the Cup.

We will get a good prospect at #11

I agree. Most fan bases just make shit up about the Oilers. They are elite, a very scary team.

Guys, God does not give a crap about the Vancouver Canucks or its fanbase. If he cared the team would have already won the Cup. Accept that this is a forsaken team and enjoy the small victories along the way. I will follow this team knowing that they may never win a Cup.