Tom Sestito

@Type R There are standard injuries and then there are brutal injuries to your best players. Even Tampa Bay looks average when Stamkos is injured.

Crosby goes down, Malkin, Kessel and Co picks up some slack.  Stamkos goes down, Kucherov and like 5 others pick up the scoring.  The Canucks are a one line team, and it was woefully apparent without Hovat in the lineup.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of this team, but I'm not going to kid myself over this.  Depth is sorely needed, and its coming soon up front.  Horvat, Pettersen, Gaudette, Granlund, Gaunce, Gagner, and Sutter will all be able to play C and possibly all be available next year. The wing is starting to be bolstered, with Boeser, Baer, and a few coming from Junior (Dahlen etc)  But look at our D, outside of Tanev, are any of these guys prepared to compete next year?  Its an arguably soft d-core, even Gudbranson is looking soft compared to Archibald.

The team is about to get very young if Hank and Dank hang them up, and without some big moves (especially with the D), we may flounder a couple years.  With the right trades, and terrific drafting, 2 years is possible, but the team as it stands today would be lucky to get through the first round.

I think any true Canucks fan would appreciate what Jim Benning has done with the prospect pool. You can tell some are stuck in the past.