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Let's Win The Cup Next Year - Here's How


jyip

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I like our team mostly the way it is with a couple of tweets. But we need to bring guys in to help motivate our core to excel. Ok, here's what I would do to win the cup next year WITHOUT blowing up the team:

1) Kesler is injured (and may or may not ever get back to his beast self) so let's not put too much weight on his shoulders (pun intended). We need to move him to the wing (he's played there before and will be fine). Get him a center and have the center distribute the puck to Kelser & Booth. Give them a season to gel. Cycle in Kassian, Lapierre, Haggins, Hansen into the mix (on our top 2 lines) and experiement a bit. Who know00s ... we might be surprised.

2) Keep Burrows with the Sedins as a co #1 line. But we need to lessen the load/expectations on this line. Since most teams have found a way to neutralize the Sedins on 5 on 5 ... we need to pretty much have 2 #1 lines going. Refer to point #1 above. This line's main weakness is size. All 3 are over 6' and under 200lbs. When the other teams "lean" on them ... their effectiveness suffers. Weight gain program this summer is probably a good idea. Kassian on here when the "leaning" becomes excessive will probably help too.

3) Keep both Luongo & Schneider. They work well together and are in good terms. But do not designate a #1 goalie. We have lots of cap space now and the cap ceiling is going up next year. There's enough room for Schneider on a 2-3 year deal worth $3 million (? I hope). We could go heavy on bonuses for CS depending on his starts, wins, playoff success .... It depends on how much Schneider values winning, I think. Give each of them 40 odd games next year and pick the "hot" goalie going into the playoffs. It worked for a couple of years for Moog and Fuhr ... it should work for Lu & CS. This will buy us a couple of years of co-existence before we really want to or need to move one of them. Of course long term, I'll put my money on Schneider.

4) Need more size on D to block out/tie up players in front of our goal. We do that well already, but that's the one area where we could improve ... at least compared to LA. So ... more size, perhaps put a few of our D on weight gain plan or get a few more 6'3" 220+ D's for the playoff run next year.

5) 3rd line checking line. Pahlsson, Raymond, (Hansen, Lapierre, Higgins ...). Let's not dump on Raymond ... (he may never recover fully from his injury and may never get back to the 25+ goal scorer), but he still has tons of speed and is good defensively (except for that Kopitar one). Let's help redefine Raymond and give him a chance to succeed. He can be a very very effective shut down guy on the wing with Pahlsson. Raymond & Pahlsson can be as good as Dave Hunter & Pat Hughes.

Ok ... done.

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3) Keep both Luongo & Schneider.  They work well together and are in good terms.  But do not designate a #1 goalie. We have lots of cap space now and the cap ceiling is going up next year.  There's enough room for Schneider on a 2-3 year deal worth $3 million (? I hope). 

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You don't have an understanding of salaries and the cap system if you are suggesting that. One of the two has to go. And no one pays a backup goalie $3M a year - nor would any team pay two goalies to be the #1. Financially that makes no sense. Schneider is in for a big raise. You either trade Luongo and pay Schneider, OR you trade Schneider and keep Luongo. I think the latter is more realistic as I don't see anyone taking that 10 year contract off your hands.

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That is pretty much what was tried this season aside from Kes being taken off centre and I don't understand the logic behind that. Sorry I don't really see any difference other then some smoke and mirrors. As far as the weight gain goes? Not everyone can do this. The goalie tandem would be great but the time for that was this season, we have 2 number one goalies. It only makes sense to trade one of these assets for a key piece my estimation a number one D as Edler and Hammy are proving that they are not ready for this roll

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Get a legitimate star with size and skill in a deal that sends Luongo.

Clear Ballard's contract for top-4 right side d-man, or win the sweepstakes for Justin Schultz somehow.

Re-sign Pahlsson.

I think Jensen has a good shot at making the team next year (as hinted by MG and we know AV loves that kid).

Sedin - Sedin - Jensen

Booth - Kesler - *star

Higgins - Pahlsson - Burrows

Hansen - Lappy - Kassian

Weise, Ebbett, Raymond, Bitz, Schroeder, Sweatt, Duco, Pinizzotto, Volpatti --> fight it out for roster spot.

Hamhuis - Bieksa

Edler - *top-4 Dman

Gragnani - Tanev

Connauton, Schultz, Salo, Sauve, Rome are all possibilities.

Schneider - Lack

We're good to content again next year.

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I don't think the Canucks will be able to keep both goalies. Not sure who they should move, it depends on what they can get. I think it is safe to say though that the Canucks need a right winger and another shut down defenseman. I think they have a good foundation and with a few tweeks they could bring the Cup home to Canada.

Iginla would be a good asset to try and get, but I think his cap hit is too much and they would have to clear out space. Too bad he isn't a free agent.

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I like our team mostly the way it is with a couple of tweets. But we need to bring guys in to help motivate our core to excel. Ok, here's what I would do to win the cup next year WITHOUT blowing up the team:

1) Kesler is injured (and may or may not ever get back to his beast self) so let's not put too much weight on his shoulders (pun intended). We need to move him to the wing (he's played there before and will be fine). Get him a center and have the center distribute the puck to Kelser & Booth. Give them a season to gel. Cycle in Kassian, Lapierre, Haggins, Hansen into the mix (on our top 2 lines) and experiement a bit. Who know00s ... we might be surprised.

2) Keep Burrows with the Sedins as a co #1 line. But we need to lessen the load/expectations on this line. Since most teams have found a way to neutralize the Sedins on 5 on 5 ... we need to pretty much have 2 #1 lines going. Refer to point #1 above. This line's main weakness is size. All 3 are over 6' and under 200lbs. When the other teams "lean" on them ... their effectiveness suffers. Weight gain program this summer is probably a good idea. Kassian on here when the "leaning" becomes excessive will probably help too.

3) Keep both Luongo & Schneider. They work well together and are in good terms. But do not designate a #1 goalie. We have lots of cap space now and the cap ceiling is going up next year. There's enough room for Schneider on a 2-3 year deal worth $3 million (? I hope). We could go heavy on bonuses for CS depending on his starts, wins, playoff success .... It depends on how much Schneider values winning, I think. Give each of them 40 odd games next year and pick the "hot" goalie going into the playoffs. It worked for a couple of years for Moog and Fuhr ... it should work for Lu & CS. This will buy us a couple of years of co-existence before we really want to or need to move one of them. Of course long term, I'll put my money on Schneider.

4) Need more size on D to block out/tie up players in front of our goal. We do that well already, but that's the one area where we could improve ... at least compared to LA. So ... more size, perhaps put a few of our D on weight gain plan or get a few more 6'3" 220+ D's for the playoff run next year.

5) 3rd line checking line. Pahlsson, Raymond, (Hansen, Lapierre, Higgins ...). Let's not dump on Raymond ... (he may never recover fully from his injury and may never get back to the 25+ goal scorer), but he still has tons of speed and is good defensively (except for that Kopitar one). Let's help redefine Raymond and give him a chance to succeed. He can be a very very effective shut down guy on the wing with Pahlsson. Raymond & Pahlsson can be as good as Dave Hunter & Pat Hughes.

Ok ... done.

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You don't have an understanding of salaries and the cap system if you are suggesting that. One of the two has to go. And no one pays a backup goalie $3M a year - nor would any team pay two goalies to be the #1. Financially that makes no sense. Schneider is in for a big raise. You either trade Luongo and pay Schneider, OR you trade Schneider and keep Luongo. I think the latter is more realistic as I don't see anyone taking that 10 year contract off your hands.

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There's no way we keep both Schneids and Luongo even if it works out with the salary cap. Why? Because Schneider is 26 years old and will be 27 next year and is very close to his prime. He will definitely be wanting to start at least 40+ games. He's shown it and he's capable of being a #1. Luongo on the other hand will not opt to play as a back up. His play is starting to diminish and he has to make the most out of his time being a solid #1 before he's really old and unable to put up good numbers.

If we do sign Schneider and match qualifying offers considering he's a RFA, AND is told he will be getting less than 40 starts, I can seriously see him being impatient and kindly ask for a trade before the season starts.

The only scenario where I can see both Luongo and Schneider staying is if the management team splits 82 games evenly for Schneider and Luongo (41 each). I can see Schneider being okay with that but as for Luongo I'm not entirely sold on it.

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