Expectations for next season

[Cigano]

Most definitely. I keep hearing talk about him being a rental and I question why. He's got some slick hands and he's a heads up player. Re-sign Roy.

[Newsflash]

Above all, a better coached team.

[youngdad]

The proposed NHL realignment will be a very good thing for the Canucks. Winning the NW division is a low target and a false sense of security. Every few nights the Nucks play the Flamers or Coilers or Avs and basically get free points. A tough division that has no room for mediocrity will help this team in the long run to construct a winner that is ready for the playoffs.

Also, since I feel change is coming at multiple levels over the next 1-2 years, a new division can help things feel like a 'clean slate' for management, coaching, and players. The closet has some skeletons building...time to burn the past and move forward.

[samurai]

Well,

The demise of the organization has been pretty quick. From the mismanagement of assets, to poor coaching on the ice, not to mention the product on the ice, its all gone down hill pretty quick from our cup run. The next steps start with the ownership and while they shouldn't pull out the blow torches, MG needs to be held accountable and if he can't admit to the mismanagement on his part (ballard, booth, lu, manny) nor provide a proper plan moving forward then he needs to be replaced.

It is a foregone conclusion that AV will be fired.

[Edler's Mind Tricks]

We have a great D-core locked up forever and we will have one elite goalie next year.

Hamhuis, Edler, Garrison are all really good left side D.

Bieksa is really good on the right, Tanev will continue to get better and Corrado is already dependable on the third pairing. None are old and all will be here for years.

At worst, we will become a trap team again if the Sedins fall off a cliff, Kesler is to injured to get back to what he once was and our prospects don't pan out.

We aren't going to be missing the playoffs any time soon.

[CHIPS]

I am surprised how calm I am.

Next year will be our last year of keeping this core together.

-Fire AV and other coaching staffs.

-Trade either Schneider or Luongo, sign 2nd liner

-Trade or buyout Ballard, sign right handed puck moving dman.

-Resign Roy, Raymond, Lappy, Weise, Sestito, Tanev, Barker

-Let walk Alberts, Pinizzotto

If we choke again next year (e.g. 1st round exit), total rebuild fire sale. Keep MG as GM.

[Apples]

Fire AV.

Trade Luongo.

Make it to the playoffs and survive 1 round.

[Merci]

The only change I want is Gillis to be fired. His resume is a failure, I think he's the one to blame for our not so graceful fall.

1. Didn't trade either goalie for scoring

2. Hodgson traded for a bum

3. Grabner and a pick traded for a healthy scratch with a terrible contract

4. Samuelson (30 goal guy) replaced by a bum with a terrible contract

5. Erhoff never replaced (assuming Garrison replaced Salo)

6. Let Torres walk and has tried to trade for him since

7. Kept too many guys that don't score at all: Weise, Lapierre, Kassian, Sestito, Ebbett, Shroeder, Pinizzotto, Malhotra

I know Samuelson and Erhoff had to go, but they were never replaced. Even the positives he's done on D (Tanev, Corrado) don't score at all which is what we lack.

[Moonshinefe]

The only change I want is Gillis to be fired. His resume is a failure, I think he's the one to blame for our not so graceful fall.

1. Didn't trade either goalie for scoring

2. Hodgson traded for a bum

3. Grabner and a pick traded for a healthy scratch with a terrible contract

4. Samuelson (30 goal guy) replaced by a bum with a terrible contract

5. Erhoff never replaced (assuming Garrison replaced Salo)

6. Let Torres walk and has tried to trade for him since

7. Kept too many guys that don't score at all: Weise, Lapierre, Kassian, Sestito, Ebbett, Shroeder, Pinizzotto, Malhotra

I know Samuelson and Erhoff had to go, but they were never replaced. Even the positives he's done on D (Tanev, Corrado) don't score at all which is what we lack.

[Moonshinefe]

My expectation for next year is bringing in a new coach, parting with some of our inconsistent players, and getting into the playoffs next year.

I'd also like to see the Canucks restock their prospects cupboard and slowly start trying to give our younger players more opportunities. This core isn't going to be around forever, we need to realize if we aren't taking the cup home with these guys, we'd better get prepared to rebuild ahead of time or we're screwed.

[stiffdeadman]

the team is in deep trouble. even with the compliance buyouts and ditching luongo, the canucks are still close to what the lower cap will be next year, with only two thirds of a team signed. the fact that most of the somewhat attractive assets the canucks have have no trades makes basically handcuffs the team. so they can't sign any of the decent ufa's and they can't trade anyone, meaning we will get the same roster that is getting their butt handed to them at the moment, and the team will be filled out with over the hill players or reclamation projects willing to pay for the league minimum.

a crummy roster coupled with the fact that they will now be in a division with L.A., Anaheim, San Jose, and saying goodbye to the cupcakes, minnesota and colorado, as well as 32 games against the eastern conference (in other words, a way tougher schedule), means the canucks will not even make the playoffs next year.

wonder if ownership will have the gall to raise ticket prices next year. something tells me there will be alot of gameday ticket discounts to keep that bragged about sellout streak going.

[CanadianRugby]

Kassian is gonna be elite

But I agree Gillis needs to go.

[Merci]

1. Kassian hasn't done or shown anything to say he's going to be elite. Young guys like Galagher in Montreal or Conacher in Ottawa could be elite. Kassian hopefully develops into a top 6 forward.

2. Even if he does become good, what's the point of trading for him? So he's good once our team is being dismantled?

[Duncan325]

I'm expecting a lot of new faces. The team currently has a minimum of $57 million locked up in 8 forwards 5 defensemen and 1 goalie for next season. Malhotra is obviously gone and with him we could lose Roy, Raymond, Lapierre, Pinizzoto, Alberts and Barker for nothing. I don't want to see him leave but Luongo will most likely be traded and unfortunately I think it's time for Booth and Ballard to go also, they just haven't worked out in Vancouver. If those three can be moved it will leave the Canucks with around $20 million in cap space for 5 forwards, 2 defensemen and a goalie. I sure hope Gillis isn't the person who will be at the helm with such a potentially large roster turnover for next season.

[Baggins]

Next year will be pretty interesting with everybody fired or traded.

[PolishSausage]

One good thing from this complete meltdown is that we are no longer going to be seen as one of the favourites to "go all the way". I don't know if all the pressure from everyone that we will be in the final every year is getting to the players but I think if we start being seen as underdogs it may benefit us.

[Heretic]

I have been a diehard fan ever since i can remember. I try to watch as many games as possible (over 70) and only miss them on television when i absolutely have too. I also go to a few games a year and have gone to the first game of the playoffs. The point of telling you guys this? To make the point that im not a bandwagoner, i love the canucks. they are my team.

Having said that, I hate to say it but if changes to a fairly significant degree are not made next season I have to reconsider the amount of time I give to the team as a fan. Im tired of the status quo and I know a lot of you are too. If Gillis thinks only small changes are needed again this year and brings back basically the same team again then I can't imagine myself doing it again next season. Whether its watching on TV, or paying to go to games.

As a Canucks fan, I need changes on the roster which will excite me and pump me up to come back next season again whole-heartedly. Just firing AV is not going to cut it. Too many underachievers for the past two playoffs. We're 1-7 in our last 8 playoff games for crying out loud.

This series isn't over and ill still be cheering Tuesday. But for obvious reasons i don't like our chances this year. As fans, what are your expectations for next year? What will get you as fans pumped up for next year? Because even the biggest homers can't be satisfied with the status quo.

[Clinch16]

im not a bandwagoner, i love the canucks. they are my team....

If changes to a fairly significant degree are not made next season I have to reconsider the amount of time I give to the team as a fan. Im tired of the status quo and I know a lot of you are too.....

As a Canucks fan, I need changes on the roster which will excite me and pump me up to come back next season again whole-heartedly.....

Because even the biggest homers can't be satisfied with the status quo....

[k_man08]

for me the downward spiral started right at the onset of the Hoosgon trade.

We have never looked back since.

I think the following needs to happen immediately:

1)

AV and GM MG have to go. This is because AV may be a good coach but his strategies are becoming very predictable.

Other coaches are able to predict his next move and beat him to the punch. He hasn't done enough to change his game after being out-coached several times in last 3 years. In addition, he's shown me that he cannot develop offensive players or young talent in general. Instead, he's shown me that he gets the worse out of every player he coaches (there are exceptions such as Burrows, Kesler, Sedins)

MG has made one bad move after another. For me the first bad move was Ballard trade and he topped it off with trade for Kassian. Sure Hodgson may want out of here, but i'm sure he didn't ask for a trade a week before deadline. Usually Coaching staff have an idea of who fits in and who doesn't. That's the time to trade players and acquire talent that can fill in that exact same role while being a team player. Kassian is a plug (sorry for those who still haven't realized it). he provides grit, but no scoring. He was brought in to make us tougher for playoffs and so far ive seen nothing from him that i makes him stand out ahead of the other plugs we've gone through in the last 3 years.

MG's trade for Roy was good, but he's an undersized forward and he's so far not panning out. We lost a blue chipper in this deal and that thins out our prospect pool more.

Since our SCF run 2 years ago, MG had to identify which players need to be complemented and which players need to go. He hasn't made that assessment properly in my estimation. I think its time someone else more experienced took over and made the tweaks/trades that gets us back to where we were.

I refuse to believe that our core talent is declining. I have seen them play very well but they have no one to complement them. Sedins are still great and will be for another 2 years. They need a real top 6 player. Kesler needs more than Higgins who is not a bonafied 2nd liner. Roy is a great start but Roy won't play second fiddle to Kesler moving forward so i expect him to leave us in the off season. This means we only have Sedins, Burrows, and Kesler as our offensively talented players. That's not even a top 6. Rest are a mix of projects, 3rd liners and plugs. This has to change.

2)

Kassian has to be traded. To me he's just the start of the downward spiral and I don't think he fits into our team.

If he's as great as everyone thinks he is, we should be able to get a 1st rounder for him at least. I doubt that we'll get more than a 3rd for him at this point

3)

A decision between Luongo and Schneider has to be made.

I think MG made his bed with Luongo and he has to stick to him. He made a commitment and he can't back out now esp when Luongo has shown he is still the man when called upon. Schneider gets us more return and we need prospects to fill the cupboard or get that top 6 player its as simple as that. Luongo trade will give us another high priced player in his decline or a low pick. Its not worth it. Luongo is our man.

4)

Ballard has to be bought out / traded for any pick / minor prospect

5)

We need to draft better and for the next 2 -3 years not trade picks/prospects away. Instead we have to identify pieces of this team that don't fit and trade them for other pieces from other teams that complement us well. Sometimes its who you don't expect IE: Martin Erat to WSH. Its all about filling in roles and right now we have too many bottom 9 players that can't fit top 6 roles.

[Canuck or Die]

Sedins are not declining. Their points are declining because of AV's stagnant system that other teams have figured out. The Sedins need to be introduced to a new system so they can elevate their game. When that happens, they will start producing again, kind of like Ovechkin. Until then, AV will have them doing the same damn thing only to get shut down by the other teams.