What brand of hockey should this team play?

[DeNiro]

A brand that doesn't involve choking in the playoffs

[Lui's Knob]

High offense like sundin grabner days but with la kings tough defense

[falcon45ca]

Gillis is making a pitch to save his job, blaming the "changing trend" instead of himself.

[BI3KSA-]

That's funny but it is really what it comes down to.

You can have any players or play any style, but if your best players aren't your best players you won't win.

Marleau, Couture, and Pavelski were the Sharks best players. Richards, Brown, and Kopitar were the Kings best players. Krecji, Chara, and Marchand were the Bruins best players. And so on. We're still waiting for the Sedins to be our best players in the playoffs.

[Kryten]

Don't care if they win or not, just like to see players actually show up and give a damn. Give me a crash and bang team and I will be entertained one way or the other. Love being the underdog anyways.

[ButterBean]

How many years have the Sharks used the philosophy of size and toughness? And how many years have they had success in the playoffs?

Sure they made it to the second round, but they did it on the backs of their skilled guys and their powerplay. Not grinding it out goon hockey. If they win the cup this year, it won't be because of size or toughness, it will be because of skilled guys like Thornton, Marleau, Couture, and Pavelski.

They also got rid of their grittiest players at the deadline and signed Scott Gomez. Maybe they're realizing that there's no substitute for skill after all. Their top powerplay is also key to their success. Not too many teams other than the Bruins make it to the finals without a lethal powerplay.

This happens every year after there's a new champion. The Ducks win and everyone thinks they have to be big and nasty. Then the Wings, Penguins, and Hawks win and it's skill that rules. After that it's the Bruins and Kings, and then it's size and defense that wins.

All of these teams had grit, it's the personnel and the style of play that was different. The Hawks, Wings and Pens built around skill because that's what their core was made up of. And the Bruins, Ducks, and Kings built around size and defense because that's what their core was made up of.

The Canucks core is built around skill, and need to supplement that core with skill. Does that mean we don't need some size and grit? Of course not. But thinking that we're going to win playing like the Kings and Bruins, when the team just isn't setup that way is a recipe for failure.

[Vancouver's comeback]

We are trying to be big, but we aren't. We need to be a team that is both a checking, and a scoring team. That what LA and Boston were, and that's why they were so successful. That's how you win in playoff hockey. Gillis hasn't fully committed this team to that style. He's made some tentative moves towards that direction, but we're still stuck in a halfway transitional phase.

Our top 6 is far too small to be a banging, scoring team. Compared to LA and Boston, we're still small. The Sedins and Kesler absolutely have to be the smallest players in our top 6 if we plan on playing this style of hockey. If Kassian can continue to improve, and mesh with and be a force on the top line with the Sedins, that would be enormously helpful. If Booth can step up and be an impact player on the second line with Kesler. Having a Higgins or Raymond as the last winger in the top 6 is a no. If we could somehow obtain a Hartnell style player in a Luongo trade, or as part of a Schneider trade (which is starting to look like the better option if it can net a significant return, despite the fact that I absolutely love Schneider's style and I firmly believe he is a top 5 goalie in this league) then we have the missing piece to our top 6. If we could sign Clowe or Clarkson somehow this offseason, they'd be fantastic fits here as well. However, this is optimistic- Free agency brings no guarantees, Kassian may not be ready for the role (though I believe he will be next season) and Booth might not provide the impact we're looking for. However, both players bring size and physicality to the lineup and are important pieces.

If Roy wants to come back as a third line centerman for us (which I see as being unlikely) that's one thing. But we're either going to have to find a bruising, defensively responsible center, or promote Lapierre to the 3rd and have Gaunce make the jump and take over as the 4th line center (which is something I think he's suited for at this stage of his career). We have too many small wingers. Burrows, Raymond, Hansen, Higgins, all great players but are redundant. Burrows would be a 3rd liner in this scenario, and he commands a considerable amount of money for a 3rd liner. However, he is the best of that group, and a proven playoff performer. He is a greatly underrated defensive player, and always brings a lot of heart and hustle. He'd be an absolutely fantastic part of a shutdown 3rd that can bring it offensively along side Lappy. Hansen is the most logical fit as the third wheel on this line- a gritty, fast, feisty, 200 ft player.

One of the most important things that LA and Boston had in common was that they rolled 4 lines deep with confidence- their 4th lines didn't just eat up PT, but made an impact, they played well defensively, and also created offensive momentum. Dwight King was a difference maker for LA with 8 points on the fourth line. We have players that can help us do that. Gut players like Raymond, Higgins, Weise, Sestito- we just don't need them. I'm willing to give Sestito another chance, as he looked like he had been castrated and incapable of using his size while playing for us, and a philosophy change with a hard nosed coach like Torts (if he's available) or Ruff could help him. However, he's never been a great pugilist, and isn't going to be to us what Shawn Thornton was to the Bruins in their 2011 cup run- an enforcer that uses both his fists well and his stick well. We have plenty of young guns who can make the jump for us and play in a fourth line capacity (Archibald, Lain, Jensen- who could even step up as a 3rd liner and take Hansen's spot if he shows he can hold his own at both ends of the ice). Letting Torres walk- probably one of, if not Gillis' worst move as GM shines here. Torres would have been the perfect 4th liner. He is the definition of x-factor, and brings a ton of physicality and energy. That's hard to replace here. But a big, young, multitalented fourth line that looks something like Archibald-Gaunce-Jensen isn't something to be mad at.

Defensively, we honestly look pretty good. Garrison, Hamhuis, Edler, Bieksa, Tanev, and Corrado is a pretty big, pretty solid defensive corps. Plus we have decent depth in Alberts and Barker (here's to finally getting rid of Ballard's useless cap hit). Yeah we could use a superstar, Shea Weber kind of defenseman. And if some sort of Schneider deal could pull that for us I might be all for it. But it's not probable. A powerplay qb like we had in Ehrhoff would be great, but he wanted outrageous money, and so we let him walk. If we upgrade our defense I'll be pleasantly surprised, but if nothing changes, I won't be too upset going into next season with these guys.

Long winded I know, but that's my vision for this squad going forward. Let's hope MG or whoever replaces him can bring that to fruition.

[DownUndaCanuck]

We need size, skill and speed up front, and really big and physical guys on the blueline to win a Cup.

Time to throw away this absolute B.S style of play we're into right now where defencemen jump up in the rush and take stupid gambles on the walls all the time, expecting the forwards to cycle back, because it's not working and hasn't been since the 2011 Cup run. Our defencemen simply can't handle that style anymore, only Ehrhoff really did it well.

We need to simplify our game and play the way we did in 2006/2007. This team is no longer as skilled as it once was, and is relying on goaltending more than ever before, so it's time for AV/whoever to get back to playing a boring, defensive style of game. I don't mind watching the trap game for 100 games if it means we win a Cup. Just ask L.A fans.

Solid defence first - then build offence off that, mainly off the opposition's turnovers and mistakes. We should never gamble, unless down late in the 3rd, and focus on defending and falling back first as opposed to gambling and forcing offence, because that's what leads to defensive melt-downs which was ultimately our undoing this season.

[Bodee]

We can't have a team too heavily leaned on by size/toughness or speed/skill. We need a good balance of both. Chicago, Boston and LA all had this recipe. Those teams had the ability to adjust to any style and beat it.

[kikibaba]

I think that we need more in the way of 'role' players.

We have too many players who are line 2-4, who can't really do the bottom six well enough (Raymond, Ebbett, Schroeder) and who are out of their depth a little in the top six (Higgins, Hansen).

I think bringing in players for a specific job (who have the skill set to achieve the job) is the best way to improve the team.

[Ray Canuck]

We've been a scorer & a stud d-man away from being over the top for a couple of years now. A puck possession team is what I'd rather watch. Skilled players that have grit and an undeniable will to win. Guys don't have to be big to play that way, though I hate the little puke, Marchand is an example of a small guy will to sacrifice to win. I just don't see that same will in a guy like Schroeder. I think we are on the right path with guys like Kassian, Jensen & Gaunce. We need real secondary scoring or even 1st line scoring if the Sedins are going to be secondary guys as they age. I'd say there are at least ten teams in the league that truly want to win the cup at any expense, finding the right formula is elusive indeed. Lady luck and timing is what sets the winner apart from the rest. Hindsight shows we lost it mid last season. Scoring dried up and our D unable to clear the zone if pressed hard. It's about asset management now. Trading up in the draft is foreign to MG but it is something he should familiarize himself with quick. You can't trade or rely on free agents to be a winner, a quick look at Detroit & Philly will validate that.

[Jester13]

I think it all depends on what a new coach wants to play

Detroit does well with what they have because of Babcock. AV, IMO, has lost this team. When a team doesn't shift gears when it matters most that falls on to the coaching staff. Don't even get me started about our special teams!

New coach please.

[Ray Canuck]

^{Babcock looks good because of Datsyuk & Zetterberg. He's a great coach but great players make coaches}

[hudson bay rules]

Bauer?

[Riviera82]

Let's go back to up-tempo. At least if we lose it will be entertaining and not the boring crap we've been seeing lately.

[hudson bay rules]

Let's go back to up-tempo. At least if we lose it will be entertaining and not the boring crap we've been seeing lately.

[BenDrinkin]

If we want to win, we should follow suit with the big american markets, i.e., defensive and tough.

[sroutley]

The style of play depends on the coach. Do we need to be more defensive only around the front of the net. Would like to have seen more blocked shots like when we had Ryan Johnson. Not too much talent but willing to sacrifice his body. I think size on defence is important but too many break aways maybe the defence is too slow.

Need more offence for sure, on PP and did Daniel score even one goal this playoffs? No. Why do they not split up the Sedins in the playoffs, it is not working for them. Also I like Bieska but his style cost Vancouver far to many turnovers and mistakes when passing the puck. We need to carry the puck out more which I think missing Tanev hurt as he always seems to make the right choices. I would have played Ballard more this playoffs as he carries the puck more. We need to get the puck in and then get after it. They just kept pushing it out. We need players with heart.

We have no excuses look at Ottawa. How many young players do they have in there lineup and Vancouver hmm. Not many. I like schreoder's play as he had some heart. Could have really used him in the playoffs. Ebbett where was he in the playoff's rarely heard his name and Pinizzoto guy. Weise at least shot the puck.

So we need a new style so therefore new coach. Also a new Gm, Gillis traded away all the players who showed they were about to break out. Grabner, Hodgson. Will Schreoder be traded before given a chance? People say he is too small. Look at Kane, Pageau and Gallagher not big players but play hard and never give up. We need playoff performers not players who maybe something sometime like Kassian.

So Gillis better stop making excuses and let our weak prospects at least give a youthful spark and stop bringing in players who once showed promise. So my style is playing a game based on players who do all the extras and some youth to get the rest moving. Why has Hansen been so good because he plays with heart. So I say play a little more like Ottawa. As we have a deeper core just need some young talent.

[Vicky]

Actually, the one thing all cup winners seem to have in common is that they get the absolute most out of their entire 23 man roster. That comes from properly defining roles based on maximizing each player's strengths and incorporating it effectively into the team strategy.

[Ghostsof1915]

We need emotional content.