Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Community

Honest analysis of our team


vcrguy

Recommended Posts

Here's an honest analysis of our team (as I see it, which obviously is up for debate).

Our D isn't playing the best but on paper they're fantastic so I won't comment about them. Our goalies aren't the problem either, so this is just an analysis of our forwards. Let me know what you think:

1st line calibre players:

D. Sedin

H. Sedin

We are 1 player short

2nd line calibre players:

Kesler

Burrows

We are 1 player short

3rd line calibre players:

Booth

Hansen

Higgins

Kassian

Santorelli

Schroeder

Fantastic 3rd line calibre players.

4th line calibre players:

Richardson

Weise

We are 1 player short but due to the abundance of talent on the 3rd line, we are in good shape.

AHL calibre players currently on our team:

Sestito

Welsh

So in reality, we are 1 first line player and 1 second line player short of being a well rounded team. I wish MG would trade some of the 3rd liners or package something together to plug these holes.

What do you think, is this a fair analysis or do you see things differently?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I disagree about the 4th line - they need to build a 4th line with purpose and with the right pieces - not just the left overs from the 3rd line.

Backup goaltending is still a question too - Lack is unproven (but seems to be doing well). Would you still think they are OK at this position if Luongo got hurt and Lack was the starter for 10 games?

One could nit a bit about your forwards but I think your overall conclusion makes sense. Really starting to get worried about Daniel though...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was part of the trade Higgins or Hansen crew before the season started.

Booth isn't a tradeable asset so he has to stay.

It's got to be Higgins + and then hope kassian can be a first or second line guy.

Role with booth and Hansen on the 3rd line.

I mean if we can get something trading booth+ for a 1st or 2nd liner I'm in but Idk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

TBH, I don't believe we have the right combination of players...

I'm not going to pretend to be a GM neither - I'm just stating what I observe.

As much as I hate to say it, we're missing a Toews type of player and a consistent scorer.

Overall, we need players to focus 100%. What I mean by that is, we seem to relax after scoring a goal instead of keeping the pressure up...we lost to the Penguins because of that....3 goals we scored and the first shifts after those goals were brutal...1 leading to a goal by the Penguins...

The shots against are down - but that makes our goalie stats skewed the wrong way as far as save percentages...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with the assessment - the question now is are we playing for this season or the future? Reinforcements are coming from within - with at least Shinkaruk looking like he can fill a top-6 role. In the meantime the team learns Tort's system and there's always UFA's available next year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kesler needs to go. 3rd year of bringing absolutely nothing to this team. He's supposed to be 100% healthy and he's playing 1st PP with the freaking Sedin's (again).

On pace for 33pts and a -41? Cheechoo 2.0.

do me a favor... stop polluting the forum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reason MG does nothing is because he's hoping for the following to fulfil his do-nothing approach and save his sorry arse:

Kesler to play like a 1st liner again (even though it only happened once in his career) so that he can have a balanced offence with him playing him on the 2nd line

Burrows to play like a second liner, but not on the first line where the players that make him as good as a second liner are playing...

Booth to return to second line form and magically form chemistry with Kesler

Kassian to emerge

Schroeder to emerge

Sestito and/or Wiese to actually become good 4th line players

Bieksa to stop sucking off the teet.

Edler to pull his head out of his bungholio

Garrison to become Weber (gettin' there, actually)

Luongo to regain elite form

Lack to become Schnieder

Not to sound too negative. OP, you're pretty spot on. This team is not complete yet, and we all know that. The problem is, GMMG is not going to do anything. If he does anything, he'll just trade our 4th rounder for plugs at the deadli-- wait a second....

In all honesty, this year is not the year, and I can accept that. The only thing that can change that is if over the course of the season, Torts manages to spark some serious change in those players mentioned above.

If this happens, I can see a reason for MG to start making some moves this year. If it continues with this as the par for the course, I would much rather Gillis liquidate some assets to teams who are looking to make the push and get some decent up-and-coming youth in return. Unfortunately, these NTCs get in the way of anything like that...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For my player rankings, a second post for the sake of organizations:

H. Sedin - 1

D. Sedin - 1

Kesler - 2 as a winger; 3 as a center (right now) // potentially 1 as a winger; 1b as a center. However, he's far removed from that.

Burrows - 2 as a winger if the Sedins are making him look good. Realistically, on a deep team, 3. He only scores lots with Sedins.

Booth - 3. Potentially a 2, which is what MG wanted. But he is far removed from that.

Higgins - 3

Hansen - 3

Schroeder - 3. Perhaps potentially a 2, or in the near future. We just don't know yet.

Santorelli - 4, playing like a 3

Kassian - 3, playing like a 4 (except the last few games). Has all the tools for a 2 right now, and even a 1 in the future.

Richardson - 4, playing like a 3

Wiese - AHL

Sestito - AHL

Welsh - AHL, but I haven't seen him yet *shrugs*

- - - - -

This is what the Canucks would look like if they were a real contender:

Sedin - Sedin - ?hole?

?hole? - ?hole? - Kesler < -- we stuck a 3rd line here and called it a second line

Booth - Schroeder? - Burrows

Santorelli - Richardson - Hansen (small but super energy)

(redundant - Higgins and Kassian because of inconsistancy, Weise and Sestito because of useless)

The situation of out forward group is the result of the bad contracts of our D core. Namely, Bieksa and Edler.

- - - - - -

What MG is hoping for:

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian -- with Kassian pretending he's Lucic

Booth - Kesler - Burrows -- with Booth and Kesler playing the way the once did

Higgins - Schroeder - Hansen -- with Schroeder growing 6 inches and gaining 40 lbs

Wiestito - Richardson - Santorelli -- With Sestito and Weise becoming one player, with high energy and size and throwing checks.

Hamhuis - Bieksa -- with Bieksa playing like its a contract year

Edler - Tanev -- with Tanev after he's devoured the soul of Nick Lidstrom and learned to harness his hockey prowess and sharing it with Edler

Garrison - Stanton -- with Garrison playing like Weber, and Stanton playing like a second Hamhuis.

Young Luongo

Schnieder Lack

You'll notice here that there is no spaces filled by outside players.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly we just need one more skilled, and I mean talented, guy to play with the Sedins. I'm thinking like a Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan type player. A player that can really finish all the chances the Sedins set him up for.

Realistically, the Sedins are so good, the winger that plays with them should get 40 goals easy. Burrows got 35 once, but I think he's better suited to play with Kesler and form out the second line. Only name that's out there right now is Vanek. We maybe also should have made a play for Jeff Carter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Middle-of-the-pack team.

Too many undefined roles/players up front. Gillis believes everything will work out fine, as long as everyone finds their previous top form. The problem is, that's never going to happen. Maybe a couple guys will find it, but most won't. After a while, you are what you are. Higgins won't score 20 in a season, and neither will Booth or Hansen. Based on his current play, I'm beginning to have doubts that Dank will either.

When Gillis announced his 'reset', I had no idea it only referred to the coaches. Not one player of significance (apart from Schneider) was moved. Instead he did what he does every summer....fill in spots from the scrap heap and hope for the best. The gradual erosion of real talent continues. Torts may bring a new attitude and outlook, but the Canucks are a veteran team which will not be able to reinvent their game significantly based on the stagnant personnel. And throw in previously-reliable vets (Dank, Hamhuis, Kesler, Lou) playing below their regular form, and you've got problems.

The Canucks will continue to routinely beat lesser teams, but will struggle against upper teams. That will adequately define what they are and where they deserve to be. I thought they would finish 7-10 in the west, and I've seen nothing to change my mind thus far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with the assessment - the question now is are we playing for this season or the future? Reinforcements are coming from within - with at least Shinkaruk looking like he can fill a top-6 role. In the meantime the team learns Tort's system and there's always UFA's available next year.

Cap goes up and some prospects make it. This leaves space for some big signings. I just hope for no NTCs this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MG needs to build his team with what these players are, not for what these players have been, or could be.

I'm sick of him waiting for Booth or Kesler to make a come-back, or Schroeder or Kassian to break-out. Or Luongo to play like an elite goaltender. When those things happen, it's a bonus.

I realize that this year had a cap crunch, but there is a serious problem with the way this roster wasn't shaken up a bit in the off-season. Moves could have been made that would have resulted in some serious change. Things like trading Higgins before his stupid, crappy NTC kicked in.

I'm really happy Santorelli and Richardson have turned out well so far. But I'm pretty disturbed that they were the only pick-ups.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kesler needs to go. 3rd year of bringing absolutely nothing to this team. He's supposed to be 100% healthy and he's playing 1st PP with the freaking Sedin's (again).

On pace for 33pts and a -41? Cheechoo 2.0.

do me a favor... stop polluting the forum.

Pretty much what papa said -_-

Kesler has been taking almost all our defensive draws and has done a damn good job of it too. He has been pretty consistent thus far for the role Torts has given him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...