What sports writers don't seem to see

[Crabcakes]

There is very little talk in the media about the impact of improvements to the Canucks defense.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if they could improve goals against by 30.

 

Goals for will be better simply because it is likely that the team will be healthier.  A 15 goal improvement is not unrealistic.

 

So, goal differential could easily improve by 45.

 

I'm not saying that problems such as secondary scoring and offense coming from the back end aren't issues facing the team but keeping the puck out of their own net will improve.

[appleboy]

9 minutes ago, LaBamba said:

The difference between the "analysts" and the people on this board is the "analysts" don't have an "emotional" "attachment" to the team. If you have no "emotional" "attachment" to this team you will see nothing after the Sedin's Line. 

The analytics are based on the raw numbers from last year and don't look at potential improvements from youth and chemistry. Our year will be make or break based on improvement from youth. Players like Tryamkin , Horvat ,Sven , Virtanen...........

 

Will Gudbranson be a fit and help Hutton make the next step. There is no way to calculate based on numbers for some of the additions made.

[coastal.view]

my 2 cents worth

 

nucks improved over the off season

gubranson gives us some size on the d line, and clearly has some talent given his draft position, but is very unlikely to develop into what was expected when he was drafted

i like the new size on our d . but we have a very inexperienced d group right now and likely will break down often as they settle in and develop a bit

eriksson will be the sedins' present age when his contract is up, he appears to be pretty durable like they have been, he is a tier down in terms of talent when compared to the sedins, and i'd pay these lesser than sedin dollars to get 6 years of slightly less than sedin performance for the past 6 years..  so there is clearly risk here, but things could work out very well for the canucks as well.. we could get 6 solid years from eriksson.....i prefer to wait and see rather than dump all over this signing as a mistake

and for the rest of our offensive group things have to kinda go the most optimistic way for the team to have a good season..

i see the nucks finishing anywhere from 20 to 10th in the nhl this year..

[appleboy]

Labate was quite aggressive at practice yesterday and looked like a man amongst  boys.

[LaBamba]

30 minutes ago, appleboy said:

The analytics are based on the raw numbers from last year and don't look at potential improvements from youth and chemistry. Our year will be make or break based on improvement from youth. Players like Tryamkin , Horvat ,Sven , Virtanen...........

 

Will Gudbranson be a fit and help Hutton make the next step. There is no way to calculate based on numbers for some of the additions made.

You are exactly right. For us to have a really good season many things have to fall into place. If you are on the outside looking in, it's hard to put your money on something that might happen. 

[LaBamba]

34 minutes ago, coastal.view said:

my 2 cents worth

 

nucks improved over the off season

gubranson gives us some size on the d line, and clearly has some talent given his draft position, but is very unlikely to develop into what was expected when he was drafted

i like the new size on our d . but we have a very inexperienced d group right now and likely will break down often as they settle in and develop a bit

eriksson will be the sedins' present age when his contract is up, he appears to be pretty durable like they have been, he is a tier down in terms of talent when compared to the sedins, and i'd pay these lesser than sedin dollars to get 6 years of slightly less than sedin performance for the past 6 years..  so there is clearly risk here, but things could work out very well for the canucks as well.. we could get 6 solid years from eriksson.....i prefer to wait and see rather than dump all over this signing as a mistake

and for the rest of our offensive group things have to kinda go the most optimistic way for the team to have a good season..

i see the nucks finishing anywhere from 20 to 10th in the nhl this year..

He is probably concussion away from his career ending. 

[TimberWolf]

We're a one line team with a slow defense that can't score and too slow on the transition to capitilize on mistakes which is the only way a trap team like we have assembled finds success.

 

While there are some pieces to build upon, assuming Benning stops panic trading and losing assets for nothing, this year should be a low expectation year again. So predicting us missing the playoffs or even bottom five is not exactly out to lunch or just being a hater. Oiler fans think their shiny new toy will catapult them every year too. 

[Kokanee king]

8 hours ago, Aircool said:

I mean, I happen to disagree with about half of your reasons that we are supposedly in great shape.

 

I'm not particularly excited by our prospect pool, it's pretty lackluster. We are in the process of having two franchise players retire in the next couple years and these doesn't seem to be any replacements lined up for them. I'm not willing to appoint Boeser as a sure-fire first line player in the NHL yet, although I'm hopeful.I feel extremely comfortable in saying that there are more teams in the league with better prospect pools than us, than there are teams with worse prospect pools than us. In English, our prospect pool is average at best.

 

Erik Gudbranson is a big defender, that's about it. Being big doesn't automatically make you a strong defender, just like being small doesn't automatically make you a bad defender, see Chris Tanev for an example of this. While Gudbranson can throw a good hit with the best of them (at least I'd imagine he can), that doesn't mean he has a positive impact as a defender, statistics say that he is about as good defensively as a bottom pair defenseman. Now I'm not a huge fan of statistics, but I'm not on the Gudbranson bandwagon... I haven't seen him play for the Canucks yet, and I'm not just going to jump on the bandwagon because I'm a fanboy or because he's big... As for Eriksson... well how many years until he is grossly overpaid? 2? This contract is going to hurt in 2-3 years. What are we going to win in the next 2-3 years? Nothing. Completely idiotic signing.

 

Being "solid" in one of many facets of being a GM isn't really a ringing endorsement. We all know that Benning is essentially incompetent at everything except scouting. As a scout, I think he is great, but that's hardly GM material. I've said this in a previous post... Jim Benning is the best assistant GM in the NHL, too bad Francesco Aquilini is the worst GM in the NHL... They cancel out quite fiercely.

 

Maybe the media sees the obvious facts about the stupid decisions that our management makes on a monthly basis... Maybe it's time you open your eyes to the obvious truth, instead of letting your fanaticism take over...

disagree almost 100%.

you would have to be blind or clueless not to be excited by our prospect group!

No one to replace the twins, !!

Grudby a big defender that's it, !!!
GMjB is 1000 times more competent then you and your rant above proves it. !!!!!!

 

[Phat Fingers]

8 hours ago, Aircool said:

Remember when people thought Jannik Hansen was going to break out and be a perennial 20 goal scorer? Didn't work out so well did it? I like the player, but he's a 3rd line winger through and through. Not saying Bo Horvat has plateau'd at such a young age... But to expect 60 points is ridiculous. We should be happy if he breaks 50... But even that I'd doubt.

 

I'm not saying it's a sin to get bigger, I'm fine with that. But you make an assumption that Gudbranson was both worth the cost of acquisition and is a shutdown quality defenseman.... Yet none of the evidence suggests that. People just assume he is a good defender because he is big, that's not evidence of anything other than he is big. Chris Tanev is good defensively and Jared Cowen is horrible... Size isn't really a factor in terms of evaluating how good a player is defensively, it just helps with hitting harder and clearing the crease. These aren't insignificant, but they hardly determine success as a defenseman.

 

We don't need more bottom 6 forwards and bottom pairing defenseman. We have 2 third lines and a 4th line. We're fine in that department. Our issue moving into the future is acquirining Top-6 forwards and Top pairing defensemen. They aren't easy to acquire and we have virtually no such prospects in the pipeline. Benning is doing a good job at picking out players who look to be able to play in the NHL one day, and they will do well as the players that surround the core... We are just missing the core (it's kind of important.)

 

Benning isn't getting his licks in as the new guy to the old boys club, he's just taking a licking. While I generally don't like John Chayka's trades in Arizona, some media members do and according to them anyways I don't see how he's taking his licks... This is a completely garbage statement, it means nothing and you have no logic to support it. It's just a machination to justify JB's incompetence when it comes to trading.

 

There is still very little in the way of "exciting" talent in our prospect pool, it just has some depth in terms of having players with NHL potential... Still many other teams like Winnipeg are just swimming in far better prospects. Anaheim is another great example.

 

Of course you can say that Eriksson at 31, will not be worth his 6 year contract that really he probably is barely worth today. He'll have a good year or two playing with the Sedins then age will catch up to him, and simultaneously with a Sedin retirement he will fall off of a cliff. Everyone here knows it's coming, it's a trainwreck waiting to happen. Complete waste of future cap space. 

 

So you think that trading away picks and a young player in Jared McCann, who for the record I said about 6 months ago now I thought would be traded at the draft, and that I wanted traded at the draft (just not for a player like Gudbranson), to acquire a Gudbranson is worth it to finish 24th? Just so we can get a crappier draft choice? I mean it's really hard to justify that, or at least it should be.

Aircool,

 

Seems you are a glass half empty kinda guy. Let's go back to the Tortarella season, the club was a mess, Kesler wanted out, Lou was traded for a bag of bucks and possibly a goalie.  

 

New GM, President, Coach. Utica and team development seems to be much improved over the Chicago Wolves days. We have turned over most of the roster and are now looking into this season there are a lot questions. 

 

I like the moves, this team will be much better than last years, and beyond that, believe that our GM will find talent at the draft, no matter where we pick. 

 

Gudbranson, Eriksson, healthy Burrows and Sutter.  An improved Bo, Baer, Virtannen, Hutton, Markstrum and Trymakin. I view this as improvement. 

 

Comments like yours make me think that many on this board have not experienced the dark days of our club and won't be happy with anything less than being considered a perennial contender. 

 

I have seen far worse Canucks teams than we will

have this year. With any luck we can be a dark horse team that catches others on the back foot. 

 

 

[Tre Mac]

8 minutes ago, TimberWolf said:

We're a one line team with a slow defense that can't score and too slow on the transition to capitilize on mistakes which is the only way a trap team like we have assembled finds success.

 

While there are some pieces to build upon, assuming Benning stops panic trading and losing assets for nothing, this year should be a low expectation year so predicting us missing the playoffs or even bottom five is not exactly out to lunch or just being a hater. Oiler fans think their shiny new toy will catapult them every year too. 

Agreed 100%.  You could've started a thread called 'What Canucks Fans don't seem to see' lol.

[PhillipBlunt]

9 hours ago, PrinceGeorgeGoon said:

Personally I think there is alot of plagiarism and plain ole faking it. Now if the Canucks finish dead last I lose nothing and it doesn't matter. They won't. 

 

It seems to me, "writers"  copy sportscasters, follow social media, message boards, and other reputable writers. There are rumors, articles based on conjecture and rankings with 0 data. Very little of it seems original and with losing hamhuis and McCann and otherwise making massive improvements... we only get better.

 

It's been beat to death but here's my positive side of this speculation.

 

Is it a rebuild, retool, reboot... yes. Was last year the bottom... maybe. Maybe not. 

 

I know my team and were better. 

There are a few reasons the canucks are in great shape. 

 

1) we have prospects ! 

2) the media is sleeping on horvat, baer and Sutter.

3) Gudbranson and Erikson. 

4) Markstrom and Hutton.

5) Benning seems to be settling in to a solid scouting GM.

6) we are at the bottom of almost every poll, ranking and projection and stand to suprise. 

7) F#$K em.

 

Well said. 

[Mcfly]

2 hours ago, riffraff said:

2 hours ago, riffraff said:

You're not seeing the reason for the GUD trade.  If you haven't seen the glaring need for a physical, crease clearing dman, with leadership qualities, pedigree and upside then you can't have been watching the Canucks since Jovo left.  I'm not comparing the two per se but my point is our back end has been far too soft for far too long.

 

ftr I was really high on Jared McCann, or at least his seeming potential but there was plenty of development on the physical side to be done and you have to give to get.  Sure the trade may swing in in floridas favour down the road if Jared turns into the player I, we, think he can be but it's still and "if".

 

i think any gm with a defensive need like the Canucks have had would do that trade.

 

i re emphasize. The crease will be cleared. The goalies will be better protected as far as the oppositions rite of passage through the crease so far for years.  The scrums will be be policed far better.  You can't tell me you have enjoyed watching LA slap our team around in our own crease while Edler and tanev look the other way.  No slight to them really.  It's just not their game.

 

youre right in saying that the pending sedin retirement seems ominous relative to our prospect pool but wrong on this trade. Jared maccan was not henriks replacement.

Either way, it was probably best we offloaded McCann, since his family is unfortunately going through some pretty crazy/terrible stuff. I don't know the details, (I don't feel it's appropriate bringing up details in here) but it may be better he is out of town while all of it is going on, for the teams sake, and his own sake distraction-wise. For the record I think he is going to be a good player down the line. Has a ways to go.

[Shift-4]

28 minutes ago, Tre Mac said:

Agreed 100%.  You could've started a thread called 'What Canucks Fans don't seem to see' lol.

What Canucks fans don't see right now are actual hockey games.

So we are left to resort to trash articles.

 

Let's get on with the &^@#ing games already.  

[ice orca]

15 minutes ago, Mcfly said:

Either way, it was probably best we offloaded McCann, since his family is unfortunately going through some pretty crazy/terrible stuff. I don't know the details, (I don't feel it's appropriate bringing up details in here) but it may be better he is out of town while all of it is going on, for the teams sake, and his own sake distraction-wise. For the record I think he is going to be a good player down the line. Has a ways to go.

Are you talking about McCann or Vey?

[Gurn]

"He is probably concussion away from his career ending.  "

 

They all are. Or a torn up knee, or..............       Hockey is a physical game.

[Dekey Pete]

Main reasons: healthy sutter + scoring winger for the Sedins + shored up defense.  

 

If Sutter happens to go down again, Bo will already have experience in the second line role.  We threw him to the wolves last year, and it took him a while to adjust.

[spook007]

53 minutes ago, LaBamba said:

He is probably concussion away from his career ending. 

Who isn't...

 

[Fan since 82]

9 hours ago, PrinceGeorgeGoon said:

Personally I think there is alot of plagiarism and plain ole faking it. Now if the Canucks finish dead last I lose nothing and it doesn't matter. They won't. 

 

It seems to me, "writers"  copy sportscasters, follow social media, message boards, and other reputable writers. There are rumors, articles based on conjecture and rankings with 0 data. Very little of it seems original and with losing hamhuis and McCann and otherwise making massive improvements... we only get better.

 

It's been beat to death but here's my positive side of this speculation.

 

Is it a rebuild, retool, reboot... yes. Was last year the bottom... maybe. Maybe not. 

 

I know my team and were better. 

There are a few reasons the canucks are in great shape. 

 

1) we have prospects ! 

2) the media is sleeping on horvat, baer and Sutter.

3) Gudbranson and Erikson. 

4) Markstrom and Hutton.

5) Benning seems to be settling in to a solid scouting GM.

6) we are at the bottom of almost every poll, ranking and projection and stand to suprise. 

7) F#$K em.

 

Like your #7!

[Joe_Kerr]

Why is no one talking about injuries... we lost our 2 line shutdown c for the whole damn year, If Edler wasnt out for a while then it was Tanev, we had McCann starting c for us for a couple games.... a 19yr 170lbs soaking wet rookie, Miller even got hurt which lucky for us Markstrom came in and played solid. The Canucks were just decimated with injuries and to go along with the lack of quality depth = you lose games

[riffraff]

37 minutes ago, Mcfly said:

Either way, it was probably best we offloaded McCann, since his family is unfortunately going through some pretty crazy/terrible stuff. I don't know the details, (I don't feel it's appropriate bringing up details in here) but it may be better he is out of town while all of it is going on, for the teams sake, and his own sake distraction-wise. For the record I think he is going to be a good player down the line. Has a ways to go.

Vey you mean.