J.I.A.H.N Posted September 14, 2017 Author Share Posted September 14, 2017 1 hour ago, oldnews said: The west will be a bloodbath this year. I think there will be about 11 teams that could win the conference in the end - likely a highly unpredictable season with the quality of teams / tight competition / parity - which will leave a few very good teams on the outside looking in on the playoffs. I'm going to go homer on this fool's game - I'm going to put two Canadian teams in the top 4 and and third in the top 6, I think Edmonton will regress a bit - still be a threat in the playoffs - but a slight sophomore regular season. I keep expecting the Jets to take a step forward and I think they're hitting a breaking point where they simply have far too much talent in their lineup to remain a outsider/tweener. If I were them I'd consider a coaching change, but regardless, I'm hoping to see a huge uptick from them - their youth is as good as anyone's. I also think the Lames will be a very hard team to play against - great blueline - I think they'll be middle of the playoff pack. 1. Anaheim 2. Nashville 3. Winnipeg 4. Calgary 5. Chicago 6. Edmonton 7. St Louis 8. Dallas Obvious omissions - I think the Sharks are gonna fall out (despite the HBadger). I'm never a big believer in the Wild - I think they once again lack depth, and they're a perenial first round exit (which I think is telling - they're not that good when you get down to it). L.A is a tough call but I think they've been unable to restock with the kind of quality young players they'll need to keep competitive - they spent their share of futures (some quite poorly) and it might be catching up with them (although those Cups in their back pocket certainly lessen the pain that might be in their future). So - that leaves us with an unpredictable remaining four. Las Vegas could be better than generally expected, the Yotes shouldn't be gimme points, but I don't think they're ready to compete, the Avs, well, what have they done to lead us to expect an uptick from them? The Canucks - I'm not going as far as most and predicting a bottom 3 conference finish - I think they could be in the mix with the Kings, Sharks, Wild in around the 9 to 11 spot - I think they could be one of the more improved teams in the West (in part by virtue of the past two years simply being M.A.S.H. disasters). Perhaps next to Dallas (and Possibly the Jets) they stand one of the better chances of improving this year - so if things go well ie. they're reasonably healthy, I think they could remain in the race for the most part and make the season quite interesting. Best thing underlying the Canucks imo is that the majority of their best young players are unlikely to be in their lineup this year, so while I think they'll be reasonably competitve, I also think they're going to have lots of young players banging on the door in the next few years. With the decent quality of transitional veteran depth that Benning has assembled in the meantime, the next few years should bring some solid reasons for optimism. I also think that while the Canucks may be in tough to crack the top 10 in the west, on the other hand Utica could be a contender and shouldn't be quite as depleted by the parent club this time around. Not to take too much credit for your answer, but this is the reason, I come to CDC and post. I totally enjoyed reading your post, as I have other CDC er's posts......some good posts on this subject........thanks for the effort! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuktravella Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 4 hours ago, Pears said: About that, didn't you say Dane Fox would be a better pro than Drouin? bet my predictions are better than janisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Zepp Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 58 minutes ago, janisahockeynut said: Zepp Edmonton's long and short term problems can be fixed easily, and by that I mean, they are a top 10 team IMO, and would be a ligit contender with flipping their 2018 1st + for a aging Edler...lol................but seriously, I think they are closer than what you have them, and could remedy your concerns pretty fast, if they really thought they wanted to. They have 8 million in cap. We see them differently I guess. No biggie. For their fan's sake, hope you are right. I am not sold at all on them. Would love McD on any team I would follow but after that, pickings are slim in my opinion - even LD isn't sold on me until he does in regular season what he did for a few weeks in playoffs. Not a fan of Lucic. Not sold on RNH. Not keen on Talbot. I just don't think they are the juggxrnaught some think they are. Again, i am probably wrong and you right. You will be happy to know that apparently Vegas agrees with you too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honky Cat Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 I predict the Canucks will play themselves out of the top (bottom) 5 this season...which is a poor scenario for a team that badly needs a franchise player....So,realistically,they will be picking anywhere from 8-12....Sucks if you want a high draft pick,and sucks if you want playoff hockey,because we will get neither. The free agent signings have made the team stronger on paper,but the real reason the Canucks will increase their point totals will be coach Green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.I.A.H.N Posted September 14, 2017 Author Share Posted September 14, 2017 1 hour ago, Rob_Zepp said: We see them differently I guess. No biggie. For their fan's sake, hope you are right. I am not sold at all on them. Would love McD on any team I would follow but after that, pickings are slim in my opinion - even LD isn't sold on me until he does in regular season what he did for a few weeks in playoffs. Not a fan of Lucic. Not sold on RNH. Not keen on Talbot. I just don't think they are the juggxrnaught some think they are. Again, i am probably wrong and you right. You will be happy to know that apparently Vegas agrees with you too. Naw, I think their depth is suspect, but their top 8 F and 4 D and 1 goalie, are getting up there....now if they start having injuries to McD and LD......I don't think RNH can carry that team.....if Pool party plays like Laine....(Big IF) they will have a pretty awesome f-in team...........like I say......trade that 2018 first and a depth player and they become even more formable....... I actually cheered them in last years playoffs..........I am sorry CDC But, hey, it is all hockey! I like talent!...........when I was a young kid, I used to hate (with a capital H) Montreal......The flower, Robinson, Dryden, Beleveau, etc....just hated them, but after, I started coaching and going grey........I really appreciated how good they were.......and I was an Orr fan! So, I like to see amazing skills.....McD does that.......so I watched..........................I Hate them now though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Surfer Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 17 hours ago, Rob_Zepp said: Vegas also has magic shows, 3's dressed as 9's and "cocktails" with almost zero alcohol. I don't buy them as a solid team at this point - most others (and apparently Vegas) do. All good. I am fine being wrong but I cannot jump onto a bandwagon I don't believe in - I think they are not a well designed group and I don't like their chances of improving much. Hey wait a minute? Who do you think you are... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBatch Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Well despite the off season the recent THN mag has us firmly placed 7th in our division with Vegas taking the last spot. However they did acknowledge that if goaltending isn't an issue and the added depth would help with injuries, and if all the stars align we could fight for a wild card spot. This topic is definitely valid. Personally I don't think we will gain the twenty five plus points we will need to challenge, but will probably gain at least ten. If our pp ignites , the Sedins and Horvat surge and goaltending is ok maybe twenty points. Still looking outside and a lottery team but not automatically picking top five. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBatch Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 9 hours ago, janisahockeynut said: Naw, I think their depth is suspect, but their top 8 F and 4 D and 1 goalie, are getting up there....now if they start having injuries to McD and LD......I don't think RNH can carry that team.....if Pool party plays like Laine....(Big IF) they will have a pretty awesome f-in team...........like I say......trade that 2018 first and a depth player and they become even more formable....... I actually cheered them in last years playoffs..........I am sorry CDC But, hey, it is all hockey! I like talent!...........when I was a young kid, I used to hate (with a capital H) Montreal......The flower, Robinson, Dryden, Beleveau, etc....just hated them, but after, I started coaching and going grey........I really appreciated how good they were.......and I was an Orr fan! So, I like to see amazing skills.....McD does that.......so I watched..........................I Hate them now though! Ahhh now I get the Orr pic. When I grew up it was Orr this Orr that so i secretly bit my tongue ( My Uncle liked to punch us in the shoulder to toughen us up or squeeze our knees till they popped so I wouldn't do anything to get his ire like saying Coffey was better, lived together for six months when I was sixteen and learned to be careful what i said, we watched every hockey game on the entire time). My first fave was Clarke, mostly because I liked his hair. Wasn't a big fan of the Habs, but liked the Islanders, and everyone grew up idolizing Gretzky as he pounded the record book into dust. Liked Vancouver too, thought king Richard was cool, and Smyle, Snepts, later Butcher. Wasn't until Linden, Tanti, Adams and co took 89 Calgary to edge that I moved from liking the Oilers to Vancouver more. Gretzky and Coffey were gone and everyone said they were done....Ranford kept things interesting though. Cheered for LA in 93 and almost lost my housing at the time as the owner was a Habs fan and we watched all the playoff games that year that were on TV. After so long any Canadian team left I cheer for although I don't know what I will do of TO is left...will have to wait and see. Oh and after all these years I get why my elders liked Orr. He was something else. Wish i was old enough to watch him play and appreciate him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabcakes Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 At this point, the Canucks line up is anybody's guess let alone where they finish in the standings. Sure, we do know the goaltending and maybe the top 6 D. Up front is the real question. There are lots of kids knocking on the door but how many actually make the team? But more than that, Green keeps repeating there is competition for jobs AND ice time. This tells me that nobody is assured of a top 6 spot or any other spot. For example, so many are penciling in Burmistrov as the 4C. That's not a lock. He's a skilled player and former 8 OA pick and has played 19 games with the Russian national team. If I were to pick a finishing point now, it would be bottom 10 in the league, or 12-14 in the west Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R3aL Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 On 2017-09-13 at 3:50 AM, hatedkid666 said: your overvaluing vegas a lot, they're finishing dead last by a large margin Don't count Detroit and the aves out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apollo Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 On 9/12/2017 at 9:18 PM, Drive-By Body Pierce said: https://thehockeywriters.com/canucks-prospect-cassels-conquering-mcdavid-in-ohl-finals/ Could he actually make the team this year? I know the article is 2 years old but still... Also, this team is guaranteed a playoff spot if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kloubek Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 I find this season far more a tossup in predicting the standings than I can recall in a long time. Sure you used to be off on a team or two but seasons used to stick to a relative formula. I see a lot of teams that could potentially but dramatically swing far from expectations... in both directions. Largely due to pushes from a lot of young talent on most of these teams.. As for us - we are certainly not a good team yet but Id absolutely bet we are better than last year and will improve as our own youth trickle up the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Biestra Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 On 9/12/2017 at 8:52 PM, Rob_Zepp said: Uh, ok. I think the Canucks have a better overall D-corp to Edmonton right now (Edmonton has some growth potential), Vancouver may have equal or even better goaltending unless Talbot pulls back-to-back over his head years out of his rump and I don't think their forward balance is quite there yet as Anaheim exposed in the playoffs and Lucic didn't get younger, faster or less apt to take poor penalties over the summer. You think two career backups are equal to or better than last year's 4th place finisher in Vezina voting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Zepp Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 2 hours ago, Kevin Biestra said: You think two career backups are equal to or better than last year's 4th place finisher in Vezina voting? Potentially, I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue_Jays_Canucks Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 Last place while we have clowns like Gudbranson and Edler on D. Horrible decision by Trader Jim to let Sbisa, who was solid in his own end, go in the expansion draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBatch Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 36 minutes ago, Blue_Jays_Canucks said: Last place while we have clowns like Gudbranson and Edler on D. Horrible decision by Trader Jim to let Sbisa, who was solid in his own end, go in the expansion draft. He didn't let him go, he was selected. In most depth charts he is seen as the 7-8 defenseman on their team too, in other words other teams lost a great deal more. Shea Theodore for example...wow. Or should have he left Granlund or Bear unprotected? I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the Weircioch signing, a lot cheaper, bigger and possibly a lateral or even better player. Sbisa is easily replaceable with a servicable vet signing, the other guys not so much, at least without overpayment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgarM Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 4 hours ago, kloubek said: I find this season far more a tossup in predicting the standings than I can recall in a long time. Sure you used to be off on a team or two but seasons used to stick to a relative formula. I see a lot of teams that could potentially but dramatically swing far from expectations... in both directions. Largely due to pushes from a lot of young talent on most of these teams.. As for us - we are certainly not a good team yet but Id absolutely bet we are better than last year and will improve as our own youth trickle up the system. Well said Kloubek your assessment seems the more realistic outcome for next year. The need to play the "Plugs" for the last couple of years seems to have diminished drastically this year and I can't see the team repeating last years poor performance. Maybe not playoff bound right now but far more competitive then the last couple of years. I really believe the Cap system puts most teams on a level playing field and teams can shore up deficiencies with FA's or benefit from the fallout of teams who have spent too much and need to gain more Cap space. There seems to be a couple of very good teams in each division and a couple of really bad teams and then the middle which is filled with teams who are pretty evenly matched for the most part unless they lose key components through such incidents such as injuries. The Canucks will probably remain somewhere in the middle of the pack and may drop down if there are too many injuries or Markstrom does not successfully make the jump to the #1 goalie position or something similar. If the Sedins turn it up a notch or Bo does or Ericksson decides to erase his very bad season by coming out on fire then we may go higher up in the pack. Maybe Vanek or one of the new FA's makes the difference to the PP or one of the new coaches makes it more effective then this team may surprise some naysayers. Should be an interesting year and I am looking forward to watching some entertaining hockey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBatch Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 3 hours ago, Kevin Biestra said: You think two career backups are equal to or better than last year's 4th place finisher in Vezina voting? Talbot played well in New York too, and was considered one of the best in the business as a backup before going to EDM. I'm with the masses on this one, only way is up, no way has Mcdavid peaked, he's only going to get better, and hes already like Crosby, Lemuiex and Gretzky in that any plug can score when on his line. Hall trade looked terrible, turns out adding a good young defenseman was part of the tonic, plus Sekera and Klefbom almost make it look half decent overall. Puljajarvi should figure things out too, him and Laine were considered neck and neck at the draft, one a better goal scorer, the other a better playmaker and more complete. God help the rest of the conference and the league if he turns out the better of the two. Talbot doesn't have the miles that most goalies do his age and shouldn't have any problems playing a ton of games for the next couple years. Is see both the Oilers and WNP doing some damage this year, THN picked the Oilers losing to PIT in six in the final...a bit much probably, but it wouldnt surprise me either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kloubek Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 1 hour ago, EdgarM said: Well said Kloubek your assessment seems the more realistic outcome for next year. The need to play the "Plugs" for the last couple of years seems to have diminished drastically this year and I can't see the team repeating last years poor performance. Maybe not playoff bound right now but far more competitive then the last couple of years. I really believe the Cap system puts most teams on a level playing field and teams can shore up deficiencies with FA's or benefit from the fallout of teams who have spent too much and need to gain more Cap space. There seems to be a couple of very good teams in each division and a couple of really bad teams and then the middle which is filled with teams who are pretty evenly matched for the most part unless they lose key components through such incidents such as injuries. The Canucks will probably remain somewhere in the middle of the pack and may drop down if there are too many injuries or Markstrom does not successfully make the jump to the #1 goalie position or something similar. If the Sedins turn it up a notch or Bo does or Ericksson decides to erase his very bad season by coming out on fire then we may go higher up in the pack. Maybe Vanek or one of the new FA's makes the difference to the PP or one of the new coaches makes it more effective then this team may surprise some naysayers. Should be an interesting year and I am looking forward to watching some entertaining hockey. Think we are on the same page. If the stars align, we should be in at least ok shape. I agree that group of middle teams you speak of is large and will make it difficult to get that last playoff spot, so I'm hopeful but not that confident. Hey... If the games aren't brutal to watch thats a step in the right direction. There are many question marks with our team right now. Aside from typical Canuck luck, SOME of those questions ought to have positive answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris12345 Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 People often forget..... Would you trade Miller, Burrows, Grout, Hansen, and Sbisa for Nilsson, Gagner, De Zotto, Brumistrov, and Vanek? Not a chance. Although it was a decent offseason they got a lot of bargain bin players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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