This is Getting Harder to Ignore

[stawns]

12 minutes ago, oldnews said:

Yes exactly - they're a well-balanced team - with tight systems - that works hard - and they take advantage of what is given them, without getting off their game. They've also been able to turn it up when they've surrendered frequent leads, and climb back into those games.

My belief is that their offense is largely driven by their play without the puck - they've been outstanding this season defensively - and that limits opposition possession. 

At the same time they have enough talent to counterpunch and produce with those opportunities.    There simply have been very few instances of sustained pressure against this team this year - they have generally managed to break up any momentum with waves of effective shutdown hockey - something I can never get too much of.

 

and when they have been hemmed in, they've stayed disciplined and maintained their system and kept teams to the outside of the box.  

[-DLC-]

I guess, after thinking about this for awhile, a big point for me is this:   "we're not ready/there yet".  How do you assess that?  Many thought EP would falter and be a project of a few years but he's proving he's "ready".  So how do you anticipate what his ceiling is?  The safe "bet" is to expect him to falter a bit...tough to keep up the pace he is.  Especially now that he's on the radar, big time.

 

But there are so many unknowns with this team.  They are "developing" but my God, they're proving themselves worthy of some faith.  They're contending right now and who's to say that the big bad brutes of playoffs past who are aging and feeling the effects of some of those tough battles won't falter (too?) (instead?).

 

The lovely thing about youth is they're resilient.  Their bodies do recover quickly and they don't have those nagging things that can present down the road.

 

The game IS evolving and getting fast and furious.  So to compare with teams of the past and what has been successful needs tweaking as part of that.  You can't just "muscle" your way through the playoffs and rely on grinding the other team down.  You have to catch them first.

 

It's just that as the game and our team do change, we have to keep our minds open to the endless possibility here.  I don't mind being proven wrong down the road.  What I will keep in mind is that they sure did show potential.  Most forget things too easily when teams do start to falter...it's that thing I spoke of earlier..."what have you done for me/us lately?".  I hate it....that one minute, players are touted saviors and heroes but the next they're thrown out with the bathwater.  I don't roll that way....I have a sense of appreciation for how tough it is to stay on top throughout an entire season.  That's rare (and likely helps make your point more than mine).  But it's possible and transferring what is happening now to what could happen then isn't too far fetched.  Especially considering we ARE facing adversity but managing to rise above it.  That's reassuring to me.

 

They're proving themselves (to some degree) right now.  That needs to count for something even if it doesn't last throughout the duration.  It counts right now, in getting us a good head start on things and a bit of a buffer to fall back on if/when things do go sideways.

 

I want my team to know I believe in them.  How can I expect them to believe in themselves if I don't?  If we're predicting that this is an anomaly and not a reflection of their true potential then that goes against that.    I think they have all the right tools to have huge success, as they're seeing right now.  May not translate to a cup "win", but it's a win for me.  The last couple of years have been tough, so I'm drinking up what I can from this half full glass I see. 

[Bertuzzi44ever]

They said on hockey central today Burke marek and McLean that this is in no way sustainable.

 

I don’t disagree. the team has a minus one goal differential and isn’t winning all the games in blowout fashion, many were close ones.

 

we don’t have the depth or

derfense and goaltending to survive but our division is just crap.

 

what we do have is a team for the future that’s for sure. I’ll just enjoy this every step of the way but if we’re in a spot st Christmas maybe then ill somewhat hopeful.

[Rob_Zepp]

35 minutes ago, oldnews said:

you're merely begging the question.

 

 

spoiler alert - try having a grownup conversation.

LOL - sure gramps.   You are the one who suggested I was from the future.     

[PhillipBlunt]

1 hour ago, Rob_Zepp said:

I am an unabashed fan of Guddy and supported him as a Canuck since he joined......often been a lonely road that one for sure...lol.   

I've been there for most of it.

[Rob_Zepp]

7 minutes ago, debluvscanucks said:

 

 

I want my team to know I believe in them.  How can I expect them to believe in themselves if I don't?  

You think that your belief, or lack thereof, is known in the room with the team?   

[Gaudette Celly]

28 minutes ago, stawns said:

I really don't see the way they are playing as an anomaly.  I think this is the way they've been built and the way that Benning wants Green to coach.

I think the teams we'll have more difficulty with will be the ones who can quickly clear their zone, as it's the relentless pressure and forecheck that's key to the success.  The Bruins have guys like Krug and Grzelcyk but we still had them bottled up.

 

We're playing the way Benning envisioned, which is the "new way" the NHL is going.  It's also why he's keen to get puckmovers on the back end as perhaps the best way to counteract it from other teams.  Most encouraging is that we're doing so well already when a good number of our better prospects have yet to join the roster.  That's where I look at the Oilers, Flames, and Leafs and wonder how they're going to do as they don't have near the pool of players on the horizon, as most are already on their team.

[Rob_Zepp]

1 hour ago, sonoman said:

Well said Rob,  it sure puts this year in perspective.  Some damage may come if  the Canucks make it into the playoffs 

 

LOL - based upon the responses, you are in the minority in that opinion.   

[riffraff]

38 minutes ago, stawns said:

The biggest thing for me is their ability to play a variety of styles and still outplay their opponents.  When they've played teams that play a tight, defensive style, they've been able to tighten up their games as well.  When they've managed to put up a cpl early goals and the other team is forced to open up the game, to try and get back in it, the Canucks have feasted on them.

 

I really don't see the way they are playing as an anomaly.  I think this is the way they've been built and the way that Benning wants Green to coach.

Good point and something I have observed as well.  Even in last nights game, where four or five against wouldn’t suggest defence, they showed periods of tightening up, and solid positional play.  I also was really pleased to see the Canucks initiate a physical game against Boston in their rink.  They were able to maintain it and the hit by archibald near the end really put an exclamation point on the game.  

[PhillipBlunt]

Another thing to consider is that this team is the type that would excel in the playoffs, when the refs put their whistles away (like those assclowns don't already), and the physicality ramps up.

 

The combination of offensive prowess, defensive acumen, physicality, speed, skill, and vision are there. Certainly, there are some weak spots (as any team has), but the resilience, mental fortitude, endurance, and pack mentality make me believe that hockey will go past April 6, 2019 in Vancouver.  

[oldnews]

1 hour ago, Rob_Zepp said:

I am an unabashed fan of Guddy and supported him as a Canuck since he joined......often been a lonely road that one for sure...lol.   

Not really.

 

There are lots of us here that have liked Gudbranson from day 1 - or even before he was acquired.

 

And there were people in the media as well who realized his value, were shocked he was dealt, not to mention team-mates that made rare comments ripping the decision to trade him.

 

Canucks defensmen - most of them - are the targets of whipping boy impulses from small, outspoken elements - in this case somewhat fueled by horrilble analyticz from Travis Yost and canucksmarmy types.  But Gudbranson isn't special in this respect - there always seems to be a Sbisa, or Edler, or Gud, or now Pouliot who become the obsession of a certain gaggle of people, but I don't think there's been anything approaching a concensus lack of appreciation of what he brings.

 

 

 

[oldnews]

5 minutes ago, riffraff said:

Good point and something I have observed as well.  Even in last nights game, where four or five against wouldn’t suggest defence, they showed periods of tightening up, and solid positional play.  I also was really pleased to see the Canucks initiate a physical game against Boston in their rink.  They were able to maintain it and the hit by archibald near the end really put an exclamation point on the game.  

yes - teams like Boston simply no longer have a grit/toughness edge over this team the way they used to.

few teams actually do.

Gud, Schaller, Archibald, Horvat, Roussel, Virtanen....is about as tough/heavy as any team that wants to get in their face.

So that element has been somewhat balanced imo - while at the same time remaining focused on players that can skate, that are effective shutdown players/can defend and play the game - and those tougher elements do not reduce the tempo the team plays at, while making them harder to play against. 

In addition - a bit of a side point - but I'd argue that Sutter, Granlund, Beagle - these guys may not be 'tough', or stereotypical grit/bottom six players - but they are hard to play against / suffocating / frustrating - and that can also lead to an edge in other areas of the game.

[Rob_Zepp]

7 minutes ago, oldnews said:

Not really.

 

There are lots of us here that have liked Gudbranson from day 1 - or even before he was acquired.

 

And there were people in the media as well who realized his value, were shocked he was dealt, not to mention team-mates that made rare comments ripping the decision to trade him.

 

Canucks defensmen - most of them - are the targets of whipping boy impulses from small, outspoken elements - in this case somewhat fueled by horrilble analyticz from Travis Yost and canucksmarmy types.  But Gudbranson isn't special in this respect - there always seems to be a Sbisa, or Edler, or Gud, or now Pouliot who become the obsession of a certain gaggle of people, but I don't think there's been anything approaching a concensus lack of appreciation of what he brings.

 

 

 

Not many showed up in his thread.   Being a Cats fan, loved his game in Florida and I maintain to this day they lost their identity when Tallon was removed as GM and the new regime traded Guddy (which was why Gallant went nutso and led to his firing) - and not sure they have recovered yet.   Guys like Guddy are very hard to find.   

[SergioMomesso]

Let's give a lot of credit to coach Green. Not a rookie coach anymore. Looks like he is a lot more prepared game after game and not afraid to sit guys who aren't playing up to his standards. Imagine coming to a team with vets who have scored tons of points throughout their careers and trying to implement his style of play?  That's a tough sell for a rookie coach. This year has allowed him to coach the team how he wants to with no vets questioning his motives. Not saying any of last years vets had any say in what he did and didn't do. I think Green seemed a little more tentative last year than this season so far.

[PhillipBlunt]

4 minutes ago, oldnews said:

yes - teams like Boston simply no longer have a grit/toughness edge over this team the way they used to.

few teams actually do.

Gud, Schaller, Archibald, Horvat, Roussel, Virtanen....is about as tough/heavy as any team that wants to get in their face.

So that element has been somewhat balanced imo - while at the same time remaining focused on players that can skate, that are effective shutdown players/can defend and play the game - and those tougher elements do not reduce the tempo the team plays at, while making them harder to play against. 

In addition - a bit of a side point - but I'd argue that Sutter, Granlund, Beagle - these guys may not be 'tough', or stereotypical grit/bottom six players - but they are hard to play against / suffocating / frustrating - and that can also lead to an edge in other areas of the game.

You can add Edler to the list of players who can devastate with a hit.

[sonoman]

26 minutes ago, Rob_Zepp said:

LOL - based upon the responses, you are in the minority in that opinion.   

What do they know  

 

[PhillipBlunt]

7 minutes ago, Rob_Zepp said:

Not many showed up in his thread.   Being a Cats fan, loved his game in Florida and I maintain to this day they lost their identity when Tallon was removed as GM and the new regime traded Guddy (which was why Gallant went nutso and led to his firing) - and not sure they have recovered yet.   Guys like Guddy are very hard to find.   

Which makes it all the sweeter that he wants to be here.

[PhillipBlunt]

3 minutes ago, SergioMomesso said:

Let's give a lot of credit to coach Green. Not a rookie coach anymore. Looks like he is a lot more prepared game after game and not afraid to sit guys who aren't playing up to his standards. Imagine coming to a team with vets who have scored tons of points throughout their careers and trying to implement his style of play?  That's a tough sell for a rookie coach. This year has allowed him to coach the team how he wants to with no vets questioning his motives. Not saying any of last years vets had any say in what he did and didn't do. I think Green seemed a little more tentative last year than this season so far.

Green is a great coach, no doubt. Glad to have him at the helm.

[Noble 6]

 

[stawns]

41 minutes ago, Rob_Zepp said:

LOL - based upon the responses, you are in the minority in that opinion.   

I agree with most of what you said, just not that there will be an inevitable drop off.  I think that is far from a given.  If they can get the same goaltending they've been getting, they'll be able to maintain this level of play.