2019-20 Season. Success? Disappointment?

[189lb enforcers?]

1 hour ago, GreyHatnDart said:

You could go the other way and say without 2 separate months of having a decimated lineup from injuries, we'd have been in the playoffs or knocking on the door. 

Same roster this year with same cripples.

Expecting a similar IR infirmary handicap. 

Predictable, thus manageable, which is on JB to remedy. 

[Nucker 67]

Funny, last year I thought they just might squeak in, with Pettersson on the team, anything seemed possible. But that was more of a dream than reality. No way the Canucks could've competed last year in the playoffs, with the roster they had. They weren't ready. But now, I truly believe they can make it this year and do some damage. It feels like the perfect storm of players have been assembled. The Top 6 will now be very difficult to play aganst. Speed, size and skill. The Canucks have a solid support system of players in the Bottom 6. The D has been upgraded with more size and skill with Myers, Benn and Hughes. Demko should take another step this year. I tink they could potentially win the Pacific division, because I don't see how VGK and CGY really improved from last year.  

 

CGY traded for EDM's goalie lol

VGK lost Colin Miller and never added

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Canucklehead53]

success: making the media eat their words - this team having an identity and squeaking into the playoffs!

 

failure: no identity, miss playoffs and media being almost right

[GreyHatnDart]

On 7/18/2019 at 12:04 PM, 189lb enforcers? said:

Same roster this year with same cripples.

Expecting a similar IR infirmary handicap. 

Predictable, thus manageable, which is on JB to remedy. 

I think its reasonable to assume that with the pickups to the top 6 and defenceman that itll allow Tanev's minutes to go down for example, which lessens his chance at injury. 

 

We have significantly more quality and quantity of able bodies in Utica ready and able to step in for when injuries do occur. I think our depth should hold up a lot better this season than in years past. 

Edited July 20, 2019 by GreyHatnDart

[189lb enforcers?]

47 minutes ago, GreyHatnDart said:

I think its reasonable to assume that with the pickups to the top 4 and defenceman that itll allow Tanev's minutes to go down for example, which lessens his chance at injury. 

 

We have significantly more quality and quantity of able bodies in Utica ready and able to step in for when injuries do occur. I think our depth should hold up a lot better this season than in years past. 

Guys like Chaput and Biega weren’t as bad as made out to be on here back then.

 

I get your points, even agree, and really, they aren’t much of a revelation are they? 

 

Tanev will, statistically, have a better chance of not getting hurt as will Sutter, Edler, Etc. A 60% chance of an injury riddled player getting hurt is still a likelyhood, even if reduced from 80%. 

 

Lets continue to hope for the best, but expect Canucks-Luck bad 

[spur1]

18 minutes ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

Guys like Chaput and Biega weren’t as bad as made out to be on here back then.

 

I get your points, even agree, and really, they aren’t much of a revelation are they? 

 

Tanev will, statistically, have a better chance of not getting hurt as will Sutter, Edler, Etc. A 60% chance of an injury riddled player getting hurt is still a likelyhood, even if reduced from 80%. 

 

Lets continue to hope for the best, but expect Canucks-Luck bad 

The schedule was a big factor in the injuries last season. We lost a good portion of our man games on the long early season road trips. 

[GreyHatnDart]

39 minutes ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

Guys like Chaput and Biega weren’t as bad as made out to be on here back then.

 

I get your points, even agree, and really, they aren’t much of a revelation are they? 

 

Tanev will, statistically, have a better chance of not getting hurt as will Sutter, Edler, Etc. A 60% chance of an injury riddled player getting hurt is still a likelyhood, even if reduced from 80%. 

 

Lets continue to hope for the best, but expect Canucks-Luck bad 

Nah nothing revolutionary in what I said, I wasn't really arguing with you or anything so don't take it the wrong way. Just pointing out that HOPEFULLY it helps keeping our starting lineup together. 

 

I like Biega,  but him standing in as a 5/6 for a big part of the season isn't exactly a quality defence, but having him as a call up that knows the system and works his tail off is the kind of boon making these off season signings a big deal. 

 

Yeah agreed. As I said, I just think our team even last year was closer than the points merited. Assuming overall good team health I would put money on us making it to the post season this year. 

[iceman64]

Can't remember who wrote the article by name, senior writer for nhl.com though has us doubtful to make the playoffs again but stated lack of elite goal scoring other than petey and brock which made me laugh because he forgot a certain guy by the name of Horvat.. i guess anyone can write for nhl.com, ferland and JT will chip in too and we are a lot better than last year by quite a bit. Hmmm... we should get AJ to apply for that job, he can do a heck of a lot better. 

[TheNewGM]

this team is already a failure. more over paid free agents. I know Benning loves watching old "veterans" skate around slowly. He loves paying them huge salaries for years on end. How do we have a cap problem when our old team is all off the books? Its like the sedins retired finally so Benning spends that cap space on total garbage? This management team is unbelievably stupid. Great at drafting. total garbage in every other way..

 

STOP DESTROYING MY TEAM YOU MORON BENNING!!

 

over paying washed up over rated mediocre free agents. Thats the vancouver way... time for another long boring season. This team will suck my entire life it feels like.

[48MPHSlapShot]

11 minutes ago, TheNewGM said:

This team will suck my entire life it feels like

Then maybe the best thing to do is pick another team and bless their forum with your presence.

[HerrDrFunk]

18 minutes ago, 48MPHSlapShot said:

Then maybe the best thing to do is pick another team and bless their forum with your presence.

Don't be so hard on him; you're talking to a 6 year old given that the team has sucked his entire life.

[189lb enforcers?]

35 minutes ago, TheNewGM said:

this team is already a failure. more over paid free agents. I know Benning loves watching old "veterans" skate around slowly. He loves paying them huge salaries for years on end. How do we have a cap problem when our old team is all off the books? Its like the sedins retired finally so Benning spends that cap space on total garbage? This management team is unbelievably stupid. Great at drafting. total garbage in every other way..

 

STOP DESTROYING MY TEAM YOU MORON BENNING!!

 

over paying washed up over rated mediocre free agents. Thats the vancouver way... time for another long boring season. This team will suck my entire life it feels like.

Maybe.

We will find out over the next two seasons just how right you might be. 

 

Now that he has moved from assembly to production, silver linings will not be an acceptable result.

 

This is a good thing for you and for all of us, as far as evaluating Benning from here on out. 

Edited July 19, 2019 by 189lb enforcers?

[spur1]

52 minutes ago, TheNewGM said:

this team is already a failure. more over paid free agents. I know Benning loves watching old "veterans" skate around slowly. He loves paying them huge salaries for years on end. How do we have a cap problem when our old team is all off the books? Its like the sedins retired finally so Benning spends that cap space on total garbage? This management team is unbelievably stupid. Great at drafting. total garbage in every other way..

 

STOP DESTROYING MY TEAM YOU MORON BENNING!!

 

over paying washed up over rated mediocre free agents. Thats the vancouver way... time for another long boring season. This team will suck my entire life it feels like.

Lol...sure glad you are not our new GM. 

[Chris12345]

1 hour ago, TheNewGM said:

this team is already a failure. more over paid free agents. I know Benning loves watching old "veterans" skate around slowly. He loves paying them huge salaries for years on end. How do we have a cap problem when our old team is all off the books? Its like the sedins retired finally so Benning spends that cap space on total garbage? This management team is unbelievably stupid. Great at drafting. total garbage in every other way..

 

STOP DESTROYING MY TEAM YOU MORON BENNING!!

 

over paying washed up over rated mediocre free agents. Thats the vancouver way... time for another long boring season. This team will suck my entire life it feels like.

Interesting points. I am not as optimistic as most people here but I know one thing....

 

With Ferland and Myers on the ice at the same time it won't get boring. Throw in a bit of Pete with no Grandlund and it will be a good watch regardless of the outcome.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Chris12345

[Bo fan]

2 hours ago, TheNewGM said:

this team is already a failure. more over paid free agents. I know Benning loves watching old "veterans" skate around slowly. He loves paying them huge salaries for years on end. How do we have a cap problem when our old team is all off the books? Its like the sedins retired finally so Benning spends that cap space on total garbage? This management team is unbelievably stupid. Great at drafting. total garbage in every other way..

 

STOP DESTROYING MY TEAM YOU MORON BENNING!!

 

over paying washed up over rated mediocre free agents. Thats the vancouver way... time for another long boring season. This team will suck my entire life it feels like.

Fedor? you back from the Ukraine?

[mikeyman109]

This season will be the judgement of what JB really has assembled. Those that did not watch through the 70s-80s really have no idea what losing looks like. It was a complete crap show with one exceptional run to the finals in 82 that gave everyone false hope.To the fans that started watching the Canucks in the 90s or even worse the 2000's you have no idea how lucky we have been to be a competitive team for that long.

This years team has some good emerging players in Petterson, Hughes, Boeser, Horvat that finally have some depth behind them. Its been interesting for sure to watch the comments here about how JB should have gotten this player or that one. This summer he has gotten the top free agent defenseman on the market, another decent depth D man in Benn, signed a gritty forward with good hands and attitude to play on Peteys line and traded to get a top 6 winger on almost every team except maybe Tampa Bay.

Is that good enough to make the playoffs, that will remain to be seen but i would say short of acquiring McLean and Adams for Sundstrom, and only because of the impact those players had on the eventual results of the team, this is the biggest makeover in a single summer ever.

I love to read the continued rantings of those who say JB should trade , insert player here, for draft picks as if we finished first in our division last season and every team is lining up to take on our dreg players. Trade Tanev(hurt) for a number 1 draft pick. Trade Sutter(hurt) for a number one draft pick, trade Edler(NMC) for a number one draft pick it just goes on and on. Its like when the old Dan Russell radio show was on in the late 80s when they would call in and say why dont the Canucks package up Smyl Gradin, Fraser and a draft pick and trade to Edmonton for Gretzky. Its just as dense to believe we can move our players on a last place team for something other teams know they need to build their teams as well.

Given the current roster and assuming Boeser gets signed within the cap, this years team has a playoff feel. They have decent goal tending. Note i started from the net out. Marky and Demko should benefit from a year not playing behind Stecher and Hutton as our number 1 pairing once the inevitable injuries occur to Edler and Tanev. This could provide 4-6 wins alone.

Hughes may make a huge difference especially in OT games where the ice opens up for his abilities.

Benn and Myers bring at least NHL ready experience and a little toughness in Benn isnt a bad thing at the back end.

Up front we finally have a top 6 that is top 6. it may not threaten Tampa as the best top 6 but it is a legitimate top 6. Realistically the most important thing that can happen this season is Sutter stays healthy and we can allow BO to be an offensive player. when we lost both Beagle and Sutter last season that meant that Bo had to take every D draw. if we can keep at least one of Beagle and Sutter off crutches for any extended period of time this season Bo is going to score 70+points and can become the second threat to Peteys line we need. He still almost got 30 goals wearing himself out playing D three quarters of the season also playing with a variety of no names. I like the idea of Ferland playing with Boeser and Petey and Miller joining Bo and Pearson.  That's a legitimate two line combo that could push for playoff games.

Finally special teams should be better. Bringing in Myers having Hughes for the full season should add to the anemic power play that saw us have basically one play, pass to Petey for the one timer. Myers can shoot the puck and if Hughes has any success offensively at all we should have two decent power plays to score a few more goals.

On the Pk Tanev and Edler dont have to play all the tough minutes and Benn and Myers can take on some of the bigger forwards in the pacific. Thus preserving Tanev and Edler from a few injuries(hopefully)

Does this all add up to a parade in June, probably not. Being realistic it looks like a playoff team but there are always factors in how that goes down. I think a successful season would include playoffs but if they get close and just miss i wont consider it a complete disaster. I would consider a move of Eriksson a successful season regardless of whether they make the playoffs or not.It's definitely more exciting than it has been for a while.

 

[Shift-4]

Make playoffs. That is all.

Don't even have to win a game in post season. It can be like when we were swept by Avs in early 2000s after successive dismal seasons.. That was a treat lol

[Ceres]

i think it's very unreasonable to just expect this team to become a playoff team next year. maybe they can do it, but they were only an 80 point team last year and they have to jump over a bunch of teams to get in. I think it's fair to expect an improvement, where we push into the 90 point range.

[alt kilgore]

On 7/16/2019 at 6:57 PM, CanadianRugby said:

For me, if the Canucks win 1 playoff game it's a success. 

I'll match that one game and raise it to two.

 

I don't want to see us barely scrape into the playoffs only to get swept. Two wins would be a "success" to me.

 

Of course injuries will play a big part, as they do every year. Not only as legit reasons for failure, but as excuses for failure that will be used by fans in here and the GM if we do not make the playoffs.  I pray we will have a relatively injury free season.  Not just to do well, but to be able to honestly evaluate what kind of team we have here, and are stuck with for 3 or 4 years based on cap filled contract terms.  If we fail to make the playoffs, with a healthy team JB has assembled, he will be shown the door.  If its another injury plagued playoff-free year, JB may get another mulligan.

 

I don't want to think about how we go forward if we have a dismal season, even if healthy. It would mean players have underperformed JBs expectations....again. And we all know getting rid of underperforming players on underperforming teams is near impossible to get value. You can get some greenhorn GM to pay a fourth liner from a Stanley Cup winning team like Beagle 3 x 4 but try and trade a solid vet like Hamhuis or Vanek from a poor team.  So I wouldn't covet the next GMs cleanup job if this doesn't work out with our stable.

 

JB has bumbled his way into forming a half decent and balanced team...on paper.  Of course JB also sold us several times over already by signing the 'foundational pieces like Sutter, and, Eriksson. And a slew of other final support pieces to take us over the top each and every season he's been here. But I'm always a half full glass going into the season.  Just because its turned into a half empty glass.....of scotch....at the end of the last 5, hasn't swayed me.  St. Louis's success from bottom in Jan. to the top in June, is inspiring.  Its all possible. But there are enough changes that the team still needs to find an identity.  They haven't had one since the Sedins were still putting up numbers. This takes time, to find team chemistry. Success will speed that along. So I'm hoping for some early wins.  And please please good health!