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

IBatch

Members
  • Posts

    21,784
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    6

Everything posted by IBatch

  1. Exactly. Wouldn't cost the club much to rent a rink and a hotel/resort in a small BC town for a couple weeks, then everyone heads for camp. Would be a great team building experience plus they'd get to meet fans and be around grass roots, young hockey players. There are enough beautiful spots with nice digs. They do need it all under one umbrela for sure. But getting them here early is enough to do.
  2. To me, it was just answering a question and acknowledging the same things Rutherford said they are working on when he came in to make this a professional organization, a big one there own practice facility. Didn't seem like finger pointing. Maybe a jab. This is an ownership group that's bought out players and spent 10's of millions on payroll each year, when they could have instead been a cap floor team and let things bottom out. Im sure they are possibly looking at creating an entire new arena instead as well. Either way, once it starts, it will take a year at least to build. So best case 2024-2025. Edit: Tochett could have found somewhere and had them meet there. There are arenas all over the province i'm sure would love to rent to the Canucks for two weeks, would also be great for the fans and the players.. Very simple solution.
  3. Anyone who read the interview, knows Tochett followed it up saying there is 7 or so guys here already working together, and he expects 20-25 by the weekend. This is taking one part of his interview and making it into another. How many teams start mid-August? Training camp is often not at home. For sure the team needs all this stuff, it's something Rutherford brought up right away, supposedly it's been worked on but not sure why it would take more than a year to build.
  4. No argument there. At the start of last season, we did have 8-9 guys who could score 15 goals. All on the front end. This year not making any bold predictions. Other than we likely score more from the back end which is something we've lacked and likely will continue to lack for awhile yet. Wouldn't care about that if we had a solid D core. It's a work in progress for sure. As in a true top four. Edit: Brock might be a wild card that can pick up some of Kuzmenko's likely more realistic goal total. No we won't fill the Horvat void but I think it was also a necessary trade.
  5. Either that or they are top heavy. Agree goal scoring won't be a problem. Maybe we've added 10-15 goals from the back end once the guys who lost their spots are replaced by Cole, Hronek and Soucy. Which will help for sure. We weren't exactly a top offensive team either though. So the leash has to be somewhat thoughtful. Believe we will end up back to one goal games like the Green era. Tochett did talk about players being willing to sacrifice their personal stats, and no more 13-14 grade a scoring chances plus allowing 40 shots etc. Not that he ever did since he arrived either - using an AHL defense minus QHs and Myers. Think they've brought system guys in for that reason. Expect a lot more 3-2 games then 5-4 ones next year.
  6. Absolutely. We are also like minds in this way (putting them in a position to succeed). The one guy I hoped we'd get this summer, we did, wanted him for two years. Actually wanted both him and Hartman since we played them in the bubble. Was impressed with Soucy then. Crushing guys in the corner, and standing them up too. Brock took a hit to make a play against Soucy, his face was pink after it - could tell his cage was rattled. Hartman was exactly the type of guy I hoped our bottom six would have too. Do think it's a stretch to just slot Soucy in as a top four guy. But sure am glad we have him. Also think he can score some goals for us. He's going to get the chance anyways, playing 20-22 minutes a night. 10 goals is no small feet, especially 9 even strength ones, playing bottom pairing minutes. You and I will enjoy this guy regardless. Only time I remember us buying since the rebuild at the deadline, was TT, and unlike others, wasn't a huge fan of doing that. Correct me if i'm wrong ... when was the last time we bought before him? Edit: As far as selling. If the tent folds, this time it won't be Schenn or Vanek or Motte. And never felt those guys were going to get us a boatload either, which they didn't.
  7. Aside from Ilya M, current management hasn't spent money on guys we can't afford. If they buy, we won't be a maybe then. In a solid position. But get the JB stockholm syndrome. Size does matter, but I will take 10 Garlands over one Taylor Pyatt anyday. Or a Chelios over a Gudbranson (sure two fights a year and he's good at it ... but point is it's not the size of the dog, it's the fight in it, get both and yes that's the best - and how the league used to be too). Big guys that play small are the worst. Tochett wasn't a big guy either. Neither was his buddy in St. Louis Berube. Didn't stop them. If he can teach even that 5-6% to the team, we will be fine. Mike Peca. Scotty Walker. Wendel Clarke/Gilmour. Nothing is more inspiring, than watching one of the smallest guys on the ice play like an animal. Bleugar and Suter will be fine. Garland will draw penalties. It's guys like Brock that need to step it up, and guys with size actually play with it.
  8. I think Soucy will become a fan favourite as long as he continues to play his game. When Stevens retired, Blake was the best hitter left (and was always a big hitter, even as a rookie). Soucy has a shot at doing what they did and more. Edit:Ohlund in TB, shocked his division for awhile. Some of his best hits came after he was traded, because they simply weren't used to watching for him on the ice. With those pads back then, looked like a transformer lol.
  9. How did we "lose" though? Demko got playoff games. And his stock rose. Markstrom has had one good season since, costs more etc. Demko for sure would have been selected. Don't view it as a loss unless he ends up not doing what we know he can. Markstrom reverted into letting easy goals in again. Something we all got used to for the majority of his time with us. As for Beau. I doubt he will be traded. Expect if we make the playoffs, or we don't, it wont matter much. Was the cap NYI needed to dump in the Horvat trade. Not sure where he will end up in the lineup. And just don't see him as a "target", come the trade deadline either way. With 50% retention. The contenders usually go with the warriors then. That's not his game.
  10. Sure hope that's our team. We know they can beat any team at any given night. We saw this during the Bruce bump, and even during the Green days (with a much different team). Things seem to be falling into place at least. It's actually a bit of a relief coming into a new season with no more expectations. Covid. Bump. Tochett for sure sent a message to his players and the fanbase, if you're not in the playoffs it's not a summer vacation. Hope that the players took that to heart and come in like Juice did. If they did then playoffs are for sure within their grasp. It's a very young team. Glad we have teaching coaches, and do think his message will get across. Night and day watching practice footage. Tochett looks like he could pull a Paul Newman and be a player coach if he wanted. We've been waiting a long time to have a Liden era again. Even when he came back, he elevated his play. Normally players don't put up as many points in the post season .. The sure did well their first crack at it, MIN was a top defensive team then (top 4), St. Louis looked very good too. This team needs playoff reps. We've got two of the best players this clubs ever had. And some other solid pieces. Would be great to find out the bubble wasn't a fluke, and that we can win games against a team like Vegas and COL, without relying on goaltending next time.
  11. Ovi has his 40th goal in April, making his record even harder to beat. Then gets conscripted in the summer to Captain a Red Army team, along with Kuzmenko, Podz, Ilya M etc - the Wall is officially raised again. Gretzky slowly grins realizing his record is safe. PIT makes the playoffs, EK scored 110 points. Silvos continues his stellar play, starts a goalie controversy. We haven't had one in a couple years. Brock makes up for lost time. Scores 30 goals and makes a statement with his play without the puck too. Vedder is impressed even. Canucks are a surprise team. Finishing 3rd in our division. QHs scores 90 points. EP scores 105 points and 40 goals. Signs for 11.5 x 8 following suit with JT, leaving some money on the table. Continuing his run of what will be, 8 consecutive 100 point seasons for us. Soucy scores 11 goals, beating his 10 goal season. All even strength. Becoming the last Canuck to do that since???! He also destroys 11 guys standing them up on the blue line, and gets in 11 fights as a result. More fans buy his jersey this year than Hronek. Fan favourite by Christmas. Hogs gets waived, CAL picks him up. JT Miller is named Captain. Has a typical Miller season, yet again a PPG player.
  12. Until the case around the juniors that were actually present at the event, wouldn't come near those guys with a ten foot pole.
  13. Thing is, after the bubble, we got a lot of respect. And yes people expected a follow-up. So wouldn't say it's the same from year to year. Maybe we need to start waking up to the music and take the rosey glasses off. Our re-tool sucked. So bad it was a rebuild. And it wasn't treated like a rebuild either. It's almost a decade later now. We have two star players. And a couple others. That's it. As for Demko. He was terrible last year before he took time off. And i've met him, when he was injured in the AHL. It's an ongoing sort of thing with him. What's the difference between him, and Jarry, Murray, Binnington, and a half dozen other guys the last six or so year. Hammond in OTT. Check out his streak. Or who owns the consecutive shutout record. Demko hasn't established himself as a top ten goalie IMO. Smell the sniffing salts. Do whatever you can. We are best case scenario, a team that's expected to contend for the playoffs. The only way we will IMO, is the coaching staff. At least they are all winners, and aren't letting them go off and not become something better in the summer. That's a relief. If we make the playoffs, it's not expected. And for sure, Tochett will be getting votes for the Adams. I've been saying this for years. It's NOT the coaching. It's the players. We need better players. And or the ones we have to excel. Allvin at least also seems to get this and is being patient about it. This is the first time in years, I don't have any expectations. Excuses have run out for me.
  14. Didn't see this post, but I also thought of Jamie Foxx right away as well. Yes what the heck. How much money are they both making from this anyways. Today names are more than ever, are considered brands. How much freaking money do you need. Narcissistic tendencies I get probably take over at some point.
  15. Seems like a desperate cash grab to keep wages and revenue streams up. Covid was tough on a lot business's. I hope as stakeholders, nobody is tempted to use these platforms. Also what's up with Jamie Foxx. Wasn't he a close to A lister awhile ago? Get that whomever it is from breaking bad. Couldn't seem to make a career after. Did that other guy forget he can just go make some movies or something? The entire thing is stanky. Wonder what Theo Fluery thinks about this. A guy in pain who went and gambled a million dollars a month for a couple years away when playing in NYR. It's gross. Won't buy a jersey ever, until they remove the gross logo's from them. So that probably means never now. Gambling. Might as well sell pot, booze or crack. Don't see a big difference, the buzz is the same.
  16. Yes. The same way I didn't like them putting adds on the boards and ruining that look. Now they have branded our team. TD. Ugh. Something just a few short years ago, Bettman said "over my dead body" when the adidas tiny logo was added ... gross.
  17. Love this. Why he'd put his name with these guys. But he isn't the only one, including some current guys. It's disgraceful IMO. Do some Pepsi commercials or something.
  18. But was he ... Great? Orr...Magnificent? Great is better than good. Boblaw, wonder what his WAR card would like in his prime...100% across the boards. Yikes so scary!
  19. Something to add...don't remember exact numbers. But the difference between a lot of Gretzky's Hart trophies, and every other ones won, the voting was just as dominant as he was. Gretzky won 9. Next up Eddie Shore with 4. Orr had 3, as do a few others including Ovi. But not all trophies are equal. It wasn't like there weren't other great players when he played either. Stastny, Hawerchuk, Bossy, Borque, Roy, Messier, Mario, Yzerman, Dionne etc ... nobody will ever get as many first place votes as he managed. Pretty sure he's the only guy, to get all the first place votes. Edit: Checked. He didn't get all of them. Close a couple times. But he was getting 94-98.73% of all the votes lol. Yikes. Only one other player got as many, one of Mario's Harts, but not all of them either. Was also second ... When Brett Hull won his. Furh was second one year too. Edit: Found it, in 81-82, Gretzky got every first vote. 100% of the first ballot votes.
  20. Canucks should finish 12-20th. That's quite the range. Last year, without average goaltending, and a god awful PK unit how did we do? And in before any invalidation on Tochett's record and the easier schedule ... Horvat was traded , Miller slotted in his spot, Hronek played injured for a few games, OEL went down ... we literally played with an AHL defense plus QHs and Myers (Schenn was traded). Surprised we were even .500. Demko was back to his normal self, .918sp, but it's not like he was winning us those games all on his own either. Soucy was the guy I was praying we'd get. Finally have another big hitter, like Edler when he first joined the league, Ohlund would be a better comp hitting wise. Won't take long for him to become a fan favourite. Untapped offense too, having Foote and Gonchar as teaching coaches, was a big reason he wanted to play in Vancouver. Soucy, Cole and Hronek should add goals from the back end, we've lacked that for almost a decade now. Our forward group is absolutely fine. Only QHs and Myers are back. Cole = Schenn. Hronek >>> Burroughs (nothing against Burroughs but that's true). Soucy > > Brisbois, Wolanin, Rathbone. It's still lacking a legit top four, even one who plays on the bottom pairing and can move up. Myers is a solid 6th. OEL...well sure wasn't the same guy we had the first year. Our division is tough. Vegas and EDM are locks for 1-2. 3rd? CAL should be a lot better than they were last season. LA is better than last season, PLD was a big step forward. Then there is the Canucks and Seattle. Seattle ... who knows. Beat a great team in the playoffs, and like Vegas, shows the league again the best value is found in those middle class pay scale (like we enjoyed with JT Miller). Our team, won't sniff the playoffs, if either EP or Demko go down. Hronek does shore up losing QHs a bit. If those guys play 72-82 games, and Demko can play 55-60 at his normal range of .915sp, we should be better than last season. Even if one goes down for a small stretch of games we should do better. We do have some wild cards and dark horses, if any of those work out maybe we could survive some key injuries (Silvos continuing his great recent play, Raty, and Podz taking a step).
  21. ESPN's Football, Basketball, Baseball staff: ESPN's hockey staff.
×
×
  • Create New...