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IBatch

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Everything posted by IBatch

  1. Well said. Also his arrogance is almost completely in the past and really the most noticeable during the Burke/Lowe rivalry-debacle or whatever you want to call it. That 18 months was media mana and everyone ate it up with smiles laughs grins and “holy f!cks can you believe these tow guys ?!!” Lowe was a terrible GM, a great player though as his SIX cup rings boasted... his angle was constantly taking the Bert and Ernie sesame street show - you know always poking away at Ernie and driving him nuts. (Not unlike the “true” Ernie show which was Goodenow vs Bettman ha ha) ... It all started with Lowe offering a ridiculous 5million or so offer sheet to Penner. Burke went ballistic (and rightly so) - saying things very close to “you might as well have just lobbed a hand grenade into every GMs roster handing out third contract money right away” every single chance he got - which was practically every day as the media grabbed onto it like a bull-dog on a bone half full of meat. Lowe’s reaction was mostly saying things like Burke is a blowhard with no substance that loves the camera. It was genius really because the media wouldn’t ever leave it alone - after every game would bring it up and it just made Burke look angrier and angrier and more like - well Ernie when Burt finally pushed him over the edge and he blew his top completely. In the middle of the drama Lowe’s stance was always his cup rings - championships... and Burke couldn’t beat him with that angle so started making it really personal - the point where he publicly challenged Lowe to settle it “in the ring in some barn without any media “....probably not wise as Lowe accepted his challenge calling him out like Rocky 5 “ Anytime - Anywhere “ ha ha. I found the entire thing hilarious until tradegy struck and the thing stopped. It’s obvious the personal toll of all the constant attention from the media was heavy - when your favourite son is dying wish is for them to make up. Thing is Burke was right. It was a bad move. It was also somewhat predictive in how things are going (which he has also expressed further concern about), star RFAs have started cashing in way way more then they should as of late. Thankfully they must have some solidarity on the issue as last summer at least they wouldn’t sign them to the last minute and most received a lot less then expected. Keller’s contract among others (Marner, Mathews etc) seemed to be 3rd contracts right? Burke has forgotten more about hockey then I guess most of us know. He was was by far the most influential Canuck employee all-time (remember he was Quins right hand man) ... and he’s refreshing. The arrogance is still there simply by reputation more then what he portrays. Liked what he said when QHs was drafted about what they used to look for (Ohlund,Edler Allen etc) in a defenseman - nothing at all wrong with that ... if QHs was 6’4” wouldn’t we all be that much happier about it? And his Myers take was very very refreshing too.
  2. Don’t call me a goof you goof. Ha ha. No not a burner account - I’m not that invested to want to “kill the orca” (it is the Dumb -Nuck) ha ha. Maybe it has something to do with where your from ... small town BC in my opinion at least has a different view. Can speak for at least two that I can think of that weren’t at all happy with the change plus Victorian’s my age or older ...really who was. Also I’ve never said I didn’t like the Orca - just that I didn’t like the first ones - they were pretty bad. Changing the colours made it way way better. Going back to close to the original ones was for sure a great move - too bad they didn’t start there or maybe some of us wouldn’t have disliked it so much. And for sure it helped that the Sedin peak team turned out so great. Not trying to back pedal (ok maybe a little since I am a “goof”) - but felt obligated to continue the good fight even though I know it’s pointless. No matter what anyone says - proper polls plus expert views do matter. And the Orca doesn’t resonate or receive nearly the appreciation as previous uniforms do YET. I fully expect it will with time - and for that feel oblidged to post a few things to keep it from dying away too fast. Who didn’t like watching EP and QHs and Horvat (who looks like a total boss - plus 10 for intimidation just putting it on) ... the announcers loved it, the players loved it and can say anyone I know at least loved it too especially my older relatives. Got lots of texts making sure I was aware they were playing with them before game day - that I never normally get. Anyways - peace brother (or sister) fan. Without hockey anything related becomes a hot topic fairly easily - this one won’t die anytime soon. And I truly hope we keep the Orca over going into yet another “ new “ one that doesn’t honour anything close to the previous ones. If that happens I suppose this would go on for another 20-30 years with Orca lovers screaming foul. Edit: Bieksa and others asked to wear them too but were denied. The players love it too. Loving the Orca is harder for a lot of folks. Edit: And finally just because you prefer a different one doesn’t mean you can’t like all of them. Preferred ones means exactly that.
  3. Ahh... my age group is a little younger ... yes I’ve read the pr - but also read that Quin was violently against re-naming us the Orcas which was tabled - same with some intentions to move the team to Seattle. The Orca is fine and here to stay - that part I get too. My older relatives still alive prefer the stick in rink for the most part. Most are like me, not their favourite but accept continuity. For me at least I’d like to see the skate more then three times a year on our 49th season (lock-out and all). Would love it if we made it our third - with the stick in rink even - and used them more frequently. It’s part of our heritage - and stats might not be absolute but for the most part the Orca sits 3 out 4 for favoured logos/uniforms. I also fully expect that to change over time, the Orca will become the fan favourite at least (hard to say about non-fans and experts though) as it evolves and the older folks pass which is a little sad for me at least. I was around during the Stick in rink but wasn’t old enough to get attached (plus I liked PHI the most first - thanks to Clark and his absolutely b!thcen hair do)....the V was the first one and wasn’t at all bothered with the changes. Baggins I respect your views too, I guess I’m just not as mature yet!
  4. Benn won’t be easy to move. LHD are 50% more common in the league then RHD (total team rosters), there will be plenty to pick from ... I suppose it’s possible but it could also come at a cost. Plus we need the money for Markstrom and Tanev (Ceci/Hominic) first. We’d have to trade Pearson just to pay for those two ... plus find more money to deal with the cap overages and AG plus JV. I really doubt we have the options on the table for TT. JV at a one year 2 - 2.5 makes sense for the team a lot more then saddling ourselves with another middle aged vet. Plus if you go simply by stats - the extra 8 points TT got this year balances out pretty fast with JVs production by PPM played. 14 mins and 18/18 is third line elite production in 69 games. Heck TT only managed that half of his career so far right? I agree as of right now he’s a better player ... he’s also playing his hardest to get his next deal - just like his last career season. LE was a 30/30 guy ... we all know what happened there ... plus Okposo, Ryan, Foligno, Ladd, Backes, Neal, Skinner, Duchene ... the list goes on and on. The cost for TT is too high IMO .. we will likely lose Pearson or JV just to sign the other guys (AG, bonus overages, Stetcher etc)...Then what do we realistically do to sign TT?
  5. Good grief we aren’t getting Pesce for any of the proposed things. JV and a first maybe if they are cash strapped but if they are they won’t be dealing a guy on a great deal either. Maybe they’d settle with BB but I’d hang up the phone .... not interested just like JB. He’s not the only guy on a team friendly or a great deal. That said we can just sign Tanev another year for free and not bother with any nonsense that could easily blow up in our faces....sure he’s not the same she and won’t get as many points ... but he won’t cost us JV and a first or JV, Lind (who could turn our great for us) and a second or something.,, Pesce isn’t the only guy out there on team friendly or great cap hits. Those guys are gold (like Miller) but it’s really our ELC and second contact guys that give us the most bang for the buck ... let’s keep as many of them as we possibly can folks - things will be ok..in a year or two the team can look at adding a really good player or two to plug some holes ... keep the prospects and picks and young guys we have ....
  6. Ferland spent time on CAR top line and barely managed 40 points... Pearson just had a career year in 69 games. Ferland career stats he’s scored 40 (playing with Aho a lot) and 41, and was a 20 goal scorer once (21), followed by 17, 15 and a bunch between 2-6. Think your dreaming if you think he’s going to match Pearson’s production but who knows. I’m also of the mind to trade Pearson - not because I don’t like him because I really do - but because we won’t have to give up anything to make it work (he becomes a cap dump with no cap back PLUS we actually get something back in return). Don’t have high expectations given the market - a second or a Motte like return seems reasonable. But it won’t be like what Sutter or Bear or Roussel or Benn or any of the other guys will cost (hoping playoffs change that for the better). Roussel has some game and maybe he can score 40 (so far 31 is his high water mark so not holding my breath). But I do believe between these guys a Bear they can make it work. Feel bad for Horvat - he deserves better support. Sucks to think he might not get it until 7 years into his career or more ... Edit: it kind of pisses me off that people on this site want to trade BB and JV just to keep our shiny new toy. JV last three years already look a lot like Ferlands best three seasons. And definitely are on par with Roussels. Yet some think he’s the guy to go. Just stupid and foolish. Cap wise after guys still on their ELCs he was our top performer to dollar ratio. Losing one of our L side guys is a must IMO. And still it won’t quite be enough. Edit: As an aside Bears stats per games played are better then both Roussel and Ferland. It’s his overall softer game that keeps him on the outside .... he’s the best 2nd line option after Pearson IMO as he’s better at it and he’s not suited for a bottom six role where as both Ferland and Roussel definitely are and that’s really where they should be too. If anyone would match Pearson’s stats I’d bet for sure it could be Bear. IF we somehow keep TT and JV I see JV taking the second line LW spot. Also Pearson was a minus four ... where as his linemate Horvat was a minus 15...go figure
  7. Who do you think that were other options to replicate or even improve on Pearson’s stats? Ferland never did that and was injured anyways - Roussel never came close and was also injured... Bear? Well we all know how that went and at the end of you post you stated you think he’s done in the NHL ... all he did was great things in the AHL...over a PGP player and now he’s only got one year left. I think he’s the guy that will fight with a healthy (if he is) Ferland to play Pearson’s spot if he’s traded...wouldn’t count him out yet - especially considering Pearson is by far the lowest hanging trade bait we have that won’t hit us in the face if it back-fires.
  8. Everything you just said is true and exactly how I feel. We were tanking big time at the end - going from at one point from first all the way down to the outlier wild card area. Not that it took far to go there either. I felt the team caught a huge break by the league agreeing to and going ahead with the play-ins. Now I just hope that we go further then expected and some of our vet placeholders really show up and raise their stock. Great post.
  9. Don’t blame him for trying, at the time I was amazed he kept adding to our already very good lineup. Elite goalie at the top of his game - his second place Vezina was better then 3/4 of the ones I’ve seen win it. Check. Two stars emerging as two of the best at their positions in the game (LW and C). Check. Well rounded top two pairings with skill and grit throughout the D core. Check. One of the best two-way C’s in the game. Check. About as good as a team could possibly be under the cap .. and even a lot better then some star filled cap teams (2000’s NYR teams come to mind). We rarely got beat by more then a goal ... and won many games coming back from behind. Clutch scoring. Great third line. Experts still talk about the Canucks as the best team not to win a cup in the modern era - and suppose they will keep doing that for some time unless TB finally gets their sh!t together. Really that’s the closest thing to what we had - sure we didn’t have a Norris guy like Hedman - but we did have so much talent that Ballard - a 40-45 point guy couldn’t even crack the lineup. Wish we could have those sort of first world NHL problems again soon. Instead we are debating the best way we could somehow fit a guy not much unlike Booth into our top six. Would much rather sit it out for two years and take our medicine so then we could be talking about how to fit a Norris caliber guy into our lineup - because we’d have the funds for it if we didn’t blow our wad before we even have it back ...or two guys like Hamhuis and Erhoff. 6 is after all - the new 4-4.5 right? JB did it once already by adding Myers - talk all you want but he was the best RHD available last draft ... and we got him for 1 million less then most pundits thought he’d go for.
  10. Know what when I saw his name I was like wow forgot about him. And then there was another guy from the 1920’s that was absolutely killing it for back then or any time (Hooley Smith - 4th all-time GPG)... Hatcher had one boffo season that’s for sure -those brothers were a difficult pair to handle. Looking at the all-time goals per game played ... wasn’t surprised to see Potvin number two all-time - for me he’s like the Gordie Howe of defense - the best all around D all-time. The only guy I’ve seen in the last two decades control the game as well from the back end was two or three years of Pronger at the peak of his abilities. Never watched Shore but imagine those two played a similar game. Gretzky said the scariest player to him was Potvin...he’d go to the other side every time just to avoid him along the boards and from losing the puck. One of the best ever. Weber GPG is 13th...one lower then Housley. Very impressive shot - definitely one of the best of his generation. Desjairdan was another guy from the Duschene/Hatcher days that could really make an impact. Not a sexy pick but still very good. Brad Park the famous bridesmaid to Orr and Potvin and Robinson even ... is way down the list at 23. Burns and Karlsson are neck and neck - right around where long bombers Al Ifrate and Rob Blake are - two guys that could fill the net and put you through the glass. Wilson at 10 makes you wonder why it took so long for the HHOF to come calling ... two above Housley and a murderers row of guys below him with great all-time shots. As a footnote was surprised to see Marty McSorely to make the list at 81...one spot behind Chirs Chelios..and 11 ahead of Seabrook, 13 ahead of Keith ...359 points in 961 games as one of the better enforcers in an era where quite a few could play the game is a pretty awesome career.
  11. Well finally someone actually figured out exactly what the cost of signing TT long term could look like. Madden plus a second plus JV, plus Benn, plus Pearson plus Roussel >>> then TT plus two seconds. Of course not all of this money is needed just for TT, but if we don’t sign him we only have to trade Roussel and Benn (if we can) or worse case Pearson to sign the rest of the guys. Yes TT has currently an upgrade over JV. But not on a cost per dollar view. Last year JV was three times valuable as McDavid based on price ...sure he’s getting a raise so this year he might be “only” 150-200% more valuable. JV at 2.5 is better then TT at 5...or 4 for that matter. Bet if he got 82 games in the top six he’d score 45-50 points ... something TT has done three times in his career. So no thanks. Go with the younger player and just bang tough for a year or two. TT to me is a luxury we can’t afford and we are better off cutting bait then throwing bad money at him. Well done on not overvaluing our players - I think Pearson could get us a little more - a 2 plus B level prospect. But I’m not sure Roussel won’t cost US. Two more years .... not sure there will be any takers unless we take cap back. Could be wrong. Benn might be hard to move too. 150% more L side then R side Ds in the NHL...won’t be hard for teams looking to add depth one bit on that side - he could also cost US to move. Like Benn plus a 3rd for a 5th back or something. To me the cost is going to be even higher then the OP suggests it will. It will start with Pearson, then Roussel (and now our L side is decimated) Benn, and likely Stecher... plus the costs to dump Roussel and Benn (our picks and prospects) for the cap space. OR We could trade Pearson. Sign Tanev to a flat one year deal. Use Pearson to give Markstrom and JVs raises - that’s enough IMO. Let Stetcher walk and find a Fatenburg type or just go with Rafferty - he’s 6’2” so size goes up on the R side... and Stecher money goes to AG and some of the bonus overages. This way we aren’t tying up much money - and won’t be in the exact same pickle next off season when the wonder kids have to be signed. Might even have some extra to then look to sign a TT type. If not absolutely the following year - but that 9 plus a little left over from the previous year - say 12 could then be put into great use in our biggest weakness - defense - and pay for a long time Edler replacement (assuming OJ won’t be that) and another top 4 RHD. That’s what I’d do. Don’t care if we lose a first overall pick next year ... folks we still couldn’t win with TT in the lineup with Markstrom our. Is adding 10-15 points (the difference between him and JV in the same spot) really worth the effort? We don’t have to strip the depth to the core ... we just have to be patient and accept it for what it is. Nobody including JB thought we’d get out of the rebuild post Sedin this fast. Sure beats the alternative which would be we just simply still suck. Edit: Think of it this way. How did MG acquiring Hamhuis and Erhoff change that team? It put us over the top. And he also wasted in today’s money around 12 million in Booth and Ballard. That’s the sort of impact we could expect in two years time (one if LE retires after this season) .. right when the team is starting to peak core wise. Hope JB isn’t thinking about his longevity for what could happen if we have a big decline next season. But signing TT could seriously, likely even, back-fire. I’d rather add two more Myers types one on each side then implode the depth and pay some futures like Lind and some picks for cap dumps ... wouldn’t you? Myers might not have lit the lamp but took a massive load off Tanev and Edler.
  12. That’s how I see it too. Burns and Karlsson should both go up the list and already are pretty darn high considering...Weber has also done very well. Mr Consistent and should also end up in the top 30 before he’s done for sure. Karlsson is still young and really should be enjoying his best years right now (Burns best we’re in his early thirties) .. he shouldn’t have too much trouble scoring 30-40 points the rest of the way which would get him into the 800-900 range depending mostly on injuries for sure (and he always seems injured these days). If he gets his groove back and stays outs of the infirmary for even two years his point totals could end up top 15. Could see Burns averaging 30 until he’s 40 which would also put him in the 900 club territory. For me it’s just nice to see a couple of high octane defenseman rookies again. It’s been a very long time. And the best part is one of them are ours. QH could have challenged Lidsters record had the season not stopped. At least he should add some points to it - shouldn’t the play-ins count as stats on players regular season columns? Edit: Back to Weber...he’s already 18th for goals...and hasn’t hit 1000 games yet.
  13. I think Q Hughes is going to have a HHOF career. Housley was an amazing player too and much deserved to be in the HHOF - always wondered how many points he’d have scored as a forward. His goal scoring totals are gaudy, especially for a guy using wooden sticks and that size. Like Housley I expect QHughes points to go up and up, especially as the core also ascends and reaches their primes. When’s the last time a defenseman even scored 90? If anyone can do it Q Hughes or Makar are good bets. 70 next year doesn’t seem out of sight. He’s so young. Should have worded a little clearer in my original post - Ralaksi, Campbell and Housley were all short for defenseman in their eras especially even more then today. Ghost is too, he kind of fell off a cliff and might be on his way out of PHI with who’s coming up behind him. Of those guys Housley had some very good years where he was better in his own zone then others but was almost always a minus guy. Campbell struck me as a guy that could really control the play despite his physicality- CHI... ugh. Dont really remember Rafalski well enough used him more for the size similarities then anything. I think he’s already somewhere inbetween theses guys which is pretty incredible (especially as you pointed out the size of the gap...wish could think of more examples). Housley had a few seasons where he was injured but for the most part was very durable, Campbell struggled to stay healthy on and off his entire career. Do think durability will definitely play into it and that 1000 points isn’t outside the realm of possibility. For a defenseman that’s incredible.... guessing Lidstrom was the last one to get that far. Doubt Burns or Karlsson make it. Campbell should be around 60ish all-time in scoring, no small thing there either. Ok checked 64 for Rafalski (in a lot less games then Campbell) and 67 for Campbell. Maybe Reinhart is another guy to consider but he was built like a tank. Edit: Karlsson would should have made it if he was durable enough...easily missed out on 100 points so far and already at over 600 in around 700 games. Burns has a few more but has played over 1100 games already. They will both end up in the HHOF, with Chara and Keith and Pouty Doughty..
  14. For sure it’s a wide-gap between Campbell and Housley ... Ekblad won the Calder and was supposed to be the next Weber and we are still waiting for that ... nothing wrong with with Rafalski or Campbell as a floor - I really can’t think of anyone else who’s around the same size and had a good career as those three - somewhere inbetween makes sense to me I doubt Q Hughes scores the way Housley did but maybe he gets to the 1000 point mark one day if he’s durable enough. Oh I know why Housley was 6th, his defensive game wasn’t that good - or good enough to land him a first or second all-star slot.
  15. Both goaltending and defense should be a strength right off the hop ... after all they get to pick the best of the 30 other teams (Vegas’s excluded) remaining top four D’s. This is one area JB has a great job to protect us ... with Edlers contract and likely Tanevs too if he signs the one year contract they are working on. And I’ve seen it happen many times before when a middle six player gets top minutes he explodes. Happened with us and JT Miller this year ... believe Seattle’s starting team won’t be much worse then Vegas was - minus a lot of the extras. This could mean they are even better as GMs won’t be so willing to add to protect certain players and instead just let them go. Their entire roster will be built from middle six players from top to bottom and 4th defenseman. I’m sure they will start better then all the Cali teams and have a decent chance at making the playoffs right off the hop. Where they will be weaker is their prospect pool as they won’t get the extra picks and prospects....the flip side is they could have a better starting roster... scary really.
  16. Well we had Reinhart for two years so I wouldn’t go there yet. Plus plus plus. Also there is a lot more to defense then just points. Mentioned today that Jovo was the closest we’ve had so far to a number one defenseman that does it all. He really did and in the darkest depths of the dead puck era.! Also had Lidster, Lumme, Lanz and McCarthy ... not at all chopped liver and QHs won’t ever likely paste guys to the boards or knock their block off in a fight or from a hit. Yes he’s amazing / but he’s never going to be a guy like Hedman or Weber. edit: figure Hughes will end up somewhere between Rafalski/Campbell and Housley.
  17. Nah. For me if I had to rate the best Orca uniforms it wouldn’t be the current ones - but I’m sure they will grow on me. This idea that the uniforms have to represent the city and province isn’t a bad one - that said not many other teams do that so why should we? It’s not just nostalgia- those were pretty kick-ass uniforms. The WCE ones were dreadful. I have magazine rated by pro designers plus fan polls that’s not that old - top 50 all-time uniforms. The only Canuck one that made the cut was the skate uniforms. Why because they are awesome - and even the Sedin team players asked and wanted to wear them. But were denied. The origin story isn’t good - getting branded by a US company with intentions to change the name and move it to Seattle. Messier didn’t help either although it’s not his fault. Bet he’d have played better if we didn’t change them ha ha. Sure some fans like them more who have been around long enough. How old are you exactly I’m curious as nobody I know past 45 prefers the Orca. Not one person. Boston, Detroit, TO, CHI, MTL, NYR...none of those uniforms make sense for their climate city or state/province one bit. Really if it came down to it most states and provinces would be - guess what - BLUE GREEN and WHITE. Including teams like WSH, PHI, PIT, TB, FLORIDA.. the only outliers would be PHX, Vegas and Dallas. If you haven’t been to those places I’d recommend it. NY and Pennsylvania are covered in trees, lakes and rivers just like BC. Same with COL. Same with Quebec. Same with WNP. Pro designers, fans, non-fans alike all rank the Linden uniforms the highest every time. Get over it. The Orca and current uniforms are fine - but they are not the best we’ve had - not even close. That said for continuity sakes I can live with it. The team we have now never looked better rocking the skate logo uni’s and never will unless they finally decide to go with what the actual market likes. Then you could have nostalgia about the Orca and all it means to you. Edit: BTW the highest ranked uniform from BC is the champion team from Trail BC. That’s how the pros ranked it. I’m from Castlegar so think that’s pretty cool. Trail Smoke Eaters. Grandfather spent 30 years in their smelter after the war. Pretty interesting name and what a series they played ...
  18. The “minority” on this site might be vocal - but they are doing it for the “majority “ that still prefer a different uniform. The Orca ranks below the black skate and the original stick in rink uniforms on any poll large enough to make a decent sample size. Including a recent one done by the province. I also grew up the V and then the skate ... well even the original ones too but barely remember those ones. Ive accepted that we need continuity and at least the colours are back to good ones (the WCE era ones were mostly terrible) ... however I’d also be happy if we just pulled the plug on the entire thing and went back to the black skate. Why? Because it’s better. The majority at least feels that way - as does the rest of the league and other fan bases - it still resonates as the best of the bunch. I’m used to the Orca and the new ones and don’t mind them like I did during the WCE days - but it’s also ranked third of the four uniforms in real polls that are done properly. And whenever it goes head to head with the skate most of the stick in rink votes end up on the skate side so it’s not even close (yet). I do believe this will fade in time as folks get older and pass on. But until that happens it will never go away. Seeing the guys in the black uniforms were awesome. I’d be cool if we just used that as our third from now on. Need to see it more then 3 times a year though.... and agree that when it comes to playoffs we had permission to use them - at least give the team and fans a boost. And on Bure. Much more disappointed in management then I was on Bure ... he was really low balled. Plus Jovo was a fair deal - arguably the closest thing we’ve ever had to a number one defenseman, gold medalist (one of six regulars and he made a huge impact), regular all-star for us ... clutch goal scoring etc. And top 100 all-time in many catagories (around 50 for goals and 72 for points). Had a great career really.
  19. Really I don’t know why anyone would say he wasn’t a good GM. He did a great job of finishing up the WCE team (Thanks to Keenan, as soon as he got the keys to the kingdom Linden trade - HHOF worthy one as far as legs go ) and assembled most of the key parts of the Sedin team. He also fired Keenan after a few questionable moves both as a coach and things like exposing Walker so they could keep the late great almost done Peter Zezel. That relationship didn’t last long. Burke was part of the Canucks organization for almost a decade before he even became GM, was also Quins right arm man. Really if you think about it - spent more time with us then anyone and had his fingerprints on 3 decades plus worth of players. Can’t say that about anyone else. His biggest failure was not trading Cloutier or making him a back-up and finding a capable vet to go with come playoff time. Cloutier dismal .875 sp is the worst all-time for goalies who’ve played at least 25 games. Fine in the regular season...then something always went terribly wrong. And he’s a little endearing - tie off buttons opened - sleeves rolled up - disheveled hair and maybe a glow from a booze buzz that keeps him going (Irish and all ha ha)....like he always worked his hardest for us.. which I do believe he did even if he seemed to love the camera (and thank you Lowe for your great rivalry against Burke - hilarious).
  20. They didn’t become playoff drivers until after Naslund and Linden were gone. And didn’t lead the teams until they did either. Linden was on all but 4 of those playoff series wins which was my original point - that when we had Linden it was almost an automatic by to the second round - even old Linden. The Sedins were great once they peaked - but it was short lived and you’d be hard pressed to find one series that they were the best players. Pretty sure most would agree to that statement- or at least the ones that watched all of them and aren’t just going by games played and stat lines. Linden was the biggest reason Luongo’s first season we made it last Turco after Luongo himself ... and he was almost retired then. Few players in the NHL are actually better come playoff time but he was definitely one of them. Same with Courtnall, Babych and Ronning. The Sedins for sure don’t fall into that catagory. And if stats are what your looking for Lindens played 21-22 more playoff games then the Sedins or 4-5 series and scored 25 ish more points then either of them. Virtually every playoff stat is superior by a large margin yet the Sedins had a superior regular season stat line by a fair margin ... Linden was a leader on this team from his first to last game - and the torch wasn’t passed completely until after Luongo was done his short captaincy.
  21. What do you call the white things between elephants toes? Slow tourists.
  22. Yep. And if they all play then whomever else sits out would also create a good fourth line on any team in the league. Who would have thought our 2019-2020 would end up as one of the deepest middle six teams we’ve had in 50 years? Too bad LE wasn’t still a 30-30 guy. If he was the top six would be up there too.
  23. LA sure had no business winning a cup. Quick and Thomas definitely had two of best goalie performances of the past two decades .... sucked we had to play victim to that back-to-back. Then they won again which made it so much worse as it took flukey out of the equation. Wards and Giguires were pretty good too but those guys were Roy good .... Markstrom would win the Conn Smythe and have to play at least as well as them to give us any chance of a cup or even final appearance this year. We have the scoring that’s not an issue at all. But we definitely don’t have anything close to a championship defense or championship Selke types. I’d be happy to win one round (real round). Our middle six depth is for sure a strength too ... the longer we go the easier it should become to keep going.
  24. IBatch

    Jim Benning

    Well said. So many things have to happen indeed. Pearson seems like the easy trade at this point - but the return wouldn’t be great - at least as a trade before the season starts. I do feel Bear would be a lot easier to move with only one year on his deal but in this case we’d be better off keeping him in case Ferland goes on the LTIR (which of course would also help with cap). Believe that’s where JB would start and go from there. The cap being flat could work ok for us given it should also affect GMs spending .... well that’s what you’d think anyways. The best case would be that we go deep this year - and it’s the Beagle’s, Pearson’s, Sutters etc that really help with this raising team’s interest and that there are enough injuries that teams need some depth. A lot to ask. At least after the playoffs are done we should have a better indication of how things could go. Feel Pearson would re-coup the second - but it could be just to help sign these guys (not including TT). Which is fine. Agree that LE retiring is about the best hope JB has of making this work without a whole lot of buy-outs and cap dumps (which I kind of detest). Feel that if we accept TT is a rental and just take our medicine long term the team will be better for it for sure. Also rather spend the money on defense later when it’s available then more middle six wingers.
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