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IBatch

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Everything posted by IBatch

  1. Just enjoyed the back and forth when this came up a couple months ago. Couldn’t help myself.
  2. Irregardless is not a word.
  3. Same with his viscous cross-check into the boards on Momesso...really hard to like the guy after that.
  4. Pretty sure the fan reaction after the game meant that you weren’t the only one that picked up on the fact we were screwed. Poor Linden, he wasn’t aware of this either as it turns out he was the one that could have said “hey wtf, one of these guys still has to go in the box and I pick _____ !”. Not that he didn’t do his part. So far this is the closest we’ve come to winning. After game six it felt like destiny to me at the time. Was confident we were going to beat them and the refs. Didn’t happen. I was sad. In 2011 against CHI it seemed like the refs were doing anything and everything in their power to get them back into the series ... after that it wasn’t too bad. We had 2–1 PPs against Boston, the refs weren’t going to call more, that I understood. That said nobody complains when we get away from an obvious call. It’s a two-way street. Last playoffs was one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Bad calls cost teams series ... nice to hear that Bettmans “head was about to explode” though - I found that hilarious.
  5. Pretty much second all of this. In particular the first three years JB was here - SJ is close to our already in the same position trying to keep it going with the same old core, maybe their re-tool will work for them, probably not and in two or three years they will start tearing it down to the studs. The only reason thing worked out was drafting, and there’s no reason to think on that front it will continue to work for the team, boosting their chances as the core matures and replacing vets will happen organically. Don’t feel we are there yet, but definitely heading in the right direction.
  6. To me it’s pretty simple - TL left before the picks panned out and before the old core was done. It’s possible the same thing could happen to JB with his successor, the same way Gillis enjoyed the spoils of both Burke and Nonis. If we miss next year, which is definitely a possibility given on paper at least we probably will ice less depth and will rely mostly on the young guys getting better (unless LE retires). Linden leaving had little to do with how we are doing now. Presidents main job is to hire the GM and PR. He hired JB .... so no matter what he’s left a heavy footprint just by doing that.
  7. You bet. Some of us fans might have a rosey look on how things are going and probability of future outcomes - but I’d say there is enough potential, experience (Pearson, Miller, Edler, Sutter ,Myers and even LE) to rank us fairly high (think one NHL.com had us in the top ten in their recent playoff top sixteen power rankings) for a perfect storm to occur making the Canucks a bit of a dark horse. Beating some of the best NHL teams easily in the regular season helps ... personally I’m not sure we’ve ever had so much middle six depth then we do right now. Our defense is much better with QH and Myers instead of Gudbranson and Hutton...Markstrom is definitely playing like a top ten goalie which has forever been a key element come playoff time. I think this team will surpass the WCE ones pretty quickly when they make the show. And with parity your just never know. Each playoffs will be a big opportunity for the Canucks ... especially when the kids peak .
  8. Good point.. but it’s still an action that should be taken if a player isn’t pulling his weight .. and it also can lead to those players (especially in LEs case who’s soon the be paid out most of his contract) to push budge them into retirement. Riding the bus in the AHL and the way things go down there is a lot different then NHL treatment. So that also is a factor. Maybe the savings isn’t as big - but depending on the player there could still be some savings...could be 3-6k.. With apparently “7” players coming into play over the next couple of years and the amount of middle to bottom six vets we currently have there will be some rotation. Maybe Pearson gets traded for example. His stock is high right now and he’s also up for a raise next year...he’s a guy that teams would be interested as a rental...and that would lower our cap hit by 3.75...add Leivo and that’s enough for Markstrom and JV right? Again I don’t think we should be trading BB just to sign TT - terrible move. Just let things happen organically- make a trade with our middle six guys...maybe Ferland can recover...a lot could happen.
  9. Good post - like the CHI comparisons...each cup team was very different from the one before and they had to part with a lot of key support guys each time. It’s a very long list actually. The first one had Byfuglien...imagine if they kept him - a huge blow and a lot worse then us parting with JV. Campbell..Bolland..Shaw ... eventually Sharp...and a lot of other players too. Adding Miller to our core was a big step..we only have room for one or two core players as it is. EP, QH, BB, BH, JM plus plus...
  10. Ghost problem is if you want to play you have to pay - nobody is giving us anything back for LE or Sutter - we’d be the ones giving Lind, of Hogz or and maybe a pick or two depending on the player. LE isn’t going anywhere next year if he still wants to play. The cost after that will be a first rounder (with one year left) at least depending on the cap situation which won’t be getting better fast. Personally I want JB just to hold fast and let things unfold naturally. Keep the players playing if they can make the lineup - otherwise bury them in the AHL - the Redden, recently Ladd treatment. We have enough wingers right now if Ferland is healthy two more could be sent down - that’s 2 million in savings right there - let Leivo go, Fatenburg there’s another 2 million... then trade Roussel, or Motte or whomever we can without it becoming a cap dump. That’s enough to give Markstrom his raise, give Tanev a one year contract (which is been worked on as we speak), and maybe bump JV up a million or so on another one year show me deal. By doing this both JV and Tanev will require a protection spot, and JV has one more year to prove his value .... and still is an RFA. With all this talk about TT, it’s very possible he’s going somewhere else. Wouldn’t worry too much about that yet - if we make a run for him JB will absolutely have to trade Sutter. Or BB. The depth will be whittled away for sure...no matter what happens. At this point in two more years Luongo and LE, and Sutter, and well let’s just say everyone on the team with the exception of Ferland, Horvat, BB, Miller, and Myers will require another contract..five guys. Six assuming we sign Markstrom. The team could be completely overhauled at that point. Money for young guys ... old vets out and guys like Lind, Podz, Hogs, OJ, Rafferty...maybe Brisbois and a couple others coming up too. Demko.
  11. I hate buyouts ... they just prolong the pain twice as long. If we have to part with a winger prospect and a third I could stomach that. It’s possible we could have a decent run and a vet or two could bump their value and we could trade one or two without much of any penalty (future considerations for one year of Roussel for example)....
  12. I don’t always agree with some of your posts but this one actually makes some sense, and it’s something I have also wondered about. First rounders are coveted now and even though I’d also hate to see Jake go IF it was a mid first rounder it would be awfully tempting - assuming TT was going to be signed of course. Podz is coming soon enough, Hogs too, and don’t forget Lind is already doing more at the AHL level then JV managed, about double the production at the same age. Still I’d prefer we sign TT and keep JV...both could play anywhere in the top nine and produce. It gives JV a few more years to develop too. I’d almost prefer not to sign TT and sign JV instead but given the purpose is to make the team better have to go with who’s better right now. I could stomach such a move - (a first for JV) for two reasons - one id be surprised we could get a first for him so maybe take and run if it’s offered - and two as previously mentioned we have a glut of middle six wingers on its way, Lind, Hogs and Podz all with upside too.
  13. Based on sp% he’s 14th..with two goalies ahead of him that could be considered back-ups - so maybe 12th among starters. This is where quality of shots should also be factored - a stat I believe Markstrom is top 3-5 in. Nothing at all wrong with Markstroms stats if NHL.com dug a little deeper. I suppose they were looking at body of work too, and playoff experience which Markstrom has none at the NHL level (although he did great at the AHL level under TG)...
  14. Maybe NHL.com should switch writers with NBC sports. Even they seem to know more about what Markstrom accomplished this year ranking him 9th. It seems like they just went with .sp mostly and didn’t take number ones vs back-ups into the equation as much as they should have and ranked them mostly on that. Or consider defense or teams infront that much either. Wonder how Markstrom would do in Dallas (check out their team defense - shots allowed etc) or TB or Boston. I don’t think he’s top five quite yet, not even just basing this one season against other goalies - but he’s definitely close and a top ten goalie. He was deserving of his All-star selection...how many goalies get picked for that again? Three per conference? Hmmm. I know the format is goofy now and all teams have to send one person so maybe it’s more...but I doubt they sent 13 goalies either.
  15. ARI is also been toiling for quite some now (Faulk is a recent player to be gone from what could be conceived as a core before say Keller), and CAR floundered for almost a decade until their young studs finally turned things around - to the point where gimmicks were added to get fans back...so EDM definitely isn’t the only example of a losing culture seeping in over the years. All of these teams appear to be on the up and up now ... funny thing is ARI will be moved to the East so we won’t have to deal with them (although Seattle has a chance to come in close to the same I suppose, just without much of a pool to start with). Overall I’m not sure where to put Vancouver yet - but do think we have pretty good odds at becoming a dominant force in our own division during the early-mid 2020’s if most of the cards are played right. The Miller trade and signing Myers bumped things up two years ... JB did a great job of acquiring the talent - hope he’s just as good at managing an up and coming team and can finish the puzzle.
  16. Don’t disagree with this - again they are a tier down from what PIT did, but they do have some similarities. Yeah their later drafting hasn’t been up to snuff - for a very long time and it was a big part of their failures with the Hall/Eberle group. Do think they have some opportunity in the division with the Cali teams floundering...time will tell.
  17. EDM is on their second core now...it’s very different then the Hall, Eberle, RNH one. McDavid and Draisatl are very much like the Crosby, Malkin of ten years ago. Absolutely they USED too have a losing culture. Not so sure they do anymore. Back in the show, last time they were actually very, very good. Of course the cap came crashing down on them. But they have some very good players coming in soon as well. Bouchard RHD has the potential to rack up points like Makar did this year once he gets the best spot in the league on the PP. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him get games this playoffs if someone goes down - and next year he will start his career. Interestingly they are on the same path as PIT was but a tier down. Percentage wise Crosby and Malkins deals were almost exactly the same as McDavids and Draisatls...factually EDM is a little lower. The point is the “losing” culture isn’t there anymore. They are a playoff team now and should remain one for many years given the power change currently in our division. EDM, VAN and ARI (another “losing culture team”) are on the rise - ANA, LA and SJ have been done or are soon to be done ... CAL is harder to gauge but think they should stays in the running for at least a few years.
  18. Ha ha you must have posted this while I was making my last one. Yes we are definitely like the Oilers team that won a round and lost to ANA...as stated above. It’s the best chance we will have for at least two, probably 3-4 to ice a team with this much depth and overall ability. CHI also went through this with their first cup, as did PIT with their first Crosby cup...that team was insanely deep, as was the year before they won and went to the final with. Once they all got paid it took a long time to have enough quality support to win again. I have serious doubts the team we start the season with next year will be as deep - it’s aspirations will land solely on the core getting better. Going back to the Oilers, even they have had to wait a few years before getting to the show again...it seems like a natural cycle with most teams that end up with the proper star power. Too much star power CAN be a bad thing. TO is dealing with that ... TB only gets away with it because they have no state taxes, like Vegas they hold a 12-15% ladvantage over most of the rest of the league. Would be like having an extra Tavares, or a couple of Horvats etc...
  19. As far as I can tell your both saying the same things / this is more of an in depth view on making the show for the first time with a new core after a down cycle. After years of first overall and top five picks EDM finally changed their modus operandi and sent Hall and Eberle packing - and brought in some solid vets (Maroon) ... all of a sudden EDM made the playoffs, won a round and lost a hard fought series to then a modest contender ANA in the second round. The media ate it up. Lucic and Maroon and the old guard out and a budding superstar seemed to have turned the boat straight upstream and storming ahead. Many writers and odds makers had them as one of or even THE favourite to win the cup the following year. Of course that didn’t happen, McDavid and Drasaitl got their pay-day, Lucic became a huge anchor and they couldn’t afford the same support players...and now they are a cap heavy team trying to win much like the WCE era teams did. Just not going to happen...at least until the cap goes up. Except for the randomness each playoffs especially with parity and under the cap has shown us. There are still “contenders “. WSH, PIT, TB, ST Loius (again but they weren’t when they won last year) and recently WNP although their best chances on paper disappeared in a poof last off-season and we have part of those spoils on our defense now. Yes gaining experience is vital to a teams success - as is a good GM who can make the tough roster changes and sign the right guys to get closer to the ultimate goal. And yes there are a dozen other things that play into it - injuries to key players (Pavelski last year), depth quality, goaltending (a huge one), reffing (unfortunately), luck of the draw (some great teams can have a bad winning percentage against weaker teams), experience level within a roster, heck even fan reactions probably make a difference (some home buildings are not like others). Every year there are hero’s and there are goats..and upsets..and different storylines. Recently Toews and Kane were talking about what an opportunity this is for their team, one of the last cuts of the 24 teams going back to play...think they are playing at .500 on the season with their draw...and once they are in you just never do know. This year more then any other a team that likely wouldn’t make the playoffs in a full season has a chance to win a cup. For the Canucks the script really couldn’t have been better. JB trading for TT doubled down on his willingness and vision that playoffs are the goal. And who doesn’t want that again. With a fully healthy roster and without any cap restrictions we could possibly ice the deepest team in the West IMO. Like EDM a few years ago - we have a HUGE opportunity to have more depth then we will have again ... because EP and QHs haven’t got paid, and our highest paid players are only at 6 million (LE and Myers). Hope we take complete advantage of this - and am sure JB and TG knows this too. I expect the round robin/5 game series won’t look much different then playoff games. They will be intense. Worst case scenario we lose to MIN and the guys get three playoff quality games under their belts. Best case ... well don’t want to jinx that. Like all 24 teams - we have a chance.
  20. Yeah I should have been more specific. He’s definitely a top 20 RW...I’d have him in the 12-15 range - higher without his injuries...but the best part is he’s just getting started where as for most above him they are in their prime or like Kane started out exceptional. Rantanen is another guy I should have included as a level above..playing with McKinnon and those physical gifts I doubt BB will ever reach similar heights. He’s passed or is close to some solid players in PGP (Keller, O’Reilly, Laine, Koneckny, Radulov, Voracheck, Tarasenko) - I think he should end up in Stone territory once he reaches his prime ... Svecknikov is one guy I also think could end up with the cream at one point. See him as a 35-35 consistent producer - maybe 85 points as a peak year one day. For perspective he’s already in Sedin territory for career PGP...nothing at all wrong with that.
  21. That terrible call cost them the first round too let’s not forget...five minute major four goals or whatever it was in a game seven...SJ lucked out. Which adds to the last sentence of your posts so good example. We went to the finals and also lost in the first round to the eventual cup champs - a little reminiscent of the Linden teams who seemed to always lose to the eventual cup champs or final team after a hard fought series (which was also often then hardest series that team had during their run too - starting with CAL). CHI (went to the final and lost), COL (won the cup)...and later on when he came back DET of course just a few examples. LA is the only 8th seed I can re-call to win a cup. Sure there might be one other example but don’t think there is. But it can happen too (and of course we happen to be the team on the other end ha ha). TB was the most dominant regular season team I can think of to lose on the first round...Vancouver is largely considered the best team of the modern era not to win a cup too. Yes definitely anything can happen. Right now I’m hopeful and excited for this year ... not sure I recall us having so much depth since the cap came in, and really even the Linden teams didn’t have this sort of middle/bottom six depth. Could make for a perfect storm if we can get through a round or two - once the attrition starts the next guy up is so close to the guy they replace and so on..
  22. Your right - but at the 47 game mark he was tied for 5th and had two games less then Stone. Ok. Two things - he was the 4th in what West when he went down, that’s my mistake - but it wasn’t long before he was top five league wide. 12th in the league and five points away from being top 7ish. Think losing time to JV (went down to the third line for a spell) has something to do with the drop. As far as PGP he slipped a little there too, a few from guys that played a few games so wouldn’t count them (Yamamoto) - he’s still comfortably in the upper third of first line R Wingers since his career started in that category. Miles ahead of TT, and should still be a year or two from entering his prime years. THN has him already in the top ten in the league for best by position too. He won’t reach Kane, Kucherov, Pastrnak, Marner levels, but he definitely could challenge for that fifth spot at some point - as he showed for most of this season. For perspective he has a higher PGP then Laine since the last three seasons combined.
  23. Can’t disagree with any of that. For me the deal would have to be like the Seth Jones one or no thanks. BB shooting percentage is too low - he’s had some bad luck on that front for sure. I’d expect it to go up. His passing game has improved, as has his board work and play on the other side of the puck which evens things out a bit. After his rookie year and his 40ish goal pace - All-Star game heriocs etc I was pretty convinced we’d acquired a special player. Still do. We may have a glut of middle six forwards, but we don’t yet have enough core players including BB in it. To me he’s like Sharp was for CHI. Great looking dude (ha ha) scoring winger with potential or one day challenge for a Rocket Richard. He’s going to put the work in to get a big legacy contract with us ... and I’m expecting a 35-35 performance from him next season. Miller and EP will no doubt help him with that. Given he’s played on two different lines and still produced well he’s a keeper for sure. Look how long it took Naslund (27) and the Sedins (29-30) to explode. BB best seasons are definitely still ahead of him, would hate to see him go for a “top four” defenseman - would rather get one for free like we did with Myers once the money is available (which it will be). Edit: and for all those who have dreams of Dumba or Parayoko or whomever .... in what I’d perceive as an down year for BB he was still the 4th best RW producer in the entire league when he went down. Hope he scores 20 goals for us this playoffs and puts this all to rest ha ha.
  24. Well we could have him for 10 more years if after this contract is up, he’s still an RFA and could extend him another 8 years. He’s at least sign another 3 year deal on the low side - which would mean we’d of had him for ten years since his draft on the low end of things. It’s one of the reasons I was a big fan of his medium size bridge deal. So I wouldn’t be so sure about it - and even if it does happen we will have enjoyed most of his prime years. If this team does some good things playoff wise - which it has at least a decent chance, not sure he’d want to go anyways. By then his own family could be started and a decade in one place sets some roots. Im sure he will leave or get traded at some point - it’s rare now for players to stay in one place. But he’s our pick and we hold all the cards for most of his 20’s regardless which is awesome. Also if he does stay his UFA deal will be based a lot on past production - losing him at that point wouldn’t be so bad.
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