Boudrias

I thought Ruff made sense as a older coach who as you suggested would let the roster leadership 'sort things out'. On reflection, unless Gillis pulls off a miracle, I don't see this roster as a CUP winner. A contender, yes. Perhaps it more important to get a coach who can transition the team through the next 3 -4 years.

A little controversy can do wonders for a career. I am sure there was lots of talk around the CBC water cooler during the MacLean hatchet job on Burrows. You have to laugh when Healey is asked about his 'insider' info on the Hot Stove. Seriously. The guy was a marginal backup goaltender who managed to string out for a few years. After that he ingrated himself into the Players Association until he wore is welcome out there. Basically the CBC is probably his last kick at the can in NHL hockey circles. Jumping on the anti Canuck bandwagon is a pretty safe bet to keep your name up front with little down side risk.

AV was playing a defensive game for the past 2years? Wow, that's news to me.

Why are you assuming the players weren't listening to AV anymore? As I watched they were trying to execute the same puck possession game that they used in 2011. The dif being that they had no center who could win FO's consistently until Kesler returned. Fighting to regain puck possession when puck possession is your offensive game is pretty tough. Combine that with opposing teams who felt comfortable playing their d-core tighter in the neutral zone and turnovers resulted. All this increased pressure on Van's defense and made them look worse than they were. How many times did we see two deep forecheckers against Van this year? It became almost standard. Hank throwing the puck into the middle during a breakout, less than 2 minutes to go with a goal lead, against SJ 1st round, was standard Canucks. To me this meant AV had to go. Great regular season record but he never seemed to prepare this team to play real playoff hockey.

I don't see enough of NYR to make any judgement on Torts. He is far to up front to go over in Van where the moron sports reporter demand stroking. (A lot of Fans as well) I thought his PP configuration with the center high, flanked by the two dmen was really innovative. It forced the box out and gave the two wingers more room to operate in front of the net.

Now Bowness will tell Stevie Y all Van's secrets. Like how Gillis wants to trade him Edler for Hedman straight up!

I have followed the Canucks from the beginning. You are right that there have been many sorry years prior to the current group. Poor owners, poor GM's, poor coaches and yes many poor players. Van fans stuck thru a lot of those times until attendance started to fall prior to Burkie's arrival. The current ownership and management under Gillis is pretty solid. There is no guarantee of CUP success. The likely hood of a Canadian west coast CUP is even less likely as I am sure the NHL would consider it a lost season as they try to build revenue and acceptance of the game in the USA. With every game it becomes more obvious that the game is 'managed'. Canuck history has always been a story of hanging on to fading stars to long and not converting their last years into younger assets. Vancouver has never done a 'rebuild' in 43 years IMHO. They have always retooled. Their prospect depth has always been non-existant until 6 - 7 years ago and even today is not great. So even as I tell this sad story I jump in and say this roster is 3 players away from CUP contention. 2nd line RW, 3C and 1pairing RD. Saying that I am assuming a new coach can right the Edler ship on LD.

I tend to agree that an experienced NHL coach is required. The current roster core has 3 years at best and that is with the Twins on a 2nd line in the 3rd year. I'm talking CUP contention. After saying that, and after taking my Canuck binders off, is this core group a CUP contending roster? When I look at Pitt I have to say no. The key to next fall is who Gillis can get to play with Kesler and who can he get for 3C. I do not think that AV did a good enough job with the 4th line. Many can blame Gillis for not providing the tools but I very much doubt that AV did not have major input in to player movement and acquisition.

Tippet is the type of coach who might make Edler into that Norris player everyone thought he could be. I could see Kesler and Burrows starring under Tippet but the Twins might be a ? mark.

I haven't seen a NTC prevent a player movement yet other than when the player was universally not wanted. It all relates back to the dollars involved. ie Gomez. How does Gillis play hardball on NTC's when other GM's hand them out as a matter of course. It is a fine line that team managements have to thread. Half the NHL have losing seasons. Van's management was in the top 10 and still couldn't cut it with expectations. The classic was Gillis's comment that he would hire his new coach from the assembled sports writers. He should perhaps extend his search to the CDC.

I thought Van played a pretty physical game against the Hawks. In fact I think Van has more in the physical department than the Hawks and SJ. No matter whether an opponent is 'physical' or not they will target certain Van forwards, the Twins, Raymond and most definitely Schroeder if he played. The Twins because they are the Van offensive QB's, Raymond for his breakaway speed and Schroeder because of his inexperience and size. All Van d-men will be targets simply because it yields offensive chances. Van tried your offence first idea in 2011 and it ran out of gas thru attrition. Oddly enough as many pick the Hawks to come out of the west I question their ability to stand up to physical play. Hossa is one hit away from another concussion and the 'Twerp' disappears every time he takes a hit.

Little bit surprised that Schroeder wasn't played last night.

If it is an insult to Ebbett what about Schroeder?

I suspect Schroeder's FO % is close to Roy's. I expected a stronger % out of Roy. I cannot see the Canucks succeeding in playoffs without a solid 3rd line. With 3 games left Roy should drop back to 3C and Schroeder should get a shot on wing. Try him at 2LW. He distributes the puck well and has Kesler as a shooter. I don't see him getting ice in playoffs failing a injury replacement. That assumes Higgins makes it back.

They play Garrison on the 1st PP for 3 games. He starts hitting the net and scores a goal and like you said knocked 2 guys out with ankle shots. What happens in the Oilers game? It is back to Danny on the point and Garrison moved to the 2ndPP. Last night he is back on the 1st PP and Weise tips his shot. I don't get it.

Burrows is the heart and sole of this team. Other than Schneider I would consider any other player tradeable.

There are so manyquestiion marks on your 2nd line that roster isn't CUP quality IMO. Depending on the acquired C I would think the 3rd line could challenge in production which is a sad comment.

The little I have seen he seems to be a perimeter player. Makes me wonder if he should go back to Europe and hope to sifn with a SEL team. Whatever confidence he had is probably gone.

Lack of offence from the top 4 d-core is one of Van's biggest problems right now. Garrison could hit the net more with his shots but that will come. I think he is playing a pretty conservative game but is getting frustrated like KB and even Hamhuis. None of these guys went overseas and it is showing on the ice right now. By 20 games they should settle down. IMHO the d-core and goaltending have enough CUP quality talent. It is Van's front end that is truly operating on 2 cylinders. Big disconnect with the Twins but again they sat out the lockout. The guys performing well have all been playing regularly before the season started. All except Burrows who never ceases to amaze me. What a solid player!

He is coming along just fine. Sees the ice well.

The dif between CoHo and Schroeder is 190 pounds vs 175 pounds. That said I thought he played a pretty decent game. He is good enough with the puck to control play in the offensive zone. A few games and he will get more comfortable.

I don't watch him regularly but it seems to me that his junior success came from outside speed. I don't see a lot of that in his AHL games. The pro game simply shuts him down to easily. Not looking good even if he is still young.

No one can argue that Canuck drafting has any history of quality pics. That said the current regime is IMHO the best the Canucks have ever had. Drafted talent by the Canucks suffered from a 'sink or swim' mentality for much of the past 40 years. The fact that Tanev, Schneider, K-Conn and Kassian are being given serious AHL time is a hugh advance for the Canucks. The absolute classic Canuck screw up was Dale Tallon. I would argue he had as much talent as Perrault but never acheived what he could have because of Canuck management.

Since I highly doubt there will be any NHL this year getting a roster spot on the WJ team will be a plum. It could rival the 2004 WJ's for talent.

I keep looking for that 'mean' streak in Kassian. Not seen it yet. Neal has it the same way Lucic does. That said I would take Neal over Lucic. Neal goes 100% every time out, Lucic does not. No doubt that Kassian is still feeling his way and is definitely listening to his coaches. Hockey success is so much about consistency shift after shift. Kassian has pretty soft hands which makes me hope that his offensive upside is superior to both Neal and Lucic. Beertuzzi put up points but he was no leader and his ability to play both ends of the ice was limited.