ShawnAntoski

So winning just to fill the seats ?

What has the Canucks accomplished with those three + other foundational pieces ?

Yup, the rise to NHL Purgatory

Their is no point but rising to the mediocre middle, is nothing new...

Playoffs, still a possibility ?

Fits what the Blues, prefers in a defenseman.

Must be nice

Tanks a lot JB and Francesco

Well said but it is not about doing what is best for the team or WINNING A CUP cause it is all about, the short term profit. Chasing the mediocre middle - really ONLY means, doing whatever it takes to get the playoff revenue and hoping the team gets hot. If the team, even makes the playoffs, just to become playoff fodder or they draft in their more familiar spot, of drafting in the teens. https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/569255

Not playing the speculating game with you cause injuries will happen.. Let's just focus on what has been the yearly results and where this season is going, with Allvins' version of chasing the playoffs strategy cause if you read the link I posted you would understand where I am coming from. The FO names has changed but Francesco still remains and a capped out team that needs lottery tickets to improve, is constantly burning through assets & cap space, for shortsighted gambles and short term profits. Both Hronek and EP will be FA'S, at the same time and good chance two overpaid players will still be in the books, where is the cap space going to come from ? Would selling low on Boeser be the price ? Kudos to Yzerman, for understanding what it means to build up a roster, that can legitimately contend vs chasing the middle - and hoping to get lucky in the playoffs. Been the same movie since 2013, with mediocre results; and the article about Francesco was from the same period.

Pipe dream under Francesco. Lets see what happens next year cause that playoff revenue, is priority #1 despite the yearly results...

Cognitive dissonance ? Anyways, let's see how the chasing the playoff strategy/gamble, will turn out next years ?

Canucks 4-3 Ep

You are not interested in a hockey discussion based on your first statement and are more interested, in being right or having the moral high ground but the yearly results don't agree with your excuses and speculations - lol. Anyways, believe what you want cause the roster is STILL struggling, despite the pieces you mentioned and the team is ALSO still capped out to improve. Kudos to Yzerman In a few years, both Hronek & EP will need a contract and good chance, the OEL & Miller anchor contracts will still be here. The team continues to undervalue drafting & development and it will have the same predictable consequences cause the margin for error, in a hard cap league is very thin and the prospect pool is the hedge. Some GM'S understand it and the Canucks don't cause being in NHL purgatory is still a very profitable endeavor.

Nothing left but a sarcastic response; ofcourse, trades are neccessary; and if you had been reading my post carefully - I have argued that the timing is wrong for a Hronek type trade. Just more excuses & specualtions for Francesco and failed his front offices. Did you even read the link I posted about Francesco, for further context ?

You are OBVIOUSLY not paying attention and just making a lame attempt to justify the move. Did you hear Allvin in the radio being coy about the Hronek trade. Same JB type shortsighted gambles and just like OEL or Schmidt, their is no guarantee he clicks vs a homegrown talent that was intentionally drafted & developed to replace a player. Kudos to Yzerman for fleecing the teams 3rd straight rookie GM

10 -15 years forward isn't speculating cause I never set a timeline - you did ? You have not been paying attention cause the team under Francesco has been chasing the mediocre middle for years, with mediocre results cause despite the results, the endeavor is still profitable. The team is chasing a playoff spot hoping to get lucky vs having a team that can legitimately contend. Plus, it is obvious the preferred method to build up is through FA & trades, instead of drafting & development. The 2011 one & done roster was mainly built up, through homegrown talent and Gillis failed in his attempts to transition from that roster, by undervaluing the importance of drafting & development. There is a time to acquire a Hronek type player and now is the right time cause the teams' core is still struggling and they are capped out. Yzerman knew what he was doing, by selling high on a 25 yr old Hronek (just like he did with a 25 yr old Mantha), whilst giving himself future cap flexibility and more lottery tickets to replace players. Just more excuses to justify the mediocre results. https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/569255

Now, you are just speculating to further justify the shortsighted gamble on Hronek, to constantly chase the mediocre middle for short term profit

Time can always be made through proper preparation, just like I had pointed out with Carolina and their preferred method of developing RHD vs overpaying for them in the trade or FA. Seems like you are just making excuses to justify the Hronek trade

I heard Allvin give credit to the analytics & scouting department, the very same way he did when they acquired a 25 year old Dermott (same age as Hronek)

I did answer your question: keep the lottery tickets in a deep draft and use one of them on a RHD cause just like the Canucks with goalies, Carolina continues to built up their RHD depth by investing some of their lottery tickets on RHD and they focus on developing them - hence they can afford to let Hamilton walk in FA. When drafting & development is not the preferred way to built up a roster, then it is hard draft a RHD - but it is also hard to draft a goalie but due to Clarke the Canucks are in a good position. Ofcourse, he will be cheaper, just look at what Arizona got for Chychrun - almost the same cost to acquire Hronek but the draft years are staggered to mitigate the risk cause both Detroit & Arizona would prefer the cap flexibility rather than overpaying to keep two players headed into their prime, whilst their core is not ready to contend.

A good read on how Yzerman, built up a winning core around Stamkos & Hedman. https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/steve-yzerman-built-tampa-bay-lightning-powerhouse/ My main point with Yzerman, is that he knows and understands, the core he is building up and that only shows the importance, of how he operates off the ice and how he deals with his core players. When the core is not ready, he tends to sell high on the players he can afford to lose: MAINLY to preserve cap flexibility, whilst adding futures. But when the core, is ready he goes all in: McDonough & Miller and due to the depth he has built up, within the organization, he can afford to sell high on Miller rather than using up valuable cap space, for him to stay. HIS TIMING, is what makes him a great GM cause he doesn't chase the mediocre middle and patiently builds around his core players. Just look at his transactions in Detroit cause he is doing the samething: by first identifying his core and selling high on anyone that he deems expendable to maintain cap flexibility vs the Canucks model of constantly being capped out by chasing the mediocre middle and HOPING TO GET LUCKY, IN THE PLAYOFFS cause it is still a very profitable endeavor for Francesco, despite the mediocre results. Basically, the Canucks is CURRENTLY a bottom dweller team that is capped out and prefers to draft in the teens for short term profits vs a team with cap flexibility and a prospect pool that continues to get deeper. Imo, giving credit to the scouts when the organization is successful seems to be a poor attempt in undervaluing Yzermans' part as GM cause when the organization is mediocre no one seems to mention the scouts. Anyways, good discussion and cheers.

With Demko, it seems pretty much guaranteed that the usual late season rise to the mediocre middle, in a lossing season will happen

The chasing the mediocre middle strategy has been on going, since after 2011 and doubling down carries a very thin margin for the FO to operate on cause of the hard & flat cap. The team is a bottom 5 dweller and capped out - but likes to chase the mediocre middle because of Francesco, not EP. https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/569255

He would had been cheaper next year cause he would be closer to his RFA. Two top picks in a deep draft is an overpayment and Yzerman knows it, perhaps if those picks was next year or so on, it would had been more palatable. Would had preferred they kept the picks and used one of the lottery tickets on a RHD that can play D, instead of a QH type D.