Millsy

Minus the hitting. Ohlund could hammer people. Not part of OJ’s game unfortunately

That looks like the group we go with!

I’m surprised a team like Anaheim wouldn’t want Baer. They are desperate for some offensive talent, have lots of cap room, and could use his skill on the second or third line

Yep he’ll take over from Schmidt when he’s done

Russian teams are hurting for cash. Maybe they want Him to sign and buyout the remainder of this contract, or agree to pay a bit more

Dude, Podz with 2 years in the KHL under his belt is much more prepared than Horvat was as a rookie and he has more talent than Bo. This isn’t some 18 yr old skinny kid. If you think he’s not on the Canucks the first day he leaves Russia you’re only fooling yourself.

Neither of them have man strength yet. Wait till they’re 27/28 and have that. They will be terrorizing teams. Look at how the twins improved once they could stand their ground

Jasek is a definitely being groomed for the 4C role, the Canucks have said as such. I too noticed he looked good and confident with the puck. Apparently he’s improved Year after year in Utica. A player under the radar who I think will be in the NHL next year at least as a call up

Liking what I’m seeing from Juolevi, Jake, Holtby. louie is being Louie - if he’s not in Utica I will smh

We have sound!!

I’m 5 beers in of Boddingtons after watching football all afternoon! It’s dangerous, it doesn’t bloat me up!

What’s great is each pair has young or mobile D, and a vet who is much better when they are able to just play conservatively and defend. Edler is terrific defensively but tires out from so much play. Now with a strong vet on each pairing a lot of pressure comes off him as the minutes can be spread out much more evenly. Top pair will still get the most minutes but the D can now be closer in minutes played than ever before in JB or Green’s tenure. This will limit injuries, keep the boys fresh for late in games and simply Make everyone on D better! I really think we should end up in the semi finals if our players play to their capabilities and we stay healthy. I just don’t see any team in the North Division with as much depth throughout the lineup

When I look at these lines / lineup I love what I see! What I also see is a real logjam on RW should Hogs show he can play consistently and is nhl ready as the season progresses. Why I say logjam is because of this Russian stud we have coming over in April. It may mean Jake gets moved the left side and that would be great for him and he’s definitely more of a threat on his off wing. My goodness, this is literally the most promising group of talent I have seen in my 35 years as a Canucks fan. I do believe the window is now open and it will be for a good 10 years! GMJB sucks! GMJB out GM’d again! Lol Jake’s ability to play both wings may also be his saving grace / reason he stays a Canuck. The kid is going to really have to buckle down and focus now if he wants to stay here, so much talent! I really think we could win this year!!! GCG!

GMJB out GM’d again!

Woot woot!

Great post and agree with all of it. I think a lot of people get excited by how some prospects can show well in camp but forget how they often look when exhibition games start and they’re playing against nhl / AHL players. The Canucks don’t make decisions solely on the short 10 days of camp, especially this year as travel is problematic. they will consider if the prospects can handle the full season and more importantly what’s best for them to develop. Play a few games every 10 because of injury etc, or be playing a full year in Utica with important ice time (pp,ok, 3 on 3 and lots of minutes). It makes no sense to have Rafferty or Lind etc sitting most nights and losing a valuable year of development. Better to have Erickson, Baerchi, Benn and guys like that as depth as they aren’t in the long term plans and can play adequately as spares

1. Green is the coach he’s paid to win, journalists aren’t 2. It’s actually his depth chart so a journalist doesn’t really matter 3. I don’t want to make things about politics you do! It’s your argument. Sucks when someone shows you it makes no sense huh? anyways enough of this. Enjoy the season

The Canucks goal is to win, they don’t care if a player was drafted #6 or number 215, the best player will play. You seem to think it’s about optics and politics, that doesn’t win cups lol, and it doesn’t help coaches stay employed. Your hubris is evidenced by your view that your opinion based on who’s ahead on a depth chart in a hockey preview means more than the coach himself! This is the most absurd thing I’ve heard yet! you’re actually suggesting the head coach of a team’s view of who is higher on the depth chart holds less value than sports journalists or bloggers? I don’t know if you’re now trolling or actually believe such nonsense. as for ruffled, I think you’re misinterpreting the text size. I cut and pasted from a document as I prefer to type there first vs a phone, and it transferred like that. If where a player was drafted means so much, why isn’t Jake on the second line vs Hogs? They have so much invested in him don’t they? He was a first rounder and Hogs is a second rounder! He was JB’s first ever pick and has underperformed the lofty expectations and to this day many People scream about Nylander or Ehlers! So much negative attention on Jake for years should mean if JB and Green cared about optics and Poltics Jake would be on the first line, he would never have been sent down to Utica, always got PP1 time! How come it’s not optics and politics for Jake? This is just applying your logic to another player. Or how about Baer? We gave up a 2nd round draft pick years ago, and pay him 3.5 mil! How come JB isn’t trying to show he didn’t make a mistake and force green to play him?? see how your logic doesn’t hang together? Maybe the Canucks know how to evaluate talent and want to put the best players they have on the ice to ensure they’re in the best position they can be in to win? Nah can’t be that. I guess you know more, or maybe the hockey experts and their depth charts do know more than the coaches! Smh now I’ve really heard it all!

Our D is better, and will get even better when Tryamkin signs Our forwards should be better from experience and potential of Hogs if he sticks and Podz coming Goaltending is the only question. Can Demko show he can handle the number 1 and continue his great play from last playoffs, I hope so and he has it in Him. And can Holtby bounce back? If our goaltending can be as good with this tandem, it really comes down to health, some luck and chemistry. I do think we can win the Canadian division and make the semis. I don’t see any teams that we can’t compete with for a cup either now. I do think our window has opened now and it’s about the above and how badly we want it

JB sucks!

No hard feelings at all. I just think you’re not being objective and this comment proves it. It’s not about like to me, I like both players equally and think they will both be studs for us when ready. Just that OJ is ready and Rathbone is close but not. The role the Canucks have open is Third Left D, or number 6 That role is not offensive in nature. It’s depth and can play a key role on the PK when one of the top 4 D is gassed / in the box or not suited for PK (Hughes) Therefore, the team needs a dman who’s ready defensively as this player’s role is not offensive. This is often the reason why dmen who are offensive but not top 2 / elite start in the minors. It’s pretty simple as in the minors they can continue to refine their natural offensive game, but also gain experience against men on the defensive side. This latter part is important as the nhl is not a development league. Players need to come in, play their role and gain the trust of their coaches and teammates to play the right way. Not have a teammate cover for their errors (ie put a defensive dman with him). If he was Quinn Hughes and so elite that his offense can make up for his defensive errors it can make sense. If you’re a number 6 and your role isn’t to score but take some minutes away from the top 4 and PK well it’s not the place to learn to play D. Again, the coaches have said he needs to work on his defense. You can choose to believe you know more, you don’t. Moreover, playing against Jimmy Vesey type players in College is not the same as going one on one against Patrick Kane, Ovie, Matthews, McKinnon, Crosby etc. The reality is, OJ is ready and the need is for a 6D. OJ can play this role reliably and with no pressure for offense, which he can gradually add to his game as he proves he deserves more minutes. As he moves up the depth Chart, in will come Rathbone as the next 6D / 3LD At that point he will have the same learning curve as OJ. Since the role is primarily defensive he will be ready has he honed this part of his game in the AHL. Once he proves he deserves more ice then the battle between he and OJ starts as to who will get pp2 behind Hughes, who will get the 2nd pairing LD etc That’s how you: A) create a winning team and ensure you keep winning b) properly develop players. You don’t just throw them in and say hey go get points, and hopefully your partner will cover your errors. Because guess what? Ovie ain’t giving you the puck when you can’t play D dude. You’ll be chasing all night and never score anyways. C) then the result is you lose, your teammates and coaches lose faith in you, you lose faith in yourself and you bust. Hockey development is a bit more involved than liking players

Who said it’s because he was chosen at #6 he’s ready? He had a full year in Europe vs pros, almost 1 1/2 in the AHL and an NHL coach says he’s ready. The same NHL coach said Rathbone looks good but needs to work on his defensive details, and clearly the nhl is not the place to learn those. now you can suggest you know better from reading articles and some basic advanced stats from college vs the opinion of an NHL COACH, great, I don’t have such hubris. leapfrogged OJ on the depth chart? Whose chart? Yours or Green’s? Green’s depth chart disagrees with your assertion. Have a nice night

Nah he’s going to be a stud for us. He looked it in his first camp and has only gotten better and stronger. Had OJ not been ready, I’m sure he would have be in his place. But a year of seasoning in the AHL playing first PP/Pk big minutes against pro’s will get him prepared. I suspect when they expand the rosters for the playoffs he’ll be one of the black aces. our future is bright - 2 years from now Hughes Myers Juolevi Schmidt Rathbone Tryamkin Edler / Woo cup winning D

I’m not deflecting. I made a list of counter arguments to suggest your view of Rathbone at this stage is inflated. You compared him to two superstars, one is a forward and then another forward. You also think you know more than green and haven’t even seen the kid in drills, scrimmages vs nhl players (because we can’t as it’s not televised) and I’m sure you’re not a better evaluator of talent vis a vis green. So while I appreciate you’re pumped on Rathbone, I think we all are and I do think he will be closer to Hughes than many think, he’s not ready defensively according to green (or hinting as such) Rathbone likely has a fine future with us. And yes he’s close, but Juolevi is ahead of him.