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PROJECTED LINES IF SEASON STARTED TODAY: Sven Baertschi - Bo Horvat - Brock Boeser Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Loui Eriksson Sam Gagner - Markus Granlund - Thomas Vanek Derek Dorsett - Brandon Sutter - Jake Virtanen (Extra forwards: Reid Boucher, Nicolay Goldobin, Anton Rodin, Michael Chaput, Jason Megna, Alex Burmistrov, Scotty Upshall) Alex Edler - Chris Tanev Michael Del Zotto - Troy Stecher Ben Hutton - Erik Gudbranson (Extra Defensemen: Olli Juolevi, Alex Biega, Patrick Wiercioch) Jakob Markstrom Anders Nilsson (AHL Goalie: Thatcher Demko + Richard Bachman) ***Brendan Gaunce out until November at the earliest according to Jim Benning*** THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD With 1 more year left on their contracts and careers (possibly), the Sedin era should be coming to a close in 2018. There is much confusion these days however for Canuck fans over where this team is headed. We had been spoiled in the Alain Vigneault and Marc Crawford era’s of this franchise. We have to go back before the West Coast Express to remember a time of consistent losing, which came shortly after a failed Mark Messier acquisition that turned out to be the worst signing in Canuck history. Honourable Mention: Loui Eriksson. Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi, and Brendan Morrison owned the team in 2002 through 2006. It was the start of some very fun and high paced Canucks hockey teams. The Canucks also had a sell-out streak of 487, falling just 13 games shy of the NHL record of 500 straight sellouts by the Colorado Avalanche, who attained their mark in the Patrick Roy, Burnaby Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote days. It was a time when the Colorado vs. Vancouver matchup was fun to watch. After the West Coast Express, the Canucks transferred over to the Sedin’s, who eventually became annual contenders to be in the top 5-10 in league scoring. Plus, we finally stopped our goalie graveyard of Arturs Irbe, Felix Potvin, Sean Burke and a host of others with the acquisition of Roberto Luongo. Fast forward to 2011 and being a Canucks fan was pretty fun. We watched the likes of Kesler, Bieksa, Burrows and Hamhuis grow into leaders of the team. Then 2013 hit, and the wheels on the bus stopped spinning round and round. In an era of salary cap management and solid drafting, the bus that had carried so many Canuck fans started coming apart. And so began the Canucks new direction of Trevor Linden and Jim Benning. The men who promise to restock the cupboards with high quality draft picks while keeping a competitive hockey team on the ice. We can't dismiss the cupboards are getting better, but the competition hasn't been fierce with a 28th and 29th place finish in each of the last 2 seasons. The top teams are changing in the NHL, and most would agree it was a good run by an organization that had previously had it’s share of tough times since it’s inception into the league. Now we are stuck having to watch Toronto and Edmonton steal the majority of TV time. The sad part is, those teams are overdue for some winning. It’s their turn. For the next few years, we will get our championship from the draft lottery. We load up with kids we believe will be capable of hoisting the Stanley Cup, and in 3-5 years we should have a decent team. It’s a long process. But we are OVER DUE for that next wave of elite Canuck players. Bo Horvat will be the Captain next year. The Sedin’s will want to pass the torch eventually and let the kids take the top job. Why not allow the kids to play and learn to be the new face of the franchise. Did the free agent signings affect their growth?

Connor McDavid just arrived at the 82 game mark in his NHL career and it got me wondering how he compares to other great starts in an NHL career. Although Connor is no longer considered a rookie, he has played a season's worth of games. I scrubbed the NHL.com database to find the top 10 NHL rookie seasons of all time. SPOILER ALERT: I've included Bo Horvat and the Sedin's rookie campaigns at the bottom. Meaning they aren't in the top 10. But you already knew that. Coming in at #10, believe it or not Senators fans, Alexei Yashin starts a trend of Russian players with amazing first seasons. Yashin finished his rookie campaign with 30 goals and 79 points in '93 -'94. Sadly he finished with a -49 rating. That's a minus for every assist he had. In the very same year however, another player would crack the top 10 in rookie scoring. At #9, a fellow Russian in Sergei Fedorov finished with the same 79 points Yashin did in his rookie year. But he comes in at #9 because he finished with a +11 rating. He did not win the Calder trophy as both Russians were beat out by goalies. Ed Belfour had a stellar year with the Chicago Blackhawks and took home the award for top rookie in 1990. The '93 -'94 season was not only great for Canucks fans, but it boasted some big rookie performances. At #8, Mikael Renberg of the Philadelphia Flyers scored 38 goals on 88 points, beating out Yashin that year in points. Renberg was still the 2nd best rookie the year the Canucks went to their 2nd franchise appearance in the Stanley Cup final. A kid by the name of Martin Brodeur took home the Calder Trophy that year. At #7, Evgeni Malkin continued the streak of players coming from overseas and dominating the NHL in their first year. He scored 33 goals and finished with 85 points for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006-2007. Also winning the Calder trophy as top rookie. #6, Sergei Makorov. Probably the least notable name on the list, he finished with 62 assists and 86 points with the Calgary Flames in '89 -'90. No other player on the list had less than 32 goals, and Makorov finished with 24. He was also the Calder winner that year. With the 5th spot, and half way through our list, comes Joe Nieuwendyk. Another Calgary Flames player on the list who had a solid rookie campaign. It was a few years earlier in '87 -'88 when Nieuwendyk scored 51 goals and 92 points. at #4, Joey Juneau surprised many when he started with the Boston Bruins in the '92 -'93 season. He had 32 goals and 70 assists for 102 points. Meaning only 4 players have ever cracked the 100 point mark in their rookie seasons. But he did not win the Calder. That player is in one of our top spots. #3 is no surprise unless you hate him. Sidney Crosby had 102 points in his first campaign. He had more goals than Joey Juneau by finishing with 39, which is why we rank him ahead, even though they are tied in rookie point totals. But he was beaten out by a Russian that year in both the rookie scoring and the Calder trophy. With the 2nd best season in NHL history in a rookie year, Alex Ovechkin strikes big with 52 goals and 106 points in 2005-2006. This was the last time we've seen a top 10 rookie season. And finally at the top spot. No, it's not Gretzky, he was never considered a rookie. The top NHL Rookie season belongs to the '92 -'93 Calder cup winner Teemu Selanne. Selanne had a year like no other, amassing 132 points. What was even more amazing was more than half of those points were goals, with 76. Can you imagine Brock Boeser getting 76 goals in his first season with the Canucks? Our honourable mention goes to the aforementioned Wayne Gretzky, whose records seem unbreakable. Unless of course Jagr had played his entire career in the NHL. "The Great One" had 137 points in his first NHL season, scoring 51 goals and 86 assists. Not much more than Teemu. So where does McDavid fit in? in his first 82 career NHL games, he has 90 points. 90 points would put him into 6th spot all time. The top Canuck is Pavel Bure in '91 -'92. Bure finished with 34 goals and 60 points his rookie season. Bo Horvat's rookie season was decent. He amassed 13 goals and 12 assists in 68 games. Henrik Sedin played all 82 games in his first NHL season, scoring 9 goals and 20 assists. His brother Daniel finished with 20 goals in his rookie campaign, adding 14 assists.

Canucks Coach Willie Desjardins comments regarding his current state with the Canucks

How do you win a Stanley Cup? I asked Trevor Linden that in Penticton, when the young stars were playing the week before NHL training camp opened up. He said, "Build a playoff team, then get them through the regular season." Well, the playoffs have been confirmed. Now we see if this team has what it takes. Here is how the lines will look, heading into the postseason: Because we do not know when Zack Kassian or Brad Richardson will return, we still need to factor them into the lineup for next week. 1. Sedin - Sedin - Burrows / Sedin - Sedin - Burrows 2. Higgins - Bonino - Vrbata / Matthias - Bonino - Vrbata 3. Dorsett - Richardson - Kassian / Kenins - Horvat - Hansen highlighted means currently injured 4. Higgins - Horvat - Hansen / Matthias - Vey - Dorsett Where does Kenins fit in once Richardson and Kassian return. Maybe Kassian and Kenins take turns in and out of the lineup. On Defence, Alex Edler must be with with Chris Tanev. Edler is at his best when he has a solid stay at home defence partner like Tanev to cover his mistakes. 1. Edler - Tanev 2. Hamhuis -Weber 3. Bieksa - Sbisa What do you think the lines should be? Have your say below...

There is a new statistical number on NHL.com that they have just added, called SAT. It's supposed to rank players by how they benefit their team on the ice. It includes a players goals and shot attempts. Here is the equation they use to define this number: SAT (shot attempts 5-on-5) has the following equation: (Goals + Shots + Missed Shots + Team Blocked Shots) - (Goals Against + Shots Against + Missed Shots Against + Opponent Shots Blocked) when player is on the ice. Which is actually a bit more filling of a stat than the famous plus/minus rating system. A player is awarded a "plus" each time he is on the ice when his Club scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal. He receives a "minus" if he is on the ice for an even-strength or shorthanded goal scored by the opposing Club. The difference in these numbers is considered the player's "plus-minus" statistic. So using this new stat called SAT, we should be able to determine if a player is beneficial to his teammates while on the ice. Think of the Sedin twins. They play most of their game in the opponents end. As we have seen for most of their careers, they are more opportunistic goal scorers. Meaning they don't shoot as often as they probably should. On the flip side, they sure don't get many shots against either while they are on the ice. So they should be on the positive side of this stat. And they are. If you are interested in where the Sedin's stack up against the rest of the league, you might be surprised. Henrik Sedin is the top Canuck in the league with a total SAT score of 115. Not bad right? Compare that to the best in the league and you will find Henrik in 114th place in the NHL. The next best Canuck is his brother Daniel who sits with a score of 93. Good for 145th place. Still not terrible in a league that has had over 800 players play at some point this year. The current leader in the entire league surprised me. I know I shouldn't be shocked, but I have never given this player enough respect. Probably the fact that I am with the Canucks has swayed my emotion, and rightfully so. It's Drew Doughty who tops the list by a pretty wide margin with a score of 331. Only 3 players have an SAT score over 300. The other two players are Duncan Keith of Chicago and Jake Muzzin, who also plays for the same team as Doughty, L.A. Rounding out the top 10 players: Patrice Burgeron, Boston Tomas Tatar, Detroit Mike Ribiero, Nashville Nick Leddy, NYI Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Anze Kopitar, LA John Tavares, NYI Lots of big names on that list. Tells more of a story than some of the other stats out there. I'm still trying to wrap my head around Corsi. 7 of the worst 30 players in the league in SAT points are from Colorado. You can start to understand why the Avalanche have had such a poor year. Do you think this stat may stick around for awhile or is it just another attempt to sell the fans on numbers that don't mean much at all? Which stat means the most to you? Would love to hear your thoughts below. Take a look at all the new stats on NHL.com by going here: http://www.nhl.com/stats/advancedstats?fetchKey=20152ALLSAASAll&viewName=advancedStatsSkaterShooting&sort=playerFullName&ord=asc&gp=1&pg=29

3 points up on 9th place L.A. + 14 Games Left Can the Canucks make the playoffs? As we all know, this years version of the Vancouver Canucks is very unpredictable. They have beaten some of the best teams in the league like St. Louis, Anaheim, Pittsburgh, the Islanders and the Rangers. But they have lost to some of the worst teams as well. Buffalo, New Jersey and Arizona to name a few. So why do I think this years version of the Canucks can make the playoffs? Because of the mix of young and old that this team was missing the last 2 seasons. And I don't mean the young players that don't stick around in the NHL. I'm talking about the youth that is the future of this team. Yes, the've sat out Ronalds Kenins, but this team liked him enough to bring him up before Nicklas Jensen, or Hunter Shinkaruk. Kenins brings energy this team has been lacking. Bo Horvat can't do it alone. And speaking of Bo, how inspiring has his play been? I am almost forgetting that we exchanged Cory Schneider for the pick that led to Horvat joining the Canucks. Mike Gillis is somewhere saying, "I did that! I got that kid!" Frankie Corrado is in there too as part of the young core. Chris Tanev was another Mike Gillis free agent who picked up the undrafted Tanev out of school. His energy counts, and you can tell how difficult it has been for the defence without him. Makes you wonder about Nick Bonino, and how he fits into this team. Here is a guy with great hands, and great potential, but for some reason can't seem to get emotionally into the games. How often do you see him hit a player or get into the scrums. It happens at times, but he is never the one causing them. We still judge Nick when we compare him to Ryan Kesler, whom he was traded for. We did get Luca Sbisa and a solid pick in Kellan Lain. At least when Ryan wasn't scoring, he was being a jerk to someone on the other team and ruining their night. Teams do not like playing against him. He gets boo'ed every time he touches the puck, as a visitor to Rogers Arena. With Kassian, you are getting a young big body that is still developing. Plus he is not afraid to cause problems on the ice. Don't tell me you don't enjoy when he gets emotional in a game. His version of "Beast Mode" when he punched Toronto Maple Leaf Dion Phaneuf was well worth the game misconduct, which he received for not tying down his jersey. Guess what, players and fans on both teams feed of off that energy. When the crowd gets into it, the players get more into it. That's why energy guys like Derek Dorsett are so valuable to a team. Do you care how many goals he has right now? I don't. I love how he plays the game. He keeps people honest and works hard every shift. The biggest question mark of all is in goaltending. We all believe that Eddie Lack is a great goaltender. He is big, mobile and gets into position very quickly. But he lets in the bad goal once in awhile. I think all goalies do however. What do they do when Ryan Miller comes back. It's unknown if he can still handle the playoff grind anymore, if his days in St. Louis last year were any example. I can honestly say I feel a bit more comfortable with Lack in net than I do with Miller. I feel like Lack has played better overall, with less games. For now we trust in Eddie Lack and the rest of his teammates. Only a handful of games remain. Can this team make the playoffs?

What do you think? do the Stars owe Vancouver an apology for insinuating that the Sedin's sleep together?

Just a few thoughts from the Canucks team, along with Sid the Kid (aka. Captain Mumps).

When the Canucks played against the Oilers on Friday night, there was another Canadian team making a presence in the Edmonton building. GM Dave Nonis was also in attendance at Rexall Place in the Alberta Capital, and speculation is already running rampant in Leaf land. Nonis was seen talking with Canucks GM Jim Benning as well as Canucks President Trevor Linden. This on the heels of an embarrassing loss at home for the Leafs who fell 4-1 to the Detroit Red Wings. The toxic fan base in Toronto is continuing to show their displeasure on what looks like another losing season. A leafs jersey thrown on the ice after the game against the Wings represents the distaste of a team that is looking for similar answers as the Oilers. The questions is, why was Nonis talking with the Canucks brass? Well, from another blog writer out of Edmonton, it's believed they were speaking of a trade that would involve a couple Canucks roster players and a prospect for a few of the Leafs roster players and a high draft pick. Nonis is in the market for a puck moving defenceman. Currently Toronto boasts a fairly week back end, with no real potential candidates to step up. Toronto Maple Leafs Defence: Phaneuf - Gardiner Franson - Robidas Polak - Reilly 7th D - Percy The talk between the two teams, which is more just a beginning point in potential negotiations could see a trade that would help both teams. The Maple Leafs could be looking for a trade that would include Alex Edler, Eddie Lack and Frankie Corrado in exchange for Nazem Kadri, Jake Gardiner, goalie James Reimer and a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick. Yes Edler would have to agree to the trade, but it is not out of the question. The Canucks were able to move Jason Garrison who has spoken out since, saying he really did not want to leave the Canucks organization. His wife is currently working in BC making TV shows, and Garrison is from BC. He spoke with TSN 1040, saying he was not happy to leave the Canucks, especially after such a difficult year. Dave Nonis is not flying out to Edmonton to meet with his counterparts just to see how they are doing in their new roles. No. There is a reason Nonis is talking to them, especially when you consider how much his Maple Leafs team is struggling. Keep in mind, he has a coach in Randy Carlyle who just signed an extension. Nonis is on the hot seat with Toronto President Brendan Shanahan and will need to pull the trigger on a move to prove his worth to the club. For Nonis, doing nothing will surely end in his demise in the centre of the hockey universe. What trade would you like to see the Canucks make with the Maple Leafs?

Me with Trevor Linden, wearing a #17 Vrbata jersey. See below picture for the proof. With last years triumphant end to a disappointing season somewhat in the rear view mirror, the memory of not making the playoffs lingers like the smell of grandmas perfume hours after she left. This summer was by far the busiest the Canucks organization has been in quite some time which showcased an assortment of moves. Ones which have finally brought us to this years training camp. An unsettling feeling resounds in the hearts of Canuck nation, for those who felt the promise of excitement exactly a year ago when John Tortorella came in promising change, after two quick playoff exits under then head coach Alain Vignault. All that promise delivered absolutely nothing. We won't be taken as fools again. At least not this season. What was once a promise and glimmer of salvation amongst this aging core with Torts, now gives us an undecided feeling of little expectation for this team entering in a season with its new leadership group. Canucks President Trevor Linden, GM Jim Benning and newly minted head coach Willie Desjardins do not have the pressure to deliver this year as the old regime did. No, this year, if the Canucks put out an exciting product but fail to make the playoffs, there will still be disappointment, but no one would be shocked by the outcome. Which leads us to a much different feeling, this year over last, and the reason why it's ok to be quietly optimistic. The assembled group has the makings of delivering an exciting brand of hockey with the additions of Radim Vrbata, Linden Vey, Nick Bonino, Luca Sbisa and Ryan Miller. Also on the plus side, there are two missing "headline headaches" that have plagued this team the last few years. First is the Roberto Luongo saga. As much as Lou was an integral part of this team, the drama that followed him to no fault of his own, was a burden on the team and it's fans. Second, is the negativity that surrounded Ryan Kesler who was reportedly ready to hold out on the Canucks by not showing up for training camp if he didn't get traded to the only team he allowed a trade to, in Anaheim. There is no questioning Kelser's desire to win with the Canucks. A Stanley Cup seems to be the only thing that will calm down the spirit that burns within him. Unfortunately, Kesler became frustrated with the direction of the team and wanted out. Who can blame him. He was paramount in the original rebuild and has no aspirations to start it all over again. All this leaves us with a Canucks equation that doesn't appear too bad on paper. A core group that went to the cup final subtracted by Kesler and Luongo. Minus another two big names gone from last year in Jason Garrison and an injured Mike Santorelli. Add in Miller, Vrbata, Bonino, Vey and Sbisa, and you get something that equals a decent looking squad. One that could surprise, or completely bust. D. Sedin - H. Sedin - Vrbata Higgins - Bonino - Kassian Vey - Matthias - Burrows Dorsett - Richardson - Hansen Tanev - Bieksa Hamhuis - Sbisa Edler - Stanton Miller Lack Mix in a new coach who apparently respects his players, which is the opposite of what we've heard of Torts. Toss in a sprinkle of a qualified GM who can foresee players futures that the past GM could not. Finally, blend it all together with a franchise President, and you have yourself a future that doesn't look so bad. At least there is something to cling to. No longer can we boast about how good our team is to all the Canuck haters. No longer can we offer our condolences to the other Canadian teams whose struggles were somewhat comical to us on the West Coast. Now we sit patiently, like a cat ready to pounce. Telling everyone that our team won't make it this year, even though deep down we know this group might just make a splash. Quietly optimistic.

http://forum.canucks.com/gallery/image/3307-/ Stop trying to win so badly. That's the motto the Canucks should be carrying with only 4 games remaining. We all know with 100% certainty that the players will be golfing come playoff time. Of course, there are no NHL players in this league that are going to stop trying to win games, but there are other alternatives. Like playing Nicklas Jensen, Frankie Corrado, Zack Kassian and the younger core more. As in, first line minutes more. More importantly, how about getting a good look at your back-up goaltender in Joacim Eriksson, instead of riding current starter Eddie Lack into the 9th spot in the Western Conference. Here's why it matters. Currently the Canucks are sitting in 22nd spot, good for 9th pick in this years NHL entry draft. They sit just 2 points up on teams like Ottawa, Winnipeg and Carolina who have either 79 or 80 points. That means if the teams close to them win and the Canucks lose their next game, they could fall as far as 25th, good enough for the 6th overall pick in the draft. If, Heaven forbid, the Canucks go on a winning streak to end the season however, they could find themselves as high as 18th spot in the league, carrying the 13th overall pick. So why is 6th that big of a difference over the 9th spot or even 13th? Let's look at the current draft choices and favourites going into this years pool, from the 6th spot to the 13th. All choices below are predictions heading into this years draft and are not guaranteed to be selected in the current position. The predictions can be found on http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=49649 6th overall pick - Brendan Pirlini (Niagara, OHL) This 6'2, 205 pound left winger played only 54 games this year but still managed to put up some decent numbers. He had 32 goals and 37 assists, better than a point a game average. Pirlini played on a bad team, that finished with a record of 24-35-3-6. He still managed to stay out of the red, finishing at an even on +/-. "Perlini is a lethal combination of speed, puck skills, and hockey sense which allow him to make dynamic plays in all three zones. He plays a high puck possession game and thrives when the puck in on his stick." - EliteProspects.com 7th overall pick - Nikolaj Ehlers (Halifax, QMJHL) He's not the tallest player, but he is the most skilled of this group between 6th and 13th. He had 47 goals and 51 assists for 98 points in just 60 games played. He also ended the season as a +61. Compare that to Sam Reinhart who is projected to go 1st overall in the draft, Reinhart had 97 points, with 34 of those as goals. The Canucks need goals, but they don't need another Jordan Schroeder. Ehlers is 5'11, 160 pounds. "Ehlers is an explosive player who can beat even the quickest defensemen wide with his speed. He plays on his off wing and creates chances with sharp cuts to the middle complemented by an explosive wrister. He's equally good with the puck and can handle it both at top speed and in traffic." - EliteProspects.com 8th overall pick - Jared McCann (S. Ste. Marie, OHL) At 6'0 and 179 pounds, McCann is one of only 4 Centremen to be in the top 20 of the draft. He had 27 goals and 33 assists in 63 games playing for a solid team that went 44-17-2-5 in the regular season. McCann is the last big name before the giant drop off in talent going into the 9th pick. 9th overall pick - Adrian Kempe (Modo, Swe.) Another left winger, except this time, without the points. At 6'1, 187 pounds, Kempe ended the season with 5 goals and 6 assists in 45 games in the Swedish Elite League. Plus he's Swedish. Not sure the Canucks need any more of that flavour on the team. 10th overall pick - Haydn Fleury (Red Deer, WHL) Just the second top rated defenceman in the draft behind Aaron Ekblad, Fleury is filling out nicely at 6'2, 207. He finished the year with 36 assists and 7 goals on the blue line. And no, his dad is not Theo. "He's got good strong mobility, great vision and has a knack for making that first good outlet pass," Central Scouting's B.J. MacDonald told NHL.com. "He's composed and calm with the puck, and has an ability of knowing when to join the rush at the right moments." 11th overall pick - David Pastrnak (Sodertalje, Swe) Right wing, 8 goals, 16 assists. Canucks need goals. I'm not a scout, but there must be something amazing with these kids if they aren't getting any points. “Pastrnak made the move from the Czech Republic to Sweden in hopes of furthering his career and was successful at the higher level of play. While his defensive game is still a work in progress — and he will need to add mass and strength to compete in North American pro hockey — he has the potential to be an effective scoring forward." - Hockeysfuture.com 12th overall pick - Anthony DeAngelo (Sarnia, OHL) It doesn't matter too much about how many points this kid puts up. He's faced some issues that might see him fall further down the draft for this up and coming defenceman. the Ontario Hockey League announced they had suspended the native of Sewell, N.J., eight games for violating the league’s harrassment, abuse and diversity policy. It's the second time this season the 18-year-old has been suspended for contravening the rule which attempts to keep homophobic, racist, sexist, and the other derogatory language used by small minds – out of the game. In DeAngelo’s case, what he said was directed at a teammate. The team is tightlipped about what was said and to whom, but it was bad enough for Head Coach Trevor Letowski to take action without waiting for the league to intervene. And yes, that would be the same Letowski that had 42 points with Vancouver between 2001-2003. “Internally as an organization we made the decision,” said Letowski, a former NHLer and graduate of the Sting. “It was obviously a serious matter. Any time it involves one of our players there has to be a certain respect level. We respect all of our players and it was pretty serious." - sports.yahoo.com Oh yah, DeAngelo had 55 points on the back end but was a -30. We don't need another Alex Edler. 13th overall pick - William Nylander (Modo, Swe.) See any trends in this draft? Nylander is in fact Swedish if you didn't guess from the fact he plays for Modo. He's also a left winger. There are 6 left wingers in the top 13 prospects. He played 22 games for Modo, had 1 goal and 6 assists and finished a -3. How is he even in the top 100 you ask? According to EliteProspects.com, "He is a highly skilled player offensively. Nylander skates very well, has impressive hands and is excellent at handling the puck at high speeds. Hockey sense is very impressive and he likes to shoot the puck a lot, but is also capable of delivering perfect passes. A very agile player that protects the puck well and skates hard in the offensive zone. On the other hand, his defensive game needs some work. Not a selfish player, but at times he tends to hang onto the puck for too long, instead of making the easier play. Has the tools and skills to lead his team in all offensive aspects." So it appears draft position this year is critical for the Canucks, based off of the talent that is and most importantly, is not available. There is a steep drop off in point production between the 6th and 13th picks, which is exactly where the Canucks will find themselves before the end of the season. Let's be clear about one thing though. In no way will the Canucks organization tell there players to go out and lose. Nor should they. You lose credibility with your players when you ask them to tank. What can be changed is who is playing in the last 4 games of the season. Get the kids out there, get the back-up out there, and start losing. Because for Canucks fans, the NHL entry draft has never meant more than it does right now.

It's fair to say that the current version of the Vancouver Canucks is not a Stanley Cup contending team. It's also fair to say that since the Stanley Cup final against the Boston Bruins in 2011, this team has been in a downward trend followed by the free fall over the cliff since January of this year, scrounging 16 of a possible 62 points. As Canuck fans, we have had to endure 3 seasons of a marriage going bad, as Roberto Luongo put it when he thought his days were numbered before Cory Schneider was traded away. Then John Tortorella was brought in to save this ageing team from the divorce many fans have already filed the papers for. So where does the organization go from here? It's obvious to all that something needs to change in the structure that is the leadership of this team. Wether that change comes from the GM position with Mike Gillis or the coaching with Tortorella, that remains to be seen. What does seem evident is that this Canucks ownership group will not give up on Tortorella after one season. It's speculated that current owner Francesco Aquilini chose to hire the current bench boss to a 5 year deal. with 8 million owing on the new coaches contract, it's highly unlikely he will be let go at the end of the season. What does make the most sense is the GM position. There are many things the owner likes about current GM Gillis, who continues to pull out all the stops to make sure this team has the advantages while playing in Vancouver. Sleep doctors, personal chefs, nutritional coaches, mandatory yoga classes. Getting the most out of the players is of highest priority for Gillis. And he can still manage all these areas while maintaining the position of acting President of the club. Relinquishing his role of GM just makes sense for a team needing a change in direction. There are rumours abound that Markus Naslund has left his dream job in Sweden as the GM of MoDo to join the struggling Canucks. Naslund commented to CBC on those very reports when he was asked if he would consider a return to Vancouver. "I don't know at this point," he said. "I had a couple of inquiries a year ago or so, but it made no sense for me or us as a family. I'm going to take some time...and see what I'd like to do. I'm not ruling out anything. I didn't take the job with MoDo with the NHL in mind. That was to help out an organization that was in rough shape." Well, now the Canucks are in 'rough shape'. There's one concern this hockey guy has, and it's worth bringing up. He's a Swede. Using a Seinfeldism, "Not that there is anything wrong with that", but does this team really need a Swedish touch? Haven't we just gone through a fairly heavy Swedish feel over the last decade with players leading our team like Naslund, the Sedin twins and our endless hope of Alex Edler becoming our stud defenceman on the back end. Oddly enough we are now left with the Swedish goaltending duo of Eddie Lack and Jacob Markstrom instead of our North American tandem of Luongo and Schneider. Did you see that coming a year ago? Think of the last 5 Stanley Cup winners. Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston, L.A., Chicago. These teams won on the strength of North American players. Yes there are good players on these teams from Europe and Russia, but the core of the groups are American and Canadian players. They were the very kids that were pretending to hoist a pretend Stanley Cup playing on frozen ponds or playing road hockey, dreaming of one day getting the chance to kiss hockey's holy grail. They have that desire and passion to win the Cup. Do you think the Sedin's were dreaming of the Stanley Cup at 10 years old? Naslund may help sell tickets in this town, but he is not the answer to build this back into a champion calibre team. There is one man, however, that can be the difference this team is looking for and his name is Chris Chelios. He is currently the Executive Advisor to Ken Holland, the General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings, a role that Steve Yzerman held before leaving to become General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Chelios is training to become a GM of an NHL team and he is currently getting the opportunity to train with one of the best in the business in Detroit. Holland has kept the Red Wings in contention for the playoffs every year and has won multiple Stanley Cups. Even though his team has drafted near the bottom of the pack every year, he has kept his farm team loaded up which has allowed the Red Wings the ability to stay competitive each year. They haven't been throwing away all their assets the way they Canucks have done just trying to add those usually useless pieces at trade deadline day. Examples Sami Pahlsson and Derek Roy. Chris Chelios is an American whose heart is in the NHL and knows what it takes to win a Stanley Cup. He has won the championship 3 times. Once with Montreal and twice with Detroit. The GM of the Florida Panthers recently commented on Chris Chelios, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November. Panthers GM Dale Tallon was a Chicago TV colourman for years before getting into hockey operations with the Blackhawks. He then got a shot at being a GM and saw first hand why Chelios was so good for so long. "The zest he has for life is incredible,” said Tallon. “Every day, he brought that passion to the rink, to the games, everywhere you went with Chris, he was full of life. There was never a dull moment. “In the games, you paid the price every time you played against him. He gave everything he had every shift, every game. Amazing to have that energy all the time, no matter what the age. Not many people are like Chris. Amazing warrior.” Maybe it's time the Canucks had that kind of energy put into the player selection of this team. Sadly, there aren't too many 'warriors' on this current squad. It's time for a change at the helm. It's time for Chris Chelios, the saviour.