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kilgore

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Everything posted by kilgore

  1. Yeah, I can definitely see comparisons with that early 90's team when Bure began playing with the team. Bure was our Pettersson. We had our Geoff Courtnall as Boeser, Ronning our Horvat (as a playmaking center, not physicality) Lumme > Hughes, Momesso > Ferland. Maybe not exact. That 94 team had even more toughness than we have now, but we could make some hay in the playoffs as a similar style mix of a team.
  2. This is how I take Button's gushing over the Canucks, every time he's a guest; He wants to get his guest spot contract on TSN 1040 renewed. Not just him, but Pierre McGuire, Pierre LeBrun, Jamie McLennan, as well. I find their opinions almost worthless because its so obvious their main purpose is to please the Vancouver listener, which pleases Mr. TSN. I have no doubt they go on every affiliate station in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg etc.... and tell them how all their picks are steals and they only see great things ahead for that particular city's team. Some have a more credible take, Bob McKenzie , Ray Ferraro, and others. But I admit their optimism still has a warm fuzzy effect on me.
  3. No one said he didn't have a plan. You don't get hired as an NHL GM without a plan. His plan was whatever the owner wanted, to try and make the playoffs every year. To ignore the warning signs, to hold onto vets when they actually had trade value. Be more concerned about squeaking into the post season than with keeping all your picks and prospects and doing it a more traditional tried and true rebuild, whether the reason was to give the twins one last shot or make Francesco some playoff cash or whatever. It was a gamble that did not pay off with playoffs. In fact it failed so spectacularly that we ended up instead as one of, if not, the worst team on average through the last 4 seasons, and so received high end picks, a few of which that have luckily been winners. Its quite a stretch to imagine this was some kind of 5 dimensional chess he was playing. I give him credit for cobbling together a more credible support group to surround our emerging star players than he's done in previous seasons. But there is a different kind of problem which is not that visible today, with an over full stable of unspectacular forward vets, topping up our cap for the next few years just when we may have wanted to add a "final piece" type player. And even though we have a few good young prospects coming, we could have had a larger pool in the second wave ready to replace the Edlers, Sutters, Erikssons. He's kind of kicking the ball down the road. But it is what it is, and if it works, I'll be stoked.
  4. I remember those kinds of butterflies. I haven't felt those little creatures in my guts for such a long time now. A tiny flutter in 2015 when the series was 3 - 2 for the Flames, and we had a 3 - 0 lead in the first period in game 6, hoping to tie the series. Then the Flamers came back to win it 7 - 4, and take the last series we've been in. Then those little flying bugs migrated south. I miss those little guys.
  5. Great news! Always worked hard on the ice. He'll be a great addition.
  6. There are plenty of $4 million dollar defensemen in the NHL that are not as consistently effective as Stecher. That said, I'd hope to get him for less than that.
  7. Bunch of Mean Girls in here. I appreciate the effort. Clearly you are a fan who has thought about it, and is just throwing out ideas for discussion. It is a pretty "random" diatribe though. What I got from it was....then who's on first? Who's on third? Unfortunately JB has been presiding over a revolving door of "final pieces" in 3 different waves of acquisitions. Some he's had to keep because of the contract, others he's let walk for nothing, others he's swapped for similarly talented place holders. We all hope that this time he has it right, and its at the right time (ie. we finally have a young talented core as our engine), and this new batch of free agents will gel and actually perform BETTER than expectations instead of the other way around. I take your basic point: that we should distribute talent up and down our lines, instead of concentrating it on the top two. But we are spent up to the limit now for the next few years. This is it. So we HAVE to play with what we have. They all have to play on a line somewhere. And there is no way I'd let Eriksson anywhere near Horvat. Loui's offence experiment should be over now. Its either a) Fourth line, b) PK duties c) Utica. Bo deserves to finally play with linemates that can actually play aggressive offensive minded, and skilled. But its a conundrum, where to fit a few of the players he has accumulated in the last past waves of "missing pieces", as well as other draft picks and prospects that have a limited ceiling. But I just pray pray pray to the Hockey Gods that this time, this new wave, we've got it right with free agency. Miller doesn't become the new Eriksson, Ferland doesn't morph into a Granlund, Myers doesn't turn into a Gudbranson, Benn doesn't turn into a Hutton. Or we are screwed royally. I'm hoping to see Gaudette take another step. Watch Pearson and Leivo, after a season now to adjust, become valuable contributors. (Like a Higgins or Hansen in their prime) And the never ending hope that this is the year that Virtanen realizes his potential. Sutter remains healthy. Not because he's anything special but hes kind of like a jack of all trades, but master of none. And could be moved up and down the lineup with other injuries. I could go down the whole team, but I'm stoked and ready to cheer. I just wish we'd have kept Luke Schenn. We are still sorely lacking D with that kind of size and meaness, and could have had him for cheap. Would have been a huge improvement over Biega as a 7th to bring in when we play a bigger team or, dare I say, when we are in the playoffs. edited to add: He was also great with Quinn. I think his size and aggression helped shield Quinn and gave him the confidence to play more offensively aggressive. Oh well. . .
  8. Its probably more like $9 million. But no, of course you and I wouldn't walk away from even one million. Heck, I'd stoop to pick up a loonie on the sidewalk. Its relative. If you have so many more times the amount it would take to make you and your family...and their families....very comfortable for the rest of their lives already, how much more do you need? Or rather, would you accept it no matter if you needed it, or what the working conditions were? I think once one has amassed over, say, 10 million, that amount may vary person to person, but it becomes more about being happy at what you do. ie. the leap from 60,000 salary to $70,000 salary is way more significant than a jump for a millionaire from 6 to 7 million, in terms of life needs and abilities, medical and housing expenses etc, as opposed to the actual amount difference. And a million for the $60,000 year guy is waaaaay more significant than for the multi-millionaire. conversely: $10,000 dollars has more practical real value for the poorer person that that same amount has for the millionaire. The more you have, the less any new money has in the dire importance to the quality of your life. So back to the "more about being happy". Sure another 5 or 9 million guaranteed is hard to walk away from, but he could actually earn at least most of it back anyways. Not garanteed but he's still in shape and still has a few years left of hockey in him, as a decent defensive veteran, so he could re-sign with Dallas or a Swedish team or wherever if he really wants those extra mills to pad his account. But he'd at least be playing for a team whos coach and fans want him there. Where he'd at least get a fresh start. I think its at least an option for him. And you'd think he might consider it simply because its also a way to rectify his lack of production expectations he saddled the team with over the last few years. I really don't know how he could come back, and float around the ice again all year and feel good about himself robbing the team like that.
  9. I can't feel sorry for him. He's made 27 million here. Why I can't is that I think he's given up. If he'd be mad at himself for not living up to his contract he'd show it. Somehow his nose for the net disappeared when he got here. He just dropped off a cliff scoring wise. Okay.....all players decline, some faster than others. But where is the fighting spirit? Where are the hits? Where is a new dedication to being the best defensive player on the team? He has a 19 year old fellow Swede that is embarrassing him in not only goal scoring but playing a 200 foot game. How many blocked shots has Loui done? How much driving to the net and getting knocked down? I've given up thinking he can even pot 20, but if I'd see him just try harder I'd be better with keeping him. Its as if he's read the papers and heard he was only worth 2 million, so he's decided he's not going to play any harder than what he thinks a 2 million dollar player's effort should be. He's okay defensively, but he's no Kesler/Burrows. He's good killing penalties, but not some superstar PK specialist. I'd like to see him re-commit to a role as one of the teams premier shut down specialists. Because surely the offensive experiment is over for him. Be Best Loui.
  10. Yes thanks. I guess I read about 5 million for the next two years, something like that, but there's yet another year to play after that, sadly. 9 million is a lot more to park than 5 million. But heck, even if he only earns back 5 or 6, its not a bad career haul. And he would have the luxury of heading home to Sweden early to play out his remaining years in his home country if he wants. It would be a bit of a risk for him, but really, when is enough enough?
  11. I wish Loui would just call it a day. By my calculations he has already received 31 of 36 million dollars. Based on what I read that he is only actually owed 5 million more in the next two years. Maybe that's wrong, I'm having a hard time finding the number of what he actually has been paid out in total. But whatever, even if its only close to that.....why not officially retire, Isn't 31 mill enough to carry him through now? Naslund forfeited $3 million to retire early. Others do it. I really don't know how he can show his face on the ice anymore to fans or to Travis Green. And if he did retire, if a mere $31 million wasn't enough for him, couldn't he simply make a 'return' to hockey by taking up offers to play in Sweden? Or even another NHL team that now wouldn't have to worry about the cap hit? For a more reasonable amount? In fact, he may even be able to recoup the 5 million in a 2 or 3 season contract with another team. Save us all a lot of grief.
  12. moved. But happy birthday big boy! You've got 31 million candles out of 36 so far!
  13. I'll match that one game and raise it to two. I don't want to see us barely scrape into the playoffs only to get swept. Two wins would be a "success" to me. Of course injuries will play a big part, as they do every year. Not only as legit reasons for failure, but as excuses for failure that will be used by fans in here and the GM if we do not make the playoffs. I pray we will have a relatively injury free season. Not just to do well, but to be able to honestly evaluate what kind of team we have here, and are stuck with for 3 or 4 years based on cap filled contract terms. If we fail to make the playoffs, with a healthy team JB has assembled, he will be shown the door. If its another injury plagued playoff-free year, JB may get another mulligan. I don't want to think about how we go forward if we have a dismal season, even if healthy. It would mean players have underperformed JBs expectations....again. And we all know getting rid of underperforming players on underperforming teams is near impossible to get value. You can get some greenhorn GM to pay a fourth liner from a Stanley Cup winning team like Beagle 3 x 4 but try and trade a solid vet like Hamhuis or Vanek from a poor team. So I wouldn't covet the next GMs cleanup job if this doesn't work out with our stable. JB has bumbled his way into forming a half decent and balanced team...on paper. Of course JB also sold us several times over already by signing the 'foundational pieces like Sutter, and, Eriksson. And a slew of other final support pieces to take us over the top each and every season he's been here. But I'm always a half full glass going into the season. Just because its turned into a half empty glass.....of scotch....at the end of the last 5, hasn't swayed me. St. Louis's success from bottom in Jan. to the top in June, is inspiring. Its all possible. But there are enough changes that the team still needs to find an identity. They haven't had one since the Sedins were still putting up numbers. This takes time, to find team chemistry. Success will speed that along. So I'm hoping for some early wins. And please please good health!
  14. Sorry, not really responding to the post, although I do generally agree. This line just popped out. lol. Funny now how we just assume Edler will never play a full season. Its just a matter of how long it will be before his first injury happens. We just re-signed him as the highest paid defenseman on the team, and is also assumed to be in our top pair. But everyone just assumes, and accepts, he'll be a part time player. To the point we also think it won't be long into the season for OJ to get his start. Something whack about that.
  15. Agree and agree that he tried hard as a rookie GM. I truly don't want to look to the past. I just cannot wear blue and green coloured glasses when I do. I can't prove we'd be an even stronger team if he'd done it a more logical or traditional way from my perspective although the percent of that is higher for me. But I agree we now have some kind of a rebuilt team. It's bigger, tougher, and more skilled. But dang it if I won't look to the future through blue and green glasses. I'm a hopeless fan. Heck I always predict a Cup win every year in the annual prediction thread! Apollo's got nothing on me there! On my planet we can hold two such disparaging thoughts like this at once.
  16. Here I thought you were the more cantankerous alien Alf!
  17. Thing is that's what he SAID he'd do, but in all honesty, do you think this is even possible? Let alone that he fulfilled this "plan"? One of the first moves out of the gate was to relinquish a second round draft pick for Vey. I get that he had to fill the roster with SOMETHING. It's just the confused strategy of thinking you can have your cake and sip from the Cup too. It's one thing to fill your roster spots, it's another to over pay FAs to fill them. You saw the quote up thread; he made no bones about the playoffs being a realistic goal other than the last season. It's the cuts of a thousand knives, letting players walk for nothing, buying high and selling low. Even if I give him a mulligan on Eriksson. His drafting has saved him. Even that isn't a perfect record. No one expects that though. I'm honestly trying to understand how one could define the last five years as some well executed plan that has now all come to fruition. Or for that matter even that just because we're all spent up to the cap, the plan has succeeded as well as could be expected. All that said, I'm optimistic about the coming season.
  18. Mayor of Rightville right there Post of the thread.
  19. Teams also need a bit of luck as well. It's true that perhaps we'd not have landed Pettersson if we'd actually done worse - by doing a traditional break down.... and picked higher, Or done better if Eriksson and other deals had lived up to expectations.....and had to pick lower. That's where part of that "accidental" comes in. Personally I think the Hockey Gods finally felt a bit sorry for us.
  20. To be fair I can't take credit for that term. Heard it in here from someone else. But it's a good description. Did you forget the first three seasons of the Benning era where the word "rebuild" was verboten? ... I started making a list of all the "support pieces" JB brought in via free agency or trading for picks or prospects, that were brought in to, at the very least, get us a playoff spot, but frankly I don't have the time. No one can predict how our team would be composed of if instead we'd have kept more picks, or held back on term or salary on a few of the middle of the road pickups in that desperate attempt to make Aquilini some playoff revenue and instead had the cap room to spend that on one or two elite players, preferably one on defence. It is what it is. We're now at the cap limit and will be for the next few years with what we have now, give or take. Are the support pieces of a calibre to win us the Cup? We'll see. You're right though, accidental rebuild isn't really accurate. More like a clumsy retool. But dammit, I don't want to be dragged into this argument again because what's done is done. I believe one can be honestly critical of the past and still shrug it off and be stoked about the future. I'm happy we are now a better and finally tougher team too. We now have a real shot at it. and if you can't be with the one you love honeylove the one you're withdon't be angry - don't be saddon't sit crying over good times you've hadthere's a girl right next to youand she's just waiting for something to do - Steven Stills
  21. LoL. If there is such a thing as an accidental rebuild, we just did it. I'm not bitter. I am a long suffering fan. I fully expect that any success will involve stumbling into glory with this team. But I'm all in. I have to be. We'll see what happens. No one can see the forest fully grown. Other than you I guess. You saw the 5 dimensional chess game JB was playing all along. You and JB knew they'd land a Boeser @ 23 and a Pettersson @ 5. Good for you. Me, I'm happy to see we have managed to scrape together a decent team for now, no matter how we got here. Not sure how sustainable it is for reasons already explained. But I'm going to live in the the present now. It is what it is. I'm behind our boys 100%. I'm hoping this newly planted forest grows song and healthy for years to come. We need a little luck, but I'm ready for the playoffs baby!
  22. A window is starting now no doubt. It wasn't planned well. For years window tradesmen advised preplanning, and gathering good materials and top line tools to do the job by industry standards. Linden Construction co. advised this strongly. But for at least four years we have kind of ignored that advice insisting we could make a fine window sooner. Do it on the fly and chipped a hole in the wall with whatever tools we had gathered. Some old and rusty. Some very new but untested. Switching out one underperforming tool for another if we had to. Every year at the end of winter, when all houses on the block show off what they've done, to let the Spring light in, ours always ended up looking too small, not squared up, rough around the edges, and ultimately had to resign to the fact it wasn't good enough and would have to start over for the next season. Suddenly some things went our way despite our overachieving ambition. While our tools were overall mediocre and over priced, we were given a few newly minted prototypes of very well made construction tools to help us with the job. That was great! Yet still advisers were warning we should wait for even more help of that calibre before we try again. But the screaming kids and family were done waiting all cooped up for so many years without even a glimpse of the Golden Cup in the sky, so Benning the general contractor switched things up even more. Spent out his whole budget on the best tools he could afford and were available, even if not top line products. They'd help with not putting all the wear and tear on those new prototypes. We were going to try again for real this time the GC insisted. I'm all in. No matter how we got here. Because I live in that house too. And dang it I want to reach out and touch that shiny Cup through our own window now too! Go Canucks Go!
  23. I really really want to keep complaining like this. Especially with OPs titled things like "Benning is doing an amazing job!". Just to balance out the rewriting of history. JB and Aquilini have probably delayed the season when we will finally lift the Cup by a few years. But it is what it is now. The past is the past. Well, other than the problems of too many mediocre forwards that no one else wants, and of course Eriksson. And we have to make room for Boeser. STOP Kilgore! Must...look.....forward. I also appreciate JB has finally made it clear. We are going all the way this season baby! Or at least contending with a stable of new eager signings. Way too many of Jim's years of confusion about just what was our goal? Rebuild or playoffs? Which seemed to change depending on how well we were doing. But I'm on board. Glass half full now. Go Canucks Go!
  24. A one year rebuild. That's got to be a record!
  25. Dude's got taste. Love it. This has to be a one off right? His mom sewed it for him. No way they made this for all the grads. Its quite cynical to think this is some publicity stunt by the Canucks. Does it help endear Quinn to Vancouver fans? Of course. But does that somehow prove his heart wasn't in on it? Not in the least. He could have just declined and we'd never hear about it, and we'd all STILL love him. Its not as if he needed a PR campaign to improve his image or anything. Sometimes a good story is just that, a good story about a good guy(s).
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