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kilgore

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Everything posted by kilgore

  1. I'm thinking, maybe even hoping, that the wrist injury is still affecting him. (As long as he will eventually get back to 100%). Its still so disconcerting to watch him fumble and bumble simply taking a routine pass. Or lose the puck once again trying a deke play around an opponent, when that also used to be routine in his first year here. Still seeing too much of his play where his head is wanting to things his body (or wrist) cannot do.
  2. Its all a gamble. That gamble is based on projections by people who I assume know more than I do. I'd at least wait until it got closer to the TDL. And even if we were way out of playoff contention by then, it would still be a gamble to trade him away, Gambling that the return will pay off. Gambling that if that return is very young, that Petey, Bo, Boeser, will not ask for a trade too. But IMO JR should be only looking to trade Miller, if he takes an offer he can't refuse,....either wakes up to a horse head in his bed, or the return is so good he HAS to take it. Where's Mike Millbury when you need him? JR is in the drivers seat this season and can ask for a lot. So lets see what we can steal. But if not I agree with some here that say we should start asking already this Summer, and feel out if he is open to staying a Canuck for a reasonable contract number. He may say he is, but then re-visit that during the season and especially before the TDL next season. It may depend on where we are in the standings, and/or how he sees the team building going. Will the trade price be less for him next season because of the contract expiring? Yes. But by how much? I really think JR would still find a desperate GM, with a crazy owner nagging him, who will pay a ransom for even a JT rental. I certainly have more faith in the negotiating skill of JR > JB. A team would pay out plenty still next season if there was an understanding that he'd want to re-sign with his new team. (I guess the ultimate result would be he joins another team as a rental and then flips back to Van for a sustainable contract in the Summer). Bottom line......I don't have a hard preference. I'd mostly prefer he find a way to keep Miller, but.....if he got a king's ransom for him, I wouldn't be against it. My only caveat is that if its not a ransom coming back, then wait. He's got time. The difference between what we'd get for him this TDL compared to next TDL is less for sure, but not as significant as some make out. And you have to weigh that "loss" against what you may ultimately gain from Miller staying here.
  3. 2 - 0 lead. Most dangerous lead in hockey. Weren't they ahead 2 - 0 against Edmonton too? As long as they stay aggressive, they will win this game. Too many times when up by a couple they've played like they were on a PK all period, skating backwards and defending the score. Usually doesn't work
  4. I admit I contradict myself when it comes to this team somewhat. Such is the life of a long time Canuck fan. In hindsight, I would have liked for JB to be more hardazz on the twins, and Edler, and other core players with NTC, more pressure to wave so he could trade and stock up. I would not have been happy especially if they picked on Burrows then too. Burrows was kind of like the same role as engine of the team as Miller is now. (In spirit, not necessarily in the goal scoring department). But on the other hand, I admired a manager like Wally Buono of the Lions, who made unpopular decisions to trade away players just before their play deteriorated, despite the fan adoration. So I'm saying I'd get over it. A trade of Miller. It would depend of course if we got back great future pieces. I guess I just feel like this team is somewhat fragile at the moment, mostly because of situations and roster decisions by past management in the last few years. And that the timing couldn't be worse to rip out the heart of the team. To have yet another re-start, re-tool, re-vamp. whatever. After years of management living in some dream world of delusion about how good we are. And you are right, or was it Maddogy, who said Pettersson and Hughes gave that management and ownership a great excuse to keep hoeing that row. But I just wonder if the medicine might be worse than a perceived solution by subtraction of a player like Miller. A type of player that the Canucks have not even seen much of during their whole time in the league. One that other teams would never let go of unless they were starting a true bare bones rebuild.
  5. WOOOOOO! So fun to watch this team. Especially win against the USA. Totally out possessioned (?). They looked a bit tentative and nervous at times, but then look at the opponent. That had something to do with how defensive Canada had to play. Took advantage of their opportunities.
  6. I don't think you mean "properly compete" this season right? Because even if we get serviceable player (s) back, it won't be a superstar, and it won't be someone who plays like Miller at the same or a lesser contract. So you mean next season. I contend that next season we have more of a good shot at improving our chances WITH Miller in the lineup to make the playoffs and compete, than with what we'd get with younger pieces, and draft picks. Its all about if its a re-tool, or a re-build. And I don't think this management wants to signal again to this current young core that they will be starting a rebuild now. If that's the course, that's a different argument. On paper, yes, a bigger return because he's got two potential playoff runs under his cheap contract. But in reality, we may not get quite the same haul, but chances are there will still be a few desperate teams next season, who will pay through the nose for Miller regardless of his contract running out. Because any team that takes him then will most likely only sign him if they have reassurances that he wants to sign long term. And they'll already have a number in mind. And if its on a contending team, that's what he'd probably want too, if he's decided on leaving Vancouver, or if we really can't afford him. Of course not only does it depend on if he actually wants to stay here, and if we can even afford what he will ask, but also that it depends on who is coming back the other way. And in all fairness, JR may be still deciding on a re-tool or re-build depending on if a deal presented to him is so undeniably lucrative, if that's the right word, that he can't say no regardless. Younger haul.....rebuild. Star veteran D and a youngish center who can step in immediately?....retool. I just think also we have to heed Bieksa's warning about ripping the heart and soul from the team. The engine of the team. You have to ask, and JR does too, if who they will replace him with, will we be better off next season or not. And if not, why do it, if its supposed to be a retool? In that case its dumb to trade him now IMO. He may even want to re-sign here next season if we do improve a lot. Who knows? Unless the return is like two #1 picks and a top prospect, and JR has to take the deal, and so it turns into a full on rebuild, and we all must steel ourselves for another 4 or 5 years. But I don't think JR wants to wait that long ideally. And if that's the case, if its just a retool, we need Miller next season more than players who will maybe, maybe, help us in 3 or 4 years. And/or new acquisitions forced onto the roster that, once again, players will have to adjust and get comfortable with each other and the systems etc.. Like seemingly every new season under Benning. Even if its a top pairing D. Look at Schmidt, and Gudbranson. Just because we trade Miller for a good ready-to-play defenseman + picks, or a prospect, doesn't guarantee they will perform or be happy here. Be careful what you wish for.....or assume. There's another train of thought that when you have a player like Miller, you do everything you can to hang onto him. Kopitar is 34, and is still producing for LA. More than that, he's a leader and huge part of their team presence and culture. I'm hoping JR surprises everyone, including sports media who have all but traded him already, and he performs some magic and is able to get us more help on the blue line, or center, by using the other pieces he has here. And at the very least punt the trade decision until next season. I gave Benning the benefit of the doubt for about 5 seasons or so before my posts in here started turning south on him. I'll hang my hopes on JR for now to get us out of this. Talk to me in 4 years. And I may be organizing a new banner for the new Jim.....or Allvin .
  7. What's the rush? In trading Miller. I mean that in the sense that sure, his value is technically higher this TDL than next, but by how much? IF....JT can sustain his play through next season, I can see some desperate team paying almost the same price as one this season. Depends on the GM. Some GMs, pushed by their owners perhaps, are way more trigger happy and over-estimate their team as able to contend, and will overpay to get those final pieces...coughBenningcough. And will still give up a lot to have even one run with Miller @ his economical rate. I'm not saying never. Of course if the deal was too good to resist you must take it. If the return was enough to placate the dressing room with solid talent, especially on the R side back end or center, and a few years younger, go for it. Its the whole "culture" issue that may be an issue. This team has been managed in such an ad hoc and delusional way for eight years. With no direction or communication leaving players also confused and rattled at times. Trading away Miller right now would be another kick in the nuts to the team chemistry. That includes next season too. I would prefer that JR try his hardest to find a way to NOT trade Miller at all. At least try and improve the team without trading him, and ripping the heart and soul from the team. Who knows?...Maybe JR will find a way to navigate Benning's cap mines he left him, and can find deals involving other players instead. And we are way better next season, with an improved Petey. Resulting in Miller wanting to re-sign at a fairly reasonable cap hit. Its not impossible. I think there's no rush. Other than JR wanting to put his stamp on the team with a huge move right away.
  8. Miller should not have tried to go 1 on 3 in OT, but that's how he rolls. High risk , high reward. And the fact is, it could have easily been a high reward situation. He may have been stupid to try and go through 3 players when he had the whole ice, but he actually was in the process of winning against the odds and busting through the defense! The only reason he lost a scoring chance was the illegal whack to his gloves, causing him to lose the puck and drop his stick. I think he was expecting the call because of how obvious a call it was, so he stopped skating for a second. But the criticism of not going back in time is whack....He had dropped his stick and wouldn't have been able to back check anyways. Maybe he could have hustled to the bench quicker. Bo didn't quite make it to the play in time. But the non call slash was the whole reason the Flames even had the extra man in the rush. The refs should be ashamed. How many softer hooking calls do they call in the game on a pedestrian play a long ways from any net? No we didn't deserve to win. But if Miller would have not been hooked, and allowed to continue to the net and in another one of his heroic gambles he scored, it would have balanced out the many nights we don't win but outshoot and outchance the other team. Hate losing to Calgary
  9. Should have been a penalty shot based on their criteria from earlier.
  10. I'd love to see their jaws drop to the ground, all the sports media who are all salivating about covering this "imminent" trade, when JR manages to trade other pieces to set up our retool, and Miller remains.
  11. Yup, And what happened to the instigator rule? Used to almost be automatic that one team would get the initial penalty, and the other would get an instigator if they retaliated back. Especially on 5 min. major refs would for sure call the two minutes against the other team. Not for the Canucks I guess.
  12. Alright, lets build a small fast team vs. a big tough team. Its clear that Vancouver will always extra get big man penalties if they try that route.
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