Down by the River

I wouldn't trade for Caufield because I think this team sucks and is capped out and acquiring a guy who is RFA this year and is going to command 4+ million makes zero sense. Great player? Yeah. Makes this team better? Yeah. But you can't spend $40 million a year on wingers. The hardest thing to do is move out cap space and yet this team continues to add salary (even though they repeatedly admit that moving salary is difficult). I don't want to derail this thread since its about prospects, but that's my two cents.

The Canucks have to stop drafting for need. They took Virtanen because "big, Canadian". They took Juolevi because they needed a dman (and then missed on the dmen that were actually good). You just take the BPA. I don't get people who are upset at the idea of having too much of a good thing... especially if that good thing is cost-controlled. That's the man and critical difference between Beauvillier, Boeser, Garland, Kuzmenko, Miller, etc. and a 18-year old 'small' winger.

I'll make this my last update on available players from the LAK. I thought I had used up all my retention spots but it turns out I'm an idiot. Tanner Jeannot (TB, RFA, 850K): 1st and 3rd Nick Bjugstad (EDM, UFA, 4.1m): 4th Alec Martinez (VEG, UFA, 5m): 4th Will Borgen (SEA, RFA, 750K): 3rd Jon Merrill (MIN, UFA, 1.1m): 5th Devin Shore (EDM, UFA, 2m): 5th Jeff Petry (PIT, UFA, 5.75m): 5th (10 Team Trade list... still need to see who is on it) Price may change if retention is requested. Will take back any expiring contract at no extra charge.

LAK trade block: Tanner Jeannot (RFA, $850K, Tampa): Looking for a first Will Borgen (RFA, $750K, Seattle): Mid/later round pick Alec Martinez (UFA, $5m, Vegas): Mid/later round pick Jon Merrill (UFA, 1.1m, Minnesota): Late round pick Devin Shore (UFA, 2m, Edmonton): late round pick For all players, can take back salary. Also able to make trades contingent on playoff appearances (e.g., Merrill trade conditional on Wild making playoffs)

I believe Odeen Tufto has signed overseas: https://rp-online.de/sport/eishockey/kev/eishockey-krefeld-pinguine-verhindern-in-ueberzahl-eine-blamage_aid-85601073 If allowed, LAK release Tufto.

Pending trade call, LAK activate Ryan Murray from IR and recall Tyson Foerster.

LAK claim Petry, send down Reese Johnson if successful.

Orlov (Bruins) available from LA. Can take back salary as part of trade.

Alec Martinez (Vegas) available for a pick. Will take back a bad contract that expires in 2024 or earlier. William Borgen (Seattle, RFA) available for a pick. Derek Stepan (Carolina) and Jon Merrill (Minnesota) available for late round picks.

This is one of the biggest pieces of revisionist history that goes on on this board. There are so many people back-batting themselves for being in the minority of people who wanted Virtanen. All I remember is virtually all of CDC clamoring for one of Ehlers or Nylander (mostly Ehlers).

It's the worst trade in Canucks history. Not because of the discrepancy between talent sent versus talent coming back (e.g., Neely versus Pederson), but because of how Benning saddled this team with an enormously bloated contract in the process. This trade sent this team back like four years. It was easy to see coming.

If you're fighting for playoff position, having Horvat for 30 games is better than having him for < 20 games.

I have no issue with the trade. My issue is with framing it around three first round picks. They are stretching reality to make the trade sound better than it is. Once a player has been drafted, their draft position means nothing. All that matters is how they play. If the Canucks trade Luke Schenn, are they going to say they traded away a first rounder?

This is what pisses me off. Stop treating your fan base like they are morons.

1. Because between now and then Bo could get hurt 2. Because NYI wouldn't make this deal at the deadline (because they'd be out of the playoffs by then). 3. Because the top teams are still going to be the top teams... their first round pick isn't suddenly going to be massively higher. 4. Because if you are also trying to move Bo, Myers, Schenn, Demko, Garland, etc., you need time. Trying to do everything in a week is risky. I want to be clear, I am in no way defending this front office. I've basically given up on them. But it is hard to ignore the illogical ramblings of fans who refuse to think things through and assume that they are monumentally more competent and hold more information than the front office.

Why would any team NOT do this? Embarrassing? Calm down lol. What were the alternatives? Carolina? Boston? New Jersey? Seattle? Each of these teams were going to finish way ahead of NYI anyway. Canucks would have been picking around 23-32 if they received a first rounder from one of these teams. Worst case scenario they are picking around 20th this year or roll the dice on 2024 where you have a NYI team that probably isn't going to be much better. What am I missing?

The pick they got from NYI is basically better than any other pick they were going to get from any other team.

I'll preface this by saying that I don't like how this team is run. However, I'm always confused when fans act supremely confident that there was a better deal to be had elsewhere and that other teams are kicking themselves because they would have offered a better package.

Why reward OEL with PP time?

OEL and Myers is just comical.

You just talked about how you've made a conscious decision to move away from being objective, yet you want people to give any weight to your opinion?

I am 100% on board with the idea that it is in the long term interest of this team to lose games. I also think it is idiotic for fans to be bothered by wins.

Happy for the players

To NJD: Bo, retention To Van: Michael McLeod, Reilly Walsh, 2023 1st McLeod has incredible speed and can play 3C. Walsh is a solid RHD prospect who will have trouble cracking the NJD lineup given the depth they have on D. He has a solid 20 points in 38 games in the AHL. The first gives this team exactly what they should be looking for.