When healthy is this Canucks roster better than the 2011 Stanley Cup Final team?

[AllEyezOnMe]

We could be a 100 times better then the 2011 canucks roster but at the end of the day it's how good the opposing teams have got since 2011 not just us.

[Canada Hockey Place]

You know who gets no respect?

Mikael Samuelsson.

[kazin!]

We'll see how the team plays in the home stretch.

As of today, there are 10 games remaining. Of the 10, 5 games are of importance:

1. @ NSH on the 15th - playing on the road against a very defensive team with an amazing goalie that hardly loses when they score the first goal

2. @ STL on the 16th - second half of a back to back on the road against a potential 1st round match up who also plays extremely defensively but also has some offensive guns.

3. VS DET on the 20th - home game vs a struggling Red Wings team that has had their number all season and is always a threat - USUALLY brings out the best in the team but this season definitely has not seen that happening.

4. VS CHI on the 22nd - home game vs the Hawks...need I say more? They'll likely have Sharp and Hossa back, giving them their lethal top 6 all healthy again.

5. VS ANA on the 25th - home game vs the Ducks who will likely have their captain Getzlaf back by then.

Those games will be of the utmost importance to show up and compete. We take 5/5 of those games with everybody rolling and you can only imagine the type of swagger they'll get going into the playoffs.

[Canucks_Hockey_101]

with Booth out, the lines AV is going with look more like this:

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows

Higgins - Roy - Hansen

Raymond - Kesler - Kassian

Sestito - Lapierre - Weise

[Canucks_Hockey_101]

We'll see how the team plays in the home stretch.

As of today, there are 10 games remaining. Of the 10, 5 games are of importance:

1. @ NSH on the 15th - playing on the road against a very defensive team with an amazing goalie that hardly loses when they score the first goal

2. @ STL on the 16th - second half of a back to back on the road against a potential 1st round match up who also plays extremely defensively but also has some offensive guns.

3. VS DET on the 20th - home game vs a struggling Red Wings team that has had their number all season and is always a threat - USUALLY brings out the best in the team but this season definitely has not seen that happening.

4. VS CHI on the 22nd - home game vs the Hawks...need I say more? They'll likely have Sharp and Hossa back, giving them their lethal top 6 all healthy again.

5. VS ANA on the 25th - home game vs the Ducks who will likely have their captain Getzlaf back by then.

Those games will be of the utmost importance to show up and compete. We take 5/5 of those games with everybody rolling and you can only imagine the type of swagger they'll get going into the playoffs.

[Nuxfanabroad]

Imagine if Sharp had scored & the dirty Hawks did the unthinkable? It just goes to show the effect of good fortune, & the sometimes impossibly narrow margin of victory. The team would've been scrapped for parts.

I'm just happy we've kept so many of those winning components in the right spots. Now they need decent health(knock on wood), momentum & a few fortuitous bounces.

I don't think advancing age is a factor for any of these blokes(2011 vs now); but I DO believe the benefit of those two eventful years will pay big dividends, in experience & lessons learned. It could end up comparable to the Red Wings(mid-90's, trade Yzerman, they all screamed!), just prior to their breakthrough.

[SamJamIam]

A lot of mentions of 2011's swagger but they were riding high off a team strategy that focused on the PP. As soon as it hit the playoffs, it was game management like we see now with Chicago or Boston getting away with murder and still getting PP time because they were down a goal. That "swagger" was turned out to be false confidence. With it, we nearly lost in the first round, and did in game 7.

This year, I think we go in with no illusions and a better team. Sedins are more playoff-ready, we have another 1st line centre in Roy and will have Kesler and possibly Booth back. And as we're getting back to a healthy lineup, the play style of the dominant 2011 team is showing up again.

The most important asset we've gained this year is physicality though. I don't know if perhaps it's just that people here mostly just follow the Canucks and no one else, but we've been leaving a hell of a lot of injuries in our wake. Those are a pain for the regular season but in the playoffs they're the difference. Kass, Weise, Lappy, Alberts, Sestito and Garrison all have taken out numerous players and will be taking out more come the playoffs.

[Conscience]

You have to remember that Malholtra and Samuelsson hardly played. Lapierre was our third line center in 2011. So with the addition of Roy our center depth is improved. Although with any team it is if we get hot.

[Avicii]

A lot of mentions of 2011's swagger but they were riding high off a team strategy that focused on the PP. As soon as it hit the playoffs, it was game management like we see now with Chicago or Boston getting away with murder and still getting PP time because they were down a goal. That "swagger" was turned out to be false confidence. With it, we nearly lost in the first round, and did in game 7.

This year, I think we go in with no illusions and a better team. Sedins are more playoff-ready, we have another 1st line centre in Roy and will have Kesler and possibly Booth back. And as we're getting back to a healthy lineup, the play style of the dominant 2011 team is showing up again.

The most important asset we've gained this year is physicality though. I don't know if perhaps it's just that people here mostly just follow the Canucks and no one else, but we've been leaving a hell of a lot of injuries in our wake. Those are a pain for the regular season but in the playoffs they're the difference. Kass, Weise, Lappy, Alberts, Sestito and Garrison all have taken out numerous players and will be taking out more come the playoffs.

[JasetheCanuck]

the team lacks something i can't put my tongue on... is it motivation? if this squad gets hot going into the playoffs, definitely a cup contender.

[canucksnihilist]

forward depth better

defensive depth better

players having great years: worse

conclusion: potential is there on paper, so far we haven't seen it this year. Our main players are having poor years...

[Bring_Back_Bertuzzi]

I must have missed where Lu won the Vezina!

Also, as you seem to know what the future holds, can you send me next week's winning lotto numbers, please?

[nuck nit]

Edler needs to go on a run without Salo or Ehrhoff.

Cup winners always have a Norris candidate or winner playing lights out.

[Tangelos]

On paper yes, but the game is played on the ice and in 2011 everyone was having career years pretty much and thats not been the case these last couple seasons.

[Peaches]

luo has been to the allstar game many times

been nominated for vezina many times

won gold

leads vancouver for alltime wins and shutouts

Schneider has played 10 games in a row and you think hes god

[Sergei Shirokov]

This year, we have a potential 1st line centre as our 3rd line centre. We upgraded our size and toughness, and have a bit more depth/

We have all of the pieces of a stanley cup contender.... Secondary scoring, a deep defense, and solid goaltending. Things just have to come together at the right time.

[VanNuck]

It'd be better it it includes Luongo operating at peak form, Garrison operating with the same level as with Florida, and Sestito proving to have the Odjick affect. Most importantly, the Sedins must operate at full strength in the playoffs, charging forth without being intimidated by the opposition. Put that all together, this team can easily be a favourite to win.

[Hockey Fever]

If Garrison can ever get a productive as Ehrhoff than yes.

[Bring_Back_Bertuzzi]

Loungo has also been playing hockey a lot longer than Schneider......

[Zoolander]

forward depth better

defensive depth better

players having great years: worse

conclusion: potential is there on paper, so far we haven't seen it this year. Our main players are having poor years...