We are an Elite Team who is just waiting to explode offensively

[KnucckleHead]

We have no secondary scoring.

We haven't had secondary scoring for 3 seasons now.

While I like your positive outlook OP, believing that guys like Higgins, Santorelli, Kassian, and Richardson are going to suddenly provide us with secondary scoring anytime, let alone in the playoffs, is not realistic. Once again, IF we make the playoffs, the opposition strategy will be what it's always been...that is to shut down the Sedin's and you'll probably win.

by Committee .

[CanucksSayEh]

by Committee .

Comittee isn't really what we have. We have elite, then 3rd liners. Comiittee required more of a 2 2nd lines and good 3rd, rather than a first and two 3rds. That way it's harder for teams to target the head.

[hockey21383]

LOL this scoring problem has been happening since we beat the Bruins in Jan of 2012. We're not going to explode offensively, your living a wet dream, bud.

[Dr. Crossbar]

Lets hope Torts has a bit o a say Because I think he knows exactly what we need...

He said last night during the post game that it's not about going out and finding other players, it's about playing within our team and our game.

[DeNiro]

LOL this scoring problem has been happening since we beat the Bruins in Jan of 2012. We're not going to explode offensively, your living a wet dream, bud.

That's why we finished first in goals in the west that season right?

People need to stop this myth that we somehow became a different team after the Boston game. It's ridiculous. We weren't as good as the team in the previous season, but we were still a very good team. We just got beat by a team that caught fire at the right time. End of story.

[Tangelos]

In a world where the first 22 games doesn't define a team, the last 22 do.

Wonder what people will say when we have 21 wins and 21 losses at the 42 game mark.

"Oh there's still 40 games to go..."

30 games is a pretty good sample size in estimating our record at the end of the season. If we still have as many wins as losses by then, I would expect something close to that by the 82 game mark

[RyanKeslord17]

Lol, riighhttt. I don't think it's fair to use Elite and Canucks in the same sentence. Tbh, we were NEVER elite. Even in 2010-2011, although that team was great, it was mostly puck luck, hard work, the determination, drive and motivation from tr Olympics to succeed. Once we faced a fierce rival in Boston, our offence dried up like the desert.

We simply haven't had an elite top 6 for god knows how long. We've been just riding on hot goaltending, and a few role players stepping up. Plus the Sedins ofcourse.

What we are seeing now is reality. This top 6 is NOT a playoff team, not with the competition we are up against. Anaheim, LA, and San Jose all ice a much more capable top 6, even top 9 compared to our lineup. If we do make it, it is a wild position.

Gillis needs to make a ballsy move here or he might as well start building around Horvat and Shinkaruk, while planning who will replace the Sedins point production.

[DeNiro]

Tbh, we were NEVER elite. Even in 2010-2011, although that team was great, it was mostly puck luck, hard work, the determination, drive and motivation from tr Olympics to succeed. Once we faced a fierce rival in Boston, our offence dried up like the desert.

Sorry but this statement is completely ridiculous.

If the team in 2010-2011 wasn't elite, then no team is. They dominated the league and led in almost every statistical category.

The only thing that stopped them from cruising to a cup (after Chicago) was a rash of key injuries.

[RyanKeslord17]

Sorry but this statement is completely ridiculous.

If the team in 2010-2011 wasn't elite, then no team is. They dominated the league and led in almost every statistical category.

The only thing that stopped them from cruising to a cup (after Chicago) was a rash of key injuries.

Dominated who? Calgary, Edmonton, Minnesota and Colorado? We played those teams a total of 6 times each. If a team like Chicago or STL was in that division, they easily pass our point totals.

I can agree to the injuries situation, and yes, they might have even won, but I STILL wouldn't consider them elite.

I'd consider them a team with heart and determination that went all the way to win. Again, this is just my opinion.

[DeNiro]

Dominated who? Calgary, Edmonton, Minnesota and Colorado? We played those teams a total of 6 times each. If a team like Chicago or STL was in that division, they easily pass our point totals.

I can agree to the injuries situation, and yes, they might have even won, but I STILL wouldn't consider them elite.

Come on man, you're not that dumb are you?

They were the best team in the league that season regardless of division. No one had the depth on D and in net that we had. Not to mention having a Selke winner, Art Ross and Hart winner, and a Vezina nominated goalie.

Even the bitterest Canuck hater wouldn't say they weren't elite. To argue otherwise just makes you sound like a bitter fan.

[TheAntar]

I believe the records at the 21 game mark almost always predict at least 7 of 8 playoff team each season and have for years. Not sure d the changing playof format will impact the accuracy but there's no reason to believe it will.

[DeNiro]

I believe the records at the 21 game mark almost always predict at least 7 of 8 playoff team each season and have for years. Not sure d the changing playof format will impact the accuracy but there's no reason to believe it will.

Pretty sure you made that up unless you have a source you wanna share.

[DownUndaCanuck]

I'd be panicking if we were getting throttled every game and outplayed, but we're not. The only difference right now is one or two goals that have been coming off bad breaks (SJ fan shot leading to the tying goal), horrible ref calls (SJ hooking call on Henrik, no goal for Henrik against Dallas) and we just haven't had any puck luck in the offensive zone.

That being said, good teams find way to finish and bad teams don't have any finish. We really need to work on that aspect of the game, and sadly it's hard to get grinders and checkers like Burrows, Hansen, Higgins and co. who aren't true snipers of the game to finish.

[Barry_Wilkins]

The scary part about the Canucks chances to make the playoffs has nothing to do with the overblown argument about the transfer out of our previous easy division. It's to do with the fact that many other Western Conf teams have improved, some dramatically, while we've moved sideways, and some could rightly say, declined a bit with our core aging from a hockey player's statistical best (in the aggregate) at 27 years of age.

This isn't surprising. Some of those teams - Colorado, Minnesota, Phoenix -- have been getting higher picks and picking well. Others -- LA Kings, San Jose -- have got the better half in trades. So the problem isn't the Canucks "picking things up" and winning more. The problem is that, in Bettman's 3 point world, it's hard to make up ground when behind, and it'll be doubly tough this year at least, because the teams ahead of us won't come back to the pack, with the possible exception of Colorado.

In short, we might go on a winning streak, but so will the teams ahead of us continue to rack up points. I'm already looking at East-West conference match-ups, a quarter-season in, desperately rooting for the Carolinas against the San Joses.

edit: ahem -- Suter and Parise didn't hurt Minny none too much, either.

[RyanKeslord17]

Come on man, you're not that dumb are you?

They were the best team in the league that season regardless of division. No one had the depth on D and in net that we had. Not to mention having a Selke winner, Art Ross and Hart winner, and a Vezina nominated goalie.

Even the bitterest Canuck hater wouldn't say they weren't elite. To argue otherwise just makes you sound like a bitter fan.

Maybe it's that mine and your version of "Elite" simply don't match. Look at Boston's lineup vs ours in 2011, healthy and everything. Their team is Elite. Depth in every position right down to the fourth line, a very clutch goalie who had an absolutely stunning playoffs, and an all star defenceen in Chara leading the charge. Besides Daniel, name one elite winger on that team. That's right, there isn't one. Name one all star defenceman on that team.

Like I said, and I'm not being dumb, this is MY OPINION, that team had nothing but hard work and determination, and it almost brought them the holy grail. It isn't a bad thing, just saying that they didn't match my definition of elite.

[Ferlands_Head]

I've watched every game except the LA game where we were apparently beaten handily.

As for the past few games like Det, Phx, Ana, SJ, & Dallas we clearly were the better team in all of those games. We dominated pretty much every category & period but have just been snake bitten with scoring. The puck possession shots chances, etc have all been clearly in our favor but the finishing hasn't bounced our way lately.

Just a matter of time before Burrows starts scoring & the Sedins start getting the bounces as well because the chances are there.

With the depth of secondary scorers like Kesler Higgins Santorelli, Kassian, Richardson Bieksa, Edler Garrison Hammer I think we'll be just fine come playoff time. So much more hockey & from the way our boys are playing I have no doubt we will win a lot more than lose if we keep playing the way we are.

Lu is playing quite well & we have a great coaching staff to get the job done.

A proper trade or 2 will put us with the Elite of the league & I'm hoping MG can pull that off & be a great GM.

Should be just a matter of time my friends.

Yes they outworked their opponents, but hard work will only get you so far if you can't bury your chances. Look at the elite teams in the league's depth and compare it to the Canucks then tell me they're ELITE.

Hansen Kesler Higgins

Richardson Santo Kass

VS

CHI

2nd: Sharp-Pirri-Kane

3rd: Bickell-Shaw-Versteeg

LAK:

2nd: Carter-Richards-Toffoli

3rd: King-Stoll-Lewis

BOS:

2nd: Marchand-Bergeron-Eriksson

3rd: Soderberg-Kelly-Smith

PIT:

2nd: Jokinen-Malkin-Neal

3rd: Bennett-Sutter-D'Agostini

SJS:

2nd: Hertl-Thornton-Burns

3rd: Havlat-Pavelski-Wingels

STL:

2nd:Schwartz-Roy-Stewart

3rd:Sobotka-Berglund-Tarasenko

There's not going to be an explosion of offense, this team will struggle to score and it will be worse in the playoffs especially when the only guys on the team with 20 goal capability are the Sedins, Kesler and Burrows.

[CanucksSayEh]

Maybe it's that mine and your version of "Elite" simply don't match. Look at Boston's lineup vs ours in 2011, healthy and everything. Their team is Elite. Depth in every position right down to the fourth line, a very clutch goalie who had an absolutely stunning playoffs, and an all star defenceen in Chara leading the charge. Besides Daniel, name one elite winger on that team. That's right, there isn't one. Name one all star defenceman on that team.

One of the best modern teams to do it, similar to the 18-1 Pats. Bos didn't have a single elite forward, they still don't. Our season roster was far superior. Take the top 5 skaters combined, and Chara is the only Bruin. Kes was our 3rd best, yet was better than any Bruin forward that year, he could be this season as well if he gets going.

Goaltending was a good match, of course didn't end up playing out that way, but on paper, 2 of the best.

The road to the cup is so different in the West these days, anyone who comes out alive will be limping.

9/10 team was just as good I think, Both twins in Ross contention without Danny going down. Kes at his peak 75 points. Sammuelson above 50p and Raymond with 25g.

[DeNiro]

Yes they outworked their opponents, but hard work will only get you so far if you can't bury your chances. Look at the elite teams in the league's depth and compare it to the Canucks then tell me they're ELITE.

Hansen Kesler Higgins

Richardson Santo Kass

Booth is on our third line not Richardson.

If Booth ever becomes that 20 goal scoring winger again we're in alot better shape:

Burrows Kesler Booth

Higgins Santo Hansen

If players play to their potential that's a solid middle 6. Unfortunately Booth is not coming around and may never. If we can replace him with a legit second line winger at some point, it's not that bad.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

LOL this scoring problem has been happening since we beat the Bruins in Jan of 2012. We're not going to explode offensively, your living a wet dream, bud.

We won the presidents trophy that year

[Canuck or Die]

We won the presidents trophy that year

Barely. We only won it because the Rangers, lead by Torts, lost their final game. If they had won, they would have been tied in points with us, meaning they would have won it, since they had the tie break.