Reasons Why This Team Has Fallen So Much Since 2011

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

Hi guys I have seen many people try to explain why this team has fallen and what we can do to fix it but there are some things that are so big they might never be fixed.

1. Different Mentality after cup loss

Many of us noticed after the cup loss how the team had "Lost its drive and confidence". Although the team the won the presidents trophy. It struggled mightily during the last half of the season and had trouble scoring. Everyone knew this was not the same team we saw the year before.

2. Serious injuries to key players

Kesler has sustained many injuries since the 10/11 playoffs many of which he was playing through which made them even worse by seasons end. He is no longer the selke winner we once knew who could shutdown teams top lines centers like Toews and Thornton. The points he is getting don't tell the story of how he used to play as it was defense not offense that made him the player he was.

Daniels concussion from the keith elbow has hurt this team even more so than keslers as the sedins are the lifeblood of the team. More often then not if they don't produce the team has ended up losing games. Daniel has 19 goals in 70 games since the concussion and has no goals in playoffs since it occurred. His shots are no longer as fast and accurate as they once were and he has lost his "sniper status" on this team.

There were also many ill time injuries to players like Booth etc.

3. Losses/decline of key offensive players

Although their point totals may have been replaced by other players on the team. The grade A scoring opportunities and depth scoring weren't.

Whether we admit it or not, Erhoffs departure was became a huge loss to the team as he was one of our best puck moving defense men and power play specialist. Although Edler and Salo somewhat replaced his point totals the following season, the intangibles Erhoff brought were never effectively replaced.

The loss of Erhoff was made worse when the aging and declining Salo left the team and was replaced with a player who could not bring what Salo brought to the power play and instead with a shot that often missed the net.

The loss of Hodgson after the 2011/12 season was huge in that he had scored many game tying goals and made comebacks much more realistic for the team. His skating and size was never there but his clutch goal scoring was. It came as no surprise to many that when the teams top players slowed down and another helped out in the off games that when that player was traded the offense went dry.

4. Large Increase in the quality of competition in the Western Conference(main reason)

With the exception of 3 teams(Predators, Flames,Oilers) every team has gotten significantly better and have achieved much better results because of it while the canucks have been regressing.

In 2010/11 the canucks were one of a few teams that were contenders. Now in 2013/14 there are more than 8 teams in the conference who can possible contend to win the cup. Each team has a much better defense and offense then years before. The canucks have no question declined but the other teams have rose. With players like Richards,Carter,Ribero, Seguin Parise, Pominville,Cole, Havlat, Heatly

heading west its no surprise the west has become a tougher place to play.

5. Lack of prospect success

While other teams were having lots of success with their prospects and having them make the team the canucks have had few forward prospects to offset the losses and injuries sustained at the position.

The future is bright

With a good draft this year and many prospects from previous years developing well the canucks have many players to look forward to: Shinkaruk,Horvat, Gaunce, etc.

[Warhippy]

and here come the Hodgson and Schneider crowd

[Brad Bellick^]

6. Because Gillis was too worried about getting this team "tougher" and brainwashed by the Boston and LA model so he made changes and let players go he didn't have to.

[Van40]

and here come the Hodgson and Schneider crowd

Not a Hodgson lover but boy he would look good on that second line right about now.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

Not a Hodgson lover but boy he would look good on that second line right about now.

He didn't even have to be there he was fine on the third potting goals. Should have just gave him the ice time time to move on though.

[Van40]

Losses of Torres and Volpatti actually hurt our bottom 6 a lot. Erhoff well we know story. Pp qb, puck mover, got the team going.

There's no 1 reason we stink. But I'd say the biggest is the lack of team identity. The canucks are built to be a SPEED and SKILL team. That's where Gillis failed. He took away from the speed and skill rather than add to it.

[Van40]

He didn't even have to be there he was fine on the third potting goals.

Well you get the point. He would of really helped with our secondary scoring woes. Anyway got to move on.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

Losses of Torres and Volpatti actually hurt our bottom 6 a lot. Erhoff well we know story. Pp qb, puck mover, got the team going.

There's no 1 reason we stink. But I'd say the biggest is the lack of team identity. The canucks are built to be a SPEED and SKILL team. That's where Gillis failed. He took away from the speed and skill rather than add to it.

Gillis certainly made some mistakes no denying that but there were a lot of things out of our control and a lot of bad luck that we have had over the years that made things a lot worse.

[MJDDawg]

Not a Hodgson lover but boy he would look good on that second line right about now.

He didn't even have to be there he was fine on the third potting goals.

One of the reasons for trading Cody was there was no spot for him. And here we are now with Kes on the wing anyways and Santo as the centre.

Poor trades, poor drafting and lack of prospect development by the management of this team is primarily to blame for why this team has fallen. We had a good coach in AV and we have a good coach in Torts, yet here we are. So it must be the players and the mix, and if that's the case, it all falls on MG.

[Fred65]

Could be the Sedins while still very good are no longer exceptional, maybe Daniels concussion, maybe age and lets face it we're a one line team again so if they get checked out of the rink no one has the capacity to fill that void. The other thing IMO is Garrison...good player no doubt...but a player we never really needed. MG spent a lot of money on Garrison...got value IMO but what the team needed was a big time play making centre. Cap allocated badly IMO. We have too many Higgins, Hansens, Santorellis Richardsons etc etc all the same type....it doesn't mean they're bad player, not at all, just means we're too heavy in that department.

[Darkstar]

6. Because Gillis was too worried about getting this team "tougher" and brainwashed by the Boston and LA model so he made changes and let players go he didn't have to.

Chicago proved this past year that you don't need to bully your way to a cup. That 2011 Canucks team was much tougher than the 2013 Hawks team that won. Vancouver harsh messed up by trading speed and skill for toughness and grit. The identity of this team is ruined and there's no way to recover it unless if the Canucks make some major moves. With NTC's being given to half the players on this team, the Canucks are probably doomed until their prospects develop.

You don't change the identity of your team just because you came within one game of winning a cup. It'll be Gillis' biggest regret after he gets fired at the end of the year.

The team is slow, lacks the talent to win and still isn't the toughest team around. The worst thing that can happen now is if the Canucks go after rentals at the deadline. They need to build through the draft.

[Brad Bellick^]

Chicago proved this past year that you don't need to bully your way to a cup. That 2011 Canucks team was much tougher than the 2013 Hawks team that won. Vancouver harsh messed up by trading speed and skill for toughness and grit. The identity of this team is ruined and there's no way to recover it unless if the Canucks make some major moves. With NTC's being given to half the players on this team, the Canucks are probably doomed until their prospects develop.

You don't change the identity of your team just because you came within one game of winning a cup. It'll be Gillis' biggest regret after he gets fired at the end of the year.

The team is slow, lacks the talent to win and still isn't the toughest team around. The worst thing that can happen now is if the Canucks go after rentals at the deadline. They need to build through the draft.

Yup. Dead on.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

Chicago proved this past year that you don't need to bully your way to a cup. That 2011 Canucks team was much tougher than the 2013 Hawks team that won. Vancouver harsh messed up by trading speed and skill for toughness and grit. The identity of this team is ruined and there's no way to recover it unless if the Canucks make some major moves. With NTC's being given to half the players on this team, the Canucks are probably doomed until their prospects develop.

You don't change the identity of your team just because you came within one game of winning a cup. It'll be Gillis' biggest regret after he gets fired at the end of the year.

The team is slow, lacks the talent to win and still isn't the toughest team around. The worst thing that can happen now is if the Canucks go after rentals at the deadline. They need to build through the draft.

Yes you need is speed but we didn't have that and when we did it was a player with no hands. Booth was the closest to that but it was it enough. Look at Boston they use speed too(Krecji,Marchand and Bergeron are fast skaters and get goals cause of their speed).

[Tre Mac]

Coaching. Overly defensive coaching leads to the inability to produce offensively. Game 7 in '11, 1st round '12, 1st round '13. No surprise that both the Rangers and Canucks stuggle to score. Last week everyone was singing Torts praises while bashing our other candidate, Dallas Eakins, but maybe Eakins would of been the better choice if he would of been able to coach a more offensive style.

[RonMexico]

Poor powerplay this season and in the playoffs of seasons past.

[Del Rio]

We have fallen off because we have not addressed the issues in 2011

[PhillipBlunt]

You'd think that the Sedins would have taken their game to a new level after signing the new deals. They have sucked wind.

The chorus of folks who thought Gillis should wait until the end of the season to sign them were right. Instead he signed two players past their prime to $7 M a season.

The core that Gillis fawns over is on the downturn. Last night, in a game that was crucial to win, this team soiled their drawers. They owe the home crowd more than that Comets worthy performance. If they don't come out with everyone playing full tilt against the BJs, then this team must just be in it for the money.

[Absent Canuck]

Not a Hodgson lover but boy he would look good on that second line right about now.

No he wouldnt. He wouldnt get the juicy power play points off the half wall here, and therefore be utterly useless. He only has 16 points in buffalo because he gets the primo minutes with the Sabres best players and gets the 2nd assist maker spot on the powerplay.

Watch the Sabres games and tell me how good he is.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

No he wouldnt. He wouldnt get the juicy power play points off the half wall here, and therefore be utterly useless. He only has 16 points in buffalo because he gets the primo minutes with the Sabres best players and gets the 2nd assist maker spot on the powerplay.

Watch the Sabres games and tell me how good he is.

He had 5 ppg on the second unit here... and who could forget this

[nux4lyfe]

The twins have problems scoring vs bigger teams like Sharks, LA...They get shut down during the p/o and we have no secondary scoring, In 2011 we could count on Kes to take over games but has been struggling since..It's gonna be the same story when the p/o come around if changes aren't made.