Dane Fox | LW/C

[canucklehead44]

Prepare to be shocked then because at least one junior will make the team out of training camp.

I think it will be 3 making it, hopeful yes but one of;

Horvat, Fox, Gaunce, Shinkaruk or even Cassels is bound to make it next year.

It appears Kesler wants to stay now but Booth, Hansen, Dalpe, Schroeder and maybe Burrows will be gone.

Sedins/Jensen

Fox/Kesler/Kassian

Gaunce/Horvat/Higgins

Shinkaruk/Richardson/Mathias

Sestito/Santorelli or Gaunce (Santos on the third line then)

Horvat will have to play lights out in preseason to make it. Fox, Gaunce, Shinkaruk will spend at minimum a full year in Utica, likely getting call-ups in their 3rd pro season (not including a game here or there for injuries).

Even Jensen isn't a lock, but I would put my money on him being the only young player to stick.

[EagleShield]

I don't get why people are making such a big deal out of him being an overager. Same draft class as Gaunce and scoring a lot more.

[Knucklehd]

Ask NYI if one player can change a franchise or not. Tavares single-handedly saved that franchise. McDavid will be on JT's level at least.

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but he didn't really impress me at the world juniors. I am a little concerned with his ability to live up to all the hype.

[Wedge-tailed Eagle]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but he didn't really impress me at the world juniors. I am a little concerned with his ability to live up to all the hype.

How old was he? How many points did Crosby get at the World Juniors?

[UticaHockey]

Horvat will have to play lights out in preseason to make it. Fox, Gaunce, Shinkaruk will spend at minimum a full year in Utica, likely getting call-ups in their 3rd pro season (not including a game here or there for injuries).Even Jensen isn't a lock, but I would put my money on him being the only young player to stick.

I think you are spot on. Rushing young prospects straight to the NHL before they are ready is a panic move that hurts development. The Detroit Red Wings have been a model for player development and more NHL team would be better off if they tried to emulate it. Steve Yzerman gets it and I think he is building a solid team in Tampa Bay for years to come and he built that team in the AHL first.

[Salmonberries]

I think you are spot on. Rushing young prospects straight to the NHL before they are ready is a panic move that hurts development. The Detroit Red Wings have been a model for player development and more NHL team would be better off if they tried to emulate it. Steve Yzerman gets it and I think he is building a solid team in Tampa Bay for years to come and he built that team in the AHL first.

Absolutely, letting prospects 'over ripen' the way the Red Wings org does it is the way to develop players properly. The Oilers/Islanders models stuints the development of the players. A full season in Utica is what I'd personally like to see for Fox, Gaunce, and Shinkaruk.

And Horvat and Cassels back to the OHL for their nineteen year old seasons. Let them play in the NHL when they can actually handle it.

[Junkyard Dog]

Absolutely, letting prospects 'over ripen' the way the Red Wings org does it is the way to develop players properly. The Oilers/Islanders models stuints the development of the players. A full season in Utica is what I'd personally like to see for Fox, Gaunce, and Shinkaruk.

And Horvat and Cassels back to the OHL for their nineteen year old seasons. Let them play in the NHL when they can actually handle it.

Horvat already can. Bo had the size when he was drafted and was already ready defensively.

[Salmonberries]

Horvat will have to play lights out in preseason to make it. Fox, Gaunce, Shinkaruk will spend at minimum a full year in Utica, likely getting call-ups in their 3rd pro season (not including a game here or there for injuries).

Even Jensen isn't a lock, but I would put my money on him being the only young player to stick.

Agreed. I would even prefer Jensen, and certainly Frank Corrado, return to Utica next year for more seasoning. Kellen Lain should be back in Utica as well, along with Ronalds Kenins and Mike Zalewski debuting for the Comets next year.

[Salmonberries]

Horvat already can. Bo had the size when he was drafted and was already ready defensively.

That's Islanders/Oilers rush development thinking though. Just plug them into the situation and let them adjust. I think you get a better, more well rounded player by letting them develop until they have something to actually contribute in the NHL, which is, after all, a mens league.

Besides, Horvat has not exactly set the OHL on fire this year. I think there's plenty of room for growth there as a 19 year old player.

[Noseforthenet]

That's Islanders/Oilers rush development thinking though. Just plug them into the situation and let them adjust. I think you get a better, more well rounded player by letting them develop until they have something to actually contribute in the NHL, which is, after all, a mens league.

Besides, Horvat has not exactly set the OHL on fire this year. I think there's plenty of room for growth there as a 19 year old player.

Just...umm, how good has Detroit actually been the past 5 years? Yeah, it's a little overrated, that sort of development. They have made the playoffs each year, but they haven't exactly been dominant. Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh, LA, San Jose. Consistently good. Have no problems putting the youngins in IF they're ready. Saad, Krug, Teravinen, Shaw made Chicago as an overager. Dougie Hamilton. Jamie Benn in Dallas. He was a 5th rounder. He was in pretty damn quick and has been pretty successful.

"Sometimes you have to run before you can walk."

Tony Stark

[Gyllenhaal]

Just...umm, how good has Detroit actually been the past 5 years? Yeah, it's a little overrated, that sort of development. They have made the playoffs each year, but they haven't exactly been dominant. Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh, LA, San Jose. Consistently good. Have no problems putting the youngins in IF they're ready. Saad, Krug, Teravinen, Shaw made Chicago as an overager. Dougie Hamilton. Jamie Benn in Dallas. He was a 5th rounder. He was in pretty damn quick and has been pretty successful.

"Sometimes you have to run before you can walk."

Tony Stark

It's not hard being a dominant team when you get such high draft picks over the past eight years. i say eight years because those players would be in their prime right now.

Over the last eight years the highest Detroit has picked is 20th overall which was their pick last year. They've also only had four first round picks through those eight years. And if you've been following Detroit this year you would know their young guys mainly Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan, and Jurco are the reason they are in the wildcard spot right now.

And if you're looking for a team that is "consistently good" in the NHL you look at the Red Wings and their 22 years of being in the playoffs(soon to be 23) not teams that have been bottom dwellers for a couple years in the past decade.

[Noseforthenet]

215-122

It's not hard being a dominant team when you get such high draft picks over the past eight years. i say eight years because those players would be in their prime right now.

Over the last eight years the highest Detroit has picked is 20th overall which was their pick last year. They've also only had four first round picks through those eight years. And if you've been following Detroit this year you would know their young guys mainly Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan, and Jurco are the reason they are in the wildcard spot right now.

And if you're looking for a team that is "consistently good" in the NHL you look at the Red Wings and their 22 years of being in the playoffs(soon to be 23) not teams that have been bottom dwellers for a couple years in the past decade.

You usually need to do that with later round picks. That's understandable. To be successful in today's NHL though, you NEED good young players on ELCs to compliment your veterans and become an upper echelon team. Not saying rush them. That's what the 9 games are for. To see if they can RUN!!! Or skate, as it were. When is the last time Vancouver gave a young guy a 9 game tryout? Can anybody tell me?! I can't even remember?!

[BanTSN]

When are people going to realize that we're not the bloody Red Wings?

[Gerbera]

When are people going to realize that we're not the bloody Red Wings?

You are talking about the good drafting by the Red Wings or the slow cocking the Red Wings like to do for their prospects?

I think our draft definitely sucks compared to the Red Wings. However, I think the slow cooking of the prospects by the Red Wings is a good strategy to let the players develop their game slowly and not rushed into NHL like RNH or Brule.

[Derp...]

When are people going to realize that we're not the bloody Red Wings?

I like.

I always find it interesting how this organization talks about emulating other ones.

Well sometimes you need to man up and carve you're own freakin path! Stop looking at what makes other people successful and make your own success! We are not Detroit, or Boston, or LA, or Anahiem, or anyone else!

We are the Canucks and until we make our own plan and execute it, we will be one step behind.

Leaders lead for a reason, because they believe what they're doing is the right way to do it regardless of nay sayers. If they are right they're a genius, if not they're a fool.

Time to see which one we are.

[Salmonberries]

Well I would sure hate to see Horvat have a 50 games with the Canucks centering the fourth line 30 games in the press box kind of experience next season.. You run the risk that that is what he ends up becoming.

[Salmonberries]

I like.

I always find it interesting how this organization talks about emulating other ones.

Well sometimes you need to man up and carve you're own freakin path! Stop looking at what makes other people successful and make your own success! We are not Detroit, or Boston, or LA, or Anahiem, or anyone else!

We are the Canucks and until we make our own plan and execute it, we will be one step behind.

Leaders lead for a reason, because they believe what they're doing is the right way to do it regardless of nay sayers. If they are right they're a genius, if not they're a fool.

Time to see which one we are.

Sounds great. What's the path then?

[pigs_eye10]

You usually need to do that with later round picks. That's understandable. To be successful in today's NHL though, you NEED good young players on ELCs to compliment your veterans and become an upper echelon team. Not saying rush them. That's what the 9 games are for. To see if they can RUN!!! Or skate, as it were. When is the last time Vancouver gave a young guy a 9 game tryout? Can anybody tell me?! I can't even remember?!

I think the last person to get the nine game trial was Luc Bourdon.

[UticaHockey]

Well I would sure hate to see Horvat have a 50 games with the Canucks centering the fourth line 30 games in the press box kind of experience next season.. You run the risk that that is what he ends up becoming.

Well this scenario will sound familiar to any Buffalo Sabres fans ala Mikhail Grigorenko.

[Fozzy]

I like.

I always find it interesting how this organization talks about emulating other ones.

Well sometimes you need to man up and carve you're own freakin path! Stop looking at what makes other people successful and make your own success! We are not Detroit, or Boston, or LA, or Anahiem, or anyone else!

We are the Canucks and until we make our own plan and execute it, we will be one step behind.

Leaders lead for a reason, because they believe what they're doing is the right way to do it regardless of nay sayers. If they are right they're a genius, if not they're a fool.

Time to see which one we are.

Totally agree. Started modelling the team on the red wings , get to the SCF, lose to Boston then decide to model ourselves on them and get bigger. Ummmm hello since we've done that we've got nowhere near to the big show.

Create our own identity. Let teams fathom out how to play us. Don't blimming worry about how other teams are building.