Gillis silent while Canucks need him most (Bold moves my ass)

[ForsbergTheGreat]

Every core player with the exception of Hamhuis was a pre Gillis acquisition.

Luongo

Sedins

Kesler

Burrows

Bieksa

Edler

These are the engines of the Team the rest are supporting cast.

This is the dumbest logic, What’s Gillis supposed to do get rid of them because he didn’t draft them. Does the next Pits Gm get rid of Crosby and Malkin because he didn’t draft them, there for not the team he built. Come on now. All the players you’ve mentioned have been resigned by Gillis, meaning he’s had the option to move on from them if he wanted to. But instead he’s provided better opportunity for those players to achieve their potential. Don’t believe look at the break out year for each of the players you’ve mentioned all (except Luongo) in the Gillis era. For all we know Burke or Nonis would have giving up on the twins, Kesler, Burrows, and traded them off prior to them all hitting their top potential for a lower return. Look at Kardi, Burke leaves after calling him fat and lazy and he finally gets a chance and has a really good first year in the NHL. If Burke was still GM he’d be still in the AHL considered a bust. I guess with your thinking every time a new GM is hired there should be a mass roster movement.

I"m not Gillis homer but this Gm has provided Vancouver with the most successful and consistently competitive team we have ever seen in this franchise, and this fan base still finds a way to complain. We haven't missed the post season in what 5 years and we still hear the whining, I think people are forgetting what it feels like to have a team that's not competitive, a team that doesn't make the playoffs, and a team that gives little to cheer for, it wasn't that long ago.

[The Nuckist]

Every core player with the exception of Hamhuis was a pre Gillis acquisition.

Luongo

Sedins

Kesler

Burrows

Bieksa

Edler

These are the engines of the Team the rest are supporting cast.

Every core player with the exception of Hamhuis was a pre Gillis acquisition.

Luongo

Sedins

Kesler

Burrows

Bieksa

Edler

These are the engines of the Team the rest are supporting cast.

And how many of those guys was headed for UFA status during Gillis tenure and was resigned by him?

[Warhippy]

Every core player with the exception of Hamhuis was a pre Gillis acquisition.

Luongo

Sedins

Kesler

Burrows

Bieksa

Edler

These are the engines of the Team the rest are supporting cast.

6 players. On a 24 man roster and it is a Burke/Nonis team?

I am ever so glad that math adds up for you....

[elvis15]

Great post. It is the biggest irony in sports... Fans blame the commish for ruining the game they love, when he is only acting on behalf of the those who actually own the game.

Bettman should be a voice of reason for them though, someone to look after the best interests of the game. Maybe that means that role doesn't have the job security it does for him now, but people hate him for being a shill and promoting things that are wrong with the game rather than balancing the owners wants out with what is good for the game.

[elvis15]

Stars lost 7-3.

As a fan of Dallas as well as Vancouver, I call BS here. ...

Haha, I have nuck nit on my ignore list (for obvious reasons) so call it lucky I saw that one. It further validates my earlier point that wasn't so much of a bold move but rather a change for both sides and it hasn't so significantly improved either team to be a massive win - let alone push Dallas into a playoff spot after being close in previous years.

They've been just outside the bubble for the last 3-4 years, and that's where they are again this year. They are on a path to improve on that, but the Seguin/Eriksson trade alone isn't the bold move that fixes it.

[DIBdaQUIB]

Bettman should be a voice of reason for them though, someone to look after the best interests of the game. Maybe that means that role doesn't have the job security it does for him now, but people hate him for being a shill and promoting things that are wrong with the game rather than balancing the owners wants out with what is good for the game.

True. He is not a CAO, he is the Commissioner. He has more influence through his actions/recommendations than many here give him credit for. While the final decisions are made by the Board of Governors, much of what they decide is based on input and recommendations made be Gary.

They're a team and Gary deserves his share of grief from fans not satisfied with the direction of the league.

[Ugli Fruit]

Having no moveable assets and no cap space is not hindsight, that's poor planning.

Gillis and co created the cap mess that many fans could see coming.

And what you're doing is waiting for something to blow up and go "see I told you so". Gillis obviously invested a lot into the 2011 year because he saw the potential of this core when he joined the team. He tried to give NTCs in exchange for a cheaper cap hit for our top players so he could establish a stronger bottom 6. It was all an investment for a cup and it nearly worked for the first time in team history.

Of course it looks bad now since we have no cup. But if we did win in 2011, this situation would be "inevitable" and "there is nothing MG can do about it".

[icycold]

And what you're doing is waiting for something to blow up and go "see I told you so". Gillis obviously invested a lot into the 2011 year because he saw the potential of this core when he joined the team. He tried to give NTCs in exchange for a cheaper cap hit for our top players so he could establish a stronger bottom 6. It was all an investment for a cup and it nearly worked for the first time in team history.

Of course it looks bad now since we have no cup. But if we did win in 2011, this situation would be "inevitable" and "there is nothing MG can do about it".

Ok Mister you too... that's enough reasonable logic for one thread here.This has to stop, this IS the CDC based on game by game emotions. No long term logic allowed!

[Absent Canuck]

I agree with you. I worry post Olympics or after this season when there's an out in his contract (just the ability to demand to be traded, but it doesn't mean MG has to do it), I think Luo is out of here. He was treated poorly by MG. You could seriously make a TV show out of the gong show that occurred there.

I've said many times sarcastically that MG has a hard time ordering breakfast, forget making trades for players/millions of dollars. I stand by this. He just doesn't k now how to make a deal..............I'm happy for him to prove me wrong anytime.

I think its a buyers market. There are a ton of teams with guys they want to punt and few teams with the cap room to take them. However, they also have low first rounders in a weak draft so I expect more than a few to get tossed around in proposals.

The team is in a very specific situation that does not come around but once every 30 years. An aging core with 3 hall of fame players and a fourth who will have his number retired here (Kesler)

What do you say to these guys? Just ride it out? Get a year older? They dont have very many years left to waste. Cap goes up next year..........but it also goes up for every other team too. All 30 will be jumping around trying to OVER pay free agents.

I think we need two players. Steve Ott would be the main piece and he would only cost us Gaunce or our first rounder in this weak draft.

Getting a scoring winger to help on the second line would be great but if the cost is our 2015 ist rounder or anything higher than Jensen, getting Ott will have to do.

[oldnews]

Great post. It is the biggest irony in sports... Fans blame the commish for ruining the game they love, when he is only acting on behalf of the those who actually own the game.

I think what you've expressed there is both a myth and a large part of the problem. Imo, there's a huge difference between being the present owner of a franchise, and "owning the game." The game belongs to everyone and no one.

Perhaps the gap between those realities is likewise evaporated in the minds of some owners - but the fact is that the game existed before any of them, will exist after any of them, and there isn't a single one amongst them that the game wouldn't be fine without.

They are the current owners of a franchise. That is all.

Bettman is the agent that represents the results of their competition to control the league - the game is larger than all of them.

[Warhippy]

Kinda want to put this thread to bed.

So, Gillis is terrible right?

OK. To fix this team, make a list of players you want to see him go after. Then make a list of players and prospects you'd make available to get these players.

Now ask yourself, is this team better now and in the future in regards to what you got in comparison to what you gave up?

If the answer is no (which it will be) stop complaining or be more realistic about the team this year.

The Vanek trade set the bar pretty bloody high for a rental, the Ryan trade set the bar even higher for a player under contract. Anythign that you want (ie; Kane) is going to cost a roster player a couple of picks and a Blue Chip Prospect like Shinkaruk or Horvat. Really think it is worth it?

Gillis through luck or design left this team in awesome position moving forward with the core locked up, an AVERAGE amount of NTC's in comparison to the rest of the league and some solid cap space with nobody really needing much a pay raise next season leaving us some serious cap space to make a major signing.

So get to work, if Gillis is so bad. Make your lists, tell us what you want and what you'd give up to get it and then tell us if this makes us better now and or in the future.

[Angry Goose]

Kinda want to put this thread to bed.

So, Gillis is terrible right?

OK. To fix this team, make a list of players you want to see him go after. Then make a list of players and prospects you'd make available to get these players.

Now ask yourself, is this team better now and in the future in regards to what you got in comparison to what you gave up?

If the answer is no (which it will be) stop complaining or be more realistic about the team this year.

The Vanek trade set the bar pretty bloody high for a rental, the Ryan trade set the bar even higher for a player under contract. Anythign that you want (ie; Kane) is going to cost a roster player a couple of picks and a Blue Chip Prospect like Shinkaruk or Horvat. Really think it is worth it?

Gillis through luck or design left this team in awesome position moving forward with the core locked up, an AVERAGE amount of NTC's in comparison to the rest of the league and some solid cap space with nobody really needing much a pay raise next season leaving us some serious cap space to make a major signing.

So get to work, if Gillis is so bad. Make your lists, tell us what you want and what you'd give up to get it and then tell us if this makes us better now and or in the future.

And after all that these same people should assume that somehow magically other GM's are interested in trading said players, let alone for what they are getting in return.

Yes CDC, other GM's are thinking exactly like you are

[oldnews]

Gillis was on top of his game when it mattered most this year - in the days following July 1st.

The decisions teams made in the summer, facing a cap drop, and the significant change up that was free agency with them all seeking quality players at an affordable price in the context of very few having much cap space to work with, Gillis and his management, scouting and coaching team selected some very good players in the context, when every team in the NHL was hunting them. Richardson, Santorelli and Stanton is about as well as any team in the league did under the circumstances.

Why haven't they subsequently landed the team a top 6 saviour and an elite puck moving defenseman (who isn't also a liability)? It might be because he's stupid, or it might be because they don't have the cap space, they don't want to overpay and spend their futures, and there simply haven't been any really attractive candidates at a reasonable price yet.

For those of you going on as if a Mike Cammalleri would make the difference that sends the team on a long playoff run - I've heard that song before, and the guy who was singing it is unemployed.

[elvis15]

Psh, take your reason elsewhere - this is CDC after all!

[nuck nit]

Haha, I have nuck nit on my ignore list (for obvious reasons) so call it lucky I saw that one. It further validates my earlier point that wasn't so much of a bold move.....(BLAH,BLAH,BLAH-edit-mine).

They've been just outside the bubble for the last 3-4 years, and that's where they are again this year.

Good,I can start calling you out without having to reply.Makes it easier so my thanks for your ignorance.

There were only three wins separating the Canucks from the Stars before the Islanders won last night.Dallas still has two games in hand.The Canucks have made the playoffs for five years.The Stars have not.Three wins separate the teams.

Nill made a huge trade,the trade of the year that significantly improved his team.

Gillis's 'boldest' move in 5.5 years has been trading Hodgson for a third line project,if you don't count throwing $20 m at a player that should have retired.

Nill-eight months on the job:

Immediately fires the coach and hires Ruff.

Drafts Nichushkin-makes the opening night roster and is playing first line minutes.

Acquires Sequin ,Peverly and Button.

Dallas has not made the playoffs for five years and yet have 47 points after 42 games.

The Canucks were a Stanley Cup contender and have made the playoffs the last five years ,have played two more games than the Stars and yet have only three more wins.

[oeteman]

Gillis is a master at manipulating the fanbase (and Aquilini apparently) that the team's woes are related to SCF hangover, the league not enforcing the rules, changing the identity of the team. tougher division, AV going stale, injuries, reffing, difficulty in making trades these days etc. Nothing is his fault.

He hung out Cody Hodgson. who knows what really happened but rather than take the heat, he dumped the timing and outcome of that trade on Hodgson's shoulders.

He never even talked to Cory Schneider about a trade possibility after anointing him #1 and then trades him at the draft after screwing up the Lu deal and alienating him.

Chicago lost a number of key players after their SC win but only needed a year to recover and within 3 years won again and may win this year as well. Boston remains a fairly dominant team in the race for the SC as well. The Nucks fall from 2011 is a disgrace. To have the core talent this team had and to completely destroy the confidence, structure and identity to where it is now is all that needs to be known about MG as GM. He should have stayed a player agent.

This^

I'm so tired of Gillis and his excuses. The guy has completely tarnished his image in the league and now takes on the trash from other clubs (Florida). There have been countless questionable moves that have not added to the "direction" of the club. I think he had the right idea a few years back but he never followed through, and now he has lost his way and has been exposed.

He never really executed the plans he preached about and now Vancouver is NOT a destination for other players. This relates back to the his tarnished reputation and horrible way of dealing with delicate (players' personal) situations.

His shelf life has expired, stop the bleeding

[Warhippy]

Good,I can start calling you out without having to reply.Makes it easier so my thanks for your ignorance.

There were only three wins separating the Canucks from the Stars before the Islanders won last night.Dallas still has two games in hand.The Canucks have made the playoffs for five years.The Stars have not.Three wins separate the teams.

Nill made a huge trade,the trade of the year that significantly improved his team.

Gillis's 'boldest' move in 5.5 years has been trading Hodgson for a third line project,if you don't count throwing $20 m at a player that should have retired.

Nill-eight months on the job:

Immediately fires the coach and hires Ruff.

Drafts Nichushkin-makes the opening night roster and is playing first line minutes.

Acquires Sequin ,Peverly and Button.

Dallas has not made the playoffs for five years and yet have 47 points after 42 games.

The Canucks were a Stanley Cup contender and have made the playoffs the last five years ,have played two more games than the Stars and yet have only three more wins.

So. You're comparing the canucks tot eh stars.

The canucks who have drafted 24th or higher in basically every draft in the last 5 years

The Stars who have drafted 15th or lower in basically the last 5 years.

The canucks who have had 1 pick or less in each round over the last 5 years

The stars who have had multiple picks in multiple rounds over the last 5 years

The Canucks who have been trading picks/players/prospects to upgrade almost every season to make the playoffs and push for mutliple rounds

The Stars who have been receiving picks and prospects for trading away spare parts.

And then of course Nicushkin (had to go down that old road did ya)

So you're comparing a top flight team over the last 5 years that is on a downward trend to a team that has been a near bottom feeder int he west over the same period of time and is on an upward swing?

Ok then. good luck to ya

[nuck nit]

Nill-eight months on the Job,Hippy.

Gillis-5.5 years.

Dallas have two games in hand over Vancouver with three less wins.

[elvis15]

My ignore list would work better if people stopped quoting the ignorable statements those posters keep making.

The Stars are in the same playoff position they have been the last 3-4 years - out of the playoffs that is. I'm not sure how the trade has significantly improved them as a result.

Gillis has made plenty of moves that rank as being bold, and been involved in what would have been other bold moves if the players in question had agreed - but I've made that point already.

Back to ignore you go.

[oldnews]

This^

I'm so tired of Gillis and his excuses. The guy has completely tarnished his image in the league and now takes on the trash from other clubs (Florida). There have been countless questionable moves that have not added to the "direction" of the club. I think he had the right idea a few years back but he never followed through, and now he has lost his way and has been exposed.

He never really executed the plans he preached about and now Vancouver is NOT a destination for other players. This relates back to the his tarnished reputation and horrible way of dealing with delicate (players' personal) situations.

His shelf life has expired, stop the bleeding

Thanks for the comic relief.

The Florida trash includes:

1) a top pairing defenseman in Garrison (at a tweener cap hit), 16th in NHL defense scoring, only 45% offensive zone starts. A great case for dumpster diving lol. No assets lost.

2) a league minimum contract (Santorelli) playing in the top 6 and outperforming more than half of the top 6 forwards in the NHL - he's tied for 81st in NHL scoring among forwards, which actually puts him in the class of top line NHL production. Very good faceoff efficiency, and again, producing what he has with 44% offensive zone starts whereas top 6 forwards typically demand far higher situational advantages. Trash indeed. No assets lost.

3) an elite two way forward in Higgins, who also produces top 6 offensive output, has outstanding two way underlying numbers, and is among the best puck hounds and takeaway producers in the NHL. Third line cap hit. Marginal asset cost.

Those three players at a grand total of Evan Oberg and a 3rd round pick.

Combined cap hit: $7.65 million.

Is Luongo also "Florida trash"?

Was Jovanovski?

People sure try to get way too much mileage out of whining about the David Booth deal.