TOMapleLaughs Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Kinda simple. Edmonton and Calgary used to own the west and the NHL saw little growth in the US. Now growth of the game is possible in the US because Edmonton and Calgary stink and the US teams have all the perks. It's a totally deliberate, well planned-out marketing strategy that starts with drafts being rigged and ends with playoff game management, with horrible management moves by all the Canadian teams in between. And now Vancouver is in the basement too, thanks to some horrible moves? You don't say. Winnipeg? With the moves they've been making since leaving Atlanta I don't see them being serious contenders anytime soon either. Canada will continue to subsidize league growth in the south for years to come, i'm afraid. A NY-LA final is Bettman's masterpiece. Don't be surprised if and when NYR 'miraculously comes back' and forces a game 7. Not sure if they'll win though. A comeback from being down 0-3 in the series happening twice in one playoffs has astronomical odds. Certainly historic, but perhaps too ridiculous to sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Googs Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Looking at the rosters of the Western Conference, the top six teams are blessed with high-end skill and depth. I wanted to look at the process of which these teams got to these levels. Anaheim, San Jose, and L.A. are the top Pacific teams. Colorado, St. Louis, and Chicago are the top Central teams. I don't believe the Canucks have the assets to compete with these teams next year and be in the mix with these top six. My question is, what other teams are ahead of us or behind us in the process. I haven't been able to understand why the Oilers are such a poor team year after year. They keep adding high-value individual players through the draft, and each year, I expect them to break out. The Ducks made their push to the top by trading Bobby Ryan, and having a group of young assets contributing to their core, which hadn't changed. San Jose had a similar strategy in keeping their core, with their youth slowly taking over equal roles in the top six over the years. Finally, L.A. has always been strong, but allowed youth to develop to fill important roles. Colorado got to the top slowly, but drafting high, adding top picks till they finally clicked with a new coach. I wonder if Edmonton is too far behind them. St. Louis has allowed a young core to develop for years now, and steadily added high skill youth through development to the point they are ridiculously stacked with talent. And finally, Chicago is just Chicago, a team with an awesome core that also has added youth that seamlessly filled into vacant roles. Of these different models and franchises, which is the most logical path to take to improvement? Again, I don't feel the assets are there yet to be in the top six in the conference, but the goal is to NOT be the Leafs and be hovering just behind a playoff spot for years. I believe in identifying the core. I feel there should be a five year plan, to replace the current core of Sedins / Kesler / Bieksa / Edler with the new core gradually. I don't think the peices are quite their yet, but Horvat seems to be the safest bet to qualify. A Kesler trade or any other must bring in an equivalent prospect of forming a new core. Also, I believe in grooming Lack / Markstrom to be part of that group. I don't want a high-priced UFA goalie or even a quick fix to play 1A or 1B. I fear that the youth won't be ready to make impacts quite yet, and the team will have to resort to filling out the top nine with Santorelli, and other reclaimation projects to fill in for a year or two. Perhaps this will allow us to compete for a wildcard; but a want player development to truly be the focus of the franchise. -Jagori Well said. I think it is obvious. We need to rebuild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Googs Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 At least? I would expect that at most. Our biggest problem imo is we have no second line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Googs Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 People seem to forget how hopeless LA and Chicago were for decades. It takes a lot of high draft picks and luck to build a core like that. So let's follow their approach and I'll see you in 2025. Hopefully we draft well. I gree we need to suck for a while. But not until 2025. I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerEpic5 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 We don't need to suck for another 10 years to become contenders for gosh sakes. With the right players, drafting, trades, we can be contenders as early as next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deized_kanuck604 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Im hoping we grab vanek from mtl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry Goose Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Im hoping we grab vanek from mtlgod no. the last thing the nucks need is another Houdini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera82 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Our biggest problem imo is we have no second line. Doesn't really seem like we have a first line anymore either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuxfanabroad Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 god no. the last thing the nucks need is another Houdini Thought he was a David Copperfield?!..Granted, Vanek will probably escape from some bottom-feeders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSecretIsMe Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Don't forget about Dallas. Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alex Chiasson, Valeri Nichushkin etc. They may be a force to be reckoned with in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfstonker Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Im hoping we grab vanek from mtl Vanek was only average in the playoffs. He didn't live up to the rave billing imo. 10 in 17 and a -4 is not good value for me. He's 30 and I just don't see us giving up Kesler at $5M to take on Vanek at £7+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharnhayre Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 LA has beaten every team at their own game. They are a well rounded solid team. If you wanna play a physical game with them, they will, if you wanna play a run and gun shootout style game, they will beat you at that, and if you wanna play a speed game... guess what... they got you there too. The reality is, to win the West, you will need to go through either Chicago or LA.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfstonker Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I actually think that NYR have demonstrated quite well how to beat them, it is just a pity they had no puck luck until game 4. I think they are beatable, just as Boston was beatable, as long as you get even breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Money Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 This represents the "strategy" of everyone who wants to keep Kesler: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2009cupchamps Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Doesn't really seem like we have a first line anymore either. We actually have a very good second line, we just need a first line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacare Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 You're right on alot of points. But heres something to add. If we want to be successful we shouldn't be trying to copy another team. Thats probably the plan for every team that isn't one of those 5 or 6 or whatever. and we're not talking about them are we? Did chicago/La/ANA etc. get to where they are by following another teams plan? No, They ARE the plans we're talking about, they Drafted well and built a roster around what they have, and thats what COL is doing now. Thats what we should be doing. We should be following the canuck model, maybe we already have that model, or maybe it still needs to be defined, but we need to do our own thing and see where it gets us. That means developing a solid core and complimenting it with solid prospects and cagey veterans. You're not going to build a better CHI, LA etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazin! Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Please don't suck for 5 years. It's entertaining to watch my local team try and win games...not lose all the time. Trade Kesler and speed up the rebuild significantly. Kesler's good, sure, but there's really no point in keeping him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niklas Jensen Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Loo-cheech for Kesler. Than we have the smash bros in Loo-cheech and Kassian. Then after that, we beat up all western conference team physically Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil_314 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Draft well, develop well and manage your assets well. Make sure to leave key vets in place to mentor younger players (Sedins, Bieksa). All the "right stuff" is already happening. Fans just need to be patient and let it actually unfold instead of panicking every 5 minutes and calling for it to all be blown up in a reactionary spaz. All of this. For this fan base, I'd say the last point is important. Trevor was hopeful in guys like Edler rebounding, and as long as he's an asset it's best not to do reaction trades which might tear an even bigger hole in the lineup if the return we get is less than market value and/ or these guys find their form next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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