Ray Ferrero: Linden/Benning have convinced owner the team is in developing stage. Vision is for 3-5 years from now

[Vansicle]

Sorry not gonna trust you on that one lol.

Vancouver will be better this next season then they were last year, wouldn't be surprised to see them in the Playoffs.

This. It's as if people think the two options are tank and get first overall or sweep to win cup.

Too much watching MG. It is possible to improve your team while trying to win now.

Not sure why that is so hard to comprehend.

[He-Lord]

The concept behind building a winning franchise hasn't ever, ever changed btw. You don't rely on players who happen to fall to you in drafts. The truly elite players never fall. You need to lose before you can win.

I am very, very glad that the franchise isn't going to pretend for years like Calgary. They have 100% of my support here as long as the ends justify the means. If we go and do something crazy like trade a tank team 2015 1st rounder away, well, support from this fanbase will simply diminish. Safe prediction.

Except our main problem hasn't been who we pick, but how we develop our picks. With us owning and having full control of our farm team, hopefully that changes.

[Warhippy]

Didn't say Tanev or Kassian. Higgins/Hansen at most. And yeah I said it was a bad pick at #6 because he is out for 6 months which is horrible for his development. However if he can develop properly he's going be a beast. I've never called anyone a bust and you're trying to put words into my mouth.

Pretty sure you should go back and check again.

But it's ok. We are done here. If you don't want to own it that's fine

[TOMapleLaughs]

Except our main problem hasn't been who we pick, but how we develop our picks. With us owning and having full control of our farm team, hopefully that changes.

Development has improved immensely during the Gillis era. The farm team helps, but elite talent never sees it.

[6YPE]

underdog team? i don't think so. had the best player, bure and a solid group. they were expected to win and should have won it all

They were 7th in the Conference, they went 41-40-3 with 85 points, 3 more than the last place team to make the playoffs in the conference, the Sharks. Vancouver won the first game against the flames, lost 3, then won the rest, the 7th game in OT.

The next 2 series went 5 games and the final, as we all know went to game 7 OT. This was hardly a team who was expected to win it all... I have no idea where you get your info from but I do not agree with you... sorry.

[Adios_Kes]

Makes no sense to me after the kesler trade. They would have got propects vs older/at the age of peaking now roster players.

They would have got prospects, more picks etc if their vision was 3-5 years IMO.

I Think the Kesler trade is a bad example. It's not like they were in a position of strength with the "list" they were given. I'm sure they wanted more picks & prospects but what are you gonna do when you have only two teams to deal with.

[RDCurran]

Game 7 against rangers didn't go to overtime was won in regulation !

[TheXFactor]

As long as the team play their hearts out and provide an entertaining performance then 3-4 years is absolutely fine by me. Can't expect to consistently be playoff contenders. Except Detroit.

[He-Lord]

Development has improved immensely during the Gillis era. The farm team helps, but elite talent never sees it.

It improved, but it still wasn't great. It also didn't help that Gillis threw away draft picks. In the 2010 draft, we didn't even have a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd draft picks.

[coastal1]

They're not tanking so give it up people.

Of course they are not tanking. This will be a bad team for at least another 4 years that will play as hard as it can.

[Gaudette Celly]

Yeah. Everyone had career lows because of Torts' dumb system. If we had AV last year, the top 2 lines wouldn't have been burnt out and we would be in the playoffs (not that we would have done anything in the playoffs).

The coaching and system was likely the biggest factor, along with the injuries. If Zach Dalpe isn't playing with the Sedins, you know things have to be getting better. Burrows won't go 30+ games without scoring again, Kassian is figuring it out, the third and fourth lines are better already, and the new boys all have high compete levels. Effort will certainly be there this year if nothing else.

There won't be any tanking -- Benning and Linden were quite clear about that. Indeed, not even really an "evaluation season" let alone off-season, as the house-cleaning is well under way.

[coastal1]

Yeah. Everyone had career lows because of Torts' dumb system. If we had AV last year, the top 2 lines wouldn't have been burnt out and we would be in the playoffs (not that we would have done anything in the playoffs).

Exactly, we would not have done anything in the playoffs like the 2 years before last. And teams are judged by the play offs. 1 win in 2 playoff years before last year. That is NOT a good team, last year was nothing odd for this group, they have been bad for 3 years now.

[The Magician]

Pretty sure you should go back and check again.

But it's ok. We are done here. If you don't want to own it that's fine

Just quote it and link me so I know it's not BS.

[coastal1]

The coaching and system was likely the biggest factor, along with the injuries. If Zach Dalpe isn't playing with the Sedins, you know things have to be getting better. Burrows won't go 30+ games without scoring again, Kassian is figuring it out, the third and fourth lines are better already, and the new boys all have high compete levels. Effort will certainly be there this year if nothing else.

There won't be any tanking -- Benning and Linden were quite clear about that. Indeed, not even really an "evaluation season" let alone off-season, as the house-cleaning is well under way.

Just a bad team playing to its potential. Maybe, if the pkan works out well, in 4 years they become respectable talent-wise.

[coastal1]

The team as of now looks like it could contend for a playoff spot if coached well, most likely a wildcard spot.

We still haven't even hit FA yet and we could make another trade.

The team as it looks now as at best a second line center on the top line, at best, 2 real top six forwards, no proven NHL goal tending, and an average D with no stud. Maybe, we incredible luck, they can squeeze into spot #8 and get swept. But very unlikely.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Tanking is just an attention grabbing word anyway. No team loses on purpose. Well, not since the Lemieux draft Pens anyway.

Rebuilding is what happens when the core players fade. It is what it is. Happens all the time. I guess we're not used to it? It's been awhile. I have high hopes that we do it right this time. If not, then that'll be soul-crushing. And it'll cost.

[westcoast]

Sell at deadline add first line centre and d men at 2015 draft and they are darn near ready to start movin on up.

[Adios_Kes]

And 2 days ago we were getting Reinhart and Shinkaruk Tanev ++ were worth it and yesterday Virtanen was a terrible pick and management sucked.

Ease up there muffin, if you SERIOUSLY see this team being competitive while learning yet another new system with no genuine top 6 snipers no genuine 2nd line center only 3 genuine top 4 D men and a glut of tweeners between the 4th and 2nd lines with little to no pre existing chemistry you're daft.

We will not intentionally tank, but there is little to NO way we are competing

Ouch! lol. I think I'll take more of a wait & see approach. I'm not expecting us to be at the top of standings or compete for a cup or anything but I think we can compete. Remember that before the injuries started piling up we were competing last year, even with mad dog Torts grinding guys like Edler down to nothing. Now I know this isn't the same roster as last year & Kesler is a big loss (Garrison not so much haha). But I wouldn't be so quick discount Bonino & Sbisa, I'm really excited to see what they do here, I think Bonino will surprise a lot of people. He's clearly not the shut down guy Kesler is but he can score & unlike Kesler he will actually use his wingers. A lot of guys had down seasons last year but with mad dog Torts being gone I expect guys like the Sedins, Burrows & Edler especially to rebound in a big way next year. Also what about some of the youngsters? I'm especially curious & excited to see Jensen next year. Kassian was really showing improvement at the end of last year & I expect that to continue under WD. Then there's free agency. I don't know that we'll be going after the top names out there but we will be players. So yes I see it as realistic that we're 3-4 years away from challenging for the cup but I see us being competitive & fighting for playoff spots in the mean time. We will definitely not be bottom feeders!

[goblix]

People will laugh at me, but I think this is a playoff team next year. I think a new coach could revive the Sedins in addition to giving guys like Bonino and Vey the opportunity they've been waiting for.

I also think we'll grab a legit starter via free agency, as well as a scoring forward to add to our offense. We're pretty far from the cup, but if Minnesota and Columbus can make it to the playoffs, based largely on coaching, I think we can too.

I agree, we are one Top 6 forward, #1 goalie, and a Right handed puck-moving offensive d-man that can pair in #1-4.

the first 2 I think we can sign via Free-Agency, the right handed offensive d-man likely a trade...

[oldnews]

I'm not buying the line - but in a good way.

I think they sold Kesler a bluff/"rebuilding" story - and then weren't really that reluctant to usher him out the door when he didn't change his mind

Goodbye Mr. Kesler.

But this team is going to be better this year without him imo- they already are imo, with the addition of another wave of new talent and a whole lot of cleared air with Kesler quacking elsewhere.

The cap space they have to work with really leaves a whole lot of potential if they can attract a few guys in free agency - and realistically, they could still have a handful of cap in their pocket in the event the season goes well and they intend to take advantage of a cap seller further along or at the deadline.

My preference would be to go relatively moderate in the FA market unless of course an unexpected home run like Stastny decided he likes the city of Vancouver and the direction the team is headed. Vrbata, likewise, wouldn't hurt. Add one of those guys and team looks pretty damn good and deep imo.

Perhaps more realistically/modestly:

Add another 2/3 tweener center - my personal target of choice would be Grabovski - at a moderate price and short term - plays a solid two way game with hard work and upside. Bonino and Grabovski can determine who plays where, but between them you have the potential of 35 or 40 goals out of your 2 and 3 C and a guy in Grabovski who can handle hard minutes and quality competition. (Perhaps a guy like Kulemin could fit nicely at a good price as well).

Leaves a number of solid youth options for 13th man and injury call ups - or to force their way into a pretty solid bottom 6 - Horvat, Archibald, Grenier, Lain et al. Not sure about Sestito's future but we'll see.

Santo, Jensen and Vey can compete for 2RW minutes.

Not really interested in the blueline UFA market. Acquire Petrovic from Florida (who will likely move a young D) for Schroeder and a pick or w.h.y. to add another near NHL ready prospect to the mix.

Stay away from the overmarket goaltenders.

Sign Greiss to compete with Markstrom in tandem with or as backup to Lack.

FORWARDS
Daniel Sedin ($7.000m) / Henrik Sedin ($7.000m) / Zack Kassian ($2.000m)
Alexandre Burrows ($4.500m) / Nick Bonino ($1.900m) / Mike Santorelli ($1.300m)
Chris Higgins ($2.500m) / Mikhail Grabovski ($3.500m) / Jannik Hansen ($2.500m)
Shawn Matthias ($1.750m) / Brad Richardson ($1.150m) / Derek Dorsett ($1.633m)
Nicklas Jensen ($0.863m) / Bo Horvat ($0.894m) / Linden Vey ($0.735m)
DEFENSEMEN
Dan Hamhuis ($4.500m) / Kevin Bieksa ($4.600m)
Alexander Edler ($5.000m) / Chris Tanev ($3.000m)
Luca Sbisa ($2.175m) / Ryan Stanton ($0.550m)
Alex Petrovic ($0.795m) / Frank Corrado ($0.591m)
GOALTENDERS
Eddie Lack ($1.150m)
Thomas Greiss ($1.200m)
Jacob Markstrom ($1.200m)

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $69,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,706,944; BONUSES: $933,333
CAP SPACE (26-man roster): $5,293,056

$5.3 million cap on reserve to work with, even with 15F, 8D and 3G. Pretty much room to go after anyone they desire when you trim down the 26 active roster spots.