2011 Canucks VS 2014 Projected Canucks

[GreyHatnDart]

How silly. Henrik got 50 last year having missed twelve games, on a horrible team playing with no heart at all. On top of that, he was playing injured for several games, because was poorly employed on the ice.

Daniel is more of a concern, but given the issues described above, we may give him a bit of a pass. You'll notice that everyone is projecting him to have fewer points than Henrik for this reason. He needs to step up and prove he is still an elite player, but I don't expect him to score fewer than 60 this year regardless.

Finally comes Vrbata, who scored 51 points last year playing with noted playmaking genius Martin Hanzal on less than first line minutes. Now, I know you don't think much of the Sedins, but do you really think Vrbata will score less playing with them instead of Hanzal on first line minutes? If the answer is yes, I hope you'll understand why no one will take you seriously from here on out.

Well said about Vrbata. This is the chance this guy has been waiting for I think, and I think exactly the type of player (natural RHRW) that the Sedin's have been waiting for. If Daniel is able to get even 75% of his game back, this line will light the lamp many many times this year.

Not to mention, I predict burrows will bounce back and bounce back well. If Vrbata falters there's always plan B.

[jdatb]

Daniel looked pretty good against Calgary in our last game last season. If he hadn't been injured then he would have gotten a hat trick

[Ben Kenobi]

"Not a fan of the Sedins"

All the terrible Canucks teams in the past had a better number 1 line than the one we had last year.

Every single one. That really opened my mind to how far they have fallen.

This team would be better off today if the contracts signed in October were signed at the end of the year.

What if they don't bounce back?

[Dal Colle]

I have a good feeling Higgins with Horvat or Gaunce is a money line. I think that he'll be able to connect with young centers and he continues to produce from last year. Higgins has the tools to be successful and with Great linemates he will be a good solid winger at the top 6

[2SKATES1STICK]

Burr may be 5-7 points high, Sedin and Sedin may be on target, or if they go point a game thats lots there too. I think you've undervalued Vey, thats way off his NHL production already, and he hopefully will be bigger/stronger/faster etc this year. Higgins is probably 5-10 points low, and at least one of our D men will hit 40 points this season, Bieksa will hog the puck and do it if he has to, so I'd say there's another 10-15 points on the back end at minimum. Our new coaching staff may be able to coax the most out of guys like Weber and Edler offensively.

Otherwise I think its bang on.

[Diakonos]

"Not a fan of the Sedins"

All the terrible Canucks teams in the past had a better number 1 line than the one we had last year.

Every single one. That really opened my mind to how far they have fallen.

This team would be better off today if the contracts signed in October were signed at the end of the year.

What if they don't bounce back?

You have to account for all the extraneous circumstances of last year. It will not be repeated. I think once you do, you have every reason to believe that Sedins will score at just under a point per game this year, thanks in part to finally playing with a bona fide top 6 winger. Quote me on it.

[TheRussianRocket.]

"Points based on last years production and projected"

"Daniel -70 Points, Henrik 77 points, Vrbata 60"

Stopped reading here. you're about -80 off what they will do this year. Try 50, 50 and 40.

Are you kidding or you actually giving your word on that?

[Crabcakes]

I think that the 14/15 Canucks will be a team that plays much better as the season wears on. 3 reasons:

1. Many player changes mean that it will take some time for players to get used to playing together.

2. Almost a complete change in coaching staff and management. Culture change and buy in to a new system may take time but the good news is, after last years fiasco, players WANT to buy in.

3. Young players will improve as they get more playing time. A lot of the young guys project to be top 6 players sooner or later. The competitive culture internally will mean that old guard will have to play well or get demoted.

There are lots of reasons to be optimistic.

[William_Clarkson]

Daniel looked pretty good against Calgary in our last game last season. If he hadn't been injured then he would have gotten a hat trick

It's Calgary...

Both of them are huge question marks for next year.

[Pete M]

You're point production prediction for 2014 looks realistic; however, a more important indicator is "+/-" stats. If we get more goals than the other team we win...this is what I tell my team every time we step on the ice.

Good plus /minus starts with good defence and good goaltending.

As I stated in previous posts, out "D" is not good enough and do not compare with the 2011 "D".

The biggest reason we lost the cup in 2011 is Hammer, Rome were out of the series and Edler and Erhoff were playing injured.

Our goals against will be as important as our goals for.

[Ray_Cathode]

While the 2011 team clearly had more skill, this team is a more physical team, much better equipped size and truculence wise to play in the West.

This is the beginning of another ascent. Patience people. Benning may still try to trade for some big pieces in the next couple of years. This team now has architects that know how to build a contender over the long term.

Where is the extra truculence coming from? No Torres, no Lapierre, no Rome, no Kesler, etc.

[TheRussianRocket.]

Where is the extra truculence coming from? No Torres, no Lapierre, no Rome, no Kesler, etc.

Rome is replaced by Sbisa and is an upgrade. Torres is replaced by Dorsett which is a downgrade. Lappy by Sestito which is even.

Biggest question is replacing Kesler's truculence and it won't be by 1 individual but by a number of guys in Bonino, Richardson, Vey, Matthias with the 4 line system chipping in and playing hard.

[BoneOzone]

xxx

[William_Clarkson]

My 2014 / Rookie infuzzed / Vancouver Canucks / Goalies speak for themselves.

____________________________________________________________________

.

Forwards

_____________________________________

D Sedin H Sedin R Vrbata

C Higgins N Bonino A Burrows

D Fox L Vey Y Hansen

S Matthias B Horvat Z Kassian

____________________________________

Defense

____________________________________

A Edler K Bieksa

D Hamhuis C Tanev

R Stanton Y Weber

L Sbisa B Sanguitti

___________________________________

1st call ups

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Forwards

___________________________________

M Zalewski B Gaunce N Jensen

H Shinkaruk K Lain T Dorrsett

C Cassels D Archibald

A Grenier

__________________________________

Defense

__________________________________

P McNally F Corraddo

N Tryamkin J Subban

A Cedarholm A Beigg

M Stewart J Blain

--------------------------------------------------

Ugh...

-Edler can't play with Bieksa, and vice versa.

-Kassian will not be on the 4th line.

-Horvat will not be on the 4th line.

-I highly doubt Higgins will return to the 2nd line.

-Fox will not make the team.

-Stanton over Sbisa? Maybe, but I doubt it.

-Tyramkin is in the KHL I think.

[bigbadcanucks]

The 2010-2011 team was bigger, younger, faster, tougher, and more skilled than the team coming into this season. The only old guys on the team were Salo and Samuelson, with Sedins and Malhotra being 30, and Luongo being 31. Everyone else was in their 20s.

We had skill from the Sedins, Burrows, Kesler, Raymond, Higgins, Edler, Erhoff, Hamhuis. We had toughness from Bieksa, Glass, Torres, Kesler, Lapierre, Alberts, Rome, Oreskovich.

After losing to the Bruins, even though MG expressed an interest in acquiring players who are bigger and tougher, he allowed the team to get softer and organically become less skilled as the skilled players started to see their skill level naturally drop off. This continued on into the shortened season where the team continued to get smaller and less skilled to where we found ourselves this past season where the team lacked pretty much everything.

Now, we have a team where the Sedins and Miller are 34, Bieksa, Burrows and Vrbata are 33, Higgins is 31 and Hamhuis is 32. That's 8 guys out of 22 player roster that are 31 years of age and higher.

There is no doubt that the team projected to start 2014-2015 is going to be more competitive, deeper, and better than it was in 2013-14...but we are light years behind the 2010-2011, so comparing the two is like comparing apples to oranges. The 2010-2011 team were contenders for the cup...the 2014-2015 will be challenged to make the playoffs.

Win or lose, I will cheer for the Canucks...all I ask from this season's team is that they work hard and compete every shift. I would have been more excited about the coming season if the Sedins, Bieksa, Miller and Hamhuis were the only 30-somethings on the roster, but given Burrows, Higgins NTCs and need for scoring that Vrbata could bring, I understand why 40% of the playing roster is made up of players over 30.

I'm optimistic about the future because IMO, we have a strong stable of prospects that will make a difference in 1-3 years, so if there is any pain to be had, it will be short-lasting (lord knows, it can't be anymore painful than the season that we just experienced).

But to compare 2010-11 team to 2014-15 team is like comparing night to day.

[Pete M]

The 2010-2011 team was bigger, younger, faster, tougher, and more skilled than the team coming into this season. The only old guys on the team were Salo and Samuelson, with Sedins and Malhotra being 30, and Luongo being 31. Everyone else was in their 20s.

We had skill from the Sedins, Burrows, Kesler, Raymond, Higgins, Edler, Erhoff, Hamhuis. We had toughness from Bieksa, Glass, Torres, Kesler, Lapierre, Alberts, Rome, Oreskovich.

After losing to the Bruins, even though MG expressed an interest in acquiring players who are bigger and tougher, he allowed the team to get softer and organically become less skilled as the skilled players started to see their skill level naturally drop off. This continued on into the shortened season where the team continued to get smaller and less skilled to where we found ourselves this past season where the team lacked pretty much everything.

Now, we have a team where the Sedins and Miller are 34, Bieksa, Burrows and Vrbata are 33, Higgins is 31 and Hamhuis is 32. That's 8 guys out of 22 player roster that are 31 years of age and higher.

There is no doubt that the team projected to start 2014-2015 is going to be more competitive, deeper, and better than it was in 2013-14...but we are light years behind the 2010-2011, so comparing the two is like comparing apples to oranges. The 2010-2011 team were contenders for the cup...the 2014-2015 will be challenged to make the playoffs.

Win or lose, I will cheer for the Canucks...all I ask from this season's team is that they work hard and compete every shift. I would have been more excited about the coming season if the Sedins, Bieksa, Miller and Hamhuis were the only 30-somethings on the roster, but given Burrows, Higgins NTCs and need for scoring that Vrbata could bring, I understand why 40% of the playing roster is made up of players over 30.

I'm optimistic about the future because IMO, we have a strong stable of prospects that will make a difference in 1-3 years, so if there is any pain to be had, it will be short-lasting (lord knows, it can't be anymore painful than the season that we just experienced).

But to compare 2010-11 team to 2014-15 team is like comparing night to day.

I agree with this. It is a young man's game.

The lack of speed will be evident if some young guns don't make the team.

If our "D" go down to injury, then we are in trouble.

[AllyssaCruz]

I don't think it's a bad prediction but if you take into account that Fox has the skill set of a pure shooter and twf ability, he may make the squad and pay big dividends for us. Vrbata is a pure sniper, so his production with play into what the sedins can do. Vey can bolster a second line with Kassian and higgins and burrows pending on burrows production. Hanson is getting better so I don't think you give him enough credit and so is richardson. Our defense is still just as solid just needed a little extra which we got in with sbisa. We will have a great year.....bet on it.

[#17forlife]

I guess some of the variables/questions for the coming season would be:

1. Will the Sedin twins manage to find a way to regain their form during the previous years, and will playing with Vrbata help them accomplish that?

2. Will Burrows rebound from a disappointing season and remind everyone why he's earning what he is?

3. Can Higgins maintain his point production after losing Kesler?

4. Kassian has been making strides every year, just how far will he step up this year?

If Bonino can hit 20 goals this year that would be a real positive for the team, which doesn't have many players that can achieve that regularly. It will also be interesting to see how players like Jensen, Vey, Horvat and Corrardo fit in with the team, and if they are able to stick with the lineup past the first 10 games.

[WEwantCUP]

It's hard to make projections about the lineup since this year's training camp and preseason will play a larger role in shaping the lineup this year than it has in previous years

[Goat James]

CDC never learns...

http://forum.canucks.com/topic/324899-2011-playoff-roster-vs-2012-playoff-roster-poll-added/?mode=show

Check the poll in that thread...