Media's Questions surrounding the Canucks in 2014-2015...Fruition?

[nuck luck]

We had lots of questions surrounding the Canucks in the summer and I thought it would be interesting to address them now since the season is about to start. It seems like most of the "BIG" questions going into this season are slowly getting answered....I tried to add a poll, but couldn't..... Playoffs or Lottery?

1) Can the Sedins be elite scorers again? With the addition of Vrbata, it seems like they will... definite chemistry and it's only been a few pre-season games. If they only put up humble points 5-5, they will make up for this on the PP.

Answer....YES.

2) Can the Canucks fix a broken PP? Done.

Answer = YES.

3) Which Ryan Miller will the Canucks get? It seems like we will get a Ryan Miller that will be fighting for his livelihood...which is the "good" Ryan Miller. Although, I think this question is irrelevant because of Lack. Goaltending = Done.

Answer = Lack

4) Are any of the young players ready to help? Bo's ready (injured now) and Jensen also seems ready to play....Shink still needs work and we have plenty of others knocking at the door.

Answer = YES.

5) Which Alex Edler will show up? It's still early, but I'm seeing Edler growing with his confidence. Last game vs Oilers was just the start....

Answer = Most Likely.

6) Will Burrows come back? Each game we are seeing a slight improvement from last year. Nobody on this team has fought the odds like him and he always overcomes. I think it's safe to say that he'll do better than last year.

Answer = IMO, YES

7) What will the Desjardines effect be? So far, GREAT! It's still early, but....one thing I like about WD is that I haven't really questioned a lot of his pairings or lineups! He seems to have a good understanding of the players and chemistry...tries things and quickly moves on if he doesn't see a fit. No more shaking my head at lineups But, it's only preseason....

Answer = TBD, but great thus far

If you care to read further, I just put some more specific thoughts below....it's long, so be warned.

2nd Line

This line hasn't had a chance to mesh and work on their chemistry...Bonino's been fine, Kass injured and Burr needs time. I think Bonino is an improvement for the over-all line (passing wise) and it's just a matter of time until this line just clicks....if not, we have options. Isn't this nice!

Bonino - I'm liking what I see so far. He can shoot, he can pass and he can PK...

Burrows - Played well with Bonino this game. They're on their way in regards to chemistry....just need to add a healthy Kass or Vey.

Kass - He's been injured and it's just stupid asset management to consider him trade bait. When he's healthy, I expect a better Kass than last year....those talking trades, give your head a shake.

Vey - I like Vey on the Wing...he still needs to focus on his all-round game. He seems to be a scoring threat and he looks fast.

Jensen - I think that he's improving every game. Now that Bo's injured...I think Jensen deserves a spot. It looks like we will infuse some of our younger players this year. Shink should be sent down...he still needs to adjust after missing the year.

If our 2nd line isn't putting up points, we could try a line of Vey, Bonino, Jensen... to me, this line seems like it could be a scoring threat if WD can match them up properly.

3rd & 4th Line

Mattias - I like him at C. I think we should put him back to 3C and pair him with Higgins and Burrows (depending on Vey, Jensen) or Kass.

Hansen - Needs to be kept on the 3rd or 4th. THE Honeybadger is coming back....great forechecking vs Oilers

Sestito - I like the guy...but he is frustrating. He should be used for games when the other team ices goons.

Player stats vs Oilers: 1 assist, 2 shots, +1, 4 hits, 1 block, 1 takeaway and 5 PIM for fighting....GREAT production and it's coming from the 4th! Dorsett is impressing...

TBH, our bottom 6 looks really good...and we can put a combination of players here....3rd C was my only worry. It seems like we will be able to ice 4 lines this year as management had wanted to do....

Defense

Edler

- Played his best game VS the Oil so far. WD did his homework and he is handling Edler the proper way. Forget last year....one word, Torts.

Tanev

- The only question last year with Tanev was his contract.... I wasn't expecting a new and improved Tanev? Bigger, stronger, hitting, sniping...? WTF! We've got him at 2 mil for 1 year...does anyone know the legalities for new contract negotiations? Can we sign him now before the season starts?

Stanton & Sbisa - The former will play a big role for us and improve....great cap too. Sbisa I'm not sold on...he can hit, but he needs to play D. Could he play as a bottom 6 F?

Goaltending

Lack

Phenomenal. He's fighting for his job and it bodes well for our tandem... I've read lots of talk about trading him and I think this is just wrong, wrong & wrong. Lack could be better than Schneids or equal to him... If a trade occurs and we keep Miller over Lack, Benning is not the man I had envisioned.

Miller

Juries still out on him (for me). Not because of his play, but because he hasn't really been tested. His last game....a few unlucky goals that I don't blame on him. This will reveal itself throughout the season, but as I said from his hiring.... I think Lack will outplay him. I really hope Benning can get us a good pick for next draft in return. Possibly, split the season with him and Lack...improve Miller's numbers and trade him at the deadline or keep Miller for the year so Lack can get better acclimated as #1. Than trade Miller in the summer...

[terrible.dee]

On a totally unrelated note, the NHL network is playing an old game from 92' right now.

My god the game was good back then. You had to be a warrior to play in the NHL back then, forwards were trying to SCORE, not acting like 3rd defensemen, Defensemen were actually truing to hurt people,

Players taking risks and going for it, Law of the jungle mentality, games were tests of talent and courage, not of how well you could "Execute the coaching system"

If there was a problem, you had to solve it your self, hiding behind refs was not an option.

Ok, I got that out of my system....Carry on~

[Warhippy]

So. You are answering all the questions positively after 6 pre-season games then and specifically after beating the Oilers and their 4 on 1 defensive style?

Without mentioning Horvat was taken off the ice last night, Richardson is injured and we've not the deepest team in the league in terms of prospects, we barely one step up and removed from Dalpe and Schroeder

Might want to re-visit this in January

[Tom Sestito]

So you think everything we question about the team will be fixed?

If so, add the parade route.

[TOMapleLaughs]

[-DLC-]

So you think everything we question about the team will be fixed?

If so, add the parade route.

Nothing wrong with having some positive thoughts.

Sure beats naysaying all day long. I don't think he/she said EVERYTHING and they seem to be fairly specific here. Perhaps weigh in and address the specific points vs throwing a random, negative comment out there?

A good post, OP...well thought out and encouraging. Like it. Will add my two or nine cents after work.

I agree with being skeptical and reserving judgement at this point...but I'd rather go in thinking YES than no.

[Aladeen]

I always love the start of the season a fresh slate to begin anew! I think there is no doubt this year's team is going to be better. I know it only has been preseason action to judge anything off of, but there seems to be a change in the feel of how this team plays.

Something I haven't seen since before Cody Hodgson was traded to be honest.

I'm feeling good about this season, though I won't be pencilling in Stanley Cup celebrations into my calendar quite yet!

I just want to see good Canuck's hockey again and I am optimistic that even if its not the most successful season this year, that the quality of hockey will be worth my time to get invested in!!

Keep up the positivity!

[70seven]

THanks for the write up..

I have my worries about the 2nd line. I do believe that Burr and Bonino will be staples, but have doubts about whom will ultimately earn that RW job. I wouldnt mind Jensen being that guy, pushing Kassian to play with Higgins and Matthias, which really crowds the 4th line with Hansen, Dorset, Vey, Richardson, Sestito, and Horvat.

Vey has been alright, but Im still unsure to where he really "fits" in the lineup. I do like him on the PP, and the way he moves and forces movement in the PK defence, rather than just standing on his half wall with the puck and hoping for something to open up. We have to be patient with him as he's just a rookie and will need some time to adjust to the speed and size of the big league.

It appears to me as it does to many that there is a trade to be made. Depth in numbers is good, but we're still missing depth in quality. THough I think Bones, Burr, and Kass ""can" play on the 2nd line, theyre still in tough to compete with divisional 2nd lines consisting of Kesler/Heatley, Couture/Marleau, Carter/Toffoli... We'll be heavily relying on the bottom 6 to consistently out play and out produce the bottom 6 of those teams while 5 on 5.

And while we could use some more skill on the 2nd line, I think that potentially targeting another d-man would be prudent, as Im not sold on Sbisa from what Ive seen, thus we'll likely see a revolving door at the #6 D spot. If theres any chance of landing a lock for top 6 duty with some edge and puck movement skill, I think we should be on that.... And considering that there are a few teams reportedly looking to move a D, (Boston, CBJ, Philly), perhaps one can be found in that shuffle.

On the more positive side of things... The Oilers are a hot mess. Major coverage breakdowns contributing to both Van goals last night... And if RNH gets injured for any amount of time, this team is again screwed down the middle, with zero chance of competing with Sedin/Bonino, Getzfaf/Kesler, Kopitar/Carter, Thornton/Couture, Hanzal/Vermette/Gagner, and even Backlund/Monohan. Regardless of the depth at wing, they are going to lose far more often than win. Could they really be in the McDavid sweeps?? Cause Ill cry if they get him.

[Jack Fig]

Based on this thread, I wonder if the California teams will even have the guts to show up and play us when their turn comes.

#canuckjuggernaut

[TheFastOne21]

I like the way you are looking at things! Positivity is good and throughout camp and preseason there are a lot of positives to look forward to. Clean slate for everyone this season is how I see it. Everyone has a lot to prove and I hope that a lot of the vets have a chip on their shoulders this season. I am excited for the season to get going. 5 more days!

[Rollieo Del Fuego]

Based on this thread, I wonder if the California teams will even have the guts to show up and play us when their turn comes.

#canuckjuggernaut

We win the cup by default...sounds right.

[smithers joe]

my big question would be, can WD get these guys to own their own zone and not give the puck away ....

i believe he will find the best line combinations...it might take awhile...will this defense be good enough?

i trust benning and linden to build a team that can win....it may take time.

[bd71]

You have some good points but what about Vey on the wing do you like? He has pretty much disappeared since he moved to the wing. Do you mean you don't like him at C? Because I'd say he is far more productive there if they can find him the minutes.

The D really relies on Edler to recapture his play of the earlier part of this decade. If he does then the top four is solid. Not loving the D depth. Injuries to Hamhuis and/or Bieksa will be devastating.

My major concern is that many of us don't realize how good Ryan Kesler really is. I keep hearing that they have replaced him with either Bonino and/or Vrbata but neither of those guys has close to the same skill set as Kesler. The second line may not have scored all the time but they could play some serious shut down. That may not be the case this year. I'm worried that the first line will face much more difficult minutes than they have in the past.

[etsen3]

Your answers don't make sense:

Q: Which Ryan Miller will we get?

A: Lack

Q: Which Alex Edler will show up?

A: Most likely

[rawkdrummer]

Kesler can be "the beast" but he can be replaced or not missed as much with better puck distribution (passing).

Bonino and Vey are better at that and we just need to get the right 2nd and 3rd line combinations set.

Hopefully finding the right mix doesn't take too long. Personally I'm hoping for a break out year from Kassian which will help greatly.

[Stackin'ThePads]

Still a little bit early to start thinking we have the answers to these questions, but i love the positivity

I'm fairly confident that the Sedins will return to form and Vrbata will have a good year. I'm also confident are PP will be improved, especially with Bonino and Vey helping.

I'm still a little worried about Burrows, but from what i've seen it looks like he's playing like Burrows of old. I have confidence he can start producing again.

Ryan Miller has looked good so far, but we definitely don't know if he will be consistent. Same with Edler, hope he brings more of what he did last night.

Shinkaruk needs time in the AHL and i'm glad he got sent down. As for Jensen and Horvat i'm still waiting to see them in the regular season, definitely not %100 sure with either of them. Vey is our youngest player who I am the most confident with.

Willie Desjardins' has impressed me so far, as much as I can speculate he seems cool and collected. The players seem to like him which is a great thing. His moustache his very impressive also. I'll have more of an opinion on Desjardins' farther into the season when we can see how his system is working with the players.

[nuck luck]

So. You are answering all the questions positively after 6 pre-season games then and specifically after beating the Oilers and their 4 on 1 defensive style?

Without mentioning Horvat was taken off the ice last night, Richardson is injured and we've not the deepest team in the league in terms of prospects, we barely one step up and removed from Dalpe and Schroeder

Might want to re-visit this in January

Actually...Yes!

My whole point was to revisit the same questions again later.....just to show if our perception of this team has changed, or not, later on in the year.

Before I start, these are MY opinions....and NOT ALL of them are a resounding YES. Comprehension...

1) I 100% believe the twins can be elite scorers again.

2) I believe our PP will be greatly improved this year compared to last.

3) I ALWAYS believed in Lack....Good/Bad Miller isn't a big issue because of him.

4) I 100% believe that we have prospects that are ready to start contributing.

5) I said "most likely". I hope and I'd like to think he will, but I'm still on the fence.

6) I 100% believe in Burrows. I think he's improving every game and he will be a force again.

7) Thus far....PRE-SEASON only....since we haven't played any regular season games (Do you understand?) I believe he's been tremendous in comparison to Torts. Actually, I ended this point with "But, it's only been pre-season..."

And I mentioned that Horvat was injured in question #4....

You obviously have issues with reading or your memory....if you feel the need to post, understand things prior to hitting the "return" button, and you might be taken seriously.

We had these questions in the summer.....seasons about to start so let's have a look to see if management addressed the needs at the start of the season. Than, have another look AFTER the ACTUAL season starts....it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that these games aren't important. They do call them PRE-season games right?

I often go back and have another look at my thoughts and some others fans thoughts.... sort of a review of sorts. It also gives me a good idea in regards to posters on CDC....EVERYONE is opinionated...but obviously they can't all be right. It informs me on who is capable of making educated guesses and who is incapable of them....and who just likes to rant on like they know what they're talking about.

I'm on holidays right now for a week...this country shuts down during this time. There's not much news on the Canucks, so I wanted to try and get some discussions going here....and get a better idea on the type of posters we have on CDC.

But thanks for being the "wise one" here and realizing that this should be addressed AFTER the season actually starts....

[nuck luck]

So you think everything we question about the team will be fixed?

If so, add the parade route.

What would CDC be without posers like yourself....

I'll move on, but thanks for your opinion.

[nuck luck]

Nothing wrong with having some positive thoughts.

Sure beats naysaying all day long. I don't think he/she said EVERYTHING and they seem to be fairly specific here. Perhaps weigh in and address the specific points vs throwing a random, negative comment out there?

A good post, OP...well thought out and encouraging. Like it. Will add my two or nine cents after work.

I agree with being skeptical and reserving judgement at this point...but I'd rather go in thinking YES than no.

Thanks Deb.

I wasn't a big fan on Benning and Linden after all the moves they made....not like most posters on CDC who gave these two unconditional support. I actually wrote a thread on their progress and it wasn't taken kindly by a large majority of CDC.... I emphatically stated that I liked their hiring, but I will reserve my support for when they show results. At that point, I will decide whether or not I will sacrifice my only son.... Just to add, I did the same for MG....

The point is, I'm usually pretty skeptical too....and I like to reserve judgement. However, the seasons about to start so I figured why not have people discuss their opinions now and than we could review them later on as the season progresses (plus, there's not much news on the Nucks at this time).

However, as the season starts....I am pleased with a lot of things.

- I am overjoyed that the Sedins have an elite player on the Wing....this will help them find their form again.

- Same with the PP....it's nice to be able to consider the PP an advantage and not a detriment.

- Same with Lack....I always believed in this guy. I always thought Torts screwed him over and now he's proving himself....again. I was a little worried that he would have confidence issues.

- I love that we finally have prospects that are able to play....and not just play, but are actually good. It's been so long and I've been hoping they get a chance...

WD.

- I love what he's done so far....I'll admit that I might be a little pre-mature on this one. However, considering a year of Torts...can you blame me?

- I love watching the Canucks play this style of game....last year was unbearable

- I knew a coach like him would be a great influence on Edler, Burr and Hansen....I should also include Kass. When he's healthy...WD is gonna make huge strides with Kass.

There's much more with WD....but I'll leave it here.

- I was also really concerned with our 2nd line....but I've been really impressed with Bonino. He was a good pick up for Benning and he might not be equal to Kesler as a Center....But, his contrasting game just might make it square.

Overall, I was a little worried about the start of this year...considering all we've been through and all the new faces. I'm not the least bit disappointed with where we are at the start.... I don't expect the SC, but I think this team will be respected and play a full 60 minutes and these guys will give it their all. Do I think this is as good as it gets? Obviously not ,but.....

What more should we expect from a re-tool or rebuild right? And if we don't succeed.... next year is probably one of the best years to have a lottery pick

I look forward to your thoughts....

[nuck luck]

I always love the start of the season a fresh slate to begin anew! I think there is no doubt this year's team is going to be better. I know it only has been preseason action to judge anything off of, but there seems to be a change in the feel of how this team plays.

Something I haven't seen since before Cody Hodgson was traded to be honest.

I'm feeling good about this season, though I won't be pencilling in Stanley Cup celebrations into my calendar quite yet!

I just want to see good Canuck's hockey again and I am optimistic that even if its not the most successful season this year, that the quality of hockey will be worth my time to get invested in!!

Keep up the positivity!

Aladeen, I'm with you on this one.

Every new season I have high hopes....and I'm excited, I always believe we have a great chance at the start....

However, this season...like you mentioned....it's different. I think it's because we spent a year under Torts and seriously....it couldn't get worse than last year. We WILL be better than last year....and if we only do it by a few games, we have a serious shot to be in the Playoffs again.

And Yes! There's a change in how this team plays...last year was so lackluster, this year, not similar and I'm looking forward to what these guys will do.

Your last statement...another yes from me. All I want is to watch the Canucks play exciting hockey and give it their all....We've never won the SC and it seems to get harder and harder each year, so my expectations are tempered, but I can't say there's a small part that always wishes for it. This year, I will probably invest my time equally between the Canucks & Comets....