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How long until they fix the 2nd line!


desiboynux4lifee*******

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LA also has much better depth than we do. Were a different team than they are. They have a 2nd and 3rd line better than a lot of 2nd lines in the league. We have a great 1st line, and basically our 2nd line is playing like a 3rd line.

Are they really that deep?

They were 24th the league in goals for last year, and currently sitting at 23rd this year.

I won't worry too much of our secondary scoring, but rather our terrible defensive structure.

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I think we have some kids that are ready, not for second line duties on a cup team but for us yes.

Ready? Shinks 2 assists and Jensens 0 points in 4 AHL games isn't much of an endorsement they're ready for second line NHL duties on any team. Kassians 2 NHL goals from the bottom six is more of a top six endorsement than what our AHL'ers have shown early in the season.

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Well let's take a look here assuming the Canucks don't make a major trade, and the fact of there is no white knight from the minors that is going to be consistent as a young player including Horvat there is not much to work with but here goes...

Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata cause it works don't fix it if it ain't broken

Vey-Bonino-Kassian

some more skill,speed here Vey has to play the wing but he can create more offence using his speed down the wing and have less of a burden defensively.

He can act as a play making complement to Bonino. Kassian is the main finisher but he is also a better play making winger than both Higgins and Burrows and makes up for Vey's lack of size.

Higgins-Matthias-Burrows

shutdown line put out against other team's best line plus Matthias can use his size down the middle at center which is his natural position and is better at face offs than Vey. Especially to match up against teams in the west and their big centers.

Dorsett-Richardson- Hansen

energy line all 3 guys are speedy and with Richardson on the line instead of Matthias it adds more grit and speed.

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Although MG is gone, we are still somewhat bound to his vision of having four '3rd-lines'. I don't mind Higgins - as a third liner. But its at the point where I just want him gone because I know this team will never see him as the third liner he should be. I'm just so sick of this franchise over-valuing these 3rd line players and trying to charge us ridiculous ticket prices, it will pretty much be this franchises downfall, in wins, and in revenue.

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SEDIN SEDIN VRBATA

BURROWS BONINO JENSEN

MATTHIAS VEY KASSIAN

HIGGINS RICHARDSON HANSEN

We are kidding ourselves if we think we have a 3rd line on the 4th at present. It is barely a 4th line.
Above are the lines I wanted at the start of the season and barring a trade I still think it is the best combination.
Jensen is a player who to my mind plays better with better players. He is patchy but hopefully we have a coach that can iron that out of his game. We need a sniping winger and Jensen showed signs of being that last season.
If Matthias doesn't shape up soon I would hopefully bring Shink up for Burr and move Burr onto the 3rd.
SEDIN SEDIN VRBATA

SHINK BONINO JENSEN

BURROWS VEY KASSIAN

HIGGINS RICHARDSON HANSEN

Higgins and Hansen for a few years now have been effort over production so I would let them get some chemistry with a good 4th line centre like Richie.
If Hansen still doesn't spark then.
SEDIN SEDIN VRBATA

SHINK BONINO JENSEN

BURROWS HORVAT KASSIAN

HIGGINS RICHARDSON VEY

Having said all that I maintain that the way our D plays is the main reason we don't win these games.
They are too loose, too inclined to pinch, lose their shape and due to injury and swapping about are not being allowed to get a proper chemistry going.
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Ready? Shinks 2 assists and Jensens 0 points in 4 AHL games isn't much of an endorsement they're ready for second line NHL duties on any team. Kassians 2 NHL goals from the bottom six is more of a top six endorsement than what our AHL'ers have shown early in the season.

Did you watch any of the games? I didn't so I can't say this for sure how there doing but if your going off points alone without seeing the games you could be 100% wrong as far as how they have been playing.

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Much as people hate to hear it, this is indeed a 'process' and anyone that thought the Canucks were magically going to be this new and improved playoff-bound team is sadly mistaken.

We are doing an on-the-fly rebuild and odds are...we are going to miss the post-season, maybe not by much (hopefully we can keep it respectable) but this is pretty much how I invision a lot of this year going.

No worries though, I think Benning has a good vision for the team, but the mistakes of Gillis won't be fixed in one off-season. This is going to take awhile.

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Our 2nd line could use a fix but honestly we need to make a major move or two on D. Our D is a collection of good to serviceable players individually but for some inexplicable reason cannot find pairings that become more than the sum of the parts. In most cases they become worse as a tandem than they are individually.

The Canucks need to get over their belief in our D core imo. A major change needs to happen. Hamhuis, Bieksa, Edler, and Tanev would all bring back a decent return.

The reality is this team cannot play an up tempo puck possession system without much better puck movers on D and centers who can actually win faceoffs. Those are the two biggest areas of concern right now. An honorable mention would go to dmen who can actually play D as ours look like junior players against NHLers half the time. Just sloppy coverage and lazy shortcuts that cost us quality scoring chances again. Once again we are starting most shifts without the puck and resorting to dump and chase a lot more than we should be. And giving away the puck with errant passes to the neutral zone is not going to get it done in the style the Canucks want to play.

Maybe Torts was not the only problem as some magically believe. The reality is that our secondary scoring consists of too many Burrows, Higgins, and Hansen types and not enough consistent offensive talent. And our D has too many high risk dmen who can't make a good first pass to transition the puck from our own zone.

Rather than cling to the veterans like a security blanket the Canucks should be using this season to get their young players going. Then maybe next season we will have them ready to step into the same holes we have had with these veterans on our lineup for three years.

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for this team to be a contender, it needs to be structured as such:

sedin-sedin-vrbata

_____-_____-_____

higgins-bonino-hansen

matthias-richardson-kassian

edler-tanev

hamhuis-_____

stanton-bieksa

2nd line center needs to be dominant in the faceoff circle and a consistent 60+ point player, preferably with size and physicality.

2nd pair right side d needs to be fast, smooth, creative, and consistently put up 40+ points while quarterbacking power play.

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Theres no quick fix out there. UFA has passed, and the Canucks only real way of solving this issue is from within.

Any player found via trade that could fix a short and long term whole in the top 6 will cost the club significant assets, which in turn will leave a bigger hole imo. They cant mortgage the future... There's nothing on the current roster thats of significant value (ie:burrows, hansen, higgins). Theyre not deep enough on D to move an asset from that position.

Basically what you see is what you get. This team is good enough to beat non playoff teams, and will be in tough vs playoff worthy teams... Which is what many fans were in fear of... complete bubble team, and no real threat to any contender.

Honestly, I like the Vrbata addition, and he may have to be bumped to the 2nd line to provide some better offensive balance 5 on 5. Burr has a history with the twins, so ya might as well give that a shot, or perhaps sticking Jensen into that role would be a nice option for his success.

IDK, any roster combo I makeup and the team still doesn't look strong enough offensively. Really looking forward to when the kids are ready to become full time NHLers. Hopefully Virtanen Jensen and Shink are good to go for next season, and we can off load some of those for-mentioned bottom 6ers for mid round picks at the deadline.

I know the wet dream for all of us is that we can find an underachieving top 6 player and get him for some kind of package of Hansen + Markstrom/Lack + Higgins/Burrows... But the reality of that happening is slim to none.

I think we're stuck with what we have for the most part, which again... is a bubble team that poses no real threat to the playoff contenders.... so ya may as well play Horvat in the 3C and bring up Jensen for the top 6, and perhaps Shink once the new year rolls around.

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Our 2nd line could use a fix but honestly we need to make a major move or two on D. Our D is a collection of good to serviceable players individually but for some inexplicable reason cannot find pairings that become more than the sum of the parts. In most cases they become worse as a tandem than they are individually.

The Canucks need to get over their belief in our D core imo. A major change needs to happen. Hamhuis, Bieksa, Edler, and Tanev would all bring back a decent return.

The reality is this team cannot play an up tempo puck possession system without much better puck movers on D and centers who can actually win faceoffs. Those are the two biggest areas of concern right now. An honorable mention would go to dmen who can actually play D as ours look like junior players against NHLers half the time. Just sloppy coverage and lazy shortcuts that cost us quality scoring chances again. Once again we are starting most shifts without the puck and resorting to dump and chase a lot more than we should be. And giving away the puck with errant passes to the neutral zone is not going to get it done in the style the Canucks want to play.

Maybe Torts was not the only problem as some magically believe. The reality is that our secondary scoring consists of too many Burrows, Higgins, and Hansen types and not enough consistent offensive talent. And our D has too many high risk dmen who can't make a good first pass to transition the puck from our own zone.

Rather than cling to the veterans like a security blanket the Canucks should be using this season to get their young players going. Then maybe next season we will have them ready to step into the same holes we have had with these veterans on our lineup for three years.

NHL Cliche Jargon needs to be banned

"NEW NHL" its not new

"Serviceable player" what is he servicing?

f101yellowtab.jpg

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They can't "fix" it. Burrows is second line material but he cannot create to save his life.

This is Vancouver. You see what you get. I could see Canucks making a move during the deadline, but for now you guys have to understand that you will need to rely on the Sedin line, and your two third lines. Miller will be up and down this year, and so will your defense (bad away from home).

Burr was always third line material,...

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