Has a window opened for a playoff run, and should the Canucks trade for the missing piece of the puzzle?

[*Buzzsaw*]

Obviously the re-tooled Canucks are playing a lot better than most expected.

It would seem at this point, the Canucks are very likely to make the playoffs.

Considering the age and fragility of the Sedins and the rest of the core, is there a good chance they can make a run deep into the playoffs?

And should Benning be looking at an upgrade at the trade deadline?

In my opinion, this season is already shaping up to be one where we will finish quite a bit higher in the standings than last year, and likely we can forget about being a part of the Connor McDavid lottery.

I think it is worthwhile to consider a serious upgrade at the trade deadline in preparation for what might be the last real chance at a deep run in the playoffs for some time.

The Sedins are having a good season, and they will be one year older next year... this might their last kick at the tincan which is the Stanley Cup.

Comments?

[Piggy Bank]

I don't think we should trade, are rebuild is going great. Lets keep moving.

[pianoman13]

I don't think we need any pieces to get by LA. I don't understand everyone's fixation with them. I'm not saying we WILL, but I'm saying we CAN. Just because we lost big to them doesn't mean we can't beat them... does anyone think we can't beat Dallas, or Colorado when they destroyed us? or Arizona I think which was earlier. I agree though, getting another piece would be a great help, but I am content keeping us the way we are. We are set up to be a playoff team every year, which is what I would rather have than to go for it and trade away some of the future.

None of your options said don't trade, and we will make it past the first round.... or that we would be losing to any team other than LA. If LA is the only team we are worried about in the playoffs, that is great. There is a decent chance we won't have to play them

[Warhippy]

No trades for acquirement at all. Let this season play out. We have some depth to call up.

Sell high where available and buy low when needed.

Honestly no point trying to acquire anyone unless LA loses Quick and Kopitar for the season/playoffs and Chi loses Toews and Keith for the season/playoffs. To many variables right now and we will not be able to acquire the pieces the organization needs mid season for anything less than a kings ransom.

Let the season play out and see what happens at the draft

[48MPHSlapShot]

I wouldn't go out and get a rental/older player.

[stawns]

stay the course, no new taxes..........stay the course

[AriGold]

I swear if they go out and get another Derek Roy I will be mad..

If you make a hockey trade then so be it, but no rentals.

Unless it's Nick Foligno and it's done prior to Jan 15th.

[MJDDawg]

No, the only real assets they have that will possibly get them a decent player at the deadline are the future of this team and I'd rather not go for potential short term help that may or may not work out by sacrificing some of our top prospects and/or picks in the next couple of drafts. Doing just that over the last few years has gotten us into the position we're in. Drafting well and often while developing our top prospects is the way to go.

At most I see Benning acquiring a couple of depth pieces along the way for the playoffs.

[chayne]

I am still not content with Canucks at the Center position. I think we could get Vermette from Arizona for cheap with them retaining salary. It would make our third and fourth line so much better with Richards, and Vermette sharing responsibility.

I can't see him resigning in Arizona so they will want anything for him and he could be like what Malhotra use to be for the Canucks.

Also I am dreaming that Colorado crap the bed and we can steal Iggy from there.

[Tragoedia]

I'm up for a trade as long as it doesn't sacrifice our potential for the next 4-6 years. I think we are at the start of another period and we shouldn't go for broke on our first year. If we can do something as an upgrade (not just a rental unless it's REALLY cheap) for a playoff run to get back into the groove of winning series (even if it's only getting to the 2nd round). We haven't won a series since 2011, I think it's time we changed that, even if it doesn't mean a finals trip. If we can get some forward momentum going into next season that would be stellar.

I'm always open to us becoming better if the deal is right. If the deal is wrong, then NO DEAL.

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

We need to stay the course and build for the future.

Right now it looks deceiving that we look like a legitimate playoff team, but a lot of the games we have played have been against easier competition that were really gimme games (4)Oilers (1) Carolina, (1) Columbus all those teams were pretty bad when we faced them.

I am not convinced yet...its still the first 20 somewhat games into the seasons, so a lot of teams are still figuring things out. Teams like the Kings, Sharks, Blackhawks are all snoozing at the moment, and once they wake up they will be a lot harder to play against.

Benning has got a good thing right now for our future with good prospects and young players coming into the system with a few ready for NHL experience. Don't gratify immediate wants over the longterm goal and plan.

[Riviera82]

If there were some way to aquire an Erhoff-type puck moving defenceman without sacrificing too much of the team's future, I'd be ok with that.

[oldnews]

That's the thing about windows. Folks here claiming it was closed - someone (JB) comes along and reopens it.

I don't think the team needs to mess with a good thing.

I also would sure as hell wouldn't call the Sedins "fragile".

I like the Pedan addition - another move along that line wouldn't surprise me, perhaps for another young defenseman that's NHL ready (Donovan, Petrovic....) , but aside from that I think they hold.

[Burlinbert]

small trades for younger depth

[Neversummer]

Let's see what's for sale near the trade deadline first ... maybe there will be some Black Friday sales. Usually not though.

[Robongo]

I trust JB with whatever he decides. Everything he's touched so far has turned into gold.

If the right opportunity arises to upgrade the D with a player under 26, preferably a PMD, then I'd hope he'd explore that to it's fullest.

[CanuckofSteel]

It depends on how we're doing by the time the trade deadline rolls around. I honestly hope we aren't peaking too early in the season and then get get cold in either March or April, like the Blues last season.

Hopefully we cool off a little before the all star break, then just become a force after the all star break.

[Jetliner]

shud we use matthais as trade bait now that he is playing better? we could rly solidify our D. imagine one of bieksa elder and tanev going down in addition to Hamhuis. we r screwed if that happens

[NotaSmartMan]

As a few have said, a PMD would be very beneficial. Its not too worrisome, our dmen are a bit lackluster on their point totals, though obviously points are only a portion of their contributions.

Our fowards are perfectly fine gelling together as they have.

[Phil_314]

Any moves that we make should be minor tinkering with the fringe guys. It`s also not as though we have any pressing needs.

We have some of everything up front:

Twins, Vrbata, Bones, Vey - lots of pure offensive skill
Higgins, Burr, Hansen, Dorsett, Horvat, Matthias, Richardson, Kassian - two-way play, size, face-off ability and grit

It could help to get a high-volume shooting, big-bodied energy guy to battle in the playoffs (e.g. Beleskey, Ward) but with guys like Matthias, Horvat, Kassian, Dorsett and Hansen who are capable of going hard to the net that wish may already be met.

Edler, Weber - offensive D-men

Tanev, Hammer - more skill-based two-way defenders
Bieksa, Sbisa, Stanton - physical two-way defenders

It`s also not as though we need a particularly offensive guy back there to get things going, since we are fourth in the league in G per GP. Of course having a ready, young PP QB to kick-start things would really boost the middling 5-v-4 play but it`s not a pressing need. The team also ranks among the best 10 teams in shots against, so that isn`t really a problem, the group we have now is performing even with Hammer out and it should be even better.

Hope we can poach one of the Isles` or Caps` young D-men. Maybe with the limited cap space available with the Caps in particular we can get Nate Schmidt. Other than that we should be good.