Where Do You Think the Canucks' Top Line Ranks Among The League's?

[William_Clarkson]

Point wise, they're doing alright with Daniel in 31st in the league, Henrik 33rd, and Vrbata 58th. However, they seem to be on a little dry spell right now. Still, how do you think they rank among other teams'? They obviously don't have the speed or size of other top lines, but have high offensive IQ and strong passing abilities. So overall how do they compare?

[Heretic]

They are definitely no where near say Oshie, Steen and Ecblad....

[Piggy Bank]

Voracek-Giroux-other

Palat-Johnson-Kucherov

Oshie-Backes-Steen or Shwartz-Lehtera-Tarasenko

Benn-Seguin-Spezza

JVR Bozak Kessel

this season^ top 5-6

[Master Mind]

I'd say around 11-15. Although a few teams ahead of them just have 2 stars then a 3rd guy that rotates (Flyers, Ducks, etc.)

[the boards]

I'd say about # 7. Or possibly not even.

They need someone as good as them (or better), that also complements their style, before the 2014/15 Sedins are on a league top-three first line.

[Ben Kenobi]

This season? Where they are now, or where they will finish? Not playoff calibre. I think they will finish in the bottom quarter. They got out of the gate ok, but as the season wears on they will fall behind.

[hockeyfan90]

Hasn't there been like millions of threads with the same exact topic lol? And every newer thread the sedin line keeps dropping LOL

[Bob.Loblaw]

With Vrbata, pretty good. With Burrows, garbage.

[Mathew Barzal]

Talent wise? Top 10.

Chemistry wise? Bottom 10.

Head on vs other top lines? 15-20.

Vrbata is soft and doesn't forecheck like Burr in his prime so it's painful watching them try to get set up in the zone. Even when they are in the zone Vrbata just doesn't have the 'sixth sense' to anticipate their plays.

In short, if it isn't an odd man rush or a powerplay this line wouldn't be able to hold its own against the best of the leagues lines. Especially since most top lines have a nasty balance if speed, skill and grit. Ours is all skill, so if that fails, they fail.

[Jack Fig]

Talent wise? Top 10.

Chemistry wise? Bottom 10.

Head on vs other top lines? 15-20.

Vrbata is soft and doesn't forecheck like Burr in his prime so it's painful watching them try to get set up in the zone. Even when they are in the zone Vrbata just doesn't have the 'sixth sense' to anticipate their plays.

In short, if it isn't an odd man rush or a powerplay this line wouldn't be able to hold its own against the best of the leagues lines. Especially since most top lines have a nasty balance if speed, skill and grit. Ours is all skill, so if that fails, they fail.

Are you saying their puck-retrieval abilities are close to nil? Because if you're not, then I am.

[CanuckChuck]

They are definitely no where near say Oshie, Steen and Ecblad....

Ecblad? dont you mean Ekblad? and by Ekblad, you mean, Tarasenko? or am i missing something? lol

[CanuckChuck]

Are you saying their puck-retrieval abilities are close to nil? Because if you're not, then I am.

Is it just me, or do you seem to dawn the same commentator-ship, especially as of late, as the one in your picture? lol... Raisins, right?

[Mathew Barzal]

Are you saying their puck-retrieval abilities are close to nil? Because if you're not, then I am.

Well, if that can't be interpreted from what I said then by all means take credit for it! But yeah, I do agree and that is what I meant with the Vrbata-Burr comparison. Things would be a lot easier for em if Vrby had that style of play.

[CanuckChuck]

Talent wise? Top 10.

Chemistry wise? Bottom 10.

Head on vs other top lines? 15-20.

Vrbata is soft and doesn't forecheck like Burr in his prime so it's painful watching them try to get set up in the zone. Even when they are in the zone Vrbata just doesn't have the 'sixth sense' to anticipate their plays.

In short, if it isn't an odd man rush or a powerplay this line wouldn't be able to hold its own against the best of the leagues lines. Especially since most top lines have a nasty balance if speed, skill and grit. Ours is all skill, so if that fails, they fail.

talent wise, top 7...

chemistry wise, top 5...

head on vs. top lines, 5-12...

I feel they need to flip Vrbata with a Mattius / Kassian / Burrows, every once in a while... especially at home. throw the element of "what the hell?" at them... like a Sbisa / Tanev... or a Weber / Bieksa ... ok, maybe not that bad... so a Weber / Edler ... PP volume 1... and a tanev / sbisa, volume 2 ...

[asian player]

Talent- top 10

Chemistry- top 5

Head on vs. Other 1st lines- 15-20

[apollo]

Honestly... Probably first. Or maybe first. Ok who am I kidding, let's be honest... First!

Flame away!

Realistically:

Talent 7-10

Chemistry top 3

[bigbadcanucks]

Middle of the pack as far as the NHL goes. The Canucks will be battling for a bottom playoff seed (7-8) in the WC right down to the last game of the season.

Canucks are a team with a so-so first line, three good to very good third lines, one capable d-pairing and two third d-pairings. Goaltending has been a strength, though more consistency would be welcomed.

Great PK...brutal PP (rightly or wrongly, I'm hanging this one on the Sedins). Biggest contributor to the team staying middle of the pack is the 10-15 minutes brain cramps the team has every game. Some games, it kills them...some games they are masked by good goaltending or failure by opposing teams to capitalize.

IMO, the Canucks' record to date flatters them. I feel like this team has done a lot with smoke and mirrors so far this season. In spite of what may read like a negative post, I think the effort has been there most nights, which is a marked improvement from last season. Decent team, but far from being a true contender.

Okay...now that I've been negative, the Canucks are going to go on a roll and make me look like an idiot.

Edit: upon reading apollo's response, I did a little fact checking and see that the Canucks are ranked 12th in the league in PP% (to my surprise). So I'm wrong in saying the Canucks PP is brutal. Is it just me, or do others think our PP, with our puck possession time, should be better than it is?

[apollo]

Great PK...brutal PP (rightly or wrongly, I'm hanging this one on the Sedins). Biggest contributor to the team staying middle of the pack is the 10-15 minutes brain cramps the team has every game. Some games, it kills them...some games they are masked by good goaltending or failure by opposing teams to capitalize.

Come on... How are you blaming them for the powerplay? You know they're unit has almost scored every single powerplay goal for our team this year?

If I'm not mistaking the second unit has converted only once!

Bonino 1ppp

Daniel 14ppp

How can you pin the powerplay troubles on the twins? It would make more sense if you blamed them for world hunger.

[cocanuck]

i would like to know even strength goals and points comparisons.

[skolozsy2]

Somewhere in the 11-15 range. The Sedins don't install as much fear into their opponents as they once did. A few years ago one could argue they were among the top three most difficult lines to play against. But they are no longer the players that were winning scoring titles.

It's not just their aging that has affected their production, its the division. Not only is the Pacific a far more talented division compared to the old Northwest division...its a far more physically taxing division as well. Its difficult being finesse players playing those teams regularly and still stay highly productive.

They're still dangerous, but there are probably 10 lines I would take over the Sedin line as of right now