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Remember 2006?


HC20.0

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All I've read for the last week and a half has been nothing but negativity on this board, and it's pathetic. I know Benning's made a couple questionable moves, and the Canucks are in no position to win anything right now. But you guys are completely missing the point. The point isn't to win right now. Benning knows we can't. Linden knows we can't. Hell, even the owners know we can't. But that's not what we're trying to accomplish. Don't any of you get it? We're not winning NOW. We're rebuilding, albeit not your standard rebuild, but it's what we're doing whether you want to admit it or not. You know what, we've been in this exact same situation very recently too. TBT time, to 2006!

In 2005-2006, the season right after the lockout, the Canucks tried loading up veteran talent to make a run at the Stanley Cup that year. Naslund, Bertuzzi, Morrison, Linden, Jovanovski, Ohlund, Richard Park, and Anson Carter to name a couple. The Canucks had a few younger players in place too. The Sedin's, Burrows, Kesler, Salo, and Bieksa to name a few. What happened that year? Well, the WCE, which had been our core for years, they declined quite heavily. Part of it was the Moore fiasco obviously, but it marked the end of our cup window with the vets. We missed the playoffs by a slim margin, but it was apparent that they were done. The Canucks went into rebuilding mode that off season. Thing was, the Canucks had young players in place already that could lead this team to possible greatness, and they knew it, so they didn't have to build through the draft. First order of business was to get a young goalie with elite potential. They brought in Luongo, giving up a huge piece of our core in Todd Bertuzzi. They started building a defensive first game until our younger players could start contributing offensively, and thus the beginning of a new era started. Naslund, Morrison, and Linden stayed and mentored the twins, Kesler, Burrows, etc. The Canucks brought in stay at home defenseman Willie Mitchell, while Mattias Ohlund helped groom our D core. We suddenly got a lot YOUNGER.

What people forget was, this turn around did not happen overnight. In fact, there were a lot of growing pains. Luongo pretty much single handedly got us into the playoffs in 2006-07, and we missed all together in 2007-08. But our young core was getting progressively better, and it was showing. We didn't have to tank either, we stayed competitive in this time. The Sedin's became PPG players, Kesler became an amazing 2way player, Burrows found his offense, and Bieksa and Mitchell lead our D corps on the blue line. Nobody can forget 2008-09, almost a disastrous year. Naslund and Morrison left at free agency, and Linden retired, and the reigns were given to the Twins, Luongo, and Kesler as the new leaders on the team. They struggled a bit, but also played good too, until in January, where we hit an 8 game losing streak. AV was nearly fired, our season was nearly lost, and it looked bleak. What happened next... Alex Burrows scored short handed and snapped our skid, and suddenly we went on an insane tear and made the playoffs. The new core had finally found themselves. They had come together as the future of Vancouver hockey, and as we're all aware, eventually took the Canucks on one of the most memorable runs in BC history in 2011. They became the new core.

This is exactly what Vancouver's doing now.... our window on our current core is closed, and we know that. The difference between now and then, is the Canucks do not have the young guns yet to lead this team like we did back then. The Sedins right now are mentoring our young players until their ready to take over the reigns, same goes for Burrows, Higgins, Hamhuis, etc. Miller too. Miller is a huge key factor actually, more then you guys give him credit for You're all so hung up on Lack that you all forget about one key player. Jacob Markstrom. Remember when the Canucks acquired Luongo as our elite netminder? Well we don't have to get one. We already have one with the potential to be the next Luongo. Did any of you watch Utica's playoff run? If you did, you saw Markstrom make UNBELIEVABLE save after save. He carried this team on his shoulders to the Calder Cup Finals. No, he hasn't had success in the NHL. YET. But that's why we have Miller. Miller is going to do for Jacob what Lu did for Schnieder and develop him. Don't forget, Cory stunk too when he first hit the NHL scene. Miller is going to groom Markstrom into that number one goaltender. That's why we signed him in the first place, and many of you forget that. Eddie Lack never had and never will have elite potential in him. Markstrom does, and if he hits it, the Canucks are going to have one hell of a goaltender. Maybe even the next Luongo, or possibly better! Miller was never meant to lead us to the cup. Markstrom is. And if Markstrom fails, another name in the organization. Thatcher Demko.

Is this going to be easy? No, not at all. The Canucks are gong to struggle, and they will struggle hard. I see next year going a lot like 2008 even. But, 2006-2008 is what turned the Canucks into the team that was one win away from a cup. All of you criticize Benning, but fail to realize the huge mess he was left, and is working valiantly to fix it. Bieksa for a 2nd was a great trade, because he was heavily declining. The Kassian trade looks bad at first glance, but look at it deeper. Kassian was a lazy player who was never going to become anything with us. Trading him opens up a spot in the top 6 for somebody even younger who can become something! Brandon Prust is a leader who can mentor these kids as well. Lack needed to go, and he had very little value thanks to the crowded market. Briesbrois has the makings to be another 3rd round steal for Vancouver though, and can become the next Willie Mitchell one day. That day is a long time away, but we've got time. The rebuild in 06 started with trading Bertuzzi, and ours started with Kesler. We got a great return given how handcuffed we were with the trade options. Bo Horvat could even be a better Kesler one day, and Jared McCaan... that kid has potential.

So Canuck fans, be excited for the future we've got ahead. Horvat, Virtanen, McCaan, Baertschi, Gaunce, Markstrom, Clendenning, even Corrado and Shinkaruk. They're going to be something special one day. but we have to be patient with them. Rebuilds do not happen overnight. It is going to be long. It is going to be very painful. But, it is going to pave the way for an amazing core of young players who will become the heart of our team, the foundation of it. We do not need to tank either. The 2006-08 teams never did, and look where it got us. We can stay competitive, but we are still rebuilding. Have faith. The Sedin's, Burrows, Miller, etc. Are here to mentor our guys now while keeping us semi good so that these guys grow up in a good environment. It's going to be a long and very tough road, but stick it out. It's what being a fan is all about. Tough out the hard times. Calgary and Edmonton are gonna smack us around like they did in 06-08, and it's going to be tough to swallow, but we're going to be just as good in a few years time. Just be patient until then, and root for our boys now. Stick it out like true fans do, and cheer on our guys!

GCG!! :towel:

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Moving contracts for more picks at the deadline will keep us stocking prospects at a rate this franchise has never seen. Somehow this is not how to rebuild. :rolleyes:

You literally have zero empircal evidence to back up your statement. In fact the ONLY data available to Canucks fans suggests that Benning suffers from an acute inability to execute trades at market value. I get that he has been thrust into a bad position, but to suggest that he will somehow find a way to magically trade all of our past ripe vets for picks and prospects is Harry Potter

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You literally have zero empircal evidence to back up your statement. In fact the ONLY data available to Canucks fans suggests that Benning suffers from an acute inability to execute trades at market value. I get that he has been thrust into a bad position, but to suggest that he will somehow find a way to magically trade all of our past ripe vets for picks and prospects is Harry Potter.

Also: TLDR.

There's market value and what CDC sees as market value. Shockingly they aren't the same.

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You literally have zero empircal evidence to back up your statement. In fact the ONLY data available to Canucks fans suggests that Benning suffers from an acute inability to execute trades at market value. I get that he has been thrust into a bad position, but to suggest that he will somehow find a way to magically trade all of our past ripe vets for picks and prospects is Harry Potter.

Also: TLDR.

What exactly is market value? What we think our players are worth? Is it such a stretch that maybe we overvalue our players?

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Thank you. Finally someone understands what Benning is trying to do. That was a great analogy for our current situation. 2006-07 wasn't a pretty year but only made the playoffs because of how dominant Luongo was, but that allowed our young players to develop in a winning culture. That's exactly what management is trying to do right now. Next season may not be pretty, but if we can get a top 5 pick for the 2016 draft then that would fast forward our rebuild a little bit. And for the amount of cap space we'll have next summer, I really do believe Benning will go hard after Milan Lucic and Brent Seabrook, as it sounds like Lucic wants to make a homecoming happen. I could really see us getting back on track for the 2016-17 season if things go south next season.

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Too much optimism and less focus on the apparent uncertainty...

The fact of the matter is we won't be competitive in the playoffs for at least 4-5 years..

We should have started rebuilding right after the Stanley cup finals fiasco..

The shorten season was a perfect opportunity

Frack being a Canucks fan is frustrating..

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You've hit in on the button OP. Benning and Linden are planning a "competitive rebuild". A rebuild where we still stay somewhat competitive while working up to championship calibre again.

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Too much optimism and less focus on the apparent uncertainty...

The fact of the matter is we won't be competitive in the playoffs for at least 4-5 years..

We should have started rebuilding right after the Stanley cup finals fiasco..

The shorten season was a perfect opportunity

Frack being a Canucks fan is frustrating..

Oh my, another poster with 20/20 vision.

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What's happening now isn't a rebuild. As TL & JB management has stated from the beginning, it's a re-tool.

There are still core veterans who, bouncing back from down seasons, have shown they can still produce & contribute (some still at elite levels)...Sedins, Edler, Hammer & Burr....arguments can easily be made for Hansen & Higgs.

There are prospects who will challenge for roster spots...we have a couple FA's who may not only contribute this season, but possibly be flipped for future picks, all the contracts JB has given are pretty short term...another indication that management is open to youth competing for spots.

If the Canucks suck this year, it won't be because management set them up for failure, there is plenty of room for players young & old to make their mark & take the Canucks to the playoffs.

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Too much optimism and less focus on the apparent uncertainty...

The fact of the matter is we won't be competitive in the playoffs for at least 4-5 years..

We should have started rebuilding right after the Stanley cup finals fiasco..

The shorten season was a perfect opportunity

Frack being a Canucks fan is frustrating..

Then I'd say you haven't been a Nucklehead all that long...

Canucks fans are still basking in the afterglow of the greatest Canucks team ever put on a sheet of ice...I remember the dark days...when the word "playoffs" was uttered in shadows, & the Avalanche were one of the most feared teams ever to exist in the NHL, snatching up every Division title for 6 straight years?

I can't remember fully, it was too evil a time...

Rumour has it Mark Messier was once Captain of the Canucks....but no, not it can't be true!

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Well said

But i still believe that Luongo saved this franchise

Unless we acquire or develop another hero type player

This apparent fiasco we are in will continue

No doubt, we needed goaltending and got one of the best out there at the time.

Does anyone see another superstar in his prime that we have coming to save this franchise? Not yet, we are hoping Horvat and Jake can be those guys.

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