Taking an Indepth look at Our Farm System

[groot]

I think you are 95% correct.

Plus or minus 50%

[bigbadcanucks]

IMO, we've got some good depth going on in the organization. As many have already pointed out, we don't have the elite/high end talent, but that can hopefully be addressed with some success at signing a top tier UFA in July 2016.

Utica's lineup may look something like:

Shinkaruk -- Friesen -- Grenier

Gaunce -- Cassels -- Jensen

Kenins -- Labate -- AHL contract

Blomstrad -- Fox/Valk (hopefully Canucks signs him) -- AHL contract

Hutton -- Biega

Fedun -- Pedan

Sautner -- Subban

McEneny -- AHL Contract

Bachman -- Corrado Cannata -- Whistle (?)

Hopefully the Canucks are able to sign Huskins, Archibald, Defazio to AHL contracts. And a guy like Andrew Ebbetts would be a good AHL signing for some offence and vet presence for the Comets.

Canucks have 43 signed contracts (if you count Clendening, Baertschi, Corrado and Cederholm; and if you take out the sliding scale contracts - McCann and Virtanen), so I'm sure there will be 2-3 organizational depth two-way NHL contract signings. Hopefully the Canucks use the AHL contracts to their advantage a little more effectively than they did last season.

[dura_mater]

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/team-rankings/fall-team-rankings-2014-15/page/1

For those saying our farm team is horrible, it's not. We're ranked 18th overall. That was before acquiring Baertschi or Clendening. Baerstchi is/was number 3 on the top ranked Calgary's top 5 prospects and Clendening was/is ranked 4th on 7th ranked Chicago's top 5 prospects. Potentially that moves us up to 10-15 and possibly even top 10. This is one area Benning has excelled at.

[GB5]

IMO, we've got some good depth going on in the organization. As many have already pointed out, we don't have the elite/high end talent, but that can hopefully be addressed with some success at signing a top tier UFA in July 2016.

Utica's lineup may look something like:

Shinkaruk -- Friesen -- Grenier

Gaunce -- Labate -- Jensen

Kenins -- Fox -- AHL contract

Blomstrad -- Valk or AHL contract -- AHL contract

Hutton -- Biega

Fedun -- Pedan

Sautner -- Subban

McEneny -- AHL Contract

Bachman -- Corrado -- Whistle (?)

Hopefully the Canucks are able to sign Huskins, Archibald, Defazio to AHL contracts. And a guy like Andrew Ebbetts would be a good AHL signing for some offence and vet presence for the Comets.

Canucks have 43 signed contracts (if you count Clendening, Baertschi, Corrado and Cederholm; and if you take out the sliding scale contracts - McCann and Virtanen), so I'm sure there will be 2-3 organizational depth two-way NHL contract signings. Hopefully the Canucks use the AHL contracts to their advantage a little more effectively than they did last season.

Thanks for this, I was wondering how the farm team looked for players right now. A handful of wingers need to be signed maybe a d-man and then the Comets are set.

Looks like you made one typo with the backup goalie.

[bigbadcanucks]

Thanks for this, I was wondering how the farm team looked for players right now. A handful of wingers need to be signed maybe a d-man and then the Comets are set.

Looks like you made one typo with the backup goalie.

Thanks for the heads up on Cannata...what was I thinkin'?

[Canorth]

Thanks for the heads up on Cannata...what was I thinkin'?

Cassels?

[TheSnipeshow91]

I like it, but potential is potential. It depends on the person, and how hard they work.

[GB5]

Cederholm and Stewart are both signed and will be 20 this year as well so may get AHL/ECHL time.

[DrJockitch]

These projections are very optimistic. A recent thread on Canuck draft history shows how tough it is for drafted players to become NHL regulars. (See http://forum.canucks.com/topic/370851-discussion-canucks-drafting-history-2000-2010/?_ga=1.249670726.1703113449.1415773463)

In 11 years of drafts (2000-2010) The Canucks only drafted 10 players who have played 200 or more NHL games (a commonly used measure of being an established NHL "regular"). One or two more guys from 2008-10 might get added to the list. But we basically talking one player per year. Admittedly the Canucks were one of the worst drafting teams in the NHL over this period, but even the best teams only had about 20 "hits" over this period.

For example, projecting Hutton, Subban, Corrado, Clendening, Pedan, Cederholm and Brisebois all as NHL quality defencemen (even in a bottom pairing) is wildly optimistic. If one or two of those guys become top 4 guys and one or two more become solid bottom pairing players, that would be very good.

Same with forwards. For example, projecting Jensen as a "middle 6" winger is optimistic. It might happen but right now, given his trajectory, he is more likely to end up in Europe than in the NHL.

I not trying to be negative -- just adding a bit of realism. I agree that the Canucks now have the best pipeline they have had in probably 10 years.

To be Cup contenders we still need core players to build around, though -- a legitimate 1C to replace Henrik and a high end 1D of the type that pretty much every Stanley Cup team has (Lidstrom, Keith, Doughty, Chara, etc.)

We need one of those pieces (future 1C or 1D) from next year's draft.

That isn't being negative it is a lot more fair and reasonable. Our draft record for 10 years was not only bad but staggeringly so. Most of what we did get we squandered as well. Oddly we almost do better with undrafted players but that is likely based on the fact you pick them later.

For this same reason you are likely a little underestimating as well. The pickups like Vey, Clendenning and Baertschi though highly derided for costing a second round pick (which only have a 20-30% chance of being NHL players) are players that were picked up later in development so have a much higher chance of being NHL players, though their ceilings are likely a little lower.

These moves were necessitated by the horrible drafting of the 2000-2010 years. We needed some 20+ prospects. We didn't have the assets to go after the elite 20 somethings that came on the market like Hamilton, Kane and Saad so have had to settle with some prospects that have a few warts.

Things are looking up though. I won't comment on this year but the two drafts before look like we will get at least two players out of them, (not five like everyone seems to think) if we get three that is a fantastic draft. In general the ratings above are likely very generous but represent the high end for these prospects and I like that someone is coming with hope instead of the wrist slicing negativity of many on this board over the last week.

[Boudrias]

No, not all of these prospects will make the NHL. If 4 or 5 play 200 games it would be a home run.

The whole point about this list is the improvement over the past 5 years. Started by Gillis and

accelerated by Benning. The deeper the depth the more compete and hopefully more prospects rise to

the surface. Surprises are always nice. No one should under estimate the impact that Utica will have

as management can assess and develop players at their own pace.

By all appearances Benning and Linden ar focusing on the 2016 Draft as they continue to transition to a

younger core. As positive as the depth growth is it is not near what it has to be. Simply look at other

orgs to see how far behind the Canucks actually are. Start with Winnipeg and move on.

[appleboy]

I have followed this team for 38 years and I think our prospect pool is the deepest that I have seen. That being said we are missing the top end talent. Whether people like to hear it or not what we need is a couple of real bad years. Two top five picks could set us up for the long term.

We will also be able to go into the UFA market to fill some holes. If they played it right we could be back in the hunt within 3 years but be set up for the next 10 year run.

[gizmo2337]

Someone always says that we have a deep propsect pool right after the draft. Take it with a grain of salt.

I see a prospect pool filled with 4th line grinders and busts. Most will never make the team. Wouldn't be surprised to see our first rounder this year go to university for four years and then play for the Wild.

Our draft choices have mostly been beyond terrible. A random player picker would do better than our scouts. With that in mind, I do like that we are building a winning culture in the minors. This will help us eventually, but may take years.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Yeah it's deep, but we have multiple lineups to fill now, not just Vancouver's. We always did, but imho there is more pressure now for the Comets to win. Guys are being brought into the fold to specifically help the Comets now. Doesn't change much, but it is what it is.

[John Tortorella]

I think you are 95% correct.

Plus or minus 50%

You might be beyond sure at 145%

Or your dumb as bricks ar 45%

[zverta]

That being said we are missing the top end talent. Whether people like to hear it or not what we need is a couple of real bad years. Two top five picks could set us up for the long term.

We will also be able to go into the UFA market to fill some holes. If they played it right we could be back in the hunt within 3 years but be set up for the next 10 year run.

Where's our defence. Kylington was a great pick up at the draft..Oh wait no...we picked a forward.

Austin Matthews will be a nice addition next year. Hopefully Benning does the right thing and unloads a few veterans at the trade deadline.

You're right. Teams like Chicago not only drafted well, they were lucky in picking high in the right years. We need a Kane, Toews, and a Keith to be relevant. Otherwise, the next few Canuck years will be like the 2012 Calgary Flames.

[Gstank29]

Someone always says that we have a deep propsect pool right after the draft. Take it with a grain of salt.

I see a prospect pool filled with 4th line grinders and busts. Most will never make the team. Wouldn't be surprised to see our first rounder this year go to university for four years and then play for the Wild.

Our draft choices have mostly been beyond terrible. A random player picker would do better than our scouts. With that in mind, I do like that we are building a winning culture in the minors. This will help us eventually, but may take years.

Someones just a little ball of negativity.....

[Benchsplinters]

I Believe!

One of the few positive and optimistc posts I have read in the last few days. All this bright sunny weather all over the rest of Canada but the dreary clouds still hang over Vancouver. I suppose if you constantly think negative you reap what you sow.

Everyone needs to cheer up. Come on Vancouver fans, just give it a try for the first time in our NHL hockey history.

[steviewonder20]

Now we just need top line draft players, most of these guys are 2/3 line players

Exactly! Some very good 2/3 line guys but no dominating center, 1st line wingers or Norris calibre D.

[RUPERTKBD]

Average group of prospects. Very few with real possibility to be in the top 6 and pretty much no prospects with a likely possibility of being a top 4 D-man. We still need to add high end skill. Depth is fine to have in a prospect pool, but top end talent is far better. We are probably somewhere between 10-20th in the league as far as prospects go.

It seems that we get a little carried away by the potential of our prospects. Everyone has prospects and bearing in mind that the Canucks haven't had a lot of high picks over the past half decade or so, it stands to reason that our prospect pool is on the shallow end.

As of last spring, Hockesy's Future had Vancouver's prospect pool ranked 15th in the league. It stands to reason that those ranking s would change after the draft, but I think it's optimistic to believe that we have improved our ranking. For example, we were one spot ahead of the Oilers in that ranking, but after adding McDavid, not many would still believe we were ahead of them.

I think we need a few more years of adding quality prospects before we can express a lot of optimism for the future.

[thema]

IMO, we've got some good depth going on in the organization. As many have already pointed out, we don't have the elite/high end talent, but that can hopefully be addressed with some success at signing a top tier UFA in July 2016.

Utica's lineup may look something like:

Shinkaruk -- Friesen -- Grenier

Gaunce -- Cassels -- Jensen

Kenins -- Labate -- AHL contract

Blomstrad -- Fox/Valk (hopefully Canucks signs him) -- AHL contract

Hutton -- Biega

Fedun -- Pedan

Sautner -- Subban

McEneny -- AHL Contract

Bachman -- Corrado Cannata -- Whistle (?)

Hopefully the Canucks are able to sign Huskins, Archibald, Defazio to AHL contracts. And a guy like Andrew Ebbetts would be a good AHL signing for some offence and vet presence for the Comets.

Canucks have 43 signed contracts (if you count Clendening, Baertschi, Corrado and Cederholm; and if you take out the sliding scale contracts - McCann and Virtanen), so I'm sure there will be 2-3 organizational depth two-way NHL contract signings. Hopefully the Canucks use the AHL contracts to their advantage a little more effectively than they did last season.

So in your world Kenins is a 3rd line AHLer (yet signed to a one way NHL contract)? ohhhh kay....