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Don't Make the Playoffs = Goodbye Old Core


IBatch

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As others have stated, the "old core" is pretty muvch gone now anyway - either through the natural movement of players, or conscious moves by management. And no, after everything they have done, no GM is going to dump the Sedins at this point. Only way they are wearing other colours is if they ask to be moved for a chance for a cup (which would surprise me to be honest).

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  • 4 weeks later...

100% selling off your best players and tanking never really pans out the way people think. You could end up like Edmonton, Florida, or even Toronto.

I remember all of the anger and angst in 2014 when we had a bad 1/2 season. Some teams have spent almost a decade going through what we went through for in 2014.

I think we should keep around our vets to slowly mentor and shield our young players until the time is right.

Your point makes too much common sense. That said Benning has been getting rid of the core, just at a different pace than some people like or understand.

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Both Edmonton and Florida are loaded with talent and about to make playoffs.

Maybe don't count those chickens yet. They still have the immense weight of a total loser culture. Sekera is the top D? Nope. I'll go on record here, no effing way the Spoilers make the playoffs. Besides, for them losing is winning, so they may have trouble getting into winning.

I hope oilers do better than Canucks bc that would mean we get a top 5 pick

But make no mistake- Edmonton wants chuchyrun

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The biggest problem with selling off the older players is stripping the club of it's culture. The Canucks have a winning culture in their past and it's worth preserving and passing down to their prospects and young players.

Benning has tweaked the team culture by adding players like Dorsett, Miller, Prust and Sutter and promoting Markstrom. He has also trimmed Sestito, Kassian, Matthias, Lack, Stanton.....and the result is a team that is harder to play against because when the chips are down, these guys raise their game.

Benning has other goals for team improvement obviously like improving speed, skill etc. Benning must balance all his goals for team improvement when assessing players. Bieksa for example, showed a lack of speed which began to outweigh the character factors that he contributed to the group. Reluctantly, Benning cut him loose but he found Prust in another trade that made up in some ways for the loss of Bieksa's contribution.

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Benning has made it clear that next year is when things are going to happen to this team, both via free agency and by getting some picks.

Given recent years trade deadline, you could expect both Vrbata and Hamhuis to get 1st rounders and possibly a couple 3rds. That is not arguable, look it up if you want to be informed. Benning knows this.

He also knows that this years average UFA market is going to be eclipsed by a bumper crop next year possibly led by Stamkos.

NOBODY on this team is guaranteed to stay if we don't make the playoffs, including all players with no-trade clauses (who may happily leave a team entering a full rebuild for chance at the cup with a contender).

The Sedins, Burrows, Edler, and even Miller could be wearing different sweaters by the end of the season.

The safest players are those on entry level deals who are outperforming their salary (to free up money to overpay vets via free agency) and are considered part of the new core (ie Horvat).

This is the strategy that Benning has taken. It is the right one given the circumstances and the late stages of the core.

Sedins still have 3-4 years in them in my eyes without a doubt. They'll be #1 liners this year & possibly next year before the are replaced & then become still solid #2nd liners.

And by then hopefully we have Horvat Virtanen & maybe someone like Lucic as a 1/2 line combo.+ the emergence of our prospects, ie. McCann, Grenier, Hunter, Gaunce, Cassels, Brisbois, etc.

Then possibly add a Seabrook & another D and we're looking like a Stanley cup contender again.

It takes a few years not 1...\

The Sedins surrounded by the right players (TEAM MATES) can still be very effective for years still.

When H.Sedin is your #1 centre. Bonino can't be the 2nd line centre. Too soft of a 1-2 punch. Now with Sutter & the emergence of Bo, & the heart & soul players like Prust, Dorsett, Virtanen, etc. (that JB will continue to add too), this team can be primed for a cup run before you know it.

Let JB do his job. He has a plan & building a CUP WINNER takes a few years in the NHL...

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Rebuilding and changing the core does not mean every single core player has to go. The Sedins will almost certainly be the last, and probably due to retirement. While Benning reportedly tried to trade Burrows, it may be that they've discovered he's their best option with the Sedins so he may stay longer.

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