After hot start, we're 4-10

[AngelicHearts]

With how things are going, it's better to get used to the fact that we will probably lose quite a few more games and not expect too much from the team at this point in time, but perhaps we will suddenly stop being lazy and play a real 60 minutes and start winning games. Losing isn't fun, but you can't keep losing forever. We're bound to start improving at one point or another.

[EdgarM]

After a hot start, this team is....

 

right where most expected them to be

 

seriously nobody with common sense pegged us as a playoff team

Really, finishing 1st in their division 5 of the past 7 years and missing the playoffs once in that time span. What a bunch of idiots! What were they thinking! 

[Crabcakes]

I think this is a pretty good summary of the D, although maybe a bit tough. I agree that the Canucks do not have a legitimate top pairing D combination right now -- and that is the big reason why they are struggling on special teams right now. We don't have a big shot from the point, as Edler seems to be unable to get his shot through traffic. But, by any measure, Tanev and Edler were a legitimate top pairing last year (not great, but legitimate) and there is no reason they cannot return to that form. I think part of the problem, especially with Sutter out, is not enough support down low from the center position. Crackell is a borderline NHL at best, Horvat is struggling this year, McCann is a young guy with lots of potential but he is not strong down low. And Henrik is still a very good player but he is also not that strong down low. So without Sutter there is a lot of pressure on the D and it shows.

I think Hammer is still a borderline top 4 D (although I think the road trip has tired him out right now).

I think that down the road both Hutton and Pedan will be very good. And Edler should be able to perform at a high level for several years. He was excellent last year and there is no reason to believe he is into age-related decline. In fact, he has had a some really good games this year as well. Sbisa is at least a decent bottom pairing guy and I think Tanev is very good. Those 5 guys should make a good core for next year and the year after. I admit we need one more good top 4  to have a really good D overall. I would not mind seen the Canucks trade Hammer at the deadline and get him back as a free agent in the summer.

Nobody was complaining about the D before Sbisa went down  at least not in the same way.  Lack of depth in the top 4 is really showing.  There are plenty of guys in the system who can play bottom pair. 

Edler has always been fragile mentally and has a good point shot but he is slow to get it off and he telegraphs and gets blocked a lot.  There never has been a number 1 but Edler and Tanev make a nice if unspectacular top pairing.  When Tanev hurt his hand, it threw Edler for a bit of a loop and now he's trying to regain his confidence.

Hammer is a legit #3 but should sit in back to back games.  33 isn't that old for a D but I think that Hamhuis will have to nurse his groin for the rest of his career and will never be quite what he was game in game out.

For the future, they're going to need a top 4 bridge D man and they're going to need to draft well for defense.

 

[EdgarM]

Should this really be a big surprise tho..? I mean we were supposed to be a bottom feeder team this year and all summer long there was not a whole lot of opptimism, we were being predicted to be a bottom feeder... now there are far too many teams much worse off than us for us to fall that far but this aint a good team by any means.

The hot start was just that..ppl get their expectations up but they sure have come back down to earth now. I wouldnt be surprised to see us with a top ten pick this year.. oh well. It needs to happen anyways.

Didn't you say the SAME THING last year?  This team is pretty much playoff bound every year except for the Torts debacle. Check for yourself.

[EdgarM]

Nobody was complaining about the D before Sbisa went down  at least not in the same way.  Lack of depth in the top 4 is really showing.  There are plenty of guys in the system who can play bottom pair. 

Edler has always been fragile mentally and has a good point shot but he is slow to get it off and he telegraphs and gets blocked a lot.  There never has been a number 1 but Edler and Tanev make a nice if unspectacular top pairing.  When Tanev hurt his hand, it threw Edler for a bit of a loop and now he's trying to regain his confidence.

Hammer is a legit #3 but should sit in back to back games.  33 isn't that old for a D but I think that Hamhuis will have to nurse his groin for the rest of his career and will never be quite what he was game in game out.

For the future, they're going to need a top 4 bridge D man and they're going to need to draft well for defense.

 

And people kept saying the Weber signing was insignificant. Its blatantly obvious now it was a big mistake. Things were a lot better when he was on the bench.

[Gstank29]

TANK FOR MATHEWS CHYCHURN

[Ihatetomatoes]

The sky is not falling. This team was not a contender when the season started and just because we started hot, that didn't change anything. There is lots of work to Do, and honestly a high draft and selling at the deadline is best case scenario.

pretty much. Now if Hamhuis and Vrbata would actually remember how to play hockey so they could fetch a decent return would be great. Right now I couldn't see either getting more than 2nd rounders or depth players 

[Hairy Kneel]

Hopefully we're in the middle of a progressive 5 year pan that only JB and Trev know about.

[Alflives]

pretty much. Now if Hamhuis and Vrbata would actually remember how to play hockey so they could fetch a decent return would be great. Right now I couldn't see either getting more than 2nd rounders or depth players 

Vrby maybe, but UFA D like Hammer often get good return at the TDL by stupid teams overpaying.  I could see us getting a late first for Hammer, and a decent prospect.  

[MoneypuckOverlord]

Be great if we can get 1st rounders out of Miller vrbatta and hamhius, tank badly , and do it for the future 

[apollo]

Teams played as well as they started. The games have been forced by the officiating though. 

 

Well expected. 

[Crabcakes]

Hopefully we're in the middle of a progressive 5 year pan that only JB and Trev know about.

If you don't know what the plan is, you haven't been paying attention.

[Canuck_Fan_52]

The Canucks started hot out of the gate, going 3-0-1 against the Flames twice, then the Ducks and Kings. These were supposed to be the 3 best teams in the division, so there was some genuine excitement. However, we have since learned that there was something fundamentally wrong with the Flames and Ducks to start the year, so beating them was far from achievements. The Kings too were flat for the first few games, but have since picked it up in a big way.

But since then, we have gone 4-6-4 - which other than some loser points, is 4 wins and 10 losses.

Anaheim and Calgary are starting to pick up their play. San Jose and Arizona look like they are going to be competitive. And the much stronger Central is likely taking 5 both wildcards, so probably only 3 Pacific teams are making the playoffs. Based on the way things are going, the Canucks probably won't be one of them.

Thanks for the analysis. 

Don't give up on them just yet, we are not yet a quarter into the season.  Teams have highs and lows all season.  I'm optimistic that the Canucks are merely in a slump but they'll rebound! 

[DownUndaCanuck]

There's no 3-on-3 OT in the playoffs (if we make it that is).

Lucky we're in the weakest division in the league. You just know the Flames and Ducks are going to have red hot streaks somewhere in the year that will boost them, lets hope the Canucks can keep up. Key to that is to not burn out Miller so early in the season - WD is being ignorant and stupid by playing him almost every single night. Even Bachman did well at times, and now that Markstrom is here we've got no excuse for working Miller into the ground.

Coaching isn't the main problem though, it's our defence or lack thereof. We're a much worse defence with even 1 injury which highlights our lack of depth on the blueline. JB needs to make a trade for a right handed top-4 defenceman using one of our many young wingers who won't crack the NHL for a long time.

Other reasons we've sucked? Vbrata and Horvat have been underwhelming this season, the rookies have cooled off and are inconsistent.

[Hairy Kneel]

If you don't know what the plan is, you haven't been paying attention.

To take over the world.

[Baggins]

Pretty much this.

The Nucks are not a hard working team nor are they hard to play against.  This has been the case for a very long time going back to before the 2011 run.  In 2011, they had the twins in their prime who were winning scoring races and they were able to score their way out of situations.  Fast forward to today and you have the same core who never worked overly hard but without the offensive weapons of 2011. were never a hard working team. 

This team plays incredibly soft.  Only Cracknell and Virtanen even try to take the body the rest just do fly-bys or waive as they skate past the opposition players. 

I expected the team to struggle this year but thought the idea was to have the vets show the kids how to play and prepare for the future.  I am now scared about having our prospects learn from our core group who appear resigned to playing out their contracts or waiting for a trade to a contender.

 

So you're only hard working if you're throwing big hits? News to me.

[Baggins]

If you don't know what the plan is, you haven't been paying attention.

Choosing to ignore until he hears what he want most likely.

[Warhippy]

Really, finishing 1st in their division 5 of the past 7 years and missing the playoffs once in that time span. What a bunch of idiots! What were they thinking! 

Well, they were thinking what EVERYONE in the hockey world was thinking.

 

You know, no real 2nd line, questionable defense, unknown rookies entering the line up, aging Sedins, rotating line of 1st line RW's, unknown goaltending with Miller's knee; stronger division, stronger conference.

 

You know...what were they thinking.  We should totally still go by what we DID not what we're doing and where we're going.

 

Because, you know.  By that extension, 5 cups in 8 years...those Oilers are the greatest ever

[goblix]

I hate when stats are derived from a random number of games, it's a bit ridiculous to me. We are 7-6-5 which isn't great but is pretty accurate to where everyone thought the canucks would be...

I pretty much expected the canucks to creep down while anaheim / SJS crept up the standings, probably another 10-20 games and we'll swap places... not being pessimistic but those 2 teams have more established youth players (alongside vets) and are just an overall better team.

My dream for this year was to miss the playoffs so we can sell off Vrbata / Hamhuis / Higgins bring up more young guys and give Markstrom more games than he would normally. My side dream would be to make a run at Tyson Barrie and sign Zaitsev

Ah well I'm just happy to sit back and see what happens anyways. GCG 

[khay]

Remember when we used to dominate the Eastern Conference? But to be fair hasn't Dallas lost to the Leafs twice this year?

Toronto looks like a different team than in the past. There is a lot more speed in their game. Sure, they still make a lot of turnovers and mistakes but they are much quicker on the puck than years past.