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Intentionally throwing games


48MPHSlapShot

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I've seen a lot of negativity around here over the past 24 hours. Many people seem to want to criticize the Canucks for playing well and actually winning a hockey game. Now, I do understand why. Every win lessens our odds of picking in the top three of this years NHL entry draft, which isn't a good thing in a season that has become "meaningless".

 

But is it?

 

We have many potentially high end young players already in our lineup, and I doubt very much that long losing streaks and a septic environment in the dressing room would help their development. As far as establishing a new, younger core group of players goes, this season has been (and still is) the most important season that the Canucks have had in a very long time. So no, this season is not "meaningless". It's pretty far from "meaningless".

 

"We can simply bench our veterans, and give the young players a ton of ice time, thus losing us games, which will get us a better pick."

 

Is that really the best way to develop our young players? Intentionally putting them in a position to fail? Dress it up as much as you want, but that's what's being suggested by many people here. I hate to use the Edmonton example, as it has been done to death, but has throwing all of their young players to the wolves helped their cause? No. If anything, it's hurt it. Extremely high end players like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have all come to accept the losing culture that has been established in Edmonton, and I would argue that a large part of that is due to A) Putting them in positions to fail right off the bat, rather than (somewhat) sheltering their minutes and playing them to their strengths, while letting them pick up the other aspects of the game at their own pace, and B ) Not providing enough veteran presence to help guide these young players into the roles that they're meant to play.

 

Also, benching veterans is a surefire way to make your team unattractive to potential free agents (as is being a horrible hockey team in general).

 

There are a ton of other issues that the concept of "throwing games" brings up as well. Season ticket holders being made to feel unimportant. The moral implications of it. The fact that it could possibly engrain an "it's okay to lose" mentality into our young players heads.

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it's wrong to hope that the team loses out and gets the highest pick possible. Hell, that's what I'm hoping for myself. But to imply that the group of players on the ice, or the management group behind them are somehow "inept", or should be condemned for not throwing games is asinine.

 

 

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I don't think anyone that would ever consider tanking would ever be an NHL level player, having said that, they picked a fine time to go on a winning streak, let's hope they don't beat their season winning streak record.

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Thank you, tanking is not only an insult to paying fans, but an insult to the game. It is one thing to be losing because you suck, but doing what Buffalo did last year and what Toronto did this year is downright wrong. Moving pieces to put the best of the worst on your roster out there should be penalized. 

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I just want to stress the last part of my post.

 

I have NO issue with hoping the team loses out the rest of the season. I'm in that camp myself.

 

My issue is with the hostility being shown towards the team and management for trying to put their best foot forward.

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My biggest issue with our current winning streak is the YOUNG PLAYERS ARE DOING NOTHING!

 

its all the veterans doing everything, Hansen and the Sedins' so who the heck is kidding themselves? If the kids actaully did something eg McCAnn, Gaunce (virtanen although suspended) I would be estactic

 

instead its a bunch of veterans like Hansen, sedins, hamhuis, tanev

 

we have seen what these same veterans can do when the pressure is on,but right now they are playing loose and relaxed, its obvious the wins were going to come. And yes they probably will go perfect, the team is playing good sadly enough but it doesn't help when the young guys are not running the show

 

rite now is the time to give the young guys more time, even let them start the pp units play sedins like a 2nd or 3rd line but im sorry im not going to comment  on why they aren't.

 

play the young guys in 18 minute mark, play pedan and tyramkin in the 15-18 minute mark, but instead you know whats happening UTTER BONEHEADS RUNNING THIS SHOW, CANT wait until Benning, Willie and the rest of them are canned. 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, desiboynux4lifee******* said:

My biggest issue with our current winning streak is the YOUNG PLAYERS ARE DOING NOTHING!

 

its all the veterans doing everything, Hansen and the Sedins' so who the heck is kidding themselves? If the kids actaully did something eg McCAnn, Gaunce (virtanen although suspended) I would be estactic

 

instead its a bunch of veterans like Hansen, sedins, hamhuis, tanev

 

we have seen what these same veterans can do when the pressure is on,but right now they are playing loose and relaxed, its obvious the wins were going to come. And yes they probably will go perfect, the team is playing good sadly enough but it doesn't help when the young guys are not running the show.

 

 

Horvat scored and got an assist last night.

 

Just sayin'.

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4 minutes ago, desiboynux4lifee******* said:

My biggest issue with our current winning streak is the YOUNG PLAYERS ARE DOING NOTHING!

 

its all the veterans doing everything, Hansen and the Sedins' so who the heck is kidding themselves? If the kids actaully did something eg McCAnn, Gaunce (virtanen although suspended) I would be estactic

 

instead its a bunch of veterans like Hansen, sedins, hamhuis, tanev

 

we have seen what these same veterans can do when the pressure is on,but right now they are playing loose and relaxed, its obvious the wins were going to come. And yes they probably will go perfect, the team is playing good sadly enough but it doesn't help when the young guys are not running the show.

 

 

Soooo Horvat's 2 point night means nothing to you?

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4 minutes ago, desiboynux4lifee******* said:

My biggest issue with our current winning streak is the YOUNG PLAYERS ARE DOING NOTHING!

 

its all the veterans doing everything, Hansen and the Sedins' so who the heck is kidding themselves? If the kids actaully did something eg McCAnn, Gaunce (virtanen although suspended) I would be estactic

 

instead its a bunch of veterans like Hansen, sedins, hamhuis, tanev

 

we have seen what these same veterans can do when the pressure is on,but right now they are playing loose and relaxed, its obvious the wins were going to come. And yes they probably will go perfect, the team is playing good sadly enough but it doesn't help when the young guys are not running the show

 

rite now is the time to give the young guys more time, even let them start the pp units play sedins like a 2nd or 3rd line but im sorry im not going to comment  on why they aren't.

 

 

 

Well aren't baer and horvat in our top 5 for goals

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Just now, desiboynux4lifee******* said:

horvats one guy what about the rest, what has Gaunce, McCann, done offensively lately?

There's more to the game than getting points. We always knew Gaunce isn't a huge scorer, and Mccann is struggling. Playing him more won't necessarily help that.

 

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4 minutes ago, 48MPHSlapShot said:

My issue is with the hostility being shown towards the team and management for trying to put their best foot forward.

People are straining hard to complain. The airtime Corrado and Cracknell have received is ridiculous. Its like they're talking about losing Cam Neeley. Linden and Benning are dealing with cleaning up some bad contracts and trying to accelerate our prospect pool, no easy task to be sure. Complaining about overpaying Dorsett or Sbisa by 500k when we had cap space for it anyway is just looking to whine, imo. 

 

The future is bright, we're going to get a top 10 pick, and be young, faster, more Russian, and more competitive next year, and who knows, the lottery may smile on us. 

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1 minute ago, Warhippy said:

Who are we?

 

the Leafs?

 

No, we're not intentionally throwing games.  That would mean burying productive players in the AHL or benching them period.

Which is what is being suggested by many people here, hence the rant.

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1 minute ago, Mrbigyellowbus said:

Soooo Horvat's 2 point night means nothing to you?

heres my problem but im going to say what should happen but won't

 

have the young guys in 18-20 minute range

have the sedins playing 10-11 minutes with the veterans

have the young players start the PP unit

have the young d-men Russians play 15-18 minutes

 

now is the time to explore and see what happpens, because if they fail so what, but instead we are playing like a team trying to make the playoffs. this is my issue i have with this team

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1 minute ago, desiboynux4lifee******* said:

My biggest issue with our current winning streak is the YOUNG PLAYERS ARE DOING NOTHING!

 

its all the veterans doing everything, Hansen and the Sedins' so who the heck is kidding themselves? If the kids actaully did something eg McCAnn, Gaunce (virtanen although suspended) I would be estactic

 

instead its a bunch of veterans like Hansen, sedins, hamhuis, tanev

 

 

Sooooo (as I hesitantly stick my toe in) Horvat did NOTHING? Tree did NOTHING? Etem did NOTHING? Unless you classify them as "veterans". Then I could see where you're coming from. Otherwise ........

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2 minutes ago, desiboynux4lifee******* said:

horvats one guy what about the rest, what has Gaunce, McCann, done offensively lately?

 

and why the hell is Higgins here what the heck this guy going to be on the team next year or something?

Higgins likely here to "showcase" him for his pending free agency.  As much as he was a non-factor for this team, he's taken it like a champ and professional and the team owes him as much.

 

 

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Just now, desiboynux4lifee******* said:

heres my problem but im going to say what should happen but won't

 

have the young guys in 18-20 minute range

have the sedins playing 10-11 minutes with the veterans

have the young players start the PP unit

have the young d-men Russians play 15-18 minutes

 

now is the time to explore and see what happpens, because if they fail so what, but instead we are playing like a team trying to make the playoffs. this is my issue i have with this team

Setting the young players up to fail*

 

I believe I already addressed that notion.

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12 minutes ago, desiboynux4lifee******* said:

My biggest issue with our current winning streak is the YOUNG PLAYERS ARE DOING NOTHING!

 

Horvat, Hutton, Markstrom, Baer, and Tryamkin have been playing well.

McCann has looked better as of late as well.

Gaunce is the only one I'm kinda "meh" on right now

 

Edit: And Virt has been pretty decent as well

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Just now, desiboynux4lifee******* said:

heres my problem but im going to say what should happen but won't

 

have the young guys in 18-20 minute range

have the sedins playing 10-11 minutes with the veterans

have the young players start the PP unit

have the young d-men Russians play 15-18 minutes

 

now is the time to explore and see what happpens, because if they fail so what, but instead we are playing like a team trying to make the playoffs. this is my issue i have with this team

Horvat has been playing 18+ minutes on most night, sedins aren't bad enough to make them play only 11 minutes a game...only you could come up with such a stupid idea lmao. McCann isn't ready to play that much, I'm pretty sure tryamkin is playing a lot idk about pedan. Baer has been playing a lot too

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