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NHL.com Top 5 improved teams in the West


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This is hilarious: https://www.nhl.com/news/western-conferences-most-improved-teams/c-281119428

 

I added the Canucks at the bottom for comparison sake. We wreck all of these other than maybe Nashville... 

 

Arizona:  Key moves: Signing defenseman Alex Goligoski (5 years, $23.375 million) and forward Jamie McGinn(3 years, $10 million); re-signing defenseman Kevin Connauton (2 years, $2 million).

 

Calgary:  Key moves: Acquiring goaltender Brian Elliott in a trade with the St. Louis Blues; signing forward Troy Brouwer (4 years, $18 million) and goaltender Chad Johnson (1 year, $1.7 million); taking forward Matthew Tkachuk with the No. 6 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft; acquiring forward Alex Chiasson in a trade with Ottawa Senators and signing him (1-year, $800,000).

 

Oilers:  Key moves: Signing foward Milan Lucic (7 years, $42 million); acquiring defenseman Adam Larsson in a trade from the New Jersey Devils (for forward Taylor Hall); selecting forward Jesse Puljujarvi with the No. 4 pick in the draft.

 

Minnesota:  Key moves: Signing forwards Eric Staal (3 years, $10.5 million) and Chris Stewart (2 years, $2.3 million); buying out forward Thomas Vanek, who had one year remaining on a three-year contract.

 

Nashville:  Key moves: Acquiring defenseman P.K. Subban in a trade from the Montreal Canadiens (for defenseman Shea Weber); re-signing forward Filip Forsberg (6 years, $36 million).

 

VANCOUVER: Key moves: Acquiring defenseman Erik Gudbrandson in a trade from the Florida Panthers (for Jared McCann); signing forward Loui Eriksson (6 years, $36 million), drafting Olli Juolevi 5th overall.

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Calgary and Edmonton just because they filled some obvious glaring weaknesses both in net and on D. Both added some much needed toughness to their lineups as well.

 

I would rank Vancouver third behind them, but I don't think we're even done yet. Still gotta make a trade for a big left winger.

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The BC/AB road trips for the opposition are no longer going to be free points up for grabs. 

 

If we manage to stay relatively healthy, we will be seriously underrated - which I am perfectly fine with personally. 

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If you really look at it.  Some the power houses took steps back this summer,  

LA lost Lucic and Brown's been declining.

STL lost Brouwer, Backes and Elliot

ANA lost Anderson and Perron and took a major hit to their moral with a first round exit.

Hawks cap is catching up with them and are forced to lose valuable depth, last year Sharp, and Saad, this year Shaw and teravainen.  And they've been giving up draft picks for rentals. (now that Teravainen is gone you have to go back to 2009 with krugar to find one of their drafted players on their roster)

 

It's a good time to go all in when there is no really leader of the pack.  

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The summary for Vancouver is missing pieces like Tryamkin, Improvement of our young players (ie.Horvat, Baertschi, Virtanen, Hutton). Rodin is coming in looking like he can do something for us. 

Gaunce could be our 4th line center giving us size, speed, and two way play. Markstrom will only get better and will get more help from our defence this year.

 

Every media doesn't seem to realize that Sutter was injured most of the year and will help on special teams and faceoffs.

 

Our defence was decimated losing 3/4 of our top 4 intermittently for long stretches.

 

The twins were injured and didn't have a consistent linemate until Hansen, and Eriksson is going to give more offence than Hansen. This pushes everyone down giving us more depth.

 

I'm not saying we're going to be an amazing team this year but we're going to be much better than last year and we're not even through the offseason yet. I think we'll see at least one more NHL level trade before the season starts.

 

 

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The Canucks are bigger, younger, faster...... and harder to play against

 

I think that teams in the west are in for a surprise.  Ask Brandon Pirri and Chris Stewart.  Welcome to Vancouver boys.

 

This isn't an "all in" effort.  They have added some nice young pieces to move forward with and also some pieces who are going to shelter developing players as part of their long term development plan.  I wouldn't be surprised to see a 70 goal improvement on last years -52 goal differential.

 

Eriksson and Gudbranson are 2 key additions but there have been lots more besides.  Almost every change favours youth and size. 

 

Out                  In

 

Vrbata 35        Eriksson 31

Vey 25            Granlund 23

Higgins 33       Etem 24

Prust 31           Gaunce 22

Hamhuis 34     Gudbranson 24

Weber 26         Larsen 26

Bartkowski 28  Tryamkin 22

McCann 20      Rodin 25

Cracknell 31     Zalewski 23

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I think the Canucks are definitely one of the 5 most improved teams in the West. Like Jam said, the Canadian teams in the West have all improved a lot. The Hall trade was a bad idea from a specific standpoint--since they didn't get a draft pick--but from a general standpoint, they added pieces that will make them more competitive. Calgary shored up their goaltending, and added grit, which is what Brian Burke wanted. Benning did a great job too; I think it's possible for Juolevi to make the team, even as an 18 year old defenseman. 

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31 minutes ago, NaveJoseph said:

I think the Canucks are definitely one of the 5 most improved teams in the West. Like Jam said, the Canadian teams in the West have all improved a lot. The Hall trade was a bad idea from a specific standpoint--since they didn't get a draft pick--but from a general standpoint, they added pieces that will make them more competitive. Calgary shored up their goaltending, and added grit, which is what Brian Burke wanted. Benning did a great job too; I think it's possible for Juolevi to make the team, even as an 18 year old defenseman. 

i hope we dont rush juolevi, i think even just a year before he steps into the NHL would be good for him.

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6 minutes ago, Bob.Loblaw said:

What is this "we" you keep talking about...

 

Why don't you tell your own fans to start buying tickets, since nobody in our own city even thinks the Canucks are going to do well.

what is "our" city? the way you explain it, it seems like a city with a lot of fake fans and people that don't believe in their team...or should i even say "their" more like our. 

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18 minutes ago, TNucks1 said:

i hope we dont rush juolevi, i think even just a year before he steps into the NHL would be good for him.

I agree with one year, but he seems pretty determined to make the team now. 

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4 minutes ago, NaveJoseph said:

I agree with one year, but he seems pretty determined to make the team now. 

That's a good thing, it shows drive. Horvat was the same way.

 

I think he has more to learn in London though. Let him be the number 1 powerplay guy there, and put up big points. 

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3 hours ago, Derp... said:

West will be interesting this year. If Minny can finally put it together I could see them topping the conference. I doubt that happens, but it is possible. Dallas also improved thanks to Hammer.

Hammer there improves us most overrated canuck ever

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