Hockey Writers 2016-17 Predictions

[TheYjUstMaKeYoUwooZy]

17 hours ago, oldnews said:

Any hack can publish for that amateurish source.

 

Some of the worst material I've seen comes from THW.

 

ANALYSIS: The Canucks aren’t rebuilding, rather retooling, but that denial will likely be their downfall in what is shaping up to be another humbling season. I have Vancouver locked in as a draft lottery team for the second straight year, but the powers that be for this franchise are much more optimistic about the Canucks’ playoff chances with the current roster. They added Loui Eriksson to flank the Sedin twins on the top line and essentially replaced Dan Hamhuis with Erik Gudbranson on defence. Those weren’t bad moves, but the overall depth and quality of talent isn’t on par with the rest of the division or conference in my opinion. I do like Willie Desjardins as a coach, much more so than Jim Benning as a GM, so it’s possible that Desjardins milks that lineup for more than it’s worth. However, if the Sedins slow down or get hurt for any length of time, the Canucks will be doomed. They don’t have the supporting cast to overcome the loss of Henrik or Daniel, let alone both. Vancouver should get solid goaltending again from the tandem of Ryan Miller and Jacob Markstrom, with the latter expected to take over as starter at some point this season. Unless Markstrom emerges as a Vezina candidate, I just don’t see any way the Canucks muster more than a middle-of-the-pack finish and that wouldn’t be in their best interests at this point. Embrace the rebuild. Bring on Nolan Patrick, not Evander Kane.

 

 

If we had a healthy roster last year than all these analyst's would have a point.   He makes the point of Gudbranson replacing Hammer but doesn't mention that two of our top4 were injured for a good portion of the season making it less of a lateral move if we stay healthy.  Also not a single mention of our 2nd line center only playing 20 games and Vrabata basiclly taking the season off.

Dont get me wrong, I'm on the fence about making the playoffs but these analysts cherry picking their information is getting old.

[Boudrias]

4 minutes ago, TheYjUstMaKeYoUwooZy said:

If we had a healthy roster last year than all these analyst's would have a point.   He makes the point of Gudbranson replacing Hammer but doesn't mention that two of our top4 were injured for a good portion of the season making it less of a lateral move if we stay healthy.  Also not a single mention of our 2nd line center only playing 20 games and Vrabata basiclly taking the season off.

Dont get me wrong, I'm on the fence about making the playoffs but these analysts cherry picking their information is getting old.

Or perhaps overoptimistic Canuck fans cherry pick the potential of their roster over their competitors. By this comment you can rightly assume that I am a rebuild fan not an effort to take the Twins to one more CUP push. As commented by the analyst the supporting roster is not developed well enough to be a serious CUP contender. The compete level in the West simply climbs higher each year. Vancouver is improving but are not close. Bite the bullet and expand and deepen the prospect pool. No more UFA signings, play your existing roster and maybe move a vet or two come the TDL.   

[appleboy]

The Canucks are definitely in a rebuild. Linden or Benning have never suggested that they are a cup contender. They have the outlook that you always push to be better and push for the playoffs. The idea that is so prevalent in hockey circles is to burn your team down and suck for years.  This is not an approach that our management believes in and not something that fans want to see. So, if you do not do what all the so called intelligent hockey people say is the right thing do then you are ridiculed. It is kind of like not dressing the way all the hip people do. 

This is the time of the year that the idiots can boast about all the changes that teams have made and forecast them as being successful. We all know that once the season starts, things never go as all the pundits have suggested. 

 

Toronto is going to struggle for years. They may see some progress but will not be a contender any time soon. The hype will be there for a couple of years but will eventually cool off and come to the realization that they have gone down a long hard road. Just ask the Oilers fans.

 

This is not to say that we are not in for a lengthy rebuild ourselves. As long as they keep our first round picks so we can continue to add players like Boeser and Juolevi. We will get to where we need to be. Either way is going to take a while.

[Alflives]

4 hours ago, alfstonker said:

How do you know the bottom feeder teams have more depth. Depth is only an illusion until it is melded into a fully functioning unit. In team sport fully functioning units are not decided on individual "talent/draft position" they are decided on a whole manner of things and one of these things most underestimated is "character" combining endurance, will to win and the ability to not accept defeat.

 

That is why you find teams like Boston, Detroit etc filled with low draft picks and undrafted players who still manage to produce a winning team.

I know this may be a little too subtle for you and you prefer to go down the pessimistic route Alf but Benning in his SHORT two years has imo gone a long way to drafting these character players and creating the basic foundations for success. (the hard way) 

 

It can be seen in players like Stecher, Brisebois, Olson, Tryampkin, Neil, Zhukenov etc. We also have a great development club in Utica under some inspired coaching and it is these things that lead to ultimate success imo.

 

Above all and this is probably where I am more optimistic than most, we have a coach in WD who I think is a "winner" Not only a winner but a coach who knows how to develop young players, the right way. Willie will hopefully prove to be the best signing we have made so far.

 

Keep the faith.

Hey!  Great pep talk.  Thanks.  

[LaBamba]

I know it's the entire universe who is against Cancouver but does the overwhelmingly negative support for this team ring any kind of warning bells for you guys?  

[harrytoolips]

18 hours ago, Wilbur said:

They're walking a fine line, if most things go right I'd top them out at 3rd in the Pacific.  If things go bad with injuries, I'd put them as low as 6.  As usual, the truth lies somewhere inbetween and since being a Canuck fan can be like being an eternal pessimist I will settle on 5th (my heart says 4th though).

Very well thought out...I say 4th in the pacific, the last playoff spot in the West!!

[LaBamba]

4 minutes ago, harrytoolips said:

Very well thought out...I say 4th in the pacific, the last playoff spot in the West!!

I have us 4th in the lottery. 

[Alflives]

26 minutes ago, LaBamba said:

I know it's the entire universe who is against Cancouver but does the overwhelmingly negative support for this team ring any kind of warning bells for you guys?  

Yes, of course.  But as fans there is hope.  Plus, many so called experts miss on their predictions every year.  There is the hope that these guys are all wrong.  Crap, I need another pep talk. 

[wildcam]

17 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I don't know why people are griping so much.  I am trying to take a far more objective approach to the season.

 

We got a shade younger, while also getting a shade more experienced from our youth.  We got tougher on the blue line and deeper in the prospects department.

 

But THW, Score, TSN and almost universally every major analyst has the Canucks finishing in the bottom 10.  There IS a reason for this and it is not blind hate for Vancouver or love for TO

 

OK, to simply make the playoffs, you have to beat your division.  Can we capably say we can do that at this moment in time?

 

Let's dissect the teams that weren't pegged as cup contenders in our division that we should capably beat.

 

Oilers, needed goaltending defense and toughness.  What did they do?  They now have Lucic/Maroon/Kassian that's 3 lines of crazy right there.  They have an older Nurse, Klefbom, Reinhardt and Larson now.  That is a big and very mobile defensive group that is still incredibly young.  They brought in the Goose to back up Talbot who was actually really good in front of a porous defense.

 

Flames, needed more balanced scoring and goaltending as they have arguably one of the deepest and best pools for blue liners in the league; that just got deeper after this draft and a shade older.  They added Elliott who arguably is a top 10 goalie in this league; if Calgary stops 1 goal per game last year in 25 matches, they make the playoffs.  They also got a shade deeper up front as well.  Nobody will say Tkachuk is NHL ready but he's certainly not a lock to go back to juniors based on his play either.

 

Arizona, Needed X and Y and Z and with one of the deepest forward prospect pools in the league did everything they needed to in shoring up the defense.  Drafted up Chychrun who is without question physically NHL ready and has something to prove, has an older core now of young stud forwards and really only has questionable goaltending and a suspect bottom 5-6 D

 

I look at the teams we SHOULD beat and know that if Markstrom is not getting 55+ starts, we have our annual medical parade on the blueline and lose any one of Horvat, Sedin, Sedin or Sutter we're a lottery team.  There are HUGE questions for this team that is not nearly as deep as they appear or skilled as some on here seem to think they are.

 

I cannot see us breaking the top 10 for this season in the West with the moves everyone else made.  Colorado will hire a new coach and be better, Hawks, Wild, Jets, Blues, Sharks, Ducks, Kings, Preds, Stars all almost seem like they could be locks for the playoffs.  Deeper, faster, bigger, younger and arguably as or more skilled.

 

I mean i LOVE my Canucks, I suffered through the king Richard days of the 80's the Keenan days and more and have earned the right to be realistic about our chances this year.

 

On paper we're a bubble team.  Realistically; we're one injury away from a lottery pick.  Not hatred, not hating, not blind homerism or love for another team

 

Just brutal honesty.

You wrote a good post and agree with you...I feel Jim Benning has done a great job in draft and I like some of the trades..

The back end is so big Gurbradson,

17 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I don't know why people are griping so much.  I am trying to take a far more objective approach to the season.

 

We got a shade younger, while also getting a shade more experienced from our youth.  We got tougher on the blue line and deeper in the prospects department.

 

But THW, Score, TSN and almost universally every major analyst has the Canucks finishing in the bottom 10.  There IS a reason for this and it is not blind hate for Vancouver or love for TO

 

OK, to simply make the playoffs, you have to beat your division.  Can we capably say we can do that at this moment in time?

 

Let's dissect the teams that weren't pegged as cup contenders in our division that we should capably beat.

 

Oilers, needed goaltending defense and toughness.  What did they do?  They now have Lucic/Maroon/Kassian that's 3 lines of crazy right there.  They have an older Nurse, Klefbom, Reinhardt and Larson now.  That is a big and very mobile defensive group that is still incredibly young.  They brought in the Goose to back up Talbot who was actually really good in front of a porous defense.

 

Flames, needed more balanced scoring and goaltending as they have arguably one of the deepest and best pools for blue liners in the league; that just got deeper after this draft and a shade older.  They added Elliott who arguably is a top 10 goalie in this league; if Calgary stops 1 goal per game last year in 25 matches, they make the playoffs.  They also got a shade deeper up front as well.  Nobody will say Tkachuk is NHL ready but he's certainly not a lock to go back to juniors based on his play either.

 

Arizona, Needed X and Y and Z and with one of the deepest forward prospect pools in the league did everything they needed to in shoring up the defense.  Drafted up Chychrun who is without question physically NHL ready and has something to prove, has an older core now of young stud forwards and really only has questionable goaltending and a suspect bottom 5-6 D

 

I look at the teams we SHOULD beat and know that if Markstrom is not getting 55+ starts, we have our annual medical parade on the blueline and lose any one of Horvat, Sedin, Sedin or Sutter we're a lottery team.  There are HUGE questions for this team that is not nearly as deep as they appear or skilled as some on here seem to think they are.

 

I cannot see us breaking the top 10 for this season in the West with the moves everyone else made.  Colorado will hire a new coach and be better, Hawks, Wild, Jets, Blues, Sharks, Ducks, Kings, Preds, Stars all almost seem like they could be locks for the playoffs.  Deeper, faster, bigger, younger and arguably as or more skilled.

 

I mean i LOVE my Canucks, I suffered through the king Richard days of the 80's the Keenan days and more and have earned the right to be realistic about our chances this year.

 

On paper we're a bubble team.  Realistically; we're one injury away from a lottery pick.  Not hatred, not hating, not blind homerism or love for another team

 

Just brutal honesty.

I agree with your post, very well written ..

Like how Benning has drafted and these picks will back how good Benning is as a GM...

 

Back end will be so tough, Gudbranson, good trade mean 6'5, 220lbs 24yrs, lots of potential, top 2 in time..

Tryamkin 6'7, 230lbs, 21yrs, mean lots of potential top 4 guy in time,,, Drafted

Pedan  6'5, 220  22yrs  mean lots of potential top 5 guy in time... picked up in trade

 

We needed toughness and we have 3 big mean guys now..Been waiting for this for 10years, excited for future..

[buddhahoodlum]

17 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I don't know why people are griping so much.  I am trying to take a far more objective approach to the season.

 

We got a shade younger, while also getting a shade more experienced from our youth.  We got tougher on the blue line and deeper in the prospects department.

 

But THW, Score, TSN and almost universally every major analyst has the Canucks finishing in the bottom 10.  There IS a reason for this and it is not blind hate for Vancouver or love for TO

 

OK, to simply make the playoffs, you have to beat your division.  Can we capably say we can do that at this moment in time?

 

Let's dissect the teams that weren't pegged as cup contenders in our division that we should capably beat.

 

Oilers, needed goaltending defense and toughness.  What did they do?  They now have Lucic/Maroon/Kassian that's 3 lines of crazy right there.  They have an older Nurse, Klefbom, Reinhardt and Larson now.  That is a big and very mobile defensive group that is still incredibly young.  They brought in the Goose to back up Talbot who was actually really good in front of a porous defense.

 

Flames, needed more balanced scoring and goaltending as they have arguably one of the deepest and best pools for blue liners in the league; that just got deeper after this draft and a shade older.  They added Elliott who arguably is a top 10 goalie in this league; if Calgary stops 1 goal per game last year in 25 matches, they make the playoffs.  They also got a shade deeper up front as well.  Nobody will say Tkachuk is NHL ready but he's certainly not a lock to go back to juniors based on his play either.

 

Arizona, Needed X and Y and Z and with one of the deepest forward prospect pools in the league did everything they needed to in shoring up the defense.  Drafted up Chychrun who is without question physically NHL ready and has something to prove, has an older core now of young stud forwards and really only has questionable goaltending and a suspect bottom 5-6 D

 

I look at the teams we SHOULD beat and know that if Markstrom is not getting 55+ starts, we have our annual medical parade on the blueline and lose any one of Horvat, Sedin, Sedin or Sutter we're a lottery team.  There are HUGE questions for this team that is not nearly as deep as they appear or skilled as some on here seem to think they are.

 

I cannot see us breaking the top 10 for this season in the West with the moves everyone else made.  Colorado will hire a new coach and be better, Hawks, Wild, Jets, Blues, Sharks, Ducks, Kings, Preds, Stars all almost seem like they could be locks for the playoffs.  Deeper, faster, bigger, younger and arguably as or more skilled.

 

I mean i LOVE my Canucks, I suffered through the king Richard days of the 80's the Keenan days and more and have earned the right to be realistic about our chances this year.

 

On paper we're a bubble team.  Realistically; we're one injury away from a lottery pick.  Not hatred, not hating, not blind homerism or love for another team

 

Just brutal honesty.

The wildcard says hi.

[ForsbergTheGreat]

11 hours ago, Butters Stoch said:

Reality sucks but try actually comparing our team side by side with every other teams. We're on our way to drafting top 5 again unless everything goes right and best case scenario we barely make the playoffs to get swept right away. Our plan completely relies on Horvat, Boeser, Demko, and Juolevi becoming elite players a few years from now if we want to be competitive.

There is a good reason why the NHL doesn’t reward the Stanley cup to the sexiest looking roster and makes teams actually play for it.  But in any case let’s compare rosters.  Let’s break it down from best players to worst (not line combos)

Calgary vs Canucks

 

Top offense
Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett Vs Sedin, Sedin, Eriksson

Last year the flames three combined for 177 points, that total should be expected to rise with Bennett getting more comfortable in the league.

Last year the Canucks three combined for 179 points, that total should probably be close, although in all honesty Eriksson being on the PP should push the twins back into the 70 point range.

 

In terms of top offense lost, canucks lost Vbrata (.42ppg) and McCann (.26ppg), while the flames lost Hudler (.66ppg) and Colborne (.60ppg)

 

Flames take the slight advantage.

 

2 Way players

Brouwer, Frolik, Backlund Vs Sutter, Hansen, Horvat

 

Brouwer was a good addition should be good for 35-40 points, as should Hansen.

Frolik and Sutter both had injuries last year, both solid 2 way players.

Backlund finally cracked 40 points at the age of 26,  Horvat did that at the age of 20.  Probably can expect very similar offense from both players this year in the 45-55 point range.

 

Fairly even, Horvat having another break out year would push canucks in front

 

Depth scoring

Vey, Shinkaruk, Bouma Vs Baertschi, Rodin, Granlund

 

A bunch of cast offs from the opposing teams, but we can break it down in terms of skillsets.

Vey vs Granlund (skilled, smallish centers)

Shinkaruk vs Baertschi (Baertschi coming off 13 goal in his last 41 games)

Bouma vs Rodin (Bouma cashed in on a contract year, Rodin is the SEL MVP)

 

Canucks take the advantage

 

Energy

Stajan, Ferklund, Chiasson, Bollig Vs  Etem, Burrows, Dorsett, Gaunce

Stajan and Burrows are both past due dates

Dorsett and Ferklund run around hit and provide under 20 points
Chiasson and Etem are two inconsistent players
Bollig is a plug and Gaunce has upside.

All in all, I’d take canucks in every head to head battle

 

Rookie depth
Tkachuk Vs Virtanen

 

Flames might try to rush Tkachuk just like canucks might try to give Virtanen a roster spot. Virtanen already has a year experience and would provide more in NHL help. 

 

Top 3 D
Gio, Brodie, Hamilton Vs Tanev, Edler, Gudbranson

Flames have one of the best top 3 D in the league, offense and leadership, while canucks strength in the top 3 is size, strength and shut down. 

Flames take the advantage

 

Bottom 3 D
Smid, Jokipakka, Wideman Vs Hutton, Sbisa, Tryamkin

Wideman will likely be moved this year, Hutton will be getting much more opportunity and will finished at canucks top points producer on the back end.  Tryamkin has a chance to be a massive wild card and make a big impact on canucks back end. 

Canucks take the advantage by a wide margin

 

Depth D
Engelland, Wortherspoon vs Pedan, Larsen

 

With the flames depth, you know what you’re going to get, no better no worse,  with canucks even at worse you match the flames but there’s still room for growth

Canucks take the advantage

 

Goaltending Duo
Elliott, Johnson Vs Miller, Markstrom

Miller and Markstrom any day, especially with a much stronger defensive first D core in front of them. 

 

Canucks take the advantage

 

 

Flames lost 3 of their top 8 forward goal scorers (Hudler 10, Colborne 19, Jones 9) and only replaced that with Brouwer 18

They lost a top 4 D in Russel and didn’t replace him. Wideman is going to be move at any point before the TD.

 

Canucks only lost 2 of their top 8 forward goal scorers (Vbrata 13, McCann 9) and but added a 30 goal scorer in Eriksson and a SEL MVP in Rodin.

Canucks lost Hamhuis but added a better bigger player in Gudbranson,  We’ve also got Hutton, Larsen and Tryamkin with expectations of taking steps forward. 

 

 

So when you compare rosters, it would be really quite hard to say canucks are out of it.  The only real advantage the flames have is points coming from there back end.  Canucks have far more goal scoring depth upfront and canucks are going to be much better at defending.    The only way a person could look at the two rosters and say flames are hands down the winners is if they are attracted to the flash of a few top end players, fortunately this isn’t Wayne Gretzky 3 on 3

[Warhippy]

48 minutes ago, buddhahoodlum said:

The wildcard says hi.

Let's look at the wildcard then shall we

 

To end the 2015/2016 season from 6th to 10th

 

6.  San Jose

7.  Nashville

8.  Minnesota

9.  Colorado

10.  Arizona

 

Then Winnipeg in 11th

 

With each of those teams getting younger, deeper more skilled and faster (barring San Jose) Remind me how the wildcard is doing much more than simply trying to wave at the hot girl from across the bar weakly and without success.

 

In my opinion the only issue in Colorado was Roy, he's gone and there's 3 top tier coaches available to replace him.  Nashville is going to be MUCH harder to play against, Arizona beefed up that defense, Minnesota is adding ever more youth and solid goaltending.

 

Wild cards are all well and good, but which of those teams barring maybe Arizona are we beating?

[alfstonker]

1 hour ago, Alflives said:

Hey!  Great pep talk.  Thanks.  

I do my best Alf. I think of you as a long term project (but your memory recall makes it damn hard work) 

[ForsbergTheGreat]

 

 

I can see where your coming from but it's easy for people to pick out the positives and forget the negative around other teams.

 

18 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I don't know why people are griping so much.  I am trying to take a far more objective approach to the season.

 

We got a shade younger, while also getting a shade more experienced from our youth.  We got tougher on the blue line and deeper in the prospects department.

 

But THW, Score, TSN and almost universally every major analyst has the Canucks finishing in the bottom 10.  There IS a reason for this and it is not blind hate for Vancouver or love for TO

 

OK, to simply make the playoffs, you have to beat your division.  Can we capably say we can do that at this moment in time?

 

Let's dissect the teams that weren't pegged as cup contenders in our division that we should capably beat.

 

Oilers, needed goaltending defense and toughness.  What did they do?  They now have Lucic/Maroon/Kassian that's 3 lines of crazy right there.  They have an older Nurse, Klefbom, Reinhardt and Larson now.  That is a big and very mobile defensive group that is still incredibly young.  They brought in the Goose to back up Talbot who was actually really good in front of a porous defense.

 

Their D is still young,  Reinhart still hasn't proven he can play in the league constantly year.  He's as much of a wildcard as Tryamkin or closer to even Pedan.  They are still a long ways from being competitive, the only good thing on their side is they still have assets to move (RNH, Yak),  sadly the longer they hold onto them the lower their value gets.  

 

18 hours ago, Warhippy said:

Flames, needed more balanced scoring and goaltending as they have arguably one of the deepest and best pools for blue liners in the league;

that just got deeper after this draft and a shade older.  They added Elliott who arguably is a top 10 goalie in this league; if Calgary stops 1 goal per game last year in 25 matches, they make the playoffs.  They also got a shade deeper up front as well.  Nobody will say Tkachuk is NHL ready but he's certainly not a lock to go back to juniors based on his play either.

They just lost Russell and will soon be loosing Wideman.  The lost Hudler, Colborne and Jones who combines put up 94 points (38 goals) last from their forward core and are only adding in Brouwer.  Unless you count Shinkaruk and Vey.  If canucks win their OT losses they make that playoffs, if canucks PP is over 20% they likely make playoffs.  Tkachuk even if he makes the NHL will not be a impact player in his first year, i'd expect a similar year to virtanens first NHL year. 

 

18 hours ago, Warhippy said:

Arizona, Needed X and Y and Z and with one of the deepest forward prospect pools in the league did everything they needed to in shoring up the defense.  Drafted up Chychrun who is without question physically NHL ready and has something to prove, has an older core now of young stud forwards and really only has questionable goaltending and a suspect bottom 5-6 D

Prospect have to at some point make an impact in the NHL.  They lost Vermette, Doan is 3 years older than the twins,  The lost Boedker.  Hanzal #1 C and a fight between Richardson and strome the 19 year old rookie for #2 C.  If we are really comparing rosters based on appearance, nothing is promising about Arizona roster this year,  future promising sure, but they will be icing more first game NHLer than vancouver did this year and that without injuries forcing their hand.  Even if Chychrun in "NHL" ready he still would be 7-8th on canucks depth chart (a team people are saying will be dead last) and that's not even thinking about comparing the goaltending

 

18 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I look at the teams we SHOULD beat and know that if Markstrom is not getting 55+ starts, we have our annual medical parade on the blueline and lose any one of Horvat, Sedin, Sedin or Sutter we're a lottery team.  There are HUGE questions for this team that is not nearly as deep as they appear or skilled as some on here seem to think they are.

Canucks got a whole lot younger on the blue line which should help with injuries,  We added far more depth on the blue line in case we experience some loss. In terms of depth canucks have far more than any of the 3 teams you mentioned about.  Do flame even have a #1 LW?  If they lose Johny will Brouwer and his 40 points be able to replace johnny 80?  Arziona doesn't even have a #1 or #2 center.

 

18 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I cannot see us breaking the top 10 for this season in the West with the moves everyone else made.  Colorado will hire a new coach and be better, Hawks, Wild, Jets, Blues, Sharks, Ducks, Kings, Preds, Stars all almost seem like they could be locks for the playoffs.  Deeper, faster, bigger, younger and arguably as or more skilled.

If people are concerned about Hank and danny slowing down why to people ignore big joe and patrick who are 2 years older. Kings got worse and jets are in the toughest division in the NHL.  Blues lost Backes, Brouwer and Elliot and soon to lose shattenkirk.  Right now the only lock in the west would be the Stars and Preds with Hawks and ducks being should be ins. 

 

18 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I mean i LOVE my Canucks, I suffered through the king Richard days of the 80's the Keenan days and more and have earned the right to be realistic about our chances this year.

 

On paper we're a bubble team.  Realistically; we're one injury away from a lottery pick.  Not hatred, not hating, not blind homerism or love for another team

 

I don't disagree that canucks are a bubble team this year.  But most teams are and I don't see any real powerhouses.  Many of the big teams in the west have started to take steps back which is opening up the conference.  Last year 26 points in the west separated 7th and 14th place.  I wouldn't be surprise if this year is was half of that. Less than 5 games could separate being a wild card team or a lottery pick. 

[erkayloomeh]

after last year I'm definitely not wanting to go through that again. You are right about the sedins. Even 4 yrs from now I can see them forming a solid second liNE 

[Honky Cat]

54 minutes ago, ForsbergTheGreat said:

 

With the flames depth, you know what you’re going to get, no better no worse,  with canucks even at worse you match the flames but there’s still room for growth

Canucks take the advantage

 

 

As far as rookies go,I think its fair to match Bennett with Virtanen (as they were in the same draft year)..and you would have to give them a slight edge...However,starting next season the Flames will have Tkachuk (he may even make it this season),and we will have Boeser,Juolevi and possibly Demko...which certainly could swing a lot in our favour.

[ForsbergTheGreat]

Just now, Honky Cat said:

As far as rookies go,I think its fair to match Bennett with Virtanen (as they were in the same draft year)..and you would have to give them a slight edge...However,starting next season the Flames will have Tkachuk (he may even make it this season),and we will have Boeser,Juolevi and possibly Demko...which certainly could swing a lot in our favour.

My list was purely based on teams depth for the 2016-17 season only.  Since the argument is flames based on paper will finish higher than us in the standings this year, it wouldn't make sense to go through the entire prospect pools..

 

It's not really about comparing "rookies" more about comparing two young players who may or may not make their NHL roster. Tkachuk isn't guaranteed to make the flames roster this year just like Virtanen could likely end up in the AHL. 

 

So that's why they are being compared to each other, But if both players do make the NHL i would say Virtanen would have more of an impact. 

[Honky Cat]

2 hours ago, LaBamba said:

I know it's the entire universe who is against Cancouver but does the overwhelmingly negative support for this team ring any kind of warning bells for you guys?  

Not really...the fact that the majority of them have the Leafs at or near the top pretty much tells you all you need to know....

[LaBamba]

Just now, Honky Cat said:

Not really...the fact that the majority of them have the Leafs at or near the top pretty much tells you all you need to know....

You are saying the Majority of the media has the leafs at the top of the league? Where have I been? 

[Alflives]

Just now, LaBamba said:

You are saying the Majority of the media has the leafs at the top of the league? Where have I been? 

Maybe he means the Leafs execution of their rebuild is at the top of the teams needing to rebuild?  From my understanding of all these reports we are at the bottom of the rebuilding teams because so many disagree with the philosophy.  Although if JB could trade Tanev for one elite top line forward we might be okay.  I really think That's the key.