What pieces are we actually missing?

[canuck73_3]

1 hour ago, kingofsurrey said:

 

We are a 28th place team.  I did not realize that 28th got you into the playoffs as a wild card club...

 

 

 

Clearly you can't read and comprehend anything too, because if you could you'd realize that is not what I said.

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, kloubek said:

Like others have mentioned, we need top end talent.  I've been saying it for some time already. 

 

The Sedins should not be relied on to carry this team any longer.  2nd line minutes - sure. 

 

Besides Horvat (who I am still slotting in as a high end 2nd liner center) and Boeser (who knows how his game will translate to the NHL), we have very little in way of prospects for our top line.  We need one excellent center, and at LEAST one excellent winger to join... if not two.  We then also require players like Baertschi and/or Virtanen to hit their potential for our 2nd line, or we require help there too.

 

I believe the rest of our forward lineup looks good.

 

To a lesser degree, I think we could still use a #1 PMD.  With that said though, the development of Hutton and Stecher greatly reduce that need and I believe if we had the right mix of forwards that we could make do with what we currently have - especially if Juolevi pans out.

 

I don't believe goaltending will be a problem.  Markstrom isn't having a great year (along with the rest of the team), but I believe he is a strong presence in the net.  Add to that the possibility of Demko developing into a #1 as well, and we should be more or less set in goal.

So, I actually don't think we need a lot.  But what we need are hard things to obtain given our lack of assets.

 

I see us moving Tanev for one of those top 6 forwards. We have Erkisson as a 'stepping stone' player to fill one of those spots (basically gives us another +/-4 years to find a replacement), we have the next few drafts to find another and then yes, hopefully Virtanen, Boeser and likely one of Baer/Granlund/Rodin can be another. As well as at least one more year of Sedins in the top 6 mix as well.

 

There's also 'wild cards' like Lockwood or Zhukenov etc in our prospect pool who could end up surpassing their draft #.

 

We also have a lot of cap opening up if we'd like to supplement with a free agent in the next few years as well.

 

So while a lot of that is yet left to be determined, it's far from dire.

[kloubek]

22 hours ago, J.R. said:

 

I see us moving Tanev for one of those top 6 forwards. We have Erkisson as a 'stepping stone' player to fill one of those spots (basically gives us another +/-4 years to find a replacement), we have the next few drafts to find another and then yes, hopefully Virtanen, Boeser and likely one of Baer/Granlund/Rodin can be another. As well as at least one more year of Sedins in the top 6 mix as well.

 

There's also 'wild cards' like Lockwood or Zhukenov etc in our prospect pool who could end up surpassing their draft #.

 

We also have a lot of cap opening up if we'd like to supplement with a free agent in the next few years as well.

 

So while a lot of that is yet left to be determined, it's far from dire.

You may very well be correct about having Tanev moved.   Seems like every time the topic comes up I'm always the advocate for keeping him.  I believe every team could use a legit shutdown guy like Tanev just like they can use a PMD.  I think to have a cup winning team, you want to find as much balance as possible to have key roles covered, and losing Tanev would make things more difficult.  I'd much see an Edler or Gudbranson moved before Tanev.

I would not count on the wild cards much.  Yes it would be great if they developed into a top line player, but let's face it - the chances are slim.

I do agree that free agency is a reasonable place to try to acquire one of these needed players once we have the cap space that is coming.  I guess it all depends who becomes available; I know next UFA season looks pretty bleak in regards to players that fit the bill and/or are likely to be able to be acquired by the Canucks.

 

I don't think I'd say it is FAR from dire, but we still have possible ways to success before it becomes so.  Here's hoping Benning can bring a winning team to fruition.

[aGENT]

47 minutes ago, kloubek said:

You may very well be correct about having Tanev moved.   Seems like every time the topic comes up I'm always the advocate for keeping him.  I believe every team could use a legit shutdown guy like Tanev just like they can use a PMD.  I think to have a cup winning team, you want to find as much balance as possible to have key roles covered, and losing Tanev would make things more difficult.  I'd much see an Edler or Gudbranson moved before Tanev.

I would not count on the wild cards much.  Yes it would be great if they developed into a top line player, but let's face it - the chances are slim.

I do agree that free agency is a reasonable place to try to acquire one of these needed players once we have the cap space that is coming.  I guess it all depends who becomes available; I know next UFA season looks pretty bleak in regards to players that fit the bill and/or are likely to be able to be acquired by the Canucks.

 

I don't think I'd say it is FAR from dire, but we still have possible ways to success before it becomes so.  Here's hoping Benning can bring a winning team to fruition.

 

That's the thing, I'm not counting on the wildcards, but chances are we'll have a couple guys who end up punching above their draft position. Pretty much every team has them. No, they're not guaranteed but there's fairly good chances at least one will be able to fill a forward hole in a few years. And if not, we do have other avenues as noted.

 

My view on Tanev is that in around 4+ years when we're hopefully contending again, he'll be exiting his prime. He also gets rag-dolled too hard and too often for my liking and I'm concerned that starts catching up to him sooner than later (perhaps it already is). Then there's his NTC that kicks in this summer and that he currently is valued pretty high by the analytics community and off his performance at the world's. If we're going to maximize return on him, it's this year before July 1 IMO.

 

That and we're going to have to start moving him and yes, eventually Edler in the next couple years as the Hutton's, Stetcher's, Juolevi's, Brisebois etc start pushing for roles and minutes. There's simply not enough room for all of them.

 

Free agency this summer is largely inconsequential. Free agency in 2-6 years is more where I'd be concerned.

 

IMO, Benning's still got 2-4 years to draft, trade, sign etc assets. Everyone's seems to be in this giant panic that he's not done yet but he's had less than 2.5 years of rebuilding. And even then, the more challenging rebuilding while trying to remain competitive given the realities the twins are here until at least TDL 2018 as well.

 

All the Chicken Little's around here can come talk to me in another 2-3 years if things are still looking 'dire'  and we still have sparse top 6 forward prospects etc. Until then it's just a lot of highly premature 

 

[ice orca]

On 2016-12-08 at 11:35 AM, J.R. said:

 

I see us moving Tanev for one of those top 6 forwards. We have Erkisson as a 'stepping stone' player to fill one of those spots (basically gives us another +/-4 years to find a replacement), we have the next few drafts to find another and then yes, hopefully Virtanen, Boeser and likely one of Baer/Granlund/Rodin can be another. As well as at least one more year of Sedins in the top 6 mix as well.

 

There's also 'wild cards' like Lockwood or Zhukenov etc in our prospect pool who could end up surpassing their draft #.

 

We also have a lot of cap opening up if we'd like to supplement with a free agent in the next few years as well.

 

So while a lot of that is yet left to be determined, it's far from dire.

Is Erikisson a stepping stone or a big ole chunk of coal that santa booted off his rig early.

[aGENT]

23 minutes ago, ice orca said:

Is Erikisson a stepping stone or a big ole chunk of coal that santa booted off his rig early.

Eriksson is just fine. His contract is a couple years longer than ideal but that's the price of acquiring him or not.

[CanucksJay]

2 bonafide first line stars

[clutesi]

Every SC contender/winner has a world class elite defenseman: Chara, Doughty, Keith, Subban. That's the primary piece imo. 

[Positive Canuck]

Not even close now

Missing 3 TOP 3 Forwards  aka First line

Number #1 D

2x Tough Nasty Big Monster D that play big and nasty, consistently. 

 

[King Heffy]

1c

1lw

1d

Coach

[wai_lai416]

let see.. we are missing lots of top 6 pieces more specifically top lines.. after the Sedins retire.. then what? it's just Horvat Eriksson that are sure things.. Baertschi is still a question mark.. Boeser haven't even played a game in the pros yet so yet to see how that'll translate.. and Virtanen also a question mark though he's starting to play better and scoring in utica as of late. 

 

Now to defense.. we have a bunch of top 4 defenseman, Tanev being the best we got now but he's just a shutdown defenseman.. we are still missing legitimate top pairing Dman that can play both end and can actually move ppl out of the crease

[RU SERIOUS]

HOLD ON - WAIT A MINUTE - STOP THE TRAIN!!!!!!   You amateurs got it all wrong.  What we really need is a new mascot.   As far as I'm concerned "Finn" the oversized tuna has cursed this team.  We need a bigger fish to fry.  I say me trade Finn for a barracuda or some mean spirited SOB Fish - Mascot.

 

That will get things a-rolling!  You just wait and see........

 

[RU SERIOUS]

3 hours ago, King Heffy said:

1c

1lw

1d

Coach

Allow me to politely elaborate a bit on your recommendation;

3 C

8 W

7 D

1 G

4 Coaches

1 GM

1 Pres

and......

I new Mascott.

(and get rid of those home boy announcer's shorty & Garrett - while your at it.)

 

That ought to fix things..................

 

[xRussianrocket]

A first line, top tier talent

more experienced coach

an enforcer

a D who can shoot bombs from the point.

 

its actually not that bad overall but those are glaring holes.  Also need a new logo and get that retarded whale off our chests. Orca bay is long gone and that logo is rediculously bad. 

[Canucks Curse]

To be a contender we need two first line forwards and time.

 

To be a cup favorite we need to develop a 1D- juolevi, tryamkin, Hutton are possibilities 

(or aquire a 1D)

 

we we also need another excellent top 6C and a first line winger.

 

Bo is 21, in 5 yrs our prospects should entering their prime so that's the time table our organization has to "get its stuff"

[CeeBee51]

12 hours ago, RU SERIOUS said:

Allow me to politely elaborate a bit on your recommendation;

3 C

8 W

7 D

1 G

4 Coaches

1 GM

1 Pres

and......

I new Mascott.

(and get rid of those home boy announcer's shorty & Garrett - while your at it.)

 

That ought to fix things..................

 

R U Serious?  

[Katobaron]

14 hours ago, RU SERIOUS said:

Allow me to politely elaborate a bit on your recommendation;

3 C

8 W

7 D

1 G

4 Coaches

1 GM

1 Pres

and......

I new Mascott.

(and get rid of those home boy announcer's shorty & Garrett - while your at it.)

 

That ought to fix things..................

 

And some new fans?

[WHL rocks]

On 12/9/2016 at 10:35 AM, J.R. said:

Eriksson is just fine. His contract is a couple years longer than ideal but that's the price of acquiring him or not.

 

You need great players with good contracts, not good players with very bad contracts that are couple of years too long. 

 

People talk about BlackHawks' success.. they have a guy named Hossa signed to a great contract. One of the best players in the league signed to a 5.2 mill cap hit. And they have Duncan Keith who is one of the best Dmen in the NHL signed to 5.5 mill cap hit. 

 

These are the types of contracts you need to win. Not the opposite. 

 

LE's contract is terrible and it will be more terrible in 3 years and will keep getting worse. Should have never signed him. JB failed to make a good assessment of his team. The whole hockey community knows this is a bottom 5 team and JB signed this contract thinking this is a playoff team. 

 

I like JB but this is a big mistake on his part. This contract will be an anchor in couple of years. 

[hlinkas wrister]

17 hours ago, King Heffy said:

1c

1lw

1d

Coach

 

That's about my estimation too. Draft 2 of those in the next 2 drafts and aquire one through FA. The right coach is a hard piece to find.

[aGENT]

43 minutes ago, WHL rocks said:

 

You need great players with good contracts, not good players with very bad contracts that are couple of years too long. 

 

People talk about BlackHawks' success.. they have a guy named Hossa signed to a great contract. One of the best players in the league signed to a 5.2 mill cap hit. And they have Duncan Keith who is one of the best Dmen in the NHL signed to 5.5 mill cap hit. 

 

These are the types of contracts you need to win. Not the opposite. 

 

LE's contract is terrible and it will be more terrible in 3 years and will keep getting worse. Should have never signed him. JB failed to make a good assessment of his team. The whole hockey community knows this is a bottom 5 team and JB signed this contract thinking this is a playoff team. 

 

I like JB but this is a big mistake on his part. This contract will be an anchor in couple of years. 

 

He was also signed to be a veteran top 6 player after the Sedins leave as it's likely all of our kids won't yet be ready for that role yet. 

 

It's far from a horrible contract.