How many years are the Vancouver Canucks away from being Contenders in the NHL?

[SabreFan1]

2 hours ago, Zach Parise said:

Horvat is a true #1 center once he reaches his potential

Let's hope he will reach his full potential.  That's not always a given.

[Samgagner'sface]

When we have a goalie on the team that doesn't let in a soft goal in the first 2 minutes 2 out of every 3 games we will compete for the playoffs and possibly be contenders

[apollo]

This year should be an option. That's my best guess.

 

Lots of young blood coming through. Uncle Jim's drafting will make us elite, once again.

 

 

[SabreFan1]

2 hours ago, Pears said:

I see the 2020-21 roster looking something like this:

 

Leipsic/____ - Pettersson - Boeser

Dahlen - Horvat - Goldobin

Roussel - Gaudette - Virtanen

Gadjovich - Beagle - MacEwen

 

Hughes - ____

Juolevi - Stecher

Pouliot - Gudbranson

 

Demko

Markstrom

 

Still a couple of holes to fill but if Edler, Tanev, Sutter etc. are traded for futures the team will start coming along nicely. 

If they all gel post-Sedins, and Demko continues trending upwards, the Canucks will be a team that other fan-bases will hate rather than the current apathy towards the team.  I also think it's possible that DiPietro will be ready to backup Demko by then and Markstrom will just be a memory. 

[spook007]

Anything less than 4+ years would be a miracle.... Pettersson has yet to play in the NHL and Hughes may go back to school... we have a lot of talents but none have made the jump yet except for BB. I do expect another decent pick this year (although they may surprise). Either way will be fine, but after that we will be a playoff bubble team and improve year on year. 

Just thinking of the time it took from when Sedins, Burrow and Kesler broke through until we became a contender. Good goal tending from Demko will also take a good few years still, so anything less than 4 years will be a massive surprise. 

[NewbieCanuckFan]

39 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said:

I'd say they're both as close to a lock as you can get in the next 2 years. The only question regarding Hughes is when he'll sign his contract. 

Oh I'm sure both will have NHL careers (ie., not busts).  What isn't a "lock" is whether they'll be adequate enough top four D on a contending team  (as Tanev & Edler will both likely be gone by then).

[canuck73_3]

1 minute ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

Oh I'm sure both will have NHL careers (ie., not busts).  What isn't a "lock" is whether they'll be adequate enough top four D on a contending team  (as Tanev & Edler will both likely be gone by then).

I think if he impresses at camp Hughes will be here this season next season at the very latest. 

[NewbieCanuckFan]

1 minute ago, canuck73_3 said:

I think if he impresses at camp Hughes will be here this season next season at the very latest. 

No need to throw him in the deep end of the pool so quick in the NHL (ie., top 4).  There's a fairly big logjam of 3rd pairing guys as it is; better for Hughes to get plenty of icetime with the Comets to develop better.  If he excels there, sure bring him up to the 'big show'.

[canuck73_3]

1 minute ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

No need to throw him in the deep end of the pool so quick in the NHL (ie., top 4).  There's a fairly big logjam of 3rd pairing guys as it is; better for Hughes to get plenty of icetime with the Comets to develop better.  If he excels there, sure bring him up to the 'big show'.

He's not really a project though he's more of the Seth Jones ilk step right in after signing imo. 

[NewbieCanuckFan]

13 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said:

He's not really a project though he's more of the Seth Jones ilk step right in after signing imo. 

Seth Jones was also physically more ready to play against men at 18 (ignoring the talent side of the equation) - he was around Big Bert's size even at 18 wasn't he?   I still think it's better to let Hughes mature more physically/mentally at the lower level first (AHL).

[canuck73_3]

1 minute ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

Seth Jones was also physically more ready to play against men at 18 (ignoring the talent side of the equation) - he was around Big Bert's size even at 18 wasn't he?   I still think it's better to let Hughes mature more physically/mentally at the lower level first (AHL).

I respectfully disagree Hughes has a different dynamic his vision, puck moving ability, attitude, and speed is NHL level already. He's obviously not going to play like Jones as he doesn't have the size. But he is that level talent in a different aspect. It's not rushing if the player is ready. 

[NewbieCanuckFan]

7 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said:

I respectfully disagree Hughes has a different dynamic his vision, puck moving ability, attitude, and speed is NHL level already. He's obviously not going to play like Jones as he doesn't have the size. But he is that level talent in a different aspect. It's not rushing if the player is ready. 

Well hopefully I"m wrong.

[canuck73_3]

Just now, NewbieCanuckFan said:

Well hopefully I"m wrong.

Hopefully I'm right  

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, kingofsurrey said:

A proper GM would have looked for a UFA d man this summer....

I'll ask again, who EXACTLY would you have signed?  Where would they play? Who are you moving, and how, to make room for them?

 

Never mind the almost certain likelihood that HAD JB actually signed a UFA D, you'd now be in here bitching about another old, overpaid vet UFA blocking our prospects.

 

Like I said in another post, any improvement of our top 4 D (just like our top 6 forwards) is going to largely come from developing our better prospects.

[canuck73_3]

3 minutes ago, aGENT said:

I'll ask again, who EXACTLY would you have signed?  Where would they play? Who are you moving, and how, to make room for them?

 

Never mind the almost certain likelihood that HAD JB actually signed a UFA D, you'd now be in here bitching about another old, overpaid vet UFA blocking our prospects.

 

Like I said in another post, any improvement of our top 4 D (just like our top 6 forwards) is going to largely come from developing our better prospects.

Maybe we should trade our 2nd for Brian Boyle? #properrebuild 

[Solinar]

You know, if we could have signed Carlson, I would have been okay with it, even with the over-payment.  As is, and from what was mentioned in the season finale presser, in order to move forward, we're going to have to expect more from the people we have.  To say that they've all hit their ceilings would be depressing.  In this, time will tell whether betting on yourself has been arrogant, or wise.  If everyone comes back better than last season, we could expect the needle to turn a little bit.  If we have substantial improvement from just 2 guys on the back end not named Edler or Tanev, we could be looking at the start of a good thing going forward.  Either way, I think it is okay going into this season with what we have.  Either we improve, or we draft high.  Gives you till the TDL to figure out the actual value of some of the guys and then trade to make room for Juolevi and Hughes for next season.

[Dr. Crossbar]

When this question pops up, I always think of the ages of our young guys.

 

With Demko 22, Boeser, Virtanen, and Gaudette 21, Juolevi and Dahlen 20, Pettersson and Lind 19, Hughes 18 ... 

 

Is it more likely we contend when our youth is 25 and under, or 25 and over?

 

 

[Ferlands_Head]

We will miss the playoffs this year. Next year we will upset one of the top contenders in the west but lose the conference finals. Year 3 is our year we take the cup in a rematch of 2011 against Boston. 

[Solinar]

I say we are middle of the pack not making the playoffs this season, with some definite signs of improvement.  Next season, we'll be a bubble team, and the season after that hopefully we'll be competing for a playoff spot legitimately.  After that...that's where things get interesting.  Year 4 should be fun, and year 5 should be the window wide open.

[JeremyCuddles]

Demko is probably the biggest key imo. We will NOT be a contending team with Nilsson/Markstrom. DiPietro may need more than 4 years to become a starting goalie if he becomes that at all. 3-4 years potentially. Even if we add Jack Hughes it’ll be at least 3 before we’re top dogs. Kids gotta simmer ya know?