What would it take for the 2018-2019 Vancouver Canucks to make the playoffs?

[VegasCanuck]

3 hours ago, Yung1 said:

This years team is a bit of a wild card. With lots of fresh, hungry youth expected to be in the lineup, and a revamped bottom 6 that may be among the best in the league, this team could either soar on the wave of newly injected energy and bottom 6 grit or flop on its inexperienced top 6 and still inferior defense and goaltending. I personally would not be surprised if the team landed anywhere from 7-15 in the conference.

 

But what would it take for this years team to go a little against the odds and actually make the playoffs? What kind of seasons would individual players need to have?

 

 

Would take sacrificing the future and settling for mediocre for years to come!

[Nuxfanabroad]

4 minutes ago, chon derry said:

makr th....get er done  break on thru to the other side .

Right now listening to John Mayall's "Swirling Mists Of Time". If you're unfamiliar, most important thing you'll do all day! Man, whatta' tune!

[Gurn]

6 minutes ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

Right now listening to John Mayall's "Swirling Mists Of Time". If you're unfamiliar, most important thing you'll do all day! Man, whatta' tune!

Recommend his "archives to eighties" and "wake up call" albums. Huge lists of artists that "broke out' playing with him on the first disc and the second has Mavis Staples and others.

[gameburn]

19 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Twins plus Vanek were around minus 60 together, and that was with super protected and cherry ice time.  I see us being a much better team without those three.  

YES!!  Winning is about scoring more goals than the other team, not how many goals you score over a year... on pp, etc.

We will defend with speed, presumably. If Juolevi makes the team, the D is quicker and better with the pass. If either of Dahlen or Gaudette makes the team, we are quicker.

I only wish Hughes had decided to stay... that speed would have made us better instantly.

Nevertheless, next year when Hughes and maybe Woo are here... the team will be something very different.  Throw in Lind and even Gadjovich, while Gagner and maybe Eriksson are gone?  Much faster.

[dukeofcanuck]

It would take all other 30 teams to fold.

[Nuxfanabroad]

2 minutes ago, gurn said:

Recommend his "archives to eighties" and "wake up call" albums. Huge lists of artists that "broke out' playing with him on the first disc and the second has Mavis Staples and others.

Thanks Gurn..had ignored his work all these yrs. Must be a stage of life..but The BLUES are hittin me like Makr th!

[kingofsurrey]

26 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Twins plus Vanek were around minus 60 together, and that was with super protected and cherry ice time.  I see us being a much better team without those three.  

So we are going to have a better team after losing two thirds of our top line......     

 

Lost 3 of our top 6 forwards with adding no new D men or goalies... ( I don't see Juolevi transition to the NHL being super quick... - he will need a year or two... )  He was 4th in scoring on his Finnish team last year for D men......

[HC20.0]

Literally everything would have to go right for this team.

 

Boeser would have to score 40.

Horvat would need 70+ points.

Pettersson would need to dominate as a rookie.

Gaudette would have to jump into the 2nd line center role and play well. 

Pouliot would have to become the second coming of Ehrhoff

The rest of the D would have to also step up their games drastically. 

Markstrom would have to have at least a 920 save%.

Plus, we’d need a few other teams to have off years. 

I mean, it’s possible, but I think

it’s asking too much. 

[apollo]

1 hour ago, NUCKER67 said:

Canucks players with last season's goals in (_), and what I think they could realistically get next year.

 

Virtanen (10) - 20

Leipsic (3) - 10

Boeser (29) - 40

Pettersson (n/a) - 25

Horvat (22) - 30

Baertschi (14) - 20

Sutter (11) - 15

Eriksson (10) - 15

Gagner (10) - 15

Granlund (8) - 15

 

 

 

I hope all these happen. Please. 

[Alflives]

21 minutes ago, kingofsurrey said:

So we are going to have a better team after losing two thirds of our top line......     

 

Lost 3 of our top 6 forwards with adding no new D men or goalies... ( I don't see Juolevi transition to the NHL being super quick... - he will need a year or two... )  He was 4th in scoring on his Finnish team last year for D men......

Yes, King, I believe we were sheltering the Twins, and it hurt our team.  I believe we will score more, and allow less goals than last season.  

[Nuxfanabroad]

3 hours ago, NUCKER67 said:

I agree, that upgrades to the D and goaltending would help a lot with getting to the playoffs. But I also agree that the Canucks are a bit of a wild card this year.

 

Gone are the Sedins, so the Canucks will be faster.

 

In will be Pettersson, and maybe Juolevi and Demko. That sounds like a bit of an upgrade to the D and goaltending anyway. Plus, we've got some real good depth and character players in Beagle and Roussel. We also don't know what a full season of Boeser looks like.

 

I don't believe they'll make the playoffs, but I won't be surprised if they made things interesting down the stretch.

This one's hard to argue, & a better contibution than MY smartaassss shenanigans!

[48MPHSlapShot]

For the entire rosters of 15 other teams to spontaneously combust.

[xereau]

1 hour ago, Alflives said:

Twins plus Vanek were around minus 60 together, and that was with super protected and cherry ice time.  I see us being a much better team without those three.  

[gameburn]

13 minutes ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

This one's hard to argue, & a better contibution than MY smartaassss shenanigans!

Too hard on yourself, lol.

[oldnews]

33 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Yes, King, I believe we were sheltering the Twins, and it hurt our team.  I believe we will score more, and allow less goals than last season.  

I think you're on to something Alf.

 

I like the idea of giving a line of our best youth 74% offensive zone starts.  I'm optimistic that they could score 50 pts each.  Actually, Brock and Bo scored 99 pts combined while missing 38 games - and did so with considerably fewer ozone starts....and a few less powerplay points... So, realistically the Horvat Boeser line were the top line last year, and what the team are looking to replace is a second line that can produce in highly opportune circumstances.   I think Pettersson et al might actually manage to cover this.

 

And they've added the Beagle line, so conceivably, there could be more opportunity for the top 6 this year than last.

 

 

[Pears]

2 hours ago, NUCKER67 said:

Botchford and Willes etc. have been saying without the Sedins (and Vanek), the Canucks won't score enough goals. I beg to differ.

 

Last year:

 

Henrik - 3

Daniel - 23

Vanek - 17

 

That's 43 goals between 3 of them. Not a very elite year, if you ask me.

 

I think Boeser covers this himself, then they add Pettersson, an improved Virtanen and the new gritty veterans. If the goaltending doesn't perform well, then I think Demko gets a shot, and I think he'll do well. Hutton has a chance to re-start his career, so to speak. So, he may come back a better Dman. A full year of Gudbranson would be nice too.  

 

 

 

This exactly. If Boeser was on pace for 40 goals last year as a rookie, who says he can’t do it again as an improved version of himself? I also believe Horvat will really take this team on his shoulders and blossom into a 65-70 point 1C. 

[kingofsurrey]

16 minutes ago, oldnews said:

I think you're on to something Alf.

 

I like the idea of giving a line of our best youth 74% offensive zone starts.  I'm optimistic that they could score 50 pts each.  Actually, Brock and Bo scored 99 pts combined while missing 38 games - and did so with considerably fewer ozone starts....and a few less powerplay points... So, realistically the Horvat Boeser line were the top line last year, and what the team are looking to replace is a second line that can produce in highly opportune circumstances.   I think Pettersson et al might actually manage to cover this.

 

And they've added the Beagle line, so conceivably, there could be more opportunity for the top 6 this year than last.

 

 

Lost two  Hall of Fame players...   add 4th liners...

 

I don't see that as adding to our club... no matter how you people try to spin it.

 

I think Legalization of Weed may help some of you deal with the reality of this upcoming season though...

[appleboy]

We will all need some of what Jimbo is smoking.

[oldnews]

9 minutes ago, kingofsurrey said:

Lost two  Hall of Fame players...   add 4th liners...

 

I don't see that as adding to our club... no matter how you people try to spin it.

 

I think Legalization of Weed may help some of you deal with the reality of this upcoming season though...

now that's a convincing grasp of 'reality'.

 

Lost two players - 37 yrs old - who would have doubled their production of last year in their prime.

 

2.3 and 2.4 on ice goals for per 60, 8th and 10th on the team

3.3 and 3.2 goals against = worst and 2nd worst on the team.

 

74% ozone starts.

 

Sorry, but they are HOFers based on their prime, not what the team is losing at this point.

 

And the team was a lottery pick team.  

But we'll be sure to heed your warnings about lowering our 'expectations' haha.

 

Don't expect you to attempt to grasp that, but your own spin is weaker than the 'reality'.   The Sedins were not what they used to be.  That they retired might serve as a hint.

[King Heffy]

Our division is pretty bad.  Vegas and San Jose will make playoffs no matter what.  Anaheim, LA are bubble teams.  Calgary, Edmonton, and Arizona don't belong in the NHL, let alone the playoffs.

 

If our defense plays well and Clark's able to get our goalies to play decent, we could sneak in at #3 if both bubble teams falter.  We'd also need a Calder season from Pettersson, Virt to break out, and Boeser to get even more dangerous.

 

It won't happen, but we will be competitive most nights.