expectations 2019

[smithers joe]

for those who cheer when the canucks win and vilify them when they lose, what are your expectations for this year? 

what can you accept?

[PlanB]

I'd be fine if the team made playoffs and won 1 or 2 games.

[skategal]

I'm probably not your target audience as I don't vilify when they lose....expect to see hard work every game, growth and improved performance from the youngsters, and to make it into the playoffs and win a couple of playoff games.  

[Fanuck]

I never get too high or too low - as a lifelong Canucks fan it's easier to do than you would think; therefore I don't think we're cup contenders just because we win a few games nor do I think the sky is falling when we lose some games.

 

Make playoffs,  win a couple games would be reasonable imo.

[Curmudgeon]

While it would be great to make the playoffs, all I want to see is that the Canucks play hard and are competitive in every game. To give it their all and come up short is acceptable even though we'd like to win every game. There will be games when they are exhausted due to travel, scheduling and injuries, but the only time I would be annoyed would be if they stopped skating and rolled over. That said, I will watch every minute of every game I can, and hope.

[CptCanuck16]

Well if they win tonight I expect them to go on to win the President's trophy and sweep the playoffs 16-0.

 

If they lose tonight than they  should tank from here on out in the hopes of getting a high draft pick. 

/s

 

Realistically I'd like to see them make the playoffs this year. If they get past the first round that would be awesome!

[Guest]

I just want to see good, hard, hockey. The result doesn’t matter as much. 

[the grinder]

my expectation is to make the playoffs or being in the hunt of a spot late in the season  , the league is just so competitive now  that just making the playoffs is going to be difficult . we are making progress but again injuries are hampering us right now  5 of our grit and sandpaper guys are out yikes 

[Devron]

From some of the posts from others I honestly think the expectations are too high in general. (Blaming coaches after every loss is brutal) the team is so young. I think it would be wonderful if they made the playoffs. It’s the first year imo they are now on the trending upwards side of a rebuild. 
 

More wins then losses is my expectations this year and I’m dying for at lease one round of playoff hockey (which would be excellent experience for this group)

 

My expectations next year however will be the playoffs but I’d also love to move on from not having a 1st rounder this year.

[Alflives]

  All teams who don’t win, especially ones with older (or overpaid) core players, are losers.  I see us with a 7-10 year window for winning Cups.  Getting a Cup should be the team’s goal, and nothing less.  

[IBatch]

1 hour ago, Fanuck said:

I never get too high or too low - as a lifelong Canucks fan it's easier to do than you would think; therefore I don't think we're cup contenders just because we win a few games nor do I think the sky is falling when we lose some games.

 

Make playoffs,  win a couple games would be reasonable imo.

Pretty much this.   One thing I would add is hope is back again, something that’s been missing for quite some time.  I also do feel that I’m witnessing history in the same way some of us did with the other three or four good-great teams we’ve had in the past.  EP,  Boeser, Horvat, Hughes, Demko and Miller is a very good young core to work with.  And we’ve got some of the best support players in the league - it makes a big difference when they are in the lineup (Beagle, Sutter, Roussel etc.) - and the best part is our depth is basically what we ran with when healthy last season - and when healthy we were above .500.

 

A difference between this team and most of the others (Linden, WCE, Sedin) is there are no real terrible teams - and the best ones are just a hair above the majority of the other teams that will make the playoffs.   Don’t have any expectations IF we make the playoffs / but do definitely feel we’ve got a chance like the rest of the 16 teams. 

 

You just never know these days / even teams considered contenders a few years ago are no outside looking in - and teams that are supposedly bottom dwellers are now playoff contenders plus plus (ANA, SJ, EDM, ARI,VAN - just from our division)....

 

When JB took over I was positive that he wouldn’t have a chance in you know where to create a competitive good team out of virtually nothing in the prospect pool and Horvat.   Was sure Horvat would be around 30 and part of the following core before things would be good again.   It was like an expansion team under the old rules really...takes a decade to get going.   He’s done a better then expected job compared to our clubs history (11-13-17 years between final appearances all-time), and I am hopeful this core will someday make it and this time win us a cup.  But I certainly don’t expect it. 

 

TG and JB have created a very high character group .... JV is close to breaking out which I’d like to add - could easily move up from quality support player to core player....plus OJ, Podz, Hogs, Woo, AG etc.  

 

Can definitely understand why expectations could be high for some fans given this.   But don’t get some of the criticism - I doubt any fan that’s been around since the 80’s or earlier isn’t on board with JB and this group of guys.   It has the potential to be great.  

[Phil_314]

Progress in youth development (Gaudette, Jake, Stecher and the young guns in the "A" in particular), and hopefully a more free-flowing style that can maximize the big guns' offensive firepower since the defense is already so good.  I'd be okay with losing some in exciting games if we show we can trade punches with anyone while being sound in our own end.  Hopefully if not by this year, then playoffs by next year and a black aces squad chalk full of future NHL players (much like how the current TB Lightning loaded up). 

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, Phil_314 said:

Progress in youth development (Gaudette, Jake, Stecher and the young guns in the "A" in particular), and hopefully a more free-flowing style that can maximize the big guns' offensive firepower since the defense is already so good.  I'd be okay with losing some in exciting games if we show we can trade punches with anyone while being sound in our own end.  Hopefully if not by this year, then playoffs by next year and a black aces squad chalk full of future NHL players (much like how the current TB Lightning loaded up). 

I think our current down period is because Marky hasn’t outplayed the other teams’ goalies.  IMO if our goalie outplays the opponent’s goalie we win.  

[Phil_314]

6 minutes ago, Alflives said:

I think our current down period is because Marky hasn’t outplayed the other teams’ goalies.  IMO if our goalie outplays the opponent’s goalie we win.  

Enter Demko IMO.  Probably could've started Thatcher on Thursday and hope he starts today if Green knows Jacob is still dealing with stuff.

[-AJ-]

I too don't fit your target market here, but I'll throw my two cents in here. At the start of the year, I expected to fall just barely short of the playoffs. I was beginning to toy with the idea of us making the playoffs, but I'd rather see us remain competitive until the end of December 2019 before positing that.

[NUCKER67]

My expectations have changed since the start of the season. I thought they would win the Pacific, make the playoffs and do some damage. But here we are at the quarter mark, and now I have a more realistic expectation. Injuries hurt this team, and possibly player management (too much ice time for Bo, Leivo and Pearson, not enough for Gaud and Jake, who he starts). I think they'll keep things interesting, be in the hunt for a wildcard spot right down to the last few games, but maybe they just miss out of the post season in 2020.

 

Benning will have one more season (2020/21) to turn the Canucks into a playoff team. Maybe by then they figure out what to do with Loui, maybe make a couple of trades (Stecher and Sutter), maybe Tryamkin and Juolevi join the team. And maybe Hoglander makes the team out of camp too. IF, for whatever reason they miss the playoffs again in 2021, Green will be let go. 

 

Then, by some kind of magic, with a new (veteran) coach, the Canucks will make the playoffs in 2022 and win the Stanley Cup. They will have the players, they just need someone to methodically get them there. 

[Alflives]

30 minutes ago, Phil_314 said:

Enter Demko IMO.  Probably could've started Thatcher on Thursday and hope he starts today if Green knows Jacob is still dealing with stuff.

Just heard on the radio Demko was first off the ice after the morning skate, which is what the night’s starter does.  The other guy stays on the ice and works with Clark.  

[MattJVD]

I get pretty butt hurt after losses, but I know better then to take my whining to cdc. Usually just take a bath or something lol.

[Bure2Win]

Hope for the best but expect the worse has always been my motto......Sigh

[ItTakesAnArmy]

My expectations are more pessimistic and yet also optomistic.

I see making the playoffs this year, if they do, as a smoke screen for what will happen over the next 3 years or so if there is not a change at the top.

IMO this team will be better than next years.

Apologists keep covering up that the job done so far has been far less than success as a lot of posters still keep talking about he same thing 5 years later, how good the prospects are.

6 years ago this team had two Art Ross winners on it to lean on, now they have two/three rookies being pressured to win, just like Edmonton did, way too much pressure. Most of the pressure comes from management's insistence that this is a playoff team year after year.

The team is relatively healthy up to last game, injuries will not happen but so far there have not been any extended man games lost to core players, both goalies are near the top of the league and yet the team is still under .500.

 

If the team made the playoffs and they could just because two teams decide to tank for better odds and player selection at the draft, I don't see them getting out of the first round, they are still not deep enough and once they play Hudson Bay Rules the rookies will be run over.

Making the playoffs for a one and done is not the goal fans should demand.

 

If they don't make the playoffs I am okay with that as well because they will get a game changer in the first round of this year's draft and that will be close to the last piece they will need, a player that is on the team for another 3 years that isn't being paid 6 mil to watch. This would also give the team cap space.

 

For me if they don't make the playoffs I am okay because I know they will be a far better team next year and if they do, fine except it will burn me to help Tampa get better while our asset ages out in three seasons.

 

November 2/3 more wins, December 6 wins, January 5 wins, February 7/8 wins, March 7 wins, April 0 wins

 

Edited November 16, 2019 by ItTakesAnArmy