Biggest Positive and Negative Surprises at the Halfway Point

[coastal.view]

excellent topic JamesB

but i think you reached a bit on your negatives

the 4th line is not a negative at all

but a solid asset

 

i am now predicting the nucks will get 100 points this season

barring some catastrophic injury to a key player of course

they have made it through the worst part of their schedule

they are largely healthy

they are improving the last 10 games or so

and likely will only get better now

 

ep40 is damn solid, even if he appears a bit less amazing then last season, he is even better

miller is... well.... damn is that a good hockey trade.. a point a game, solid all round player

i called him stone-lite when we acquired him.. he is almost as good as stone.. and i really wanted stone last season

hughes has been fantastic

edler is outstanding

tanev is durable

so myers is now bumped down to third d pairing... wow does that make our back end good

the team has depth all over the place

and with a half season of adjustment for all the new pieces

i now see a better second half

consistency is an issue with young and/or greatly changed teams

i see this group overcoming this lack of consistency issue

 

 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by coastal.view

[JeremyCuddles]

PP is a positive surprise, but with the fire power we have you probably don't have to coach them at all to get scoring. Although I find the 2nd unit has better overall possession but with the weapons on the 1st unit they don't need sustained time to net some points. Fantenberg is a pleasant surprise as well. I love Bulldog but Fantenberg is a pretty significant upgrade in my books. Miller I knew would be good, but he's been unreal good. Trading a 1st rounder for a 14 goal scoring cap dump lookin' pretty good so far. 

 

On the negative side, the team defense is hard to watch a lot of the time. So passive. Just stand around letting the opposing team do whatever they please. Seems like the defense is only aggressive against certain PPs. But overall I hate the "sit in the slot and catch pucks or pray the goalie can see past the 5 man screen and stop the puck" style we been playing. 

 

And then there's Baer and Ferland's injury woes. Not gonna take shots at them but it really is disheartening to see them struggle with their health. I still think Baer can play but I don't think the team wants to chance it, similar to what happened with Manny or more accurately Willie Mitchell. Ferland looked really good when he came back from his first injury, then went down again. Imagine this team with those two healthy. We'd be even better off.

[CptCanuck16]

1. Biggest Positive: The team is finding ways to score goals despite TG's infantile systems. 

 

2. Biggest Negative: Travis Greens infantile systems. 

 

Playing your forwards high and providing zero puck support for the puck carrier is not a winning strategy.  I'd love to see the stats on successful vs unsuccessful break out attempts. Guarenteed its lousy when compared to the majority of the league.  They give up possession way more often than they generate a scoring chance. Its not the players fault.  Its the system the coach has them play.

 

The passive D strategy is also not working.  The team is continually getting hemmed in their own zone for extended periods and relying on Markstrom to bail them out.

 

The only reason we're in the playoff hunt right now and not dwelling in the basement is because we have a team with elite players who can routinely score 5+ goals a night despite being held back by bush league systems.  Imagine what we could do with an NHL level coach!

 

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by CptCanuck16

[luckylager]

I went with the PP because it embodies a number positive surprises for me this season. Surprises like Quinn being a full blown stud on both sides of the ice, Miller playing better than expected, still surprised at Petey's superhero powers, and finally having a Captain again!

Also surprised Brown has been able to construct a PP that actually works in the new NHL. I've had zero faith in that guy for years, but he's doing something that is working for the players. Call me surprised.

 

Gaudette is a huge surprise. I felt like he was in over his head during his showcase last season, but he showed up, and not only kicked the door down, he stole Grandpa's chair and renovated the kitchen.

 

 

The bad surprise would have to be Myers. I was expecting more. Oh well. At least he's not Loui Eriksson.

I'm not surprised about Ferland, it's a $&!#ty situation for him more than anybody else. The dude loves the game and has always given his all. Everybody knew the risk in signing him. I'd love him to be able to come back and play for the Canucks, but if not, it's not a bad surprise for me, I just wish the guy well.

[Rindiculous]

Unlike most here I am not surprised about J.T.  Always knew he was a Horvat but on the wing, and I saw how dominant Boeser, Petey, and Horvat were on a line together last year and thought the same would happen with Miller, maybe not quite this well but still really well.  What I’m actually surprised with is the power play.  We didn’t change anything at all, Newell Brown is still the coach, we lost one of our best bumper guys in Baertschi to Utica, and all we added was Quinn Hughes.  I did not expect to be number 1 in pp goals this year after being bottom 5 last year.

 

As for division standings, I totally expected Vegas to fall back and San Jose to fall out entirely.  I thought Calgary would be the clear favourite for the division and Vancouver, Arizona, and Vegas to compete for the second and third spot.  So really not too many surprises besides Calgary not doing that well.

[IBatch]

Think the OP pretty much laid it all out although I wouldn't call where we are much of a surprise - and Hughes maybe a little better then expected though still the drag of a long season is coming - I will be surprised if he makes it through unscathed playing the minutes he is a little though - and think he will do it .   Predicted around 45 points for Hughes and playoff berth so right on or a little ahead of schedule so far.

 

What is surprising me more than anything is our high octain offense overall.  Secondary scoring is better than it's been since the Linden days.   Better then all the Sedin teams including the WCE era (which was always lacking but still managed a lot of goals thanks to the top line).  

 

Five plus goal games are no longer occasional things with this team and any line can put up points any given night.   Thanks to Miller, Pearson, JV and AG mostly.   BB and EP we should expect it from.   Defense is our major issue - but I'd take this sort of offense and medicore defense over a bit better defense and less scoring anyday....it's way more fun to watch AND secondary scoring wins series too.   TG doesn't get enough credit,  reading how he's dealt with Pearson is one more reason I'm happy he's our coach and not some recycled "experienced" coach.   How's a much more endowed FLD team doing anyways?  And Quenville is supposed to be one of if not the best in the business.   Careful for what you wish for was one thing I said a few times during our slide... as well as preaching patience with this group.  How is TG not named a coach of the ASG given he's got the best winning percentage?

 

Miller.  Well he's great, glad we have him.   Don't see us having another losing streak of consequence this year.  We are on the rise.

[Timråfan]

12 hours ago, Rindiculous said:

What I’m actually surprised with is the power play.  We didn’t change anything at all, Newell Brown is still the coach, we lost one of our best bumper guys in Baertschi to Utica, and all we added was Quinn Hughes.  I did not expect to be number 1 in pp goals this year after being bottom 5 last year.

First PP, Miller and Hughes

Second PP Gaudette and Myers with Virtanen in a break out year. Roussel is back

I think it's a huge change. 

[ilduce39]

Have to say I’m surprised with Hughes.  Knew he was good and going to put up some points but he’s 3rd on the team in ice time, right there with Myers who is 2nd.  Only getting a modest 56% ozone starts.  His overall play has been great and he even added to his offence with his shot that has been way better than advertised.  
 

Miller has been better than I expected so far, too.  Didn’t think he’d be this overall dominant.  
 

Ferland is an easy disappointment - was hoping he’d add some serious edge to the team.  Sutter/Beagle is also another good candidate as it stinks Bo is back in a matchup role.  Would have been nice to have a heavier bottom 6... though Gaudette is having a much better year with his opportunity. 

[Metal Face Doom]

On 1/4/2020 at 8:00 AM, NUCKER67 said:

 

 

Miller was a good trade. They needed a player like him in the Top 6.

 

 

Miller was a fantastic trade.  It almost doesn't get any better.  

[Tracksuit]

Biggest positive The play of the goaltenders. They’ve been nothing short of outstanding almost every night.

 

biggest negative the need for the goaltenders to be outstanding every game in order for this team to even stand a chance at winning. 

Vancouver is One of the top teams in the league for block shots and the goaltenders still needs to stop 40 plus shots a night ...yikes. That’s a problem. 

 

 

[rychicken]

I voted other for both

 

Biggest positive for me personally is Pearson. I hadn't fully bought into him at the start of the season, but he is proving himself as a middle 6 forward

 

Biggest negative for me personally is Stecher. I try hard to see what others see in him, but I just don't get it. At most he is a 6th defenceman on a mediocre team. Long term, if we want to be a cup contender, etc...he is a 7th D at best...

[GB5]

Biggest Positive = The growth of Virtanen who is getting goals and seems to have earned a greater degree of trust from the coaching staff.

 

Negative Surprise - Injurues once again...lots pf games lost from Sutter and Ferland. Also Roussel was out for a few months to start the season 

[Tiger-Hearted]

Biggest positive - Virtanen is finally playing the way he is capable of and doing it with a lot more consistency.

 

Biggest negative - What has happened to Boeser??? Goalless in the last 5 games. 1 goal in his last 8 games. 2 goals in his last 14 games. Only 1 multi-goal game this season and that was his hat-trick in LA back in late October. With more depth up front, it's time to get the '17-'18 Boeser with his deadly wrister back.

[Viper007]

2 hours ago, Tiger-Hearted said:

Biggest positive - Virtanen is finally playing the way he is capable of and doing it with a lot more consistency.

 

Biggest negative - What has happened to Boeser??? Goalless in the last 5 games. 1 goal in his last 8 games. 2 goals in his last 14 games. Only 1 multi-goal game this season and that was his hat-trick in LA back in late October. With more depth up front, it's time to get the '17-'18 Boeser with his deadly wrister back.

He's being more of a playmaker.  When you have 2 other linemates who can finish, why not give them some chances too.  It makes the line that much more multi-dimensional, instead of just having Boeser as the scorer.

[189lb enforcers?]

Biggest Positive of the year...

 

[RowdyCanuck]

Positive gotta go with Jake....rewarding postered that stood by him over the years...

 

negative.....I thought bringing in ferland and Miller and Myers and Benn for toughness would have helped a lot more then it has....

i still like the signings but I figured those four and rooster and Jake would have me watching more hits and fights but that hasn't happen yet.....

I know there's more to the game but the style green coaches , I figured would lead to some big hits....