[GDT/PGT] Vancouver Canucks vs Montreal Canadiens | January 21, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. PT | NBCSN, SNP

[luckylager]

Just now, PhillipBlunt said:

Exactly. I’ve noticed every single defenseman on the team look like a deer in the headlights during games. They can’t all be having some collective brain fart out there. It’s on BumGardener. He’s the weak point in the equation. 

Yeah it's been hard to watch.

[PhillipBlunt]

Just now, appleboy said:

Petey is very popular. He is a character guy. I just refuse to get too attached to players until I see a team that has the potential for a cup run.

Same. I could care less about the individual unless they show the dedication to put the team first.
 

That’s why Bo is my favorite player on the team. He’s embraced the captaincy and is doing all he can to pull the team with him. Even he can’t manage so much deadweight. 
 

Pettersson is a very talented player but he’s playing like crap right now, and his stupid turnover was a turning point in the game. Lay blame where it belongs. 

[IBatch]

13 minutes ago, ruilin96 said:

Except the Avs made the playoffs in 2014 and didn't make it back there until 2018 (they also had to suffer through a horrendous 2016-17 season). That is 4 years in between playoff berth. We already have our 5 year drought. I really hope we don't have anything remotely close to what the Avs went through in 2016-17, Bo is coming into his prime. So is Boeser, Pettersson and Hughes. Miller is also firing at all cylinders right now (and could still be that way for a couple more years). The window to contend must start next season, or else this is major fail on management.

The window opens next season, and won’t be the widest until EP and QHs are around 27.   So don’t be too disappointed if we follow a similar path.  JB knows this - he’s even said it more then once.   Looks at Naslund and the Sedins.    The fact that our core carried the mail for 17 playoff games is extremely encouraging.   The only other guys in club history that did that are their age were Linden, McLean, Ronning and Bure.  

 

Yes we are a bit of a hot mess so far.   Can't really gauge how much without a larger sample size. 

Edited January 22, 2021 by IBatch

[PhillipBlunt]

1 minute ago, luckylager said:

Yeah it's been hard to watch.

For sure. It makes no sense. 

[Locke Lamora]

9 minutes ago, ruilin96 said:

Except the Avs made the playoffs in 2014 and didn't make it back there until 2018 (they also had to suffer through a horrendous 2016-17 season). That is 4 years in between playoff berth. We already have our 5 year drought. I really hope we don't have anything remotely close to what the Avs went through in 2016-17, Bo is coming into his prime. So is Boeser, Pettersson and Hughes. Miller is also firing at all cylinders right now (and could still be that way for a couple more years). The window to contend must start next season, or else this is major fail on management.

Excellent post. Look at what the Avs have on the back end in terms of talent in the pipeline. It’s bordering on the ridiculous. 

 

And anyone who is seriously floating the idea of trading EP at this point is someone whose opinion I would be a bit wary of in the future on hockey matters.

[ruilin96]

1 minute ago, IBatch said:

The window opens next season, and won’t be the widest until EP and QHs are around 27.   So don’t be too disappointed if we follow as similar path.  JB knows this - he’s even said it more then once.   Looks at Naslund and the Sedins.    The fact that our core carried the mail for 17 playoff games is extremely encouraging.   The only other guys in club history that did that are their age were Linden, McLean, Ronning and Bure.  

I know. But every time I think about it, I think if we didn't commit $20+ million on overpaid bottom 6, we could've load up the roster this year and make a run at it now. It is what it is, the damage is done.

 

This off-season, all I heard is all our pending UFAs, Marky, Tanev, Toffoli and Stecher all expressed interest wanting to stay here. Meanwhile I agree with not matching Calgary's offers for Marky and Tanev, but Toffoli and Stecher are losses we could've avoided if not for poor cap management. The team was also attracting a lot of interesting from free agents outside of this market as well and unfortunately we couldn't bring them in for the same reason. If we even have $10-15 million cap space this year, given the flat cap, we could've brought in a bunch of NHLers on 1 year deals to create a stacked roster that could be good enough to make run for the cup before we go on a mini-retool next season. It is what it is.

[Roger Neilsons Towel]

1 hour ago, PhillipBlunt said:

I hate that Bo was hard on himself in the post game. He was one of the only players last night who brought a consistent and solid effort. Everyone else hopefully apologized to him for their garbage effort, including the coaching staff. This is in no way on Bo. 

That’s what great leaders do. They take responsibility (even if it isn’t on them) and they lead by example. Bo is the heart and soul of this team. We are very fortunate to have a Captain like him.

[Lazurus]

1 hour ago, qwijibo said:

I seriously doubt any of those guys is remotely available. Especially in season. 

Just a bunch of names thrown out there but some could be available if there is the right offer. For the Canucks it is very obvious the defence is 4 years behind the forwards so if trades are made they have to be big.
Just let the rest of the NHL that there might not be very many players not available and see what is offered. It is time management stopped being buddies with the players, at least until this mess is straightened out.

[MattJVD]

5 minutes ago, Roger Neilsons Towel said:

That’s what great leaders do. They take responsibility (even if it isn’t on them) and they lead by example. Bo is the heart and soul of this team. We are very fortunate to have a Captain like him.

Yeah, I'm sure Bo will have some choice words for his teammates, but it's good leadership to keep that internal. Nothing gained by dragging them over the coals to the media.

[CanucksForever2]

How many more games until we hit this, or has this been pressed already?

[whcanuck]

6 minutes ago, CanucksForever2 said:

How many more games until we hit this, or has this been pressed already?

Haha, if Montreal wins 5-2 or 4-1 on Saturday and they’re ugly goals against, I could see Canuck nation fully pushing this!

Edited January 22, 2021 by whcanuck

[PhillipBlunt]

8 minutes ago, CanucksForever2 said:

How many more games until we hit this, or has this been pressed already?

I'm not sure if there's a specific amount of games before this needs to be pressed. Based on what I'm seeing, this team for the most part is listless and lost. They look rudderless. I've seen them show far more capability and passion before. At this point, it's more so the quality of play that's atrocious.

 

Maybe some of the posters are right. Letting three players walk who were talented and part of a tightly knit group may end up being a huge mistake. As well, letting a fourth very talented player who was traded here go because of cap issues is embarrassing. 

 

I've defended Benning before, but six years (or seven) is long enough. 

Edited January 22, 2021 by PhillipBlunt

[Squamfan]

1 minute ago, PhillipBlunt said:

I'm not sure if there's a specific amount of games before this needs to be pressed. Based on what I'm seeing, this team for the most part is listless and lost. They look rudderless. I've seen them show far more capability and passion before. 

 

Maybe some of the posters are right. Letting three players walk who were talented and part of a tightly knit group may end up being a huge mistake. As well, letting a fourth very talented player who was traded here go because of cap issues is embarrassing. 

 

I've defended Benning before, but six years (or seven) is long enough. 

the fact we have beagle and rousell for another year is a joke

[PhillipBlunt]

Just now, Squamfan said:

the fact we have beagle and rousell for another year is a joke

Beagle has been decent, but Benning way overpaid. Roussel is a waste of a roster space. I agree there. Not to mention Sutter and Eriksson. 

 

Benning is capable of drafting with the best of them, but his contracts are less than ideal. 

[thrago]

I think we are close to the team we want them to be, there just not there yet.  It's coming real soon remember outside of Miller all our best players are 25 yrs old and younger.

[Locke Lamora]

11 minutes ago, CanucksForever2 said:

How many more games until we hit this, or has this been pressed already?

If they are playing like this at the 10 game mark, I’ll join the (already forming) line to hit that. 

 

I just realized that’s only 4 games away. Yikes.

Edited January 22, 2021 by Locke Lamora

[Roger Neilsons Towel]

17 minutes ago, MattJVD said:

Yeah, I'm sure Bo will have some choice words for his teammates, but it's good leadership to keep that internal. Nothing gained by dragging them over the coals to the media.

Exactly. 

[PhillipBlunt]

3 minutes ago, thrago said:

I think we are close to the team we want them to be, there just not there yet.  It's coming real soon remember outside of Miller all our best players are 25 yrs old and younger.

The team was already there last season, especially in the playoffs. 

 

They were composed, disciplined, capable, and focused. 

 

The team, on a whole, this year has none of those traits. Zero. 

 

Certain individuals are showing it, like Bo, but the young guns aren't. I guess, on the bright side, Pettersson and Hughes can expect a lower AAV for their next contracts. 

[PhillipBlunt]

19 minutes ago, MattJVD said:

Yeah, I'm sure Bo will have some choice words for his teammates, but it's good leadership to keep that internal. Nothing gained by dragging them over the coals to the media.

He'd have every right, and I hope he did and does until they bring the same fire as he does. Bo is the best of them, by a country mile. 

[aqua59]

Could it simply be that Jim Benning has iced a poor team...again. He was aware of his cap issues going into the season. 

 

He simply couldn't and didn't fix them. He gambled on his half assed fix and seemingly lost.

 

It's early I now but I feel this is going to be a no where season.