Canucks: most improved team next year?

[Bobby James]

Overall I think this was a really fun and exciting offseason for Benning. Still needs to sign those last 4 (Peaty, Hughes, Dickinson, Oli) contracts and hopefully he is able to pull it off and get good/fair price and term. OEL is obviously the biggest risk and depending on how he plays will determine a lot when looking back on Benning's time as GM. 

But damn that forward group looks sweet and I think our D is way more balanced. Schmidt clearly wasn't a fit (not saying he isn't a great top 4 Dman still) and everyone complained about Edler being too slow and old (especially in relation to his cost). OEL can definitely put up points and Canucks management (and himself) believes the Defensive side of his game can improve again. 

 

Our LD is a more offensive group with two rookies fighting for that 3rd spot. Now on RD we have a tougher group that provides a focus on D and will support the LD well. 

 

 

[Podz19]

26 minutes ago, Duodenum said:

Made a lot of changes but have to wait and see if it ends up with a better product on the ice.

 

Our forwards should be great.

Defense a disaster.

Goaltending solid.

 

So let's see if the forwards and goaltending can overcome our terrible defense.

Defense is a disaster? How?

 

We have a talented offensive player on each pairing on the left

Size on the right

Plus I am sure the new coach from St Louis will make a big impact and make Baumer's lack of coaching moot.

 

OEL Myers

Hughes Hamonic

Juolevi / Rathbone / Schenn

Poolman

 

That D has players on each side that have specific roles and can play that role effectively.

Myers can settle down and not try to do too much and just stay at home now.

OEL is still a very good talent who will likely improve here with a better team

Hughes is huges

Hamonic played very well down the stretch with Huggy as he learned his role, stay at home and bang

Bottom pair will see limited ice and Juolevi was playing really well until he got hit with covid. 

Schenn is tough as nails, stays at home

Rathbone  is showing he's ready as well

Poolman, wildcard depth

 

Its no Tampa but much better than last year imho

[nux_win]

Bravo GMJB!  I like just about every move he made this off season, and he made a lot of them.  Of course we need to see how it plays out on the ice but it is all very promising.  Jim seems to have addressed every hole, cleaned out the deadwood, and added some nice pieces.  He did about as well as he could with what he had and considering there were 31 other teams out there all trying to improve as well.  Looking forward to the new season!  Go Canucks Go!

[Nucker 67]

Let's talk about the Room. Schmidt wasn't a good fit on this team. He's a fun guy who's enjoying himself, and apparently he had an issue with Green. It was a really bad year, with losing Tanev, Markstrom, Toffoli and Stecher.  The team was miserable, they lost Pettersson halfway through, and dropped like a rock. It's a season we'd all like to forget.

 

Things have changed now. Schmidt is gone, back to being serious about winning.  Give Miller an "A".

 

I think the Room improves a great deal, some pressure is off Quinn and he keeps Hamonic, A happy OEL will feel 5 years younger playing in VAN. Bo has a great winger in Garland and his production could go up. Podkolzin is bright-eyed and ready to crush it.  I'm not sure what kind of team mates Poolman and Dickinson are, but I'm sure they'll take their roles seriously. Lots of competition on the D (depth), they're going to have to play well to stay in the lineup.

 

So excited, Drop the Puck!

[Duodenum]

3 minutes ago, Podz19 said:

Defense is a disaster? How?

 

We have a talented offensive player on each pairing on the left

Size on the right

Plus I am sure the new coach from St Louis will make a big impact and make Baumer's lack of coaching moot.

 

OEL Myers

Hughes Hamonic

Juolevi / Rathbone / Schenn

Poolman

 

That D has players on each side that have specific roles and can play that role effectively.

Myers can settle down and not try to do too much and just stay at home now.

OEL is still a very good talent who will likely improve here with a better team

Hughes is huges

Hamonic played very well down the stretch with Huggy as he learned his role, stay at home and bang

Bottom pair will see limited ice and Juolevi was playing really well until he got hit with covid. 

Schenn is tough as nails, stays at home

Rathbone  is showing he's ready as well

Poolman, wildcard depth

 

Its no Tampa but much better than last year imho

Well Hughes is bad defensively, Rathbone is a rookie, Myers is a #4-5, Poolman is a #6 dman, OEL hasn't performed well the last couple years and is a total wildcard, Schenn is a #6-7.

 

Myers is not gonna stay at home, that's not the player he is or ever has been.

 

We have no shutdown pairing and will bleed goals against. Our top 2 defensively sound defenders from last year are gone in Edler and Schmidt (Edler also our top pker). 

 

We'll be in the bottom 10 in goals against again unless Demko has a Vezina calibre season.

 

The stars all have to align to make this even an average dcorps. 

 

[BCNeil]

16 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

Crystal ball stuff

 

Canucks secure a playoff spot in late March, and then Klimovich joins he team for a handfull of games before the post-season. No one will know how to play him, but he'll be like a freight train. A healthy-Ferland type?

Clinch a spot in March?  You know we have 12 games in April this year.  

[Bobby James]

4 minutes ago, Duodenum said:

Well Hughes is bad defensively, Rathbone is a rookie, Myers is a #4-5, Poolman is a #6 dman, OEL hasn't performed well the last couple years and is a total wildcard, Schenn is a #6-7.

 

Myers is not gonna stay at home, that's not the player he is or ever has been.

 

We have no shutdown pairing and will bleed goals against. Our top 2 defensively sound defenders from last year are gone in Edler and Schmidt (Edler also our top pker). 

 

We'll be in the bottom 10 in goals against again unless Demko has a Vezina calibre season.

 

The stars all have to align to make this even an average dcorps. 

I dunno it sure feels like you are just assuming all the worst things happen to our new D group next season. Sure if everyone on D sucks we'll be bad. 

 

Hughes is only getting better, but we also know his role isn't purely defensive he is an elite offensive defensemen.

Saying Rathbone is a rookie doesn't mean anything. Even if you just look at our team, look at what rookies have done in the last few years. 

I personally think Meyers had a decent season last year on a bad defensive team. Has some bite to his play and skates well for his size. I think he'll pair with OEL and we'll have to wait and see how they do together. 

It isn't that OEL has performed badly all around the last couple years. He's been weak defensively specifically. On that I 100% agree and he needs to get back to who he was, but offensively wasn't he still on pace for 40+ points in a full season last year? Canucks fans have long complained we get 0 offense from our D, then we got Hughes and people were upset he had to carry all the Defensive production. It is nice to have another top 4 offensive Dman. 

 

I get it, I understand the concern and definitely agree OEL has risk, but I think this D group looks better than last year and our forward group has absolutely had a great upgrade. Goaltending also looks good. 
I'm excited for next year. 

[PhillipBlunt]

16 minutes ago, Podz19 said:

Defense is a disaster? How?

This type of hyperbole is commonplace with people who only view hockey through a statistical lens. They rarely, if ever, consider team chemistry. To them, it's all about the numbers game, because the majority never actual played the game, or any other sport really.

16 minutes ago, Podz19 said:

We have a talented offensive player on each pairing on the left

Size on the right

Plus I am sure the new coach from St Louis will make a big impact and make Baumer's lack of coaching moot.

Exactly. Once again, you bring up points that the analytics crowd refuses to consider. Points that are vital to the situation.

16 minutes ago, Podz19 said:

 

OEL Myers

Hughes Hamonic

Juolevi / Rathbone / Schenn

Poolman

 

That D has players on each side that have specific roles and can play that role effectively.

Myers can settle down and not try to do too much and just stay at home now.

OEL is still a very good talent who will likely improve here with a better team

Hughes is huges

Hamonic played very well down the stretch with Huggy as he learned his role, stay at home and bang

Bottom pair will see limited ice and Juolevi was playing really well until he got hit with covid. 

Schenn is tough as nails, stays at home

Rathbone  is showing he's ready as well

Poolman, wildcard depth

 

Its no Tampa but much better than last year imho

Exactly. It's obvious to anyone that the team has improved it's depth, both with the NHL team in Vancouver, and with the AHL team in Abbotsford. Anyone with an actual knowledge of the game can see this. Are they Tampa, like you mentioned? No, of course not. They are better though. 

[Podz19]

10 minutes ago, Duodenum said:

Well Hughes is bad defensively, Rathbone is a rookie, Myers is a #4-5, Poolman is a #6 dman, OEL hasn't performed well the last couple years and is a total wildcard, Schenn is a #6-7.

 

Myers is not gonna stay at home, that's not the player he is or ever has been.

 

We have no shutdown pairing and will bleed goals against. Our top 2 defensively sound defenders from last year are gone in Edler and Schmidt (Edler also our top pker). 

 

We'll be in the bottom 10 in goals against again unless Demko has a Vezina calibre season.

 

The stars all have to align to make this even an average dcorps. 

 

Man change your name to bitter beer face or chicken little - sky aint falling we're improved!

 

You must be fun at parties! lol

[Podz19]

2 minutes ago, Bobby James said:

I dunno it sure feels like you are just assuming all the worst things happen to our new D group next season. Sure if everyone on D sucks we'll be bad. 

 

Hughes is only getting better, but we also know his role isn't purely defensive he is an elite offensive defensemen.

Saying Rathbone is a rookie doesn't mean anything. Even if you just look at our team, look at what rookies have done in the last few years. 

I personally think Meyers had a decent season last year on a bad defensive team. Has some bite to his play and skates well for his size. I think he'll pair with OEL and we'll have to wait and see how they do together. 

It isn't that OEL has performed badly all around the last couple years. He's been weak defensively specifically. On that I 100% agree and he needs to get back to who he was, but offensively wasn't he still on pace for 40+ points in a full season last year? Canucks fans have long complained we get 0 offense from our D, then we got Hughes and people were upset he had to carry all the Defensive production. It is nice to have another top 4 offensive Dman. 

 

I get it, I understand the concern and definitely agree OEL has risk, but I think this D group looks better than last year and our forward group has absolutely had a great upgrade. Goaltending also looks good. 
I'm excited for next year. 

New coach will help materially, and when you have guys who move the puck on every defensive pair, you don't have to defend as much. Alot of people ignore this, when you have the puck you don't defend. We have elite puck movers on 2 lines, and potential elite and solid on the third.

 

As someone who played competitive hockey, and as a forward, if your D know how to move the puck out of the zone quickly and accurately, the game is pretty fun, because you're always in control of the puck.

Our D is materially improved in that regard alone, and our new coach will help undo Baumer's nonsense imho.

[MikeBossy]

Does our top 4 get us into the playoffs?

Hughes Hamonic

Myers OEL

 

I think it can. Is it better than Edmonton's top 4 - YUP! That's a win to me

 

 

[Podz19]

oops sorry....double post

Edited July 28, 2021 by Podz19

[ilduce39]

I mean, considering how bad we were last year due to schedule, Covid and Petey’s injury “most improved” isn’t that high of a bar.  

 

That said, it’s not a tap in.  Lots of moving parts and for a group that struggled last year the coaching staff has its work cut out.  
 

Biggest wild card is obviously OEL - the caliber of player we get out of him will really shape next season.  
 

Given his contract there’s two bets on OEL that I think get merged together.  The first one, from what I’ve read and listened to from the pundits, is a lot safer bet.  That is stabilizing as a high offence / serviceable in his own zone e #3 type D man. People seem to think this will happen next year. 

The other, more risky bet is the length of his deal.  As he slows down he’s not going to be worth his cap hit in 5 years.  Sure.  There’s some cap space liability down the line.  That doesn’t mean he’s going to “suck” next year though.  He should still be an overall upgrade on what Edler was bringing for us the last few seasons.

 

Other reasons for optimism:  special teams.  Sounds like our personnel on the PK and PP is a lot stronger and deeper.  With a new voice in the room, too, it should be a fresh, fun new look for our high powered forwards. 
 

-maturity of Petey and Hughes: let’s face it, these are our two best and most important players.  They’re entering their 4th and 3rd seasons.  They aren’t babies anymore.  I’m expecting big years. 
 

-Shaw and a deeper forward group should lead to way better team defence.  Gone are the days of a sheltered Gaudette in the 3C spot.  Dickinson and Sutter are the spine of a deep, fast bottom 6 that should be tough to play against while providing depth scoring. 

[Kootenay Gold]

37 minutes ago, Dumb Nuck said:

CDC taking too much oxytocin.

Hey.... they're on a roll lol

 

[Kootenay Gold]

25 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

Things have changed now. Schmidt is gone, back to being serious about winning.  Give Miller an "A".

As much as Schmidt is very skilled player his dressing room personality probably was not appreciated by a number of his team mates. Looks like a quieter and more focused group for the coming season.

 

[khay]

1 hour ago, VegasCanuck said:

I don't think there has been a summer that I can remember when Canucks made so many sweeping changes.

 

Bertuzzi for Luongo is probably the next most sweeping that I can remember.

 

That was a franchise altering move, getting a top 3 goalie in the league at the time, for a forward in decline after an unfortunate incident.

 

OEL, if he recovers form, will be a true #1D that this team has never had. It could be a franchise altering move much like the Luongo trade you alluded to. 

 

Combined with Hughes, dynamic offensive defenceman that this team has never had, we've got an exciting dcore.

 

It's exciting enough for me to want to get a season ticket. Looking forward to watching the young guys live, Petey, Hughes but also Pod and Hog as well as OEL and Garland.

 

[AlwaysACanuckFan]

53 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

Canucks fans - "We need RDs!! We only have Myers!!!"

 

Benning signs 5 of them (including Keeper) 

Benning Keeping to his word that he was going to be aggressive this summer. 

[EOTM]

I think OEL has something to prove and I believe he will have the opportunity to prove it; something that I would not say he has had for a while in Arizona.

 

Garland is the Toffoli replacement we needed desperately last season; but better and younger.

 

Halak is in my opinion a more serviceable backup for Demko and will steal us a game or two. I'm not sure this is an improvement on Holtby but it could be. At least a wash.

 

Hamonic, Poolman and Schenn can all hold their own in the bottom half of the Defensive depth chart, Poolman may even be better than most people think. He played a bunch with Morrissey and that dude is just awful especially for his price tag. I think Poolman could surprise us without that piano tied to his ass. Hamonic and Schenn are fine, I don't think they improve us much but they don't make us worse. A bit of depth and some experience at the very least.

 

Get Petey, and Dickinson signed and the team is solid down the center, with 3 really good lines. There's question marks on D but I think it's going to be a big improvement. Solid dependable goaltending all year. 

 

I'm really excited to see this group play which hasn't happened in a while.

Edited July 28, 2021 by EOTM

[Nave]

I think we may have had the best offseason of any team. Haven't been this excited for a season in years.
Benning has certainly been "aggressive." 

[Podz19]

13 minutes ago, EOTM said:

I think OEL has something to prove and I believe he will have the opportunity to prove it; something that I would not say he has had for a while in Arizona.

 

Garland is the Toffoli replacement we needed desperately last season; but better and younger.

 

Halak is in my opinion a more serviceable backup for Demko and will steal us a game or two. I'm not sure this is an improvement on Holtby but it could be. At least a wash.

 

Hamonic, Poolman and Schenn can all hold their own in the bottom half of the Defensive depth chart, Poolman may even be better than most people think. He played a bunch with Morrissey and that dude is just awful especially for his price tag. I think Poolman could surprise us without that piano tied to his ass. Hamonic and Schenn are fine, I don't think they improve us much but they don't make us worse. A bit of depth and some experience at the very least.

 

Get Petey, and Dickinson signed and the team is solid down the center, with 3 really good lines. There's question marks on D but I think it's going to be a big improvement. Solid dependable goaltending all year. 

 

I'm really excited to see this group play which hasn't happened in a while.

Same and my view on the OEL trade has improved not only because of what I read on Garland who seems to be a real gem but what OEL does for the depth of our D corps and for Hughes.

 

OEL to me reminds me a bit of what Erhoff did for us. He's a legit strong puck moving dman, who as you said has something to prove and its not like he's 34, dmen who aren't physical don't age like forwards. He's got a good 4-5 years in him. If he can play the role Erhoff did for us, take pressure off Quinn we are in a great spot. That left side is looking very strong for when we start making 'Real' runs and are a contender.

 

Year 1 - make the playoffs

Year 2- Push through a round or two

Year 3 - Contend - at this stage OEL is 32/33, not old, QH is now 24 and able to take the number 1 role, so OEL is your number 3. Juolevi /Rathbone should be terrific #3 LD 

To me that's what this move is setting up. I could care less if OEL is  overpaid in his last year or two if we get to a cup again. And IMHO this group is now ready "on paper" to start legitimately competing for one.

Edited July 28, 2021 by Podz19