Which team is better the 2021-22 projected Canucks team or the 2019-20 Canucks team that went to the 2nd round?

[Arrow 1983]

18 hours ago, JesseBlue said:

I'd like to see a sample size of roughly 10 games to get a good insight of the team.

 

Everyone was excited with the Schmidt trade last year and then look at what happened.

 

I do have a good feeling about the upcoming season. I will be there opening night

The core is the same but far more hungry this year is going to be amazing 

[DrJockitch]

I think the top two lines are probably about the same.  The third line is exponentially better than the bubble team.  The youth is more experienced.

The D is a wild card, it could be bigger tougher and better, it may not fit together.  Really hard to judge as have barely seen Poolman and who knows what OEL will be when he gets here.

The goaltending is clearly not as good from a two deep perspective but Demko is a quality starter and Marky was a quality starter, can only play one at a time and '21 Demko vs '19 Marky is probably a push.

So probably marginally better overall, but the D is a major wildcard that we will need to see play together for half a season or so before we really have an idea.

 

[Kobayashi Maru]

I think this team is primed for some good things.  There was an overall drop in drive last year with the departures of Markstrom, Tanev and Toffoli.  Even as a team it would have been hard to see that as an improvement along with everything related to the pandemic.

 

This instance of the team is much better.  The fringe players with large contracts are gone (The narrative also goes which removes a distraction) and there are significant pieces coming in to help a good core (Garland, OEL, Halak, Podkolzin, Dickinson, Poolman).  This will make for what I believe to be a successful year.

 

I assume the changes are mostly done, but JB did refer to a Russian mentor for Podz.  May not happen, but I still have a sneaky suspicion that someone like Anisimov would be a perfect fit.  Can play in different places and sounds like a good vet that didn't have issue with being in and out of the lineup.  Once the sign the four main remaining contracts, I wouldn't be shocked to see him as a depth target.

[Bure_of_94]

17 minutes ago, Kobayashi Maru said:

I think this team is primed for some good things.  There was an overall drop in drive last year with the departures of Markstrom, Tanev and Toffoli.  Even as a team it would have been hard to see that as an improvement along with everything related to the pandemic.

 

This instance of the team is much better.  The fringe players with large contracts are gone (The narrative also goes which removes a distraction) and there are significant pieces coming in to help a good core (Garland, OEL, Halak, Podkolzin, Dickinson, Poolman).  This will make for what I believe to be a successful year.

 

I assume the changes are mostly done, but JB did refer to a Russian mentor for Podz.  May not happen, but I still have a sneaky suspicion that someone like Anisimov would be a perfect fit.  Can play in different places and sounds like a good vet that didn't have issue with being in and out of the lineup.  Once the sign the four main remaining contracts, I wouldn't be shocked to see him as a depth target.

I like your take on things . I think as well that it makes sense to have a Russian companion here for Podzy.,hard being a young kid far away from home, I’ve heard that he can only speak Russian, but I’m not sure how accurate that is. 

[kloubek]

This team is better. 

 

We have more quality depth, better forward lines (despite missing TT), and I believe a bit better D. 

 

The only reason this team did what it did is because of the goaltending heroics - otherwise we were likely out long before.

[IBatch]

At the start of the season (bubble) we just acquired Miller and Myers.   It became pretty clear pretty soon that this team was a level up from the ones we'd been used to during the rebuild but they for sure had their struggles as well. Bubble was bubble magic, loved what i saw the first two series, the third one truly gave JB eye fulls of where we needed to go to get to another level - sure did for me at least.   If we won that series it would have been the most underserved win i've ever seen. 

 

Why i wanted all the UFAs to go - including TT (yes i know a lot of fans have a huge boner for this guy, but really he was ineffective and no i'm not buying injuries, also saw it during MTL run - he's a max opportunist - and isn't big or play big or anything like that - BB was tougher on the walls then he was).   

 

This year the lineup is a lot different - it was a lot different last year too.   Two more seasons before we get to the next playoffs.   Edler is old and slow and wasn't very good against Vegas really, nobody was either, except Myers, Motte and Demko.   Tanev likely won't make it 82 games.   Will this team play two rounds?   I doubt it.   But it has a better chance of making it to the post season, and also a better chance once we get there the the same old same old.   It's all about the core now.  Myers, Hamonic and OEL will provide some good vet help too.   Teams deeper now too.   Our bottom six is better our top six is likely too, and our middle six is a lot better.   D not so sure but it should be better.    

[Patel Bure]

I think the key for this team will be how our top two pairings perform:    OEL-Myers / Hughes-Hamonic.  

 

If those two pairings kill it in their roles, then I think we could easily be a 2nd round+ calibre team.   

 

For me, everything else looks solid.

 

-Depth up front with a blend of different player types (snipers, grinders, playmakers, etc.)

-Great PMD's on the left side

-Solid goaltending

-Very good 13th forwards (MacEwen), 7th dman options (Juolevi), and depth on the farm.

-A very good 3rd pairing in Rathbone and Poolman (I'm assuming)

 

Even Hughes and Hamonic, in an isolated vacuum, are very good #3 and #4 options.  I just wonder if they can gel together?   Because I'm not sure if they really achieved that last season, but our team defense as a whole should be much stronger this year as well.  

 

For me, that biggest question is that top pairing with OEL and Myers.  Can OEL go back to what he was 4-5 years ago?  Will Myers be able to handle top pairing duties going up against the top lines of other teams?  Will OEL and Myers, collectively, be able to hang defensively?   These are the biggest questions marks for me.