Direction of the team

[Canuckfanforlife82]

2 minutes ago, DefCon1 said:

Let see what we need to improve on first and that will become obvious when trade deadline rolls around. I want to see how the team doea under Bruce til trade deadline and then make a decision. Right now its hard to evaluate the needs of this team after being coached by an incompetent coach for many years.

Yes but it won’t change the fact we don’t have a lot of depth/picks to trade from. It is what it is. It will be interesting to see what they do at this point and on the trade deadline. I am excited to see what they do because I really haven’t got a clue what direction they are going to go.

[Nuxfanabroad]

We need to do away with contracts like 3+ mill for TP..flush these lame-o's outa' the system, & stop doing it!

 

If a decent asset popped up on waivers, Doubtful we even have cap to pounce...

[48MPHSlapShot]

It's hard to know exactly what direction they'll take with the team, especially considering we don't even know who the GM is yet.

 

To be honest, I don't know what direction they should take with the team either. A month ago I was all for blowing the whole thing up and starting another rebuild, but seeing the huge difference that the coaching change has made has given me cause to reconsider going scorched earth. 

 

What I do think is that, regardless of when the new GM is hired, no major changes will happen this season. I believe the rest of this season will be mainly used to asses what we have. I also don't think we'll be trading our first rd pick either. We've been without one two years in a row. 

 

However, I do think a pretty significant trade is on the horizon in the offseason. Obviously for cap reasons, but also because I believe that whoever is calling the shots is going to come to the conclusion that the defence needs some major work. 

 

So overall, I don't think any major trades are coming until the offseason, and when it does happen, it will be a hockey trade. One of our forwards for a defenseman, with some spare change going one or both ways.

[appleboy]

I think Rutherford is going to be looking for future assets. I am not suggesting that they will blow it up but they will need to find a way to clear cap space. They need to build a stronger D core. 

I love Petey but I am not sold on him taking us to a cup. This is being promoted as " building a cup contender".

[nergish]

Rutherford had E. Staal in his prime in Carolina, and Crosby + Malkin in Pittsburgh. 

If he doesn't see "that guy" in anyone on the current roster (Pettersson?), maybe he's going to sell off players at the deadline to build the ultimate package to move up and draft Shane Wright.

 

Obviously even with that strategy we would need a ton of luck to land 1st OA, but I personally think Wright can play next year and would immediately be our 3C.

 

[Alflives]

2 hours ago, Canuckfanforlife82 said:

I really hope that the organization isn’t trying to have a quick turnaround and are hoping these moves help them make the playoffs. I have heard a lot the ownership is still wanting a quick fix. Have they learned nothing previously? It doesn’t work. Time and time again. Aquilini said the standard is Stanley cup. The big problem that I see with this organization is the money that is tied up in players that don’t hold a ton of value and the fact we don’t have enough prospects to bring up or trade. We are sort of stuck in that middle ground you want to try to avoid. It’s tough to say which way they need to go but the depth in the organization is pretty bare in terms of prospects and picks. They need to fix this. Anyways we will see what moves they make or don’t to see what they are thinking. I just don’t like that a lot of people are saying they still want a quick turnaround. It will be interesting to see what happens next. 

This is exactly why JR was brought in.  He knows what core players have to be like to build around them and win a Cup.  He will evaluate Petey, Hughes, Demko, Bo, Miller, OEL, Bess, and determine if these guys have what it takes (when supported with a good group) to compete for the Cup.  We will know what JR’s decision is (on our core) by the trades he makes.  

[Nucker 67]

Rutherford has no emotional investment with this roster, and he will move someone he doesn't feel is going to help them win a championship. I really think the only untouchables right now are: Demko, Hughes and Podkolzin.

 

I can see a hockey trade, possibly a Pettersson for a Dman.  Petey still has a lot of value.

[BlakeQuinnAndEggs]

4 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

Rutherford has no emotional investment with this roster, and he will move someone he doesn't feel is going to help them win a championship. I really think the only untouchables right now are: Demko, Hughes and Podkolzin.

 

I can see a hockey trade, possibly a Pettersson for a Dman.  Petey still has a lot of value.

I don't know about that. Centre depth is important and we don't have it. Horvat should be untouchable and if Petey picks it up again he should be too.

 

Boudreau speaks very highly of Pettersson Horvat and Miller and I like to think that JR and whoever he hires will be on the same page as the coach.

 

There should be good communication throughout front office and coaching staff, something that was lacking with Benning and Weisbrod isolating themselves

 

[iceman64]

I fully expect this team to screw it up royally..  the direction is going to be a butter soft team as usual, public demands it and it'll happen.

[NHL97OneTimer]

2 hours ago, Canuckfanforlife82 said:

That’s what I am saying we are sort of stuck in that gross middle ground that is hard to get out of.

As is 80% of the league though

[BlakeQuinnAndEggs]

16 minutes ago, iceman64 said:

I fully expect this team to screw it up royally..  the direction is going to be a butter soft team as usual, public demands it and it'll happen.

They're calling for change and we have been butter soft forever

 

Smyl talks about this team needing an identity and getting back to playing " Canucks hockey"

 

Not sure how we could get any softer. I'm thinking the new regime turns things around in more ways than one.

 

Will it be successful in the long run? Who knows but it will be different I think.

 

Also what do you mean by the public demanding it? Everyone I talk to hates how soft we are and wants to see a tough team for the first time in what feels like forever.

[hammertime]

2 hours ago, NHL97OneTimer said:

Can't disagree, but over the past 50 years, how successful has it been to strip everything down and draft your way up?  How long will that take?  Do we not have the potential with this core to at least contend?  The time to strip this team down is probably 5-7 years away at this point.  

The way I see it I agree we are at an impasse. If you look where we were last time we were in this position when JB took over cupboards bare with a team that wasn't good enough to win but wasn't bad enough to tank. We are in a far more favorable position now. Then the best we could do for our tradable assets was the returns for Kes and Bieksa. Now I think we can do better for Brock and Miller possibly Pete too.

 

Build around 

Bo, Hughes, Podkolzin, Hoglander, Garland.  

 

If we added say 2 mid 1st's and a 2nd to our picks this year. adding.

 

Our 1st pick. Kemell Pestilent franchise RW with elite offense. 

mid 1st one of Kasper or Gaucher 200ft 2/3C hard minutes guys.

mid 1st one of RHD Ryan Chesely or Tristan Luneau 

Our 2nd Kirill Dolzhenkov Russian 6'7 monster

additional 2nd Lian Bichsel Big LHD skates incredibly well and plays a physical brand. 

 

Scrape the bottom 1 more time next year drafting well in 2023. by the time 2024 rolls around we should be ready to contend and have full cupbards. We should at this time have the cap space to make the right moves to put the team over the top. 

 

[ken kaniff]

I think there are pieces to build off of, I’ll give Benning that much. 8 years of sucking and we actually have some good players. Horvat, Miller, Hoglander, Hughes, Demko and Podkolzin are all who I would keep.

 

I’ve soured on Pettersson honestly. His comments in the off-season and his play this year have rubbed me the wrong way. And last year before his injury he wasn’t the player we saw in his rookie season either. He’s not a centre man in the NHL. I think he’s more of a RNH than a top tier player .
 

and Boeser is too inconsistent to have as a 1st line RW.

 

 

[Chris12345]

3 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Direction of the team?  As mentioned, the Canucks have a solid start to a core but too many overvalued players are clogging up cap space to improve on the core.  This is from years of not selling high on any assets. 

 

This.  Has.  To.  Change.

 

There are looming decisions on Boeser, Miller, and Horvat.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not rushing to get rid of them.  However, if they can't be resigned at a reasonable price, we need to sell high.

Exactly. They need better d and depth. Sven Baertschi or Big Mac is not depth.

[Dazzle]

4 hours ago, Canuckfanforlife82 said:

I really hope that the organization isn’t trying to have a quick turnaround and are hoping these moves help them make the playoffs. I have heard a lot the ownership is still wanting a quick fix. Have they learned nothing previously? It doesn’t work. Time and time again. Aquilini said the standard is Stanley cup. The big problem that I see with this organization is the money that is tied up in players that don’t hold a ton of value and the fact we don’t have enough prospects to bring up or trade. We are sort of stuck in that middle ground you want to try to avoid. It’s tough to say which way they need to go but the depth in the organization is pretty bare in terms of prospects and picks. They need to fix this. Anyways we will see what moves they make or don’t to see what they are thinking. I just don’t like that a lot of people are saying they still want a quick turnaround. It will be interesting to see what happens next. 

This is seriously something you'd read before any of the changes. And now that there's a massive change in philosophy in the front office, backed by a 3 game winning streak - something we haven't had in a long while under Green, we still have questions about ownership.

Come on. Let's just take it as it comes.

[Dazzle]

12 minutes ago, ken kaniff said:

I think there are pieces to build off of, I’ll give Benning that much. 8 years of sucking and we actually have some good players. Horvat, Miller, Hoglander, Hughes, Demko and Podkolzin are all who I would keep.

 

I’ve soured on Pettersson honestly. His comments in the off-season and his play this year have rubbed me the wrong way. And last year before his injury he wasn’t the player we saw in his rookie season either. He’s not a centre man in the NHL. I think he’s more of a RNH than a top tier player .
 

and Boeser is too inconsistent to have as a 1st line RW.

 

 

Are you freaking kidding me?

 

Under Benning, we've had two unproven coaches. That's on Benning for employing them for as long as he did. Green, in particular, isn't looking very good, now that Boudreau has flipped the team on its head (short term).

 

Why don't you just wait and see how Boeser will perform with a REAL coach? Sorry, Green is too inconsistent to be considered a real one. I don't care how the media fawns over him. His stats aren't great as a coach, plus we can see his performances as a coach. He obviously couldn't adapt to the rosters he was given - how many more chances should a coach get?

Edited December 11, 2021 by Dazzle

[Junkyard Dog]

The cap makeup of this team points to us not bringing in guys anytime soon and us losing key guys as people need re-signing as early as 2023.

 

We have a 2 year window essentially to win with the group we have before having to make significant roster decisions if we decide to try to win with what we got. And if we decide to hang on to guys we risk losing them for nothing in free agency.

 

We can decide to go in a lot of different directions with this team but the potential to win with this group as it is now is far from a guarantee given the circumstantial evidence of the last few years and the holes on the roster. A new coach helps but history has shown only so much and the potential for amazing turnaround is very limited.

 

I think ownership is pretty open to a lot of different directions. They're trying to build an experienced management group which is a good sign.

 

Day at a time though but big decisions are on the horizon.

[Baggins]

4 hours ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

Thank you. 

- A lot of players are underachieving, so there's probably not much interest from other teams.

- Half the league is over/at/ or have little cap space. So even if they wanted one of our players they don't have room (at least right now).

- Our prospect pool has been depleted, due to mismanagement, scandals, or other. So the calvary isn't waiting to ride in and help us out.

- We are lacking in draft picks. And don't have the cap space to take on bad contracts to get high end draft picks. 

 

The wild card is the players we have in Europe or in College are able to make the jump to the NHL/AHL next season. And that Benning's drafting 

produces late round gems, as a final unexpected present for our club. 

Has our prospect pool dropped because of mismanagement or because of the number of quality prospects that jumped directly onto the team? We have a lot of young players on the roster so it's only natural the quality of remaining the prospect pool drops. Now it's really just a matter of filling out around those young players and move forward from the rebuild.

[sockeye]

3 hours ago, Patel Bure said:

Is depth really bare though?  I mean, we just took out a pretty decent Jets team without OEL and Hamonic.   

 

Agreed with our depth isn't equivalent to that of an elite team, but we seem to be holding our end as well.  

 

Petey and Brock have been better lately but we've also been playing without the *real* Petey and Brock throughout most of this year. 

The only reason we beat the Jets was because of the play of Demko.  He is one Canucks player who is untouchable.  Still waiting to see the Petey and Brock of their rookie years. I prefer Petey (more potential and more versatile - assuming he returns to form) over Brock.  We need to trade Brock or Miller to get a top 4 RHD.  I'm a fan of Miller but his age is a factor when looking at the core of this group.

[Nuxfanabroad]

Wonder if Podz could become a Miller-type? Hybrid W & C