Anyone else finding it hard to get excited for next year?

[lmm]

On 4/4/2022 at 1:06 PM, Canuckfanforlife82 said:

Maybe it’s just me but is anyone else finding it hard to get excited for next year? I look at our depth and the lack of prospects in the system. I keep hearing they may want to retain Boeser and keep Miller and it doesn’t sound like a lot of change might happen. I am also worried about the bad contracts we have on this team and how they might limit their ability to make changes. If we are seeing that some of these contracts as bad then what do other teams think of them and why would they want them? They really handcuff what the organization can do. It’s mostly the depth in the system that bothers me. It’s crazy to look at Tampa and Colorado who are already great teams but they can always go their system and get more. Anyways, is there anyone else with the same thoughts. I am hopeful with the new management and I am so happy Benning isn’t here anymore.

This is such a great thread 

It could be subtitled, 
"What kind of fan are you?"

I have selected below 6 responses that cover just about every type of Canuck fan

From full Rah Rah, everything the GM does is great,

to I agree with the GM and understand his every move, (because I think like a GM)

to the suspicious,

the Hopeless Sucker

and the "Better fan than you"

 

Personally I think I fall between the suspicious and the hopeless sucker, (somewhere between Eddie and BigBad)

but I find this thread interesting because many fans are coming out with their personal feelings of their fandom

And I am 
OK with all the different colours of Canuck fan, except the "Bettert Thans/True Fans" I am not in with those who feel everyone needs to be/feel the same as them (I have probably been called a Leafs fan one too many times)

 

On 4/5/2022 at 6:52 PM, Curmudgeon said:

Absolutely, and I have been this way since 1971. Pat Quinn once remarked that in hockey, they're in the business of selling hope. That's what fires me up every off-season; to see what moves the team makes, to read and hear about what players have done in the off-season to prepare for the upcoming year and to follow the draft, free agency and the trade market. And I support, without question, the moves the team makes, mostly because I have zero control over it so am not going to waste my time complaining. I support whoever the GM is until they aren't the GM anymore, and I don't waste time moaning about what a dud the last guy was. Again, out of my control, so why sweat it? Having said all that, I am eager to see how Rathbone, Klimovich, Woo, Karlsson, Lockwood, Bains and Martin have grown and if they can crack the lineup. There is ALWAYS something to be excited about.

 

On 4/5/2022 at 7:13 PM, EddieVedder said:

But what about when they try to sell average at best players as cornerstone elite players?  Aqua and his marketing team have been doing it for years and fans who dont know any better eat it up.

Its time this fanbase wake up and let management know we want players that can take us to something relevant.

 

 

 

On 4/5/2022 at 7:59 PM, bigbadcanucks said:

I'm a sucker...I buy the HOPE that the Canucks sell every off season and end up with a heaping pile of disappointment by April.  Wash, rinse, repeat.  The story of being a Canucks fan.

 

On 4/5/2022 at 11:29 PM, Hairy Kneel said:

Nope. 

 

On 4/6/2022 at 11:28 PM, Nucklefuts said:

Go cheer for the lightning you part time fan

 

On 4/10/2022 at 12:08 PM, RogersTowell said:

I'm still enjoying this season and looking forward to next season.  The team is better than it's record indicates and was much better after the coaching/management changes.

+

 

[TheNewGM]

team is in a pretty sad state. Some really bad contracts .... AGAIN/ STILL

 

doesnt look good for years to come. Team should rebuild if it can, with draft picks like florida and new york just did.. this team is not close to a contender.

[Hairy Kneel]

2 minutes ago, TheNewGM said:

team is in a pretty sad state. Some really bad contracts .... AGAIN/ STILL

 

doesnt look good for years to come. Team should rebuild if it can, with draft picks like florida and new york just did.. this team is not close to a contender.

You don't believe that we would be in the playoffs if Coach B was hired sooner? 

[quattrobaj]

15 minutes ago, Hairy Kneel said:

You don't believe that we would be in the playoffs if Coach B was hired sooner? 

He's saying the canucks aren't contender and he's not wrong.  Teams like Florida, Colorado and Tampa Bay are examples of teams that are contenders.  If you sit here and tell me that the canucks have the same consistency and skill/speed/strength of those teams, I'd find it hard to agree.  If getting into the playoffs is the end goal of this team then yea sure that's plausible but that should not be the goal.. it should be creating a team where it can contend for the stanley cup every year and not just barely a playoff team.

[Curmudgeon]

33 minutes ago, TheNewGM said:

team is in a pretty sad state. Some really bad contracts .... AGAIN/ STILL

 

doesnt look good for years to come.

Says who? You don't think Hughes, Pettersson, Podkolzin, Hoglander, Horvat, Demko, Rathbone, Klimovich represent hope for the future?

 

33 minutes ago, TheNewGM said:

Team should rebuild if it can, with draft picks like florida and new york just did.. this team is not close to a contender.

Florida has NOT rebuilt through the draft, unless you want to include drafts made 11, 9 and 8 years ago as examples. Other than Huberdeau (2011) Barkov (2013), Ekblad (2014) and Lundell (2020) none of Florida's other draft picks are regulars in the Florida lineup. Everyone else is there due to trades or free agent signings. In roughly the same period Vancouver has drafted Horvat, Boeser, Demko, Petterson, Hughes, Podkolzin and Hoglander with Lockwood and Rathbone soon to be part of the NHL team. Not saying that Vancouver is the better team because they are obviously not, but to state that Florida's success has come through the draft is not true. Florida (and I think GM Bill Zito is a brilliant guy) has built around core draft picks, smart trades and shrewd free agent signings.

[Boudrias]

I am always excited about the next season. I might critic the club but a new season is new opportunity. Canucks have a great core of youth and some smart GM moves this summer will help. Top that with 3-4 down in Abby who will benefit from playoffs and challenge for spots next fall. 

[Nucklefuts]

4 hours ago, lmm said:

This is such a great thread 

It could be subtitled, 
"What kind of fan are you?"

I have selected below 6 responses that cover just about every type of Canuck fan

From full Rah Rah, everything the GM does is great,

to I agree with the GM and understand his every move, (because I think like a GM)

to the suspicious,

the Hopeless Sucker

and the "Better fan than you"

 

Personally I think I fall between the suspicious and the hopeless sucker, (somewhere between Eddie and BigBad)

but I find this thread interesting because many fans are coming out with their personal feelings of their fandom

And I am 
OK with all the different colours of Canuck fan, except the "Bettert Thans/True Fans" I am not in with those who feel everyone needs to be/feel the same as them (I have probably been called a Leafs fan one too many times)

 

 

 

 

 

 

+

 

Wahhhhh

[TGT68]

I see a few things right.  

 

1.  Team underperformed this year for several reasons.  Petey, Green. Etc.  

 

2. Young player development.  Pods, hogs, Quinn, Petey.  Emergence of Demko.  

 

3.  Dropping Hamonic and Swapping In Dermott was positive   

 

4.  Dumping a player that didn't work in the plan like Motte (third smurf and small guy on the 4th line who wants 3rd line money) was a good use of cap and assets if only minor.  

 

5.  Signing Spencer Knight was smart if he is Demko's backup and Dipietro and Silovs are let develop.  

 

This was a first and done playoff team this year that gets a non playoff team pick.  And should continue to improve, maybe even challenge for the division if we get a few more smart moves.  

 

[Hairy Kneel]

4 hours ago, quattrobaj said:

He's saying the canucks aren't contender and he's not wrong.  Teams like Florida, Colorado and Tampa Bay are examples of teams that are contenders.  If you sit here and tell me that the canucks have the same consistency and skill/speed/strength of those teams, I'd find it hard to agree.  If getting into the playoffs is the end goal of this team then yea sure that's plausible but that should not be the goal.. it should be creating a team where it can contend for the stanley cup every year and not just barely a playoff team.

If you're only going to play favorites ie going by standings and stats, you can miss the measure of a team's heart and will to win. I think we got the mustard and the goalie for the playoffs. 

If Green wasn't the coach to start the year we would be in

 

[Nucker 67]

I think JR and Allvin have been very patient, assessing the team and the coaching staff. They never made any big changes at the TDL, but my guess is it's because they wanted to see what this group could do, and they could assess further. There was no rush. 

 

I have a feeling the off season is going to be very busy for them, and they're going to make big changes, put their stamp on the team. They'll have a new identity, and be a younger, fast and aggressive team. I think they'll also bring in Rikard Gronborg to become the new head coach. Nothing against Bruce, he's awesome, but they might be thinking long-term with this new young core they're going to assemble. 

 

 

[bishopshodan]

I'm super excited.

One more year of growth with this core, under a this coach...

 

Look out.

 

 

[EddieVedder]

5 hours ago, Curmudgeon said:

Says who? You don't think Hughes, Pettersson, Podkolzin, Hoglander, Horvat, Demko, Rathbone, Klimovich represent hope for the future?

 

Florida has NOT rebuilt through the draft, unless you want to include drafts made 11, 9 and 8 years ago as examples. Other than Huberdeau (2011) Barkov (2013), Ekblad (2014) and Lundell (2020) none of Florida's other draft picks are regulars in the Florida lineup. Everyone else is there due to trades or free agent signings. In roughly the same period Vancouver has drafted Horvat, Boeser, Demko, Petterson, Hughes, Podkolzin and Hoglander with Lockwood and Rathbone soon to be part of the NHL team. Not saying that Vancouver is the better team because they are obviously not, but to state that Florida's success has come through the draft is not true. Florida (and I think GM Bill Zito is a brilliant guy) has built around core draft picks, smart trades and shrewd free agent signings.

How is rathbone magically in the future core category?  

Theyre doing okay on forwards and fine in go but the canucks arent going to be anywhere close to contenders until they get a couple legit top dmen. Thats their biggest issue going forward.  

[Eddie]

Gotta say i'm starting to feel a bit better about our season next year now. 

 

Petey is trending back to bonified star status - which will make a huge difference.  Just look at the difference in Calgary when Johnny is having a down year compared to career year like this year.  

 

Podz is also really starting to look like he could be a real difference maker too.  

 

Bo with the 30+ this season also proving a few people ( myself  at times included ) wrong and that he does have an other gear to goto. 

 

Also just seeing their play and how much they want it these past few games is refreshing, I gotta say I was starting to wonder if this team really cared at times this season.

If we could just find a way to move some pieces around - add a stronger middle 6 Fwd and RHD we maybe able to do a bit more damage than was thought next year. 

[lmm]

22 hours ago, Hairy Kneel said:

You don't believe that we would be in the playoffs if Coach B was hired sooner? 

I think we might be in the playoffs if Bruce was hired sooner, or we might be approximately where we are.

 

Do you think the Bruce Bump is automatic and that if Bruce was hired earlier or started the season, that the team necessarily start with an 8-0-1 run?

Petey and Boeser started poorly, Petey has picked it up, but does his poor start automatically disappear because of Bruce, or did that occur because of the contract negotiations?

I am no fan of Green, but this team had other issues to start the season that just changing the coach may not have solved

[IBatch]

28 minutes ago, lmm said:

I think we might be in the playoffs if Bruce was hired sooner, or we might be approximately where we are.

 

Do you think the Bruce Bump is automatic and that if Bruce was hired earlier or started the season, that the team necessarily start with an 8-0-1 run?

Petey and Boeser started poorly, Petey has picked it up, but does his poor start automatically disappear because of Bruce, or did that occur because of the contract negotiations?

I am no fan of Green, but this team had other issues to start the season that just changing the coach may not have solved

I think Green misjudged what was needed entering camp.   With that amount of roster change, he should of had the regulars in a lot more instead of searching for the 12/13 forward.   We lose so many one goal and empty net games ... and we're a top five possesion team.    Not anymore.   Bruce plays a different style. 
 

I  highly doubt that Bruce wouldn't of had his hands full trying to get a roster with that much overhaul, "bumping". 

 

In the end the best part of what happened is JB went down with the ship.   Green ... i doubt we've seen the last of him.   He also had his winning streaks.    Bruce is affable and experienced.    Definitely more media friendly.    We lost our PK unit and both Brock and EP didn't come in prepared. 

[lmm]

26 minutes ago, IBatch said:

I think Green misjudged what was needed entering camp.   With that amount of roster change, he should of had the regulars in a lot more instead of searching for the 12/13 forward.   We lose so many one goal and empty net games ... and we're a top five possesion team.    Not anymore.   Bruce plays a different style. 
 

I  highly doubt that Bruce wouldn't of had his hands full trying to get a roster with that much overhaul, "bumping". 

 

In the end the best part of what happened is JB went down with the ship.   Green ... i doubt we've seen the last of him.   He also had his winning streaks.    Bruce is affable and experienced.    Definitely more media friendly.    We lost our PK unit and both Brock and EP didn't come in prepared. 

I Agree

its interesting that we call it the "Bruce Bump"

but 

we never called it the "Willie Bump"

101 points after the "Saga of Torts'

lots of similarities.

I did say similarities, not same, I know there will be some ready to jump all over that statement

Although I have been happy with Bruce, and his record speaks for itself, there is something to be said for being in the right place at the right time

Everything from Markstrom/Tanev/Toffoli, to Gadj/MacEwen including Petey/Hughes, Petey's mid-summer comments, air plane banner, chanting "Fire Green/Benning/Aqua..." and finally the Jersey, all lead up to the bump.

There was collective exhale from the entire province of BC when the change was finally enacted

I am sure Bruce is a better coach than Green, but Maggie the Monkey could have presided over the bump

[Hairy Kneel]

2 hours ago, lmm said:

I think we might be in the playoffs if Bruce was hired sooner, or we might be approximately where we are.

 

Do you think the Bruce Bump is automatic and that if Bruce was hired earlier or started the season, that the team necessarily start with an 8-0-1 run?

Petey and Boeser started poorly, Petey has picked it up, but does his poor start automatically disappear because of Bruce, or did that occur because of the contract negotiations?

I am no fan of Green, but this team had other issues to start the season that just changing the coach may not have solved

I believe our special teams would have been fixed sooner. I believe our bottom 6 would have been fixed sooner. The locker room would have been stronger that with Green. I don't necessarily say a 8-0 run, but something more resembling. 500 hockey. Not the huge deficit Green left Boudreau. 

[higgyfan]

I'm not even thinking about next season.  I will be interested in what changes are made before

the season opener and I have no idea what that will look like.  It's fun looking at possible

trade options, but it's really kind of a game; the real thing will likely look much different.

 

I plan on having a great spring and summer and wait to see what our team looks like in September.

[smithers joe]

the new boys say they want to get younger, faster and harder to play against. and get cap relief, to me that is going to take some major surgery. i'm sure they will have to move guys that fans won't like, but you can't have it both ways.  they either build it right or keep the statis quo. which do people prefer, a team who goes on winning streaks or one that can challenge for the stanley cup.

 

[AK_19]

No, It's the most excited I've ever been for a new season. It feels like we have a completely different team since the coaching change and I'm excited to see what our new management has in store for us. Thus far I've like the moves they've made.