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Unpopular opinion: Don't need top 10 defense to make the playoffs

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CanuckRookieFan

By CanuckRookieFan
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CanuckRookieFan Abbotsford Star

CanuckRookieFan

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Not sure if people are aware (assuming you all do) but Canucks currently have a top 5 forward group and a top 5 goalie. Just this combination alone should get you in a playoffs, regardless if your d is bottom 5. 

 

Key here is you can rely on Demko enough and produce enough offense to make games winnable. There is no excuse to not have a top 5 / top 5 in categories and not excel, defense is a luxury it is not a necessity as offense > defense in modern speed heavy NHL.

 

Canucks should be heavily weighted to make the playoffs with a top goalie and top forward group, thoughts?

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Coconuts Canucks Hall-of-Famer

Coconuts

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I mean, considering 16 teams make the playoffs.. 

 

But as for being top 5 this or that, we don't know yet. There were 17 teams that scored more goals than we did last season, hot down the stretch or not. 

 

 

Edited by Coconuts
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Phil_314 Canucks Star

Phil_314

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51 minutes ago, CanuckRookieFan said:

Not sure if people are aware (assuming you all do) but Canucks currently have a top 5 forward group and a top 5 goalie. Just this combination alone should get you in a playoffs, regardless if your d is bottom 5. 

 

Key here is you can rely on Demko enough and produce enough offense to make games winnable. There is no excuse to not have a top 5 / top 5 in categories and not excel, defense is a luxury it is not a necessity as offense > defense in modern speed heavy NHL.

 

Canucks should be heavily weighted to make the playoffs with a top goalie and top forward group, thoughts?

That's playing with fire IMO, of course teams like the Penguins (with Fleury) and Kings (with Quick) have won by riding a hot goalie and enough scoring to win.  I have faith that Demko could be that guy (he sure showed it against Vegas) but it'd be best if we don't rely on that (he stood on his head to even give us a chance, but against shutdown teams, even scorers can dry up offensively).  I also think that the keys here would be strong transitional play from the defense to get the puck up to the forwards to generate offense, enough toughness where called upon, and (presuming OEL and Hughes are the #1 pair) Myers and whoever he's with not getting caved in and bleeding up scoring chances.  If we can get the puck out so the offensive guys can produce or at least move the puck down the ice, that already helps with the defense (as does having defensive/ two-way forwards like Lazar/ Mikheyev/ Dickinson/ Pearson).

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Drive-By Body Pierce Canucks Third-Line

Drive-By Body Pierce

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2 minutes ago, Phil_314 said:

That's playing with fire IMO, of course teams like the Penguins (with Fleury) and Kings (with Quick) have won by riding a hot goalie and enough scoring to win.  I have faith that Demko could be that guy (he sure showed it against Vegas) but it'd be best if we don't rely on that (he stood on his head to even give us a chance, but against shutdown teams, even scorers can dry up offensively).  I also think that the keys here would be strong transitional play from the defense to get the puck up to the forwards to generate offense, enough toughness where called upon, and (presuming OEL and Hughes are the #1 pair) Myers and whoever he's with not getting caved in and bleeding up scoring chances.

Kings were a defensively structured team.

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Chris12345 Canucks Star

Chris12345

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9 minutes ago, dr.naughtypants said:

 I don't think the defence is going to be that big a problem. Despite the continued frustration that pops up with fans, we have all the elements that make for a well rounded defence core. 

Yes it could be improved, but there's no need to panic.

 

 

There is only 1 right handed defensemen that should play 82 NHL games.

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Warhippy Canucks Hall-of-Famer

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Unpopular for a reason.

 

If you look at the last...I dunno, 20 stanley cup winning teams, they all had the exact same theme.

 

#1 centre/shutdown centre or total HOF stud forward.  Top flite defense that can eat minutes and score goals.

 

Hedman/Stamkos/Pointe

Crosby/Malkin/Letang

ROR/Peitrelangelo/Parayko

Ovechkin/Backstrom/Calrson

Toews/Kane/Seabrook/Keith

Bergeron/Chara/Krejci

Kopitar/Doughty/Richards

Lidstrom/Yzerman/Holmstrom

 

By and large you can go all the way back to 2000 and the predominant and prevailing rosters all...ALL had beyond star defense, forwards and or goaltending that came together at the right time.

 

Now ask yourself.  who on the Canucks is a Hedman, Pietrelangelo or Parayko.  Carlson.  Letang.  Doughty.  Chara.  Lidstrom.

 

Sorry mate, defense wins championships.

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Kuzy Abbotsford Star

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4 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

Unpopular for a reason.

 

If you look at the last...I dunno, 20 stanley cup winning teams, they all had the exact same theme.

 

#1 centre/shutdown centre or total HOF stud forward.  Top flite defense that can eat minutes and score goals.

 

Hedman/Stamkos/Pointe

Crosby/Malkin/Letang

ROR/Peitrelangelo/Parayko

Ovechkin/Backstrom/Calrson

Toews/Kane/Seabrook/Keith

Bergeron/Chara/Krejci

Kopitar/Doughty/Richards

Lidstrom/Yzerman/Holmstrom

 

By and large you can go all the way back to 2000 and the predominant and prevailing rosters all...ALL had beyond star defense, forwards and or goaltending that came together at the right time.

 

Now ask yourself.  who on the Canucks is a Hedman, Pietrelangelo or Parayko.  Carlson.  Letang.  Doughty.  Chara.  Lidstrom.

 

Sorry mate, defense wins championships.

Hughes.

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dr.naughtypants Junior Prospect

dr.naughtypants

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10 minutes ago, Chris12345 said:

There is only 1 right handed defensemen that should play 82 NHL games.

Schenn and Myers are righties. I think Boudreau might be able to better utilize another natural right hander in Poolman. Dermott can play both sides. That's a decent group to start the season with.

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Chris12345 Canucks Star

Chris12345

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4 minutes ago, dr.naughtypants said:

Schenn and Myers are righties. I think Boudreau might be able to better utilize another natural right hander in Poolman. Dermott can play both sides. That's a decent group to start the season with.

No it’s terrible which is why Hughes might switch sides.

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Warhippy Canucks Hall-of-Famer

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Just now, Kuzy said:

Hughes.

I will put Hughes there with Carlson for the Caps win.  but not currently any sort of HoF guy.

 

Yet.

 

But he's not defensively sound enough yet to be in the same conversation with those cup winning #1s.

 

Now THAT is an unpopular opinion 

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Kuzy Abbotsford Star

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Just now, Warhippy said:

I will put Hughes there with Carlson for the Caps win.  but not currently any sort of HoF guy.

 

Yet.

 

But he's not defensively sound enough yet to be in the same conversation with those cup winning #1s.

 

Now THAT is an unpopular opinion 

I think Hughes was arguably above average defensively last year not to mention a total stud offensively. He's slowly rounding into a complete player.

 

Agreed though the jury is still out as to what his actual ceiling is as he's still so young... although HHOF inductee Quinn Hughes has a nice ring to it ^_^

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Chris12345 Canucks Star

Chris12345

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4 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

I will put Hughes there with Carlson for the Caps win.  but not currently any sort of HoF guy.

 

Yet.

 

But he's not defensively sound enough yet to be in the same conversation with those cup winning #1s.

 

Now THAT is an unpopular opinion 

I LOVE Hughes but question whether or not he could hold up for 4 rounds in a stud role.

 

You need grindy minutes from your top d.

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aGENT Canucks Hall-of-Famer

aGENT

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I don't give a flying @#$! about "making the playoffs". I want a cup.

 

That D core isn't gonna cut it to get there. Hughes and OEL are a great start, and we have some solid depth guys. Otherwise, a lot in the top-middle of that D needs fixing/improving before we have any shot.

 

Particularly with Myers and Schenn both also set to expire this/next season, and no succession plan for that..

Edited by aGENT
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