[PGT] Buffalo Sabres at Vancouver Canucks | Oct. 22, 2022

[Goal:thecup]

47 minutes ago, fecklund said:

This team is playing like they hate being on the ice together.

Schenn and Miller barking at each other at the end of the game, while remaining players on the Sabres bench watch in disbelief, is evidence of that. 
Imagine how much we missed because we're relying on TV cameras. It was very likely a lot worse at ice level. We just caught the obvious bickering at the end of the game. 

It occurred at the end of the 2nd period.

[sassbs]

4 minutes ago, gurn said:

However- if they move Myers- or somehow OEL,  who replaces all those minutes; at as high a level as those 2 still play?

They don’t.   Tank for 1st overall

[RWJC]

2 minutes ago, gurn said:

However- if they move Myers- or somehow OEL,  who replaces all those minutes; at as high a level as those 2 still play?

Who cares at this point though?

it’s not about replacing anyone. 
It’s about complete culture change now.

Bring in players who won’t just acclimate, bring in guys that will take over for this season and build off who cements themselves as compatible in a new leadership group among EP and QH. That should be the focus. 
 

A weak and disjointed culture has plagued this team. New blood. Sweeping change. 

[aGENT]

32 minutes ago, stawns said:

as disappointing as the start is, it's going to be kinkd of fun seeing how management deals with this situation and what path they decide to go down.

 

Sigh... Yup. 

 

If nothing else, this start might be the impetus needed to just rip the $#@&'ing Band-Aid off, for the changes some of us were calling for.

[Gurn]

The problem with tanking- for Bedard- is there is no guarantee they get him.

finishing last means we could end up with the 3rd best pick.?

So how good are the top 3 picks?

 

I'm thinking tank is still in order, but would not be surprised to see Bedard end up elsewhere.

[JM_]

7 minutes ago, hammertime said:

So whats the play here. The team is hot garbage. Last year they waited too long to do anything about it by the time they got the ship turned around it was too late to save the season. 

 

They need to send a message early here. We did not make the moves this offseason of a rebuilding team. To tank the season would be completely un acceptable from a mgmt standpoint. 

trade Boeser for a shut down 3C, or picks and prospects is my guess. 

[spook007]

2 hours ago, -DLC- said:

I left here early, not feeling well and I can't criticize (kick) a team when they're down. Unless they're not this team.

 

Homer Deb will keep her title because I know it'll take a good/convincing win or two to get things turned around. I'm not denying there are issues...I just know that when they turned it around last year, it was many of the same faces. Momentum and confidence are the biggest issues right now.

 

The team IS unravelling and it's pure frustration...happens.  But don't take it out on each other...focus on the other guys on the ice. Set them in your sites, not the guys beside you on the bench. That won't end well. But I get why it happened and that it's just steam venting off. 

 

If there are issues in the room (it seems there may be) they need to put aside their personal differences and get their sh together and figure it out. They're a decent team with some deficiencies and escalating that by not being on the same page won't fix things. They need to suck it up...sink or swim. They have to get pissed off not pouty. Loud not quiet. Don't slink away, fire it up and strike back. We'll see if they have the mental edge to do that...to channel the energy rather than let it fizzle out and try to go on flat tires. It IS humiliating to get boo'd off the ice (I hate that) but use it as fuel don't hang your head and explain why.

 

I'll get slammed here for my take, I don't care. I'll show up to support them because there's no point in me watching if that's not the case. If a game makes me angry I have options...if I go, it's for one reason and that's to support my team. I'd never throw a jersey or boo, but that's just me. My take isn't the right take, but it's right for me. 

 

Go Canucks Go (all i've got)

Everyone will be frustrated with the way the season has started.

Players are probably letting fly at one another, if they feel its warranted, and there is nothing wrong with that. Rather they show some emotions that takes it laying down.

Its professionals... they probably expected to challenge for a play offs spot this season, and this has been like a bucket of cold water down their backs.

I'm sure Miller and Schenn had a quick chat afterwards, and its water under the bridge...

Most of the folks here have had arguments / minor fights with chums during their youth, without their friendships being ruined. 

 

Get a win or two under the belt, and it'll all be water under the bridge.

[BertaNuck]

Thing is, 

they can still tinker to try and salvage  the season while getting high draft picks in return to help in the future  with out disrupting the roster drastically but the longer they do not do anything the quicker that option will disappear 

 

boeser 

miller 

Horvat 

Pearson 

 

can fetch good returns, but the the more games played the more their values will go down 

 

if we are missing any of those players on the ice I don’t think it will make a significant difference 

[ilduce39]

A few years back when we had/were adding Bo, Brock, Petey, Demko and Hughes locked in I was happy management was trying to surround them with high character vets to forge a team that played the right way.  Unfortunately management had too many pro scouting mishaps / legit bad contracts to pay off.
 

I don’t begrudge the overall plan to spend the cap space and try and get better because winning and losing are habits, regardless of talent.  With the right pieces in, I think it was the right call given the young talent.  The bubble team looked like a group ready to take the next step but after that run they’ve looked atrocious. Absolutely rotten.
 

Somewhere along the road the losing set in.  The last 3 seasons we have shown up to start the year looking abysmal. This group has always struggled to hold leads - especially early leads. They seem to have to re-learn how to play team defence every year.  The PK is horrific and the PP is up and down. And every season we have to go through the dog and pony show of guys legitimately looking like they’d rather be anywhere else than on the ice to start and end the year.  The minute things don’t go their way, they start moping around.
 

The bones of the team look good - but the heart is rotten.  People used to criticize the Sedins for lack of leadership but we absolutely miss that day to day professionalism they brought to the locker room.  The Willy teams were better than this group with half the talent.
 

If they can’t turn it around in the next 10 games, they need to plan to sell anyone who isn’t named Hughes at the deadline / offseason, retaining money if they need to. A mid / late season hurrah isn’t enough.  
 

Sell whoever you can get something back for: Demko. Horvat. Boeser. Kuzmenko. Garland. Petey isn’t re-signing but you have a year and a half to move him.
 

Probably stuck with Miller and OEL but whatever you need a few vets.
 

Hopefully get Bedard but even if not, the locker room needs a deep clean.
 

I can’t cheer for a bunch of guys who look like they feel sorry for themselves.

[stawns]

4 minutes ago, sassbs said:

Ownership doesn’t run the team but aquaman makes sure he has a say…. There’s no other reason moves are made the way they are from the GM(s). There’s gotta be some influence in works here.  
 

I haven seen evidence of that

[JM_]

Just now, gurn said:

The problem with tanking- for Bedard- is there is no guarantee they get him.

finishing last means we could end up with the 3rd best pick.?

So how good are the top 3 picks?

 

I'm thinking tank is still in order, but would not be surprised to see Bedard end up elsewhere.

 

people really need to get off the tank for Bedard thing, its not going to happen. We may end up picking high but 1st oa is never going to happen here. 

 

Lots of d in the back 1/2 of the 1st round this year tho, an extra pick in there would be nice. 

[EdgarM]

13 minutes ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

Boudreau is currently the oldest NHL coach at the age of 67 years old. Even if he does get fired, he’ll likely retire after this.

This is not a coaching issue, this is Torts all over again.A bunch of pouty, poor me, over paid sad example of hockey players taking their sticks and going home.

These guys can't even change their brutal entitlement on the PP and stay on for almost the full 2 minutes. This has been like this for a long time.

Thye need to go ASAP.

[stawns]

1 minute ago, gurn said:

The problem with tanking- for Bedard- is there is no guarantee they get him.

finishing last means we could end up with the 3rd best pick.?

So how good are the top 3 picks?

 

I'm thinking tank is still in order, but would not be surprised to see Bedard end up elsewhere.

You don't tank for bedard, you make the roster fix that needs to be made and that likely means a step back this year........and this is a good year to have a better lottery ticket.  Bedard also the snt the only franchise player in this draft either.

[Smashian Kassian]

9 minutes ago, gurn said:

However- if they move Myers- or somehow OEL,  who replaces all those minutes; at as high a level as those 2 still play?

 

I'd scramble to move JT before OEL. 

 

OEL could play the hard mins through a rebuild/retool like Edler did, he'll still be good for the length of his contract imo.

 

Edited October 23, 2022 by Smashian Kassian

[NewbieCanuckFan]

31 minutes ago, stawns said:

maybe, but I don't think so and the incident with Schenn was a pretty blatant revelation of where issues might be.  

Schenn....now there's a guy who is, imho, Benning's better free agent signings.  Could've used him throughout his tenure as GM (and not just mainly at the end).  These are the type of cheap veteran mentor's you want for a rebuilding team.

Edited October 23, 2022 by NewbieCanuckFan

[Herberts Vasiljevs]

23 minutes ago, stawns said:

I never condone an intentional tank, but this team needs a re jig and they need to move some players out and might have to take a step back this year to take step forward in the next few years and if there's a year to take steps back, it's this one.

It's absolutely still not too late to trade Miller...

[stawns]

15 minutes ago, Makaramel MacKhiato said:

Rutherford: "We will continue to try to add younger players"...

 

- Doesn't trade Miller when his value was at an all-time high

- Trades a 2nd with Dickinson

 

Rutherford: "We want to Rebuild on the Fly"...

- I'm so sick of hearing this. How has it been 7 years and this is still the mindset of managament.

I honestly think Bennings plan was to get to.the point where Petey and Hughes take over and then move on from Miller, Boeser etc.  

[JM_]

Just now, Smashian Kassian said:

 

I'd scramble to move JT before OEL. 

 

OEL could play the hard mins through a rebuild/retool like Edler did, he'll still he good for the length of his contract imo.

he may end up being the next captain 

 

dark times right now, lots of finger pointing, anger, etc. 

 

I keep coming back to us missing a real top defensive specialist in our top 9. We really don't have that, and maybe thats the straw we need to stir the drink. 

 

[stawns]

Just now, Herberts Vasiljevs said:

It's absolutely still not too late to trade Miller...

It's not, but it will be a significantly diminished return

[aGENT]

5 minutes ago, gurn said:

The problem with tanking- for Bedard- is there is no guarantee they get him.

finishing last means we could end up with the 3rd best pick.?

So how good are the top 3 picks?

 

I'm thinking tank is still in order, but would not be surprised to see Bedard end up elsewhere.

No, we probably don't. Maybe if we hire Burke as a senior advisor to help orchestrate a trade to move up? 

 

The top of the draft (outside of Bedard) is supposed to be pretty darn good FWIW.