If you like the Sedins- I do- and you like having a dynamic top line that is not flashy but gets the job done then you should be pretty happy. I am. However, even if you are happy about the only action by the Canucks on UFA day should you be content?

I'm certainly not content and I don't think any Canucks' fans should be either. All that's been done is maintaining part of the team, nothing has been done to improve it or change it. I'm a believer in lateral moves as much as forward moves as they can set you on a new path.

Last year we saw that Gillis was prepared to make a big move with his whopper contract to Mats Sundin, there was no such surprise this year and that is probably what Canucks' fans need to investigate now. If Signing Henrik and Daniel was such a priority why was it down to the 11th hour? Did the moves by Calgary with Jay Bouw affect Gillis' master plan? What exactly is the long term plan for the team and franchise?

I think it's the last question fans need to understand first as it dictates almost everything that follows IMO. Gillis did not want long term, cap circumventing deals, for any player at least not the ones we knew he could talk about. I think it's because he sees the future of the franchise as coming from growth not acquisition. Our proverbial 'cupboard' is not well stocked with prospects, a few but not many. The team has a decent spread of youth and veterans but no true all-star stand outs other than Luongo. I think Gillis needs/wants to ice competitive teams but ones which are built from within.

He's caught in a bind though. Despite missing the post season 2 of the past 4 seasons it has not landed him a franchise player position draft pick although Cody Hodgson has that potential, but so do lots of top 10 draft picks. The Canucks for some time now- thankfully have not been so brutal as to stockpile picks like Chicago, Washington, Pittsburgh and a few others but they have not developed much of anything this past decade- Edler, Bieksa Kesler and the Sedins being it. I could add Burrows in but he was in the organizations sights because of Heisinger the Moose GM, not any one of the Canucks' scouts. IMO that's not enough for a decade of drafting.

Competitive is great but I doubt many fans want to see a team much like the Blues who had the longest playoff streak in pro sports-always bridesmaids but never brides. The faithful have suffered for so long that they are itching. If Sather can offload Gomez, and get Gaborik why can we not see some of those same dynamic changes?

I'm not sure why we haven't seen more action from Vancouver but something needs to happen there are holes to fill. There is not enough talent on the farm to expect the D and 2-3 forward slots filled but I would expect that Gillis has penciled in Grabner and Hodgson for two spots. It's hard the to get feel for Gillis as to what he sees and thinks, everything is close to the chest but I think he's feeling a bit tight right now watching the teams around him get better and his only treading water.

Enjoy the rest of the silly season.

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