I think the Canucks window is almost closed so be careful what you spew...
- FlamesFan12

Closed? Did it ever open?

When healthy? The reason the Canucks have looked mediocre at times this season have been because of zero center depth after Henrik. When healthy this team would give the Hawks a run for their money, obviously the Hwks would still be favourites but I would bet on the Canucks at least winning 2 games with this:

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows
Higgins - Kesler - Hansen
Booth - Roy - Raymond
Sestito - Lapierre - Kassian

I'd also take Schneider or Luongo over Crawford anyday, either one of those 2 goalies can steal a game.
- Nucker101

A run for their money?

Sorry, no.

Just dont like sitting a guy thats in a groove right meow. I understand the reasoning, just dont like it.

As I said earlier, this one was labeled 'back to Earth' from the get go.
- sanfordnson

agreed. i was ok seeing bulin play more to prob get traded at deadline, but now it's over, play dubey way more often.

I can't see the Oilers scoring a goal tonight.

6-0 Vancouver. Roy with 4 goals 2 assists.
- Scooby_Doo

- Scooby_Doo

Was nice to see Roy get 4 goals too

Was nice to see Roy get 4 goals too
- Lahey

It was nicer to see the Canucks rough up the oilers and get no response... Until 20 seconds left when brown tried to flex his muscles. is he the new huggy bear ?

It was nicer to see the Canucks rough up the oilers and get no response... Until 20 seconds left when brown tried to flex his muscles. is he the new huggy bear ?
- Scooby_Doo

He throws punches. I feel asleep during the 1st intermisson, but I'm not shocked we loss.

He throws punches. I feel asleep during the 1st intermisson, but I'm not shocked we loss.
- Lahey

Vancouver has the more talented roster. We can beat them, but not when they're on their game and we're even the slightest bit off.

Vancouver has the more talented roster. We can beat them, but not when they're on their game and we're even the slightest bit off.
- Morris

We have better defensemen, better goalie, better top line, more depth and a better system. Oilers are more skilled, but that means nothing.

Hall looks like a new player, when did this change happen?
He's got an edge to his game I've never seen before.

We have better defensemen, better goalie, better top line, more depth and a better system. Oilers are more skilled, but that means nothing.

Hall looks like a new player, when did this change happen?
He's got an edge to his game I've never seen before.
- Scooby_Doo

Awhile ago. Think he finally decided to step up and be that kid that was dominate in Junior. It's really quite remarkable how he can control the game.

We have better defensemen, better goalie, better top line, more depth and a better system. Oilers are more skilled, but that means nothing.

Hall looks like a new player, when did this change happen?
He's got an edge to his game I've never seen before.
- Scooby_Doo

He has shown flashes of it for a while now, most people just chose to ignore it, or they just acted like they actually watched him play and trolled their way through here.

Vancouver has the more talented roster. We can beat them, but not when they're on their game and we're even the slightest bit off.
- Morris

Exactly.

It wasn't that the Oilers played a bad game, I don't recall too many egregious turnovers or odd man rushes.
The Canucks played the game they wanted too. It was their dance, they pulled the strings to a tee in the neutral zone and the high slot, closing the gaps well all night.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Eberle with braces this morning.

What I did want to see, is a little more confidence, or belief on the fore check, they tried indeed, but it just wasn't there.

He has shown flashes of it for a while now, most people just chose to ignore it, or they just acted like they actually watched him play and trolled their way through here.
- abware

One of the keys is he worked on his passes over the summer. Gives him another tool when entering the offensive zone which leads to d-men not playing him as aggressive as they did in the past when all he'd do is go down the left side boards.

One of the keys is he worked on his passes over the summer. Gives him another tool when entering the offensive zone which leads to d-men not playing him as aggressive as they did in the past when all he'd do is go down the left side boards.
- Lahey

Hell yes. Reflected well in that CGY game - that late third two on two where he fed Eberle was brilliant.

One of the keys is he worked on his passes over the summer. Gives him another tool when entering the offensive zone which leads to d-men not playing him as aggressive as they did in the past when all he'd do is go down the left side boards.
- Lahey

Proof is in the pudding too. Assists are up there this year.

One of the keys is he worked on his passes over the summer. Gives him another tool when entering the offensive zone which leads to d-men not playing him as aggressive as they did in the past when all he'd do is go down the left side boards.
- Lahey

I also noticed, they do this kinda neat criss-crossing vertical stacking attack style which means whenever Hall gets the puck knocked off his stick usually Ebs or Nuge is right behind him to pick it up.

We have better defensemen, better goalie, better top line, more depth and a better system. Oilers are more skilled, but that means nothing.

Hall looks like a new player, when did this change happen?
He's got an edge to his game I've never seen before.
- Scooby_Doo

The comparative quality of your defensemen was particularly on display last night. Most of the night, no oilers forward gave either Bieksa or Hamhuis any problems whatsoever.

As for the better top line, that's a discrepancy that in my mind will continue to fix itself. We'll have to get a little better in terms of depth though.

Proof is in the pudding too. Assists are up there this year.
- ystoil

I think he has more assists in 34 games this year then he did any other year in the 65ish games or whatever he played.

The comparative quality of your defensemen was particularly on display last night. Most of the night, no oilers forward gave either Bieksa or Hamhuis any problems whatsoever.

As for the better top line, that's a discrepancy that in my mind will continue to fix itself. We'll have to get a little better in terms of depth though.
- Morris

That's where a tweak with Brown playing with the kids could help. More icetime to go after the more physical d-men. Hence why we need someone in the top 6 that can do this every night. Make the d look over their shoulders more.

I know they didn't pay much for him and I know that something is better then nothing, but all the people talking about how Roy is the perfect fit in Vancouver seem nuts to me.

Soft player that will be ineffective against any team with an aggressive style.

That's where a tweak with Brown playing with the kids could help. More icetime to go after the more physical d-men. Hence why we need someone in the top 6 that can do this every night. Make the d look over their shoulders more.
- Lahey

Yeah, I think there's a cheap list below the Dupuis, Horton, Clowe and Clarkson group that could really help out.

Clowe's group was reportedly was talking a 8 year, 34 million dollar contract in the offseason. That's a double-sized Penner contract for a guy that doesn't actually score as well as PENNER.

Exactly.

It wasn't that the Oilers played a bad game, I don't recall too many egregious turnovers or odd man rushes.
The Canucks played the game they wanted too. It was their dance, they pulled the strings to a tee in the neutral zone and the high slot, closing the gaps well all night.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Eberle with braces this morning.

What I did want to see, is a little more confidence, or belief on the fore check, they tried indeed, but it just wasn't there.
- Salvo

The point is that either team has shown in the last 2 games that they are capable of beating each other and doing a good job of it. Hence the same scores.

I don't think Edmonton played as good last night as they did in the last two periods the night before and I in the game against Van last week. Vancouver DEFINITELY did not play last night like they did last week. It was as if momentum was switched from the start and almost never truly changed.

Van has good D. As an avid watcher of their games, would I call them better... not this year. Tanev is good, love him, not better than shultz or Petry as far as rookies go though. Hamhuis is good most nights. Edler is a train wreck and gets way too much ice time (I sit and talk about this with canuck fans as a lot of my friends and family cheer for them so this is their opinion and I have to agree). Bieksa is solid and although not my favorite, he might be Van's best. Garrison is not better than our defensive dmen in Smid and Nick. He is just there, not doing anything. Makes the odd mistake but doesn't do a ton of good. Really filler with a 4.5 price tag. Ballard is ussually a healthy scratch and is not as good as potter. Barker will not be renewed that is how bad he sucks. Alberts is a liability.

Basically you have Hamhuis and Bieksa. On paper, for a team leading the division, compared to a team in 9th, they look a lot like Smid and Schultz. Personally I wouldn't trade Justin for either but I would take Hamhuis as the second best dman on both teams.

If Feaster didn't exists, both our GM's would be the laughing stock of the league.

Your goaltending is so much better than ours it is laughable. Duby might be comparable to schnieder but Lou can steal games. Habby on a good night can be a force but at his age they are getting further apart. I would compare Habby on a great night to Lou and a better than average night. Schnieder and duby are tough to compare because duby gets the tough teams and Schneider was traditionally the backup, getting the softer games. So time will tell on this.

As for top line. Until this year I would give you that yours was better. 4 on 4 I would still give it to but 5 on 5 it is too close to call. You have a weak link where Edmonton doesn't. You have two amazing forwards, really amazing and we have 3 that are lighting up. Edge to the Sedins maybe this year still but this last 2 weeks our top line has played better. Next year I think they will surpass them unless the sedins put Kesler on that wing.

Our second, third and fourth lines win be default as Van doesn't have any until Kesler comes back. With Kesler back, it depends on who they line with him. Still I would Take Yak, Gagner and Hemsky over Roy, Kesler and raymond. Now if Kassian emerges like he looked like he was going to at the start, its a whole new game.

Our third line of Hartkinen, Paajarvi and Horcoff obviously win and our 4th line is a hodge podge but it wins since because we have Smyth and he is funny looking with a mullet. Official NHL rules. When comparing teams in the original NHL Rule Book, Page 351, Section 14, Subsection b) paragraph 2. A player is deemed better if said player has maintained a hilarious mullet for more than 15 years and doesn't appear to ever wash said mullet nor notice how ridiculous it looks. Their is an amendment put added in October of 2002, referred to as the Ricci rule: In case of a tie, the better player is the one with the fewest teeth or the one that has cried more times on camera.

Obscure rule but an important one when comparing our two teams.

Also our prospects are better because Van's prospects suck. Vancouver ranked 26 in overall prospects by hockey future's with their best prospects being an underwhelming winger from the Danish League predicted to have a shot at being a career second liner if he plays his cards right.

http://www.hockeysfuture....prospects/nicklas_jensen/

Now if you will please give us Loungo, you can become as obsolete as Calgary.

I know they didn't pay much for him and I know that something is better then nothing, but all the people talking about how Roy is the perfect fit in Vancouver seem nuts to me.

Soft player that will be ineffective against any team with an aggressive style.
- Lahey

Yeah, that just seems like frivolous shopping by Gillis. Like Garrison - totally unnecessary move.

They really needed that Booth move to work out well.

Oilers lost 4-0 last night!

Yeah, I think there's a cheap list below the Dupuis, Horton, Clowe and Clarkson group that could really help out.

Clowe's group was reportedly was talking a 8 year, 34 million dollar contract in the offseason. That's a double-sized Penner contract for a guy that doesn't actually score as well as PENNER.
- Morris

Decent cap hit, but ya that is really horrible considering how he disappeared.

Those proven bugger guys won't come cheap. Still think we have to find that next guy that is drafted already and overpay in a deal. We have picks and prospects to use in an overpayment. Not sure we have cap space to get locked into contracts with those 4 guys you mentioned, all of whom are great players to have but all have major question marks surrounding them.