There's no such thing as a "window" in hockey.

It's a horribly inaccurate and simple term that has been coined to poorly try to explain the not so simple increase and decrease in a team's competitiveness—trends that can shift with one or two moves.
- Fosco

Im a Firm believer in when it comes to the NHL North Americans make the difference, They're fisty and dont take no shyt from nobody. We dont have a top six forward that fits that bill except Kes. And maybe I'd be a little more optimistic about our chances if our second line forward actually knew how to pass the puck.

Ive always mocked those people simply because they jump on the wagon when they do good but simply have no knowledge of the teamnin hindsight. I have loved And believed in this team since I can remember, But since the cup final, The passion is gone and there have been some bad trades that have set us behind.

Im not trying to be a pessimist simply a realist. Are we good, hell yes. Are we good enough? I truly dont believe so.
- vancity787

Won't debate this, but I don't think we are even close to blowing this team up. If the Sedins can hang tough for 2-3 years, I believe that we have the pieces to transition smoothly into the next generation while maintaining relevance....

Won't debate this, but I don't think we are even close to blowing this team up. If the Sedins can hang tough for 2-3 years, I believe that we have the pieces to transition smoothly into the next generation while maintaining relevance....
- chompsey

very possible. But this team doesnt exactly have the "Rookie" stamp of brilliance.

One of 6 or 7 seem to work out.

Well the Hodgson trade was strike one. The Schneider trade was strike two. Im just waiting for strike three.

And dont get me wrong, Im fine with Schneider being moved but look at what Anaheim got for Ryan...... I cant believe we didnt get a roster player in that trade. Absolutely unbelievable.
- vancity787

Then you don't understand the minimal value goalies have in the trade market. You just don't get value for them.

I'm actually not debating the Canucks were in a weak division but you are implying that the Canucks were not very good and only were as successful as they were because of the division they were in despite going within 1 game of winning the Cup.....

Its an asinine argument to make considering there will never be a way to actually know what would transpire if the Canucks were in a different division. At the end of the day they won the Presidents Trophy back to back, plain and simple, and this is a feat rarely accomplished even by teams who have been in weaker divisions...see the Southeast division of recent history or the Norris division of the 80's etc....

They were/are a good team and may no longer be an elite team but still a very good team if you take the time to be rational....
- chompsey

Can you please go back and tell me when I ever said that we werent a good team? I am sure those words were never written from my laptop. All im stating is that we will regress in our pt total next year because of our new division. I stated facts that back up my statement vs the 3 new teams in our division. Can we stop talking about 3 years ago. We are 1 - 8 in the last 2 seasons in the playoffs. Who cares if we finished 1st in a crappy division. We are still a good team and we were elite in 2010-2011. But the last 2 years proved we arent an elite team that is a title contender.

Won't debate this, but I don't think we are even close to blowing this team up. If the Sedins can hang tough for 2-3 years, I believe that we have the pieces to transition smoothly into the next generation while maintaining relevance....
- chompsey

Sedins are free agents next year. Do they:

A) sign for 3 years 21 million.
B) sign for 3 years 15 million.
C) sign for 3 years 12 million.
D) go back to Sweden

Sedins are free agents next year. Do they:

A) sign for 3 years 21 million.
B) sign for 3 years 15 million.
C) sign for 3 years 12 million.
D) go back to Sweden
- Scooby_Doo

I dont know - you tell me....

We don't know that, it's impossible to compare Vancouver with a small market team like Edmonton/Winnipeg because there's so many variables as to why a players signs with a team for X amount of dollars whether being under market value or market value or overpaid. Players don't look at cities and go, oh, it's Edmonton/Winnipeg, I'm not playing there, things like players there already, coaches, management, style of play and general trends as well as things that we'll never know about like family wants/need also play into that. To say that Player X on the Canucks wouldn't sign in Edmonton for the same money if the team was there is like comparing apples to pinapples.
- DariusKnight

Seriously? They absolutely do.

Then you don't understand the minimal value goalies have in the trade market. You just don't get value for them.
- KB3Point0

What a load of garbage. The goaltender is the backbone of your team, How do they not have value.

Tomfoolery

Then you don't understand the minimal value goalies have in the trade market. You just don't get value for them.
- KB3Point0

Anyone know how many goalies of elite caliber have been dealt in the NHL. I have no clue? Last guy I can think of is Patrick Roy to the Avs. He is similar to Lu. Before MTL fans go nuts. I am not saying LU is Roy. Just saying thats the closest comparison to Lu I can find.

Ben Bishop got a decent return in terms of a top 6 fwd and a pick.

To Colorado
Patrick Roy
Mike Keane

To Montreal
Jocelyn Thibault
Andrei Kovolenko
Martin Rucinsky

Im shocked at kunitz and even jumbo joe. Benn should be there as well. Some of the d invites as well are puzzling. I wish they would have giving J Schultz a chance to be at the camp as well.
- Bluechip23

He had the worst +/- on the Oilers last year. He's not even close to competing for an Olympic spot.

D is mostly locked up anyways. Keith, Weber, Doughty are locks. Seabrook probably for playing with Keith. Pietrangelo and Subban are young stars who seem likely. That leaves a 7th spot for a guy like Staal or Hamonic if they want to go with a D first guy, Letang (or I suppose Green) if they want more offense. If they want to go with a vet, I suppose Hamhuis or J-Bo get consideration. I'd say Letang if the most likely to make the team.

There's no such thing as a "window" in hockey.

It's a horribly inaccurate and simple term that has been coined to poorly try to explain the not so simple increase and decrease in a team's competitiveness—trends that can shift with one or two moves.
- Fosco

Not to mention that teams (like LA two years ago) bucked trends by getting hot at the right time. They had to win 2 must-win games against the Sharks to even get into the playoffs as an 8 seed on the last day. Teams rise and fall based upon how well they transition from one core to the next, some do it better than others. I don't believe we're that bad off as some people make us out to be. We aren't a contender, but we certainly still are a playoff team and who knows how the coming season will shape up. It's unlikely both Booth and/or Kesler will miss as much time as they did this year. It's not a stretch to say that several of our players that underperformed will likely rebound and with a different PP that doesn't rely on drop passes and takes advantage of Edler and Garrison's cannon shots at the point be significantly better.

An ace goalie is a better centerpiece to a team thn a power forward IMHO.

Mark my words. If Schneider is playing ahead of Broduer this year, He'll be starting in Sochi
- vancity787

You know Schneider is American, right?

Seriously? They absolutely do.
- KB3Point0

I agree they one hundred percent do. I remember one of the analysts on sportsnet a few years back talking about how they met Bill Guerin in a bar and asked him if he was going to re-sign with Edmonton. He gave him the stink eye and with the most erious face said "Do you even remotley understand how cold the winters are in Edmonton?"

And the converstion was over, and he didnt resign.

Yes location absolutely makes a difference.

You know Schneider is American, right?
- micah555

lol, I meant Miller, Quick. Ive been reading TSN too much today.

Trust me, I'm aware.

Won't debate this, but I don't think we are even close to blowing this team up. If the Sedins can hang tough for 2-3 years, I believe that we have the pieces to transition smoothly into the next generation while maintaining relevance....
- chompsey

This is a fair statement . The Sedins have to hold the fort untile we get some top talent in here. I still don't think we go past the first round .

I agree they one hundred percent do. I remember one of the analysts on sportsnet a few years back talking about how they met Bill Guerin in a bar and asked him if he was going to re-sign with Edmonton. He gave him the stink eye and with the most erious face said "Do you even remotley understand how cold the winters are in Edmonton?"

And the converstion was over, and he didnt resign.

Yes location absolutely makes a difference.
- vancity787

Remember the chris pronger fiasco in Edmonton. I have lived there and the people are great but hell that city sucks.

I dont know - you tell me....
- chompsey

A or b. maybe other, signing with Wings.

Can you please go back and tell me when I ever said that we werent a good team? I am sure those words were never written from my laptop. All im stating is that we will regress in our pt total next year because of our new division. I stated facts that back up my statement vs the 3 new teams in our division. Can we stop talking about 3 years ago. We are 1 - 8 in the last 2 seasons in the playoffs. Who cares if we finished 1st in a crappy division. We are still a good team and we were elite in 2010-2011. But the last 2 years proved we arent an elite team that is a title contender.
- Bluechip23

Thats all I really trying to say but you are the one who pointed it out.....who cares about the last 2 years either? You can't just pick and choose which years/stats to care about, its all in the past and for many confounding reasons they finished how they finished.

I don't see any reason not to give this team or MG a chance to redeem themselves this season. If they flounder further, then I have the right to change my mind but its a new year under a new coach - lets see what happens....

I agree they one hundred percent do. I remember one of the analysts on sportsnet a few years back talking about how they met Bill Guerin in a bar and asked him if he was going to re-sign with Edmonton. He gave him the stink eye and with the most erious face said "Do you even remotley understand how cold the winters are in Edmonton?"

And the converstion was over, and he didnt resign.

Yes location absolutely makes a difference.
- vancity787

Or how bout every free agency where guys like heatley and Richards are offered more money by teams like Edmonton, Columbus and Winnipeg and turn down the money to play in more attractive markets.

This is a fair statement . The Sedins have to hold the fort untile we get some top talent in here. I still don't think we go past the first round .
- VANTEL

Care to up the ante on our wager Mr. Vantel????

I agree they one hundred percent do. I remember one of the analysts on sportsnet a few years back talking about how they met Bill Guerin in a bar and asked him if he was going to re-sign with Edmonton. He gave him the stink eye and with the most erious face said "Do you even remotley understand how cold the winters are in Edmonton?"

And the converstion was over, and he didnt resign.

Yes location absolutely makes a difference.
- vancity787

And yet Detroit has no trouble signing players.

Thats all I really trying to say but you are the one who pointed it out.....who cares about the last 2 years either? You can't just pick and choose which years/stats to care about, its all in the past and for many confounding reasons they finished how they finished.

I don't see any reason not to give this team or MG a chance to redeem themselves this season. If they flounder further, then I have the right to change my mind but its a new year under a new coach - lets see what happens....
- chompsey

Fair enough. But I would be shocked if we win a round or 2. Do I think we are a playoff team. 100%. But with the new playoff format which I am not sure of yet do I think we can take out an elite team in the 1st?? That is a tall task. Lu will start in the olympics and will probably play 70 games for the nucks. He is going to be exhausted and he isnt 30 anymore. I worry that he will be gassed by the time the playoffs happen.

It wasn't Luongo's ego that got in the way. *cough* Gillis *cough*
- djamon

Oh right, it was Gillis' ego that got in the way. Like when he requested ownership buy Luongo out. His ego did that. And when he convinced Luongo that Florida would absolutely want him eventually, despite the fact they said they didn't and they claimed to have their goalie of the future in the system already, and because he could go to Florida he should absolutely not waive his no trade clause for any other team. Yes, that was also Gillis' ego. And when he said in an interview that the problem was himself, in an attempt to shelter his player, yes that was also his massive ego!

Fair enough. But I would be shocked if we win a round or 2. Do I think we are a playoff team. 100%. But with the new playoff format which I am not sure of yet do I think we can take out an elite team in the 1st?? That is a tall task. Lu will start in the olympics and will probably play 70 games for the nucks. He is going to be exhausted and he isnt 30 anymore. I worry that he will be gassed by the time the playoffs happen.
- Bluechip23

I'm not sure either will happen, at least I hope they don't happen......