Is it absurd to think that MAYBE, ONE DAY. Vantel will be optomistic about the Canucks?
- vancity787

Not at all.....if he were hired as GM he would talk all about how great they are going to be.

I've been thinking of young stars in the west and the teams they play on…

Tarasenko - StL
Schwartz - StL
Seguin - Dal
Nichushkin - Dal
MacKinnon - Col
Landeskog - Col
Nugent-Hopkins - Edm
Yakupov - Edm
Hall - Edm
Johansen - Clb
Fowler - Ana
Scheifele - Win
Hertl - SJ

I'm sure there's tons more but you get my point. Many teams have multiple young stars that are performing now. At 21 or 22. Only to get better while maturing in the NHL.

Obviously most of those guys are high 1st round picks but I believe you need of few of those to be successful. That's why we got the twins (2nd and 3rd overall) and that's why we have been a successful regular season team over the years. How the hell is this team going to get a player like that if they keep treading water by filling spots with fringe NHL players and finishing 16 to 20?
- bloatedmosquito

You make a good point but...

Not all Teams are not built from the top 5 picks. Some teams core barely consist of any top 5 picks. Take Boston for example. They built there teams off of draft picks that were all outside the top 5 and a few good trades. he starts with an R.

Take a look at Detroit. They are built off a lot of late round picks.

I think you get my point. What I am trying to say is tanking is not the answer. It doesn't always end well. Take a look at Edmonton for example. I do think Edmonton is on the right track now with new management but anyways that's another debate.

Like I said. We are not a contender. But the problem last year was the system and only the system. Hence why you'll never see Torts behind a bench again. His old school antics are crap. And him rushing the Calgary dressing room as ammusing as it was does not belong in the game. And I wS embarrassed to be a Canucks fan when he did it.
- vancity787

I'm on my cell phone. Ignore the spelling errors. Stupid auto correct

Should they be god awful. So be it. Im honestly not really an optomist. Im a realist and firmly believe we will be watching playoff hockey next season.

My goodness. Does anyone remember where we were a couple of years ago?
you know that time we went to the Stanley cup finals with an offensive minded coach? Erase last year. Block it from your memory. Start from scratch and stop acting like were the Edmonton Oilers. (no offense oil fans)
- vancity787

My God I wish we were! Can you imagine combining our management/coaching staff with that on-ice talent. We could only be so lucky. Would you not trade rosters? I would in a second regardless of my man crush on the twins.

We are going to be 4 seasons removed from that amazing run to the cup final. We have a different team now regardless of the personal.

No matter what strategy the canucks use to rebuild it's going to take 3 to 5 years to be competitive. Poop the bed now to get some young stars in here.

Just like the oilers.

You make a good point but...

Not all Teams are not built from the top 5 picks. Some teams core barely consist of any top 5 picks. Take Boston for example. They built there teams off of draft picks that were all outside the top 5 and a few good trades. he starts with an R.

Take a look at Detroit. They are built off a lot of late round picks.

I think you get my point. What I am trying to say is tanking is not the answer. It doesn't always end well. Take a look at Edmonton for example. I do think Edmonton is on the right track now with new management but anyways that's another debate.
- JVR_42_PK81

I know Detroit gets lots of love for there drafting. And that's fine. I think they're development staff gets no love at all.

They do draft good. But the real heroes are the guys that turn these guys into nhl players.

I know Detroit gets lots of love for there drafting. And that's fine. I think they're development staff gets no love at all.

They do draft good. But the real heroes are the guys that turn these guys into nhl players.
- vancity787

They both share the success equally. A good farm system will get you success. So will good drafting.

My God I wish we were! Can you imagine combining our management/coaching staff with that on-ice talent. We could only be so lucky. Would you not trade rosters? I would in a second regardless of my man crush on the twins.

We are going to be 4 seasons removed from that amazing run to the cup final. We have a different team now regardless of the personal.

No matter what strategy the canucks use to rebuild it's going to take 3 to 5 years to be competitive. Poop the bed now to get some young stars in here.

Just like the oilers.
- bloatedmosquito

I agree whole heartedly. I have high hopes for virtanen. The rest meh. I don't really know. Shink I think could turn some heads but size could be an issue


The. Again theoron fluerey (spelling ;( ). Flips the bird to anyone who ever doubted him.

Horvats a wild card. And everyone on these boards knows I can't stand Gaunce.

The one I'm watching under the bridge is cole cassels. I think he's could have been a beauty mid rounder.

Like I said. We are not a contender. But the problem last year was the system and only the system. Hence why you'll never see Torts behind a bench again. His old school antics are crap. And him rushing the Calgary dressing room as ammusing as it was does not belong in the game. And I wS embarrassed to be a Canucks fan when he did it.
- vancity787

I agree, I think Torts coached himself out of coaching last season. Lots of people say that the impact of coaching in the nhl is minimal, at least compared to the other major sports, but if last year proved anything it's that a coach can impact a team negatively in a big way.

I hope the vets are able to bounce back under a new coach, no playoffs if they don't, but I honestly have no idea what we'll see. Who knows, maybe Torts broke a couple of them.

I agree whole heartedly. I have high hopes for virtanen. The rest meh. I don't really know. Shink I think could turn some heads but size could be an issue


The. Again theoron fluerey (spelling ;( ). Flips the bird to anyone who ever doubted him.

Horvats a wild card. And everyone on these boards knows I can't stand Gaunce.

The one I'm watching under the bridge is cole cassels. I think he's could have been a beauty mid rounder.
- vancity787

He will be a special player. Virtanen Nylander Ehlers and Ritchie will all be better than Ekblad. IMO

He will be a special player. Virtanen Nylander Ehlers and Ritchie will all be better than Ekblad. IMO
- JVR_42_PK81

Ritchie is intriguing. I dont think I've seen enough of him to make an assumption. But I've heard a ton about him.

Can you please stop being so ignorant. And acknowledge the the biggest problem with our team last year had nothing to do with the players.**cough**TORTS**cough**
- vancity787

And why did they fade in the season before? Was that Torts too?

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
- vancity787

So we finish 16 th .yippee we can put a statue outside the Rogers arena.

And why did they fade in the season before? Was that Torts too?
- VANTEL

No, it was players who had tuned out a coach who changed too many things too often. AV in his last days as the Nucks head coach could have done alot of things better. Instead he, in his bullheaded ways acted the way any stubborn frenchman would.

his "Its my way or the highway" style disconnected the team and Im pretty sure they just said fukk it.

You cannot argue in AVs favor in the last season. He lost the team and most of us were wondering exactly what the hell he was doing half the time.

Good coach yes. But his time was doen here and the players blocked him out.

So we finish 16 th .yippee we can put a statue outside the Rogers arena.
- VANTEL

hence my statement before. Getting any sort if optimism out of you is virtually impossible. So be it I guess.

hence my statement before. Getting any sort if optimism out of you is virtually impossible. So be it I guess.
- vancity787

It is just stupid wishing to finish 18 to 14. It is like excited to make out with your aunt

You make a good point but...

Not all Teams are not built from the top 5 picks. Some teams core barely consist of any top 5 picks. Take Boston for example. They built there teams off of draft picks that were all outside the top 5 and a few good trades. he starts with an R.

Take a look at Detroit. They are built off a lot of late round picks.

I think you get my point. What I am trying to say is tanking is not the answer. It doesn't always end well. Take a look at Edmonton for example. I do think Edmonton is on the right track now with new management but anyways that's another debate.
- JVR_42_PK81

You are 100% correct. No respectable athlete or management person would willingly tank for a better placement in the draft but you can not argue that teams put themselves in positions to fail. Playing young inexperienced players, specially on defence and in goal pretty much guarantees a poor record. An inexperienced coaching staff can also have the same effect. And so on.

Trust me, the canucks have tried every way possible to build a winner. The west coast express is a prime example. All players were acquired through trades. Hell, the best player that played for our team was smuggled into the country.

No rock has been unturned. But this team needs to acquire talent quickly. I don't think they could pull off what Boston (and other certain teams) did.

I would love to get into a separate conversation about Boston and their amazing ability to pull off trades for star players. Look at the record. From obtaining Chara to trading Kessel to drafting Seguin.

We need high drafted talent on our team because our development system is suspect due to so many organizational changes recently. We need the percentages to work in our favour. I can't see another way for this team to stay competitive in 3 to 5 years from now. I mean Stanley cup competitive.

And why did they fade in the season before? Was that Torts too?
- VANTEL

I don't think it's a case of them fading the year before. They finished 9th but had the 6th best winning percentage.

And, if you look at the playoffs, that San Jose series could have gone either way. Each of the games were very close except one (2 overtime games and a 3-1 loss with an empty net goal). And no, I'm not being a homer, but even pundits/broadcasters were raising eyebrows in terms of how the Canucks got the shaft numerous times (24 power plays for San Jose - 10 for Vancouver - that's ridiculous). And not to mention many controversial calls. I'm just saying that those were still very good teams.

The year before that they succumbed to Jonathon Quick standing on his head and a team which then went on to win the Cup.

So it's unfair to say they declined to the extent you are making it. The Canucks still had good seasons prior to last year and were a good club.

Edit: I also neglected to mention that it was the "perfect" time to have a goallie controversy (during the middle of that San Jose series) when AV pulled Luongo in favour of Schneider

I don't think it's a case of them fading the year before. They finished 9th but had the 6th best winning percentage.

And, if you look at the playoffs, that San Jose series could have gone either way. Each of the games were very close except one (2 overtime games and a 3-1 loss with an empty net goal). And no, I'm not being a homer, but even pundits/broadcasters were raising eyebrows in terms of how the Canucks got the shaft numerous times (24 power plays for San Jose - 10 for Vancouver - that's ridiculous). And not to mention many controversial calls. I'm just saying that those were still very good teams.

The year before that they succumbed to Jonathon Quick standing on his head and a team which then went on to win the Cup.

So it's unfair to say they declined to the extent you are making it. The Canucks still had good seasons prior to last year and were a good club.

Edit: I also neglected to mention that it was the "perfect" time to have a goallie controversy (during the middle of that San Jose series) when they pulled Luongo in favour of Schneider
- Zogg

It is not unfair to say they declined , it is fact. Not all Canuck fans have to say rah rah.

You said it yourself ,they finished 9 th . The two previous years they finished first . That is a fact not an opinion.

This team has no hope in hell of competing for the cup this year so go after a franchise player and combine him with the farm talent that exists and I would put money on it that that would speed the process of rebuilding .

It is not unfair to say they declined , it is fact. Not all Canuck fans have to say rah rah.

You said it yourself ,they finished 9 th . The two previous years they finished first . That is a fact not an opinion.

This team has no hope in hell of competing for the cup this year so go after a franchise player and combine him with the farm talent that exists and I would put money on it that that would speed the process of rebuilding .
- VANTEL

Not to be a knob....what the Canucks do is none of my business, and I don't care as an Oilers fan if they ever turn it around....but, and this is just food for thought, if the Canucks wanted to draft a franchise player or two, shouldnt they put themselves in the position to do so now before the league expands to 32 or 34 teams and the lotto rules change? Expansion is going to make it even longer to build through the draft, IMO.

It is just stupid wishing to finish 18 to 14. It is like excited to make out with your aunt
- VANTEL

I have always been of the mind that the playoffs are a whole new season and a different league in itself. Players and teams that have had that experience in the past also have the ability to change the level of play. Its a whole new ball game if you make it into the playoffs and I count no team out.

You make the playoffs its a chance. I look at so many teams that came up to surprise in the playoffs. Anything can happen. Hell any team can run into a hot goalie and series over.

I have always been of the mind that the playoffs are a whole new season and a different league in itself. Players and teams that have had that experience in the past also have the ability to change the level of play. Its a whole new ball game if you make it into the playoffs and I count no team out.

You make the playoffs its a chance. I look at so many teams that came up to surprise in the playoffs. Anything can happen. Hell any team can run into a hot goalie and series over.
- thundachunk

Really? Aside from Edmonton in 06, who? Calgary 10 years ago maybe.

You are 100% correct. No respectable athlete or management person would willingly tank for a better placement in the draft but you can not argue that teams put themselves in positions to fail. Playing young inexperienced players, specially on defence and in goal pretty much guarantees a poor record. An inexperienced coaching staff can also have the same effect. And so on.

Trust me, the canucks have tried every way possible to build a winner. The west coast express is a prime example. All players were acquired through trades. Hell, the best player that played for our team was smuggled into the country.

No rock has been unturned. But this team needs to acquire talent quickly. I don't think they could pull off what Boston (and other certain teams) did.

I would love to get into a separate conversation about Boston and their amazing ability to pull off trades for star players. Look at the record. From obtaining Chara to trading Kessel to drafting Seguin.

We need high drafted talent on our team because our development system is suspect due to so many organizational changes recently. We need the percentages to work in our favour. I can't see another way for this team to stay competitive in 3 to 5 years from now. I mean Stanley cup competitive.
- bloatedmosquito

I disagree. Bringing in inexperienced players that aren't ready for the NHL is not good for developing players. You should develop players an take time with them. Also putting young players in a losing environment is not good for player development.

I disagree. Bringing in inexperienced players that aren't ready for the NHL is not good for developing players. You should develop players an take time with them. Also putting young players in a losing environment is not good for player development.
- JVR_42_PK81

Depends on the player's character. Joe Sakic learned from the experience, why can't others? It teaches young players about work, and how hard it is to win.

I have always been of the mind that the playoffs are a whole new season and a different league in itself. Players and teams that have had that experience in the past also have the ability to change the level of play. Its a whole new ball game if you make it into the playoffs and I count no team out.

You make the playoffs its a chance. I look at so many teams that came up to surprise in the playoffs. Anything can happen. Hell any team can run into a hot goalie and series over.
- thundachunk

We don't have the toughness or skill to finish in 8 th and win the cup. How many times has that happened in the history since expansion. Kings are the only team I know of doing that.

It is not unfair to say they declined , it is fact. Not all Canuck fans have to say rah rah.

You said it yourself ,they finished 9 th . The two previous years they finished first . That is a fact not an opinion.

This team has no hope in hell of competing for the cup this year so go after a franchise player and combine him with the farm talent that exists and I would put money on it that that would speed the process of rebuilding .
- VANTEL

Yes, technically the Canucks declined but no where as badly as you make it out to be (and of course it would be impossible to finish in the top 5 every year - even the best teams will have statistical decreases/increase from year to year). Coming in 6th (not ninth, because final standings are based on a divisional leader getting a higher placing - thus winning percentage is the best method to use if you want to get the correct final standings). So, going from number 1 to number 6 is nowhere near as drastic a decline as you make it out to be.

To sum it up, there is decline and then there is falling off the cliff. The Canucks were nowhere near the latter.

But I do agree that it is unlikely we'll win the cup within the next number of years. However, I think the Canucks will be much much more competitive. As you know, once you get into the playoffs anything can happen.