When we consider all the bloggers views & opinions here this last year its obvious we say much the same thing. Once we all take a step back & do a 2yr review we can see strong & weaks points both.

1st year we made the playoffs with 101 pts unexpectedly.
2nd year injuries & massive roster changes made year 2 a write off.
Year 3 is where we all want to see what our longterm future looks like.
We should be pushing forward as a playoff bubble team to be a success.
If we end up as a top 5 lotto team again its a sign of trouble or big injuries again.

Summary: expect an eventful offseason & a new era to begin for bad or worse.
I for one have much optimism with the likes of BO Tree BHutt & the prospects.
- Nighthawk

I am not expecting an eventful offseason, but with the draft I expect a minor move or two. Into year three I just hope to see more of a bigger role given to the next wave of core players coming through. We saw a bit of it towards the tail end of the season with Hutton and Sven on PP1, and I hope that continues. I am happy with the roster turnover and how many young players got into an NHL game, but next year, injuries pending of course, I hope they take that Detroit mindset where they call guys up only if they intend for them to stay. Lots of trips up and down for guys like Pedan this year cant be too beneficial for their development

The fact that JB has been willing to trade intra-division many times tells me he puts up no barriers searching to improve us. It also says his counterparts see him as an Honest trading partner. None of his deals to date have been failures when considering what went the other way. Too much was made of him not moving Hamhuis/Vrbata with limited options available. IMO both the Hawks & Stars would be much better off if they went all in getting Hamhuis. Top 4 D for deep playoff runs don't grow on trees. As for Vrbata he would be a low risk & cheap rental for a goal starved team eg maybe NYI Detroit. This is very arguable though😂😂

JB has built a very solid reputation around the league i believe.

Anyone know if the Comet's games are live streamed anywhere?

The fact that JB has been willing to trade intra-division many times tells me he puts up no barriers searching to improve us. It also says his counterparts see him as an Honest trading partner. None of his deals to date have been failures when considering what went the other way. Too much was made of him not moving Hamhuis/Vrbata with limited options available. IMO both the Hawks & Stars would be much better off if they went all in getting Hamhuis. Top 4 D for deep playoff runs don't grow on trees. As for Vrbata he would be a low risk & cheap rental for a goal starved team eg maybe NYI Detroit. This is very arguable though😂😂

JB has built a very solid reputation around the league i believe.
- Nighthawk

I think the Hawks agree with you and within two weeks so will the Stars.

I am not expecting an eventful offseason, but with the draft I expect a minor move or two. Into year three I just hope to see more of a bigger role given to the next wave of core players coming through. We saw a bit of it towards the tail end of the season with Hutton and Sven on PP1, and I hope that continues. I am happy with the roster turnover and how many young players got into an NHL game, but next year, injuries pending of course, I hope they take that Detroit mindset where they call guys up only if they intend for them to stay. Lots of trips up and down for guys like Pedan this year cant be too beneficial for their development
- WhiteLie

U could be right as well. I based my opinion on the fact that many players were auditioned & it gives JB a better look at our prospects & therefore will pull the trigger faster than many might believe. Time will tell what he has decided on all the prospects & i still foresee him to keep making trades making year 3 very interesting.

I think the Hawks agree with you and within two weeks so will the Stars.
- Beatle_john

Yes the entire hockey world pointed out the Hawks needed a top 4.
Idk why the fixation was on Ladd but it will bite their ass IMO

Yes the entire hockey world pointed out the Hawks needed a top 4.
Idk why the fixation was on Ladd but it will bite their ass IMO
- Nighthawk

It's his most expensive rental to date, and it wasn't to shore up the d but rather the top-6. Not looking like a great move, I agree.

I am not expecting an eventful offseason, but with the draft I expect a minor move or two. Into year three I just hope to see more of a bigger role given to the next wave of core players coming through. We saw a bit of it towards the tail end of the season with Hutton and Sven on PP1, and I hope that continues. I am happy with the roster turnover and how many young players got into an NHL game, but next year, injuries pending of course, I hope they take that Detroit mindset where they call guys up only if they intend for them to stay. Lots of trips up and down for guys like Pedan this year cant be too beneficial for their development
- WhiteLie

I expect the draft , 1 trade and two UFA signings . Fairly eventful.

Anyone know if the Comet's games are live streamed anywhere?
- Beatle_john

You can try reddit, but there are few are far between. The AHL site charges 45 USD for the first two rounds.....

I like that assessment👍🏻👍🏻
Brouwer & M Martin & maybe Eriksson r my choices for UFA's.
Brouwer for FO's plus i like his overall game.
M Martin for a bottom 6 bruiser who scores some.
Eriksson for goals & the PP but that means other deals r needed IMO.
I value cap space highly as a priority every year going forward & as long as JB keeps it under control & spends wisely we can look forward to lots of fun times.
- Nighthawk

The only way you will get those UFAs to sign with the re-building Canucks is to over pay them dramatically.

I expect the draft , 1 trade and two UFA signings . Fairly eventful.
- VANTEL

That's about right I'd say too, maybe more trades even as JB seems to like to do smaller deals. I wonder if OS's are maybe a little taboo within the GM fraternity, but I wouldn't mind it for the right player (young top-4 d-man)

It's his most expensive rental to date, and it wasn't to shore up the d but rather the top-6. Not looking like a great move, I agree.
- neem55

That's another reason that it's so critical for the Blackhawks to get bounced round one. The Blues came back like champs but missed a big opportunity to finish the series last night. I hope it doesn't bite them.

The fact that JB has been willing to trade intra-division many times tells me he puts up no barriers searching to improve us. It also says his counterparts see him as an Honest trading partner. None of his deals to date have been failures when considering what went the other way. Too much was made of him not moving Hamhuis/Vrbata with limited options available. IMO both the Hawks & Stars would be much better off if they went all in getting Hamhuis. Top 4 D for deep playoff runs don't grow on trees. As for Vrbata he would be a low risk & cheap rental for a goal starved team eg maybe NYI Detroit. This is very arguable though😂😂

JB has built a very solid reputation around the league i believe.
- Nighthawk

I think this comes down to confidence in talent evaluation. If you firmly believe that a guy is not an effective player at the NHL level or won't be a fit for your system moving forward, then why not bind the hands of one of your closer rivals?

The Ducks have Bieksa for 2 more years. He ties up a good chunk of their D budget and doesn't make them a more difficult opponent. Addition by subtraction for the Canucks and an impairment of Anaheim at the same time.

Shinkaruk isn't a big guy and has a reputation for being marginal defensively. Maybe Benning thought it best to take a disappointing first rounder who was never going to make the Canucks and dump him on the Flames to make them easier to play against in future?

I think this comes down to confidence in talent evaluation. If you firmly believe that a guy is not an effective player at the NHL level or won't be a fit for your system moving forward, then why not bind the hands of one of your closer rivals?

The Ducks have Bieksa for 2 more years. He ties up a good chunk of their D budget and doesn't make them a more difficult opponent. Addition by subtraction for the Canucks and an impairment of Anaheim at the same time.

Shinkaruk isn't a big guy and has a reputation for being marginal defensively. Maybe Benning thought it best to take a disappointing first rounder who was never going to make the Canucks and dump him on the Flames to make them easier to play against in future?
- YeOldTimer

The players are all double agents, reporting back information on their new teams! Mwu-ha-ha!

Colabello suspended 80 games for all you Jays fans
- LeftCoaster

I guess thats why he batted 326. Last year. It's not like he was a huge piece of the puzzle. Smoak has a better glove at first anyway, And more power behind the bat. But he was a very useful utility player.

Makes me mad

Dubois if we r 4OA.
I've said for years we need a sniper.
Boeser will fill that role down the road but Vrbata showed why we need one as did Naslund.
The D is & always will be an ongoing project as a unit as it is for every team going thru cycles of windows. Depth & constant drafting & development of D should be a strength of JB & only patience is the answer. When their is no clear D in this draft let alone a top 2 stud we go for scoring on the NHL level. I'd like to see 6 solid D as much as anyone but its done by trade or OS fastest IMO.

Trading down & pick say Sergachev is my option if the package makes sense or its BPA as in Mathews Laine Puljaarji Dubois Tkachuk & maybe Jost McLeod etc

Losing Bourdon tragically really hurt us big time.

When we drafted Gradin Smyl & Fraser was our best & an instant 1st line.
Pat Quinn was our master trader & turned the team around overnight.
JB has done great at the draft nabbing Boeser late in the 1st & Tree later on.
I like & see us doing just fine this draft & offseason with JB/TL at the helm.
- Nighthawk

Dubois looks to have size and be a scorer, I like that pick. Also, the Canucks traded for Gradin, if I remember correctly.

1-0 Albany after the 1st.


Kenins scores d at the end of the period but was just after the buzzer.

Dubois looks to have size and be a scorer, I like that pick. Also, the Canucks traded for Gradin, if I remember correctly.
- LeftCoaster

Yeah Gradin came from Chicago.

The only way you will get those UFAs to sign with the re-building Canucks is to over pay them dramatically.
- A_SteamingLombardi

Maybe not. It was a buyers market for UFA's last year and many ended up unsigned or playing at a discount from their original asking price. With the stagnant cap I see the same thing potentially happening again this year.

Eriksson may go at a premium because he's a proven goal scorer. On the other hand he may be priced closer to what Vrbata was making due to his injury history. A desire to play with the Sedins might impact his contract in the Canucks' favor as well.

Teams aren't likely to get into a bidding war over Brouwer. However he is a local guy and his Dad's not getting any younger. Hometown discount could be in order there.

Martin scored 10 goals this year. I like his size as an upgrade over Dorsett (who's ineffective as an enforcer and overpaid relative to his offensive output) but Martin's not likely to get a huge bump in annual salary with that limited point production.

Albany scores again on the PP, sounds like Pedan and Subban are struggling.

Keep doubting Vantel's ability to assess talent and you're going to wake the dragon...


- WhiteLie

Meathead, yes.

Chychrun - Leschyshyn. I see the similarity too. Both are damn tough to spell what with the c's and the h's and the y's and all.

Chychrun has fallen. Wonder how many hundreds of thousands of dollars that bad turnover in the Slovakia game the other night will cost him over the course of his career?

Juolevi and Sergachev may end up being ok, but I'm not convinced any of the D slated to go in the first round will be strong enough to make a positive impact any time soon. Take a forward in the first round. Go all in on D-men after that.
- YeOldTimer

That meathead (Craig Button) put together the Flames 2004 team that went to the cup final...

"The Flyers are doing a good job right now" - Glenn Healy while the Flyers are being outshot 30-8 after 2 periods...

"The Flyers are doing a good job right now" - Glenn Healy while the Flyers are being outshot 30-8 after 2 periods...
- WhiteLie

Is this the idea: Boston's 14 and 20, for 6, 33 and 63? or are you two talking separate deals to acquire multiple mid 1sts?
- WhiteLie

I wouldnt do that but id do 6 for 14 and 20. I wouldnt include the other picks. There is big drop off after 6 then again at 10 it seems.