Something that you're forgetting though is four teams finished ahead of the Canucks for that final playoff spot. Colorado missed by 5 points, Arizona & Winnipeg by 9 points & Calgary by 8.

I don't see any of those teams regressing, which means the Canucks need to be better than those teams and Minnesota, tall order my friend!
- LeftCoaster

Vantel is predicting the Canucks move from 28th-15th. Why is this so crazy? Wtf? All he is saying that they are a playoff bubble team. They are. Cheer up everyone

Did Vantel not put D&D as #1? Vantel is correct in this, you would be wrong to a certain point. D&D is msot important, but D&D means nothing without the other 3 points Vantel made. D&D is also different now than it was a billion years ago when the Oilers/NYI were the kings of hockey.
- Retinalz

Let's keep Dungeons & Dragons out of this.

Vantel is predicting the Canucks move from 28th-15th. Why is this so crazy? Wtf? All he is saying that they are a playoff bubble team. They are. Cheer up everyone
- CanuckDon

It's a 20 point improvement, that's a tall order for this team, that's what I'm saying. Do I think they'll be a 75 point team again, no, but I do think other teams will make greater strides than the Canucks because they're further along in their building process than we are or they just have better players.

Did Vantel not put D&D as #1? Vantel is correct in this, you would be wrong to a certain point. D&D is msot important, but D&D means nothing without the other 3 points Vantel made. D&D is also different now than it was a billion years ago when the Oilers/NYI were the kings of hockey.
- Retinalz

No he didn't? He said what I said, you need a combination of all three but the building starts with drafting. No one thing will build you a winner, you need a combination of all three is what we're both saying.

I have no idea what you're saying though

Sorry to rain on your parade but I don't think you can be considered a "core" player until you actually prove it in this league let alone play.

As of right now their future core is Tanev, Horvat and possibly JV and Hutton by my score. I see Bae, Gudbranson as nice complimentary pieces for the next 5 or so years.
- belcherbd

Don't forget Demko, Boeser, Juolevi. They will be part of the core unless an amazing trade comes along.

It's a 20 point improvement, that's a tall order for this team, that's what I'm saying. Do I think they'll be a 75 point team again, no, but I do think other teams will make greater strides than the Canucks because they're further along in their building process than we are or they just have better players.
- LeftCoaster

Everything went wrong last year and we now have a better team. A 20 point improvement is absolutely possible

No he didn't? He said what I said, you need a combination of all three but the building starts with drafting. No one thing will build you a winner, you need a combination of all three is what we're both saying.

I have no idea what you're saying though
- LeftCoaster

Well you are getting on in age
Basically your posts over the last, who knows how long, have pretty much been stating that D&D is important, but not really talking about much else being important. Maybe the odd post you do, but the bulk to them at just stating D&D. After the post I responded to you elaborated on your opinion more/better, so I do apologize for reading your posts wrong. But my point still stands that you often talk about D&D like nothing else matters.

Well you are getting on in age
Basically your posts over the last, who knows how long, have pretty much been stating that D&D is important, but not really talking about much else being important. Maybe the odd post you do, but the bulk to them at just stating D&D. After the post I responded to you elaborated on your opinion more/better, so I do apologize for reading your posts wrong. But my point still stands that you often talk about D&D like nothing else matters.
- Retinalz

These are the Canucks top forwards, Henrik Daniel Eriksson Sutter & Horvat. These are the Canucks top four dmen, Edler Tanev Gudbranson & Hutton.

These the players that make the biggest contribution to the team offensively and defensively, in other words, these are the guys that'll make this a playoff team.

I don't care about overall standing in the NHL when it comes to playoffs, what matters is the Western Conference standings. Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago and Dallas are all much better teams than the Canucks.

That leaves Arizona, Calgary, Columbus, Colorado, Minnesota, Winnipeg and Edmonton to get that final spot. Of those team I only see Arizona & Columbus as a real dogs breakfast, the other teams are pretty closely matched but I see Calgary, Minnesota & Colorado slightly better than even a healthy Canucks team.

But a lot can happen over an 82 game schedule….that's why they play the games!

These are the Canucks top forwards, Henrik Daniel Eriksson Sutter & Horvat. These are the Canucks top four dmen, Edler Tanev Gudbranson & Hutton.

These the players that make the biggest contribution to the team offensively and defensively, in other words, these are the guys that'll this a playoff team.

I don't care about overall standing in the NHL when it comes to playoffs, what matters is the Western Conference standings. Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago and Dallas are all much better teams than the Canucks.

That leaves Arizona, Calgary, Columbus, Colorado, Minnesota, Winnipeg and Edmonton to get that final spot. Of those team I only see Arizona & Columbus as a real dogs breakfast, the other teams are pretty closely matched but I see Calgary, Minnesota & Colorado slightly better than even a healthy Canucks team.

But a lot can happen over an 82 game schedule….that's why they play the games!
- LeftCoaster

I believe the Canucks will finish ahead of LA.

Well you are getting on in age
Basically your posts over the last, who knows how long, have pretty much been stating that D&D is important, but not really talking about much else being important. Maybe the odd post you do, but the bulk to them at just stating D&D. After the post I responded to you elaborated on your opinion more/better, so I do apologize for reading your posts wrong. But my point still stands that you often talk about D&D like nothing else matters.
- Retinalz

Of course the other things matter, but you can't make trades or sign UFA's to get over the hump until you first draft a core of players, that's what I'm saying, and always have been. It's just common sense that you need additions to fill in the gaps once you get yourself a core.

To date the only young (under 25 year old player) PROVEN core player the Canucks have is Horvat. The Canucks aren't going to win a Stanley Cup with the twins anymore, lets just be honest with ourselves.

Benning is establishing a group of young players through the draft that he one day, along with me and countless others, hopes will become the next core of players. You won't know that until they first prove it though, and that my friend takes time.

Thus….continue to draft until you find yourself a core of players, once you do, make additions and give yourself a chance to win. They did it in 1994, they did it in 2011 and they'll do it again one day!

I believe the Canucks will finish ahead of LA.
- CanuckDon

I would bet you a solid $100 dollar donation to the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program that you're wrong!

Everything went wrong last year and we now have a better team. A 20 point improvement is absolutely possible
- CanuckDon

No everything didn't go wrong, it's just called life over an 82 game schedule that a lot of teams have to deal with. Stop kidding yourself! Two times in the past three years "everything went wrong".

The team is just older and rebuilding on the fly. 2/3rd's of the teams deal with injuries at some point in the year. The last 25 games of the year they, management, purposely sat guys out from so-called "injuries" to help their draft position.

Some people are just putting the cart before the horse, Benning is doing the right things but it's gonna take awhile to get there. The Vancouver market is just so impatient they can't wait the time it takes to build a winner.

You only get seven picks a year and if you hit on one of them you've done well, if you hit on two of them you've done extremely well. In Benning's first year he drafted Virtanen, McCann, Demko and Tryamkin, three of them have already played an NHL game, trust me, he knows what he's doing at the draft table!!!

Some people are just putting the cart before the horse, Benning is doing the right things but it's gonna take awhile to get there. The Vancouver market is just so impatient they can't wait the time it takes to build a winner.

You only get seven picks a year and if you hit on one of them you've done well, if you hit on two of them you've done extremely well. In Benning's first year he drafted Virtanen, McCann, Demko and Tryamkin, three of them have already played an NHL game, trust me, he knows what he's doing at the draft table!!!
- LeftCoaster

absolutely. yes he does....best drafting GM we've EVER had in the history of the franchise. THe people who want him gone arent seeing this. This is a gift, you dont lose a guy like that.

Of course the other things matter, but you can't make trades or sign UFA's to get over the hump until you first draft a core of players, that's what I'm saying, and always have been. It's just common sense that you need additions to fill in the gaps once you get yourself a core.

To date the only young (under 25 year old player) PROVEN core player the Canucks have is Horvat. The Canucks aren't going to win a Stanley Cup with the twins anymore, lets just be honest with ourselves.

Benning is establishing a group of young players through the draft that he one day, along with me and countless others, hopes will become the next core of players. You won't know that until they first prove it though, and that my friend takes time.

Thus….continue to draft until you find yourself a core of players, once you do, make additions and give yourself a chance to win. They did it in 1994, they did it in 2011 and they'll do it again one day!
- LeftCoaster

pfft, we all know someone will sell their soul to satan to make it happen.

Everything went wrong last year and we now have a better team. A 20 point improvement is absolutely possible
- CanuckDon

thats right. Add in crappy coaching for 2 straight seasons too. I do expect that to be better this year given the addition of jarvis and lindens new marching orders to the coaching staff....remember they were told they had to be better. And I do think they will be. Will it be enough though.

I also see us around 15th next season. We have lots of new guys emerging that can have breakout seasons, JB looks not to be done tinkering yet either. If the coaching improves that's another thing that will help. But if WD keeps losing games at home cause he doesnt make use of the final change advantage (like they pointed out during game broadcast) then perhaps we will fall short of 15th.

But I do expect much better this season from all involved.

pfft, we all know someone will sell their soul to satan to make it happen.
- Retinalz

are you referring to yourself? Well get on it then....seasons not far away, theres still time

On a separate topic and in the 'best sour grapes' category, Hope Solo ('all world' goalkeeper for the US women's soccer team) says "US women lost to a bunch of cowards" (referring to Sweden's conservative/defensive style of play which knocked the US out of the medals). Talk about great sportsmen ship, what a total asshat! certainly embodies the Olympic spirit at its finest Looks like she was channeling Lucic

http://www.huffingtonpost...4b07184041173a2?section=&

I believe the Canucks will finish ahead of LA.
- CanuckDon

If LA finishes 24th I will agree.

These are the Canucks top forwards, Henrik Daniel Eriksson Sutter & Horvat. These are the Canucks top four dmen, Edler Tanev Gudbranson & Hutton.

These the players that make the biggest contribution to the team offensively and defensively, in other words, these are the guys that'll make this a playoff team.

I don't care about overall standing in the NHL when it comes to playoffs, what matters is the Western Conference standings. Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago and Dallas are all much better teams than the Canucks.

That leaves Arizona, Calgary, Columbus, Colorado, Minnesota, Winnipeg and Edmonton to get that final spot. Of those team I only see Arizona & Columbus as a real dogs breakfast, the other teams are pretty closely matched but I see Calgary, Minnesota & Colorado slightly better than even a healthy Canucks team.

But a lot can happen over an 82 game schedule….that's why they play the games!
- LeftCoaster

Canucks will finish 22-24th

Some people are just putting the cart before the horse, Benning is doing the right things but it's gonna take awhile to get there. The Vancouver market is just so impatient they can't wait the time it takes to build a winner.

You only get seven picks a year and if you hit on one of them you've done well, if you hit on two of them you've done extremely well. In Benning's first year he drafted Virtanen, McCann, Demko and Tryamkin, three of them have already played an NHL game, trust me, he knows what he's doing at the draft table!!!
- LeftCoaster

pfft, we all know someone will sell their soul to satan to make it happen.
- Retinalz

If it's possible then Aquilini would have already done it, but it's not possible to sell your sole twice.

It's a 20 point improvement, that's a tall order for this team, that's what I'm saying. Do I think they'll be a 75 point team again, no, but I do think other teams will make greater strides than the Canucks because they're further along in their building process than we are or they just have better players.
- LeftCoaster

If one of the twins are out for an extended period of time. They are getting up there.

I would bet you a solid $100 dollar donation to the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program that you're wrong!
- LeftCoaster

I'll bet you $50, LA blows