I usually do always try to immediately follow up with some good hockey related banter to be fair, but I had to take a dump... So priorities I guess...

Any who, what should we talk about. Why Willy should quit now to save face, and his career?! The Sedin contracts have you guys by the short and curlies, and that's pretty much that. The best you can do is run a middling team until they're off the books and you can rebuild in earnest.

Believe me, I've gone through this with the Flames. Hell they tried this strategy (over paying ufa's) so often and still kept missing the playoffs I had to by a Hank jersey just so I had somebody to root for in the playoffs for Gods sake.

Until the Sedins are gone, you are stuck in hockey pergatory my friends, that's the honest truth...

P.s. Don't tell anybody on the Flames thread I bought a 'Nucks jersey, thx.
- Flamin_Irishmin

- DuranDuran

LOL.

Lloyd Christmas at his finest.

I picked Desjardins to be the first coach fired this year.

I feel confident in that pick based on this.

I give him 12 games.
- VanHockeyGuy

Did you ever consider he might be TRYING to get himself fired so he can get the hell out of that situation?!!!

I give him 12 games.
- VanHockeyGuy

hate to disappoint but he will be here all season .... he is coaching the worst team in the league after all ... why make a coaching change?

hate to disappoint but he will be here all season .... he is coaching the worst team in the league after all ... why make a coaching change?
- the end

sorry ... forgot the ....

Not exactly stellar asset management, huh?

I usually do always try to immediately follow up with some good hockey related banter to be fair, but I had to take a dump... So priorities I guess...

Any who, what should we talk about. Why Willy should quit now to save face, and his career?! The Sedin contracts have you guys by the short and curlies, and that's pretty much that. The best you can do is run a middling team until they're off the books and you can rebuild in earnest.

Believe me, I've gone through this with the Flames. Hell they tried this strategy (over paying ufa's) so often and still kept missing the playoffs I had to by a Hank jersey just so I had somebody to root for in the playoffs for Gods sake.

Until the Sedins are gone, you are stuck in hockey pergatory my friends, that's the honest truth...

P.s. Don't tell anybody on the Flames thread I bought a 'Nucks jersey, thx.
- Flamin_Irishmin

How so? They each have 2 years left at 7 mil apiece. For guys that regularly get 60+ points per season, that doesn't seem so bad imo. It's not like we're talking about 21 million between two guys (Toews and Kane).

I picked Desjardins to be the first coach fired this year.

I feel confident in that pick based on this.
- PepinoPamplemousse

If Horvat is truly starting the season on the 4th line after the success he has showed with Baertchi, there will be no sympathy for WD when the time comes. Granlund did have a good preseason yes...but not enough to displace Horvat. I've backed WD in the past...but this is for sure a head scratcher.

I just can't figure out why management and coaching staff can't put young players in a position to succeed? Last year they were forced to throw Horvat to the wolves and expose him a bit as their second line center, so he learned and started to succeed near the end of the year....not unlike what the Jets did with Ehlers or the Blues did with Fabbri.

So what does Desjardins do now, sticks Horvat on the 4th line with two plugs while the Jets have Ehlers with Scheifele and Wheeler on their first line and Fabbri is in the Blues top six to start the year.

I'm sorry I'm venting but it's like the guy is trying to get fired

Putting the line combos at PRACTICE aside, it really was interesting that in the last blog all it took was a little talk of Matthews 4 goals to get the doom and gloom show going before the Canucks even play A SINGLE GAME.

I just can't figure out why management and coaching staff can't put young players in a position to succeed? Last year they were forced to throw Horvat to the wolves and expose him a bit as their second line center, so he learned and started to succeed near the end of the year....not unlike what the Jets did with Ehlers or the Blues did with Fabbri.

So what does Desjardins do now, sticks Horvat on the 4th line with two plugs while the Jets have Ehlers with Scheifele and Wheeler on their first line and Fabbri is in the Blues top six to start the year.

I'm sorry I'm venting but it's like the guy is trying to get fired
- LeftCoaster

Baer-Horvat-Virtanen should be second line, as you said with ehlers and fabbri in the top six, put them in a position to succeed, if the team loses we lose with an entertaining year, and draft high, win win

Putting the line combos at PRACTICE aside, it really was interesting that in the last blog all it took was a little talk of Matthews 4 goals to get the doom and gloom show going before the Canucks even play A SINGLE GAME.
- NorthNuck

I understand why you and a few other people are really trying to diffuse the line combo talk before it develops but you are missing something very key. Even though this is just practice lines, Willie D is no stranger to both odd line combinations, and even worse line deployment. We also know he is reluctant to switch lines mid game. He is very set in his ways when it comes to his combinations and whatever reasoning he has for them. We all know this, and to put your 3rd leading point guy from last season on the 4th line IS very concerning if you are a canucks fan. Practice or not.

I understand why you and a few other people are really trying to diffuse the line combo talk before it develops but you are missing something very key. Even though this is just practice lines, Willie D is no stranger to both odd line combinations, and even worse line deployment. We also know he is reluctant to switch lines mid game. He is very set in his ways when it comes to his combinations and whatever reasoning he has for them. We all know this, and to put your 3rd leading point guy from last season on the 4th line IS very concerning if you are a canucks fan. Practice or not.
- Codes1087

Especially in the event he may like Horvat on the 4th line!

Baer-Horvat-Virtanen should be second line, as you said with ehlers and fabbri in the top six, put them in a position to succeed, if the team loses we lose with an entertaining year, and draft high, win win
- phyllee

I could not agree more.

Sedin-Sedin-LE
Bae - Bo - Rodin/Virtanen
Granlund - Sutter - Hansen
Burrows - Gaunce - Dorsett
(Skille)

I am fully on board with giving TALENTED young players opportunities to grow and succeed in the top 6 with proven players.

Why is Horvat on the forth line?

K I just noticed others commenting on this very question.

What gives???

Why is Horvat on the forth line?

K I just noticed others commenting on this very question.

What gives???
- jazzca1974

Your guess is as good as ours. I had heard rumblings that Horvat had a bad camp. But from what I saw in the pre-season games, he looked great.

Why is Horvat on the forth line?

K I just noticed others commenting on this very question.

What gives???
- jazzca1974

I'm wondering if he has a minor injury. Maybe WD wants to limit his minutes?

He seemed to like Granlund and Baer together last year too, maybe just wants to see if Granlund can build on his strong preseason.

Although, any line with DOrsett on it could be the 2nd line.... he's Real Good ya know.

I'm wondering if he has a minor injury. Maybe WD wants to limit his minutes?

He seemed to like Granlund and Baer together last year too, maybe just wants to see if Granlund can build on his strong preseason.
- Vanoxy

I'll have to take your word for it.

I'm wondering if he has a minor injury. Maybe WD wants to limit his minutes?

He seemed to like Granlund and Baer together last year too, maybe just wants to see if Granlund can build on his strong preseason.
- Vanoxy

I'll honestly be surprised if this lineup is how it shakes out for the opener but I don't understand the point in changing up the lines so close to games.

I imagine if asked WD would say, we we know what Bo and Sven can do together and can always go back.

- Scooby_Doo

WD had Horvat on the fourth line at end of preseason as well as last practice. Willie is fixated more on having a strong fourth line center then offensive looking top 9. He's more worried about being scored on and losing games then developing and generating offense. This will frustrate many a fan that sees this as a lost year or want to see more entertainment from the Canucks.

WD didn't like Granlund as fourth line center saw him in top 9 and Gaunce as a rookie he's still not comfortable steering the fourth. Sorry but with Vets like Burr, DD or Slille why have that concern? Hoe this is just a let me see how this looks approach. But with omen more practice day before game day it's not good for building chemistry with who's here now.

Etem could have been kept but they liked Skille better as he was bringing it so Canucks took the risk of rewarding effort. Guessing that Labate showed more for furutre fit over Etem. So they took the risk. I'm sure given their bottom 6 depth issues Anaheim tried for the other guys claimed on waivers but were too high up. Maybe Etem would have passed then. Then we would have another question mark in Utica wondering if he's better then what else is down there or up here.

It's a disappointment as many throught or hoped he will deliver and he just may. Not here though he's not upbeat enough for this group. He's not a good fit hockey wise or in the room to invest more on potential unrealized.

so I've never spammed at this level. I apologize, but I have no choice.

In a bit of a bind in my "hockeybuzz" league.
Had a manager drop out this morning like a champ.

The (3 hour long) draft is 8:15pm EST TONIGHT.

20 teams
4C, 3LW, 3RW, 2W, 6D, 1G, 6BN, 1IR+, 2IR
Stats:
G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SOG, FW, HIT, BLK
W, GAA, SV, SV%, SHO

Random snake draft, not a keeper league, no divisions, top 8 make the playoffs

Message me if you're interested.

I have a weird theory......

Game isn't until Saturday........Those lines are for todays practice....Could Willy....(hear me out), be practicing "odd" line combinations, to create some chemistry when he starts to line juggle? I'm sure by game time, Horvat will be playing at least 3 line center, (I would bet on second line with Bar and Jake)......

It's possible.......isn't it?