Trust me, they're going to be terrible next year!!
- LeftCoaster

best case scenario. Final year of the Sedin era, its going to be hard not to be.

It seems like next year the majority of top 10 are dmen and wingers, very few centers which is kinda opposite from this year.

But top 7-8 are all supposed to be on the nico patrick level if not higher. Sucks we bottomed out in a poor year.

Really hoping we can unload edler this summer and sedins choose to move at the deadline for a chance at the cup. Quickest way to add additional picks. If not its going to be a long few years.
- mauryballstein

I cant imagine a scenario where we aren't picking in the top 7-8. We should be just as bad next year.

Respectfully you also refuse to acknowledge some of the good that WD has done here. Like getting a non-PO team in the playoffs with 101 pts and instrumental in the development of Horvat, Baertchi, Granlund, Tree and Stecher. Not a small task. Now Boucher a scrap player seems to be a scorer under WD. It's not Willie's fault the Sedins are running the show here.

But I agree he has been outclassed and out coached at times but as a rookie coach three seasons ago there will always be learning curves. Something we have to deal with.

There is ZERO point in spending millions for a top level coach with this roster for next season. Let it happen in 2018/19 if need be.

There could be a very good chance that ownership/MNGT is looking to let WD have a go with Boeser/Juolevi next season which would be fine if required.

We get your bias towards WD…but you really need to see it from all angles my friend.
- LordHumungous

youve been drinking the cool aid posters here are making. Im not partaking.
Ive been over these points recently, not so sure I wish to continually repost the same info. Not while people are under the cool aides spell theyre continually taking in

All this talk on drafting Casey Mittelstadt leads me to think he'll be PLD 2.0 this year

I cant imagine a scenario where we aren't picking in the top 7-8. We should be just as bad next year.
- CanuckDon

I think were going to be worse. Sedins another year older, no burrows or hansen. Next year I hope to see continued improvement from the young guys and that hopefully we can move a couple more guys at the deadline like we did this year. To me thats a success.

Our defence stinks

"Some thought this would be a breakout year for Hutton, but of the 189 defencemen who’ve played at least 500 even-strength minutes, Hutton is 182nd in even-strength point rate. Tanev is 184th, but you don’t expect much from him."

"Maybe most troubling is Nikita Tryamkin, who hit the figurative rookie wall. In his first two months, he was actually one of the Canucks’ best defencemen and consistently the Canucks controlled possession when he was on the ice or at least broke even.

Times have changed, however, and since the deadline only Luca Sbisa has a worse even-strength, shot-attempt differential than Tryamkin’s 42.96 per cent. It’s possible he never fully recovered after missing weeks with the mumps. What’s not possible is expecting any of these young defencemen to be top-pairing players in the NHL.

At least, not any time soon.

And with Edler’s age and Tanev’s mounting injury history, that is a disconcerting reality."
- LeftCoaster

more likely he returned to a team with no chance of making the playoffs and just isnt so fired up

I think were going to be worse. Sedins another year older, no burrows or hansen. Next year I hope to see continued improvement from the young guys and that hopefully we can move a couple more guys at the deadline like we did this year. To me thats a success.
- mauryballstein

Next year the Canucks will be this years Colorado Avalanche, gonna be a lot of crying next season from the fan-boys.

All this talk on drafting Casey Mittelstadt leads me to think he'll be PLD 2.0 this year
- VanHockeyGuy

I think Nolan Patrick has a bigger chance of being last years PLD than Mittelstadt does.

All this talk on drafting Casey Mittelstadt leads me to think he'll be PLD 2.0 this year
- VanHockeyGuy

We are lucky that our needs are Offensive Dman especially RD and centers. Every player ranked in the top 10 is just that other than Tippet so we will get a good player who also fits a need this year.

Im more intrigued with which way they go with our 2nd rounders.

We are lucky that our needs are Offensive Dman especially RD and centers. Every player ranked in the top 10 is just that other than Tippet so we will get a good player who also fits a need this year.

Im more intrigued with which way they go with our 2nd rounders.
- mauryballstein

I am assuming we are getting CBJ 2nd round pick this year as well! Makes me even more excited for the draft

Next year the Canucks will be this years Colorado Avalanche, gonna be a lot of crying next season from the fan-boys.
- LeftCoaster

At least we have direction now. I think most of the crying was the moves that were being made were taking the team in two directions.

But yes we are going to loose like crazy next year. At least Utica should be better

I don't think anybody is denying that another coach can do better with the team, merely that blaming our position on coaching is laughable.

Hansen's production in SJ mirrors his production here. Burrows scored 3 goals in his first two games, not much since.
- golfingsince

youre half way there bro.

many here will agree there were many winnable games willie lost with questionable decisions

I am assuming we are getting CBJ 2nd round pick this year as well! Makes me even more excited for the draft
- Codes1087

Weak draft and with the season they are having id be shocked if we didnt.

Im most curious about those 2 picks.

Im assuming he will go centers or LW because I dont think there is many Dmen worth taking in the 2nd unless timmins slips.

youre half way there bro.

many here will agree there were many winnable games willie lost with questionable decisions
- SMBDragon

What ever the decision is, it has to be a coach with a proven record of developing talent. No matter who they put in the team is going to not win many games.

All this talk on drafting Casey Mittelstadt leads me to think he'll be PLD 2.0 this year
- VanHockeyGuy

Is PLD bad at hockey now?

If WD did go to an NHL club with a deeper better roster I'm willing to bet he would have some mild success similar to Torts, AV and Sullivan. And then guys in here would b!tch cry and whine about the shoulda woulda coulda thing. See it for what it is. 90% of coaching is extremely similar through the CHL to AHL and even to the NHL levels. Sure WD still has stuff to learn...but he didn't win championships at every level prior to the NHL because he is an idiot.
- LordHumungous

you mention sullivan....you do realize he won the cup last season right? willie wont ever be winning no cup.

sullivan was on the hawks the previous year when they won the cup. In the interview post game he mentioned how much he learned about coaching from that staff and how much he learned about winning. Thats the difference between him and the others in that group

Is PLD bad at hockey now?
- nucks_94

No, he's playing well. JB apparently coveted him and the hope was he would fall to us last year until Columbus surprised everyone and took him at #3

No, he's playing well. JB apparently coveted him and the hope was he would fall to us last year until Columbus surprised everyone and took him at #3
- VanHockeyGuy

Gotcha. What do people think of Liljegren?

What ever the decision is, it has to be a coach with a proven record of developing talent. No matter who they put in the team is going to not win many games.
- mauryballstein

not necessarily. As long as its a balanced coaching staff that covers all aspects. Doesnt matter who on the staff develops them as long as it gets done.
Thats why JB hired Malhotra (amongst others like faceoffs and systems integration). We've had a decent season development wise because of it.

Head coach doesnt have to be responsible for everything

you mention sullivan....you do realize he won the cup last season right? willie wont ever be winning no cup.

sullivan was on the hawks the previous year when they won the cup. In the interview post game he mentioned how much he learned about coaching from that staff and how much he learned about winning. Thats the difference between him and the others in that group
- SMBDragon

Gotcha. What do people think of Liljegren?
- nucks_94

I like him, he has lots of tools. If we pick a D it better be him.

at C I like Nico and mittlestadt.

combined, those 3 are on my wish list

Gotcha. What do people think of Liljegren?
- nucks_94

Looks good. I try not to get too high on any player, especially when we don't know where we're picking yet. Then I'm usually wrong anyway.

- Codes1087

STANLEY CUP.....not a junior championship etc

Is PLD bad at hockey now?
- nucks_94

I am only an average poster but I suspect he means we targeted PLD and he is the one that "got away."

STANLEY CUP.....not a junior championship etc
- SMBDragon

Calder cup is not junior. Its actually a pretty commendable accomplishment.