Carol Schram: Is the Vancouver Canucks rebuild on treacherous turf after coach firing? Management is preaching optimism, but the future of the Vancouver Canucks looks wildly uncertain after coach Willie Desjardins was relieved of his duties on Monday.

We had better not be the next oilers... Ain't gonna find a Mcdavid lying around so easily.

A quote from Spector's article:

Today, the Canucks do not have a single top-three forward in their entire organization, but only a handful of names they can point to as potential first-liners. They also do not have a legit top-pairing defenceman on their roster...

That is worth repeating.

Just think about how on Earth this is possible - on a team that spends to the cap every year! $70 million a year, and we're left with absolutely no top players. At any position.

The incompetence required to allow this to happen is just astronomical. Astronomical! Yet, everyone here seems to adore our management team...

Thanks Carol!

I am not sold on Green's ability to squeeze out the most in his AHL lineups. Markstrom was outstanding for him, Demko has put up some absurd numbers for stretches this year. In the same way we criticized Willie for being propped up by Miller in VAN, I see some similarities with Green's situation

A quote from Spector's article:



That is worth repeating.

Just think about how on Earth this is possible - on a team that spends to the cap every year! $70 million a year, and we're left with absolutely no top players. At any position.

The incompetence required to allow this to happen is just astronomical. Astronomical! Yet, everyone here seems to adore our management team...
- stringerbell

With where the team is at, how do you propose we go about obtaining a top 3 forward or a top pairing Dman? I think most reasonable people would say keep drafting well and develop our prospects into those roles...

A quote from Spector's article:



That is worth repeating.

Just think about how on Earth this is possible - on a team that spends to the cap every year! $70 million a year, and we're left with absolutely no top players. At any position.

The incompetence required to allow this to happen is just astronomical. Astronomical! Yet, everyone here seems to adore our management team...
- stringerbell

it shouldn't take hearing it from Mark Spector to realize that we have been dealing with this since the Sedins started to Decline. I still think they didn't have a true #1 D man in the 2011 playoff run either. They need to spend to the cap, and its hard to land a true top line forward or number 1 D man through free agency. None of this is new, or should be viewed as a shock.

Incompetence? Tell me the last time a free agent made it to market and is no a prolific top line scorer for the team, or number 1 D man.

it shouldn't take hearing it from Mark Spector to realize that we have been dealing with this since the Sedins started to Decline. I still think they didn't have a true #1 D man in the 2011 playoff run either. They need to spend to the cap, and its hard to land a true top line forward or number 1 D man through free agency. None of this is new, or should be viewed as a shock.

Incompetence? Tell me the last time a free agent made it to market and is no a prolific top line scorer for the team, or number 1 D man.
- Codes1087

A quote from Spector's article:



That is worth repeating.

Just think about how on Earth this is possible - on a team that spends to the cap every year! $70 million a year, and we're left with absolutely no top players. At any position.

The incompetence required to allow this to happen is just astronomical. Astronomical! Yet, everyone here seems to adore our management team...
- stringerbell

The people who saw this coming were bipolars & chicken littles.

We had better not be the next oilers... Ain't gonna find a Mcdavid lying around so easily.
- NorthNuck

We aren't the Oilers until we win 3 lotteries and still miss the playoffs.

The people who saw this coming were bipolars & chicken littles.
- DrChristianTroy

We aren't the Oilers until we win 3 lotteries and still miss the playoffs.
- A_SteamingLombardi

Very true

Still, Los Angeles enters this next phase with some massive long-term contracts and some players that are starting to get up there in years.

Marian Gaborik - 35 - four more years
Dustin Brown - 32 - five more years
Jeff Carter - 32 - five more years
Jonathan Quick - 31 - six more years
Trevor Lewis - 30 - three more years

Wow, LA is in trouble.

I think Spector has it wrong. The Oilier rebuild looked very different the what is happening on the Canucks.

Where the Oilers missed the boat was in total lack of team leadership. The youth were expected to lead and set the tone for the future. But the youth did not have the experience to do that. For the Oilers it took replacing a young leader with a generational talent plus new management focused on a more holistic approach rather than just offense.

With the Canucks, they have retained strong, experienced team leadership. The old leadership core has been moving out slowly. Burrows and Hansen (along with the Sedins) had a strong impact on the team this year in terms of leadership. As a result, the youth, ie Bo, became part of the new leadership. It was his development that allowed the team to move Burrows and Hansen.

It was a rough year, but you could see strong growth in players like Granlund, Sven, Hutton, Stetcher, Markstrom.

The Oilers killed their leadership with the expectation that youth and skill would overcome - it didn't - the youth had no mentors to learn from. The Canucks have retained the mentors and it shows as the youth develop far faster than the Oiler (or Toronto for that matter) experience.

Trev and Jim are on the right path. I expect a stronger more experienced team next year. In a surprising short period of time (ie not the Edm dozen years or the Toronto quarter century), I expect that the media will suddenly wake up one day and ask "What just happened in Vancouver? They look good."

Stecher sure looks excited

Spector is a moron.

The old cronies in Edmonton lucked out getting McDavid.
Nothing else was ever done right for years.
Wasting 1OA's & no vets worth speaking of let the kids run the show.
No McDavid & Hall is not traded & Lucis signs elsewhere.
Only good move was hiring McLellan.

We may be in for some dark years but nothing like the Oilers.
Some ppl use any comparison but cannot fix stupid.

Still, Los Angeles enters this next phase with some massive long-term contracts and some players that are starting to get up there in years.

Marian Gaborik - 35 - four more years
Dustin Brown - 32 - five more years
Jeff Carter - 32 - five more years
Jonathan Quick - 31 - six more years
Trevor Lewis - 30 - three more years

Wow, LA is in trouble.
- Rocket_Launcher

Still, Los Angeles enters this next phase with some massive long-term contracts and some players that are starting to get up there in years.

Marian Gaborik - 35 - four more years
Dustin Brown - 32 - five more years
Jeff Carter - 32 - five more years
Jonathan Quick - 31 - six more years
Trevor Lewis - 30 - three more years

Wow, LA is in trouble.
- Rocket_Launcher

They can't hear you their Stanley Cup Rings are in their ears.

I wish Trauma had said that, "if anyone (frank)s with Goblin next year, I'ma finish them off! I bring balls to party."

and then give Sutter an icy stare...

Still, Los Angeles enters this next phase with some massive long-term contracts and some players that are starting to get up there in years.

Marian Gaborik - 35 - four more years
Dustin Brown - 32 - five more years
Jeff Carter - 32 - five more years
Jonathan Quick - 31 - six more years
Trevor Lewis - 30 - three more years

Wow, LA is in trouble.
- Rocket_Launcher

you are bound to run into a problem like this after winning a few cups.
Toews and Kane are productive now, but eventually they will start to decline too.

A quote from Spector's article:



That is worth repeating.

Just think about how on Earth this is possible - on a team that spends to the cap every year! $70 million a year, and we're left with absolutely no top players. At any position.

The incompetence required to allow this to happen is just astronomical. Astronomical! Yet, everyone here seems to adore our management team...
- stringerbell

I missed your cheery posts you muppet. Last time I checked, it's pretty hard to find first line talent or top D via free agency. That's what the draft is for

Doresett on how to get over uneasiness around his injury: My first shift I'm gonna try to run someone over

Missed that guy this year

I think Spector has it wrong. The Oilier rebuild looked very different the what is happening on the Canucks.

Where the Oilers missed the boat was in total lack of team leadership. The youth were expected to lead and set the tone for the future. But the youth did not have the experience to do that. For the Oilers it took replacing a young leader with a generational talent plus new management focused on a more holistic approach rather than just offense.

With the Canucks, they have retained strong, experienced team leadership. The old leadership core has been moving out slowly. Burrows and Hansen (along with the Sedins) had a strong impact on the team this year in terms of leadership. As a result, the youth, ie Bo, became part of the new leadership. It was his development that allowed the team to move Burrows and Hansen.

It was a rough year, but you could see strong growth in players like Granlund, Sven, Hutton, Stetcher, Markstrom.

The Oilers killed their leadership with the expectation that youth and skill would overcome - it didn't - the youth had no mentors to learn from. The Canucks have retained the mentors and it shows as the youth develop far faster than the Oiler (or Toronto for that matter) experience.

Trev and Jim are on the right path. I expect a stronger more experienced team next year. In a surprising short period of time (ie not the Edm dozen years or the Toronto quarter century), I expect that the media will suddenly wake up one day and ask "What just happened in Vancouver? They look good."
- Lostinarink

quite a few pom poms being waved around in this..

Doresett on how to get over uneasiness around his injury: My first shift I'm gonna try to run someone over

Missed that guy this year
- WhiteLie

Thanks Carol!

I am not sold on Green's ability to squeeze out the most in his AHL lineups. Markstrom was outstanding for him, Demko has put up some absurd numbers for stretches this year. In the same way we criticized Willie for being propped up by Miller in VAN, I see some similarities with Green's situation
- WhiteLie

I can see Green will listen & not be stubborn.
That in itself is huge.
I am guessing his directive will be to PLAY the kids & develop them.
No more WD coaching like every game has PO implications.
More leash will be given IMO