we definately see eye to eye on this team being a country club. the team is lazy....because the staff is lazy. Never seen a team practice so little in my life. look at last year too....torts never ran a single practice. Not once. He talked to media then went home. God I wish carlyle had a single year with the team to whip it into shape. He runs regular practice.....and does it himself. Will not tolerate laziness.
- SMBDragon

For sure the Country Club atmosphere still exists with all those NTC's. Flames were handcuffed for years with 9-10 NTC's and now it's happening in Van 2.0 style.

Ironically enough Torts was brought in to stem the Country Club mentality and he was never there. Chose to live in Point Roberts and commute to save taxes. No dedication or committment to his job whatsoever at least that's how it appeared. Maybe Torts saw the stale core at the beginning of last season and just said 'f**k it'...who knows.

But you are right there is a laziness around the team at times more often than not. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with having one of the worst travel scheds in the league and maybe the lack of practises plus multiple 'maintenance days' are part of that.

I commented the other day that we need to absolve ourselves of pretty much everything from the Lou era minus the Sedins. And that obviously included stemming the ongoing Country Club atmosphere that apparently still exists.

We can also thank whatever god there is that Horvat never played his first year in Van with Kesler and Lou in the room.

Why? Do we aspire to finish 23 Rd in the draft again so we can find out we are not a playoff team?

We have got to stop caring about 2015/16 and start building for 2018-19 when Virtanen Bo MCCann TanevLack Kassian Cassels start hitting their prime.

People have got to understand we are not going to win this year. Free up cap space for next year LUcic and a top Dman that is still young like Yandle
- VANTEL

Not so sure cassels will go anywhere.....but mcCann looks great.

when I saw lucic play this season he looked like a different player....same poopy attitude without the play to back it.

we can be a playoff team. theres gotta be improvement in the coaching staff...lots of practice....some youth with fire. window is still open, depends what the coaching staff does with it. Cant be badly outcoached again like we were.

Here's a trade that makes sense. Oilers are below cap floor. Arizona and Buffalo are biggest offenders below floor. Arizona don't really need D as Lefty pointed out. Bieksa may not want to go to Buffalo.

Bieksa Lack and Higgins to Edmonton for Scrivens Shultz and 33 Rd overall or replace Bieksa with Hamhuis and upgrade to 16 th overall

OK Genital men show some love to the Penticton Vee's at the RBC cup this week! You as well Carol, it's slow for the Canucks so give it up for the Vee's, final 4.

For sure the Country Club atmosphere still exists with all those NTC's. Flames were handcuffed for years with 9-10 NTC's and now it's happening in Van 2.0 style.

Ironically enough Torts was brought in to stem the Country Club mentality and he was never there. Chose to live in Point Roberts and commute to save taxes. No dedication or committment to his job whatsoever at least that's how it appeared. Maybe Torts saw the stale core at the beginning of last season and just said 'f**k it'...who knows.

But you are right there is a laziness around the team at times more often than not. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with having one of the worst travel scheds in the league and maybe the lack of practises plus multiple 'maintenance days' are part of that.

I commented the other day that we need to absolve ourselves of pretty much everything from the Lou era minus the Sedins. And that obviously included stemming the ongoing Country Club atmosphere that apparently still exists.

We can also thank whatever god there is that Horvat never played his first year in Van with Kesler and Lou in the room.
- LordHumungous

absolutely. What sports teams dont practice? and expect to win? its an absurd notion.
if we didnt possess the talent that we do we'd be in serious trouble.

Im sure maintenance days are necessary at times but they should also be earned. No optional practices after a loss....or guys not working hard enough at practice. If you're making errors during a game practice those scenarios till its corrected. this is how improvement is achieved and work ethics established. educating players and practicing how to do it. its simply how you do it in any sport....any team.... except the canucks??

the ducks are still benefitting from the work carlyle put in with the team.

Bieksa Lack and Higgins to Edmonton for Scrivens Shultz and 33 Rd overall or replace Bieksa with Hamhuis and upgrade to 16 th overall
- VANTEL

no to scrivens....lack is way better.
shultz if i recall is too small for what we are trying to do. not that great either.

bieksa and higgins can be traded for picks or prospects.

absolutely. What sports teams dont practice? and expect to win? its an absurd notion.
if we didnt possess the talent that we do we'd be in serious trouble.

Im sure maintenance days are necessary at times but they should also be earned. No optional practices after a loss....or guys not working hard enough at practice. If you're making errors during a game practice those scenarios till its corrected. this is how improvement is achieved and work ethics established. educating players and practicing how to do it. its simply how you do it in any sport....any team.... except the canucks??

the ducks are still benefitting from the work carlyle put in with the team.
- SMBDragon

And somewhere Allan Iverson is shaking his head

Here's a trade that makes sense. Oilers are below cap floor. Arizona and Buffalo are biggest offenders below floor. Arizona don't really need D as Lefty pointed out. Bieksa may not want to go to Buffalo.

Bieksa Lack and Higgins to Edmonton for Scrivens Shultz and 33 Rd overall or replace Bieksa with Hamhuis and upgrade to 16 th overall
- VANTEL

I like it as it does fill both teams needs to an extent. EDM needs bottom 6 badly and Higgins can do that for them plus they need a goalie in the worst way which Lack could provide. Not sure if Bieksa fits there but they would take Hammer in a heartbeat.

We on the other hand need the picks (sending Hammer would be better IMO) and Schultz I think may mesh with our system. Even though he is a bit of liability much like Edler he has the upside to be a 40-50 pt Dman consistently...which we need. Not sure on Scrivens though...he showed he can be unreal good when playing in front of the solid LA defense but in front of our current D it just might be more of the same as in EDM. Tough to say.

That would be a massive divisional swap though that most likely err on the side of caution from both teams.

And somewhere Allan Iverson is shaking his head
- Zogg

That rant happened 13 years ago today

absolutely. What sports teams dont practice? and expect to win? its an absurd notion.
if we didnt possess the talent that we do we'd be in serious trouble.

Im sure maintenance days are necessary at times but they should also be earned. No optional practices after a loss....or guys not working hard enough at practice. If you're making errors during a game practice those scenarios till its corrected. this is how improvement is achieved and work ethics established. educating players and practicing how to do it. its simply how you do it in any sport....any team.... except the canucks??

the ducks are still benefitting from the work carlyle put in with the team.
- SMBDragon

I'm I going crazy. Toronto never struck me as a particularly hard working team under Carlyle.

Sure they went from really bad to oh-my-God-kill-it-with-fire after he was let go, but I don't think that he's turning a mediocre team into a contender.

no to scrivens....lack is way better.
shultz if i recall is too small for what we are trying to do. not that great either.

bieksa and higgins can be traded for picks or prospects.
- SMBDragon

You get a PMD a back up and a high second rounder.

Here's a trade that makes sense. Oilers are below cap floor. Arizona and Buffalo are biggest offenders below floor. Arizona don't really need D as Lefty pointed out. Bieksa may not want to go to Buffalo.

Bieksa Lack and Higgins to Edmonton for Scrivens Shultz and 33 Rd overall or replace Bieksa with Hamhuis and upgrade to 16 th overall
- VANTEL

I like you Vantel, but I hate this trade. I hate this trade so much.

And somewhere Allan Iverson is shaking his head
- Zogg

exactly..... right?

That rant happened 13 years ago today
- VANTEL

really? weird... should I buy a lotto ticket?

I like you Vantel, but I hate this trade. I hate this trade so much.
- CubanBuffet

me too. Vantel usually says smarter things....we are all wrong at some point though.

really? weird... should I buy a lotto ticket?
- Zogg

Rubbed magic 8 ball, definitely yes

I like you Vantel, but I hate this trade. I hate this trade so much.
- CubanBuffet

What do you think Bieksa and Higgins are worth. They are two salary dumps.

Rubbed magic 8 ball, definitely yes
- VANTEL

lol

Magic prognosticating 8 ball is all knowing, yes

I'm I going crazy. Toronto never struck me as a particularly hard working team under Carlyle.

Sure they went from really bad to oh-my-God-kill-it-with-fire after he was let go, but I don't think that he's turning a mediocre team into a contender.
- CubanBuffet

do I think he's a good coach? yes

Is he jesus? No

how many times are interviews w him done at the ice cause he's busy with the team running practice? most of the time.

lets face it he had them playing the best we've seen in about 15 years or more. they even made the playoffs before. But alas he was not enough to overcome Nonis's stupidity lol.

What do you think Bieksa and Higgins are worth. They are two salary dumps.
- VANTEL

with NTCs that they aren't waving to go to Edm.

What do you think Bieksa and Higgins are worth. They are two salary dumps.
- VANTEL

ya, not much. Not that I expected better players back....just I didnt like the ones you picked. Just another problem to fix. Id rather have picks for them and bring in guys in our system already.

bieksa and higgins for picks, yes. But to include lack in that trade....for those guys... quite the stinker.

What do you think Bieksa and Higgins are worth. They are two salary dumps.
- VANTEL

Bieksa with a no trade clause, not much, although teams do stupid things to land a defencemen, but a mid round pick is not unreasonable to expect. You could probably get a second at least for Lack. Teams have paid a lot more for goalies who have proven a lot less. As for Higgins, you're selling him short man. He's not a full time second liner but he's a good useful player. He should be worth a second as well.

In exchange we get Scrivens, who after backstopping EDM to McDavid is worth less then Bieksa and Shultz, star of the internet meme Shultzing, has good offensive talent, but is just a terrible defenceman. I like the 33 overall though.

Bieksa with a no trade clause, not much, although teams do stupid things to land a defencemen, but a mid round pick is not unreasonable to expect. You could probably get a second at least for Lack. Teams have paid a lot more for goalies who have proven a lot less. As for Higgins, you're selling him short man. He's not a full time second liner but he's a good useful player. He should be worth a second as well.

In exchange we get Scrivens, who after backstopping EDM to McDavid is worth less then Bieksa and Shultz, star of the internet meme Shultzing, has good offensive talent, but is just a terrible defenceman. I like the 33 overall though.
- CubanBuffet

Mike Richards had a NTC last year too. If Bieksa doesn't waive his NTC Buffalo will pick him up 10 minutes later on waivers

Mike Richards had a NTC last year too. If Bieksa doesn't waive his NTC Buffalo will pick him up 10 minutes later on waivers
- VANTEL

And if it comes to that, then that's what you do. But in the meantime, the Canucks have the entire summer to try and convince him to waive and at least try and get something for him. We are light on draft picks and talent. We can't afford to give away players just to open up a roster spot and cap space unless we have to.

with NTCs that they aren't waving to go to Edm.
- A_SteamingLombardi

ThAt mentality may change if Mclellend or Babcock are coaching in EDM.