GDT: Canucks vs Flames; SNET P and SNET W; 6:00 pm PST

[CFP!]

I just hope that in about 3 or 4 years, the Flames are like the Oilers are now.

I guess reality is, with no prospect cupboard you are looking at least that timeframe. Unless of course you get a solid return for Kipper and Iggy and maybe Babchuk.

Hard times to be a Flames fan, ouch.

Oh, and by the time you become competitive we will have been to the West Final/SCF a few times so a cup should be in there somewhere

[BCExpat]

Oh, and by the time you become competitive we will have been to the West Final/SCF a few times so a cup should be in there somewhere

Well, there is a fine line there. They made it to the SCF last year, but this year, at least to this point, the Canucks do not look like the dominant team they were (except for when they play the Flames ). Then again, there is a lot of hockey to be played this season, so things can change.

Anyway, they better do it quick - by next year, those dasterdly Oilers may prove to be too big of a hurdle for the Canucks.

[CFP!]

Oh, and by the time you become competitive we will have been to the West Final/SCF a few times so a cup should be in there somewhere

Well, there is a fine line there. They made it to the SCF last year, but this year, at least to this point, the Canucks do not look like the dominant team they were (except for when they play the Flames ). Then again, there is a lot of hockey to be played this season, so things can change.

Anyway, they better do it quick - by next year, those dasterdly Oilers may prove to be too big of a hurdle for the Canucks.

Fine line for sure, but when you look at the core that is locked up for 3-4 years they should be in contention. Hoping to add Edler into the mix this offseason. It's not like a Iggy/Kipper/Bouwmester situation. (Which is a decent start). Sedin/Sedin/Luongo wins everytime!

As for the Oil, I have quickly become a fan. Even took Eberle in my pool this year. Hall, Eberle, RNH...looks like they wont get another lottery pick which will put Tambellini to these test to see what type of talent he can attract on the back end. Whitney was supposed to be their PP QB or at least shooter but with his health, and many other injuries on D its good they have hung on as long as they have done.

Regardless, when the realignment happens at least we will still see EDM/CAL/ANA/LA. Wahoo!

[Hockey Widow]

Really like the lines, the Canucks have a good top 9, maybe not the best in the NHL but up there for sure.

The third line will prove to be interesting. Hansen has speed, a good forecheck and is defensively sound. Raymond has speed, quick hands and is defensively sound. Hodgson has good hockey sense, is a good passer and set up guy and is learning to be defensively sound.

They will never be tough to play against but might prove to be a very good line that can contribute points and hold their own defensively. Two of the three play on the PK which is also good. Hansen already has 7, or is it 8 goals and Hodgson keeps putting up points. It won't become a defensive shut down line and we may have to accept that we don't have one of those. That may prove to be OK. When the offence dries up in the playoffs, as it typically does, it will be good to have another line that can score.

At any rate it will be a number of games before we see where Raymond really fits in this season. If the third line can hold their own and contribute from game to game it allows us to keep the top two lines together which may prove to be the biggest bonus in all of this.

Now if we could just find a 4th line. Manny is second in the league in F/O so his value is still there and with only one year left on his contract it is valuable to be getting Cody as much playing time and confidence as possible.

[Hockey Widow]

Well, there is a fine line there. They made it to the SCF last year, but this year, at least to this point, the Canucks do not look like the dominant team they were (except for when they play the Flames ). Then again, there is a lot of hockey to be played this season, so things can change.

Anyway, they better do it quick - by next year, those dasterdly Oilers may prove to be too big of a hurdle for the Canucks.

No kidding. They don't look anywhere near as dominant as they did for stretches last season. But they don't need to be. It would be great if they had a push and fought it out for 1st overall again but frankly I would be very satisfied with a Divisional win and a healthy playoffs. If we can get those two things I think our chances are the same, perhaps better, than last year. I say that because a healthy, or even relatively healthy, team in the SCF and we win the cup. So if we can stay relatively healthy I like our chances. But since that won't happen I expect MG still ha a trade or two left this season.

[Meds]

Anyway, they better do it quick - by next year, those dasterdly Oilers may prove to be too big of a hurdle for the Canucks.

It's true that the line of Eberle-Nugent - Hopkins - Hall is dangerous and only going to get better, however, beyond that the Oiler's have the oft-injured Hemesky and that's it. The rest of their team is 3rd and 4th line plugs. On defense Whitney and the overrated Cam Barker. In goal Khabibulin is nearing the end of his career, and even now he is either red hot or ice cold. Dubnyk is not really what I would call a top prospect that is waiting to replace their current felon.

So the Oiler's don't really scare me yet. They have had trouble attracting and retaining any serious talent for years now, and as much as their management was to blame for that, there is also the issue of Edmonton being a really shitty place to live. They have great fans, but the city itself is unattractive, the climate is nothing to write home about, and there are 27 other cities in the league that are infinitely more attractive. I just don't see the Oiler's becoming a true threat in the NHL again any time soon. They'll be exciting, fun to watch, but ultimately be a one line team.....and that's if they can hang on to their 3 big young guns. I'm betting they can't. All 3 of those guys are going to finish this year at close to a point-per-game (or better), and next year they will do the same. Hall and Eberle will be RFA's at that point and RNH a year behind them. They will all want big raises, and chances are good the Oiler's will be doing all they can to accomodate them. But if there is any stall in the negotiations, you can bet some GM is going to drop an offer sheet on the table in a hurry. If they do sign with the Oiler's it will be a term that will allow them to hit UFA as soon as possible. They have a 4 year window to win a cup IMO.

As for Calgary, well stick a fork in em, they're done. Iginla keeps saying he wants to win it in Calgary, and he thinks the Flame's have the pieces to do it. He's deluded.....and probably also just being a good teammate. Outside of Iginla and Kiprusoff, Calgary has nobody. Tanguay and Jokinen? Bouwmeester? The guy who has never been to the playoffs at ANY level of his playing career..... Tonight was a great example of what happens to a "contender" when a GM makes poor decisions and lets the right people go and keeps the wrong players (Cammallerri anyone?). This rivalry is dead too.

[Mondi]

There will be no offer sheets, that just doesn't happen.

Oil are like the Hawks a few years a back, without Keith, Seabrook and Byfuglien. So yeah, they aren't going anywhere just yet.

They need a few d-men. And a younger goalie. Then they might have a hope.

Canucks need to really focus on replicating that Detroit model, within a year or two or three there needs to be guys getting groomed to be first line players. Kesler is mid-life in his career. Sedins are beginning the final 1/3. So there has to be some planning happening. Datsyuk and Zetterberg-like draft choices? #iwouldntcountonit! #cody?

[ukcanuck]

My thoughts:

- This rivalry is all but dead. Playing Calgary now is just one more boring game. The fire that used to follow these two teams is gone. Until the Flames become competitive again I guess this will be what we can have to expect.

The problem is, by the time the Flames do become competitive again, the Canucks probably won't be that competitive. So, the cycle goes. I just hope that in about 3 or 4 years, the Flames are like the Oilers are now.

Calgary will have to lose the leafs west mojo they got going on over there or they may sit in limbo for decades. for what you wish to happen they need to ship out kipper and Iggy for draft picks and sit at the bottom of the standings for 4 or 5 years to stock up on picks. then wait the typical 5 years before the investment to start to show some returns and you better hope that the next Crosby is playing midget somewhere...

[BCExpat]

There will be no offer sheets, that just doesn't happen.

Oil are like the Hawks a few years a back, without Keith, Seabrook and Byfuglien. So yeah, they aren't going anywhere just yet.

They need a few d-men. And a younger goalie. Then they might have a hope.

Canucks need to really focus on replicating that Detroit model, within a year or two or three there needs to be guys getting groomed to be first line players. Kesler is mid-life in his career. Sedins are beginning the final 1/3. So there has to be some planning happening. Datsyuk and Zetterberg-like draft choices? #iwouldntcountonit! #cody?

First off, how often do you get a guy like Zetterburg in the late rounds - very rarely.

As for Detroit, they have some of the best older guys in the league - that's why they are successful at the moment. They will need a major rebuild in the very near future.

[BCExpat]

My thoughts:

- This rivalry is all but dead. Playing Calgary now is just one more boring game. The fire that used to follow these two teams is gone. Until the Flames become competitive again I guess this will be what we can have to expect.

The problem is, by the time the Flames do become competitive again, the Canucks probably won't be that competitive. So, the cycle goes. I just hope that in about 3 or 4 years, the Flames are like the Oilers are now.

Calgary will have to lose the leafs west mojo they got going on over there or they may sit in limbo for decades. for what you wish to happen they need to ship out kipper and Iggy for draft picks and sit at the bottom of the standings for 4 or 5 years to stock up on picks. then wait the typical 5 years before the investment to start to show some returns and you better hope that the next Crosby is playing midget somewhere...

This is why a complete rebuild is a very hit and miss thing. Just because you get a lot of high draft picks, doesn't mean you'll have a good team in 3 to 5 years. It fails way more often than it is successful. The Hawks lucked out, but for every success like this, there are teams like the NY Islanders, who have been in rebuild mode since the last time they won a cup. Even with Edmonton - as Mondi mentioned, they need some D and a younger goalie. That's going to be tricky as they will have all these young guys coming up for contract renewal - you can bet they won't be signing for home town discounts in Edmonton. I can see them having to ship out some of their young guys just to get under the cap - much like Chicago did after they won a cup. Is Edmonton going to win a cup before that happens? So rebuilding is a slippery slope - hopefully the Flames get it right.

[Per]

Sportsnet West panel= Somewhere in LA Gretzkys sitting on a couch saying if Luongo played goal when I was in the NHL I would've scored 20 more a season.

My god we need to get rid of this tool. The rest of the league is laughing at us...

If they are laughing at us, which I btw doubt, it would have to be for how quickly we get our panties in a twist just because the starting goalie in the tandem that last year won the William Jennings trophy and took us to game seven of the SCF goes through the same October slump he always does...

[tantalum]

Really find it hard to believe some of the things that were written at Bountiful last night. But it's canuck fans that lack class. Sure whatever.

[Mr.Miyagi]

Sportsnet West panel

LOL I couldn't handle the play by play guys ... they sound like they are having a quiet conversation over a cup of tea. Being forced to watch the West feed has reminded me just how damn good Shorthouse is.

I never thought I would ever say this but ... SNET Flames needs to bring back Loubardias! wtf?

As for the panel ... if you are referring to Doug Maclean and Jeff Marek I would put those two up there as two of the most anti-canuck broadcasters in the game. Listen to Hockey Central at noon ET, then you can see how much of an idiot Doug Maclean is. I never minded Marek on HNIC until the playoffs last year. He jumped on the anti-Canuck bandwagon and forgot to get off.

BTW i LOVED the Kesler hit on Comeau. Nice work.

[Uncle dans leg]

Sportsnet West panel= Somewhere in LA Gretzkys sitting on a couch saying if Luongo played goal when I was in the NHL I would've scored 20 more a season.

My god we need to get rid of this tool. The rest of the league is laughing at us...

If they are laughing at us, which I btw doubt, it would have to be for how quickly we get our panties in a twist just because the starting goalie in the tandem that last year won the William Jennings trophy and took us to game seven of the SCF goes through the same October slump he always does...

Ok maybe they're only laughing at him then!
It's not his slow starts that get to me it's the annual April meltdowns.

[Jovocop]

Sportsnet West panel= Somewhere in LA Gretzkys sitting on a couch saying if Luongo played goal when I was in the NHL I would've scored 20 more a season.

My god we need to get rid of this tool. The rest of the league is laughing at us...

If they are laughing at us, which I btw doubt, it would have to be for how quickly we get our panties in a twist just because the starting goalie in the tandem that last year won the William Jennings trophy and took us to game seven of the SCF goes through the same October slump he always does...

Ok maybe they're only laughing at him then!
It's not his slow starts that get to me it's the annual April meltdowns.

His actual meltdown last season was in June.