Around the league (signings, RFAs injuries)

[Mickey107]

If that's the case Micky then glad Benning said no. No matter how much we need a proven top six we need our 1st round picks more. We are no where near good enough or deep enough to be trading our first.

Your right and, no doubt that's what JB thinks too.
About 28 out of 30 GMs would say no, it's not the type of move for the timid.
It's a high risk move. One that could end a GM's career.
You can't blame Colorado though. They would claim they would be the ones taking the risk, right?
For the record; I wouldn't have done it either but would have pondered it for a couple of days.
What is interesting is that I'm guessing, (not sure), Aquillini would have had to have been informed?
I'm getting an impression now that he really is staying out of the player personnel decisions...

[Aaronp18]

Poor Canucks...a lottery team. One constant I've noticed when reading various analysis from media types is the apparent lack of direction and/or confusion whether they are rebuilding or building for a run. I think this is where many of us are also cofused including myself.
Either Benning is this mad genius that moves in mysterious ways and his methods are beyond the grasp of these hockey "experts" or he doesn't know what the fuck he's doing.
Pick your side

Oh the pundits!

Lets look at the 2012-13 roster compared to this year's projected (23 man roster, I made a few assumptions to come up with 23 guys for each year):
2012/13
Henrik Sedin 31
Daniel Sedin 31
Ryan Kesler 28
Jannik Hansen 26
Alexandre Burrows 31
Mason Raymond 26
Chris Higgins 29
David Booth 27
Zack Kassian 21
Maxim Lapierre 27
Jordan Schroeder 21
Dale Weise 24
Andrew Ebbett 29
Kevin Bieksa 31
Chris Tanev 22
Cam Barker 26
Keith Ballard 29
Dan Hamhuis 29
Alexander Edler 26
Jason Garrison 27
Andrew Alberts 31
Cory Schneider 26
Roberto Luongo 33
Avg age - 27.43478261

2016/17
Sven Baertschi 24
Alexandre Burrows 35
Derek Dorsett 30
Loui Eriksson 31
Jack Skille 29
Brendan Gaunce 22
Markus Granlund 23
Jannik Hansen 30
Bo Horvat 21
Anton Rodin 26
Daniel Sedin 36
Henrik Sedin 36
Brandon Sutter 27
Troy Stecher 22
Alexander Edler 30
Erik Gudbranson 24
Ben Hutton 23
Philip Larsen 27
Luca Sbisa 26
Christopher Tanev 27
Nikita Tryamkin 22
Jacob Markstrom 26
Ryan Miller 36
Avg age - 27.52173913

I count 6 guys from that year, that's a 74% turnover rate in 4 years! Now the average age has stayed pretty close to the same but those 6 guys on the roster add 4 years to their age so in order to maintain that 27.5 avg age the rest of the roster has gotten much younger.

Now looking at next year we lose 2 or our oldest players in Burrows and Miller for sure, Sbisa is likely gone as well. We replace them with Virtanen, Demko and possibly Joulevi. Not to mention that we would probably drop Skille, maybe Dorsett and insert guys like Labate and Carcone who are several years younger. This is also assuming that Boeser won't crack next years lineup.

So lets look at perhaps a 2017-18 lineup:
Sven Baertschi 25
Jake Virtanen 21
Derek Dorsett 31
Loui Eriksson 32
Joseph Labate 24
Brendan Gaunce 23
Markus Granlund 24
Jannik Hansen 31
Bo Horvat 22
Anton Rodin 27
Daniel Sedin 37
Henrik Sedin 37
Brandon Sutter 28
Troy Stecher 23
Alexander Edler 31
Erik Gudbranson 25
Ben Hutton 24
Philip Larsen 28
Olli Juolevi 19
Christopher Tanev 28
Nikita Tryamkin 23
Jacob Markstrom 27
Thatcher Demko 21
Avg Age - 26.56521739

We conservatively just dropped a full year in average age despite maintaining 19/23 guys on the roster from the previous year who all add a year to their age.

Now a turnover rate of 74% in 4 years and then dropping your average age to below 27 in year 5 sure looks a lot like a rebuild to me. The Canucks have simply done this without tearing the whole team apart and getting far too young too fast! Teams that rebuild that way struggle with work ethic, can get overly comfortable in a losing culture, and lack leadership - with the end hope, seemingly, being that a franchise player (or 2) falls in your lap and you can build around him.

What we can question is whether this has been the best route to take for a rebuild, and really only time will tell. There is no question this team is being completely redone on the fly. This also makes us susceptible to highs and lows throughout a season. A few injuries and we will struggle as we restock the cupboard, we saw this last year and even at other times the previous years. But we will also see some great stretches when the roster is healthy and the younger players can play within themselves and little by little take over some of the responsibility held by the vets!

Hockey "experts" are amazing beings, how someone can think we are currently building for a run is beyond me. We are trying to make the playoffs, which I have no issue with at all. In the meantime our roster turnover has been unreal and we are putting a lot of effort into developing and bringing in some younger talent.

So because we aren't going full tank these guys can't see the forest, or really don't care to look that closely! Tis' why I've always taken the media's opinion with a grain of salt at most.

[TDA Rum]

2 Thumbs up Aaron ^

[Cousin Strawberry]

This is a refreshing perspective Aaron.

My concerns have definitely been exacerbated by these same media "experts" or pundits and their predictions. Seeing as they are the professional critics and I can only assume are far more enlightened than myself has me wondering where they come up with these predictions.

So Aaron you see the rebuild on the fly model that Benning is doing now as moving in the right direction based on his turnover towards younger while remaining competitive and building on the whole winning culture thing. The detroit model i guess is the closest comparable. Interesting.

I suppose that had the injuries to key players not happened we would've finished closer to a playoff spot but i honestly didn't see much to cheer about other than Hutton and maybe Horvat showing some game. I am definitely happier we drafted top 5 and got a future top player so the year wasnt a total bust.

I guess we can compare how the leaves fare as they are with us at the bottom and we both started rebuilding almost at the same time...almost.

[Meds]

What we can question is whether this has been the best route to take for a rebuild, and really only time will tell. There is no question this team is being completely redone on the fly. This also makes us susceptible to highs and lows throughout a season. A few injuries and we will struggle as we restock the cupboard, we saw this last year and even at other times the previous years. But we will also see some great stretches when the roster is healthy and the younger players can play within themselves and little by little take over some of the responsibility held by the vets!

Hockey "experts" are amazing beings, how someone can think we are currently building for a run is beyond me. We are trying to make the playoffs, which I have no issue with at all. In the meantime our roster turnover has been unreal and we are putting a lot of effort into developing and bringing in some younger talent.

So because we aren't going full tank these guys can't see the forest, or really don't care to look that closely! Tis' why I've always taken the media's opinion with a grain of salt at most.

When I look at that younger roster you project, I can't help but think that this is where "the plan" has gone off the rails. The team has been an obvious first-round exit at best since 2012. We have missed the playoffs twice in the past 3 years. We have only drafted in the top-5 once and we ended up with a defenseman about who there are admittedly mixed opinions. I would prefer to see us come up out of this roster turnover period with a bit more high end talent in the prospect pool.

I think right now we have Boeser, Juolevi, and Demko, who we can hope hit their presumed potential and join a group of lead leaders at their various positions.

I fully expect that Horvat will turn into one of the best 2nd line centers in the league by the time he's 25. If he can develop into a 55-65 point center and maintain his current 2-way game, he will be a steal at 9th overall.

Virtanen and Hutton could also become cornerstones.

But we still lack that game changing player.

I'm not saying aim for the tank, I'm just saying I won't be disappointed if we end up picking in the top-3 this year.

[Aaronp18]

So Aaron you see the rebuild on the fly model that Benning is doing now as moving in the right direction based on his turnover towards younger while remaining competitive and building on the whole winning culture thing. The detroit model i guess is the closest comparable. Interesting.

Detroit maybe, but it's different of course. And we've missed the playoffs a couple times realizing it's time to retool this cupboard.

The most unique aspect is the twins, obviously there is no other situation like it in the league. These are two of the classiest and hardest working guys in the NHL. And Benning is definitely using this as a mentorship program, as he should. It will pay off in spades as our younger players will learn exactly what it's going to take to be successful at this level.

I guess we can compare how the leaves fare as they are with us at the bottom and we both started rebuilding almost at the same time...almost.

Yeah, except the leaves have been ass for decades and really should be well ahead of us.

[Cousin Strawberry]

Yeah, except the leaves have been ass for decades and really should be well ahead of us.

I think they started the latest teardown after Boston destroyed their souls a couple/few years ago in that 1st round 3rd period implosion

[Aaronp18]

But we still lack that game changing player.

I'm not saying aim for the tank, I'm just saying I won't be disappointed if we end up picking in the top-3 this year.

I think we need to wait and see what we really have in Boeser and Juolevi. Horvat could really become that workhorse player who may not score 50 goals but simply plays a 200' game that is integral to success.

We have some pieces as you said, I wouldn't be upset with a top 3 pick either. And if vet injuries pile up again like they did last year we do the same thing and hope for another good pick!

I just hope we don't have that type of injury-riddled season again. Not that I really believe we'll be cup contenders but I want to watch the younger guys develop in time, not being forced into roles they aren't ready for and then getting overwhelmed.

[SKYO]

I just want to see what a full healthy roster can do just for once, is that too much to fucking ask?

[Mickey107]

I just want to see what a full healthy roster can do just for once, is that too much to fucking ask?

Nope!
And one day, we will talk about why that damn instigator rule.

[Rede]

Detroit's been successful through great drafting and development - and so far I'm impressed with Benning's job in that regard even without a ton of picks. I think you ultimately build your team through the draft... either directly or indirectly.

If we keep developing and signing prospects that gives us the flexibility to make moves elsewhere to perhaps acquire a game-changer without tanking. For example, guys like Hall and Subban were traded last offseason - we were apparently interested in Subban, and perhaps with a deeper prospect pool here the story ends differently.

[Cousin Strawberry]

The flamers are giving Tkachuk his 9 games at least.

Source-me

[Hockey Widow]

What the pundits use as a measuring stick are two things:

1) how many vets did you trade and how many assets did you get in return

2) did you stay away from signing FA vets to long term deals.


That's what confuses most who say they are confused about our direction, this rebuild on the fly that Benning prefers to call a transition. The fact that we have not cashed in on trading away players pisses a lot of people off. Then there are the others that don't understand the importance of mentorship.

Great post by the way Aaron.

[Meds]

But we still lack that game changing player.

I'm not saying aim for the tank, I'm just saying I won't be disappointed if we end up picking in the top-3 this year.

I think we need to wait and see what we really have in Boeser and Juolevi. Horvat could really become that workhorse player who may not score 50 goals but simply plays a 200' game that is integral to success.

We have some pieces as you said, I wouldn't be upset with a top 3 pick either. And if vet injuries pile up again like they did last year we do the same thing and hope for another good pick!

I just hope we don't have that type of injury-riddled season again. Not that I really believe we'll be cup contenders but I want to watch the younger guys develop in time, not being forced into roles they aren't ready for and then getting overwhelmed.

If vet injuries pile up again, I want to see Benning actually read the writing on the wall and pull the trigger on guys like Hansen and Burrows for draft pick returns.

[Fifty Fifty]

But we still lack that game changing player.

I'm not saying aim for the tank, I'm just saying I won't be disappointed if we end up picking in the top-3 this year.

I think we need to wait and see what we really have in Boeser and Juolevi. Horvat could really become that workhorse player who may not score 50 goals but simply plays a 200' game that is integral to success.

We have some pieces as you said, I wouldn't be upset with a top 3 pick either. And if vet injuries pile up again like they did last year we do the same thing and hope for another good pick!

I just hope we don't have that type of injury-riddled season again. Not that I really believe we'll be cup contenders but I want to watch the younger guys develop in time, not being forced into roles they aren't ready for and then getting overwhelmed.

If vet injuries pile up again, I want to see Benning actually read the writing on the wall and pull the trigger on guys like Hansen and Burrows for draft pick returns.

Sadly, if it happens, they will probably be among the injured.