Around the league (signings, RFAs injuries)

[Island Nucklehead]

I don't want to tank, I want to make the playoffs but I wouldn't cry if we are out of it by TDD either.

Given that this is the Around the League thread... can we name the teams the Canucks will beat out for a playoff spot next season? Do we expect to finish second in the division again?

For me:
Anaheim... nope, class of the division.
Calgary... nope, got even better than when they shit-canned us. (Gio back + Hamilton).
LA..... nope, they'll bounce back.
San Jose.... depends on Jones, but likely not.
Edmonton... I think they'll close on us in the standings.
Arizona.... Matthews territory.

The Central I see us only being better than Colorado. Don't see us being better than Chi/Nas/St Lou/Minny/Peg/Winni or Dallas.

[Hockey Widow]

I don't want to tank, I want to make the playoffs but I wouldn't cry if we are out of it by TDD either.

Given that this is the Around the League thread... can we name the teams the Canucks will beat out for a playoff spot next season? Do we expect to finish second in the division again?

For me:
Anaheim... nope, class of the division.
Calgary... nope, got even better than when they shit-canned us. (Gio back + Hamilton).
LA..... nope, they'll bounce back.
San Jose.... depends on Jones, but likely not.
Edmonton... I think they'll close on us in the standings.
Arizona.... Matthews territory.

The Central I see us only being better than Colorado. Don't see us being better than Chi/Nas/St Lou/Minny/Peg/Winni or Dallas.

Well that should put us in Matthews territory as well then.

Anaheim.....they'll take the division

Calgary.....yes, they will have Gio back and they have Hamilton. But their goaltending is hot and cold, no more Kipper days. Can their first line repeat? They should make the playoffs but I don't see them being far from us, up or down.

LA......should definetly bounce back, well rested. I think they learned they can no longer coast in the regular season. But defence will be an issue and they have slowed down. Lucic won't help their speed but he will make their second line stronger. They should make the playoffs and if they play all season they will be second.

Edmonton.....even with McJesus I still don't think they make it. If they were in the east maybe.

Arizona......enough said

SJS..... They miss again

Out of Dallas, Chicago, St. Louis, Minny, Nashville and Winnipeg........will be tough to finish ahead of those teams but only Chicago is elite. Still Chicago was in a dog fight to make the playoffs. They have gotten weaker, defence is thin. I think we can finish ahead of Colorado, Dallas, Minny, and maybe Winnipeg and St. Louis.

Won't be easy for sure but I think we can snag a wild card spot. But ask me in December

[Island Nucklehead]

Well that should put us in Matthews territory as well then.

Honestly, I don't think we're far off. Thankfully this "re-tool/build" has been going on for several seasons (since Horvat came in), so the fans might not even realize that we've hit rock bottom until the TDD. I think there a number of teams in the East that are shit (Carolina, New Jersey, Toronto, Florida come to mind), and so I don't think we'll be getting Matthews. I do think we're in line for a 10th-13th finish in the West, though, and with the improved lottery chances who knows!?

[Cousin Strawberry]

I do think we're in line for a 10th-13th finish in the West

Oh great. The ideal draft spot for the double penetration

[dbr]

a 4th line face-puncher

Is that all you think of Prust?

Pretty much. He played 11 mins/game last season, 11th on Montreal's forwards. He did get significant PK time, but Vancouver had the 2nd-best PK in the league, not sure how much improvement we need (a .07 % improvement would make us #1). I don't see him supplanting Bonino, Higgins, Burrows or Hansen. Horvat will likely take over for Richardson, so Prust might eat some of Matthias' PK time, but that's it. He doesn't score. He hits less than Kassian. What he does do is fight. 16 times last season. 3rd in the league, and one less than Dorsett.

Anyone expecting Prust, at 31, to go back in time to when he was 26 is delusional. Assuming he doesn't get hurt, he'll be good for 11-12 minutes per night, 15 fights, and 12-15 points. It's probably exactly what the Canucks are after, but the price to attain it was horrid.

Well at least we know Prust up's his game tremendously in the playoffs...

http://sportlogiq.com/2015/07/16/brando ... k-kassian/

'Did the Habs make a mistake trading Brandon Prust? '

..Essentially each scoring chance play is the result of an event chain, and every successful event in an unbroken chain, will lead to that player getting credit.

Approaching scoring chances this way allows us to see which players are most involved in creating offence, not just attributing everything to the shooter...

Brandon Prust is a significant standout here, as not only the Habs’ leading scoring chance producer, but the only player with a valid sample to significantly improve in the playoffs on their regular season numbers.

Prust’s numbers in the regular season were impressive as is for a fourth liner, out-producing Dale Weise in offence creation in spite of significantly tougher minutes, and with significantly less talented linemates. However the playoff numbers he was able to produce are astonishing.

In the playoffs, Prust’s ability to create scoring chances was nearly at Max Pacioretty levels, made even more impressive when you consider that he started a staggering number of his shifts in the defensive zone. Unfortunately for Prust, the Canadiens couldn’t score to save their lives in the playoffs, so all his great play went virtually unnoticed, though perhaps not by the Vancouver Canucks.

SKYO did you even read the article?

It's about Prust's scoring chances for in one series from this playoff year.

You could use it to conclude that he "ups his game in the playoffs" or that he is just a high event player (could have been bleeding chances in his own zone at the same time) or that he had a hot streak or advantageous matchup in this one series - or you could rightfully conclude nothing at all because it measures stats in one end of the rink over half a playoffs.

[Chef Boi RD]

Pretty convinced we are a lottery team this year. A lot of good young improving teams with upward momentum - Oilers, Flames, Jets, Senators should pass us but I think a lot of good young teams had off years last year who were behind us in the standings, should pass us. Blues, Stars, Wild, Sharks, Kings, Blue Jackets, Avalanche, Penguins, Flyers should all rebound past us next year.

Ducks, Hawks, Preds, Rangers, Capitals, Islanders, Lightning, Habs will all be better than us.

Sabres, leaves and Coyotes will be the 3 worst teams in the league, with the Devils and Canes not to far behind.

The Nucks will finish somewhere between 6th and 10th overall. The Bruins are like the Canucks right now - transitioning and should be atound where we finish. Panthers should be better than us

Canucks for sure between 6th and 10th overall. I'd be very happy with that. With improved lottery chances in 2016, we could have very good chances to land the big 3 - Matthews, Puliarvi and Chychrun.

[dbr]

The Flyers look like they could be real offer sheet targets next year.

I don't know who the team can protect with arbitration but they already have almost $49m going to 13 players - not including Voracek, Brayden Schenn or Couturier.

[Chef Boi RD]

The lame Schenn brothers will most likely be expendable. The Flyers will most Likely be in that 6th to 10th category with us in the standings

[Meds]

Sounds like the Caps are having fun with their goaltending situation.....

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/nhl- ... -chiasson/

I don't think Holtby is worth that much.....

[dbr]

It's not too often a player gets their "ask" in arbitration - last one I recall off-hand is Shea Weber four years ago.

And no, Holtby's RFA years are probably not worth that number he's not going to get.

[the toucan kid]

but the price to attain it was horrid.

It was crap for crap... how can that be?

Edit: Although it should be said that corsi seems to like Kassian. I dunno, maybe there's something there for him as something other than a power forward?

[lostinarink]

Lou leaves NJ to become Leaf GM

What are people thoughts?

I think that he will bring lots of respect but dont see any radical improvement for the upcoming year.

[Topper]

Lou leaves NJ to become Leaf GM

What are people thoughts?

I think that he will bring lots of respect but dont see any radical improvement for the upcoming year.

Thanks for drafting me - Love Brendan

Babcock nervously looks over his shoulder........

[Lancer]

Lou leaves NJ to become Leaf GM

What are people thoughts?

I think that he will bring lots of respect but dont see any radical improvement for the upcoming year.

Doesn't make sense IMO. They were all talking about 'leadership by consensus' and having all these big egosbrains at the management 'working collaboratively' all spring and summer and now... in comes one of the biggest egos this side of Burke.

BS-spewing, 180-degree turn-around, flip-flopping, whichever way they want to spin it. This should be fun to watch. How long before Lou throws up his hands and says he's too old for that shit?

[ESQ]

Lou leaves NJ to become Leaf GM

What are people thoughts?

I think that he will bring lots of respect but dont see any radical improvement for the upcoming year.

Doesn't make sense IMO. They were all talking about 'leadership by consensus' and having all these big egosbrains at the management 'working collaboratively' all spring and summer and now... in comes one of the biggest egos this side of Burke.

BS-spewing, 180-degree turn-around, flip-flopping, whichever way they want to spin it. This should be fun to watch. How long before Lou throws up his hands and says he's too old for that shit?

I absolutely love it - I wonder if its part of a conspiracy by Rogers/Bell to ensure they have enough material to fill up their 15 channels of leaves coverage with constant coverage of the ridiculous gong show Lamoriello and Shanahan are going to be. What a zoo!