Around the league (signings, RFAs injuries)

[SKYO]

Mëds this team needs more than the Biter and Miller off the books next year. Apparently they ( and a lot of delusional fans) fancy themselves as playoff contenders this and every year. With large raises to Gudbranson, Horvat and Ben Hutton , how do they add D help or 2nd line help? They don't. And really they also need some size up front that can actually play. I see Virtanen and ........... nobody in the pipeline. A lot of wet farts in the top nine. That shit doesn't make the playoffs let alone win a round or two.

This is why the contracts to Sbisa, Dorsett and the Ethiopian suck shit and hamstring the team from improving for the next few years.

Next year the cap will be tight with Bo, Guds, Huts new contracts kicks in, but lest ye forget the Sedins, Sbisa, Hansen contracts are done in 2018/19 that's almost $20M in more cap space after the $10.5M gone from Burrows and Miller 2017 offseason.


Sedins could re-sign for $4m each in 2018/19 if the Canucks are close to winning a cup, with a good trade here a good UFA signing there and Horvat, Boeser, Baertschi, Rodin, Gaunce, Hutton, Stecher, Tryamkin all help the team get better.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Those aforementioned three along with Markstroms raise make it tighter than hell next year for a bottom 5-10 team.

Jesus why can't some of you admit those contracts are fucking garbage. Own it ffs.

Great they get some relief in 2018, until the next garbage contracts are signed by Ignitowski

[Strangelove]

This is why the contracts to Sbisa, Dorsett and the Ethiopian suck shit and hamstring the team from improving for the next few years.

Pretty sure you're on record as saying Sutter is only overpaid $500K in your opinion.

Dorsett something similar.

Much ado about nothing then?

And IF your Lord Benning is lying through his teeth about Sbisa being entirely trade-able

... well a buyout next summer could be done with a similar cap-hit to that of the retained Luongo.

You know, that retained salary we continue to pay each and every year for all eternity...

Now which idiot GM was it that opted to retain on Luongo rather than CBO him?

Well okay, Lou retention + Higgins buyout (who was the idiot GM who signed Higgins to that contract?)

Regardless, your Vancouver Canucks will have plenty of cap-room to re-sign those young lads of whom you speak.

Guess what I'm trying to say is that you are so full of shit your eyes are bulging!

[Blob Mckenzie]

lol I am gong to laugh my ass off at the get along gang and the back pedalling when Elmer the wrinser gets gassed in the next year or two.

[Strangelove]

Mark my words, someday you will worship a statue of Lord Benning out front Rogers Arena!

[Meds]

Mëds this team needs more than the Biter and Miller off the books next year. Apparently they ( and a lot of delusional fans) fancy themselves as playoff contenders this and every year. With large raises to Gudbranson, Horvat and Ben Hutton , how do they add D help or 2nd line help? They don't. And really they also need some size up front that can actually play. I see Virtanen and ........... nobody in the pipeline. A lot of wet farts in the top nine. That shit doesn't make the playoffs let alone win a round or two.

This is why the contracts to Sbisa, Dorsett and the Ethiopian suck shit and hamstring the team from improving for the next few years.

Blobcat, you missed my point.

My point was that Benning is an idiot for overvaluing Sbisa and that is why he hasn't pulled the trigger on a deal.....and why Lucy is still here.

[Meds]

Mëds this team needs more than the Biter and Miller off the books next year. Apparently they ( and a lot of delusional fans) fancy themselves as playoff contenders this and every year. With large raises to Gudbranson, Horvat and Ben Hutton , how do they add D help or 2nd line help? They don't. And really they also need some size up front that can actually play. I see Virtanen and ........... nobody in the pipeline. A lot of wet farts in the top nine. That shit doesn't make the playoffs let alone win a round or two.

This is why the contracts to Sbisa, Dorsett and the Ethiopian suck shit and hamstring the team from improving for the next few years.

Next year the cap will be tight with Bo, Guds, Huts new contracts kicks in, but lest ye forget the Sedins, Sbisa, Hansen contracts are done in 2018/19 that's almost $20M in more cap space after the $10.5M gone from Burrows and Miller 2017 offseason.

Bo and Gudbranson could eat up the lion share of that $10.5M in a real hurry if they have even halfway decent seasons.

Gudbranson is our ONLY big, physical, NHL proven, defenseman. He's a legit top-4. If he improves at all in more of a two-way role than he had in Florida $5M is the minimum we are paying him.

Bo had a 40 point sophomore season playing way over his head because of injuries to other players. If Horvat takes another step forward in his development he could easily be staring down 20+ goals and 50 points.

Sean Monahan over in Calgary is another young 2-way center, albeit Monahan has a stronger offensive component to his game, but he also played with Gaudreau and Hudler, was 2nd on the team in PP/TOI, and averaged 48 seconds of PK time per game.....he scored 63 points playing first line and first unit minutes with a pair of scoring wingers. He also saw over 19 minutes of TOI per game.

Bo led Canuck forwards in PK time, by a country mile. He played with developing wingers, and got half the PP time that Monahan saw. His zone starts were far more heavily weighted in the defensive zone, he hit almost twice as much, and blocked more too.

Monahan just finished his ELC and inked over $6M per for 6 years. If Horvat hits 50 points playing with 3rd line calibre wingers, there is no way that Benning can sign him for less than $5M.

Blob is totally right about us having some boat anchors tied to players who are being paid 25% more than they should be.

[Mickey107]

The Gudbranson/Trymakin pairing was bad. The Gudbranson/Hutton pairing is good.

Trymakin is struggling a bit back on the left side, he prefers the right. He could use a season in Utica to adjust to the smaller ice but his contract situation will likely dictate he stays and if he does, he needs to play.

Larsen has not sucked. He's actually been tougher along the boards than I thought he would be. He has not shown flashes offensively yet like Stecher and Hutton but he has the experience and deserves a shot. He is better defensively than Weber but needs to produce. He was brought in to anchor the PP and I think we should give him a chance to do that with a fill line up.

All things being equal, say for argument sake, between Biega and Pedan, one has to be waived. Let's say they both clear. Who would you rather have press box duty with the Canucks and who would you rather play 18 minutes a night with Utica? Because whoever stays is staying as a 7-8 guy.

If Trymakin won't go to Utica you can rotate him in and out of the line up with Sbisa and Larsen and either Biega or Pedan. It's the problem we all saw before camp started and the big wrinkle has been Stetcher. As I mentioned a month ago the Canucks foresaw this issue once they saw Stetcher on the ice and there has been internal dialogue since.

Benning has a few pieces on D he is trying to dangle to get a top six. The problem, IMHO, is that he overvalues Sbisa and thus no trade to date. He sees Sbisa as top four and as such thinks a top four D should land you a top six winger. Buffalo needs LHD and Colorado needs RHD. There are trades to be made but the price is high and Sbisa alone won't do it. Tanev would get us Landeskog and Hutton would get us E. Kane. Are either worth it? Perhaps Tanev if we put Trymakin back on the right side but I don't know how he would partner with Edler. but Stetcher played very well with Edler which just might make it more attractive to trade Tanev now.

I would rather keep a top four of Tanev/Edler, Gudbranson/Hutton. With the other bodies we can ice a serviceable 5-6 pairing that can play 15-18 a night depending upon special team opportunities in any given game. But if we trade Tanev I think Stetcher could step right in and play with Edler and that still leaves our bottom pairing with four guys fighting it out.

If Tanev alone would have got us Landeskog, I'm pretty sure it would have been done.
But; I think what was asked was Tanev and our "unconditional first round 2017 pick", no matter where we finished.
Not second, FIRST. Also understand that was the end of it.
Again, this comes from an old friend that is still involved down there in a minor capacity. I guess there's a chance it wasn't exactly that way, but I have no reason to disbelieve it either. Wish I could have found out more...

[Hockey Widow]

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.

[Cousin Strawberry]

Taken from The Score app...
NHL Season Preview: Forecasting the final standings
Justin Cuthbert Oct 6, 2016 8:59 AM
Eastern Conference

Metropolitan Division

Team Points
Capitals 110
Penguins 103
Flyers 98
Rangers 96
Islanders 93
Hurricanes 85
Devils 83
Blue Jackets 75
Though the Penguins captured the hardware that matters last season, it's the Capitals returning a roster deeper than the one that racked up 120 regular-season points, and who are best equipped to separate themselves over the course of an 82-game campaign. ... Philadelphia sees a marginal increase in total points, but upgrades from wild-card position with the two New York teams taking a step back. ...The Hurricanes and Devils don't have the horses yet.

Atlantic Division


Team Points
Lightning 107
Panthers 100
Bruins 94
Canadiens 93
Sabres 86
Red Wings 85
Senators 81
Maple leaves 80
The two Floridian outfits that combined for a plus-62 goal differential remain the class of the division. ... With Carey Price back, the Canadiens (not the Red Wings) challenge the Bruins for the final playoff spot, but settle for the wild card. ... Detroit misses the postseason for the first time in more than a quarter-century, finishing tightly bunched at the bottom with the other three non-playoff teams. There, success and failure is all relative.

First-round matchups

Capitals vs. Canadiens (w)
Lightning vs. Rangers (w)
Penguins vs. Flyers
Panthers vs. Bruins

Western Conference

Central Division


Team Points
Stars 105
Predators 103
Blackhawks 102
Blues 98
Avalanche 91
Jets 90
Wild 83
Finishing at the top of the NHL's premier division are three Stanley Cup contenders in the Stars, Predators, and Blackhawks, while the slightly diminished Blues slip into the wild-card slot, but remain formidable. ... The Avalanche and Jets are two of the most improved teams, which is illustrated by their points increases, but only one can fit into the postseason bracket. ... Aging and under new direction, the Wild become victims of the Central this time around.

Pacific Division


Team Points
Sharks 103
Ducks 94
Kings 89
Flames 88
Coyotes 86
Oilers 83
Canucks 74
As most teams inside the division trend toward the mean, San Jose maintains its distance and takes the Pacific crown from Anaheim. ... The Kings perhaps take the biggest step back, but the Flames, Coyotes, and Oilers, who make huge strides developmentally, take enough from one another for them to survive. ... It might not show, but the Canucks are better than the team that was outscored by a 52-goal margin last season, albeit marginally.

First-round matchups

Stars vs. Avalanche (w)
Sharks vs. Blues (w)
Predators vs. Blackhawks
Ducks vs. Kings
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

[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.