Canucks News N Notes 2020-2021

[Cousin Strawberry]

your fellow ster

[Carl Yagro]

Really good post by the first-ster. Then the next-ster literally comes in and shits all over it.

After the progress the team has finally made, and the uncertainty of next season in a new flat-cap world, you'd think people would chill out a bit a squeeze the ol' sphincter a bit harder... but nope, shit is sprayed everywhere once again.

It's not like other teams' GMs aren't also having a hard time, right? It's not like they didn't give out too many dollars, too much term and NMCs. But only JB should be held accountable for not knowing the covid future when he signed those bad (yes, they were bad) contracts 3-4 years ago. What shameful incompetence.

[Topper]

Jimmy is now considered one of the elite team builders in the same class as Sakic and Yzerman.

This isn’t news to the likes of Doc and I. But then again we’ve always been 1-2 years ahead of everybody

I'm laughing at people who are now waking up to follow expiring contracts. Doc and I were discussing it when the Genius began his rebuildtool and everyone was arguing semantics

Good grief. I get a kick how the 'knuckle-grounders' continue to ignore how much of a shit-show Benning created with the outrageously over-priced contracts he dished out to 4th line players, not to mention Eriksson's albatross. I'm inclined to believe that Benning's learning curve has come to fruition now and we'll be less apt to see the overblown contracts of the past being evident in the future (stu crosses his fingers). But hey, I was one of the first to commend Benning after the Canucks finished off St Louis for having a nice blend/balance of players. But along came Vegas and taught Benning and the rest of us about what it really takes to get to the final rounds, and having a sluggish over-paid 4th and 3rd line isn't the formula. Maybe it was true that Benning had to overpay to get players to come here - bummer (gotta wonder how Edmonton entices free agents??).

Anyways we are where we are with the contracts because of Benning. It appears he's being shrewd now about the future - Bravo! He's obviously making the best of things now. Had he not drafted so well, I'm sure mgt. would have let him go by now. It took him 8 years to get where we are. Maybe that's just how long it takes to go from being in a dog-house and eventually evolving to residing in a 3 story modern townhouse? Some teams seem to stay stuck, and others evolve even sooner. Maybe a case could be made that as a mgr evolves, so too does the team?

the 20/20 of those who always look behind them because there is only dust from broom pushing ahead of them

[Hockey Widow]

Ya I'd say Vegas was up against the cap, no? They let a top 4 Dman go for a 3rd rounder, two drafts from now. But hey, lets shit on Benning. See he could get out of this if he wanted to trade some good players for a 3rd too.

[Juggernaught]

I just received an unsubstantiated report that the Canucks signed Mike Hoffman for three years...don't know how they have the cap space?

[Carl Yagro]

Also, rumours about a Gallagher for Virtanen trade in the works... think I'll wait for some official substantiation.

[Hockey Widow]

Hoffman is said to be willing to take a one year deal in the 5.5-6.5 range. Montreal was said to be interested but they inked Toffoli already. f Benning is in on this you had better believe he has a trade worked out to shed cap. No way he can fit Hoffman in without shedding cap.

[mr perfect]

I'd like to see some pumping before I see the dumping.

Moi aussi.

I'd like to see some pumping before I see the dumping.

they need him now that Toffoli is gone, can't see Jimbro trading him unless he's got a adequate RW'er coming back in the deal

Green needs to stop yanking his chain. You don't want him? Go tell JB. Then give him the Stumpy treatment so the GM can get some sort of return.

But you know TG will still play the fuck outta the ilk like Leivo over Jake. He better realize that Aqua has huge expectations now and everyone is on a short leash.

It's a two way street. Jake needs to pull his head out of his ass. The games I watched this past season where Virtanen was moved to the top two lines, Jake was very underwhelming when given the opportunities. Green can't wait forever, his job is to win hockey games and if Jake isn't going to take advantage when he is gifted the chance then he has to be put back on the bottom lines. Don't forget Willie the Clipboard sent Virtanen to the minors so Green isn't the first coach to lose patience with Jake. Virtanen can't continue to float around on the ice waiting for a scoring chance. He has to create those opportunities. Knock someone off the puck. Muscle his way into the dirty areas to score. If challenged when things get heated, velcro himself to the opponent until the refs break it up. During the Canucks playoff run, Virtanen wasn't on the Canucks top lines and didn't kill penalties so he needed to contribute elsewhere with physical play softening up the other teams' D, the same way they were doing to the Canucks. Virtanen came up far short on the forecheck and with the bodychecking. He's had five pro seasons to figure this thing out but the bulb in his head isn't flashing.

[Hockey Widow]

Maybe Virtanen is the cost to move a contract to fit in Hoffman.

[nuckster]

"One could make the case of Manager Jim evolving only if one uses a severely flawed narrative such as the one you just presented." (Dr. Strangelove)

My narrative may have had some holes, but dat statement right dare Doc, yeah, not making sense.

I'm entitled to a critique after being diced up and fried for supper. Truth is, I was trying to escape from the movie the ole lady had on; didn't even read the previous page (and I should have).

I get the impression on here that one has to subscribe to the 'JB is infallible club', or forever be maligned and ripped (like the Blob Mckenzies of the hockey world).

In this frikin covid bastard 'frump' world, it's probably a good idea to not take oneself, or other bloggers, too seriously.

By the way, I tried changing my handle last year, to a non-ster name and found out that the controls were childproof. Whst can i say. I think the whole 'ster' thing stems from SNLs influence in the 80s an 90s - not sure.
Cheers

[Juggernaught]

If true, Hoffman would be an upgrade on Toffoli and automatically improves the power play but at what cost? Probably gonna have to wait until morning to find out.

[Mickey107]

Hoffman is said to be willing to take a one year deal in the 5.5-6.5 range. Montreal was said to be interested but they inked Toffoli already. f Benning is in on this you had better believe he has a trade worked out to shed cap. No way he can fit Hoffman in without shedding cap.

That's a big range. (grin).. Seriously, what would be the point? 31 next month. Bad news to just throw a guy like this in to the dressing room for
a short spell. After that, this is not someone that would be a long term plan. I would say, like Eriksson but I wont.

this must be the link where the rumors are spawning from ..https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2020/10 ... arket.html

[mr perfect]

Hoffman is said to be willing to take a one year deal in the 5.5-6.5 range. Montreal was said to be interested but they inked Toffoli already. f Benning is in on this you had better believe he has a trade worked out to shed cap. No way he can fit Hoffman in without shedding cap.

If Benning can pull this off, shedding the unwanted contracts and signing Hoffman then I'll guzzle the koolaid and worship him as a genius.

[Per]

Guys like Wallmark will be available and be as valuable as Sutter;

Yes!
We need some Björklöven blood! There hasn't been a Björklöven raised player on the roster since Patrik Sundström.

I mean, Rahimi came close. He was in the organisation, but apart from camp, he never wore a Vancouver jersey. Just played in the minors.
100 games with the Moose and 19 with the Salmon Kings. He is btw back in Björklöven now, after ten seasons in the SHL and one in Switzerland.

We hope Wallmark will join the troop now. He didn't dare risk an injury while not under contract, but I assume Chicago will want him to get as much ice time as possible in preparation for whenever the NHL season may begin. Carl Grundström is the only other Björklöven player in the NHL right now, and he has already joined the team.
Or... wait. There is also the Sebastian Aho of the Islanders. He's mainly in the AHL, but he has had 22 games for the Islanders, so... yeah.

There have been a few going the other way... mainly goalies:
Andrew Raycroft played 22 games for Vancouver and 51 for Björklöven
Joe Cannata dressed twice for Vancouver as backup and played 43 games for Björklöven. Would have been more if corona hadn't cancelled the relegation games for the SHL last spring.

Also, Lars Molin coached Björklöven for a while.

[Cousin Strawberry]

Per is a bjork-lover