Canucks News N Notes 24-25

[Meds]

You’d be very naive to think the Hughes brothers/family and Jersey organization hasn’t considered the possibility, all joking about it aside.

Equally naive to think the Hughes brothers/family and the Vancouver organization hasn't considered the possibility. Jersey just has 2 of the 3 already and a few more aces in their hand (proximity to Hughes parents, an American city).

[Chef Boi RD]

Rip the bandaid off. One core player ain’t going to get it done here. Petey, until he proves differently, has been removed from the “core” list. Quinn sees the writing on the wall.

Petey’s return to his former glory would do a lot to help convince Quinn to stay. If Petey continues with the shit we’ve painfully witnessed from him the last season and a half then I could see that as being a major factor as to why Hughes would consider leaving. There ain’t no core level players coming up through the pipeline, Willander maybe. A big maybe. But we need forwards don’t we. Fuck even the shittiest teams in the league have better top 6 forwards than we do. It’s abysmal here.

[Nuckertuzzi]

Remember when they asked Jack at the 4 Nations how disappointed he was that he couldn't play with Quinn? He laughed it off and said no, we'll have plenty of opportunities to play together. Of course he was probably referring to the Olympics but maybe it was more. Perhaps he knew the grand plan was already in place. Much like Johnny Hockey and M.Tkachuk knew they weren't going to be Flames beyond their last contracts. Only they and possibly people in their inner circle would know. Can't get more inner circle than a brother you can potentially join. After JR's presser, guessing the Nucks and perhaps the Devils also know. It's really no secret and I'm guessing that's why JR didn't mind openly saying it.

[Chef Boi RD]

Remember when they asked Jack at the 4 Nations how disappointed he was that he couldn't play with Quinn? He laughed it off and said no, we'll have plenty of opportunities to play together. Of course he was probably referring to the Olympics but maybe it was more. Perhaps he knew the grand plan was already in place. Much like Johnny Hockey and M.Tkachuk knew they weren't going to be Flames beyond their last contracts. Only they and possibly people in their inner circle would know. Can't get more inner circle than a brother you can potentially join. After JR's presser, guessing the Nucks and perhaps the Devils also know. It's really no secret and I'm guessing that's why JR didn't mind openly saying it.

Exactly. Rutherford ain’t an idiot. He said all that about Quinn wanting to play with his brothers because he had good reason to say it.

[Nuckertuzzi]

Forget ownership; I don't think the fan-base could handle a rebuild at this point.

We know ownership can't. Fans? I think this market is savvy enough to know that the alternative is not working and much much harder to handle. Staying on the same path after 2011 of perpetually chasing quick turnarounds by continually bleeding future resources to do it only keeps you spinning your wheels. There's a chance it can get you competitive from time to time, but little chance of achieving anything special. Pretty much ZERO for the ultimate goal. Most fans know this. The problem is the impatient ones don't or don't really care about championships and will be content as long as the team is reasonably competitive.

[Chef Boi RD]

Quinn Hughes by himself ain’t winning us a Stanley Cup. It just floats us in that land of mediocrity, where we seem to always be - The Wildcard Zone. But I gather that’s all that matters with this ownership. All the good teams (playoff teams) have at minimum two elite players. The real good teams have multiple elite players. The Canucks? We just have one and nothing coming. Unless, Pettersson snaps out of his self induced coma

Tear it the fuck down, start from scratch. I can’t stand the tease. We all see the limitations. Ya just know that teams like Utah, Anaheim, Chicago, San Jose will be passing us soon. They all have multiple elite talent in the works. We don’t.

The pain is real

[Lancer]

Alright...

A Counter-Point: There is reason for optimism. There is a solid path that sees Quinn locked-up in Vancouver till he retires and this team contending.

Petey has his moment of clarity; turns his heart to the Offseason Gods of Hank and Danny; and redeems himself next season with a "Fuck You!" statement to the league. This is a kid who's had the cold, hard cock-slap to the ego this year. He wants to succeed, and now understands the work that has to go into that. He has a long offseason to medically/physically right himself. We've seen what this kid can do out there. There is more reason to say he will bounce back than he won't.

Management gets a credible 2C. It will likely cost this year's 1st round pick, Willander and somebody else (Chytil, if he's healthy or Höglander), but that's likely the going rate. As to who that would be is for some other discussion. All to say, depending on who goes the other way in trade, combined with whatever FA signings management makes this summer that the forward lineup has a solid chance to be demonstrably better than last year - with or without a rejuvenated Petey. Hell, if Chytil doesn't end up going the other way, centre could go from the thinnest position on the team to a strength.

Management gets a credible coach who gets the players' buy-in and confidence while building on the structural foundations of their play with their own twist. There are enough available coaches out there now - and likely more by the time of the draft - who, while perhaps not being as good as Tocchet, aren't Clipboard Willies either. There are also enough testimonials out there of first-time coaches turning out to be successes despite their lack of time-in at the NHL-level. Manny could be one. It could be Foote too. Maybe one of them takes Toccchet's system and adding more room for offensive creativity? Losing Tocchet stings, but there are credible alternatives out there.

Quinn can continue to show his principled nature and state at some point (and he likely will come training camp - or he should; you have to address the elephant in the room) that he's committed to being the Captain that brings the Cup here. You think about the American defections from Calgary, neither Gaudreau no Tkachuk expressed their responsibility to their team and the city like Quinn has. No doubt he would like to play with his brothers. How long did Scott and Rob Niedermayer play on different teams? How often did all the Sutter brothers play together? The Hughes are not the first bunch of siblings in the league. Quinn has never struck me as a mercenary like Tkachuk or Gaudreau. Quite the opposite; he's embraced being the face of the franchise. This is his team, and everyone knows it. He has leverage here he likely wouldn't in NJ. I can understand his silence right now. He's no doubt waiting to see how everything shakes out, or considers saying anything at this point would not make things better. I would give better odds that he stays, especially if the above conditions are met.

The way this season ended, and the with way the gleeful media vultures are going on, it can look pretty bleak. It also looks pretty promising too. Quinn himself praised the quality of the blueline and goaltending, and said they aren't that far away. There's solid reason for hope. Let's see what management does before we toss the team in the bin.

...okay, that's all the positivity I got for now.

[Nuckertuzzi]

Unless, Pettersson snaps out of his self induced coma

Even that's not enough. Can anybody honestly see a healthy and firing on all cylinders Petey, healthy and firing on all cylinders Demko, and Quinn being Quinn enough to lead this team to the promised land?

I don't. There still needs to be at least two or three big finishing pieces and they're either unavailable or unattainable.

Now that said, if all I mentioned above were to happen and can be maintained beyond a couple of seasons (meaning a Quinn re-up), then I can see a path where we can capitalize on future opportunities because you never know what might shake free a few years from now, and/or perhaps some of our promising youth hit another level by then.

A lot of ifs but this would be the only way I would stay on course longterm with the current plan.

[Cousin Strawberry]

So to add a wrinkle...

Apparently it has been discussed around "certain circles" that Jersey is growing antsy about Jack and his propensity to get fucked up and miss games. Luke hasn't graduated from a 3-4-5 defender to top pairing guy like they were hoping.

So...knowing that wily old balls bastard JR...you just know he's looking into pitching for the Hughes boys.

The haul going that way would clean out the organization for a generation but I can see him throwing it all in on that one. Definitely

[Nuckertuzzi]

Great post Lancer.

The rebuild is the nuclear option. The compelling argument for it is Quinn's uncertain future here weighed against his value the longer we wait. It's real and it has to be acknowledged/considered.

To be honest I'm not quite there just yet. My priority is to see Quinn stay longterm and do whatever we can to build around him in the meantime because we've only had two guys like him in 50 years. Meaning we'll be lucky to find another two in the next 50. So that's not a scenario I'm too excited about and would rather kick it down the road as long as he's here.

The moment it goes south however, either another shitty season and/or the possibly of an extension looks bleak, it's nuclear option time baby. Like, immediately.

[Nuckertuzzi]

The haul going that way would clean out the organization for a generation but I can see him throwing it all in on that one.

This thought has crossed my mind as well. Would involve Petey with sal retention, Jr Petey AND Willander for starters. Hell throw in all the Swedes while we're at it (that's not a shot at Swedes btw, I don't have a problem with them). Or perhaps Lekk in place of D.Petey. He's the one guy I'd hate to lose.

I would not be opposed to this tbh. Would be expensive as hell but you can think of it as the cost of buying a generational player for potentially another decade. With all the Hughes under 25, we can rebuild around them and with less of a ticking clock.

[Chef Boi RD]

So to add a wrinkle...

Apparently it has been discussed around "certain circles" that Jersey is growing antsy about Jack and his propensity to get fucked up and miss games. Luke hasn't graduated from a 3-4-5 defender to top pairing guy like they were hoping.

So...knowing that wily old balls bastard JR...you just know he's looking into pitching for the Hughes boys.

The haul going that way would clean out the organization for a generation but I can see him throwing it all in on that one. Definitely

Petey and Willander

For

Hughes and Hughes

But I to worry about the Hughes bros health, they are all small and slight. Luke hasn’t really wow’s the league, and he may never. I certainly wasn’t impressed in the games I saw him.

[theman]

So to add a wrinkle...

Apparently it has been discussed around "certain circles" that Jersey is growing antsy about Jack and his propensity to get fucked up and miss games. Luke hasn't graduated from a 3-4-5 defender to top pairing guy like they were hoping.

So...knowing that wily old balls bastard JR...you just know he's looking into pitching for the Hughes boys.

The haul going that way would clean out the organization for a generation but I can see him throwing it all in on that one. Definitely

Petey and Willander

For

Hughes and Hughes

But I to worry about the Hughes bros health, they are all small and slight. Luke hasn’t really wow’s the league, and he may never. I certainly wasn’t impressed in the games I saw him.

If that is what it takes to get the two Hughes here, I would make that trade and take that risk on their health. Is Luke a RD or LD?

[Nuckertuzzi]

Cost is going to take much much more than that. From Jersey's perspective, they're not just giving up Jack and Luke, it's Quinn as well. For us it's the cost of buying Quinn back. So it'll take a massive haul.

[Meds]

So to add a wrinkle...

Apparently it has been discussed around "certain circles" that Jersey is growing antsy about Jack and his propensity to get fucked up and miss games. Luke hasn't graduated from a 3-4-5 defender to top pairing guy like they were hoping.

So...knowing that wily old balls bastard JR...you just know he's looking into pitching for the Hughes boys.

The haul going that way would clean out the organization for a generation but I can see him throwing it all in on that one. Definitely

Petey and Willander

For

Hughes and Hughes

But I to worry about the Hughes bros health, they are all small and slight. Luke hasn’t really wow’s the league, and he may never. I certainly wasn’t impressed in the games I saw him.

Petey + 2027 1st for Barzal

Willander + 2025 1st + Parts for Hughes + Hughes

Total cost.....

Pettersson (addition by subtraction )
Willander
2 x 1sts
Parts

For all 3 Hughes.....considering how good Quinn is, I'm paying that all day.