The Rebuild...

[Blob Mckenzie]

That reminds me. I've heard very little about the progress of Juolevi.
I suppose if there is nothing glaringly bad or good, there is simply not much to chat about.
Guess we wait till late summer.
Actually, it's quite interesting. He didn't want to go back to London, and I remember agreeing with him.
BUT: Had he, would Evan Bouchard been his team-mate?
Holy Shit-

He was Bouchard’s defence partner the season before

[Mickey107]

Right. So if we don't win the 1st, this has a pretty distinctive odor about what we will do...

[Mickey107]

Hey Blob: You want Brady, don't you?
It's very tempting.

[Chef Boi RD]

Right. So if we don't win the 1st, this has a pretty distinctive odor about what we will do...

The 2018 draft for your Canucks potentially will be 2016 2.0. I see a scenario, if not picking 1st, whereby Benning will take a defencemen ahead of any of Tkachuk, Svechnikov and Zadina if any of them or a combo of are still on the table. I'm OK with a D-man getting picked ahead of Zadina but not Tkachuk and Svechnikov.

I'm not happy with the Juolevi selection but that being said I'm not writing him off because he was the less desirable choice.

[Chef Boi RD]

Really?? What's the difference between 4th and 5th? Once your out of top 3 (arguably 2) what's the difference?!?

Just accept it.

I'd like the pick to stay in the top 3, but you're right, I could see Benning picking a D at 4 if Zadina is the one available. I'd be horrified if Benning took one of the other D outside of Dahlin if Tkachuk or Svechnikov are still available but wouldn't be surprised, it's the Benning way

[nuckster]

Good morning to all of you hard-core loser Canuck 'plebes'. I found my mind ruminating about a couple Canuck related issues this am, and since most of us have the day off, there's actually time to put it into words on the 'corner'.

So I caution you right at the outset, this is a bit of a rant, so hang in.

I was really looking fwd to a piece of the Canuck rebuild that took place last night. Here we have the debut of a young player who is a Hobey Baker finalist (hell, Brock Boeser wasn't a finalist) and what does Green do with him?? He slots him on the 4th line with a player returning from an injury and another rookie who drifts between being a 'plug' and an occasional opportunistic goal scorer; all told, Gaudette gets 9+ minutes. I would bet money, that more people were interested in watching Gaudette last night than were actually concerned about winning (but the jury may be out on that one). So what in hell is the philosophical mind-set of our coach and leadership at this point in the rebuild??

Many if not most fans can appreciate the benefit that exists in finishing low in the standings at this time of year, even if the lottery can bump a team 3 spots back (it think it's 3?). Being assured of a high draft pick for a rebuilding team is crucial. Yet, we have the coach playing vets a significant portion of the time in what appears to be an all out bid to win as many games as he/they can down the final stretch. Interesting dynamic to have a large proportion of fans hoping to see a loss and acquire a higher quality draft pick, vs a coach and a team with many 'so-so' vets looking to win and prove themselves. Where were the frikin 'want to win' vets over the course of the season when wins meant something? So drag the Canuck fans along for a miserable losing ride over the course of the season, and then down the stretch when jockeying for draft position means something, proceed to fuck yourself for the upcoming draft by winning as much as you can. I know, I know about the competitive mind-set of players and how it'sunreasonable to suggest that they 'ease up' or not try. But hey man, mgt could insist on playing the fucking rookies more and we have a back-up goalie that could really help to set the stage for the kind of outcomes that we need right now! The 'schizophrenic' life of being a Canuck fan. Don't get me started on Markstrom - frikin ass plays like an AHL back-up most of the year and now he has found his groove apparently just in time to help fuck up our 'cause' and influence Benning to think that he could/should be our number one next year (granted, if he plays like he is now, over the course of next year, I'll drive his children to school everyday!).

Goldobin looked good last night, and no doubt, Green is teaching Virtanen how to be a player - Green has huge up-side to how he coaches. It appears however that he has a mind-set towards rookies that involves a general 'all rookies need to start at the bottom and work their way up' approach. He had Boeser sit out the first two games of the season - can you imagine that? Boeser only cracked the line-up when he did because of injuries in the line-up. In the case of Gaudette, here's a guy that has all kinds of potential to be much more than a 3rd or 4th line plug - and fans were excited to see him cause hey he's a significant part of our REBUILD, a frikin rebuild. So lets put him out there with players that would even drag Crosby down. Then there's Leipsic?? What the hell? He gets to play with Horvat and is put on the first line in his debut - I mean WTF? Inconsistent much Green?

It seems that over the course of the year there are so many decision-making pieces that just don't add up - from on ice coaching decisions, to Benning's apparent inability to acquire more draft-pick issues, and then re-signing and going fwd with a group on defense that is essentially the worst in the whole NHL. I don't have confidence in this leadership's ability to actually create and manage a high end team in the NHL. Yet, I'll continue to follow them and hope for the best; any success they have will be greatly valued Thanks for indulging my diatribe. All the best to you all this long weekend!

[rats19]

I agree with you nuckster

[2Fingers]

I agree with you nuckster

Me 2.

A problem with a lot of coaches.

Maybe Green wanted to ease him for his first game. If he is still on the 4th line in 2-3 games from now then I see a bigger issue.

The D is horrid and as I posted before, sell Edler now, get some assets back that can help this team in the 20/21 season when this team should be starting to look like a contender.

[Chef Boi RD]

It's a bit frustrating, I was under the impression with Green like I was under the impression with Willie that these 2 were going to give the kids some slack in the rope, trial by fire, but just doesn't seem to be the case. The disconnect with what the fans want again rages on, I guess this little meaningless win streak means something to the coach and vets, the fans don't really dig it. Reminds me of Wilbrods great finish to his rookie campaign, winning a bunch, pushing us further up the standings but thankfully we snagged Boeser at 23. Regardless we are still getting a good prospect if we manage to stay in the top 10. My dream of drafting Dahlin is fading very fast, just gotta hope we pull a New Jersey, Philly or Dallas at the lottery, and not a Vancouver.

[Cousin Strawberry]

This is why we are all ca-sucks.

We suck at winning and then we suck even worse at losing.

Hooray for that winning culture though

[Chef Boi RD]

Sutter and Gagner are leading the charge cause they are the most threatened by hotshot rookies "Sutter is seething at the notion of tanking"

Bubbles loves old School farm boy Sutter barn burning hockey

This draft will not be the curse of Gilbert Perrault. It will be the curse of Dionne/Lafleur, win a meaningless game so we can draft Guevromont 3rd overall!

[Mickey107]

I agree with you nuckster

Me, as well. (almost said that other term. Have to be so careful what you say these days).
Pretty sure Adam will be introduced properly tomorrow afternoon.
Best of the best of the best sort of thing.

[Carl Yagro]

Hey, I want the best odds possible too but the Stars, Ducks and Coil played like complete horseshit that even an AHL Canucks team couldn't lose to them.

That's just they typical Canuck Suck Luck. How can you be surprised by this?

[rats19]

Hey, I want the best odds possible too but the Stars, Ducks and Coil played like complete horseshit that even an AHL Canucks team couldn't lose to them.

That's just they typical Canuck Suck Luck. How can you be surprised by this?

Commentators last night even said the lies on hands of the 4 teams we have just beaten...

[Hockey Widow]

I think everyone is ok with losing right now.

I think everyone wants to finish as low as possible to improve our draft lottery results.

But to expect management, coaches and players to deliberately tank is unrealistic. Yes of course there are examples throughout the history of the NHL where management/coaching did deliberately thank, from Pittsburgh to Edmonton, to Toronto, to Buffalo and others. But those are the anomalies. And with the way the lottery is held today it’s harder to ensure that great result. Hell we dropped to 5OA two years in a row.

I feel the frustration too but to get angry is a waste of energy.

Now about playing the kids more, that I can get on board with, once we were eliminated from the playoffs. Fortunately injuries have forced Green to play them more. I think it will be an ongoing frustration. The twins are better than even odds to return although they are meeting with Benning today to hold preliminary discussions. If they decide to retire I hope they announce now so the fans can give them a proper send off. But I think they return. Sutter will return. Gagne will return. Eriksson will return. Not much room to add a lot of younger players. It will be the usual, if a rookie earns his spot out of camp Benning will make room for him.

I hope we at least move on from Eriksson over the summer. I hope we have room for at least one of our rookies to stick with the team.

Benning has to decide on waiver eligible guys too, Goldobin, Boucher, Dowd, Leipsic, Gaunce, Archibald. The young kids have to not only out play them for a job but show they are physically ready for the NHL. In all seriousness, that’s their competition, not Sutter or Gagne or the twins. Add maybe Granlund and Baertschi who maybe sacrificed because they have some trade value. But if you look at who the rookies will be competing with, much like last year where they were competing with the likes of Megna and Chaput, it shouldn’t be too hard for someone to step up?