2024 Offseason - moving forward

[Chef Boi RD]

I have to agree with Dude here, before the playoffs we were all keen to see who would rise to the occasion and Boeser certainly did, so why would anyone want to trade him?

To me it’s all about the playoffs. Boeser brought it, Garland brings it. That’s how you should judge a player. Do they bring it when it counts. Boeser loves it here, wants to stay here, he’s loved in the room. Keeping him is an easy decision for me.

[5thhorseman]

Yup, and resigning Boeser will be cheaper than finding an equivalent top-6 RW on the UFA market (or via trade for that matter),

[UWSaint]

When he's playing poorly, trade Boeser, he sucks! (And there is no market for that salary, not any that would bring assets in return and may require taking a distressed asset or throwing in a sweetener to facilitate).

When he's playing well, keep Boeser at any cost, he's a warrior! (And there are assets that would come in return).

The question is, is Boeser a core player? If so, he's tradeable if it makes a plan fit. Doesn't mean you do it, it means you don't treat him like a core player.

[UWSaint]

Yup, and resigning Boeser will be cheaper than finding an equivalent top-6 RW on the UFA market (or via trade for that matter),

Boeser, maybe more than any other Canuck, may take less than market value to stay. Which is an odd thing for a guy who was given permission (and thus must have asked for it) to shop for a trade barely more than a year ago. But I would think what he'd want in return for a team friendly deal is a NTC. (And while this group rightfully doesn't include those like Sweetwater includes candy, with Boeser, it should be a consideration because I think the future Brock waives if its not working out).

[Chef Boi RD]

When he's playing poorly, trade Boeser, he sucks! (And there is no market for that salary, not any that would bring assets in return and may require taking a distressed asset or throwing in a sweetener to facilitate).

When he's playing well, keep Boeser at any cost, he's a warrior! (And there are assets that would come in return).

The question is, is Boeser a core player? If so, he's tradeable if it makes a plan fit. Doesn't mean you do it, it means you don't treat him like a core player.

Well if you had brought into account and given respect to what Boeser was going through with his fathers terminal illness you’d may feel different. He was obviously close with his Dad. I don’t know about you but when my old man was dying from Cancer, it took 6 months, that entire year took the life out of me in dealing with it, so I can be sympathetic, not to mention, Brock had a string of untimely injuries prior to that not to mention the scary door incident in NY thanks to Clutterfuck, I believe that mind fucked young Boeser for awhile. I liken Boeser’s evolution and arrival similar to JT Miller and Jared McCann, for some they have to hit rock bottom to become their best versions of themselves, so I’m gonna bank on that regarding Boeser. His season and playoffs are a big tell for me for what the kid has gone through. Character.

[UWSaint]

The cap space is a mirage, it will disappear soon. Gotta be careful what we do this year regarding Boeser next summer and Hughes soon after regarding “long term” contracts. I imagine Hughes will be getting Pettersson money, even more. I know idiots out there fancy trading our best playoff performer - Boeser for futures but how the fuck does that solve our current top 6 winger position that is putrid beyond Boeser? We’re gonna have to pay someone of high quality to play the wings in the top 6 eventually or multiple wingers in which we seem to need more of.

What Allvin does with the cap this summer will make or break this franchise moving forward. He needs to tread carefully here. Instead of pre-jacking

Cap space is a mirage only to the degree that it is always a mirage. Any competitive team has to wrestle with expiring contracts and existing players being worth more in the market than their previous salary. Its exceedingly rare for a team to not have a core player coming due for a contract in the next 2 or 3 years -- there's always some level of future planning.

Do the next steps make or break this team? That, too, is always the case at a certain degree of resolution. But this year's team -- which was pretty good -- was built on the same core as teams that were mediocre at best, with one big peripheral core exception -- in with Hronek, out with Horvat. The changes were of complementary players and coaching staff. If you make the wrong decisions on these things -- and let's concede for the sake of argument that's what Benning did -- then you undo them, just like Allvin has done in the past 18 months.

Let's get to details to really look at what the Canucks can do :

The Canucks have $26.2 M in cap space (with Poolman on LTIR). In the $61.4M in signed contracts & dead cap (which excludes Poolman), they have 10 forwards (4 of whom can be buried with no cap penalty but would need waivers), 3 D (1 of whom can be buried with no cap penalty but would need waivers), and 2 G (one of whom can be buried with no cap penalty and without wavers). If you take out the buryable contracts (and Poolman's), the Canucks total space is about $31.625M. There are two RFAs I expect the Canucks would put on the NHL roster if signed -- Hronek and Silovs. Near term horizon: there is only one player of significance whose contract expires at the end of the upcoming season -- Brock Boeser, possibly Hronek if he signs one year. Dead cap will also increase by $2.35M and the cap itself will increase by about 4.38M. The following season, contracts for Demko, Garland, and Mikayev expire.

So there is $31.625M to spend on 8 forwards (assuming opening roster of 14), 5 defensemen (assuming opening roster of 7), and one goalie.

If you presume Hoglander, Podkolzin, and Juulsen make the roster, its $28.75M left for 6 Fs, 4 Ds, and one goalie. For illustration, sign Hronek @ 7.5M and Silovs @ 1.5M. Now the Canucks are looking at $19.75M to spread over 6 Fs and 3D. Now let's assume that the bottom 4 forward spots (11-14) will cost 3.5M, comprised of tweeners of the PDG/Aman/Joshua-when-he-was-signed stripe, ELCs, and post ELC prospects that aren't getting paid. That leaves @15.25M for 2 Fs and 3D. Think you can't have Lindholm and Z for that and fill the rest for mins? You probably can, but whether that's the best use of the money is a different question.

In short, this is not too bad a place to be given the signed D (presuming Hronek is signed) would include a #1, a 2-3, and a 4-5. If I were GM, signing a true top 4D would be my top priority and signing a center better than a tweener would be my second priority. For defense, I have my eye on Matt Roy. What would he cost? $4.5M AAV? $5M AAV? That center might be a meaningful two way contributor or a defense-first player; the caliber of that signing would inform how to best fill the bottom pair on defense and wing.

And the next year, you are looking at $8.68M (Boeser contract + increased cap - dead cap increase) to sign/replace Boeser. (A planner likely sees Hughes' expected bump coming in the form of the next two offseason's cap increases and if needed potential collective savings from Demko, IM65, and CG8, where Demko likely gets a modest raise and the IM65 and CG8 roles are filled more cheaply.

All things considered, for a team with a competitive core, I think the Canucks are in a relatively decent situation to look for opportunities as opposed to feeling like they are in a very limited situation. They shouldn't get tunnel-visioned into just keeping all the complements together. Keeping the band together as much as possible probably is not the complementary group that makes for this core's highest ceiling.

(Edited to fix math error)

[UWSaint]

When he's playing poorly, trade Boeser, he sucks! (And there is no market for that salary, not any that would bring assets in return and may require taking a distressed asset or throwing in a sweetener to facilitate).

When he's playing well, keep Boeser at any cost, he's a warrior! (And there are assets that would come in return).

The question is, is Boeser a core player? If so, he's tradeable if it makes a plan fit. Doesn't mean you do it, it means you don't treat him like a core player.

Well if you had brought into account and given respect to what Boeser was going through with his fathers terminal illness you’d may feel different. He was obviously close with his Dad. I don’t know about you but when my old man was dying from Cancer, it took 6 months, that entire year took the life out of me in dealing with it, so I can be sympathetic, not to mention, Brock had a string of untimely injuries prior to that not to mention the scary door incident in NY thanks to Clutterfuck, I believe that mind fucked young Boeser for awhile. I liken Boeser’s evolution and arrival similar to JT Miller and Jared McCann, for some they have to hit rock bottom to become their best versions of themselves, so I’m gonna bank on that regarding Boeser. His season and playoffs are a big tell for me for what the kid has gone through. Character.

Dude, I wasn't commenting on the player or the player's situation, I was commenting on the board.

The question at the end though (is he part of the core that you are building around as opposed to a primary complement to that core) is a serious question posed as a question and not a rhetorical one. I'm curious what people think.

[dangler]

I'd say Boeser is a complementary player at this point as he's only shown 1 recent season of a new level of play.
Having said that i'd re sign him.
I don't understand why the Dude wants to trade him so bad.

[Chef Boi RD]

When he's playing poorly, trade Boeser, he sucks! (And there is no market for that salary, not any that would bring assets in return and may require taking a distressed asset or throwing in a sweetener to facilitate).

When he's playing well, keep Boeser at any cost, he's a warrior! (And there are assets that would come in return).

The question is, is Boeser a core player? If so, he's tradeable if it makes a plan fit. Doesn't mean you do it, it means you don't treat him like a core player.

Well if you had brought into account and given respect to what Boeser was going through with his fathers terminal illness you’d may feel different. He was obviously close with his Dad. I don’t know about you but when my old man was dying from Cancer, it took 6 months, that entire year took the life out of me in dealing with it, so I can be sympathetic, not to mention, Brock had a string of untimely injuries prior to that not to mention the scary door incident in NY thanks to Clutterfuck, I believe that mind fucked young Boeser for awhile. I liken Boeser’s evolution and arrival similar to JT Miller and Jared McCann, for some they have to hit rock bottom to become their best versions of themselves, so I’m gonna bank on that regarding Boeser. His season and playoffs are a big tell for me for what the kid has gone through. Character.

Dude, I wasn't commenting on the player or the player's situation, I was commenting on the board.

The question at the end though (is he part of the core that you are building around as opposed to a primary complement to that core) is a serious question posed as a question and not a rhetorical one. I'm curious what people think.

He’s a core player IMO. He’s well liked within the organization and community. He loves it here and wants to stay. I believe he has come full circle to the player who enamoured this city in his rookie season then went through shit personal and physical. The fact that he rebounded with a great season after admitting he wasn’t into hockey mentally prior to this season and then finds a new level post season unlike some wingers ( Mitch Marner) is a huge tell for me. He’s a leader by example in that room, love the guy, he’s core 100% In. My. Humble. Opinion.

[Chef Boi RD]

I'd say Boeser is a complementary player at this point as he's only shown 1 recent season of a new level of play.
Having said that i'd re sign him.
I don't understand why the Dude wants to trade him so bad.

I’m not trading him. Where’d you get that from? I may have said something along the lines some time ago as it wasn’t popular opinion to keep him, but the Chef eventually walked to the beat of his on drum when it comes to Boeser.

[Hockey Widow]

My position on Boeser has not changed. If we could sign him to a 5 year extension at under 7 M I would be in. Five years would take him to the end of the JT Miller deal. JT gets 8M as a 100 point player. Boeser where he is at is perfect. But if he be looking for north of 8 then I am for trading him.

If we are going to spend north of 8 then lock up Hronek.

[Chef Boi RD]

I have no problem paying Boeser around what right wingers - DeBrincat, Vorachek, Svechnikov and Caulfield are getting on this list of what NHL right wingers are getting paid (hit ‘Right Wingers where it says ‘all positions’ then tap column - AAV):

https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/contracts

Boeser put up more points than all four of them

Paying Boeser under $7 million per puts him in the category of:

Troy Terry
Brendan Gallagher
Tom Wilson
Owen Tippet
Nuchishkan

Basically not giving him a raise. I don’t think so, lol.

[Strangelove]

I'd say Boeser is a complementary player at this point as he's only shown 1 recent season of a new level of play.

Exactly, so stick with the pump-n-dump plan.

Agree he is not a core player.

Brock is a flake.

Hey I get him being upset with what he went through, but hey, we've all been through it.

We've all had to deal with people close to us suffering and dying.

Some of us work harder than ever through those times.

Not Brock though... and he makes millions of dollars.

How do we know his mom/sister/dog don't get sick next and he goes into the tank again?

How do we know he won't demand a trade again?

Cash in on his recent good play and see what you can get for him.

Yes, we will need to add a couple of top 6 wingers...

I don't understand why the Dude wants to trade him so bad.

LOL, beating the Dude at his own game...

[Strangelove]

I have no problem paying Boeser around what right wingers - DeBrincat, Vorachek, Svechnikov and Caulfield are getting on this list of what NHL right wingers are getting paid (hit ‘Right Wingers where it says ‘all positions’ then tap column - AAV):

https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/contracts

Boeser put up more points than all four of them

Paying Boeser under $7 million per puts him in the category of:

Troy Terry
Brendan Gallagher
Tom Wilson
Owen Tippet
Nuchishkan

Basically not giving him a raise. I don’t think so, lol.

$8M-per for Brock??

Over 8 years I'm guessing?

I'd trade Brock for Tom Wilson in a heartbeat...

[donlever]

......he's a warrior!

Said no one (with any credibility anyway) ever....

....UW...journalistic license....for shame.