I suppose there's an argument to be made that if you're top 6 centres aren't good, it doesn't matter who your bottom six guys are.

It's an interesting question of who has better depth: New Jersey with two good top 6 centres and lesser guys filling in the bottom two lines or Phoenix maybe who has a bunch of 2/3 centres and a solid 4th line guy?
- Morris

I'd have to say that having 2 productive centers is preferable to several 2/3 line quality centers.

Although, as a leaf fan Im not sure I remember what a productive center looks like

Probably the refs. They are a reliable source of questionable discretion.
- micah555

I'm thinking AV gets fired after this season if it ever happens

If Loungo goes then who are Canuck fans going to blame when they are knocked out of the playoffs this year?
- Ihatebrianburke

Whats with your name? If youre an Oiler fan, why the hate? Is it more important to you to troll the Leafs than support your own team?

If Loungo goes then who are Canuck fans going to blame when they are knocked out of the playoffs this year?
- Ihatebrianburke

Brian Burke.

If he can take credit for our success, he can take blame for our failures as well.

Whats with your name? If youre an Oiler fan, why the hate? Is it more important to you to troll the Leafs than support your own team?
- Farva

I've hated burke longer than he's been with the leafs. I feel sorry for leafs fans the way he's messed up your organization. Its gonna sting even worse when Dougie Hamilton and Tyler Seguin are lighting you guys up in a couple years and Phil Kessel doesn't sign a contract extension cause he still won't have a decent C to set him up

I'm thinking AV gets fired after this season if it ever happens
- Ihatebrianburke

It'll really depend on the results. You'd think AV is running out of rope, but he's still got a good team and winning it all isn't out of the question. It's not like the Canucks had all the advantages and lost to lesser teams. They lost the war of attrition to the Bruins and they played the Kings without Daniel and with Kesler needing surgery. I don't doubt AV will get kept on if the team does well again.

I scoff at this.
- vancity787

ok.

I've hated burke longer than he's been with the leafs. I feel sorry for leafs fans the way he's messed up your organization. Its gonna sting even worse when Dougie Hamilton and Tyler Seguin are lighting you guys up in a couple years and Phil Kessel doesn't sign a contract extension cause he still won't have a decent C to set him up
- Ihatebrianburke

Don't feel bad for me man, don't need your pity. We will have one of the best d-groups in hockey in a few years.

Don't feel bad for me man, don't need your pity. We will have one of the best d-groups in hockey in a few years.
- Farva

I don't think Pronger or Niedermayer are coming back my friend.

I could be mistaken, but I thought the draft order was in relation to standings in the last season. I didn't think previous "1st overalls" had an effect on the amount of balls a team received.

Hope you're right though, couldn't handle seeing Edm add McKinnon to that mix.
- Farva

Pretty sure that all teams start with 3 balls...if over the previous 3 years you drafted 1st over all you lose a ball, if over the previous 3 years you made the playoffs you lose a ball.

Edm will have 2 balls because they drafted 1st but never made the playoffs.

Tor will have 3 because they have not drafted 1st over all nor have they made the playoffs.

Van will have 2 because they make the playoffs but never draft 1st.

That totally makes sense.

Either talk hockey or get out.
- micah555

That IS hockey. Everything Gillis has attempted to make the Canucks better has failed miserably. In 4 years, he's managed absolutely nothing to get the Canucks any closer to winning a cup, and he's managed to add little to nothing in the pipeline from the draft, that would actually get them anywhere. Trades like healthy scratch Ballard for futures, Hodgson for Kassian, and drafts like.... who knows, thre are no names that he's drafted worth remembering.

So yes, it totally makes sense, that I don't believe he's even capable of doing anything to get the team over the top. In essence, that closes the window. And that closed it the minute he took over.

There you go, that's talking hockey.

Don't feel bad for me man, don't need your pity. We will have one of the best d-groups in hockey in a few years.
- Farva

Matt Finn looks like a steal for you guys. I was pissed when we took Mitch Moroz a round higher than he was pegged to go and Finn was still on the board

That IS hockey. Everything Gillis has attempted to make the Canucks better has failed miserably. In 4 years, he's managed absolutely nothing to get the Canucks any closer to winning a cup, and he's managed to add little to nothing in the pipeline from the draft, that would actually get them anywhere. Trades like healthy scratch Ballard for futures, Hodgson for Kassian, and drafts like.... who knows, thre are no names that he's drafted worth remembering.

So yes, it totally makes sense, that I don't believe he's even capable of doing anything to get the team over the top. In essence, that closes the window. And that closed it the minute he took over.

There you go, that's talking hockey.
- prock

True eh,

Game 7 of the finals is definitly a step backwards due to the current regime.
If only Burke was still here....

Momo.

That IS hockey. Everything Gillis has attempted to make the Canucks better has failed miserably. In 4 years, he's managed absolutely nothing to get the Canucks any closer to winning a cup, and he's managed to add little to nothing in the pipeline from the draft, that would actually get them anywhere. Trades like healthy scratch Ballard for futures, Hodgson for Kassian, and drafts like.... who knows, thre are no names that he's drafted worth remembering.

So yes, it totally makes sense, that I don't believe he's even capable of doing anything to get the team over the top. In essence, that closes the window. And that closed it the minute he took over.

There you go, that's talking hockey.
- prock

I think you're talking about Nonis.

True eh,

Game 7 of the finals is definitly a step backwards due to the current regime.If only Burke was still here....

Momo.
- Whiskey-Tango

100% on the backs of players drafted by, traded for, and signed by Nonis and Burke. And that's the truth. There isn't a single key player for the Nucks that was acquired by anyone other than those two. Not a single one.

100% on the backs of players drafted by, traded for, and signed by Nonis and Burke. And that's the truth. There isn't a single key player for the Nucks that was acquired by anyone other than those two. Not a single one.
- prock

So the window closed 4 years ago, then they won 2 President's Trophies and went to game 7 of the finals? That makes sense.

Must we really go over the credit debate again? Gillis re-signed key players and let others walk. His draft picks haven't made an impact yet (though CoHo looked pretty good). The team sure looks better now and has won more under his tenure than they ever did with Burke and Nonis in charge. B&N got us some great players and managed to not get a lot of playoff wins. I greatly prefer Gillis.

You may have heard of Dan Hamhuis, largely considered our best all around Dman.

100% on the backs of players drafted by, traded for, and signed by Nonis and Burke. And that's the truth. There isn't a single key player for the Nucks that was acquired by anyone other than those two. Not a single one.
- prock

Who scored the game winners in G1 and G5?

So the window closed 4 years ago, then they won 2 President's Trophies and went to game 7 of the finals? That makes sense.

Must we really go over the credit debate again? Gillis re-signed key players and let others walk. His draft picks haven't made an impact yet (though CoHo looked pretty good). The team sure looks better now and has won more under his tenure than they ever did with Burke and Nonis in charge. B&N got us some great players and managed to not get a lot of playoff wins. I greatly prefer Gillis.

You may have heard of Dan Hamhuis, largely considered our best all around Dman.
- micah555

And yet he was GM of the year in 2010, the year of the Stanley Cup Fail...at that time it was considered his team...can't have it both ways...really the core of this team was not put in place by Gillis...

Who scored the game winners in G1 and G5?
- Mattjd123

Who didn't show up in Games 3,4,6,7...

A whole week of Luongo trade talk schedualed. Brilliant!

Who didn't show up in Games 3,4,6,7...
- OilHorse

Hamhuis......and that new Leafs goalie.

That's fine and well, but Edler has 1 year left on his deal and Raymond is a dime a dozen player. The upgrade from Phaneuf to Edler is marginal, and certainly not worth 3 quality prospects.

Feel free to disagree, but I pass on that deal 10 times out of 10.
- Farva

...Look. No matter how many ways you wrap this up, there is really only one team (Toronto) sort of interested in taking on Lou's contract and baggage. But Burke isn't going to give up first round picks for an old goalie while his team is still young and developing. Not to mention the fact that Lou wouldnt be able to handle the pressure of playing in Toronto so you can cross them off.

You can package this Lou trade any way you want but the fact is you're most likely just going to have to sit on his contract and his cap hit, and have a goalie tandem. Once the new CBA finally goes through, there's going to probably be a lower cap, so I dont see a team picking up that big cap hit unless you give him up for nothing more than a late round pick.

It sucks, but that's the risk of these crazy long contracts. Ask the Islanders, they'll cry you a river too.

You can't just place a player on LTIR.

DiPietro has actually been hurt. I think I read somewhere that his knees have been rebuilt like 62 times.
- As_I_See_It

Ballard says hello

I'm a big fan of lower back pain.

Impossible to disprove, but you don't have to pretend you are sitting in dark rooms for days on end. You can still go out and be seen in public (probably better not to go skiing, but other than that, you can do anything).

"Hey _______, how are you feeling? Any chance you come off LTIR?"

"It's still really day to day. I feel well enough to walk to the bank to cash my pay cheques, but if I put on skates, it just puts too much stress on my lower back."
- Atomic Wedgie

Exactly . We predicted last year Ballards injury and just like a miracle he came back when there was no more cap hit. GMs will always find a way to bend they system.