Obviously making the playoffs and providing some entertaining hockey is the goal. You make the playoffs and you never know what can happen. Minnesota took down Colorado and Dallas gave Anaheim a run for their money in the first round.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - losing is for losers. If you're not trying to win you should (frank) off and pick another line of work. Just my opinion.
- LeftCoaster

I agree 100%. I think Benning has done a good job.

Traded Kesler for a decent return in a tough situation and traded a d man that was making almost 5 mill to play in the 3rd pair and bought out Booth. He tried to trade Burrows but he wouldn't waive. Trimmed a lot of fat there.

The prospect pool is starting to look good. Jensen, Gaunce, Fox, Cassels, Horvat, Shinkurak, virtanen, McCann, Demko. Vey

Brought in Miller and Vbata to to make the team competitive in the mean time and let's the prospect pool marinate and develop properly. If a prospect lights up camp and makes the team, then great. If not we don't have to throw guys in the line up that aren't ready.

With a new coaching staff running things I think this team is finally starting to trend upward. They have a chance of being competitive next year and are setting the table for the future

Think I found my first avatar boys.

Has anyone heard anything about the alleged signing of Cal O'Reilly (Ryan's brother - who was actually doing, especially given he was on a defensive Predators squad - well until he broke his leg) as well as Dustin Jeffrey?

Thanks for confirming FiveandaGame - any thoughts on these players? I haven't heard any comments either way. For me, I don't mind O'reilly but I think Jeffrey's ship has sailed a while ago.

Not complain about the player or the contract, but once again, what is the master plan? One minute it seems like a re-build then all of a sudden the canucks are re-tooling.

There is no way the canucks can compete with the big boys in the conference so why bother? Obviously the owners don't want to lose money. As someone posted earlier; same old, same old.
- bloatedmosquito

I take issue with this. Why bother? Really? We bother because it's (frank)ing sports, that's (frank)ing why!

Do you think michel therrien went into the Habs dressing room at the start of 2nd round and said "okay, (frank) it boys! We are playing the Bruins, they're the favourites to win the Stanley cup, if we were Iggy would be playing for us. Let's pack it in, why bother? we had a good run."

I'm starting to see why Fosco took a self- imposed sabbatical.

Winning sells tickets.
- LeftCoaster

So does trying to look like you're trying to win, oh and don't forget "5 different hot dogs"

Think I found my first avatar boys.
- eternalcashflow

GAY

Someone forget to tell Vrbata, how bad the tax is here, he's not actually getting the deal he thinks he is

Ducks>Avs
- Nucker101

Not anymore, the Kesler trade elevated the Avs past the Ducks

@thehockeyshopbc: Bring your @VanCanucks @Ryan_Kesler jersey in and we will swap the name to Vrbata for only $35!! Out with the old in with the new!!



That escalated quickly!!

- LeftCoaster

I actually really like Vrbada

GAY
- A_SteamingLombardi

Ya you're probably right... Is this one better?

Not complain about the player or the contract, but once again, what is the master plan? One minute it seems like a re-build then all of a sudden the canucks are re-tooling.

There is no way the canucks can compete with the big boys in the conference so why bother? Obviously the owners don't want to lose money. As someone posted earlier; same old, same old.
- bloatedmosquito

That's the spirit!

If only F.A hired management guys with zero intent and/or desire to at-least attempt to improve the team

Everyone talks of an unforeseeable master plan and yet from my POV its very simple. At this point in time the team lacks the available skill to inject into the line-up as our higherend prospects are still two-three years away, thus Benning is merely implementing a stop-gap measure to insure our young guns develop and improve in a timely matter.

This fanbase has been female dog!ng about wanting to construct a franchise based upon the tenents of Detroit for the past two decades.....and this is how it's done (as opposed to a EDM type approach). This team was never going to be allowed to plummet in value through a lengthy rebuild, at-least not with the current owners...

All in all i think its a decent, needed acquisition.

No, I think they are trying to sell tickets.
- A_SteamingLombardi

I think he was. It was the threat of him playing his career in Russia that had him fall in the draft. He was ranked top 3 earlier in that year at some point...
- boonerbuck

I remember it well because I wanted Nonuts to pick him, he was ranked high but not considered a super star, very much a long term projection pick given he was playing in a junior league in Sweden.

Has anyone heard anything about the alleged signing of Cal O'Reilly (Ryan's brother - who was actually doing, especially given he was on a defensive Predators squad - well until he broke his leg) as well as Dustin Jeffrey?
- Zogg

Yes. Both signed today

@thehockeyshopbc: Bring your @VanCanucks @Ryan_Kesler jersey in and we will swap the name to Vrbata for only $35!! Out with the old in with the new!!



That escalated quickly!!
- fiveandagame

This explains everything!

Where are you finding all of this optimism? I applaud it but I just don't see it. There are a lot of 'what ifs' in your thinking. Based on history I got to go with negativity.

But I don't want to be labelled a whiner. Just a realist...
- bloatedmosquito

Scroll through his posts and lectures last year then jump forward to late season....

That's the spirit!

If only F.A hired management guys with zero intent and/or desire to at-least attempt to improve the team

Everyone talks of an unforeseeable master plan and yet from my POV its very simple. At this point in time the team lacks the available skill to inject into the line-up as our higherend prospects are still two-three years away, thus Benning is merely implementing a stop-gap measure to insure our young guns develop and improve in a timely matter.

This fanbase has been female dog!ng about wanting to construct a franchise based upon the tenents of Detroit for the past two decades.....and this is how it's done (as opposed to a EDM type approach). This team was never going to be allowed to plummet in value through a lengthy rebuild, at-least not with the current owners...

All in all i think its a decent, needed acquisition.
- Delta-Bravo

Thank you for all of this.

Soooo how does this stack up in the Pacific?

Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata
Jensen-Bonino-Kassian
Higgins-Vey-Burrows
Hansen-Richardson-Dorsett
Matthias, Sestito

Good call, Bezz, I think we need to pace ourselves here in case of any other dubious transactions
- Zogg

Now that I have mulled it over, I will survive. So long as someone else is coming off the roster at some point

Ya you're probably right... Is this one better?
- eternalcashflow

I like it, even though it's sad gay

Soooo how does this stack up in the Pacific?

Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata
Jensen-Bonino-Kassian
Higgins-Vey-Burrows
Hansen-Richardson-Dorsett
Matthias, Sestito
- nucks_94

9th in the West.

So does trying to look like you're trying to win, oh and don't forget "5 different hot dogs"
- A_SteamingLombardi

ok I give up, they're not trying to win by signing a 20 goal scorer or a former Vezina Trophy winner who by all accounts from player interviewed today, that I listened to, is a great signing by the team.

Obviously making the playoffs and providing some entertaining hockey is the goal. You make the playoffs and you never know what can happen. Minnesota took down Colorado and Dallas gave Anaheim a run for their money in the first round.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - losing is for losers. If you're not trying to win you should (frank) off and pick another line of work. Just my opinion.
- LeftCoaster

Soooo how does this stack up in the Pacific?

Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata
Jensen-Bonino-Kassian
Higgins-Vey-Burrows
Hansen-Richardson-Dorsett
Matthias, Sestito
- nucks_94

I think one of Burrows, Hansen, or Higgins needs to come off of there. Other than that, I think it looks more promising than last year