so? who are the COB pickin on tonight?

Zatkoff in net
#RangerDanger
#mysportactionislookinggood!

According to Dave Pratt we are getting Eriksson and LUcic .
- VANTEL

Where do i sign up!

Where do i sign up!
- dbot

Linden said in the hallway yesterday " There are no quick fixes in free agency" and Benning said " We want to put out a more veteran team"

Figure that one out

You both make good points. IMO they do not get enough fan support and that too many people are fair weather fans in this city. Nobody even cheers at the games for (frank)s sake. look at the peg or chicago, players know they are in hostile territory in those buildings.
- neem55

Chicago had empty buildings for years; they must be bad fans too?

The new core to me is baertschi, virtanen, boeser, mcCann, horvat, Demko, Hutton, Tanev. whoever Van drafts this year in the first 2 rounds hopefully adds to the core. Gaunce hopefully becomes a leader in the dressing room. Seems to have a mature personality. Brisebois also seems to be a mature individual for his age. As I mentioned before, really won't know for years. I'm just hopeful that the players that are playing as youth right now become the new core.

I have always thought that if the sedins did want to win a cup that they would have to take a 1 year contract on the cheap, at that point the canucks would be making a run.
- manvanfan

Baertschi is not part of the core imo.
Maybe we have different understandings of core, but i wouldn't list every young player as 'core'. Valuable, yes. Part of the team, of course. But core should be reserved for Sedin types and players that are actually on the team (therefore, not Demko, Boesser or future draft picks).

My core that we build around would be Bo, JV, Tryamkin, Hutton and Markstrom.

Chicago had empty buildings for years; they must be bad fans too?
- MrMagoo

Chicago has fans that cheer when the building is full, Vancouver does not. They save the noise making for after the big games we lose.

Linden said in the hallway yesterday " There are no quick fixes in free agency" and Benning said " We want to put out a more veteran team"

Figure that one out
- VANTEL

Benning isnt calling it a quick fix though. I don't see a contradiction.

I know one is preaching patience and the other is preaching not playing so many kids in roles that they are not ready for... like they were forced to last season.

Come on Thunder. Gagner worked under Gillis. Same as JB has a scounting staff. You know the rules of this game.
- bloatedmosquito

Thats fair but he went beyond the norm. Special find. Tanev grew like 6" in his senior year. I give Dave Gagne sole credit for that one.

Chicago has fans that cheer when the building is full, Vancouver does not. They save the noise making for after the big games we lose.
- neem55

Vancouver fans cheer when they are winning. Wait and see how chicago does after 4 or 5 years of losing...

Benning isnt calling it a quick fix though. I don't see a contradiction.

I know one is preaching patience and the other is preaching not playing so many kids in roles that they are not ready for... like they were forced to last season.
- boonerbuck

It's a fine line. Trevor did say he has trust in Benning and is really happy with the job he has done.

I think Canucks do get two substantial players this year.

I tell you I am looking forward to this year. Removing Burrows Higgins and hopefully Hamhuis and replacing them with point producing players , I think we will be a lot better

Vancouver fans cheer when they are winning. Wait and see how chicago does after 4 or 5 years of losing...
- MrMagoo

No, they don't. ever been to a game in a building like winnipeg? It's LOUD. They cheer for their team. Same thing at the forum, Calgary and in T.O.
say what you want about those teams (i don't like any of them), but other Canadian cities support their teams, we riot when ours loses or sit quietly in the stands. It's pathetic.

Linden said in the hallway yesterday " There are no quick fixes in free agency" and Benning said " We want to put out a more veteran team"

Figure that one out
- VANTEL

I can understand that.
No free agent signing is going to make us a true contender, but we still need vets to insulate the kids to ice a competitive team.

i'll be happy with lucic or erikson.

Benning isnt calling it a quick fix though. I don't see a contradiction.

I know one is preaching patience and the other is preaching not playing so many kids in roles that they are not ready for... like they were forced to last season.
- boonerbuck

I think you're right but for a lot of fans they need a secret decoder ring to figure out what these two are talking about. That why the media have a field day with these two. JB at the table and Linden in the hall...

I can understand that.
No free agent signing is going to make us a true contender, but we still need vets to insulate the kids to ice a competitive team.

i'll be happy with lucic or erikson.
- dbot

Baertschi is not part of the core imo.
Maybe we have different understandings of core, but i wouldn't list every young player as 'core'. Valuable, yes. Part of the team, ok course. But core should be reserved for Sedin types and players that are actually on the team (therefore, not Demko, Boesser or future draft picks).
- dbot

I agree.

For me, I wouldn't consider any of the prospects or young players core yet. I hope Hutton will be, but he needs to add a bit of snarl to his game. No physical presence what so ever. And I hope Horvat is. But I thought of him as a great two way player so I would like to see more from him on the defensive side of the puck.

I agree.

For me, I wouldn't consider any of the prospects or young players core yet. I hope Hutton will be, but he needs to add a bit of snarl to his game. No physical presence what so ever. And I hope Horvat is. But I thought of him as a great two way player so I would like to see more from him on the defensive side of the puck.
- bloatedmosquito

I cant really see Hutton ever adding an edgy side to his game. Which is unfortunate. But aslong as he plays his position well enough on the right side of the puck, I have no problem with the way he plays. He will get better and we will hopefully spend money On FA Dmen to improve the backend over the next 2-3 years.

I can understand that.
No free agent signing is going to make us a true contender, but we still need vets to insulate the kids to ice a competitive team.

i'll be happy with lucic or erikson.
- dbot

What about both of them?

If Lucic wins the cup this year, he will sign with Canucks.

No, they don't. ever been to a game in a building like winnipeg? It's LOUD. They cheer for their team. Same thing at the forum, Calgary and in T.O.
say what you want about those teams (i don't like any of them), but other Canadian cities support their teams, we riot when ours loses or sit quietly in the stands. It's pathetic.
- neem55

No way. The saddledome is so (frank)ing quiet it's scary. Only time it's loud is when they score a goal. Same with Air Canada Centre except they also go bananas when they play stompin tom.

During the days of the west coast express GM place was loud. Really loud. And because of the configuration players always said the crowd feels right on top of you. During the cup run it was crazy. Bedlam inside that building.

Rogers Arena does have a problem now but I truly believe it's a product of the pricing scale imposed on this fan base.

I think you're right but for a lot of fans they need a secret decoder ring to figure out what these two are talking about. That why the media have a field day with these two. JB at the table and Linden in the hall...
- bloatedmosquito

My first impression is Linden wanted to give Benning the floor to speak. So I didn't understand the hallway interview. I don't think it is anything more than Linden wanted to tie up the not so clear Benning interview

I agree.

For me, I wouldn't consider any of the prospects or young players core yet. I hope Hutton will be, but he needs to add a bit of snarl to his game. No physical presence what so ever. And I hope Horvat is. But I thought of him as a great two way player so I would like to see more from him on the defensive side of the puck.
- bloatedmosquito

i hear ya.

of the players i listed as core (i updated my post), none are truly off limits i'd think.
Tryamkin and JV have the most potential to be cornerstone/untradeable fixtures on this team...maybe...if they develop as best as can be expected.


Hutton, Markstrom, Bo are core in the sense that they're what we have and what we should build around. This of course is fluid. A fluid core....ok that makes no sense. Now i see why Vantel is confused.

What about both of them?

If Lucic wins the cup this year, he will sign with Canucks.
- dshiddy

I feel like you're fking with me here, but i'll bite anyways.
i'd be stoked if we signed them both and dropped Higgins/Burrows.
Gives us a whole new dimension and allows younger players to shift down to more comfortable/appropriate spots in depth chart.

Sedin/Sedin/Erikson
JV/Sutter/Lucic
Sven/Bo/Hansen
Dorsett/Granlund/Etem

i got no problem with that lineup.

I feel like you're fking with me here, but i'll bite anyways.
i'd be stoked if we signed them both and dropped Higgins/Burrows.
Gives us a whole new dimension and allows younger players to shift down to more comfortable/appropriate spots in depth chart.

Sedin/Sedin/Erikson
JV/Sutter/Lucic
Sven/Bo/Hansen
Dorsett/Granlund/Etem

i got no problem with that lineup.
- dbot

That line-up would actually have me excited for Vancouver hockey for the first time in 3 years. Especially with Marky as the #1 Goalie.

But I cant see us spending that much money on forwards when we all know what the biggest issue with this team is.....

I feel like you're fking with me here, but i'll bite anyways.
i'd be stoked if we signed them both and dropped Higgins/Burrows.
Gives us a whole new dimension and allows younger players to shift down to more comfortable/appropriate spots in depth chart.

Sedin/Sedin/Erikson
JV/Sutter/Lucic
Sven/Bo/Hansen
Dorsett/Granlund/Etem

i got no problem with that lineup.
- dbot

You forgot Laine and Rodin

You forgot Laine and Rodin
- VANTEL

nah. in this hypothetical, we draft Chychrun and Rodin gets injured in preseason.

Sedin/Sedin/Erikson
JV/Sutter/Lucic
Sven/Bo/Hansen
Dorsett/Granlund/Etem