Nothing like the leafs ,the leafs had nothing when the cap was implemented.Yet they chose to keep going for it,by trading high picks .The Nucks have kept the best of their youth and are using their old core to develop their next one .

Them trying to keep a moderate team around the twins,while they salt the best of their youth .Is far better than trying to tank with these two ,and provides a winning culture for the kids to come into.Rather than throwing 18 and 19 year olds into the fire and hoping it works
- top shelf 15

If they keep moving young prospects and high draft picks for peaked players then it will get much worse. Gudbransen did not make Vancouver a playoff team and while he could be a great complimentary piece that was a huge price to pay for it when the team hasn't finished building themselves back into a contender.

Blasphemous! []

Seriously though, well said. The problem is when analytics are the only tool used.

Thanks... I would actually go so far as to say that it's a problem when analytics are used when they shouldn't be... for example, if you're trying to build a house, I don't care how enamored the construction guy is with his hammer, if he tries using it to cut wood... it might eventually work in some fashion, but will likely result in a messy result. Use the right tool, darn it.

How can you say a 24 year old defenseman has peaked?? Have you seen the future? Chara, Weber, Burns, Byfuglien etc all got better after age 24 but EG has hit his potential at 24.... Ask Ottawa who got better Chara or Redden?? I am not arguing the trade but to say he has already reached his potential is crazy (unless you can see the future)
- sdoney

He has been in the league for 5 years and has not gotten any better. Usually you see the development as you go. Luke Schenn did the same thing for us, he didn't improve but we kept saying he didn't reach his potential. We were wrong, or naive.

I could be wrong here (it happens, lol) but I also could be bang on. Evidence supports me so far.

Again, I actually agree with this trade synopsis. Two blogs in a row that have made some sense.....what's happening here???

Benning is exposing himself as a dinosaur in the hockey world, and it's gradually crippling his team. Trading a 19-year old kid like McCann makes no sense whatsoever. He's one of the few players that they should actually be clinging to

The Shinkaruk for Granlund trade was bad. This is worse. Canucks are in for a looooong, painful rough patch

In my unexpert opinion, this looks to me like a classic now-vs.-later trade. Vancouver gets a what-you-see-is-what-you-get D man, and Florida gets a solid very young centerman who clearly has upside left to him. It's possible that if that itself were the trade, that both teams could win.

What makes this trade favor Florida is the draft picks... giving up a 2 and a 4 and getting only a 5 back seems pretty one-sided, especially when they're already giving up the future potential of the 19-yr old centerman.

In the end, I think the Analytics thing is a snazzy new tool in the toolbox for GM's to use... Analytics definitely deserve a seat at the table, so to speak... but to "turn the keys over" to Analytics, as the author puts it, to me would be as silly as turning the keys over to any other tool in the toolbox (e.g. total pts or +/-). The GM still has to have his vision on what kind of team he wants, and then he can use Analytics - along with the other tools in the box - to decide which players fit the vision.
- copelal

I think thats exactly what is happening here

Thanks... I would actually go so far as to say that it's a problem when analytics are used when they shouldn't be... for example, if you're trying to build a house, I don't care how enamored the construction guy is with his hammer, if he tries using it to cut wood... it might eventually work in some fashion, but will likely result in a messy result. Use the right tool, darn it.
- copelal

benning looks like he's trying to cut wood with a hammer right now.

benning looks like he's trying to cut wood with a hammer right now.
- Tumbleweed

Yes. Yes indeed.

If Oilers made this trade..your thoughts?

If Oilers made this trade..your thoughts?
- DDM-Coga

If Oilers made this trade..your thoughts?
- DDM-Coga

No hypotheticals here please. Just statting cold hard facts.

How is it an eye-test vs. Advanced stats issue when the "eye test" apparently also says Gudbranson is not very good.

If Oilers made this trade..your thoughts?
- DDM-Coga

Doesn't matter. Didn't you know, any team with McJesus is automatically a playoff team?

There's no debate, put it this way.

If you ONLY use analytics your team will be garbage.

If you ONLY use the eye-test you are missing out on identifying opportunities that may need more eye-testing.

It's as simple as that.

How is it an eye-test vs. Advanced stats issue when the "eye test" apparently also says Gudbranson is not very good.
- Aetherial

There's no debate, put it this way.

If you ONLY use analytics your team will be garbage.

If you ONLY use the eye-test you are missing out on identifying opportunities that may need more eye-testing.

It's as simple as that.
- Njuice

Suppose you use both and still make this trade?

If Oilers made this trade..your thoughts?
- DDM-Coga

oilers would be better off resigning gyrba for half the price imo

If Oilers made this trade..your thoughts?
- DDM-Coga

The Oilers need to try and win now.

The Canucks should be trying to tank now.

That's how I see it.

If they keep moving young prospects and high draft picks for peaked players then it will get much worse. Gudbransen did not make Vancouver a playoff team and while he could be a great complimentary piece that was a huge price to pay for it when the team hasn't finished building themselves back into a contender.
- Steven_Dean

They arent moving the best of their youth,and arent trying to build a contender.They are trying to be better than they were last season ,while they use their old core to help develop their younger one .Nobody thinks the nucks will be much better than a bubble team,but why sit n the basement if you dont have too

The Oilers need to try and win now.

The Canucks should be trying to tank now.

That's how I see it.
- systemtool

Me too. If the oilers made this deal it would have made way more sense.

Me too. If the oilers made this deal it would have made way more sense.
- mauryballstein

Dude ,you guys are rebuilding.Its just a slower moving rebuild ,they are still going to have to pay the twins .So dont see the issue ,in trying to have some potential moderate success while they are still there.Once they move on then they will take a look at where they are

Me too. If the oilers made this deal it would have made way more sense.
- mauryballstein

i guess.

they have nurse, rienhart and can re-sign gyrba. not sure how gudrbanson is needed with that group.

oilers should be after a bigger fish imo.

The Oilers need to try and win now.

The Canucks should be trying to tank now.

That's how I see it.
- systemtool

We should be hoarding draft picks especially high seconds.

Bennng is an NHL dinosaur and he'll be fired by the end of next season when they finish out of the playoffs in a bottom ten draft position.

Bennng is an NHL dinasour and he'll be fired by the end of next season when they finish out of the playoffs in a bottom ten draft position.


- LeftCoaster

go on...

We should be hoarding draft picks especially high seconds.
- Grumpy13

Just collect picks. Develop prospects. Have a system and a way to control salaries. Building through drafting is a proven method in just about all sports. Bandaids and patchwork are more likely to fail. But hey. I'm not hoping the Canucks become a good team, so I, like you hope they keep ignoring the obvious truth. Stay on this path