Of course, but it all starts with the draft, and for the record, it has worked for the Oilers. They drafted Messier, Fuhr, Coffey, Kurri, Anderson, Moog, Lowe, etc. etc.

The Islanders drafted...Bossy, Trottier, Gillis, Tonnelli, Potvin, D. Sutter, Nystrom, Smith, B. Sutter, Flatley, LaFontaine.

I could use Los Angeles, Chicago, New Jersey, Detroit, Montreal, Pittsburgh, and on and on, it all starts with the draft.
- LeftCoaster

The latter are combination of drafting trading and free agency.

Oilers and Islanders did it through drafting in the 80 s

Montreal and Toronto did it through farm systems in the 50&60s

And millionaires did it in 1815.

To a more current time no team in the last 25 years no team has won a cup by drafting alone

the Avs are much like the Canucks, last year anyways, in that they don't defend well. First you need a coach with good solid systems and secondly you need the players to make that happen. Roy was not a good systems guy from what I've read.

The year they made the playoffs they had an unusually high shooting percentage and a Vezina goaltender. Both didn't happen last year and you see how they fell back to earth.
- LeftCoaster

Canucks did not defend well last year , that is why we changed 3 of 6 of them

I can look at it any way I want. You have been looking at it as everything going wrong. That absolutely won't happen.

I can promise you that
Weber and Bartowski won't have a horrible year for Canucks

I can promise Higgins and Prust won't be sent down to Utica
I can promise Vrbata won't drop from 31 goals to 12 while wearing a Canuck jersey.

I would be willing to bet that Bo Jake Sven and Etem score more than 9 goals combined after 30 games.

You can believe the sky is falling as much as you want but I don't believe it for one second
- VANTEL

nicely done!

Canucks did not defend well last year , that is why we changed 3 of 6 of them
- VANTEL

They also didn't score and their special teams were sh*t.
Goaltending was decent though.

I see the Avs as a gong show this year. Starting with the Coach. Can you imagine if they hire Hartley? Torts 2.0
- VANTEL

Hartley is way better coach than torts.
But its hard to believe either of those guys have a cup let alone both of them

The latter are combination of drafting trading and free agency.

Oilers and Islanders did it through drafting in the 80 s

Montreal and Toronto did it through farm systems in the 50&60s

And millionaires did it in 1815.

To a more current time no team in the last 25 years no team has won a cup by drafting alone
- VANTEL

Yup I agreed with you, you've gotta trade well and sign good UFA's but every teams best players, outside of Gretzky, were acquired through the draft in the modern day NHL.

Even in the 90's Detroit and Pittsburgh needed excellent UFA's and trades to put them over the top. Detroit drafted Yzerman, Fedorov, Lidstrom, Kozlov, LaPointe, Osgood, Holmstrom, Datsyuk etc. but they signed or traded for guys like Shanahan, Hull, Vernon and Larry Murphy.

Pittsburgh drafted Lemieux, Recchi and Jagr but they traded or signed guys like Coffey, Larry Murphy, Kevin Stevens, Joe Mullen and Tom Barrasso.

They also didn't score and their special teams were sh*t.
Goaltending was decent though.
- Marwood

I agree with all.

This won't be a free wheeling team. It needs to be responsible first in its own end and keep the games close. I see a lot of 3-2 and 2-1 games.

Canucks did not defend well last year , that is why we changed 3 of 6 of them
- VANTEL

They didn't have the players to play the system Desjardins had in place. You can't just change players and say "there, we're fixed", you've gotta have the right players to play the system you're putting in place.

I read that Linden & Benning said they've spoke with Desjardins about defending better, being better WITHOUT the puck. Hopefully that happens! Hutton needs to improve defensively but having Gudbranson will be a HUGE help to him. Plus it'll take some heat and minutes off Edler and Tanev's hands.

Yup I agreed with you, you've gotta trade well and sign good UFA's but every teams best players, outside of Gretzky, were acquired through the draft in the modern day NHL.

Even in the 90's Detroit and Pittsburgh needed excellent UFA's and trades to put them over the top. Detroit drafted Yzerman, Fedorov, Lidstrom, Kozlov, LaPointe, Osgood, Holmstrom, Datsyuk etc. but they signed or traded for guys like Shanahan, Hull, Vernon and Larry Murphy.

Pittsburgh drafted Lemieux, Recchi and Jagr but they traded or signed guys like Coffey, Larry Murphy, Kevin Stevens, Joe Mullen and Tom Barrasso.
- LeftCoaster

Yup , agree fully .

In my opinion doing it just by drafting takes too long look at Hall( gone) and talks of moving Eberle, RNH, and Yak.

I agree with all.

This won't be a free wheeling team. It needs to be responsible first in its own end and keep the games close. I see a lot of 3-2 and 2-1 games.
- VANTEL

I do too, just for the other team.

They didn't have the players to play the system Desjardins had in place. You can't just change played and say "there, we're fixed", you've gotta have the right players to play the system you're putting in place.

I read that Linden & Benning said they've spoke with Desjardins about defending better, being better WITHOUT the puck. Hopefully that happens! Hutton needs to improve defensively but having Gudbranson will be a HUGE help to him. Plus it'll take some heat and minutes off Edler and Tanev's hands.
- LeftCoaster

I am most worried about Hutton.

You know what you have in Edler and Tanev . Gudbrandson will be Willie Mitchell 2.0
Hutton fills out the top 4 and there lies my concern. He is cool as a cucumber but his back end needs work.

Yup , agree fully .

In my opinion doing it just by drafting takes too long look at Hall( gone) and talks of moving Eberle, RNH, and Yak.
- VANTEL

You can't have one without the other, drafting alone won't work and building a team through free agency won't work either. Toronto Maple Leafs tried for decades to buy a winning team, never made so much as a Cup final in the modern era.

Draft a core, and then make some trades and sign UFA's like Los Angeles did, that's how you do it! Benning hasn't drafted a core yet, but he's working on it IMO.

I am most worried about Hutton.

You know what you have in Edler and Tanev . Gudbrandson will be Willie Mitchell 2.0
Hutton fills out the top 4 and there lies my concern. He is cool as a cucumber but his back end needs work.
- VANTEL

Still young. He will be okay.

I do too, just for the other team.
- Marwood

That's where Eriksson the Twins and Miller need to earn their big dollars

You can't have one without the other, drafting alone won't work and building a team through free agency won't work either. Toronto Maple Leafs tried for decades to buy a winning team, never made so much as a Cup final in the modern era.

Draft a core, and then make some trades and sign UFA's like Los Angeles did, that's how you do it! Benning hasn't drafted a core yet, but he's working on it IMO.
- LeftCoaster

A couple of key pieces away.

I am most worried about Hutton.

You know what you have in Edler and Tanev . Gudbrandson will be Willie Mitchell 2.0
Hutton fills out the top 4 and there lies my concern. He is cool as a cucumber but his back end needs work.
- VANTEL

If he struggles in his sophomore season, like a majority of kids do, the defence will once again be a sore point for the club. Hopefully him coming into the league at 22 will help him in his second season.

Still young. He will be okay.
- VanHockeyGuy

Yeah, not worried . I think by the start of next year 2017 Juolevi may pass him anyways and make him the number 5

Yeah, not worried . I think by the start of next year 2017 Juolevi may pass him anyways and make him the number 5
- VANTEL

Young defenseman learning the systems together is a good thing. I know JB wants a stud center but wouldn't put it past him if he drafted another D high again either.

If he struggles in his sophomore season, like a majority of kids do, the defence will once again be a sore point for the club. Hopefully him coming into the league at 22 will help him in his second season.
- LeftCoaster

I won't be surprised if Sbisa ends up getting his spot.

You can't have one without the other, drafting alone won't work and building a team through free agency won't work either. Toronto Maple Leafs tried for decades to buy a winning team, never made so much as a Cup final in the modern era.

Draft a core, and then make some trades and sign UFA's like Los Angeles did, that's how you do it! Benning hasn't drafted a core yet, but he's working on it IMO.
- LeftCoaster

Benning has drafted Boeser Demko Juolevi JV in 3 drafts . He has also traded picks and Propects for Gudbrandson and Sven . That is a good start to building future core and add Bo ( Already in place)

7 players is close to a future core

Add Hutton and Tryamkin

Benning has drafted Boeser Demko Juolevi JV in 3 drafts . He has also traded picks and Propects for Gudbrandson and Sven . That is a good start to building future core and add Bo ( Already in place)

7 players is close to a future core

Add Hutton and Tryamkin
- VANTEL

Sorry to rain on your parade but I don't think you can be considered a "core" player until you actually prove it in this league let alone play.

As of right now their future core is Tanev, Horvat and possibly JV and Hutton by my score. I see Bae, Gudbranson as nice complimentary pieces for the next 5 or so years.

Sorry to rain on your parade but I don't think you can be considered a "core" player until you actually prove it in this league let alone play.

As of right now their future core is Tanev, Horvat and possibly JV and Hutton by my score. I see Bae, Gudbranson as nice complimentary pieces for the next 5 or so years.
- belcherbd

I guess you will have to wait 5 years for me to tell you your wrong but you know I am counting the days

I do too, just for the other team.
- Marwood

I guess you will have to wait 5 years for me to tell you your wrong but you know I am counting the days
- VANTEL

I'm sure last year you had McCann, Markstrom and Sutter as core pieces, the year before Sbisa and Shinkaruk..... It's hard to be wrong when you keep changing your mind.

Of course, but it all starts with the draft, and for the record, it has worked for the Oilers. They drafted Messier, Fuhr, Coffey, Kurri, Anderson, Moog, Lowe, Beukaboom, Tikkanen, etc. etc.

The Islanders drafted...Bossy, Trottier, Gillis, Tonnelli, Potvin, D. Sutter, Nystrom, Smith, B. Sutter, Flatley, LaFontaine.

I could use Los Angeles, Chicago, New Jersey, Detroit, Montreal, Pittsburgh, and on and on, it all starts with the draft.
- LeftCoaster

Did Vantel not put D&D as #1? Vantel is correct in this, you would be wrong to a certain point. D&D is msot important, but D&D means nothing without the other 3 points Vantel made. D&D is also different now than it was a billion years ago when the Oilers/NYI were the kings of hockey.