Of course the other things matter, but you can't make trades or sign UFA's to get over the hump until you first draft a core of players, that's what I'm saying, and always have been. It's just common sense that you need additions to fill in the gaps once you get yourself a core.

To date the only young (under 25 year old player) PROVEN core player the Canucks have is Horvat. The Canucks aren't going to win a Stanley Cup with the twins anymore, lets just be honest with ourselves.

Benning is establishing a group of young players through the draft that he one day, along with me and countless others, hopes will become the next core of players. You won't know that until they first prove it though, and that my friend takes time.

Thus….continue to draft until you find yourself a core of players, once you do, make additions and give yourself a chance to win. They did it in 1994, they did it in 2011 and they'll do it again one day!
- LeftCoaster

Very good post

No everything didn't go wrong, it's just called life over an 82 game schedule that a lot of teams have to deal with. Stop kidding yourself! Two times in the past three years "everything went wrong".

The team is just older and rebuilding on the fly. 2/3rd's of the teams deal with injuries at some point in the year. The last 25 games of the year they, management, purposely sat guys out from so-called "injuries" to help their draft position.
- LeftCoaster

Negativity like this is why I am now a Las Vegas Night Hawks fan

Don't forget Demko, Boeser, Juolevi. They will be part of the core unless an amazing trade comes along.
- Retinalz

Or they don't translate from junior and college hockey to the pros ...I doubt that happens but you don't know for sure

Negativity like this is why I am now a Las Vegas Night Hawks fan
- CanuckDon

I know your bugging him but he isn't being negative at all ...very positive and realistic posts from lefty lately

Canucks will finish 22-24th
- A_SteamingLombardi

I'd bet my condo they are better than that! They will fall between 14-20 in my opinion

Some people are just putting the cart before the horse, Benning is doing the right things but it's gonna take awhile to get there. The Vancouver market is just so impatient they can't wait the time it takes to build a winner.

You only get seven picks a year and if you hit on one of them you've done well, if you hit on two of them you've done extremely well. In Benning's first year he drafted Virtanen, McCann, Demko and Tryamkin, three of them have already played an NHL game, trust me, he knows what he's doing at the draft table!!!
- LeftCoaster

agreed

On a separate topic and in the 'best sour grapes' category, Hope Solo ('all world' goalkeeper for the US women's soccer team) says "US women lost to a bunch of cowards" (referring to Sweden's conservative/defensive style of play which knocked the US out of the medals). Talk about great sportsmen ship, what a total asshat! certainly embodies the Olympic spirit at its finest Looks like she was channeling Lucic

http://www.huffingtonpost...4b07184041173a2?section=&
- Zogg

If it's possible then Aquilini would have already done it, but it's not possible to sell your sole twice.
- A_SteamingLombardi

maybe just rent it out for awhile then

Canucks will finish 22-24th
- A_SteamingLombardi

I think 18-22 is more realistic. Probably closer to 18 unless some players go on a tear and we finish better, or get some really bad injuries and finish worse.

I think 18-22 is more realistic. Probably closer to 18 unless some players go on a tear and we finish better, or get some really bad injuries and finish worse.
- Retinalz

Well they better score like a 18-22 team.

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.
- belcherbd

I do have Sutter as a core piece . He signed for 5 years . Never had MCCann as a core piece. Always seen him as a third liner. Markstrom is signed for three but I see him playing second fiddle to Demko after that, but that one could change.

Things and situations change as well as minds. Not everything works out as planned so you better be ready to change also

I do have Sutter as a core piece . He signed for 5 years . Never had MCCann as a core piece. Always seen him as a third liner. Markstrom is signed for three but I see him playing second fiddle to Demko after that, but that one could change.

Things and situations change as well as minds. Not everything works out as planned so you better be ready to change also
- VANTEL

I have a feeling lots of Canucks fans forget the fact that Sutter really didnt play for us last year. And when he did, had a very good 2 way game imho. Its not like he would have made us a contender or anything, But he would have given this team a much better chance at winning day in and day out.

He was a huge loss.

If he can stay healthy the Nucks will be competitive. Of course that depends on everyone elses health as well.

And I'll say this once again. The Nucks needed Dmen, Its been reported Mccan was a bit of a (frank)ing whiner, And Guds is experienced and tough. While he may not have the scoring touch, He's proven. I'll do that trade again and again.

It's a 20 point improvement, that's a tall order for this team, that's what I'm saying. Do I think they'll be a 75 point team again, no, but I do think other teams will make greater strides than the Canucks because they're further along in their building process than we are or they just have better players.
- LeftCoaster

We missed the playoffs by 12 points last year not 20.

The thing is when things didn't work out last year we kept on sending out the same Higgins Burrows Prust Bartowksi Weber. Four of them are gone and now if a guy doesn't produce we have a replacement

I have a feeling lots of Canucks fans forget the fact that Sutter really didnt play for us last year. And when he did, had a very good 2 way game imho. Its not like he would have made us a contender or anything, But he would have given this team a much better chance at winning day in and day out.

He was a huge loss.

If he can stay healthy the Nucks will be competitive. Of course that depends on everyone elses health as well.

And I'll say this once again. The Nucks needed Dmen, Its been reported Mccan was a bit of a (frank)ing whiner, And Guds is experienced and tough. While he may not have the scoring touch, He's proven. I'll do that trade again and again.
- vancity787

100%

These are the Canucks top forwards, Henrik Daniel Eriksson Sutter & Horvat. These are the Canucks top four dmen, Edler Tanev Gudbranson & Hutton.

These the players that make the biggest contribution to the team offensively and defensively, in other words, these are the guys that'll make this a playoff team.

I don't care about overall standing in the NHL when it comes to playoffs, what matters is the Western Conference standings. Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago and Dallas are all much better teams than the Canucks.

That leaves Arizona, Calgary, Columbus, Colorado, Minnesota, Winnipeg and Edmonton to get that final spot. Of those team I only see Arizona & Columbus as a real dogs breakfast, the other teams are pretty closely matched but I see Calgary, Minnesota & Colorado slightly better than even a healthy Canucks team.

But a lot can happewn over an 82 game schedule….that's why they play the games!
- LeftCoaster

LA are starting to get in trouble with contracts holding them down. Doughty Kopitar can not be denied , they are great . Carter and Tiffoli very good . Quick is fine , but after that it could go sideways.

I think Kesler is the Ducks best player and we all know he can't be trusted.

I'd bet my condo they are better than that! They will fall between 14-20 in my opinion
- CanuckDon

I hope you have a good tent.

I think 18-22 is more realistic. Probably closer to 18 unless some players go on a tear and we finish better, or get some really bad injuries and finish worse.
- Retinalz

If Canucks finished 18 th would that not be successful ? Jumping 10 spots is fine with me.

I hope you have a good tent.
- golfingsince

If Canucks finished 18 th would that not be successful ? Jumping 10 spots is fine with me.
- VANTEL

I would say jumping 10 spots would be successful and shows the club is moving in the right direction then gives hope for the following season

If it's possible then Aquilini would have already done it, but it's not possible to sell your sole twice.
- A_SteamingLombardi

Sure it is possible , sell one shoe at a time

Or did you mean soul?


You know you are hungover if Vantel is giving you spelling lessons

I would say jumping 10 spots would be successful and shows the club is moving in the right direction then gives hope for the following season
- RatedR80

I hope you have a good tent.
- golfingsince

I don't so you are confident they will finish in the bottom 10? Super

I don't so you are confident they will finish in the bottom 10? Super
- CanuckDon

People forget that our best two players in the last 40 games last year were Bo and Hansen . Not the twins.

We had a crap lineup for most of last year

People forget that our best two players in the last 40 games last year were Bo and Hansen . Not the twins.

We had a crap lineup for most of last year
- VANTEL

As I have said before and I think you actually agreed with me I think they should put Bo and Loui on a line and see how they gel as that could be your future potential #1 line after the twins say farewell....but I see the masses want Loui to play with the twins.....be interesting to see what WD does to start off the year