I think it’s Sean McIndoe wrote a column for The Athletic about “why the bottom 10 teams will be good”. Basically making a case for each of the worst third of the league. Are the Canucks on that list?
- 1970vintage

Yes, they are number 10:

10. Vancouver Canucks

The projections say: About 87 points, which would leave them fifth in the Pacific. The model gives them just under a one-in-three chance at making the playoffs.

Why they’re probably right: The Canucks were very bad last year, maybe even the league’s most disappointing team if we’re weighing expectations. They had a busy offseason, and did fill a few holes, but haven’t done enough to move out of the murky playoff bubble.

But hear me out … : First of all, the murky playoff bubble isn’t a bad place to be compared to some of the other teams we’re going to get to. The path to the postseason is wide open in the Pacific, which will be a theme of this post, and it’s possible that Canucks could get in even without significantly overshooting their 87-point projection. And as we learned last year, once you’re in the playoffs, even a mediocre team can get hot and do some damage.

Let’s assume that Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are signed and in the lineup for opening night. That leaves the top end of the lineup looking a lot like the one from 2019-20, when the Canucks made the playoffs and then knocked off the defending champs. Sure, it’s also a lot like last year’s disaster, but sometimes everything just goes wrong for a year. The Canucks can bounce back, especially now that they’ve added a young difference-maker up front in Conor Garland. Oliver Ekman-Larsson may be overpaid and even overrated, but that doesn’t mean he can’t improve the blue line. Add in another year of experience for emerging goalie Thatcher Demko, and it’s not hard at all to picture the Canucks getting back to the level we thought they were at last year. If Hughes and/or Pettersson make the leap into the true Hart-Norris-level elite, maybe this team can go even further.

Excellent 4th round pick.

Drake Batherson was also a very good 4th round pick about 25 picks later than Rathbone.
- manvanfan

I am acquainted with an uncle of his who lives in town. From what his uncle says, the kid is great off the ice as well. Good family.

I am acquainted with an uncle of his who lives in town. From what his uncle says, the kid is great off the ice as well. Good family.
- RealityChecker

I know he was picked by San Jose but Josh Norris was a good selection as well. Ottawa has the makings of a good young team.

I am acquainted with an uncle of his who lives in town. From what his uncle says, the kid is great off the ice as well. Good family.
- RealityChecker

That's good, Ottawa needs players like that. Good whole hearted kids who just love to play hockey because who else is going to want to play in Ottawa.

A POS Tkachuk is already whining and wanting out. Kid wants 7M a season, maybe on an 8 year deal

If Juho Lammikko goes on waivers by the Florida Panthers. I sure hope Benning's Eastern scouts are paying attention and Van makes a claim for him.
- manvanfan

Why? I thought we wanted less bottom 6 players than can't score....

Thank you Carol

I know he was picked by San Jose but Josh Norris was a good selection as well. Ottawa has the makings of a good young team.
- LeftCoaster

Dylan DeMelo · $900,000 _>traded for 3rd round pick to WPG
Chris Tierney · $2,937,500
Rūdolfs Balcers · $0 (AHL/JR)
Joshua Norris · $0 (Signing Rights)
2020 conditional 1st round pick* (SJS - #3 - Tim Stützle)
2021 conditional 2nd round pick** (SJS - #39 - Zach Ostapchuk)Just signed ELC
2019 conditional 2nd round pick*** (FLA - #44 - Jamieson Rees)Traded with 3rd round pick to move up to #37
Conditional 1st round pick****

SJ is now a bottom 10 team and Ottawa has a ton of good young players coming up.

Anyone else wanting to trade Hughes now other than just Ruby??

I know he was picked by San Jose but Josh Norris was a good selection as well. Ottawa has the makings of a good young team.
- LeftCoaster

ownership will be the limiting issue. and in other news, water is wet.

Why? I thought we wanted less bottom 6 players than can't score....
- Retinalz

The current options that are being tried are smaller, softer, older than he is.

I am waiting to see how this plays out . When Pearson signed last year right after he scored 3 or 4 more goals in the last few games and he just scored again last game.

For the record I did not like the signing but will laugh if he is a 20 goal guy this year.
- VANTEL

He got paid to score 15. If he scores 20 it’s a home run

Dylan DeMelo · $900,000 _>traded for 3rd round pick to WPG
Chris Tierney · $2,937,500
Rūdolfs Balcers · $0 (AHL/JR)
Joshua Norris · $0 (Signing Rights)
2020 conditional 1st round pick* (SJS - #3 - Tim Stützle)
2021 conditional 2nd round pick** (SJS - #39 - Zach Ostapchuk)Just signed ELC
2019 conditional 2nd round pick*** (FLA - #44 - Jamieson Rees)Traded with 3rd round pick to move up to #37
Conditional 1st round pick****

SJ is now a bottom 10 team and Ottawa has a ton of good young players coming up.

Anyone else wanting to trade Hughes now other than just Ruby??
- manvanfan

OTT traded Karlsson at the right time... not before his prime

He got paid to score 15. If he scores 20 it’s a home run
- CanuckDon

Yup. He is a guy that can kill PKs ,score , match against other teams top players. I am not thrilled he got three years . It could go either way for his contract .

ownership will be the limiting issue. and in other news, water is wet.
- RealityChecker

Just when they get good and need to be paid accordingly, they’ll all get traded away and he’ll blame the NHL…talking about Melnyk.

That's good, Ottawa needs players like that. Good whole hearted kids who just love to play hockey because who else is going to want to play in Ottawa.

A POS Tkachuk is already whining and wanting out. Kid wants 7M a season, maybe on an 8 year deal
- manvanfan

Turned down 8x8 i heard.

Turned down 8x8 i heard.
- SMP8719

I don't see him lasting long-term in Ottawa

Turned down 8x8 i heard.
- SMP8719

yup

OTT traded Karlsson at the right time... not before his prime
- NewYorkNuck

They traded him with one year left before he got paid.

Turned down 8x8 i heard.
- SMP8719

Trade him.

I don't see him lasting long-term in Ottawa
- Nucker101

They could get a boat-load for him, trade his ass!

They could get a boat-load for him, trade his ass!
- LeftCoaster

There seems to be a lot of top 10 drafted players that are either being paid a lot or they ask to be traded somewhere else.

There seems to be a lot of top 10 drafted players that are either being paid a lot or they ask to be traded somewhere else.
- manvanfan

Seems that way. Doesn't bold well for Canadian teams or bad markets when after the ELCs players are saying they want to play here or there.

There seems to be a lot of top 10 drafted players that are either being paid a lot or they ask to be traded somewhere else.
- manvanfan

The landscape is shifting, players used to get paid a ton in the 30’s when they were washed up, now, teams are wanting to pay them between 20-28 years old during their most productive years. Keeps the Loui Eriksson signings to a minimum.

I’ve not read or heard Tkachuk wants out of Ottawa, pure speculation, I actually saw him say in an interview he’s excited about Ottawa’s future.

They traded him with one year left before he got paid.
- manvanfan

He also had won two Norris trophies. Not really comparable

Seems that way. Doesn't bold well for Canadian teams or bad markets when after the ELCs players are saying they want to play here or there.
- VANTEL

Players before used to think what can I do to help my team win more games. Now they just say I want to go to a team that is already winning.

“Jack Rathbone belongs in the NHL.

That's something Conor Garland already knew: "He went third round and looks like he could be a steal. He's so good.”

#Canucks”

—————————————————-

He actually went in the 4th round out of the USHL in 2017, Judd Brackett’s stomping grounds before he became Director of Amateur Scouting for the Canucks
- LeftCoaster

Who is Judd Brackett?