Its hard to see how good he is day in and day out, season after season. But he deserves it and the Bruins will be a tough team every night. Getting mentored by Chara in the ways a captain should be we can only hope "Huggy" has the right lines to help our Snowflakes
- TJTD

On the team or in this thread?

What would be the difference? He's cratering the D even gone with the burden of the cap hit we'll need to deal with down the road. Cole is replacing OEL and only a few years younger than OEL and also not a long-term solution, so really, you're getting a wash. Soucy is replacing Bear but is probably better than Bear defensively so in that sense it's an upgrade but it really isn't going to do much unless: a) Everyone on the team plays up to expectations or exceeds it, b) Teams we need to chase for a playoff spot don't meet expectations and here's the key: c) We stay healthy (which has always been a giant concern due to how small our team is and with Tocchet being known to liking his players to play extremely hard and physical, that might be a big issue)
- DariusKnight

I think you need to see that OEL's buyout cap hit is less than his cap hit would be if he were still on the team. The buyout peaks at 4.76 mil in 25/26 and 26/27. OEL's cap hit, would he still have been on the team, would be 7+ in 25/26 and 26/27. They're literally saving cap in those years by buying him out. If you're really worried about the two extra years at 2 mil after 26/27... well it's a "wash" because that's only going to pay for some bottom 6 center or 5/6 D and those aren't going to move the needle in your words.

And no, Cole is not a long term solution, no one said he was, but he's a legit top 4 D coming from a playoff team that will be a massive upgrade to OEL. So no man, it's not a wash. Don't confuse their age with what they would provide this year.

And as you said, Soucy is an upgrade to Bear. Plus you get a full year of Hronek. So that's 3 upgrades on the back end compared to the start of last year.

Canucks projected opening night roster makeup by nationality:

USA — 12 🇺🇸
Canada — 3 🇨🇦
Sweden — 2🇸🇪
Russia — 2 🇷🇺
Czech Republic — 1 🇨🇿
Latvia — 1 🇱🇻
Switzerland — 1 🇨🇭

It’s fitting they have an American captain now

The things that hurt us last year was terrible D, the worst PK in the league, and Demko had a terrible start.

Demko is not injured this year and they have upgraded the other two issues. They missed the playoffs last year by five or six wins only. It is time to sit back and watch and see how much they improved and what else they need to do to improve more.
- VANTEL

Pretty much.

The Canucks are going to make the playoffs on the back of their stars. However, the stars could have McDavid-like years and if their bottom half of their D and F were still black holes, they wouldn't get there. Upgrading the bottom half allows the stars' impacts to be more noticeable – but IMO for all of it to work they need Tocchet's system to be good and they actually need to buy in.
- NewYorkNuck

This

It's still an uphill climb but at least they're pointed uphill.

Canucks projected opening night roster makeup by nationality:

USA — 12 🇺🇸
Canada — 3 🇨🇦
Sweden — 2🇸🇪
Russia — 2 🇷🇺
Czech Republic — 1 🇨🇿
Latvia — 1 🇱🇻
Switzerland — 1 🇨🇭

It’s fitting they have an American captain now
- manvanfan

That's kinda friggen sad actually. I knew we were US heavy, but 3 good Canadian kids yikes. Queue Don Cherry.

On the team or in this thread?
- VanHockeyGuy

We'll see what kind of a leader Hughes will be, I doubt he'll go to the extreme of going to the pumpkin patch to make sure Miller doesn't get harassed.

This

It's still an uphill climb but at least they're pointed uphill.
- A_SteamingLombardi

They need some success and consistency on the ice until they are moving uphill, in my opinion. All the signs are pointing to improvements but this is still the Canucks.
I hope it's an entertaining season especially since we're buying the SportsNet Centre Ice package this year.

They need some success and consistency on the ice until they are moving uphill, in my opinion. All the signs are pointing to improvements but this is still the Canucks.
I hope it's an entertaining season especially since we're buying the SportsNet Centre Ice package this year.
- Marwood

I'm not going to spend money on that, I can just walk to the Pub, I'm only drinking Grapefruit juice and soda these days.

That's kinda friggen sad actually. I knew we were US heavy, but 3 good Canadian kids yikes. Queue Don Cherry.
- Sayros

Better than 12 Swedes and 2 Amercians

I think you need to see that OEL's buyout cap hit is less than his cap hit would be if he were still on the team. The buyout peaks at 4.76 mil in 25/26 and 26/27. OEL's cap hit, would he still have been on the team, would be 7+ in 25/26 and 26/27. They're literally saving cap in those years by buying him out. If you're really worried about the two extra years at 2 mil after 26/27... well it's a "wash" because that's only going to pay for some bottom 6 center or 5/6 D and those aren't going to move the needle in your words.

And no, Cole is not a long term solution, no one said he was, but he's a legit top 4 D coming from a playoff team that will be a massive upgrade to OEL. So no man, it's not a wash. Don't confuse their age with what they would provide this year.

And as you said, Soucy is an upgrade to Bear. Plus you get a full year of Hronek. So that's 3 upgrades on the back end compared to the start of last year.
- NewYorkNuck

Well, we'll see, I don't see things quite as optimistically as you seeing as I expect all 3 to have to deal with significant injuries during the course of the season just by the nature of how they play and how RT is going to want them to play and with our lack of depth in the AHL for replacement level defensemen it's still going to be a longshot at best.

Well, we'll see, I don't see things quite as optimistically as you seeing as I expect all 3 to have to deal with significant injuries during the course of the season just by the nature of how they play and how RT is going to want them to play and with our lack of depth in the AHL for replacement level defensemen it's still going to be a longshot at best.
- DariusKnight

That's one long run one sentence of pessimism on top of pessimism. Soucy played 78 plus playoffs last year, Cole 78 plus playoffs, Hronek clearly not as much but 64 in total and 78 the year before.

I'm not optimistic saying they're an in for the playoffs. Just objectively on paper they're a better team.

The OEL buyout was the best choice Allvin could have made given the circumstances. But, I think you see that now

That's one long run one sentence of pessimism on top of pessimism. Soucy played 78 plus playoffs last year, Cole 78 plus playoffs, Hronek clearly not as much but 64 in total and 78 the year before.

I'm not optimistic saying they're an in for the playoffs. Just objectively on paper they're a better team.

The OEL buyout was the best choice Allvin could have made given the circumstances. But, I think you see that now
- NewYorkNuck

This.

Thank you Michael.

So Pearson gone seems to be another step in the right direction.

Canucks projected opening night roster makeup by nationality:

USA — 12 🇺🇸
Canada — 3 🇨🇦
Sweden — 2🇸🇪
Russia — 2 🇷🇺
Czech Republic — 1 🇨🇿
Latvia — 1 🇱🇻
Switzerland — 1 🇨🇭

It’s fitting they have an American captain now
- manvanfan

So for this years "run" we can call them the Amucks.

So for this years "run" we can call them the Amucks.
- cynuck

Beats the swucks

On the Pearson trade…

Cap crunch from JB signings/trades.
Winger logjam.
Need for a proven back-up.

On the Pearson trade…

Cap crunch from JB signings/trades.
Winger logjam.
Need for a proven back-up.
- Nighthawk

Scottish Quinn'sUp4U thinks it's a step in the right direction.

Wasn't Demko the starter that lead the Canucks to a record breaking start at 0-5-2, last season?

Go Canucks Go
- Reubenkincade

How about that juggernaut team with a 1st round exit?

The off season wasn't a disaster, so there is that.
- Marwood

Just a bit more to unravel.

Myers and Beauvillier
- VANTEL

I’d keep Beau & grind a cheaper contract. 2-3/3m

The things that hurt us last year was terrible D, the worst PK in the league, and Demko had a terrible start.

Demko is not injured this year and they have upgraded the other two issues. They missed the playoffs last year by five or six wins only. It is time to sit back and watch and see how much they improved and what else they need to do to improve more.
- VANTEL

This is a good take 👍

Yeah, it didn't start great. But at least they didn't end the season going 3-4 in a massive choke.
- micah555

That tends to happen when you don't have enough Canadian kids on your team.

That's kinda friggen sad actually. I knew we were US heavy, but 3 good Canadian kids yikes. Queue Don Cherry.
- Sayros

It's actually pathetic, hence my comment yesterday about the purge almost complete.

I have never in my life cheered for Team USA, I am not starting now.

As I continue to facetiously say, Go Canucks Go

Better than 12 Swedes and 2 Amercians
- TJTD

Is it?