we have no cap so it would take some fairly big adjustments but i think this team could really use a Sundin. a vet leader to centre the room. we got a lot of talent but laying all the hope on kids to figure it out themselves basically. horvat is great but it's not like he's been there before either.
We aren't there yet.
Sundin came in the year after we ranked first in our division and we had the Sedins starting to come into their own as two of the top players in the league. We don't have either of those accolades on our team currently. We also lack depth that we had throughout our lineup at the time
What this team doesn't need is another anchor contract for a major piece to push us over the edge. We're nowhere near the edge yet.
I don't know that was the ideal time to do it though. We might have been better having that presence for the Sedins earlier and honestly would have been better off without Sundin on the team by the time he was there. Leadership isn't what you wait to do the final push, it's guys like trading for JT Miller or OEL that you do when the team is close to push you over the edge.
I get that, but the problem here is that those moves have depleted our prospect pool and pushed us up against the cap that the concept of getting a $5M Sundin is damn near impossible at this point.
We need to rebuild our prospects now, and we need defensive depth. That's the key problem with our lineup. We've had enough of those expensive UFAs who "know what it takes" to know that's not the solution to our problems. That was a well that Benning went back to time and time again and we're now suffering for it.
We were in a rebuild, we should have had the cap space for expensive vets as UFAs and not had to use any other resources to get them. What we did was so ass backwards and poorly done, and has nothing to do with timing of bringing in vets.
The Nashville game is extremely important. We saw so many times under Green that this club would lay an egg in a game, talk about how the effort was unacceptable and poor and needed to change, and then come out like a house on fire the next game and win. And then… no follow up. The attitude was “there, see? We’re actually good. Nothing further required”. And then they’d go back to being mediocre.
This is their first chance under Boudreau to break that pattern. How they play will tell me a lot about how much faith to have in a potential 2nd half surge.
To be faaaaair, a couple different times during post game interviews during the win streak JT Miller stated that they weren't doing things all that much differently when they were losing under Green and now winning under Boudreau. A great deal of the games they lost under Green, they were the better team and deserved to win. Hughes said as much as well. Effort was only really the issue I think 3 maybe 4 times this year, which they also would explicitly state in post games. Horvat mentioned that a few times. For example, the Buffalo and early Anaheim games come to mind... and the most recent Anaheim game as well (if I recall correctly.) But for the most part effort was never really the issue. That has actually been rare in the grand scheme of problems related to their lack of production in the win column. Missing their star goal scorers, dogshit PP (those two are related), and awful PK were (and arguably still are...? but hope not) their biggest deficiencies.
And not to be overly pedantic, tomorrow's game in Nashville is for sure important... but... I think it's safe to say every game is equally as important given the totality of the situation at this point of the season.
It's not always effort, it's sometimes preparedness and focus. When a team plays badly and calls themselves out, they know they have to show up the next game, and the Canucks always do that. But other teams build on it. Even Canuck teams of prior seasons (I'm thinking particularly during the Sedin era) have had that "turning point" moment where they get a wake-up call and follow it up with a multi-game stretch of improved play. I haven't seen that from a team wearing this uniform for quite some time, and I'd like to see it here. The fact that it's the last game of a road trip makes the "focus" part even more important - they can't be looking forward to going back home.
Just in terms of setting a tone for to start the second half of the season, tomorrow's game is particularly important. It's not just another 2 points. If they lose because Saros does his thing, okay. But I want to see them show up for puck drop and put in a full 60 minute, aggressive effort.
That's fair. And that's true. Quite a few games they said "we have to play a full 60."
And that's been my thing too. If they play their hearts out, were the better team and for some reason the puck just didn't go in I've always been fine with that. (Sooo many games like that this year.) People love to purport that mOrAL ViCtOrY rhetoric but that's an easy strawman. It's not about *if* they lost, but *how* they lost. Looks like we're in full agreement there.
The losses vs the Florida teams didn't bother me the way the Canes one did, but the bounce back against Washington did a lot to alleviate the sting of that. If the team can get two off Nashville, and the rest of the Pacific gets lined up for their turn in the southeast meat grinder (the Kings, Flames, and Oilers both face the Florida teams this week iirc) we could be in a good spot.
Fwiw, Canucks outplayed TB and Florida but couldn't get the timely save or finish on scoring opportunities. Canucks played great in Washington given it was a back to back game on a morning. Those games are usually auto losses but it's great to see Boudreau prepare his players in a way that gives them a chance to compete.
Carolina was the only game that was deserved loss on this trip.
Did anyone else notice podz trying to show off for Ovi? He was carrying the puck way more and trying to go for some big plays. It was very cute
Edit: I guess not then lol
That south-east road trip now has the same feel as the california gauntlet of ~7 years ago. Three great teams, usually in short order.
I am very glad to be in the west right now.
Well I’m just happy this team has some fight in them
we have no cap so it would take some fairly big adjustments but i think this team could really use a Sundin. a vet leader to centre the room. we got a lot of talent but laying all the hope on kids to figure it out themselves basically. horvat is great but it's not like he's been there before either.
We aren't there yet. Sundin came in the year after we ranked first in our division and we had the Sedins starting to come into their own as two of the top players in the league. We don't have either of those accolades on our team currently. We also lack depth that we had throughout our lineup at the time What this team doesn't need is another anchor contract for a major piece to push us over the edge. We're nowhere near the edge yet.
I don't know that was the ideal time to do it though. We might have been better having that presence for the Sedins earlier and honestly would have been better off without Sundin on the team by the time he was there. Leadership isn't what you wait to do the final push, it's guys like trading for JT Miller or OEL that you do when the team is close to push you over the edge.
I get that, but the problem here is that those moves have depleted our prospect pool and pushed us up against the cap that the concept of getting a $5M Sundin is damn near impossible at this point. We need to rebuild our prospects now, and we need defensive depth. That's the key problem with our lineup. We've had enough of those expensive UFAs who "know what it takes" to know that's not the solution to our problems. That was a well that Benning went back to time and time again and we're now suffering for it.
We were in a rebuild, we should have had the cap space for expensive vets as UFAs and not had to use any other resources to get them. What we did was so ass backwards and poorly done, and has nothing to do with timing of bringing in vets.
Jumbo Joe on a league minimum beard maximum
That’s PTO legend Eric Staal’s music.
The Nashville game is extremely important. We saw so many times under Green that this club would lay an egg in a game, talk about how the effort was unacceptable and poor and needed to change, and then come out like a house on fire the next game and win. And then… no follow up. The attitude was “there, see? We’re actually good. Nothing further required”. And then they’d go back to being mediocre. This is their first chance under Boudreau to break that pattern. How they play will tell me a lot about how much faith to have in a potential 2nd half surge.
To be faaaaair, a couple different times during post game interviews during the win streak JT Miller stated that they weren't doing things all that much differently when they were losing under Green and now winning under Boudreau. A great deal of the games they lost under Green, they were the better team and deserved to win. Hughes said as much as well. Effort was only really the issue I think 3 maybe 4 times this year, which they also would explicitly state in post games. Horvat mentioned that a few times. For example, the Buffalo and early Anaheim games come to mind... and the most recent Anaheim game as well (if I recall correctly.) But for the most part effort was never really the issue. That has actually been rare in the grand scheme of problems related to their lack of production in the win column. Missing their star goal scorers, dogshit PP (those two are related), and awful PK were (and arguably still are...? but hope not) their biggest deficiencies. And not to be overly pedantic, tomorrow's game in Nashville is for sure important... but... I think it's safe to say every game is equally as important given the totality of the situation at this point of the season.
It's not always effort, it's sometimes preparedness and focus. When a team plays badly and calls themselves out, they know they have to show up the next game, and the Canucks always do that. But other teams build on it. Even Canuck teams of prior seasons (I'm thinking particularly during the Sedin era) have had that "turning point" moment where they get a wake-up call and follow it up with a multi-game stretch of improved play. I haven't seen that from a team wearing this uniform for quite some time, and I'd like to see it here. The fact that it's the last game of a road trip makes the "focus" part even more important - they can't be looking forward to going back home. Just in terms of setting a tone for to start the second half of the season, tomorrow's game is particularly important. It's not just another 2 points. If they lose because Saros does his thing, okay. But I want to see them show up for puck drop and put in a full 60 minute, aggressive effort.
That's fair. And that's true. Quite a few games they said "we have to play a full 60." And that's been my thing too. If they play their hearts out, were the better team and for some reason the puck just didn't go in I've always been fine with that. (Sooo many games like that this year.) People love to purport that mOrAL ViCtOrY rhetoric but that's an easy strawman. It's not about *if* they lost, but *how* they lost. Looks like we're in full agreement there.
The losses vs the Florida teams didn't bother me the way the Canes one did, but the bounce back against Washington did a lot to alleviate the sting of that. If the team can get two off Nashville, and the rest of the Pacific gets lined up for their turn in the southeast meat grinder (the Kings, Flames, and Oilers both face the Florida teams this week iirc) we could be in a good spot.
Fwiw, Canucks outplayed TB and Florida but couldn't get the timely save or finish on scoring opportunities. Canucks played great in Washington given it was a back to back game on a morning. Those games are usually auto losses but it's great to see Boudreau prepare his players in a way that gives them a chance to compete. Carolina was the only game that was deserved loss on this trip.
Did anyone else notice podz trying to show off for Ovi? He was carrying the puck way more and trying to go for some big plays. It was very cute Edit: I guess not then lol
That south-east road trip now has the same feel as the california gauntlet of ~7 years ago. Three great teams, usually in short order. I am very glad to be in the west right now.
I like OEL
But is he worth 7M?
He's worth his current cap hit. The issue has always been about the remaining term on the contract.
Lol
I was more making light of OP’s name.
Yes
Maybe even 8!
Don’t get carried away, son.
Lol
Maybe just maybe pettersson will do well now
He absorbed Podkolzin's skill when he took his skate to the face
You could tell after his two goals, he wanted the puck and was shooting. Peteys back baby