Is anyone else really not excited in the least about this season?

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

I'm having a hard time trying to remember the last time I've cared this little about the start of an NHL season. Usually around mid-August/early September I start getting butterflies and watching highlights from seasons past to get myself amped up for October.

This year...I've hardly even thought about hockey all summer. I completely forgot about the Youngstars tournament until I saw the thread on these boards. There's just no energy in the air, it seems like the majority of fans are just going through the motions. Despite some notable additions (Eriksson, Gudbranson) I really can't find much to look forward to.

Our young players should take a decent step forward but nowhere near dominant status yet. Meanwhile it seems like every other team has kids who are leading the charge (Oilers/McDavid, Flames/Gaudreau and Monahan, Leafs/Matthews, Jets/Laine etc.) Now THERE is some excitement.

I'll always be a Canucks fan, no matter how hard I may try to disown the team. I'll always come back. It's in my blood. But I can't even cheer for them to be bad like in the last few years because of how bitter I was after they got screwed by the lottery. And with the additions they made, I can't see them being as bad as last year, despite our rivals making seemingly significant strides forward.

I just don't know what this team's identity is anymore. In the 2000-2006 era they were this high-paced, guns blazing team that sometimes struggled defensively. 2007-2009 they were a plucky bunch who couldn't score goals but relied on sound defensive play and goaltending. 2010-2013 they were a juggernaut of a team. 2014-now...I don't know what this is. And I don't think they do either.

Click to read more...

 

[Hit the post]

Is anyone else really not excited in the least about this season?

Regime change.

 

[Toxic0n]

I'm right there with you. While I do want to see the development of Hutton, Horvat, Virtanen etc...it is overshadowed by having to watch the likes of Sbisa, Granlund, Dorsett and Miller.

 

[DS7]

I'm still kind of excited for a few reasons.

1.) Benning has officially run out of room and excuses. This is his roster now for better or worse and I'm genuinely curious whether all the gambles he's made will actually pay off. He's shaved off so much of our asset base that he has run out of wiggle room to pay premiums without noticeably taking a giant step back in our prospect pool or roster. My opinion, this is the season the whole house of cards falls down. We've watched the little moves coming up to this moment and it's kind of interesting to see if that crash will come. Or it might even work in Benning's favour and the bets he's done results in a playoff team.

2.) I want to see if Willie D actually has any improvements this summer. The roster might be slightly better on paper but if it's deployed badly it won't matter.

3.) Cheap tickets, I've watched more games live in the last two years than my entire life put together.

4.) Our team can't move the puck, scoring is questionable, but i'm looking forward to seeing our new blood heavy hitters knock the crap out of the opposing team and punish them physically. if we can't beat them on the score sheet, at least i can look forward to seeing them beat up their opponents physically.

5.) It's just game. Don't heff to be mad

 

[valkynax]

I'm still kind of excited for a few reasons.

1.) Benning has officially run out of room and excuses. This is his roster now for better or worse and I'm genuinely curious whether all the gambles he's made will actually pay off. He's shaved off so much of our asset base that he has run out of wiggle room to pay premiums without noticeably taking a giant step back in our prospect pool or roster. My opinion, this is the season the whole house of cards falls down. We've watched the little moves coming up to this moment and it's kind of interesting to see if that crash will come. Or it might even work in Benning's favour and the bets he's done results in a playoff team.

2.) I want to see if Willie D actually has any improvements this summer. The roster might be slightly better on paper but if it's deployed badly it won't matter.

3.) Cheap tickets, I've watched more games live in the last two years than my entire life put together.

4.) Our team can't move the puck, scoring is questionable, but i'm looking forward to seeing our new blood heavy hitters knock the crap out of the opposing team and punish them physically. if we can't beat them on the score sheet, at least i can look forward to seeing them beat up their opponents physically.

5.) It's just game. Don't heff to be mad

The fear I have for 1) is that because Benning has no more excuses, there exists a chance for him to start throwing away the team's future just to make playoffs, because he is willing to do virtually anything to secure his job. By the time they traded away Tanev and Virtanen for some scrub their comment will likely be something like "we know we said we'll never trade team's future and core players are out of the question, but we want to win and these moves bring us the necessary pieces to stay competitive and have a real chance at the cup"

And you are saying 5) the wrong way, it's "Don't heff to be med". Clearly you didn't watch enough of Bryzgalov - see if we end up with Bryzgalov it could be worse than Miller, right?

 

[Nucker101]

I'm still kind of excited for a few reasons.

1.) Benning has officially run out of room and excuses. This is his roster now for better or worse and I'm genuinely curious whether all the gambles he's made will actually pay off. He's shaved off so much of our asset base that he has run out of wiggle room to pay premiums without noticeably taking a giant step back in our prospect pool or roster. My opinion, this is the season the whole house of cards falls down. We've watched the little moves coming up to this moment and it's kind of interesting to see if that crash will come. Or it might even work in Benning's favour and the bets he's done results in a playoff team.

2.) I want to see if Willie D actually has any improvements this summer. The roster might be slightly better on paper but if it's deployed badly it won't matter.

3.) Cheap tickets, I've watched more games live in the last two years than my entire life put together.

4.) Our team can't move the puck, scoring is questionable, but i'm looking forward to seeing our new blood heavy hitters knock the crap out of the opposing team and punish them physically. if we can't beat them on the score sheet, at least i can look forward to seeing them beat up their opponents physically.

5.) It's just game. Don't heff to be mad

#1 is why I'm excited as well lol

 

[NoShowWilly]

Not very excited for where the team will end up. however this should be a good season to see some building blocks solidify themselves as core members.

 

[valkynax]

#1 is why I'm excited as well lol

I'm a little scared to think what a Benning will do when he's on the verge of getting canned.

 

[Serac]

I can't wait for this year
See how Juolevi is tracking
Keep up with Boeser and watch the most fun hockey in the world with the frozen four and hope he's there
Watch the ups and downs with Demko in Utica

We don't have an NHL club do we ?

 

[Flik]

Definitely the least excited I've been for an upcoming season in the last 15 years. Oh well.

 

[VeteranNetPresence]

I am excited for the NFL and the slim possibility of front office clearing out

 

[Archangel]

The more season previews I see the more concerned I get. Mostly due to the energy of this place.

 

[BROCK HUGHES]

The only reason for any excitement with this team is to watch the development of our young players.Bo ,Jake ,Ben,Tanev are the ones we build around,The rest is trash.Management has no idea of what they are doing.1 minute they want a big fast physical team,the next thing they do is bring in soft players like Granlund,Rodin,ect.I cant wait for the ax to fall on Willie first,,then Lin-Benning.Now that would be excitement for me.

 

[DustyMartellaughs]

The season will be w success if we start the next one without Desjardins, Benning, or Linden.

 

[RandV]

I'm having a hard time trying to remember the last time I've cared this little about the start of an NHL season. Usually around mid-August/early September I start getting butterflies and watching highlights from seasons past to get myself amped up for October.

That's an easy question for me, there's little to get get excited about this upcoming season but last offseason was worse.

 

[Scholarships]

I'm excited for the draft

 

[M2Beezy]

I'm having a hard time trying to remember the last time I've cared this little about the start of an NHL season. Usually around mid-August/early September I start getting butterflies and watching highlights from seasons past to get myself amped up for October.

This year...I've hardly even thought about hockey all summer. I completely forgot about the Youngstars tournament until I saw the thread on these boards. There's just no energy in the air, it seems like the majority of fans are just going through the motions. Despite some notable additions (Eriksson, Gudbranson) I really can't find much to look forward to.

Our young players should take a decent step forward but nowhere near dominant status yet. Meanwhile it seems like every other team has kids who are leading the charge (Oilers/McDavid, Flames/Gaudreau and Monahan, Leafs/Matthews, Jets/Laine etc.) Now THERE is some excitement.

I'll always be a Canucks fan, no matter how hard I may try to disown the team. I'll always come back. It's in my blood. But I can't even cheer for them to be bad like in the last few years because of how bitter I was after they got screwed by the lottery. And with the additions they made, I can't see them being as bad as last year, despite our rivals making seemingly significant strides forward.

I just don't know what this team's identity is anymore. In the 2000-2006 era they were this high-paced, guns blazing team that sometimes struggled defensively. 2007-2009 they were a plucky bunch who couldn't score goals but relied on sound defensive play and goaltending. 2010-2013 they were a juggernaut of a team. 2014-now...I don't know what this is. And I don't think they do either.

2 words: Nolan Patrick

 

[VanillaCoke]

I'm still pretty pumped for the season. Hockey is hockey.

 

[Nuckles]

The most exciting thing about this season is that it could very well be the last year Benning and Desjardins are working for the Canucks.

 

[BrockBoeser6]

I guess your a first timer being a fan of a bad team? The Canucks have been there before and the taste is bitter. Either stop being a fan or stick around for the sweet taste of excitement!

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Yes, I'm still excited. I'll always be hopeful and excited until those dreams are crushed.

Win, lose or lose a lot, I'll be tuning in.

 

[DL44]

Every September is the same for me...
Same various dreams for opening week.... we come out and blow everyone away 10-1... Sedins lead the league in points by 10 after 1 week.
Rookies of the season shock us all...
Always just as fun leading up to any season for me.

 

[NoShowWilly]

2 words: Nolan Patrick

We'll be that last place team that gets ****ed back to 4th and then the league will change the rules again.

 

[me2]

That's an easy question for me, there's little to get get excited about this upcoming season but last offseason was worse.

That's about it. Last season at least was a trainwreck, kind of exciting in a frightening way and hard to look away and

This year looks more like a broken down car just coasting. Probably be good enough to such out all the draft excitement and but bad enough to suck out all the playoff expectations.

 

[TheSnowLeopard]

I'm having a hard time trying to remember the last time I've cared this little about the start of an NHL season.

I am excited that it may finally be possible to watch Canucks games online in BC without resorting to illegal streams. Just waiting on a PS4 / Roku client to go with a Sportsnet Now subscription.