Post-Game Talk: 1/20/18 | Canucks 2 @ Oilers 5

[Johnny Canucker]

Travis Green won’t be here next year. That will be refreshing. The new GM will bring in his own guy. 2 new faces.

No, WTG was not right about Travis Green. Virtanen is being treated the correct way.

 

[NoShowWilly]

Yup. One thing to lose but to lose and have no pushback .... just a soft ,lifeless , skill-less team.

35 more games to mail in.

Mentorship, compete is in our nature, winning mentality

 

[clunk]

1 goal in his last 8 games.

Some think he’s better than Barzal tho lol.

I agree with Barzal being better at the moment and the more likely guy to win the Calder, but your hate on for Boeser has been pretty full on as of late. Chill man. Boeser is on bit of a cold streak right now. We couldn't expect the pace he was scoring at for the entire season.

He's one of the best rookies we've ever had in our history. It's a bit odd that you're hating on one of the only positives things this franchise has seen in years.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Poolparty language...chick's dig that

Sounds a bit like Cardassian.

Without the pointy ears.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

To be honest I’m a huge BB fan. Just sucks that he’s gone ice cold. Not a small drop off, a huge one. Can’t be a coincidence it coincided with the exact amount of games his body is used to playing.

I agree with Barzal being better at the moment and the more likely guy to win the Calder, but your hate on for Boeser has been pretty full on as of late. Chill man. Boeser is on bit of a cold streak right now. We couldn't expect the pace he was scoring at for the entire season.

He's one of the best rookies we've ever had in our history. It's a bit odd that you're hating on one of the only positives things this franchise has seen in years.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Mentorship, compete is in our nature, winning mentality

Seems more like defeat is in our nature just now.

Probably just a passing thing

 

[VanJack]

Wow!....this Canuck blueline isn't just bad, it's laughably bad....Pouliot has morphed into the second coming of Marc Andre Gragnani before our very eyes....and having Del Zotto on the penalty kill, you might as well be playing 5-3. And other than possibly Juolevi, there's nothing coming in the queue. How's it going to be any better next year?....I mean why not Holm and Wiercioch? Surely they can't any worse.

If Benning ends up walking the plank at the end of the season, which seems increasingly likely, it'll be the scouting and trades for blueliners that will be his epitaph. To end up with that blueline after three years of a so-called 'rebuild' is a firing offense.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

To be honest I’m a huge BB fan. Just sucks that he’s gone ice cold. Not a small drop off, a huge one. Can’t be a coincidence it coincided with the exact amount of games his body is used to playing.

He isn't used to the marathon NHL schedule. That's going to take a year or two to adjust to.

 

[Zombotron]

Jim, when you were given the mandate to rebuild the defense in your image, it didn't mean "give us an entire d-corps of Jim Bennings"

 

[clunk]

To be honest I’m a huge BB fan. Just sucks that he’s gone ice cold. Not a small drop off, a huge one. Can’t be a coincidence it coincided with the exact amount of games his body is used to playing.

The NHL is a huge step up from College. The kid was playing what, 40~ games a season? He's adapted very nicely to a tough NHL schedule.

Remember, the NHL is a marathon, not a sprint. Barzal was not putting up points to start his career, and suddenly blossomed. Boeser was producing really quickly, and now he's cooled down a bit. I wouldn't be surprised to see 1 or two more shifts like this.

I have full faith in BB. He has the greatest release I've ever seen from a Canuck.

 

[Draino]

To be honest I’m a huge BB fan. Just sucks that he’s gone ice cold. Not a small drop off, a huge one. Can’t be a coincidence it coincided with the exact amount of games his body is used to playing.

The fact that Sam Gagner is his center and the d men he gets to play with most of the time can generate 0 offence probably has nothing to do with it. Not only that, the fact that other teams have the book on him and basically only have to zero in on him to stop the Canucks "offence" also has nothing to do with it. Even Barzal (or anyone else) would suffer in these conditions dont you think?

 

[petrishriekandgo]

Not worried about Boeser at all, possibly the only Canuck forward playing honest and forcing the play all night though Baertschi looked strong again. It's another young forward I'm pretty well over seeing... Jake Virtanen. Think it's time to package that kid and bring in something, anything in regard to a player that will show some growth and potential.

Kid did nothing but screw things up tonight... wow, beyond frustrated.

 

[jigsaw99]

what an embrassing team and org.

 

[CherryToke]

To be honest I’m a huge BB fan. Just sucks that he’s gone ice cold. Not a small drop off, a huge one. Can’t be a coincidence it coincided with the exact amount of games his body is used to playing.

Sure you are bud.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

Sure you are bud.

Why angry at me? I didn’t lose the game. Direct your anger towards Jake Virtanen please.

 

[Nuckles]

Only 5-7 more years before we finish turning things around and see the results of Lindenning!

 

[Foundational Player]

What does Granlund actually do?

Not only is he a professional ice hockey player he is an ambassador for Passat motors in Abbotsford.

 

[VanJack]

Can you imagine what it's going to be like watching Eriksson in the fourth and fifth years of that contract?.....easily the worst UFA signing in team history....basically ended up tonight on the fourth line with Dowd and Gaunce......most expensive fourth-liner ever.....another reason why there simply has to be a hockey-ops clean-out at the end of the season.

 

[BROCK HUGHES]

crap defense,and ahl goaltending at its best.
Along with over priced and soft aging vets and a rookie coach.
This is what Linden and Benning are selling to the fans of Vancouver..Then we hear about all the injurys we had this year,and some promising rookies we have.Its the same crap every year under Benning.Im calling for his firing now,,what the hell are we waiting for?.More Linden Vey,s and Loui Erikssons..

 

[Horse McHindu]

Brisebois is a nothingy player and should be treated as such.

I will buy you any player of your choice's jock if he's anything other than a very early cut next year.

I agree you for the most part. However, I can see Brisebois being the “Brendan Gaunce” of our defense and eventually being a non-flashy meat and potatoes kind of guy that becomes a staple on our 3rd pairing one day.

As far as jock straps go, I’m feeling Stipe Miocic right now. Not a hockey player obviously but such a humble character guy and is quietely becoming one of the greatest of all time.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Can you imagine what it's going to be like watching Eriksson in the fourth and fifth years of that contract?

I don’t want to keep beating this drum, but trust me.......Eriksson is gone after his 4th year. He will either be traded to a cap floor team (if he manages to pick up his game), or he will retire with 31 of his 36 million paid out to him.

Benning structured Eriksson’s contract in this way on purpose. It’s modern day cap circumvention and It’s pure genuis.

Having said that, I will have to admit that Eriksson has been a dud while he’s been here. Even the harshest of Eriksson’s critics wouldn’t have predicted Eriksson being this bad. Most would have pegged Eriksson having at least 3 very solid years for us (which is what Benning likely predicted as well).

You win a few.......you lose a few. No GM bats 1.000.

 

[orcatown]

Edmonton has such great young talent - no real credit to them as it was acquired through poor organization, losing and luck but when they come together you can see how good they could be. Certainly out-classed the Canucks tonight and very much exposed the deep problems the Canucks have on the back end.

Edler played well enough and outside of a few mistakes illustrated he is a bona vide NHL player. Tanev is struggling with the cage and is not on top of his game but still he is clearly NHL level. And Del Zotto would be ok if not given too much responsibility. As to the rest you have to have doubts. Hutton is in and out and has some fundamental issues in his coverage and play around the net. Stecher can do some good things but is just as likely to get beat by speed or size in his end and often seems to get caught up ice. You can see some potential in Stecher but he has ways to go and there is no certainty he will get there. Pouliot quite clearly is not NHL caliber. Basic things like his skating and one on one play are not nearly good enough. Those are problems so fundamental that it is difficult to see how he will ever be good enough. Right now he is simply unplayable. However you see Gudbranson, he is huge step up from Pouliot. But even here, Gudbranson a can look pretty marginal.

When you consider the situation and the lack of much in the pipeline (unless you believe Joulevi will make a quantum improvement in his play) you realize the time and pain the Canucks will have to go through before they are a contending team. You are not going to get enough through free agency to do much more than patch over a few holes. Unless you can make some great trade (which this organization has shown no propensity to do) the only way to get legit defensemen is through the draft. That will take years since you are also have to develop them.

As far as the forwards go there are much the same issue. This team still depends on the Sedins and how long can that last. Many of the forwards are low end NHLers who get by more hustle than talent. Few have upper level skills and even those with some are mistake prone (like Virtanen - and that was evident tonight). Others like Gaunce play sporadically and while they make a good play now and then they don't have the talent to finish anything off. Guys like Granlund and Dowd also fall into this category. Outside of that, there are vets whose best years are behind them and who are now little more than cannon fodder (with some like Gagner and Eriksson on totally inappropriate contracts).

Overall the situation is bleak and is made more so by recognizing that the organization is still more interest threading water than the total rebuild necessary. You can say that the organization has some talent on the way but some of this is based on hope and what talent they do have in the system will still have to go through the process of getting their game up to an NHL level. Some of the those players may take at least a few years to do this.

Some of this could have been avoided and we could be much closer to having a contending team if management had committed earlier (I'd say much earlier) to a rebuild. And, I guess, the even sadder element is that even if they had, there is little evidence that they have the smarts or dedication to accomplish the task.

 

[valkynax]

I don’t want to keep beating this drum, but trust me.......Eriksson is gone after his 4th year. He will either be traded to a cap floor team (if he manages to pick up his game), or he will retire with 31 of his 36 million paid out to him.

Benning structured Eriksson’s contract in this way on purpose. It’s modern day cap circumvention and It’s pure genuis.

Having said that, I will have to admit that Eriksson has been a dud while he’s been here. Even the harshest of Eriksson’s critics wouldn’t have predicted Eriksson being this bad. Most would have pegged Eriksson having at least 3 very solid years for us (which is what Benning likely predicted as well).

You win a few.......you lose a few. No GM bats 1.000.

Well, for our good ol Jimmy, most of his other signings are moderate to huge misses.

Benning's more like, you win a few, you lose a ton.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Why towards Jake,,,,crap defense,and ahl goaltending at its best.
Along with over priced and soft aging vets and a rookie coach.
This is what Linden and Benning are selling to the fans of Vancouver..Then we hear about all the injurys we had this year,and some promising rookies we have.Its the same crap every year under Benning.Im calling for his firing now,,what the hell are we waiting for?.More Linden Vey,s and Loui Erikssons..

So are you saying that injuries haven’t been a factor for the Canucks this year? (Losing two important centers, a Top 6 winger, defensemen, etc.). Cmon son.

Having said all that, I do think the injury issue needs to be addressed. The Canucks have been decimated with injury for numerous years. If it happens once or twice, you can blame it on bad luck. If it happens more than that however, then the organization needs to start looking at things. Are certain players not conditioned enough? Are certain players too soft/brittle? Management needs to look into this.

 

[Wilch]

So are you saying that injuries haven’t been a factor for the Canucks this year? (Losing two important centers, a Top 6 winger, defensemen, etc.). Cmon son.

Having said all that, I do think the injury issue needs to be addressed. The Canucks have been decimated with injury for numerous years. If it happens once or twice, you can blame it on bad luck. If it happens more than that however, then the organization needs to start looking at things. Are certain players not conditioned enough? Are certain players too soft/brittle? Management needs to look into this.

The Canucks aren't the only team dealing with injuries. In fact, every team in any contact sports league deals with injuries.