Pre-Game Talk: 2019-20 Playoff Watch Thread

[geebaan]

A good roster but no one predicted they would sweep the record breaking Lightning team which just further supports my initial point - make the playoffs and anything can happen.

What are you even trying to argue lmao????

sigh. I suppose I concede “anything can happen”, but the point I was trying to make, was how good that roster actually was. Did I think they’d do what they did? Hell no. But they loaded up at the deadline and had legitimately a great on paper team, that finally put it together come playoff time.

 

[PG Canuck]

Lets point to the biggest anomaly of them all, CBJ last year! That’ll prove everyone wrong.

 

[PG Canuck]

Good thing we've been competitive in every game then.

If only the season was 10 games long.

 

[DL44]

Lets point to the biggest anomaly of them all, CBJ last year! That’ll prove everyone wrong.

Didn't like EVERY wildcard team beat the 1 seed?

 

[DL44]

If only the season was 10 games long.

Talking about whats occurring currently seems better than what might occur if they make the playoffs.

Seems reasonable to assess as we go instead of being upset about something that may or may not happen...

We've been competitive in each game....
We'll have our stinkers eventually where the team no shows... but we're competitive so far.

 

[Pip]

A good roster but no one predicted they would sweep the record breaking Lightning team which just further supports my initial point - make the playoffs and anything can happen.

What are you even trying to argue lmao????

imagine actually believing this

 

[DFAC]

imagine actually believing this

Yeah I must be a Benning shill paid by the organization to come onto an online message board to spread fake news

Imagine believing that (some posters on here actually do)

A hot goalie, a good matchup or the opposing team choking can do wonders. Do you not believe that anything can happen in the playoffs then?

 

[DFAC]

Lets point to the biggest anomaly of them all, CBJ last year! That’ll prove everyone wrong.

There's literally upsets every year - the playoffs never go as expected.

And as @DL44 pointed out, every WC team won their 1st round matchup last year.

 

[settinguptheplay]

Didn't the Kings win a Cup several years back after squeaking into the playoffs as the 8th seed? Seem to remember them dismantling a pretty good team in the 1st round that year.... Who was it again? hmmm...

 

[Nomobo]

imagine actually believing this

Don’t have to imagine, it’s happened many times.

 

[valkynax]

not sure how it could be embarassing when we're not supposed to be there in the first place. i guess i'd prefer at least 6 games, but a sweep by a good team is still a learning experience and a lot better than losing out as a bubble team.

If I consistently score 20/100 in an exam, then scored a 40/100, that's progress, but still embarrassing.

Given how much the team tried and market playoff as their goal, and spent to the cap, getting bounced in round 1 is, in my books, embarrassment.

 

[Svencouver]

I think we're a better team than we were last year, which hopefully means no literal 10 game losing streak.

 

[Nomobo]

Nice come from behind win tonight. Character can take a team a ways in the playoffs.

 

[Nomobo]

13 points out of our first 10 games. Looking pretty good, we’re on track.
LETS GO NUCKS!!!

 

[Snatcher Demko]

Yeah, overall a solid first 10 games. You can tell that the bar has been raised, not only from fans but from the team. That's a major step forward.

Tonight was a lesson I think they'll learn from. Caps were as bad as the Canucks were from time to time. You can see that it will come together. Or at least that is my view - it's normal for a young team to have ups and downs.

Boy I'm glad I'm not one of those who has sunk so much cost into their anti-Benning grudge that they can't admit to enjoy what has been some really promising hockey. Perhaps sometime around 2030 they'll realize their rebuild fantasy will never be fulfilled.

 

[Angry Little Elf]

I think we need at least one more middle 6 winger. I think Jason Zucker is a good option.

 

[Blue and Green]

I think we need at least one more middle 6 winger. I think Jason Zucker is a good option.

Canucks don't have room for his cap hit. And can't really afford to give up the necessary assets in return anyway. They used up the cap space and assets on Miller who was a better target than Zucker.

 

[vanarchy]

I will not cheer for a team with Petey/Hughes/Boeser/Horvat to tank. Ever.

I don't care. Go Nucks go.

 

[keslerburrows]

Didn't the Kings win a Cup several years back after squeaking into the playoffs as the 8th seed? Seem to remember them dismantling a pretty good team in the 1st round that year.... Who was it again? hmmm...

That series was devastating. We were dominant in the regular season, but you knew after that series that it was going to be a long time before we reached 2010/11 levels again.

 

[CanucksMJL]

This is a playoff team.
Now for some hardcore analysis of the competition:

Calgary - Not as good as advertised. Strangely, Lucic did not make them better. Giordano will get old and show it. Goaltending is a problem. Monahan is not a championship calibre 1st line centre. Playoff team, but possibly wildcard.
Edmonton - One line team. No defence, no goaltending.
San Jose - Meh. Ageing stars being replaced by 2nd liners.
Vegas - This is a playoff team.
Arizona - I really know very little about them other than they picked up Kessel. Maybe they suck or maybe a playoff team? I dunno.
Anaheim - Led by 2nd liners and great goaltending. Can't score. I expect them to lottery unless Gibson can ruin that for them.
Los Angeles - Old, slow and ready for a string of lottery picks.

Colorado - Fast, skilled up and comers. Playoff team.
Nashville - Maybe not a ton of forward depth, but playoff team. Who did they get for Subban anyhow?
St. Louis - Deep. Playoff team.
Winnepeg - I feel for them. They were the "it" team not too long ago. What a brutal offseason though. Probably still a playoff team though.
Dallas - 1 line team. Heiskanen is dope too. Playoff team if Seguin's party schedule allows. I could easily see them in or out depending on the commitment of their stars.
Chicago - Toews>Crosby! Just don't factor in salary or on-ice performance. They have some decent youth but have too much underperforming (to put it mildly) salary that will not improve. Lottery!
Minnesota - Better than their record. Bubble team at best.

 

[DFAC]

That series was devastating. We were dominant in the regular season, but you knew after that series that it was going to be a long time before we reached 2010/11 levels again.

That 2011 team was simply special.... Don't know if we'll ever see a team that dominant again in Vancouver

 

[PuckMunchkin]

If people challenging tanking get their posts deleted in the tank thread, I think same should apply here.


Now... I think this team actually does have a chance to make the playoffs.

What has changed my mind from the past few years?

We are actually holding players responsible for their play:
- Eriksson sitting in the box
- JV on the 4th line when he plays uninterested hockey

Markström has proven that his sudden newly found gear is no fluke. He is legit one of the best goaltenders in the league right now. That gives us a fighting chance every night.

Myers has been just fine as a top4 guy. I expected him to be far worse in the Dzone.

Miller seems to be a revelation.

 

[MikeK]

Still early, and we haven't been hit by the inevitable Canucks injury bug yet, but I think we're going to be right there on the bubble all season.

 

[mathonwy]

If people challenging tanking get their posts deleted in the tank thread, I think same should apply here.


Now... I think this team actually does have a chance to make the playoffs.

What has changed my mind from the past few years?

We are actually holding players responsible for their play:
- Eriksson sitting in the box
- JV on the 4th line when he plays uninterested hockey

Markström has proven that his sudden newly found gear is no fluke. He is legit one of the best goaltenders in the league right now.
That gives us a fighting chance every night.

Myers has been just fine as a top4 guy. I expected him to be far worse in the Dzone.

Miller seems to be a revelation.

The compete switch has been flipped on and won't be flipping off for quite some time.

It's safe to cheer for the players again.

 

[DS7]

As a card carrying member of team tank the last four years, I'll throw in for this year. As much as I would LOVE that 2020 pick. The team looks much better this year, I can't see this team finishing in a lottery position..... Besides, if we do miss, at least we get the chance to draft in 2020

The team IMO is still weighed down by a lot of the mistakes the regime did, evidenced by our 6 mil in dead cap sitting in the press box, Tanner Pearson represents what could have been Jared McCann and Alex Debrincat had management just been patient. But this has been fun so far to watch.

There's a lot of bright spots still, Hughes dropping to us changed everything IMO, it was like winning the lottery.

Hopefully the team can avoid injuries down the stretch, and can play with the big dogs for the full 60, that 5-1 loss was inexcusable but it was the second best outcome. Get a point, learn and move on.

This may be a potential playoff team, but I'm not sure this is a team that can do damage in the playoffs. But only way to find out is to get there.

Go Nucks go!