"Need to get younger" ********. Grenier still doesnt get a chance. All we do is call up ahl lifers. Classic Canucks
Grenier is younger, but not better. Until he gives you a game of more than 2 or 3 full shifts, you don't want him on Vancouver ice. With Tortorella's history of working with young guys, one game of Grenier's current style would doom him to the minors for life.
Look at his treatment of guys like Kreider and Boyle in N.Y. just to mention two of many. They are key cogs for the Rangers now. Torts was constantly benching, scratching or demoting them and other Grenier type players for their lack of 100% output. I think this would be an oil and water mix at this stage in Grenier's career.
I hope I'm wrong because he would logically be the next call-up.
Your comment also screams to my current theme running through various Vancouver threads. The larder in Utica hasn't got much to help the parent club. Pitt replaced 14 different starters throughout the season (as many as 7 at one time) and kept on a major winning streak. Why? Because their farm system is burgeoning with young talent (a thought not to cause much happiness throughout the rest of the NHL). Vancouver's injury woes have been filled in with guys normally scratched or Comets call-ups. That has not worked so well. The Canucks are spinning out and with the number of teams clustered in the lower mix, the playoff picture may become dim very soon.
Don't all hit me at once, but the Canucks are not serious contenders even without the injuries. Other teams continue to infuse great youthful talents into their lineup who make big impacts immediately. Since the finals loss, that has not occurred in Vancouver. They have added players but none who are taking them to the level they were once at. Horvat may be the first, but he's still an unproven commodity at the NHL level.
The Canucks management needs to fill up the minor system with a lot more developing talent than currently is on the way in from college and Jrs. What they have now won't be ready for several years and they have little expendable youth of value to trade for what they need. The future is closer than most posters here want to accept. Those Jrs, and college guys are not ready to step in and take on major roles at the NHL or even the AHL level at this time. TOP 6 forward replacements and top 4 D-men replacements that take over and play as well or better than the finals team did five years from now. Current good franchises are preparing for their future in house while working to win every day now as well.
I guess my concern for taking excellent care of the future is not as important as the present for most fans. The problem is that the present is not all that bright either. OUCH! OUCH! Stop hitting me. OW! No more.
