I don't like it. This is how GMs end up chasing the trend rather than setting it. The trend moves on just in time for you to find you out you aren't in anymore. The year Boston won the cup they nearly lost to an injury hit team of smurfs in Montreal, nearly lost to a fairly soft Tampa, nearly lost to injury ravaged Canucks. A lucky bounced for Montreal and would Boston go on a massive rebuild around aquiring smurfs?
Just build the best team can and let the chips fall where they may, with a bit of luck your style becomes the in one.
When the 04-05 lockout the game was supposed to open up. After all those concussion scares though - which is what I suspect led to it - the league started allowing more obstruction until we saw what we got in the 2011 and 2012 playoffs. But after this recent lockout we all thought it would go back to allowing for more speed and skill again, and the refs were actually calling penalties at the beginning of the year. Not anymore though from the way it has been going on for the last little while, which is unfortunate but after every lockout it goes downhill which seems to be the only real trend going on here.
I don't feel like the Canucks were ever a completely skill-based team even at the height of their success in 2010-11. They've always had a lot of fast skaters here. But they've needed that big body who can take the puck to the net and stand their ground in front of the goalie. All Cup champions have had a few power forwards who can do that, regardless of the identity they had. To me it's all about having a good balance of attributes in order to win, I think.
They've also gotten more guys who can grind it out along the wall as this coaching staff wants them to be a cycling team. Whether you agree with it not is up for debate but that's the direction they've chosen to go in.
Plus it's not like we're forgoing all skill in favour of size - the guys he's been trying to acquire (Booth, Kassian) have a mix of skill and grit as well.
I think sometimes it's easy to feel we have a lack of skill because the goals haven't been coming this year although we have largely the same personnel from that dominant season, plus we're not very good at shootouts nor do we have crazy dangles despite a history of Top 6 production from these same 'tweener' two-way wingers, but the offense isn't flowing due to another more concerning reason...
But I think right now they still have the personnel to play it any style you want. Grinding on the cycle, rush plays. There are still major elements of this team that can score off the rush if they get the chance. Just need some more good shooters in the lineup IMO.
