Do you believe our "window" to win the Cup is still open?

[y2kcanucks]

No, not really. There are teams that are clearly better than us in the west. Namely St.Louis and LA. Chicago isn't far off either.

We aren't the best in the west anymore. Doesn't mean we can't win, but a lot will have to go right for us to see the finals anytime in the near future.

I think we'll have a hard enough time even winning our division, let alone the west.

 

[deadinthewater]

I'm not sure we'll go very far this year. I really like our defense and goaltending, but we need help offensively.

 

[ddawg1950]

Our window is still open.

But there are some real question marks.

Certainly the performance of the Sedins is one of the key factors as is goaltending and defense. But right now we are a one line team with elite goaltending and a top ten defense.

That gets you the playoffs.

But we need Kesler all the way back and contributions from some guys (Raymond/Booth) that need bounce back years if we hope for a deep run.

But I don't see any run away favorites in the league that don't have question marks as well. Even Pittsburgh fans must heave a sigh of relef every time Crosby and Malkin get up after a hit or a scrum.

Our window is open because we have some top level talent still producing, but also because of parity and salary caps.

Depending on asset management, we are going to remain competitive for a whle yet.

 

[BrockH]

My thoughts.

The window for the Canucks to win the Cup this year is over unless something dramatic happens. Those thinking Kesler will come back and before close to anyone's expectations are deulsional since he essentially has not been healthy for 2 years. Booth may come back in 4-6 weeks but for someone who relies on speed and has a groin problem, he's essentially a write-off for this year.

This team essentially has to revert back to the 06/07 year when they relied on goaltending and solid defense. It worked for teams like LA and NYR and if the Canucks want to do anything this year that's the way it's got to be.

If everyone can stay healthy for next year, they can revert back to the President Truphy winning teams style of play but that's a big if.

My thinking is this, there is no better time to see what some of your younger players can produce in the NHL han right now. Schroeder and Kassian should be given ample time to play in all situations and develop when 2/3 of the second line is gone. If you don't find out what they can do now, when will it be? When everyone is healthy again and they get sent back down to the AHL?

The cap next year is only ~64M so the Canucks need to find out as much as possible right now before decisions need to be made on Higgins, Raymond, Manny, Edler and Luongo.

I don't have any expectations for this year (didn't anyway as I thought there would not even be a season) but hopefully the young guys can get some time to showcase what they can bring and this team will be better off for it next season.

Good post. Though I would argue that there's a chance Kesler/Booth are strong enough by the playoffs to give us a chance then. I definitely don't think we will be anywhere near the top regular season team though, even once they're back. I just hope we stay afloat well enough to make it (some traditionally slow starters + no 2nd line is worrisome).

 

[pahlsson]

any hope of the cup this year rests solely on whether our star players can play like star players in the playoffs. if they put out the usual inconsistent "meh" type performances we're used to seeing, it's prob another 1st or 2nd round outing.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Nope.

2011 was by far the best shot we've ever had. But I'll still cheer for the boys.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Nope.

2011 was by far the best shot we've ever had. But I'll still cheer for the boys.

Last year we had a good shot too but rather than resting Kesler in the regular season we elected to transform our 3rd line into a no scoring checking line, and our offense no-showed the playoffs once again.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Last year we had a good shot too but rather than resting Kesler in the regular season we elected to transform our 3rd line into a no scoring checking line, and our offense no-showed the playoffs once again.

With Daniel from the start we could have taken the Kings down. He came back too late into the series rant: Keith )

I just don't see it anymore. Teams like the Rangers and Kings have us beaten in depth, teams like Pittsburgh and even Edmonton (pretty soon) will have us beaten in star power. We're no longer the best at anything anymore, let alone being the best at everything (like we were in 2011.) Our window is still open but it's pretty narrow now. A lot will have to go right in order for us to even have a sniff this year, like how LA had the easiest run of all time as an 8th seed.

If we can't win the cup, I honestly hope we just blow it up and go for a quick reload. Get some very much-needed youth and smart signings in here like Philly did and come back stronger than ever.

 

[y2kcanucks]

With Daniel from the start we could have taken the Kings down. He came back too late into the series rant: Keith )

I just don't see it anymore. Teams like the Rangers and Kings have us beaten in depth, teams like Pittsburgh and even Edmonton (pretty soon) will have us beaten in star power. We're no longer the best at anything anymore, let alone being the best at everything (like we were in 2011.) Our window is still open but it's pretty narrow now. A lot will have to go right in order for us to even have a sniff this year, like how LA had the easiest run of all time as an 8th seed.

If we can't win the cup, I honestly hope we just blow it up and go for a quick reload. Get some very much-needed youth and smart signings in here like Philly did and come back stronger than ever.

Because I really hate the makeup of our forward group, a part of me kinda wants us to miss the playoffs this year. If we can land a top 5 pick, as well as a top 10 pick next year and possibly McDavid the year after, we will be set up very nicely going forward.

Oilers rebuild it, shall we? Yes we can!

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Because I really hate the makeup of our forward group, a part of me kinda wants us to miss the playoffs this year. If we can land a top 5 pick, as well as a top 10 pick next year and possibly McDavid the year after, we will be set up very nicely going forward.

Oilers rebuild it, shall we? Yes we can!

Reload. Not rebuild. Rebuilding is a 4-5 year process, reloading is a quick 1-2 year turnaround. Just look at the Philly model for an example of what I mean. They were just awful in 2007, finishing 2nd last but still having a lot of talent on the team. They picked up JVR in the draft, had a great pick in Claude Giroux waiting in the wings and made some very shrewd signings (Hartnell, Timonen and Briere) that completely turned them back into contenders.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Reload. Not rebuild. Rebuilding is a 4-5 year process, reloading is a quick 1-2 year turnaround. Just look at the Philly model for an example of what I mean. They were just awful in 2007, finishing 2nd last but still having a lot of talent on the team. They picked up JVR in the draft, had a great pick in Claude Giroux waiting in the wings and made some very shrewd signings (Hartnell, Timonen and Briere) that completely turned them back into contenders.

Except I don't see anyone waiting in the wings that has top line talent, nor does this team ever go out and make interesting top line signings either. I think Messier was the last time we signed a forward who played on our top line...

 

[BrockH]

Except I don't see anyone waiting in the wings that has top line talent, nor does this team ever go out and make interesting top line signings either. I think Messier was the last time we signed a forward who played on our top line...

Might not have played on our top line, but I still think Sundin qualifies in spirit if not technically.

 

[serge2k]

How long that window remains open depends on Gillis' draft picks.

Kassian (I'm basically putting his name down for Hodgson)
Sauve
Schroeder
Rodin
Connautton
McNally
Anderson
Price
Jensen
Honzig
Labate
Gaunce
Mallett

Nucks have to get something out of this group. Running on fumes due to the 2006 and 2007 drafts being duds for them, in addition to the passing of Bourdon.

Jensen has the highest offensive ceiling of the group, but after that, takes a dip. So, once the twins decline, the Nucks will be in major need of offense.

Once th sedins decline the canucks are probably going to end up like calgary.

 

[Hollywood Burrows]

Feels closed to me, but anything can happen in a short season. If things go south this season Gillis must be proactive and rebuild the team aggressively.

I want to believe we can still do it, but I think it's clear that 2011 was our shot. If we manage to make it back to the finals again this year it would represent a spectacular achievement.

 

[VanEric]

I'm not properly dressed for this funeral.

 

[KISSland]

I'm looking forward to our top 10 pick this year.

 

[pahlsson]

I'm looking forward to our top 10 pick this year.

why trade either schneider or luongo, we should trade both and do a proper rebuild

 

[NoRaise4Brackett]

Window closed. Our ability to stay on top while finding undrafted players like Tanev has to be league-worst. Our picks are all late-round, so they will have only a minimal impact down the road, if any. Our inability to land quality free agents is non-existent and we will have to overpay,so we can only rely on drafting. Luongo is a washed up veteran, whose cap-circumventing contract doesn't actually circumvent anything giving him - value, so we are stuck for the next decade with a player that only causes a distraction. We spend to the cap, so we will never have any capspace. And that Gillis... How dare he move a promising young center for a promising young winger with size? He should have built this team around covering for injuries, not for longterm sucess. Now the window has been barred shut. No sense in watching the team anymore, I'll just go focus on who we might draft with our upcoming lottery pick - the 1/2 year of aging that we did clearly will make us drop 25 spots in the standings, based also on how little this aging team has changed personnel. oh, and Schneider is unproven.

 

[VeteranNetPresence]

nope, 2011 was this teams best shot. shame they blew it

 

[Angry Little Elf]

I'm looking forward to our top 10 pick this year.

We should adopt "Stop Winnin' for MacKinnion" as our motto as well as "Losin' for Drouin".

 

[MikeK]

I don't think it's closed. I still believe we are one of the better teams in the league just not the top team in the West or top cup contender that we've been the past few seasons. I think we still have 2 good seasons left with the Sedins and the rest of our core guys before age becomes a factor and the rest of the good young teams in the league start to come into their own. Looking around the West and the rest of the league I think we have some tough times coming our way in the next few years. Our prospect pool is so weak... but that's what you get for being a top team for so long and having such low picks.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Wouldn't be such a big deal if we won that Cup. To leave an era like this with nothing is about the worst thing that can happen to a team other than relocation.

 

[RandV]

Our window's still open but I feel our best chance was in 2011 and we're never getting that close again with this core of players. I hope I'm wrong but considering the parity in the league and how teams around us are also getting better I wouldn't be surprised.

If we were healthy this season I could see us having a heck of a shot again but we'll see how Kesler plays when he comes back.

2011 may have been our peak 'chance' at it, but it isn't always your best chance that wins it in the end.

Shareefruck's assessment is spot on, while our forwards have the potential to decline our defense and goaltending is solid for the long run. That will keep us in it, and as long as you have a horse in the race that timing and luck will come together at the right time to win it all.

So 2011 may have been our last chance as the clear cut favourites, but that team only actually ends up winning it what... like 1 in 4 maybe?

 

[VanEric]

Wouldn't be such a big deal if we won that Cup. To leave an era like this with nothing is about the worst thing that can happen to a team other than relocation.

nah, everyone had fun following a team that had a chance every year. I'll take that over being perpetually mediocre.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I think this is it this year. The last of the team's value contracts expire at the end of this season, all of the team's key forwards are on the wrong side of the aging curve, there is little push from prospects below becoming quality NHLers in the short term (especially up front - Kassian and Jensen are a few years away from being quality players if they reach that point), and they will have to deal with a declining salary cap going forward (which is tougher in this team's case because they don't have any noticeably bad contracts other than Ballard's).

Except that the rosters with a declining salary cap don't look much different than what it is now. Yes, you loose pieces around the edges, but there's a very real possibility that the top9 and the top6 remain intact.


On value contracts - The majority of this team is on value contracts. The ELCs are limited though I agree. Overall still very strong.


As long as you have shrewd management, the window doesn't really close IMO. They have that here. Gillis will find a way to keep this team competitive and then it's just up to the breaks in playoffs. Far too early to write this team off IMO.