It's Probably Good That We Didn't Make The Playoffs

Hockey Nebula

Registered User
Jan 10, 2019
33
47
Every summer I forget.

Every summer I look forward to hockey starting in October. I listen to reports from training camp, get excited by how things are going, and can't wait for the regular season to start.

Compared to all the other sports, hockey is the fastest and the most competitive. It makes baseball, golf, tennis, and even football, boring in comparison.

So hockey finally starts in October, and I'm loving it. I follow the team through the regular season and follow the whole league. Then, the playoffs start, and I realize I've forgotten, again, how ultra-competitive and physical the playoffs are. Everything ramps up, except for the officiating, which lets more and more things go as the playoffs progress.

Think of Petterson, and how easily he gets rag-dolled in the regular season. I love the player, love watching him develop, and I think he'll do great things in Vancouver. But he's small and weak.

During the regular season, he got by and survived the physicality somehow, for the most part. But can you imagine him in the playoffs?

He would get utterly destroyed.

That's why I think it's probably good the Canucks missed the playoffs this year. Petterson needs more time to figure out how to deal with NHL physicality. He needs more time to put on some muscle and some weight. He'll never be a behemoth, but he's got a ways to go.

Because when the Canucks finally make the playoffs again, he's going to be a super-important player. If you think teams key on him in the regular season, wait until he's in a seven game series against another team. They will key on him physically and I have my doubts how he'll deal with it.
 

mriswith

Registered User
Oct 12, 2011
4,139
7,282
Pettersson would dominate in the playoffs. He's great at making plays in tight and dummied his opponents who tried to line him up with a big hit. He almost never took a hit against the boards this year. Horvat and Boeser would also dominate in the playoffs.

You know who would suck in the playoffs? Our entire bottom six group of forwards. Also the top defense pairing would be injured after 3 games and we'd be riding Sautner and Brisebois in the top 4 by round 2. Also the top 6 wingers not named Boeser.
 

Bertuzzzi44

Registered User
Jun 26, 2018
3,399
2,980
I too believe Pettersson wasn’t physically ready for this years playoffs after seeing how brutal some games have been. Next year should be no worries.
 

Fire Benning

diaper filled piss baby
Oct 2, 2016
6,970
8,252
Hell
It's not uncommon for young players to take a bit of time to fully 'figure out' everything about the league, if Pettersson can get stronger the rest of the league could be screwed. And yes this team would have gotten eaten alive in these playoffs because they aren't good.
 

VanJack

Registered User
Jul 11, 2014
21,047
14,079
I know the official gap between the Canucks and the second wildcard spot (Colorado) was only nine points. But in reality the gap is as wide as the Grand Canyon.

If Pettersson hit the wall down the stretch in the regular season, he'd get totally abused in the playoffs. Refs aren't calling anything, and at his playing weight he'd be physically manhandled because he's virtually the only offensive threat the Canucks have.

And that Canuck blueline would just come unraveled, having to play Calgary in the first round. They wouldn't win a game.

Nope, until Benning builds a proper roster than can actually do something once they finally do make the playoffs, they're better off as a lottery team.
 

SeawaterOnIce

Being invaded again.
Aug 28, 2011
15,407
18,317
Cut Schaller, Eriksson, Baertschi, Granlund, Goldobin, Stetcher, Beagle, Sutter.

Ensure Biega and Schenn are on the farm as depth dman.

Replace all of the above with skilled fast players.

Then pray.
 

pgj98m3

Registered User
Jan 8, 2012
1,539
1,078
I know the official gap between the Canucks and the second wildcard spot (Colorado) was only nine points. But in reality the gap is as wide as the Grand Canyon.

If Pettersson hit the wall down the stretch in the regular season, he'd get totally abused in the playoffs. Refs aren't calling anything, and at his playing weight he'd be physically manhandled because he's virtually the only offensive threat the Canucks have.

And that Canuck blueline would just come unraveled, having to play Calgary in the first round. They wouldn't win a game.

Nope, until Benning builds a proper roster than can actually do something once they finally do make the playoffs, they're better off as a lottery team.

I'm sure you meant until our new GM cause it ain't happening with Benning
 

old ted

Registered User
Jul 29, 2016
17
6
i was totally on the 'lose for hughes' (or whoever) train, but they screwed that up also.
 

Cupless44

Registered User
Jun 25, 2014
7,154
3,298
Pettersson would dominate in the playoffs. He's great at making plays in tight and dummied his opponents who tried to line him up with a big hit. He almost never took a hit against the boards this year. Horvat and Boeser would also dominate in the playoffs.

You know who would suck in the playoffs? Our entire bottom six group of forwards. Also the top defense pairing would be injured after 3 games and we'd be riding Sautner and Brisebois in the top 4 by round 2. Also the top 6 wingers not named Boeser.

You are so sure Pettersson will dominate in the playoffs after he disappeared when the checking got tighter but not playoff level in the last 25 games?
 
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mriswith

Registered User
Oct 12, 2011
4,139
7,282
You are so sure Pettersson will dominate in the playoffs after he disappeared when the checking got tighter but not playoff level in the last 25 games?
His disappearing when checking got tighter is pure narrative.

He fell off after the Kotkaniemi injury and didn't look the same from then to the end of the season, long before the games were getting checked tighter.
 

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