Pre-Game Talk: [#NHL24Playoff]: Canucks vs Wild - Play In Rounds. [Best of 5]

[Three On Zero]

You’re stuck in 2008. You may wanna have a closer look at the league leaders.

More to the game of hockey than just being able to put up points

 

[Addison Rae]

Minny’s defensive unit is so much better, if Dub it Stalock gives them even league average goaltending they’re gonna give us a lot of trouble.

 

[Sneezy]

Vegas Knight want to say hi.

It is not just about the names on the back, it is about structure and how the forward come back to support their D. I am not saying Canucks do a great job on this but Vegas has proven you do not need to have a super star on D to go far.

As a fan I will have hope that the team and coaching staff can come up with a plan to defend against the Wild. Regardless it will be a valuable experience for the entire team and will help them next year when they make the playoffs again.

 

[57special]

Canucks window of opportunity is on the PP. Roussel has to be smart and in control, and the top players have to play fast and draw penalties. If the refs swallow their whistles and let players like Foligno, Greenway, Hartman, and JEE wear down players without sitting in the box then it might be a tough series for VAN. MN is by no means a big time "heavy' team, but are more physical than they used to be. They used to be a fast, disciplined forechecking team, but they simply don't have the speed for that any more. Parise, Staal, Zuccarello, Koivu, Suter, Rask....that's a lot of heavy feet.

 

[Grantham]

Appreciate the insight 57 & Sneezy.

Agreed on all points.

I think the biggest issue I have with our team, is that our defensive structure can be severely lacking, and its a bit of a madhouse fire-drill getting back when we turn the puck over. I love the creativity we have on offence, especially JT and Elias supported by Quinn.

Our ‘supposed’ shut down players like Sutter, and Beagle, are actually really poor defensively. I trust our first line defending a lead more. Bo Horvat has also struggled on the defensive side, he’ll have to really step up his 2-way game if we’re gonna have a chance.

Marky is gold though. Can he get back up to speed? He’s a slow starter, so again that could be advantage Minny.

I think it’ll come down to coaching in the end. Can Green and our D coach (Baumgartner?) come up and execute a better gameplan than the Wild or not

 

[CpatainCanuck]

More to the game of hockey than just being able to put up points

He was talking about Petey and Hughes entire career though: I highly doubt that Crosby will be near the top of the leaderboard in 10 years when he is 42.

 

[VanJack]

If the Canucks have all hands on deck, including Ferland and Levio, I just can't see how the Wild will stack up. Depth and talent count for a lot in the playoffs.

Their only hope is that Stalock outplays Markstrom in this series by a wide margin. Could happen. But you'd go broke betting on it.

 

[Grantham]

If the Canucks have all hands on deck, including Ferland and Levio, I just can't see how the Wild will stack up. Depth and talent count for a lot in the playoffs.

Their only hope is that Stalock outplays Markstrom in this series by a wide margin. Could happen. But you'd go broke betting on it.

You’re forgetting their D and system play. Their top 4 is super stable and great both ways. They may not have as much offensive talent up-front, but they have more vets who know how to play defensively. Fiala should also not be slept on. Kid is about to make some noise.

 

[elitepete]

Is it confirmed to be a 5 game series?

The Canucks should win this based on the forward group but anything can happen.

 

[VanJack]

Consensus seems to be that the Wild have a far superior blueline to the Canucks, but I'm just not seeing it. Edler, Tanev and Myers are guys with a lot of high-pressure playoff experience; and the Wild haven't got a single guy on their blueline who brings what Hughes brings to the table every night.

As group the Wild might play a better system, but I just don't see the gap between them and the Canucks being as wide as many are claiming.

 

[KaprizovEntitlelist]

Consensus seems to be that the Wild have a far superior blueline to the Canucks, but I'm just not seeing it. Edler, Tanev and Myers are guys with a lot of high-pressure playoff experience; and the Wild haven't got a single guy on their blueline who brings what Hughes brings to the table every night.

As group the Wild might play a better system, but I just don't see the gap between them and the Canucks being as wide as many are claiming.

Wild have Brodin, suter, Spurgeon, & Dumba.

To say this is funny. Quinn hughes isn't better than any of them. Certainly, edler,Tanev, Myers aren't in the same boat as them

 

[vanuck]

Yeah Minny's top 4 as a whole is better than pretty much any combination we could throw together, even with Hughes. This isn't like the no-name Wild defence we faced back in 2003.

Our real edge is with our top 6 forwards and in net. Though that might not even be enough team-wise if the numbers have anything to say about it.

 

[supercanuck]

I feel like this is make or break time for Benning. This is pretty much the team he built - fully healthy roster (sans Leivo) + team would be fresh. I feel a majority of the general public expects them to win this one. A loss will not look good.

 

[BB06]

Canucks Forwards are much better than the wild. Can you even outright say the Wild's best forward fiala is better than Canucks fourth best forward Horvat?

Wild have a better Blueline and physicality though.

 

[Grantham]

Wild have Brodin, suter, Spurgeon, & Dumba.

To say this is funny. Quinn hughes isn't better than any of them. Certainly, edler,Tanev, Myers aren't in the same boat as them

Disagree. I think Hughes is the best of all of them. But he's a rookie going into his first playoffs and size/strength will be an issue as he has a ways to go there.

But I would take the top 4 from Minny over the rest of Canucks D no question. Edler and Tanev have a LOT of miles on their bodies, and they've slowed down considerably. Myers...lol no comment. I like him, he just ...no I don't want to be mean

 

[Grantham]

I feel like this is make or break time for Benning. This is pretty much the team he built - fully healthy roster (sans Leivo) + team would be fresh. I feel a majority of the general public expects them to win this one. A loss will not look good.

Oh I sure hope so. The leash given to Benning has been so long, it makes me wonder if he's employing some sort of mind control

 

[VanillaCoke]

Fiala is definitely better than horvat offensively, but I would pick Horvat over fiala 10/10 times

 

[VanJack]

Fiala is definitely better than horvat offensively, but I would pick Horvat over fiala 10/10 times

Fiala is a flashy, scoring left winger, while Horvat is a center who's a beast in the d-zone and anchors their second line. Centers are more valuable at the best of times, and even more so in the playoffs.

 

[Bankerguy]

Here's a list of the top 8 forward between both teams. Ranked in terms of who brings the better overall contribution

1. VAN - Jt. Miller
2. VAN - Pettersson
3. VAN - Horvat
4. MIN - Fiala (almost tied with Horvat)
5. VAN - Boeser
6. VAN - Toffoli
7. MIN - Staal (Center position pulls him ahead of Parise imo)
8. MIN - Parise

I think that the legitimate top 6 depth here very much favors Vancouver. Markstrom is another advantage.

I can't see the Wilds advantage on D being enough to overcome the above.
Canucks win 3 games to 1

 

[strattonius]

Wild have Brodin, suter, Spurgeon, & Dumba.

To say this is funny. Quinn hughes isn't better than any of them. Certainly, edler,Tanev, Myers aren't in the same boat as them

The Wild have a better d group no question - BUT Hughes is better than all of those d-men. I know it's crazy because he's 20. I'd take all 4 of those d-men over Edler though.

 

[Fatass]

The Wild have a better d group no question - BUT Hughes is better than all of those d-men. I know it's crazy because he's 20. I'd take all 4 of those d-men over Edler though.

The difference is we have two generational talents in Petey and Hughes. And our goalie is way better.
We win 3-0.

 

[BB06]

Here's a list of the top 8 forward between both teams. Ranked in terms of who brings the better overall contribution

1. VAN - Jt. Miller
2. VAN - Pettersson
3. VAN - Horvat
4. MIN - Fiala (almost tied with Horvat)
5. VAN - Boeser
6. VAN - Toffoli
7. MIN - Staal (Center position pulls him ahead of Parise imo)
8. MIN - Parise

I think that the legitimate top 6 depth here very much favors Vancouver. Markstrom is another advantage.

I can't see the Wilds advantage on D being enough to overcome the above.
Canucks win 3 games to 1

fiala hasn’t proven he’s better than Boeser yet.

 

[Kryten]

The difference is we have two generational talents in Petey and Hughes. And our goalie is way better.
We win 3-0.

Elite talents. I wouldn’t call Petey generational with his first 2 seasons not even being ppg. Nitpicking I know, and generational to our team, but not league wide, not yet at least

 

[Bankerguy]

fiala hasn’t proven he’s better than Boeser yet.

Boeser is in a bit of a slump this season. He inst skating as hard as he was, and his shot (which is his best attribute) has lost a lot of its zip. He's playing with zero confidence.... (he's still at 65 point pace, wow) but anyways, He hasn't shown as well as he has in previous years. Fiala is full of confidence, trending up and was literally red hot prior to COVID. Taking "rate of change" into consideration, i'll put Fiala ahead of Boeser in terms of which forward brings more positive contribution right now.
However, next season we'll be a year removed from all the personal family issues Boeser was facing this year... i could see him getting his development back on track and he pots 35 goals, 70 points....
ESPECIALLY if he has a good playoffs as this would boost his confidence. And double especially if he has a summer full of dry-land drills that work on explosiveness, cardio etc. Want to see him flying out there next season.

 

[BB06]

Boeser is in a bit of a slump this season. He inst skating as hard as he was, and his shot (which is his best attribute) has lost a lot of its zip. He's playing with zero confidence.... (he's still at 65 point pace, wow) but anyways, He hasn't shown as well as he has in previous years. Fiala is full of confidence, trending up and was literally red hot prior to COVID. Taking "rate of change" into consideration, i'll put Fiala ahead of Boeser in terms of which forward brings more positive contribution right now.
However, next season we'll be a year removed from all the personal family issues Boeser was facing this year... i could see him getting his development back on track and he pots 35 goals, 70 points....
ESPECIALLY if he has a good playoffs as this would boost his confidence. And double especially if he has a summer full of dry-land drills that work on explosiveness, cardio etc. Want to see him flying out there next season.

Boeser at his worst as you are saying is pacing for Fiala at his best this season. I use a large sample size when determining players otherwise you'd probably have been saying Nylander is a middle six forward last year. Boeser has been better than fiala over the past 3 season.