Pre-Game Talk: Pre-Season - Canucks Power Ranking - Western Conference

[ginner classic]

Where will we finish in the standings in the Western Conference?

Pre-Season Rankings From

Willie Desjardins

"I feel our group's ready to challenge," said head coach Willie Desjardins.

"It was a tough year last year for lots of guys that are really determined," said the coach. "That's a realistic expectation, that we're going to fight for a playoff spot."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks-begin-camp-lot-prove/



THN

THN's Prediction: 7th in Pacific

http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/thn-s-2016-17-nhl-season-preview-vancouver-canucks

"The Canucks are a bottom-of-the-league team adding veteran players as if they were a playoff contender. They're just delaying the rebuild that needs to happen."

"Based on the off-season they had, it seems like the Vancouver Canucks are trying to make the playoffs. They signed Loui Eriksson to a six-year deal and traded recent first round pick Jared McCann for a prime-aged player in Erik Gudbranson. Both moves point to a team trying to reload after a disappointing season.
One quick look at their roster and you start to question why. Simply put, this team just isn’t very good and they’re only delaying any future contention further by foregoing a rebuild. As presently constructed, this roster isn’t good enough to compete and the team is kidding themselves if they think otherwise."


ESPN Pre-Season Power Rankings

29th in the league (+1)
14th in the West
7th in the Pacific

"Loui Eriksson is considered one of the most cerebral players in the league by his peers. The Canucks inked the veteran forward to a six-year deal worth $36 million to play with the Sedin twins. Other than Eriksson, it's been very quiet in Vancouver."



Sports Illustrated

29th in NHL
14th in West
7th in Pacific


"Loui Eriksson and Philip Larsen should bolster that 27th ranked power play, and Bo Horvat is primed for a breakthrough season, but this team is still a mix of ill-fitting parts. Hard to imagine the Canucks working their way into the playoff mix."


http://www.si.com/nhl/2016/07/19/midsummer-nhl-power-rankings


Las Vegas

29th best odds to win the cup
14th in the West
7th in the Pacific

http://props.scoresandodds.com/sect...Odds to Win&sporttype=523&startdate=9/23/2016


Online Bookies

28th best odds to win the cup
14th in the West
7th in the Pacific

http://www.oddschecker.com/ice-hockey/nhl/stanley-cup/winner

Click to read more...

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Love it. This team is **** and everyone knows it but those actually involved: players, management, ownership.

Nucks will finish bottom 2 and then proceed to select 4th in the 2017 draft.

 

[Siludin]

The Canucks will be a surprise team to start the season. This season will be closer to two years ago than it was to last year.

 

[JumpierPegasus]

stealth tank

 

[y2kcanucks]

14th in the West.

With some of the moves Arizona made, I have a hard time seeing this team finishing ahead of any other team in the West (barring catastrophic injuries to one of the other 13 teams).

Simply put: this is an awful hockey team. But hey, management loves it, and some fans love it, so enjoy the season

 

[Intoewsables]

If the Sedins miraculously avoid aging again, I feel like this team is going to do a little better than 14th. With another strong season from our top pairing, and at least league-average goaltending, I could see us finishing somewhere around 10th to 12th in the conference.

 

[stuffradio]

Those who enjoy being negative Nancies can do so. I'm going to enjoy watching the haters pretend like they were always supporting the team when we make the playoffs this year. Negativity feeds into negativity.

 

[Hit the post]

The Canucks will be a surprise team to start the season. This season will be closer to two years ago than it was to last year.

Seems like there are "surprise teams" most seasons; don't see why the Canucks couldn't be one of those teams *to start the season*. Depth problems (which will occur when the inevitable injuries happen) will cause the team to fade as the season goes on.

Out of the playoffs by season's end.

Those who enjoy being negative Nancies can do so. I'm going to enjoy watching the haters pretend like they were always supporting the team when we make the playoffs this year. Negativity feeds into negativity.

Exactly - Listen to Jack Bauer's dad:

 

[Intoewsables]

Those who enjoy being negative Nancies can do so. I'm going to enjoy watching the haters pretend like they were always supporting the team when we make the playoffs this year. Negativity feeds into negativity.

How do you see the conference shaking out then?

 

[y2kcanucks]

Those who enjoy being negative Nancies can do so. I'm going to enjoy watching the haters pretend like they were always supporting the team when we make the playoffs this year. Negativity feeds into negativity.

I don't think anyone enjoys this. It's just some of us are realists and aren't living in a rainbow fairytale world.

But since you think this team will finish 7th or higher, please list...

a) the teams that will be below the Canucks

b) why the Canucks are better than those 7 or 8 teams.

 

[stuffradio]

How do you see the conference shaking out then?

In:
Preds
Blues
Blackhawks
Stars
Ducks
Jets/Wild (One of these two will make it or be out)
Sharks
Canucks (Wildcard spot the rest are in no order)

Out:
Kings
Avs
Coyotes
Flames
Oilers

 

[ginner classic]

While I may run the risk of my negativity impacting the NHL standings I think the Canucks as currently constructed are the 13th best team in the west. I should have ranked them 12th (some team is bound to blow up due to injuries that is better than us on paper), but selected 13th. Right now only Arizona seems worse. Calgary and Edmonton will improve substantially. Colorado and Winnipeg play in a far tougher division. St Louis will drop in the standings the most from last season but will still make the playoffs.

 

[y2kcanucks]

In:
Preds
Blues
Blackhawks
Stars
Ducks
Jets/Wild (One of these two will make it or be out)
Sharks
Canucks (Wildcard spot the rest are in no order)

Out:
Kings
Avs
Coyotes
Flames
Oilers

So uh...please explain how the Canucks are better than the Kings and Flames. I also don't see the Avs, Coyotes, or Oilers as being worse than the Canucks. Those teams actually have good young talent and are building around those players. No delusions there about "oh finishing last doesn't mean anything, let's add more veterans to make playoffs."

 

[ginner classic]

In:
Preds
Blues
Blackhawks
Stars
Ducks
Jets/Wild (One of these two will make it or be out)
Sharks
Canucks (Wildcard spot the rest are in no order)

Out:
Kings
Avs
Coyotes
Flames
Oilers

I agree with your post except I see the Kings, Flames, Oilers, and Avs ahead of us....wait....I guess that means I don't agree.

 

[TruGr1t]

So uh...please explain how the Canucks are better than the Kings and Flames. I also don't see the Avs, Coyotes, or Oilers as being worse than the Canucks. Those teams actually have good young talent and are building around those players. No delusions there about "oh finishing last doesn't mean anything, let's add more veterans to make playoffs."

If the Oilers are somehow worse than us this year it will blow my mind. Assuming of course McDavid is healthy all year, and they get at least average goaltending. Also agree the Flames and Kings should definitely be better. I'd say we're on a similar level as the Avs and Coyotes.

 

[Mofletz]

If the Oilers are somehow worse than us this year it will blow my mind. Assuming of course McDavid is healthy all year, and they get at least average goaltending. Also agree the Flames and Kings should definitely be better. I'd say we're on a similar level as the Avs and Coyotes.

I'd say we're similar to the Coyotes. That's about it.

 

[stuffradio]

Don't assume teams like Kings will make it just because they are "better". Crazy things happen. Hate my list all you want, I'm sticking to it.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Don't assume teams like Kings will make it just because they are "better". Crazy things happen. Hate my list all you want, I'm sticking to it.

Again, you've given your list now we are asking for your reasons. Why? Is it "just because?" or do you have actual logical reasoning for why you have the Canucks so high? I'm legitimately curious.

 

[Josepho]

If the Oilers are somehow worse than us this year it will blow my mind. Assuming of course McDavid is healthy all year, and they get at least average goaltending. Also agree the Flames and Kings should definitely be better. I'd say we're on a similar level as the Avs and Coyotes.

Colorado finished significantly higher than us last season in spite of having the worst coach in the NHL. They've now brought in someone who is very likely to be better than him and I don't see how the Canucks are on their level. Same thing with Arizona, they just brought in a fantastic OFD in Goligoski as well as some secondary scoring in Vrbata, and it's likely that Strome will come in and make an immediate difference along with Domi and Duclair continuing to develop.

 

[racerjoe]

I picked 12th, cause I think you need some serious luck/unlucky to be the worst team. But we are not good.

 

[rune74]

As expected this thread would be a field day for some posters.

I'm not sure how the team will do this year, but I know I'm certainly not hoping for them to do bad. I think when you get to that point maybe it's either time for a break or a new team. That's my opinion though, but whatever.

 

[stuffradio]

Again, you've given your list now we are asking for your reasons. Why? Is it "just because?" or do you have actual logical reasoning for why you have the Canucks so high? I'm legitimately curious.

Last year was basically a one line scoring team at a time. This year, we have someone to replace what Vrbata was doing when we made the playoffs in Eriksson. We have dark horses in Rodin, and Larsson, plus hopefully Etem can contribute more throughout the year. This year we have Tryamkin for hopefully the whole year and we have Gudbranson. These two will be better at clearing the crease than what we have been doing the past couple years. With a hopefully healthy Sutter, we have 3 centers who can shutdown/score on opposing players. We also actually have a capable coach in Malhotra this year to train the players on face-offs. That's very important. Until I'm proven otherwise, I'm sticking to my naive thinking that we actually have a chance. I'm not saying we're making it to the WCF, just that we'll make it.

 

[Hit the post]

We have dark horses in Rodin, and Larsson, plus hopefully Etem can contribute more throughout the year. This year we have Tryamkin for hopefully the whole year and we have Gudbranson. These two will be better at clearing the crease than what we have been doing the past couple years.

Other than Guds - all are essentially NHL rookies. Expecting all of them to make an impact I think is wishful thinking. Some might perform better than expected but being rookies, I tend to think many won't (which isn't a fatal thing since they are rookies after all). Etem will be lucky to be on the 4th line for the entire season (I won't expect much from him - still better than the guy we dealt him for though)

And Guds won't address the offense issue - which was the team's achilles heal (couldn't score).

 

[stuffradio]

Other than Guds - all are essentially NHL rookies. Expecting all of them to make an impact I think is wishful thinking. Some might perform better than expected but being rookies, I tend to think many won't (which isn't a fatal thing since they are rookies after all). Etem will be lucky to be on the 4th line for the entire season (I won't expect much from him - still better than the guy we dealt him for though)

And Guds won't address the offense issue - which was the team's achilles heal (couldn't score).

What about all the games we were ahead by 1-3 goals but couldn't hold the lead? That Pitts game is a perfect example. Having the D that can clear the crease or put fear in the opposition that they might get crushed would greatly help that.

 

[banme*]

President's trophy. Bookmark this post. Placing a 500 dollhair bet for anyone interested.