Pro-playoff thread

[Nomobo]

Figured it was time to give this baby a little bump.
Let’s string a bunch of wins together.
GO CANUCKS!

 

[ErrantShepherd]

It's a weird year, Pacific is a huge mess after Flames, Sharks and Golden Knights...

Feel like there's nothing wrong with pushing for the playoffs, but we shouldn't be any kind of buyers around the Trade Deadline unless its solely the kind of move that sets up for the future as well.

No rentals or vets. Probably be best to sell off our bit pieces too if we can this year even if we make the playoffs.

 

[Horse McHindu]

My hope is for this team to make the playoffs, but more important than that, my hope is for this team to compete hard each and every night and develop the proper work ethic on and off the ice. I know it sounds cliche, but leadership and character is the most important thing for me. Having a veteran presence not only holds the kids accountable, but it also creates a culture of accountability. It also forces kids to earn their spots on the roster and not having it spoonfed to them. The presence of vets also protects kids from being overexerted and thrown to the wolves.

If the Canucks are destined to be a lottery team, I am at peace with that as long as the above holds true.......because the above is what will eventually lead to a championship calibre team and organization in due time.

If the Canucks don’t make the playoffs this year, my hope is that we get similar luck to Carolina last year (ie Lady Luck in the lottery after narrowly missing the playoffs and landing 2nd overall.....with Kakko going 1st overall. We get Jack Hughes).

 

[Ryan Miller*]

Back in a playoff spot after today's big win, and this thread languishes on the 2nd page? I guess some have bigger priorities. Exciting times in Canuckland!

 

[VanJack]

If this was a normal year, a team with basically a .500 record like the Canucks would be spending their time focused on a a trade-deadline clearance sale. And elevating some prospects from Utica for a look.

But the bottom half of the Western Conference this year, for wont of a better term, is basically butt-ugly. And if Markstrom continues to be dialed in, and if Pettersson and Horvat stay healthy, then the Canucks are actually one of the teams that could make it. Especially when you look at their closing schedule relative to other teams.

While I agree that one more draft with a top-10 pick would really set them up.....I'm sure nobody on the ice or in the executive booth sees it that way.

Best case scenario is still that they fall a little short, and then against all odds move up four or five places in the draft.

 

[Ryan Miller*]

Best case scenario is a hard fought series against a contender. Think Toronto against Washington that first year with Matthews. Gives us a lot of momentum heading into the off-season, and with such a young core and perhaps the best player outside the NHL in Quinn Hughes, a key free agent signing or trade could really start moving the Canucks up the league hierarchy.

Don't really care where we draft. Benning found Boeser in the late first, and I think we're at the point where we need role players more than any more game-breakers (though a Kyle Connor-like pick would be swell).

 

[jd22]

Also forgot to mention. The crowd at GM place is alive again. The 7th man will propel the boys to the playoffs like the Seattle Seahawks.

The seventh man is an abomination.

 

[Canucks1096]

Best case scenario is a hard fought series against a contender. Think Toronto against Washington that first year with Matthews. Gives us a lot of momentum heading into the off-season, and with such a young core and perhaps the best player outside the NHL in Quinn Hughes, a key free agent signing or trade could really start moving the Canucks up the league hierarchy.

Don't really care where we draft. Benning found Boeser in the late first, and I think we're at the point where we need role players more than any more game-breakers (though a Kyle Connor-like pick would be swell).

I don't agree on not needing anymore game breakers. If you look at cup contenders they have 7 or 8 high end pieces. Like first line Players? High-end second line players or top 2 D.

Canucks have 4 Petey Boeser Horvat Hughes. Don't think anyone in the system right now than can produce more than 60 points/30 goals or capable of being a top 2 D. Having 3 forwards to carry a bunch of middle 6 wingers won't get you far in the playoffs. I didn't count Edler, once Canucks become a cup contender? Edler most likely won't be around.

They need one more first line forward and one second line forward and one top 2 D

 

[Ori]

I don't agree on not needing anymore game breakers. If you look at cup contenders they have 7 or 8 high end pieces. Like first line Players? High-end second line players or top 2 D.

Canucks have 4 Petey Boeser Horvat Hughes. Don't think anyone in the system right now than can produce more than 60 points/30 goals or capable of being a top 2 D. Having 3 forwards to carry a bunch of middle 6 wingers won't get you far in the playoffs. I didn't count Edler, once Canucks become a cup contender? Edler most likely won't be around.

They need one more first line forward and one second line forward and one top 2 D

Perhaps go for Chris Kreider or Mats Zuccarello and aim for playoffs and build around Elias Petterson?

But it might be one or two years too early so if I was Jim Benning I would wait at least 2 years until they are going to contend, because I agree with that reasoning and scoring depth is very important in playoffs. Maybe add another quality defender too, but we drafted one last year in 2018. So in 2-3 years I`m very excited for Vancouver future.

 

[Horse McHindu]

I hope this is not taken in the wrong way just because I am a pro tank / anti-Benning guy...

What benefit do you see in making the playoffs? Realistically speaking, even if this team were to make the playoffs, there is a good chance they would get blown out in the first round. Dont you guys (pro-playoff) think another high pick would help more? Also, wouldnt an early playoff qualification just raise unrealistic expectations in the future?

Genuine question.

1) It’s the long term attitude, culture, and mindset that matters.......a mindset that involves
A) giving it your all night in night out.
B) Being as professional as possible on the ice and off the ice
C) Never in any way shape or form, implying to the players that not putting forth your best effort is acceptable (which unfortunately, is what tanking via veteran firesale would do).

I’m not afraid of the Canucks finishing poorly in the standings. As we’ve seen, there’s an obvious benefit to being a lottery team and increasing one’s odds of collecting franchise players.

What is NOT acceptable to me, is deliberate tanking since you risk
A) demoralizing players
B) facilitating laziness and indifference
C) conditioning players to believe that if you’re out of the playoffs and that “the season doesn’t matter,” that you can go through the motions on the ice, and live recklessly/irresponsibly outside the ice (kids getting drunk the night before a game because the season “no longer matters” and “we’re tanking anyways.”).

Winning culture has nothing to do with playing .700 hockey. That’s what the anti-Benning crowd doesn’t get. Winning culture starts with an organizational mindset coming from the top.

Work hard, compete hard, be accountable to one another, and let Mother Nature take its course. All teams and organizations need to go through a downturn at some time, but you never EVER stop competing.

So yes - I do want to see the boys make the playoffs and risk getting their asses kicked.......just as the Canucks did back in 2001 against Colorado, and 2007 against Anaheim. The team can celebrate as to how far they came from previous years, but can also be cognissant od where they need to get to down the road.


PS - and by the way Peter, Team Tank was downright cranky that we dropped two spots in the lottery in both 2017 and 2018 respectively. They were downright cranky that we competed hard right to the bitter end. Look who we ended up with: Pettersson and Hughes. Need I say more?

 

[tantalum]

IF the team makes the playoffs I'll give Benning some due though I think it's on the back of the youngsters and Markstrom and has little to do with the supporting cast he brought in. But he's the boss and good result gets some credit. However, this isn't a team that is ready to add temporary pieces at the deadline. Take the appearance, make a couple homes games worth of revenue and move forward knowing the kids showed up. The only way you add is if its a core piece moving forward and it comes at a good cost. Rentals and even those little tiny deals which mean nothing should be a no go.

And I'll give Benning a ton of credit if he can move Gudbranson, Pouliot and Del Zotto (already gone of course) by the time deadline hits and have them replaced with better players. If he can do that then they might actually have a team deserving of playoffs. The blueline is by far the weakest link on the team along with the wings.

There are just too many additions that need to be made to make it a decent playoff team that has a chance in the next handful of weeks that to me the best course of action is to not do much or be making long term hockey deals (that you hopefully win...track record isn't good there). Edler is likely a deadline day decision.

 

[Horse McHindu]

IF the team makes the playoffs I'll give Benning some due though I think it's on the back of the youngsters and Markstrom and has little to do with the supporting cast he brought in. But he's the boss and good result gets some credit. However, this isn't a team that is ready to add temporary pieces at the deadline. Take the appearance, make a couple homes games worth of revenue and move forward knowing the kids showed up. The only way you add is if its a core piece moving forward and it comes at a good cost. Rentals and even those little tiny deals which mean nothing should be a no go.

And I'll give Benning a ton of credit if he can move Gudbranson, Pouliot and Del Zotto (already gone of course) by the time deadline hits and have them replaced with better players. If he can do that then they might actually have a team deserving of playoffs. The blueline is by far the weakest link on the team along with the wings.

There are just too many additions that need to be made to make it a decent playoff team that has a chance in the next handful of weeks that to me the best course of action is to not do much or be making long term hockey deals (that you hopefully win...track record isn't good there). Edler is likely a deadline day decision.

Good post.

Highly doubtful that Edler and Gudbranson go anywhere.

 

[Ryan Miller*]

Back in a playoff spot again, but had to look past page 1 to find any kind of positive thread talking about things like possible playoff opponents etc. I guess there are more important things to discuss around here.

 

[ErrantShepherd]

Back in a playoff spot again, but had to look past page 1 to find any kind of positive thread talking about things like possible playoff opponents etc. I guess there are more important things to discuss around here.

... do you want to talk about possible playoff opponents? I would enjoy seeing us make them, but I would like to remain relatively realistic about matchups.

I mean, I don't see what there is to be positive about when it comes to potential opponents? If in season matchups mean anything the results haven't looked good.

We could face Nashville or Winnipeg from Central. Both of those teams have demonstrated this season to outmatch us all around and could see swept in 4 easily.

From the Pacific it could be any of the 3 of Calgary, San Jose, and Vegas. We would be in a slightly better Spot vs the Pacific, but so far San Jose has demonstrated we aren't on the same level, Vegas harder to say, but Calgary actually seems like a decent matchup for us for whatever reason.

So... yeah, at least based on those series this season, we only really have a chance against Calgary and maybe Vegas, Nashville you have to consider the players they had out iirc the one game we won, San Jose and Winnipeg are likely sweeps.

...but for consolation, you never really know for sure with playoff results if one team gets hot?

 

[Black Noise]

Back in a playoff spot again, but had to look past page 1 to find any kind of positive thread talking about things like possible playoff opponents etc. I guess there are more important things to discuss around here.

Hopefully we don’t play the Ducks in round 1

 

[VanJack]

I don't care what the standings show. Canucks ain't making the playoffs with one of the worst bluelines in the NHL. So speculating about a playoff race is harmless fun, but true fans should be more concerned about the lottery balls.

 

[Motte and Bailey]

I would love to sneak into the playoffs and meet Calgary and do what they did to us a few years ago. I think for whatever reason we have a much better chance against them than any other top playoff seed. I could totally see us beating them in the first round if we meet them.

 

[geebaan]

Back in a playoff spot again, but had to look past page 1 to find any kind of positive thread talking about things like possible playoff opponents etc. I guess there are more important things to discuss around here.

Like losing to the ducks 5th string goalie 1-0? A team that had previously lost 19-21? Yea, we REALLY nitpick for the negatives lol.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Like losing to the ducks 5th string goalie 1-0? A team that had previously lost 19-21? Yea, we REALLY nitpick for the negatives lol.

.So you had to reply to a post that's almost 2 weeks old to get a lick of negativity in there..lol

 

[geebaan]

.So you had to reply to a post that's almost 2 weeks old to get a lick of negativity in there..lol

You had to point it out to get a post of....actually your post did nothing productive lol.

 

[ErrantShepherd]

Deadline passed

It will be hilarious if we actually manage to squeak into the playoffs solely due to trading Gudbranson out.


It's been one game, against one of the worst teams in the Ducks... but the defense FINALLY looked not completely awful, especially considering Edler and Tanev are out.

Still, this season really hasn't ever had a serious expectation to make or do anything significant in the playoffs... but I'm hoping we take the next step to serious playoff contention next season without something like this turtle derby artificially inflating our chances.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Yeah like I said last month.

I just want the Canucks to compete hard and let the chips fall where they may.

I would also appreciate it if media and posters on here stopped trashing Gudbranson. It makes us look petty and classless as a city. Gudbranson wasn’t the greatest player for us, but he was well liked anongst his teammates. I for one wish him nothing but the best. Very happy to have Pearson here however.

 

[Fire Benning]

Pack it in. 5 points out with 19 games left, chances <8%

Was fun while it lasted I guess? Always was a longshot though, will probably be end up close to the bottom 5 after all

 

[Throwback]

Well I hope they play hard because every game now is an elimination game. They'll have to go on a run like the Blues to make it at this point.

 

[ErrantShepherd]

Pack it in. 5 points out with 19 games left, chances <8%

Was fun while it lasted I guess? Always was a longshot though, will probably be end up close to the bottom 5 after all

True enough. The Pettersson effect, and Marky finding his game finally were nice. But so many losing streaks just cripple your chances at post season.

Man, did they piss away a lot of points this year.