This will be the best Canuck team since 2014.

[krutovsdonut]

i think our odds this year are much better than most during the benning era. oel gives them some legit odds of being a really good team

but there is no way those odds are good enough to have made all the short term moves we just made.

this team needs to gamble less. there are better ways to improve a team than spend to the cap year upon year (after first paying the piper for spending to to the cap in earlier years).

 

[Hoglander]

I think the team will be better than last season, especially with how weak this division looks on paper. But if Shaw and OEL fail, it could get ugly. Everything has to go right to make the playoffs.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

it is feasible that if this team clicks it could be the best since 2014/15. But that team wasn’t a cup contender. And since the Canucks have been mortgaging the future by trading away 1st round picks for veterans it is unlikely that the team will be able to improve much going forward.

Would a 20th OA pick been better than JT Miller..?....Would Dylan Guenther be the missing link that this team needs in 2-3 years..?...Would the Canucks have been better off by postponing helping their current core, and sticking it out another year with the team they had last season?

I wouldnt say the 1st's were traded for veterans..they were traded for proven prime aged players

 

[Javaman]

Would a 20th OA pick been better than JT Miller..?....Would Dylan Guenther be the missing link that this team needs in 2-3 years..?...Would the Canucks have been better off by postponing helping their current core, and sticking it out another year with the team they had last season?

I wouldnt say the 1st's were traded for veterans..they were traded for proven prime aged players

The bolded is disingenuous. It's extremely unlikely that without Miller, that pick ends up being as late as a 20th.

Hell even with Miller in the lineup, it probably ends up being a lottery pick were it not for the pandemic.

 

[PavelBure10]

We haven't iced a good team since 2011. I'm very optimistic about our forwards, they look pretty solid throughout. The defense not so much. I hope I'm proven wrong this season.
Should be a much more entertaining season to watch.

 

[KingofSurrey]

Our goaltending will take a nosedive this year due to the Beer League / AHL caliber defense unit we have in place this season......

Tough to compete in the NHL with next to no true top 4 D men on our club.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

Would a 20th OA pick been better than JT Miller..?....Would Dylan Guenther be the missing link that this team needs in 2-3 years..?...Would the Canucks have been better off by postponing helping their current core, and sticking it out another year with the team they had last season?

I wouldnt say the 1st's were traded for veterans..they were traded for proven prime aged players

The Miller trade was good value in a vacuum, but it is indicative of the poor long-term planning that has been a feature of the Canucks' front office.

If the goal was to win a Stanley Cup, the team needed to commit to a proper rebuild, ideally around 2016, or 2018 at the latest when the Sedins retired. If they had done this, and hadn't traded for Miller in 2019, the 2020 1st round pick would have been much higher than 20th overall and the 2021 1st round pick would be higher than 9th overall. The team would also have acquired a multitude of additional picks by trading assets at deadlines to contenders. This would have facilitated the acquisition of a mass of young talent that could have aimed to compete for a cup beginning as early as 2022 or 2023.

Instead, by not rebuilding and making moves for veterans like Miller and OEL I perceive the Canucks to be somewhat in Limbo. I don't think they're good enough to be true cup contenders. But they're too good (especially now) to get high draft picks. Their older core players like Miller and OEL are likely on the decline. And now after trading away the 1st round picks the last 2 years the prospect cupboards are almost empty. So, if the Canucks are at least a borderline playoff team going forward and the goal is to "support the core", do the Canucks just trade away their 1st rounder every year going forward? Because there aren't any sure-fire, immediately impactful players to be had in the 14th-22nd places in the draft.

 

[Jimnastic]

The Miller trade was good value in a vacuum, but it is indicative of the poor long-term planning that has been a feature of the Canucks' front office.

If the goal was to win a Stanley Cup, the team needed to commit to a proper rebuild, ideally around 2016, or 2018 at the latest when the Sedins retired. If they had done this, and hadn't traded for Miller in 2019, the 2020 1st round pick would have been much higher than 20th overall and the 2021 1st round pick would be higher than 9th overall. The team would also have acquired a multitude of additional picks by trading assets at deadlines to contenders. This would have facilitated the acquisition of a mass of young talent that could have aimed to compete for a cup beginning as early as 2022 or 2023.

Instead, by not rebuilding and making moves for veterans like Miller and OEL I perceive the Canucks to be somewhat in Limbo. I don't think they're good enough to be true cup contenders. But they're too good (especially now) to get high draft picks. Their older core players like Miller and OEL are likely on the decline. And now after trading away the 1st round picks the last 2 years the prospect cupboards are almost empty. So, if the Canucks are at least a borderline playoff team going forward and the goal is to "support the core", do the Canucks just trade away their 1st rounder every year going forward? Because there aren't any sure-fire, immediately impactful players to be had in the 14th-22nd places in the draft.

You make some good points. I would have liked them to wait until next year too, when the Luongo rip off was off the books, and the natural death of the Louie abomination was finished. But there is the real possibility that too much of our strong young core would have gotten frustrated and want out. We will never know.

However, this year is going to be the lineup to truly make or break Benning.

Either EOL bounces back and we have a very competitive lineup or we continue to slump after having sold our future. I don't see a middle of the road here.

 

[VancouverJagger]

As much as I am optimistic it would be a huge lie to say I'm not extremely nervous about our D............We are really counting on a lot of improvement this year and banking on a few guys who have been paying like shit...........not to play like shit.........

I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility for Rathbone to be a stud (and play decent with Poolman - I have high hopes for him personally and think he has a very bright future), OEL to rebound and play like a solid top 4 guy and Hughes and Hammer continue to develop chemistry and turn into a decent pairing...........HOWEVER these are some definite question marks.

We need at least 2 of the 3 things I mentioned above for us to really improve (with OEL and Hughes play being at the top of the importance scale). If only 1 or none of them does we are gonna be in for another lonnnnnng year.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

The Miller trade was good value in a vacuum, but it is indicative of the poor long-term planning that has been a feature of the Canucks' front office.

If the goal was to win a Stanley Cup, the team needed to commit to a proper rebuild, ideally around 2016, or 2018 at the latest when the Sedins retired. If they had done this, and hadn't traded for Miller in 2019, the 2020 1st round pick would have been much higher than 20th overall and the 2021 1st round pick would be higher than 9th overall. The team would also have acquired a multitude of additional picks by trading assets at deadlines to contenders. This would have facilitated the acquisition of a mass of young talent that could have aimed to compete for a cup beginning as early as 2022 or 2023.

Instead, by not rebuilding and making moves for veterans like Miller and OEL I perceive the Canucks to be somewhat in Limbo. I don't think they're good enough to be true cup contenders. But they're too good (especially now) to get high draft picks. Their older core players like Miller and OEL are likely on the decline. And now after trading away the 1st round picks the last 2 years the prospect cupboards are almost empty. So, if the Canucks are at least a borderline playoff team going forward and the goal is to "support the core", do the Canucks just trade away their 1st rounder every year going forward? Because there aren't any sure-fire, immediately impactful players to be had in the 14th-22nd places in the draft.

This is a legit point you're bringing up...but after 6 or 7 consecutive years of no playoffs (what you're proposing)..players lose interest, and move on..Rebuilds are not linear, they go sideways all the time...You stand just a good of a chance of having a rebuild , on top of a rebuild...Sitting around collecting high draft picks, without taking any initiative or risk can also lead you to nowhere's-ville.

So you think that the Canucks have positioned themselves on the wheel of mediocrity..I disagree...Results will tell the tale this season..One or the other side of the fanbase will be eating crow.

 

[I in the Eye]

So you think that the Canucks have positioned themselves on the wheel of mediocrity..I disagree...Results will tell the tale this season..One or the side of the fanbase will be eating crow.

I have a difficult time accepting that results will matter much. If after 7 years results didn't matter much, why will year 8 be different? Benning said it will take him 2 more years, not 1. Surely injuries will happen and covid will probably still be a thing. Why wouldn't you give Benning another year of benefit of the doubt and wait until the following year before eating crow? Chances are, maybe he gets canned and then can argue that he never had the chance to finish his vision and no crow needs to be eaten at all. I see no reason why next year defines his legacy. His legacy has been defining itself for years already. This offseason is no different than years past. It's nothing special. Benning has been great at making changes. His changes have been overwhelmingly terrible, but his ability to make changes is without question. Next season is just another year in the Benning era. Changes were made, as usual. Chances are good the Canucks don't make the playoffs, but they might sneak in if all goes well, as usual. Same as every other year.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

I have a difficult time accepting that results will matter much. If after 7 years results didn't matter much, why will year 8 be different? Benning said it will take him 2 more years, not 1. Surely injuries will happen and covid will probably still be a thing. Why wouldn't you give Benning another year of benefit of the doubt and wait until the following year before eating crow? Chances are, maybe he gets canned and then can argue that he never had the chance to finish his vision and no crow needs to be eaten at all. I see no reason why next year defines his legacy. His legacy has been defining itself for years already. This offseason is no different than years past. It's nothing special. Benning has been great at making changes. His changes have been overwhelmingly terrible, but his ability to make changes is without question. Next season is just another year in the Benning era. Changes were made, as usual. Chances are good the Canucks don't make the playoffs, but they might sneak in if all goes well, as usual. Same as every other year.

If Benning had been fired this last off season, he would have left a poor legacy....He wasnt, so he has an opportunity to redeem himself, and backed up his assertion of being 'aggresive'...The Arizona trade could be one of the most defining trades in Canucks history, ..Kicking the core up a notch or two...or it could hamstring them farther down the road.

If it all goes tits up next season, nobody is going to argue that he didn't have enough time....If he does well, the naysayers opinions wont hold much water.

It all comes down to the results.

 

[I in the Eye]

If Benning had been fired this last off season, he would have left a poor legacy....He wasnt, so he has an opportunity to redeem himself, and backed up his assertion of being 'aggresive'...The Arizona trade could be one of the most defining trades in Canucks history, ..Kicking the core up a notch or two...or it could hamstring them farther down the road.

If it all goes tits up next season, nobody is going to argue that he didn't have enough time....If he does well, the naysayers opinions wont hold much water.

It all comes down to the results.

The naysayers opinion wouldn't have held water each of the past 7 years, if good results happened over the past 7 years. This is the same as next year. Every offseason has been an opportunity for Benning to redeem himself... and he's had the resources and desire and support to do so. Every year he's been aggressive - some offseasons more than others, not because of a lack of try, but because of not securing the target. Every year he's felt the following year would be improved over the year that just passed. Every one of his more significant moves could have kicked the core up a notch or two, but they just so happened to have hamstrung them further down the road. Next year is the same, if good results happen, Canucks are good and those who said the Canucks wouldn't be good would be wrong. If good results don't happen, up until this point, there have been excuses and reasons to explain why the results didn't end up good, and why the good results will still happen, just a little bit later, a little more patience needed.. If something changes next season over prior years, perhaps Aquilini and/or non-naysayers have finally grown tired of waiting for the good things promised to happen. It would be long overdue.

 

[HockeyNightInAsia]

I try to be as rational as possible. But I am probably on the optimist train now, simply because too many dwell on the terrible last season, which I would consider a blip, and we do have many upside factors for next season. I still don’t like how we shifted long-term success for the short term, but if you ask me are we making the playoffs in 2022, sure hell!

 

[Fatass]

Well it’s not a very high bar to get over, now is it?

 

[Diamonddog01]

Forwards and goaltenders are great. Defence is perhaps the worst in the NHL.

Yup.

 

[Rumsfeld]

We haven't iced a good team since 2011.

Call me crazy, but I feel like that 2012 team was pretty good.

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

If it all goes tits up next season, nobody is going to argue that he didn't have enough time....If he does well, the naysayers opinions wont hold much water.

What's going to get drowned out are the folks who are acknowledging that there's potential here in the short term for the Canucks to perform well, but that things are going to be a mess beyond 1-2 seasons, and instead will be lumped into the 'naysayers' category.

 

[bossram]

Is that much of an accomplishment?

Yep.

I'm as negative (well, realistic, but apparently realism is just "negativity" to half the fanbase) on the team as anyone. But I can definitely buy the argument that this is the best iteration of a Benning roster.

The issue is, that's a pretty low bar. That's not even that good.

 

[KingofSurrey]

Hoping to make the playoffs with a team that has zero legitimate 1-4 D men on it... well that is just blind optimisim...

To each their own is my creedo....

Hopefully Benning is fired soon and we get a GM that knows how to assemble a NHL set of Dmen.

 

[Sneezy]

Forwards and goaltenders are great. Defence is perhaps the worst in the NHL.

not even close does this team have the worse D in the league. Hard to take you serious when you write stuff like that.

 

[lawrence]

It comes down too results. We can say how great or bad his off season is. But we need to see results now. If we fail to make the playoffs bennings gotta go.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

I think we are primed for a bounce back season. Last year we just had the deck totally stacked against us.........10 days of training camp and then an insane first half schedule that never gave us any time to catch our breath and get our team D organized.

I mean... Somehow I forgot, but, we started the year 6-5-0. In a ~50 game season we were a +% team at that point.

 

[Baby Pettersson]

This team certainly has potential to be the best team yet in the Benning era. But that's also not saying alot.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

I wish I could look at the Canucks' current roster and see a winner. I really do.