Confirmed with Link: [VAN/CAR] Canucks acquire 2015 3rd (66TH OA), 2016 7th for G Eddie Lack

[Captain Bowie]

This exactly.

We are literally in the worst position of any team in the Western Conference.

Every other team is either:

A Stanley Cup Contender
A playoff team trending upwards
A non-playoff team trending upwards
A non-playoff team in the midst of a rebuild
A non-playoff team starting a rebuild

The Canucks are:

A (non) playoff team spinning its wheels, not contending, not trending upwards and not rebuilding.

We literally have the furthest possible road to becoming a contender than any other team in the West.

Which one is the Sharks? Because I assumed it went Ducks, Kings, Flames, Oilers, Coyotes. But left out the Sharks?

 

[ginner classic]

Which one is the Sharks? Because I assumed it went Ducks, Kings, Flames, Oilers, Coyotes. But left out the Sharks?

They are in a similar position with a younger supporting cast.

 

[iceburg]

Vancouver is known as a goalie-graveyard for a reason. Becoming a Vancouver goalie is pretty much asking for suicide on yourself.

Not so for Lack...he established his career here and he is well on his way to having a long NHL career, even though its not with the canucks.

Markstrom, on the other hand, has one of the biggest uphill battles ahead of him. He's a good goalie but these boards and the larger Vancouver media are so ready to pounce as soon as he has a subpar performance. I hope he's given the room to succeed but, sadly, I have serious doubts that the Vancouver market will allow it.

 

[DapperZ]

This has been a really difficult day to follow. Way too much chicken little / sky is falling. We were 101 points last season with I think a number of 2nd liners in particular having off years. One point behind the Stanley Cup champions. I don't think the vitriol is justified. The level of angst is really oppressive and I think unjustified.

 

[iceburg]

Why? Salary cap?

I now firmly believe that they chose to trade Lack over Markstrom because they thought they couldn't sign Lack next summer for two reasons:
1. Lack believes he deserves a shot at being a #1 and he's not going to get it while Miller is still here.
2. Lack will be asking north of $4M as a UFA (and he'll get it from some team) and the canucks will not pay that when they're paying Miller $6M. They also may not believe Lack is worth >$4M.

I thought this before but today's comments from Linden pretty much confirmed it in my mind.

 

[Captain Bowie]

They are in a similar position with a younger supporting cast.

Yeah, some of their depth players are in the 24-28 age range instead of the 28-32 age range. Not exactly prime for rebuilding.

 

[ginner classic]

Well you're more optimistic than me, I don't even see us on a road to anything right now.

Two expansion teams coming as well.

All things equal a cup run every 16 years and a cup every 32.....but as we know...all things are not equal.

I think we are a cup final every 32 years kind of organization now. Bottom 5 talent in the head office requires top 5 picks three years in a row and some flukey trades and draft picks to go on a run.

Projecting a new management team in 2 years when Benning is found out....we are a good 6 to 10 years away from anything good happening.

 

[Drop the Sopel]

Projecting a new management team in 2 years when Benning is found out....we are a good 6 to 10 years away from anything good happening.

Doesn't add up. Benning's drafting looks very strong thus far. And if he's as bad as you say, we will be picking that much higher and more often - just further playing into Benning's strength at the draft table.

 

[JuniorNelson]

Teams have had an open window to chat up UFAs since Thursday, before the draft. It is possible that he has a handshake deal done. He knows who is coming and how much space he needs, so he wasn't drawn into anything at the draft?

 

[StroShow]

please ****ing rebuild

 

[wingman20]

This exactly.

We are literally in the worst position of any team in the Western Conference.

Every other team is either:

A Stanley Cup Contender
A playoff team trending upwards
A non-playoff team trending upwards
A non-playoff team in the midst of a rebuild
A non-playoff team starting a rebuild

The Canucks are:

A (non) playoff team spinning its wheels, not contending, not trending upwards and not rebuilding.

We literally have the furthest possible road to becoming a contender than any other team in the West.

Thumbs up. Liked.

 

[Jyrki21]

Well at least I still have the Rough Riders.

No, you have the Roughriders. The Rough Riders folded years ago.

Yep I think so. [Woodley] he's better of the three goalies too.

Worse yet, what Woodley said is that the Canucks' own goalie coach was highest on Läck.

Hope Markstrom doesn't get the Lack treatment from Willie this past season (eg., facing more playoff teams than non-playoff teams as a percentage).

Desjardins is still the coach, so I'm basically expecting Miller to play like 72 games, and then blow his knee out at the end of the season. When Markström is rusty when he's thrown in, this will be further evidence that the team "needs Miller" and his "calming veteran presence".

We traded a goalie that has better stats, is 8 years younger, and makes $5 million less than our starting goalie for a 3rd round pick.

But on the bright side... we could... uh... all be dead.

 

[topched88]

Thumbs up. Liked.

Im still holding on to false hope. My thought is maybe benning wants to keep the team competitive, but at the deadline next year if the Canucks are out of it, we would have a great opportunity to get a haul of picks and prospects going into 2016 from bieksa, hamhuis, and vrbata. Then if things continue to go downhill (which im sure they will) they could have the option to flip the sedins for the last year of their contracts somewhere they can compete with 1 @ 50% retained salary (dont say its nuts stranger things have happened). Its not nuts to think a contending team could take on 10 million in cap space, especially if we took a cap dump back. By then, we should be getting close to having top 5 picks for at least a couple years, and some pretty good prospect depth already.

Thats totally what benning is thinking...right?....Right?

 

[valkynax]

Thumbs up. Liked.

I feel like our team has the old Flames' motto.

Although to be honest I don't think we should trade the twins away, but everyone else (excluding our prospects, of course) should be fair game.

Oh well, let the Oilers and Flames humiliate us for a few years. Get a few top 5 drafts maybe...

 

[Samzilla]

Just checked in with my emotions. Still sad Lack is gone. :-(

 

[RobertKron]

This has been a really difficult day to follow. Way too much chicken little / sky is falling. We were 101 points last season with I think a number of 2nd liners in particular having off years. One point behind the Stanley Cup champions. I don't think the vitriol is justified. The level of angst is really oppressive and I think unjustified.

Okay, let's pretend that you're right and the team is pretty good, and in a position to improve next year when those guys come off their off years. They still just gave away their best goalie for a third - actively making the team worse - and have like six million dollars to fill six roster spots, all while their direct competition have largely become significantly better.

 

[Zaddy91]

Doesn't add up. Benning's drafting looks very strong thus far. And if he's as bad as you say, we will be picking that much higher and more often - just further playing into Benning's strength at the draft table.

I always think this to myself.

 

[The Stig]

Okay, let's pretend that you're right and the team is pretty good, and in a position to improve next year when those guys come off their off years. They still just gave away their best goalie for a third - actively making the team worse - and have like six million dollars to fill six roster spots, all while their direct competition have largely become significantly better.

He's allowed to be positive about the team, you know

 

[RobertKron]

He's allowed to be positive about the team, you know

Neat.

If someone, on a discussion forum, states that another's opinion is unjustified then they should probably expect others to explain why that position isn't unfounded.

 

[The Stig]

Neat.

If someone, on a discussion forum, states that another's opinion is unjustified then they should probably expect others to explain why that position isn't unfounded.

Ok fine. Then explain to me where the need to fill 6 rosters spots comes from?

 

[Lindgren]

I heard that Benning made the point that the East Coast teams don't spend as much time seeing west coast games and, as such, emerging goalies like Lack aren't valued as highly as east oast equivalents. Seems like a reasonable point and explains the Talbot v Lack value.

I heard the same comment. So, the Canucks couldn't get value for Lack from the east, and trading him within the division was too scary for management to contemplate (was that ever confirmed by someone on the inside?). Didn't leave very many teams to create a bidding war for Eddie.

 

[valkynax]

I looked up the youtube video of the entire stadium chanting "Eddie! Eddie!"

I almost feel like crying...

 

[rune74]

Ok fine. Then explain to me where the need to fill 6 rosters spots comes from?

Laughed a little, won't lie...

 

[RobertKron]

Ok fine. Then explain to me where the need to fill 6 rosters spots comes from?

From last year's team, they currently have 11 forwards, 5 defensemen, and 1 goalie under contract. Yes, you don't have to carry all 23, but it's rare for teams to carry less than 22 players, and even then you still need the cap space to call someone up.

 

[tc 23]

Ok fine. Then explain to me where the need to fill 6 rosters spots comes from?

D. Sedin, H. Sedin, Vrbata, Burrows, Dorsett, Hansen, Higgins, Bonino, Kassian, Horvat, Kenins, Edler, Bieksa, Hamhuis, Tanev, Sbisa, Miller = 17 players under contract for ~$65.269m (I'm assuming Kenins is making league min). That leaves ~$6.131m to fill 6 spots (2F, 3D, 1G).

Markstrom's QO was $1.4m so his cap will be at least that. Virtanen ($1.744) probably makes the team too. That leaves ~$2.987m or less (depending on Markstrom's extension - it's rumoured to be a long-term deal) for 1F, 3D. Some combination of Baertschi (RFA), Vey (RFA), Corrado (RFA), Weber (RFA), Clendening (RFA) probably fill the remaining spots.

Not impossible, but we're pressed right against the cap and our RFAs basically have to make league min if we don't move anyone out.

Edit: We actually have $0.8m less cap - I forgot about retaining Luongo's salary. That leaves ~$5.331m to fill the 6 spots or $2.187m or less after Markstrom/Virtanen.