Very Early Prediction Time! Where Do You See The Canucks Finishing The Season?

[VanJack]

If I was a savvy on-line sports better (which I'm not), the Canucks would be one of my 'sleeper picks' for the coming season.

When you break down their roster--a lot of promising elements are already in place. They have two 80-100 point centers; a guy on their blueline who'll get some serious Norris consideration; and a goalie who's proven that when he's on his game, he's one of the NHL's best.

Clearly this team can score; and their PP has consistently been in top half of the league. And their PK can't possible be 32nd and dead last for another season, can it?

Breaking down the rest of the roster, they have three scoring lines; and have clearly strengthened their blueline, although it remains to be seen if it's deep enough.

So I joined with the majority and voted 'wildcard team' for the coming season.

 

[racerjoe]

Where do I see the Canucks finishing? Well right now it looks like Winnipeg.

 

[VanJack]

One by one the sports betting sites are weighing in on the upcoming NHL season, and the Canucks aren't getting a whole lot of love.

Most sites have them missing the playoffs with almost exactly the same point total they had a year ago-88 points or less. And they're picked to finish sixth in the Pacific, behind the Oilers, Kings, Flames, Vegas Knights and the Kraken.

Oh well.....maybe the Canucks can use this as motivation.

 

[JanBulisPiggyBack]

I'm saying the Canucks squeeze into the 8th spot, 2nd wildcard

The difference between a top 3 Pacific Division and wildcard spot is gonna be 6 points. The Pacific will be Vegas, Edmonton, Seattle and the wild cards will be LA and Vancouver

Calling it now

 

[Aphid Attraction]

I think the Canucks do twice as well as last season. I am actually quite bullish on this and Im willing to put money on the fact that the Canucks season won’t be over until at least game 8 this season.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Going to be cautiously optimistic after being fooled last year.
If you would have told me last year that after finishing the previous season so strong under Boudreau and that we added an almost PPG player in Kuzmenko, Horvat would score at a goal rate amongst the league leaders and EP would emerge as close to a top 5 Center and we’d still miss the playoffs by a lot I’d have not believed it.

Big picture, I think the overall talent level is slightly improved from last year but the biggest change will need to come from picking up role players who address major areas of weakness on D and the PK. Plus much better goaltending and playing a more structured system. Half the starting D has changed and we’ve added two solid bottom 6 centers and a lot of solid of PK’ers.
Now we will see how it all comes together under Tochett.

 

[Fatass]

Going to be cautiously optimistic after being fooled last year.
If you would have told me last year that after finishing the previous season so strong under Boudreau and that we added an almost PPG player in Kuzmenko, Horvat would score at a goal rate amongst the league leaders and EP would emerge as close to a top 5 Center and we’d still miss the playoffs by a lot I’d have not believed it.

Big picture, I think the overall talent level is slightly improved from last year but the biggest change will need to come from picking up role players who address major areas of weakness on D and the PK. Plus much better goaltending and playing a more structured system. Half the starting D has changed and we’ve added two solid bottom 6 centers and a lot solid of PK’ers.
Now we will see how it all comes together under Tochett.

For me removing the Benning mistakes is setting us on the course to getting a lot better. OEL is gone. Myers (fingers crossed) will be soon too. Hopefully Garland is moved out. Benning really hurt the club with some terrible moves. But I think new management is fixing the Benning mistakes and building a better team.

 

[VanJack]

For me removing the Benning mistakes is setting us on the course to getting a lot better. OEL is gone. Myers (fingers crossed) will be soon too. Hopefully Garland is moved out. Benning really hurt the club with some terrible moves. But I think new management is fixing the Benning mistakes and building a better team.

Agreed......no matter where the Canucks finish in the standings, you can see that slowly and inexorably, the current regime is fixing the disastrous contract situation they inherited.

If the Canucks do nothing more than stay competitive and in the playoff hunt until the final whistle, and fix their awful cap crunch, then the year will have been a success.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

One by one the sports betting sites are weighing in on the upcoming NHL season, and the Canucks aren't getting a whole lot of love.

Most sites have them missing the playoffs with almost exactly the same point total they had a year ago-88 points or less. And they're picked to finish sixth in the Pacific, behind the Oilers, Kings, Flames, Vegas Knights and the Kraken.

Oh well.....maybe the Canucks can use this as motivation.

The odds makers are spot on with their assessments....The Canucks haven't demonstrated that they are a team capable of making the playoffs (judging by the last 3 years).

...and I would agree..Its not the worst position to be in...It could be used for internal motivation, and possibly could cause other teams to take the Canucks lightly.

 

[Uhmkay]

Under Tocchet last season the Canucks were 20-12-0-9. Over the course of a full season that is 46-27-0-9. That alone is 101pt season. Obviously health is going to be the key factor in where we finish, however assuming we can stay relatively healthy. Even without changes, people could argue there was going to be an improvement just because of Tocchet however....

The Canucks should also have:
- Full season with Hronek
- Demko hopefully for a full season
- Hopefully a far better backup situation (Silovs?)
- A tremendously improved PK
- An unquestionably better D core
- Tocchet conditioned team
- Perhaps an even further boost by a younger player stepping up (Juulsen, Hirose, Hoglander, Podkolzin)
- Possible bounce back years from Mikheyev and Boeser.

I put a Wild Card team. I see them as tremendously improved. The team could remain relatively healthy, play well and fight against Edmonton for a 2nd-3rd spot in the division.... have a few injuries and fight for a Wildcard.... or Lose Demko, Hughes or Pettersson for half a season, have lots of injury problems and finish on the outside looking in.

I think there are questions about other teams that will fall down the standings a bit.
Calgary - Will be worse
Winnipeg - Could still possibly trade Hellebuych
LA - Still getting older and I think overperformed last season.

I think we're now far better than Nashville, St. Louis, Arizona, San Jose, Chicago, and Anaheim.... we will be nowhere near these teams in the standings.

PS - Hello to myself at the end of the Canucks 2023/24 season looking back at this post and laughing at myself.

 

[krutovsdonut]

factoring in things like a vegas hangover, oilers wheel spinning, a flames free fall, kraken correcting a little, and the kings coming down to earth, i give us a shot at third in the division.

but realistically we are not better than those five teams until we prove otherwise so there's a good chance we miss the playoffs.

 

[EpochLink]

No OEL = Canucks defense better.

This time, we have a committed coaching staff from the start. So skies the limit this season

 

[ChilliBilly]

One by one the sports betting sites are weighing in on the upcoming NHL season, and the Canucks aren't getting a whole lot of love.

Most sites have them missing the playoffs with almost exactly the same point total they had a year ago-88 points or less. And they're picked to finish sixth in the Pacific, behind the Oilers, Kings, Flames, Vegas Knights and the Kraken.

Oh well.....maybe the Canucks can use this as motivation.

Just a note of interest ... almost all predictions basically say nothing has changed, and the way the team finished last year is the best predictor. Well, this is actually a decent take, but is always proven wrong by 15 - 20 % of the field.

 

[biturbo19]

Full season of Demko could make a huge difference. They did not get NHL caliber goaltending in his absence and that was a huge part of falling on their faces last year.

Not getting Horvat's contributions is a big hit the other way.

With a defence that has to be better by default, because it can't be any worse than it was last year...i think that's a significant plus. Especially if Cole and Soucy actually help the PK suck less.

I think on balance, there's enough there to get them into the dance as a wildcard. From there, who knows. Anybody's ballgame.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

Vegas odds has us outside looking in.


When the f*** does it get better ? Like seriously we are a capped out team that needs 27 things to go right to MAYBE make the playoffs (which half the league does).


What world is this.

 

[Fatass]

Vegas odds has us outside looking in.


When the f*** does it get better ? Like seriously we are a capped out team that needs 27 things to go right to MAYBE make the playoffs (which half the league does).


What world is this.

The Hole Benning put our club in is very deep. It’s going to take several years to climb out. But we are climbing. OEL is gone. Prospects are in the cupboards. Supporting cast improving.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

The Hole Benning put our club in is very deep. It’s going to take several years to climb out. But we are climbing. OEL is gone. Prospects are in the cupboards. Supporting cast improving.

What prospects? Maybe top 5 weakest prospect pools in the NHL. Our entry level contract players aren’t needle movers. Podkokzin, Hoglander , (seems like Lekkermaki) Rathbone , Woo, etc etc. just … meh players. The one we could have taken Guenther is the only one that is a difference maker. Add in Juolevi / Virtanen debacles and …. f***ing depressing.

 

[Fatass]

What prospects? Maybe top 5 weakest prospect pools in the NHL. Our entry level contract players aren’t needle movers. Podkokzin, Hoglander , (seems like Lekkermaki) Rathbone , Woo, etc etc. just … meh players. The one we could have taken Guenther is the only one that is a difference maker. Add in Juolevi / Virtanen debacles and …. f***ing depressing.

We have “needle movers”. We need supporting cast guys. If a prospect comes in and moves the needle on his elc, that’s a bonus. Cup winners are mostly built via free agency and trade now. Even “needle movers” are traded for.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

One by one the sports betting sites are weighing in on the upcoming NHL season, and the Canucks aren't getting a whole lot of love.

Most sites have them missing the playoffs with almost exactly the same point total they had a year ago-88 points or less. And they're picked to finish sixth in the Pacific, behind the Oilers, Kings, Flames, Vegas Knights and the Kraken.

Oh well.....maybe the Canucks can use this as motivation.

I would say that is right. Maybe I would have them finish above The Flames. But who knows what the Flames will be next year.

 

[HairyKneel]

The Kings have horrific goaltending and their two best players are older than dirt. They have added one of the league’s biggest cancers and their depth up front took a big hit. The Krackpipes are nothing special. Very average team.

The Flames stink. All the vets want out and they have less in the pipeline than Vancouver. The Canucks could perhaps finish in second depending on the health of Stone or Eichel.

 

[brock hughes007]

Vegas odds has us outside looking in.


When the f*** does it get better ? Like seriously we are a capped out team that needs 27 things to go right to MAYBE make the playoffs (which half the league does).


What world is this.

We are a top capped team,and if they don't make the playoffs,,there is something wrong with the recipe. You can not have a team,eating up so much cap space year after year and not make the playoffs.They need to do something this year.

 

[VanJack]

It's a moot point now, but if the Canucks had relieved Boudreau before the beginning of last season, and installed Tocchet; and then got a full season out of Demko, would they have made the playoffs?

We'll never know.....but you could make a compelling argument that they'd have finished with a lot more than 83 points.

 

[BluesyShoes]

By Bear's comments, our systems coaching was absolute trash under Boudreau, and I think Green had endorsed the veteran players as the leadership group, so in Green's wake the team was a disorganized mess on and off the ice. Tocchet has made it clear Hughes, Pettersson, Miller, and Demko are the key guys on the team, and we know this because he played them to death to pull the team up from rock bottom. I think we will see players like Myers and Boeser, players who tended to play their own brand of hockey, be required to play more conventional roles for their position. For Myers, this will mean playing more conservatively positionally and deferring to his partner (Wolanin?) to play up ice. For Boeser, if he wants to play up the lineup, he's going to need the cardio to push the pace aggressively instead of waiting passively for the play to come to him. It sounds like talent or history will no longer be excuses if they aren't fit to play the role being asked of them by the coaches. Hopefully that works out for us. At the very least, I think it will help management identify and carve out a roster that is built to support Tocchet's key guys. I won't be surprised anymore if the team falls flat, but I do think there's a good chance the team takes a big leap forward and that they play like a top 10 team in the second half and finish top 3 in the Pacific.

 

[nucksflailtogether]

i think people around here have watched the canucks too long and have forgotten what good nhl teams look like. canucks are a bottom 10 team again easy. every 5 man unit the canucks put out is going to be outclassed by most teams in the league. you can talk all you want about how they have an elite 1c, elite 2c, elite 1d and elite goalie but when mikheyev, cole, soucy, boeser or beauvillier is out there when the game is on the line you're not good enough

I find it weird you put Mikheyev in your group of guys dragging us down. And Cole and Soucy, we will see. They're definitely not elite. Beau is an average guy.

 

[strattonius]

I find it weird you put Mikheyev in your group of guys dragging us down. And Cole and Soucy, we will see. They're definitely not elite. Beau is an average guy.

He has consistently poor player evaluation.