Player Discussion What would you rather have the Canucks do in the offseason?

[Snatcher Demko]

Draft the BPA.

Sign Karlsson. Do not sign any other UFA.

Trade Sutter. Picks and prospects in return.

Try to unload Eriksson, Schaller.

Sign some college FAs - which they've done a pretty good job with historically.

Get 2 or 3 good depth players for Utica.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

But why do you think 11th overall gets you one of those players?

Because I think Toronto wants a salary controlled prospect or high draft pick for Nyalnder. They are cap strapped. And I think Florida wants the same to go after Panarin Bobrovsky.

We would probably have to add but that would be main piece

 

[lush]

Would be happy if we dumped a few forwards for draft picks before the draft. If Benning can trade Guddy he can probably trade Sutter. One day Eriksson as well hopefully

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

We're going to strike out on Karlsson/Panarin and end up overpaying someone else like Gardiner, Myers, or Simmonds. They'll have a decent couple of seasons and then decline and become overpaid.

 

[Horse McHindu]

If the Canucks get a top 10 draft pick this year and are aggressive in Free agency what would you rather see them do in the offseason. For example. Draft Boldy / sign Erik Karlsson or draft Byram / sign Panarin or any other mix you can think of.

Soderstrom / Duchene , Hughes / Myers ...... etc.

Tricky question, but I think I’d rather draft a defenseman and sign a UFA forward if it came to that. In reality however, you should always do BPA for drafting. My philosophy for UFA’s is that a team should NEVER target guys that will have an AAV of over 8.8 million as I believe that depth is key in today’s NHL, and that elite talents should be cost controlled.

On defense - the Canucks need more help long Term.

Up front - the Canucks have a lot more long term pieces and could use some short term help to complement those long term forward pieces (Horvat, EP, Boeser).

 

[Horse McHindu]

We're going to strike out on Karlsson/Panarin and end up overpaying someone else like Gardiner, Myers, or Simmonds. They'll have a decent couple of seasons and then decline and become overpaid.

I’m alone on this one, but my hope is that we land Ferland.

1) he’s still young enough to the point where we’d be able to sign him to a semi long term deal 4-5 year deal) without having too much risk of him sharply declining.

2) he fills a weakness on left wing

3) he address a need for toughness and grit.

4) he won’t cost an arm and a leg like Panarin or Karlsson (which in effect, would still give us a legit shot at signing Boeser, Pettersson, and Hughes to a hometown discount of some kind).

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Tricky question, but I think I’d rather draft a defenseman and sign a UFA forward if it came to that. In reality however, you should always do BPA for drafting. My philosophy for UFA’s is that a team should NEVER target guys that will have an AAV of over 8.8 million as I believe that depth is key in today’s NHL, and that elite talents should be cost controlled.

On defense - the Canucks need more help long Term.

Up front - the Canucks have a lot more long term pieces and could use some short term help to complement those long term forward pieces (Horvat, EP, Boeser).

Agree with the BPA part.

But targetting the truely elite in FA, (Karlsson, Stone) you should do. Its the second tier UFAs that get you in trouble. Like Lucic, Loui etc.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Agree with the BPA part.

But targetting the truely elite in FA, (Karlsson, Stone) you should do. Its the second tier UFAs that get you in trouble. Like Lucic, Loui etc.

You might be right, but I’m not so sure. I’m interested to see what becomes of Toronto these next few years. My guess is that they’ll be too top heavy and their overinvestment in top players will result in them not having the necessary depth to be a cup winner. Tavares got paid big, and so Nylander wanted to be paid big as well, as did Matthews. The Leafs now will be in a bind with Marner.......all the while, having lost JVR, Bozak, and what will likely be 1-2 more key players.

Again - I reference teams like Chicago and LA from 2010 to 2015. Even the Pens in 2016-2017 had cap hits that were relative discounts now due to the increase in cap. By contrast, the Pens were always upstaged during the Chicago/LA area because they couldn’t match the elite teams’ depth. On the flip side, LA and Chicago gave up their kingdoms of domination when Toews, Kane, and Kopitar received their “thank you” 10.5 million dollar deals.

As it relates to the Canucks - IF we pay Panarin or Karlsson the 11+ million that will be required, then you’d better believe that guys like Boeser, Pettersson, and Hughes will be paid at a premium as well.

If history has proven anything, “top heavy” teams usually get defeated by teams with elite cost controls talent + depth.

 

[Intangibos]

Trade the pick along with Benning for a cap dump

 

[PuckMunchkin]

You might be right, but I’m not so sure. I’m interested to see what becomes of Toronto these next few years. My guess is that they’ll be too top heavy and their overinvestment in top players will result in them not having the necessary depth to be a cup winner. Tavares got paid big, and so Nylander wanted to be paid big as well, as did Matthews. The Leafs now will be in a bind with Marner.......all the while, having lost JVR, Bozak, and what will likely be 1-2 more key players.

Again - I reference teams like Chicago and LA from 2010 to 2015. Even the Pens in 2016-2017 had cap hits that were relative discounts now due to the increase in cap. By contrast, the Pens were always upstaged during the Chicago/LA area because they couldn’t match the elite teams’ depth. On the flip side, LA and Chicago gave up their kingdoms of domination when Toews, Kane, and Kopitar received their “thank you” 10.5 million dollar deals.

As it relates to the Canucks - IF we pay Panarin or Karlsson the 11+ million that will be required, then you’d better believe that guys like Boeser, Pettersson, and Hughes will be paid at a premium as well.

If history has proven anything, “top heavy” teams usually get defeated by teams with elite cost controls talent + depth.

You really think they would missmanage the cap with two of the best capologists in the front offuce team?

They have elite talent everywhere but D and even there solid prospects in the pipeline.

I would 1000x be in Torontos abundance of riches situation than the barren wasteland that the Canucks have built.

Im really not even sure what youvare suggesting here. That we let our own RFAs in Pettersson and Boeser walk when it is time to pay them?

Elite talent is irreplaceable. Bottom 6ers are dime a dozen.

 

[Trelane]

Sign: Best RHD on the market willing to come (try not to overpay). Make a pitch for Panarin or some winger not too far off talent wise, don't bother with lesser tier players. This can wait a year.

Re-sign: Boeser, Leivo, Motte, Hutton and Edler (overpay, huge if necessary, to get it down to 2 years, squeeze hard if longer term)

Part ways: Granlund, Goldobin, Pouliot and Scheller (buy out)

Trade: Sutter for pick or prospect.

Draft: BFA (best forward available), Back to the tried and true go forward with 1st and D in 2nd and then as needed. Only means passing on Byran who might be in the wheel house. Likely, even with injuries OJ is ahead in development.

Pray like hell Fabbro stays in school for another year. Make it known via third parties that Tanev's spot (plus PP) in 20-21 is all his. So will any outside hockey perks Aquaman can secure. Godhood and immortality awaits all squad members who bring the first Cup to BC. Two consecutive year Calder candidates, possibly three next year with Hughes, prior to his arrival is proof that foundation is in place. This **** should sell itself to a New West boy.

 

[Fatass]

Let Edler walk, and trade Tanev, Sutter.
Sign EK

If we get lucky and get Jack Hughes, trade Horvat for an elite young Dman.

 

[timw33]

If you don't BPA you end up with Juolevi's + Bourdon's instead of Tkachucks and Kopitars.

Also the 18 year old you draft should have zero bearing on which 30 year old FA you sign.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

The correct answer is:
Dropping 3 spots in the lottery in exchange for a front office clean house

 

[Nuckler]

We need to go after either a top flight ufa dman and a forward in the draft, or a dman at the draft and a top flight forward and a middling defense man in ufa.

Drafted Forwards will probably be in the NHL before a d man.

Either way we either need to draft or sign another good defense man.

I'd go hard after panarin, I think his playmaking and creativity would fit with Petterson better than boesers shooting ability.

 

[Addison Rae]

The only thing I want them to do in the off season is to #FireBenning

 

[TruKnyte]

I’m alone on this one, but my hope is that we land Ferland.

1) he’s still young enough to the point where we’d be able to sign him to a semi long term deal 4-5 year deal) without having too much risk of him sharply declining.

2) he fills a weakness on left wing

3) he address a need for toughness and grit.

4) he won’t cost an arm and a leg like Panarin or Karlsson (which in effect, would still give us a legit shot at signing Boeser, Pettersson, and Hughes to a hometown discount of some kind).

When going for a tier 2 UFA like Ferland it really comes down to term and caphit. The problem is usually the term they are looking for to come here is beyond what the Canucks should offer.

 

[Tables of Stats]

You can't combine the draft with free agency, thought trades at one might influence what you can do with the other.

As far as trade assets going into the draft, I'm not sure we have enough to do anything. I try to do a sign and trade with Goldobin for minor value. I'd also be open to shopping Tanev but his value might be low after this season. Nobody else has more value away from our team than they have with us and the ones that are addition by subtraction might just be unmovable.

Draft BPA. Give tiebreaking votes to US and European scouts.

I'm assuming Baertschi is done either via retirement or LTIR. If not I'd have to change a few plans and would push even harder to trade Goldobin at the draft.

Going into July there are a few no brainer choices. I'm letting Granlund, Motte, Pouliot, Schenn, Pyatt, Mazanec, and Leighton walk. I'd stay open to circling back around on Pouliot and Schenn if we can't find cheap upgrades for our bottom pairing defense. I'd want to bring back the rest with some caveats.

Leivo and Goldobin get two-years or less for term and under $3 million AAV, if they want more you let Leivo walk and QO Goldobin. I'd want to get Hutton on a 4-year deal $5-5.5 AAV he's got too many comparables for me to think I could get any lower with him, ideally I get him to sign for $5 AAV with two years of NTC and two more of M-NTC. That just leaves Boeser, Demko, and Edler left as guys that matter.

I offer Demko 2-years at $3 per, I'm not playing hardball with him so I try to keep him happy. I won't pay over $4 AAV or go past 3 years term though.

I'd want to bridge Boeser but I think the age of bridge deals for players of his caliber is over. I don't know what he's going to want as far as term goes but I'll throw out 6-years @ $7.5 AAV as a guess for what he ends up getting.

For Edler, my offer is a 1-year deal if he wants an NTC I'll go to 2-years if he'll agree to an M-NTC with a list of 10 or more teams he'll take a trade to. No more than $5 AAV but I'd hope to get him closer to $4 given his desire to stay in Vancouver. I don't sign him July 1st either, I let him know that I want to explore other options unless he's willing to take a very favorable deal and I sign him in August. If he walks he walks.

That leaves us a team looking like:

??????? - Pettersson - Boeser
Pearson - Horvat - Leivo
Roussel - Gaudette - Virtanen
Erikson - Beagle - Sutter
Spooner, Schaller

Edler - Tanev
Hutton - Stetcher
Beiga - Hughes

Markstrom
Demko

I am buying out Sutter if he doesn't agree to permanent LITR. I plan to bury Schaller and Spooner in the minors and I'm working the phones hard with teams with internal caps to find a landing place for Erikson now that his real salary nothing for the remainder of his contract.

Now if things go to plan we look like this on July 1st:

??????? - Pettersson - Boeser
Pearson - Horvat - Leivo
??????? - Gaudette - Virtanen
Roussel - Beagle - MacEwen

Hutton - Stetcher
???? - Tanev
???? - Hughes
Beiga

Markstrom
Demko

Obviously, we don't know which guys will even make it to free agency right now let alone who's agents will pick up the phone when we call them. I'm in on any of Stone, Karlsson, Panarin and out on paying pretty much anybody else over $4 million or offering more than 3-years (ideally 2) for term. I look for guys that played top six last season that are on the outs with their former team this season (Eberle comes to mind) and guys who played bottom six, showed potential, and aren't getting offers to test the top six waters by other teams.

Play relaxed, slow, and reactive and remind yourself that, absolute worst case, you can circle back on a few guys and slide in Spooner and Schaller to fill out your bottom six.

 

[BROCK HUGHES]

The answer to the above,,,
Bring in a New GM,who has some coconuts to dump guys like Eriksson and Sutter ,ect.Pray for a lottery win this year.

 

[Frank Garrett]

then pick up cheap 1-2 year fill ins if we need them.

Jim has no concept of this.

 

[Jack Burton]

FIRE

I do not trust this management team to draft, trade or negotiate any contracts with UFA's

We seriously need Aquaman to come to his senses.

 

[Captain Bowie]

Draft BPA and sign a defenceman, so I guess A.

 

[RebuildinVan]

Draft BPA, hide Bennings phone July 1st. And Im going off the board. Huberdeau was a deadline rumour, so a package, not sure what all, involving next years 1st. Hes only 25 on a good contract and this team is years away. 1st line with EP40, Brock and Bo on line 2

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

I’m alone on this one, but my hope is that we land Ferland.

1) he’s still young enough to the point where we’d be able to sign him to a semi long term deal 4-5 year deal) without having too much risk of him sharply declining.

Disagree. He's about the last player we want to be looking at for a 4-5 year deal that's in this UFA crop.

3) he address a need for toughness and grit.

The last time we went down this path we got Gudbranson.

 

[Tables of Stats]

I've been thinking and if I was able to put my stamp on the team we could easily jump to bubble status next season.

Our goal for next season should be a similar small improvement and clearing out or preparing to clear out our worst contracts. We should focus on getting better bottom pairing and depth defensemen, finding a short term point (2-year max contract) producer to ride shotgun with Horvat or who allows Boeser to play on Horvat's line. If we can add a few more picks in doing these things that'll work for me.

The roster as follows is possible to start next season:

Eberle (2-years $5M M-NTC) - Petterson (2-years $925K) - Leivo (2-years $2.5M)
Pearson (2-years $3.75M)- Horvat (4-years $3.5M) - Boeser (6-years $7.5M)
Roussel (3-years $3M) - Gaudette (1-year $917K) - Virtanen (1-year $1.25M)
Gaunce (1-year $900K) - Beagle (3-years $3M) - MacEwen (1-year $847K)
Spooner (1-year 3.1M)

Edler (1-year $6M NMC) - Tanev (1-year $4.5M)
Hutton (4-years $5.5M) - Stetcher (1-year 2.85M)
Lovejoy (2-years $4M) - Hughes (2-years $925K)
Beiga (1-year $825K) - Juolevi/Brisbois/Sautner/Schenn (~$1M)

Markstrom (1-year $3.67M)
Demko (3-year $3M)

Luongo ($800K)
Baertschi (LTIR)
Sutter (Bought out $1.17M)
Erikson (Traded)
Goldobin (Signed and Traded)
Schaller ($1M Buried in Minors)

That's ~$74.3 million against a projected $83 million salary cap. Even in the worst case where Baertschi and Erikson have to come back and count against the cap, they add a combined $9.67M and we'd save ~$2.05M burying Spooner and Schaller in the AHL and not carrying Gaunce with the big club. That roster might be a bit optimistic with a few contracts and terms, but it's within the realm of possibility.

We still have too many bad contracts and that stink of losing to really push, but we'd be a lot more respectable next season with this kind of roster. Also, Eberle and Lovejoy are placeholders, for the kind of player we could get at the prices and terms I'd be willing to play. Feel free to imagine any other player of similar pedigree in those positions.