vanuck
Now with 100% less Benning!
- Dec 28, 2009
- 16,807
- 4,043
Right now everything about this franchise just seems so, so rudderless. It smacks of "one step forward, one step back", with hardly any sign of direction. As a bubble team in 2019-20 that barely got into the playoffs by way of a completely random best-of-5 play-in series, they somehow manage to push VGK all the way to Game 7 and one game away from the conference final. They lose a bunch of good players to free agency due to cap issues, and bring in some equally old but worse vets. Then they proceed to have an awful start, and now sit here with a record of 8-12-2. Aquilini's basically forced to go on Twitter after a firestorm of media/fan pressure, saying they're sticking to their path of building on their young core.
Sooooooo... what exactly is the goal for this season? Are we trying to compete and make the playoffs? This being the last year of Hughes/EP's ELCs, are we going for it? Or are we retooling? Maybe we're rebuilding? Waiting and seeing?!
For me any new GM here has to start by setting a vision for this organization, coming up with a strategy and then executing. Of course, this assumes that ownership gives them full autonomy to do their thing - otherwise all bets are off.
Though they'll need to face reality first: VAN now has the 3rd worst pts % in the NHL, are firmly in the bottom third of the league in all major team-level possession metrics, and MoneyPuck has them at 18.5% playoff odds. Barring some miraculous turnaround that sees us playing like a #1/2 conference seed in normal alignments, for all intents and purposes our season is over. It's time to acknowledge that this team in its current form just isn't good enough to contend this season, and thus actions should be taken accordingly. #TeamTank
I do see a path back to contention here but before that can happen, the GM needs to start clearing out the junk on this roster. Identify team needs/weaknesses and also set short- plus long-term objectives that are all about the bigger picture so that this isn't just another lost season. For instance:
Vision: To turn the Canucks back into a first-class model organization that strives for excellence on and off the ice, year in and year out, with the aim of being perennial challengers for the Stanley Cup. This is done by establishing a culture of accountability from top to bottom, while running a meritocracy that 1) values talent both in the front office and on the ice, 2) recognizes and is up to date with modern NHL trends, while not being afraid to constantly seek out competitive advantages via innovation as well as 3) prioritizing a data-based, scientific approach to decision-making at all levels.
Goal: To raise the team's competitive level to that of consistent playoff contention once more, clearing out deadweight in the short-term while adding long-term pieces that actually help us improve.
Strategy: Create some needed breathing room by attaching assets to move negative-value contracts. Then take advantage of a buyer's market on mid-level NHL veterans to find some stopgaps on cheap, 1-year deals which either help us compete in the meantime or can be traded to recoup more assets. Patience and flexibility are key here.
To-do list:
Just some thoughts that I've had brewing in my head over the last few months now actually, but regardless of everything I've said here it's imperative that this new guy comes in and gives the organization a sense of direction and purpose again. Without the proper leadership, nothing else matters.
Sooooooo... what exactly is the goal for this season? Are we trying to compete and make the playoffs? This being the last year of Hughes/EP's ELCs, are we going for it? Or are we retooling? Maybe we're rebuilding? Waiting and seeing?!
For me any new GM here has to start by setting a vision for this organization, coming up with a strategy and then executing. Of course, this assumes that ownership gives them full autonomy to do their thing - otherwise all bets are off.
Though they'll need to face reality first: VAN now has the 3rd worst pts % in the NHL, are firmly in the bottom third of the league in all major team-level possession metrics, and MoneyPuck has them at 18.5% playoff odds. Barring some miraculous turnaround that sees us playing like a #1/2 conference seed in normal alignments, for all intents and purposes our season is over. It's time to acknowledge that this team in its current form just isn't good enough to contend this season, and thus actions should be taken accordingly. #TeamTank
I do see a path back to contention here but before that can happen, the GM needs to start clearing out the junk on this roster. Identify team needs/weaknesses and also set short- plus long-term objectives that are all about the bigger picture so that this isn't just another lost season. For instance:
Vision: To turn the Canucks back into a first-class model organization that strives for excellence on and off the ice, year in and year out, with the aim of being perennial challengers for the Stanley Cup. This is done by establishing a culture of accountability from top to bottom, while running a meritocracy that 1) values talent both in the front office and on the ice, 2) recognizes and is up to date with modern NHL trends, while not being afraid to constantly seek out competitive advantages via innovation as well as 3) prioritizing a data-based, scientific approach to decision-making at all levels.
Goal: To raise the team's competitive level to that of consistent playoff contention once more, clearing out deadweight in the short-term while adding long-term pieces that actually help us improve.
Strategy: Create some needed breathing room by attaching assets to move negative-value contracts. Then take advantage of a buyer's market on mid-level NHL veterans to find some stopgaps on cheap, 1-year deals which either help us compete in the meantime or can be traded to recoup more assets. Patience and flexibility are key here.
To-do list:
- Short-term
- Maximize asset value for any pieces that aren't a fit going forward - this means guys like Pearson, Sutter, Benn and Hamonic should all be dealt with retention at the TDL for whatever we can get. Depending on how early a new GM is brought in, pumping up their value may even be possible (particularly the forwards).
- Use the rest of 2020-21 to see what we have in the young guns/farmhands by giving OJ, Rathbone, Lind, DiPietro, Woo etc. a decent run to evaluate them. With no expectations to win at all costs, this can be used as important developmental time. For instance, play Gaudette and Virtanen in the top 6.
- Hire a coach that can actually instill good defensive play from everyone. And preferably one who doesn't default to veterans at almost every chance when push comes to shove.
- Ship out the junk with 1 year remaining like Beagle/Roussel/Holtby by throwing in sweeteners. Eriksson will most likely cost a 1st round pick, which may or may not be palatable.
- Capitalize on our protection slots for the expansion draft by picking up D-men that other teams are most likely going to leave exposed - offer them a pick instead of potentially losing them for nothing. This should be another avenue to supplement our blueline for cheap.
- Pray that we land a top 5 pick in the upcoming draft. Though assuming it isn't pushed back, this might also be a good year to trade down to net some extra picks.
- Identify some cheap mid-tier UFA targets like a Wennberg-type signing for 3C. Other decent middle 6 forwards should be available for peanuts as well.
- Flip these stopgaps for picks/prospects at the 2022 TDL to get some assets back if we are out of playoff contention. 2021-22 will likely be a reset year. Repeat if necessary for the 2023 deadline.
- Long-term:
- Do a hard evaluation of the various scouts' track records and clear out whoever isn't up to snuff.
- Restructure the front office so that competent people who know what they're doing are actually allowed to have autonomy in their fields of expertise. E.g. one assistant GM runs the amateur scouting, one for pro scouting, another for CBA/contracts, one for the AHL team.
- Scout around for up-and-coming front office talent. Pay up and hire the best.
- Beyond the 2021-22 season, look at moving Myers before he really starts to decline.
- As long as the cap remains flat, keep using the cheap stopgap strategy. This should remain a viable way to get decent supporting depth and extract additional value every time the TDL rolls around.
- By 2022-23, look at acquiring long-term solutions to our problems (like a strong two-way 3C) as we should actually start to have enough space. Also, we should have gathered enough prospects by this point that some of them should be pushing for spots on the big club.
- Likewise for a good top 4 D-man who can actually defend and prevent goals against while driving possession - preferably a RH shot.
- Decide if Miller is a piece worth keeping given this team's likely timeline to contention being another 1-2 years away IF everything goes well. Considering that he'll be almost 30 by that time and needing an extension, it might be better to get ahead of things and reallocate his cap on the back-end and move him for a high-end young top 4 D-man.
- Horvat is similar to Miller but has a bit more time, if you can re-sell him on the program again and convince him that we're serious about contending.
- If Myers can actually be moved and our 2021 1st rounder can step in and contribute, 2022-23 should be a viable year to go for it and push for contention.
Just some thoughts that I've had brewing in my head over the last few months now actually, but regardless of everything I've said here it's imperative that this new guy comes in and gives the organization a sense of direction and purpose again. Without the proper leadership, nothing else matters.
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