972 replies to this topic

[shoeflack]

Their identity is the team that everyone else loves to hate.

 

Everybody loves to hate teams that are successful, and during their peak the Canucks fit this bill exactly.

 

They are definitely not the team that everyone else loves to hate these days though. A few years of being a bottom feeder will do that to you. They're more "the team that nobody cares about" now. Which is why people around the league are suddenly being awoken to how good guys like Pettersson, Boeser, and Horvat are. They're now building a bit of a "the team that is fun to watch" identity.

[AllseeingEye]

Everybody loves to hate teams that are successful, and during their peak the Canucks fit this bill exactly.

 

They are definitely not the team that everyone else loves to hate these days though. A few years of being a bottom feeder will do that to you. They're more "the team that nobody cares about" now. Which is why people around the league are suddenly being awoken to how good guys like Pettersson, Boeser, and Horvat are. They're now building a bit of a "the team that is fun to watch" identity.

Yah I agree with with this; Pettersson has otherworldly skill, ability and on ice awareness especially considering he's just 19; reminds me when Bure first exploded onto the scene - watching both of them was/is "fun". And If Demko and Juolevi can develop into the goaltender and defence equivalent's respectively, then the Canucks and their fans have a hell of a bright future....

[Casual Kev]

Right now the Canucks are shaping up to have a "Elias Pettersson" sort of identity. Just follow his lead, score a lot of goals and hope the tally is good enough at the end - because the blueline sure isn't doing much to prevent goals.

[lanforod]

i still want Horvat for captain. Keep pressure off Pettersson and a good Canadian leader.

[Mattjvd]

i still want Horvat for captain. Keep pressure off Pettersson and a good Canadian leader.

I agree Horvat is a better fit. Captain doesn't have to be the leading scorer. Like Linden and Bure

[FogPub]

^ Horvat reminds me quite a bit of Linden in how he plays.

[Bingo]

Canucks loose another one. Team has spent 325 minutes in the penalty box this season, the most in the league.

They still don't have a captain and are on course to not make the playoffs.    

How long do they wait before making a coaching change?   

[Mattjvd]

Canucks loose another one. Team has spent 325 minutes in the penalty box this season, the most in the league.

They still don't have a captain and are on course to not make the playoffs.    

How long do they wait before making a coaching change?   

At least a year. There are no expectations for playoffs this year. They'll give him until the young defensemen (Hughes, Joulevi) are on the roster and contributing to make a judgement of Green. If you give a coach one of the worst defense corps in the NHL, with average goaltending, you can't expect playoffs. 

[jonny]

Keep losing baby and draft high again. Still at least one draft away. 

 

The Seattle expansion draft will factor into Vancouver's long term plans. 

[Bingo]

At least a year. There are no expectations for playoffs this year. They'll give him until the young defensemen (Hughes, Joulevi) are on the roster and contributing to make a judgement of Green. If you give a coach one of the worst defense corps in the NHL, with average goaltending, you can't expect playoffs. 

 

The Canucks were at the top of their division at the end of October and 7th overall in the league.

Now they are 7th in their division and 26th overall in the league.

They seem to have lost their motivation, so the lack of a captain and the lack of motivation from the coaching staff is likely a factor.

[shoeflack]

The same people who get pissed when the Canucks lose are the same people that complain when we don't end up with a high pick.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the season has been great so far. Boeser, Horvat, and Pettersson are putting up solid numbers and playing exciting hockey. We've seen the emergence of a few other key young players. The games have been close and mostly fun to watch. And best of all, despite all of that, we keep losing and putting ourselves in a position to draft top 5.

 

Knowing full well that this team isn't going to win a cup this year, what more could you want?

[jonny]

They seem to have lost their motivation, so the lack of a captain and the lack of motivation from the coaching staff is likely a factor.

 

They are simply not very good, are definitely not deep and have lost the third most man games due to injury thus far this season. 

 

Boeser has started his season ice cold. Our goaltenders are barely NHL quality.

 

I agree with shoe, the games have been close and this season has been worlds better than the last few. At least there's hope now. They've been on a bit of a losing streak and have been unlucky with injuries and bounces in close games, but they'll rattle off a few wins in a row before too long. 

[Mattjvd]

The Canucks were at the top of their division at the end of October and 7th overall in the league.

Now they are 7th in their division and 26th overall in the league.

They seem to have lost their motivation, so the lack of a captain and the lack of motivation from the coaching staff is likely a factor.

Horvat is the de-facto Captain. The lack of the 'C' on his sweater is meaningless inside the locker room. They'll have a nice ceremony at the beginning of next year to kick off the 50th anniversary celebrations. I'm hoping Henrik comes out and hands the C to Bo, that would be a nice touch.

 

Regarding our place in the standings, Vancouver has had a winning record though October for the last 4 years. Teams that have a few good pieces, but aren't good overall, often have a few good streaks during the year. 

[Casual Kev]

The current record is more in line with expectations. It's entertaining hockey at least. 

 

Who's ready for sports media to be 100% Leafs coverage come April?

[jonny]

The current record is more in line with expectations. It's entertaining hockey at least. 

 

Who's ready for sports media to be 100% Leafs coverage come April?

 

Y'know, that Leafs team is pretty damn good. I don't find them repulsive like the Sundin/Tucker/CuJo/Domi teams from 15-20 years ago. This is a fast, fun, young team. 

 

But, I also don't fall into this category of Canadians who hates everything Toronto. A Canadian team not winning the cup in 25 years is just a joke. As long as it's not one of those Alberta teams, I'm good. 

 

I would be 100% OK with the Leafs winning the cup this year. Much better than places like Nashville, Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Carolina or Florida, Arizona or New Jersey with their bloody 14 fans. 

[shoeflack]

I would be 100% OK with the Leafs winning the cup this year. Much better than places like Nashville, Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Carolina or Florida, Arizona or New Jersey with their bloody 14 fans. 

 

The irony of course that the Leafs wouldn't be what they are today without thanks to Auston Matthews and his introduction to hockey courtesy of the Phoenix Coyotes.

 

I always find it weird when hockey fans don't want hockey to succeed elsewhere. If you love the game, why wouldn't you want it played and successful everywhere?

[jonny]

^ It's not that I don't want hockey to succeed elsewhere. I just want us to succeed more than them. Having these southern teams do better than the Canadian teams year after year has gotten tiresome. 

[AllseeingEye]

C's are looking good tonight against an odds on Cup favorite (Nashville); if Quinn Hughes and Juolevi pan out as hoped on defence they are in position to be a good team again in a few short years. I think much of that depends too on Thatcher Demko as he's obviously the hope for the future in net. Markstrom while decent enough is clearly not the Number One goaltender they hoped he'd become and really is little more than a stopgap until Demko presumably is ready for the big show.

 

Above all they need offence and points from the back end; just took a peek and I see Hughes is leading Michigan this year which bodes well; and Pettersson is Pettersson - 25 points in 25 games, a point a game average. Not bad for a rookie teenager in the NHL.....

[FogPub]

The current record is more in line with expectations. It's entertaining hockey at least. 

 

Who's ready for sports media to be 100% Leafs coverage come April?

April?  It's almost 100% Leafs now.

 

Or was I (and am I still) dreaming all that wall-to-wall Nylander coverage...

[jonny]

Apparently Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is kicking the tires on the Arizona Coyotes. He has expressed interest in the past at bringing the NHL to Houston.