Crossposted at HFBoards
The Canucks have a long off-season coming up. I don't understand why they thought this team could compete for the playoffs this season, constructed as it was, especially when the previous season's results made it clear this team didn't have the talent level to compete in this league.
It was obvious from the get-go there'd be no chemistry aside from the top seven or eight players on the team, and there'd be great difficulty scoring, especially on the back-end. There was simply a talent deficit on the team, which free agency couldn't solve. They weren't, then, only one or two scorers away from competing for the playoffs. They were an entire bottom roster away.
It was also obvious signing a big-name free agent would actually create problems for the team, because they didn't have the right sort of construction to allow a big-name player to join the team, and succeed. The Canucks didn't have a playmaking centre aside from Sedin, and players such as Lucic or Eriksson, whoever would choose to sign with the Canucks, would discover to their detriment there'd be few players on the team who could drive play for them. They'd be stuck on an island, hoping for the puck to eventually somehow make its way to them. And then maybe they could make something happen.
And there was a great deal of hope for the defense. The Canucks hoped Hutton would take a step forward in his development. They hoped Gudbransson would discover how to score. They hoped to cover for the loss of Hamhuis by quantity, and someone stepping up their game (probably Hutton).
There was a lot of hope for this team. However, there weren't a whole lot of realistic expectations. Canucks management had blinders on.
The Canucks haven't taken any steps forward, this season. They're finishing with nearly the same result as last season. Some players have improved, but others stagnated, and others have declined. That is what should have been expected, but the hope, and, obviously, plan was that every youngish player on the roster would improve.
There's not much optimism the Canucks will significantly improve the team this coming off-season, either. There's not much they can do, honestly.
The Canucks need to begin building a better team, one step at a time. They can't continue trying to shortcut the process. The players they've signed or traded for have not in any significant way improved the team, and it can be argued their targets have actually set the team back.
There's the expansion draft. Entry draft. Free agency.
There's not a whole lot to worry about for the expansion draft. Canucks are compliant, and any player they'll lose really isn't worth losing sleep over. (It’d be nice if the Knights avoid selecting Gaunce, though. His defence is pretty damn good.)
The entry draft. Hopefully, the Canucks don't reach, again, and finally choose the BPA with the highest ceiling.
Free agency. Slim pickings there, and yet, somehow, it's the most important part of the off-season for the Canucks.
The Canucks have RFA’s that need resigning, too (especially Horvat).
There’s not many options. Perhaps it’d be better for the Canucks to avoid the early free agency market, and sign some players who might be overlooked.
Some things the Canucks can’t do:
Well, it'll be interesting to observe what happens.
The Canucks have a long off-season coming up. I don't understand why they thought this team could compete for the playoffs this season, constructed as it was, especially when the previous season's results made it clear this team didn't have the talent level to compete in this league.
It was obvious from the get-go there'd be no chemistry aside from the top seven or eight players on the team, and there'd be great difficulty scoring, especially on the back-end. There was simply a talent deficit on the team, which free agency couldn't solve. They weren't, then, only one or two scorers away from competing for the playoffs. They were an entire bottom roster away.
It was also obvious signing a big-name free agent would actually create problems for the team, because they didn't have the right sort of construction to allow a big-name player to join the team, and succeed. The Canucks didn't have a playmaking centre aside from Sedin, and players such as Lucic or Eriksson, whoever would choose to sign with the Canucks, would discover to their detriment there'd be few players on the team who could drive play for them. They'd be stuck on an island, hoping for the puck to eventually somehow make its way to them. And then maybe they could make something happen.
And there was a great deal of hope for the defense. The Canucks hoped Hutton would take a step forward in his development. They hoped Gudbransson would discover how to score. They hoped to cover for the loss of Hamhuis by quantity, and someone stepping up their game (probably Hutton).
There was a lot of hope for this team. However, there weren't a whole lot of realistic expectations. Canucks management had blinders on.
The Canucks haven't taken any steps forward, this season. They're finishing with nearly the same result as last season. Some players have improved, but others stagnated, and others have declined. That is what should have been expected, but the hope, and, obviously, plan was that every youngish player on the roster would improve.
There's not much optimism the Canucks will significantly improve the team this coming off-season, either. There's not much they can do, honestly.
The Canucks need to begin building a better team, one step at a time. They can't continue trying to shortcut the process. The players they've signed or traded for have not in any significant way improved the team, and it can be argued their targets have actually set the team back.
There's the expansion draft. Entry draft. Free agency.
There's not a whole lot to worry about for the expansion draft. Canucks are compliant, and any player they'll lose really isn't worth losing sleep over. (It’d be nice if the Knights avoid selecting Gaunce, though. His defence is pretty damn good.)
The entry draft. Hopefully, the Canucks don't reach, again, and finally choose the BPA with the highest ceiling.
Free agency. Slim pickings there, and yet, somehow, it's the most important part of the off-season for the Canucks.
The Canucks have RFA’s that need resigning, too (especially Horvat).
There’s not many options. Perhaps it’d be better for the Canucks to avoid the early free agency market, and sign some players who might be overlooked.
Some things the Canucks can’t do:
- Double down on Gudbransson. He’s easily replaceable on the Canucks roster. In fact, even with the shoddy roster construction, the Canucks improved in their play when Gudbransson went down to injury. And they were using first and second year players to do so. Take him to arbitration, and drive his salary down. Or better yet, trade him.
- Re-sign Miller. The Canucks barely have the cap space to do anything other than try to fill some holes in the lineup, especially if they re-sign Miller. The Canucks would probably have to overpay to retain his services, anyhow.
- Draft strictly for need. Canucks did that last season, and missed out on a first line talent. One hopes Juolevi will round out into a top four defence-man, but, honestly, those can be found throughout any draft (simply because it’s always so damn difficult to project defence-men). When you have a high draft pick, always take the BPA with the highest ceiling, because those are the players you build your team around. Juolevi might one day become a nice complimentary piece, but you don't build a team around those.
- Trade defence for scoring up-front. Canucks management has this insatiable need for taking from perceived strengths to try shoring up perceived weaknesses. They traded Bonino, Clendenning, and a second to Pittsburgh for Sutter and a third, two off-seasons ago. They also traded McCann, a second, and a fourth to Florida for Gudbransson and a fifth, one off-season ago. Basically, then, they traded scoring for defence. Never mind the costs and returns, because those were awful (even at the time of the trades, there were people left scratching their heads). It’s also the process, the logic they were following. They believed they could afford to lose the better players in those deals (or more worryingly, they believed they were receiving the better players, but... that’s not possible, right?), and replace their output from within the lineup. Now, one gets the sense Canucks management believes they can afford to lose a defender, and trade for a forward. However, the defence was barely treading water, this season. There was plenty of inexperience, and it was barely held together due to the yeoman’s work Edler and Tanev had done throughout the season. Hell, the Canucks defence is still a work in progress. Sbisa’s no great shakes. The Canucks can easily bring in one or two more possibly-near-NHL-calibre defenders in free agency at bargain-deal prices to compete for his spot on the roster, at probably half the price.
- Retain Willy Desjardins and his staff. I've posted at length about him. The Canucks can improve in this area. Not noticeably, but they can begin building a strong on-ice team structure next season with the right hire.
Well, it'll be interesting to observe what happens.
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