Canucks preview Petterssons last hurrah?

[yave1964]

FINAL RECORD 38-37-7 83 POINTS, 11th in conference, 12 points out of a playoff spot. Minus 22 goal differential

 

ADDITIONS Rich Tocchet comes aboard as head coach to apply triage to a unit in disarray. Beaulivier and Hronek came to the club late in the year. Pius Suter is the new 3C. Soucy and Ian Cole join the defensive core. Demko had a lost year, hopes to rebound and stay healthy. 

 

DEPARTURES The long national nightmare is over as the OEL debacle is finished. Dermott and Bear are also out on the back end.  Tyler Myers is due a bonus first part of September, open secret he is being dealt to the Coyotes right after. 

 

PROSPECTS Arturs Silovs should beat out Martin as the backup goalie and if Demko is injured may surprise. Honestly as far as NHL ready players that is about it. Raty is decent but nowhere near ready. Rathbone was expected to make the jump to top four defense but cannot stay healthy. not much here.

 

SO SKY HIGH EXPECTATIONS LAST YEAR, WHAT ABOUT THIS SEASON?  I look at this roster and see absolutely nothing that i like. Even the players whom i like have significant holes. Miller is hated by the fan base because he is a floater, Pettersson is a center who cannot win faceoffs or play defense. Kuzmenko quietly had nearly 40 goals but is soft as 20 ply with 18 blocks and 15 hits for the season making Johnny Gaudreau look like a goon. Boeser is always the subject of trade rumors for the same reason. Beaulivier fits in so well as a 20 goal scoring winger with holes in his game just like Boeser, Garland, ect....

  The defense, dont get me started. Hughes can move the puck but wont play defense. Hronek can do both sometimes, but seldom does both in the same game. Matt Irwin is being counted on to be the primary penalty killer from the back end. Really.

  Goaltending, i like Demko but after last season there are many more question marks than answers.

 Love the coaching hire, Tocchet has a solid rep but he has now made the playoffs exactly once in his nine years as an NHL head coach. 

  Pettersson has made it clear that he will not be resigning unless there is significant improvement on the ice this season. Unless they manage to move out either Miller or Boeser they likely cannot afford him anyway, and if they move one of those two the product on the ice slips so he likely wouldnt want to stay.

  I see them in seventh place nestled between the Ducks in sixth and the Sharks dead last. Just an awful organization.