Vancouver Canucks offseason primer

[yave1964]

 

 

 I have been running offseason reports in here for the past four or five years, running a few weeks behind schedule so today I will do the Canucks, probably tomorrow start knocking out two or three a day.  

 

 

 

 

 

FINAL RECORD 31-40-11 7TH IN THE WEST, 25 points out of a playoff position.

 

BIGGEST CHANGES Well if the Sedin boys retiring does not constitute a major change nothing does. Long rumored but they announced it late and went out in style with class and dignity.

 

UFAs None of note, Jussi Jokinen played for like 25 teams last year and ended up with the Canucks at the deadline, he is gone. Nic Down came over from the Kings and was a complete non factor.  Darren Archibald played 27 games and is an UFA who will likely struggle to find work anywhere on this continent.

 

PROSPECTS: The Hockey News ranks Elias Pettersson as the second best prospect in the game and will almost certainly be playing top six minutes next season with a legit shot to claim the Calder trophy, he is the real deal. Olli Juolevi will step into a very mediocre defense and likely into top pair minutes as a rookie. Both Juolevi and Pettersson will be given every chance to succeed. A lot of people like goalie prospect Thatcher Demko but I haven't seen much that impresses me as much more than a career backup role. If you are looking for a sleeper rookie, center Adam Gaudette will likely begin the year bouncing between the NHL and AHL but he is a serious playmaker.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2018-19 The Canucks are moving on from unarguably the two greatest players in team history but the cupboard among forwards is far from bare. Bo Horvat is a legit 1C, Brock Boeser established himself as a crafty top line winger with 55 points in 62 games before missing the final month plus. Pettersson will be given every chance to prove himself as another blue chip forward.

  The problem is.. well pretty much everyone else. Baertschi is a Flames retread who they for some reason thought highly of but is a 15 goal a year 3rd liner playing top six minutes. Loui Eriksson may be the softest player in the game. Sutter and Gagner are signed to bloated overpriced deals and rarely deliver, they keep taking on other teams guys who were supposed to be good but aren't, guys like Gagner, Goldobin andGranlund and giving them a chance only to discover after a couple of years why they were let go in the first place. And the defense? Please. simply dreadful.

 

  IMHO they overachieved with 73 points and 25 points out of a playoff spot. Even with Juolevi and Pettersson coming aboard with the Sedin twins retiring, this is a bad organization who has not yet hit bottom.

 

PREDICTION last in the West.