still not sold on vey dont get me wrong the guy has talent but to me seems to get knocked off the puck way too easy. As for the draft picks last two years we have had 4 first rounders which is good I guess. Helps remove some of the sting 06'-10' drafting...

This is the scary/repetitive part for me. People got really excited for Grabner to be a difference maker before he made the team. Then he got traded, played well initally, everyone got pissy and hasn't been an impact player since.

Next was Hodgson. He had a chance of being the tournament MVP at the WJC playing alongside Tavares and was the tournament points leader. Everyone hailed the next coming of Linden. Now... well, you know.

Which brings me to Virtanen.. don't get me wrong, I like the way he played, seems like he's gritty (kinda like Kass was.....), but he was briefly promoted to the 2nd line before being sent back down to the bottom 6. Hodgson was a permanent fixture on the 1st.. see where I'm going with this? I know Virtanen is young, but I could see him potentially not living up to people's expectations either.

Virtanen is a stud and he will pan out. You can see with the way he played in the World Jr's!!

The issue with Kassian hasn't changed since his days in Rochester and Buffalo, Zack lacks focus, drive and motivation.

Coaches and management just don't trust him and get frustrated by him. Anyone who's spent enough time out in Yaletown/Granville strip knows enough that Zack has either no clue or interest in being a professional or focused on hockey, and I'm not talking about going out and partying like a normal NHLer or well off young individual, it goes way beyond stupidity. The Canucks have already tried sending a message to him regarding his off ice issues by sending him down to the AHL a couple years ago, but that hasn't worked.

He has talent, but at this point, I'm not sure if Zack will ever get his head on straight.

You kinda just made my point. Everyone said the same about Hodgson 5 years ago and had more reason to.

Anyway, I hope the kid does pan out. Good BC boy.

Kassian had a few chances to drive to the net with the puck the past 2 games...instead he kinda just coasted... pretty frustrating....
If he can just start doing this sorta crap...then maybe he can pan out...its not like the guy isnt running round like a fool all the time..he's going to the right spot to give himself this opportunity to drive to the net

Boston can afford to move Krug, but I honestly think the guy is gonna get killed out in the west. Theres no Chara or Hamilton or Sidenberg who can give him the space on the backend.

lol, thank you for ignoring that entire statement about needing defenseman who can defend. And i dont think Krug is the next Brian Rafalski

The Canucks dont need a PP specialist. Need a solid top4 defenseman who can contribute two ways. Krug is not the answer

Anyways,

As for Miller and Vrbata, they are stopgaps to get this Franchise at least into the first round of the playoffs. That is enough cash for the Aquilini tribe to be happy. --Not a bad idea anyways, at least the Canucks are not dismal failures with no Veterans to lead their Youth. And these youth are also not propelled to roles which they are clearly not ready for . Look at Edmonton. Top6 is full of kids who are just given the reigns.

regarding Drafting, I think Detroit has a ridiculous % of players on their active roster that arrived via draft.

Benning please tap into your old boys club and recruit one of those guys over. Jesus the Canucks drafting is bad. Tanev is the only latest draft rendition to have been a success. And even he has some ways to go offensively

U brought up the wings before I can...hahahah

Is this "fanbase" going to be this "this patient". I really do hope the oilers don't get Connor McJesus..but if they do, I hope they are willing to retool this entire team right from Kevin Lowe.

Tanev was actually never drafted...came from the College ranks.

you got that right about Tanev. Definitely scouted from college.

Haha well in that sense, that just highlights indeed how terrible drafting has been in the 2 years prior.

Potential stars get sent to the Oilers to die. What a waste. Three first overalls and management cant get their shit together? Connor McDavid would be wise to pull a Lindros and get the hell out of dodge if the Oilers were to land on him

I guess I'm one of the few that was not floored by the wjc virtanen performance. Thought he was mediocre, often didn't create space on the break out of their own zone.

Pretty much the exact same thing you said when he got traded here.

Sucks to say that you were right before, and it looks like you're right again.

Doesn't even take witnessing it to figure it out... just listen to his interviews and watch him in the Canucks own promotional videos... he's a fucking idiot, nothing else to say. A bag of bricks is smarter than this guy, and the worst part is he doesn't even realize it / see it.

His answers to media whenever things aren't going his way are even worse, like he's somehow mystified at why things are going the way they are.

ehh, i'm not too concerned. He was feisty in some games, invisible on some but he's still pretty young. He's still eligible to play again next year but i'm hoping he fights for a roster spot and sticks around.

I really hope McDavid pulls a Lindros if oilers draft him. I'd hate to see a generational talent go to waste like that. Lindros was so long ago though...what kinda consequences would he face if he pulled something like that?

rep-wise i don't think anyone can blame him lol

There's a big difference between the two players.. One thing the Canucks haven't had a lot of the recent years is drafting players with heart. Hodgson has and had zero heart but was a great player at the jr level when Virtanen has that heart and really plays like it which you could see at the world jrs.

I remember hearing a couple years back that Kassian was spotted "skiing" at an after hours club.

So moral of the story is, if Kassian spends less time in Yaletown... He'll drive to the net more?

Lack gets the start tonight

which means we'll probably lose...because for whatever reason the team can't seem to do fuck all when he's in net. "Oh look Lack's in net, fuck it, let's give it 10%, shoot from the outside, pad the shg stat and call it a glass half full day"

If the paper tigers routine continue we ain't scoring til next season.

Very interesting that Lacks getting another start... Could this be so more teams see him since he's trade bait since Markstrom is playing so well?

I would hate to see lack go but the team needs some sort of kick in the ass! Plus JB really has noone to trade cuz of shit head gillis giving everyone NTC like hot cakes.

i think its cus Miller is sick as fuck lol
i would think Markstrom would have more trade value than Lack at the moment. Plus Markstrom is an RFA at the end of this season.

wouldn't he need to clear waivers if he was to be called up again? or was it just going down?

Not sure if I am imagining things, but I seem to recall Hodgson being touted as potentially the next Linden when he was drafted :fuckthatshit:

I would say that was the only thing that made it acceptable, he is still young.

No consequences if mcdavid doesn't sign. He can reenter the draft the year after.

But it could hamper the McJesus value as hr cannot be moving up the ranks to play with the best.

Well gg.

That preds pp reminded me of our pp when it was #1