The Official 2025/2026 Canucks & NHL Thread

[bobbinka]

if winning is the main drive, the player will go where they think they can win. if money is the main drive, the player will go where they get paid the most. if just keeping a job in the NHL is the main drive, the player will play anywhere. if you are a good enough player and know you have opportunities with multiple teams, you might factor in things like comfort, family, patriotism, etc. At the end of the day, they're just human beings like everyone else.

I dont buy that you need players of a certain nationality or whatever though. we've had many home grown players that don't work out. you'd think players that grew up in Vancouver would play their hearts out for the team, but it also can work the other way where they are way too comfortable at home with the distractions of friends/family everyday.

As an adult, spending years in a city, it can become your new home. Jamie Benn is a BC boy, and he's signed 4 contracts with Dallas. Bedard will likely be a lifelong Blackhawk and Celebrini likely a lifelong Shark. Garland and Demko are US boys and have declared that they would like to stay.

[bobbinka]

Nucks up 3-0 after 1 period? Wtf? Chief Kief tanking the tank.

Why does Foote keep scratching Raty... makes no sense.

[spoon.ek9]

Need more trades, stop this winning nonsense!

[mikemhg]

Why are we winning god damnit.

Demko is ruining the tank.

Maybe Hughes really was fucking up the vibes all along, the PP definitely seems to be more dynamic lately without him hogging the damn puck the whole time.

[SkinnyPupp]

If you want your team to lose, you are a loser, and your team will always be losers if they appeal to you

[Eatman]

Originally Posted by SkinnyPupp

If you want your team to lose, you are a loser, and your team will always be losers if they appeal to you

But a losing effort helps the team win the draft. So cancels out?

[bobbinka]

this season is a lost cause after trading franchise player. deep draft year and (was) last place team. if there's a year to go for it, this would be it. drafting top 3 may help turn the team around much quicker.

[keifun]

Canucks 3-0 in the Post-Hughes era. Maybe he was the issue in the locker room all along.?

[spoon.ek9]

The more they win, the more likely it seems that was the case lol. C'mon management, these guys are too proud to lose games. Gotta do it the proper way and trade, trade, trade!

edit:

most of us right now with this win streak

[whitev70r]

Aqualini is getting all giddy ... see, we are like 3 yrs into a rebuild with this group, who says it takes 3-4 yrs?

[bobbinka]

Yea, well, he held the puck for30 minutes a night. And every play included him. Now every player has to step up.

[SkinnyPupp]

Originally Posted by Eatman

But a losing effort helps the team win the draft. So cancels out?

I would never want my team to be losers or not care about winning, even if that means drafting higher

And anyway, drafting high is never a sure thing, even if there's a top prospect and even if you finish last

[teggy604]

wtf is this shit... Trust me it aint Hughes. You can't say its been Hughes for 10 years and he is the problem....

They try to get fans hopes up, trying to prove they are contenders and try to get fans to buy season tickets next year. Then they will fall back into the freaken middle like they always do. It's kinda frustrating!

[68style]

I mean NYR, NJ and NYI aren't exactly the best teams in the NHL

[AzNightmare]

Originally Posted by SkinnyPupp

I would never want my team to be losers or not care about winning, even if that means drafting higher

And anyway, drafting high is never a sure thing, even if there's a top prospect and even if you finish last

That's not the point. It's not about wanting the players to be losers, it's about the team not losing games now when they should be, and being annoyed at the situation. This team didn't have any business winning before, they're not a contender, it's honestly meaningless to try to salvage this season just to miss the playoffs anyway and end up with a bad draft pick.

The draft is deep this year, potentially a 3 legged race. Drafting in the top 3 wins you a franchise player that will be very good.

It's time to build a proper competitive window, not a team that maybe squeaks in once every 4-5 years and hope for a Cinderella run. The trade package for QH was good. Now top it off with a top 3 pick and this franchise might actually be able to turn it around and become a strong team for years to come, not for 1 season and then back to being dead last for many more.

[whitev70r]

Age old question depending on what altitude you are looking at the situation. Up high, Mgmt, Owner (in most cases except this one) would see the benefit of a high draft pick = lose games & tank. Down at the ice level, no self respecting athlete would ever intentionally lose a game, nor self respecting coach ask players to 'tank' games.

Both perspectives can be true but when it comes to actual games, players, and season sometimes both cannot be actualized. Unless your team is just that shitty.

[68style]

Well get ready to be disappointed with team tank, we don’t play a real team again until January 17 when we play Edmonton, just a bunch of sucky or middling teams until then. I wouldn’t be surprised to see us win 80% of our games until then.

I agree with Skinny tho, you build a culture of players willing to toss games there’s no recovering from that. I want them to play hard every night. If they suck too bad, then so be it they lose every game but we don’t suck that bad when guys are healthy. What do you expect them to do? Pretend to play or purposely whiff on pucks every game? That’s crazy talk. Nobody should be on board with losing on purpose.

[mikemhg]

I think that's a stupid take.

Obviously teams don't lose on "purpose". Generally the method is to trade away your UFAs and aging assets, by that you lose organically.

The Canucks have been a middling team for the last bloody decade, people are over it.

To say "drafting isn't a guarantee" is a stupid argument, in the same way signing free agents on a slump and hoping they turn it around with a change of scenery.

For every OKC, there's a Buffalo Sabres, but I'd much rather the team try to be an OKC, especially when this upcoming draft has some major talent available. We're essentially last in the league right now with half of the season pretty much done, just own it already.

Get a good draft spot, draft a potential marquee player, and see what happens next year.

[bobbinka]

I hope they win and still draft high, how's that?

[SkinnyPupp]

You all want the Canucks to be the Browns of the NHL

I agree that trading away assets that aren't going to be part of your rebuild for prospects will generally lead to lower win rate (and a higher draft pick) that is not like actually losing on purpose. It's not a stupid argument, it's loser shit for loser teams that will generate a loser culture for a loser fanbase.

Canucks had an awesome culture coming out of the covid era, it just didn't work out. When that happens you have to do a rebuild, which could mean a season with no expectation of making the playoffs. But don't lose on purpose, I'd want nothing to do with that.

[whitev70r]

I think unloading Sherwood and Garland near the trade deadline might serve both purposes ... some playoff bound teams will want those 2 feisty players. Hopefully, you can get a early 2nd round pick?

[teggy604]

They just gotta trade Demmer for a 1st rounder, and Sherwood. Sherwood is our leading goal scorer. The guy has 16 goals. Boeser and Debrusk combined have 18. Lol. I mean that is just sad.

You think a GM would give a first round and solid prospect for Sherwood?

Would the Canucks give up 1st rounder and cootes ? Lol.

[mikemhg]

^Never would be surprised with Aquaman.

Pretty damning article about ownership:

https://theprovince.com/sports/hocke...pionship-rings

Abby Canucks still don't even have their championship rings.

[whitev70r]

Stan Bowman, GM of Oilers might want to reverse goalie trade. Jarry on IR list.
Kyle Dubas, otoh, looks like a genius unloading a $5M+ injury ridden goalie with 2 more yrs on contract.

Now Oilers is in a worst situation than before having to go with Pickard and 3rd stringer for who knows how long. Demko and Jarry are IR goalie buddies.

[68style]

I don’t think Garland is going anywhere, his new 6 year contract with NMc kicks in next season… I don’t think too many teams are gonna take him with a $6M cap hit until he’s in his 30’s