[Strutz]

A bit early to start this thread but pre-season games begin next Saturday September 24th with the regular season starting on October 7th.

Post anything NHL related here.

[Thanos]

There is some hope in Calgary given how well the Flames shored up on good talent after losing Gaudreau and Tkachuk, given how bad the roster situation became after being kicked out of the playoffs. Quality players were received in return for Tkachuk, and cap space was made available by sending Monahan to Montreal. Monahan was a good player in his time here but he just got too injury prone in the last several years. Respect to Tkachuk as well for at least informing the team that he wouldn't sign again after this upcoming season, which gave them time to move him and get good value in return. That's something that can't be said about Gaudreau who really shafted the team by not indicating at all prior to contract negotiations that he wanted out, which screwed them on getting some value for him in a trade. That stunt Gaudreau pulled was about the most chickenshit thing I've ever seen a player do during negotiations. I'm glad he's gone, I'm even happier he's gone to a team (Columbus) that has no chance at all of ever winning anything significant in the next five years, and I hope he does his punk-ass little disappearing act there. He deserves nothing else but to fade away into being the answer to a random "remember who?" trivia question. The team should be a lot less stupid with Gaudreau gone, given he was actually enough of a r-tard to sign with a lackluster US team for less that the Flames were offering him. If he's that damn dumb and spineless then to hell with him. We're better off without him and IMO we should have got rid of him at least four years ago anyway given his incessant proclivity to disappear altogether in the playoffs.

Watching a Cup-winning wrecking ball like Kadri get all stoked up to face the Oilers should be fun too. If Edmonton is still delusional enough (which they surely are, because they always fucking think that way) to think they're going to run away with everything this year then they're in for a painful shock. You'd think that Colorado beating them like a mule last season didn't knock the damn arrogance out of that team & city. But nope. Still the same braying like jackasses. Read the Edmonton papers for a laugh, they're already in the annual "just waive the entire season & playoffs and hand us the Cup now because we're so damn good" mode. This is what makes them so enjoyable to hate - they've accomplished absolutely nothing since the early 1990's, aside from their 2006 run, and they still act like "the City of Champions" reflects today's reality.

[Strutz]

I haven't been paying much attention to the off-season trades, signings or rumours. I know there was a big deal made in the local news with the Canucks re-signing Miller to a huge deal but beyond that I'm not up to speed on who is all returning to our team. With pre-season starting soon I'll have to get familiar again.

As always I'll go into the season with an optimistic outlook that our guys will make the playoffs this year and at least be entertaining.

[N_Fiddledog]

I'm going to take pity on you, Strutzy and catch you up.

But first to Calgary...damn them. Just when I thought we were going to get some easy pickins in our division they've actually improved. So it seems anyway. Really not looking forward to meeting Kadri when we're fighting for a playoff spot. And unlike Gaudreau, Huberdeau does not disappear in the big ones. Oh well...

So what about the Canucks then? Nothing big but a series of improvements to look forward to in the existing players and organization and a few little tweaks with noobs.

First of all a whole season under 'Bruce there it is Boudreau' and the Canucks we're more than statistically good enough under Boudreau for a playoff spot.

Brock Boeser was dealing with family problems last year. His father was sick then died. They were close. Brock wasn't his old self last year and many of us thought he could even improve when he was himself. He should be better this year.

Last year Pettersson started slow but got good again later in the season. I have a theory about that. Last year Hughes father trained Quinn and Elias. Ever notice how although they're both slight in build Elias used to get flung around and hurt but Quinn Hughes never did? Last year Pettersson didn't either but he did start slow. My theory is his body or/and mind took a bit to adapt. If I'm right he'll be a better player this year and harder to hurt.

Speaking of Quinn...you know how we're soft on right D? They did nothing to fix that as far as acquiring a right handed defenseman but Quinn's been practicing in the off season to play on the right side. He told Boudreau he wants to try. I think OEL can play right too.

The Canucks did nothing major as far as new players in the off season but there were tweaks. There's this guy we got without having to give anything up from the KHL. Andre Kuzmenko. Can he make the transfer from the Russian KHL to the NHL? He is good enough that other teams were trying to get him. If he can make the switch he fills the hole we had on the wing. In fact it starts to look like we may have a surplus of talent on the wing.

Speaking of which, we also acquired Toronto's Ilya Mikheyev. This year's president of hockey operations, Jim Rutherford says he wants the Canucks to get bigger, faster and able to kill penalties. Miheyev is 6'3", fast and can kill penalties.

Apparently there's also some new speed and toughness available to the 4th line but we'll see.

Our other Russian, the first rounder, Vasily Podkolzin was starting to look like he could be everything we were hoping for in the latter half of last season. If there's no sophomore jinx and he continues the improve that won't hurt. And now there are 3 Russians playing for the Canucks so a Tryamkin style Russian pout seems less likely.

After all that JT is back so we're still strong up the middle.

Our big problem is no space to make deals and stay under the cap so getting new talent to fill the holes will be a problem. Can we fix the weak on Right D problem with what we've got? We will see.

[Strutz]

Aside from the very unnecessary and slightly insulting pity comment, that was a very nice recap and informative post.

Golly, I'm ready for the season now.

[llama66]

N_Fiddledog N_Fiddledog:

I'm going to take pity on you, Strutzy and catch you up.

But first to Calgary...damn them. Just when I thought we were going to get some easy pickins in our division they've actually improved. So it seems anyway. Really not looking forward to meeting Kadri when we're fighting for a playoff spot. And unlike Gaudreau, Huberdeau does not disappear in the big ones. Oh well...

So what about the Canucks then? Nothing big but a series of improvements to look forward to in the existing players and organization and a few little tweaks with noobs.

First of all a whole season under 'Bruce there it is Boudreau' and the Canucks we're more than statistically good enough under Boudreau for a playoff spot.

Brock Boeser was dealing with family problems last year. His father was sick then died. They were close. Brock wasn't his old self last year and many of us thought he could even improve when he was himself. He should be better this year.

Last year Pettersson started slow but got good again later in the season. I have a theory about that. Last year Hughes father trained Quinn and Elias. Ever notice how although they're both slight in build Elias used to get flung around and hurt but Quinn Hughes never did? Last year Pettersson didn't either but he did start slow. My theory is his body or/and mind took a bit to adapt. If I'm right he'll be a better player this year and harder to hurt.

Speaking of Quinn...you know how we're soft on right D? They did nothing to fix that as far as acquiring a right handed defenseman but Quinn's been practicing in the off season to play on the right side. He told Boudreau he wants to try. I think OEL can play right too.

The Canucks did nothing major as far as new players in the off season but there were tweaks. There's this guy we got without having to give anything up from the KHL. Andre Kuzmenko. Can he make the transfer from the Russian KHL to the NHL? He is good enough that other teams were trying to get him. If he can make the switch he fills the hole we had on the wing. In fact it starts to look like we may have a surplus of talent on the wing.

Speaking of which, we also acquired Toronto's Ilya Mikheyev. This year's president of hockey operations, Jim Rutherford says he wants the Canucks to get bigger, faster and able to kill penalties. Miheyev is 6'3", fast and can kill penalties.

Apparently there's also some new speed and toughness available to the 4th line but we'll see.

Our other Russian, the first rounder, Vasily Podkolzin was starting to look like he could be everything we were hoping for in the latter half of last season. If there's no sophomore jinx and he continues the improve that won't hurt. And now there are 3 Russians playing for the Canucks so a Tryamkin style Russian pout seems less likely.

After all that JT is back so we're still strong up the middle.

Our big problem is no space to make deals and stay under the cap so getting new talent to fill the holes will be a problem. Can we fix the weak on Right D problem with what we've got? We will see.

Ilya weighs 20lbs unfortunately. Don't expect him to play with an edge.

[Strutz]

P.K. Subban, Norris Trophy winner and Olympic champ, announces NHL retirement

[Strutz]

Nathan MacKinnon NHL's highest-paid player with $12.6M US AAV on 8-year deal

[N_Fiddledog]

Bo goes, Strutz.

What did you think of that?

I understand it but I don't like it.

[Strutz]

It's not like it was a surprise as there was banter about it for months and if the team was wanting to keep him, and he was wanting to stay, they would have worked out a deal. I expect more trades to happen before the deadline as ownership is singing the "rebuilding" song again. I really don't care anymore as I have lost a lot of interest in NHL hockey in general this season for a few reasons so whatever they do they do.

[DrCaleb]

[Strutz]

/\ Ouch!

Seriously though I'm surprised that Calgary is out of the playoffs.

A couple more days to go before the season is over and the playoffs begin. I will post the match-ups once they are official.

[Strutz]

Well, yet again only 3 Canadian-based teams made the playoffs.

Round 1 begins on Monday with the match-ups being:

Edmonton vs LA
Vegas vs Winnipeg
Dallas vs Minnesota
Colorado vs Seattle

Boston vs Florida
Toronto vs Tampa
Carolina vs NY Islanders
New Jersey vs NY Rangers

[Strutz]

Some shockers in game 7's tonight (but in a good way ).

Boston, who had an amazing season gets ousted in round 1 by Florida, a wildcard team in OT.

Colorado, defending Stanley cup champs gets ousted in round 1 by Seattle, a wildcard team.

Sadly, Winnipeg was defeated but Toronto and Edmonton are still alive.


There is one more series to be determined in game 7 tomorrow (NY Rangers vs New Jersey). Whoever wins will play Carolina in round 2.

Other Round 2 match-ups:

Florida vs Toronto
Seattle vs Dallas
Vegas vs Edmonton

[xerxes]

Good on Boston for pissing away a series lead like that.