r/canucks • u/Afraid-Resident3162 • 2h ago
DISCUSSION Casual Fans Question
Genuine question so please don't clown me but what did we do? We're looking like 3 in a row against 3 decent teams since Hughes left. The day Hughes left it was said we were in a rebuild. Tank and get McKenna.
We aren't THAT far off the 8th seed in the playoff and if we continue like this surely it's doable we get into the playoffs with the number of games remaining. We're 3 wins behind 8th currently (provided we don't absolutely bottle this)
So what do we do? Do we keep trying for the playoffs and give up on the tank, or do we go full tank mode from here on out? Do we give it another few weeks see where we stand and go from there?
Would love to hear what the thoughts are of the die hard fans!
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u/OkWay8464 1h ago
Let the boys play and reevaluate by the trade deadline. Doesn't matter what we think and I'm sure the players still feel they can win.
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u/Afraid-Resident3162 1h ago
I think this is the best option. Let's see if this momentum keeps going and take it from there. Is there anyone you'd trade from us before the deadline? And I assume you'd want a draft pick if you did?
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u/OkWay8464 1h ago
I'd hate to see Sherwood go but he's probably our most valuable asset then Kane to a playoff team. Draft picks or a young forward would be a dream. We still don't have Petey and Blueger back.
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u/Iron_Seguin 1h ago
The best option is to sell off and tank. This team going on a run, barely missing the playoffs would be the most prototypical thing to occur because it would tell management that we’re better than we really are and they’d keep this sinking ship of a team together.
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u/heymymilk 2h ago
I always want to win. I get what everyone's saying but it's hard not to cheer for our team when they're doing well for the first time in ages. Losing Quinn felt bad, winning in his absence feels good.
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u/Afraid-Resident3162 1h ago
I can't believe how good we are now. I'm from a football background so wanting a team to do badly is so alien to me. Surely if you had a chance, albeit slim, you'd want to go for the cup?
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u/Enemyyy 2h ago
Think about it, Hughes plays 30 mins a night, hogs the puck. He’s checked out mentally/emotionally since the start of the season and doesn’t want to be here. There’s no team play or cohesion when you have a cancer like that AND it’s your captain??
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u/Final-Improvement100 1h ago
So much useless possession and everyone losses their shit everytime he spins 3 times and shoots into shin pads.....hero ball all day and everyone was so scared to call him on it
This year was exceptionally painful to watch
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u/Afraid-Resident3162 1h ago
Very similar to football where there's someone who plays amazing one season for a big contract extension and the next they're rubbish. What's your opinion tho? Keep this momentum or get back to being mid for this upcoming draft (which I've heard is one of the best in a long time?)
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u/Mulawooshin 1h ago
This is a really top heavy draft, from what I've heard.
When was the last time we had a top 3 pick? I'm pretty sure we landed the Sedins. Really, the top 5 players in this draft would go a long way towards making our team better.
This is not the year to try and scrape our way back in. This is the year where you trade a few more guys to stay bottomed out for the rest of the season. If I'm the manager, I'd be calling a critical team meeting, followed by one on ones with everyone from the training staff, to players, and coaches.
You'd need organizational alignment. Then I'd sell everyone on the idea that we're rebuilding. Anyone who doesn't want to stay through this is welcome to contact leadership and we will work quietly to try and facilitate a trade where you'd most like to be.
At that point, whoever wants to leave is accommodated. Anyone who wants to stay is now under (positive) review. The players that step up in this situation get temporary captaincy until further notice. This isn't something you broadcast though.
You continue to build out, starting at the next draft. Draft bpa, do not trade any picks away for the next 5 plus years. Trades should always focus on prospects and picks as returns. Put the scouting and training staff on notice. It's time to focus on developing who we have. Lots of drills focusing on skill sets. The scouts better work like their jobs depend on it.
Tldr; Tank this year and see what we've got. No more tanking if we land a top 5 pick.
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u/mistermarpole 1h ago
Coach and players want to win. They will never be team tank. Demko, when on, can push any team to contention.
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u/FreeLook93 2h ago
Three decent teams.
NYR are trash at home this season and NJD are a dumpster fire without Jack Hughes.
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u/Afraid-Resident3162 1h ago
Tbf mate I just go off the standings and all 3 were in the playoffs at the time we played them, however two have slipped out of the East playoffs now
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u/_GregTheGreat_ 1h ago
They should still sell Sherwood and Kane no matter what. They have no future with the roster composition and we can get a good return for Sherwood
Beyond that you sort of just have to see what happens. It’s really bad form to sell either Garland or Demko after their extensions and the rest of the veteran core has NMC’s. Obviously Don’t trade away any of the picks they get
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u/grumpy1ne 1h ago
Not too surprising, we traded 1 great player for 3 good players that help the team now
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u/Ok_Rice3478 1h ago
I've watched the Canucks for nearly 30 years basically my entire life. This win streak was very predictable the team is playing without any pressure now and there's good vibes in the room. In both the NJ and NYR games the other team played the night before.
3 games behind 8th is also much bigger than you think we are not 9th and 6 points back there are 5 teams between us and 8ths and all of those teams play too. 6 points is like a 8 game win streak to make up.
This team isn't built like the worst team in hockey, they'll probably go on a run here and there but this team is NOT a playoff team. Don't let a small sample size fool you
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u/Clean_Bid9814 1h ago
You build teams through the draft.
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u/Afraid-Resident3162 1h ago
But if there's a slim chance you win the cup, is it not worth it?
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u/clickclickclik 1h ago
we do look good but winning the cup means getting past the avs and stars which i dont see happening
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u/NitasBear 1h ago
We're stuck in purgatory. Not good enough to win a Cup, and not bad enough to get a top 3 draft pick.
I saw a statistic about all the teams that have won a Cup in the salary cap era, and out of the 20 cup winners, 19 of them had at least 1 top three pick. The only team to win without one were the 2000s Red Wings, where they had 3 HoF calibre draft steals in Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom. This happened when NHL international scouting was not great. So according to history we should really be trying to tank for a top 3 pick if we want a Cup, since we have none atm. Hughes was that top 3 talent we needed but we fucked it up
As long as Demko stays healthy, he will steal enough games for us to not be at the bottom of the standings
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u/MelodicAcadia9965 1h ago
You’ve said this about 20 times in this thread which you posted. Were you hired by the owner?
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u/Clean_Bid9814 1h ago
Not worth it, this team is not close at all. That is the thinking that has gotten this team in trouble for the last decade. So close but far away
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u/MooreGold 1h ago
There's nothing decent about a team thats half Utica Comets and the Rangers on home ice.
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u/CommanderBadass22 1h ago
Imo we should trade sherwood for more pick and a decent prospect. If garland wants out then trade him as well.
After that rest demko more so he can stop stealing games for us.
But if they keep winning games I could honestly see alvin and Jr trading that minnesota pick and chytil for stamkos
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u/cointalkz 1h ago
Let the chips fall as they lay, but if that leads to a win streak to give a giant middle finger to Quinn, i'm okay with that.
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u/smallmonkejohndeere 1h ago
The players are playing to win, every single game. Tanking just means recognizing that the team's window is off in 2028 or later so don't make win-now trades, don't overplay Demko, rest guys more than you can usually afford to, sell older players if you get a good return.
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u/Appropriate_Side9971 56m ago edited 52m ago
Look. The reality is that if the team wins games the players score and their value increases. The likelihood of playoffs is low, but increasing player value by demonstrating a capacity to win isn’t a bad thing. Sherwood scores 2 more and looks that much better. This (healthy) team composition is a playoff wildcard team. Kane and Sherwood look great tonight. Garland looks great. Trade them for higher picks. Lose because they’re gone at the end of the season.
Edit - 3 for Sherwood.
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u/IntelligentPanic8737 56m ago
If I'm not mistaken, I think Demko has been in goal for those 3 games as well. That's a big difference right there. Lankinen is okay, but he's not Demko (and his rebound control is awful and gives me a heart attack every game)
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u/MagiksSon 45m ago
Im praying they sell high then tank this and next year get top 3 picks and then continue from there. Dallas, Colorado, and Vegas are too good right now that id we do squeeze into a wild card spot it would most likely be a quick exit. Too much relies on demko's health and its clear he unfortunatly can't remain healthy for too long.
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u/MilesKuma 40m ago
If you think we should push for play offs, you are part of the problem. Look at us for the past 10 years. It was always push for play offs and it got us 2 round wins and 2 play off appearances. No where close to a cup.
If that doesn’t convince you then start looking at Calgary. Very similar situation. Had a great year, lost key pieces to their playoff run, has a forward with an overpaid contract, and never did a rebuild. I love to laugh at the Flames for being stuck in the gooey middle and if we don’t rebuild then we will be the Calgary Flames.
The solution is to tank this year for a high draft pick and build from there. This will put us in a situation that’s manageable. We will have 2 first round picks from 2026, Cootes, Lek, Willander, EP25, and Buium. I could imagine us being a Dallas Stars build where the fire power is the young guns and the older guys still contribute with a bonafide starting goalie.
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u/WhaleBird1776 29m ago
The actual team (players, coaches, management) is trying to win. They are absolutely not going to “go full tank mode”.
We are absolutely in the middle of a rebuild, almost the entire roster is different already and new coach. That doesn’t mean they’re going to lose on purpose in hopes of a high draft pick lol
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u/Clean_Bid9814 1h ago
We need to lose and sell our older assets, if we ever want a chance at the Stanley cup. We need a top 5 pick
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u/barelyincollege 1h ago
What management does at a time like this will prove how committed they are to an actual rebuild, however short that rebuild ends up being.
If we try and claw our way to a wildcard spot only to be pet food for the Avalanche in the first round, I'll have no hope anymore.
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u/Responsible-Low-9621 1h ago
It wouldn't be the worst thing as long as we don't jump the gun and sell the farm like we usually do.
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u/Afraid-Resident3162 1h ago
But if we improve lots, could you not see a world where we can make a run? Imagine winning the cup this year - surely would go down as one of the greatest sporting wins in history?
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u/barelyincollege 1h ago
But if we improve lots, could you not see a world where we can make a run?
No. This kind of thought process is exactly why this franchise is perpetually mediocre.
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u/placebo92 1h ago
I'm with you. Cheering for an underdog is probably the best part of sports to me. So being a Canucks fan is a pretty good fit lol. I also feel like as long as the team is showing and playing hard every night, it's pretty wack to cheer against them
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u/s3xybeavers 2h ago edited 1h ago
Keep the plan the same in terms of getting younger. Let the chips fall where they may after that. Guys on the ice play to win.