Are the Canucks Stanley Cup contenders?

[Cousin Strawberry]

Genius season

If i hadn't have watched it play out with my own eyes i wouldn't have believed the Canucks could be leading their division on Feb 2nd or 6th in the lague for that matter

No fuckin way.

Genius labels are ridiculous but the fact that they are where they're at is very impressive.

[Strangelove]

Not yet. Although we're on a good run, I think were missing one key ingredient.

Whether it's coaching or player experience, we don't have that extra level to put teams away when we should.

Let's see how how they handle the pressure in a series (or two) before getting too excited.

Yup.

I'd say it seems we're on the road to becoming contenders, but it's a couple of years off yet...

[Cherry Picker]

If the season ends now we play Calgary in round one.
The winner of Edmonton/Vegas.
Then let’s say St. Louis.
This is not impossible.
Of course then we play the winner of the East, and that could be an issue, but maybe they’ll be devastated by injuries.
We make the playoffs, we’re contenders.

[Topper]

If the season ends now we play Calgary in round one.
The winner of Edmonton/Vegas.
Then let’s say St. Louis.
This is not impossible.
Of course then we play the winner of the East, and that could be an issue, but maybe they’ll be devastated by injuries.
We make the playoffs, we’re contenders.

That would be the leaves

[Mickey107]

Not yet. Although we're on a good run, I think were missing one key ingredient.

Whether it's coaching or player experience, we don't have that extra level to put teams away when we should.

Let's see how how they handle the pressure in a series (or two) before getting too excited.

Yup.

I'd say it seems we're on the road to becoming contenders, but it's a couple of years off yet...

You don't have to win the Presidents trophy to be a contender. Let's define contender: Is it what the odds makers make-up and when?
To me, contender means "A team capable of". Right now I'd answer yes. That could change under unfortunate circumstances.
Where was St. Louis around this time last year?

This should be revisited when and if we are in the post season.

[UWSaint]

Not yet. Although we're on a good run, I think were missing one key ingredient.

Whether it's coaching or player experience, we don't have that extra level to put teams away when we should.

Let's see how how they handle the pressure in a series (or two) before getting too excited.

Yup.

I'd say it seems we're on the road to becoming contenders, but it's a couple of years off yet...

Seems to me that the Canucks are contenders today, but only because the teams in the west all have holes. Much like last year, this doesn't seem like a season where the 6-8 teams are just there to be defeated in playoffs. St. Louis is probably the best balanced for a playoff run, but for whatever reason the Canucks haven't looked out of place in head to heads. The Avalanche seem to have the highest ceiling, but is Grubauer good enough? This is his first season carrying the #1 load, and he's been mediocre.

Point is, *any* team making the playoffs in the west this season is a contender. But to get to being one of the 2 or 3 teams from the west most likely to make it to the Finals, you need to eliminate all weaknesses and be "elite" in multiple areas. The Canucks have done a remarkable job at no longer being below average in any of these categories -- such a far cry from a couple years ago. But the only category of play where I think the Canucks are special is that the Petterson line has become one of the top 5 lines in hockey and isn't getting totally shut down no matter how much attention they get from the opposition. The Canucks need something else -- it might come from Hughes continuing to develop into a true number one, it might be that the decent depth the Canucks have becomes far deeper if a couple of these prospects hit or the ho-hum contracts come off the books and are smartly replaced. It might come from Markstrom (or more likely Demko) going from good to great. I think management will have plenty on their plate to hold serve (stop any category from regressing) and that for the Canucks to truly take another step, it is going to be from continued player development.

[Cousin Strawberry]

'Officially recognized contender status' means fuck all once the 2nd season starts.

How many times have we seen dominant regular seasons turn into 1st round exits? Make the dance then its 16 wins to immortality. The Canucks have something special...young superstars that have zero post season failings on their resumes. Anything can happen...lightning can be bottled

[Carl Yagro]

Anything can happen...lightning can be bottled

Especially Tampon Bay.

[Mickey107]

'Make the dance then its 16 wins to immortality.

Exactly! What is the line that's used by sportscasters at the end of the regular season? "Now 16 teams will contend for the Stanley Cup".

[PG_Canuck]

Don't think they are true contender yet. Still some holes in the lineup that need to be filled before we can be seen as contenders IMO.

However, the West is truly anyone's this year. I think it's basically STL's to lose and we wouldn't see them until the WCF in all likelihood.

[Strangelove]

Let's define contender

This.

Point is, *any* team making the playoffs in the west this season is a contender.

See, that's not how I define "Cup Contender".

To me Cup Contenders are the 5 or 6 teams most likely to realistically win the Cup.

Canucks are not that, not yet at least.

But that's only my concept of the phrase.

Can we come to a consensus here?

Probably not.

For the purposes of this thread it's probably best if the OP dictates what he means by "Contender".

What say you Nuckster?

[Blob Mckenzie]

The West is weak and could be for a few years though the Avs are on the rise and will be a force. Blues look very solid and so do the Stars. The Pacific is an abortion. The California teams stink. If the Sharks had a good goalie they could maybe make the playoffs .....but they don’t. Edmonton could be a good team if a couple guys pan out. Vegas could be good for a couple years providing they can get a capable RH D man. Vancouver doesn’t match up well against this team at all. They aren’t young though, so they may fall off in a couple years.

To me this is great timing for a dramatic Canucks improvement. The way a couple star players can transform a team from a basement dweller to a playoff contender is incredible.

Not a true contender but definitely one of the better teams in the West this year and definitely on the upswing.

[rats19]

I agree with doc

16 teams have a shot at it.... but realistically 4-6 are legit contenders while anything can and sometimes does happen

We aren’t there yet.... but

[ESQ]

Let's define contender

This.

Point is, *any* team making the playoffs in the west this season is a contender.

See, that's not how I define "Cup Contender".

To me Cup Contenders are the 5 or 6 teams most likely to realistically win the Cup.

Canucks are not that, not yet at least.

Canucks are tied for 6th in the standings, I think that's about right, no?

I put them a notch below Blues, Avs, Bruins, Lightning, Capitals, and about equal with Pittsburgh. The good news is, Canucks wouldn't have to face any of those teams until the WCF.

But then, you have to consider that the top-8 "contenders" were all eliminated in the 1st round last year, so does that definition really matter?

I'm attracted to defining it on likelihood of reaching SCF, but there's been so many instances of "unworthy" teams making the finals on Cinderalla runs - and two of them (LA and St Louis) had the audacity to win the damn thing!

I think the Canucks may get a boost to "contender status" through having an easier path to the 3rd round.

[Strangelove]

Let's define contender

This.

Point is, *any* team making the playoffs in the west this season is a contender.

See, that's not how I define "Cup Contender".

To me Cup Contenders are the 5 or 6 teams most likely to realistically win the Cup.

Canucks are not that, not yet at least.

Canucks are tied for 6th in the standings, I think that's about right, no?

No.

Canucks lack the playoff experience necessary to realistically win the Cup in my books.

We have no idea how this team would respond to the test that is the Stanley Cup playoffs.

And so the Great Strangelove cannot consider them to be a "Stanley Cup Contender" at this point in time.