Goon2's Report: State of the Canucks, 11/13/06

[Goon2]

This team is exactly what we all thought it would be: struggling for a playoff spot.

A few points:

Naslund -- what hip injury? He seems like the old Naslund again.

Twins -- they get better every year. They don't get the love and pub they deserve. They're the best kept secret in the NHL. We're densisitized by them because we see them every night.

Work Ethic -- guys diving to kill penalties in the second period of a game in October? Not under Craw last year. I love how hard they work.

The kicker is that this team cannot win with injuries to the defence. This happened last year when we had a lot less talent, and we all remember what happened.

I get the feeling Luongo will get better, go on some huge hot streak. For this reason we cannot be counted out. But right now, not so much.

Josh Green and Tommy Santala are regulars. Regulars! Has anyone noticed this? Isn't that the reason we get no second, third or fourth line scoring? Yes!

Let's not pretend Chouinard is supposed to score. He's there to win faceoffs then get off the ice.

My patience is wearing thin on Morrison. I'd like someone to ask him to pretend he's Mario Lemieux. I think he can score, but maybe he doesn't think he can score. I don't know. Maybe he's just not that good? Can it be true?

Kevin Beiksa might be my favorite Canuck.

I wish AV would put Cooke with Morrison and leave the two of them alone.

Taylor Pyatt was a nice signing. Seems to be at the right place at the right time.

If everything breaks right, next year we will be the 2005-06 Flames. Is anyone else bothered by this?

[Island Nucklehead]

Great post! I agree with most of it, the most glaring thing I don't like is the Vancouver Flames.

It was widely assumed this season would be a rebuilder. If we miss the playoffs, or are en route to such a result, I see Nonis trading guys like Morrison and Cooke, and signing Kesler in the offseason to a much lower contract.

With this extra cap space, I expect more offence to be sought. I think it's very difficult to completely re-tool in one offseason. We're on the right path, like you said, the Sedins get better every year, and unless Pyatt pulls a suicidal move like Carter, he should be back next year for fairly cheap.

That leaves us with Naslund to anchor a 2nd/1B line. More than what I can say for the Flames, who have players like Amonte (washed up) and Kobasew and Huselius to run with. Our biggest problem is the big paychecks are not living up to big pay. Clear the 4.5 million from Cooke/BMO and you can easily add one bonafide scorer, or two 20 goal scorers.

I'm expecting this team to look for more scorers, I don't think for a second that DN is done modifying Burke's team to his liking.

[the Cunning Linguist]

Excellent post, Goon2... I agree that we should learn to live with this team that isn't going to score more than 3 goals in a game more than a handful of times; if they win it'll be 1-0, 2-1, or 3-2 games... That said, they need to shore up the defence and get some insurance because: 1) injuries are inevitable and will hurt more when it affects the starting d as it has these last half-dozen games, 2) having spare parts on d will be a valuable asset at the trade deadline when other teams will be looking to shore up the defensive game, and 3) they need the cap room next summer to re-sign Salo, so they might as well get some short-term help on d whose salary can be freed to get him on a new contract.

As for being the Vancouver Flames, I agree that this team has the potential to do that; time and DN's moves will tell whether they can be... And I'm not so bothered by that comparison; as much as we despise them for it, they've had far more success in the last two seasons than Vancouver has...

[the Cunning Linguist]

Clear the 4.5 million from Cooke/BMO and you can easily add one bonafide scorer, or two 20 goal scorers.

As long we we're on the subject, I know that OTT has also been struggling and that they've been looking to shake up the team; add to that Alfredsson has been struggling and is in the fans' crosshairs for some time now... How about Cooke/BMo for Alfredsson? I realize we'd probably have to swap some prospects, too, but does anyone think that's reasonable?

[Island Nucklehead]

Alfredson would be a solid two-way pick up. My biggest concern is that he has been part of a team that was similar to the Canucks for so long. GREAT regular seasons, brutal playoffs. Plus, another Swede? No thanks.

Call me Don Cherry, but I think someone with a little more fire in his game would be greatly beneficial. Losing Cooke will hurt on the grit side, but we can use the extra cap room to pick up someone a little more offensively gifted.

How about:
Cooke/Morrison to OTT for Fisher/Volchenkov

Now, we will probably have to lose another player or a decent prospect to see this deal through, but (assuming the cap works cuz there's about 1.5 more going to OTT) I could see this trade going through.

We shore up the back end, and pick up another center so as not to lose out on depth. As mentioned above we also gain cap room. Ottawa wants to move up on scoring, and this is a bonus for them. McGratton can move off their third line in exchange for Cooke, and Morrison can easily anchor any of their lines after Spezza.

The only reason I'd hesitate at a deal like this is we further decrease our scoring ability. Despite his lack of production so far, give Cooke the same scoring chance as Green, Santala, Burrows or Linden and I don't think any of them will bury it more than Cookie. Same goes for Morrison, he will score more than Fisher. The problem I see is with their salaries. They are paid too much for the points they do produce. Should be very interesting if this team keeps moving down the standings.

[the Cunning Linguist]

The only reason I'd hesitate at a deal like this is we further decrease our scoring ability. Despite his lack of production so far, give Cooke the same scoring chance as Green, Santala, Burrows or Linden and I don't think any of them will bury it more than Cookie. Same goes for Morrison, he will score more than Fisher.

If OTT were willing, I'd do this in a heartbeat; right now, VAN is trying to be part defensive team, part skill team and it's not doing enough scoring to be convincing as the latter; I say, put all the eggs in one basket (Sedin/Naslund) and build around Luongo by shoring up the d. We don't lose much scoring by giving up BMo/Cooke, and with Rypien coming off an injury in Manitoba (soon, I hope), he can fill in on the Burrows/Kesler line. I think BMo might be better off in new surroundings anyway... Right now, it seems VAN doesn't have the defensive depth to be considered a defensive powerhouse, and not enough offensive skill through its lineup to be considered a balanced team, so I say, build around Luongo and start winning games 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2.