Ownership and Management

[Cornuck]

Nice summary, and the last line is what it's all about.

They have most of a core, and sobe decent talent on the rise, but still a lot of question marks.

[donlever]

Comparing our approach or ability to build to Florida is a stretch imo.

They drafted Barkov and Ekblad 2 and 1 in consecutive years.

And Huberdeau 3rd overall 2 years prior which was the base body that got them Tkachuk.

Canucks don't have near that amount of capital to trade nor have they been lucky enough to have a 3, 3, 2 and 1 overall draft pick over a 5 year span (like the Panthers).

Or maybe they did have the capital (EP) and didn't have the nuts to do it when the opportunity presented itself.

Like Todd's other comparable Vegas does each and every chance they have.

Or the owner veto'd it as we have discussed ad nauseum.

[Chef Boi RD]

2009 - 14th OA - Dimitri Kulikov
2010 - 3rd OA - Gudbranson (Mcann and picks)
2011 - 3rd OA - Huberdeau (Tkachuk)
2012 - 23rd OA - Mike Matheson (Petry & Poehling)
2013 - 2nd OA - Barkov
2014 - 1st OA - Ekblad
2015 - 11th OA - Lawson Crouse (traded for picks)
2016 - 23rd OA - Henrik Borgstrom
2017 - 10th OA - Owen Tippett (Claude Giroux)
2018 - 15th OA - Denisenko
2019 - 13th OA - 13th OA Spencer Knight (Seth Jones)

Panthers full tank years from 2010 to 2015 definitely played an important roll in the them winning the last two Stanley Cups

[Todd Bersnoozi]

Comparing our approach or ability to build to Florida is a stretch imo.

They drafted Barkov and Ekblad 2 and 1 in consecutive years.

And Huberdeau 3rd overall 2 years prior which was the base body that got them Tkachuk.

Yah, that's a fair comment, but what I meant is that they didn't tank to get that elite talent like Mackinnon, McDavid, Crosby, Malkin, Bedard, Celebrini, etc.

Those guys are good players, if not great players. Barkov might be the best 2-way forward in the league, but not sure he's elite. Ekblad is a great D-man, but not sure he's Norris calibre. Same with Tkachuk, I would say he's a gritty, skillled & clutch player, but wouldn't say he's elite skilled.

Florida didn't really win by their drafting. They won by building around there core (I guess Barkov* & Ekblad) with solid depth in every position. Basically a bunch of skilled, gritty guys who are hard to play against.

[JelloPuddingPop]

Yah, that's a fair comment, but what I meant is that they didn't tank to get that elite talent like Mackinnon, McDavid, Crosby, Malkin, Bedard, Celebrini, etc.

Those guys are good players, if not great players. Barkov might be the best 2-way forward in the league, but not sure he's elite. Ekblad is a great D-man, but not sure he's Norris calibre. Same with Tkachuk, I would say he's a gritty, skillled & clutch player, but wouldn't say he's elite skilled.

Florida didn't really win by their drafting. They won by building around there core (I guess Huberdau & Ekblad) with solid depth in every position. Basically a bunch of skilled, gritty guys who are hard to play against.

That last comment is bang on, depth rules the day for sure. And having key contributors to those positions is certainly a big reason they've been back to back champs.

That being said, they do have elite talent too: I certainly think that Barkov deserves "elite" status. Health has just been his kryptonite. His only full season, he got 96 pts. And is very close to PPG in his career, while being the dominant 2-way center in the league. I'd take him over a few guys on your elite list to build around.

Same goes for Ekblad, was nominated for the Norris in 2021. Their depth on the blueline allows them to not have to play one guy 28 mins a night like some teams. Those are usually the defensemen that get nominated, as they stand out - because they have such an overall effect on their team. Ekblad has battled health issues his whole career too.

Having key core players, and legitimately star roster construction has created a wagon - no players that are 5ft 2" tall, and 120lbs. No players that don't hit, score and fight, core guys like Reinhart, Tkachuk, Bennett, along with the aforementioned elite bus drivers - then surrounded by really key depth positions like Verhaeghe, Rodrigues, Marchand, Jones etc. etc. And Goalie Bob playing on top of his game helps.

Van's current roster construction, to Topper's much belabored point - has too many midgets, you can't have that many on one team - as it snow balls through the lineup. Even if they play "tough" like Hogs, they still can be muscled off the puck, or in front of the net by a bigger defensemen. You have a bunch of those players - it makes for an easy night for the opposition, just by virtue of a poor roster construction, no matter how hard they play. Rolling out Garland, Hogs, Petey, and Hughes then next shift Letterkenny, Reichel and Boeser... as Blobby likes to say: Yawn, Fart. Easy night for Ekblad and Barkov.

[Chef Boi RD]

Florida didn't really win by their drafting. They won by building around there core (I guess Huberdau & Ekblad) with solid depth in every position. Basically a bunch of skilled, gritty guys who are hard to play against.

Todd, gotta disagree there. Barkov is a playoff stud my friend drafted 2nd overall. Their 3rd overall pick previous to drafting Barkov - Huberdeau led them to Tkachuk. You ain’t getting Tkachuk for Huberdeau if Huberdeau didn’t have the year he had prior to the trade. This tank phase of theirs was the major key to them winning the cup. Give me Barkov 8 days a week my friend, the guy is a beast, a winner, your perfect centre. He makes everyone stars, those who have had the luxury of playing with him.

[donlever]

JPP'S offering to the masses...

Really good post Jello.

Full agreement on most every comment made.

And yes, Dude and Jello, Barkov is the best 2 way center in the NHL imo.

Would take him over a lot of players presumed to be his better.

Dude is a Beast.

[Cousin Strawberry]

A massively underappreciated player on that team is Lundell. He's a fantastic 3c who would be our 1c

[Chef Boi RD]

Peterka was adjed about this interaction with Tuch & how Utah treats their players:

“Ownership, management, they provide us with everything here. Best example is the practice facility…they hand us everything to succeed.”

“How invested the owner is. He’s always at the games.”

So, Aqua Bros you real estate developing guru’s? Whaddup??? Cheap ass Mofos

[donlever]

Yeah, I used Ryan Smith in a post last week as a positive owner comparable.

That guy knows what he is doing.

He has been interviewed on Pods a few times.

Check him out.

That's the dude you want owning your team.....

[rikster]

Peterka was adjed about this interaction with Tuch & how Utah treats their players:

“Ownership, management, they provide us with everything here. Best example is the practice facility…they hand us everything to succeed.”

“How invested the owner is. He’s always at the games.”

So, Aqua Bros you real estate developing guru’s? Whaddup??? Cheap ass Mofos

Curious what you mean by the Aqualini's using the franchise as a real estate play?

I see the Aqualini's as a Mom and Pop ownership group trying to keep up financially in an era where franchise values across the various North American pro sports leagues are in the $Billions which has led to a new type of ownership...

The NHL now allows Institutional Investors to own up to 20% of a franchise and have an interest in as many as 5 NHL teams at one time and collectivaly own up to 30% of an NHL team...

Private Equity firms and the like are the new breed of owners with the LA Dodgers being an example ... They put together a consortium of 7 Ultra Rich investors when they originally purchased the team ...

Arctos Sports is a Private Equity firm which has an owership stake in the maxium 5 NHL teams....the Devils, Penguins, Senators, Lightning and the Wild....

With the Canucks franchise value now nearing $2 Billion and needing to buyout one of its shareholders how will the Aqualini's fund the purchase of Paolo's shares?..

Do we see this new breed of ownership in Vancouver?

Is this what is stalling the purchase and construction of the new practise facility?

Or maybe the Aqualini's sell the majority of the team and get out all together or retain a small share?

Fans and the media are focused on a practise facility... I think the focus should be on the purchase of their brothers shares and how that's accomplished...

Take care...

[Chef Boi RD]

Question - When we had Miller, Horvat and Pettersson was our defence then in a worst state than the state of our current situation at centre is now? I don’t know, but what I do know is that I can’t remember when our centre situation has looked this bad. It’s brutal. And ffs, “miscommunication” regarding Pius Suter? You’re kidding right? The great Jim Rutherford???

Fuck, would love a Suter right now, and can’t believe I’m saying that.

[Meds]

Those guys are good players, if not great players. Barkov might be the best 2-way forward in the league, but not sure he's elite.

Barkov is not "generational", but he is most certainly "elite".

It took him 4 seasons to find his NHL form, but since then there have only been 2 seasons where he has been below the 1.0PPG mark. In those seasons he registered 78 points in 79 games and 62 points in 66 games. He has won the Lady Byng, King Clancy, and Selke 3x. Add on the back-to-back SC rings and he is most certainly elite.

Pettersson could very easily be a player with a similar career based upon skill and hockey IQ. He has an incredible ability to read the defensive side of the game. However, the rigours of that type of game are not likely going to be sustainable for a guy with his build when you factor that he gets pushed around badly in the offensive zone. Ironically I think the shot blocks, and the smart disruption of passing and shooting lanes, will have less of a toll than having defenders leaning into him while he tries to carry the puck. From a kinesiological perspective, the biomechanical forces exerted upon him by his own skating style as well as the external factors (heavy defenders) have too great an impact on his ability to work both sides of the game at a high level.

Barkov, by contrast, boasts a frame that is only an inch taller than Petey but packs around an additional 35+ pounds of mass.

A player like JT Miller, (skilled, strong, heavy game) who can be either W or C, is the perfect compliment to Pettersson as a linemate if a coach can actually get the egos under control and Pettersson move into a support role on offense while playing like a shutdown-level pivot on defense.