Canucks News N Notes 25-26

[UWSaint]

Maybe watching the how the Canes have won the tortoise race, slow, steady and persistent have convinced TNFGs to finally do it properly.

No problem moving Boeser and EP40 for a return, but I am having trouble connecting this to the Canes approach.

The Canes were blessed by several draft picks playing well above their draft station: Aho, Slavin, Blake. Give me two top six forwards and a first pairing D from outside the first round and you have a hell of a head start.

Beyond that, it is a team built mainly on trades. What the Canes did was move on from almost all of the high draft picks from the days they weren’t good, exchanging value. They moved on from Hanifin, Necas, and we are going further back, but Skinner and Lindholm. Not all these moves worked, btw, but the strategy to learn is don’t let players get past their due date. When they made moves, they didn’t get too sentimental about it — every decision was calculated; they never fell pray to the sunk costs fallacy and moved on quickly when things didn’t work (Rantanen). They drove hard bargains at the negotiating table. Even one of the two remaining home grown high draft picks that lifted the Cup (Jarvis) wasn’t the product of a tank and draft and build strategy (they were already good), but the product of weaponizing cap space (taking Marleaus contract) and fabulous luck (covid creates enlarged playoff group, Laffs stun their toe on prelims).

Just as the Canes didn’t overvalue their own players, they were constantly bargain shopping for players the market undervalued. This is why they are a bit small in the forwards group. But guys can be undervalued in other ways. Taylor Hall, for example, but I think Ghost and Walker fit too. Don’t have an all situations #1D? No problem, prioritize the defense part and pay cheap for the PP1.

They also didn’t overvalue their picks. Have a need, see an opportunity, use the picks for the trades. Look for chances to pick picks up, too (they love their second-fourth rounders), but all as a constantly churning set of assets to deploy where best deployed at the moment to fit the vision of that moment.

It’s crazy how Vegas is like the Empire and the Canes get a pass. They are actually quite similar in approach, but maybe Vegas cheats a bit and the Canes don’t; Vegas spends every penny and the Canes pinch them (but to be deployed when the time is right).

I think there is a ton to learn from the Canes about how they run their organization. But I don’t think a lesson to learn is to trade guys at the low end of their value. I also don’t think it’s a blueprint for rebuilding; it is a blueprint for staying competitive. Most of what was important to their success was what they did *after* they turned the corner.

[Lancer]

I think with the Canes, they decided on the kind of player that fits their play style and go out and get them - either through trade or the draft. Some of those undervalued players were nabbed by Carolina because they fit their play style kind of player they wanted - as opposed to grabbing players based off historical stats and talent alone. What’s key is having scouts, management and coaches who all know the style of fame and style of players they want. It may lead to some whiffs on the draft board, but as Saint says, don’t be afraid to let them go before they start to sour.

And yes, finding gems outside the first round is also key. Most championship teams have those “found money” types either as nobody UFAs or in the later rounds of the draft.

[Todd Bersnoozi]

For sure Snooz. Will do.

Thnx man.

Tell Blobby I say to lay off the sauce and pizza dips, and tell Chef to quit snorting drywall dust with Rosie.

Tell them to get a VPN and slide back in as socks

(But this time behave!)

*LOL* Doc used to do it back in the day. There must be a way.

We respect the mods for whatever reasons they may have, but at the end of the day we are all "Vancouver Canucks" and just want the same thing, just 1 damn Cup. Even though we find our mates annoying sometimes, they bleed blue and green just like us. We won't give up on the team and teammates like JT and Huggy; through good times and bad, we'll support our team and our Nucklehead broskis.