Not so deep thoughts by donlever

[donlever]

I've pondered creating a thread like this for some time.

Doc and I batted it back and forth over the years and he was all over it while pushing me to move forward so I have decided to do so in his honour and to his memory.

While we still want to maintain conversational consistency in our HT Forum threads I think, with Corns blessing, this one can offer a reasonable concept of fluidity with respect to segues and colloquial transitions.

The idea will be that I toss out what I hope will represent a semblance of distinct idiomatic dialogue then discussion and debate will emanate from there.

I believe I will also use it as a platform to extract items/segments of posts that get lost in the flow of any particular thread (an intriguing UW thought for instance) in an effort to regenerate (if you will) or continue the dialogue stream in a central location.

Maybe it works...maybe it doesn't...we shall see.

[Cornuck]

Looking forward to seeing how this plays out - great idea, Donnie

[Cousin Strawberry]

"when I run from a fight, some people say I run like a scared rabbit...

but really, I'm an angry rabbit... running to a second fight"

-Jack Handy

[donlever]

Exactly.

[donlever]

So here we go...

This is the current standings at the break.

Screenshot_20260207-082150_theScore.jpg (22.02 KiB) Viewed 225 times

As discussed previously (to which rockalt commented as well) the Blues make me nervous. Dumping legit NHL players (Schenn Kyrou Thomas...even Binnington) has been vigorously discussed by talking heads/social media bull honks but I believe a smoke/fire scenario to be factual with respect to St. Louis.

They could legit surpass us and finish last.

Ditto the Rags. With Shesterkin out...maybe he returns, maybe they shut him down...my words...no factual intent there....Fox out and Panarin gone they are legit contenders to also finish last (you think the league wouldn't like a Rags first overall, McKenna in NY end result...if not I think you're dreaming).

Both Calgary and the Jets are 10 points ahead of us with a game in hand.

I am not as concerned about the Jets and if we lose our first game back to Winnipeg the fact that they are a superior team in talent I believe pushes them out of the bottom 3 game.

Calgary will likely dump Coleman and Kadri which places them in the realm of concern corner as well.

The Hawks, with Bedard back, I do not believe are a threat to us.

So 4 teams....us, Rags, Blues, Flames vying for the bottom 3.

It will be a race.

And still one we can lose.

Our schedule post Olympics starts with:

Jets at home
Kraken away
Stars at home
Hurricanes at home

...I can start GDT's that lose all of those motherfuckers.

It then gets dicey through the balance of March where the post Carolina schedule is:

Hawks/Jets road

...then an 8 game home stand with.....

Sens/Preds/Kraken/Panthers/Tampa/Blues/Ducks/Kings...

..and we close out the month at Calgary and at Vegas.

We can lose a number of those but 8 games in a row eating home cooking could be problematic with potentially travel weary teams coming into town.

The blessing is we are playing every other night which will be a challenge for a bottom feeding team.

April is a month we can bury ourselves...

Utah/Vegas/LA at home

Avs/Wild/Kings/Sharks/Ducks/Oilers away

...all teams looking to qualify for or create post season positioning.

Let's be honest...this team needs to finish bottom 3...the lottery is a crap shoot we are as likely to lose as win but drafting one of McKenna/Verhoeff/Stenberg is vital to our rejuvenation.

Numbers/analytics say it is eminently achievable.

History and Canuck luck will have us on the edge of our seats is as likely as not....

[BCExpat]

History and Canuck luck will have us on the edge of our seats is as likely as not....

Don't worry Leves - the Flames will win the draft lottery anyway.

[Cousin Strawberry]

One concern is the Canucks will be getting back Rossi after the Oly break but with Tankanen/Letinemen throwing every start, the 58% PK and Debrusk/Boeser/Poutey all mailing it in...there's no telling just how shitty we can be!

[Cornuck]

History and Canuck luck will have us on the edge of our seats is as likely as not....

Exactly - we can't even enjoy a good ol' fashioned tank...

I'm not worried about WPG and CHI - I think you're right about them having too much talent to finish bottom 3.

That leaves us, the flames, rangers and the blues. It will be a crapshoot. I think the odds are with us, that out of 4 teams, we'll finish bottom 3. The Canucks are a sinking ship right now, and we'll likely jettison at least one more capable player before the deadline.

It's shitty to have to look at "the reverse standings" and see where we might end up - but it's going to be a battle. Obviously there's one team I'd hate to see win the lotto - but it won't surprise me if they do. #Conspiracy

[donlever]

One concern is the Canucks will be getting back Rossi after the Oly break but with Tankanen/Letinemen throwing every start, the 58% PK and Debrusk/Boeser/Poutey all mailing it in...there's no telling just how shitty we can be!

Yeah...after Chytil and Bleuger came back the down the middle contingent of:

EP
Rossi
Chytil
Bleuger

...while not winning any Cups nor being playoff capable concerned me on the level of hampering our finish as low as possible goal.

Chytil dealt with his side of it quick and Bleuger may be traded so that all helps.

[rockalt]

Great post Donny!

The Canucks are pathetic enough right now that they just might be able to pull it off, despite how bad the Blues and Rangers play. I don't want to jinx it because on paper the Flames are terrible but I'm less worried about them - I don't think they have the same "stank" of the Canucks, Blues and Rangers this year.

I think we will be in trouble if Rossi comes back playing well and we don't dump anymore players. I'm hoping we unload Blueger - good to keep around for a rebuild but we're too early in that process and need to hit rock bottom first.

It feels like the team which finishes last will need to be historically bad - I can see the Blues, Rangers, Canucks or all three of them achieving those lows.

If you think about it, in a season marked by intense mediocrity/parity it's actually quite impressive to be this much worse than everyone else!

[Topper]

Management is so inept, even the Canuck's moveable good players are unwanted around the league.

[donlever]

If you think about it, in a season marked by intense mediocrity/parity it's actually quite impressive to be this much worse than everyone else!

Mostly agree with all that rockalt save the Calgary opinion...they're gnawing at me as a concern.

Maybe it's because Expat won't shut up about them eventually failing/drafting first.



Lol @ the snipped quote above.

Something for AIG, the old fart and the walking puppet to be proud of.

These fucking guys....

[Meds]

History and Canuck luck will have us on the edge of our seats is as likely as not....

Don't worry Leves - the Flames will win the draft lottery anyway.

Not really thread appropriate BCE…..especially for a guy who only managed 2 game streak last week.

[donlever]

I think 3 bruh...

[rats19]

I think 3 bruh...

Twas yah…