Jeremy Hronek

Upgrading from Myers to Andersson is “barely?”

Andrew Peeke sucks more balls than prime Michael Jackson. Hard pass.

for some odd reason, I read your post as, “Benning, the Mormon, is gone.”

You never recovered from the 2013 Sharks sweep? . Damn dude……

Good arguments but I think it’s kind of a double-edged sword with Hughes. If Hughes were to go down with injuries long term, this Canuck team would *immediately* go from being an elite team to a 10-13 calibre team since one of Myers, Zadorov, Cole, or Soucy would need to form a new top pairing with Hronek (which as a whole, would be a sub-par top pairing for an elite team). With the addition of Lindholm, the Canucks *might* now have two potentially elite scoring lines but we will have to see how it plays out. Back in 2011, the Canucks had two elite scoring lines, the best PP, AND the best PK. Our current time, while good, does not have this accolade (as of right now). In 2011, we also had two legit PP lines that we could throw out. We don’t have that at current. Lastly, in 2011, almost every single hockey pundit picked us as the cup favorites whereas with the current environment, I don’t think most hockey pundits would label us as the odds on cup favorites despite our #1 rank. In 2011, you are correct that we didn’t have a defensemen of the calibre of Hughes, but we basically had 6 dmen of Hronek’s calibre (Edler, Tanev, Hamhuis, Bieksa, Erhoff, Salo). In other words, the Canucks wouldn’t be sunk if any one of these guys got injured. In 2024 however, we would be significantly hampered if Hughes were to go down with injury. Thats why I still believe that…. -acquiring Tanev = same level as 2011 -acquiring Andersson = our team becomes better than our 2011 team.

If Mikheyev can chip in the odd goal while riding shotgun with Miller/Boeser or Pettersson/Lindholm, while simultaneously being the defensive conscience on one of those lines, then that’s fine with me. Mikheyev is offensively inconsistent and needs good linemates but he’s defensively exceptional.

Hughes is definitely in the Sedins/Bure category for me in terms of importance….maybe more as you believe. Either way, I agree with you 1000% that Hughes is an extremely special talent. One major thing that I disagree with many posters on here, is that…. 1. We are now on par with 2011 and have nothing left to add. or 2. We should still add another top 6 forward like Guentzel I just don’t see it like that. Unlike our 2011 team where any one injury to any one player wouldn’t sink us (ie Hank, Dan, Kes. etc), I think this current team will be significantly affected if Hughes got injured for a long time. As a result, I still think we need a guy like Tanev or Andersson to form a new top pairing with Hronek just incase something like that happened. If Hughes were to get injured long term and we were forced to form a top pairing of Soucy/Myers/Zadorov/Cole with Hronek, our cup aspirations would be over.

I still think we need another top quality dman of a similar calibre to Hronek but other than that, yes, I think we might see something special in these coming months. I’d personally feel better with one final deal with Calgary involving Andersson or Tanev (with Myers+ going the other way) but will be at peace if we see no more transactions from here on out (although I do have concerns if we lose Quinn Hughes to long term injury). -If we acquire Tanev = same level as 2011 -If we acquire Andersson = we surpass our 2011 team. But again, just my opinion.

It’s an ok proposal but I still think our last and final area to cover is another #2A calibre dman (to bridge the gap in talent between Hronek and whoever is our 3rd best defenseman). This team would be significantly hampered if Quinn Hughes got injured.

If this current team were to make a serious pitch for Rasmus Andersson and be successful in acquiring him, I’d put this team ahead of the 2011 team. The only thing that I do not like about our current team is that they will be significantly screwed if they lose Quinn Hughes to long term injury. We would go from being an elite team to a 10-13 calibre team overnight. With the 2011 team, no injury to any single one player would have sunk us in the same manner (although a minor argument could be made for Ryan Kesler). Get Chris Tanev and we are on par with 2011. Get Rasmus Andersson and this is the best team in Canucks’ history.

Do you agree or disagree with the following line of thought? Why or why not? Upon analyzing the long term cap structure of the Vancouver Canucks, it becomes apparent that this core’s best chance of winning a cup is this year. The current Canucks only have one slight weakness. There is too big a drop off in talent between Hronek and whoever would qualify as the teams’ 3rd best defenseman. If Quinn Hughes were to go down with injury, the Canucks would immediately go from being an elite team to a 10-13 calibre team since any top pairing combination of [Soucy/Zadorov/Cole/Myers]-Hronek would be unacceptable as a teams’ top pairing. The Canucks already have a great relationship with Craig Conroy and the Calgary Flames, and so it likely would be in the Canucks’ best interests to make one final deal with Calgary involving Chris Tanev or Rasmus Andersson. In the case of Rasmus Andersson, the Canucks should seriously consider pursuing this option even if it were to cost them Willander (Myers, Willander, and ???). While it would be a very tough pill to swallow, the Canucks would not have a single weakness if they went this route. This year is the best chance that they have at winning a cup and so they should absolutely put all their chips on the table. Your Stanley Cup winning team (and better than 2011) Pettersson-Lindholm-Mikheyev Suter-Miller-Boeser Joshua-Bluegar-Garland Hoglander-Aman-Lafferty Hughes-Hronek Soucy-Andersson Cole-Zadorov Demko DeSmith

Anyone that can get the fans going in a positive way is good in my books.

Agreed……..although I’m of the belief that if we were to acquire Rasmus Andersson, we would be even better than our 2011 team. I haven’t analyzed our long term cap structure in too much depth but my guess is that this year is our best chance of winning it all (although having Kuzmenko’s contract off the books does help quite a bit).

Me too…..although I’d be interested to see what the asking price for Andersson would be. From what I understand, he’s basically the right handed version of 2011 Edler (maybe not quite at that level but within the ball park). I think that’s really the only thing missing from our line up. Not only would he help our PK but I think the additions of both Lindholm and Andersson could possibly gives us two PP options (similar to 2011).

Yes agreed. Hronek likely could step up in a pinch to be a great puck mover / PP but his partner at that point (Soucy/Zadorov/Cole/Myers) would be unacceptable as top pairing fill-ins playing alongside Hronek. Hence, the need for someone like Tanev or Andersson (even if they would have to play their off-side).

I would still argue that our 2011 defense was possibly better. At that time, we basically had five #2 calibre defensemen (Edler, Hamhuis, Tanev, Bieksa, Erhoff) even if we didn’t have a true #1. In other words, any one injury to any one defenseman wouldn’t have sunk us. With our current team, we have a true #1 (Hughes), and a #2 (Hronek), but after that, we have a bunch of #4 and #5 calibre dmen (Soucy, Cole, Zadorov, Myers). My concern with our current defense (and team) is that it’s still too dependent on Hughes and Hughes’ health. If Hughes goes down with injury, we will go from being an elite team to a 10-13 calibre team since any of [Zadorov/Soucy/Myers/Cole] playing with Hronek would be a sub-par top pairing. That’s why I’m still in favor of bringing in a guy like Andersson or Tanev from Calgary (whom we have a good relationship with). Get one of those defenseman and fill the gap of that 2A/#3 guy.

It would pretty amazing in my opinion (although many casual fans would be upset). Like you say, our top two centers would be signed to 8 million dollars or less and we’d have an amazing internal cap structure. Furthermore, moving Pettersson for your proposed package would replenish all/most of the picks/prospects that we will have given up during this run (I’m still holding on to hope for Andersson or Tanev from Calgary). Essentially, we would have had our cake (going for it this year) and eaten it as well (replenishing the prospect pool with the Pettersson deal).

CBJ wouldn’t give us Fantilli.

Agreed with you. The thought process behind my above idea is that this season is our best shot of winning a cup (so, having all three of Pettersson, Lindholm, and Andersson for this season), but also keeping the future in mind (ie signing Lindholm well under 10 million to keep our internal cap management intact + trading Petey to recoup all of the picks/prospects given up during this cup run). I myself am not even sure that I’d proceed with this route but it’s something that crossed my mind.

I would possibly be inclined to move Willander or Lekkerimaki (for Andersson) because if we had both Hronek and Andersson long term, then Willander would be on the right side 3rd pairing (or it would be Hronek or Andersson). Our right side D would be inappropriately stacked.

In the off-season, extend Lindholm and move Pettersson for a boatload of picks and prospects.

Jeremy’s “win now and build for the future plan,” (I probably wouldn’t do the following but it has crossed my mind). 1) Trade for Rasmus Andersson (Myers + Willander). 2) Win 2024 Stanley Cup 3) Extend Lindholm in the off season 4) Trade Pettersson for a boatload of picks and prospects so that we avoid a $10.5+ million dollar contract. We make a massive push to win the cup this year but we also keep filling the pipeline.

I am exploring the idea of Rasmus Andersson.

Dare we dream? Would it be worth the investment on our end? Myers + one of Willander or Lekkerimaki? Pettersson-Miller-Mikheyev Suter-Lindholm-Boeser Joshua-Bluegar-Garland Hoglander-Aman-Lafferty PDG Hughes-Andersson Soucy-Hronek Cole-Zadorov Juulsen Demko DeSmith

So - how do we arrange our top 6 now that Lindholm is here? Pettersson-Miller-Boeser Suter-Lindholm-Mikheyev Suter-Miller-Boeser Mikheyev-Pettersson-Lindholm etc. Personally? I go with the Lotto Line + make the Lindholm/Suter/Mikheyev line a shut down line.