[DEBATE] Should we go all in?

[DANJR]

On 10/15/2023 at 8:32 AM, SV. said:

Actually, I'll come back to this and say the Canucks might have no choice but to go all-in before OEL's buyout takes a huge portion of money out of our structure.

Saving grace is that the cap going up may cover that for us.  Still means we are playing with less money than a lot of teams.

 

[IBatch]

16 minutes ago, DANJR said:

Saving grace is that the cap going up may cover that for us.  Still means we are playing with less money than a lot of teams.

 

Yes.   Those two years might factor into their plans.   Willander needs to be developed and ready to go.    Lettermaki or Raty or both?    Don't envy Allvin.    But sure respect him.   So far no complaints. 

[kilgore]

JR inherited a team that was low on prospects. And loaded with bad over-priced contracts.  He could have blown it up then, but the one thing JB had done is drafted a top goalie, a star center, and a star defenceman in his eight year term. And picked up Miller, with another 1st round, and 3rd.  Picks and prospects gone and still spending right up to the cap.  It was a tough situation to step into.

 

JR's done an admiral job so far with what he had to work with. But he's right when he said, Everything has to go perfect.  That means no significant injuries, and that the projection of development, and contribution they predicted in prospects and in veterans acquired, will match or exceed those projections.

 

That's why this question, if it should be asked at all this season, is about 4 months early. Pretty obvious that if we are once again hovering at 8th or 9th at best in the west, at that time, the answer is obviously NO, and the main focus will be if we can still convince Petey to sign on the bottom line.

 

Of course most fans, and hockey writers too, expect the Canucks to be better at that time, but we have a team that is built with cards stacked up where Every card has to hold perfect.  Especially the base cards on the bottom level. We don't have extra cards.

 

So we have to wait and see IMO. But if we are in a good position in January/Febuary, and we are rolling, then it would be damn tempting to 'go all in'.  Not because its the ideal plan for any kind of sustained success

.......I don't think it is, I'd be more patient, make sure the prospects we have are panning out, and don't give away any more top picks for now. Shed the rest of those undesirable contracts, and keep up the mostly great pro-scouting job to fill in the pieces you can.

.....but because this upper core on the team is ready now. And not only will we risk losing Petey if we don't, but Miller will age out, and other players may not want to stick around, like Kuz, Boeser, Mik, if Petey goes.  That will create a whole lot of confusion and misery in the fan base as well. And with an owner that bans the word "rebuild", whatever we get from a trade of Petey, with Aquaman in charge, it will not be 1st round picks, it will be one or more 'foundational' veterans and slogging on.

 

Its a tough decision.  But way too early in the season to have to fret about.