As we approach the quarter mark of the 2016-2017 season, we see that the Vancouver Canucks have been playing at a level predicted by many pundits who expected the team to finish near the bottom of the league. And that’s not good. Or is it?
Ever since 2014, there has been a growing movement amongst the fan base to encourage the team to “tank” by constructing a roster that would not win much, obtain higher draft picks and build a new core. Considering how our current core is getting older, it seems like a decent plan. However there are concerns from those who oppose the tank. Some fans just aren’t willing to watch their favourite team throw the season for increased odds to bet on an 18-year-old. This club is currently dealing with one of the most difficult tasks in the sports world- pleasing Canucks fans.
The owners of the Canucks, the Acquilinis, have always wanted to win. Jim Benning, the General Manager, is tasked with making the necessary roster moves in the best interests of the team – therein lies the problem.
What are the best interests of the team? Should the team spend big money and make trades for higher profile players to make use of the Sedins’ final years with the team? Or should they start selling older, expensive pieces for draft picks and push the restart button on the franchise?
Sadly, the best strategy for the Canucks would’ve been to start rebuilding two years ago. Coming off the 2014 season, a quick demise at the end of the season led to a 6th overall draft pick. At this point they would’ve just chosen to “embrace the tank” and collected prospects who could’ve developed into quality pieces, maybe even a new 1st line to play ahead of the Sedins as they are still producing at an excellent clip carrying this team.
Canucks’ prospects at the moment are not a bad bunch by any means with high potential guys like Brock Boeser, Thatcher Demko and Olli Juolevi developing every game. Bo Horvat and Jake Virtanen are both young forwards with experience at the big club making waves. On the back end, Nikita Tryamkin and Troy Stecher have been bright lights during this dim season so far.
Tryamkin the huge, raw Russian has found his way here with his smooth defensive play coupled with his strong, physical force. Stecher, a Richmond native, was a college free agent less than a year ago and has now found himself playing for his hometown team as he has been a pleasant surprise.
Going forward, aside from the players I just mentioned, there are other valuable veterans who will be with the team for the foreseeable future. Players like Brandon Sutter, Loui Eriksson, Jannik Hansen, Chris Tanev, Ben Hutton and Gudbranson will comprise our core for the next several years to come. This group will be led by Daniel and Henrik Sedin as they head into the twilight of their careers.
Things may not be looking good this season, but fear not Canucks fans as this franchise is not a lost cause. If some of these prospects come up strong, the team’s outlook could be very nice. In order for the team to achieve prominence again, they need to accept the fact that they need to start over. The franchise has to embrace the tank, doing so will put them ahead of the curve. Whether or not the Canucks go through with it remains to be seen. However, developing a new foundation for this team would do wonders for the future of the organization.
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and ideas of DARPAN Magazine.
