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Bravo Allvin. The D is pretty much rebuilt.

I don’t see what everyone else sees with this defense. Still need two top 4 defenseman imo. Maybe I’m wrong on Soucy but can’t have a Soucy/Cole/Myers on the second pairing. All seem like fine third pairing guys but playing them up in the lineup doesn’t feel right to me.

Bare minimum need one top 4 dman that can carry one of the aforementioned.

Two defenseman can move the puck and they play together.
 
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I don't see how Allvin has rebuilt the defense with basically only Hughes and Soucey signed and Hronek under team control. Zadorov, Cole, and even Friedman are pending UFAs.

PG Canuck said:
I don’t see what everyone else sees with this defense. Still need two top 4 defenseman imo. Maybe I’m wrong on Soucy but can’t have a Soucy/Cole/Myers on the second pairing. All seem like fine third pairing guys but playing them up in the lineup doesn’t feel right to me.

Bare minimum need one top 4 dman that can carry one of the aforementioned.

Two defenseman can move the puck and they play together.
Click to expand...

Short term it's fine but long term it's not. Cole and Myers are old. Cole might be a top 4 Dman in the past and even this season but how long can you count on him? Myers just isn't a top 4 Dman on a contending team. There's no indication we have anyone down in the system or down on the farm that could be relied upon to fill a top 4 role in the next 1-2 years either. Adding Hirose and McWard might have been exciting but one step at a time - they aren't even regulars yet.
 
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Google delivers again:

Bravo Benning. The D is pretty much rebuilt.

I really like whats happening with this back end renovation. Its not over but progressing well. Jim has added much needed muscle and beef and now just grabbed the most coveted junior Defenceman on the planet in Juolevi (Bob McKenzie) and College NCAA All-Tournament Team Troy Stecher from North...
forums.hfboards.com forums.hfboards.com

"Juolevi-Tanev
Hutton-Gudbranson
Edler-Tryamkin
Pedan-Subban-Stecher-Brisebois"

spanish-guy-laughing.gif
 
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Defense is nowhere near rebuilt. 4 of the dmen are UFAs after this season. Myers needs to be shot into the sun and replaced. Cole is welcome back but at a slightly lower cap hit and for one season. Friedman maybe gets a league minimum deal. They shouldn't re-sign Zadorov until they see how he fits in. Hronek still needs to be re-signed. There's nothing really in free agency this offseason that interests me. Tanev is too old and Pesce is going to be overpaid. They'll probably have to trade their 1st in a similar deal to what they did with Hronek to get another top 4 dman.
 
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kanucks25 said:
Google delivers again:

Bravo Benning. The D is pretty much rebuilt.

I really like whats happening with this back end renovation. Its not over but progressing well. Jim has added much needed muscle and beef and now just grabbed the most coveted junior Defenceman on the planet in Juolevi (Bob McKenzie) and College NCAA All-Tournament Team Troy Stecher from North...
forums.hfboards.com forums.hfboards.com

"Juolevi-Tanev
Hutton-Gudbranson
Edler-Tryamkin
Pedan-Subban-Stecher-Brisebois"

spanish-guy-laughing.gif
Click to expand...

An all-time HF Canucks classic lmfao
 
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dellzor said:
I still think we need one more top pairing defenseman... ideally on the right side.
Click to expand...
Rumors that Ethan Bear is still in play.

While he’s obviously not otherwise an ideal top pairing d-man, he’s likely affordable and he plays well with Hughes and at least gives us the option of dropping Hronek to the 2nd pair.

Also, even if he doesn’t work out and causes Hughes game to drop, we still need legit depth on defence, especially on the right side as it legitimately looks like we could be a playoff team.
He would be a way better depth option than McWard, Juulsen, Irwin and even Friedman.

This was posted by Drance the other day:

Quinn Hughes with Ethan Bear 2022-23:
364 5on5 minutes: 56% CF, 58% SF, 21 GF 13 GA (101.6 PDO)

Quinn Hughes with Filip Hronek 2023-24:
318 5on5 minutes: 56.5% CF, 52.6% SF, 22 GF 10 GA (106.7 PDO).
 
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PG Canuck said:
I don’t see what everyone else sees with this defense. Still need two top 4 defenseman imo. Maybe I’m wrong on Soucy but can’t have a Soucy/Cole/Myers on the second pairing. All seem like fine third pairing guys but playing them up in the lineup doesn’t feel right to me.

Bare minimum need one top 4 dman that can carry one of the aforementioned.

Two defenseman can move the puck and they play together.
Click to expand...
I think we are one too 4 dman short. I think Cole is a useful number #4 and Soucey and Z are both 4/5’s so you can play the hot hand as the #4. I think what is exciting is the depth. If we have Friedman and sign Bear. I mean, the turn around on what was a horrible defensive group is astounding. But like I said in post 2 of this thread. We need a #2/3. I think Hafinin fits the bill and a LHD is easier to find, but you would then have to many LHD. I think Z and Soucy make a damn tough third pair and having Bear as a back up in case of injury and Friedman as well and the option to move someone to the left
Side. That’s playoff depth, deep run depth.
 
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kanucks25 said:
Google delivers again:

Bravo Benning. The D is pretty much rebuilt.

I really like whats happening with this back end renovation. Its not over but progressing well. Jim has added much needed muscle and beef and now just grabbed the most coveted junior Defenceman on the planet in Juolevi (Bob McKenzie) and College NCAA All-Tournament Team Troy Stecher from North...
forums.hfboards.com forums.hfboards.com

"Juolevi-Tanev
Hutton-Gudbranson
Edler-Tryamkin
Pedan-Subban-Stecher-Brisebois"

spanish-guy-laughing.gif
Click to expand...
That old thread made me laugh.

"
i wanted Dubois...Tkachuk and Boeser would have been nice but juolevi is a stud.

Bob McKenzie ranked him the top D on the planet this draft.

Maybe he's an idiot too and you're the expert.:laugh:
"

Meanwhile, in 2023, Matthew Tkachuk has been nominated for the Hart Trophy, and Olli Juolevi is out of the league having played 42 NHL games (24 with Vancouver)
 
Last edited:
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Not rebuilt yet but well underway, and a huge accomplishment to date given what Rutherford and Allvin have had to work with.

The defence is already miles better than what they came in with, they haven't had to completely sell the future to do it, it's a stop-gap now that will in all likelihood take us into the playoffs and there's a plausible move to go (Bear) that strengthens things further.

Not a contender but a playoff team which was the goal, and even if this current defence isn't a long-term fix they've got Myers coming off the books next year so there'll be room to hopefully add a piece (Tanev?) through free-agency while re-upping Cole/Zadorov as necessary, and they've done this will adding Willander, Petersson and Brzustewicz to the future pipeline.

It's accomplishing the goal for this year and buying time to transition to the pieces they've acquired for the future. Obviously no guarantees, but at least something that's reasonable to hope for.
 
We have two top 4 dmen moving forward and in an ideal world they would each carry their own pairing.

We have replaced the sea of #6's with a sea of #4.5's, which is good but far too early to call rebuilding the d a finished job.
 
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I feel like in a flat cap world, not many teams will have that "perfect" defense. Contending teams usually have 2-3 studs, and round it out with some #4's and #5's, and some #7's as depth.

Vegas is playing Hutton, Tampa playing De Haan, Colorado has Jack Johnson in the top 6, Boston has Shattenkirk, etc etc. I guess Rangers has a more balanced blueline, but that's pretty much it?

I think this blueline, assuming Zadorov can play at a #4/5 level, is good enough to compete (maybe not cup contending level, but definitely competitive). What we need now is 1 more top 6 winger, and Petey to play up to his top level, and we are set.
 
When the Canucks get Soucy back, and maybe sign Bear to an affordable contract--then I'd agree the defense is set.

They've got a nice blend of size and physicality; elite level offense from Hughes-Hronek; and some nice depth in Cole, Friedman, Zadorov, Bear and Myers; and even Juulsen who's played a lot better recently.
 
I think it's fair to say that they now have an NHL caliber defense. There are no tweeners in their top 6: Hughes, Hronek, Cole, Soucy, Zadorov, Myers.

So, they're in a position where, when healthy, they can ice a competitive defense with a guy like Myers not being asked to do too much.

Injuries have exposed a lack of NHL caliber depth. Guys like Juulsen and Friedman are 7th D men at best. Guys like Hirose and McWard need to learn to play at the NHL level.

For next year, they need to find two D men to bridge for two years until Willander, Pettersson, and others are ready to step in. Myers will be gone after this year. Cole will be too unless he wants to stick it out for another couple of years for near league minimum. He's played well this year but he will be 35 in a couple of months.
Could two of McWard, Hirose, Johansson, Woo, Wolanin be those guys? Possibly. But they could also be a repeat of trying to fit two tweeners into the roster on a regular basis.

With all this in mind they should be trying to find a top 4 RHD to play with Hughes and a bottom pairing guy to play with Soucy. The seven below give some depth when injuries hit. Both Soucy and Bear can move up the line-up if necessary.

Hughes - Tanev
Zadorov - Hronek
Soucy - Bear
Cole

Tanev turns 34 in less than 3 weeks. Does he have enough left to be that 2 year bridge? I don't know.

All in all it's nice to be talking about a solid NHL D core.
 
What do you guys think of acquring Adam Larsson? I think he's on the last year of his contract and Seattle is below .500 so they might be looking to move him? I haven't heard anything about that though so just pure speculation on my part.
 
myrocketsgotcracked said:
I feel like in a flat cap world, not many teams will have that "perfect" defense. Contending teams usually have 2-3 studs, and round it out with some #4's and #5's, and some #7's as depth.

Vegas is playing Hutton, Tampa playing De Haan, Colorado has Jack Johnson in the top 6, Boston has Shattenkirk, etc etc. I guess Rangers has a more balanced blueline, but that's pretty much it?

I think this blueline, assuming Zadorov can play at a #4/5 level, is good enough to compete (maybe not cup contending level, but definitely competitive). What we need now is 1 more top 6 winger, and Petey to play up to his top level, and we are set.
Click to expand...
If you too 2 are big minute guys and cost big money then you have to skimp somewhere.

Would PA be willing to waive Myers to fit Bear if needed? If the reports are true that the ask from Bear is around $1 mill then should be able to swap out Myers for Bear.
 
VanJack said:
When the Canucks get Soucy back, and maybe sign Bear to an affordable contract--then I'd agree the defense is set.

They've got a nice blend of size and physicality; elite level offense from Hughes-Hronek; and some nice depth in Cole, Friedman, Zadorov, Bear and Myers; and even Juulsen who's played a lot better recently.
Click to expand...
Ethan Bear is not employed by, nor is he a member of, the Vancouver Canucks.
 
It's definitely been substantially overhauled in a fairly short period of time. It's a much bigger, tougher, more responsible group as a whole. With better puck movement as well.


But i wouldn't call it a "finished product". It's also something that is going to continue to require some maintenance work to sustain. Which is also probably going to mean, we need guys on cheap young player or depth journeyman contracts filing into the lineup and contributing well above value. We've got Cole and Zadorov now as impending UFAs and it's always going to be a question with Cole of whether he's got "one more year" in him or when he's going to fall off that cliff. Not a long-term answer.


Ian Cole has been a great pickup, but we're only part way into the season and he's already starting to show his age a bit. They've put an awful lot on his plate for a guy at his age. Hopefully the Zadorov acquisition can help ease some of that to keep Cole a little bit more fresh.

Also still just really missing another quality Top-3/4 Defenceman. Ideally a RHD, to really square things away for the season. Making things work for the most part right now, but doing it with a big collection of #4/5 Tweener types...and a loaded up top-pairing with both of our only true Top-4D.
 
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theguardianII said:
Hronek comes in around 7 - 8mil
Zardorov comes in around 5
Myers around 2
Cole retires maybe or gets fit in with what is left.
The rest don't matter
17 million to sign them. That would be neutral. So room for another 2 million left before Cole. Maybe Tanev signs for 2 mil or close to it.

One or two drafted prospects hopefully. If they can make the team they are top 4 material offensively.

Trade Boeser and Garland and they have enough cap space to sign EP to 12 mil and have another 7 million in cap space from EP's, Boeser, Garland's current salaries. = 19 million. They could go UFA hunting up to 9 million.
Click to expand...
Zadorov is basically a career #5 guy, and was a UFA when he signed his current 2 year deal. I tend to like to estimate high on UFA's but I don't think he's making anymore than he currently is, let alone $5M.

In general though you really wouldn't call the defense 'rebuilt' with all the UFA's, but rather Allvin has proven himself competent in constructing a blueline for the season. Something that only seemed unachievable because we got used to our GM spending all his salary and assets on Sbisa/Gudbranson/Myers/OEL.
 
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