Post-Game Talk: CANUCKS 3 Preds 1 (Hoglander, Karlsson, Suter)

When do we start talking about needing to get out from Soucy's caphit for next year?

If he's not on the right side we might as well just pack it in. He literally sounds different in interviews talking about playing the right side. It's like you can hear his eyes light up when he talks about it. You tame a zebra for a bit, but it'll always never be a proper horse.
 
To be quite honest, I think Hughes putting up points like this is a result of sub-optimal play on his part and is to the detriment of his teammates. Remember 2 years ago when the narrative was that Hughes had everything but a good shot and could stand to both develop a harder shot and shoot more? Well he has corrected too far in the shoot more category. Far too much of the Canucks' offense runs through getting him the puck at the point when he is on the ice, and it shows in the shot locations. As good as Hughes is, the Canucks would be far better off with someone who isn't shooting from the point 90% of the time taking the 8 shot attempts a game that Hughes throws at the net. Hughes has 14 goals, but only 2 unblocked high danger shot attempts all season (MoneyPuck), which is ~10% of the rest of the top 20 scorers in the league. Makar has 13 for comparison. He needs to start deferring more often to forwards, or at least to players that are in better scoring positions. It starts with Hughes, but the Canucks as a team need to take advantage of the fact that he is such a threat to beat his man from the blueline in that teams will cheat to cover him, which will create openings for other players.
It's not like he doesn't pass though. He opens up all kinds of things.

There was something different going on in the first period of this game. Some breakouts were different and forwards were creating plays in the offensive zone. That all died in the 2nd and 3rd, but I think it's more on the forwards to create, than Hughes shooting the puck too much. I don't put much stock in his "high danger shot attempts" cuz he manages to get goals from all over the place, namely the point on shots that don't look like much.

I thought Joshua again was horrible he needs to be in Abby for a stint. I thought everyone but him and Soucy/Juulson played good enough as it seemed 90% of the preds shots 5on5 came with those 3 on the ice.

Would like to see Raty in over Joshua and Aman in for Digissepe
100%. He looks like he can't even skate. He won't be getting any hits at that pace, cuz he's nowhere close to closing on a guy. Agree he should be in Abby to get back in form.
 
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They won the previous 2. Retroactive embarrassment.
I was being a bit facetious and have no actual proof but I just noticed them interacting more and I'd like to think thats a good sign because we lose any trade involving them and I know I'm getting banned reacting to some dumb ass Avs or oiler fan trolling us lol.
I get that they haven't played like 1C but they are and the NHL is littered with great teams unable to go all the way because they lacked a true 1C.
I've been a fan since the OG Jets moved and we've drafted like 3 maybe 4 in 30 years?
 
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Negative Nancy post warning:

This win streak reminds me a lot of how the wins were looking like early in the season: not playing that well but goaltending and Hughes are enough to give us the edge on some nights.

At that time I was convinced that the team would eventually get their act together, and whatever D-men management acquires would bolster the roster.

But the level of play still isn't that high and I don't know if the that help is even going to come. Based on recent comments, it's possible management may just be done with this group and therefore not willing to spend assets to fill holes. I don't know how they can watch a Soucy - Juulsen pairing every night and not be desperately trying to find an upgrade if salvaging this season was actually a priority.

Might make the playoffs anyway but I don't see how we win more than 2 games vs any our of possible matchups (Winnipeg/Edmonton/Vegas).

Main positives in this one were on the individual level with Petey and Demko looking much better.
 
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Limping through wins right now is okay, as long as they're wins.

Still need that D and preferably a winger upgrade.

Then the boys just gotta go on a run before and during the playoffs.
 
The Kraken fans has always said that Soucy is a 5th or 6th defensemen. What we got last year was an outlier, IMO this is the Soucy we might be getting the rest of the way. Play him as your number 5 or 6 that’s fine but getting him to play top 4 becomes a challenge.
 
I don't understand why the Preds won't rebuild. They are terrbile, no young talent and at this points they are just padding stats for some old have-beens.
 
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To be quite honest, I think Hughes putting up points like this is a result of sub-optimal play on his part and is to the detriment of his teammates. Remember 2 years ago when the narrative was that Hughes had everything but a good shot and could stand to both develop a harder shot and shoot more? Well he has corrected too far in the shoot more category. Far too much of the Canucks' offense runs through getting him the puck at the point when he is on the ice, and it shows in the shot locations. As good as Hughes is, the Canucks would be far better off with someone who isn't shooting from the point 90% of the time taking the 8 shot attempts a game that Hughes throws at the net. Hughes has 14 goals, but only 2 unblocked high danger shot attempts all season (MoneyPuck), which is ~10% of the rest of the top 20 scorers in the league. Makar has 13 for comparison. He needs to start deferring more often to forwards, or at least to players that are in better scoring positions. It starts with Hughes, but the Canucks as a team need to take advantage of the fact that he is such a threat to beat his man from the blueline in that teams will cheat to cover him, which will create openings for other players.
I agree. Bobby9 is right we should trade Hughes before its too late.

(Jk while I agree, he does more than just shoot, he creates a ton via plays as well, he could shoot less but that only means anything if other people shoot and don't just give it back to him, we are a very low volume shooting team as it is)
 
In all honesty, we should have resigned Ian Cole. Yes he didn't look good during the last stretch but most of the season he played like a top 4 dude for us.

I think it’s more that he brought savvy veteran experience, smart plays etc that helped bring some stability.
 
These two need to sit for a game.

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Soucy certainly has not been nearly as good as last year. But Soucy paired with Juulsen and Soucy paired with anybody else are different players. A big reason is likely that both Juulsen and Soucy struggle to move the puck but Soucy also seems to get caught more when paired with Juulsen. They don't seem to read off one another. Or more likely Juulsen is impossible to read....

Juulsen should never see another game. But he will and that is frustrating.

Demko...played better but I agree with Orca Smash. He was still out of position at times, sometimes slow to react and had difficultly controlling rebounds. That and 3 or 4 other shots beat him clean but went post/crossbar out instead of in. But he did finally make some Demko like saves so that's good.
 
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I don't understand why the Preds won't rebuild. They are terrbile, no young talent and at this points they are just padding stats for some old have-beens.
They have far too much money tied up for too long in players over 30. Their hands are tied.

Anyone with any value they don't want to trade. Nobody is trading for Johnathon Marchessault at 34 with 3 more years to go.
 
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I don't understand why the Preds won't rebuild. They are terrbile, no young talent and at this points they are just padding stats for some old have-beens.

Trotz and Brunette bought way too much into last season and decided to forget the rebuild because they thought they were a couple pieces away or something. They were heavily insinuating during the playoff round last year they thought they should be winning the series against us and obviously thought they were an impact scorer away from advancing beyond the first round.

The work subsequent to, and fueled by, that belief has been God awful.
 
I agree. Bobby9 is right we should trade Hughes before its too late.

(Jk while I agree, he does more than just shoot, he creates a ton via plays as well, he could shoot less but that only means anything if other people shoot and don't just give it back to him, we are a very low volume shooting team as it is)
Well the perfect time is the 2026 draft while he has the added value of one year at under 8 mil.

That would give the fans a year to watch him while they do a mini rebuild using most of the assets they get in trading EP, BB, JTM and maybe CG and TD. Those players will get a haul back hopefully for young guys in their very early 20's and AAA prospects.

They might be able to pry Silayev and Nemec out of the Devils especially if the Hughes brothers think the third one will sign and play there. That has to come up around the dinner table and it isn't tampering either.
 
a propos of nothing but something that popped into my mind last night

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