Last season I thought GM Allvin did a admirable job upgrading the roster to be a more well rounded team better suited for the playoffs. Bringing in Zadorov for picks was a fantastic trade. Dishing off Kuzmenko's brutal contract with picks and prospects for Elias Lindholm was well worth the gamble to make the Canucks a potential contender.
I was a little disappointed with Allvin at last years trade deadline because I thought he failed to bring in the extra depth to put the Canucks over the top. I thought Rutherford and Allvin put too many eggs in the Guentzel basket, missing out on other opportunities. Although they did make their trades early, I will give them a pass. Kovacevic went for dirt cheap and I thought that was a huge miss since how cheap he was traded for.
The Elias Pettersson contract saga became a bit of a gong show. Allvin and Co were obviously getting a little worried about the direction of their star player and forced a ultimatum on Pettersson to sign or he will be traded. Not only could the contract negotiations could have waited until the end of the season, but if the Canucks waited they could of possibly saved money on the 11.6 million dollar contract since Pettersson didn't play to expectations. This whole saga seemed poorly played and very desperate on managements behalf.
Now move to July 1st free agency. Allvin makes two solid forward signings in Jake Debrusk and Kiefer Sherwood. Two players who quickly found a role on this team. Amazing. Although Heinen is very average he is not a liability.
Ian Cole gets dropped without thinking twice about wtf. Leader in the lockeroom with Cup experience. The Canucks are looking lost without him.
Allvin has multiple negotiations with Zadorov. After a successful playoffs and becoming a team leader, Allvin continues to lowball the big Z to which caused him to be pissed off and stall negotiations. Finally when Allvin comes to his senses and will give Zadorov what he originally wanted, Zadorov tells him too late I'm signing in Boston. All for a extra 200k and a extra year. Horrible loss.
So what makes up for losing Zadorov, Cole, and potential signings like Alex Carrier. Allvin throws 2 million for 2 years at Desharnais who wasn't even dressed for the finals. Adds Forbort for 900,000 more than he's actually worth. Another defenseman who wasn't playing much for Boston.
Signs chaos giraffe who played his best season in 5 years in Vancouver, on a contract year. Thinking it would be a value deal since he's been paid 6 million for 5 years, I thought 2.5 would do it. Nope 3. I lost my shit on this signing since I knew it was a nail in the coffin for Zadorov.
Allvin goes into the 24/25 season thinking the defense core of Hughes/Hronek/Myers/Soucy/Desharnais/Forbort/Juulsen thinking everything is okay.
Allvin does a last minute signing of Kevin Lankinen for rupees. Outstanding deal.
The season sucks so far. Injuries galore to all of our top players. Hughes and Hronek get injured and it's a disaster of a season due to brutal defense.
The two star centerman apparently hate eachother and the rift cannot be fixed. Something Zadorov and Cole probably could have helped with putting a end to. I firmly believe this all should of been dealt with a long time a go and Allvin and Rutherford should of been involved and put a stop to this a long time a go. Nipped it in the butt.
Allvin calls out Pettersson saying he's not up to par. Which is the truth but the star player is a introvert and it might not be the way to deal with it. Thank goodness he taken it with a positive response.
This writeup is a complete mess and hard to read, sorry about that, but I am going through the highs and lows from this season to last. If I were to grade Allvin last season I would easily give him a (A) letter grade. This year going into the season with this defense that has very little depth, I would give Allvin a (C+). Lankinen, Debrusk and Sherwood saved him from a much lower grade, but going into this season with this defense in unacceptable.
