Should the Canucks tear it all the way down to the foundations?

Should the Canucks tear it down and trade everyone?

  • Yes. The damage is done with this core. Start new including trading Hughes.

    Votes: 10 26.3%
  • No. Trade Miller or EP and carry on building around Hughes.

    Votes: 28 73.7%

  • Total voters
    38

HFpapi

Registered User
Mar 6, 2010
1,688
2,850
Toronto/Amsterdam
It's a crazy thing to think about. The Canucks were sitting pretty with a surprise season last year and a fantastic core group of Hughes, Pettersson, Miller, and Boeser. It's likely that Miller (or EP but almost for sure Miller) and Boeser will be gone by the summer.

At that point though, do you even try to pick up the pieces? Rumblings now Hughes will be disgruntled if the Canucks end up taking steps backwards. Even with Miller gone, will EP ever feel settled in Van after everything that's gone on? The media isn't leaving.

If Vancouver play their cards right, the haul they could get from Hughes, EP, Miller, and Boeser would be insane. It would reset the franchise and put them on a fast rack rebuild. They would be swimming in A+ prospects and 1st rounders.

Canucks fans might get pissy but I just feel like the bridge has been burned with this core. It's hard to see any members of this group carrying on for another decade in British Columbia in light of all the BS.

Should they trade Miller, maybe Boeser, and carry on business as usual or is it wise to make the bold step to just go scorched earth and build something entirely new?
 
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Depends on how the Summer goes. If Boeser and Miller are both gone for downgrades/packages that team is going nowhere. Then they're in no mans land with their best player closing in on UFA frighteningly quickly.

But I wouldn't rule out the idea of Vancouver turning those players into tangible immediate help. You never know.
 
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Depends on how the Summer goes. If Boeser and Miller are both gone for downgrades/packages that team is going nowhere. Then they're in no mans land with their best player closing in on UFA frighteningly quickly.

But I wouldn't rule out the idea of Vancouver turning those players into tangible immediate help. You never know.
Yeah I have a feeling this is going to be an overwhelming blow-out of "stay the course and build around Hughes," fuelled understandably by Canucks fans.

However, two reasons I think the "blow it up" option needs to be seriously considered.

1) Whether they want to admit it or not, even the most optimistic Canucks fan must know deep down that the reality is this: Quinn is an American playing in Canada and is watching his two brothers who he is extremely close with play together on a cup contending team in a very desirable part of America to live in.

There's zero chance he isn't tempted to leave as a FA and join them. Not saying he will but no chance the option isn't in his head.

2) Trading JT MIller doesn't mean every problem leaves with him. The players must resent this management group at this point for how they've handled this shit show and for being slow to move on a trade while the situation festers.

Furthermore, if they didn't already hate the overbearing, dramatic, prying, shit-stirring media, before this situation, surely they do now. It's "just sports" but this stuff wears on a man when you have to take this home with you all of the time and hockey stuff seeps into your mental well-being in your personal life.
 
You pretty much have to tear it down if you are trading all those players.

Terrible prospect pool too so they could be in for a depressing few years
 
Hughes is too special of a player to fully tear it down imo, but it’s clear the core needs a major shakeup. I’m trying to be optimistic they can get ready-now pieces in trade and/or create cap space to make other moves to be competitive, but we’ll see. If they can’t, then they’ll probably have to move Hughes as well, but that’s an absolute last resort.
 
Only Edmonton fans want this
Mixed feelings, honestly. As currently constructed, if they make the playoffs, they’re likely a first round exit with or without Demko - so it’s not much of a concern either way.

Wasting Hughes would be abysmal, so you’d have to think they try their best to retool, but he clearly leaves if EP/JT leave and the returns don’t keep them wildcard competitive.
 
You don't tear down when you have a player of Hughes quality. However he is only signed until 2028. Very tough situation for that Org. I have no idea why the president aired his dirty laundry to the globe.
 
If Hughes wants to stay you continue to build around him.

If he wants to leave then sell.
 
If Hughes wants to stay you continue to build around him.

If he wants to leave then sell.
The problem is, do you trust a guy to be honest about it 2 years out from FA? Especially in a market like Van, he will be crucified if word gets out.

If the Canucks are in dysfunction next year and the one after, you can't tell me that New Jersey wouldn't be looking real appealing to Quinn. All the Devils really have to do to accomodate him is ditch Hamilton. Gives Quinn the #1 PP spot and NJ the cap space. 3 brothers on a cup contender, in a nice part of the country but in a quieter market.

Canucks fans are lying to themselves if they don't think he's running that scenario in his head.
 
The problem is, do you trust a guy to be honest about it 2 years out from FA? Especially in a market like Van, he will be crucified if word gets out.

If the Canucks are in dysfunction next year and the one after, you can't tell me that New Jersey wouldn't be looking real appealing to Quinn. All the Devils really have to do to accomodate him is ditch Hamilton. Gives Quinn the #1 PP spot and NJ the cap space. 3 brothers on a cup contender, in a nice part of the country but in a quieter market.

Canucks fans are lying to themselves if they don't think he's running that scenario in his head.

Nope, but we're talking hypothetical situations.
 
It's easy to GM from here but I'd say yes.

Best pieces not named Hughes are aging and full of drama while not being a true contender...and others carry an injury risk. Everything has to go so right for them to compete that they're almost in the same no-man's-land as the Kings EXCEPT they could hard reset by getting a haul for their best pieces.
 
Fire the coach, fire the GM and then trade miller for whatever you can get for him and hope that you can hold on to the rest of the core.
 

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