I was expecting the Canucks to make a move at the trade deadline. It didn't have to be a blockbuster trade but the team isn't perfect. There are 4-6 players that would be getting more playing time on other teams, there are a few blooming prospects in Abbotsford that Vancouver for understandable reasons don't want to give up on.
I would call the Canucks a hybrid of All-in with the understanding that the Canucks only have to win a Cup in the next nine years. I think they wanted to pull the trigger on a couple of moves but they lacked what other teams wanted.
There are a few reasons why the Canucks are in this conundrum. In 2019, Jim Benning had to get aggressive in 2019 to try and save his job. He traded for J.T. Miller and he was already down a 2020 1st round pick.
So Vancouver has no 1st round pick in 2020 and in 2021 Benning again makes a blockbuster trade to get Connor Garland. (Who I thought had requested to be traded) On the day of the 2021 draft the Canucks trade their 1st round pick and others.
At the time, I thought this was a bipolar trade. If you make the playoffs in 2022 its a great trade but if you miss the 2022 playoffs this trade comes back to hunt you. Connor Garland isn't making the Canucks better right now. The three picks they lost that day could have been traded yesterday.
The next thing that happens is that Canucks trade more picks to get out of cap problems again.
The 2024 2nd is another asset that I wish was moved today and not two years ago. To add to the other trades that they made earlier this year the Canucks were traded out without wanting to give up their untouchables.
At this point, I wish we could have signed Kessel as last resort but the fact that it didn't happen leads me couldn't pass the conditioning test or something. I doubt they ran out of time.
If it were me, I would try to trade Miller for a draft pick. Even if it's a 5th rounder. The reasoning is I would rather have Lindholm because he is younger and might be able to do less term. I don't think that would happen but something to consider because the Canucks farm system isn't going to just jump to #1 at this time next year. The three untouchables aren't going to magically be easy to give up next year.
My expectations for the Petterson contract is 6 playoff appearances, 4 second round, 2 Conference Finals and 1 Stanley Cup win.
With a 9 year window, I expect management to get busy replenishing the prospects. It will take a outside the box approach as the Canucks only have three picks in 2024, 6 in 2025 and 5 in 2026.
If they make the playoffs in all three years than that's fine but if they don't, how can Vancouver reverse the trend and ask these prices that buyers were overpaying for this year to add more under 24 players.
The other thought is that management wants to see how the players play in the playoffs before doing anything to crazy.
The disappointments today go back to Bennings failures that made today impossible for new management.
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