Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet that was promised a top-line role during contract negotiations.

Speaking of Training Camp, it is upon us. Forget “months away,” “weeks away,” and even “days away” — the Vancouver Canucks have already hit the ice. In fact, by the time you’re reading this, the actual game-action of the Penticton Young Stars Classic will be, at most, a sleep away, and from then on out, it’s hockey 24/7 for the next ten months.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, though, there’s the actual Training Camp itself to consider. Each year, jobs are won, and jobs are lost. Sure, some folks get to skate into any given season with a guaranteed gig and a role already written in ink, but most players feel like they’ve got something to prove each and every year — and they’re right.

The Vancouver Canucks’ roster heading into the 2022/23 appears to have been carefully constructed, and there’s admittedly not a ton of wiggle room remaining with regards to who actually makes the team and who gets cut.

But even within that framework, there’s always the possibility to rocket oneself up the depth chart — or down — with a noticeable showing in camp.

And there’s always a chance that any plans already set are waylaid by just such a performance.

This week, we’re asking you to ponder the Training Camp to come, and asking:

Let it be known in the comment section.

 

Last week, we asked:

You answered below!

Not a doubt or a knock on the player. I love watching him on the ice. Will be a fun couple of years at the expense of building a true contender.

‘W’ signing.

He is tied with nine other players as the 51st highest paid player in the league for the 2023-2024 season. He was ninth in league scoring. This deal expires the same year as Hertl, Zibanejad, and Forsberg, and has a lower cap hit then all of them.

He currently has the seventh-highest scoring season in Canucks history. The only Canuck who has had more assists in one season than his 67 last year is Henrik Sedin. He will probably break into the top-ten in all-time points partway through year two of the contract.

The next four years will be good, and the last four years will be spent complaining about the contract.

I’m cautiously optimistic. I was glad to see an end to the situation, but now it brings up more questions. Especially Bo and his future. Hoping the cap makes a big jump in two years, and the Canucks can acquire a Tanev-lite partner for Quinn somehow. Not asking for great — that’s Quinn — just good.

I was hoping for a re-tool as the Canucks aren’t contenders for the Cup. Signing Miller means they’re making a push now, and they aren’t good enough. Sure, they’ll make the playoffs but they won’t win a Cup. Isn’t that the goal?

I guess they can deal Horvat, Garland, and/or Boeser, and add some youth into the system and prospects, but I don’t see it.

I still can’t really tell what I think of this front office team, as I don’t know what they were offered for Miller. Miller is their best player, but he is older. I guess I don’t like the signing, but it’s just impossible to say with any certainty, because I don’t know the overall front office strategy.

If management doesn’t sign the best player, what’s the point in watching/following the team? Don’t we go to the game to see a win? I’ve been waiting for 49 years to go to the game expecting a entertaining night and leave the arena smiling. Some prefer to follow the draft more than team success. To be honest I’m coming up to 80 and a rebuild is of no interest to me. Not every draft pick is a quality pick, lots fail.

I was resigned to losing Miller and getting very little in return. So I was actually surprised and pleased they were able to sign him to a contract at a very reasonable cost for seven years. If he went to free market, he would definitely have received a better contract.

I’m happy that he chose to stay in Vancouver, because he considers it a desirable location and that the team has potential to compete.

Sure, the salary cap is a bit more complicated, but there are definitely some players that Management can work on getting off the books to improve the situation.

I’m excited to see how the team does this year.

I was overjoyed to see Miller re-sign. I never did see the 2-3 year window as being a viable contention point without him, and when I saw his contract and affirmation that he wants to be here, it was all the better. In my opinion, it was either trade him and a handful of other players for a deeper rebuild, or retain him and give this group a chance. Needless to say, I’m excited that management chose the latter. It would have been very discouraging for the young core and the fans to break up the band just as they were coming together and gaining momentum.

Pleasantly surprised that Miller re-signed for a million bucks less a season and for a one year shorter term than I had expected. 99-point forwards don’t grow on trees and can’t be easily replaced. So, short-term, this means the Canucks won’t be taking a step back from last season’s uneven, but ultimately mediocre, performance. Long-term, we’ll probably regret the cap hit.

I’m very satisfied with the Miller signing. The Canucks need to add to their D. If Miller had been traded, they would also have to add to their centre depth. The rationale for a Miller trade was always based on an overly optimistic return, which never materialized, and an alarmist view of the cost of his next contract. $8 mil for seven years has risk, looking forward over seven years, but is well short of the $9.5 mil for eight years that was often cited as Miller’s future cost.

After Miller the Canucks have few tradeable assets, beyond their four or five younger core players. There just isn’t much to trade out to acquire picks and prospects with in order to facilitate a rebuild of any substance. A realistic trade return for Miller would still have left them short of quality players. Management made the right decision under the circumstances. Hopefully, by this time next year, we will have seen some improvement and depth added to the D.

Not thrilled about it, but I understand the logic. Allvin and Co. want to go for a Cup while Pettersson and Hughes are in their prime. It means the clock is ticking now, though. They may only have a few years while Miller is a top player before his contract becomes inefficient, and they need to do something to improve the defense. Personally I’ll be pretty choked if they miss the playoffs again or lose in the first round.

Better than I expected. I was thinking it would end up being 8x8m or 7x9m which would be better than 7×9.5m. Miller will be well-paid, but he could have gotten more on the open market. I’m sure mgmt would have liked to get better trade offers, but the deals weren’t there. In the end, you have to deal with what you have. There was too much risk in losing Miller for a weak offer or a Miller injury. 7x8m is a solid deal for the Canucks, and I bet other teams are wishing they offered more for him if they knew he would come down to that.

As for the full-on rebuild… top draft picks are not guaranteed star players. We have three very good young players in Petey, QH, and Demko. There is definitely enough to build around to contend for a Cup. Trading Miller for a high draft pick does not provide solid young roster players to play with our current top young players. I don’t believe trading Miller for draft picks and prospects would have brought us closer to being a Cup contender. If anything, a weaker team means it will be harder to re-sign our current top young players.

Personally, I think these guys would be lost without Miller. Losing Tanev, Toffoli, and Stecher seemed to set them back significantly. So, I’m glad he’s signed. Maybe $8 mil. a year won’t seem crazy in four years after cap increases. Or maybe, if he drops off, he will become that solid 3C we have been dreaming of. Or maybe in four years, we’ll all be floating in in the Pacific Ocean. Seize the day! Let’s see what happens.

My reaction to JTM’s signing? Classic five stages of grief. Denial… that JRPA actually decided to sign JTM to seven years, ensuring that we will be significantly overpaying the last three or four years of this contract. Anger… that FA and ownership still seem to be pushing their short-term agenda of playoff revenues instead of building a team worthy of a Stanley Cup. Bargaining… that maybe it is some part of master plan to trade newly signed JTM before his NMC kicks in, since it will no longer be a one-year rental that a buyer is paying for. Depression… that it does not look like we will win a Cup as long as this ownership group controls the team. Acceptance… that this mgt has decided to go all-in for the next four years with this core and at least it should be entertaining.

The Canucks’ best forward since the Sedins? Sign him up.