WWYDW: Milan Lucic or Loui Eriksson

Does anybody still care about this season? Like, people’s emotional investment has to be at an all-time low, right?

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about what matters: next season and beyond. To that exact end, if the Canucks plan on returning to hockey in late-April, they’re going to have to get active in free agency. They have the cap space to do so, so why not? Milan Lucic has been linked to Vancouver for years, but Loui Eriksson is starting to work his way into the conversation as a possible fit.

So, which of the two do you prefer and why? If neither of these two, who do you have in mind?

What are your thoughts on this lineup? If there are any improvements you’d like to make, I want to see them in writing. What does your ideal lineup look like?

Editor: Josh Weissbock

Blogger 1: Cam Charron

Blogger 2: Rhys Jessop

Blogger 3: Moneypuck

Blogger 4: Ryan Biech

Waivers: Thomas Drance, JD Burke, Dmitri Filipovic, Graphic Comments etc…

My ideal line-up for the 2016/2017 season would be to bring on the youth:

Trade at Draft: Alex Burrows, Derek Dorsett, Chris Higgins, Ryan Miller

Re-sign on July 1st: Sven Baertschi, Emerson Etem, Markus Granlund, Dan Hamhuis (for hometown discount)

This leaves our line-up looking something like …

FORWARDS

D. Sedin – H. Sedin – ???

S. Baertschi – B. Horvat – J. Virtanen

E. Etem – B. Sutter – J. Hansen

J. McCann – M. Granlund – A. Rodin

B. Gaunce

DEFENSE

A. Edler – C. Tanev

B. Hutton – A. Biega

N. Tryamkin – D. Hamhuis

A. Pedan

T. Fedun

GOALIES

J. Markstrom

J. Cannata

At Draft: Either Jesse Puljujarvi for RW depth or Jacob Chychrun/Olli Juolevi to boost our D corps

At Free Agency: If we draft either Chychrun or Juolevi, target Loui Eriksson

For forwards, it appears there are 7 locked spots are – Henrik, Daniel, Bo, Bear, Sutter, Hansen, Doresett; 5 probably locked spots – Granlund, Rodin, Gaunce, JV, Etem. Clearly McCann needs to play in the AHL next year, and Boeser is still a year away. Mathews is probably the only one of the top 3 who can play in NHL right away, maybe the other two Finns but who knows. That does not leave a lot of room for a free agent forward, Burrows comes back, or an out of nowhere low level free agent.

For defense, the 4 locks barring trade are: Edler, Tanev, Hutton and Sbisa (for better or worse), and the 2 probables are the Russian mac trucks. Again, it does not leave a lot for a free agent d-man, Hammer coming back, Larssen, or an out of nowhere prospect/fringe free agent.

So for me, I’d like to see further integration of the kids but in a more youngish “veteran” group. My ideal scenario is for Bo and Bear to take the next steps, and at least one of the two Russian kids taking a strangle hold on a spot like Hutton. All this, while creating an anti-Oiler standard where it’s totally acceptable to lose. I think the worst case scenario is signing a free agent for 4-5 years and blocking a kid’s roster spot/development. We may have to go through this another year.

The Willie bashing has to stop, look at the friggn Leafs and their $50 million coach. Willie is the just the girl you are dating while still in law school, and totally going to dump after you finish. He’s fine for now.

Okay………

Have held off on the public rosterbating but since you asked:

Top line: Dank, Hank, Hansen/Rodin

Second line: Baertschi, Horvat, Virtanen

Third line: Gaunce, Sutter, Hansen/Rodin

Fourth line: Dorsett (sigh) after that pick your poison. (McCann looks AHL bound)

Top D: Hutton/Tanev

Second D: Edler/(insert someone not on roster)

Third D: Sbisa(sigh again)/Tryamkin

Depth D: Your guess is as good as mine.

Would sure like to have Greener on staff in some capacity rather than losing him to another organization.

And Jeremy Davis for editor.

Flame on.

My slightly optimistic, but still realistic roster for next year is:

FORWARDS

D. Sedin – H. Sedin – Loui Eriksson (FA)

S. Baertschi – B. Sutter – A. Rodin

Patrik Laine (Draft) – B. Horvat – J. Hansen

E. Etam – M. Granlund – J. Virtanen

L. Vey

DEFENSE

C. Tanev – B. Hutton

A. Edler – Alex Goligoski (screw you Dallas!)

N. Tryamkin – L. Sbisa

A. Pedan

GOALIES

J. Markstrom

R. Miller

Sedin-Sedin-Hansen

Boedker(FA)-Sutter-Rodin

Baertschi-Horvat-Virtanen

Granlund-Dubois-Dorsett

Gaunce…McCann to minors & 1st call up after 20 or so games.

Tanev-Hutton

Edler-(Benning’s off-season surprise)

Tryamkin-Sbisa

Pedan-Larsen

Vey Etem Grenier & Biega can be moved for whatever we can get.