After a week off, everyone’s favourite Jerk is back in the saddle for the Monday mailbag. The last one of the regular season, no less. Just wait until you see what we have planned for the playo…

The Canucks are winning again and look almost respectable. They’re getting there, anyway. Doesn’t really help the cause this season, but it’s certainly encouraging for next.

Speaking of the future, I’ve got several questions to answer on that very topic. Some draft related, others not so much. I try my best to answer them all, on the other side of the jump.

Good question. Not sure I have an answer for it, either. Not until we see how the lottery shakes out.

Let’s say the Canucks and Oilers end up in the two and three spots. Just for fun. The Canucks build a package centered on either Alex Edler or Chris Tanev, for starters, and see what they can make happen. The cost will be prohibitive, so if you’re not ready to part with either of those two, this might not be the trade for you.

If you have to ask the cost, it’s too much.

I’ve always felt as though the gap between Jyrki Jokipakka and Kris Russell was smaller than we gave the upstart Finn credit for. Well, since the two were traded for each other anyways.

Russell’s less of a possession drag in Dallas than he was in Calgary. The Stars might’ve been expecting more though, given the king’s ransom they paid for Russell – Jokipakka, Brett Pollock and a second-round pick.

The Stars are playing Russell with Goligoski mostly. When together, they’re rocking an ugly 46% Corsi For. Goligoski is a 54% player away from Russell. So I mean, things could be going better. At some point, the hockey world is just going to have to come to terms with the fact that Russell isn’t good.

Being a Canucks fan is worse. It’s always worse. All life is suffering.

I’d try to move down in that spot. My pick is Mikhail Sergachev and at this stage he’s not likely to get selected any higher than eighth overall.

There’s a ton of great options, though. I have time for Pierre-Luc Dubois in that spot. Maybe even Alex Nylander.

The Canucks? Never heard of them.

In all seriousness, my team in the Western Conference is the Dallas Stars. In the Eastern Conference, I’m pulling for the Florida Panthers.