Welcome back to WDYSS (What do you surmise Saturday), the only hockey column on the internet that never gets accidentally posted on a Wednesday Saturday. Nope, not ever.

Speaking of the best-laid plans, there’s no doubt that GM Patrik Allvin and his newly-assembled front office have some in mind for the Vancouver Canucks as they coast toward the 2022 offseason. It’s a summer that promises great change all over the roster, and it won’t be the last one.

It’s clear to all observing that, under the watchful eye of POHO Jim Rutherford, Allvin has a multi-year plan in place for the Canucks. Outgoing GM Jim Benning infamously opined earlier this season that the Canucks were “two years” away from being competitive. The new management probably have a longer view than that, but perhaps not by much.

With all that said, it stands to reason that, after the 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25 seasons come to pass, we should have a very good idea of exactly the sort of team that Allvin and Co. are building.

And instead of waiting around to find out, we’re tasking you with gazing into the future and letting us know what you say.

We’re not expecting you to lay out a full prospective roster or anything like that.

Instead, this week, we’re simply asking you:

Let it be known in the comment section.

(And, if we can remember to, maybe we’ll revisit this in three years time!)

Last week, we asked:

You answered below!

First off, it’s Wednesday today. Second, it’s Boeser and there’s no one even close.

I know the question is related to the players, but my oversung vote goes to Ryan Johnson. I’m not suggesting he should be fired, but it seems like he receives a lot of praise when the farm team results have been poor. The teams has an abysmal record for development of young players and doesn’t have a great winning record either.

My answer is easy… Petey.

I was in his corner all along for a long-term contract and to pay the man. What did he do to repay my support? Well he has had a few bright games scattered here and there and has put up some points, but he has been far from being the gamechanger that his hold out should indicate. Instead of scoring at an approximate 0.66 points/game mark, I would expect him to be at closer to 1 point/game. It’s not just about points though, he has failed to carry the play most games and aside from becoming a pretty good penalty killer he seems to have fallen far from the #1 centre that has been expected of him.

Petey seems to step up his game and drive when caught up in the moment but most games he strikes me as unmotivated and soft and far too easy to play against. If he doesn’t get back on track I doubt he will be around past the three-year mark at end of this current contract.

Brock is one year removed from leading the team in scoring — but for this year, based on his salary and QO, he is my pick.

Perhaps, the down year can be used by the Canucks, when negotiating a long-term deal?

For what we gave up for Garland and OEL, plus their lack of O-production, I would submit it is a tie between the two of them for oversung player this year.

Pettersson is oversung starting with the superstar tag.

In this season, he’s gone from under-producing first line centre to protected expensive third line centre to now a left winger on the second line because he cant skate well enough to catch up to the play as a centre coming back deep in his own zone. He needs to start out closer to the blueline to keep up.

Yet he’s lauded as “being back”…while he continues a three year downward trend.

Harsh assessment? Yes.

But compare him to Miller.

Poolman is my pick. Runner ups are Dickinson and Halak. I know people will say they have been criticized all year, but even at that, all when acquired were oversung.

Has to be Luke Schenn, the only reason he is oversung is because he is super cheap. Luke Schenn being the only option for our top pairing RHD is the reason we will miss the playoffs (yes, oversimplification). Love the guy but top pairing he is not, second pairing he is not, third pairing ok. So not really underpaid after all.

For me, it’s gotta be Boeser. And most likely not for just this year. His rookie season was great and gave us all hope we had found a sniper. Almost four seasons later and he still has not hit that plateau again. Hasn’t even hit GPG rates of his first full season (0.47) with the shortened covid seasons. He’s 25 now, and while he still has some upward potential, I think the idea of him being a 40-goal scorer is no longer in play. Yet fans and media still seem to think he is our first line sniper and is worth his qualifying offer.

His shot just isn’t enough to cover the slow footspeed and lack of intensity.

I’ve been critical of several players at various times throughout this season. But if I have to pick just one.. I’m going Garland. (I really oughta say Boeser, but he’ll be on here enough).

Maybe Garlands salary sways my decision a bit, but I thought we’d be getting a DeBrincat type player. A one-dimensional, point-producing machine. Instead he’s unlikely to get to 40 points, and his small stature isn’t exactly striking fear into opposing players.

Oversung hero is Boeser.

To my mind, it’s Pettersson. His new three-year deal, worth $7.35 million annually against the cap, set a heady precedent for bridge deals for NHL forwards coming out of their entry-level contracts, surpassing even the $7 million the New York Islanders agreed to pay Mat Barzal before last season. And what did the Canucks get for that costly vote of confidence? A career-low 0.71 ppg, putting Elias on pace for a measly 58 points. In addition to that, Pettersson’s neither playing on the top line, nor even playing centre consistently anymore. He’s gone from cornerstone to question mark for the Canucks franchise. The plethora of annoyingly premature “Pettersson’s Back!” media stories hasn’t helped either.

Horvat (the last two weeks excepted, when he’s been hot and PDO lucky), is oversung. He elevated for the playoffs, but hasn’t been able to stabilize the team on a nightly basis in the regular season. His offensive game is pigeon-holed to a frightening degree now: scores at bumper on the PP, scores occasionally on the bull-rush, scores occasionally on a 2-on-1. But in terms of generating cycle offense zone time, and in terms of tilting the game to his team’s side, and especially in terms of meshing with wingers who aren’t named Pearson or Högz (and not this year at all with Högz), he’s a faceoff-winning dead-zone who often does a rush and floats back. His PK abilities are suspect at best, he hits less than he could, and he simply doesn’t put the team on his shoulders like we know he should. I’m not expecting him to be McJesus, but he’s limited in what he can do, both from a technical standpoint and from a personal-motor point. Realistically, he’s a third line centre on a Cup-winning team.

Did we have a hero?

If so, Travis Green. All wanted him to be re-signed including me…when he actually was one of the reasons the team was so bad.