Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet officially endorsed by former Canuck Sven Butenschon.
Speaking of former Canucks, they sure are in the headlines a lot lately.
This week brought news of Kevin Bieksa talking about his desire to sign a one-day contract and retire as a Canuck.
That follows closely after expanded off-ice roles were handed out to Ryan Johnson, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, with Mikael Samuelsson also joining the player development wing of the team.
And with a number of off-ice openings in a number of different gigs around the franchise, it stands to reason that more former Canucks are on the way in the near future.
The Canucks are in need of assistant coaches, scouts, and more developmental staff. Already, a few familiar faces have been floated as potential hires, but we’d rather hear who you might have in mind.
This week, we’re asking:
Which former Canuck(s) would you add to the organization in an off-ice role?
Let it be known in the comment section.
What is your greatest Canucks-related fear heading into the 2022 offseason?
You answered below!
El Kabong:
More of the same. This team needs a major retooling.
Burnabybob:
My biggest fear is that Allvin makes poor selections at the draft next month and the team has nothing to show for it in a few years. They can’t afford for that to happen.
TheRealRusty:
Ownership to go back to its short-term thinking (again) and start meddling (again).
Toe Stubbins:
Greatest fear is that Canucks don’t re-sign or trade JT Miller this summer. It would seem quite possible, likely even due to Canuck-luck, that he would get injured just before 2023 trade deadline, so they end up losing him for nothing as UFA next summer.
Sandpaper:
That the team doesn’t trade at least one of Boeser, Miller, or Garland.
Wouldn’t be upset about anyone on this team being moved out.
J-Canuck:
That Rutherford’s reputation was built on having Sid and Geno with some decent moves in between! The Canes had some very high picks also leading up to their Cup. I don’t foresee any top-five picks anytime soon!
Hopefully Guddy-like Pens trades aren’t the norm.
Beer Can Boyd:
More of a scenario than a fear. The Canucks get off to a poor start, or have a very poor run mid-season, and Boudreau gets fired. Then Rutherford and Allvin bring in their hand-picked, highly-touted, new school coach on a three-year deal, and that coach struggles to get the players’ confidence.
And they miss the playoffs yet again.
Craig Gowan:
My greatest Canucks-related fear heading into the 2022 offseason is related to how management deals with JT Miller. I fear that management will botch a Miller trade this summer or at the trade deadline, and get underwhelming and unhelpful assets in return for our best player.
observer11:
My biggest question is: where does the Canucks improvement come from next year? Their prospect pool is very shallow and they are not a young team. It’s possible if the goaltending doesn’t hold up that the Canucks take a step back next year.
BoHo:
I do not have many fears for this offseason.
Anything is better than the last couple offseasons.
HockeyFanMexico:
My biggest fear is that Canucks Management read the comments on this forum and act accordingly.
neal:
My biggest fear is that we still look like Smurfs.
LiborPolasek:
Firstly, a bad draft, and secondly, a long-term Miller signing, at the cost of trading a younger Boeser for peanuts.
KevinMW:
I was tempted to just say “spiders” and leave it at that.
For the Canucks, injuries aside, I think a bad trade or draft pick – when we really have some catching up to do.
Defenceman Factory:
(Winner of the author’s weekly award for eloquence)
My biggest fear is the management team just can’t get the things done that need doing. With big changes to coaching, scouting, cap management, prospect development, and human performance a lot is being asked of people who will be new. If you have ever hired a number of staff, you’ll know not everyone works out.
Rutherford says the right things. He is very savvy in front of the media. I think we all know that the platitudes of adding sandpaper, finding cap flexibility, improving breakouts, getting younger and faster are all tough things to do given the current cap and contract situations the Canucks face. You can’t do all this at once and you likely can’t do much of it at all without diminishing the caliber of the team in the short term. This fan base can get pretty vicious and there just isn’t much patience left for mediocrity.
KearnsScoredOnHimself:
My biggest fear is they put Messier and Keenan in the Ring of Honour.
SkateJimmy!:
My biggest fear: no one wants Boeser (too soft and one-dimensional) and the offerings for JTM are lukewarm because teams sense the Canucks need to move him. So, we end up starting next season with a re-signed Boeser and only hopes of getting a good return for Miller at the TDL (which will be less than what NYR offered this year.)
lorem ipsum dolor:
There’s only one answer, and that’s hearing either Rutherford or Allvin say “Boston model” at a press conference not followed immediately by hysterical laughter.
MakePlantsNotWar:
You know I’m not afraid anything. I’m afraid about bear, bear in the forest.
Kanucked:
I have already seen comments about a Miller trade, Boeser contract, and draft picks, so I will go off the board and say Kuzmenko signs with another team.
MajorMoose:
Biggest fears are: Trading Boeser for peanuts because he had a down year (can’t blame him for having a down year), trading Garland because of cap space even though he’s on a team-friendly deal, not trading or signing Miller, trading Horvat, not adding any help on the blueline, and finally reaching in the draft for size instead of best player available.
Kootenaydude:
My biggest fear is the Canucks pay Boeser $7 million-plus and don’t move Myers.
Catkgh:
Biggest fear is Canucks not tanking and getting a chance for a generational player. 1st or 2nd overall = a generational player. About time the Canucks get one.
A River Named Curt:
The team extends Miller with a seven year contract having an average annual cap hit of $9.5 million dollars. He promptly turns into Loui Eriksson.
Jabs:
My biggest fear is that the team management shuffles the deck, but falls well short of addressing the real issues. This team needs better defense and a true partner that can compliment Quinn Hughes. It is also lacking grit, but that grit has to be with guys who can contribute, which is very hard to come by.
Brian Togri:
I’m more uncertain than I am afraid. This team’s shortcomings are well-documented, but the fix can be tackled in many different ways. We may be very surprised at how this shakes out.
Hockey Bunker:
Biggest fear is Paralysis by Analysis.
Large front offices where everyone voices opinions can make good decision-making impossible.
fv fan:
My biggest fear is Canucks Management opts to build a playoff team vs a long-term Cup contender.
Please no shortcuts! I’d rather wait a couple extra years to fix this team properly.