Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet written today, but published in the future.
Speaking of the future, welcome to it. As you read these words, the stretch-run of the calendar year 2023 is on, and 2024 will soon be on us faster than an Ilya Mikheyev breakaway.
But before we officially flip the page to the year to come, it’s always best practice to first reflect on the year that was.
And what a year it was for the Vancouver Canucks!
The year 2023 began with the firing of Bruce Boudreau and the hiring of Rick Tocchet, and then continued on to the trading of captain Bo Horvat…and that was just January!
A whole lot has happened since then. Now, here we are at the end of it all, with the Canucks in first place in the NHL (at least as of this writing) and ample memories of countless highlights from the past 365.
This week, we’re keeping it seasonably simple and asking you:
What is your top Canucks’ moment or memory of the year 2023?
(If you want to list multiple, don’t let us stop you!)
Let it be known in the comment section.
If you could receive ANY gift from the Vancouver Canucks this holiday season, what would you ask for?
Your stockings are hung with care below!
BeerCan Boyd:
I’d like A Randy “Beer Can” Boyd jersey, please. I believe he wore #29, but that’s Gino’s #, so we’ll take a 57 for my birth year. C’mon Santa!
Rusty Bee:
Biggest wish is for EP40 to take a $10M x 7 year contract and retire a Canuck. If that is too greedy, then turn Myers into a top-4 RHD who is actually worth the $6M we are paying, so that we can seriously challenge for a Cup this year.
RagnarokOroboros:
Kuzmenko gets his groove back.
A true Christmas gift (belated) would be the Canucks winning the Stanley Cup.
defenceman factory:
A big trade for a RHD. He needs to be a clear second pairing, #3 D-man, 28 or younger. Ideally he has at least three years left on his $4 mill AAV contract.
kanucked:
The Aquilinis announce that they have sold the team to a deep-pocketed billionaire who will also bring the NBA here.
FV Fan:
(Winner of the author’s weekly award for eloquence)
My wish is for continued “non-PR” player moves, versus flashy signings.
Building a solid, consistent team is how you win cups and contend each year.
This management group I must say, has done an excellent job in this area thus far.
I enjoy watching this team play again!
A second wish is for Podz to continue his good play in the AHL and get back with the big team.
Everyone is rooting for him.
Wilson:
I’m just going to go for a stocking stuffer: beat Dallas and San Jose these next two games, and be, very unexpectedly, atop the NHL.
(Author’s note: Close enough?!)
52 years on….and on…:
The one piece the Canucks are lacking is a true partner for Quinn Hughes. I don’t want another stop-gap (piece of fruit) in my stocking or another third-pairing guy (piece of coal) masquerading as a top-four D, but the real deal. It’s gonna be expensive, but at this point, go for it.
Hockey Bunker:
End season in first place in the division.
Might as well shoot for the stars.
Icehole:
Canuck fans and jerseys finally outnumber Leafs, Habs, Oilers, and Flames at Canuck home games. I think it’s coming…
HockeyfanMexico:
A fair priced seven or eight year extension for EP40. Not saying team-friendly, but fair and south of $10mil. (I will take $9.9mil) fair on both ends. Started in an absolute tear and has come back down to earth. That will be a Christmas present!
Stephan Roget:
For the good times to keep rolling.
The Vancouver Canucks are fun again. And sure, this is professional sports, where nobody really deserves anything until they’ve earned it…but c’mon, Canucks fans deserve this.
So many times in recent history, we’ve had to ask for the moon just to imagine a future in which the Vancouver faithful could have some genuine faith in their franchise again.
Now, it’s perfectly valid to just wish that everyone keeps playing as well as they currently are, and that no major injuries or other distractions get in the way of what has already been an enormously successful season.
If we’re allowed to be greedy, we’ll take it a step further and note that A LOT of important players are currently playing on expiring contracts, and that it would be awful nice if the vast majority of them could sign reasonable extensions and continue providing excellent value for the organization.
If they could do that sooner, rather than later, to remove the possibility of any of those aforementioned distractions, we won’t even ask for anything next year!
Speaking of next year, see you then! Thanks for reading and commenting along all throughout 2023!