The NHL gave us the information of when and where.

If you haven't being paying attention to this event because your love of the Canucks has made it so you haven't cared, I give you this link, so you can see the rosters for the four teams. (I might be one of these people)

My first instinct is that Canada is in trouble in this tournament. While they have the best player in the world and two great players who live in Colorado, I see this team as a step slower than the U.S.. I am not sure that my instincts can be trusted since I am a Canucks fan. I do know that I want U.S. goaltending over Canada's for sure. Jordan "I lost the Calder to Petey" Billington will get the start against the Swedes, who have Petey.

The wild card that will really determine who wins this tournament are the refs. Will they allow a hard-hitting game, with some chippiness or will they call it tight and have special teams determine who wins?

I am not going to get into too much depth with rosters and what-ifs, that's your job. I will say that I won't be shocked if the U.S. wins the whole thing and J.T. Miller scores infinity goals. I also won't be surprised if Finland or Sweden steals a game or two from Canada or the U.S.. It will all come down to the guys in the striped shirts and the directions they have been given from the league. I'm sure owners don't want players coming out injured from this tournament. (I am happy Quinn is not playing)

Let us know your predictions! I predicted Petey and Miller drop gloves when their teams play.

When Rick Tocchet took over as head coach for the Vancouver Canucks, fans were cautiously optimistic. After years of defensive struggles and inconsistency, the hope was that Tocchet’s experience and focus on structure could bring some much-needed stability. Now, in the 2024-25 season, it’s time to ask the question: has Tocchet truly solidified the Canucks' defense, or are we still stuck in the same frustrating cycle?

A New Focus on Structure

From day one, Tocchet emphasized structure, accountability, and yes- defense. One of the most noticeable improvements under his leadership has been the penalty kill. Last season, it was a glaring weak spot, with the Canucks frequently giving up goals at key moments. Since Tocchet’s arrival, the penalty kill has been far more aggressive and consistent, giving fans hope that Vancouver might finally have a reliable defense to complement their offensive firepower.

However, the Canucks’ defensive improvements haven’t been without hiccups. There are nights where the team executes Tocchet’s system perfectly—players blocking shots, making smart reads, and avoiding risky plays. Then there are nights where defensive breakdowns creep back in, leading to costly goals and chaotic moments in front of the net.

Key Players Stepping Up

One of the players that has most bought into Tocchet’s system has been Quinn Hughes. In my opinion, Hughes has embraced a more complete, defensively sound game under Tocchet. He’s still an elite puck-mover, but his positioning and decision-making in the defensive zone have improved noticeably. While I don’t think he’ll ever be a physical force, Hughes has become a much more reliable player when the Canucks don’t have the puck.

Hronek has also fit in well under Tocchet’s guidance. His physicality and ability to break up plays have added a much-needed element of grit to Vancouver’s defense, especially with Hughes as his partner. Together, they’ve formed a top pairing that, on good nights, can shut down top lines and control the pace of play.

Consistency Still a Struggle

While Tocchet’s influence has clearly brought some improvements, the Canucks still struggle with one thing: consistency. On some nights, they look like a team that’s fully bought into Tocchet’s system—playing disciplined, defensively sound hockey. But on other nights, they regress into the same frustrating habits that have plagued them before. Defensive lapses, poor coverage, and questionable decision-making have still popped up.

The first few games of the season have been a reflection of this problem. In one game, Vancouver looks defensively solid, keeping opponents to the perimeter and supporting their goaltender well. In the next, defensive breakdowns lead to easy goals and leave the team scrambling to catch up.

The Tocchet Identity: Still a Work in Progress

So, has Rick Tocchet’s impact been about defensive gains or more of the same? It’s a bit of both. There’s no denying that Tocchet’s system has led to improvements, especially in areas like the penalty kill and the play of certain key players. The team has shown flashes of defensive maturity that simply weren’t there before.

But the inconsistency is still a problem, and with Demko injured, those defensive issues are magnified. Tocchet has helped turn the Canucks in the right direction, but there’s still work to be done if Vancouver is going to truly shore up its defense and become a more reliable team on a night-to-night basis.

The good news for Canucks fans is that the potential is there. The challenge now is for Tocchet to get his message to stick, even when the team is without key players like Demko. If they can tighten things up and maintain consistency, the Canucks might finally be able to break out of their defensive funk. Until then, it’s another season of cautious optimism and hoping that Tocchet’s influence can help them turn the corner.

Well, we made it through another offseason. This one was better than others, but still had us wondering, “What will it take for this team to shake the bad voodoo off?” The Canucks were one Thatcher Demko away from getting into the Conference finals. Unlike last October, the fans actually have expectations for this team, and I wonder if we are all just setting ourselves up for a major disappointment. The start of the season already has it share of questions, with Demko’s injuries and Joshua’s cancer, this team will have to find ways to win without a full complement of weapons.

As always, I think there are some areas that have some questions attach to them and will determine if this team can be a contender this year or if the one year of “Holy fuck, they won again.” Was a mirage.

1. Thatcher Demko’s lower body

If you go through Demko’s injuries over his career, his lower body seems to have past some sort of warranty due date. Of course, any person over 6’2 who is ask to drop down repeatedly to his knees and back up, will have wear and tear issues. The Canucks played a far better style of team defense last year, which helped them win a lot of games. To win a cup though, the Canucks need Demko to be healthy to steal the games where the special teams are less than special.

2. The Penalties that kill.

Last year, by the end of the regular season, the Canucks PK was almost at 80%. This was a great improvement over the year before. Unfortunately, this number was still in the bottom half of the league. And man, did the Oilers pick them apart in the 2^nd round at some points. Coach Taco had JT and Petey out there playing PK at certain points, which did lead to some shorthanded goals, but I am sold on those guys playing more minutes on special teams, especially when the team took lots of dumb penalties. A better PK starts with taking less penalties period…and then a system that is more aggressive.

3. Defense…..(clap, clap, clap)……Defense

The loss of Nikita was expected and sad at the same time. The loss of Ian Cole….already forgotten. It will be interesting to see two different areas. The first one is having Myers/Soucy as a “2^nd” pairing. The giraffe tandem got some playing time together last year and were Jekyll and Hyde. The new pairing of Forbort/Deshy will probably get sheltered minutes until Taco gets a feel for their strengths and weaknesses. The next area will be the role of the forwards, especially the new ones, and how they are asked to protect the bottom two pairings.

4. Petey.

This is probably issue number 1 or 1a. Petey’s decline in the 2^nd half of the regular season and the playoffs is well-documented. He says injuring, the team said, “Say what now?” Petey is now in the first year of a monster contract and should feel less pressure…and hopefully injury free. It looks like he will get some new linemates who can score, which frees him up to create space and distribute the puck, which will open more space for his shot. It goes without saying that the team needs him to put up 90+ points and gets more of them 5vs5. Some will say that the asshole, JT, is the main cog for this team because he produces no matter what condition Petey is in, but a healthy Petey against Edmonton, could have won that series without Demko.

5. That DeBrusk guy.

Remember when everyone was saying that Guentzel was the piece to put the Canucks over the top. Me neither. The other Jake is who we got and he might be a cheaper version of Guentzel, who could put up 30+, playing with Petey. In my mind, I see a Sprong/Petey/Debrusk line, with each of them scoring 30+. (I am greedy like that). Hopefully Jake brings some of that annoying Boston swagger and douchebaggery to keep people honest around Petey. For the Canucks to have three lines that score, then Jake has to put up numbers for the 2^nd line to score.

6. That October schedule

Ever heard the adage, “Win 50 games, win a prize!” Well, the prize the Canucks got was a shitty schedule to open the year. 7 games against Eastern teams, including 2 against Philly, one against Pitt, TB, New Jersey and Carolina. The Canucks are straight into the fire to start the year, and I really am hoping for a .500 or better start. Watch them lose to Chicago.

The Canucks are more of an enigma to predict this year than last. Last year they were supposed to be a shit show on certain days and played far better than anyone predicted. This year, do we hold them to that level, knowing Demko is not healthy, that the defense and offense has new parts….or do we downplay the success and dream of realistic scenarios. The Eeyore in me sees doom and gloom and hopes we can make it into the playoffs with no injures.

Summer is over! Too soon, sure, because nucking conspiracy analysts aren't finished with vital speculation.

How are you, NM hangers-on and narydowells?

Thanks for asking. We're doing great. We're barely seven months away from meaningful hockey. Let's get ready for it! Mid-May drinking binges can arrive sooner than expected.

There's a new(ish) sorta roster... but 1st we need to discuss worry about the old guys.

OLD INJURIES WORRIES

#1 WORRY

Demmers! What the heck happened to Demko? We don't know. Nucks HQ doesn't know. Thatcher doesn't know. No, really. He's a unique player. Now with a unique injury, never seen in the NHL.

Watch his revealing presser.

No firm timeline for a return. We're fine with that. It's not May. Yet.

#2 WORRY

Super Pete. Can he compete over 82 games + 16 more? We don't know. Yet. But Pete does.

Well... that's a relief. No ongoing $92M worries. Right? Right?

#3 WORRY

Brock. Will he or won't he? Score 50... or get resigned? Or stay away from BC Faeries? We don't know. That's why they have to play 82 meaningless meaningful games until we know for sure.

NEW WORRIES

#1 WORRIE-D

Vincent Desharnais has taken over from Zav. Those are some big skates to fill. How will he do? So far, great! Great presser presence and flattering his new team in almost every sentence. That's good.

#2 WORRY

Lekkerimäki is on the roster. So far. Can he be the new superswede rookie, like EP was? We hope so. At NM, pre-season hope springs infernal.

#3 WORRY

This isn't so much a worry as concern. Not so much concern, as whose wing will he play on? Jake DeBrusk was sought and paid for to be slotted-in on Pete's wing... even tho his style might be better on JT's line. Going to be fun to watch what happens. Fun, with a twist of angst and concerned worry.

WHAT ELSE?

What are some of our other concerns... or pre-season panics? Well.... the best 3rd line in hockey won't be available to start the season. Josh was diagnosed with ball cancer, FFS! We knew from last season he has big balls, but BC Faeries never miss a chance to kick us in the nuts. As well, resigned Teddy got injured over the summer - some say at one of Westy's crazy ice beach parties. That's not good news.

We need a pep talk. Already? Yes, we do. A Taco Talk can fix everything.

Staircasing? That's encouraging, right? The flipping noisy machinery drowning out Taco's wise words always bodes well.

What are your biggest concerns? Let's find out.

The Cup has been raised.

The draft has occurred.

The big free agents have been signed.

And yet, there are still over two and a half months left until the puck drops on the 2024-25 season.

I give GMPA props for addressing some of the concerns that most of us had at the end of the season, but questions still remain about this team and if they have the pieces necessary to get past the second round.

Question #1: Is Demko going to be healthy for the start of the year?

Demko’s absence was the issue the Canucks didn’t get out of the 2^nd round. One or two more saves and the Canucks may have had a shot at the Cup. Over the past 5 years, Demko has had 2 knee issues specifically and 2 more “lower body” issues. For this team to be a real contender, they need a healthy Demko. I will add this, one more major lower body injury, and I do believe that the Canucks might not be so eager to sign that next contract that is coming up is fast.

Question #2: Did the Canucks really address 2^nd line scoring?

Line one: Boeser-Miller-?

Line two: DeBrusk-Petey-?

Line three: Garland-Bluegar-Joshua

Line four: Sprong-Suter-?

That leaves Heinen, Sherwood, Hogs, Podz, Aman and PDG, to be slotted in or shipped down…or shipped out. Now, I am not sure about the pairings I have up there either, but I think you keep Brock/JT together and therefore Petey gets the new guy. A guy with some touch and toughness and hopefully the two of them can find a little speed. Maybe Sprong and Heinen get a chance with the top lines to see if they can bring some more goals, since both have had season around 20 goals.

Question #3: Is the defense as good as last year’s?

Short answer….look at question number one. If we actually look at the defensemen, I don’t think so. It’s not a big difference but I think GMPA would love to have a better 2^nd pairing. Right now there are a bunch of 3^rd pairing guys who will have to step it up. I think the forwards might be better defensively this year and it may make a guy like Soucy look better than he is on the 2^nd pairing.

Question #4: Is Boeser here for the full year?

Boeser hit the promised land last year with 40 goals and he was one of the best Canucks in the playoffs before taking that slapshot in the leg. The 27-year-old has always been trade bait before last year, and so the question becomes, “Do you believe that Brock can hit 30+ goals for the next 3-4 years?” Do you believe it enough that he should get a 5-7 year contract? I fear what the asking price is right now and heaven forbid if he has 20 goals by Christmas. If the Canucks are nearly as good as they were last year and Brock gets his goals, GMPA may have no choice but to sign him to 6-7 years at $8 million/yr. Or you trade him for a 1^st rounder or 2.

Question #5: Is Petey Healthy?

There seemed to be some disagreement between Petey and the Canucks over his health after the locker cleanout press conference. Petey said he had some knee/leg issues after the All-star break and the Canucks said, “Excuse me?...since when did you tell us?”. We can all agree that Petey played like crap for the 2^nd half and in the playoffs and him being injured was the logical conclusion. The Canucks and Taco always denied that Petey was hurt, when asked during the season, so maybe Petey is to blame. He didn’t talk to the Canucks before the contract got signed and then kept playing with the injury so the Canucks didn’t think he screwed them over. Sounds like a perfect relationship. Anywhose….I really hope that Petey is able to get his shit together so he can skate faster than a labradoodle.

Question #6: Will Hogs get traded?

I think the quick answer is yes. Nils is in his last year of RFA and while he scored 24 goals for the team last year….he might be the chip that gets a draft pick or two back for this team, who didn’t really have any value picks this year. If we look at Hogs scoring, you’ll see that he got most of his goals with Petey as a linemate, but his assist total was dismal. Hard to be a top 6 forward if you can’t create for others.

I am sure you have lots of questions as well….go ahead….ask them in the comments. We might answer them….I’m sure we will….in some sort of manner which includes sarcasm.

MIKI GOES WIND CITY - JOSH GETS MIKI'S MONEY - MYERS KEEPS HIS SUMMER COTTAGE

We're in the home stretch as GM PA stretches Frannie's money to resign, refill the Nucking roster.

In case you missed the big numbers on the spiffy splash image, here's what's been spent on who so far:

H58 - Ronnie gets his big payday (so last week). $7.25M for 8 years. Will that big deal age well? Will Ronnie?

J13 - Josh gets a big raise. $3.25 AAV for 4 years. The Best 3rd Line in Hockey Reunited! Better than Lindy 3rd line center? We hope so... cause...

B3.6 - Blueger is back to centering the Best 3rd Line in Hockey at $1.8M AAV for 2 years. At least we have one* penalty killer resigned, so that's good.
*_{Technically two, since Josh is great on the PK, but cranky NM narrative requirements.}

M9 - Myers resigned to $3M AAV for 3 years. Some say that's a discount. Still... enough slush funds to cover miscellaneous skidoo, firefighting and OK Valley cottage upkeep. Feels good to know Chaos Giraffe will be here for another 3 years of NM gamethread gripes and groans. Until the playoffs where we will let him crush the stats and opposition. Possibly.

F.775 - Friedman returns on a cap friendly happy* deal to as the 8th - 9th D or Pete's new 1st line winger. _{(*only a few more days to use the phrase cap friendly, so might as well get used to the new term)}

MEET THE 2024 NORRIS TROPHY WINNER!

Our 92 point man! Our Huggie. Hugging the wee little trophy. NHL must be a cap-limited trophy league.

Watch this space for further updates and stuff. Mainly sarcastic stuff. We could leave that to Zav... if he comes back. If he doesn't then we're back to our own cranky NM banter.

UPDATE: Back to our own snarky banter. Zav ain't coming back.

“And as of today, it appears we couldn’t go any further with Nikita Zadorov and he will test the free agency market. For us, it's just not about each individual. It's about getting a team that is competitive and fitting the puzzles [pieces] in. So that's the direction that Nikita has decided to go, and we did our best, and we couldn't go any further.” 

- Alvin

DRAFTY

Round 1

1. Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, F, Boston University (NCAA)
2. Blackhawks: Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State (NCAA)
3. Ducks: Beckett Sennecke, F, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
4. Blue Jackets: Cayden Lindstrom, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
5. Canadiens: Ivan Demidov, F, SKA St. Petersburg (MHL)
6. Utah Hockey Club: Tij Iginla, F, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
7. Senators: Carter Yakemchuk, D, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
8. Kraken: Berkly Catton, F, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
9. Flames: Zayne Parekh, D, Saginaw Spirit (OHL) - Cowtown misses out on getting another Iginla...
10. Devils: Anton Silayev, D, Torpedo (KHL)
11. Sharks (from Sabres): Sam Dickinson, D, London Knights (OHL)
12. Wild (from Flyers): Zeev Buium, D, Denver (NCAA)
13. Flyers (from Wild): Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph Storm (OHL)
14. Sabres (from Sharks via Penguins): Konsta Helenius, F, Jukurit (Liiga)
15. Red Wings: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, F, Mora (Allsvenskan)
16. Blues: Adam Jiricek, D, Plzen HC (Czech)
17. Capitals: Terik Parascak, F, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
18. Blackhawks (from Islanders): Sacha Boisvert, F, Muskegon (USHL)
19. Golden Knights: Trevor Connelly, F, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
20. Islanders (from Lightning via Blackhawks): Cole Eiserman, F, USNTDP
21. Canadiens: Michael Hage, F, Chicago Steel (USHL)
22. Predators: Yegor Surin, F, Yaroslavl (KHL-MHL)
23. Ducks (from Maple Leafs): Stian Solberg, D, Valerenga (Norway)
24. Utah Hockey Club (from Avalanche): Cole Beaudoin, F, Barrie Colts
25. Bruins: Dean Letourneau, C, St. Andrew’s College
26. Kings (from Canadiens via Jets): Liam Greentree, F, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
27. Blackhawks (Hurricanes): Marek Vanacker, LW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
28. Flames (from Canucks): Matvei Gridin, F, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
29. Stars: Emil Hemming, F, TPS Turku (Liiga)
30. Rangers: EJ Emery, D, USNTDP
31. Maple Leafs (from Ducks via Oilers): Ben Danford, D, Oshawa (OHL)
32. Oilers (from Flyers via Panthers): Sam O’Reilly, F, London Knights (OHL)

...... some stuff happens.... and finally...

Round 3

93rd Overall - Canucks select Melvin Fernström from Örebro HK J20 - 6'1", 188 pounds, Fernström is a right winger who had 63 points in 45 games in the J20 Nationell.

Round 4

125. Canucks: Riley Patterson, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Round 6

162. Canucks (from Sharks): Anthony Romani, F, North Bay Battalion (OHL)

189. Canucks: Parker Alcos, D, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Round 7

221. Canucks: Basile Sansonnens, D, Gottéron (U20-Elit)

The Canucks are now in offseason mode and GMPA has to make some crucial decisions with remaking this team for next year. Some of this years free agents were very important pieces to changing this teams identity and some can just move on. We are here to tell you our uneducated thoughts on this and give a clue as to how we would spend Franny's money. I mean besides buying alcohol. I know this sounds easy in theory, but remember that each had a role to play in this very successful season and it might not be easy to replace their actual value on the ice....but that is for another post.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Teddy Bluegar, Dakota Joshua, Elias Lindholm, Sam Lafferty, Ian Cole, Mark Friedman, Tyler Myers, Nikita Zadorov, Casey DeSmith

Westy

Priority #1 - Nikita Zadorov for me. The disappearance of Filip Hronek highlighted the importance of Nikita. His physical presence and steadiness on the back end was crucial for the second half of the year and the playoffs. It was nice having a big defensive core to keep players to the outside. Nikita has earned his raise....I hope he really wants to stay in Vancouver. 5 years at 5.7 million/yr.

Priority #2 - Dakota Joshua was a fourth liner would ended up on the 2nd line many times throughout the year. The speed, physicality and surprisingly the hands that led to 18 goals in the regular season is enough to catapult his salary from $825000 to a lot more. I think there might be a bidding war for Joshua, so Allvin is going to have to make his case early and sell the idea that this team will have the pieces to go farther next year. Joshua doesn't have the numbers to get term and length, so he might get a bit more for shorter length or Allvin makes a offer for length at a discount. 4 years at $3.5 million/yr

Priority #3 - Tyler Myers wants to stay in Vancouver and Tocchet has found a way to get him with the right partners at the right times. Myers is now a 3rd pairing guy who can play 2nd line minutes when needed. After the Benning 6x6 contract, the reality of being 34 is that Myers shouldn't make more than $3 million a year. So......2 years @ $3 million/yr

Priority #4 - Teddy Bluegar matched his career high of 28 points this year, but I don't think any team views him as a great 3rd line player who can get 40 points +. Teddy is a good penalty killer who found a spark with Joshua and Garland. He is a piece that is needed...for the right price. 2 years @ 2.1 million

The Rest:

Elias Lindholm can take a walk. He has to be looking for $6 million+ for at least 5 years. No thanks

Casey DeSmith was great this year.....Arturs Silvos is here to stay. Bye Casey.

Ian Cole is no longer worth $3 million a year. If he wants $2 million...sure, sign him.

Mark Friedman at $800,000 a year is ok.

If GMPA can re-sign Arturs Silvos to a 3 year deal for $1.2 million a year, that leaves just under $8 million in cap space. I personally think that Hronek should be traded for picks or a winger that can score. Free agents will be available to fill a defense or winger spot. Let the fun begin in July.

jimmi

Priority #1: I'm with Westy. Zav is the priority signing for all the important reasons listed above. And because he has the wit and sarcasm to survive a NM playoff thread.

"How much you think I should be making?" Zav asked a reporter, "You gotta stop listening to the Edmonton reporters" - His quotes are gold, nay, priceless. But we can't afford that. I know he wants to stay in Vancouver, unlike Ronnie and a few others, so expect he'll be happy to sign for 5 years at $5M per.

Priority #2: Going off label, the Westy label and say that Myers should be the #2 priority. I know that sounds weird, but this season with the Taco structure, he's logged alot of minutes, many outside his summer cottage. Was a +16 in the regular and +1 in the playoffs. He's already had his big payday, at 34 expect he wants to stay close to his actual summer cottage in the OK valley. Might sign for 2 years at $2.5M just to cover miscellaneous jetski and firefighting expenses.

Priority #3: Be nice to sign Josh to a contract that pays him what he's worth. But we can't afford that. He provided amazing value this past season. PA needs to find a younger version of Josh for under $1M, because some team is going to overpay as much as we underpaid him this season.

Priority #4: Resign Teddy. He was a valuable addition to the PK. And drove the 'Best 3rd Line In Hockey' most of the season. Unfortunately, another bottom six player that wants to get overpaid - likely somewhere else.

The Rest:

Basically in full alignment with Westy. Savour the moment. Likely won't happen until the parade planning sessions next spring.

Elias Lindholm can take a walk hike. $6 million for at least 5 years? Hilariously unaffordable!

DeSmith was a wonderful backup this year season.....Arturs Silvos is here to stay. Au Revoir Casey.

Ian Cole is no longer worth $3 million a year. If he wants $2 million $1.2M then maybe, sign him. Maybe the Oil will cover half his contract

Mark Friedman at $800,000 a year is good deal for a good guy.

Lafferty wasn't mentioned by Westy. So I will. Sam Lafferty had 24 points and a +4 in the regular. 0 points in the playoffs and a -2. His contract was $1.5M. Will he expect a raise? If so, then no. He's 29 and his role could be filled by younger, cheaper players from Abby. Ageism is rampant in the NHL. Sorry.

Ronnie wants too much term and USD to even consider... already turned down $56M from Frannie's slush fund. Trade him for picks, perks, wingers, dingers and centers. There was talk, cheap talk it should be noted, the Nucks talked to the Canes about Necas for Ronnie. Probably not so cheap now that Necas is lighting up the worlds. Or maybe it was Necas and picks for Pete. Doesn't matter now.

Looking forward to July? Me neither. Stupid hot and only hot talk, to get us through the sunburn season.

---

TOTAL DEMOCRATIC GENERAL MANAGING

Because the Nucks Hockey Ops braintrust takes the advise of NM with a dose of WTF and stronger, we can help JR/PA navigate this tricky time of the off season.

The first round is over and Kent was the big winner, as he chose every series winner in the first round of the west. I want what he is drinking

Dallas Stars (1C) vs. Colorado Avalanche (3C)

Game 1: Avalanche at Stars -- May 7, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN, SN360, TVAS)
Game 2: Avalanche at Stars -- May 9, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT, MAX, truTV, SN, SN360, TVAS)
Game 3: Stars at Avalanche -- May 11, 10 p.m. ET (TNT, MAX, truTV, SN, SN1, TVAS)
Game 4: Stars at Avalanche -- May 13, TBD (ESPN, TVAS)
+ Game 5: Avalanche at Stars -- May 15, TBD (TBD)
+ Game 6: Stars at Avalanche -- May 17, TBD (TBD)
+ Game 7: Avalanche at Stars -- May 19, TBD (TBD)

Westy - I didn't pick any of these teams to make it to this round. You can tell what type of expert I am. I really hope that Dallas can keep up with the firepower of Colorado and after beating Vegas, maybe they can. If I am a true believer, I want the Stars to win, as the Canucks don't have a shot to beat Colorado. I said it. Unfortunately, years of cheering the Canucks and hoping for the best led me to choosing this....Avs in 6

jimmi - Well... I did pick the Stars to beat the Long Term Indebted Knights in 6 games. Fortunately they stretched it to 7, to give us and the Nucks and extra day of rest. Unfortunately, I need a few weeks of rest and my hindsight field glasses to definitively pick this tilt. This could be an interesting series. If it wasn't about central div teams that I dinna care about until Round 3. In that spirit of ambivalence, going to say the Avs are too well rested and Stars are just beat up enough to win in 7 to 9 games... so Stars in 7, because it would be nice to see Gumby back in the ROG getting beat once again.

Kent- No surprise at all to see these two teams battling it out for the Central crown, and while it's definitely going to be a close series, I feel like one team has some advantages over the other, and that would be them thar Dallas Stars. Marginally better goaltending, and better depth overall for the Stars should help them to win out over the firepower of the Avs here. Colorado's still in their window, but it feels like they're in need of a couple upgrades to get back to the finals. Stars in 7

Vancouver Canucks (1P) vs. Edmonton Oilers (2P)

Game 1: Oilers at Canucks -- May 8, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN, SN360, CBC, TVAS)
Game 2: Oilers at Canucks -- May 10, 10 p.m. ET (TNT, MAX, truTV, SN, SN360, CBC, TVAS)
Game 3: Canucks at Oilers -- May 12, 9:30 p.m. ET (TBS, MAX, truTV, SN, SN360, TVAS)
Game 4: Canucks at Oilers -- May 14, TBD (ESPN, TVAS)
+ Game 5: Oilers at Canucks -- May 16, TBD (TBD)
+ Game 6: Canucks at Oilers -- May 18, TBD (TBD)
+ Game 7: Oilers at Canucks -- May 20, TBD (TBD)

Westy -

The Canucks were 4-0 vs Edmonton, scoring 21 goals vs Edmonton's 7. The Canucks won the division.

And yet.....the Canucks are not the favorites with the writers or the betting sites.

Underdog is a good role to have.

— Nucks Misconduct (@nucksmisconduct) May 5, 2024

Such a weird narrative to occur from the actual results from the year. The Oilers did suck at the start of the year and then changed coaches and had a long winning streak, like Nashville, so I guess that's enough for the pundits to see for them to choose Edmonton. I do realize that the Oilers have a 50-goal scorer and two 100-point scorers, plus a deadly PP and good PK....but fuck Edmonton. They are perennial chokers. The Canucks need to stay out of the box and play the boring style of hockey and pounce on mistakes. Van in 7

jimmi - This series is going to fun! It is! We're right back where we've been so comfortable for so long. The Underdog team. Sure, we may have won the division, but now that we're playing our 3rd goalie and 5th (or is it 6th) narrative, all the pressure is back on the tOilers. Where it belongs. All the 'experts' are picking the Oil to win. Just like they picked them to win right at the start of the season. Be hilarious if the Nucks could bookend the season...

There's only a couple things the Nucks need to do to win the series. Score moar goals! And not do. DO NOT take stupid penalties. Or any penalties. The other thing is... Millsie, Lindy, Bluesey and our Big-D need to hound, frustrate and pound McD, his DrySadler and his Hyman maneuver. If those uberistas are frustrated, Pete can compete with 3 to 5 points a game. Simple.

With that simple formula in place, it will simply be the Nucks in 7. Hockey is a simple game, with simple plays to entertain the simpleminded.

Kent- Oh, the toxicity! *makes wanking gesture* I think the most overrated thing about this matchup is the fan bases. Seriously, who gives a shit about whose fans are worse, like every fan base isn't filled with obnoxious online assholes you'd cross the street to avoid acknowledging? So much bandwidth is being pumped into talking how awful Canucks and Oilers fans are, and the majority of it comes from the rest of the country who find themselves having to take Boston Pizza's horrible ad campaign's advice and pick a team to cheer for. Here's my advice: Don't like the Canucks or Oilers? Cry harder. Seriously, after the shit people spewed in 2011 (and since), I couldn't possibly care less about what other fan bases have to say, especially when it comes to the Canucks. Pick the Oilers to win. Some might get upset about that. I'll just add you to the list of those who were made to look foolish for thinking this was all some kind of fluke.

So, what's this going to boil down to: the Canucks needing a miracle to somehow beat a year-long Cup favourite, or do the Canucks really have the Oilers number, as they showed during the regular season? I'm not gonna troll and say that the Oilers didn't look impressive against LA, but at the same time, LA's game plan was so easily countered by Edmonton, it's a shock they didn't sweep. The Kings weren't the tough opponent everyone thought, and the Oilers showed that.

The Canucks will need some miraculous work in the crease from Arturs Silovs, and they'll need their defensive corps to continue the strong work they did against Nashville. They were outstanding against McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins and Hyman this year, and this team's defensive mindset was built to counter the Oilers and their attack. They must get more offensively from damn near everyone on this team, but since we don't expect the Oilers to trap the shit out of every game the way Nashville did, expect more scoring. Also, Stuart Skinner may be a good story, and a decent enough goalie, but he's not Juuse Saros. If the Canucks vastly improved PK can keep the Oilers relatively in check, they can pull off the (slight) upset. I think it's a coin toss, honestly, but I believe that Cinderella's time at the dance is far from done. Canucks in 7

Round 1 isn't done yet, but Round 2 is already starting....wait what?

Round one predictions went like this:

	NYR/ Wash	Car/ NYI	Fla/ TB	Bos/ Tor
Jimmi	NYR in 5	Car in 6	TB in 7	Bos in 7
Westy	NYR in 5	Car in 5	Fla in 6	Bos in 6
Kent	NYR in 7	Car in 5	Fla in 7	Tor in 7

 

Boston vs Florida

Monday, May 6	8 p.m.	Boston at Florida	ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS
Wednesday, May 8	TBD	Boston at Florida	ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS
Friday, May 10	TBD	Florida at Boston	TNT, MAX, truTV, SN, CBC, TVAS
Sunday, May 12	TBD	Florida at Boston	TBS, MAX, truTV, SN, TVAS
*Tuesday, May 14	TBD	Boston at Florida	TBD
*Friday, May 17	TBD	Florida at Boston	TBD
*Sunday, May 19	TBD	Boston at Florida	TBD

Westy - The Panthers have been out sunning themselves for quite a few days, while the Bruins were lucky to survive this series. Things are not going to be any easier for the Bruins…in fact, there are in serious trouble. But…but, Westy, the Bruins won all four games this year against the Cats? The playoffs are a different beast. The Bruins are coming in this series looking old and slow and the Cats have confidence from not only beating Tampa quite easily, but because they beat the Bruins last year. If the Bruins can get a little rest, they might make a series of this. Florida in 7

jimmi - They're still playing out east.. er... west? Jeez... what a weird league. Anyhow, despite the new uni, Boourns are not going  to keep playing for much longer. Especially when 18 year old Sam Bennett returns to flip flop hockey. With whatever sand hockey drugs Lu is pushing on SoBeach ice, expect Cats in 5.

 Kent - Now that the annual humiliation of the Leafs is over with, we can get down the cold hard truth: the Bruins aren't as good as anyone thinks, and could have easily been on the other side of that Game Seven outcome. Florida is ready to push for another run at their first Cup, and I don't feel like Boston's the team that's gonna stop that in it's tracks. Florida in 6

NY Rangers vs Carolina

Sunday, May 5	4 p.m.	Carolina at NY Rangers	ESPN, SN, TVAS
Tuesday, May 7	TBD	Carolina at NY Rangers	ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS
Thursday, May 9	TBD	NY Rangers at Carolina	TNT, MAX, truTV, SN, CBC, TVAS
Saturday, May 11	TBD	NY Rangers at Carolina	TNT, MAX, truTV, SN, CBC, TVAS
*Monday, May 13	TBD	Carolina at NY Rangers	TBD
*Thursday, May 16	TBD	NY Rangers at Carolina	TBD
*Saturday, May 18	TBD	Carolina at NY Rangers	TBD

Westy – This is a tougher series to call as the season series was 2-1 in favor of the Rags, but the one game they lost was a blowout. The two teams had a relatively easy series to start, so they should be good to go. Both goalies are top notch and this series will probably be determined by a goal each game. Both teams have top 3 special teams, so this will be a great battle and a coin flip. Rangers in 7

jimmi - If there was a series where I'd prefer both teams lose this would be it. Except for a bunch in the 1st round... but it's still the 1st round in some places. Or one place. Weird, weird league. We know some at NM, will be rooting for the Rags, eh, Yankee. As much as I'd like to see Rempe getting a 100 game ban for laying out Upchuck, I expect our (almost) Guentzel will be the difference-maker - dammit! (despite not being a difference-maker in Round 1. He's saving his magic for Round 2, just like Pete. He is, isn't he?) This means by random disconnected logic, Canes in 6. Dammit. Then again, it could be Rags in 6 - probably will and I still couldn't care less. 

Kent- The Rangers are good. Not great, but good. We saw the Canucks play them twice this season and the Rangers had to get officiating help to get an OT win in the first meeting before getting embarrassed on home ice in the second meeting. One thing I do know: they're better than Carolina. I don't know how Carolina has as much success as they do, but they always seem to be hanging around. They'll have their hands full with a Rangers team that has a lot of weapons and a clear advantage in goal. Rangers in 6