[Article] Canucks prospects: Bains hits another level, battle heats up in the Abbotsford crease

[RWJC]

Canucks prospects: Bains hits another level, battle heats up in the Abbotsford crease

 

It’s the latest edition of the prospects tracker, where we tally up the efforts of the Vancouver Canucks’ highest profile prospects:

 

Arshdeep Bains

 

Tearing up the WHL as a 20-year-old is one thing.

 

Doing the same in the pros two years later is something else.

 

Eight games into the AHL season, Arshdeep Bains leads the league in points with 13 (3G, 10A) as the Abbotsford Canucks Winger’s evolving game reaches new heights.

 

Bains, 22, has nine points in his last five games, including a three-point (1G, 2A), first-star effort in a 5-2 win over the San Diego Gulls on Friday.

For the Surrey product, the difference between junior and professional success is in the details.

 

Bains, who piled up 112 points (43G, 69A) with the Red Deer Rebels during the 2021/22 season, has completely revamped his game.

 

Bains was always a gifted scorer with elusive skating and above-average vision, then-head coach of the Rebels and former NHLer Steve Konowalchuk told the prospects tracker last April, but work needed to be put in away from the puck in order for the 6-foot, 183-pound forward to make the next step.

 

“That, to me, is a part of his game he’s going to need to carry on to the next level, the tenacity, finishing checks in the American League so he has the puck more at that level,” said Konowalchuk.

 

Bains has not only received the message from the Canucks since he was signed last spring, he was the one chosen by the organization to speak to the rest of the prospects in development camp this past summer, Abbotsford general manager Ryan Johnson told CHEK-TV’s Donnie and Dhali show on Friday.

 

“It’s incredible for a young man to make a decision, with the support of our staff … to revamp his game essentially after dominating the CHL,” said Johnson.

 

“The message with Arshdeep was we wanted to basically strip down his game and build him back up before he even played a game in pro hockey.”

The idea was to not limit Bains’ offensive production, but to accentuate by developing a game more suited to the rigours of professional hockey. That meant “getting a lot of the junior habits out of his game and develop an all-around game, a forecheck into his game, responsibility in the D-zone, his wall play — all of those things that he bought into.”

 

The results are a player who is a fixture on the penalty kill — as well as the power play — and is among the most-trusted of coach Jeremy Colliton’s charges.

 

To watch Bains away from the puck these days is to watch a man on a mission. Aside from the obvious skills and vision with the puck, he hustles, is constantly in position to make a disruptive play and doesn’t shy away from physical play away from the puck.

 

Bains may even have to dial it down at times, being penalized three times in the Canucks’ home opener last week as he backchecked and battled a gritty Calgary Wranglers side.

 

And Bains’ playmaking ability cannot be understated. Seemingly playing with eyes in the back of his head, Bains can throw a no-look spinning pass with the best of them, as he did in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the red-hot Ontario Reign to set up centre Sheldon Dries for the Canucks’ opening goal.

 

To start last season, he was a nice story for the locals: a skilled hometown kid who signed with the team he cheered for growing up.

This season, the conversation has changed. Bains is a legitimate call-up option for a new-look Vancouver team where being a passenger is no longer an option.

 

“He’s putting himself in the conversation to get an opportunity to play in the NHL here,” said Johnson.

The Abbotsford Canucks are 5-2-1-0 and in second place in the 10-team Pacific Division.

 

 

 

Arturs Silovs vs. Nikita Tolopilo

 

One of them has a solid 2-1 record and one of the better save percentages in the league.

 

The other is the presumed starter.

 

After earning accolades last season as the AHL player of the month for February, becoming the IIHF World Championship MVP this past summer — with a respectable 3-2 showing in Vancouver sandwiched in between — this season was supposed to be the Arty Party in the Abbotsford crease.

Instead, a giant Belarusian is too busy stopping the puck to notice what the other guy is doing.

 

“I don’t really think about other goalies, honestly, I just try to focus on myself and do my best every day, every game,” backup goaltender Nikita Tolopilo told Abbotsford play-by-play man Brandon Astle in an interview on Tuesday. “But I think our relationship is pretty good, both of us try to bring something to the team and of course we compete for a spot.”

 

That competition is quickly heating up as Tolopilo, 23, was sensational in his second start on Tuesday, a 2-1 overtime win over the Colorado Eagles in which the 6-foot-6 goaltender stopped 34 of 35 shots en route to a first-star performance.

 

Tolopilo had to be good early in Tuesday’s triumph. The Eagles fired 10 shots at the Abbotsford net in the first six minutes of the game and Tolopilo had to make a top-notch save with his left pad on a point blank chance later in the period. He even made a save with centre Sheldon Dries’ stick, after losing his moments earlier in a scramble in front.

 

The win follows an impressive victory in his debut two weeks ago, where Tolopilo stopped 41 of 44 shots in a 4-3 win at Laval.

 

The Canucks expected Tolopilo to be good when they signed him this past off-season. The Minsk product was the best goalie in Sweden’s second-tier Allsvenskan last season, posting 2.10 goals-against-average and a .910 save percentage.

 

He was courted by the organization, with Canucks scout Mikael Samuelsson knowing the player from his time spent as Sodertalje’s general manager.

 

But it was ultimately goalie coach Ian Clark’s philosophy and the tutelage of his staff that ultimately landed the free agent.

 

Tolopilo’s philosophy is simple: “Just stop the puck,” he said.

 

“Simple. Just try to play calm and give confidence. Not only for myself, but for the team that they say ‘OK, this guy can help us.”

 

Silovs, meanwhile, has been no slouch to start the season, but his numbers aren’t adding up the way they did last campaign.

 

The 22-year-old Latvian has gone 3-1-1 with a 3.63 GAA and a .882 save percentage, although he has only given up two goals in each of his last two starts, both wins.

 

You do wonder what effect a 10-0 clobbering against a loaded Calgary Flames side in a Sept. 24 NHL pre-season game had on Silovs’ psyche, who was pulled after giving up seven goals on 18 shots — many of which he had no chance on in front of an overmatched team of prospects.

 

After giving up a weak goal in a 5-2 win on Wednesday night — the same game in which winger Vasily Podkolzin was hospitalized on a questionable hit along the boards — Silovs took matters into his own hands, skating out of his crease and sending a long-bomb pass to a streaking Linus Karlsson for a pretty primary assist.

 

As for Tolopilo, he was good but not great in Sunday’s 5-3 loss in Ontario, giving up goals on two deflections, as well as on a point blank opportunity to lose his first game of the season.

The calm yet colourful character says he’ll continue his routine of waking up, going to the rink and maybe catching dinner with “the Russians” before doing it all over again the next day.

“It’s nothing yet. I just do my job. I try to do it the best as I can.”

 

 

Jonathan Lekkerimaki

 

We’re running out of ways to describe just how good Jonathan Lekkerimaki has been this season.

The Canucks’ 15th overall pick in 2022 scored another goal this past week — his eighth of the young SHL season — and this one was the most impressive of the bunch.

 

Lekkerimaki scored his wunder-goal in Saturday’s 3-1 loss against Frolunda, with the dynamic 5-foot-11, 172-pound right-shot forward taking the puck at centre ice and doing the rest, making a gorgeous move to his backhand around a defender then finishing on his forehand to send the Orebro crowd into orbit.

 

Lekkerimaki finished the game with two shots on goal in over 20 minutes of ice time as the 19-year-old blue-chip prospect sheds the bust label from last year.

 

The way this is going, there’ll be no leaving Lekkerimaki off the list of top prospects not playing in the NHL anymore once this campaign is over.

The Huddinge native — with his quick feet, quick hands and laser-like shot — leads the SHL with eight goals in 14 games.

 

 

Hunter Brzustewicz

 

Hunter Brzustewicz has played in 13 games for the Kitchener Rangers this season.

 

The right-shot defenceman has at least a point in all of them, other than the season opener a few weeks ago.

You do the math on just how explosive the 18-year-old has been from the blue-line this season.

 

Brzustewicz, 18, continues to lead the OHL in points with 25 (5G, 20A) after registering five assists in three games this past week.

 

The Canucks’ 2023 third-rounder’s best game was a three-assist effort in a 5-4 overtime win against the Erie Otters on Friday.

 

His worst? A 5-3 loss to the high-powered Owen Sound Attack in which Brzustewicz managed an assist but went a minus-3 in the loss.

 

Still, the 6-foot, 190-pound smooth-skating D-man has been a revelation this season and surely has an inside track to make Team USA at the World Juniors in Sweden starting on Boxing Day.

 

 

Sawyer Mynio

 

Back into the lineup and straight into the pressure cooker.

 

After a three week absence due to injury, left-shot defenceman Sawyer Mynio rattled off five games this past week for the Seattle Thunderbirds, even scoring a goal and adding an assist in his first game back last Sunday in a 6-2 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings.

 

“The puck went to (Eric) Alarie and I went to an open area. He found me with a nice pass. Lots of traffic in front of the net. I got it through, and it went in,” Mynio, 18, said post-game.

“I felt really good after missing three weeks. It felt really good to be back on the ice with the guys.”

 

Mynio, a 6-foot-1, 172-pound D-man the Canucks took in the third round this past summer and promptly signed to an entry-level deal after showing well at training camp, is a capable defender who skates well and can eliminate forecheckers on the rush.

The Kamloops native is skating on the Thunderbirds’ top pairing this season and has four points (1G, 3A) and a plus-1 rating in six games this season…

 

mraptis@postmedia.com

twitter.com/mike_raptis

 

link to rest of article:

https://apple.news/AOpvHinMvTuKQym4uA0ppbQ

Edited October 30, 2023 by RWJC

[Riddikulus]

I will admit that I did not take Bains seriously as a prospect and the kid is proving me wrong, just a phenomenal start to his pro career. Lekkerimaki is having a better season than even his biggest proponents could have hoped for. Brzustewicz has truly been a revelation and looks like an absolute steal. Its amazing what Alvin and co. have done to our prospect pool in this short amount of time and with the limited draft capital they have had. 

[Sophomore Jinx]

- It's obvious that Bains wants it bad, and he's bought in to what's been asked of him, and most importantly he is coachable, which I believe is serving him well.

 

- I am rooting for this kid so much, I love seeing hard work pay dividends, and I am looking forward to him reaching the pinnacle of pro hockey soon.

 

- Glad to see Lekker is making strides (NPI), I was a bit on the fence with him but he's looking great, can't complain at all

 

- Brzustewicz might be the best 3rd pick in recent history, man this kid can play.

 

- As for Silovs/Tolopilo, what a nice problem to have when the backup is outshining the "starter"....both have high ceilings, especially Silovs, not counting him out yet haha

[PureQuickness]

3 hours ago, Riddikulus said:

I will admit that I did not take Bains seriously as a prospect and the kid is proving me wrong, just a phenomenal start to his pro career. Lekkerimaki is having a better season than even his biggest proponents could have hoped for. Brzustewicz has truly been a revelation and looks like an absolute steal. Its amazing what Alvin and co. have done to our prospect pool in this short amount of time and with the limited draft capital they have had. 

 

Don't worry. You are not alone. Bains has been a FANTASTIC free agent college signing. In fact, this new management, despite its faults, has been MONEY when it comes to free agent/pro scouting signings (i.e. Kuzmenko etc). Drafting so far (limited evidence) has been good/very good. Hunter as you said might be better than what we had drafted in recent memory. I thought Rathbone was an amazing pick at the time, but it's sad to see that he didn't pan out at all. Moreover, D-Pettersson is also a non-first round pick that is amazing.

 

I don't always like new management as i had criticized them for their decisions (Rachel Doerrie for instance was an absolute FLUB), but it looks like they are doing better now.

[Ghostsof1915]

7 hours ago, PureQuickness said:

 

Don't worry. You are not alone. Bains has been a FANTASTIC free agent college signing. In fact, this new management, despite its faults, has been MONEY when it comes to free agent/pro scouting signings (i.e. Kuzmenko etc). Drafting so far (limited evidence) has been good/very good. Hunter as you said might be better than what we had drafted in recent memory. I thought Rathbone was an amazing pick at the time, but it's sad to see that he didn't pan out at all. Moreover, D-Pettersson is also a non-first round pick that is amazing.

 

I don't always like new management as i had criticized them for their decisions (Rachel Doerrie for instance was an absolute FLUB), but it looks like they are doing better now.

I'm not even sure why the team hired Rachel in the first place? But at least they were smart enough to let her go. As flubs go if that's the worst the team has done, it's minor.

 

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

I'm not even sure why the team hired Rachel in the first place? But at least they were smart enough to let her go. As flubs go if that's the worst the team has done, it's minor.

 

 

every organization has a bad hire from time to time, some people just interview really well and you don't notice the red flags. 

 

[IBatch]

9 hours ago, PureQuickness said:

 

Don't worry. You are not alone. Bains has been a FANTASTIC free agent college signing. In fact, this new management, despite its faults, has been MONEY when it comes to free agent/pro scouting signings (i.e. Kuzmenko etc). Drafting so far (limited evidence) has been good/very good. Hunter as you said might be better than what we had drafted in recent memory. I thought Rathbone was an amazing pick at the time, but it's sad to see that he didn't pan out at all. Moreover, D-Pettersson is also a non-first round pick that is amazing.

 

I don't always like new management as i had criticized them for their decisions (Rachel Doerrie for instance was an absolute FLUB), but it looks like they are doing better now.

Rathbone didn't make a lot of sense given he was a LHD.   Not sure why JB kept that obsession going from the start - sure close to  150% of all NHLers are naturally LHD's, but Brisbois, OJ, QHs, Rathbone!  Only Woo was picked just didn't make a lot of sense - same with two undersized LHD's.   Wish Rathbone the best and know he's a real pro, in the gym too.   The odds of him making our team were always slim.   Brisbois not so much, as a depth guy.    Glad Allvin at least gets the need.   Sure would be nice if management can start acting rather then re-acting.   Don't mind BPA as long as it isn't goofy.   Also not expecting much from anything past the second round either.    Rathbone more than overachieved in that respect.   4th rounder with that many NHL games is definitely an outlier.   Also happy for him to get a shot somewhere else. 

Edited October 30, 2023 by IBatch

[RakuRaku]

Bains is a special player and if he can keep up his production/consistency in Abbotsford, he deserves a call-up!! But first we gotta find ways to offload Beavullier and/or Garland!!!

Edited October 30, 2023 by RakuRaku

[The Arrogant Worms]

9 hours ago, PureQuickness said:

 

Don't worry. You are not alone. Bains has been a FANTASTIC free agent college signing. In fact, this new management, despite its faults, has been MONEY when it comes to free agent/pro scouting signings (i.e. Kuzmenko etc). Drafting so far (limited evidence) has been good/very good. Hunter as you said might be better than what we had drafted in recent memory. I thought Rathbone was an amazing pick at the time, but it's sad to see that he didn't pan out at all. Moreover, D-Pettersson is also a non-first round pick that is amazing.

 

I don't always like new management as i had criticized them for their decisions (Rachel Doerrie for instance was an absolute FLUB), but it looks like they are doing better now.

Bains didn't go to college.

[Plaguez]

Appreciate you posting this, interesting update. Going to withhold labeling Lekkerimaki anything at this point, see how he finishes the season but it's difficult not to get excited when you combine how he finished last season and how he's started this one.  Bains is interesting too, sounds like he's made the required changes to his game, I would really like to see him called up sometime this year.

[iceman1964]

14 hours ago, RWJC said:

Canucks prospects: Bains hits another level, battle heats up in the Abbotsford crease

 

It’s the latest edition of the prospects tracker, where we tally up the efforts of the Vancouver Canucks’ highest profile prospects:

 

Arshdeep Bains

 

Tearing up the WHL as a 20-year-old is one thing.

 

Doing the same in the pros two years later is something else.

 

Eight games into the AHL season, Arshdeep Bains leads the league in points with 13 (3G, 10A) as the Abbotsford Canucks Winger’s evolving game reaches new heights.

 

Bains, 22, has nine points in his last five games, including a three-point (1G, 2A), first-star effort in a 5-2 win over the San Diego Gulls on Friday.

For the Surrey product, the difference between junior and professional success is in the details.

 

Bains, who piled up 112 points (43G, 69A) with the Red Deer Rebels during the 2021/22 season, has completely revamped his game.

 

Bains was always a gifted scorer with elusive skating and above-average vision, then-head coach of the Rebels and former NHLer Steve Konowalchuk told the prospects tracker last April, but work needed to be put in away from the puck in order for the 6-foot, 183-pound forward to make the next step.

 

“That, to me, is a part of his game he’s going to need to carry on to the next level, the tenacity, finishing checks in the American League so he has the puck more at that level,” said Konowalchuk.

 

Bains has not only received the message from the Canucks since he was signed last spring, he was the one chosen by the organization to speak to the rest of the prospects in development camp this past summer, Abbotsford general manager Ryan Johnson told CHEK-TV’s Donnie and Dhali show on Friday.

 

“It’s incredible for a young man to make a decision, with the support of our staff … to revamp his game essentially after dominating the CHL,” said Johnson.

 

“The message with Arshdeep was we wanted to basically strip down his game and build him back up before he even played a game in pro hockey.”

The idea was to not limit Bains’ offensive production, but to accentuate by developing a game more suited to the rigours of professional hockey. That meant “getting a lot of the junior habits out of his game and develop an all-around game, a forecheck into his game, responsibility in the D-zone, his wall play — all of those things that he bought into.”

 

The results are a player who is a fixture on the penalty kill — as well as the power play — and is among the most-trusted of coach Jeremy Colliton’s charges.

 

To watch Bains away from the puck these days is to watch a man on a mission. Aside from the obvious skills and vision with the puck, he hustles, is constantly in position to make a disruptive play and doesn’t shy away from physical play away from the puck.

 

Bains may even have to dial it down at times, being penalized three times in the Canucks’ home opener last week as he backchecked and battled a gritty Calgary Wranglers side.

 

And Bains’ playmaking ability cannot be understated. Seemingly playing with eyes in the back of his head, Bains can throw a no-look spinning pass with the best of them, as he did in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the red-hot Ontario Reign to set up centre Sheldon Dries for the Canucks’ opening goal.

 

To start last season, he was a nice story for the locals: a skilled hometown kid who signed with the team he cheered for growing up.

This season, the conversation has changed. Bains is a legitimate call-up option for a new-look Vancouver team where being a passenger is no longer an option.

 

“He’s putting himself in the conversation to get an opportunity to play in the NHL here,” said Johnson.

The Abbotsford Canucks are 5-2-1-0 and in second place in the 10-team Pacific Division.

 

 

 

Arturs Silovs vs. Nikita Tolopilo

 

One of them has a solid 2-1 record and one of the better save percentages in the league.

 

The other is the presumed starter.

 

After earning accolades last season as the AHL player of the month for February, becoming the IIHF World Championship MVP this past summer — with a respectable 3-2 showing in Vancouver sandwiched in between — this season was supposed to be the Arty Party in the Abbotsford crease.

Instead, a giant Belarusian is too busy stopping the puck to notice what the other guy is doing.

 

“I don’t really think about other goalies, honestly, I just try to focus on myself and do my best every day, every game,” backup goaltender Nikita Tolopilo told Abbotsford play-by-play man Brandon Astle in an interview on Tuesday. “But I think our relationship is pretty good, both of us try to bring something to the team and of course we compete for a spot.”

 

That competition is quickly heating up as Tolopilo, 23, was sensational in his second start on Tuesday, a 2-1 overtime win over the Colorado Eagles in which the 6-foot-6 goaltender stopped 34 of 35 shots en route to a first-star performance.

 

Tolopilo had to be good early in Tuesday’s triumph. The Eagles fired 10 shots at the Abbotsford net in the first six minutes of the game and Tolopilo had to make a top-notch save with his left pad on a point blank chance later in the period. He even made a save with centre Sheldon Dries’ stick, after losing his moments earlier in a scramble in front.

 

The win follows an impressive victory in his debut two weeks ago, where Tolopilo stopped 41 of 44 shots in a 4-3 win at Laval.

 

The Canucks expected Tolopilo to be good when they signed him this past off-season. The Minsk product was the best goalie in Sweden’s second-tier Allsvenskan last season, posting 2.10 goals-against-average and a .910 save percentage.

 

He was courted by the organization, with Canucks scout Mikael Samuelsson knowing the player from his time spent as Sodertalje’s general manager.

 

But it was ultimately goalie coach Ian Clark’s philosophy and the tutelage of his staff that ultimately landed the free agent.

 

Tolopilo’s philosophy is simple: “Just stop the puck,” he said.

 

“Simple. Just try to play calm and give confidence. Not only for myself, but for the team that they say ‘OK, this guy can help us.”

 

Silovs, meanwhile, has been no slouch to start the season, but his numbers aren’t adding up the way they did last campaign.

 

The 22-year-old Latvian has gone 3-1-1 with a 3.63 GAA and a .882 save percentage, although he has only given up two goals in each of his last two starts, both wins.

 

You do wonder what effect a 10-0 clobbering against a loaded Calgary Flames side in a Sept. 24 NHL pre-season game had on Silovs’ psyche, who was pulled after giving up seven goals on 18 shots — many of which he had no chance on in front of an overmatched team of prospects.

 

After giving up a weak goal in a 5-2 win on Wednesday night — the same game in which winger Vasily Podkolzin was hospitalized on a questionable hit along the boards — Silovs took matters into his own hands, skating out of his crease and sending a long-bomb pass to a streaking Linus Karlsson for a pretty primary assist.

 

As for Tolopilo, he was good but not great in Sunday’s 5-3 loss in Ontario, giving up goals on two deflections, as well as on a point blank opportunity to lose his first game of the season.

The calm yet colourful character says he’ll continue his routine of waking up, going to the rink and maybe catching dinner with “the Russians” before doing it all over again the next day.

“It’s nothing yet. I just do my job. I try to do it the best as I can.”

 

 

Jonathan Lekkerimaki

 

We’re running out of ways to describe just how good Jonathan Lekkerimaki has been this season.

The Canucks’ 15th overall pick in 2022 scored another goal this past week — his eighth of the young SHL season — and this one was the most impressive of the bunch.

 

Lekkerimaki scored his wunder-goal in Saturday’s 3-1 loss against Frolunda, with the dynamic 5-foot-11, 172-pound right-shot forward taking the puck at centre ice and doing the rest, making a gorgeous move to his backhand around a defender then finishing on his forehand to send the Orebro crowd into orbit.

 

Lekkerimaki finished the game with two shots on goal in over 20 minutes of ice time as the 19-year-old blue-chip prospect sheds the bust label from last year.

 

The way this is going, there’ll be no leaving Lekkerimaki off the list of top prospects not playing in the NHL anymore once this campaign is over.

The Huddinge native — with his quick feet, quick hands and laser-like shot — leads the SHL with eight goals in 14 games.

 

 

Hunter Brzustewicz

 

Hunter Brzustewicz has played in 13 games for the Kitchener Rangers this season.

 

The right-shot defenceman has at least a point in all of them, other than the season opener a few weeks ago.

You do the math on just how explosive the 18-year-old has been from the blue-line this season.

 

Brzustewicz, 18, continues to lead the OHL in points with 25 (5G, 20A) after registering five assists in three games this past week.

 

The Canucks’ 2023 third-rounder’s best game was a three-assist effort in a 5-4 overtime win against the Erie Otters on Friday.

 

His worst? A 5-3 loss to the high-powered Owen Sound Attack in which Brzustewicz managed an assist but went a minus-3 in the loss.

 

Still, the 6-foot, 190-pound smooth-skating D-man has been a revelation this season and surely has an inside track to make Team USA at the World Juniors in Sweden starting on Boxing Day.

 

 

Sawyer Mynio

 

Back into the lineup and straight into the pressure cooker.

 

After a three week absence due to injury, left-shot defenceman Sawyer Mynio rattled off five games this past week for the Seattle Thunderbirds, even scoring a goal and adding an assist in his first game back last Sunday in a 6-2 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings.

 

“The puck went to (Eric) Alarie and I went to an open area. He found me with a nice pass. Lots of traffic in front of the net. I got it through, and it went in,” Mynio, 18, said post-game.

“I felt really good after missing three weeks. It felt really good to be back on the ice with the guys.”

 

Mynio, a 6-foot-1, 172-pound D-man the Canucks took in the third round this past summer and promptly signed to an entry-level deal after showing well at training camp, is a capable defender who skates well and can eliminate forecheckers on the rush.

The Kamloops native is skating on the Thunderbirds’ top pairing this season and has four points (1G, 3A) and a plus-1 rating in six games this season…

 

mraptis@postmedia.com

twitter.com/mike_raptis

 

link to rest of article:

https://apple.news/AOpvHinMvTuKQym4uA0ppbQ

This is a new thing altogether, pre 2012 was season after season of selling the farm out for a top roster but forgetting how next to impossible it is to get through to a cup final without injuries, obviously with no depth, thats never worked.

 After that series with the Bruins, the team psyche was devastated and broken, let alone the injuries from the gruelling grind to get there.

 Right then I knew it would take forever to get rid of all the players on that roster and get a strong winning culture back (at least seasonal) to start with.

 Sadly, Benning, like any other GM taking on a disaster team with lots of long term contracts and zero in the pipeline, still had to try and keep us from embarrassment worse than we went through against the Bruins in the final, had the Bruins played like they were capable of to start that series, it would have been a 4 game sweep of us but it took a bad hit to wake them up and that was that.

 I've never been so happy to see the last of that team gone, after Eddy and Tanev were out the door and Luongo too, I thought, ok back to square one to START to build a team with no memories or reminders of all that b.s. of selling the farm and being a team that we have a working farm for a change instead of trading away everything is a dream come true.

 Are we still a couple of seasons away from it really making a BIG difference so we don't have to go and try to sign big name FA's because of the farm actually producing and one better of having roster players being pushed hard by incoming players from the farm fighting to take it from them.

THEN we can finally get a hard working, winning culture back but this time with depth so we can actually have a realistic shot at Mr. Stanley, and not just "once" but a threat every season. 

 Wouldn't that be a thing? 

 

Anyway, glad to see Brains doing well, will it translate? Maybe..

Leki? Same thing, Hopefully he can make it.

Willander? Now there's a potential huge help to us, same as D-petey.

 I've been a fan for wayyyyy to long to get excited about anything anymore BUT it's not looking bad, a start at least...

Edited October 30, 2023 by iceman1964

[BabychStache]

I was at the Medicine Hat Tigers vs Thunderbirds game on Saturday night and Mynio was the BEST dman on both teams. Very good at both ends of the rink. I noticed him right away, yet had no idea he was a Canucks prospect until this article. 

 

We are in for a delight with that guy. Wears 43 as well. Skates similarly to that other 43. 

[Bounce000]

20 year olds dominating junior isn’t that impressive, so I was kind meh about the Bains signing. Thought it was just the Canucks giving a Surrey kid a spot in training camp. 
 

But damn a season and a month later he’s progressing to become a solid pro.