When can the 2023 team be considered legit?

[DANJR]

It is really early in the season still.  We haven't passed the 10 game mark.
Indicators are all over the place though.  The talk of Hughes and Hronek, the quality of Petey, our goaltending tandem and Miller talk.
There have been a lot of articles early this season on the Canucks.  Many years in the last few decades, you could go months without seeing any positive story on the Canucks.  When the NHL site starts posting articles it puts the rest of the league on notice (not concerning only canucks) about players and teams trending.

We do have a lot of positive elements to this team, and they are playing a decent game.  Though the sample size is small at this point.  When can the team actually be considered a legit playoff bound team.  Do we have to hit the 21 game quarter season mark?  Halfway through the season or only when we clinch a spot?  

Getting through November will put us at 23 games.  It is a pretty nice schedule at first glance, some very weak teams, some struggling teams, middle of the road teams and a few against top tier.  Three back to backs is kind of concerning, but none are against back to back top tier teams.  If we go through half the games and have a similar winning percentage, will we be considered legit at that point?  That will be about 1/6 of the schedule.

 

Were we to win the next two games and sit at .750 things look pretty awesome.  Even one win out of the next two is a fantastic rate of .650.  Those winning percents are guarantee's to get into the playoffs.  Two losses will throw all that hard work into the bin and we are at about what everyone thought our real potential was.

So what are your takes on when can you consider this team legit, after a certain game, amount of points or just how well they meet the top tier teams in match-ups?

Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.

[WHL rocks]

After the quarter mark of the season. So after 20 games if we're top 3 in our division we're legit. 

 

Plus if we can get rid of Garland's contract and get another top 4 RHD. That would be a big step in the right direction.

 

Another top 4 RHD would significantly raise the  expectations for this team. 

[Coconuts]

Depends on who you ask. But I'm personally of the opinion that after nearly a decade of futility the Canucks have to put their money where their mouths are and prove they're actually different over a longer term basis. If they want to be considered a playoff regular they need to actually make the playoffs two or three seasons in a row. If they want to be considered in the mix for a playoff spot closer to the playoffs they need to actually be jockeying for a spot in March. I'm not even going to seriously get into contention aspirations until I've seen this organization consistently make the playoffs.

 

There have been some encouraging signs thus far but I can't emphasize enough how early in the season it still is, all it'd take is a significant injury or two to completely change how we view the current team. Let's see where we're at in February. 

 

One can recognize encouraging early signs while remaining pragmatic. 

Edited October 31, 2023 by Coconuts

[grumpyone]

imho-----once we cross the midway point of the season and are still in one of the top 3 positions of the pacific div. comfortably up and out of the wildcard area. 

[Jess]

If we're at .600 or higher on Jan 1, I'll start to believe we have a shot, but even that isn't much of a cushion. You need to be a good team to make the playoffs in today's NHL. No more 40 loss teams in the playoffs like the 80s.

[VegasCanuck]

I think about 1/3rd way mark of the season. If we're still rolling about the same win percentage at 28 - 30 game mark, we're finally starting to realize our potential.

 

We have a really solid core. It needs more to be a true contender, but we have really good pieces to build around.

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

When EP40 decides we're legit and demonstrates such by signing a 12.5mil or less p.a. contract (ideally 8 years extension - but more likely 4-5 years extension).

[Nucker67]

I think JR/PA have made significant changes to the roster and they might already be legit. Tocchet and his coaching staff aren't going to let them take the night off and coast. Very structured and focused on winning. And with great goaltending, Canucks are a tough team to beat.

[tas]

after they lock down a playoff spot. 

[Strawbone]

When they actually make the playoffs. I've been burned too many times by my beloved Canucks!

 

Having said that, I'm excited how this season is going and I think they have a real shot at the playoffs, but I'm keeping my excitement tempered.

 

To me, "legit" is making the playoffs. Next step is "contender" and I don't know if they're there yet but it wouldn't shock me. This feels like a group of players that could get things done. So many games still to play though, and I feel like there's something about playing in Vancouver, or on the west coast, or in the Pacific time zone, that makes everything a bit of an uphill struggle for this team year after year.

[AnthonyG]

The pieces have been in place for a few years, they just didnt all play their best at the same time. Ive been saying this for quite awhile, when our star players all play like stars and Demko plays up to his level all at the same time, this team will be a force to be reckoned with.

 

2020-21

COVID decimated us, Petey missed over half a season and Demko was finding his way. QH was solid

 

2021-22

Petey showed up last minute to camp, had a horrendous start to the season that took him 44 games to get firing on all cylinders. Horvat and Boeser also had slow starts (Boesers being understandable) Meanwhile Demko, Hughes and Miller had outstanding seasons. Myers and OEL were a top 5 shutdown pair league wide that season. When they all synced up (after petey and Bo/Boeser got going) we had a dominant stretch of 38 games that saw us barely miss playoffs. One of the top teams in the league over that 38 game stretch.

 

2022-23

Petey showed up to camp early, was on fire the moment he stepped on the ice. Miller was playing W and struggled until Horvat was moved and Miller was moved back to C. Demko was battling injury to start and had a terrible start to the season and then went down, leaving Martin who gave us no hope in hell, despite being a fairly high scoring team, we couldnt outscore the problem. Hughes yet again had another consistently strong season.

 

2023-24

The boys are playing their best together at the same time. This is ths product we’ve been waiting for. They just had to grow and figure things out. This team has a lot of great pieces in place and as we get healthier, we get deeper. 

 

 

 

[Goalie29]

I try not to get my hopes up until they at least win a round in the playoffs.

[AatuD2]

Honestly, if we keep this up for another 8 games, I'm in. 

 

That's 20% of the season.  

 

Our PK is good and our goaltending is back. That's all we were missing last year.  

 

I love Tocchet. 

 

[AatuD2]

48 minutes ago, Goalie29 said:

I try not to get my hopes up until they at least win a round in the playoffs.

 

 

Damn, that's very restrictive.... Live a little, who cares if you're wrong. 

 

I'm now looking forward to every game! 

[Barn Burner]

Legit in the sense of actually being a consistent, team to be reckoned with? 

 

There's a couple holes that need filling, but when Blueger returns, he'll make a difference.

 

If they can maintain that same kind of work ethic for 40 games, you've got to consider that legit. 

 

Then there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to continue throughout the rest of the season, too. 

[BCNeil]

American Thanksgiving.  

[LillStrimma]

Now when we have two lines that can independable change a game in our favour plus some bottom six players that play with tenacity we can take down every team.

Especially in a 7 game playoff due to some of the players insane will to win games, Petey, Demko, Hughes, Miller…

[Goalie29]

3 hours ago, AatuD2 said:

Damn, that's very restrictive.... Live a little, who cares if you're wrong. 

 

I'm now looking forward to every game! 

 

I also look forward to every game.  It's just that I'm old enough to have been there for all three finals runs.  Along the way I've learned to not get too pissed off about a few losses and not too excited about a few wins.

[Diamonds]

I like to wait until the 25 game mark personally to determine who is and isn't legit.

[DSVII]

American Thanksgiving has always been a good measuring point.

 

But personally I won't feel sure of anything until the buzzer runs out on the Stanley Cup winning game lol

[Jeremy Hronek]

6 hours ago, WHL rocks said:

After the quarter mark of the season. So after 20 games if we're top 3 in our division we're legit. 

 

Plus if we can get rid of Garland's contract and get another top 4 RHD. That would be a big step in the right direction.

 

Another top 4 RHD would significantly raise the  expectations for this team. 

 

Agreed with this post.

 

Regarding the "Top 4 RHD" dream goes however, I don't think that's going to happen this season.

 

The only pieces that could fetch you such a piece are

-Pettersson

-Hughes

-Demko

-Kuzmenko

-Miller

-Raping our farm (not literally.....just in case any Albertans in this thread start to get any ideas :-p)

 

Obviously, the first three on that list are off the list, while moving Miller would create too big a hole at center.  

 

I pondered about Kuzmenko a few weeks back but he's also too valuable for this team.  In theory, we *could* package Myers with a 1st and/or some of our top prospects but I'm not sure if I'd be a fan of this idea.  I really love the idea of all or more of Raty, Podkolzin, and Lekkerimaki stepping into the line-up next season on ELC's and being impact players for us.  You need these types of guys on ELC's if you truly want to make a difference.

 

Conor Garland gets you Andrew Peeke's shit stained underpants (not even Peeke himself.....who is pretty mediocre btw).  Boeser ain't getting you a Top 4 d-man either.  

 

I think our best bet for this season is to sign Ethan Bear later in the year.    

Edited November 1, 2023 by Jeremy Hronek

[Iron Man]

Very much so. But our division is tough. The Kings and Ducks aren't going away. And we can't count out Edmonton quite yet. But I definitely like what I am seeing.

[coolboarder]

We're legit from day 1 trashing of the Oilers.   Let's get some divisional games going and we'll start to separate even more.

[Johnny]

At the very least they need to win a few games against the teams in the top 10

 

so far they are 0-1 against top 10 teams

 

the highest ranked team they have beat are the Panthers at 17th in the league 

 

Don’t get me wrong, the team is looking good and playing with desire and perseverance but they have been winning against bottom of the league teams

[coolboarder]

1 minute ago, Johnny said:

At the very least they need to win a few games against the teams in the top 10

 

so far they are 0-1 against top 10 teams

 

the highest ranked team they have beat are the Panthers at 17th in the league 

 

Don’t get me wrong, the team is looking good and playing with desire and perseverance but they have been winning against bottom of the league teams

You got the point there however, these teams we faced were a playoffs team and a tough schedule to start the season with tough back to back games at home.    Things will settle down but still tough schedule in middle of November with 7 games in 11 days stretch around US Thanksgiving week.  True test will always be divisional games.  I see two key parts in the season, Novembver/January with more road games than home and March home schedule type that will make or break the season.