Pre-season assessment 2019

Legitimate NHL Players on the Vancouver Canucks

1) Jake Virtanen - makes it look oh so easy. (why they don't feature him on top line, play him 22 minutes/night ... well that explains Travis Green).
2) Brock Boeser - plays well in all 3 zones - legitimate NHL player
3) Alex Edler - he's a stud blueliner. When healthy.
4) Tyler Myers - inconsistent but is a legitimate NHL player
5) Bo Horvat - not a center but belongs in the NHL. Not a great player, not a good player, but belongs in the NHL.
6) Troy Stecher. Small. But plays ok. You can't argue that he's not capable of playing in the NHL. I mean you could I suppose. He's almost a journeyman.
7) Loui Erikkson. Hey, he is a legitimate NHL player whether you like him or not. He kills penalties.
8) Chris Tanev (if healthy)
9) Like it or lump it... sigh... Brandon Sutter.
10) Jakob Markstrom - 1/2 a season very good... 1/2 a season not so good. But I think he's probably an NHL player. Has looked good in preseason.


Question Mark NHL players on the Canucks

1) Sven Baertchi - if he can overcome the injuries ... he's very talented
2) Elias Pettersson - 34 games in a row now where he's looked like he belongs in Utica. He has a ton of currency with the fans and the ownership so they won't send him to Utica - but he belongs in Utica until he finds his game... and it is gone folks. He's lost 1/2 a step, he looks dazed and confused, easily caught and separated from puck.
3) JT Miller. 3 teams at the age of 26? Inconsistent. Not a point producer. Not a fighter. Not a hitter. A utility player at best.
4) Tanner Pearson - inconsistent. At times looks like a sniper. And then... thus traded
5) Michael Ferland - horribly inconsistent. Not a point producer. Injury issues. First half player. Benched by Brindamour - that tells you all you need to know.
6) Jordy Benn... the ship has sailed? probably
7) Brogan Rafferty. Dude can deal. Will he get a shot though with Hughes/ownership involvement?
8) Adam Gaudette. Proven it. Will he get the chance ?
9) Tyler Motte. Doesn't help you. Doesn't hurt you. Meh.
10) Zach MacEwan - probably is - but they went and signed every 4th line winger in the NHL the last 4 years so there's no spots available.
11) Alex Biega. Better than Hughes... won't get a shot.
12) Thatcher Demko - probably is but obviously still a question mark due to lack of work (Travis Green)

NOT NHL players on the Canucks

1) Quinn Hughes. His skating (straight ahead speed) is a massive issue. He's not particularly fast and that's a massive massive problem at his size. Limited shot. Probably better suited as a 3rd line center. In any case, needs Utica.
2) Goldobin. No.
3) Tim Schaller. Numbers game.

If things were based solely on appearances in pre-season there's no question Pettersson and Hughes would be headed to Utica.

Both have looked a day late and a dollar short.

It does sound as though there's been meddling - and the "make the team" has been thrown out the window for Pettersson and Hughes - and that's ultimately going to cost the Canucks a 1st overall pick to Tampa Bay for JT Miller.

Think about that for a minute. Just let it seep in.

OH BY THE BY

Cody Glass has been SPECTACULAR !!!

and

Noah Dobson - S T U D

Think on that some more. Add it to Tkacuk