Vancouver Canucks: The Rebuild Could End in 2016
The Future
Let’s start this off with another list of players.
- G Thatcher Demko, Boston College
- D Tate Olson, Prince George Cougars
- D Jordan Subban, Utica Comets
- D Guillaume Brisebois, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
- D Nikita Tryamkin, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
- LW Hunter Shinkaruk, Utica Comets
- LW Brendan Gaunce, Utica Comets
- RW Brock Boeser, University of North Dakota
- RW Alexandre Grenier, Utica Comets
Those are nine players who are expected to make the NHL. Some sooner, others later. Most important on this list are probably Demko, Shinkaruk and Boeser. But the rest should not be ignored.
Furthermore, we need to keep in mind that these players will come in in addition to guys like Horvat, Virtanen, McCann and Hutton — and Laine/Puljujarvi, obviously.
So, what does that mean for the club and its ongoing rebuild? Is it over? I would say so.
Sure, the Sedins will retire in 2018. Demko and Markstrom are the goalie duo of the future and many other things about this roster will change. Perhaps Shinkaruk will come in for Baertschi and Baertschi gets traded. Who knows.
Related: Canucks Risking to Lose Thatcher Demko?
But, that is totally normal. Teams change over time. The rebuild is done once you have a competitive team that has enough depth in their system to stay competitive for several years.
How realistic are the moves? Let’s just call them somewhat realistic. A lot of this theory depends on how well players develop rather than how realistic the free-agent signings are. When will Horvat and McCann be ready to be No. 1 and No. 2 on the depth chart? Will Markstrom ever be good enough to be a starter? When will Demko be ready? Was Virtanen worth the sixth-overall pick?
Endless questions. But we can say this:
The Vancouver Canucks could end their rebuild in the summer of 2016 (with a little bit of luck, perhaps).
Next: Tanking 101: A Look at Tanking History
What do you think? Will the Canucks be able to finish their rebuild in 2016? Let us know in the comments!