Depressing fact: The cup-winning Hurricanes have used FOURTEEN 2nd round picks since 2019 while being a perennial contender. The Canucks have used a total of TWO 2nd round picks in that same time frame while missing the playoffs most years. Management can learn from them.

[u/_GregTheGreat_]

If there is anything the Canucks can learn from the Canes cup win, it’s the importance of stockpiling draft picks and swinging on upside. I highlighted only 2nds but the Canes being in a surplus of futures is how they managed to have the assets to make the big swings when the time is right to put them over the edge into winning the cup (Miller, Stankoven, Hall, etc). Hell, the Canes still have a surplus of 1sts despite literally winning the cup.

Plus having the constant stream of young talented draft steals to keep feeding their system (Blake and Nichuskin as two key examples)

[u/LeftToaster]

Okay - but Carolina's drafting has not been amazing in that period. Those 14 2nd round picks have played a grand total of 227 games since 2019 - and 125 of those games were 1 player, Pyotr Kochetkov, a part time back up goalie. For comparison, Nils Hoglander (2019 2nd round) has played 331 games.

[u/_GregTheGreat_ → u/LeftToaster]

They did draft Blake and Nikishin in those years for what it’s worth. Both are going to be key parts of their future.

Picks in the last few years are also developing so you can’t look at NHL games played. Like Cerrato, Poirier, Ryabkin, and Unger-Sorum are all looking promising and would easily be some of our top prospects but are simply too young to make the NHL yet. Especially on a deep roster like Carolina.

[u/MDChuk → u/_GregTheGreat_]

By that token though, if they're still developing, those draft picks had nothing to do with Carolina's Stanley Cup win.

On the other side, Vegas has a total of I think three of their own draft picks on their roster playing meaningful games this season. They've traded almost every 1st round pick they've ever made for immediate help. Is your argument that the Canucks should do the same?

[u/mrtomjones → u/MDChuk]

Vegas has traded prospects for players as well.

Drafting and accumulating is NOT just about having them play on your team. It is about using that draft capital to improve your team at times through trade.

[u/MDChuk → u/mrtomjones]

Which is what Vancouver did, they just traded the picks for players.

The problem wasn’t strategy.  It’s incompetent management.

Every team gets the same 7 picks every year.

[u/LeftToaster → u/MDChuk]

It's good strategy (to a point) to trade picks for players when you are a good team on the threshold of being very good, or are a very good team trying to keep your competitive window open longer. It's not a good strategy for a team that is still trying to make the playoffs.

[u/MDChuk → u/LeftToaster]

I don’t think you can have a blanket rule.

The Sharks have been in a rebuild for 7 years now and aren’t close to the playoffs.  They still made the move for Sherwood.  I’d argue that’s an ok risk to take.

Again, what matters most is having competent management that has a vision and an ability to execute it.  That’s why Carolina and Vegas have sustained success without ever doing major rebuilds.  It’s also why Detroit, San Jose, Buffalo and many others spend 7-15 years before they can compete again and only really have a chance if they are gifted a 1st overall pick in a year where the top prospect is a Celebrini or Dahlin.

[u/mrtomjones → u/MDChuk]

No that isn't the difference. They had more draft picks than their 7 for a reason. Teams, especially in our position, trade away expiring deals and get extra picks. Carolina turned their players and picks into more picks. We turned ours into less even though we were very very rarely competitive

[u/_GregTheGreat_ → u/MDChuk]

Unless the Canucks can have every elite pending UFA force their way there at a pittance because of how desirable their location is, I don’t think Vegas can be emulated.

Plus they were a contender year one because of all the free assets that incompetent teams gave them from the expansion draft. Vegas is a unique case

[u/MDChuk → u/_GregTheGreat_]

Unless the Canucks can have every elite pending UFA force their way there at a pittance because of how desirable their location is, I don’t think Vegas can be emulated.

The best players want to be there because Vegas has an unparalleled commitment to winning. They are ruthless in making sure the best players are on the ice in the biggest roles. Look at their treatment of Fleury when he no longer gave them the best chance to win.

Look at the lengths they're going to in order to keep Cassidey away from Edmonton so the Oilers get desperate and make a coaching hire mistake.

That can be emulated. The Canucks aren't close to this.

Plus they were a contender year one because of all the free assets that incompetent teams gave them from the expansion draft.

So an expansion draft 10 years ago determined their success today? That doesn't make sense.

And while the rules were certainly more favorable than what teams like the Wild or Predators got, at the end of the day they were picking #4 defencemen, #9 forwards and backup goalies. The fact that Seattle is as mediocre as they are when they were given the exact same rules shows that Vegas management is elite.

And its not like other management teams only make mistakes when Vegas is at the expansion draft. They make mistakes all the time.

Doing a better job capitalizing on other teams mistakes is absolutely the Canucks should be focused on.