from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province,

When you project the Vancouver Canucks’ lineup for the 2017-18 season one thing is clear following their many and varied free-agent acquisitions.

They’ve improved themselves greatly.

In Utica.

That leaves the larger question concerning the NHL team and the Canucks certainly added quantity over the weekend.

But quality? That’s another matter. Sam Gagner should give the power play a boost but over 10 NHL seasons he’s averaged 16 goals and 45 points per 80 games. He isn’t a top-six forward on a good team and he might be taking playing time away from a younger player in Vancouver.

Gagner, moreover, was the Canucks’ marquee signing, the player who was supposed to excite this fan base.

The Canucks, in fact, had a better team at the start of last season with Jannik Hansen, Alex Burrows, Nikita Tryamkin and Ryan Miller and the only way all this makes sense is if they develop their young forwards with the NHL team next season.

continued with a few more topics too...