from Tony Gallagher of the Vancouver Province,

When next season begins, the Vancouver Canucks will once again be a strong contender to make the playoffs — and if things go well, perhaps even challenge for the lead at times in their newly realigned environment.

They’ll still have outstanding goaltending, and a decent back end, and general manager Mike Gillis will have done something, anything, to improve this popgun offence which has literally choked the life out of what was once a promising shortened 2013 season.

They’ll still have Ryan Kesler — although who knows in what condition — the deteriorating Sedins, David Booth, Alex Burrows, etc., which is fine for the regular season, and perhaps it might even be refreshing for next year’s team to be free of the weighty illusion that they are Cup contenders.

But really, for management, next year is not the issue.

What they should be trying to do is position this team such that in the very near future it doesn’t become the equivalent of the Calgary Flames.

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