If the decision is made to try and preserve the club’s existing core, rather than jettisoning a player or two for futures and cap flexibility, the cap math narrowly works. The Canucks can afford to keep their core together long-term, but without making a future-oriented deal or two, it’s going to be exceedingly difficult to support them with the sort of quality depth that tends to make the difference between the elite teams that go onto greatness, and the also-rans.

Thomas Drance

Read his article in The Athletic to get the complete story behind his belief that the Canucks have a tough road to sled if they are going to become competitive and one of the elite teams in the NHL in the next 3-5 years.