I understand what Benning is trying to do with stopgap signings like Miller and Vrbata, while the Canucks' prospects mature. And frankly, it's not all that bad an approach. He's greatly improved the depth on Vancouver's bottom six, which was an issue last season. They've also got quality goaltending both in the big club and in the pipeline now. The loss of Kesler's 200 foot game is huge, but Bonino and Vrbata may well generate more points than the departed diver.
It's nice to see a franchise trying to improve - rather than simply tanking. (Not that that has ever happened in Alberta.
)
That having been said, Vancouver is clearly just a bubble team.
Could the Canucks snag the 7th or 8th playoff spot? It's not inconcievable. Remember that just back in December they were in a solid playoff position before Torts self-destructed and lost his room. Chances are that Vancouver will be better coached this season, and that's worth a handful of wins (I can't, for the life of me, see Desjardins asking the Sedins to kill penalties, block shots and take starts in the defensive zone). And if the Sedins, Edler and Burrows have modest bounce back seasons and Kassian continues to improve, they might make things close.
But I see them as 9th or 10th in the West.