1. Bieksa, Kevin » D VAN 30 $3,750,000 2011 (UFA) - Kevin Bieksa = Beast 2 - played with heart and soul during the play-offs, you can't not reward loyalty and if he's willing to come back. Why not. He showed that he can play the game. And what we're looking for is post-season drive. Verdict: re-sign (at a fair cost $4M-YR/3YRs)
2. Salo, Sami » D VAN 36 $3,500,000 2011 (UFA) - Injury-struck Sami Salo is gonna be a tough one, with a NTC on his contract, it's going to be a tough thing. Do we take the risk of taking this player who is aging and near retirement on another year and re-evaluate in June of 2012 just to see if he'll last another season and another potential Cup Run or do we dump his salary; get nothing back for him and hope to hell that the salary that we save on him somehow gets us another player that we can use to make a deep and successful run? Verdict: Let him test out the UFA waters and see if anyone takes a stab at him. If not, we can negotiate a 1 year contract at a reasonable price.
3. Ehrhoff, Christian » D VAN 28 $3,100,000 2011 (UFA) - was very helpful to our Cup run, would like to sign him again, but he did seem lukewarm to the idea of returning unless he got a raise. "What's fair" was what he said, but you know what? It'a numbers game and the 14 goals and 36A. It's nice to have a top tier defenceman, but if he starts asking for numbers like $4.5M or so...it's time to hit the pavement. We need defencemen who can help to keep the puck out of the net and take heat off the goaltender Verdict: Let someone take him, use the salary saved to pick out a big, strong defenceman who can throw bodies off the net.
4. Higgins, Chris » F VAN 28 $1,600,000 2011 (UFA) - Has expressed interest in staying here. He has some size to him but he still comes in on the short side. He only tallied 2 goals and 3 A for 5 points which means that he doesn't come with a lot of offensive power. Do we keep him and pay him $2M or do we free up his cap space: Verdict: Free up the cap space and shop around.
5. Alberts, Andrew » D VAN 29 $1,050,000 2011 (UFA) - Andrew Alberts did pick up his game, he was throwing bodies off the back end when he did see ice time. But he did make some costly errors. He needs to step up his game and he is a rare big body in front of the net. He needs to work on his physicality and ability to throw people off. He needs to work in the off-season on bulking up a bit more and getting some strength in his upper-body. He's a rare big man in this team and we need his strength and ability to be able to throw bodies around when opposition forwards get too close. We would do well to look for another big guy like him too whether through trade or through free-agency. Verdict: Keep him...have him develop his game. Make it an ultimatum.
6. Torres, Raffi » F VAN 29 $1,000,000 2011 (UFA) - aggressive, hits everything in sight...we nicknamed him the human bowling ball. I would love to see Raffi come back again. He's one of the highlights of this year's team and he takes some of the heat off the players of any line that he's on. He's one of the smaller guys on the team, but he can hit...OH...can he hit. And on a team that doesn't have much hitting power, he's necessary: Verdict: Re-Sign him (at least $1.5M, show him that he's wanted. Aggressiveness was shown to be a weakness on this team. He's needed.
7. Glass, Tanner » F VAN 27 $625,000 2011 (UFA) - his games played increased this year, his production during the season decreased and he was pretty much a non-factor during much of the post-season. If he wants to stay, he's going to have to up his play significantly. And it's not warranted to give him much of a payraise as a result of his diminishing return. Do we give him a chance or do we let him walk at $625.000. I'd say you up his pay to $750,000 one year contract and if he doesn't produce, then let him walk. If you let him walk without giving him an opportunity we lose size on the team; and on a team that doesn't have much size to begin with, that's hard to get back. Verdict: Re-sign him.
8. Baumgartner, Nolan » D VAN 32 $550,000 2011 (UFA) - he spent much of his time with the Large Land Mammals of Manitoba where for much of the season, he did nothing. He was called up for Game 7 but still did pretty much nothing. Maybe people saw this as a rebound year but his goal totals were down and his assists were up, thereby sparking the impression of a turnaround year. Verdict: let him walk.
9. Tambellini, Jeff » F VAN 27 $500,000 2011 (UFA) - I'd almost say, keep him just to be a thorn in the side to Steve Tambellini, his father, GM of the Edmonton Oilers. but with his post-season healthy scratches, and absolutely no point production in the 6 games he dressed for...it's not a risk that I'm willing to take. I'd say let him walk. Verdict: let him walk.
10. Bolduc, Alexandre » F VAN 25 $500,000 2011 (UFA) Bolduc wasn't a factor during the Stanley Cup Finals where he centered a line with Jeff Tambellini and Victor Oreskovich. He's also 5'11" which makes him small for a team that should be bigger going into the post-season. Verdict: Let him walk.
(Stuck with the Manitoba Moose - not a factor)
Andersson, Jonas » F VAN 30 $675,000 2011 (UFA) - not really a factor as he spent most of his time with the Land Mammals (the Moose)
Desbiens, Guillaume » F VAN 26 $550,000 2011 (UFA) - not really a factor as he spent most of his time with the Land Mammals (the Moose)
Rypien, Rick » F VAN 27 $550,000 2011 (UFA) - not really a factor as he spent most of his time with the Land Mammals (the Moose)
Paetsch, Nathan » D VAN 28 $525,000 2011 (UFA) - not really a factor as he spent most of his time with the Land Mammals (the Moose)
Weiman, Tyler » G VAN 27 $500,000 2011 (UFA) - not really a factor as he spent most of his time with the Land Mammals (the Moose)
Peters, Andrew » F VAN 31 $500,000 2011 (UFA) - not really a factor as he spent most of his time with the Land Mammals (the Moose)
These guys you can either try to see if they'll develop or let 'em walk. Rick Rypien has served his time here. Let him walk if he isn't ready to become a solid NHL player. He's been up and down so many times it's like watching a yoyo. Most minor league UFAs are hedges. RFA's are usually development prospects or tradebait.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Haters gon' Hate Regardless...
I love how bandwagon fans come crawling out of the woodwork saying "Blow up the team", "trade Luongo", "trade everybody", "Move the team to the U.S."...
Guys, they came one win away from the Stanley Cup. The core group for a genuine Stanley Cup run is here. We need to lock up the missing pieces crucial for a win. Why would anyone in their right mind want to blow up this team and send the parts hither and thither a la Mike Keenan. Do we really want to go back to the bad old days of "Iron" Mike Keenan running rampant through the roster of the 94 Canucks firesaling them to teams who were lining up to pick at the bones? Are you guys freakin' insane????
When you look at the starting 2 lines for the Vancouver Canucks, you see a striking similarity to an injury list:
Kesler (starting 2nd line forward) - hip labrum tear, groin tear;
Hamhuis (starting 1st pairing - defenseman) - lower abdominal injuries (unspecified);
Henrik Sedin (starting 1st line center) - back injury (unspecified);
Edler - (starting 2nd pairing - defenceman) - two broken fingers;
Ehrhoff - (starting 2nd pairing - defenceman) - shoulder injury;
Bieksa - (starting 1st pairing - defenceman) - bruised MCL (knee);
Higgins - (starting 2nd line - left wing) - undisclosed foot injury;
Yet they were out there giving it their all trying to win the Cup.
The thing I'm surprised about is that Salo escaped the severe injury bug this year even with this physical last round of the Stanley Cup finals. Usually somebody in audience sneezes and Salo goes down with a herniated disc.
There will more than likely be a few tweaks in the off-season to try to make the team a bit bigger and a bit more intimidating. Adding a big winger or two who aren't afraid to drop the gloves would probably fit the bill. It would keep a situation like Brad Marchand using Daniel Sedin's head like a speedbag from ever happening again, especially when guys like Marchand know that they try that, they're going to get dropped like a 50 lb sack of wet cement. Believe me, I hate the fact that the little weasel did that and didn't even get tackled by one of our guys. I also hate the fact that the little smug weasel has a Stanley Cup ring now.
I wish that we could afford Byfuglien. That guy would keep other people honest. He's big, he's mean and he has a name that friggin' drives me crazy trying to pronounce. BTW it's not pronounced "Bif Fug Leen". It's pronounced "bifflin" Of course during 2009 and 2010 series I was calling him "F*NG BIF THUG LEEN!" Of course, if he was on my team, I'd call him "Jesus Christ...that was a great f*ng hit!!!"
Call the Canucks what you will, but they came one game away from the Stanley Cup and whether or not they should have been there or not, due to their play in the final round, isn't going to matter a hill of beans. They were the second best team in the post-season and if that doesn't give haters enough ammo to hate, because their team didn't make the playoffs or fell by the wayside on the way to the finals, what will?
Next year though I'd like to wipe the friggin' smug MASSholes' smiles off their faces when Henrik Sedin passes Lord Stanley's Holy Grail to the likes of a winger like Scott Hartnell who smashed guys like Lucic and Chara off Daniel and scared Marchand into shaking like a wet leaf during the 2012 Finals. Sweet Jeez...I can just picture that in my mind already. Just wait till next year.
Guys, they came one win away from the Stanley Cup. The core group for a genuine Stanley Cup run is here. We need to lock up the missing pieces crucial for a win. Why would anyone in their right mind want to blow up this team and send the parts hither and thither a la Mike Keenan. Do we really want to go back to the bad old days of "Iron" Mike Keenan running rampant through the roster of the 94 Canucks firesaling them to teams who were lining up to pick at the bones? Are you guys freakin' insane????
When you look at the starting 2 lines for the Vancouver Canucks, you see a striking similarity to an injury list:
Kesler (starting 2nd line forward) - hip labrum tear, groin tear;
Hamhuis (starting 1st pairing - defenseman) - lower abdominal injuries (unspecified);
Henrik Sedin (starting 1st line center) - back injury (unspecified);
Edler - (starting 2nd pairing - defenceman) - two broken fingers;
Ehrhoff - (starting 2nd pairing - defenceman) - shoulder injury;
Bieksa - (starting 1st pairing - defenceman) - bruised MCL (knee);
Higgins - (starting 2nd line - left wing) - undisclosed foot injury;
Yet they were out there giving it their all trying to win the Cup.
The thing I'm surprised about is that Salo escaped the severe injury bug this year even with this physical last round of the Stanley Cup finals. Usually somebody in audience sneezes and Salo goes down with a herniated disc.
There will more than likely be a few tweaks in the off-season to try to make the team a bit bigger and a bit more intimidating. Adding a big winger or two who aren't afraid to drop the gloves would probably fit the bill. It would keep a situation like Brad Marchand using Daniel Sedin's head like a speedbag from ever happening again, especially when guys like Marchand know that they try that, they're going to get dropped like a 50 lb sack of wet cement. Believe me, I hate the fact that the little weasel did that and didn't even get tackled by one of our guys. I also hate the fact that the little smug weasel has a Stanley Cup ring now.
I wish that we could afford Byfuglien. That guy would keep other people honest. He's big, he's mean and he has a name that friggin' drives me crazy trying to pronounce. BTW it's not pronounced "Bif Fug Leen". It's pronounced "bifflin" Of course during 2009 and 2010 series I was calling him "F*NG BIF THUG LEEN!" Of course, if he was on my team, I'd call him "Jesus Christ...that was a great f*ng hit!!!"
Call the Canucks what you will, but they came one game away from the Stanley Cup and whether or not they should have been there or not, due to their play in the final round, isn't going to matter a hill of beans. They were the second best team in the post-season and if that doesn't give haters enough ammo to hate, because their team didn't make the playoffs or fell by the wayside on the way to the finals, what will?
Next year though I'd like to wipe the friggin' smug MASSholes' smiles off their faces when Henrik Sedin passes Lord Stanley's Holy Grail to the likes of a winger like Scott Hartnell who smashed guys like Lucic and Chara off Daniel and scared Marchand into shaking like a wet leaf during the 2012 Finals. Sweet Jeez...I can just picture that in my mind already. Just wait till next year.
Wednesday June 22, 2011 - Wear Your Colors Proud
Event-June 22nd - Wear Your Colors Proud
Support your City and your Team again on Wednesday June 22nd 2011! Let's show some solidarity in this shameful week by wearing your Canucks Colors this Wednesday to show we don't support the actions of a few that tarnish the reputations and spirit of many.
Show the world and our beloved Canucks that we support them!! Show the VPD that we are behind them, show your thanks to the hundreds of fans who went downtown today to clean up the mess, show the TRUE Fans that WE are all Canucks!
We still Believe
~created by Josh Proko~
This guy is a great guy for suggesting this. We True Canuck fans need to take back our streets and give thanks to the heroes of the day who did what they could to help stop the riots.
Support your City and your Team again on Wednesday June 22nd 2011! Let's show some solidarity in this shameful week by wearing your Canucks Colors this Wednesday to show we don't support the actions of a few that tarnish the reputations and spirit of many.
Show the world and our beloved Canucks that we support them!! Show the VPD that we are behind them, show your thanks to the hundreds of fans who went downtown today to clean up the mess, show the TRUE Fans that WE are all Canucks!
We still Believe
~created by Josh Proko~
This guy is a great guy for suggesting this. We True Canuck fans need to take back our streets and give thanks to the heroes of the day who did what they could to help stop the riots.
The Real Canuck Fans
The real Canucks fans who are in this video wouldn't have had to do this cleanup if booze-filled anarchists wanting to cause trouble didn't cause this.
My heart goes out to all the people who joined them in helping to clean up the city on Thursday morning. You all are the true Canuck fans, not those who were masquerading on the bandwagon...who caused this mess on Wednesday night.
I love my city and evidently all of these people who took time out of their busy lives Thursday morning to go down and clean up the mess love this city too. Thank you to all who went down there. I wish I could have joined you in the cleanup; but my heart was with all of you that did go down.
Rioters Are Stupid...this one's out of the gene pool...
I hate to usually laugh at anyone's misfortune, but this rioter deserved every bit of the pain he had coming to him. And to the officer who threw the flashbang. Great shot.
The riots after Vancouver's loss to the Boston Bruins marred what was a spectacular Stanley Cup Finals series. But now all that people will remember are the jackasses that rioted afterwards. Way to go, you dumb-asses. Way to give this city a black eye.
You are not Canuck fans if you were a part of this riot. You are just hoodlums looking for trouble...and willing to use any excuse as a means to cause it. It is my sincerest hope that many of your compatriots as well as yourselves are arrested. We as true Canuck fans are ashamed of the fact that so few ruined an special occasion for so many. Despite the fact that we didn't get the result we wanted, true Canuck fans went quietly home nursing their dejection in silence; not in wanton acts of destruction. We shouldn't have had to be ashamed of anything. Now we, thanks to the actions of a few hoodlums and anarchists and a bunch of drunken bandwagon fans, we are all tarred with the same brush. Do us all a favor and turn yourselves in, but I'm sure you'll just continue to waste taxpayer dollars in the manhours that the police will have to put in to find your sorry asses.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Armchair GM: What Do The Canucks Need to Succeed?
Ryan Kesler had heart and soul; but this team needs some serious tweaks. The gaping holes in our size were exposed by the Boston Bruins and the salt in the wound was the fact that they won on our home ice. On top of that, the Canucks, through injury and uncertain goaltending in the Stanley Cup finals, were unable to have enough gas to make it through the final round. We found out that Ryan was playing through a torn hip labrum and groin tear Acetabular Labrum Tear Diagnosis info
This probably means that like Hamhuis who has a sports hernia and lower abdominal injury, we won't see Kesler for the start of the season as these two have injuries that have a recovery period of about two to three months. It is said that Hamhuis won't be available for training camp and Kesler pretty much may be out of the roster line-up at the start of the season. These are two major injury gaps that Gillis will have to fill at least temporarily. Maybe he'll be able to do it from roster callups, but unfortunately, the loss of two key players; one renowned for his defensive transition game (Hamhuis) and one for developing into a key power forward (Kesler), means that we have two glaring holes for the start of next season. The Canucks need to look within their organization to bandage these two holes for the start of the season.
During the course of the Stanley Cup finals, it was evident that the skill players were being manhandled by the larger power forwards that the Bruins seemed to have. We need to acquire at minimum two large 6'5" power forwards with grit and not hesitant to drop the gloves: One to line with Hank and Danny, a proven passer with a good hand as well as size to protect them if any of the players on the opposition try anything; one(a Scott Hartnell or a Ryan Clowe type)one to power a wing with Kesler. That would give us two solid scoring lines. We also need a guy willing to go to the front of the net and plant his huge body in front of the opposing goalie in the style of Byfuglien who I'd have to say was a royal pain in the ass during his two series with the Hawks against the Canucks. We also need to shore up our defense with a two big six-footers who are willing to take the body to any forwards coming over the blue line. Try to get in close to our goalie and you're going to pay the price. Team them up with Ballard and Hamhuis, puck moving defensemen who can move the puck out of the zone on a transition play while the big guys keep the net clear. Malhotra has heart, had a rebound season before his eye-injury and deserves to be here. So does Bieksa on our blue-line. We need to sign Bieksa and pair him with Rome. While having big solid D on our blue-line transition D corps. Salo should be kept as a 7th D to slot in on the powerplay or play with Bieksa when we need him due to season injuries.
Above all, we need to get Lui back to mental form. His puck handling may be suspect but I feel that's more of a mental thing than lack of puck handling skill. He may need to talk to a sports psychologist to work on his mental conditioning. There was no need to chirp off at Thomas. The opposing goalie has no need to pump you up. In the finals; it's a war. The opposition is there to beat you; not pay you accolades. There was a mental breakdown at that point and that needs to be fixed before we can even make an attempt at another run. The mental toughness that a goalie has, has to be one where the goalie can't let in two or three bad goals in a row after the first bad goal. He has to be able to mentally regroup and regroup instantly.
One more year with Alain Vigneault. Give him another chance. Prove that he can be flexible. If he can't then get him out before he starts playing favorites and screwing with player's minds. We can salvage Ballard. Give Schneider the chance to backstop more games this year, and play him a lot towards the end of the year too as the playoff near so that he can get a taste of the intensity of the jockeying for position to get to the playoffs.
Needless to say, it is quite possible that the Canucks may not be repeating their feat of winning the President's trophy next year. But still it doesn't matter whether they win it or not. The 2-3 year window of winning the Stanley Cup should be the ultimate goal: Win sooner not later.
This probably means that like Hamhuis who has a sports hernia and lower abdominal injury, we won't see Kesler for the start of the season as these two have injuries that have a recovery period of about two to three months. It is said that Hamhuis won't be available for training camp and Kesler pretty much may be out of the roster line-up at the start of the season. These are two major injury gaps that Gillis will have to fill at least temporarily. Maybe he'll be able to do it from roster callups, but unfortunately, the loss of two key players; one renowned for his defensive transition game (Hamhuis) and one for developing into a key power forward (Kesler), means that we have two glaring holes for the start of next season. The Canucks need to look within their organization to bandage these two holes for the start of the season.
During the course of the Stanley Cup finals, it was evident that the skill players were being manhandled by the larger power forwards that the Bruins seemed to have. We need to acquire at minimum two large 6'5" power forwards with grit and not hesitant to drop the gloves: One to line with Hank and Danny, a proven passer with a good hand as well as size to protect them if any of the players on the opposition try anything; one(a Scott Hartnell or a Ryan Clowe type)one to power a wing with Kesler. That would give us two solid scoring lines. We also need a guy willing to go to the front of the net and plant his huge body in front of the opposing goalie in the style of Byfuglien who I'd have to say was a royal pain in the ass during his two series with the Hawks against the Canucks. We also need to shore up our defense with a two big six-footers who are willing to take the body to any forwards coming over the blue line. Try to get in close to our goalie and you're going to pay the price. Team them up with Ballard and Hamhuis, puck moving defensemen who can move the puck out of the zone on a transition play while the big guys keep the net clear. Malhotra has heart, had a rebound season before his eye-injury and deserves to be here. So does Bieksa on our blue-line. We need to sign Bieksa and pair him with Rome. While having big solid D on our blue-line transition D corps. Salo should be kept as a 7th D to slot in on the powerplay or play with Bieksa when we need him due to season injuries.
Above all, we need to get Lui back to mental form. His puck handling may be suspect but I feel that's more of a mental thing than lack of puck handling skill. He may need to talk to a sports psychologist to work on his mental conditioning. There was no need to chirp off at Thomas. The opposing goalie has no need to pump you up. In the finals; it's a war. The opposition is there to beat you; not pay you accolades. There was a mental breakdown at that point and that needs to be fixed before we can even make an attempt at another run. The mental toughness that a goalie has, has to be one where the goalie can't let in two or three bad goals in a row after the first bad goal. He has to be able to mentally regroup and regroup instantly.
One more year with Alain Vigneault. Give him another chance. Prove that he can be flexible. If he can't then get him out before he starts playing favorites and screwing with player's minds. We can salvage Ballard. Give Schneider the chance to backstop more games this year, and play him a lot towards the end of the year too as the playoff near so that he can get a taste of the intensity of the jockeying for position to get to the playoffs.
Needless to say, it is quite possible that the Canucks may not be repeating their feat of winning the President's trophy next year. But still it doesn't matter whether they win it or not. The 2-3 year window of winning the Stanley Cup should be the ultimate goal: Win sooner not later.
Dated June 16, 2011: Stanley Cup Game 7 Post-Mortem
When the dust settled from the playoffs, the Canucks were once again left without the Stanley Cup. This year can be considered an interesting one. The Canucks came away with the President's Trophy for the best season record in the league, however when all was said and done, the only trophy that mattered this season once again slipped away from their grasp. OK, maybe slipped away wasn't the word for it. It was brutally smashed away. This was not a "we just about nearly won it" attempt like 1994. It was a single game sweep-away like 1982. Instead of in 4 games, it was a game 7 one game series for all the marbles and the Canucks didn't even show up. There were no Linden-like heroics. Kesler, playing absolutely hurt, couldn't muster the energy to pull the team anywhere near close and Tim Thomas of the Bruins just was an absolute automaton who made every save to earn a 4-0 shutout victory and the right to parade the Stanley Cup up and down Roger's Arena ice in front of dejected Canuck fans. This year for Canuck fans shouldn't be "what could have been". We didn't deserve the Cup this year, not with our PP going flat and our offence coming from the third and fourth lines. You aren't a Cup-winning team when your 3rd and 4th lines exchange scoring ability with your 1st and 2nd lines; injury or not, you have to get it done. It's going to be a "what are we going to have to do to win the Cup" year. What sort of changes to our line-up do we have to make? That's the Stanley Cup potential question that Mike Gillis is going to have to answer in this off-season.
Certainly there were signs of life in the Canucks in the early going but once the first goal went in on Luongo, it was the harbringer of the end. Certainly the Canucks were the better team in the regular season, but there is a reason why they say that the Stanley Cup finals is the "only season that has any meaning in the NHL". Once the door closed on the regular season at the end of the game against the Calgary Flames, the real season started and for most of the series the Canucks were in, they looked like they were a fish out of water. After being up 3-0 on the Chicago Blackhawks, they nearly squandered their lead away and nearly got eliminated in a hard-fought Game 7. The game winning goal by Alex Burrows got them jumpstarted and into the second round against a feisty, defense first Nashville Predators team that pushed the 'Nucks into a 6 game series that nearly went 7 games if it wasn't for a timely goal by Daniel Sedin to put the Canucks ahead 2-0 and that's the way it stayed until a David Legwand tally to get the Preds on the board. The San Jose Sharks series was where some of the weaknesses of the Canucks were exposed. We lost a key member of the team with the loss of Mikael Samuelsson in Game 2 of that series and that put us seriously in a worse position for our run with the Bruins, let alone our somewhat "capable" offense sputtered to a stop in Nashville, but temporarily ignited for a flurry in San Jose. It was a combination of luck and skill that got the Canucks to the Stanley Cup finals. However when you look at the entire series you know that luck and skill don't last. Luck is unquantifiable, and skill can only take you so far. It was heart, grit and skill at the very last game that pushed the Bruins into the top spot as the NHL Stanley Cup Champions of 2011.
Heart, grit and skill will make luck going into the playoffs. And that's the combination that the Canucks will have to find in the off-season.
Certainly there were signs of life in the Canucks in the early going but once the first goal went in on Luongo, it was the harbringer of the end. Certainly the Canucks were the better team in the regular season, but there is a reason why they say that the Stanley Cup finals is the "only season that has any meaning in the NHL". Once the door closed on the regular season at the end of the game against the Calgary Flames, the real season started and for most of the series the Canucks were in, they looked like they were a fish out of water. After being up 3-0 on the Chicago Blackhawks, they nearly squandered their lead away and nearly got eliminated in a hard-fought Game 7. The game winning goal by Alex Burrows got them jumpstarted and into the second round against a feisty, defense first Nashville Predators team that pushed the 'Nucks into a 6 game series that nearly went 7 games if it wasn't for a timely goal by Daniel Sedin to put the Canucks ahead 2-0 and that's the way it stayed until a David Legwand tally to get the Preds on the board. The San Jose Sharks series was where some of the weaknesses of the Canucks were exposed. We lost a key member of the team with the loss of Mikael Samuelsson in Game 2 of that series and that put us seriously in a worse position for our run with the Bruins, let alone our somewhat "capable" offense sputtered to a stop in Nashville, but temporarily ignited for a flurry in San Jose. It was a combination of luck and skill that got the Canucks to the Stanley Cup finals. However when you look at the entire series you know that luck and skill don't last. Luck is unquantifiable, and skill can only take you so far. It was heart, grit and skill at the very last game that pushed the Bruins into the top spot as the NHL Stanley Cup Champions of 2011.
Heart, grit and skill will make luck going into the playoffs. And that's the combination that the Canucks will have to find in the off-season.
Dated June 3, 2011: I am a Canucks fan (for better or worse).
I bought my first Canucks jersey in 1992, a vintage 1990-1991 jersey that was only worn for a period of 2 years before they switched to the famous red yellow and white/black (home/away) jersey that typified their famous 1994 run. I still plan to get the famous red, yellow, black of the away jersey fame (I've never liked the white home jerseys and are glad that they were switched to the more colorful away jerseys for home use.
This particular jersey is no longer available unless you're willing to shell out hundreds of bucks for a player jersey that has been game worn. Nobody seems to be willing to acknowledge that this orange/yellow/white or black jersey was ever worn by the Canucks, but when you have guys like Igor Larionov who back in 1991 was one of the best damned Russian skaters next to Pavel Bure to put on a Canucks uniform, this jersey needs to at least be acknowledged. . And considering he became a Detroit Red Wings icon, you can be damned sure that we were stupid to let him go. But unfortunately there were financial ramifications. The Russian Ice Hockey Federation would have received fees which in that time were absolutely exhorbitant and the Canucks had no choice to let him go play International Hockey in Switzerland after his three year contract expired with the 'Nucks or pay the money. To me, he will always be Canucks #18.
There were some great memories made in that time the Canucks wore that jersey. We weren't the best team in the league, and we sure as hell didn't play .500 hockey. We would win and lose in streaks and believe me, half the time we would suffer right along with the Canucks as they won or lost according to their spotty play.
Guys like Dave Capuano, Dave Mackey, Tom Kurvers, Garth Butcher. all wore this jersey. Every Canuck from that era, despite the fact that as a team we completely sucked, were loved by Canuck fans who are old enough to remember this jersey. 1991 was also the year that we got in trade 4 cornerstones that would be a part of the Stanley Cup run of 1994, Cliff Ronning, Sergio Momesso, Robert Dirk and Geoff Courtnall and we said good-bye to Big Butch and Dan Quinn as they went to the Blues.
Most teenagers and those in their early 20s nowadays don't remember those players who wore this jersey, they wouldn't have been around, or they'd be too young to have remembered. But since I'm a crusty old 40 year old, I do remember those times. The times before the heady rush of the 1994 Stanley Cup run. Those were the times that older Canuck fans remember and give thanks today for the depth that this 2011 Cup Run team has. That's why I'm watching this team carefully this year (as I have always watched the 'Nucks) because if this is the year to do it, this is when they will. We don't have a better chance than now.
This particular jersey is no longer available unless you're willing to shell out hundreds of bucks for a player jersey that has been game worn. Nobody seems to be willing to acknowledge that this orange/yellow/white or black jersey was ever worn by the Canucks, but when you have guys like Igor Larionov who back in 1991 was one of the best damned Russian skaters next to Pavel Bure to put on a Canucks uniform, this jersey needs to at least be acknowledged. . And considering he became a Detroit Red Wings icon, you can be damned sure that we were stupid to let him go. But unfortunately there were financial ramifications. The Russian Ice Hockey Federation would have received fees which in that time were absolutely exhorbitant and the Canucks had no choice to let him go play International Hockey in Switzerland after his three year contract expired with the 'Nucks or pay the money. To me, he will always be Canucks #18.
There were some great memories made in that time the Canucks wore that jersey. We weren't the best team in the league, and we sure as hell didn't play .500 hockey. We would win and lose in streaks and believe me, half the time we would suffer right along with the Canucks as they won or lost according to their spotty play.
Guys like Dave Capuano, Dave Mackey, Tom Kurvers, Garth Butcher. all wore this jersey. Every Canuck from that era, despite the fact that as a team we completely sucked, were loved by Canuck fans who are old enough to remember this jersey. 1991 was also the year that we got in trade 4 cornerstones that would be a part of the Stanley Cup run of 1994, Cliff Ronning, Sergio Momesso, Robert Dirk and Geoff Courtnall and we said good-bye to Big Butch and Dan Quinn as they went to the Blues.
Most teenagers and those in their early 20s nowadays don't remember those players who wore this jersey, they wouldn't have been around, or they'd be too young to have remembered. But since I'm a crusty old 40 year old, I do remember those times. The times before the heady rush of the 1994 Stanley Cup run. Those were the times that older Canuck fans remember and give thanks today for the depth that this 2011 Cup Run team has. That's why I'm watching this team carefully this year (as I have always watched the 'Nucks) because if this is the year to do it, this is when they will. We don't have a better chance than now.
Dated May 31, 2011: The Hockey Gods are Smiling...on Winnipeg: What it means for the Canucks...
Well, barring any new offers, and a resolution by the NHL Board of Governors on June 21st, the Atlanta Thrashers will officially be sold to Winnipeg. Well...are we going to see a namechange back to a new reincarnation of the Winnipeg Jets. Well, we'll just have to wait and see. While Winnipeggers rejoice in the hallowed return of their beloved Jets, let's see what the fallout is for the AHL team that graced the MTS Center in Winnipeg all those years the Jets were gone.
The ramifications for the Vancouver Canucks are even more interesting. In one fell swoop, the Canucks have lost their AHL affiliation with the Manitoba Moose and are now searching for a new home for their prospects currently based with that affiliate. No longer Moose they're essentially "homeless". There is only one current AHL team that is looking for a new NHL affiliate and that's based right smack in the heart of ENEMY territory: the Chicago Wolves. Considering that we've had a hate-on for the CHICAGO Blackhawks for the past three years until we finally vanquished the Hawks in a hard-fought heavily contested brawl of a 1st round playoff series this year, it's kind of stupid to put our AHL affiliate ties right smack in the middle of Hawk territory. Considering that most Chicago Wolves fans are also Chicago Blackhawks fans; having a AHL team in their home-city affiliated with their loathed enemy for the past three years would really go over well with those fans. Attendance more than likely would plummet to subterranean levels and the ownership (Are you listening Dan Levin?) would find more than sufficient cause to want to pull up stakes despite Levin's ties to the Chicago area.
I mean, (cue dripping sarcasm) it would be like Calgary putting a AHL team into Abbotsford and expecting Canucks fans to shell out money to see FLAMES prospects and manage to get enough gate revenue to support team expenses. And then state that "I believe it will succeed. So we're going to stay there." I mean, who the hell would be brilliant enough to come up with that GENIUS idea?
"fat chance in hell of that ever happening"
It will be a COLD day in hell before I support the Abbotsford Heat while they remain a Calgary AHL affiliate. I'm putting it mildly when I say that Canuck fans HATE the Calgary Flames with a passion and ANYTHING related to the Flames, AHL affiliates included. And anyone who doesn't realize that aspect of the market that they stick their AHL team into is an absolute flaming IDIOT. The GM who decides to make an alliance with the Calgary Flames and then proceeds to stick his team in the heart of the division rival's fanbase territory has no business wondering why his gate sales are atrocious. Considering that the only time the Heat's home rink was sold out was when the Manitoba Moose came to town, should have told the managers of the Heat that things were not rosy in AbbyVille.
And I'm sure Chicago Wolves fans are the same way in supporting their hometown NHL team. Unfortunately they got stuck with another NHL team's AHL affiliate. Chicago is an Original Six franchise. Their fanbase is loyal and passionate. Thus sticking a Canucks AHL affiliation with the Chicago Wolves in that particular market is a raw deal that only looks to put egg on the Canuck organization's faces.
The only team that wins in this whole situation is Winnipeg who goes waltzing off with an NHL franchise and a relocation of their AHL affiliate (all under the same True North Sports Entertainment group umbrella) off to either Thunder Bay or St. John's and last I heard, they were goin' to Newfie-ville.
Secondly, there are the legal ramifications of this matter. Last I recalled, while a person or organization was under contract of affiliation to develop players for their NHL team any attempts to lure another NHL organization to that city should be construed as "conflict of interest" thus breach of contract. Thereby True North Sports Entertainment violated the terms of their agreement with the Vancouver Canucks by tendering an offer (while under an affiliation contract to the Vancouver Canucks) to the Atlanta Thrashers. Frankly, I believe that there should be a penalty for that type of underhanded dealing.
Well, all things considered, it could be that it all works out for the best. Maybe the best thing would be to buy out the remaining 8 years of the contract to the Abbotsford Heat, tell them and their little "HEAT"ed Flamelets to go bugger off somewhere nice and COLD: how about Lethbridge, Alberta...or somewhere even nicer like Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan? They could compete with airshow enthusiasts who watch the Royal Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds. We could then shove the Chicago Wolves into Abbotsford Arena, renaming them the Abbotsford Wolves. And considering we do have REAL wolves here, not just the human kind, that would actually take on more meaning wouldn't it?
The ramifications for the Vancouver Canucks are even more interesting. In one fell swoop, the Canucks have lost their AHL affiliation with the Manitoba Moose and are now searching for a new home for their prospects currently based with that affiliate. No longer Moose they're essentially "homeless". There is only one current AHL team that is looking for a new NHL affiliate and that's based right smack in the heart of ENEMY territory: the Chicago Wolves. Considering that we've had a hate-on for the CHICAGO Blackhawks for the past three years until we finally vanquished the Hawks in a hard-fought heavily contested brawl of a 1st round playoff series this year, it's kind of stupid to put our AHL affiliate ties right smack in the middle of Hawk territory. Considering that most Chicago Wolves fans are also Chicago Blackhawks fans; having a AHL team in their home-city affiliated with their loathed enemy for the past three years would really go over well with those fans. Attendance more than likely would plummet to subterranean levels and the ownership (Are you listening Dan Levin?) would find more than sufficient cause to want to pull up stakes despite Levin's ties to the Chicago area.
I mean, (cue dripping sarcasm) it would be like Calgary putting a AHL team into Abbotsford and expecting Canucks fans to shell out money to see FLAMES prospects and manage to get enough gate revenue to support team expenses. And then state that "I believe it will succeed. So we're going to stay there." I mean, who the hell would be brilliant enough to come up with that GENIUS idea?
"fat chance in hell of that ever happening"
It will be a COLD day in hell before I support the Abbotsford Heat while they remain a Calgary AHL affiliate. I'm putting it mildly when I say that Canuck fans HATE the Calgary Flames with a passion and ANYTHING related to the Flames, AHL affiliates included. And anyone who doesn't realize that aspect of the market that they stick their AHL team into is an absolute flaming IDIOT. The GM who decides to make an alliance with the Calgary Flames and then proceeds to stick his team in the heart of the division rival's fanbase territory has no business wondering why his gate sales are atrocious. Considering that the only time the Heat's home rink was sold out was when the Manitoba Moose came to town, should have told the managers of the Heat that things were not rosy in AbbyVille.
And I'm sure Chicago Wolves fans are the same way in supporting their hometown NHL team. Unfortunately they got stuck with another NHL team's AHL affiliate. Chicago is an Original Six franchise. Their fanbase is loyal and passionate. Thus sticking a Canucks AHL affiliation with the Chicago Wolves in that particular market is a raw deal that only looks to put egg on the Canuck organization's faces.
The only team that wins in this whole situation is Winnipeg who goes waltzing off with an NHL franchise and a relocation of their AHL affiliate (all under the same True North Sports Entertainment group umbrella) off to either Thunder Bay or St. John's and last I heard, they were goin' to Newfie-ville.
Secondly, there are the legal ramifications of this matter. Last I recalled, while a person or organization was under contract of affiliation to develop players for their NHL team any attempts to lure another NHL organization to that city should be construed as "conflict of interest" thus breach of contract. Thereby True North Sports Entertainment violated the terms of their agreement with the Vancouver Canucks by tendering an offer (while under an affiliation contract to the Vancouver Canucks) to the Atlanta Thrashers. Frankly, I believe that there should be a penalty for that type of underhanded dealing.
Well, all things considered, it could be that it all works out for the best. Maybe the best thing would be to buy out the remaining 8 years of the contract to the Abbotsford Heat, tell them and their little "HEAT"ed Flamelets to go bugger off somewhere nice and COLD: how about Lethbridge, Alberta...or somewhere even nicer like Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan? They could compete with airshow enthusiasts who watch the Royal Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds. We could then shove the Chicago Wolves into Abbotsford Arena, renaming them the Abbotsford Wolves. And considering we do have REAL wolves here, not just the human kind, that would actually take on more meaning wouldn't it?
Dated May 26, 2011: BIEKSA...BIEKSA...KEVIN BIEKSA SCORES!!!!!
Kevin Bieksa fires the shot that ends the game in double-overtime as it reaches his stick in a one-timer after it ricochets off the stanchion and back out towards the blue line.
Bieksa SCORES!!!!!
The Canucks are going to the Stanley Cup finals where they will face either the Boston Bruins or the Tampa Bay Lightning.
This reminds me of a certain goal by Greg Adams against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1994...
that propelled the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Rangers.
The interesting point is that each springboard series (the Conference finals) the Canucks have appeared in to get to the Stanley Cup finals has been decided in a Game 5. Here's hoping that the 3rd time is a the charm.
Dated May 14, 2011: Canucks Need To Come Out Hitting
VS
The one thing that I have noticed in the Detroit-San Jose matchup was the lack of body contact. And that is one of the key things that the Canucks will have to implement in order to stop the offensive powerhouse that the Sharks have in their hulking forwards like Joe Thornton, Ryan Clowe, and Patrick Marleau. Also ever dangerous is Devin Setoguchi.
The objective of the Canucks is to take away as much ice that the San Jose defense can use to set up plays. The Sharks are lulled into thinking that this is going to be another run n' gun offensive, puck possession series like the one with the Red Wings and that their offense is going to be the key to making the Canucks pay the price. Well, the Canucks don't have the top ranked defense in the league for nothing. Salo, Ehrhoff, Hamhuis and the entire defensive corps are going to have to step up and make sure that the puck doesn't get through. Hitting the San Jose forwards as they come through the blue-line will offer up enough room to set up the Sedins, Burrows or Kesler.
The three big offensive threats have been Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi and Logan Couture for the Sharks. Combined in the playoffs those three have 17 of San Jose's 38 goals whereas Vancouver has not lit up the goal light very often with Burrows, Kesler and Daniel Sedin accounting for 10 goals out of 30. Needless to say, the Canucks are going to have to find some offense and physicality is what is going to make or break this series. Will the Sedins, whose offense was non-existent in the series against Nashville, break out and start producing offensively? Will the defense be able to stop the Sharks' offense in its tracks.
Understandably, Luongo has struggled in the last few games, but he bounced back in a big way in Game 7 of the Chicago series and also in Game 6 of the Nashville series. He won the games when they counted. But to dig a hole too early in the series with the Sharks is a death knell.
The San Jose Sharks expect one type of game. The Canucks job is to bring out another that the Sharks aren't expecting. The series will go Vancouver's way if Vancouver starts physically tiring out the San Jose Sharks early in the period. The Vancouver Canucks and San Jose have both had to play long series, while Tampa and Boston both swept their opponents. Now we will see how much of an effect the length of the series will wear on both sets of Conference finalists. The Canucks showed killer instinct in Game 6 when they closed out the series when it could have gone 7 games versus the Nashville Predators. But the Sharks haven't in their second round, when they had to go seven games when they went up 3-0 against the Red Wings. The mental edge of being able to shut down your opponent on the road versus the confidence builder in being able to overcome a 3-3 meltdown is going to be the swing-vote in this series.
The Breakdown
Faceoffs: Advantage San Jose - When Manny Malhotra, Vancouver's faceoff leader went down with a season-ending eye injury it hurt the Canucks on the faceoffs. Kesler and Sedin had to step up and be faceoff specialists. But competing against the likes of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, the Canucks centers fall woefully short.
Offense: Advantage San Jose - with powerhouses like Pavelski, Setoguchi and Couture and big bodies who can muscle opponents out of the way like Marleau, Thornton and Clowe, the Sharks are going to be a tough mouthful for the 'Nucks.
Defense: Advantage Vancouver - Ehrhoff, Edler, Salo, Hamhuis, Bieksa, Rome, Alberts. The Canucks have a "shut-down" defensive corps that the San Jose Sharks can't match.
Goalie: Advantage Vancouver - Antti Niemi has been a thorn in the side for the Vancouver Canucks for the past two years when the Canucks have been ousted out of playoff contention by the Chicago Blackhawks. Last year Niemi won the Stanley Cup, while Luongo pulled in a gold medal performance at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. However this season it seems as if Niemi has struggled against Vancouver, whereas Luongo has picked up his play.
Intangibles:
a) The scoring touch: If the Sedins manage to break out of their scoring slump and elevate their game to the next level, it could spell disaster for the Sharks. If the combined offense of Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton finds it's ignition, the Canucks could be in serious trouble. The one thing that is clear is that the Canucks can't pin their playoff hopes on Ryan Kesler alone. Maybe that was allowable during the Predators-Canucks series, but not against an offensive team like San Jose.
b) Physicality: The San Jose Sharks have to expect physical contact in this series if they expect to win. The Canucks thrive on hitting because it opens up the ice around them and takes away the offensive advantage. In order for the Sharks to come out strong in this series, the old adage, "Do unto others before they do it to you." needs to be foremost on McClellan's mind. If you don't hit, then expect the Canucks to do it.
c) Mental Fatigue: With seven game series, there is an element of mental fatigue. With each series it gets harder and harder to get your mindset reset to the start of a new series. The euphoria that comes from beating an opponent has to be reset to a pre-series level and your work ethic has to go back to one game at a time. The Canucks have had that reset time. the Sharks have not. Coming off a seven-game series, the Sharks are going to have to make certain that their players reset to a different opponent and not expect the same moves from the previous one. The Canucks will be bringing a different game to the Conference finals series and the Sharks will have to adjust for that.
Intangibles: Advantage Vancouver
Verdict: Vancouver in seven games. Game one will be a feelout match for both teams. But the Vancouver Canucks cannot afford to split the series at any point. To do so will be giving the Sharks a much needed confidence boost and the Canucks will have to take that advantage away from them as much as possible.
Dated May 14, 2011: We are a Family of Hockey Fans - R.I.P. Derek Boogaard.
New York Rangers forward and enforcer Derek Boogaard was found dead at his Minneapolis home Friday by family members. No cause of death was known at the time, and the autopsy may not yield a cause for several weeks according to recent news.
Cause of Boogaard's death may be unclear for weeks - AP article by Amy Forliti, Associated Press – 25 mins ago
Reactions from former team-mates and friends were one of shock:
“I was stunned. I couldn’t believe it, I just couldn’t believe it,” - Georges Laraque. “I talked to him a couple of days ago. I was devastated. I’m still devastated.”
“Everybody just saw the big tough exterior,” Shane Hnidy - former Minnesota teammate, now a Boston Bruin. “He was a great guy who really gave back, especially in Minny, he was probably the biggest, most popular player there."
“The news that we have lost someone so young and so strong leaves everyone in the National Hockey League stunned and saddened. The NHL family sends its deepest condolences to all who knew and loved Derek Boogaard, to those who played and worked with him and to everyone who enjoyed watching him compete.” - NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Darcy Hordichuk of the Vancouver Canucks and Derek Boogaard of the Minnesota Wild exchange punches. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
Derek Boogaard was a respected player and enforcer in the NY Rangers team. Some of his fights against the likes of Hordichuk, Brookbank. Brashear, and Parros were nasty fisticuffs. He was not liked when opposing Vancouver as a member of the Wild.
However, his death will be felt by many members of all teams in the NHL. They have lost one of their own. And his death will be felt by many a fan, regardless of what team they cheer for. He was well known for his work in the community and reaching out to fans. Above all, his family has suffered a loss that will hurt for the rest of their lives.
Forever a Minnesota Wild player and forever a NY Ranger. His life enriched all of us who watched his games and his pugilistic talents on the ice. He was a big man who had a big heart and the world is more poorer for the loss.
In life, a member of the Minnesota Wild and a member of the New York Rangers; in death, a member of all NHL teams. We have ALL lost "one of our own".
RIP Derek Boogaard; June 23, 1982 – May 13, 2011. Farewell, "Boogey Man"; We will ALL miss you.
Dated May 14, 2011: Orcas eat Sharks...a Proven Fact.
Well, we know what our next NHL Round Three opponent is going to be. It's the San Jose Sharks. As you all know for the past 14 years, the Vancouver Canucks have used a Killer Whale (Orca) as a logo for their team. And it seems we now have a fitting rival for this playoffs, in the #2 team in the Western Conference.
Video of Orca killing a Great White
It has been proven in nature that orcas will kill Sharks. There have been 9 different species of sharks that have been killed by orcas. And in 1997...there was a recorded case of a female orca ramming, flipping and biting a great white which got too close for comfort to its young calf and killing it. The flipping of the shark caused it to go into a state of "tonic immobility" but the orca thus enraged still took two gigantic chomps out of the great white thus ensuring it's doom.
And as is evidenced. The Canucks are well versed in doing the same to their opponents. Frankly, this Shark was also evidenced to be placed for a few seconds into a state of "tonic immobility" as well by this well-executed ramming attempt.
copyright: Jeff Vinnick, NHLI photo
So considering that the Cup is pretty much our "baby"...and the Sharks are just getting too damned close for comfort. I'd say it's pretty safe to bet that the Canucks are going to turn into enraged Orcas...and KILL SHARKS.
Canucks versus Sharks; bring it on.
Video of Orca killing a Great White
It has been proven in nature that orcas will kill Sharks. There have been 9 different species of sharks that have been killed by orcas. And in 1997...there was a recorded case of a female orca ramming, flipping and biting a great white which got too close for comfort to its young calf and killing it. The flipping of the shark caused it to go into a state of "tonic immobility" but the orca thus enraged still took two gigantic chomps out of the great white thus ensuring it's doom.
And as is evidenced. The Canucks are well versed in doing the same to their opponents. Frankly, this Shark was also evidenced to be placed for a few seconds into a state of "tonic immobility" as well by this well-executed ramming attempt.
copyright: Jeff Vinnick, NHLI photo
So considering that the Cup is pretty much our "baby"...and the Sharks are just getting too damned close for comfort. I'd say it's pretty safe to bet that the Canucks are going to turn into enraged Orcas...and KILL SHARKS.
Canucks versus Sharks; bring it on.
Dated May 10, 2011: Vancouver wins Round 2: Poor Carrie!
Every NHL team has their celebrity fans; Nashville definitely has Carrie Underwood. She was loved as an American Idol finalist and finally winner of that contest and now in her own right as a country music star. However, as the wife of the rival play-off team's Mike Fisher, she was absolutely loathed by Vancouver Canucks fans.
The superfans; The Green Men, took every available opportunity to get into the minds of the Nashville Predators...including a very nice shot at Mike Fisher when he ended up in the penalty box in Vancouver's Roger's Arena. Take your heckling like a man, Mikey.
And who could forget the iconic picture of Carrie Underwood cheering on her man while the Quackers got out-played by the self-styled SMASHVILLE Predators in the first round.
But something confuses me. If she's married to Mike Fisher, wouldn't she now be called "Carrie Fisher"...uh...I guess...that might get a bit confusing.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: (cue Jedi MInd Trick) "This is not the Carrie Fisher you are looking for..."
And who can't sympathize with poor Carrie's pain when her man's dreams of Cup glory went up in smoke last night. Poor girl. Almost makes me want to hand her a hankie.
The operative word being almost. Every Nashville game, prompted a gratuitous shot of Carrie Underwood carrying on a cheering squad consisting of all of her and Mike's relations. And as Derek Jory called the yellow shirted Pred fans: Cheetos for all the scattering of yellow "Stand With Us" t-shirts littered like an exploded Cheetos bag all over Bridgestone Arena. And then the little heisters wanted to use our "towel power against us" with the ugly puke yellow "stand with us" towels which they were frantically waving against all hope in Game 6. Newsflash: Towel Power doesn't work against the team that originated it in 1982...which was an year that "smashed-ville" didn't even exist.
Well, at least us Canucks fans can thank our lucky stars that she was at least more classy than this guy. I can only hope that this was Vince's face on the OT goal by Burrows in Game 7. After he cheaply trash-talked Lu...this would have been worth it to see.
So, Who's Next? Who's the celebrity fan from Detroit or San Jose, one of the two teams left in the Conference Semi-finals, that we'll be meeting in the Finals. Who will the Green Men latch onto next and heckle into next year? Looking forward to seeing that match up.
The superfans; The Green Men, took every available opportunity to get into the minds of the Nashville Predators...including a very nice shot at Mike Fisher when he ended up in the penalty box in Vancouver's Roger's Arena. Take your heckling like a man, Mikey.
And who could forget the iconic picture of Carrie Underwood cheering on her man while the Quackers got out-played by the self-styled SMASHVILLE Predators in the first round.
But something confuses me. If she's married to Mike Fisher, wouldn't she now be called "Carrie Fisher"...uh...I guess...that might get a bit confusing.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: (cue Jedi MInd Trick) "This is not the Carrie Fisher you are looking for..."
And who can't sympathize with poor Carrie's pain when her man's dreams of Cup glory went up in smoke last night. Poor girl. Almost makes me want to hand her a hankie.
The operative word being almost. Every Nashville game, prompted a gratuitous shot of Carrie Underwood carrying on a cheering squad consisting of all of her and Mike's relations. And as Derek Jory called the yellow shirted Pred fans: Cheetos for all the scattering of yellow "Stand With Us" t-shirts littered like an exploded Cheetos bag all over Bridgestone Arena. And then the little heisters wanted to use our "towel power against us" with the ugly puke yellow "stand with us" towels which they were frantically waving against all hope in Game 6. Newsflash: Towel Power doesn't work against the team that originated it in 1982...which was an year that "smashed-ville" didn't even exist.
Well, at least us Canucks fans can thank our lucky stars that she was at least more classy than this guy. I can only hope that this was Vince's face on the OT goal by Burrows in Game 7. After he cheaply trash-talked Lu...this would have been worth it to see.
So, Who's Next? Who's the celebrity fan from Detroit or San Jose, one of the two teams left in the Conference Semi-finals, that we'll be meeting in the Finals. Who will the Green Men latch onto next and heckle into next year? Looking forward to seeing that match up.
Dated April 22, 2011: The Stanley Cup Is Won On Intangibles and Skill
These posts have been moved over from my old blog:
What I saw in last night's game was an absolute debacle. The Canucks were completely humiliated on home ice. I saw a team that looked shell-shocked, rocked back on it's feet and unsure of how it got to where it was. When the opposition scored two goals in 24 seconds; the 'Nucks deflated. The Stanley Cup is won on "intangibles"...heart, soul, and the will to win. In Game 4, the Chicago Blackhawks could have rolled over and gave up. Instead, they're showing the will to win, fighting to stave off elimination.
I've seen heart and soul come from only two Vancouver teams (who both made it to the Stanley Cup finals) in the history of this franchise. The team in 82 and the team in 94. The rest of the time, the Canucks players have treated this organization like a Club Med resort, playing to their abilities, but lacking any sort of winning intangibles. For too many years, they've been mentally soft when it came to the winning intangibles. In the championship teams, that I have seen win the Stanley Cup, there's that mental toughness, the ability to ratchet up their skill level and intensity, the heart and soul and the desire to win it all, that manifests itself beyond the regular season and makes you see a different team altogether in the playoffs. A team that pulls together and overcomes adversity; a team that turns around and says "If the opposition brings their best game...we're going to go match that intensity and ratchet it up to a level that the other team can't match. We want to win!" I hate to say it in my almost 41 years of being on this planet...and being a Canucks fan; I have never ever seen the mental fortitude at all in this Vancouver Canucks team. Oh, yes...it has made itself visible in tempting glimpses, in the likes of players like Ryan Kesler or in Captain Canuck himself, Trevor Linden, but never in the team gelling together and saying "We're going to win the Cup...THIS YEAR!" like Mark Messier guaranteed in the Eastern conference final round of 94 when the Rangers were facing elimination in Game 6 while being down 3-2 in the series and eventually won the championship against Vancouver.
Game 7 of 1994 will forever go down in my mind...as an absolute heartbreaker. When the entire team folded around him, Trevor Linden tried to get his team back in the game. When the Rangers went up 2-0 early, Trevor got a goal...to try to keep the game close. Messier scored the 3rd Ranger goal, but Trevor responded in the third. Nate Lafayette tried as well but hit the post as the clock ran out. I still remember watching in disbelief with my Dad...as the Rangers defeated the Canucks in the championship final. The rest of the team was non-existent. The only three players who seemed to want it were Nathan Lafayette, Trevor Linden and Kirk McLean. And it will always be a thorn in my side that the one player who deserved a Stanley Cup win never got to hoist the Cup in his entire NHL career, yet never once complained wanting to go to a different team.
I may not be a player, but success is transferrable into other occupations. You don't give up, like the Canucks did in Game 5 in this series when the going gets tough. You keep kicking and clawing until you get there and you never ever lose the hunger, no matter what the other teams do. If they ratchet up their intensity. you match it and increase the intensity until the opposition can't match it and their hunger recedes into defeat. That's what the Hawks are doing to our team...and our team needs to respond in intensity.
What this team needs is a fanbase who is not satisfied with the Club Med atmosphere of players who aren't going to perform when the chips are down, who are satisfied with this team's performance "win or lose". We want fans who are not satisfied with their performance. In the regular work force; you don't perform, you don't succeed, you end up fired and looking for other work. There are performance expectations...and those expectations every year are not being met. No boss is tolerant of mediocrity and no boss is going to put up with slacking off year after year. And regardless of who signs the paychecks, it's the fans who are collectively "the Boss" of this team. And it's time that as the Boss, we stop being satisfied with mediocrity.
What I see is a team that is still emotionally and mentally fragile; unsure of whether it wants to win the Stanley Cup; unsure of even how to get there. We have the skillset, now it's time to take care of the intangibles. Get out there, Canucks...give your heads a shake and start finding that "WILL TO WIN" in Game 6.
What I saw in last night's game was an absolute debacle. The Canucks were completely humiliated on home ice. I saw a team that looked shell-shocked, rocked back on it's feet and unsure of how it got to where it was. When the opposition scored two goals in 24 seconds; the 'Nucks deflated. The Stanley Cup is won on "intangibles"...heart, soul, and the will to win. In Game 4, the Chicago Blackhawks could have rolled over and gave up. Instead, they're showing the will to win, fighting to stave off elimination.
I've seen heart and soul come from only two Vancouver teams (who both made it to the Stanley Cup finals) in the history of this franchise. The team in 82 and the team in 94. The rest of the time, the Canucks players have treated this organization like a Club Med resort, playing to their abilities, but lacking any sort of winning intangibles. For too many years, they've been mentally soft when it came to the winning intangibles. In the championship teams, that I have seen win the Stanley Cup, there's that mental toughness, the ability to ratchet up their skill level and intensity, the heart and soul and the desire to win it all, that manifests itself beyond the regular season and makes you see a different team altogether in the playoffs. A team that pulls together and overcomes adversity; a team that turns around and says "If the opposition brings their best game...we're going to go match that intensity and ratchet it up to a level that the other team can't match. We want to win!" I hate to say it in my almost 41 years of being on this planet...and being a Canucks fan; I have never ever seen the mental fortitude at all in this Vancouver Canucks team. Oh, yes...it has made itself visible in tempting glimpses, in the likes of players like Ryan Kesler or in Captain Canuck himself, Trevor Linden, but never in the team gelling together and saying "We're going to win the Cup...THIS YEAR!" like Mark Messier guaranteed in the Eastern conference final round of 94 when the Rangers were facing elimination in Game 6 while being down 3-2 in the series and eventually won the championship against Vancouver.
Game 7 of 1994 will forever go down in my mind...as an absolute heartbreaker. When the entire team folded around him, Trevor Linden tried to get his team back in the game. When the Rangers went up 2-0 early, Trevor got a goal...to try to keep the game close. Messier scored the 3rd Ranger goal, but Trevor responded in the third. Nate Lafayette tried as well but hit the post as the clock ran out. I still remember watching in disbelief with my Dad...as the Rangers defeated the Canucks in the championship final. The rest of the team was non-existent. The only three players who seemed to want it were Nathan Lafayette, Trevor Linden and Kirk McLean. And it will always be a thorn in my side that the one player who deserved a Stanley Cup win never got to hoist the Cup in his entire NHL career, yet never once complained wanting to go to a different team.
I may not be a player, but success is transferrable into other occupations. You don't give up, like the Canucks did in Game 5 in this series when the going gets tough. You keep kicking and clawing until you get there and you never ever lose the hunger, no matter what the other teams do. If they ratchet up their intensity. you match it and increase the intensity until the opposition can't match it and their hunger recedes into defeat. That's what the Hawks are doing to our team...and our team needs to respond in intensity.
What this team needs is a fanbase who is not satisfied with the Club Med atmosphere of players who aren't going to perform when the chips are down, who are satisfied with this team's performance "win or lose". We want fans who are not satisfied with their performance. In the regular work force; you don't perform, you don't succeed, you end up fired and looking for other work. There are performance expectations...and those expectations every year are not being met. No boss is tolerant of mediocrity and no boss is going to put up with slacking off year after year. And regardless of who signs the paychecks, it's the fans who are collectively "the Boss" of this team. And it's time that as the Boss, we stop being satisfied with mediocrity.
What I see is a team that is still emotionally and mentally fragile; unsure of whether it wants to win the Stanley Cup; unsure of even how to get there. We have the skillset, now it's time to take care of the intangibles. Get out there, Canucks...give your heads a shake and start finding that "WILL TO WIN" in Game 6.
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