Canucks Hockey Blog Twitter Updates

February 8, 2010

Like my new jersey, coach?

Don’t all our Olympians look ADORABLE? They have a slightly nerdy vibe going on like they have apples behind their backs for Steve Yzerman and promises to clean Brian Burke’s chalkboard after practice. They even split up the twins *Gasp*

February 5, 2010

Trouble in paradise

Last night – more than four months since playing his last hockey game – Cody Hodgson finally suited up for the Brampton Battalion. He recorded two assists and was named the game’s first star.

Not a bad first game back. And when Canucks fans read about his return this morning, surely we were excited, eh? Well, hang on now.

From Jim Jamieson (Vancouver Province):

In a conference call, Hodgson — who assisted on two goals in his Brampton Battalion junior club’s 4-2 win over Erie on Thursday — said he felt great to be back after an emotional four months away from the game while he rehabbed an injured back.

But Hodgson, in his first public statements since the highly touted Canucks prospect was returned to junior on Sept. 28, said the Vancouver organization has had no input into the treatment of his ailing back since he was sent down. He added that he won’t be working further with Gagner, in whose training facility in London, Ont., Hodgson originally hurt his back last July.

While Hodgson said he didn’t want to dwell on the past, it confirms what many have suspected — that Hodgson and his camp were not happy with the Canucks and Gagner after the injury occurred.

“Most of my rehab has been independent, through Dr.(Tony) Miniaci in Cleveland and doctors in Toronto and the trainer here in Brampton,” said Hodgson.

“In the summer I won’t be training with Mr. Gagner.”

Huh?

More from Jamieson:

Asked why he wouldn’t be training with Gagner, with whom he’s worked the previous two summers since the Canucks drafted him, Hodgson said: “I feel I have good trainers I can work with in Toronto.”

This creates a problem for Canucks GM Mike Gillis, who has a prospect who apparently doesn’t want to work with his player development director. Gillis didn’t immediately return a call to The Province.

I think it’s understandable that Hodgson wants to work with his own trainer. And if that’s the only issue, then I think we can stop reading more into what he said at the press conference. However, if the issue is deeper than that – i.e. if Hodgson refuses to work with his team’s Director of Player Development – then the Canucks may have a problem. Add to this any bad blood from coach Alain Vigneault’s criticisms after Hodgson sought medical opinion independent from the Canucks, then there may be some real trouble in paradise.

February 5, 2010

Love to Hate Canucks

[Editor's note: CHB would like to welcome Chris Golden as a contributor to the site. As you'll be able to see from his first post, he's a tough-love kinda guy. Don't worry, we think he'll come around after SOB scores a big goal in the playoffs.]

*****

Hidey ho folks!  Remember me?  No?!  I’m hurt. Some of you may recognize me from my witty (or witless) banter in the official Canucks Fan Zone Live Blog, others may know me more as@lyteforce from the vast twitterverse, and one of you probably hangs out at my blog. Regardless of how you know me, I happened to come across the keys to the front door of the Canucks Hockey Blog and thought I’d give ‘er a spin.

So before we start, let’s get one thing clear – I don’t “hate” the Canucks. Far from it. I’m completely enamoured with the team and tend to see things through Canucks-tinted sunglasses. It’s just a few players who I love to hate. It’s like how I hate Chris Pronger – he’s a great player, I’d love to see him patrolling the blue line for the Canucks, but I’d boo him anyway. That’s just how I roll.

Anywho, the first person on my Love to Hate list is obviously Shane O’Brien. Any opportunity I get, I’m on his case – it’s just that easy. SOB brings great size to the Canucks blueline and has some potential, but like how coal turns into diamonds, I just don’t have the patience to wait for the transformation. So I hate him. Whether he’s on the ice or not, I blame him for the goal. Or whenever there’s talk about retiring someone’s jersey, I point out that SOB’s should be hung in the penalty box. I’ll concede his play as of late has improved drastically, but I’m set in my ways.

The second person on the list is Sami Salo. Sami’s a great guy. He’s a solid D-man who brings stability on the blue line, has a booming slapper that could kill, can throw a breakout pass well enough to send Jim Sandlak in alone, and provides veteran leadership. The problem is these benefits are only available for the 20 games he’s healthy for, so I hate. Word is, Sami has one of those “this workplace has been injury free for” signs in his dressing stall for inspiration when he’s healthy for extended periods of time. It’s that bad. I’ve also heard from unreliable sources that the trainers always check on Sami after a thundering hit – even though he was sitting in the press box watching the game just in case the shockwave sets him back a few days.

I could go on forever, but I won’t. Here’s the rundown of my top 4 “love to hate” players:

• Shane O’Brien
• Sami Salo
• Kyle Wellwood – The guy can stickhandle in a telephone booth, but plays like he actually is in one.
• Kevin Bieksa – Sami Salo lite but with a frown.

So who do you love to hate? Or am I completely out to lunch? Let me know!

February 5, 2010

The Canucks, Trade Talks and the Cap

With the Olympic trade freeze only a week away and the NHL trade deadline less than a month away, we’re sure to hear all sorts of trade rumors and speculation involving the Vancouver Canucks. Only a couple of days ago, we heard that the Canucks were in the running – and then not in the running – for Ilya Kovalchuk. (Of course, Kovy was traded to the New Jersey Devils yesterday.) Previous to that, there was the rumored Cory Schneider for David Backes swap.

But while discussing these trade rumors, there are a couple of things we need to keep in mind:

1) The Canucks are already up against the salary cap. In fact, because of all the injuries they’ve sustained this season – and of course having to replace them – their projected salary number is over the $56.8 million upper limit this season. This means that, if the Canucks were to pull a trade, incoming and outgoing salaries would have to match dollar-for-dollar.

2) If Kevin Bieksa is activated from long-term injury reserve (LTIR) before the playoffs, the Canucks would have to move out salaries in order to accommodate Bieksa’s salary and get back in compliance with the cap.

Let’s use Ilya Kovalchuk as an example. His cap hit this season is $6,389,300. If the Canucks were to have acquired him, they would have had to shed $6,389,300 in salary from the active roster. To put this into perspective, the Canucks’ package would have had to include, say, Pavol Demitra ($4,000,000) plus Steve Bernier ($2,000,000) and they’d still need to get rid of another $639,300 in salaries. Because I honestly doubt the Thrashers would have had any interest in Demitra, maybe the package is Alex Edler ($3,250,000), Bernier, plus prospect and/or pick, plus the Canucks would have to waive Kyle Wellwood ($1,200,000). Kevin Bieksa ($3,750,000) isn’t even an option here because the Canucks would lose his LTIR exemption. And when Bieksa comes back (assuming he comes back during the regular season), the Canucks would have to move another $3,750,000 in salary.

Clear as mud?

The cap issue is one reason the Cory Schneider for David Backes trade couldn’t have happened even if there was any truth to it. Because Backes’ cap hit is $2,500,000 this season and Schneider’s is $0, the Canucks would have first needed to get rid of $2,500,000 in salary from the active roster. Waiving Wellwood and Brad Lukowich ($1,566,666) would have done the trick, but then Willie Mitchell and Sami Salo got injured and needed Lukowich and Baumgartner in the lineup. Not only that, but they would still need to find room for Bieksa’s salary when Bieksa came back.

Giving up the right assets in a deal is one thing. Finding the cap space to make one is another. In the next month or so, we need to take both into account.

(Postscript: All numbers from CapGeek. As an aside, I know cap space is calculated daily, but because the Canucks are at the cap anyway, I used each player’s total cap number for the season for simplicity.)

February 4, 2010

Canucks/Senators

You know, I could write a long grouchy post about how uninspired and sloppy and boring the Canucks looked tonight. I could write about how their defensive play was awful and they looked like they were breaking out of their zone in quicksand but I just don’t quite feel up to it. I think this bunny sums up my feelings quite succinctly for the moment.

January 30, 2010

Hockey day in Canada ramblings

- I bought a crazy number of timbits, a box of donuts, and a box of coffee. Now I’m sitting on my boy’s couch in my Rypien jersey. We’re celebrating this day in style.

- I want Sidney Crosby to read me bed time stories. That’s it. No hanky panky. I REALLY like that Tim Horton’s ad.

- You know who I really like on Ottawa? That little bebeh Dane Peter Regin.

- Hall Gill appears to have the foot speed of a teenage elephant.

- I really liked the segment with all the little girl hockey players. It warmed my heart. I should go skating again.

- Kelly Hrudey looks adorable in a toque. I would prefer if there were more face time with Scott Oake and Kelly Hrudey and Jeff Marek than Ron Mclean.

- To be totally honest, I probably want a Sweden Olympic jersey more than a Canada one. Hank Sedin or Danny Sedin? Hmmm, it’s like choosing a favourite child. Opening ceremonies is on my birthday. I am not looking forward to my birthday at all, but that’s kind of cool.

- Toskala is starting for Toronto. I think it would be hilarious if Raycroft got a start but I don’t think it’s going to happen. I want the triplets to get at least 9 points combined against the Leafs.

- I would like to get a Canucks scarf. I’d wear it with my signed t-shirt owww owww owww!

- I love love LOOOOVE Peter Mansbridge. It’s sad broadcasting is dying.

- I bought a Canada donut. It has red Canada flag sprinkles. I think I can die happy once I eat it.

- WOOOOOOOO Canucks/Leafs! Hank Sedin looking fetch taking the ceremonial faceoff. Johnny Bower rappelled from the rafters!

- Sweet Swede on a meatball Canucks, you embarrassed us all on national TV.

- 1st period thoughts: FUCK

2nd and 3rd period thoughts: WHEEEEE!! TWINS! FRENCHMEN! RAYCROFT IS FUNNY!

January 27, 2010

Twin Trouble – Top 10 Sedin Moments

Sportscenter’s top 10 after the Canucks-Sabres game was a Sedin Tribute. “Call it a top 5 times 2″, it’s the Top 10 Sedin Moments and damn is it fun to watch. Enjoy!

January 26, 2010

Super Twin Powers Activate

When I see highlight reel goals night in and night out from the Sedins it’s hard to find a place to start when trying to talk about them, but if you start by looking at the most recent highlight reel treat did anything stand out to you? To me it was the fact that the absolutely beautiful between-the-legs-no-look-feed was by Daniel and not Henrik. This season the twins have done something special that’s changed them from just a double threat, to a quadruple threat and it is all a result of that injury Daniel sustained at the beginning of the season.

Before the injury, the Sedins were solvable. It was Henrik pass, Daniel shoot. They still put up very respectable numbers, they were point per game players, you threw Alex Burrows with them and they had a trigger man. However the fact remained that they were not as versatile as they could have been. For arguments sake they seemed like two halves that made a whole. Two singles that made a double threat. It was good, it was effective and they lead the Canucks and have gotten better in each of the 10 years they’ve been with the organization thus far.

Since Daniel went down to injury he was forced to find the other side of his game and now with a career high in goals and on pace for his first 30 goal season ever, the leading Hart Trophy candidate at the moment has seemingly become a whole threat instead of being one half to his brother’s other half. Likewise, Daniel has come back and has started racking up assists like he’s a second Henrik Sedin. Both players have found this other dimension to their game and now we see a set of Sedin Twins that are simply potent. There’s no longer the predictable answer to “Who passes? Who shoots?”. Daniel can dish it as well as Henrik can, and Henrik’s taken charge and at times seems like he can score at will.

All of a sudden we’re seeing Sedin twins who are not just a double threat, as a duo, but they’re double threats individually. Whether it’s Henrik setting up his brother, the two of them setting up Burrows, or Daniel feeding Lukowich, the twins have finally stepped out of that shadow and criticism that they were predictable because they’re a living highlight reel night in and night out and no body predicted what they’d be doing this season. Both Sedins are averaging an assist per game this season, Henrik has 52 assists in 52 games played and Daniel has 34 assists in 34 games played. The Twins are no longer just a one-two punch. They’ve turned themselves into the one-two combination right before hitting you with the left hook.

This is what Brian Burke must have envisioned when he went into the ‘99 draft claiming no one was going to leave that draft with both Sedins if it wasn’t him. The Sedins have finally found a way to silence the critics. Before this season their only “flaw” was that they were predictable and now with both of them wheeling, dealing, and pulling the trigger, shutting down the Sedins went from hard to nearly impossible.

January 25, 2010

That Monster Road Trip

Now that the Canucks last home game before the Olympics is done it’s time to look forward to those 45 days away from GM Place that includes a 14 game road trip interrupted by the Olympics for two weeks. The Canucks leave GM Place in the hands of VANOC and embark on a 14 game road trip which has a lot of fans worried because going into this road trip they currently own the second worst road record amongst any of the playoff teams in the East and West. That doesn’t paint an accurate picture though as the Canucks in their last 10 games away from home, after a terrible start on the road this year, are 6-3-1.

The Canucks main concern isn’t even going to be the first half of the trip:

Jan. 30 at Toronto
Feb. 2 at Montreal
Feb. 4 at Ottawa
Feb. 6 at Boston
Feb. 9 at Tampa Bay
Feb. 11 at Florida
Feb. 12 at Columbus
Feb. 14 at Minnesota

The first half of the trip the Canucks do a swing through Eastern Canada and if there’s one thing the Canucks have been able to do it’s devour teams in the East. When you look at the East teams the Canucks are playing they have better goal tending, and the fact that they rarely see these teams gives them the advantage because the other team’s lack of familiarity should let the Sedins run rampant.

The six of the first eight games on the road swing should be a breeze. Even if the Canucks go 6-2 through that stretch that’ll be a fantastic lead up to the two week Olympic break. The tough part is after the Olympic break. The Canucks six games after the Olympics looks like this:

March 2 at Columbus
March 3 at Detroit
March 5 at Chicago
March 7 at Nashville
March 9 at Colorado
March 10 at Phoenix

In the first eight games of the road trip the Canucks play only one, maybe two playoff teams (depending on the standings fluctuation). In the back end of the road trip, post Olympics, they’re ploughing through some of the toughest teams in the West and taking on a list of Western Conference playoff teams. They’re also hitting four teams in the Central Divsion, a division they’ve improved against lately but one that has been unkind to them all season.

The other concern for the Canucks is going to be the Olympic hangover. This could work both for and against the Canucks. The Canucks are going to have 7 of their stars play throughout the two weeks and you have to imagine fatigue will kick in. The rest of the team should be nice and rested, but it’s a double edge sword if the rest just leads to a sluggish start and they take a few games to find their legs. That being said every NHL team is in the same boat so that should even the playing field and the Canucks stars will have to lead the team having been the ones that played through the two weeks off.

The thing everyone’s going to be watching the most on this trip though is going to be Henrik Sedin’s play. He leads the NHL in the points race going into this road trip, but of the 76 points he’s scored this year, 49 of them have been on home ice. That’s the most by any NHL Player this season, but means if Henrik is going to contend throughout the remainder of the season his road numbers are going to have to go up drastically. This road trip is going to define the Canucks season. It’s been said before and sounds somewhat cliché, but it plays a role in determining whether the Canucks chase a playoff spot down the stretch or sit comfortably while watching the rat race, and it’s going to determine just how good Henrik Sedin really is. Either way, with the last three games of the regular season versus NW division opponents, you can’t help but think this season is going to come down to the wire yet again.

January 25, 2010

On Being a Canucks Fan

For Canucks fans online, most in the last week have seen the blog written by Edmonton’s Dan Tencer following an Oilers loss. It reeks of the bitterness and frustration that Oilers Nation echoes, and after reading some of the responses to his blog like the one by Brian over at Canucks Corner I feel Tencer’s missing one other perspective. What frustrates me is that Dan Tencer attacks the fans. It’s one thing to attack the team and get off on the fact that they have (and as a Canucks fan I’ll admit this) been a little more prominent in the news these days, but to get off at the fans is something that infuriates me.

What’s wrong with feeling your team is entitled to win something? How does the fact that your team hasn’t won it all at least once in their 40 year history mean the fans shouldn’t be passionate? How does the fact that Vancouver fans hold a high standard of expectation for their team make them out to be “cocky” and “entitled”? Sure the Canucks have never won anything, but according to Dan Tencer that means we’re not allowed to get up in arms over any issue whatsoever. Because the Oilers have won 5 Cups, they’re entitled to make some noise in the leauge, but because the Canucks haven’t they don’t hold the same weight with the NHL?

To be honest what frustrates me is the fact that writers like Tencer create the breed of fan we should be trying to eliminate. We don’t want GM Place filled with these passive fans who just sit there. We don’t want fans that don’t care. The bottom line is the reason Canucks fans voice their opinion is because they care. At the end of the day Mr. Tencer, it’s just that, an opinion. Everyone’s entitled to one and the fact that so many Vancouver fans make theirs vocal is something more fans should learn from.

In fact it’s the distinct lack of passion and voice that leads to embarrassments like the Phoenix Coyotes. When only 500 fans turn out to a rally intended to show support for a flailing NHL franchise your fans left something to be desired. As a fan we’re entitled to support our team through thick and thin, as fans we’re allowed to get up in arms over an incident and our previous records should have no bearing on how it’s received. I don’t want to be a fan of a team in a league that perpetuates this elitism to it’s fans. I haven’t seen Canucks fans cocky in the days when we had nothing to get excited about but the fact is we have a superstar goaltender, the leading Art Ross candidate at the moment, one of the more dominant offenses in the league right now and every reason to expect our team to win a cup. There’s nothing wrong with setting your expectations for your team high. That doesn’t make you entitled. That just means you care and you expect a lot.

Being a fan of any team is about passion and getting your hopes up even when you’re not supposed to. Canucks fans aren’t entitled. Are they cocky? Some can be, most I’d say are extremely passionate. We care about our team. Just because we have a reason to get excited about our team doesn’t mean you need to transfer your frustrations to us Dan.