Richard Loat

Bieksa needs to get his “boom-boom” back

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Nov 012010
 

The Canucks’ blueline is taking a beating early in the season. They lost Sami Salo in the offseason, and then Keith Ballard and Dan Hamhuis shortly after the season started (though Ballard is expected to be a game-time decision for tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils), and there are reports that Andrew Alberts twisted his knee against Colorado (he’ll play tonight) and Ryan Parent suffered a mild groin strain at Sunday’s practice. It’s only November 1st and already the Canucks are starting to see just how much blueline depth they really have.

With the defence falling apart left right and center, the one blueliner everyone wants off the ice, Kevin Bieksa, is healthy as a horse. Bieksa is expected to be a top blueliner. Playing in the top pairing for most of the start of the season speaks to that. As a pending UFA on a blue line that needs his offense and leadership, Bieksa has to step up and prove to the team why he was handed that ‘A’ by Captain Henrik Sedin at the start of the season.  On a defense as depleted as the Canucks, there is no excuse for Bieksa, the $3.75 million defenseman, to be pointless through the first nine games of the season.

Bieksa’s clearly aware of his position in the city. The media hound him, he’s under the microscope and called out for every mistake he makes. Certainly, his lack of offense isn’t helping the situation. Through nine games, Alex Edler and Christian Ehrhoff, as expected, lead all Canucks defensemen with six points a piece. Hamhuis who’s only played five games has notched a point, and even Alberts has hit the scoresheet, not once but twice. Like Bieksa, Aaron Rome and Ryan Parent don’t have points either, but they’re not iced to produce points. They’ve been given a role to play in the wake of injury and their performance has yielded little to complain about. On the other hand, Bieksa, for how much he makes, should be tallying more at the rate as his German and Swedish defensive counterparts.

Bieksa’s value is quickly diminishing. He’s the Canucks only right hand shot and unless he can hit the scoresheet it looks more and more like that’s the only reason he’s kept around. He’s not doing anywhere near enough offensively to warrant overlooking his defensive liabilities and as a defenseman that spends more time in the offensive zone you’d expect to see better numbers. Bieksa’s numbers in years gone by have been the unfortunate result of not one but two tendon lacerations. That’s understandable. However, he’s healthy now, and more than ever, Bieksa needs to get the “Boom Boom” back in his game because he’s not helping the Canucks’ cause or his own.

Canucks Pumpkin Art

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Nov 012010
 

In the wake of Halloween there are always an abundance of fan made pumpkins, some good and some not so good. I’ve never had the skill nor the inclination to tackle a pumpkin let alone to brand it Canucks but there are some folks out there with significantly more drive and talent than I, and they have some pretty cool pumpkins to share.

This first one comes from @transcendswebs who manages to tackle the hardest Canucks logo and make it look good on a pumpkin. Kudos sir.

Next up we have Gemma Davis who’s attempted to recreate one of the Canucks most iconic moments. If you remember it was used as one of the Canucks Streetwashes and now has been temporarily found it’s place in history on a pumpkin.

A couple of people decided to try the retro logos. We’ve got a very cool looking Johnny V’s and again, I must reiterate, I could never create such art, let alone Canucks art, so I leave it to the much more gifted than I. The one on the left is courtesy of Evan Taylor and the one on the right by Thomas Fita.

The last two pumpkins are by far my favourites. I have to hand it Alistar Hayward. His Canucks Skate logo pumpkin was cool enough but his 40th Anniversary pumpkin blew me away.

Manny’s Consistency

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Oct 212010
 

I’ll be the first to admit that when the Canucks signed Manny Malhotra to his contract, I was not a fan of the terms. 3 years, $2.5 million per year, and a no-trade clause (albeit limited) seemed a little excessive for a guy that I saw simply as Kyle Wellwood’s upgrade. I knew what we could expect from Malhotra after having watched him down in San Jose all season, but then again, I also expected the Canucks juggernaut to be rolling by the time we’d hit the six game mark of the season. So what makes Manny worth his millions? Consistency.

In two games this week, we’ve seen the Canucks go from walking all over the road-weary Carolina Hurricanes at home to getting walked all over by the flu bug-ridden Minnesota Wild on the road. We’ve seen both sides of the spectrum, but only one side from Malhotra. The Canucks needed an upgrade from a dinky, streaky and sometimes under-conditioned Wellwood.

Cue Malhotra.

In his first six games with the Canucks, he’s given us a taste of just why Mike Gillis went after him and offered him as much as he did. In part, it was because his market value was $2.5 million – rumor at the time was that the Sharks offered him $2.1 million – but there’s also a lot more to Malhotra that we’re starting to see.

In the Canucks’ 5-1 romp over the Hurricanes, Malhotra finished 15-1 in the faceoff dot – a beastly faceoff winning percentage of 93.4%. In their dismal road loss against the Wild, he finished 12-4 in the faceoff dot – a very respectable FOW% of 75%. In fact, Malhotra has a FOW% over 70% in four of his first six games with the Canucks. Contrast that to Wellwood, who took 20 games last season before recording four games with 70% or more in the FOW column. Win or lose, he’s been dominant in the dot, helping to win crucial faceoffs at both ends of the ice, on special teams, and at even-strength.

The Canucks’ penalty-kill last year sat in the bottom half of the league. For a team that’s considered a contender, an 18th-ranked PK isn’t good enough. One of the reasons Malhotra was brought on was to be a PK expert. In the Canucks’ first game of the season, they gave up a full two-minute PP to the Kings in OT. Malhotra was on the ice for a full two minutes because the Canucks couldn’t clear the zone; however, the Kings didn’t score. Against the Hurricanes, the Canucks were two men down as the third period was winding down and Malhotra created not one, but two short-handed breakaways. Thus far, Malhotra’s averaging just over 15 minutes of ice-time per game, which is nearly three minutes more than fellow third liners Schaefer and Torres and almost double the ice-time the rest of the bottom-six is getting.

The 30-year old Malhotra has certainly brought his end of the bargain to the ice. He’s got two assists in six games with the Canucks. (Contrast again, Wellwood took 18 games to reach two points last year.) So is Manny worth his millions? He’s showing up night in and night out and doing his part within the Canucks system. Win big or lose big, Malhotra’s game seems to be at it’s peak and he’s one person that can’t be faulted for the Canucks’ slow start to the season.

The Canucks needed that big, multi-faceted bottom-six player who could make an impact and the journeyman center who’s also played with the Blue Jackets, Stars, Rangers and Sharks fits that mould.

What Gives?

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Oct 212010
 

You’d think by the time we were six games into the season the Canucks would be “in the conversation” right? Well they are, just not for the reasons we expected them to be. A team that’s been touted to win the West, and even win the Stanley Cup this season, these 40th anniversary Canucks look great on paper, but haven’t been able to transfer that to their product on the ice.

Against the Los Angeles Kings in their home opener they looked good and fell short – understandable. In their third period meltdown against the Anaheim Ducks, you can find a scapegoat. In a dismal road showing against the Kings, they deserved to lose. And against the road-weary Carolina Hurricanes, they managed to put the screws to them and win big at home. So far the results have matched the Canucks play. They haven’t won any games they shouldn’t have – not yet at least.

So what can you make of ice a squad with decent jump that played a sound game that comes up on the short side of a 6-2 divisional loss to the Minnesota Wild?

When the Sedins are producing at 1.50 points per game and have scored in every game this season but the team stands at 2-3-1 on the season, something else has to be the problem. The Canucks bounced back after two dismal showings against Carolina. They did what they had to and took advantage of the situation. Against a Wild team with similar disadvantages, the Canucks faltered and were trampled. The PK that was systematic in it’s first five games struggled without the likes of Ballard (concussion) and Hamhuis (foot). A depleted blue line that sees defensive pairings of Rome-Alberts and Bieksa-Parent certainly doesn’t help add confidence in your back end. So who has to step it up?

The Canucks top players are continuing to score, and by top players I mean the Sedins. The rest of the team has to get on board. When the defense is struggling and riddled with injury the way the Canucks’ blue line is, it’s the offense that has to step up and win games. That means Samuelsson, Raymond, and Kesler all have to do a better job. Kesler, the team’s emotional leader has been non-existent when he’s been needed the most. Jannik Hansen, who’s been given significant top-six ice-time, has to start producing. The expectation from him on the third and fourth line was that of a role player, but given the opportunity he’s had of late, he’s now under pressure to start scoring as well. Role players can only do so much. That said, the Canucks role players are doing what they’ve been called upon to do. Desbiens, Glass and Schaefer have a combined penalty total of two minutes in the first six games. They’re playing sound, penalty-free hockey. Malhotra’s proven consistent on both the PK and in the faceoff dot whether the Canucks win big or lose big and it’s now time to start expecting the guys that are paid big dollars to step up.

When the Canucks have all their pieces together, they are a difficult team to beat. That’s why on paper they are amongst the leagues best. The injury variable is something that disrupts even the best laid plans and while the Canucks rehab the likes of Salo, Hamhuis, Ballard, Burrows and Bolduc, the rest of the team has to step up and fill the gaps. With a depleted defensive core, I’m not sure it’s fair to ask guys like Rome and Parent to do more than they are already doing. Our remaining defensive studs have found their way onto the scoresheet and are doing their part to compensate for their missing counter parts.

The onus lies in the Canucks’ offensive core players to step up and start winning games. The onus lies in the A’s that rest on the chests of Kesler and Bieksa who need to now show why they are this team’s leaders. The onus lies in the Canucks’ best players because they are paid to be our best players.

CHB Social: Manitoba Moose Group Game

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Oct 122010
 

When the Manitoba Moose come to town in November to play against the Abbotsford Heat, I want to get a group of people to head out to Abbotsford and watch the Canucks prospects hard at work. A group of us went last year and we had a great time. The games against the Moose games are one of the few that the Heat sell out all season.

Manitoba Moose Line Up Pre-Game at the Blue Line

When we went last year, the crowd was a solid 50-50 split of Moose and Heat fans. Every time we started a “Go Moose Go” chant it was countered by a “Go Heat Go” chant. The game was a blast – there’s nothing quite the same as watching the prospects give it their all to get noticed by the big team.

When: Saturday, November 27th (there’s no Canucks game that night) – 7pm
Where: Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Center
What: Manitoba Moose vs Abbotsford Heat
Tickets: Tickets are $20 each if we get a group of 10 or more people. We’ll be in the Orange Section. We’ll be sitting together and making sure that Canucks Nation is well represented at the game.

Last year we carpooled and groups of us headed out. You can drive to Abbotsford on your own, or let us know if you’d like to organize a carpool. If anyone’s up for it, we can also meet up and get together for a group dinner at the restaurant across from the arena. Because it’s the weekend, there should be plenty of time for us to head out to Abbotsford before the game.

Are you in? Send me an email at rloat@canuckshockeyblog.com and we can reserve a spot for you.

Working Out The Kinks

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Oct 072010
 

New players always garner the most attention from the fans and Keith Ballard is no exception. Coming to a Canucks team that’s had injury problems at the blue line, the 27-year old defenseman, who is the only Canucks defenseman to play in all 82 games last season, was expected to bring stability and durability, and make an immediate impact.

Oh, the irony.

It was surprising to see Ballard struggle a bit in the preseason. But as it turned out, he had hip surgery in May, originally unbeknownst to everyone – fans and media alike – in Canucks Nation. For two weeks, he was restricted to crutches and was unable to put any weight on his hip. By the training camp rolled around, Alain Vigneault admitted that Ballard was about three weeks behind in getting his timing and conditioning back. If we were a little harsh on Kevin Bieksa for a poor preseason, we should probably give Ballard a bit of slack. Going to a new city and playing with a new defense partner is hard enough to adjust to; adjusting to a new hip at the same time doesn’t make it any easier.

The good news is, Ballard will get some time at the start of the season to work out the kinks. He’ll play with Andrew Alberts on the third-pairing at least until he gets his game in gear. Once he does that, I’m sure he’ll prove to be a huge asset to the Canucks. For the first time in his career, he’ll be playing on a team expected to contend for the Stanley Cup and I’m sure he’s fired up to start the season. He’ll be a big part of the success of the blue line, and ultimately, the team.

That is, when he gets used to playing with that new hip.

Canucks Take To The Streets

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Oct 062010
 

In a post a couple of days ago, I mentioned how the Canucks are pulling out all the stops for their 40th year anniversary. One of the projects they’ve put together is a unique street campaign that lets you see images of iconic moments in Canucks history literally all over the streets.

Vision Media Co is the team behind the Canucks Streetwashes. I had the opportunity to chat with Tyler MacDonald of Vision Media Co and he took the time to give me more info on these images.

There are approximately 90 impressions of three different images all over Vancouver. You’ll find these impressions on: Robson St. from Howe to Bute, in the Burrard and Dunsmuir area, around the new Convention Centre and Fairmont Pacific Rim, in the South Granville area, in Kits on 4th Avenue, in Kerrsidale, on West 10th Avenue, and in Point Grey.

The first image is named “The Hug”. You’ll remember this moment between Trevor Linden and Kirk McLean during the Canucks’ run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994.

The Hug Streetwash
Photo Credit: Vision Media Co

The second image is of Roberto Luongo celebrating the Canucks playoff series win against the Dallas Stars in 2007. This image is titled “Luu” as a tribute to the man who adopted Lui Passaglia’s “Luu” and who carries the expectations of every Canucks fan upon his shoulders.

Luongo Streetwash
Photo Credit: Vision Media Co

The third image is a tribute to every Canucks fan in this city. It’s of the fan. Named “Towel Power” you’ll find the Canucks fan represented well in this 40th anniversary tribute to past, present, and future.

The Fan Streetwash
Photo Credit: Vision Media Co

So how are these impressions done?

MacDonald helped shed some light on that too. “We have a couple artists that create computer generated stencils which are then laser cut into the clients desired creative template. The stencil is then passed along to our execution team who pick appropriate locations to lay the stencil flat on the ground and use high pressurized water to clean away dirt inside the stencil, leaving a totally green friendly message on the sidewalks.”

In today’s world where being green is becoming increasingly important it’s great to see something that adds it’s own flavour to Vancouver at zero cost to the environment. The Canucks 40th year anniversary campaign profiles some of the team’s best players in their public transit campaign – check these out the next time you’re on the bus or the Sky Train. It includes the Sedins and Luongo showcased with Roger Nielson, Pavel Bure, Darcy Rota, Trevor Linden, Stan Smyl and Cliff Ronning, amongst others. They’ve even managed to get one of the newest Canucks, BC boy and Smithers native, Dan Hamhuis, in on the campaign.

The streetwash campaign is a unique tribute to the past we can’t forget, the present we hope will make history this season, and of course the future and common denominator from year to year, the fans. During the Olympics we got to enjoy small street showcases like this for two weeks. It’s awesome to have something of a similar nature back again. That it involves the Canucks just makes it even more awesome.

I don’t like the shootout, but I like this shootout goal

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Oct 052010
 

While I don’t want to give the shootout any serious consideration in the offseason, I notice the Canucks starting roster looks like it will once again lack a shootout specialist. Last season, six different Canucks were picked to do the shootout; this season, two of those players – Kyle Wellwood and Pavol Demitra – are no longer with the team.

I’m sure Malhotra and Torres will get a look in the shootout. Torres has decent career numbers and Malhotra has the ability to score in the clutch. Tambellini has the best shootout numbers of all the new comers having scored on 6 of his 9 career shootout attempts, though whether or not he plays much is another issue.

Anyway, to make a long story short, the foreword was really a preamble and reason to post this creative shootout goal by Kaspars Daugavins for the Bingham Senators in a game against the Hamilton Bulldogs last night.

Celebrating the Canucks 40th Year Anniversary, Acquiring the Vancouver Millionaires Trademark and Other Musings

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Oct 042010
 

With the Vancouver Canucks celebrating their 40th year anniversary has come a whole host of pretty cool things they’re doing to make this year special. Some of the things in the works are pretty neat, others are pretty silly, but overall, this season only looks to get better and better.

For starters, you may have noticed the aesthetic changes to Rogers Arena this season. After Rogers acquired the arena naming rights, they’ve redone the logo at center ice, the sign outside the arena and the colour of the stairs in the lower bowl. And of course, this year they’re introducing the Ring of Honor, which will be located atop the 500 level suites.

Photo credit: canucks.nhl.com

The other day, the Canucks acquired the brand, marketing and merchandising rights to the Vancouver Millionaires trademark and logo. Does this mean we can finally say we’ve won the Stanley Cup? In all seriousness this is just well, cool. I bought a Millionaires jersey as soon as I found out the Vancouver Giants were doing a throwback night where they wore the Millionaires maroon and donned the white hockey pants. White hockey pants, seriously one of the coolest things you’ll see in a game when you’re used to black pants. Going to games I’ve noticed that Millionaires jerseys are showing up more and more and have always wanted the Canucks to play a game in Millionaires jerseys. Now that they own the rights to the trademarks and logos I guess – or at least I hope – that I’ll finally get to see that. It may not happen this season as I’m not sure if the Canucks have registered this request with the league, but it’s certainly something I look forward to in the future. Even Don Taylor things they are one of the best retro jerseys ever. Again though, white hockey pants, awesome.

The other thing I’ve noticed the Canucks have come up with recently is a really cool project taking some of the Canucks most iconic moments to the street. Done by VisionMedia, this project showcases some of the Canucks fondest memories in the form of a streetwash. It’s different, it takes the Canucks out onto the streets and the fan in me loves it.

Canucks 40th Anniversary Street Wash

Photo credit: Vancity Buzz

One of the things I’m not a huge fan of though is the announcement of another Canucks Day taking place today, October 4th. Now I don’t know about you, but the last Canucks day happened after the team’s first round victory against the LA Kings in last year’s playoffs; shortly after that followed another second round exit to the Chicago Blackhawks. Frankly, we may be celebrating the Canucks 40th season, but I don’t see a reason for a “Canucks Day”, especially because the previous one occurred only less than six months after the first. April 27th shouldn’t have been Canucks day and neither should October 4th. To me, this seems like just another publicity stunt. I’ll be perfectly happy when they announce Canucks Day as the day after we win our first Stanley Cup.

Aquilini and Gregor Roberts at Canucks Day

Regardless, I think it’s great that the Canucks are going all out on their 40th birthday. Let’s hope for a good 110-game(-ish) party culminating in our first real Canucks Day sometime in mid-June.

BCAA Booster Search and Win Tickets to Stan Smyl Night

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Oct 012010
 

If you like going to Canucks games, cheering on the boys in blue, and showcasing your dance moves on the big screen, then BCAA has the perfect contest for you. BCAA is looking for the ultimate Canucks fan to be their official BCAA Booster Zone Captain this season. The winner will get a free ticket to every Canucks home game this season (starting from the November 20, 2010 home game against the Chicago Blackhawks), regular appearances on the Rogers Arena jumbotron and “semi-fame” (kinda like those green guys).

To apply for the BCAA Booster Search:

  1. Create a 60-second video. Show your love for the Canucks, keep it clean, and make sure it’s creative.
  2. Upload your video to YouTube.
  3. Email the video url to: booster@bcaa.com

The deadline to submit your video is Wednesday, October 27th. A panel of judges appointed by BCAA will review all the entries and select six (6) finalists on Monday, November 1st, and then a public vote for the winner will take place until Sunday, November 14th.

For more details, click here to go to the BCAA Booster Zone Facebook Fan Page. BCAA is giving out a pair of lower bowl tickets to every Canucks home game; if you “LIKE” the page, you’ll be automatically entered in each draw. Full contest rules are here.

*****

To help promote their Booster Search, BCAA has kindly offered us a pair of lower bowl Canucks tickets to give away to you. The tickets are for the October 11th game vs. the Florida Panthers – which the Canucks, in celebrating their 40th year anniversary, have designated as Stan Smyl night.

To enter to win these tickets:

  • Leave a comment on this page.
  • Tweet the following: “RT to enter to win 2 lower bowl #Canucks tickets to Stan Smyl night from @bcaabooster and @canuckshockey http://bit.ly/cHDqAH”

Make sure you get your entries in by 3:00 PM on Friday, October 8th. We’ll draw and announce the winner shortly afterwards.

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