Jan 112012
Dec 112011
Nov 222011
In this episode of the CHB TV video podcast, Clay Imoo, J.J. Guerrero and Lizz Moffat talk about the Canucks at the quarter pole of the 2011/2012 season.
Nov 122011
In this episode of the CHB TV video podcast, Matt Lee, Richard Loat and Ed Lau talk about Alex Edler’s and Aaron Rome’s – yes, Aaron Rome’s – offense.
Nov 072011
[Every Sunday, Caylie King looks at the Canucks week that was and the Canucks week ahead. You can follow Caylie on Twitter (@CayKing).]
This past week was full of ups and downs. The Canucks came out flying against the Calgary Flames to start the month off right; they won decisively 5-1. They then followed it up with two of the most frustrating and disappointing games by the Canucks so far this season. Defensive zone break downs, not being able to capitalize on chances and an overall lackluster effort resulted in back-to-back losses against the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues. Vancouver then rolled into the Madhouse on Madison, came out guns-a-blazing, and beat the rival Chicago Blackhawks 6-2. They had secondary scoring, the powerplay was unstoppable, and they got key saves at key times. Remember last week when I mentioned about seeing a more consistent team in November? Well, here’s hoping that their success in the Chicago game help turn things around for good.
Canucks Record
15 GP, 7-7-1, 15 points (4th in Northwest Division, 10th in Western Conference)
Who’s Hot
After being moved to the 3rd line with the addition of David Booth and the consistent play of Cody Hodgson, Chris Higgins has shown signs of why he was once a 50-point guy in this league. Higgy has 3 goals and 1 assist in his last 5 games and is a plus-1 in that span. He is tied with Daniel Sedin in goals with 6 and his 4th in team scoring with 9 points. If he can continue his solid play, he will be an important asset to this team because we all know that secondary scoring is key to winning. One can also hope that his play will help to motivate and help Uncle Manny get out of his rut.
Who’s Not
Unlike last season when he spent a lot of time in the press box, Keith Ballard seems to be getting much more opportunities this season. So far, we’ve witnessed his great skating abilities and his want to jump up on the rush. However, with only 1 goal, he doesn’t have much to show in terms of offense, and his play this might be taking away from his defensive play as he is currently a team worst minus-11. If he does not start to smarten up defensively, and with Aaron Rome back in the lineup and Alex Sulzer performing adequately, we might see him back in AV’s dog house sooner than later.
Who’s Next
Thursday November 10, 2011 vs. Los Angles Kings (7:30 PM start, away)
The Canucks have a few days off before facing the Kings at Staples Center. Last year, the two teams split the season series. Goaltenders Roberto Luongo and Jonathan Quick each backstopped their respective teams to a couple of wins each.
The Kings are currently holding on to 8th place in the Western Conference and are being lead by sniper, Anze Kopitar, who has 7 goals and 9 assists in just 13 games. Last season, Kopitar only managed 1 assist in the season series; and captain Dustin Brown led the team with 3 points (2 goals and 1 assist). It’ll be key to focus on both players come Thursday night.
Friday November 11, 2011 vs. Anaheim Ducks (7:30 PM start, away)
The Ducks have been struggling as of late, going winless in their last 5 games (0-3-2). This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season and will certainly be an exciting matchup with the likes of Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan and the ageless Teemu Selanne again leading the Ducks.
Both teams won 2 games each in last season’s series. Ryan Getzlaf with 6 points (1G-5A) and Daniel Sedin with 7 points (4G-3A) led their respective teams in scoring.
Like the Canucks, the Ducks are off to a slow start but are getting solid contributions from their core players. 41-year old, Teemu Selanne is showing that age doesn’t matter and currently leads the team in points (14) and goals (5). The Ducks are also happy to see the return of number 1 goalie Jonas Hiller after he battled symptoms of vertigo for a few months last season which saw him play a limited 49 games.
Sunday November 13, 2011 vs. New York Islanders (6:00 PM start, home)
The Islanders started off the season well winning 3 of their first 4 games however since then they have gone 1-4-2 in their last 7 games. The Canucks won their only meeting last year against the Isles in a shootout; Ryan Kesler had the shootout winning goal. Blake Comeau had a goal, an assist and was a plus-2 in that game.
Considering the Islanders do not play many games against the Northwest Division they had a lot of success last season going 4-1-1, while outscoring their opponents 22-14.
John Tavares currently leads the team in scoring with 12 points (8G-4A). He also leads the league in powerplay goals with 4. Sunday will also mark the return of Michael Grabner who has come into his own on Long Island.
Ehrhoff who?
After losing Christian Ehrhoff this off season to the Buffalo Sabres, Canucks Nation was worried about who would pick up his offensive numbers. Ehrhoff was obviously a key player last year, putting up 50 points (14G – 36A) and a plus-19 rating.
This season, Alex Edler was expected to pick up some of the lost offense on the blueline, and so far, he has lived up to expectations. He is 3rd in team scoring with 15 points (3G-12A) in 15 games, including 8 points (3G -5A) in his last 5 games.
In contrast, the ‘Hoff only has 7 points (1G-6A) in 13 games. He is also a minus-6, which the worst plus/minus rating on the Sabres.
It’s still early in the season and I expect that Ehrhoff will have another solid campaign in Buffalo but I also expect to see a career year from Edler. Eddy’s poise on the backend and his ability to finish off plays, will hopefully be a big reason the Canucks go on a long playoff run again.
Nov 022011
Sep 202011
Next stop in our Canucks season preview series, defenseman Alex Edler.
What we remember:
Only 25 years old and having just finished his fourth full year in the NHL, Alex Edler just keeps getting better. In 2010/2011, he missed almost half the season due to a back injury, but still put up 8 goals and 33 points – a pace that would’ve seen him score more than 10 goals and 50 points had he played in all 82 games.
Edler’s play before and after his injury drew praise from his teammates. After all, he’s big and physical and skilled and poised – a fine skill set especially for a young defenseman. Some even compared him to another great Swedish defenseman, Nicklas Lidstrom. That’s some high praise.
What we expect:
Edler will be expected to fill some of the offensive void left by the departure of Christian Ehrhoff and his 50 points. He’ll also undoubtedly get more powerplay time and hope to improve on what was a career-high 5 powerplay goals last year.
Reality check:
It remains to be seen whether or not Edler can quarterback the powerplay. While he logged regular powerplay time, he rarely quarterbacked the powerplay. This was one of the traits that Ehrhoff brought to the table and a skill set the Canucks are looking for Edler to replace.
He said it:
“I don’t really feel much right now. This is absolutely the worst feeling of my career. It just feels terrible. I don’t really have anything good to say about it.”
- Alex Edler immediately after losing game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals
Jun 092011
[About the game from two viewpoints. Chris and Caylie watch the game and exchange their thoughts via email.]
From: Caylie King
To: Christopher Golden
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 14:48
Hi Chris,
There has been so much chatter on social media these last few days about Rome’s suspension, Vancouver fans vs Boston fans, and the word “classless” has been used one too many times.
Bottom line it’s all about hockey and the players on the ice. I think this will be a pivotal game in the series, I don’t quite think it’s a MUST win, but to silence the critics we need a strong bounce back game. If we don’t want to worry about the treatment of our fans in beantown, a win tonight to set us up for a game 5 victory would be perfect.
What do you expect from the boys in white with trims of blue and green? What will be the key to winning this game?
Caylie
PS: Can you tell I’m ready for the game, considering puck drop is still over 2 hours away?
From: Christopher Golden
To: Caylie King
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 16:05
Hey Caylie,
Wow – you must be psyched!
I agree. With all the crap that’s happened post-game (and even post-whistle during the game), it’s really distracted us from some solid and exciting hockey when the puck is on the ice. True, the effort we saw from the Canucks was lacking midway through the 2nd and all the 3rd, but the rest has been great.
Game 4 is not a must-win, but I expect nothing less than a stellar effort from the Canucks. The game we want to see is a high-octane, puck controlling squad that out hustles the Bruins. What we don’t want to see is the Canucks trying to do is become pugilistic – that style always benefits the underdog and let’s face it, the Bruins beat us in that battle hands down.
And I’d love to see us win, but don’t think a hard-fought game that results in a loss is a reason to hit the panic button. We’re up 2 games to 1, have home ice advantage, and finished top in the league for a reason. The boys in blue are a great team.
Wait… have I already said this before at some point during the post-season?
C.
From: Caylie King
To: Christopher Golden
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 17:39
Hi Chris,
1-for-18. Really? Is the Boston PK that good or are we that intimidated? Normally we are confident and can set up and be effective. We need more traffic in front, and for the love of baby jejus get on those rebounds.
We are chasing and seem rattled. We need to get back to our game. ASAP.
Caylie
From: Christopher Golden
To: Caylie King
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 18:06
Hey Caylie,
I don’t know if the powerplay woes are as much Boston figuring out the Canucks as it is the Canucks trying too hard. Every powerplay seems to be a complicated event where they look to execute the perfect play. Why not simplify and just get the puck on net?
C.
From: Caylie King
To: Christopher Golden
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 18:11
Hi Chris,
Exactly, simplify! And what is up with Edler? He seems so slow and unmotivated. He needs to do a much better job quarterbacking the powerplay, or maybe just clearing our own zone before there are 2 Bruins on him.
I’m hoping Manny or someone is talking some sense into these guys. Get back to our game, get back to what has been successful ALL season long.
Caylie
From: Christopher Golden
To: Caylie King
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 18:44
Hey Caylie,
Last two games I was telling anyone who listened that Ballard needed to be on the ice. Based on his play to this point, I should probably be eating my words. Mind you, the entire defensive core seems to be shaky so maybe KB4 simply wants to fit in?
I want to see a Canucks response. Get a goal or a tonne of pressure on Thomas now. Show us there is life left in Boston.
C.
From: Caylie King
To: Christopher Golden
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 19:11
Hi Chris,
I tried to give KB4 the benefit of doubt after his first turnover, and then his second. But as he continued to give up the puck I could feel my blood pressure rising by the second.
Bottom line is the effort from our team has been horrid. Where are Kesler, Raymond and the Sedins? If I don’t see a push back and some heart in the third, I will be officially worried.
Who wants it more? After 2, the answer is clear and it’s not the team in the white.
Caylie
From: Christopher Golden
To: Caylie King
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 19:47
Hey Caylie,
This is tough to watch. I’m still not worried as this simply means a series “restart” and a best-of-three, but I don’t understand where the team that had pace has gone. Heck, where’s the team we saw in the 1st period of Game 3?
C.
From: Caylie King
To: Christopher Golden
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 19:49
Hi Chris,
All I can say is regroup, refocus and play like we can. Our true character will come out in game 5. We have to believe!
Caylie
From: Christopher Golden
To: Caylie King
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2011 20:26
Hey Caylie,
Anyone who thought this would be an easy series (even after the 1st two games) must have missed much of the season. The Bruins are a good team. And even after games 3 and 4, I still feel the Canucks are just that bit better. That makes for a solid final.
We’re just seeing a roundabout way to do it. And if you consider, that’s usually how the Canucks roll.
C.
May 232011
[Inspired by Arsenio Hall's "Things That Make You Go Hmmm…", Clayton Imoo talks about Canucks-related things that make him go hmmm… You can follow Clay on Twitter at (@canuckclay) or on his website, Clay's Canucks Commentary.]
I watched the Canucks’ 4-2 victory over the Sharks with a couple hundred of my closest Canucks friends at the Vancouver Canucks Tweet-Up at Guildford’s Boston Pizza. CHB’s JJ Guerrero and Chris Golden were representing, and everyone had a great time (due in large part to the Canucks’ win). I was able to bring my wife and kids out with me and they had a great time soaking in the sights and sounds. In fact, with the big screens, yummy food, and loud audio, it was a bit of sensory over-load…in a good way!
So as I reflect on game 4 and look ahead to game 5 on Tuesday night at Rogers Arena, here are a few Things That Make You Go Hmmm…:
- Does Keith Ballard give hip check lessons? I was happy to see Keith Ballard in the line-up, although it was due to injuries to Ehrhoff and Rome. Nevertheless, I was hopeful that Ballard would have a strong game and regain some of his confidence. Ballard’s stats weren’t overly impressive: 1 shot, minus 1 in 10:34 of ice-time. However, he had the best hit of the night as he sent Sharks forward (and Canuck d-killer) Jamie McGinn head-over-heels with a devastating hip check. I immediately flashbacked to some of Ballard’s other big hip checks from the season and again wondered why he doesn’t play more. I then wanted to find out if Ballard threw out these types of checks in Florida and Phoenix. YouTube provides more than enough evidence; he has always been a hip checking machine. Check out these bone-crunchers on Evgeni Malkin, Scott Hartnell, and the immortal Jack Skille.
- The Chris Tanev effect. It came as quite a surprise when defenseman Chris Tanev played in game 4 ahead of veteran Andrew Alberts, especially when coach AV initially said that Tanev would be in San Jose just for “insurance.” Well, the Canucks cashed in their insurance policy and inserted Tanev into the line-up as Ballard’s partner on the blue line. Similar to Ballard, Tanev’s stats were rather pedestrian (a bunch of zeroes in all categories in 9:13 TOI). But more importantly, he essentially played error-free hockey and played well beyond his years, considering that this was his only the 30th professional game of his young career. With Bieksa, Ehrhoff and Salo all becoming free agents this summer, the Canucks might feel okay letting at least one of them go with players like Chris Tanev, Kevin Connauton, and Yann Sauve looking to crack the line-up.
- Where is Alex Edler? Since a monster performance against the Blackhawks and a decent series against Nashville, Edler has been very unnoticeable in this series against the Sharks. He has one point in the 4 games, and hasn’t laid out any of the Sharks forwards yet with hits like he dished out in the 2 previous series. Perhaps he is still feeling the effects of his mid-season back surgery, or maybe AV’s penchant of riding his top 4 D with heavy ice-time is starting to affect him. Regardless, the Canucks will need him to ramp up his play a bit if they do as expected and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Game 5 Tuesday night at Rogers Arena should be a good one, with the Canucks looking to improve their dismal 2W-4L record in elimination games in this 2011 post-season. Meanwhile, the Sharks will look to stave off elimination.
And have you noticed that no one uses the term “stave off” unless they are talking about sports playoffs. I’ve never heard it used in every day conversation… yet another thing that makes me go hmmm.
May 082011
For all the pregame talk about treating last night’s game 5 like a game 7, the Canucks failed to deliver.
More specifically, they failed to finish.
The Canucks outplayed the Predators by a large margin to start the game, yet gave up a short-handed goal on their first powerplay opportunity of the game. They did come back and carried a 2-1 lead into the intermission, only to allow the Preds to tie it up less than a minute into the second period.
If the previous playoff seasons were learning experiences, the Canucks missed the classes on killer instinct.
In game 4 against the Blackhawks in 2009, they were ahead 1-0 in the game with a chance to take a 3-1 series lead. But instead of pushing the play and perhaps taking the Hawks out of the series, they sat back, allowed Martin Havlat to tie the game with less than 3 minutes left in the third period, and then lost the game on Andrew Ladd’s game-winner in OT. The Canucks never won a game the rest of the series.
In game 2 against the Blackhawks in 2010, they built a 2-0 lead only 5 minutes into the game with a chance to win the first 2 games of the series in Chicago. They couldn’t find that 3rd goal. Instead, they gave up a short-handed goal early in the third period and the game-winning goal with only 1:30 left in the game.
And as we all remember from a couple of weeks ago, the Canucks won the first 3 games against the Blackhawks in the first round and need four tries to get the 4th win.
There were some good moments in last night’s game – and the Canucks still do have a 3-2 lead in this series – so obviously all is not lost. But as much as you can see the Predators bear down and play like their lives were on the line, you can also see that a few Canucks play their worst games of these playoffs.
That’s not killer instinct, folks.
The Hero
Joel Ward. Ward had 2 more goals, including the game-winner. He now has 12 points in the postseason, only 1 point back of Martin St. Louis and Ryan Kesler for the league lead.
The Goat
Alex Edler. Robo-Edler had a game to forget. Besides looking like he’s labouring out there, he also punched in a goal behind Roberto Luongo.
The Numbers
- 21. Despite outplaying Nashville throughout this series, the Canucks have only held a 2-goal lead for a grand total of 21 seconds in its first 5 games. That was in game 4 after Henrik Sedin scored into an empty net. On the other hand, while the Predators haven’t played with the lead much, they did have a 2-goal lead for 10 minutes and 29 seconds last night.
- 4. Daniel Sedin was on the ice for all 4 Nashville goals.
- 11. Aaron Rome only had 11:45 minutes of ice-time. Meanwhile, Alex Edler played almost 24 minutes. I can’t help but think that, if the Canucks had another capable, top-4 defenseman on the roster (*ahem* Ballard *ahem*), they could’ve put him out on the ice instead of Edler, who was clearly struggling last night.
The Next Time
The team that’s played better has won every game this series. Even though the scores have been tight – largely thanks to Pekka Rinne – the Canucks won the games in which they’ve outplayed the Predators.