Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Game Day Post: Avs at Canucks
Everyone's talking about tonight's opponent, the new old and improved Colorado Avalanche (Gordon McIntyre, Vancouver Province; Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
Needless to say, it's a big game. The Canucks are only two points up on Colorado, though Colorado has played a couple more games. They've already four games against each other this season. The Canucks won the first two, while the Avs won the last two. Including tonight's game, they play four more times the rest of the season.
I'm not sure if Matt Pettinger will make his Canucks debut tonight. Word is, he's scheduled to fly in sometime today to meet the team and coaches. If he plays, the projected lineup is:
Sedin-Sedin-Naslund
Raymond-Shannon-Pyatt
Burrows-Kesler-Isbister
Pettinger-Rypien-Linden
On the Avs side, Forsberg and Foote are nice, but it ain't 2001 anymore. (I honestly don't know if Floppa is even playing tonight.)
More from today's MSM:
Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Needless to say, it's a big game. The Canucks are only two points up on Colorado, though Colorado has played a couple more games. They've already four games against each other this season. The Canucks won the first two, while the Avs won the last two. Including tonight's game, they play four more times the rest of the season.
I'm not sure if Matt Pettinger will make his Canucks debut tonight. Word is, he's scheduled to fly in sometime today to meet the team and coaches. If he plays, the projected lineup is:
Sedin-Sedin-Naslund
Raymond-Shannon-Pyatt
Burrows-Kesler-Isbister
Pettinger-Rypien-Linden
On the Avs side, Forsberg and Foote are nice, but it ain't 2001 anymore. (I honestly don't know if Floppa is even playing tonight.)
More from today's MSM:
- Morrison and Miller on the mend (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
- Talk about well-prepared. (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Labels: Avalanche, Burrows, game day preview, Miller, Morrison
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Game Day Post: Canucks at Stars
Just when you thought that the Canucks' injury woes couldn't get any worse came yesterday's string of bad news (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province):
Alex Edler and Luc Bourdon as a top pairing would have been great if we were talking about the Manitoba Moose. Heck, a blueline that consists of Edler/Bourdon/Weaver/McIver/Fitzgerald isn't bad really if we were talking about the Moose. That these guys might form the Canucks blueline tonight is lame (pardon the pun).
More from the MSM:
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Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
The prolonged post-practice conversation between Alain Vigneault, Dave Nonis and medical trainer Mike Burnstein said it all Monday.This is freakin' ridiculous.
Here in Big D, where they serve big steaks, the trio wasn't making dinner plans. They were wondering what cuts of hockey beef the Vancouver Canucks will ice tonight against the Dallas Stars.
While Sami Salo is set to return after missing two games with a groin strain, Aaron Miller didn't practise and is questionable after blocking a shot Friday in Florida. Mattias Ohlund has returned home for personal reasons and his playing status is also uncertain.
Alex Edler and Luc Bourdon as a top pairing would have been great if we were talking about the Manitoba Moose. Heck, a blueline that consists of Edler/Bourdon/Weaver/McIver/Fitzgerald isn't bad really if we were talking about the Moose. That these guys might form the Canucks blueline tonight is lame (pardon the pun).
More from the MSM:
- The Stars are hot, the Canucks are not. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
- The Marty motivation factor. (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
- It's not quite as bad as the 'Nucks, but the Stars have some injuries on the blueline as well. (Mike Heika, The Dallas Morning News)
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Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Labels: game day preview, Miller, Ohlund, Salo, Stars
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Game Day Post: Stars at Canucks
It was a late night and an early morning - I had some family things to rush to last night - and don't have much time to do a proper post. I'll keep this short and you guys can consider it kinda like an open thread.
The Canucks will win tonight because:
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The Canucks will win tonight because:
- Surely the Canucks are better than any team that has Mike Ribeiro as their leading scorer.
- Marty Turco can still hear the "Tuuuuuur-cooooooo" chants from game 7 of last season's conference quarterfinals.
- This game's not going to a shootout, dammit!
- Try the net: Vigneault (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
- Kesler good at both ends (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
- Miller goal all in a decade's work (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
- Bad memory's dogging Stars (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
- Top line told to think of nothing but net (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
- Good, but no parade plans yet (Barry MacDonald, 24 Hours)
- Jaffray finally gets his chance (Grant Kerr, Globe and Mail)
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Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Labels: game day preview, Jaffray, Kesler, Miller, Stars
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Avalanche 1 Canucks 2 (OT)
I know it's late, but after Friday's 2-1 OT win versus the Colorado Avalanche, Tracy and I took off for the long weekend to visit family and hang out with some good friends. We're back now, and I have to say that after three consecutive wins, things are much, much better in Canuck-land. The weather may be crappy, but when the Canucks are winning, even the rain smells good.
With their win on Friday, the Canucks passed the Calgary Flames for 3rd place in the division. They also moved to within four points of the second-place Minnesota Wild, who they play twice in the next week. I'm looking forward to the next five games to see if they can gain any more on the Northwest Division.
Friday's game was easily the most entertaining I've seen at GM Place this season. Both teams played great. There were numerous chances at both ends and only some good saves by both Roberto Luongo and Jose Theodore kept it a low-scoring affair.
From the Canucks' side, the Sedins had another great game against the Avs. They lit them up for six points a week ago; on Friday, Henrik scored both goals.
Once again, Ryan Kesler played a heckuva game. He didn't show up on the score sheet but man, he was skating like the wind out there. He certainly created some good chances by using his speed.
The defense was also solid. Alex Edler was steady, Aaron Miller's getting better and Willie Mitchell was very good. I know I've criticized Mike Weaver in the past, but to give credit where credit's due, he was also very good.
It was a nice team effort all around. Let's have more of those please.
Catching up on some pieces from the MSM:
Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
With their win on Friday, the Canucks passed the Calgary Flames for 3rd place in the division. They also moved to within four points of the second-place Minnesota Wild, who they play twice in the next week. I'm looking forward to the next five games to see if they can gain any more on the Northwest Division.
Friday's game was easily the most entertaining I've seen at GM Place this season. Both teams played great. There were numerous chances at both ends and only some good saves by both Roberto Luongo and Jose Theodore kept it a low-scoring affair.
From the Canucks' side, the Sedins had another great game against the Avs. They lit them up for six points a week ago; on Friday, Henrik scored both goals.
Once again, Ryan Kesler played a heckuva game. He didn't show up on the score sheet but man, he was skating like the wind out there. He certainly created some good chances by using his speed.
The defense was also solid. Alex Edler was steady, Aaron Miller's getting better and Willie Mitchell was very good. I know I've criticized Mike Weaver in the past, but to give credit where credit's due, he was also very good.
It was a nice team effort all around. Let's have more of those please.
Catching up on some pieces from the MSM:
- Burrows bulks up to win (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
- Best offence isn't a good defence this season (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
- Healthy Miller picks up play (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
- Left-winger Cowan back after hip injury (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
- Bourdon learns to play simple game (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
- PK unit gets better of late (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
- Morrison out to prove critics wrong (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
- GM Place ice a carnival-like circus of sorts at practice (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
- As Sedins go, so do Canucks (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
- Canucks finding successful passage through Northwest (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
- Forwards better going backward (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
- Raymond back in the hunt (Ken Wiebe, Winnipeg Sun)
Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Labels: Avalanche, Bourdon, Burrows, Cowan, game recap, Miller, Morrison, Sedin
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Quick Links - 10/17/2007
Here's a quick rundown of what's making news in Canucks-land today.
Mason Raymond has been sent down to the Manitoba Moose (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province):
And finally, apparently Alain Vigneault (as are we) is sick and tired of all those defensive breakdowns in the first couple of weeks of the season and has resorted to dressing an inanimate object on the blue line (Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun).
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Mason Raymond has been sent down to the Manitoba Moose (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province):
Mason Raymond is gone, but not forgotten.For now anyway, Brad Isbister has won himself a (more permanent) spot in the lineup. And, it looks like he's getting a tryout to play with Brendan Morrison and Markus Naslund (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province):
On Tuesday, the Vancouver Canucks sent Raymond down to Manitoba to get some playing time and how long he stays there depends on his success.
Raymond did not make it in time to play with the Moose in their game Tuesday, but he is expected to be in the lineup tonight.
If he does well, there's a slight chance the Canucks could recall him for their game Friday against Los Angeles.
Next.Hmmm... Todd Bertuzzi v. 2.0? (There, I said it.)
Following failures by Ryan Shannon, Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond to hold on to a top-six forward spot with the Canucks, Brad Isbister appears to be next in line to step into the slot that is fast becoming Vancouver's no man's land.
The puzzling, inconsistent, sometimes promising, other times frustrating power forward is a good bet to play wing on the Canucks second line with Markus Naslund and on the team's No. 1 power play with the Sedin twins Friday against Los Angeles.
And finally, apparently Alain Vigneault (as are we) is sick and tired of all those defensive breakdowns in the first couple of weeks of the season and has resorted to dressing an inanimate object on the blue line (Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun).
Chairs make it into wrestling matches and other circus acts all the time. National Hockey League practices, not so much. The Vancouver Canucks unveiled their eighth defenceman on Tuesday. He had four legs, two sticks and blocked shots by Willie Mitchell and Mike Weaver.Not sure if use of the chair was a shot at Aaron Miller.
Sure, the chair's mobility -- propelled like a curling stone by assistant coach Barry Smith during a point-shot exercise -- wasn't great, but neither was Dana Murzyn's and look how long he played.
We think the chair finished even, which was better than most Canucks with a functioning central nervous system did in the third period the previous night against the San Jose Sharks, who won 4-2 in Vancouver.
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Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Game Day Post: Flyers at Canucks
It's been six years since the Philadelphia Flyers have been in town. When I was still working at GM Place, I remember the Canucks playing them every New Year's Eve, but of course, they haven't been around since December 31st, 2001. Mind you, the Canucks didn't have much luck against Bobby Clarke's boys in those days - they lost six New Year's Eve games in a row to the Flyers - so it was probably best they scrapped that tradition. Believe it or not, the last time the Canucks won a home game against Philly was in 1989. Tonight, they'll try to break that, er, slump against a team that is, on paper at least, vastly-improved from the one that finished dead-last in the league last year.
The Canucks are coming off a weekend with mixed results. They played horribly against the Sharks on opening night and then put together a good overtime win against the Flames on Saturday. I'm hoping the team that showed up in Calgary shows up tonight.
More of today's links:
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The Canucks are coming off a weekend with mixed results. They played horribly against the Sharks on opening night and then put together a good overtime win against the Flames on Saturday. I'm hoping the team that showed up in Calgary shows up tonight.
More of today's links:
- Kesler has pluses, minuses. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
- Taylor suits twins just fine. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
- From NHL reject to bonafide star. (Gordon McIntyre, Vancouver Province)
- Laugh at yourself. (Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun)
- Line-juggler. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
- Flyers' Western road trip building team closeness. (Tim Panaccio, Philly Inquirer)
- After retreat, Flyers ready to move on. (Ed Moran, Philly Inquirer)
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Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Labels: Flyers, game day preview, Kesler, Miller, Pyatt
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Preseason: Sharks 4 Canucks 3 (SO)
Something about California-based teams seems to bring out the worst in the Vancouver Canucks. Another game against the San Jose Sharks last night, another loss. The Canucks are 2-2-2 in the preseason, but have lost all four games - and have looked horrible (okay, sounded horrible) for all four losses - to the Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks.
It's obvious some work still needs to be done. The good thing is, they have two preseason games left to get it together and neither is against California.
Today's links:
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It's obvious some work still needs to be done. The good thing is, they have two preseason games left to get it together and neither is against California.
Today's links:
- Lay off Nonis, already. (Barry Macdonald, 24 Hours)
- Canucks' glasses half-empty after loss. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
- Luongo stands firm over threat to quit. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
- Luongo adamant. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
- Not a pattern you'd want to bank on. (Gordon McIntyre, Vancouver Province)
- D-man Miller almost ready for debut in hockey mad market. (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
- Finally the Sharks are believers again. (Tony Gallagher, Vancouver Province)
- McGillis hopes to make most of tryout. (Grant Kerr, Globe and Mail)
- Rookie makes big pitch with his stick. (Stephen Snelgrove, San Jose Mercury News).
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Labels: game recap, Luongo, McGillis, Miller, Sharks
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Miller Time Has To Wait
I was about to comment on today's piece about Aaron Miller (Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun):
I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. While Miller appeared in all 82 games last season, he has been known to be injury-prone and has missed large stretches of games in previous seasons. In the three seasons before that, he played in a grand total of 140 games; since his first full season in the league in 1996-97, he has appeared in more than 70 games only twice.
Yes, Miller will bring all sorts of good, veteran leadership and toughness to this team. When he makes it on the ice.
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What the Canucks are getting in Miller, who skated Monday in Burnaby with many of his new teammates, is a steady, defensive defenceman who significantly upgrades the bottom of the order on Vancouver's blue line.I was going to say that all of this is good stuff, except now, it seems that Miller's Canucks debut is going to have to wait (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun):
The Canucks are getting another experienced voice for their leadership group.
What they're getting, importantly, is a player who improves the depth chart enough that general manager Dave Nonis, who needs to find another top-six forward, can afford to trade one of his defencemen or defence prospects for scoring up front.
General manager Dave Nonis announced today that veteran defenceman Aaron Miller has undergone minor abdominal surgery and will be sidelined for two weeks.Uh-oh.
(snip)
Miller will miss all of training camp - it begins here Thursday - and most of the pre-season but, barring complications, should be ready for the regular-season opener Oct. 5 against the San Jose Sharks.
I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. While Miller appeared in all 82 games last season, he has been known to be injury-prone and has missed large stretches of games in previous seasons. In the three seasons before that, he played in a grand total of 140 games; since his first full season in the league in 1996-97, he has appeared in more than 70 games only twice.
Yes, Miller will bring all sorts of good, veteran leadership and toughness to this team. When he makes it on the ice.
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Labels: Miller
Monday, July 09, 2007
A Quick Study
It's been a busy couple of weeks for Dave Nonis as he worked hard to shore up the Canucks roster for the '07-'08 season. Last week, he added some goaltending depth, signing Curtis Sanford to a one-year deal and top prospect Cory Schneider to his first pro contract (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun).
Especially compared to the recent follies in Edmonton and Buffalo, Dave Nonis continues to impress me. He obviously learned from the Ryan Kesler fiasco last year, and hence, the Krajicek and Bieksa deals. Combine that with the earlier Pyatt and Kesler re-signings (and how much they were for) and I can't help but gain an appreciation for how good Nonis has managed the team within the cap system.
Think of it this way, barring any movement, the Canucks' top-six defensemen, which in my opinion is as good a group as any in the league, will make a combined $13.625 million this season. And they're signed for just slightly more money for next season as well.
Except for a Trevor Linden re-signing or perhaps a rookie making the team out of training camp, the roster is pretty much set. In fact, the only other glaring need on the team is another scoring winger and Nonis still has a couple of months to find one.
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Sanford, 27, signed for one year at $600,000 and will take Dany Sabourin's place on the end of the bench for all but a handful of games (all figures are in U.S. dollars).Then in separate deals, he signed Byron Ritchie and Brad Isbister to one-year contracts (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province).
Schneider, 21, agreed to a three-year entry level contract that will see him earn $924,200 at the NHL level and $70,000 in Manitoba, where he will be the go-to guy for the American Hockey League's Moose.
In Isbister, the Canucks get a 6-foot-4, 227-pound left-winger who doesn't always play to his size and takes too many nights off. In Ritchie, the Canucks get an undersized centre who has often irritated the opposition, but hasn't put up the offensive numbers.Finally, he solidified the defense core and rewarded Lukas Krajicek with a new two-year deal, extended Kevin Bieksa's contract for another three years, and added veteran Aaron Miller to the mix.
What does this all mean?
A big gamble that Isbister ($525,000 US) and Ritchie ($675,000) will give coach Alain Vigneault some needed fourth-line muscle and grit for anticipated physical encounters against Calgary, Anaheim and San Jose.
Especially compared to the recent follies in Edmonton and Buffalo, Dave Nonis continues to impress me. He obviously learned from the Ryan Kesler fiasco last year, and hence, the Krajicek and Bieksa deals. Combine that with the earlier Pyatt and Kesler re-signings (and how much they were for) and I can't help but gain an appreciation for how good Nonis has managed the team within the cap system.
Think of it this way, barring any movement, the Canucks' top-six defensemen, which in my opinion is as good a group as any in the league, will make a combined $13.625 million this season. And they're signed for just slightly more money for next season as well.
Except for a Trevor Linden re-signing or perhaps a rookie making the team out of training camp, the roster is pretty much set. In fact, the only other glaring need on the team is another scoring winger and Nonis still has a couple of months to find one.
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Labels: Bieksa, Isbister, Krajicek, Miller, Ritchie, Schneider
