"In my opinion it was a dirty hit," Vigneault said. "I can't see how they couldn't have seen that, knee-on-knee. I hope the league is going to review it."

• Split Sedins. (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province;
• Payback's a bitch. (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province; Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province; Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun; Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun)
• Ohlund speaks to the press. (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province; Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun).

Labels: Coyotes, game recap, Raymond, Sedin

Mattias Ohlund had an MRI (magnetic resonance image) on Wednesday to evaluate the extent of a knee injury he suffered Tuesday in Denver.

• Mason's back in the lineup. (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
• In light of their recent slump, maybe the Sedins should be more fazed. (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
• And the rest of the team should be as well. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• The fans certainly are. (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province)
• Shades of 2004. (Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun)
• Slowly but surely, Mo's getting there. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)

Labels: game day preview, Morrison, Ohlund, Predators, Raymond, Sedin

• Sedin, Sedin and Pyatt
• Naslund, Beech and Raymond
• Cooke, Kesler and Burrows
• Isbister, Ritchie and Linden

• Happy 1000th game, Markus! (Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun)
• The Wings have a great team. On the ice and off it. (Tony Gallagher, Vancouver Province)
• It hasn't been a happy new year so far. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
• Beechy's just trying to fit in. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
• More Sundin talk. (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
• The window of opportunity is not just this year and the next. It's for as long as Roberto Luongo is in a Canucks jersey. (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province)

Labels: Beech, game day preview, Luongo, Naslund, Raymond, Red Wings

The Canucks were hoping an MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] procedure Monday would rid defenceman Lukas Krajicek of any lingering concern over his ankle ailment.

That hope has faded.

The MRI revealed a very small fracture in the foot along with an ankle sprain. Krajicek will wear a walking boot for two weeks. It will further keep the Canucks from icing their top six defencemen for the first time this season after Sami Salo returned last week from a wrist fracture.

The Vancouver Canucks have re-assigned left-winger Mason Raymond to the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose, Canucks senior vice-president and general manager Dave Nonis announced Tuesday.

Labels: Krajicek, Raymond

• Start strong and don't give up momentum.
• Don't give the kids - Cammalleri, Frolov, Kopitar and Brown - too many scoring opportunities.
• Can we still draft Kopitar?

• Puck possession has to get better. (Gordon McIntyre, Vancouver Province)
• Raymond's Manitoba stint minor. (Gordon McIntyre, Vancouver Province)
• Salo saddles up for little steps at practice. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
• Can't duck the puck. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
• Morrison soldiers on. (Grant Kerr, Globe and Mail)

Labels: game day preview, Kings, Morrison, Raymond

Mason Raymond is gone, but not forgotten.

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.

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.

Labels: Isbister, Miller, Raymond

• Great expectations. (Ken Wiebe, Winnipeg Sun)
• Morrison keeps his streak alive. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• Vancouver calls on Morrison, Naslund to return to form. (Grant Kerr, Globe and Mail)
• Sedins shake off 'sister' slurs with quiet, hard work. (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province)
• Everyone may love Raymond. (Tony Gallagher, Vancouver Province)
• Linden's trade to NY one for the ages. (Tony Gallagher, Vancouver Province)

Labels: Linden, Morrison, Naslund, Raymond, Sedin

One came to camp expecting to make the team, the other isn't taking anything for granted yet, but both deserve to be Canucks based on merit.

Ryan Shannon and Mason Raymond made the final cut, surprising some who didn't think there would be room on the roster for two small speedsters.

Both made it impossible for coach Alain Vigneault to send either down to Manitoba.

Canucks captain Markus Naslund said he welcomes any addition to team speed.

"Any guy that comes in and has skill and speed and understands the game is going to help us," he said. "Obviously, they've looked at what we've been missing and the offensive part of our team has room for improvement. I think it'll be a good fit to bring these guys in and give them a chance to show they can help us out."

Based on lines at practice Monday, Raymond was back with the Sedin twins, while Shannon was with Naslund and Ryan Kesler.

"It's great to have speed, but it's a matter of doing something with your speed," Naslund said of Shannon and Raymond. "These guys seem to be able to do things at full speed and know where they're going and where to put the puck."

Former first-round picks Luc Bourdon and Michael Grabner were among eight players cut Monday by the Vancouver Canucks.

Bourdon, selected 10th overall in 2005, and Grabner, chosen 14th in 2006, were equally mediocre throughout training camp and the pre-season so their demotions came as no surprise.

Bourdon and Grabner will be joined in Manitoba by oft-injured Rick Rypien, Mike Brown, Patrick Coulombe, Jason Jaffray and Jannik Hansen, the latter out with a broken thumb.

Veteran defenceman Dan McGillis, in camp on a tryout, was released.

• Speed is what kills. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• First-round picks hear the call of the Moose. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• Experiment worth a try. (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province)
• Odd-man-out Rypien shouldn't have trouble finding way back here. (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)

Labels: Raymond, Rypien, Shannon

• Isbister's late goal gives Vancouver win. (Grant Kerr, Globe and Mail)
• Fashion statement. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• Injuries put cuts on hold. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
• Raymond, Kesler hook up. (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
• Bourdon lagging behind. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
• Hansen suffers broken thumb. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)

Labels: game recap, Hansen, Kesler, Oilers, Raymond

Kesler can't contain his enthusiasm for Raymond. His Canucks training-camp linemate and roommate continues to dazzle with speed, stick handling and a rapid release. The skill set suggests the winger may leap from two solid U.S. college seasons -- and just two dozen games with the Manitoba Moose last spring -- right into the NHL.

"He's made a believer out of me," said Kesler. "If he keeps playing the way he is, it's likely he'll stick. Just playing with him, you can tell he's going to be good for a long time.

"He has the wheels and smarts. He just needs a couple of games under his belt."

However, the Canucks coach heaped more praise on Raymond in advance of today's intra-squad game. And knowing that Vigneault is far from settled on line combination this just adds more intrigue to the Raymond Watch.

"This kid has a tremendous amount of skill and potential," Vigneault said Saturday. "Sometimes, you're ready to play and sometimes you need a little seasoning in the minors.

"I'm not sure where his game is, but today he was flying."

Labels: Raymond, training camp 2007

The only constant through three days of determining the dozen who will be promoted to main camp Thursday is the explosive play of right wingers Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen.

While much ink has been spilled chronicling the battle between Edler and Bourdon for the seventh blueliner spot on an NHL roster that seems virtually set, the gaping second-line hole on right wing is fast becoming headline material.

Especially if the solution is found from within, rather than the trade route.

"For me, the best player on the ice [Sunday] was Hansen," said Vigneault. "He had a lot of speed and good moves. If he comes to main camp and does what he's doing now, then we'll have to see if we have a player."

• A few of the folks from HF Boards went to prospects camp and give their reviews. (HFBoards)
• Ellington inspired by brother's attitude. (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
• Little hope for diminutive Coulombe. (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
• Famous disappearing act not recommended. (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province)
• Hunt just happy to 'soak it all in'. (Sharie Epp, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Injury almost ended career. (Sharie Epp, Victoria Times Colonist)
• At this camp, age matters. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Goaltenders fight for their future. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)

• Goaltending consultant sticks with prospects, fine-tuning Luongo comes later. (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
• Victoria is where it all begins. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Isbister expected to boost offence. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)
• The Island is rooting for its favourite son, Willie Mitchell. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Watch for Canucks, coaches on and off the ice. (Brian Drewry, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Arena ready for Canucks. (Sharie Epp, Victoria Times Colonist)

Labels: Bourdon, Coulombe, Edler, Ellington, Grabner, Hansen, Hunt, Isbister, Mitchell, Raymond

• Prospects Camp Insider - Day One. (canucks.com)
• Prospects hard to tell apart for Canucks coach. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• One surprising Swede. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• Canucks prospects on display. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Blue-line a tough nut to crack. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Teen brings cheering section. (Sharie Epp, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Bieksa sees no fall-off in future. (Grant Kerr, Globe and Mail)

Labels: Bieksa, Ellington, Rahimi, Raymond, Schneider

• Canucks Top 20 prospects. (Hockeys Future)
• Breath of fresh air. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• Edler set to take it to the next level. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Here comes Mr. Excitement. (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
• Schneider plays waiting game. (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province)
• They call him a prospect, but... (Tony Gallagher, Vancouver Province)
• Photos from yesterday's rookie fitness testing. (canucks.com)

Labels: Edler, Raymond, Schneider

Kevin Bieksa knows there's nothing worse than wounded pride, because any non-playoff team can be a handful if taken lightly.

The Canucks defenceman admitted that's what happened Tuesday at St. Louis in a 3-1 loss to the Blues, who prevailed without traded stars Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin.

"We've learned that lesson the hard way against a team we should probably beat," said Bieksa.

"They had lost their best two players and I think Louie [Roberto Luongo] put it best -- there are no free points.

"We definitely want to come out and put them [Coyotes] away early because we know they have nothing to lose and will be playing for pride. We want to give them a reason to shut it down a little."

The Canucks sang that same refrain before home-ice losses to Chicago (Feb. 7), a shootout setback to Columbus (Jan.30) and an overtime loss to Los Angeles (Jan. 26).

• Alain Vigneault hopes that Taylor Pyatt can play tonight. - Ben Kuzma (Vancouver Province)
• The Coyotes are starting over. Again. - Iain MacIntyre (Vancouver Sun)
• The Manitoba Moose are welcoming Marc Chouinard with open arms. - Adam Wazny (Winnipeg Sun)
• They're getting their rosters ready for the playoffs as well. - Adam Wazny (Winnipeg Sun)
• Canucks' 2006 1st-rounder, Michael Grabner, has bounced back from an earlier tongue-lashing from coach Bill Peters. He has three hat-tricks in the last two weeks and was named the CHL's Player of the Week last week. - Spokesman Review, WHL.ca
• Another Canucks draft pick, Mason Raymond, was also named WCHA's Offensive Player of the Week. - UMD Bulldogs

Labels: Chouinard, Coyotes, game day preview, Grabner, Moose, Raymond