The implications of tonight's task are staggering given that a win over the Vancouver Canucks will vault the Edmonton Oilers to within three points of eighth place in the Western Conference.

A loss, on the other hand, will result in a stubborn seven-point deficit.

Talk about a swing game.

"It was just two teams going back and forth at each other," remembers Kyle Brodziak, one of seven Oilers who dropped the mitts that night. "Both teams really wanted to win that game and nobody was backing down. That's how it escalated."

"I think it's going to be a similar game to the last time we played them," predicted Brodziak. "It's a crucial game, both teams are hungry for the win, and they're a pretty hard-nosed team. We definitely can't back down from them in any way. We have to come out with the same urgency and same grit that they do."

"We're going to ice a lineup that can take care of itself and go in and play a hard game." -- Canucks coach Alain Vigneault

Rick Rypien was in the minors and Nathan McIver a spectator the last time the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers met in a memorable melee.

The Bruise Brothers won't be bystanders tonight in the Alberta capital. Rexall Place could be turned into Wreck-All Place if punch-ups play a part in the push to the playoffs.

• Nine games versus the Northwest. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
• I agree with this one - I hope the Canucks don't finish in seventh place. Actually, I just hope they don't play the Pacific. (Tony Gallagher, Vancouver Province)
• Baby talk out of bounds for Luongo. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)

Labels: game day preview, Luongo, Oilers, Shannon

Labels: Blackhawks, game recap, Shannon

• Canucks 'lazy and stupid' -- frustrated GM Nonis. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
• Top goal scorer Shannon sent down to minors. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
• Ice crisis comes early for Canucks. (Cam Cole, Vancouver Sun)
• Shannon shoved down. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
• There are angry young men on both sides. (Derek Van Diest, Edmonton Sun)
• Powerplay outage. (Derek Van Diest, Edmonton Sun)
• Oilers powerplay sure to come around. (Joanne Ireland, Edmonton Journal)

Labels: game day preview, Nonis, Oilers, Shannon

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

Vancouver Canucks Senior Vice-President and General Manager Dave Nonis announced today that the Canucks have reduced their training camp roster by eleven players. The Vancouver Canucks will now have 32 players on the roster.

The following players have been assigned to the Manitoba Moose, the Vancouver Canucks AHL Affiliate:

Fitzgerald, Zack Defence
Fortunus, Maxime Defence
Heshka, Shaun Defence
Labrie, Pierre-Cedric Left Wing
MacIntyre, Drew Goaltender
Schneider, Cory Goaltender
Sharrow, Jim Defence
Simek, Juraj Forward

The following players will be placed on waivers for assignment to Manitoba:

Balej, Jozef Right Wing
Classen, Greg Centre
Moran, Brad Centre

• Luongo would rather retire than play in larger nets. (Grant Kerr, Globe and Mail)
• Groin gang springs back into action. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• Pep talk: Pre-season's over. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun)
• New look for new lid. (Vancouver Province)
• Bigger nets no idle threat. (Jason Bothcford, Vancouver Province)

Labels: Luongo, Shannon

It was about the kids for the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and Ryan Shannon, the 24-year-old baby-faced forward, showed he was more than all right.

Playing both right wing and the left point on the power play, Shannon demonstrated his speed, skill and savvy as the Canucks opened their 2007 pre-season schedule with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks won 3-2 in overtime when Petteri Wirtanen scored his second goal of the game. But that hardly mattered.

What did mater was Ryan Shannon had spark, Alex Burrows had edge and Luc Bourdon had a few headaches.

The winning goal deflected off of Bourdon after the young defenceman attempted an ill-advised pass. It wasn't the only time Bourdon had problems. He couldn't clear the puck out of the crease on the second goal when Wirtanen barrelled into the net, and he made a half-hearted effort one-on-one with Travis Moen in the first that led to a holding penalty.

• Can this squad handle it? (Barry Macdonald, 24 Hours)
• Luongo puts neck on line in practice. (Grant Kerr, Globe and Mail)
• Krajicek expected to take another step up. (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
• Maybe Salo asked for it. (Jason Botchford, Vancouver Province)
• 'Casual' Sami's need for speed. (Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun):

Labels: game recap, Krajicek, Salo, Shannon

• The Canucks' Island Mafia. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Canucks shake off summer. (Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist)
• GM's philosophy finally bearing fruit. (Sharie Epp, Victoria Times Colonist)
• Burrows accepts Canucks' challenge to improve. (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun)
• Canuck with a Cup hopes best is to come. (Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun)
• Ritchie relishing breakout chance. (Jim Jamieson, Vancouver Province)
• Canucks bring in big bucks. (Matthew Little, Vancouver Province)
• Newly-acquired Ryan Shannon hungry for another sophomore season. (Canadian Press)

Labels: Burrows, Ritchie, Shannon, training camp 2007

Jason Jaffray could handle a contract snafu keeping him from playing for the Vancouver Canucks last season.

He could handle toiling for five years in the minors and he could handle the Kootenay Ice trading him in the midst of their 2002 Memorial Cup run, despite him being team captain at the time.

Jaffray, a winger who is in the midst of finalizing a two-year, two-way deal with the Canucks, has been saddled with much worse than anything hockey can dish out at him.

The Vancouver Canucks have to make their intentions known this week on the potential buyout of disappointing centre Marc Chouinard.

Chouinard, who finished last season in the minors, has a year remaining on his contract at $1.1 million and must clear waivers before the buyout process begins (all figures are in U.S. dollars).

Cowan, meanwhile, will become an unfettered free agent Sunday unless his representative, Rollie Thompson, and Canuck assistant GM Steve Tambellini can wrap up a deal.

"Steve and I had a couple of pretty good talks in Columbus over the weekend," Thompson said Monday. "We're going in the right direction. Both parties would like to make it happen."

Cowan, who was a waiver-wire pickup from the L.A. Kings in late December, earned $532,000 US last season. It's believed he's seeking a two-year deal.

Tambellini, who is handling many of the contract negotiations, also opened discussions with Krajicek's agent, Petr Svoboda, at the draft. Svoboda described the talks as "positive" but declined any specifics on term despite reports of a two-year offer.

"It doesn't really matter as long as Lukas has another good year and plays well," said Svoboda, the former NHL blueliner. "He was happy with his first season in Vancouver, but he knows he could do better. He loves the town, the organization and the players, so that's the key."

"Ryan is really thrilled about about this opportunity with Vancouver and he's looking forward to getting into camp. And, probably more importantly, he's looking forward to getting back from Europe in one piece."

Duberman said Canucks management has made no promises, other than the standard one of providing an opportunity. Vancouver already has three established centres under contract in Henrik Sedin, Brendan Morrison and Ryan Kesler. Shannon, presumably, would have to vie for fourth-line playing time with the likes of Rick Rypien and Alex Burrows.

"I know Ryan is a good enough player to be on their roster, especially with his speed, but nothing has been promised and we know that," continued Duberman.

Labels: Chouinard, Cowan, Jaffray, Krajicek, Shannon

A skilled forward with the ability to make a difference. Strong player with a physical presence. Plays tough in the corners and in traffic. Is good on the right wing and gets his wrist shot off with ease. Sometimes lacks urgency in his play.

Named Associated Press Player of the Year for Minnesota boys hockey in 2007. Named to the All-Tournament Team of the Class AA State Championships in 2007 after leading his team to the title game for the second consecutive year. Played 12 games with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL totaling nine points (8-1-9) in 2007. Will attend the University of Minnesota in the fall. Selected to play in the 2007 Under-18 World Championships.

The inspiration for Taylor Ellington of Victoria to pursue his dream came at age 4.

"I played road hockey wearing my Pavel Bure jersey," beamed the Everett Silvertips defensive defenceman, selected 33rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the NHL entry draft Saturday.

"I'm shocked right now. You never expect a team you idolized to select you."

A stay-at-home defenseman that finishes his checks well. Good coverage and gap control. Able to jump into the rush and is good one-on-one. Needs to have more patience with the puck under pressure and needs to improve his conditioning.

Completed his third season with the Silvertips, helping them to their best ever regular-season. Posted 13 points (5-8-13) and a plus-five rating this season. Participated in the 2007 CHL Top Prospects Game. Was a member of Team WHL in the two-game Canada-Russia Challenge in 2006. Named as the Silvertips Most Improved Player in 2004-05.

In assessing what the Canadian teams did, it’s impossible to tell at this point. I can tell you this, however, there wasn't one squad from this nation that didn't take at least two players that left me saying, “Do I ever like that pick!”

Let’s begin in Vancouver; Taylor Ellington is a defenceman with the Everett Silvertips who gets better every time I see him.

In Sharrow, the Canucks are getting a 22-year-old blue-liner who shoots right-handed and has two seasons of pro experience under his belt. Sharrow is expected to play in the American Hockey League.

"He's a big guy that has a good shot," said Tambellini. "Our guys see some long-term upside in him."

In Shannon, the Canucks are hoping a change of scenery may spark the speedster. Same goes for the Ducks. Randy Carlyle coached King in Manitoba.

"They [Ducks] were looking for a change for Ryan and we think he has a chance to be an NHL regular, but it's not a lock," said Nonis. "We think he has some upside and he definitely has a second gear -- he's one of the fastest in the league but his size may be a factor."

Assets: Skates extremely well and owns excellent shiftiness. Has defensive polish and offensive upside. Can play either center or wing.
Flaws: Is smallish even for the 'new' NHL. Must continue to work on his play without the puck in order to receive quality ice time at the highest level.
Career potential: Third line forward.

Labels: Ellington, NHL Draft 2007, Shannon, Sharrow, White