Canucks season preview: Line combinations
With the recent signing of the gritty and versatile Raffi Torres, the Canucks have a full compliment of NHL level forwards for the upcoming season. Aside from Cody Hodgson, who needs to have a fantastic camp, players like Jordan Schroeder, Alexandre Bolduc, Sergei Shirokov, Mario Bliznak, and Viktor Oreskevich are long-shots to make the opening day roster.
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, NHLHS Features, Northwest, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Aaron Rome, Alexander Edler, Alexandre Bolduc, Alexandre Burrows, Andrew Alberts, Christian Ehrhoff, Cody Hodgson, Dan Hamhuis, Daniel Sedin, Darcy Hordichuk, Henrik Sedin, Jannik Hansen, Jordan Schroeder, Keith Ballard, Kevin Bieksa, Manny Malhotra, Mario Bliznak, Mason Raymond, Mikael Samuelsson, Raffi Torres, Rick Rypien, Ryan Kesler, Sami Salo, Sergei Shirokov, Shane O’Brien, Tanner Glass, Viktor Oreskevich
Canucks season preview: Sizing up the roster
GM Mike Gillis didn’t waste anytime making changes to a Vancouver team that has bowed out in the 2nd round of the playoffs 2 yeas in a row. His first move was to send the Canucks 2nd round pick, Steve Bernier, and Michael Grabner to the Florida Panthers for Keith Ballard and Victor Oreskivich.
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, NHLHS Features, Nashville Predators, Northwest, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, Western Conference Tags: Aaron Rome, Alexander Edler, Alexandre Bolduc, Alexandre Burrows, and Darcy Hordichuk, Andrew Alberts, Andrew Raycroft, Christian Erhoff, Cody Hodgson, Cory Schneider, Dan Hamhuis, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Ian Clark, Jannik Hansen, Joel Perrault, Jordan Schroeder, Keith Ballard, Kevin Bieksa, Kyle Wellwood, Manny Malhotra, Mario Bliznak, Mason Raymond, Michael Grabner, Mikael Samuelsson, Mike Gillis, Rick Rypien, Robert Luongo, Roland Melanson, Ryan Johnson, Ryan Kesler, Ryan Suter, Sami Salo, Sergei Shirokov, Shane O’Brien, Shea Weber, Steve Bernier, Tanner Glass, Tomas Fleischmann, Victor Oreskivich
Who should be the Canucks captain?
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents Will & Valerie Wittstruck discuss their thoughts on who should be captain of the Canucks.
As 2010-11 NHL season approaches, it’s time to examine the Canucks on-ice leadership. Read more…
Categories: Around the League, NHLHS Features, Northwest, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Bill Durnan, Dan Hamhuis, Henrik Sedin, Markus Naslund, Mattias Ohlund, Mikael Samuelsson, Mike Gillis, Nicklas Lidstrom, Roberto Luongo, Ryan Kesler, Willie Mitchell
Canucks re-sign Mason Raymond
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents Will & Valerie Wittstruck take a look at Mason Raymond’s new contract.
The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed Mason Raymond to a 2-year deal that will pay the speedy winger 2.5 million this season and 2.6 million in 2011-12. The deal happened right before both sides were going to present their case in Raymond’s arbitration hearing. Had the hearing gone on as planned, many believe that Raymond would’ve been awarded 3-3.5 million per year and that would’ve made it difficult for the Canucks to re-sign him considering their current cap situation.
Categories: Around the League, NHLHS Features, Northwest, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Alexandre Burrows, Chicago Blackhawks, Eric Fehr, Jason Botchford, Kyle Wellwood, Mason Raymond, Michael Grabner, Mike Gillis, Pavol Demitra, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ryan Callahan, ryane clowe, Steve Bernier, Travis Zajac
Canucks top draft pick: Patrick McNally
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents Will & Valerie Wittstruck profile the Vancouver Canucks 2010 fourth round selection Patrick McNally.
The Canucks made their first selection in the 2010 NHL Entry draft in round 4, taking Patrick McNally, a mobile defensemen, from Milton Academy in Massachusetts. With good size at 6’2” and 180 lbs, the Long Island, NY native had 35 points (14-21–35) in 28 games to lead his team last season. He has one more season of high school hockey then it’s on to Harvard University in the fall of 2011.
Categories: Around the League, NHLHS Features, Northwest, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: 2010 NHL Entry Draft, 2010 NHL Prospect, Andrew Alberts, Gary Eggleston, Keith Ballard, Michael Grabner, Patrick McNally, Paul Cannata, Steve Bernier, Victor Oreskovich
NHLHS Mock Draft: With the Twenty Fifth Pick…
NHLHS Mock Draft is our latest feature where we collectively predict the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The draft is a crapshoot and we will be wrong… …but we thought it would be fun to try.
With the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Vancouver Canucks select…
Read more…
Categories: NHLHS Features, Vancouver Canucks Tags:
Captain Disappointment
NHLHS writers Brandon Augienello and Anthony Curatolo discuss the downfall of Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks.
Last night for the Vancouver Canucks, to quote legendary New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra, it was deja vu…all over again.
The Vancouver Canucks were eliminated from the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, and in dishonorable fashion.
It was exactly one year ago last night, the Chicago Blackhawks sent them home for a second consecutive spring, in the exact amount of games. There were two differences this time: this victory took place in Vancouver and this close-out affair wasn’t even close at all.
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, Central, Chicago Blackhawks, NHLHS Features, Northwest, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Alex Edler, Chicago Blackhawks, deja vu, Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg, Michael Grabner, Pavol Demitra, Rick Rypien, Roberto Luongo, Ryan Kesler, Sami Salo, Tanner Glass, Troy Brouwer, Yogi Berra
The Hockey Guys Live Saturday May 1st, 4 p.m. EST
The Hockey Guys are back again this weekend, this time broadcasting to you live on Saturday May 1st from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. EST.
All round two discussion and breakdowns of the games played up to showtime.
Tune in, and join us in the live chat as well by visiting:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thehockeyguys/2010/05/01/the-hockey-guys
We hope to see you all live with us in the chat room. And feel free to call in.
~THG
Categories: Around the League, Atlantic, Boston Bruins, By Teams, Central, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Eastern Conference, Montreal Canadiens, Northeast, Northwest, Pacific, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Playoff Coverage, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Blackhawks and Canucks Round Two: Electric Boogaloo
NHLHS Chicago Blackhawks Correspondent Ryan Hackett breaks down the second round series between the Hawks and Vancouver Canucks.
After a good test facing a pesky Nashville Predators in Round One, the Chicago Blackhawks start a much anticipated rematch with the Vancouver Canucks Saturday night on Chicago’s west side. The Blackhawks should use the series against the Predators as well as last year’s Western Conference Semi-final against the Canucks to learn a lot about themselves and do the right things to secure a second straight trip to the Conference Finals.
Categories: Chicago Blackhawks, Playoff Coverage, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Antti Niemi, Brent Seabrook, Brent Sopel, Chicago Blackhawks, Duncan Keith, Dustin Byfuglien, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators, NHL, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Norris trophy, Patrick Kane, Roberto Luongo, Troy Brouwer, Vancouver Canucks
Pros & Cons: Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Our newest feature, Pros and Cons, holds a debate between two of our featured writers as they make an argument for each team in the series. We will continue this series throughout the playoffs as we delve deeper into how these two teams will fare against each other.
Read more…
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, Central, Chicago Blackhawks, NHLHS Features, Northwest, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Alex Burrows, Andrew Alberts, Antti Niemi, Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks, Duncan Keith, Dustin Byfuglien, Henrik Sedin, Kyle Wellwood, Mayson Raymond, Mikael Samuelsson, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Roberto Luongo, Ryan Kesler, Ryan Smyth, Steve Bernier, Troy Brouwer, Vancouver Canucks, Willie Mitchell
And Now The Pressures On, The Heat Is Rising… Tonight There’s Something In The Air (Black In ST Louis)
I,personally, should have known this game was doomed when I was screaming GET OFF MY GOALTENDER..and realized I was screaming at my own Defense. And then I realized how many mistakes had already been made 1/2 way through the game but none of them by Randy Jones.. Immediately, I started looking at flight prices to Los Angeles, AGAIN. Then I cried.
Categories: Los Angeles Kings, NHLHS Features, Northwest, Pacific, Playoff Coverage, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Anze Kopitar, Arch, Buffalo Sabres, Defense, Dustin Brown, Ersberg, Flight Prices Suck, Head to Desk, Jim Fox, LA, Lack of Defense, Los Angeles Kings, NHL, NHL 2010 Playoffs, playoffs, Quick, Randy Jones, Ryan Smyth, St Louis, Staples Center, TerrorTwins, ThrowtheTwinkie, Twitter, Vancouver Canucks, What Can Brown Do For You
Canucks solve Kings in game 5
The Vancouver Canuck finally figured out what it will take the beat the Los Angeles Kings in their first round matchup. It’s something that many hockey writers, bloggers, and Canucks fans have been going on and on about since the start of the series. What is the answer? Simple, stay out of the penalty box! Unfortunately, it took the Canucks 3+ games to figure it out, but if they stay out of the penalty box the Kings have no chance 5 on 5. The Kings have scored 10 of their 16 goals with the man advantage while the Canucks have outscored the Kings 16-6 at even strength. Through the first 3 games and 2 periods of the series the Canucks gave the Kings power play after power play and they paid the price. Say what you will about the missed and questionable calls that have gone against Vancouver in the series, but they had been giving the referees too many reasons to call penalties.
In the last 4 periods of the series the Canucks have scored 11 goals after only scoring 10 in the first 11 periods. And in the last 2 games they have scored 13 goals after only scoring 8 in games 1-3. The 3rd period in game 4 the Canucks really found their game again as Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin came alive and got the comeback going. They had pretty much been a non-factor up to this point, with much of the praise going to the Kings defensive play. Once those flood gates opened up and the Canucks started to gain confidence it really put the Kings back on their heals and they looked nothing like the team earlier in the series.
One reason the Canucks have gotten back into this series is the play of Mikael Samuelsson. He’s already scored 7 goals, 2 more than he had in each of the last 2 play-off runs with Detroit. His strong play has made many forget that Alex Burrows, the Canucks leading goal scorer in the regular season has been held without a goal in the series so far. In fact, Burrows and Samuelsson have switched lines as Alain Vigneault has searched for the right chemistry. Mike Gillis continues to look like a genius for signing Samuelsson as a free-agent in the offseason. The Canucks have definitely benefitted by giving him more ice time than he had in Detroit and his snub by the Swedish Olympic team lit a fire that has burned long after the Olympic torch was extinguished.
As several Canucks fans mentioned on Twitter, the Kings seemed preoccupied with trying to get the Canucks to take penalties instead of playing their game. Obviously it didn’t work and they were unable to make adjustments quick enough as the Canucks spent the game dismantling LA’s defensive coverage and exposing their lack of speed. They also got a lot more traffic in front of Quick, even bumping into him as the Kings have been doing all series with Roberto Luongo. The Kings did try to stir things up at the end of the game with Shane O’Brien fighting Wayne Simmonds and Rick Rypien with the one-punch knockdown of Kings goon Rich Clune. While it’s not unusual for a coach to send out his tough guys at the end of a game to get his team going, it is unusual to see a coach do it in the final 4 minutes of a game that was already over. For his efforts, Klune ended up with a separated shoulder in the fight. It would seem that the time to pick a fight would’ve been much earlier in the game. Clune was trying to get under the Canucks skin all night, but his act was amateur hour at best.
It will be very interesting to see if the Canucks can keep building on the momentum they have gained and how the young Kings team will respond to the elimination possibility in game 6. Will playing on home ice be a burden or uplifting for them, or will they crack and wilt under the pressure? Either way, the Kings have a lot to be proud of this year playing in the toughest division in the NHL and looking very much like the Chicago Blackhawks of last season. They have a very bright future, but the time is now for the Canucks to take game 6 and this series. Go Canucks Go!
I-5 Canucks
NHLHS Canucks Correspondents
hipcheck44@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, Los Angeles Kings, Northwest, Pacific, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Alain Vigneault, Alex Burrows, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Mikael Samuelsson, Mike Gillis, Rich Clune, Rick Rypien, Roberto Luongo, Shane O'Brien, Wayne Simmonds
It’s Times You Like These, You Give and Give Again
Game 3 led the La Kings and its Kingdom were talking and acting like it belonged in the playoffs instead of the punk kids on the block that have weeds for a garden and bricks for yard furniture. You know the ones, the ones that all the cool kids with the nice houses on the block look down on, and when those kids step up the rest yell "NO FAIR.. MUST BE A CONSPIRACY" There was Quick's punch to the head, Doughty and Brown's trash-talk and Smyth sending Luongo home early... but now? Now Game 5 is time to get that back.... because Game 4 didn't quite go as planned...
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, Los Angeles Kings, NHLHS Features, Vancouver Canucks Tags: 2010 NHL Playoffs, 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings, NHL, playoffs, Ryan Smyth, Terry Murray
Karma Police… Arrest This Man… This Is What You Get… When You Mess With Us
Next on Sports Psychosis, MD: Sports Paranoia: What to do when your players want to blame inferior play and losses on league conspiracies, inept officiating, flying reptiles, fish and/or men (we're assuming men?) in bright neon costumes that climb the sin bin like spider-man without the power or responsibility. The truth, though no one will admit it or give the LA Kings respect for it, is that they have dominated the Vancouver Canucks in net, special teams (and no the Kings have not been favored in power plays given) and, well heart. So the Vancouver Canucks took to that adage - if you can't beat them, beat the shit out of them. And I suppose that is fine, if you are going to kill off your penalties. But-- um... pssst..... boys.. yeah you... with the Greenmen... you missed a spot...
Categories: Around the League, Los Angeles Kings, NHLHS Features, Northwest, Pacific, Playoff Coverage, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, Jack Johnson, Jonathan Quick, Ryan Smyth, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Simmonds
Canucks back at it
With 2 games already in the books and the series tied 1-1 between the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings, here are a few observations.
The Kings youth hasn’t been a liability… yet
Their core of young players have played extremely well under early pressure. Facing the raucous crowd in Vancouver is no easy task, now they have to perform in front of their own crowd. It will be interesting to see if the butterflies show up when they hit the Forum ice tonight. Opening on the road may have been a blessing for the Kings, especially since they made it out of GM Place with the all important split.
Penalties… “too many”
While much has been made of the “too many men on the ice” call that led to the Kings winning power play goal on Sunday, it could be argued that had the Canucks buried some of their chances earlier in the game that call wouldn’t even have happened. The Canucks found themselves in the box 7 times, while the Kings were only penalized 4 times.
The Alberts experiment
Brought in at the trade deadline for some depth on defense, Andrew Alberts was supposed to be a shot-blocking, punishing defenseman that could fill-in as a 5/6 defensemen. Unfortunately that hasn’t been the case as he’s taken way too many penalties, made too many defensive mistakes, and generally been a liability on the back end. Did Canucks fans expect too much or has he just had a hard time adjusting to the Western Conference style of play? No one really knows. Barring another injury or really poor effort by another d-man, he’s probably going to spend the rest of the play-offs in the press box as Aaron Rome is back from injury and going to play in Game 3.
What the Canucks need to do:
- Play physical – they need to get in on the forecheck and bang the Kings players, especially their skill players like Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, and Drew Doughty. It’s not easy to play 20-30 minutes a game at play-off intensity, but it’s much easier if you aren’t being hit.
- Need for speed – the Canucks, who have one of the fastest skaters in the NHL in Mason Raymond, have more team speed than the Kings and need to use it to their advantage.
- Fewer penalties – plain and simple, stay out of the box!
- Net presence – they need to get more bodies in front of Jonathan Quick, he is an excellent netminder and like most will stop any puck he can see. Additionally, the Canucks need to get in his “kitchen” both physically and verbally. See what the kid is made of.
- Score early – survive the first 10 minutes and get some pucks behind Quick to get the crowd out of it.
We’re still picking the Canucks to win the series in 6 games, but they still have plenty of work to do as they are up against a very solid team in the Kings.
What are your thoughts on the series and who do you think is going to win it?
I-5 Canucks
NHLHS Canucks Correspondents
hipcheck44@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944
Categories: Around the League, By Teams, Los Angeles Kings, NHLHS Features, Vancouver Canucks, Western Conference Tags: Aaron Rome, Andrew Alberts, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, Jonathan Quick, Mason Raymond
