The Canucks 3-1 comeback win over the Nashville Predators was not only the teams’ 9^th straight road win, but it also guaranteed them home ice advantage throughout the Western Conference play-offs as the #1 seed.

Vancouver completed its 2^nd straight perfect road trip in a row by beating the Predators with 3 goals in the 3^rd period. While secondary scoring has been key to the success of the current road trip, on this night it would be the big line. Alexandre Burrows tied the game 1:17 into the 3^rd after some nifty passing by Henrik and Daniel Sedin. 17 minutes later the trio was at it again as the Sedins sprung Burrows for a breakaway and what would prove to be the winning goal. Aaron Rome finished the scoring with an empty net goal, his first as Canuck. It had been 109 games since Rome last scored.

Both Pekka Rinne and Roberto Luongo were extremely stingy on the night as they put on a goaltending clinic. The game was scoreless until Mike Fischer made the most of an opportune bounce to put the Predators up 1-0 at 14:01 of the 2^nd period. The way the night was going, many thought that might be the only goal. The Canucks had other ideas and as they have so many times this season they remained composed and waited for their opportunity to get back into the game. The Predators deserve a lot of credit for playing their brand of hockey, boring as it is, and could have very well come away with the win. As it was the Canucks would not be denied.

This is the first time in Canucks team history they have finished atop the Western Conference. They are to be congratulated as they reach another milestone in a season that has seen many team and individual records broken. But it’s only one step on a very long journey, one that ends with the Stanley Cup.

I-5 Canucks – Will & Valerie Wittstruck
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents
I-5Canucks@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944

On Wednesday, March 16, the Canucks clinched their 3^rd straight Northwest Division title when they beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Unfortunately the victory came with a price, as Manny Malhotra was hit with a puck in the 1^st period. He underwent preliminary eye surgery on March 17 and is out indefinitely. Malhotra is the ranked 2^nd in the NHL in faceoff winning percentage at 61.7%.

There is much speculation as to how long Malhotra will be out, but no one knows for sure at this point. While his absence will be felt as the Canucks roar towards to the finish line of the NHL season, it is far more important to get him healthy and ready for a long play-off run. Fortunately it looks like the Canucks will be getting Kevin Bieksa and Tanner Glass back, possibly as early as next week.

The win over Colorado was another gritty win by the Canucks. After spotting the Avalanche an a 2-0 lead in the 1^st period, the Canucks 4^th line got the scoring started as Maxim Lapierre scored his first goal in a Vancouver uniform. In the 3^rd, the Canucks top line took over the game as goals by Alexandre Burrows and Henrik Sedin, 2:18 apart gave the home team a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Henrik Sedin added an empty net goal to seal the deal and move him into a tie with Steven Stamkos for 2^nd overall in NHL scoring. Daniel Sedin, who chipped in with 2 assists on the night, continues to sit atop the NHL scoring race with 92 points, 6 ahead of his brother Daniel and Stamkos.

Right now it looks like the only thing that can stop the Canucks and their march towards the President’s trophy and the play-offs is injuries.

I-5 Canucks – Will & Valerie Wittstruck
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents
I-5Canucks@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944

The Nashville Predators finished a six game road trip on the losing end after giving up losses to the Calgary Flames (24-21-6) on Sunday night 3-1, and losing to the Western Conference leading Vancouver Canucks (31-10-9) on Wednesday night by a score of 2-1.  Despite falling short the last two games, the Predators finished the month with a 9-4 record and picked up 18 points.  The Predators head into the All Star break with 60 points and in 4th place in the Western Conference.

Last nights game marked the first  game back in Vancouver for Nashville Predators defenseman Shane O’Brien after being traded to Nashville during training camp this summer.  It also marked the first game for Dan Hamhuis against his old team after being traded from Nashville in June.

Both teams played solid and saw a scoreless first and second period.  However, it only took 37 seconds into the third period for the Predators to take the lead on a Shea Weber wrist shot over a diving Roberto Luongo.  The Predators held that lead until the 10:39 mark of the third period,  when Alexandre Burrows’ wrist shot tied it up.  Only two minutes later, Lee Sweatt, playing in his first NHL game, netted the eventual game winning goal for the Canucks on a keep in by Daniel Sedin at the blue line.

Aside from the two mistakes made on the defensive side that led to the Canucks goals, the Predators also played a less than desirable power play, going 0-for-5 on the night.  After last nights power play let down the Predators sit at 28th in the league at an anemic 13.8%.  On the flip side, the penalty kill looked stellar once again going 5 for 5 and improving to 3rd in the NHL at 83.8%

The All Star break comes at a very opportune time for the Predators, allowing several banged up players time to rest and heal.  After the All Star game, the Predators will play 21 of their last 32 games at home.

Tyler Davis
NHLHS Nashville Predators Correspondent
Twitter: @Trebek14
Email: davis.tylerb@gmail.com

Win 1: Beat Avalanche 4-2
Anytime the Canucks and Avs play it’s always interesting. There always seems to be something on the line and this match-up was no different. The Canucks were in the midst of a 4 game losing streak, while the Avs had won 4 in a row and had taken over the lead in the Northwest Division. The game also marked the return of Avs goalie Craig Anderson, which should’ve been a big boost.

The Canucks drew first blood with Kevin Bieksa scoring his first goal of the season on a delayed penalty call. This was a great sign for the Canucks as they have surrendered the first goal of the game too many times this season. Anderson didn’t have much of a chance on the shot. Other than that goal, both Anderson and Roberto Luongo looked sharp the rest of the period.

Unfortunately for the Avs, they would start the 2^nd period and finish the game, without Anderson (groin) and Adam Foote (leg). Early penalties really killed any flow of the period, but John-Michael Liles scored on the power play at the 5:05 mark to tie it 1-1. Midway through the period Daniel Sedin deflected a slap pass from Henrik Sedin and all of Canucks Nation could take a breath again as they ended the period up 2-1.

The 3^rd period was pretty even, although there was very little flow the game and the goalies didn’t need to make any big saves. The teams traded goals in the first half of the period and the Canucks were clinging to their 3-2 lead when Alexandre Burrows made it 4-2 after some great passing by the Sedins. The Avs would get a late power play but it was too little too late and the Canucks won the game and reclaimed top spot in the Northwest.

Star of the game: Burrows with a goal and an assist

Win 2: Route Sharks 6-1
Heading into this game the Sharks had beaten the Canucks 10 out of the last 12 meetings. The Sharks used their size to push the Canucks around on many occasions. GM Mike Gillis made several changes in the off-season to improve the Canucks size, speed, and physical play. This game will show if the Canucks have made enough changes or not.

Several players would not be in the lineup for the game including Scott Nichol (SJ) who was hit in the face during practice, Bieksa (Van) who is out with the flu, and Rick Rypien (Van) who has been granted an indefinite leave of absence to take care of some personal issues.

The Canucks came out with quite a bit more jump than the Sharks to start the period and were rewarded with the 1^st goal of the game. Jeff Tambellini scored his 3^rd of the season and was looking great on the 2^nd line with Ryan Kesler and Mayson Raymond. The Canucks kept the pressure up and had a 13-2 shot advantage through the first 14 minutes of the period. The Sharks did manage to score and the teams ended deadlocked at 1-1.

The Sharks opened the 2^nd period with some great pressure, but the Canucks 4^th line counterattacked and Raffi Torres recaptured the Canuck lead after a beautiful feed by Jannik Hansen. Mikael Samuelsson needed less than 2 minutes to make it 3-1 Canucks.  Samuelsson’s goal was a direct result of a great pass by Tanner Glass. But that wasn’t the only highlight of the period for the Canucks. Dan Hamhuis leveled Douglass Murray with a monsterous hipcheck. Murray looked a little stunned after it happened. He’s not an easy guy to knock off his feet, but full marks to Hamhuis for the hit. The hit really got the rest of the team going and seemed to put the Sharks back on their heels a bit as the Canucks took over the game in all facets.

Here is the video of Hamhuis sending Murray head over heels:

The wheels pretty much came off the wagon for the Sharks in the 3^rd. Samuelsson scored his second of the game off a really bad clearing attempt by Dan Boyle. The Sedins and Burrows continued to dominate and Burrows scored to make it 5-1. Keith Ballard finished off the scoring with his first goal/point as a Canuck and he did it on his birthday.

Star of the game: Samuelsson with 2 goals

Win 3: Embarrass Flames 7-2
It’s hard to believe this is the first meeting of season between these Northwest Division rivals, but it is. The Canucks come in riding a 2 game winning streak, which included an impressive win 6-1 at home over the San Jose Sharks last Friday, while the Flames shut-out Minnesota last Saturday 3-0. The Flames are another underachieving team that’s beginning to play like they can. Even though the Canucks are usually fired up to play their division rivals, they play Chicago in their next game and Canucks fans everywhere are hoping they aren’t overlooking the Flames.

The Canucks needed exactly 2 minutes to get on the board in this one. Mason Raymond, a native of nearby Cochrane, AB, gave the Canucks the opening goal for the 3^rd straight game. On the ensuing face-off Tanner Glass and Tim Jackman dropped the gloves and had a rather spirited bout. This was in an effort to the Flames fired up. About 7 minutes later Jeff Tambellini, who continues to look like the perfect fit on Kesler’s line, gave the Canucks a 2-0 lead. Tambellini also picked up an assist and had 2 points early on. The Flames only needed 1:10 to get back in the game as Jackman scored with some hard work down low.

Torres took a hooking penalty 40 seconds into the 2^nd period and the Flames, who had grabbed a little momentum at the end of the first, had a glorious chance to get even. The Canucks killed it off and with their top power play unit still on the ice made it 3-1 on a goal by Daniel Sedin. But Calgary still had some life left in them. About 3 minutes later Alex Tanguay scored to bring the Flames within 1. The period would end 3-2 advantage Canucks, but Hansen would be headed to the box for a late hooking penalty and the Flames would open the 3^rd on the power play.

Beginning the 3^rd on the power play the Flames had another chance to get back into the game, but this was to be Raymond’s night. Sprung by a Malhotra pass, he sped down and scored a short-handed goal to give the Canucks a 4-1 lead. That goal was huge and pretty much killed any momentum the Flames had going. About 5 minutes later Burrows scored his 3^rd goal in 3 games to make it 5-1. Raymond would net his 2^nd career hat-trick (both in Calgary) and Hamhuis would put the final nail in the Flames coffin scoring the Canucks 7^th goal.

Star of the game: Raymond with 3 goals, 1 assist

Looking good!
The Canucks had now won 3 in a row and outscored their opponents 17-5. They are looking quite comfortable, no panic in their game at all and all 4 lines are contributing. When someone does make a mistake, a teammate is there to back him up. Luongo has also been solid, making the big saves when he needed to. The team is looking even better than they did when they won 7 in a row earlier in the season, but their biggest test was yet to come. Without a doubt, their biggest rival right now is the defending Stanley Cup Champions and they are up next!

Win 4: Shutout Chicago 3-0
This game was not about the last 2 play-off seasons, it was simply about getting redemption against the Hawks after they thumped the Canucks two weeks ago in Vancouver 7-1.

Tonight the Canucks came ready to play and they showed it from the opening face-off. Both teams tried to be physical, but the Canucks clearly held the edge. The Canucks played with a nasty edge, dishing out thunderous hits on anyone wearing a red sweater and were even willing to take a penalty or two. Chicago seemed stunned by this and aside from outshooting the Canucks and carrying a decent amount of time in the attack zone couldn’t many serious threats. The period ended 0-0.

The Canucks would be first team to get on the board as Glass put a backhand past Marty Turco, giving the Canucks the opening goal in 4 straight games. There were more great chances at both end, Chicago trying to mount pressure, but really unable to get anything going and as the buzzer sounded it was 1-0 Vancouver.

An early penalty by Torres gave the Hawks a great chance to get back in the game. Just as that penalty ended Christian Erhoff took a hooking penalty and the Canucks found themselves having to kill of a short 5-3. Once again Luongo and the Canucks penalty killers got the job done as the Hawks continued to be frustrated. Thomas Kopecky took a boarding call about 5 minutes in and the Canucks were back on the power play.  The Canucks only needed 8 seconds as Erhoff put a wrister past Turco and their lead was now 2-0. The Hawks  tried to mount a comeback, but everytime they did the Canucks had the answer, whether it was Luongo or a great back checking play by one of the forwards or defensemen. At the 15:35 mark, the Sedin line worked their magic and Henrik scored his 2^nd goal of the season (to go with his league leading assists). That goal sealed the deal. The Hawks were visibly beaten and looked like they were ready to pack it in for their next game. A few flurries at the end, but Luongo emerged with the win and shutout.

It was the first time the Blackhawks had been shut out at home in a long time and they have now lost as many games at home (6-8-0) this year as they did all of last season (29-8-4).

Star of the game: Luongo with the shutout on the road

Canucks next 4 opponents:

• 12/5 vs. Blues 6pm PST in Vancouver
• 12/8 vs. Ducks 7pm PST in Vancouver
• 12/11 vs. Lightning 7:30pm PST in Vancouver – Markus Naslund Jersey Retirement Celebration
• 12/12 vs. Oilers 5pm PST in Edmonton

Sami Salo update
Salo still isn’t on any time table to return, although the unofficial word on Twitter is that it will be January. Basically he wants to make sure he’s 100% ready to return before he gets back into action. He is a UFA next season and with his injury history this may be his last shot at winning it all. He’d obviously be welcomed back to the Canucks lineup as they only have 1 right-handed shot on the point in Bieksa and no one matches Salo’s cannon of a shot.

I-5 Canucks – Will & Valerie Wittstruck
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents
I-5Canucks@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944

Game 1: 2-0 loss in Montreal
Heading into the road trip, the Canucks had won a season high 6 games in a row and had climbed to the top of the Northwest Division after a tepid start to the season. Unfortunately that streak would come to an end as their road woes continued in a 2-0 loss the Canadiens.

The trip was off to a bit of an interesting start as the team welcomed Dan Hamhuis back to the lineup after he missed 8 with a bruised foot, but also saw Keith Ballard to the press box.  Many questions and few answers about why Ballard was going to sit while Andrew Alberts and Aaron Rome would continue to play. Questions about Ballard’s health abound as he is coming off a recent concussion and off-season hip surgery.

Basically the Canucks ran into a hot goaltender in Carey Price. Price made all the big saves shift after shift and played the way that management hoped he would when they traded Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues in the off-season. The Canucks looked disorganized at times in their own end of the ice and when they did catch a break, including a 3-1 shorthanded chance and 4-2 opportunity in the 2^nd period, Price was there to slam the door shut.

Star of the game: Price with 28 saves and the shutout

Game 2: 6-2 win in Ottawa
The Canucks scored 22 seconds into the game on a Daniel Sedin goal, but Ottawa tied it up a few minutes later and carried the play through most of the 2^nd period. It looked like we were in for another low scoring affair as Roberto Luongo and Pascal Leclaire made save after save. Ryan Kesler scored his first of 2 with a goal midway through the second and the period ended with the Canucks up 2-1.

The 3^rd period would start much the same as the 1^st with Alexandre Burrows getting his first of the season 33 seconds in. Kesler would get his second goal 71 seconds later and it was pretty much lights out for the Senators.  Even the 4^th line got into the scoring as rookie Mario Bliznak, called up for the trip, scored his first career NHL goal and Tanner Glass got his 1^st goal in 61 games.

The Canucks looked much more like the team that had a 6-game winning streak going into the trip as the game wore on.

Star of the game: Kesler with 2 goals

Game 3: 5-3 win in Toronto
This was a tale of two teams headed in opposite directions. The Canucks much improved after a slow start and expected by many to go deep into the play-offs and Canada’s best chance to win it all. And the Leafs who opened the season with 4 straight wins, but only have 1 win in their last 12 games and no expectation of making the play-offs. But, this is Toronto and Hockey Night in Canada so anything can happen. Before the game, in an effort to get their offense going, the Leafs called up prized prospect Nazem Kadri.

The Leafs got the early lead with an amazing tip-in by Fredrik Sjostrom and power play goal by Phil Kessel. The home team was rolling, the crowd was in it, and things were looking good for the Leafs. 2 minutes later it started to unravel as Daniel Sedin scored a power play goal. With that goal the Canucks began to take over the game and carried the play the rest of the period. Kesler scored with 3 minutes left in the period to tie it at 2-2.

The Canucks were back on the power play less than a minute into the 2^nd and only needed 3 seconds to take the lead as Kesler had his 4^th goal in the last 2 games. Mikhail Grabovski answered for the Leafs midway through and the period ended 3-3.

While the teams traded chances for most of the 3^rd period, the Leafs had the majority of the shots. Luongo held strong in net and even after being run over on several occasions kept his cool. Eventually the Canucks would break through as Mason Raymond would score the winner on his first road goal of the season. Hamhuis would get his 1^st goal as a Canuck on a 200 foot wrist shot into an empty net to seal the deal.

Star of the game: Kesler with 2 goals

The Canucks finish their road trip with games in Buffalo and Pittsburgh. The game against Buffalo will match the 2 expansion teams that joined the NHL in 1970 and Cory Schneider is scheduled to start in net for the Canucks.

I-5 Canucks – Will & Valerie Wittstruck
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents
I-5Canucks@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944

Alexandre Burrows played his first game of the season for the Canucks, a 4-3 victory over their Northwest Division rivals the Edmonton Oilers. Burrows had missed the first 10 games of the season as he was recovering from off season shoulder surgery. He fit right in on the first line with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin as the trio had some great scoring chances early in the 1^st period. Burrows was also physical early on and even ended up in the crease a few times. He finished the night with 15:29 of ice-time, 3 shots and was really effective with Ryan Kesler on the penalty kill.

While the game marked the return of Burrows and the Canucks first road win of the season, it was former Edmonton Oiler Raffi Torres who stole the show for the Canucks. After Daniel opened the scoring with a power play goal at 11:01 of the first period, Torres needed a mere 32 seconds to score on his old team. 4 minutes later Torres scored his second of the night as the Canucks had 3 goals 4:12 on 4 shots. It looked to be a long night for the Oilers. Give the Oilers credit, they hung in there. Dustin Penner had the only goal of the second and then the Oilers scored twice more in a span of 1:40 to open the 3^rd sending Canucks fans into panic mode. At the 10:53 mark of the 3^rd, Torres would score his first hat-trick of his career to give the Canucks the lead for good.

Not to be left out, defensemen Kevin Bieksa also found his way on to the score sheet assisting on all of Torres’ goals. They were his first points of the season.  Bieksa had been in the doghouse (at least as far as the fans are concerned) and tonight’s performance will go a long ways towards getting back into their good graces.  Roberto Luongo was also credited with an assist on the winning goal and the Canucks are the only team so far to have both of their goalies with points on the season.

While the team welcomed back Burrows, they are still missing Dan Hamhuis. Hamhuis injured his foot on October 10^th and has been out since. According to Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province, “[Hamhuis] can’t skate, can’t play. not with team on road trip, so not close.”  He isn’t the only Canucks defender that has missed time this season. Sami Salo was hurt this summer and isn’t expected back until late December or early January and Keith Ballard had a concussion, but has since returned. Even with the Canucks depth on defense, they can’t afford to be without their top guys for very long and especially when the play-offs roll around. Hopefully they are getting the injuries out of the way now.

With the win, the Canucks are now 1st in the Northwest Division, 3^rd in the Western Conference and are riding a 4 game winning streak. Today they meet the Colorado Avalanche in Denver to try and extend that streak. They will also try to extend their 3 game winning streak against division opponents.

I-5 Canucks – Will & Valerie Wittstruck
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents
I-5Canucks@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944

The Canucks soundly beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 Sunday night at Rogers Arena as they continued their winning ways at home against Eastern Conference opponents with their 13^th win in the last 14 games.

Schneider starts in net
As long as Roberto Luongo has been in Vancouver, home starts for the back-up goalie has been rare. Prior to tonight, a healthy Luongo has only missed 4 home games in three seasons as Vancouver’s number one netminder. Loungo primarily took the night off on nights when the team was playing back-to-back games. Perhaps as a sign that things will be different this year, Cory Schneider got his first start of the season on Sunday and didn’t disappoint the home crowd. He was strong early, stopping several point blank shots and held the Hurricanes off the scoreboard until Patrick O’ Sullivan scored at the 18:13 mark of the 2^nd period. Overall Schneider looked calm, cool, and collected in net for the Canucks and that’s something they can build on as the season progresses. Before the season began, the Canucks had hoped to get Schneider 20-25 starts, but that number has already dropped to 2 out of every 10.  After tonight though, it would appear Coach V has a legitimate backup and can plan on giving Luongo a night off on a more regular basis.

Alberts scores against his former team
Andrew Alberts opened the scoring for the Canucks a 5:37 of the 1^st period with a great second effort. Alberts, playing against his former team for the first time, had one of his better games for the Canucks this season and a lot of the fans that were hoping he’d be traded in the off-season are starting to come around.

Someone other than a Sedin scores a goal
Up until this point, Henrik and Daniel Sedin have done all the scoring for the Canucks. Tonight, several other players finally provide that all-important secondary scoring. Mason Raymond (2), Ryan Kesler, and Mikael Samuelsson (along with Alberts) all netted their first of the season.  Canucks fans heaved a huge sigh of relief as the team that has been so greatly anticipated has finally come to play.

Line combinations
Head coach Alain Vigneault made a few lineup changes for tonight’s game. Mason Raymond was promoted to the first line, Steve Tambellini replaced him on the second line, and Samuelsson played on the 3^rd line with Manny Malhotra and Raffi Torres. Additionally Peter Schaefer was moved to the 4^th line, where he might find himself once Alexandre Burrows returns from his shoulder injury.  Vigneault, much to the frustration of many Canucks fans, is fond of juggling the lines and this time it turned out to be the right move.

Over-all it was one of the best games for the Canucks this season, a great all around team effort. We can’t wait to see what the Canucks have in store for Minnesota on Tuesday!

I-5 Canucks – Will & Valerie Wittstruck
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents
I-5Canucks@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944

The Vancouver Canucks, after some salary cap dancing, made it under the cap and finally have their lineup set. Well, at least to start the season.

Much was made over the summer about how the Canucks would get under the salary cap after signing a handful of players that pushed them beyond the $59.4 million limit. There was talk of trading Kevin Bieksa, especially after Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard were brought in. However, an injury to Sami Salo over the summer enabled (or forced depending on you viewpoint) the Canucks to retain Bieksa. It’s possible that when/if Salo returns they could move Bieksa to a team desperate for a defensemen and get more than they could at the start of the season. Of course, that could also work against the Canucks depending on how he plays. If he plays great and returns to the form he had in 2007 and Salo isn’t able to make it back (or is kept on LTIR for the remainder of the season) the Canucks can also keep him. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

For NHL opening day, the team made a couple of moves to get under the cap. Alexandre Burrows and Salo were placed on LTIR. Cody Hodgson, Eddie Lack, Lee Sweatt, and Ryan Parent (who they acquired in a deal that sent Shane O’Brien to Nashville) remained, while Steve Tambellini, Alexandre Bolduc, and Cory Schneider were sent to Manitoba. They also signed Peter Schaefer to a 1-year, 2-way deal and traded Darcy Hordichuk to Florida for Andrew Peters, who was then assigned to Manitoba.  This allowed the team to clear some $3 million in cap space and have some cushion to start the season. How this all really works is still a mystery to most of us, but as far as the NHL is concerned it’s playing by the rules.

In the days that have followed, Hodgson, Lack, and Sweatt have been assigned to Manitoba (Parent remains with the team so they can evaluate him). Tambellini, Bolduc, and Schneider have been recalled by the team to complete the “real” opening night lineup and it looks something like this:

Forwards
Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Mikael Samuelsson, Ryan Kesler, Mason Raymond, Raffi Torres,
Manny Malhotra, Bolduc, Burrows (inj), Guillaume Desbiens, Tanner Glass, Jannik Hansen, Rick Rypien (inj), Schaefer, Tambellini

Defense
Andrew Alberts, Ballard, Bieksa, Alexander Edler, Christian Erhoff, Hamhuis, Aaron Rome, Salo (inj)

Goal
Roberto Luongo, Schneider

It will be an interesting season for the Canucks, especially as the new players get comfortable with the system and the shuffling of bottom six forwards in and out of the line-up. Considering their cap situation expect the shuttle between Vancouver and Manitoba to be active, especially as Burrows and Salo return to the lineup.

I-5 Canucks – Will & Valerie Wittstruck
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents
I-5Canucks@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944

When looking at a team, the main penalty killer very rarely gets their due.  Whether it be a goon for an affinity for blocking shots or a player who simply refuses to give up on a play, the penalty killers deserve some credit for the final outcome of a game.  Without their 100 percent effort every night a good team can crumble and further succumb to failure.

Top 10

1. Jay McClement – Nobody came near to the amount of short handed ice time McClemment experienced last season.  In fact, only three players total (all defenseman) had more short handed time of ice than this center.  Last season the St. Louis Blues finished first in penalty killing thanks to the effort from this Brampton Battalion alumni.  Aside from his 300 plus minutes on the kill, he also contributed with 29 points– none of which same shorthanded.  As far as traditional checking line players go, McClement is as genuine as they get.  Not necessarily a threat but incredibly defensively aware and able to never get caught out of position.  Throw in his league leading 189 shorthanded faceoffs won and we will show you the master of the kill.
2. Alexandre Burrows – Burrows shocked the world with his breakout season last year playing alongside Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin.  However, what most people failed to notice was his excellent work on the penalty kill.  Before stardom on the first line, the French Canadian winger was known for his agitating nature and ability to throw the opposition off of their game. Last season he was able to do that quite often as he led the league in shorthanded points with seven.  While statistics like shorthanded points may be volatile his effort every night remained consistent last season and should do the same once he returns to the ice.  The pesky Burrows helped the Canucks finish second last season in shorthanded goals, by percentage a lone bright spot in the Canucks penalty killing.



3. Marian Hossa – Hossa could have claimed the lead in shorthanded points had he not missed 25 games.  The two-way winger showed his true value as he finally became the elite player on both ends of the ice.  Chicago finished fourth overall in penalty killing percentage with an impressive 85.3 while leading the league in shorthanded goals with 13.  Last season seemed to be a perfect storm of sorts for the Blackhawks as they were truly one of the best teams defensively and an absolute powerhouse on offense.  A threat like Hossa seems to be not only a luxury but one of the most dangerous assets to have on the ice.  Worth every dollar he is paid.
4. Jordan Staal – This perennial candidate for the Selke makes the cut in the top ten thanks to racking up the time of ice on the kill.  Whenever anyone talks about top defensive forwards Staal always seems to make the cut while posting close to 20 goals of his own.  Last season, he registered a healthy 274:08 on the penalty kill in addition to his 118 shorthanded faceoffs won– only McClement finished with more time as a forward.  Not only can Staal establish himself as a threat on the forecheck, his size and strength make him a very valuable playing at the other end.
5. Rene Bourque – One of the most consistent threats on the penalty kill.  Not only does Bourque’s speed lead to many opportunities but manages to finish his opportunities every year.  Over the past three years, Bourque has combined for a whopping 10 shorthanded goals.  GM Darryl Sutter knew what he would be getting when he traded for Bourque and because of that let him flourish amid a defensive system.  Size, skill and speed lead to this young man having a very bright future in the league after coming to the Blackhawks undrafted.  His unique path from the AJHL to the University of Wisconsin and eventually the NHL taught Bourque how to play hockey the right way on both sides of the ice.
6. Vernon Fiddler -  This list will probably be the only list you see Fiddler’s name on, ever.  Also undrafted, the center helped define the hardworking nature of the Nashville Predators before doing the same with the Phoenix Coyotes.  Last season, Fiddler absolutely racked up the shorthanded time of ice with 234:58, helping the defensive minded Coyotes reach the playoffs for the first time in seven years.  The team would finish 6th overall in penalty killing, fourth overall amongst Western Conference teams.  The speedy Fiddler a part of the mold as his other fast, defensive forwards like Lauri Korpikoski and Scottie Upshall as the team learned discipline from head coach Dave Tippett.  In Fiddler’s case, the lesson seemed to sink in.



7. Darren Helm – Helm represents the little engine that could on the Red Wings penalty kill.  His tenacity may be exemplified by his strong playoff performances but regardless Detroit really have a very special player who may be than just a specialist.  Very few players can kill a penalty for the entire two minutes, it seems to be nearly impossible, but if anyone could wear down the opponent to that degree, my bet would be on Helm.  Exhibit A, the shift which would not end.  With the greats like Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby helping this kid develop it will only be a matter of time before we see another two-way stalwart.
8. Todd Marchant – Little has been made about Marchant since he left Columbus but quietly he has maintained a strong level of defensive awareness.  Last season, only Staal and McClement logged more ice time amongst forwards as he really needed to step up following the departures of Travis Moen, Rob Niedermayer and Sammy Pahlsson. Marchant also blocked 69 shots last year, putting his 37-year-old body to the test.
9. Chris Drury – For some reason Drury almost did not make the cut.  Maybe it was his albatross contract, maybe it was a little lack of production.  Regardless, he captained one of the best penalty kills in the Eastern Conference and blocked more shots than any forward in the league.  His fourth line presence during the Olympics showed younger players the proper way to block shots.  In addition, he won an impressive 140 shorthanded faceoffs, good for sixth in the league.
10. Pahlsson - This Swedish center came into the limelight when the Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup.  His presence on the third line and on the penalty kill helped the team erase penalties and the opposition’s attack.  Even on a bad team like Columbus, the crafty pivot won 138 shorthanded faceoffs and finished at 11th in shorthanded time of ice.  Stick Pahlsson on a star forward and see how effective he can be shadowing him all game.  He has quietly done this for years.

We hope you enjoyed our top ten, as a bonus here is another ten who make the cut as honorable mention.  Afterall, this article focuses on the best in their craft and giving press the the underrated defensive specialist.

Honorable Mention:

(in no particular order)

Blair Betts – The former New York Ranger amassed 3:09 on the penalty kill, good for fifth in the league.  Had he not been injured last year he probably would have ranked higher in shorthanded time of ice.  His presence as well as his partner Ian Laperierre helped take the pressure off scoring forwards like Mike Richards and Simon Gagne– who previously spent time on the top unit.  Betts also ranked 14th amongst forwards with blocked shots.

Laperierre – We touched the subject briefly above but Lappy had some standout statistics of his own.  He finished sixth in the league in blocked shots while showing leadership to all young Flyer forwards.  He can be relied on defensively or to stand up for a teammate which is rare in this generation of NHL forwards.  At 36-years-old he may have lost a step but his value to his team has not taken a hit as he ranked 8th amongst forwards in shorthanded time of ice.

Chris Kelly – The Senators actually boasted an underrated penalty kill last season, in fact it was the fourth highest in the Eastern Conference.  Leading the way in shorthanded ice time and fifth overall in the league was Kelly, who reestablished himself as a top penalty killer.  Known somewhat for his timely goals in the early portion of his career, Kelly’s inconsistency defined the teams he played for.  At 29-years-old Kelly now makes a name for himself as an excellent two-way center and a perfect supplement to Mike Fisher as he handles more of the scoring duties.  He certainly grew into this role and deserves some due for it.

Ryan O’Reilly – This kid burst onto the scene after immediately making the team.  We all knew Matt Duchene would play for Colorado but when their second pick made the cut we knew it could be something special.  He finished directly behind Kelly in shorthanded time of ice and helped the surprising Colorado Avalanche return to the playoffs despite registering the second least shots on goal.  Their careful play led in part by O’Reilly helped this team succeed amid pretty hefty competition.

Marty Reasoner – Reasoner played a great game in his own end last season for the Atlanta Thrashers, making him look like a steal by Stan Bowman of the Chicago Blackhawks.  Unfortunately, due to even more salary cap issues the Hawks were unable to hold on to the crafty veteran and shipped him over to the rebuilding Florida Panthers.  As a Panther he should show young players how to play the game in an honest, hard working manner.  Last season only Marchant, Staal and McClement played more shorthanded as Reasoner carried the load for the Thrashers.  Expect more of the same in Florida.

Daniel Winnik – Part of the surprising Coyotes team, Winnik helped the team make the playoffs with his effort every shift. Similarly to Reasoner this trait got absolutely no respect as the team traded him to rival Colorado.  With players like Fiddler and Korpikoski already manning the penalty kill, Winnik became expendable.  Afterall, he did make the team out of seemingly nowhere and probably hit his ceiling.  He finished 10th in shorthanded time of ice last season and even blocked 54 shots.  His experience should help the young Avalanche like O’Reilly as they attempt to build on a good year.

David Steckel – Fourth line centers on offensive powerhouses rarely get their due.  Steckel deserves it here with his 186 shorthanded faceoff wins and team leading 2:51 on the kill.  We have gone on about this story for a while but Steckel continues to be one of the few who care about the other side of the ice– making him a very valuable player for the team.  Similar to Matt Moulson, the Los Angeles Kings could afford to let him go with their plethora of young forwards, but Steckel deserves some credit for his every night effort. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Steckel is that among the league leaders in shorthanded faceoff wins, only he had an average well above 50 percent.  In truth, a monster in the faceoff circle.  

Antoine Vermette – In his first full season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, center/winger Vermette finished with career highs.  In fact, his season stood out to me so much that he has been listed as most likely to succeed for his team.  However, his speed and skill has not all been used towards scoring goals — he happens to be a prolific penalty killer as well.  He registered two assists while playing the kill with captain Rick Nash.  More importantly, he ranked 9th in shorthanded faceoffs won and 20th in total shorthanded time of ice.  Considering how many Blue Jackets could have made this list, they should improve next season on the kill.  However, we all know the team’s best penalty killer should always be their goal– something the team severely lacked last year

Ryan Kesler – During the Olympics Kesler finally came out to the hockey world that he would refuse to be ignored.  His combination of size, skill and speed helped account for his gigantic raise in value.  Not only does he bang with the best of them, he can hurt you at both ends of the ice.  His 118 shorthanded faceoffs won tied Staal as he received his (ED Note. second) nomination for the Selke.  Kesler looks every bit as good as he is billed and the Canucks utilized him with over 218 minutes on the kill last season.  With the addition of Manny Malhotra, there should be extra pressure taken off Kesler coming into next season.

Tomas Plekanec – Mostly because of an off season the year before, Plekanec received very little due for both carrying the offensive load and remaining a constant on the defensive side of things.  He tallied over 224 minutes on the penalty kill for a decent Montral Canadiens team and blocked an impressive 63 shots.  His 146 shorthanded faceoffs won should also be commended as they finished fourth in the league.

We hope you enjoyed our piece on the men who give their all every night on the penalty kill.  Use the comments section to complain about our glaring omissions, we encourage it.  You can also follow us on twitter, @NHLHotStove.

Alexander Monaghan
Managing Editor
amonaghan@nhlhotstove.com
@NHLHotstove

Forward lines
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.

Henrik Sedin, the reigning Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner and possible future Canucks captain, will center the 1^st line.  Daniel Sedin will again patrol the left side and once he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery, Alexandre Burrows will be on the right. Burrows isn’t expected back until November. There will probably be some line shuffling going on as the season begins and several players could get a chance to play alongside the Sedins. As we’ll see this will cause some shuffling on the other lines for the first month or so of the season.

The 2^nd line is also set with Ryan Kesler centering the speedy Mason Raymond and crafty Mikael Samuelsson. The Canucks are banking on these players having great offensive seasons again and providing secondary scoring that is so key to success in the NHL. While it’s possible that Samuelsson could get some playing time on the Sedin line during Burrows’ absence, if we were coaching, we’d keep the 2^nd line intact as they showed great chemistry last year playing together.

Manny Malhotra, another free agent signing, will anchor the 3^rd line. Torres will be on the left wing, but the right wing position may be up for grabs especially at the start of the season. With the current lineup Jannik Hansen or Tanner Glass would probably fill that spot, but the injury to Burrows and possibility of Hodgson (or one of the other players) making the team could make things interesting.

Rick Rypien and Darcy Hordichuk are the 4^th line mainstays and could find themselves paired with Hansen, Glass, or someone else depending on what happens in camp.

With the depth the Canucks possess and their potential salary cap issues, it’s a safe bet that the team will leave some of their younger talent in Manitoba to mature and improve instead of forcing them to bring them up before they are ready. However, a lot can change between now and October 9^th.

With that being said, here are the lines as we’d like to see them to start the season:
1^st D. Sedin – H. Sedin – R. Torres
2^nd M. Raymond – R. Kesler – M. Samuelsson
3^rd T. Glass – M. Malhotra –  C. Hodgson
4^th D. Hordichuk – R. Rypien – J. Hansen
Press box: A. Bolduc, M. Bliznak, or V. Oreskevich

Once Burrows returns:
1^st D. Sedin – H. Sedin – A. Burrows
2^nd M. Raymond – R. Kesler – M. Samuelsson
3^rd R. Torres – M. Malhotra –  C. Hodgson
4^th D. Hordichuk/T.Glass – R. Rypien – J. Hansen
Press box: A. Bolduc, M. Bliznak, or V. Oreskevich

Defensive parings
As we discussed in our first Canucks season preview, Sizing up the roster, the defense has seen some significant changes during the off-season. The arrivals of Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard have gone a long way towards solidifying the team’s defensive depth, something GM Mike Gillis set out to do this summer. With the top 4 consisting of Ballard, Hamhuis, Alexander Edler, and Christian Ehrhoff the Canucks have a lot more options and in essence a 1a and 1b pairing.

With the injury to Sami Salo it’s looking more and more likely they will hang onto Kevin Bieksa at least for the time being. A bit over-priced for a 5/6 defenseman, they should be able to take advantage of his offensive upside and he’ll be less of a liability playing fewer minutes. Obviously the team will have to do something when Salo returns, but by that time other teams may be in desperate need of a defenseman and the Canucks may be able to make a deal that will help them in the future.

Shane O’Brien, Andrew Alberts, and Aaron Rome will be battling for the final spot in the lineup.

Here are the defensive parings as we see them to start the season:
1a D. Hamhuis – K. Ballard
1b C. Erhoff – A. Edler
3 K. Bieksa – S. O’Brien

And finally, Cory Schneider will be backing up Roberto Luongo in goal. It will be very interesting to see how many games Schneider gets to start and how he does with the new defensive pairings in front of him. Everyone is hoping that, without the Olympic distraction and a much improved defense, Luongo will have a post-season to remember for all the right reasons.

Now it’s your turn! What kind of line combinations would you like to see from the Canucks this year and why?

I-5 Canucks – Will & Valerie Wittstruck
NHLHS Vancouver Canucks Correspondents
I-5Canucks@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Hipcheck44 and @WCE71944

Related “Canucks season preview” posts:

• Sizing up the Canucks roster
• Jerseys – the good, bad, and ugly