Pre-Game Talk: Game #42: Vancouver Canucks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning - Wednesday, Jan.1st 7:00PM - TSN

[Wetcoaster]

My God he looks old.

It is all the accumulated wear and tear on his body... and being bitten by the one venomous snake in Finland did not help.

 

[Royal Canuck]

Yikes, Tyler Johnson is their first line centre.

 

[Lawzy]

Wow.

I haven't followed the NHL as passionately as I did as a teenager, and there are more names I don't recognize than I really want to admit to, but still I think this is a new low for me. I believe I have heard of five of Tampa's players, as listed in the OP.

It's even more mind-blowing once you consider their record.

 

[BoHorvatFan]

I really hope Salo plays but part of me thinks it would be hilarious if we played a tribute video and then the camera showed him sitting in the press box.

And I do hope they honour him somehow because he was a great player for us for a long time.

 

[VeteranNetPresence]

i wonder how many of these players will be recovering from the roxy flu

 

[WonderTwinsUnite]

Wow.

I haven't followed the NHL as passionately as I did as a teenager, and there are more names I don't recognize than I really want to admit to, but still I think this is a new low for me. I believe I have heard of five of Tampa's players, as listed in the OP.

Same. I recognize MSL, Purcell, Thompson, Bishop, Carle, Hedman, Pyatt, Crombeen, Filppula. The rest... clueless.

Although, add Stamkos and Salo, when they're playing. About half the team.

Well... add Brewer, Lee, Aulie, Malone. Basically, not the callups Lol.

 

[Wetcoaster]

I really hope Salo plays but part of me thinks it would be hilarious if we played a tribute video and then the camera showed him sitting in the press box.

And I do hope they honour him somehow because he was a great player for us for a long time.

Definitely has to rank up there with one of Burkie's best trades during his time as Vancouver GM.

2002/09/21 - Ottawa Senators traded Sami Salo to the Vancouver Canucks for Peter Schaefer who was holdout who went to Europe in a contract battle with Burke.

Ottawa had a pretty good D corps in 2001-02 which is why Salo was deemed expendable.

Wade Redden
Zdeno Chara
Chris Phillips
Sami Salo
Karel Rachunek
Curtis Leschyshyn
Ricard Persson
Shane Hnidy

And waiting in the wings was Anton Volchenkov as Salo's replacement.

 

[David71]

LOL at tampa's lineup. minus stamkos/malone and others. who are these guys.

 

[Hammer Time]

The team better not underestimate Tampa. Ben Bishop is currently one of the best goalies in the league, and has not taken a regulation loss in a month. This is astounding considering the injuries they have. If they keep this up, either Bishop should get the Vezina, or Cooper the Jack Adams, or both. I actually think the Lightning, not the Avs, are the most surprising team of the year.

 

[member 202355]

Pretty underwhelming TB lineup. Especially considering Tyler Johnson's their 1st line centre.

 

[WinterEmpire]

Might be able to pass LA in the standings tomorrow...

 

[Superpest]

TIL Rick Bowness is in Tampa now.

AHAHAHHA TAMPA.

 

[Superpest]

Also is that a new JP Cote I don't know about? Or is that the same JP Cote from the early 2000's habs teams

 

[Wetcoaster]

Also is that a new JP Cote I don't know about? Or is that the same JP Cote from the early 2000's habs teams

Same one:
http://lightning.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8468745

 

[CP]

Love Sami, but we should really have a pool on which body part he'll injure if he plays today, and who will be involved in his injury.

I say he dislocates his shoulder while reaching back to grab Booth who blows by him as he drives to the net.


Coincidentally, Booth also re-injures himself on the play twisting his knee as he crashes into the goalie. In this way the hockey gods officially pass the injury-prone torch from Salo to Booth. It's the torch nobody wants.

 

[LiveeviL]

LOL at tampa's lineup. minus stamkos/malone and others. who are these guys.

Indeed, well Hedman should be mentioned as a "known player" too but the rest...

 

[Jacko95]

As a Tampa fan it is really funny to read the pre-game threads of our opponents
Most of the look the way yours does, though considering that Vancouver and Tampa are that far apart, it is not that surprising that you guys basically know nothing about the guys.

I will give some insight on the guys you don't know, if you don't care about the guys you can move on now

Johnson and Palat: Amazing due with incredible speed, two-way play and skill. They gel exceptional well with MSL and this line gives the defenders a great run for their money.

Killorn: One of the most complete players I have ever seen in a Lightning sweater. Can do everything (except fighting), Filpulla and Killorn play incredible well together.

Brown: Once signed as a college scoring prospect, he has learned a complete game game and is a great two way player now. Might get send down once we are healthy, but his play belongs in the NHL, but we have just too much NHL caliber forwards right now.

Kucherov: If you haven't heard of him you either don't follow prospects at all or have missed on one of the best scoring prospects in the world. Amazing offensive threat with a hell of a shot

Panik: Once highly touted, he has struggled to find his game in the NHL and with all the great guys coming up his time to show he deserves to stay in Tampa, but right now he more so looks like his future is in a different organization.

Gudas: Absolut monster, the surprise of the year in Tampa (outside of Bishop). You will notice him out there. He is the #3 behind Hedman and Carle and hits like a truck.

Sustr: Wasn't expected to make the team out of camp, but he has shown he belongs in the league and once he gains more weight he will be a force on our blueline

Barberio: Is fighting to get icetime and will not become the guy we once hoped he will become (#2-3 defender), the example of a struggling rookie.

Cote: Amazing story, deserves to pget his chance, does what he can do the best, shutdown and hit.

 

[NuxFan09]

You guys may not know a lot of names on that roster, but that's a pretty good team over there. Tampa has one of the best prospect pools and farm teams in the league and a ton of names on that roster are prospects/young players who have recently come up through that pipeline.

 

[luongo321]

The Sedins are going to put on a show.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Kind of getting a sense of déjà vu from the time the Islanders were in town and the Province was scathing in its critique of all their no-names, and called Matt Moulson "Matt Coulson".

Hope the team is taking this one seriously - Tampa's guys may not be household names, but they're a solid bunch.

 

[blendini]

Nucks have a way of ******* the bed when up against a hot goalie. Fans should be cautious with their over confidence.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Kind of getting a sense of déjà vu from the time the Islanders were in town and the Province was scathing in its critique of all their no-names, and called Matt Moulson "Matt Coulson".

Hope the team is taking this one seriously - Tampa's guys may not be household names, but they're a solid bunch.

Hopefully. Any real hockey analyst knows you simply can't take nights off anymore and expect to win. Totally agree with you on Tampa's players too. Very underrated group, and now they have the goaltending too.

 

[Nuckles]

https://twitter.com/ElliottPap/status/418459106714726401

Eddie Lack first off the ice so looks like he's tonite starter vs Tbay. #Canucks

 

[Karl Hungus]

I have Killorn in my fantasy league. He's been quietly consistent after getting off to a really good start. The player I'm most intested in watching are Hedman and MSL. I'm rooting for MSL to make Team Canada. I think he'll be a monster playing with other top players on the big ice.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

The Lightning remind me of the Senators, bunch of hardworking speedy forwards and a solid defense that doesn't do anything special. Good thing Torts has turned the Canucks team into a blue collar hard working team as well.