Post-Game Talk: [GM41] Canucks defeat Islanders | 5-2 (Hughes, Hronek, Pettersson, Myers, & Joshua) | WAGON

[Billy Kvcmu]

Yah ... well... this team is looking more and more legit. Very complete game and sheer dominance at many points.

Good

Most everyone played well but some, in particular, with very good games

Pettersson - maybe he is better on the wing than center. His line has to be the hotttest in the League and Pettersson hockey smarts and puck movement were superb.

Miller - game has matured a great deal since coming here. Does what he has to to allow the team to suceed rather than being off playing his own game. Work off the puck has improved so much. Fact he is making 8 mill (given the way contracts are being upped) is huge for the team. Good on Allvin for making the deal and wise of them to choose Miller over Horvat. Also, have to admit the trade of a first by Benning was one of the few things he got right.

Garland - starting to get a few points. Has been outstanding on the road trip. Tonight just more proof of what he can provide. Line led by Garland were excellent . Noted that if the canucks get scored or if team needs to get back momentum, its the Blueger line that is coming out.

Myers - putting together a good season. Rants about him should be ended but some people are so commtted to blaming things on Myers they won't. Makes a single mijstake and people will be down his throat. People are too concerned about maybe they were wrong about Myers to let the evidence in front of their own eyes be acknowledged.

Hronek - just crippling people with his shots. First goal was a beauty. Thought he was better getting position and in his puck movement in this game than he has been over the last few.

Hughes - just remarkable player - maybe the best in team history. Certainly he must be the best skater team has ever had. Another night were he dominated. Maybe underrated part of his game is his touch with the puck.

Soucy - uses his stick very effectively and seems to improve any pairing he is on. Plays calmly and always seems to move puck to the open player. Got butt-ended in this game and Lee should have got 5.

deSmith - had to make some critical saves late in the first which were important to the win. Probably playing as well as Demko at this time

Others

Mikheyev - improved effort especially in the first two periods. Had better wheels and was much more in the play.

Kuzmenko - obvioulsy the biggest disappointment this year. But he is giving it what he has got and trying to remake his game to suit the Canuck system. (and that's not easy for any player - took Miller a season or two) Was better on the forecheck. However, still needs to move the puck quicker and not take the extra dangle or make the extra move to get space to take a shot.

Hoglander - is improving all aspects of his game. Much less stop and start or lack of back checking. Turning into a bona vide NHLer. In the long run might be a true second liner who can supply offense.

Juulsens - funny how his career has gone. First rounder who appeared a bust and was relegated to the minors. No one, including me, had any faith in him. But he stuck with it and has turned things around. Shows that the scouts who originally saw some potential did see something. Testimony to sticking with it. One thing that has vastly improved is that he moves the puck much faster. In Abbotsford, much more packing the puck before outletting it and a lot less speed in closing on players.

Reffing in this game was so situational. Islanders could have got numerous penalties (although late call on Pageau didn't seem one of them). Refs ignored them since Islanders already a couple of penalties. Instead, they made some make-up calls on the Canucks such as the one on Lafferty.

For Pettersson, I don’t think it matters whether he’s at C or wing as long as he’s playing with legit top 6 players

Mikhayeve is a 3rd liner who can fill in on your 2nd line, Kuz is talented offensively but does not fit well with Tocchet’s system.

Basically, both of them have been dragging down EP this season

 

[pomx]

Cup or bust

 

[Grub]

Cup or bust

Cup or blow this team up and start tanking again.

 

[Svencouver]

It’s f***ing unbelievable the huge leap this team has taken. Brought in competent management who then identified the right coach and upgraded the roster with good support players on great contracts. Reading that, it seems so damn simple.

This season is beyond everyone’s wildest expectations, even the team President’s.

It really has come out of nowhere. I was very high on this team and on tocchet and I'm still stunned. It's just unreal how fast things can change in this league. Contenders can go to the basement in a year, and basement dwellers can go to contention in a year. Been a long time since I've seen a transformation this dramatic and convincing, though.

 

[Svencouver]

I don't like the idea of selling low on Kuzmenko.

It's what people wanted to do with Boeser a couple of seasons ago.

I agree, I think Kuzmenko is plenty talented and coachable, and I would at least give Tocchet the time to work with him. Not just Boeser - Joshua also had a similar trajectory.

 

[mossey3535]

Only caught some snippets but great to beat the former captain. I'll tell you that for free.

Again, EP is healthy. Huge difference that's not being talked about enough.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Hughes - just remarkable player - maybe the best in team history. Certainly he must be the best skater team has ever had. Another night were he dominated. Maybe underrated part of his game is his touch with the puck.

Either him or Bure. It would make for an interesting debate.

And man, those Isles jerseys were... well, ugly is probably the wrong word, but aggressively bland? Half-assed? Meh? Anyway, didn't like them at all.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Serial killer vibes

I used to think Hughes looked like Ted Bundy.

 

[Shareefruck]

Mentioned this in the GDT, but while everyone has been calling Joshua the unsung hero of the team, I personally think it's Blueger.

Joshua and Garland get all the credit for that line, and Joshua's improvement has been a story highlighted all year, getting plenty of deserved credit (even media attention) for the work he's done. Blueger has been deceptively critical for that line's success, has been matching the effectiveness of those two pretty well, and is quietly producing at a 52 point pace. Yet he gets zero discussion/attention. Less than Suter, even.

Also, unlike Joshua/Garland, who had bad stretches or looked out of place on the team at times early on, he was pretty solid and doing his job well even before that line was formed (looked like a solid 3C like we've been desperately missing). He's been a very solid addition to the PK, and I've been completely shocked that he hasn't even looked bad on the 2nd PP unit, which I fully expected him to (I have to do a double take every time I see him on it).

I think he fits the unsung hero label to a tee, personally,

 

[geebster]

I think freedom of speech is important. If the Canucks keep winning its effectively silencing Johnny Canucker and that's not OK. We should do the right thing and lose some games.

 

[nucks88]

The face that Quinn Hughes makes when he does something otherworldly:

I'd hate to play poker against the kid....

 

[DarrenX]

Hughes - just remarkable player - maybe the best in team history. Certainly he must be the best skater team has ever had. Another night were he dominated. Maybe underrated part of his game is his touch with the puck.

We should thank our lucky stars that Detroit picked Zadina over Hughes at 6. That error was not as bad as drafting Juolevi (Zadina will at least have an adequate NHL career when all is said and done), but still nice to be the beneficiary of a horrific drafting miss, rather than the goat.

 

[DarrenX]

Is it too early to start thinking about the playoff picture?

Pacific first round is going to be a bloodbath.

If we can avoid the Golden Knights and Kings and let them cannibalize each other over a 7 game series, that would be huge.

Even better if we can get a matchup like Nashville in the first round on top of that.

Don't look now, but the Oilers are 4 points behind the Kings, with same number of games played.

I think Seattle would be a fun matchup personally. I don't want any part of the Oilers in the first round.

 

[NYVanfan]

Just went to all three games, three dominating canuck wins in four nights - best I’ve seen in 40 years watching this team. Things that stood out to me —
1. Hard to believe considering where we were even a year ago, they say the best teams are built from the net out, and this is really a strong point. In front of stellar goaltending you have an all world top pairing, and then an assortment of monsters on the bottom four, they really give the opponents very little.
2. More and more in all zones they’re using nifty little passes in space rather than dumping it, this really seems to be a main indicator of the chemistry.
3. The Blueger line really looks like line #2, getting deployed that way.
4. 4th line is best place for Lafferty, his pace great w Hog. Aman looking good too, though made some mistakes.
5. The Suter line just didnt seems to do much, and Kuz in particular seems tentative and really shys away from traffic. They played with pace though, and didnt look bad, just didnt create much. I guess best case scenario would be a real #2C, then Suter in Aman’s spot, but no idea who…
Hard to complain with results like these though…

Ps, the Islanders rink is the worst I’ve ever seen. While the concourse and the viewpoints are fine, the glass is crappy old plexi that is almost impossible to see thru if you have any kind of angle (we were in the corner, had to watch all the far end action on the big screen.) You can get tickets very cheap. We paid 80 bucks for a lower bowl, they charge you over 100 bucks for parking and you still have to walk in the rain, food sucks – we paid 150 bucks for four sorry burgers, a couple of beers and a couple of waters. Arena is out in the middle of nowhere, so there are no options to eat before the game. The Devils rink quite nice and easy to get to by train from New York, but if you miss the 615 train, which arrives by 6:40 or so, the the next one arrives 730 so you miss half the first. I got a super cheap single, eight rows up center ice, included a full buffet in the club section — that was awesome. MSG is also a great place to watch, they know how to put on a show. Incredible three games.!

 

[Jay Cee]

I have to say I like what I see. When is the last time we had an eastern road trip with rapid fire games like this and came out looking so well? It feels like a very long time

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Mentioned this in the GDT, but while everyone has been calling Joshua the unsung hero of the team, I personally think it's Blueger.

Joshua and Garland get all the credit for that line, and Joshua's improvement has been a story highlighted all year, getting plenty of deserved credit (even media attention) for the work he's done. Blueger has been deceptively critical for that line's success, has been matching the effectiveness of those two pretty well, and is quietly producing at a 52 point pace. Yet he gets zero discussion/attention. Less than Suter, even.

Also, unlike Joshua/Garland, who had bad stretches or looked out of place on the team at times early on, he was pretty solid and doing his job well even before that line was formed (looked like a solid 3C like we've been desperately missing). He's been a very solid addition to the PK, and I've been completely shocked that he hasn't even looked bad on the 2nd PP unit, which I fully expected him to (I have to do a double take every time I see him on it).

I think he fits the unsung hero label to a tee, personally,

If we are talking unsung hero at this point, it’s between Blueger, Suter and Juulsen, IMO.

 

[geebster]

If we are talking unsung hero at this point, it’s between Blueger, Suter and Juulsen, IMO.

To me it's Blueger and Suter. The consistency of their games is insane. We haven't had guys in the bottom six that play like this since the Malhotra, Lapierre, Torres, Hansen days. Like they are both playdrivers who are great defensively and produce.

Those 2 are absolutely my unsung heroes.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

If we are talking unsung hero at this point, it’s between Blueger, Suter and Juulsen, IMO.

If it’s playing above early season expectations then imo it’s Julusen. I honestly didn’t even think he belonged in the NHL. Foote and Gonchar have just done a remarkable job with him and the whole D.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

If we are talking unsung hero at this point, it’s between Blueger, Suter and Juulsen, IMO.

I’d throw Soucy into that list.

 

[m9]

Blueger is in a completely different tier than Suter. He's been a part of an excellent line for quite some time while being a key piece of the PK unit.

Suter has been fine. His flexibility has been a much needed addition throughout the lineup and has fit in quite well.

 

[Petey O]

I think freedom of speech is important. If the Canucks keep winning its effectively silencing Johnny Canucker and that's not OK. We should do the right thing and lose some games.

Maybe he's Mike in Surrey, and taking his talents to the radio from the message boards.

 

[platotld]

He was born in Surrey but is an Abbotsford kid.

Live in Abby, so now EVEN Betters .... I know this would be cray cray.. but if can somehow do like Burrows in his devleopment that would be huge.

 

[Zippgunn]

Yah ... well... this team is looking more and more legit. Very complete game and sheer dominance at many points.

Good

Most everyone played well but some, in particular, with very good games

Pettersson - maybe he is better on the wing than center. His line has to be the hotttest in the League and Pettersson hockey smarts and puck movement were superb.

Miller - game has matured a great deal since coming here. Does what he has to to allow the team to suceed rather than being off playing his own game. Work off the puck has improved so much. Fact he is making 8 mill (given the way contracts are being upped) is huge for the team. Good on Allvin for making the deal and wise of them to choose Miller over Horvat. Also, have to admit the trade of a first by Benning was one of the few things he got right.

Garland - starting to get a few points. Has been outstanding on the road trip. Tonight just more proof of what he can provide. Line led by Garland were excellent . Noted that if the canucks get scored or if team needs to get back momentum, its the Blueger line that is coming out.

Myers - putting together a good season. Rants about him should be ended but some people are so commtted to blaming things on Myers they won't. Makes a single mijstake and people will be down his throat. People are too concerned about maybe they were wrong about Myers to let the evidence in front of their own eyes be acknowledged.

Hronek - just crippling people with his shots. First goal was a beauty. Thought he was better getting position and in his puck movement in this game than he has been over the last few.

Hughes - just remarkable player - maybe the best in team history. Certainly he must be the best skater team has ever had. Another night were he dominated. Maybe underrated part of his game is his touch with the puck.

Soucy - uses his stick very effectively and seems to improve any pairing he is on. Plays calmly and always seems to move puck to the open player. Got butt-ended in this game and Lee should have got 5.

deSmith - had to make some critical saves late in the first which were important to the win. Probably playing as well as Demko at this time

Others

Mikheyev - improved effort especially in the first two periods. Had better wheels and was much more in the play.

Kuzmenko - obvioulsy the biggest disappointment this year. But he is giving it what he has got and trying to remake his game to suit the Canuck system. (and that's not easy for any player - took Miller a season or two) Was better on the forecheck. However, still needs to move the puck quicker and not take the extra dangle or make the extra move to get space to take a shot.

Hoglander - is improving all aspects of his game. Much less stop and start or lack of back checking. Turning into a bona vide NHLer. In the long run might be a true second liner who can supply offense.

Juulsens - funny how his career has gone. First rounder who appeared a bust and was relegated to the minors. No one, including me, had any faith in him. But he stuck with it and has turned things around. Shows that the scouts who originally saw some potential did see something. Testimony to sticking with it. One thing that has vastly improved is that he moves the puck much faster. In Abbotsford, much more packing the puck before outletting it and a lot less speed in closing on players.

Reffing in this game was so situational. Islanders could have got numerous penalties (although late call on Pageau didn't seem one of them). Refs ignored them since Islanders already a couple of penalties. Instead, they made some make-up calls on the Canucks such as the one on Lafferty.

The Myers hate is ridiculous; guy scored a goal and was a +2 last night and has been playing well ever since Z showed up. DeSmith has been stalwart in the usual Canuck backup role. Agree with almost all of your points...

 

[Zippgunn]

Mentioned this in the GDT, but while everyone has been calling Joshua the unsung hero of the team, I personally think it's Blueger.

Joshua and Garland get all the credit for that line, and Joshua's improvement has been a story highlighted all year, getting plenty of deserved credit (even media attention) for the work he's done. Blueger has been deceptively critical for that line's success, has been matching the effectiveness of those two pretty well, and is quietly producing at a 52 point pace. Yet he gets zero discussion/attention. Less than Suter, even.

Also, unlike Joshua/Garland, who had bad stretches or looked out of place on the team at times early on, he was pretty solid and doing his job well even before that line was formed (looked like a solid 3C like we've been desperately missing). He's been a very solid addition to the PK, and I've been completely shocked that he hasn't even looked bad on the 2nd PP unit, which I fully expected him to (I have to do a double take every time I see him on it).

I think he fits the unsung hero label to a tee, personally,

Completely agree, he has been the most important off season acquisition for this team by a fair margin...

 

[arttk]

The Myers hate is ridiculous; guy scored a goal and was a +2 last night and has been playing well ever since Z showed up. DeSmith has been stalwart in the usual Canuck backup role. Agree with almost all of your points...

Sorry he's just no reliable. Yeah his play has been good lately but we know that when the pressure jacks up, he is prone to doing random ass shit. Does the pros of having him offset the chaos he can bring in a playoff series when teams start to plan against him.

We know last time we were in the playoffs, Myers was like the leader in penalties taken by a big margin.