The Canucks

[4thlinegrinders]

stand pat and wait until the draft to make moves. let this team have one last shot and if they fail then blow it up

 

[BoHorvatFan]

Good regular season team for sure but this group is not winning a cup. The D is incredibly soft(see Hossa skating though the crease and scoring like he's out for a Sunday stroll, you get more contact walking through a mall) and we simply don't have the impact player to match a team like the Hawks, we can't go to battle with a team like the Blues.

We're an oddly built team that isn't built to beat top teams in a 7 game series.

 

[deadinthewater]

oh well I guess 2 goals is hardly a lead either.

and you know, they got really close to OT in dallas so that's almost a point.

Why don't we just be happy about how awesome the canucks have been!

I never said any such thing. Nobody is "happy" about their effort tonight. All I'm saying is that they played well in their last two outings with the main problem being putting in a better second period and better D. Obviously that went to hell in this game.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Lol at 'stellar' goal tending. Lol at sub 500 with other goalies.

Luongo: 1.63 (2nd), .934 (5th). By your assessment, New York should ship out Lundqvist. He clearly is past his prime.

 

[Fat Tony]

All I'm saying is that they played well in their last two outings with the main problem being putting in a better second period and better D.

Second periods have been the team's problem the last few years.

 

[deadinthewater]

Second periods have been the team's problem the last few years.

Yeah, well it reached its peak this evening.

 

[Virtanen2Horvat]

Well lets look at the free agents this summer and possibly one trade.

First of all we need a big move at the trade deadline.

Second we need some new free agents this summer.

 

[JuniorNelson]

Canucks are playing very well, IMO.

I think Lapierre will begin to get third line minutes as he gets leaner throughout the season. The fourth line doesn't get a lot of minutes, is it worth trading for a center? I'd nab a waiver wire pickup if one came along, but the team can manage without one.

The D is always a work in progress. They aren't awful. I think they'll do as is. Goaltending is solid.

The forward group is really just getting together. Kesler and Booth will be in game shape before long and then the team can decide if they need to add anybody. I am inclined to think they will not, based on Gillis' observed behaviour. Gillis builds his teams in the offseason. He's an agent, or was and will be again.

If the team develops a need by the deadline I don't think Gillis can afford to pay much. The team is playing too well to risk upsetting things, so I doubt he trades a roster player. His first round pick is going to be a late one, again. There isn't anybody hidden away in the system for a rainy day. Also, if I understand it correctly, Malhotra didn't retire, he is still counted as one of the contracts. So, it's not looking like they are anticipating an addition.

A couple of guys seem to be on the outs with their teams that might be of some use. Murray the Shark, for example. Smyth the Oiler. Guys like that. I've always wanted to see Edler/Murray.

Gillis should be aware his team is evolving on it's own. Fights are way up. If the Canucks are going to become those guys they should add a specialist, no? Perhaps not, but having some guys around isn't a bad idea. Vandermeer should maybe get a look? See if the team responds well.

 

[Aphid Attraction]

Alright it might sound early and all, yes sometimes we have 3 straight losses but to be honest I don't feel that we have a Stanley contending team. What would you do at the trade deadline? because clearly this team needs to make some moves or we are looking at another early exit in the playoffs.

Weak spots:

-Defense has been weak
-Forwards need to work harder
-60 min effort
-Powerplay

I think we need to get some new defense if they aren't good by then because they have been horrible since the start.

Possibly a new coach?

Anyways the Canucks need to make a new move somewhere.

This is where I think you might be going wrong. Are you aware that just because you feel something doesn't make it true?

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Considering the circumstances, an 8-3-4 start isn't half bad. Sure, it's technically near-.500 hockey...but they're still first in the division and have a good chance of staying there even if they never fully hit stride this season. Lucky for them, the other teams in the NW are all having mediocre seasons. If we actually had some competition, I'd wager we'd be a 6-8 seed.

 

[serge2k]

Considering the circumstances, an 8-3-4 start isn't half bad. Sure, it's technically near-.500 hockey...but they're still first in the division and have a good chance of staying there even if they never fully hit stride this season. Lucky for them, the other teams in the NW are all having mediocre seasons. If we actually had some competition, I'd wager we'd be a 6-8 seed.

and then we have a great chance to get decimated in the first round when they run into a team that has a work ethic.

 

[Fat Tony]

This is where I think you might be going wrong. Are you aware that just because you feel something doesn't make it true?

He'd be right 40 years running.

Yeah, I'm being a jerk.

 

[Aphid Attraction]

He'd be right 40 years running.

Yeah, I'm being a jerk.

I would wager that at some stage he has thought, I have a feeling that we will win it all this year. Otherwise he is a very negative person.

 

[Virtanen2Horvat]

Hamhuis-Bieksa = Good pair
Edler-Garrison = not good Edler is racking points up though
Ballard-Tanev = Doing well

Maybe we need someone that can play with Edler. They need to set Garrison up on the powerplay.

 

[serge2k]

Hamhuis-Bieksa = Good pair
Edler-Garrison = not good Edler is racking points up though
Ballard-Tanev = Doing well

Maybe we need someone that can play with Edler. They need to set Garrison up on the powerplay.

wonder how ballard would do setting up garrison.

 

[Grumbler]

"Viktor Stalberg walked Keith Ballard. Patrick Kane embarrassed Dan Hamhuis. Alex Edler was just embarrassing, until the end when he was great. Classic.

Jason Garrison was creating scoring lanes for Hossa. And Kevin Bieksa? Well, he watched as Hossa took a puck in the corner, glided in front of Cory Schneider and wrapped the puck into the net, for Chicago’s third goal 17:15 into the second. Then, in the third, with Kane bearing down, Bieksa flopped on his belly and went for a swim, inexplicably sliding out of the play and allowing Kane a point-blank shot."

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/B...r+makes+game/7987686/story.html#ixzz2LSooNJeN

pretty much sums up what the problem this team has plus the fact that Kevin Bieksa thinks he himself especially and the team are playing well.

 

[Jyrki21]

"3 Straight losses". Nitwithstanding that the Canucks have tied their last 2 games. Gary Bettman chuckles to himself every time a fan takes a shootout result as indicative of the team's play. (Not saying the team hasn't had bad stretches of play, just that the shootout has nothing to do with it).

"Blown leads". Notwithstanding that the Canucks have been the comeback team in each of their last two outings. If not clinging to a 1-goal lead after ONE period is your definition of a "blown lead", I'm not sure this sport is right for you -- you will be having about 30 heart attacks a night across the league.

 

[ChilliBilly]

I can't believe the fans.

We win 3 games in a row and we are planning a parade.

Lose 3 in a row and the sky is falling.

We lose in a shootout to an extremely hot team. We matched them pretty well, had a crappy 2nd period and managed to salvage a late point. Its not all bad.

 

[NFITO]

I can't believe the fans.

We win 3 games in a row and we are planning a parade.

Lose 3 in a row and the sky is falling.

We lose in a shootout to an extremely hot team. We matched them pretty well, had a crappy 2nd period and managed to salvage a late point. Its not all bad.

It's been like that here since 2002, since I've been posting here... sure you've seen the same thing since 2007 since you've been here.

Nature of the Canucks fans... either they're planning parades or running from a falling sky... some things never change here, like the panic level among fans, or the constant overrating of prospects/picks and underrating of established vets... that's HF boards for you!

 

[SighReally]

I'm not on the doomsday bandwagon but could someone please explain how we're paying 5 defenseman over 4 million dollars a year in cap hits while playing with players who are known for their defensive prowress (Kesler, Burrows, Hansen, Raymond etc) and give up 30 scoring chances to the Blackhawks. Small sample size but this is the kind of team we're going to face in the playoffs and we can't assume our goaltending will bail us out every time. If I remember correctly, even the Wild outchanced us in our 2-1 victory and they've been having forward issues the entire season.

 

[Alan Jackson]

I can't believe the fans.

We win 3 games in a row and we are planning a parade.

Lose 3 in a row and the sky is falling.

We lose in a shootout to an extremely hot team. We matched them pretty well, had a crappy 2nd period and managed to salvage a late point. Its not all bad.

I'm not panicking by any stretch, but this does not like a championship team to me.

The Canucks will win the division going away, and make the playoffs easily.

However, this team continues to look poor when other teams crank up the pressure. Against good teams, the Canucks look lost, unsure, and nearly panicked when the momentum swings against us.

It was great to escape with a point, but that game could have easily been a 4 or 5 goal loss.

Outside of Anaheim, the Canucks have not defeated a non-NW opponent in regulation this season.

 

[TruGr1t]

We've had unbalanced defensive pairings since Ehrhoff left. Edler just hasn't been the same (he's been rotated through pretty much every partner we have for him), and has struggled to find any sort of consistency. Garrison really hasn't worked out ... he is a fine defenseman, but he is another example of the type of guys we have in spades. Gillis has continued to fail to deal with the fact we can't find a right-side partner for Edler that can settle him down, and we continue to try to force him on the right side. I don't really break that down to coaching since they are really dealing with what's available in the organization.

And a lot of our previously reliable defensive forwards are struggling on that side of the puck. The Kesler line is getting hemmed in fairly regularly and we're having problems generating offensive momentum when the Sedin line isn't on the ice. I like Schroeder quite a bit, but it is obvious he has a ways to offensively, though his defensive game has been quite commendable for a player at his age. Not that it is necessarily bad, but after the Sedins our most reliable forwards have been Raymond and Hansen.

 

[freakydave]

1 game. Are you a Booth hater or just being completely ridiculous here?

Luongo has been good pretty much all year.



I realize the hawks are just red hot right now, similar to the bruins last year, but the Canucks just don't seem like they will ever be capable of rattling off 16 without a regulation loss. chicago is just 10000 times more consistent.

Ya know this is kinda sad--the Canucks have 1 Shootout win & 1 Shootout Loss vs Chicago while being short handed up front & having Garrison adjusting to a new system.-the 16 win thing is get the people in the seats thing for US based teams come playoff time it won't mean anything--

 

[freakydave]

"3 Straight losses". Nitwithstanding that the Canucks have tied their last 2 games. Gary Bettman chuckles to himself every time a fan takes a shootout result as indicative of the team's play. (Not saying the team hasn't had bad stretches of play, just that the shootout has nothing to do with it).

"Blown leads". Notwithstanding that the Canucks have been the comeback team in each of their last two outings. If not clinging to a 1-goal lead after ONE period is your definition of a "blown lead", I'm not sure this sport is right for you -- you will be having about 30 heart attacks a night across the league.

If they get dominated in first rnd of the playoffs I'll be upset but almost nothing that happens during the regular season matters until they miss the playoffs.

 

[Wildcarder]

Is it just me or does anyone else think that the team looked more promising/cohesive when Kesler and Booth were out of the lineup?

I'm not arguing that they don't make our team better and of course it'll take time for them to gel in but the whole team aside from the Sedin line has looked disjointed lately.

Kassian on our 4th line is a waste. And he looks to have fallen somewhat back into AV's doghouse with a few bad turnovers but he needs to have time to mature and we need a player like him producing in our lineup because we don't have any other player that provides an element like him.