Canucks Blog

It's Been a While, but I'm back to writing.

2017-11-02T07:28:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't posted in a while. I have had some issues with technology and I didn't have a device to actually post stuff on. I've got it sorted out now. It sucks too because a lot of good stuff happened while I was away. So right off the bat, I have to congratulate the Penguins on winning their second consecutive cup and also to Nico Hirschier for being drafted first overall by the Devils.
I am planning on making a lot more posts now. This will be my second full NHL season of posting content. I will do my best to post Canucks content, however I'm pretty sure there will be more generally NHL related content. I might also dive a little more into other sports if possible. I have a story concerning the Houston Astros and the Edmonton Oilers coming soon.
Looking back at my previous posts, I also noted that the writing was quite poorly edited. I plan on editing it better by drafting and other sorts. Definitely, I expect better content coming soon.

Canucks Pick Fifth Overall (Possible Picks for the Draft)

2017-05-01T17:57:00.001-07:00

Sigh.
Well, the day has come.
As they say, you can't win at everything.
Even if it's losing. You can't win at losing. Because somehow, team's better than you will end up drafting ahead of you. Even a wild card team.
Man, being a Canucks fan is hard. Ever since they changed the lottery system in 2016, many teams have suffered through challenging issues. While teams being bumped happened less in the former system with only 1 lottery, the new top 3 lottery system has caused teams to be bumped more than passengers on flights.
But yeah. For the second straight season, the Canucks find themselves bumped down. Last season, they bumped down two spots. This season, they've bumped down the maximum amount, three spots. Both times, they've gotten fifth overall picks.
That isn't the end of the world. Top 5 picks are generally going to be promising prospects, even for weak draft classes. 1999, one of the weakest, being the Patrik Stefan draft, still produced the likes of the Sedins. Unfortunately, that was basically it, in the top 5 and also the entire first round. Now, I don't know if I've stated this on my blog in the past, but for me, I personally believe that the first 3 rounds are the gem rounds. These are the ones to produce the most stars, with expectations that a good half of the first round picks would become stars, while the second and third there would be a few that were as good as the first rounders.
However, that was not the case for rounds two and three. Not a single relevant name appeared on that list. You had to go way down in the list. Rounds four, nope. Round five at least provided the studded goalie that is Ryan Miller, and then we had Radim Vrbata.
Hey, these guys all became Canucks in 2014-15!
Anyways, then there was Zetteuberg. Henrik Zetterburg.
WAKE UP PEOPLE.
Someone, maybe even the Thrashers, could have taken Henrik Zetterburg! He was worthy of being a first round selection with his career, yet they took Patrik Stefan first overall!
But to be honest, another weak draft was 1996. The only allstars on that list that were relevant are Zdeno Chara and Daniel Briere. Not bad, but that was less than even 1999. Their top 5 produced no stars at all.
This year is already looking dim, with analysts stating that it could be the weakest draft of our decade, or at least of the 21st century. What makes it worse, there's not a set list. By this time of the year in 2016, people have already predicted an accurate top 5 list. It was mainly accurate, although Matthew Tkachuk did not make the top 5, dropping just under to 6, when Juolevi made a sudden bolt to 5th amid the Blue Jackets sudden selection of Dubois, who had been slated to go the Vancouver.
This makes predictions and mock drafts hard, and confuses people like me to write about. So, here's a list of a few players that could rep green and blue in June.

GABE VILARDI
A star for the Windsor Spitfire of the OHL. Vilardi was one of the first few stars to appear on the list, alongside Nolan Patrick and, originally, Timothy Liljegren (Remember that name), until Liljegren was diagnosed with mono.
Vilardi had 61 points in a short 49 game campaign this season. Not bad, and his brief season did drop his value by a few picks. If Vancouver does land him (As he could still end up being a top 3 pick, or go to Colorado at 4), they'd have a solid centre that could compete with Horvat in the future as the number one.

CASEY MITTELSTADT
Mittelstadt has played for his high school team as well as a team in the USHL. He definitely could be serious business, being ranked very high and consistently placed in the top 5.

OWEN TIPPETT
Playing for the Missisauga Steelheads of the OHL, Tippett does place in the lower half of the top 5, sometimes just barely missing it, but mainly a good top 10 pick. He's a right-winger who could definitely be a good insurance deal if Jake Virtanen's woes continue for several more seasons. 75 points in 60 games should make his value improve more than Mittelstadt and Vilardi, depending on circumstances.

CODY GLASS
I honestly don't see why he places consistently low on mock drafts. Cody Glass is a talented player on the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL, who produced an astonishing 94 points in 69 games, yet he is only expected to be a top 10 player. Suppose Glass isn't chosen, and two of the three players listed above are picked, then the Canucks do have a good opportunity with Glass, or they could go with the third player. Personally, I see Glass has good capabilities. Like Vilardi, he could certainly compete with Horvat.

MICHAEL RASMUSSEN
I've heard some odd things from Rasmussen early on, how he was similar to Jake Virtanen and such. He had 55 points in another shortened campaign of 50 games, hurting his value like Vilardi, and he is still a certain top 10 pick. I don't see the Canucks picking him though, as the four listed above could prove of more value. Still, the team that does draft them will have a capable asset.

The Canucks Roller-Coaster of a season in a nutshell

2017-04-17T19:44:00.001-07:00

I apologize about the lack of activity on the blog. There just hasn't been any good stories to write about. The Canucks also had an awful season as well, finishing 29th place. With the addition of Vegas in the lottery, the odds seem to be spread more evenly, and it's pretty much likely a team with terrible odds will win the lottery.
Now, this post is basically to explain what an insane season the Canucks had in 2016-17. Here we go.

2016-17 SEASON OVERVIEW

ROLLERCOASTER TO START
The Canucks start off the season with 3 insane comeback wins at home, follow by a non-comeback win against the Sabres. The Canucks then went on the road, where things went downhill. They then took on a losing streak, and afterwards it remained an up and down, with wins and losses happening on a slightly even spread.

ROAD WOES TO BLAME
The Canucks really played awful on the road this season. They were a mediocre .500 team at the Rog, but let's be honest, they were, in general, a mediocre team that really could've placed better. If they had an almost equal record between home and away, they'd still miss the playoffs, but they'd be a much better team than last season.

53 HORVAT MAGIC ON THE ICE
Last season, Bo Horvat went on an extended point drought. However, the second he paired up with Sven Baertschi, they both improved a lot. Horvat finished the season with 40 points, and this year he added to that total by several points. However, his improvement during his first half totals versus last year's let to the management selecting him as the team's only all-star this season, and, unfortunately, a terrible music video too.

ROLLERCOASTER CONTINUES
By Christmas, the Canucks have had the second best odds. However, a sudden winning streak caused most fans that supported the tank to panic. They stopped worrying when the Canucks suddenly found themselves in the wild card race. Considering the lack of depth in this year's draft, and the fact it's one of the worst in recent history, unless they have those late round stars that come later on, which is unlikely, it's nice to see the Canucks this close.
But they're the Canucks. They're uncoordinated and have no plan at all. They end up falling out of the race and find themselves a little too high in the lottery race too.

NO MAN'S LAND EXPLAINED
In Hockey, there are two types of no man's land. One is good, one is bad.
The good one is when you are in wild card contention, however, because the opposing conference's lower teams are better than you (As in, they'd be in a wild card berth if they were in your conference), you find yourself also in a very good lottery pick.
The bad one is otherwise. You're out of lottery contention by a good amount of points. Not a blowout amount, but too much for you to catch up. Not only do you have teams with less points than you, but there also teams from the East too. Basically, you have some really bad odds even when you're not making the playoffs.
However, a good no man's land might not pay off in the future.

LOSE TO END IT
As the games kept rolling to the end of the season, the Canucks escalated into a massive losing streak, going extremely low. Soon they found themselves in a must lose versus Arizona. If they lose, Arizona wins, getting higher in the standings, and giving the Canucks better lottery odds. And we lost! Unfortunately, there was only a single point that separated the Canucks with the Coyotes. They had to lose both games in Edmonton, or else they'd drop all the way to the 5th best odds. But no. The Canucks keep their calm and secure the 2nd best odds to close out the season.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, the league itself had gotten worse for the lower half of the teams. The Canucks find themselves in the exact same place as last year, yet they were many points lower. They surely could have been the worst team in the league last season if they finished with this year's record.
The Canucks definitely reached their goal of having young players on their roster. Unexpected undrafted signee Troy Stecher became the dark horse and this year's Ben Hutton, winning the award for best defenseman. What's odd was that Stecher started the season in Utica, while Hutton started on the main roster. The best reason would be because of Phillip Larsen, one of the bad parts of this season. Other bad parts include Loui Eriksson's mediocre play, Jake Virtanen's slow development, and an extremely mediocre 4th line, full of guys like Jack Skille, Michael Chaput and Jayson Megna.
Willie Desjardins lost his job, Linden and Benning could be on the hot seat soon, and the Canucks need to get a good pick from the lottery because of the weak draft class, or else they may find themselves struggling even more in the future.
Fortunately, there is still a lot more to cheer for. Horvat's improvement, outstanding goaltending by Miller, Markstrom, and even Bachman during the later parts of the season.
Still, the Canucks need to work. It's not certain if guys like Nolan Patrick and Nico Hirschier are already NHL ready. Sure, Matthews and Laine certainly were, but that's because they were much better than the former. That just means the Canucks need to work Horvat, develop Virtanen, get better faces in the roster, make sure players worth a lot of money actually play like the money they're worth, and take it a stop further next season.

The farewell to the Dragon-Slayer (Alex Burrows traded to Ottawa)

2017-02-28T21:02:00.001-08:00

April 26, 2011. The Canucks face the dementing Chicago Blackhawks, the former stanley cup champions. Game 7, heading to Overtime. 1 goal will make the other team miserable, 1 goal will change the face of that team. The Blackhawks need that goal to continue their attempt at being repeat champions, the Canucks need it or else their best players and their fans will rot away, waiting yet another season for a cup that seems to never come. The goal can kill the dragon, or kill the warrior attempting it.
   And the beast falls.
    Only minutes into overtime, Burrows snipes a slapshot top shelf to send the Canucks to the 2nd round of the playoffs, with hopes high for the future. That goal remains, arguably, by all fans, as the most famous goal in Canucks history. Since that play, since he just burst into the show stage, Burrows became a favorite of the crowd. Everyone loved him, and the goal capped it off.
   But they couldn't.
    The Canucks lost in Game 7 of the Cup Final, to the Bruins. Riots insued, and like the fans expected, they'd rot another year waiting for the cup. And the players did rot, as Burrows would not return to his former self. Recent seasons how it, as he struggles to put up points, only getting less than 30. His oversized contract worried Canucks fans, but with it expiring soon, they hoped Burrows would retire a Canuck and have a special farewell.
    It never happened.
    On February 27, 4 years and 10 months after the goal, Burrows was traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Swedish prospect Jonathan Dahlen. With his enormous contract size and his struggles, it is unlikely he would resign, possibly retiring in 2 seasons.
    While sad for Canucks fans, this trade has an enormous impact. Dahlen is a respectable player. While not the most highest on the Sens prospect depth chart, he is a good solid guy, a PPG producer in the 2nd tier of the Swedish Hockey System. While it isn't as good as 1st tier, keep in mind that like the football system in Europe, using promotion and relegation, he can't be called up, unless he is traded to a SHL team. And as the SHL is weaker than the NHL, and about same level as the AHL, then the 2nd tier is basically low AHL high ECHL level. As Dahlen is young, turning 20 this year, it is likely he will develop well.
    Needless to say, the Canucks lose one of their fan favorites. The Canucks will certainly give him a heartfelt commemoration video when he returns to Rogers Arena. And here's to hoping Dahlen will answer the Call that the Canucks, fans and the team, need him to.

Man, it would suck to be Jake Virtanen right now.

2017-02-19T18:23:00.003-08:00

    As the title (and stats) suggest, Jake Virtanen is having a slump of a career.
The young power forward from Abby, BC, was drafted 6th overall by the Canucks in 2014. He took pride of being such a high draft pick, and the Canucks took pride in Virtanen being a future member of their core in the future. But then things would go downhill, as Virtanen failed to adapt to the big league level last season. And while he performed mediocre up to the Christmas break, his big slump came after being sent down prior to the World Junior Tournament. And so came the downfall of his young career, as Virtanen would become a scapegoat in team Canada's extremely early exit at that year's tournament, despite having taken it home in the previous one. But the Nucks organization, who do well in taking care and defending their players (As Corey Hirsch's story, which recently came out, reveals), defended Virtanen, trusting in his talents. He immediately came back stronger, scoring a game tying goal in his first NHL game back from the tournament. And while his season still remained mediocre, the Canucks still would put their trust in them, while shipping away younger players who could've been members of their future, like Nicklas Jensen and Jared McCann.
    Virtanen finished the season with 13 points. Not bad...
     The following season, the current one, Virtanen played in a few games with the Canucks, and his slump was noticed by the fans. He would go around the system back and forth between the NHL and the AHL, due to injury woes, but in the end, Virtanen remained down in the minors, where he currently is.

The recent Islanders (Downfall) in a timeline

2017-02-04T20:47:00.001-08:00

The Islanders are at, possibly, a decade-time low. But you know, it's only the half way point, but the hell going on is a little intense. To make things clearer, let's take a look at the timeline of things.
-In 2009, after a terrible season, the Islanders land John Tavares, 1st overall, in the draft.
-Skipping a few years later, Tavares has advanced into a skilled young player who is an invaluable player and captain for the Isles, who have become a good team, making the playoffs several seasons this decade. However, in 2015, the Islanders moved out of their original home, the Nassau Veterans Coliseum, where they won their four Stanley Cups.
-Barclays Center was a weird arena for the Islanders. For one thing, the jumbo-tron was not centered with the ice well, and the seating was obstructed. It was later confirmed that the piping of the arena was of poor quality, resulting in poor ice conditions below league accepted quality. The Islanders ranked low in attendance in 2015-16, their first season in Brooklyn, despite being a playoff team that made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs.
-This season, the Islanders season is simply forgetable. A .500 record in the prestigious Metropolitan Division has made the season hell for the Islanders, who could've fared better in a weaker stage. And with confirmation that Barclays wants out after 2017-18, the Islanders will be left without a home. Possible options are to share a venue with the Rangers in MSG, but it's unlikely, as it's been home to the Rangers for 5 decades, and it's unlikely to change. They're a prestigious organization with money, and they're not afraid to state it. In 2014-15, a few years ago, they were the most valued, expensive team in the NHL, at over 1 Billion dollars.
-So, the Islanders could possibly see relocation. The Videotron Centre was designed for a reason, to host a NHL team! Québec is a hockey city, it wants a team, Las Vegas is not really considered a venue for hockey, maybe basketball or such sports, but not hockey.
-Despite the failure of this season, John Tavares is loyal to the team that drafted him and states he doesn't want to be traded. He is a good example of what a captain should be.

Will Ryan Miller be Resigned?

2017-01-30T20:38:00.001-08:00

The Canucks have had 2 solid guaranteed starters of this decade. Luongo and Miller. It's not certain if Schneider could be considered a starter in the season he got traded, but at that time he was playing solidly.
Yes, Miller is the reason the Canucks went from 2nd last to pushing for a wild card. And he's been a personal favorite, a fan favorite, and a team favorite ( I have 2 Miller hockey cards, a cup from the game, and also a poster!). We will miss Millsy if he retires or doesn't resign.
But he's still doing well, even nearing 37. He can possibly go for a Brodeur push. He shows similar signs to him.
They both reached their prime at an older age, like at the youngest 27 or 28, which is 2 or 3 years back of the general prime. Brodeur was still slightly better than Miller, I mean he was a 1st round pick, while Miller was only middle round. He did do well in his general prime years, but was far more superior in his 30s. Brodeur retired at 43, nearing it, so Miller has another 5 years, at least, for his career.
But if he does come back for another season, it's mainly so the current Schneider of the Canucks, Thatcher Demko, can develop for another season in Utica. Demko is young, and can use seasoning, so long as he makes his debut before the age of 25, at that point, he'd be in his supposed prime and still haven't played an actual, hardcore, not preseason, NHL game. Although we can possibly push for another year. I see him being ready, after Markstrom wears out his stint with the Canucks, although he could be an older veteran backup for Demko, or even yet, the starter still? He's 27 now, and can still play a couple of season with the Canucks, and he can probably go into his 30s, although I really suggest them let Demko start.
Basically, Miller is supposedly only resignable if Demko needs to develop. There's no worries of Markstrom, but it all goes down to Demko.

Troy Stecher may be the most underlooked Canuck

2017-01-25T20:28:00.001-08:00

Bo Horvat has emerged as a consistent player. The depth on the Canucks had improved. Bärtschi, Granlund, Sutter, the Canucks are a solid team there. On the blue line, russian Nikita Trainamkin and Erik Gudbranson highlight the new roster, with longtime returnees Edler and Tanev, with Sbisa as the weird one who's there. But then there's Troy Stecher.
Stecher shown in the young stars weekend in Penticton, and was a stud in preseason. I would be quite surprised to see him start the season in Utica, but that was indeed what happened.
I knew that meant Phillip Larsen being the 6th D on opening night, but watching him, Larsen was nowhere near as exceptional as Stecher, who even outplayed Canucks top pick Olli Juolevi during preseason. Larsen fired wide shots constantly, and could've passes to the forwards, who could've played in front of the net. It sucks that he couldn't prove himself enough with Vancouver. He could've settled in well here if he wasn't injured perhaps. But that meant Stecher being in the lineup, and he really was good.
Stecher is, basically, the only defense mainly focused on offense. He takes the shot, but it doesn't go wide, it's accurate, and low enough so the goalie can't catch it, but has to play it with the pad, resulting in the rebound, resulting in more shots, resulting in possible goals. And even of his shot is a little high, there's always the chance of Stecher scoring.

So far, he has 2 goals, not bad, and 12 assists. Also not bad. He doesn't need to produce as many points as the forwards, as he is a blueliner. He can improve on his defensive play and positioning to help him. He is probably the biggest steal of the offseason for Vancouver.

Canucks in 2020: Their Golden Year

2017-01-24T17:56:00.001-08:00

While most expansion teams are celebrating their golden year (The Blues, Penguins and Kings), the Canucks will have to wait until 2020 for their year (A golden year is a celebration of 50 years). But how should they?
First thing: Nostalgic jerseys. Bring home the flying skate, or make the stick and rink the primary logo? During that time, the Adidas jersey deal would have been active for 2 seasons, no need to really worry. Another thing, having a game at the Pacific Coliseum.
Who didn't love the good days when they played on the Rink on Renfrew? Almost won 2 cups in that building, and so many great names skated on the ice. The Giants would play there, and they won a memorial cup, which is basically the major junior league's Stanley Cup. Ahhh, it's a shame they moved.
A game wouldn't be too much to ask. It's unlikely they'll demolish the Coliseum.
But what else? Experts don't believe the Canucks will return to powerhouse status that season, but a brief playoff push could earn revenue and help out ( just like the current playoff push). But actually winning a playoff round would be nice (They haven't won one since the Cup Run!)

HENR1K!

2017-01-24T17:46:00.001-08:00

Henrik Sedin was a legendary player.
I remember the day very well. November 2nd, 2010. For Henrik and Daniel Sedin, it was a normal Canucks win, 4-3 versus Edmonton at Rexall Place. But for me, it was the first time I had ever watched hockey. The first time I ever knew that Vancouver had a hockey team. The first time I realized how much hockey meant for millions of people. Now, fast-forward to 4 days ago. January 20th, 2017. A few hours ago, Donald Trump became the 45th President of the USA. For the Sedins, most importantly Henrik, it was a game that would help the Canucks' sudden shift for a wild card push, and it would be, perhaps, the most important game of Henrik's career. He entered the arena with 999 points. He left it with 1000.

The events leading up to it was crazy. Loui Eriksson, a player that I had just recently wrote a story about, robbed by yet another Lou, Roberto Luongo. In the 1st Period, intense push by the Canucks, but still no score. The chance of seeing Henr1k that night became less likely. The Panthers score, and then it happened. Daniel passes the puck ahead to Henrik, who scores one just past Luongo and the post. On that November 2010 night, they had been teammates. But now they were opponents who were playing against each other.
The entire bench comes off to celebrate. Rogers Arena, which isn't the fullest, which has become a staple for the Canucks, was on their feet. When it seemed like the celebration between players was over, Luongo heads over to say his congratulations. Henrik and them have a nice moment that reflects the Canucks 2011 Cup Run. And so, Henrik Sedin becomes the 85th player to score 1000 points, and the first to score every single one as a Canuck. Daniel is next.
#DanielwillbeNext

Why Bo Horvat is the most valuable young gun on the Canucks

2017-01-24T17:32:00.001-08:00

Bo Horvat, the young rookie from Ontario, who many expected to be a Devil, who bursted into the high rankings of the Canucks organization, is now the sole Canuck on the Pacific Division's All-star team. But what does that mean for the team?
Horvat has a magnificent 31 point season. He is enroute for a 50 point season, which would already be his career best for a season, and he may try for 60. The Sedins are producing good stats on a mediocre team, but you can tell that they are getting older as they fade away from the newer generation of NHL players.
It is vital that the management team resign Horvat to a good sized contract for his caliber ( 2 to 3 Million). Perhaps shipping away overpriced players may help. He has shown the signs of a good leader, and fans believe him to be the next captain after Henrik Sedin.
And let's not forget about the trading of our supposed future starter Cory Schneider that shocked the Canuck Nation. Schneider has been struggling this season, while Horvat is just breaking out. Good win by Mike Gillis, his last big trade besides the farewell of fan favorite and former captain and starter Roberto Luongo. Despite the sadness, we got goalie Jacob Markstrom to replace Schneider. It also killed off the insane Luongo contract.
Horvat was a good steal, and his quick emergence resulted in Virtanen, a player that was picked 3 picks ahead of Horvat, note that they were in different draft years in case of confusion, dropping down. He hasn't developed as much as expected in Utica, and is a top 6 forward at best currently.
If Schneider does lead New Jersey to a solid cup run, Markstrom doesn't become our future ace, and Luongo becomes the next Jagr, then at least we can say that Bowie has some competition.
Also, if the Canucks trade for Tom Wilson and David Pastrnak, then the Canucks would have a Space Odyssey line (David-Bowie-Major Tom).

The End of Canucks Weekly Reviews: Bonus Story Included

2017-01-13T19:35:00.001-08:00

Yes, I've decided to end the Canucks Weekly Reviews. To be honest, it's too much of a fuss to make, and tops to people like steve dangle who do game by game reactions. That's challenging to do. I will instead do an occasional story here or there, just like I did back in November, which I think was probably the best month this blog has seen.
Also, I forgot to mention this in my last post, but happy 2k17! Looking forward to a great year with hopefully some exciting things to happen. I may actually visit the HHOF, in Toronto, which I'm excited for.

Now, for the bonus story that I mentioned, to make this fair and not a clickbait, I want to talk about the biggest roller coaster of a player this season, Loui Eriksson.
Remember when I went to opening night in October? Yeah, I was there live for the Eriksson own goal and the people sitting to my left were saying "did Eriksson just put that puck into his own net?" My dad thought the Gudbranson dive was pretty nice.
So, that thing must have ruined Eriksson. The biggest accquiring of this off season, we signed him to a contract that is for a touted player that's first line caliber, a contract that is over 5 million (I believe the number is 6 Million, and 6 years?).
And for such a big elite player to score an own goal as his biggest play on a new team, his morale must've been poor. He struggled offensively, but he has been improving steadily. Still, 19 points ( 9 goals and 10 assists) in 44 games is below half a point per game, but still above a quarter point. I hope he forgets about that incident and continues to play well. I want to see him scoring 40 points and over a season, as he is over 30 and is an older player. And he is the only reason fans can chant Louuuuuuu in home games that aren't against the Panthers.
RIP Luongo

The Patrik Laine Hit

2017-01-08T18:58:00.001-08:00

We all know what happened on saturday, in the game between the Jets and sabres, which I believe should be considered a rivalry, especially at this rate, patrik Laine received a suicide pass, I believe from Mark scheifle, and ended up getting the full blow from Jake McCabe.
He has been diagnosed with a concussion.
Now, people should think of it as this: it's likely he'll be fine, crosby suffered injuries in the past yet is still a superstar. McDavid got that brutal injury yet he's just leading the way for the Oilers. No need to worry right?
Well, true. But there have been times when an injury can ruin ones career. DiPietro may not have been considered a bust if not for the injuries he suffered, Kariya was a generational talent, the best Japanese player, but he got rocked a lot. And the saddest sob story of these 3, ladies and gentlemen, as a Canucks fan, it saddens me to say that Pavel Bure may have been a great legend if it weren't for injuries suffered.
But the biggest has to be Eric Lindros, if it weren't for injury, he may have been enducted much earlier. But still, don't worry. Concussions are common, if anything Laine would probably put up a good effort in his return.
Man, that Bure thing saddens me.

Canucks Week 10&11: Tank!

2016-12-19T14:30:00.001-08:00

After a winning week, the Canucks go all out China Syndrome and blow out completely. A loss against the struggling Panthers, who were extremely weak entering the game which should've been the easy win for the Canucks, a loss against a mediocre Washington Capitals, although Brayden Holtby is still the Holtbeast and this loss is slightly just, and a shocking 5-2 lead to a 8-6 loss to the Hurricanes may make management rethink, be it tank or no tank. Suddenly, the Canucks show something that is common during their last tank: They can't keep it going. A win against a Lightnings team that is extremely off and a pity point loss to the Jackets makes the Canucks odds at 29th worse, although prior to the Lightnings game, the Canucks had the 29th place locked, for timothy liljegreen.

Also in the news, Olli Juolevi has just been named Captain of Team Finland! This is great and brings me back to my first post, when I talked about how Juolevi was a good pick for the Canucks. Good Luck Olli!

The Epic Price Staredown: The Adressing of the MVP's head

2016-12-16T23:37:00.001-08:00

Carey Price, simply put, stands on his head more than half of the time.
His Montréal Canadiens have a solid defensive group, yet gives up a lot of goals. Don't look further than that 10-0 blowout: they let montoya dry. If Price was in net, he easily would've kept the bleeding to a halt. But there are times when the habs can light the lamp, yet still, many games after many games, Price has to make 30 to even 40 shots a game.

But this time, the Sharks managed only 23 shots. Can you really blame the D on this one? I'm certain the Columbus blowout was their fault, and I have no idea about the Patrick Roy game, but this was light. And they did pull him out and not let him dry. It sucks to be Montoya, he's forced to play even when it's a blowout, yet Price receives first class treatment.

And for the smaller people who are habs fans and somehow read my blog, don't worry. All those trade rumours are small jokes played. If anything, montoya should be the one asking for the trade. Price was just having a weak game, and he was expressing his anger of playing bad.

Conspiracies! Canucks Week 8 & 9

2016-12-09T20:37:00.001-08:00

You know the drill: Let's get the game review done so we can get some tinfoil hats. So, the Canucks cap off a big shootout win with another high scoring Blast in the Rog, captivating a 5-4 Canucks win. We lose to Anaheim, which shouldn't be expected, then take a big game against the Maple Leafs, one that many fans were hyped for. Afterwards, the Canucks take to New Jersey in an intense match that saw Zajac, I believe, tumble into the boards by a check by Michael Chaput. Later on, Hall injures Larsen, leading to a scrum. Poor Larsen. As the players were going at it, only goaltender Jacob Markstrom and forward Markus Granlund were protecting the Danish defensemen. On Thursday, thanks to some depth players stepping up in Jack Skille and Jayson Megna, the Canucks beat the Lightning in a blowout, captivating the collapse by the Bolts.

Now, time for something that I've been waiting for, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, get your tinfoil on. We're about to investigate a conspiracy theory.
The Vancouver Canucks were once a solid team. And no, I'm not referring to 2k11, I mean recently, the 2015 season. In case you were more hyped by the Lightning's upset of the Rangers, we made the playoffs that season! But, we still got a first round exit. This prompted Jim Benning to go full... china syndrome? On the team. Now, I am about to prove, that the reason why the management core has remained the same is because... the Canucks are tanking on purpose! Dun dun dun! I am about to justify and explain every single move.

Let's Begin with the first questionable choice: Trading away Lack for the 3rd round pick. Well, for one thing, this pick was, I believe the 65th overall pick. That's an early 3rd rounder, as well as what can be considered a late 2nd. Picks like these have a 75% chance of being a good player. With the lack of defensive depth for the Canucks, we overhaul and trade away Lack, being able to draft Brisebois. I'm not hyped for him, but I can see him as our top 6 in the future.

Then, the Canucks choose not to sign Richardson and Matthias. One of the biggest issues with the team was the amount of centres we have. This also supports the tanking conspiracy, as Rich and Matt were both excellent penalty killers. This leaves Henrik, who is set to stay until he chooses to retire, Bo, who has to remain. Bowie Horvat is the key to our post tank, our rebuild. He has to stay if Henrik retires. What's left? Bonino, Vey and Dorsett. Dorsett was signed to a bad deal, mainly to help us tank. We put in a multi million dollar contract for a career 4th liner, who only scores 5 goals a season? This is clearly to reduce our chances of making any big moves until later on in the tank. Sbisa's signing was to see if he can beat the critics. Worst case, he's a top 6 who didn't pan out but is still helping the tank.

Bonino was resigned to make sure we have something. We deal away Bonino and some others for Brandon Sutter, who played as the 3rd line centre for the Pens. Now, this is justifiable. Because Geno Malkin is a centre that, despite having franchise centres, is only a second liner below Crosby, Sutter has second line, heck, small first line potential. I see our acquiring of Sutter as a move for post tank.

Before we continue on, I would like to acknowledge this post came from research off of Yahoo! Sports. Check out their article for more detail.
Moving along, the injury was unexpected and not part of team tank. We close it out by trading Bieksa, an obvious team tank trade for what we got back. To replace him, we sign Matt Bartkowski, supposedly a top 4 defensemen. I've seen Bartkowski as more of a top 6/ minor top 2 to 4 player, to be honest. I believe that he was a team tank accquiring.

The Lack trade was capped off with a signing: Richard Bachman. Bachman will be our number 3, or 4, as he and Joe Cannata seem equal. However, value wise, I see Bachman as being more experienced than Joe, which is why, after a season, Bachman is still on and Cannata is gone. This is what we want: to give Demko a spot on the roster in Utica, so he can play in a few years. Now, this depends on the Miller situation. Also, if you've noticed, a lot of players are going to be released this season. That's not a coincidence.

In the end, I see that Benning has had a pattern. Rushing Virtanen may be bad, but with other players like Ehlers already having the green to play in the Chel, I think Benning wanted to see Virtanen. Let's also note that he was drafted higher than Horvat, yet they both got the same treatment: 1 more year in junior than the pro call up. Bo did play 10 or so games with Utica, but that makes no difference: they both got the treatment, but Horvat was more capable of making the league, I suppose.

After 2016 was capped off the Canucks were en route to a solid pathline: They had the 5th overall pick, and the 3rd pick of each other round. We draft Juolevi, who was a solid pick. Remember, Tkachuk was playing with some very good players, Dvorak and Marner. Juolevi wasn't paired with anyone, yet got 50 points, I believe. The 2nd round pick was traded away, but not to tank, but as a good pick. Getting Gudbranson was a good pick. He has shown he can fight for the game, and even though his point total isn't here, he still has the big frame needed. The 2nd was only a distraction, as the Panthers did trade it away for Kulikov, and fan favorite Tyler Benson was drafted before 33, meaning we shouldn't have panicked about not drafting Benson. Although I still wish we drafted Ty ronning.

Benning knew we weren't guaranteed to succeed. But the tank was well and next season we could tank for a top 10 player. Patrick and Liljegreen are hard to get. We have to place 29th or 30th, or else Vegas will out edge us, and we would drop to 4th best odds. Not too good, but we can still try for luck.
Still, top 10 should be solid. Perhaps benning drafts a less succesful defense to pair with Juolevi, or not. The Canucks have a young defensive core, and it doesn't need to get any younger, to be honest.

The Canucks can proceed with the rebuild, with baby steps. The picking of Loui Eriksson was impressive, for a player of his caliber. Although he started out slow, fix up the core by clearing the free agents and he should have enough tools to help him. Troy Stecher was the surprising addition, but he's proven effective. The defensive core looks well, and I can see Sbisa possibly getting moved in the expansion draft to make room for Juolevi. A move of Subban can also help. Garteig will fill in as number 3 goaltender, unless miller remains. Then he'd be #4.

The Canucks roster still doesn't look to strong, with the injuries, we've added struggling career 4th liners. But they've lit the lamp. Just look at Skille and Megna last night. They have potential, and hopefully this is more than a theory.

SHOOT TO SCORE! NHL 14 CANUCKS GM MODE S1 G1

2016-12-02T16:48:00.001-08:00

Game 1 of the season. Schneider vs Quick. The game takes off with larceny by Schneider, and later on, Bieksa gets in the scruff. I will post the video separately, as Blogger does not let me.
The game then takes off with larceny by Quick. He makes 29 saves for a shutout, and the Canucks lose 2-0. Never ever play the Kings when Quick is in net.
Besides, that, Henrik Sedin, our captain, gets in the scruff twice! He wins the second one, KO'ing Mike Richards in the rematch of the first fight.

WILL THIS TRADE HAPPEN?!? NHL 14 CANUCKS GM MODE S1 OFF

2016-12-02T16:23:00.001-08:00

Since the popularity of my EA Sports NHL posts, I've decided to start a GM Mode of the Canucks. To begin, I won't have great quality for my pictures, as I don't have a capture card. Secondly, I'll be playing these games. Pro difficulty, 6 minutes. I might raise the difficulty if it becomes too easy.
I've decided to start in the draft. After failing to negotiate for a trade with Luongo, we finally nail a disappointing trade. Luongo to the Panthers for Kris Versteeg (You may now rant about the trade) and a 4th rounder that's pretty early, to be honest. Also, I've drafted Bo Horvat with the 24th pick due to nostalgia and coincidences.
We draft a goaltender named Phillipe Cadorette in the 3rd round, and hope to pounce in the 4th. Once again, due to nostalgic reasoning, we daft Cole Cassel 9th overall. A great pick, and worth the trade. I just hope he doesn't go bust. We draft an irrelevant player, Tyler Cox, with our original 4th rounder. I auto drafted the last 3 rounds, as the odds of them booming are unlikely.
I hate to say it, but the Canucks are struggling with money. We need to move players. We trade away Jason Garrison, top 4, for Luca Sbisa. At this point, the simulation would be killing us.
I just hope my playing is good enough. After trading minor players, I hope to have just enough money to sign Chris Tanev. We move Higgins to Calgary for a second, and we may have some money to sign Tanev.
And we do it. Our defence seems ready. And we have Schneider, who is arguably better than Luongo. I guess I can sim ahead to the regular season.
We struggle in the preseason, but if I play well, we can reach our goal of Making the second round of the playoffs.
For the record, this is harder than you think.

Things I want for NHL Games Part 2

2016-11-28T18:05:00.001-08:00

Since my Things I want in Future NHL Games post was pretty popular, here's an all-new list with some extra ideas!

First Person Angle?
This sounds crazy, but I've always been thinking. Could we incorporate the first person perspective in NHL Games?
Here's my idea: Left Stick to skate, right stick to move your head. Wherever you're facing is where you'll skate to. To make passing easier, you have to be looking directly at the person you want to pass to. That's still the right trigger, or r2 on playstation. To shoot, I'll make life easier by explaining with the XBOX configures. Y to take a snap shot, or hold it when you don't have the puck and call for it, then let go for a one timer, B to shoot backhand, X to wrist shot, or vice versa. B to take a slapshot, or hold it, and call for the puck, then let go for a big slap shot one timer.
Sounds ridculous, but could work.

Yearly Rosters!
One of the things that made the 2k NBA games cool is the yearly rosters thing. I'm not 100% sure if they have every year, but they do have rosters for teams in the past. It would be great to be play for historic teams like the 80s Oilers, or my favorite, the 93-94 Canucks.
This isn't something weird like the former. It's something that's easy to do. I think EA Should do this.

Draft Lottery
One of the things that would be cool is a draft lottery. It also makes the games more exciting, especially on franchise mode when your team is in a rebuild.

More Story!!!
I want story in the games! What 2k did well is their story for my career, although what they should do is subtract some talking. In one video I watched, when the player's character passed the ball, the game skipped to a sudden cutscene. Okay, that's too much story. The NHL 14 live the life had extensive story, but not on the ice. You have to let them play the game, not spend all the time thinking of the right response. In the later ones, there is absolutely none. I think this should be optional. Sometimes the interviews can be quite annoying.

Garret Sparks: Punished for Defending?

2016-11-27T18:23:00.001-08:00

It would be crazy if you do not know that Garret Sparks has been suspended by the Maple Leafs organization.
The promising Sparks has the potential to be a marquee goalie for the Leafs. But an incident is keeping his career on edge.
After no comment was added when the Leafs suspended him, it was later reported that Sparks was suspended for his off-ice actions.
According to Yahoo, Sparks was part of a Facebook Group, GGS United. The definition of GGS is odd. Goalie Gear Sluts. That's the actual definition.
Sparks was a longtime active member in Goalie Communities, and GGS has been one he's been on for a while. As an administrator for a GGS United community on Facebook, Sparks came to the defense of a disabled user.
A user commented something half sarcastic, but rather rude. After another user told him he needs to calm down, Sparks came in. He put a profane threat to the user, finishing by commenting : God you sound like a 13 year old girl. Afterwards, yet another user tells Sparks not to insult girls. Sparks comes back saying that the individual is whinier than a 13 year old girl.
While these comments sound like something that could get him suspended, let's note that he was standing up for a disabled person. Remember, hockey players are humane. They have emotions, and can burst. Sparks did the right thing, and I hope he knew he was going to get into trouble.
Members of GGS commented that Garret has been active on goaltending community, etc. And how he always talked to all goalies, young and old.
I'm not certain if Toronto Management knew of this issue. It's actually a very downright human thing to stand up for a person, basically taking a wound for them. Garret Sparks, I commend your actions, and believe you got punished for something injust. Like at Jonathan Drouin. He was also suspended, but for not taking part in practices.

The altercation on Facebook that got Sparks suspended.

Things I want in Future NHL Games

2016-11-27T11:21:00.001-08:00

Believe it or not, my passion for hockey actually came from an EA Sports game. That's right, I never liked watching hockey much until I got hooked on NHL 09. That same year, I asked my parents for NHL 14 for my birthday. Honestly, those have to be my favorite game. Even though EA Has completely slacked off lately with their games, there's no denying that, at the end of the day, it's still a better designed game than any of the rest.
But even then, I have a few ideas. Here are 5 things that EA Sports should put in their NHL Games

Number 1: Attendance, not Capacity
During the pregame intro for NHL 14, I noticed an odd thing. When they show the arena, they don't show the attendance, but the capacity. What I've noticed is that the seats are almost 99% filled in. I would search for empty seats, and when I find one, I feel a sense of accomplishment.
Even teams that struggle hard always have full arenas. But, in MLB 2k10, a struggling team would have completely empty sections! They also show the Attendance instead of capacity.
It would be cool if you were doing the 0-82 challenge and you did so bad, that only a thousand or so people attend. I definitely want to see more empty seats in teams like the Coyotes or Hurricanes.

Number 2: FIX THE AI
One of the main concerns with the games is the AI when playing the game in general. Some say EA doesn't really care about the game. After all, they earn so much money from Ultimate Team packs in Chel and Madden that they don't need to do anything. They just update the rosters, change some overall ratings, and they're good.
True, they don't fix the AI, but at the same time, they did expand the GM Mode quite well. But yeah, the AI could really use some help.

Number 3: Slapshot?
We all know NHL Slapshot. The game with Wayne Gretzky on the cover. Fact of the Day: In his last season Gretzky scored 61 points. Not a single player on the Maple Leafs hit that mark in 2015-16. Now, moving along, the career mode is pretty cool. You have many choices, but if you want to create your own player, you can go beyond the CHL and play Peewee and Bantam. Fake teams, but much fun. There aren't any offsides or icing, there are only 3 skaters on each side. It isn't a big rink, just a small, outdoors one.
I really want to see Bantam in a future NHL game, at least. You still have the choice of deciding when you want to start your career. Peewee may be a step too far, but it's not too bad, just a younger version of Bantam.

Number 4: Easier Stances
the new goalie stances are amazing, but there isn't any definition of each stance. What I want is the choice to modify it yourself. A high stance or a low stance. Pads closer in or extended out? Glove straight, or angled? Another thing I want is vintage customization. If you want, you can choose vintage goalie stances, and even go as far as having no mask!

Number 5: KHL
I'm sure a lot of fans want this. We have the Czech Extroliga, the Swedish Hockey League, the German DEL, and international markets. So, why isn't there a mother russia league?
I'm not sure myself. Legal dispute? I would be pretty neutral with it, but fans of Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk would beg for this.

VOTE TRYAMKIN: Canucks Week 6 and 7

2016-11-27T08:36:00.001-08:00

I know, I got lazy. But don't blame me. When the Canucks are struggling, it makes you less determined to make posts.
Let's go over the games quick, the Canucks beat the Stars in a comeback in Overtime. Great game, stecher may be the most offensive defenseman the Canucks have ever had. I think, if we were to trade Gaunce, we could trade subban, as stecher is much better than him.
Then there was that unwatchable 7-2 Blowout. Ouch, it was painful all around. I wouldn't say Markstrom got the Patrick Roy treatment, but he almost did.
We take a game against the struggling Coyotes (Good for Team Playoff, not for Team Tank).
Then there was the Blackhawks game. Okay, you have one job. Keep the 3-0 Lead. Do not blow it!
After a long break, the Canucks take a big win against the coyotes. Good job boys!
We go to Dallas, where they comeback to beat us 2-1. A bad icing call led to one of the goals for the Stars. Also, does anyone have any idea the hell Stars fans are cheering?
In the Avs game, we take that one 3-2, in the shootout. I have to say, Granlund has been clutch in sudden death situations. Much better than Shinkaruk.
Now that the games are done, let's talk about miscellaneous stuff.

Firstly, I want to say, the player I'm voting for in the All-star vote is... Nikita Tryamkin!
I'm sorry if you spit out your coffee, but listen why this would be crazier than John Scott.
-Tryamkin doesn't know English, so it would be awkward acknowledging the crowd, especially when they interview him.
- He is pretty good, has a big body like Chara.
- He isn't the best, and it would be like John Scott, definitely not a good player, being voted in.

Just to consider.

Another thing: I've noticed the Canucks are struggling on the Power Play.
Here's how to fix it: Use a volleyball tactic.
In volleyball, they pass it around their side twice before firing it on the other side. We could do that on the Power Play! Pass it twice, then shoot!

Another thing: Team Tank or Team Playoff?
I'd say Tank. The Canucks may be playing in a weak division, but even then, it would be impossible to make the top 3. Then, in the wild card spot, the teams in it are too good.
But if we tank, personally, there really isn't any good player besides Nolan Patrick and Teemo Liljegren. And, even if we make it 3rd best odds, we'd be bumped down to 4th because of Las Vegas, which is why I hope, if we tank, we finish 29th or 30th.

The JT Brown Incident: They're still Human

2016-11-23T08:08:00.001-08:00

The 2016-17 nhl season has been crazy. Montréal gets blown out 10 to nothing by the Blue Jackets, the Canucks start out 4 and 0, and then there's the JT Brown game.
The Monday game between the tampa bay lightning and Nashville Predators was crazy as can be. After a blind spot hit by JT Brown on Roman Josi, Preds player Dan Ellis goes after Brown with a blind hit later on in the game. These incidents result in major scruffs, and as Ellis and Brown are both sent to the dressing room, Brown is heckled by fans, resulting in him smashing the phone of a spectator recording him.
As a child, I always thought hockey players couldn't speak or were banned from speaking. That's because we never hear them speak, only the commentators do. This brings up the point. People think hockey players are respectful honorable men, but at the same time, they're still human. Everyone has a breaking point where they just lose control. Even the calmest people will have that point. When it happens, you have to leave them alone.
At the same time, booing on the road is basically the same as cheering at home. Brown should've had more self control, and enjoyed the heckling.
Now, about the phone incident, I believe Brown should personally replace the spectator's phone. It's the most downright human thing he could do.

My Thoughts on the Vegas Golden Knights!

2016-11-22T18:47:00.001-08:00

It's official. A few minutes ago, Las Vegas management announced the name of their franchise. The Vegas Golden Knights will be the face of sport in Las Vegas, after months of anticipation.
From the first few comments in the SportsNet live broadcast of the unveiling, some fans weren't too amused. The show itself was awkward after a video error. Some commented that the logo wasn't too exciting.
Despite this, I'm fine with the Vegas Golden Knights. Although teams with the word golden in them have had no success (The California Golden Seals, later the Oakland Seals), I'm not sure if they would scrap the word and make themselves the Las Vegas Knights, as the major junior team has the rights to it. Fun fact, I've made a story on the Knights' booming success. If you want, check it out. The logo isn't too exciting, but it is quite modern. I'm willing to give the 31st franchise in the NHL a chance.

Defence Improv Suggestions: Canucks Week 5

2016-11-12T12:19:00.001-08:00

To begin, let's acknowledge that the Canucks ended their 9 game losing streak with a well earned 5-3 win against the Rangers. Markstrom made some difficult stops, Burrows stepped up, and an all around good effort. Congrats to Loui Eriksson for notching his first as a Canuck. I hope for him to net 20 this season.

Afterwards, not much to say about the rest of the week. So let's take a look at how to improve the Canucks Defence.
The Canucks have empathized this many times: We need better defence. But just how can we get better defence?

Here are my thoughts on how it should go.
The first pairing should be Alex Edler and Chris Tanev. An odd pairing, but hear it out. They've been heart & soul Canucks since day 1. Their entire careers thus far have been with the Canucks. It seems to me that these 2 have a chance. They are more seasoned out then the rest of the squad. They also play an all-around game, focusing on both sides of the play.

The second pairing should be Ben Hutton and Erik Gudbranson. Hutton is young, but has already become a fan favorite for his charismatic off-ice antics and Gudbranson is someone we need to succeed, giving up a second round pick that was extremely early, as well as former first round pick Jared McCann, to acquire him. I like Gudbranson's defensive skill, and Hutton is an all-around player as well, so we can see Gudbranson take checks against the puck carrier while Hutton does the same but would take the point shot.

The third pairing is an experimental idea. I have Troy Stecher with Nikita Tryamkin. Why? Because of this. Stecher is all-around, but he may be the most offensive based off the group. Tryamkin is the first or second all-d based, behind Gudbranson maybe. I can see Tryamkin hitting the puck carrier, laying him out cleanly, then passing the puck to Stecher who will start the offensive rush.

The 7th D-Man is Philip Larsen. I don't see him starting because Tryamkin is more hard hitting, and we have many all around players. I believe that Larsen could take over later on perhaps.

You may have noticed I left Sbisa out. That is because that under these conditions, I see Sbisa as our option for the expansion draft. I don't see a buyout happening for sure, but it may happen if Vegas doesn't draft him. Trade negotiations don't hurt either. If these cases don't help, sbisa may be a frequent starter next season, but won't be resigned. He'd be 28 and wouldn't have accomplished anything significant in the League.

I can see Larsen perhaps improving his game in Utica's top pairing for the season, while Stecher and Tryamkin rotate time with Sbisa and the bench.

But why this? Mainly because at this rate, Sbisa isn't a fan favorite.
Edler and Tanev are heart & soul players of the Canucks.
Hutton is the basic fan favorite out of the rookies.
Gudbranson we sacrificed too much for and he has skill.
Stecher because of how he stood out during pre-season.
And Tryamkin because of his ridiculous size and he is the odd favorite.
I don't see anyone wear Sbisa jerseys at Canucks games. I've never seen anyone wear a Sbisa jersey.

And it's also clearing cap space. Sbisa is making 3.6 Million, and I'm sure he'll want 4 Million when he signs next time.