The Vancouver Canucks

[cmsone]

Nearly everyone is doubting this team. Just yesterday, Landsburg and all guests on "Off the Record" were bashing this group saying they "have no offence", yet they just scored 6 and counting (game still on) without their top line in sedin sedin bernier, against an A flames team minus bertuzzi. Every sports broadcaster outside of Vancouver is nothing but critical of this team. They all think Vancouver will stink. Looking at the team point total lines - Vegas thinks the same.

Suddenly because we lose Naslund, Morrison, and Linden we're going to crumble? I beg the differ. Naslund has been useless since Bertuzzi left the team. And too be honest, I've never seen Morrison as a huge loss.

What have the canucks done this off season? Bernier with the Sedins has already proven to be magic - a big body in front of the net while the Sedins work their magic as always a good mix. Demitra is a wizard on the wing. Wellwood has proven to be the Trevor Linden of shootouts. They've got the grit players we haven't had in years in Hordichuk and others.

On top of all this, Luongo will be more focused than ever. Last year his head wasn't in the game. His wife just had a baby and she was living in Florida. This time around everything is settled baby wise, and she's now living in Vancouver. Also, do you think the Canucks will have the injury troubles they did last year on the blueline? (Knock on wood) - Doubtful. They have a top 3 defensive line up in the league. Sami Salo on the point gives nightmares to any goaltender. Then you've got vets, leaders, like Mitchell and Ohlund.

And it gets better -- They still have 10 million in cap space. This team is already THIS good and we still have room to add a top line forward. Could you imagine if the Canucks picked up a player like Sundin or Gaborik who's been rumored to be on the market? They have the money.

THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS ARE NOT AS BAD AS MOST OF YOU THINK. In fact, I truly believe this team will contend with teams like the Flames (who they just dumped on), and the Oilers for the Division Title. This thread is coming to you from a die hard Canuck fan out of Vancouver. Be careful when betting against this team. I'm going to be on the Canucks early before people snap out of their daze and relize the Canucks aren't as bad as everyone thinks...

 

[Coaster]

Nucks Suc!

They will be terrible this year, esp. 1st half.
May buy a guy later.

When the Sisters are your top line...........you really suc.
Alreay have been magic?? Pre-season.....no show in big games.

Appreciate you opinion, no slam on you.

Don't see any excitment from this squad.

 

[cmsone]

a combined 150 points between the 2 of the twins = suck? at least try to explain to me what happened tonight in vancouver then. calgary brought way more of a starting line up than vancouver did and they got absolutely embaressed - at both ends of the ice - for 3 periods. pre season or not, calgary is supossed to be the team to beat in the NHL now - so what's up?

coaster - i think you've been watching too much TSN, don't let the toronto nut huggers brain wash you

 

[cmsone]

not only are the canucks obviously in first place in the preseason, but they also have, gasp, the 2nd highest goals per game average (4. st. louis leads with 4.33) and the best goal differential (20 goals for, 11 against).

obviously its all meaningless and has no bearing on what will happen in the regular season, but at the same time, its hard not to be at least a little optimistic.


also.. say what you will about the first line.. the canucks may have the best 3rd line in the league in kesler burrows raymond. respect that.

 

[catfood]

I dont see Vancouver playing a lot, Im always sleeping when they do but it looks like Vancouver does have a top notch goalie (of course) and defense core. Kinda like the Florida panthers, the only question is where will the goals come from?

 

[catfood]

a combined 150 points between the 2 of the twins = suck? at least try to explain to me what happened tonight in vancouver then. calgary brought way more of a starting line up than vancouver did and they got absolutely embaressed - at both ends of the ice - for 3 periods. pre season or not, calgary is supossed to be the team to beat in the NHL now - so what's up?

coaster - i think you've been watching too much TSN, don't let the toronto nut huggers brain wash you

I do like Calgary a lot. Last year they were unfortunate to have to face the Sharks. Calgary was excellent 5on5 and in winning one goal games, only problem was the Sharks were equal to them. The two teams were the best in one goal game victories in the west.

 

[powerz]

I think the reason everyone is down on the canucks is b/c they are asking where are the goals going to come from?

They don't know enough in the eastern media about - Hansen, Raymond & how well Tubby Wellwood is playing.

Canucks top line of: Kesler, Burrows & hansen - looked good in their 1st twos typical agressive play.

Demtria - Pyatt - Raymond are solid line

Then you have sedin X 2 with Bernier - that is 3 solid lines

The 4th line looks like it could consist of a mixture of Cowan, Hordichuck, Johnson Pettinger and Tubby is the wild card.


That is the best balance we have had in years - Who needs a number 1 line give them three tough to play against lines and 4th line that will leave you black and blue.

The best thing is the return of a healthy defense & Focused Luongo. The defense will add some offensive pop.

Canucks are better than everyone thinks

 

[powerz]

My last comment about the canucks is I hope coach AV changes his style abit. It drives me nuts to watch the canucks skate to a position rather than attack the man. I think with better puck pressure we can afford to give up a few more break aways with Luongo in net.

 

[wannabewhale]

Flames lost 25% of their scoring as well

 

[Vancouverfan]

cmsone, nice post... I think I made one very similar to this about 4 months ago somewhere on this board but not quite as many details. The fact is , despite not landing a big scorer (which they still can do at some point with all that cap room) this roster is much more solid this season then last with the new additions that have been made and younger players stepping in. And you are bang on with a focused Luongo and a defence which is one of the better defensive cores in the league if they can stay healthy this season. Many people were counting them out of the playoffs this season, I think they will make it but don't see them matching up with the Red Wings of the worlds yet.

 

[PassTheBuck]

They are in the same situation that they were in the past two seasons. If everything goes exactly according to plan they make the playoffs and perhaps take one round. That is the absolute maximum they can do with this team, the way it is right now, as long as everyone stays healthy and Luongo plays like a superstar.

There are at least 10 teams where you can say that if everything goes according to plan, they win the Stanley Cup... so this is no big deal.

Forget the team's performance... if the games are exciting (for the first time since the days of the WCE), i'll consider this year a great success.

 

[cmsone]

sedins already a combined 5 points 1 minute into the 3rd. who was the moron that said trade the sisters? man the canucks haters really need to re think their facts here i mean cmon.. in 10 minutes they might be sitting at 6-0. yeah it's pre season but lets get serious, 4 and 1/2 of those games were without luongo, and every game has had an abundance of rookies - our opponents have ALWAYS been playing more of a A team line up than us.

edit: oh and our "joke" top line of sedin sedin bernier, ya well, they each have a goal

 

[emmitt22]

GO CANUCKS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ope:

 

[powerz]

Another winner in vancouver as the sedin bernier line looks good accounting for all 3 goals

 

[Vancouverfan]

passthebuck, you are right , they are in a similar situation as previous seasons, but I think we are showing more promise in having a secondary scoring line this year with Raymond/Demitra/ and either Wellwood or Pyatt then in years past when it was Naslund and whoever. Thats something we haven't had for a while. I also think the checking or third line of Kesler/Burrows/ and possibly Hansen may even improve on last year and chip in a few more goals.

 

[bluebirdsbaby]

I don't know... I just can't see it. I've read all your arguments and considered if the Canucks could seriously contend this year, and I just don't see it happening. I think there's way too much merit being put into the pre-season games. These games mean NOTHING. They don't in any sport. Most undefeated Pre-Season teams in the NFL go winless for weeks.

Dallas is 1-4-1. The Rangers are 1-5. The LOS ANGELES KINGS are 3-0-2. Do you seriously see these teams going in these directions this year? I sure don't.

I think one of the best things going for your Canucks is the low-scoring, hard-checking, tight games that they'll be playing within their division. They have the most games against these teams, and they can really lean on their goalie to do most of the work. Two goals might win those games. But, seriously, the Canucks are nothing special this year. I don't see them finishing higher than 7th in the West.

 

[Vancouverfan]

bluebirds, I don't think they are anything special either, but I do think they are a playoff team. many people were writing them off this summer that they wouldn't make the playoffs, but I think they are hands down a better team than last year and could possibly steal 1 round. Need there Defence to stay healthy this year unlike last

 

[cmsone]

never did i say cup contender. i was just simply saying vancouver is not as bad as the general public and vegas team total line makes them out to be.

 

[Rjcsjc62]

Hey CM,

I have to caution you not to take anything out of pre-season hockey, or any other sport. It is totally meaningless. Otherwise Oleg Sapryken would have won the hart trophy 3 years ago. Every fan, of every team, every year, gets all excited about the local pre-season hype around their squad.

That being said I do agree that Vancouver is a competive team this year, and I completly agree with what you said about Bobby lou, I think now that he has some of his personal distractions out of the way, he will be a stud this year.

I look forward to some really good games out of this division again this year, contrary to the central, there are no truly elite teams in the northwest, and there are door mats either. I expect another tough 5 horse race to the 3 seed this year, with a couple of 6-8 seed consulation prizes. I also dont believe that Minnisota will be as bad as people think either.

 

[cmsone]

bump for all the doubters that think they know what they are talking about when it comes to the vancouver canucks. cheers haters.

:money8: